Twisted Wonderland X Reader - Blog Posts

Twisted Wonderland Master List

Mafia au / Good Luck While Running Away From The Mafia

Intro , 0.5 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5, 6

Otome Au

Rules , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4

Ignihyde

Idia Shroud

-Pomegranates

NRC Staff

- A one-shot

Empire

Being crowned as empress of the Yuunkaedangon empire at the age of 17, you begin to start loving the new status and power. But it soon gets a bit boring and demanding the moment you turned 18. Harem? Heirs? Tf not!

Possible Au??

Words: 1.5k

Fem reader but I don’t really say any she or her in this.

-

One thing you hated since you were young was tradition. Being told that you can’t do things your way because it wasn’t “appropriate” or “right”. The day you were crowned as empress of Yuunkaedangon, you were only 17 years old. There was a huge celebration that day that lasted 4 days.

It was fun at first. Being in control, power, money, respect, especially at a young age. But soon after, it started becoming…rather a bit boring and annoying. The higher ups wouldn’t stop nagging you about what your next big step is. Most importantly, when are you going to start your harem?

You scoff at the idea. You just turned 18 and they are already asking -demanding- about possible lovers and heirs?

How annoying

Now your kingdom isn't shy when it comes to polygamy. Past ancestors are known for having the biggest harem any kingdom has had.(lots and lots of kids…). And you weren’t opposed to the idea either but you just didn’t feel like starting one now.

But it was only a matter of time of how much you can endure before you crack.

Which brings you here

The Roseheart family

Mrs. Roseheart stands before you with a deep bow. She presents you her son, Riddle Roseheart. He stands gracefully beside his mother.

Not bad

Riddle is definitely an attractive boy, but you really don’t care about having a consort at the moment.

Why can’t those annoying vassals leave you alone?

But the way Mrs. Roseheart dug her fingers into the boys shoulder after noticing your lack of interest. You can see the fear in the boy's eyes.

Interesting

With a heavy sigh, you accept him.

Mrs. Roseheart smiles before bowing before you. You stared them down from your gold throne. Not missing the relief on the boy's face.

That night Mrs . Roseheart leaves but not before whispering something in the boy's ear which causes him to nod. He turns to you, a little shy to be left alone with you now.

“Don’t worry, in here you are safe” You tell him. He stills for a moment. Processing your words in his head before he nods.

-

Having him by your side wasn’t bad. You were actually grateful for having someone intelligent and knowledgeable like him by your side. He has been a huge help to you when you are stuck with something regarding the kingdom. Now this isn’t to say you were dumb, you are actually a very intelligent and strong kid since you were young. You were taught great etiquette lessons, sword practice, literature, educated in arts, etc.

which made your father very proud.

But sometimes with all the vassal nagging at you every second that you breathed, kills your brain cells. Literally.

So having riddle is such a relief and a blessing. Though you won’t say that he’s a little…dedicated to his duties.

You were tired and agitated after another day of dealing with your vassals and their obsession with you having a heir.

Jeez, can they give you a break?

The moment you opened your door chambers you nearly went into cardiac arrest upon seeing Riddle on your bed with nothing but a robe.

You quickly turned around and asked him what he was doing. The boy was confused and also a little embarrassed before saying that as his duty as a consort, it’s his responsibility to give you an heir.

Sevens what’s with people and heirs?!

You sigh before telling him in the sweetest tone that he doesn’t have to do that. The both of you are still young and you don’t want to pressure him into doing something he doesn’t want to do. He tries to reason with you but you still refuse. It isn’t because he’s not attractive, which was his first thought and you quickly reassured him that wasn’t the case.

But you can also tell this is something his mother wanted him to do. So you told him that it wasn’t necessary. When he brings up the vassals and their demands for an heir, you tell him not to worry about them.

They aren’t important anyways

Before he could say anything, you give him a small kiss on his head before sending him off to his chamber.

You attended a ceremony, and if you’re being honest, you dont know whose it is or what it’s about. (It’s literally held in your palace and it’s for you)

You watch as different men and women flaunt at you in hopes of being picked. You can see in the corner of your eye riddle getting a little jealous.

How cute

You took a sip of your wine as you watched people dance and joke in laughter. Riddle sits by your side, enjoying a delicious tart made by one of your many favorite bakers. (The clovers will always get it right every time) your eyes roamed lazily through the crowd of people before halting at the sight of the kingsholar family.

The Sunset Savanna royals

The king and queens faces light up at the sight of you. They make their way towards you and riddle and you quickly down the rest of your wine. The three of you talk, politics, land, everything you can think of. Now the kingsholar are angels really but you weren’t really in the mood to talk. You nod along to whatever the king was saying and even smile or laugh here and there after he says something remotely funny.

As you and the king chatted, while his wife and riddle talked about how his life in the palace is, your attention shifts to the figure standing all alone in a corner. Sipping wine as a scowl is permanently attached to his face.

“And- oh?” He follows your gaze before chuckling.

“That’s my younger brother. Leona kingsholar! Wanna meet him?” And before anything could leave your mouth the man called him over. Leona scowls deeper at the call of his name, he downs his cup before beginning to walk to where the four of you are.

“Leona! Meet the empress of Yuunkaedangon! Empress, this is my younger brother and the second born prince of sunset savanna, Leona” you gave him a greeting as he did the same.

Now you have heard about the second prince of the sunset savanna, but you never saw what he looks like. After all, the second born prince rarely leaves his room, according to rumors and news.

And boy oh boy. you won’t lie, he’s a very beautiful man

“Ah! So me and my wife have heard about the beginning of your new…harem!” You froze. The glass of delicious tasty wine rested on the tip of your tongue at the king's words.

Don’t tell me

You lowered your cup. A wide smile spreads across your lips before asking him where he is going with this.

“Guess you caught on. Well, my brother has been having a little trouble I suppose, on finding a wife…or any girl really- and so I thought it would be a wonderful idea if you allowed him to join you and your harem” Oh he was serious.

Both Leona and riddle froze. Leona obviously had not a single clue that his brother was basically selling him out to you. (His words)

The king waited patiently for your response, while Riddle anxiously waited for your answer.

“And is Leona okay with this?” You ask. You didn’t want to force this man in your harem and make him think he doesn’t have a choice! The king blinks, not expecting you to ask him that. He then turns to the younger prince of Sunset Savanna and asks him.

“Well? Are you up for it?” Now everyone's attention was on Leona. He stays silent for a moment, thinking. You waited patiently for his answer. Leona eyes flicker down to see you gently caressing riddles hand that was wrapped around your arm. He can tell that you are really gentle with the redhead.

He scoffs before looking away.

“I don’t care”

“Excellent!” The king cheers. You look to meet Leona’s emerald green eyes. Kinda asking him if he was truly okay with it.

After all, eyes never lie.

-

The night the vassals heard about your new addition to your harem, they grew excited. For what reason? You don’t know. Something about sunset savanna now becoming new allies for the Yuunkaedangon empire and more land, trades, possible heirs (they whispered that part).

You brushed through Leona brown locks. He was looking at the new collection of hair pins, accessories, jewelry, and combs that you have bought for him upon his arrival. Riddle was sitting down on one of your many fluffy and comfortable chairs as he read a book.

You love how peaceful and soothing this moment felt. Leona's eyes were closed as he let you play and mess around with his hair. As much as he likes to act like he doesn’t like it, he loves the way your hands run and play through his hair. Your touch was soft and gentle. That’s what he first noticed when moved in. You were gentle.

You never raised your voice, hand, or did anything that would seem harmful to him or riddle. He’s obviously heard countless stories about emperors/ empresses treating their consorts/concubines terribly. But you…you aren’t like that.

He likes it

How gentle you are

But there’s no way in hell he’ll ever tell you that.

Nuh uh!

For now, he’ll enjoy your presence silently.

-

Riddle and Leona for now. I don’t know if I should do it as dormleaders ONLY or overblot characters (Jamil or Kalim, IDK HELP ME PICK)

Good night!👍🏻

Betraying the Gods in Three Easy Steps || Malleus Draconia

Step 1: Befriend the Demon King.

Step 2: Fall in love.

Step 3: Quit your hero job.

The first thing you learned upon being chosen as the hero was that the gods were, in fact, morons.

This revelation came to you as you stood in their grand celestial court, bathed in holy light, staring at the pantheon of divine beings who had just bestowed upon you a sword that actively whispered threats into your ear.

"Go forth, O Chosen One," boomed the god of war, his six eyes burning with sacred fire. "You must slay the Demon King who lurks in his cursed lair atop the Black Hills!"

You shifted your weight and cleared your throat. "Okay, so... question. Just a tiny one. What, exactly, has the Demon King done?"

The gods exchanged glances.

"He is evil," the goddess of fate offered.

"Uh-huh. Examples?"

"He... exists," the god of light said, waving a golden hand vaguely.

There was an awkward silence. You rubbed your temples. "Right. But, like, has he pillaged villages? Enslaved kingdoms? Kicked a puppy?"

"He has refused to die despite our many attempts to kill him," the god of judgment said gravely.

You squinted. "So you're mad that he’s alive."

"YES," they all said in unison.

Fantastic. You had been chosen to carry out a divine grudge match.

Still, you weren’t in any position to argue. The gods had given you a bunch of ridiculously overpowered artifacts, including a holy sword, an indestructible shield, and a cloak that supposedly made you invisible but mostly just made you look like a very blurry ghost. They also kind of expected you to die like all the previous heroes, but that was a problem for later.

So here you were, standing at the edge of the Black Hills, staring up at the Demon King’s lair—a suspiciously well-maintained castle that looked less like a fortress of darkness and more like the summer home of someone who enjoyed gardening.

This whole thing reeked of bureaucracy.

With a deep sigh, you tightened your grip on your murderously sentient sword and marched forward, fully prepared to commit deicide if this entire mission turned out to be as dumb as you suspected.

You had braced yourself for a dark, ominous fortress filled with twisted creatures, rivers of lava, and at least one chandelier made of bones. Instead, you walked into what could only be described as a cozy study.

The room was warm, lit by a fireplace that crackled gently in the corner. Tall bookshelves lined the walls, filled with neatly arranged tomes, some of which looked suspiciously like romance novels. A tea set rested on the table, next to an open book. And sitting in an armchair, casually flipping through the pages, was a man.

A very tall, very elegant man with sharp green eyes and black horns curling from his head.

He blinked at you, clearly just as surprised as you were. "Oh," he said. "Hello."

You stared at him. "Uh. Hi?"

There was a long pause. He looked at your very dramatic hero attire, then at the glimmering, divinely blessed sword in your hand, then back at you. "I assume you’re here for a reason?"

You shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, so, the gods sent me to kill the Demon King, but like… lowkey? I don’t know what he looks like."

The man nodded, as if this was a completely reasonable statement. "I see." He gestured to the chair across from him. "Would you like some tea?"

You squinted at him. "I feel like you’re not taking this whole ‘assassination attempt’ thing very seriously."

"Should I?" he asked, pouring tea into a cup with unnerving grace. "You don't seem particularly invested in it yourself."

You couldn't exactly argue with that, so you sat down, placing your god-blessed weapon awkwardly on your lap. The man slid a cup toward you. The tea smelled… nice. Suspiciously nice. You sniffed it. "This isn’t, like, drugged or cursed, is it?"

He looked amused. "Only if you consider chamomile a powerful sedative."

You took a cautious sip. It was delicious.

"So," he said, leaning his chin on his hand. "Tell me about the outside world. It’s been a while since I last left these hills."

You shrugged. "Nothing much. The gods are idiots, as usual."

His lips curled in interest. "Oh?"

You leaned forward conspiratorially. "Okay, so get this. When they summoned me, they gave me this holy sword, right?" You tapped the weapon resting on your lap. "Only problem? It won’t shut up. The gods literally forgot to turn off its voice function, so now it just screams battle cries at all hours of the day. I had to wrap it in three layers of cloth just to get some sleep."

He let out a chuckle, eyes gleaming. "That is… incredible."

"Right? And that’s not even the worst part. The god of wisdom—actual title, by the way—accidentally set fire to their own temple last year because they miscalculated a lightning spell. They blamed it on ‘mystical forces’ but everyone knows they just got their math wrong."

The man—who, now that you were really looking at him, was ridiculously attractive in a dark-and-mysterious way—laughed. It was a rich, deep sound, the kind of laugh that made you feel like you’d just told the best joke in the world.

You grinned, feeling oddly comfortable. "Oh, and don’t even get me started on the god of fate. She got into a brawl with the god of harvest because she made a prophecy that all the wheat fields would burn down, and then the god of harvest was like, ‘You know that’s literally my job, right?’ and cursed her with hay fever. Now she sneezes every time she tries to predict the future."

Your new tea-drinking companion actually had to cover his mouth to stifle his laughter.

You took another sip of tea, feeling very proud of yourself. "Anyway," you said, stretching your arms. "By the way, have you seen the Demon King? Because, like, technically, I’m still supposed to be doing that job."

The man calmly pointed to himself.

You stared at him.

He stared back.

You blinked. "I'm sorry. What."

"Malleus Draconia," he said, setting his teacup down with the kind of elegance that made you feel like an unwashed peasant. "And you are?"

You were still reeling from the realization that you had spent the last half hour drinking tea with the exact person you were supposed to kill, so it took you a second to answer. You introduce yourself. "Hero chosen by the gods. Here to, you know…" You made a vague stabbing motion.

Malleus nodded, completely unfazed. "Ah. Yes. That would explain the weaponry." He glanced at your holy sword, which had mercifully remained silent for the past few minutes. "Though, I must say, you don’t seem particularly enthusiastic about your mission."

You sighed and set your cup down. "Yeah, well. I don’t really get why the gods have it out for you. I mean, do you actually do evil stuff? Are you stealing souls? Raising the dead? Kicking puppies?"

Malleus tilted his head, considering. "No, no, and—well, I suppose there was one incident with a puppy, but in my defense, I was trying to return it to its owner, and it misunderstood my intentions."

"That’s a really vague way to say 'I accidentally terrified it.'"

He sipped his tea, saying nothing.

You squinted at him. "So you’re telling me the gods declared a holy crusade against you for… what? Vibes?"

Malleus shrugged. "I assume so. They don’t seem to like my existence very much."

"Wow. Must be nice not giving a shit."

"It is quite freeing," he agreed. "Would you like a tour?"

You blinked. "A tour? Of your evil lair?"

"My home," he corrected, as if you were the unreasonable one. "I assume you have never seen it before."

"You assume correctly." You rubbed your chin. "Eh. What the hell. Show me around, mighty Demon King."

And so, instead of assassinating him, you spent the next hour wandering through the halls of his "evil lair" (read: very fancy castle), learning about his book collection, admiring the admittedly cool-looking stained-glass windows, and getting distracted by a particularly fluffy cat lounging on one of the rugs.

Somewhere along the way, you had fallen into easy conversation, sharing more absurd stories about the gods’ incompetence while Malleus listened with increasing amusement. You barely even noticed how natural it felt, how quickly you forgot the whole "mortal enemies" thing.

It wasn’t until you were about to leave that you remembered why you had come in the first place.

"Ah, right," you said, gripping the hilt of your holy sword. "The whole… uh, slaying thing."

Malleus lifted an eyebrow.

You exhaled and held the sword out to him. "Here. Take this."

He looked at you, then at the sword, then back at you. "You are giving me your divine weapon?"

"Look, man, I don’t know if you can tell, but I am very bad at this job."

Malleus took the sword, examining it with mild curiosity. The moment his fingers curled around the hilt, the weapon, which had remained blissfully quiet all day, suddenly came to life.

"FOUL BEAST! UNHAND ME AT ONCE—"

Malleus flicked his wrist, and the sword immediately went silent.

You gaped at him. "You can do that?!"

He hummed. "It appears so."

You put your hands on your hips. "You know what? Yeah. You can keep it. I don’t want it anymore."

Malleus smiled. "How generous of you."

You waved him off and turned toward the exit. "Anyway, this has been fun and all, but I should probably get going before the gods smite me for treason. I’ll, uh… I’ll get the job done next time."

Malleus watched you with that same unreadable expression, something like quiet amusement playing at the edges of his lips. "Of course. Next time."

You nodded, totally believing yourself, and left.

The gods were getting suspicious.

You could tell by the way they kept summoning you more frequently, their celestial faces lined with divine skepticism, their glowing, omnipotent eyes narrowing just a little more each time you gave your mission report.

So you did what any responsible, chosen-by-the-heavens hero would do: you doubled down on the lies.

“I’m gathering intel on the enemy.”

A few gods murmured in approval, nodding at your strategic foresight.

(The truth? You had spent the last four days sprawled across an absolutely sinful couch in Malleus’s absurdly cozy castle, debating whether a dragon could, theoretically, play the lute. Malleus had very strong opinions about claw dexterity and string tension. You were just trying to figure out how to smuggle the couch home.)

“I need to study his weaknesses.”

More nods. One god even stroked their beard, looking impressed.

(The reality? You were currently studying how many cookies you could consume before he started looking mildly concerned for your well-being. The number was high. Concerningly high. You were probably committing a sin against your own digestive system, but that was Future You’s problem.)

“He’s probably planning something evil, so I need to keep an eye on him.”

Now the gods were practically glowing with approval. One clapped you on the back, nearly knocking you off your feet.

(Meanwhile, in the demon king’s lair, Malleus was sitting in his massive library, sipping tea like a distinguished nobleman who had never even considered jaywalking, much less world domination. At one point, he sighed dramatically and looked out the window, the very picture of a wistful poet pondering the meaning of life. You had watched him do this for ten whole minutes, waiting for a sign of villainy. Nothing. The man was the least demonic demon king you had ever seen.)

The gods, thoroughly convinced that you were hard at work, dismissed you with a vague warning to “stay vigilant” and “not fall for any demonic tricks.”

You barely made it back to the castle before collapsing onto your new favorite couch with a groan. “They think I’m doing such a good job,” you mumbled, stuffing another cookie into your mouth. “I could probably ask for a raise.”

Malleus looked up from his book, amusement dancing in his emerald eyes. “A raise? What exactly would they be paying you for?”

“For my noble heroism,” you said around a mouthful of cookie. “My unwavering dedication. My strategic mind. My—” You gestured vaguely. “—efforts.”

Malleus hummed, setting his book aside. “Ah, yes. Your valiant efforts. Lounging on my furniture. Eating my desserts. Entertaining me with tales of divine incompetence.”

You wagged a finger at him. “You say that like it isn’t an important job.”

He smirked. “Oh, I quite enjoy your company. But I do wonder how long you plan to keep up this charade.”

“As long as I can,” you said without hesitation, grabbing another cookie. “At this point, I think I deserve an award for Best Hero in the Field of Procrastination.”

Malleus chuckled, resting his chin on his hand as he watched you with what was definitely, absolutely, 100% not fondness. Probably. “Indeed.”

Getting Malleus out of his lair was easier than expected. Getting him to wear the disguise, however, was a battle of wills.

“It is absurd,” he said flatly, staring at the comically large hat in your hands.

“Absurdly effective,” you countered.

“It looks like it belongs to a—”

“Fashion icon?”

“A cursed scarecrow,” he finished, unimpressed.

“Okay, rude. But listen, if you walk into town looking like that—” you gestured vaguely at his horns, “—people will either think you're about to declare war or host a very dramatic poetry reading. The hat helps.”

Malleus gave you a long, contemplative look, then, to your eternal delight, sighed and took the hat. It sat atop his head with the solemn dignity of a royal crown, though the sheer size of it made him look like he was about to start selling potions out of a roadside wagon.

“Very well,” he declared. “Let us proceed.”

Thus began the grand adventure of sneaking the Demon King into town.

Turns out, no one even noticed.

Which, to be fair, was kind of expected. This was a town where a man once tried to pay his taxes in live chickens and where the local bard wore sunglasses at night “because it added to his mystique.” Some guy in a huge hat? Not even in the top ten weirdest things people had seen this week.

Still, you felt an odd sense of pride as you dragged Malleus through the bustling streets. The Demon King, who had spent untold centuries isolated in his ominous gothic estate, was now watching a juggler toss flaming batons while a street vendor tried to sell you “cursed amulets” that were clearly just painted rocks.

He was fascinated.

His first stop was the bakery, where he became personally and spiritually invested in the concept of croissants.

“These are quite remarkable,” he murmured, carefully inspecting the flaky layers. “It is as if the very essence of light and air has been woven into dough.”

“You’re making it sound way fancier than it is,” you snorted. “It’s just bread.”

“A divine bread,” he corrected.

“You’re literally a demon.”

“I can still appreciate divinity when I taste it.”

Next, you took him to the bookstore, where he spent an unreasonable amount of time debating which tomes to purchase. At one point, you caught him flipping through something called One Hundred and One Curses to Ensure Your Enemies Remember You Fondly, which felt both deeply specific and incredibly on-brand.

While he was distracted by a book of poetry so dramatic it might as well have been personally written for him, you slipped away for a moment. A nearby flower stall caught your eye, and on impulse, you picked up a delicate bloom, its color strikingly similar to Malleus’s eyes.

You returned just as he was still deep in thought over which book to buy. Without a second thought, you reached up and tucked the flower behind his ear.

Malleus froze.

His expression didn’t change immediately—he just stared at you, his usual unreadable gaze flickering with something… complicated. His fingers hesitantly brushed against the petals, and for a moment, he looked genuinely baffled, as if no one had ever done something like this before.

You grinned at him. “Looks good on you, Your Evilness.”

Malleus exhaled a short, amused huff. “I must admit, I do not often receive accessories from my sworn enemies.”

“Sounds like a you problem,” you said, already dragging him towards the next store. “Now come on, I still need to introduce you to the single greatest achievement of human civilization.”

He tilted his head, intrigue sparking in his expression. “Oh?”

“Fried food.”

For the first time in centuries, the Demon King of Darkness, Terror of the Gods, Eternal Wielder of Unholy Power… was genuinely excited.

You were not bringing Malleus more books because you liked him. Obviously. That would be ridiculous. You were simply executing a strategic maneuver—an information-gathering mission, if you will. The more books he had, the more he would talk, and the more he talked, the more you learned.

This was all very professional. A tactical decision. Absolutely nothing to do with the way his eyes lit up whenever you brought him something new or the fact that you may or may not have started associating his lair with peace instead of doom.

So, with arms full of books that were definitely not handpicked to match his interests (including one on celestial phenomena, which was coincidental and not an attempt to make him happy), you strolled into his lair like you owned the place.

And that was when you met him.

Lilia Vanrouge.

You knew the name. You’d heard it whispered in the temples, spoken with the kind of reverence usually reserved for plagues and natural disasters. The Scourge of the Battlefield. The War Demon. The Dark General Who Consumed Kingdoms Whole.

You had also heard it from Malleus, who described him as eccentric, mischievous, and one of the few people he respected.

And the moment you laid eyes on him, you realized once again that the gods were complete and utter morons.

Because standing before you was not a nightmarish harbinger of destruction. No, the man currently floating upside down in the air, cheerfully snacking on something, looked more like an impish uncle who would absolutely teach children how to commit tax fraud for fun.

He looked at you. You looked at him. He grinned. You immediately braced for impact.

“Well, well! So you’re the fabled Chosen Hero,” Lilia chirped, righting himself mid-air and landing gracefully before you. “How fascinating! I was wondering when you’d show up.”

“I—” you began.

“I must say, this is not what I expected!” he continued, completely ignoring you. “From what I’ve heard, heroes usually barge in with righteous fury, divine proclamations, and very little self-preservation! Yet here you are, standing in the Demon King’s domain, casually handing him books.”

You turned to Malleus, who looked completely unbothered, still examining the latest tome you had brought him. “You told him?”

Malleus, without looking up: “He asked.”

You turned back to Lilia. “And you’re not freaking out?”

Lilia tilted his head, amused. “Should I be?”

“I don’t know, I just assumed one of Malleus’s generals would take issue with me being, you know, the divinely ordained slayer of your king?”

Lilia snorted. “Oh, please. Do you have any idea how many so-called ‘heroes’ I’ve seen storm in here? You’re already my favorite.”

“…Thanks?”

“Of course! It’s just so refreshing to see one of you actually using your head for once.” He floated up again, upside down, resting his chin on his hands. “Though I must admit, I was expecting something a little more… impressive.”

You blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Lilia smirked and gestured to the table where you and Malleus had been previously engaged in very serious discussions. Your stomach dropped. You had left out your papers.

Specifically, the ones where you had been doodling different armor designs and asking Malleus for his fashion advice.

Malleus, the traitor, casually picked one up. “I am partial to this one,” he said, holding up a particularly elaborate sketch. “The embroidery detailing is quite striking.”

