#this was inspired by a royalty au drawing I did a couple years ago

[wigglebox]

Suptober [Extended] - Day 18 || Royalty 👑

[sweetheartjeongguk]

second chances | prologue

pairing: yoongi x reader

genre: royalty au, angst, romance, future smut

rating: pg

warning(s): none at the moment 

word count: 1.8k+

summary: blessings come in all shapes and sizes. in your case, it comes in the form of a man napping in the flower bed outside your cottage.

a/n: sorry for the long wait! i’ve been busy with school and work, and i lost some inspiration during that time. enjoy this new series! 

masterlist

Blessings come in all shapes and sizes.

In your case, it comes in the form of a man napping in the flower bed outside your cottage. At first, you think that your vision was taking a turn for the worst. There’s no way that anyone from the village would travel ten miles to come sleep in a pile of daisies and wildflowers outside your house.  If anything, it’s just a one way ticket to blotchy rashes and a horrible case of the sniffles.

You decide - as any sane person would do - that you should poke the body with the branch you had found on your journey from the marketplace that you decided to use as a walking stick. One poke, two pokes - nothing. You gulp when the body continued to lie motionless on the muddy earth.

For a moment, you fear the worst.

What if someone comes across this scene and accuses you of murdering an innocent man who just wanted to lay and admire the scenery around you? You can’t even prove that you didn’t do it - after all, the man’s probably dead! You can’t afford to leave your sister and her husband penniless while you rot away in the local prison with not a gold coin to your name.

‘He doesn’t look that heavy. Maybe I can bury him in the back and if anyone asks about the random dirt pile, pretend that I was starting my garden a season too late?’

“Alright, I’m up. Can you stop poking me now?”

You choke on a scream when the body grunts at you. So, he isn’t dead after all! More than half of the man’s face is covered by his jacket he flung across to shield from the afternoon sun, but you’re able to catch a small glimpse of his eyes - bloodshot, crusted over with sleep, and unimpressed.

“Sorry! Sorry…” You pull your arm back, tossing the stick behind you and nervously sticking out your hand. Hopefully he won’t be able to notice the sweat building up on your palm. “Let me help you up.”

“I’m fine.” He groans, completely ignoring your kind gesture as he pushes himself off the ground with slight difficulty.

You watch as he takes a small tumble to the right before straightening up and brushing off the excess dirt and grass from his clothes. You try not to snicker at the streaks of dirt and clumps of grass still entangled in his black mop of a hairstyle.

“Sorry for disturbing you, but I’ll be on my way now.” He speaks through gritted teeth, ignoring the throbbing pain in his lower back and legs from his long journey from the far-side of the kingdom. “Don’t go poking strangers with a stick next time, alright?”

Your mouth twitch up into a nervous smile. With nothing more to say, he fastens his belt tighter and turns on his heel towards the gravelly road behind your cottage. It’s not hard to notice the little limp in his step and the darkening bruise that peeked from beneath his coat. Your little hands unconsciously grips on the small sack of coins you earned that morning, squeezing anxiously as his figure draws further and further away from you.

You should leave him be. You should let him keep walking into the woods, never looking back and never giving you one last word in the conversation. You should ignore the sick feeling in your stomach that something was wrong.

That you were letting go of something precious.

“Wait!”

He turns.

You shouldn’t have looked in his eyes.

“What’s your name?”

“I don’t know we’re going to keep up with all these expenses. The king’s already raised the tax by a few silvers, and we’ve only scraped by a couple coins this week alone.”

You can’t help the sigh that escapes your lips, expelling your frustration in hot puffs of air. You try your hardest to ignore the barren jar that sits in front of you and the man in front of you. Covered in a thin layer of dust and cobwebs, it’s practically laughing and spewing insults in your face.

You have no money! No money! No money!

“I can pick up another delivery job from Sue down the road. She’s always looking for some help into town.” You weakly supply, fingers twitching to take ahold of the glass in front of you. The look of your companion’s face keeps you at bay.

“She’s already getting help from that boy two miles down. Yeontan or something like that.”

“Yeonjun.” You swat at his shoulder. “Then what about the Kims at the marketplace? Their son’s been gone for at least a year now, they might need some help with their store.”

“No,” Your friend sighs impatiently. “Namjoon’s back already from his military service. Came back last week. Something about coming back home and marrying that boy he was friends with as a kid. Jin, I think.”

Your form immediately crumbles. Sure, you’re happy that someone as sweet and kind as Kim Namjoon could return home and get married to the love of his life. You can’t help but feel an inkling of bitterness creep into your veins. You feel a tap on your palm, urging you to look up from the splintery kitchen table and into the tired but understanding eyes of your best friend.

“We’ll take care of this like we’ve always have.” His fingers interlock with yours, sending you a small burst of relief with a single touch. “I’ll ask for more work down at the quarry. They’re always needing extra hands around there.”

“Taehyung, I-I can’t ask you to do that. You’ve already helped out with last month’s payments.” You shake your head fervently, fighting through a wavering tone. “I-I can’t keep making my problems your problems too.”

“Last time I checked, you’re my best friend. If you’re going through hell, I’m right behind you every step of the way.” Taehyung squeezes your palm again. “You’ll never be a burden to me.”

Thick globs of tears well up in the corner of your eyes, completely contrasted by the wide smile you send him. Immediately noticing the glistening sheen, Taehyung starts furiously shaking his head and wagging his finger from side to side.

“Nope, nuh-uh. You know how I feel about crying - if you cry, I cry. Then, everything will just get awkward.” You choke on your laughter, eyes still watery and burning from tears.

Taehyung’s joking grimace softens into a slant. “We’ll get through this, we always do. You’ll be fine.”

You’ll be fine.

Taehyung frowns when there’s an uncomfortable twitch in your smile. “Did I say something wrong?”

You shake your head.

“Did I remind you of him again?”

You scoff, rubbing at the stray tears that accidentally drip down your cheeks. “No, of course not. That’s old news already.”

“Are you sure?” Taehyung asks again, his voice even softer and cautious.

You hate being treated by a delicate flower whose petals are barely holding onto the stem. You’ve dealt with it your entire life. When your parents died. When your sister and her husband left for the neighboring village two years ago. When he left.

Bristling slightly, you nod.

“Of course, don’t worry about me. I’m a big girl.”

He knows you’re lying. After all, you’ve been friends with Taehyung since you were children and living the life with your happy family in the once warm and loving cottage. Now, it’s only filled with dust and forgotten memories in the form of ripped sepia-stained photographs and rusted necklace chains. Your home’s no longer a home, and you know that it’s been your fault. You could have held onto a little harder, listened a little more, worried a little less.

Maybe he would have stayed a little longer.

“My mother’s expecting me home in a bit, but I could stay a little longer if you’d like?” Taehyung asks, lips puffing up into a cute pout. “Maybe I can play with Haneul when he wakes up.”

You burst into a giggle. “Go home, Taehyung! You’ve done enough for the night!”

