could i humbly request an x reader with Ender? :>
I wish it to be slightly platonic and romantic fluff ^^
The reader is a flower shop owner from the village and Ender desperately needs his favorite flowers ( for one reason or another ) and they meet and become friends/quite fond of each other !! Not necessarily a love at first sight thing but rather just an observation of how attractive he finds them in terms of personality and stuff !! :D
I hope I haven't asked for too much ^^"
YAYAYAYA THIS IS AMAZINGGGG I did my absolute best on this, so I hope it's alright!!
OC ~ Oneshot ~ Fluff
Words: 1.9K
Published: 3/6/2026
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Or, well, yesterday was the day.
The day when the whole kingdom came together in mourning but also in celebration. The day when caravans line the streets, celebrating another year of their ruler yet grieving the loss of his parents.
That was yesterday. The anniversary of King Osrie and Queen Ada’s death. But also the anniversary of Ender’s coronation. The celebration of a legacy long remembered and treasured by the kingdom. A legacy from yesterday.
But today, in the swelling silence of the afterparty, Ender was alone.
It was his yearly tradition. To hold a ceremony of his own underneath that big portrait of his late parents. But today, something was wrong.
“Char,” Ender began, calling for the servant who was just walking past. Immediately, the young boy turned to his king, bowing low as he responded. “Yes, Your Highness?”
“Where are the flowers? The specific bouquet I requested for today?”
Char was sweating, his mind already fumbling for any sort of reason the king’s orders wouldn’t be fulfilled.
“Uhm, well—I am… not sure.” Char was still bowing, doing everything in his power not to look up at Ender. Would the emperor yell at him? Scold him? Punish him? He was a dead man.
“That’s alright; can you retrieve Falon for me?”
“Huh?” Char’s voice cracked, his head whipping up to look at Ender, but the king was already turned away, looking back up at the portrait. “Uh– Yes, Your Highness!”
It didn’t take long for Falon to find Ender, still alone in the hallway. “You requested me, Your Highness?”
“Falon, where are the flowers?” His question was immediate, making Falon falter for a split second.
“I am unsure, sir. I specifically requested they leave the bouquet until today. But perhaps the bouquet was misplaced? Or used yesterday?”
Ender knew he couldn’t blame Falon, but he was certainly disappointed.
The king stayed silent, thinking for a moment. This day was really special to him, and he needed a quick solution. “Are there any shops in town?”
“Shops? Hm, I suppose there is one that I am aware of.”
“Alright… Where’s my cloak?”
Sure, Ender had walked the streets of EnderVale countless times, but he never walked so casually. Guards always stood at his sides, despite the safety of such a nation, and crowds constantly followed like moths drawn to firelight.
Yet now, with a cloak drawn tightly over his head and hiding his significant uniform, Ender was like any other traveler within the open kingdom. The laughter of children running through the paved roads, the calling of merchants, the chattering of simple lives—it was all comforting in Ender's ears.
This was the kingdom he grew, the kingdom he helped sustain. While he managed the lands from above, sitting through politics and rules, the people down here simply lived. They had their roles, their jobs, and their duties, just like him. But they were so much more… connected.
It was nice. For the emperor to witness this. He needed to do this more often, Ender thought to himself.
“‘The Garden’s Delights’? Sounds promising,” Ender mumbled to himself, reading the vivid wooden sign above the door. The building was practically overflowing with flowers and plants of all kinds, spilling through open windows to let the summer air in.
The disguised king took one step in, the bell above ringing incessantly at his entrance into the cramped shop. There seemed to be no one else inside the jungle, despite it being such a small room.
The overbearing smell of so many different flowers made Ender scrunch his face up immediately. He may have grown up around the palace gardens, but he could never make himself enjoy such a strong scent.
“I’ll be right there!” A voice called out from behind the counter, the shaking of a fern making it seem like the plant was the one talking. Ender raised an eyebrow, confusion evident on his features as he slowly walked over to the counter. He had met many creatures and entities of all shapes and sizes, but Ender knew he would’ve remembered seeing a talking fern as a resident of his kingdom.
“Hello,” he began, placing his hands on the counter and looking to where he assumed the fern’s face was. “You wouldn’t happen to have any—" Ender was cut off by a yelp escaping his throat, jumping back in surprise when a messy-looking human popped up from under the counter.
“Oh! Sorry!” You laughed politely, attempting to ease the sudden tension. Your eyes focused on Ender, as if silently trying to decipher who was under the cloak, but the pulling of his hands to draw the hood tighter snapped you from your gaze.
“I didn’t mean to startle you. Ugh, that happens so often; I really need to move this thing.” You kicked the pot of the fern gently, joking around as Ender chuckled along, his shoulders relaxing from the sudden scare.
“It’s quite alright; I should’ve been more aware of whom I was speaking to.” He reassured, his trusting smile being visible under the cloak's shadow.
