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[magistralucis]

18 for soft gop bromance, please! The usual (^_^;) Thank you, love you!!

18: Drinks on the patio/deck of your fave place // Gopnik AU Bromance (Soft ver.)

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Louis was at his happiest in the evenings.

After sunset was when he worked at the restaurant. It was the last artifact of their previous life, now made safe through his efforts: he loved to cook, oversee the kitchen, weave gently through the conversations of the night. He had never felt more alive as when he was there, meeting and helping people. The restaurant healed him from the years he'd spent neglecting the goodness of human beings, and afterwards, healed his lover too. On summer evenings, when Mike was on break from university, they would step out the back and share drinks together. The nights were warm, and now and then a cat would come along, nudging insistently against his hand. Life was good.

Tonight, however, was special. Tonight they were awaiting not only customers, but precious guests. A table was prepared for them in the part of the patio usually sectioned off for reservations. The guests were coming straight from their travels, so presumably, they'd want to be - no, it was the polite thing to serve them right away. It was for that reason Mike and Louis were kept busy from early afternoon; Louis sank into a chair, and took a deep breath, as the hour of their arrival drew near.

It had been years since they'd last met.

Louis was elated this reunion was happening at last, though he was mildly nervous as to whether Vincent and Sebastian would be like he remembered. Whatever he felt, though, he knew Mike would be feeling in spades. Amidst table settings and special menus he refused to forget his lover, and the moment he caught sight of him, he called out: "A drink for you, Misha?"

Mike turned around. “A... pardon?”

He was dressed casually but handsomely, befitting his reputation as the best-looking man in Krasnodar (when he was around - as well as in Kaliningrad, of course, when he was around). Louis was enamoured. “Shall we have a drink before they get here? Just the two of us.”

Then, more softly: “It’s all right. You know no one can see us here.”

No one else was to be seated in this area that night. Only the two loving couples, if all went as intended. Mike smiled. His expression was still uncertain, but he took Louis’s offer and sat down opposite him. Two beers, chosen for their chill more than the flavour. They were silent for a while, sipping from tall glasses, ice clinking against the sides. Louis watched the foam subside in his glass for a moment before he spoke up again. “How are you feeling?”

Mike laughed slightly. “Nervous.”

He wouldn’t even have admitted to that, once upon a time. Louis was surprisingly relieved. In their old city, Mike had grown to see Sebastian and Vincent in a near paternal light, and he still felt that way most of the time: he was struggling with the impulse to seek their approval, to really show them he had improved as a human being. “Is that weird, Lyova?”

“Not at all. It’d be more unsettling if you weren’t nervous.” Louis shook his head. Condensation dripped down his hand and the summer breeze soon dried it away. “I feel the same, too. It’s the anticipation that kills, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed.” Then much to Louis’s surprise, Mike suddenly began speaking of the past. “I’ve been waiting for this moment since we settled in Krasnodar. Even when I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again, when all I had were my staff and my pigeons trailing behind me... I was always thinking of how I could thank them for all they’ve done. For being there for us before we left. We must have put them through so much, when we disappeared...”

He faltered, paused, then resumed again. His cool fingers laced between Louis’s own. “I feel I haven’t even paid back a hundredth of what they did for me. Letters and gifts only go so far from this distance. It feels as if I’ve been waiting for about fifty years to see them again - and now they actually are nearby, and I actually know how to show my gratitude - I’m, I’m so tense. I’m so excited I can hardly breathe. But I’m also equally worried I’m messing this up somehow.”

“Believe me, you’re doing incredible.” Louis was amazed: Mike very seldom talked about their past unless prompted, and even then, it was mostly in apologetic terms. This was the first time Louis had heard him actually analyze his feelings across a timeline, and admit to something that wasn’t guilt for once. “If you messed up at any point, which you didn’t, I did also. I mean, look at me: it’s not just you who’s got the tremors.”

He pointed below the table, where unnoticed by Mike, he’d been bouncing his leg restlessly throughout the entire conversation. A wry little smile returned to his lover’s face. “Besides, it’s not just the plan (whispered with a wink) that expresses our thanks. I think they’d be extremely proud of you if they heard what you said.”

“Do you think so?”

“Mm.” Louis clinked his glass against Mike’s own. It was already dark. Across the surface of their glasses darted pinprick reds and greens of the traffic across the road. “They helped give you back a life of excitement and you took it. Imagine returning to your garden after a long absence, and finding that a sprout you’d left behind had grown into a tree and was flowering.”

A quiet light entered Mike’s eyes. He did not comment more upon this, nor did he obviously take this as a sign of approval, but he didn’t need to. That look told Louis everything there was to know. A creak sounded several steps away. Someone was walking across the patio. Louis and Mike stood up in a hurry, just in time to see the figures of two men led by a cheerful young waiter. They turned the corner, entered the section - saw - and stopped.

One had vivid silver hair, star-bright beneath the restaurant’s lamps. The years had been kind to him; his brown eyes softened in laughter as soon as he saw the couple, and it was ever so familiar, the warmth in his expression. Beside him stood dark-haired Sebastian, his face exactly as piercing and pale as it had been when Mike had first met him. His first reaction was much like Mike’s own, disbelief followed by relentless joy - so relieved, and so overwhelming, that he literally didn’t know what to do with himself as they rushed to meet in the middle.

Louis felt his heart swell with warmth. That was pride, all right.

“Welcome, my friends!” He cried, laughing as Sebastian and Vincent nigh tackled the two of them into an embrace. “So many summers, so many winters! - Oh, I’ve missed you both so much!”

[mrs-i-have-too-many-biases]

𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓾𝓼, 𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶 – 𝓗.𝓗.

The fairies of Yellow Wood

Summary: A forbidden love between a Knight and a Princess, it’s them against the world. Would they endure separation, or would they change it all. Season: Spring Genre: Fluff/ Angst Category: Fantasy Tropes: Enemies to Lovers || Kind of Slowburn!Fluff? AU: Fairy au Pairing: Knight Fairy!Hyunjin X Princess Fairy!Reader Word count: 25,9K (idk what happened) Disclaimer: I don’t know much about folk tales or fairies in general. This is my imagination with the use of fairies in my stories. Warnings: slow burn fluff, strong language, terms of psychotic behaviour, mentions of blood, mentions of death threats. If you spot any mistakes, sorry about those it’s almost 26k words I probably read over it through editing <3

Fairies of Yellow Wood Masterlist

,,, Chapter one

Once upon a time,

in a great kingdom with small inhabitants. Lived hundreds of the fey people, another common name for them are fairies or pixies. They lived in peace among one another as they kept nature in balance and protected from whatever would or could possibly harm it. Every one of them had a destiny. One was destined to grow fruits, so they could live healthy and provide everyone of food. Another was destined to be a guard of the sun. They made sure the day arrived every morning on time, that the plants had enough sunlight to grow greatly.

And so was Y/n a princess among the other fairies. Born into a hierarchy she was destined to be queen of Yellow Wood someday. Unlike other fairies, Y/n knew since the day she was birthed what her destiny would be.

At the age of ten, every fairy were to find out what their destiny would be. One would be very happy with theirs and others were rather disappointed. On this day, the fairies also received a birthname that complimented their given powers and destiny. With Y/n being a princess, she was also given a birthname: Avery de La Grande. Her name meaning: Ruler of the elves. Y/n being an only child, she was often surrounded by people who worked for the family de La Grande. They would help her dress, get her ready for the day, they taught her mannerisms and gave her the usual lessons.

Y/n never really interacted with other fairies of her age, except the ones who were the children of the maids or guards. Hwang Hyunjin was one of those fairies. His father being the knight commander, Hyunjin also had an idea what he destined to be. At Hyunjin’s birth, his birthname was bound to be Harvey, meaning ‘Battle worthy’.

Hyunjin’s father couldn’t be happier when Hyunjin got the confirmation at the age of ten that he was bound to be a knight. He began to train with his father and grew up to be skilful. Beside his skilfulness he also grew up to be one of the most handsome fairies in the kingdom. And he was well aware of that.

The maids and their daughter were absolutely head over heels for him. The young knight trainees were in awe by everything he did. They wanted nothing more than to be him and get a little taste of the life he was living. As you can tell Hyunjin’s popular among the people, implying that the entire kingdom knew who he was. Y/n, being one of them.

She grew up with Hyunjin as their fathers were friends and fought together in the battlefield before. Y/n never understood why people were so enchanted by Hyunjin’s charms. She would roll her eyes as her own mother, the queen, giggled at Hyunjin’s eye-smile that he was given by his father. Y/n saw Hyunjin as an arrogant boy who loved to play with other’s feelings, even though she was fully aware of the fact that Hyunjin had taken an oath to loyalty to the king and queen.

He performed his position well, he ended up becoming the king’s personal knight. It annoyed Y/n that she constantly had to look him in the eye whenever she was around her father. Even at dinner she had to look Hyunjin as she forced herself to eat, knowing that his face made her lose her appetite.

Her day was going southwards. Her music teacher was being a bitch, nothing new. Her food was spilled all on the floor by Hyunjin who bumped into her and as if her day couldn’t get any worse. Her father called her into his office, where (to her not-so surprise) Hyunjin was as well.

“Y/n, my daughter. Since your time of becoming our new queen is nearing. We have decided to give you a personal knight as you perform your new duties as future ruler of the Yellow Wood reign.” She was waiting in anticipation to find out who was her new ‘protector’, she knew she could take care of herself, but knowing her father, she ‘needed’ extra protection. “Hyunjin, I assign you from today on as the personal knight and protector of the one and only crown princess.”

Hyunjin was trying to keep the swearing to himself whilst Y/n was shooting daggers with her eyes towards him. “Dad, does it really have to be him-“ “He’s the most loyal fey I’ve ever worked with, beside his father of course. I couldn’t imagine any better candidate.” The king crowed proudly. “Your majesty, there must be a different way, w-who is going to be your personal knight?” Hyunjin stuttered. “Your placed will be filled in by an old friend of mine. Another great warrior who I also haven’t seen in ages, so I will enjoy my time with him.” He laughed before shooing the two out of his office.

The two young elves shared a look and sighed. “Don’t get anything into that dull head of yours. It’s not like I asked for this.” Y/n snarled as Hyunjin glared at her. He only sighed before nudging her to start walking, because he hadn’t even started, but he knew he was already tired of her.

As mentioned before, the two had known each other for a long time as they grew up in the castle. They never bothered talking, so being together for such long periods of time, was new to them. The two were constantly on each other’s wings. The most interaction they had with one another that didn’t include numerous cuss words, was the two rolling their eyes to each other.

Y/n would often let Hyunjin go off and do his own thing, claiming that she could handle ‘her shit herself’. Hyunjin would put his hands up in defence before flying off elsewhere, anywhere. As long as it was far away from her.

It was the first day of the two being actually stuck with one another and Hyunjin was glad that he was able to go to his beloved Eunhee. She was the daughter of one of the maids, who was working in the castle just like Hyunjin. The two grew up together and had become best friend through the years. The male fey would smirk to himself as he sneaked up behind his best friend, scaring her almost to death as she threw the clothes she was holding all over the place.

“Stop doing that!” She whined whilst punching her friend in the arm, leaving Hyunjin hissing in pain. “I had to make my day better somehow. And what way better doing that by scaring the pixie dust out of you.” He grinned with a smile plastered on his face. “Was the meeting with the king that bad?” She asked, picking up the clothes in process. “Well, not that exactly. I think I got a promotion?” Hyunjin laughed as he leaned against one of the pillars that were framed around the palace garden. “What? That’s amazing news Hyunjin! How could that be bad?” Eunhee squealed, excited for her friend.

“Well, I’ve become the personal guard of miss snobby.” Hyunjin scoffed. “Oh you poor thing!” Eunhee cooed as she took his face into her hands to squish it. “Yeah, I am pitiful. Pity me. It’s been day one and my life has never been so boring.” He complained. “Tell me everything.” Eunhee clapped in excitement as her best friend told her all the juicy gossip that Hyunjin knew.

The two would laugh about Y/n’s snobby attitude and her self-centred personality. “I really don’t get how she is supposed to rule our kingdom one day. The day she gets crowned as queen, I will be moving a reign far away from here.” Eunhee laughed. “She’s not ready to be a queen, she’s not even ready to be a princess, which she already is. She never interacts with her staff or with her citizens. They know who she is, but do they? I bet everyone would agree on her being a pretentious spoiled brat, who doesn’t know what hard work actually is.” Hyunjin scoffed.

“I couldn’t have said it any better.” She smiled before pressing a playful kiss on his cheek, leaving him with a smirk plastered onto his face.

After saying their goodbyes Hyunjin would return to Y/n who ready to go out for a fly. He caught her fixing her hair and checking her face before he appeared into her view. “Did training go well?” She assumed, Hyunjin would hum back in respond, wanting to get this over with.

The two exited the palace and were greeted by a big pond that was spread over the great kingdom in front of them. The royal Family was greeted every morning by their hardworking fairies that flew around.

Y/n shot them a smile as they passed by, which caught Hyunjin’s attention. He’d never seen her interact with anyone except her parents. Hyunjin knew of Y/n’s daily fly through the kingdom. It was well known that she loved to sit near the pond or on top of the trees to enjoy the sunset.

The flight was quiet and awkward and it bored Hyunjin to the bone. He had a hard time to stay focused, but he honestly didn’t care about her. He knew he had to protect her, otherwise he’d lose his head, but he wouldn’t mind her disappearing into the distance out of nowhere.

When they returned from their little trip, the sun would be set and the moon had come out. The Yellow Tree’s leaves were glowing as it usually would at night, showing it’s great power of life that was stored for the fairies of the reign. The houses’ lights and energy were also originated from the tree. You would think that someone would easily find the reign of Yellow Wood, but no one could coordinate their way through the Forest of the lost. The name speaks for itself.

The magic that nature itself owned protected itself from the vile hearts that belonged to the humans who wanted nothing more than to do harm to the magical creatures, who now belonged to the forest.

Hyunjin was impatiently flying back and forth as Y/n was getting changed into a more comfortable fitting. The young fairy who was waiting outside was Yearning to see Eunhee again, since the two were planning on having dinner together. “Can’t I just leave? I’ve hung around you all day, can’t I deserve a fucking break?” At this point he was worn out and wanted to get her off his wings.

“Fine, I can have dinner with just my parents. Go on then. There will be other guards there anyway.” Y/n snarled from the other side of the door, causing the maids who were dressing her sharing a look of surprise with each other.

“Bloody finally.” Hyunjin groaned before he sped away.

“Your majesty, please forgive me for interfering, but I feel like you could be nicer to Hyunjin.” One of the young maids suggested in a small voice, obviously scared of the princess’ reaction. “He might be all smiles and charms to you guys, but he’s a real bother and almost a waste of time to me. He doesn’t even pay attention to my protection. He’s absentminded. I don’t get why my father chose him as my personal guide. Well, I do get it: loyalty, trust and whatsoever. If I end up hurt, I can all assure you, it will cost Hyunjin’s head.” The frustration causing Y/n to harangue.

Without saying much after, Y/n left her bedroom to enter the dinner hall where her parents were already seated and waiting for her to join. Their dinner would be served and sooner enough they started eating, until her father spoke up. “Isn’t Hyunjin joining?” He asked. “No, I let him leave and give him a break-“ “Y/n, your intentions might be good, but Hyunjin has assigned breaks. He can with no unreasonable exception leave your side.” He noted clearly.

‘It was fun while it lasted.’ Y/n thought to herself with a heavy sigh, saying goodbye to her peaceful life, knowing it was about to be filled up with stress and annoyance.

In the meantime, Hyunjin had dashing through the fairies as he made his way to Eunhee, who had been waiting for over an hour. “I’m sorry I’m late!” He exclaimed as he caught his breath. Eunhee only giggled and signed him to sit and eat with her. “She took ages didn’t she?” Eunhee guessed with a raised eyebrow, laughing as Hyunjin gave her an exhausted look.

“She flies so slow, she gets changed every four hours or so, it’s ridiculous. I never thought I was going to say this, but I miss the king.” Hyunjin cried out, making Eunhee laugh even harder.

“Hyunjin!” A female voice squealed from behind him. “I got you some extra Honey Cake!” She beamed a smile as she place the place proudly next to him.

“You are the best, do you know that. I bet you do. Also, you look absolutely stunning today, even more beautiful than yesterday.” Hyunjin complimented as he shot her a wink. He’d take a bite and squeaked in delight.

“The best Honey Cake in the reign!” He cheered as he hugged her. In the meantime Eunhee was watching the two with resentment. “Jinnie, let’s eat. I’ve waited long enough.” She whined whilst pouting. Hyunjin hugged the other fairy goodbye, before he gave all his attention to Eunhee again.

“Hwang! Get your wings moving, the king demands to see you right away!” An elder guard’s voice boomed through the kitchen where the pair were seated. Both sighed in defeat and Hyunjin gave her an apologetic smile. Eunhee knew he had to go and shot him a small smile.

When Hyunjin arrived at the dining hall, he was shaking in anxiousness. ‘Did Y/n rat me out? I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.’ He thought to himself as he sucked in a mouthful of air and held it there to calm himself down.

“Hyunjin, there you are.” The king started.

‘Here we go.’

“I get that you would love extra breaks, but as a personal guard you have assigned resting hours, so somebody else can take over your place for a short period of time. Next time when you wish to have a break, you unfortunately have to wait, now sit down and eat with us, you must be starving.” The king’s words surprised him, but he did was he was told to do so and sit down next to Y/n.

She looked distressed and looked at him, whispering: ‘I’m sorry’.

He was yet again surprised and tried not to show it, by filling himself with food.

Weeks had passed and there were little words exchanged between the knight and the princess. Their days would go on as usual, but the two never bothered to actually work on their ‘relationship’.

Y/n never really know why Hyunjin disliked her so badly. She never hurt him in any way, she thinks at least. She never really talked to him before. To be really honest, she didn’t even know why she acted resented towards him either. He never did anything bad, beside flirting during his shift with any maid he saw in the castle.

Her father was right, he indeed was a great knight. He did his job so well when he worked for the king, yet she wondered why he couldn’t do the same for her. They continued their daily flight whilst ignoring each other.

Hyunjin thought about it and he neither understood why he was so hateful towards Y/n. She’s never hurt him in a personal way. He felt like he might’ve hated her through the stories of other fairies, who had ‘experiences’ with her. They all made Y/n seem like this horrible snob that doesn’t know what basic mannerism is.

Now that he’s almost seen her 24/7 the past weeks, he didn’t understand what made him actually think that Y/n was a bad fairy being.

Hyunjin saw Y/n from seven o’clock in the morning until midnight. He would see her wake up and go to sleep. He was right there by her side, having to protect her from what evil or danger is coming their way. The young knight chuckled to himself as he realised that he was maybe giving up his own life, to save someone he doesn’t even want to be around with.

Well, that’s what he felt like, because all of his feelings seemed to conflict and confuse him. Right now, he just stuck to hating and disliking her since it was easier that way. Hyunjin saw how much she hated to dress up. He had seen it and it didn’t look pretty, the ‘getting her into the dress’ part. She looked absolutely stunning in her gowns or any other type of royal clothing she was put into, the process she just hate.

One fairy would be tugging on a corset and tightening it so that she could just breath. Another was trying to do her hair whilst the last fairy was putting on her makeup. Later more would arrive to put Y/n into the rest of her dress and help her beautifying her wings and even putting her shoes on for her.

Hyunjin saw the annoyance in Y/n’s face whenever eight o’clock struck. The same maids would walk in to help her and it just seemed like they ruined her entire day. She’s independent and he knew she was fully well capable to take care of herself.

Yet, she was never rude to any of her. She didn’t show them the annoyed that was hidden behind a smile as they helped her dress. They were orders after all and the fairies were just doing their jobs and Y/n was well aware of that.

Hyunjin appreciated that about her. He had some newfound respect for Y/n after seeing that. It also occurred to him, that Y/n was an actual sweetheart. The staff that worked in the palace, specifically for Y/n, had never spoken a bad word about Y/n. They praised her kindness and diplomatic manners.

Hyunjin had to admit that Y/n certainly wasn’t dumb, he had made her out to be stupid, but she had proven him wrong at defence strategy meetings. She had hushed everyone’s mouth, radiating power from her side. She knew what she was talking about and the knights and guards took her advice and theories to appreciation.

The young knight himself was impressed too. He had never seen her like that, the serious soon-to-be-queen kind of acts.

“I don’t understand why I disliked her so badly. She’s smart, she knows what she’s talking about when it comes to defence strategies. Her theory was amazing it left everyone at awe!” Hyunjin exclaimed. He was in the kitchen with Eunhee as they were celebrating their break. Eunhee rolled her eyes secretly as Hyunjin continued to praise Y/n like everyone else in the castle.

“C’mon Jinnie, if that girl wasn’t a princess, she would’ve been a nobody. She wouldn’t have to have knowledge to protect a kingdom, she would be basic and boring.” Eunhee scoffed, taking another sip of her honey milk. “You might be right, but I guess she really isn’t so bad as the other fairies think she is. Besides, they are from outside the palace and don’t see her everyday like I do.” Hyunjin tried to make sense. “I mean, you’re probably right, but I bet she’s just nice to you because she has to. You’re the one protecting her after all. Would be a shame if her knight suddenly turned his back to her, because she treated him unfairly.” Eunhee shrugged, making Hyunjin sigh because he thought that his friend was right.

She glanced at him and smirked when she saw his defeated expression. She would scoot closer to him and rest her head on his shoulder. He would lean in as well as he continued to eat, making her smile in victory.

“Even though she might be faking her kindness towards you, I just want you to know that I would never turn my back to you. I like you too much for that.” She bluntly says whilst looking up to him to see him smirk and wink in return.

Hyunjin’s day went well after his break, but it all went south for Y/n. The two were in the king’s and queen’s office, Hyunjin witnessing how the family ended up in a fight.

“Y/n there is no other option-“ her mother started. “What do you mean there is no option? You could make an alliance with someone instead of arranging a fucking marriage without asking for my consent!” Y/n yelled back. “Language, young lady! You have no say in this! This is the best for our kingdom and you know that.” The king argues. “So, you let me make strategies to protect the kingdom, literally one of the only ways we protect ourselves from the enemies. But you can’t discuss this with me, something that will change my entire fucking life?” She yelled back.

“You know nothing about alliances through marriage, they are the most loyal alliances, because we would be an united kingdom, if one would turn their back on the other, it would be no use. Besides, this marriage has been planned before your birth. There’s nothing you can do about it. You will meet prince Han Jisung soon. This conversation is now over, you better prepare yourself and get to know him. He will arrive at the palace and stay here so the two of you can meet and get to form a relationship together.”

“Dad you can’t force a relationship between two people!” Her father would turn around and she would try to look at the mother desperately, hoping that she could make a difference for her.

But she only shot her an apologetic smile. Tears were brimming in Y/n’s eyes as she run out of the office and into her room.

Hyunjin was still stunned from the situation, but quietly and awkwardly left the office. The way she ran to her room crying felt disheartening. He knew that he had to protect her, but right now he felt like she needed some comfort.

He walked into her room and quietly made his way towards her. She felt her bed dip on one side and looked up to Hyunjin, who was now face to face with a puffy-eyed crown princess. “I’m sorry about what happened back there.” He whispered as he softly rubbed her back. “It’s fine, I’m sorry that you had to see and hear all of that, but hey. It’s not every day where you see the royal family argue like normal beings. You just witnessed something rare.” Y/n chuckled trying to lift the atmosphere.

“You know that you can be just sad, right? I can imagine that this is very frustrating and unfair. A big part of life must be taken away from you now, isn’t it?” He asked carefully. Y/n sighed and simply nodded in responds as she sat up.

“I guess that’s a price we have to pay as royals.” “That’s so unfair. Does this mean that you will never experience self-found love? Like, meeting someone out of the blue, falling in love with them and then the rest of the story is history?” Hyunjin asked, feeling distressed for her.

“Guess that wouldn’t be a chapter in my book.” “That’s horrible.” Hyunjin exclaimed, making Y/n shocked by his outing of feelings. “Everyone deserves a chance to find true love, true happiness. That applies to you as well. No matter who you are, right?” Hyunjin continued.

“Why are you being nice to me? I thought you hated me?” She wondered out loud laughing out in quite disbelief. “H-hated?” Hyunjin stuttered, surprised that she got onto his act. He tried to find the right words to make up for his action, but he only sighed as he didn’t dare to look Y/n in the eye.

“I don’t hate you, I have to admit that I’m not, or well wasn’t, too fond of you.” He confessed. “I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t too fond of you either when I first saw you.” She admitted, making the both of them chuckle.

“I guess we started off wrong. I changed my opinion on you though through the time we were basically forced to be together.” Hyunjin said, causing Y/n to perk her ears in curiosity. “Oh yeah? Tell me, what do you think of me now then?” “Well, you’re actually very nice and that you’re one heck of a smart fairy who knows what she’s talking about.” Hyunjin laughed, Y/n joining him. “Okay so, you thought I was mean and dumb before?” Y/n asked playfully, causing Hyunjin to stutter.

“N-no! Of course not!” “Calm down it’s fine. Everyone has their own opinion on things which are fine, if they are right is something else.” Y/n laughed. “And, did your opinion about me change after a few weeks?” Hyunjin dares to ask. “I guess you’re fine.” She jokes. “Excuse me only ‘fine’?” He scoffs whilst laughing loudly. “Kidding!”

After that night the two became close. Hyunjin even introduced her to one of his friends, who happened to be someone she already knew: Jeongin.

The young fairy was one of the most adventurous fairies out there and he worked for the royals to gather information on anything. Wanted a new recipe for food because honey milk had become boring? No problem, Jeongin right here saw the humans put strawberries, bananas and even melon in their milk to make it fruity!

Jeongin basically was the cause of many advantaged the kingdom has made. He analysed inventions from humans and brought them back to the fairy realm so they could also provide from the knowledge, but safely. Jeongin had to stay in the shadows to not get caught by mean spirited humans who wanted nothing more to hurt the magic creatures.

Anyway, Jeongin and Hyunjin basically are best friends. When the two are together, you can’t separate them. They would share stories they had recently experienced. For example: Jeongin had just come back from his adventurous trip and had brought back something that was called a ‘dumpling’.

Jeongin saw to his shock that humans put meat in it, but then to his relieve he saw that there were also good humans who put only vegetables in it, meaning that they didn’t had to harm the animals.

The fairies shuddered in bewilderment and anger at the fact that there were people out there killing innocent animals. After Jeongin was done analysing and speaking about his adventure, the chefs took the recipes and immediately rushed to the kitchen to try out this new ‘dumpling’.

The three, now friends, would sit outside and enjoy the vegetable filled delights. Jeongin and Hyunjin turned to Y/n when she suddenly started laughing whilst looking at her dumpling. “What?” Hyunjin asked curiously. “You look like a dumpling.” She giggles before taking another nibble.

Hyunjin was as red as a tomato and didn’t know what to do or say. In the mean time we had Jeongin over here who was laughing his little fairy wings off. “I-I…” Hyunjin could only stutter. “Now you have apple cheeks!” Y/n squeals as she pinched them, making Hyunjin almost scream as he felt like he couldn’t get any more flustered.

Y/n clapped excitedly in amusement whilst Hyunjin was blushing shyly. You could tell that their relationship has started to bloom and there was a specific person who wasn’t all too happy with this.

Could you take a guess? You probably guessed correctly. It’s Eunhee. She had to serve the three some drinks but she had other plans She gently placed Hyunjin’s next to him and jabbed the drink in Y/n’s face who only gasped in shock. She got up from her seat, looking down at her dress that was now ruined by the red grape juice.

“My sincerest apologies your majesty! I trip and fell!” Eunhee lied with a smirk hiding behind her phoney worried face. Y/n was shivering from the cold and feeling icky from the sugar that the juice contained. “It was an accident, don’t worry. If you would excuse me. I’ll go and change.” “Me too, it got all over my pants.” Jeongin mutters before flying off with Y/n.

Hyunjin watched them leave before he faced Eunhee, who now had a smirk plastered onto her face. He looked at her confused and she started to laugh. “Oh c’mon, you have to give it to me, that was a good one!” She giggles whilst bumping him playfully. “You did that on purpose?” He asked her in shock. “Of course I did, I take every chance to fuss with her.” “That dress costs a fortune.” Hyunjin states, still trying to process the current situation. “Oh please, she has tons of those hanging in her closet.”

“I’m not doing this right now.” Hyunjin sighs as she was about to take off as well. “Wait, you’re telling me you’re standing up for that miserable arse?” She huffed. “I’m going to check up on her, I’ll see you around.” Hyunjin mutters before he flew off to Y/n’s room. Leaving Eunhee with green flames in her eyes.

“Y/n are you alright?” Hyunjin called from the other side of the door. “Yeah, I’ll just put on something comfortable since the day is pretty much over.” He heard her call back in return. “Want to go out for a quick fly? I bet they have some goodies in town we can go and eat.” Hyunjin suggests. “Sounds good to me!” She chirped back. “Alright, I’ll be out here in a second. I’m going to change as well!”

Hyunjin hurried his way to the room next door and changed himself out of his clothes. When he put on an old hoodie, since the nights could become chilly, he spotted a note placed on his dresser. Whilst frowning his eyes in confusion he made his way towards the piece of paper and opened it.

It read:

My beloved Hyunjin,

This if the first time I’ve ever written a love letter to someone, so please bear with me. I’ve loved you since we were young and lately I can’t get you out of my head. You’ve taken over my mind and stolen my heart. I wish I had only the courage to tell you this in person.

But for now I will express my love to you in letter form.

Forever yours and hopefully one day officially.

Yours sincerely,

Your secret admirer.

Hyunjin was baffled at the sudden confession and confused at how the note even found its way into his room, which was locked at all times. Unless Hyunjin himself unlocked it of course.

As Hyunjin was trying to figure out how the mysterious note got into his bedroom, Y/n was already waiting outside her bedroom door. She was sniffing the flowers that were decorated outside hers and Hyunjin’s bedrooms. She cocked her head to the side in slight bewilderment when she found a black paper inside the bouquet.

She looked around her to see if anyone was watching and quickly snatched the note out of the flowers. As soon as she did, Y/n immediately regretted it, reading whatever the white letters said:

Your majesty,

It has come to my attention that you have stolen one of my belongings. I intend on having this back, or else the consequences will not only affect you, but your entire kingdom.

Make your decisions wisely madam.

I will be watching you.

The note brought shivers to her spine and she quickly hid the paper when she heard Hyunjin fumbling with his doorknob. The pressuring anxiety hadn’t faded a little after Hyunjin arrived, fortunately for the princess that he hadn’t seen the note.

She didn’t wanted him to see this. She didn’t wanted this to affect him, she cared for him. Maybe just as a friend or even more she wasn’t too sure about it, but he certainly didn’t has to clean up the mess she supposedly made.

Y/n now had to figure out what she did wrong. She doesn’t even interact with other few people that often. Beside her staff of course. Just the thought alone of her own staff turning against her and trying to kill her made her anxiety raise through the roof.

She tried to focus her attention on Hyunjin who told her that he had received a love letter for the first time in his life. “Really? You don’t get that kind of stuff on a daily basis?” Y/n asked surprised before handing the market lady her money for the apples they just bought. “No, of course not why would I?” Hyunjin scoffed, trying not to out his flustered state.

“Well, obviously you’re very kind and caring, which is part of your nature as you are a knight. Speaking of, you’re protective and reliable. People love that! And let’s not forget that you are very good looking, but let’s be honest. Those looks are pretty much a bonus since there are already so many amazing things about you that are so loveable!” Y/n praised whilst making her way with Hyunjin to the tops of the trees.

“W-why thank you. I didn’t know you saw me that way.” Hyunjin tried to say in his most confident voice, but the stutters betrayed him terribly. “These are the basic things that I have figured out about you after being with you twenty-four-seven for the past months.” Y/n giggled. Hyunjin could only hide his face in his hands, receiving a playful push from Y/n.

“Let’s head back before people will wonder where the hell we are.” Y/n continues to giggle before taking the lead home.

Time passed and right now Hyunjin and Y/n were seated around the dinner table with her parents. The atmosphere was thick and Y/n still hadn’t forgiven her parents for what they did to her.

And as if it couldn’t get any worse her father started to talk. “Y/n I forgot to inform you, that Prince Jisung will be arriving at the palace soon. You will meet him at the ball of our spring festival and after that you have eight months to prepare yourself for the wedding.” He stated without meeting his own daughter’s eyes. She choked on her food and tried arguing against her father as soon as her breath had stabilized again.

“I don’t even know the guy! And you want him to live here?” She yells in frustration. “Of course he’s going to live here, he will be the future king.” The king’s monotone angered her even further and Hyunjin felt bad for her.

He couldn’t imagine how frustrating it must be to be involved in an arranged marriage. He felt blessed that he never had to experience such pressure and commitment. He still very much believed that everyone deserved to find their own love of their live, so this was pretty much against his morals.

After dinner Y/n requested to be left alone as she wanted to clear her mind in her room. Hyunjin asked her if she was sure she didn’t want him by her side, but she would tell him that it might be good for her to be alone for once in a while.

He agreed and now he was alone with Jeongin in the garden. Hyunjin told his friend about the frustrating situation Y/n was facing at the moment. “You really seem to become fond of her.” Jeongin laughs. “What do you mean?” “Well, you have to admit. You weren’t her biggest fan before you actually got to know her.” Jeongin states. “I know, but she’s just so kind and I wouldn’t wish anyone a life like this, when it comes to someone’s love life.” Hyunjin sighed.

“I hate to say it, but I told you so.” Jeongin laughed, causing Hyunjin to look at him in confusion. “I’ve always told you what she’s actually like, but I guess you were just too stubborn to see who she really is.” Jeongin states with an amusing smirk. “Fine, you were right. I have to admit, I really enjoy her company. She’s great to hang out with.

When Jeongin didn’t react he continue to rant about the fact that she calls him dumpling when no one is watching. “… it’s really the cutest thing. She would get all giggly and bubbly. She’d squish my cheeks together and just look at me cutely, my heart melts every time!” He cried out with a beaming smile on his face.

Jeongin shook his head, smiling as well, before he started to talk. “Seems like someone has a crush on our princess.” He wiggled his eyebrows playfully whilst Hyunjin shook his head in denial.

“No-“ “Oh please, have you just heard yourself?” Jeongin scoffed as he laughed. “I-I, no seriously. You know I have a thing with Eunhee.” Hyunjin stumbled over his words and he felt his chest tightening after he finished his sentence. Something didn’t feel right. “Sure buddy, if you say so.” “I-I don’t know okay! I think I like her.” “Who are we talking about, Eunhee or Y/n.” Jeongin wondered. “Eunhee, I think I like her. I know her well and we’re always together. We grew up together after all.” “Just because you grew up together doesn’t mean you have to grow old together. Sure, I can tell that she likes you, but you surely don’t. Trust me. I’ve seen you with Y/n before.” Jeongin smirked.

“What’s that supposed to mean.” Hyunjin asked. “You’ll find out eventually.”

More time had passed and at this point, Hyunjin had started to love his job. He spent all his days with Y/n and they went from enemies to best friends. They talked about anything and everything. They even started to bicker together, causing Jeongin to roll his eyes playful whenever he was around.

Hyunjin had only eyes for her.

He was well aware of that. The entire kingdom was talking about it. They saw Hyunjin and Y/n taking a stroll everyday together and they assumed the obvious: that they were dating. But that fantasy soon disappeared when they realised that that was strictly against the law of the Yellow Wood Kingdom.

That didn’t stop the two from going out together. Sometimes they would take a break from their usual strolls around the garden or on top of the trees, they even went undercover together to experience the energy of the citizen who lived in the centre of the kingdom.

Even though Hyunjin had a busy schedule, which existed mostly out of spending time with Y/n, he still went out to Eunhee who was impatiently waiting to get his attention. They were having lunch together as usual, but Hyunjin’s mind was anywhere but where it was supposed to be. And Eunhee wasn’t loving it.

“Jinnie!” She whined resting her chin on his shoulder to get his attention, but Hyunjin was still with his mind in the clouds. “How do you show someone you have feelings for them, but maybe in a lowkey kind of way?” Hyunjin blurted out, causing Eunhee to look at him in surprise.

