YOUR EX SHOWS UP AT A PARTY

— YOUR EX SHOWS UP AT A PARTY

choose your fighter ; sakura haruka, kaji ren, hayato suo, umemiya hajime, togame jo

c: fluff, slightly suggestive content, all characters 18+ implied

SAKURA HARUKA —

sakura straightens up considerably as you squeeze yourself into the last remaining bit of space left on the couch—which happens to be directly beside him. he looks between your flush thighs and innocent face several times, brows knit together as he stares at you in confusion.

you roll your eyes at the slight dusting of pink caressing his cheekbones before nodding toward where your ex is currently standing across the room. an annoyed sound makes its way up sakura’s throat as his eyes narrow, and he mutters something under his breath before unceremoniously grabbing your hand and lacing your fingers together.

a visible shudder wracks through him as you lean your head on his shoulder, and you briefly consider letting your lips draw near his jaw—but the cups and cans sitting dangerously close to where one of his feet rests propped up on the coffee table beg otherwise.

“can I just punch him?” he exhales lowly through gritted teeth.

your nose feathers against the side of his neck, and he sputters and chokes.

“i think this will be far more effective,” you laugh.

KAJI REN —

“i’ll trade you for a mint.”

kaji levels you with an unimpressed look as he continues to peel off the wrapper to the lollipop clutched between his fingers, making a show of popping the small red ball into his mouth while you continue to wiggle the green and white striped candy in his direction.

“no thanks,” he replies, teeth clinking against the lollipop.

peeling yourself up off of the couch with a huff, you nudge his foot before getting up to go and find something to drink. in turn, he hooks his ankle on yours and nearly trips you, but he’s already turned away and talking to hiragi when you whip back around to glare at him.

shortly after, you find yourself clutching a plastic cup in the kitchen trying to avoid the newly-arrived presence of your ex in the living room. you nearly jump at the feeling of a hand grasping your shoulder and spinning you around, a warm body gently easing you back against the counter.

out of the corner of your eye, you can see your ex striding toward the fridge. but kaji’s hand cups the side of your face as he turns your head back to meet his gaze.

he doesn’t say anything as his thumb feathers over your bottom lip, stopping in the middle and applying just enough pressure to beckon them to part. you swear you hear someone call out your name, but you’re too distracted by the way kaji pulls the lollipop out of his mouth and slides it into yours.

SUO HAYATO —

“truth or dare?”

the crowd gathered around the fire pit in the backyard laughs as nirei nervously downs half of his drink in one gulp while kiryu mulls over what scandalous truth he’s going to make him spill. ten minutes ago, you were rolling your eyes and laughing, too, when tsugeura drunkenly suggested the game in the first place. but now all you can focus on is the last face you want to see sitting across from you in the glow of the flames.

a shoulder knocks into yours eventually, and suo’s mouth hovers hear the shell of your ear as he leans in close from where he’s sitting beside you in the grass and murmurs, “i dare you to stop looking over at him every two seconds.”

you let out a quiet, undignified noise and try to ignore the shiver that runs down your spine at the feeling of his warm breath against the side of your neck. and then his voice is a little louder for everyone to hear as you belatedly realize it’s now his turn when he looks at you and asks, “truth or dare?”

there’s a challenge in his eyes, a spark that has nothing to do with the dancing flames reflecting in his pupils.

“dare,” you breathe out, well aware of the weight of your ex’s stare.

suo smiles, tilting his head to the side slightly. “kiss me.”

it’s tentative at first, the way you press a soft, careful kiss against your friend’s lips, lingering for a beat before slowing beginning to pull away. he lets out an amused sound as his hand slides up to cup the back of your head, and he murmurs, “look at me,” before bringing his mouth back to yours.

UMEMIYA HAJIME —

leave it to your ex to ruin one of your favorite songs, you think bitterly to yourself as couples and groups of people dance in the grass illuminated under the glow of string lights. there’s a girl laughing and giggling as he tugs her into his arms, moving to the steady beat pouring out of the bluetooth speaker propped up nearby.

“may i have this dance?”

glancing up, you meet a familiar pair of eyes—ones that shouldn’t set your heart racing the way they always do, not when they belong to your brother’s best friend. umemiya’s hair is loose and messy, his expression soft as he holds a hand out to you.

“i can’t dance,” you mutter as he tugs you out into the grass.

“me either,” he shrugs, eyes glittering with amusement while he puts his arms around you. “but i’m pretty sure you love this song.”

your heart does a somersault.

it’s embarrassing, the way your legs threaten to give out beneath you at the feeling of his warm palms against your hips through the light fabric of your sundress. (it’s embarrassing, how long you’ve been in love with him.)

“did you see who’s here?” you ask, trying to keep your voice steady.

“there’s only one thing i’m looking at right now,” umemiya smiles, not missing a beat when you stumble and he steadies you by pulling you closer.

TOGAME JO —

water drips down your chin as you repeatedly glance up and down between your soaked front and togame, who’s currently standing in front of you with his arms crossed and a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. the yellow scrap of rubber lying in the grass is the only evidence that remains of the water balloon that came careening in your direction moments ago.

“i’m wearing a white shirt,” you deadpan, slowly pulling at the dripping, nearly translucent material now clinging to your front.

“shame,” he nods, though he doesn’t look even the least bit sorry as he shrugs off his shishitoren jacket and holds it out to you.

you bite your lip to control your urge to inhale the warm, spicy scent that clings to the material. there’s something you can’t quite read in togame’s expression as he watches you, going still as you slide your arms into the sleeves.

“you look good in yellow,” he murmurs, shoulder brushing yours as he goes to walk past you, heading toward where someone is calling his name. “and by the way, your ex is here.”

mine.

featuring: Kaji Ren x f!reader

contains: possessive!Ren, established relationship, doggy, creampie, marking, spanking, dirty talk

note: all characters are aged up to 21+!

MDNI | 18+ content

word count: 1.2k

masterlist

You didn’t think Kaji Ren would be a jealous boyfriend. After all, you two had been friends for years before you got together and he’d never shown any indication that he was jealous of your previous boyfriends - despite admitting he had liked you basically the whole time you’ve known each other.

So you don’t think anything of it when a guy from your college class approaches you one day. You’re in a coffee shop on campus, studying for an assignment while Kaji sits opposite you, headphones on as he plays with his phone. He likes to take you out on proper dates but most of the time you spend together is like this – companionable silence, doing separate activities together.

You don’t look up until a shadow appears over you, breaking you out of your studious fervour.

“Hey, y/n.”

You vaguely recognise him – Ken or Kai maybe? – but you’re not sure why he’s approaching you. Kaji doesn’t look like he’s paying attention, his ankle resting on his knee as he sits slumped back in his chair, lollipop in mouth.

“Hi,” you say without mentioning his name which you’re still wracking your brain to remember. “What’s up?”

“Sorry to interrupt.” His smile is friendly but you can see the nerves behind it. “Mind if I buy you a coffee?”

Ooooh.

Understanding dawns on you. Your eyes flick over to Kaji but he’s still looking at his phone as his thumb scrolls. You don’t know if he even heard over his music.

“I’m flattered, thank you, but I have a boyfriend.” You give him an apologetic smile.

“Ah.” Your classmate’s cheeks are tinted red but he holds his hands up. “Fair. Sorry, I didn’t realise.”

