One of my favorite charecter archetypes is the privileged rich boys** who is actually fucking trying.
Are they the consumate insider with easy charm, impeccable manners and the ability to remember everyone's fucking name? Anoying yes.
Are they the best at some flashy skill or activity who's success is more dependent or a willingness to dedicate time and money than pure inate talent**
Do they inately understand how, through luck of birth, the system as prioritized thier comfort and happiness over the the wellbeing of others? No, they don't. But they are willing to listen.
Do they have any idea how to remedy the situation? Probably not. But they don't fight change either.
Do they insist on treating everyone as people and are willing to step up and help put thier own safety on the life for others? YES!
Do they have a complicated relationship with thier dads? Also weirdly yes, but im still trying to figure that one out.
Are they doing thier fucking best to be gallant and chivalrus and to fullfill Noblesse oblige even as the the old world order crumbles around them. Yes, yes.
Are they capable of revolutionary change? Yeah. But I love then even before they relize that.
Maybe because I know that I am privileged, I enjoy a charecters, who whole even more wildly privilege, was shaped by his privilege without being fully warped by it.
*they don't technically have to be male but they usually are, probably because of the extra benefits of male privilage.
**look, no shade to polo players, but it's relitivly easy to be a top polo player in the world once you become a polo player. Your competition only includes others people with acess three horses trained exclusively to play a game.
Summary: Kaladin has developed a reputation for being very stern while in uniform. Adolin has made it his mission to get him to break character
Meant to be platonic but could be perceived as shipping. Whatever floats your goat 😊🙃
SPOILER WARNING: TAKES PLACE AROUND OR AFTER OATHBRINGER
⚠️⚠️WARNING!!!⚠️⚠️ This is, as per usual, a tickle heavy fanfiction. No like, no read. Thank you 💙
Kaladin prided himself on his ability to command respect in any room he walked into.
This was, of course, a side effect of his reputation. His title of "Stormblessed" echoed through the halls of Urithiru, passing to and from it's inhabitants in awed whispers.
He stood tall, blue eyes locked forward as he stood at rest by the doorway to a small tavern that had popped up within the fabled city. He had been asked to make an appearance for their opening night, both to draw in customers and to keep them from getting too rowdy.
He wasn't the only soldier in the room, several striking blue uniforms speckled the crowd. He had given them permission to celebrate, seeing no reason to make them all guard the one entrance. So, he stood, quiet and firm, turning away offered drinks and watching his friends have fun.
A glint of gold sweeping the crowd caught his eye. A mop of blonde hair, speckled with Alethi black, peaked over the sea of people, eyes squinting as they searched for...
Him.
Adolin grinned, holding his drink up high as he cut through the room. He approached Kaladin with a knowing look on his face, standing beside him and mirroring the "at rest" pose.
"Hello, bridge boy."
Kaladin grunted at the nickname. Keeping his gaze forward. "Hello, brightlord Adolin." He said, keeping an even tone.
Adolin scoffed, falling out of the pose. "So formal," he laughed, moving to stand in front of the radiant. Kaladin kept his eyes forward. He was a good half-hand taller than the prince, so it wasn't hard to continue watching the bar.
"Was there something you needed, brightlord Adolin?" He asked, glancing down to meet his eyes. He had hoped his expression said "storm off" well enough that the older man would get the message, but instead he was met with one of his signature smiles.
"Kaladin, it's a party! Get out of your corner and have a drink!" Adolin said, gesturing to the room behind him. Kaladin shook his head.
"I have a duty here tonight. I was asked to be here for security."
"No," Adolin said, almost scolding. "You were asked to be here as a token appearance. No one is making you stand there and guard the door."
Kaladin was content to stand in silence, pointedly ignoring the glances Adolin gave him. In all honesty, the radiant was not in the brightest of spirits tonight, he only came out for the event knowing that staying in his quarters alone would only make his gloom worse.
"Hey, Kaladin," Adolin started. "How many Herdazians does it take to change a gemstone lantern?"
Kaladin sighed, looking over at him. He almost let a smirk slip as he saw his friends excitement. "How many?"
"Doesnt matter how many, they'll always come up short."
The blonde snickered, smiling over at Lopen who teasingly called out an "I heard that!" As he struggled to peer over his tablemates.
Kaladin offered a smile, huffing through his nose. Adolin frowned. “Hey, is everything okay?” Adolin asked, voice shifting into concern.
Kaladin shrugged. “Just on duty.”
Adolin hummed, crossing his arms. “So, being mopey is how you captain a squad of elite supernatural soldiers?”
