#my third eye is having its third eye open | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

melded-galaxy · 3 days ago

Text

sonic movie 3 stobotnik thoughts:

Watched the third installment earlier today and have a lot of thoughts

Likes:

Stone being confirmed as the protector in their relationship (His action scene in the chao garden restaurant and his plea 'i'm not there to protect you!') was amazing, you can definitely tell Stone had been traumatized after Robotnik got stranded in the mushroom world and then returned only to nearly fall to his death

'I already lost you once-!' 'Unsubscribed blocked and reported.' 'I can't lose you again...' Stone you deserve the world and so much better than Robotnik i'm sorry your hearts deadset on this dickhead <3

Robotnik's first name Ivo being dropped several times and pronounced eye-vo rather than ee-vo. always preferred the eye-vo pronounciation personally, feel like ee-vo is a bit too on the nose and doesn't sound as good.

Robotnik being open enough around Stone at the very start of the movie that he casually mentions that Stone is the only person he trusts and at the very end after he thought he found loving family only to be rejected and betrayed by Gerald admitting Stone was the only one to ever truly care about him my heart can't

More of the weird kinky BDSM shit my beloved - Eggman's reaction to seeing a shirtless tied up Stone 'Do that in your own time you sicken me' sent me as did the frigging shirt snatch and of course that glorious haircut scene

Stone getting to interact with characters that aren't Eggman. Him calling Tails adorable and that short moment where he hung out with Shadow was nice to see.

Again the haircut scene. Stone had zero excuses for straddling his bosses lap and nearly strangling him in a chokehold. Firestarter by Prodigy playing was just the cherry on top.

Stone getting cucked again by Robotnik's own grandpapa. First knuckles now sour gramps smh there's always a damn third wheel

Robotnik finally finding family and just CLINGING to them (quite literally the boot kissing scene was... something.) Ivo was so desperate for Gerald's love and approval, its such a great parallel to Stone's admiration for Robotnik. Honestly it makes sense that Robotnik immediately reacted so defensively when Stone warned him of Gerald and Shadows hidden plan, like Robotnik immediately reacted by attacking Stone back by accusing him of just being jealous because he felt his bond with gerald was being threatened. Robotnik even looked over at Gerald several times while he was chewing Stone out, clearly seeking his approval.

Eggman's announcement dedicated fully to Stone after three whole movies of Robotnik taking Stone for granted and Stone being ditched berated and sidelined. Finally after feeling the pain of Gerald's rejection (that 'You're no Maria' was ice cold) Ivo in his last moments alive makes sure Stone knows he reciprocates and pays tribute to Stone's love and loyalty to him, admitting that Stone was more than just a sycophant, a tool to be used and discarded, Stone was a 'syco-friend'. my HEART

That final 'I love the way you make 'em' the delivery was so heartfelt

Stone's tearful smile after saying goodbye to Robotnik. There's a sort of sad acceptance to it like finally hearing Robotnik admit that he does care about him too softens the blow of losing him and will help Stone to move on post movie. Maybe Stone after Robotnik's death with find someone that truly treats him right. A lot of people speculate that Stone will be the big bad of the next film but I don't know, I think in an interview by Lee he said that Stone just wanted to feel acknowledged by Robotnik and in the end Stone finally got that. I feel like its a good bookend for both Robotnik and Stone's characters arcs and i'd have mixed feelings if they were confirmed to appear in the next movie; while i'd love to see more of Robotnik and Stone's twisted dynamic in the next movie, I feel like it'd sort of undermine Robotnik's final moment of humanity at the end of movie 3. Then again someone has to have made and been controlling the metal sonics we saw in the post credit scene so who knows what the next movie will bring.

Dislikes:

Stone only getting like 6-7 minutes of screen time, I would have like a few more scenes with him interacting with Robotnik Gerald and other characters to flesh him out a bit more, maybe even learn more of his backstory. I felt like this was also a problem with Maria and Gerald; both needed a bit more time to flesh out their characters. It would have been cool to see more of Gerald and Maria before Maria's death for instance.

The movie steering away from the romantic subtext that was present in the second movie (the lattes with hearts, the romantic music playing in Stone's cafe and Stone photoshopping his boss into a maid outfit) in favour of a more platonic or atleast debatable dynamic between them - Stone being sad about not being Robotnik's 'best friend', Robotnik calling Stone his syco-friend and no outright explicit confirmation from either of them was kind of sad to see. Felt like there was potential to openly confirm stobotnik in a romantic if twisted relationship, especially given the two lived together for over a year in their crab mech and were clearly comfortable around eachother, but I guess maybe the producers were too nervous of backlash to do so so they went with a more dubious/platonic angle.

Robotnik immediately treating Stone worse once he connects with Gerald :( I suppose it makes sense; Ivo now has this shiny new family connection,from his selfish perspective why would he need boring old but reliable Stone but it still was sad to see Robotnik completely disregard everything Stone had done for him - staying by his side after leaving the government, doting on him and rescuing/caring for Robotnik after the latter fell from the giant mech in the second movie (not shown in the movie only storyboards but still presumably Stone was the one to rescue Robotnik). Personally i'd have preferred it if there was a bit more conflict from Robotnik's side, maybe have Gerald manipulate him into steadily distructing Stone more and more as the movie went on.

Stone not getting a scene where he snaps at Robotnik/shows a backbone. Yes he tried to to warn Robotnik of Gerald and Shadow's real plans for the world but again that was mostly for Robotnik's own wellbeing. Stone was terrified of losing him. It would have been nice to see after 3 movies of Stone being a doormat for Robotnik Stone finally erupt and stand up to Ivo.

Stone disappearing from the plot at the climax of the film AGAIN, a reoccuring theme in the trilogy lol, Stone disappears from the plot after Robotnik tells him to ready the prototype in the first movie and again in the second, though to a lesser extent, after he was knocked out in the mech. It would have been cool to see him do a little more, maybe aid Robotnik Tails and Knuckles in stopping Gerald in some way instead of merely being a bystander.

Similarly to the second movie I feel like Jimbotnik and now Gerald were a bit TOO zany at times. Like the scene at their first meeting when they both looked at the camera and broke the fourth wall made me groan and god... the Ivo vs Gerald fight was... bad and not even in a so bad its good way way more a killing the pacing and tension way. Like why why put the jim carrey selfspank scene right after Sonic and Shadow had a heart to heart on the moon. Why.

Robotnik's overuse of modern slang also made me wince a bit... didn't like it in the second movie don't like it anymore in the third. I found some of the quips funny like the trauma dumping line but most of the times I felt the jokes were pandering too much to kids and would age badly.

No scene where Wade once again awkwardly third wheels while Robotnik and Stone be weird together again :(

THE FLASHBACK SCENE BEING CUT :'( In the leaked storyboards Robotnik was going to a have a sort of 'feelings realization' moment where he presumably contemplates why he's bothering to save the Earth. A flashback was going to appear showing the scene where Stone gives Robotnik his latte after the latter returned in movie 2, Stone in his GUN disguise rescuing Robotnik after the latter was trapped under the rubble of his mech post movie 2 and a scene where a concerned looking Stone is handfeeding Robotnik soup complete with Robotnik looking depressed in a full body cast. The final storyboard picture showed a wide eyed and concerned Robotnik clearly realizing that Earth being destroyed would mean Stone was going to die as well. The flashback and Stone's life being on the line was what would have prompted Robotnik to try to save the planet. The flashback and feelings realization scene was cut for some reason from the final film :( Think I still have the leaked storyboard images somewhere on my blog but we were robbed.

Well this got longer than expected haha, hope its somewhat coherent.

#sonic movie #sonic movie 3 #sonic 3 #sonic the hedgehog #stobotnik #jimbotnik #agent stone #dr robotnik #dr eggman #eggman #ivo robotnik #sonic cinematic universe #gerald robotnik #my post #sonic movie 3 spoilers

101 notes · View notes

restlessmaknae · 3 days ago

Text

fire prince // sungho

One stormy night, a royal entourage arrives at the Phoenix Inn you've been running ever since your father left. Turns out Prince Sungho is as humble as one can be, and you quickly fall for him, but his visits afterwards hint that he might feel the same way.

➳ Characters: prince!Sungho x innkeeper!female reader/you

➳ Genre: magical kingdom au, royal male lead x commoner female lead, elemental powers au, fluff, comedy, one angst scene but it's a happy ending!

➳ Words: 8.9k

➳ Warning: one small mention of past wars, reader's father drank a lot in the past and eventually left, metaphorical cut and bleeding

➳ Dedicated to: @dat-town ❤️ Merry Christmas, dear! Wishing you all the best for 2025! I'll always be there for you, you know that. Love ya! ❤️❤️❤️

➳ Author's note: This is a spin-off to my Leehan story 'water prince', but they can be read separately.

