#reth fanfic

[bubble-leaves]

gosh id love to request more reth… whether it be headcanons or a oneshot.. anything youre comfy with! (er. maybe even spice for the scoundrels [me]) but you have soo much reth id feel so bad.. same anon that complimented before if you saw that. ill sign off as 🍲 :)

Gotcha covered with spice! Also, thank you for your supportive message, I really appreciate it ☹️🩷

NSFW (18+)

reth knows what's you're doing

Reth . . .

Is obviously a service top, and a switch that leans primarily dom. He is not afraid to use dirty jokes and playful innuendo, but will always get caught off-guard and flustered when you reciprocate with genuine desire (“Now you got me all riled up, how am I supposed to focus on the soup?”). Despite that, of course, he adores seeing you become shy whenever he touches or kisses you beforehand. Shaky, nervous hands, soft panting, and little cooes of bashfulness from his lover easily get him going. Being prone to please, Reth NEVER has sex without foreplay. Your pleasure is his top priority, and he wants to extend it as much as possible and get you in the perfect mood. Adding onto his servicing nature, Reth loves doing everything he can to make you tremble and whimper for him to keep going without using ‘himself,’ so to speak. Translation: expect a lot of head. Hearing you gasp, sigh, and moan out in bliss gives him life, not to mention how your fingers grab his hair when you’re close.

That’s the thing about Reth, though; he wants you to cum your brains out. He’s not afraid to let you know that, too. He can adapt to what you need every time; feeling exclusively desperate and horny? Dirty talk and slight degradation it is. Feeling passionate and lovey-dovey? Praise and worship it is. Feeling sheepish or nervous? Encouragement it is. Or a combo, it all depends. Reth’s an expert at reading the room and what you want.

Despite being a major flirt and giving off fuckboy vibes, Reth actually takes sex very seriously. He’s not all about just “fucking.” He wants to show you how much he cares about you, trusts you, and loves you without words. Plus, sex with you is the most validating thing he’s ever experienced. Reth’s heart just races whenever you express how much you want him and love him. It’s hard to believe. But each time, with every touch, kiss—hell, even every deep scratch on his back—you make him believe he’s worth loving. Being pleasured by you, as well, drives him crazy with how loved and desired he feels. When you take control, Reth surrenders everything. He trusts you more than anyone. You have full reign over his body. He’s a blushing mess, but alas, he’s your mess. He loves being trapped under you, watching you ride your gorgeous body on his. And yes, Reth tries to hide his moans at first. The first few times, he’s afraid the noises he makes will be embarrassing or turn you off. After a few more times, though, he’ll learn to be more vocal, especially when he’s desperate. He can’t help but be loud whenever you’re on your knees for him, as well. Giving oral is the most honoring thing you can do for Reth. He’ll try to balance the worship out by running his hands through your hair and telling you how beautiful you are, and how good you’re doing. It just feels strange being serviced without offering something else in return; doing things for others has been a major point of his entire life. But with you literally on your knees, happy to oblige in giving him mind-numbing pleasure, that point is completely discarded. You’re the only person that can do that for him.

Reth tells himself how lucky he is every time he wakes up to you after a night of passion or lust. He doesn’t know why you chose him to be yours. No clue. However, he’d never pass up the opportunity to love you, to thank you for accepting him and loving him as he is.

[yoongikapi]

THE COUNCIL HAS SPOKEN HERE YOU ARE

(also based on a quest i finished a while back)

something sweet || reth || oneshot

fluff

masterlist

you basically sprinted out the door of the furniture shop as tish yells out one last thank you; smiling to yourself as you rushed to the tavern.

it had been about a week since you and reth confessed, and decided to give a possible relationship a try. it was hard, with reth constantly working and you keeping yourself busy with your own quests, you barely had any time to see him. you both knew it’d be hard, but neither one of you could shake your feelings for each other enough to not try. still, you saw him as often as you could.

as you enter the dimly lit tavern, you find reth in his usual spot behind the counter, wiping it clean as his eyes meet yours and he smiles.

“hey you!”

you blush, “hey, i brought you something!”

he rests his arms on the counter and leans in close as you take a seat, reaching into your bag you pull out a new recipe you finally mastered.

his smile grows, “macarons? i thought you didn’t like baking?”

“yea but i’m pretty good at making macarons now, and im learning a new soup recipe too!”

he chuckles, he loves seeing you try new things and take interest in his interests, it really makes him feel like you care about him.

“hey soup is my thing, you stick to baking.” he says and takes the pink pastry.

