#ikerev x reader

“get some unscented lotion next time. and make sure you’re showering with lukewarm water, hon.” he purses his lips, looking up at you through his pretty eyelashes, “and come to me if it gets worse.”

“i will, doctor kyle.” you smile, smug as ever when his cheeks glow pink, “nobody could treat me better.”

“don’t say things like that.” he huffs, pinching the fat of your left thigh.

it’s such a gentle pinch that it feels more like he’s tickling you. you giggle under your breath, and he smiles.

“thank you.” you murmur when he finishes, knowing he didn’t have to take care of you but decided to anyway.

“yeah, of course.” he smiles, pushing himself up from his position on the floor.

he tilts your chin up and steals a soft kiss from you, nuzzling his nose against yours as he pulls away. you find yourself frozen for just a moment before you jolt forward, kissing him again.

you whisper i love you’s against his mouth and he returns them, smiling hard enough to hurt his pink cheeks.

oh, how you adore him.

Jonah Clemence

If you go into fits of emotions, your husband Jonah will also get emotional. Honestly, with the way that he's reacting, people might believe that he's the one pregnant with the child

You tried to keep it hidden, but the one time that Jonah triggered your mood swings was when he tsked at one of the names of your child, unsure about it

He was thrown in a panic at your sudden crying, asking you to tell him what was wrong and resorting to handing you your favourite items just so you could cease crying

The mood swings aren't the biggest thing that stress him out during your pregnancy. In all honesty, he's worried about getting you around, and wants to prevent any accidents of falling

He's making you stay in his family estate where you're well taken care of in your late stages of pregnancy. He's promised to return every night to you, even if you're not awake, as he presses a kiss to your forehead of your sleeping self

Edgar Bright

He's surprised by the pregnancy at first, but he's quick to add up the pieces about your strange behaviour. He even knows that you're pregnant before you do

It's certainly unplanned, but he's not one to get panicked about it. He's joyous, smiling around the office which shocks the other officers, believing he's pulling something sinister behind their backs

He's very good at handling your mood swings, accommodating to them. When you're angry, he'll listen to you. When you're in tears, he'll wipe them away and say that you're alright

He's gotten used to predicting the kinds of moods that could come about with you. He even has teas to calm you down if you need it

The thing he hasn't gotten used to is your aches. His massages are helpful, but he frowns every time they return. In his childish moments, he scolds your body for hurting you such as 'YN's body… stop hurting my beloved alright?'

Kyle Ash

He may be a doctor, but he's not always a sharp one with how much he'd drink in one night. It just so happened to coincide with the moment you decided to tell him you were pregnant

Well, it's not like he remembers with the hangover. Kyle soon asks you to help him recall what happened, and initially it wasn't a big issue…

Until later in your pregnancy, you kept reminding him of the incident. Really, it's not you, nor does he blame you, as he soothes you while you're upset

The one thing that shocks everyone about your pregnancy is that Kyle Ash swore off alcohol the morning after you told him you were pregnant. Of course, this included Zero locking up the bottles in your house at the office instead

He's a man of sheer will when it came to you, so he kept his word. What he didn't stay off though, was having you in his bed. They do say that having some sensual time eases your aches, as the doctor allows it…

Zero

This sweet ace is so gentle with you when he hears the news. You told him during a tea party of the Red Army, and the officers saw him shed happy tears, gently hugging you as he thanks you

Zero began to doubt his strength, not wanting to crush you and the baby at all, so he starts to stay away from you, even hesitating to hold your hand in those days

He's not entirely aware of the emotional changes that could come with pregnancy, so it definitely stumps him when he can't figure out why you're crying

You try to explain it to him through your tears, but it's too late as Zero is already running out the door to demand the bakery for your favourite pastry that he forgot to buy this morning

He's confused about it, but he's able to help you calm down when you need to. You in turn help him be comfortable with touching you, him touching your rounding stomach bringing an intense blush to his cheeks

Ray Blackwell

He's over the moon that you're pregnant, but soon he grows anxious that he doesn't know much about what might happen to you besides your obvious physical changes

He was surprised that it was given an okay by the doctor to be sensual during your pregnancy. Not that he's complaining, but he still makes sure to surround you by pillows to support you

Ray mostly thought that your change of mood was because he did something wrong. He feels even worse when you apologise for it, since you can't help it

It's a learning curve to help you, but he'll study every book about it if it means he can be a better husband to you

He loves putting his head against your stomach and kissing it, then kissing you. He's loving both his child and his beloved wife, and he gets to rest with both of them

Sirius Oswald

With witnessing his mother through the pregnancies of his younger siblings, he's more prepared than you thought he was

Sirius is one who asks you if you need anything first, and whether you're fine with him leaving for work. Sometimes, he stays with you a little longer if you need him to

Well, in all physical aspects, Sirius has it well covered. On the emotional side… he's not lacking, he just needs time to understand your moods

He too feels that it is his fault, often seeking advice from his family on how to support you. There was a time with a mood swing that you hated to see him, where the man couldn't help but worry himself at work

At the end of the day, all the stress melts away when he sees you sleeping peacefully in your shared bed, hugging one of his coats close to your chest

Seth Hyde

He's absolutely delighted by the thought of you with his child. He's much more careful with his work, because he had you and his child to go back to

Your moods fall to being extremely worried to absolutely apathetic about him. He knows you can't control it, so he plays along, being affectionate or heartbroken when the scene calls for it

Seth is very strict about you walking around however. He doesn't want anybody to purposefully trip you over, or anyone on horseback to bump you so no matter what your mood is, you will hold his arm when outside

Seth however, is willing to fight anyone on the streets that comments about your growing stomach. He believes that you're carrying twins, already telling you every night what he thinks they might look like

Moods became less frequent, considering that Seth plays the scenario out hilariously that it causes you to snap whatever emotion you carried before

Luka Clemence

He almost dropped the pot of soup when you told him. If it weren't for Sirius, their dinner would be gone… Well, looks like there was another reason to celebrate!

