#i need grassland romance

[syllikins]

Bro the new banner got me cooked.

[loversdelusions]

Sylus Translation error that I CANT FORGIVE

Link to reddit post:

Reading the Sylus translation project by user readsubtextually on reddit and yes, he is characterized differently. I am a little pissed about this.

I have many things to say about the little notes to his character that we miss out on in EN, but the one in Grassland Romance pisses me off so much. I love poetic, old words that go beyond just an emotion and I can't possibly describe my disappointment when seeing this:

In reference to "Do you have a lover?"

and then in reference to "I need to show them I already have a lover."

Reading this has made me feel vindicated. In Chinese, he seems to have a harsher exterior that we don't really get to see in EN, and a furious loyalty that he indicates only belongs to MC. Also, the way he speaks and the words he uses give a different characterisation that I am pissed they didn't do a better job of including. I have seen characters similar to this, and I am a bit confused by some of the choices they made. I really suggest reading this translation I think it makes things make a lot more sense. It certainly cleared up some misunderstandings I had when I first read through the story. I will definitely come back to this every time there is an update.

[chaos-in-deepspace]

LADS Sylus: Just In Case | NSFW

This? This was supposed to be a fic inspired by how he has his middle and ring finger nails trimmed in his new outfit. And then somehow it turned into this? It still has the fingernail bit tho istg this is the Sylus fingering Reader in a Yurt fic.

❧ Pairings: Sylus x Reader ❧ Warnings: Jealousy, Self Doubt, Comfort, Words of Affirmation, Teasing, Hickeys, Nipple Biting, Fingers, Clothes Grinding, Coming in Pants, Top Sylus ❧ Synopsis: You hated the fact that you were jealous over something so trivial. Ever since traveling with the tribe, and seeing how they all swooned over Sylus, it was hard not to feel a certain way. Then there were the words Tarna has said to you: "Whoever takes them, keeps them." ❧ Word Count: 4.4k

Disclaimer: This is an original fan work for “Love and Deepspace”. Do not repost on other platforms or plagiarize. All characters shown in this fic is 18+.

Blog Information | Masterlist

Sylus

Just In Case

It was already the second night that you had been in the Grasslands. You were exhausted from all the traveling you had done that day, and when you guys set up to stay the night, you had all but collapsed onto your bed roll. Your body ached from all the horseback riding you had done, but it wasn’t like it was unsatisfying. You had seen Sylus basically winning every challenge that came his way, not to mention the sweet gesture he had made when braiding your hair.

Tarna had tried to convince you to join the rest at the bonfire they had set up, but you had politely declined. Sylus, on the other hand, was a night owl. He had been more than happy to join in and had even tried getting you to join, to no avail. So he promised to rejoin you later when he got tired and let you head inside to rest.

The braid he gave you earlier had already been taken out as you laid down, curled up on your shared bed accommodation. You could still hear Sylus’ voice, speaking with some of the locals. Even if he didn’t speak their language, Tarna had been more than happy to translate. Not to mention, he just had a way of communicating with others without the need for words.

You could hear the laughter of some of the women, and flashes of them touching him went through your mind. You tried brushing them aside as you curled up deeper into your bed roll. Sylus was naturally a little more flirtatious, or at least that was your experience with him. You could only hope that demeanor wasn’t leading anyone on.

For just a moment, you even had doubts he’d be coming back to the same tent you were in. You knew Sylus wasn’t like that, but you could still have your own doubts and fears. Thankfully, those thoughts escaped as you heard the flaps of the yurt opening as Sylus came inside, along with the rustling of fabrics. He shed a few layers so he could sleep comfortably. “I thought you said you were tired, yet here you are, awake.” Sylus’ voice broke out in the small yurt and you rolled over just in time to watch him crawl in next to you.

At first, you weren’t planning on even deeming him with a reply to his little comment; maybe trying to fake being asleep would make him not talk. You made a bit of room, allowing him to have some of the blankets. Unlike the night before, you made no move in scooting closer to him. The words Tarna had spoken earlier played in your head like a bad record: “Whoever takes them, keeps them.”

Why did that bother you so much? It was clear that he had caught the eye of every single woman in the area; the way they whispered while watching him compete was enough to let you know. They made it obvious as well, one of them even going up to touch his arm and speak to him.

He had been cordial enough, but the self-doubt in your mind rolled through it like a dark storm. You and Sylus had made leaps and bounds in your relationship, but you hadn’t crossed the threshold of romance yet. Gods, you wanted to so badly. You just were too unsure about everything, and you hated that feeling. It wasn’t even like you needed to doubt Sylus. He had made it so painfully obvious he didn’t have eyes for anyone else other than you. He was just polite when the situation wasn’t business…teasing but polite.

You decided that the silence was too deafening at the moment as you spoke, “It was hard to sleep with all the noise outside,” you said, and Sylus hummed. He had already gotten comfortable, and you could sense the weariness from him. A second night of having to reassure you would be annoying, right? You kept your mouth shut, opting just to ignore the festering feelings in your gut since clearly that was a healthy decision.

“It seems it’s more than that, kitten,” He began, “You’re restless now. Don’t tell me your mind is causing you to stress again,” you felt his hand in your hair as he pushed some of it back. You didn’t even want to look at him right now, worried that you’d say something stupid. You couldn’t stop how your body responded, though, leaning into his touch like a cat.

“It’s nothing, really.” It was a flimsy excuse, judging by how your voice wavered. You hated the jealousy you felt, how it was settling into you to the point where you wanted to be sick. You didn’t think of yourself as the jealous type by any means, but here you were, absolutely upset over hypotheticals. You wanted to convince yourself just not to feel this way, but that was easier said than done as you were mentally screaming.

Sylus frowned, the look marring his pretty face slightly. You really did prefer it when he smiled, even if it was at your own expense. The teasing smirk you often found was at least focused on you and nobody else. “This is clearly something. I don’t think you’d be worried about making it home for two nights in a row,” he propped himself up into his elbow, looking at you, “My ears are always open for you, sweetie.”

Your heart began beating a little faster at his comment as you cleared your throat, “It’s…do you recall what Tarna said the day before?” you decide to test the waters and see if he recalled the information. You highly doubted the saying she taught you guys was on his mind; it shouldn’t have even been on yours.

“She said a lot of things; you’ll need to be more straightforward. What did she say that’s upsetting you?” He was speaking gently right now, making you feel even worse about your feelings. Why was he always so damn patient with you, always willing to reassure you even over something so trivial? When you first met Sylus, you had no clue that this side of him even existed, and it did things to you both physically and emotionally.

You cleared your throat, “Whoever takes them…keeps them.” You clarified, finally meeting his gaze, “That statement.” You could see the flash of recognition in his eyes when he realized what this was about. He had already seen your jealous side earlier by the river, but now it had only gotten worse. He had been nice about it back then, but would you only annoy him by bringing it up again? It’s not like you two were dating, even if you flirted and teased one another like it was some competition.

“Are you worried about that?” He asked, his hand tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, “That someone is going to take me away?” he asked, and you sighed. He managed to figure it out quickly.

“I mean…I’ve just seen how the others have been looking at you,” like they were drawn to an oasis in a hot desert, “And you’re my ticket home after all…” You wanted to kick yourself the moment the words came out of your mouth. You just had to avoid telling him how you really felt, didn’t you?

He didn’t seem upset at the statement; if anything, he was amused. “I won’t be stolen away that easily.” He assured, “Though I must say I’m flattered that you’ve been keeping such a close eye on me today. So much so that you didn’t even realize that some of the men in the village have been giving you the same look.”

You had to take a moment to process what he said…people had been looking at you? There was no way. It made sense for Sylus, and he was charismatic, handsome, and strong. You were…well, you were a jealous hunter. You did recall how he had braided your hair and the way he had mentioned how only lovers should see their partner’s hair in its natural state…could it be he was jealous as well? No, you were probably overthinking things.

“I…” you said, but you couldn’t get the right words out. He had the tendency to make you speechless, and right now, it was no different. Everything you wanted to say had vanished right into the air as you looked up at those red eyes that were so damn soft at the moment. How could you even think he’d look at anyone else like this? Those sharp eyes of his looked lovestruck at times when it was just the two of you.

“If you’re truly worried, you can always lay a claim on me,” he suggested, and you flushed right away. Your eyes widened at every implication that could’ve meant. You buried your face in the pillow underneath you, now unable to meet his gaze for several reasons, “Kitten, look at me. What’s wrong? Don’t tell me your mind went to the gutter.” His voice was now teasing. Screw the gentle look he was giving you; now you knew for a fact his eyes were shining with amusement at your expense.

“Do you not listen to yourself?” you managed to hiss out the question. His chuckles filled your ears as you let out an embarrassed whine from the back of your throat. Why were you jealous of this man in the first place? He was horrible. A jerk face. Every mean name under the sun couldn’t begin to describe him when he was like this. Why did you like it? That was the real question.

“Well, now I’m curious about what you’re thinking. I was just going to say you could ride with me tomorrow, perhaps hold my arm during rests.” Lies, all of them, and now your mind was definitely in the trenches at him mentioning ‘riding’ of any kind. “What were you thinking?” he laughed again, and you let out an annoyed huff. He was egging you on, and it was working as per usual.

You sat up suddenly and turned to him, pushing on his chest until he was lying on his back. He let out a grunt, but he also had that shit-eating grin on his face as he looked up at you, waiting for your next move. You didn’t even know what your next move would be, honestly. Now that you were here, straddling the man’s waist, your mind was going almost completely blank, so you let your instincts take over.

You leaned down until your breath ghosted over his neck, placing a small kiss there before going in to suck on the skin. You felt him shifting underneath you as you marked him, doing your best to make it known that he was taken. Even if it was a small hickey, it might’ve been enough to get the others to back off, knowing exactly who shared a bed with him at night, who left a mark on his flawless skin.

When your lips finally parted, you could see the blooming mark on his skin. It was a light purple one right on his jugular, and while it wasn’t much, you doubted anyone would mistake it for anything else. Your fingers went over to touch the mark, admiring your handy work.

Sylus’ hand went up and pressed down on where you left the mark, and as a result pressed your own hand closer to him; his eyes curious and holding a hunger to them, “Oh, is that all? You know, people might just think I got a bruise from all the competing I did today. Sweetie, you might need to try a little harder than that.” He was still egging you on to get you to do exactly what he wanted.

Still, if he wanted to play this game, then so be it. You looked over his outfit and eyed something that, honestly, was the first thing you noticed when he had originally put it on. The little voice in the back of your head even supplied you with the fact that the outfit managed to look slutty on him, something you adored. Sadly, it was another reason why everyone else was eying him up and down all day. The man was well-built, and you knew why. You two had trained together, and after you were already tired, he continued on. You swore he had even managed to gain some new muscle recently.

You leaned down to his chest and glanced up at him quickly before deciding to just go all in. One of his nipples was exposed, and you were damn certain if you left a mark right there, nobody in their right mind would mistake it for a simple bruise. So you bit him, clamping down on his nipple, and, with your current position, you felt him rolling his hips up into you.

He let out a groan as you lapped at the bud in your mouth and pulled away, happy to see that there was a distinct mark where your teeth were. Your hand went over it gently, fingers barely touching him. You felt him roll his hips again in response and felt a warmth blooming in you when you felt something hard against your ass. You shouldn’t have been surprised that he was getting erect from this, hell if you were in his situation, you might’ve busted already.

“Think they’ll mistake this for an injury with your…competition today?” you asked with a satisfied smirk on your face. Sylus was looking at you for a moment, trying to process what you just did to him, and then you felt his hand on the back of your neck.

He grabbed you closer to him, and you let out a small gasp when his lips were on your throat. He was pushing down some of the garments you wore to give him access as he bit down on the skin there. You hissed at the sharp pain, realizing that, unlike you, he could commit.

As soon as he left that area of your neck, he went to the front of your throat, sucking a mark that bloomed under his lips. You were now the one who ground down onto his lap, feeling yourself growing wet as he pressed a small kiss there, “S-Sy, what are you…?” you managed to rasp out; you were already crumbling because of this man.

“You aren’t the only one who needs to lay claim to someone,” he said as he began marking another area of skin. It felt too good that you clamped a hand down over your mouth to muffle the noises, “I wasn’t a fan of the others looking at you as though you were available for them to take you. I do have a possessive streak, after all, kitten.”

He sucked a fourth mark; this one was right under your ear as you groaned, “Did you not want the others to hear you? I’m sure if they did, it would send a message loud and clear.” He rolled his hips back into you, making sure there was no mistake about precisely what he wanted to do right now.

“W-we’re guests, Sy,” you managed to get out, “We don’t want to make a scene.” And at the rate this was going, you were five seconds from pushing him back down and riding him until the sun came up. You could already imagine the dirty looks you’d get tomorrow morning from everyone who lost sleep due to your…activities.

“I guess you make a fair point,” he murmured as he let you go. Your entire neck was now covered in marks as you glared down at him. You could lie to him all you wanted, but inside, you felt a bit giddy. Knowing that the other women of the tribe would see you and just know it was Sylus who put the markings on you. You were almost tempted to leave even more on him, but he was already being nice and not pushing it. You doubted if you continued to tease him, he’d be okay with just going to bed after this. He’d do it, sure, but he might be a bit grumpy and…uncomfortable.

Still, you needed to hold yourself back for your own sanity. You carefully extracted yourself from him and rolled off to your side to face away from him. If he did anything else, you wouldn’t be able to hold back. You certainly had never fucked him, and from what you felt just now, he was…big. Riding a horse tomorrow would be a nightmare if he were to rail you right here and now. Still, if you were going to have sex, you’d rather it be back home where you wouldn’t need to cover up all your noises and didn’t need to worry about getting up the next day.

“Running away?” Sylus said as you heard the rustling of fabrics once more. He adjusted your head as he laid his arm out, allowing you to use it as a pillow. The rest of his body wrapped around you as he spooned you from behind, “After you started it, you’re now hiding. Adorable.” The way he all but whispered that into your ear had you shuddering.

“I just don’t think it’s the…place for that…” you said, hoping he’d read between the lines. Thankfully, it seemed he did, but you let out a gasp when you felt a gentle kiss on the back of your neck. He was driving you mad with his casual shows of affection; even cuddling you like this was making you yearn for something so much more.

“Of course, I understand,” he managed to murmur, “But will you be able to actually rest now, in this state?” his other hand trailed down to your stomach, pushing some of the fabric around as he continued trailing his hand further down until it was bunching at the long skirt you wore.

“I don’t know what you mean,” you muttered, a small shiver running down your spine as he began rolling the skirt up so he could press down on your bare thigh. His hand was so hot it felt like he was branding you with it.

He cupped the skin there, just trailing a hand over it as he spoke, “I need you to let me know if it’s alright to continue,” he said, clearly holding himself back. You could feel how your underwear clung to you, almost soaking through the fabric. Obviously, you wanted this, but would you be capable of keeping it together, and now that you are moaning so loud, the entire tribe could hear you? Fuck it, you could try.

“Just…just your hand,” you got out, and he chuckled. Sylus’ hand was now moving upwards without any hesitation, and now he had the green light to continue; he was intent on making the most of it. You felt the warmth of his palm cupping you through your underwear, and you held back a moan, instead biting down on your lip as his fingers trailed along the slick that coated them.

“You’ve managed to flatter me twice in one night,” he commented, pressing his fingers against your cunt and rubbing you through the layers, “I’m glad I have this effect on you though.” He was now finally pushing the underwear off to the side to give him access to your pussy. He trailed a finger over the slickness of your slit, barely pressing a finger into you. It hard you shuddering, almost begging him to just put them inside of you already.

Then you noticed the bluntness of his nails, which startled you as you thought for a moment. You swore up and down he had nails…didn’t he? Despite how turned on you were, the question was running through your head, “Sylus…when did you cut your nails?” you swore they weren’t short earlier.

He actually laughed at your statement, “Sweetie, you’re asking me this right as I’m about to be knuckle deep in you?” He asked, and you let out a small huff, “I have. You know I like to keep two of my nails trimmed…just in case.” You looked back at him with wide eyes. Before you could say anything, he was already reassuring you, “I did it for you, so don’t overthink it,” the moment the words came out, he sunk his fingers into your cunt.