“Im not being mopey. This is my serious face. Im serious.”
“Convincing. But I don’t think even on more stressful missions you’ve glared at anyone so much.”
Kaladin shot him a look.
“See! Like that!” Adolin grinned. “Captain Stormblessed, more like Captain Grumpy.” He aimed a few teasing pokes into his friends side, not missing how he tensed in response.
Adolin continued his prodding, rambling to himself.
“Maybe not a threatening enough name. Hmm… snarl? No, too specific…”
Poke.
“Glare? No…”
Another poke.
“Ah! Yes! Captain Glower.”
In a great show of stubbornness, Kaladin remained where he stood, but his tan face tinged bright red. Adolin grinned, seeing Kaladin struggling not to crack.
Kaladin finally grabbed Adolins hands, pushing them away. He huffed, bringing back that malicious look, he stared the prince down.
Adolin raised an eyebrow.
“I think you know just as well as I do, you don’t scare me, bridge boy. I know your weakness.”
Suddenly, he wrenched his hands away from Kaladins grasp, lunging for his sides. Kaladin reeled back, falling into a startled fighting stance.
The tavern was packed, neither of them had much room to maneuver, only about an arms span away from the nearest person on all sides.
Adolin lunged again, bearing left, forcing Kaladin to dodge further into the tavern. Now a brightlord on a mission stood between him and the only way out.
“You know how to get me to stop, Kaladin.” He said, a little louder than Kaladin would have liked. The statement earned a few curious glances from the patrons, members of Bridge 4 calling out encouragements to his assailant.
I’ll have to make them pay for that in training. Kaladin thought, wincing as original bridge men started calling out spots. They knew well their captain would never back down from a fight, so they knew exactly why he was avoiding this one.
He slowly backed up, hoping it would be enough of a deterrent to let the prince drop it, but he ran into someone. A short someone.
Someone who recently got his second arm back.
“Oi, goncho.” Lopen said, quickly pulling Kaladins arms behind his back. Kaladins heart sank into his stomach. “I’ll forgive that little joke of yours earlier and do you this favor, IF, I can call on you for a favor of my own when the time comes. Deal?”
“Deal.” Adolin said, not hesitating.
Kaladin felt himself begin to panic, frantically pulling at his arms. Lopen didn’t budge. He whipped his head back and forth, trying to look pleadingly back at the traitor holding him.
“Lopen! Lopen, you know damn well I’ll get my revenge tenfold once this is over. Do you really want to be part of this?” He tried, doing his best to look threatening from his compromised position. Lopen shrugged, almost looking indifferent.
Kaladin looked forward again, Adolin having crept up while he was distracted. He had his eyes trained on Kaladins face, the terrifying gaze that proved he was a decendent of The Blackthorn sent a chill down the radiants spine. Not one of fear, no.
One of giddy anticipation.
“Come on, Kal.” Adolin teased. “Loosen up a bit! All I want is a smile.”
Kaladin gritted his teeth, pointedly looking away from Adolins hovering, wriggling fingers. He glanced to the side, catching the playful expressions on his friends faces as they watched. No one was going to rescue him.
He closed his eyes, dropping his chin to his chest and accepting his fate.
“So dramatic.”
Kaladin tried (and failed) to fold himself in half as fingers collided with his torso. He bit his lip hard, earning a laugh from the crowd as his muffled sounds of struggle escaped him.
He struggled to keep his breathing under control, huffing and gasping as Adolin explored for new, more sensitive, places. The beginnings of a ticklish smile pulled at his features.
Adolin was so dead when this was over.
Kaladin stubbornly kept his head down, not wanting to give Adolin the satisfaction of seeing him crumble.
Adolin was not deterred. He scribbled at his sides, drilled into his ribs, squeezed at any muscle that earned him a flinch or a gasp. It wasn’t until his hands wandered to his hips that he got any real prize. Testing, he dug his thumbs right into the bone.
Kaladin, honest to the almighty, squealed.
Kaladin arched his back, trying to throw off the hands that were firmly latched onto the spot that broke him. He threw his head back, nearly head-butting Lopen, as a stream of frantic cackling escaped.
Adolins face softened at the sound, a fondness warming him from within as he listened. Kaladins laugh was a happy thing, laced with hiccups and pitchy tittering, and Adolin was sure he would have been begging if he hadn’t wasted so much breath holding his reactions in.
Adolin switched spots again, mimicking the same hand motion as he dug into his lower ribs. Kaladin guffawed, not bothering to hold back anymore. The floodgates were open for good.
His knees gave out under him, Lopen barely keeping them both up.
