The Nutcracker Suite
Part 1: The Party
Pairing: Koo Junhoe x You
Genre: Ballet!AU, Fluff, Regency!AU
Word Count: 2.9k
Warnings: None
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Long ago, when presents were opened the night before Christmas, in the manor of a noble family of a small town, there was a young woman. She sat by the fire with her mother, quietly waiting for her guests to arrive for her family’s annual Christmas Eve Ball. The fire crackled and illuminated her face. Outside, snow covered every surface in a blanket as more fell from the sky. The servants bustled to make sure everything was alright before the party.
“Smile, Y/N. It’s Christmas,” her mother chastised. Y/N offered her mother a small smile, returning her gaze to the window where she could see the first of the guests arrive. “Don’t you worry about your Uncle Drosselmeyer. He’s never missed a party since I was a little girl. He won’t miss this one.”
“If you’re sure, Mama,” Y/N replied. Her mother stood up, dusting off her gown. Y/N followed suit.
“Come, we mustn't keep our guests waiting.”
“Yes, Mama.”
Y/N followed her mother out to the main foyer where her aunt and uncle were handing their coats to the butler. She greeted them politely as her father and younger brother, Chanwoo, joined them. Her mother walked them to the ballroom, gossiping with her sister. Y/N stayed put, waiting patiently for the one guest she was most excited to see.
Minutes ticked by and there was still no sign of Uncle Drosselmeyer. The guests continued to show. Aunts, uncles, cousins, loved ones, friends, and esteemed guests sauntered through the front doors and into the ballroom where the party was in full swing. Y/N welcomed the guests along with the staff, playing the part of a gracious hostess as she waited.
But as minutes turned to hours, her hope of him showing slowly waned. Maybe the snow had piled too high and his carriage couldn’t make it. Or perhaps he had fallen ill and was too weak to travel. Or worse yet, what if had decided not to come? That thought put Y/N in quite a state. She tried her best to remain positive, but as fewer and fewer guests showed up, her spirit dimmed.
With a heavy heart and a sigh, Y/N turned to join her family and the rest of the guests in the ballroom. The party was in full swing when she arrived. Everyone was dancing as cheerful music filled the room. The young children were off to the side, playing with the toys they’d received and laughing joyously. Y/N smiled softly, walking around to the edge of the dance floor to where her favorite aunt sat. Her aunt wore a beautiful green gown made of silk and styled unlike anything she’d ever seen before. An interesting man sat with her, dressed in the strangest clothing she’d ever seen.
“Speak of the Devil. Y/N, I was just talking about you,” her aunt greeted, holding out a hand for her. Y/N curtsied, taking a seat next to her aunt. “Y/N, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine, Song Yoonhyung. He traveled very far to be here tonight.”
“Thank you, sir, for coming. I hope your journey was pleasant,” Y/N said. Song Yoonhyung smiled, taking Y/N’s hand in his and placing a quick kiss to the back of her hand.
“The journey was worth such a wonderful party and beautiful company,” he replied. Y/N’s aunt giggled.
“Oh Yoonhyung, you are quite the charmer. Don’t you agree, Y/N?” her aunt asked, shooting her a suggestive stare. Y/N said nothing, smiling politely at Song Yoonhyung. “Oh don’t mind her. She’s waiting for our uncle. He always brings the most amazing gifts. You know, he’s a very skilled clock and toy maker. When he arrives, I’ll be sure to show you his craft.”
“How do you know he’ll be here?” Y/N inquired. Her aunt smiled, patting her cheek affectionately. She turned back to Song Yoonhyung, not answering her niece’s question. Y/N sighed, turning to watch everyone dance.
“Would you care for a dance?” Song Yoonhyung asked. Y/N turned to find Yoonhyung staring at her. She glanced at her aunt who was giving her an encouraging smile. Y/N smiled politely, slipping her hand into his outstretched one.
