#eiland x reader

The thought of telling you hurts. He can imagine the questions you'd ask him, the look of disappointment on your face, the betrayal you might feel by it. He's hates the thought of turning his back on you like that. Months ago, he had promised you that you would be helping Mistria get on its feet again together. All your work has been intertwined since that day. Every morning when Balor comes to check on your shipping bin before the sun has even risen solidifies that. It's a truth he can't ignore. He works better by your side.

It's the first time he's ever had a partnership quite like this, and he fears it will be the last time, too. Moving away from Mistria for better pay means leaving you behind. There's no world in which he can have both. And now, he has to make the choice. A glamorous life working far, far away from Mistria, or staying in the one place he's started to feel is home.

The decision is tearing him apart piece by piece, and he's never once felt this fragile or indecisive. Months, even weeks ago, he would have packed his bags overnight and left before morning, chasing opportunities as fast as the wind. He's always been selfish, self-preserving, self-obsessed, and any other vain word one could describe him as. Balor has heard them all, and every time has been unable to defend it. It's the truth, after all. There is nothing that drives him quite as much as tesserae in his pocket. Over time, he's tried to embrace it, living year after year as a vagabond.

He's never shown anyone how lonely it can get. No one ever seemed to care. No one, except you.

He's never given his deepest wants any time to consider. He's always been stubborn like that, convinced that this way of life is the only one that suits him. He doesn't deserve stability or a place to settle down. He doesn't need a home—things like that just aren't compatible for him. And who would even want to make a home with him? Who would even give him the chance?

You.

It's always been you, day after day, month after month. Every time you show up at his stall, every morning you eat breakfast with him at the inn, every night you stay up talking in his room at The Sleeping Dragon, spilling your wants and fears and aspirations. You are the first person who has ever made Balor feel a little less alone—that is why he feels so torn at the thought of leaving you. No one has ever cared if he stayed or not, no one bothered to make a strong connection. Only you.

Balor knows as much as he wants to hide this secret from you, word spreads fast in this town. The second he spilled it to Hemlock at breakfast, he knew it was only a matter of time until you got the news.

The knock on his door is desperate and rushed. He doesn't even have time to answer it before you let yourself in, breathless and determined. Balor expected this. There was no way you would let him go without a fight, and that thought makes his heart feel both guilty and loved at the same time.

"You must be out of your damn mind, Balor," you rasp, staring daggers at him. He stands, pushing his hair back in an attempt to get his thoughts together. How is he supposed to say it to your face? How is he supposed to say goodbye to the person who made him feel the most alive?

"Business calls," he mutters, feeling smaller than ever. Where has his shameless pride gone? Why does he feel so shitty about the whole situation? He should be overjoyed. "I answer. You know me… this is what I do."

"So you're leaving just like that?"

"I already overstayed my welcome. Mistria doesn't need me anymore—" Balor tries to argue. It feels weak and useless. He's dancing around the elephant in the room, too scared to address it. You do it for him.

"I need you, Balor. We're supposed to be in this together, a-and now you want to throw it all away for what? A higher salary?" you stammer, your emotions raw on your face.

Balor feels worse than he thought he would. He's quiet, studying you as if you have the answers. The pain in your eyes is clear as day. The crease of your eyebrows is a desperate plea for him to stay, and the way you gnaw at your lip anxiously a silent confession. The realization hits him like a stab to the heart. He can't leave the person he's fallen in love with.

EILAND

Eiland, despite how knowledgeable and observant he can be, is still as dense as the artifacts he discovers. Perhaps its a royal trait passed down on him, or maybe there's a missing connection between his brain and eyes, but he's missed all the signs thus far.

If you weren't so down bad for him you would have found it frustrating. Instead, it's somehow endearing. The entire town is seated for the entertainment of it all—when will Mistria's beloved lord Eiland realize his own feelings?

Juniper has offered to make you a love potion for him to speed up the process. Reina has planned nearly a dozen dinner dates for you, all of which have been perceived as merely platonic by your dear prince. Holt has given you insights to a man's perspective on it, but even he agrees that Eiland is a rare and almost hopeless case. How could someone be so blind to your pursuits?

You're not even sure how much more you can take before you shut up his excited rambling about Aldarian history with your lips. But still, you force yourself to be patient. One of these days, he has to realize your feelings for him, right?

Today is not unlike any other day spent with Eiland. You've made a fresh strawberry cake—sweet whipped cream and juicy berries filling the layers of soft sponge. It's always been Eiland's favourite. You think his excitement every time a dessert is involved is adorable, and you always find yourself feeding his sweet tooth more and more.

Eiland had sent a letter to you this morning about deciphering an ancient scroll he had come across. You make a good team together, uncovering more about Mistria's past than ever before. Eiland gets delighted whenever you find so much as a speck of new information.

Today's work has stumped Eiland. The words you're picking out from the ancient text seems to all be flowery poetry and figuring out what the meaning behind it is proves difficult. The information you have so far is limited. You know the letter is from an old Aldarian king, but neither you or Eiland can figure out who it's addressed to or why the letter was sent.

"Pass over the cake, I'm having no luck with this," Eiland says in defeat. You slide a piece over—already his second—and scoop some up with your spoon. Holding it up to his mouth and prompting him with an 'ah', Eiland doesn't even question it. He opens his mouth and lets you feed him, a satisfied hum following as he closes his eyes to savour the sweet taste. From the corner of the room, you see Elsie winking at you. You smile back knowing exactly what the scene looks like.

There's nothing that says best friends about it. Eiland's desk is a mess of papers and pens, always enough stationary for both of you, always set up for two. His chair is pulled up right next to yours; too close to not suggest something different. And then there's the way he relaxes next to you every time, as if your mere presence reminds him to relax the tension in his shoulders and let his neck have a rest from hunching over his desk all day.

To the outside eye, it couldn't be more clear. But Eiland still lives oblivious day by day.

Your eyes draw back to the scroll laying on the desk, shifting back and forth between the text and feeding Eiland spoonfuls of cake. You notice one of the words at the top of the letter, almost entirely worn away but just barely legible. Juniper had talked about ways ancient Mistrians' referred to their lovers while trying to help you with Eiland. You recognize the word to mean dearest lover.

You straighten in surprise, losing hold of the spoon in the process in a way that causes some cream smear to the side of Eiland's lips. He opens his eyes again in response to your startle, noticing the spark in your eyes as you piece it all together.

"It's a love letter, Eiland! The king was writing to his dearest lover—look here," you exclaim, pointing to the top of the scroll again. Eiland leans down in excitement, gasping at the detail he had somehow missed.

You get lost in the way his lips turn up in a smile and earrings sway. The shimmer in his purple eyes drawing you closer and the bit of whipped cream on his lip tempting you further. You reach out to wipe it away. Eiland's breath catches in his chest. You're suddenly very close, perhaps too close. He tries to distract himself.

"So the ancient nobles used poetry to win over their lovers… How… romantic…" he whispers, eyes drawn back to yours. His cheeks are dusted with blush all over.

"What about modern day nobles?" you ask quietly, drawing yourself ever closer to Eiland. He takes a breath, considering it carefully.

"I think… they tend to be a bit bolder nowadays."

Your heart soars when you hear that, knowing you've finally got him. When you lean in, his lips are sweeter than you could have imagined. Perhaps its the lingering taste of the strawberry cake, but you have a feeling that Eiland always tastes like this. Whichever it is, you'll have many more months to find out, because when Eiland pulls away, flushed a bright red in shyness, he looks at you with only one emotion in his eyes: love.

HAYDEN

The scene is perfectly domestic in a way that makes Hayden almost shiver. The sun is just starting to peek through the windows of his cottage casting golden beams on the counter-top of the kitchen and the couch where you sit. Henrietta is in your arms, happier than he's ever seen her, and something feels unmistakably right about it all.

You had stopped by his farm early this morning, still sleepy and hair clearly not brushed yet, asking if you could have breakfast with him. Who was he to say no to that adorable sight?

