MalleYuu modern AU but instead of a prince, he's the president of a textile and luxury formal wear brand. He comes to work everyday and decorates his office with fresh flowers, and his staffers just pass it off as his penchant for interior design.
But they don't know design is just his secondary reason. He actually sets off very early everyday for a few hours to chat with you, the owner of that little flower shop a few blocks off. He never fails to visit with a few trinkets to give you: sometimes it's coffee and pastries, other times they're tiny stone figures of imaginary creatures or cute animals. Occasionally, he would leave you CDs to listen to (who actually has a CD player at this time and age? Thankfully you do).
He later admits that the CDs are recordings of his own compositions and the tiny figures his own crafts.
"I would have given you flowers plenty enough to fill a room from floor to window, but I highly doubt a florist would appreciate such. Flaunting money and jewels would have been a terribly insincere way to court someone, therefore I could only offer you pieces of my hobbies. I do hope my feelings come across fine enough."
You thank him for his kindness and wear your usual smile. When he's left, however, you feel your knees buckle and you collapse to hide yourself behind the counter. You had an inkling, but you aren't bold enough to assume.
That fine gentleman said it himself: he is courting you. You tell your friend Vil about it, and he sighs at you in utter disbelief.
"A man visits you everyday, feeds you, gives you a good-bye gift each time, and you seriously think he's just asking for your help on what flowers to give his grandmother? Every single day? I genuinely feel sorry for that man."
You ask him what you should do. Should you give back a gift? But he looks like a rich guy; what could you possibly give him that he doesn't yet have?
"Isn't it obvious? What he doesn't have is you. Give him a little kiss and everything will work itself out."
You doubt Vil for a moment, but thankfully for you, he is never wrong.
When the handsome man visits the next day, you shyly peck him on the cheek in gratitude. He stares at you with eyes wide, trips on his words, literally trips on a watering can near you, and more things happen after another but he ends up not coming to work and helps you close up shop. He takes your hand and whisks you away to god knows where, but that's the least important thing on your mind at the moment.
All you can think of is how warm his hand feels, how fast your heart is beating, and how this could be the start of an exciting change in your rather simple life.
Here's another Shinso story for you guys!!!
I hope you guys like some angsty fluff!
Enjoy!!!!!
Shinso opened the door to your apartment and found it very odd that it was unlocked. You never leave your apartment unlocked. With furrowed brows, he walks in on alert. The lights in the apartment are off and everything is quiet.
"Kitten?” he calls out as he flicks a light on.
He gets no response.
He ventures farther into your home and continues calling out for you.
After looking in the kitchen and the living room, a small sniffle catches his attention, causing Shinso to hurry towards the bedroom, turning on the light.
There, in the middle of your mattress, was you. Eyes red, nose plugged, and tears streaking down your cheeks.
Alarmed, Shinso drops his bag and crawls onto the bed next to you.
"What's wrong, kitten?" he asks while he scans your body for physical harm.
You only sob in reply as you wipe the tears from your face, finally realizing that he's next to you.
"T-Toshi?" you ask blearily.
Your vision swims and all you see is a blotch of indigo among white. Rubbing your eyes again, you're able to see him clearly. Upon seeing him clearly you try to give a smile, but it doesn't last very long. Seeing this, Shinso opens his arms for you, and you immediately enter his embrace.
As Shinso holds you in his embrace, he feels your body wrack with sobs as you start crying again. He rubs your back comfortingly, just letting you cry for a minute.
"What happened?" he murmurs into your ear as he continues to rub your back comfortingly.
“M-My friend, (friend name)...” you choke out.
Pulling back from him, you look up at Shinso and inhale a deep, shuddery breath. "I-I just... don't understand how they could be gone... T-They were such a-a huge part of m-my life and n-now they're g-gone..." you stutter out.
Shinso's lips purse at your reply.
Heartbreak isn't an easy thing to deal with...
"Oh, love." he coos as he wipes the tears from your cheeks as they fell.
"It's alright kitten." he soothes as he leans forward, pressing a kiss to your forehead. "I-I just can't b-believe they're g-gone T-Toshi..." you mumble against his chest.
"I know love, I know." Shinso soothes again, rubbing your back comfortingly and pressing a kiss to the top of your head.
"I cared about them so much... I loved them so much... L-like a sibling..." you say as you grip onto Shinso's shirt for dear life.
"I-I don't e-even kn-know if I ever t-told them that..."
Shinso takes you by the shoulders, gently pulling your face away from him again. He looks down at you with a soft expression on his face as fat tears well up in your eyes.
You blink causing them to roll down your cheeks.
Shinso's thumb immediately brushed them away as he holds you in his arms.
Your voice cracks when you begin to speak again. "My heart hurts so much... Please make it stop hurting Hitoshi..."
"I just want to back to before everything happened..."
Shinso's heart breaks at your pleas. He wishes that he could take away the pain you felt. He looks at you, clearly an empty shell of your former self.
"I can't do that, kitten." He says, pulling you close to shelter you from the world and nuzzles his cheek against the top of your head. "I can't take the pain away, but I can be here to help put you back together."
You grip his shirt as if he would be the next person to disappear.
"I feel so alone..." you whimper hollowly.
The fatigue from this situation is catching up to you and settling in your bones. You want nothing more than to wake up refreshed and discover that this whole situation had all been a nightmare. To wake up and find your friend alive and well.
"You're not alone." Shinso says to you gently.
"I can't even begin to replace them, but I love you. What can I do to help?"
At his question, you stop and think for a moment before your stomach growls loudly in response.
Shinso's lavender eyes narrow at the noise. "When was the last time you ate?"
You chew on your lip, averting your eyes from his probing gaze. Taking care of yourself hasn't been that high of a priority recently... The grieving process has overwritten all other needs and hopelessness and despair made sure that you haven't left your bedroom all day.
"Kitten." Shinso prompts.
"It's been a while..." you admit sheepishly.
Shinso hums at your words before taking you in his arms again, putting one arm under your knees and the other around your back.
You look at him in confusion as you wrap your arms around his neck so that you don't fall.
"Toshi? What are you-?" You begin to ask but he cuts you off as he carries you out of the bedroom and to the living room.
He sets you down on the couch. “I’m going to make you food.”
Your posture relaxes and you nod in reply, agreeing that getting some food in your stomach will be good for you.
"I'll be back." he tells you gently as he kisses you on the forehead before exiting the living room and entering the kitchen to make some dinner for the 2 of you.
-----------------
After about 10 minutes of sitting on the couch, just relaxing, you decide to go to the bathroom and wash up before dinner. You get up from the couch, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind you.
You let out a long, tired sigh as you turn to the bathroom mirror. As you look at your reflection, you grimace slightly. Your eyes are red and puffy, your skin is dry, your hair is greasy and unkempt and the dark circles under your eyes look like bruises and rival Shinso’s own eye bags.
Maybe after dinner you'll take a shower.
------
After washing your hands, you exit the bathroom and head back into the living room. As you walk past the kitchen, the scent of frying bread hits your nose, causing you to drool slightly.