Lilia laughed.

You buried your face in your hands as the War Demon, the Living Nightmare of the Battlefield, the Eternal Scourge of Kingdoms—wiped away tears of laughter over the fact that instead of slaying the Demon King, you had apparently made him your personal stylist.

It was, all things considered, not your proudest moment.

It had been months since you first stepped foot into Malleus’s lair, and, well… things had progressed.

Not in the way the gods wanted, obviously. If they had their way, Malleus’s severed head would be mounted on a sacred altar by now. Technically, you were still on your holy mission to vanquish the Demon King. Technically, you were gathering information. Technically, you had every intention of fulfilling your duty.

But, if one were to take a completely unbiased look at your current situation… it might appear that you were just hanging out.

A lot.

Like, a lot, a lot.

Malleus now made your drink exactly the way you liked it—sometimes before you even asked. You didn’t even have to tell him anymore. You’d wander into his lair after a long day of doing absolutely nothing related to demon slaying, and he’d already have your favorite drink ready, at the exact right temperature.

And you? You, the so-called “Divine Champion of Justice,” the god-appointed warrior of destiny? You had, against all logic and reason, started bringing him gifts. It wasn’t even a conscious decision at first. But every time a merchant came through town, you found yourself idly picking up little trinkets or books that looked like they’d interest him.

You told yourself it was just diplomacy. A strategic bribery effort. It had absolutely nothing to do with how much you enjoyed seeing his face light up whenever you presented him with something new.

You weren’t even sure when the shift had happened.

One day, you were the brave hero, standing before the terrifying Demon King with divine orders to smite him. And now? Now, you were practically living in his lair. Casually.

You’d gotten comfortable here, a fact that you refused to acknowledge out loud. Malleus’s lair was peaceful, quiet, and—to your horror—pleasant. The enormous gothic windows, the soft candlelight, the bookshelves stacked high with ancient tomes… It was all just so much nicer than the gods’ temples, which were always cold, sterile, and filled with divine bureaucrats who asked too many questions.

And worse—worse—when you weren’t here, you were usually thinking about what to do for Malleus next.

Should you bring him something from the next merchant caravan? Maybe take him to another festival? He liked those. Maybe introduce him to the weird little bakery in town that sold those oddly-shaped pastries you kept seeing. He might find them amusing.

You were planning surprises for him.

Like a friend.

No. Not just a friend.

A best friend.

You slammed your head onto the nearest table with a thud.

The gods could never find out about this.

You were having an existential crisis. A real one. The kind that made you stare at your reflection in a soup bowl and wonder if you had any meaningful purpose in life beyond being the divine equivalent of a glorified errand runner.

Lilia, of course, noticed. Because he was an agent of chaos and probably fed off emotional turmoil like some sort of tiny, ancient demon bat.

“You seem troubled,” he had said, watching as you slumped dramatically over Malleus’ very fancy dining table, exhaling the world’s most pitiful sigh. “Why don’t you and Malleus spar?”

Your head lifted slightly. “What?”

Lilia smirked, clearly pleased that he had successfully baited you out of your misery. “It’s been months, has it not? If the gods ask, you can tell them you’ve been honing your skills, preparing for the final battle.”

That… actually wasn’t a bad excuse. The gods had been getting nosy again, demanding updates. Maybe you could make this work.

Which was how you ended up here.

Standing in the grand, sprawling courtyard of Malleus’ lair, stretching out your limbs while he calmly removed his cloak, draping it over a bench like he was about to have a casual stroll instead of engaging in combat.

“You sure about this?” you asked, gripping the hilt of your sword.

Malleus tilted his head, looking amused. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

You smirked. “Just saying, if I win, I demand tribute.”

Malleus chuckled. “And if I win?”

“… Let’s cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Lilia was off to the side, grinning like this was the best form of entertainment he’d seen in centuries.

You inhaled deeply, grounding yourself. Okay. This was it. You were going to fight the Demon King, and it was going to be serious. No more cozy tea parties. No more lighthearted book shopping trips. It was time to—

“Would you like me to go easy on you?” Malleus asked.

You scoffed. “Pfft. No. Give me everything you’ve got.”

Malleus hummed, looking almost pleased at your confidence. “Very well.”

And then, without warning, he disappeared from sight.

You barely had time to register the movement before a gust of wind slammed into you at full force, sending you flying backwards like a poorly thrown ragdoll.

You crashed into a bush.

For a moment, you just lay there, staring at the sky, contemplating every choice that had led you to this moment.

Then, groaning, you rolled out of the shrubbery, shaking off the twigs as you picked up your sword. “Okay,” you muttered, adjusting your grip. “That was just a warm-up round.”

Malleus was still standing in the same spot, looking entirely unbothered.

And his hands were behind his back.

You narrowed your eyes. “Are you—” You took a deep breath. “Are you fighting me with your hands behind your back?"

“Of course,” Malleus said pleasantly. “You told me not to go easy on you.”

You could hear Lilia choking on laughter in the background.

You squinted at Malleus, wondering if you should feel honored or insulted.

Fine. You could work with this. You charged again, ducking low, aiming for his legs. A flicker of green magic intercepted you, sending a harmless but powerful shockwave that knocked your weapon out of your hands.

You stared at your empty hands.

Malleus looked mildly impressed. “Good attempt.”

You retrieved your sword. Tried again. And again. And again.

Malleus never used his hands. Never lifted a finger. He just sidestepped your attacks with casual ease, occasionally flicking his magic at you, like you were a mildly annoying housecat trying to pounce on a much larger, much more powerful predator.

Somewhere along the way, you stopped trying to win and just started having fun.

And then, eventually, your energy gave out. You collapsed onto the ground, spread-eagled, arms outstretched, staring up at the sky as you caught your breath.

Malleus stepped closer, looming over you with an expression you couldn’t quite read.

“I do believe you’re my favorite hero,” he mused.

You groaned and slapped a hand over your face.

The gods were going to kill you if they ever found out about this.

You couldn’t sleep.

Which was fine. Heroes probably weren’t supposed to sleep. Heroes were supposed to lie awake at night, tormented by the burden of their destiny, haunted by the weight of their mission, plagued by—

"What if I let him win?"

You bolted upright so fast you nearly knocked yourself unconscious on your headrest. You slapped a hand over your mouth like you had just spoken a heresy so foul the gods would strike you down immediately.

That was not a normal thought for a hero to have. That was the most absurd, blasphemous, outrageous, morally reprehensible—

"Am I technically dating the Demon King???"

NO. NO NO NO NO NO NO—

Your hands went to your temples. You squeezed your eyes shut. Maybe if you just thought hard enough, you could physically remove this thought from your brain. Or maybe, if you focused, the gods would finally smite you like they had always threatened to do.

You flopped back down onto your mattress, dragging a pillow over your face, as if that would smother the absolute nonsense your mind was generating tonight. But the problem was, now that the thought had entered your brain, it had built a home there. It had a mailbox. It was paying taxes. And now it was decorating with even worse thoughts.

Because now you were remembering the way Malleus had smiled when you let him talk for two whole hours about gargoyles. How his eyes had lit up like you were the first person to ever listen. The way he carefully, deliberately made your tea exactly how you liked it, as if he had memorized it from the very first time. The way he always tilted his head when he listened to you, genuinely fascinated by even the stupidest things you said.

The way he let you exist in his space. Not as an enemy. Not as a hero. But as…

… oh no.

OH NO.

You slapped a hand over your mouth again. Your other hand clenched into the sheets like you were physically trying to hold onto your sanity.

You were NOT—this was NOT—

You rolled over, kicking your legs violently under the covers. Maybe if you shook your entire body hard enough, you could dislodge this thought from existence. Yeet it into the void. Purge it from reality. But all that happened was that you pulled a muscle in your back and now you were lying there, in agony, emotionally and physically, because you were starting to realize something terrible.

You weren’t just fond of Malleus. You didn’t just enjoy his company.

You liked him.

You LIKED him.

YOU LIKED THE DEMON KING.

You sat up again, legs crossed, hands clasped together in front of you. “Dear gods,” you whispered, voice trembling, “please smite me where I sit. I have failed you.”

Nothing happened.

“…Cowards,” you muttered.

You flopped back down, staring at the ceiling in pure despair.

You were going to bed. You were going to sleep, and when you woke up, you would not be in love with the Demon King. You would be normal. You would be reasonable. You would be a good hero.

You closed your eyes.

Five seconds passed.

You opened them again.

Gods help me.

Literally.

You were having the time of your goddamn life.

Malleus' lair—again, as usual. You were halfway draped across his lap, leisurely popping fruit into your mouth while Lilia spun some absolutely deranged tale about the time he tricked a king into believing he was a vengeful forest spirit. Malleus sipped his tea, vaguely amused, and you? You laughed so hard you nearly choked on a grape.

The atmosphere? Immaculate. Life? Good. Everything? Perfection.

And then the door SLAMMED open.

You flinched so hard you nearly tumbled off Malleus’ lap. The tea cups rattled. The room’s easygoing tension evaporated as you stared at the figure in the doorway—some guy, just some guy—storming in with his sword drawn, looking like he was about to say the most dramatic thing you’d ever heard in your life.

“I HAVE COME TO SLAY YOU, DEMON KING—”

He stopped.

Because you—the actual hero—were very much not slaying the Demon King. You were, instead, sprawled across him like a spoiled house cat, eating his fruit and giggling like an idiot.

A horrifically long pause followed as this budget hero—who was not chosen by the gods, by the way—took in the scene.

Scrambling upright, you waved your hands frantically. “This—this is not what it looks like—”

“It is exactly what it looks like,” Lilia corrected, taking a dainty sip of tea. “Please, continue.”

Budget Hero looked insulted. Absolutely offended. “You—you’re supposed to be a hero! You’re supposed to be fighting him, not—” He gestured at you and Malleus with a face of pure betrayal. “—whatever this is!”

Panic surged. “I am fighting him!”

Budget Hero squinted.

You cleared your throat. “It’s just—” A vague gesture at Malleus. “A mental battle.”

Lilia snickered. Malleus lifted a brow, deeply entertained.

Budget Hero wasn’t buying it. His face hardened with righteous fury as he turned his sword back on Malleus. “No matter! If the gods will not choose a proper hero to strike you down, then I shall—”

And that’s when it happened.

Before Malleus could even think about obliterating him, you moved first. Instinctively. Violently. Viscerally.

Budget Hero never saw it coming. His weapon went flying in a single fluid motion, and before he could process it, he was done. Just absolutely demolished.

Silence.

Then:

Lilia. Wheezing. “Oh, that was brutal.”

You stared down at Budget Hero’s crumpled form, still gripping your weapon, stunned.

Because here’s the thing. That wasn’t a calculated attack. It wasn’t self-defense. It wasn’t even to protect Malleus, exactly.

It was pure, unfiltered spite.

Who did this guy think he was? Marching in, sword drawn, acting like he was Malleus’ sworn enemy? That was your job. Your dynamic. The thought of anyone else trying to take that place—trying to take any place in Malleus’ life that wasn’t yours—was so disgusting, so offensive, that your body moved before your brain did.

…Oh no.

Quickly sheathing your weapon, you coughed into your fist. “Welp. That’s enough murder for today! I should get going!”

Malleus blinked at you, unbothered. “You only just arrived.”

Lilia, still recovering from laughter, wiped a tear from his eye. “Stay! We haven’t even finished discussing your new armor—”

“Nope!” You laughed—too forcefully. “Nooope! I just—I have to, uh—cleanse myself. Spiritually. From, um. Today’s events.”

Malleus tilted his head, intrigued. “You’ve killed before, haven’t you?”

You sweat. “Yeah, but this one was just, uh, really emotionally charged. You know how it is.”

Lilia’s grin was so knowing it made you ill. “Do we?”

You needed to leave immediately.

“Anyway, see you later, besties!” Backing toward the door, you threw up a hand. “Malleus, you’re great, Lilia, you’re also great, I’m normal, and definitely not in any sort of crisis! Bye!”

And then you fled. Like a coward.

You had been avoiding him.

Technically speaking, you had only been gone for a week. But considering you usually barged into his lair daily—arms full of books, or pastries, or some weird trinket you thought he’d like—it was an absence that did not go unnoticed.

After all, you had never run before.

Even when you first met him, when you had been sent to kill him, you had walked right up to him and said, "Hey, so the gods told me to kill you, but honestly, I don’t feel like it." And he had smiled, slow and intrigued, and offered you tea. That had been the beginning of everything.

You had stayed. You always stayed.

But yesterday, after that absolute disaster of an encounter with that third-rate hero, after watching yourself cut him down before Malleus could even lift a hand, after realizing with gut-wrenching horror that you had reacted viscerally to the mere idea of someone else claiming that they were destined to fight him, to be his rival, you had fled.

Because what the fuck did that mean?

Because why had your stomach turned in disgust at the thought of someone else standing in your place?

Because you had looked at Malleus, and something inside you had snarled mine, and the weight of that realization had nearly knocked you off your feet.

So you ran.

Cowardly. Embarrassing. You, the so-called chosen hero, the one who had spent months dragging Malleus through town, shoving hats over his horns, feeding him sweet treats, listening to him ramble about gargoyles with the fondest expression on your face—you had panicked and run away like a flustered maiden in a fairytale.

You didn’t even have the excuse of battle wounds. The only wounds were entirely self-inflicted, entirely emotional, and entirely stupid.

So today, after daysof pacing and telling yourself to get it together, you forced yourself to return.

You spent the entire week gaslighting yourself into thinking nothing happened.

That reaction? Not weird. You were just… caught off guard! Maybe a tiny bit possessive. Maybe incredibly deranged about Malleus to the point where you instinctively obliterated someone for even thinking about taking your role as his arch-nemesis—but that was normal. That was just healthy rival dynamics!

So when you walked into Malleus’ lair the next week, it was with the confidence of someone absolutely not having a mental breakdown over their supposed mortal enemy.

“Yo,” you greeted, hands in your pockets, a casual whistle leaving your lips. “What’s up, big guy? Ready for some classic, good old-fashioned, not-at-all suspicious hero vs. villain conflict today?”

No answer.

It was silent. Too silent.

Usually, Lilia was there to greet you with some teasing remark. Usually, Malleus could sense you the moment you entered his territory, and you’d be met with a soft “You’ve returned.” Usually, there was some kind of warmth, a quiet hum of life in these ancient halls.

But today, there was only cold stone.

Your stomach twisted as you searched for him.

You found him by one of the enormous windows, hands clasped behind his back, staring at the sky with an expression you’d never seen before. His shoulders—usually poised with an almost arrogant regality—were slack. His jaw, tight. His eyes, distant.

For the first time since you met him, he looked exhausted.

“…Malleus?”

Your voice came out softer than you expected. Almost hesitant. As if part of you already knew what he was about to say.

He didn’t turn, didn’t shift, didn’t react right away. Just stood there, gazing out at the vast horizon like he was searching for something.

Finally, after a long, slow exhale, he spoke.

“…I thought you weren’t coming back.”

Your breath caught.

You had been gone for a week. You figured skipping a few visits wouldn’t matter much. That you could collect yourself, sort out whatever this was, and return once you weren’t a flustered disaster.

But standing here now, staring at him, it hit you just how much he had felt your absence.

His fingers curled a little tighter behind his back. His voice, barely above a whisper—

“If someone were to kill me,” he murmured, “I think I’d rather it be you than anyone else.”

The breath whooshed out of your lungs.

Because suddenly, you understood.

He wasn’t just speaking in hypotheticals. He wasn’t musing about battle. He wasn’t challenging you, wasn’t provoking you, wasn’t setting the stage for a dramatic clash between hero and demon king.

No.

Malleus had lived centuries watching heroes march to his doorstep, brandishing divine weapons, shouting righteous declarations, vowing to end him. And yet, he had never once fallen. Never once faltered. Never once let a blade even graze his skin.

But yesterday, when you hadn’t returned, he had thought—ah. So this is how it ends.

If he had to be slain, he wanted it to be by your hand.

If he had to see someone for the last time, he had hoped it would be you.

You broke.

Instantaneous. No hesitation. No rational thought. No clever quip or theatrical deflection. No last-minute is this a good idea? self-reflection. Just a sharp inhale, a rapid closing of distance, and then—

You kissed him. Hard.

Not soft, not slow, not gentle. Desperate. Raw. Months of pent-up feelings, of endless late nights spent thinking about him, of hands brushing and shared laughter and quiet understanding and—fuck. You were so gone for him.

Malleus stiffened—but only for a second.

Then he melted into you.

His hands rose—one tangling in your hair, the other curling around your waist, pulling you so close you swore you could feel his heartbeat hammering against your chest. He kissed back just as desperately, just as fiercely, like he’d been waiting just as helplessly as you had.

When you finally pulled away, breathless, he stared like he’d never seen you before. Wide-eyed. Lips parted. His grip on you so tight, like he was terrified you’d vanish if he let go.

“…I suppose that was your way of saying you refuse?” His voice, unsteady.

A breathless, shaky laugh. “Yeah,” you whispered. “Yeah, I refuse.”

His forehead pressed to yours, breath warm against your lips. His hands didn’t loosen their hold.

“…Then don’t ever leave me.”

You closed your eyes. Gripped his shoulders.

Nodded.

“Never.”

The celestial being—divine embodiment of justice and order, an ancient force revered throughout history—descended upon Malleus’ lair in a blinding display of light and holy power.

Wings of pure radiance unfurled. A golden staff crackled with divine energy. A voice, imbued with the might of the cosmos, boomed across the chamber:

“CHOSEN HERO. DEMON KING. IT IS TIME FOR YOUR DESTINED BATTLE.”

You blinked. Looked up from where you were curled against Malleus, sipping tea and reading a book titled 1,001 Architectural Wonders (That Are Not Gargoyles, Please Stop Asking).

Malleus glanced up from the game of chess he was currently losing against Lilia. “Oh?” he said, perfectly unbothered. “Has it truly been that long?”

“Yes, it has been that long!” the celestial being thundered. “You were sent here to vanquish the Demon King, not—” their eye twitched as they took in the scene, “—play house with him.”

You frowned. “Okay, first of all, rude.”

"Rude? RUDE?!" The celestial being practically vibrated with fury. "YOU LIED TO US!"

“I did not lie,” you said, deeply offended. “I gave you very detailed mission updates.”

“‘I’m gathering intel on the enemy’?”

“I was!” you huffed. “Did you know Malleus actually prefers honey in his tea instead of sugar? Crucial information.”

The celestial being sputtered. “You literally wrote, and I quote—” they conjured a glowing scroll and read aloud, “‘I need to study his weaknesses.’”

“Well,” you said, nodding toward Malleus, “he is weak to compliments. Call him ‘awe-inspiring’ and he gets all flustered. It’s very endearing.”

The being looked one breath away from smiting you. “AND ‘HE’S PROBABLY PLANNING SOMETHING EVIL, I NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON HIM’??”

You pointed at Malleus, who was currently sipping tea with perfect elegance, staring at you like you personally hung the moon in the sky.

“Look at him,” you said dryly. “He’s clearly up to something.”

Malleus delicately set down his teacup. “Indeed,” he mused. “I was just plotting whether to have scones or biscuits with my tea tomorrow.”

The celestial being’s golden aura flickered like a candle in the wind. “YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO KILL HIM!”

Malleus frowned. “That seems excessive for a difference in snack preference.”

The celestial being inhaled sharply, hands trembling. You were pretty sure you just heard them whisper I hate my job.

“Enough!” they roared. “FIGHT! NOW!”

You and Malleus exchanged a long glance.

There was a beat of silence.

Then, with all the excitement of two overworked employees being forced into another useless meeting, you both sighed and reached for the nearest decorative swords.

You lifted your sword. Malleus did the same.

And then, with all the enthusiasm of two toddlers being told to pretend-fight for Grandma’s amusement—

—you both half-heartedly tapped your swords together.

clink.

“There,” you said, monotone. “We fought. Can we go back to cuddling now?”

The celestial being screamed.

The celestial being didn’t so much escort you to the heavens as haul you there like a parent dragging a misbehaving child to a disciplinary hearing. You barely had time to adjust to the blinding light before being unceremoniously dropped onto the cold marble floor.

Above you, the gods loomed from their gilded thrones, their divine radiance pulsing with something that was not quite anger—because gods did not feel anger, only divine disappointment, which was so much worse.

The celestial being, standing smugly beside them, crossed their arms. “I told you they weren’t taking this seriously.”

The first god spoke, voice like rolling thunder. “Chosen hero.”

Another voice, this one like a windstorm, joined in. “You were sent to slay the Demon King.”

A third, calm and cold as deep water. “And yet, you have done nothing.”

You opened your mouth to argue, but the celestial being snapped their fingers, and suddenly, an image materialized before you. A glowing vision of you, fully reclined across Malleus’ lap, popping fruit into his mouth while he read a book.

You stared.

“…Okay,” you admitted, “this looks bad.”

The celestial being glared. “Because it is bad!”

The gods ignored them, their voices deepening into something more final.

“This war against the Demon King has lasted centuries,” one intoned.

“You were our last hope,” another added. “If you do not complete your duty, there will be no other hero for another hundred years.”

“Without a hero,” the celestial being hissed, “there will be no one to protect the world from his inevitable destruction.”

Their words should have shaken you. You should have felt the weight of them pressing into your spine, the consequences of this moment sinking into your bones.

Instead, you just felt tired.

Tired of this war you never understood. Tired of the gods, who sat safe in their gilded heavens, while they sent hero after hero to their deaths.

Tired of pretending that Malleus was something he wasn’t.

You took a slow breath. Then, you reached up and began unbuckling the divine armor. The metal rang loud as it clattered to the ground, reverberating through the silent chamber. You ripped the sacred amulet from around your neck, tossing it aside like an afterthought. The enchanted boots that carried you here? Gone.

The gods watched, speechless, as you stripped away everything that bound you to them.

Then, you stood taller than you ever had before.

“I quit,” you said simply.

The chamber erupted. The celestial being choked. “You can’t just—”

“I can,” you interrupted, stretching your arms, reveling in the freedom of it. “And I am. You want a hero? Find another poor fool. I’m done.”

The gods stared, as if they truly couldn’t comprehend your audacity.

“There will be no other hero for a century,” one god reminded you. “Do you understand what you are forsaking?”

You grinned. “Yeah. Unnecessary slaying.”

And with that, you turned on your heel and walked away, the celestial doors parting effortlessly before you. The gods did not stop you. Perhaps they couldn’t.

You returned to Malleus’ lair lighter than you had ever felt.

He was waiting for you when you arrived, standing near the entrance, his expression unreadable. His eyes—those impossibly green eyes—watched you carefully, searching for something.

“You’re back,” he said softly.

You stepped closer, meeting his gaze. “Of course.”

Something flickered in his expression—something relieved, something like hope.

You exhaled, the weight of everything lifting off your shoulders. “I’m free now, Malleus. No more gods. No more divine duty. Just… me.”

For the first time, you saw it—true joy in his gaze. He stepped forward, closer, until there was nothing between you.

And then he kissed you.

It was not hesitant. Not questioning. It was certain, like he had always known this moment was inevitable, like he had only been waiting for you to realize it too.

When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours, his lips curling into a smile.

“I was hoping you’d choose me,” he murmured.

You smiled back, fingers threading through his.

“I always would have.”

It happened over tea, as most of your most life-altering conversations with Malleus tended to.

You had been lounging on his absurdly comfortable sofa, sipping something floral he had brewed just for you, feeling very much like a person who had absolutely no idea that their entire life was about to be rearranged.

Malleus, ever composed, set down his own cup and regarded you with something almost too fond.

“I’ve been thinking,” he began, “about how long we’ve been together.”

You blinked. “How long?”

He hummed, tilting his head. “Since you gave me your sword, of course.”

You continued blinking, because surely, surely you had misheard him.

“…My sword?”

Malleus nodded, utterly serene. “Yes. It was an elegant proposal.”

You made a sound. It wasn’t a word, exactly, but it conveyed your confusion well enough.

Malleus watched you, waiting patiently for what he must have assumed was joyous realization.

You, meanwhile, were still trying to process whatever the hell was happening.

“…Proposal,” you echoed, because maybe if you repeated it, reality would shift into something that made sense.

Malleus offered a rare, knowing smile. “A symbol of devotion. Offering one’s most treasured possession to another—it is an unbreakable vow, a declaration of lifelong commitment. The moment you placed your sword in my hands, you became mine.”

A long pause.

You stared at him. He continued to look pleased.

You, meanwhile, were experiencing an entire existential crisis.

“Hold on,” you said slowly. “So you’re telling me that, in demon culture, giving you my sword meant—”

“A proposal,” Malleus finished, nodding. “It was quite romantic.”