He mostly wanted to spend time with you, to which everyone excused him for the time being. Your sweet Luka is holding your hand every step of the way…

Well, except for those moments when you decide that you're upset with him, to which he doesn't bother you. You're quick to snap out of it when you hear Luka's voice out the door, asking to be let in

He absolutely doesn't let Jonah visit, yet Jonah always finds a way. He actually prayed that Jonah finds you in a bad mood

Often times, Luka would make sure that you're always wearing something comfortable with comfortable food around you, as he holds your hand in the time he spends with you

Fenrir Godspeed

He twirls you around the room upon hearing the news. He's overwhelmed, going up to everyone he sees, telling them that he's going to be a father!

Actually, he's a nervous wreck about parenting a child. He's worried, but he often pushed it back to concentrate on your needs

He's unsure at first on how to tackle your sudden moods, but being around Fenrir lifts your spirits even though he's fidgeting around

Fenrir learns the changes that happen to your body, and he's noting them down, asking you about any aches that you feel. He's there to massage them away, to the best of his abilities

He makes sure that his work and you are separate. No firearms around you, and when you visit him, he's helping with training or paperwork as to not stress you out

Blanc Lapin

He could tell that something was off, but he didn't expect a pregnancy! It's the first time he's ever speechless, his usual cool demeanour falling as he grasped to your hands tighter

He definitely asks Kyle about it, doing some reading on himself. Before going to bed, he also reads to you what he learns from the books and asks for your feedback on how he's caring for you. He's a busy man, but he tries

He often finds himself staring away at you, particularly at your growing stomach. It's still shocking to him that his child is in there somewhere…

One thing that he never misses out on is eating or dining with you. With him, you tend to vent out your frustrations to him. He often faces your mood swings head on, even so, you're not harsh on him

You fear he overworks himself that he has no time for himself, but your worries are washed away when you find him reading a paper about the names he shortlisted for your child

Oliver Knight

In his taller form, he couldn't help but pick you up in his arms and twirl you around. Of course he wants to raise a family with you! The only issue that he pushed back was…

It was a little odd to walk around with you in the mornings with you pregnant. It made HIM look like your child

The amount of times he had to hold back from punching the people who'd ask him if he's excited for a sibling… He often says nothing, because any skeptics would stress you out

He asks Kyle to accompany you most of the time, and he does get jealous…. It quickly fades when Kyle faces your ever changing moods

Often Oliver is the one who'll make your mood swings vanish, but with how busy he is, he's often worried that he won't be there for you. He makes time, always returning at night to you though

Loki Genetta

He doesn't process what you said at first. Then, your Loki faints from the news, the Black Army having to put him in bed as you wait for him to awake

He's asking you if it's true, and when you nod, he pulls you into a tight hug. He's overwhelmed, incredibly emotional as he cries into your chest with nothing but love and thankfulness to you

He tries to play off that he's nervous, but his thoughts run wild at every possibility that could go wrong. You have to sit down with him and talk him through it

He often tails behind you quietly, but he goes into a frenzy when he sees you cry your heart out all of a sudden… That was your first mood swing

It was a surprise to Blanc to find you and Loki sobbing to each other on the floor of his living room when he got back

Harr Silver

Your Harr was frozen the moment you told him. Nothing you told him got him to snap out of it… and just when you were having a peaceful meal together

Harr is unconfident that he could do this on his own, so he's quick to ask Sirius or Lancelot for help. It's to their shock of course, but they welcome him

You settle near the Central Quarter, with easier access to care. You do appreciate what he does, but your emotional changes cause you to be annoyed with your husband

It's not good for his heart really, as you refuse to hold to his hand. But Kyle said that this could happen, so if you disliked him, this man would put on a disguise to escort you to the doctor's

Harr's adorable way of supporting you makes you quickly jump into his embrace full of love, as Harr holds you gently, his next fear being that he might squish you…

Mousse Atlas

It's difficult to catch your sleepy husband with full attention, so you just so happen to put some caffeine in his breakfast just so he'd listen

YN, if he was still sleepy, he'd react the same as news that you were with child kept replaying over and over again in his mind

It was the first time anyone'd see him so motivated to finish work. Even so, he didn't go out drinking. Instead, he goes home straight to you, to get the nap he was dreaming of, with his arms cradling you and the child close to him

Mousse is learning, but it surprises everyone else that he'd sometimes ask random questions about pregnancy and fatherhood

Mousse surprisingly isn't the target of your mood swings. He'd watch you in amusement as you scold the inanimate object for being in your way, as he simply agrees with your statements

Dalim 'Dum' Tweedle

He thinks you're joking at first, but then you throw a pillow at him. Then he believes it, now comforting you and kissing your forehead with promises of getting through it together

He's your victim of your moods, often getting things thrown at him such as your towel, or your pillow as you pout at him at something he didn't do

He only teases you back, that boyish smile of his getting you back every time, as you pull the sheets closer to your chest

Of course he's going to bed you to help you with your pregnancy cramps! If it helps, he's willing to try anything!

