also special thanks to @midnightdancingsol for putting a gun over my head to make this and proofread it. luv ya
This fic is basically if a tsun x tsun pair exist-
Everyone in the office knew the rule that if a report, presentation, or idea had your name on it, then there was a ninety-nine percent chance Bae Joohyun had tried to put hers there first. And if Joohyun was the one standing in front of the projector, heels clicking like punctuation marks and expressions carved from stone, then it usually meant you’d gone to war behind the walls just to keep your share of credit.
“Wow, you two, fantastic presentation as always,” your boss said as the last slide faded to black, his smile wide with relief, “The way you tied in new potential safety regulations with actual case studies? Brilliant work. The executives will be ecstatic to hear this.”
You leaned forward from your chair with the sweetest smile you could fake. “Actually, sir, most of them were…my idea. Miss Joohyun just…polished a few sections at the end. ”
She turned her head slowly, like a queen acknowledging a noisy subject. Her eyes swept over you with quiet disdain, calm but sharp, before settling into something that looked like pity. “Right, of course.” She said smoothly, voice like glass. “And I rewrote them so that people don’t look down on us with that marketing blog. Not everyone enjoys thirty buzzwords per paragraph.”
The silence was sharp enough to cut paper. Even the hum of the air conditioner felt like it paused for this moment as your coworkers shifted uncomfortably in their seats, watching you two who neither want to back down.
And why would you? You weren’t some wide-eyed junior clinging to their first break, you’d earned this. Youngest hire in the department, sure, but that didn’t mean anything to you. You came with a polished resume, strong recommendations, and a knack for making reports and concise presentations so perfect that you alone felt like a troop of thousands. In just a month, you’d already crashed through expectations: airtight reports that made managers breathe easier, client pitches delivered without a stutter, deadlines strangled into submission with nothing but stubborn willpower and a dangerous amount of caffeine.
It was impressive…maybe too impressive.
Because that’s when Joohyun noticed, and didn’t like it.
Her, the perfect record-holder. The department’s north star. She was the old-schooled precision wrapped in silk and steel, the kind of veteran who could make a spreadsheet look like modern art and had interns terrified to breathe whenever she walked by. She could probably predict market trends in her sleep. And possibly never share thrones.
So of course, you clashed. You were fast, hungry, sharp around the edges; she was calculated, immaculate, a perfectionist who thought control was a virtue.
And ever since then, the two of you have been circling each other like wolves disguised in tailor suits and pencil skirts, smiling with teeth, but glaring with knives. Sometimes it was the reports, with her trying to steal the last word in executive summaries, and you adding footnotes so it couldn’t be said she “covered everything.” Sometimes it was client proposals, where she’d deliberately schedule a meeting before you could, just to swoop in with the first impression.
If you asked anyone on your floor to describe the two of you, the words wouldn’t be “brilliant” or “ambitious”. They’d be along the line of “exhausting” and “weird”, because all that talent from you two came with the world’s most insufferable rivalry.
Every single thing was a competition. Everything. Even the cafeteria wasn’t safe.
Most people just wanted to eat their lunch in peace, maybe fifteen minutes of peace to scroll on their phone. Not you two. The second you stepped into line, it turned into the next Olympics.
You reached for a salad since the presentation was coming up, and you do not want to be bloated in front of investors, only for her to materialise beside you with her tray already loaded. Two mains, a bread roll, and, because of course, a slice of chocolate cake balanced on the corner.
You eyed it with disgust. “Cake? At lunch? Miss Bae, are you trying to crash out early?”
She didn’t even blink, just scooped a bit of cream onto her fork like she was about to win a medal for it. “Well, why not? At least I finished my work early before I crashed out. Unlike someone.”
You glared, plopping an extra side of steamed vegetables onto your tray just to make a point. “Sure. Coming from someone who eats like a kid.”
By the time you both sat down directly across from each other (because of course you did), the tension was so thick you coworkers chewed like they were trying not to choke on it. You with your neat, picture perfect salad. Joohyun with her array of sweets she carefully picked.
Halfway through, you set your chopsticks down with a click. “Well, I'm done. Guess I’ll have extra time to check my stuff before the meeting.”
Joohyun, without looking up, stabbed her fork into her cake. “Congratulations. Want a prize for nibbling like a rabbit?”
The coworker across from you nearly choked trying not to laugh. One excused himself, mumbling about water, but you know he didn’t want to watch another round of whatever this was.
By the time you both finished eating, you shoved your trays away at the exact same moment, the clatter echoing across the cafeteria like a battle gong. No one said anything, but everyone noticed.
And then there was the printer room. Arguably the bloodiest front in your ongoing war.
The company only had one good printer. The others always jammed, smeared ink, or ate entire pages, so the one by the corner office became sacred territory. Nothing enraged you more than walking in with your files ready and your company ID card only to find Irene already standing there, perfectly calm, her papers sliding out in crisp, smug stacks.
Today, though, you’d timed it perfectly. You darted down the hall, nearly jogging, your ID card clutched like a weapon. You flung open the door, victory in sight, only to hear the telltale sound of heels clicking right behind you.
“Move,” Joohyun said, breezing in like the printer was hers by divine right.
You plastered yourself against the machine. “Too bad, ma’am. I was here first.”
She held up her stack of papers. “I have a deadline in ten minutes.”
You waved your card like a flag. “I’ve been waiting for this machine all morning. The others eat documents, and my presentation actually matters.”
Her laugh was sharp, almost a scoff. “Oh, of course. Because yours matters and mine doesn’t?”
“As of this moment, yes,” you said without hesitation.
Her eyes narrowed. She stepped closer, dangerously close, close enough for you to catch that raspberry note of her perfume that really didn’t suit someone so cold, as if proximity was a weapon. “You know, the world doesn’t revolve around you.”
You leaned in as if you weren’t already pressed against the printer. “Well, this printer definitely does.”
For a moment, it was a standoff, with the two of you glaring, neither willing to back down, the machine humming nervously between you. Then, in a move that made your blood boil, Joohyun reached past you with maddenly calm and scanned her card like she’d claimed victory before you even showed up.
After she pressed the screen, the tray slid open, crisp white pages sliding into her neat little pile. You stared at them like they were traitors.
“Well, that is nice of you, Miss Bae,” you muttered, voice sweet as poison.
“I know,” she replied, serene as ever, gathering her papers with a flick of her wrist. “It must be exhausting losing to me every day.”
You slammed your card against the reader the second she stepped aside, like you could rattle the smugness out of her bones. “Keep talking. I’ll enjoy watching this thing reject your face one day.”
She smirked, shrugging over her shoulder as she left. “Don’t get jealous if it prefers me.”
And just like that, she was gone, leaving the faintest trace of her stupid yet sweet raspberry fragrance and the smug satisfaction of a win you absolutely refused to give her.
The printer whirred. Paper began to slide out, neat and unjammed. You grinned, clutching the stack to your chest.
“Guess today isn’t that day,” you whispered to no one, knowing she’d somehow hear it anyway.
-
The office at night didn’t feel like the same place you spent your days in. Stripped off the chatter of workers, the ringing phones, and the distant hum of the copy machine, it was an entirely different world, spacious, quiet, and almost unsettling if you let your mind wander too far.
But you didn’t. The only thing you allowed yourself to focus on was the sharp rhythm of fingers hammering keyboards. Yours and hers.
You noticed her still at her desk long after everyone else had packed up, and the sight was infuriating. It was supposed to be your once-in-the-blue-moon push through tonight. You’d planned on staying late, finishing your report perfectly, and walking in tomorrow smug with the knowledge that you had gone the extra mile while she had gone home to rest.
But of course, she was still there. The same immaculate composure she carried everywhere: back straight, hair flawlessly in place, eyes locked on the glow of her monitor as if she could outstare the monitor itself. She didn’t fidget, didn’t sigh, didn’t even blink too often, as if the work itself was just another part of her body, seamless and effortless.
And every time the clack of her keys echoed against yours, it felt more like a challenge than a coincidence.
“Miss Bae, you’re still here?” you muttered, not looking away from your monitor, though you caught the outline of her annoying smirk in the reflection.
Her voice came unhurried, velvety smooth. “Obviously. I’m not leaving until this report is perfect. Unlike yours.”
You bit back a laugh, typing louder, fingers flying across the keyboard. “Whatever floats your boat. I’m fixing your mistakes anyway.”
This time she actually looked at you, tilting her head with that infuriating little smile that wasn’t a smile. “Ah. Delusional confidence. Cute.”
Your jaw tightened, but you didn't flinch. Instead, you scoffed and leaned closer to your screen, as if the glow itself might shield you from her smugness. You weren’t gonna lose. Not tonight. Not ever.
The minutes dragged by, stretched thin by the fluorescent lights humming above and the steady tapping of keys. Your eyes burned from staring too long, your back ached from hunching forward, and still you refused to move. Outlasting Joohyun mattered more than comfort.
And then, your stomach betrayed you. Loud, pitiful, and impossible to ignore.
Sure enough, her chair squeaked as she shifted, and when you glanced up, Irene was watching you with raised brows, her lips tugging up just slightly. “Wow. Even your stomach’s rude.”
"Well excuse me for being a human being, Your Highness." You dragged your chair back and stood, glaring without heat. “Please don’t die from hunger while I’m gone.”
The pantry wasn’t generous at this hour, but you returned with a bar of Snickers halfway gone and two cups of instant coffee, steam rising in thin curls. You dropped one onto her desk before reclaiming your seat, pretending it was nothing.
Her eyes flicked from the cup to you. “What’s this? You finally acknowledged your superior?”
“Sure, we can say that,” you adjusted your monitor, fighting a grin. “I just don’t want you using fatigue as an excuse when I beat you.”
She hummed, wrapping her fingers around the cup anyway. The faintest laugh slipped out, quick and quiet. “Thanks. Not that it’ll help.”
The clacking of the board resumed, but it wasn’t razor-sharp anymore. Instead, it softened to something almost companionable, but neither of you would admit it.
Another hour slipped by before you hear her typing something on her phone. A short while later, Joohyun got up towards the door and returned with containers of steaming rose tteokbokki and fried chicken between you. She slid a pair of chopsticks your way like it was an afterthought.
“Don’t choke on it,” she said. “I need my young competition alive to make beating you worthwhile.”
You grabbed the chopsticks, already lifting a bite. “I see. So this is your way of acknowledging me?”
“…sure, my rookie.” She leaned back in her chair, watching you chew. The corners of her lips curved upward, like she was waiting for your verdict.
You swallowed, nodding. “Very nice. You ordered from the better restaurant down the street. Very generous of you.”
Her eyebrow arched, and she looked away like she didn’t care. “Don’t expect it again.”