➳ Header taken from this Weverse picture

It was a quiet, chilly day at the inn until the wind outside picked up its pace, and soon enough, a heavy storm followed. The rain was knocking on the tightly closed windows fervently, erratically, it even attacked the rooftop, so much that you felt like it was pouring straight onto the building. Sometimes the wind also made screeching noises, and the creaking of the wooden floors seemed even more ominous than usually. When the thunder struck, it felt like it was ripping off the horizon, so loud they could be heard.

You closed the kitchen already, so the staff could go home before the storm made it impossible for them to walk even just a couple of miles. Some of the staff insisted on staying though - like Intak, the stableboy, who said that it was more important to take care of the horses than himself because he was a big boy, he wasn’t afraid of storms anymore, but the horses were. Chanyoung, the porter, also stayed even though you told him that it was unlikely you would have many guests for the night because of the weather.

Even your dearest friend, Haewon – who was working with you, helping to share the burden as the innkeeper after your father had left – insisted on staying. Or more like, chattering your ears off for the rest of the night.

“Worst case scenario, we will have the most boring night in the history of the Phoenix Inn, and we will have a good laugh about it one day. Best scenario would be, of course, to have a mysterious, handsome young man walk into the inn, and fall in love with me,” she reasoned very seriously, and you had to give it to her that she had a very wild imagination.

“Because mysterious, handsome young men just fall from the trees around here, right?” You retorted after you put some more wood onto the fireplace, so that it wouldn’t die out. Not only was its light important for such a stormy, dark night, but it would hopefully provide enough warmth, so you wouldn’t need to walk around in your thickest coat.

“I’m just saying, anything can happen these days. You know, even that woman at the market who–”

Haewon was cut off by rhythmic knocking on the door. You exchanged a glance with her before you averted your eyes to Chanyoung who stood by the door. Beside him, Mr Kim – the usual night porter – looked out of the window, but due to the constantly falling rain, he could only see the shadows of four figures. Nevertheless, he was brave enough to open the door for the intruders, and all eyes in the hall went to the four strangers.

First, one muscular man dressed like a soldier came to the front, followed by one dressed in a thick coat, his face almost entirely covered by its hood. Then, they parted to make way for the third one who was dressed in burgundy-black with dark cotton pants and a pearl-dotted coat, even his dress shoes seemed polished. Even though the latter had an umbrella, a few raindrops sat atop of his locks, and he might have been the most beautiful man you had laid your eyes on.

The coated figure got rid of his hood, then cleared his throat before announcing:

“His Royal Highness, Prince Sungho of the Fire Kingdom, wishes to inquire if there is any vacant room for four people for the night.”

The room completely froze for a few seconds before everyone dropped into a clumsy courtesy. Or well, some form of it because you weren’t used to seeing royalty anywhere around here, much less at the Inn. You could see Haewon’s impressed face and mischievous glint, but you could also see Chanyoung’s perplexed reaction, and you had a feeling that yours mirrored the boy’s.

Most people around here had never seen the royal family. You were working tirelessly just to put food on the table, and you didn’t go to the palace’s events when common people were invited, simply because you lived far from the palace. Your Inn was actually closer to the Water Kingdom than the capital of the Fire Kingdom. So seeing the prince and his entourage at your humble little accommodation was more than baffling.

“P-prince Sungho?” Mr Kim blabbered, and you had never seen the forty-something man more flustered than when the young man who announced their arrival confirmed the question with a bob of his head. He was fairly young, around Prince Sungho’s age, but his expression was stern and his stance confident. You wondered who he could be.

“Y/N?” Haewon giggled as she made her way towards you, and her voice was enough to pull you back to reality.

“Oh yes. Yes, we do have enough room for four people… Your Highness,” you added belatedly before they could take your head (did they really do that or was it just the groundless rumours?), and you could see an amused glint in the eyes of your best friend.

“Can we talk to the innkeeper?”

“I am the innkeeper,” you answered matter-of-factly, and you didn’t know whether the young man in front was some sort of royal advisor, knight or administrative personnel to the prince, but he was the one who exchanged a glance with Prince Sungho upon hearing this piece of information. You knew what was coming, so you beat them to it; to have to ask the question on their mind.

“My father left about a year ago, and I’ve been the innkeeper ever since,” you confessed, not batting an eye. You knew it was rare that a young woman your age would be the innkeeper, but it just turned out this way. The reason half of your staff was also in their twenties was because without having your father around, most of the previous ones resigned. They didn’t want to work under a young woman, and some had been very vocal about it.

Awkwardness seeped into the thunder-stricken atmosphere, and it was even more embarrassing having to listen to the wind knocking on the windows when everyone was so silent. Maybe that’s why the prince was quick to dissolve the tension in the air.

“This will definitely do, Taesan. Thank you,” the prince decided as he turned to the coated figure, and you nodded, acknowledging his words.

“You said four people, right?”

“Yes, the coachman is still outside,” the so-called Taesan replied. You immediately asked Mr Kim and Chanyoung to help with the luggage, and let Intak know that he would need to take care of not only horses but a carriage as well.

“Is it fine with you if we store the carriage inside the stables? We do not ever have guests with carriages, I am afraid that is the best we can do… Your Highness,” you reminded yourself to address him properly, but he didn’t seem like he would mean harm. If anything, his eyes widened in a surprised manner when you even mentioned taking care of the carriage.

Once the porters came back with the luggage, you showed the way to the assigned rooms. The wooden stairs leading up to the first floor suddenly seemed too narrow with four of the royal guests, Mr Kim and Chanyoung bringing the luggage and you and Haewon following behind with four jugs of fresh water. You showed Taesan and Prince Sungho to their own rooms while Haewon showed the soldier and the coachman their own ones. You let them know that if they needed any assistance and no one was around, they merely needed to ring the bell on the desk in the hall, and someone would come and help.

However, the most important thing on their mind seemed to be food.

“Oh well,” you looked at Haewon who looked back at you with a slight pout. “Most of our kitchen staff went home because of the storm, so we cannot provide you with the usual meals of the menu. However, if you do not mind, you can join us for dinner. Those who are working here will have dinner together soon.”

You were surprised yet again that Prince Sungho gave in without hesitation – he didn’t seem disgusted or appalled by the lack of fancy options, and didn’t make a comment on the fact that he couldn’t choose what he was about to eat. You appreciated it because you were already so embarrassed by the fact that they were here, in your inn, and you were sure that it wasn’t up to the level of luxury that they expected or that they had been used to.

While the guests were settling in, you notified the ladies in the kitchen about four extra people joining you for dinner. On the other hand, since the headcount for the night was less than usual either way, it was fine, you had enough ingredients to make a big enough batch of hearty stew with seasonal vegetables and sourdough bread.

You were just about to let your new guests know that dinner was ready when you bumped into Prince Sungho and Taesan descending the stairs. They both got rid of their coats, and if anything, the prince just seemed even more ethereal in his cherry-red buttoned cardigan and silky white shirt with a ribbon in front. The way his chestnut-brown locks fell into his eyes recklessly made you want to toss them aside, so that you could look into his pearl-like orbs, but even just the thought seemed awfully inappropriate. He looked so elegant and chic compared to you, let alone the slightly run-down wall beside him which seemed ridiculously basic. That definitely needed a repaint.

Taesan, on the other hand, wore a black turtleneck that was tucked into his wide cotton pants. You heard that mostly royalty and people of high rank wore burgundy all the time which was the colour of your kingdom, however, you had never seen it for yourself. You yourself couldn’t care less about the colour of your clothes.

“You are just in time for dinner,” you announced when you found your voice, and the prince gave you a grateful smile in return. He turned to Taesan to say something to him, and he disappeared within seconds to fetch up the coachman and the soldier with them.

You led the four of them to the dining room where most of the staff already had a seat. This was where guests had complimentary breakfast, and they could also ask for lunch or dinner during the day. Obviously, not only guests could come and enjoy the meals as it was more profitable for the inn to welcome visitors and people from the town, too.

There was another round of awkward bowing and curtsy when the others caught sight of the royal entourage after they had been told who was here to visit. Prince Sungho merely waved his hand in a somewhat coy manner.

“Oh, no need for such formalities every time you see me. Please, take a seat, all of you!” He gestured for those around, and even though everyone was a bit reluctant to be the first to sit down, Intak took it upon himself to do so and sat onto the wooden chair with a loud thud. He decided to sit on the prince’s left while Taesan sat on his right, followed by the coachman and the soldier who took a seat across from them.

You could have easily joined the housekeeping ladies at the end of the table, but you felt like it was your duty as the innkeeper to keep an eye on the prince, to see if everything was up to his liking. To be precise, as much as your humble little services allowed.

So you took a seat beside the coachman, and everyone helped themselves to stew and bread, taking turns to scoop themselves some food from the three bowls that were placed at the front, middle and end of the table. Intak even scooped some for the prince, and though he seemed surprised, he appeared somewhat amused by the gesture, too.

It turned out that Intak and Prince Sungho were actually the same age though it was very difficult to believe it with the prince sitting there in all his glory and Intak being there in his worn-out pants and carrot-stained jumper that Mrs Park from the kitchen had knitted for him last winter. Despite the obvious difference between the two of them, the prince answered the boy’s overzealous questions about palace life in detail, sprinkled with a little humour here and there, and the stableboy made him laugh so much, it was endearing to see. His laughter was so genuine, you found yourself laughing along with them on more than one occasion.

