#of sorrows and brighter tomorrows | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

vanteguccir · 4 months ago

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── ୨୧ !　𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗕𝗢𝗬

　　　　　　　　𝒄𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐 x reader

SUMMARY: When Chris is starting to come to terms with the horrible idea that he will have to spend his birthday away from Y/N, a surprise takes him, literally, by surprise.

WARNING: Making-out.

REQUESTED?: No.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: That is my work, I DON'T authorize any plagiarism, copy, or "inspiration"! | English isn't my first language, so I'm sorry if there's any grammar error.

A/N²: A small story only to warm up for their birthday! I'm going to post more tomorrow 🩷

　　　༻✦༺ 　༻✧༺　༻✦༺

The day before the triplets' 21st birthday in Boston was marked by a mix of nostalgia and melancholy for Chris. Despite the bustling energy of their family home, Chris couldn't shake off the heavy feeling of absence. Matt and Nick seemed to be in higher spirits, enjoying their time back home, but Chris felt an emptiness that gnawed at him relentlessly.

Chris had always been too close to Y/N, his girlfriend, who had remained in LA due to her college classes. And as he sat in the living room, watching his family laugh and share stories, Chris couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sadness. He missed Y/N's laughter, her presence, the way she made every moment brighter.

The fact that she couldn’t be there for such a significant milestone made him feel both sad and angry, though he knew it wasn’t her fault. College was important, and he respected her dedication to her studies.

The house was filled with the comforting smells of home-cooked meals and the familiar sounds of family. Chris held his phone in his hand, scrolling through old pictures of him and Y/N, trying to fill the void with memories of their time together.

His thumb paused on a picture Nick took of them at American Ninja Warrior, both of them grinning widely at the camera. It had been taken just a few weeks ago, during their filming. He could almost hear her laugh, see the way her eyes sparkled in the neons light. The longing in his heart intensified, making him feel even more isolated despite being surrounded by his loved ones.

Mary Lou noticed her son's downcast demeanor very quickly, and as soon as she got a little space, she went to sit beside him.

"Chris, honey, what's wrong? You’ve been so quiet all day." She said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, caressing the area.

Chris sighed, leaning into his mother's comforting touch.

"I just miss Y/N, Mom. I know she has classes and all, but it feels wrong to be celebrating without her." He tried to smile, lowering his eyes.

"I understand, sweetheart." Mary Lou gave him a sympathetic smile. "But remember, she’s always with you in spirit. And you’ll see her soon enough. Try to enjoy this time with your family. It’s been so long since we were all together like this."

He nodded, appreciating her words but still feeling the weight of Y/N’s absence. He knew he should be more present, more engaged with his family, and the guilt of not doing that weighted above him, but his thoughts kept drifting back to LA, to the love of his life.

That night, Chris lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The house was quiet now, everyone else had gone to sleep, tired from the day's activities. He picked up his phone again, contemplating sending Y/N another message. They had exchanged texts throughout the day, but he didn’t want to seem too needy or make her feel guilty for not being there.

Instead, he decided to call her. The phone rang a few times before she picked up, her voice soft and sleepy.

"Hey, honey." She murmured. "Is everything okay?"

Hearing her voice brought a rush of comfort and a pang of sorrow to Chris, a smile taking over his features automatically.

"Hi, babe. Yeah, everything’s fine. I just... I miss you. I wish you were here." His voice sounded soft and lower than usual.

"Oh, babe, I miss you too." She said, and he could hear the sincerity in her voice. "I wish I could be there, Chris. I really do. But I promise, we’ll celebrate when you get back, okay?"

Chris sighed, closing his eyes for a few seconds before reopening them, looking at her contact name glowing on the small screen.

"I know. I just... It’s hard, you know? Being here without you. It doesn't feel right."

"I know, babe. But you’re surrounded by family, and they love you. Try to have a good time, for them. And for me." He almost could listen her sweet smile across the phone.

He nodded, even though she couldn’t see him, breathing deeply.

"I’ll try. I just can’t wait to see you."

"Me too. Get some rest, pretty boy. Tomorrow's a big day. I love you." She whispered softly, the sound of sheets moving around echoing in the background.

"I love you too, Y/N. Goodnight." He muttered quietly, biting his bottom lip slightly.

As he hung up the phone, Chris felt a mixture of emotions. He tried to focus on the next day as he drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the day he’d be back in Y/N’s arms.

Unbeknownst to Chris, Y/N had been planning something special. She had spent the last few weeks organizing a surprise that she hoped would make up for her absence. She knew how much this milestone meant to him and his brothers, and she wanted to be a part of it in any way she could.

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

The morning of the triplets' birthday dawned crisp and clear in Boston. Mary Lou was already in the kitchen, bustling about as she prepared a grand breakfast. The aroma of sizzling bacon, freshly baked muffins, and brewing coffee filled the house, a warm and welcoming scent that promised a day full of celebration.

Jimmy and Justin had gone to the grocery store to pick up some last-minute items needed for the big birthday lunch they were planning. The house was alive with activity, everyone playing their part in making this day special.

Matt and Nick had left early, driving to the airport to pick up Y/N. They had been in on the surprise from the start, eager to help bring a genuine smile to Chris's face. The drive was filled with excitement and a few playful jabs at how Chris would react, trying to imagine his expression when he saw Y/N in their home. Y/N herself was a bundle of nerves and anticipation, her heart racing at the thought of surprising Chris. She had barely slept after their call, her mind buzzing with plans and excitement.

As Matt and Nick’s car pulled up to the curb at the airport, Y/N spotted them and waved excitedly, a big smile on her face. They greeted her with warm hugs and excited chatter, filling her in on the plans for the day.

The drive back to the house was filled with lively conversation, Y/N asking about every little detail of their plan, wanting everything to be perfect. Matt and Nick reassured her that everything was set and that their parents were in on the surprise, ready to welcome her with open arms.

As they drove through the streets of Boston, Y/N suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, Matt? Can we stop by a flower shop?" She asked, a hint of urgency in her voice while her eyes kept watching the landscape moving quickly through the window. "I want to get something special for Chris."

Matt and Nick exchanged a glance, then nodded.

"Sure, we can do that." Matt said, turning the car toward the nearest florist he knew all too well from the times his father used to bring them there to buy some flowers for Mary Lou.

The flower shop was a charming little place filled with the vibrant colors and sweet scents of countless blooms. Y/N spent a few minutes selecting the perfect bouquet, a beautiful arrangement of Chris's favorite flowers. She wanted it to be just right, a small token of her love and the effort she put into making his day special.

When they finally pulled back into the driveway, Y/N's heart felt like it might burst from her chest. She took a deep breath, clutching the bouquet tightly, and followed Matt and Nick into the house.

Mary Lou greeted her with a warm hug, kissing her face with excitement and whispering words of encouragement. They placed her surprises in the living room, the bouquet taking center stage among the carefully wrapped gifts.

Y/N took a deep breath, looking at the family for a last time before climbing the stairs slowly, each step heightening her anticipation.

Chris's door was slightly ajar, and she peeked in to see him still asleep, his form cocooned under the heavy blankets. She slipped into the room quietly, closing the door softly behind her. The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow on Chris's peaceful face.

Y/N approached the bed, her movements slow and deliberate. She carefully lay down beside him, positioning herself so she could watch him without disturbing his sleep. For a long moment, she just observed him, taking in every detail. His dark hair was tousled, and there was a softness to his features that only appeared when he was at rest. She felt a swell of affection as she noted the faint smile on his lips, wondering if he was dreaming of something pleasant.

The room was quiet except for the rhythmic sound of his breathing. Y/N reached out, her fingers barely brushing his cheek before she drew them back, not wanting to wake him too abruptly. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body, a comforting presence that she had missed so much. Her heart ached with a mix of love and longing, overwhelmed by the sight of him so close yet so unaware of her presence.

After what felt like an eternity, Y/N leaned in closer, her lips hovering near his ear.

"Chris." She whispered softly, her voice barely more than a breath. "Wake up, pretty boy."

Chris stirred slightly but didn't open his eyes, better accommodating his position.

"Five more minutes, babe." He mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. There was a pause, and then his eyes snapped open. "Wait, babe?" He lifted his head from the pillow, and when he saw Y/N lying beside him, his eyes widened in shock, his body sitting up abruptly. "Y/N?"

She smiled, tears of happiness welling in her eyes, sitting up to be on the same level as him.

"Happy birthday, Chris." She said, her voice filled with warmth and love.

Chris blinked a few times as if trying to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Then, a broad smile spread across his face, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Baby, oh my God! I can't believe you're here!" He exclaimed, his voice a mix of joy and disbelief.

"I wouldn't miss your birthday for anything." She replied, hugging him back just as tightly. "I wanted to surprise you."

Chris pulled back slightly, looking at her with a mixture of awe and adoration.

"This is the best birthday present ever." He said, his eyes shining with happiness. "I was so sad you couldn't be here, and now... you're really here."

Y/N laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.

"I'm here, Chris. I'm really here, and I'm not going anywhere else." She whispered, her thumb caressing his forehead softly, traveling to his brows and cheek bones. "Okay?"

"I've missed you so much." He muttered, his hands snaking up her shoulders to her face, cupping her cheeks, his fingers threading into her hair, and finally brought his lips crashing down onto hers in a hard, heated kiss. The intensity of it took her breath away, her knees going weak as she clung to him for support, her hands lowering to his jaw.

Chris kissed her with a desperation that spoke of all the days they had been apart, his lips moving against hers with a raw, unrestrained passion. His hands moved to her waist, gripping her tightly as he pulled her onto his lap, settling her straddling him. The closeness sent a shiver down her spine, and she could feel the rapid thud of his heart against her chest, mirroring her own.

Y/N's hands tangled in his hair, tugging gently as she kissed him back with equal fervor. The kiss deepened, their tongues meeting in a heated dance that left them both gasping for air. Chris's hands roamed over her back, pulling her closer as if trying to erase the distance that had been between them. He groaned softly against her lips, a sound that sent a rush of warmth through her.

Y/N could feel the world spinning around her, her senses overwhelmed by Chris's touch, his taste, his scent. His hands were everywhere, touching, caressing, exploring, and killing all the bad feelings he felt away from her.

