#ryis 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

"Mmm, no thanks." Balor stared at the hoe in your outstretched hand like it might bite him. "I'm a merchant. I negotiate. I persuade. I don't... dig in the dirt." You pushed the tool into his chest anyway and grabbed his free hand, tugging him toward the unplowed field. "Consider it market research! How else can you sell seeds if you don't know what its like to plant them ?" He sputtered protests the whole way, but his fingers stayed laced with yours with no physical resistance. Twenty minutes later and his fine blue cloak laid discarded on the fence, his sleeves rolled to his elbows, and cursing creatively at a stubborn patch of weeds.

"I hate this," he announced, swiping sweat off his forehead. "I hate everything about this." You bit back a laugh. "You're doing great sweetie." Balor shot you a glare, but it held no real heat. "When we're married, I'm hiring farmhands. A whole crew of them." Your heart stuttered at the casual mention of marriage, but he had already turned back to the weeds, muttering about investment returns.

Caldarus

"You want me to do what?" Caldarus examined the bucket of feed in your hands with deep suspicion. "Just... you know, scatter it on the ground," you said, demonstrating with a handful. "They'll do the rest." He took the bucket carefully, claws clicking against the metal, and scattered a handful of feed as though he was performing a sacred ritual. A chicken immediately pecked his toe and he hissed something in an old language.

"They are bold creatures," he observed, scattering more feed. "In my time, birds showed respect towards dragons." You held back a snicker with your your hand. "These are chickens dear, they don't respect anyone." Caldarus huffed but continued his task. By the end of the hour he had named three of them after ancient dragon clans and declared the speckled hen as his nemesis. When you finally led him back inside, he had feathers in his hair and fondness in his voice. "Tomorrow," he paused, "...I wish to try again."

Eiland

"I really should get back to the dig site," Eiland said, though he made no actual attempt to leave as you held up the wicker basket. You played your trump card without mercy. "Well, if you help me pick apples today I was going bake you a fresh pie." His eyes went wide and his resistance crumbled instantly. "Well, when you put it that way, I suppose the tablets have waited a few thousand years already. What's one more afternoon?" He took the basket and followed you into the orchard with considerable enthusiasm, practically bouncing on his heels as you handed him a ladder.

He examined each apple carefully before picking it, occasionally muttering about the historical relevance of apple harvest traditions. Towards the end of the day his fine clothes were creased and he had a leaf stuck in his hair. "I believe I've earned at least two slices," he said breathlessly, holding up his haul with obvious pride. "Possibly three." You laughed and brushed the leaf from his hair. "Don't worry, I planned on baking you a whole pie from the get go." Eiland beamed, then glanced at the remaining trees with renewed determination. "So what I held you pick more?"

Hayden

He found you struggling with a fence post before you even had the chance to ask for help. "Whoa there, let me get that!" Hayden jogged over and took the post from your aching arms like it weighed nothing. "You should've hollered for me. I was just next door feeding the horses." You wiped sweat from your brow and gestured at the remaining pile of lumber. "Since you're here, want to help me finish the whole line?" His face lit up like you had offered him a gift. "Do I ever! Nothing like good honest fence work to get the blood pumping."

The two of you fell into an easy rhythm, Hayden hammering while you held posts steady. He talked the entire time, cheerful rambling about Henrietta's latest antics and a funny dream he had about giant carrots. When the last post stood firm, he stepped back and surveyed your shared work with obvious pride. "Gya ha ha! Look at that! We make a pretty good team." He turned to you, his smile softening. "Maybe we could do this more often? The working together part, I mean. I like working with you." He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly shy. "Only if that's okay with of course."

March

"No." March did not even look up from the blade he was polishing. You leaned against the blacksmith counter and waited, batting your eyelashes. He lasted approximately thirty seconds before his eye twitched. "Why are you still standing there?" You held up the broken hinge from your barn door. "Because I need help installing the new one and you wouldn't put it on crooked." His scowl deepened, but you caught the flicker of reluctant pride. "Flattery won't work on me." You shrugged. "It's not flattery if it's true."

He made you wait another full minute before slamming his polishing rag down. "Dammit, fine! I'll help with one hinge, but you're providing lunch." He grabbed his tools and followed you to the farm, but once he started working, his complaints faded into focused silence. When the door swung perfectly smooth, he stepped back with barely concealed satisfaction. "There, happy?" You handed him a sandwich and he bit into it without protest. "Same time next week?" you asked innocently. March choked. "Absolutely not." But before he left, he took a mental note of every other hinge in the barn that could use replacing.

