skin cleanser.

mattias yang-monarch, expensive, and extremely charming

[rylandsgrace]

AUSTIN BUTLER as BENNY

The Bikeriders (2024) dir. Jeff Nichols

[aeraseong]

“If the Gods hear of it then it is my head that will be buried, not yours, not Haneul’s, not anyone else’s but my own.” The desire to raise her hand in front of the various councils of Euphoriam and allow the blame to rest on the guilty head had grown now that she had laid her eyes on him. “Hale is… was, he was cruel and my life was already over the day I married him, so to give up my physical life for yours wouldn’t cost me a second thought.” Her breath had grown unsteady, shaken by the singular thought of leading her life without him; even if their chances of being together were sunken lower than they had been on her wedding day. Eyes desperate in their scan of his features, committing them to memory in case the tides turned wholly against them. It was Mattias’ smile that broke the waves in her mind and allowed the weight to sink off her shoulders even if temporarily. “There’s a plan but it’s very much, you have to trust me, kind of plan.” Aera had been haphazard at best, twirling loose strands of connections together and tugging at all the favours she’d ever been owed. “I don’t know if you met Minji, always with Snow and gives you the idea that she’d snap your neck if you looked at her wrong, but anyway she knows someone who can help us.” She drew his hands to her lips, to quail the rising panic seized her throat at the plan she had spun on her own; and continuing to speak against his skin. “But that part doesn’t matter yet, there’s been a bribe to the guard that’s currently coming on shift and he’s giving us a ten-minute window to get out.” Her hands shifted grasping for his wrists and the chill of metal stunned her; the component she hadn’t placed thought in as she tugged on his restraints. “Oh.” At attention, her feet planted firmly on the floor as she shot upward, fingers still laced around metal while her eyes left him as a secondary planned formed once she settled on the box marked for emergencies only. “Oh, you’re really going to need to trust me.” She released him to seek out her intended target, setting her elbow against the glass to find the alarms had already been cut for their escape. “And I really hope you don’t love your fingers too much, Haneul always said I aim like a drunken goose.” 

[mattiasym]

Hearing the words she voiced was villainous. Mattias would never allow her to take the blame, even if it meant rotting in this prison for the rest of his years. It was true that Hale wasn’t the best husband, and if he had the chance to change the past, he’d offer his hand to her, but the situation was different back then. He never knew loyalty. A young Mattias would’ve broken her heart, but knowing she married an unjust man and a child broke his heart. “You know well enough that I would never allow you to take the blame. These charges fall on me and only me. Please don’t be foolish, Aera.” Words were spoken too soon, and as she silenced him from further objection, Mattias thought carefully about the woman named Minji and finally put a face to her. “I know of her. What on earth are you going on about?” A plan to be freed was far from his mind; he had planned to stay in prison until he was told otherwise. Now, a love so sweet to him spoke in terms of trust–there was nothing else to do but trust her. “A ten-minute window is a short one. Nonetheless, I’m on board with whatever you’re planning.” He spoke too soon as his eyes followed her towards the emergency box. “Well, I don’t know if I want to be that on board.” Mattias held his breath, exhaling sharply, thinking about how this could all end very badly, and he’d bleed out in seconds. The relationship was built on trust, and Mattias trusted the woman in front of him more than his own mother. “Alright, alright, I trust you.” He was prepared for the worst to come, hands closing into fists as he stretched out the shackles, and those ten minutes were trickling down. “Aera, I need you not to aim like a drunken goose. I like my fingers a lot, and you do, too.” The last bit was much-needed encouragement for her not to accidentally remove one or two fingers due to her lack of proper aim. Mattias glanced up at her with a simple smile, one filled with complete trust, and blue eyes dashed between hers. He was ready. “I trust you, Aera. I know you can do it.”