When they finally broke apart, gasping for air, Chris buried his head in the crook of her neck, his breathing ragged hitting against her skin.

"I love you so much, babe." He whispered against her skin, his voice thick with emotion. "You have no idea how much I've missed you. This is the best gift I could ever ask for."

Y/N's heart swelled with love and tenderness as she held him close, feeling his vulnerability and happiness. She could feel his tears wetting her skin, and she gently stroked his back, comforting him.

"Oh, honey, don't cry." She whispered, her voice soft while her hands traveled to his hair, massaging his curls. "I love you. So much."

They stayed like that for a long moment, wrapped up in each other, their hearts beating in sync. Eventually, they pulled apart, and Chris took a deep breath, his heart feeling lighter than it had in days.

"Come on." He said, his voice switching to one full of excitement. "Let's go downstairs, I can smell breakfast from here."

taglist:

@lustfulslxt @ladybunny44 @earth2starkey @freshloveforthefit @sturniolowhore @luvr4miya @alorsxsturn @urfavgirllyyyyy @hearts4chriss @cupidzsq @junnniiieee07 @lightsgore @gidgett11037 @soimightlikeoldmen69 @ldr-sl0t @its-jennarose @sainzzsturns @soso-scarlettolivia @bitchydragonparadise @freshsturns @h3arts4harry @patscorner @strnilolo @bernardsbendystraws @poetatorturadaa @meg-sturniolo @orangeypepsi @jnkvivi @chrisactualwife @fratbrochrisgf @elordilover @somegirlfromasgard @hpyjw @colorthecosmos444 @thewhispersofthewaves @mattslolita @imwetforyourmom @mrl217 @delilahsversion @sturnsmia @mattsfavbitchhh @sturnioloshacker @soursturniolo @blahbel668 @sarosfilms @moncherriis @tobesolonelyjess @zayyluvz @littlemisswhore

(If you want to be added to the taglist, go to this post)

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ghadasaftawi · 5 months ago

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A Broken Abacus and a Hungry Mind

My son, Osama , used to spend hours with his worn abacus, his tiny fingers clicking away, solving problems with a furrowed brow and a triumphant grin. School was his sanctuary, a place where the world outside faded away as he devoured stories and built imaginary space rockets with his friends. But the war came like a cruel storm, shattering the windows of his classroom and leaving behind a hollow echo where laughter once rang. His abacus, once a symbol of his budding genius, lies broken on the floor, a silent witness to the destruction. Now, a dull ache sits in Osama's eyes. a ghost in a place that used to brim with life. His mind, once hungry for knowledge, feels empty, a vast emptiness that mirrors the broken walls. Me as a mother, feel helpless. We fight back tears, trying to shield him from the harsh reality. But deep down, we fear this stolen education will leave a permanent scar on his future. With your help, though, we can rebuild. Each donation is a brick laid anew, a whispered promise of a brighter tomorrow. We can refuel his curiosity and watch his mind flourish once more. Please, help us ignite the spark of learning again. Let the click-clack of the abacus return, and fill his eyes with the joy of discovery, not the sorrow of loss. Together, we can build a future where bombs are replaced with books, and dreams have room to take flight.

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mako-neexu · 8 months ago

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"surely this time i will be normal for one day"

[suddenly remembers prison tower is supposed to end you bc goetia planned it but dantes took on the role of being your abbe faria and became your tiny light of hope in this prison of despair because he himself knows better than anyone how it feels to be an innocent soul, to be dragged and trapped in a life of despair, betrayal, and be casted away in a hell where madmen dont come out alive and so saves you by killing him, "the one who escaped the chateau d'lf", he's also summoned initially as a tool to kill you but dantes, initially being just a shadow, made ogawa heim because 'fuck u goetia' and caught feelings seeing guda's iron determination so fought alongside them and against the one who gave him a demon worm in his head. and just as he became your tiny light of hope in prison tower, you get to see him casually admit guda is his "destiny" and saw them as someone who is "radiant" after going through everything with them…like you know, a star. thats why both his np refer to guda in the new saint graph. because a star burns brighter than flames, more dazzlingly than fire that he himself is in awe of you and made a new alt solely because of you, inspired by you, even as he hurt himself by creating a new spirit origin, because his wish is solely for you to see the end of your journey and reach antarctica, because guda is a person -is a living human - who wants to see tomorrow and thus he split himself into two- or rather assigned himself and his other self in the singularity "count of determination (to bring about the 7 tribulations)" and as the "count of regret (you, his worry, who has to go through this harsh journey)". count of determination is the one who enacted the trials, because he is the spirit origin who is a ruthless murderer from his revenge story and thus must make sure guda goes through the merciless trials to go forward, yet count of regret is still worried all the same for guda considering the dangers of creating this world and with cagliostro around and other unpredictable variables, and in this ongoing journey thats why "black shadow" count is still on the look out for you. and in these trials he is both your ally and enemy that you must overcome because he wants!! you!! to move forward!!! even as you face your most trusted betray you, overcoming despair and hatred even as you drown in hopelessness seeing those you love die, overcoming his flames and as he extends a hand out and tempt you into a life where where you are a god of revenge, reaching an end that you hope for- a tomorrow that you want. (because we dont know what happened to the "real" dantes whereas dumas' version wrote that love extinguished his flames, and so left france behind with haydee. a fictional happy end that most likely didnt apply to the real dantes given his attitude to dumas and his version of the story since they never interacted again beyond dumas talking about writing his tale. )

an end that also isnt part of the famous Avenger, Count of Monte Cristo summoned to the grand order, only the popular interpretation/parts that people remember the most engraved in his spirit origin. and for him, this avenger, this part of his life where he is at his lowest who became your tiny light of hope in that prison tower, despite burning with eternal hatred chose love time and time again, save you, help you time and time again, because he doesnt want you to end up like him. one who has lost all things precious to you and so turning into a life of vengeance and blood, burning everything to cinders until you as well consume yourself, losing yourself in the process, becoming an empty shell, quietly dying as emptiness and quietness takeover the aftermath of those flames. you, as radiant as a star, don't deserve that kind of fate. you, his accomplice, his co-conspirator should never succumb to or have that kind of fate where only hate, sorrow and despair awaits you at the end nor does he want your journey to be at a standstill, idle, where you are helpless the more this story- this journey drags on and unable to move forward because of forces beyond your control.]

[through my teeth/clenches my fists] "oh. okay. so we're doing this now. okay."

#fate grand order #fgo #edguda #in my opnion www #feel free to correct me bc i typed this without stopping akwfnskdgh #cut also because i realize its ridiculously long #guda #edmond dantes #ordeal call chapter 2 spoilers

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urdgealesisbaby · 10 months ago

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Hii :)

Can I request a scenario with Mika, Ferid, Crowley and Guren where their s/o is suicidal and how they feel about it?

(sorry if it is too disturbing)

Thanks in advance <3

Hello! Sure thing! It isn't disturbing,I wanna write what makes you comfortable and that's just it!

So thank you for the request!

WARNING! SUICIDAL THEMES!

How Mikaela Hyakuya,Ferid Bathory,Crowley Eusford and Guren Ichinose react to their suicidal s/o

Mikaela Hyakuya

As Mika returns home from a mission, he notices the exhaustion etched into his s/o's features.

They try to smile, but it doesn't quite reach their eyes.

Concern gnaws at Mika's heart as he sits them down, gently probing to uncover the root of their distress.

When they finally confess their thoughts of self-harm, Mika's world shatters. He feels a surge of panic, grappling with the weight of their pain.

Despite his own fears, Mika vows to be their rock, staying by their side through the darkest of nights.

He spends sleepless hours researching therapy options and support groups, determined to find a way to bring light back into their life.

Ferid Bathory(may be too OC but bear with me)

Ferid lounges languidly on his couch, idly flipping through a magazine as his s/o sits across from him, lost in their own thoughts.

Their sudden silence piques Ferid's curiosity, prompting him to inquire about their well-being. When they confess their struggles with suicidal thoughts, Ferid's facade cracks.

Beneath his suave exterior lies a maelstrom of emotions - guilt, fear, and a strange sense of vulnerability.

He pulls them into a tight embrace, promising to do whatever it takes to help them find peace. Deep down,

Ferid wrestles with his own demons, haunted by memories of loved ones lost to despair.

Crowley Eusford

Crowley's sharp gaze softens as he watches his s/o from across the room, sensing the weight of their invisible burden.

When they finally open up about their struggles, Crowley's heart clenches with a mixture of sorrow and frustration.

He feels a surge of protectiveness wash over him, vowing to shield them from the darkness threatening to consume them.

Crowley throws himself into action, scouring every corner of the city for resources and support networks.

He may not always show it, but his love for his s/o burns fiercely, driving him to fight tooth and nail for their happiness.

Guren Ichinose

Guren returns home late, his mind still reeling from the day's battles. He finds his s/o sitting alone in the dimly lit living room, their expression distant and hollow.

Guren's instincts kick into overdrive as he approaches them, his usual stoicism crumbling in the face of their pain.

When they confess their struggles with suicidal thoughts, Guren's world grinds to a halt.

He feels a surge of helplessness clawing at his chest, but he refuses to let it consume him. Guren pulls them into a tight embrace, silently promising to be their anchor in the storm.

Though he may stumble along the way, Guren is determined to walk alongside them, guiding them towards a brighter tomorrow.

Thanks for requesting and if you liked these,make sure to request again!:)

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sorceresssundries · 5 months ago

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Gale's poem for @nocturnes-posts's Zagreus - the Oath of Vengeance Paladin <3

Is there nothing sweeter than vengeance? You asked, so I plucked you ripe fruit. Is there nothing as fierce as a blade? You asked, so I offered you my love. Is there nothing as certain as death? You asked, so I promised you the sunrise. And the next one, and another. I would slip the light from the moon. Gather its silver in my fingers And forge you a future Brighter than the prayer-lit blade Of any sword you could wield, Of any smite, blow, or shield.

I have carved out my sorrow, And sworn my own oath. We will be here tomorrow, There is light enough for us both.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 gale #gale bg3 #paladin bg3 #gale fanfic #bg3 fanfic #Baldurs Gate 3

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rocknroll7575 · 4 months ago

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Jaune, Gillian, Cardin, and Ashara began packing their gear, readying themselves to join Nora, SSSN, RWBY, and the others outside the Village. They were preparing to face Jax and the rest of the crown in a battle that would determine their future.