Leading him to the front of the house, you help Taehyung into his coat, sneaking a gold coin into the pocket without him noticing. You know that the gold coin could have been used for another repair on your house or even on a couple groceries from the marketplace, but if anyone else deserves that gold coin, it’s Taehyung.

“See you tomorrow! Tell the little squirt Uncle Taetae will see him later.” Taehyung blows you a teasing hand kiss as he rights himself in the driver’s position of the carriage and grabs ahold of the reins of the horse. “I’m looking forward for that little project he’s got going on.”

“You and me both.” You snort, leaning against the frame of your front door. “Have a safe trip, Tae.”

Waving with one hand, he snaps the reins into action and heads off in the direction of his house - behind your house and down the gravelly path into the trees.

You don’t call after him. Instead, you turn on your heel and disappear behind the broken door of your cottage, swaddled in complete silence and an uncomfortable draft let in through the faulty window by the kitchen sink. You should put the money jar back on its spot next to the front door on a rickety side table that’s about ready to collapse at any minute.

Yawning tiredly, you head into your bedroom, the thought of sleep and warm blankets seducing you back into the comforts of your bed. When you push open the creaky door, the corner of your mouth curls into a half-smile at the tiny bump in the sheets completely covered under the massive wool blanket. Tiptoeing carefully across the wooden floorboards to the right side of the bed, you peel back the blanket, holding back a coo at the sight.

Rosy cheeks slightly damp from the heat of the room and dotted with barely-there freckles. Curled up on his side with his thumb threatening to pop back into his drooling mouth. Dark hair an absolute mess, sealed across his forehead by the film of sweat on his face.

You chuckle at the storybook tucked underneath his pillow - it’s a wonder he sleeps soundly with the thick pages pressing against the back of his neck. You’ve endured too many hours of role playing what feels like a million different characters, ranging from an ancient, scraggly dragon with a smoking problem and an innocent princess who falls in love with the knight who rescues her to a wise, middle-aged king with a mighty beard and an old witch who lives in a swamp. You’ve suffered through crocodile tears when you happily announce the end of the story, but your little stubborn prince demands more story time - but this time, everyone’s a dragon.

In accordance to “royal decree”, you were forced to carry him across the house for an entire afternoon as you pretend to soar through the air and fly across the entire kingdom in search of “the powerful and mighty King Haneul”.  

You may regret many things in your life, but you’ve never regretted your little boy.

Not for one second.

[willag42]

Yuri!!! On Ice Fanfic Recs with Reviews  ["A” Authors]

Note: Doing some major reformating of the YOI fanfic rec pages. The pages that include my reviews are now having the posts separated alphabetically by author (see below). I am also creating separate page(s) that allow filtering the fanfics by category. It's a work in progress, but I'm having fun with it.

This page includes my YOI fanfic recs (with reviews) for authors whose names begin with "A".

Note: For any authors whom I don't know the gender, I refer to them with they/them. If any authors wish to correct me, please do so.

AUTHORS REC PAGES: #0-9 -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- X -- Y -- Z

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Refer to this masterlist for all of my YOI fanfic recs.

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ADreamingSongbird (@adreamingsongbird)

If you’re in the mood for some adorable, wholesome ship fics (friendship or romantic), then look no further than ADreamingSongbird’s fics. The character interactions are sure to leave you with a few extra cavities. I am particularly attached to the close friendship she paints between Yuuri and Phichit. But don’t be fooled, because she is equally crafty at twisting your heart into an agonizing, unrecognizable mess.

#bffs4lyfe

Rating: Gen Words: 10.6k Status: Complete Relationship: Platonic Phichit+Yuuri; (side) Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Tags: BFFs; Detroit pre-canon; post-canon Yuuri/Victor wedding ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: Detroit holds a special place in Phichit Chulanont's heart, mostly because that's where he met the boy who would become his lifelong best friend. Wait, no, scratch that - Detroit doesn't hold a special place in Phichit's heart. Yuuri Katsuki does. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: Did I mention how much I love how she writes the friendship between Yuuri and Phichit? Because I really do.

The Rules for Lovers

Rating: Mature Words: 323.3k Status: Complete Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Tags: Fantasy AU; Historical fantasy; Magic; War; Survivor's guilt; PTSD; Falling in love ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: Prince Yuuri Katsuki has a duty to his country, above all else (his desires, his dreams, and his happiness included), and he knows this alliance will help to ensure the safety of his people. That’s the only reason he accepts Prince Nikiforov’s hand in marriage. The pleasant surprise, of course, is the part where they fall in love along the way. The unpleasant one, well... That’s a long story. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: This is perhaps my favorite urban fantasy YOI fanfic, using modern technology but mixing in magic and monarchies. There's a lot of political intrigue, attempted assassinations, and murderous plots, which leads to a lot of dark, heavy angst, but the core of the story is LOVE. Warm, heartbreaking, self-sacrificing, but always present. And before all the angst started kicking in double-time, the sappy fluff was at tooth-rotting levels. Yuuri and Viktor are super soft in this story, building a fluffy, innocent relationship. The maturity rating is earned by the dark themes and twisted, manipulative plots by the antagonists rather than anything by the main protagonists. The series also contains a collection of side stories, mosaic, if you're wanting more from this universe. One of the best royalty AUs in the fandom.

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Adrianna99 (@iwritebetterthanispeak)

Prodigy

Rating: Teen Words: 122.1k Status: Complete Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Tags: Alternate universe; Alternate profession; Music; Violist Yuuri; Violinist Viktor; Fluff; Angst; Minor injuries ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: Viktor Nikiforov is the most talented young violinist in the world, so he's understandably devastated when an injury prevents him from playing professionally for at least a year. But when his mentor suggests he take on a student to keep from getting rusty, Viktor finds new inspiration in a place he never thought he would: a violist. Viktor Nikiforov wasn't at all what Yuuri expected, and when he accepts the older man's offer to help him win the most prestigious musical competition in the world, Yuuri gets a lot more than he bargained for. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: Another fanfic that adapts the series into an alternate profession but makes several unique changes and improves upon the ending of the original series (if you've read any of my other reviews, you can probably guess exactly how it improves upon the original series' ending). That's obviously not the only reason to love this fanfic. The characters are a softer than their original counterparts, including Yuri, who I really sympathized with in the beginning when Viktor decides to take over as Yuuri's mentor. The fic places emphasis on pathos and developing the relationships between the characters. One wonderful aspect is how much presence Phichit has, since he and Yuuri continue living in an apartment together with Viktor in a separate apartment. As such, we get to see a growing friendship between Viktor and Phichit. The romance between Yuuri and Viktor blooms sooner in the story as well. Adrianna99 has written additional short side stories for this series that are also worth a look: Prodigy: Mirror Image, which approaches chapter 2 from Viktor's POV; and Prodigy: Phone Home, which is an extra from chapter 3 where Yuuri contacts his family. If you want to read a story that takes cues from the original anime, but goes its own path, definitely check this story out!