[aeraseong]

Draped in mourning black, Aera felt more akin to the reaper stepping onto prison soil than a woman coming in defence of her friend. Or at least, it was what the outside world was to believe, rather than a princess who had inadvertently sent the man she loved to prison for murdering her husband. Settled into a private room graciously by guards, but she wasn’t built to the glances shared between themselves once the recognition flickered behind their eyes on her identity. Breath caught once the guards broke away and for the first time in days, she was allowed to view Mattias and in a single release of air, she shuddered into heartbreak of what she had done. “I missed you.” The words were out, unable to catch them before the guards had allowed them the opportunity to be alone. “And I’m so sorry.” A click of the door had sprung her into movement, hands gloved in black lace reaching for those shackled on top of the table that stood between them. The cool metal of his restraints jarring, her fingers tracing his locked wrists and gently hooking her fingers with his. “No, no one but the guards saw me; my mother didn’t want me to see you, but I begged Haneul to let me…” She spoke fast, information that didn’t truly matter at that moment, not when he was shackled. For several seconds she fumbled with what was important when she had so much filling her mind, sighing once she settled on what was needed. “I’m going to get you out of here, Mattias. I promise you that.”

[mattiasym]

Mattias held onto her laced hands, unfortunate fate put him in these shackles and kept him from holding her hand properly out in the world. He was happy to see her even in this position. A glimpse of her beauty would help him last years in this cell. He would never speak of the truth. He decided long ago that dying for would be an honor–loving her was an honor. “I didn’t think your brother would let you come, but I see he has grown soft for me.” It was a joke, something to lighten the mood as they sat in an empty room, letting his laughter accompany them. “I prepared myself to never see you again the moment I stepped into this hell. I knew you could never come and see me, which is why I’m telling you now that you should never come here again.” Mattias was well aware of the trouble Aera would encounter if the world found out she was visiting the man who killed her husband, allegedly. “What if this news reaches the Gods? If they find out about the death of your husband and you plan to free the man who killed your husband. What do you think will happen? To you? To Haneul? Your sisters? Your mother?” His fingers grasped her gently, leaning in as closely as he could without making a sound as he stared at her features blankly. A woman whom he loved for years, even in his past life. He could hear the scream of horror the night of the accident. He never sprinted so fast towards her, not knowing of the crime committed and not caring as long as Aera was safe. The plan was simple: Mattias covered himself in Hale’s blood and carefully took the knife from Aera’s hand–the number of stabbings would make it clear to authorities that he did it out of jealousy. Mattias knew the day of his arrest would come; a staff member would have seen it all, but he had to silence the one who witnessed Aera murdering her husband. He planned everything, but now he was hearing words of freedom, which made him smile. “I could never change your mind, you stubborn woman.” Before pulling away, Mattias placed a single kiss on her forehead. “I’ll bite. What’s the plan? Do you have a plan?”

[mattiasym]

The days inside the cell were immensely long, walking from one end of the room to the other in an attempt to pass the time. He throws peddles in hopes that the door will magically open, except his neighbor would easily put an end to his shenanigans. “How did a royal find his way down here?” A very good question. Mattias remembered the day perfectly, he was heading into town to buy something sweet for the woman who claimed his heart. “She’s not a fan of too sweet.” These happened to be the last words relating to Aera before the bakery was surrounded with soldiers. “Mattias Yang-Monarch, you’re under arrest for the murder of Hale John Thrones.” Under arrest? Murder? Mattias glanced over his shoulder, reaction time cut in half as he was dragged through bakery doors. “And, that’s pretty much the jist of it.” The investigation regarding the murder was ongoing; Mattias kicked a pebble across the concrete room with shrugged shoulders as his fellow inmate spoke of equality and fairness in the justice system. “I guess we don’t have the immunity everyone thinks we do.” His expression fell, darkness covering his blue eyes, knowing his innocence but proving it would be difficult. “You have a visitor.” The guard spoke sternly, unlocking the bars and then, after shackling him, guiding him to a separate room. He expected his mother, sobbing in an expensive handkerchief before addressing the bad news. Until his eyes met with hers, Mattias couldn’t deny how madly in love he was with the woman in front of him. He’d gladly rot in this prison for her. “What brings you to my lovely quarters, Princess?” He sat down carefully as he waved away loyal guards, indicating a private conversation and gently placing his shackled wrists on the table. “Did anyone see you?”