Aurora approached her father, her face etched with concern. "Do you really have to go?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Jaune looked at her, his eyes filled with determination. "You know I do, sweetheart. I have to make sure this plan works," he replied, his tone firm but gentle.

Aurora's brow furrowed with worry. "And what about Uncle Jax? What will you do about him?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jaune took a deep breath, releasing it in a heavy sigh. "You know what we have to do about him," he said, his expression pained.

"But why?" Aurora pleaded. "He doesn't have to die. What good will it do if he's gone?"

"It's going to stop this chaos, all of it," Jaune replied, his voice steady, though his heart ached.

"Is it?" Aurora challenged, her eyes searching his for answers.

Jaune shook his head slowly. "Aurora, you may not understand it now, but you will in the future," he told her, his voice filled with a mix of sorrow and resolve.

Aurora's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she looked at her father. "I just want everyone to be happy," she whispered.

"I know, sweetie," Jaune said softly, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I know."

As Jaune, Gillian, Cardin, and Ashara finished their preparations, the weight of the coming battle hung heavy in the air. They knew the risks, but they also knew what was at stake. With one final glance at his daughter, Jaune steeled himself for what lay ahead, hoping that one day Aurora would understand the sacrifices they made for a better future.

Aurora stood at the edge of the town, watching as her parents and their companions disappeared into the distance. Worry etched deep lines into her young face—not just for her parents but also for her uncle. She understood the gravity of his actions, knew that what he was doing was wrong and needed to be stopped, but the thought of him dying filled her with dread.

Her heart ached at the conflicting emotions swirling within her. She wanted him to be part of the future everyone always talked about, the brighter tomorrow they were all fighting for. Despite his misguided choices, he was still family. And family was supposed to stick together, to keep each other safe.

Tears welled up in Aurora's eyes as she whispered to the empty air, "Please, come back safe... all of you." She clung to the hope that somehow, they could find a way to end the conflict without more loss, without having to say goodbye forever to someone she loved.

Her uncle might be on the wrong side of things now, but in her heart, she believed in redemption, in second chances. He was family, after all. And no matter what, she held onto the belief that family could find their way back to each other, even from the darkest of paths.

As she turned back towards the village, the weight of the world seemed to rest on her small shoulders. She knew the road ahead was fraught with peril, but she also knew that hope was a powerful force. And for her, hope meant believing in a future where her family could be whole again.

#rwby meme #rwby #jaune arc #aurora arc #rwby rising dawn au #rwby knightscrown

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hheaven-sentt · 4 days ago

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blood and bone III

summary: vulnerability leads to injury. sometimes, injuries can heal with minimal scarring | leon kennedy x gn!reader

word count: 4.8k

warnings: mentions of violence and gore, alcohol consumption, language, two idiots in love, angst for a bit, mentions of regrets and a bit of self loathing, reveal about reader (i have been planting the seeds of it omg i'm so excited)

notes: part 3 as promised omg i feel unstoppable | ao3

one | two

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It feels like there’s a hole in your chest. You go through the motions, not paying attention to much else. It feels good to throw yourself into your work. There’s nothing else keeping you steady anymore. The sting of rejection hangs heavy on your skin, it’s all you can think about. Does Leon know? Does he know that you want to know him as intimately as you know guts and sinew? Does he know how bad it hurts to know that he won’t let you?

“You’re being dramatic,” Rebecca says. You look at her through your lashes over the files you’re examining. “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad,”

You sigh. No, perhaps it wasn’t. “I don’t know,”

Rebecca frowns, contorting her soft features into some kind of sympathy, and leaves you to your sorrow.

Your apartment is so empty when you return to it. It’s always been this way, but it somehow feels worse now. Before your trip to New York, you’d had something to hope for. You felt a bit brighter. Now, you feel as empty as the living room of your place. It’s too cold here.

You collect your forgotten glass from last night. There’s a bit of liquor still loose in the bottom. You wash it out in the sink and place the glass on the counter. You feel like crying.

Everything is too much. The case that is no longer yours lives in your brain, Leon’s rejection weighs down your bones, and you feel more alone than you have in months.

You don’t even realize you’re crying until the salty taste runs over your lips. Tears claw at your throat, feeling like barbed wire scratching at your insides. You try to blink them away, but it just makes their assault worse. With a sigh, you sink to the floor. You feel pathetic, crying on your kitchen linoleum. There's nothing worse than crying alone in a place not meant for tears. You breathe in deeply, feeling empty with each intake. You put your head in your hands.

It’s then that your phone rings. With a groan, you stand, snagging the phone from where it rests on the counter. You flip it open with one hand.

“Hello?” you ask, sniffing aggressively in order to maintain some sort of composure.

“You okay?” Rebecca’s voice, soft and delicate, drifts into your ear from the speaker.

“Yeah,” you lie. “Place is real dusty, made the mistake of kicking it all up,”

With a small laugh, Rebecca continues. “I just wanted to remind you of the gala tomorrow night. The whole team is going, which includes you, so wear something nice,”

You roll your eyes. “I think I’ll sit this one out. Those places make me anxious anyway,”

“No way,” Rebecca says. “You have to come. You’re, like, the guest of honor,”

You frown deeply, scrunching your features together in what looks like a wince. A gala is the last thing you need right now. It really sounds like your worst nightmare.

“He’ll be there,” Rebecca says. You frown more.

“Is that supposed to convince me to come?” you ask, picking at a piece of the counter that’s peeling up.

“When’s the last time you saw him?”

“Probably a month ago,” you say, pursing your lips. “Haven’t seen him since we got back from New York,”

“Yikes,” Rebecca says. You roll your eyes. She doesn’t know the half of it. “Just wear something nice, okay? I expect to see you decked out in all your best jewels,”

“Right, because I’m known for those,” you joke.

She bids you goodbye, and you stare at the shadows on your floor cast by your body in the light of the rangehood. You don’t even know what you would say to Leon. An apology doesn’t seem quite right, neither does pretending nothing ever happened. If anything, you’re sort of hoping he ignores you completely. That would be much easier than pretending to enjoy small talk.

With a groan, you take yourself to bed. This is something you can think about in the morning.

The sunlight does not shed any new perspective on the situation. You’re hopelessly staring at your closest, running through your options of what to wear.

“This is childish,” you mumble to no one in particular, and thread through your clothes to find a simple button down and pleated pants. They will have to do.

You dress quickly. You’re stuffing your shirt into your pants when a button pops off. It lands with a clang against your mirror. You groan, a long, drawn out sound that releases some of your tension. Why can’t anything go right for you on days like this? You reach down to pick up the fallen button, choosing to discard it on your nightstand. Maybe you could figure out how to sew it back on. It can’t be much different than sewing up a wound, right?

The taxi ride to the banquet hall is silent, save for the staticky noise of the radio. The cabbie doesn’t speak, and you prefer it that way. There’s not much for you to say anyway, at least in terms of small talk. You’re not exactly keen on sharing your pathetic situation either. So you remain silent until you pull up to the building. Checking your pockets for your necessities, you push out of the cab. It’s starting to drizzle, so you hurry inside.

You find Rebecca quickly, wearing a beautiful tan dress that hugs her figure well. You suddenly feel frumpy. The cuffs of your sleeves are fraying, your shoes are a size too small, and your pants barely brush the tops of your feet. Maybe you should’ve just stayed home.

“You made it!” Rebecca cheers, shoving a glass of champagne into your hand. “I wasn’t entirely sure you would,”

You force a smile, and say, “Me neither,”

She grins at you, threading her arm through yours. She drags you amongst the other guests, greeting the ones she knows and introducing herself to the ones she doesn’t. You admire her ability to fit into any space. There’s no evidence to suggest that she has ever seen horror, no clues that point to sorrow running in her veins. You cannot say the same for yourself. You’re fidgety, uncomfortable, and try your best not to speak to others. Your eyes shift across the ballroom, looking at the hundreds of heads that are crammed into the space. It makes you frown.

“Doing okay?” Rebecca asks. You nod. “We can find somewhere to sit?”

“You keep mingling,” you say, pulling your arm free from her. “Come find me when it gets boring,”

She flashes you a smile that has lingering worry, and lets you drift into the crowd. This is the last place you want to be, and she knows it. You find an empty table near a big window. The curtains are drawn back, and you can see the rain beginning to pelt down onto the courtyard outside. You’re not sure how long you watch the rain fall, casually sipping your champagne. The screech of a chair being pulled out beside you draws you back to reality.

Leon looks handsome, albeit uncomfortable, in his pressed suit. He fidgets with the cuffs of his jacket as he sits, pointedly avoiding eye contact with you. You swallow hard.

“You looked lonely,” he says, adjusting in his chair. “Figured you could use some company,”

“I appreciate the kindness,” you say, setting your glass onto the table. He finally levels his gaze on you, and a chill snakes down your spine. “I’m alright, though,”

“Maybe I just wanted an excuse to get away from the crowd,” he says, half smiling.

You’re not sure what to say, so you don’t say anything. You turn your gaze back to the throng of people casually conversing like nothing bad has ever happened. The thought makes you frown. Of all the horrors and devastation you’ve seen, this has got to be the worst. People mingling and drinking like others aren’t dying a few states away.

“Weird, isn’t it?” Leon’s voice pulls you back to him. It’s a bit gruff and worn, like he’s been talking all night. Maybe he has. “Seeing people dance and laugh and be so care free?”

You nod. “They have no idea what’s out there,”

“No, they don’t,” he says, trailing his eyes over your crossed legs. “Maybe it’s better that way,”

“Maybe,” you muse, reaching for your glass again. It was half full before Leon sat down; it’s now almost completely empty. Your mouth feels dry.

“How’ve you been?” Leon asks, leaning forward, forearms on his knees. You watch him carefully, like he’s hiding something.

“Fine,” you say. You’re not sure why the words come out so clipped. You can’t find it in yourself to be sorry, though. He wants arm’s length? That’s what you’ll give him. “You?”

He frowns. “I’m alright. Just haven’t heard from you,”

“Didn’t know you wanted to,” you say. The lines around his mouth deepen, and you want to kiss them away.

“Are we back to this, then?” he asks. You feel his gaze on every inch of your skin. You feel suddenly exposed, raw. You frown.