Ever since the news of a new farmer moving into town reached Hayden, he's been curious about you. You became good friends within a few weeks, but something started to shift lately. Over the past six months, you've started putting extra effort into ranching on your own farm, and your passion for it is undeniable. Hayden has always loved like-minded people, those who understand his love for animals and how precious they are. Someone who also wants to spend their life caring for them. Seeing you like that made something in his heart shift. You're kind, patient, perseverant… you fit all of Hayden's standards almost too well.

Love is a tricky subject for Hayden to tackle. He's always felt content in his independent life, alone with his animals for company. It's never felt lonely. There was never anything "missing". He's seen Josephine and Hemlock, Nora and Holt be perfect lovebirds, running the town through the strength of their strong marriages. Hayden has watched their families grow and the town become more lively because of it.

But he loves the quiet life, the routines, the farm-work. He loves Mistria with all his heart, even if the town was far too small for the chance of meeting new people. Everyone knew that newcomers arriving to Mistria was rare. The small community was part of its charm. Growth was a hard thing to achieve.

But when you arrived after the earthquake, determination in your eyes, and a goal that everyone could see, you started to shake Hayden's small world. Every improvement you made to the town: helping with repairs, boosting sales, growing more food locally—made impacts bigger than anyone else ever had before. For the first time, the small town of Mistria started to grow bigger than it ever had.

Hayden has always admired your work ethic. You never seem to tire, and are always up for a new challenge. You learn quickly, are amicable with everyone, and generous beyond nature. But he also adores the faults he's seen in you too. How short-tempered you can be when you reach a stumbling block, your mutters under your breath trying to keep up with all your tasks, and your panic whenever you arrive back home so late your animals have fallen asleep outside. You're not perfect, but you always keep moving forward, and Hayden couldn't ask for anything more in a person.

These thoughts surrounding you swirl in his head as he cracks a few eggs into a sizzling frying pan. They're still warm, freshly laid this morning. Next comes beautifully browned pieces of toast, slathered with butter he had mixed up just two days ago from a fresh batch of cream. Hayden takes pride in his animals and their produce. Happy, healthy animals means fresh, nourishing food.

He sets down the plates on the table and you shoot your head up at the smell. Henrietta squawks, hopping off your lap, allowing you to rise and join Hayden at the breakfast table.

"Looks delicious, Hayden! Thank you, this'll wake me right up," you say, rubbing away the last bits of sleep from your eyes and smiling at him. Hayden's breath catches, strong hands gripping the back of his chair. He waits for you to take a seat before settling down too, eyes never able to leave you.

Maybe it's something about the angelic quiet of the morning, or the soft glow of the sun streaming on your face. Hayden can't help but imagine spending every morning just like this, making you breakfast, talking about the plans for the day. A gentle companionship, something that wouldn't take away from the life he's already built. When Hayden thinks about it, he realizes how perfectly you already fit into it. The way you greet his animals on your way inside. The way Henrietta bawks excitedly at your arrival every time. The way his lips can't help but burst into a breathless smile when he sees you.

Maybe—Hayden thinks—this is what love feels like.

MARCH

Your daily routine confuses March. You spend all day running around, completing different errands. Some days you're planting a new field of seeds. Others, you're delivering something for Adeline. And at least three times a week you're at the mines, digging deeper for fresh ore and gemstones. Your schedule has been busy since the first day you arrived, and March cannot imagine having so much energy and excitement for everything. It makes him exhausted just seeing it.

But what keeps him pondering is how you always take time out of your day to talk to him. Usually you have some ore to give him as well. In the beginning, he tried to refuse it, feeling as though accepting it would hurt his pride in some way. After months, he's learned how determined you are. There's no refusing you anything. You'll always find your way to do what you want, and that includes giving him freshly harvested minerals daily.

Your streak is almost impressive… not like March has been keeping track or anything. You're nearing almost six whole months straight without missing a single day. You're always stopping by first thing in the morning or late at night before heading home—not like he's paid close attention to that—so when the clock strikes 1AM and March still hasn't seen you all day, he starts to wonder what's keeping you. You've never been this late before.

March can't sleep. He tosses and turns in his bed; his pillow feels too warm despite it being a chilly Autumn night, and his blankets scratch and irritate his skin. Why didn't he see you today? Have you finally decided to stop pursuing him so stubbornly? Has he finally gotten rid of you for good? No more interrupted work at the forge? No more bracing himself when he sees you across town and knowing you'll start sprinting towards him any second?

If that's the case, then he should be happy. He's wanted that since the first day you arrived and started bothering him like it was your only daily mission. But… he's not happy at the thought. In fact, he feels the opposite. His chest tightens and his mind is cloudy when he thinks of his day ending without seeing you, without talking to you.

At first, your daily conversations were something he tried to end as fast as possible. But now he's gotten used to them, and perhaps even… looks forward to them. But no, he shouldn't care. If you decide to stop whatever routine you've crafted for the past six months, March won't even bat an eye. His life was fine before you came into it. He can easily go back to pretending like you don't exist.

But he still can't sleep, and the thought still continues to bother him throughout the night.

At 5AM, he gives up trying to sleep. A hot shower and fresh clothes does enough to hide his eye bags, and although he's tired, he has enough energy to start on a new order for tools at the forge. It's a bit early to start business, but it beats staring at the ceiling while you race in his mind. He's starting to get annoyed by how you refuse to leave his head. You decided to not stop by to see him, yet you won't let him stop thinking about you for even a second? Unfair.

He's able to ignore the pit in his stomach for a few hours as he works, getting half the order finished by lunch time. There's still been no sign of you. Just as he's accepting that his suspicions are confirmed—you really have decided to give up your daily visits—he squints over at the fountain. There you are.

He averts his eyes immediately. He can't look too excited to see you again, or you'll never let live it down. But still, he sets down his tools and wipes his hands on his apron, preparing for the impending conversation.

"Morning, March!" you say, cheery as ever.

"It's afternoon," he points out, stuffing his hands in his pockets and turning towards you. Damn, you look prettier than usual.

"You're right—guess I'm a bit late," you shrug, opening up your bag and sifting through it.

"Where were you yesterday? You didn't stop by," March asks, trying to sound as uninterested as possible, even as his heart races to know the reason. If you've stopped by like usual, then surely his original thought must be wrong. You still like seeing him every day… right?

"Ah, I was at the mines!" you explain, biting back a smile. "I lost track of time, though. By the time I got out, I was about to pass out. Plus, I'm sure you were already asleep. It was way past 1AM." He was definitely still awake at 1. He would've opened the door for you. "And look what I found while I was down there!"

You pull out a shiny piece of metal from your bag and plop it into March's hands. He holds it up, studying it. The most perfect gold ore he has ever seen. It's too rare to be turned into a regular bar—heck, it should probably get displayed somewhere. He's never seen a piece of metal so flawless.

"For you!" you grin, eagerly awaiting a response. March just gulps, hoping his red ears don't give him away completely.

God, what have you done to him?

RYIS

When Ryis first started taking orders over from his uncle, he often found it overwhelming doing everything by himself. He's good at his craft, and enjoys it fully, but the demand could easily overload his own ability to keep supplying. But, ever since you've started taking on more jobs with him, he's felt that burden lessen. You're not just a great farmer, but an excellent carpenter, too. Ryis has always found himself drawn to passionate people. Perhaps your talent is what keeps him so invested in you. Hours a week spent in your company still isn't enough for what he craves.

You've been quite productive this morning, stopping by the shop early and getting straight to work on a new set of bookshelves for a library commission. The birds singing has been your background noise, and you flow together with Ryis so naturally anyone would think you've been working together for years. In truth, it's only been a few weeks.

"You know, you're quite like a bird yourself," you say offhandedly, catching Ryis' attention from the other side of the porch. He's at his workbench, biting at his pencil (a habit he can't seem to quit) while thinking of what type of wood would hold up the best for the main bookshelf. It'll have to hold a lot of weight, and given the ornaments and embellishments the commissioner wants, he'll need to pick a wood both sturdy and easy to carve. Mahogany is probably his best bet, although it'll be expensive to supply. You're sorting through some of Landen's old toolboxes, searching for broken pieces and signs of wear.