You walk over to the kitchen door, seeing Shinso standing in front of the stove. You smile at the sight of him before you walk up behind him and wrap your arms around his midsection.
You hear him chuckle softly as you nuzzle you face into his back.
"Food will be ready in a minute." he says to you gently. "Go sit down and I'll bring it out to you."
"Okay." you reply before kissing him on the cheek and exiting the kitchen.
------
A few minutes later, Shinso exits the kitchen walking over to you with 2 plates. Each plate had a grilled cheese sandwich on it.
"Here you go." he says as he gives you your plate.
You take it from him gratefully.
"Thank you."
Shinso smiles at you gently as he takes a seat next to you on the couch, ready to start eating his own sandwich.
After finishing your food, as well as a glass of (favorite drink) you lay your head on Shinso's shoulder. You let out a sigh as sadness and confusion still runs through your body.
"Thanks, Toshi." you mumble.
Shinso wraps his arm around your shoulders, pulling you in closer to his side. "I'm sorry that you're going through this kitten." he begins.
“But I’ll be there every step of the way, okay?”
“Okay.” You nod, grateful Shinso who you know will stand by your side, no matter what.
nevermore
𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭
dad!katsuki bakugo x reader word count: 0.8k warnings: none summary: it's time for you and katsuki to drop off your little one on his first day of kindergarten
“now.” katsuki switches the ignition off, and his hand reaches back to the head of the passenger seat as he turns around to look at the buzzing little boy sitting in his booster seat. “you got your bento box papa made for you?”
katsuro tore his ruby eyes from looking out the window before nodding furiously at his father.
“you have your markers? what about your blanket?” katsuki left the front, and opened the door to his son’s seat, unbuckling the safety belts. “and your water bottle?”
“sweetheart i think he’s got everything, i checked before we left the house.” you say, looking back at him from the passenger seat.
“you can never be too careful” the explosive hero huffs, sliding his hands underneath the small boy’s arm pits and lifting him out of the vehicle. after settling him down on the ground, with one hand he holds katsuro’s little one, and with the other he grabs the dynamight themed backpack and bento box.
you walk round the car to kneel down to meet your baby face to face, and gently you tugged at his round rosy cheeks before pushing his unreasonably soft hair out of his forehead, and press a kiss right between his brows.
“promise mama you’ll be ok?” you fix up his baby blue uniform before looking up at katsuro’s gleaming eyes and wide grin.
“of course i will!” katsuro exclaims as his father helps him loop his arms through the bands of his backpack from behind.
“that’s my boy.” katsuki beams, and it was his turn to kneel down and talk to his mini look-alike, so you stood up and ruffled katsuro’s hair before going back to the car to check if there was anything left behind.
“katsuro, you remember what I said?” katsuki places his large scarred hands on his son’s much smaller shoulders.
“be myself, because i’m cool and awesome and if they don’t like me then they can kiss my butt.” katsuro sticks his tongue out and squeezes his eyes shut in emphasis as his father laughs heartily.
“that’s exactly right. but also make sure to remember that you stay respectful to your teachers and help out some of the other kids ‘cause not all of them are as strong as you are.” he ruffled his hair and grinned fondly at his son who beamed up at him and nodded his head enthusiastically.
“you better not make katsuro late on his first day!” you come back around, raising your brows at your boys as katsuki wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you close to his side. “alright sweetheart, have fun ok?”
all of a sudden katsuro came rushing towards you, stretching his little arms as wide as he could to wrap just around your legs, and bury his head in your thighs. “i love you mama” his little voice was muffled as he spoke into your leg.
“what, and i don’t get a hug little demon?” katsuki grumped with a dramatic pout, crossing his arms. it nearly made you giggle just how identical he looked to katsuro when he had his little temper tantrums.
“nope!” katsuro said, slightly tilting his head just to stick his tongue out once again at his father. you laughed and patted his head and kneeled down to whisper into katsuro’s ear before glancing up at your husband.
“papa will be really sad if you don’t give him a goodbye hug.” you bring your face close to his as you smooth your hands over his velvet cheeks. “we don’t want papa to be sad, do we?” you cock your head at him, and you fight a laugh as you see the gears turning in katsuro’s little head, with him knitting his brows together and a frown growing on his plump lips. after a second he shakes he his head and sulks over to katsuki, who is still looking away with a dramatic pout.
but as soon as he felt his son’s little face press against his leg, katsuki immediately melted, and a fond smile stretched his lips. “now come on big boy, you gotta get to school.”
katsuro sprung up, as if he just realised what he came here for. “oh no i’ll be late! see you later mama, see you later papa!” katsuro screams as he begins to run off to meet all the other kids in identical baby blue tops at the doorway. just as he goes to enter the doors, he turns around and waves at you two vigorously, nearly hitting some other children and a teacher in the process.
“he’ll be ok right?” you say, pressing yourself back into katsuki’s side and waving back half heartedly.
“he’ll be just fine.” katsuki presses a hard kiss at your temple, and you sigh heavily. “you should be more worried for the other kids.”
thanks for reading ! reblogs are greatly appreciated <3
6:32am ☆ miya atsumu
tags: fem! reader, pet names (princess, girlfriend, girl)
you've never been provoked to hit your boyfriend, but with atsumu dragging you out of bed too early, only to prop you up onto the bathroom counter so you can watch him get ready, this might be a first for you. "tsumu, i wanna go to bed." you repulsively dragged out. your darkened eye bags were evidence of how tired you truly were but atsumu didn't seem to care. and he only hummed at your current drowsy state.
"and i want bonding time with my girlfriend, is that a problem?" you had to scoff at his deceiving explanation. he, who begged to the point where he might've even gotten on his knees for you to spend the night. you would've cooed at him if that was the real reason he woke you up, anytime spent with him is amazing. however, you've spent the last two days under his roof, in his house eating, drinking, napping, cooking, chilling, and sleeping together. not one moment was spent without atsumu so you knew this was not solely him wanting to be with you. but rather him wanting you to watch him get ready. to see how perfect and attractive your boyfriend truly was at any point of the day.
you rolled your eyes and groaned at the half naked man in front of you. with his gray worn out sweatpants hanging loosely on his hips while a towel draped over his shoulder, atsumu threw you a quick smirk before turning away. you really hated to admit it, you'd rather go on his 5am jog than admit it to his face that he was actually really attractive right now. with his stupid messy damp blonde hair and his stupid pretty brown eyes that lit up everytime he looked at you, and his stupid stupid stupid attractive voice that sounded like heavens gold in the morning. you hated how even after turning away from you, his bare back was stupidly pretty, his muscles that flexed ever so slightly with how he walks and the way his hands flowed loosely along side his hips. "ya comin' or not?" he asked, stopping to lean against the door frame. "yeah, whatever." you rolled your eyes, annoyed at his jaw dropping sight but you can't complain. "i know im pretty but pick yer jaw off the floor." atsumu quickly snickered before running away. his slightly damp body hitting the bed in laughter. shortly after, you landed on top of him, hands tickling his sides, before stopping to place a kiss to his soft lips.