As he walks away, you glance at Kaji again. When he doesn’t look back, you shrug to yourself and go back to studying. It’s only when you go back to your shared living space later that Kaji says something. Or rather, does something.

You walk into the kitchen, about to check the fridge for snacks when you feel his hand on your hip, stopping you still. Kaji brushes the hair from your neck before planting a soft kiss there. You sigh and lean back against him, feeling his solid chest.

“Mmm, that feels nice, Ren,” you close your eyes, reaching behind your to card your fingers through his hair.

Kaji doesn’t say anything but his grip gets tighter on your hip, pulling your ass flush to him and his kisses get rougher. You feel his teeth nip at your neck before soothing it with his lips. His free hand tangles in your hair, pulling your head to the side to expose your neck further to him.

You’re already putty in his hands, sighing softly as he sucks bruising kisses against your skin.

“Marks have faded,” Kaji eventually mumbles, his lips never leaving your neck. “Need to give you more.”

Your eyes flutter open.

“Is this about that guy earlier?”

Kaji doesn’t say anything but makes an irritated noise so you can guess that's a yes.

The hand he had on your hip moves to the front of you, sliding under your dress to palm your clothed pussy. His rough kisses on your neck has got you wet already. The feel of you sopping for him makes Kaji’s cock strain against his jeans.

“Mine,” he says, his fingers snaking under your panties to play with your needy pussy.

You gasp, back curving as he strokes your clit, using your arousal to trace slippery circles around your bud. Kaji wraps his other hand around your throat, holding you to him as his fingers continue to nudge you closer to the edge.

“You understand me?” Kaji growls in your ear.

“Yours, Ren,” you whimper, your legs starting to feel weak.

To your dismay, he pulls his fingers away. The hand he has around your throat moves to the back of your neck as he pushes you down, bending you over the kitchen counter. You’re pinned in place by his strong grip but you hear him unbutton his jeans behind you.

Kaji hooks his fingers under your panties, pulling them to the side as he grabs the flesh of your ass. The sight of your bent over before him, your puffy lips glistening with your arousal makes all the blood rush to his cock. Kaji strokes himself a few times, eyes glued to your cunt, before nudging his fat mushroom tip past your lips. He presses up against your hole, feeling the tight ring of resistance.

“Who’s pussy is this?” Kaji’s voice is thick with need but he wants to hear you say it first.

“Yours, Ren.” You splay your hands on the counter, preparing yourself for what’s coming. “All of me is yours.”

A smirk plays on Kaji’s lips as he thinks of the guy from the coffee shop, how badly he’d want to be in Kaji’s position right now. But he can’t have you. You’re his.

“Mine,” he growls before slamming himself inside you.

You cry out at the sudden violation, your pussy stretched to accommodate him. Kaji keeps one hand on the back of your neck, holding you in place as he draws back. He loves the way your pussy grips his cock, pulling him back every time he withdraws, your needy cunt desperate to be full of him.

You whine as he continues to pound away at you, the thick veins of his cock dragging against your nerves, his fat tip reaching deep inside you. Not content with only marking your neck, Kaji takes his hand from your neck so he can land a hard slap against your ass cheek. You yelp at the sudden sting, your skin on fire, but your pussy responds, clenching around him.

“Fuck, don’t squeeze me so tight,” Kaji grunts. “Can’t fucking think straight.”

He slaps your ass again, leaving a bright red handprint that’s sure to bruise. Pleased, Kaji returns his hand to your neck, squeezing the sides of your throat as he fucks your harder.

His cock rubs against the sensitive spot inside you at a relentless pace, making your mouth fall open. You’re sprinting headfirst into an orgasm and Kaji can feel it, the way your plush walls hold him like a vice grip.

“Ren-!” you squeal, legs buckling as pleasure consumes you, rippling from your pussy through to the tips of your toes.

The feel of you creaming on his cock always encourages Kaji’s own orgasm. His eyes are glued on where his girth slides in and out of you, shiny with your combined juices. He watches the way your ass jiggles with each thrust, your lips tight around his cock.

“Fuck…” He pistons himself in and out of you as his own high overtakes him, knowing he gets to mark you on the inside as well. “Fuck!”

Kaji shoots thick ropes of cum deep inside you, coating your walls with his sticky seed. His cock twitches as he releases everything he has, not wanting to waste a drop even as it spills from your pussy.

Kaji pulls his softening cock free and tugs your panties back into place, enjoying the way his cum soaks through the fabric. You straighten to standing, Kaji letting you lean on him with your shaky legs. You catch him smirking at the purple bruises on your neck and touch them tenderly.

“Are they obvious?” you ask, the flesh still sore.

“Yeah,” Kaji says with satisfaction. “Definitely.”

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hellooo amor it’s nice to meet u !! ^ ^ <3 omg i saw ur suggestions were open and i was thinking about kaji !! he’s always with enomoto & kusumi and i can imagine him trying to play off having a crush bc he doesn’t want you to know just yet, but those two ?? are absolutelyyy not letting that happen. as soon as you’re in sight, kusumi’s texting the entire gc and enomoto’s elbowing him in the side with a knowing smile— and he gets soo flustered and clammy 😭 he’s so cute

DID SOMEONE SAY CUPIDS?

Kusumi and Enomoto have to always look out for their grade captain, right? And that includes sneaking into Ren Kaji's love life. 0.8k fluff!!

The thing about REN KAJI is that he thinks he's discreet.

From stealing glances, opening doors, gifting you things, and even using his headphones less from worrying that you might grow tired of his "huh's" and "hm's" from not reading your lips properly, Kaji is sure that he is the king of discretion when it comes to hiding his growing crush on you.

Luckily for him, Kusumi and Enomoto know him better than he knows himself. They see the qualities, and the greatness in him that he sometimes fails to see. Of course, his 'strange' behavior towards you does not go unnoticed.

When first confronted about it, he shrugged. With a trembling voice and trying his best to feign disinterest, Kaji stated that no, he did not have a crush on you. "I treat Yn the same as I do everyone else, so don't go gettin' any funny ideas."

Ren Kaji doesn't feel anything for you, so why does he freeze whenever he sees you strolling around when he's on patrol? Why does his body temperature rise until he resembles a human oven and his face gets all red when you're nearby?

He's running out of excuses as the weather slowly gets colder and his friends invite you places with them more often. Kusumi and Enomoto share knowing glances as they turn to you, inviting you to accompany them on patrol.

When you agree, Kaji thinks he's going to burn the place down from how hot he feels, his face now a new shade of crimson. As you walked around with the three men, Kaji 'subtly' pulled his headphones from his ears, striking up a conversation.

If he was being honest with himself, your voice was better than any melody that rang through his earphones. Gosh, you could send him voice notes and those would be playing all day if it were up to him.

Kusumi and Enomoto slowed down their steps and got lost for a bit, unbeknownst to you and Kaji. You got so lost in the conversation that you didn't notice those two running to where you were, their hands behind their backs.

"Hey—let's go to Cactus Bakery! We could all use some sweets right now, right Kusumi?"

Kaji looked at them in confusion, as his vice-captains grinned from ear to ear. The whole walk towards Cactus he grew concerned as to what his classmates were planning, as they would not reveal what they hid.

"Yn! You mind going in and saving us a spot? We just needa talk to Kaji for a bit."