Although, you noticed the way she nonchalantly slid the containers closer to your side, and didn’t even touch it before you’d taken the first bite.
When the last piece disappeared, the quiet returned, but it wasn’t tense anymore.
“You missed the clients we had together back in July,” she said suddenly, pointing at your screen as she screened through the content. You were finally finishing up your report.
You turned your head, grinning. “Wow. You’re double- checking for me now? Didn’t realize you cared.”
“I don’t,” she shot back. “I just don’t want your report dragging my standards down.”
Later, when she stifled a yawn behind her hand, you leaned back in your chair, smirking. “Careful. Wouldn’t want your wrinkles showing before the board presentation.”
She froze. “Excuse me?”
“Just saying, Miss Bae” you teased, “sleep deprivation ages people, especially older people. I read it in an article.”
"I'm still in my 30s, missy." Her lips pressed into a thin line, but her hand automatically smoothed her hair, and you had to bite your lip to hide your laugh. “If I look bad,” she muttered, “it’s only because you’re stressing me out.”
“Sure, blame me for your age, miss I'm-still-30.” you said, shaking your head.
Her sigh was sharp, but the way her eyes softened when they lingered on you ruined the effect.
The hours crept on, the office quiet but warm with the faint glow of desk lamps and the soft rhythm of typing. The competitiveness dulled into a strange comfort—snarky, stubborn, but undeniably gentle. You yawned, resting your cheek against your arm, telling yourself it was only for a second. Just until your file is saved.
Your eyes slid shut before you could stop them.
Across the desk, Joohyun paused mid-sentence. She watched you for a long moment, the rise and fall of your shoulders steady, your lips slightly parted in sleep. With a sigh too soft for you to hear, she stood, peeled her blazer off, and draped it carefully over you. Her hand lingered on the fabric for a second longer than necessary.
“Don’t slack off while I’m watching,” she whispered, barely audible, as if the walls themselves weren’t meant to hear it.
Then she returned to her desk, typing quietly in the dark, pretending nothing had changed.
-
The morning sunlight cut through the blinds like an annoying co-worker who thought 8 a.m. was the equivalent of a cool kid. Your neck ached from sleeping in the office chair, head tilted at an angle that would haunt your chiropractor, and you blinked awake, noticing the blazer on your back and the faint click-clack of a keyboard reached your ears.
You squinted through the haze, only to see Bae Joohyun perched at your desk (yes, your desk) typing furiously, her hair tied up and tucked behind her ears, face illuminated by the blue glow of the screen. For a second, she didn’t even notice you were awake, too focused on hammering down the last few lines of your report.
"...Miss Bae, what are you doing?" you gripped onto the blazer.
"Finishing your report." Her eyes were too busy glancing down.
"I can tell" You rubbed your eyes. "But why?"
“Finishing what you couldn’t,” she replied matter-of-factly, still typing. “You were halfway through formatting this report, but I fixed your inconsistencies. You’re welcome.”
You begrudgingly pushed yourself upright, rubbing at your sore neck. “Wow. First you reached over and stole my monitor, now you’re editing my report. What’s next? Are you going to slap your name on it too?”
She finally looked at you, eyes sharp but a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “Relax. I wouldn’t want my reputation tarnished by stealing my golden rookie’s work.”
You snorted. "Nice one, because I could've sworn you're dying to find fault on me and exploit that."
"Please," she scoffed, pushing the keyboard away like it was contaminated. "I don't even need to do that, Miss you-are-still-a-greenhorn."
You were about to argue again, but then it hit you—the familiar fragrance that always lingered around her. That fresh, tangy sweetness of raspberries, warm yet playful, wrapping the air like invisible silk. It had been there last night too, faint in the breakroom when she leaned over your shoulder, and now it was stronger, carried by the warmth of her skin. You caught yourself inhaling, just a little longer than necessary, before you quickly shifted your gaze back to the screen.
Sure enough, she’d polished the rough wordings. The rough edges and weird wording choice? Gone. Clunky phrasing? Gone. You hated to admit it... but it looked damn solid. “Tch. I would’ve done that eventually. My eyes just gave up on me early.”
“Of course,” she replied, voice dripping with mock sympathy. “…In about three weeks. After seven drafts. And maybe a breakdown.”
Before you could throw back another retort, the sound of the office door unlocking echoed through the quiet floor. Employees began to file in one by one, their chatter filling the room. And then, as if choreographed, their gazes landed right on the two of you—standing close at your desk, your shoulder brushing hers as you both leaned over the monitor.
“...ah.” someone whispered from across the cubicles. “They’re at it again...?”
“Oh my god, they’re being lovey-dovey again” another muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear.
You both froze. The accusation hung in the air like the smell of burnt coffee, and suddenly all eyes were on you. Irene straightened immediately, arms crossing as her usual icy composure snapped into place. You clung harder to the blazer
“Lovey-dovey?!” she exclaimed.
“Absolutely not!” you blurted out at the exact same time.
The synchronized denial only made it worse. A few employees giggled. One actually clapped. Someone whispered, “See? They’re even in sync.”
Your face burned, and Irene’s ears flushed pink, though she turned her head quickly to hide it.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” she said sharply, glaring at you but avoiding everyone else’s eyes. "Get onto my level first, rookie."
“Me? You’re the one who is so kind that you didn't just leave me be!” you fired back, ignoring the snickers around you.
“I was fixing your disaster!”
“Yeah, because you secretly care, Miss Joohyun.”
Her lips parted as if to argue, but instead she just jabbed a finger into your chest. “You’re a handle, missy.”
The onlookers didn’t need more evidence. Someone wolf-whistled. Another muttered, “Just date already.”
You and Joohyun snapped your heads toward them, voices overlapping again. “SHUT UP!”
The office erupted into laughter before it died down eventually, but not before the image was burned into everyone's mind as usual. You and Irene, standing close, bickering like an old married couple.
As you finally sat back down at your desk, Irene still radiating that raspberry warmth beside you, you let out a quiet sigh. You weren’t going to admit it (like the hell you would) but the truth lingered in the back of your throat like the fragrance itself: you’d started to like it. That subtle sweetness she carried everywhere, the way it softened the edge of her sharp tongue.
can I request irene gf headcanons pretty please? 🥹
Irene Girlfriend HCs
SFW HCs
Irene is always concerned about you, even though she doesn’t always show it, whether you’ve eaten or had enough rest or are working too hard, she’s always worried about you.
She likes to pamper you occasionally but if she thinks she’s being too obvious with it or if you or anyone else points it out, she’ll go red faced and push you away, too embarrassed to face anyone.
She likes to cook for you.
She absolutely loves any gifts you give her, smiling ear to ear whenever you present it to her.
She can be quite sensitive sometimes and never likes to seriously fight or even argue.
She leaves little notes for you containing her appreciation for you. It can range from her basically writing a love letter to her just saying thank you for something you did for her the previous day.
She’s quite shy about PDA and doesn’t like to go beyond holding hands in front of others.
Whenever you both are going out for anything, she always steps out of the room, slightly hesitantly waiting for you to comment on her outfit so she can see if you like it or not. She now has a pretty good idea of what clothes you like her in and tries to dress accordingly.
She never says it but she likes it when you do her hair for her.
The other members tried to tease her about you once but the death glare she gave despite being red faced was enough to put them off…for now.
NSFW HCs
She’s quite shy about initiating sex but sometimes when you both are cuddling she’ll just shift or turn towards you in a particular way and you can tell from that, that Irene is feeling in the mood.
She prefers to have short but intense sessions and looks forward to cuddling and aftercare a lot.
She likes to bite your fingers.
She likes to whisper in your ear, sometimes it’s praise and sometimes it’s just the things she wants to do to you or things she wants you to do to her.
She likes roleplaying and tries out different scenarios often.
You were always surprised by how good Irene does in the roleplay especially when you both are trying out something new. Until you came home early one day and walked in on her fully dressed up and practicing the lines she was going to use.
You nearly went deaf with the squeal she let out when she spotted you, frozen in panic, unable to decide whether to hide her face from embarrassment or to hit you for laughing at her.
She doesn’t mind a bit of feet play and becomes quite bratty and playful with it.
She wants you to leave marks all over her neck and shoulders.
Lately she’s been thinking of trying out some bondage with you but isn’t sure how to bring it up.
pairing: bae joohyun x fem!reader
genre: fluff, slice of life, sort of college au, js fluffy fluff bc I love bae joohyun so much
warnings: none
“y/n-ssi, i hope you don't mind me asking, but can you wipe the tables before you leave? my wife needs helps putting our daughter to sleep, the manager said, giving y/n an apologetic smile.
y/n pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and simply nodded, “of course.”
“thank you.”
the soft buzz of the cafe’s lights and light music hummed in the background as y/n wiped down the last table, the warm scent of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air. the day had been long, and the promise of going home to joohyun was the only thing keeping her spirits up.
as y/n wrung out the cloth and placed it back in the cleaning bucket, her boss poked her head out from the back room.
“oh and make sure you lock up properly, y/n. thanks for your hard work today.”
“i will! have a good night, ma'am,” y/n replied with a small smile, waving her boss off as she left.
after a quick final sweep to ensure everything was in its place, she grabbed her messenger bag, placed the bag across her torso while the strap rested on her opposite shoulder, and made her way out the door. the lock clicked behind her, and she breathed in the cool evening air, the city lights twinkling around her.
i wonder if she's awake...
she mounted her bike, glancing at the phone attached to the handlebar mount. with a tap, she called joohyun, the ringing filling the quiet night until a familiar voice picked up.
“hi, love,” joohyun’s soft voice greeted her. y/n could hear the faint sound of tv chatter in the background.
“hey, princess. were you asleep?” y/n smiled, already feeling her shoulders relax just from hearing her voice.
“no, i was studying for my exam,” joohyun sighed. “i'm tired now.”
“how long did you study for?”
“around three hours? four? i don't really know. i wasn't keeping track of the time”
y/n hummed.
“i’m heading home. do we need anything from the grocery store?”
there was a pause, a shuffling sound, and then joohyun responded, “can you grab some beef and sesame oil? i want something that's easy to make tomorrow since it's a friday, maybe ramen too?”
“beef, sesame oil, and a few packs of ramen. got it. i’ll be home soon,” y/n confirmed, though she was already planning a detour to the snack aisle. she knew joohyun’s favorite snacks were dangerously low at home.
the grocery store was just a short ride away, and as she parked her bike outside, y/n felt the comforting routine settle over her. she weaved through the aisles, grabbing the requested items and, of course, slipping joohyun’s favorite snacks into the basket as well.
when y/n finally arrived home, the house was quiet, warmly lit by the glow of a single lamp in the living room. she pushed open the door, the familiar creak welcoming her back.