"you're lucky i love you." you huffed before connecting with atsumu's lips again. there's a distinct taste of his toothpaste on your lips but you didn't mind, not when his hands held you tight in his arms while your lips slowly danced together. his blonde hair was still messy, his face was soft from his nicely put together skincare, the unwelcomed sunlight grazing his skin, making him glow even more, and his still not yet fully clothed body though he needs to leave in five minutes, but even despite his current state, he truly was the prettiest at this moment. atsumu is pretty. prettier than all flowers that bloom in the spring, his eyes shining more than the sun when he looks at you, but what you think is the prettiest of them all, is his charming smile. the lazy smile that sits on atsumu's face after you pull away from his lips. "and i love you too, my pretty girl."
but most importantly, atsumu thinks if there's one person who's prettier than him, is you.
premise. perhaps in your last life, you wished for an extraordinary romance; a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, a dashing prince to kiss your hand, and an eternal love that could only be found in fairy tales. now, as you acknowledge that this story is not yours, your greatest desire is to remain out of the limelight while you watch your dearest protagonist twirl in the ballroom with the man of her dreams.
and just like every other time, fate has other plans.
word count. 7.8k
note. i honestly thought i wouldn't be able to finish this, but here we are. i hope you enjoy!
“The duke of Marechaussee is looking for a bride!”
The news spread far and wide, each new piece of gossip shared through word of mouth more convoluted than the last. But the gist of it essentially remains true—the reputable head of the most prestigious duchy in Fontaine, Neuvillette, whose abstinence from marriage had nobles speculating his intentions to practice celibacy, has now unfounded those rumors.
For others, this is an opportunity. For you, this is a cause for a headache.
Let's have a brief recount of your second life thus far. Ten years ago, you found yourself in a body that was not yours, one that was far too dainty and sickly for your liking. You were born to a powerful aristocratic family, your father bearing the title of Marquess. It was your greatest joy to find this new family of yours was loving and affectionate, bursting into tears of relief upon your return to consciousness the very first time you opened your eyes in this world. You were told you had nearly fallen to disease, and your parents spared no effort in finding the most knowledgeable doctors across the continent. Their embrace was incredibly warm, hands clutching your small body so tightly as if once they let go, you would be lost to the winds.
And, well. As far as you’re concerned, it isn't the worst life to live in. Your eldest brother is almost overbearingly protective, but he’s beyond considerate and cared for you greatly. Your second brother isn't honest to a fault, and you heard he often played tricks on you before, but ever since your worst fit of sickness, he's been incredibly careful in his treatment around you.
Life passed peacefully like this, adored and doted on by your beloved family. To repay their kindness, you wish to aid your eldest brother in the future and pursue your studies, but your parents assure you you don't have to do anything you don't want—including being bound by marriage.
For any other aristocratic family, it is a daughter's duty to secure a beneficial relationship with other houses of similar prestige. But your family spoils you rotten, and they hold no greed; why would they wish for more power when they already have everything they could possibly want in the kingdom as a Marquess family?
It is for that reason you are able to avoid the biggest red flag that could potentially lead to your demise: the engagement with the House of Marechaussee.
With how much you used to read webtoons and played otome games with the “I died and woke up in the romance novel I used to read” premise, you aren't all that surprised to realize you found yourself in that very situation. What did surprise you is the lack of daddy issues, and how easy you have it as a villainess.
You woke up in the world of “My Royal Darling,” an otome game with a plot as creative as its title. Cliche as it is, you ate that shit up back in your previous life and knew the story like the back of your hand. Your character [Name] Silva mainly appeared in the duke's route, a villainess who loved him deeply for his kindness and gentleness beneath his cold facade. As far as villainesses went in this game, you are certainly not the worst; the girl in the prince's route actively schemed against the protagonist and received a befitting punishment as a result. The worst [Name] Silva did was beg her doting parents for an engagement with the duke and use her sick sob story to garner pity.
All you have to do is avoid the duke at all costs, and you won't be part of the drama at all.
...That was what you thought before you went ahead and befriended the protagonist. Goddamn it.
“The duke is searching for a bride-to-be. Can you believe it?” Lumine giggles in all her protagonist glory, twinkling laughter as pleasant as the song of birds. Her etiquette is impeccable as ever, starting from her straight posture down to the elegant curve of her fingers as she raises her cup to sip tea. Her dress is not nearly as intricate as yours, the difference between your status glaringly apparent, but it's easy to envision her as a perfect princess. It would soon come to reality, you realize.
“And because of that, just about every girl I know is flocking to tailor shops to prepare for the social season.” You grimace, picking up a chocolate cake from the cake tower laid before you. You are currently having tea with Lumine in your rose garden, a bi-monthly arrangement where you shared gossip and traded information. “I fear I will be ridiculed for not following the latest trends soon. All of the shops are probably too busy to accommodate my order.”
“You must be joking. Who would dare refuse you?” Lumine shakes her head. “And even if they dressed up to the nines for the duke, they couldn't possibly compare to you.”
“I'm not trying to gain his favor,” you counter, poking at a strawberry on your plate. “I simply want new additions to my wardrobe, and the banquet hosted by the imperial family is coming up soon. My parents indulge me, but even I can't skip out on it.”
To avoid the love interests as much as possible, you minimize the frequency you go out to parties. Using your weak constitution is enough of an excuse to decline the invitations that pour out in the mail each day. But refusing an invitation from the imperial family is equivalent to a death sentence to your social standing, and even the protectiveness of your older brothers couldn't spare you from that.
If you have it your way, you absolutely would not go. The royal ball is where the official story starts, the prologue to a fairytale romance. All the love interests will be present, and the routes will branch out according to who Lumine will choose to talk to. Though you have no idea who Lumine will pick and you’re certain you were already ruled out as a villainess character ever since you made yourself her close confidant, you don't want to take on any risks. Alas, reality is unkind. You suppose you'll just see it as an opportunity to see the drama up close.
“Forget me, do you already have something to wear?”
“That is...” Lumine appears to be forlorn. “I plan to wear a dress I've worn before. We deemed it more favorable than purchasing a new dress I'll only wear once in my life. Besides, I doubt anyone would remember me wearing it already.”
She places too much faith in people. Nobles thrive on gossip—they find every possible flaw in everyone to gain leverage over them, and you've seen them ridicule Lumine in the game enough times to know. As the daughter of a humble Baron, she's already being picked on by the upper ranking ladies. If she goes to the banquet hosted by the imperial family wearing a gown that's already fallen out of trend, you have no doubt she will be regarded with derision.
But you won't allow that to happen.
“Do you have time this afternoon?” You smile. Lumine tilts her head in confusion yet nods nonetheless. “Let's find you a dress in the commerce street. We'll test out that theory of yours that they won't refuse me.”
Immediately, her eyes widen. She knows what you're planning. This is far from the first time you would be treating her. “No, it's fine! We don't have to go there!”