You nodded happily as you stepped inside the bakery, taking a seat as you waited for the trio to step inside. As soon as you were out of sight, Kusumi and Enomoto shared a look, then looked at Kaji.

Kusumi's arms were now in front of Kaji, a small box of chocolates in them. He handed them to him, offering him a knowing smile. Enomoto was next, revealing that what he had behind his back was a small, but colorful bouquet.

"You're gonna give these to her, and tell her she's beautiful. Then, you're gonna pay for her food. Finally, you're gonna take her home."

"What the hell? I told you I don't feel any—"

"Deny all you want, Kaji, but we all know. Besides, this is an order!"

"Huh?"

Kusumi pulled out his phone, showing Kaji a text message conversation.

KUSUMI [1 Attachment] Yn joined us for patrol again!

HIRAGI Give Kaji the balls he needs to take her out, and take care of patrol Im sick of this shit

Kaji was bewildered, staring at his classmates in complete shock. They forced their gifts into his hand, elbowing his sides and pushing him inside the bakery.

You were confused as you saw Kaji take a seat in front of you, shyly handing you the box and bouquets. Smiling, you thanked him, asking him if Kusumi and Enomoto were coming. He shook his head in response, stating that 'they could handle things while he was gone.'

He could feel his hands getting clammy as his eyes scanned the menu, trying to figure out what to order. He looked at you, his lips curling into a small smile as he saw you admiring the flowers from the bouquet, your fingers tracing every petal.

When the waitress approached, Kaji wasted no time in telling her what he wanted, and he waited for you to order. She smiled in return, complimenting the bouquet.

"It's stunning!" she chirped, turning to Kaji. "You made a good choice, she looks beautiful with those flowers."

You felt your cheeks heat up as the waitress walked away, and looked at the boy in front of you. His face was red, turned towards the side to avoid your gaze.

"'s true" he mumbled, low enough for you to barely hear, "you look beautiful."

Kaji swore you were going to be the death of him. He also swore that he would definitely kill Kusumi and Enomoto later, whom he saw through the bakery's transparent windows, phones in hand as they 'discreetly' took a picture.

tell me when you’re ready.

₊˚⊹ featuring: kaji ren x gn! reader

₊˚⊹ summary: kaji doesn’t like you to see him like this — his animalistic urges taking over him as he fights. but, when the time comes that you catch sight of him in that state, kaji thinks you’re better off without him.

₊˚⊹ word count: 0.9k

₊˚⊹ warnings: mentions of blood and violence! (nothing too explicit though), grammar errors (not proofread!)

₊˚⊹ author’s note: live laugh love kaji ren <333 this is my contribution to the windbreaker fandom 😝 i’m still trying to practice writing him so feedbacks r welcome !

this was a side of kaji that you had mostly heard about in stories of his past, passed from one bofurin member to another. his gray pupils dilated, ends of his platinum blonde hair tainted with crimson red from trickling blood on his forehead cuts, his furin high school jacket and headphones carefully discarded across the warehouse, and a multitude of unconscious bodies and pools of blood surrounding your boyfriend, as he breathed heavily from the fight.

kaji had long suppressed these animalistic urges to take over him, not wanting you to see him like this. he does everything within his capabilities, but the both of you stand motionless at your positions, staring at the unfolding scene.

kusumi and enomoto's rapid footsteps echoed towards you, snapping your head in their direction. they were breathless due to fighting and probably running, as they were trying to shield you from seeing kaji in this state.

you were afraid. you had never seen your boyfriend fight like this before, as you mostly detested violence and tried to avoid it as much as possible. but, you felt kaji's gray eyes bore into yours. his hands dropped to his sides, almost dreadfully, and opened his mouth to speak, "so, what do you think?"

you tilted your head in confusion, "huh?"

kaji continuously looked at you, eyes hovering over your entire body to check if you had accumulated some scratches or such, "you're afraid, aren't you?"

you didn’t answer him, because he was right. you avoided his gaze and looked down towards the floor, tainted with rough marks and splatters of blood. he scoffed at your silence, perceiving it as an answer to his question, "i expected as much. if you can't handle this, maybe we should stop this now. i don't want you to see me like this."

your eyes widened at his statement.

you hesitantly walked towards him, feeling your shoes step into blood, staining them. once you stood in front of kaji, you placed your hand on his tensed shoulder, which relaxed under your touch. you pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping his bloodied face. "i know that we both are aware that i have always hated violence like this,” you began, dabbing at some of the blood.

"then, you don't hafta do this," he tried to pry your hand away from his blood. kaji thought he’s dirty, too disgusting for someone like you to touch. but, you still continued wiping his battered face despite his resistance.

"but, i want you to know that i would never break up over something like this. there are secrets that you have yet to tell me, and perhaps this experience was one of those secrets. which is why, i would patiently wait for you to open up to me, kaji." you said, as you felt his gaze onto your eyes. he, then, felt guilty as he could see them turning red, alongside your wavering voice.

"so, please..." the moment you tried to speak, it came out as a desperate whisper. your tears started to cascade downwards your cheeks. "do not ask me to leave you." you pulled your hand away from his face, finishing up on cleaning him.

your tear-stained eyes locked with his widened gray ones. this was the feeling he hated the most — seeing you cry, seeing that he's nothing but a failure of a boyfriend once again. he wanted to hold your hands, interlace them with his calloused ones, but, he felt as if he would only sully your clean hands if he became selfish with his desires.

as kaji hesitated, he felt your hands move to cup his face. you closed the distance between your faces, and gently pecked him in the lips. the corners of your mouth turned upward as you gazed at your boyfriend's softened features. "you know that i love you, 'kay?" you said, smoothing out random strands of his bangs.

kaji, then, gave into his desires and pulled you into a tight hug. you squeaked at the suddenness of his tight arms wrapped around you. he hummed a quiet ‘sorry’ as he rested his head on your shoulder and delighted himself with your scent. you smiled, as you equally wrapped your hands around his neck and carefully tugged and played with his hair.

"ahem!" while enomoto did not want to interrupt the both of you, patrol hours were coming to an end. kusumi, on the other hand, seemed to grin as he kept taking photos of the scene unfolding in front of him — a rare moment of their usually stoic grade captain being soft.

you could hear kaji rumble in annoyance, as he clicked his tongue. you pressed your lips on the edge of his earlobe, "my apartment?" you offered, as you intended to properly clean his cuts.

he simply hummed in agreement to your offer, reluctantly breaking the hug. kaji preferred to spend his time with you, basking in your scent at your apartment. and like a protective and obedient kitten, he laced his hand with yours and took his headphones and jacket, following your footsteps.

you could hear kusumi and enomoto snickering and laughing, respectively, at their captain's tender gestures — making kaji growl at them. you chuckled at your boyfriend as you watch him bid farewell to his vice-captains.

"i didn’t get to say it earlier, but i love ya too. and, uh… thank you for loving me." he mumbled, feeling himself cringe with his words, since expressing himself was one of the things he struggled with. you giggled at him and squeezed his hand, as his face slightly flushed in a light shade of red.

oh, how much you love him.