At the end of the day, he sits on the edge of the bed, his fingers ghosting over your skin with his eyes filled with adoration at your sleeping, growing form…

Dean Tweedle

Dean is on his knees when he hears the news. He has his head to your lap, letting you play with his hair as he takes the moment in…

After that, it becomes incredibly hectic. He tries to reschedule everything so he'd be home by the evening, but sometimes you take it upon yourself to go to the academy or library

His students are in awe at how their stoic professor turns to an absolute mess, worrying about every inch and hair on your body, asking you if you struggled, whether someone bothered you-

Most are aware, but those who aren't… They often give you a hard time, causing you to go into a fit as the newly appointed guards won't allow you to see your husband!

“Hello?”

At the sound of a new, fifth voice, everyone stopped in their tracks and turned to face the door, where you were now standing. Your hand was raised to the door tentatively, as though you’d tried to knock but had received no answer. Glancing around the room bewilderedly as the Black Army officers stared at you with wide eyes, you began to backtrack, unsure of what you’d just walked in on.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt, I’ll come back later and—”

“Not at all.”

As a sixth voice joined the conversation, the group swiveled back around to face Ray’s desk. To everyone’s astonishment, Ray seemed to be fully focused suddenly, smiling at you softly. “You’re not interrupting. Come in.”

With your arrival, the air in the room seemed to thicken somehow, full of unspoken meaning. You met his smile with a grateful one of your own and he nodded in response, signaling for you to enter. At this silent exchange, a knowing look passed between Sirius and Seth—which didn’t escape Luka’s notice, but only seemed to confuse him further—and suddenly all of the pieces fell into place.

Fenrir had witnessed some of Ray’s rare displays of vulnerable emotion before, but never one like this. If he knew what Seth was implying, then that would mean...

Without even realizing, he stopped tapping his foot, his body slowly going numb instead.

He couldn’t remember what exactly you were there to tell them. After being struck by that realization, Fenrir couldn’t focus on the conversation anymore, absently glancing back and forth between you and Ray as if trying to prove to himself that this was really what it looked like. The way Ray seemed to become himself again the second you walked in... The way his posture relaxed and he leaned forward in his seat... The gentle twinkle in his eyes as he listened to you speak, as though cherishing every word... 

Seth was right. There was only one explanation.

⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆

“Fenrir, do you think Ray likes me?”

A few days had already passed since that meeting, but even though the memory of it had been lingering in his mind ever since, it still caught him off guard when you suddenly blurted out that question at dinner one evening. So off guard, in fact, that his plate nearly slipped out of his hand.

“Huh?”

He couldn’t kept the shock out of his voice as his head snapped in your direction. Though you were standing beside him, you were gazing across the room at Ray, who was currently helping himself to a second portion of Luka’s stew despite receiving a light scolding from Sirius. 

“I mean...” Your face reddening as Fenrir stared at you with wide eyes, you tried to explain, “You know him better than anyone, right? So I assumed, if anything has changed about... the way he feels about me... well, he'd tell you first.”

Fenrir opened his mouth to respond, but stopped himself before he could say anything. The worry—insecurity—radiating off of you made him think better of it. A dull ache arose in his heart as he watched you fiddle with the ends of your hair, anticipating his response. He couldn’t find it in himself to tell you the truth.

No, he hasn’t told me anything.

Sneaking a quick glance at Ray, who seemed not to notice the two of you watching him, Fenrir was secretly glad that those words died on his tongue, so he wouldn’t have to admit it out loud.

To be honest, he hated that Ray was leaving him in the dark about all this, just as much as he hated knowing that you were doubting yourself because of Ray’s silence, too. He couldn’t speak for him, but he knew what he saw, at least. Maybe that was still enough for him to be able to help you.

“Well, do you like Ray?”

You jumped, as though you’d forgotten he would figure that out from your question. Before you even had to worry about stuttering out a response, however, Fenrir flashed you a wry grin.

“I see.”

“Fenrir—”

“Nah, don’t worry, I won’t make you say it.” Turning his gaze back onto Ray, he let out a short sigh. “There’s one thing I can tell you for sure. You remember that meeting the other day?”

You nodded.

“He was acting weird until you walked in. Then it was like all the clouds hanging over him disappeared, all at once. If just one look at you could do that to him, then you must be pretty darn special to him.”

He peeked over at you, hoping to find that his words were reassuring you. The sight of your stunned expression, your cheeks dusted a light pink, made his breath catch in his throat for a moment.

Was it really so surprising to think that Ray would value you so much? It seemed more unbelievable to Fenrir that he wouldn’t. The Black Army headquarters had really started to feel like home again once you arrived. Even with the threat of war looming over their heads, your presence alone was enough to put everyone at ease. Maybe he’d taken it for granted that you knew how much you meant to them—to him.

“Listen, I don’t know anyone else who could have that kind of effect on my buddy. That’s the honest truth. So keep your head up high, okay?”

Come on, smile for me. That worried look doesn’t suit you.

As though you’d heard his thoughts, your expression softened with relief and you glanced over at him with a small, touched smile. “Oh, Fenrir... you really are an amazing friend.”

He huffed a short laugh as if by instinct, but somehow it sounded a little strained in his own ears. “Like I said, I was just being honest with ya.”

“Still, thank you.”

“No need. What are friends for, right?”

You hummed in agreement, and it was almost funny how much that one little action reminded him of Ray. Had you picked up on that habit of his, too? Or was he starting to rub off on you, after spending so much time together?