Your brain short-circuited. You thought back to that moment, a year ago, when you had so casually handed him your holy sword, thinking haha, maybe he can make this thing shut up.

In reality, you had apparently gotten engaged like an absolute moron.

You set down your tea with the careful precision of someone trying very, very hard not to spiral. “Malleus,” you said, voice deceptively calm, “why didn’t you tell me?”

He blinked, puzzled. “I thought you knew.”

“Malleus, I’m human.”

He tilted his head, considering. “Ah. I see the problem now.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose, inhaling deeply. “So, in your mind, we’ve been betrothed this whole time?”

“Yes,” he said, utterly unbothered.

You stared at him. He stared back, composed as ever.

And then you just—laughed. Because of course. Of course you had accidentally proposed to the Demon King like an idiot.

“Well,” you said between snickers, wiping at your eyes. “Since we’re apparently already engaged, wanna just go ahead and get hitched?”

Malleus’ grin was blinding.

“Absolutely.”

Masterlist

Leona: Give me your hand.

Yuu: Why?

Leona: *sighs exasperatedly* Just give me your hand, herbivore.

Yuu: .... *narrows eyes suspiciously*

Yuu: but why?

Leona: I'm trying to ask you to marry me damn it! So just take my damn hand!

Homocipher has gotten me in a choke hold right now i wanna right a twist fic for it

Would people be down if I wrote one with the Mc being the same as the homocipher Mc?

like maybe after escaping instead of going back they end up in twisted wonderland. if I do that would it be cool if I made a language barrier? Cause that was the Homocipher!Mc’s thing(among other stuff). That they could figure out the ghost/monster language.

Best part of could make this all one sided. The twisted cast could all end up liking the Mc but they already have this scrunckly monster/ghost guy waiting for them.

Like maybe during the ghost bride event Homocipher!Mc is just chilling with Eliza. Playing along and everything. (I have to double check the lore here)

Or or when people talk about how scary/intimidating some of the twist cast.

First years telling Homocipher!Mc the dos and don’ts: “Malleus is so scary..”

“Leona is so intimidating when he’s mad..”

“Vil is to intense when he’s serious..”

“Remind me not to angers Riddle..”

“Them? Oh they aren’t scary at all. I mean I’ve met worse. I’ve fucked worse.. I’m not sure why you guys are scared of them. They’re cute even..”

many concerned looks when Homocipher!mc through a themself into fight and like fights really dirty.(serial killer coded Fr)

Edit: so I did it. I made the fic there’s only one chapter so far, think of this as a teaser. The prologue to the whole story really.

it’ll be on both Wattpad and Quotev. If people really want till figure out AO3 too.

Quotev

I Miss My Wife (Twist x Homocipher!Mc)

Finally free from that stupid building and the stupid spirit world. Sure where the men and women cute down there? Yea. Did you like them mor

Wattpad

I Miss My Wife - Prologue 0

Read Prologue 0 from the story I Miss My Wife by Altitudeowo (ScribbleQT) with 13 reads. homicipherxreader, twistedwond...

his cleaner shrimp

Pairing: Floyd Leech x gn!reader

Synopsis: you had only meant to help him once, but he attached himself to you straight away

Tags: fluff, comfort, humour(?), Floyd calls you shrimpy, mentions of blood, Floyd and Jade fought, bot proofread

Word count: 1.5k+

Notes: more floyd fluff! this fic was originally angst can u believe it anyways i was inspired to do a classic shoujo manga scene hehe

'I did nothin' wrong!' Floyd thought to himself.

In the shadowed back alley, Floyd sat curled up against the wall, his emotions roiling like a stormy sea after a heated confrontation with Jade. Anger still boiled within him, but the sting of his injuries dampened his spirit.

His left cheek was swollen and discolored, a vivid shade of purple and blue, with a raw, angry red spot where Jade's knuckles had landed with force. A small cut near his eyebrow oozed blood, giving his face a gritty and battle-worn appearance. His knuckles were bruised and bloodied as well, the skin was broken in places from the forceful punches he had thrown.

He nursed his wounded pride, nursing his bruised ego, and found solace in the alleyway alone, away from prying eyes. If anyone had dared to even look at him funny, they would be met with a fierce glare from his mismatched eyes, as if daring them to challenge him to a second fight.

But it seemed his glare wasn't intimidating enough, as your shadow started approaching him, prompting him to look up from the floor. You were a small thing in Floyd's eyes, not the best target for a fight, and definitely easy to throw around.

'Pshh... Just small fry...' he thought as he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Uhh, hey there," you said hesitantly, holding out a plastic bag Floyd could only assume contained first aid supplies from the red symbols. "I couldn't help but notice you're hurt. Your injuries might get infected if you leave them untreated."

Floyd's initial gruffness wavered slightly as he glanced at you, surprised by your concern. But he didn't want anyone's pity or help, especially not from a stranger. "I don't need any help from small fry like you," he retorted, trying to sound tough and dismissive. "I'm not that weak."

Still, you continued taking steps closer, kneeling down next to him to stare directly into his eyes. "Even strong people can get infections, you know," you said, a wry smile playing on your lips. "It'll hurt more then, so it's better to have it treated now."

Floyd hesitated, torn between his pride and the growing realization that he did need help. Perhaps it was the adrenaline passing, but he could feel his bloodied hand throbbing in sharp pain. He cast a hesitant glance in your direction, taking in the softness and understanding in your face. In that moment, he decided to let his guard down, just for a little bit.

"Fine, whatever," he mumbled, begrudgingly extending his injured hand toward you.

Your touch was gentle and sure, and as you cleaned the wounds and applied antiseptic, you made sure to warn him of the incoming sting, though he seemed unaffected by it all. Despite his efforts to stay aloof, Floyd found himself feeling strangely comforted by your presence. As you continued to patch him up, he felt a warmth spreading through his body, a soft and fuzzy feeling that he couldn't explain. He wondered if that was the infection you had warned him about, but it didn't feel bad or painful; instead, it felt like a balm for his tired soul.

With your curiosity getting the better of you, you couldn't help but ask about the cause of the fight.

"So, what happened?"

Floyd looked at you, his eyes meeting yours, and for a moment, he hesitated. However, the trust he had found in your compassion made him open up.

"Shrimpy's curious, huh..." he replied with a small smile. "Okay, I'll tell ya, but only cuz you're Shrimpy."

You blinked at the peculiar nickname, amused and intrigued. "Shrimpy? Is that... me?"

He nodded happily, a hint of mischief in his eyes. You couldn't help but smile wryly at the odd choice of nickname.

"I had a fight with my brother," Floyd finally admitted, his smile fading into a pout.

"It's Jade's fault!" he yelled, his frustration evident in his voice. "He kept using those weird ingredients in his cooking, even though I hate 'em! I kept tellin' him, but he didn't even listen."

He paused, his voice turning quieter as he continued, "So I broke one of his terrariums to make him stop, but he got really angry..."

You listened attentively, humming as you carefully cleaned the wound on his face. "And so you two fought... I understand how that could be frustrating," you said softly. "You know, cooking takes a lot of time and effort... I'm sure your brother just wanted you to enjoy it like he does."

Floyd glanced at you, his mismatched eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions. He couldn't ignore the gut feeling that maybe you were right.

"Yeah, maybe he did," he conceded, a hint of contemplation in his voice. "But it's still annoying he doesn't listen to me."

You nodded, understanding his frustrations. "Of course, it's not nice that Jade disregarded your feelings," you replied gently. "But you should respect his feelings too. Breaking his terrarium wasn't the right way to handle it."

Your words struck a chord with Floyd, and he felt a pang of remorse for his impulsive actions. He knew better than anyone else how much time and effort Jade devoted to caring for his cherished terrariums, often staying up late into the night to tend to them.

"Aww man... Shrimpy's right," he muttered, feeling the weight of his mistake. "Jeez, what do I do now?"

You offered a reassuring smile, glad that his anger had dissipated. "It's never too late to make things right. The best place to start is always an apology," you suggested. "There, all done," you murmured as you finished placing an island dressing bandage on his face, a smile forming on your face at the job well done.

Floyd, meanwhile, stared at you in a daze, your close proximity allowing him to notice all the little details on your face. He felt his cheeks warm as a gentle affection slowly bubbled inside him. Your genuine care and gentle touch had triggered something deep within him, and he found himself feeling drawn to your presence.

"Floyd!" a familiar voice broke him out of his daze. "There you are!"

Jade stood at the front of the alley, slightly panting as if he had been rushing around. You nudged Floyd gently, having recognized that the man must be his brother, and gave him a reassuring nod.

Floyd glanced at his brother, momentarily torn between his pride and guilt. But he took a deep breath and stepped forward, his voice steady as he said, "Jade, sorry... I shouldn't have broken your terrarium, and it was wrong..." He confessed. "But I don't want to eat any of those weird things again!" he exclaimed with a pout.

Jade's initial surprise gave way to a soft smile, appreciating Floyd's rare willingness to apologize and make amends.

"I understand, Floyd," Jade replied, his tone more understanding now. "And I apologise as well. I should have listened to you and respected your preferences."

Floyd's pout softened as he realized that his brother was willing to meet him halfway. "Really?" he asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

Jade nodded. "Yes, really. Though I do not wish to, I will stop using mushrooms for your meals."

"Wait..." you blurted, turning to look at Floyd. "This whole time, the weird ingredients you've been talking about are mushrooms?"

At he nodded furiously, your incredulous expression only intensified. "But mushrooms are so delicious! Why would you hate them?"

Before Floyd could even start to complain, Jade approached you and clasped both of you hands, his eyes alit with surprise and excitement. "I'm delighted to meet a fellow mushroom lover! Would you like to join me on a mushroom foraging trip in the mountains?"

You blinked, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. As you tried to muster up a response, a pair of strong arms wrapped around you, pulling you backward to meet his sturdy chest. It was Floyd, and you could feel his warmth and presence enveloping you, his chin resting on top of your head, his hair tickling your forehead.

"No way! Go get your own Shrimpy! This one's mine!" Floyd exclaimed, his arms tightening around you possessively to prove his point.

Jade's lips spread into a wide smile, his sharp teeth showing playfully. "Now now, Floyd, I do believe you've broken a precious terrarium of mine," he hummed as he tapped his chin thoughtfully. "It's only fair that you give me something for reparations."

"Nuh-uh! As if I'd let you steal my Shrimpy!" Floyd said. In a fluid motion, he picked you up and started running off with you, while you scrambled to hold on tight to him.

You couldn't help but squeal as the unexpected playfulness unfolded. "W-wait! Floyd! Put me down!"

"Nope! You're my cleaner Shrimpy now! I'm not lettin' you go!" Floyd declared, his voice lighthearted and full of joy.

Maybe you should have been more concerned by his words, but you found yourself so captivated by his joyful and innocent laugh, that you couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles with him.

if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!

TWST: Cater, Ace, Floyd, Rook, Idia, Lilia

MHA: Sero, Kaminari, Monoma, Shinsou, Dabi(only the 2nd message)

Okay but hear me out...

An AU in which reader meets Malleus BUT his mother has won the war and he kind of, pretty much, hates/dislikes humans since he was raised by her BUT he slowly warms up to the human - a little too much - causing a conflict to happen.

😳

Malleus who wants to know your name ↓

Mc who knows about folklore ↑

This will be the most intensive staring contest lol

Jesus, it just got sadder after ADecue

I'm curious about the first years' reaction to why can't I be your spouse.

I think it'd be hilarious

part one/part 2

A ha yes, hilarious. I am so sorry.

"Why couldn't I be your spouse?"

Ace is struck mute. The blush starts at the tips of his ears, spreads across his face, and down across his neck. Because you don't want him. That's the reason right? He's your best friend. You're his. That's your dynamic. It keeps you both safe from any complications or unnecessary feelings but god if you're just going to look up at him and bat your eyes trying to hold back tears at the thought of not being his? "Jeez, we're still in school you know? Ask again later." You won't get a chance to do that, Ace wants to be the one to ask. You deserve that much from him with how much he teases you, or so he says.

There are two ways I can see this question going with Deuce. He's oblivious to the nature of his own feelings: "Because you are meant to get married to someone you love?" He's overwhelmed with distress when you start to cry at his words, but he doesn't understand the source of the pain. Love is a heavy word, and sure he does love you, your best buds! But marriage is extremely serious and sure he's had dreams about you guys living together and stuff like that but he's sure that's just a friendship thing. Not that he ever dreams about doing that with Ace...

If he does know he's in love with you that little question will make Deuce start panicking because of how expensive weddings are. He will be very happy for you to be his spouse, just give him some time please <3

"Because you're not staying." Jack has accepted you are the one he's been waiting for, but he's never verbalized it until now. He's a bit disappointed if he's honest, not with who you are but with the circumstances under which you've met. He modeled his dreams of what his spouse would be like off of his parents and grandparents, he would love you and you would love him. You would be together forever and build a little life together. But you are from a different world and will have to go home some day, he doesn't get to keep you and he doesn't have the option of getting over you. His only option is to deny that he wants you as his spouse until his soul prevents him from doing it anymore, no matter how happy hearing you ask to be his make him feel.

Epel is happy to hear you say that, but it's a bittersweet happiness. Epel wants you to be saying that because you think he's cool. Because you think of him as a manly man who you can rely on to provide for you and keep you safe from all of the monsters you've faced so far. But he knows you pretty well at this point, he doesn't think that you rely on him because you think he's cool. Maybe that's a goods thing though, you've never been judgemental of who he is even if the words you use to describe him aren't the exact ones he wants just yet. That doesn't mean "spouse" isn't how he wants to describe you, and he's not shy of letting you know that. Just this once.

Sebek doesn't answer at first. He doesn't yell either, nor does there appear to be a gathering storm on his face. He looks despondent, not the look you would want on the face of someone when you start talking about getting married. "Because I have treated you in a truly abominable manner most unfitting of my rank based on a prejudiced view of your character." Anyone who looks at him can see that he's in love, that he has no objection to you being his spouse. But he can't have that, he's unworthy. Not that you wants you to take this personally, he is used to being inadequate. Just let him savor the happiness he felt from hearing you say you wanted to be his in the first place. It is more than he deserves for how cruel he has been to you.

TWST Incorrect quotes#442 Shippers

Lilia/Ortho: Malleus/Big Brother is getting married!*Kicking their bedroom door open*

Yuu: O-Oh That's gre-*Sadden look*

Lilia/Ortho:*slamming wedding papers on the table*It's you, sign here

Lilia & Ortho The Biggest Malleyuu/Iduu Shippers

My Ship name for Idia-Yuu...is...Iduu...sounds like "I do"...SOUNDS LIKE A DAMN WEDDING CONFIRMATION-

Death is always around the corner

Azul + Death!Reader

Riddle, Leona, Azul, Jamil, Vil, Idia, Malleus

Let's set the Scene: Masterlist

🐙Azul Ashengrotto🐙

Y/n is a being of darkness, so they are aware of things that go on in the dark. Both Literally and metaphorically. So they were aware of Azul's involvement with Leona and the potion Azul made.

And they know of the plan Azul was going to do with the upcoming exams.

Y/n warned the boys of Azul and told them to do honest studying. Or even come to them for answers and to study.

Yet the boys did not heed Y/n's warning and went to Azul. Y/n only sighed and let destiny take its course. Y/n sat down and contemplated their next target.

For they understood Azul's pain, but now he has let his pain blind him to the amazing person he could become. And now he tries to fill that void with greed and power. And now he is as cruel as those who had bullied him.

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

"What–!? I just suddenly said what’s on my mind–!! Ah…!?" the poor student gasped.

"Ah, what an upsetting result. I am so shocked. And right after I granted your wish in order to uphold the Sea Witch’s benevolence.  And yet you still call me wicked and scheming?" Azu sighed phoning hurt emotions.

"I-I’m sorry…! You’ve got it wrong, that was–!!" "Hm, it is already too late to take your words back! Floyd, come. It is your turn," Azul interrupted.

"You guys are finally done talking~? Can I start squeezing tightly?" Floyd laughed.

"Don't you think he's had enough," said a voice.

The group turned to see Y/n sitting at the bar counter, drinking something from behind the counter.

"What are you doing here?! The Lounge is not open to the public right now," Azul glared.

"I just let myself in," Y/n said simply. "Quiet the shakedown you doing here."

"Am Afraid you have to leave. Jade Floyd show them out," Azul commanded.

Y/n chuckled as they watched Jade and Floyd approach. Y/n slowly stood up and smiled up at the twins with no fear, and with one swift motion. All the air was knocked out of the twins, as they collapsed to the ground. Azul and the boy watched in horror as Y/n approached.

Y/n slammed their hand on the table and glared at the poor student.

"Remember this well, when you make a deal with anyone. Even the people you may despise, you should always be the bigger person and fulfill your promises and payments. Understood?" Y/n growled.

"Yes I learned my lesson. I'll never fall behind on my promises," The random student cried.

"Then scram," Y/n said as the poor student ran in terror.

Azul simply stared nervesly as Y/n sat in the chair across from him, and stared him down.

"So, how has your life been?" Y/n asked suddenly.

"You barge in here just to ask that. Well, I'm doing fine cause business has been doing great. If that is all, please leave," Azul asked as kindly as possible.

"Are content with life, with yourself?" Y/n asked.

"W-what are you talking about. Of course, I am. I'm well on my way to a very successful life," Azul smiled confidently.

"So what's with the side hustle then if your lounge is so successful. Why do you covet things that don't belong to you?" Y/n asked.

"What are you getting at, it's the suckers Um I mean, the customer's choice to agree to my terms," Azul corrected as he held a smug tone.

"What purpose do you have with these powers? Are you compensating for something?" Y/n asked with a smirk. Putting Azul on slightly and edge, as he slowly glared. "Tring to fill the void of self-worth?"

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about," Azul said as he stood. "Where done here."

When suddenly Y/n stood up and quickly shoved Azul back into the seat.

"Cause I can tell you this," Y/n said as their eyes glowed a deep red. "This will never be enough."

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

Sadly Azul did not take Y/n's words to heart and continued with his plans.

Of course, Y/n did not feel sorry for the students who were scammed or gambled on the contract to hope for the best outcome.

So Y/n let the boys suffer for a bit to learn their lesson, much to Jack's approval. But Adeuc and grim not so much. Though after seeing and hearing about the treatment of the tricked students. Y/n thought that this was enough.

So Y/n and Jack went to speak with Azul. The Poor octopus boy was still a bit shaken up from the last visit. But he put on a brave face and wanted to get his own revenge on Y/n.

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

"Oh? Do you want to make a deal with me? What an interesting idea," Azul smirked.

"Aha~ Viper fish's got some guts," Floyd laughed.

" Very well. I understand that you want to make a deal with me, however…  We have a little problem, see? If I remember correctly, you do not possess any magic. You do not possess a beautiful voice nor are you a royal country’s only heir. You are but a simple beastman.  If you wish to ask for something big, the collateral must be of equal value," Azul listed off.

"A collateral?" Jack growled.

"For example… giving me the right to use the Ramshackle Dorm that you are currently in charge of," Azul smiled, as he watch Jack grow frustrated.

"! You were after that from the start, weren’t you!?" Jack snarled. when suddenly the door to the VIP door slammed open, and a soap cover grim came running in.

"I’m on board with that decision! I-I’m tired of living like this, yanno! My fur is not made for dishwashing!" Grim shouted

"Listen to what your one dorm-mate is saying, Y/n-san. What do you say? Will you give the Ramshackle Dorm as collateral to make a deal with me?" Azul smirked, but that soon falter by Y/n's unbothered expression.

" Stop it, Y/n! It’s definitely going to be a contract disadvantageous to you!" Jack warned.

"I want to hear the conditions you have," Y/n yawned.

"It’s refreshing to hear that kind of confidence," Azul said forcing a smile through his irritation. "In three days’ time, I want you to steal a certain picture from the Atlantica Memorial Museum in the Coral Seas. It is the commemoration picture of Prince Rielle’s visit taken 10 years ago. It is positioned right near the entrance, so historically, it is of little importance. It is just that, a simple picture."

"And if I somehow fail?" Y/n asked.

"If you manage to bring me the commemorative picture from the museum before the sun sets on the third day… I will release all 225 of the servants that I have working under me right now. However, if you are not able to do so…  Ramshackle Dorm will be mine. And you both shall be working under me afterward," Azul smiled darkly.

" It’s a deal," Y/n smiled softly, like a mother simply indulging in her child's game of pretend.

"Very well! Now then, please sign here," Azul smirked, thinking he was won. He couldn't wait to crush their confidence and hope.

__________________________________________

Yet Y/n was not afraid. For they went ahead of time and snatched the picture before they even told the twins that they wanted to talk to Azul.

But they simply played along and let Jack help them and grim. Yet Y/n being Death, they had no need to sleep. So they simply patrolled the dorm. Coming across the twins.

With an eerie smile, they gave the twin a reason to run with their tails between their legs. Earning the respect of many of the Savanaclaw students. Some even suggested that they just transfer to their dorm.

When the twins returned they were sadly out of commission for that day. But Y/n was not down dishing out the tournament. When one night,

Late at night, Azul sat in his office counting his sales, contracts, and another important document. When suddenly there was a crash, and the sound of glass Shattering. Azul sighed, thinking that now of the slave anemone workers failed to properly put the glass away. Sadly with nobody else around he had to clean up this mess.

Yet as he swept up the glass, the light suddenly went out. And the light from the tank turned dark. Azul tried to light up his surroundings with a light spell, but the darkness seemed to just eat up the light.

Before Azul could even compose himself, he heard footsteps around him. Followed by the sound of scraping of steel, and a familiar haunting whistle. There was suddenly another shatter, and in a panic, Azul ran toward his office. In the darkness flashes of red Eyes followed him as hands randomly grabbed at him.

The VIP door was just in sight, and he quickly grabbed the nob and ran inside. Just when he thought it was safe, the whistle returned. He looked up to see Y/n sitting at his desk, in his chair. Dressed in a black robe with the hood covering her eyes. They were fiddling with the golden coins on Azul's desk, as they continued to whistle. Y/n finally looked up to Azul as they placed a golden coin over their eyes, and pointed their scythe at him.

Azul began started to become hysterical as hey fumbled with the door handle. Y/n’s shadow began to stretch out across the ground, and just stop before Azul’s feet. The poor octopus boy finally got the door open and barricaded himself in his room for the whole night.

—————————————————

(Final Day)

When the final day and Y/n had one more plan up their sleeves. While The first years distracted the twins Y/n rounded up some savanaclaw student to cause chaos in the lounge.

While Azul, shaken up, still believed that he was ahead of the game. And was still certain about his victory. But was horrified by the sudden burst of rowdy customers, and there was no Jade or Floyd to handle them.

So he went to get supplies from the safe, only to gasp to see Leona with the keys. Leona taunted the boy a bit before returning the keys and leaving. But when Azul opened the safe.

The All contracts were Gone. When Azul confronted Leona, he learned that Y/n was the true mastermind in all of this. And they had long won before the battle even began.

Azul watched helplessly as the lion prince turned all the contracts into sand. The poor boy snapped, as the blot consumed him.

————————————————

As life flashed before Azul’s eyes, he noticed in the infinite darkness a familiar door. The door to his VIP room. He swam through the darkness, but he finally reached the door and stepped in. It was his office, but sitting down at his desk was Y/n.

They were reading a book, with his name printed on the front cover.

“Ah, Mr. Azul you’ve arrived. Please have a seat,” Y/n smiled softly.

Azul slowly and nervously sat down in the chair as Y/n flipped through a couple pages. Then they finally spoke.

“Thank you for coming in today. We have some very important things to discuss,” Y/n said as they turned the book over to the final page. “ You were supposed to die today.”

“W-What?!” Azul gasped.

“But, because of your friends and enemies kindness. You are now at an impasse. You stand on the edge of life and death. And you have a choice to make,” Y/n explained, as they showed him the wanted poster of himself. “Just sign here or there.”

Azul held the bone fish pen. He hovered over the dead for some time, when he noticed something on the poster. It read, Azul Ashengrotto, greedy sleazy scam artist.

“That’s not who I am,” Azul mumble.

“What was that sir?” Y/n asked.

“This title. That’s not who I am,” Azul glared. “I want this changed.”

“Alright,” Y/n said simply, as they reached down into a drawer and pulled a paper with questions on it. “You don’t need to answer all, but fill out the best you can.”

Azul got to work on the paper, at first the questions were pretty standard. Name, date of birth, and parents, but then the questions started getting strange. For example, what are your skill you treasure? How should one live their life? How you you wish to be remembered, and why? And finally, what is your self worth?