[aeraseong]

It had been a treacherous mistake to follow Phoenix that afternoon, treading away her daylight hours and leaving her in a rush. Aera had been thankful that his plans appeared to collapse in on themselves but it did nothing to alleviate her anxiety. Her heart had still been pounding by the time she had touched down on Strife soil for a second time that day; this time the palace had been alight with activity and its darkness didn’t feel so grand once she was inside. Confidence soaring once lost in a crowd and a mask firmly pinned into her curls, hands drawn to rest at the base of her spine, twirling the slim ribbon that held in her corset. Petals of lilac chiffon draped down her skirt, white pearls sprinkled throughout and extending up her torso like baby’s breath, a heart-shaped bodice another fluttering of soft fabric that fell off her shoulders and exposed her neck. A sudden surge in the females around her drew her away with them, unable to plant her feet while they bulldozed the crowds with the utterings of a ‘golden treat of a man’ - words that made her happily be whisked away to the man she was certain they spoke of. Few men could create such a storm at a masquerade yet in an instant, Aera was certain it was Mattias. Not disappointed by the golden hair that had been the beacon that drew attention, she couldn’t help but laugh at the elbows and the heels rammed into others to ask for a dance or veer for his attention. “Excuse me.” She muttered to no one in particular, squeezing between two women and then several more, including a clump of males before she had been at Mattias’ back. On any other occasion, it would have been unprecedented to slip behind him at close proximity, but the mask had guided her to stand close enough that her toes were tapping the back of his heels. “You’re quite the celebrity.” She rose to the tips of her toes, able to place the point of her chin on his shoulder and witness the gasp of the female standing in front of him. “If I want a dance do I have to get in line?”

[mattiasym]

Women from all houses took approximately thirty seconds to surround Mattias and block his path to the drinking station. Mattias planned to miss the grand festivities, but his mother insisted on showing his face. Since Theo would be in attendance, there would be no excuse for him not attending. “You look so handsome.” One woman spoke while another nearly lunged herself in his direction. “You look ravishing.” Mattias grinned as the women started to argue amongst themselves over a compliment that would capture his attention. “I appreciate both of you.” Both hands rose to hover under their chins; thumb pressed along their lower lip with a lovable smile. “Would you two be dears and fetch me a few drinks?” The attention gathered from women was inevitable, and he had learned to cope with it. He was always praised for his features, but Mattias would never claim he was the most dashing in all the lands when another held the title from Seven Seas. He laughed at the thought of the women lining up for days to ask for his hand in marriage, selling out newspapers in the Lands of Euphoriam. “Hm?” The sudden heat surprised him, and no one dared to be close to him, let alone from behind. “Ah, my little butterfly.” Mattias let her scent overcome him and settled around him as the world became more tolerable. The only person he could see was her. His head turned slightly and bubbled laughter escaped his throat. His attention never steered from her beauty, even behind a mask. “You’re acting as if you don’t have a brother who had women surround him at every event.” He appreciated these moments more than he could express to her but thinking negatively wouldn’t solve any problems. Not with the woman he fell for at first sight. “Are you suggesting you would like to dance with me? How could a commoner like myself dance with someone who shines brighter than the stars?” Mattias spoke playfully before running his lips over her temple, carefully turning to face her entirely and gently brushing a strand behind her ear. “May I have this dance, Princess?”

[haneulseong]