“joohyun, i’m home!” she called out, expecting to see her girlfriend pop out from somewhere, but there was no response.
confused, y/n set the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and walked further into the house. “hyun-ah?”
her confusion melted into a soft smile as she found joohyun curled up on the couch, fast asleep with her favorite purple blanket pulled up to her chin. she looked so small and peaceful, her soft breaths the only sound in the room. y/n shook her head affectionately, her heart swelling with warmth at the sight.
y/n tiptoed back to the kitchen, unpacking the groceries as quietly as possible. she started preparing joohyun’s favorite dish, tteokbokki, the familiar process soothing her after the long day. the soft sizzle of the rice cakes in the pan filled the kitchen, and the spicy aroma soon wafted through the air.
as she stirred the sauce, y/n felt a small body press up against her back and a pair of slender arms wrap around her waist. a smile tugged at her lips as she glanced over her shoulder, seeing joohyun’s pouty expression.
“you took too long,” joohyun mumbled, her voice muffled as she buried her face into y/n’s back.
y/n let out a small chuckle, turning off the stove and twisting around to face her girlfriend. “i was just buying the groceries you asked for, nothing more,” she said softly, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on Joohyun’s forehead.
joohyun huffed, but her pout softened as she looked up at y/n, her eyes warm. “i missed you.”
“i missed you too, hyunnie,” y/n replied, feeling her heart flutter. she loved these moments—these simple, everyday moments that made everything worth it.
dinner was a quiet affair, the two of them savoring the tteokbokki together. joohyun’s eyes lit up with every bite, making y/n’s chest swell with pride.
“you really do make the best tteokbokki,” joohyun praised between bites, her smile brighter than the kitchen lights.
“i’m glad you like it,” y/n said, reaching across the table to gently squeeze joohyun’s hand.
after dinner, they worked together to wash the dishes, joohyun washing while y/n dried. it was a rhythm they had fallen into over time, the comfortable silence between them filled with nothing but the clinking of dishes and the soft splashing of water.
once the last dish was put away, they both headed to the bathroom to take turns showering. y/n went first, and when joohyun was done, they found themselves cuddled up in bed, joohyun laying on y/n’s chest as y/n played games on her phone.
joohyun let out a content sigh, tracing small patterns on y/n’s arm as she snuggled closer. “you’re so warm,” she murmured, her voice drowsy.
y/n chuckled softly, adjusting her glasses as she glanced down at her sleepy girlfriend. “that’s because you’ve practically turned me into your personal heater,” she teased, earning a sleepy giggle from joohyun.
“you never complain, though,” joohyun retorted, though her words were slow, her eyelids already drooping.
“never,” y/n agreed, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of joohyun’s head. “goodnight, hyunnie.”
“goodnight, y/n-ah,” joohyun whispered back, her voice trailing off as she finally drifted to sleep, safe and warm in y/n’s arms.
y/n smiled, her heart full as she continued playing her game, the sound of joohyun’s steady breathing filling the room. moments like this—simple, quiet, and filled with love—were all she ever wanted.
Summary: You're a princess of the Galestorm Empire that's engaged to Prince Arthur of Eledath. You bond with Prince Arthur quickly, but his mother, Queen Irene, immediately dislikes you. After disaster strikes, however, you and the queen grow closer, resulting in a night neither of you will forget.
Warnings: DEAD DOVE, DO NOT EAT. Arranged marriage, jealousy, terrible revenge plots, unwanted suggestive flirting, generally unsettling men, murder (poison), mentions of war but no details, major character death (not Irene or the reader), detailed descriptions of grief, religious themes, age gap relationship (Reader is written to be in her early 20s and Irene is written to be in her mid 40s), infidelity, NSFW content (making out, unprotected sex, dom!Irene, some breast play, oral (f. recieving), use of a strap-on, some degradation and praise, a little bit of biting). If you think I missed a warning, please let me know!
A/N: This fic is part of the "Once Upon A Time" collab hosted by the amazing @nothoughtsjustfic!!! The fairy tale I chose as my inspiration was Snow White. I hope you guys like it! If you do, be sure to check out the collab masterlist, which is linked here. So many incredible writers are involved with this collab, and I definitely recommend showing them some support!
I also want to take a second and acknowledge the absolutely incredible @diamonddaze01, who made the banner for this fic. Thank you so much, Tara! If y'all like the banner as much as I do, definitely go show her blog some love!
Taglist: @xomakara
Fic is under the cut.
You knew exactly how your life would go from the moment you were old enough to understand your status as princess of the Galestorm Empire. From the time you were a young girl, your parents told you in no uncertain terms that you would be married off to a prince of whichever nearby kingdom your father wanted an alliance with, produce an heir, and live the rest of your days as a dutiful wife, loving mother, and dedicated queen. It was the life that you were born into, and though there were times that you desperately wanted to live your life on your own terms, you were determined to play your role to the best of your ability.
After your twenty-first birthday passed, you knew it was a matter of time before you would be engaged. So, when your mother came to you a few days after your birthday and told you that you were to be married to the Crown Prince Arthur of Eledath, you weren’t exactly surprised. You couldn’t really say that you liked your now-fiancé, considering that you’d never even met him before, but you still hoped that you could grow to love him one day.
As soon as your engagement was made official, you spent months learning as much as you could about Eledath, from its history and geography to cultural customs and court etiquette. In all honesty, you found the lessons boring, with none of the information you learned making the hours-long lectures worth it. However, you knew that they were necessary. After all, what kind of future queen would you be if you just showed up in a new country and made no effort to fit in or treat others with respect?
Once the team of tutors that had traveled from Eledath for your lessons deemed you ready, you packed all that you could and made the journey to your new home. Goldmyst Palace was said to be the home of fashion in Eledath, with everyone in the kingdom looking to Queen Irene and the rest of the ladies in court as icons of culture. Even outside of Eledath, neighboring kingdoms took inspiration from Queen Irene and her brilliant approach to personal style.
You had to admit, you were incredibly nervous to meet your now-fiancé’s parents. King John and Queen Irene had a well-earned reputation for being intimidating, and even the citizens of the Galestorm Empire knew that it was a bad idea to get on the Eledath royal family’s bad side.
When you arrived at Goldmyst, it seemed like the entire kingdom was at the palace’s gates to welcome their prince’s new fiancée. The crowd was a little bit overwhelming, to be honest, but it was nothing you hadn’t experienced before. After all, you’d made more than your fair share of public appearances at various meetings and festivals as princess of the Galestorm Empire. As you actually got past the gates, however, you realized that you were in over your head.
Goldmyst was easily twice as big as Sunrider Castle, where you grew up, and there wasn’t a doubt in your mind that there were three times as many people going about their business inside. As you waited to find out what the next step of starting your new life would be, you couldn’t help but wonder why there were so many people and what they possibly could have been doing. Some of them were carrying tools of their trades, so you could easily identify the cooks, blacksmiths, and cleaning staff, but others you couldn’t quite figure out.
You were distracted from your observations by an unfamiliar voice calling your name. You turned around to see who it was, and you saw one of the most beautiful women you’d ever seen. She wore an opulent gown that was made with the most luxurious-looking fabric you’d ever seen and covered with the finest pearls that money could buy. Every single thing about her made you stop and stare in complete awe, from the delicate crown on her head to her features that looked like they were sculpted by the goddess of beauty herself.
You knew before she even introduced herself that you were standing in front of Queen Irene.
“Your majesty,” you said with a curtsy, “I apologize if I kept you waiting.”
“It’s alright. Welcome to Goldmyst Palace, my dear. Would you like me to show you around and introduce you to my son?”
“That would be lovely, your majesty.”
“Then come with me.”
The queen showed you the location of every room in the palace that you had permission to enter, telling you about the history and purpose of each room as she went. As you looked around the vast and elegant spaces and watched people moving through them like they were meant to be there, not a single person looking out of place, you couldn’t help but hope that you could fit into this world one day, too.
The tour ended with Prince Arthur’s quarters, which were adjacent to the area of the palace that you would be staying in. It was there that you finally met your fiancé. He was conventionally attractive, something that you were embarrassed to admit you’d hoped for, and he looked to be very athletic, with a slim and muscular build. You couldn’t help but notice the way he avoided your eyes as you entered, however.
“Hello,” you said with yet another curtsy, “My name is (Y/N). It’s an honor to be your fiancée.”
“It’s an honor to be yours as well, my lady,” Arthur replied before kissing your hand, clearly more nervous than he wanted to admit. “Would you like to stay and play cards?”
“That sounds lovely.”
“I’ll give you two some privacy, then,” Irene said, turning toward the door.
“Wait, your majesty, please.”
The queen turned back to you with a look of confusion on her face and asked, “What is it, dear?”
“Thank you for the tour. I appreciate that you took time out of your busy schedule to show me around and make me feel welcome here.”
“You’re welcome, dear. Have fun with Arthur,” she said before she left the room.
From the moment Irene laid eyes on you, she didn’t like you. Every word that left your mouth sounded like you were reading from a script, you looked like a mess, and you were simply too naïve for your own good. Still, the queen knew better than to make snap judgements, so she decided that she would wait and see what you were like after you adjusted to life in court.
After Irene left the room, and you were alone with Arthur, an awkward silence filled the room. You wanted to say something, but you really didn’t know what. Based on the way he opened his mouth to speak and stopped himself, it seemed like Arthur wasn’t quite sure either. In the end, hoping to cut through the tension that had started to build, you decided to utilize some advice that your mother gave you before you left: when you want someone to open up to you, start by asking them about what makes them happy and really listen to what they have to say.
“So, Arthur, what makes you happiest in life?”
Your fiancée thought for a moment before he answered, “Art.”
“Why do you like it?”
“I think I’ve just always enjoyed making things. When I was a boy, I gravitated toward woodworking, but I lost interest as I got older. Now, I spend as much of my free time as I can painting and composing songs. Those aren’t exactly considered suitable hobbies for a future king, though, so my parents always try their best to steer me toward something else whenever they see me doing them.”
You softened as you heard Arthur speak about his hobbies. With a smile, you responded, “Can I see your paintings?”
He hesitated for a moment before he said, “Sure. I’ve converted one of the smaller rooms that’s attached to this one to a small gallery. I can show you, if you’d like.”
“That sounds lovely.”
“Follow me,” he said, a mischievous grin forming on his face.
You followed Arthur to a corner of the room that you wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t pointed it out to you. He started to search the wall for something, which you found odd at first. It all started to make sense, however, when you heard a click as he touched a certain part of the wall. You had to admit that you were a bit startled by the bookshelf on the adjacent wall starting to move when he pushed the button, though.
