Oh nothing, just noble!reader killing her asshole husband to be with knight!Jason and he's a lil fucked up so he goes absolutely feral over it and wife's her up immediately, earning praise from all other nobels and royalty because he got the poor widow out of her lonely misery.
synopsis: drunkards galore (in which princess!reader slowly becomes encompassed with knight!jason grace)
wordcount: 7.3k
read part 6 here
cw: explicit sexual content
a/n: guys—for the sake of seduction, let's all pretend that medieval underwear is actually cute and sexy and not look like a literal diaper. thx.
also extra long chapter since i've been gone so get hype 😜, and shout out to @livlocus this ones for u queen 💞!!!
read embers on ao3 here
enjoy!
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The rustle of sheets. The quiet catch of a sigh in his ear. A figure shifted above him, slow and deliberate, letting out a soft whine, almost a sound of need. He heard the whisper of his name, or maybe just a breath shaped like it. The pressure of two bodies, close enough to set every nerve alight was—
Jason blinked awake, heart pounding. For a second, he lay in the darkness, disoriented, the warmth of it all still lingering like smoke. He let out a breath and rolled onto his stomach, sort of missing the dream he’d been ripped from. But reality rushed in fast as he became painfully aware of a different problem.
He hiked a leg up, trying to find a more comfortable position, but the motion made his body grind ever so slightly into the mattress. He froze, the contact was jarring, involuntary, and maddening. His eyes flew open, and for a moment, he contemplated just trying to go back to sleep, but he didn't think that it’d work before he took care of a certain issue.
With a silent sigh, he carefully untangled himself from the sheets and slipped out of his bed to walk into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly. He locked it, quickly stripped, and stepped under the hot water.
Jason tried to ignore how the lingering images of his dream made him feel, but when he brushed against himself while lathering on soap, all pretense of control vanished in an instant.
Groaning softly, he leaned his head against the cool tile and wrapped a hand around himself, stroking slowly and biting his bottom lip to muffle the sounds.
As soon as he started, a flash of collarbone and the faint scent of something floral engulfed his senses, and it took him an embarrassingly short amount of time to cum all over the wall.
Afterward, Jason stood beneath the spray, chest heaving, letting the water wash him clean until his thoughts quieted. The world outside carried on, unaware. Once he was content with the duration of the water running over him, Jason dressed and left the room, the morning fading behind him.
He went through the motions of his day in a haze, the minutes dragging as he counted down to the moment until he was free to leave his post and meet a certain princess in the woods.
But that wasn’t until later. Right now, it was barely half past 10, and Jason still had a long day of work to trudge through.
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Y/N had always been an understanding girl, she’d had no choice, growing up with a father like hers. But now, sitting against the rough bark of a tree, her well-honed patience was wearing dangerously thin.
“Jason. Please?”
She had spent the last 15 minutes trying to cajole him into taking her to a tavern. With the arrival of the new family, the castle had just been too frilly and filled with niceties for her taste. As much as she liked Hazel—and enjoyed stealing a glance every so often at her brother—she needed to escape the suffocating formality of royal life.
He barely spared her a glance, his expression flat with disinterest. “No,” he said, with that, he returned to idly plucking petals from the bud in his hand.
She huffed, leaning back into the perfectly molded crevice of the tree and hiking both her knees up to block him from her view. Jason wasn’t exactly easy to sway, and things had just gotten back to normal after that night on the balcony. It had taken her a day or two to muster up enough confidence to face him again.
It wasn’t that he made her uncomfortable, but her own thoughts appeared to twist into themselves, warping things into something entirely different, and Jason seemed to fall victim to them this time. She was being silly, really. He was her friend, and she knew that.
She lifted her chin to peek over the tops of her knees, unsurprised that Jason was still absorbed by the flower in his hand. The silver coming from the moon fell over his features rather pleasantly, and y/n took the time to examine each and every one of them.
His brows were furrowed, and that ever familiar crease was present in pure concentration. He bit his lip while arranging flower petals into a specific pattern on the palm of his hand, which highlighted his scar. The scene of it all evoked a fondness inside y/n, but as she looked down to her lap, she rolled her eyes at the wild mess of the woods in the folds of her gown, leaves and twigs littered her lap.