Your mouth opened wide as a moan left you, and your cheeks felt flushed; at the angle, you had turned to, Sylus had a perfect view of it. You quickly moved your head away, nuzzling into the arm underneath you. He had the audacity to laugh again as he began fingering you, the digits easily slipping inside of you with how turned on you were. You felt how his thumb pressed against your clit, and you were now rolling into the palm of his hand, seeking more from him.

“You know, you have an effect on me as well.” As if to prove his point, he rolled his hips up into your ass. You could feel his hot cock through the layers, the hardness making you shiver. Your walls clenched around his fingers, “Hm, you seemed to like that. Perhaps when we’re back home, we’ll need to have a redo of this night.” He muttered—gods, what you wouldn’t give to be back home right about now. How many more days until the festival when you guys could go back? Could it be right now so you could be shoved into a mattress already and fucked until you couldn’t walk?

You were now caught between wanting to grind on his cock, while also rolling into his hand as the wet squelching noises began filling the yurt. You bit down on your lip and tried to focus, and Sylus clicked his tongue from behind you.

“If you’re going to bite on something, use my arm. I wouldn’t mind more marks from you, kitten.” Sylus instructed, and in your lust-filled haze, you didn’t question it. Instead, you turned your head and sank your teeth into the arm underneath you. You heard Sylus groan as his grinding began more insistent, as did his hand. He seemed to be trying to get you to cum before him, and you were so close. Your thighs were shaking already as you tried to squeeze Sylus’ hand between your legs.

You felt that familiar warmth inside of your stomach, and with his skilled fingers and the press of his thumb along your clit you found yourself unraveling. You didn’t even realize an orgasm could be this good as you bit down harder on him. For some reason, it felt so much better that he was the one to touch you. Perhaps it had been the build-up, but right now, as you came, your head was static, and thoughts refused to form as the euphoric sensation wet through your entire body.

You were rolling into his touch, trying to prolong the feeling for as long as possible as he worked you through it, feeling how you squeezed his fingers. Your pussy throbbed around him, and the only thing on his mind was how it would feel around his cock.

When you finally released his arm from your teeth and began feeling a bit more normal, he took his fingers out. Your body was still buzzing with the aftershocks as he pressed his slick-coated fingers against your mouth. You didn’t think twice as you opened up and let him put the digits inside your mouth.

You groaned at the musky taste of yourself on him as he pressed down on your tongue. You sucked his fingers clean as you felt how he was still rutting against you. His hips stuttered in his movement as he groaned, and you wondered what he might taste like. You almost wished his fingers were his cock, and he was coming down your throat at that moment. If he had just waited a few more moments, you might’ve indulged that fantasy.

His breathing was heavier as he rolled his hips against your ass a few more times before he stopped and stilled against you. He removed his fingers and went to kiss the back of your neck. His hand now wrapped around your torso in a possessive grip as he held you there, nuzzling into you.

“Did you…in your pants?” you couldn’t help but ask; in response, you got a chuckle out of the man behind you. The breath of air was chilly on your slightly damp next as you flinched away.

“Very observant, but yes,” he said, “We’ll both be needing to get cleaned up before we properly go to bed.” His words made you pout as you rolled over to face him. He looked good like this, and you could see some of his flush hadn’t gone away after his orgasm. It was a rare treat to see him like this as you mentally stored the image away.

“Okay, but now I’m actually sleepy,” you muttered, and he just gave you a knowing look. It was the look of: “Your excuses aren’t going to save you this time.”

“I’m sure you are, kitten, so I’ll just carry you down to the river myself if you’re going to be acting like this.” He mused, “I wasn’t asking; I was telling you. We need to clean up.” You hated that he was being responsible. Sure, you knew it was important, but your body felt sluggish now, and you just wanted to rest.

“What if someone sees?” you asked, and he raised an eyebrow. His arm was now snaking around to the front of your neck, grazing over the marks that painted your skin like constellations.

“Then let them, not like I care in the slightest. Besides, it’ll be obvious come tomorrow with all our new markings,” he commented, and you looked down at his arm, which had an angry, red bite mark. You flushed as you went to kiss it; he had a point. Hopefully, nobody had heard the wet noises earlier; to you, it had been deafening in the quiet of the night.

“Fine…were you serious when you offered to carry me?” you said while poking at his exposed stomach.

“You’re like a feather to me. Come on.” You felt how his arms wrapped around you as he made you two sit up. Your hands wrapped around his neck as he stood up from the bed. You locked your legs around his waist as he adjusted you in his grasp.

The only thing on your mind now was how badly you wanted to get back home, to Linkon, to the N109 Zone, so that you could properly fuck this man.

Anyway, this was inspired by a post I saw by @aeyumicore which btw did you now if I ever say I'm tempted to write something and someone says do it, I will probably do it. In one sitting. This took three hours to outline, write, and then edit.

[grandisknight]

Sylus | Grassland Romance Kindled Showcase

Wander In Wonder Event | Twitter (X) Post

“Actions speak louder than words. I need to show them I already have a lover."

[empty-vessel-of-a-person]

Reasons why Sylus and MC’s Love is Strong and Enduring

The Front Side

Their relationship may have started in a wrong foot but they gradually (specially MC) come to terms that Sylus will constantly be at her side.

In “No Way Out” and “Radiant Brilliance” Sylus, the ever elusive and strong leader of Onichynus has no problem is showing weakness with MC. This is huge considering Sylus reputation. Being vulnerable and open is not something easy for a man like Sylus, but he let MC see every side of him.

Sylus is the first LaDS men to ever directly tell MC that he loves her and proves it to her in every way possible. (Source: Razor Grip)

Sylus is a man of confidence and conviction. MC is not very fond of him at the beginning (Nor he is fond of her) but I don’t feel that they genuinely hate each other. More like irritated and frustrated. But after all of the things ended in Sylus’ branch of the story, Sylus gradually but firmly makes his way to MC’s life. He always makes sure MC is alright and got everything she needs.

The memory “Wild Gaze” and “Melodic Weave” Is probably where Sylus gets the “sugar daddy” label. He really doesn’t mind spending his fortune with MC.

The Back End

They are on the opposing end of the society. Let’s not forget MC is a Hunter and Sylus is a wanted person of her organization. But romantically involved or not, MC never spilled anything about Sylus upon her return to Linkon from the N109 Zone. From this perspective, MC might be eternally grateful that she was able to return home, but this is huge for her. Considering she is all about being a hunter that not even Zayne is able to stop her from doing dangerous missions, her keeping secrets of Sylus whereabouts ans dealings is no easy feat.

Secret Dates and Escapades Shenanigans. This is one of the best tropes Sylus and MC have. The thrill of not to be caught together adds flavor to their relationship. We can see this on both “Melodic Weave” and voice call “Keep Distance”. Yes, Sylus couldn’t care less about what happened to him but MC is clearly not comfortable in the idea of them being seen together.

Given the conclusion above, they both still makes efforts to be together. And one of my favorite moments of them was during the “Riverbank Scenery” Phone Call. Sylus have to send a”suspicious” letter just to invite her out. And the fact that he called their meeting as a “rendezvous” instead of a date adds to anonymity on it and also heartbreaking. They may not directly say it,but they cannot be seen together. Which is why towards the end of the call, Sylus almost pleadingly ask her to stay with him longer.

The Consequences. By the time the we get to the “Razor Dance” memory, it’s clear that MC already has feelings for Sylus. But they are still keeping things a secret and I feel that the deeper reason for this is MC’s situation. What will happen to her once they are found out? MC might be branded as a traitor and lock her up. I know that Sylus will do anything and literally everything to save her but the real question is, will he risk it? I know for a fact that MC will not die but if the association finds out about it, she might be facing a problem same with what Ever Group is posing. MC has a very valuable asset and there is no guarantee that the Hunters Association will not take advantage of her as well.

The Conclusion

MC do not show any signs of giving up being a hunter or ever leave Linkon. She mentioned it in all the memories under the Wander in Wonder Event. She really hopes to return to Linkon and she misses her home. In the same event in the “Grassland Romance” with Sylus she asks him if he ever consider living in Linkon so they could always meet up and he readily agrees. With this we can assume the extent of Sylus love for her. He is willing to give up everything for her and be anything for her.

But although MC is not ready or willing (Depends how you take it) to give up being a hunter or leave Linkon, we cannot ignore the danger she is putting her self in every time she meets with Sylus. MC inviting him to live in her hometown can be taken as she wants him being in a more peaceful environment to keep him safe.

Their love story ma not be easy flowing but it’s not toxic. It may need a lot of effort, but it doesn’t make it less true. Loving Sylus can be a pain but it’s still rewarding.

[hananoami]

Grassland Romance · Showcase

"Actions speak louder than words. I need to show them I already have a lover."

[helianyx]

rescuing kittens -

pairing: sylus x mc word count: 2,509 summary: While attempting to rescue a poor cat stuck in a tree, MC… also gets herself stuck in the tree. Fortunately, a certain 'Good Samaritan' known for helping strays just happened to be passing by… tags/warnings: lighthearted, slice of life, flirty banter, developing relationship, silly sweet shenanigans in the style of some Tender Moments. a/n: This was my first little lads fic, technically a one-shot that could have a future follow-up but I don't have anything in mind for it atm. Mid-point in the slow burn, definitely before Grassland Romance & Wander in Wonder. P.S. I forbid any use of my writing in any form of generative or AI training.

(ao3 link)

“Sylus!” Against all odds and reason, she couldn’t stop herself from a thrill of excitement and relief seeing that familiar face just happening to pass beneath her on the sidewalk.

An eyebrow arched as he stopped, lifted his sunglasses, and looked up.

“I’ve heard of cats getting stuck in trees, but this seems a little ridiculous, kitten.” The pointed emphasis on the pet name was particularly heavy-handed this time around. She sighed. Yeah, even amidst her relief she’d expected his teasing.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up…” she grumbled, awkwardly crouched among the branches of a tree in a street-side park, a tiny tabby tucked in the crook of one arm. 

“Care to explain?” 

“I… miscalculated.” Her face scrunched up and she hung her head. 

She had been sure she could extricate the little critter just fine on her own, but now that she was several feet in the air with the cat in her arms, she had to reconsider. It was behaving well enough, but by the look in its eye and the twitch in its tail, she couldn’t be sure it wouldn’t react unpredictably if she suddenly leapt or otherwise maneuvered down. She didn’t want it to hurt itself because of her. 

“I’m not sure this little guy is going to cooperate if I make any sudden movements.” 

“That sucks.” He drawled with faux sympathy, replacing his sunglasses and moving to leave. “Well, good luck with that.”

“Wait! Come on! I know you’re not that heartless! Can you really leave a-...” she pursed her lips, swallowed her pride, and then did her best to put the most pathetic pair of puppy eyes on she could muster. “-Two adorable kittens to their sad fate?”

Sylus choked out a single bark of laughter, looking insufferably smug as ever. 

“All right, all right.” He shook his head in amusement, taking a few steps closer to position himself beneath her. “But I have one condition.” 

“Don’t agree and then tack on favors!” She scolded, and then was painfully, keenly aware she did sound a bit like a hissing cat.

“If a kitten needs saving, shouldn’t it be making cute little sounds so someone will come help it?” He ignored her. And of course he went and said something ridiculous. She felt the corner of her mouth twitch.

Deep down, she was pretty sure he’d help her even if she refused. Or she could even propose a different deal, and in her experience he was typically pretty lenient with her… But in this situation, nothing was coming to mind. 

“...Are you sure about that? That’s what you want?” When had she ever ‘meowed’ in her life? 

He folded his arms and tilted his head. “What? Is the Kitty Queen incapable of mastering her own native language?” 

She sighed and shook her head. “All right, you asked for it…” Clearing her throat, she took in a deep breath through the nose. A meow. A cute, small sound that tugged at the heartstrings. 

“Me- meow~!” It started strong! But then her voice cracked and it sounded a bit like she had a hairball stuck in the back of her throat. Or a cat in heat. She clapped her free hand over her mouth in vehement, physical, knee-jerk denial such a sound had left her mouth.

Sylus just laughed, and even as her face burned with embarrassment, she could hear the warmth in it, rather than sounding particularly mean-spirited. 

“Oh, that was very cute.” He lifted his arms up. “All right, I’m compelled. Hop down and I’ll catch you.” 

She groaned quietly to herself, but took careful hold of the cat in both of her arms. This way she could focus on keeping the cat restrained instead of how best to land. 

Funny, actually, the complete faith she had that Sylus wouldn’t let them get hurt. She’d suspected him many times in the past of trying to deceive or otherwise mislead her, but as he said: when he made a promise, he always followed through.

So while she did her best to angle herself towards him, she otherwise didn’t hesitate to take the leap. She was hardly surprised when, in an instant, dark energy wrapped its tendrils around her waist, significantly slowing her fall to almost nothing. Though once she was in reach they dissipated, replaced by his hands on her hips, effortlessly lowering her down to the ground.

For all of her concerns, the cat in her arms didn’t seem to so much as bat an eye. It mewled softly -and unquestionably adorable- as if saying thanks. 

“And now the kittens are safely returned to terra firma.” His hands withdrew, but instead he lifted one to pet her hair like one would a cat. “Try not to repeat the same mistake, hm?” 

“I don’t see the problem,” she said, brushing his hand off. “You could use all the help you can get stocking up on good deeds to balance your scales.”

He scoffed, and started to say something, but the real cat had expended all of its patience and began twisting and squirming around. Quickly she knelt down to release it, watching as the furry little critter bounded off and disappeared into some bushes. 

“Aw… I wonder if it lives around here. It seemed pretty young.” 

“Young and feisty. Smart, too.” Sylus mused, his eyes glinting with mirth as he looked at her. “Definitely sounds familiar.” 

Denying him for the millionth time seemed pointless. At this juncture she was more or less resigning herself to her fate. There were worse things than being a cat, she supposed.

“Not sure how smart either of us were getting stuck in a tree,” she mumbled, brushing off the fur she’d accumulated on her shirt as she stood up.

“It was smart enough not to scratch the hand that helped it.” He shrugged. She narrowed her eyes at him - and then mimed a scratching gesture, hooking her fingers like claws.

“Just like I haven’t scratched you yet?” Was what he was getting at. He just chuckled, idly rubbing his thumb over the pads of his other fingers. 

“I believe the emphasis there is on ‘yet’.” 

She recalled that he had a habit of caring for stray cats, though. And a habit of getting scratched to ribbons for his trouble. As well as a habit of never holding a grudge against them…

“It’d be worth it regardless,” he went on to say, tucking his hand in his pocket as his gaze leveled on her. “I got to witness a truly fascinating new side of you.” 

Of course he wasn’t going to drop that, was he? She huffed and folded her arms over her chest. 

“Being cutesy isn’t exactly my forte. You should be more grateful for the rare opportunity.” 

For a second he looked genuinely bewildered, and she didn’t think it was because of the second thing she’d said. But if she’d blinked she would have missed it, because it was quickly replaced by that subtle arch of his brow and less-subtle smirk. 

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I find you cute plenty of the time.”

“You have a delightful way of making that sound uncomplimentary.” She could feel her glower deepen - along with the wrinkles between her brow. 

“Another astonishing misunderstanding.”

Even if she accepted that he was being honest, she didn’t want to really reconsider what that meant at the moment. Instead she dropped her arms along with her bristly attitude and exhaled, letting ease overtake her. She was truly grateful for his help, after all. 

“Anyway, thank you for the assist. It’s still a bit early for you, though, isn’t it?” She cast a brief glance at the sky; the sun would be going down before long, but it was still fairly bright for him to be strolling around Linkon. “I suppose you had business here?”

“I did, but it’s all wrapped up now.” 

“I’m sure I’ll be hearing about it on the evening news,” she sighed. But how warped was she becoming by association with him, that there was a tell-tale bit of amusement in her tone she simply could not deny? 