"How so?" Ryis prompts, turning a fresh piece of paper over to sketch a new print idea.

"You and all your sisters growing up together in your parent's bakery—your "nest", so to speak. But you couldn't stay forever. Birds have to learn to fly on their own eventually. I think it's brave of you to be the first one to take that step. You took a leap of faith, and now look at you? You're soaring," you grin.

Ryis flushes a little. You spell out the thought that he's has had for a long time so clearly. Like you extracted the exact ideas he's had in his head and put them into words. His fascination with birds has always come from a feeling of solidarity. But it's also mixed with admiration (he's sure that anyone could tell that much).

He envies their innate ability to survive and adjust. Birds, upon close observation, have distinct patterns and behaviours. They always seem to know exactly what to do during each stage of life. Migrating south, returning to certain forests for mating, or even the best spots to find food for their young. The many guidebooks he owns on them gives him all the secrets he needs to appreciate all the native species. Their similarities and their differences. He finds a piece of himself in all of them.

Ryis wishes there were a similar guidebook to tell him what he should be doing with his life. You tell him that he's soaring, but most day's he isn't too sure. He misses home; his parents, his sisters, the bakery. At the same time, he's doing his best to make a new home for himself here. He loves living with his uncle and taking over the carpentry business. It feels fulfilling enough. But he feels lonely sometimes too.

"You seem quiet. Thinking?" you inquire, walking over to his bench and pulling up a stool.

"You know, I've always felt a little conflicted. Most days, I feel so glad I took the risk and moved here. I love how closely-knit the town feels. I love seeing how much I can help out. I love having nature in my backyard and waking up to the sound of birds chirping," he smiles. You can't fully decipher the mix of emotions behind his eyes.

"But I also miss the Capital. My family was always busy with business. Even with me and all my sisters, we somehow always felt short-staffed at the bakery. It was always loud… chaotic at times, too. But it felt like home, you know? And, I miss it…"

You pass him a sympathetic smile. "Homesick?"

He nods, biting on his pencil again. Melancholy is an emotion you don't like on Ryis. For someone who shines so brightly in your eyes, he looks deflated. But even in his down-turned state, he's still beautiful. You trace your eyes over his chocolate skin, strong calloused hands that suggest the years he's put into his craft, his deep brown eyes that have stared at you with both wonder and excitement.

Ryis glances back at you, granting a smile that tell you not to worry. He doesn't have to say it out loud for you to know. You make Mistria feel more and more like home every day. With every look and every conversation. Every project you complete together, and each hour you spend birdwatching with him. It's all been adding up faster than Ryis can keep up, but he doesn't need a guidebook to know that he's fallen so in love with you.

© mistria-chronicles ── do not repost translate or copy

Balor

He handed you a bag of seeds he sourced from the Capital, the rare ones you mentioned wanting weeks ago. "Threw in a few extra varieties," he said, already turning back to his wagon. "No charge. Consider it an investment in future produce." You grabbed the front of his vest and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Balor." His hand froze on a crate of spices. The smooth-talking merchant had absolutely nothing to say, and that alone was worth the price of every seed in the bag.

Then he turned his head, and the look on his face wasn't the easy grin or the salesman's charm, just open surprise. His hand came up and touched the spot where your lips had been. "Well," he said, voice rougher than usual. He cleared his throat. "You're, ah. You're welcome." He turned back to the wagon and started rearranging the same crate he'd already organized, putting everything in wrong. "It was just seeds, nothing much," he muttered, but he was smiling. He couldn't stop touching his cheek for a while after that.

Caldarus

He walked you to the edge of the Deep Woods, further than he usually ventured. You could tell by the tension in his shoulders that being this far from his temple made him uneasy, but he'd insisted because you'd mentioned the trail was uneven. "The path should be clear from here," he said. "I moved a fallen branch earlier that might have obstructed your route." You reached up, caught the edge of his jaw and kissed his cheek. "Thanks Caldarus, I appreciate it."

He didn't move. He stayed at the angle you'd held him at, eyes wide as his hand drifted up to press against the exact spot you kissed. "You touched your mouth to my face," he said quietly. The color that climbed his ears was unmistakable. "I have read about this gesture. It is an expression of affection, between those who care for one another." He looked at his own hand, then back at you. "Would you do it again? I was not adequately prepared the first time, and I would very much like to get more accustomed to it."

Eiland

You asked him offhandly if the museum had any records on old Mistrian farming techniques, not expecting much. The next morning he showed up at your door with an enormous binder full of notes that were bookmarked and color-coded, with a separate sheet of his own recommendations tucked inside. "Some of these are probably outdated, but I thought you'd find the crop rotation methods interesting at least." You took the binder and kissed his cheek, "Thanks Eiland, I'll be sure to put this to good use!"

The blush that covered his face was instant. "Oh! That's... you're welcome. It was nothing. Just some light research." He fiddled with his hair, glanced at the ground, then back at you and the smiled. "I could look into irrigation methods too, if you wanted. I think I saw a section on historical well systems. Could have something pulled together by tomorrow. Maybe tonight, if you'd like?"

Hayden

He spent the better part of an hour helping you fix a busted fence post on your farm, even though it was his day off and he had his own chores waiting. When you tried to apologize for taking up his time, he just waved you off. "Neighbor helping a neighbor, that's all it is. Besides, Henrietta needed the walk." Henrietta, who had done nothing useful the entire time, clucked from the top of a hay bale. You looked at Hayden who grinned at you like fixing your fence was the highlight of his week, and you kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Hayden. Really."

The grin dropped clean off his face as every ounce of his considerable energy rerouted into turning the deepest shade of red you'd ever seen on the man. He took ruffled his hair and brought a hand to his chest. "I... well, shoot!" His voice cracked, and he laughed at himself.. "That was... you just... Gya ha..." The laugh died halfway, "Had I known you were gonna do that, I would have washed up first."

March

You left your pickaxe on the counter at the blacksmith shop with a note about the loose head, expecting to pick it up in a few days. Instead, March tracked you down at the inn that evening and shoved it into your hands, good as new. "Whoever made that originally should be embarrassed." You turned it over, felt the balance, and realized he hadn't just fixed it. He'd reforged the whole head. "March, this is way more than a repair." He cut you off, "--Don't make it weird. It was just... bugging me." You kissed his cheek. "Well thank you."

The flush hit him so hard it was visible even under the dim lighting of the inn. He looked at the far wall. Then the floor. Then the ceiling. Anywhere that wasn't you. "Don't--" he said, but stopped himself. He crossed his arms, uncrossed them, then shoved his hands in his pockets. "It was just a pickaxe." He still wasn't looking at you. "...If your axe needs work too, you can drop it off whenever. No rush." He turned and left before you could respond, the back of his neck blazing red just like his hair.

Olric

He overheard you mention to Ryis that you needed materials for a new wall and carried four bags of stones to your farm later that day. "It's no big deal! I was doing my morning run and figured, hey, why not carry some rocks while I'm at it? Combines cardio and strength training!" He was barely winded. You looked at the pile of stone that would have taken you six trips, then looked back at him beaming at you like this was just a fun detour for him. "Thanks Orlic, that was really sweet of you," you said as you kissed his cheek.

His entire face went red, like someone had poured warm water over him. "H-Huh?" He touched his cheek with dusty fingers and stood there blinking at you. After a few seconds he snapped himself out of his daze he bounced on his heels once, then again, like he was amping himself. "Okay! Cool! Awesome!--Do you need anything else? I can carry more things for you. I can carry so many things.--I'll check if Ryis has any extra lumber. Be right back!!" He took off at a jog towards town and you could hear him whooping himself, thinking he was out of earshot.

Ryis

He built you a new set of shelves for the farmhouse, fitted to the odd angles of your walls, with a carved detail along the edges that he must have done by hand. "I noticed the old ones were bowing a little," he said, rubbing sawdust off his forearm. "Figured I'd swap them out before they gave you trouble. The carvings are just... I had some extra time." He didn't, you knew his project list was a mile long. You stepped forward and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Ryis."