She considered things for just a second before lazily throwing the remains of what was once a pinecone straight at him, just narrowly missing his chest. With a slow, almost theatrical stretch, he pushed off the tree trunk, letting the petals in his palm drift to the forest floor. He took a deep breath—to save his wits, probably—and opened his mouth.
“I’m not taking you to a tavern, it’s just not safe,” An expression of utter disbelief had etched itself onto his face, he really had no idea why she’d ever want to go to such a place. Y/N matched his height and walked forward, staring him straight in the eye.
“No one would know, I’d have my cloak on anyway.” She threw a hand over her shoulder, pointing to the pile of fabric sitting just behind her in hopes to sway him. Jason gave her a slow once over, stepping just an inch closer as he did, and her resolve seemed to waver for just a moment. The look on his face left a funny feeling swirling in the pit of her stomach.
“Just—why a tavern of all places?”
She looked at him like he was stupid. “I’ve never been, I want to go.” Jason raised a brow, almost contemplating why he ever took up being a knight.
“Your Grace, they're dirty. Filled with dirty food, and dirty men, and dirty everything,” He ran a hand through his hair, letting small golden wisps fall over his forehead. “It’s not a place you want to be at, trust me, the people there aren't good.”
“You’re there almost every week.”
Jason had no response to this. And y/n only smiled in triumph at his absence of a retort. Though, her smirk quickly fell as Jason began to move forward, forcing her to take a step back, and then another, and another, and one more until her back was pressed up against the tree.
Suddenly very warm, she could feel heat clinging to her skin as Jason edged closer.
Y/N became acutely aware of the state that she was in, the wind picked up, tugging effortlessly at her very thin, and very sheer nightgown as it fluttered around her legs. Her face bloomed red as he refused to look away. Her cloak lay forgotten at the trunk of a tree.
“If I take you, you’ll have to listen to everything I say.”
At first, she was going to laugh, push him away and say something along the lines of yeah, right. But as his gaze bore into hers, it became increasingly aware to her that he was being completely serious. His position above her forced her to look up at him, to raise her head and meet his eyes. Slowly, y/n shook her head in understanding, but didn’t make any effort to move away.
She crossed her arms over her chest protectively. The movement put some space between them, prompting Jason to take a step back. It wasn't until he was an arms length away that y/n realized her breathing had become shallow. Thankful for the buffer, she waited for him to say something.
She could tell he was giving it some real thought, carefully deciding whether this decision would win him the charms of the crown or land him in a ditch later on. (Both options were equally susceptible).
Jason looked at her once more before sighing dramatically and dragging his hands over his face and into his hair, leaning back in torment as he did. Y/N tried hard not to laugh and let her excitement slip past her ruse.
Jason was right, of course, with all the things he said about the tavern. But y/n felt as though she just needed to experience something. She was always cooped up in the castle, getting primped and polished for events that she never made an appearance at. It was exhausting, to get ready and hopeful for a chance at basic human interaction, just to have plans rerouted at the last second.
She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had even spoken to anyone outside the castle. The biggest thing to happen to her besides Jason was the arrival of the new family, but even they were presented to her in the neat, proper confines of the palace.
Jason glanced over at her, probably running through all the different scenarios in his head that could occur and sizing up how badly they might go. Defeated, and with his hands still hanging around his neck, he quietly mumbled those words y/n so desperately wanted to hear.
“...Fine.”
“What was that? I’m not sure I heard you correctly.”
“Fine! Yes, I’ll take you to a tavern!” He sounded almost impatient, but the stupid smile on his face couldn’t possibly put up a fight to defend however annoyed he was trying (and failing) to be.
Pleased, y/n picked her cloak up from behind her and put it on, making a big show of tugging the hood over her head and concealing any identifying features before marching right in front of Jason again.
“Okay, let's go.”
“What, now?” Jason’s eyes widened and flit up towards the moon, it was probably close to 11 pm.
“What better time than now? Should we drink a pint after breakfast?”
He quickly opened his mouth before closing it again. She was running rings around him tonight, and he almost found himself giving in.