Fenrir watched as your attention wandered back to him, and you took a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll talk to him, then.” Your voice still sounded a little nervous, but he didn’t miss the way that determination flickered in your eyes, and he decided then and there that he strongly preferred seeing you confident to seeing you doubt yourself. 

He would’ve found himself admiring that look in your eyes much longer, in fact, if you didn’t snap him out of his reverie by suddenly planting a kiss on his cheek. His eyes going wide as saucers, Fenrir’s hand flew to his face, hovering over the spot you had kissed.

“Thanks again.” With one last smile, you excused yourself and began to make your way across the room to Ray. 

Standing frozen in place, Fenrir would have sworn that his cheek was tingling. He watched the scene unfold in front of him—you approaching Ray, patting his shoulder to get his attention, Ray looking up curiously and immediately greeting you with a warm grin... 

And then Fenrir had to look away, his heart squeezing uncomfortably in his chest. The sound of his two favorite people in the world laughing together should have had the opposite effect, so why was he feeling like this? Why was he so flustered, so conflicted?

What was happening to him?

⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆

Dragging his feet as he trudged back to his room, Fenrir tried to be extra careful, so he wouldn’t wake anyone up. He held his head in one hand, sighing. He really only meant to have one drink when he headed out to the tavern after dinner, but time must have gotten away from him. 

He’d be lying if he said the buzz wasn’t helping a little, though. It hadn’t made him forget about the issue that was bothering him, but it made it easier to think about, at least.

“An amazing friend, huh?” he muttered to himself. A flat, self-derisive chuckle slipped through his lips as he began to climb the stairs, still sensible enough to watch his step. He wondered if you would still consider him such an amazing friend if you saw him now, stumbling home drunk after seeing you so happy with another guy.

And Ray, what about him? What would he think if he knew that it broke Fenrir’s heart to imagine him with you? He was hardly acting like an amazing friend right now. If anything, he was the opposite.

“This is pathetic.” Fenrir wished he still had a drink with him to take a swig from, especially when he reached the top of the stairs and rounded the corner. “Hm?”

Standing in front of the door to Ray’s bedroom, two figures were currently wrapped in a tender embrace, their lips pressed together as they held each other close. Although the hallway was dark at this hour of the night, it didn’t take much guesswork to figure out what he was seeing. Fenrir would recognize your silhouette and that of his best buddy anywhere.

And the sight left him absolutely devastated. 

Sensing that you were no longer alone, you jumped back from Ray’s arms, abruptly severing your kiss. “Oh!”

Startled by your sudden reaction, Ray turned to follow your gaze, cautiously stepping in front of you. “Who’s there?” He squinted through the darkness, trying to make out the figure who was now standing completely still at the end of the hallway. “Fenrir? Is that you?”

Ha. So Ray would recognize me in the dark, too. 

“Yeah. Sorry to scare you,” Fenrir let out a tense laugh, scratching the back of his neck. “It looks like I’m interrupting something, huh?”

Upon realizing that it was just him, both of you visibly relaxed, although Fenrir could imagine the way you must’ve been blushing.

“Well... We talked about it, and it sounds like we’re on the same page, so...” You looked to Ray, who wrapped his arm around your waist in response, silently confirming that the feeling was mutual.

“Aw, you don’t owe me an explanation,” Fenrir waved his hand dismissively. “I will say... This is good. Really good. You two, you both deserve the best...”

Through the shadows, he could faintly see Ray’s brows furrowing together. “Fenrir, were you out drinking? What’s up?”

As much as he was trying to keep the waver out of his voice, he should’ve known that Ray would see right through him. You both were staring at him now, and his voice hitched in his throat as he tried to sort out all the emotions swirling inside him.

Damn it, this isn’t how he wanted to react. He didn’t mean to interrupt your moment or make you worry about him. You should be celebrating, and he should be happy for you. Really, truly happy for you, without any reservations. He had no reason—no right—to feel so crushed.

“Nothing’s up. I just felt like going out to town, that’s all,” he shrugged. “And listen, I won’t tell anyone what I saw, so you don’t need to worry about that. Although I’m sure everyone will be thrilled when you’re ready to tell them. Ha, I can hear Seth’s voice already. You know, he was hoping this would happen.”

Fenrir could feel that you were both still hesitant, watching him carefully, so he continued on, desperate to put you both at ease. 

“As for me, well... I’m always rooting for you, ya know? I, uh...” He paused, clearing his throat. “You two mean a lot to me, so I’ll support you no matter what. Really, I mean it.”

Silence hung in the air for a moment. A heavy silence, as though none of you would dare to breathe. 

Ray was the first to speak again, his voice a soft murmur. 

“I never doubted that, buddy.” 

Fenrir tensed at the tone of his voice, understanding the meaning it carried. Ray was simultaneously grateful for his offer of support and confused as to why he even felt it was necessary to say. So, then, he’d assumed that Fenrir would’ve been on board from the beginning, and probably that he already knew how Ray felt. Maybe that was why he hadn’t bothered to explain anything to him.

Oh, I’m such an idiot. 

Fenrir was always the first to notice whenever something was wrong with Ray. That was true. But he’d forgotten that it was true the other way around, too. Of course his buddy would know that there was something more going on here if he didn’t step up his game.

For the sake of Ray’s happiness and yours, Fenrir had to do what he did best. 

Put on a brave face. 

No matter how much it might hurt.

