#ro ask

The candlelight is dim in Luk's room where we sit on his sofa making plans for our upcoming wedding. He's laying his head back, taking a break from all the decsion making. His arm is resting around my shoulders, so I reach up and grab his hand, playing with his fingers.

"Luk, can we pretend for a minute that our parents didn't arrange this marriage?"

He opens his eyes and looks at me warily. "I don't see the point, when we can't change it, but sure. For now at least."

I breathe out, hoping he takes this in the way I mean it. I turn slightly, so I can see his face better, letting go of his hand. "Will you marry me?"

"What?"

"I mean not because we have to, because our parents made this agreement or it's best for the empire or any of that. Will you marry me because I'm asking?"

The hand I just released moves up to caress my cheek, and I lean into it, careful not to take my gaze away from his face. I don't want to miss the wonder in his eyes.

"You would want to marry me even if we weren't bound by the betrothal."

"I would," I tell him. I don't get a chance to tell him anything else before he leans forward and kisses me.

Tzesar:

We are riding in the back of a sleigh together, returning to the palace from the opera house in Saletsvad. Tzesar's arm is wraped around me, encasing me in the fur blanket we're sharing.

"Tzesar," I whisper, afraid of breaking the moment, but needing to say what's on my mind.

"Yes?"

"If I can get out of my betrothal, will you marry me?"

A silence follows after I ask the question. It's long enough that I lift my head from his shoulder to find his eyes, they're shimmering with unshed tears and his lip is trembling.

"I don't want to be his wife," I continue. "I want to be yours."

He tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. "I would love nothing more. Marriage isn't as important to me, but I'm tired of pretending I'm not madly in love with you. I want you kiss you after we dance together, spend the night in your room without endangering you. And since marriage will give us that, I'd gladly marry you."

Sentinel:

I sit in front of the small campfire, grateful to have a moment alone with Sentinel. We're sitting in silence, just enoying each other's presence. Him whittling something. Me staring at the fire, lost in thought. Thoughts about him. Us.

"Will you marry me?" I ask abruptly, as shock washes over Sentinel's face. I didn't think I could have surprised him any more than if I tried. He even drops the wood he's holding. Perhaps suggesting marriage is a little hasty since I've only just gotten out of my previous betrothal, but I know what I want, and it's forever with him.

After setting his knife down, Sentinel leans forward and cups my face. "Are you sure? You know how important marrigae is to me, the sacredness."

"I know," I tell him. "You've made your position clear, so I'm not asking lightly. I want to be your wife."

"Even though forever is a very long time for people like us?"

"Even so, I want to be together for however long forever ends up being for us."

He moves his hand away from my face, and wraps his armsa round me to pick me up. "In that case, I would like nohing more than to marry you. I'd even do it today. Right now. I can find a priest. I know Nytherians don't really do that, but.."

"We can have a priest," I tell him, cutting him off with a kiss on the nose. He reaches up to hold the back of my head and keep me from pulling away after, so I rest my forehead against his, eyes closed."I know that's important to you, but maybe not as soon as today. We should invite our families. I want mine to be there, and your aunt will be devestated if you only tell her after we get married."

"Fine."

Naxok:

I run barefoot through the sand, holding Nax's hat to the top of my head while he chases after me. I may be fast, but I'm not nearly as used to moving through sand as he is, so it's only a matter of time before he catches up.

I expect him to grab the hat trimphantly, but instead his arms circle around my waist and he picks me up.

"Caught you," he whispers, pressing a kiss just behind my ear. "Does this mean I can keep you forever?"

I pretend to think about it, turning in his arms so we're facing each other. "Sure, but you have to marry me."

I meant the words as a joke, but I can feel his arms stiffen around me. I expected to laugh and say pirates don't need marriage, or make a joke about better taxes if we settle in the empire. Instead, he stays quiet. I push the hat higher up my head, so I can see into his eyes better. He looks surprisingly serious for a moment then shakes it away with a fond smile.

"What am I doing to do with you?"

"Marry me," I say again, only this time without the teasing and more urgency.

His warm amber eyes scan my face looking for any sign that I'm going to take it back, that this is a continuation of my previous teasing, but I don't give him any.

"I mean it. We should get married."

I see the moment it registers as a legitimate question because his eyes double is size and his hold around me tightens. I hear him mumble a "fuck yes," that I don't think he meant to say out loud as he spins me around.

When he sets me back down his gaze is filled with affectionate determination. "Let's do it."

Albien:

I close my eyes and take in the greenery around me. For once not worried about other eyes. No courtiers to gossip, no overly observant servants, not even nosy friends and relatives. Just me and Albien, for once both completely free of our usual enterages and responsibilities.

I'm sitting in his lap, while he leans against a tree watching the birds together. An assortment of picnic food is scattered around us, the remains of our lunch now merely some exotic fruits and nuts.

"I haven't done anything like this in a long time," Albien admits, resting his chin on the top of my head.

"I don't know if I've ever done something like this."

"I wish we could do this more often," he confesses. "It's just so logistically difficult considering our respective situations."

I frown, keeping my gaze on the sky, a pair of swallows are circling each others in what I can't help but picture as a dance. It would be easier if relations between our counries were better, or if we lived in the same palce, or if there was something tha could give us a way to see each other without much planning and excuses to be in each other's proximity. The problems with the cult spoiled me, it gave me ample reasons to seek him out without appearing treasonous, but now...