Her eyes had widen and soon she started to smile brightly to herself. Thinking to herself that he had finally recognized her love for him. She thought that her love letters had worked that she had been leaving around his place for the past few weeks.

“It’s really about the small little things that will make someone notice that you like them. Per example, whenever you talk to them make eye contact, it shows that you have all your attention focused on her and her only. Treat them a little more special than the other people that you know, like give them compliments or small gifts that made you think of her. Just talk to them about anything and everything, remember small facts about her that will surprise her that you even know that about her. Those little things often makes the other person get the hint that you like them.” Eunhee said boastfully.

Hyunjin began to smile and said to himself: “so basically what I am doing already?” Which made Eunhee grin in amusement. “Well if you are already doing all of that, maybe you should take it a step further to show her your true feelings.” “Thank you Eunhee that’s exactly what I will do!” Hyunjin chirped as he kissed her temple before flying out, leaving her confused. “Where are you going?” She called after him. “Got to prepare something I’ll see you later!”

But she didn’t see him later. Instead he had hurried his way to Y/n during his lunch to whisper a message to her. “We’re going somewhere tonight, meet me in front of our bedrooms in regular clothes.” He had said before flying off again, since he still had some lunchtime left.

Now Y/n was waiting in front of a closed door, hoping that no one would walk by and catch her. She knocked on Hyunjin’s door once again, getting impatient and anxious. “You ready?” She let out a squeal in surprise when Hyunjin suddenly had appeared behind her. “Don’t do that!” She cried out before hitting his chest, causing him to groan in pain. He held up a braided basket with a bright smile on his face. She cocked her head in curiosity, but Hyunjin held his finger up to his lips to tell her to be quite before he grabbed her by the hand and lead themselves out of the palace.

She had to admit that her heart fluttered and was not beating rapidly. She looked at Hyunjin as he was taking them somewhere. His eyes were concentrating on the fairies around them, hoping that they wouldn’t get caught. She was openly staring at his face, without him noticing, his handsome features had her captivated. Until he stopped suddenly causing her to bump into his shoulder.

He looked down at her whilst still holding her hand. With a smirk plastered on his face causing Y/n to cock her head in curiosity again, but before she knew it. Hyunjin launched off into the air, making her squeal for the second time that day in surprise. They landed on a big branch that belonged to the Yellow Tree and Y/n plopped down on the branch, feeling out of breath.

“What are we doing here? Won’t they see us up here?” Y/n asked worried whilst looking down to see the village coming alive at night. “They probably will, especially since I got these guys helping me out.” Hyunjin said. Y/n looked up to see fireflies surrounding them as they minded their own business around the pair. “You did this?” She asked in awe, with Hyunjin only nodding in responds. “You did this for me? Why?” She was touched by his surprise and pouted whilst looking at him, feeling a little emotional.

“Well, I know you haven’t been the happiest lately and that being a crown princess is frustrating and tiring. So, I did this to cheer you up, hopefully it worked.” He muttered shyly as she scratched the back of his head.

“Thank you.” She whispered before she tackled him with an embrace. Hyunjin was hoping and praying that she didn’t feel his heart speeding for her. “Your welcome, here.” He said, pulled out the basket he was holding earlier. When he opened it she gasped in excitement when she saw that it was filled with her favourite foods, including the new dumplings.

“How… when…?” She was speechless at his kind gesture and couldn’t come up with the words to form a decent sentence. “I went out to the chefs during my lunchbreak, after I went to you, and asked them to prepare this for us.” He said with a proud smile. “You are so sweet. What did I do to deserve someone like you.” She cried out to her best friend. “Just continue being you and I promise that I’ll always be here.” The emotion in his voice could be heard clearly and it made Y/n even more emotional than that she already was. She started to tear up and scoot closer to Hyunjin’s figure to hug him tight.

“Thank you Dumpling.” “You’re welcome Princess.” He smiled whilst looking down at her. “I wasn’t talking to you, I was talking to these bad boys.” Y/n teased as she picked up one of the doughballs from the basket, making Hyunjin laugh loudly before he began to eat himself.

Time went by and the two were stuffed with the delicious food Hyunjin had brought along. They were now looking down at the other fairies from the branch and enjoying the view together. Y/n began to feel a little chilly, the cold night breeze surprising her, making her put her hands into her pockets, trying to find the tiniest bit of extra warmth.

But to her surprise she felt a piece of paper in her pocket. She could feel her heart drop into the pit of her stomach and she looked to see if Hyunjin wasn’t paying attention to her. He was too immersed by the few people below him, so she could take a quick look on what the note could be.

She gulped loudly when she saw yet another familiar black note that had somehow found its way into her jacket.

Your majesty,

You’re not doing quite a well job in returning whatever’s mine. I suggest you to stay away from it. It belongs to me and only me. It doesn’t matter who you are, who you have on your side. I shall do everything in my power to get what I want.

Whenever, I want.

Don’t forget your majesty.

I’m watching you still.

Y/n’s boy had stiffen and anxiety had found it’s way back into her mind. Hyunjin noticed the sudden change in behaviour and softly touched her shoulder as he asked if she was alright. She jumped in surprise and quickly tried to hide the note back into her pocket with a hurry as she said that she was fine.

Which she truly believed since he was by her side. She knew nothing could get to her when she had someone like Hyunjin. He made her feel comfortable and safe. He made her feel like a normal fairy instead of someone who was soon in charge of a kingdom with a jewelled crown on her head.

“Want to go see if my friends are down there? I bet they having a good time.” He chuckles as he saw the citizen dance below them. “Sure, sounds good.” Y/n stood onto her feet and stretched her body out. Hyunjin looked up to her as she did so, she’s absolutely stunning. Her wings were big and elegant. They were often the cause of the two getting recognized by villagers, making them flee right away from the scene, laughing of course.

Hyunjin looked down, smiling to himself. Until he noticed a piece of paper besides Y/n’s feet. He was about to address it to her, but she cut him of and sooner enough flew down after yelling: “Last one down is a rotten egg!”

Hyunjin couldn’t help but shake his head with the smile still stuck on his face as he cleaned up their little picnic. But, he couldn’t help but feel drawn to the black paper that was accidently left behind by Y/n. She was down there and he knew he had to be quick and scanned the note.

His smile had disappeared and a worried expression came in its place. Hyunjin was shaking in anger, wondering why someone would harass someone from the royal family. And he got even more frustrated when he realised that Y/n didn’t even mention this to him, when he’s there to help and safe her whenever she needed help.

‘Maybe she already handled it?’ He thought to himself, she was smart and wise after all.

But he couldn’t risk it. He shoved the note into his own pocket and almost dove down. He had also come to the realisation that Y/n was down there, all by herself in a big crowd of who knows who.

The one who had written this note to her could be down there and he wasn’t there to safe her. He panicked when he couldn’t spot her. The crowds were big and everyone was busy talking to each other. He knew he couldn’t shout her name above everyone, it would bring too much attention to them.

He was about to pass out from a panic attack when his eyes suddenly caught a familiar cape near a stand. He sped through the people and dropped the basket he was holding as he brought her in his arms. She was surprised at his sudden embrace, but wrapped her arms around him anyway. “Don’t ever do that again.” He muttered into her hair. “What-“ “Don’t you ever scare me like that again. Okay? I almost passed out from a panic attack.” Hyunjin stated seriously as he had her face cupped into his hands, looking her deeply in the eyes.

“I-I’m sorry, I saw this stand with rose water and the dumplings made me thirsty.” She explained, feeling bad for making him panic over her. “It’s okay, just don’t do that again, okay?” Y/n simply nodded before hugging him again, guilt washing over her for making him worry.

When they arrived back at the palace it was already midnight. Which meant that Hyunjin was off knight-duties. He either could sleep or he had some free time for himself. After changing out of his armour he put on a comfortable blouse and some loose pants.

He let himself fall onto his Queen-sized bed and stared onto the ceiling. His mind went back to the note that he had found earlier that night. He just couldn’t keep his thoughts off it. He fished it out of his jacket.

The words were cold yet horrifying. He still didn’t understand why someone would harass Y/n. She wouldn’t hurt a fly and that’s a promise.

Hyunjin thought that he maybe should make work of this and got back on his feet. Before he knew it he flew through the halls of the palace without a plan, only to be interrupted by a familiar voice. “Hyunjin!” Eunhee yelled from behind him. “Yes?” Hyunjin said tiredly as he continued to fly. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you!” She sounded annoyed and it made Hyunjin want to roll his eyes, but she was in front of him, so maybe it was for the better that he left that idea out of the picture.

“First you suddenly leave me alone at lunch and now you avoid me? Jinnie did I do something wrong?” She asks with puppy eyes. “I was working. You know that.” Hyunjin sighs. “But I don’t get to see you at all. I miss you Jinnie.” She cried out holding onto his bicep and shaking him lightly.

“Eunhee, you know this is my job. I only have a time for myself during breakfast, lunch, dinner and after midnight. I don’t have a lot of time for myself. I’m well aware of that and you should be as well.” Hyunjin stated seriously. “So, you choose your work over me? You’re always gone and you leave me alone! You know that I don’t have anyone but you, right?” She cried out once again. “Eunhee, this job was a personal order of the king-“ “I bet that little brat is keeping you from me. She knows how much you mean to me and how much I need you. That I have no one else besides you.” Eunhee whined dramatically.

“Look Eunhee,” Hyunjin began with a sigh. “We’ll spend some time together soon, okay?” Hyunjin put his hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her, but she didn’t seem to calm down. “Then go to the spring festival with me. The villagers will have the market place decorated prettily and we can go there to dance, to drink and eat of course-“ “I would love to Eunhee, but I have to work. There’s a royal ball the same evening I have to attend with-“ “Y/n, I get it. I get it. Got to serve the brat.” She mutters in annoyance. “Oh cheer up, I’m sure I get to see you. I thought you were serving at the ball?” Hyunjin cocked his head slightly as he thought. “Right.” Eunhee sighed. “Well, I’ll get going then. I have some stuff to go through.” “Jinnie wait!” Eunhee called after him, but it was no use. He was already out of sight.

But not out of her mind.

It was the first official day of spring and the kingdom was thrilled. Everyone was hurrying around to make everything just right for their first day of spring. The season fairies had gathered together with the royal family to officially announce the season, causing the citizen to roar happily.

Y/n saw the seasonal fairies, like the flower fairies, hug each other excitedly as they got to carry out their personal magic. Y/n smiled as she looked down to the citizen of their kingdom. They all seemed to be happy, excited for another chapter of a great year.

Yet, Y/n wasn’t really feeling any of it. Jisung had arrived a few day ago and the first introduction together was terribly awkward. Y/n felt bad that she neglected his tries on starting a conversation, but it just didn’t seem to work. It was only three months from now and the two would be married to each other and soon after be crowned as the new king and queen.

Hyunjin was there, well not really he was guarding the door, as the other two tried to get to know each other. Hyunjin could hear the entire conversation from the other side and it still broke his heart that he had to give her up like that. Many times he was conflicted over the fact whether he should confess or not.

Right now, he stood behind Y/n and saw he slumped figure. He knew that later tonight was the Spring ball and that she had to get ready for it, as much as she hated that. They, Jisung and Y/n, will be shown for the first time in public as an engaged pair.

Hyunjin couldn’t call them a couple. He just couldn’t. They barely knew each other and he was certain that they didn’t love each other. Both of them were pushed into this directed and into the current situation.

Hyunjin also couldn’t call them a couple, because of the fact that he was madly in love with the crown princess. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. She even appeared into his dreams after a while.

He had dreamt that they were ordinary people, that they lived a simple life together, but they were happy and they could love each other without anyone standing in their way. Something like the law. The knight even spend hundreds of hours in total in the royal library. Hopeful to find a little loophole to maybe have a chance with the love of his life, but unfortunately luck didn’t seem to be on his side.

So, instead. Hyunjin cherished every second with her. And once again, he had dragged her to the same branch above the market place to have a little picnic with his favourite princess.

“You’re brining me here again?” Y/n asked with amusement heard in her voice. “I brought you here last time to cheer you up, I thought I should do it again.” Hyunjin muttered to her with a small smile on his face.

He found it difficult to sound happy when he knew he was giving her up for someone he couldn’t stand a chance against. “I guess this will be our happy place then.” Y/n chirped pulling out a bottle of rose water and giving it to her friend. They toasted before they looked down to enjoy the happiness of others.

They had to save their energy for the ball later that night. And she also wasn’t allowed to attend the festival at the local market, because of the massive crowd that showed up at such gatherings. Hyunjin looked to his side and saw her smile as she was looking down to her people. He felt still felt bad for her. Her life was turned upside down, he really felt the need to do this. Not as her knight, but as her best friend. And Y/n was clearly surprised and touched by his gesture.

Her eyes would meet his, making him shoot his focus away from her. Causing her to giggle at his cuteness. “Thank you Dumpling, I needed this.” She said to him softly. He was about say something as well, but he sooner enough felt a pair of lips connecting to his cheek and a soft touch on his jaw.

To his surprise, Y/n had kissed him softly on his cheek.

Both hearts of the young fairies were racing. Y/n was screaming on the inside that she finally had the courage to make a move. Hyunjin was on the other hand absolutely speechless. He was stuck in a shock and he didn’t dare to look at her.

Y/n knew she was in love with her best friend. I mean how couldn’t she? Hyunjin was tall, for a fairy then, he was strong, caring, sweet, emotional and always kind. Y/n felt like there really was a spark between them. And she had complained an umpteenth time that she didn’t wanted to marry prince Jisung.

He seemed like a nice kid, but she didn’t feel anything. She wasn’t in love with him like she was with Hyunjin. And now especially when she had admitted to herself that she was in love with him, wasn’t helping her at all.

When Jisung had arrived at the palace, the black notes seemed to worsen. They seemed harsher and darker and they also always seemed to disappear somehow. Y/n didn’t wanted to think too much of it. She just hoped that someone was just trying to mess with her and that this was all just a sick joke. That would be the best outcome for this whole situation.

There even was a note wrapped noticeably around the napkin as the food was delivered to her room. She hurried to the door where it was left for her and tried to see whoever brought it, but there was no one in sight.

Y/n sighed and almost cried to herself as she wondered what she did wrong to hurt this person so badly that he or she made harass her. It was still early in the afternoon and the king walked in, telling Y/n that she had to spend the afternoon with Jisung, as if her day couldn’t have gotten any worse. She sighed to herself and got up to follow her father out of the room. Leaving her food untouched.

The two flew slowly to the garden where she would have to meet Jisung. Y/n looked up to her father and gathered the courage to speak to him. “Dad, what would you think or say when I fell in love with a commoner?” The king shot his head to his daughter and sighed. “We’ve talked about this Y/n. You can’t get out of this marriage. I-it’s not possible, you just can’t.” He stuttered. “But-“ “There’s nothing else to discuss. You are marrying this prince and that’s the end of this conversation. You have duties to fulfil and to our sad reality this is one of them. I don’t want another word about this and I forbid you to see this commoner once more if there really is someone else. You stay away from him and that’s an order. Now, there comes prince Jisung. Be nice to him.” He only said before leaving again with a hurry.

She’s talked to Jisung a few times now and she knew that he was a kind and very polite fairy. She also noticed how he didn’t like to meet new people, which was very understandable. Especially as someone from a royal family, you had to watch out for people who wanted to take advantage of their title that came with wealth and power.

Jisung also seemed quite timid and their time together usually became very awkward after a while. Also because Y/n tried to avoid him as much as possible in the palace.

In the meantime Hyunjin, who was unaware of Y/n leaving her room, was surprised to see the large bedroom empty when he let himself in. He looked around the corners to see if she didn’t wanted to jump scare him, but he found the room to be completely empty, beside a tray filled with food that was now calling his name.

He skipped towards it and contemplated on eating it himself, but he knew better than that and was about to return it to the kitchen. He had the tray in his hands when he saw that the napkin had an unusual black paper wrapped around it.

He recognized the texture of the paper and then the handwriting of the words that was written in it. He sighed to himself and didn’t bother to read the horrible note. The words were hurtful and would probably get under his skin. He told himself that he would analyse it later on, he had gathered a lot of notes anyway. And he wondered if he would find more through time.

Now that he thought about notes, he realised that he was also getting more and more love letters. Those never stopped and they declared someone’s love to him every single time. At first he was flattered, but they began to worry him a little since they began to sound obsessive.

‘The more love notes I get, the more death threats she gets.’ He thought to himself.

Hyunjin sat down and started to think further. Through time, he had noticed that the staff was turning against Y/n. Y/n even noted it to him herself. He heard them talking badly about her, spreading rumours among each other that obviously were false.

The young knight sighed and got back onto his feet and made his way out and towards the kitchen. The tray was in his hand, untouched, yet the black paper had made its way into Hyunjin’s pocket. When he arrived in the kitchen he was immediately greeted by Eunhee who clung onto him like a koala.

He tries to shake her off as he had to get ready for the ball, but she didn’t give in. “Eunhee, I have to go. I have to be ready within an hour. You should get ready as well, the ball starts before we know it.” Hyunjin sighed, leaving Eunhee to scoff and whine. She was about to protest, but he had already disappeared again.

The ball had started about two hours ago. Y/n and Jisung were introduced together at the beginning of the ball, leaving everyone in awe. Tons of people came up to the two to congratulate them or to offer ‘personal advice’ for the newly engaged couple on how to rule a kingdom or how to keep the marriage going. And neither of those were something they wanted to hear right now. They shared a look with each other and sighed. They both were unhappy, yet they had to put on their best smile to please the others.

Now, two hours in and Y/n had to reject countless men who tried to dance with her. She just wasn’t in the mood. And neither was she in the mood for the curious-aunty-like fey people, they were just so noisy and she didn’t wanted to do anything with those kinds of fairies.

Y/n had spotted Hyunjin who was talking to one of his fellow knights. She excused herself from the crowd around her and rushed her way towards her best friend. “I’m going to borrow him for a while!” Y/n whisper yelled before she dragged her best friend to the dancefloor. “As if you hadn’t done that already!” The other knight yelled back and laughed.

“What are you doing?” Hyunjin asked as he had his arms wrapped around Y/n’s waist whilst swaying over the dancefloor. “I don’t want to talk to anyone. They’re only interested in rich-few-people-talk.” Y/n cried out whilst resting her head on Hyunjin’s chest. She could hear his heartbeat, which Hyunjin tried his hardest to control around her.

She didn’t care that everyone at the ball could see. She was exhausted and just wanted to be comfortably in the arms of the one who she really loved.

Eunhee, who was serving at the ball, had her eyes locked on the two, just like most people at the ball had. Jealousy was something that had become her second nature. She gritted her teeth and almost growled to herself like a green beast as she looked at the guy who she felt like should’ve been hers.

She was going to end this, one way or another.

Jisung saw the pair as well and immediately he knew that she as well had someone else who had stolen their heart. Jisung knew what that felt like and immediately fell back into his gloomy mood, missing his love of his life. He looked at Hyunjin and Y/n and envied the two. They at least got to spend all their time together, while he was stuck here, far away from home and no where near his beloved significant other.

He was surprised by himself that he wasn’t made, but how could he? Y/n was happy. Still, he had a little bit of a ‘what the fuck’ moment.

The night of the ball soon had ended and the guest finally left the palace again, except for Jisung of course.

It was early in the morning when Hyunjin was called to the office of the king, where he was told that he had a special and important mission for the knight.

“There has been an alarm set off in the Woods of the Lost that someone or something is approaching too close to the magic fairy reign. I want you and another scout to find out what it is, to see if there is more danger to it and if there is I want you to lead it far away from our reign.” The king had said.

“Wait, your majesty, but isn’t this a job for scouts to do-“ “I was informed about your strength and intelligence. This person seemed to speak very highly about you. So, I trust you that you got this under control.” The king states.

‘Way to pressure this onto me.’ Hyunjin thought to himself and before he knew it he was out of the reign and into the woods with some kid, who didn’t seem to be ready for this kind of job. The two had flown for hours and the sun had started to come out, there was no sign of any danger.

Hyunjin sighed and kept flying around as he was told to. He missed his bed and craved sleep more than anything. Well, maybe Y/n’s hugs, but that would be it. The young knight looked down and saw an odd trail of flowers. ‘Must be a flower fairy, but why would they be outside the reign?’ Hyunjin wondered. 

He chocked his head when he noticed a blue flower from his height. He immediately knew what flower it was: a forget-me-not. He thought of Y/n and how he had to give her up, which made him sad almost instantly.

Hyunjin could just cry there and then, but he knew better and got himself together and accompanied the scout who still was scared out of his mind. “Hyunjin, do you really think there is something out here?” He asked shaky. “I’ll be honest I have no idea.” Hyunjin admitted as his voice trailed off. “But I do know that I want to take a closer look at those flowers.” Hyunjin muttered before he dove down to ground level, which was not allowed. The chance of them getting caught as they’re on ground level is bigger and it would take them much longer to get out of something like a miserable human’s reach.

But Hyunjin just had to get the flowers. They reminded him of Y/n. Call him a romanticist, but he knew what those flowers meant. They represented hop the recipient will not forget the giver. It also symbolizes faithful love and memories. When he finally set his feet on the moist soil he looked at the flower and knew instantly that these were made by a fairy. He knew that, because the flowers were ‘fairy-sized’. They fitted into his hands perfectly.

The scout was still high up in the air, screaming his lungs out for something. “What? What are you yelling about?” Hyunjin yelled back, but to his surprise he was cut off by a giant hand ripping through the air. Hyunjin dropped the flower and dodged the hand fortunately. “Fuck.” He said to himself in slight panic as he now had to get rid of a human, who looked like it had been roaming around the woods for ages. “You! You demonic creatures are the cause of this! The cause of my pain and my torture! I’ve been lost in these damned woods for months now! And you are going to get me out if you like it or not you demon!” It yelled as it tried to grab Hyunjin once again.

Hyunjin flew up in the air and told the scout to hide. Hyunjin sped his way through the forest in the hope that the human would get off his wings. And to his fortune, the man finally got lost again, deep into the forest.

But now, Hyunjin had a problem: he had to find his way back. 

He didn’t know where to start and flew in circles. He sighed and sat on a leave for a second as he tried to clear up his mind. Hyunjin became frustrated and hung his head low, thinking that he never would find his way back. Only to look at the ground and see the odd trail of flowers that was maid by one of the fairies from his reign. He thanked his lucky stars and made his way back. Eventually he found the young scout as well who was hiding on the top of the trees.

Him being very emotional and scared, he hugged Hyunjin tightly before they made their way back. “Wait, I have to do something.” Hyunjin said, before diving down to the flowers again. “That got you almost killed last time!” The scout shrieked in fear. “Or it made us find out problem and get rid of it.” Hyunjin states as a matter of a fact as he held up the bouquet.

When they arrived back at the palace Y/n was waiting in front of the entrance with her father who was trying to calm her down. “Y/n he’s fine! I bet that he’s gotten rid of that monster already.” The king tried to assure his daughter. “But what if he’s hurt! What if he’s lost!” Y/n cried out in panic, scared that she was never going to see him again.

“Well, well. Don’t worry too much princess, it will only hurt that pretty head of yours.” Hyunjin said with a smirk, causing Y/n to turn around within seconds and rush her way to him, who only could let out a laugh as he hugged her back.

“What are those?” Y/n asked, looking at the dozens of flowers he was holding. “I found these in the woods and they reminded me of you, I just had to bring you some.” He winked, making Y/n slightly blush. “’Forget me nots’?” Y/n asked curiously. “Just to remind you that I am unforgettable.” He teased, trying to hide his pain behind a smile as he received a playful push from Y/n soon after, causing him to hiss in pain. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Y/n worriedly roamed her hands on his chest unknowingly how awkward that must’ve been for him.

He grabbed her hands and placed hers in his and told her that he was alright, but the young scout who was still stressed out thought otherwise. “He fought that miserable human all by himself! He dodged him and outsmarted him! And we found him because Hyunjin dared to fly to ground level! He almost got himself killed though! But Hyunjin’s tactics worked wonders!” The scout blurted out. Hyunjin bit his cheek as he eyed the king who looked shocked. He knew he broke a rule, but at least he got rid of their problem.

“I’m just glad you two are safe. And you have made sure the entire reign is safe. You shall not be unrewarded. Expect something from me soon as a gratitude.” The king said before excusing himself. “Wait, did you risk your life to get me flowers?” Y/n asked in shock. “Shh, let’s get inside. I had no sleep at all and I know you don’t have a schedule today.” “Answer me Hyunjin!” Y/n cried out playfully yet in disbelief, but he only shot her a wink, causing her to gasp. “Hwang Hyunjin, you are insane!” She laughed out, feeling like she’s about to go mad. “Insanely fond of you!” He winked once again, causing her to shriek out, leaving him laughing.

Hyunjin would never admit that he almost got himself killed to bring the love of his life flowers. He never even thought that something like that would happen. ‘Next time we’ll just go to the market,’ he promised to himself as he laid down on his bed. Y/n promised to sit in her room for the next few hours so he could catch up with some sleep. Which is exactly what he did.

The next morning Y/n woke up with some surprising news. “Your majesty, you are ordered to stay inside today. Sir Hwang seems to be sick.” A knight informed her in the early hours of the day.

Y/n immediately woke up from her sleepy state and rushed into Hyunjin’s bedroom. Hyunjin shot up in shock and looked at Y/n tiredly. “What happened to you?” Y/n asked feeling his head as she sat besides him. “Nothing too bad, the doctor said I had overworked myself and that my body is begging me this way to take a break.” Hyunjin chuckled. “Well, I got to agree with it. You’re so hardworking, you deserve some time off, but you’re sick.” Y/n pouted as she ran her hand through his hair. He leaned into her touch, not really minding the fact that he was now stuck in bed if she was going to be there.

“What are you up to today?” He asked her whilst half talking into his pillow, cutely burying his head deeper into it. “Nothing special really. I think I’ll go get you some rose water, fruit and soup. It will help you back to your old self.” Y/n was about to jump off his bed, but was stopped by him grabbed her wrist. “You don’t have to do this, you know?” “I know, but I want to. You take care of me everyday by protecting me and keeping me company. It’s the least I could do. Now, lay still. Go read a book or something. I’ll be back.” Y/n chirped before leaving the room.

Hyunjin was left in his bed, still staring at the door she just walked through. He thanked his lucky stars once again for making it back home, making it back to her. He sighed deeply and was bummed out that he couldn’t go out with her to the fields, to see the flowers bloom, to see the first rainbow of the season and experience the warm rain on a sunny day.

Before Hyunjin knew it, Y/n had returned with her hands full with things. He was about to stand up and help her, but was quickly ordered by Y/n herself to get back in bed, causing him to pout at her. Y/n set up the food and sat cross-legged next to him. Feeding him the soup that had secret vegetable dumplings in them. “Hey, you may be sick. But these have veggies in them which means they are good for you. Besides, I got to keep my favourite Dumpling ‘dumpling-ly’.” She giggles before feeding him some more.

As Y/n took care of Hyunjin he had to admit that he wasn’t used to someone else caring for him this way. He was very independent and was usually the person who cared for the other person, but he could get used to this. After drinking his rose-water and ate all his food, he was stuffed. He was also quite bloated, but Y/n loved it and couldn’t help but touch his cheeks.

Hyunjin was still tired and wanted to lay down, Y/n who was still next to him, was zoning off as he suddenly laid his head on her thighs. “Tired?” She asked him, instinctively playing with his hair. Not minding the sudden affection at all, especially the way he hugged her tightly, feeling his cheeks squish itself onto her body. She also could feel him nod tiredly, causing her to giggle. She caressed his cheek and ran her thumb softly over his features.

He looked up to her as she stared at him with soft love-filled eyes. Hyunjin could just fall in love with her all over again at that moment, which he probably did. But to their unfortune, their moment was soon to be interrupted by someone entering the room unannounced.

“Jinnie! I heard you were sick! I made you some soup and I got you- oh.” Eunhee had entered the room and walked right into the scene of the pair half-cuddled up together. She was clenching the put in her hand tightly as she tried to remain herself calmly.

“Eunhee?” Hyunjin mutters tiredly, not realising what was going on. “Uhm, thank you for the food, but he just ate. I brought him soup, fruit and rose water already.” Y/n states, not realising she only made Eunhee angrier. “Ah, I see. I’ll be out then.” She almost hissed before walking out. When Eunhee was on the other side of the door, she was almost growling in anger. She despised the brat of a princess that Y/n was.

‘You’ve not seen the last of me your majesty, you just wait and see.’

Days elapsed and Hyunjin was back in the air. He was back spending time with Y/n and protecting her from whatever was threatening.

So he thought.

It slipped past his mind that Y/n was an engaged princess who had a wedding to arrange and he couldn’t be a part of it since it was first of all not his wedding and secondly because the king ordered no one beside the staff who had to work could know about the details of the wedding.

As if those would be hidden from Hyunjin, Y/n would tell those things to him herself.

Hyunjin’s feelings for her had grown stronger to a certain point where even just the mention of her name could drive him insane. While Y/n was in her office with Jisung, probably discussing on what colour napkins they would like on their wedding day or any other dumb detail that for some reason needed to be discussed, Hyunjin was trying to get through the day by sitting in the kitchen. Catching up with other knights and maids who walked past.  

“So, you have a day off and you don’t tell me?” A familiar voice said from behind him. “I don’t have a day off though Eunhee, I can’t attend the wedding meetings, so I’m stuck here until they’re done.” He sighed whilst picking his food. Eunhee took a seat next to him and placed her fingers under his chin and moved it towards her so he had to look her in the eyes. “Jinnie, for how long do you think you will continue doing this?” Eunhee asks. “What do you mean?” “Playing Y/n’s knight in shining armour?” She states with a chuckle. “For as long as I need to, why are you asking this?” He wondered as he shook his head in confusion.

“You know that Y/n is going to be married, she’ll have Jisung by her side to protect her. You know she won’t need you forever.” The words hurt Hyunjin like a bitch, but he knew that she was right. “There’s no expiration date to my contract.” Hyunjin states, trying to convince himself that he got to be with her no matter what. “Jinnie please, wake up. You have to realise that soon she will be a married woman. She’ll have Jisung by her side and you won’t be needed. Besides you won’t need her either! You have so many other things to do besides babysitting a spoiled brat.”

“Why are you reminding me of all of this?” Hyunjin sighs out. “To remind you that there still is a chance for us.” “Eunhee, do you even remember what I’ve told you the other day?” Hyunjin exhales in disbelief.

-Flashback

Hyunjin and Eunhee were seated together under the moonlight as they caught up together. Hyunjin had promised after all to make up for leaving her alone all the time. “I have to confess something.” Hyunjin breaths out catching Eunhee by surprise.

‘This is it!’ She thought to herself and got ready to hear the words she’s been longing to hear.

“I’m in love with Y/n…” Eunhee only could hear, the rest seemed to be a blur. She could feel her world fall apart and something snap inside of her. “W-what?” She could only make out. “I’m in love with Y/n, did you even listen? I’ve been talking for five minutes already-“ “B-but Jinnie! What about us?” She cried out holding onto his arms tightly.

“Us? There is no us Eunhee, there never was?” He states in confusion. “What do you mean? Can’t you see that I love you?” Eunhee cried out as she her tears ran down her face. “I-I… No, I’ve never noticed, I’m sorry but I don’t feel the same way. I only thought of you as a friend, a little sister even.” You’ve done it Hyunjin, you broke her.

Eunhee let out a maniacally laugh and soon she ran off with tears still streaming down her face as she yelled to Hyunjin that he was a cold-hearted fucker who played with her feelings and didn’t actually care for her at all.

-Present time

“Come on Hyunjin, you know that you have a better chance of being with me than being with her! She’s literally about to be married within a month and a half! Just imagine how much you would hurt yourself, how you would drive yourself insane. Seeing her walk down the isle and you still having to serve her as her knight. Just imagine her birthing a tiny fairy into the world that belongs to Jisung and not to you-“

“Stop.” He whispered.

“-seeing the child grow up as you still serve her miserably. Your colour would fade eventually and then your power soon after! She will forget all about you and you will be left in the dust as she goes on with her glamorous life!”

“Shut up!” Hyunjin yelled out, tears were streaming down his face. His heart hurt and he knew that there was truth in her words.

“Jinnie, just admit that you would be so much happier when you let her go and just stay with me. Like the old times. You didn’t needed her back then, why would you now? You have always so independent and strong. You go this.” Eunhee persuaded. “The difference this time is, that I am in love with her and that my heart and soul needs her more than they need air.” Hyunjin mutters calmly as he let his tears roll down his cheeks.

“Alright, then now what? Are you going to make a complete fool out of yourself and stop a wedding? You will be banished and left with nothing and there would be nothing I can do to help you out of that mess Jinnie. Just think about how foolish it would be and look when a knight tries to ask for the hand of a princess. Your both out of each other’s league. Literally, you’re not in her rank and she’s not in ours. We belong together Jinnie! We’ve always belonged together, partners in crime remember?”

“We should stick together so no one will be hurt at the end of the day, just like how it was supposed to be. We had something special Jinnie, I think you’ve forgotten about it. That girl had gotten into your head and played with your feelings until you were wrapped around her fingers. You shouldn’t throw away something so beautiful we had for years when you’ve only been around her for a couple of months.” The words out of Eunhee’s mouth were stuck inside of Hyunjin’s mind.

His head was spinning and he was conflicted between Y/n and Eunhee.

The day went on and Eunhee left feeling satisfied as he plan unfolded. She now was on her way to Y/n’s office where she found the princess alone. “Your majesty, I came to bring you your food and tea.” Eunhee announced as she made her way inside.

“Thank you Eunhee, you can place it right here.” Y/n sighed as she went through the stack of papers in front of her. “You seem tired madam.” “More like depressed.” Eunhee could hear the princess mutter under her breath. “Aren’t you happy to marry such a handsome prince like Jisung?” Eunhee dared to ask. “I guess I am.” Y/n mutters back, still letting out a deep exhale as she felt unhappy.

“I hope you will find happiness in your relationship with Prince Jisung. It’s nothing compared to my Hyunjin, but I bet prince Jisung would treat you as good as Jinnie treats me.” Eunhee said with a sly smile. Y/n looked up to Eunhee and cocked her head in confusion, her eyes turning gloomy. 

“Y-you and Hyunjin are together?” Y/n stuttered. “Yeah, amazing isn’t it? We’ve been friends for so long and now we’ve been dating for a while. And no, I don’t mind that you two are close. He’s only your knight after all your majesty.” “Right.” Y/n trailed her eyes away from Eunhee as she tried to focus again on her papers. “Ma’am may I be excused?” “Y-yes, of course. You can go.” Y/n’s voice cracked slightly, leaving Eunhee satisfied before she bowed and left the office.

Y/n was left stunned. ‘Did he really get into a relationship and not tell me?’ She thought to herself. ‘Would he really fiddle with my feelings like that? No, he wouldn’t, right?’

“Are you okay?” Her fiancé asked when he walked back into the office. “Well, not really.” Y/n admitted as he voice broke down. “I know that this marriage is hard, but we have to get through this together. As much as we hate it-“ “He has someone else.” Y/n blurted out, making Jisung look at her with a shocked expression.

“What? Who? Hyunjin?” Y/n nodded and started to cry. Jisung brought her into his arms and rubbed her back as he tried to comfort her. Her wings were hanging low and he noticed a greyish tone being added to it as Y/n cried.

A sign of brokenness. When fairies are mentally hurt, they will lose colour in their skin, wings and it shows that they can’t function properly.

Jisung hugged her tighter and told her the story of how he had met a fairy as well, someone who had stolen his heart the second he saw her, but he had to leave her to get here and he still sees her heartbroken face whenever he closes his eyes.

Y/n felt terrible for Jisung and comforted him and told him that he should go out and at least look for her. He still had some time left before they were wedded. “I-I don’t know Y/n.” “Please, do it for me. I don’t want you to regret not telling her and her finding someone else only to leave you heartbroken like me. A king and queen can’t rule that way. What would the people think of their grey king and queen?” Y/n stressed, wanting nothing more than Jisung to be happy as well.