Jason was still standing in the same position, his arms now crossed over his chest. Despite not actively engaging anything, and with only the shine of the moon for highlights, y/n could very clearly see the muscles in his arm flexing with each soft, subtle movement.
Hm. She hadn’t noticed that before.
The airiness of his tunic didn’t try very hard to conceal the skin underneath, and without the bulk of his usual armour, he was practically on full display. She was honestly a little surprised, she knew knights were generally expected to be in good physical shape, but Jason seemed to take this aspect of his knighthood very seriously—and with intense rigor. Her eyes were tracing the lean lines of his skin when he suddenly waved a hand, snapping her attention back.
Before Jason could say anything else, she made her way past him, walking along a path that would most likely take her where she wanted. Jason would follow, she knew he would.
“Wait—you don’t even know which way to go.” He quickened his pace, nearly jogging to catch up before stepping in front of her and stopping her in her tracks.
“Well why don’t you do as I’ve asked and lead the way?” she arched a brow, waiting for his answer expectantly.
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This was, by all accounts, a terrible idea.
Jason was crammed into a narrow wooden booth, shaking his head with a rueful smile. Somehow, she always managed to rope him into her nonsense—and curse him, he always let her. He found himself watching y/n smile faintly at the cup in her hands. She tilted it back and forth as if the motion itself amused her, though her laughter had softened into something quieter now.
“Why’d you want to come here, really?” Jason asked, his voice low, eyes steady on her.
She let out a slow breath, gaze never lifting from the rim of her cup. “You’d be surprised at how much I haven’t done.”
Puzzled, Jason frowned slightly and tilted his head to the side, beckoning her to go on.
“I probably sound ridiculous, wanting to come down here and… you know, ‘slum it up with the poor.’”
Jason raised an eyebrow, but she was quick to add, “Lilith’s words, not mine.”
“I know it sounds selfish,” she continued, her voice hushed, “and I know there are people who would give anything to be in my place, to have the safety, the comfort, the life I sometimes take for granted.
But I just can’t bear to stay in that castle any longer than I have to. I’m thankful, of course! For the security and the obvious privilege—but… ugh, I don’t know. I probably sound like an idiot. I just want to… live normally, do ordinary things, even if only for a little while.”
Jason leaned back slightly, his smirk softening into something warmer. “You don’t sound like an idiot,” he said, his voice teasing but gentle. “It’s reasonable, I understand.”
Her shoulders relaxed a fraction, and she let herself smile, just a little.
“So, Lilith knows about your little rendezvous?”
Y/N nodded, taking a long sip of her drink. “Lilith knows pretty much everything I do. She doesn’t approve, of course, but I’m lucky to be able to trust her with things.”
Jason looked at her, eyes half-lidded, his voice measured, “Does she know about… me?”
(a/n: there's a pov switch here, so now it’s in y/n’s pov but i’ve just noticed as im getting ready to post and im too lazy to fix it. so. oops? 😭)
The words carried a certain weight to them, cloaked in uncertainty and the meaning of something unseen. Y/N found herself slightly flustered at the implication. His question forced her to acknowledge that this, whatever it was, was very much real. It was odd. A small part of her almost didn’t want to confess that, no, Lilith did not know about Jason, and y/n would never tell her.
During the day, he belonged to her father, the kingdom, and the people. But at night, he was with her, free to be the person he thought deserving of her time. She didn’t want the two to merge in fear that something would happen to their arrangement, that something would happen to him.
“No, no, she doesn’t know about…” She was going to say us, but the word snagged in her throat as she stumbled over her words. A sudden warmth shot through her body. Us? Really?
Miraculously, her voice made its way back to her. Shaking her head slightly—partly in answer to Jason’s question, partly to force herself back into normalcy—she continued. “She doesn’t know.”
Maybe it was the haze of the mead, or the fact that she blinked just as it happened, but y/n could have sworn she caught a flicker of disappointment pass over Jason’s face.
She was confused. Had he wanted her to say yes? Was he expecting an answer other than the one she thought only conceivable? Y/N couldn’t say, but there was certainly a shift in Jason’s demeanor.
After a beat of silence, he cleared his throat, “Right. of course.”