You were hesitant to go through the newly opened passage at first, but when Arthur turned back toward you with the same mischievous smile as before, you were inclined to trust him. Sure, it probably wasn’t wise to trust a man that you just met, especially when he tried to lead you through a secret passage, but the man that you’d just met was your fiancé, after all. You would have to trust him if you were going to marry him.
You followed Arthur through the cramped passage into a small room filled with the most beautiful paintings that you’d ever seen. He had a unique ability to capture the essence of every subject, from human to animal or even plant, and make them look as if they were about to jump right off of the canvas. His attention to detail was astonishing, and you couldn’t help but feel grateful that he already trusted you enough to let you see the things that he created.
“Thank you for showing me this,” you said.
“Thank you for caring to see it.”
There was a short moment of silence after he spoke, though it wasn’t as awkward as it was before he started to open up to you. You were the first one to break the silence once again when you said, “I seem to remember being promised a card game,” a soft smile gracing your features.
“That you were. Shall we?”
“We shall.”
You and Arthur made your way back through the secret passage, and he closed the door by pressing the same button that had opened it. You wanted to ask him more about the passage, but you figured that it was a bad time. Besides, you were actually quite excited to play a game with him.
While Arthur taught you to play his favorite card game, the two of you got to know each other far better. He promised to play you some of his compositions next time the two of you were alone together, and you told him a bit more about your own hobbies.
“What do you like to do for fun, (Y/N)?” he asked, hoping to get you to open up the same way he’d opened up to you.
“I love to sew. I learned from my governess as a child. I took to it like a fish to water, as she would say.”
“Why do you like it?”
“The quiet time spent creating is good for my mood, and I enjoy being able to make things for myself instead of relying on others. I actually made most of the clothes that I brought with me here.”
“That’s amazing. You’re quite talented.”
“So are you.”
As the game went on, you no longer viewed Arthur as a stranger. You wouldn’t necessarily say that you were in love with him like you’d hoped, but you were definitely beginning to consider him a friend. When you saw the way he smiled at you after you beat him at the game, you felt safe in the assumption that he was starting to view you the same way.
Life in Goldmyst Palace was vastly different from your upbringing at Sunrider Castle, so it took you quite some time to adjust to your new home. While the etiquette wasn’t necessarily stricter than back home, it was quite different. For example, when you had meals at Sunrider, it was customary to wait until everyone at your table was finished eating to leave. At Goldmyst, you had to get used to the fact that you were permitted to go back to your quarters as soon as you were done eating. You tried to remember all the rules right away, but it would have been a lie to say that you didn’t struggle at first.
Irene saw the way you struggled over the course of your first few weeks at Goldmyst and desperately tried to convince her husband that you weren’t a good enough match for Arthur. John tended to wave her off, however, citing how powerful the Galestorm Empire was and how beneficial the match would be for Eledath. What the king didn’t know, however, was that there was another reason for Irene’s dislike of you. It made sense that he didn’t know, though. After all, how could he know about the things that his wife did while he slept if she didn’t tell him?
When the queen disappeared into her private chambers after her husband went to bed, she consulted her closest advisor: an enchanted mirror that she received as a wedding gift from her mother. It was charmed to always give a truthful answer when asked a question, no matter what it was, and she treasured its advice.
When Irene was certain that no one else would hear her whispers, she asked the mirror for advice in maintaining her appearance, as well as asking who the most beautiful woman in the kingdom was. Every night, without fail, the mirror would respond that she was the most beautiful and help her keep it that way. Since you’d arrived at Goldmyst Palace, however, the mirror had begun to give her a different answer.
“Magic mirror in my hand, who is the most beautiful woman in the land?” Irene asked, desperate for a different answer than the night before.
“As much as I wish I could say that it is you, my queen,” the voice within the mirror began, “it is not. You know as well as I that the answer to your question is (Y/N).”
“Isn’t there something that you could tell me that could help me surpass her once again?”
“I am afraid there is not.”
Already growing frustrated with its lack of assistance, she said, “I should smash you to bits,” and put the mirror away.
Once the mirror was tucked away, Irene went to bed in hopes of getting some beauty rest. She spent hours trying to sleep before giving up and thinking about the things that she could do to restore her position as the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. However, since the mirror decided not to give her any actual advice this time, she decided to just handle the situation herself.
What Irene really wanted to do was send you back to the Galestorm Empire and call off the engagement entirely. Her husband would never allow that, however, considering how important their allyship would be in times of war. The next thing that Irene thought about doing was disposing of you the old-fashioned way. The moment the thought crossed her mind; however, she decided against it, considering it too drastic. In the end, she settled on something much more satisfying, anyway: simple revenge.
While Irene was planning her revenge over the mirror’s declaration, you were finding yourself growing closer to Arthur than you originally thought that you would. As you became more comfortable at Goldmyst Palace, you found yourself spending as much time as possible with your fiancé and actually enjoying his company.
Your favorite way to spend time with Arthur was to watch him paint while you attended to garments that needed to be mended. As each of you worked on your respective projects, you would ask each other questions about them, as well as discussing whatever came to mind, like your upcoming wedding.
“Can I ask you something?” Arthur inquired as he painted a flower.
“Of course. What is it?”
“What kind of wedding do you want?”
The question made you stop and think for longer than you would have liked. Truthfully, you’d never really thought about the matter. Until Arthur asked, you assumed that you wouldn’t really get to have a say. The more you thought about it, however, the more you realized that you did have a few ideas for what you wanted your wedding to be like.
“I think I’d like to have lots of flowers. A large bouquet, flowers decorating the entire hall, just, flowers everywhere. I’d also like to make my own dress, if possible.”
“Are you sure? That seems like a difficult job.”
“It will be, but that’s why I want to do it.”
“I admire your persistence, (Y/N).”
“Thank you.”
“I admire you.” Arthur’s voice was softer as he spoke this time, as if he was nervous about your response.
“I admire you as well.”
There was a moment of silence after that, since both of you were unsure of how to continue the conversation. Arthur was the first to break it this time, however, by asking, “May I kiss you?”
You nodded, placing the stockings that you were mending to the side, and Arthur carefully placed his brush in a cup that was set up by his easel. He seemed hesitant at first, but the moment his lips met yours, he melted into you. Your arms wrapped around his neck, and he let out a soft sigh.
Your intimate moment with Arthur was interrupted by a knock on your door and Irene’s voice saying, “(Y/N)! I need to speak with you about something!”
You quickly pulled away, picking up your mending to appear like you weren’t just doing something that your fiancé’s mother may not approve of. “Come in!” you called.
Irene opened the door and found an empty chair to sit in before she said, “We need to discuss your wardrobe,” holding back a smile as she set her plan to make you look bad into motion.
“Is something that I’ve worn inappropriate?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact.”
Irene then went on to explain that some of your gowns were a bit too extravagant to wear out and about in the palace. When you asked why, she didn’t exactly give you a solid answer, though. Regardless, you agreed to hide the gowns that she said you couldn’t wear in the back of your closet.
The first part of Irene’s plan to make you look bad backfired spectacularly.
Instead of your lack of opulent bejeweled gowns like the other women in the palace making you look frumpy and uninspired, like she’d hoped, you were the talk of the palace. Everyone that saw you spoke of how you didn’t need to rely on elaborate gowns to make yourself look good, since you were so naturally beautiful already, and how they loved your creativity when it came to simple yet dazzling accessories.
Irene was enraged by the failure of step one of her plan, but she still had hope for step two. Step two of her plan was to give you the worst makeup in her personal collection. There was a lot in Irene’s extensive makeup selection that she had wanted to get rid of for some time, since they were of atrocious quality, but she didn’t really have a means to do so in a manner that wasn’t wasteful. At least, she didn’t until you came along.
You had no idea that when Irene gave you her old makeup, she was trying to sabotage you. You honestly thought that she was trying to help you fit in, and you greatly appreciated the gesture. While you’d gotten better at remembering the rules of the court, you still felt out of place in most situations, and a friendly face was exactly what you needed. Sure, you had Arthur, and you appreciated his companionship, but having another woman looking out for you helped your spirits immensely.
The old makeup also did nothing to make you appear any less beautiful according to the nobles of Goldmyst Palace. In fact, you were praised for your skills in applying it, and it was yet another reason for you to be the talk of the palace. Your fiancé was especially vocal about your beauty, spending every moment that the two of you were together complimenting you. The compliments you received from Arthur as well as everyone else at court greatly improved your mood, and you finally started to feel like you belonged.
The fact that nothing was working only got more and more frustrating for Irene. In the end, desperate and unsure of what else to do, she decided to consult her mirror again. Once again, it wasn’t helpful in the slightest. It gave her the same answers as before, and she was angry, to say the least. She was also desperate though, and that meant that she was willing to try anything. Even the drastic measures that the mirror was about to suggest.
The suggestion came when she was just about to put the mirror away for the night. With an exasperated sigh, she said, “God, I just don’t know what to do. I can’t get rid of her, and-”
“You could, my queen.”
“What do you mean? I can’t send her back to the Galestorm Empire.”
“That’s not the only way to get rid of her,” the mirror replied matter-of-factly.
Irene let out a frustrated groan and responded, “Don’t you think that’s too drastic?”
“It would solidify your place as the most beautiful woman in the kingdom once again. Isn’t that what you want? Isn’t that what your mother always taught you to strive to be?”
“You do have a point,” Irene mumbled. From the moment she was old enough to understand speech, her mother instilled one core philosophy: maintain your beauty, and the world will give you everything that you could ever want. She was also taught from an early age to never settle for second place, and she was growing increasingly desperate, so she couldn’t help but consider what the mirror was implying that she should do.
“Very well,” Irene said with another reluctant sigh. “How do you suggest I do it?”
“Poison. If you do it right, it will look like an accident, and there will be no ugly wounds on her corpse.”
“I suppose you’re right. I’ll figure everything out tomorrow. Thank you for your help, mirror.”
“You’re welcome, my queen.”
With that, Irene put the mirror back in its rightful place and went to bed. For the first time in far too long, she didn’t struggle to fall asleep. Instead, she dreamt of being the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom of Eledath again.
The next morning came, and as soon as her official duties for the day were done, Irene went directly to the royal library to search for a book about poisons. As she began to wander and examine each shelf, however, she realized that it would probably be much harder to find than she originally anticipated. Of course, she knew that it wouldn’t be right out in the open, but she’d started out hopeful that she wouldn’t have to spend an eternity searching for the book that she needed. As time went on, however, and she didn’t find anything even close to what she was looking for, she started to lose that hope.
Just when Irene was about to give up and find some other way to get rid of you, she found exactly what she needed. It was in the furthest corner of the library, covered in dust that indicated that it hadn’t been touched in years.
The title of the book was in a language that Irene didn’t quite understand, but something in her gut told her that it would prove to be useful. As she flipped through its pages, her gut instinct was proven correct. There were detailed instructions for a variety of poisons. Some of them caused slow, painful deaths, while others were for quick “mercy killings” that could easily be mistaken for something else.