Behind closed doors [Prince! Denmark x reader]

Wordcount: 7, 657 Synopsis: After the prince hurts his leg in a horse-riding accident, you’re tasked with serving him. You’re confused why such a prestigious job fell into your hands, a beginner, but you soon realize that being his servant is to also be a friend. Soon, your relationship transpires into something much deeper. When you run away, fearing the consequences, he stops at nothing to get you back. Content warning: Adult themes and Strong NSFW later in the story. Strictly R18+ Translations: skat = treasure/honey/sweetie min kære = my dear The reader is referred to as she/her.

Behind closed doors

[Prince! Denmark x reader]

Growing up, you’ve always been immune to the glory surrounding the royal family. A given, considering your family had always been part of it in some way—as the servants, of course. So, as stately, dignified, and powerful they were, you never made a fuss once you finally rose up to meet your fate. Being a part of the ranks as one of the maids. But there was one thing you never expected to do, ever.

“Wait, wait, wait a second. You’re telling me I have to do what?” You questioned, leaning into an older woman as your voice turned into a hushed whisper. She merely nodded, settling a calm hand on your shoulder. “But, I can’t! I’m young, inexperienced, and I still have a lot to live for! I’m not cut out for this.”

Seeing her lack of reaction only coaxed more panic to race through your eyes.

“That’s exactly why you’re cut out for this.”

She moved her other hand to your shoulder. Feeling her hold you so carefully was more therapeutic than anything. Paired with that gentle, albeit serious gaze, she shattered your resolve to refuse. “You’re more capable than you think, (F/N). This will only prove that. You have to trust yourself like I do you.”

“Maybe, but—” You wanted to believe her. But serving the prince himself? Directly? Shouldn’t that job be reserved for her, not you? Ida was the head maid and had decades of experience fluffing up pillows fit for a king. You were still a learner. “I still don’t understand why I was picked for this. Wouldn’t they want someone better?”

Ida merely laughed, “but you are the best.”

Leading you down the warm halls, which consisted of rich crimson walls and shimmering candelabrums, she continued with an arm around your shoulder. “Prince Mathias has been unwell ever since that horse-riding accident in the mountains.” You looked at her warily, unsure of what she was getting at. “Pretty self-explanatory.”

She stopped you in front of a pair of double doors. They spoke of grandeur, much like the rest of the castle. “He’s getting better, but physical health is nothing without mental health.” She smiled reassuringly, beckoning you forward with a pat on your lower back. “He needs a friend, you see.”

A door opened, revealing a middle-aged man with spectacles. He stepped out and nodded curtly. If you recalled correctly, he was the royal doctor.

“Ida. Here to see to Prince Mathias?” He began.

You tensed up. She patted your back again.

“No, but she is,” Ida replied, turning to you for one last look of encouragement. “He’s in good hands. Go on, skat. You’ll do wonderful.” With that said, she walked off with the man, leaving you by yourself in the empty doorway. How daunting. There, in the prince’s bedroom, was the famed royal himself, Mathias Densen.

Dressed in a loose white blouse and sleeping pants, he’d taken a seat on one of the spare chairs lying around. It was refreshing seeing him in such a casual fit, and daresay even calming. His left leg was wrapped up in bandages and seeing it was the invisible push you needed to walk inside. His condition was worse than you pictured.

“Your majesty,” You bowed, keeping your head down while you spoke. He collected his crutch and used it to stand up slowly. Then, he made his way over.

With your head hanging low, he could barely make out your face. But from the length of your dress, he immediately drew this conclusion—you were young. Most of the maids were middle-aged or elderly, and their skirts reached the floor.

Yours barely reached your knees.

“I’ll be your attending maid for the coming months. Anything you’ll need assistance with, will be my responsibility.” Mathias managed an eager smile. The atmosphere was thicker than he liked, but never mind that. He’d been pretty miserable holed up in his room lately, and seeing somebody new had his extroverted heart pounding in excitement.

You could hear the gentle thuds of his crutch as he got closer and closer. Your chest mimicked the thumps, having become both nervous and confused as to why he wasn’t saying anything. The tension in the air was finally lifted when you felt a few fingers on your chin, then lift your face. He touched you.

“Your majesty—?”

What he immediately saw was a pair of wide, innocent eyes, gawking at him like he’d just kicked a puppy. So, he released you with a gentle laugh.

“At ease, min kære. I’m not gonna eat you.” He leaned on one side, but still beamed down at you thanks to his towering height. “I know we’re supposed to keep things professional, but it gets a little... Disheartening, don’t you think?” There was a childish glint in the prince’s eyes while he spoke. As a result, his unassuming persona practically made him impossible to ignore.

“I guess so.” You responded, averting his gaze. Idle chatter was always frowned upon in the castle, especially between royals and their subjects. But like he inferred, you were young. Protocols and rules haven’t done a number on you yet.

“Ida did say you needed someone to talk to.”

Mathias nodded thoughtfully. “Well, tell her I said thanks. I thought I’d end up with an old guy or something. But looks like... You’re around my age.” You returned his gaze, taken aback by the remark, but even more so by the close proximity between your faces. The crown prince was a tenacious man.

“So, what’s your name?”

After serving him lunch, he insisted to go on a walk to get to know you better. The man was so keen, it was almost as if he never had those bandages around his leg. You relented, and so did his advisor, having grown too used to his whims. As dim-witted as this decision was, none of you were in the position to defy the will of the prince. And boy, was he a handful.

“They kept on telling me not to do it, going, oh, but Prince Mathias, you’ll hurt yourself if you ride out that recklessly in the snow! The weather is terrible and blah. But you know what I said?” The clopping of his crutch was constant background noise to this conversation, which slowly became one-sided. “I just went, if you really think I’m a prince, then you’ll let me do what I want! And, boom.”

There was not a single dash of regret in his words, and you had to say, you admired his stupidity.

“I... Wow. You must be a pain to look after.” You commented mindlessly in a laugh. He nodded fervently to agree, but you couldn’t share his enthusiasm. “... Fantastic.”

“Come on, it’ll be fun!” Mathias sighed, dragging out the ‘fun’.

“Yeah, maybe for you. But where’s the fun for me?”

“When you watch me do stuff, of course.”

You craned your head to the side, enthralled. His character was strangely refreshing, being the personification of a golden retriever. Confident, bubbly, and never unpleasant. It was only the first day, and you had a feeling Ida was right all along.

“Just how interesting could you be?”

He seemed to have taken that as a challenge.

A few days later, the prince and his advisor gathered for tea. You did the honors of preparing it, along with cutting them slices of a freshly baked apple cake. You expected to be trembling before the scrutiny of the advisor, Vic, Mathias called him, the mastermind behind major decisions in the kingdom.

But he had a way to calm your nerves.

While the older man droned on and on about the politics and economics of the state, he rubbed his chin and made an intensely focused face to mimic him. Then, he closed his eyes to make a posh, distinguished expression while lipsyncing, ‘the state of this kingdom cannot be overlooked, and it is of insurmountable importance that you, my dear prince, are involved.’

The accuracy and timing were so impeccable, you nearly spilled some tea biting back your snickers. He made the right hand gestures to match, too.

Seeing your cheeks flush from hysteria made him light up. It had been so long since someone looked at him this way, he couldn’t help gleaming at you for a moment of distraction. Eventually, the other person in the room noticed, smacking him on the back of the head with a folded newspaper. “Ah-”

“Stop ogling the maid and focus!” Vic scolded, much to his embarrassment.

You turned away and worked with the teapot.