Soon enough, you got to know more about your new guests; that Juyeon was the coachman and Leedo was the soldier; Taesan was the right-hand man of Sungho’s, his advisor and administrative personnel; how he had been chosen through six different tests while being the youngest of the applicants, and that they were on their way to the Water Kingdom to talk about trade matters.

It was all in good spirit, and if it hadn’t been for the thought constantly looming over you that they came from the royal court, thus they were obviously very different from you, you would have treated this conversation as a nice way to get to know ordinary guests.

“Thank you so much for the lovely dinner! This was probably the best stew I have eaten in a long time,” Prince Sungho announced after all of their plates were emptied, and turned to Mrs Park who blushed like a teenage girl.

“Ah, you flutter me!”

“I mean it. It was really good,” he insisted, sparks flying in his eyes, and your little heart did a somersault at the sight. How could he be like this, so genuine, so kind and getting on so well with common people when he was a prince? You couldn’t fathom it, and even though you had never had any fantasies of royalty falling in love with you like Haewon did, it was hard not to be affected by Prince Sungho’s words when he complimented the Phoenix Inn during dinner.

You were thankful that they put an end to dinner by standing up and retreating to their rooms because you weren’t sure that you would be able to take more from them. It was all just too good to be true.

That night, you watched the flames in the fireplace dance along to the rhythm of the rain hitting the windows. Even though it had been a few hours since the storm had started, it hadn’t seemed to die down. There had been quieter periods in between, but the wind had picked up its intensity and the thunder had returned, making you unable to fall asleep. Or to go to bed in the first place.

You had sent Haewon home, but only because she lived in the house across the inn, otherwise, you wouldn’t have insisted because there were plenty of vacant rooms for everyone who didn’t want to bear the storm. After dinner, you had asked everyone if they planned to stay, and helped them to more blankets, candles and lanterns for the night before retreating to your own room, only to find yourself restless by the cacophony outside.

So you decided to sit beside the fireplace in the hall in one of those inviting armchairs that you could sit hours in. You prepared a book to pass the time with, but you spent a few minutes just daydreaming and thinking about what had happened in the past few hours.

Until someone decided to join you.

“Oh, is there anything you need, Your Highness?” You got to your feet immediately when instead of Intak crawling out for some late night cookies or Chanyoung asking for more candles, you were pulled back to reality by Prince Sungho’s voice.

He had changed into looser clothes rid of any pattern or jewellery, but you could still tell that his nightwear was made of the finest material, smooth and thick, perfect for such a chilly night. He wore a knee-length night robe as well, something that highlighted his broad shoulders and slender build.

“No, not at all. I just can’t sleep well in unfamiliar places, but don’t get me wrong, it’s not because of the inn. Not at all,” he justified fervently before you could jump to the conclusion that it must be because his bed was less comfortable than his own bed at the palace, the room was smaller than he preferred it or something of the sort.

You nodded, signalling that you believed his words. He asked for your permission to sit down, and how could you say no? Still, you appreciated the sentiment, and watched with curious eyes as he sat down beside you, claiming the other armchair to himself, so now you were both facing the fireplace.

“It must be hard for you when you travel a lot,” you mused out loud, watching his expression change from slightly awkward to surprised to resigned.

“You get used to it after a while, and it’s never too bad to be wary of your surroundings and others around you,” he explained somewhat lightly, but there was a serious edge to his words. He was looking at you, but still, you had a feeling that he was replaying some memories in his head.

His words made you wonder if he could ever allow himself to fully relax, and the thought made you sad. You couldn’t imagine always being on alert even though you had that period in your life right after you had taken over the management of the inn. You had been certain that someone would break in or commit something horrible, and you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

However, you had gradually become more comfortable with the responsibilities and the duties, and besides, Mr Kim was a light sleeper, and probably the most masculine man in town, so no one would have dared to come in had they known he was here.

On the other hand, you couldn’t know for sure whether having someone like Leedo around him made the prince feel more reassured, but you didn’t ask about it.

“Do you enjoy leading this life?” You inquired instead, genuinely curious because it must have been a difficult life with all the rules to follow, the etiquette, even the dresses he had to wear. Sure, he had the luxury that most people around here didn’t, but still… you always thought of royalty as rather lonely people.

Prince Sungho didn’t say anything for a few seconds, he was still looking at you, looking into your eyes, but his lips parted slightly, as if he was taken aback by your question. Thinking that it must have meant that you offended him, you immediately apologised:

“I am sorry if I crossed the line with my question, I did not mean–”

“No, no, it’s not about that,” he objected, waving his hands in front of his chest after awakening from his stupor. He even let out a giggle, probably feeling silly for making you feel this way.

“It’s just that you are the first person to ask this question,” he started as he leaned back into the armchair, interlacing his fingers and dropping them into his lap. “People usually assume that I have an easy life, and don’t want to hear complaints about it. I can understand that though,” he added, and as he started talking about his life, it felt like listening to an ordinary person – despite the context of his words –, he was so open and genuine about it.

About the fact that though the pressure was there, he felt like he could be a part of change if he wanted, and that he could help out a lot of people. He also enjoyed the business and trade within and outside of the kingdom as those had always interested him. He also loved that he could practise using his powers safely within the walls of the palace, and even though he didn’t really have the chance to use it in everyday situations, he still thought of it as useful knowledge – just like horse riding or sword fights or literature.

You knew that the members of the royal family and a lot of those who worked at the palace or within the court possessed the power of fire because that was the base of the four elemental kingdoms. However, since the palace was so far away and their powers weren’t used to protect or destroy like back in the days when kingdoms had been at war with each other, it was easy to forget about it.

You listened to him in awe because he had such an eloquent way to say what he wanted. He shared enough about himself, but it never felt like too much. He was firm in his words, but there was gentleness to his tone – especially when he was talking about his younger sisters or working on distributing more to the elderly in the kingdom. He wasn’t boasting, but talked about initiatives that he was passionate about, and that he felt like were benefitting the kingdom and its people.

You swore you could have listened to him talk all day, and you would have been fine with it, but he asked about your side as well, if you enjoyed being the innkeeper. So you told him about how you had learned the ropes from your father, and how some people had already been working here before. How you had made friends with the younger ones, and how you felt like they were your little family since your father had left.

“I am so sorry for your loss,” Prince Sungho said in such a heartfelt way, you almost felt bad for correcting him.

“He didn’t pass away. He just left me and the inn behind. I don’t know where he went, but he hasn’t come back for a year now,” you shared with him, averting your eyes from his face to the crackling fireplace. To be honest, it was easier than ever to talk about your father, you had learned how to navigate the topic, but it was like a cut that always bled – you might not have seen it or felt it constantly, but it was there, it was hurting.

Yet, before the prince could apologise for bringing it up, you added without further prompting:

“He actually drank quite a lot, and caused trouble afterwards. Not just in town but also at the inn, so it might be better in a way that he’s gone,” you confessed, and you didn’t feel guilty anymore for feeling this way.

Deep down, you knew that he wasn’t himself when he was drinking, but you didn’t seem to be a good enough reason to give up on it. So he gave up on you and the inn instead. There had been no big argument or a sudden realisation, one day, he had just left. It had been a similarly cold, stormy night, and since then, the rain didn’t wash him home.

“It must have been difficult for you to keep everything together, including yourself,” he pointed out gently, and your heart squeezed at his words. Now that he put it this way, you realised just how true it was, and it was scary and touching at the same time that he could understand you so easily.

Sensing that you might not be able to speak up yourself after this, Prince Sungho decided to ask about funny stories that happened at the inn. He was especially interested in ones involving Intak. You let out a joyous laughter hearing his request, but you were more than happy to share them with him.

Soon, one story turned into ten, and whilst the rain was pitter-pattering on the windows and the flames were dancing beamingly in the fireplace, you found yourself falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of him, until you ended up falling asleep, kept warm by the flames he added to the firewood just by a touch of his hands.

You woke to the creaking sound of the wooden floor, and opened your eyes to see who it was, only to realise that instead of your room, you were in the hall. The memories of the previous night came crashing down on you, and you felt a blush creeping onto your cheeks while Mrs Park greeted you with a gentle smile and reprimanded you for sleeping in the armchair instead of your own bed. You reassured her that it wouldn’t happen again, and she retreated to the kitchen to start making breakfast.

You went to your room to get changed and clean up a bit before going back into the hall to rearrange the furniture. Then, you unlocked the front door and looked at the remaining puddles from last night, the first rays of the Sun painting the fading green of the grass in orange and light purple. The smell of the passing rain was evident, and you took in a few deep breaths before you got started on your day.

You made yourself busy long enough for Haewon to show up for breakfast, but after she greeted you and went her own way, she came to find you again, only to ask you about last night.

