A/n: trying to get out the dungeon when @aoiaki (the getaway driver) comes in with the keys from Suffrey but woke up the dungeon dragon at it, and now, we are ALL running around like that scene in ratatouie : Had to do my beautiful malewife.
He is aggressively lazy
Kartein absolutely hates unnecessary effort.
If he can sit, he sits.
If he can lie down, he lies down.
If someone else can do it for him, even better.
He will literally watch someone struggle with a problem for ten minutes before helping.
“You should have asked earlier. Watching you fail was mildly entertaining.”
But the moment someone orders him to help?
Now he refuses out of pure spite.
As one of the only top-tier healers in the awakened world, Kartein is painfully aware of his value.
Which means:
He charges ridiculous prices for healing.
He might refuse treatment if he finds you annoying.
He will absolutely make dramatic entrances when people beg for his help.
If someone insults him and then asks for healing?
He’ll stare at them and say:
“Die with dignity or die with dick chopped off.”
Despite acting bored all the time, Kartein is actually obsessed with studying abilities.
Things he secretly loves:
analyzing energy structures
experimenting with healing techniques
figuring out why certain awakened abilities behave the way they do
If someone discovered his notebooks, they'd realize he’s one of the most brilliant minds in the awakened world.
But he would deny it instantly.
“Research? No. I was bored.”
Living with Kayden Break is constant chaos
Their dynamic is pure comedy.
Kartein complains constantly:
about Kayden attracting enemies
about property destruction
about being dragged into fights
Yet somehow he never actually leaves.
He acts like Kayden is a nuisance, but he clearly trusts him more than most people.
Even when he looks half asleep, Kartein is hyper aware of what's happening around him.
He can instantly notice:
injuries people try to hide
unstable energy circulation
someone lying about their condition
He might pretend not to care, but he'll casually drop a comment like:
“Your left lung is damaged. Fix it before it collapses.”
Cue everyone staring at him like HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT??
Kartein rarely shows kindness openly.
Instead he does things like:
secretly healing someone a little more than necessary
leaving medicine behind without saying anything
stabilizing someone’s energy while pretending he’s annoyed
If someone thanks him, he gets immediately defensive.
“Don’t misunderstand. I did it because watching you suffer was irritating.”
He enjoys luxury more than he admits
Kartein absolutely has expensive taste.
He loves:
high-quality tea
comfortable furniture
quiet environments
fancy desserts
He’ll complain the entire time while enjoying them.
“This tea is barely acceptable… bring another cup.”
And then he drinks five cups.
People forget Kartein is not just a healer.
He is still an extremely powerful awakened being.
If someone seriously harms someone under his protection, his entire demeanor changes:
the lazy attitude disappears
his voice goes cold
his aura becomes oppressive
And suddenly everyone remembers why even top fighters respect him.
He absolutely judges everyone silently
Kartein mentally ranks people he meets.
His internal thoughts probably look like:
Kayden → idiot but strong
Jiwoo → naive but promising
other awakened → annoying
people asking for healing → desperate and dramatic
He may act uninterested, but he's constantly analyzing everyone.
Kartein pretends he hates being around Jiwoo and Kayden… but if they suddenly disappeared, he'd be extremely bored.
You and Kartein have known each other for years, now remembering a moment alone at Jiwoo's house, while the men along with your husband trained in the basement, you realize that you were lucky to meet him even though his love is a little obsessive.
Sometimes you just closed your eyes.
I wished someone would free me from my prison.
To get away from this place that stopped being home long ago.
Back then, I didn't know the price of such a wish.
You belonged to a family full of renowned awakened ones, each one better than the next, with outstanding abilities and high expectations, all vying for the title of leader.
There were also expectations for you, which were shattered when you showed your weak power. It was very embarrassing for your parents and your entire family, who tried to hide you away and keep you a secret from their entire family.
"You were a stain on the legacy."
"Just keep your head down and don't cause trouble."
"You should be thankful they didn't expel you."
The contemptuous words and treatment were no surprise. Even if you tried hard to improve yourself and increase your weak power, you achieved nothing, only shame.
You were confined, in the shadows, alone.
No one appreciated you; you were ostracized, despised.