Azul filled out the best he could, but he was unable to fill out the last question. He handed Y/n back the paper, and Y/n began to write something at the bottom of the paper. They soon returned the paper, and Azul saw where Y/n wrote. Under, What does Death think of applicant?

Slowly Azul read what was written

Azul Ashengrotto, a greatly insecure boy, who hides behind a business man act. This is how he might see himself, but he is so much more than that.

He is a bright young octopus with great potential in both the business world or culinary if he so desired. He is a smart, clever, and talented individual. I have high hopes for him.

-Signed

Y/n Death

“Death, that can’t possibly be your last name,” Azul said, trying to distract himself from the overwhelming emotions he was feeling.

“Your right Y/n is just a name I add in front of my actual name," Y/n smiled.

“So you're saying your name is Death. That's unfortunate,'' Azul commented.

Y/n raised a brow as they just stared at Azul, as he slowly processed all the clues.

“W-wait Your... Death. As in Death itself?" Azul asked nervesly, as Y/n simply nod. "Then if you're the reaper then why are you asking me all these things. Aren't you supposed to kill me, are you toying with me?"

“Do you think of me as just a heartless monster? I may reap the life of the living, but I don't do this out of enjoyment. And what I write is simply what I see in the person in front of me," Death said as they sat up straight. " So what do you plan to do?"

Azul stared down at the wanted Poster, and the title under the name. And signed Alive.

“I still have many people I need to get back at, and there's still much I want to do," Azul said as he laced the pen down.

Death smiled softly and closed Azul's book. And before they stood they decided to give one more word of Advice.

“And Be careful of what you tie your self-worth to. Make sure it is the things you've earned, and not the gifts of others you collect," Y/n said as they offered a hand to Azul. "And knowing you. You already have many qualities to you."

As he took Death's hand, the VIP door opened revealing a blinding light. Y/n walked Azul to the door, but then stopped him.

"Oh, before I go I have to give you something," Y/n said as they pulled the photo out from their coat.

"The Photo! But, when?!" Azul gasped as he grabbed the photo.

"Since the beginning. I couldn't pass up the chance just to mess with you," Y/n laughed as they pushed him into the light.

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

Azul would finally come too, much to the twin's relief. As Azul recovered Floyd revealed the secret behind the photo. Much to Azul's horror.

As Azul hide his face in embarrassment, he noticed Y/n standing off by themselves. Looked over the Papers Azul signed and put them back into the book.

With a small nod, Y/n turned and left.

After all was said and done, Azul somewhat changed...Not really. But at least he wasn't enslaving people or scamming people out of their talents.

The young boy would notice Y/n visit the lounge every once in and while. Usually off at the far corner way from most. Yet Azul would usually be the one to serve them.

This was one of the few ways they would relax before winter came.

Hi hi! Could I order a scenario of how Jade and Floyd would react to MC hiding behind them because they’re being chased by bullies?? Maybe grabbing onto the tweels (о´∀`о)

I like to think they’d be surprised of someone hiding BEHIND them instead of FROM them lol..

I'm a sucker for platonic tweels! This is my lifeline rn!!

...

Shrimpy Protection Agency

Three of the more troublesome NRC seniors decided that they weren't too pleased with all the attention you were getting, having been in Twisted Wonderland for only a few months.

The students decided to corner you in the hallway, much to your surprise and demand that you apologize for the trouble you've stirred up.

When you refused, they accused you of being disrespectful and threatened to hurt you if you didn't start respecting your upperclassmen.

Through your fear, you managed to slip between the students and make a break for it.

You knew they were older, stronger, and faster than you so you wouldn't be able to outrun them.

Your only hope was to hide.

You frantically searched for a place to hide as you sprinted into the courtyard.

You were hoping someone would be there to stop the upperclassmen from pummeling you but it was empty.

No, not empty.

On the very far side of the courtyard, hidden in the shadows, the Leech twins stood, both looking mildly bored.

"Jade! Floyd!"

They both perked up upon hearing your voice.

What was excitement to see you, quickly became confusion as you ran to them and wrapped your arms around Floyd's torso from the back, shielding yourself from your pursuers.

Jade almost never showed his emotions on his face which made it all the more terrifying when his expression darkened as the bullies followed you to the courtyard.

All three of them stopped in their tracks when they saw the intimidating look on Jade's face, worsened by the wide-eyed and manic Floyd.

It wasn't usual to see either of them, especially Jade, without their signature customer service smile on, even when threatening someone, but when it came to you, there wasn't any pleasantry.

They didn't even try to pretend like your bullies weren't in danger.

"I will give you 5 seconds of silence before I begin my pursuit," whispered Jade, though the attackers heard him loud and clear in the echoey silence of the courtyard.

The one that appeared to be the leader scoffed and nervously chuckled.

"You're just a second-year. I'm not afraid of you. And I sure as he11 wouldn't need a headstart."

"Oh, you misunderstand," Floyd laughed, his eyes still crazed. "Five seconds wouldn't help you for a headstart. We're giving you a chance to pray to every God who'll bother to listen to a pathetic bottom-feeder like you."

"You're monsters!" one of the goons screeched after a few seconds of listening to their panicked breathing. Both twins just smiled in the same unsettling form.

"That bridge was burned a lot time ago, my friend," Jade chuckled menacingly before he went back to staring into the bullies' souls. "5."

"Listen, dude! We were just messing around!"

"4."

"Okay, you're seriously starting to freak me out!"

"Better get on that praying then. 3."

"I'm gonna... tell the headmaster!"

"Oh, I'm so scared. 2."

"Guys, let's get out of here!"

"That little shrimp isn't worth this."

"Only I get to call them that!" Floyd screamed after the goons as they stumbled over themselves to get away.

You could hear the bullies leaving but you still slayed firmly attached to Floyd.

"I'm a touch offended you didn't latch into me that way. Do you trust Floyd more than me?"

You looked up to see Jade smirking at you with his usual calm composure, much opposed to his "predator mode".

"I'm sorry," you sniffled, though you all knew you didn't really mean it. "Next time, I'll hide behind you instead."

"Oh, no, no, no, Shrimpy," Floyd glared at you. You could tell it wasn't directed at you specifically but it was still intimidating. "There's not going to be a next time."

"At least we can agree on that note, brother dearest," Jade mused, brushing a hair behind your ear. "We'll make sure no one will ever mess with you again, Y/N."

"What are you going to do?"

"Well, that's a secret," Jade put a finger to his lips and you could see the angry fire behind his eyes.

"You can hug me anytime you want though, Shrimpy!" Floyd chimed in cheerily. You laughed and leaned into his chest.

"Thank you so much. I don't know what I would've done with out you," you sighed and grabbed Jade's hand, tugging him into a group hug. "I love you. Both of you."

Jade wasn't usually particularly affection and Floyd didn't often practice restraint but both of them cared enough about you to just smother you in a brotherly hug, as long as it will make you happy.

Jade and Floyd made eye contact over your shoulder, making a silent agreement to break every bone in your bullies' bodies and make it look like an accident.

overblots and rollo with a reader who flirts a lot unknowingly? like they see it as friendly teasing or just genuinely giving someone a compliment they don’t think of it as romantic. (their reaction to you accidentally flirting with them or. someone else and they start seething perhaps?!)

oh... I'm guilty of this (｡- .•)

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ accidental flirting

type of post: headcanons characters: riddle, leona, azul, jamil, vil, idia, malleus, rollo ~☆ additional info: romantic, reader is gender neutral, reader is yuu

it's not like Riddle's fellow students have never complimented him, but this is different. his academic achievement is not like... what had you said? the color of his eyes?

no one would be so bold as to compliment his physical features, let alone call them "beautiful" ... no one except for you, of course

you seemed rather confused when his whole face turned red. hopefully, you won't think about it too much...

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

what was that? Leona looks nice when he dresses up? well, aren't you the flatterer? go on, then, say something else. he's listening!

Leona knows you didn't mean it that way, but that makes it even better. smug bastard. and it gives him the go ahead to flirt back, without you even realizing! if you weren't such a clueless little herbivore, he'd think you were trying to get something out of him... but you're you, so he knows you mean it

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

you're so strange. you're definitely just mirroring Azul's body language and flattery, but you're being genuine, too... you're so socially awkward, it's making you a flirt. he's trying to butter you up for a deal, not a date!

...well... he was, anyway

now he's got to figure out how exactly to flirt back in a way that'll sound genuine coming from him...

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

is it unconscious? are you teasing? or have you suddenly become a flirt overnight? Jamil is having a difficult time reading the room, which is unusual for him. the way you've been complimenting him, batting those pretty eyelashes of yours, is... distracting, to say the least

...he could also be reading too much into this. maybe he just needs a nap

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Vil simply can't pass up the opportunity. can you blame him? there you are, looking adorable as per usual, telling him all this nonsense about how lucky his future partner will be, blah, blah...

and you're clueless. it's endearing, really. he'll call you sweet and leave you with a kiss on the cheek

something to think about for later ;3

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

are you trying to send Idia to an early grave??? of course, the one time he lets Ortho drag him outside, there you are, as cutesy and... sunshine-y as ever, telling him you like his hair with a smile. and what does he say?

"uh- um- uh-"

great work, everyone. he'll work on that

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

fae courting is... strange. you know this. you don't know all of it, though. so when you tell Malleus you've planted some Briar Valley flora around Ramshackle for him... he sort of takes it as a vow. it's basically like a promise ring to him

he's all sunshine and rainbows for the rest of the week, much to everyone else's confusion

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Rollo will hit you with the most unamused look you've gotten in your entire life, politely tell you to be decent, thank you, and then leave to lie in bed and think about your future wedding for the rest of the day. that's just the kinda guy he is

Mommy And Me!! (Aka the milfsperience/your torrid love affair with the many mothers of your small town) @bju3c0re

Moving in next to Dylla Spade means the bad kind of summer heat, that new house smell, and your husband deciding on takeout for dinner- there’s a knock on the door soon after all the boxes are away, and your sweat stain addled brain completely shuts down in the face of the hottest delivery driver you’ve ever seen. She looks at you and vice versa, expecting cash/a proposal respectively. You’re such a mess that your sweet, homewrecking husband pays instead- you feel yourself going catatonic at the sound of her making small talk (Her voice alone proves some people are just god’s favourites).. Taking a glance downwards, (skipping eye contact to the best of your ability) you spy an empty ring finger. Finally thinking for the first time in an hour, you decide to definitely work on those ‘marry me cookies’ for tomorrow.. You know, to pay her back properly <3

Book club with Rosetta Rosehearts earns you loads of special privileges- free food and labour’s no problem when you’re out with her in town, she hands out parenting advice like candy (not that you’re inclined to follow it), and you get to look at those baby blues for hours while she’s nose deep in your book of the week <3 The ONLY reason she tolerates your middle school pining is that your taste in thriller’s godlike, and with your reputation, she’s even tempted to read the.. Friskier of your picks, but that’s reserved for a night with far better wine and kissproof lipstick <3

Getting drowned by Georgina Leech at the public pool is a weekly occurrence, but it’s hardly her fault- there’s something about that woman doing aerobics that’s breathtaking, and it just so happens that water has the same effect after a couple minutes :) You’re lucky she’s in love with your sorry self enough to pull you out with how waterlogged and pathetic you must look, but she doesn’t blame your human brain- in fact, she might even think it’s,, Cute. In a prey animal kind of way, but cute nonetheless. If you ever find the courage to pull her under the waves, she’ll appreciate the change in tides, and let you be the hunter for once <3

Working for Maleanor Draconia really just means working her up, but she won’t even try firing you for it- love is war, and she’s way too rich to die!! There’s nobody who spoils you like Mel can, simply because you don’t have time for anyone else when she’s in charge of your schedule :( She draws her harshest lines about dating outside the company- always talking about how she needs you 24/7 for you to be even half of the assistant Raverne was, and after his disappearance, you’re not exactly excited to defy her,, So long as you’re all soft and sweet for her, she’ll keep her claws away (unless you ask for them) <3

"I want my man like this."

•When you break up with your boyfriend at NRC, how would they react, and how would they Yearn?

||How to request:

•pick a character, number of the prompt you would like, an emoji of what type, and a small tidbit of any particular request.

||Emojis are as followed:

🍪 = Fluff

🥃 = Hurt/No Comfort

🍵 = Hurt/Comfort

•Ex. Of Request

Click "Send a Letter to Tenshukaku,

And send in your ask

"could I req for Ace prompt 22 🍪? Make him cry and we comfort him:)"

The earliest you can receive your ask is within the day you ask, or within the week^^

||Guidelines:

1. I won't take nsfw request yet, I'm still not good at writing that,

2. Please don't barge in and force me to update, although I may take a while to complete your request, I am a busy person too, and rest assured I won't post 2 weeks after your req,

3. If you feel that my writing is lackluster or there is some misspelling and grammar mistakes, please tell me through constructive criticism, and feed back is welcomed.

"Let them Yearn!"

1. "I still check my phone hoping it's your name on the screen."

2. "You left, but I never stopped waiting."

3. "Every song I hear sounds like you."

4. "Do you ever wish things had gone differently?"

5. "I dream of the life we almost had."

6. "I see you with them, and I wonder if you ever miss me."

7. "It's not the place I miss, it's you."

8. "If I said I still loved you, would you stay?"

9. "I keep reliving that moment, hoping to rewrite it."

10. "Why does it still hurt like it just happened?"

11. "I want something I know I can’t have."

12. "You made me believe we had forever."

13. "I wish I had told you sooner."

14. "I see your ghost in every crowd."

15. "Was I just a chapter while you were my whole story?"

16. "Please tell me I'm not the only one who remembers."

17. "If I could go back, I'd never let you go."

18. "Even after all this time, I still wonder: what if?"

19. "I thought I moved on, but then I saw your smile again."

20. "Do you ever lie awake thinking about me too?"

21. "I keep writing letters I never send."

22. "Part of me stayed with you that day."

23. "I told everyone I was fine. I lied."

24. "You were my almost, and that still breaks me."

25. "The hardest part isn't losing you, it's never having had the chance."

.…⁠ᘛ⁠⁐̤⁠ᕐ⁠ᐷ…⁠ᘛ⁠⁐̤⁠ᕐ⁠ᐷ…⁠ᘛ⁠⁐̤⁠ᕐ⁠ᐷ…⁠ᘛ⁠⁐̤⁠ᕐ⁠ᐷ...

His Butler, Magic Twisted 「 MASTERLIST 」

✦ warnings : blood, power imbalance and everything that needs to be a warning in Black Butler low-key ; Yuu is a girl and this is from the second person perspective. I will be trying my best to write Sebastian as close to the canon as possible, this will also have a lot of suggestiveness, it's a demon and his master what did you expect? ( you're right, I can't hold myself and I had to do it ) ALSO YUU IS 18-19 YEARS OLD! please remember this ;

✦ taglist ( if you want to be tagged send your request in the askbox and I'll add you ) : @lulu--lala19 @kiki-kuku @nyuu7 @bleh09 @moonwatcher2005 @toxicm0cha @boredwithlifeatthispoint @mewchiili @1nserturlhere @analiee6 @hheerrmmiitt @acersandterminal @citrine-everhart @paleocarcharias

✦ This is a series of short stories following the adventures of Yuu and her butler Sebastian who were mysteriously transported into the world of Twisted Wonderland ;

✦ From the modern world of London, Yuu is a very well known figure amongst her city, mostly for the black-clad handsome butler she has by her side at all times. One day when coming back from a meeting, both were taken by surprise by a sudden carriage that was suspiciously way too close to dodge, and so, they awoke in the world of Twisted Wonderland at the school for mages called Night Raven Collage. What problems will this new adventure cause for the two? And how will they go back home? Will someone ever find out that Sebastian isn't who he says he is?

Stay tuned for their adventures ...

✦ DISCLAIMER : SOME STORIES MAY NOT BE RELEASED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER! they won't be organized in the master list either, and some may be released like that too, so keep an eye out! Also NO IDEA how long is this going to be lol, probably until I get bored or no longer have ideas for it :p

✦ CHAPTERS [ more coming soon... ]

IN THE MORNING :

IN THE AFTERNOON :

AT NIGHT : unknown arrival

AT MIDNIGHT :

© writingbluerose 2025

Hi hi, i saw that requests are open so can i ask for Diasomnia reacting to reader being a dragon rider like the Targaryens please? Reader’s dragon is also super aggressive to anyone that isn’t her rider.

DIASOMNIA X READER

Where you are a dragon rider

Malleus literally blinks twice when he sees you flying in on a dragon just as big or even bigger than him.

I mean… how come he wasn't warned there was another powerful dragon in the region?!

He stands there, arms crossed, watching you land, your cape flapping and the dragon breathing fire as a warning.

"Interesting creature…"

…and you can't tell if he means you or the dragon.

He tries. He really does. He approaches you with all his fae princely elegance, but the dragon immediately blows smoke out of its nostrils.

"Don't worry. I'm used to being feared… though they don't usually bare their fangs so quickly."

A little offended, but even more intrigued

He's fascinated that you can control such a temperamental creature. He looks at you with respect and mild infatuation.

"Could it be that you can control this dragon too…?" he says, pointing at himself with a smile 💀💀

He's amused when the dragon roars at him if he tries to get too close to you.

"Are you that jealous, old friend? Can't you see I just want to talk to your rider?"

The best part is when you stroke his arm, easing the tension, and Malleus gives the dragon a triumphant look as if to say, "She's touching me, and you can't help it."

He's not bothered that the dragon doesn't want him around. In fact, he takes it as a romantic challenge.

"In time, he'll accept it… just as I've accepted that my heart burns when I see you."

10/10 rizzler Malleus.

Sebek watches you descend from the sky with that imperial air, wrapped in fire, ash, and the wind blowing… and the first thing he thinks is:

“A WARRIOR WORTHY OF SERVING MY LORD MALLEUS!”

Seriously he's so impressed he's speechless for a few seconds.

Which, considering it's Sebek, is quite a feat.

The way you control that enormous beast with a single command, the way the dragon turns its head to follow your every step… it's terrifying, majestic, and wonderful for his sense of honor and discipline.

A flash of flame two feet away from him. Your dragon barks a warning that leaves him paralyzed, his hair standing on end and his pride trembling.

BUT… then he tries to get closer. Like a good bodyguard knight, he wants to make sure you're not a threat to Mal. He takes one step. Another. And then…

“U-UNACCEPTABLE!! HOW DARE THIS CREATURE THREATEN A FAITHFUL SERVANT OF MALLEUS-SAMA!?”

It takes him weeks to stop yelling at the dragon.

But he keeps trying. With his chest puffed out, he tries every diplomatic method he knows to get close without getting charred.

He speaks to it as if it were a troop:

“Listen to me, scaly creature! I seek no harm to your rider! I am here to protect her in the name of honor!”

He fails. Mostly.

The dragon hates him, especially because he screams so much and has such intense energy.

Still, Sebek respects you greatly. He says only someone with an unbreakable will and a soul forged in fire could tame such a beast. He even starts training harder to “be worthy of a dragon rider.”

Sometimes he gets jealous of the dragon tho.

“Why can that creature always be by her side and I can't?! It's not fair, damn it, it can't even speak like a decent knight!”

Over time, Sebek begins to see the dragon not just as an obstacle, but as a symbol of your power. And while he'll never bow his head to the creature, he will accept that it's part of your honor, your life, and your heart.

Silver sees you fly for the first time when he wakes up to the sound of wings. He looks up, half asleep… and gasps.

It's like seeing a dream. A colossal creature soaring through the sky with fire behind it, and you riding it like a goddess of war.

When you land and walk with that serene air, while your dragon protects your back like a jealous guardian, Silver feels something inside him…

as if he's recognized your soul before. As if he's already dreamed of you.

"You're like the legends my father told me when I was a child…"

He tries to get closer. With calm steps, without raising his voice, with soft eyes.

But your dragon doesn't allow it. He steps between you two, growls… and immediately throws a flame at the ground a few steps from Silver.

The funny thing is that Silver doesn't get angry. He just bows his head and apologizes, respectfully.

"I understand… you're looking out for her. And that's okay."

Of course, every time he sees you, your dragon watches him as if evaluating him. Silver stays still, let it smell him, doesn't defend himself. He's willing to slowly earn your trust.

In fact, there's a precious moment when Silver accidentally falls asleep near you, and your dragon… doesn't attack him.

He lets him be. He watches him, even shades him with one of his wings.

When you wake up and see that, you realize your dragon has silently accepted it.

If there's ever a battle, Silver is ready to fight by your side. He won't ride your dragon, because he respects the sacred bond you have, but he will walk in your shadow, sword in hand, confident that you and your creature are the closest he's ever come to the fantasy he dreamed of as a child.

Lilia sees the dragon snarling, breathing fire into the air, and you sitting on its back as if you were on your throne. And his first reaction is,

"How cute! Look at those sharp little teeth! And that temper! I love it! He does look like Malleus when he was still in his shell, baby boy~"

The dragon blows a flame at him, and Lilia… laughs.

“Ohhh, you sure know how to give a warm welcome! You're so polite!”

Unlike the others, he doesn't get offended or frustrated. he treats it like a game.

Sometimes he even brings the dragon fresh meat as an offering, though she only drops it from a safe distance.

“Now, now, don't be so cold. I promise I won't eat your rider… unless she wants it.”

Please tell me I didn't just write that.

But seriously, deep down, Lilia admires you greatly. Your bravery, your connection with a wild creature, your strength and grace… he finds it all fascinating. And yes, sometimes he casts flirtatious glances at you from afar while your dragon jealously watches

"Do I also have to win over your guardian to win you over, my dear?"

🍄Apothecary in Wonderland 🌿💊

Warnings: arson, ooc

Please do not copy, repost or plagiarize, my fic. If you want to translate it, you must contact me first and also credit me.

Synopsis: The mysterious apothecary falls victim to the dark carriage in the midst of her visit to her elderly father. Now stuck in this bizarre world, she must survive and make it back to her world before the darkness consumes her.

Cat in the rabbit hole (prologue-1)

Inferno (prologue-2)

Taglist: @kittycat246 @wutap @coffee-or-hot-cocoa @boredselkie @krysthalina

HII, PLS HELP ME FIND THE ARTIST WHO MADE THISSS

# PURPLE LILACS !

## ❝ after the events of the phantom bride wedding, ace started wondering whether he still had the ability to charm girls. he hasn’t thought about anyone romantically in years, hasn’t really flirted with anyone either, what if he’s gone out of it? perhaps it’s time to put his talents to the test; with the person who hates him most, no less. if he can charm her, he can charm anyone. ❞

ace trappola x fem!reader smau

status ongoing ; 3rd august 2023 - ? ? ?

taglist open ; drop a comment or send an ask to be added !

## WARNINGS : fem reader. lowercase writing. english is not my first language. heavy cussing. crack. fluff. angst. enemies to lovers. affectionate bullying. sewerslide jokes. ooc characters. not fully canon compliant. will update

## AUTHORS NOTE : thx to my new mootie ( @solxima ) for inspiring me & gabs ( @gabirii ) my pookie for encouraging me to write this !!!! i am very excited for it and i hope yall are too! likes comments n reblogs are much appreciated &lt;3

war crimes & terrorism | first year fiasco | playlist

[00] - perhaps.. i'm maidenless?

[01] - "i'd rather die"

[02] - a "friendly" game of monopoly

[03] - call me riddle rosehearts

[04] - # # #

[05] - ^ ^ ^

@schoenht IM TELLING MY THERAPIST, U MADE ME CRI FRO 1MILLION HOURS(ILY SM THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS STORYYY🫶)

In Every Lifetime

EPILOGUE !

《 previous | masterlist 》

a/n: OKAY. NOW WILL YALL STOP BARKING. /lh TEEHEE anyways here you go bc i loved seeing all of yall suffer but ofc i spoil you guys too much smh this is the REAL ending to in every lifetime !!! we did it !!! okay moving on, NEXT SMAU WAHAHAHAHAHAH >:3

taglist: @taruruchi @idiaia @starchilll @h0n3ysgh0st @yumixxn @kalims @sakuram1nt @proximitybobomb @shiemori @fluffimemes @meigalaxy @kaechannn @ravenkake @unlikelyinternetprincess @magical-mace @lifeless-bug @atl4ntxc @pyrrhicgaze @chay2 @everettelz @voreaux @yelshin @kahunap @tingerines @teamoymas @pastellepastary @mochimiyaas @i-have-a-lot-of-ocs @sxftiebee @eccedentesiast-sapphic @kenma-izhu @twisted-jamil @bre99 @sherryuki-callmeyuki @yuchanyuna @faeryarchives @musclefanatica @stormyovent0aster @fangirl-d-blog @iameliseposts @minkyungseokie @skintights0cks @somany-fandoms-solittle-time @sugarrush-blush @kalims-pessimist-bestie @stupidwingboy @simp-incoming @kurenix @alex-the-bee

NO REMINDER!