“Oh, c'mon, Lumine. Your birthday is coming up. Just think of it as me giving you your birthday present a few weeks in advance.”
At that, her shoulders slump. This is not the first time, and so she knows well there's no arguing with you once you put your mind into something. “If you insist so much…” She tries for a grateful smile, but it looks more guilty. When will she accept that she deserves nice things like this and so much more?
Just like Lumine said, you shot up the priority list of the tailor shop without much of a fuss. You make her try on numerous dresses, forbidding the tailors from telling her how much they cost if she ever asks. You end up choosing a pale blue dress that accentuates her good figure and complements her skin, and you manage to grab a couple of matching jewelry when she isn't looking.
Hopefully soon, you think as you begin to scarf down what remains of the cake tower, eager to go shopping. If she goes with the prince route, he’ll give her an entire castle. I should probably tell her about that cage in the basement from the yandere bad ending, though.
Lumine looks good in everything anyway, so it isn't a very time-consuming affair. You even have some time left to check out the merchant stalls before curfew arrives and you have to send her to a carriage back home.
“I don't know about you, but I'm craving some donuts.” You're raring to go to the best bakery in town, and Lumine laughs at your eagerness. Your family never looked upon fried food kindly, and you only have a chance of eating them when you're not within their supervision.
“Aren't you full from the pastries we ate earlier?”
“Hardly.” You grab onto your inconveniently long dress, prepared to race. “Come on, Lumine, we better hurry up before they run out!”
In your haste however, you fail to notice a child walking towards the opposite direction as you. She crashes to your leg, the impact sending her to the ground. You gasp, wasting no time in crouching down to her eye level and helping her up, uncaring of how the hem of your dress slides against the dirty floor. “I'm terribly sorry! Are you hurt anywhere?”
You pat away the dirt on her skirt, searching for any sign of blood. “No, I'm okay! I'm sorry too, miss!” The girl does a little cute bow, one that would normally make you coo if only you didn't feel so guilty. When she gives you a reassuring toothy grin, eyes shining bright with innocence, you can't help but pat her on the head with your clean hand.
“Did you get lost? Where are your parents?” You bring out an embroidered handkerchief from your pocket, wiping her hands free of grime. Lumine scans the nearby area and notices a man running over.
“Mister!” The child exclaims happily, pointing at him. You look up at his direction, momentarily at ease, until you actually see who she's pointing to.
Apprehension pools at the pit of your stomach. The man is the very picture of someone that children should be taught to avoid. Draped in a dark cloak that conceals half of his face, his attire is practically the standard getup for kidnappers in an abduction scene, the type that says cheesy lines like “hand over the gold or I'll kill your girl right now” and ends up getting decked in the face by the prince that saves the heroine.
Before you can say anything, the little girl runs toward him, her arms outstretched for an embrace. The man is quick to lean down and cradle her in his arms, reprimanding the girl for his carelessness. The severity of his words is utterly lost when he's too busy scanning the child's body up and down in search of any injuries to be intimidating.
“Didn't I tell you not to run? You could get into an accident,” the man admonishes gently as he uses the napkin in the girl's hands to wipe away the remaining dirt on her palms. “Not everyone is as forgiving as this kind lady. Did you apologize to her?”
“No, it's fine, it was my fault,” you interject, doing a quick curtsy reflexively. “I got too excited about buying donuts that I wasn't paying enough attention to my surroundings.”
The man pauses when he gets a good look at you, making you shrink to yourself. You put on commoner clothes to blend with the crowd better, but you wonder if you have something incriminating of your status on you.
“Did you get hurt?”
You blink at the unexpected question. How could bumping into a tiny child cause you any injury? “...Not at all.”
His lips curl into a smile, still visible under the shadows of his robe. “Then that's a relief. We apologize for this incident. I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but I'm afraid we have somewhere to be.”
“Oh, of course!” You laugh awkwardly, raising a hand to wave at the child. “Be safe on the way there.”
The older man bows his head and the little girl yells an endearing “farewell!” as she's carried away by her guardian, spinning on his heel to turn to their destination.
In doing so, you catch a glimpse of the ornate sword strapped to his waist. A silver dragon wraps around the hilt, its scales gleaming under the sun. The sapphires in its eyes are a deep blue, the color as vibrant as the sea, a contrast to the dull shade of its scabbard.
You swear you've seen that sword before.
“[Name], we should hurry. The sun will set soon.” Lumine snaps you out of your thoughts, reminding you of the direness of the situation.
“The lady was really pretty!” The little girl—Mamere—begins to ramble as she fiddles with the handkerchief you left her. She's walking on her own now, but the man makes sure to match her slower pace. “I thought she would get mad when I bumped into her, but her voice was so nice and soft. And she patted my head!”
“My donuts!”
“She was very kind,” the man agrees, remembering the genuine worry on your face when Mamere fell to the ground.
“But what do I do?” Mamere pouts, staring at the intricate embroidery on the napkin. “I don't know how to return this to her.”
Her companion hums. “I don't think she's expecting you to return it. Didn’t she give it to you?”
“But I feel bad…” Mamere admires the careful stitching, her fingers lightly tracing its shape. “It looks so beautiful… she must've worked hard in embroidering it, didn't she?” Suddenly, her eyes sparkle with realization, an idea popping into her mind. “Mister, if it's you, you can return it to her, right?”
The older man blinks. “I suppose so. However-”
The girl offers the handkerchief to him. “Please give this to her when you see her, Mister!”
Conflicted, he stares down at Mamere, but he eventually folds when she puts on her best puppy dog eyes. He takes the handkerchief from her hands, his thumb brushing over the meticulous embroidery.
Only a fool wouldn’t recognize the insignia of the Silva House.
A strong gust of wind pulls down the hood of his cloak, revealing long hair the color of moonlight. The golden hue of the sunset basks his pale skin in a bright glow, his eyes soft as he gazes upon the handkerchief.
“I have a good idea when I may see her next,” Neuvillette assures Mamere, causing her smile to brighten even more.
All too soon, the day of the imperial banquet arrives.
Though whether she wants to see me or not is a different matter.
Natully, your escort to the event is none other than your protective second brother, but you'd argue he's a better choice over the eldest who'd probably glare daggers at anyone who comes within five meters of your vicinity. It's not even like you have other men in your life aside from your family and the knights at your service.
You intend to appear as inconspicuous as possible, but the nobles' curious gazes still follow after your shadow. Consequences of your actions, you suppose. You managed to dodge that eventful first meeting with Duke Neuvillette since you knew you would bump into him at a social gathering, but you had to go through the extra mile to avoid attending every party you could skip because the game was so goddamn vague and only described the scene as “The lady of House Silva fell in love with the duke the moment her eyes landed upon him at a banquet.”
Thanks to that, you’re rarely seen by nobility and thus attained a ridiculous nickname along the lines of “the precious flower of Silva” for being thoroughly pampered by your family, hidden from the rest of the world. Embellished tales of your beauty spread across society, and you can only hope they weren't disappointed to see the real thing in the flesh.