“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” you ask, swallowing. “Easier that way,”

You’re not sure why you throw the words back in his face, but you don’t exactly regret it. He watches you like he’s studying you.

“Is that what you want?” he asks, voice low and delicate, like he’s treading uncharted waters. You suppose that’s exactly what he’s doing.

You frown. “You said it. Not me,”

“But is that what you want?”

You don’t know. You want him to give you more than surface level. You want him to be open with you. You want him to laugh at your jokes, and sit on your couch, and help you cook dinner. You want him to know you.

“I don’t know, Leon,” you say. Something sparks in his eyes, an emotion you can’t quite place.

He’s silent for a while before asking, “What’s your sister’s name?”

You gape at him. “Angela,”

“Did you like having a sibling growing up?” he asks, scooting his chair a few inches closer.

You smile a bit. “Sometimes. Other times, I wanted her to disappear. Y’know, sibling quarrel and all that,”

“I don’t, actually,” he says. You furrow your brow. “I didn’t have any siblings,”

“Oh,” you say, because there’s not much else you can say. “You’re welcome to have mine, if you like,”

He laughs then, bright and wide. “I think I’m alright. I’ve learned to like being alone,”

“What did you do?” you ask. “Before everything, I mean,”

He contemplates your question for a moment, like he’s deciding if he wants to share pieces of himself with you. “I was a cop,”

“Noble,” you say, smiling. “That tracks,”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing,” you say, sighing. “Was training to be an EMT, but…things got in the way, and now I’m here,”

“So you’ve always been interested in medicine?” he asks. You nod. “Did you ever want to be a doctor?”

“No,” you say. “Wanted to be in the thick of it. Saving lives, and all that,”

He grins. “Bet you regret that a bit now,”

You shrug. “Sometimes. I like my job,”

“Even when it’s hard?”

“Even when it’s hard,”

He’s silent then. You watch him watch you. Something shifts in the tension between you, and you relax into your chair a bit more. There’s no one else in the room, no music playing, nothing. Just you and Leon, trying your hands at getting to know someone. You’re not sure you know how to be vulnerable like this anymore, not after everything. Visions of blood caked under your fingernails and memories of the screams of the damned make knowing another person challenging.

“What’s your favorite color?” you ask. He grins at you like a child.

“Green,” he says. You nod. “Yours?”

“I like a good burgundy,” you say. He rolls his eyes playfully. “Or maroon,”

“Are those not the same thing?”

You laugh. “Not even close. Burgundy is more brown, maroon is more of a reddish purple,”

“Right, my bad,” he says, smiling.

The hole in your chest begins to close. This feels like an olive branch. You want to pull him into your orbit, feel him on every inch of your skin. You want him to consume you. You’re almost positive that he would.

“Come dance with me,” he says. You almost drop your jaw at the suggestion.

“Who are you and what have you done with Leon?” you tease, wringing your hands together. You want to take him up on the offer, more than you think you know, but it doesn’t seem like something he would do. You’re almost worried that this is some cruel ploy.

He laughs. “We can do something normal for once. No harm in it,”

You nod, standing to follow him into the crowd of other couples. His hand is steadfast on your waist, the other gently clasping one of your own. You feel stiff as he leads.

“Loosen up,” he says, leaning further into you. Your throat feels like it closes up.

“I’m loose,” you lie. He grins at you, perfectly soft lips pulling around his stupidly white teeth. God, you want to kiss him.

You decide then that you don’t want easy. You don’t want to keep him at an arm’s length, and you’ll do anything to convince him he doesn’t want it either. You want him, wholly and vulnerable, completely. You want him to look out for you. You want to do mundane, domestic things with him. You want to cut his hair because the barber never gets it right. You want to walk into the kitchen and see him doing the dishes, not because you asked but because he wanted to clean up your conjoined space. You want to fold laundry with him.

You’ve never wanted this way, or this much. Before, you’d been so content to let him be cold and detached, to throw yourself into your work and live alone. Now, you’re not happy with that. And you think he knows that too.

“You look nice tonight,” he says, voice low and gentle. It washes over you in a wave, settling your bones and warming your blood.

“Careful,” you tease, smiling. “I might think you’ve gone soft on me,”

“I think you knew that already,” he says. “This is the part where you tell me that I look nice too,”

He does look nice. You knew that already. His suit is almost all black, save for the cuff links that shine against the lights of the ballroom. He looks more than nice. He looks perfect, collected.

“Well, now you’ve gone too far,” you say, grinning so wide that your cheeks hurt. He rolls his eyes. “You do look nice, though,”

When the music fades out, he doesn’t let go. You don’t want him to anyway. You want to stay here, like this, forever. You want him to keep holding you until you’re both no more than dust. He drums a rhythm on your side with his fingers, and a shiver runs through you.

“Take a walk with me,” he says, almost bumping his nose with yours when he leans in to look at you. He’s a hair’s width away, and if you leaned in a touch, you’d be kissing him. You wonder what would happen if you did.

“Okay,” you say.

He leads you out of the crowd by your hand, which you can feel the beads of sweat beginning to form upon. You catch Rebecca’s eye as you move through the crowd. She gives you a wide smile and a subtle thumbs up, which you scowl at. It’s raining hard when you exit the ballroom. You can barely see the cars on the street ahead of you through the thick sheet of water coming down.

“Still want to take that walk?” you ask, looking up at Leon. He’s still holding your hand. He grins at you.

“Afraid you’ll melt?” he returns. You laugh. He gives your hand a squeeze. “Just for a bit,”

You’re soaked to the bone two minutes after you step into the shower. Your clothes stick to every inch of your skin and a cold wind blows, threatening to freeze the very marrow within your body. You won’t let it, not when Leon is looking at you the way he is, cheeks tinged pink from laughter and smiling so wide that you can see your reflection in his teeth.

He never once lets go of your hand as he leads you down the sidewalk. You’re silent, but it’s not uncomfortable. A car whizzes by, nearly splashing you, but Leon pulls you into him and covers your body with his. You catch a whiff of whatever fancy cologne he’s wearing, and you almost feel drunk on it. Maybe it’s the champagne you’d been sipping, but you’re not sure. He keeps you within reach, just in case another car attempts to sour your evening, he says.

“Why do you never call me by my name?” he asks suddenly, looking at you through stringy and soaked hair.

You shrug. “Everyone calls you by your name,” you say. “That’s also not entirely true. I only call you ‘Kennedy’ sometimes,”

“Only when you’re mad at me,” he says, grinning. “Which is often,”

“Well,” you say, returning the wattage of his smile. “There’s your answer,”

You stare at him for a moment, taking in the sheer beauty of his person. Before, you’d thought he was all hard edges and crisp lines. That he would cut you if you got too close. Now, though, in this moment and this lighting, he is the softest thing you’ve ever seen. Round cheekbones, soft lips, gentle features that are perfectly symmetrical. He has a few freckles dotted across his cheeks, smile lines that make his eyes crinkle. A hairline scar that extends across his right cheek. Without thinking, you reach out, smoothing your fingertips over it. It’s not that deep, barely snagging on the ridges of your fingerprints. You hear a breath hitch in his throat at the movement.

“Sorry,” you say, retracting your hand. “I didn’t mean to do that,”

“It’s okay,” he says, voice barely above a whisper. His eyes scan your face, lashes fluttering against the assault of the rain. He returns the gentle gesture by pushing a few wet strands of hair out of your eyes. His touch is ghostly, barely there.

“I never thanked you,” you say. He furrows his brows. “For staying with me that night. It…it really helped me,”

“You needed me,” he says. “Did you know that you snore?”

You bark a laugh that you can’t stop from bubbling over the surface. “I do not,”

He grins. “You totally do. It’s almost scary. I didn’t know a person could make that kind of noise,”

“You’re so mean,” you say, frowning. “You really know how to flatter someone,”

He rolls his eyes. “C’mon, let’s go. I need out of these clothes,”

He leads you down a few winding streets, making turns that seem random. It dawns on you then that he’s bringing you back to his apartment. Your heart leaps into your throat, clogging up your breath and your functioning. Your brain is swimming. You’re going to see how he lives, what his life looks like outside of work. He’s letting you.

He only drops your hand to get the door open. The lock jams, which you can’t help but laugh at, and then he’s finally letting you into his space.

His apartment is almost bare, similar to yours. White walls wrap the space, a few items dotted around on tables. He doesn’t own a television, you note. There’s a wall of shelves, though, filled pretty decently with books. You didn’t take him for a reader, but you suppose it makes sense. You toe your shoes off near the door, soaked clothes dripping onto the hardwood floor beneath you.

“Sorry about the mess,” you say, looking up at him. He shrugs.

“Better rain water than something else,” he says. You smile.

You follow him to his room, watching the way he begins to loosen in the space. Regardless of the lack of personality, this place is his home. It’s where he feels most comfortable, most him. And he let you into it. He digs through a tattered dresser that has likely seen many homes, turning only to haphazardly chuck an old shirt at you. You barely catch it, letting out a huff of air at the impact. He follows it with a pair of shorts.

“You’re welcome to shower,” he says, tugging off his sopping suit jacket. He begins working on the buttons of his shirt next, and you almost let your jaw drop.

“I think I’m done with water for a few hours,” you say, cheeks growing warm. He’s halfway to his navel when you excuse yourself to the bathroom. You guess on which door it is and push into it, closing it behind you. You catch your breath.

You feel giddy. You can’t help the childish smile that creeps onto your lips.You change quickly, catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.

You look frumpy, but very comfortable. You wonder what you’ll do next. Maybe he’ll just call you a cab and send you home. You pray to whoever is listening that that isn’t the case. With a heavy exhale, you leave the bathroom.

“Just leave your clothes in there,” Leon hollers from his bedroom. “I’ll deal with it tomorrow,”

You nod, following his voice. He’s clad in a sweatshirt that is a bit too big on him and a pair of sweatpants. He looks so human. You take a moment to look around the room. Where he didn’t have a television in his living room, he does have one in here. You think that’s odd. There’s a VHS player balanced precariously on top of a few books, wires running across the floor to connect to the television on a table. You wonder if this is where he spends most of his time. He leans over the VHS player, popping a tape into its mouth. Then, he settles into his bed.