“As far as I know, everyone had a peaceful night. There was nothing major happening,” you replied to her, but she sighed so dramatically, you quirked an eyebrow.

“No, I meant what happened last night between you and Prince Sungho. Intak told me that he heard you and Prince Sungho talk in the hall.”

“Ah, I knew that he would want to get cookies for himself again,” you pondered loudly, trying to dodge the question, but the girl seemed persistent, disappointed even. So you told her that you talked because neither of you could sleep, but it seemed like you couldn’t appease her.

“Did he make your heart flutter?”

“Haewon!” You shushed her, seriously hoping that the prince wouldn’t walk by the storage room right this instant. You would soon need to tell them that breakfast was ready, and you also had a feeling that with the storm passing, they would continue their journey to the Water Kingdom. There was no time to waste for them, you assumed.

“What? He seemed like a kind person, and besides, he was giving you those eyes during dinner,” your friend chatted while helping you fold a clean batch of towels and blankets.

“Those eyes?”

“Yes! You know what I mean… people look at each other like that when they are interested in one another,” she justified as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world, and despite your best attempt at hiding your contentment, you couldn’t fight the blush invading your cheeks. Surely, he hadn’t looked at you like that…

“You like him, too, I knew it!” Haewon squealed when she caught sight of your flushed face, and you were faster than ever to clear up the situation:

“No! I mean, it’s too early to say that I like him like that. As you’ve said, he seems like a kind young man, but at the same time, he’s a prince, and we might not see each other ever again. Besides, he's him, and I’m just a humble innkeeper. We would never work out,” you said it in one-go, but your hopeless romantic friend didn’t seem saddened by your train of thoughts. She shrugged off your concerns like little specks of dust.

“You know, I believe in happy endings. I’m rooting for you,” she said as she balled her hands into fists and held them high, a sign of her support. You shook your head, a smile hiding in the corner of your lips, before you told her to notify the royal entourage that the breakfast would be served soon.

In the meantime, you went outside, and fetched Intak from the stables who had been feeding the horses (and trying to charm them with his irresistible smile and overdramatic stories, too bad the animals couldn’t understand him). Prince Sungho and the others were already seated when you showed up to the dining room, and when you caught the prince’s eyes, you bobbed your head and gave him a shy smile. He smiled back, and you already felt weak in the knees just by the sight of him there, so you decided to sit with Chanyoung, Mr Kim and Taeyang - your gardener - who were sitting at the other end of the table, not beside Prince Sungho, Taesan, Leedo and Juyeon.

However, you couldn’t hold yourself back from looking in the prince’s direction from time to time, especially because he was having a great time listening to Intak and Haewon’s stories about their times at the inn, and his laughter was so contagious, you found yourself smiling into your bowl even though Taeyang was talking about the plants that had been the most hit by the storm last night.

Breakfast came to an end sooner than you would have wanted, and it was time for the guests to go. Chanyoung and Mr Kim helped them with their luggage, Intak helped Juyeon with the carriage, and the housekeeping ladies already got ready to clean their rooms after their departure. Haewon insisted that you should go outside with her and say goodbye to them, but it must have been what everyone thought because almost everyone was outside, lining up beside the carriage. Prince Sungho seemed taken aback by the amount of people, but he said goodbye to each and every one of them and thanked them for their efforts.

You were at the very end of the line, and you were sure that the slight tremble of your body wasn’t due to the weather but due to the prince’s presence. Even as he halted in front of you, you felt like your heart was crushing your ribcage, it was beating so wildly, and the prince’s words didn’t help at all.

“Thank you so much for everything, Y/N,” he bowed his head and you curtsied as much as your dress allowed. He made your name sound so elegant, so precious, you felt heat rising to your cheeks. “You should be proud of yourself, you are really the heart and soul of the inn,” he added with a smile so gentle, it felt like a feather-like touch caressing your cheeks.

“T-thank you, Your Highness. I am delighted that you had a pleasant stay,” you stuttered a bit, your voice coming out small. The prince boasted a slightly amused smile seeing your reaction before turning around and getting into the carriage.

You could see Haewon’s lips curling upwards from the corner of your eyes, and you wished you could vanish right then and there. This encounter might have been like a fairytale, but he was a prince, and you were an innkeeper, you were sure that this was it.

You were wrong, it seemed. Even though flowers already started blooming the next time Prince Sungho showed up, he did so nevertheless. Then, he came during summer and during autumn, too. He never stayed too long, only a night or two if he decided to drop by on his way to the Water Kingdom and on his way back.

One of his sisters got married to Prince Donghyun from the Water Kingdom in the meantime, so there was a lot to do in terms of negotiating. He didn’t always tell you what he was up to, after all, you were sure that much of it was confidential, and you didn’t want to pry. However, whenever he talked, he made you feel like you weren’t two worlds apart, he shared every detail and background stories. He made you feel like you were a part of his world.

It was flattering, to be honest, and it made you wonder if he felt the same way towards you. After all, he could have chosen any inn he wanted, yet, he kept coming back to yours, keeping you company beside the fireplace at nights, and he wasn’t hiding the fact that he was looking for you whenever you weren’t around. Needless to say, Haewon always called him out for it.

You enjoyed the thrill of it; the subtle touches by the fireplace, the warmth he could quite literally bring with him, the ways he cared even if he didn’t boast about it, the gazes that you shared at the dinner table, and the times you spent stargazing on the newly built patio whenever the weather allowed. All of those who worked at the inn welcomed him back warmly, and scarcely did you have a guest who knew the prince personally, so you didn’t feel like you had a reason to hide from others. Besides, they could see what was going on between you two, and you were sure that even the quiet Taesan knew about it.

You were usually very giddy to see him again, looking forward to each and every day as it held the hope of a new encounter. However, the following winter passed by slowly and full of doubts because you had heard the rumor that Prince Sungho might be getting married to a princess. You were moping, of course, because you hadn’t heard anything about a marriage the last time he had been there, but who were you to hold him back? You were just a commoner, nothing more.

You had a feeling that the reason Prince Sungho didn’t show up until early spring was exactly for the reason you were so heartbroken in the meantime, but he did show up, and nothing seemed to change about him. On the other hand, you were more wary towards the prince, and he caught onto it. He even decided to ask you about it at night when you inquired if he had anything he needed for the night. If he had just said no, you would have had the chance to escape him. He answered differently though.

You were standing by the door in the corridor while he was leaning against the door from inside his room, but you felt like there was more than distance between you two now. The looming rumour of his marital status drove a wedge between you two.

“Am I bothering you?” He asked straightforwardly, and you were sure that he used this tone of his for trade talks: firm, straight to the point yet not accusatory. He was looking at you gently – like always –, but you felt like he was pinning you to the door with his gaze.

“No. I merely believe that there are better-suited places for a prince,” you answered rather coldly, trying to keep your voice void of any emotion.

It was better this way, you told yourself. You and the prince had been doomed from the start, so it was better that you were over it before it could turn into something more. So why… why did you feel so betrayed?

He looked perplexed for a few seconds, but then, he regained his composure and confessed as if it meant nothing to him to say such words:

“It’s because I feel the most comfortable here out of all places, and I like spending time with you, too. I feel at ease beside you.”

“Prince Sungho…” You croaked out, torment scratching your throat when his name fell off your lips. Why did he have to be so genuine? Why did he have to look at you like that – like he really meant it, and he would do everything to keep it that way? Why, just why did he have to look up from his eyelashes, his deep, dark eyes boring into yours, keeping your gaze hostage?

“Hmm?”

“You should not say things like that.”

“Why?” He blinked at you, confused, as if all those communication lessons he had sat through at the palace had been in vain because he could not understand a girl like you.

“Because it makes me hopeful,” you retorted, raising your voice out of frustration. The prince seemed taken aback by it, too, his eyes widening at your sudden change of reaction, but he stayed still nevertheless. He still had no clue, did he?

“Ah, nevermind,” you mumbled and turned around to leave, but the prince caught your wrist.

“Y/N?” He called out, perplexed and desperate, and you wished nothing but to be strong enough to resist him.

His grip wasn’t hurtful, it was gentle enough, so that you could yank your hand away from his if you wanted. The truth is, you didn’t want to, so you turned back to him instead. It was a grave mistake though because he looked so hurt, so vulnerable, your heart immediately sank at the sight.

“Prince Sungho, I am afraid I cannot do this any longer,” you reasoned quietly, looking away, so that you wouldn’t have to look at him, to look at the hurt you had caused. It didn’t help though, you merely felt worse by it, so you looked back at him. Afterwards, there was no turning back, the words just bubbled up.

“I like talking to you by the fireplace, too. I like when you say my name like that. I like that you see me for who I am, and I can let go of the burden of the inn when I am with you. I also like that you make me feel more confident in myself and remind me that I should be proud of where I am instead of what more I can do, and I like how I am feeling beside you. But… I do not think it is right for me to like any of this, to like you above all. I have heard that you might get married soon, and that is the way it should be. You are a prince, and I am just… me.”