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AlexWSpark (@alexwspark)

Alex has an interesting, softer (but not too soft) interpretation of the characters that I really appreciate. The original anime is a comedy, so it amplifies certain character quirks “4 teh lulz,” but Alex takes care to not over-exaggerate, which can make some characters more likeable (*cough*Yurio*cough*). But don’t worry, Victor and Yuuri are still big pining messes. Alex also takes great care to develop healthy bonds between the characters in their stories, which is always A+++!

The Katsuki/Nikiforov Collector's Edition + DLC (Series, 4 works)

On Online and Offline Love Rating: Mature -- Words: 32.8k -- Status: Complete -- Summary: Gaming/Streaming AU: In which Yuuri and Victor are gamers, head over heels for each other, and hoping to one day come face-to-face. Of course, when two whipped, adorable fluff-balls are involved, shenanigans ensue...

On Bedhead, Bullets, and Bargains Rating: Mature -- Words: 18.2k -- Status: WIP -- Summary: Yuuri (GamerLevelEros) and Victor (GAria_VNikiforov): Gamers, streamers, friends, lovers. Families will unite, love will be spread and, of course, games will be played. But, as their relationship progresses, Yuuri will discover that their time apart carries much more weight that he could've ever imagined.

Our Aim is True Rating: Mature -- Words: 6.2k -- Status: Complete -- Summary: Yuuri (GamerLevelEros) and Victor (GAria_VNikiforov) are THE streaming power couple and as they approach their one-year anniversary, Yuuri decides that it's time to add another life-changing plot twist to his collection.

Katsuki/Nikiforov DLC - A Collection of Tumblr Drabbles Rating: Mature -- Words: 13.3k -- Status: WIP -- Summary: Tumblr drabbles based on HCs/prompts from both myself and followers. ❤❤❤❤❤  Words: 70.4k Status: Work In Progress Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Tags: Gaming/Streaming AU; Video games; Mutual pining; Fluff; Dorks in love ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: An amazing gaming AU series with a wonderful light-hearted story where Yuuri and Victor are Ye Ol’ Gaming Gods on Twitch who fanboy one another and live, breathe, and think in game metaphors. Like, seriously, I am deeply impressed with all the corny yet fantastic gaming analogies. It’s like living in a gaming otaku’s head. Gaming fans will understand more of the references, but this is a wonderful series of fics that can be loved and enjoyed by all. If you are seriously a fan of Victor and Yuuri being pining dorks, then you should definitely check this one out!

Unexpected

Rating: Explicit Words: 65.5k Status: Complete Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Tags: Canon divergence; Victor knows that Yuuri does not remember the banquet ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: Banquet AU: In which one impulsive midnight decision leads Victor Nikiforov to Yuuri Katsuki and, of course, everything changes, a.k.a Drunk!Yuuri has no chill, a.k.a Victor experiences #allthefeels. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: One of the better canon divergence fics I’ve read. This only takes place up through the first regional competition, but it’s able to keep the characters and situation fresh by changing the order of event and have the characters be more mature and likeable. Yuuri’s anxiety still causes trouble, but he is more open to Victor’s presence and they form a friendly bond quicker; Victor is aware that Yuuri doesn’t remember the banquet and reacts with care; and Yurio is way less of an asshole. I love this spin on the story.

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Anonymous

Across the Universe

Rating: Teen Words: 30.7k Status: Complete Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Tags: Multiverse AU; Dimension travel; Soulmates AU ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: In an alternative universe, Yuuri has just won the GPF at Sochi — and he’s miserable. He lost everything that mattered to him several years ago when a tsunami hit Hasetsu, and after throwing himself into his skating, he’s achieved gold, but the win is hollow without others there to share it. Things change when he’s transported to another universe, where GPF champion Victor Nikiforov is about to drown himself in the Black Sea. According to legend, only those with a deep connection can draw someone from across the universe. But Yuuri and Victor have never met before in their respective worlds; perhaps someone out there knew how much they needed each other. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: I love both the premise and the execution of this fic. In Yuuri's universe, Victor and all of his family and friends from Hasetsu are dead. He's achieved a gold medal in Sochi but his life feels hollow. In Victor's universe, Yuuri was the one who died in the tsunami (though everyone else survive), and Victor is feeling hopeless. In their moment of need, Yuuri is transported across dimensions to Victor's universe, a common occurrence within that universe such that systems are already in place to help such people adapt and create a new life there if they wish or to be sent back. Victor's universe is fascinating in that it's more technologically advanced at that point, despite the year being the same, but competitive skating is trailing with quads still not being a thing. I like the take on how both Yuuri and Victor agree that this is actually a good thing since quads damage skaters' bodies and wear the joints down even more quickly. Yuuri puts on his performances that won him the GPF a few times, but decides to stick to the universe's rules so that he can focus on the performance more. There are a lot of struggles with adapting to the new world, but overall, it ends up healing everyone. As soulmates, Victor and Yuuri eventually find life and love with one another and soothe each other's broken souls.

[holidaysat221b]

Part One of the List of Sherlolly Prompts as of 2/6/2017

And we are back!  Thank you for your patience over the last several weeks.  The planned for Prompt List hiatus during the 12 Days of Sherlolly stretched through February as this mod moved to a new state.  As a matter of fact, I’m still surrounded by a mountain of boxes and only just got my desk put together two nights ago.

But no one cares about that, so here is the first Sherlolly Prompt List of the year!

As of 12/5/2017 the Prompt List has been split into two parts due to size.

Here is a link to the very informal Sherlolly Prompt Fest FAQ

Below is the list of prompts submitted to @holidaysat221b.  Where possible, we have tagged the submitter so that credit can be given if a prompt inspires someone to write a fic or create a piece of art.

Some submissions were specifically labeled as Art prompts, and they have been separated into their own category.  However, if you are a fic writer and one of the art prompts calls to you, go for it.  Likewise, if one of the other prompts makes you want to draw, have fun with it!  Prompts that have been filled at least once will be followed with an *, in case that influences your decision to work with one.

We only ask three things:

1) If you use one of the prompts on this list, please remember to credit the prompt and prompter somewhere in your fic summary/art description or in your notes.  It’s the polite thing to do.

2)  Please submit an ask or message @holidaysat221b with a link to your work, the prompt you used, the prompter, and how you want to be identified (in cases where your Tumblr and fic/artist name are different).  This will allow us to share your work with our followers and tag the prompter (if possible).

3)  We have set up a Sherlolly Prompt Fest Collection on Ao3.  If you are planning to post your fic or art on Ao3 and would like to add it to the collection, please do.  As of this moment, the collection is open and unmoderated.  Please remember to credit the prompt and prompter in your fic/art notes.