Haneul sighed at the disbelief that radiated at the mention of Euda, dropping back in his chair and allowing the tension to bleed from his shoulders. Teeth grating together as he once more glanced at the item in his hand, he didn’t have to use it even if he accepted it now, it could at least be a scapegoat if they needed it. “Snow has given me enough warning about her father, I’m already under strict instructions to make no deals, but if I do accept this, tell me what you want for it now.” He held the golden crest up once more, the light capturing its glint and the realisation the token hadn’t been a fake registered. “I don’t want you coming to me in a month or a year and asking me to return this Ezreal’s favour. If I have to owe you anything, I would rather Hades kept me down there until I shrivelled up and died.” Despite himself, Haneul laughed; a genuine sound that had him dropping his gaze away from Mattias and towards the floor between them. “You don’t need to tell me twice about my mother, she’s been lost since my title outranks hers. She can’t tell me what to do anymore and rather than have sense, she’s decided that you, of all people in my life, was the perfect choice to change my mind.” He rolled his eyes as he attempted to figure out the thought process that brought Mattias to his door; perhaps their mothers believed it was friendly banter rather than a genuine distaste for one another. “One of my sisters? Normally I’d say no, but I think five minutes with even one of them would have you begging to go to the Damned to repent, so I wish you luck on getting them to partake in mask-making.”

[mattiasym]

Mattias managed to hold himself steady while Haneul spoke of death. He wanted to express that he was worried that the King of Devotion would be lost in the depths of Damned, there was no one in line to keep the house from sinking. "As much as I hate saying this, it quite literally killing me." His hand hovered over his chest, clutching the handmade clothing as he closed his eyes momentarily. "Don't die. You realize how embarrassing it would be if you died to the hands of Hades? Your father would rise from his grave and kill you himself." He opened one eye, peeking at Haneul's features as he saw a glimpse of the late king. "It's been a year since he passed." Mattias planted a smile on his thinking about the times King Dae had to pry him off of Haneul. Almost like it was yesterday, a speech about how two men should act around others and Mattias let out laughter. Here he sat speaking to Haneul as a man should, it was clear the lectures from King Dae worked out in his favor even after death. "How dare you think I wouldn't be helping you from the bottom of my heart, I find that extremely insulting." Mattias clipped his nose bridge, sighing dramatically after such words from Haneul. "I told her the same thing, I begged her not to make me come here to change your mind then gave me a speech about how I should be married." Now, Mattias had options in his love life and none of them came close enough to the Princess he had in mind. His eyebrow arched at the thought of spending time with her while Haneul was away, trecherous waters he was swimming in. "Speaking of luck, I wish you luck on this journey. May the heavens bless you with good karma, may Aphrodite look after you while in the house of Hades."

[haneulseong]

“Hades is unpredictable, I know that much, but what I need from him doesn’t require me to pull many strings.” Haneul turned his head, eyes lifting from Mattias and towards the ceiling, aware that Snow would be oblivious of those who sat beneath where she rested yet he looked to where he had left her. His love for her would potentially lock his soul in Hades' grasp and he couldn’t believe that no one else appeared to understand why he had to follow through. It was the mention of Ezreal that had his focus snapping back towards Mattias, lips twisting as the scoff rose from the back of his throat. “I don’t need your help.” It was an instant snap in return to the offer, barely willing to entertain the idea even as his hand rose to catch the charm that was tossed to him. Doubt festering without cause because when it came to Mattias, they didn’t typically help one another, especially not in a situation as serious as this. He held the golden crescent up at his nose, thumb running along its markings and despite himself, he started to laugh. “What is this really? A way to get me killed faster?” It was pride that kept him from accepting, any excuse that he could muster to turn it down would suffice for Haneul. “An Euda guard will accompany me and I don’t need objects or favours to help me.” He flicked the charm in his hand, allowing it to spin in the air for a moment before snatching it into a clenched fist. “You’ll be at war even if I don’t fuck this up, from what I’ve heard, so your pretty face will be gone in a month or two. Do you want me to prepare you a mask?” 

[mattiasym]

