#ikepri hurt/comfort

[randonauticrap]

Nightmares

Pairing ~ Jin Grandet x Reader/Emma

Word Count ~ 1411

Author's Note ~ This fic is pretty much just because I could. lol I hope you enjoy!

Warnings ~ Mentions of main character death, talk of war, depression/anxiety (MC), separation anxiety, trauma, hurt/comfort

You raced through the castle at top speed, passing confused maids and ignoring Clavis when he goaded you as you passed. "Excited for something, little rabbit?" He cackled as the wind from your speed tousled his hair. But not even Clavis could ruffle you feathers today. Nothing else mattered, because he was back.

Your lover was to return today from a bloody battle at the border between Rhodolite and Obsidian. He had been away for three months and the castle had seemed vacant without him, despite the fact that the other leading faction of royals had remained in their absence. Chevalier's faction was due to march out the next day to finish the war while Leon's returning faction would stay at the castle to guard it against any possible attacks.

Your only concern was a certain auburn-haired prince, with eyes as rich as red wine and a smile that could send even the tamest women into a tizzy. When he told you those three months ago that he would be leading his troops with Leon's faction into war, you were terrified. You had clung to him like a child, willing him by prayer alone not to go, even though you knew that as a prince, it was his duty, and that he would not abandon it. He had reminded you not to worry before he left, and that he was stronger than he looked. That had earned a giggle bubbling from your lips, because Jin Grandet looked like one of the strongest men in the world: towering above most of the other princes, and muscular from head to toe. He was masculine and angular, and at a glance looked as though he could take on a bull and have a fairly good chance.

His assurance helped you, but it didn't chase away the many nightmares that conjured images you dared not imagine in your waking moments, and Jin would wake with you almost every night to fix tea for you and stroke your hair until you finally settled back into his broad chest to sleep. The nightmares only worsened after Jin left with his troops and the other princes. They became more frequent, happening every time you drifted off. You became like the waking dead, zombified during the day, slogging through the castle with severe dark circles under your eyes, unable to properly focus on Sariel's lessons. But instead of a lecture from your tutor, he wordlessly set up a cot in his office so that you could rest while he watched over you, waking you if you showed signs of stirring in your sleep.

He wasn't the only one, either. Luke would bake honey cakes with special sleeping herbs in them to help you doze peacefully, and often let you sleep on his legs in the garden. Nokto often took you with him to parties to help you focus on something besides Jin, and Clavis had even transformed his pranking style into things that would actually make you laugh, like somehow managing to fill your entire room with party balloons between your half hour naps, or stuffing dinner napkins in the toes of your shoes to make you think your feet had grown overnight. You even received a modicum of kindness from the Brutal Beast. You would trudge into the library to search for a book assigned by Sariel and find it and several others that were of the less instructional persuasion in a neat pile at your favorite reading spot. The three months without Jin had been insurmountably difficult, but you had survived because of the other princes and Sariel.

You made a mental note to get a gift to thank each of them later as you reached the front doors of the palace and wrenched them open. Leon was front and center in the returning throng, and his troops followed him up the path. You sprinted down the steps to reach the gate that the palace guards were creaking open, and waited for Leon to reach you. The closer he got, the more worn down he looked. You noticed a few scratches littering his handsome face, and as he rode through the gate and dismounted near you, you saw the ache in his eyes. They had taken quite a beating.

Leon strode up to you and wrapped you up in his arms. "Good to have a hug from you again." He sighed, the weight in his voice not escaping your notice.

"You too, Leon. I'm glad you're okay." You rubbed his back a few times before releasing him just in time to see Licht ride through the gate, his soldiers following behind. Thankfully, Licht seemed mostly unscathed, but the darkness in his eyes told you that his body was the only thing that didn't sustain damage. Yves and his soldiers came trotting afterwards. "Oh, Yves!" You exclaimed once you caught sight of the bloody cloth that covered the side of his head.

He looked down at you from his horse with a pained expression before glancing back at Leon behind you and jumping down. "Yves, are you okay?!" You cried, getting closer to the dressed wound.

"I'm fine!" Yves sputtered, but then his gaze darkened. It was only then that you took a pause and glanced around. Yves's soldiers were still filing through the gate, but there seemed to be so many more of them than you remembered. Only seconds passed before you took in the different colored uniforms.

"Hey, where's Jin?" You turned to Leon, confusion in your eyes. When his gaze slid away from yours, you turned to Yves. "Yves," you breathed, feeling your heart begin to thud ominously against your ribcage. "Yves, where is Jin?"

"Emma, I- I tried! I did everything I could! I-"

But you had gone deaf to his explanations. Your eyes had found the soldiers in the rear of the procession, carrying a body bound in heavy cloths with grim expressions.

"No..." You whispered, as if to yourself. "NOOO!!" A scream erupted from your heart with so much force that you felt it crack inside of you. "No no no no no! Jin! JIN!" Leon and Yves surrounded you, doing their best to shield your eyes from the soldiers with Jin's body, but it was no use. Your world had already splintered into pieces, and your wails of mourning were heard all throughout Rhodolite.

~

You gasped, shooting straight up in your bed with tears streaking your cheeks in rivers of anguish. Your breathing was labored as the image of Jin's body wrapped in cloth haunted the space just behind your eyes, and your vision clouded over as the oxygen you consumed lessened with each incoming breath. You were on the verge of slipping into unconsciousness when a strong hand took hold of your shoulder and pulled you into a warm chest. You turned your head to find your lover with a concerned half-lidded gaze on you. "Jin," you murmured, your hands flying to his skin, touching him all over to make sure he was real. But touching him wasn't enough, so you swiveled in his grasp and settled yourself onto his legs before continuing your panicked exploration of his body, warm and alive and safe, here with you.

"Did you have the nightmare again, sweetheart?" he asked gently, his hand coming up to brush your hair from your eyes. You only nodded as you continued to feel him, finally bringing your head to his chest and settling your ear against his heart.

Boom boom, boom boom

You sighed, at last allowing some of the tension to leave your muscles. Jin wrapped his strong arms around you and pulled you close, dropping tender kisses on the top of your head as his hands caressed your back. "Jin is okay," you muttered under your breath. "Jin is alive, he is okay. He came back from war two weeks ago with Leon's faction. He is okay." You repeated the phrases like a mantra, willing your heart and mind to remember them and believe them. Jin's hold tightened around your shaking body and he leaned in close to you.

"I'm okay, baby. I didn't leave you. I'm here, I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."

After you cried several more unshed tears and shared countless deep, aching kisses with your lover, you were able to slip into slumber against his chest at last, listening to his heartbeat well into the world of your dreams. 

~

Tags for the Lovelies: @aquagirl1978 @violettduchess @rhodolitesroseforclavis @atelieredux @queengiuliettafirstlady

If you want to be on my taglist, just shoot me an ask off anon, and I'll happily add you! Thank you for reading!

[nightghoul381]

Flops in front of you

Hello hi

I was going to request yoshimoto but I’m not gonna make you binge his route for this little thing

Clavis.

Clavis looking after his sick fiancée who can’t sleep or talk and she’s just absolutely miserable and frustrated and emotional because lack of sleep and stuff and 😩 please 🙏

Hi loveyyy!! I hope this kinda sorta helps, it's a lot shorter than I usually write but it seemed like a good stopping point sorta, so lemme know if you need something else or more or better lol

In Sickness~Clavis Lelouch x Reader Genre: Fluffy comfort WC: 711 CW: Descriptions of pain and illness

“My oh my, what sort of emergency are you experiencing my dear? Surely it’s something quite pressing for someone as ill as yourself to be out of bed. Especially after I had just tucked you in so snugly.”

Clavis’ golden eyes were narrowed, belying his troubled smirk, and showing his genuine frustration. You had thought he wouldn’t be back for a short while, so when you found yourself feeling very thirsty but the glass beside your bed drained, you had decided to amble over to the pitcher situated on the far side of the room where a servant had just refilled it.

“I… I was…thirsty…” You squeaked out, your voice little more than a pained, scratchy hiss.

Clavis’ face softened as he pulled you close to him, guiding you gently over to the bed where he sat you down before fetching the pitcher of water and bringing it over to your bedside.

“Here you are my beautiful fiancée. Nice cool water should help ease your throat,” Clavis coos, lifting the glass to your lips.

The cool liquid provides minimal relief, but swallowing just seems to make everything feel so much worse. You clench your eyes tightly, pushing the glass away and curling in on yourself. Focusing on trying to breathe through the pain, you end up feeling a warm hand stroking your hair and your back, providing just enough pressure to soothe you and you are able to relax just enough to open your eyes again.

You let your forehead fall forward, landing roughly against your lover’s shoulder, allowing yourself to be pulled fully into his lap as his strong arms wrap firmly around you.

This illness is miserable, every part of your body aches, breathing is so difficult, and you can’t seem to get enough rest to recover even the slightest bit. But all of that pales in comparison to the stabbing pain in your throat. Breathing makes it feel like needles are pricking you, and swallowing creates the most intense burning sensation. The worst part is when you’re unable to stop coughing. Your throat feels like it’s being torn apart, unable to catch a breath and your chest aches with the force of the cough.

And yet despite all of these awful symptoms, Clavis has remained steadfastly by your side. He only stepped away when you had fallen asleep or if something urgent came up. Although, now that he’d caught you out of bed, you doubt he’d let you out of his sight again until you were feeling completely healthy.

You close your eyes as he holds you, his warm hands move up to hold your head against his chest. The calm steady beating of his heart is soothing, the warmth radiating off his body relaxing you until you’re certain you’ll end up falling asleep if you don’t move.

You pull your head free, pushing yourself to sit straight and look Clavis in the eye.

“I’m sorry,” you start, a vicious cough ripping through you and causing a pitiful cry to spill out, tears streaming down your face at the unyielding pain.

“Hush now, no apologies necessary. The only thing I want you to focus on right now is resting.”

Clavis turns you to lay you back on the bed, sliding under the covers beside you and keeping you pulled close to him.

“Not to mention, you can rest assured that I shall not get bored, I will talk for the both of us. Allow me to tell you about all of the things I want to do when you’re recovered. And after that I shall regale you with tales of my latest traps. And if you’re still awake you may just be able to catch me going off on a tangent about everything I simply adore about you.”

The depths of love and concern you can hear in your fiance’s voice is like a balm to your illness addled mind. You once again allow your eyes to flutter closed, feeling a soft kiss pressed against your forehead as Clavis begins to tell you of his plans for the two of you to travel and try out a newly invented contraption that some nobleman had come up with.

Peace overcomes you as you finally feel your consciousness drift away.

Taglist: @judejazza @themiscarnival @candied-boys @aquagirl1978 @xbalayage @maries-gallery @randonauticrap @violettduchess

[beneathashadytree]

BOREDOM - CLAVIS LELOUCH X READER

Warnings : mentions of Clavis’ terrible coping mechanisms, reader is gender-neutral!

Genre : fluff and hurt/comfort <3

Word count : 1.6K words (oops!)

Additional notes : Dedicating this to @venulus, whose adoration for Clavis is infectious in the best way🫶🏽

Tip jar if you’d like to buy me a Ko-Fi!

Masterlist

“Clavis,” they sighed, exasperation evident on every inch of their face, “What have you done this time?”

“Nothing,” came his cheery reply, though it was anything but reassuring. The grin on his face (though they couldn’t see it, they could perfectly well hear it in his voice) was the one that always came after he’d unleashed mayhem somewhere on the palace grounds, and the way he clung to them like white on rice was exactly like he often did to try and soften them up to get away with it.

“You’re practically squeezing me to death,” they pointed out, trying to wiggle their way out of his tight embrace and to push his face away from nuzzling into their neck from behind, but to no avail.

“Oh, to die in the arms of a lover.” Clavis sounded wistful as he dramatically sighed, his breath tickling their neck. “Wouldn’t that be the most forthright declaration of love?”

“I have no intentions of dying so young, thank you very much!” And with that, they practically ripped his arms off them, mentally preparing themself for the distraught expression that would surely welcome them as soon as they turned to face him. Still, they gave him no chance to guilt-trip them with his sad eyes and miserable pout. “Out with it. Who’s the victim tonight?”

“I wouldn’t call them a victim—“

“Clavis.”

“—not if they were practically asking for it—“

“I’m going to have to force it out of you, aren’t I?”

“—being so defenseless, it’s laughable, really—“

“This could be a horrible preface to many crimes. You’re really not helping your case right now.”

“—but anyways, it’s all in good nature. Fun and no hard feelings, and all that.”

His offhand attitude as he spoke made them realize that it must’ve been someone whose reactions he’d already memorized to the point that they were barely amusing anymore. “It was poor Yves again, wasn’t it?”

“Quite the easy target, I must say.” Clavis clicked his tongue in what seemed to be genuine disappointment, waving his hand as he settled back further into the sofa. “No shock value whatsoever anymore, when you check on your pits before bed to find the same person down the biggest, most obvious hole every night.”

Perhaps they were more exhausted than they’d initially thought they were, because they certainly didn’t put up much of a fight when he tugged them by the arm and sent them tumbling right on top of him. In fact, they only leaned back into his chest, and let him gently caress the soft skin of their thigh to his heart’s content.

They pondered his words and blasé attitude for a few moments, before finally—and carefully—speaking up. “You’re rather bored, aren’t you?”

Their prince stilled his (increasingly risqué, if the direction his fingers were trailing to was any indication) motions for a beat, then turned to them with a smile—the sort they absolutely loathed for how stiff it really was, compared to the usual lovely one of his that he’d only ever blessed them since they’d made him truly, deeply, incandescently happy.

“Implying that I’ve lost my touch, are we? I’ll have you know, nothing’s ever boring when I’m around.”

Shaking their head, their expression began to morph to one of genuine concern. “I asked you if you were bored. Not if you were boring, God forbid.”

What felt like an hour but was probably only a few minutes passed without a single word slipping out of Clavis’ mouth. If his heart hadn’t been pounding rather erratically against their back, they would’ve thought he’d never even heard them. But they knew him well enough to recognize the turmoil inside him that was ripping him apart:

To be honest and bare one’s most safeguarded vulnerabilities? Or to simply hide behind a curtain of falsehoods and niceties that he’d always wrapped himself in?

The choice was all his, and their patience in waiting for his answer went to show just how deeply they cherished him and every little lie and every cracked truth he’d ever told. He was invaluable in their eyes.

When he spoke up again, it was so quietly that they had to strain their ears to hear what he said—and even then, they had trouble believing what he’d actually said.

“Well, I didn’t want to offend you.”

But they had indeed heard him, and it was no use pretending that they hadn’t. As they’d not-so-easily found out (after dealing with his antics for so long, of course), the best tactic to approach Clavis was to hang on to his every word—that is, whenever he granted them the chance to peer into the windows of his soul that he’d obscured for so long.

“But why would admitting that offend me?”

Golden eyes looked away from them, a rare look of shame slipping through them for just a half-second before they cleared. After all, he’d long mastered the art of hiding his every thought behind a façade built on half-lies and crooked truths.

“How would you have felt if I’d told you that, despite having you around all the time, things still felt tedious?” When Clavis laughed this time, it felt more derisive than anything. He still wouldn’t meet their eyes, and that sent a pang resounding in their chest. “I’d never had trouble amusing myself before. So why now of all times?”