On to the Prompts as of February 6, 2017

Art

Art prompt:  (I’ve wanted this like burning for five years, I’ll never give up asking)  Sherlock and Molly, the cake scene from Sixteen Candles".   Only in the morgue and Molly’s wearing the lab coat.  -   @sunken-standard *

Art prompt:   Potter!lock.  Don’t care if it’s student Sherlock and Molly in their house robes, teachers, wizarding professionals, a recreation of the Order of the Phoenix group photo with Sherlock characters instead. Whatever.  Just as long as it’s Potter!lock.  -  @darnedchild

Art prompt:  Molly and Sherlock’s first real date gets interrupted by a case.  Are they dressed up for a fancy evening, or wearing something more suited to fish and chips and a walk around the park?  -  Anonymous

AU/Works that do not/will not fit in with the series current on-screen canon

Sherlock: A TV series featuring a hot guy with awesome deductive skills, his best friend the doctor, the exasperated detective inspector, the sweet landlady, and the pathologist. And no, the pathologist isn’t in love with the hot guy.  -  The Silent Fangirl

A post TRF fic, where Sherlock takes Molly with him, but they return to London a couple years later than in canon because Molly got pregnant along the way (or even twice), so now they are three/four of them instead of two? -  @mychakk

“We had chips. She liked me.” – Sherlock in TLD. What could have been had he and Molly gotten chips in TEH: A kick to Tom’s butt. Happy greeting (a hug at least!) at the end of TEH. Quite a lot of sex with Sherlock instead of Tom. Molly the best man’s date. A (sophisticated. Or not) Molly/Janine cat fight for Janine hitting on SH moments. Dancing, so much Sherlolly dancing (and no leaving early). Probably no Shezza (Shezzer?)—which, hmm, is a shame (But maybe they’ve their own not-being-on-a-sex-holiday-but-sexing-a-lot time). A real proposal to Molly. Molly at family Christmas, maybe even a Christmas wedding. Solving CAM without the threat of exile sharpens Sherlock’s deductive abilities. No Norbury as Molly’s already expecting their first offspring, so Sherlock doesn’t taunt needlessly. Mary as the Sherlolly baby godmother as she’s alive! Culverton Smith is taken down by the duo of Mary and Molly while the latter gives birth there (because the ladies are awesome, plus Mrs H tackles him down). John is so impressed he doesn’t look at any other women. Molly’s big heart brings Eurus from her metaphoric plane the moment she steps into 221B, plus baby Holmes wins her heart too. The Holmes family reconciliation and Eurus is in therapy instead of being a multi-killer. Baker Street Boys Team continues while Baker Street Girls Team gives them a run for their money. Mycroft asks Lady Smallwood out himself to her astonishment and internal squealing. Mummy Holmes gets more grandkids than she could’ve imagined. And basically, everyone walks happily into the sunset. The End. Please note, some things can obviously be modified.  -  @mychakk *

AU: Molly runs away from home when her parents try to arrange a marriage for her. She wants to pursue a life that involves science and marry for love if she ever gets married at all. She meets Sherlock, who is being pressured by his family to marry a nice girl they found for him who loves science as much as he does. It will be interesting when they figure it out.  -  @shadowyqueenbeard

AU. Instead of dying, Mary actually does hide from Sherlock and John effectively and they don’t find her. Still wracked by guilt and worried he’ll never see her again, John still imagines her in his mind and Sherlock still goes after Culverton Smith … possibly both to save John and because maybe Smith knows something about where Mary went? To solve the mystery and bring Mary home, Sherlock and Molly team up.  -  @rooneykmara

Uni!lock Sally wakes Molly at 2 am because her junkie boyfriend of dorm 221b is streaking across campus calling her name, so she better stop denying that she’s his girlfriend.  -  @escaily

To cover her butt during New Year's Eurus lies and tells mummy that Sherlock has a wife, and Mycroft borrows her 'Sherlock's wife' excuse whenever he wants to avoid sticky topics during holidays. The lie gets bigger the more Sherlock avoids family meetings. Until December when Sherlock finds out he's married to a forensic (E), sex addicted(E), petite (E), intelligent (M), very forgiving (M) paragon of virtue (M). Now he needs to find a stranger that fits the description before Christmas.  -  @escaily

Rock Royalty AU.  That AU in which Mary drags Molly into an edgy rock concert of her favorite band “Baker Street Boys” even though everybody and their mother knows that indie acoustics and hippie music is Molly’s thing.  Enter Sherlock Holmes lead band member, (the type of Rock Star that sings ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ while high as a kite) famous for his electric violin solos, addict past and cold attitude.  He tries deducing the girl less likely to throw herself at him out of all the fans and finding that one concert goer who doesn’t get turned on by his music. Turns out that Molly the ‘I-said-I’m-not-a-groupie’ pathologist in training is actually an interesting girl when she’s not covering her ears, even if Sherlock needs to educate her on the finger points of violin appreciation.  Basically a fic where the Rockstar wants to turn this hater into a fan but actually ends up falling for her instead.  - @escaily

The Do Over/ Time Travel Sherlolly fic that I NEED.  Let’s pretend that a destroyed Molly went to sleep the night of the infamous phone call wishing she could do it all over again, and overnight she wakes up back in Season 1 first ep.  If you could get a do over, erase all the bad things that have ever happened with the person you’ve always loved, even if it meant never having the good, would you do it?  Especially if said person just broke your trust over the phone.  The moment with the riding crop, all the late nights at the morgue, chose to avoid that awful Christmas party (showed up with a boring date), change shifts the day ‘Jim from IT’ asked her out and not offer her help when Sherlock needed to fake his death.  Of course, fate still keeps throwing her together with Sherlock no matter what she tries.  “You’re not MY Sherlock, you wouldn’t understand,” she whispered at last.  “And what did your version of me have that I don’t?” “Many things, I know you think you can’t be a better person, but my Sherlock was.”  Or something around those lines where slightly-younger Sherlock feels jealous of TFP Sherlock, because in any version of history Sherlock will always end up falling in love with Molly and she’s already so attuned to his quirks that he resents the ‘other him’ for having so much time with her.  -  @escaily

Crossovers/Works set in or inspired by another specific fictional universe (ie Potter!lock)

I’d really like to see a Daemon (from the His Dark Materials books by Philip Pullman) version of Series 3/TAB/Series 4 (any or all of those), especially when it comes to the ILY scene.  -  Kay

iZombie!Sherlock – Think of this, if Sherlock gets infected we have: 1) Sherlock with white hair 2) Sherlock getting brains from Molly “for experiments” 3) Sherlock getting different attitudes (hippie brain = hippie!Sherlock) 4) Paler than normal pale Sherlock 5) Sherlock with red bloodshot eyes.   Also:  If Molly Hooper gets infected, it’s like she’s the Liv Moore of Barts.  Lestrade as Clive (and relieved to be not only depending on Sherlock to solve crimes).  Sherlock deduces Molly’s hair color and tan (because Molly can’t show up to work with white hair, even whiter skin color, and very slow pulse rate).  Major asshole Boss being the one shipping tainted Utopium to Britain.  -  The Silent Fangirl