Olric

"You want me to help you move stones?" Olric's face lit up with excitement. "That's basically just lifting! I love lifting!--And rocks!" Before you could explain further, he jogged over to where the stones laid scattered from your latest clearing attempt. By the time you caught up, he had stripped off his shirt and was hefting a boulder that would have taken you 5 minutes to break down. "Where do you want this one?" he called cheerfully. "I'm thinking we make a pile someone over there?" You gestured towards the edge of the field and he made his way over, depositing the stone after stone with no problem.

You watched in amazement as he turned a full day's labor into a single hour of exercise. On occasion he would flex unnecessarily in your direction, beaming at you between hauls as sweat gleaming off of him. When the field was finally clear, he stood among the piles with his hands on his hips, surveying the work. "This was so fun! We should do this all the time. I'll bring snacks next time and--Oh! What your favourite protein flavour? I'll make you a shake too!"

Ryis

"I could really use a hand with the chicken coop," you said, leaning against the carpenter shop counter. "Some boards came loose in the last storm and I don't trust my angles." Ryis set down his chisel without hesitation. "Yeah, of course! Let me grab some extra nails." He packed his tools and followed you home, falling into step beside you with comfortable silence. A bluebird darted across your path and he paused to watch it vanish into the trees. "Eastern bluebird," he murmured, smiling. "Good sign. They usually only stick around places that feel safe."

He worked beside you with steady patience, holding boards while you hammered and offering gentle corrections. "Little to the left. There, that's perfect." When you fumbled a nail for the third time, he did not take over. He just steadied your hand and said, "Hey it's okay, there's no rush." By the time the coop stood solid again, your arms ached pleasantly. Ryis ran his palm along the repaired wall. "Nice work. You're getting better at this." You bumped your shoulder against his. "All thanks to having a good teacher." His felt his ears grow hot and he ducked his head. "Yeah--Of course, anytime!"

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

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@thatonenewjerseychick @smoochi-march

Taglist: Balor FoM

𖠰 He really means no harm whenever he accidentally gets too wrapped up in his meticulous planning ahead.

𖠰 It gets to the point where soon-to-be great-uncle Landon has to intervene himself and make Ryis realise he’s not running out of time and has nine whole months to calmly work on stuff.

𖠰 Calm is what Ryis used to be before he found out he had a child on the way.

𖠰 He’s the annoying pregnancy week-by-week guide books nerd that refuses to enable your unhealthy cravings.

𖠰 He knows how much you want it, but he is not letting you near the dangerous chocolate bar that could threaten the health of his beloved spouse and his unborn child… how about you try this nutrient-dense lentil soup that he cooked up instead? Page 142 of “To Grow a Baby” states that a healthy fetus needs both the iron and folate that it provides to regulate blood sugar levels and help deliver oxygen to the blah blah blah…

𖠰 You feel your eye twitch.

𖠰 You swear that if you didn’t love him as much as you did, you’d strangle him with your own bare hands.

𖠰 But it all turns out for the better when he finally holds his child in his arms after the long wait.

𖠰 Despite growing up in a big family, he doesn’t aspire to that.

𖠰 1 or 2 children; he keeps it demure and orderly

𖠰 It’s because he grew up in a big family that he does not want it. He knows far too well how much work only 2 children are.

𖠰 The founder of gentle parenting.

𖠰 His children turn out to be the most polite and well-mannered ever.

𖠰 I swear this man has patience to spare.

𖠰 He does not fold if they throw a tantrum when he says no. He lets them cry it out if they have to, even as they tug at his clothes to try to change his decision as he goes on with his tasks. He converses calmly with them once they cool down to explain his reasoning, and answers all their questions.

𖠰 He always offers them a hug afterwards, and if they embrace him, he kisses their cheek and forehead and reminds them he loves them. If they are still mad at him and prefer to be alone, he will give them the space they wish to have, not forcing anything as he knows they’ll eventually go back to him and will ask for the hug regardless after calming down.

𖠰 Ornithology books. Whether it is colouring books, illustrations of different species or actual scientific texts, they basically grow up with them and it makes up 70% of your household’s library.

𖠰 Which then comes in handy when he formally takes them birdwatching for the first time.

𖠰 He loves to include them in everything he does, and when they keep curiously looking over his workbench or playing with small pieces of wood and acting like they’re building something, he can’t help but start a small project for a birdhouse with them. He lets them participate and make decisions from the blueprint to the painting.