Damn it, you think grimly, the downturn of your lips hidden beneath the intricate fan you've taken to using in order to hide your expression. It's hard to approach the buffet table when they're all staring at me like this.
Truthfully, you’re grateful all they're doing is staring. If not for your eldest brother’s protectiveness, you’re sure more than a crowd of men would be vying for your hand in marriage, flooding your house with mail and wedding offers. Your second brother is not so fortunate, pinned by pointed stares from all sides by unwed women waiting for the right moment to pounce on him.
He pinches the edge of your sleeve before you can attempt to sneak your way towards the buffet table. “And where exactly are you going?” Amazingly enough, his pleasing smile doesn't falter even as he grumbles out his admonishment, still as flawless as ever.
“To eat. The catering is wasted on you socialites, no one bothers to take a bite just to talk to other people.” You’ve learned a thing or two from your brothers, and so your own polite smile doesn't twist into something more fitting for the tone of your voice.
His mouth opens again, definitely some spiel about how you should try making other connections because as much as Lumine is pleasant company, she will not be of any help to your trading endeavors, but a girl adorned in frilly lace tries her luck in hitting on him and you slip away when he's not looking.
As expected, the feast on the buffet table is untouched. You help yourself to a few plates, searching for Lumine all the while. As per true protagonist fashion, she’ll arrive fashionably late at the banquet and bring attention to herself when the grand doors reveal her in a stunning dress. Had you not intervened, she would've gotten a pretty dress some way or another anyway—it’s bound by the law of the universe. In the original game, she helped an old lady cross the street and she turned out to be the owner of a high-end boutique.
But time goes by with no sight of familiar blond locks, and you’re getting pretty full from the steak served. You’re thinking about going to your brother to spare him from the women when someone approaches you, a series of footsteps gradually becoming more audible—from a respectable distance, of course, but near enough to know they came with a purpose. You stop yourself from sighing, taking a moment to collect yourself and school your expression into something more elegant.
Your efforts are rendered useless when your jaw immediately drops upon seeing the figure of the very person you were trying to avoid.
Are you fucking kidding me?!
Standing before you is Neuvillette himself, the crowd behind him parted like the Red Sea. He’s finely dressed, crisp suit accented with his House’s signature colors blue and gold, and his long hair is fashioned into a low ponytail that rests on the side of his chest. His intimidating air rivals that of the royal family, a commanding presence that drives people to bow to him at once. Yet this time, the crowd instead unashamedly stares at the spectacle the pair of you must make, both parties that are often absent in galas now crossing paths.
The etiquette lessons hammered into your body makes you curtsy in a show of respect, starkly contrasting the crude expletives roaring in your head as your eyes lock onto a vague figure behind him. It’s hard to meet his eyes. “Good evening, Your Grace. I believe this is our first encounter.” But I worked really hard to make it never happen, you know?!
In turn, Neuvillette bows his head in greeting. “Indeed. I’ve heard much about my lady, so I am glad I have the opportunity to meet you at last.”
The smile on your face twitches, the fabric between your fingers wrinkling under your tightening grip. “Pardon?”
“Your older brother is quite fond of you. He’s been telling me stories of your family whenever we have tea.”
Which brother is he talking about???
If it was your eldest brother, he would at least take care not to harm your clean reputation, but his gushing about his cute younger sister could be embarrassing. However, if it was your much more tactless, stupid brother who still holds a grudge over you eating the last tea cake given by foreign ambassadors from a neighboring country, he’d probably tell Neuvillette everything that would make your “precious flower of Silva” title entirely undeserving.
“A… haha… is that so…” you begin fanning yourself harder, trying to keep your nervous sweating at bay. Neuvillette turns his head, looking around your surroundings.
“I believe you were escorted by your brother. Is he preoccupied?”
The corner of your mouth curls into a slight smirk. “Certainly. Women have been trying to pique his interest since the banquet began.”
At that, Neuvillette’s smile turns wry. You’re sure he relates to that a little too much, the poor guy. Even at this very moment, there are countless women observing the situation, attempting to find the right chance to jump in the conversation and steal him away. Though you do feel bad for him, you’re also wishing to find a good opportunity to leave without looking rude. After all, in the possibility that Lumine happens to like him, you’d soon be acquainted with him as his significant other’s closest friend.
Just as you’re cheering on a lady that’s beginning to approach the duke, he starts speaking. “If that’s the case…” Bowing once more, he outstretches his arm gracefully, offering his hand. The sight looks like a sparkling CG, and you’re not sure if the flowers surrounding him are really there or if you're starting to hallucinate. “Would my lady mind if I escorted you for the time being?”
Your fanning hand comes to a sharp halt. “Pardon?” you say for a second time, sounding more disbelieved than the last.
“I happen to be in a similar predicament as your brother,” his voice lowers to a hushed tone. “Though we haven’t known each other for long, I hope you can lend me a hand.”
Why is this happening to me…
And as if his pleading tone isn’t enough, he tops it off with a charming smile truly befitting a love interest in a dating simulator. “I’d also like to take this opportunity to be closer to you, my lady.”
--
You bite back the urge to sigh, lest Neuvillette think you thought he was an utter bore as a dance partner. Really, he’s nothing like that–there’s no way getting to see that handsome face up close could ever be boring. He’s a nice partner, actually; he leads the dance in a way that makes you comfortable, and you’re no dance prodigy, but you feel like you can close your eyes and dance just as well as long as you follow his lead.
Another point of thrill is the incessant glares you can feel on your back. Truly, Neuvillette’s more ambitious fans are terrifying. As the one in charge of the territory covering the boundary between the kingdom and the land of monsters, Neuvillette must be used to frightening creatures, but lovesick women must be a whole ‘nother terror for him altogether for him to ask for your help to avoid them.
Still…
He’s the only person I’m trying to avoid at this place, and now I’m dancing with him. Haha. What am I even doing here?
You feel him squeeze your hand softly. “Is something on your mind?” Neuvillette’s voice breaks you out of your trance. You look up at him, noticing he looks worried.
“I apologize. I wasn’t paying attention.” You shake your head, giving him a small grin.
He frowns. “It’s not that. If you feel tired or unwell, please tell me.”
“I’m fine! Very much so!” You suddenly feel bad for cursing him, albeit indirectly, in your head. You understand why the original villainess liked him so much, but you should avoid interacting with him unless strictly necessary… once this dance ends. “I must say, Your Grace has quite the number of admirers. This is the first time I’ve been stared at so intensely by a crowd of women.”
He hums thoughtfully as you twirl away from him as part of the step sequence, and he catches your waist with ease when you return. “I could say the same for you. Gentlemen we pass by have been eyeing me with hostility ever since we started dancing.”
“What?” You look around the ballroom, making a sound of surprise when you see multiple nobles eyeing Neuvillette with some amount of envy and detestation. You’ve been so caught up with the attention Neuvillette’s been getting that you overlooked your share of trouble.
“The son of the viscount in particular seems to be the most eager to ask for a dance.” He averts his gaze to the man standing by the buffet table who’s been glaring at the pair of you pretty hard. Farthest thing from your type.