Superwholock!Sherlolly  -  The Silent Fangirl

Doctor Who!Sherlock - Molly Hooper as a companion  -  The Silent Fangirl

Me Before You!Sherlock  -  The Silent Fangirl

Molly Hooper as “Mary Reilly”.  -  @darnedchild

Dracula!lock, but maybe mix it up just a little.  Sherlock as the object of Dracula’s affections (Mina) and/or Molly as the vampire expert (Van Helsing)?  - @darnedchild

Sherlock and Lady Molly of Scotland Yard.  Molly Hooper as Lady Molly from “Lady Molly of Scotland Yard” with her crime solving partner Mary (Morstan).  (Note from Mod -  “Lady Molly of Scotland Yard” used to be available via BBC Radio 4 Extra on demand, you may still be able to find it online somewhere.)  -  @lullikiish

A Hades and Persephone AU with Molly as female Hades (the unrequited love at first, the proximity with death) and Sherlock as a male Persephone (the curiosity, the lack of eating).  Irene would be a great Poseidon (the chaos provided by the ocean, the sailor knots).  As for John, he would be a great Hermes!  -  Kay

Gimme “The Full Monty”, baby. Surely someone can find a reason to have Sherlock, John, and Greg get their kits off? Or Molly, Mary, and Sally? Mrs H could give professional pointers and tips to whomever you’re planning to get starkers.  -  Anonymous

A Sherlolly version of “It’s A Wonderful Life”. Sherlock gets to see what his loved ones’ lives would be like if he never existed, realizing the positive impact he had on them when he was alive.  -  @simplyshelbs16xoxo *

Something similar to “The Ransom of Red Chief”, only in this version the kidnappers have figured out that Molly Hooper is a pressure point for Sherlock Holmes. They take her captive, intending to blackmail Sherlock or hold Molly for ransom; but Molly Hooper is having none of that nonsense. While Sherlock works to save her, Molly finds ways to torment, injure, and outwit her captors. Whether she escapes on her own, finds a way to let Sherlock and John know where she’s at, or ends up driving her kidnappers crazy to the point that they give up and send her back is up to the author. Could go humorous or dark very easily.  -  Anonymous

Clique/Sherlock Crossover - After the events of TFP, Molly Hooper (who is actually Jude McDermid) decides to go back to Edinburgh, broken-hearted & bound to continue the “family business” after years of running away from it. Gone is her long hair & colorful jumpers: she completely changed her look & have every information about Molly Hooper destroyed. Years passed, she forms the Solasta Women’s Initiative, much to her brother’s delight, until a horrific event brings Sherlock Holmes back into her world again. It’s more of a Sherlolly/Judelock mash-up where Sherlock wants to know why she left, who she really is, & how he’s still madly in love with her. Molly/Jude is more like she’s finally embracing the life she thought she never wanted, until she realizes that she can never forget the love she has for Sherlock. Can she be Jude & love him as well? Can Sherlock accept her true reality, or does he only love her as Molly & not Jude. Throw in a nice mystery/thriller plot too! Oh yeah Mycroft, who knew Molly is Jude from the beginning but decided to let Sherlock figure it out on his own, is determined to stop this union at all cost. Pls include all the girls & guys in Clique, especially Holly since she’s a badass off to take down Jude and her “girls” no matter what! It’s a crazy plot but if you’ve seen the 1st 2 episodes of Clique, it screams for a Sherlolly crossover fic! Thanks for reading this uber-long fic prompt!  -  @violetjersey

A reversed Potter!lolly with Sherlock being the Muggle-born, while Molly’s the pureblood witch (the likes of Luna Lovegood). Sherlolly, of course.  -  @mychakk

Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” – because I always think of the movies when I see Mizjoely’s U.N. Owen tag.  -  @darnedchild

We know Molly can keep other people’s secrets. Maybe Molly has a few secrets of her own, i.e. her very secret collection of FWBs. Because honestly, you think she would just sit alone in her home every night, year after year, quietly pining for a romantic relationship with Sherlock? And what a surprise when Sherlock and their friends find out…maybe at Sherlock and Molly’s wedding? Crossover possibilities depend on FWBs selected…Q (James Bond), Loki (Avengers), Doctor Strange, etc.  -  @rubyred7531

Crack!fic based on an episode “Friends”.  Sherlock marries Janine.  (Maybe for a case, or because Molly is still engaged to Tom.)  Unfortunately, he says Molly’s name during his wedding vows . . .  - @shadowyqueenbeard

Period pieces/TAB

Victorian “Hooper”lock—Molly in disguise as “Hooper” the man, and they work together on a case and sparks fly. They flirt and all, and Sherlock can’t figure out right away that she’s a woman, and I think it might not even bother him that much.  -  @lullikiish

TABverse – After the whole bride thing Molly Hooper asks Sherlock to help her create a new Alias for herself, something ‘detective proof’.  The thing is that Sherlock doesn’t approve of the nurse Alias, or shopkeeper, or the governess one, or the maid costume (brothel girl disguise almost kills him).  For Sherlock her new persona will just have to be the wife of someone with status, someone like him.  -  @escaily

Song fic/Inspired by lyrics

Song Fic:  Adele’s “Water Under the Bridge”  -  @darnedchild  *

Song Fic:  … I would love something based on “Samson” by Regina Spektor please.  -  @chelle812

Song Fic:  Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally”  -  @darnedchild

Song Fic:  Texas’ “I’ll See It Through”  -  @darnedchild *

Song Fic:  … I’ve got a quote from a song.  “You only know you love her when you let her go.”  (Note from Mod - The song appears to be Passenger’s “Let Her Go”)  -  @flowerstar5  *

Song Fic: Angst.  Based on the ABBA song “Knowing Me, Knowing You”.   Sherlock and Molly have tried to have a serious relationship, but it just didn’t work out.  -  @shadowyqueenbeard

OT3/Sherlock, Molly, and ?

A case involving wine and stolen spatulas leads to Mycroft Holmes being attracted to Molly Hooper.  Too bad Molly’s had enough of the Holmeses, and Sherlock mooning over her really isn’t helping.  (Molly Hooper/Mycroft Holmes/Sherlock Holmes)  -  The Silent Fangirl

Molly wants to meet The Woman.  Irene and Sherlock are still friends, and Molly is curious.  Much to everyone’s surprise, Molly and Irene hit it off fairly quickly.  (Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper/Irene Adler)  -   Anonymous

When Sherlock is injured and stuck in a cast up to his thigh, Mary and Molly find out JUST how grumpy he can get.   They end up putting him by a window with binoculars, his pain medication, snacks, juice and his mobile.  What happens next?  (Molly Hooper/Sherlock Holmes/Mary (Morstan)Watson)  -  @penaltywaltz

[ive-always-been-a-pirate]

The Other Prince + A CS Modern Royal AU [Chapter 1]

Modern Royalty AU: HRH Prince Killian has grown up in the shadow of the crown while enduring tragedy and the burdens of being the spare to the heir. With a desire to escape his past, he agrees to play host to the visiting general's daughter in exchange for an eventual life outside royal bounds. Moving on is never that easy though and he quickly learns that being the 'other' prince is even more difficult when you find yourself falling for the girl everyone wants your brother to marry.