Pausing for a moment, they tried to clarify without looking away from him, in hopes of encouraging him to return their gaze—though if the ashamed look on his face was anything to go by, he wouldn’t be doing that anytime soon, if things weren’t cleared up fast. “So… you thought I might’ve taken it personally?”

“I suppose so, yes.”

“Clavis,” they sighed for the umpteenth time (it felt like this was all they’d ever done lately, but that was to be expected when dating the resident hellcat of Rhodolite, who just happened to double as the most wickedly charming man in all the land). “Do you want to hear what I think?”

Pursing his lips, he nodded. Inhaling deeply, they reached out to finally return the embrace they’d struggled so far to express how much they delighted in—but now, it seemed like he was in need of seeing just how much they cherished his every gesture.

“For starters, I would never—get offended by how you feel, that is. That would be terribly self-centered of me. No one should have the right to invalidate how you feel.” They gave him a pointed look before he could even protest. “Not even me. Actually, especially not me.”

“Noted.”

“Look at me, darling.” Maybe it was the tender but firm tone carried by their words, or maybe it was the sweet petname that had surprised him with its unexpected candidness, but for whatever reason, Clavis was unable to do anything but oblige them, and finally turned his wavering gaze to them. Reaching up to gently cradle his face in their hands, they spoke up again.

“You’ve spent your entire life striving to make a name for yourself, and doing your utmost to stand out. It almost felt like you were keeping yourself busy enough to ignore how you were feeling. A commendable show of strength, but not a very sustainable act.”

A flash of shock and thinly-concealed hurt crossed Clavis’ face at their words, then it disappeared before they could acknowledge it—though they still wouldn’t have taken it back, if it meant that they could reach him. They had to get this point across, before he ended up stifling every single negative emotion into numbness. And so they went on.

“Now that—and do excuse my rightful conceit in saying this—you’ve finally let someone in, you’re getting used to living a slower-paced life, one where less and less ridiculously high expectations are chasing after you.” They huffed out a laugh, thumbs gently stroking his warming cheeks. “If anything, I’m actually glad you’ve got enough time on your hands to feel bored in the first place.”

“But it feels agitating, sitting around with nothing to do,” Clavis groaned, momentarily shutting his eyes, before his gaze turned piercing once more. “I just can’t.”

“Then I’ll fill up your schedule. I’ll stick to you and drag you around everywhere I wanted us to go to.” Cheekily pinching his cheeks, they smiled up at their beloved prince, who was so uncharacteristically melancholic. All they wanted was to see him brilliantly beaming once again. “You’ll be complaining of blisters on your feet when it’s time for bed every night, and I’ll be begging you to shut up and quit whining in no time at all, before planning our next outing.”

Clavis looked almost seriously affronted at that, though his squeeze to their flesh showed that he was only trying to humorously pick himself up. “I’d never complain! What kind of prince would I be, if I turned into a useless lump after a bit of walking? And what sorry excuse of a lover would I be, acting the exact opposite of dashing in front of you?”

“You’d just be perfectly in-character, if you ask me.”

“How dare you!” His gasp and exclamation of offense only lasted a half-second, before he was carefully asking a question. “On another note, would our plans happen to include sneaking out and driving Sariel to the brink of insanity over suddenly not finding a single trace of us?”

They rolled their eyes (though they both knew that there was absolutely no malice in that half-hearted gesture), before belatedly realizing that they’d give in to pretty much every single whim and fancy of his, if he looked at them with as much tentative adoration as he did now. “Yes, Clavis, we’ll do it all behind his back.”

A delighted laugh escaped him, and they couldn’t help the way their heart raced at the sight of him looking at them so warmly, like they’d just hung the moon and the stars in his ever-dark night sky. “Dearie me, you really are my wicked accomplice.”

Taglist: —

[thenovelartist]

Ikemen Prince boys as fathers - Jin, Luke, and Clavis

I've done the twins already, and that post surprisingly took off. I know the other boys would be different, AKA less heartbreaking, but I still got inspired to do them.

And this is only Jin, Luke, and Clavis as I've played them recently. I'll get to the last three boys once I play Yves' and Leon's routes.

Jin

When he learns Emma is pregnant, he's surprised but earnestly happy.

Of all the boys, he's the most prepared to be a father. He's already Second Dad to all his brothers, anyway. (The first being Sariel; I will not hear otherwise.)

That eagle eye is 100% on Emma throughout her pregnancy. He'll have anything from tea and sweets brought up for her to a doctor called before she even asks for them.

And he'll always make sure there's a bucket for her morning sickness as well as a chair designated for her in every room she frequents.

Jin about had a heart attack when Emma was surprised by the first kicks of their baby.

The way she clutched at her stomach, her eyes wide with surprise had his heart racing in fear for a good moment before she insisted the baby was just moving.

"You're gonna make me go gray early, aren't you little one?" he teased, resting his hands on her stomach even though the baby wasn't moving by then.

"I'm shocked your brothers haven't made you go gray now," she teased back.

Of course, he's got the normal worries about becoming a father lingering around in the back of his mind.

However, there is one fear that overshadows them all. Sadly, he's too good at hiding it behind either a smile or long winded rambles of how excited he is to be a father.

But his pupil is too good at catching things like his true inner feelings.

"Hey, you're gonna be a great dad. Just like you're a great king. And no matter how fat I get, I'll still be able to shoulder your burdens. It's the least I can do as your wife."

He chuckles, because the love and concern she constantly pours out for him reminds him just how indulgent a luxury true love is and how sad he is for his parents to have been torn apart.

"You're not fat," he'll always point out. "You've just got a little extra sand in your hourglass."

"A lot of extra sand," she'll correct with a smile, resting her hands on her bloated stomach.

Jin sometimes wonders if his mother looked like that: excited for him, a child made and born out of love, to come into the world.

The thought always makes him want to reach for Emma, as his father likely would have wanted to do with his mother before they'd been torn apart.

"But Jin," she'll always finish as he took her into his arms to hold, "I want you to know I'm not going anywhere. No one is going to make me. And I'll be right by your side as we watch this little one grow up, together."

She always got to the heart of it. Because, yes, he was worried about how people would perceive their king knowing he'd fallen for Belle like his father. The nasty rumors were already circulating, no matter how he tried to quench them.

But he was more worried that, like his father before him, there would be a group of people ready with a plan to chase his commoner bride away from him at the drop of a hat.

Sariel, faithful minister he was, was always there to assure Jin that he'd do everything in his power to make sure a tragedy like what happened to Jin's parents never happened again.

Jin was already prepared to go to battle, metaphorically, to protect what was his. But Sariel's support and moments like this only served to strengthen his resolve.

When Emma goes into labor, Jin is in silent worry the whole time.

Everyone knows it, too. Because Jin stays close by the room, getting mounds of paperwork done at a rate unheard of.

Yves bakes his favorite chocolate spice cake, Leon is there for moral support, Sariel continues bringing him paperwork while assuring Jin that the more he gets done now, the more free time he'll be able to spend with his newborn.

The moment Jin is informed he's allowed into the room, he promptly abandons everything to Leon.

(Leon doesn't mind. He just watches his older brother with a soft grin as he cleans up the paperwork to take back to the office.)

With quick but sure steps, Jin hurries inside the room, where he's greeted by his tired wife and newborn daughter.

The first thing that comes out of Jin's mouth was praise for Emma, how amazing is and how thankful he is to have her in his life.

Which turns into spoiling his little girl with words of how happy he is to have her in his world now.

"You'll grow up here with me and your mama," he whispers to her. "I promise."

Growing up

Jin ultimately has his one eldest daughter... and the rest are boys. (I'm thinking 3).

His poor daughter, she is the watchful eye over all of them and the cleaner of all messes. She has the patience of a Saint.

She's a lot like her father, actually. Minus the rebel streak of sleeping around or not believing in true love. She has her mom to thank for those things.

She's the reason Jin teaches all his boys to not be like him and have a bit (read: a LOT) more respect for women than he had.

Sariel is her favorite honorary uncle, actually. It used to be a tie between Yves and Leon, but as she grows up and matures, she connects with Sariel.

She studies under him as a teacher, but she also likes learning about his work.

"She's much more productive than you were, Jin," Sariel will occasionally tease over a drink.

Jin just smiles proudly. That's his little girl.

And she'll always stay his little girl, even when she's of marriageable age.

No man is going to be good enough for her.

"You can do better than that." "Trust me, dad, I know."

While still strong and kicking in his old age, he and his daughter come to an agreement about the next Belle process.

Due to the rules, it's unclear if she as a woman has right to the throne.

So he appoints her into Sariel's position, and she will have the task of choosing the next Belle.

Secondly, it is her job to ensure that Belle does not fall love with a prince a third time around. Though people may be more receptive to it than they once were, it will still be met with hardships and questions about fairness in the system.

But if it does happen despite all her best efforts, she is to fight tooth and nail to make sure that transition happens smoothly.

And he fully believes she will make that happen.

As for his sons, he loves all them even though sometimes... they take after him a little more than he'd like them too.

Yes, they make him go gray early...

But he's still a stud. ;)

Luke

Luke's world revolves around Emma and Emma alone.

So when that world changes and Emma announces she's pregnant, he's got some mental reconfiguration to do.

Because there's not just him and his wife anymore. There's another little life that Emma is bringing into the world. He's going to be a dad, and he's going to have another person to protect.

Once that clicks, protective bear mode activated. He stays within a certain radius of Emma at all times.

Not even honey works to lure him away. Those green eyes of his just turn dark as he stares them down with a ferocity that makes said unsuspecting person duck away with their tail between their legs.

It takes a combination effort of Emma and Jin to get him to do other duties out of the castle away from Emma.

And that's only because Jin and Luke have a gentleman's agreement that Jin personally watches over Emma while Luke is away.

For his adorable little brother, Jin agrees. He also is sure to add that he will protect Emma with his life as well as swear to give his life to Luke if anything were to happen to Emma.

Their relationship is still a little strained, but for the most part, they've gotten to the point they're on good terms.

And if Luke was being honest, Jin is the one person in the castle he trusts Emma with the most. He's not sure how to reconcile that in his mind, so he kinda just ignores it best he can.

On the other hand, Clavis is not allowed near Emma. There was a very... interesting meeting between a bear and leopard in the darkest hours of the night towards the beginning of Emma's pregnancy.

And Clavis has since decided to... well, not poke the bear.

He's much more adept to dealing with a brutal yet predictable tiger than a bear on the edge of it's sanity. And he'd like not to die today.

As Emma gets further along in her pregnancy, Luke uses her as an excuse to get out of work. Because she needs a break but she won't take one, so he's gotta make her do it. And it's valid because he's got to protect her and the baby, right?

Emma quickly becomes aware of this tactic and hence has had to either make a show of taking breaks frequently so Luke does not have an excuse to stop working or get creative and do work behind his back. She's enlisted many princes and Sariel to assist her in this.

It's a task and a half to get Luke to keep working, nowadays. But the one time she does let him take a break is when the baby is kicking. He gets a couple minutes to feel it move around before she forces him to go back to work when the baby settles.

At night, he always has an arm draped over her belly. He will protect this little life and his wonderful wife.

There is no getting work done when Emma's in labor. Luke is right there outside the door, waiting for the news.

And when he is allowed in the room, everyone knows to step out of the way of the towering bear making his way over to his newborn cub.

Emma hands him his baby girl, one with the beginnings of red hair like him.

He can't help but stare at her with reverence, a new love surging through his heart as he cradles her close as if he could protect her from the world.

"So, I was thinking," Emma starts, saying this only after she gave much consideration to this throughout the course of her pregnancy. "Is Leyla going to be her first or middle name?"

Luke is shocked to say the least, as Emma had never let on what she'd been thinking.

But as Luke looks down at his daughter, the name rolling quietly off his lips, tears start to from in his eyes.

"Either way," Emma continues, soft smile on her lips. "You're required to live the best you can for her, you hear me?"

It takes a moment for Luke's mouth to catch up to his mind, but when it does, he's crying when he responds. "Understood."

Growing Up

Leyla is spoiled with more teddy bears than one could fathom.

And she's always carrying one around with her. Furthermore, she gets bigger ones the more she grows so they're always very huggable.

Her dad is wrapped impossibly tight around her finger.

But it's not just Leyla; it's all Luke's kids.

Leyla was followed by a boy and then another girl.

Can you spell spoiled, because these kids are doted on by their dad.

It's up to Emma to make sure they don't become brats about it and actually do their work.

When he's not spoiling them, Luke is extremely protective. Heaven have mercy on anyone who messes with them because Luke won't.

Their honey sweet tooth runs deep. They start a bee farm in the back gardens. The special castle honey is basically a delicacy when foreign princes come to visit.

Yves and Emma both are constantly thinking of new honey recipes.

As the kids get older, Luke tells them about their aunt and how he wished he could have introduced them to her, how much she would have loved them, and why he's so sad during Bloodstained Rose Day.

But the exact circumstances around Jin's part in that are never told. All that's known is she passed in the action that day.

It's not until Leyla is much older does she question why Jin comes with them to Auntie's grave every year.

And while Jin's hard to crack, Leyla is persistent and doesn't give up. She's a red-headed Belle, through and through.

Eventually, she wears him down, and they go together to the grave for Jin to confess the whole story.

He tells her he's not seeking forgiveness for what he's done. He knows the gravity of what he did.

Leyla doesn't look at him for a while as she processes everything. She lays roses on the grave, roses she grew herself from the gardens she loved so much.

"Why."

"Huh?"

"You said that you did. But you've never said why."

"I took a life. Is the reason going to make that better?"

"I just want to know, because I just can't believe that my uncle is simply heartless."

The only reason Jin gives an answer is because this is his precious niece whom he can't say no to. "I thought there was no way to save her, and I didn't want her to suffer."

Leyla simply nods. Just as Jin thinks she's going to run from him, she hugs him instead.

"I forgive you," she whispers. "I can't force my dad to do anything, but I hope he'll forgive you, too."

Jin's heart breaks in ways he didn't know was possible. It takes him a second to regain his composure, but he'll eventually wrap this girl in a bear hug. Not that he can give bear hugs like her dad, but he tries best he can.

"Right, dad?" she calls out, very loudly.

Jin chuckles. So he's not the only one who knew Luke was around.

As Luke comes out of hiding from behind a tree, Leyla lets go of her uncle to give her father a hug.

"Don't kill uncle, okay, dad? He's trying."

Luke props his chin right on top his daughter's head as he stares Jin down. A weak "okay" is all he can muster.

When they get back to the castle, Leyla disappears off towards Sariel's office for her lessons, leaving the two men alone in the foyer.

"Her love is wasted on both of us," Jin says, deciding not to beat around the bush and just cut straight to the heart this time.

As much as Luke wants to deny it, he can't. "Yeah. I know."

His world may only include his wife and children, but there is a part of him that thinks it's for the best his children aren't like that.

And that's because of the small, heartbroken part of him that believes his sister would truly be proud of the people her nieces and nephew had become.

Clavis

When Emma learns she's pregnant, she does not tell her lovely gentleman of a husband, the King of Lelouch (provincial) immediately,

No. Instead, she ropes a poor, unsuspecting Cyran into her chaos.

He is nervous, not because he does not like the idea of pulling the wool over Clavis' eyes for once, but because he was the first to learn the Queen of Lelouch (provincial) was pregnant.

This would not bode well for Cyran later, he knew full well.

Emma swears to cover for him.

Anyway, they somehow pull this prank off without Clavis learning about it, and neither Emma nor Cyran knew how they did it.