You’re standing in the doorway, wearing his clothes, watching him get comfortable in his bed. You feel like some weird stalker or voyeur. It makes the tips of your ears burn.

“You can come sit, y’know,” Leon says, grinning at you. Something shifts in his gaze; he must see the turmoil on your face. “Or I can call you a cab,”

You shake your head, moving to join him. He leaves plenty of space between you–always the gentleman. You don’t recognize the movie playing on the screen, but you watch it anyway, focus so trained on it to prevent you from staring at Leon. The film drones on even though you’re not really paying attention. Leon shifts beside you, arm brushing against yours. You almost stop breathing. You feel silly for feeling this way; childish, weak, vulnerable. You wish you could be more nonchalant, more like your peers. But you don’t know how to be like that anymore. You only know quick action and timidness. You only know how to hide vulnerability for the sake of keeping people from asking if you know what you’re doing. You only know how to be closed off in the hopes that people won’t ask you how you are.

Because you know the answer. You know that if someone asks, you might unload on them. You might tell them how much you miss your family, how hard it is to dig through bodies and pull out their most valuable pieces. You might tell them how much you miss home, how much you regret taking a job in Raccoon City, how much you wish you’d stayed in school, how much you wish you could hold your nieces.

As you think about it, you begin to cry. You’re not even sure why. It’s after a particularly unbecoming sniffle that Leon shifts his focus to you. You feel very embarrassed, trying in earnest to not let him see you cry.

“I’m sorry,” you say, wiping at your eyes with your wrinkled palms. “Sometimes I get lost in my brain, and it makes me cry,”

He shifts a bit closer to you, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder. His fingers move in circular motions, and you can’t deny how much calmer it makes you feel.

“Talk to me,” he says, almost whispering. You look him in the eye then, and you see the sincerity in his gaze. “I want to listen,”

You sniffle again. “I thought it was easier to be mean to me,”

“I don’t want easy,” he says. You gnaw on your lower lip. “I’m sorry I said that,”

“I don’t want easy, either,” you say. He grins at you then, full and wide, and bright enough to blind you. You wonder if this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. You wonder if he’s finally going to kiss you and get it over with.

“Can I be honest?” he asks. His voice is so soft, so calming, you wonder how you never noticed it before. You nod. “I thought, for a while at least, that if I was just rude enough to you, you would stop following me on missions. I thought that if you couldn’t stand to be around me, you wouldn’t, and you wouldn’t follow me into the jaws of death. Obviously, that didn’t work. That day that you stitched me up? It all hit me. I just…don’t know how to be the man you deserve yet,”

You smile, face warm and light, insides gooey and sticky. “I saw you as a challenge. I would continue to work with you out of spite,”

He rolls his eyes. “I know that now,”

“My turn for honesty,” you say, voice shaking a bit. “I was…in Raccoon City. When everything happened, I mean. I saw it first hand. It’s the reason I am where I am. I was training to be an EMT there, had some friends I’d been staying with. That’s why I get so…weird when I have to do my job. It’s why everything is so hard,”

He nods as he listens. “That must have been hard,” he says. You nod.

“It was devastating,” you say, breathless. “If I was shy before–which I was, mind you–I was a recluse after. It’s why I don’t go out, why I don’t like groups of people, why I have such a hard time being vulnerable,”

“I know what that’s like,” he says. You feel like your heart cracks open, beckoning him inside.

“You make me want to learn how,” you say, trying your hardest not to look away from him. “You make me want to learn how to be vulnerable, how to be open. I’ve told you things even Rebecca doesn’t know about me. I just…struggle with it sometimes,”

He’s silent as he watches you, and you worry that you’ve said the wrong thing. Maybe he just wants to be friends, have an extra shoulder around for when things get to be too much. Maybe you’ve read every situation, every interaction completely wrong. You don’t really know what you’re doing, after all. Maybe your naivety clouded your judgment.

It’s then that he does kiss you. It’s soft and pliant, warming you to your very core. Your hands shift to hold him better, fingers curling around the collar of his sweatshirt to pull him impossibly closer. You melt into him, letting him set little fires across every inch of skin he consumes. You want him to devour you whole. One of his hands finds the back of your head, tilting you ever so slightly to give him better access to you. You give it up without a second thought, a small gasp escaping you as your tongue meets his. In this moment, nothing else exists. The movie playing on the television is drowned out by your bliss, the deafening roar of blood in your ears settles to a beautiful hum. It feels like the crest of a wave splashing back down into the ocean, like a symphony crescendoing. You could die here, wrapped in his warmth and his kisses, and be happy.

When he pulls away, breathless and kiss swollen and reddened, you want to sink back into him. You find it cruel that he would pull away from you, leave you cold where you were so warm before.

“Keep being vulnerable with me,” he says, breath uneven and stuttering. “Please don’t ever stop,”

If he keeps looking at you like this and kissing you, he doesn’t have anything to worry about. You’re more than willing to be whatever he needs, reading to be molded like clay into his desires. You want it. You want him. Your heart flutters at the thought that he wants you too.

#m writes #leon kennedy x reader #resident evil #my fics #x reader #leon kennedy #resident evil fanfic #fanfic #blood and bone

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refat-ahmed · 2 months ago

Text

A small hope in our hearts,

A reminder that we are strong; we can win.

It's the promise of a new day, a fresh start.

A chance to mend a broken heart.

It's the faith that things will get better.

It is the hope of a better tomorrow.

A brighter future without any sorrow.

So let us hold on to this hope, no matter how small.

With this strength, we'll never fall.

—refat

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twilightmalachite · 1 month ago

Text

VS★PRINCESS - Prologue

Characters: Nice, Esu, Fuyume

Translator: Mika Enstars

JP Proofreader: 310mc

EN Proofreader: Asia Blossoms

"Dream! What a wonderful word that is! I just absolutely adore that word!"

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Spring

Location: Judges' Seats

The second year of ES’ establishment, Spring. Late May, the night before the 4piece event.

The judges’ seats, at the center of the venue…

Nice: “—Friends. Do you have a dream?”

“Dream! What a wonderful word that is! I just absolutely adore that word!”

“I also adore the word love!”

“Dreams, love, hope, sincerity, justice, conviction, courage, triumph, glory—”

“I love these sparkling, positive, and precious words!”

“And I love those who don’t just keep them as words, but make them into a reality too!”

“So naturally, I love idols!”

“Friends, is that reason dissatisfactory on its own?”

Nice: “Dreams! Love! Hope!”

“Oh, idols who make those words fall upon this reality as if they were starlight! I love you so!”

“Thus, to discover and appreciate these idols and have them shine even brighter and brighter!”

“Tomorrow! I will be holding the unprecedented audition program—4piece!”

“Now, my friends! May we see you rain down radiance upon this darkness!

“It is the middle of the night! A boundless, pitch-black wasteland where light does not reach!”

“But starting tomorrow, from the moment the morning sun shines through—”

“All this abominable darkness will be wiped away from this world!”

“That’s what idols are for!”

“That’s what 4piece is for!”

Nice: “I hope that any idol, who believes they are the one, will join and participate! Walk-ins on the day of the event are very much welcome!”

“What I adore within this world—”

“What is wonderful, and “nice”!

“Let us increase their number! Together!”

“For we have been always waiting for your radiance!”

Location: Sakura Park

Esu: …

…Something’s being really dang noisy. What’s going on?

Fuyume: Ah, Esu, you’re awake. ♪

Esu: Huh, is this a nightmare? For some reason, my younger childhood guy friend is sleeping all snuggled up close to me…

Fuyume: Fufu, it may be spring, but it still gets cold at night. Right? ♪

Esu: What do you mean, “right? ♪”? I know I’m always saying this, Fuyume, but someone will get the wrong idea if they see us like this, m’kay?

Fuyume: They’ll think Yume and Esu are lovey-dovey~, it wouldn't be a misunderstanding if it’s the truth! ♪

Esu: Just whaaat parallel world are we in where this is the truth?!

Fuyume: Ah, stop squirming around! Your mother will hold you close until morning comes…♪

Esu: You’re not my mom, thouuuugh!?

Fuyume: Why are you saying such sorrowful things?

Esu’s always like that. Never understanding Yume’s feelings.

Esu: It’s ‘cause I understand them that I’m so baffled, thouuuugh!?

More importantly, what was it you were watching earlier?

You can watch whatever you want, but could you turn down the volume a little more? I got woken up wondering what the heck it was.

Fuyume: Right. Sorry for waking you up.

But, if you want to rest well, you should properly sleep in a nice, warm room instead of camping out in a park like this.

Esu: It’s just an old habit… And either way, even if I sleep in my room at home or something, I’m scared you’ll just crawl into my bed with me.

Fuyume: You’re scared? Then Yume will be sure to protect you, Esu…♪

Esu: It’s you that I’m scared of!

Aaanyways… Ah, I see. That 4piece event thing was starting tomorrow, wasn’t it?

Fuyume: Seems so. It was broadcasting live, so Yume was watching it.

Just in case, you know? Not that Yume’s really interested, though…

…What about you, Esu?

Esu: Well, since I’ve been invited, I’ve gotta participate. If given the opportunity to work as an idol, it’s only natural to meet that request.

Besides, I’m obligated to do so as well. Apparently that person paid for my living expenses back when I shut myself away, as well as for all the costs of my adventures.

I gotta repay that kindness, don’t I? I don’t wanna be someone ungrateful.

Else my life wouldn’t be one worth living for.

Fuyume: That’s very like you, Esu. So unexpectedly righteous. Even though you come off as so careless.

But,alright… If that’s the case, Yume will keep you company, Esu.

Esu: Just go home already. What are you doing here, even? You’re not supposed to be here, you nearly gave me a heart attack when I suddenly noticed you resting next to me, y’know?

Fuyume: Yume will always be there for the one Yume loves.

You’ll never be able to escape… Ufufufufufu♪

Esu: Scary scary scary scary?!

Fuyume: But… Right, because old man Nice said something lovely.

“Love”. Yes, it really is something wonderful.

But—

The sun has already set. The world has been plunged into darkness for eternity.

No matter how hard one tries to gather up scraps of starlight… From here onwards, there will only ever be darkness.