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

Lilia Vanrouge

Warning(s): NSFW. Minors do not interact. Yandere themes. Implied pseudo-incest.

Just a short drabble.

⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰

"Shh.."

A soft chuckle emits somewhere in the unlit room.. Not that you'd know whether or not the room was truly lit or not when your eyes have been blindfolded. He shushes you in hopes that you'll let your guard down. However..

"Khehee. My little fae, why do you seem so scared?" Though he does not outright say it, Lilia enjoys watching how much your body trembles just by hearing his voice. He knows that he was the one to teach you to fear things, but he never anticipated that one day you'd turn his lessons against him. After taking care after you for so many years and this is the result.. He could only sigh if it weren't for the fact that he quite enjoyed being a sadist. And he has to admit, he must have gone wrong somewhere so he is partially at fault.

A wide grin that only a madman such as he could perfect smeared on his face. The sound of chains dragging on the floor sounded in your ears when you shuffle your legs close to you. You bit your lips, refusing to talk to him for as long as you could.

This only spurs him to crouch down to level your eyes and carress your cheek. His hand is slender and cold but that wasn't the reason you shuddered. What made you shiver was the thought of someone who you confide all your problems with and trusted deeply, especially when it came to protecting you, showing their monster and unwanted sinful desires towards you. "Hm~ What's this? Why is my little fae refusing my touch?" He pouts when you turn your head away from his hand.

"Are you perhaps being shy?" He chuckles and shakes his head when he falls trap to his own fantasies. "What a silly little thing."

Having enough of doing all the talking, he decides that it was about time for you to sing him praises. Chains rattle again, this time not because of you but because of him. He grabs your ankles and pulled your entire body close to him.

His cold leather gloves made you gasp which only fueled him on. "Fufufu. I knew I'd like you better this way," he comments, now towering over your form. You try not to cry as he leaves wet kisses on your inner thighs. It felt disgusting and O' how you wished your body didn't betray you at this moment, biting your bottom lip to keep all the noises he so desperately wants to hear from escaping.

He chuckles at your pathetic tries of fighting against the idea of giving up and submitting to him. If he had known years ago that you were going to become like this, maybe he should've discarded the notion of teaching you all those things that he would later have to pay a heavy price of not loving you the way he wants to and greatly resenting it. "Hn..!" Oh? Your legs trembled as he gives a kiss to your clothed sex. You could not see the sadistic smile that stretches his face that shows his fangs.

It was at this moment that he decides to skip all that long foreplay and teasing you. Another time, maybe, but not right now.

He slips off your underwear, feeling a wave of excitement surge through him. Lilia admits, he hasn't always thought of you this way so something must be wrong with him.. "You've put me under your spell, little fae.." His voice sounds deeper; serious.

"So it's time for you to understand the consequences of casting a spell on me."

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✦❘༻𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙼𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝༺❘✦

Ch. 4 - Here Comes the Red Prince

Malleus Draconia x fem! reader

Chapter list + Summary [Previous] [Next]

Do not steal/copy + paste my works and upload it anywhere else.

⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

“Wife, do you want the garnet or sapphire?” It was a peaceful afternoon where you indulge yourself in embroidery moments before Malleus had decided to join you in the drawing room. After the birthday banquet of Marquis Hagen’s wife, Malleus could be found everywhere you looked. He had even started to join you for dinner. It was as if he’d been glued to your side and could not separate from you. It was honestly terrifying to have the fae’s looming build stare at you all day every day, watching every step you took and every air you breathe in. ‘His eyes are terrifying..’

You have also come to learn that he has indeed found a.. Nickname, you guess. It is just a title but it’s a bit better than the last.   

He wanted to do some bonding time with you, you assume, but when you try to initiate conversation at times to keep him entertained, the words would die on your tongue as soon as you make eye contact with him. 

He inspects the gems that are lined up neatly in rows on the table with the jeweller having stood at the side for some time and turned his head slightly to look at you. So far, you haven't shown any reactions to any, probably because you’re mainly caught up in the swirl of anxiety simply being near Malleus, too scared to move your arms that are laid stiffly on your lap. But you had to say something, otherwise nobody could leave this room. “Hm.. Oh!” A particular gem’s gleam caught the attention of your eyes amongst many of the other shiny accessories. Your hand reaches out for the small box containing the jewellery which was a necklace made of gold with two small ruby gems and a single, slightly larger one in the middle all carved to look like roses. If you had to choose a necklace, you guessed that this one would be most fitting. 

“Ah, Princess! You have quite the discerning eyes for true beauty!” The jeweller’s eyes lit up and began rubbing his hands together. “The gem has been the highest rarity ever seen of its own kind; it has been recently mined and brought to our craftsman!” 

Malleus, seeing the satisfied look you had on your face whilst staring at the necklace, nodded towards the jeweller. No words weren’t needed to be exchanged and the jeweller started packing the rest of the jewellery, readying himself to leave soon afterwards. “Are you sure that that is the only one you want, chil— ahem— wife?” He asks, taking a sip of his drink and looking at your form from the corner of his eyes to which you hummed in reassurance that you were indeed satisfied with just having one necklace at the moment. He had assumed that all ladies liked jewellery so he had made sure to have the fae bring in all of their best stocks, no matter the price. “Thank you, Your Highness.” Still, you had agreed to his idea to have the jeweller come in. Surely, he thinks, that this will satisfy the old fae who he knows isn’t too far that had been pestering him to not leave a “weeping princess alone,” or so he said. 

Just outside the door, hurried footsteps could be heard coming towards the room before stopping short right outside and then knocking on the door with composure so as to not offend the person on the other side. Once Malleus beckons them in, an air of urgency filled the room that both of you could sense. “Speak.” Malleus crosses both his legs and his arms and looks on with a serious look— and possibly with a pout, if your eyes aren’t deceiving you. “Your Highness, a human whom calls himself the prince of the Rose Kingdom is asking for your attendance..” Your two eyebrows shot up at the mention of the prince. A hand makes a loose fist on your chest as your heartbeat increases slightly. There was a moment of pause as Malleus stood up, readying to see the prince, and the messenger quickly took a glance past his shoulders and made direct eye contact at you. “Err, and the princess as well.” Both of your curiosity were piqued now. Hearing that the prince of your homeland was here is surprising enough, but to want to see you..? You were curious to why a royal would come all this way unannounced and to see you who has no power in this kingdom but title. If he’s here for something, then surely it is something that you cannot grant.

Nevertheless, you both went to the entrance of the castle. There, a boy with hair red as roses stood, tapping his foot impatiently and idly, careful eyes inspecting what he could and the servant faes who stood quietly on both sides. There was an air of distrust and it laid thickly in the air. “Rosehearts,” Malleus speaks as the both of you entered the scene. You walked behind him but the moment you entered, the red-head had averted his full attention to you. He was silent for a while, grey eyes just staring intently into your own.

Malleus noticed how his eyes weren’t focused on him and looked to where the prince was looking. His eyes narrow for a brief moment and this is not taken to notice by the fellow royal blood. “Tell me, Crown Prince of the Rose Kingdom, what reason did you come here rather unannounced?” Malleus got straight to the point, snapping the prince out of his daze and diverting his attention away. “I heard that you came alone on horseback.” 

The red-head covers his mouth with a fist and clears his throat before facing the fae who stood at a stark difference in height compared to himself. “If I were to bring them along, they’d only slow me down. Besides, it’s nearly impossible for magicless carriages to traverse these lands.” He puts into careful words to which you could agree. When you came here, it took the entire day on normal carriages that took the long— yet safe— route to get to the castle. “Hm. Then I apologize for the arduous journey,” Malleus says with a rather bored tone and crosses his arm. “I would have offered you tea by now and a rest, but I presume that you did not come here for idle chat.” For an unknown reason, he was becoming more restless, his foot tapping just how the rose prince in front of him once did before they entered. There was a tone in his voice that was rather telling; telling the short male to spit it out already and get out of here. 

“.. I will be in charge of the peace treaty from henceforth and wish to discuss certain agreements listed that could be misunderstood.. ” He explains. His eyes wander to you for a brief moment before returning them to stare at Malleus with a certain look as if asking him to a challenge. “Afterwards, I would like to have a conversation with [Name].. Alone.” At his words, Malleus’ pupils retracted into two, thin slits, though this went unnoticed by the both of you. The draconic fae glances at you, wondering how exactly close you were to him. To know of the prince is nothing to boast about since you were once a citizen of the kingdom but the look either of you gave and how you reacted earlier to when that servant said that the prince wanted to see you too suggests that you knew each other on a more intimate level. 

“I’m afraid I can’t allow that.” Malleus does not have any personal grudges against him, don’t get it wrong. In fact, he venerated the prince; he is a human with great prowess and strong affinity towards magic and whilst he has all this, he shows all the best qualities found in man. He is a perfect example of a leader— a future king. However, he will not allow another man to have a conversation with you in private. Who knows what could happen without his supervision? You were naive compared to anybody in the room, this he believes, so there is no doubt in his mind that you do not know the consequences.. A consequence from the rumours that’ll spread. An unmarried man and a married woman, alone in a room. No husband, no servants.. 

“I believe I have the right to see how my people are faring in an unfamiliar place,” Riddle shoots back. Malleus’ jaws tighten and you are sweating buckets at the stiff air that continues to build up. “I sincerely apologize for my rather.. Blunt correction, but she isn’t a person belonging to the Rose Kingdom anymore; she is now the princess of the Valley of Thorns and the creatures here are her future subjects,” Malleus corrected facts in an eerily calm paced tone, his right palm raised in the air while doing so in an open gesture saying to understand where he is coming from. Riddle’s hands turned into fists and his face warped into an ugly look, his eyebrows furrowing as low as it could. 

You have heard of this infamous look the red prince would have whenever something does not go his way and it greatly upsets him. When you look around, the faes in the vicinity— that included the servants as well— could sense hostility and were ready to attack should anything happen to their prince. If this continues, another long war might break out and you definitely do not want that.. “A-ah.. Your Highness..” You look towards the dark prince with a nervous gaze. Malleus turns his head at your call. “It would really make me happy to talk to somebody from my homeland..

“If we can’t have a private conversation, then would one at the garden be alright with you?” You spill out each word rather slowly and softly in hopes he’d relax a bit. You have secretly wanted to also have a chat with the prince so maybe if you persist, he’ll relent. 

His eyes look thoughtful and take your words into careful suggestions. “I’ll allow it..” He sighs and you couldn’t help but smile excitedly. He raises an eyebrow, his silent question is now bubbling up into many more unanswered questions. The look you have really does suggest that there is something more than meets the eye with the two. “But on one condition.” Ah. You should have seen it coming. But surely, it can’t be that bad so you nodded. “One of the guards will be on standby..

“Is that alright with you, Rosehearts?” He looks again towards the short male. “You must understand, it is not that I do not trust you; in the case something happens to my wife, another century of discord might ignite, and let’s not even begin to think of a future between the kingdoms should anything happen to the Rose Kingdom’s only prince..” 

Silver eyes bore deeply into luminescent green ones. He was thinking, but not about his words; rather, he was seeing if he could form more words that would allow the situation to go his way. The prince sighs, knowing that this may be the better condition and probably the only chance to speak with you. 

—

You have always felt that time was a lot slower in the Valley. Even back home, if you just stare outside the window of any of the higher floors, you’d see many citizens walking about and soldiers under the command of the resident baron doing their best to ensure the safety of the people whilst on the land he governs. In the Valley, the faes had all the time a human could ever want and more than not everything needs to be done by a certain date. It makes you feel as if you were the only one in a state of frantic of the little time you have left.

“Are you alright, [Name]?” A voice softly brings you back from your thoughts; you had been staring at your tea this whole time. “Oh, yes! Sorry, I was just thinking of some stuff..” You raise your chin up to meet grey orbs staring into your own. They weren’t any sort of warm colour such as brown, but you nevertheless found tranquillity when staring into them. As of this moment, you feel as if the time you chase so much while being in this place isn’t so important; that you did not mind how faes had time begging for them and were just happy to be there especially now that a familiar face has come to join you. 

“Um, you didn’t say anything important just now, did you, Riddle?” You felt a cold sweat run down the back of your neck and an awkward, lopsided smile was aimed towards him. “Hm..” He narrows his eyes just a bit, carefully taking note of the weird look on your face, an eyebrow raised higher than the other. 

Seeing as he just continues to stare at you in silence, you begin to get nervous and look everywhere else but his eyes and squirm in your seat. It wasn’t long until you heard the soft exhale of a breath and you lifted your head back up carefully. He is leaning back on his seat and crosses his legs over the other. You watch as his complexion relaxes. He closed his eyes and kept quiet for a bit. 

You sat there with a tight-lipped smile, clearly it was forced. “Did.. Did you say something important..?” You say softly and carefully. It really only takes one wrong step before you’d be ensuring his wrath.  His eyelashes flutter slowly like a feather when he opens his eyes to reveal those grey orbs once more. 

“Riddle?” He repeats, crossing his arm and looks at you judgmentally. It took you a while until it clicked. “Ah.. S-sorry! I meant Your Highness!” Your eyes become wide as you correct yourself quickly; your hands flail in front of you. You had started to miss the life you had before deeply. So, when you saw a familiar face from that not-so distant past, it made you think that even for a brief second, you could return to that dream where you’ll be allowed to let down formalities. But, you did not take into account that Riddle would always be someone of higher status than you and that even then, you addressed him with respect.

 He shakes his head, a small smile on his lips that you could not catch. Despite being in a foreign country, Riddle sees that you do not seem to be stricken with the look of fatigue and longing for home and that alone makes him feel much more at ease, knowing that you are okay. “Please, continue to call me Riddle,” his eyes speak of words, but unfortunately, it could not be read. “We have been intimate friends since our youth so I believe it is only right that you address me intimately, [Name].” He had always said your name without adding any title while you couldn’t, so having the opportunity to.. You feel your heart squeeze and a smile of your own comes to form and open your mouth to speak, “I.. Oh, but..” There then comes a realization that another, different rule now stops you. “I can’t..

“I am now a princess of another kingdom.. They will find it suspicious if I address you too casually and rumours might start..” You look over your shoulder to the guard stationed nearby, just as agreed with between him and Malleus.  

Riddle’s eyes directs to the same direction you were looking at. And, with a stern look on his face when your eyes meet, he speaks, “Isn’t the purpose to unite the two kingdoms is for the people to become friends? As friends, I don’t believe formalities are needed.” He made a really good point and you found no fault in that. You nod and smile again. “You’re right, Riddle.” 

His eyes widened. Even though this was something he asked for, he did not quite think of the consequences it would have on him. “Oh..! Did I make you angry?” You panicked, seeing his face turn the colour of red (the same colour when he gets angry). 

No, he isn’t angry. Quite the opposite, but he couldn’t say. The prince was never one to hide his wrath so it is no surprise to see his face also reflecting his flustered mind; a hand flies to his face as if it could hide the ever deepening red colour. 

Seeing you panicking and regretting ever being born, he quickly calms his raising heart. “No..” He coughs into his fist. “Sorry, I was just.. Nevermind.” He dissuades from continuing the topic. His posture corrected itself once more, but his face was still hiding behind his hand and his eyes looked off to the side.

“Anyway, I’m sorry if I have made you wait long.. I’ve been meaning to end the talks with Malleus quickly.” He explains. “No, it’s alright. I hope the meeting went well,” you shook your head, holding your cup between your hands. 

“Oh, right, what did you want to talk to me about?” You asked. He did say that he wanted to speak to you alone. He hums and looks at you dumbfounded briefly but caught up with you in the end. “Ah, I.. When I got back from the academy, I was told that the peace talks were over and then came the agreement, but it wasn’t until later in the castle that I was informed that a baron’s daughter was to be married to..” His eyes tried hard to continue staring at you, but failed; there felt a suffocating feeling in his chest which dried his throat. The thought that he couldn’t be there to stop you from going to the Valley of Thorns was unbearable for him. “That you were the one who..”

The air suddenly became too thick for him and although it did not feel like that for you, the pitiful look on his face made you feel regretful that you did not tell him. You were about to comfort him when a hand slams down on the table along the screeching sound of a chair being pulled back. “Tell me!” Riddle looks at you with eyes that could only say so much about how hurt he is. “You.. Why did you accept? Why didn’t you reject the Queen? Why did you get married to him!?” At every word he says out loud, the louder his voice becomes and all you could do was stare in trepidation. 

However, you know you could not allow this to escalate. You look at the guard stationed nearby and see he was ready to subdue Riddle the moment he crosses that invisible line between you two. 

“Riddle, please calm down..!” You raise your own voice (something that you believe you have never done before) and look crossed at him. He has to calm down otherwise, at this rate, you might never be allowed to talk to him like this again. Luckily, he was quick to see his wrongdoings and the colour on his face returned to normal. He sits down yet does not look at you; he looks at his hands that are laid on his lap. “I’m.. I’m sorry, [Name].” 

You huff a breath. “It’s oka—“ “No, it’s not okay!” His head shots up to look at you and realize once again that he is acting out again. “Please.. Let me apologize sincerely before you say anything.

“I’m sorry for raising my voice at you. It wasn’t right and I take full responsibility for my actions,” he words out carefully. 

The wind was slightly cooler than what it was this morning. You look up to stare at the clouds. Now that you think about it, the skies are a lot darker than it was before Riddle came. It looked like the sky itself was having internal conflict. It appears that it was battling itself to not have a downpour right at this moment. It’s funny, you think, the clouds at that moment seem alive and having split thoughts about what weather they’ll cast. It made you almost chuckle at a made-up thought that a sorcerer could be doing this because they were in a similar state as well.. Maybe it was Riddles’ doing, but he does not have the ability to freely change the weather and you knew that well. 

Tearing your eyes away from the sky, you return to reality at hand and speak with a gentle voice like a mother speaking to her child, “Riddle, look at me.” You would not continue speaking until he looks at you. There was a brief look of hesitation that you could see under the darkness of his bangs. He gulps down a growing lump in his throat before looking at you properly. “There was no other choice; I had to get married—“ “No choice?” He sounded broken when he repeated your words. You bit the bottom of your lips. It’s a long story and you are honestly too tired to tell it.. That fae.. The Queen.. What happened in that throne room finalized your fate. 

You nod your head and outstretch your hand to hold his. You had never held his hands before until today and to no one’s surprise, they were warm. “I had no choice but listen, if it’s to make two kingdoms stop fighting a pointless battle, then I’m happy being the beginning of that newly established peace.”

Riddle looks long at both of your hands. With a look of resolve, he squeezes your hands and meets your eyes with seriousness. “I’ll find a way..” He says and you thought he’d continue on from there but he didn’t. Instead, he lets go of your hands and starts looking for something inside his welted chest pockets. “I have a letter from my mother meant for you; it’s an invitation.” 

Invitation? That’s surely a surprise, you think, taking the closed envelope into your hands and looking at the fancy markings alongside the single red seal of a rose. You open in and read its contents carefully. “Is there anything else mentioned in there..?” Riddle asks curiously. You shook your head. “She just wants to invite me back to join her for tea someday.” 

He hums agreeingly with the letter. “I think you should accept. Think of it as a meeting between a queen and a future queen; I believe it’ll benefit you.” 

Seeing it that way, you nod agreeingly and look at the letter, finding no faults inside it. “Then, I’ll ask His Highness..” You say almost subconsciously. Riddle raises his eyebrows. “His Highness? Is that how you address him?” He crosses his arms over his chest. You nod, “Mhm.. I mean, I don’t think it’d be appropriate to address him as anything but.” 

Unbeknownst to you, a smile was threatening to let slip but he fought it back. “I see.. Then I’ll definitely come for you..” He mutters cryptically. Before you could ask since he had said something similar twice now, he stood up from his seat. “I’m sorry, but I should leave now. I promised my mother I will be back in the castle before the moon rises,” he said. You smiled understandingly and entered back inside the castle to see him off.

“Thank you for allowing me to speak with you, [Name].” He puts a hand over his heart, his back facing the door to the castle. You shook your head and said, “No, I should be thanking you.. It was so good to see you again. I really missed talking to you, Riddle.” 

During you twos parting chatter while waiting for Malleus to see him off, the draconic-fae enters the room. His first sight was you hardly trying to cover a wide smile. He had thought you weren’t capable of a radiant smile like that and a look of perplexity crossed his face as he approached you two. There was no point in trying to be sneaky when his shoes sounded with every step he took. 

“Rosehearts.” You two stopped talking and looked behind you. He was still upset from earlier but he does not show it on his stoic face. You scooted away from Riddle and took your place beside Malleus. “I hope your stay here was alright,” he continues speaking. 

Riddle hums. “It was. [Name] here has been a wonderful host.” He looks at you and you couldn’t help but smile, albeit a small one from trying to hide it. Malleus gives a low, prolonged hum; eyes darting to and fro between you two. “I see.. Then, I'm at ease.” 

The words exchanged between the two were very short and before you knew it, Riddle had gone home. It was thought that it would be that and Malleus was already on his heels to leave the hall. You look off to the direction Riddle took off on his horse just for a second and leave as well. You thought it best to bring up the invitation to Malleus later over dinner.

In the meantime, as you let out a soft sigh, you let your muscle relax. Most of the mornings and part of the afternoon were spent entertaining Malleus and Riddle for the rest; you are determined to have some time for yourself just until dinner. 

Still.. It was the most wonderful visit that you’ve ever received. Seeing Riddle again made you feel as if you’ve gained the strength to continue on with this duty of being wedded to the Valley’s prince.

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✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

Malleus Draconia

Warning(s): NSFW. Minors do not interact.

Just a short drabble.

⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰

Malleus thinks you’re cute.

He thinks your especially cute when you give him shy smiles, an angelic giggle, the flirtatious bat of the eyes directed his way.. The list continues and even he himself is not so sure if he can list them all in this lifetime despite his long lifespan.

And in these moments, a low chuckle that comes from deep within his chest will usually be the response to all the little actions. Just like now, as a chuckle reverberates in your ears crystal clear from how close his breath was to your ears. There were no distance between you two. Having said that, your bear back is pressed against his muscular chest and you writhing in his hold. “Hah.. Aren’t you adorable, child of man?” His arms were on both sides of you and planting both of your hands onto the mattress beneath.

You grit your teeth to stop anymore drool from pooling onto the sheets with your eyes rolled as far as it could to the back of your head, but there honestly was no point now that the sheets have been already stained with your cum from the couple of rounds beforehand. It was only ever your cum that stains the sheets. Not once had he cum yet. It was unbelievable, honestly, at the stamina of draconic faes and how his cock is still hard and mercilessly pounding into you all this time.. Or could this just be him? You don’t dwell on it, too focused on getting to your next release, and that wasn’t too far since at every thrust, he penetrates the back of your walls, making your legs tingle with numbness.

“No need to stifle those moans, my love.” Ah, yes, your moans. He finds the cute sounds you make pleasant music to his ears.. Sounds only he could produce from you. No one else. This would be something he should put down at the top of the list of the things he finds so cute about about you.

He turns your head towards him and he inserts his snake-like tongue inside your mouth, tasting the strawberry cake you had with him just early in the afternoon when you joined him for lunch. Without breaking eye contact, he notices the little tears that lie dormant at the corner of your eyes and the wet cheeks. Cute. His little bird is shedding silent tears at the overstimulation he's giving but still so greedily wants more. His hands moves from your hips to your waist in a repeated motion, silent words saying to be patient and that you will soon have your release. He also thinks you're cute even when you cry so no matter what you do, it will be adorable in his eyes.

Malleus Draconia thinks you're cute. But most important of all is that he thinks you’re cuter when you’re in a disheveled state and crying beneath him, begging for more of him.

“I think I like you most like this.”

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

Lilia Vanrouge x Fem! reader

Warning(s): NSFW. Minors do no interact.

Just a short drabble.

⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰

There you were, body pressed into the mattress doing your best to stifle a groan with a fae looking over at you with the most devlish smirk plastered on his face.

Lilia getting so hard for you so early in the morning and deciding to stuff that cute little cunny of yours would be the best thing to wake up to but not when you two had but a wink of sleep from last night's fiasco as well.