"You have some kid from Euda escorting you to hell?" Mattias rolled his tongue, Euda never sat right with him because of his unreasonable trust issues. A group of strong men who were trained in protection and murder was a mass execution waiting to happen yet everyone agreed to have the soldiers protect the houses. "I'm sure you've done your research, but you're confusing Damned for every other house. Damned does not follow our rules, it's a mystery how the house hasn't been overthrown by its own people." He found Damned to be uncharted territory and it was uncharted for a reason; Mattias watched as the crescent spun in the air, head tilting slightly as the urge to take back his noble pin became more appealing. The two never got along, Mattias was always competing against Haneul in every competition known to man and it drove him crazy that neither of them claimed first. He was always tied to him, looks and charm even when it came to studies. Their ongoing rivalry was what fueled Mattias yet not having Haneul around was the last thing he wanted, "Listen for once, I rather go to war than hear your mother give me a speech about how I refused to help you in this conquest. War has nothing on your mother, the Queen is rather terrifying when it comes to you." He spoke nothing but truth when it came to Haneul's mother, Mattias would return home after long days of sparring with his enemy only for his mother to ring his ear. "Did you hurt Haneul? His mother called for me, I can't believe you fought so dishonorably." It was an annoyance that he couldn't get away from even if he tried. "No need to prepare one, I'm sure your snowflake would be more than happy to help me. How about one of your sisters?"

[haneulseong]

“How many times do I need to tell the guards not to let you in?” A grumble more to himself than anyone else, using his heel to kick the door to a close behind him, not certain he was willing for a word from Mattias’ mouth to filter into the hallways. “I’d be happier if you never breathed the same air as Snow.” Haneul hooked a hand under Mattias’ ankles in passing, using more force than required to remove his feet from the pristine cushions. “You’re right, I don’t care about what your thoughts are or what you think I should or shouldn’t do.” Mattias had been a thorn in his side for as long as Haneul could remember, an ever-growing irritation that flared further the moment that he sat down opposite him. His tongue locked between his teeth, eyes forward focused although his mind warned him not to take the bait. “Why else would I do this if not for her? I know you’re thinking that I’m a fool, that I’m handing myself over to be slaughtered, and maybe I am.” A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth, leaning to settle his elbows on his knees, the thought of what he could potentially do for Snow easing the anxiety. “But it’s a risk I’m willing to take, I won’t be a coward, not like others would be.”

[mattiasym]

Mattias was well aware of the guard's instructions not to let anyone bother the king, but he knew that bribing them with a smile would work as well as money. "What can I say? I think your guards have a soft spot for me." He had no right to convince another man to fight for someone they loved, it's written in his code as a man whose heart has been stolen. Mattias had known Haneul long enough that changing his mind was like going to war without a weapon in hand, there was no winning with Haneul once his mind was set. "I think you're a fool every day, Han." The air in the room changed as he sat up from his position, legs crossing with a serious expression on his features. "You're handing yourself over to Hades, willingly, there will be no wrong or right answers in Damned. You know of Hades until you meet him then you know nothing of Hades." His arm swung around the expensive fabric, fingers tugging at the precise stitching of the Devotion crescent. "The moment you step into Damned ask for a man named Ezreal. He owes me one for saving his life years ago, he'll help you get in without any trouble then--" Mattias reached into his pocket to pull out the golden crescent, crafted specifically for the warriors in Altruist. His fingers twirled the weapon before tossing it towards Haneul, this was the only way he would ensure that he'd return home without concern. "Hand him this crescent. Unfortunately, Devotion doesn't deal much with Damned and you're useless down there without the support of another house." In other words, Mattias was stating that he would have his full protection when in Damned. In a deeper meaning, it meant that Haneul had allies by his side in case everything went right. "I'm too handsome to fight in a war, don't fuck this up."

[mattiasym]

"I heard you're paying a visit to Damned." His tone was teasing, finding comfort in Devotion's notorious love seats as he stretched out his legs with a long devasting sigh. "I'm more than happy to take care of your snowflake." Mattias settled nicely, checking and resting on his palms before parting his mouth to speak again. "Your mother called my mother, she asked me to pay a visit and talk some sense into you. Not that you care about my thoughts, but I think it's a great idea." He never hated Haneul, encouraging him would only benefit Mattias in the future, but it did worry him that a man with power would deliver himself to Hades. "Before you leave, I need you to tell me what the hell this is all about. You're not doing this all for her, right? You're the King of Devotion, Haneul and you can't be making such rash decisions."

[tay-swifts]

˗ˏˋ AUSTIN BUTLER Actors on Actors | Variety (December, 2022)