But you survived and managed to become a young woman of great beauty. All the servants whispered about it, and you even earned envious glances from your cousins and sisters, along with other women in the family.
"At least she has beauty, if not power."
"You think her beauty kept her from being powerful."
"Perhaps if she had been ugly, she would have been more promising."
The truth was, your beauty would get you out of this family and the prison they created for you. You just had to wait for the perfect moment to find a fiancé and get you away from this place.
Even if it meant going to another prison.
You walked carefully along the stone paths and nature, leaving the pavilion where you lived. You walked for several minutes and climbed long steps under the intense sun until you reached one of the temples within the family grounds.
You performed the entire ritual upon entering, with delicacy and precision, without making a mistake in your actions.
At the time of the prayers, you fell to your knees, bowed your head, and closed your eyes tightly. With your hands clasped together, you begged, you pleaded with the family's protector, the great spirit… to save you, to take you from this place, and to give you a home, no matter the cost.
"Please, please, please," you begged softly, closing your eyelids tightly.
Footsteps nearby distracted you, while also causing alarm. Perhaps it was a member of the family…
But you only saw a man, with hair as white as snow, blue eyes like crystals, and clothes so neat they glorified his image.
"You're the guardian spirit," you said with excitement. Finally, all your prayers had been answered, since you were a little girl.
"No, I'm not…"
You refused to listen to the man anymore when you heard him break your illusion.
"Well then, go away. He's interrupting my prayers," you said curtly.
"You think I care about that? I just came to take a break," the white-haired man responded angrily.
"Do it somewhere else," you frowned, before returning to your prayer position.
"I would, but this family and its members won't leave me alone."
You took a moment to process the information. His appearance was unfamiliar to family members, his strange clothing, and the fact that the man was in a desolate place, which the entire family avoided.
"Wait, you're a visitor," you looked at him, your eyes shining.
"Yes… yes, of course I am. Can't you see my magnificent appearance compared to the people in this family?" He hesitated, before happily introducing himself with his head held high.
You quickly left your prayers behind, approached the man, and took his hands with emotion. The prayers could wait now.
You left the temple and took the man by the hands, leading him to another location.
"Ahhh, really, that's amazing. Come on, tell me what it's like outside the walls of the family villa," you pleaded.
"I don't know why I should?" You saw an amused smile form on his face, and he let go of your hand. It was strange, because he didn't pull it away forcefully like your family did, due to the displeasure you caused everyone. The white-haired man did so gently, as if a single movement could hurt you.
"Oh, come on, great awakened one…??" You clasped your hands and stood in front of the man.
"Kartein," the young boy clarified.
"Oh, great awakened one, Kartein, enlighten me with your knowledge," you continued begging.
.
.
"I think I could honor you with a few minutes of my knowledge," or so he tried to tell himself. It was just killing time telling insignificant things to an overprotected young woman from a family of awakened people. Nothing happened because he felt a need to impress the young woman who looked his age.
You clapped and celebrated when the white-haired boy accepted.
And it wasn't that Kartein had been blinded by your smile and your sweet voice, or by the image of you from the first time he saw you, praying in the temple, so focused, with a calmness surrounding you, with the rays of the sun surrounding you like an angel or a blessed being. It was just the strong afternoon sun…
They settled in the gardens outside your residence, a place filled with flowers and trees, with birds flying overhead and playing in the small pool, butterflies hovering on the various colorful flowers.
"So you're here to heal my grandfather," you deduced after listening to everything the man had told you in the last few hours.
"Something like that, I'm just practicing and honoring that man by being my test subject."
"Wow, that's impressive." You ignored his self-centered words and praised his powers. You'd never met an awakened person with healing powers; they were very rare and in high demand.
"I know," Kartein tossed his hair, displaying an air of superiority.
"Even because Grandpa doesn't let just anyone who's insignificant waste his time."
That was the first of many conversations the two of you had.
The truth was, you didn't mind the many self-centered words, the long stories centered on a single person. It was something new for you in your solitary life, and you were happy to experience it.
It's not that Kartein was bad; he was actually a good person. He never treated you with indifference like your relatives did. He let you talk and ask questions, answered all your questions, and spent a lot of time with you even if he had more important things to do.