[heartdrop]

i’m currently writing a reth fanfic and i was wondering where it would be best to post it? like here in parts as long posts, wattpad or maybe on archive of our own? or all three tbh why not 💀🙏

also here’s a wip pic from when i was drawing my recent art :3

[reigningcheesesun]

⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚ RETH x READER

wc: 2983 tags: fem!reader, she/her reader pronouns, reth from palia, canon events (i guess could be spoilery?), finding your shepp, self indulgent writing, not proofread or beta read :D

masterlist

“Find a shepp,” you muttered to yourself with a sigh. It was hard enough trying to navigate this newfound world, let alone trying to find a shepp per Eshe’s request. Since spawning into this place they called Kilima Village, you had been thrown into task after task. How would you ever find the time to build relationships with the villagers if you were always busy? You decided that today you would take a break from being the errand girl for everyone and instead would meet everyone you could find in hopes that you would find someone who would be willing to be your shepp. Up until now, you had only briefly spoken to most of the town, but no one knew you well enough to be your shepp just yet.

As you came into town, you assumed that Ashura would probably have wise words of advice on the fact of the matter. Hurrying along, you walked into the inn to find Ashura at his desk. 

“Hey, Ashura!” you said cheerily as you approached him. The large, gentle giant softly smiled. “Welcome in, y/n! Good to see you today. How are things going for ya?” he asked.

“Honestly? Well, I need some advice. You know this place, and the people, better than anyone, so I was going to see if you have any tips for me on picking a shepp?” 

“A shepp? So that’s what Eshe has you doing, I see. Well, many of the townsfolk would be more than happy to be a shepp- but,” he gave you a look, “asking them to be your own comes with a lot of responsibility on their part. You don’t want just anyone to be your shepp, and it should be someone you feel close to or have a connection with.”

“Responsibility? Eshe didn’t really explain much of all this to me. I thought they just told Eshe ‘Yep, she’s one of us!’ and that was it.”

Ashura chuckled. “In a way, yes, that is what they do. But their job as your shepp doesn’t stop there. They’re responsible for you, so anything you do- whether that’s good or bad- reflects upon them, too. Likewise, anything they do can also affect your own standing in Eshe’s eyes, if you get what I mean.”

“Oh… so we are kinda tied to each other’s social standing?” The wheels in your head began to turn. Who would you choose as your shepp then? It seemed the task wasn’t going to be as easy as you once thought it’d be.

“Yes, at least in the beginning it will be. But once you’re on your feet, most of us will forget who you picked as your shepp and there won’t be a little red string tying you guys together anymore. But don’t just rush into it, you’ve got all the time you need to pick someone who best fits you and your lifestyle. I know you aren’t Majiri like us, but maybe figuring out what path you like can help you narrow down your candidates.”

“Path. That’s right! A lot of you guys have your own path, so maybe I should find one I could call my own as well. Thanks, Ashura! I knew you’d be a big help for sure.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s what I’m here for, of course. Kilima Village has a pretty good variety of those in different paths, there is a path for everyone- from farming, furniture making, to cooking-  you’ll figure it out.” Ashura placed a hand on your shoulder and gave a soft smile before walking past you to go about his day.

There is a path for everyone. Surely someone in this town had a path you could find yourself in, you just had to figure out who it was. As you stood there, racking your brain through the makeshift list of names in your head, you heard the rumbling coming from your stomach. You had been so immersed in your search for finding a shepp today that you forgot to make yourself something to eat. You looked around the inn, seeing the bar open for business.

“What’cha got on the menu today, Reth?” you asked as you put your hands on the counter. The elf playfully contemplated his response, acting as if he was thinking long and hard about it. “Well, I would say my famous lettuce soup, but I’d be willing to whip up something different if you wanted,” he said with a smirk.

“As much as I love your lettuce soup, I don’t think I can have that for breakfast. How about some bacon-stuffed mushrooms? What do I have to do to get some of those on your menu?” you laughed. Reth was someone who was fun to talk to, in your opinion. You knew that the rest of the town had their own opinions about him, but none of it mattered to you. You enjoyed how go with the flow he was and how he always seemed to take each day one at a time.

“You know what, for you, I can make those. Just don’t tell people I make stuff off the menu.” He winked and turned around to start prepping the food. As you watched him chop the ingredients and assemble your meal, you wondered what his thoughts were on paths and choosing a shepp. “Reth, what do you think I should do about finding a shepp? Ashura said I should find someone who’s on a path that I can find myself in, but I don’t even know where to start.”