There was no need to deny it; you were so very different, and it had been so very obvious from the start, but there was always that seed of hope within you that wanted to bloom despite the harsh weather conditions around. Now reality trampled on this little flower that almost managed to bloom… but almost was never enough.

“I am sorry,” Prince Sungho said simply, his head hanging low, and even though there was no reason for you to ask for confirmation, you had to because you didn’t want to delude yourself into what ifs anymore.

“So is it true?”

He nodded without hesitation, twisting the knife that was already deep inside your heart. You felt like choking, tearing up, anything but standing there still, unable to move.

“I’ve wanted to tell you, but I did not know how. It is complicated, but…” The prince started, searching for your eyes, and you needed everything in you to be able to hold yourself together when he continued. “I want you to know that I like you too.”

Oh, how much you have wished to hear those words before, but now they seemed utterly wrong. Now, it seemed wrong to like him out of all people when he might have to marry a princess, and you couldn’t do anything about it. The only option was to minimise the pain, so after closing your eyes for a few seconds to ponder over your answer, you decided on it.

“I must ask you to not come back anymore after your current stay. I am sorry,” you said so quietly, resigned, before yanking your hand away from his and walking away from him.

Prince Sungho didn’t come back again – just as you had asked him.

The thought of going back to the way things had been before meeting him pained you, and to be honest, it would have been futile to act like nothing had happened. Everyone knew that something was up, and since everyone else heard the rumours of his possible marriage, you had a feeling that you didn’t have to spell it out for them; that the prince would likely not come back.

Days blended into weeks and then into months. Time was moving at a different pace now that you didn’t look forward to each day in hopes that you would run into Prince Sungho again. You busied yourself with renovations of the inn until there was nothing else to fix, and still, it wasn’t enough to forget about him. Haewon tried to set you up with boys his brother had become friends with, but to no avail. You didn’t feel anything towards them even if you wanted to. Each and every time, you were thinking how differently the prince would do things, he was constantly on your mind. Rainy days, starry nights and the smell of firewood reminded you of him.

Though you didn’t hear any more marriage news from the palace, you believed that it was because finalising a marriage between royalty took a long time. That’s why you were even more taken aback that a letter arrived one day, delivered by one of the royal mailmen who insisted on staying until you gave an answer based on the content of the letter.

You exchanged a look with Haewon who seemed rather excited, so much that she took the letter from your hand because you hesitated too much. She opened it immediately, and her free hand flew to her mouth in surprise when she saw the inked lines written on the paper.

“What does it say?” You raised an eyebrow in question, but instead of answering properly, the girl hit your shoulder giddily before handing you the letter to read it for yourself.

Your heart skipped a beat when you realised that the letter was from none other than Prince Sungho himself, and he invited you to attend the autumn farewell ceremony. The Fire Kingdom had a farewell ceremony for all four seasons when people bid goodbye to the previous one and welcomed the new one, gathering around a huge fire in front of the palace and giving their blessings to the kingdom and the royal family. You had never been to one because you had been too busy making ends meet, but now the prince invited you and any companion you wanted, and if you said yes, he would make sure to take care of everything – sending you a dress beforehand and sending you a carriage on the day of the ceremony.

The prince said that he was waiting to see you and that he wanted you to be the first one to know about something important, something that he must tell you to make up for last time.

“I bet he wants to tell you that the marriage was called off, and now you can be his!” Haewon squealed, and bounced on her legs, unable to contain her excitement. You gaped at her in disbelief, but at the same time, there might have been something to her words. After all, why would he invite you to the palace out of all places if he was about to get married?

A few minutes later, when Haewon’s overly excited chattering died down, the royal mailman reminded you to give an answer, and you decided to listen to your heart and give it a try. So you said yes, and that you would take Haewon – who, though touched, didn’t seem surprised at all –, and off he went.

As promised, your dress arrived a week before the ceremony, but there was another one in the box alongside it much to Haewon’s zealousness. They were both pitch-black as black represented the end of something in your kingdom – just like how flames turn to black ashes when they can no longer feed on oxygen –, and it was the official colour of the seasons’ farewell ceremony. They were so smooth, so soft, even having patterned, lacy and pearl-dotted parts, something that you had never been able to wear before. Even just looking at them made you weak in the knees, let alone on the day of the farewell ceremony when you could finally wear them, and Haewon helped to braid your hair and do your make-up.

Even though you scarcely wore make-up, your friend insisted that you should do it this time because it wasn’t everyday that you were going to the palace. Not to mention that she was set on her ‘steal the prince’s heart’ agenda, firm in her belief that Prince Sungho wanted to let you know that you could finally be together.

Though it seemed too good to be true after your last encounter, you wanted to believe her, and most of all, you wanted to enjoy this magical time. You didn’t even remember the last time you had spent a day away from the inn, but you were grateful for everyone working there because you knew you could leave them for this time and everything would be fine. Even though Intak teased you that you would likely not want to come back after going to the palace once, Mrs Park was visibly touched when you and Haewon waited in the hall in your dresses and Mr Kim almost fell down the stairs when he caught sight of you two. At these times, they really did seem like your family.

The carriage arrived in time, and even though the journey to the palace lasted a few hours, you weren’t bored because you were with Haewon after all. However, the closer you got, the more nervous you were, and it didn’t help that you didn’t know where you were when the carriage halted and you stepped out of it because there weren’t a lot of people, except for multiple empty carriages. That meant that you were probably on palace grounds, not where the ceremony was supposed to take place.

“I will show you the way to Prince Sungho. He is waiting for you,” a court lady announced with a polite smile as she walked up to you two and you exchanged a glance with Haewon before following her through beautifully crafted arches painted with the historical moments of the Fire Kingdom, giant fountains trickling with bubbling water and an enormous statue with a man and a woman holding a torch in their hands which was actually lit up with fire. You wondered if it was always burning with magic because it seemed likely here.

You were surprised that even Haewon was quiet on the way, but you could understand her silence because it was just too much to take in for people like you; all these luxuries, beauty and wealth. Yet, the most magnificent of them all was Prince Sungho when he walked up to you alongside Taesan, wearing a burgundy suit over a black shirt tucked into his cotton pants, his broad shoulders and slender waist highlighted by the waist-length of the suit.

He seemed almost relieved when he laid his eyes on you, but at the same time, he was definitely taken aback. You felt your cheeks burning up when he averted his eyes to your dress, though he did it in the most respectful way possible, and immediately found your eyes afterwards.

“Your Highness,” Haewon curtsied beside you, and you followed suit when you finally awakened from your stupor. Heart beating rapidly, you straightened your back, just in time for the prince to call out your name.

“Y/N… So glad you could make it,” he said so gently, so lovingly, and he would have just stood there smiling at you if your friend beside you hadn’t cleaned her throat, gaining his attention. He immediately looked at her too and bowed his head, albeit a bit sheepishly. “You too, Haewon. Thank you for coming.”

“It is truly my pleasure, Your Highness. What a wonderful court you have! I was wondering if maybe someone, someone like Taesan could give me a tour?”

“Me?” Taesan’s eyes widened, the bewilderment written all over his features. He looked at the prince for help, and the disapproval was evident on his face when the prince gave in to Haewon’s suggestion, and sent him away to show your friend around. Then, the royal advisor let out a long sigh, but did as he was told.

Before they would disappear though, Haewon turned around to send you a wink, and you had to hold yourself from giggling aloud. She was so unbelievable, but in the best way possible.

When you looked back at Prince Sungho, you immediately melted into a puddle – it was his effect, it seemed. You could barely register that he asked a question, you were so occupied with the swirling feelings inside of you. You managed to pull yourself together and tell him about what you had been doing since you had last met. When you inquired about his side, he was quick to confess that the marriage offer was withdrawn.

“Why?” You asked immediately, both out of relief and surprise. You thought that when such offers were made, they would surely be finalised, but it seemed that it wasn’t always the case. Not that you knew a lot about marriage proposals…

“Apparently, I was not charming enough for the princess,” Prince Sungho answered matter-of-factly, no hint of disappointment in his voice, but you were hurt on his behalf as well.

“How? She was clearly blind then,” you exclaimed totally out of character, and you were about to apologise for your outburst when the prince let out a giggle beside you. You realised that you had missed hearing him laugh, hearing his voice, just being with him, and the warmth he carried around found its way into your heart again.

You smiled coyly seeing his reaction, but couldn’t help but ask another question.

“Why did you tell me?”

You were here for a reason, you were here because the prince had invited you, so you were certain that he had more to add to the story even though you were immensely relieved hearing that. You also felt a bit guilty for holding a grudge against him all this time when he had not been set on marrying a princess, at least he didn’t seem disappointed in the slightest.

He took his time to formulate his answer, but when he did, you were just as confused as relieved.

“Being a princess is not the only way to marry a prince. Not anymore.”

“What do you mean?” You furrowed your eyebrows, your heart thumping violently against your ribcage. You didn’t want to see more into his words than could be, but you couldn’t push down that hopeful surge of energy going through your body.