While Mathias rubbed his nape sheepishly, he snuck an expectant glance at you. He wondered what was going through your mind, but he figured it was only good things seeing a smile tease at your lips. He smiled so wide, his cheeks began to hurt. Then, his chest warmed with exhilaration.

“Thanks for what you did back there, prince.” You whispered as he closed the door, leaving the advisor inside to monologue. He no longer needed a crutch, but he still got around with a slight limp. Taking your arm in his, he walked you down the quiet crimson halls. Everything felt so natural with him, you never found yourself questioning it. “I thought he’d be breathing down my neck, waiting for me to mess up.”

“Not when he’s too busy breathing down mine,” The blonde grinned, “I’m used to it, but you probably aren’t. I had to steal the show, didn’t I?”

The man was hardly serious, let alone fond of authority, ironically enough.

“And did you just call me prince? I don’t like that.”

“Then, what do you want me to call you?” You mused, never anticipating what he was about to do.

Stopping in front of the maids’ quarters, he took one of your hands into his. He touched you again, just like he did the first time he met you. Was this going to be a regular thing? It left you a little flustered, but not as much as the serious gaze he held on you. You’ve never seen such a sincere look on him, but strangely enough, it suit him.

“Mathias.” This was a side of him you didn’t know about, and you honestly weren’t sure what you were delving into. “But call me Mat when we’re alone.”

But it wouldn’t hurt to try, would it?

A month went by serving the prince, and you both grew inexplicably closer. Turns out, helping him with every little thing in the day meant spending an awful lot of time together—waking him up as his personal alarm clock, getting him dressed, serving him food, pouring his drinks, keeping his room from turning into a pigsty, ironing his clothes, the list just went on.

He even refused to go outside the castle without you, meaning you eventually had to tag along on business trips, hikes, and other aristocratic activities.

It eventually reached the point where he was never seen without you.

“He really likes that maid, doesn’t he?” Victor commented mindlessly, peering at you both. Out there in the palace gardens, you and Mathias were fooling around in the grass. He couldn’t stop gloating about how his leg was all healed up and gave you a piggyback-ride to prove it.

“Is he... Pretending to be a horse?” He narrowed his eyes in disapproval, and even more so when he heard neighing and purring. “... He is.”

“That boy has always been a handful.” Ida cackled warmly. “But I always liked handfuls.”

Mathias was chewing up grass, now. You gawked at him in sheer disbelief. “Mat, what’re you—spit it out, you idiot!” He refused, leaving you no choice but to get your hands dirty. Opening up his mouth, you did your damndest to remove all the strokes of green inside. “You’re disgusting! Did you forget we went to the stables today? We stepped in sh—”

“Shoot! I totally forgot!” He coughed, spluttering violently to get everything off his tongue. He resorted to blowing raspberries to get everything out. “Ppllt—why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“How was I supposed to know you were gonna eat grass?” You exclaimed, standing up slowly and leaving him on the ground. Your chest was rising and falling heavily while you walked off. “You’re stupid.”

Mathias jumped up eagerly.

“Stupid is as stupid does.”

You shook your head and stifled back another smile. This man was impossible. But he was beginning to grow on you, as evident in how your cheeks flushed red in joy. He caught on immediately, and it drew him in like moths to a flame. It was irresistible seeing you like this, so he never hesitated to stumble forward and slump onto you. “So, where to next, boss?”

“The bathroom. If you swallow, you’ll die in seven days to some mysterious disease.”

“... I think I just did.”

As you both left, your jubilant laughter echoed off the walls. It was music to her ears, but he couldn’t share the sentiment—just how close had the prince grown to you? This could be the scandal of the century!

“So long as they’re nothing more than friends. It’s bad enough he’s talking to the help.” Ida glared at him for a hot second, then raised a hand like she was about to slap him. Victor shrunk into his neck immediately. It was a menacing sight to behold, one would’ve thought it was her who ran the house.

“I’m the help, you scum.” She lowered her hand, but her glower on him never faltered. “Don’t forget we started in the same place. And mind you, the prince actually likes me.”

“Have it your way. But things won’t always stay like this.” The man grumbled under his breath. A threatening kind of shrewdness glinted in his beady gray eyes when he added this.

“The prince will need to marry soon. I’m sure the future queen won’t tolerate such careless mingling between the ranks. And certainly not such blatant challenges to authority.”

Eight months passed, and the question as to whether touching you would be a regular thing was answered. He made it a habit to hold your hand whenever he could. It took a while for you to get used to, but it helped to think he was a generally touchy person. So, you were lenient. But perhaps, you’ve been too lenient. A meaningful friendship was beginning to transpire into something else.

His mischievous stares in the halls no longer had that childish light in them. Instead, they grew longing. Longing couldn’t be without sadness, so it never drove you away. In fact, it brought you closer. You would soon learn that was a mistake on your part.

High up in the mountains at his private residence, the harbor could be seen connecting the kingdom to the fjord beyond. It boasted bright aquamarine waters and was frequented by magnificent ships that came and went. After noticing your attention to him wasn’t impartial anymore, he glanced up to what you’d been fixated on.

“You like the view?”

“Definitely. I wonder if the rest of the world looks like that. Outside of this fjord.” You mused, lingering on the beautiful scenery for a moment longer. You and Mathias were out on the balcony, resting against the wooden banister. “I’ll have to use my imagination.”

“Or I could just take you there. I got my own ship, you know. But it needs a whole crew to get it going.”

A few moments of silence passed, and his gaze on you grew too hot for you to stomach.

“But I don’t like that. I’d rather go with just you,” Reaching up to your bare back, uncovered thanks to the dress you wore, he grazed his fingertips over it carefully. He watched you intently for you to react, and react you did—just not in the way he wanted.

“Mat, stop that.” You urged, giving him a look.

“Why?” Mathias’s brushes on your skin turned into gentle rubs. He dug into the nodules of your spine, and the pressure made you shiver. Watching you tremble under his touch made his chest ache with desire, and it showed in his growing blush.

“Just stop it. You’re making me uncomfortable.” Shaking him off, you pulled away and moved to the other side of the balcony. You didn’t like the way he stared at you. It was almost as if he was seeing you in that kind of light, and it scared you more than anything. If only your heart wasn’t pounding so hard.

“Is it because you don’t like me?”

He frowned at the thought, but that didn’t stop him from getting behind you. Attaching two hands to your waist, he pressed his face to yours, trapping you by the balcony. “I thought you did.”

“Mat, I’m serious. Let me go—” You pushed as hard as you could against him but to no avail. “What is your problem? Just because you’re a prince it means I can’t say no to you?”

He winced at the suggestion and let you go.

“No, it’s just that I thought—I thought maybe you liked me. Just like how I like you.” For someone so bashful, there was such a cutting conviction in his words. You reflected his embarrassment with a hot blush of your own. “... Unless you don’t...?”

His voice trailed off so sadly, hearing it forced you to reveal the truth you’d been trying to hide.

“I do like you.” You exasperated.

“Then, why?” Mathias’s brows furrowed so deeply together, creases formed between them.

“Why what?”

“Why won’t you let me touch you?”

You stormed off to establish distance with him. Knowing him, he’d follow you until he’d be all in your face. And that was exactly what he did, marching after you until he could tower himself over you. Letting out a frustrated sigh, you whipped your head to the side to avoid his watery eyes.