Also on FF.net and AO3.

Word Count: 4,386

Alright, here we are! I'm so excited to be FINALLY writing this story and I wanted to have a few chapters written in advance so I wouldn’t have to wait ages to update (I’ll be shooting for weekly updates, god willing). Keep in mind that this is a modern royal AU that's got a Prince Harry type version of Killian (who I'm kind of in love with already) and there’s going to be a lot of feels/angst ahead. There will be some M-rated stuff eventually, but it’s a long ways off so I’ll post a warning before those chapters. Thank you all for being patient and lovely :) enjoy! XOXO

"You've truly outdone yourself this time, little brother," Liam grumbled, a soft curse under his breath before throwing a sideways glare. "Above and bloody beyond."

A roll of his tired eyes before lowering his sunglasses was the only response Killian could muster at an early hour like this on a Saturday. Aside from the harsh sunlight battling the tinted windows of the black SUV, the hazy state of his brain had certainly left him in no mood for a lecture or an honor inspired chat - especially one that was clearly about to be riddled with rather specific vocabulary and those well known accusations he truly couldn't care less about.

Well, at least that's how he was planning on stubbornly playing this.

"Been fighting cameras and reporters all morning," Liam continued, silencing his cellphone as the vehicle rounded the corner of a palace surface road. "It's an absolute royal mess, Killian."

There it was - irony intended or not. It was that single word he'd been smacked with a thousand times over.

Royal. Royal, royal, royal.

The term had labeled him - well, them - for as far back as his recollection stretched, but even after a few decades of being wrapped up in that title, Killian still found himself a little uncertain on how such a word was defined. It wasn't easy to fend off his amusement at his brother's unnoticed pun, but Killian leaned back against the leather seat and considered the approaching speech he'd heard so many times over the course of his privileged life. Talk about a king complex, he thought as he watched Liam type out some sort of message with very obvious irritation.

He'd decided some time ago that perhaps the word itself was subjective and flexible - more a way to categorize what he was rather than who he had to be. Lord knows between bar fights, a few questionable dalliances, and a slight scandal or two, he'd spent his fair share of time being much less than regal. It had been explained to him once or twice in his youth and a few more disciplinary times since then, but he always went back to what his mother had once told him.

Everyone looks to us to be the example - the family who will set the path for others. You and your brother will be heroes to the people one day, Killian.

Killian exhaled hard at the memory, the thought calling forth old demons he never and still did not want to confront. He had decided long ago that heroics were another one of those things he didn't have plans to explore. The one term he did have a very good understanding of in all of this was 'brother' - especially since his own had slammed the car door behind him the instant the ignition shut off and was currently storming angrily into one of the concealed doors at the palace's back entrance.

Oh, bloody hell. This was definitely not going to be as fun as the previous night was.

It was only once he started plodding up the cobblestone steps in pursuit of his irate older sibling that Killian realized he wasn't exactly sure how entertaining his evening truly had been. It had started easy enough - ducking out of the palace around eight when the watchful eye of his brother was finally occupied with a lofty stack of foreign documents and catching a cab to the corner pub under the cover of a red baseball cap with a well worn leather jacket. He'd met up with a few longtime comrades - his struggling author friend August and a libatious rugby teammate named Will Scarlet - but between the several raucous games of pool, the numerous shots of rum, and some drunken argument with god knows who ending in broken glass, the night had fallen into a bit of a blur.

It was one he was still trying to sort out when a slightly disguised Liam arrived to pick him up from the private holding station and one he'd still yet to fully remember as he stumbled into the grand palace hallway, doing his damndest to follow close on his brother's heels.

Well, at least that much hadn't changed.

"This is truly unbelievable," Liam grumbled, swinging the door open and not bothering to watch as Killian caught it just in time. "I can't believe you would be so….I just….dammit, Killian - I didn't even know you went out last night!"

Of course he hadn't noticed. Liam had been predictably consumed in tasks he'd one day be obligated to the moment dinner was cleared from the dining hall - studying every ordinance existing in England, scheduling a few upcoming event appearances, and conferencing with a few higher ups from the naval base near Portsmouth. It was all part of that fated job description that came with a prestigious reign and Killian had given up on involving himself it that sort of work long ago. It wasn't about him though - the job or the prestige. It would always be Liam - he, thankfully, wouldn't ever be that forcefully committed to their bloodline.

"Oh please, Liam," Killian scoffed, flopping down onto the couch in the room that was once his father's study. "It was one rough night - just a little mishap. It's not like I burned down Buckingham."

"Killian, you were nearly arrested," Liam argued, crossing his arms in annoyance after throwing his dark jacket onto the ornate armchair at his side. "Drunk and disorderly conduct isn't exactly something I can spin to our advantage. You're damn lucky there aren't any formal charges being filed. I thought we were past this, brother. You promised me you wouldn't let this happen after the last time and now-"

Killian cringed as Liam appeared to draw a rather impulsive conclusion about the tavern scuffle that led to their current argument. He didn't bother telling him just how wrong he was - how this time was nothing like the dozen of other times he'd had a few years earlier. He'd spent many nights in his early adulthood naivety, testing the bounds of his alcohol tolerance as well as the flexibility of the law. He'd learned quickly that his anger tended to spiral when he drank, often leading to bar fights much like the one he'd recently participated in. The difference was that those tended to be trivial - an argument over an Arsenal loss or bickering over a billiards game that escalated for no reason other than a loss of sobriety. Killian knew the night before wasn't like that. Sure, he'd been relatively tipsy, but he hadn't been belligerent.

He'd been defensive. He'd been standing up for his country. Though he'd done so in a more physical fashion than was preferred, he'd still been the supporter of the crown that Liam was constantly prodding him to be, but none of that was applicable by the time his exasperated brother walked into the station. It didn't matter - so Killian didn't say anything in refute. Instead, he did what he usually did in such circumstances.

He put on his best sarcastically arrogant act and pretended he didn't care. He'd gotten extraordinarily good at that over the years they'd been doing this.

"Ah, ah - I said I'd try," Killian cut in with an unnecessarily nonchalant smirk, fighting back with blatant cynicism. "Don't put words in my mouth, your highness."

"Oh, don't start with that," Liam said through gritted teeth, perhaps aware of the game they'd started playing. "You are just as royal as I am, Killian."

He wasn't wrong. They'd been groomed as inheritors of the throne since they were young boys bounding through the halls of the palace with plastic swords, trying like mad to avoid the wrath of whatever groundskeepers were manning the courtyard on any given day. They'd been the perfect picture of brotherhood, a couple of adventurous kids who'd eventually grow up to wear their titles with honor and every ounce of good form a representative of their esteemed family should possess.