[ ☆ ]

story directory | next →

#vs princess #event #translation #fuyume hanamura #esu sagiri #nice arneb thunder #vs★princess

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realmsdelite · 1 month ago

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UNDER THE CUT ARE ROLEPLAY PROMPTS FROM EPISODE 7-11 OF MAGNIFICENT CENTURY. change pronounces as desired / preferred.

“ the sun shines again today, but I will be trapped in my chambers again. “

“ I don’t want it. I don’t want anything. “

“ I promise you, I will never make you cry. I will always make you smile. “

“ it is a great sin to separate a mother from her son.”

“ you come and see your son whenever you like. he is very healthy. “

“ don’t cry, it burns my soul. “

“ but your heart is ugly. “

“ how much gold do you want ? “

“ what do you want most; love, happiness, wealth, or health ? “

“ I have much work to do, find me in the courtyard when you are ready to leave.”

“ the ache will remain in my heart until I die. “

“ I don’t know, I haven’t heard. “

“ if he were a flame, he would barely burn a bush. “

“ I brought you here to take care of you. “

“ you are the source of our happiness, your majesty. “

“ your happiness is my happiness. “

“ come on, have some rest. “

“ your arms used to be a haven filled with happiness.”

“ this palace is filled with sorrow, and I’m scared of being alone in all this sorrow.”

“ I am hopelessly begging for your affection, of which you still deprive me.”

“ I apologize for my wrongdoing.”

“ i throw myself at your mercy.”

“ you disregarded me, you disregarded my choices, you put poison at my table. “

“ your majesty, it would be a great honor for our family. “

“ I will prepare a remedy for your stomach. “

“ let the palace hear it, I will have a son.”

“ I have news that will make your day shine even brighter.”

“ my son, my precious, you are going to have a sibling.”

“ I will give the good news to his majesty.”

“ how could a beautiful young girl like you do such a terrible thing ? “

“ they did equally terrible things to me, they have torn my heart apart.”

“ you are his majesty’s most precious. “

“ tell him about the fire burning inside of you.”

“ you cannot come in here unless you are summoned — get that through your head. “

“this is your home, you are always welcome here. “

“ there is another prince on the way. “

“ please don’t be sad.”

“ don’t be sad, I’m going to help you too.”

“ what did that snake tell you, that you went pale ? “

“ you are the oldest. you are going to be their big brother, you will guide them. “

“please don’t get upset, mother. I will never make you cry.”

“ she is the mother of my son. you are not allowed to be disrespectful. “

“ your father won’t talk to me. “

“ be careful, don’t drop my brother.”

“my beautiful daughter, i feel so sad for you. “

“ my prince is still so young. how can he carry such a burden ? “

“ I know it, my heart knows it. “

“don’t you like me, or is it just duty ? “

“ come and put this on for me. “

“ she was demanding to be shown the same respect they show you. “

“ choose well whom you will protect, and to whom you will show respect. choose well, so nothing bad might happen to you. “

“ a beautiful girl, like the moon. “

“ I hope the sun and the moon light her future, I hope she is never without light. “

“ I can’t save him any other way. “

“ will you now conduct your treachery from there ? “

“ is this how we were to meet ? “

“ were I to find that you were a traitor who tried to take my life ? “

“ don’t lie and lower yourself further. “

“ you will have no one to rely on except your mother, you are a part of me. “

“ but what can we do ? there is no life in this palace if you are not a man. “

“ your mother will love you. she will love you very much. “

“ mother, when will I see my sister ? “

“ you will see your sister tomorrow, I will take you. “

“ a wonderful life awaits our family. “

“ I am rejoicing, I wanted to share it with you. “

“ fate has left me defenseless in the face of a pair of beautiful eyes. “

“ what a beautiful turn of phrase. “

“ my beautiful, delicate daughter. you look like your mother. “

“ she is of my blood, of my life, she is a piece of the woman I love. “

“ she is my child too. there is no difference between a boy or a girl. “

“ don’t go yet, I have missed you so much. “

“ do not tire yourself out, I will visit again. “

“ he said that tomorrow may be too late. “

“ what if I can’t leave him once I see him ? “

“ we shall have a party, with music and dancing. “

“ I’m so bored. let’s go out for a bit. “

“ I have stepped up the wedding preparations, but they can only deliver the fabric that you like two weeks later. “

“ let’s move it to the spring, when the weather is warmer. “

“ I have dreamt of this night for so long. “

“ this is the last night we stand in the moonlight as victims of our own despair. “

“ I burn. I rebel against fate. “

“ we are celebrating his majesty’s return. would you like to join us ? “

“ they are all so happy when they see you, they admire you. “

“ where could she be at this time of night ? “

“ I have so much to tell you, but my tongue freezes. “

“ you said that we would leave this palace together. “

“ all right, go on ahead. I am coming. “

#rp memes

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evilwickedme · 1 year ago

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This wasn't asked for because nobody in their right mind would ask for this but this is a fic rec list of fics I cannot stop rereading

Just started yet another reread of Inimitable Verse by deniigiq and I fully plan on rereading their into the multiverse series which occasionally crosses over also - this is a Spider-Man/team red focused series, think comics canon infused early mcu-spidey since only homecoming had come out for a non substantial amount of time they were working on the series and the daredevil stuff is explicitly tv show AND comics. Also the multiverse series is how I got into Murderdock and therefore how I got into Spider Gwen

Unpretty's Sorrowful And Immaculate Hearts series which is just a loosely interconnected series of DC fics. My personal favorites are Empty Graves, in which Martha Kent keeps killing time travelers trying to kill baby! Clark; any of their clois fics but especially Third Wheel; and Anti-Social, which is a social media fic mostly about Tim and Bruce that made me cry laughing. Catch Bruce trying to get Walmart's employees to unionize. Also shout out to unpretty's only fic with Jason in it, it looks awesome but is tragically incomplete

This particular Reverse Robin AU which put in the work to reverse every single younger generation and is chef's kiss I LOVE this version of Tim he's wild

Both of Shoalsea's fics are in constant rotation for me I talk about Into The Brighter Night all the time in the tags of reblogs and stuff it truly lives in my head rent free. Anyway Tim gets kidnapped by aliens and the batfam have to watch as yj98 saves him and it's angsty and funny and such a good take on what could have been if the new 52 hadn't happened. And Compassion Builds No House is about Tim and Pru from Red Robin. Ugh they're both so good

Speaking of Clois (I did you've just forgotten this by now) brilliant (like a confession) by kathkin (penny-anna on the hellsite) is so fucking good I'm. Okay. Anyway it'll be listed as inspiration if/when I finally post my two person love triangle fic for them

I'm too anxious to catch up on this before it's done but jumble sale chic is hands down the best spideydevil fic series despite and because of the omegaverse

Make A Little Birdhouse In Your Soul is my favorite take on Jason, period, and has a lot of fantastic Damian stuff going on too. It's updating every few weeks still! Sometimes more often! I love you bacondoughnut it's me JustGail the person who will not stop commenting on your fic you're stuck with me forever

I lied above Rumspringa Murderdock is what got me into Murderdock but that series is second place. I found this one while scrolling through the tv show's mattfoggy tag, thinking I was safe

Speaking of Murderdock mattfoggy, The Lawyer All the Wickedness was written early on in spider-gwen's history and so diverges from canon really early in ways that I think are super interesting and creative

Oh also straight on 'til morning by merils (Tumblr url mamawasatesttube) does SUCH a great job unpacking Kon's trauma and building up healthy relationships around him including a budding timkon romance and yeah it makes me sad and happy at the same time

We're getting into poisonivory territory so just trust if you like the pairing and poisonivory is writing it you'll like it. Ok rapidfire

Like A Handprint On My Heart mattfoggy soulmate au with a twist

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? Damijon future fic/au. Jon came back from the future when both of them were 19. Demisexual!Damian at its best. Damian's terrified of being abandoned by Jon again and it made my heart hurt

I feel like I've already recommended every JayRoy fic by poisonivory and genuinely I do reread them all, sometimes in order of publication if I'm in a particular mood. Maybe the one I've read most though is I've Got the Feeling You're the Right Thing After All which is about Roy and Jason starting a fwb thing while Roy still harbors old feelings for Dick. Can't see anything going wrong here lmao

Mmm this post is long enough so I'll leave it at just superhero fic for now but I do in fact have the ability to do a whole post just for the Witcher or Leverage so I might do that. Anyway thanks for following me on yet another burst of insanity it will happen again

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bunny-dr34ms · 3 months ago

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the love fate demands of us - chapter 1

- mystical!txt x angel!reader

summary. you were perfect in every single way; beautiful, kind, not even so much as a blemish out of place. perfect apart from the fact you had magic coursing through your veins and the worst possible thing you could be in the land of flora, was magic. at least you have your companion, horangi, who was the only one who comforted you through all your sorrowful nights. but fate never fails to be cruel and you find that the world was against him as much as they were against you. what will you do when they try to take the only kindness you've ever known away from you?

cw/ tw; f!reader, elf!yeonjun, vampire!soobin, werewolf!beomgyu, wizard!taehyun, fae!kai, fantasy au, royalty au

features; txt, names of other idols that i decide as i go

wc; 4.8k

Chapter 1: The Wingless Angel Cries

You sat on one of the many exquisite swings in the Esor estate, gently swaying back and forth as you admired the white rose vines climbing up the gazebo overhead. Bathed in the warm orange glow of the sunset, it was almost as if your skin shimmered in the light. The scene was truly enchanting—not just the roses, but you as well. At 18, your youthfulness bloomed on your cheeks, face as fresh as a flower, you completed the view, really, you completed any view with your unrivaled beauty. It was no wonder why you were spared. You, a child of infidelity. You, a child of magic in a kingdom for humans.

The people of Esor remember as if it were yesterday when the princess was born. They knew she would be the last child of the King and Queen, which made her all the more precious. However, news of her birth quickly spread, and the shock it carried soon reached even the farthest corners of Flora.

You were spared from death, but you could never forget your origins; they wouldn’t let you. Beyond the constant whispering and the odd stares from both maids and knights, your family ensured you were always aware of your difference. Your father enjoyed your presence but detested when you spoke or moved, preferring you to be nothing more than a statue in his sight. Your older brother, Prince Hyunjin, is sweetly cruel, and you can’t discern whether his feelings are of hate or love. In truth, he is deeply concerned for you, yet he feels guilt for it, knowing he'll never do anything more than watch you struggle. Your older sister, Princess Yeji, harbors a deep-seated loathing for you, making it clear to both you and everyone else in the castle. Your mother is the only one who truly loves you, but not for who you are as her daughter—rather, because you are a beautiful reminder of her lost lover. Even as she runs her hands through your hair and caresses your face with a yearning for another, you choose to return her love. Love, no matter how cruel and bittersweet it may be, is still love.