She might have still had plenty of reservations about him, but at least in her limited experience, most of his enemies were criminals of the worst caliber. There was no way she could quite define him as a ‘vigilante’, but there had yet to be an instance where she felt the people he dealt with were particularly deserving of pity.

“And what about you? You’re not in your hunters uniform. Are you such an altruist you spend your days off looking for more good deeds to hang on your scales?” 

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I was just heading out to get an early dinner, when I heard cute little sounds begging for help.”

He didn’t quite laugh, but gave a low, breathy exhale that came close. 

“I was also just about to get a bite to eat,” he said, his tone shifting ever-so-slightly. A hint of gentleness crept in through the cracks, a subtle sweetness that never failed to entice her. “Would you care to join me?” 

It was a little distressing to realize how quickly she felt inclined to accept his offer. Which felt directly correlative to how much she wanted to spend more time with him. Which was borderline humiliating. The more her heart sang, the more she wanted to shove a pillow over it and press down until it stopped.

She tried to make a show of giving an exasperated huff, but it trembled pathetically on the way out as if betraying her. Still she stuck to her very stubborn guns and said: “You could have used that as your bargaining chip to get me down instead of making me meow.”

“I’ll admit the thought did cross my mind… But that wouldn’t be much better than coercion, now, would it, kitten?” 

Her lips tightened into a thin line. “I suppose. Maybe.” 

The real question was: Would she have minded? But the fact he cared enough not to use such ‘underhanded’ methods only made her singing heart that much more exuberant.

“What were you thinking? That sandwich shop nearby?” He offered his arm to her not unlike he had at the auction. For a split second she was bewildered by the fact he had psychically divined her destination - then she remembered this was Sylus, and rounded back on the fact he was just cruising ahead again.

“I didn’t even agree to anything.” It sounded like such a pathetically empty resistance. Because it was, and it had been from the moment he asked.

“Maybe not out loud, but… Didn’t you already make up your mind?”

“Aughh…” She hooked her arm around his. She really didn’t have to do that either, did she? And yet he seemed so finely tuned to knowing exactly what she really wanted, deep down. 

“Okay, but how did you know about Benny’s?” 

“It was just a guess. You like sandwiches,” he said as matter-of-factly as if it were common knowledge, “and when I looked earlier, the ratings I saw would suggest it’s the only place in this area that would make it worth coming this far from your apartment.”

Yeah, that level of calculation sounded like him. Well, she knew a thing or two about him, too!

“Sounds like you’ve never been there, then. Their slow-cooker French dip is one of my go-to’s, I think it’d be right up your alley.” She said with no lack of confidence, enthusiasm beginning to bubble over. “But they’ve got their seasonal apple cider pulled pork right now I’m dying to check out.”

“Hmm, those do sound good,” he nodded, shooting her a grin. “Should we go splitsies?” 

She snorted and laughed, hearing him say things like that always caught her off-guard in the best way, and he seemed to know it. 

“I thought you didn’t like to share. I seem to remember a greedy crow who complained whenever I tried his food before.”

“There’s a key difference between sharing and stealing.” 

She couldn’t stop herself from a mischievous little giggle remembering the look on his face when he’d gone for his last dumpling and found it mysteriously vanished.

He leaned towards her a little, lowering his voice, his breath brushing her ear. “But I suppose… we don’t need to worry about such distinctions between us anymore.” 

Rather than bend away, she turned her face towards him, drinking in his closeness. “How benevolent of you.” 

He laughed and straightened up, and she tried not to be too disappointed. 

“You’re the only one who would say that about me.”

“I’m just calling it like I see it.” She shrugged one shoulder. “But I’m fine being the primary recipient of your benevolence, too.” Grinning up at him, she lifted her free hand to poke his cheek. “Especially if that means I can rope you into a few good deeds here and there.”

He gave her a brief glare for the poke, but it was almost hilariously short lived and as paper thin as her resistance earlier had been. How was she supposed to just ignore that? 

“So that’s your angle? Course correcting me onto the straight and narrow?” 

“Hmm…” Considering it briefly, she probably would have said yes before. But now? It was less about that than she found herself worrying for his safety. “I think I’d be happier if you maybe had fewer people trying to kill you at any given time.”

“That would be quite the list… And who was it that once sat at the top of it, I wonder?” He flashed a ruthless grin. Her expression immediately soured as she nudged her shoulder into him.

“Are you ever going to drop that?”

“Well, I still haven’t heard a sincere apology, sweetie.”

“And now definitely isn’t the time for it, either.” She mumbled, feeling the heat of embarrassment along her cheeks and the tops of her ears. Still she gave her all in shifting the subject by making a sweeping gesture of her free hand to the building in front of them, cheering enthusiastically. “Because we have arrived! Time to eat!”

“Haha, how convenient for you. All right, then.” 

Benevolent once again, he did indeed drop it as they made their way into the restaurant. But he wasn’t wrong, and she knew it. For something like that though, all of the rage, hatred, and vengeance she’d pinned on him… A simple apology wouldn’t do. 

She was going to have to think of something, some way she could truly show how sincere she was, and paying for sandwiches wasn’t going to cut it. In truth, she didn’t think he cared much about whether she went to extreme lengths, but the real guilt she felt over it wouldn’t be assuaged by half-hearted measures. She needed to really think of how she could make it up to him, even if he didn’t truly seem to hold any grudge against her - like all the strays that had lashed out at him before.

[paintpaintpaintman]

Folks we got another one we got a second OC He's a tiger named Yaarjul teehee

Have some silly lore for Goat's cult below the cut!

His name is Yaarjul, and he is from the Goat's cult. The Goat's cult is anything from refined or civil - a grassland grown wild with few buildings, all mostly dilapidated and abandoned. Their few followers make themselves scarcely seen, hiding behind the tall grasses of their home. These people come and go, rarely ever making it to elder age, save for one: Yaarjul.

The Goat does not like to abuse (or even use) divine magic. They believe the whole god-system should be dismantled and all should be equal. Therefore, they keep their Crown to ensure the cycle can never start anew, even if their cultists idolize them anyway (sometimes out of awe for being the last of their kind. Sometimes out of guilt for having been rescued). As such, they never appoint Disciples nor give magical items to their "followers." Yaarjul has been the only exception.

To the Goat, Yaarjul is a peer; having never truly pined after them nor treated them like a god or leader. He is a man of very few words or even noises, but he doesn't really need them. It seems they understand they would not be one without the other. He may not be a true Disciple, but often he is seen as an apostle to outsiders who don't quite understand their relationship.

Yaarjul, like the other's in the Goat's cult, is naturally skiddish and cautious, ready to run rather than fight. Though, behind the mask of survival is someone curious and studious, always seeking new knowledge.

The Goat had professed: "If I would have been able to fall in love, I would have chosen to love you." Alas, a story never meant to be. "Life partner" isn't always a traditional sense of romance. Sometimes, it really is simply a life partner.

[dawnbreakerluna]

its 2am and i am once again thinking about how, yes, sylus IS canonically bigger post grassland romance and we need to talk about that more

[soli-nepenthe]

Though Radiant Brilliance and Grasslands Romance are two distinct cards, I think they share in the idea of how Sylus/MC view or deal with challenges. In RB, we get to see a bit of Sylus's vulnerable side, especially learning that he has lost underground matches before, trying to be on equal footing with other challengers. In Grasslands, the probability of losing was also high (since he was competing against seasoned warriors in a different fighting style) but the need to win was also driven by MC. I think the story in Radiant Brilliance is sweet, but it also touches on the message that there is more to winning and losing (things that happen in life) as long as you have that special person at your side, a person who believes in you is what matters.

I'm probably rambling, but I enjoyed seeing a little more vulnerability from him on a similar theme.

[wildelydawn]

“I’m telling you, Chay! You gotta download this dating sim! It’s so fucking cute!” Ohm scrolls a bit and shoves his phone in Chay’s face. “Look at him!” An angry, but very hot man in a full suit and pony tail is on Ohm’s screen.

Chay bats Ohm’s phone away. “Why do you even play those games?”

“Oh, please. You would eat this shit up. Between that nasty stuff you’re writing instead of taking notes and the spank bank you have on your wall- OW!”

Chay nudges Ohm again. “Keep your voice down!” Chay leans in, whispering furiously. “Writing about WIK is private. This is a stupid social media game.”

“You used to play dating sims all the time!”

“Yeah! And then I realized real dating is nothing like a video game!”

Ohm sends him a referral code. “Come on, give it a shot. It’s fun. And it’s not like you’ve got any dates lined up.”

“Ugh, Ooohhhhm.”

“Just click on the link and make an account! So I can get the coins! Then you can delete it.”

“Fine, but not now. I’m busy.”

-

Later that same night, Chay receives a text from Ohm, reminding him yet again to make an account for A Ravishing Romance!, the newest and hottest dating sim on the market. 

According to the lore, the player is the protagonist who is visited by Nya, a “cat tamer” who whisks the player away to a secret island, The Meowland Marshes, where cat boys are running rampant. The protagonist has to romance each catboy, cat girl, or cat-person (depending on the settings the player chooses) and prepare them for the Adoption Party that’s happening in a week. If the protagonist fails to romance all the catboys in time, the Adoption Party doesn’t happen, and the Meowland Marshes are lost to the antagonists, the Kittjinn, evil spirits trying to take the catboys and make them their personal minions. If the player successfully dates all the catboys, brings them to the Adoption Party, gets all of them “adopted,” then the player successfully wins the game, and they get to choose the catboy they want to adopt.

The game sounds so bad that it could be good. 

There’s a free version and a very adult version for some money.

Chay is not going to spend 400 baht on a dating sim. But the coins are important to Ohm, so he downloads the free version, starts up the app, makes his gender neutral character named WIK, and begins the prologue to the game.

The game…. Is really something.

Nya, the catboy who’s going to narrate the game, is a blue-haired, pale skinned, lean looking man with a black crop top, choker, tight leather pants, and blue jewelry and accents. Anndddd he’s sporting the whole cat ears and tail and teeth thing. After explaining the prologue (Nya picked you, the protagonist, out of the other 8 billion people on earth because you wrote the most Kudos!’d catboy fanfic on Database of Our Own), Nya whisks you away to Meowland Marshes.

There, Nya basically traps Chay’s character in an apartment and tells him he has a week to romance all five catboys on the Marsh. Nya gives you a weird looking whistle that attaches to your phone; blow on it, and you can call Nya for help, access the catboys you’ve already romanced, or take yourself to the Pawwwn Shoppe, where you can buy treats, outfits, catnip, leashes, and other weird cat (and kinky) stuff to lure the boys. 

Chay clicks on one of the grasslands first because allegedly, one of the catboys is there.

Whisked away to the grassland, Chay encounters his first cat boy. He’s dark haired, wearing a white button up that is definitely not anywhere close to being buttoned up, with some maroon pants. He has his maroon blazer hanging on his shoulder, and his tail is up and ears relaxed.

“Hey there. Did you happen to find a watch here?” the cat boy asks. 

The game gives Chay two options:

“Uh, no. Sorry dude.”

“No, but I can definitely help you look for it!”

Chay sighs. He needs to find at least three catboys to reveal the rest of the map and to get Ohm his bonus coins. He clicks on the second option.

“Oh, thank you! I was being chased by some rabid dogs, but I think I dropped it somewhere. I can’t leave it behind. It’s like a collar.”

*You and the catboy look around the tall grass. He captures three mice, scratches behind his ear, meows in a pained voice before you find the watch.*

The catboy goes from sad to elated. Now Chay can see his thick forearms as he punches the air. Pink hearts erupt on the screen. “Thank you! You’re a really nice person! This watch means a lot to me. But since you were so kind, I’ll let you have it.” 

The game gives Chay two options:

“No thank you! I have a phone that tells time already. I’d love your number though! ;) ”

“Aw, that’s so sweet of you. I’ll cherish it forever, Mr…?”

Chay rolls his eyes and clicks the first option.

The catboy goes from elated to coy, his thick eyebrows raised. “Wow, you work fast. My name is Kinn, but I’m not that easy. Come back tomorrow and I’ll think about answering when you call.”

The screen lights up and Chay’s character’s phone rings. Chay clicks it, and now Kinn’s number is there. There are three options: CALL, TEXT, ASK ON DATE, and all three of them won’t be available until tomorrow.

Chay sighs. He opens the map and finds another location: a spa. Why would cats go to a spa? No idea, but this game makes so little sense to Chay, that he just clicks on it anyways. The sooner he finishes these first quests, the sooner he can delete the game.

A high pitched musical note signals that Chay’s character has landed in the spa. There, he finds another cat, but this one has a mischievous grin on his face. His ears are twisted back, like he’s ready to pounce on Chay’s little character. The only weird thing is that his legs are in the water… his fully clothed legs.

“Aren’t cats supposed to be afraid of water?” Chay muses. He clicks on the catboy.

“Ah, did you bring me my red wine?”

The game gives Chay two options:

“No, but I have these extra large condoms and some harnesses if you really wanna relax.”

“No, but you shouldn’t drink. It’s only 1PM.”

Chay clicks the second option. The catboy goes from passive to annoyed, a little vein popping out. 

“Who cares what time it is? I’m at the spa! Go find me a glass of wine and put it under my tab: Vegas.”

A sad face pops up on the screen. Apparently, Chay has met Vegas the Catboy, but hasn’t secured his number. So Chay must try again tomorrow.

“That’s irritating,” Chay sighs.

The final place that’s open to explore on the Meowland Marshes is the park. Chay clicks there and the same high pitched sound transports him there.

On a bench, surrounded by flowers and bushes, another catboy sits, with a guitar.

Chay’s jaw drops.

This catboy looks suspiciously like WIK. As in, real life singer WIK who’s currently promoting his second album on a sold out tour. The catboy is wearing a gray t-shirt and light-washed jeans, and lots of silver jewelry. His hair is longer towards the back, and his ears and tail are slightly droopy. He has a notebook next to him on the bench. 

Clearly, the game developer is keeping up with the times.

Chay clicks on the catboy.

“Oh. Hello. Am I making too much noise?”

The game gives Chay two options:

“No, you sound great!”

“No, but you sound stuck. Want some help?”

Imagine helping WIK with writing a song? Chay thinks. Only in his dreams. He clicks on the second option.

The cat boy’s tail perks up immediately. “You write music too? That’s great. Can you tell me how this sounds?”

Suddenly, a really slow guitar starts to play. The tune is melancholy and sweet at the same time.

Sort of like WIK’s music.

When the tune plays, the catboy says: “What do you think?”

The game gives Chay two options:

“It’s perfect! Don’t change anything!”

“It’s really good, but maybe change…” *give basic music advice.*

Chay laughs. He clicks the second option.

The catboy’s face changes to a soft smile. Pink hearts fill up the screen, which didn’t happen for the other two catboys.  “Wow, that’s good advice. I should get lessons from you. Do you come to the park often?”

The game gives Chay two options:

“Yeah, I love smelling the flowers. How about you?”

“Yeah, I love birdwatching. How about you?”

Chay clicks the first option.

More pink hearts fill the screen. The catboy’s smile gets even bigger and the guitar goes from his lap onto the bench. “Me too. I hate being at home, so I stroll through the park a lot. And flowers feel good when I touch the petals. I wish I could rub my face in them.” The cat boy goes from smiling to shy. “My name is Kim, by the way. What’s your favorite kind of flower?”

The game gives Chay two options:

“Uh, I don’t know the names, but the pink ones?”

*take a pink flower from the bush and put it in Kim’s hair.* “You.”

For shits and giggles, Chay hits the second option.

Red hearts appear on the screen while Kim the Cat boy blushes and touches the pink flower in his hair. “That…” There’s nothing else on the screen before the game gives Chay another two options:

“You look pretty like this.”

“I want to spend my life with you.”

Chay clicks the second option.

Suddenly, Chay’s phone becomes warm. Then hot. The app goes black and his phone shuts down, but now it’s burning in his hands. With a yelp, Chay drops his phone, and a silvery white beam erupts from it, blinding him. A strange breeze sweeps up the papers off his desk, and it picks up speed as Chay covers his eyes and feels his shirt billow against the gusts of wind. 