He whole body went still like he spotted a bird he'd been waiting for, as he felt his face become warmer and warmer by the second. "Yeah," he said softly. "No problem." A small smile settled on his face as he picked up his toolbox, paused at the door, and looked back at you. "I could add some matching trim around the window frame too... you know, to tie the room together. Just let me know." He said it like it was nothing. But he was still smiling when he left, and you could hear him whistling all the way down the path.

“Eiland,” you whispered. “You don’t have to run. I’m not at risk of bleeding out.” 

“Hm? Oh! But Valen should see you right away…you know, even though the soil in Mistria is quite healthy compared to most places around Aldaria, it could still harbor unknown bacteria, and we don’t know what exactly you hit-–’”

“A rock, Eiland.” You sighed. His speculative nature was always cute, but you didn’t want him whipping himself up into a worried frenzy over this. “Let’s just rinse it off and see how it looks, alright?”

“Alright,” he replied, clearly skeptical. He slowed his pace and changed course. 

“Where are we going?”

“If you don’t want to see Valen yet, I’ll allow it, but I’m not going to toss you into your house to fend for yourself. We’re going to the manor.”

That made sense. It was closer anyway, having come from the Western Ruins into the center of town. You acquiesced and fell silent, snuggling closer into his chest for warmth. You could feel more than hear when he started humming—a soft, vaguely familiar melody. 

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

You kept your eyes closed, content in Eiland’s arms, as he managed to get the front door open and enter the main hall. Someone was playing the piano. You only stirred and looked around when you felt him start to ascend the stairs. Interesting.

“Are we not going to your office? Wouldn’t that be easier?”

“Ah, it would, but far less comfortable!” Eiland announced cheerily and smiled down at you. Then, his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “I would prefer to have you in my bed.” The words sent a flash of heat through your body. He surely didn’t mean it like that. Sweet, bashful Eiland would never manage to sound so smooth if he intended to be flirtatious. He probably meant exactly what he said. He preferred to have you in his bed to recover because it would be more comfortable. That made sense, just like coming here in the first place made sense. 

Moments later, you melted into a pile of blankets that both looked and felt expensive. Eiland was an outdoorsy person, but in his home, he did enjoy the finer things. His bookshelves were covered in history texts and board games and relics, but the quality and cut of the wood was still obvious. His bed felt pleasantly lived-in, but it was sturdy in a way that cheap construction never was, and the sheets no doubt had a thread count the better part of a thousand. You bunched one of them in your hand. The feeling of these sheets against your skin was not entirely unfamiliar. You’d been here before, of course, just not for the purpose of receiving medical treatment.

You glanced at your arm. It was no longer actively bleeding. That gave you some relief—at least you wouldn’t ruin Eiland’s fancy bedding like you had probably ruined his clothing. He didn’t seem to pay that any mind. He’d thrown his elegant cloak on the floor and was fishing through a box of what looked like basic medical supplies. You sat up, feet hanging off the edge of the mattress.

“Aha!” he cried, lifting a roll of bandages and a bottle. He grabbed some fresh cloth and tipped out a bit of the bottle’s contents onto it. “Here, hold out your arm. This might sting a bit!” He wiped the cloth over your cut, causing you to wince and hiss. He winced back. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart, I—”

“It’s fine, Eiland, really,” you said, laughing. “You did exactly what you’re supposed to do.”

“Did I, my dearest? I let this happen in the first place.” He looked morose as he finished cleaning you up. The scrape really didn’t look so bad afterwards. Eiland took the bandages, applied some ointment, and wrapped up your arm. “In any case, I think you were right; we probably don’t need to see Valen about your arm. Now, let’s have a look at that ankle. May I?” 

You nodded. Eiland sat down on the bed and unlaced your shoes, slid them off. Then, your socks. Finally, he raised the hem of your pant leg up as high as it would go to expose your injured ankle. His cool, slender fingers skimmed over your skin.

“Hmmm,” he hummed. He held your foot aloft, gingerly, as if inspecting a rare artifact.

“Eiland, can you actually tell what’s going on, or are you just preparing to guess?”

“It’s called a hypothesis when you have data.”

“Oh, forgive me, Professor Eiland,” you teased. He blushed. He ran his hand higher up your leg, onto your calf, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Does that hurt at all, sweetheart?”

“No, not at all,” you replied. “It’s really just my ankle, and honestly, even that’s not so bad now that I’ve been off my feet for a bit.”

“I’m glad to hear you say so,” he murmured, moving closer. He slid his hand up even farther as he looked thoughtful. “Hmm…I’d call that anecdotal evidence. That’s when—”

“Eiland,” you said, laughing and giving him a playful shove. “I know what that is. I hear you talk about the most reliable methods of ‘understanding the people of the past’ every day!”

“I think you haven’t been paying attention to my lessons,” he replied. His indigo eyes scanned you up and down—or perhaps, studied would be a better word for the way he looked at you. Then, he hooked his arm under your knee and pulled you flat onto your back. Caught by surprise by his casual show of strength, you froze as he climbed into bed and leaned over you.

“W-what do you mean, Eiland?” You peered up at him, feigning innocence. As if you hadn’t suspected his intentions the moment he first set foot up the stairs. “I’m always paying attention, if it’s you talking.”

“I—um,” he trailed off, blushing furiously. “Now, that’s not fair! You know my heart can’t take it when you say things like that without warning.”

“My sincerest apologies, Professor,” you purred. “Anecdotal evidence? You were saying?”

“Ahem, yes.” Eiland cleared his throat. He dipped his head, his mouth only inches from yours, but he did not let your lips meet.  “Anecdotal evidence, while valuable, is generally not considered the ‘most reliable’ source of information about our history.”

“I see. And what is?”

“Think for yourself,” he replied, and began kissing his way down your neck.

“It is…physical evidence?” His lips reached your chest.

“Very good.” He placed a gentle kiss on your stomach. “Hmm. I would be remiss to ignore such a perfect opportunity to model correct research techniques.” Spirits, he was such a nerd, but you loved him so much. Eiland unbuttoned your pants and drew them over your hips. You stopped thinking anything about him being a huge dork—you stopped thinking any thoughts at all—when he licked you right through your flimsy undergarments.

“Ah…ohhhh,” you moaned as you writhed under his attentions. You wrestled off the rest of your pants yourself—caution the farthest thing from your mind—as he lapped at you, wanting more freedom to move. It seemed Eiland had other plans for you. He took both hands and ripped your underwear out of his way and then used both hands again to push your thighs up against your chest.  Your ankles crossed behind his head. That put a little pressure on your sprain, but you hardly felt any pain with Eiland’s talented tongue on the most sensitive part of your body by far. You raked your fingers into his pretty pale hair and pulled. He looked up at you, eyes shining with lust and mischief, and then gave a particular hard suck that had you breaking eye contact to see stars instead. You couldn’t help but whine shamelessly. After a few more strokes that had your body arching off the bed and your heels digging into the back of his head, Eiland tore away, gasping.

“Ahh…as sweet as always,” he sighed and licked his lips, savoring the taste of you. “But you’re not being very well-behaved, are you, my dearest?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” you shot back, totally out of breath. “I promise, I’m paying attention now.”

“Yes, I can tell. But you’re interfering with my lesson plan…and my treatment plan.” He pushed himself back, getting up. As he rose, he carefully separated your feet from tapping against each other with his every movement. “Oh well. I suppose I can indulge my favorite student.” He stood up. Before you could question or complain, he began stripping off his heavy winter clothing. You sat up and reached out to help with the lacing, but he stopped you. He took a moment to pull your hand closer and place a soft kiss on the inside of your bandaged wrist. So charmed were you by the tenderness that you hardly noticed when he shrugged off his shirt and stepped out of his trousers.

He pulled off your shirt next. “Hmm.” He raked his eyes over you. Your cheeks grew red. No matter how many times he assured you otherwise, you always worried that Eiland found your naked body disappointing. He stood there unclothed, looking like one of the beautiful stone statues he unearthed on occasion, but hard as a rock in a very different sense.