Song Yoonhyung led Y/N to the dance floor, twirling her around to face him. Another song began and he led her in a graceful waltz. He was a handsome man, there was no doubt about that. Handsome as he was, he simply didn’t match her type. At least, that’s what she told herself and others. In truth, she didn’t know her type, but when she met him, she would know.
“You seem distracted. Am I not good company?” he asked. Y/N gasped.
“No, you’re lovely, really. As my aunt mentioned, I’m waiting for our uncle. He should have been here by now, but I fear this may be the first party he can’t come,” Y/N said. Song Yoonhyung nodded, then laughed. “Have I said something funny?”
“No. I’m sorry. You just remind me of a friend of mine,” Yoonhyung said. The song ended and Song Yoonhyung and Y/N bowed to each other. They returned to Y/N’s aunt who sat chatting with another relative. Her aunt turned to her, smiling brightly.
“You two were absolutely amazing. You danced beautifully together.” Y/N smiled, taking a seat.
“Thank you,” Y/N said. “Aunt, where did you meet Mr. Song?” Her aunt smiled, sparing a glance at Song Yoonhyung.
“You know I’ve never been one to settle somewhere for too long,” her aunt began. Y/N nodded, scooting closer. “Well, I was traveling throughout Asia when my carriage broke down. So there I was, stranded in a country I wasn’t familiar with, when a dashing man came to my rescue. He stopped his carriage, asking me where I was from and where I was going. He invited me to a ball the emperor was having later that night. Of course I didn’t have any of the socially appropriate attire of their country, but I put on my best gown.
“Yoonhyung was there and approached me. We began talking and I found him quite agreeable. Then a hush fell over the room. The imperial family was to be announced. Yoonhyung led me as close as we could, but all the young ladies had gathered around to see the emperor’s son. They all swooned when he came, but then I saw the emperor. He had been the dashing fellow who invited me to the ball and rescued me from my damaged carriage.
“The room was still as he descended the stairs. He was halfway down the stairs when we made eye contact. We stared at each other without ever looking away. The sea of people parted as he made his way to stand in front of me. He bowed deeply before asking me for the first dance.”
“Did you say yes?” Y/N asked excitedly.
“Well I couldn’t say no to the emperor,” her aunt laughed. Y/N sighed.
“That sounds so exciting! You must have felt like a princess! I wish I could have been there,” Y/N said. Her aunt and Yoonhyung shared a look.
“Maybe next time, you can come with me,” her aunt suggested. Y/N sighed again.
“Oh I wish I could, but Mother and Father would never allow it. It’s not sensible for a girl to travel around.” Her aunt laughed.
“Oh my dear child, it’s not sensible for a young woman to be cooped up with no knowledge of the world. There’s so much more to life than being pretty and marrying rich. My dear child, there’s a world out there that you deserve to see,” her aunt said. Y/N hugged her aunt, smiling. “There’s my happy girl.”
“Uncle Drosselmeyer!”
Y/N turned to the ballroom doors and, sure enough, her Uncle Drosselmeyer stood there. He was covered in snow, and he was carrying a giant sack. Excitedly Y/N jumped from her seat, rushing with her younger cousins to greet him. He laughed, waving to everyone as the adults chuckled fondly and resumed their previous activities.
“Hello children!” Uncle Drosselmeyer’s voice boomed. The children greeted him back loudly. Y/N stood off towards the back, but close enough to see the wonderful gifts he’d made. He passed out colorful gifts to each of the children. Immediately they went and tore the paper off, squealing at the hand-crafted gift. Chanwoo stood next to Y/N, watching along with her.
“What do you think of this year’s gifts?” he inquired. Y/N smiled.
“I think they’re wonderful, don’t you?”
“Of course. It’s not truly Christmas without Uncle Drosselmeyer’s presents.”
“It’s not truly Christmas without Uncle Drosselmeyer.” They giggled.