There’s a loud thud, a soft groan.

Chay uncovers his eyes as the light dims.

A man in a gray shirt and light wash jeans is heaped onto the floor. With a flower in his hair.

Not a man.

A cat boy.

Chay feels faint as the man-cat-boy hybrid stands up and dusts off his pants. “Your life… with me?” as if Kim is continuing the same conversation from the game. 

Chay can hardly breathe. “What the fuck is going on?” he whispers.

Still looking shy, Kim the man-cat-boy hybrid repositions the flower carefully. “I think it’s too soon to move in with each other. Maybe we can…” He looks up towards Chay. “I’m hungry. Do you… do you want to go get some noodles?”

[dollystuartwrites]

Stray Gods - Chapter 47

Pairing: Gods!OT8 x !F!Reader Genre: romance, friends to lovers, polyamory, mystery, supernatural, angst, fluff, smut Wordcount: 5821 Chapters:  [1] - [2] - [3] - [4] - [5] - [6] - [7] - [8] - [9] - [10] [11] - [12] - [13] - [14] - [15] - [16] - [17] - [18] - [19] - [20] [21] - [22] - [23] - [24] - [25] - [26] - [27] - [28] - [29] - [30] [31] - [32] - [33] - [34] - [35] - [36] - [37] - [38] - [39] - [40] [41] - [42] - [43] - [44] - [45] - [46] - [47] - [48] - [49] - [?] MASTERLIST Summary: With no memory of who you were, you wake up in the woods, only to be found by eight unusually handsome men. With no information of the past, the guys decide to take you in and take care of you for the time being. But that time becomes years, and as time passes, you start to notice that there is something different about them... and something different about you... Warnings: angst, praise, thigh riding, kissing, fingering, overstimulation, lovebites, bad/miscommunication, low self-esteem, swearing, name-calling, dry humping, college, degradation, gods, special powers, vaginal sex, oral sex (f&m), mentions of contraception (condoms&thepill), injuries, mentions of death (but no character deaths), virgin!reader, teasing, orgasms, poly relationship, semi-public sex, daddy kink, strength kink, grinding, I've probably forgotten some, so let me know if I did and I will add more as the story progresses. Taglist: @eastleighsblog​​​​ @tangerminie​​​​ @swittyregan​​​​ @septicrebel​​​​ @jiimout​​​​ @zandra-42​​​​​​@julciaqwerty​​​​ @vampcharxter​​​​ @mercurezed​​ @thatgirlangelb​ @cookiemonstermusic258​​ @stayconnecteed​​ @bubblelixie​​ @smilingtokki@hash2013 @juskz Want to be added or did I miss you? Just send me an ASK or DM

Lots of love and many thanks to my current beta’s from Wattpad: rocker7898 and sydneye2411. You guys made my writing so much better <3

The two of you spent all morning cuddled up together in bed. He held you in his arms, holding you against him as he hummed some soft tunes. The two of you hardly said a word, but with Seungmin there just wasn’t any need. You knew that he knew what you were thinking and feeling, and you were sure you knew what he was thinking and feeling too.

‘It’s time for me to get out of bed now, sweetie,’ he said after a while. You looked up at him with a pout. ‘Thanks to someone,’ he said, poking your cheek with his finger, ‘I wasn’t able to get much work done yesterday,’ he said with a sad smile. You still pouted at him but you understood. Reluctantly, you untangled your fingers from his hair and pulled away from him. Seungmin sat up with a yawn and stretched.

‘But how about breakfast first?’ he offered with a wink. Together, the two made some breakfast in the far too-small kitchen. Apparently, last night had stirred up quite the appetite for Seungmin because you were only halfway through your breakfast when he had already finished his. ‘I really gotta start now if I want to be able to finish it up before tonight,’ he said while stroking your hair. You nodded as he gave you a soft kiss on your lips before he took out his stuff again and put them out on the balcony once more.

When you were finally done, you took your time to wash up and get yourself dressed. You looked around the room but there wasn’t much for you to do. Your mind wasn’t in the right state to do any school work, nor did you think it wise to go to the beach, afraid you would distract Seungmin from his work again. You stared out one of the small windows, giving you the view of the grasslands and trees behind. Suddenly, you remembered something that Seungmin had mentioned, about the part of the island behind the trees.

‘Minnie?’ you began, opening the door to the balcony. He looked up at you and it took him a second to focus. ‘I’m going for a walk to explore the island for a bit,’ you spoke when his eyes were clear and on yours. Seungmin smiled and nodded before returning to his work again.

You packed some stuff and went on your way. The green grass field behind the cabin took quite a while to cross before you finally arrived at the thick set of trees that obscured the view of the other side of the island. You half expected a fence, fence wiring, or at least some thorn bushes to keep people from crossing the treeline, but there was nothing of the sort. Just high bushes and trees so thick and tall that when you stepped into it, all light seemed to disappear. You looked up, but there was no sunlight peeking through the thick coverage of leaves. Carefully you navigated through the dark bushes until you finally spotted some light again. You pushed a bush aside, and the bright sunshine almost blinded your eyes. You had to blink a few times before you could see again but then your mouth fell open.

You now understood what Seungmin meant when he said that no one would be interested in crossing the treeline.

There were small different coloured trees with flowers and fruits growing all over the place. Natural wildflowers moved softly in the wind. There were a handful of narrow pathways where the green grass had retreated. A few large smooth stones were lying around, the perfect height to be used as a bench to sit on. A couple of large trees were placed here and there as a way to hide from the bright sun or pouring rain. Adjacent was a field of grass that seemed to be calling out to you, begging you to lie there and relax, have a picnic, or take a nap. It was absolutely enchanting.

You had hardly set foot on the new terrain when all of a sudden a buzzing noise startled you. For a moment, you felt disoriented, afraid that you had stepped on some kind of alerting system. Then you realized it was coming from your bag. Hastily, you searched through it only to find your phone being the culprit. It hadn’t been that long without electricity or reception but somehow you had forgotten what a buzzing phone sounded like. Having stepped onto the terrain of the park, your phone suddenly seemed to be connected again with the digital world, loading all of your missed messages and calls at once. Most of them were emails, junk mail, or from school. As you scrolled down further you saw something else. Your friends had messaged you as well.

“Yo, Sera and I were thinking of going to that new arthouse film on Sunday, you wanna come?”

“You wanna go to the movies with me and Sera?”

“Dude, where are you?”

“Have you gone off the face of the earth again?”

“Honestly next time, let me know beforehand cuz this stuff stresses me out”

You read through Adam’s texts feeling guilty, but before you could reply, Sera’s texts started streaming in as well.

“Hey bae, wanna go to the movies this weekend? Adam is coming too”

“Hey, movies, this weekend? You, me, Adam?”

“Yes”

“No?”

“Maybe?”

“y/n?”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m getting kinda worried here”

“Pls reply asap”

‘So Adam says it's "normal" for you to disappear now and then, but I’m not feeling it”

“If you don't reply within 5 hours I will take action!”

“Okay I’m calling”

“Pls pick up”

“Omg girl pls, you’re making me nervous now”

“y/n”

“Okay so I called my mom to contact Mr. Hwang cuz that’s the only other person I know that knows you”

“Okay, so he told my mom that apparently you're fine and you’re just on a trip right now. I hope you’re enjoying yourself cuz imma kill you when you get back dude”

You bit your lip, feeling a deep pit of guilt in your stomach. How had you forgotten to tell them? You felt like such an asshole. No, you were such an asshole. Instantly you dialed Sera’s number and put your phone to your ear.

‘If I could wish to have one superpower right now, it would be to pull you through the phone and smack yo ass until you can’t walk for a month,’ Sera’s voice shouted through the phone. You weren’t sure whether to laugh at her remark.

‘Sera, I’m so s-,’ you began, not getting to finish your sentence.

‘Yeah, yeah, I know, you’re sorry. And you better be,’ she continued lecturing you, but the way she continued to speak let you know she wasn’t as angry as she pretended to be. ‘You probably cost me a few years of my life, I think I even sprouted some gray hairs from the stress. But I guess that just gives me another excuse to dye my hair again,’ she said, clicking her tongue.

‘I’m genuinely sorry, Sera,’ you said seriously, but smiling because of her remark. ‘The thing is…’ you began, ‘I never really had friends like you and Adam before, so I’m not used to letting people know where I’m going and stuff,’ you said unsure, fiddling with the strap of your bag as your eyes stared blindly at the softly waving grass.

‘It’s okay,’ Sera responded, her voice even softer now. ‘I’m just happy that nothing bad happened to you.’ You laughed.

‘Well, being surrounded by eight guys all the time, it’s kinda hard to have something happen to me at all,’ you chuckled.

‘Yeah, I guess so,’ Sera responded with a snicker. ‘But tell me about your trip,’ she urged you, ‘Adam told me that you rarely go anywhere at all.’

‘Erm, yeah. I recently went on holiday for the first time,’ you said, smiling while thinking back on the last few days.

‘Wow, for the first time, really? That’s… but I won’t judge. Where to then?’ she asked interested.

‘Jeju Island. It’s actually where I’m at right now as well, but a different spot,’ you explained.

‘Oh, I love Jeju!’ Sera said enthusiastically. ‘I used to go there every summer with my moms. Where at in Jeju are you right now? Maybe I know it.’

‘Erm,’ you began, frowning to yourself, ‘to be very honest, I’m not sure what this area is called,’ you said awkwardly. ‘But it has a lot of nature and it’s quite secluded,’ you decided.

‘Oh, yeah no, I wouldn’t know that, we used to hang out mostly in the rural areas, to be honest. But it sounds nice,’ Sera said kindly. ‘Are you there alone or…’ she began curiously.

‘I’m with one of my roommates,’ you began to explain, ‘He’s actually here for some research for his work and asked me if I was interested in coming along.’

‘Is that the more slender one with the brown hair?’ Sera asked interestedly.

‘Yeah. Wait, how did you know?’ You asked confused. Your heart was suddenly beating fast.

‘Oh, well I think I saw you getting picked up by him last Friday at school.’ She said hesitantly. ‘I was just on my way out when I thought I saw you from afar getting in a car with someone. I remembered their features, ‘cause I just wasn’t sure…’ she said, her voice trailing off. ‘Anyway, when will you be back?’ she asked quickly.

So she had seen the two of you leaving together. Your heart slowed down again. There was nothing to worry about. Your roommate picking you up wasn’t anything weird.

‘I’ll be back for school tomorrow,’ you said. You weren’t sure what time you would return, as Seungmin could easily drop you off anywhere, any time. All you knew was that you wouldn’t miss the early morning class on your favorite subject.

‘Cool, see you then during break?’ Sera asked lightheartedly. You agreed and the two of you said your goodbyes before you hung up the phone. Sera had promised you she would call Adam in return, so you could enjoy your last few hours on the island in peace without having to endure another lecture.

Smiling to yourself, you put your phone away and started walking over the narrow paths.

You felt happy. The thought of having friends who care so much about you warmed your heart. Of course, the guys were your friends too, but that was different. They were so much more than that. Something that could hardly be explained. After all, they themselves were something that could hardly be explained.

You wondered if the way they appeared to you, was equal to how they appeared to others. Not just like normal men, but the gods they actually were. Even before you knew they had been gods you had always felt something about them. There was just something magical about them. Their incredible beauty, their musical voices, and the way you felt whenever they touched you…

Your heart seemed to pulsate deeply as moments of last night with Seungmin flashed through your mind. Your cheeks suddenly felt hot and your mouth dry as a familiar feeling low in your stomach began to stir.

Taking a deep breath you tried to calm yourself slightly, quickly walking on, but barely seeing where you were going.

‘Going somewhere?’ a familiar, somewhat husky voice spoke. Startled, you looked up. In the shadows underneath a large tree, a figure was hiding. His golden eyes captivated yours as he grinned at you.

‘Jeongin!’ you exclaimed, startled. He grinned at you widely, stepping out of the shadow and into the sunlight.

‘What- why are you here?’ You stammered, confused. For some reason, you felt like you had been caught doing something naughty and you felt your cheeks blush. For a moment he seemed to be sensing what you were thinking because he narrowed eyes and looked at you with a cheeky smile.

‘What? No “I missed you” or anything?’ He asked as he took a step closer to you. His fox-shaped eyes glittered as he looked at you. There was something about Jeongin that always brought you into a playful mood. You folded your arms on your chest and raised your brows at him.

‘Who said I did?’ you said challengingly. Jeongin pouted, putting his hand over his chest like it hurt as he gave you his best attempt at puppy eyes.

‘Oof,’ he sighed, pretending like he was getting shot. ‘What a response to someone who brought you snacks.’ Your ears instantly perked up and you looked at him curiously. From behind his back, he produced a straw beach bag, which seemed to be loaded full.

‘Did you secretly read my mind?’ you asked teasingly after you put down the blanket he bought for the two of you to sit on together and spread out all the snacks he brought with him. They were all of your favorites and you knew you’d probably eat yourself sick. You sat yourself between his legs, leaning back against him, his head on yours.

‘You know very well how much I wish I could,’ Jeongin said almost sulkily. You chuckled at his response.

The sun felt warm on your face, as the two of you ate, drank, and talked about everything and nothing. It was comforting and homey, being in his arms like that, sitting between the high grass and beautiful plants and flowers.

‘So how are things at home?’ you asked jokingly as you took a sip from your favorite soft drink. Jeongin sucked his breath in through his teeth and you sat up, looking around at him with raised brows. He pressed his lips together as he scrunched his nose. ‘What?’ you spurred him on, curious now.

‘You really wanna know?’ Jeongin asked, pulling an uncomfortable face. You nodded eagerly. He sighed, shaking his head and turning. For a moment you thought he wouldn’t tell you, but then you realized he was only turning away from you so he could lie down and rest his head on your lap. Instantly, your fingers started to play with his hair.

‘Not… fun,’ he said slowly, his face still looking somewhat grim.

‘Why?’ you asked him in a whisper, worry instantly creeping up on you.

‘Well, you’re not there, are you,’ he said with a dry chuckle. You couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Well, duh,’ you said giggling, but Jeongin shook his head, still looking grim and you quickly stopped laughing.

‘It’s not just that you’re not home, it's…’ he began. He seemed to be looking for his words and you stayed quiet, giving him time.

‘Actually, everyone is a mess,’ Jeongin said, sounding surprisingly annoyed for some reason. ‘I don’t know why, but you not being home- we’re a mess,’ he sighed, his eyes finding yours. ‘I don’t think Lino has slept since you left. Nor the others actually. Han keeps walking laps around the house, probably hoping to see you somewhere, that you’ve come back early. Hyunjin has locked himself in his room and Changbin and Chan keep wanting to storm out to come get you back home,’ Jeongin told you.

Your mouth stood slightly agape. You had barely been gone for two days, but already they seemed to be frantic without you.

‘It’s like we’re addicts, desperate for our fill.. of you,’ he said softly. You looked at him feeling dumbfounded. You had never expected your absence to have such an impact on them. ‘The only reason Chan and Changbin haven’t left to come get you so far,’ Jeongin began, seeming to read your mind, ‘is because Lix keeps threatening them,’ Jeongin chuckled. You blinked at his words.

‘Felix actually seems the calmest of all of us to be honest,’ Jeongin admitted. ‘Mind you, he keeps sitting near the front door like some sort of puppy waiting for his human to come back,’ he scoffed. ‘And I believe he nicked some of your clothes by the way,’ he added with a frown and a disapproving look. ‘But you know how good his nose is. I guess that might be what keeps him sane. And in turn, keeps Bin and Chan in line.’

‘How did he threaten them?’ you wondered aloud worriedly. Jeongin chuckled to himself.

‘He keeps telling them he’ll beat them up if they go in addition to Seungmin’s threats. Not that he’ll really-,’ Jeongin continued but you cut him off.

‘Seungming’s threats?’ you asked.