“Eiland…?”

He wordlessly bent down and grabbed something beside you. Ah. Your torn underwear. He held the scraps up on a finger, frowning.

“This isn’t one of the pieces I got for you.”

“O-oh,” you stuttered, blushing harder. “Everything you gift me is so nice…I didn’t want to wear it out all day on a dig.” Not to mention that you hadn’t expected to wind up undressed in his bedroom quite so soon…today, at least.  

“We’ll make sure you’re attired appropriately next time,” he said, stroking your cheek.  

“Am I getting a dress code violation?” you teased. Your voice shook with arousal, though, and you knew he could tell. You pressed your thighs together. If he didn’t do something soon, you were going to lose all the momentum from earlier. May as well try to bait him a little. “Am I to be punished?”

“Quite the opposite.” He pulled you off the bed.

“H-hey, wait, my—”

“Shh, it’s alright,” Eiland cooed as he lifted you from the bed and manhandled you into an upright position. He held you in front of him with one arm around your ribcage and the other under your thigh; the leverage kept your injured foot completely off the ground. “See? Just trust me.”

He sheathed himself inside of you in one movement. It knocked the breath from your lungs. Eiland was usually so gentle, so moderate. He moaned appreciatively, nuzzling his nose into your hair, and began to roll his hips into you from behind. He set languid but controlled pace. It seemed he was in a hurry to get inside of you, but he intended to take his time with you now that he had you. You pushed your free foot against the floor, causing you to tense and rise against his hips; this earned you a muffled groan. You didn’t have much room to maneuver with Eiland’s arms so firmly wrapped around you, but you tried to reach behind and grab at his hair, or even just his shoulder—anything to regain some sense of control as he bounced your helpless body with each thrust.

“Ah, ah,” he chided you. “We’ve had enough insolence for today. This is for your own good.” He adjusted his grip around your chest so that your upper arms were pinned. His hands caressed your chest. You noted that he didn’t take the easier option of just grabbing and holding your wrists. Thoughtful, even in the throes of passion. With your motion completely restricted, you could do nothing but take it as he gradually increased the speed and depth of his strokes. The way he was lightly rolling your nipples in his work-hardened fingers as he fucked you nearly sent you into overstimulation. Eiland’s breath tickled your ear as it grew ragged. You could feel his lungs rising and falling against your back, faster and faster in time with the pace of his hips. Then he unexpectedly…slowed. Stopped.

“Huh?” was all you could manage to say. Your brain was fuzzy from pleasure.

“I’ve changed my mind,” he whispered right against the shell of your ear. “You do deserve a little punishment.”

“W-why?!” What could you possibly have done wrong? Eiland slid out of you and half carried you a few steps until you were pushed down onto the bed face-first.  Was he going to drop you off and leave you hanging? Was that the reprimand of his choosing? That would be so uncharacteristically mean. But Eiland was never mean. You were reminded of that when he mercifully pushed himself back into you. He took hold of your hip with one calloused hand and pushed down between your shoulder blades with the other. The pressure was not hard enough to risk hurting, but it was enough to keep you pinned in place against the sheets as he slowly drew away…and then slammed home. He held still, his member deep inside of you but maddeningly motionless.

“Why, you ask?” He rubbed his palm in a circle on your back, which both felt nice and kept you from rocking back to try and fuck yourself on him. You hissed in frustration. He shifted to holding you down by the neck. “Because I’m taking such good care of you, and I haven’t heard you cry my name even once.”

He didn’t bother with keeping his rhythm controlled this time. Eiland pounded into you as a stream of constant praise fell from his lips. He sang your praises as your walls fluttered around his length, moaning and keening about how you felt like heaven itself.

“Ah—whuh—Eiland, it’s too much, please,” you babbled.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he rasped, breathless. “Louder, please.” He cocked your hip up, creating a new angle that had your vision going blurry.  The hand on your neck disappeared and suddenly his fingers slid around your front, working on you while he increased the intensity of his movements more than you imagined possible. 

“Eiland!!” you cried. You chanted his name over and over. “Eiland, Eiland, please, I’m so close.”

“V-very…very good,” he groaned. “That’s good…ah, sweetheart, so good…”

He pitched forward and wrapped both arms around your waist, scooping up your middle and putting so much pressure on just the perfect spot on your lower belly that your orgasm hit you like a thunderclap. You spasmed and twitched in Eiland’s arms, screaming his name. He held you and gently ground his hips into you until the last aftershock passed and you went limp. Then he dropped you onto the mattress and snapped his hips hard. It only took a few seconds of that to have him following you over the edge. He finished inside of you, wailing your name.  

You panted as you rolled over. You stared at the ceiling, trying to steady your rapid breathing and your spinning head. Eiland flopped down beside you, equally boneless.

“How does your ankle feel?” he mumbled into the pillow. “Should we go to see the good doctor after all?” The only thing your body felt like right now was jelly. · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

“Oh, no, I don’t feel like going anywhere at present,” you said lazily. You drew little shapes on his back with your nails. “And it already feels much better.”

“That is wonderful news, my love.” Eiland yawned and propped himself up.  “I don’t suppose I could convince you to at least venture as far as my bath, then?”

“For you, my prince, I believe I can manage that. A hot soak sounds perfect.”

“Prince? What happened to Professor?”

You laughed and kissed his shoulder. You leaned on him as he walked you over to his elaborate, claw-footed bathtub.  Eiland massaged the tension out of your neck while you sat together, waiting for the bath to fill with steaming water, and he even kept at it once you were both blissfully submerged. He rambled happily about what excursions you could embark on once you were back on your feet, what books you might find interesting, what you should have for dinner.

ᯓ★ FAE BALOR

☆ You won't see Balor a lot, but he's there. As a fae, it's kind of in his nature to avoid your sight, so spending time with him requires planning. He always makes sure you know he's there though.

☆ He leaves you candies and pastries, or flowers, or literal gold and gemstones, rare artifacts, seeds, a random piece of glass he liked... He leaves you a million little gifts everywhere so you can have them. All of them are left with a note that has only the word gift or free on it.

☆ He has a space where he keeps everything you give him. He even kept some food you gave him there, until he realized it would mold... But everything that can't go bad, he has shelves and tables to put them on. He wants to display all of it!

☆ He wants everything you give him. When you spend time together, he'll keep staring at your hands until you take the hint, or he'll slowly lean into you. Fae aren't very touchy, Balor is included, but he loves it with you.

☆ He wants your name.

☆ He wants it so bad it hurts. He still carefully shuts you up every time he feels you about to say it near him, but he wants it. He hasn't told you his name either. Never has he taken another creatures name, despite his kin pushing him to do so, and never has he shared his own.

☆ He knows the kind of power names have. But he wants it. He'll whisper his name into your ear one night to show you that you can trust him, and while you clearly don't understand what it means, his heart is beating so fast he's scared he'll be sick.

☆ He's very sweet. Well, to you. His fellow fae are horrified that he would give his name to a human. Have you possessed him or something?

☆ Balor finds he doesn't mind that you have so much power over him, regardless of the whispers. You've stopped saying your name around him because of his explanation, and he hopes you understand what him giving you his name means.

☆ He wants you to give him yours, one day, by your own choice.

ᯓ★ SIREN EILAND

☆ Wants to be with you all the time! Once you learn he's technically a merfolk prince, you hesitate about how much time he spends with you. But he insists they don't need him, his sister is plenty capable!

☆ He'll use his own scales to make you jewelry, as well as seaglass and shells he finds deep in the water. You have quite a collection of incredibly rare artifacts and gemstones that he's found at the bottom of the ocean. The kind of bottom of the ocean that humans simply can't reach, even with the aid of machines.

☆ Will absolutely insist on seeing pictures or books with more human artifacts. In fact, he loves learning your history! He has so many questions about the wars and eras of humans. And of course, he'll tell you all about the merfolk as a trade.

☆ Sometimes he'll sing for you. He now knows that it makes you unaware, desperately pushing your way towards the source of the sound (him!! he loves loves knowing you want him so badly). Of course, he doesn't want you hurt and always makes sure that he's away from the water, and he keeps a hold of you the entire time.