Pasting his cheerful smile back onto his face, his words spoke the truth, even if his expression was lying. “Well, then, I’ll leave you to it. My head’s pounding, so I think I should get to bed. I’ll celebrate with you properly tomorrow, yeah?”

“Thank you, Fenrir.”

Your gentle voice was clearly meant to offer him some sort of solace, but somehow it made him feel even worse. Still, he kept his smile exactly as it was, turning to walk away with a carefree wave.

“No need. What are friends for, right?”

And yet that was what someone said to him, straight to his face. That mysterious person that fell to Cradle on the night of the full moon, Alice the second, the one who had Cradle’s future in the palm of their hands, and the one who would help win them the war between red and black. On that night, not only was he surprised by their magic-defying ability, but the fact that they spoke the words his soulmate would speak to him. He didn’t know what to be more flabbergasted about, and that moment of hesitation made him lose them, as they ran as swiftly as they appeared. 

It was his duty to get this Alice for his king, but it was his duty as their soulmate to inform them that they were his. They most likely already knew but they hadn’t reached out to him. How rude. So he did the best thing to accomplish both goals; have a private meeting with the Alice. And for further planning, he’d be able to get both the second Alice for the red army and his soulmate. He couldn’t think of a better scenario if he tried. 

He was very pleased with himself and grew excited when he saw his soulmate ascend from the Civic Center and into the garden alone, just as he had asked. Oh how excellent it was to have a soulmate who could take orders from him. He couldn’t ask for anything better. 

Throughout their first meeting together, they wouldn’t stop surprising him. In a bad way, he would insist, as they were feisty and didn’t like to listen to him at all. They were rather hostile to him. As the meeting went on, Jonah grew more antsy and crossed with the situation before him. But the straw that broke the oxe’s back was when they told him, with such conviction, that they “could never love him.”

“Let’s play a game, Alice,” Jonah proposed with a strained smile, abruptly standing up from his chair and walking over to them. In a desperate attempt to hold his composure, he tried to school himself about how he had no reason to get so riled up about their words and actions. This was merely a pawn. His pawn, but a pawn nonetheless. Their words didn’t matter, don’t let such petty words spoken by a commoner make him irate. By the time he made his way across the table and over to Alice, he grabbed their chin for direct eye contact. “Why not play a game of love? You say you can never love me? Do you stand by that statement?”

Alice replied with a huffy “I do!”. Oh how fun it was to rile them up like they did to him. 

Jonah’s smile changed from a mask to one of mischief. “Then you won’t have a problem taking on this challenge from me. Once every three days, we’ll have a date.”

His words only made them angrier, but they couldn’t get out any words before Jonah pulled away from them and started his way back down to the Civic Center. As he walked away, Jonah spoke out to Alice. “I’ll be generous and give you wishes of luck. Though I know you’ll fall for me. Then you’ll be where you belong, right by my side”

When you aren’t his soulmate (1779)

Jonah wouldn’t say he was “fascinated” by the idea of soulmates, because that implies that he looks into this silly fairytale idea. No, as the Queen of Hearts he would never. He was never meant to have a soulmate. The universe could assign him a soulmate, but his destiny was paved by his ancestors and love was not something that they would allow for him. So it would have been better if he just never looked into soulmates. He swore he never did.

Then they had to come and ruin everything for him. This person from the land of reason. They would be his, and not just for the sake of the Red Army. Something about them just attracted him towards them. They were his destiny. Yet the words on his wrist said differently, saying words far different than the ones they spoke to him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Queen of Hearts,” blemished his wrist. Scowling for the uptenth time, Jonah tears his eyes away from the words. There were a plethora of things wrong between you and the words from his soulmate that all added up to you not “being the one”. For example, you didn’t even know who he was. A shame, truly. Then you acted so brashly and indignantly. And there were so many other things, yet he knew you were “the one” for him. The universe had it wrong, that was all. He could easily fix this with some seduction on his behalf. On top of that, it wasn’t like you two had to be soulmates; there wasn’t a guarantee that soulmates would find each other. It was a rare and celebrated occurrence. If you were his soulmate, it would make everything far easier. Yet his best efforts came up barren, as his proposed challenge of “dates” didn’t make you like him at all. If anything, it made you hate him more.

Furrowing his brows, Jonah tried to think of other ways to get you. Time was ticking and he had less than two weeks to get you. Jonah pondered over many options. There was always the option to go straight to kidnapping, but that wouldn’t be honorable. The deal was that you would fall for him on your own volition, that he’d win you over, not just grab you. No, he had to figure out something that would still force you into the Red Army Quarters. They would be his. They were his. 

The words on his wrist kept taunting him, practically screaming at him about the connection he has and how you aren’t his other half. A stark reminder that the universe didn’t see you two fit. The universe was blind, it could be wrong, so why would he blindly follow what the universe laid out for him? 

Snarling at the tattoo, he pulled the sleeve of his shirt and coat down, hiding the most useless thing to him. It was going to gain some usage today though. He didn’t think himself to be a brute, but if he had to force two puzzle pieces together to make an image, then so be it. 

This would be the last day you weren't officially Jonah’s.

Jonah had made plans for the third date between you two, choosing the crystal lake to show you what “Cradle had to offer”, since you were interested in Cradle. It was secluded, a gorgeous sight, especially to someone who wasn’t from Cradle, and rather romantic. The sky was clear, the sun didn’t shine too brightly, and the temperature was refreshingly cool. Really, nothing could go wrong. 