After all, they took all the furniture out of the master bedroom and turned it temporarily into a nursery.

So, when Clavis comes in at the end of the day, a little before Emma so he can set up a bit of a prank for her, he stops and takes in everything.

At first, he's amused. The furniture was completely gone, and he had not a clue.

Good gracious, he was definitely overworking himself if he missed this.

He's clued in immediately that Emma had help doing this, and it was likely Cyran, considering all the heavy lifting and the small list of people who would dare to pull a prank on Clavis himself.

But then he kinda got offended because... were they calling him a baby? Yes, he was whining about work lately, and Cyran was joking that he was exhausted from hearing a baby's wailing, but...

Emma appeared right as her husband was about to have a mental breakdown. And she only knew something was off because that smile said "I'm hiding behind a mask".

"Sweetheart?"

"I've been betrayed!" Clavis cried dramatically, that mask of a smile still not leaving his face. "You went to Cyran, didn't you? My wife is sneaking around with another man. I'm hurt."

He made a show of pantomiming being stabbed through the heart.

"Clavis," Emma deadpanned, cutting past his dramatics and simply resting her hands over her abdomen as she glared at him.

"If you're so lonely that you're seeking out the arms of another man—of my closest companion, even!—then I..."

He trails off, realizing by Emma's glare that she's done with his theatrics, but his mind slowly starts working.

Hand over her lower abdomen, the bedroom turned nursery, the image of "Welcome, Baby Lelouch," on the wall.

His smile disappears, and now he's looking at Emma in wonder. "Are you..."

As much as she wants to, she can's stay mad at him when he looks at her like that. "Well," she says with a smile. "There's only one man I spend that kind of time with."

The smile he's wearing as he scoops her up into the air is a genuinely happy one. No mask in sight as he holds the love of his life tightly while spinning her in circles.

Clavis is in such a good mood that he even forgives Cyran for being the first to learn. "But it better never happen again." And despite his smile, that was a valid threat.

It's not announced to the province, yet. First, he'd like to announce it to his brothers.

That, and rub in King Chevalier's face that his dashing gentleman of a younger brother got married AND produced an heir before he did.

Emma knew that she had to follow closely along... as damage control.

As the news is announced, there is a round of congratulations, but mostly, there is a cloud of terror hanging over the castle.

A little Clavis... lord have mercy on them all.

"May you be blessed with a daughter," Sariel commented, watching as Clavis pranced off to find Chevalier.

"No, no, no," Emma warned. "Have you ever heard the wives tale that first-born daughters are a copy of their fathers?"

Sariel blinked a couple times, and Emma simply nodded.

"May you be blessed with a son just like you."

"Thank you."

Chevalier does not give Clavis the attention he desires. Most he gets is a split second of maybe surprise, but that is all.

When Emma finally makes an appearance, Chevalier does turn to her.

"My condolences for having to bear his child."

Which, with that smile, was as close of a congratulations as they were going to get.

When they return home, it is announced that a royal heir is on the way. Which the town is happy for... but also terrified. The King and Queen of Lelouch (provincial) are still swarmed with genuine well wishes whenever they go out, though.

It takes Emma some time to realize that Clavis' pranks, traps, and chaotic shenanigans have disappeared since she'd told him the news.

He'd actually cleaned up his act for her sake, and for that, she makes a point to reward him with attention and love.

To the point there are times he reconsiders this whole "pranks on Emma" thing.

In reality, he simply doesn't have time for pranks and traps when he's busy researching nutrition for pregnant woman as well as any baby information he can get his hands on. There's so much to learn in so little time.

He will not fail as a father, that is for certain.

He's constantly cooking Emma food with medicinal herbs to help her along through the various stages of pregnancy.

He's honestly in awe watching Emma grow and progress. He does make fun of her a little when she waddles or struggles to do things with her belly, but for the most part, he's a doting gentleman husband.

He does a lot for her, but she's the one who's always having to drag him to bed at a decent time. Otherwise, he's going to stay up late working on a self-rocking crib or delving into more research.

When Emma goes into labor, it's one of the rare times that Clavis' smile disappears. It is not a frequent occurrence, as he can smile through anything. But the longer time wears on, the less he's able to keep that fake smile in place.

However, upon hearing the news that a healthy son was delivered and Emma was fine, a real smile crossed Clavis' face that wasn't going to disappear any time soon.

He practically skips into the room, excited to see his son.

But once he's there, he softens because of the love that overwhelms him upon seeing the tiny baby in his wife's arms.

And when it's his turn to hold his son, he actually grows worried.

No longer does he have to beat his brother to prove his own worth, but now, he has to be better than Chevalier for his son's sake. He would not disappoint his child, that's for sure.

But that's... a lot of pressure to put on a broken man.

Luckily, he is married to an incredible woman who somehow knew how to make him feel like the best and only in the world when he felt inferior to everyone.

And that woman was telling him now, "you'll be the best father ever."

Growing Up

The First Prince of Lelouch (provincial) was very much like his father: incredibly hard-working, persistent, and, most proudly, a gentleman.

However, a reign of terror, he was not.

The provincial kingdom rejoiced.

The First Princess of Lelouch (provincial) however...

Oh, she would charm you, prank you, then make you feel guilty for hating her all in the span of half an hour.

Clavis is very proud. Of both his children, of course.

He spends a lot of time with them, so they pick up his habits. Like that of always smiling, of pulling pranks, and of the value of hard work.

Clavis' son wants to help people and be the best second king of Lelouch (provincial) he can be. Because they are a tiny province between Rhodolite, ruled by the scariest uncle around, and Obsidian, a kingdom with a... reputation.

But because of that, he's constantly pushing himself to be better and better for the people he's come to love that inhabit the kingdom. They will not suffer if he's got anything to say about it.

He will be the second gentleman-liest gentleman (second only to his father) there ever was.

It brings a tear to Clavis' eye whenever he sees such a marvelous spectacle.

Clavis' daughter, despite her chaotic streak, becomes the inventor of the century.

It actually becomes a security issue as Obsidian has their eye on her. Not that Clavis or Clavis's son would let anyone lay a finger on her.

She has accidentally blown up parts of the castle more than once. And Clavis is always so proud, though he can't understand the high staff turnover rate after every incident.

Because of those... unforeseen incidents, she is only allowed in Rhololite castle under specific conditions.

Emma is sure that between her kids and her husband, she will go gray early. Clavis assures her he is working on a potion to keep her hair that color forever.

Chevalier is the preferred uncle.

You see, Clavis' daughter is a bookworm at heart, thanks to her mother. So she stays on Chevalier's good side to gain access to his impressive library. And she's allowed to stay if she's quiet and un-destructive.

Clavis' son takes after his father in one other specific way: he's determined to be the best. So he's constantly challenging uncle Chevalier, partly because that's what he's seen his father do, too.

"Fool, you think you can beat me?"

"No, but I'll never get better if I don't test myself against the best!"

At that, Chevalier's stunned, but he'll entertain the boy for no other reason than amusement now.

"Of all the uncles they have, and they chose you as the favorite," Clavis has bitterly commented more than once.

"If you were any smarter, you'd realize why."

"Go to hell."

[ikeromantic]

Hi! I really love your blog and your fics! May I have a request of IkePrince where MC was severely bullied by royals from being Jin's soon-to-be wife (King Jin route) which made her kinda depressed and almost kill herself, and how Jin would stop her from doing so. It's full of TWs indeed and up to you whether you'd take my request or not 😅

Anyway, thank you in advance! 💓

So, full disclosure . . . I’ve only read the dramatic ending. But I’ll do my best to imagine what King Jin would be like ^_^ Approx. 3800 words of hurting and comfort. TW for bullying, suicide, and depression.

Jin glared down at the twitchy noble. He felt bored and annoyed. A dangerous mix for a king. The noble was on his knees but despite the deferential posture, the man’s whole frame was rigid with hostility. He was one of the old and esteemed families of Rhodolite. The ones that felt King Jin’s mixed parentage was a problem.

And if he was a problem to them, even moreso his fiancée. Those blue-bloods despised her. Whereas he, at least, was the son of the former king, Emma as a commoner through and through. They’d learned not to speak ill of her in any way where he could hear, but he knew full well they took every opportunity to hurt her in ways he could not see. 

In fact, she’d begged off court this morning, telling him she did not feel well. Jin knew it was because being at court made her anxious. He wasn’t sure how to make her feel better about it either, which only added to his annoyance. Not with Emma, but with men and women like the one in front of him now. 

“That’s enough. You may leave.” Jin’s garnet eyed glare made the noble stop mid-sentence. Not that Jin was paying any attention anyway. 

“Yes, my liege but -”

“Good day.” The words were proper but Jin’s tone brooked no disobedience. The noble stood and bowed low, then left. The King turned to Sariel. “Cancel the remainder of today’s appointments. I will deal with them tomorrow.”

Sariel regarded him with a piercing look, one that read too deeply into Jin’s thoughts. He nodded. “Of course, sire. I’ll dismiss the gathered petitioners.” He turned to go and then stopped. “Lady Emma was last seen in the library, by the way.” 

Jin’s lips turned up in a faint smile. Damn that court devil. “Thanks.”

He slipped out of the throne room through one of the secret passages. It figured that Emma would be in the library. It was her retreat. A quiet preserve where she found safety from the dangers of the court. 

When he got there, she wasn’t in sight. The private reading rooms were empty as were the well-lit window seats. Even Chev’s private library was desolate. No sign of Emma, or anyone besides the maids dusting shelves. 

Jin went to their rooms next. It made sense that she would go back there with her books if she really wasn’t feeling well. There was no one there but Rio. And the blonde looked upset. When Jin came in, he stopped his pacing and quickly crossed the room to stand in front of him. 

The king felt a ball of ice take form in his gut. A creeping cold heaviness that he tried to ignore as he studied Rio’s expression. “What is it?”

“I can’t find Emma. I came to bring her breakfast and there was just this . . .” He held out an envelope. “It has your name on it.”

The paper was thick and soft, a creamy beige that smelled like Emma’s favorite perfume. It was sealed with a blot of blue wax imprinted with a rose. And on the front, his name in her careful handwriting. Jin Grandet. It looked so formal. He did not want to open it.

Rio watched him expectantly. 

Jin’s hand shook as he broke the sealing wax and drew out the sheet of paper within. He felt as if he could not breathe. As if this letter, the delicate swirls of ink in the familiar shapes of letters, pressed upon him. He forced himself to hold it steady and read. 

Dearest Jin,

I tried but there is nothing I can do to be good enough for you. The nobles are right, of course, and I have been very foolish. I love you so much that I thought our hearts could overcome the difference in our station. But it is not enough. I realize now that you are better off without me. I know you will not find a more appropriate bride as long as I live, so I am going to free you from that obligation. There are girls from good families that are a better match for you. They have said as much and I have come to believe them. I am only dirt beneath their feet . . . and yours. I hope you will not cry for me. I am not worth your tears. Please give everyone my love. I am sorry. I am sorry.

With Love,

Emma

The ink was smudged in places by dried tear drops, drawing the letters down in jagged little smears. 

“What does it say?” Rio tried to read the note but Jin crumpled it in his hand before he could.

“When did you last see her? Where was she headed? Did she say anything to you?”

The blonde blinked at him, his usual idiot smile replaced by serious concern. “She was headed to the library when I stopped in to check on her. She told me she wasn’t hungry but to come by and check on her for lunch. I think this was an hour ago, maybe a little more.”

“An hour.” There were only so many places she could get to in an hour. “Rio, gather a few servants you trust. We need to search the palace and grounds for her. Quietly.”

“What did the letter say?” Rio’s sapphire gaze met Jin’s ruby one.

“She plans to die today. That’s what it said.” His voice cracked on the words as if his throat did not wish to divulge them. 

For a moment, panic suffused Rio’s face. A deep well of sorrow, bottomless and terrifying. But he took a breath, determination closing over it. “We can’t let that happen.” He nodded once to the king and hurried off.

Jin left the room. He felt disconnected. Dazed, as if he were moving through space and time more slowly than normal. This did not feel real. Had he truly failed her so badly that she . . . his mind refused to finish the thought, but it did not stop the wave of guilt from crushing his heart. He had not protected her. And now, like his father before him, he was going to lose the woman he loved. 

He wanted to howl. To scream and cry and beat the walls of the palace until the whole thing collapsed. To make every noble that ever sneered at his Emma kneel and pay in blood. The desire to destroy was so strong that he felt his lips peel back in an animalistic snarl. They would suffer, he thought, but first - first - he had to find Emma and stop this madness. He could not lose her. He would not. 

Jin took several deep breaths, forcing his anger back. Emma had to be found. He needed to think about this logically. Without the distraction of hurt and fear. Where would she go in her despair? 

It took him very little time to mount up and ride into town. He didn’t even bother with a saddle, and nevermind the rumors that would spring from seeing the king in his finery blazing through town, bareback and frowning like a thundercloud. He went to the bookshop. 

It was closed, as expected. The owner often went on trips abroad to bring back foreign titles, and with Emma and Rio no longer employed there, he would just close it for a month or so when he was out of town. The shutters were sliced and locked, and the door was well. 

Jin didn’t bother trying to pick the sturdy lock. He kicked the door and it splintered away from the hinges. Light poured into the room from the opened door, but the room beyond was not dark. There were lamps lit, books laid out on reading tables, thumbed open to reveal their ink and paper innards. And there were roses. Blue ones in ranging hues from the faded summer sky to the blue of ocean depths. 

He took in the arrangement. Simple and lovely. It had Emma’s touch on it in every way. His eyes darted about the space, looking for her. An closed door caught his attention. Light came from the crack underneath it as if a lamp was lit within. 

“Emma?”

There was no answer. Jin crossed the room and carefully opened the door. Inside were more roses on a small table beside an oversized chair. A pile of books sat on the floor, and a small empty bottle lay on its side nearby. In the chair, dwarfed by its overstuffed cushions and swathed in a blanket, sat Emma.

A book was open in her lap, but her eyes were closed. Her lips were grey and her skin unnaturally pale. There was no mark on her, no sign of violence. She looked as if she were already dead, or so close to it that her spirit did not know the difference. 

“Emma!” Jin did not remember moving to close the distance with her, but she was already in his arms. Her skin was cool to the touch, and dry. But when he held her, he could feel a weak pulse of life still within. The tiniest flame, fading. He kissed her cheeks, her forehead, her mouth. A gentle, desperate rain of kisses and hot tears that spilled down her cheeks as if she was crying and not him.

“You can’t leave me,” he whispered, his voice rough and hoarse with grief. Despite his panic, he had presence of mind enough to grab the small bottle on the floor before carrying her out. He leapt onto the horse’s back with her cradled in his arms and rode for the palace.

Sariel and Rio met him at the gate. Jin swung down from horseback, careful not to jar Emma too much. Sariel took the bottle from his hand as Rio ran to prepare a room and notify the royal doctors. 

“This is what she took?” Sariel peered at the empty glass container as if it held all the answers. 

Jin nodded. “I think so. I think . . .” he cleared his throat, “I think it may be poison.”

The counselor nodded and left, almost running. 

Without slowing, Jin strode into the palace and through the halls. He barely noticed the trail of confused servants and nobles he left behind him. All of his senses were focused on the thready, shallow breath from Emma’s lips and the faint, slowing thrum of her heartbeat.

Clavis was waiting at Emma’s room, alongside the senior palace physician. 