He had taken her hands in his and rubbed it softly. “Alright, I’ll try to find her, but I don’t know where to start. I only know that she grows flowers beautifully.” “Then go to the market and find every possible flower fairy. And if she isn’t from here, then as least you’ve tried.” Y/n said, knowing that Jisung told her that she certainly wasn’t from his kingdom, he knew every fairy of his reign after all.

Later that day, Hyunjin was back to Y/n’s side. And the two could feel the sudden tension between themselves. After Eunhee had visited both, their minds were spinning and they weren’t sure how to feel about one another.

Yet, Hyunjin still wanted to do something fun with Y/n as he still was cherishing every second with her. Especially now, the words were like a broken record in his head. Both didn’t feel like going outside that day, emotionally exhausted from the stress they were both feeling. Y/n would be flying in front of Hyunjin as they made their way to the kitchen. Hyunjin noticed her wings, the grey tone to her usual white ones scared him.

He knew what it meant and he hoped that it was the stress from organizing the wedding and not from some idiot hurting her.

“Why did you want to go here?” She asked softly when they had arrived in the kitchen. “I wanted to eat some delicious food with you, so let’s start making some!” Hyunjin chirped, trying his hardest to earn himself a smile from her. Hyunjin was smitten for her, he was well aware of it at this point. He couldn’t stop staring at her as they made a Dutch sugar loaf together. Her hair was tied back, exposing her gorgeous facial features to him. Her cheeks were puffy and her eyes concentrated.

Her lips were shaped plum and in a slight pout, luring Hyunjin to come closer and press his soft ones onto hers. After finishing baking they went outside to enjoy the warm sweet bread together. It was quite cold and Hyunjin noticed Y/n shivering. He easily could’ve gone inside to grab her a blanket, but instead he got onto his feet and shook off his jacket and placed it on her shoulders.

The gesture messed with Y/n’s mind. ‘Why is he doing this when he has a girlfriend?’ She asked herself whilst looking at him, feeling like he was making this harder for her than it should be. He was, with his head hung low, eating his bread, more like picking it. She saw that he looked gloomy as well, but she didn’t know what to do about it. He had a girlfriend after all, wouldn’t she comfort him?

As if it was on cue, Eunhee walked into the scene. She saw Y/n and Hyunjin scooted close to each other and Hyunjin’s jacket wrapped around the princess. When Y/n noticed Eunhee she shot up from her seat and almost looked terrified. She made up a lie to excuse herself before she dropped Hyunjin’s coat and flew off.

Hyunjin was left confused and turned around to see Eunhee standing. “What are you doing here?” “I’m just doing my job, what are you doing?” “What-“ “Don’t you see that she finally realised that this little thingy you two are doing is going to bring the both of you in trouble? You know how what this could do to her reputation when even one fairy finds out about you two hanging around like this. Before the engagement announcement, sure whatever. But now, don’t ruin her life Hyunjin. If you do, she could come out to get you and seek revenge and eventually ruin your life with the power she has.”

Hyunjin sighed, knowing that the anxiety of showing affection to Y/n probably wasn’t going to be worth it in the end.

So here they were, days later and both not spoken a word to each other. Which was very surprising since they spend entire days together, unless Y/n was in her office with Jisung of course.

Things had become worse for Y/n, the stress was getting to her, she began to feel even more depressed and for some reason, the staff had turned against her. Y/n could go around the palace and greet a maid normally, only to receive a pair of rolling eyes her way. They even started to talk back to her, telling her how inappropriate it was to wear another fairy’s  clothes when she was about to get married to another.

Y/n’s heart dropped because apparently, they had seen her and Hyunjin a few days ago.

‘Were they mad because I hang out with someone out of my rank?’

Her day became even weirder when Hyunjin came up to her out of nowhere, telling her that he wanted to stop their little dates. “What? I though we were having a great time?” Y/n stuttered, knowing she was about to lose the last thing that was keeping her happy: Hyunjin. “It’s not professional, I shouldn’t have started it in the first place.” He had stated coldly before flying off again, leaving Y/n heartbroken.

Her wings and skin officially lost its colour and now Y/n walked around the palace with a grey tone to herself. She hadn’t even had the strength anymore to fly. 

She was confused and didn’t know who to go to.

She wouldn’t run to her parents as she felt like this was partly their fault. Instead, she went to the person who she least expected to run to: Jisung. He saw her broken state and let her cry out on his shoulder.

“I try to find comfort by Hyunjin, but he would refuse to do it himself anymore and call a fucking confidante for me. He doesn’t care anymore. Did he really mess with my feelings, but for what?” Y/n cried out after Jisung asked why she came to him instead of Hyunjin. “I don’t know what’s going on Y/n, but this is not going well. I’ve seen the maids treating you poorly. The guards don’t even bother to bow to you in politeness.” Jisung commented.

Jisung continued to comfort Y/n until she was breathing normally again. She thanked Jisung before leaving again, not wanting to bother him with her problems any further. Which made her realise, that she didn’t receive a death threat in a while. “At least one problem solved itself.” She sighed before going out to look for Hyunjin.

It was already eight o’clock and the sun had just set. She still didn’t come across Hyunjin. When she walked past the kitchen for the seventh time that day, after looking for him for hours, she saw him sitting with Eunhee, laughing and smiling together. When Eunhee noticed Y/n in the doorway, she immediately scooted closer to her ‘boyfriend’ and clung onto him.

The way Eunhee called Hyunjin ‘baby’ made Y/n’s heart ache. It was broken and bruised and she had Hwang Hyunjin to blame. “Hwang!” She called out strictly, causing everyone in the kitchen to freeze. Hyunjin had been avoiding her and ignoring her. Basically everything he should never do with the job he was assigned to do. Hyunjin made eye contact with Y/n who looked horrible. He wanted to get up and go to her and make sure that everything was alright.

The staff in the kitchen felt the tension between the two and held their breath when the crown princess walked down the stairs into the kitchen. Hyunjin wasn’t sure what Y/n was going to do, she could fire and ban him for not being loyal to her and his job. Instead he was shocked when Y/n grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him along with her.

Him still being shocked at what was happening, he kept quite and trailed behind her. Her grip had weakened and he could easily rip himself free from her grip, but he let her take him away. They stopped in the middle of the palace garden where they were alone. Y/n let go of his hand and turned around to face him with red eyes. His breath was caught in his throat as he felt his heart break at the sight.

“Why are you doing this to me?” Y/n cried out softly, not trusting her voice. “What?” Hyunjin couldn’t endure the cold act that he was performing towards her any more as she cried out to him. “Why do you hate me?” She asked him, but he didn’t answer. “How could you hurt me like this? You play with my feelings like it’s some kind of game!” “Y/n, I…” “I can’t believe you, I thought were here to protect me and to help me. But here you are messing with my mind and heart. You’re an insensitive prick and you must be very dense or simply not very bright to not notice how madly I am in love with you!” Y/n stressed as she threw her arms up in frustration.

She was trembling as she continued to cry. Hyunjin still kept silent and it angered Y/n. “So, that’s it? Nothing? No explanation why you did all of this? Is that what you wanted to do after all? Hurt me? And also, if you had a girlfriend, you could’ve told me beforehand you know! It would’ve saved me a lot of fucking time on this dumb heart break!” She yelled.

Hyunjin was shocked by her outburst, but especially by her words. “Girlfriend?” He asked. “Oh please, do not play innocent. She even came to me to tell about your relationship, how you’ve been dating for months. Can’t you see that I am suffering here. I thought you cared, but I guess that was all a lie as well then.” Y/n’s voice had gone back to small and broken and she turned her feet and walked away.

Hyunjin was still confused and stunned. He didn’t know what to do. So his heart decided for him. His wings had shot him up in the air and his eyes started to scan the huge garden, only to find Y/n dropping onto her knees in pain. It costed her last energy to get to the pond. Hyunjin dove down to where she was and landed with a thud, scaring Y/n. A second thud was heard and soon enough she was in a pair of familiar arms.

She could feel warm droplets land on her cheek that didn’t belong to her. Y/n looked up to Hyunjin who was sobbing with her. He couldn’t take his own pain any longer. He couldn’t find the words to tell her how much he actually loved her. He could only hold her and bury his own face into the crook of his neck as they cried together.

“Don’t leave me.” Y/n whispered into his chest, making Hyunjin shake his head vigorously. He held her closer to his chest as if that was even possible. He breathed in her scent and he started to cry harder. He’s going to miss her so badly, even though they would still be living in the palace together, yet separately.

He didn’t wanted to be away from her any longer, he couldn’t handle it. He wanted to be with her forever. Running away together would be no use, she would be find in some kind of way and he’d be thrown in the dungeons for kidnapping her majesty.

They spend the rest of the night at the pond in silence. Enjoying each other’s touch which also could be the last time. Y/n fell asleep and he knew that she was exhausted. He was still worried about her colour, but he knew he could worry about that the next morning. He snaked his arm under Y/n’s sleeping body and carried her to her bed. He tucked her in and moved a strand of hair out of her face. He looked down at her lovingly and secretly pressed a kiss on her forehead.

It was midnight already, a new day had arrived. Something inside of Hyunjin was burning, anger had taken place after sadness and suddenly he was speeding his way through the palace halls to the kitchen, where Eunhee still was seated. She was happy to see him and shot him a smile, but he had an angered expression on his face, which scared Eunhee a little.

“Did you tell Y/n that we are a thing?” Hyunjin growled lowly, Eunhee was looking at him innocently and was slowly sliding the black paper under her hand away from Hyunjin’s vision, but he saw. “What’s that?” He asked, demanded almost. “N-nothing.” She stuttered, trying to hide it behind her back, but Hyunjin already connected the dots. “Eunhee, we’re friends. We’ve known each other for very long time. We grew up together, but that doesn’t mean we’ll grow old together. We never had romance going on between us two. And I warn you, I know what you are doing and what you’ve done, I could recognize your handwriting out of thousands. I should go to the king, but I’ll spare you for now since I do care about you as a friend.” Hyunjin threatened with a deep voice.

Eunhee shot up from her seat, dropping the black paper. “Hwang Hyunjin! You are a fucking scumbag! Why do you have to break my heart like this! You’re emotionless, aren’t you! You know how much I care about you, how I’ve always been there for you and then you dare to leave me shattered and broken! I thought that you would always be there for me, she’s changed you! I don’t even know who you are anymore!” She yelled, throwing whatever was close to her towards the knight. 

Hyunjin had enough of her tantrum and flew away, saying his goodbyes to her and feeling happy that this was now resolved. He didn’t bother to listen to her any further, he had spoken out his true feelings to her. And he hoped that she got the message.

When Hyunjin left the kitchen Eunhee fell to her knees and started to breath heavily in rage. That little bitch had ruined her plan, but she wasn’t going to let her get away with it, no way. She had plan B ready and steady to go into action.

The wedding came closer and the nearer it came, the more nervous Hyunjin became. He still felt conflicted as he turned back to his nice self towards Y/n. He was back by he side and he was still planning on staying there, even though the vile words of Eunhee spun in his head.

Right now Y/n was keeping him company as he was training. He had an old bag filled with dried leaves which he could punch during his training. There also was a wooden cut out figure that Hyunjin could use to practice his sword skills. It was a very dangerous weapon, especially for fairies since it still was made out of iron and silver. The grip was made out of old branches that had fallen down through the years. The fairies wouldn’t dare to touch the trees and potentially hurt it.

Hyunjin was panting tiredly as he paused with his sword in his hand. He wore a loose blouse and his top buttons were undone, exposing his chest, that was glistering with sweat, slightly. She couldn’t help but stare, especially when he would move in a certain way that gave her a glimpse of his abs.

“Nice pecks.” She teased, causing Hyunjin to swing his sword weirdly as he tried to cope with a flattering feeling. The way he panicked made her laugh. She tried not to stare him down too much, but how couldn’t she? He’s absolutely stunning.

But sooner enough her attention was turned to something completely different when a sudden crowd appeared to the open training area. Hyunjin heard yelling and fairies fussing behind him, when he turned around he immediately got into protection mode and stood broadly in front of Y/n to protect her.

“Hwang! You’ve been ruining my life for as long as I can remember! You steal the girl of my dreams from me and then you left her hurt! I am here to dual you for her hand and to show her who really should be her man!” A fairy, Hyunjin didn’t recognize, yelled out.

Hyunjin looked down to Y/n who was dazed and confused. The knight knew that he would do anything to have Y/n by his side and didn’t hesitate to fight for Y/n’s hand, even though she was getting married in less than a few weeks.

“Fine, we’ll duel then.” Hyunjin’s voice was low, but confident. The other knight was rather shaking in his boots. He got to his place and Hyunjin saw him quaking as he tried to reach for his sword. “Jinnie, I don’t even know who he is?” Y/n whispered loud enough for Hyunjin to hear. “To be honest, neither do I. But, I will do anything even if that means fighting for you.” A boost of energy rushed through Y/n’s body and she looked down to her hands to see that her colours was returning.

Her heart was flattered and her cheeks couldn’t hide the fact that he made her a mess. Hyunjin saw and shot her a wink. The scene attracted a lot of other fairies, they were either cheering or longing in silence for something exciting to happen for the first time in their fairy-lives. Eunhee also had come to the scene to see what the fuss was all about. She saw the drawn swords Hyunjin and the other knight, known as Seiji, second son of an unbound knight.

Apparently Seiji has been crushing on this fairy for a long time, but Hyunjin always seemed to be in his way. “You always think that you’re better than any other of us. You’ve been serving the king closely for years now! I think that it’s time one of us actually gets a chance to shine.” Seiji said with a smirk, other knights (in training) cheering behind him. “I thought you came here to fight for the hand of Y/n?” Hyunjin asked with a sight, knowing that Seiji was also here to make a dramatic scene.

“Hyunjin, you don’t have to do this, you know?” Y/n tells him as she grabbed his hand softly. “I do.” He simply said whilst looking at her. “But why?” “Simple, because I love you.”

Everyone around the pair gasped, including Y/n who couldn’t believe her pointy ears. Hyunjin shot her a smile, feeling the weight of burdens lifting off his shoulders. He squished her hand as a sign that it will be alright, before he turned to Seiji who was watching the two in confusion. “What, you came here to fight for her, didn’t you?” Hyunjin wondered. “No, this isn’t about her. I came here to fight for Eunhee. The love of my life who you have been keeping away from me for all these years! You selfish fucking bastard!” Seiji yelled in anger whilst pointing his sword to Hyunjin threateningly.

Eunhee, who had erased Hyunjin’s confession to Y/n rather quickly, was still hoping that Hyunjin was willing to fight for her, flattered that there were two fairies who were willing to fight each other for her. That he secretly couldn’t live without her and that he needed her as much as she needed him, that this was all a mistake and that he was going to leave that brat right there and then.

But her hopes were let down, when Hyunjin’s threw his sword below his feet. A sign of forsaking. Hyunjin had realised what was going on and he knew he hadn’t had to waste his time on a fight when it wasn’t about Y/n. He would give up his life for Y/n if he needed to, but this he was certain of that it wasn’t worth it. Seiji looked at Hyunjin, his eyes filled with horror. “You can have her.” Hyunjin coldly states, taking a few steps back as he was now standing next to Y/n to make his point clear. She stood up and looked at him in adoration yet surprise.

Seiji didn’t know what to do and Hyunjin took this as a chance to flee. He grabbed Y/n by the waist and pulled her along with him, to somewhere were they couldn’t find them. Eunhee was left furious and pushed herself through the crowd, she thought it was time to execute her revenge.

“What do we do now?” Y/n asked him as they were away from the crowd. “To be honest, I don’t know.” He admitted whilst chuckling.

Y/n turned to face Hyunjin and he looked down to her. Her hands had found their way up to his cheek and cupped it softly as she sighed. “Jinnie, I love you. I love you so much. I want to be with you so badly, I don’t want to marry Jisung. I can only imagine my life with you.” She whispered whilst caressing his features softly. “I don’t love him Jinnie, I could never love him the way I love you.” She added before she told him about the conversation she had with Jisung the other day.

-Flashback

“Y/n?” Jisung muttered as they sat under the moon together. “Yes?” “Do you love me?” He asked carefully. “I guess I do, but not in the way I probably should.” She admitted, shooting him a small smile as she looked at him. “In what way do you love me then?” He continued to ask. “I love you like a friend, as someone who’s dear to me, but who I am not attracted to romantically.”

“Is there somebody who you love-love then?” Jisung’s question made her giggle, but she nodded truthfully. “It’s Hyunjin. Isn’t it?” “It is, for you it’s that Flower fairy, right?” Jisung smiled brightly at the thought of her, but sighed when he knew as well as Y/n that they would be wedded soon.

“I found her at least.” “Did you tell her how you felt about her?” She asked her friend. “No, I hadn’t had the courage, besides. I think she hates me.” He sighs in frustration. “We’ll get through this Jisung, I promise.”

-Present

Y/n removed her hands from Hyunjin’s face and her face dropped as she remembered something. “If you love me too, why didn’t you confess the other day at the pond?” Y/n wondered. Hyunjin let out a deep breath and took Y/n���s hands in his warm ones. “I thought I didn’t stand a chance, you’re engaged after all. The law also doesn’t make it any easier for me to express my true feelings.” Hyunjin mutters. Y/n hands travelled back to Hyunjin’s face and rested themselves on his shoulder.

She wanted to kiss him badly, but a guard who suddenly appeared next to them, stopped her from doing so. “Your majesty, I had to come and inform you that Prince Jisung has been gotten sick and he has requested your visit.” He formally said before leaving again. Y/n looked up to Hyunjin with a worried look spread over her face.

They hurried their way to Jisung’s room who looked even worse than Y/n, who also still hadn’t regained her colour and strength. Jisung’s body felt heavy and he couldn’t move his limbs in his own bed. He managed to turn his head towards Y/n and Hyunjin who looked at him in shock. “What happened?” Y/n asked, sitting next to her fiancé. “S-she…” He started, but his crying was stopping him from being able to form a normal sentence. “I saw you fly passed us, please. Maybe we can help you.” Y/n tried, but Jisung shook his head.

“She has someone else.” Jisung cried out in pain, crying into Y/n’s shoulder who was in shock by his statement. “What do you mean she has someone else?” “I saw her, with that sun fairy.” He mutters sadly. “But you still love her, don’t you?” Jisung nodded and she brought him closer to her body. Hyunjin was standing behind her and watched her comfort her fiancé. The view hurt him, but now that he knew that she loved him, he felt at ease. Kind of.

“Jisung, I promise that I will do anything so that you and your fairy can be together. I’ll try anything to change this law for you.” She whispered to him, genuinely meaning her words. She turned around to Hyunjin who looked at her with a shocked expression. “I do it for you, for us.” She promised that day.

Y/n had come out of the library after doing hours of research. She was in deep thought when she came across Eunhee who glared at her and even dared to roll her eyes at the crown princess. “Eunhee, I’ve been noticing that you have been acting ill-mannered. Especially to royalty, like me.” Y/n commented sternly, finally snapping after all the shit she took from the staff who had began to treat her poorly. Eunhee, somehow being one of them.

“What about it?” Eunhee snarled, catching Y/n by surprise. “Listen, I take a lot of shit, but disrespect isn’t one of them. You either teach yourself some manners or I’ll get my people to teach you some.” Y/n threatened, causing Eunhee to roll her eyes again.

In the middle of the hallway to the throne hall, where dozens of guards were patrolling, Y/n noticed the unusual behaviour of them. They didn’t spare her a glance and they didn’t interfere. Y/n also noticed the unusual cloth Eunhee was wearing. Her work clothes were replaced by a dark black coat that was draped over her shoulders.

“You really think you’re something else, don’t you Y/n. Thinking you can get everything you want, whenever you want. Let met tell you what, something that no one else dares to tell you, only because you wear fancy clothes, wear a crown and have people do the dirty work for you.” Eunhee started as she moved closer to Y/n.

“You’re nothing more than an useless spoiled brat, who doesn’t deserve to live the way she does.” There was a wicked smile plastered on Eunhee’s face that concerned Y/n quite. “Who are you to decided what I deserve and what not?” Y/n snapped back. “You think you can get anything you want, anyone you want without someone else caring. Well let me tell you something else, your majesty. I am hurt. And I want you to pay for it.” Eunhee moved her arm from behind her back and revealed a glass bottle that looked all too familiar to Y/n. “Eunhee what are you doing? Where did you get the poison from?” Y/n shrieked as she tried to move backwards.

“None of your business Y/n, the only think you need to know is that your happily ever after ends here, right now.” Eunhee ripped the cork off and threw it to the side. “What have I ever done to you? I barely speak to you!” Y/n cried out in panic, looking at the guards who didn’t dare somehow to look her in the eye. Completely ignoring the fact that she could die right there and then.

“You-“ “Eunhee stop!” The fiendish fairy was cut off by a male voice coming from behind her. “Speaking of the devil.” Eunhee mutters, she rolled her eyes when she saw Hyunjin guarding up in front of Y/n who was feeling helpless and unenergized.

“This, is what I was talking about.” Eunhee began again. “You think you can get everything you want Y/n.” “Eunhee stop.” Hyunjin demanded, but she kept going. “You stole him from me!” “Eunhee enough!” Hyunjin yelled. “You belong to me! You are mine! You are only mine! If I can’t have you then neither can she!” Eunhee cried out hysterically.

“Eunhee, I’ve warned you! I gave you a chance to stop this, so you wouldn’t had to rot in a dungeon. Please just stop this.” Hyunjin begged. “I rather die, knowing that I ruined that miserable bitch’s life, than seeing you two happy together, knowing that it should’ve been me.” Eunhee gritted through her teeth.

“Hyunjin, what do you mean you warned her?” Y/n’s eyes widened when she realised what he had said. 

Hyunjin who now turned around to focus on her couldn’t find the words to tell her that he knew it was Eunhee who harassed her all these months through those black notes.

“Didn’t he tell you dear? Your beloved Hyunjin actually knew all along that it was me, who wrote you those letters.” Y/n looked from Eunhee to Hyunjin with an expression of horrify. “Hyunjin, you and I both know that we would be better of together. Just do it, be with me. I’ll promise you that I’ll leave your beloved princess alone.” Eunhee tried. “Hyunjin no-“ “Hyunjin, do I also have to remind you of all the awful things you’ve said about Y/n?” Eunhee grinned, making the knight panic as he turned to Y/n.

“Don’t listen to her-“

“Y/n, did you know that he hated you to the core of his being? He didn’t wanted to do anything with you, he felt cursed that he even got to know you in the first place. He even told me that he thought of you as a spoiled brat, who doesn’t know any mannerism, is a bitch and doesn’t care about anyone else but herself.” Eunhee stated as a matter of fact.

“What?” Y/n exclaimed, she could feel her colour face from her body and she felt the floor touch her feet again. “Please let me explain.” Hyunjin cried out. “What is there to explain Hyunjin? You’ve always hated her! Loathe even!” Eunhee laughed wickedly.

“N-no…” Y/n stuttered, the words that escaped past Eunhee’s lips had a clear effect on her and Hyunjin didn’t know what to do. “He probably never even loved you Y/n. His feelings for you are based on hatred, judgement and vexation.” Y/n was crying by now, knowing that Hyunjin hated her from the very start, but she never knew that he hated her that badly.

She looked at him desperately and when he didn’t say anything and I mean anything to defend himself, to prove himself wrong. Y/n knew that Eunhee had a sense of truth in her words. 

“I thought we were going to fight for us. We even promised Jisung.” Y/n whimpered as she cried.

“So, you two think you can fight your way to your gratification.” Eunhee chuckled, the bottle still in her hand and she was not afraid to use it. “Eunhee, why are you doing all of this?” Hyunjin cried out, knowing that if he attacked that it would cost Y/n’s life.

“You should’ve stayed with me Jinnie, everything would’ve been perfect. Nobody would’ve gotten hurt.” Her eye twitched and she got back in position to swing the bottle to one of their heads. “Doesn’t matter who dies, the other would die from suffering sadness anyway, killing two two flies in one hit.” Eunhee mutters.

Hyunjin was ready to draw his sword, but before he knew it. Eunhee had surprised him by throwing the bottle and Hyunjin had just enough time to pull himself and Y/n out of the way. The bottle shattered as it missed and Eunhee growled in anger. Her eyes were filled with anger and it was clear that she wasn’t thinking straight.

Now that she was without a bottle Hyunjin decided to draw his sword quickly and swung it to his once-best-friend. Y/n couldn’t scream out for help and had to lay helplessly on the ground, hoping that the universe would send another saviour to her to get this situation over with.

Hyunjin had swung the iron-silver sword, but didn’t notice the flashing dagger Eunhee took out of her coat. Her reflexes were quick and she dodged Hyunjin’s sword. She turned and sliced Hyunjin’s chest with the sharp blade, only to place her own hand on his chest. He looked down to her hand that was touching his bloody wound and noticed a substance on Eunhee’s hand, he knew that it was poison and before he new it, he fell to his knees.

He clutched his chest and groaned in terrible pain. Eunhee could only smile and leaned down to get on his eye level. Her hand was placed under his chin, making him look up so they were eye to eye. “Such a shame.” She sighed, pushing him over before focussing on her other victim. She was about to poison Y/n as well, thinking of what to say as she would steal the last breath of the princess and the knight, whose forbidden love would’ve been punished, but Y/n saw Eunhee’s breath hitch and soon she was on the ground screaming in pain.

Y/n noticed a cut in her leg and blood on Hyunjin’s sword. Eunhee’s skin was burning, confirming to Y/n and Hyunjin that Eunhee had turned into a dark fairy, with the silver having such an effect on her.

Hyunjin looked down and felt pity for his old friend, but he did what he had to do. He quickly removed the dagger from her hand and pinned her poisonous hand under the weight of his feet. The knight would call for actual back up right there and see Eunhee being dragged away as she threw a fit in fury.

Hyunjin turned around to see Y/n nowhere in sight. He was about to panic, but one of the actual guards informed him that the princess was quickly taken away from the scene. Now, Hyunjin was on the search through the entire palace to find her. It was night and he was worried sick. Almost literally, since he knew that he had to get his chest treated, but not before he had found Y/n.

He finally found her at the pond where they had talked and cried before after she heartbrokenly confessed her love to him. He hurried to her and almost tackled her body in an embrace as he let his tears fall down onto her shoulder.

The young knight felt his own heart break when he was pushed away from her by her weak hands. “Please look at me.” Hyunjin cried softly. “How can I look at you when you’ve said all those things about me. I knew you hated me, but I never thought that you felt this way towards me.” She laughed out of disbelief. “Please believe me Y/n, it’s been so long since I’ve felt hatred towards you. You have to believe me.”

“How can I believe you, when I still feel like I’ve been played with. Even if you started to show interest in me, how am I supposed to know that you wouldn’t turn your back on me if you have ever felt such strong hatred towards me?” Her eyes were full of tears and Hyunjin wanted nothing more than to turn back time and take back everything vile he’s ever said about her, just to make her stop crying because of him.

He was about to cup her cheek, but she pushed his hands away again. “I would like some space, please go.” She whispered. “Don’t give me space that’s the last thing I want with you.” Hyunjin whispered. “Well, apparently you didn’t even wanted me to be around, so what’s the point now?” Y/n snapped, tears streaming heavily down her cheeks. “Yes, I took the job, because I was ordered to do so, but I want to be with you.” Hyunjin states seriously. “You’re just saying that because you have to protect me.” She muttered.

Hyunjin’s heart was racing and hurt at the same time, he cupped her face and gathered all his courage together and connected her lips to his. She was taken back by his action, but relaxed into his touch. His lips were soft and warm and moved in sync with her cold ones. He held her tightly to his body, but made sure none of the poison was touching her skin directly.

“I love you Y/n, I love you so fucking much. My heart hurt, that’s how much I love you.” The words touched Y/n, but she gasped when she realised that he was in need of medical care.

What they didn’t know, was that Jisung had witnessed the entire scene. The palace was chaotic due to the turmoil. He was very weak still, but he wanted to get out of the mess and clear his own mind. Somehow, he found his way to the pond and found the two lovers. The prince felt delighted at the scene, hoping that one day he could be happy as well.

He looked behind him and saw that his wings were still unable to spread open, but somehow he felt a little bit of hope that it would all be alright in the end of the day.

After Y/n and Hyunjin had visited Seungmin, the best healing fairy of the reign, they sat under the stars together. Hyunjin had a bandage wrapped around his torso, glad that he would be alright, but he had a long time to heal fully. “Look a falling star!” Y/n exclaimed before clasping her hands together and shutting her eyes. “What did you wish for?” Y/n asked Hyunjin. “You know what I wished for.” Hyunjin winked before kissing the top of her head.

Later that night, it was a long day, Y/n was now in front of her father who obviously was stressed out by the sudden chaos that had outburst in the palace. “That little traitor has stolen money from the palace and bribed the guards! How sick do you have to be to do something like that!” He yelled out, not even noticing Y/n flinch by the loud noise.

“Apparently she also has taught herself black magic and turned herself due to that into a dark fairy. I don’t know where she’s gotten the knowledge, but I am certain that our library doesn’t exist out of those kinds of books.” He stressed.

“Dad can we talk?” Y/n managed to say in a weak voice. A portion of her energy and colour had returned, which was a good sign, but Y/n was still mentally unstable which was the reason of why she couldn’t regain all her powers yet.

Her father didn’t spare her a glance, making her frustrated. She shoved the papers he was working on off the table and slammed her hands on the desk with her the few power she only had just regained. He looked up to her in shock, yet in anger.

“I don’t want to marry Jisung.” Y/n states, causing the king to sigh. “We’re not talking about this again and most certainly not right now.” The king mumbles before trying to pick his work back up. “Dad, this is important!” “No, you are marrying Jisung if you like it or not, you will have to take over the crown sooner or later!” “I can rule a kingdom by myself! I can handle being a queen on my own and you know that. Dad please can’t we just talk about this, it’s very important.” Y/n sighed. “And so is the act of betrayal against the royal family! Y/n this can wait- we’re done talking, leave my office.”

Y/n huffed and groaned in frustration before she walked out the door, her footsteps finally catching her father’s attention. He got a glimpse of her grey figure, causing his heart to drop in a pool of worrisome. But it was already too late for him to call her back as she had slammed the door on him.

Days went by and you could count down the days to the wedding on your fingers. Hyunjin was still in recovery and the kingdom was shaken up by the alarm of a dark fairy among them. The story went around like a wildfire and it terrified every fey to the bone to think about the fact that someone had turned psychotic, due to a heartbreak.

The story of Hyunjin and Y/n also went around and people seemed to love the fact that they fell in love. They had spotted the two together and the citizen could see the love between them.

But the two never had a chance to see each other after the atrocity happened. Y/n was busy banning the guards and knights who had accepted bribe money and basically betrayed their loyalty to the crown. Y/n felt horrible for doing it, knowing that they probably made the choice to live in more wealth, but it was the right thing to do so.

Hyunjin was still healing and ordered to stay in bed. He was bored out of his mind and he missed being next to Y/n. She would talk to the wall that divided their bedrooms so they could still secretly talk to each other. More guards had been assigned to protect Y/n, her parents were very anxious that there would be someone else who was out there to get her.

The young knight with the bandage around his torso was horrified at first when he heard that other knights were assigned to protect Y/n. He felt like he was being replaced, but he was assured that when he was back to his old self that he could get back into his position.

But what he didn’t know, his assignment to Y/n wasn’t assured and he found that out when he was suddenly called to the throne hall. He saw Y/n sitting beside her parents and Eunhee to her side who was chained and held by guards. “Dad, what is Hyunjin doing here?” “I was informed that he was involved on the plan to assassinate you.” “What!” Y/n yelled out. “Y/n no, you know that’s not true!” Hyunjin cried out in panic. “Your majesty, what I’ve told you is true.” Eunhee dares to say.

“Dad are you seriously going to believe the dark fairy over your own loyal knight?” Y/n stressed. Her father thought for a second and decided to enounce Eunhee’s punishment first.

“You shall be banned from this kingdom and this realm. Your powers shall be taken and you will be send off to the Forest of the Lost.” The king said before she was taken away again. Y/n this time didn’t spare Eunhee a glance who could only glare at her and Hyunjin.

When she was completely escorted away, Hyunjin was now left in front of the Royals for his judgment. He was terrified and look at Y/n for help.

‘Did she secretly turn her back on you- no don’t even dare to think such things.’ Hyunjin thought to himself as he gulped loudly.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself Hwang?” The king scowled. “I-I, no? Please your majesty, you have to believe me I haven’t done anything wrong.” Hyunjin exclaimed. “You haven’t? I’ve heard that you’ve spoken vilely about our crown princess.” “No, dad please. We were kids back then.” Y/n tried to defend Hyunjin, but her father wouldn’t listen. “I shall now enounce your punishment-“ “Dad for fuck’s sake! He saved my life! He got himself poisoned to protect me!” Y/n yelled out as she stood up and was about to walk to Hyunjin, but her body had given up on her and almost dropped her onto the floor, if Hyunjin’s reflexes weren’t so sharp. He sprinted forward and caught her in his arms, making him hiss as she fell on top of his chest.

“Are you okay?” He whispered softly, checking her fact that he held in his hands. She nodded before they got back up. She straightened her dress and her next action, that was bold and surprising, made her parents’ eyes widen, Hyunjin’s as well. She stood in front of him, as if she was now guarding him, like he did days before from Eunhee, but she held his hand on her back.

“I do not want to marry Jisung.” Y/n states slowly, causing her father to groan in anger. “I am not discussing this right now-“ “I do not want to marry Jisung.” Y/n repeated in a steady voice. “Y/n-“ “Honey, let her talk. Love, why don’t you want to marry prince Jisung? Isn’t he a lovely guy?” Her mother interrupted as she looked at her daughter in curiosity. “He’s great mom, but I don’t love him. I fell in love with someone else.” She confessed to her parents’ shock.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay away from that commoner?” The king huffed. Y/n looked behind her and made eye contact with Hyunjin as she shot him a small smile. He could feel him pull him to her side so that they now were openly holding hands together, it being visible for the king and queen to see.

This was Y/n’s way to tell them with little words that Hyunjin was the one who she was deeply in love with.

The king stood up in shock and threw his hands up in frustration. “He has betrayed his loyalty to us, Y/n.” He stressed, even though he knew how much potential Hyunjin held.  “No he didn’t-“ Y/n argued, but Hyunjin cut her off. “No, your father is right. I should’ve informed them about Eunhee’s situation. It could’ve prevented this whole mess.” Hyunjin muttered.

“No it wouldn’t change a thing! Even if you told my parents, you wouldn’t had actual prove that she was up to something. Yes, the notes were one thing and the handwriting as well, but that could be mimicked easily and she could’ve actually brought you down and make your life miserable if you would’ve done that. I’d have to miss you because my father had banned you.” She said as she caressed his cheek.

“Besides,” she turned to her father, “he gave her a warning, knowing what she was like in the past. He believed that there was still something good in her and gave her a chance, which is something that you could see in the craftmanship of a king if you ask me.” Y/n said with a slight smirk. She knew she was getting to her parents.

“You’re making my job difficult my dear.” The king sighed whilst shaking his head. “He saved my life dad.” Y/n reminded him with a soft sigh.

The king plopped back onto his throne and let out a deep breath as well. “Y/n, my dear, do you know why there is a law made specifically for mixed ranked couples?” The queen asked, making Y/n shake her head ‘no’. “A long time ago, far before your father and I ruled this kingdom, there wasn’t a law that restrained fairies from different ranks to be together. One day, two fairies came together, both had different powers and used their magic together for the wrong use. Just like Eunhee did last week.” The queen noted.

“Eunhee may not have been born with given powers and maybe that was the reason why she began to study black magic, but it was one of the reasons why the kingdoms had decided to ban mixed rank relationships. If the fairies stayed with their own kind, their powers could be controlled easier. And misunderstandings or dilemmas wouldn’t be in our way.”

“But, if I understand this clearly, besides Eunhee’s action from last week, this has been decades ago?” Y/n asked. “Maybe even centuries.” Her mother said with amusement in her voice and a smile on her face. And Y/n knew that she had won her mother over. The two ladies turned to the king who started to pout. “You two do this every time! Stop putting me in such difficult situations! You know what the kid did wrong.” He states, feeling like he’s been set up. 