The conversation from then had slightly strained. Y/N had begun to take larger sips from her cup, nursing the drink so often it seemed she’d get a refill every other gulp. The ambered liquid started to show itself on her face in the form of flushed cheeks and glassy eyes, which only amplified her restless mood.
As she moved to meet the cup to her lips once more, she felt a hand rest just over hers.
She looked up, indignation flashing at the interruption, and met Jason’s eyes with a raised brow. His hand pressed more firmly against hers on the cup, urging her to set it down. She rolled her eyes, bristling at the implication that she needed babysitting, and downed the cup in one swift gulp.
Jason looked at her, observing. He did that often, y/n couldn’t tell how she felt about it. A gradual irritation seemed to be transpiring within her, wedging itself somewhere between her ribs. Why? Why was she mad? Was she upset with Jason? Was he upset with her?
They were having a good time just minutes before, where had that gone? All these questions combined with her growing inebriation was decidedly not a pleasant mixture. Her hand instinctively went to where her cup had rested, swaying slightly as it met only empty air. Jason had moved the cup to the far end of the table, close to the edge that faced the rest of the tavern.
“Your Grace, we should head back soon,” Jason brushed a hand through his hair, and she found her eyes following the motion all the way up to his eyes. He only looked at her again. She hated that she couldn't read his face.
He would excel at card games, she thought. His countenance was as hard as stone, not a single flicker of emotion betraying his thoughts. The idea of Jason gambling and playing cards conjured a strangely amusing image, and she couldn’t help bursting into laughter.
Suddenly, a large group of cloaked individuals had entered the tavern, at first, it was a party of maybe five or six, but the ring of the bell above the door kept going, and more had shuffled into the small building.
It wasn’t apparent to y/n whether all of them were together or not, but the room had gotten so full, there were people pushed against their table, gripping onto the edge of the wood so as not to topple directly onto her and Jason.
Jason narrowed his eyes, trying his best to survey the situation. There wasn't any special event today, so what was with the crowd? Y/N studied his face, he was clenching his teeth, and there was a stiffness in his jaw that did little to hide his bother.
Great, she thought. Jason would rather give random drunkards more declaration to how he was feeling than to her. Was it a childish reason to be annoyed? Maybe. But y/n didn’t care. Jason was being bizarre today.
After a few loud, confusing minutes, coupled with a few angry shouts for more mead, the crowd had died down, moving outside where they were free to unabashedly rustle about.
Quickly, Jason shuffled out of the booth, leaving some coins on the table before turning to y/n. “Come on, we’re leaving,” He held out a hand to help her out of the booth, but was met with a blank stare and a huff. “I’m not finished,” Y/N stated.
She was being difficult on purpose, but she couldn't exactly figure out why. He leaned beside the wood, one hand on the table, the other resting against the top of her seat. “Your Grace, we’re leaving,” His voice was low, and stern. It was clear he wasn’t willing to put up with any theatrics.
Fine. She didn’t want to stay anyway. She let out an exaggerated sigh, swaying dangerously as she slid out of her seat. Impulsively, she leaned against the table, and grabbed her stray cup to chug the remains as fast as she could before Jason could notice. He noticed, obviously, and brought a hand to his face, trying very hard to restrain himself from saying something he’d regret.
She needed to drown whatever this entire ordeal was in sweet, honeyed, liquid, but was disappointingly met with a repugnant taste. She screwed her face up into a disgusted look. Not only was the drink repulsive, but there was barely enough for more than a sip. Whatever, she just desperately wanted to sleep.
Jason had begun to say something that didn’t quite reach her ears. She guessed he was scolding her for drinking more than she should have, but honestly, he could kiss her ass. She was so tired of him babysitting her, why was he even here? She probably could have come by herself. At the moment, she was wishing she did.
Y/N watched with a bored look as Jason continued to mutter silent nothings to her, It was funny, she was certain his face had begun to tilt, or maybe it was the room. The mute of his words had turned into a loud ringing, and it reverberated across the emptiness in her head, swinging back and forth against the walls.
Y/N brought a hand to her face, clutching her forehead as it pounded against her skin. A sudden warmth and cold bite hit her simultaneously, and the image of Jason in front of her began to blur.