“I suppose I’ll have to find my brother when this song is over, then.”
Silence ensues in the remaining duration of the song, but it’s a comforting one. You’re not much of a talker anyway, and it’s hard to think of things to talk about when practically everyone in the audience is looking for a chance to steal both of you away from each other. Eventually, the last notes of the violin are played, and you finish the dance with bows of courtesy.
“Thank you for complying with my request.”
“It was nothing. I’m glad I could lend a hand.” Your eyes roam over the area, securing the shortest route to get to your brother. “Our encounter was brief, but you were truly pleasant company, Your Grace.”
You plan to leave it at that, the heel of your foot already spinning to turn in the opposite direction. Okay, good. That’s just an irregularity. It’s too bad I couldn’t completely avoid him, but as long as we don’t get too involved with each other, it should still be safe-
But then you feel a gentle hand wrap around the tips of your fingers. You turn back, the initial confusion wearing off to shock. Neuvillette is holding your hand. Neuvillette is holding your hand. Slowly, he brings it closer to his face, and for a moment, you think, Oh, his eyelashes are pretty long, before you feel him press a soft kiss on your knuckles.
You hear a gasp. Numerous, you correct yourself, on varying levels of shock. You hope that god-awful dramatic one didn’t come from you, but you aren’t too sure because the only things on your mind are Neuvillette’s hand around yours, his irresistible smile, and the words that leave his lips.
“If my lady doesn’t find my company disagreeable, would you consider meeting me on another occasion?”
In your time living as a noble, you’ve somewhat gotten used to speaking in formal language. In nobility terms, that’s basically Neuvillette asking you out on a date.
“...Pardon???”
Word spread quickly throughout the social network. That’s within expectations, knowing how nosy nobles can get. By the time the imperial banquet ended, everyone in attendance already heard that Neuvillette had taken interest in a woman, and that woman happened to be the daughter from the Silva family.
Objectively speaking, it isn’t a bad match. Both families have something to gain from a marriage union, which is why the original duke from the game agreed to the engagement in the first place.
Subjectively, however…
“I’ve gathered you all here today to have an important discussion.”
Presently, you are situated at the family dining table. As usual, there’s a heavenly feast spread out on the table, but all the food remains uneaten because there’s apparently a more pressing matter at hand.
“...The duke has spoken his intentions to court our [Name],” your eldest brother says grimly, hands locked together and placed under his chin.
“You’re overreacting, he just asked me if I wanted to meet him another time.” You rolled your eyes, reaching for the garlic bread appetizer. He promptly swats it away. “Hey!”
“That’s basically the same thing,” your second brother argues. “Not that I don’t like His Grace, but it’s so sudden. Nobody has caught his eye until now, and I find it hard to believe you’re the first one ever.”
“Now you’re just dissing me.”
“I don’t see why you’re all unhappy about this,” your mother cuts in, smiling pleasantly. “The duke is an honorable man, one of the few I think are deserving of our [Name]. If he shows his loyalty and dedication to her throughout the courtship, we’ll see how well he’ll treat her.”
“That is if [Name] likes him. If she doesn’t and he continues to bother her, I’ll have to step in, status aside.” Your ever protective father frowns as he slices the steak on his plate. “Do tell us if he’s making you uncomfortable, honey.”
“Uh, no, I wouldn’t go that far…”
The only issue you have with the duke is that he’s a love interest. In the original game, him and your character would have nothing to do with each other if it weren’t for the original you insisting on being engaged to him. You don’t know what happened to her in the bad endings, but the situation probably wasn’t ideal. You thought as long as you avoided him, you could steer clear of trouble…
But if he’s the one running after you, what are you supposed to do…?!
“At the very least, you don’t dislike him, do you?” Your second brother cocks up an eyebrow.
“Not really, no.”
“Then hypothetically, if he invited you for a boat ride in the town today, would you go?”
“Hold on a second!” Your eldest brother interrupts. “We still haven’t discussed whether or not he’s worthy of [Name] yet, have we?”
“I thought we were past that.”
“We need to discuss it in detail.”
“Discuss what? The duke’s abundant treasury, contributions to the war against the dragon lord, or his reputation of being a gentleman towards all women?”
“...There has to be something he lacks.”
“What he lacks is a wonderful, caring wife,” your mother says. “And if [Name] is interested in the duke, we shouldn’t get in their way. I know you’re worried, dear. [Name] has always been stuck in the house because she’s sickly, but if a man wants to take her out to have a fun excursion, you should let her. His Grace is also very considerate of the people around him. Surely, if he notices her feeling unwell, he’ll take care of her.”
I haven’t said anything about wanting to go on a date with him though?!
“Fine. I don’t disapprove of him, but…” Your brother eyes you warily. “You best be home before sundown.”
A day passes. You hear three knocks on your door. When you allow the servant to enter your room, a maid rushes to you in a hurry, a letter sealed with the insignia of the Marechaussee House in her hands.
“Brother, I haven’t even received an invitation yet…”
--
The cake tower in front of you is magnificent. The fresh fruits topped on whipped cream are vibrant pops of color, and the frosting is piped beautifully in intricate swirls and shapes. The cakes pair well with the tea served, too, and you’re already planning to bring Lumine here the next time you’re both free to talk about the imperial knight she ended up talking to at the banquet. That route is definitely your favorite and you can’t wait to hear about the details.
Damn it.
There’s nothing wrong with the food. This pastry shop has been making its rounds in the newspapers for its delectable new additions on the menu, and they didn’t disappoint your tastebuds.
Though you have to say they’d be a lot more enjoyable if you weren’t surrounded by women eavesdropping on your little meeting with Neuvillette.
“This strawberry shortcake is delicious,” Neuvillette notes. “I’m not too fond of sweets, but they taste great. You should give it a try.”
“Oh, yes, when I finish this one…” The mango cheesecake is to die for, but it’s kind of hard to swallow with the death stares pinpointed at your direction. You hope the pastry shop allows takeout. “Thank you for inviting me to come here, Your Grace.”
“I noticed you mostly ate desserts at the imperial banquet, so I thought you would enjoy trying the food here.” He’s smiling, but when he glances over at your unwanted audience, his eyes gloss over and appear colder. “I didn’t anticipate there would be many people today. I’m sorry for that.”
Some of the women visibly twitch. They weren’t exactly caught red-handed, but it does prove that they’re guilty. Someone probably saw us here and told everyone else… Gossipmongers are scary.
“This situation is out of your control, you don’t have to apologize. And, uh, I wanted to talk to you about something, so your invitation came at a good time.” You fiddle with the edges of your sleeve, plucking at the lace.
Sensing the mood, the duke places down his fork to give you his full attention. “What did you want to talk about?”
Well. Here goes nothing. “Um… your invitation back at the imperial banquet… are you referring to a friendly chat or…” It’s sorta hard to say “Do you want to date me?” straight to his face. In the small chance you’ve gotten the wrong idea, you’d hate to appear presumptuous, so self-absorbed to think the highly-praised Neuvillette fell for you of all people. Lumine, you’d understand–the girl has a knack for melting the coldness of your heart and taking down people’s walls, and it’s why you became friends with her despite the odds. You, though… Nothing specific comes to mind.