“And you know also how well Hyunjin has been working.” The queen acknowledged. She got up from her throne and flew down to the young lovers. “I have noticed that you’ve changed the way you’ve been working Hyunjin.” She began, making Hyunjin tremble in fear. “Y-you have, your majesty?” “I did. And I liked what I saw.” She assured.

“I saw that you took your job more serious then ever, even though you disagreed on executing the job. You have made our one and only daughter very happy through the time you spend together. New friendships or relationships in general can be difficult, so I understand that the two of you started of roughly. I will be honest, your father and I couldn’t stand each other.” The queen laughed whilst looking at her daughter.

“We were also stuck in an arranged marriage, but we were blessed by the universe by falling in love. You, my dear, unfortunately had to fight for it. Almost literally.” The queen caressed her daughter’s face lovingly before she turned to her husband. “Dear, I think it’s time that some things have to change around here.” A smile appeared on the queen’s face when she heard her daughter gasp and softly squealed.

“But what if another dark fairy shows up?” “Then we and the new future king and queen will make a plan to keep everyone as happy as possible and safe. So no one even has to think about turning evil.” The queen suggested.

Y/n looked at her parents in shock, still holding onto Hyunjin’s hand. She couldn’t believe that her mother supported her, but now she was looking hopeful at her dad, not knowing what he was going to say. “I know you’re a good kid Hyunjin, but you have to understand that as a father, I am extra careful with my one and only daughter.” “I-I understand your majesty, I promise you that I will not take your trust for granted, again.” Hyunjin promised as he bowed deeply.

“Then that’s settled. It is indeed time again to trust out citizen and change the old ways.” “Does that mean?” Y/n asked hopefully, not daring to finish her sentence, scared that it would jinx their last hope. “Yes, my dear. You won’t have to marry Jisung anymore.” Y/n smiled brightly and a boost of energy rushed through her body.

Her parents and Hyunjin saw the colour returning to her body and her wings powerfully yet elegantly broke open and stood up mighty. The floor wasn’t connected to Y/n’s feet anymore and she felt great to have her strength back. She felt happy and could kiss Hyunjin’s face right there and then and as if Hyunjin could read her mind. He had brought her into an embrace and cupped her face, slowly leaning in as he was stuck in the moment.

Y/n panicked, remembering her parents who were right there, she moved away from him with widened eyes. “They’re still there.” She whispered, causing him to turn red in embarrassment as well.

“Hyunjin dear, thank you for coming, but right now we would like to speak to Y/n alone for a second.” “Yes, your majesty.” He said to her mother. “I’ll wait outside the doors.” He whispered to her before he made his way out.

Y/n turned to her parents and looked at them with her head cocked to her side and before she knew it, she was embraced by both of her parents. “That kid has quite the influence on you.” The king jokes as he admired the beautiful wings of his daughter that he hasn’t seen in the air for ages. “H-he does.” Y/n giggled shyly.

“Can the law actually be changed that easily and quickly?” Y/n asked her parents. “Well, yes. And since we don’t think that the citizen would have a problem with this change, we have faith that this can work out. Besides, you and Hyunjin has shown us that it indeed is possible.” “Just wait until you see Jisung with his flower fairy.” Y/n chuckled. “Who?” The queen asked in confusion. “You’ll see.” Y/n laughed, happy that she could keep her promise to her friend.

“We are sorry dear. Both of you had found your own path to love and we made it difficult on you two. We are truly sorry.” Her mother said as she hugged her daughter once more. “I understand mom, they’re royal duties after all.” Y/n responded wisely, making her father feel pride. “You almost sound like an old wise king. You sure will be a great queen one day Y/n.” “Thank you, dad. That means a lot to me.”

“If he breaks your heart, we can always ban him, you know.” The king joked, causing her and the queen to laugh. “I don’t think you will even have to think about that.” Y/n said sighing in relief that this was now finally over.

“Now go to him, you two had a rough time behind you.” Y/n thanked her parents once more before she sped to the door and swung it open. Hyunjin was surprised by the sound and looked up from his feet. He was taken by surprise when she launched herself into his arms, but he didn’t care and instead he instinctively twirled her around.

Her hands had found their way to his hair and her lips were sooner enough connected to his. The kiss was soft but passionate and both fairies could feel the deep love they had for each other through the kiss. He had lifted her up in the fair, making her giggle as she felt his tight grip around her waist. She pressed kisses all over his face causing him to giggle before he put her down. He knew that it was happening and he felt like his heart could burst of happiness when he realised that he wouldn’t have to spent his life in pain. Wondering what it would’ve been like to marry Y/n and start a family and life with her. Right now, he was the only was who she had in her heart and since the wedding of her and Jisung’s was off the map, he had her hall to himself.

They both gasped to themselves when they remember Jisung and hurried to his room. They were shocked to see him so beaten up and still heartbroken. Jisung broke down in tears when he was face to face with Y/n, he felt like he could die any second of his broken heart. Y/n sat down next to her friend and gently grabbed his hand. “We did it Sung, the law will be changed.” Jisung looked up to her with widened eyes and started to cry out in happiness.

“But that means that she can be with her sun fairy.” He muttered, still sad and heartbroken.  “No, you’re going to find her and fight for her. It’s the least you can do. Even if she has someone else, tell her that you love her.” Y/n encourages.

Jisung took a deep breath before he managed to sit himself up. He stared into the distance as he whispered to himself: “if this turns out well, I might have to fight my own parents for this, let alone my own brother. Who will probably not hesitate to kill me, but I would do anything for her, even if it costs me my last breath.”

Before Y/n and Hyunjin realise it, Jisung had jumped onto his feet and rushed his way out of the palace, on the search to find his beloved fairy, but what the two didn’t realise at that moment was that Jisung still wasn’t fully recovered.

But he was gone already, love blinding him and hope making him forget about the pain.

It was only a few days before the wedding day, that was originally meant for Jisung and Y/n, but it still wasn’t officially called off. Which worried Y/n a little. She trusted her parents, knowing that they got this all under control, but something inside her couldn’t help but think about a possibility that they could’ve changed their minds about changing the law and forcing her into a marriage anyway.

But they never did.

Today, it was judgement day for Eunhee. Her powers would be taken away and she would only be left with the skill of walking and basically would be living as a human in fairy format. Eunhee was brought into the throne hall and she looked rough. Her hair was all over the place, her skin was dirty and her eyes weren’t set right.

Eunhee looked up from her spot and was face to face with the Royal family and Hyunjin, who was standing next to Y/n. Eunhee could see the hand that Hyunjin had placed on Y/n’s shoulder and she knew exactly what was going on. They were together and she knew that she had lost.

The procedure was harsh and the king and queen didn’t hesitate to show any mercy on her. She betrayed the kingdom after all and brought lives in danger. Eunhee had tried during the procedure to drag Hyunjin with her once again, but Y/n held his hand as a sign of assurance that it would be alright. He couldn’t look at his old friend who was being punished right in front of him, but she deserved it.

Hyunjin had found out that it was Eunhee who was the cause of him going on a ‘mission’ into the Forest of the Lost and almost got killed, turned out she was cooperating with humans to get everyone killed. Eunhee had confessed that she indeed did it. “If I couldn’t have you, then no one could.” She had said, not feeling any sense of regret.

After it all was over and Eunhee was brought to the deep parts of the forest, they all sighed in relieve. It was now finally over. The bribed guards were gone and replaced by new ones, Seiji being one of them. When he found out how twisted Eunhee actually was , he lost feelings very fast. He had apologised to Hyunjin and so did the other knights he once had trained with. They now all had a position higher up and couldn’t be happier. The way it happened may not have been ideal, but they were happy in the end.

Speaking of happy, the king and queen were tired of the gloominess that hung around the palace and they offered to go outside and clear their mind for a while. Hyunjin and Y/n agreed before they followed them outside.

The four of them had arrived at the pond where Y/n and Hyunjin had met each other numerous times. Y/n was taken back when Hyunjin suddenly took her hands in his and made her look up to him. “Y/n, my love. We’ve known each other for a long time and we started off at the wrong foot. Through these months I have fallen in love with you, deeply and hard.” Hyunjin chuckled. “I have come to the realisation that I can’t live without you and that I can’t imagine any other fairy but you in my future, so…” Hyunjin had let go of Y/n’s hand and grabbed something out of his pocket that made Y/n’s eyes almost fall out of her sockets.

A small box was revealed and Y/n had started to cry, she looked back to her parents who were standing with bright smiles as Hyunjin was no on one knee in front of her. He held the box up to he and popped the question: “Y/n, will you do me the honours of making me the happiest fairy in the world and marry me?” He asked, his voice trembling due to his nerves.

“Isn’t this too fast?” Y/n stressed as she kneeled down in front of the love of her life, making Hyunjin chuckle as he knew that she was overthinking. “Well, I’ve risked my life for you twice, so I don’t think we’re moving too fast.” He reminded her, causing her to look down and smile in embarrassment.

“Yes.” “What?” Hyunjin exclaimed with his eyes widened. “Yes! Yes! I want to marry you! Yes!” She squealed as she tackled him in a tight hug and pressed kisses all over his face, but most importantly on his plump lips. “Well, now you got to find yourself a beautiful dress for the wedding this Sunday.” Her mother squeaked happily. “Wait, is this why the wedding day wasn’t called off?” She exclaimed whilst looking at her parents. “Hyunjin requested it himself and we were happy to help. Besides, it would’ve been a waste for all the hard work to go in vain. You two love each other already, why not put a seal on it?” The king smiled.

And so the wedding day finally arrived. And it was the wedding Y/n always had dreamt of, Hyunjin’s as well. They had found their own way to love even though the path was rough. They knew they were meant for each other and the pair couldn’t wait to say their ‘I dos’.

Y/n had asked Jisung’s now-girlfriend to be her bridesmaid, since she didn’t had any other friends besides the three boys. His girlfriend was stunned at the kindness and she wasn’t surprised that Jisung was forced to marry her, she felt a little insecure, not knowing how she had to stand a chance against the future queen.

But Y/n assured her that she was perfect for him. “He’s told me a lot about you and not a single one was a bad thing.” Y/n smiled before shooting a wink to the shy fairy.

Thus, the wedding began. The officiant made his way down the aisle first, the queen soon following her. The wedding could be seen by the entire kingdom by one of the inventions Jeongin had brought into the realm, something called a ‘livestream’. The fey people were stunned by the new technology and at how fast and smartly the young fairy had adapted it into their ways of living.

Therefore, with a little magical help, the entire kingdom was in shock, to see Hyunjin flow down the aisle as it was time for the groom to make an appearance. Soon after the groomsmen flew behind him, who existed out of Jeongin and Jisung, leaving the entire kingdom holding onto their breaths. After Jisung’s girlfriend, the flower fairy who Y/n thanked a thousand times for the beautiful decoration, made her way down, it was now finally the time for Y/n to fly down the aisle with her father linked in her arm.

She was nervous but certain about this. She had never felt such strong love towards anyone else before and she trusted her life with Hyunjin. The fey people were in awe when they saw their princess in her white gown flow down the aisle. Her skin was glowing and there were sparkles visible in her eyes.

Hyunjin couldn’t help but cry as he looked at his beautiful bride. When she stood in front of him, he couldn’t help but squeal at little at how beautiful she was, causing everyone around them to laugh.

The ceremony went by rather fast, but before they were to say their ‘I dos’ they turned to the citizen who were seeing the wedding. “As you can tell, we are from different ranks. Some grew up with Hyunjin and saw how great of a knight he has become. Some grew up and saw me become the princess I am today. And as the only princess in this royal family, it is mandatory that I shall take over the throne soon. Now that I almost am married and you all soon can expect a crowning ceremony, I shall execute my first act as soon-to-be-queen.” Y/n started, leaving the crowd in suspense. 

“From this day forward, the law of mixed ranks relationships will be changed. We have chosen to trust out citizen. We shall speak further about the changes later, but that will take place after the wedding.” Y/n announced before she focused her attention to her almost-husband. The citizen were already cheering and they hadn’t even said their ‘I dos’ yet.

But when they did and shared their first kiss as a married couple, they could feel the joyful energy coming from the cheering citizen. Y/n had her arms wrapped around Hyunjin’s next, as he pulled her closer with his hands that rested on her waist.

They smiled into the kiss, before Hyunjin took her by the hand and ran down the aisle with her.

A celebration was going on through the entire kingdom, fairies were happy that they could be together with who they longed to. It had also been announced that prince Jisung had given up his title and put down his royal duties to become a citizen in the Yellow Wood Kingdom, so that he could be together with the fairy of his dreams.

The citizen welcomed him with open arms and were happy to have him as their new neighbour. The kingdom loved him after all, he had left a great expression with them and was known for his kind and charming manners.

But Y/n and Hyunjin were the favourite couple and a couple months later their greatest king and queen. Hyunjin had a lot to learn, but with Y/n on his side he new he could conquer anything. To him, she was the ultimate queen. She carried the hardships of the fey people so they didn’t had to. That’s what made her a true queen. She was ready to sacrifices her own happiness, her own happy ever after, so her kingdom could live in peace.

But man, was she happy things turned out this way.

She was now standing with her husband on the balcony, looking out on the lands that belonged to them. She rested her head on his chest as he embraced her from behind. The new queen knew she did it, she did it for him, so they could spend their lives filled with love and happiness. She did it for them, looking out to the village that was energised by the fairies who still celebrated the change of the law after months.

Y/n was now at peace and couldn’t feel happier. She’s got everything she needed and couldn’t and didn’t had wish for anything else. Hyunjin agreed with his wife and pressed a sweet kiss on top of her head, knowing that things worked out for them perfectly. 

And so, they lived happily ever after. 

The end.

Gif doesn’t belong to me.

Copyright © 2020 Mrs-I-Have-Too-Many-Biases All rights reserved

[rosepetalwings]

DESSERTRUNE

okay, looks like people are interested in my AU dessertrune so..... please enjoy the upcoming jumble of words i've strung together to explain this au!

(TRIGGER WARNING - This is a horror AU and will deal with dark and disturbing topics, including gore, murder, and even cannibalism, intended to disturb the viewer. The post will be tagged with the appropriate tags to warn for such things but please do not read if such things will affect you negatively. Please stay safe and enjoy something else that may bring you joy, for you are worth it. 🖤)

Story

There's giggly chattering amongst the more naive and imaginative students of Hometown's school of a world in the shadows made of saccharine enchantment and wonder... Taffy trees and frosted fields and sweet smiles from the saccharine people that inhabit this magical land. How terrible it is to know that their innocent dreams are but sugar coated nightmares.

But all is not lost.

For you see, Legend tells of 3 brave young heroes from the Light banishing the Angel’s Confections from the land which promise to bring ruin to them all. To rid the Dark of its extra Fountain and the curious candies that have sprung up in ostentatious billboards and flashy, loud ads all through the Dark World is the Heroes’ Quest; a quest that may consume them whole.

Locations

Light World

Everything in the Light World is mostly untouched, save for the bunker which sports an odd little sticker for some strange candy... Curious when you consider the sticker's brightness and newness against the bunker's weathered and dilapidated age. Probably just some kid with new stickers wandering where they shouldn't have been.

Dark World

????? - Dark and haunting, this muted pink area sports rock candy jewels that glint strangely in the shadows that bathe the area. Best to keep moving along, judging by the strange iridescent sludge that pool around everywhere here and open mouthed grinning puzzles that seem to giggle quietly at you specifically...

Castle Town - A break from the burnt bubblegum-pink, there is an empty town that surrounds a lonely castle. It is dark, and so very quiet, but completely untouched by the sludge from before. Abandoned? Or, perhaps it is so lonely a location, everyone overlooks it.

Field - A long field of pastel purple grass and luscious strawberry pink-red trees with tall buildings off in the horizon... There’s an overwhelming scent of fruit punch on the breeze and- oh! It seems a “Lancer” has left up signage everywhere, warning others in a childish scrawl to not eat from the candy stalls that advertise so loudly and brightly on every path... "The taste of happiness!" the wrapper proclaims. Upon meeting him, there’s a sense that he is perhaps not the most upstanding child with how much he loves to call himself a villain... But- perhaps he has a point, with how the candy seems to beckon the observer with its bright, happy colors... Would you believe this mischievous young lad?

The Scarlet Forest - The smell of sweet fruit punch fades out into spicy cinnamon as the crimson trees seem to grow brighter. A few fallen leaves float on by with the wind as their vehicle, and the stalls from before disappear... Smaller strip malls and buildings abound here... Though there is a large store that calls to each Darkner that approaches with bright neon signs. “Come and see the new line of Halberd Inc. treats!” the dark-circled greeter cries out with a smile so big it looks like it aches, "New improved formula! 150% more sweetness packed in!!" and the huge line of much too eager Darkners that queue up for a taste of the reformulated sweets cheer cacophonously...

Great Board - The smell of licorice envelopes the air in the Great Board, which in and of itself, is filled to the brim with billboards and bright lights and neon signs and weathered posters out the wazoo. It is a smog ridden area, lit only by the blinding neon lights that guide the way up to the castle. There's a small maze of a city here, before the Factory. It's gritty, and dingy, and it smells like a burning dumpster fire there but it is a small bit of respite before trekking elsewhere... Perhaps one could stop at the Boardway Theater, where there's a quaint little horror musical about a killer barber. Song about having "a little ponman", the Halberd Inc. papers last said.

The Factory - Halberd Inc.'s core production facility. Every facet of it is highly secured, contained, and protected. It employs almost every Darkner in the area, in some form or another. If they do not work in the production line, they work in transportation of the products. If they do not transport Halberd Inc. products, they sell the products. Or advertise. Halberd Inc. is inescapable. Halberd Inc. loves you. Halberd Inc. provides for you. Working for Halberd Inc. is happiness. Don't you want to be happy? Feel all sweet inside? The cagey silver-haired assistant hugging his clipboard a little too tightly too his chest doesn't seem all that happy. Maybe if one presses the stressed man, he'll give up the dark secret of this sordid manufacturer... And, quickly, do inform him of where his adopted(?) son has tarried off to.

Characters

Lightners

Kris - The hero of our tale. A quiet kid, normally. Though, normally not so quiet as when they enter the Dark World. They enter a world of sweets and yet their mouth is taken from them, replaced only with a thin, red smile against the purple of their mixed berry gummy flesh. They have no mouth and they must scream.

Susie - A rude girl that's about as tough as leather. ...Makes sense as to why her hide becomes fruit leather, in the Dark World. About as sweet too, deep down. Hard to convince her away from not just absolutely wolfing down all the free food around her though. But... she does listen to Lancer's warnings, thankfully.

Noelle, Asriel, Alphys, Undyne, Toriel, Asgore, Sans, Papyrus - Unchanged. Speculate on what you'd like with them. Though I have thoughts here and there for "sweets" versions of them.

Darkners

Ralsei - A fluffy boy that smells like toothpaste. He'll correct you that it's spearmint that you're picking up and then offer you some sugar free gum. Or an apple. Or some celery. As a healthy snack.

Lancer - The bad guy! ...Or so he says, as he continues to help you through this strange, saccharine world. Just kind of seems like a little kid that means well... A little, jawbreaker-looking kid, with how round he is and the paint splatters from all the signs he makes all over his clothes. ...Are those meant to be there or not?

Seam - The local shopkeep. This purple rock candy feline knows much about this old world and how very terribly the world has been corrupted since the rise of Halberd Inc. Stay a while to keep out from the not-so-fresh air and ask about all the nitty-gritty details, Seam certainly won't mind.

Rouxls - Rex Halberd's right hand man, a frigid blue raspberry slushie of a Kaard and a yes man if ever there was one. Though, only to keep the peace and his life. He only trusts the CEO of Halberd Inc. as far as he can throw him, now that he knows what the candy contains. (He almost throws up every time he thinks about it.) He wants to see the company crash and burn and run away with Lancer to build anew but he's powerless to do so. Rex owns just about everything Rouxls knows... And if Rex doesn't own it yet, he will. A little help or direction for this hopeless assistant would be appreciated.

Jevil - Must be quite the sucker to have searched this far down in the Factory. This swirling lollipop man with a harlequin smile only laughs uncontrollably as you near the bloodied vat of... candy(?) within the room. He was locked in here a while ago and forgotten for the crime of upsetting the CEO with silly games. He wishes to open your mind, see the real truth of this world... Or kill you in the process. Either or.

King - The Rex Halberd. CEO. Father. Friend. Leader. And the most awful person alive. He has more money than most would ever see in 100 lifetimes. He would dangle his own son off of the roof of his factory building. And he would more than happily consume his own products because, just like his workers and his family, the Darkners' bodies used to create his sweets are nothing more than something for him to use and discard when they have become worthless. Kick this dude's fucking ass.

[fericita-s]

Mating Season (Chapter 1)

This is a Kristoff/Anna story that takes place in an AU where Anna grew up Northuldra in the Enchanted Forest with her family.  Kristoff is from a nearby tribe and comes to the forest for a reindeer exchange. It’s the same universe as All is Found, which @the-spastic-fantastic and I wrote together, and a big thanks to her for helping me develop this and for beta-ing. This is part one of three; I’ll post the next tomorrow and the next Wednesday.

Chapter 2 Chapter 3

***

It was no surprise to Elsa that Anna saw Kristoff and immediately claimed him.  Wanting an epic love story was something Anna was always dreaming about and talking about and sighing about. Elsa suspected it was more for entertainment than an actual need for love, because Anna quickly tired of the men she spotted and cooed over.  Sometimes before ever even talking to them. 

She  had ruled out every man in their Northuldra tribe.  “Yuck! They’re all like brothers or uncles or cousins or feel that way even if they’re not.  It’s alright for you; it was very romantic that you surprised everyone including Honeymaren by liking girls.  Maybe I’m like Papa.  I’ll have to go somewhere else to find it.”

But on their trip to Arendelle when Anna was sixteen, she dismissed the entire kingdom by saying “I do like how tall most of them are, but wow are they obsessed with saunas.  It would never work.”

Elsa had laughed to hear that the one trait that made Anna, a daughter of Northuldra, incompatible with Arendellian men was sauna usage and not, say, living entirely indoors or leaving the magical enchantments of their forest behind.

Once a young man with red hair had stumbled into their lands, asking for help and claiming to be escaping the ire of his brothers.  Yelana had turned him out immediately, though Anna had said he seemed handsome enough to warrant a hearing before the elders.

Yelana had refused. “There’s something wrong with him.  I can just tell.”

At first, Anna’s parents had worried about this obsession she seemed to have with love, but when it didn’t manifest into her doing anything crazy, they relaxed about it.  Her mother even intimated that she should be more patient with the men who were clearly interested in her.  Anna had wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

“No! I want a story like you and Papa.  It’s so romantic.  You almost died for each other! I’d get too bored loving a man from here.”

Iduna had stroked Anna’s hair, pulling her close before she spoke. “How could love between two people ever be boring? The person you most admire admires you the most.  That's a miracle.” Iduna stroked her hair again, grateful that even at twenty, Anna still enjoyed cuddling with her.  “Like boska keeping sickness away or reindeer all calving within ten days of each other.  It’s common, but that doesn't make it less beautiful.    It’s a daily sacrifice, sometimes of small things and sometimes big.”

So when Anna had seen Kristoff shake Yelana’s hand and told Elsa that he was hers, Elsa had laughed and rolled her eyes.  Walking back towards the village, she and Honeymaren had talked about how long it would be until Anna found him “too something” as well.

***

Gathered around the fire, the people of the Black Mountain huddled in small groups.  Anna noticed they seemed tense, the lines of their mouth not turning into smiles even when Bruni showed off by lighting torches that had been set in a pattern honoring the tribe’s antler symbol.  The ones holding walking staffs gripped them tightly and their eyes were alert and sharp as they watched the festivities. They stayed at the edge of everything, rather than joining in with the singing.

“They probably don’t know the songs. Not everyone knows Northuldra chants,” Elsa said when Anna pointed this out. “Besides, don’t pretend you’re watching more than just their leader.  Kristoff.  He’s more dour than them all. Some of the others are having fun.”

She pointed at one young boy who Ryder lifted onto a reindeer, showing him how this particular one liked to be scratched behind his left ear. “See?  He’s having a good time.”

Anna looked at Kristoff.  She had been doing so most of the evening and had stopped bothering trying to hide her glances.  He wasn’t paying attention.  He was glowering into the fire, eyebrows knit together, arms crossed. “He’s sad, not dour.  And I’m going to find out why.”

Elsa linked her arm through Anna’s. “He’s not a wounded ptarmigan or lame fox you can nurse back to health.  He’s a grown man. He seems to be doing just fine leading his people.  He might just have a different way of doing it than we do here.”

“So that’s a ‘no’ from you on extracting ice memories from him?”

“They’ll be here for several months. I’m sure you can get him to talk to you at some point.  Taking his memories seems a bit rushed.  And unethical.  And possibly crazy.”

Anna pulled her arm away from Elsa’s.  She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her tongue out at her sister.  “I’m not crazy.  I’m curious.  Aren’t you?”

Elsa looked to where Honeymaren was showing a group of children how she could toss a crowberry in the air and catch it in her mouth.  Anna followed her gaze.

“Oh fine.  Go join her and leave me to my skulking.”

Elsa laughed. “Good luck.”

As Anna watched Elsa sidle up to Honeymaren and hold her hand, her mind wandered to her earlier attempts to talk to Kristoff.  He had given two word answers to all of her questions about the Black Mountain (“It’s beautiful.”) and their reindeer (“They’re strong.”) and their strangely shaped saws (“Harvesting ice.”).  Even telling him about her sister’s ability to make ice from nothingness just elicited a raised eyebrow in reply, no marveling wonder or eagerness to see it happen.  And when she had offered him some dried elk, he had refused, saying that his people had brought their own supplies and wouldn’t start their time together by taking from the food stores of the Northuldra.

Perhaps that was why he was sitting alone now. The Northuldra had been preparing food and drink for the welcome celebration for weeks, but Kristoff was not partaking at all. He sat on a log by the fire.  He had his pack resting next to him and there was a reindeer nearby with its head tucked into its side, looking sleepy. There, Anna thought.  If a reindeer thought he was kind, he must be. Reindeer were very good judges of character. Anna cleared her throat and walked over to him.

 “Would you like to lead the next round of singing? I’ve noticed Black Mountain voices haven’t been joining in with ours.  But if you started a song your people knew…we could join in.”  Anna smiled at him and he looked up. The reindeer did too and nudged something out of Kristoff’s pack, pushing it forward. Anna saw what it was, clasped her hands together and sat down next to him, thinking that his reindeer seemed friendlier than he did.

“A lute! Do you play? Oh you should play for us! That will be just the thing to make this party seem even more like a party.”

Kristoff picked up the lute and shoved it back into his pack, giving the reindeer a reproachful look. “No , I don’t think I’ll play tonight.” He scratched his reindeer under its muzzle and Anna thought it seemed like an apology for his earlier glare. What a strange man, to be so polite to reindeer and so rude to humans.

“He seems like a special reindeer. Does he always sit next to you during celebrations?”

Kristoff didn’t answer, but she continued talking, looking at the reindeer and extending her hand for him to sniff. “My parents used to let me sleep with the baby reindeer, especially the calves who needed extra care after a birthing where the mother was lost. They would joke about the smell, but I always liked it. Kind of a homey smell, like smoke and sun and dirt and cold. But they never let us keep any as a pet, really. Too hard when we use them for meat and furs. I was six when I realized that herding reindeer meant occasionally slaughtering reindeer and I cried so hard about it that my mother took me on a gathering trip to let me cry without bothering everyone else.  Just the two of us. She showed me where she and my father had their first house, or cave, really, and where the best cloudberries are, and how we depend on plants and animals to make us strong, and that we should be grateful for the gift they give us of their strength. It was thrilling to be with only her and not share her with my sister. Sleeping out in the open under the stars with someone you love – I don’t think there’s anything better.” She fell silent, beginning to stroke Sven’s velvety ears, and remembering those baby reindeer she had cuddled through spring nights that had a sharp edge of cold to them despite the hint of summer in the daytime.

“Sven is more of a friend than a pet.”

Anna almost continued talking without realizing he had spoken. She had started to feel like she was telling a fussy toddler a bedtime story, not trying to have a conversation. She tilted her head and looked at Kristoff. “Sven?”

“Sven.  Yes.  My reindeer.  This reindeer.”

Anna put her hands on Sven’s ears, stroking the soft skin.  “Sven.  I’m very pleased to meet you. Thank you for coming all this way, and I hope you enjoy your time here with the Northuldra.”

Sven grunted and tucked his head back into his side, once more looking like he was ready to sleep.

“Thank you.” Kristoff was looking at her and she was so surprised by his words she couldn’t think of anything to say in return. He didn’t seem to know what to do with the silence either and reached a hand to scratch at his beard, repeating himself. “Thank you.”

Anna thought about asking what he was thanking her for – talking to his reindeer? Not thinking it weird that he named his reindeer and called it his friend? The celebration? The welcome into the Forest? Not minding that he’d refused all hospitality and wouldn’t sing? For sitting next to him? But she stilled those questions, saving them to consider with Elsa later.

Instead, she smiled and said “You’re welcome,” rose, and left him at the fire, still wondering why he was so alone even surrounded by his people and why he was so sad even surrounded by a celebration. 

***

“So, Anna.  Is she…” Kristoff scratched the back of his neck as he crouched down next to Ryder, both of them feeling the lichen to see if it was wet enough for the reindeer to graze there later.

Anna talking to him over the past few days always happened suddenly, went in a direction that surprised him, and left him feeling slightly out of breath and confused when it was over. Sometimes that was because of the fantastical things she told him, like her sister being able to make ice and the very mountains moving at their request. Sometimes it was because of the way she looked at him, with a curiosity and compassion that was as disorienting as the Northuldra Wind Spirit. He lost his bearings whenever he looked at her.  

Also, she was beautiful.  Her hair and eyes were bright. Her animated demeanour seemed to make her whole body vibrate, all the time.  She was captivating.  His eyes hurt from making himself stare at the fire instead of at her during those first few days.

“Is she always so…”

“Friendly? Funny? Good with reindeer and telling stories? Yeah. She’s the best.” Ryder stood and wiped his hands on his sleeves. “Let’s go get the herd.”

***

Yelana had noticed Anna’s interest in the leader of the Black Mountain, and had given her a word of warning about it. “Most men are too emotional and he certainly seems to be ruled by his, sour as he comes across. There is enough to keep us busy these next few months as we mix the herds; I need you tending to the reindeer and not the men.”

Anna gave a dismissive wave, continuing with her work with the mortar and pestle.  “Oh I’m not interested in him anymore.  He’s too irritable.”

***

The next few weeks were a flurry of movement. Teams of Northuldra and Black Mountain took the reindeer to different lichen meadows and streams every day. 

Preparing meals for so many, while not a strain on their resources, did create more work than normal. When her work with her mother was done, Anna was often sent to gather or harvest or catch something to add to the night’s meal. 

Ryder and Honeymaren stayed with the reindeer.  Elsa circled the herd on Nokk, able to quickly spot and rescue those that were losing in the mating dances and clashes.  As the new animals were introduced to each other, there were some injuries that needed tending – both on people and on the reindeer. 

Anna helped her mother as she prepared salves and wrapped bandages and directed others in gathering the boska necessary to supplement the diet of reindeer who were expending lots of extra energy during this season.

“Should helping reindeer find mates be this – difficult? And bloody? A lot of them seem to be getting injured.”

Iduna laughed. “Ask your father about that.  I think he would tell you that finding a mate is sometimes very dangerous.”

Anna smiled as she smoothed balm on a cut near a tired looking reindeer’s antler. Most of the reindeer were too skittish to be touched by anyone right now, but they had always loved Anna.  Her father had said it was because the reindeer could tell Anna loved them. 

Anna hummed and sang as she worked, making up silly stories about reindeer who flew all over the world, looking for carrots. At the end of one such tale, she wiped her hands on her work apron and saw Kristoff nearby.

“Nice story. Did you make it up?”

“Not really.  Parts of it are from a poem our father read to us as children.” She gave the reindeer a final pat and stood up.  She was surprised that he had come to talk to her, but tried to keep her amazement out of her voice. It seemed so out of character for him.  He had never initiated a conversation before.

“Ryder told me you were the one to ask.  Sven has been acting strange and I can’t figure it out.  Could you come?”

Anna looked to her mother who nodded her assent. “We’re fine here for now.  No new injuries other than the one you just tended.”  They hugged and Anna reached for her bag, checking to be sure it had some of the medical supplies she was likely to need.

As they drew close to the Black Mountain encampment, Anna could hear distressed grunting noises.

“Is that Sven?”

“It is.  He hasn’t stopped making that sound.  It’s like he’s scared of something, but I can’t figure out what. I tied him up over here so he wouldn’t run off.  He’s not as hardy as the other reindeer, he depends on me to help him out.”

Anna reached for the length of rope and began to unwind it from the tree. “Let’s get him to show us what’s bothering him.”

Kristoff reached for the rope, but she moved it out of his grasp. He frowned at her, speaking in low tones that wouldn’t startle Sven. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

She had already unwrapped the rope and as soon as he was no longer tied to the tree, Sven bolted. Kristoff and Anna looked at each other and then ran after him.

“I told you not to do that! He’ll hurt himself for sure now!”

She shouted as they sprinted through the undergrowth. “Well good thing you have me then, I’ll know how to fix him up!”   Kristoff stayed silent as they ran. Thankfully, Sven’s path of broken branches and trampled leaves were easy to follow.

They both spotted Sven at the same time. He was at the edge of a stream, looking towards a curve in its path.  Sven grunted, stretched his neck towards the unseen spot, and then shuddered.

Kristoff reached him first and put his arms around the reindeer’s middle, murmuring calming words into his ear.  Anna walked past them both, ignoring Kristoff’s glare which was sharper than any of his ice saws, to reach the bend in the stream.  As she looked toward the place that seemed to be equally terrifying and intriguing to Sven, Kristoff watched as she visibly relaxed, leaned back with a breathy laugh and said “Oh! It’s just you!”

Walking out from the hidden spot, a very round, very white, and very alive snowman came into view. Sven was now shuddering and grunting even louder and Kristoff’s first instinct was to kick at the snowman, which he did, right in the head. The head flew into the water, and Anna ran for it, scooping it up and walking back towards Olaf.

“Oh no! Olaf! Are you alright?” Anna gently put the head back on the snowman’s body and adjusted his carrot nose, giving it a light tap.

Kristoff recoiled and, in doing so, lost his grip on Sven, who ran off in a new direction.

Kristoff drew back again and then began to run after Sven as the snowman said “I’m fine! But goodness.  It sure is hard to make new friends.  I’ve been following that one for a while and he just won’t say hello to me to matter what I do.”

Anna looked to where Kristoff was disappearing into the woods after Sven and gave Olaf a quick kiss on the head. She turned and ran, and shouted over her shoulder. “I’m so sorry Olaf, but I better go help.  Let my parents know, please?”

Olaf adjusted his head as he watched Anna run into the trees, the leaves and and branches parting to show her the way.

***

Anna found Kristoff easily enough, but not Sven.

From the welcome Kristoff gave her, it seemed he would have preferred it if she hadn’t come after them.

“Just leave.  I don’t need your help.  Your help is what created this problem to begin with.” He was looking at the ground, crouching low and searching for footprints and other signs of Sven.

She rolled her eyes and crouched down next to him. “I know these woods better than you. You’ll probably throw a grappling hook into an Earth Giant’s eye or insult Bruni with your flint so your fire never lights.  You need me.”

He rocked back on his heels and looked at her, mystified. “I have no idea what any of that means.”       

“Exactly. And I bet you don’t know that the Wind Spirit helped me find you just now, opening up paths that I wouldn’t have noticed except for her guidance.”

“I still have no idea what you’re talking about.” He stood and kept searching for any sign of Sven’s path, turning over leaves and looking at trees for scratch marks.

Anna cupped her hands around her mouth and sang a series of notes. “Wind Spirit? Can you show us?”

Kristoff felt a gust of wind ruffle his hair and he looked up to see a new path open in the forest. A bit of Sven’s harness lay on the ground. Kristoff ran to it and picked it up. “It’s his!”

“I know.  So trust me that I know these woods and if you want to find Sven, you need me.”