☆ He might bring you different kinds of merfolk foods. You can't eat any of them. It's either raw and riddled with disease, or it's simply toxic to humans. But he's determined to find something you can eat.

☆ Will absolutely let you touch him to study if you want to. Want to feel his scales? The skin between his fingers? Measure the length of his tail or fins? Absolutely! He will want to return the favor with your legs though.

☆ He can't hold hands. The skin between his fingers that help him swim faster simply won't allow it. Merfolk usually intertwine their tails. You don't have a tail for that, and he doesn't have fingers like you for human rituals.

☆ He's very upset about that. He will pout at you.

☆ He's practically a conscious metal detector. If you lose anything on the beach he will find it very quickly, and if you lose something in the water he'll find it for you. No worries!

☆ He wishes he had a camera, after you explain them to him. He hates that you can't breathe underwater, and that he can't walk. Wouldn't it be nice if he could show you around the city? Introduce you to his sister? She's so shy with humans... Or, even better, he could see your town!

☆ He's heard his parents talking about a witch who has moved closer to the castle city... He doesn't think it would hurt to see, right?

ᯓ★ SELKIE CALDARUS

☆ He gives you his skin.

☆ It's probably faster than someone who is nearly last of his kind should've, but it's so easy to let you have it. And sure, he could've kept it for himself, but it's easier to let you have it. Besides, someone could take it from him any day. It's better you have it than some stranger. He's seen that you're a good person firsthand, too.

☆ In his human form, he likes draping it around you. Whenever he's with you, whether it's out on a shoreline or at your couch, he'll take the skin and wrap it around your shoulders. He loves the way it looks on you. And it's warm, too, and so soft.

☆ He'll insist on going swimming somewhere remote all the time. He'll take his seal form and let you hang onto him so you can both just float on the water. Isn't it nice? He's a very powerful swimmer. It doesn't matter how far out you get, he can still bring you safely back to shore.

☆ Hasn't spent much time with humans. He's pretty ignorant to what food they eat, how to date someone, etc. You might have to show him. He's eager to learn!

☆ He loves rubbing his nose against yours. He does it regardless of which form he takes. He'll wrap his arms around your head so your face is close to his and do it. Introduce him to kissing, and he'll do the exact same thing. Wrap his arms around your head to have you as close as he can while he kisses you, and he'll stay there as long as you let him.

☆ He avoids touching anyone else, but he's all over you. He loves the warmth of your skin, especially against his own, and will touch you whenever he can. A hand on your lower back, his hands on your hips, and his face pressed against your neck... He's addicted to it.

☆ In his seal form, he'll do little other than just flopping on top of you and laying there. That, in the sun? His favorite pass time.

☆ Sometimes he will refuse to go to any body of water. He never tells you why, and he never let's you go close to it either. He just tells you it's for the better, with a disgusted look on his face. It's safe to assume your town might not have only one selkie.

ᯓ★ VAMPIRE MARCH

☆ Most of the time, you'll be the person who seeks him out. Sometimes you bring him metals and ores, sometimes just human food that you secretly eat yourself to help him hide his identity. He still doesn't understand why, why you bother helping him. You're meant to hunt creatures like him. And yet, you're here, helping.

☆ March will handle the metals that burn his skin without gloves, on occasion, whenever some hunters or other blacksmiths stop by. It helps him hide his secret. No vampire would be dumb enough for that, right? It takes a lot to heal the burns though, and he certainly doesn't eat enough to do so. Make a display about scolding him for being so careless, working with metals, without gloves! What if he gets burnt, or cuts himself, or hits himself with a hammer?

☆ He grumbles about it being a hammer. But now, the rest of the guild will laugh at him and remind him to wear his gloves whenever he tries to go without them, with passing joke about him worrying his lover. The thought makes his heart stutter — but you've certainly made his life a lot easier by doing that.

☆ The entire guild thinks your dating. You being worried that he doesn't use his gloves? You're scared of your boyfriend getting hurt! Actually, no, you're just not in the mood to be super dizzy from blood loss.

☆ You bringing him food whenever he works so long before a heist? You're just taking care of him and being a good lover. In reality, you've already had your portion for the day and wanted extra. You know March can't eat it, so you get it instead. It's a ploy for extra food on your part, and helps further the March-is-a-human agenda on his.

☆ The two of you mysteriously disappeared for some time during the day, or people seeing you sneak into each other's rooms? Everyone is passing around jokes about how March should keep it in his pants during work, or joking around how being active is good for you. Really, it's just so March can feed. It's easier on you if he does it frequently in small amounts, after all.

☆ He... doesn't understand why you never argue against the rumors. Or why you shoot him that look to meet him in the bathrooms, where you'll press a hand against his forehead and tell him he looks pale. That he should eat. Or why you bother going over to him outside of any reason to feed him. Why you just sit there while he works talking.

☆ It's hard for him to process the fact he cares so much for a human. Again. He hates it. Hasn't he learnt his lesson the last time it happened?

☆ It's an accident — when he doesn't notice the signs of alcohol in you before it's too late, and you're both sitting pressed against the wall of some hallway, giggly and drunk. He doesn't mean to tell you about how much he misses his family, how much he hates his brother for being a dumb human, for leaving him. He's crying before he knows it, and then your arms are wrapped around him.

☆ He's pressing his lips against yours before he knows what he's doing. He's shifting to get closer, pressing himself as close as possible, sighing when you wrap your arms around his neck. Let's his own wrap around your waist. You can feel his fangs there, on occasion, but he never bites. Never even thinks of moving his mouth to anywhere other than your lips. He doesn't even bother moving when someone walks past you, whistling.

☆ He hopes you don't regret it, later. He knows he won't.

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Ryis:

Your hands. Literally anywhere on your hands

He’s a carpenter so he has a fond appreciation for all the wonderful things they can do, and is always mesmerized by all the hard work you manage to do with yours

bonus points for more calluses! Gotta keep that farm in tip top shape somehow :)

He’ll also give you plenty of kisses on the cheek. It’s his sweet way of saying hello. Whenever you feel his arm casually drape over your shoulder out of nowhere, expect it to happen

Hayden:

On top of your head

He’s a big guy ok. Chances are he’s taller than you and can easily kiss you there. If he’s not tall enough, then he settles for behind the ear or on the shoulder

basically anywhere he can reach when he gives you a big warm hug from behind + snuggling his face between your neck and shoulder

Like Ryis, he also loves kissing you on the cheek. Just a frequent form of affection along with some regular ol’ kisses

Balor:

The knuckles of your hand

may not seem too different from Ryis, but Balor does it very formally and very romantically, bowing at the waist and holding your hand while he kisses your knuckle

he loves to kiss your neck too. Especially if it makes you flustered

overall he’s just very passionate when he kisses you. Very methodical. He always seems to know what he’s doing and always seems to know exactly how it will make you react

Eiland:

on your forehead or nose

He’s very formal, despite liking to dig in the dirt, so he likes to keep things light when you’re out in public. Not a fan of pda except when it’s appropriate, like holding hands and the lighthearted face kisses <3

blushed really hard the first time you kissed him on the lips (this man couldn't initiate if his life depended on it) and he stutteringly compared it to a marble statue bust’s mouth

only lets you kiss him when you’re in private (though he secretly looks forward it)

March:

Hard to tell because he’s averse to kisses at first

you had to build up to affection by holding hands, and then it eventually evolved into him kissing your palm or your wrist (and he’s obviously blushing the whole time) but he doesn’t do it often

Even when he eventually works up to the point and the courage to kiss you square on the lips, he still gets deniably flustered about it so he rarely does it

when he does though, it’s during those rare, vulnerable moments, and you can rest assured knowing he’s putting all of his love and effort into it

Olric:

On the bicep 💪

He loves complimenting how strong you are or how strong you’ve gotten from your work on the farm, so he loves asking you to flex for him and then presses silly little kisses up your bicep in a form of praise