Reth scoffed to himself. “You sure you want to ask me about paths and shepps? I don’t think I’m really the best one to give you any advice on that, y/n. But if you wanna know how I feel, I think that these paths people take just because their parents do is a little outdated of an idea. I think what Ashura means is finding a path that you like, that you enjoy doing. You lucked out being human, even if you changed your mind, no one is really gon’ say much about it.” His tone changed towards the end of his sentence.

“Yeah, so I’ve heard. The Majiri don’t seem too understanding if you change paths… but I’m sure you know it all too well, but I’m glad you’re doing something you like.”

“Me too, this stuff is way more fun than getting splinters all day and hammering away on furniture,” he said as he put the plate of bacon-stuffed mushrooms in front of you. The food looked immaculate, you could tell it was made by someone who truly loved what they were doing.

Hey, Reth,” you said quietly as you started to cut the food into pieces. Reth turned around and wiped his hands on his apron. “Yeah? What’s up? It’s not good? Don’t tell me that, just lie to me,” he snickered.

“No, no. It’s not the food, this is good, great even,” you said as you finished a bite. “Do you think, maybe, you would be my shepp?”

Reth looked astounded by the question. “What?! ME ?! Y/N, I wouldn’t even know what to do with myself as a shepp. Maybe if I knew you better, but even then, you sure you want me to be that person? I don’t really have the best reputation in the village.”

You pushed the food around on the plate, almost feeling stupid for even thinking he’d agree to something so serious. It wasn’t like Reth to be tied to anything, let alone a new person in the village who was asking a lot of him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. You’re probably right,” you said quietly.

Reth leaned on the counter and met your eye level. “Look, if it comes down to it and you still don’t have someone, then I’ll do it. But there’s gotta be someone way better out there for your decision than this guy. But I will do it if no one else will-”

“Really?!” you exclaimed, cutting him off. Reth put up his index finger. “Yeah, but on one condition,” he chuckled. “You just have to promise to keep coming into the inn and having breakfast, lunch, and dinner here for a while before I really agree to it. I gotta know the person I’m shepping for before saying yes for real, don’t I?”

You rolled your eyes playfully. “You know what, Reth. I think I can do that, but only if you promise me you won’t make me lettuce soup every time I come in.” Reth laughed heartily at your response and nodded his head in approval. “Fine, you got a deal.” He made his way to the other side of the counter to take someone else’s order and began prepping their food for them. 

It was hard not to watch in awe as he prepared the orders he had coming in. He was meticulous with his cuts and attentive to all timers in the kitchen, basically ready to take stuff out before the timers could even go off. It was like watching an artist paint a masterpiece as he plated the food and garnished it before passing it across the counter. As you continued to watch, you admired how much fun it looked like he had cooking. Finally, you finished your food.

“Reth,” you called to him as you placed your coins on the counter. “For the food.” You got off the seat and waved goodbye. “See ya later, Y/N! I’ll be here all day,” he laughed as he waved back. You left the inn in a better state than you came in, at least you knew that if all else failed with the rest of the town, Reth had promised to be your shepp.

ɞ────⋆˚₊⋆ ๑

The coming weeks didn’t bring any result in picking a shepp. Everyone was either too busy to commit to it or didn’t feel right with your relationship being so new with them. You walked into the inn and sat at the bar, laying your head in your arms and letting out a long sigh.

“Hey, hey, hey. This is a ‘no-sad-human-zone’, you can’t do that here,” Reth said as he leaned on the counter in front of you, resting his head in his palm. “Ughhh,” you groaned dramatically. “Wow, that bad, huh? I bet I know what will fix it.” He snapped his finger and walked into the back of the bar where the pantry and other cooking supplies were at. A few moments later, you could feel him put down a plate of food on the counter beside you. “This one’s on the house,” he said as you raised your head up to look at what he brought out. It was a fresh bowl of ramen, complete with boiled eggs and green onions on top. Reth leaned over and whispered to you. “Just don’t tell anyone I let you have it for free, okay?” He winked and grabbed a cleaning rag to start wiping off the counter.

You appreciated the sentiment, especially coming from Reth since you two were starting to grow a little closer after all the visits you had promised to make to the inn. “Reth, what do you do outside of this place?” Reth paused for a moment, a little confused by the question. “You mean like once I leave work? Uh… I do…. stuff, I guess.” His tone implied he wasn’t really trying to answer the question, but you couldn’t pinpoint why.

“Well, are you going somewhere when you’re done today?” you asked, not really sure where you were going with the series of questions.

“I have a few things I have to do later tonight, but nothing right after we close up here. Why? You tryin' to ask me to hangout?” He chuckled and kept wiping the counter. 