“I’m not a princess. Okay? You can’t run off and do this kind of stuff with the maid. It’ll ruin you.” It took every fiber of your being to stop yourself from crying as you choked this out—“It’ll ruin me. I’m sure Vic is planning to kick me out right now.”

“That’s not true!” He blurted, reaching out to hold your wrists. “I’m the prince! Vic has nothing on my word. And plus, it’s not like he has to find out.” Mathias sounded so earnest, you wanted to believe him. Give in to him. But you knew better than to indulge in a meaningless fling that had grave consequences. So you tore yourself away from him.

“No, Mat. I can’t do this with you,” Backing up closer to the front door, you shook your head as he simply walked over again. “Mathias, please.”

“Why are you so afraid?” He held your shoulders and pressed his forehead against yours. Already, having his body and hands on you was like taking a bat for a swing at your resolve. But you persisted, clamping a hand over his mouth before he could kiss you.

He frowned deeply and licked your palm, successfully getting you to pull away. “Mat—”

“Just tell me what you’re so afraid of. I’ll make it go away, I promise. I’ll protect you. You know I will.” Every word he uttered made your lips brush together. His sincerity became too hard to resist, so you forced yourself to stumble out an answer.

“I...” You shook your head with your eyes closed. Already, you subconsciously accepted you couldn’t get away without his mouth on yours. “I think you’re just confused, okay? You haven’t really had a friend for a while. You probably think you like me when you just... Need somebody to talk to.”

Mathias gritted his teeth for a look of betrayal.

“You’re talking to me like I’m just some kinda kid!” He whisper-shouted, flaring his nostrils some. He spoke so frantically, so passionately, it was hard to believe this was the same goofy idiot all these months. “You think I can’t tell the difference? I’m a man, you know. Whenever I’m alone with you, I get...”

He flickered his eyes over you intensely. They were so love-laden, you couldn’t handle it.

So you stared away.

But he wasn’t having any of it. If you weren’t going to look at him, he’d find another way to get your attention. Sealing your mouth with his, he moved his head fervently for a hot, wet kiss.

Your lips met again and again, meshing together perfectly until you couldn’t breathe. He didn’t let you part for air. He was the one who decided the breaks, and even then, your tongues would be sliding together in a selfishly brief gap. It left you gasping, and the oxygen you desperately needed only came through the warmth of his mouth.

He was forcing you to breathe him in.

“... Mathias...” You panted. Before you got another word in, he kissed you again, eliciting soft sounds of sucking and pecking. While he inundated you in the heated exchange, drowning you with the taste of his spit, he snuck a hand up your skirt. “H-Hey!”

“Let’s make love,” Panting out the words into your ear, your chest ached when you realized you were in the endgame. Mathias was so set on doing you, he was already sporting an impressive tent in his pants. Taking out his throbbing cock, he guided your hand to it, then squeezed your fingers around it.

“You perverted dog...” Hearing your airy, frustrated voice sent a hard twitch down his arousal. You felt it. Every jerk, every soft vein. You were about to have your first time with the prince, and the thought was more erotic than it should’ve been.

As much as you wanted to push him away, a part of you also wanted to let everything be. He always had a way of getting your heart racing and aching for him. His long, lustful stares, dazed answers, and absent gaze, it all became clear he’d been thinking of something else entirely whenever he talked to you.

This man was a sex fiend, and you set him off by accepting his invitation to visit this place. High up in the mountains, where nobody could find you two.

The tipping point was when you glared at him. Seeing it made him snap, and had him rearing for a hot fuck session. Hooking his fingers around your underwear, he pulled it down to your knees.

If you were going to be stubborn, he’d strip your layers like your clothes.

Your dress was on the ground next to a pile of his clothes. He pulled you onto his lap to touch you all over, and fondle you like his personal plaything. You were shy, he could tell. You hid your chest by pressing it up to his, but the feeling of your breasts against him riled him up further.

He’d get you to open up tonight.

Giving your waist a hard squeeze, he made you jolt backward in shock. That gave him the perfect opportunity to lean down and smother his face into your breasts. There, he lapped his hot tongue over your nipple before sucking on it.

Hearing your breathy moan made his cock twitch again. You felt it right against the folds of your womanhood, so you couldn’t help looking down. And he was huge. He was at full mast, and pressing every inch of his dick to you so comfortably like it was meant to be there. He was lengthy and girthy to boot, so you couldn’t imagine it going inside you.

Blood rushed up to your face as you uttered this—“You’re not putting that inside me.” You pushed him off you with a soft ‘pop’. He peered up at you expectantly. “That’s... That’s not gonna fit.”

“It will, don’t worry...” Mathias raised his head and dragged his tongue up your neck. “I just have to stretch you. Just trust me, it won’t hurt too bad...”

“And... It smells...!” You whispered, removing your arms from his neck to get off him. But you never succeeded in either of those things, as he merely dove on top of you to hold you down in a missionary position. The stench of his sweat and musk only grew stronger. “I’ll murder you for this later, Mat—”

“Don’t say that... I’ll make you feel good...”

What happened later came in a hot haze. All you knew were his warm, calloused hands touching and grabbing at every inch of your body, the taste of his mouth, and how deep his thick cock was inside you. While he closed his eyes from how hot and tight you were, yours were wide open in pain.

It hurt so bad, you had to scratch his back up for stretching you beyond what you could handle.

“You liar... It hurts...!” You dug your fingernails into his skin as hard as you could. But that wasn’t enough to get back at him, so you ended up biting his neck. He responded in the worst way possible—Mathias rolled his eyes back and moaned, feeling himself get bigger and harder inside you.

“Ah... Keep biting me, kæreste... Go ahead and make me bleed...” He breathed into your neck.

Unfortunately for you, he loved it when you got feisty. Your anger turned him on more than you would’ve liked. Soon, he found himself thrusting harder into the spot between your legs.

Spreading them with two hands, he rolled his hips furiously into them. The bed squeaked faster. But you could barely hear them with his moans in your ear. He penetrated you, again and again, and all you could do was scratch up his broad, muscular back.

“Fuck you, Mat... Fuck you....” Sex with him was borderline painful, but it hurt so good. It was frustrating to know he had you wanting him so easily, so you began pulling on his hair.

“You... Son of a bitch...”

He was so turned on, it hurt. The only remedy was to go even harder, so he did—letting out a low groan into your neck, he curved his dick deeper inside you than ever before. You were his medicine, and he wanted to take advantage of that to get the comfort you always gave him.

“Ah—” You threw your head back as a sharp pain shot through your abdomen. Mathias was always doing what he wanted, with or without your say. He may have been royalty, but here in the bedroom, he was meant to be your equal. 

But it never felt that way as he pinned you down with his weight and pounded you in, slapping his balls against you with every hard slam. 

He even found it in himself to hold your neck with both hands. To choke you gently as he slowly reached his zenith, then came deep inside you.

“Mat—” Your plea for him to pull out was cut short by his continuous thrusts. As he stuffed you with his hot, frothy load, you could only pant for air. You couldn’t even close your legs to stop it from happening, as he’d made himself comfortable between them. “Ah—you can’t...”

He was being so reckless, so selfish, and what went through his lust-stricken mind was this—if he did this, he could get you to stay. He was twisted with perversion, evident in how he panted like a dog as he rode out his orgasm, uncaring of the consequences.