‘Yeah, he told us that if we, and I quote, “dare to even get close to his island, he’ll electrocute us until our nose hairs have irreversibly been scorched off,’ Jeongin said, absentmindedly dragging a finger over his nose. You weren’t sure whether to laugh or be worried. ‘But anyway, whenever Chan or Bin give even the faintest whiff of leaving, Lix will pop up out of nowhere in front of them. He’s gotten really good at cracking his knuckles,’ Jeongin chuckled. You bit your lip. Knowing that all of them missed you so much and seemed to be such a mess without you pained your heart. You never thought that your absence would hurt them so. A hint of guilt plagued you. But there was also something else. Something that seemed to tickle your insides. You could see it in your imagination. See them pacing the floor nervously, standing up and sitting down, biting their lips while they waited for you to get back. For some reason, the thought of it made your mouth dry and you pressed your lips together.

You looked down at Jeongin, whose fox-like eyes were closed for a moment.

‘How did you get here then?’ you asked suddenly. Jeongin opened his eyes and grinned at you.

‘I have my ways,’ he said mysteriously.

‘But won’t they notice if you’re not there?’ You asked nervously. You didn’t want them to get into a fight because he had snuck out. But he shook his head.

‘Nah,’ he said cheekily. But when you looked at him worriedly he quickly added, ‘Don’t worry babe, I’m the god of luck, remember?’ he winked. You were dying to know how he managed to sneak away and how he could be so sure they wouldn’t find out, but you felt like pressing on would ruin the moment, so you stayed quiet. Jeongin closed his eyes again, as your fingers weaved themselves through his hair.

After a minute or so Jeongin suddenly shot up with a swear. Startled, you looked around, afraid that you were in danger and that he’d sensed something that you had missed. But before you could say or ask anything, he quickly crawled over to the bag and took out a tub, shuffling back over again. He pulled off the lid and sighed in relief, looking up and smiling at you while you were still staring at him with startled eyes.

‘Almost forgot the strawberries. Lucky the chocolate didn’t melt yet,’ he said, holding the tub under your nose. You stared at the perfectly coated strawberries for a second before looking back at his innocent grin.

Whack

‘Ouch, hey! What was that for?’ Jeongin said, dropping the strawberries on the blanket and rubbing his shoulder where you had punched him. But there was no way you could’ve hurt him telling by the way his grin hadn’t subsided.

‘You scared the shit out of me you idiot,’ you hissed at him irritably. Jeongin snorted.

‘You’re such a little scaredy cat aren’t you,’ he said, reaching out an arm and pinching your cheek hard.

‘Oh, you’re so dead,’ you said, trying to hold back your laughter. Within the blink of an eye, Jeongin jumped up and sprinted away laughing loudly.

‘Only if you can catch me!’ he shouted over his shoulder. You quickly got up as well, running after him and trying not to trample any plants or diverting from the narrow pathways.

Being way too fast for you and apparently knowing all the pathways in the garden quite well, there was no way you could catch him. Now and then he held back, letting you catch up to him and giving you a moment to grab at him. But your fingers would merely brush at the fabric of his clothes before he’d shoot away again laughing.

Just when you started to feel that you were getting tired, your breaths short and your heartbeat racing, he stopped running, standing still and cheekily beckoning you with two fingers. You grinned and gave a last spurt, jumping on him. Catching you, he let himself fall back onto the picnic blanket.

‘Now I’ve got you,’ you said triumphantly, knowing full well that he let you. ‘You can’t flee your goddess.’ You panted, sitting on top of him effectively straddling him as his shining eyes looked playfully up at you. ‘How will you atone for your sins?’ you asked solemnly, tilting your chin and looking at him sternly. Jeongin sat up, keeping you on his lap, his eyes level with yours.

‘Like this,’ he said with a soft, low voice. His arms wrapped around you and your breath halted. Soft lips met yours and your eyes automatically closed. Instantly, you were lost in him.

His kiss was soft and sweet, kissing you deeply while his tongue caressed yours. Your fingers wove through his hair as you feel a flame burning in your lower stomach. One of his hands moved behind your head while the other supported your waist as he carefully lifted you from him, pushing you on your back.

His lips moved from your mouth to your cheek, onto your jawline then onto your neck. Your eyes closed in bliss, feeling his soft lips suck, kiss, and nip upon your skin delicately. His hands, however, moved about your body as if he wanted to touch you everywhere at once, all at the same time, grabbing your waist and thighs, squeezing them lustfully. You let out a soft breath, feeling him everywhere upon you, making your head feel empty and at peace.

Without you really noticing, Jeongin slowly moved down your body, pulling down your shirt slightly and kissing your collarbones and chest. He continued on, raising your shirt and letting his tongue drag over your stomach, down to the edge of your pants. It was only when he started to undo the button that your brain suddenly activated again. You quickly put your hand over Jeongin’s. He looked up at you, his eyes lidded and his cheeks flushed.

‘We’re outside,’ you whispered, your voice already sounding hoarse. He grinned at you cheekily.

‘So?’ he said, raising a brow.

‘So? So someone might come and see us,’ you whispered nervously, looking around. Jeongin’s grin only got wider and he moved up a bit, taking his hand off your trousers and bringing his face level with yours again as he chuckled carelessly.

‘Isn’t that just part of the thrill?’ he whispered provocatively. You swallowed. You knew you could tell him no. Knew that if you would say it scared you, he’d stop and cuddle you instead. But his words had unlocked something in you. You knew very well that no one ever came here. The boys had made it so. And if they would, you would hear them coming before they’d even be able to see you. And with Jeongin’s powers, chances were you wouldn’t get disturbed at all.

But still… The thought of being there with him, outside, for anyone to see… It was so wrong. So incredibly wrong. It kind of made it… naughty.

The feeling of mischief and excitement rushed through you as you looked Jeongin in the eye with a grin.

‘That’s my girl,’ he breathed, praising you to tease you. He planted a quick kiss on your lips before moving back down again until his fingers were on your pants again. He undid them with ease, helping you slip them down and exposing your panties to the outside air. You could feel your heart pounding in your chest with excitement.

Jeongin’s tongue dragged a wet stripe just above the edge of your panties and you let out a deep quivering breath. For a moment you expected him to pull down your panties as he had your pants, but instead, you felt his warm fingers pulling the fabric aside. You could feel your pussy being exposed to the outside world, your heart beating in your throat. But then Jeongin placed his lips over your clit and you had to hold back a moan.

It was as if he knew exactly what you wanted. The way his tongue slid over your sensitive spots, licking, sucking, and flicking his tongue over it made you lose control within minutes. Before you knew it, he had you coming under his lips, as you clasped your hand over your mouth, trying not to make too much noise. Jeongin let out a soft, low, and satisfied growl as he withdrew his face from between your legs to see your face. He grinned satisfied as he saw you twitch under him, your lips pressed hard shut to keep yourself from moaning as the afterwaves of the orgasm started to fade. He licked his lips hungrily.

‘You’ve no idea how much I wish I could fuck you right now,’ He whispered in your ear with a half-smile. You audibly sucked in your breath at his words, pussy clenching around nothing.

‘Then why don’t you?’ you breathed at him, your eyes hazy as your body screamed for more. His eyes changed and you could see how he was holding himself back.

‘I don’t wanna hurt you,’ he whispered, hovering over you, biting his lip for a second when he saw you frown and pout. ‘I mean yesterday… you and Seungmin…’ he began, his voice trailing away as a blush appeared on his face. You clicked your tongue in annoyance.

‘You boys should stop reading each other’s minds,’ you said irritably.

‘I know, you’re right, it’s just hard not to hear when-’ he began quickly, starting to apologize, but you cut him off by grabbing his shirt and pulling him towards you, kissing him on his lips. You could taste yourself on his lips but you did not care. You did not care about anything right now. You just wanted him.

You could feel him hesitate at first, but then melting into your kiss again, lowering his body onto yours causing something hard to poke into your thigh. You rolled your hips into his and he groaned into your mouth, before breaking the kiss and sitting up. His pupils were large and the blush on his face hadn’t gone away.

‘Fuck, come here,’ he mumbled, grabbing your legs, and positioning you under him the way he wanted you. His impatient hands fumbled at his belt and buttons for a second before he managed to undo them, pulling down all the layers of fabric in one go without hesitation. His already hard cock sprang free from its confines and twitched impatiently. Before you could even properly look at him, he was already positioning himself between your legs, teasing the tip over your slit. He bit his lip as he guided his tip between your folds, spreading them but not entering you just yet as he moved it up and down, gathering your wetness mixed with his own precum.

‘Innnieee,’ you moaned impatiently at him.

‘So hungry for my cock are you?’ he panted huskily, a grin on his face. ‘Want me that bad?’ he teased. You nodded at him, lips parted as you breathed heavily. Jeongin groaned as he looked at your eager face, sliding his cock up and down your folds once more while he grinned at you. ‘Lino was right, you do turn into a little slut when you want us,’ he teased lowly. Then you felt the familiar pressure on your entrance, and slowly your walls gave way to him. You could feel how sensitive you still were from yesterday, walls straining to let him in. But the slightly dull sore feeling seemed to be completely overshadowed by the satisfying feeling of him filling you up. He swore when he was finally completely inside of you, your walls clasping him tightly as he panted. You could feel him twitching inside of you, probably leaking more precum. When he slowly started to pull out again you couldn’t help but arch your back, the movement making you moan. When all but his tip had pulled out again, he swore once more before he really started fucking you. He grabbed your waist with both hands, keeping you in place as he thrust in and out of you, soft gasps falling from his lips as he watched his dick slide in and out of your pussy. Not caring about being outside anymore but only being able to feel Jeongin’s cock fucking in and out of your sensitive pussy, an endless stream of moans left your lips.

‘Feel so good baby,’ he panted, as he started picking up the pace slightly, ‘so tight for me. Ah, fuck,’ he groaned, gripping your waist tighter. You could feel another orgasm building up inside of you, but just when you started to get close he suddenly stilled deep inside of you. You protested with a groan, trying to buck your hips into him, but his iron grip held you still. ‘So eager for me, huh?’ he grinned brattily at you, panting. You could see the sweat on his face as he looked down at you. He bent over you, giving you a short but sweet kiss. ‘I know baby, but you gotta stay still for a second if you want it to last,’ he breathed. Your pussy clenched around him at his words and he hissed, biting his lip and closing his eyes for a second. ‘Such a hungry little pussy,’ he teased, looking down at you, his cock still buried deep inside of you, but unmoving, as your orgasm slowly backed down again at the lack of stimulation. ‘If I had known what a cute little nympho you really are, I’d fucked you ages ago,’ he said, one of his hands letting go of your hips and sliding up to your tits, squishing them softly and making you mewl. ‘I guess that’s why none of them told me,’ he said clicking his tongue, ‘they all wanna keep you to themselves,’ he muttered incoherently. He let out another groan and suddenly started thrusting again, making your eyes roll into the back of your skull again.

He paused three more times, just when you were getting close to your, and his, orgasm, waiting for it to die down a little, his cock buried as deep as possible inside of you before continuing to fuck you again, whispering teasing and bratty words to you that only made you clench harder around him.

‘Don’t stop,’ you panted when for the fifth time you felt yourself getting close again.

‘Wanna cum so bad baby?’ he teased. ‘But I already made you cum once, isn’t that enough?’ he said, slowing his thrusts.

‘Please,’ you mewled, ‘wanna cum on your dick,’ you spoke thoughtlessly. Jeongin let out a deep moan at your words. He instantly grabbed your waist tightly again and started pounding you like crazy. He only needed a few more deep and hard thrusts for you to tip over, your pussy spasming around his cock like it was milking him. Jeongin growled at the feeling, fucking in and out of you several more times before he too couldn’t hold back anymore. He moaned long and deep as he unloaded himself inside of you. You could feel his cock twitching inside of your own spasming cunt. You could feel him coating your walls with his cum as his fingers dug into your waist bruisingly.

‘F-fuck,’ he moaned, as he half collapsed on top of you, but making sure he kept his weight off of you. You giggled as your orgasm subsided again, and you were able to look at his face. He was drenched in sweat, his cheeks still flushed red, but this time with the heat. His lips formed a wide and satisfied grin as he opened his eyes to look at you.

For a while, all you could do was look into his golden eyes as he looked into yours, smiling and giggling, while you blushed just as much as he did. Now and then he softly kissed the tip of your nose, your cheek, or your forehead, while he stroked your hair.

Just as you started to feel the cum leaking out of you, Jeonging spoke again.

‘Well, how about I get you cleaned up, hm?’ He whispered softly, seeming to know how you were feeling. You nodded but then remembered where you were. The grass and trees swayed slightly in the warm breeze that now and then passed. You looked around, hoping Jeongin would’ve brought paper towels or napkins or something of the like that you could use to clean yourself up with before you’d go back to the cabin.

‘Hold on tight,’ Jeongin whispered, putting his arms around you suddenly. Before you could even react your ears filled with a deafening sound of wind and you couldn’t see anymore.

Your back suddenly seemed to sink into something soft and you opened your eyes with a gasp. The bright sunny sky was nowhere to be seen. A dark ceiling greeted you and it took you a second to realize what happened. You looked around. There were a few clothing items lying around on the floor. Against one of the walls was a large rack of shoes, displaying all kinds of sneakers.

Clearly he had brought you to his own room. Jeongin got off of you and sat up.

‘My clothes- our stuff,’ you said worriedly, suddenly feeling very naked on his bed and quickly sitting up as well, closing your legs.

‘Don’t worry, I’ll go back for it after we’ve taken a shower,’ he reassured you, cupping your face with one hand. You nodded, frowning at him, feeling somewhat awkward.

‘Now, get off my sheets 'cause you’re leaking baby,’ he said, pinching your cheek playfully. You clicked your tongue in annoyance and pouted at him, as the awkward feeling left you and you started to feel at ease again.

‘Is that how you treat a lady after you ravaged her?’ you said playfully, faking offense.

‘Ravaged?’ he said, raising a brow as the corners of his mouth curled. He leaned forward. ‘I will show you ravaged,’ he growled and he suddenly shot towards you growling and snapping his teeth at you like a rabid dog. You squealed and laughed, jumping off the bed and running to the door of his en-suite shower as he followed you, laughing as well.

[just-a-pinch-of-salt]

Wait, holy crap, one of my side accounts literally got Sylus’s Grassland Romance on the first pull? That’s insane luck, I’m so happy right now! ٩(^ᗜ^)و´-

Now I just need to pull for Rafayel’s Gem Affection on any of my accounts.

[biffhofosho]

Prisoner to Temptation | Chapter One

Fandoms: Monsta X

Genre: Royal AU, Romance, 19th Century period piece

Pairing: Hyungwon x OC

Chapter Word Count: 9.4k

Tropes: Arranged marriage, strangers to spouses to lovers

The Vibe: Lonely prince meets reluctant princess, the typical royal intrigue, period-appropriate writing style, beautiful costumes and lavish historical settings, friends with benefits-adjacent (though it’s more like royals with obligations), slow burn but also loads and loads of smut (like, I mean it, a lot lol) of every kind in between because arranged marriage, jealousy, angst, misunderstandings, confused feelings, falling in love with your husband, HAPPY ENDING BECAUSE FAIRYTALE DAMNIT

Synopsis: Naran has never fit the mold of a princess. She’s brash, disinterested, and nomadic at heart. It is only unlucky circumstance that has cast her as the sole hope of the Moghulikhan empire. With no brothers to secure the realm’s lineage, shaky borders ringing them from all sides, and a sister too young to understand any of that, peace only seems possible through an alliance, but that hasn’t stopped Naran from scheming up a way out. That is, until a handsome prince charming makes her an offer she simply can’t ignore.

A/N: First things first, happy birthday to my beloved Hyungwon. He’s too special and good for this world. He’s a living muse, and watching him work constantly inspires me (in ways it definitely shouldn’t lol). 

Anyway, I just cobbled this AU together out of lots of bits and bobs because I can. Really went for a style of writing and dialogue that you might find in your Jane Austens or Emily Brontës, so this may or may not be for you.