“Actually, yeah. Do you want to?” You were still unsure yourself what was even going on, but the conversation just seemed to flow naturally. You did want to know more about Reth after all this time, and he did say he needed to know you more before officially agreeing to be your shepp. Short conversations over a meal while he worked weren’t really the best way for you two to get to know each other.

“Oh, uh,” Reth said, scratching the back of his head and smiling. “I didn’t expect you to actually say that was the plan. But ya know what, I think we can do that. Why don’t you come back later at say, 6pm? I’ll be finishing up here and we can go somewhere then. How’s that sound?”

“Sure, that sounds good. Thanks, Reth.” You started to eat your food as you noticed Reth checking the clock on the wall. “I’ll be right back, I have to.. Get a few things from the storeroom.” Reth scurried off out of the bar and rushed down the stairs to the basement area. After a few minutes, you felt a large hand on your shoulder. You turned to see Ashura standing beside you, he looked like he needed something.

“Have you seen Reth? I got a few things I need to talk to that boy about, but he’s always in and out doing things,” he said.

“He just had to go to the storeroom for something, but when he gets back I can let him know that you need him?” You gave a shrug as you suggested.

“Yeah, that’ll work. Thanks, Y/N. I have to head out to the garden, but he should know where to find me.” He gave a sincere smile and left the inn. You looked up at the clock. Reth had been gone for at least 10 minutes. What on earth does he have to even get down there? And what about his job? Luckily, the bar wasn’t full of people waiting on him, but what if it was? He would be in high water with Ashura come the end of the day, and you definitely didn’t want to see if that sweet man was capable of bringing down the hammer.

You glanced around the bar; it didn’t look like anyone was coming to get food anytime soon so you decided to go downstairs to see if Reth needed help with whatever it was he was getting. You got up from the bar and made your way down the steps of the inn. It was your first time down there, but the store room was just across the room past the little boat docks under the inn. As you grabbed the door handle, you felt it turn and pull open as Reth left the storeroom. “Oh! Uh.. Y/N, what are you doing down here?” he asked nervously.

“Well, you were gone for so long, I thought maybe you needed some help or something. And plus, Ashura said he was looking for you.” Reth let out a groan. “Yeah, I forgot I have some errands I have to run tonight for him. He’s probably just reminding me.” He let out a soft sigh under his breath. “We may have to reschedule our little hangout tonight, if that’s alright.”

“Yeah, that’s fine…,” you said. The two of you sat awkwardly in silence for a moment before you broke it. “Maybe I can help you with some of the errands so you get done early?” Reth’s face lit up at the offer. “Hey! That just might work.” He snapped his fingers. “How about you do a few of the deliveries and pick up some things, and I’ll take care of the rest? I promise the deliveries aren’t that bad, just a handful of things to take and pick up.”

His bright smile made you smile as well. “Sure, you just tell me where to go.” Reth pulled out his order pad and wrote down the people to deliver to and who to pick up ingredients from. “There, that should be it. Eshe’s stuff’s all done, just upstairs in the back fridge. You’d be a real lifesaver doing this for me.”

You took the list and walked back upstairs with Reth. He led you into the back kitchen area and got the delivery package out of the fridge and handed it to you. “Careful with it, it’s a luxury to deliver this special dinner of mine to Eshe. Gotta deliver it safely or it’s both our hides that’ll be skinned,” he chuckled. “And just let the others know you’re picking up for me, they should have the stuff ready for you. Thanks again.” He bashfully smiled, something you hadn’t really seen before, but it was endearing. “No problem, I’ll be back before long,” you said before you left the inn.

Eshe’s delivery was your first priority, so you made your way across the bridge down from the stables and found her waiting, impatiently to no surprise. “Hey, Eshe! Have something for you,” you said as you pulled the package out and offered it to her. You watched Eshe look at the package and then back up at you before taking it. “So Reth has you doing his job for him? Hmph, seems fitting. This better be what I’ve been waiting for, not like that awful lettuce soup he pushes every time you order at the inn.”

“He doesn’t have me doing them, I offered to just help him out. I’m sure the food he made is well up to par; he really puts in a lot of work into his food, ya know,” you said assuredly. Eshe scoffed at your reply and tucked the package under her arm. “For his sake, I hope it is. If not, he will surely hear about it.” She walked off towards her house and left you standing there alone.

“These people really feel some type of way about him, don’t they?” you mumbled to yourself. 

2024 ©️ reigningcheesesun. please do not copy, translate, and/or distribute my work. divider.

[puddle1212]

I want so desperately to go work on chapter 3 of the Reth fic on my laptop but my bf is napping right next to me right now and he can never know I am capable of such fluffy and embarrassing fan fiction writing like I will take this work to the grave from anyone who knows me irl

[palia-obsessions]

Cookie!! So good! I loved reading this as a start to my day!

singularity 6 let him take a nap

[rethydarling]

[spoopydeboop]

Made a sheet for my Palia OC!