𖠰 His heart squeezes with fatherly pride whenever he sees the finished product despite the wonky painting and the small flaws,

𖠰 It reminds him of the birdhouse you two made right before becoming a couple. It still stands on the Eastern Road, and every time he walks by it to visit his uncle, it reminds him of the day you two became official, a feeling he can’t wait to have as the years go by and his children’s first project will still be in the same place despite them growing up.

Hayden

𖠰 Alright… so contrary to Ryis, he does not limit you, but enables you.

𖠰 walk with me here.

𖠰 You’re craving apple pie during summer? He’s buying overpriced apples from Balor and dusting off his grandmother’s cooking book. You want honey to eat with bread at 11 p.m? A chocolate bar? He’s waking up Nora and Holt with his knocking at the general store as we speak. He apologises profusely, but he really can’t let his spouse grow his child without indulging in their every request.

𖠰 He tries to tone it down after getting medical advice from Valen, but eventually admits to himself that he can’t resist you and goes back to pampering you.

𖠰 He’s a weak man despite his size.

𖠰 Henrietta has to learn to share the favourite child spot once the kid arrives.

𖠰 Y’all know the voicelines where he says that he wants a big family? yeah.

𖠰 3 to 4 children…

𖠰 This man LOVESSS being a dad.

𖠰 It feels wrong not to see him with children.

𖠰 He takes them everywhere he goes.

𖠰 Not even with a stroller, he just rawdogs it and carries them around town.

𖠰 His children grow up to be very lively and independent; they’re not scared to get dirty or play in mud, and they’ve been doing farmwork disguised as fun activities their whole childhood.

𖠰 Though that freedom leads to a lot of close calls: You may or may not be growing white hairs faster than you should from all the times your children have slipped off horses when little and caught at the last second by their father as he makes a playful comment about “daddy having really good reflexes”

𖠰 He’s kind of a permissive parent. He cannot find it in himself to put his children in time-out for too long or not give in to their puppy eyes when they demand ice cream for dinner or doughnuts for breakfast. Yet you have not seen a man switch his resolve as quickly as he does with just a glance from you.

𖠰 Henrietta learns to love them. Despite her air of pride, you can see how she often lingers near them and “tolerates” their pets, making Hayden nearly shine with happiness.

𖠰 He can’t put that damned camera down. Even if you try to tell him that their first time eating apple pie isn’t a huge milestone, nor was the picture of them eating lasagna for the first time yesterday, he is already preparing the shot to add to the individual photo albums he has for each child.

𖠰 A couple of times a year, he takes them to the Deep Woods to visit great-grandmother Greta. He tells them how great a woman she was, and uses those moments to reflect on how he wishes he could be as good as her and give them the childhood he had on the farm.

𖠰 He loves having them in his arms and reading them to sleep. His heart has never felt more full and at peace than when he has his loved ones at arm's reach. I truly don’t believe there will ever be an age when he will stop holding them or picking them up.

⎯ Balor

If a charming young man like BALOR can’t dance, then he’s afraid he isn’t worth his salt. As a merchant, he needs to be relatively skilled in most, if not all fields. And dancing is one of them. Though he seldom uses anything but his pristine bargaining skills and his smooth talking, it’s good to know. At least, that’s what he tells himself. When you take over the old farm, however, he decides he needs to impress you in other ways aside from the oddities he brings back.

So, when he offers you his hand one night at the inn, who are you to say no? He’s treated you so kindly since you moved in (though, everyone has), and he’s been quite a help to you. Aside from that, you couldn’t help but feel like he was flirting with you as well. Not that you minded at all, he was quite handsome, and admittedly you fell for his charms.

When you take his hand, you can hear the kids gasp and whisper. Balor is smooth and fluid with his movements, spinning you around the little space you two had in the inn. His movement is something like a Viennese waltz, keeping you close as you two spin, making sure you don’t get too dizzy. You can’t help but feel flustered as it feels like everyone’s eyes are on you. Granted, it’s not every night they get to see Balor of all people dance.

⎯ Eiland

Being born into nobility, EILAND can dance quite well. That, paired with lessons from Elsie in the current day, help him become one of the best dancers in Mistria. The thing is, he only took an interest in dancing once more when you had taken over the old farm. He’s consistent and damn near princely, and finally, he decided to invite you to the manor to “spectate” on some of these lessons via letter. Don’t ask why his handwriting looks suspiciously like Elsie’s.