Kristoff looked at her, sighed, and nodded. They began walking on the path that the Wind Spirit cleared for them. Anna watched as his hands clenched the harness.

***

It was dark and they still hadn’t found Sven.  Anna spoke to Bruni and got a fire going. At Kristoff’s questioning look,  she explained that the light might attract Sven.

“I’m sure he’s fine.  I’ve asked Bruni and the Wind Spirit to look out for him and they’ll let the Earth Giants and Nokk know as well.  We’ll find him. But for now, rest.  It’s too far and too dark to go home tonight.”

Kristoff had been leaning on a tree, tired from the chase through the woods and worried about his friend. He walked closer to the fire and sat down with a sigh, rubbing his hands over his eyes. 

“Olaf can sometimes be over eager to make new friends.”  She looked at Kristoff and felt a heat rise in her face. “Olaf and I can both be over eager to make friends.  I’m sorry that Sven was frightened.  And that he ran when I untied him. And I’m sorry that you’re stuck with me when you clearly don’t want to be.“

Kristoff looked at her as she opened her bag and searched through its contents. “I’m not sorry.”

Anna looked up from her bag and gave a small laugh. “I know.  You seem very happy to be rude and angry. Not that I don’t understand your worry or anger, but try to remember that I am helping you.”

Kristoff rubbed his hands over his eyes again and shook his head. “No, no, I mean I’m not sorry you’re here, helping me.  I’d be lost in these woods without you.  It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.” He opened the small bag that had been strapped to his back and pulled out some pieces of thinbread, offering her some.  Anna reached for it, staying quiet.  After her continuous monologues during their search and his silence, he finally seemed willing to talk.

“So much of this year has been like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

He paused, and Anna hazarded a small “Oh?” hoping he would say more.  After a bite of the thinbread and a wipe of his mouth on his sleeve, he continued.

“I wanted to expand our trading routes. We get great ice near the Back Mountain and I had the idea that we could bring it further south to towns and villages we've never traded with. We're so far north - we've traded reindeer with Northuldra before and some with the tribe that used to be near the North Mountain, but never Arendelle.  Never on the coast.” He reached into his bag again and pulled out a skin of water, offering it to her. She took a sip and then handed it back.

“I’ve been there, it was such a bustling port with so much to see. It was my father’s home once. Did you like it?”

He shook his head, and took another bite, chewing a bit before he continued.  “Well no, not exactly.  Too many people.  But I did show my father that ice was as big of a business as reindeer. Reindeer herding has good years and bad, but the ice is more dependable. We sold what we had and brought back a lot in trade.”

Anna stayed silent, hoping he would say more to fill the empty space around the fire, the absence of Sven and both of their tribes making the forest seem larger and quieter than she was used to.  She also wondered at his reference to his father – the father that would be the leader of the Black Mountain if he was still alive.  Her heart thudded as she realized what that meant.

“We brought back a lot, including a sickness we'd never seen before. Our healer died while treating people. Almost every family lost someone. My parents both died and suddenly I was the leader. The leader who had caused the problem in the first place.  And now we’re at the mercy of others.  And asking for help all the time, and…” He trailed off, and shook his head again.

Anna covered his hand with hers and squeezed. “Kristoff, a sickness like that, it's unpredictable. Maybe you would have spared your people from it that year without trading.  But coming to trade with us could have been as big of a risk.  Someone could have brought it to the Black Mountain without you ever leaving. It's devastating, but that doesn't make it your fault.” He looked at their joined hands, but not at her. She could see the steady rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathed, but she couldn’t see his eyes.

“And asking for help isn’t a weakness.  It’s a strength.  My father says that all the time.” He still wouldn’t look up at her, but the silence felt comfortable.  The sounds of the fire crackled and Anna thought about how so many people, like her Uncle Lemek, seemed angry when really they were just sad.  And Kristoff had a lot to be sad about.  She wished there was a way she could comfort him and distract him from his worries before she realized she had just the thing. She rummaged through her bag again and pulled out a book.

Kristoff looked up to the sound of pages being turned. “A book? You rushed after me and Sven, but took the time to pack a book?” He sounded amused, and Anna was glad her distraction was already working.

“I always have a book. This is the one I keep in my medical bag in case I get bored during a long vigil.  My father usually has several on him at all times. It’s like always having a friend nearby.”

“A book.”  He laughed a little, surprising her with the sound.  “Well, I supposed a book is no stranger than a reindeer for a friend.”

Anna smiled, accepting this kindness. “Yes! And don’t you like stories? Here I’ll read one, let me know if you like it.”

She began the story, using all of her best voices and right as she got to the ending, they heard the low grunting of Sven. 

If reindeer could look abashed, this one did, bending his antlers low and pawing at the ground. 

Kristoff ran to him and hugged him around the middle. The sight of it made Anna smile. She walked slowly towards Sven, not wanting him to startle again, and checked his hooves and fur for signs of injury.  Aside from a few scratches that she rubbed ointment on, she declared him to be in perfect health. 

“Thank you!” Kristoff sounded happier than she had ever heard him, the pinch of worry between his eyebrows was gone and she smiled in response to his happy grin. He grabbed her hand in both of his and she felt a rush of pride and a thrill at the touch of his hands, so broad and warm as they held hers. She looked into his eyes, then down at his hands, and pulled away abruptly.

“Your knuckles! They’re bleeding!”

Kristoff opened and closed his hands, suddenly empty. “Oh. I didn’t notice.  It’s not bad, probably just from the scrub and underbrush.”

“Still, anything that breaks the skin can draw in poison if you don’t treat it soon enough. That’s why I checked Sven, you don’t want a small cut to become a big problem later.”

Anna pulled out the same jar of ointment and used a cloth to scoop out a small amount. She picked up one of his hands and began to smooth the salve over the bleeding knuckles, and then switched to the other.

“Isn’t that...for reindeer?” She couldn’t tell if he was really worried, or just complaining about the fuss, so she smiled reassurance in case he needed it. 

“It’s for anything that bleeds.” She finished her ministrations and lightly rubbed her thumb along his palm, and he gripped her hand once again.

“Thank you.” 

She laughed, turning away from him. “You know you seem very ungrateful most of the time, but you’ve said ‘thank you’ four times since we’ve met.  I might need to start reconsidering my opinion of you.” She found herself surprisingly short of breath when she walked back to her pack, putting the jar and cloth away.  The rapid beat of her heart didn’t still even as she sat down by the fire; if anything it was getting faster.

Now, looking at him from this vantage point, she could see that he was smiling, the slight curve of his lips higher on the right than the left. “Oh? What else do you think about me?” He and Sven came closer to the fire and settled down, Kristoff leaning onto one side of Sven, and Anna the other.  She could hear Kristoff but not see him as he spoke.  Not seeing him, she felt bolder.

“You obviously care a lot about your people, but you don’t seem to enjoy them at all. You’re too serious, too irritable, too sad.  You should have fun sometimes.  When you can celebrate and laugh and smile again, that’s when the hard year you’ve had will start to recede. When everyone will start to be joyful again. You might have to fake it for a bit first, but then you really will feel it. And your people will too.”

She could hear Kristoff breathing.  It sounded steady, like he was considering her words instead of being angered by them.  She began to pet Sven on the ears as she waited for his reply, enjoying the soft feel.  Sven seemed to like it too, and gave a soft grunt of appreciation.

“So I should plan a celebration and then everyone will forget about the people we lost?”

She shook her head even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “No, of course not. But give them something joyful so they have new memories too.”

It was quiet again, and Anna was getting used to these pauses he took during conversation. The quiet he needed to hear before he could fill it with words.

“We didn’t do the ice games this year.”

“Ice games?” 

“Competitions to carve and cut as quickly as possible. Sometimes there’s even ice racing.” She could hear him adjust his position and Sven lifted his head and huffed a bit before settling back down.

“That sounds great! We should do that!” She sat up, looking over Sven at Kristoff, who now had his hat over his eyes, one hand on the hat, and one hand on his stomach.  She was glad to see the ointment still shiny on his knuckles; he hadn’t wiped it off.

He spoke, eyes still covered and sounding slower and sleepier as he did, even though this idea was making Anna feel wide awake. “How? You don’t have a lake here. Definitely not a frozen one.”

“That’s true.  But we do have my sister.”

“I-” he yawned. “I don’t know what that means.”

Anna watched as his breathing steadied and he slept.  And though she thought about ice games, and what she would need Elsa to do, and what she would need Kristoff to agree to, her last thought before falling asleep was how it had felt when Kristoff had held her hand.

***

“Elsa, please, just drink something.” Honeymaren was extending a guksi, brimming with water, but Elsa waved it away.

“I’m fine.  I’m almost done. Just a few more layers.” Elsa pushed both of her hands down and away from her body as the ice she was standing on slowly rose.  

Ryder cheered. “Why did we never think to do this? A whole field covered in  ice - this is great!” He was sliding around on the top layer, hitting his boot against a pinecone towards Anna who was also trying to skate in her regular boots. She kicked it back towards him and did a clumsy spin.

Honeymaren sighed and shook her head. “We never do this because it’s completely impractical and it freezes up  good grazing ground that the reindeer would otherwise use.  And even if she’s telling me she’s fine, this woman needs to drink more water.  For the Spirits’ sake, Elsa, you can’t shoot that much ice out of you and not need to drink something!”

Elsa, satisfied with her work, walked over to Honeymaren and took the guksi, looking at her with eyebrows raised as she drank. Honeymaren sighed again.  “Thank you.”

“Oh Elsa!”  Anna clapped her hands together.  “It looks perfect! I think this is exactly what he was talking about; just wait until the Black Mountain folks see it!”

***

Anna had been right.  Anna had been right, and Kristoff told her so, which made her feel proud and satisfied in a way that surprised her. 

The People of the Black Mountain unpacked their saws and picks and sang chanteys and cut for speed and sculpted for beauty and challenged the Northuldra to races along the length of the field, which often ended in piles of collapsed runners with no clear winner, all laughing and scrambling to try again. 

Anna stayed on the outskirts of the ice, ready to tend to any injury. She scanned the ice field, but often stopped to watch Kristoff, who was lifting massive blocks of ice with tongs and then throwing them into perfect piles several feet away. He grunted as he worked, and she could see the lines of sweat running down his face, the pleased nods and smiles he gave as others complimented his harvesting. 

After doing most of the harvesting in leathers and boots and furs, he stripped to the waist for the last round. Anna watched as the cords of muscle in his back tensed and constricted as he lifted ice out of the field and into the sled for storage.  She swallowed, feeling tense as well, like her muscles were also pulled tight. 

As the day grew dark, Elsa magicked the ice away except for the winning ice sculptures and a few perfectly formed cubes that were taken to a storehouse for preserving food.  The two tribes continued to laugh and talk and occasionally sing around the bonfire, now roaring and blazing into a dark sky.

“Thank you for that.  Thank you for making that happen.” Kristoff walked up to Anna, pulling his loose shirt back over his head.   She reached for his hands. 

“Just making sure you didn’t reopen old wounds.”  She smoothed her fingers over his knuckles as he startled at her touch.  “And you’re welcome.  That’s two more ‘thank yous’ from you.  I believe I’ve lost count now.” She smiled and dropped his hand, and for a second she thought he might reach for her hand to hold it, just hold it and look at the fire together. She wondered if she wanted that.

 “We, uh, we leave in a few days’ time.  And I thought….”

He stopped talking, and Anna watched as he took a breath and tried again. “We lost our best calver. Ryder said you’re good at it – small hands, patient heart. Would you consider coming with us? Back to the Black Mountain? Through the end of the birthing season?”

She should have thought about it more, perhaps.  She could have talked to Yelana or her parents or Elsa. She could have asked more questions. Instead, she looked at him, smiled and answered the way she wanted to in that moment, with the fire pulling out sparks of yellow in his eyes and his breath still heavy from his earlier exertions.  The dampened hair on his head and the way his shirt opened at the throat to show his chest and the way her hands still mourned the loss of his touch.  She had to admit that was part of why she answered the way she did.

“I’d love to.”  

Chapter 2 Chapter 3

[eastonia-blog]

I’m going to do a weird.

I know a whole lot of us are stuck at home due to the COVID19 outbreak and all our respective governments attempting to flatten the curve. So I’m going to break out my VAST library of fanfiction recommendations for you to read! Please bear in mind that my tastes in fics are not necessarily like yours so the following 15 Fandom reccs might be hit or miss. All ships and above T ratings will be tagged with brackets, all crossovers will be mentioned in those same brackets. Also, if I mention it’s part of a series, I’m not just recommending the fic I mentioned, I’m recommending the whole series. I’ve tried to recommend a different author’s fic each time. So! Let’s start with the 3 fandoms I mention in my blog description.

1) ATLA Fate Deferred (Zutara) Aang remains in the iceberg ten years longer. Sozin’s comet comes, the world keeps turning with no Avatar to save it, and by the time he’s finally found by a waterbender and her Fire Nation husband, a lot has changed. [Zutara established relationship full series rewrite; Now on Book II: Earth]  Cheating at Pai Sho (Canon Divergence) “You said you were the Avatar!” “…I lied?” Aang doesn’t get rescued in episode two, and no one’s seen him go glowy yet… so he starts bluffing. Hard. Or: “The Avatar joins Zuko’s quest to find the Avatar.” In which Zuko doesn’t join the Gaang, the Gaang joins Zuko.  The Undying Fire: Blood and Fire (First in the Undying Fire Series, eventual Zutara) Book 1. In which rescuing the Avatar from Pohuai Stronghold doesn’t end so well. It’s a tough life being a banished prince trying to get home, especially when the Avatar just wants to be your friend and keeps making everything confusing. Oh, and did Zuko mention he somehow healed the kid? Yeah, that happened. Stalking Zuko (First in the Stalking Zuko Series, eventual Zutara) Katara has developed a new hobby. At the Western Air Temple she takes to stalking Zuko. Much silliness and shenanigans follow. In chapter 20: Katara and Zuko return home to the others. Katara hates the F word and she comes to a decision regarding Zuko.  Embers (Canon divergence) Dragon’s fire is not so easily extinguished; when Zuko rediscovers a lost firebending technique, shifting flames can shift the world…  2) Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Father (Percabeth in the GFFA, eventual Anidala) It all started with a wish, but because it was Percy Jackson it couldn’t have been a friendly goddess granting him a wish. No, it had to be Nemesis, goddess of revenge and balance. Now Percy and Annabeth are stuck in a strange new galaxy right when an ancient and powerful darkness finally begins to stir.  Glass Figures (MCU Mashup) I lifted my gun, pointing it towards the minefield of shattered fragments, and kicked the small coffee table out of the way.Only to stare down at an awfully familiar face, which split into a somewhat lopsided grin. The intruder raised his hands in a mocking surrender. //“Long time no see, dude.” //I lowered the gun. “What the hell are you doing in South Peru?” //Or in which Clint Barton and Percy Jackson have a long personal history that starts in high school. All Together, Cousins (Canon divergence) When Thalia ran away with her toddler brother, Jason, she slowly gathered her cousins: she and her cousins being Big Three children. As Jason gets older and their motley group expands to six, Thalia resigns herself to the fact that she won’t always be the leader of the pack. As she accepts that, something more is coming, able to challenge even the gods above. A Crown of Golden Leaves (Historical AU) Annabeth, a Lady from the declining polis of Athens, must marry the Heir Apparent of Rome to save the rapidly expanding world from a threat even the gods couldn’t foresee.  Deluge (Percy in the Arrowverse) Barry has to deal with yet another Metahuman that Zoom has pitted against him. But this ‘Metahuman’ is an unwilling pawn in Zoom’s plan and really wants to find a way around killing the Scarlet Speester. But how can he when Zoom is holding something against him? 

3) DC Firework (First in the Sparks in the Dark Series) Orphaned and removed from the only life he’s ever known, Dick feels like there’s no light left for him in the world. His new benefactor, however, still sees something worth saving… Chronological beginning of the Spark in the Dark series.   Iron, Fire, Mirror-Glass After a brutal confrontation with Bane, Bruce comes away with a broken spine and the certainty that his days as Batman are over. An unexpected discovery offers him another chance—but at what price? The story of a man who risks his soul for the sake of his mission, the dangerous creature he names Robin, and the unlikely partnership that will shape the legend of Gotham’s Dark Knight.  Get Back Up There was a mole, one who played a long game. The team was betrayed, crushed. Robin nearly died. What are they going to do now? Only one chirped the answer. Get back up. WARNING: lots of talking, little action, many follow ups  Five Times …Five times Damian thought of Dick Grayson as his father, and the one time Dick thought of Damian as his son. Future-fic. YJ characters will show up later. Batman!Dick and Damian as Robin. With guest appearances from Jason, Tim, Cass, and Steph.  Unveiling the Mystery Series of one-shots about the team learning a little about Robin (Dick Grayson).   With all the fics, I heavily suggest you also read what else these authors have to offer in their archive.

And now here’s the plethora of other fandoms I read fics in under the cut!

4) Harry Potter The Horse (Mature) Looking after a Muggle animal should be easy compared to saving Hogwarts from Voldemort. Harry and Draco might disagree with that. Featuring Luna, Marauders, peppermints and, of course, a tall, black, badtempered horse named Simon. The Potions Master’s Nephew An accident occurs and Professor Snape finds himself trapped in his fifteen-year-old body. Enrolled into Harry Potter’s fifth year, he is forced to hide his true identity. Girls, drama and teenage angst do not bode well with Severus. Keeping Up with the Grangers (Dramione, Mature) Mr. Malfoy, I invite you and your mother to tea next Tuesday, May 25th at 2o’clock to discuss recent events. Dr. Helen Granger //…  …// He glances at the boxy too-uniform numbers flashing on the face of Richard’s radio. It’s nearly noon, and he should be getting ready to leave; but there is still a harsh tension in his shoulders and neck that he wants to work out before Hermione finds him. It is, after all, Tuesday; and while his Tuesdays were designated ‘tea with Helen’ days previously, they are now ‘lunch with Granger’ days, ever since the chance meet-up with the Weasel’s wife and the insufferable swot herself. Faceless (Dramione, Mature) New year. New love. New threat. A powerful enemy is on the rise, and Hermione Granger finds herself intertwined in a relationship with Draco Malfoy – only she doesn’t know it’s him. / / RUNNER-UP: Enchanted Awards Summer 2017 for Best Relationship Development 

5) Devil May Cry And the Rest is Silence (Mature) The destruction of the Saviour wasn’t the end. Too many people had too much invested.  An Uncle’s Thoughts Dante’s thoughts and feelings regarding one particular quarter-demon kid. Vignettes that span from the start of Devil May Cry 4 through Devil May Cry 5, and beyond. Fortuna’s Fool Events after DMC5 with flashbacks to the events we briefly see in DMC4SE only with Vergil telling Dante all about Nero’s mother. Family ties are so complicated, aren’t they? Family of Happenstance Some orphans have happy endings, getting adopted or finding their family. Having a demon slaying half devil for a father tends to throw a tiny monkey wrench in the process. AU Father!Dante, Son!Nero. Rated because hunters don’t exactly have clean mouths.     

6) Power Rangers (Focus on Might Morphin’ and Dino Thunder teams) Of Love and Bunnies Set just after Dino Thunder. When Angel Grove announces another Power Rangers Day, Tommy takes the Dino Rangers to Angel Grove for a reunion with the original team… including Kimberly. TommyKim, JasonTrini, KiraTrent. The Reason (Part 1 of eclyptyk neo‘s Dino Thunder AU) COMPLETED. DT. AU. Years go by as Tommy Oliver becomes accustomed to his job as a teacher. A person from his past returns. The new ranger team grows interested in its outcome. How will these new changes between rangers young and old be? Sequel: Ordinary World Change of Hearts (Wild Force)   PRWF: When Jindrax and Toxica set out to find themselves, they had no idea that their greatest adventure was only beginning. Chronology Conundrum DT/MMPR - After a strange mutation is released in Reefside, the five Dino Thunder Ranges find themselves thrown back into the past, circa 1995 Angel Grove. Somehow, they have to figure out how to make it back to their present without destroying it or themselves. And if they succeed, they must navigate the consequences of their actions in the past, while still protecting Reefside. 7) Merlin (Mergana leaning) The Other Version of Events What if Merlin and Arthur had met when they were children? What if a mysterious illness fell over Ealdor and Merlin was blamed? What if Arthur had actually felt sorry for him? What if destiny was thrown at them in a whole new way? AU, no slash, Bromance, A/G M/M… You get the idea.  Flipping the Coin, Part 2 of Coins (2nd story in the Coins Sage but 1st multichapter) Merlin and Gwaine are sent on an adventure to discover their past and stay one step ahead of Morgana. Fearing for them, Arthur and the other knights set out to find them, but soon discover much more than they bargained for. Alt version Season 5. Sequel to “Two Sides of the Coin” Angst, Adventure, BAMF, Bromance, Redemption, Twists on Arthurian Legends.  The King’s Legacy “I hope you are rolling in your grave brother, I will find your son, and I hope he is like you. I will ruin him and gain a lovely weapon in the process.” Cenred spat on the grave, “I win Balinor.” .Sequel posted.  The Warlock’s Quickening (First in the Albion Cycle) Merlin might have come to Camelot to master his magic, not to end the Purge, but he’s not going to sit idly by while his kin suffer. Oh no. Whether it’s releasing a chained dragon, smuggling sorcerers out of the city, or trying to change Arthur’s mind, he’s fighting back. Now. Series rewrite beginning after 1X02 featuring Proactive!Merlin. AU. 

8) Dragon Ball Under the Radar (Gohan/Videl) Gohan is living life as a secret superhero, but Videl is making it her business to find him out! How will Gohan manage her and Saiyan hormones? Will he fess up? Or will he try to live his life -puts on sunglasses- “Under the Radar”? *applause* Thank you! Thank you! And GOODNIGHT! G/V obviously. Rated T because adult situations and language in later chapters. COMPLETE! Golden God (Mature) To save the lives of millions, Gohan is forced to expose himself as a Super Saiyan, proving that his tricks are indeed very real. And it drives the whole world to insanity. Warning; becomes a little graphic goes as it on. Walking Towards the Sunset Bardock’s curse sends him to a mysterious place where weaklings are abundant and an odd trio claim to be his family. Eventually giving in, he stays with them to discover that Earth is more unlucky than Planet Vegeta. Impatiently waiting for his son’s arrival, Bardock has to survive a new life with his estranged family and a certain girl set on finding the truth. (Saiyaman-Buu Saga) Plus One (Gohan/Videl, Mature) Tired of being pursued by the gold-digging, glory-seeking, Satan obsessed freaks of the world, Videl will resort to the only method open to a celebrity like her to find Mr. Right. 9) Sailor Moon (Mainly SenshiShitennou) The Crystal Age (Rewritten) In an alternate version of Season 1, as a result of Beryl’s curse at the end of the Silver Age, Tuxedo Mask and the reincarnated Shitennou are fighting a losing battle to save the city and find the lost princess. Sailor Moon has disappeared, Sailor V is working on her own, and the other Senshi are still just ordinary girls. Sequel to The Silver Age. MxU, SxS. Please R&R. Hooligans It’s after Galaxia and time for University. The Senshi and Mamoru settle into life in Great Britain and meet some old friends. Inner Senshi x Shitennou and Usagi x Mamoru. Modern Timeline. Strong language, crude humour, hilarity and sexual situations abound, be warned, there will be some heavy angst later on too. Never Gone R A single choice can change the course of Fate: a choice, say, like waking up on time. If that choice were made, Chiba Mamoru would never meet Tsukino Usagi; but, he WOULD meet Unami Seiya and the burden of Terra’s future would fall onto his shoulders. Never Gone AU. The Dinner Hour (Part of The Dinner Series) It can be hard to be patient in the face of eternity. But good things come to those who search and refuse to give up on their dreams. R/J. (Sequels: Dinner And Again, Dinner at Last completed!)

10) Les Miserables (Warning: Enjonine ahead) When Apollo Met Persephone (1st of the 1830s AU) The revolution, or at least the first part of it succeeds. Enjolras confronts political and personal realities. Eponine is suddenly faced with more opportunities than she ever thought. Can they guide each other in a world that needs them as much as they need it? Les Choses Qui Sont Arrivées Après “You must flee Paris at once.” Enjolras and Eponine. The thief and the leader, the marble Apollo and the dark street girl… two wholly different survivors of the Revolution are forced together under a dangerous circumstance. Can they successfully fight their demons as well as each other? Neither of them knows quite what is going on, or what will happen when they figure it out.     Teacher of Man The first time Enjolras and Éponine meet, it is their wedding day. (arranged marriage AU) My Best Friend’s Wedding Éponine Thenardiér always thought that Marius would eventually come back to her, until the wedding invitation came in the mail. Now she is going to do everything that she can to get him back from that blonde tart Cosette. Nothing goes according to plan and even her partner in crime Enjolras is becoming an obstacle. E/E. 11) Naruto Beginnings  Naruto was six years old when he met the man who changed his life. …Now he’s kind of just hoping he survives it.  An Inch of Gold (Part of the Legacy of Fire series) Team 7 is sent on a mission to investigate a disturbance outside of the village, where they encounter an unconscious girl in a crater. The mysterious Sarada insists she’s a shinobi from the Hidden Leaf trying to rescue her teammates. When the team discovers she possesses a Sharingan, things become even more unbelievable. [Part of the Legacy of Fire Series]     Guilt of Innocence Uchiha Sasuke abandoned Konoha in his persute of power to join Orochimaru. However, this was only a cover story. In fact, on Tsunade’s orders, Sasuke is to act as Konoha’s spy within Otogakure. One agreement and his path had changed forever…  Blind (SasuSaku) It was almost time, Orochimaru was going to take his body as a vessel. He hated being used…he refused to be used. With that thought, he took the kunai in his hand and slashed across his eyes.     

12) Legend of Zelda (Zelink) The Conviction to Save The princess is dead. Those are the words being whispered in the streets. A great shudder sweeps across the land of Hyrule as news of its beloved monarch’s passing spreads like wildfire. In the midst of the ensuing chaos, a humble village doctor happens upon the body of a gravely injured young woman on the road. Legend of the Miraculous (Concepts taken from Miraculous Ladybug)   A legend retold through many a tale, but when a darkness resurfaces after so long, Athena and Sheikhan Wolf must return again! Will Link and Zelda be able to combat this threat? and will they figure out each others’ identities? Come inside and take a look! Hit List AU. It all started as a typical day at Ordon High, until a sudden school shooting turns the life of Link Hero upside down. Now, surrounded by enemies, can Link save his friends and escape the school alive? (Edit 10/2015) Counting Stars Link finds himself caught in the middle of an elaborate gang war. Lucky for him, being a B-list superhero makes that predicament a tiny bit easier. / Modern AU ZeLink, inspired by Spider-Man. Under Revision! 13) Hunger Games Vox Libertas Due to things playing out a bit differently in the last few minutes of the Quell, the rescue also goes a bit differently than expected. Now Peeta has the responsibility of representing the Rebellion thrust upon him. No pressure. *AU Mockingjay. Part I of Dandelion in the Storm AU. Mainly Peeta POV.*     Someone To Watch Over Me (Everlark, 1st in the Series) A HG rewrite. What would happen if Peeta was just a little bit bolder, and Katniss a little less emotionally confused? You’d be surprised. Let the Games begin. This is an AU, but I’ve tried to stay as canon as possible. Rated T to be safe.     Enthralled (Everlark, Gadge, Mature) Thrall (þræll), n., a slave or serf in Viking Age Scandinavia. After a successful raid, Gale is rewarded with a slave girl: the Saxon noblewoman Madge. Meanwhile, shieldmaiden Katniss grows closer to captive monk Peeta. Gadge/Everlark historical AU with background Odesta and other pairings.   Katniss, Vampire Slayer (Mature) “Into every generation a slayer is born.” the man droned out slowly, quietly, in a way that made her think he was quoting something. “One girl in all the world. A chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number. She is the Slayer.” //  Haymitch mocked. “One girl in all the world. Ain’t I just lucky it had to be you.” 14) How To Train Your Dragon Becoming Lífþrasir (Hiccstrid) People often wondered what kept Hiccup going during those early years. When that single, most-treasured thing is taken from him, there is little left to keep him on Berk. The day Stoick returns, and the day before the best recruit is finally chosen, Hiccup leaves Berk; little knowing that he would one day return under … strange circumstances. H/A, R/F, rated for violence.     HTTYD Easter Special Sequel to “The Unholy Offspring,” set after the season finale. When Alvin the Treacherous threatens Asgard with a rogue demigod’s help, Hiccup and Berk’s Dragon Riders must prevent an early Ragnorak. It doesn’t help that Alvin has learned to tame dragons, and that the only god that can help Hiccup is a sullen, suspicious boy named Mud. Happy Eos week, Hiccup!     The Blacksmith’s Apprentice (Hiccstrid) AU. Hiccup never took the shot on that fateful night-and the war continued. Three years later, Berk is beset by dragon raids and hostile tribes while the boy who should have saved the island is merely the assistant in the forge. With only Astrid as his friend, fate gives Hiccup one more chance to end the war and become the hero he was meant to be. Hiccstrid. Snap (Hiccstrid, Mature) He was just supposed to fix her back, and she doubted that at first. She definitely didn’t expect to get dragged into the ethics of a girlish crush. Modern AU. 15) Star Wars Double Agent Vader The one where Vader turned double agent for the Rebellion about three years after ROTS, and Leia is now his primary contact with the Rebellion. Or,  a man attempts to escape slavery by turning into one of his culture heroes, teaching his daughter how to do magic, killing people, and flower arranging. A New History During a heated battle, Dooku escaped into the past! Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker follow to stop him, but discover that Dooku went to the past where Obi-Wan is a young padawan to a very much alive Qui-Gon Jinn. Now, the two must go undercover to stop Dooku’s plans from coming to fruition in order to save not only the future, but also young Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn. Pulse AU for ROTS. As Padme’s life hangs in the balance on Mustafar, a stream of brilliant light causes Anakin to reconsider his choices. Jedi Shmi AU Shmi leaves Tatooine with Anakin and goes to the Jedi Temple.

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Mistletoe Manor - Part 5

Summary: Christmas is the most important time of year for all those who live within Mistletoe Manor. From the staff to the Hawthorne family themselves, everyone works hard to ensure that the festive season is a success every year! We invite you to see if everyone can pull off another  magical Christmas at the manor this year.

Pairing: Park Seo Joon, Bang Yongguk, Brian Kang, Jung Daehyun, Jung Jaehyun, Lee Taeyong and OCs.

Genre: regency au / romance / christmas au

A/N: Becky ( @noona-clock​ ) and I wanted to create a magical Christmas for everyone and what  better way to do that than at Mistletoe Manor! Because of the nature of having several idols, we chose to work with OCs and we hope you love them as much as we do.

Mistletoe Manor will be posted daily at 10am NZST / 4pm EST daily.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

For such an ordeal that it had been to get to this night, the opening of the Winter Festival had gone off without a single issue. And as Cassie walked around with Evie and Joey, she couldn’t stop smiling.

Everyone looked so happy.

This was what Christmas was all about for the Hawthorne’s. All the long hours had paid off to see those who made this area of land prosperous laughing and enjoying themselves. From ice-skating to hot cocoa and sitting on Santa’s knee, the market had something for everyone. It renewed hope that whatever hardships people faced could be overcome with the magic this season possessed.

Cassie was hopeful that even if she had to spend this Christmas without Daehyun, she would continue to smile just like this.

“Is that Anna and Taeyong holding hands over there?” Evie questioned and Cassie grinned as Joey clapped her own hands together.

“It’s truly about time they realised there was more to their arguing.”

“Do you think they won’t bicker so much anymore then?” Cassie wondered and the sisters watched on as Taeyong attempted to show Anna how to skate. She was soon frustrated and pushed him away. They couldn’t help but chuckle, some things never changed.

Cassie then spotted Jaehyun and Grace trying out handmade treats together and not far behind them was Lydia and Seo Joon. Her smile grew as their hands inched closer to one another inconspicuously. She hoped that in the New Year these couples – or those not yet together – would be proudly showing off their affections for one another.

“Do you think there is any hope for me to find love this Christmas?” Evie suddenly asked, and each sister on her side turned to look at her curiously. Evie blushed. “Just a thought!”

“I hope you both get what you want this Christmas,” Cassie encouraged and Joey let out a snort.

“It would take a special type of man to match me. I don’t have a desirable disposition.”

“Nonsense, someone will rise to the challenge!”

“Or die trying,” Evie added on, laughing with her older sister as Joey pouted.

“I pray Daehyun is back in time too,” Joey mentioned a moment later, eyeing Cassie cautiously.

Cassie waved her hands around herself. “I’m fine; please do not look at me waiting to see if I will cry again. I am done crying over it. I am his wife and he has to come back at some point.”

“Yes, but you love Christmas.”

“And he loves you.”

“How do you know that he does?” she questioned the pair and Evie shrugged whilst Joey inspected her nails. “Say, even if he loves me most ardently, it doesn’t mean he will magically appear for Christmas. He is serving our King and that has to come first.”

“Well, he has twenty-nine days to make it back in time and finally put you first. Anything could happen between now and then.”

December began and the manor was livelier than ever. Grace’s parents had arrived, much had other relatives. Cassie spent her days trying to get her own pursuits fulfilled or spent time with her sisters and Grace, before taking part in fancy dinners and get-togethers in the evening. There was an element to every Christmas she always seemed to forget until the jolly season was upon them.

It was utterly exhausting.

Still, on the fifth day of December, she rose to the sound of hooves upon the driveway. With the five inches of snow already settled upon the ground outside, using cars had been suspended until the roads were clear. And knowing all the expected guests, bar Daehyun and his company, were already lodged here at the manor, she sprung from her bed, dashing over to shift the drapes aside anxiously.

Her hopes were dashed when it was just the Vicar from the village stopping by to meet with her father.

Climbing back into her bed, Cassie thumped at the bedding in a very unladylike manner. A brief giggle from the doorway alerted her that this moment had not gone unwitnessed. Lydia grinned as she made her way to the bed. “My Lady, are we feeling alright?”

“Quite.”

“Well then, shall we prepare for your day? I am afraid it is another one that will keep you busy.”

“I shall rest for a month after December leaves us,” Cassie offered dramatically, heaving herself up and preparing for the day ahead.

She spent time reading with Evie and Grace in the library, sewing with her Mother and Joey in the parlour and played a game of cards with Lydia and Seo Joon when she was meant to be upstairs attending another dreadfully boring family meeting.

Seo Joon shot her a look. “This headache you claim to have is not preventing you from winning yet again, My Lady.”

“Perhaps it improves my skills greatly.”

“Actually Seo Joon, you’re just not the best at card games.”

“What?” the man questioned Lydia’s admission, his mouth falling apart incredulously. “Must I show you of my worth?”

“Will you be able to beat Cassie at all today?” Lydia wondered with an airy laugh.

“Just you wait; I will ensure you never utter such words about me again!”

“But not right now, I’m afraid.” Glancing up at Taeyong’s stricken expression, he came over to Cassie’s side. “Your mother just came to check on you and found you were not in your bed resting as you proclaimed. I told her that I saw you walking down to the conservatory, and so-”

“Of course, I must go.” Standing up, Cassie then smiled at her friends. “I task Lydia with the opportunity to challenge you instead, Seo Joon.”

“I accept!” Seo Joon replied heartedly, sweeping the cards up as his mood increased.

Whilst Cassie’s decreased. Thanking Taeyong for his help, she slipped into the main room, weakly taking hold of Grace’s hand. “Did I miss anything?”

“Nothing of importance. Aunt Jane has been projecting something of a song for about twenty minutes now.”

“That long?!” Cassie whispered, aghast. “Last year someone stopped her after ten.”

“It appears she is quite the force this year, sister,” Evie lamented and the girls all sighed in unison.

After another hour of family time, Cassie was released to freshen up for dinner, frowning when she heard a carriage out on the driveway again. She chastised her need to check out the window and yet she made her way there, realising guests from within town would be arriving for dinner.

She told herself to stop hoping her Christmas miracle would come true tonight.