Based loosely off of my Palia character — this is the OC I’ve developed lore for and am writing a fic for in the universe as well. :]

More info below the cut!

Meet Nico! (He/Him)

Nico is one of the humans that ended up in Palia when everything went down. He is a water type personality and his Starstone is onyx. He’s quiet and lost in thought often. He tries to keep himself busy and often goes on gathering excursions for whatever the townsfolk may need. Ashura sees that the guy is struggling and takes him under his wing, leading to Nico eventually choosing Ashura to be his Shepp.

Nico is fast friends with Tish and also the Pavels. Najuma and takes to him quickly and he does his best to be there for her like a big brother. Something about their bond is strangely… familiar.

Nico struggles to find where he fits in this strange new world, but he focuses maily on foraging and gathering. He loves collecting stones and cool rocks. He feels that the more busy he stays, the less time he has to think about everything.

He wears loose-fitting and comfy clothes for hiking and climbing!

Nico is always seen with his tattered backpack on. It was a gift from Tish and Jel when he moved in. Tish embroidered the tiny bee and Nico’s name at the top.

The goggles are something he commissions from Zeki after he’s been in Killima for a couple months. They’re flow-powered and allow him to see in the dark and zoom in like binoculars!

Nico is oddly apprehensive about flow at first, and his lore reveals it’s for good reason! Eventually be begins wearing a wooden ring necklace made with flow-infused wood.

And, well, he always has cool rocks. Who doesn’t?

Before you ask him, no — he doesn’t remember how he got his scar from before. None of the humans he knows of have clear memory from before Kilima. Maybe, by some divine intervention, Nico’s will begin to return?

I’m having SO much fun with this fic and OC! I’ll link chapters as I go if anyone’s interested. :)

[tryingtobecoollikeyou]

So I'm working on a Palia fanfic because damn has this game latched its hooks into me. And I came across these sketches and just...

Yeah...it was too perfect.

And then I found this one:

Yeah...

BTW, I wasn't the one who cropped the siggy out of the bottom one. I found it like that so if someone knows where to find the full pic, I'll update. Gotta credit the artist.

But yeah, I've only got a few unconnected scenes written but once I get the thing started I'll post the AO3 link. <3

[peblezq]

Palia RP Discord Server (18+)

I am shocked there is no RP server on discord for Palia, so I made one. If you're interested, reply to this post (:

LGBTQ+ Friendly

18+ (NSFW Allowed in specific channels)

Utilizes Community features on Discord (Fresh take on how the RP is run.)

Hybrid (RP in server and in game!)

For people interested in the RP aspect of Palia and wants to just have a good time

[farmer-ankheg]

I woke up this morning to find an incredibly angsty Reth fic I had written on my phone at 3am. I did not expect HaHa Silly Soup man to gut punch my feelings so much.

500 words of Reth's daily routine:

Every Day - Ankheg - Palia (Video Game) [Archive of Our Own]

[bubble-leaves]

Your Cooking Expertise - Reth x Reader

When you first moved to Kilima, Reth was so ready to show off his skills and impress you, the new human on the block. And, bless his heart, he thought he was so cool. I mean, you seemed to enjoy his world famous soups! He felt on top of the world being able to impress someone that knew nothing about him.

. . . until he learned that you were highly experienced with cooking.

Reth's eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he first saw you bring him a gift of pan-seared scallops. He was so pissed; it tasted delicious. And it got even worse, as you started a habit of bringing him morsels of dishes you were working on perfecting. Eventually, Reth became so intrigued and so jealous that he finally asked if you could teach him some of the basics of your fancy cooking. Which leads us to the present.

Reth stands in the inn kitchen. The inn is closed and empty, apart from Ashura packing up his things for the night. Reth leans against one of the counters, biting his nails as he awaits your arrival. His mind is sifting through all the terrible ways he could embarrass himself in front of you. Asking for your help was embarrassing enough, but what if he spills something and ruins the dish you two were going to make tonight? What if he accidentally cuts himself when chopping produce? Oh Dragon, what if he suddenly sneezes in front of the food?

His face is a shade of deep pink as he pictures several ways he could ruin how you think of him. Just as he's nearly consumed with doubt, your footsteps approach the kitchen entryway. Reth's heart leaps as he takes one look to his left and sees you in the arched entrance. You have a hand on your hip, simultaneously carrying a rattan basket, and a smile on your face.

"Nervous?" You ask.