Jin brushed past them to set her on the bed. But even after he laid her down, he didn’t want to let go. He took her hand and held it gently, as if it were made of the most fragile spun glass. 

The physician took her vitals, his expression grim. “Your consort is ill, my liege. Very ill. I will of course do all in my power to -”

“She will live.” Jin said it with a steady voice, as if saying it aloud would make it true. 

For a moment it seemed like the doctor would argue, but Clavis pulled him aside before he could. They whispered, heads together, for several minutes. The empty glass bottle exchanged hands, traded between them as their brows furrowed and their eyes narrowed. 

It was Clavis that broke away first. “Your girl doesn’t go by half-measures.” He grinned down at Emma and shook his head. “She must have been planning this for awhile. It’s no easy task to get an entire vial of such a rare poison. One wonders if she had help . . .”

Jin’s eyebrows rose. 

Clavis continued. “The plant it comes from grows only along the border with Jade. Fascinating, really, that she even heard of it. Much less snuck the funds to purchase it, made contact with a smuggler, and had it brought into the palace. What a wonder she is! I’ll tell her as much, if she lives.” 

“Is there a cure?”

The third prince shook his head. “No. The only question now is whether or not the good doctor can keep her breathing long enough to flush the remainder of the poison from her system. And then wait to see if she lives.” Clavis shrugged as if this was of no concern. “Waiting is too boring for my taste. I think a vacation is in order.” He spun on his heel and left.

Nokto came in a little while later, Licht trailing behind him just distant enough to make it clear they weren’t together. 

The twins stood on the opposite side of the bed, watching as the doctor did his work. For awhile, no one spoke. Then Nokto sighed. “I didn’t realize she was so unhappy. I heard some of the gossip about her but . . .”

Jin frowned. “It wasn’t your job to know. It was mine.” 

Nokto stared at him, his crimson gaze so like Jin’s own. They shared a bond, brothers despite their differences. Then Nokto looked away. “I just remembered. I have a date. I’ll check back in later.” 

Licht watched him leave with a flat, unreadable expression. One he turned back to Emma as soon as the door closed. “If she wants to die, who are you to stop her?” His question came as a surprise to Jin.

“I . . . I love her. And I don’t think she wants this.” Jin spoke softly, watching Emma’s face rather than his brother. “She did it for me. Trying to - to do what she thought she had to.” 

Licht was silent, thoughtful. “So you would let her go? If she really wanted to?”

“I don’t know.”

Licht said nothing else, but he reached down and brushed back a lock of her hair. Then he left as well.

For awhile, the room was quiet, save for the doctor’s terse orders to the servants and the sound of him working. It was hard for Jin to watch as needles went under Emma’s skin and tubes pushed into her nose and throat. Vials of strange fluids were pumped into her and blood taken for tests. He kept reminding himself this was all to save her.

Eventually, Chevalier swept into the room. His expression was as cold as the deeps of winter, his body rigid, hands clenched at his sides. “Fool.” He strode to the bedside and stared down at her. “Weakling. A tiger does not care what opinion the boars squeal.” 

Jin said nothing. He did not know what to say. Guilt ate at his heart. A thousand what-ifs. Things he might have done or could have done. It was his job to protect her and he failed. And in failing did not even see how much she hurt until now. 

Chevalier’s cold gaze swept up to him like an icy wind from a frozen sea. “What are you doing here?”

The king blinked. “I - I can’t leave her alone.”

“You have work to do.” Chev raised one eyebrow as if daring Jin to contradict him.There was something in his brother’s stance that spoke of violence only a heartbeat away. 

Jin wanted to argue, to explain that he needed to be here, to reassure himself she still breathed. But Chevalier was right. Jin was king now, and as king, he could not hide in this room and wait for Emma to get better. He released her hand and it felt like he let go of the rope that kept him from falling. He stood and left, his spirit in free-fall.

As the door closed behind him, he saw Chevalier sit and pull out a book. The Romance of the Rose. He began to read it aloud.

Leon caught up with him on his way to his office. “Is it true?” The fourth prince grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“Emma is . . . she . . .” Jin found he didn’t have the words. He gestured helplessly back toward her room. 

Leon pulled him into a hug. 

Jin began to sob. His shoulder shook. He could not breathe for the force of his tears. He choked and clutched at Leon, barely able to stand.

His brother held him up, quietly supporting him until Jin cried himself empty. It felt like hours but lasted only a few, desperate minutes. Then Leon patted him on the shoulder and gave a sad smile. “She’s going to be ok.”

Jin nodded. On the way to the office, he told his brother about the note, Clavis’ comments on the poison. Chev and Nokto’s comments. 

Leon’s jaw tightened as he listened. “Someone pushed her to this,” he said as the door to the king’s office closed behind them. Anger lent a trembling quality to his words. 

“Yes.” 

“The nobility.”

Jin nodded again. 

The two exchanged a knowing glance. This would not be allowed to pass. But they could not simply haul the guilty parties in for judgment. There was no law against cruel gossip and bullying. No basis by which to imprison or punish people for attitudes and bigotry. But there were other kinds of justice equally vicious.

Over the next few weeks, there were strange occurrences at the royal court. Several nobles found their investments ame to nothing. Cut from lucrative trading deals. Snubbed from social events and parties. Court ladies of high standing found their personal affairs outed publicly, humiliating them so badly that they were forced to retire from social life until the news subsided. 

Some suffered even more. A fire broke out at one estate, bankrupting an old and well-known noble family. Another noble had a terrible carriage accident, and one died while hunting. 

It was as if a curse had descended on the oldest and wealthiest of Rhodolite’s nobility until few remained in the capital. And those that were spared these terrible events just happened to be the most forward thinking and progressive of the nobility. Those with an eye toward equality. Those in support of the new king and his fiancée.

 Jin spent his days governing, and his nights at Emma’s bedside. Clavis reassured him that the antidote he’d administered was working. The physician claimed she was getting better. But all he could see was her pale lips, eyes closed, body stilled.

He’d drifted off to sleep with her hand in his, as was his habit these days, when her fingers suddenly clasped his own. Jin woke with a start, almost standing from his chair. 

Emma was watching him, her eyes wide and dark in the evening gloom. “J-jin?”

“I’m here,” he said, his voice half-sobbing. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. For the first time in weeks, she was warm to his touch, her heartbeat steady. The feel of her in his arms released a weight he had not realized he carried. Now he felt buoyant, almost untethered. 

She began to cry, burying her face in his shoulder. 

He held her until the tears dried and then he gently set her back into the tangle of her sheets. Jin wasn’t sure what to say. His relief still bubbled up within him, but there were threads of anger in it, grief, a feeling of betrayal. He wanted to shake her, to kiss her. To shout and cry. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice so soft it barely carried to his ears. 

“Why would you ever think I am better off without you?” 

Emma swallowed, her hands fidgeting in her lap. “I wanted to be strong enough to stand by your side. To handle . . . anything. Everything that came my way. But I . . . every day I felt . . .” She cleared her throat, more for the pause than out of need. “The noble ladies made it clear I did not belong.”

Jin set a hand on her leg. “And what they said mattered more to you than my love?”

She shook her head. “No. No. I knew you loved me. I started to feel that they were right though. That I was a pathetic climber who - who reached too far. That you would regret me, come to hate me.” Emma bit her lip. “I would rather die than see you look at me with loathing.”

“I could never hate you.” Jin felt helpless in the face of her sadness. He acted too late, let her struggle for too long. 

Emma nodded. “I - I want to believe that. But even if you never hated me it was just so, so hard. Finding my favorite books in the fountain. My dresses inexplicably stained. My food tainted. And those women just laughing up their sleeves. Knowing I could prove nothing. Do nothing.” She gripped the sheet until her knuckles were white.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to look weak. I wanted to handle them on my own. Prove to you that I am strong. But all I proved is that I really am not worthy of - of your love.” She began to cry again, tears sliding slowly down her cheeks. 

Jin moved to sit beside her, and put his arm around her so that her head rested against his chest. “My love is not a competition. There is not a score you earn. I love you, Emma. I want you to share with me when you hurt. When you need help. Tell me what you need and how you feel. Every little thing, even the things you think are trivial.”

She nodded, sniffling.

“Promise me you will.”

“I promise.” She snuggled closer, holding onto him. 

Jin kissed the top of her head. “There is one thing I am angry with you about though.”

Emma winced. “There is?”

“Yes. You tried to leave me. With just a note.” Jin felt again the fear and panic that welled up in him when Rio gave him her letter. “Never -” his voice broke and it took him a breath to calm himself enough to speak. “Never do that again. I can’t lose you. Not like that. I - I can’t be in a world without you. I would - I would -”

For the first time in his life, Jin understood his father. He felt the yawning chasm of hopelessness open beneath his heart. The sense that without Emma, nothing mattered. Without her, he would be a fallen beast. A mere animal in a mock-crown, dressed up and paraded about. Likely to lash out as anything else. Dangerous, apathetic. Empty. 

Emma looked up, studying his face as if he were a page in one of her books. Then she placed a light, sweet kiss on his lips. 

It was like a brush of morning dew on a desert plant, and left Jin hungry for more of her. He did not let her leave it at that, capturing her mouth with his in a deep, desperate kiss that spoke his heart to her.

When they finally parted enough to breathe, she smiled. A sad little crooked smile. “I love you, Jin Grandet.”

And he saw in her gaze that this was her promise not to leave him. For the first time since he found that note, he felt at ease.

[allovertheplace-writing]

Ikemen Prince

"Feeling like an empty shell, sinking to the ocean's floor despite the current that wishes to carry me ashore.."

Character(s): Leon

Genre: Hurt / Comfort

Type: Headcanon

Description: As much of a husk as you feel you are, there's still that overwhelming sense of suffocation. Perhaps a night-time trek will allow you to finally breathe?

Warning(s): Depression, Possibly Unsettling Descriptors of The Emotional Pain, Reader has Hair(Length Not Mentioned), (Currently Not Writing for Ikepri, Don't Request it)

➢ Leon

The sounds which danced upon your ears belonged to the storm that raged just beyond your window

Rumbling thunder and pounding rain against the scratching of your pen and rattling of the stained glass which held it all at bay

Somehow, it only made you feel trapped

As if you were between the walls - smooshed with no way out

Everything seemed muffled yet equally as clear

Even as you took a breath and leaned back from your work, the tides of pressure continued to rise into the harbor of your mind

Your hands rise to cup your cool cheeks, fingers brushing delicately beneath your eyes

And, with a shift of your legs, you find yourself standing from your cluttered desk

Every movement felt foreign, almost far away

As if your heart was the one making the decisions rather than your mind

But you couldn't quite feel anything anymore

The suffocation, the ache, had dulled into nothingness

Did you...finally break?

Your environment changed quickly, transforming from the earthly tones of your room to the soft hues of the porcelain-like hallway you traversed often

You were running, you realized

The heel of your shoe hitting the well-polished floor was loud yet it was a mere thumping against your ears, but you noticed it

And you also noticed a hum, barely there and tired

At least until a warmth settled on your arm

"(Y/n)?"

It was a hand, it's grip firm

You were turned, gently, and held in place

"Hey, are you alright?"

Your lungs ached when you took in a sharp breath

And you became all too aware of your trembling lips and burning eyes

You almost couldn't register who had grabbed you; reached out for you

But only one person had eyes dusted a muddy gold and hair as unruly as vines

"I-"

Caught in your throat, your words die by the time they get to your tongue

So you settle for a simple lift and shake of your head as the air halts within your lungs

Your body was brought forward, an arm slipping to the small of your back - a hand curling around your head until it was tucked beneath his chin

Almost like a damn, the tears rushed past your lashes and fell until they dripped from your jaw

It felt like you were breathing for the first time all over again

You could feel the crisp air on your skin and his breath atop your head

And you could feel your body shake within his arms

Everything you had lost mere moments ago...came crashing back into you

"I don't know what happened, Leon."

Your voice came out in quiet, broken sobs, wavering as if you were trying to whisper beneath your breath

It rose and lowered and then mellowed out before rising again

"I, I was fine and then I-"

There was a hush, and then a soft squeeze

"...you don't have to explain, (Y/n)."

His hand slowly smoothed down your hair, hesitant yet committed

"Just let it out.."

[yarnnerdally]

Congrats on your follower milestone! May I request Nokto + remembering please. Thank you so much! 😊

Hi dear! I'm so happy you requested this. I may make hearts hurt. This is fine. I didn't make myself tear up writing this NOPE

Like I Do

A Nokto Klein x MC fic

Rating: T

Tags: Angst, hurt/comfort, memory loss, spoilers for Nokto and Licht's routes, dreams

She walked along in the garden, arranging the settee area for tea. He'd seen this dream so many times before. He knew her. Of course he knew her; this was the love of his life. But her physical form was hidden. Her voice was nothing more than a feeling in his heart. Every embrace was everything and nothing at once. She is his everything but she's not there. Why can't he see her? He just knows that once he sees her, he'll feel complete. No one knows him like she does. He'll feel whole again. Suddenly Licht is there in his dream. And their mother. Licht prostrates himself between them as their mother's arm comes up and suddenly the figure he knows and doesn't know is there. Her hands are delicate, dainty, but firm and sure on his and Licht's arms. Their mother's figure dissolves away. Then Licht. Then his love. Nokto woke slowly, his body tired. It wasn't as if he'd been entertaining anyone, but the carriage accident a month ago had left his body bruised, a little broken, and he was on the mend still. He sighed heavily, pushing himself up in bed as he pondered his plight. This wasn't the first time he had the dream and knew it wouldn't be the last. He never remembered the dream but the unease and frustration he felt at something unresolved lingered, chafing his confidence. Shaking off sleep, he went to the window and parted the curtain to look out at the garden. The sun had just risen but he saw her out there, tending to the settee and table for the tea time she would have later with Yves and his twin. His brow furrowed as he tried to place why, every time he looked at her, that same frustration was there. The same damn feeling. He always saw something in her eyes that he couldn't place and he prided himself on knowing everything, taking particular delight in riling her up. It was a something that he saw in everyone's eyes when they looked at him but her's was... sadder. No one could ask him why but he wanted to get rid of whatever was causing that sadness. The sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach told his subconscious it was because of him. The notion alone made the sinking worse so he closed the curtains, allowing the dark to take over his senses again. He held onto the curtain and closed his eyes, the sensation of fabric between his fingers setting off something in him. His mind drifted, a memory of deft fingers unlacing a black bodice just enough to get it off her body. The luxurious feel of the deep, red skirt. The softness of the ruffles that teased his chin as he nipped at her collarbone. 'Nokto.' He was alone but it sounded and felt so real. He knew that voice. It was her voice. The piece he was missing... was her.

[riveranova]

youre headcanons were so funny, could you do more please? there is this trend on tiktok where girlfriends film their boyfriends sleeping positions, can you do that but with the ikemen prince guys?

and female reader please and thank you!💗💗

A/N: I know EXACTLY what you mean! So sorry for the long wait, here you go! <3

I also made this Gender Neutral because there is no mention of any gender. I hope thats fine!

IkePri's Sleeping positions! x GN! Reader - Part 1

Warnings: A teensie bit suggestive, pure crack to be honest, Nokto

Characters: Gilbert, Silvio, Keith, Sariel, Rio, Clavis, Notko, Ikemen Prince

Word Count: 610

Gilbert von Obsidian

- Still - LIke, he doesn't move - He scares the shit out of you because he's literally cold and unmoving - Literally laying there like 🧍🏻 - WILL make fun of you if you panic and wake him up - He's a little shit, obviously he thinks that your crying face is adorable - Do you honestly think that he'd go out like that? - Do you even love him? - It's not that? Ahh, so you doubt him. - ''I'm hurt, little rabbit. I think I need to remind you how alive I truly am, heehee...''