So there you sat, swaying gently in the wind, nestled in a secluded spot of the garden, wearing that sorrowfully blank expression that seemed permanently etched upon your face. They said the tears you shed were the source of those endlessly sad eyes. You, without friends. You, without a suitor. You, with no future, condemned to remain in the castle, wasting away. No matter how extraordinarily beautiful you were, it would never be enough to overcome the stain of your tainted blood.

Somehow you stayed kind, choosing to look at the brighter side of things, caring for others even though they would cast you aside given the chance. Even as the maids approach you reluctantly to tell you the queen was looking for you, you nod and only mention to them that the roses need to be watered, but tell the gardener tomorrow as it was getting late.

“Come, my beloved, sit,” mother says the moment she sees you, ushering you past her gold doors just to lock it behind her. There was routine to this meeting, every other night you would be called to mother’s chambers so she could, ‘comfort her troubled heart’ as she says. Like clockwork, you sit on the edge of the bed, the side closest to the window where the moonlight shines in. She’s already all over you, running her hands into your hair, forcing you to look up at her while she mutters sweetly about how much you resembled him. Minutes later she’s finally sitting next to you, her hands caressing your face.

“Oh, how angelic, how ethereal you are, my love,” she whispers her face inching closer and closer to yours. She presses her cheek against yours, relishing in the feeling before she pulls away to look into your eyes. You don’t speak because it ruins the moment for her, you can only speak after she allows you to retire for the night. Moments pass of her just staring in your eyes as tears fills in hers, memories of another man, long dead, flashing through her mind. She told you the first night she asked for you, that she felt guilty for her lover’s death, that it was her fault she kept you because of it wasn’t for that, she would’ve never been caught. In that sense, it was partially your fault too, so helping her cope was the least you could do.

You cry with her, because the heartbreak you saw in her eyes was painful too. Warm tears running down your cheeks as your mother pulls your face closer and closer to her. Your eyes flutter shut when she pulls away to kiss your tears mumbling, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I love you.” There are times her lips press so close to your own that you wonder if she’ll ever end up kissing you. She never does. As much as you wish you could reciprocate her passion, you didn’t feel much no matter how she held you, just the bittersweetness of longing and grief.

Mother does this for two hours before she dries your tears with a handkerchief and then her own. She takes your hand in her own as she does every night, waiting for you to look up at her with those wonderous pink eyes of yours. “Thank you, my dear. You cannot imagine how much solace your face brings me.” “I am glad to have been of help,' you say quietly, not making the effort to return her smile. With that you’re permitted to leave, your mother wasting no time to click the door quietly the moment you are out.

Before you could start walking, a hand ravels itself in your hair and yanks it back. Yeji. "You're a fool if you think Mother loves you," she seethed as she drags you towards her, "But I'm sure you know that, disgusting things like you cling on to whatever affection you can get." Tears fills your eyes again as your trembling hands try reach up holding on to your head, "Yeji, please" you plead as she jerks your head up, watching as your face contorted in pain. At that she throws you on the ground, glaring as she stalks towards you, "Look at you pleading to your sister, have you no shame?" She grabs your face, brutally squeezing your cheeks together, fingers digging in deeply, "so unworthy of this beauty," she mumbles running her eyes across your features. All you could do was hold your breath, eyes frantically begging her to let you go. When she does, she tosses your head back into the carpet, leaving before you could manage to right yourself up on your arms. "Your existence is revolting. No amount of beauty will ever change that." With that, you're left alone.

Again, you're sobbing into your arms, curled up in your bed while your body continued to shake. The only comfort you had was your puppy, Horang, based on the unique striped patterns in his fur. You found and took him in when you were strolling in the woods a few weeks ago. At first, you considered releasing him after his paw healed from how much he would snarl and bite at you, but he warmed up after a few days, going as far as lying next to you when you cried. "He pities you too, princess," your maids would joke when they came around to tidy your room. He's grown quite quickly since then and now he's curled around your feet, almost wrapping all the way around you, whining each time you sniffled, staring at you with saddened eyes. Eventually you look up and run a hand through his fur, petting him gently, "you're all I have in this place, in this world," you sigh sadly. You move around and lie your head softly on top of him, tears dampening his fur as you whisper, voice broken and worn, "you're the only one I truly love."

It's a good thing you're a deep sleeper. You can't feel the clawed hand running over your cheeks, brushing the blonde locks in your face behind your ear. You can't hear him as he murmurs sweet nothings, admiring the way you radiate in the moonlight. He wraps his large arm around your body, pulling your small figure into him, his tail covering your body, mentally scolding you for falling asleep atop your blankets again. Even when you shift under him, he doesn't react, knowing your sleeping habits by heart, instead he nudges his head into yours, breathing in your sweet floral scent.

When you wake up the next morning, you’re greeted by a kisses from Horangi on your face, warm tongue excitedly panting when you sit up. You pet him between his ears drowsily, “Good morning, you’re excited today?” Horangi barking as if he understood you, brought a smile to your face, something rarely seen, which naturally led him to jump up on top of you. Your maids come in soon after, asking you to quiet or control your pet as they got you up and ready for the day. “Sorry Horangi, I’ll see you later.” You pet him sadly before you leave your room.

“Prince Hyunjin asked for you,” your personal maid, Eunchae, says as you stroll down the hall, “he insisted it was of utmost importance.” Eunchae is a pretty, kind girl who was often caught staring at you for too long, genuinely admiring your angelic appearance. She was someone in the castle with whom you felt at ease, or rather, she was the only one who didn’t treat you like an outsider. “I see,” you say, changing your route to go to Hyunjin’s office, “I shall be going then,” silently bidding her good bye.

“Come in.” his smooth voice beckoned you in the moment you knocked. “Good morning brother,” you greet him, closing the door behind you, “You asked for me?” Hyunjin puts his quill down, humming as he stands up, walking around his desk, “Indeed I did. There is something you should know.” Confused, you stood there, quietly waiting for him to continue. He leans against the edge of the brown wood, arms crossing in front of him, sighing heavily before looking up at you. “You are forbidden from seeing Mother any longer. She must learn to manage her grief without you.” He understands how much Mother means to you, how she is the only one providing the false sense of security, the illusion of family bonds, and a semblance of love. Despite how harsh it may appear, he is doing this out of necessity. He needs to protect you from the deceptive comfort she offers while he still can.

Hyunjin knew you weren't going to take it lightly but when you speak, retaliate really, he can't help but be surprised. "No, I...I refuse. I can't leave her alone, she needs me!" Your soft voice pitching with each word, a tightness building in your chest as you think about how woefully Mother cries, looking at you as if you're who she is grieving for. You watch as he sighs again, looking down to his hands as, head shaking as he fiddles with the ring brandishing the family crest, "Y/n, I'm sorry but I'm not going to allow this to continue. It's sick, the way she's using you." Trembling you step back, holding tears in your eyes as you stare at him with disbelief, "S-She's not..Mother is not using me, she loves me, you don't understand." Hyunjin walks over, stopping right in front of you, staring at you with pity, the same way everyone in this castle does. Placing a hand on your shoulder, he could only watch as tears roll down your eyes, then as you started sobbing into your hands. He knows you'd accept this the way you accepted everything else unfair about your life, even so, he feels an ache in his heart as you crumble away a little more.

"Horangi, why is fate so cruel to me?" you mutter, burying yourself into his fur. It was night time now and after your break down in Hyunjin's office, you sat there for a couple hours, curled up on one of the chairs as he worked away. He was kind enough to let you stay while your tears dried up, making sure no one came to bother you until you left on your own. It wasn't until you decided that it was best to see Mother one last time before she becomes another family member you have to avoid. Hyunjin seemed to know where you were going, reassuring that he'll make sure Mother gets all the help she needs. You knew your brother was kind, that deep down he wasn't like the others. He really does care about you, maybe even wishes he could love you like the baby sister you were supposed to be. Alas, he is the crown prince, loving his anomaly of a sister would go against the image he needs to rule. As you hesitantly opened Mother's door, she was taken aback, her hand flying to her chest as she hurried towards you, bombarding you with questions while you quietly closed the door behind you. You could never forget the look of despair on her face when you revealed the news to her, nor could you forget how she fell to her knees, clutching your hands tightly, pleading for forgiveness for all her failings: for not loving you as a mother should, for all her sins, and for the sin of bringing you into this world. A few more hours passed as you reassured her with whatever words were needed to calm her down, guiding her to her chair and gently countering every self-deprecating remark she made about herself. As the sunset marked the end of your visit, you dried her tears and then wiped away your own before you finally took your leave.

Horangi whines as your hands tighten into fists in his fur, his head raising to look at you as tears rolled down your face. "How unfair this all is. There truly is no one who loves me in this world is there?" You sob, scarcely aware of how Horangi curls up around you more tightly, his tail brushing gently against your feet. You think that if it weren’t for him, you might have lost your mind long ago. When his head nudges you, you look up at him, seeing your own exhaustion mirrored in his sad, almost concerned eyes. Your hand moves from his fur to gently stroke his face, "Your eyes are beautiful too Horangi. They hold so much emotion, just staring at them makes me feel better," murmuring as he bunted his head against your hand affectionately. You take a deep breath, inhaling the familiar earthy-musky scent of his fur that has begun to permeate your room since you first took him in. The comforting aroma washes over you, and you can feel yourself drifting towards sleep, your body finally relaxing as the fatigue of the day takes hold.