After what felt like hours of looking through the book, Irene decided on a tasteless, odorless potion that could mimic the symptoms of a heart attack if made correctly. Since she had a plan, the next thing she did was start to gather ingredients. The palace had everything needed to make the potion somewhere on the grounds, which she was incredibly grateful for. After all, it would have been difficult to explain why she needed to travel if she couldn’t tell anyone what she was using the ingredients for.
A few courtiers and members of the palace staff asked Irene what she was gathering supplies for, but all she had to do to get them off her back was tell them that she was making an experimental beauty treatment that she’d heard about. Even the most beauty-conscious noblewomen in the palace left her alone, considering they didn’t want to be involved if the “experimental treatment” was a failure.
Once she had all of the ingredients, she carefully combined them, following the instructions in the book to the letter. Every step was completed with precision as she thought about potential explanations for your sudden passing, like the stress of adjusting to living in a different country getting to you or some kind of freak accident.
Irene’s plan was absolutely perfect. She mixed the potion into an otherwise ordinary glass of wine before bringing it to your chambers. With a fake smile plastered onto her face, she said, “I’ve noticed that you’ve been a bit stressed since your arrival here. I thought that some wine and company would help ease some of that stress.”
“Thank you, your majesty. You’ve been very kind to me since I arrived, and I greatly appreciate it.”
“Of course, dear. It’s clear that Arthur cares for you very deeply, and if he’s happy, I’m happy.”
“I care for him very deeply as well.”
The realization that you weren’t lying anymore when you said that you cared for Arthur caught you by surprise, in all honesty. From the moment you arrived, you were certain that your fiancé would be an acquaintance to you and nothing else, at least behind closed doors. Your preconceived notions fell apart, however, as you actually spent more time with him. After all, he was kind and intelligent, never failing to amaze you with the way he cared for other people or seemed to always know the answer when someone at court asked him a question.
Your thoughts of Arthur were interrupted by Irene calling your name.
“I’m sorry, your majesty. What were you saying?”
“Please, call me Irene. There’s no need to be so formal when it’s just us, dear. I just asked if you and Arthur have discussed wedding plans at all.”
“Well, truthfully, we haven’t talked about it much. I was actually hoping to arrange a meeting with you and your husband to discuss it.”
“I’ll discuss it with John when he’s done with his meetings for the day.”
“Thank y-”
Your conversation with Irene was cut short by the king arriving and requesting his wife’s presence. “Irene, my love, will you join me for a moment?” he inquired, “There’s an urgent matter that I need to discuss with you.”
“Of course, darling,” Irene began. Then, she turned to you and said, “I’ll come back as soon as I can, dear. Please, enjoy your wine.”
“Thank you, your majesty.”
Irene left with her husband, and you were just about to take a sip of the wine that Irene brought you when someone knocked on your door. Not expecting company, you opened it cautiously. Upon opening the door, you saw a man that you didn’t recognize. All you really knew for sure was that he was older, at least sixty years old based on his physical appearance, and rich (or at least faking it), based on the expensive clothes that he wore.
With an unsettling smile, he said, “Greetings, princess. I’m Lord Edward. May I come in?”
Every bone in your body screamed to tell him to leave you alone, but you worried for your safety if he didn’t like your answer. So, you quietly said, “Of course. It’s nice to meet you, Lord Edward.”
You moved out of the way to let Lord Edward into your chambers, and he strolled in like they were his own. He even took a drink of the wine that Irene had brought to your room earlier, which was incredibly upsetting. The man in your room seemed to have no concept of politeness and common decency, and every moment alone with him made you uncomfortable. You were nothing if not polite to everyone that you met, however, so, you suffered through it. Hopefully, the end of your time with him would come sooner rather than later.
After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Lord Edward cleared his throat. “So, young lady,” he began, “would you like to spend some time in the garden with me? There’s a special seed that was recently imported that I’d very much like to show you.”
At that point, you decided that you’d had enough, politeness be damned. You felt unsafe in his presence, and you were already growing tired of hiding behind false kindness. So, you firmly said, “No thank you, sir. I’d like to stay here.
“Come on, princess. You don’t want me to show you a good time before your wedding?”
“No, I don’t. Please leave now.”
“I really would like to stay. We just met, after all, so we should get to know each other a little bit.”
“I said, leave!” you yelled, fear and anger evident in your voice.
Almost immediately after you shouted at Lord Edward to leave, he clutched his chest and groaned, a look of pain etched onto his features. Unsure of what was happening or how to help, you swiftly left your room to find the royal physician. It took you longer than you’d hoped, since he wasn’t in his room, but you did eventually find him.
By the time you got back to your chambers with the royal physician, however, it was too late for Lord Edward. He was motionless on your floor, and the royal physician said, “I think he’s gone, your grace.”
What happened next was a blur. The royal physician called for the coroner, and the king and queen were notified of Lord Edward’s death. At one point you were pretty sure that you were asked questions by the coroner, but you couldn’t remember any of them. Everything was moving too fast for you to keep up, and you were riddled with guilt over the fact that you didn’t get the royal physician back to your chambers in time.
Irene was livid that the wine meant for you had taken Lord Edward’s life instead. Once again, her plan of getting rid of you had failed. Feeling defeated, she interpreted the event as a sign that she had to give up. After all, she’d tried everything that she could possibly think of, and everything she tried went horribly wrong in some way. So, in an attempt to avoid further casualties, she finally began to accept that she would just have to deal with you.
The fact that she had to deal with you being around didn’t mean that she had to like you, however. So, while she would be kind to your face for her son’s sake, she would not do more for you than she absolutely had to.
After Lord Edward’s passing, you noticed that Irene was far colder with you than usual, never paying attention to you or speaking to you beyond basic greetings or one-worded answers. You wanted to just ask her what you did wrong, why she wasn’t as warm to you as she had been, but it never seemed to be the right time.
The only thing you could possibly think of was that she blamed you for Lord Edward’s death. You couldn’t wrap your mind around why she could possibly think that, however. The royal coroner had declared the cause of death to be a heart attack, something that it would have been impossible for you to have a hand in. Still, Irene’s behavior only started to shift after his death, and you couldn’t think of any other reason for the change.
After spending a week wracking your brain for answers, you decided to try again to ask Irene what you did to change how she felt about you. You asked Arthur if he could ask his mother to meet with you on a day that you knew she wouldn’t be busy, and he happily agreed. About an hour later, he came back to you with a time that she would come to see you in your quarters.
The agreed-upon time came and went, and Irene was nowhere to be seen. As you waited for her to arrive, the frustration caused by the initial change in her behavior shifted to fully blown anger. You were livid that she couldn’t even show you enough basic decency to tell you what you’d done to upset her, and you were livid that she was nowhere to be seen at the time that she willingly agreed to see you.
After another few hours of waiting, you realized that you would probably just have to accept that she was treating you differently and hope that someday she would warm up to you again. You weren’t exactly sure if that would actually happen, but you had to let yourself have a little bit of hope that everything would be ok.
Your hope of palace life getting any better was quickly shattered the next morning when John, Irene, and Arthur all came to your chambers shortly after you woke up. You had a feeling that something was wrong based on the solemn expressions on their faces, and your suspicions were only confirmed when Arthur said, “Honey, there’s something that we need to speak to you about.”
“What is it?”
There was a brief silence as everyone tried to find the words to explain what had happened the day before. John was the first to break it, saying, “The kingdom of Terenassus has declared war, so Arthur and I will be leaving for the nearest military base shortly. We’re just here to say goodbye.”
“I’m sorry, (Y/N), but our wedding will have to wait until the war ends,” Arthur added sorrowfully.
With tears in your eyes, you said, “I understand,” and stood to hug Arthur. He embraced you like he never would again, and you leaned closer to his ear and whispered, “I expect you to come home safely, Arthur.”
“I will, I assure you. I love you.”
Your eyes started to water as you realized that this was the first time he’d told you that he loved you. With a deep breath, you replied, “I love you, too.”
You let go of your fiancé, and it was John’s turn to pull you into a hug. As he pulled away, he made eye contact with you and said, “I expect you to take care of my wife while I’m gone, (Y/N).”
“I will, your highness. I swear.”
“Thank you.”
John kissed Irene one more time, and he and Arthur left.
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before you took yet another deep breath and said, “Are you ok, your majesty?”
Your question was all it took for the dam to break. Irene started to cry like you’d never seen her cry before, ruining her carefully applied makeup. You were sure that she would be upset when she realized, but this was definitely not the time to point it out. Regardless, you felt like you had to say something. Not knowing what else to do, you gave her a hug and said, “Would you like to come in?”
Through her tears, she replied, “That would be nice. Thank you, dear.”
You let go of Irene and moved out of the doorway to your chambers so that she could enter. Once she was inside, you carefully shut the door and asked, “Do you want to talk about how you’re feeling, or would you rather talk about something else to get your mind off of things?”
“I think I’d like to talk about something else, if that’s alright.”
“Of course. What would you like to talk about?”
“Well, how do you feel about life in the palace?”
With a sigh, you said, “It is quite different from what I expected. The way people interact is so different from the way I’m used to interacting with people back home. And, truthfully, I had a very specific picture of what I thought engaged life would be like that is very different from what actually happened.”
“Am I correct in assuming that means that you didn’t expect to enjoy Arthur’s company as much as you do?”
“If I’m being completely honest, yes. When I first arrived, I thought that we would be roommates that hardly spoke unless it was necessary. Now, I find myself missing him when he’s away and wanting to spend time with him even when we aren’t discussing wedding plans or attending official events together.”
“I had the same experience when John and I first met. I arrived certain that we would be acquaintances at best, and now I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone else. Except Arthur, of course, but the love a mother has for her son is different than the love a wife has for her husband.”
“What was Goldmyst Palace like when you first arrived?”
“Well, it was much smaller than it is now,” Irene recalled with a soft laugh. “John had a number of new wings built to show off when the kingdom first started to prosper. You know how kings are.”
“Yes, I do,” you laughed. “My father was always adding new things to various rooms in the castle back home.”
“What is it like in the Galestorm Empire?”
“It’s wonderful. The court etiquette is vastly different than it is here, and Sunrider Castle was very different than Goldmyst, but I loved it.” After a moment of silence, you asked, “Can I ask where you grew up?”
“I’m from Caerrowe. I was actually about your age when I moved here to marry John.”
“How long have you been married?”
“Our twenty-five-year anniversary is this summer.”