His semen splattered out and pooled on the mattress. You were too lightheaded to see the mess he was making. With your mouth wide open, he’d loom his head over yours and spit generously into it. He never let you off without swallowing every last drop of it.

“Ew...” Forcing it down your throat with a gag, he smiled floatily when he heard you gulp.

The night was young, and he’d only just started.

He fucked you into the mattress for hours. Drowning himself in the moans that poured out of your mouth like a faucet, he showed a floaty smile as he overwhelmed you with pleasure. He’d shatter your mind until he was the only thing you could ever think about ever again. Breathing slowly as he slid himself in and out of your tight, wet, tunnel, he screwed you silly until your legs were shaking.

Mathias was a huge guy, and a freakishly strong one at that, so he had no trouble holding you in all sorts of positions to make love to you—from the back, against the wall, in front of the mirror, even on the balcony. No matter how he decided to enter you, some things remained constant. 

He held you up against the wall with one hand, while the other squeezed and fondled your breasts. Your skin was so soft and inviting under his calloused hand, he could never get enough of it. But the inside was a temptation he couldn’t resist.

“You’re sucking me in so well...” Mathias moaned, feeling your lips pepper him with kisses. Somewhere along the line, you gave in to him, driven by the carnal desire to make love with him. He couldn’t be happier. He wanted to make you feel good, and he’d start by thrusting upwards into you at a furious pace.

Catching you in a steamy gaze, he fanned his hot, labored breath over your mouth as he came inside your womb. You threw your head back in ecstasy as he kept rolling his hips, stimulating your clit from the inside, which was now sopping with cum.

He kept shooting jets of semen into your core, and by the time he stopped, you’d reached an intense orgasm. Pressing a hard kiss to your cheek, he carried you back to bed as the exhaustion began to catch up to him. When he collapsed, he never bothered to pull out—he fell asleep inside you.

He got what he wanted, having claimed you with his seed painted all over and inside your body. It was safe to say that you smelled more like him than he did himself.

Mathias couldn’t be more satisfied with these developments. He finally went all the way with you, and knew damn well what this meant. He had to protect you like your life was his own. Not that he needed that incentive in the first place.

Everything hit you the morning after.

You just made love with the prince, and if that wasn’t bad enough, it was all unprotected. Sitting up after the deepest sleep you’ve had in a while, you lingered your panicked gaze on him for a few moments before stumbling out of bed. Immediately, you felt something warm trail down your legs. He really pushed the envelope last night, and you were left to deal with the consequences.

After a quick bath, you got dressed in the fastest, most discrete way possible. The frantic shuffling and rustling of fabric filled the bedroom, followed by your footsteps against the wooden floorboards. With one last strained look at the lump under the covers, then the foot hanging off the frame, you left the cabin.

The first thing you did upon arriving back at the castle was finding Ida. She was the closest thing you had to a mother in this palace, and she did exactly what a mother would—she held you close and told you everything would be okay. Then, she brewed up a last-minute contraception for you to drink.

You were skeptical it would do anything, but it was worth a shot.

Once you downed the last of the hot liquid, bile rose in your throat for the beginnings of a long-needed cry. While you choked back sobs, she rubbed soothing circles in your back and watched you intently.

“You’ll be alright. Just do as I say, skat.” She spoke gently. Her voice was barely coherent under the sounds of your sniffling. “In two weeks, you’ll have to pack your things and go to the stables. Mathias has tea with the visiting princesses that afternoon, so—” Your brows came together for a face of pain. It was already hard to not cry, but hearing that was the tipping point. Your heart was completely shattered.

Launching yourself into her arms, she hugged you tight and closed her eyes.

“—my sweet angel. Come here.” Rocking you back and forth, she rubbed your hair comfortingly before continuing. “He loves you, I can tell. But this can’t go on. He’s the prince, and you’re the most valuable treasure this Earth has ever known. You have a life ahead of you, skat. Live it. He only has a tedious future ahead of him.”

While she spoke, you couldn’t bring yourself to tell her you wanted to be with him. Because no matter how tedious, boring, and serious his duties were, you just knew he had a way of making it exciting. And Mathias? He may as well be the person you held closest to your heart.

However, like Ida mentioned, it was a naïve fantasy ought to be stamped out. Surely, Mathias would come to his senses and agree.

“That afternoon at four, he’ll be too occupied to look for you. When that time comes, you go to the stables and ride out as fast as the wind can carry you.” The woman instructed, untying the purple ribbon that held up her graying brown hair. Tying that around your wrist, she pressed a chaste kiss to your forehead. “The horses will know you, so they won’t make a fuss. They’ll come back after dropping you off at my house.”

Quitting a job at the palace isn’t hard, skat. Her words replayed in your mind as you scurried to the horses outside. But getting away from the prince? Very. When he sets his eyes on something, he latches onto it and never lets go. Tightening the flaps of your cloak, you climbed onto the back of your absolute favorite—Destiny. A lively brown Jutland you’ve recently befriended.

She neighed and chuffed, then paced around to find the exit. With a mighty kick, she galloped off with you. Then, you rode off without looking back.

And he’s crazy about you. Can’t imagine why.

Mathias awakened an hour after you left the cabin. Immediately, he flipped the place upside down to look for you. Every minute that passed where he couldn’t find you, the tighter his chest became. Where had you gone? Had you returned to the palace already? A sick churning in his stomach began. If you did, why didn’t you tell him?

Fortunately, you were still around. Just not in the way you used to be. Ever since that night at his cabin, you’ve been ignoring him. And it made him miserable. You’ve gone from a friend to a stranger.

To the indifferent servant you were meant to be.

He tried everything he could to get you to talk to him, then open up to him again, but all you did was excuse yourself curtly before he could show you those watery eyes you couldn’t resist. Mathias even tried cornering you, but you weren’t above pushing him away, or kicking him where the sun didn’t shine.

Two weeks went by giving him the cold shoulder. But it never shook his resolve.

On the morning of his most dreaded day, he asked Ida where you were. You were too busy with your cleaning duties. He’d heard that one before.

It did beg the question, however, as to just how bad was the kitchen explosion that they needed the assistance of the prince’s maid? He didn’t have time to think about it. Today was the day he’d been dreading, and Victor couldn’t stop hounding him at lunch to bring his best manners.

But most importantly, to make a decision.

He already did, he just needed to scrape together the courage to announce it. Fortunately, the tedious intricacies of refined conversations about nothing in particular did its job as the pep talk he needed. He couldn’t marry any of these women, let alone like them at all. While he studied them, he found himself comparing each and every one of them to you.

They never came half as close to touching where you were.

After forcing a polite smile to see them off, he ambled into the kitchen for a well-deserved drink. While he sipped from his glass, he studied the speckless, polished tiles. Then, he wondered to himself where the explosion could’ve taken place, especially one that was so huge that it apparently engulfed the ceiling.

That was when his advisor sauntered in.

“Charming ladies, all of them. I’m sure the decision will be quite difficult. Any contenders?” Victor waggled his eyebrows for a suggestive grin. “Well, I personally really like the one from—”

“I guess I have a dark horse in the running.”

The other blinked. “Oh, you do?”

Mathias downed everything in his glass. Then, he caught the other in a serious stare. Whenever he wore such an unreadable face like this, something completely unexpected was bound to slip from the prince’s mouth. Victor just hoped he wouldn’t say Lady Ingrid.