"It would be easier if we were married," I hear myself say before I even process the words.

"What?"

"Married," I repeat, testing the word. "We could do this more often if we were married."

The more I think about it the more I like it. I turn my head to try and see Albien's face, from our positions, its a weird angle, but he seems to be searching for mine as well.

There's a lot he could say. A million reasons why we can't, why it would be political suicide for both of us, even with my betrothal already broken. A miriad of ways one of our home's would never accept the other.

"Give me a cycle," he answers, completely defying my expectations. "I have some ideas for how a marriage might be possible, but it still has some holes."

"You've been thinking about this," I gasp.

"With how often you haunt my mind, finding a way to marry you seemed the best course of action."

Gat:

I stare at the paste I'm making, an ugly greenish color that bears little resemblance to the plant it used to be. I offered to help Gat restock his poltices and herbs, and he tasted me with making a supply of some paste that keeps wounds from getting infected. It's one of his most used medicines.

When it finally looks the way he showed me, I push it aside to go check on him. He's putting the top back on the jars he recently filled and relabeled.

"Just in time," he greets with a smile. "All that's left is to put this on the shelf, and them put that paste you made in my last jar for storage."

I smile back, warming at how comforting simple actions can be when he's here. Sorting and restocking is never somthing I would have done back at the palace, but it's an everyday activity with Gaderous. I'm suddenly struck by the desire to do more everyday activities with him. Something I've been thinking of more and more as of late.

"Gat, I've been thinking..."

His smile faults just a bit. "That's your serious thinking face, not your casual thinking face. What's wrong."

"Will you marry me?" I blurt before I can chicken out. The jar he's holding slips from his fingers, but he catches it before it hits the ground.

"Just like that?" he asks.

"I've been thinking for a while, I just... stuff like this, being casual, it's my favorite way to see you, and I want more causual day to day moments with you. The kind of moments you get from living with someone, from seeing them everyday, the kind you get from being married. I love you and I want to see you everyday."

For Red:

You must have a good or at least neutral relationship with his son, Ron (yes he is a DILF dad). The two have become attached and heavily rely on each other to regulate/ feel safe after a particular... incident. They are incredibly important to one another.

So if you show any hostility or signs of threat to Ron, his father will obviously not like you. So you must have a decent relationship or you can just eliminate the problem

For Orange:

Orange will have a crush on you, regardless of gender and regardless if you're a parasite or a shapeshifter. Of course you are free to shut them down or use their affection for your own gain.

Just be careful when playing with their heart—you may end up cutting yourself as well

For Green:

Green will like you more if you're a shapeshifter, less if you're a parasite (views you as weaker). They will flirt with nearly everyone, you included. However, they will not take any flirtations seriously and will wave away any sincere admissions.

They'll deny any feelings, so be patient—or prove just how far your devotion goes

For Purple and Pink:

These two are a unique case because they are already in a sorta relationship. To romance one, you must be able to accept the other as well; you do not need to romance or even like both, though you can if you so wish.

Lirrahei: Finds the logic in wanting to be heard and doesn't clock any intentions. Lirrahei doesn't even question the leaning in, however they may get a little flustered depending on your tone and closeness, but will internally dismiss it unless you are quite obvious.

Even then, they will fumble and try to justify it in their head as something benign and innocent 😅

Ulmir(a): Listens intently but uses this closeness to commit your face to memory. Their eyes move from feature to feature and if questioned will fire back: 'Well how can I see you properly otherwise, from such a far distance.' Any amorous intentions on the MCs part will be noticed by Ulmir(a) and acted on in less... public settings.

While dragon MC isn't similar to Ulmir(a) in height, they can be if they acquire the human form AND I simply can't pass up on the opportunity to answer it for them. Either way, Ulmir(a) is entirely comfortable, they will lean in a little to 'hear you even better then' and will be warmly happy by the act.

Rune: Is extremely happy and eager that you willingly came closer and uses this opportunity to take in everything they can, your scent, your features, anything micro they wouldn't usually be able to catch.

Upon being told that you leaned in because 'how can we hear each other from this distance?' they will take your words as gospel, thinking your words have great wisdom to them and will lean in every time you speak to them in the future.

Rune dares not miss a thing.

Kazamsu: Being a dragon, none of the MCs are a similar height, dragon MC is the closest of course but still significantly smaller due to their stunt in growth.

Anyways assuming humanoid MC is riding them, or they are both on the same height level somehow due to Kazamsu lying down or MC standing on something next to them.

You see, Kazamsu has great hearing as dragons notoriously have, they will stare deep into your eyes, entirely brush right past your 'flimsy justification' to challenge you, 'Trying to get closer, hmm? Go on, be bold. Tell me what you want.'

What happens from there depends entirely on how you meet this challenge 👀

~~~~~

"I didn't realize you could... draw." They're not sure if they should feel flattered or insulted. But their eyes soften when they see the details.

"Thank you... I suppose this has its charm. But please don't try to sell this to anyone."

L

"Aww! How adorable. Look at this, I'm over here and you're there." L points at all the wrong places.

It's clear they can't tell where the drawing begins or ends, but they're genuinely happy.

J

"Is that... me?" The confusion's evident on J's face, brows furrowed as they stare at the crude scribble.

"I'm not that... scary, am I? This drawing makes me look like some kind of ogre."