As you processed everything that Irene had told you, you couldn’t help but hope that your relationship with Arthur could be similar to the one that his parents had. If the way that John and Irene looked at each other when they thought that no one was watching them was any indication, they loved each other dearly. John also constantly surprised Irene with beautiful gifts from his travels outside of the kingdom, and Irene spent a significant amount of her free time with John, provided that he wasn’t busy with other things. They had a marriage that everyone in the kingdom wished that they had, and now you included yourself in that, too.
You and Irene continued to talk about your lives before moving to Eledath for what felt like hours after that, and by the end of your conversation, Irene looked noticeably lighter than when she first entered your chambers. You couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride at the fact that you’d been able to provide some comfort in a difficult time, and you hoped that the solace you’d found in each other after Arthur and John left was a sign of a closer bond in the future.
Just like you’d hoped, you only grew closer to Irene as the war with Terenassus raged on. In the months since your fiancé and his father left to fight, your future mother-in-law had become your closest confidant. You shared stories from your childhood with her that you hadn’t even told your own parents, and you were immensely grateful to have someone to talk to that understood just how much you missed Arthur.
While your fiancé was away, you wrote him letters as often as you could. Sure, you knew that he probably wouldn’t receive them right away, but you still wanted to take the time to let him know that you loved him and that you were thinking of him. He responded to every letter that he received telling you the same, as well as sharing stories of the war and lamenting the fact that he had to wait longer than anticipated to marry you. Reading his desperation to finally marry you only made you want him to return sooner.
Things took a turn for the worse when you suddenly stopped receiving letters from Arthur with no explanation. You asked Irene if she’d heard from him, and she said that she hadn’t. She assured you that she would ask John for news of Arthur’s health, however, and it made you feel slightly better.
Weeks went by, and you still didn’t hear from Arthur. There was no news of him in John’s letters to Irene, either. You tried to reason with yourself, reminding yourself that men at war are often busy, which makes them forgetful, but it did nothing for your anxiety.
As the weeks turned to months, it got harder and harder to avoid thinking about the worst possible outcome. You tried desperately to suppress the thought that he had gotten hurt, or worse, but your mind loved to play tricks on you by letting your fears get the better of you. Despite your fear, however, you constantly reminded yourself to hold on to that little bit of hope that got you through the day, the hope that your fiancé would come home to you soon.
The next day, your hope was shattered. You woke up to a blood-curdling scream, followed by devastated sobs. When you realized that the sobs sounded like Irene’s, you ran to her chambers to find out what was going on, though deep down, you had a feeling that you knew exactly what had happened. Still, when you arrived, you asked, “What’s wrong, your majesty?”
“Arthur is gone.”
And just like that, your world collapsed.
“Depressed” did not even begin to describe the utter despair that filled every corner of your heart as you tried to process that you would never get to see your fiancé again. All you could do was collapse to the floor and shriek just as Irene had, too overcome by grief to even hold yourself upright.
This wasn’t how your life was supposed to go. Arthur was meant to come home safe and sound when the war ended, and the two of you were meant to go back to planning your wedding. You were meant to marry him and spend the rest of your life in the palace, helping Arthur take care of the citizens of Eledath with the same diligence his parents had. You were meant to have his children and spend your days that weren’t filled with meetings and official events caring for miniature manifestations of the love that the two of you had for each other.
You loved him, and you had no idea how to go on now that the life you were supposed to have with him was cut short.
A week after your world was turned upside down, John returned home with news that the war was over. When you saw him, you were relieved that he came home in one piece, even though he definitely had some new scars, both physical and emotional. A small part of you, however, resented him for coming home when Arthur never would. You hated yourself for even acknowledging the ugly emotions that sprung forward when you saw John and Irene for the first time after his return, but the envy and pain that you felt was all too real, and you knew that you’d never heal if you couldn’t admit that you felt the way you did.
After the king let go of his wife, he turned to you with tears in his eyes and a look of guilt on his face and said, “I’m so sorry.”
All you could do in response was sob.
Irene immediately pulled you into a hug, rubbing your back as you cried into her shoulder. You found some comfort in the gesture, despite the despair still threatening to swallow you whole. Once you felt like you couldn’t cry anymore, you let go of Irene and said, “I’m grateful that you returned home safely, your highness,” and left for your chambers so that you could be alone with your thoughts.
A few days after John returned to the palace, you requested a meeting with him and Irene at their earliest convenience. Their earliest convenience turned out to be immediately, and you couldn’t help but feel relief that you would get to share your new idea with them sooner rather than later. As you entered the meeting room, the advisors and other government officials left, citing some “official business” they had to attend to. You knew that they were probably just trying to give you privacy, though, most likely at John and Irene’s request.
Once you were alone with the king and queen, you began, “Your highness, your majesty,” curtsying as you spoke, “I have an idea that I’d like to discuss with you both regarding a memorial for Arthur.”
There was a moment of silence at the mention of the one thing no one in the room wanted to think about. Irene was the first to break it, urging, “(Y/N), dear, you don’t have to address us so formally. Especially when we’re speaking in private.”
“What’s your idea?” John chimed in.
“What if we organize a memorial gallery? I know where Arthur stored his paintings. I could display some of them in the grand hall during his funeral.”
Irene softened when she heard your idea and said, “That sounds wonderful. Thank you.”
“Thank you, (Y/N). I’m sure that he would love that,” John added, his voice breaking as he thought about his son. “Was there anything else that you wanted to discuss?”
“That was all. Thank you for listening.”
Another silence fell over the room as everyone got lost in their own thoughts. You didn’t know the specifics of what Irene and John were thinking about, but you had a strong feeling that their thoughts revolved around the same person that yours did. Not wanting to pry or bother them any further, you said, “I need to go. Thank you again for listening. I’ll let you know when I decide which paintings to display.”
“Thank you, dear,” Irene said, clearly trying not to cry.
You left the meeting room after that, desperate to be alone with your thoughts. When you got back to your chambers, you collapsed onto your bed and let yourself bawl until you couldn’t anymore as you found yourself once again thinking about the life that you should have had with Arthur.
Once your tears had run dry, at least for the day, you found yourself too exhausted to even begin to think about doing anything but sleeping. So, you allowed yourself to drift off, dreaming of the happy reunion that you wished that you could have.
When you woke up the next morning, you felt at least somewhat refreshed by the pleasant dream you’d had. So, you went right to Arthur’s chambers to decide which of his paintings to display at the funeral that was rapidly approaching. A fresh wave of pain crashed over you as you entered the room and started to think about the fact that you would never get to spend time with him there again, but you still tried to focus on the task at hand.
You made your way to the seemingly forgotten corner of Arthur’s bedroom that housed the secret passage and fumbled for the button the same way that your forever fiancé did the day that you arrived. The bookcase shifted, and instead of frightening you, the noises it made as it shifted into place were comforting.
You entered the gallery that Arthur kept his paintings in, and at first, you struggled to decide which of his paintings to display for the funeral. As you wandered around the room and carefully examined each one, however, there was one that caught your eye.
It was a painting of a vase of sunflowers and roses, which you’d told him were your favorite flowers. He’d started it shortly before the war began, so while it was clear what the painting was depicting, it was still largely unfinished. The moment you saw it; however, you thought that it was perfect for the display. As you continued to look through Arthur’s gallery, you found a few others that you thought would be fitting as well: a portrait of his parents that he’d painted for their anniversary and a self-portrait that he’d painted shortly before you arrived.
With the paintings chosen, you took them out of the private gallery and into the grand hall, which had everything that was needed for the funeral. Seeing so many people put in so much work to plan a memorial for the man that you loved moved you to tears, and you could only hope that Arthur knew just how many people cared for him when he was alive.
The day of the funeral came, and you spent the entire morning feeling like you were going to throw up. Everything necessary for the memorial was in the grand hall, but there was still so much to do to actually prepare. You did as much as you could, but there were moments when you had to step away because you were on the verge of tears. Whenever that happened, Irene was right by your side, comforting you however you needed her to.
“I don’t know if I’ve told you this before, but he told me that he was in love with you right before he said it to you as he was saying goodbye,” she said.
“Really?” you asked through your tears.
Irene nodded before she continued, “He told me how excited he was for the wedding and how happy he was that you were the woman he was gonna marry.” There was a moment of silence before she added, “He was so happy to have you.”
“I was happy to have him, too.”
Irene pulled you into a tight hug as you started to cry again, whispering words of reassurance as you tried desperately to calm down. Once you felt like you could breathe again, you thanked her and went back to preparations.
Arthur’s funeral was a blur of heartache as you sat in the grand hall and listened to the priest that lived on the palace grounds deliver a sermon on the healing power of God in times of grief. You’d never really considered yourself religious before, but you had to admit that the priest’s words moved you. Especially when you thought about the idea of seeing Arthur again in the afterlife.
After the sermon, several people spoke about their memories of Arthur in a beautiful celebration of his life. You were invited to share stories about your relationship with him as well, but you declined, unsure if you would be able to maintain your composure long enough to deliver a coherent speech.
Irene, however, as she shared stories from Arthur’s childhood and spoke about how much she loved her son, was the epitome of grace under pressure. You could see from the look in her eyes that she was probably going to break as soon as she was out of the kingdom’s view, but while she stood at the front of the grand hall telling a story about how Arthur fell in love with art as a child, she held herself together in a way that you could only hope to. If you were being completely honest with yourself, you envied how composed she was. You were determined not to think about that, however, instead choosing to focus on thoughts of the time that you did have with Arthur, no matter how limited it was.
As you left the grand hall, you heard Irene call your name. You turned around to see tears in her eyes and asked, “Yes, your majesty?”
“Thank you. The gallery was beautiful.”
“I’m just happy that we gave Arthur the best sendoff that we could. Thank you for being there for me as I’ve grieved.”
“I should thank you for the same. Your company has brought me more comfort and peace in these difficult times than you will ever know.”
Irene pulled you into a hug as you started to cry, and a few stray tears fell from her eyes as well. As the two of you sobbed in each other’s arms, you couldn’t help but feel grateful that you’d met someone like Irene that cared about you enough to be there for you as you experienced what had to be the worst pain of your life.
About a month after the funeral, your world was turned upside down again by a knock on your door. You opened it, and Irene stood before you. She looked like she’d been crying, but you decided not to bring attention to it. With a dejected sigh, she asked, “Would you please come with me? My husband has something that he’d like to discuss with you.”
“Of course.”
You followed Irene to the same meeting room where you’d proposed the memorial gallery, and when you arrived, John was waiting inside. As your eyes met, you noticed that he looked guilty, just like he had the day that he returned home from the war. You wanted to just ask him what was wrong, why he looked at you like he knew he was going to hurt you with what he had to say, but you decided not to make a scene. After all, you would find out soon enough.
You took a seat as Irene took her place next to John, and the first words out of the king’s mouth were, “I’m sorry, (Y/N).”