“Here are our gracious hosts. Young Mister Chanwoo! Miss Y/N! How are you two? My oh my, you’re both a head taller.”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t make it this year,” Y/N confessed, hugging her beloved uncle. Chanwoo embraced him next, grinning from ear to ear.
“And miss seeing you, my dear? Never. What a preposterous thought!” her uncle laughed.
“Uncle Drosselmeyer, are there any gifts in there for Y/N and I?” Chanwoo asked, peeking into the large sack that laid on the floor, almost completely empty, save for two gifts.
“How could I not bring gifts for our gracious hosts?” Uncle Drosselmeyer reached into the bag, pulling out a circular box wrapped in shiny red paper with a gold bow on top. “For you, Chanwoo.” Chan grabbed the present excitedly, ripping the paper apart. “And for you, dear Y/N.” He handed her a rectangular box, wrapped in dark green paper with a silver bow. Carefully, she unwrapped the box before removing the lid. Inside was a nutcracker with ivory skin, dark hair, brown eyes, and a red uniform.
“Oh Uncle Drosselmeyer! He’s absolutely breathtaking! Thank you.” She gave her uncle a hug before disappearing to show off her gift. Her young cousins gathered around, staring at the nutcracker with wide eyes. Chanwoo came up, carrying a handful of nuts.
“Care to try it out?” Y/N grabbed a nut, placing it in the nutcrackers mouth. Carefully she pushed down on the lever until its jaw split the nut open. The children clapped excitedly. She continued to do so until there were almost no nuts left.
That was when Chanwoo grabbed the nutcracker, bored of one nut at a time, he put the rest of the nuts into the nutcracker’s mouth and pressed down on the lever as hard as he could. There was a resounding gasp, followed by the gasps of the children. Y/N stared in horror. The nutcracker’s jaw was broken. She quickly snatched the nutcracker from Chanwoo, rushing to find Uncle Drosselmeyer.
Uncle Drosselmeyer sat with her aunt and Song Yoonhyung. They were deep in conversation when Y/N arrived. She handed the nutcracker to him, pleading for him to fix it. Uncle Drosselmeyer took the nutcracker, and from what seemed like thin air, produced a white handkerchief.
“I don’t have my tools now, but I’ll have him fixed in no time,” he assured her. Y/N smiled, wandering off to put the nutcracker in the safety of the parlor room where Uncle Drosselmeyer would be able to fix it with complete ease.
Once she returned to the party, she rejoined her aunt, Uncle Drosselmeyer, and Song Yoonhyung for the evening. Y/N liked to pretend she could be a proper lady of the house, but adult talk bored her so. However, her aunt and uncle were anything but boring adults. They didn’t discuss trivial things such as weather and politics. Instead, they talked about adventure and traveling and passion. Yoonhyung seemed to enjoy the same topics of conversation. Most gentlemen were focused on themselves and their estates and settling down to find a suitable wife, at least that’s what Y/N assumed. She’d never heard the conversations between gentlemen. Chanwoo was still much too young for such topics.
Soon the clock struck eleven, alerting everyone that the evening was done. The guests began to gather their things and leave. Children were scattered around the house, fast asleep from the night’s activities. Y/N’s parents stood at the door, bidding everyone a good night. Y/N and Song Yoonhyung hung back, making idle talk.
“You must come and visit, Y/N,” Yoonhyung said. “It’s such a different, well, everything. The people, the clothing, the culture, it would be a shame if you didn’t see it.” Y/N nodded.
“That sounds absolutely wonderful. Maybe you could convince my parents to let me go,” Y/N said. Once they had reached the door, Yoonhyung turned to Y/N’s parents, bowing respectfully. He turned back to Y/N taking her hand and pressing a quick kiss to it. She dipped into a quick curtsey, waving him off.