Silvio Ricci

-This man is a prick - If you sleep in the same bed as him, I'm sorry - Will 100% not only steal your blankets and throw them to the floor but will also take up all the space in your bed - I don't think he's completely silent when he sleeps but he doesn't snore either - More like.. really loud breathing - My dog breathes really loud when he's sleeping well - Hold on.. Silvios crest- - I rest my case.

Keith Howell

-I'm pretty sure that he's a silent sleeper - There is one big problem, uh tall problem - Tall. He's very tall. (I'm 181cm, I feel the pain) - I'd imagine that he has trouble sleeping in small beds because of his height - Poor guy is completely folded next to you so that you have some space - His back pain must be horrible, oh dear - Now, his alter is a different story - I think he'd just pull you onto him - He's tall and strong, he can be your bed <3

Sariel Noir

-Does he even sleep - I think the question with him isn't how he sleeps but how you find him sleeping - His job is hard and trying to keep the chaos (Clavis & Nokto, really) in check is a lot - Falls asleep on his desk, mostly - Hunched over his papers, the candle already out and cold for a long time - This man has chronic back pain, that isn't even up for debate - Wakes up easily and decides to follow you into bed

Rio Ortiz

-I think he doesn't sleep much either - For him, I think it's because he just has too much energy - He just loves to get everything ready for you to start your day, he knows you work so, so hard - But even this battery needs some charging sometimes - Can and will sit down on a chair, sleep (sitting straight up) for an hour and wake up as if he slept a week - Has no back pain either - What is his secret? We will never know

Clavis Lelouch

-Okay. - We know that this idiot doesn't even have a bed in his room - When he does sleep, he just throws himself into his couch and sleep like that - Because when he's tired.. He's TIRED - Hangs off of the side of the couch like not quite dried paint - Cyran covers him with a blanket sometimes but doesn't bother most of the time because Clavis just plucks it off in his sleep - Doesn't sleep very long or very deep, he has a tight schedule after all! Haha! Ahaha! Haa.. poor Sariel.

Nokto Klein

-:I - I think we all know where this is going - Look, I know he's not ALL about women and sex - But he's MOSTLY about it and I'm pretty sure he doesn't even care where he falls asleep - Literally falls asleep with his arms in postions that do NOT look comfortable - Don't worry tho, just pluck his arms from under whatever bodypart they are and lay him down normally - Deep sleeper, 100% - Has mastered THE nap. Like the one where you wake up and you have imprints of your clothes

Thank you for reading, requests are always open!

[faustianfascination]

IkePri: The Unhappy Ending

Shared this angst fuel and @scummy-writes suggested I post it here, so here's some misery for everyone! This isn’t a full fic, just a rough idea I’m rambling about after being balls deep in angsty novels where an AFAB MC, chooses Chevalier as king but can't escape the political scheming at court and it destroys them.

TW: angst, enforced multiple marriages, assassination, miscarriage, depression, s*icide

Belle chooses her king, it's a love story that brings joy to all who hear it.

However, what happens after? As much as your king loves you, you're still a commoner with no backing, no family and with an uproar at court that threatens his authority something comes to pass. Like the previous king, he has to take a consorts from several of the more prestigious families to quell the dissent and secure your safety as Queen. They will not be granted the title queen, that is only for you and your beloved seems more heartbroken than you at this development. But, this is court life, court politics and no matter what you tried to do, there was no other solution that allowed you safety. So your beloved welcomes his new consorts to court.

You decided to be the bigger person, try to make friends with the new women you will have to share your husband with, but it is clear they hold nothing but contempt for you. Even going so far as to publicly disrespect you for your lowly origins and lack of nobility, shaming your efforts and making it clear that you do not belong in this world. But, your beloved King defends you and ejects them from the palace.

However there are consequences. An important trade deal falls through, taxes from other nobles are withheld and many other sabotages take place, despite Chevalier's skills and even with all the princes on your side the country needs to appease those with connections. So they are welcomed back, and finally it comes to the first night he has to spend with each because this was another clause that was negotiated and it could no longer be avoided.

It hurts, those nights you fall asleep crying but feel guilty because you know that your beloved is being coerced into something he does not want and is taking the brunt of it all. You wake up to your beloved comforting you and trying to make it better. This is for the kingdom after all, you know he has a duty and this is painful for both of you, but the kingdom must come first, that is the deal you agreed to when you chose to love him.

Eventually you both get used to the new routine, although you feel your authority as Queen is being undermined; your lack of political education and connections, no powerful family backing you so you feel somewhat excluded from the day to day running of things. But, you accept it, do your best to learn so you can do better, be better and after all you are the one with the kings heart. This is your safety, security, but it also puts the biggest target on your back. The other consorts may cause you to be a bit ostracised from social circles, because what noble really wants to go to a tea party with a commoner. Then finally, one joyous day you find out that you're pregnant, you will be the one to give your beloved his first heir. You're both happy, for the first time in a long time things feel right again.

Until you miscarry. Someone slipped poison into your tea, and thanks to that you may never be able to get pregnant again. It's a blow, it leaves you depressed for months, realising the maids you had come to trust sold you out at the first opportunity. Heads roll throughout the castle, but deep down you have an idea why it happened and who was behind it, this becomes more evident when the consorts say words of condolence but cannot hide the triumphant glint in their eyes. But your rivals are too powerful to fight. The king orders that your condition is protected, no one finds out that you may be infertile, however somehow it gets out still and creates a world of turmoil both in court and in public opinion.

An infertile Queen? How terrible, a queen who was barely doing her job to begin with and now cannot even do the very thing she must for the security and the kingdom? There is outcry, anger but your king protects you as best he can. But with the cries growing louder and the concerns mounting day by day he realises no matter how he feels, the king needs an heir, it's his duty. It's what he must do for the kingdom. It breaks your heart more, but you realise that you married a king and that he is doing his duty. So you swallow your pain even though it's killing you.

Months later is the happy news, a consort is pregnant. Soon the power shifts more, even with the kings favour you are alone, powerless, childless and you feel the palace become a colder and colder place. Your maids no longer hide their contempt, even the few friends you have made sense the shift in power. You may have the kings love, but you are all alone.

Then the baby is born, a healthy happy prince who is the spitting image of his father. The boy you are allowed to briefly greet for fears over his safety from a jealous queen who may try to eliminate the threat to her power. Because that is what this game is, and you realise too late that you've been playing without the pieces.

You see a scene that shatters what is left of your heart. The beautiful noble consort, in her arms a prince and your beloved looking like they are the ones that truly belong together, what a royal family should look like, love never really mattered for the equation did it? You feel like you may die right there from the pain.

Soon there are demands that the position of queen is given to the woman who is actually a noble, has given your beloved a prince, who has actually done her duty. The beautiful love story of a simple commoner turning a beast to a human is now remembered as the schemes of shameless woman, aiming above her station and throwing the stability of the nation into chaos for her own desires. Denying the king his true family.

A plot is discovered, someone attempts to assassinate the most powerful consort and first prince. Everything is ironclad and leads back to you. It leads to the execution of Sariel and the exile of Rio a lost Benotite prince (saved by the connections of another consort, you couldn't even save your best friend) you're last true allies at court. Even though your beloved knows that you would never do this, knows that you are innocent trying to prove it is another matter.

You aren't locked up in the dungeons, exiled to an annex in the palace grounds while your beloved and his brothers do their best to prove your innocence. But the stain on your reputation is already there, no matter the truth you will always be the jealous queen who tried to kill the infant first prince. All the years of pain finally bubble to the surface, how much you have sacrificed, had stolen from you. All for loving the king. You still love him so and that makes it all the worse, but all that is left now is pain. Resentment and regrets. Your love begins to turn to hate, not directed at him, but you. You for being such a fool, clause 99 existed for a reason, for this very reason. Love cannot overcome all, your stations too different, your lives too different and now despite all your efforts, your making the kings life harder, destabilising his rule by existing. Most of all, it just hurts too much, it's been so long since you felt like you, not a hollow shell existing. So you do the only thing that you can to alleviate some pressure on him, you beloved. You stop existing.

Except, you don't.

You wake up, back in the days of being Belle, back in the days where your love is young, happy and you have hope. But the woman who wakes up as Belle again is no longer the girl who chose a king, she's broken, jaded and so overwhelmed that Rio finds you sobbing, inconsolable for hours but you cannot even explain why. In the days that follow everyone notices the change, especially your beloved, it's like you've become a different person.

Perhaps this is a fresh start? Maybe you can have your happy ending? Or maybe you know that no matter what you do, there is no happy ending. What do you do? You avoid Chev, you can't face him knowing what you know, seeing Sariel and Rio shatters you with guilt and in the swirl of all these emotions the whispers of a black tiger at a ball both long ago and yet to happen come to mind. He offered you an out, an escape but he was a worldwide disaster, even his kindness is deadly, but would it be as deadly as repeating the past?

[scummy-writes]

The Beast's Torment

Words: 564

Pairing: Gilbert/Reader

Short Hurt/Comfort fic. No descriptions of his trauma or spoilers.

The way he grieves isn't graceful. There is no beauty in his torment, nor the way his breath struggles to come out. 

It is never a conscious decision. The sorrow strangles him within his dreams, forcing sleep to abruptly end as if the weight of his emotions crash upon his chest. Always, he wakes with a gasp. A tremor coursing through his body, hands digging into what is closest.

For a long time, his hands grasp at sheets, at the pillows around him, the books left open on his bed.

But the first time you lay with him, his hands seek you, nails biting your skin as he struggles to regain clarity. It scares you, brings you back to the early days where each movement from him frightened you. 

Yet, at the sight of the sweat on his brow, the way his eye looks through your body when it finally lands on you, and it clicks.

He isn't free from his past, nor will he ever be. 

That first night, once the present sinks back into him, he leaves you. Alone, worried, but knowing not to follow. You saw him again in the morning, a moment between you as he met your gaze with his exhausted one. A small shake of his head, and it was clear questions would not be accepted.

And so the next time, and the times after that, you grow into this routine. It is not often, you yourself cannot discern a pattern in which it arises, but you let him leave the bed each night. Let him bear it on his own.

.

One night, it changes. Long past learning more of the weight of his sins, past promising yourselves to each other, past accepting differences, needing to understand and trust- Gilbert lingers.

That night, a sharp breath takes him after grasping onto you, a sense of familiarity finally sinking into him as his eyes cut through the dark. As the moon barely lights the room, you watch as Gilbert seeks your body with his hands, hides his emotions against your neck. There are no words that leave him as his nails dig deep into your skin, leaving red in their wake. There is only ragged breathing, a guttural whisper of pain leaving his throat- as if he can’t even bear the idea of vocalizing his ache.

Despite the way he burrows against you, that air of agony threatens to suffocate the both of you. His grief is teeth and nails, but you endure it, paying no heed to the droplets you feel against your skin.

You swore your heart to accept every part of him, just as he swore for you. So you do. Brushing your fingers through his hair despite the tremors wrecking through him. And you ease him through the pain, holding him, breathing air back into his body through hums of lullabies. Reminding him of your love and warmth.

It isn’t until the sun peeks through the dark curtains, creeping over the tangled sheets and discarded blankets, that his body relents. Eases him into clarity, into an afterglow he never wished for. 

In the haze of it all, though his body seems to cry out at the motion, his tired eyes meet your exhausted ones. You don’t offer platitudes, nor promises you can’t keep. Instead you smile, heartache easing with the taste of his silent apology.

@m-mmiy and I will talk about Gilbert at times, and we briefly touched on Gilbert crying and how we can't picture it, and I got stuck rotating that in my brain. I realized I can't picture him crying like others do, I can only picture it as something overtaking him against his will, one thing he can't truly fight against as much as he wishes.

Taglist (Please let me know if you'd like to be added/removed!): @yarnnerdally @katriniac @kissmetwicekissmedeadly @bakaneko-chan @skoetiepoetie @bestbryn @nightghoul381

(Also please let me know if you only want to be tagged on 'full fics' if you wish!)

Ikepri Masterlist || Ikevamp Masterlist || Ikevamp/Ikepri Server

[bluejay-writes]

This is fine. (Chevalier / MC)

You can read/collect this fic on Ao3 if that’s more your speed!

Rating: T Pairing: Chevalier/MC Wordcount: 2646 Summary: Some hurt/comfort with Chevalier. MC is kidnapped and left in a cellar to rot. Chevalier, Nokto, and Clavis make an attempt to save her. Injuries occur. Hearts are bared. Pillows are thrown.

Author's Notes: This fic is a gift for @randonauticrap, Madame L, and was written for the Ikepri gift exchange hosted by @ikemenlibrary and @sunnyikemen.

I won’t let it end like this.

MC worked to free her hands, which were bound behind her back with rope.  To her kidnappers’ credit, the knots seemed to be well done, and the rope was secure but not so tight as to cut off circulation to her hands.  She had, of course, still fought against her attackers enough to rub her wrists raw against the coarse fibers.

Her best, strongest, hope was that one of the princes would get word of her abduction and come rescue her before this situation got out of hand.  Of course, they couldn’t afford to acknowledge that she was Belle, and so it was entirely possible that she would have to get out of this situation on her own.  That thought made her suddenly wish she’d taken Nokto’s suggestion of pretending that she was in a relationship with one of them as a cover for her presence in the palace.

Being Belle had given her all kinds of experience in situations she never thought she’d be in.  Spending her time trying to understand Chevalier had left her at the whim of Clavis’ traps enough times that she knew her way around most knots and binding techniques.  She’d endured enough of Nokto’s endless flirting that she knew she wasn’t cut out to be a disposable consort. Even still, a lover could be rescued by her prince, of course. Not so a noblewoman who simply had permission to study in the palace.

As she let her mind wander over her time as Belle, her fingers worked nimbly at the rope behind her back.  The odd sound she was hearing was getting louder, and she realized that something was happening to the house whose cellar she was trapped in.  Were those footsteps?  It sounded almost like the patter of heavy rain, with the occasional peal of thunder.  But it wasn’t raining today, and the sound was louder near the interior stairs rather than the cellar doors.

Just like that.

MC grinned in triumph as the rope came undone, and she rolled her shoulders to ease some of the stiffness.  The offending length of rope went in one of her skirt pockets.  Not the sort of thing a normal noble lady would have in her skirts, but MC was far too used to her life as a commoner to be without copious pockets.

Next stop, escape. MC made her way over to the cellar doors, hoping to avoid going through the house to get away from her captors.  Of course, the cellar doors appeared thoroughly secured with chain and a padlock on the inside, let alone whatever might await her on the other side of those doors.  Nearing them, however, she heard a voice she wasn’t expecting.

“She’s here.” It was Chevalier’s voice. Quiet through the heavy cellar doors, but the ice in his tone was unmistakable.

“Are you sure, King Highness?” That was Nokto.

“Chev wouldn’t say it if he wasn’t certain.” …and Clavis.

“I’m in here!” MC tried to call, but her voice came out hoarse from disuse. She cleared her throat and tried again, banging against the door. “Chevalier! I’m in here!”

“Well, well.” Nokto’s voice carried through the door. “Padlocked and reinforced.”