“What’s going on, your highness?”
John didn’t have the heart to ask you to drop the formalities this time. Instead, he simply continued, “We’ve contacted your mother and father. They believe, as I do, that it would be best if you returned home to the Galestorm Empire, since you’re no longer marrying Arthur.”
You were truly at a loss for words.
Sure, you weren’t exactly thrilled to be in Eledath when you first arrived, but as time went on, you found yourself feeling at home in Goldmyst Palace, and you wanted to stay. It was kind of funny, really. Now that you didn’t actually want to leave, you had to.
Fighting back tears, you finally said, “I’ll start packing my things as soon as possible.”
“I’m sorry that it’s come to this, (Y/N),” John said with a sigh.
“It’s alright, really. I understand,” you replied.
After that, you turned away from the king and queen and made your way toward the door, hoping that they didn’t notice the tears in your eyes that were threatening to fall at any moment. Once you were out of the meeting room, you returned to your chambers to begin packing in hopes it would distract you from your sorrow.
Packing everything that you brought with you when you first came to Eledath was difficult and time-consuming, but you did manage to do it on your own. You definitely didn’t enjoy doing it, though. Regardless, you knew that it had to be done, and you were proud of yourself for maintaining your composure long enough to actually do it.
As soon as you were done packing, however, you laid down on your bed and finally let the tears that you’d spent hours fighting back fall freely. You cried like you hadn’t in a long time, desperate to finally find some catharsis as all of the emotions that you’d been bottling up bubbled over and threatened to consume you. While you sobbed, you thought about your time with Arthur that you still wished hadn’t been cut short, your growing closeness to Irene that you would miss when you went home, and your overwhelming desire to stay in the home that you’d found in what was once an unfamiliar kingdom until you fell asleep.
You woke up the next morning to yet another knock on your door. You wanted to pretend that you were still sleeping and ignore it, but when you once again heard Irene’s voice calling your name on the other side, you knew that you couldn’t.
With a sigh, you got out of bed and answered the door. Irene appeared to be in a much better mood this time, however, smiling as she asked, “Can I speak to you about something?”
“Of course, your majesty. What is it?” you asked, allowing her into your chambers.
“Please, drop the formalities, dear,” Irene gently scolded as she entered. “I have exciting news!”
“What is it?”
“I spoke to John, and we may have a solution for what was discussed yesterday.”
“Do you mean going home?”
“Yes. What would you say if I asked you to stay here as a royal companion?” You were speechless, so she continued, “You wouldn’t have to do anything. You could just spend time with me as I go about my duties and attend events.”
You thought for a moment before you said, “What about my parents? Didn’t they want me to come home?”
“Well, yes, but John agreed to send them a letter and request their permission to let you stay if you want to. If we send it today, we should receive a response from them by the end of this week. What do you think?”
“I think it’s an incredibly generous offer. Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am.”
A smile graced your face for the first time since the meeting about your return home, and you said, “I think that sounds lovely.”
“Wonderful! I’ll tell John, and he can write the letter to your parents. I’m so happy you’re staying,” Irene replied as she pulled you into a hug that you were certain would have crushed your bones if it had been any tighter.
With a smile on her face and a spring in her step, Irene left your chambers, presumably to tell John about your decision. As you thought about the conversation you just had, you were touched by the queen’s request to keep you in Eledath. Despite her explanation, you weren’t exactly sure what being a royal companion would be like, but you were excited to find out, especially since you got to stay in your new home with the woman you considered your closest friend.
The week that you waited for your parents to respond to John’s letter was one of the most agonizing of your life. You were certain that they would allow you to stay, but sometimes you wondered if it was actual certainty or false hope that fueled your thoughts. Regardless, it was exactly what you needed to get through the almost unbearable waiting period.
When a letter from your mother and father finally arrived, Irene called you to her chambers to read it. Now that the letter had actually arrived, however, you were more nervous than you’d been all week. What if they didn’t let you stay? What if they’d already found some other prince to marry you off to? The possibilities were endless.
Irene smiled as she opened the letter, and with a deep breath, she read:
“Our dear (Y/N),
We were surprised to hear from King John that you’d like to stay in Eledath. However, after careful consideration, we’ve decided to give you our blessing to stay in Goldmyst Palace as a companion to Queen Irene. We fully trust her majesty and her husband to take care of you, and we trust you to make responsible decisions. All we ask is that you visit us here from time to time. We miss our little girl.
Warmest regards, Mom and Dad.”
You were ecstatic that your parents were permitting you to stay, to say the least. The moment Irene set the letter down, you pulled her into a hug, tears of relief streaming down your face. Once you regained your composure, you let go and said, “Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
“You are so welcome, my dear. I have to admit, however, that my motives weren’t entirely selfless.”
“What do you mean?”
“Truthfully, having you here has been a source of great joy and comfort for me, especially since losing Arthur. I didn’t want to let go of your companionship.”
With a soft smile, you hugged Irene yet again. Neither of you spoke, but you didn’t have to. The comfort of each other’s presence was all that you needed.
Adjusting to your new life as a royal companion took far less time than you thought it would. You and Irene settled into a routine surprisingly quickly, spending basically all of your free time together. Sure, you accompanied her to meetings with John and his advisors and occasionally acted as an assistant when she had to attend official events, but for the most part, you basically just kept her company.
Irene was immensely grateful that you stayed in the palace. You made her laugh on her darkest days, and you were always there to listen when she needed to talk. As time went on, and the two of you settled into your new routine, she found herself trusting you more than she trusted even her own husband in some matters.
Irene also found herself worrying less and less about beauty as she spent more time with you. After all, the people she cared about most still loved her, even if she wasn’t the most beautiful woman in the kingdom anymore. That had to count for something, right? So, she hid her magical mirror in a locked drawer, no longer feeling the need to ask it for advice or hear it tell her that she was the most beautiful woman in the kingdom.
As you spent more time with Irene, you found yourself dealing with new feelings that you didn’t quite understand. Whenever you were alone with her, you got butterflies in your stomach, and you felt giddy whenever she said your name. It was a textbook description of a crush, but that only left you more confused. After all, you’d never had romantic feelings for another woman before.
Regardless of your confusion, however, you really liked the way that being around Irene made you feel, as well as the things that she did that made you feel that way. She smiled every time she saw you, she made you laugh when you were feeling down, and she never let a day go by without telling you how much she cared about you and appreciated having you around.
Sometimes, you felt guilty for feeling the way that you did, though. After all, Irene was your dead fiancé’s mother. Plus, she was still happily married to her husband of twenty-five years. Sure, you couldn’t necessarily control how you felt, but you were still ashamed of yourself for allowing yourself to fall for a woman that you knew you could never have. So, you decided that you wouldn’t say a word, and you tried to meet other people in the palace that could distract you from your feelings.
Your attempts at distracting yourself weren’t nearly as successful as you were hoping they would be. Sure, you had fun meeting and hooking up with various men and women that lived in the palace, but none of them could take your mind off of Irene once the sex was over. That didn’t stop you from spending months continuing to try, though.
Irene noticed your pattern of behavior, and honestly, she was troubled. It wasn’t because she thought what you did was wrong, though. Absolutely not. She had no problem with you taking a different person to bed most nights, as long as you were safe once they were in your chambers. There was no reason for her to be concerned that it was something deeper, either. She truly didn’t understand why she was upset. Not at first, at least.
The reason that Irene was troubled by your behavior revealed itself at a ball to celebrate her husband’s birthday. Everyone in the palace was dancing, the finest wine in the kingdom flowed freely, and for one night, no one had to worry about anything.
Irene was very worried, however. At least, she thought it was worry at first. You were on the dance floor with Lord Vernon, a son of the late Lord Edward, and she could tell that he was interested in going to your quarters with you after the ball ended. Based on the way you looked at him as you said something to him that only he could hear, you were just as interested as he was.
Watching you dance with Lord Vernon made an ugly feeling settle in the pit of Irene’s stomach, and she hated herself for it. She knew that it wasn’t anxiety, since she trusted Lord Vernon and knew that the two of you wouldn’t do anything unsafe, but she still felt uncomfortable as she watched the way he held you close while you danced. As she thought about it more, she realized what was really going on.
The feeling she was experiencing was jealousy. She wanted to be the one that you were dancing with, not Lord Vernon.
The realization that Irene was jealous of Lord Vernon was a startling one, to say the least. After all, she’d been happily married for twenty-five years, and in that time she’d never experienced attraction to anyone that wasn’t her husband. Still, as she watched the way your body moved, and the wine she’d spent the evening drinking coursed through her veins, she found herself unable to think about anything but how badly she wanted to be the one to take you to bed after the ball was done. Disgusted with herself, Irene left the ballroom for some time to herself, hoping it would help her forget about wanting you the way that she did.
As you danced with Lord Vernon, you noticed movement out of the corner of your eye. When you turned to look, you saw Irene leaving the ballroom in a hurry. Concerned that something was wrong, you turned back to Lord Vernon and said, “I have to go.”
“Will you be back?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I’m sorry,” you replied as you left to follow Irene.
When you caught up with Irene, she was in the hallway in front of her chambers. She stood in front of the door, seeming to debate whether she should actually go in. As you stepped closer to where she stood, you asked, “Are you alright?”
With a defeated sigh, she turned to you and responded, “No, I’m not.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve had far too much wine, and it’s making me feel things that I shouldn’t.”
“Would you like to talk about them?”
“Thank you, dear, but I don’t want to burden you. You do enough for me already.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind-”
“For fuck’s sake, can you stop being so goddamn perfect?” she snapped.
A stunned silence filled the space as you processed what she said. You knew that you should say something, but you had no idea where to start. So, you chose to start simple by asking, “What do you mean?”
“You’re so fucking perfect, it’s sickening. I hate how perfect you are, and I hate that I want your perfect self as much as I do,” she ranted, not thinking about the words that left her lips.
After another brief stunned silence, you asked, “You want me?”
“Of course! Who wouldn’t? You’re smart, you’re kind, you’re funny, and you’re so unbelievably beautiful. I know it’s wrong for me to want you, but how could I not when you’re so fucking perfect?” she continued, tears starting to form in her eyes as she acknowledged her feelings out loud.
Whether it was the way Irene looked in the gown she’d chosen to wear to the ball, the alcohol coursing through your veins, your desperation, or some sick combination of all three, you decided to see what would happen next if you told her the truth. A small smile formed on your face as you said, “You know, I think you’re absolutely beautiful, too.”
“Don’t say that, dear. I know that you don’t mean it. At least, not the same way I do when I say it to you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I think I-”
Irene didn’t even get to finish her sentence before your lips were on hers. She let out a small noise of surprise at the sudden contact, but it didn’t take long at all for her to melt into the kiss just like you did.