The only guests to remain were Y/N’s aunt and Uncle Drosselmeyer. Chanwoo and his mother had retired to their chambers, much too tired from the night’s activities. Y/N, her father, her aunt, and Uncle Drosselmeyer sat in the parlor, chatting next to the roaring fire.
“I must ask my dear, what were you and Yoonhyung discussing before his departure? It seemed most interesting,” her aunt said, taking a sip of brandy.
“Mr. Song has invited me to see his home land,” she said. Her aunt clapped excitedly.
“Brother, doesn’t that sound lovely?” her aunt said. Her father hummed, taking a huff from his pipe.
“What business does a young man have asking to take my only daughter, my prized jewel, away to another country?” he asked, a playful glint in his eye.
“Oh Papa,” Y/N said, moving to crouch by the side of his chair. “You must put such thoughts from your head. Nothing of that sort happened or would. I simply want to travel. I want to see the world Papa.” He cupped his daughter’s cheek, stroking it with his thumb affectionately.
“Then see the world you shall, my pet. How can I deny my daughter her deepest desire?” he said. Y/N grinned at her father. “But their is the matter of your mother--”
“You leave her to me,” her aunt interjected. “I know how to speak to her.”
“Then it’s settled,” Uncle Drosselmeyer laughed. “Y/N shall see the world! She shall dance! She shall explore! She! Shall! Live!” Uncle Drosselmeyer had jumped from his seat and was dancing around the room with new jubilance. Y/N’s father sighed deeply, bringing a hand to massage his temples. Y/N and her aunt giggled.
“Uncle Drosselmeyer, please, pace yourself. You shall wake up the whole block!” her father scolded, though she could see the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Oh poppycock. Let them wake, for our darling little girl is off to become a woman. Oh the wonders you shall see my dear. You shall never want to return, or settle down for that matter. I mean, take your beautiful aunt. She chose to travel and has she settled?”
“When you put it like that, maybe you shouldn’t travel,” her father said. Y/N turned to him, pouting, then back to Uncle Drosselmeyer.
“Oh don’t give me that look. You should travel, but you should also settle down. Find a suitable husband and have children,” Uncle Drosselmeyer said. Y/N wrinkled her nose at the notion. “Your mother thought the same thing. That was, until she met your father.”
“As much as I’m sure she’s happy to have settled, I don’t want to. The times are changing, and I want to be there to see it.” Her aunt sat back, looking between her father and Uncle Drosselmeyer. Her father gave a resigned sigh.
“I blame this almost entirely on you,” he said, pointing his pipe at his sister. She shrugged, not the least bit concerned.
It was almost midnight when Y/N had fallen asleep on the couch in the parlor. Her aunt draped a blanket over her, placing the nutcracker next to her. Her father pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before ushering his sister and Uncle Drosselmeyer out. His wife would surely scold him for letting Y/N sleep in the parlor, but he couldn’t bring himself to wake her. She had seemed so peaceful, asleep with the thought of traveling the world nestled deep within her.
At the strike of two, the most extraordinary thing occurred. First, a hazy glow settled across the parlor room. With each strike of the clock, the haze thickened. Then, a hole, the perfect size for a mouse, appeared in the wall, right next to the Christmas tree. In neat columns of two, mice, dressed as soldiers and carrying weapons. They marched into the parlor, stopping in the middle of the room. Finally, the nutcracker awoke. He blinked several times before sliding off the couch, landing on the floor with a thump.
The thump was enough to wake Y/N from her slumber. Yawning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she glanced around the parlor room. She let out a gasp at the scene before her. Dozens of mice were on her floor, and her nutcracker was fighting them. Her nutcracker was fighting them? Her nutcracker was fighting them! But he was just one nutcracker against dozens of mice. Y/N had to help him!
She threw off her covers, quickly kicking the mice away from the nutcracker. The mice squeaked loudly, flying around the room as she did her best to help her nutcracker. More mice came from the hole, all of them making a beeline for the nutcracker.
That’s when Y/N saw him.