Let’s set it somewhere in the early 1800s though I took a lot of liberties with bygone kingdoms (all real at one point or another, though that doesn’t mean this is historically or geographically accurate—I’m just fucking around). In this universe, western and eastern cultures mingle freely. You’ll get the drift. I mean, I’m here for the romance, but I’m also a slut for worldbuilding. Please join me, your resident lost cause, on this time-traveling, bodice-ripping adventure.

Cvr | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12

Naran felt her head drooping with every second that passed with the Viscount LaCroix. At least she’d been trained well enough to blame it on the stuffiness of the hall or the port she’d just downed, but it was becoming clearer by the second that she needed an escape or she was liable to outright fall asleep standing up, and the last thing she needed was to fall into the red-cheeked buffoon’s arms and have him convinced he’d found his fourth wife.

Desperate, Naran scoped out the ballroom looking for a friend to save her, but servants weren’t allowed in except the wait staff and neither were commoners. Even her sister was too young to attend this meat market, for that was what this was—an excuse to haggle wares, only the wares were noble sons and daughters.

At last, her eyes fell on her mother, who was already scowling at her. That scowl only deepened as Naran turned to the old man next to her and bowed lightly.

“Excuse me, your grace, I see my mother is calling for me. Thank you for the… discourse.”

She should have added “delightful" or some other outwardly false adjective in front of the last word, but Naran wasn’t in the mood to play ballroom politics—not that she ever was.

On the way across the room, she snatched another wine from a waiter and downed it, wishing it was kumis instead. She found her mother, Queen Jigme, crouching like a snow leopard in the corner, cunning eyes always vigilant for prey, only now they were narrowed on a very different obstacle.

Though the princess was taller and slighter, more often than not, she was bent from boredom (a trait her father always said made her more grassland reed than girl), and the queen could loom over her with just a few words.

"That was very rude to leave the Viscount hanging like that, child of mine,” the silver-haired woman scolded from behind her own wine glass.

“Wouldn’t it have been ruder to die of tedium in his presence?” Naran challenged without bothering to keep her own voice down. There was no one else in this corner of the ballroom anyway.

"You know, I knew you were going to be the trial of my life when I almost didn’t survive your labor, and here you are, nearly bringing me to my death again. Your grandfather threw this ball in your honor, I’ll remind you.”

Naran rolled her eyes. “Like I could forget. I only heard it every time the carriage hit a pothole the entire fortnight it took to get here.”

“Yes, well, it took many other guests here just as long or longer to arrive, so I won’t hear any more of your complaining.”

“Mother, it’s not like they came here for me. Deda may have told you this ball was for my benefit, but that’s certainly not what he told all these poor royals.”

Her mother pursed her lips, the wrinkles from the many years of sparring with her daughter etched into her face. “It may not have been on the invitations, but none of these people are fools.”

Naran rolled her eyes again toward the Viscount, and her mother smiled before her well-weathered purse returned.

“Very well, most of them aren’t,” the older woman continued. “They have traveled from all across the continent with the express purpose of sizing up rival empires and aligning themselves with ones that are worthy or tactically advantageous. We are here to do the same, Narangerel. Why do you think I married your father, hm? If it weren’t for your grandfather’s meticulous planning, you wouldn’t be here. No one senses an alliance like he does.”

Dread prickled up Naran’s spine the same way sweat did. “Please tell me not the Viscount…”

“Of course not. The First Princess of Moghulikhan should set her sights on someone of far greater importance than a middling pseudo-royal from Limoges.”

“Mother, we’ve been over this—”

“And we’ll go over it as many times as we need to until you understand your role in protecting our kingdom. We are cunning and strategic, Naran. We are survivors. This is how Moghulikhan has endured for centuries.”

“Off the backs of saleable daughters.”

Queen Jigme glared at her. “You are very tiresome, young lady, but do not think you can break my will with tacky jokes and passive aggression. I know what you’re doing because I’ve done it all myself.”

Her mother meant it as a warning, but it came across as one of an entirely different kind.

If her mother was once as free-spirited as Naran fancied herself, then there was no outrunning her fate. She would marry, and she would do it for country, not for herself.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” grumbled Naran.

“In body, maybe. The spirit must be coaxed,” the queen volleyed back.

Or broken, Naran thought bitterly as she took another long draft of wine.

The women stood side-by-side for a while, appraising the room. There were lots of marriageable prospects among the crowd—the princess’s grandfather had seen to it—but most were decades too old or so feeble that they spent most of the night observing their options from their chairs. On the other hand, there were some so young that Naran suspected their governesses or caretakers were lurking just outside the hall.

Her future was dimming by the second.

“Come now,” added her mother, “it’s not so bad as all that. I did let you wear your deel instead of a Western dress, a decision I am regretting now that I see you’re the only one in a costume of your homeland.”

“Shouldn’t that please you? I stand out.”

“Yes, though I think it remarks more on your stubbornness than anything else. Even those from Goryeo went Western traditional.”

Naran sighed.

“What about Prince Hyungwon?” Queen Jigme continued with a sly voice that betrayed her.

The princess narrowed her eyes at her mother. “What about him?”

“No matter which way you look at it, he's a better prospect for you than anybody here.”

Against her will, Naran’s eyes slid across the lavishly appointed ballroom to the tall, thin man with long charcoal hair, a beardless face, and an inscrutable expression. There was an air in his posture that made him look richer than anyone else in the room, though part of that no doubt came with the fact that his empire was certainly one of the largest. In reality, though, it was down to the way he wore his suit—jacket unbuttoned, dress shirt open two buttons too deep just the same as his cuffs, and cravat unspooled like he was heading to bed at any moment. None of these other stuffed-shirts would dare to look so relaxed.

Not that she was paying attention of course…

“What on earth would possess you to say that?” the princess snapped to her mother as she polished off her port.

“He’s certainly the handsomest man out there,” observed the queen.

“Oh, and he knows it.”

Again, since Naran definitely hadn’t been watching him all night, she hadn’t picked up on the way the prince chatted with every pretty girl in his vicinity... And she definitely hadn't studied the way his face collapsed into perfect apathy the moment he was ready to move on to more fertile grounds, leaving a string of bereft royals in his wake.

“To say nothing of the fact that his kingdom abuts ours,” the queen continued. “We’re already neighbors.”

“Oh, so he’s obligated to choose Moghulikhan just because we share part of a border? Our lands may be vast, Mother, but half of them are empty desert. We’re not resource-rich like Chalukya or Lotharingia nor do we have the breadth of their armies. Why on earth would Prince Hyungwon ever marry me over Princess Bhataki or Princess Flavia when their empires are twice as wealthy and neither of them openly balks at Court obligations? He won't have to settle for anything less than exactly what he wants. It's not like he has a clock ticking.”

“Sometimes I wonder about you,” Jigme said with a gentle shake of her head. “Clearly, I’ve indulged you far too much. You know nothing of politics, Narangerel. Prince Hyungwon may be a man, but he's also the last of his line. With no other heirs, he will need to provide some for his throne lest he throw his realm into chaos.”

“That may be, but unlike us,” the princess objected, “he can have children at any age.”

“My darling child, a throne may sit on solid ground, but it can be overturned at any moment. With no other heirs behind him, his family line is less and less secure every day. The Chae lineage may be storied, but people will talk. They already are talking. The longer Goryeo hesitates on forging a match, the closer things march toward open season on its reign. Nothing is secure in this life, dear, least of all power.”

“So, what? The prince is here tonight to find a bride?”

“Well, he certainly didn’t travel twice as far as we did for just for caviar.”

Naran glared at her mother, but as annoyed as she was, she couldn’t keep her eyes on her now that her interest had been reluctantly piqued. It had nothing to do with the prince’s looks, of course, but intrigue was intrigue, she told herself. It was only natural.

Prince Hyungwon did not look back. He was too busy feigning attention to the Countess de Bourgh, who was prattling on about her new summer villa, no doubt, as she had to any poor fool who had crossed her path that night. But when Naran could convince her eyes to finally stray from his button mushroom nose and jutting, plump upper lip, she found someone else who seemed to have just as much interest in the young prince’s company as she did.

Seated at the most prominent table in the center of the room was the Emperor of Goryeo himself, the prince’s father, Emperor Gongmin. He was a much smaller man than his son, with a round, flat face and perceptive eyes. It was clear the prince favored his mother’s elegant looks as well as her attention span, as she was lost in her wine glass while the Empress of Wu yammered on beside her.

Queen Jigme smiled and said shrewdly, “You see now, don't you?”

Naran shrugged a shoulder. “They seem like they're having a nice time.”

“Perhaps the empress is enjoying herself, but you know the emperor hasn't eaten so much of a grain of rice tonight. He has eyes on everything.”

“Very well, Mother, I will play your silly games. On whom does the emperor have eyes?”

“I would say there are two frontrunners. The Princess of Champa and the Princess of Dai Viet. Princess Binh is plenty young enough to bear many heirs and from to an exotic kingdom without an heir apparent while Princess Tham is newly widowed, still young, and has only borne two daughters. The Fates would say she is due for a boy. And I have heard the Dai Viet palace is covered in gold while their mountains are said to be filled with precious stones. It would be a good alliance to make.”

“I suppose either one would make a suitable match if it weren't for one problem,” Naran said with an eyebrow raised.

“Oh, and what is that?”

“The prince isn’t interested in either one of them.”

The queen hummed. “What makes you say that, my sun?”

“Princess Binh is far too talkative and he cares little for conversation, and Princess Tham flatters him far too much. It makes him uncomfortable.”

The corner of the queen’s mouth twitched. “Does it now?”

“Not that I've been watching,” Naran added. “It’s just what I’ve heard other guests saying over their wine goblets.”

“Hm. Well, in the end, we both know that doesn't matter, does it, my child? The prince will marry whomever the emperor tells him to marry.”

“I suppose you're right about that, as you’ve been right about nearly everything tonight.”

Queen Jigme nodded, an odd light illuminating the dark wells of her eyes. “How pleased I am to hear you say that because I should like to return to the discussion about the third and best option for the prince’s marriage.”

There was a long pause as understanding simmered between mother and daughter, and slowly, a red aura crept above the collar of Naran’s deel.

“Mother, you cannot be serious!” she snapped, loud enough that a few other nearby royals glanced their way.

The queen hushed her daughter with a pinch to her side and a heavy sneer. Despite the Court decorum her mother otherwise fought to uphold, she gripped both of the princess’s arms and squared her daughter to face her. Jigme’s voice was low but firm as she said, “Naran, this is our one chance at protection from Goryeo’s might. Especially with your father still ill, we are doomed without this union.”

The princess tried to shake the older woman’s grip, but it was relentless. Though she tried to sound cavalier, Naran’s voice wavered as she said, “You’re being dramatic again, Mother.”

“Hardly. Goryeo has been overthrowing kingdom after kingdom. Perhaps you’re too young to remember Ladakh, but no doubt you learned about it in your schooling.”

“I did.”

“So you know what happened to them, to my people,” said the queen. Her voice was clipped and her eyes were tight. “Goryeo took them over in a week. A week, Naran. And they were Moghulikhan’s direct neighbor, the only kingdom left between Goryeo’s might and ours. Now that our lands share a border, I’m sure it won’t be long before that irks Emperor Gongmin. Moghulikhan might be large, but as you pointed out, we don’t have the population Goryeo does. It’s been but thirty years since that takeover, and no doubt the Emperor's hunger for power and country has only amplified.

“Still, he’s a tactician at heart. He knows our army might not be as large as his, but we are fierce and brutal, and our kingdom is like four in one. It would be devastating to the unfamiliar army once they hit, say, the Gobi. But that need never come to pass if our kingdoms unite peacefully.”

The princess rolled her whole head with her eyes. “And I’m supposed to fix that how?”

“Don’t be obtuse, Narangerel. You were raised in a court. You know that alliances are the only way to secure one’s self and one’s vassals, and there’s no alliance stronger than a blood alliance. If Prince Hyungwon selects you as his princess before other arrangements are made, then there’s nothing to worry about any longer. No one would dare trifle with our kingdom with the strength of Goryeo behind us.”

“You’ve just described the worst kind of bully. Why on earth would I want to marry someone like that for all the good looks in the realms? Do you know your daughter at all?”

Jigme rubbed the princess’s arms before she squeezed Naran’s hands. “Indeed, I do, my love. You think I would propose Saran to such a family? Your sister could never conquer them. She’s too sweet and gentle. She’d be swallowed up. But you, my sun, my strength… You have the wit and the courage and the cleverness to make men fear you.”

“So why don’t I just make them so afraid of me they leave us alone entirely?”

“And there’s the wit. Naran, you must learn to look beyond what your eyes can observe the way you trust Altantsetseg on the steppe. Let me be your eagle in this hunt, my love. I know the battlefields better than you do; I’ve lived my entire life on them. Emperor Gongmin may be a shrewd monarch, but Prince Hyungwon is malleable. He is his own man, a man who will one day be king. In the right hands, he will be merciful and kind. In the wrong ones, he will be a foolish puppet. What would you have, child?”

“I would have you talk sense,” Naran quipped. “Through a twist of fate, I may have been born into this world, but it is not my world, Mother. I could never be ‘the right hands.’ I care nothing for the games of idle men. I care only for an open sky and a wind-swept bluff.”

Jigme looked softly at her daughter. She brushed a stray tendril of mahogany hair behind the princess’s ear and said, “Be that as it may, the choice is not yours to make. You will make your way to the prince, and you will introduce yourself with a smile. Once he sees that, everything will fall into place, I’m sure of it. You are very beautiful tonight, my daughter, as always, and never more so when you offer up one of those rare smiles.”

“And what happens when he ignores me as he has every other woman tonight? What of all your schemes?”

The older woman quirked one of her silver brows. “That is an outcome I cannot accept. I am confident I have read the omens right.”

“Mother—”

“Shall I make the introduction?”

“Don’t bother. It will be over before you finish it. Let me embarrass myself alone.”

It went against tradition, but the queen knew better than to argue when she’d already won. “Go now, Naran. The prince is waiting for you.”

With that, Queen Jigme plucked the wine glass from her daughter’s hand and folded back into the ring of elder monarchs surveying the hall from stations along murals of bygone conquests. Even in the perfect silence of the vast grasslands, Naran had never felt so alone.

She was stunned to the point of paralysis. There it was, her future laid out with horrifying clarity. She was expected to pair up and breed like a mare only with far less freedom. It didn’t matter if the stud they’d chosen for her was significantly younger and more agreeable-looking than the rest of the stable—the fences were closing in all around her until, slowly but surely, she would be broken.

From his vantage point across the room at one of the many white-clothed tables, Naran’s grandfather smiled at her as though it was all going according to plan. As if to underscore this, his eyes slid further down the dance floor to the corner, where Chae Hyungwon, Crown Prince of the Goryeo Empire, watched the ruby port inside his goblet twirl like a skirt.

Naran was trembling. She’d faced off with packs of wolves the same as packs of thieves and lived through them, and while the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins was identical, the anxiety swelling her throat was something new, something she’d never felt before.

With a heavy breath, she shuffled inelegantly in her kitten heels across the ballroom floor and tried to call forth her eagle’s fearless spirit.

“Give me strength, Altantsetseg,” she whispered, and she swore she felt the beat of its wings in her gut.

The prince had his back to Naran, which was a thousand times more terrifying than if he’d seen her coming, for now she had to beg for his attention, and the princess hadn’t begged for a thing since she’d been a petulant runt at their chef’s knees, whining for treats after a day out in the grasslands. This was as far as she could get from such whimsies.

Though Naran was tall for a woman, taller even than many of the men here tonight, Hyungwon was a whole head taller than she. His jacket strained against shoulders so broad, they looked like they could rival her eagle’s wingspan, and again, she felt that unusual flutter inside her. The princess had to remind herself quickly that she was in charge of her fate, not her mother and not some handsome stranger who embodied everything she hated about Court.

Naran cleared her throat, but the prince did not turn. She had to get this over with quickly, like landing the mercy blow to wild game, and the simplicity and familiarity of the image spurred her tongue to action. She defaulted to English as she had all night, but if Prince Hyungwon didn’t speak it, all the better. Since she didn’t know a word of his language, she could be gone with a cordial bow and her duty would end.