You were so exhausted that you didn’t notice him slipping out of bed after a few hours, nor did you hear him moving around, extinguishing the candles. You remained unaware of his tender efforts to lift you and tuck you back under the blankets, only vaguely sensing a slight adjustment as you settled deeper under the covers. He crawls under the sheets with you, facing you, nose to nose as her admired how peaceful you were asleep. His sharp eyes could see how each eyelash kissed the top of your cheeks and the little details of your lips. The way your body curled up made you look so small compared to his long lanky body, barely reaching the end of his torso. Oh, how he longs to pull you into his arms and hold you tightly against his chest. Instead he decides carefully scooch a little closer, brushing stray strands of hair behind your ear. Words he wishes he could tell you escape him, voice deep and silky as he whispers, "I'd love you until the end of the world." He stares at you for a moment longer, holding his breath as if your eyes would flutter open to see his human form and react to his words. When you remain asleep, he reassures himself that it’s for the best. Relieved, he allows himself to drift into a light sleep, taking care to avoid detection by morning.

The night would have continued as it usually did, with him slipping out from under the blankets, shifting back into a medium-sized dog, and then leaping back onto the bed to resume his sleep. But tonight was different; Hyunjin had sent maids to check on you, the image of your distress still vivid in his mind. A sudden scream jolted both of you awake as the maid discovered a man sleeping beside you. Your heart pounded in your chest as you shot upright, scanning the room for the source of the alarm, only to realize there was an equally startled man sitting up beside you, naked and in your bed. Your mouth opens to let out a similar scream but he turns into Horangi right before your eyes. "Werewolf! W-Werewolf in the castle!" The maid shrieks, collapsing to the floor in terror as she scrambles towards the door, calling out for help. Horangi barks and whines, darting around the room in a frantic frenzy before halting to look at you as you get out of bed and slowly approach him. Strangely, you weren't scared, even now, knowing he is a mystical beast, he is still your Horangi. He laid down on his belly, his tail wagging anxiously as your hand reached out to pet his pressed down ears, his eyes looking at yours with newly found fear. Your heart raced in your chest as you think back to the man who had the exact same eyes staring down at you. Horangi really was a werewolf, you think, but when his ears flop up at your touch, you find yourself mesmerized by him. Did he understand all the things you told him? Has he been listening this whole time? Does he love you too? Horangi had magic in his veins, just like you, he knew you were half-human and tolerated that too.

"Horangi I- " you begin but The sound of numerous knights thundering down the hallway made his eyes widen with panic, and it was only then that you grasped the gravity of what was about to unfold. You sprang to your feet and positioned yourself in front of him, arms outstretched as you tried to shield Horangi from view when the soldiers burst into your room, "Move Princess, that is a danger that we need to exterminate immediately," the head knight said his sword at the ready. For the first time in your life, you cried out, desperate as you tried to use your title, "Please stand down! Obey your princess and lower your weapons! He is not a threat!" Your hands trembled as you strove to maintain your stance, even as the knights pressed ever closer to you. You could hear Horangi's whimpers, the shuffle of his body pressing closely to the floor and backing into the wall. You've lost so much in your life already, you won't lose the only thing that supported you all this time.

"Princess, please step away, else I use force. That thing is a an endangerment to us all. You are putting us at risk protecting that monster," the head knight shouts. Their blades drew nearer, and you found yourself with no space left to retreat. Who were you kidding, believing they would listen to you? After all, to them, you were part monster as well. The knights encircled you, driving you into a corner, the dread prickling your skin as their advance remained relentless. They only ceased their approach when an eerie howl echoed through the room, soon followed by a fierce, loud snarling sound. You turn to see Horangi in an aggressive stance, teeth bared with gaze focused on the knights, feeling yourself pale when he stalks forward. "N-no, no no, Horangi no, don't! Please just trust me!" You rush towards him, kneeling in front of him, wrapping your arms around his head, stroking his muzzle, hoping to calm him down. Taking this chance, the knights only come closer, raising their swords, the head knight raising his voice, "Princess you leave us no choice! We will fulfill our duty to protect the people at all costs!" With that, you brace yourself, pushing against Horangi the best you can, trying to stop him from jumping forward, shutting your eyes tightly.

"How dare you raise your weapons against the princess!" Hyunjin's voice boomed, enraged and labored as he stormed into the room. “Lower your blades this instant, or I will have your heads by dawn,” he commands sternly, his gaze fierce. The knights, swiftly sheathing their weapons, stand at attention before him. "Your highness! There is a werewolf and the princess is foolishly protecting it! We must eradicate it as soon as possible!" the head knight reports. Hyunjin signals with a wave of his hand for the knights to part and make way for him. He strides closer, his eyes scanning the scene until he sees you clinging to what he recognizes as the pet dog you rescued months ago. "Y/n. Give him up. I shall spare him from death, seeing as you care for him so deeply, but I cannot permit a beast to roam freely within this castle."

At first, you shake your head, preparing to plead for mercy. But as your gaze meets Hyunjin's, you realize this may be the extent of mercy Horangi will receive. Frantically, you pull Horangi's head against your own, staring into his wide, fearful eyes, hoping to convey your desperation, "Go with Hyunjin peacefully okay? No matter what they do, do not harm any of them and try your best to be good, for me, hm? I will see you as soon as I can, Horangi. Please, have faith in me," You reassure Horangi as much as you can, stroking his fur. Just as you are about to say more, Hyunjin steps forward, pulling you away gently but firmly. He nods to the knights, signaling them to take action. They clasp a muzzle around Horangi's head, tying multiple ropes around his neck, going in different directions. As Hyunjin holds you, you collapse into uncontrollable wails, your tears flowing freely. Through your blurred vision, you see Horangi walking out with a shockingly calm demeanor. He turns to look at you one last time before disappearing through the door.

You turn to Hyunjin, your hands gripping his collar tightly, your eyes pleading with him as you struggle to stay upright. Your voice trembles as you fight not to collapse to your knees, "Please make sure he lives. You have to make sure they don't kill him. I have never sought a favor from you in all my days, brother, so I beseech you, grant me this one request." You are met with the same pitying look as yesterday. Hyunjin gently takes your hands and guides you to your bed, helping you sit down. He then kneels in front of you, his expression softening as he looks up at you. "Chan would never let them kill an animal, even if it's a werewolf. However, I can't promise you'll see him ever again once he is released," he says calmly, gripping both of your hands tightly, trying to ground you.

You burst into tears once more, pulling your hands out of Hyunjin's to cover your face. Fate truly is cruel. Hyunjin leaves you after a moment, understanding that you won't be speaking to him anymore. The night passes agonizingly slow, the fear for what was happening to Horangi invading your mind. The loneliness of his cell if that was all he was condemned to. All you could do was cling on to the hope Hyunjin's words gave you about the grand commanding knight. You had just barely drifted off into a restless sleep when the brightness of the sun peeking through your windows awakes you. Immediately, you're clambering out of bed and rushing out the door. You ignore every maid and every question that comes along your way as you race to the dungeon.

When you arrive, you're initially shocked, never having ventured into the dungeon before. It's dark, the air damp, and the hallways, lined with brick and iron bars, seem to stretch endlessly. Each cell is just barely the size of a horse stable, and the oppressive atmosphere presses heavily upon you. For a moment you think if this where you would've called home if you weren't so fortunately beautiful.

At your first step into the maze like dungeon, you hear the sound of chains rustling and a whine so familiar, it makes your heart ache. Running towards the sound, you check every single cell you pass for your beloved friend, for both a dog and for a boy. Finally, almost seven cells down, you find a slightly different cell, one with a pillory hanging from the ceiling and Horangi's watery eyes staring at you. You can't help but fall to your knees, horrified at the sight in front of you, your hands clasping over your hands to muffle your cries. Horangi was forced on his knees, dressed in rags that hung off his beaten frame, blood was dripping down his arms from the way he struggled against the pillory. A similar red decorated his neck and ankles, Horangi wincing every time the metal touched his skin. Silver.

"Oh, Horangi.." you mumbled, hands wrapping around the bars of his confinement, muffling yours sobs for his sake, "Oh, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault." For the first time in your life, you find yourself cursing this world. This evil world where magic was unfairly condemned, where you couldn't protect the only friend you've ever known in your own castle because of that magic.

A voice, worn yet smooth, echoed through the cell, pulling you out of your thoughts, "Don' be sorry, s' not your fault princess." You're sure this is the first time you've ever seen Horangi speak but you swore you recognized it. You shake your head, trying your utmost hardest to not break down right there. No, you needed to be strong, you needed to help Horangi. "I'm going to help you, alright?" You start, talking past the lump in your throat, "I promise, I'll get you out of here."

A few moments pass, the dungeon eerily quiet save for the constant dripping of water bouncing off the walls. His eyes search yours, you can see them shining under his long, shaggy hair, the pure trust contrasting yours, full of worry and pain. "I trust you, princess," he says softly, "I trust you with my life." If it wasn't for him breaking the silence, you might've stayed there for another hour, tears running down your eyes, heart shattering piece by piece at his state.

Willing yourself to stand up, you're on your feet and nodding at him, "Thank you for your faith, I'll be back as soon as I can." Before you walk away, you linger for a second, to take in his state once more, to ingrain his pain in your heart if it wasn't already. You begin to walk away, a million thoughts on who to confront, who to ask, who to beg.

“Wait.”

You don’t make a few steps before he calls you back, the urgency in his voice beckoning you to come back. And you do, resuming your place in front of him, heart racing at the tension built by his gaze.

“My name is Beomgyu,” he whispers, eyes not faltering from yours, “Choi Beomgyu.” Your hands reach up, trembling as they grip the iron bars, pulling yourself as close as you can to him. “Beomgyu,” you breathe, echoing his name back to him and you can see how it affects him, his hair bristling wildly as if it was alive. For the first time, you can clearly see his face and you etch it into your mind, new tears rolling down your cheeks. A fluttery feeling bubbled in the deepest part of you, your breath catching in your throat on its way out. He was beautiful. Such distinct and wild features, surpassing even your brother, who shared the beauty of Mother. You don't think you've ever seen a face that wound your heart so tight.

And by Flora and all of her powers, you were going to save him, you owed that to him. You were going to turn this whole castle upside down if you had to. For the years of oppression you’ve endured, for the new spark burning in your heart, for Beomgyu.

"Oh Beomgyu, I promise you, I will do everything and anything I can to save you, I will save you."

author note: sorry for the long wait this took forever to come out because i was doing every thing but finish this one(which means this is not proofread yet) we finally get the first member! let's see what our princess does to help beomgyu>< the upcoming chapters will most likely be much shorter than this one, we'll see! thank you for those who have been waiting^^ as always, reblogs, likes, and comments are always appreciated <3

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