“Your fancy swordwork can’t fix this, but I should be able to get the lock open in a minute.”

“It’s chained and locked on this side too.” MC yelled, her voice cracking.

A moment of dead silence followed her revelation, and then she heard Chevalier’s no-nonsense tone.

“I’m going through to the interior stairs. Get this unlocked, just in case.”

“King Highness, the manor is collapsing, you can’t mean to— Ugh, he’s gone.” Nokto’s bitter words pushed MC into gear, as she turned and rushed towards the other side of the cellar.

The heat from the stairs was immense, and in that moment MC realized she hadn’t been hearing rain, but fire.  Someone had set the manor ablaze and left her locked in the cellar to die. They’d locked her in here so thoroughly that they were probably counting on the princes failing to save her, regardless of how hard they tried.  The fallout from that happening would be bad enough, but now, against all odds, Chevalier was working his way through a burning manor to reach her. He was smart enough not to try something that he wasn’t entirely confident would succeed, but even what little she knew about fires told her that the situation could change in an instant.  Sure, she was Belle, but she was a replaceable commoner.  There was no way her life even came close to balancing the risk to Chevalier’s own.

She climbed the stairs carefully, realizing just how hot the air had gotten. She reached for the handle, but was greeted with three unpleasant truths.  First, that the fire on the other side of the door had heated the handle to an unpleasant degree.  Second, that her abductors had, in fact, locked said door.  Finally, Third, that she was as much a simpleton as Chevalier always insisted she was, having to learn those first two truths the hard way. There was no doubt in her mind that terror waited on the other side of that door. Even so, she absolutely had to get through it. The hinges were on her side of the door, which meant it opened into the fire, so Chevalier wouldn’t be able to break it down from his side. Her only way out, unless he miraculously found a key somewhere, was to break this door.

Gritting her teeth, MC slammed her shoulder into the door. Nothing. It was hot, but not as hot as the metal door handle. She couldn’t tell if it gave a little bit, or if that was just wishful thinking.  She tried again, and this time something snapped.  The heat was overwhelming, and she wasn’t even in the worst of it yet. She knew to be worried about breathing in the smoke, but it was the kind of knowledge that came from reading, not from experience.  So, when the door gave on her third attempt, the first thing she did was take a deep breath… of the acrid smoke that started pouring down the stairs.

Wracked with coughs it was all MC could do to look around for Chevalier as she watched the fire lick up the walls.  It was simultaneously dark and bright with the red and yellow of flames flickering over the burned husks of furniture.  Ah. The butler’s pantry. Of course. What else would connect to the cellar?

MC hunkered down, trying to keep her head out of the smoke as her eyes burned and tears rolled down her face.

“Chev—” she coughed, and tried to get a breath that wasn’t smoke as a figure stepped through the doorway across the room. 

The second prince looked like a bandit, with a cloth over the lower half of his face, tear tracks running into it through the soot that had collected over his fair skin and in his hair. Before she could say another word, a loud crack rang through the room, and something above Chevalier gave way to the all-consuming fire.

“Chevalier!” MC called, her hands reaching out uselessly toward the prince, who lifted his arm to ward off the falling beam, even while sending a concerned glance in her direction. A sickening crack and the momentary flash of pain across Chevalier’s face was all she saw before the beam hit the ground in a flash of sparks and fire.  

Heedless of the fire, or as heedless as one really can be while everything is burning down around them, MC scrambled across the room to where Chevalier was crouched on the ground, his arm clutched to his chest.

“Chev.” she whispered, concerned as he stood again.

“Simpleton.” His voice was low and rough. “Get downstairs. Now.”

MC knew better than to argue with Chevalier on a good day, and by the tone of his voice, going against his command here was a death wish. Still…

“Not without you.”

Chevalier growled, and MC was reminded that once again she was dealing with the Brutal Beast. He reached out with his good arm and grabbed her wrist, his calloused hand against the raw skin making her hiss, but she didn’t dare pull out of his grasp.  He seemed to realize there was a problem, loosening his hold and taking her hand instead. Her heart fluttered.

Now is not the time for this, MC. she admonished herself, before Chevalier admonished her aloud. 

”Get out of this alive, then swoon.”

They made for the stairs, but Chevalier stopped short.

The stairs… were on fire. 

MC looked at the stairway, and then at Chevalier’s face, which had of course not changed from his usual stoic mask, excepting a small crease between his brows.

“These stairs won’t hold.” He said, and then pulled her to him. “Hold on tight.”

To what?!

Sparing not even a moment for a second thought, Chevalier picked her up by the hips and tossed her over his shoulder before descending the stairs in a rush.  True to his appraisal, the staircase collapsed behind them. Now the only way out truly was the padlocked cellar doors.

MC looked at his face as he set her down once they were clear of the collapsing staircase, and caught the tail end of a wince and a clenched jaw before he smoothed his expression once more.

“Show me the cellar doors.” He said, with no preamble.

MC nodded, and led him to the chained-and-padlocked door she’d just been at. She didn’t know how they were going to get that lock unlocked. Chev had blocked that beam with his dominant arm and she wasn’t as good at locks as she was at knots. Maybe something to ask Clavis about after this, assuming they made it out.  For now, getting out was the priority.  And they needed to do it soon.  MC felt like her lungs were on fire like the rest of the manor.

Of course, she needn’t have worried. Chevalier unsheathed his sword and made quick work of the lock, ripping it off of the chains and pulling the chains free from the door, before once again claiming her hand with his good hand. Well then. His arm must not actually be as hurt as she thought it was.  He had used both arms to lift her over his shoulder, after all. The beam was probably just hot.

“Let’s go, Simpleton.”

MC rolled her eyes at his use of that favored nickname, and allowed him to haul her along with him as the cellar doors opened, showing the concerned faces of none other than Nokto and Clavis.

Having reached the relatively cool outdoor air, MC felt like she was gulping down breaths rather than simply breathing them.

“Let’s get clear of this.” Nokto said, as behind them another room of the house collapsed inwards.

“MC. Deep breaths.” Clavis’ voice rang in her ears, and she turned to look at him, but the world kept spinning even though she’d stopped moving, and she felt herself falling.

“MC.” Chevalier’s arms held her, and distantly she worried about him holding her with that injured arm. As everything went dark, she would have sworn she saw him roll his eyes as she heard him mutter. “You weren’t supposed to take me seriously about swooning. Idiot.”  

Oddly, scent was the first thing to come back to her. Clean cotton, medicine, and paper.

Then, sound. A quiet conversation, the shuffle of feet across a rug, and the sound of a door closing.

MC blinked, opening her eyes.  She was laying on a familiar bed, though it wasn’t her own.  A quick glance about told her everything she needed to know.  She was in Chevalier’s room, and the prince himself was laying next to her on the bed.  Otherwise, the room was entirely vacant. Whoever had been having that conversation must have left. MC took a moment to check on Chevalier, and what she saw made her stifle a gasp. First, he was shirtless, but that was secondary to the fact that his right side was covered in bandages from shoulder to hip, with the arm itself in a splint. So he had broken the arm.

For her part, she’d been changed out of the ruined dress she’d been wearing, into a clean nightgown, her wrists carefully bandaged, as well as a number of other small wounds she hadn’t even noticed in their escape from the burning manor house. Someone had even washed her hair. How long had she been out?  Certainly it couldn’t have been that long…

MC turned to slip out of the bed and find a robe so that she could go report in to Sariel and find out what he knew about what had happened, and see if there was someone who would tell her how hurt Chevalier actually was, since he certainly would never give her a straight answer about it.  She didn’t get very far, as Chevalier grasped her hips and tugged her over into his arms. 

“Where are you going?” He muttered sleepily. “Stay with me.”

MC’s heart thundered in her chest.  Of course he just wanted to sleep more. He’d done this to her before when she was sent to wake him, and she knew better than to read into his desire for touch when sleepy.

“I need to go report what happened to Sariel.” She said. Honesty was always the best policy with Chevalier, he could taste a lie before you even uttered it.  And if she didn’t get out from his hold, he was going to feel her heart racing, and then he’d be asking her to explain that, and… she knew how useless he found the concept of Love. They’d discussed it. At length.

“The Devil can wait.” He muttered, his breath ruffling her hair. “I, on the other hand, cannot.”

“Chevalier.” MC huffed. “You’re literally the epitome of waiting right now, you’re trying to sleep.”

“No. I am trying to keep you from leaving. Sleep is a convenient side effect.”

“You’ll give me ideas if you keep this up, you know.”

“You already have plenty of them, if your heartbeat is to be considered.”

I knew it! MC sighed. He’s too perceptive.

“Well, the man I love his holding me captive in his bed, what am I supposed to think?”

“Perhaps you might think that you’ve won our little bet.”

She froze. He couldn’t mean it, could he? In the back of her mind, MC could hear Sariel reminding her about Clause 99, but right now she did not care, not even a little bit.

“You mean, you…”

“I love you.” He said it plainly, but the words settled in her chest like a warm sweater on a cold day. “The thought that I could have lost you in that fire nearly broke me. And there you were braving the worst of it to aid me rather than saving yourself.” He tapped on her shoulder, and she turned to face him.  There were tears in his eyes as he looked her in the eye.

“I love you, MC. You win.”

“I love you, Chevalier.” she said, her eyes misty. 

Everything was different now. New, and shining.

She blinked to clear the tears that were threatening to fall, and thus was surprised when Chevalier’s lips met hers, but it didn’t stop her from kissing him back.

Their moment, of course, was broken by vibrant applause.

“Oh, well played, Chev.” Clavis’ voice was full of mirth and mocking. “Save the damsel in distress and then profess your undying love.  How many times does that happen in those books in your little library?  Was that all research, then?”

Chevalier grumbled and threw a pillow at Clavis.  

Well. Not everything had changed, after all.

[randonauticrap]

I Love You, Goodbye.

Pairing ~ self ship/Jin Grandet

Word Count ~ 825

Author's Note ~ Hey guys! This one is crazy personal for me. I normally don't post self ship fics because I'm not one to hoard a character to myself, and I don't like excluding anyone from getting in on the fun! But this one kind of tumbled out of me, and even though it's personal, and definitely kinda sad, I wanted to share it. It's kind of hurt/comfort, and it comes directly from Madame L's personal little fantasy bank. lol I hope you enjoy nonetheless!

I danced with him. He led me around the dance floor in a beautiful waltz, my waist encompassed by one of his large hands. He held me close, as if he knew; as if he could possibly know, that this dance was our goodbye. I fought the tears that threatened to fall, and let my head cradle into Jin’s chest, absorbing his warmth into my soul, and trying to memorize every stretch in his muscular body. His kiss imprinted itself on the top of my head, even after his lips left it. The hand that held mine squeezed it gently, reminding me of our promise; the promise we had pledged to one another, wrapped in pleasure and safety. Only I knew that it couldn’t be kept. Jin would remain blissfully unaware until it came to pass; until I had to leave him. 

I had no choice. 

Fate had dealt us the worst possible hand, and I could do nothing to change it; nor could he. So we danced. We danced once more in the wistful gaze of the sconces on the walls, our bodies mimicking those of the other guests around us. The rustle of skirts swinging in unison and the click of the ladies’ heels on the floor; the swish of each gentleman’s coat tails as he spun his lady in his arms, pulling her back to his chest with the intent of never letting her go. As Jin pulled me back into him, he grasped my chin, so gently I almost didn’t discern it, and tilted my head upwards, forcing me to meet his garnet eyes. “Something’s wrong,” he murmured, concern laced in every beautiful feature. “What is it?” 

“Jin,” I muttered softly, a rogue tear escaping my eye and traveling the length of my face before Jin caught it with a kiss and erased it from existence. But where there was one, there were many, and I knew that they would overwhelm even his intense love eventually. “I can’t-” I choked out the words, but the knot in my throat would allow no more to pass between my lips, and more tears found their way to the surface. I couldn’t do this, not here, so I grasped his wrist and pulled him behind me, away from the color, away from the light, out into the darkness on the balcony. The rain poured from the sky, drenching everything below it in its descent. This… this was a place suited for what was to come. “Jin, I can’t stay.” I whispered, so softly I almost hoped the rain swallowed the sound so that he didn’t have to hear it. 

But I knew he had. I knew because I felt him stiffen; though he was several feet from me, I felt the way his corded muscles pulled taut beneath his skin, and how each hair on his body pulled to stand on end. I felt the hurt build inside him as my words sunk in; the desperation, the betrayal, the fear. The fear. 

“What?” he managed to utter, a near-silent cry in the night. 

“I- I’m not real, Jin. Not.. not to you. Not to this place.” I stuttered, gripping the rain-soaked banister with all my might, as if it could steady the spiraling descent of my heart into war-torn pieces. 

“What does that even mean?” his forceful whisper had anger in it; misunderstanding; fear.     

“This,” I gestured to the scene before me. “All of this, is a dream for me. You are a dream. I don’t know when it will happen, but soon I’ll wake up. I’ll wake up and I’ll be alone, and you’ll be here.” The tears fell unhindered now, violent as the rain. “You’ll be here, and I’ll be there, without you. I always wake up without you. I always wake up alone. I try so hard to hold on to you, but you’re not there and you can’t be there. Just like I can’t stay here… no matter how much I want to, and God, do I want to.” I closed my eyes and let the sobs come, knowing there was nothing I could do to stop them anyway.

Strong arms wrapped around my trembling body and pulled me close. “You’re always here, to me. Let me always be there, for you.” he said, dropping a tender kiss to my head, then to my neck, and as I turned to meet his eyes, he captured my lips in a kiss filled with so much love that my heart broke again, just for him. “I’ll be there when you wake up too. You may not see me, but I’ll be there. Believe that. You have to.” 

“Why do I have to?” I asked through my tears.

“Because I do.” he replied, tears of his own staining his blush-tinted cheeks. 

I nodded and pressed my lips to his again, pulling him closer than should be possible. 

“I love you, Jin Grandet.”

~

Tags for the lovelies: @aquagirl1978 @violettduchess @ikehoe @rhodolitesroseforclavis @atelieredux

[nightghoul381]

Ikepri Gift Exchange

Unaccepted Together~ Clavis Lelouch x Reader

For the gift exchange I got to write for @scummy-writes!!! Thank you so much @ikemenlibrary and @sunnyikemen for hosting such a fun event!

I really hope this fit what you were thinking of Scum!! I had a lot of fun writing it, but I always have fun writing Clavis! Thank you for such a fun prompt to work with <3

Pairing: Clavis Lelouch x Reader Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Soft Smut-Does contain explicit content NSFW | MDNI

WC: 1.8k CW: Marking, Fingering, Oral (fem receiving)

Another nightmare… Great. You groan, throwing a pillow over your face to block the sunshine that was now streaming in through the window, unintentionally rousing your lover.

“Oh my, morning already?” Clavis yawns, stretching out languidly like a big cat. You let out an unintelligible grumble, crossing your arms over the pillow covering your face.

“Well now, this won’t do. I can’t have a pleasant morning if you’re covering up my very favorite sight to wake to.”

Clavis’s long fingers slip between your arms, prying them apart. He doesn’t have to try very hard, all fight draining from your body at his gentle touch. Now all you could think about was drawing comfort from his warm embrace, and yet the events of your nightmare played through your mind again.

You don’t belong here. Who are you trying to fool, you’ll never be good enough to be at Clavis’s side. No one will ever accept you. You should give up and go back to your miserable life as a commoner and let someone deserving of Clavis earn his affection.