Your overstimulated body quivers and you hugged tightly on the pillow while he fucks into you while on your side harshly, trying hard not to make so much noises this early in the morning when the others are still sleeping. He raises your leg a bit higher to pound into you just right to feel the walls of your cunt squeeze him everytime he enters. His ragged breathing was close to your ear and you hear an airy chuckle. "Mm~? Is my little fairy crying?" He removes the pillow that you've been shoving your face into to quiet the sounds and felt wonderful to be a sadist at that moment, loving the tears that he is responsible for making from the love that he gave out. He licks the tears at the corner of your eyes and smirks against your face. He engulfs you in his arms and his bare front is pressed against your back. It was radiating warmth like you've never felt before. "You're so cute when you cry~"

His touch is electrifying with one hand groping your breast and the other teasing your body with light touches that trails from your thighs to your hip before going back down to repeat it's motion.

You mewl out his name and beg him. Beg for what, to stop or to help you with your own release that had been building up despite your legs having been numb long before? You're not sure, but you hoped that he would already come inside you already and make you feel full to make him stop numbing your legs. However, you don't think that that will be soon as he continues to tease and rile your body even more. He is clearly enjoying this so there is no way he'd stop now, not when he hasn't put how you contort your face at everytime he hits a certain spot into memory.

"Khehee, you're doing so good, little fairy."

"Just a little more for me~"

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✦❘༻𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙼𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝༺❘✦

Ch. 3.5 - A Step Into the Social Circle

Malleus Draconia x fem!reader

Chapter list + Summary

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⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

It has been a while since you’ve worn something as elegant as the dress that was a deep shade of green that was almost a midnight blue you’re wearing with all the black lace and pearls stitched into it. It was beautiful, that much you can at least honestly say, but there was still a problem.. ‘It’s too heavy..’ You’ve never fancied yourself to such stuffy dresses. The only thing you were quite happy with are the frills at the end of the sleeve that cups your wrists rather loosely. Honestly, you were partially grateful that you hadn’t been going out of the palace for as long as you’ve had, now remembering just how tight dresses could become. When you were but just a noble’s daughter, tea parties and balls were frequent so you had to wear ridiculously suffocating dresses. And it was like tea parties and gossiping were all the things that noble ladies had to think of for entertainment. Well, there were also the croquet games held in the palace of the Queen, but it was an invitation exclusive that you, sadly, were not invited to at all. 

Now that you’re comparing dresses, you don’t recall your wedding dress being as tight compared to the suffocating dress you’re wearing. You wished the same tailor made the dress you’d wear tonight. ‘Or maybe it’s because the atmosphere was much more suffocating that I hadn’t noticed..’ The never prying eyes watched every step you took that day, waiting and wishing for you to trip; make a mistake. Since it was an important day for the kingdom, every noble family attended so you’re sure to meet most nobles at the party tonight too. Despite the scary eyes directed towards you that day, you wonder if you could make friends at the banquet since you haven’t had someone close to talk to in this kingdom. You became rather hopeful.

“Princess.” A bored voice ensues after two, firm knocks on the door. You let the servant come in and before she even said what she was there for, you already knew. “His Highness, the prince, has me come fetch you for the banquet. He is waiting for you downstairs in the foyer.”

“Alright, thank you,” you say and let her escort you. Just as she had told you, Malleus really was waiting downstairs. He stares off at another hallway and if you just strain your ears, you’d hear the faint clacking of heels fade away as it gets further away. After a few seconds, he was fixing the cuffs and now seeming to be in wait but with his brows slightly furrowed. ‘Was he speaking to someone just now?’ 

You interrupted his thoughts when you stepped in his view. “Child of man..” His eyes were slightly wide, showing a look of surprise, though honestly, it shouldn’t be the case since he should be expecting you after telling someone to get you. 

When you look at him carefully, you see that you two were matching— not in the literal way where he was wearing the same dress as you, but it’s complimenting each other quite well. On top of that, on his head, he adorned a tricorne with a dark green lace that trims around it, but it’s customized to accommodate his horns. You hadn’t known that this was how it’ll go so you were truly in for a surprise and you admit, even though he had a scary air about him, you couldn’t deter your thoughts away about how handsome he was— something you didn’t think of on the day of the wedding. 

He clears his throat when he notices you had been staring blankly at his face. “Are you ready to go?” He asks with which you said a quick, meek ‘yes’. Your face is a bit flushed at you getting caught looking at him for a prolonged time. 

You follow him outside where there was a black carriage in wait with the footman having opened the door already. When you moved your eyes slightly to the front of the carriage— to your surprise— what seemed to be normal, black horses that match the theme of the carriage were emitting ominous yet faint golden particles by their hooves. 

When you take a glance to your side where Malleus stood, he does not seem to find it strange at all and in fact, continues walking down the steps of the castle. You followed closely behind.

He stops shortly in front of the door and he swings his body at 120 degrees so that his body is partially facing you and then proceeds to stretch out a hand. Admittedly, you were confused for the first few milliseconds before remembering it was just a formality— something that he should be doing— and that you should accept it. 

Only after getting into the carriage and getting yourselves cozy on the soft and crazily expensive cushions, does the footman close the door and the horses proceed to trot away with the guidance of the coachman.

It must be nice to be outside, you think. Since now, there was an awkward air inside and an intimidating presence just inches from you. You try to get creative in your head and think of nice things to forget reality for a moment just until you arrive at the Marquis’ home. 

You’ve done a bit of your studies before going actually, and based on what you’ve read, he is an outstanding lord who mainly deals with the financial status of the kingdom. There wasn't anything to note about his wife, however, except that she is from another noble family. You were a bit disappointed since it was her birthday that you were attending and you have little to no information about her at all. 

Your thoughts had been interrupted when the road became bumpy, causing you to slightly jump in your seat and lurch forward. ‘What the—‘ When you look out the window out of instinct, you see that the carriage was getting awfully close to the edge of a cliff. 

“We normally don’t use carriages,” Malleus begins with an eerily calm tone despite the situation and you whip your head with a clear look of panic. If he doesn’t use them, how will he know how a carriage is supposed to be used— “Faes generally have the ability to fly, whether it is by wings or magic.

“However, the kingdom has many sorts of creatures who have little magic and thus tire easily when used so they opt to use their legs. There are also faes whose magic capabilities have drained with age.. If they do not have wings, carriages were made to accommodate them since the terrain here consists mainly of cliffs and is unwalkable.” 

You were about to say something— anything— about how if it was unwalkable, how does he expect a carriage to travel when you felt the carriage becoming light.. As if it had been thrown off of the cliff. 

You felt your heart drop and something vile building up in your throat. You were going to die right here, you think, and it hasn’t even been long since you’ve started out your new life. Malleus was still infuriatingly calm as you panic when you could no longer feel the bumps of the pathway and the trees from your peripheral vision— ‘Wait, what? No trees..?’ Finally, you look outside the window and to your bewilderment, the trees were not of eye level anymore and were below you. 

When you pressed yourself against the glass, you could barely see a gold mist just underneath the carriage and you could guess that the source was the horses at the front. Although you were a bit scared at how high you were from the ground, you were in complete awe at the new experience. “Lilia said that humans are afraid of heights so I apologize for the long journey, but I did not want your travel here to frighten you,” Malleus said, eyeing your form that had its back facing him from his peripheral vision. He was referring to the time when a similar carriage came to pick you up at your manor back in the Rose Kingdom. You wanted to say that the fear depends on the situation and person, but you don’t dare imagine what would happen if you correct him. 

‘Lilia?’ There was a look of naivety on your face. ‘Is that someone close to Malleus?’ Deciding not to be too nosy, you decided not to ask. You weren’t close to him anyway to have the right to. In fact, it shouldn’t bother you in the slightest at the thought of him keeping a certain secret from you if he did. And it doesn’t. 

You turn to look outside the window again at the valleys and cliffs underneath you, remaining quiet. At some point, you see small lights gathered together in one place and you already can guess that they are lights from houses. They were all spread out, however, and you recall in your studies that since it’s hard to actually build homes in the Valley, they’re all spread out. Hopefully, you can go out to one of these towns some day, if Malleus permits it. A rule that you had been silently following was to always ask him if you want something or if you want to go somewhere. But, you rarely ask for things because frankly, it’s better if you have little to no interaction with him. 

“Your Highnesses, we’ve arrived at Marquis Hagen’s estate,” one of the men at the front says loud enough for the both of you to hear well inside the carriage. The first hump was felt soon after when the carriage made impact with the ground and then came the sound of the horses’ hooves trotting on the pavement. 

You had to look towards the window closest to Malleus to see the enormous house that is lit with lights from inside. Sure, it wasn’t remotely comparable to the castle, but it was still huge in its own right. 

The carriage drew to a steady halt and a footman came to open the door. He bowed deeply under the presence of Malleus who turned to you and held a hand out for you the same way when he led you into the carriage. There were some nobles still at the front, preparing to head inside, when they caught the glimpse of your arrival.. Or more specifically, Malleus’ arrival. Compared to him, you were just a background character. 

However, you noticed that most— if not, all those present had the look of surprise. Were they surprised to see a human here? But when you look carefully, their eyes were on Malleus. Curious. 

Nevermind, you could not dwell on it anyway since you were busy being escorted into the hall where the banquet is held. “Your Highnesses, welcome.” The doorman at the door greeted you both with a deep bow.  When the door swung open, the banquet was already in full swing. You were in complete awe at the sight of so many faes who all had an individuality to them. 

Ever the curious, their eyes were drawn to who had just recently entered. A gasp could be heard somewhere in the room. Then, “Your Highness!” In unison, the faes all took a respectful bow, with the females doing a curtsy with a hand over their chest. 

“There’s no need for this. I did not come on official business.” With the wave of his hands, the guests returned to their activities prior, now in whispers about your arrival. They must really respect him, you thought. When you look to see his expression, you were quite surprised at the sight you caught. ‘What’s with that look..?’

Amidst your wonder, the sound of heels heading your way caught your attention and thus, you could not ask what was on your mind. “Your Highness.” A woman who had the soft glow of youth dressed herself in a light purple bustle that matched the colour of her eyes and left much room to cover on her collarbones since her sleeves were off the shoulder. Her hair was left in a neat, tight bun with a hairpin holding it together. In contrast to her light garment, her hair was dark. She’s a beauty in the night, you think, completely enamoured by her beauty. “It’s a wonderful surprise to see you  attend one of my banquets at last.”

‘Huh? Does Malleus not regularly attend social gatherings?’ You find reasons for his questionable look earlier. It was akin to a drooling child looking through the patisserie’s windows at the tarts put on display that day— just minus the drooling and shop entirely. But still, it doesn’t completely make sense to you.

“It just so happens that the invitation came my way,” he coolly brushes off the comment. You couldn’t understand the underlying meaning of those words nor did it ever raise questions in you. He turns to you who remained quiet at his side. “Child of man, this is Lady Guinevere. Marquis Hagen’s wife.” He gestures with a hand. 

“It’s an honour to meet you, Lady Guinevere,” you say with a shy smile. A mischievous glint crosses her eyes and she brings a loose fist up to her mouth. “Ah, yes.. Although I’m the one who sent the invitation, it still feels so surreal to have a human in my abode.” She smiles warmly. “The honour is all mine, Princess.”

Her attention on you was brief, returning her focus on Malleus. “The first dance will start soon and I had hoped that Your Highness and the princess would lead the dance,” she picks up a topic to go forth. Your body froze. ‘A dance? With him?’ 

“It would be the best present, you know,” she adds on. Malleus simply nods at her request. A little too quickly, might you note. After a few more exchange of words, she excuses herself to make sure the musicians are ready. When the both of you stepped aside, you took this chance to tug at his sleeve, forgetting for a brief second about your fear toward him since there was a larger fear at hand. He feels this and bends his torso so that you could whisper in his ears, already sensing that you wanted to tell him something in private. 

“Um, Your Highness..” You began, gulping down your nervousness. “I’m not a good dancer.” He faces you with slightly widened eyes at the confession. He had assumed you knew these things since you were a full bred noble and you honestly couldn’t fault him. The start of this ill-fated moment began when you were young. You hated the way your feet would hurt every time you did your dancing lesson and threw quite a fit until your father decided that it would be okay to not do them until later in your years. And frankly, if it doesn’t help you, you wouldn’t do it. Dancing was an opportunity to flirt, that’s what you thought at the time. Even up until recently, not a single man had come asking you for a dance and so you silently watched from the sidelines. There wasn’t any need for you to properly learn how to dance. Who knew that something— your marriage— would have come sooner than you had thought that requires you to dance. You thank your father for cheering you up during your dark era but now, you wished someone had forced you to continue your lessons. 

Safe to say, you were embarrassed as you spoke the words into his ears. How silly you were when you were young. You felt embarrassed for the younger you. Malleus straightens up with the look of thought crossing his features. “Child of man,” he looks at you after having come to a conclusion. “We cannot decline Lady Guinevere’s wish now—“ You felt hopeless. “—so if you’ll allow me, I’ll cast a spell on you.” 

Or maybe there was hope. “What sort of spell..?” You ask, a look of weariness makes your eyebrows scrunch down together. Now, it wasn’t like you don’t trust him, having heard of how powerful he is and how he would be surpassing the strength of the current queen of the Valley of Thorns sooner than most thought, but you were being used as the subject of the spell and you’ve read too many magic mishaps at the sorcerer’s tower to have a reason to be afraid. It was a natural response even though you didn’t have much of a choice. “The gift of dance,” he answers, already readying himself to cast it on you. “It will be temporary so do not worry for any sort of lasting effect.” It wasn’t like you had any choice except resigning yourself to fate. 

When the time came and Lady Guinevere announced that the first dance would be led by the prince, your nerves were now the one hindering you. Before it was your inability to dance, now it was you wanting to chicken out. What if the spell wears off during the dance? What if the others can sense the traces of magic and know that you can’t dance? What if— “Child of man.” 

You were startled out of your thoughts. Malleus stood beside you with a gloved hand waiting for yours. His face was that of calm, contrasting with your panicked one that all but reveals the thoughts coursing through your mind. “O-oh, right..!” You place your hand on his. You feel eyes burning at the back of your skull as Malleus leads you to the middle of the circle that formed. 

You put your left hand on his shoulder. This much you knew how to do. The music started of softly and quietly when you first walked onto the centre but it gradually became louder the moment either one of you took the first step, but not too chaotic sounding with the sound of a cello doing skips. 

There wasn’t even a breathing room before the dance started and it was hard to keep up with Malleus’ steps. With all the spinning and the scrutinizing eyes on you, you were starting to feel dizzy. You weren’t even sure if you were dancing correctly. Maybe the spell didn’t actually work— “Child of man,” Malleus calls for you softly but the vibrations of his voice was still there but only for you to hear. “Keep your eyes on me.” 

At his words, you realized that you had been staring at his shoes, a subconscious action born from your nervousness. “S-sorry..” “Focus on me. Do not worry about them,” he said and that’s what you did. Your brows slightly furrowed as you concentrated hard on him. Even with your tallest heels on so you could come close to his height, you notice that he was hunching forward a bit. You don’t know who's back would hurt more from this though since you were leaning a bit back just so you could properly look at him. 

You both glide across the floor, your dress fluttering as it tries to catch up to you while Malleus leads the dance. He was scary to look at but it was better than having danced with a total stranger.

When the dance concluded, you felt a wave of relief wash over you. You immediately step off to the side with Malleus in tow to let the others dance. “The magic has worn off now,” he states calmly and offers a glass of water that he had somehow managed to get his hand on. You mumbled a quick thank you and downed the water. Honestly, you had been focusing too much with the background noises in your head that you hadn’t really thought of how silly you must have looked. I mean, the height difference is obvious and everybody knows that to nail the best dance, you should have someone close to your height. He was not and you were practically breaking bones just to make eye contact with him. Well, whatever has been done is now in the past.

“Your Highness, that was a wonderful dance,” Lady Guinevere had come back to you both when the banquet was now in full swing with the loud music and dancing. Her fox-shaped eyes were soft and really brought in the definition of a mysterious beauty. “You as well, Princess.” 

You gave a small and shy smile, feeling a bit warm in your cheeks that someone so pretty was complimenting you, even if the dance was a bit fake. “It was an honour to have given the best gift to you, Marchioness,” Malleus says, turning his gaze to you. “Child of man, do you wish to continue to stay here for a bit longer?” 

Hm? You stare at him with the look of cluelessness. Was it not inappropriate to leave so soon when the party has just begun? Before you could give an answer, Lady Guinevere interrupts. “Mm? Your Highness, why is it that you keep referring to the Princess as ‘Child of man’?” She gives an innocent smile that shows her curiousity. “Is she not a human child?” Is the answer he goes with. Though it was a question to a question, it pretty much ends at the same answer. There really was no other explanation to give except that you were human.

“Ah. I just thought it was a cute nickname.” She covers her close-eyed smile with a hand momentarily before dropping it back down. “Hmm. If Your Highness chooses to go now, I must give a proper send off. 

“It was an honour hosting you today, You Highness and Princess. I hope that you’ll attend more of my birthday banquets in the future. Maybe then my husband is not out on one of his business trips.” She does a low curtsy and excuses herself, leaving you the final word on whether or not you should continue to stay. Tonight was fun but you feel that if other men were to approach you to ask for a dance, you’d surely break a toe. Now that the magic is gone, you are left to showcase your horrible skills to fend for dear life. Coming to that conclusion you— “Your Highness!” A man had taken the opportunity to strike up a conversation now that Lady Guinevere had walked away. Well, it doesn’t hurt for Malleus to talk some more. You can wait. “…”

“Huhu, the prince doesn’t really care for the princess, does he?” A quiet murmur in the distance, but you heard it. You wanted to see the face of whoever said that but you didn’t know how to without making it obvious. “This marriage is a joke. Our prince is made a laughing stock at marrying someone so.. Weak.” It seems that there’s a conversation about you just within earshot. You don’t mind people talking about you, but the least they could do is not speak ill of you when you’re literally right there. At this point, they should just say it to your face since it makes no difference. 

“I’m sure the prince feels the same way; have you heard what he calls that thing?” 

“Child of man, was it? Haha! Yes! He doesn’t even refer to her by name.” You had been subconsciously gripping your dress till it wrinkled at that certain spot. The hatred that ran between humans and faes is still fresh in their hearts so it isn’t right for you to speak up, you believe. Both sides were hurt and had lost someone dear so if this talk was an extension of relieving that aching pain in them, you’ll let them. They were just like humans. They feel the same emotions as you. Still, it’s about time you leave. They still don’t like the thought of a human around so maybe you’ll come back once the storms have calmed a bit. Braving up yourself, you tug at the sleeves of Malleus’ clothes that just rested at his side. Again, he leans down to get to a smiliar height as you so you could whisper in his ears. “Your Highness, I’m feeling a bit exhausted..” 

He takes one glance at you and then nods his head to confirm that your wish has been heard. “I’m sorry to cut this conversation short, but it seems that it’s about time for us to leave,” Malleus returns to speaking with the fae that approached earlier and stood idly by until you finished talking with him. “Have yourself send the proposal to the privy council. I am merely but a prince so the Queen will have the final word.”

The fae understood right away and had given way for you both to leave after giving a respectful bow. By the time you two had gotten out of the manor, the carriage was already waiting. You plop down on the soft cushions and kept to yourself, staring out at the window and trees the were underneath your feet.

“…” You bit your lip and fidget with your fingers, contemplating on whether or not you should bring it up to the fae beside you. Malleus sat with his legs crossed over one another with a serene look on his face, his eyes closed as he takes in the peaceful night that contrasted the earlier moments at the ball. It was short but he very much enjoyed it. 

You sigh. You’ve already begun treading the path of danger and risked your life the many times you so much as peep a sound to him so might as well go for it, right? “Your Highness..” “Yes, child of man?” He was at the ready to answer as if he had been waiting for you to speak. “That nickname.. Don’t you find it a bit awkward to say?” You began with careful words. Hopefully he gets the message but if not, you hoped to guide him to the answer. Turns out that the conversation between the whispering nobles had made you insecure. You didn’t mind him calling you whatever he wanted before. “No, it isn’t.” Ah. So you’ll have to go for your second plan after all.

“W-well, I was thinking that if you ever need me urgently, it may be a bit too long of a name.. Don’t you think so?” You cautiously look at him from the side of your eyes to see how he’s reacting. He brings a finger to his chin and thinks about it. Was it really necessary to ponder every scenario over a name, you questioned. “Then, what name do you suggest I should call you?” He asks, meeting your eyes. ‘Why does he word it as if we’re naming a household pet?’ 

“I haven’t thought that far, actually..” You had hope to leave the naming to him since he seems like the expert so you ended the conversation at that until you arrive back at the castle.

You’ve only been gone for what, 4 hours? Still, it felt like you had been gone for much longer that the feeling of missing home weighed in your heart so when you did arrive, you felt so much better. “Then, I’ll go to bed now, Your Highness.” You gave a small smile and a quick bow and excused yourself. It was only after you got to the hall where your room was at did you feel much at ease. Hopefully, you won’t encounter him for a while— just until you recharged yourself at least. You know it’s unavoidable, the meetings with him. 

— 

Nothing beats a warm bath after a day out. You sit on the bed and comb through your damp hair. You were left to your own thoughts, though not much was being thought about so you were basically zoning out for the majority of this nightly routine so when the door opened, snapping you out of that trance, your skin jumped a bit. I mean, even if they didn’t want to come to you willingly, they shouldn’t enter without knocking and announcing— wait, did they call out for you? 

You turn your head slightly just to look at the door, expecting a servant but what caught you unawares is seeing that the one that stepped into the room was a tall fae and not a servant. “Y-your Highness!?” You hastily get onto your feet and turn you body in attention from the side of the bed further from him. He was in nothing but black, silk robes with a slight chest window. You could tell that he had just finished taking a bath with how droplets of water still drop from his hair to the shoulders along with those that trail down his open chest. 

“Is there anything I can help you with..?” Your voice gradually becomes quieter the further the words go and avert your eyes. He hums. “No,” he answers and walks closer to the edge of the bed opposite from yours. He sits down with his back fully facing you and with the towel that was on his shoulders, he begins drying his hair. 

You were expecting for him to start talking after a while but as the second hand begins to tick loudly from a distance, the more awkward it became. “Then.. Is there something you want to talk about..?” Finally, his hands still and you were very sure of it now that he indeed does. However, what he says next surprises you. “No,” he answers, “Is there something you want to tell me?” He reversed the situation so that he was now asking the questions. 

“Uhm.. Didn’t you come here for something?” Now you were very confused as to why this large fae was sitting on the bed, coming in with no reason— or even an excuse— to why he was there. “Hmm..” He looks at you with the look akin to the eyes of a clueless dog. He was dragging this on even if he didn't realize it. ”I came to sleep.” 

Ah. It was then that you remembered that he does have rights to enter this room as casually as he did— despite not having entered it once since your marriage— since it was originally meant for the two of you. “Oh, right..” You awkwardly sat back down on the bed and continued to brush your hair— not because it was still in tangles, but because you honestly don’t think you can sit there and do nothing with the awkward air hanging above you currently. But just for how long will you keep up with that? Is it too awkward for you to just lie down and say your good nights? Malleus seems to not be bothered at all at just how abrupt he came.

Eventually, you had to put your brush down, having your arms grow tired from its monotonous actions. “Then, I’ll go to sleep first, Your Highness..” You turn slightly to look at his form. Even with the robe covering his skin, you could tell that he was keeping in shape with how broad his shoulders were. And the robe really didn’t try to hide the muscles on his arms and in fact, it seems that the piece of clothing wanted all to see it as well. 

“Good night.” He was still drying his hair when he spoke. You can’t see his face so you’re not sure what he’s truly feeling.. And why he decided to join you tonight. Where had he been sleeping anyway? It was a question that wasn’t waiting anxiously for an answer as you try to lull yourself to sleep despite the situation. You honestly don’t think you’d be able to sleep though, you think, when you find yourself staring at the wall in front of you instead but remaining quiet.

At that second the light slowly began to dim. It wasn’t completely turned off like an extinguished flame. In just the short time you’ve been here, you noticed a lot of things that are different from your norms; one obvious fact— other than that the citizens were not human— was that they use magic for basically everything they do. One time, you had happened to stumble upon a broom sweeping the floor by itself. Perplexed and intrigued, you went to touch the broom but at that moment, the broom felt startled and suddenly fell limp on the floor. A fae came from just around the corner hurriedly and began reprimanding you, saying to not touch it or else the magic will diminish. One day led to another and you happened to pass the kitchen and saw a bag of flour fly across your face. To them, magic was wielded with ease that having one doesn’t automatically get you into the wizard’s tower and work there. Back home, there is one such spell caster that could wield it just as easily which had everyone drawing their eyes to.