He even praised you when you told him things about yourself, even when you confessed that the garden where you spent all your time together was your creation and the sanctuary where you met was also decorated by you.
Those small, insignificant moments became great treasures for you.
He accompanied you as you worked in the garden, teaching you a few things about its power.
He took you to explore your family's lands in secret. You would walk for hours, until your feet burned, but you kept going because these moments were wonderful.
He took you to the nearest town, something you were strictly forbidden to do. He showed you lots of food. He asked you to dance in the middle of a crowded dance floor, although clearly, like you, he wasn't a master of this area.
"I didn't think I could find anything that the great Kartein sucked at."
"Just forget about it and enjoy this dance, will you?" He looked at you, offended, before feigning annoyance at the dance they were trying to follow. Deep down, he loved twirling around the dance floor with you, holding his hands tightly.
"I will." You smiled, your lips touching your cheeks, so soft to the eye, and your pearly white teeth shining.
Oh, truly, that smile was part of his downfall. You didn't know it, but you were driving him crazy. With all your kindness, your innocent and selfless actions, the attention you gave him that inflated his ego, the way you played along with his self-centered words.
You were beautiful, he knew it from the first time he met you, but your smile, your actions and your affection made him love you infinitely.
You walked around the cozy town until you reached a hill where a park was located, crowded with families. Excited, you took Kartien to some swings, where you sat on one and began to rock him with your feet, pushing off the ground.
"You look like a little girl, getting so excited about this," Kartien teased you a little as he gently pushed you off the swing's chains, eliciting a soft laugh from you. You were really driving him crazy.
"I can't help it. I loved swinging on the old swing in our family's garden." You looked down, remembering those moments.
"But…"
"Ah."
"Your face shows something bad happened."
"I think I wore it out from using it so much that it broke." You clearly remember the day you found the broken wooden swing.
"My cousins were the ones who gave me the news, and then, as punishment, they made sure I never used it again."
"…."
Momentarily after meeting you, Kartein discovered the position you held in this family. He learned the kind of monsters you lived with, and he clearly sensed that it was all a well-crafted plan by children blinded by superiority and cruelty against you, to make you unhappy.
He didn't know the reason yet, but he knew very well that it wasn't an excuse. He would make sure to make this family, to which you belong, pay before taking you too far from his reach and keeping you safe.
"Push me harder," you asked him in a soft, pleading voice.
Kartein followed your request, watching as you seemed to be carried away by the swing's movement, throwing your body back, letting your hair float freely in the breeze, the muscles in your face relaxing in the wind, and your eyes closed, enjoying the moment.
You enjoyed that little moment under the stars.
And you laughed again with amusement, you were truly happy.
You had never laughed so much in your life, not before meeting him.
"She's charmed him."
"I don't see anything wrong with that. Maybe this way we can tie him to the family."
"Don't you see it, Grandpa? How embarrassed we'd be if they found out our family gave the rising awakener Kartein a useless awakening."
"Grandpa, it'll leave us devastated and with a very low reputation."
"They'll start attacking us for being a joke."
"But what can we do to make him lose affection for her?"
"Do you think he knows about her lack of ability?"
All the voices fell silent, and grim smiles began to form.
They wouldn't let a flaw in the family legacy ruin their future.
Oh, how naive they were, thinking they were the ones in control.
"Now you can go," said the head of the family, your grandfather, a cold man with whom you almost never spoke. You thought this dance would be the same, with your presence ignored or scorned. It seems you were wrong.
"Of course, I'll go to my room."
"No, you can go now." That left you bewildered, and many of your family members as well.
"What?" you asked, bewildered.
"You've grown up now, your power hasn't, it's still insignificant, you bring no benefit to the family."
Wow, he exposed you in front of everyone: the elders of the family and the children who barely knew the truth. The adults who knew and hated it. And there was the special guest, Kartein, who was accompanied by some of your most promising cousins, as if awakened by her beauty.
It was painful, losing your only friend and your family on the same day. Now everyone knew the truth, that the whispers in the hallway about you were true. Now Kartein knew what trash you were.