Reth flashes his handsome award-winning smile and waves his hand dismissively. "Nah! Why would - what gave you that impression?"

"The nail biting. Now you have to go wash your hands," You chuckled, "Wah wah."

Reth paused, then flushed in embarrassment. Yep, first screw up complete.

"Oh, great. I'm on a roll with this fancy cooking biz," Reth sarcastically says, before looking up at you to add, "If you wanna hire me as your head chef at your culinary empire now, you can have all my details."

You laugh as he turns to the sink to wash his hands. He smiles genuinely as he listens to the sound. Your laugh makes him feel so much better, in an instant, like audible morphine.

Reth notices you placing items on the prep counter, each one being taken out from your basket. He finishes drying his hands to investigate. He comes close to see what the ingredients all are. With this distance, you could smell a delightful musk of spices and woodsiness eminating from him. It makes your heart skip a beat, yet you remain calm and act like all is natural.

"Huh. What — HOLY DRAGON," Reth shouts as you suddenly retrieve an expensive sernuk tenderloin from the basket.

You look up at him with raised brows, surprised by his volume. His mouth hangs open as he stares at the sernuk, trying to comprehend how he's possibly allowed to be near such a luxurious cut of meat.

"Wait-waaaait a minute, sweet tooth, that is way out of territory for me," Reth declares.

"You'll do fine," You assure with a gentle laugh.

You place the cut of meat upon a cutting board then reach for the knife rack, simply moving forward. Meanwhile, after a brief pause to comprehend what you said, sparkles fill Reth's eyes. Hearing someone as experienced as you say he'll succeed makes his heart pound. He looks at your face, studying its expression with awe. Damn. You're amazing. Oh, he's so screwed.

"You know, you have a lot of guts to trust me with something like this," Reth chuckles.

"Reth, stop that, I'd trust you with anything," You say with a smile, chastisingly swatting his arm. "Now, c'mon, this is an easy stuffed tenderloin. Slice it open for me."

"Oh, this is the end," Reth dramatically says, taking the knife you carefully hand him.

You ignore his doubts this time and lock into the recipe. You instruct, "Make a three-quarter slice down the middle."

"Bold of you to assume I know fractions," Reth quips before doing as you say.

While he makes a precise cut, you go over to the gas range stove and set the oven to preheat at a precise temperature. You then turn back to Reth, who already has a feeling about the next step.

"Guessing this part includes the salt and pepper you brought," Reth says, "You think I didn't have salt and pep, sweet tooth? I swear I'm not that incompetent!"

You laugh and shove his arm a little. "I bring every ingredient needed just because I can! Plus, you don't have to waste product, right?"

Reth makes an agreeable face and shrugs, simultaneously seasoning the sernuk. "Didn't think about that. Now I appreciate it."

"Don't mention it," You say, multi-tasking just as he was.

You got out a chopping board from a nearby cabinet and moved a medium-sized cube of cheese onto it. Reth raises a brow.

"What kind of cheese is that?" He asks.

"Manchego," You reply, retrieving a knife.

He cocks his head. "Never heard of it. Is it some kind of fancy rich people cheese?"

"Ehhh," You shrug. "Not really. It's just uncommon in every day cooking."

You slice thin sheets of the cheese and lay them flat along the cut of the meat. Again, Reth has the correct intuition of what comes next.

"And this is where the sage comes in, huh?" He asks.

"You got it. See, this isn't hard at all for you, right?" You say, looking over to him with an encouraging smile.

Reth feels his face get a little warm as he looks back at you. He can't believe how well you treat him despite what he's known for around here.

He lags a bit, then smiles back and says, "I just have a good teacher."

You softly chuckle, and for a moment he swore he saw you shift your lips to the side to hide any flustering. He doesn't bring it up, though, and simply retrieves the sage with a suddenly smug smile. Subtle flirting just does that to him.

"Oh, and don't use both sprigs, just use one," You quickly advise.

Reth replies with a quick "gotcha" before scattering the leaves of a sage spring along the sernuk. You're pleased with the even coating, and Reth sees it in your eyes, which shows clear satisfaction. He feels so in control, suddenly, like he actually knows what he's doing.

"Perfect," You praise, sending his heart in a whirl. "Now, could you get me the string in there?"

Quickly recovering from hearing that first word, Reth raises a brow and gets a spool of string out of your basket.

"Okay, officially confused. Is this the part where we sew 'live, laugh, love'?" Reth asks with an amused hum.

A loud cackle escapes your mouth, the sound making Reth's grin double. He motions his hands outward in a manner that signifies asking a question.

You giggle, "No, goofball, we roll up the tenderloin and tie it inch by inch so it won't unroll in the oven."