As your lips moved against Irene’s, you couldn’t help but think that you could stay right there, kissing her right outside her bedroom door, for eternity. As she pulled away from the kiss, however, and looked at you with what could only be described as hunger in her eyes, you realized that she had other plans. A mischievous grin formed on her face, and she said, “Come with me.”
You nodded in response, and she opened the door to her chambers and practically dragged you inside. Once the door was shut, she turned to you with the same mischievous smile on her face and said, “Strip for me, baby.”
You scrambled to follow her instructions, watching as she removed her own garments. When both of you were completely bare, she grabbed your hand and led you to her bed before pinning you to the soft mattress. Her lips immediately found yours again, and a soft moan slipped out as you felt her hand make its way to your breast and squeeze lightly.
Irene pulled away to give you a chance to breathe before she asked, “Are you ok with this, baby?” You nodded and opened your mouth to speak but decided against it. With a smile, she added, “What is it? Talk to me, love.”
“Want more.”
“Oh really?” she asked with a teasing tone in her voice. You nodded, and she continued, “What is it that you want, baby?”
“Wanna taste you. Please? I promise I’ll be good, just wanna make you come on my tongue.”
“Fuck, baby, get up,” she commanded, climbing off of you.
You did as you were told, and Irene took your spot on the bed before spreading her legs. You immediately settled between them and started to gently suck on her clit. She moaned loudly at the stimulation, and that only made you want to continue.
While you continued to lick and suck Irene’s clit, you carefully inserted two fingers into her pussy. You groaned softly when you felt how wet she was, sending shockwaves of pleasure through her as she felt the vibrations around her clit. She let out a loud moan and tangled her hands in your hair as you pleasured her, pulling slightly. It was a simple gesture, but it still left you more aroused than you already were, if that was even possible.
“Fuck! Feels so good baby. Just like that,” she whined, bucking her hips up to meet your face.
You found yourself falling more and more in love with Irene with every moan and whine that left her lips. She clearly loved the situation you’d found yourselves in just as much as you did, crying out as you continued to fuck her with your fingers and tease her clit with your tongue.
It didn’t take much longer for her release to start to build, the tension in the pit of her stomach threatening to snap at any moment. As she got closer to the brink, she tried desperately to force the words out to warn you. She just didn’t get them out in time, though. Instead, she came undone around you with a loud moan of your name. You continued to gently fuck her through her release until she pushed you away, trying desperately to catch her breath.
After Irene came down from her high, she carefully stood up and said, “You did such a good job for me, baby. What would you like as a reward? Do you want my fingers, my tongue, or my strap?”
“Strap, please?” you begged, desperate to relieve the arousal that had been building between your legs for what felt like an eternity.
“Of course, baby. Lie down for me, ok?”
You nodded and moved to lie down on Irene’s bed while she took the toy she was planning to use out of her drawer. You wanted to ask why she had it but decided against it. Instead, while you waited, you carefully moved your hand between your legs and started to play with your clit, growing impatient and desperate. A soft moan slipped out, letting Irene know that you were up to something. She turned toward you, and when she noticed what you were doing, she sighed and said, “Really? I’m disappointed, baby. I thought you were my good girl, but right now, you’re acting like a desperate slut. Is that what you are?”
You shook your head and replied, “No, ma’am.”
“Then why were you touching yourself when I was literally five feet away looking for the toy I was planning to use to fuck you?”
You whined at the question and answered, “Got impatient. ‘m sorry, ma’am. It won’t happen again” as you moved your hand away from your pussy.
“Good girl. Still want me to fuck you, or was your hand enough?”
“Wasn’t enough. Please fuck me, ma’am,” you begged.
“That’s what I thought.”
Irene attached the harness to her hips before carefully climbing on top of you. Once she aligned the tip of the dildo with your entrance, she grabbed your chin to make you look at her and asked, “Before I continue, are you sure?”
“I’m sure. Please just fuck me.”
That was all Irene needed to hear to slowly move her hips forward. A loud cry left your lips as you felt her enter you, and you already found yourself starting to feel overwhelmed. Once she actually started thrusting, the feeling only intensified.
Irene started slowly at first, not wanting to do too much right away. As she thrusted in and out, you wrapped your arms around her and dug your nails into her back. She groaned at the sensation, loving the way that it hurt.
“Harder, please,” you whined, bucking your hips up to meet hers in a desperate attempt for more stimulation.
As Irene started fucking you harder, neither one of you spoke much, too focused on what you were doing. Occasionally, though, a soft “Fuck” or “Feels so good” would slip out of your mouth, and your lover for the night found herself wanting to draw those sweet words out of you again and again. You were the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen, and all she could think about as she continued to thrust into you was how badly she wanted to show you just how beautiful she thought you were every night for the rest of her life.
One of the many things that Irene already loved about intimacy with you was watching the way your tits bounced as she fucked you. She could hardly tear her eyes away from the sight, and you had to admit that when you noticed, you were incredibly flattered.
As your high started to build, you found yourself growing increasingly desperate. With a whine, you asked, “Can I please play with my clit, ma’am?”
After a particularly harsh thrust, she said, “Go ahead, baby.”
That was all you needed to hear to bring your hand to your pussy, circling your clit as Irene continued to pound into you. When your whines started to get more frequent and higher in pitch, she realized that you were getting close. Wanting nothing more than to watch you come undone, she moved her head down to your neck, kissing and biting every bit of you that she could comfortably reach.
Between the dildo moving in and out of you, your hand on your clit, and Irene’s mouth on your neck, it was only a matter of time before you tumbled over the edge into overwhelming pleasure. With a loud cry, you came undone around the toy, moaning your lover’s name as she continued to fuck you through your release.
Once you came down from your high, Irene carefully pulled out of you and removed the harness, setting it aside to be dealt with in the morning. Then, she carefully helped you out of bed and into the bathroom that was connected to her bedroom so that the two of you could get cleaned up.
Once both of you were clean and comfortable, Irene carefully helped you back into her bed. After the two of you were settled, she wrapped her arms around you, holding you close as you truly relaxed for the first time in months. While she held you close, you talked to her about whatever came to mind until you fell asleep. Once she was certain that you were sleeping, she allowed herself to relax too, silently admiring your beauty as she fell asleep.
Thank you so much for reading! If you liked this one, please like and reblog, and make sure to check out the other fics in this collab! The masterlist can be found here. If you'd like to read more of my work, you can find my personal masterlist here. If you wanna see what else I have in the works, my upcoming works list is here. If none of that catches your attention, or there's something specific that you want to see, send a request via my asks or dms! If you want to be tagged in my new fics, the form to join my taglist is here!
Thank you again for reading, and thank you again to Tara for the banner!
Fluffy though of milf Irene younger male reader is in love with her
Alrighty, I'll give it a try
You went out with your neighbor Irene; she was a young single mother. The two of you went out regularly, and while you didn't want to push your luck with her just yet, you enjoyed going out as friends. Sometimes, she brought along her child, but this wasn't one of those times.
Today, you went to the beach with Irene, walking along the sand. She wasn't the most comfortable with her body after she had her child, so she wore a loose shirt and jeans. You played along the boardwalk, with Irene snapping pictures as you played some of the games, trying to win her a stuffed animal. You ended up winning it, a large stuffed rabbit that she would barely be able to carry.
Irene laughed as you handed it to her; she playfully complained that it was too big. To you, it looked like she was hugging it; you took her camera from her and snapped a picture, letting her see it on the camera screen. She laughed and patted your chest before taking back the camera. You enjoyed your time with Irene, and she enjoyed being with you, telling you how young you made her feel. When you returned home, Irene told you to visit her again soon. That she felt good about herself when you were around.
She prefers that you call her “Joohyun” rather than Irene. She wants to feel like you know the real her instead of her stage presence.
Speaking of which, she often slips into her Daegu dialect around you
You were never intimidated by her like everyone else was, you were warm and loving regardless of how “scary” she seemed
It took her a while to open up to you about her inner thoughts and feelings. She’s so used to bottling it all up in order to be a good leader that she doesn’t stop to think when she might need help
But you help her with that, constantly reassuring every single one of her insecurities. Even when she doesn’t ask, you’ll always be the first one to tell her she’s done well!
She cooks you seaweed soup every year for your birthday just like she does for the members 💚
Ordering her tea for her whenever you’re at a coffee shop because she’s too afraid of being judged by the barista for not liking coffee
Eating her vegetables for her (if you like them ofc)
Finally convincing her to stop dying her hair and stick with her natural black color because it’s her favorite and it suits her best
It took her a long time to accept it, but Joohyun is a lover of the simple things in life. You guys don’t need any extravagant outings or fancy gifts to be happy! Things like reading together, watching the sunset, taking walks, listening to music, cooking her favorite tteokbokki… those are what draw you together.
Holding her while she cries watching “The Notebook”
You started keeping perfumes in your car and carrying essential oils with you everywhere since she’s so sensitive to smells
You also help bring her back down to Earth when she starts spacing out, waving a hand in front of her face and never making a huge fuss over it. You just remind her what she was talking about and continue on with your conversation
Joohyun is also a lover of solitude. However you’re the only one she makes an exception for. She loves taking you to Ttukseom Island or the Folk Museum in Bukcheon. They’re her happy places and she wants to share them with you!
Because of her, you started keeping a journal. The two of you have nights where you just sit in silence and write together 🥰
She won’t hesitate to correct you on your spelling and grammar, even over text 😑
You feel like you learn something new about her every day. She’s always so reserved, and her mind runs at a mile a minute, so every once in a while she’ll just drop this huge piece of Joohyun lore that takes you by surprise
Always giving her your fortune cookies and lottery tickets because she just has so much good luck
If you play video games or do puzzles, and you just can’t get pass a certain stage, she’ll just walk over and figure it out for you in seconds, and it leaves you baffled every time
Making her show you how the heck she can draw a perfect circle (you still can’t understand after a thousand times)
She has a tendency to “mother” you. (Doing your laundry, making you go to bed early, telling you take your vitamins and drink water…) You’ll have to explain to her that while you appreciate her trying to help, she doesn’t need to worry about you so much!
She’s still going to do your laundry though. She just loves doing it too much not to.
I hope you don’t mind having a high heat bill, because Joohyun cannot handle the cold! (If not, you’ll have to loan her several of your hoodies and blankets!)
Comforting her whenever she encounters heights, water, or loud noises
Her manager tried to tell her to avoid PDA with you to protect her image and avoid a scandal, but she just can’t stop herself from holding your hand or clinging to your arm!
Once word gets out that the two of you are dating, she really has no problem telling the fans that while she hopes they can be supportive, she’s going to be with you whether they like it or not.
She would give up everything if it meant she could stay with you, and you would do the same for her in a heartbeat 💜