Cassie focused on smiling more. She didn’t wish for the questions to come from nosy relatives of why she felt particularly disheartened today and so she put on a brave face and actively threw herself into conversation with her cousin Severus about his recent purchase of some run-down estate up north. She nodded when she needed to and she laughed at the right times, Severus none the wiser that Cassie was completely bored.

And thankfully, Grace came to her aid, rescuing her with an excuse to need to stretch her legs with a companion.

“You miss him tonight, don’t you?”

“How do you miss someone you barely spent time with?” Cassie wondered, still nodding in answer. “It is odd, today I felt as if he would arrive.”

“Maybe he will, there is still time, the night is young,” her cousin encouraged and Cassie smiled at Grace.

“Where will I be in this world if I did not have you to make me hopeful?”

“Perhaps in the arms of a man who has waited almost a year to take you back within them?”

Turning hastily, Cassie gasped, her knees growing weak at the person before her. He caught her just in time and smiled broadly. “Why, you even fall at my feet! I did not expect that until some time into our relationship, Cassandra.”

“Daehyun.”

“Oh you have other companions with you,” Grace announced, moving away from the pair staring at one another longingly. “Earl Yongguk is it? And who might you be? Come with me, surely you must be famished from your travels.”

Cassie slowly smiled, lifting a hand up to his face. Daehyun grinned when she became delighted, laughing with her. “I am here.”

“I half expect this to be a dream, I’ll have you know.”

“Shall I go back out the door and then come in again?” he suggested and she shook her head, gripping him tighter.

“I fear if you go out again, I will have to wait another year to see you.”

“So you did miss me!” Her cheeks coloured and Daehyun caressed them tenderly. “So beautiful.”

“What is?”

“You.”

“I was concerned that your words would just be that, words,” she admitted, taking his hand and leading him over to the library, shutting the door behind them. Once seated on a chaise, she soaked him in quietly. “It feels those words make this moment easier for us both.”

“I did worry you would be less inclined to take my hand once I was back,” Daehyun told her and she instantly took it in hers, making him laugh, his smile brighter than any she had ever seen. “It appears my wife is just as enchanted as I.”

“We do have a lot to learn about each other,” Cassie pointed out and Daehyun nodded. “However, I am all too pleased to see you.”

“Not as much as I am.”

“You made it back in time for Christmas,” she murmured, taking his cheek in her hand again. It amazed her by how natural this felt to do. And she giggled when he nuzzled into her hand affectionately. “Thank you.”

“You waited so long for me; I was not prepared to miss spending this time of year with you.”

“Just like last year?” Daehyun chuckled, taking her hand from his cheek and burying it into his chest. “Last year, we barely spoke to one another. Did you not wish to marry me?”

“No, I did not,” she answered and his hand faltered on hers. Cassie then smiled. “But I am relieved I did.”

“I wanted to marry you as soon as I saw you,” Daehyun expressed, surprising his wife. “You were exactly who I dreamed of marrying. Someone who had a mind of her own, who was intelligent and caring. You were so selfless whenever I watched over you. I wanted to offer you the world.”

“I never knew you felt this way.”

Daehyun nodded. “Because you would barely stop to have time for me. I did not wish to intrude.”

“I thought you were standoffish because of the arrangement.”

“I was enamoured by your beauty.”

Cassie attempted to settle her emotions, her lip wobbling as she asked, “And now?”

“Now I want to kiss my wife that I have missed since the day I left her behind. May I?”

“Will you ask every time?” she wondered, her mouth now hovering around his.

“I hope in time, I can just kiss you without my heart thudding and giving me away like this.”

“Are you nervous?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t be, I already gave you my heart,” she told him as she pressed her lips to his, her mind and soul soaring. This is what she had always dreamed of. The prince of her fairytales was right before her, holding onto her as he kissed her passionately, months lost between them to establish such a physical love.

And yet, had it not been for their separation, for all the letters, Cassie was unsure if she would have reached such an easy conclusion that she loved Daehyun as much as she already did. She was grateful for the lessons she learned, and the time to grow and fall in love with the man she had married at the start of the year. She was also excited for where their future would carry them, and what her life could amount to. Until then, it was Christmas time and she had received her present early. Cassie was certain this year the festive season would be her favourite so far.

“I am sorry I was late, I wanted to be here for your festival,” Daehyun murmured when he pulled back and Cassie shook her head, dismissing his claim with a smile.

“You were right on time, my love.”

_________________

Part 6

All rights reserved © prettywordsyouleft

[Christmas 2019 Masterlist] | [Main Masterlist] | [Request Guidelines]

[elysianrey]

i’ll come to thee by moonlight

(a/n: this is basically the story nobody asked for but I somehow wrote? all it takes is seeing Anne with her own two eyes for Winnifred Rose to quickly understand Gilbert’s undevoted attraction toward her. Minor spoilers related to season 3. content rated G+)

Winnifred Rose sat snuggly between a tall blonde boy, of whom she noticed dressed quite fashionably and exquisitely for someone of his age, and her dear friend, Gilbert Blythe. She glanced curiously about the luxurious garden in which they sat at, as the beautiful blooms gently swayed from the early afternoon summer breeze on the island. She suddenly startled as her attention was swiftly refocused on the dainty, soft girl raising her voice in passionate cry as she finished the end of her poem. The crowd gathered around the small platform before them clapped in admiration at her performance, and she heard a loud ‘whoop’ from a group of boys seated in the section of chairs to their right. She clapped politely along with the others from Avonlea. The small freckled girl smiled shyly from her spot on the stage and gave a curtsy bow before exiting and seating herself in the front row next to a familiar head of auburn hair.

“Next, we welcome to the stage, Miss Anne Shirley-Cuthbert. Miss Shirley-Cuthbert will be reciting The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes.”

Winnifred watched as the young woman made her way from her chair up onto the stage. To her right, she sensed Mr. Blythe shift in his seat, slowly leaning forward in anticipation. Had it not been for this fundraiser organized by the spirited Anne herself, Winnifred would not be seated where she was today. Gilbert had expressed his excitement for the fundraiser in his last letter, urging Miss Rose to attend with him in order for her to finally meet this Anne he had fondly spoken of many times in the past.

Anne gracefully took her place in the center of the flower-adorned platform and clasped her hands together in front of her chest. Gilbert’s body inched even closer to the edge of his seat as the girl dressed in a luxuriously deep blue satin dress began to speak. 

“The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.   

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.   

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,   

And the highwayman came riding—

         Riding—riding—

The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.”

All around her, eyes that were nodding in tiredness or looking elsewhere quickly became fixed on the redhead’s delivery of the famous poem. It was as if a spell were overtaking the crowd, herself included in the magic this faerie was casting over them. Winnifred could not help but glance over at the curly headed boy. Wonder and awe were written clearly on his features, yet his own eyes held a secret that he had never revealed in all the time she had known him. Gilbert was in love. No, perhaps love was too light of a word. He was smitten, captivated, and completely bewitched by Miss Shirley-Cuthbert. A hidden smile made the corners of her lips turn upward at the realization. 

As the poem drew to a close, Winnifred understood why this enchanting young woman had captured the heart of her close friend because she had been drawn into the same allure. Why Anne had no sooner breathed the final words of the poem than Gilbert was already on his feet clapping fervently with the crowd and shouting, “Encore!” The crowd seemed to follow suit and the tall blonde boy next to Winnifred joined in Gilbert’s pleas for more from Anne. Miss Rose saw the redhead glance purposefully in their direction as she beamed and bowed for those cheering at her magnificent delivery. The color creeping up her cheeks began to match that of her hair as Gilbert whistled and smiled so widely his dimples dotted his cheeks. 

After an encore performance from Anne, the poetry reading ended and those attending the fundraiser dispersed and headed toward the refreshments located in another section of the majestic garden. Winnifred trailed behind Gilbert and the tall boy who had been sitting beside her, of whom she learned was also a friend of Anne’s, named Cole. They found Miss Shirley-Cuthbert surrounded by an entourage of men, women, and children alike, complimenting and commenting on the zeal they had experienced from her performance. Waiting patiently as she graciously accepted and thanked their praises, she suddenly came bounding over to them, smiling eagerly and laughing happily.

 She threw her arms around Cole first and he spun her around once before placing her firmly back on the ground. “Oh Anne!” he exclaimed proudly, taking her hand in his own.

Miss Rose observed the interaction between the pair rather quizzically and stole another glance at Gilbert, who did not appear taken back by the gesture.

“You were simply marvelous! The way you proclaimed the last stanza nearly had me in tears!” Cole clutched at his heart for added dramatic effect and Anne nearly doubled over in laughter.

 “We have both come a long way since our days imagining up all kinds of stories in my room at Green Gables, have we not?” Anne stated, catching her breath, and turning away from Cole to Gilbert and Winnifred.

 Winnifred watched as Gilbert opened his mouth and his hand began to gesture in her direction when Anne abruptly cut him short by enveloping him in a tight hug. He appeared taken back as he nearly lost his balance, but his arms soon found their way around her petite waist.

 “Thank you for coming!” she cried as they broke apart. “Really and truly, Gilbert. I daresay I might not have been on that stage if it had not been for your dear companionship after school these past weeks.”

 Gilbert looked down at the ground, flustered at the unexpected recognition from Anne, a blush crawling up his neck from beneath his collar. “You were remarkable, Anne. I was only an outlet for your creativity and talent,” he said fondly, his eyes meeting hers as the two shared a moment in which Winnifred felt like she was intruding upon.

 Anne was the first to break the trance by turning to Winnifred and taking both of her hands in her own. “You must be Miss Rose. I was so pleased to hear that you were attending the fundraiser. I hope you have enjoyed Avonlea. Before you leave, I simply must show you The Lake of Shining Waters. It would be a shame to miss such a glorious sight at this time of the year,” said Anne with nearly as much fervor as the poem she had just recited.

 Taken aback slightly by her enthusiasm, Winnifred returned the offer with a genuine smile herself and squeezed the redhead girl’s hands, declaring, “How could I pass up such a lovely proposal for adventure, Miss Shirley-Cuthbert? Perhaps while we are there, you could read another poem? I do not think I can take another conversation about the latest medical practice from Mr. Blythe.” She shot Gilbert a teasing look and he shrugged in return.

 Winnifred feared Anne was going to burst from elation—quite literally—after hearing her proposal and the redhead squealed delightedly. “Yes of course! I—”

 However, before she could finish her next thought, she was being ushered away by a short, stout, grey haired woman who had been calling her name and informed her that she must meet one of the biggest donors of the fundraiser. Anne turned and waved, mouthing ‘Good-bye’ to the three of them as she disappeared in the flock of people.

 “I think I know where your passion lies, Gilbert,” she smirked as he stared after the satin outline of the girl. He turned, giving her a puzzled look and she continued. “Oh please, dear friend. You may deny it until you are blue in the face, but your eyes tell me all that I need to know. Perhaps anyone for that matter. You mustn’t let someone like her slip away from you. She’s a rarity in this big world.” Winnifred would know, seeing as she had met many people from all kinds of places thus far in her short lifetime.

 Gilbert stood there, his brow furrowed after listening to her words, his brain making an obvious effort to understand everything she had spoken to him. Then, it was as if a new dawning had just occurred to him, and the lines in his forehead smoothed. He put his hand lightly on her shoulder and uttered a ‘Thank-you’ before turning on his heel to go find the auburn-haired girl she assumed.

 She stood there, arms crossed, feeling rather smug with herself for helping a friend in need. Perhaps one day, she would find an equal partner in life like Gilbert with Anne, but for now, she was content in experiencing more that this world had to offer. She was awakened from her reverie when Cole, who she had nearly forgotten was still standing beside her, spoke.

 “I think you and I are going to be good friends,” he said with a glint in his eye that said, ‘I have been telling them the same thing for years.’ Miss Rose grinned up at him and accepted the gentlemanly arm he extended.

“Shall we drink to prosperity or continued foolishness?” she questioned as they arrived at the beverage table, handing him a glass of punch and taking one of her own. 

“Both!” he chuckled, as they clinked glasses and each took sips of the sweet, orange liquid.

Winnifred would later learn that his toast would reign remarkably true.

[fishcakedoodles]

Love Viruses

Words: 1.645

Rating: K+ (I think? If I get it wrong let me know!)

Pairing: NaruHina, mention of SasuSaku and SaiIno

College AU

I got inspired by this post, precisely the 4th point, and I felt the need to put my idea down.

This is my first ever writing in English I publish online. I've never been really good at English writing, always made a lot of mistakes (as for a foreign language: this is not my native tongue). I hope this will be appreciated by someone anyway.

I try, during almost 2 months, to fix any grammar error and make the story more flowing, but I reached the point of can't recognise any mistake nor possible fixing anymore. I'm sorry if it's a little cracky.

If anybody has grammar corrections, suggestions and explanation about why I get wrong some part (about English), I would be really happy to know them :)

______________________________________

It happened again.

She hoped her little sister would have learnt the lesson last time. It was the seventh time Hanabi downloaded those daft games from the internet, causing her computer to crash, and this is the fourth times in a week she need to go to the IT department in order to fix her problem.

Not that is something completely unwelcomed.

Indeed, there is a silver lining in this situation that she would never have expected.

There is a student into his second year, who helped her the first time she came searching for some kind-hearted soul, and she got stricken by him. His big, warm and charming smile disoriented her so much that she couldn't thank him properly, she just managed to shyly nod after he fixed her laptop and almost stumbled into the many cables on the floor in the process to run away. She felt so embarrassed she would rather run naked in the campus courtyard than see him again. But fate had never been on her side.

The following times, at least, she got by with a murmured "thank you", looking down at her feet, and paired with the reddest face she ever reached. However, the blond boy have always been really gentle and sympathetic, and her response seemed to be enough for him all the time, because he displayed others of his majestic smiles, turning her mute again every time. She would never think someone could make you fall this hard just with a grin, nevertheless here she is.

Thus, this time, the fourth she got to visit him in just one week, she must manage to say something more to him, not just "laptop", "virus", "sister" nor a simple "thank you".

She must be resolved.

When she get to the IT room, where he usually would be, she start to doubt herself. N-no! I can handle it, I promise myself to not run away anymore! Brace yourself Hinata, you can do it. She lecture herself, an habit developed during many years of shyness and self doubt, and after a few more seconds she knock on the door.

Just when her last knock ended, the personification of the sun open with a smile ear to ear"Hey Hinata!". She already feel the heat rise up to her face "H-hello Naruto-kun" she said, looking down to her feet.

"Another virus?"

"Uhm" she nod with a light blush onto her cheeks. Stop blushing! Stay focused! "I'm sorry to disturb you one more time Naruto-kun"

"Don't worry! It happens a lot, especially if you share your computer with other people." He said with is kind voice.

"Yeah, I think that is true."

"Let's check it, can I?" he offers his hand to her, obviously asking for her laptop, but she only stares at it, dreaming to hold it right away.

Perhaps she stared for too long, because sapphire eyes are looking at her, puzzled, and maybe a little worried?She come to her senses, ashamed for her rude behaviour "O-oh! Y-yes, s-s-sorry, I didn't mean to. I-I was spacing out." Stop stutter!

"Yeah don't worry! It happens to me a lot too!" and he beams even more fiercely than before, making him look like a happy fox.

She totally have the hots for him.

She gave him her case, hoping her hold habit to tremble when nervous don’t show up.

When the computer has turned on, he race his fingers on the keyboard, rapidly looking all folders and applications through. She watch him make his magic to fix her device, and she is enchanted by his skills, bewitched by his efficiency and precision. It is—

It is a strangled moan that take her out from her thoughts.

High, choked, sexual noise which reminds too much that english rock band her sister used to listen when she attended middle school.

If only her seat could swallow her all, she would be happier than being here in this awkward moment.

Even if his fingers fly over the keyboard, all the process seem to flow in slow motion to her, buttons too heavy to come up quickly. Few seconds, more similar to hours, passed, and finally the boy closed all banners and cancelled all viruses in her laptop.

She would never, EVER lend it to her sister again.

Once done with the cleaning, Naruto appear unquestionably troubled by the actual situation, and she can empathise with that. She can feel the uncertainty, the fear, the worry for any possible motion.

And so she decided to move.

In one fluid gesture, she stand up, take the PC without put it in its case, and try to make a run for it, only to be caught off guard by a big hand on her harm. She turn, wide eye seek the reason for this action, and she attempt to find an excuse, an apology, to leave soon as possible in order to avoid any more mortification.

But he speak first, and what he vocalise is not closely what she anticipated

"I wanted to ask you out today. I planned to do it after I fixed your laptop, because I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable if you wanted to reject me… I wanted to ask it last time, and the time before too.. but I couldn’t find the right words and– Maybe you’re thinking I’m a pervert by asking you out right after what happened, but really! I-I’m not that kind of guy, believe it! You’ll find out it if we hang out! If it make you feel more at ease you can make a friend come with us.”

When his babbler stopped, she couldn’t do anything but gawks at him, speechless. He take it as a bad sign evidently, because his immediate reaction is to draw back his hand from her wrist and look away.

This is like a dream, something she hoped to, but never dared to expect. This is the perfect occasion, the perfect turn of events to accomplish what she desired to do since he came into her life.

And she's letting it slip through her fingers.

When she finds the courage to utter her thoughts, a male voice speak with her

"Maybe this was–"

"I'd like to."

"...Really?"

"..Yes." she says softly with a small smile and rosy cheeks. When her answer completely settle in his mind, a light pinky dust color his face.

------------------------------------------------------------

“Konohamaru.”

“Mh?” the dark haired boy respond lazily, while dusky eyes looked up from their position to meet sapphirine ones.

Really enraged sapphirine ones.

“What’s the problem, Naruto nii-san?”

“Can you explain me how those porn viruses we created for Ero-sennin lesson end up in Hyuga’s personal computer?” he try to sound commanding, but ended with an acute voice on the ‘Hyuga’ that almost make Konohamaru laugh, but he manage to control himself.

“Which”

Naruto look at him, a little bit of the anger slipping from his eyes, and he ask completely perplexed “Which what?”

"Which Hyuga. Because, you know, there's three of them we met, so I can't know which one you're talking about"

At this Naruto look taken aback, and a faint blush appears on his face. "Well.. the female one."

Purposefully horrified, Konohamaru sputter "Nii-san, I didn't think you would be such a perv…"

"... What?"

"I know Hanabi is really cute and all, but you are quite old–"

"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT HANABI" and he's not 'old'!

"... Oooh." A sly grin comes into the dark haired boy's face "do you mean… That Hyuga?" He says, with his pinky finger up. "The elder one? The one you're speaking about lately? The one with that undoubtedly nice big boo–"

"DON'T YOU DARE" Naruto shout out with a deafening voice, smacking forcefully the young man on his head. "Ouch!! That's hurt!" He whined, scratching his nape, "I didn't thought you'd be so caught by her in just 3 times.."

"To…To be accurate, this was the seventh time I've seen her."

"Oh, seventh?" the hitted boy say "I didn't track how many time I did that."

There is an heavy silence, tension hanging in the air. His observation was more a self speaking, but maybe he did it too loud, because after other few more seconds the blonde senior utter "So you DO are involved into this."

With no more escape from this situation, Konohamaru look sheepishly anywhere but Naruto, and only say "...Ups?"

"YOU put those stupid viruses on Hinata's laptop, didn't you?" The senior boy demand with an abrupt tone, not wanting to buy a shit from the younger man.

"Why the fuck did you do that?!" he finally shout out, is anger not in check anymore.

"BECAUSE YOU TWO WERE HOPELESS. You were dancing around each other for weeks, and we get sick of ear you two complain about it."

With a suspicious glare and an hesitant voice, the Uzumaki ask "...'We'? Who else is involved into this?"

And the other start blather "Well... Hanabi.."

"Of course she's involved–"

"And Sasuke and Sakura.."

"....."

"And Sai and Ino. Precisely, this was their idea."

"WHAT?!"

"They attended that class of Jiraiya with our 'exhibition'.. they thought it would've been a fruitful way to push you two together. Personally, I've always thought those two guys are fearfully twisted."

"... I can't believe they all are implicated. This was a terrible idea of yours"

"Well, it seems this terrible idea of ours worked, didn't it?"

"...."

"Didn't it?"

"I'm too mad at you to talk you about that." Naruto pouted, and is in time like this that Konohamaru feels like he's the adult one, not the other way round.

But he's too curious to let his pride mess things up.

"So, when do you two hang out?"

"...on Friday. We'll go to get a ramen and then–"

"Shit! I owe Sasuke 50 bucks."

"... You bet if I would get a date with her?!"

"That, and where you'd go on your first dinner together."

".... I hate you. All of you."

Fin.

[novalucitor-blog]

A Change of Fate ch.7

Read the completed first part (20 chapters) on AO3

Ch. 1

Marco woke with a start when Genevieve entered the room and threw the curtains open, sending the sunlight across the room and right into his eyes. She hummed as she went through the closet full of Star’s clothes to set out an outfit. Marco was a bit disoriented, still wearing the gown from the day before. He’d passed out as soon as he sat on the bed and had apparently slept all night.

“Good morning, milady. You must have been awfully tired from your travels yesterday. The prince sent me to fetch you for dinner last night, but you were already fast asleep.” Genevieve said, hanging the chosen gown on a hook and then going back for matching shoes.

“Yes, I was very…tired.” Marco couldn’t say it was because the bed was so comfortable. Star’s bed at home had to be at least this comfortable, so she would be used to this quality and not so easily seduced by the softness.

“The prince has made an itinerary for your day. He thought you might want a slow morning, so he ordered for your breakfast to be brought to your room.” She took a break from collecting clothes and crossed the room to a small table where a covered platter sat waiting. She lifted the lid and a tantalizing aroma made Marco’s stomach growl.

The platter contained eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, different jams, butter, potatoes, biscuits, a glass of water, a glass of juice and a steaming mug of either coffee or tea. Marco had never seen such a large breakfast prepared for just one person. Still, he was starving and didn’t hesitate to jump out of bed and cross to the steaming platter. The food was delicious after falling asleep without food the day before. He felt a little groggy after being so used to getting up early for practice and being up late patrolling the ground for so long. Falling asleep early and sleeping late was never a part of his routine.

He was so immersed in his food that he forgot the maid was there until she appeared beside him. Hopefully she hadn’t noticed how he’d been shoveling food into his mouth. That was definitely a thing princesses didn’t do. At least in front of others, that weren’t there best friend that is.

“If you’re finished with your meal, please allow me to assist you in getting dressed, milady.”

“That’s ok. I can dress myself.” He responded, not wanting a repeat of what happened before.

Her eyes opened wide. “Oh no, milady. We were all instructed to not allow you to lift a single finger.”

“Isn’t that a bit…much?”

“But you are the prince’s most precious bride.”

Marco fought the urge to roll his eyes. “How about, I dress myself and then you can help me with my hair?” This was the perfect compromise as Marco had yet to figure out how to tame Star’s long, wild tresses.

“But, the prince.”

“Will never know. I promise.”

Looking unconvinced, she quietly agreed and left the room. Marco let out a sigh and took a look at the poofy purple number that had been left out for him. He’d never get used to dresses. They left his legs feeling too exposed and made it hard to run away from enemies…or princes.

With eyes closed tight, he stripped off the old wrinkled dress and wrestled his way into the layers of chiffon and tulle. He did everything but button up the back as he couldn’t reach.

When the maid came back in, she buttoned up the dress and brushed out Star’s hair before putting it into a tight but bulky bun atop his head. It felt weird, but it was a huge improvement from having it down around his arms and getting in the way all day.

Once he was ready to go, Genevieve went over what Star’s itinerary for the day entailed. He had to meet the staff, tour the garden and meet with the wedding planner. He visibly cringed at the last task. If Star didn’t figure something out soon, he’d be stuck marrying the prince. Having the plan her wedding to him was already going to be torturous.

Marco once more cursed this stupid spell and begrudgingly followed Genevieve from his chambers to meet the rest of the staff. The group that assembled in the banquet hall was fairly large but seemed smaller compared to Star’s castle. Tom was the only royal resident of this castle so it made sense that he would need fewer servants. As they all took turns bowing or curtsying to him, he counted them.

12 maids, 4 cooks, 3 stable hands, 1 apothecary and his assistant, 2 armorers, 1 bailiff, 2 bakers, 1 blacksmith, 1 bottler, 1 butler, 1 bower, and about 30 guards and then several more he couldn’t keep track of. All in all his full staff was around 90 people. Marco wasn’t sure how he was to remember all of their names.

At home, he had to memorize faces so that he knew if the person approaching the princess was someone unknown, but he didn’t know many names at all. After they all finished introducing themselves, they all looked to him expectantly.

“Um…” he cleared his throat. “It’s nice to meet you all…thanks you for the warm welcome.” Marco turned to Genevieve and she seemed pleased with his words. He had not been prepared to make a speech of any length.

They all continued to stare and he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do now. He almost bowed but 1, he should curtsy not bow, and 2, princesses didn’t curtsy to those so far below their station. Ok, maybe he had actually remembered some of the rants Star had given after her lessons.

He felt strange having to look at them with Star’s eyes. As a knight, these people were always at the same level as him. They all contributed to the castle and kept the royal family safe, healthy, and happy. Now, they were looking up to him and it felt gross. He wondered if Star ever felt this way.

Marco looked back to Genevieve as the staff continued to watch him expectantly. He didn’t know what else to say to them. He hadn’t been taught like Star had. He was making her look bad.

“They’re waiting for you to dismiss them.” She said.

“Oh…you may…carry on with your day.” He didn’t know if that was the right thing to say but they all began to disperse so it had to be somewhat right.

Genevieve told him it was ok that he (she) froze as it was a new environment with all new faces. Marco was grateful for the comfort as she led him from the banquet hall and toward a service door. He didn’t think royalty usually entered or exited through service doors, but he also knew Star wouldn’t have cared, so he said nothing.

Outside was a small courtyard with a few old wood benches. It smelled strongly of tobacco and was littered with cards and makeshift games.

“This is where the staff take breaks when the weather is nice.” Genevieve explained as they walked through.

Marco thought of his home. The staff had their private areas but not a courtyard to themselves where they could smoke or play cards. He had to give Tom credit for giving them the area to relax and enjoy the sun.

Next, they went through a gate that opened onto a large plot of land that remained untouched but well maintained. The breeze was unobscured and blew through the grass, rustling the skirts of their dresses around their ankles. Marco thought this would be a good spot for late night talks with Star when everything was back to normal.

They continued through the field until they came to a wooden fence encircling a large paddock. The stables stood within and the smell of horses wafted in the breeze. Marco knew how to ride, it was part of his training, but he didn’t get much occasion for it. He hoped that part of his time stuck as Star would include riding lessons.

As they approached the stable, two young men he recognized from before waved to Genevieve.

“Milady, this is Stefan and Lawrence. Their father runs the stable and they assist him.”

“Good afternoon your highness.” They both said as they quickly bowed.

“Good afternoon.” He responded, trying to get a look behind them at the horses.

“I’m taking the princess on a tour of the grounds and thought she would like to meet the horses.” Genevieve explained, taking a few steps toward the stable.

Lawrence stopped her with a hand on her arm before she entered. “The smell in there isn’t suitable for two ladies. We’ll bring them out into the paddock for you to meet.”

Before he could stop it, Marco ‘tsked’ and trolled his eyes. Not an entirely un-Star-like thing to do. All three turned to him. He froze for a moment, before channeling his best friend.

“Ladies are not incapable of surviving unpleasant smells. If we were, we would never marry.” He said, trying to sound confident.

Genevieve covered her mouth and turned her head to stifle a giggle. The men blushed and didn’t argue, stepping aside for the two to enter.

Inside were 10 stalls, each one occupied by a horse. He knew there would be a larger stable near the barracks with horses trained to ride into battle. These horses, however, were royal horses. They lead a pampered life and were only ridden for sport or entertainment. Marco put his hand out and the appaloosa in the first stall pressed its fuzzy muzzle against his palm. Its breath tickled as it exhaled heavily.

Marco couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t usually get to interact with horses, but he thought they were beautiful. He figured there was no room on his schedule to right that day, but he hoped to have it added in the coming days.

--------

Star had never walked to far in her entire life, but she didn’t care. She was too excited to be going into town. Alone. With a cute boy. Without supervision! This was like one of her many dreams come true. How could she possibly wish to go back to her old life?

Star still didn’t know the man’s name, but he strummed his lute and hummed while they walked, and it was enchanting. She did wish she was in her own body so he’d fall for her, but that could come later. After she found a way out of her engagement so she could wish to be herself again.

She needed to think of a way out of his mess, but at the moment she was enjoying herself too much. The scenery was so beautiful when it wasn’t rushing by outside a carriage window. As she walked, she realized she was walking like a princess. Chin high, back straight, shoulders back. If she’d had a skirt on, she’d be holding it up away from her feet. She was also glad she hadn’t clasped his hands in front of her like she was taught. That would not look good for Marco. She tried to relax but had never paid attention to how Marco walked.

As they reached the edge of town, she forgot about her walking and instead focused on what she could see. People, tons of people. They were positively everywhere! No one stopped and stared, no one bowed or curtsied, they just totally ignored her! It was fantastic.

Shops liked either side of the street. Outside stands had clerks that shouted out their goods and prices. People haggled and argued. It was all so normal, and she loved it!

She nearly jumped when the man put his hand on her arm to draw her attention to a stand selling instruments.

“There it is. The lute I told you about.”

Star followed his pointed finger to a lute made of dark wood with an intricate painting surrounding the cavity opening on the face. The finish was glossy, so much so that she could see her (or Marco’s) reflection in it. The man’s eyes sparkled as he stared at the instrument.

A large, burly man with a long graying beard finished helping the customer he was occupied with and wandered over to them.

“Back again I see. Are you going to buy this time?” He asked.

“You know I don’t have that kind of money.” He responded, his expression falling into one of disappointment.

“Finally realizing that being a traveling minstrel isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?”

“It’s all I wanted and more, Anthony. I may not have money for everything I want, but I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else.” He hugged his old beaten up lute to his chest and smiled.

Anthony rolled his eyes. “You’ll never find a wife living a life like that Oskar.”

Star thought that she would gladly be his…well…maybe not wife. Not right away anyway. They’d just met, and he didn’t even know it yet. Wait…did he say…

“Oskar?” Star said out loud. The beautiful man turned to look at her. She hadn’t meant to say his name outside her head. “Uh…maybe…maybe I could help you pay for the lute?”

Oskar smiled. “Thanks Marco, but it’s too expensive. I know you don’t make a lot either as a knight.”

Right. She was Marco. He didn’t have riches at his disposal like she did. “I mean, I think I could ask Star for a loan.”

“Why would she buy something for your friend she’s never met?”

“Because…she’s really nice?” She said, wishing could say that she knew she would because she was standing right in front of him!

“I don’t know. I thought you said she was too self-centered.” Oskar said, turning his gaze back to the beautiful lute.

That felt like a punch to the gut. Marco told him she was self-centered? What else had he said about her? Here she was falling for Oskar, and he had a bad opinion of her because of things her best friend said about her. Was he even really her best friend? Here he was having friendships she didn’t know about and talking badly about her behind her back to these strangers!

Holding in the emotions that dared to boil over, she cleared his throat and spoke. “Not…not always.”

Oskar had given one last look to the lute before leading Star away from the stall.

“From the stories you’ve told me it sure sounds like she is.” Oskar said, slowly walking amongst the crowd.

“I can’t remember everything I’ve told you.”

“Well, you know, how she only cares about her engagement and her problems. She never even lets you get a word in about your problems. She still doesn’t know about your heartbreak, does she?”

Heartbreak? Star had never even heard him talk about a love interest. “No. She doesn’t.” She said, mater-o-fact.

“I know you tried to tell her, but I guess she never listened.”

“I guess not.”

Star bit her tongue as she felt like she could cry. How could Marco keep secrets from her? She would have listened if he’d tried to tell her. Wouldn’t she?

[mashkaromanova]

Crop of Princess Alix (‘Sunny’) of Hesse, 1894

[Beware, a long letter!]

“My own darling Ernie dear,

A good kiss & blessing for your dear letter, which made me so happy, & for the photo of my darling Nicky, which you were an angel to have had enlarged for me. It is an excellent one, & the expression so nice & natural. Really, darling, that beautiful parasole is much too good for me, you spoil me always with your presents. I took it out with me of course yesterday morning, but did not open it, it was so beautifully rolled up. No, it is too sweet & that splendid saphire [sic] on the top, I feel I must hide it with my hand & not let any one see it, & yet I am so proud of it, I want all to see it. -

But how I missed you, sweet One, is not to be described. Oh, I missed you sadly, but felt yr thoughts were at least with yr Sunny. It was a great joy having at least Victoria here, as I should have felt too miserable without one relation on my last birthday as a young girl. - Poor Orchie, she had never been away from me on the day before, & I think she felt rather low, from her letter. - But the weather was amiable & fine, after four days incessant rain. To-day it is also beautiful - really we deserve it after all this time. -

Grandmama gave me a delightful teabasket for four. Victoria gave me frames for photos of Nicky & a workbag & silver spoon to put the tea leaves in, like the egg I gave you last year at the Wolfsgarten. - Nicky gave me a magnificent bracelet in diamonds with a clasp of diamonds & two rubies, to be worn & a brooch too. - The cake with the pink roses was a great success, & reminded me so of home, - & all the flowers to decorate the table. -

I got a box sent me from I don’t know whom from London with glorious roses - the room is full of flowers now & smells gloriously. I am so happy as I adore flowers so, & in thoughts I bless the kind angel who sent them - if I could only find out who it was. - Irene sent me a little picture in oils of dear Papa’s sitting room, which I am delighted to have. - 

Then some amiable Ladies sent me glorious flowers, & one a little book written by her brother & so on, kind little attentions & great crowds running to see us go out driving & the the town flagged - most touching, - oh, & they had to wait so long, as we came home much later than usual. - A pencil drawing a lady (now dead) had done of Mama was sent me by a poor old servant, so I accepted & gave some money as an Unterstützung. - I was enchanted with photos of Fatinitza & the two little Jucker, Winky sent me; so nice. -

Victoria & I went for a delightful drive in our two tricycle bathchairs, & looked at a dropping well - if you put in anything, it turns to stone in a few months. - We had to walk a bit, & the consequence is more pain, so it is no good, I must not do it again; - I drink now to glasses a day, vile - one gets brought me at 8 in the morning, like hot salt water, loathsome - then at 11 I go in my bathchair & drink it at the wells, & the crowd gazes to see it run down my throat, very vulgar of them, & then to view me get into my chair bundled up - enshying as Irene would say. -

I am glad you at last are at Auerbach, & I hope you will enjoy your stay there & the neighbourhood of Schönberg. Give dear Marie my love when you see her, & tell her how often my thoughts run back to last year, & I see us sitting in Alexi’s room burning & painting away as tho’ to earn our daily bread. - And your hey cocks [sic] - I can imagine the length of Mino’s face when you returned after midnight, you 3 mad hatters, what will you be up to next? -

I feel for you when the time of yr visite [sic] to Mainz comes. I hear the town is already being grandly decorated - I fear it will be not quite easy for you the whole thing, but I am sure it will be a fine sight. - I may leave here on the 20th of June, wh. day U want to go to Walton & meet Nicky there, who would be arriving that day at Gravesend in his Father’s yatch, & would go straight on to Walton. About four days we should be there and then go to Windsor. 