“You know, you’d think if you’re trying so hard to get out of this you could use the Stormlight in any of the gemstones around you to pull yourself away.” Adolin said. Kaladin would have flushed red again if he weren’t already blushing from the tips of his ears all the way down his chest.
Adolin shifted gears, seeing his friend gasping for breath. He lightened his touch, gently scribbling and dragging his nails up and down Kaladins sides, then ribs, then back down to his stomach. Despite the change, Kaladin still giggled hard,
Adolin leaned closer, whispering in Kaladins ear. “Admit you’re loving this and I’ll stop.”
“What?! Storm off-“ the gruff response was cut off by a stream of high pitched giggling as Adolin used a lock of Kaladins own hair to flick lightly around his ear and jaw. The prince cooed as his shoulder shot up to try and protect the area.
Adolin kept at it, feathering around his neck, while the other hand returned to latch onto his hip again.
Kaladin shrieked.
“Using his own hair, gon? Now that is cruel.” Lopen said before gently blowing a stream of air across Kaladins other ear, laughing as he struggled to choose a side to protect.
“Hey, I had to get creative. It’s not like I’m going to cut it or anything, I’m just using it to my advantage.”
“Both of you shut up!” Kaladin cried between hysterics. Adolin feigned a gasp, complete with a slack jaw and a hand on his chest. “Well now you’re really asking for it, aren’t you?”
Kaladins eyes widened, shaking his head wildly.
“No! No! Wait! I’ll say it!” He begged, pulling up a knee to his chest to push Adolin away. Adolin pulled his hands back, putting them on his hips.
“Well? I’m waiting.”
Kaladin looked around. Most of his companions were ignoring the display now for the most part, having gone back to their drinks and card games. He sighed, looking up at Adolin, slouched in Lopens grasp.
“Fine. I like it, okay? I enjoy it. Now will you leave me be?” Kaladin meant to be more commanding, but it came out as a tired plea. Adolin smiled.
“You have to say the word.”
Kaladin looked up at him incredulously, Lopen snickering behind him. He took a deep breath.
“I like being tickled. There, happy?”
Adolin grinned, nodding, and gesturing to Lopen to let him go. He slumped forward, letting Adolin catch him and guide him into a nearby chair.
Kaladin breathed deeply, trying to get his heart to slow down. Adolin sat beside him, leaning against the table. He looked over at the next table, clearing his throat.
“Pay up, Rock.”
Kaladin started, sitting up straight and looking over as the large horneater stood and made his way to the bar, picking up a large drink of some kind and setting it down in front of the high prince. Rock grumbled, not making eye contact with his captain as he made his way back to his seat.
“I told you I could get him to admit it. Don’t be such a sore loser.”
Kaladin shot a deadly glare towards Rock.
“You told him?!”
The room broke into raucous laughter, and the former bridge leader slid down in his chair as if to disappear under the table.
hi i'm going insane over the Kadolin from Words of Radiance and headcanoning all sorts of things for them
> they're together practically all the time. even though they're busy important people, THEY'RE STILL CONSTANTLY SEEN TOGETHER
> the relationship started on Adolin's initiative HEH
> Adolin actually went into shock at first because he liked a man. he needed time to process it. meanwhile Kaladin just cried and suffered for a very long time because he liked a storming take him straight to damnation lighteyes — and not just any lighteyes but a highprince — and not just a highprince but a Kholin — and not just any Kholin but storming ADOLIN!!!!!!
> they never made an official announcement; everyone just FIGURED IT OUT. (some people still think it's just a rumor. and then the guys are kissing in the middle of the war camp, lol.)
> Adolin is openly physically affectionate. Adolin DOES NOT CARE AT ALL where they are or what's going on. like. "yeeees, we're having an important meeting, discussing important world affairs, important... oh Kaladin Stormblessed :3 :3 :3 *hug and nuzzle his hair, absolutely necessary*". Kaladin likes it, he REALLY likes it, but he keeps standing there with a deadpan face.
> Kaladin has a hard time expressing his feelings with words and mostly uses gestures: hugging, squeezing, kissing, caressing. also, everything is always written in his eyes. he'll stand there silently, but his eyes show SUCH tenderness you could drown in it. Adolin never shuts up. "so today's training went like this oh and i love you Kaladin also i rode Gallant earlier by the way Kaladin i love you aaand i was looking at some Thaylen fashion illustrations oh did i mention i love you Kaladin?"
> Kaladin gathers Adolin up in his arms at night, and Adolin is PARALYZED.
> Kaladin told him about his entire past. Adolin almost cried.