Prince Sungho boasted a somewhat content grin as he continued, his words proud and also a bit playful. You liked that look on him; when he was confident and light, his features as peaceful as they could be.

“I have just made my father approve of the new rules for royal marriage within the Fire Kingdom. Actually, it was my cousin, Prince Jaehyun, who begged me if we could tweak the law a little bit, but I felt like it was my time to speak up on the matter as well.”

You didn’t want to believe your ears at first. This was what you had been dreaming about, and yet, you needed one little confirmation to actually believe it:

“Is your cousin in love with a commoner just like you are?”

“Yes. Very much so,” he bobbed his head, and suddenly halted in his steps, so he could turn towards you. He reached for your hands to hold them in his, his touch electrifying you from head to toe. He was gentle, his touch was so gentle, even the way he looked at you was so tender and loving and caring, you felt your breath hitch in your throat.

“Yes, I am in love with you if that is why you were asking,” he confessed, keeping the eye-contact, so you could see how genuine and earnest he was. Your lips curled upwards immediately, and you felt like you could burst out in excitement.

“I-I don’t know what to say…”

“Maybe you can say that you feel the same way and let me hug you,” he suggested a bit teasingly, a lopsided smile appearing in the corner of his lips. Despite his suddenly playful attitude, you did just as he told, confirming that you were very much in love with him and hugged him tightly, sinking into this warm feeling, soaking in this happiness that seemed so far away once, but now it was all yours.

You didn’t even want to let it go, you didn’t want to let him go again.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this story of mine! Let me know what you think! 😊

Click here for my BND masterlist

If you want to read more stories of mine, let it be for BOYNEXTDOOR or for other artists, consider signing up for my taglist here. 🥰

Hope you have a lovely day/night! Take care! ❤️

26 notes · View notes

windvexer · 3 days ago

Note

What about seeing things, like the aura for example or spirits/presences, I guess like opening the "third eye"? Do you know any exercices that can be used to trying to developing this?

Are we in reference to this?

I do not believe "third eye" is an accurate term for what you're describing; I use the term psychism, because I believe that defines the sorts of things we're discussing. Similar terms for witchcraft may include having "one foot in another world," Second Sight (sometimes abbreviated as Sight or Seeing, as in the other day my friend Saw a spirit), or clair-senses (being a category that includes claircognizance, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and so forth).

All that being said I have many posts related to developing psychism and its related skills, several of which can be found in my pinned masterpost (try the divination and spirit work sub-headings).

Overall, I believe the best way to develop psychism is to have a well-balanced magical practice that includes learning trance, divination, energy work, spell work, and spirit contact; and throughout all of these operations, lend a constant eye towards trying to gain input that is received subtly and within.

Keep in mind that almost no one actually hallucinates spirits or auras (although the chance goes up if you're on a lot of neat drugs), and so the best focus is to turn your watchful eye within and discover what appears inside of you.

#answered

22 notes · View notes

darlingstarkey · 2 days ago

Text

challengers - rafe cameron

heavily inspired by challengers. except in this concept, rafe and reader are actually in love and don’t hate each other and have the intense angst that tashi and art do lol. i was listening to the soundtrack while writing this as well. very inspirational. please also be aware that i am not so good at tennis and have no concept of how an actual game works, so i’m trying my best. i was also high as balls writing half of this so excuse it if its bad.

summary: during an intense match where undefeated tennis star rafe cameron is losing to his rival, jackson maybank, a little break in between sets with reader is all he needs to get back into the headspace he needs to be in to win.

warnings: mdni! smut, swearing, oral (f. recieving), breeding kink if you squint, unprotected sex (pinv), jj maybank i guess?!, reader and rafe being cute but sexy.

wc: 2.3k

tennis star rafe cameron, who had already won this years us open, last years wimbledon, and would be competing in the australian open within the next year, nothing could ever stop him from breaking his undefeated record as a professional tennis player. but there he was, jackson maybank. rafe’s old doubles partner back in boarding school. they had a horrible fallout, especially when rafe went to stanford for tennis and met you, his support system and motivation to play. jackson decided to immediately go pro and failed to become successful miserably, therefore breaking up the duo. but the secret that only you three knew, was that jackson had always beat rafe.

at the charleston challenger, you had convinced rafe to join as a last minute wildcard entry, although he was way out of their league as the #1 mens player in the industry. but there it was, the final match was set between him and jackson. you could feel the tension between the two of them as they played their first game. rafe dominated the courts fearlessly, his grunts echoing across the court as he swung effortlessly. within a minute of their first game, “15-love, cameron.” the chair umpire called. a smirk widened across rafe’s face as he squatted into position and made intense eye contact with jackson from across the court. an already frustrated jackson looked over at you and gave you a quick wink before serving the ball that flies effortlessly across the court and beyond rafe’s control. “15-all.” the umpire calls out.

this was going to be a long, intense game.

the crowd filed in more and more as rafe and jackson kept getting more aggressive, their sweat collecting across their foreheads and sticking to their hair. grunts and painful moans danced across the court as they balanced the ball between each other. usually, you would watch rafe’s every move, willing to give him tips as to how he can improve next time. because thats who you were. his coach, his motivation. rafe would always listen to you and your advice, knowing that all you wanted was the best for him. not only were you the reason why he became the best of the best, the love and understanding that you two had for each other was fairytale like. no one had ever known a stronger couple than you and rafe.

you couldn’t help but sweat yourself as your head moved in synchronicity with the bright yellow ball. your palms were clamming up on the arms of the chair you were sitting on. everyone could not believe the intensity that was bouncing between jackson and rafe in front of their eyes, and honestly, you couldn’t either. it was the third game and they were already tied for each winning one set. the intensity continued as the two boys frolicked across the courts, mirroring each other effortlessly. rafe would look over to you and nod subtly in between points, knowing that his good luck charm is still around to grant him this win, that was until he succumbed to who was in front of him.

jackson had this backhand that had been pulled out of nowhere, making the ball sprint past rafe. this call made jackson win that entire set, giving him the advantage between the two men. “FUCK.” rafe exclaimed as he slammed his racket onto the floor. the wilson became bent with the first swing. you could see his muscles tense up and his jaw locked into anger as he continued to swing his racket forcefully onto the ground. jackson continued to smirk over at rafe, knowing where his weakness lies within the game from ages ago.

you sprint over to the gate where the court is, prepared to meet a very angry rafe cameron for his break. you had never been in this situation before, especially since it was jackson who was his opponent. you gulped as the 6’4 muscular man stomped over to you, angrily staring back at jackson who sat back in his chair smirking and adjusting his groin while staring at the both of you.

“w-w-what do you need, baby?” you ask him as you cup your hands between his tense jaw. you look up at him intensely with your wide eyes, almost desperately pleading to help him in anyway you can. his arms immediately snake around you as his sweaty body encapsulates you in a hug as he kisses your neck softly and deeply breathes in your pheromones.

“need you, baby.” he sighs into your ear, making sure that you’re the only one that could hear his plea. you pull away and nod frantically, knowing exactly what he’s referring to. you grab his hand and head over to the private locker room that they had given him as soon as the town of charleston realized that the number one tennis star would be playing in their petty challenger.

you follow rafe into the room, locking it behind you. you turn swiftly to rafe and notice him stripping his sweaty shirt off, revealing his glistening sore muscles that became prominent as the game went on and on today. you immediately walk behind him and rest your face on his back while wrapping your arms around his stomach. you slowly kiss his back where it is most prominent, knowing the aching pain that is not only within his muscles, but also his veins as he is faced to challenge his childhood best friend.

“i can’t believe he’s whooping my ass..” he finally admits out loud. you knew that this wasn’t easy for him, especially admitting to submission to jackson, someone who has always been better than him at his sport. your eyebrows furrow at his words. “rafe cameron.” you say, spinning him around. “he is not whooping your ass. he is only one set match ahead of you. do not let him underestimate you. you know his moves, you know the way he works. you are smarter than this, to give up. you, are rafe cameron. the all time tennis player, the number one player in the world. you can beat him, and you will beat him.” you say matter of factly while not breaking eye contact with rafe. with this, he knew you were right, but he just needed you to reassure him of this.