Unexpectedly, a soft chuckle reaches your ears. You raise your head, surprised to see Neuvillette laughing. It’s possibly the most beautiful sound you’ve ever heard in your life. When he catches you staring, he composes himself, but the dazzling smile remains on his face. “I was certain I made my intentions clear, but I suppose I’ll have to be more forward next time.”
A flush crawls up to your cheeks, burning hot. “No, I swear I know what you mean- just making sure, you know? I mean, I wouldn’t want to assume the duke is interested in me without knowing for certain-”
You stop yourself from rambling, feeling you’ve said too much. Fuck. Is it just you or is Neuvillette’s smile a bit wider now? You stuff your stupid mouth with the shortcake he placed on your plate. It’s good. Your acting is very much not.
He clears his throat, getting back to business. “I understand you don’t see me that way. I would like to court you, but if you tell me to stop now, I will.”
Isn’t he backing off too easily? I mean it’s great he respects my decision, but if I turn him down now, it’d probably be bad for his reputation…
“Before we… have that discussion, I still have more questions to ask.” You sip on your tea to wash down the sweet taste on your tongue. It’s silent once you put the cup on the table. Placing your hands on your lap, you look directly into Neuvillette’s eyes, searching for an answer. “May I ask Your Grace why you took an interest in me?”
The silence persists for a few seconds more. It doesn’t seem like he’s thinking of the perfect words to swoon you over; he’s thinking about how to verbalize what he truly thought of you.
He opens his mouth after careful consideration. “...It began as curiosity,” he starts, tapping rhythmically on the table. “I had my own reasons for turning down invitations to parties, so I wondered what were yours.”
You swallow. Officially, you turned those down using your health as an excuse. But your constitution has improved greatly compared to when you were young, and evidently, you’re almost just as healthy as any person. At the very least, you’re not at risk of passing out or losing breath in the middle of an event anymore. He must’ve picked up on that.
“I’ve heard about you from other people. According to their words, you were ‘the loveliest flower’ in the kingdom, with unparalleled gracefulness and beauty… but your elder brother’s stories suggested otherwise.”
I’m kicking his ass when I get back home.
“And yesterday, I met you myself. I thought you differed from how they described you.” He pauses, drinking his tea. “I’ve heard many say you were quite the stoic character, always hard to read. But you make a lot of interesting expressions behind your fan. You don’t hide your true thoughts when you speak, or perhaps you’re simply bad at hiding them. I previously found your brother’s stories unbelievable, but now I can see that the colorful personality he was talking about wasn’t very far off.”
??? “Colorful personality”?? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
“...I understand.” You really don’t, but you won’t bother asking him for more details. Everything he said thus far lowkey sounds like a diss. “Let me rephrase my question, then.”
It’s okay. This isn’t unfamiliar territory, and you’re not stupid. Obviously, if you do different things from the original, the story will derail from its original course. That’s what always happens in transmigration manhwas, after all. You noticed that early before the plot could truly change. If so, perhaps you can control the amount of change that will happen.
You sit up a little straighter, eyes laser-focused on his reaction to what you’re about to say. “What are you after, trying to get closer to me?”
You know these tropes. If you give him what he needs, you can separate soon, no strings attached.
Neuvillette makes an expression of confusion, his brows knitted. “Your hand in marriage,” he says it like it’s the obvious answer.
“Not that! Is there anything you need help with?”
“I did say I was having trouble with the women at the banquet, but that was more of an excuse to talk to you.”
You sputter, “W-well, you need someone to fake-date or fake-marry then?” Fake-dating often leads to them actually dating, but if you’re careful, you can probably keep that from happening, right?
The furrow in his brow deepens. “I don’t want to use you to stop women from chasing me. I want to marry you.”
Goddamn it. Does this guy have his own set of dialogue choices and he keeps on picking the one that raises affection? “…Okay, I get it! You need something from my family! What is it? We don’t need to be married for me to help you.” You cross your arms triumphantly. That should do it.
Instead of agreeing, Neuvillette looks forlorn. “Lady [Name], is it really that hard to believe I want to marry you without something else in mind?”
Now Neuvillette looks like a kicked puppy and you’re solely to blame for it. Fuck!
You sigh, rubbing circles on your temple. “I just… fail to see why Your Grace is interested in me.” You’re not talking yourself down, nor do you have low self-esteem. You simply don’t recall doing anything that would make him fall for you at all. Logically speaking, there’s just no reason behind his actions.
Your eyes widen when you have a moment of eureka. Maybe talking yourself down is actually the way to get him off your trail?
“I’m sure Your Grace is aware, but I have a weak constitution…” you begin your pitiful tale, coughing softly to prove your point. “I can’t work very long, and I require plenty of rest to function in daily life. In the case that we marry, I might not be able to keep up with the tasks the lady of the house is expected to handle. Rather than support you as your wife, I might merely become a burden to you. And most importantly…”
A lot of what you just said aren’t complete lies, but you did exaggerate them greatly. Even if he isn’t convinced with those, you still have a hidden card up your sleeve, one that’s sure to discourage him.
“...With my feeble body, it would be difficult to sire you an heir for the duchy,” you state firmly, placing emphasis on this one point. Successors are absolutely a requirement for each family, because who else will inherit the title and everything that comes with it when the current head comes to pass? For this, you’re not even sure if you’re exaggerating anymore. The future of the original [Name] Silva was left unclear, so who knows if your body will improve or deteriorate with time?
Neuvillette’s face becomes stoic. This much is expected. Any moment now, he’ll take back his words…
…As you’re thinking that, you feel him touch your hand once more, not unlike the time at the banquet. You don’t know when you started fidgeting with the napkin on the table out of anxiety, but he’s rubbing a thumb over your knuckles to soothe you now, gentle touches that verge on ticklish.
“I’m prepared for that,” he says softly. “I won’t spare any expense on your treatment, of course, and in the case your condition worsens, I won’t stop finding ways to make you feel better. But I would never make you do anything to push you beyond your limits. I’ll take on everything you can’t do. Eventually, we’ll need to talk about successors, but I need you to know that I won’t force you or put you in any risk. If needed, I’ll talk to my relatives and figure out something from there.”
???!?!?!?!?!!!?! He wants to pass on the title to someone who’s not a direct descendant?!?!?
Your mouth is agape. You’re sure your jaw-dropped face doesn’t look very pleasant, but the affection in his gaze doesn’t dwindle. Heavy. Everything he just said is so heavy. The future is scary to think about, but when he says it like that, why does it feel like you can lean on him freely?! This is no time to be getting swept off your feet, [Name]! Focus!
“Are you still not convinced?” He moves his face closer, concern in his eyes.