He arrived first, of course. He decided a small picnic was in order, as you seemed to like more common activities. Things that were really below him, but nonetheless sweet. You arrived as Jonah was placing the picnic blanket down, albeit clumsily and in the most awkward fashion ever, but he was preparing everything well enough. 

“Do you need help there?” you walk over to Jonah, already reaching down to fix the blanket. 

“No,” Jonah swats your hands away, scrunching his face up. “I don’t. I can do this just fine, give me just a moment.” With that, Jonah went back to laying the blanket on the ground. Some of it was still bunched up, but it was still the best place to sit in the immediate area. “See! Perfect! Now come, come sit. The food won’t eat itself.” Jonah grabs the previously discarded basket of goodies and goes to the blanket. 

“Alright, alright,” you chuckle, walking over to Jonah’s blanket and sitting yourself down. “What do you have today, oh great Queen of Hearts?”

“Some sandwiches, macaroons, strawberries. Just some light things.” Jonah seemed to have brightened up from your words. Maybe he was preening from you referring to him by his title. “Oh, there’s something I wanted to ask about the Land of Reason.” 

“And what could that be?” Looking at him quizzically, you try to decipher where the conversation could be leading to. He hasn’t seemed too curious about it before. The focus on the dates so far had been on whooing you. Maybe he was trying a new tactic or gathering intel for a new tactic? 

“Are there soulmate connections?”

“Yes,” you quirk a brow at his question. That seemed rather odd to ask. “We have soulmate connections in the land of reason. Do you not have them in Cradle?”

“Oh we have them in Cradle,” There was nearly an audible smile in his words. “I was just asking to see if there were any in the land of reason, because of the lack of magic there.”

“Why would that make us have no soulmates?” squinting, you try to quickly think of where this leads. Soulmates. He’s asking for soulmates… does he want to know if you have a soulmate? Or if you’re soulmates? No you’d already know by now, plus it’d be a nightmare to be his soulmate. You’d send your regards to his poor soulmate if you could.  

“I don’t know,” Jonah shrugged. “I just wanted to see what differences there were between the Land of Reason and Cradle.”

“Well, is there anything else about soulmates there you want to know about?” You try to finish all this soulmate talk as soon as possible, specifically for future encounters. If you get everything out here, he’ll stop pestering you.

“What’s your soulmate connection?” He asks it so simply, yet it was the most shocking thing he could have asked. Mouth agape, you try to formulate a response, but Jonah keeps going. “Mine is the tattoo one, the first words your soulmate speaks to you.” 

“Oh really? Well mine’s-” You can’t even try to be polite and Jonah interrupts. He makes it so hard to be nice, he really does. 

“Anyways, Soulmate, how do you do?” You’re flabbergasted. If you weren’t so shocked, you’d joke about how he could ask a worse question than the one before. He’d manage to find something worse, you were betting on that now. 

“Excuse me? I’m not your soulmate?” Indignantly, you try to get the conversation to get equal again, for you to be an active participant, to be an equal to Jonah. At least in the conversation. You couldn’t even dream about being on his level, but a conversation was different.

“Well you may not be my soulmate, but I love you.” With a stern face, he slowly started to unveil his intentions. “We could make this work.” With every word, he kept making the encounter worse. At this point, it was probably the worse date you’d ever gone on. This was practically proposing on the first date, with someone you barely got along with. Where’d he even get the “we” from? He was rather delusional on that front, that or making flawed assumptions. There’s no way you’d go through this willingly. 

“I don’t love you though!” You shout, losing composure. This was a train wreck, truly terrible. Jonah had never talked to a a romantic interest. To hell with this “plan” to hold the war off with these playdates, Jonah was freaky at this point. “I don’t know where you got that impression, but I don’t have any feelings for you.”

“Well I do!” He yelled back, composure completely gone, leaving a panting, desperate man. His feelings were more important than yours. 

He wasn’t going to take a rejection. 

“I love you so much and I hate that. I loathe the fact that you keep me up at night.” Crawling over, like the desperate and deprived man he is, his manic eyes met your. You were frozen in shock, this is not the Jonah you’ve known.  

You’re barely able to scoot back before Jonah is in front of you, grabbing your wrists to stop your escape. Though he quickly moves to your side after securing you, holding you in an embrace from behind. This would be very sweet if Jonah wasn’t like this. Or better yet, if it wasn’t Jonah at all. You’d be sure to avoid him in the future, but you were scared you wouldn’t have a future after this. Both arms wrapped around you. Before getting fully situated, he pulled the sleeve down on one of his arms, before intertwining the used hand with one of your and laying both against your stomach. Your other arm was getting squished between Jonah’s other arm and his body. He held his wrist out, his bare wrist clearly visible and tattooed words upon them in a refined handwriting. “Now you better say the words on my wrist if you know what’s good for you.”

Jonah had an amazing knack for being horrid. You were too shocked to speak. You were truly a fish on land, both because it felt like you were suffocating and you could only open and close your mother in shock. You really jinxed yourself by saying asking about soulmates was the most shocking he’d get. He exceeded your expectations. 

When you didn’t speak, Jonah gave you a quick squeeze to get your attention. “I told you to read the line.” He was getting impatient. 

Somehow you find your voice again and shakily do as he asked. “Uh I- it’s a pleasure to meet you too, Queen of Hearts.” You were slow, but you still said it, pleasing Jonah. He repositioned himself a bit to a proper hug from behind, resting his head onto your shoulder.

“See? It wasn’t that hard,” he spoke softly into your ear, one of the most patronizing congratulations you’d heard from this haughty mess of a man. “Now everything will be easier.”