Grandmama would be too disappointed if I did not remain with her till she goes to Osborne, about the 15th July, but one cannot settle it quite. She is still upset I am going so far away, & grumbles at us in each letter, poor dear. - I must say I too dread the moment when I shall have to say goodbye to her, as who knows when we shall ever meet again - she is no longer young, poor darling Grandmama. -

I am going to be good & do all Dr. Oliver says, so as to be as well as possible when I at last shall be home, at beloved Wolfsgarten, the dearest place on earth, & yet where I miss beloved Papa the most. - I heard from Nicky, he sends you his fondest love; - we hear from each other daily. - Will you thank Ducky & Mino for dear letters & presents - how charming she worked the basket. I shall write to them to-morrow, I cannot write much at a time on the sopha [sic], it is too tiring, & I must be off to my water. -

So Goodbye & God bless you, my own beloved Ernie dear. Many tender kisses, Ever yr own loving old Sister Sunny. - 

P.S. Zwilling sent me a touching telegram - he is always so kind to me, it nearly makes me cry. Oh, how I thank God you have got such a true friend, who I think would do anything for you. - By the by, Irene asked in a humble way, whether she might venture to come to Wolfsgarten about the 20th of July. - Toddie would be away at a bath, Harry away, & she all alone, & I know it is a sehnliche Wunsch of hers to come to the Wolfsgarten. You know she has never lived there since she married. - Won’t you or Ducky write & ask her, I can’t now; it must come from you. -

Aunt Helena of course begged for you to invite Thora whilst she is at Nauheim - Thora got quite red, as she I know hates inviting himself, but I know she is dying to come for one night, only is afraid Ducky might not care to have her. If she is not in your way - mind you don’t do it for my sake, - then one of you will and ask her, & perhaps you could put in a word to her & Christle about their present which you never thanked them for personally. -

Louie is in C.[umberland] Lodge you know. Well, if she asks, should I not better say there is no room, or I don’t know whom you have invited, & that she must write to Ducky, & then she can answer how sorry you are there is no place, because I am sure it would not be good for her to come. - Poor Thora is mad about L.[ouie]’s behaviour towards Zwilling; - I wish she would go back to Aribert, those seperations [sic] I am sure are bad for her. - The amount of telegrams I got yesterday was appalling, just now one came from Aunt Minny from Abastouman. -

To-day a year ago poor Sahl came to us to Kranichstein. Did you write to him, I am so sorry I gave you unintentionally all that trouble. And what was his answer - please write it to me, I am so anxious to know, because he is so nice, poor boy. - Schneiderlein is there, I must fly to my water. - Many kisses. -”

- Alix to Ernest of Hesse, 7th June 1894

[crystalrequiem]

The Voice that Urged Orpheus

[Part 3/6(?)] [TRC] Summary: Kurogane learns more about a mysterious new world and accidentally seals his own doomed fate. Tags: Kuro/Fai, Canon Universe, Post-Canon, Warnings:  suggestive thoughts and implications (nothing graphic), People assuming married status, GOD, so much fluff, Is it still slow-burn if they’re already in a relationship? because that’s basically what this is. [Part 1] [Part 2]... [Part 4]

Honestly this section probably should have just been included with the one previous. Not as happy with it because it feels less... cohesive? directed? meh.  Nevertheless I feel like it’s necessary to set up some of the world-building so I can get to the good points later. Hope you still enjoy! I really look forward to reading your comments and tags. They seriously keep me going!  

The shopkeep, it turns out, does look a little familiar. She has dark-skin and a well-toned frame, pretty face framed by a shower of pink, fluffy hair. He doesn’t think any version of her has ever been a particularly close friend, but something about her rings a bell anyway.

“Hello, hello! Your young friend here was just telling me you wa—wow.” She seems perfectly amiable but the moment Fai steps fully into view, her whole expression shifts. Her jaw drops, and the wide eyes she graces them with matches the expressions they’ve been earning outside. “Oh-ho-kay, Hi! I’m so sorry; I didn’t think anyone from the academy would stop by, uh. How—how can I help you?”

Kurogane and Fai search each other out long enough to share a moment of confusion.

“Academy?” the mage echoes. However badly Kurogane’s attempt at reassurance rattled him before, he displays no indication now. Given his ability to bury his feelings beneath exhausting layers of façade, this comes as no surprise.

“Yes? I mean—I just assumed… what with your magic the way it is—” She glances from Fai to Kurogane and back, shock and bewilderment only incrementing. “Do you—are you two sharing the same magic?”

Alright, so they’ve at least found a reason for the staring. Apparently the people of this world can commonly sense magic, and they find something strange. Something about himself and Fai, in particular. Kurogane breathes a little easier given an idea of what makes them stand out. He just wishes he had any hope of keeping up with the why. Magic focused-worlds make his head spin.  

At least for right now, Fai seems equally clueless.

“No, I don’t think we are,” he answers, bemused.  

“Wow. Hunh.” Her eyes catch on something they can’t see, staring into the empty air between them.

“Actually, Miss Caldina,” Syaoran leaps to the rescue in the awkward silence that follows. “When I said we were travelers from far away, I meant… We’re from very far. We don’t really know anything about this place. Is there any way you could explain a few things about the area?”

The woman, apparently named Caldina, breaks herself from her trance. She pats her face with both hands hard enough to produce a resounding slap. “Sorry! That was rude of me. Let’s start over. Hello, Welcome to the Enchantress. Why don’t you nice folks ask me your questions and I’ll see what I can do?”

A world where everyone can see and use magic.

Kurogane doesn’t get most of what Caldina says, nor does he really understand what Fai and Syaoran ask in return, but he understands that much. People here… see magic. How much potential people have, the spells they cast, the lingering enchantments in his arm, and now his cloak.

According to the shopkeep, Syaoran’s magic stands out on its own—a prodigy, for certain. That alone might distract the townsfolk, but… Fai brings it to a whole other level.

Apparently Fai’s magic is dazzling. He stands visibly above the rest. Caldina had taken a single look and assumed he must belong to the city’s prestigious Academy, where this world’s best casters gather to learn and teach, developing the field of magic further. Then she’d spotted Kurogane and nearly had a heart attack.

“It’s like looking at a flame about to go out—for I second I thought you were dead! No offense!” He doesn’t know how the comparison to a corpse should not offend him, but in the context of magic he supposes he doesn’t mind. “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone live with as little magic. I thought your husband must have been pulling from you or masking you or something.”

Chaos reigns as soon as she completes the sentence. Mokona bursts into a flurry of giggles, rolling across Syaoran’s shoulders. The Kid stares at his fellow travelers like a deer caught in lamplight, and Kurogane… looks to Fai.

The mage doesn’t react to Caldina’s mistaken assumption save for the extra-bright flush rising to his cheeks, visible even despite the sunburn.

“Well,” he murmurs, lips quirked in a teasing half-smile, “You’d be surprised how little magic people really need to live.” He doesn’t contradict her. He wants to tease—to fall back into their game of overreaction and meaningless words. Fai meets Kurogane’s eye like he’s issuing a challenge—just waiting for the embarrassment to overwhelm the surly ninja and push him to set the record straight.

He doesn’t.

Once upon a time he would have died of mortification and flown right off the handle to hear someone call Fai his husband. But right now… well it’s kind of his goal, isn’t it? It only annoys him that apparently people other than Fai don’t need his intentions spelled out for them.

Eventually, his family realizes he doesn’t plan to say a word. Mokona’s celebration falls to a hush and Syaoran clearly has no idea what to do. Fai’s expression remains implacable, save for the distinctive blush still written on his face.

“Sorry, did I say something wrong?” Caldina drawls.

“Not really! It’s just that those two aren’t married..?” Syaoran takes pity on them all and lets her know, though the fact that he phrases it as a question doesn’t skip Kurogane’s notice.

The poor shopkeeper visibly takes a moment to process this information, flabbergasted. She stares again at whatever it is she can trace between himself and Fai, and shakes her head. “Why not?” her expression reads quite clearly. And boy, does Kurogane not have an answer to that.

“I’m doing a great job of putting my foot in my mouth today.”

“It’s fine! Sometimes Mokona forgets they aren’t really married too.” The manjuu chimes amidst nervous laughter.

Kurogane huffs and turns away, tuning out the cheerful banter that follows. Maybe this is part of his problem. After everything, he feels so close to Fai that even marriage can’t quite encapsulate what they already are to each other. In the end, the extra title of “husbands” won’t change them. It won’t make Fai more or less than he is, or guarantee a forever, or do anything other than put a layer of formality over what they already have.  

Still… there’s something about that formalization that he wants. A definite moment in time he can point to as a promise made, a good memory he can give to Fai who has so many to outweigh it, a declaration of intent that the world can’t ignore… He wants to ask for that.

Maybe he’s just a sentimental fool.

He emerges from his thoughts, watching as the shopkeeper purchases a few of their curios for what seems like a decent sum of currency. They exit the shop with a little more confidence and directions to the famed Academy of Chizeta.

“Shall we?” Fai charms, gesturing theatrically towards the direction of the supposed academy. His early sunburn has settled on a pink that gives him a permanent look of over-heated exertion.

Kurogane squints in the too-bright sunlight, but only Fai truly blinds him. The jerk has no business being so damn attractive. Especially not when he’s going to permanently damage his skin at this rate, walking around with his hood down. The urge to thread his fingers through sweat-dampened gold and kiss that stupid grin off his face strikes Kurogane with all the force of a hurricane. He reaches out before he can stop himself and only manages to switch tacks at the last second, tugging Fai’s hood up far enough to cover his eyes.

“You’re gonna burn, dumbass.”

The line of Fai’s mouth tilts from shocked to pleased in moments, and the mage laughs, reaching up to adjust his cloak enough to see. Shit, Kurogane feels weak to that sound every time—unguarded and honest.

“Looking out for me?” Fai teases.

“Always.”

The word escapes him before he can think twice, but he can’t regret it. At least it forms some part of the mess he so badly wants to communicate. This time, Fai takes his desperate sentimentality a little better. He shakes his head, frustration and affection swimming in a churning cocktail of emotion behind his too-blue gaze.

“You’re hopeless.” He touches Kurogane’s shoulder as he sighs the words, sending a renewed burst of magic into the fabric that cuts right through the re-building heat.

“Can we really be sure they aren’t married though?” Mokona’s voice shatters the moment, and Fai and Kurogane both startle badly. He lunges for the damn pork bun, ready to pound it into mochi, before he thinks better of it and remembers that the world outside his Mage exists. They’ve already begun to draw stares again. Maybe Fai’s use of magic just now looked particularly interesting? He doesn’t know.

They start their sojourn toward the school in good spirits, even despite the heat and the persistent attention. He finds himself far less paranoid, even if so many eyes still make him feel like he doesn’t quite fit in his own skin. Syaoran and Fai take the lead, talking softly about cooling charms and how they work. Eventually, Mokona catches on that his cloak has already been ensorcelled and burrows into his hood without his permission. Annoying, but… well he can’t blame the manjuu for seeking out a little relief. It is hot. Part of him wonders why Fai hasn’t copied the spell on his own clothes or Syaoran’s, whether the spell might have taken more work than he thought, and whether he should pass the chilled cloak around in turns… He’ll suggest it when they stop next.

Either way, the enchantment does its work well. The ache of his shoulder nearly disappears as magic wicks the heat away. Less distracted by pain, he has a far easier time monitoring the stares they gather. He can track the eyes of others lining the crowded city streets as they trace lines of invisible magic. A few people glance his way in confusion, but for the most part, Fai and Syaoran draw a majority of the attention.

He thinks of Caldina, pleased and impressed just by the sight of them, able to gauge magic power with a glance, and something like pride struggles to escape him. It buoys upwards, a nervous bubble caught in his chest. So maybe he feels like the kid and mage deserve a little recognition… surely there’s nothing strange about that.

He can’t help wondering what they must look like.

“Everyone is so interested in Fai! Seeing magic must be very exciting. Mokona wants to see too.” The pork bun mirrors his thoughts and sours his mood, speaking in that tinny voice far too close to his ear. He’s not prepared to hear the mage answer,

“Oh, it’s not so exciting really….” Fai’s gaze drifts somewhere distant as he trails off. Sadness seeps through the cracks in his mask—hard to see, but Kurogane can find it in the way he holds himself. Old, and tired. Burdened by some bad memory. The kids don’t notice.

“Does that mean you can see magic too, Fai?” Syaoran voices the thought aloud, quiet enough to escape the hearing of any onlookers, and the mage’s smile sharpens. He focuses on the boy and that heart-twisting sorrow bleeds away.

“Not naturally, like people in this world can, but there’s an old spell for it from… well.” He waves a hand, as if to knock the words from the air. Kurogane knows somehow with a distant pang that he would have said “Valeria.” “I can show you later if you really want, but I promise it’s not as exciting as it sounds.”

The kids both chorus out a “Mokona does really want,” and “Yes, Please!” to the surprise of no one. Fai must have expected the children to say as much; he doesn’t so much as blink when he hears them. No. Only Kurogane’s quiet, “Sure,” shocks Fai enough to forget his words and halt him mid-step.

His cheeks burn with the weight of a different sort of stare and Kurogane looks to see his family gaping.

“What,” he grouches, and Fai rewards him with another honest laugh.

“Nothing at all, Kuro-sama.” He turns back to the path and keeps walking, careful to make sure Syaoran keeps up. “The spell has to be cast by the viewer to work. I meant to teach Syaoran, but… well…” He glances over his shoulder at both Kurogane and Mokona, smiles that slow, easy smile Kurogane loves so much. “I guess I’ll see what I can do.”  

Kurogane manages to choke out a gruff, “thanks,” and tries to ignore everyone the rest of the way to the Academy. Between Mokona’s muffled snickering at his ear and the way Fai’s every breath draws his attention like a moth to flame, he does not succeed. He tries to imagine what the magic might look like—Fai somehow brighter and more incandescent than he already is, blue eyes cutting through his soul, that signature white and blue written into his skin or drifting off him in waves...

…Fuck. He’s so doomed.

[goddessofthundathighs]

Chapter 3, Pt. 1

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Summary: An arrogant young disciple of Bastet is forced to spend lifetimes roaming the Earth in search of her soulmate, but what happens when she tries to run from destiny?

A/N: For those of you that have seen Fahrenheit 451, Abhimani is taking on the role of Clarisse McClellan.

_____________________

Draped in a loose fitting oversized threadbare sweater with some barely visible shorts underneath and roughed up motorcycle boots with a burlap backpack hanging off her left shoulder, Abhimani leaned against the technicolor glass bar peering at the sights around her.

Another time. Another life. Another chance to get out of this hellhole of a curse her Goddess had bestowed upon her.

It’s not that she wasn't thankful for Bast’s favor or even that she thought she was better than the Goddess herself. Mani simply didn't believe she had to continue to do what her own Mistress does not if she is supposed to be a holy extension. What was the point of this punishment? What lesson was she supposed to learn from failing to find this man over and over?

As the deep skinned beauty’s eyes scanned the room, she watched the mentally enslaved people play in their virtual reality, hands waving around. They were really into this Big Brother shit huh? Two figures emerge right in her line of sight and though she moves to a more secluded area, she can still hear their voices approaching.

“Don’t worry I’ll talk to her this time,” the slightly shorter of the two men blurts out his eyes focused ahead but not close enough for her to see what he looks like.

“Keep your dick in your pants and stand guard,” Captain Beatty says in the usual gruff tone he thinks is intimidating or seductive. She wasn't sure but it sounded like his throat needed some moisture.

He always seemed to bring the second man with him. Presumably for back up since he always skulked in the distance and was never in her eyes’ reach. He stood off behind a pillar while Beatty walked up to her a little too much in her personal space as per usual with these meetings.

“Well, well, well Mani. You better not be wasting my time tonight. Your last tip led me to boy scouts with pornos.” Rolling her eyes, Mani replies.

“Reactivate my fingers like you said you would.”

“Feed me scraps and I’ll delete your travel permit.”

Oh you caucus dick munch. I swear if I wasn’t on a totally different mission…

“That’s bullshit. You need me.”

Grabbing ahold of the hand that was clutching the thin leather strap of her bag, Beatty seemed to caress the slightly weathered skin in his fingers, holding it preciously in his palm.

Here he go again touching shit he don’t need to be. Somebody get this dude some proper sexual harassment parameters.

“How many years did we restrict you? 6?”

“With all the tips I gave you, I should be free.”

“A beautiful free rat.”

I know he did not just… Ok Bastet, you really trying me now.

Jerking her hand away, Mani switches her position from against the wall Beatty had her up against and grabs a small folded piece of parchment from her pocket holding it up for him to see.

“Take a year off my sentence and I’ll give you something you like.”

The increasingly annoying white beady eyed white man grabs hold of her hand yet again, snatching away the piece of paper.

Abhimani lets out a heavy sigh before adjusting the strap on her shoulder and turning to the left to see the bodyguard spying from a distance.

What is this dude’s deal always staring? Hopefully I can get past him without trying some silly shit.

She proceeds to make her way to leave the moody lit place but was stopped by a pair of glowing brown eyes and a slightly hukling body in her way.

“I didn't hear the captain say you could leave.”

And once again the might roar of her Goddess rang in her head and judging by the perplexed look that flashed on his face, he heard it too.

FUCK YES FINALLY!

“Oh? Then why does he always make you wait outside like a little dog, huh?”

However fine this “soulmate” was, she had things to do, places to go and she knew that now that they had officially seen each other, they would keep crossing paths. If only she’d known this was him the whole time the damn lesson would have been learned a while ago.

As she continues her exit, the man with the pretty eyes and beautifully plump lips grips her arm, but it didn't send the same shiver through her body like when Beatty touched her.

This was actually the first time her mate had touched her in all of the lifetimes they shared. It was…. Nice.

Of course she couldn't let him know he affected her so. She's met him now she can make him want her so she pretends to be almost disgusted by his forward advance.

“You’re just like Beatty,” Abhimani says with a condescending smile on her face.

That seemed to do the trick because he gently let go of her and his chest deflated a fraction.

“I’m not like Beatty.”

“Everyone has a master.”

“Not me.”

Oh we got an independent over here.

“You spy on me but you never do anything. You stand close enough to hear but far enough that I didn’t even know what you looked like till now. Can’t say I’m disappointed.”

Another gleam flashed in his eyes at her slight admission.

And not one word of it was a lie. He was absolutely gorgeous. She didn't ever get to look at her man the way she was now cause he was either too attached to someone else or shot to death for her to focus but my oh my.

Oh thank you my Lady for this wonderous blessing.

“You’re welcome, my child.”

“Why? Do I make you nervous?”

He looked down as he replied, “You don’t.”

“When I see you burning up eels’ lives you don’t look nervous.”

“That’s because I’m very good at my job.”

He was so close she could feel the heat from his body, the slight smell of kerosene and his cologne creating a dangerous aphrodisiac.

I got a couple jobs you would be good at with your fine ass.

“Mmm. You ever stop to think for one second why you do what you do?”

His brow furrowed.

“You should try reading before burning. See you around Montag.”

Flashing him a seductive smile, Mani turns her back and saunters out of the bar with a flip of her perfectly mussed curls leaving Guy all kinds of in his feelings and a hint of confusion as to where that roar came from. Unbeknownst to him, Beatty ,who had been watching the tail end of their interaction, comes up behind him and clasps a hand on his leather jacket clad shoulder.

“Hey. Off limits. Let’s go she recommended a spot.”

With that, the two firemen left and proceeded to do their jobs off the clock.

Mani walks into the seemingly dilapidated apartment building that was actually teeming with tenants and knocks on her neighbor’s door. The door opened to reveal a blonde woman with tired eyes holding her 5 month old big baby boy with a small mohawk like strip of brunette hair. Pulling the small glass bottle of milk from her jacket pocket, she hands it to the woman who lets out a sigh of relief at the sight of the thin creamy liquid.

“I haven't had milk in a week. Thanks but I couldn't find any cooking oil.”

“That’s ok.”

Mani had already turned to her apartment door to let herself in and as the lock turned over, the woman called to her.

“Mani, be careful what you’re selling. People are talking.”

Nodding her head, Abhimani ducks into her apartment, dropping all her stuff down and removing her shoes.

Now why she would land me in this dump of a decade I will never know. If this is the future, may all the Gods be with the mortals. This is absolute purgatory but praise Bast I found him!

“You seem to be in high spirits.”

Of course Anubis followed her through every single life and like her, his form didn't ever change. He always remained the same enchanting black feline friend whom she had actually come to cherish after so long.

“Well if you must know my terribly named kitty cat, I met him today.” “You mean the white devil who secretly not so secretly wishes to have you?”

“Oh Bast please not on his gray eyed life. No Nubi I mean him. He’s been with Beatty the entire time. I only just met him today.”

The bodacious woman flits around her small space to play a vinyl that she shouldn’t be playing on a record player she shouldn't be having and takes a seat at her tool table to fix the roll of a tape she was to deliver to this man who in trade has a place for her to tip the captain off for more “graffiti” for him and his team to burn.

As the smoke rises from her soldering gun, her mind wanders to privileged times spent in the dazzling night jungle running alongside the panthers of the past trying to beat the purple starry night.

Time Break

Guy stands head bowed under the warm running water of his shower dripping down his face. Hoping it would clear his frazzled mind.

He had just returned to the station from a strange graffiti burning with this old woman who seemed to only speak in graffiti. She said no actual words but gave a quote of some sort?

‘Play the man, Master Ridley. We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.’

Of course he had no idea what the hell that meant but it was haunting him along with the word she said right after she lit the books and herself on fire.

‘Omnis’

What is that?

He stepped out of the shower, dried off and got fully dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a black t-shirt, and an army green jacket. He was sure to retrieve the book he has stolen from the house from his locker and safely hid it underneath his jacket.

As he was making his way out, he caught the 9’s report of what they were now calling Beatty’s Barbeque. When they showed footage of the old woman burning, they replaced the word she actually said with a voice over ‘coward.’

Why would they cover that up?

Guy was simply getting more and more confused by the minute and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. He was anxious to get home so he could try to properly process the night’s events.

“Montag!”

Beatty walks up behind him with a stern look on his face.

“You hesitated tonight in front of the men.”

The shorter, more good looking of the two men was instantly transported back to the house they left only hours ago when the captain instructed him to remove the old woman from the house after the graffiti was laid out and kerosene poured, she refused to leave. Guy attempted to reason with her and asked the captain if they would just leave her which was a sign of weakness and insubordination. Placing a brave look on his handsome face, he retorts back.

“I know but it won’t happen again.”

“You know it’s my first time seeing a self burn too but as far as I’m concerned, it means we’re doing the right thing.”

Beatty was his friend. His captain. His father figure. Maybe he would be able to clear up some of this bafflement in his brain.

“What was that old lady talking about? Master Ridley play something.”

He was almost embarrassed that he couldn't remember the entire text.

“Well back when people still believed in God, the Brits burned alive two eels at the stake. Ridley and Latimer for praying to a different book than their queen did. Before us, people committed genocides over books while others blew themselves up killing innocent people. Insanity plus 100.

“But why did she burn herself for books?”

The stormy eyed man looked away from him briefly before giving his rebuttal.

“Well she tried to burn us all don’t you think?” “She didn't say coward. She said omnis. What is that?”

Breaking eye contact and turning about face, Beatty gives the information he actually wants to hear.

“Well the commissioner won’t say what the ministry knows but I guess we’re gonna have to find out.”

The captain moves to stand in front of him and hands him a silver square shaped lighter.

“Burn me.”

“John…”

“Go ahead.”

What is he trying to get from me?

Sensing Guy’s hesitation, the taller man urges him on.

Hurry up. I won’t ask twice.”

Immediately, he opens the lighter and flicks it on but doesn't hold it close enough for the lone flame to touch the other man’s hand and he looked back up to lock eyes with him.

“I know you’re different than the other men. I watched you grow up. And that’s how I know you feel the same inside as me. Closer.”

Lifting the lighter higher, the tip of the flame seems to disappear and fan out in his palm.

“I’ve been burned so many times, I don’t know where my scars end and my body begins.”

Guy lifts the lighter even higher, the flame all but gone into the captain’s hand as both men’s eyes stay locked in a vehement embrace. Finally Beatty grabs the lighter and extinguishes the flame with low pain filled groan stepping closer to him with an even more fierce gaze.

“There’s no way you’re gonna break. You’re the youngest cadet I ever accepted into the Youth Fire Brigade. I raised ya and one day you’ll be just like me son. You won’t feel anything when they burn you.”

_____________________

TAGS: @jozigrrl @itsangeludaku @thehomierobbstark @eriknutinthispoosy @hearteyes-for-killmonger @muse-of-mbaku @amethyst1993 @killmongersgurl @trevantesbrat @hdkween @iamrheaspeaks @princesskillmonger @ayellepea @vikkidc @laketaj24 @madamslayyy @allhailnjadaka @purple-apricots @thadelightfulone @theunsweetenedtruth @wakanda-inspired @panthergoddessbast @blackpantherismyish @yaachtynoboat711 @forbeautyandlife @bidibidibombaclaat @quietstorm-73 @youreadthatright

[overlordofthelollipopguild]

Taking That Second Chance - Chapter 2

And on this wonderful day, another fic, another installment!

Emma’s struggling with her new situation.

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14281503/chapters/32988873

Fanfiction.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12482329/3/Taking-That-Second-Chance

Chapter 2

One must not let oneself be overwhelmed by sadness. - Jackie Kennedy

The fact that Killian was alive and walking next to her was all that really kept Emma from regretting her decision to change things. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder about the consequences of her time traveling. It’s not like she had thought this through. How could she? One second she was in Storybrooke with Killian’s cold body and the next she was transported to the past, either by her magic or…something. She wasn’t even sure herself. The question remained, would she keep changing things, or keep things the same? Or was it too late to go back to what originally happened?

She glanced at Hook. With him here, and Marian for that matter, Emma knew that she changed too much already. Her path was chosen and now she had to live with it and the consequences of choosing Killian. That she could do. She loved him after all. She’d change everything if that meant keeping him alive.

Hook watched the Swan girl with intrigue. She was a tough lass to be sure, and she made him feel something. For the first time in three hundred years; there was more going on in his heart than just anger and the thirst for revenge. That only served to make him even more curious about her. “So, just who are you, Swan?”

Emma stumbled a bit at his words.

Hook caught her arm to steady her.

“You already know that.” Emma tried to shake off hearing those familiar words again.

“I know your name, Swan.” He told her, letting go of her arm. “But people are more than just their names.”

Emma scoffed, trying to play the part of uninterested stranger. “Why would you care?”

“You intrigue me.” Hook admitted.

“Oh, and why is that?” Emma ignored her fluttering heart. She loved him, but he was still on that precarious line between villainy and heroism. She had to tread carefully with him.

Hook seemed to contemplate his answer. Why he was curious about her, well, he didn’t quite know himself. There was just something about her. Something that drew him in. “A pirate can’t just be curious?”

Emma really looked at him then, wondering what he was getting at, but he appeared sincere. He was always genuine when it came to her. Perhaps, giving him a little bit of something wasn’t a bad idea. “You know the Dark Curse, right?”

“Aye.”

“Well, I’m the one who broke it.” Emma shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I’m the Savior.”

The Savior? Hook paused. So this was who he was waiting for for twenty-eight years? The one who finally broke the curse, allowing him to get his revenge on the crocodile. That also explained why Swan and her mother were the same age. The Savior had escaped the curse, thus escaping it’s age freezing aspects. “The Savior? What does that mean, exactly?”

“Trust me, I’m still trying to figure that out.” Emma sighed.

Interestingly, she seemed more put out to be the Savior than anything. Hook’s curiosity grew. Just who was this woman?

“So who do you want revenge on?” She asked, eyeing him. Truth be told, Emma was curious if Hook would dance around her question or tell her the truth. This wasn’t the beanstalk after all.

“Why do you want to know?” Hook asked warily.

“You get to know something about me.” Emma shrugged. “Tit for tat and all that.”

Her smirk made his heart tingle. Captain Hook’s heart did not tingle. “If it helps, I’m after another villain.”

“Helps what?” Emma asked. “Your cause?”

Truthfully, he found himself wanting to justify himself to her. He didn’t want her to look at him as if he was a villain, despite the fact that he was one. It made him uncomfortable that he wanted her to see him as something more than what he was. “Do you know of the Dark One?”

Emma hesitated. She couldn’t very well lie to him, but should she start trying to convince him that revenge wasn’t the answer? “He’s the one that took your hand.”

Hook knew he shouldn’t be surprised, she was a perceptive lass, but he still was nonetheless. “He took more than that.”

Her eyes held sympathy when she looked at him.

“He took someone from you, didn’t he?” Emma asked. It was weird to have knowledge of the future and knowledge of Killian’s past, when here he was, completely unaware of what they would one day mean to each other, his heart still set on avenging his first love.

Hook stiffened, staring at Emma as if he was searching for something.

His probing eyes made Emma curse at herself. She wasn’t being too obvious, was she?

“Aye.” He said quietly. “He murdered someone I loved.”

Emma looked away from him. “I’m sorry, Hook.”

“The only one who’ll be sorry is the crocodile.” Hook snarled, glaring off into the horizon ahead of them.

Emma winced.

How was she ever going to convince him that his revenge wasn’t worth his life?

When the curse broke, young Liam Jones thought that his life would be different. He thought that his father would find him and that he would no longer be living on the streets with no one to care for him or love him, all the while hiding his plight from his teachers and fellow classmates.

Liam should’ve known better by now. Wishing for something and actually getting it were two different things, and more often than not wishes were futile. Still, he hoped that maybe his father would come back for him. He still hoped that they could be a family again.

Yet, here it was that his pessimism was proven right. The curse was broken and his father was nowhere to be found.

It was still early. The curse hadn’t even been broken that long, but the fact that his father wasn’t anywhere to be found still hurt.

He had to keep looking though, especially before the schools opened back up. Then how could he hide his predicament? How could he hide the fact that he was nothing more than a homeless orphan?

He needed to find his father.

With his jaw set with determination, Liam pressed on, intent on searching all of Storybrooke until his father was found.

Emma cricked her neck, stretching her limbs while they were taking a rest. It was still a long walk until they reached the castle, and Mulan decided a fifteen minute rest was in order. Emma wouldn’t have minded a longer rest, but they had to get to the wardrobe before Cora. She couldn’t let that witch get the ashes again.

She just needed to figure out what to do with Cora. If they left her here in the Enchanted Forest, Cora could still find another portal, and she might kill countless people. If she did come over to Storybrooke with them, she’d still be dangerous. There had to be a way to rid her of her magic. So long as Cora had that, she was a threat. Emma sighed, poking at the dirt under her feet. Mulan had dragged Hook off to find fresh water, not trusting the pirate to get it himself, and her mother scouting ahead to be sure that they were on the right path towards the castle, not that much of the terrain had changed. Marian had had experience with scouting as well, so Snow took her along for an extra set of eyes.

That left Emma alone at their meeting spot. Her thoughts were all over the place. If only she had a time travel manual to help her. Or a spell book that would help her figure out how to bind Cora’s magic. That was the key. If she could make Cora powerless, then things would be so much easier.

So lost in her thoughts, Emma didn’t hear someone coming up behind her.

Aurora pulled Emma back by her hair and held a dagger to her throat. “You killed my Phillip, and now you’re going to pay.”

Emma rolled her eyes. Of course she forgot that Aurora wanted revenge. Though considering what had happened to her in the past twelve hours, she wasn’t surprised that something slipped her mind.

Before Aurora could carry out her threat, Emma grabbed Aurora by the arms and flipped her over, slamming the princess into the ground.

Aurora lost her breath and her grip on the dagger, which Emma quickly swiped.

Holding the dagger out, ready for the princess if she attacked again, Emma glared. “Next time take on someone you can handle in a fight.”

There was some movement in the trees and the rest of the group joined them.

“What happened?” Mulan snapped, rushing to Aurora’s side. She glared up at Emma. “What did you do to her?”

Emma’s temper flared. “Hey, I was defending myself. Your friend here attacked me from behind. Tell her if she wants revenge for Phillip, then she should go find a wraith.”

Hook looked over Emma for any injuries, surprised at the protective feeling that rose up inside of him so fiercely. He stepped over to her side, trying not to make it obvious that he was backing her up in case Aurora was out for more blood.

Emma tried to ignore his presence as to seem as though he were still a new acquaintance, but she couldn’t help but appreciate his silent support.

Mulan helped the winded Aurora up and practically dragged her away. “We need to talk.”

Once they were out of sight, Marian and Snow joined Emma and Hook.

“Are you all right?” Her mother asked, concern in her eyes.

“I’m fine.” Emma huffed. “I can take care of myself.” Truth be told, Emma still wasn’t used to Mary Margaret’s mothering. They only had had a few months to try and get used to the change that the curse brought to their relationship; it didn’t help that Emma had once again been separated from both her parents for a year, and that when she was with them it was one crisis after another. It had only been since Rumplestiltskin’s banishment that Emma and her parents started bonding more, and now Emma’s accidental time traveling had her back at square one.

Snow looked disappointed by her words.

Emma sighed. “Let’s go see if they’re done talking. We need to get moving.”

Even though his grandfather had assured him that Emma and Snow would find their way back home, Henry still worried. They had no idea where Emma and Snow were, or even if they were safe or alive.

No, he couldn’t think like that. They were alive, and they would come home. Still, Henry wished that there was something that he could do to help.

He looked around the park, seeing lots of people walking around.

The curse breaking had left everyone disoriented in their daily lives.

Henry wondered if businesses, other than Granny’s which hadn’t closed at all, would open back up soon. School was closed indefinitely. There was absolutely nothing for him to do other than stay at Granny’s diner all day under Granny’s watchful eye reading or writing, or playing in the park under Granny’s watchful eye. It was very frustrating.

Movement near him caught his eye, and he turned.

A boy his age was sitting on a bench by himself, looking around as though he were looking for someone.

Henry got up and walked over to the boy, feeling Granny’s eyes on him.

The boy seemed to sense Henry’s approach and looked at him warily.

Henry slowed to a stop before the boy. “Hi, I’m Henry.”

The boy said nothing at first, instead pushing his shaggy brown hair out of his face, revealing dark brown eyes. It struck Henry that he had seen this boy in class before, but he never spoke, and the teachers never called on him, so Henry didn’t even know his name.

“You looked like you were waiting for someone.” Henry said. “Did the curse take someone from you?”

The boy still didn’t speak.

Undeterred, Henry sat next to the boy. “I can help you if you want.”

“I don’t need help.” The boy finally spoke. “I’m fine on my own.”

Henry arched a brow. “You sound like my mom.”

That earned him a glare. “Yeah, comparing me to the Evil Queen just makes my day.”

Henry’s eyes widened. “Oh no, I meant my real mom. Emma Swan.”

“The sheriff, right?” The boy looked intrigued. “She broke the curse?”

“Yeah.” Henry told him. “She’s the Savior.”

“That’s cool.” The boy said. A sad look crossed his face before he forced a smile. “I’m Liam, by the way. Liam Jones.”

Henry smiled. A name was definitely progress. “So, you were looking for someone?”

Liam’s face fell. “That doesn’t matter. Want to go hang out somewhere warmer? I’m freezing my butt off.”

Henry agreed and led Liam over to Granny, knowing that he’d need his chaperone to shadow them. Liam didn’t seem to mind, and Henry felt as though he had already made a new friend.

Aurora had held them up too long it seemed, and night was upon them, forcing them to make camp for the night.

Mulan seemed the surliest of them all over the matter, and Aurora had remained quiet, obviously having been properly chastised for her actions. Neither spoke as they sat next to each other roasting rabbits.

Emma sat next to Hook as they munched on some berries and rabbits that the group managed to capture; she tried not to pay too much attention to him as it was clear that Snow, who was sitting with Marian and chatting amicably, kept glancing over at Emma and Hook suspiciously. She hoped that her mother was just wary of Hook, and not scrutinizing Emma’s behavior around him.

Emma zoned them out, staring into the fire, her thoughts all over the place again. It had been quite a day, and she was exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. She had freaking time travelled! How had that even happen? Was it her magic? Did her grief over Killian’s death cause her magic to do this? Or had it been a villain that they hadn’t known about? But why would a villain send her back in time?

“Quite a day, eh Swan?” Hook whispered next to her, startling her out of her thoughts.

She glanced at him, seeing a smirk on his features. “Quite.” She tried to sound terse. Though the longer she was around Killian, the harder it was to remember that they were supposed to have just met when all Emma wanted to do was kiss him, or hold him tight and never let go, or just be able to smile at him.

He eyed her like she was a challenge that he was excited to undertake. “You know,” He leaned in closer. “You may be afraid to talk and reveal yourself, but I do quite like a challenge.”

Emma’s heart thudded hard against her ribs. Those words again. She gave him a frosty look, or at least attempted it. “Is that what I am? Just another challenge for the great Captain Hook to conquer?”

Hook met her eyes with an intensity that startled her. It was as though he was searching her soul for the answer himself. “Perhaps I’m not sure yet.” He admitted softly.

“Well, I have news for you buddy.” She leaned in, her eyes narrowed. “It’s going to take a lot more than a pretty face and charm to win me over.”

Hook smirked. “Of that, I have no doubt.”