He may be extroverted, but he’s also a very sweet guy, so when it comes to your face he likes kissing the corner of your jaw

his second favorite part with that is then getting to quietly compliment or praise you in the ear about something he’s very proud of about you

Calderus: (either form)

On your horns you don’t have horns

dragons press “kisses” against each other’s horns as a sign of affection and trust, but since you don’t have any he settles for kissing your ears (or fake horns if you have them as cosmetics). With that knowledge, please please please kiss him on his horns

Due to cultural/anatomy differences, dragons just have different places that are normal to them to kiss

one such place is the back, but that’s hard to do from certain angles with you, so if you lay down on your stomach and let him pepper kisses on your spine and in between your shoulder blades he would absolutely love it

Taglist: March FoM

@itsabea @theloserqueen @moonfiresonorant @turdofanerd @mariusvonhangme

@susanatactica @anomiatartle @apric-t @starsdrawnpastel

@thatonenewjerseychick @smoochi-march

Taglist: Balor FoM

Balor || A stop by the Cart

Balor had taken great pride in keeping his cart clean. It was his means of funding, so it only made sense to have all of his goods showcased with some flourish. It aided in selling themselves. A single look and anyone who passed by would agree that Balor was the kind of merchant to care about the little details. The small things that would go unnoticed by a novice or an individual that didn't pay great attention to their supplies were the things he caught on to. His customers loved it. It made it easy to find what one needed and possibly what one might want.

But when it came to being the main merchant for Mistria? Well, Balor had seemed to have more time on his hands than what he was used to. Having to be the main connection to the Capital wasn't easy. He had to haul the heaviest things in and out to aid the townsfolk as well as to have a healthy cash flow that allowed him to have such good prices compared to others. There were days where Balor dreaded such tasks. Where he would complain about his back aching during breakfast to Hemlock. Raving about how he would never carry a bed into the capital overnight on his own ever again. No amount of complaining would keep him away from his duties completely, though.

And there was one single perk to the strenuous work he pushed through.

Helping the town's beloved farmer. The adventurer that was sent in hopes of aiding in raising Mistria's reputation after the disastrous earthquake left it in ruins. They had been doing a wonderful job thus far. If not for them, Balor wouldn't have easy access to the Capital and outside cities. He remembered when he had met them by the bridge. It had been broken down at the time. He took their hand and lept across the unstable stone that was left. That was when he promised to help them in any way he could. Within reason, of course.

He hadn't thought that such a promise would be the reason he would see you nearly every day and that it would be the highlight of his time within this small town. It was meant to be a one-off offer to show he had a good heart. That he was dependable. It did wondrous things for sales. But he had been thinking less and less about Tesserae.

Spring had started once more. You were officially a part of the town for one full course of the seasons. A mere taste of the farmer's life, and you were reaping its bounty. Balor found himself jealous that you took such ease in a new place. You moved around the same amount when you were an adventurer. The Guild had you going every which way to complete odd jobs. So seeing you fit so well? Slotted in as if you were meant to be here? He felt a little lost.

"Ah [Name], what a pleasure it is to see you this fine morning. Is there anything you need? I have some odds and ends, but if there's a special order you'd like from the Capital, I wouldn't mind being of aid."

Balor greeted you with his usual charming smile. As if he were ready to sway you on a deal. However, he held no intention of such. In his heart, he felt the pull to keep you there. The conversation felt natural. It flowed like the light wind that allowed the pollen of flowers to spread. Flowers he was sure you would pick the moment they bloomed. You had become rather skilled at foraging after coming to Mistria. He felt bad for ever laughing at the meager things you sold before you got your bearings. He understood that everyone starts somewhere. They can't pick and choose their means of income.

"I'm quite alright, Balor. I actually wanted to stop by. Catch up if you have the time."

He had to take a step back. He was rather caught off guard at such a thing. Many of the townsfolk would stop by his cart. Balor didn't get much business, so he appreciated the conversation that filled his time. Conversation from you, though, felt wrong. Not that he didn't want to talk with you, but you were busy. Far busier than him. You had foraging, mining, farming, animal caretaking, and the commissions you take from the request board. You were always moving. Always doing. Balor felt honored to be the one you chose to be still with. Even if it was just a small moment.

"For you? I'll always have time."

Balor did little of the conversing. He simply listened to your chatter. He didn't think he would enjoy the tales of your barn animals. Your animals rival the sass of Henrietta. He tried to pay attention to what you were saying. He caught the ranting of sales prices and the rush of the starting season of spring. His brain had decided to tune out your voice to focus on your hair. It told a story all on its own. The whisps of misplaced strands that spoke of hard work. Your forehead was slightly dampened from the sweat, no doubt the fruits of your labor. There was something breathtaking about such a look. It was proof that you were working. Your hands were no doubt tired from whatever you had been doing this morning.

Without even speaking, he pulled out something from his wagon. A few hair clips he had picked up for his sales. He had expected Maple to come up to try and purchase them. Josephine had become rather strict about how the girl spent her money. He leaned in closer. His hands hovered over your hair before he finally committed. He clipped two heart-shaped hair clips onto the loose strings of your hair.

"Balor?"

The man only shook his head. He knew what you were worried about. He could see it in your eyes. "Don't worry about paying. They're on the house. Think of them as an anniversary gift. I don't think we got the chance to celebrate your coming to Mistria over a year ago. Why not join me at the inn later tonight so we can do it properly?"

Somehow a simple afternoon conversation had become an invitation to a date. Not that you had any clue as to the merchant's intentions. Those heart clips were only the gateway to the spoiling he had planned. All because you happened to be something permanent in Balor's life. A rarity in his ever-fast-paced existence.

Eiland || Tripping over Artifact Mounds

Eiland was one who loved spending his time alone in the outdoors. Meticulously looking over every little thing that screamed history. His brain was in a constant quest of knowledge, and no amount of searching would ever satiate his hunger. He loved looking over artifacts. Decoding the languages engraved on them. His favorite part, however, was searching for them. Nothing felt better than finding a fresh find after a long dig. It was why he spent so long in the Western Ruins during the summer. It was the perfect time to look over piles of dirt to search for something extraordinary.

Getting his hands dirty was second nature. No amount of nobleman prestige would keep Eiland away. He was one sworn to preserving the history of Aldaria. Notebooks were stacked high in his study. Reference guides to all sorts of historical facts littered the floors. If he wasn't out analyzing the old stoneware of MIstria then he was sitting in his study overlooking guidebooks. A piece of cake set neatly aside as a reward. Usually these things were done on his own. Errol would lend the boy his aid, but there was only so much an old man could do.

Safe to say that your interest in archaeology excited the nobleman. Another who was interested in the history of old? Say no more. The finding of Caldarus' statue was just the start. He didn't think the new farmer would pursue much archeology after that. Eiland was fine being the only one around to be so passionate about it. But when you decided to pursue it with him after that? Let's just say Adeline couldn't sleep well that night because a certain someone was screaming into his pillow the whole night. She had to make him tea the very next morning.

As time continued, Eiland felt himself feel oddly closer to you. He was an oblivious individual, yes, but he still felt the shift of your dynamic. Late nights of overlooking the findings ended with you tucked in his bed and him on the floor. Afternoons were met with tea picnics for breaks amidst the warm sun. The colder seasons where you didn't wear enough layers were spent with him fussing over you. He often offered his cloak to you so you wouldn't freeze. He didn't need his favorite assistant freezing and catching the flu. Valen would have his head otherwise. It wasn't until Aunt Elsie had spoken up about his glowing radiance a lover may have when appreciating their partner that Eiland connected the dots. He felt himself become ever more flustered when Adeline agreed about his change in demeanor.

Summer couldn't have come soon enough. You had resided in Mistria for a full year now. You've become rather accustomed to the way things were. You've become a local legend to the townies of Mistria. Having supported the changes Adeline wanted to impose upon the small town and funding all the projects, it was only natural for everyone to adore you. It worried Eiland that you might have been overworked by his sister, regardless of how well you've been doing. He had done his best to make such concerns known to you. He really did. Yet, you always deliberately shut down his unease. As such, his worries blended into his favorite time of the day. Sitting out in the summer sun while analyzing the dig site in the Western Ruins. He cursed the aching need to know where you were. To know that you were taking a break from the relentless grind farming was putting you through.