“It appears I may be the only lady in this ballroom with whom you have not spoken tonight, my lord.”

Prince Hyungwon turned on his heel, and the air rushed out of her lungs. This close, he was arresting. Gone was the aloof gaze he had sported much of the night, replaced instead by keen eyes the color of roasted pine nuts that were just as warm and comforting. The baubles of his cheeks were high with a half-smile, and for a second, Naran thought she was the only person in the room with him.

“Are you jealous?” he said in perfect English and an unexpected flavor of cockiness, and that, more than anything, returned her senses to her.

“Hardly,” the princess retorted. “But others expect an interaction, so I’m obliged to give one for show.”

Hyungwon recoiled, genuine horror in his eyes. “I’m sorry, my lady. I fear the wine has loosened my lips. I meant no offense.”

“And I take none, sire. I am merely telling you that I am here as an emissary of my mother, Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Moghulikhan. She bade me greet you on behalf of our country. I am Princess Narangerel.”

Naran bowed, which Hyungwon echoed with one of his own, and when he came back up, his ears were pink and his grin was sheepish.

“It seems I have not made as good of an impression on the princess as I have on the queen. Will you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive, my lord.”

Hyungwon cocked his head to the side as he studied her. “Really? Because it seems like you’re already looking for a way out of this conversation.”

“Don’t take it personally. I look for a way out of most conversations.”

“Perhaps I should though,” he persisted. “You conversed with the Viscount LaCroix for quite a while.”

Naran’s jaw dropped. He’d noticed that?

“It wasn’t for lack of trying, my lord, I assure you.”

Hyungwon smirked. “Very well then. I am satisfied.”

“I’m so pleased,” she deadpanned before she could stop herself. Thankfully, instead of affronted, the prince looked surprised with the vaguest hint of amusement. As far as torture went, things could have been much worse.

And then they were.

Out of the corner of her eye, Naran caught her mother, who only ever had clear vision when it came to her daughters and what they weren’t doing, edging discreetly closer. Panic set in. If the queen overheard any of this absurd and impolite conversation, she would be mortified and the princess would probably be permanently chaperoned. Who knew what untold horrors would be foisted on her? A shiver ran through Naran at the thought of all the potential obligations she couldn’t escape, and before the bile could rise in her throat, she doubled down on the lesser of two evils.

“Just go along with this, my lord, and everything will be over faster, yes?” she whispered to a very confused prince before she proclaimed much louder, “How handsome His Highness looks this evening! And how well you converse! I’ve never seen such happy manners on a prince before.”

Hyungwon blinked. “What on earth are you—”

Still louder, Naran said, “Your kingdom is very lucky to have such a genial lord at its helm. I see your long travels haven’t fatigued you at all. I trust the palace is to your liking?”

The prince was stunned into silence for a moment before those full lips tightened. “Listen, my lady, I’m not in the mood for—”

“Oh, shut up, and just agree with anything I said, so we can move on,” she hissed.

“Wait, you don’t want to be here?”

“Of course not. And neither do you. Thanks to that scowl, I could tell that from across the ballroom.”

“I thought this sort of thing is what all maidens wanted?”

“‘Maidens,’ huh? Please. To be paraded like ponies at auction in hopes of a high bid? I think not. And what of the other twenty maidens who go home with disappointed hopes of proving valuable to families that only care for their male heirs? We maidens must sit in our rooms wondering what we did wrong and how we could have done better because if we’re not bearing heirs, then we’re just a waste of resources, aren’t we? So tell me again how odious this party is for you—and how elegant your suit looks, my prince! Did you have it custom-tailored or is it a family heirloom?” Naran’s voice switched into a strained soprano as she caught her mother leaning in closer.

Hyungwon stared at the princess in utter confusion, and exasperation was setting in. As low and as sharply as she could manage, she grumbled, "Say something, please."

His eyes flicked to Queen Jigme only to find his father now beside the gray-haired woman, and, at last, he nodded. “Ah, um, yes, it was tailored just for tonight. I’m glad it is to your liking, my lady.”

“Oh, thank God,” the princess mumbled. If she could have wiped her brow, she would have.

“Would you like to dance, Princess Narangerel?”

What! No, no, no!

Her heart was in her throat and her eyes zipped back and forth for a way out though there was none. Hyungwon’s offer had been overheard by the ears that mattered most, and there was no way to refute him without the greatest offense.

“I guess I have to say yes now,” she answered quietly enough that the prince could hear her and her mother could not.

Hyungwon blinked his big brown eyes before he narrowed them. “Did I misunderstand something? That wasn’t what you wanted?”

“No! Now they’ll think you have some sort of interest in me. You haven’t asked anyone else to dance all night. You must fix this, sire.”

“And how am I to do that?”

Naran growled. “Have you never been to a ball before? And my mother thinks I’m clueless! Obviously, you’ll have to ask a few other ladies to dance to throw them off the scent or we’ll be associated with one another from here on out. Is that what you want?”

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Hyungwon admitted, the pinkness back on his ears. “You have me completely bewildered, my lady. All I wanted was to retire to my room for the night.”

“Well, now you can’t. We must dance and you must then dance with others. There’s no getting around it. How can you know so little of Court when you are prince of one of the realms’ greatest empires? Honestly, who raised you?”

Gone were any pretenses for civility, and Naran knew she had overstepped about a hundred rules of polite society, but she was feeling anything but polite.

Unlike her carelessness, the prince raised his glass to his lips, took a long drink, and said coolly, “You’re awfully brash for a woman.”

“And you’re precisely as thick for a man. Now, walk me to the dance floor so we can get this over with.”

The prince offered his hand, and Naran took it because she had no choice. Even so, she jolted at the feel of his hot skin under hers. His hands were smooth and babied and perhaps had never seen a day’s labor, where hers were rough and calloused from handling a bow and knives. She wished she’d worn gloves as her mother had urged.

Together, they waited at the edge of the dance floor alongside a dozen other couples, some married, some courting, but all staring at the unlikely pair. Naran held her head high and straight and tried not to collapse under the weight of so much perception. Neither said a word to the other as they waited awkwardly, hand-in-hand for want of any other option, while the previous dance concluded. The moment it did, Prince Hyungwon gestured for her to take to the floor, and they parted, her hand throbbing as she buried it in the folds of her skirt to dry it off.

Naran didn’t dare look back to her mother, especially knowing the Emperor of Goryeo waited right by her side. She focused, instead, on the billowing folds of the prince’s shirt and the flashes of his glossy chest that peeked through when the tie at his collar pulled taut.

As the orchestra reset for the next dance, the room fell silent save for a babble of whispers as rhythmic as the wind through the reeds. Her grandfather’s ballroom was large and magnificent, yet Naran felt the walls closing in around her, especially when she spied the old man’s sun-beaten, smiling face leaving the conductor’s side.

At last, the music swelled, and much to her horror, she recognized it as a waltz. Naran wasn’t good at the waltz. It had come over from the West, and she had only practiced it a few times before tonight at her grandfather’s behest in the hopes she might impress a Western lord. She didn’t expect it to be familiar to Prince Hyungwon either, but if he was uncomfortable, he masked it well.

She took the first steps toward her partner as he met her half-way. His hand opened, and hers filled it again as required. They met and parted a few times to the gentle melody before joining more permanently side-by-side for the next few bars. Once she’d gotten the flow down well enough that she could keep her feet under her without constant coaxing, the princess’s painful awareness of her predicament returned to her.

“Curse him,” Naran whispered under her breath, but since the prince was at her side, he caught her words.

“Are you cursing me?”

“Soon enough, no doubt,” she said boldly, but he didn’t take her bait. As they split across from each other for a series of inelegant hops that Naran had to meticulously count in her head, she grumbled, “I’m going to embarrass you, sire. I’m not very good at this.”

“You’re lovely.”

“I feel like a fish tossed on land. This is nothing like our traditional dances.”

Hyungwon hummed as his hand lifted hers aloft for her to spin under it. “What are those like?”

“Lively,” she said. “Noisy. Fun. Elegance and restraint have no place in Moghul dances. It’s a celebration, not a funeral.”

“You're a very singular woman, Princess Narangerel.”

She scoffed. “And there's yet another falsehood. There are many women like me, but few who have the luxury having of such a mouth or a mind. If you think all women long to sit at home all day nursing babies and picking out garlands for the next gala, you are well and truly misinformed, my prince, just as not all men think of conquering every surrounding kingdom to increase the size of their manhoods.”

The prince’s hand squeezed a little tighter around her shoulder before they parted for a fresh orbit around one another. “That feels like a very thinly-veiled opinion of someone I might know.”

“I have no idea what you mean, my lord. My god, will this song ever end?”

Hyungwon laughed. “It just started.”

Why wasn’t her brazenness putting him off? This was torture.

Naran growled and kept her focus hard and fast to her feet, which were supposed to be light and fluttery, but that heavy sensation stayed rooted to her stomach. “Is everybody still watching us?”

“I’m afraid so. You can look at me, too, you know,” the prince informed with a smile evident in his voice.

“It’s not a good idea,” the princess insisted. “I don’t want people to get any more of the wrong impression.”

Their toes met and then their hands as they completed the next turn in the dance.

“Which is?”

“That you’re interested in me,” she answered. Naran risked a glance up at his face and instantly regretted it. “It would be helpful if you stopped smiling, sire.”

Another turn, another kiss of their fingertips.

“I can’t help it,” Hyungwon said. “You’re the first entertaining person all night.”

“How can I convince you otherwise?”

The prince’s smile only broadened, and as soon as she caught a glimpse of it, she had no hope of looking at anything else.

“You know, I do know who you are, Princess Narangerel. Your reputation as a spirit-crusher precedes you."

"Ah, is that what they say about me? How delightful. That should be warning enough for you then, yes?”

“No.”

Naran scowled. “Then would you like to know your reputation, my prince?”

“I doubt I’ll like it as much as you like yours.”

“Oh, very true, but since I’m a spirit-crusher, I'll tell you anyway. You, sire, don’t speak until spoken to unless it’s a pretty serving lass with an ample bosom.”

Hyungwon pressed his lips together as his brow knitted. “Is that really what they say?”

“Indeed. Do you disagree with it?”

“I probably should.”

Naran smiled despite her better judgment.

“At least there’s no shortage of bosom on display for you tonight,” she added.

“Unfortunately, it comes with expectations. The serving lasses have none.”

“You’re as frank as I am, my lord.”

Hyungwon looked down at the princess, and there was a fondness in his gaze that she really didn’t trust.

“What a pair we make,” he said softly.

But what Naran lacked in decorum, she made up for with a hunter’s perceptions. Before her, Hyungwon had played the part of a respectful suitor until the amusement of the moment wore off and his true indifferent colors shown through. Granted, he had taken it up to the next level with this dance, but there was no reason to expect any other outcome. At least she could cling to that.

Hyungwon lifted his hand, and again, Naran was obliged to twirl once beneath it. The skirt of her deel flared around her ankles, stirring a breeze up her legs.

“You dance very well, Princess.”

“Your usual company is serving lasses, so I'll take that compliment with a grain of salt.”

The prince laughed, and the sound was so buoyant, her chest leapt with it. And then resentment immediately crept back in.

“I’m glad one of us is enjoying ourselves tonight.”

“You couldn’t be more wrong, you know,” Hyungwon replied. “This party is just as much torture for me as it is for you. You don’t know what it’s like to support the weight of an entire kingdom on your shoulders.”

“Shows what His Highness knows. I have no brothers, hence no heirs. I’m Moghulikan’s only hope for stability. If I do not marry well, our line could be overthrown before my sister even comes of age to do what I can not.”

“Then, you are right. I am wrong. We are in the same boat.”

Naran narrowed her eyes at him. “I appreciate your concession, my prince, but perhaps it’s time we stop looking so familiar with one another.”

“Now, that will be difficult.”

Naran cocked her head. “Why is that?”

“Because this is the part where the tempo slows.”

Just then, the music dipped and the dance shifted from arm’s length fleeting touches to a fixed hold. They lined up, hip to hip, the princess facing one way and the prince facing the other. It would have been the best outcome were it not for Hyungwon’s hand curling across her stomach around her waist in a way that hers had to mirror on him, and as he tugged their sides flush, their free hands met overhead to lock them into a pirouette.

Together, they spun like tops across the floor as the final movement wound on for what felt like eternity. Around her, faces blurred, but one thing was clear—everyone in the hall was watching them.

“I’m going to be sick,” Naran confessed.

Hyungwon held her tighter as he assured, “It’s almost over. Just look into my eyes, Princess. It will steady you.”

It did and it didn’t.

Those dark orbs stared down at her, framed by the soft pillows of his lids as he smiled lightly, and it was more dizzying than the constant spinning.

At last, the music concluded to a polite round of applause from the assembly. The other couples had separated to bow to one another, but Hyungwon still held her waist. Naran wriggled her hand free to hold her temples and slow the spinning in her brain.

None of this should have happened. It was just supposed to be a rushed introduction to get her mother off her back and the prince out of the running for Savior of Moghulikhan, yet here Naran was, breathless and antsy and side-by-side with any other princess’s dream catch.

“What do you say to another dance, please, your grace?” asked Prince Hyungwon, his hand hanging mid-air in offer.

“Out of the question,” Naran hissed, her eyes darting to the shadowy faces gawking from the sidelines.

Undeterred, he said, “Would you rather take this discussion into the hall?”

Her stomach dropped. As suggestive as it was dancing two songs back-to-back with the same partner, sneaking away was outright confirmation of an understanding or worse, an illicit relationship, and there was no way Naran could risk that, just as she couldn’t risk abandoning him slack-jawed on the dance floor for the gossipmongers and her very angry mother.

“Fine, but it ends after this. I feel like I’m suffocating.” The princess tugged at the collar of her deel, but it may as well have been a noose tightening around her throat.

The music kicked up, and once again, Naran spotted her grandfather leaving the band’s station. Instead of a rather suggestive waltz, it was a smooth and patient minuet that left far too much time for conversation in between the languid notes.

“Damn it all to hell,” Naran whispered as they circled each other. “You’ll have to dance with at least four other ladies now.”

Her partner stared back at her with a perfectly blank face. “I have no intentions of doing so.”

“Really, Prince Hyungwon, why must you be so obstinate? If you do not, then everyone will presume an understanding has been made between us, which will obligate us to marry. Is that what you really want?”

The prince shrugged. “It’s less loathsome than the thought of marrying any of these other royals.”

Shock took a backseat to outrage as Naran’s eyes bolted to his blank stare. “No, no, no, no, no. Did you ever consider that I do not wish to marry?”

“Am I that repulsive of an option?” he asked, and Naran could hear a hint of hurt in his husky voice that made even her feel a little guilty.

“My prince, it’s not a matter of marrying you. Perhaps I do not wish to marry at all. There’s no glamor in that, contrary to what the fairytales promise. It’s tedious obligation after tedious obligation, and excepting weddings and births, you’re always bound to your stupid castle. If I do not become queen, then I am free to exist as I wish. I can sleep until midday or bathe under a waterfall or stargaze on the open plain if I so desire.”

“And what if I offer you that same freedom with this marriage?”

Naran laughed. “You’re serious? Why on earth would you ever wish for a wife who cares so little for court or you?”

“Maybe because I have no wish to marry either, but as the sole heir to Goryeo, I have no choice. If I don’t decide, things will be decided for me. At least with you, I know I’d have my own freedoms.”

“But I’d still be expected to bear your heirs, sire.”

The implication was inescapable, and they both stiffened in each other’s arms.

Hyungwon nibbled on his bottom lip before he finally nodded. "There’s no getting around that, I suppose.”

“There is not.”

“I take it you never had any desire for children?”

“On the contrary,” Naran replied, “I’d love them, which is why I would never wish for the responsibilities of this life to fall on them.”

Hyungwon hung his head, laden with his own understanding. “We could raise them differently. Just as our marriage would be unconventional and without expectations, we could choose to raise any children we had as such.”

“You surprise me, my prince, and, if I’m honest, it’s more than a little tempting all things considered, but I think we both know that would be impossible. We may be at the height of our realms, but we answer to everyone instead of no one.”