       You felt him before you saw him, Lancelot’s presence buffeting your back as he swept up behind you in a golden streak of red and white. His fingertips brushed yours in a cool, barely-there touch of skin against skin. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to tease me like that?” he murmured in your ear, the heat of his breath sending a pleasant shiver down your spine. 

       You didn’t bother restraining your soft moan as you turned to peer up at him from beneath your lashes, a sweet smile on your red lips. “Whatever do you mean, darling?”

       Blue eyes narrowing, his arm tried to snake around your waist, but you spun away, predicting the movement as you disappeared back into the melee with a laugh over your shoulder. 

       The ballroom glittered under the light of the chandeliers, members of Red territory’s most prominent families gathered beneath their glow. You’d been told this was the most important social event of the year where parents tried to match their daughters to the eligible young bachelors of the Red Army and each house either rose or fell in favor with the Kingsley family. You’d also been told that you would fall under immense scrutiny and criticism as an outsider - one who had stolen the king’s heart at that. Everything you said and did needed to be perfect, lest you bring a world of silent scorn and mockery upon yourself. No pressure. 

       Of course, Lancelot looked nothing less than dashing in his dress uniform, a king made of gold silk and rubies, born and bred for situations like these. Already, countless women had tried to throw themselves at the young king, each one bolder than the last as they clung to his arms with painted claws and begged him for a single dance with a flutter of their lashes, smiles promising more if he so desired. 

       It was almost comical the way they had fallen away when you had swept through the massive double doors, swathed in gold, red, and white silk. A confidence you hadn’t known you’d possessed had guided your steps as you strode into the ballroom, skirt trailing gracefully behind you as your eyes, lined in black and dusted in gold, had met and held your lover’s. The expense and design of your dress, the patterns adorning the rich fabric subtly matching those on Lancelot’s own uniform, as well as the large, gold, crested ring on your finger clearly marked you as the king’s woman, and people moved out of your way even as they stared, a murmur going through the crowd at your entrance.

       A rare smile had curled at Lancelot’s lips as he offered his hand to you, the last of his admirers slinking away in hopeless defeat as your fingers slid naturally into his, hands meeting and twining only as lovers did.

       “Did I keep you waiting?” you’d asked, unable to help the nervous glance you cast down at yourself.

       Catching your chin, he’d brought your face back up to his, his lips caressing your knuckles too long to be considered proper. ‘Keep your eyes on me,’ his eyes said as he smiled. “You’re perfect.”

       From there, the evening had been a constant stream of people lining up to meet the king’s lover, to gauge whether it would be worth it to try currying favor with you. You couldn’t remember ever having your hand taken so often, not missing the way Lancelot’s grip tightened just a little more on your waist every time another man kissed your hand, bowing in greeting. “Where did you grow up?” some wanted to know. “What does your father do?” from others. “What family are you from?” they all wanted to know though.

       Your respite came when the orchestra finally began to play, striking up a waltz from their place on the far side of the room. Leading the other couples, Lancelot had led you out onto the dancefloor with gentlemanly grace, drawing coos and applause from some of the spectators as he pulled you into his arms. That, however, was where the teasing began…

       “Are you okay?” he’d murmured quietly in your ear as he led you through the steps of the waltz he’d taught you, your dress flaring around you as you spun.

       “I’m okay,” you sighed happily, letting him spin you again. You couldn’t hide your overjoyed, lovestruck smile as you returned to his arms. “You’re with me.”

       Subconsciously, the hand at your waist pulled you closer even as you pressed yourself against him, pelvises meeting as the space required for polite company disappeared. Your breasts, caged within the confines of the low cut of your gown, met his chest, and your thigh brushed his groin on a turn, drawing a low, warning growl from the man even as his fingers tightened on your hip. You’d met the heat in his eyes with equal measure, the air around you seeming to shimmer as your vision filled with him. Your hand curled into the extravagant fur of his mantle, fingers petting black and white mink, a question and an invitation in your touch.

       The moment lingered even as the song dissipated, final notes echoing through the room as the audience applauded and couples broke up in search of new partners for the next dance. His arms released you reluctantly as you pulled away and curtsied, letting another man take your hand for the next dance. 

       You’d only seen him in brief flashes through the crowd after that but your entire body felt him, your heart thumping in your chest and your nerves standing on end. Little did you know, you were driving him just as crazy. Lancelot had established his claim over you - that much was clear from your attire, from the ring with his family crest adorning your finger - but an unfamiliar feeling still welled in his chest. He was suddenly too hot beneath this ridiculous clothing, too restricted.

       He’d managed to steal up behind you for a second, tried to catch you and drag you away for an intimate moment, but you’d managed to slip from his arms, dancing away with a sparkle in your eye. You knew exactly what you were doing to him, oh yes, and you were going to pay for it. 

       The rest of the night passed uneventfully, almost disappointingly so. More people to greet, more dancing. You’d thought that Lancelot would make another move to spirit you away and have his way with you, but he did no such thing, humoring the various aristocrats that bowed and scraped around him until the last carriage had departed. 

       Looking back, you guessed he’d meant to lure you into a false sense of security, because it was when you were walking back to your bedroom, a somewhat disappointed pout on your lips, that he made his play.

       The air left your lungs on a gasp as your back hit the wall, the sound too loud in the silence of the hallway. You hadn’t even heard his footsteps as you turned the corner, your gaze on your feet instead of what was in front of you. Pools of blue filled your vision, a familiar body pressing flush against yours as Lancelot pinned you to the wall. Your heart gave an excited thrill in your chest and you hardly dared breathe, lest he pull away and leave you aching for him all over again. 