When soft snores could be heard, Malleus relaxed his shoulders. What you had thought originally turned out to be wrong, the weight of your body being engulfed in such warmth had it melt into it after a night out. “Lilia.” He mutters and suddenly, a red butterfly with the faint glow akin to a firefly flaps its wings towards him. It had always been since the moment Malleus walked in but you hadn’t noticed since it had hidden itself in the walls. Intangible words were passed in hushed tones. The butterfly wasn’t talking but sounds of airy whispers were indeed coming from it. To anybody listening in, it would sound haunting. It made sounds as if thousands of folks were talking at once in a language they do not know at a low volume. The veil of magic on the butterfly made it so that only the intended listener could make out its words.

He was originally going to sleep in the room that he has been staying in, however.. 

"Khehee."

He crosses his arms as he stares disapprovingly at the little butterfly. Just moments earlier Lilia had approached him and prevented him from going to his room. "I had forgotten to tell Sebek that you had gone for the night." Is what the old fae said to him. Apparently Sebek had flipped the entire room and the rooms near it since he hadn't answered the door and became worried that something bad had happened to him. Though he's not sure how much of it is true. It doesn't make sense to him since he is more capable than any guard. He even was denied having another room set for him by none other than the old fae. "The servants must be quite tired by now, hm? Let them have it easy just for tonight." 

The butterfly continues chuckling as if this situation was amusing. He sighs and it was then that Malleus knew that this would be a long night.

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✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✦❘༻𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙼𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝༺❘✦

Ch. 3 - Teas, Cakes, and the Sleeping Beauty

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

Malleus Draconia x fem!reader

Chapter list + Summary

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Do not steal/copy + paste my works and upload it anywhere else.

⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

“The prince.. Wants to meet me?” This was certainly a surprise and one can guess so at the look on your face as look at the maid who stood by the door. You put down the book that you weren’t even invested in and just read it to kill time on the time period where you were given a break– Yes, you were given a schedule to follow each day. It consisted of all your lessons, break periods, meal time, sleeping time– whatever one could think of. Although, you find the part of them deciding when you should sleep a bit unreasonable.. I mean, you were pretty sure that you are now at that age where no one would need to decide when you should go to sleep. You weren’t sure who had made up this schedule of yours and so could only guess who the mastermind is. 

“Yes. He wishes you could meet him in the garden for lunch.” Although you could tell she does not want to be in the same room as you and in fact, could not even try to bother hiding the scorn on her face, she nevertheless answers you. 

You look off to the window in thought, putting a finger to your chin. Now that I’m thinking about it, it’s now been a few weeks since I’ve seen him.. You had assumed that he’ll never want to cross paths with you after that night, seeing as he has taken great interest in staying clear of your path for this long. 

You closed your eyes in contemplation, not that you were going to refuse the invitation in the first place since he is, after all, the prince. It would be rude to reject him, you believed, and let’s not forget to mention that if word got out that you had rejected his invitation, you have no doubt that this servant girl will spread rumours about how heartless you are to their beloved prince and that the marriage was a mistake. You could not have that now. Besides..

“Alright, I’ll go,” you conclude, turning your gaze to the girl. You had been building up your courage to meet him for a while now– not that you knew where he even was– to come and ask him about a letter you had received two days ago. Shocking as it may be, it was regarded to you. “You may leave now.” She bows her head not out of respect but out of protocols and leaves the room quickly as if she had been waiting for the moment. 

You sighed and returned to looking out the window. You were starting to come to peace with the fact that you’ll be living with a ghost of a husband but with that invitation that you could not reject still looming over your head that had asked that you come with him, it was now impossible to do so. This will be the first time I see him after so many days.. “Urgh..” You felt your stomach turn and you suddenly felt sick. You had almost forgotten how nervous you were when you were around him but now faced with the current reality, you felt yourself break into cold sweats just as you once had during the wedding. Now thinking about it, you’re beginning to wonder if the guests that day saw the sweat drops on your forehead and the slight shake of your hands when you held hands with him for that occasion.

Picking up your cup, you take a sip of your drink and relax as the sweet taste of it melts on your tongue.

Hm.. Maybe I should change my dress beforehand. You looked down at yourself and assessed the current clothing you were wearing. It was a simple, tiffany blue dress with white pearls stitched to it and white lace tracing around the open parts of the dress such as the sleeves. It was not overly flashy since you were just staying in the castle and not going anywhere fancy.

You thought about it. It has been a while since you've even taken a glimpse of the prince and although you both are husband and wife who should not need to impress each other, you weren’t remotely close to having the bonds of a couple. You’d most likely embarrass yourself wearing the plain dress you worse right now..

—

'Uhm.. How exactly do I get to the garden?' You had left your private lounge a few minutes ago since it was nearly time to meet him; however, you found yourself lost and running late to the lunch meetup. Your eyebrows twitch as you swore you had passed the same corridor at least twice now but you couldn’t be too sure since the castle looks the same almost everywhere. The manor back home wasn’t this confusing.. I hate castles.

You should have asked the girl from earlier the directions to the garden before dismissing her. O’ how could you have been so foolish enough to forget that you barely knew the layout of the castle? You wanted to slap yourself but you do not want to make yourself look crazy if someone were to come waltzing past you at that moment. Actually, you were praying– begging– to those higher up to have someone walk this hall so you could ask them for directions. 

Take deep breaths. You can find a way, I know it! You reassure yourself. And besides, right now, you should give yourself a pat on the back since you were certainly making progress through this maze; you were sure that you were on the main floor of the castle. 

Taking just up a few more steps ahead, you see light cascading through an open door. You are certain that it is leading outside since you doubted a chandelier could illuminate that bright still well through the day. A smile appears on your face as you walk towards the door. 

The smile turned to one of more confidence when you stepped out into the sunlight and the cobblestone path that had grass on their sides. Now you were more than halfway to reaching the garden! You just had to walk to the back of the castle– easy peasy! You chuckle, proudly resting your fists on your hips. It was a silly thing to be proud of if you think deeply about it but come on– you had navigated your way in the unfamiliar castle all by yourself! You were pretty proud of that.

You took eager, hasty steps around the castle with a determined look. Garden. Garden. Garde– “Oomph!” Just as you turned a new corner, you didn’t notice the large object in your path and so you clumsily tripped. The fall was not in the slightest soft despite falling on grass.

You slowly sat up on your knees, feeling your chin swelling from the impact. You rubbed your chin and hoped that it didn't look ugly.. In fact, it would be better if you couldn't see it at all. "Ugh.." What the heck did I trip on– oh! 

Your eyes widened as its gaze lands on a man. His eyes were closed and his breathing was soft and steady. He does not seem to have felt the kick when you hit him and the thud when you fell since he did not open his eyes at all– wait. 

Is he unconscious!? Panic sets within you. If he hadn't reacted to all that, he surely must be, right? "H-hey.." You scoot closer to the unconscious male and nudge his shoulder gently. "I didn't knock you out, did I?" There was a slight shake in your voice just thinking of the possibility, but you were sure you had just tripped on his legs and not kicked his head! "Argh..! I don't know what to do!"

As if it was godsent, the male groans amidst his senseless state. Then, "Mm.. So noisy.." He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. O' thank heavens! He really was just asleep..! You clasped your hands together and a wide smile appeared on your face. Maybe there were a few tears of joy at the corner of your eyes threatening to fall, but who knows? You were too relieved that he was okay. In fact, you were too relieved to even question why he was even there in the first place.

"Hm?" After now being fully woken up from his nap, the man notices and cranes his head towards you, the source to his reason being awake. "Who are you?"

Eh– You felt as if you were turned into a stone statue at his bold question. Sure, you were hated on but that reputation of yours is certainly huge. Does he seriously not know who you were? 

"Ah, I'm–" Just as you were about to introduce yourself, he sighs tiredly and cuts you off. "Nevermind, don't answer that.." He says. He rests an arm on his knees and droops his head, closing his eyes. Rude.. Was what you wished to say aloud but you're sure this guy won't care at all. 

"I'm too tired.." He comments, but you're pretty sure he wasn't talking to you. Now there you were, unsure of what to do next. So awkward.. 

A cool, gentle breeze passes you by, causing your hair to be blown by the wind. You hold a hand in your head to make sure your hair doesn't become a mess since it surely would not be presentable when you meet Mal– oh.

AH, that's right! I'm already late..! Panic rises in you once more as it dawns on you that you've been making him wait for far too long now. The food has probably gone cold now, being cooled down by the breeze. "H-hey.." Your voice sounded of urgency but the man does not open his eyes to look at you. In fact.. He looks like he's gone back to sleep!

Urk..

You stare at his side profile long and hard, contemplating if you should nudge him awake again. During your awkward staring, you carefully looked at his complexion. Oh wow.. His eyelashes are pretty.. And it wasn't just his eyelashes that you found alluring; his face was also so smooth! Not a single imperfection on his symmetrical face. I'm kind of envious that a boy could be so much prettier than me. 

"Is there something on my face?" Although his eyes remain closed, he asks you a question, catching you off guard and embarrassed. "A-ah, no.. I just thought you were pretty, is all.." You chuckled guiltily, averting your eyes to nowhere in particular.

Amidst your awkward aversion, his eyelids now flutter open, revealing his equally captivating eyes. "Why are you still here?" He asks you. There wasn't a hint of malice, just a tiny bit of annoyance from having been woken up.

You straighten your posture and move your eyes to look at him again. Although he wasn't scary, he certainly had a commanding voice. Were all the people here this authoritative? Ah, nevermind that, this was the perfect time to ask him for directions, you thought. "I, uh, I was wondering if you could point me to the garden.." You say meekly, fidgeting your fingers on your lap. Gosh we're you having a hard time remaining your eyes on him.

"The garden..?" He repeats and watches as you nod your head. He turns his gaze to the sky in deep thought. "Mm.. Then you're way off the path. This is the castle's barracks; this is on the other side of where you're heading,” he confesses nonchalantly. You felt yourself become a stone statue again but this time, felt it cracking. The confidence you once had just moments before suddenly toppled down at the confession. 

He looks at your stiff posture with the look of a gawker. "Pfft." A smile cracks on his bored face and tries to stifle a laugh and covers it with a fist. When that could not be done, he turned his head away from the silly look you had on in fear of breaking out into loud laughter. 

He clears his throat and calms himself of his silly antics. "Ahem. If you want, I could walk you to the garden?" You were mindlessly staring off into space when he stood up and offered you a hand. You blinked owlishly, looking dumbly at the hand in front of you before it finally clicked in your head. 

You offer him a shy smile and a ‘thank you’ when you reach for his hand. "No problem," he says and takes one look at your dress before commenting, “You should probably dust those dirt off.”

—

“Here we are.” A huge smile crept up on your face as a huge wave of relief washes over you. You scan the area to confirm if you really were in the right place– and you were. Tall hedges acted like walls to enclose the garden and decorated on them were all sorts of colourful flowers sprouted outside of it, albeit the shades of them could be a little brighter..  “Next time you want to go to the garden, turn right twice then left once from the dining hall,” he says, all the while not looking at you. Instead, he stares at the garden entrance with a hand resting on his hips. 

There was a moment of silence with you two standing side by side, just a few steps apart. Oh, right! I should thank– Your thoughts were cut short from another sigh that escaped his lips. “Anyway, I should get going now..” He mumbles which had you thinking if he was saying that to you. Just as he said that, he turned back around and scratched his head, he tiredly spoke again, “Urgh.. So much for my nap.. Now I think father will be catching up to me by now so I can’t go back to sleep..” He yawns loudly, seeming to not care about manners and bothering to cover his mouth. 

“Wait, let me–” You outstretched an arm as if you were going to grab him, but it just remained hovering lazily in the air. Before you could even stop him so you could say a proper thanks, he had turned a corner and vanished from sight. “Ugh.. I didn’t even get his name..”

Nevermind that, you were already running late to the initial lunch meetup and you were sure that Malleus would come to an agreement with the other nobles that you were chosen by mistake. I mean, you don’t recall a princess ever being this sloppy. I really should have just stayed home that day and avoided this situation entirely.. 

Your chest rises and fall as you take a deep breath to calm your nerves. Now feeling like you have collected yourself, you turned around and– “Oh..!” What is with you and running into things? You stopped yourself short, almost running into something or rather.. A someone. And O’ boy was it a situation to be in.

Without even looking up, you already felt cold sweats break loose and your fingers began to run cold. You were well acquainted with this looming figure over you since it had happened twice and you couldn’t help but take a nervous gulp. “Child of man.” Your skin crawled and your body stiffened up. You had almost forgotten the deepness of his voice and so it caught you off guard. 

When you didn't answer him, his eyes narrowed slightly disapprovingly and took his eyes off you to look at the corner where you had just watched your guide turn to leave your sight. Just what were you staring at, he was curious, but he held his tongue. He stares at that corner a minute too long for your frantic mind who still did not dare face him. “My eyes are up here.” He crosses his arms when he returns his full attention to you. “O-oh, yes!” You stutter. At his words you quickly snap your neck up, now nervously staring at him. However, his eyes.. You’ve always found them a frightening shade of green. 

“Ah.. Uhm..” You opened and closed your mouth a few times, trying to find the right words to start with and avert your gaze to just past his arm since you really couldn’t look over his shoulder. It really is hard to look at him for more than five seconds, but you were trying your best. “Your Highness..” You decided on the first words to greet him with and you feel like it was a good choice until you see that his eyes narrow even more to which only further serve to make you feel nervous. He hums. He didn’t look angry or disgusted by you, a human. But still, it was hard to tell if he was even remotely okay with you. 

“I-I’m terribly sorry for running late..” You picked your words carefully but they still came out shaky. When he doesn’t say anything, you start to fidget with your fingers close to your chest. Argh, how am I supposed to keep living like this when my husband is scary? You close your eyes, thinking hard of some flattery words to make him less angry at you. 

He stares at you with unreadable eyes but is certainly assessing you. You were still fearful of him, that much he knows. But after recalling Lilia’s words from that night, he calms down and relaxes his face. He was sure that it was very stern which could be the reason you look at him with fearful wide-eyes. He wants to try.. Try at getting to know you. 

Truthfully, if you had come a minute later, it would be a sure fact that the kingdom would be ravelled in a dark storm cloud. But nevermind that, he should focus on making you be less afraid of him. “It’s fine,” he breathes out and turns on his heels and begins walking deeper into the garden. “You are only late by just.. 45 minutes.” There was a moment’s pause in his voice, emphasizing the time. You were embarrassed since it was clear that he was being sarcastic. 

You stood there with an evident look of a slow-witted person so he had to halt his steps. “Hm? Do you not want to have lunch with me?” He cranes his head just enough to peer over his shoulders. His chartreuse-coloured eyes glazed over you. “Oh.. Yes, I’m coming..!” You blinked your stupified state away and jogged up to him whilst making sure you didn’t trip again. 

—

So awkward.. 

You found yourself sitting under a hooded gazebo that was decorated with a table and two chairs facing each other. The moment you sat down, several servants had come out of nowhere and placed all sorts of food on the table. Even with all the food on the table, your hands remained glued on your lap and focused on trying to not look at him, opting to look at a plate of untouched food in front of you. Malleus does not seem to have taken notice of how uncomfortable you were which made you feel even worse for dwelling on it. In fact, you could see a background of flowers just spinning beside him as he takes a savoury sip of his tea with closed eyes. Well, at least he’s enjoying himself, you thought. 

“Child of man.” Your body straightens up in alert when he calls you by that nickname. He sets down his cup on the saucer with the sound of a clack as it does so. Instead of eating, he felt that you had been eyeing him for some time now but when he looks, you’d look elsewhere. You were a curious little thing, that much he had concluded. Lilia had proposed the idea to invite you for tea when he had asked how to make you be less afraid of him and even offered enthusiastically to bake sweets for you. That, however, was shut down by Malleus since he had a fair amount of those so-called delights of his, and so the kitchen staff had made all the dishes. 

Malleus did still later ask Lilia for what should be served since he has lived long enough to have had interactions with humans before in the short decades without war. “Hm? Kehehee, why, they enjoy sweets of course.” That was what he said so Malleus had the kitchen prepare all sorts of sweets along with a few none-sweet foods. However, looking at you who had not touched a single thing– not even the slice of chocolate cake that had been deliberately placed next to you– he could only assume that you must be unwell. Certainly, Lilia does have the tendency to fool around for someone his age, but he by no means is a liar. 

He takes a dessert plate off the stand and places it right in front of you. “Have a try of this cake,” he says and leans back on his seat, “It’s a favoured recipe here in the kingdom that is well known for its overly sweet taste.” He made sure to emphasize the last few words in hopes that they might make you want to eat it. If you don’t eat it then surely there must be something wrong with you. 

The intense stare he’s giving you is making you more nervous, but he had invited you to eat so you should kindly accept the food he’s offering you. “Mn. Thank you.” You instinctively look up— something you do when thanking someone is to look at them to express sincerity. But alas, you got spooked at his frightening eyes that you flinched away. 

With shaky hands, you reached for the fork at arm’s length meant for dessert. No matter whether you will like it or not, you have to say something nice, you thought, since he did say that it was a loved sweet in the Valley and so must be his favourite as well. 

“Oh..!” The taste melts on your tongue the moment you take the forkful of it in your mouth. It was sweet, yes, but not overly too sweet just as he had said— maybe you just have a sweet tooth. It reminded you of a cloud.

Suddenly, you felt relaxed as if you had totally forgotten whom you sat across. That did not bother the fae, however. Despite the stoic expression painted on his face, he felt relieved that you’re eating and that you weren’t sick at all. He brings his cup to his lips again and watches at the adorable light that flicker across your eyes when you take more bites. You looked exactly as Silver once did when he was a baby, he thinks. 

—

Instead of going for a quiet lunch and then returning to following your schedule down to a T just as you had thought, he invited you further to a walk in the garden. Well, you hadn’t left the palace ever since coming here and this was the most time you have spent outside since your arrival.. You had agreed since it wouldn’t hurt to get to know your way around the palace, even though it’s just the garden. And in the back of your mind, you also thought that it’d be quite selfish of you to only do what is best for you after having made him wait for quite a long time. 

You walked quite some distance behind him and kept quiet and to yourself, admiring the beautifully trimmed bushes and roses that stemmed out of it. You halt in your steps when you find a particular flower that doesn’t look like the rest. It was almost crystal-like with how clear it was and how it shows different colours just as you would see when light is casted on a polished crystal. 

You bend forward slightly, clearly enamoured by the uniqueness of it. Your homeland houses a certain flower and they all come in rich, vibrant colours, but clearly it was nothing like this. “You should be careful of the thorns.” You were drawn back from the sight when a voice speaks close to your ears, its tone low. It wasn’t a whisper of a gentle breeze brushing past your ears, but it sounded of rich silk. 

You didn’t need to turn your body around since just a slight crane of your head to the side reveals Malleus leaning way into your comfort bubble. His face was practically just beside yours! His eyes traverse from the flower to meet your wide-eyed gaze. “Hm?” He blinks at your curious expression. “This flower– although different– is much like a rose with its thorns,” he explains as if that was the reason you were staring at him. 

He straightens up to his full height and it still amazes you how a giant roams this land. He is practically twice your height, you believed, even when you stood at your full height. His towering build and those eyes of his essentially makes him twice as much terrifying. “Have you ever seen this flower, child of man?” His head slightly cocks to the side with a curved finger on his chin as if he’s thinking. “I’ve made sure to replicate your home by having the gardener plant roses– your country’s symbolic flower.” 

“Ah.. N-no, I have not.. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a flower like this before,” you answered in earnest, although you stuttered here and there and spoke with a shy voice. It’s true. Although your country had other flowers, none could compare to the abundant red roses that would grow out of the cracks of the ground and traces along the buildings without the care of a gardener. In fact, there was a festival every year at the peak of spring that was all about those flowers. 

"Hm, I see.. So the kingdom really lacks magic.. It amazes me how long humans have survived without magic." He blurts out with no awareness of your pride as a child of that kingdom and capabilities as a human. You felt like you've been stabbed. You can agree with him, but he didn't need to say it so casually to your face. 'Geez. This prince is awfully honest.' He kind of reminds you of a certain someone— that guy with silver hair from earlier. His eyes moves to the flower again. "If a high concentration of magic stays in one place, flowers like these are not a rare occurrence. 

"If you like it, then I'll have someone make it into a floral arrangement and send it to the room for you." He looks at you and you swear you could clearly see an imaginary dog's tail wagging behind him and pleading with his eyes to say 'yes'. "I-If you don't see it as a hassle.." Your tongue let loose before you could catch it, finding yourself surprised.

He hooks his fingers on his collar as if he's going to fix the already neat garment. "I'll have them be sent to you then." He nods, feeling proud of himself. Again, you feel like you might be going mad when you hallucinate little petals spinning behind him.

'Ah! I nearly forgot..!'

"Um, Your Highness.." You start off slow and carefully, unsure if it really is the right time to burst his happy bubble. But this is your opportunity, you think, since you're not sure when or if you'll see him again after this. "I received a letter a few days ago."

He blinks, standing quiet for a hot second before gesturing for you to continue with his eyes. "It's an invitation from Marquis Hagen's wife; she wants to meet me at a banquet she'll be hosting on her birthday," you said. 

He stills. "An invitation?" He repeats carefully. When you nod, his brows furrowed in deep thought and brought a finger to his chin. When he doesn't say anything for a while, you think that it's a 'no' answer from him. A shame, really, since you haven't– "Alright, you can go."

You clasp your hands together excitedly. It's been so long since you've had interactions with somebody outside the castle. "Really? Thank you, Your Highness," you said and adds, just remembering what else the letter wrote, "Ah, she.. She also asked for you to come– if you're not too busy, that is." You drop your hands and watch him with careful eyes. 

"Hm?" A look of a surprise dawns on his face, but only for a second. "Then, I'll go."

⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

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✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✦❘༻𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙼𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝༺❘✦

Ch. 2 - The Day I've Been Betrothed

Malleus Draconia x fem!reader

Chapter list + Summary

[Previous] [Next]

Do not steal/copy + paste my works and upload it anywhere else.

⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

You remembered that day.. 

“Mn..” Soft.. The bed, it was soft and warm, making you not want to get up despite the sun having risen hours ago and blaring its light on your face. You buried your face further into the pillow. Ever since the war had come to a halt just shy of six months ago, it had been peaceful and you could sleep easily without a constant nagging thought of enemies breaking down your door in the middle of your sleep. Your home is still situated within the kingdom’s territories, but it was so far out– far from the castle and the main city– that enemies would have no trouble infiltrating it and not alerting the castle of their presence within the land. 

Sure, you had guards situated outside and inside the manor and even had your father who was a commander of one of the Queen’s troupes but still, it did not completely quell your nervous anxiety. You’ve heard what creatures faes were during on one of the tea parties you’ve been invited to and honestly, you didn’t think the kingdom would last against them should the war go on for much longer. Unlike faes who are all natural-born magic users, not many humans possess them, yourself included, so it was not like the citizens could defend themselves while troupes were stretched far and thin across the land. Speaking of, since the war killed many soldiers, your father had to gather some of his from the manor, leaving not many to protect you which only did nothing but raise your alertness especially during nighttime where you’re aware that you could not see anyone past what the light of the lamp posts outside could reach. Those faes.. If they have sharp hearing, surely they have keen eyes, especially at night. You feel a chill crawl up your arms every time you think about it.

You planned to sleep just until a bit before lunchtime, enjoying the peaceful time. “My lady?” A soft knock was at your door, following an equally soft voice of a girl. When you ignored it to continue dreaming, another knock sounded and this time, it was a bit more firm and loud. “My lady, it’s half past eight now.” 

Sighing, you slowly sat up on your bed, the ruffling sound of your silk sheets could just barely be heard on the other side of the door. “Mm.. Come in..” Groggily, you finally answered. You rubbed your eyes tiredly when the servant girl came. “Thank you, my lady,” she said and smiled warmly. 

“What do you need?” You yawned and stretched your arms to shake away what the feeling of sleep remained.  “Yes, of course, my lady. I shall not dawdle longer,” she gets to the point and explained her reason.

“What?” You blinked owlishly after she had finished telling you. “The palace had asked to see me? Today?” You were surprised in all honesty since anything related to the palace is usually your father’s business. Besides that, you were still not of age to be handling matters of the court. 

“Yes, my lady. And the Queen had asked that you arrive on time– exactly 1 in the afternoon sharp,” she answers with immeasurable patience. You turn your head to the window adjacent to your bed and look at the rustling of leaves just past it with two black birds perched on a branch nearest to you. You were silent for a while. It was not as if you planned to decline order’s from Her Majesty, but you were wondering what today was for her to wish an audience with a baron’s daughter who has not made an effort to look worthwhile in banquets. One would assume that there is no chain of hierarchy within nobility, but they were quite wrong. It was a fight of popularity within the circle and you found yourself at the bottom of it.