Yes, they were royalty and this glorified place was home whether he liked it or not. They were meant to rule and even if he was his father's second son, Killian knew that his expected place was next to his older brother - the right hand man of the future king and the spare to the always adored heir.

It hadn't taken long for a devastating tragedy, those few misguided mistakes in his twenties, and years of running from the aftermath to change how willing he was to conform to that. He let his aching head lean back against the cushions of the lavish couch while he longed for some aspirin and silently thanked some higher power that the memories at hand were far behind - at least in terms of time anyway. He sighed lightly as a sense of exhaustion overcame him, throwing his arm up over his eyes to block out the unwanted daylight now covering the royal grounds - the homestead of a different sort of superiority. Killian resigned quickly that the brief flash of humanity and gratitude he did have lingering in his bones wasn't toward any regality or his older brother who was currently in line to acquire a more esteemed title.

No, the day he'd show his utmost appreciation for the crown was the day he'd be released from its presence - and if the always incessant paparazzi he'd seen outside the gates that morning was any indication, a day resembling the one he was pining for was sure as hell not on any foreseeable royal agenda.

"You can't keep acting this way, Killian," Liam finally said, rubbing his eyes in frustration. "Not with the reporters so interested in the happenings around here and what with the memorial gala coming up-"

"Bloody hell, brother," he groaned with a quick glare. "You do know that scolding me like a schoolboy doesn't fall within your jurisdiction just yet, right?"

"You're right," Liam snapped. "Maybe I should leave the reprimanding to the queen-"

"Actually, Granny - as you so lovingly did not put it - won't be returning from Canada for another three days," Killian reminded him. "We both know without my willful assistance in navigating the Internet, she's probably not going to catch wind of any of this until she's back and it'll be old news by then. No harm, no foul."

"I'd hardly categorize two broken windows at that bar and your currently split open lip in such a way, but hey - that's just me," Liam retorted stubbornly. "Seems morals are up for debate this morning."

"Well, now that you mention it-"

"Alright, enough - just shut up and listen to me," Liam growled, tossing a copy of some tabloid onto the coffee table - one Killian was thankfully not on the cover of. "You're lucky we've been able to keep it somewhat quiet this time. I've had Leroy playing damage control all morning with the press and with the meeting we are supposed to have today, I've yet to even dare bring it up with Dad or-"

"I'm sure she's got plenty keeping her charitably occupied, brother," Killian returned, knowing quickly that their exasperating stepmother was now the topic of conversation. "Doesn't she have some benefit coming up this week? Saving the homeless or the elephants or maybe just the world in general? I'm sure it's one of those. Plus, I'll remind you once again that she is not our mother, Liam."

Watching his brother's body tense at the underhanded retort, Killian felt his blood start the slow process of boiling. They'd had plenty of talks and even more yelling matches about their father's new wife since that wedding day and while Liam maintained that consistent respect was the expectation, Killian had decided long ago that he didn't owe that woman a damn thing.

She would never be his mother. He'd lost the privilege of such a figure in his life long ago.

"Don't get cheeky, you git," Liam snipped, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. "You know damn well father's going to want to know what's going on-"

"With being married to that woman, I'm sure - if he were feeling well - he'd prefer to be out drinking and having a little fun all night too," Killian glared, holding up two crossed fingers. "Though hopefully he'd avoid the unfortunate run in with authorities. For the sake of the crown and all that."

"Killian…."

He'd heard his name muttered and mumbled in that particular tone of warning far too often over the years, more recently by Liam than anyone else. It was that deep, authoritative type of voice that sought to remind him of his place in line and in life - the one that constantly laid out a royal boundary he was reminded to follow. Expectations, however, had ceased to be his area of expertise as time went on - mostly by choice and a realization that he'd never truly reach the set bar. It wasn't like he cared about that anyway.

Well, at least not anymore.

There was truly no point in changing now. His ways were his own - and the public was welcome to interpret them however the bloody hell they wanted to. He supposed it was the advantage of being the 'other' prince. His shortcomings and questionable behavior over the past several years made for great stories that only made his brother look better. It wasn't wrong on all accounts - it was almost like fulfilling his own sort of 'royal duty'.

"I don't get why you have it in your head that I've got to act all high moral and mighty, just because the world is watching," Killian groaned. "I'm not you, Liam."

"But you are a prince, brother - and I know you don't care, but the rest of the world does," Liam exhaled, turning toward the door. "So go take a shower and please start acting like it. I need you to be en route by ten and you can't be showing up looking like you do right now."

"You're sure about that? It might make for entertaining small talk, much better than us discussing dad's dwindling health or-"

Using the stress of their father's illness was a low road to take and he realized it immediately, but it wasn't like they hadn't been here before - two brothers locked in a stubborn fight that could last long enough to make them miss brunch altogether. Pain flashed across Liam's face and Killian tried to shove the aching guilt he now felt over his anxiously chosen cheap shot at the man who'd been the only parent they had for nearing two decades.

"Killian," Liam finally said, his abrupt tone signaling the end of Killian's prodding banter for now. "Please."

Standing in the doorway, Killian watched his brother's regal stance slump slightly as he let the defeat of the morning overcome him for a moment. He looked tired and quite irritated, but even more than that, he seemed….disappointed. Killian felt a mix of shame and spite shift in his bones as he realized just how much he'd screwed up.

Like hell if he'd admit it though. No, Liam didn't get to win this one - that wasn't on the daily itinerary.

"Look, little brother, just-"

"Call for a car, Liam. I'll be ready by nine-" he snapped as he rose to his feet. "-and it's 'younger' brother, your highness."

The daylight was still annoyingly blinding by the time Killian summoned the energy to walk across the large gravel pathway to his less than humble abode. The small apartment style cottage was a short distance from the main palace but still part of the original royal structure. It had once been a temporary home to Liam, but once an imminent future of ruling the people started inching closer, he'd opted to take up residence in more central quarters. His older brother's choice to move had occurred just in time for Killian to secure the place as his own upon returning home from his second tour of serving the country rather than just the crown.

He'd spent almost ten years in uniform, working on training missions and enduring warfare far away from the watchful eye of the royals. Spending a deployment and a half in the desert of Afghanistan had been an honor he had never anticipated he would feel so proud of, but he had right up until the day he'd been pulled off the front lines when the media decided to reveal his whereabouts. He couldn't blame the military for their nervous decision - they were under orders to protect him probably even more so than themselves. He'd still felt slighted when he'd been reassigned to a naval base in Canada, trading his Captain status for a safer staff officer role where he'd spent a few years training Apache helicopter pilots like he'd once been. The decision to end that endeavor was one made without his full consent, but he'd abided by it and returned home with what he hoped was a stronger sense of understanding - even though he was still trying to comprehend why he'd been removed from the one career he knew would bring him success. A few dark months followed and in an attempt to move on, he'd helped field a charity centered around healing injured and disabled veterans through various sporting events and more friendly competition. It was something - definitely not enough, but still something.