"Ohhh, gotcha, that was my second guess," Reth muses. "Also, 'goofball'? Is that my new nickname, sweet tooth?"

Once again, you lightly shove his shoulder, your cheeks feeling hot. "Now it is."

Reth smirks, as he knows you're starting to get bashful, just a little bit. He hasn't seen that from you before, you're usually incredibly confident and he's usually the one who seemed flustered by you. He likes the turned tables. Alas, you don't let him bask in the moment for too long. You readjust your posture and put back on a regular façade. Reth refrains from pouting; he listens for your next instructions.

You clear your throat and say, "Okay. Get the roasting tray. Sprinkle — "

"The other sage sprig and this thyme here?" Reth finishes with an uprising tone.

"Yes," You smile, then motion to the tenderloin. "I'll tie this up."

Reth does as you say. You both go into a spell of silence to do your tasks, but since Reth's takes less time, he's left to watch you complete yours. He watches as you tie the tenderloin in evenly spaced intervals. Then, of course, he gets bored and feels the need to chitchat again.

"Hm. I never asked, what are we gonna do with the 'loin when it's completely finished? Do we take it home for friends and family or do we have a little date?" Reth asks.

He sees you do that lip thing again; it must be a habit when you're feeling shy. How cute!

"Uh . . . well, I didn't really think that far, for some reason," You say with a subtly embarrassed chuckle.

"Can I give a suggestion?" Reth asks further, leaning upon the counter with his arms crossed to look at you.

Your face feels hot as he stares at you. He doesn't get an answer to his question, as you had just finished tying the protein.

"Could you get me the olive oil?" You request, pretending that you didn't hear his insinuating question.

Reth narrowed his eyes humorously and nodded his head. “Oh, I see. We’re just gonna have to find out, then.”

He hands you the olive oil, watching you simmer in your own fluster with a smirk. You drizzle some of the oil on the meat, looking at it like you’re asking it to help you out of this sudden shift of atmosphere. Reth glances away from you to look at the remaining ingredient, which is the last sprig of sage. Looking for one last chance to help out, he reaches out for the herb. However, at the last second, you also reached for it. Your hands accidentally make one brisk touch, before simultaneously pulling away.

It’s quiet. Reth looks at you with concern and a hint of curiosity. He worries about how forward he may have been, even if it was accidental. You look like you’re swallowing your words, he can see.

“I’m sorry,” You simply say.

Reth smiles. “It’s fine, no worries. It’s just sage, right?”

You sigh. “Uh, yeah. If you can sprinkle that on, that’d be great . . . oh, what is wrong with me?”

“Huh?” He asks as he cocks a brow.

Reth suddenly notices your face is flushed with color, making both his brows raise in surprise. Your hand rests over your heart wearily as you breathe.

“Aha . . . hold on, let’s just get this in the oven first,” You say.

“(Y/n), you better not peki out about telling me what’s goin’ on,” Reth replies, stepping over to the oven but keeping his eyes on you.

You shook your head. “I’m not, please; I’m just wanting to cook this tenderloin. Open the door.”

He hums a sassy, unconvinced “mmm-hm” and opens the oven door. A wave of heat billows out and he chokes and leans away. You laugh and make it quick as you slide the trayed tenderloin into the oven. You push it to the center before retracting your hands. Reth closes the door immediately after. He’s onto you immediately, too. As you set the timer, his interrogation starts.

“Kay, now, what did I do?” He asks.

“Oh, you didn’t do anything,” You chuckle with a tinge of anxiety. “It was just me.”

His eyes narrow suspiciously, although still playfully spirited. Feeling pressured, you give up more information to satisfy those eyes.

“My heart is just beating very fast,” You say with another laugh, this one sounding breathless and shallow.

That makes Reth’s own heart skip a beat. He’s doing all this to you? Huh. He may be more capable than he thought when it comes to flustering you.

He tilts his head. “My bad, my bad. Do I do that to you often?”

You blink and ponder on that. Your heart palpitations are lesser when you and him are in a room with other people, but you realize that this has only ever happened when you were alone with him.

After brief hesitation, you admit, “Only when no one else is around but me and you.”

Reth stares with complete shock while you bite your cheek in thought. It took him a second for him to process that you basically just confessed your feelings, but now that it’s hit him, he has even more questions.

“...me? Why?” He asks in a voice quieter than usual.

“Why?!” You repeat with passion, making him slightly jump.

You both are completely flushed in the face, hearts beating quick. He has so much he wants to blurt out with passion too, but he waits for you to go first.