—

“Huh, it seems that I’m not the only one who the Queen asked for..” You mumbled, looking at the long line of carriages outside, yours included. You peek your head out of the carriage window and find that those who have been invited were young ladies around the same age as you. If I remember correctly, they’re mostly unbetrothed daughters. You say mostly as opposed to all since you were unsure. You grew curious, especially after knowing that if you were told to come alone, it must mean that all these important daughters are without a guard either. 

Finally, your carriage rolls to the front of the castle and someone from the palace opens the door and helps you out. You had informed your father about the situation just before you left in your best dress. Seeing as you were going to meet the queen, you chose a red dress adorned in white pearls and lace. White pearls were also added to your updo to complete the look. 

But I guess the others also thought the same.. You sweatdropped at the number of girls wearing a red dress crowding the front steps of the castle, some flashier than others while some more modest. The questioning look they had on their face and the soft murmurs made you believe that they were in the same boat as you were; not having a single clue why you had been called so abruptly on the most random of days.

“Alright ladies, if I could have your attention.” The man who had been standing at the top of the stairs finally spoke loudly to draw attention after looking satisfied that all were accounted for. “Her Majesty, the Queen, is waiting for you all in the throne room, but I will first escort you to our great hall.” 

The ladies looked at each other with questioning eyes before shyly following after the man. You followed of course since you were one of the invited guests. With all these people, you had expected your audience with Her Majesty to be brief; maybe she just needed to ask you a favour. However, that proved to be wrong when you saw the carefully decorated hall with long tables on each side draped in a white tablecloth. On them were vases of  carefully assorted white and red roses and a few food and drinks. 

Even though you shouldn’t based on your assessment, you were surprised. It was almost like a banquet, if it weren’t for the lack of people. But you were pleased to know that there was something to eat since you had spent the last hour getting to the palace and did not have the time to enjoy lunch. That was one of the many disadvantages to live so far out of the kingdom’s walls. Although, you believed that you weren’t the only one that was famished; the look on the others suggest that they had fretted over what to wear to have eaten. It might have been due to different reasons, but it was certain that the majority had not eaten. 

“I apologize for the short notice,” the man spoke and then gestured to the tables and chairs in the centre of the hall. “I had assumed that you all must have not eaten so we had prepared you all sorts of food to fit your preferences.

“Please enjoy yourselves while I wait for further orders from Her Majesty,” he ends his little speech and exits from a side door tucked further into the room’s corner. There were slight murmurs before you dispersed. Some chose to sit while others stood idly by at the long table, but one thing remained the same: they all looked tense. Surely, seeing all these people must have caught them off guard. 

You wandered off to one of the long tables to see if there was something small you could eat so you wouldn’t be seen as a glutton. Although, despite all of the food laid out that was meant to be eaten, it had been barely touched. No doubt it is because they were too nervous. Understandable since you had this nagging feeling that you were being observed the moment you entered the hall and no, it wasn’t from the servants that came and went. Was this a test of some sort? 

With a small plate in one hand, your eyes scanned the hall for any abnormality, but you were disappointed to see that nothing seemed off. Actually, you should feel relieved if it truly is just you being overly sensitive. 

Still.. 

One thing that your father taught you that he learned while he was still a knight in training was to always trust your gut when you feel a predator’s gaze. Even if you don’t see it, this feeling of being watched that settles in you is not something you should brush aside. 

This time, you subconsciously craned your neck up. To the left side of the room, there was a door leading out to a small balcony that watched over the hall. There, you see it opened and although there were no lights, you squint your eyes at a particular part just past the frame of the door. You swear you can see.. Eyes? But they seemed to contrast the darkness behind it; it was glowing and unlike the shine of normal eyes when light is reflected on them. An abnormality. 

You stare at it long and soon, you see its eyes trailing. Trailing until it lands on you. ‘Oh!’ They really are real and just aren't a glass orb with a similar look of eyes. You should be scared, that much you understand, but when you finally look at it, you feel oddly calm. You didn’t feel relaxed, but you did feel like it meant no harm. 

After having what felt like prolonged minutes of a staring contest, the eyes vanish and you can faintly hear the sound of shoes walking away. Huh.. How odd.

—

You were all now ushered to the throne room just a few minutes after. “Greetings, your Majesty.” You all spoke in unison and curtsied. When you look back up, your attention was drawn to an oddity in the room which just stood beside the queen. There was a man standing there silently. He looks frightening. He was dressed in black head to toe adorned in silver here and there like his shoulder pads and the chain that held his cloak together. Other than that, the only striking features were the red crystal brooch on his cravat and his.. Eyes. 

You blinked owlishly as you stared at him— well, specifically his eyes. They were the same striking deep colour like the one you saw earlier. Was it him? As if to answer your question, when his wandering eyes stop on you, you swear you can see his eyes smiling musingly. Before you could dwell on it, your thoughts were interrupted when the guide spoke. At this point, you believed him to be the Queen’s advisor. 

“If you could please form rows..” He directs, gesturing with his right hand. There were looks of uneasiness passed around but did as told. When you got into formation, you couldn’t help but look towards the throne once more. This time, you see Her Majesty talking with the strange– huh? You blinked a couple times thinking that you might be seeing this but you’re sure you really were looking at pointy ears; not human ears. 

“Wonderful,” the advisor said and then offered the stage to the queen. When your eyes land on her strikingly beautiful figure, you feel your face warm in awe. She’s like a cold beauty.. Her eyebrows were naturally shaped into a high arch so whatever she does— or in most cases, whatever one does, she seems to always look down on people. 

“As you may have heard, today marks the start of proceeding through peaceful treaties with the Valley of Thorns,” she begins and you all couldn’t help but be all captivated by her stunning beauty when she spoke. “To keep the peace going during my reign as monarch, we had agreed to make arrangements so that no matter what, that peace will be unshakable.

“If you will.” She looks to her side—at her advisor— all the while having her nose still pointed high and to the front to show her superiority. “Yes, Your Majesty.” He does a quick bow and does the talking again. "Ahem. For the treaty to happen, the Valley of Thorns' Queen has chosen a representative to come in her stead."  

So he’s a fae, you thought. You’re well learned about the creatures that are at war with your homeland and something notable to know are their ears. You’ve been overly cautious of everyone after learning it and for a while, looked at the side of their head’s first. Silly, I know. 

You know how important this was and that you should listen carefully, but you couldn’t help but be drawn by the strange man who was talking to the queen with words you couldn’t hear from where you were and how low they were speaking. Normally, one would slightly shiver in the presence of the queen, but all he had on was an unreadable expression. 

“Very well..” The advisor looks side-eyeing at the fae just on the other side of the queen. When he looks at him directly, you notice his confidence slightly deterred, now speaking with a slight nervousness in his tone. “Uh– Ahem. These are all the noble ladies that you requested for.. Sir.” 

The fae’s eyes wanders over the heads of many until it lands on you, but you felt like its wandering eyes were just for show. That its true purpose was to spot you. You didn’t realize that you gulped a nervous feeling down. What does he plan to do? You see him now taking slow and elegant steps down the little steps that lead to the throne. 

“And what is your name, my dear?” Before you knew it, he was in front of you and looking with kind eyes. You stiffened up and stuttered out, “I’I’m [Name], sir.. From house–” “I don’t need your family name. To tell me your family name is to give up your life,” he interjects with a serious look on his face that tells you that he was indeed telling you the truth. You stood stone cold. You swear you felt your heart drop. 

He sees the look on your face but continues to talk, this time holding a hand out. “Your hand,” he said, hinting with his eyes. It took a second for you to snap back from your daze, blinking a couple times, and another to understand what he was asking for. While all the ladies look on apprehensively, you hesitantly place a hand on his palm. You had no idea what he planned to do and the cold sweat on your forehead was totally understandable, but it was soon answered rather blindingly. The moment your hand brushes with his, a soft light that seemed to come out of nowhere engulfed the both of you. 

Air gets caught in your lungs as a million images— a million scenes go through your mind. You also felt lighter as if you were floating— or to better describe your situation, drowning. Drowning in a pool of memories. It felt like you were looking back at memories, but you don’t recall having these as yours. Suddenly, you felt afraid. Just what are these..?

Before you could piece what they really were, you were brought back to the present with everyone looking at you worriedly and.. With sympathy? You were confused. Why were they looking at you like that? It was then you noticed that a single tear has cascaded down your cheek. 

There were so many ‘memories’ but one thing stood out to you. ‘They were all..’ You recall one particular memory and it alone gave you massive heartache.

You look at the fae who now stood in front of you with eyes just like the rest of them. And although it’s small, he is finally smiling, but also sympathetically. You wanted to croak out what you’ve been wanting to ask since seeing whatever those things were, but you couldn’t. You felt that the tears that were trying so hard to fight back down will suddenly have a chokehold on you and you didn’t want to cry in front of so many people. You bite your bottom lip as you stare in disbelief at him and that was all you could do.

—

“My lady.” There is a soft knock on the other side of the door with an equal soft voice. Normally, you would grumble incoherently and ignore it until they went away, but here you were, wide awake before the sun could have even greeted you with a proper soft, warm light gently caressing your face. 

“Come in.” Your voice is hoarse but is clear nonetheless. The same servant girl walked inside with a smile that shows how much she doesn’t know from yesterday’s event. Yesterday.. You hadn’t slept a wink when you recalled what you witnessed yesterday and it shows from the dark circles under your eyes. 

“Oh, my lady, you’re awake early,” she points out with a look of cluelessness. “Do you want to have breakfast right now? Your father is about to leave for his duties after breakfast.” 

“…” You stared aimlessly at the blanket that draped over your lap. It was only when she had to repeat herself that you answered with a quiet ‘yes’. 

You went downstairs with your nightgown and tried to have a normal breakfast and by which it meant trying to smile through the entire meal and ask your father about his plans for the day. He had known about the letter that the queen sent yesterday since he was still at the manor to receive the messenger so you had to lie through your teeth that everything was fine. You had told him briefly about what occurred, leaving out the small details such as the fae approaching you and.. ‘Whatever that was.’

‘I have no idea what that was all about yesterday, but I’m sure he meant no harm..’ Now sitting in the great chamber, you were now in a fresh change of clothes. You had no plans to go out today so you wore a simple dress and indulged in reading a book you had randomly picked up from the library’s shelf in your home. 

It was still midday with the sun still way above your head so you shouldn’t have gotten so startled when there was a knock on the front door. You were curious so you placed your book beside you on the sofa and got up to peek around the hall’s corner. One of the maids stationed at the entrance opened the door to reveal a man who dressed in a tabard embroidered with the card suits and a hat to match. Another of the queen’s messengers?

When he had made eye contact with you, you knew it was time to get out of your hiding spot and receive him. “My lady, are you the lady of this house?” The messenger takes his hat off and places it over his chest in respect. “I am.. Is something the matter? If so, my father isn’t here right now..” You said as you walked closer to the door. The servant steps aside for you to fully face the man. “Ah, you’re mistaken, my lady. It is you that I come for,” he explains. “If you will, Her Majesty, the Queen, has asked for your attendance relating to your marriage.” 

Now this is where you became visibly confused. You don’t recall being betrothed to someone and your father had made sure to tell you time and time again that he won’t force you into any proposals and that marriage was free reign for you to decide. You trust him so you earnestly believe that there must be a misunderstanding somewhere. “My lady, the Queen said this to be of urgence so..” “Alright. Just give me a minute to change.” 

—

You didn’t believe that you’d be invited to the palace again and in just a matter of hours. ‘Since the Queen sent the invitation..’ You looked out the window to see if there were carriages from other noble daughters but to your surprise, you pulled right up at the castle’s steps without any delay and got safely escorted down the carriage. 

“Ah, Lady [Name], we have been expecting you here today.” The advisor from yesterday was also in front of the carriage with a kind smile. You weren’t sure if you were growing two heads or something because while people do approach you kindly, it was rare and only happens during parties where you’d be forced to interact and the same goes for the others. It’s hard to believe that you’d be talking to the queen’s advisor. 

“Come, let us go. Her Majesty has been waiting for you for quite some time now,” he said smilingly and began to lead the way up the same very steps and down the familiar halls as yesterday. When you entered the throne room, the queen was sitting on her throne with a perfect posture. 

“Your Majesty, Lady [Name] has arrived.” He does a bow before turning his attention to you and gestures with his hand to go to the throne. You did so, walking across the long room all the while looking at the queen to see her expressions. “Greetings, Your Majesty..” You do a curtsy and stay like that until given the word. 

“You may stand.” You did as told and stared at her, your hands in front of you and fidgeting nervously. “Well then, I congratulate you on your marriage,” she said plainly. You were stone cold like a statue. ‘Marriage? So, it’s really true..?’ Your brows knit together and look at her with dubiety as if you had misheard it. “I.. Uhm.. You’re Majesty, could you have mistaken me for a daughter from another family?” You ask. You could feel your fingers growing cold and your heart slightly quickening. 

“You are the daughter of that baron from the far east of the kingdom, yes?” She asks, although she was mainly just pointing it out. “Ah.. Yes, Your Majesty..” You tried to find some confidence in your tone, but it was already nerve-wracking to be in the presence of such a cold beauty. “Then make no mistake that I have called upon you today,” she said rather coldly. How could this have happened? You were sure that your father hadn’t mentioned anything about you getting married.. And if that were to be the case, why would the crown need to come and congratulate you? Marriages between aristocrats happen all the time and not once had you heard about being congratulated by the queen.

You chose your words carefully.“T-then.. Who am I being wedded off to, Your Majesty?” Every millisecond she doesn’t answer, the more your head starts to spiral until you feel dizzy. “Why, to the prince of the Valley of Thorns,” she answers with a raised brow and adds, “You were there to hear it, yes?” 

Your eyes widened and felt a large, gaping hole in your stomach as if someone had ripped through it. You were frozen on the spot, not believing your ears. It was your fault that you weren’t really paying attention to the advisor yesterday, really. Otherwise, you would have made sure to not let guests come to the house, not even that messenger. You could have prolonged this news or even better, prevented it from not attending yesterday at all. You felt tricked, realizing how brief the explanations were from yesterday.

The queen could see the conflict in your eyes and decided to say something, “Lady [Name], I assure that you will be in good hands. The crown prince is amongst the strongest magic users out of all the rest in the world, which is why we have no choice but to go into a period of peace..” She grumbles lowly at the last part, but you heard it nonetheless. “No matter what happens, it is a sure fact he’ll protect you as written in the agreement.” 

You could only nod in a silent agreement. Before you could leave, she said one more thing, “Do remember that the Rose Kingdom is your home and so it will forever be open to you. I entrust that should anything happen, you will return home, Lady [Name].” 

You had only a week to prepare your belongings after telling your father that night on the same very day before someone from the Valley of Thorns had come to pick you up at your door in a black carriage pulled by equally scary horses. Where did it bring you? Well, to your new forever home of course.

That was the day when your chapter had suddenly taken a turn..

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Ch. 1 - The Beginning of an End

Malleus Draconia x fem!reader

Chapter list + Summary

[Next]

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He didn’t come to the room last night either..

It’s been six days— yes, just six— since you last saw your husband. Although to you, it felt like it was more than that. No, he hasn’t gone off to anywhere else in this godforsaken world, he’s just.. Well, somewhere in this large castle. You heaved a weak sigh as one single thought came to your head: Malleus Draconia.. Your heart thumps just a tad bit faster. Even without knowing who he was, just the name alone sounds frightening. Fortunately and unfortunately, you were well acquainted with that name and have had many yet brief conversations. 

He was the prince of the Valley of Thorns, the only successor to the throne but most importantly, he was none other than.. “My husband..” You muttered underneath your breath. The clicking of the heels abruptly stop as you shudder on the spot at that name. 

It was honestly unbelievable how you went from a lowly daughter of a combat baron (the lowest rank in nobility) to be the wife of a prince, essentially making you a princess. 

Nevertheless, whether you are now a princess of a very powerful kingdom, your relationship with your husband was essentially.. Nonexistent. Well, other than mere business relationships you both have. In fact, it was strictly business that he did not show up in the chambers the night of your wedding. You can’t fault him, however, since you did not want to be wedded to him either. He must be disgusted with me.. You believed that to be true since once again, you were just a baron’s daughter with probably below average looks. Rarely had noble men would throw themself at you willingly.

Whatever, you should not let those thoughts get into your head and get you into low spirits. You had a history lesson to catch and that’s what you should be focusing on right now. What has been done is done and you can’t sulk about your nonexistent love life and your continued nonexistent relationship with Malleus. 

You sigh and continue in your steps. Looking at the decorated walls of the castle, you would occasionally find portraits. Of whom? You could only presume that it was none other than the royal family and those who came before. There weren’t many new faces within these paintings, that much you noticed. No doubt in your mind that it’s because despite the kingdom being around for so long, they have only a few monarchs because one monarch could reign for centuries on the throne. 

You tried looking for your husband’s portraits but so far, you’ve only managed to find two: one was a stand-alone painting and the other was with his grandmother. In neither portrait was he smiling. Now thinking about it, you don’t recall him smiling on your wedding day too.. Just how cold is this guy? You had a pensive look, bringing a finger to your chin. He doesn’t meet me in the room and he doesn’t even smile.. Is he aloof to everyone around him? You were now doubting if he’d be fit to be king in the future. 

Ah. You probably shouldn’t be thinking that way of your husband. If he knew, you’d most likely be stripped of your title as princess and sent back home where you’ll most likely have to face Her Majesty in the queen’s court back home. “Heh.. I don’t want that..” You itch your cheek, sweat dropping at the mere thought. You've only met her once— when she was congratulating you on your marriage— and just as the rumours had said, she was beautiful, yet held a menacing aura of authority. But I guess that’s normal if she’s queen..

“Princess.” Snapping you out of your continued, meaningless thoughts, a voice from just further down the hall had caught you off guard. You look ahead and see that one of the doors had opened and that somebody was standing there, most of their body seen and what could not be was hidden by the large, oak door. “I had been waiting a while for you. Don’t you understand that my time is precious to be on wait for you?” The person— er, fae— was wearing glasses and had her hair up in a tight bun. Her outfit was almost like that of a butler’s, having a tailcoat, but instead of uniformed pants, it was a pencil skirt. She had an air of authority and seemed to always look down on you. 

“Tch. You humans really are so clueless..” She mumbles under her breath and from the distance you were in, you couldn’t hear her. However, you did see the sharp look of disdain on her face before telling you to hurry up and to get inside the library. It was where you had your history lessons after all. 

“Honestly, what do you take us for?” She speaks her mind once you sit down on your seat across from her. “You will be at the prince’s side; instead of daydreaming, learn about this country’s history and its citizens, will you?” She snaps and slams a heavy book on the table in front of you. You stiffened, heart beating fast at the fright. “Sorry, but I’m only late by 3 minutes..” You sweat dropped at her angry, wide arm gestures as you defend yourself. 

“THREE!? My time is precious. How many—“ At that moment, you learned to tune her out once you’ve ascertained she was going to go on and rant to your face. Since day one, you’ve established that she didn’t like you very much despite you trying your best to be polite and flatter her. She would nitpick every little mistake she had seen in you even though she wasn’t an etiquette teacher. When she does, she’d talk for hours, essentially wasting time that could have been spent on learning. On a good day, she will glare daggers at you and then continue on with the lecture or rant for half an hour.. 

That’s the thing. There was never a good day for her. 

At this point, it was best to drop the flowery words saved for her and just let her rant endlessly. 

—

“Will the prince be joining for dinner today?” You ask to no one in particular, letting either of these maids stationed in the dining hall answer. When there wasn’t an answer, you assumed that it was a no and that they had decided to not answer to the likes of you whenever you asked. You wanted to sigh, honestly, at the lack of a response. 

So there you were, only hearing the sound of your own cutlery as you took small bites of your meal. It wasn’t because you weren’t hungry, but you were sure that these maids will have something to gossip about in scorn later should you make an error. Even if you were new to the country and their customs may be different, you were well learned to know that servants shouldn’t be treating someone of status, especially such as yourself, in such a manner. Alas, you could only resign yourself to just let bygones be bygones. 

If you were to scold them, your name will surely be the talk amongst nobles for a long while, most likely saying how you will be a spiteful queen. Your reputation would only go from bad to worse, seeing as a ‘mere’ human is lecturing creatures like them. 

You kind of miss your home and your father.. Even if it was just you two left, everyday was a cherishable time. Even with these short days that felt like that’s been dragging its seconds a bit too long, you find yourself reminiscing the life you left behind a little bit too much despite only having gone to your new forever home just short of a few days ago. 

… “I’ll be going to my room now.” You dab your mouth with a cloth napkin just in case you had any of the dinner smeared on your face and stood up. Whatever was left of your dinner was promptly cleaned off the table and thrown into the bin. 

I could really use a warm bath today.. You walked the somewhat familiar halls thinking to yourself. Today felt eventful even though the most stressful thing was only dealing with these gossiping faes and the headache they give you. You were excited to dip yourself in a warm tub full of nice smelling body oil and stay in there until the water got cold. Even without anyone being there, a smile forms on your lips with an almost quiet giggle. 

—

“Kufufu, are you sure this is what you’ve decided on doing?” Unbeknownst to you, crimson-coloured eyes bore into your figure. It was dark, that much was true since it was way past the time for the sun to be out, but the moon could outline the silhouette of a man. The only thing that could be comparable to the moon’s light at that moment were the strikingly deep colour of his eyes that illuminated even more in the dark. He stares at you from another window on a higher floor just across yours, breaking out in a smile and a light chuckle. The only thing keeping you two apart other than those walls and windows was the courtyard built in between. “She’s quite cute. I’d hate to leave such a pretty thing alone for so long without her husband.” 

Those same focused eyes break away from your form after speaking to a much taller man beside him that had piercing green eyes that outshined the moon— much like the prior’s. He says nothing to the short male but continues to stare at you. “Hmm, now that I think about it, she’s around Silver’s age, yes?” The shorter one continued on talking, putting a finger on his chin. “Don’t you think they’d be good friends?” 

The one who he was talking to seems to be ignoring him and poor he who has come to a conclusion that his companion is off in his thoughts to be paying attention to him. He sighs. “It’s been almost a week since she’s last seen and talked to you,” he points out carefully, doing a gesture as if he was shrugging but his arms stayed hovering in the air for a bit before dropping it completely to his side, “I know humans have a short lifespan, unlike our kind, but I do not believe that you’ll be able to go all her life not speaking to her just as you had planned. It would do no good to the plan of strengthening our relations with the humans.”

“She’s afraid of me.” At last, his tall companion speaks. “The first meeting.. And the day of the wedding.. When she looked at me, I saw fear in her eyes.”

Again, the short man sighs. “That is to be expected, Malleus. She is, after all, a human. You know how they are– they fear things that are unknown to them but if you’d just try, I’m sure she’ll warm up to you in no time–”

“But what if she doesn’t?” The prince finally tears his eyes away from you. “Lilia, are you certain that she’ll be fine having me as her husband?” He narrows his eyes, a bit of uncertainty was read in them. 

The male could only smile at him. “Do you trust me?” was all he asked, though cryptically. However, that was enough for Malleus to return his gaze, watching you disappear to your shared bedroom. Something swells in his heart, yet he does not know what. 

Once the door closes with a soft thud, he stands there for a while, silently watching at the door where you had just disappeared. He was often silent and staring off into the distance, but that didn’t mean his head was merely filled with air. Just a moment earlier, his heart smiled a bit when he saw the small smile on your lips, happy to think that you might be finding life at the Valley not too hard. 

Only when coming to a silent agreement made in his head, does he now turn his back away from the window. His robe flutters behind him, the sound of it heavy and rich, perfectly displaying his wealth. He walks deeper into the shadows– the unlit parts of the castle that the moon could not reach– and then promptly disappears with only the clacking of his heels making presence. 

Lilia stands by the window, watching as the young prince vanishes from his sight. He looks back at the hall you walked and the door you closed. A smile crosses his lips once more. His eyes became soft at a thought that will not be shared with anyone and for him to simply dwell on it. 

Now alone, he takes a deep breath in and breathing out of his mouth, his heart feeling lighter. He closes his eyes. “Oh my, it seems that age is catching up with me, kufufu,” he softly mutters, still smiling. He takes a bit of time for himself on this serene night before opening his eyes again. The small, yet meaningful smile warps to that of a big one with his eyes lighting up. Suddenly, the visage of a parent disappears from him entirely. 

He turns smoothly on his heels, heading to the same direction where Malleus had gone off too. “Ah, where is Silver? That boy, I hope he hasn’t fallen asleep somewhere unsafe..” With a merry smile, he leaves his spot from the window. 

⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

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