You shut your eyes tightly, trying to keep the tears back at the thought. You’ve been feeling this way for such a long time. Every moment with Clavis is pure bliss, his attentive love and penchant for mischief always had you on your toes but also kept you in a fantastic mood.

However, as is typical of a member of the royal family, Clavis was unable to be with you at all times. He had duties to attend to and this left you on your own in the royal court. Sure, there were things you could do to keep yourself busy as you awaited his return, but the most recent assignment your lover had been sent on had kept him away for such a long time, leaving you to wander the halls of the palace in search of some way to keep your mind off missing him.

You had overheard some noble women conversing, not so subtly, about how Clavis surely could find a more appropriate companion, someone who was born and bred for just such a role as the future wife of a member of the royal family.

You hadn’t stuck around to hear more, your worst fears confirmed. You were still not accepted and you feared you never would be, and Clavis would soon come to his senses as well and realize the same thing.

Cue the never-ending nightmares plaguing your sleep and your now uncomfortable position of explaining why you would feel the need to hide your face.

You brace for the pillow to disappear, but let out a small squeak of surprise as you feel Clavis move to straddle your hips, his hands running up your arms slowly and gently.

“Now then, how shall I enact my revenge? You’ve stolen my joyful waking moment by hiding your face, so you certainly must desire my attention be directed elsewhere,” Clavis purrs, his voice low and sensual.

You feel heat welling within your belly, despite the horrible things your mind was saying, your body was all too receptive to your lover’s touch.

“No.”

You hoped your curt answer would be enough to get him to let you have some time to yourself to recover from the nightmare… actually you knew full well that such a statement would have the opposite effect.

“My oh my, you’ve decided to be quite the spitfire this morning. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Clavis swipes the pillow off of your face and freezes. His brows furrow and the corners of his mouth drop. He knows. Of course, he does. He’s not an idiot, he knows you better than anyone else.

“What has caused such a pained expression to mar your beautiful face so early in the morning, my dearest darling, light of my life?”

Taking a deep breath you sigh, “It’s nothing, really. Just some random thoughts messing with my head is all.”

“Ah, see therein lies the problem. Any thoughts making you feel less than wonderful are clearly not thoughts of me, and therefore you merely need to direct your attention to the handsome man before you,” Clavis chuckled, his eyes not matching the joyful tone of his voice. He was trying to distract you, he wanted to see you smile.

“You’re right, how foolish of me,” you reply, turning your mouth up in a light smirk while you communicated your true feelings through your eyes.

“Mmm, foolish indeed.” Clavis affirms, leaning down and pressing gentle kisses around the edges of your lips. His warm breath fills your senses, his rich comforting scent bringing an overwhelming sense of peace to your mind you reach up and loop your arms around his neck and pull him close. You don’t want to give up his calming effect on your heart and press your lips firmly against his, sighing contentedly as your kiss is returned with fervor.

Clavis leans his head back just slightly, gazing down at you with such warmth and tender love in his golden eyes.

“I love you with my entire being. I can’t imagine anyone else at my side, nor have I ever tried. You alone have tamed this beast and you alone have the right to claim this place beside me.”

His hushed voice fills your ears and eats away at the negative thoughts spinning through your mind. You feel tears beginning to pool in the corners of your eyes as he rectifies the lies you’d been telling yourself with the deadly precision of an expert hunter. 

“I feel like I’ll never be fully accepted,” you whisper, feeling your voice crack slightly.

“Ah, then that makes two of us!” Clavis chuckles, brushing the back of his hand against your cheek before leaning in and capturing your lips in a brief kiss.

“You see, being the son of a maid doesn’t exactly lend itself to being accepted. That and it seems that not all nobles enjoy my brand of humor.”

Another kiss, and another.

“What do you say we be unaccepted together? If we both do it, they won’t have nearly as much fun trying to make us feel unwelcome. You’re my home, I want nothing but you and if they hurt you, they hurt me. I can’t exactly have nobles around who are willing to hurt a prince, now can I?”

“Clavis! Please tell me you didn’t do anything rash—” you scold, cut off as he buries his face against your neck and swipes his tongue against your skin.

“Nothing of the sort, the trap was meticulously planned with a very clear message to respect the prince’s decisions,” Clavis hushes, catching your skin between his teeth gently before suckling a deep red mark into existence.

“Haah… Clavis, you’re such an awful man…” You moan, letting your head fall to the side, eyes falling closed, and allowing him better access to your neck which he happily takes advantage of.

“Ah, but I am your awful man, so you’ll have to try harder to quell this terrible behavior I think.” His low voice purrs into your ear and sends a shudder through your body.

His hands move freely, gently stroking every inch of skin they can come into contact with until it seems he has himself far too riled up to hold back any longer.

“Might I enjoy my second favorite thing to wake up to in the morning?” He asks, speaking the words between kisses.

Your head is becoming light and the knot of desire tightens as you feel Clavis begin to maneuver his body lower, his hands kneading the flesh of your thighs and a satisfied groan rumbling in his chest.

When you let your eyes blink open again, you’re met with an intense desire reflecting in pools of molten gold. You nod your head slightly, taking in a sharp breath at the way Clavis’s eyes flare with hunger and his tongue darts out to lick his lips.

His body slips down from yours, his weight settling on the mattress between your legs as he begins kissing and sucking at the skin of your inner thighs. The heady moans and grunts he’s making as he loses himself in savoring your legs leave you trembling, your pussy dripping in anticipation as his face draws closer.

Clavis pushes the hem of your short nightgown up over your hips, taking no time to nestle his face between your thighs and begin working his mouth over your sensitive bud.

“Oh god, Clavis…” you whimper, electricity jolting through you as his tongue flicks playfully over your clit.

One of his hands curls around your leg, the other slipping down to join his mouth in his need to demonstrate his desire for you. Your back arches and your hands fly up to cling to his hair as the warmth of his tongue against your folds is replaced by two fingers stoking the fire within you into a blazing inferno.

Each time your hips buck against his face, he lets out a low groan and you can feel the thread of need become taut, threatening to snap at any moment.

You lift your head slightly as you feel the heat of his mouth disappear. Clavis’s face is flushed a deep crimson and his pupils are blown out with need.

“I want you to come undone darling. Cum on my tongue and show my how good I make you feel.”

His instructions paired with the resurgence of his lips sucking at your clit leave your body shattering as your release rips through you. Your legs are trembling and your hands tug desperately at his hair as you hold his face against you, savoring every movement of his fingers as he draws out more and more pleasure.

When you finally feel the last throes of your passion beginning to wane, you let your eyes flutter open. Your vision is filled with Clavis’s face, his chin wet with your juices and an incredibly satisfied smile playing across his lips. He runs his arm across his mouth, wiping away any remaining moisture before kissing you, almost gingerly.

“Now that is what I would consider a good morning to me,” Clavis jokes playfully, settling his lean body beside yours and pulling you into his arms in a tight hug.

“Thank you for being mine,” he adds quietly, words muffled in your hair as though he didn’t intend for you to hear him.

You feel your heart skip a beat at the genuine gratitude you know Clavis has for you being with him. Having his arms around you like this, his strong heartbeat and steady breathing once again bring you an unmistakable peace.

He truly does want me with him, you think to yourself, he thinks I am worthy of being at his side. If he believes that, I can believe it too.

[writingwhimsey]

Hi. For your prompt list may I request Clavis and "Oh no, there is only one bed, what will we do now?" I would prefer straight smut please. Thank you.

Thank you for the request! And I knew as soon as I saw this one that I HAD to do it. I mean...that line is oh so Clavis! Anyway, here we are my first smut fic for Clavis!

Smut Is In The Air Event

Suitor: ikepri Clavis

Prompt: "Oh no, there is only one bed, what will we do now?"

NSFW 18+ content below

One Dark and Stormy Night

Clavis had traveled from the palace to visit the estate of a noble in the countryside. He had dragged Emma along with him, insisting that she needed to go to fulfill her duties as Belle. The visit with the noble had lasted later than expected and not long into their journey home, the weather had taken a turn for the worse.

The carriage could go no further for the night. Thankfully they had at least made it into a small town and were close to an inn. The pair made a mad dash inside through a torrential downpour and were greeted by a kindly old innkeeper, who greeted them with a smile.

“Oh you poor dears!” She exclaimed. 

“It is a bit of a downpour out there.” Emma said. “We are just lucky we were able to make it to your inn.”

“And you’re in luck that I happen to have a room available.” She said, smiling as she turned around to grab a key. “Come this way.”

“A room?” Emma asked, catching onto the innkeeper’s words.

“Yes, dear. I have one last room available. I hope that won’t be a problem?” The old woman replied.

Clavis was then beaming at the old woman as he wrapped an arm around Emma’s shoulders. “Of course it won’t be a problem. Will it, dearest?” He was then looking at Emma, mischief dancing in his eyes.

Emma’s cheeks reddened. She was ready to push Clavis away, but then she saw the look of concern on the innkeeper’s face. While she didn’t particularly like the idea of having to share a room with Rhodlite’s Clown Prince…she really didn’t have any other options…and nor did she want the old woman thinking that Clavis was a scoundrel trying to hurt Emma in any way.

She may not always enjoy Clavis’s antics…but she knew he wouldn’t actually do anything to harm her. She also knew if he tried something and she said no, he would accept that no.

“Not a problem.” Emma admitted.

Clavis grinned and the old lady smiled as she led them down the hall and up a flight of stairs. They soon arrived at the room, the old woman telling them where they could locate towels and extra blankets and such.

Once she left, the pair were walking into the room, looking around. Emma felt her eyes widen. “Oh…come on…”

“Oh no, there is only one bed! What will we do now?” Clavis asked, in that exaggerated tone of his.

“Sleep.” Emma answered, looking up at him with a stern expression. She then went over to the closet and pulled out the extra pillows and blankets the innkeeper had told them about. She made a little nest of blankets on the floor. “As the gentleman, you can take the floor while I take the bed.”

Clavis chuckled. “Oh come now, where’s your sense of adventure my dear little bunny?”

Emma glared. “I’m going to go dry off and change into some dry clothes. I suggest you do the same.” She then headed for the small bathroom off of their suite and dried herself with some towels and changed into the spare clothes that were left, a thin white night shirt. Unfortunately for her, the night shirt only came to about her midthigh.

“Ugh…why?” Emma grumbled to herself. It’s not like she had much of a choice. She took a deep calming breath before exiting the room. Clavis was already changed and to Emma’s surprise was making himself comfortable on the floor bed she had just made for him.

Clavis looked up at her when he heard the door open. And despite being a gentleman, he felt himself sucking in a breath as some very ungentleman-like thoughts filled his mind at the sight of Emma’s bare legs.

“Clavis? Are you alright over there?” Emma asked, pulling down on the hem of the nightshirt she wore…the very thin nightshirt. Her cheeks were reddening in a manner Clavis found rather adorable.

“I’m just fine little bunny.” Clavis replied. “Though I am starting to think you should allow me to join you in the bed.”

“What?! No, that…that won’t be necessary!” Emma replied. She was then diving into the bed and pulling the covers up over herself, all the way to her chin. “That was NOT very gentlemanly of you to suggest.” She huffed at him.

Clavis chuckled as he rose from his nest of blankets on the floor. “Oh, but it is, my dear little bunny. The only reason I suggested it was for your comfort and safety.”

Emma raised an eyebrow at Clavis. “That seems like it would be for quite the opposite.”

“My dear little bunny, I noticed how thin and short that nightshirt is and these blankets aren’t much better.” Clavis said as he slowly began to slide himself into the bed, slipping ever so slyly under the covers next to Emma. “It’s a chilly rainy night. I wouldn’t want you catching your death of cold. And having my warm body next to yours will only help keep you warm through the long cold night.”

Emma couldn’t help but to notice…the bed did already feel warmer with Clavis next to her. He was right that it was chilly… “Alright…but if you try ANYTHING, I am kicking you back on the floor.”

“You have my word as a gentleman and a prince.” Clavis replied, reaching for Emma’s hand and placing a kiss on the back, his golden gaze on her.

Emma wasn’t sure why, but she felt herself warming even more from the gaze Clavis gave her. Her heart began to beat faster…and his lips seemed to linger on the back of her hand, the gentle kiss lasting longer than any other hand kiss she had ever received. “Clavis…”

Clavis pulled his lips from her hand, a sultry smile on his face. “Yes, Emma…”

Emma bit her lower lip before speaking again. “I…maybe…I wouldn’t kick you out…”

Clavis grinned. “Is that an invitation?” He asked, lifting a hand to gently stroke her cheek. “There are other ways to share body heat after all…”

“Oh…dammit.” Emma muttered, deciding to throw caution to the wind. She surprised herself and Clavis both by grabbing onto the front of his shirt and pulling him into a kiss.

Clavis froze only a moment before wrapping his arms around Emma and moving his lips with hers. He experimented a moment, sliding his tongue out to trace along the line of her lips. She parted them on a sigh and he slid his tongue inside.

Emma responded, meeting his tongue with hers. She felt Clavis’s hand move down her back, sliding over her ass, and, before resting on her thigh and pulling it up and hooking over his hip as he rolled them over so that he was now on top of her.

After a small eternity, Clavis broke the kiss and pulled back to look at Emma, naked desire in his eyes. Emma felt breathless from the kiss and from the look in those golden eyes. “Clavis…” She breathed, her voice thick with her own desire. She had tried to keep a distance between herself and Clavis…but it never seemed to work and now…now she wanted to be as close to him as you could be to another person.

“Emma…” Clavis said, his voice husky. He’d never wanted anyone as much as he wanted Emma right now. His desire for her was even stronger than his desire to beat his brother. He moved completely on instinct, following the will of his desires, caressing her beautiful legs with his hands before positioning his head between her thighs.

Clavis kissed up her inner thigh, first one side and then the other. Lips, teeth, and tongue lavished her skin in unbridled affection, causing Emma’s pulse to quicked and her skin to flush. Her thighs trembled as he inched ever closer to her core, which seemed to ache for attention, but she wasn’t brave enough to ask.

Clavis’s eyes met hers as he placed yet another kiss on her thigh. He could see what she wanted in her eyes and he smiled before moving to her core. He placed an experimental kiss on her lower lips, which made her jump ever so slightly and a small exclamation leave her parted lips…which was how Clavis knew he could continue.

He licked a stripe up her slit before setting his tongue to work on that little pleasure pearl between her legs. Shockwaves of electric pleasure rocked through Emma’s body as Clavis devoured her. Her hips began to buck of their own accord, grinding against his face.

“Cl-Clavis! Oh…yes!” She moaned as pleasure wracked her body. 

Spurred on by her moans, Clavis relished the taste of Emma and continued to lap at her. He moved his hands to grip her thighs as they rested on his shoulders, holding them in place. He continued his ministrations until he felt Emma’s thighs tighten around his head and she was letting out the longest and loudest moan yet, his name the only word leaving her mouth, as her release rocked through her.

“Clavis!”

Clavis continued, drawing her release out before slowly pulling away, giving her core one last kiss before he began to kiss back up the front of her body, feeling her warmth even through the thin fabric of the nightshirt. He came back up to hovering over her, a smile on his face as he looked down at her. “I hope you are ready for more.”

“I…yes…” Emma replied, still breathless and panting from her release.