“So, what can I help you with today?” You spoke like an old friend, as if you’ve known each other for years and are just catching up for a day. Ender paused for a second, taking in the subtle remembrance that today, he wasn’t the emperor of a powerful nation; he was not the king of an isolated kingdom. He was a traveler, and he would indulge in his lies.
“Simply looking for a bouquet. Lilacs and oxeye daisies, if you will.” Ender had a habit of overexplaining specifics without being asked to. But you just smiled all the same, already moving around behind the counter to grab the proper materials.
“Of course! It will take me a moment, if you don’t mind hanging around…”
Despite being in a rush throughout the entirety of this day so far, Ender felt oddly at ease in the shop, like time held no grasp over his soul at the moment.
“It’s quite alright.” A tilt of his head mixed with his welcoming smile made you grin wider. Whoever the stranger was, you were glad he stopped by.
“So, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s the occasion?” You began plucking the best flowers you could find, making sure each bud matched the next. Ender was rocking back and forth on his heels idly, his fingers tracing over the stems of a short dragon tree. Catching his attention, the hidden emperor struggled to find a healthy lie.
“Well… my uh— my sister’s birthday iiiiiiis… tomorrow,” he spoke slowly, dragging out his words as if that would make anything more believable. You simply nodded along, already understanding this was something you weren’t going to find the truth about.
“Whatever you say, stranger,” you hummed, a chafed tone lacing your voice. Ender let out a soft sigh of relief at the fact you didn’t push for more, his smile easing more.
“How long have you been here? The shop, I mean.” He was doing anything to keep the conversation flowing. Something inside Ender didn’t want you to stop talking, and he wasn’t sure why.
Maybe it was that amused smile you keep giving him. Or the way you can already understand the way he isn’t good at lying, yet you never push. Or perhaps it's the glimmer in your eyes when he asks you a question about yourself, as if no one has taken the time to ask for more than what a bouquet costs.
“Only a few years by now, I suppose,” you said, glancing over to Ender every now and again as you picked the proper paper. “I’ve never seen you around, though. Are you new in town?”
“No.” It was too quick, too true, and too tense. The look you gave made Ender pause, a nervous shake replacing his confident stature. Your eyebrow raised in question once again as you side-eyed for a proper response.
“I mean, no, I’m not new. I’ve just—I only recently have explored alone.” Goodness, he sounded like a shut-in. Well, he was one, but not in the way you were probably thinking.
“I explore a lot! Just– Not on my own, very much.” There was the truth, in a very decorated and disguised way. He was twisting his fingers together, looking for a better excuse.
“Is that the reason for the disguise?” You were teasing him now, shrugging your shoulders in his direction. Your hands were busy, crafting small bows around each stem of the flowers, perfection in every knot.
“You could say so,” he chortled, his hands going back to rest on the counter as if massaging the wood.
“Mmm, well, here you are, stranger. A fresh bouquet, just perfect,” you handed off the delight of vivid colors, the scent wafting between you both. Ender’s hand wrapped around the conjoined stems, the paper crinkling beneath his grip.
The both of you stared at each other for a second. His piercing eyes of steely ice met yours with a confused gaze. You, on the other hand, were a stuttering mess of embarrassment.
“I mean– It’s free, on the house. You don’t need to pay…” Your voice wavered down to a self-conscious whisper, realizing how outlandish your words might’ve seemed.
“Huh? What, no. Of course I’ll pay. This shop is immaculate, and you deserve it for your effort.” Ender held out a small pile of gold coins, way more than anything you could’ve ever asked for.
“No, no, please. I won’t accept it.” You pushed his hand back to his body, but the king wasn’t having it.
“I insist.” Ender demanded sharply, yet his command did nothing to you. You remained defiant while pushing his hand away more every time he tried to shove the money back at you.
For the first time in this entire endeavor, Ender regretted not having his authority out in the open. He enjoyed being treated like a normal person until that treatment became something that frustrated him.
“Fine!” He finally caved. There was no anger or hatred in his tone, merely the saddening surrender of humility. “But I will find a way to pay you back. That I promise you.”
The grin on his lips matched yours as he began to walk out of the store, a new pep in Ender’s step to synchronize with the pounding of your heart.
Only when the door chime rang shut, did you remember…
“I never even got his name!”
When Ender arrived back at the palace, his mind wasn’t on the grieving period of the year, nor was it even on the memorial that started this whole escapade. No, his mind was on the flowers in his hands and the cute store clerk that created such a pretty bouquet.
The young ruler was already making a mental note of how to repay you as he gazed dreamily at the lilacs and oxeye daisies.
Yet only when he placed the flowers down beneath the large portrait did Ender remember one fatal detail that made him wallow in shame.
“I forgot to ask for their name.”
The next day when you came into work, it was an utter surprise to find a lavish-looking bouquet accompanied by bags of coins. A simple handwritten note sat on the counter, giving some semblance as to who broke in when leaving such gifts.
‘My apologies for breaking and entering, but I knew you wouldn’t accept this face-to-face. As thanks for such a splendid conversation and your thoughtful help,
- Sincerely, the stranger.’