Thin as he was, the prince looked heavy again under the weight of his tremendous burden.

“If I may,” Naran continued as she dipped under his hand for another twirl, “why don’t you dance with Princess Ophelia? She’s a quiet sort of girl from a robust kingdom and would likely leave you your peace while acting like a true queen when the time comes. My mother also thinks Princess Binh might be a good match for you.”

“You’ve talked about me?” Hyungwon said rather hopefully, and Naran swallowed hard. His charms were too pervasive.

“My mother did,” she corrected. “And speaking of, I should get back to her…”

Naran broke her hand from his and started toward the now-aghast Queen Jigme when the prince grabbed her wrist and jerked her back to him. She landed with an oomph in his arms, the sticks pinning up her hair clattering somewhere behind her. Her face was lost in the folds of his shirt and the smell of intoxicating oils like yuja and clove beneath it. She wondered if he’d rubbed them on his own chest or if someone else had had the duty of anointing him.

Her heart hammered though her lungs caught as she hoped against hope that she would fade into him like a shadow until no one in the room noticed her at all. But it was for nothing. The music still played, but it became background noise beneath the murmur of royal bystanders.

Suddenly, Hyungwon’s cheek was in her hair, his mouth finding her ear through her unraveling black tresses.

“Princess Narangerel, my father intends to invade Moghulikhan. Marry me and we can prevent this.”

It was just as Queen Jigme feared, and Hyungwon knew it. Naran was faced now with turning her back on her family and her entire kingdom with full knowledge and selfishness or falling in league with a handsome prince who promised to give her the life she sought anyway. It was no doubt an empty promise, but even if it were, the threat was now real. Knowing what she knew, could she really turn him down?

“Damn you,” she whispered back, her nails digging in through the thin silk of his shirt.

“Is that a yes, princess?”

“Yes,” she seethed.

“Then I will go to my father at once and arrange everything. We shall make the announcement tonight.”

Hyungwon released her and stalked over to his father, ushering him out of the ballroom and leaving the princess red-faced and shaking in a sea of jealous and shocked gawkers. The room whirled, and her stomach lurched. Everything Naran had ever known had just been undone in the span of two songs.

Her mother was at her side in an instant, smoothing her hair and thumbing at the rosy bloom in her daughter’s cheeks.

“Oh, my sun, you’ve made the right decision! I knew you would!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mother,” Naran insisted, hoping that her denial would alter reality.

“Did the prince not propose? Did you not say yes?”

“It was a dance. Just a dance.”

“A dance? When Prince Hyungwon has danced with no one but family in years? When his lips were in your hair? Surely, you jest, my child. No, this means everything. You have saved your homeland. Our people will adore you for it. Saran will adore you for it. When she comes of age, there won’t be a royal in all the realms who won’t seek to woo her. She will have her choice of kingdom thanks to your enviable match. It will silence at last the issue of heirs amongst our own people, for Goryeo’s backing will be incentive enough to dissuade usurpers until your sister can bear the next king.”

Naran’s throat was drier than the Gobi. She pinched her eyes shut against the onslaught of cold knowledge relentlessly bombarding her. “That’s just what I want—my little sister having to endure this nonsense.”

“She will not have to, darling! Suitors will come to her. She can marry for love or country.”

“She can have everything I cannot.”

Queen Jigme took her daughter’s face in hand and smiled warmly at her. “Who is to say that you cannot? Duty may bind you, but it doesn’t have to unmake you, dearest. There is something to your prince. When you’ve survived as long as I have in the world, you can see it. Only someone special like you, my Narangerel, can awaken it. Is Prince Hyungwon not handsome?”

Reluctantly, the princess nodded.

“Is he not charming?”

“When he wants to be.”

The queen’s voice dropped hard and low as her grip tightened. “Did he give you a reason to fear him?”

Naran pictured Hyungwon’s soft cinnamon eyes studying her as they twirled across the dance floor, and though her chest tightened at the memory, it wasn’t founded in the same kind of fear she felt when she squared off with a pack of wolves. The princess shook her head. “No, nothing like that.”

The queen let out a relieved sigh. “Good, because I would not part with you for all the alliances in the realms in trade for your safety. So, it is only your pride that holds you back?”

“Not pride, Mother. Freedom.”

“Do you respect the prince?”

“I hardly know him.”

Jigme glowered at her. “That has never stopped my daughter from making a snap judgment before.”

Naran didn’t want to say yes. That was the same thing as condoning the whole preposterous arrangement. And yet… It was hard to forget the gentleness in his cheeks and the calmness in his voice as he promised things she knew she shouldn’t dream of any longer.

“I suppose more than I do these other preening fools.”

“Then take heart, my sun. If there is respect, there can be love. You will want for nothing. There will be peace further than your eagle can soar. You have already done more for your kingdom than most rulers can ever hope to do.”

Strangely, Naran felt her heart in her throat. It was yet another promise that seemed impossible to deliver. “That presumes Emperor Gongmin will approve the match…”

Before her mother could even open her mouth to answer, Prince Hyungwon sped across the ballroom faster than she had imagined such a cavalier man ever moving. The entire party was watching as he bowed deeply to Queen Jigme before extending his hand to the princess.

Naran had no choice, she had to take it, and instead of simply holding her hand, he laced his fingers through hers so she had no way to pull away. His skin was hot and sweaty, but so was hers, and at least she could take comfort in the fact that he was as uncomfortable with this unbearable spotlight as she was.

“What’s going on?” she whispered. “Did your father not approve our arrangement?”

Even if the match had never been something she had wanted for herself, it would be even more humiliating to be turned down.

Worryingly, Hyungwon did not answer though he also did not stop pulling her to the head of the hall. There, beneath a fresco of a khan and his warrior bride surveying a battle from a mountain ledge, the prince stopped and tugged Naran close to his side. His hand tightened in hers, and it felt almost like he was using her to keep upright. She didn’t bother to balk because she needed the same.

Heavy footsteps approached from the side, and Naran lifted her eyes. Emperor Gongmin seemed to fill the room like a great balloon, puffing mightier and mightier with each passing second. All eyes had already turned to the front of the hall in anticipation of what the greatest ruler in the East had to say.

The emperor raised his glass to the party and grinned with a hollowness that Naran had yet to find in his son. His voice boomed across the room, even vibrating in the glassware on the tables. “First, I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to the mighty Toqu Khan for hosting us all at his beautiful palace this week. For many of us, this may be the only time we visit Kipchak, but it will remain forever in our hearts. It has been many long years since I have had the privilege of visiting, but I am happy to report this time has added a fondness for this charming land that I might never have anticipated, because it is thanks to the great Khan’s generosity that I can announce to all the realms that my son, Crown Prince Hyungwon of Goryeo, has finally found his future bride.”

A collective gasp filled the hall to its rafters, and Naran fought to hide her embarrassing tremble. As the spectators tightened ranks, she scanned the rainbow of faces to find her mother and grandfather watching with proud smiles. If they were happy, so too must she try to be. While she couldn’t bear to look at the man beside her, the princess worked hard to cobble some kind of smile together for them.

Emperor Gongmin continued, “Today, I am pleased to announce the joyful union of the Empire of Goryeo to the Kingdom of Moghulikhan. Henceforth, Princess Narangerel will move to Namgyeong to be with her new family, where the happy couple will marry before the whole empire. Please join me in wishing them all possible happiness.”

Applause thundered around them. For as many sycophants and saccharine grins as there were, there were just as many barely concealed scowls and glares, particularly a few other princesses Naran had spied talking up the prince earlier.

“To their many heirs!” shouted someone in the crowd, which was followed by cheers and more applause.

Her grandfather signaled for the band to kick back up as small glasses of clear liquor made their way suspiciously quickly through the ballroom, almost as though they’d been waiting for just such an announcement. The moment the tray appeared to her, Naran shook off Hyungwon’s hand to grab two glasses and down them with lightning speed before the burn of the alcohol could even sear her tongue. Beside her, her husband-to-be eyed her as he nursed his lone glass.

No sooner were the glasses emptied than the emperor had extended his hand to his future daughter-in-law. “Would you honor your new father with a dance, Princess?”

Without so much as the bliss of drunkenness, her body churned and her mind swam as Emperor Gongmin led Naran to the edge of the dance floor and dove right in mid-promenade. She could barely keep her feet under her as they waltzed through the line of raucous partygoers.

“What an enviable match you have made for yourself, Princess Naran,” the emperor observed as they ducked through a tunnel of hands.

“Yes, Your Highness,” she said tightly.

They emerged at the end of the tunnel only to add to it by joining their hands above them for the next dancers. Naran tried to keep her attention on the dance, but the beady eyes of the emperor were relentlessly demanding, and she knew in her bones she needed to rise to his challenge. She met his gaze head on, and the corner of his mouth quirked, pulling a crow’s foot at the edge of his cheek.

“I confess I have never seen my son so interested in his future,” Gongmin added, “which is why I approved the match without first meeting you. He appears genuinely pleased.”

“I am happy to hear so.”

They paired off again for a series of turns about the dance floor, which gave the emperor a chance to soften his voice further. “But I do not have the luxury of being so easy. My son has always been as prone to whimsy as he is to idleness, and this is all very sudden.”

Now, the alcohol was kicking in, mercifully giving Naran the strength she needed in the face of the Lord of the East. “Is that not how most matches are made, Your Highness?”

“Indeed they are, but I’m sure you can appreciate my desire to protect my empire.”

“Excuse my candor, sire, but I don’t believe anyone worries about the future of Goryeo.”

Emperor Gongmin’s hand squeezed hers unexpectedly tightly. “I do, Princess Narangerel, I do. So long as you commit to your new homeland and deliver the promised heirs, we will get along perfectly well. Now, I suggest you two revel in tonight’s festivities for as long as they’re offered. Goryeo always remembers to show its deep appreciation to its hosts, especially when they’re now family.”

The soon-to-be in-laws finished out the last few bars of the dance before they bowed to one another. As the emperor came up, he added with a softer, if disingenuous, smile, “You will make some very pretty children.”

With nothing else to say, Naran bowed again.

As Gongmin stepped aside for his son, he looked at the pair and said, “Enjoy your party, you two.”

Prince Hyungwon joined Naran’s side and offered her the next dance, but she shook her head. “I’m too dizzy. I mean it.”

“Would you like to sit down?”

“I would like to shoot you with an arrow,” she snapped though she took a chair along the wall and let her head rest against the tapestry there as she steadied her heart. “I hope you're happy.”

Hyungwon raised an eyebrow, “About the arrow? Not so much, but otherwise, I am, and so should you be.”

“You just blackmailed me into marriage. Happiness is the last thing from my mind.”

“You’re not the least bit glad to have settled on someone who will at least respect your independence, princess?”

Under the swell of the violin, Naran scoffed. “If you respected my independence, you would have left me to my plan of faking a deadly illness until my sister came of age. Then I could miraculously recover only to live my life as a spinster roaming the plains and hunting with my eagle.”

“You have a very elaborate imagination, my lady,” he said teasingly.

“It’s hardly imagination, my lord. I was set to contract dropsy this very evening.”

Hyungwon laughed. “You don’t contract dropsy; you develop it. Do not worry, the libraries in Changdeokgung are second to none, and they will all be at the princess’s disposal. You can pretend to contract all the illnesses you want when we arrive.”

Naran seethed. Thankfully, the folds of her dress concealed her fists.

“For all that’s just occurred, I am glad I met you, Princess,” said the prince as the orchestra wound down, and the tension left her hands at once. There was a tenderness in his voice that Naran almost let herself mistake as genuine affection, but either way, it made her breath catch. “This is the first time in my whole life I haven’t dreaded my future.”

He was being kind, and maybe it was even working were it not for the fact that it was the first time in Naran’s life that she did dread hers.

“I meant what I said,” Hyungwon continued. “I mean to give you every independence I can in our marriage. We don’t have to love each other so long as we respect each other, and if we can do that, maybe we can be something great for our people—and maybe even each other.”

The prince looked down at her, that beautiful smile showcasing brilliant teeth and lush lips. Naran longed to trust such beauty, but she knew those things were fleeting. Once the chandeliers had been snuffed, the silverware put away, and the spectators dispatched, only cold reality would encroach on them, and she wondered what kind of man her husband would truly be then.

[darkacey]

I'm curious about a bunch of these so I'll just ask the bunch together:

Whose ur favorite bachelorette(s), non romanceable chara, monster, non-mc otp and a headcanon you have?

Oh boy this is gonna be a doozy of an answer lol

Fav bachelorette — I’m super gay for (most of) the guys, so honestly none of the bachelorettes appealed to me as marriage candidates. That said, I really identify with Lucy’s whole arc and feeling disproportionately responsible for my loved ones. I especially like when these characters actually get a chance to take care of themselves. Sure, I don’t exactly like the way RF5 goes about it (the forced truth mirror was kind of heavy handed and took away her agency…), but everything else was nice. My runner ups are Beatrice and Scarlett. Bea is just a sweetheart, I have nothing bad to say about her. As for Scarlett, well, I got attached to her because she became such an important supporting character in my fic. I didn’t intend for her to be the closest thing Ari has to a best friend, but she surprised me.

Fav non-romanceable character — Heinz, hands down. That goofball has a terrible first impression in-game and he’s really done dirty by only being characterized by his ineptitude and lazy attitude, but man, I’ve gotten so attached to him because of his role in my fic. I was really able to develop his backstory and personality into exactly what I wanted since there was so much room for reinterpretation. Before I started this fic, though, I probably would have said Terry or Misasagi. Both of them have good heads on their shoulders, and I like the mysteries they represent.

Fav monster — Chipsqueek! Those little red squirrels are the cutest dang thing on the planet. They’re kind of useless as a battle companion, but I like bringing them around with me just because anyway. Also, in every RF game I’ve played (Frontier, rf5, and currently rf3 special), I’ve named the first one I’ve caught Poppy.

Non-MC otp — I’m a multishipper, so I won’t say there’s only one way I like characters to be shipped. That said, I’m particularly fond of Cecil/Fuuka (thank you Aashi for selling me on them!) and Martin/Ryker. For other pairings, I think Lucy/Priscilla is cute, but I’d be really interested to see Priscilla/Reinhard (Priscilla gets to live out her princess dreams) and Lucy/Murakumo (competitive bleeding heart plus the expert judge of games). Outside my fic, I also love Lucas/Terry (courtesy of @kardia-library-official for introducing me to the idea).

A headcanon — oof I have so many at this point, it’s hard for me to remember what’s actually canon and what’s stuff I’ve dumped into all of its plot holes. I think a big one for worldbuilding is that I named the town that’s near Rigbarth (the one that Ryker goes to when he steals that crown). It’s called Fenarva, which is sort of a portmanteau based on the names of all of the other villages/towns of Norad. I imagine Fenarva is closer in size to a city, and it has ports for regular ships and airships. They get travelers from the mainland, Isle of Elves (this also needs a name), the Eastern Continent (gods please Marvelous give us an actual name for this country when Project Dragon is released), and Fenith Island. Most of the tourists who visit Rigbarth come from Fenarva, too, since it’s only about half a day’s trip to get from one town to the other (well, travel takes longer now because of the recent increase in monster attacks…). Rigbarth’s economy really relies on these folks and the people from the other side of the Gadeus Grasslands too (still need to put another town over there too). Also, for everybody else writing fics based on RF5, y’all are free to use Fenarva, too.

I have other, more interesting headcanons especially about gods in general and what sort of god Lucas is, but a lot of it gets into spoiler territory. Unfortunately for all of us, however, I have yet to figure out how to work in these things into my fic. It’ll come up eventually, somehow, but probably not until late Act II or somewhere in Act III. I hope y’all can bear with me until then.

[hananoami]

Sylus: Grassland Romance

Sylus's New 5-Star Memory Coming Soon🏞

A quick shove, a clean throw—he's proven himself to be the strongest warrior on the grassland. Out here, the rules are simple: whoever takes it, keeps it. If you don't make your move, he will.

"Actions speak louder than words. I need to show them I already have a lover."