       “Jump,” was all he said instead, wrapping his hands around your thighs. You complied automatically, legs wrapping around his waist and grinding the bulge in his trousers directly against your covered core. A surprised gasp escaped you at the contact, glancing down with wide eyes as your lover began to move against you, the heat in his eyes growing with each roll of his hips.

       “L-Lancelot, ah...we...we’re in the hallway...oh!...p-people could...people could come by and see…”

       He blinked lust-hazed eyes at you. “I don’t care.”

       “What? Oh!” You moaned as he hiked you up higher in his arms, his erection grinding harder against your rapidly dampening panties. A pulse was starting to form in your lower belly, an ache in your pussy.

       “I don’t care,” he repeated, panting with need. “I’m going to take you right here and now.”

       “But-!” You yelped as cold fingers curled into your panties, pulling them to the side. He stroked you lovingly, gathering your arousal on the pads of his fingers and dipping his index finger past the tight ring of your entrance. His hand came away soaked, a smirk on his lips as he brought the digits to his mouth, sucking your taste off of them with a moan. 

       The sight left you absolutely weak, a rush of arousal dripping down your inner thighs, and you were sure your knees would have given out if you had been standing. Just like that, the last of your restraint flew out the third story window. He trusted you to free him from the confines of his pants as he held you up, your fingers struggling clumsily on the ridiculously intricate metal of his belt buckle before finally accomplishing your task. 

       Lancelot groaned as your hand wrapped around his pulsing cock, his pants shoved down to just below his balls. The crown on his head finally slipped off, hitting the carpet with a muffled thump and rolling away a few paces, forgotten. 

       A snarl ripped from him when you tried to stroke him, making you squeak when he thrust his hips against you viciously. Releasing his cock, your hands flew to his shoulders, grasping handfuls of his mantle in your balled fists. You watched breathlessly, letting him do as he pleased as he angled himself against your weeping hole. A shiver wracked your form as the thick head breached your entrance, a soft exhale of “fuck” leaving your lover as he tilted his head back to peer at you. 

       “Relax,” he purred, kissing up your neck. The ferocious lion of a few seconds ago crooned sweet nothings into your ear now, lips leaving a fiery trail along your jaw. “Let me in.”

       The moment he felt the tension leave your muscles, welcoming him, Lancelot plunged the rest of the way into you, a beautiful cry of his name ringing down the hall as his cock split your walls. He allowed you a moment to adjust, bodies heaving against each other, and then he pulled his hips back, fucking you right there where anyone could chance upon you. 

       Lancelot filled you so perfectly you barely knew what to do with yourself as he thrusted into you over and over again, leaving you a writhing mess in his arms as your back arched, your lips meeting his in a hard, sloppy kiss. The erotic squelch of his cock drilling into your pussy filled your ears; heaven forbid anyone was close enough to hear.

       Grasping your ass, he pulled you down on him harder, bouncing you on his cock with single minded need. It had yet to be announced, but soon everyone would know that you were his soon-to-be wife, queen consort to the King of the Red Army. He wouldn’t let anyone talk badly about you or your lack of what they considered “proper” connections and breeding, lest they incur his eternal and unmerciful wrath. You were the one he was going to spend his life with, the only woman he would ever love. You were the one who was going to carry his heirs, to give him a family.

       The sudden thought of you swollen with his child made him groan, head falling against your shoulder as he stuttered, nearly losing himself inside of you right then and there. Not yet. His eyes closed as he tried to regain some sense of control. Not until he’d made you cum on his cock.

       “Lancelot?” you questioned breathlessly, wrapping your arms around his neck, combing your fingers through soft blonde hair.

       Chuckling, he looked up at you again, the love in his gaze making your heart swell. “You just feel too good,” he excused, his pace picking up again. “I almost lost myself there for a second.”

       “Mmm, ahh, okay,” you sighed, head tilting back for his ease of access to your neck and shoulder. Each mark he left throbbed pleasantly, proof of his love dotting your skin, and the coil in your belly tightened a little more, closer and closer to that edge. “I-ah...Lancelot, I’m...oh!” A lewd moan erupted from somewhere deep inside of you as the angle of his thrusts changed, the blunt head of his cock ramming against your g-spot. “Right there!”

       “You’re getting tighter,” he observed, rolling into you deeper, harder. “Are you going to cum all over my cock?”

       “Yes! Yes, just...mmh!...don’t stop!” You cried out when teeth scraped the top of your breast, a hand leaving your behind for just a moment to pull the bodice of your dress down. A hot mouth immediately encased your freed nipple, biting and sucking until the nub was red and puffy.

       “Cum,” he ordered, blowing cool air against the sensitive flesh. Blue eyes flicked up to you and you mewled as the tip of his tongue darted out to flick your nipple. “Cum all over my cock.”

       And with a last rough shove you did, your legs locking him in place as you screamed. His cock slammed against your cervix and stayed there as your walls clamped down on him, milking him for all he was worth. Teeth sunk into your neck, muffling his roar as he released against the entrance of your womb. It wasn’t clear anymore where he ended and you began, too entwined in each other as he filled you with his seed. 

       His hair tickled your cheeks as you came down from your pleasure, his damp forehead pressed against yours. “I love you,” he whispered, lips brushing yours. Half-lidded eyes drank in your post-sex expression greedily, basking in your afterglow.