Still, you decide it’d be quite fun. Perhaps you could learn something yourself, no? It isn’t often you get invited to the Manor, especially to see such a grand display. You hope, at the very least. However, when you enter the Manor, Eiland seems very surprised to see you, only for a second. He completely masks his surprise with that friendly tone once more, welcoming you in almost hurriedly.

You take a seat and Elsie begins the session as Eiland’s partner, only for about three seconds, before she beckons you to take her place. You don’t even get to shake your head before she’s grabbed you by your hand and led you to the center of the hall. Neither of you get to protest before she’s urging you two to begin. Without a second thought, Eiland begins. To say you feel like royalty is an understatement, he spins you two around and dances with such grace that you feel as if you are in a ballroom, you can practically see yourself with him at some sort of gala. However, you can’t help but catch the deep blush dusting his cheeks. You avert your gaze for a second, simply so you don’t point it out. You yourself are already flustered enough, you’d rather not fan the flames of Eiland’s own embarrassment.

⎯ Hayden

While HAYDEN can dance, he’s not much for showing off his moves. While he’s not ashamed, his country style feels a bit out of place among people like Eiland and Ryis. That being said, not many people have seen Hayden dance. Most of the time, it’s in the morning when he’s cooking his breakfast, hyping himself up for the day. It’s nothing much, really, tapping his feet and whistling some tune to himself.

When you catch him early one morning, muttering his own song to himself, he doesn’t shy away. Why would he? He’s having fun, so why not join him? Before you can even question yourself, you’re taking his hand and he’s spinning you around to a steady beat only he understands. It involves a lot of swaying, some spinning, and little flares that make Hayden feel fancy. He likes to keep you close to his chest, which is enough to make you blush.

Regardless, it’s fun. It’s way too early in the morning for your mind to catch up with the fact, but your body moves with Hayden’s so easily. While you get a lot of time to yourself in between tending to your farm and the rest of the town’s requests, you rarely get moments as… quaint as this. It surely isn’t something you thought you’d start your day with, but it is welcomed nonetheless. There’s a sort of gentleness within his movements, the way he pulls you closer ever so subtly, that makes you swoon internally.

⎯ March

MARCH being… March, he knows how to dance. On his own. He takes it as an opportunity to be the best at yet another thing. If he wasn’t good at it, then who would he be? April? He can’t have that. He has to be the absolute best at it. Even if Eiland and Adeline grew up with proper dance lessons, even if Balor knows all the fancy stuff. March has gotta be the best. In town. So he says.

Problem is, he’s bad at dancing with a partner. He’s clumsy and miscalculated and tends to trip over your feet when he does so. He pouts and huffs and blushes, as if he’s impatient. He’s embarrassed, really. But he’s not going to tell you that. He talked himself up so much, practically told you he could dance like a king, and here he is fumbling like it’s the middle school dance. Don’t say a word, and he’ll spare you.

As awkward as he is as a dancing partner, he’s still kind of earnest about it. He’s never danced with someone else before, but he tries quite a lot to be all fancy and elegant like Eiland and Balor might be. While it started off as an attempt to impress you, it quickly turned into a mess of laughter. March let a soft chuckle slip, before quickly trying to cover it up with his tough guy facade, pouting and frowning as he acts like he’s more interested in the steps than you. Yet he continues to steal glances, which ultimately end up in him stumbling once more.

⎯ Olric

No. This man cannot dance. OLRIC cannot dance, what-so-ever. That doesn’t stop him from trying, of course. He has no need to be embarrassed if he’s having fun. Doesn’t matter if he comes off as a little goofy when Hemlock and Josephine end up in a duet on nights at the inn, he’s gonna dance and he’s gonna have fun. It’s infectious, really.

You can’t help but join. Either it’s the little bit of alcohol you had working its way to kill off your embarrassment, or simply the big ol’ smile Olric wears as he dances. Or perhaps it’s the fact that his insistent ‘c’mon, join me!’s have gotten to you. You don’t know! You don’t care! Maybe you two look like two fools on the floor, but you’re enjoying it as you try to mimic his moves. He really is horrible at dancing, even you have a hard time trying to move like him. So stiff and silly… it’s impossible to replicate.