“No, I get it! I get it already!” You take your hand back, but his warmth still lingers. You hold your fingers like they’re scorched, yet pain is the furthest thing from what you’re feeling, and your heart flutters traitorously in your beating chest. “You’re being unfair. If you go that far, there’s no way anyone could turn you down.”
The smile returns to his face as he takes his hand back as well. “I take it that you’ve given me permission to court you, then?”
!!! Sly! That’s what this person is, sly! He knew what he was doing!
You make a face. “Ugh… maybe persistent guys are too dangerous for me…”
“Lady [Name], you’re speaking your thoughts out loud again. Not that I dislike it, though.”
The duke of Marechaussee has found a potential bride.
“I-! Nevermind…”
That’s putting it lightly because everyone that has heard of them is certain that they’ll marry in the near future. With the amount of flirting the two have done (leaked by the eavesdropping jealous-admirers-turned-shippers), it’s a mystery why they haven’t made the announcements yet.
Notably, the pair of them frequented restaurants the most, visiting the shops highly regarded for their sweets. Chatting in slow boat rides seem to also be one of their most favored dates, and at one particularly disastrous time when the boat tipped over by accident, the duke had fretted over the lady while she merely laughed in joy, insisting she was fine and her partner was being too much of a worrywart. Both started to attend more gatherings, almost never spotted to be straying from each other, and it was more or less their indirect way of telling the public eye they were exclusive.
Their romantic dates are all common knowledge to anyone nosy by now, but there’s one thing they absolutely cannot spread.
“Don’t tell this to anyone,” a woman whispered to her loyal companion. “And I truly mean that this time. Don’t do it.”
“What is it? Is it something really bad? ‘Some high-ranking noble has a secret love child’ bad?”
“No!” This time, the woman took care to whisper her words even quieter, “I heard the duke requested a jeweler to craft an engagement ring…!”
Things I couldn’t fit into the fic:
Neuvillette already met you when you were younger. In one of the first gatherings you attended, you talked to each other because you were near in age. However, you collapsed due to your constitution and he was the one to alert the adults and carry you to a sick room. He used a handkerchief embroidered with his initials to wipe away the blood you threw up, and you hid it away in your bedside table after cleaning it in hopes of returning it (if he still wanted it back, soiled once and all) when you saw him again. Unfortunately, your family members were worried and didn’t let you outside for a long time to avoid having you perform strenuous activities, and you didn’t recognize him at a later gathering when he tried striking a conversation with you. He noted you were slowly getting better, but wondered why you weren’t attending parties if you were relatively well now.
You probably interacted with him when he was pretending to be a normal commoner several times already before your “first meeting.”
You didn’t fall for him immediately, but it was a slow progression until you forgot about the whole ‘I’m in an otome game world’ thing completely.
"are you feeling good now cutie?" he asked while brushing your hair softly.
"mmhm," you lift your head from suna's chest and gave him a smile half mouthed.
"i told you before and i will told you again. please," suna put his palm on your cheek when you were about to lower your head.
"don't bottle up your emotions. don't hide yourself from me. whatever you are feeling; angry, sad, happy, depressed. tell them to me so you won't get crushed under those feelings."
as if you weren't emotional enough, his words made your eyes teary. staring at him deeply made your heart ache as well. not because anything bad, just his lovingly caring eyes.
"oh god, don't cry again." he said laughingly. but you couldn't stop yourself and when your lips wobbled suna pulled you into his arms.
embracing his body tightly, you put your face in his neck and kissed him there before letting your tears to fall. there was a feeling on your chest heavy yet light. loving him was making your heart heavy but it was the best feeling ever. i couldn't reflect here well but yk you just love someone sm that your chest hurts idk weird
suna started to stroke your hair while you were enjoy being in his presence.
"i love you." you said after putting your palm on his cheek.
"i love you too." suna said letting his head fall on your head. even if it was just toward evening, both of you were sleepy.
before him not falling asleep properly you raised your head from his neck and pulled his head softly to yourself to give his cheek a tender kiss.
"sweet dreams."
felt like drawing Windswept Bakugo so i did
what they need to hear from you
## ft. miya osamu, miya atsumu, sakusa kiyoomi, akaashi keiji, kuroo tetsuro
## a/n. sometimes they just need a little love <3
[masterlist]
MIYA OSAMU just feels exhausted. setting his cap down on the shoe cabinet, he trudges with heavy feet to your shared room. upon seeing his fatigued state, you beckoned him over from the bed. osamu fell on his knees onto the floor, his head resting on top of your thighs while his hand drew small circles on your soft skin. "it's okay to be tired, love. take it slow, one at a time, hm? can you do it for me, sweetheart?" nodding his head against your thigh, the coolness of relief washed over him. it was scary to be vulnerable but over time, you helped osamu learn that he doesn't have to be strong all the time.
MIYA ATSUMU’S favourite way of cooling down after a long was laying between your legs, letting your fingers roam through the blonde tousles of his hair. sometimes, atsumu just wants to hear someone tell him that they are proud of him. not just because he was the top scorer of the game, but they want to be someone's pride for working hard to where he is. "you worked hard, 'tsumu. it's okay to rest, there is nothing wrong with that." a small contented hum sounded from atsumu's chest as he lets his head lull to the side to rest against your thigh.
SAKUSA KIYOOMI just isn't feeling himself today. nothing is going right for him and he is on the edge of losing it. as you looped your arms around his waist from behind in an attempt to comfort him, you noticed that he flinched at your touch. in that moment, he feared that you would be offended. he feared that it will come true -- that everything is his fault. "i'm here if you wanna talk, omi. i'll always be here for you, ready to listen." there it was, someone that was willing to listen. tears stung sakusa's eyes at the thought of being worth someone's time.
AKAASHI KEIJI ran his fingers through his disheveled hair for the umpteenth time. the pressure on his chest magnifying, taking a toll on his morale by the second. workload after workload, it didn't seem to keiji that he is clearing anything. the little clatter of a cup of tea interrupted keiji's spiral, making him peer up from the hands that were previously dragging down his face. you reached your hand out to weave your fingers through his hair, smoothing it to the sides to tidy up his tangled hair. hands settling at his cheeks, you pulled his forehead to your lips. "you're almost there, keiji. i'm proud of you." you whispered against his forehead, his eyelids falling to relax in your hold as he exhaled shakily.
KUROO TETSURO released a long sigh, leaning back into his office chair. eyes bored into the ceiling, his thoughts drifted to you. have you eaten lunch? did you miss him? kuroo's hand shuffled through his drawer to pull out his phone, its screen lighting up to show a picture of the two of you on a food date the previous weekend. a small ping from his phone had him shooting up from his seat, hands scrambling to open your message. a small smile crept onto kuroo's face as he stares at the picture of you holding a cute bowl of your lunch, along with the caption, "tetsu!! look at my lunch!! i can't wait to see you tonight, i miss you <3". god, he missed being around you.
likes and rbs are always appreciated <33
AU where Bakugou watches as his stupid friends fall in love—
(and then meets us 🌷💧⛅️)
"look how beautifully the stars sing for you and i" 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝⭒˚。⋆
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