"Cheer up, my girl, at least it wasn't a marriage that took you from this family," it was whispered to you, but you have no doubt that many had heard it.
What a great humiliation!
But you knew what he meant, everyone present did, like a very weak awakened woman. The only thing you could aspire to as a husband was another weak awakened woman from a family or group with little influence, or with a man much older than you.
"Thank you… thank you very much, Grandpa." You bowed, showed gratitude, with great seriousness, and left, without looking back.
You thought it would be one of the happiest moments of your life, but it felt… it felt wrong; you weren't satisfied or happy.
At some point, your eyes met blue eyes. His face was unreadable because he showed no emotion.
Part of you expected him to look at you with disgust, and the other part expected him to look at you with pity or something else, maybe compassion.
Nothing changed in the gaze of the man you loved; your eyes shifted. It was time for you to look forward, alone, as you had since childhood.
"Young Kartein, where are you going? You're going to miss your party," protested the head of the family, worried that he was leaving, as if he hadn't kicked his granddaughter out a few minutes ago.
"Come on, stay. It's an honor to celebrate your great achievement." The woman at his side took his hand with great confidence. It wasn't at all like _ used to hold hers; it had no sweetness or affection; this touch was desperate and a real nuisance.
Many pleading voices rose in the room, all expecting something from him.
But he decided not to give them that blessing and ignore them, just like they did to you.
"Come on, kid, let me thank you for your help," the chief began to insist.
"Since I've done my job healing him, I see no further need to stay here."
"But…"
"I think I'll leave too, and I advise you not to mistake my appreciation for one member of your family with appreciation for your entire family." He looked at everyone with distaste, even at the woman clinging to him. He abruptly withdrew his hand before leaving.
Kartien looked for you after leaving the great hall. He had to thank your family for making things easier. Now that you were no longer part of this family, he wouldn't have to worry about them interfering in his life.
It's not as if the idea of attacking everyone or using his new ability to weaken an Awakened was out of the question. If it was you, he might go crazy trying to keep you safe, but it was better to keep that truth hidden from you.
But no matter how much he searched for you in various places, he couldn't find you, not in your room, not in the gardens. Until he arrived at the small temple where you met.
"_" he called, almost desperate for fear of not having found you, of having lost sight of you… forever.
"You shouldn't be at your party. You're the star of the night." It was better to joke than to get sentimental, better than to say goodbye.
"…."
"You missing out on the chance to be the center of attention, that's new," you tried to continue joking, being funny so you wouldn't burst into tears, so he wouldn't see your pain.
Now everything was different. You had nothing anymore, you were truly alone. Kartein knew how useless you were. Not only were you cruelly kicked out of your home, but you'd also lost your friend.
"I only attended the party because you asked me to. Actually, I was supposed to leave a few days ago," he confessed.
"And you stayed longer than that!" You worried. Maybe you were so annoying that you made him feel obligated to stay.
"Yes, I actually realized something. I couldn't leave sooner."
You watched him expectantly, waiting to hear his next words. What did he discover and seem desperate to say?
"I can't leave without you."
"What…" you were bewildered. It was like a bucket of cold water. Those few simple words managed to upset you beyond belief.
"I need you in my life like I need to breathe."
"We only knew each other for a month." It was crazy. Even though you felt the same way, you refused to accept it for fear of everything ending badly, even if it meant denying the tingling sensation you felt in your body and your cheeks heating up.
"It felt like a lifetime to me."
"Hey, what did you do with Kartein?" You looked into his eyes as he held your hands in his, still nervous about his statement.
"No, what did you do with me?"
"Even though you love me and I feel the same way… but in a very inexperienced way… I think we shouldn't be together," you replied, breaking their connected gaze.
"Why do you think that, _?" He had to fix that thought. He couldn't take you even when you denied his feelings. Things would be difficult. He didn't want to see you broken.
"I'm only going to hold you back, to be a burden, I know that… and I think you ignore it."
"Listen to me carefully, __, I don't care about any of that as long as you're by my side," he began, squeezing your cheeks childishly, pulling you out of your denial.
"But…"
"And if anyone tries to deny this desire of mine, I won't hesitate to remove that obstacle." He placed his forehead against yours, his hands soft on your cheeks, his eyes connecting again.