Eventually, he pulls you into him by complete surprise. No warning, no nothing, now you're trapped between his strong arms and his chest as he sways to the beat. It’s oddly romantic, and it seems both Hemlock and Jo have shifted their tones to follow you and Olric’s dance. It feels like all eyes are on you by that time, as Olric hums slightly off-key and sways gently. You feel your cheeks heat up, either from embarrassment (which you thought you had thrown away at the start of the night), or from the fact that you’re just so very close to Olric.

⎯ Ryis

RYIS isn’t much of a dancer. At least, socially. He’s more than happy to sit and watch on rowdy nights at the Inn, despite his Uncle trying to get him to join in. He’s more of a romantic, really. Fancy balls and galas don’t stick with him as much as cozy nights do. So dancing in general isn’t something he had tried much. Even in the capital. Still, he knows how to, just not on the scale others might.

He gives it more thought when he catches you dancing along to a little bout Elsie started one night. He can’t deny that he’s a little enraptured, almost pulled to join you. But then again, he decides he can wait just a little and surprise you with something a little more intimate later on. Perhaps he’d write up a nice little invitation for you to join him by the lake, underneath the apple tree.

That letter comes in the next morning, and you are all too quick to meet him up. It’s a little embarrassing to admit that you ended up by the lake a little less than an hour earlier than when he had asked you to join him. However, when he finally joins you, a little flustered that he was ‘late’ to this date, he is quick to pull you into a somewhat grand spin. With a big smile on his face and a soft blush, he begins. It’s small, but lovely, swaying underneath the shade of the apple tree as he practically drowns you in all sorts of compliments and sweet nothings that he had kept to himself for this particular moment.

♡ BALOR... as a fae

♡ Balor is a very successful fae. He gets his hands on just about anything, and everything one could want through means unknown even to his fellow fae. It's easy to make humans think they're being given a gift, binding them to him until he no longer wants them.

♡ Really, it isn't even his fault. Your kind should know better by now, after so many decades of woven and spoken warnings.

♡ He's enchanted when you give him gifts instead. When you trade what he gives you for something else, a fair trade, or when you leave gifts like food or trinkets at the place you've made just for him.

♡ You're just too cute, leaving him so many things. Really, he is weak to things with a bit of sparkle to them. Oh, and he does love savroury treats like that. And when you take note of what he takes, and leave more of those?

♡ Knowing you pay so much attention to him.. He's never liked a human so much before. So he starts giving you little things too, leaving them around with notes of gifts. Makes sure you know they're gifts.

♡ He doesn't expect to like giving you things as much as he does. He adores watching the joy on your face when he gets something you really like, loves watching you place them around your house or enjoy them with a drink.

♡ He's sweet, in the ways a fae can be. He makes sure that his kin knows you're his, so nobody else can have you as he quietly shushes you when you try telling him your name. Don't you realize how precious a name is?

♡ He'd hate for you to forget him, to belong to someone else, so he'll steer you away from any harms with promises of luxury and gifts he knows you want. Just keep returning the favor, and he'll be content.

♡ CALDARUS... as a selkie

♡ Caldarus, not as a dragon, but as a selkie. You first find him as a seal, nursing him back to health from an attack he can't even remember. He's so grateful for your help, soothed by your gentle, loving hands.

♡ He can't get enough of it. He knows you have no clue who he is when he approaches you without his skin. But he can't get enough of your sweet voice, the way you smile at him, offer to get a coffee with him. He really likes you, and it isn't like he has anywhere else to be.

♡ When you recount the injured seal you helped a few weeks ago, he'll nod along like he wasn't there. Like it wasn't him youwere cradling and speaking so softly too. Would you do that again? If he told you? In this form, this time?

♡ You seem to run into him often, and with how much you see him, you can't help but wonder how you've missed him until now. It's only when you find him sickly, with his long hair draped in water that you realize.

♡ The seal skin you find close to the lake is lovely, but nowhere near as lovely as the flush on his face as he wraps the fur around your shoulders with a hum, leaning into your side, telling you how much he missed the warmth of your body against his.

♡ EILAND... as a siren

♡ Eiland, as a siren, who doesn't quite realize that he isn't the same as the other mermaids he lives with. He doesn't realize he's hurting humans when he pulls them beneath the water, thinks they've just found a new love for the water when they stay. He doesn't realize that they aren't following him because they want to when he sings, voice echoing across the deep cliffs of the shore.