“god, i love you.” he sighs as he grabs your face roughly and kisses you deeply. you sigh into his mouth as his tongue slips into your mouth. while grasping the back of your hair roughly, he guides you to the bench that is set in the middle of the locker room. he gets on his knees in front of you as you lower yourself to sit on the bench. one of his hands leans down to fondle your breast as the other pulls at the back of your hair forcefully.

rafe roughly palms your breasts as he’s kissing down your neck. “mine.” he growls. “all mine.” he moans into the nape of your neck. his hands move to your shoulders and glide your silk dress straps off of your body. the top of your dress immediately falling and exposing your breasts. “such nice fuckin’ tits.” rafe says as he takes the view in. his mouth immediately attaches to your nipple as he rolls the other one between his thumb and finger “fuck, rafe. feels so good.” you say as your roll your body to be closer to him. he moans against your nipple, taking his other hand and running it down to meet your bare thighs. you moan at his touch, his rough calloused palms gripping roughly at your thighs. “wanna taste of you baby, i need to be able to still have your taste in my mouth while i’m out there kicking jacksons’ ass.” there he was. that was the rafe cameron you knew, the one who would do this at almost every match that he’s losing. where he would take you into his own private locker room and fuck you senseless, it always ended like this, and it was always how he won.

rafe hikes up your dress as he rips off your lacy pink underwear. “my favorite.” he says as he throws them across the room. putting your thighs on his shoulders, he swipes his fingers across your folds, collecting the nectar that built up. he sticks his fingers in his mouth and sucks loudly. “god, baby, you always taste so fuckin’ good for me.” he moans out. you whimper in response, hitching your breath as he attaches his tongue to your cunt. his tongue swirls around your entrance and swirls its way up to your puffy clit. your chest raises frantically as you pant out at the feeling of your sex god boyfriend eating you out like its the last meal he’s ever had.

you’re a whimpering mess under him as you tug at his hair. your eyebrows furrowed together and your pornographic-like face is only driving him more wild, driving the instinctive need to fuck you till you can’t walk out of here. your thighs start to tremble around his head, signalling your approaching orgasm. “r-rafe..gunna come soon, can i please” you choke out. his tongue continues to circulate around your clit at a quicker pace as a response, chasing your orgasm along with you. his large fingers slip into your entrance and start massaging at the squishiness of your walls. the squelches of your wet pussy echo in the room along with your whimpers and moans. the rise of your orgasm approaches you as the familiar euphoria engulfs your body. you melt into rafes touch and tremble as he finishes you off.

he pulls away from your wet center and looks up at you drunkenly, a line of his spit mixed with your cum following the trail of his mouth. “my sweet, sweet pussy.” he says as he licks his lips and playfully pats at your core.

rafe strips you from the halter dress that you’re wearing, leaving you barren while connecting your lips together hungrily. you can taste yourself on his lips and tongue as he engulfs you fully. stripping himself down, his cock smacks against his stomach as he groans at the release. “your pussy drives me crazy baby, its the only thing that can get me through this.” he whines as he scoops you up into his huge arms. your legs wrap around his barren waist as he lines his cock up with your entrance. “p-please rafe.. need you so bad.” you pant out, still coming down from your orgasm. your sweaty forehead pressed against his as his large dick stretches you out slowly. his large calloused hands are gripping your ass harshly as he bounces you up and down his dick, his strong legs holding the both of you up.

rafe’s dick pounds in and out of you swiftly, reaching your cervix every time. he drills into you grunting loudly. the only sounds within the room were your skins slapping against each other. “fuck, i’m gonna cum.” rafe panted out. “you gonna let me fill you up like the dirty whore you are? you gonna let the best tennis player in the world make you a mama?” he grunted as he pounded into you fiercely. you whimpered in return “y-yes rafe, fill me up with your cum please..” you whined against him, pulling at the hair that stuck to the nape of his neck with sweat

his eyebrows furrowed as his dick twitched inside of you, his loud grunts accompanied by the slapping of skin echoed in the locker room. “say it.” he groaned. your walls clenched against his cock as you experienced your second orgasm within 10 minutes. “rafe! you’re the best tennis player in the world.” you squealed out as you scratched his shoulders. with this, he emptied himself within you, panting and coming down from his orgasm as you milk his cock.

he sweetly kisses your forehead and smiles softly as he sets you down, both your legs trembling accompanied by your heavy breathing.

“you okay darlin’?” you ask sweetly, looking up at him innocently as you adjust your dress. rafe smiles down at you as he’s adjusting himself back into his adidas-sponsored gym shorts. he puts his polo shirt back on as he responds, “never been better.” you both dress and exchange comforting and loving words. the siren outside blares, reminding all that the winning set will be taking place within the next few minutes.

you sigh as you look at him, cupping your hand around his face and softly brushing back his bangs. “you got this, rafe. remember who you are.” you grin softly at him and kiss his lips softly.

with this, you both walk out of his locker room, hand in hand. you walk back over to your seat and fidget as you stare down rafe getting his racket back out and softly stretching out his back and arms that were just supporting your body as he fucked you only just a few minutes ago. getting into place, rafe walks over to his spot on the court confidently and stretches his legs. the rest of the crowd has already settled as the umpire climbs back onto their chair.

the silence is almost deafening as the crowd waits to see the two men compete against one another once again. the ball kid walks over to rafe as he hands him the ball smoothly. “cameron to serve.” the umpire calls out.

rafe bounces the ball up and down, staring down jackson with a smirk planted on his face. with his last dribble of the ball, rafe takes a quick glance over at you and locks his eyes with you before serving.

this took me days to write, but thats okay! hope you enjoy. writing smut is kinda hard so i'm open to any kind of feedback!

happy holidays!

#outerbanks rafe #rafe fanfiction #rafe cameron #rafe smut #rafe x reader #rafe obx #rafe outer banks #rafe imagine #rafe x reader smut #obx rafe cameron #obx #obx fanfiction #outer banks fanfiction #rafe cameron x female reader #outer bank

40 notes · View notes

tomikashii · 2 days ago

Text

tokyo debunker : oneshot

📖 titanic au: haru sagara x reader (2.93k words)

titanic au, first class! reader, third class! haru, social class differences, arranged marriage, implied mental abuse (not from haru), cheating, not in the tkdb universe, no stigmas, slight out of character, angst, tragedy, drowning & major character death

this is my first time writing angst and a oneshot in a while, enjooooooooooy 💌‼️

The first time you saw Haru, he was standing at the railing of the Titanic, his fiery red hair catching the sunlight like an ember refusing to burn out. His dark eyes, wide open and filled with curiosity, stared out at the horizon, as though he could see beyond the ends of the earth.

You had wandered from the suffocating opulence of the first-class dining room, desperate for air, and there he was—a splash of color and life against the cold steel of the ship. He turned, catching your gaze, and a slow, lopsided smile tugged at his lips.

“You look like you’re about to jump,” he said, his voice warm and soft.

You blinked, startled. “Excuse me?”

“You’re gripping that railing like it’s your lifeline,” he teased. “If you’re planning an escape, I wouldn’t blame you. This ship feels more like a cage than a luxury liner.”

You didn’t know how to respond. Nobody spoke to you like that— not your overbearing fiancé, nor your parents, who treated you like a doll to be polished and displayed. But this boy, with his eyes and untamed grin, saw through you like no one else ever had.

“You’re wrong,” you said, but your voice faltered.

“Am I?” He tilted his head, studying you with a quiet intensity. “What’s your name?”

“Y/N.”

“Y/N,” he repeated, as if tasting the sound. “I’m Haru. Haru Sagara.”

He didn’t offer a handshake, but something in the way he looked at you made you feel like you’d just crossed an invisible line.

—

Haru and you became inseparable in the days that followed. He took you to places on the ship you never knew existed—the bustling third-class deck where laughter and music flowed freely, the quiet engine room where the hum of the machinery felt like the heartbeat of the Titanic.

“You don’t belong up there,” he said one night, as you both sat on the deck beneath a blanket of stars. “With them.”

“And where do I belong?” you asked, your voice bitter.

“With me,” he said simply.

You laughed, though your chest ached. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Maybe,” he admitted, leaning closer. “But wouldn’t it be nice to stop pretending?”

His words were a knife through your armor. You turned to him, searching his face for any sign of jest, but his eyes were steady and sincere.

“I don’t know how,” You whispered.

“Then let me show you,” he said, his voice barely audible.

It was the first time he kissed you, his lips soft and trembling, as if he feared you might pull away.

You didn’t.

—

The night the iceberg struck, the world shattered. The ship groaned and cracked as the freezing water rushed in, chaos erupting around. Your fiancé grabbed your arm, shouting for you to get on a lifeboat, but you wrenched free.

“Haru!” You screamed, pushing through the panicked crowd.

When you found him, he was helping a little boy into a lifeboat, his face pale but determined.

His eyes locked onto yours as you ran to him, and for a moment, it felt like the chaos around you both have disappeared.

“Y/N,” he said, his voice breaking. “You need to get on a boat.”

“Not without you!” you cried, grabbing his hand.

He hesitated, his gaze flickering between you and the lifeboats. Then, with a nod, he pulled you close, his arms wrapping around you as if to shield you from the cold.

“We’ll figure it out,” he whispered. “Together.”

—

Amidst the silence of the sea, the screams around you were deafening.

The ship had tilted sharply by now, its deck slanted at a steep angle. Each step was a battle against gravity, every movement heavy and slow. But you pushed forward, knowing Haru's hand was tightly clutching yours, his eyes scanning the deck for any sign of hope, any chance of survival.

But there was none.

The lifeboats had already gone, drifting into the cold, black ocean, leaving only the desperate behind. A flare shot into the sky, bright and fleeting, lighting up the faces of those around you for just a moment before it disappeared, swallowed by the darkness.