“Was there a huge clean-up in the kitchen a few hours ago?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I heard a huge explosion happened here. Did it get cleaned up already?” The Dane mused, setting his cup down so he could fold his arms together.

Already, he had a sneaking suspicion he’d been played like a fiddle. This assumption was proven to be correct as the older man shot him a look of confusion. “Whatever do you mean, an explosion? There will never be explosions in the castle so long as I’m around.” Victor scoffed amusingly.

Mathias’s nostrils flared. Ida lied to him. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he scrambled off without another word. Hooking his hand on the door frame, he booked it out of the kitchen and sprinted down the crimson red halls. Victor chased after him for a few strained jogs—“and your dark horse, my prince? Who is it?” He called out breathlessly.

With a brief look over his shoulder, he shouted back.

“My maid!”

“Your what?”

Carrying with him nothing but a small velvet box, he flung himself onto the back of his horse. Smoke, a black stallion he had shipped all the way from the Middle East. The creature jumped up on its hind legs for a loud neigh—“C’mon, Smokey. Don’t let me down!” It trotted around the hay-strewn dirt before the prince whipped the reins. “Hya!”

Racing through the streets in nothing but a blur, he stopped everywhere to ask around for his missing person—a young girl on a palace horse.

His exhaustive efforts proved fruitless as hours went by. You were gone, and if he wasn’t fast enough, you could be gone forever. Just where could you be? There was only one place he hadn’t checked, but he highly doubted you were there. It couldn’t be that easy, could it? Either way, he wasn’t giving up.

Galloping into a familiar neighborhood, he was welcomed warmly by familiar faces to match. There on the side of the street, stood a middle-aged man with spectacles.

“Is that you, Mathias?” It was the royal doctor, and he’d just gone home after a long work day. The prince couldn’t explain it, but he couldn’t be happier seeing him out of all people. “My, if you ride out that recklessly, you’ll hurt yourself again!”

“Sorry, Noah. I’m in a hurry.” He panted, his horse trotting back a few steps.

“A hurry? Where are you going?”

“Wherever she is. I don’t know. I’m trying to find her.”

Noah raised his head thoughtfully. His eyes gleamed when it finally occurred to him.

“You’re looking for the maid.”

Mathias was more taken aback than anything. Since when did his doctor become that attuned to his emotional troubles? “How did you know?”

“Everything Ida knows, I know.” The other replied, tipping his hat. “Don’t worry. She’s not far. Although I have to say, she may not be happy to see you.”

He breathed out a nervous huff.

“We’ll see about that.”

Arriving into the front yard of a house, he hopped off his horse and rubbed its face. He approached the front door and knocked anxiously. He was light-headed from hunger, and the anxiety exacerbated that into nausea. But the only thing on his mind was seeing you again. Reaching for his back pocket, he pulled out the box again and waited.

The strong gallops outside immediately alerted you of your visitor. It was Mathias, no doubt.

What were you thinking, hiding at Ida’s like it wasn’t the first place he’d check? There was something in the air, for a while now, too, and it wasn’t common sense. It had been there ever since you’d grown close to the prince. It was like smoke that dulled your senses and blurred mirrors, burned from the impetuous fire of youth itself.

In your defense, it affected him more than it did you.

He knocked on the door a few times.

You didn’t answer.

He knocked again. While you responded with the silent treatment, he walked over to the window and knocked on that. “I know you’re in there, (F/N). Come out so we can talk.” Mathias called, falling quiet to listen out for an answer. “Noah said you’d be here.”

Bringing your knees into your chest, you sucked in a sharp breath before finally breaking your silence.

“Go away!”

As faint as your voice was, he heard you loud and clear. Didn’t mean he’d listen to you, though. With a deep frown, he made his way to the front door. While he studied the details of it, like how he could knock it off its hinges in one go, he said this—

“You should know by now how stubborn I am. I’m not doing that until I see you.”

Taking a few steps back, he barreled right into the door like an ox and knocked it down. “Gh—”

“Mat, what the hell! You’re paying for that!” You exclaimed, scrambling off the couch to examine the mess he’d made in the living room. When you pinned him as tenacious, you’d been too correct. He really had no idea to take no for an answer. He paid no mind to the earful you were giving him, and instead, bent down on one knee.

“You are honestly, the single-most stupidest man alive. I feel sorry for the future of this kingdom. You’ll run it down to the ground.” You rambled, giving your head a hard shake. While you spoke, you felt a familiar heat rush up to your face again.

How was it that every time you thought about him, he always managed to have this much emotional leverage over you? You hated that two weeks was all it took for you to miss him. And yet, you were talking about plans of getting away.

“But that’s fine because I’m getting out of here. I’ll move far far away where you won’t find me.”

Mathias held out the box and opened it, revealing a brilliant silver ring inside.

You’d been so distracted tearing him a new one, you never realized the scene that unfolded. When you finally processed what he was doing, the first few tears fell down to your chin. This man was impossible. “If you want an answer, it’s no. It’s always gonna be no. Okay? No.”

“Would you at least think about it?”

“I already did! No. What’s so hard to understand about a two-letter word?” No matter what you told him, his will was unshakeable. It showed in his serious, unreadable, expression, and if you’d known how dangerous a sign that was the first time you saw it, you would’ve learned to avoid him. Taking your hand, he slid on the ring without your permission.

Shocked by his audacity, you swatted at him, throwing the ring off as a result.

Letting out a gasp, you whipped your head to where you tossed it. But in your moment of distraction, he lifted you off your feet—“just come back to the castle with me, kæreste. I miss you.” Mathias pleaded, holding you high enough so that you needed to hold his face to stabilize yourself.

Hearing his sincerity, then feeling his hands on you was all it took to reduce your resolve to a crumpled heap on the floor.

“Why won’t you just think with your head for once?” Catching his fervent kisses, you’d lean down and let him occupy your mouth furiously—“Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“You know I can’t.” He showed another floaty smile, but this one was more bittersweet than anything. “I’ll follow you forever if I have to.”

He swept you away, yet again.

You returned to the castle as his maid, continuing your precarious relationship with him. Victor was eventually fired and replaced by Noah’s brother. Ida couldn’t be happier with that decision. And the prince? He never brought up the ring again.

Instead, he’d watch you in the halls, behind the doors, holding it in his palm to wait for the right moment. It might’ve been a lot to ask for from a tenacious man like him, but for months, years, it was the one thing he was willing to be patient for.

getting caught up in a serious situation, you're forced to watch a gang break some kid's nose and maybe a few facial bones too

the sounds and visuals too much, you squeeze your eyes shut and shove your face into Kaji's chest, your empathy a little too strong at the moment

Kaji doesn't move but does say a few choice words to the group behind you before he places his blaring headphones over your ears and his school jacket on top of your head, blocking your view

squeezing your upper arms and giving you a firm look, he dashes off with his friends, fists flying

you stay put, listening to the what you now realize is your playlist you've carefully curated on your favorite music app blasting in your ears

a few minutes pass and Kaji comes back in view, taking his jacket to put it back on and opening a new sucker for himself. he then pauses the music on his phone from the jacket and puts them around his neck so he can talk to you about what just happened.

his advisors happily trailing behind you and taking some sneaky photos of the two of you holding hands to send to the classroom group chat later