♡ Eiland, who watches you walk across the sand of the shore as he sits in silence. He hears your voice echo weakly as you hum a song, that he tries to harmonize with from the rocky ledges in the water he stays on

♡ He's happy when you start making your way towards him and into the strong waves, having a new playmate after so much time stuck with his sister. He stops singing when you step on a piece of glass, as he watches you flinch and fall down as you try to get the glass out of your foot with a curse.

♡ He watches you with wide, curious eyes as you work, slowly swimming further towards the shore where you sit. Eiland, who dips down under the dark depths when you spot him with a strangled sound. He only pops back up when you call out for him, beaconing you closer.

♡ He'll inch up on the sand next to you, watching with fascination as you stretch your toes. He'll poke and ask more questions than you can reasonably answer. Still, he'll be grateful that you try to answer them.

♡ Eiland, who keeps meeting up with you every time you make your way down to the shore, eyes staring at you with wonder as you explain that humans can't breathe under water. And the next time he's pulling you towards the deeper waters, it's done with a hand carefully keeping you safe from the waves threatening to pull you under.

♡ HAYDEN... as a troll

♡ Hayden, whose grandmother recently passed, leaving him all alone with no one else. He knows it's bad luck for him to interact with trolls, but he hates the silence and there is only so much the forest animals can offer him.

♡ He'll approach a small farm with plenty of animals, hoping his own connection with the surrounding wildlife will help keep the humans from being afraid. The animals of the farm immediately flock to him, eager to follow him and search for food on him as he offers various nuts, fruits and berries to them.

♡ He'll give the most awkward smile when you step outside to figure out why your animals are all causing such a ruckus, and just stare at him. Trolls are known for mistreating and stealing from humans— why was one feeding your farm animals? Did he intend to take them?

♡ When he offers to help you around the farm in exchange for a meal a day, arguing about how he could handle all the heavy lifting and knew exactly what the animals liked, well... the offer is too good to pass up. No foxes or wolves would threaten your sheep and chickens with a troll standing guard, right?

♡ As your farm becomes more and more successful as Hayden spends more time with you, your neighboring farmers all ask what your secret is. But you can't really tell them that the secret is the huge troll who offers his services every time you let him spend dinner with you, can you?

♡ MARCH... as a vampire

♡ March working as a blacksmith for a vampire hunting guild. Only promise is that, he's, well, a vampire. He does it because he believes the last place a hunter would look for a vampire is in their own home. And well, why would a vampire work so closely with the very metal that would sear them to death at the lightest touch?

♡ He's established and well protected because the stupid humans around him all refuse to believe a vampire would ever be willing to craft weapons to kill other vampires. Hah, why wouldn't he? Vampires were territorial, this just made his job easier

♡ Well, if he doesn't count how hard it is to eat for him. He's constantly starving, and has a reputation for eating a lot. With so many hunters around, it's damn near impossible to find a meal that won't just have him killed. Which is why he never kills them; just takes enough for him to not go rampaging because of the hunger.

♡ You probably find him right at the end of it. You see him stepping back and helping the human sit down, passing them a box of juice and some kind of protein bar before you can step in. The whole situation is weird... as a hunter, you'd never thought a vampire could be good.

♡ March doesn't understand where your sudden fixation on him came from. Suddenly you're constantly stopping by to chat, and give him things, and everyone else is joking that you must have a crush on him. He thinks it's stupid, but after a while he grows... well, fond isn't the right term (it is) but he certainly doesn't mind anymore.

♡ And when you corner him, saying you've known about his nature the whole time and say if he needs, he can feed off of you... well, it does make his life much easier. And well, he can't deny that he likes the way you ask for it.

♡ RYIS... as a hamadryad

♡ Since his kind live in solitude, tied to their respective trees he's spent most of his life in solitude— he can't leave anyhow, dependent on his tree for life.

♡ Still, he's eager when the first humanoid person passes by for centuries— a stray human wanderer who didn't mean to go this deep into the woodlands Ryis lives in? He's happy to help you find your way out of the forest, and all you have to offer him is one of the small cookies you've brought with you.

♡ He doesn't really expect to see you ever again. Humans live such short lives, and the last time he saw one so deep must've been at least a hundred years ago. So when you do pop up, with a smile and a whole jar of cookies as a thank you, his heart is already beating more than it should.

♡ He's happy when it happens again, and again. You're the first friend he's ever had, and before he knows it he's already expecting your company. He's up with the sun, and waits for you until you visit.

♡ He might be more attached than he should be, but he thinks you're wonderful, and since you keep showing up with all these wonderful smiles, he's sure you don't mind.