To say he'd been happy to call a quiet corner of the palace grounds his new home after memories of sleeping on a very sandy cot and enduring the sounds of distant battle was a blatant understatement.

The little cottage itself wasn't much - two large bedrooms with a single smaller one, a remodeled kitchen, and a small walled off garden patio that provided more privacy than most places within the royal bounds. The majority of the structure was original and seeped in history from the weathered cobblestone path to the hardwood flooring. It didn't hold ground against the few pied-a-terres he had gained right to by way of lineage and it didn't come close to the regal housing his father had moved into a year or so after he'd become a widower, but for now, he could label it as a tentative home.

Hopefully quite tentative with any luck.

There'd been a few adjustments made over the years by past palace inhabitants - though there was still some rather awful carpeting in one room as well as a leaky faucet in the bathroom - but the several improvements were things Killian couldn't find himself at odds with when he noticed how the fresh paint and simplistic landscaping Liam lobbied for made the place feel comfortable. His brother truly had a way with that - that smooth, charming, genuine way of conversing that could convince almost anyone of nearly anything.

He'd surely gotten that from their mother, along with many other qualities that would guide him well as a leader of their country one day.

Shoving open the front door then slamming it lazily, Killian found himself pleasantly immersed in the silence of the house. He sighed softly as he tossed his jacket onto one of the plush armchairs before heading toward the bathroom with a slight stumble. Lifting a lifeless hand to scratch behind his ear, he made a distracted turn up the short hallway toward what would have to be a very quick and very cold shower as he started dreading the upcoming day.

As if a monster hangover and some simmering embarrassment weren't enough.

Shifting the shower nozzle to the right, Killian took a deep breath as steam filled the room and his senses. Turning his tired eyes toward the mirror, he decided it best to venture a look before the small room fogged up - though avoiding the reflection that should appear contrite would have likely been wiser.

He could hear the pitter patter of warm water on the tile floor just behind the glass door, but it was the mirror staring back at him that earned his attention. God, he looked terrible. Tilting his head to the side, he examined the dark circles beneath his deep cobalt eyes before allowing his vision to focus on the cut marring his lower lip. He'd taken a pretty square hit there from some drunk sod that Will had surely been goading, but Killian allowed himself an ounce of pride knowing he'd given as good as he got. If Liam wasn't currently so angry with him, he might have been proud to see that he'd held his own ground and perhaps even that of the royal family - though remembering exactly how the tavern drunk had been insulting the crown wasn't something he was capable of at the moment.

Pressing his fingertips to the scruff coming in thick on his face, he considered giving it a trim. With the Queen on tour across the pond, he'd be able to avoid her lovable scolding regarding his beard and the recollection of how she'd rolled her eyes at his claim that shaving wasn't his strong suite made Killian smile briefly. The idea of navigating a razor in his current frame of mind quickly put a halt to his pondering and he tilted his head to the opposite side to reminisce the scar that was proof of the damage a sharp object in unskilled hands could cause.

Damn Liam and his fencing skills - beginner's luck was definitely not something his regal older sibling had inherited.

Despite his exhausted and slightly broken appearance, Killian admitted silently just how much he didn't look like the man they were about to pay a visit to - well, at least not as much as his older brother did. Aside from the dark hair, Killian was more aligned with his mother's side of the family. His features were noticeably distinguished from his brother's on a few levels and the differences had been the source of a nasty fidelity rumor or two over the course of his life. He supposed such opinions probably still flew from time to time, especially since the scruff on his face grew in now with a few flecks of that rather random Irish red. Liam, however, was their father's son right down to his square jaw and wavy hair - though they'd both taken on the one physical quality from their mother that people had always admired.

My two blue eyed boys - the most handsome princes in the land.

It was during these all too quiet and conflicted moments that he found himself recalling that day he'd lost so much - the day his family and life as he knew it was severed into a thousand little pieces. He'd been standing in a position similar to the one he held now, but at the much younger age of roughly thirteen with his brother knocking loudly on the closed door. They'd been battling the space of these exact quarters all morning, each of them trying to look like the young royals their mother often saw them as. She'd be returning from a service visit to Africa - one she'd agreed to venture out on alone when her husband had come down with pneumonia - in a matter of a couple hours and despite the rain pounding the soaked ground outside, such an anticipated reunion would be a bright event for all of them. The busy morning had been a rushed effort for Killian, the act of smoothing down khaki pants while struggling with a striped tie becoming quite frustrating when the tragic call came in - the one that haunted him in a way unmatched by anything else.

He remembered trying his best - or perhaps worst - to tame the wild mess of almost black hair his mother loved to ruffle with her caring hand while staring into this same mirror. The fragile glass was chipped in the top corner from the time Liam had fidgeted with his first set of cufflinks and one had flipped upward a little too hard at the reflective surface. Killian recalled the way his mouth as well as Liam's had hung open in panic for the few moments leading up to their mother's amused and very genuine laugh. They'd feared she might be mad, but as she examined the tiny accident, she reassured them of that unconditional love she possessed - even when 'careful' wasn't a way to describe her eldest son's action.

It's okay, Liam. If anything, it will sure make for an interesting story one day.

It was the painful breaking news paired with an urgent phone call that made for a story Killian had never dreamed of hearing.

She was gone - the adored Princess Katherine of Wales killed tragically in a car accident just several streets from the palace gates.

Shaking his head quickly, Killian tried not to let the remembered news announcements from that day ring too loudly in his ears. He needed his head clear before they left for the palace and pondering the loving woman he'd probably always miss wasn't the way to achieve such a task. He tugged off his rumpled shirt one shoulder at a time after fumbling over the buttons, the black and gray flannel wrinkled beneath his touch as he tossed it to the floor. Flipping open the button on his jeans, the cellphone he'd tossed on the counter next to the sink sounded with a soft ding - an incessant noise that could only be caused by one person.

Liam: The car will be there for you in half an hour. I'll send Marco with a cup of coffee. Dress palace appropriate please, even if you don't feel like it. You know it's going to be expected.

Rolling his tired eyes, he tossed the device quickly to the surface he'd retrieved it from before dropping his well worn denim and boxer briefs to the tile below. His brother was truly an arrogant arse sometimes. Royal indeed, he thought as he stepped into the shower with a quick swing of the glass door.

Tagging some wonderful folks (who I’ve kept waiting for ages): @optomisticgirl (thank you for being the beta from heaven, my dear), @themmaswan, @xpumpkindumplingx, @spartanguard, @harryandthecambridges, @fergus80, @eala-captian, @allietumbles, @kmomof4, @laschatzi, @galadriel26, @timeless-love-story, @lifeinahole27, @kat2609, @msres, @all0of0the0usernames, @captainswanismyendgame, @lovelycssefan, @hooksheroicheart, @irishcaptainodonoghue, @gonzothegreat90, @yesplskillianjones, @cat-sophia, @rebelcxptain

*If there’s anyone who’d like a tag in future chapters, just let me know :)