"It's a promise."
With those words, he dragged you with him, far from the home where you grew up.
He took you to a new world, one you could never truly know.
He dragged you along on all his adventures, always keeping you in his good graces, teaching you new things, bringing smiles to your faces, and creating the most wonderful memories.
That was until you received the unfortunate news that your entire family was falling apart. After your departure, each member began to weaken and their power was blocked.
They were looking for you as one of the culprits.
Then Kartein took you to a new place where they created a home, away from people who might recognize them. A place you'd never left since you arrived.
It was a home.
"Don't worry, no one will hurt you here."
"We only need each other."
"That's all we need to be happy."
When he had to travel for work, he took you with him.
That's where you met Jiwoo, a bright-eyed boy with newly discovered abilities. You quickly warmed to him, perhaps because you saw yourself reflected in him. You begged your husband to let you stay in Korea for a while while he recovered.
Kartein reluctantly agreed, seeing you being so insistent. He even had to endure Kaiden's teasing about being weak in front of his wife—oh, if only he knew.
At least he got to see a version of you he didn't see much of, that maternal phase with which you cared for Jiwoo.
"Guys, just let him rest."
"Stop pampering him, he'll become softer," Kaiden teased you, mocking your actions.
"Well, I'm just trying to keep him from turning into a wild beast like a certain someone." You stroked the boy's hair, while you brought him a glass of water and a towel for his sweat.
"Thank you, that's a compliment to me."
"Yes, it is." Kartein also threw water on the fire, annoying Kaiden.
You saw the two men awakened in cat form. It was still a little strange seeing them that way, especially your husband, who played along with Kaiden's games…
"I'm feeling very attacked here," Kaiden complained.
You just wanted to make fun of him, but seeing him in his cat form with those adorable and also slightly sad actions, you couldn't help but pick him up like a normal cat and show him affection.
"Oh, don't get mad, we're just joking," you treated him affectionately.
"Hey, stay away from my wife."
"What do you want me to do? She was the one who carried me."
"Yes, but you can go."
"No way, I'm comfortable like this."
You just laughed at this pair's new fight.
Well, it was an attempt at a decent story. I hope some people like it.
I've realized I'm a very social person, or rather, I thrive on compliments or comments that make me smile or keep me entertained, no matter how silly they are… anyone???
Heya beatch, I will try my worst for you, no need to thank!
English is not my first language / I'm not a good writer
The first reason that made the greatest healer be on his knees for you was the fact that you never seemed to be insane to have his force control, you never seemed to care much about his great healing abilities.
You were different from the others that were ready to do anything to learn his force control. You never seemed to be eager to get it or get his trust. You simply.. Passed by him. Didn't spare him more than two glances, when he definitely did spare you more than two glances, which was out of his character.
In a relationship, kartein acts kinda different from his usual indifferent sassy persona, which sometimes amuses you. But never tease him about it, or else you will get the silent treatment for more than two weeks.
Despite still being the same sassy man, kartein is also very gentle and careful with you. Will scold you if you hurt yourself even if by mistake. He is the lovey dovey one around you.
Loves you and cherishes every moment spend with you. You will find out that he is actually a very romantic shy man, for example when he gives you roses and flowers almost every day.
Kartein knows that you need time, and he will respect your need for your personal space, even if he needs it too.
He will try to be as patient as he can. But sometimes his restraint may just snap.. And you will wake up with him clinging to you and drooling into your chest. But once he's awake in this position, he will get as red as cherry and will ignore you for some while.
Absolutely loves it when you take the first step and be the one who clings to him. But may deny it (he definitely will).
Sometimes kartein gets very determined to get at least one praise from you, like showing you his abilities and just how great and talented he is. Or sometimes just how handsome and charming he is. And if you actually praise or compliment him, he will again, go all red and let out these "Hmph"s and "Of course I'm"s of his.
Kartein loves it when you encourage and support him at his work. Also he likes it so much when you stroke his furr when he is in his cat form, he will start purring and sometimes even getting sleepy.
When kartein gets jealous, the first thing he does is just grabbing your hand and pulling you away, ignoring the other person as if they don't even exist.