It was then that Emma realized how close they were, so she leaned away, glancing around to see if anyone else had noticed. Her mother had, and she was looking very suspicious again. Emma silently cursed. She was trying her best not to be obvious about her feelings towards Hook, but maybe she wasn’t hiding it well enough. Maybe it was better to try and distance herself from Hook until she could get more control over herself and her head was clearer.

Hook’s eyes were still on her, so she chanced a look in his direction. His expression was serious, his brow crinkling as though he were trying to figure her out.

Emma turned away, hoping that she could figure out how to keep him at arm’s length without letting him go. Though she doubted she’d figure it out any time soon. With a sigh, Emma returned to her food, not that she was very hungry.

After a few moments of pretending to eat, Emma turned back to Hook. She might as well use her future knowledge to get him to talk. “So, what can you tell me about Cora?”

Hook arched a brow. “Other than having magic, she has every intention of reaching the Land Without Magic.”

Emma was surprised that Hook actually told the truth, but then again he was on her side now, and betraying Cora meant that he had to cover his ass, even if he had to use his newest allies to do it. She needed to find a way to reach the good man within. “Why does she want to go to the Land Without Magic?”

“Her daughter.” Hook said.

“Regina.” Emma nodded. “What kind of family reunion are we in for?”

“Not a pleasant one.” Hook grimaced.

Emma remembered that reunion all too well. She couldn’t risk Cora coming to the Land Without Magic this time around. For Henry’s sake more than anything since it was a guarantee that Cora would use him to get to Regina. “If Cora wants to get to the Land Without Magic so badly, does she have her own plan? Does she know where a portal is?”

Hook looked away from her. “Not as far as I know.”

It stung that he lied to her, but she should’ve expected it. Like her, Hook was very much closed off, preferring to keep his cards close to the vest.

“I doubt that.” Emma scoffed. She pushed herself up, catching everyone’s attention. “I’m going to get some sleep. Wake me when it’s my watch.” She turned away quickly, heading over to a makeshift pallet.

Hook’s eyes were on her the whole time, but she refused to acknowledge ledge him, letting the exhaustion in her bones take over.

Henry smiled to himself as David led him up he stairs to the loft. He and Liam had hung out at Granny’s for most of the afternoon and even after dinner. It was only when David arrived after eight o’clock that they realized the time and reluctantly parted ways.

“Sorry I was late picking you up.” David said again as they entered the loft. “Did you have a good day?”

“Yeah.” Henry replied as he set his backpack on the table. “Liam and I talked a lot. He’s looking for his dad.”

David listened, curious to know more about Henry’s new friend. “Does he know what happened to him?”

Henry shook his head. “He disappeared before the curse.”

“What about his mother?” David asked as he shrugged out of his jacket and kicked off his boots. It was good to be home after a long day of throwing out metaphorical fires. Ruby had volunteered to help man the station, but David couldn’t wait until Emma and Snow came home. If they came home. No, he needed to stay optimistic. They would come home. As soon as he could track down Jefferson and get him to make the hat work. As it was, the man was very elusive.

“He didn’t mention her.” Henry said, bringing David back out of his thoughts.

David wondered about that but Henry seemed very happy to have a new friend. “It’s good that you have a new friend.”

Henry beamed at him. “Liam wants to hang out again tomorrow, is that okay?”

“Sure it is.” David said. “Granny shouldn’t mind that at all.” A clock chimed. “Looks like it’s time for bed.”

Henry tensed a bit, not wanting to go back and relive his nightmare of the burning room. David had promised that if it happened again, they would figure something out. Besides, maybe it wouldn’t happen again? Maybe it was just a one time thing? He hoped that it was, because he really didn’t like the idea of being stuck in a burning room every time he closed his eyes.

David watched his grandson go upstairs with concern. He remembered Snow having nightmares of a burning room after he broke her sleeping curse, but eventually the nightmares had subsided. He wanted to make them go away for Henry’s sake, but he wasn’t sure what all he could do. For now, all he could do was watch over Henry, and if the nightmares grew worse, then he would do whatever he could to help Henry get through them.

He just felt so helpless. He had no real solution for helping Henry with his nightmares, and then there was the matter of getting Emma and Snow home. He hoped that he could find Jefferson soon. The more he learned about the hat, the better. If he could use it to get his family back, then he had to know how to work it.

If the hat didn’t work…then he had no idea what else to do.

He wished that Snow was here. They usually talked through things together, and then they figured it out.

Sighing heavily, he went to the bedroom, figuring that he might as well go to bed. He needed sleep after all. Maybe his worries would leave him if he slept, and tomorrow he could be in a better state of mind.

Jefferson would be his target, and he would find a way to bring his wife and daughter home.

After all, tomorrow was a new day.

It was nearly midnight and Regina couldn’t sleep. So much had happened in the last few days since her curse broke. She lost her son and her job and her magic wasn’t working properly. It pissed her the hell off.

This curse was supposed to be her happy ending. She was supposed to be the one in charge here, and everyone else was supposed to be miserable. They were all supposed to be under her thumb without any awareness that their lives were not their own and that they were helpless to her whims.

The Savior. Regina could just kill the woman. This was all her fault. The curse never would’ve broken if Miss Swan had just let Henry go and gotten her ass out of Regina’s town and back to Boston. If she ever saw Miss Swan again, she was going to get her revenge.

Her only consolation was that the Savior and Snow White were either dead or in another realm, which meant that they were no longer thorns in her side.

With the curse broken now, however, the entire town, especially Prince Charming, was a whole bushel of thorns. He took her son from her. Regina couldn’t very well let him get away with that. He would not keep her son from her. Henry was everything to her.

She might not have been the best mother, but she loved Henry. Everything that she did was for his own good.

Emma had waltzed into town and turned Regina’s little prince against her.

Regina was going to have to do something about that. She would get her son back, and she would make Henry love her again.

Emma woke with a start, her breaths heaving. She looked around wildly until she remembered where she was.

The Enchanted Forest. In the past.

Killian was alive.

It was just a bad memory that haunted her.

Killian was alive.

Emma laid back down, trying to calm her breathing. You’re okay. She calmly told herself. Killian’s alive. Everything will be fine.

Her breathing finally evened out, but her mind was branded by the images of Killian’s body in her arms. She pushed her hands against her eyes as if she could push the images out of her head.

When that failed, Emma pushed herself up, needing to get away and gather her thoughts. Careful of twigs and leaves, not wanting to alert anyone or wake anyone, Emma walked away from the camp. Once she was alone, hidden from sight of the camp, she was able to relax some. She found a tree to lean against and closed her eyes.

What was she even doing? Time travel? Really? She’d been through this shit before, and in changing things she almost erased herself from existence. Which only meant that she almost erased Henry too. She might not’ve travelled back that far in time, but it was enough that she could change too much. While some crappy things did happen, a lot of good things happened too. Pan’s curse separated her from her loved ones, but it gave her a normal life with Henry for a time. Time traveling almost changed her entire future, but then they brought Elsa to Storybrooke. Regina became one of the good guys, Belle had become a good friend, and Emma was finally able to open her heart up, not just to Killian, but to her family too.

It was too much pressure. Should she keep changing things, or should she set everything back on course? But with Killian and Marian here, how could she correct what she had done? Was it too late?

There was a rustling near her.

Emma opened her eyes, finding Hook walking slowly towards her. “Did I wake you?” She asked softly.

He shook his head. “It was my watch. Are you all right?”

Boy, oh boy, was that ever the loaded question. “It’s just been a day.”

Hook nodded. “Aye, that it has.” He was closer now, not even a foot away.

It was sudden when her emotions overwhelmed her. It was too much to handle. Killian’s death, time travel, reliving her life again. All she wanted was to be in Killian’s arms and have him comfort her, but she couldn’t have that because the Killian in front of her wasn’t her Killian yet. He was still revenge driven Hook.

His blue eyes were sad, and Emma didn’t understand why until his hand cupped her face and his thumb wiped away her tears.

She hadn’t even realized she was crying.

“It’s going to be all right, Emma.” His voice was gentle. “We’ll get you back to your boy. I promise.”

When he looked at her like that, and spoke in that voice, Emma could see the man she was meant to fall in love with. Her Killian. The Killian that had been buried deep under Hook’s pain for so long.

Her hands grabbed at his jacket collar, pulling him closer. She needed him so badly that it made her chest ache and her lungs burn.

His forehead gently pressed against hers as their eyes locked. “Emma.”

She was’t sure if it was a warning or a prayer as she pulled him in. Her eyes fluttered shut when his lips were only a hairsbreadth away from her own.

A twig snapped, shocking them both apart.

Emma looked over Hook’s shoulder and saw her mother looking more surprised than Emma felt.

“Sorry.” Snow said, though she was too shocked to mean it. “I’ll just go find somewhere else to…yeah, I’m leaving.” Her fair skin flamed red under the moonlight as she left them.

Emma looked back at Hook, who was studying her very carefully. His coat collar was still in her hands, so she released it. Looking away, silently berating herself for almost giving in like that when it wasn’t fair to Hook, Emma stepped away for him. “I’ll take over your watch. You should get some sleep.”

As she walked away, she heard him say three words that made her heart skip a beat.

“As you wish.”

[queenhelene]

Ben Writes a Poem

AN: This was written by my boyfriend, but he’s too shy to post it himself~

In thoughts, in wishes

I call to you, to stay here

Near for evermore.

 A handful of claps escaped the small classroom and trickled into the hallway, mingling with the quiet voices of a school day afternoon. Rey smiled towards her group of friends, her eyes darting around the room, noting the applause from the other members. If someone was to walk by room 210, the poetry club at this time of the day, Mondays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 3:30, they would see small bundles of students clustered together, writing limericks and discussing poetic prose. The class bathed in warm sunlight, a seemingly enchanting and memorable time to be young and alive.

If, at this time, one was to pass by room 103: the gymnasium, they would be greeted by the immortal fire of scorching hatred, Ben, that was currently attempting to lodge a volleyball through an opponent and into the ground, which is naturally an entire different way to spend one’s afternoon.

Still though, there were days when Rey wished Ben would stop by on his way to practice occasionally, not that they’re dating or anything (though, she totally would, but he apparently prefers to spend his days screaming at a net, or a wall, or his opponent, or his parents, or his dog). Every once in a while though, as she had seen, he stopped his yelling, he put aside his anger and his frustration, and he seemed at peace with the world around him. She had once spotted him, in a moment of pure relaxation, pick up a fallen leaf in the heart of autumn and hold it up to the sun, studying the veins that were threaded into the fibers. She watched as he stood there, and she was genuinely impressed that he lasted a whole ten seconds before dropping the dead tree fingernail and crushing it under his size 12 shoe. How does she know his shoe size? Don’t fucking worry about that.

And before she knew it, her club had closed for the day and she had seemed to have become so lost in thought over the boy that she barely remembered gathering her belongings, waving goodbye to Finn, and walking to her locker. She barely even remembered starting a conversation with Ben. Oh, shit! She’s having a conversation with Ben!!

“I almost got into a fight today.”

“… With… who?” She asked cautiously.

“No one, it was the net.”

“The net?” She was understandably confused. “How-”

“The net got in my way when I was hitting the ball, and I hit it really hard- Sorry I interrupted you,” he stated curtly, before continuing, “and the net was in the way so the ball hit the net and so I got really frustrated because I don’t get in the net’s way when it’s trying to do things, and so I…“ Ben realized his fists were clenched, no, actually his whole body was clenched.

“W-well I’m sure the net didn’t mean to,” Rey replied sarcastically. Ben caught on to her joke, and showed that he caught onto her joke by laughing, somewhat too loudly, to show that he caught on to her joke and to prove that her joke was funny to him, because apparently that’s how he thinks human interactions should work. Rey chuckled at the awkward gesture, but this only caused Ben to laugh harder, since he wanted to show that he knows that she was laughing and that he was laughing with her because he gets social cues and he knows how to be a normal human being. Rey, not knowing how to handle the violently laughing sweaty guy next to her, turned to look at the notebook in her hand. Ben immediately stopped violently laughing. Rey racked her brain to think of a topic.

“So, I-”

“So-”

The pairs’ words collided into each other’s, followed by quick apologies.

“Go ahead,” Ben said quietly.

“No, you can go,” Rey replied.

“I was just going to say,” Ben’s voice regained its edge, “that some of the guys on the team gave me a new nickname.”

“What n-“ Rey began to prod, though she was interrupted again.

“Kylo Ren. –Sorry– What do you think about it? It’s cool, isn’t it?” He sounded genuinely excited. She liked that.

“I do-” She started, though she was interrupted again… again.

“What did -sorry- you want to say?” he blurted out.

“Well, I… I was going to ask if you would…” She had forgotten what she was going to say, and then she remembered “…If you would like to come to one of my club’s meetings?” She looked up at him and noted that he had relaxed somewhat.

“Poetry?” He asked, his voice unsure.

“Yeah, we’re having a meeting next Monday, so if you would like, maybe you could come join us… if you wanted, you could write something…” She trailed off.

“I’ll come. I love poetry.” It shot out of his mouth like a bullet, and before he knew it, he was sitting at home, freaking out over what he had just signed up for.

“I don’t know what to do, I HATE POETRY,” he screamed into the phone. Hux pulled the phone away from his ear.

“You don’t have to-” He attempted to calm Ben down, but was cut off by a loud, commanding voice on the other end.

“STOP YELLING UP THERE!” Ben heard his mom yell.

“SORRY, MOM,” he replied.

“IT’S FINE! DINNER WILL BE READY IN A BIT!” Leia yelled.

“THANKS, MOM!” Ben replied. He turned his attention back to the phone.

“You don’t have to go, you know,” Hux stated politely. Ben knew that already, he’s Kylo Ren, he knows EVERYTHING, but he didn’t want to disappoint Rey.

“I understand you don’t want to disappoint her, but if it’s going to make you uncomfortable, why go? Hux replied. The sun had gone down slightly, with golden rays splashing against his walls through the slits of his blinds. He sat, phone held up to his ear by his shoulder, shoveling forkfuls of spaghetti into his mouth, chewing sporadically.

“I knowsh da bu I jus wan her do lu ee” He forced out between the delicious pasta.

“What the fuck did you say? I can’t understand you,” Hux demanded. Ben chewed less sporadically.

“I said that I care about her, and…” He sighed. “And I just don’t know how to write poetry, and I’m scared I’ll sound stupid.” He punched a stuffed penguin sitting on his bed. He felt bad for the penguin, so he put it back, patting it on the head.

“Well, why don’t you get some help from that Finn guy?” Hux offered. “He knows Rey. He knows what she likes. Maybe he could help you.”

Friday classes came and went quickly, and as students padded out onto the sidewalks, Ben stalked the hallway, looking for that jerk he keeps seeing around Rey, though he’s not jealous, its just that he doesn’t like seeing her around- oh, there he is.

“I need your help,” Ben tossed out, attempting to sound casual. Except it wasn’t casual, he just blurted it out without Finn’s prior acknowledgment, causing him to drop his books and squeak in surprise, before whipping around to face the tall sack of rage that hovered a thousand feet above him. Finn tried to compose himself, but only managed a second nonhuman mumble, though there was some improvement as it was closer to a squawk than a squeak.

“Stop that,” Ben stated, though it seemed more like a demand.

“Sorry! Sorry… yeah,” Finn mumbled, regaining his voice slightly. “Sorry, uh… sorry.”

“Stop saying sorry,” Ben pleaded, though it seemed more like stab.

“Sorry, uh, sorry-” he stopped himself, attempting to appear calm by leaning himself on his locker, though he forgot it was open, so now he stood with his elbow buried about a foot into the opening. He figured it would be best to just leave it there. “Uh, what do you need?”

“I need to write a poem.”

Finn had to take a moment, or a couple moments, in fact it took him the remainder of the day and part of the next one to realize what he had just heard. He wasn’t even sure he heard those words come out Ben’s mouth. He had to clarify.

“So, you need to write a poem?” He poked, though his attention had turned towards the room he was sitting in, the posters of games on the walls and the models of spaceships hanging on fishing line floating a foot above their heads. Ben swiveled in his chair away from his desk to face the boy.

“Yes,” Ben replied. Finn sat there, hoping he would say more, but that was it, I guess.

“Okay, well, why?” He prodded.

“Because I want Rey to like me and my cool poetry.” He was very straightforward.

“Well, ok, sure…” Finn had no idea how to talk to this creature. “I know she likes haikus, so you could do one of those, and they’re simple, just five syllables, then seven, then five.” Ben looked at him, which concerned Finn, because Ben always had this thing where he looked like he was mad, but Finn wasn’t sure. Ben swung back around in his chair, followed by a flurry of typing.

It took the entire afternoon to pen out a poem of merit, at least by Ben’s low standard. Finn left for home, half his mind in thought over the situation.  The writing, though decent for his first poem but unfortunately, well, this was Ben Solo, a boy who prided himself on how many walls he punched in a day, so, you know, no Walt Whitman there. Finn didn’t know why, but he was worried about Ben, about how the club would react. He was sure it would be bad, but what was there to do? He quickened his pace.

A Monday morning approached rapidly, followed by a swath of classes, and before long the black-haired noodle man was standing down the hall from room 210 and he was genuinely frightened. He grasped his notebook tightly, and began the thirteen steps to the door that would seal his fate in the tomes of- oh, never mind it was only nine steps, must be his long legs. He swung into the door frame and froze, not because of the ten or so students scattered around the room, not because by swinging into the room he accidentally smacked right into Finn, knocking the books out of his nervous little hands, but because sitting next to the window, bathed in bright golden light, sat Rey, who turned to look at him, or Finn clambering for his books, or him, no, definitely him, and suddenly Ben felt a jolt of excitement and fear. He swung back out of the class, melting against the wall as he panicked, and in this panic, he realized his poem, of which he spent an afternoon of his life on, was absolute ass. He couldn’t recite that poem, he couldn’t imagine the reaction he’d get, he couldn’t face a group of students laughing at him, he couldn’t imagine Rey…

He raised the notebook, noting the black plastic front and silver lettering of metallic Sharpie spelling out ‘KYLO REN’ across the top, rad, before flipping it open to a blank page, and reaching into his pocket to retrieve his pen. All he wanted to do was impress Rey, to make her like him, to make her talk to him, and to spend time with him and to walk home with him, and to hang out after school, and to eat his mom’s spaghetti with him like those dogs in that movie, and to sit outside in autumn, and to crush leaves, and to ride bikes, and to have sleepovers, and to sit on his roof, and to spend holidays together, and to see her in the snow, and to see her every day, and to spend as much time as he could with her, and for her to WANT to spend time with him, and to have a friend that he could cherish, and to feel cherished, and then he realized that he was done… and he took a deep breath. He turned the corner into the room, and ran into Finn again, because apparently that bumbling, squirrely idiot likes to nest under fucking doorframes, and then he saw her, again, and he sighed.

The meeting began and students came up to recite poems of nature and water and schoolwork and stress and before long, there was no one left but him, and so he stood up, and he looked at Finn, who sheepishly smiled, and he looked at Rey, and she looked back at him, and his eyes flitted down to his notebook, and he paused, and then he started.

 My heart burns of cold embers for you,

Your tears cool me,

Your breath enflames me,

I grow and shrink according to you,

And I love it.

 For days and weeks, it seemed that time itself stopped in room 210. That seasons had passed, that years had passed in the time it took him to blink. The world had stopped, and it seemed that Ben lived every century in the look of shock on Rey’s face, that he experienced lifetimes on her cheek, that he blew through millennia staring at the tip of her nose, and only when they locked eyes, did the world seem to finally jolt into existence, and with it the chorus of cheers from the room, though Ben could only hear one, and it was the only one he ever wanted to hear, and whether the world ended there, or continued, it mattered not to him, because he could see everything he ever wanted in front of him.

And then he sat down next to her.

[ecofinisher]

Wedding in Japan 2 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25131394/chapters/61251571

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13637197/3/Wedding-in-Japan-2

https://www.wattpad.com/920527919-wedding-in-japan-2-chapter-3

Nino Lahiffe waited at the Parisian airport at the arrivals hall of the airport in front of lots of other citizens, which were awaiting family members, that were coming from vacation too. The Moroccan observed the single persons appearing behind a wall, where the nothing to declare point was and Nino looked at his smartphone to see the time, then sighed as there was no sign of his friends.

“It’s been almost 40 minutes” Nino stated continuing to watch a few passengers leave, followed by a family and the front person, which was a child ran off at the crowd towards a senior couple, which hugged them making Nino smile enchanted at the reunion of the family. Moments later Nino spotted Kagami walking out along with Adrien both pushing the baggage cart with their suitcases, then Nino smiled and made his way towards the couple. 

“Hey, my dudes!” Nino greeted, then Adrien opened his arms to receive his friend for a hug. “Great to have you back”

“This week was fantastic. You and Alya should go there one day” Adrien mentioned making Nino laugh.

“Too expensive man and I don’t even want to know how much you paid for the flight in those special class suites,”

“Sure, there are other places that are great too. You just need to dig a lot into the internet to find the best choice for you and Alya, when the time is here”

“There are a lot of choices, you can easily find something you two would like” Kagami added, then shared a hug with Adrien’s best friend.

“Welcome back, Kagami” Nino greeted. “Follow me, I’ve got the car in the near” Nino mentioned going between the couple to grab the cart by its handle. “Let me take it,”

“It’s not needed Nino, really” Adrien warned making Nino shake his head.

“No dude, I’m fine with it” Nino confirmed. “How was your lone time with Mrs. Adrien Agreste?” Nino asked with a wink making Adrien chuckle while Kagami shook her head amused at Nino’s silly comment.

“I enjoyed every single moment there” Adrien answered. “Wish it could have lasted forever” “I believe you” Nino agreed. “What about you, Kagami?”

“Same, mostly I enjoyed to be spending the time with Adrien. I had the chance to get to know his true self during vacation. It’s was also our first vacation together and our first vacation, where we could do whatever you want….you know without our parent’s observation the whole time,”

“That’s a good thing” Nino mentioned, then Adrien touched his friend on the shoulder, which glanced up at the blonde, smiling at him waiting for him to speak.

“Hey, you sent me last day a picture, where you were together with my father and…...my mother I guess?” Adrien began earning a nod from Nino.

“She looks like your mother, to be honest. I was actually surprised as she showed up by the door with your dad,”

“So, that really was my mother?” Adrien asked making Nino shrug his shoulders.

“She asked about you and a few more details,” Nino pointed out. “She would love to see you after all these times she was gone,”

“Oh my gosh. I can’t believe that” Adrien mentioned slowly showing a smile on his face at the revelation. “If that’s really true, I really have to see her”

“Your father told me…..better said….ordered me to inform you after your arrival to pass by his house as soon as possible” Explained the Morrocan man making the blonde nod.

“Okay, I could pass by this evening or maybe tomorrow, if it doesn’t work out today” Adrien suggested.

“Yeah oh and maybe your mother would like to meet Kagami too. She was curious to know, who conquered your broken heart or some shit. I don’t remember, besides she said something with conquered and heart”

“Well, I would love to know, if my parents like Kagami” Adrien confessed exchanging looks with his wife. “I just know my father was good at having us befriended with each other,”

“She sure will like her too. Before you got together with her I remember the last time I saw you happy was on your 20th birthday after you moved out a month later away from your dad. Then he began to feel sad…..”Nino stated getting the attention of Kagami and the blonde, which nodded.

“What happened?” Kagami asked looking at Adrien.

“I had one book with everything special, that happened during my life and I had pictures of us in fencing and…..I began to think of you, that we never had chatted again after I lost my smartphone, that I screwed up my chances to contact you about my plans to visit you”

“I tried to convince him if he can’t stay single he should get a girlfriend, but every good girl here either was dating someone or was a fangirl of him, that only was there for his fame and money,”

“You kept that book?” Kagami asked earning a nod from Adrien.

“It’s somewhere in the bookshelf” Adrien mentioned. “I could show it to you when we get home”

“I don’t know, what my mother did with my stuff I had in Paris, but I loved the images of us in there” Kagami confessed earning a smile from her husband.

“Oh yes,” Adrien responded stopping along with Nino and Kagami in front of the elevators, then waited for one to arrive along with five other persons, that were alone. “When we get home I see if I can call my father and inform him about our arrival”

“You don’t have his phone number here?” Kagami asked making Adrien shake his head.

“No, but I have it noticed down for emergencies” Adrien explained. “I added yours and Nino recently”

“You should have that list with you in case you’re out of battery or lose your phone” Nino suggested. “And you know you had experienced that with Mademoiselle Agreste here” Nino stated with a wink making Kagami chuckle.

“Not you too”

“Yeah, I really should have it with me” Adrien admitted entering along with the friends into the elevator to head down to the parking lot.

“Are you planning to pass by this evening, right?” Nino asked making Adrien shrug his shoulders.

“I don’t know” The blonde responded. “We have to unpack our stuff first”

“We can always do that tomorrow” Kagami suggested.

“Sure we could” Adrien agreed. “There you’ve got a point”

“If you two go out this evening you could always take the next two hours to rest from your flight. You’ve been up there for 13 hours,” The brown-skinned man suggested.

“I’m thinking about it. I’m not sure if it’s worth to rest or not. They’re just three hours time difference from here and the Maldives. Otherwise, we didn’t have any problems with resting during our flight,”

“You two could rest your eyes during our ride home. We’re going to be for 40 minutes in the car anyway” Nino offered. “I think I even have the blanket I and Alya took to the drive-in cinema two weeks ago”

“That’s not necessary, Nino” Adrien mentioned making the friend chuckle.

“Good, we arrived. I parked the car somewhere between 300 and 400. That’s the third row I think,”

“I guess we’re gonna be the next 40 minutes here looking for the car,” Adrien told Kagami earning a nod from her, while Nino crossed his arms.

“Maximum 10 minutes it will take, believe me,” Nino defended himself walking with the cart followed by the young Agreste couple. 

 In the evening Adrien and Kagami arrived upstairs at the entrance of the Agreste mansion, then the man rang at the doorbell and waited along with his wife for the door to get opened. Adrien gazed at Kagami, which gazed neutrally at the door, then the blonde placed his arm around Kagami’s back looking into her eyes, wondering how she felt about the visit.

“Don’t worry about my mother. She will absolutely like to meet you,”

“I’m not worried about that” Kagami mentioned. “But I’m curious to know how she came back after all those years”

“We’re about to find it out soon” Adrien confirmed. “I really need to know that too,” The husband pointed out followed by the door handle moving down as the door got opened back while Adrien exchanged looks with his wife and felt the woman hold his hand for reassurance. The door got fully back making Adrien drop his mouth as the person, as he recognized the woman, that opened up the door.

“Is that really you, mother?” Adrien asked approaching the entrance of the house, then the woman came closer to the blonde, slowly approaching with her hands the young man at his face a little hesitantly, unsure of what was going on at the moment.

“Is that really you, my darling?” The blonde woman asked watching the dumbfounded man gaze at her slowly recognizing his mother.

“You’re here…..you’re really here!” Adrien extolled running into the arms of his mother embracing her tightly. “I can’t believe it”. Yelped the Frenchman leaning his head next to Emilie’s head.

“My son, you grew up tall” Emilie stated taking a look at her son, which passed his fist under his eyelid to clean up a tear from their reunion. “You’re almost taller than me” Emilie mentioned earning a nod from Adrien. “Now it’s more notable, that you’ve got the looks from the side of my family”

“Hehe…..father always said I’ve had inherited the softer side from your”

“I know that” Emilie stated, then she gazed at the exit, where Kagami stood glad at the reunion of her husband with his mother.

“Mom I’d like to introduce you someone special” Adrien mentioned looking at Kagami approaching the two, then she held out her hand for the woman. “That’s Kagami. We met during fencing class when we were younger and well we have bond with the time we were hanging out together,”

“She’s the one you got married to right?” Emilie asked earning a nod from the young man.

“Yes she is”

“Nice to meet you Mrs. Agreste” Kagami replied earning a courteous smile from her mother-in-law.

“You can call me Emilie,”

“Sure” Kagami answered.

“Well…..we should all get in, dinner is almost ready. You must have a lot to tell about your honeymoon…..and I and your father owe you the knowledge of the time I was absent during your life” The older adult mentioned earning a nod from her son.

“You don’t have to tell everything at once. Just what you can” Adrien mentioned passing his hand on his mother’s arm.

“I know, but I need to,” Emilie said making Adrien nod, then she accompanied her son and her daugther-in-law into the mansion closing the door behind them.

[sithlordintraining]

Same Place, New Faces

A/N: So I started it and but the way I wanted to go was going to be wayyy too long. And I have the attention span of a goldfish, so I just cut it in half. But, the first chapter of ‘Tell Me More’. Anyway, I’m posting it now, I have school wish me luck!! And <3 I had fun talking to you guys today <3 

Summary: Good girl Rey Kenobi and greaser Kylo Ren fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they’re now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance? OF COURSE, with a little help from their friends and some singing. But that was Junior year, can their love really stand the course of Senior year, college applications, and other teenage problems?

Chapter: Roles, 2

It was the last day of the first day for the Seniors at Hoth High School. All the guys and dolls dressed in their best and wearing a little less. This year was going to be different though. Everything had fallen into the right place and this year it could go nowhere but up. And pulling up to the school was none other the King of bad boys of Hoth High, Kylo Ren. His freshly painted black and chrome 1957 Hudson Hornet with red flames and the ‘Hornet’ decal condensed down to ‘Ren’, made its way into the middle parking spot between to his fellow Knight, Kenickie, and to his left, his newest acquaintance, Poe Dameron, President of the Golden Apples. But the only thing that mattered was right under his arm. His girl, Rey Kenobi; it’s been a full year since she basically washed up at the beach. Well, that’s how he likes to describe it, even though it was just a high tide that swept her under and Kylo to the rescue. Parking the car, he looked down to see a pair of sparkling hazel eyes staring back at him. 

“Oh, Ben I can’t believe this our last year at Hoth High. One last year, before our life begins.” Rey snuggled into his side while his large hand gripped her shoulder to pull her in closer. The sight of her in her pink and red polka dotted dress while adorning his leather jacket, made heart rate increase because they’ve come so far and here they are. “I know baby, but let’s just enjoy each day as if it’s our last.” His rich voiced seemed to drown out the sounds of the loud high schoolers entering the building. A smile formed on Rey’s pink lips exposing her dimple; Kylo craned his neck to place a soft kiss on top of it. A light blush showered over Rey from the endearing gesture. “Come on, let’s go.”

Kylo opened the door to his sedan and was welcomed with a roar for his famous greaser gang the Knights of Ren. He just chuckled as he made his way to open the door for Rey. “My lady.” “Oh, Ben.” She whispered as she tried to hide her blush. Rey sent a small smile to the fellow Knights and the Pink Ladies that were beginning to create a crowd. “Hope you all had a good summer.” Her quick talk made her accent thicker. “I have a Golden Apples meeting, have a good first day sweetheart.” Rey tiptoed to reach Kylo’s lips as he held onto her lower back gently. “You remember where all your classes are right? And you are going to go?” She leaned back and an embarrassing red glow formed on the tip of his large pale ears. “Yes, mom.” He mumbled as he saw his friends start to laugh. He gave her a quick peck gaining a giggle from her. She shook the leather jacket off of her and handed it back to him before quickly catching up to Poe who was with Finn Windu. “Wow Ren, I would’ve thought that was your mother not your lover.” Rizzo chirped with a string of Pink Ladies in tow. “Cut out, Riz.” Kylo rolled his eyes as he saw the four pink satin jackets make their way past him.

Kylo shrugged the jacket on, relaxing when he realized her scent was heavy on it. He leaned on the hood of his car and observed her as she talked with the others. It wasn’t a secret that Finn liked Rey, but as long as he stayed in his lane, Kylo promised Rey he wouldn’t do anything. “Hey, Windu!” Kenickie yelled. “Better watch those hands if you want to continue your glorious athletic career!” The rest of the Knights laughed as Kylo just observed Finn end the hug he gave Rey and watched as his eyes fall on Kylo. Finn’s face froze and then resumed to catch up with the rest of the Golden Apples. “How was your summer Ren?” Kenickie asked. “Oh, you know nothing special, just Sandy, the beach, same old story.” Kylo teased. The boys laughed like Jackals. “Oh, you sly fox Kylo Ren!” Sonny yelled. Kylo shrugged pulling out his comb and fixing his hair through the side mirrors. “Alright come on, I promise my lady that I’m going to try and go to class this year so let’s go.” Kylo began walking off. “Woah, not Kylo Ren going to class. Rey must really have you on a tight leash.” Doody cracked and Kylo looked back replying “I said try.” More laughter filled the air as Kenickie caught up to Kylo. “Hey, Kylo.” He put his hand on his shoulder leaning close. “I just wanted to let you know Juney’s coming to Hoth.” “JUNEY!” Kylo yelled only to be hushed by his friend. “Shh, don’t cause a scene.” “When did you find out?” “Only last night. But I’m telling you, you know ‘cause he just got out and thinks things will be the same, but I mean we changed. I mean look at you, you got Rey, you got school, things are good with your parents. I just don’t want him coming in here messing it up.” Kenickie gave him a caring look and Kylo couldn’t help but hug his best friend, or more like a brother. But before long, they parted and began fixing their gel do’s before entering the double doors of Hoth High.

The gang made their way down the empty squeaky hallways of Hoth High. Kylo led the pack and he felt like the King. “Woah, I wasn’t expectin’ a welcome home party, but you just gonna walk past me?” The boys spun around to see none other than the infamous Juney. “JUNEY!” Sonny, Doody, and Putzie yelled and welcomed him. Kenickie and Kylo threw each other a look before following suit. “Ay, Kenick’ how’s the chariot races?” Kenickie smiled, answering. “Ay, you know burning rubber left and right.” Juney’s light amber eyes landed on Kylo. “I can’t believe how big our Lil’ Ben got!” He exclaimed at his friend that was a good couple of inches taller than him. Kylo began to cringe and all the boys tensed. Kylo hated his real name, Ben, even though Rey preferred it. Only she (and his mother) was allowed to call him that. “You sure are lookin’ like the clock: big and tall.” The obnoxious boy doubled over in laughter. “The name’s Kylo now.” Juney’s faced twisted up. “You know I’ve heard you made a lot of changes when I was away, I didn’t think your name would be one of them. I like it.” He held out his tanned hand. Kylo shortly pondered over whether or not he wanted to befriend this whack. Nothing but trouble always came with Juney, but it was senior year, a little fun never killed nobody. Tightly gripping the hand, he exclaimed: “Let’s rule the school boys!”

It was first period and “coincidentally” they all had a free first period. They all talked about the summer and asked Juney how up north. “I’m telling you, it did wonders to these guns.” Juney walked backward kissing his arms when suddenly he jolted forward as if he hit something. They all looked to see a head of (y/h/c) soft shiny curls picking up her fallen items. “Oh, baby, need some help there?” Juney leaned against the wall putting on his best smolder. “Thank you very much for asking me, instead of just doing.” She growled. When the girl rose to her full height, all the guys were taken aback. The wave of the curls framed her soft face as piercing (y/e/c) sent daggers at Juney. He was left breathless as he couldn’t help but mistake your annoyed gaze as “love at first sight”. She rolled her eyes before continuing to make her way down the vacant hallways. The click of her heels echoed as the boys watch her quick switch and disappear. “I don’t know who that dolly is, but dibs!” Juney said breathlessly.

But Kylo knew. You were (F/N) (L/N), you attended Darth Cognus Prep. He remembered you, though your looks have changed. You were always pretty. You had those enchanting eyes that would hypnotize people to do anything you wanted. You finally grew into your eyes, which he thought was rather large for anyone. Your hair was always shiny, which his mother told him “It’s because she brushed her hair at least a hundred times Ben, not once like you.” But that was when you were children. Now you were a young woman, with a classy chassis. Kylo could tell no trace of makeup which only meant that you were naturally beautiful, which he never doubted because your mother is beautiful. And you just like your mother, just better. Like a goddess, but that was beside the point; what were you doing here? Your parents were big city folks, why would they trek you out here all the way to attend Hoth High? It made no sense.

P.S: I hope you like it! Hit me up anytime with questions, comments and concerns and I have to got to bed now <3 see ya <3