Clavis grinned at her before stealing her lips in a passionate kiss. The pair were then tearing at each other’s clothes until there were no barriers between them. Pressed tightly together, Clavis slid his length inside Emma, bringing the pair as physically close as any two people could be.

The night continued, Clavis bringing Emma to heights of pleasure she’d never known were possible. He enjoyed the countless cries he earned from her lips each time he filled her. He’d never heard anything more beautiful. “You are the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on.” Clavis whispered into Emma’s ear as he plunged his cock into her once again. “I don’t want this night to end.”

“Ah…I…I don’t want it to end…either…Clavis.” Emma replied, wrapping her arms around him.

“Then let us share this endless night.” He said before kissing her even as his hips began to thrust, building up their pleasure and indulging in each other all night long.

[thenovelartist]

IkePri Headcanons - The Twins with Twins

As absolutely adorable as this situation is, you cannot tell me having twins would not destroy these boys in the best way.

I'm sorry in advance. I'll be handing out free tissues. (Also, long post, and Licht's set is under the cut.)

Nokto

When he learns Emma is pregnant, he does have a mini panic attack and goes silent.

He's flat out overwhelmed.

Despite that, he is happy. He doesn't want Emma to think otherwise.

But once it sinks in, a new feeling hits him like a storm.

Is this truly happiness he deserves? He sometimes questions whether or not he's suitable to be king, and now he's going to be a father.

He tries not to let Emma see is inner turmoil. Too bad she knows him too well.

She has always been there to reassure him of her previous choice making him king, but now she swears she'll be there to assure him he's going to be a great father, too.

Licht is the first to learn the news. You wouldn't believe just how happy he is for his brother.

After that, it will slowly make the rounds, and everyone begins fussing over the next prince (no one expects a princess) to be born.

But Emma has a rough time of it with her morning sickness. And there are plenty of doctors going to and fro trying to make things to help her.

It's in that commotion that the rumor of twins sparks. A rumor that is confirmed later when Emma starts growing larger than is typical.

Nokto was desperately hoping it wasn't the case, but once it's confirmed, his heart sinks.

Twins, cursed to carry that awful title of a blessing and curse. Even now as a king, he's still looked down upon by certain nobles due to the fact he's a twin, and now his own children are going to have to carry this burden?

But that's the beauty of Emma: she was a commoner who'd never heard of such a ridiculous rumor before coming to the castle.

Furthermore, that was the beauty of Belle: her pure heart was there to assure Nokto his children would not have that burden thrust on them by their mother like he had.

He wants to believe her, truly he does, but past scars never heal.

And she knows this, so she asks him to do two things.

The first being to trust her. The second being to love his children unconditionally.

Those are two things he can do, even though he feels inadequate, even though he's scared he can't protect them, even though he's terrified of failing.

When he first feels those little kicks against his palm as it rests over his wife's stomach, a fire ignites inside of him insisting he better damn well try his best for them. They deserve it from him.

When his wife goes into labor, he's up to his ears in foreign trade deals.

And even though he tries to leave, he is strategically kept in one place by Sariel, who is playing out Emma's request to keep her husband busy as possible so he doesn't worry about her in labor.

Someone's going to have to double check his work, but he does get a lot done before he's released to go see his twins.

Daughters, to the surprise of everyone. There hasn't been a girl born in the royal family for three generations.

Upon bursting into the room, he freezes upon seeing the two bundles beside her on the bed. His twins.

He's crying but doesn't realize it until he's close enough for his wife to wipe the tears from his cheeks.

He may have hurt Licht in the past by being too useless to protect himself, but he's going to be the kind of man who gives his girls the world, the twin's curse be damned.

Licht is the first of the brothers to see them. Emma tells Nokto that his twin should get the special privilege of seeing his nieces first.

Even though she's asleep when Licht first enters the room, Nokto almost prefers it that way. Not that he doesn't love his wife, but he wants a moment privately with his brother.

He makes Licht sit down before handing over one of his daughters for him to hold. Which puts Licht in awe.

Holding his other daughter, Nokto sits down next to his brother on the sofa. They're quiet for a long moment, neither able to say a word.

"I'm going to protect them," Nokto finally mutters. It's all he can confess, despite so many thoughts scrolling through his mind.

Licht smiles softly at the twin in his arms before looking over at his brother. But unable to look his brother in the eye, his gaze falls to the twin Nokto is holding before he answers, "you will."

Growing Up

Best believe these girls are spoiled.

They have all their uncles wrapped around their finger in one way or another.

Even Sariel has the most special place in his heart for these girls, but that's because of the number they've done to their father and his twin. Sariel will forever feel in debt to these girls for that.

Licht would die for these girls. And he gets scolded every time by Emma.

And the one time the little twins heard their uncle Licht said that, they burst into tears, grabbing his legs and clinging to him. "You can't die!"

Licht hasn't felt that guilty in a while.

And even though Nokto knows what it does to Licht, he still has to chew his brother out, for his daughters' sake.

These girls force Licht to live now because he can't make them cry. It's a very tentative step in the right direction.

Then there was the damage these little twin girls did on their father...

"You're the best dad in the whole world." "He's king because he's better than all our uncles." "We love you."

Screw being king of the country, these girls make him feel like king of the world.

And there's times he gets overwhelmed by that. They think so highly of him that he doesn't want to let him down.

He's made himself physically sick trying to live up to their expectations, despite Emma's warnings to take it easy.

The few times he is forced to recover from overwork, his daughters are there with tea and teddy bears uncle Luke made them, sticking by his side to give him all the hugs and cuddles he could ask for as they "nursed" him back to health.

"Daddy will always be the best, no matter what."

And before Nokto has a chance to spiral down into despair, Emma is there to confirm, "That's right. Daddy works really hard to make you proud because he loves you soooo much. He's the best daddy ever."

The world seems to fade out from around Nokto, even though he knows his twin girls are smiling as they loudly agree.

All he can do is hug all his girls tight. "I love you."

His two little blessings squeeze him as tightly as they can from each side as Emma leans over to kiss the top of his head. "We love you, too."

Licht

When he learns Emma is pregnant, he’s speechless, to the point he shuts down.

He’s terrified, yes, but there’s also a part of him that is so happy he doesn’t know what to do with it.

And it’s made worse by the fact that, for once, he's happy without feeling guilty, which will soon result in a bigger guilt trip later down the line.

So Emma was glad that she told him this at night in the privacy of their bedroom, because Licht is full out sobbing soon enough.

There are no words that need to be said about why, and she knows he’s not upset by the fact that there’s a baby on the way. The way he’s clinging to her as tightly as he is tells her as much.

The only reason she feels guilty is because she knows what’s going through his mind and the extra burden this is going to throw onto him.

Give him a couple days for the information to settle and him to mentally adapt to this change, and once that happens, everyone in the castle is going to wonder why Licht looks so… happy.

It’s unsettling. Welcome, for sure, but unsettling.

So much so that Nokto hunts down Emma to interrogate her on just what happened to his twin.

He's the first that learns the news, as Licht had kept his mouth shut this long.

Nokto's torn. On one hand, he knows what has to be going through Licht's mind, but on the other, he just wants the world for his brother, so he hopes Licht truly sees this as the happiness it is.

Licht knows Nokto found out when Nokto surprises Licht with a hearty pat on his shoulder and supportive smile.

Licht returns the gesture, squeezing his brother's shoulder in silent thanks.

After that, the whole castle soon finds out the news, and everyone is quite thrilled to hear it.

(Yves did not have a happy cry in his room over it when he heard the news. He did NOT...)

But then comes the news... Emma's carrying twins.

Licht's world collapses.

It's not fair. Being a twin is a hard burden in Rhodolite, and now he cursed Emma to carry twins, who'd carry around the burden of a curse the rest of their life.

Emma literally started hiding any and all sharp things the moment she found out. She also was determined to be his support pillar from then on.

"They're going to be okay. I'm going to be okay. Nothing bad is going to happen, Licht. I swear."

However, all the comfort in the world doesn't stop him from worrying. There's plenty of sleepless nights and rough days.

But there are moments the chaos in his mind fades away, allowing him to experience the happiness before him. Like when he feels little kicks and hands press against his wife's stomach. It's those moments he finally smiles, and when he does, Emma feels able to relax for three seconds.

As she nears her due date, she once again approaches Nokto with a favor. (She considered Yves for three minutes before deciding Nokto would be the far better choice.)

"I need you to keep Licht away from the castle when I'm in labor."

Nokto smirks and scoffs. "And why would I bother risking my brother's wrath on such a momentous occasion?"

"Because you told me you won't forgive anyone who hurts your brother, and if he sits outside the room when I'm in labor, he's going to torment himself with every sound."

Nokto goes silent, his expression falling as he realizes what Emma is saying.

And just before she's about to offer anything in return, he cuts in. "Yeah. I'll do it. Don't worry about it."

Nokto does find a moment to inform the others in the domestic faction about his plan, and how no one inform Licht if Emma was in labor.

They all care for Licht enough to agree to this seemingly heartless plan. They prepare for as many scenarios as possible and simply hope for the best. (And that Licht never find out.)

They're all very lucky that Nokto just happened to take Licht away as a personal guard on an outing near the border as Emma's water breaks.

Upon receiving a letter with the news from Yves, Nokto purposefully prolongs the trip so as to keep his promise to Emma, much to the irritation of a very anxious Licht.

And when they arrive back home, the first thing Licht learns is that Emma is in labor.

The princes weren't happy with the lone servant that had ruined the plan to distract Licht.

As much as they wanted to distract Licht, no one was bold enough to stand in the way of a very determined sixth prince with blazing red eyes as he ran towards the room.

But ultimately, they had been lucky to stall Licht just long enough. The only cries Licht could hear on the other side of the door were those of a baby.

And when he was let in shortly after he arrived, his panicked eyes instantly locked on Emma.

Que the tears as he falls to his knees beside her, apologizing for the fact he wasn't here.

Emma does her best to settle him down and assure him he was more useful elsewhere than just waiting outside the door.

He's not convinced, though, so Emma resorts to redirecting his attention towards his twin boys.

As he looks over the two swaddled babies in the bassinet, he can't help but cry, just as Emma knew he would.

"I'm sorry," he whispers. "I'm so sorry." He was the one who cursed them to bear this burden that should be his and his alone. And yet his sons will carry this curse of being a twin from a twin for the rest of their lives.

On what should be one of the happiest days of their lives, Emma's heart breaks because she knows Licht only says that out of the deepest love fathomable in his shattered heart.

Growing Up

These two boys are loved dearly by their uncles.

Particularly Yves who has very little self-control when it comes to making sweets for them.

And they have Licht's sweet tooth, to be sure.

And Sariel loves these two to pieces, even though they break his heart. They hold all the sunshine Licht used to hold as a child, and he'd do anything to make sure they stay that way.

But there's two people who can't stand the immense cuteness of two princes packed with all the innocent love that Belle's heart could muster.

Nokto can't stand how much they love him. He feels guilty just looking at them.

"Uncle Nokto will protect us from the devil!"

Because he couldn't protect his own brother but these two think that he's the best shield from Sariel?

He hates it. He hates how they can look up at him and think he's the best uncle of the seven they have.

Yet, deep in his heart, he feels the beast within him roaring that he will protect these two with his life should it come down to it.

And Licht...

Oh, poor Licht.

His twins destroy him.

"Best dad in the whole world." "We love you." "Our dad is so brave." "He's invincible!" All paired with so many hugs.

And when they look up at him for guidance, trying to mirror the way he walks to the fact they also picked up the habit of sliding carrots off their plates, he realizes that he is the world to these two boys.

So he can't do anything to lead them off the right path. Not even in private. He loves them too much to do anything to destroy their smiles.

Which takes a mental toll on him.

"Mommy, why does dad cry at night?"

It's a hard question for Emma to answer, but it's one she'd been thinking about for ages since she just knew that, sooner or later, these boys would find out their dad's secret. And they were right at the age where she could tell the twins the truth... somewhat.

"It's very hard to explain. You see... your dad did something bad in the past. He knows what he did was bad and is sorry for it, but sometimes, it makes him very sad when he thinks about it."

The twins faces fell. Which made her worried.

And when they took off, she didn't know where they were going, but she hoped she didn't say the wrong thing.

Instead, they found their dad in his office, alone for once. And they ran up and hugged him.

"It's okay if you did something bad in your past. You didn't mean it." "And you're still the best dad ever."

Licht didn't know he could break down that hard in front of his sons.

They stay for a while, hugging their dad tight before deciding they were going to get Yves to make snacks for all of them.

And when they run out, Nokto happens to slip in.

"I heard everything."

There is a tense silence for a while, Licht swiping at his swollen red eyes while a misty-eyed Nokto pretended not to notice.

"I hate them," Licht whispers, unable to look his brother in the eye.

Nokto takes a shaky breath, looking anywhere except in Licht's direction as he leaned against the back of the couch, his arms crossed as a tear rolled down his own cheek. "At times like this..." he whispers back, voice hoarse. "I do, too."

[solomons-poison]

Commissions

I have decided to open commissions!

My roommate and I received some bummer news that our 7 month old kitten Beau has a grade 2 or 3 heart murmur. It was discovered when we took him to a clinic to get neutered, and thus had to put anything involving anesthesia on hold until he could be further evaluated by the vet. On 11/30, our vet agreed with the news stating they wouldn't recommend him going under anesthesia without heart monitors, and recommended him for a full workup with a cardiologist. Depending on his condition, testing could be costly.

We ended up opting to have him neutered at the vet so they could monitor while he's under anesthesia, which was more expensive than we had originally planned for. Beau has been neutered by the time I post this, but he will still need follow up to monitor his health and risks, and it has now put my account in the negative. I've also lost a source of income midway through October, and my roommate has lost her medical assistance meaning she'll need to look into more expensive medical coverage.

With the rising costs at my house and the loss of a source of income, I've decided to open writing commissions. I'm starting with just a few slots for now, with tentative prices that can be up for negotiation, because any help would be really appreciated. If you don't want to commission but still want to help, you can also buy me a coffee as well! This is my first time opening commissions so please be patient with me :)

CAN WRITE:

Fluff

Smut

Angst/hurt (with/without comfort)

Headcanons or brief blurb

Suitor letters (based on style of Ikémen series, can be adapted to email format)

Canon x OC/reader, canon x canon (poly is accepted!)

CANNOT WRITE:

Explicit gore/violence/death

Explicit religious themes

Smut involving minors/pedophilia

Zoophilia

Noncon

General hate

FANDOMS:

One Piece (subject to discussion based on character)

Jujutsu Kaisen

Ikémen series (ikevamp, ikerev, ikesen, ikepri, ikevil)

Obey Me

PRICES:

[Fics]

$10 - 1000 words

$15 - 2000 words

$20 - 3000 words

[Suitor letters]

$10 each character

**I may unintentionally go over the word count you paid for, but you would not be charged for that.

My rules:

No more than three main characters total requested for a fic

Only fem reader or GN reader (I have nothing against male reader, I simply don't think I could write well in that perspective unless it's a pre-established character)

For smut requests, you are confirming that you are 18 years or older and will not be distributing or requesting this content on behalf of any minors.

Please see this post for more info on the fandoms I write for, and characters that I can or can't write.

I can post the completed commission as personal safety to prevent plagiarism and theft. I will also tag you in the completed commission post unless otherwise requested.

Please send me a DM with your request or interest or if you have any questions!

All payment will be through Paypal in order for me to create an invoice.

Availability: 1/4 slots filled