“Reth, every time you get close to me or subtly flirt or compliment me or do anything when we’re alone, I get so bashful, I have to find a way to leave immediately,” You confess completely. “But seeing as I can’t leave mid-cook session, I’m . . . agh. I’m just . . .”

Reth’s lips are awkwardly pursed and his eyes are big. He didn’t exactly expect tonight to turn into a confession. He rarely ever saw you this vulnerable, maybe only once or twice. Right now, he can see how conflicted you feel, and hear your soft, deep breaths. He rescues you from the silence.

“Well. Um. I . . . honestly did not expect you to actually share any sort of feeling for me,” Reth suddenly confesses also.

Your eyes, once gazing to the floor, shoot up at him. “Wha — what?”

A soft laugh escapes his lips. “(Y/n), why do you think I act the way I do around you? You’re awesome; you’re so talented and so funny and so sweet and so tolerable of me, for some reason. Like, how could I not . . . y’know . . .”

Reth averts his eyes for a second then looks back with admiration. He sees your face swiftly display relief, which makes him relax too. You both stare at each other for a second, maybe a little too longingly too soon, but you didn't care. You feel the weight and tension graciously lift off your shoulders, as does Reth. The atmosphere feels light and airy, as if anything could happen, as if anything is possible right now.

“Why didn’t you just tell me, though? That I was making you feel like that?” Reth asks.

You lift a hand up before letting it fall back to your leg, as if to say ‘I don’t know.’

“I don’t really know what your stance on relationships is or whatever. Plus, we’re good friends, I wouldn’t wanna ruin it,” You frown.

Reth scoffs as if you said something completely nonsensical. “You really think that I’d just give you the boot? I mean, jeez, sweet tooth, I know I’m a career criminal, but I’m not heartless.”

You chuckle, “True.”

“Plus, I know for a fact that I’m not heartless because I feel the same tussle going on in my heart that you do,” He adds.

“Ah . . . you mean that?” You ask.

Reth’s eyes close halfway and he smirks. “I wouldn’t lie to you. Unless it was funny.”

You roll your eyes but smile widely. Your spirit feels so alive. Being so open with Reth about your feelings with him feels surreal, like a dream, especially due to his reciprocation. He was into you, too.

“Um . . . I’m still up to wine and dine over our fancy-schmancy sernuk,” Reth offers. “If you’d like that too, of course, you don’t have to — ”

You cut him off before he talked himself into a rabbit hole of doubt. “I’d love to.”

Reth processes your interruption, then smiles. “Ugh, you’re so amazing. Should we set up a table in the inn, then? I got fancy cutlery just for this special occasion!”

You laugh and nod your head. “Sure. I’ll keep you in check so nothing gets broken.”

“Ruuude,” Reth playfully drawls. “You’re probably right, though.”

-

The night ends with you and Reth chatting and laughing at a pristinely decorated table. There’s a luxurious tablecloth, folded napkins, shiny cutlery, and even an atmospheric candle between you two. Reth really goes all out to make this night seem like a high-class restaurant experience for you. You both have a cut of the cooked sernuk tenderloin on your porcelain plates. Although it wasn’t soup, Reth is obsessed with his meal. He is secretly proud of himself for how this night went. Reth managed to cook an excellent protein with you, somehow get a confession out of you that he reciprocated, and now he’s sitting across from you, watching you smile and laugh and enjoy the fruits of your labor. He could get used to seeing you so happy like this, but privately. Reth likes being alone with you, he realizes. You show him a side of you that you don’t show anyone else, and for some reason, it feels so right. He wants you to be that comfortable around him that you just let go and be yourself, he wants to be that safe space for you. Reth doesn’t know what the future holds, though. All he can do in this present moment is just laugh, crack jokes, and keep making your heart race for him.

[yoongikapi]

𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓱ᡣ𐭩

┌──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────────┐

❥ something sweet

> baking him a nice little treat

└──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────────┘

[heartdrop]

i like you more than soup 🍜

[c00kiesandcream]

[puddle1212]

Ok y'all I did it! Realized once I got it in AO3 that it's kinda short but I'm working on the next chapter RIGHT NOW so please be gentle I promise we'll get to Reth romance soon this is my first fic ahhhhh

Ok so apparently while shitposting Palia stuff I inspired somebody to start an Einar fic a few days ago and I subscribed once they posted the first chapters and oh man they’ve been pumping out so many more it’s inspiring ME

Never wrote a fic before though, would it be so crazy to write one with a bit of creative liberties on the lore? Because ideas have been going WILD in my head for the past few days since I finally leveled up Reth enough to start romancing him and I wanna write it down but I’m so intimidated and what if no one likes it