"Why can't they comprehend that they deserve to rest from time to time? I mean, I understand that Aedeline has goals for the town. But isn't it unfair to expect one sole person to fund and gather the needed resources for the upgrades she wishes to provide?"

Eiland had been muttering to himself for the past hour. He had been so preoccupied with the contemplation of his own rhetorical questions that he hadn't registered that you had tread upon the ruins. There you witnessed his relentless pacing. It seemed quite intense from the way his shoes kicked up dirt. The distraction of his thoughts was broken the moment you got closer. His breath hitched at your presence. Were you watching him the whole time? His face flushed at the mere ideation that you caught the words that left his worried breath. Such worrisome judgment had been cut short when Eiland saw you coming closer to a less-than-obvious mound in the ground.

He had no time to call out to you. You were already caught on it and falling toward the grassy earth. Eiland had never acted so fast. Luckily you were close, so he didn't have to run too far. He cushioned your fall with his chest, holding onto you tightly to ensure you were steady. You could hear the rapid pace of his heartbeat. The same rhythm you found yourself listening to when he insisted you lay your head upon his shoulder when you sat beside him. After looking you over to ensure you weren't injured, Eiland guided you to a shaded area to sit. He insisted he had to make sure you didn't tweak your ankle. Your back rested against a tree trunk as its leaves covered you both from the warm summer sun.

"You need to pay attention when you're in the Ruins, [Name]. You never know what might be under your feet."

Eiland relaxed a bit. Your ankle hadn't been injured. With a breath, he raised his head to face you. His eyes held more worry than you've ever seen him carry. It was quite odd from someone so carefree.

"I...I know you've said as such before, but I couldn't help but be distracted. You were pacing and you just looked so..."

"So what?"

Eiland pushed. He wanted to comprehend what you were thinking. What you had seen when you witnessed his anxious pacing.

"So cute."

His cheeks flushed. The color had seemed to match the shade of his hair. He was caught off guard by such a declaration. So much so that he couldn't process the movement of his own body. His arms reached around you to embrace you in the tightest hug you had ever experienced. Eiland wanted to do more than hold you. He wanted to press kiss after kiss upon your cheek. However, he didn't think you two were close enough for such activities.

"That's no excuse for not paying attention to where you were going."

Eiland's voice didn't carry a heavy weight of seriousness. But much rather a softer one that was trying to hide his embarrassment. No matter what you did or said, you always left him feeling more breathless than any rare find he would ever discover within the ruins.

Caldarus || Falling into the pond

Caldarus had never thought he would find companionship in his state of stone. He would watch the wind blow without a care for everything around it. He'd witness rainstorms express their power through lightning and thunder. Not to mention he was the one who attended to many bird families that had decided his statue was a great perch for a nest. Caldarus couldn't help the jealousy of the feathered critters. He wanted companionship like that. A being to bond with for life and have his own little nest. Maybe some dragonlings that would be the byproduct of such a relationship. All of it was mere fantasy for him. For as long as he was a statue, there was no one coming to provide him such comforts. At times he found himself thinking, how could a mighty dragon be deigned such a lifeless fate? What had he done to earn such punishment? He could not remember any sins if he had any.

There was change to come that Caldarus couldn't have ever expected. He felt the earth shake. A sign of immense change. The earthquake that hit Mistria had been huge. It had devastated parts of the town. So much so that there was an urgent call for aid. You had been the one who would answer the call. The one to help pull Mistria out of disaster. The one to be a friend to Caldarus. The dragon had never even considered a human would be his savior. You were something special. You had a good heart. A brilliant mind. And a hardworking soul that didn't know much of rest. He had considered his existence to be forever lonely. When he reached out to you, he didn't think you would consider it to be real. It was quite the shock when you talked back to him. You would even go as far as to talk to him daily. Even with the amount of tasks you had to complete. He treasured the amount of dedication you put into forming a connection with him.

Caldarus had felt the need to repay you for the immense amount of kindness you had shared with him. Saving you from the sealing scroll wasn't enough repayment. He had taken on a human form. Maybe this had been a blessing in disguise. With this new form he could hold you. He could take care of you effortlessly. His most favored way of appreciating you had been cooking. He had very limited skill in it, but he still tried. He found culinary arts to be rather intriguing. Caldarus would also find flowers for you within his residence in the Deep Woods. He had been lucky that some of the seasonal blossoms reached as far as the thick woodland forest. He had come to learn that humans appreciated variety.

Having been autumn already, the dragon had envisioned providing you with something warm when you visited him next. He had thought to share one of his favorites. Seafood Boil. With his own twists, of course. Caldarus didn't have access to prime ingredients like you, so he was left to improvise a few things. He had decided to try his hand at fishing in the pond nearby. With his luck, you had provided him with a fishing rod. One you had no use for after making a new one out of better materials. He had been quite invested in fishing. Albeit a bit frustrating when such a small noise drove away the bounty.

He had been so riveted by his activity that he didn't hear the sound of the autumn leaves crunching beneath someone's feet. You had thought not to announce yourself when you saw what Caldarus was doing. It melted your heart when you noticed the rod you had gifted him. You were encountered with a great honor at the sentiment.

"Come along now, fish. You are destined to be my dearest Dragonsworn's dinner."

Caldarus had spoken rather proudly, thinking that the fish would bend to his will if you were involved. Little did he know that such creaters were not imposed by a dragon's command. You found yourself trying to hold in a fit of laughter. You didn't want to disturb him or the fish he was trying to reel in. However, the need to laugh had won. You started cackling so loud, it startled Caldarus. He was so shocked that he had lost his balance. A loud splash broke you out of your giggles. He didn't see anything amusing about this.

"[Name]...Why did you startle me? Do you find it amusing to scare a dragon?"

You tried your best to respond. You truly did, but Caldarus was pouting. And a pouting Caldarus was a cute Caldarus. You meandered closer to the edge of the pond to lower yourself closer to him.

"I hadn't intended to scare you. I only wanted to visit but saw you fishing. I caught you talking to the fish, and I couldn't help but find it funny."

"So you were laughing at me?"

The dragon had somehow managed to look even cuter. The water moved around him while he swam to the edge. It was rather chilly. He wanted to get out as soon as possible. He paused when you held your hand out to him.

"No, Cal. I was laughing at what you said. You know the fish can't bend to your will."

His clawed hand encompassed yours. You used any and all of your upper body strength to hoist him free from the chilly water. The wind had chosen the worst time to pick up. A full-body shiver coursed through Caldarus' body. He hated the feeling.

"Come on. Let's get you inside before you get sick."

His fishing journey had been cut short, much to his disappointment. He shadowed behind you on the way to his home. You wasted no time in starting the fire pit that resided in the middle of the room. He undressed himself to put on dry clothing and robes with your aid. In the end, you had helped him once more.

"Why were you fishing anyway?"

He glanced down to his lap, his thumbs pressing against each other in a bashful motion. It felt odd to admit that he was doing it for the sole purpose to give you something.

"I wanted to try my hand at cooking Seafood Broil. I didn't have the proper ingredients, so I had thought I could fish for my own."

The sound that left your mouth was quite embarrassing to hear. You cooed at the thoughtful gesture from Caldarus. Even without something to prove he was thinking of you, the intent was still there. And that couldn't go ignored. You moved to his side of the fire. Your shoulders touched for a brief moment when you slid your head against his lap. You felt his breath hitch.

"You didn't have to go through such trouble. I could have brought you the ingredients."

He knew that, yes, but he didn't want to put you through more work than you already had. His claws rested atop your head. He made sure to keep his touch soft.

"I had assumed it would taste better if I put in the extra effort."

Silence accompanied his admission. Nothing more was said. Nothing more needed to be spoken. For now, there was no warm food to gift to you. Only a fire and his body heat provided such. And, perhaps, that was better than a meal because it was him warming you up from the chilly weather. Caldarus wouldn't have it any other way.