You could hear the officers yelling, demanding the boats return, but there was nothing—no one to help, no way to escape. The shrieks of passengers filled the air, their bodies slipping across the slanted deck, crashing against obstacles with sickening thuds. The priest clutched the railing, leading prayers as others jumped, hoping their life jackets would save them from the icy waters below.

Haru's face was set with determination as he looked at you. "We need to get to the stern," he said urgently, his voice steady despite the chaos around him. "It’s our only chance."

You nodded, your heart hammering, and together you began to climb, pushing against the tilt of the deck. Water poured in from all sides, sweeping over the railings, dragging everything in its path. You fought against it, your muscles screaming as you gripped anything you could—doors, railings, anything to keep from being dragged back into the freezing water.

"I’m falling—!"

"I got you." Haru’s voice was a lifeline, pulling you up when your strength faltered, guiding you with steady hands.

The ship groaned beneath you, the metal creaking and screaming in protest as it began to split apart, its sound like the roar of a dying beast. It was terrifying, the worst sound you’d ever heard, but you kept moving, kept climbing, until you reached the stern, the ship’s rear rising high above the water.

“Quick. Climb over!” Haru urged, helping you over the railing. “Hold on tight. No matter what, don’t let go.”

You did as he said, fingers frozen against the cold metal. Your thoughts were a blur, your body numb from the cold as the stern tilted nearly vertical, towering above the sinking ship. Haru’s voice kept you grounded. He climbed beside you, his face close, his breath visible in the air.

“This is where we first met,” you whispered, your voice trembling. “Right here... on the stern.”

Haru gave you a small, sad smile. “And it’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said softly. His lips met yours briefly, a fleeting warmth in the cold night. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Y/N. I wouldn’t trade this for anything.”

“I love you,” you whispered, the words barely escaping your frozen lips, a lump thick in your throat. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “And I promise… after this night, you’ll be in a warm bed. In my arms. Safe. I won’t let go.”

“Har—”

The ship groaned again, louder this time, the stern lifting even higher. “Hold on tight!” Haru shouted over the deafening roar, pulling you close as the ship tilted further, the ocean threatening to swallow it whole.

You clung to the railing, your body pressed tightly against his, the cold winds biting through your clothes. The stars above, distant and indifferent, looked down as the universe silently watched the destruction unfold below. The ocean, dark and unforgiving, churned, waiting to take everything.

“I’ll never let go,” you whispered, your breath catching in your chest. “No matter what.”

“Together,” Haru promised, his voice steady even as the ship’s descent continued.

The ship groaned, and with a sudden, terrifying force, it plunged into the abyss, pulling you down with it. The cold hit you immediately, a shock to your body as you fought to swim, to reach the surface.

When your head broke through the water, you gasped for air, but all around you was chaos—people struggling, screaming, disappearing beneath the waves. You searched desperately for Haru, your heart racing.

And then you saw him, bobbing in the water, his eyes searching for yours. “Haru!” you cried, swimming towards him.

“Y/N! Are you okay?” he asked, his voice frantic as he kissed your face, over and over, desperate to keep you close.

But the cold was overwhelming. Your limbs felt heavy, your body succumbing to the freezing water. “I can’t... I can’t anymore.”

“No, Y/N! You can do it!” Haru shouted, reaching for your hand. “There! A piece of debris!”

He pulled you toward a floating piece of a door, guiding you through the freezing water. “Climb up!”

But your hands were numb, your vision blurry. As you tried to pull yourself up, the world around you grew dim, and everything became too heavy to fight against. You couldn’t feel the cold anymore—it was just the crushing weight of despair.

—

With every ounce of strength left in your frozen limbs, you managed to pull yourself onto the door, though your body trembled violently from the cold. Reaching out, you grabbed Haru's hand, trying to help him up, but the door tilted precariously, threatening to vanish beneath the water. That was when he made his choice.

“It’s fine,” Haru said softly, his voice fragile yet resolute. “Stay there. Don’t move.”

Instead, he stayed in the icy water beside you, his body acting as a shield, ensuring no one would try to take your place. His lips turned an unnatural shade of blue, and his face lost all color, becoming almost unrecognizable from the boy you knew.

“Haru,” you whispered, your chattering teeth betraying the rising panic in your voice.

“Don’t let go.”

“I won’t,” he replied, though the tremor in his voice gave him away. “I promise.”

But the sea didn’t care for promises. His hands, once so steady and warm, were now ice against yours as they clung to your shaking fingers.

“You’re going to live,” he murmured, barely loud enough to hear. “You have to. You need to.”

Tears welled in your eyes, but the cold stole them away before they could fall. Still, you refused to loosen your grip on him, clutching his hand as though it could keep him tethered to you, to life. “Since the day we met… all you’ve ever done… is save me.”

“And I’d do it again,” he stammered through shivering breaths, his words faltering as his strength faded. “A thousand times, I’d save you. You’re meant to keep going, Y/N. You’re not supposed to stay here.”

Your lips, cracked and numb, pressed softly against the back of his frozen hand. “I love you.”

His eyes, heavy with exhaustion, found yours. “I love you too.”

—

The watch on your left wrist said it was already past 2:00 a.m., yet time passed by in an excruciating crawl. It felt cruel, how the seconds dragged on now, each one mocking the brief moments that had truly mattered in your life. A life that, you realized, had stretched for years but had only really existed for three fleeting days.

“Haru?” you whispered after a long silence, turning to him and shaking his hand lightly. “Where do we go after this?”

But his eyes were closed now, his face unnaturally still, his body half-submerged in the freezing water. His skin had turned a pallid blue, his lips white and cracked. No… You shook him harder, panic rising in your chest as his face was as solid as a block of ice. “Haru!” you called out, your voice trembling at the suggestion of his current state. “Wake up! Please… wake up!”

Silence. Nothing but heartbreaking silence. The lack of response made you sob, but you still managed to pull his hand closer to your chest, feeling your heart being torn asunder as you looked at him.

“No, no, no… please, no…” You clutched him desperately, feeling the weight of his cold, unmoving body against the wood. “Haru, please. Please. Open your eyes. P-Please… You said you’d n-never let go.”

It struck you then, the devastating truth: you'd spent your entire life in the shell of existence, going through the motions of days, months, and years. But it was only when Haru had entered your world that you began to truly live. In those three days, you had felt everything—joy, love, terror, heartbreak. A lifetime compressed into a fragment of time. And now that fragment was slipping away, sinking beneath the icy waves.

Along with your quiet tears, the ocean around you had become lull as if a deathly silence fell over the waters. The shrieks and cries were no more, replaced by the soft lapping of the waves and the distant creaking of the lifeboats.

If not for the faint voice carried over the water, you would have passed out. But someone was calling out, a beam of light flashing your way, forcing you to stay awake. You turned your head, blinking away tears, and saw a lifeboat finally coming back. After what seemed like eons, the crew shone their lights around, searching for survivors, hoping to save anyone at all.

“Over here!” you screamed, waving your hand frantically as your voice wasn’t loud enough for anyone to hear. “Please, help us!”

The beam of light turned toward you, and you heard the oars slicing through the water as the lifeboat approached. Relief may have flooded through you, but then you looked back at Haru, his face still and peaceful, like he was sleeping.

“Miss, let him go,” one of the men in the lifeboat carefully said, reaching out to you. “He’s gone… you have to let go.”

“No!” you protested, holding onto Haru’s hand tighter, eyes filling up with tears again. “I can’t. I can’t let him go.”

“Please, miss,” the man urged, his voice softening into a pained tone. “You have to let go… or you’ll go down with him.”

Your chest tightened with agony, every fiber of your being screaming to hold on. To never let go. You promised him. You made a vow to him that you would figure everything out together. But as you looked at Haru's face, so serene in death, you knew he was already gone. He had left long before you could say goodbye.

Tears streamed down your face as you leaned down, pressing a final kiss to his cold, unresponsive lips. “I love you,” you whispered, voice breaking into a sob. “I’ll never forget about you.”

You had spent years waiting for something—anything—to give your life meaning. And Haru had been the answer. Three days of love, laughter, and connection, and now it was over. You were left with decades ahead of you, but you knew you would spend every moment of them feeling hollow, like the best part of you had already lived and died in those few, precious days.

With trembling hands, you released your grip on his hand, watching as his body slowly slipped beneath the icy water, sinking into the heart of the ocean. Your heart shattered as you watched him disappear, Haru, the love of your life slipping away forever.

The men wrapped a blanket around you, their voices barely registered in your mind as they asked if you were okay.

But you weren’t. You would never be the same again. You stared out into the endless, dark sea, where Haru had disappeared, knowing a piece of you had gone with him, lost forever in the cold, unforgiving waters of the Atlantic.

How could you return to a life that had stretched for years but had only ever felt real for three days?

#tokyo debunker #mc tokyo debunker #tokyo debunker oneshot #haru sagara x reader #haru sagara #haru sagara x mc #jabberwock #tokyo debunker angst #tokyo debunker fic #I AM NOT OKAY #tkdb #incorrect tokyo debunker #tokyo debunker au

16 notes · View notes