Almost the moment she let go of the table, Y/N lurched forward, stomach plummeting as the floor seemed to leap up to meet her. Her hands flailed, searching for something to grab, but there was nothing—nothing except the sudden, unyielding presence of Jason.
She barely registered the movement before she felt it, one of his hands gripping her upper arm, the other pressing firmly against her back, stopping her fall as if she were weightless. Her breath hitched, eyes widening, as the realization sank in, she wasn’t falling anymore.
Before she knew it, she was sitting right back in her seat, Jason crouching down in front of her, worry and concern strewn in every corner of his face. He pressed the back of his hand to her cheek, surveying the warmth before urging the rim of a large cup of water to her lips.
Her left hand was loosely draped over the grip Jason had on the cup, helping her guide the liquid into her mouth. Her other hand latched onto his shoulder, which acted as an anchor to keep her upright.
A few long moments of more water and deep breaths had passed, Jason encouraging her with each one. What was that? What had she drank? Every nerve was on fire, every sense painfully sharp. The light stabbed at her eyes, the chatter of the patrons grated at her ears. And Jason—Jason was still there. In front of her.
The steady weight of his hand on her grounded her in a way nothing else could. He was rubbing slow circles on her upper back, the pressure firm, but light. Something inside her stuttered as she finally realized just how close he had been the entire time.
There was some movement, but she was stuck in a daze, trying furiously to focus on something that would help her mind stop spinning.
Her eyelids were heavy. Her skin hot. She couldn't figure out what was happening, where she was going, who exactly was helping her to her feet until she heard soft whispers tickle the curve of her ear.
“Are you okay? Your Grace, can you hear me? Do you know where you are?” Jason’s voice was steady, assuring. She recognized the sound but still couldn’t quite make out the meaning.
Y/N whined in response. Her head hurt, and she wanted to lay down. She could feel the crunch of dirt slowly turn into grass underneath her shoes as they continued to walk. Her feet hurt, too. And her vision was slowly beginning to tunnel as the feeling of Jason beside her started to fade.
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Jason had slung an arm around her shoulders, carrying all her weight with ease as he guided the pair of them to the tree just below her balcony. At first, he was relieved to see the beginnings of the castle as they inched closer, but realization dawned on him as he wrestled with an idea of how to get y/n up there.
Fuck.
Jason knew three things, 1) The safe haven of her bedroom was just one tree away, 2) He could easily climb up the balcony, 3) Y/N was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, meaning she would basically be able to do nothing.
What Jason did not know, was how in the world he was going to get her past the tree and over the railing.
Y/N was just barely holding herself up, Jason had an arm around her shoulders, letting her lean against him. Carefully, he maneuvered around to face her, still keeping his grip so as not to risk her falling over. He had a semblance of an idea, but was nervous of how it would play out.
He rested both hands on her shoulders, steadying her and angling her gaze toward his. He lowered his voice, and tried to sound as calm and soothing as he could. “Hey, can you hear me? I’m gonna pick you up, I need you to promise you’ll hold on, okay? Can you do that for me?”
She lazily nodded, unfocused, as if his words only half-reached her. Her face was flushed, heat radiating off her skin, and her eyes lingered on his with a hazy intensity that made his breath hitch.
Jason started to say something else, that familiar crease pulling at his brow as he tried to break through the fog clouding her. But then she moved, slow, unsteady, her hand lifting as if of its own accord. Jason froze when her fingertips brushed against his cheek, then tangled briefly in the soft gold of his hair.
Y/N smiled. Her eyes blinked just a beat too slow as she fondled the strands of silk. Tucking a lock behind his ear in a mellowed haze as though they weren’t stuck in a very dire, desperate situation. Jason found his breath caught somewhere on the way to his lungs.
He tried to return the smile, grabbing her hand and resting it on his shoulder as he attempted to still the vigorous thrashing of every nerve in his body.
He was scared. There were about a million different possibilities of how horribly wrong this could go, but he had to have faith that y/n had understood, had to hope that she would hold on long enough for them to reach the balcony.
Jason repeated exactly what he was going to do, trying to get the plan through to her before he moved. Slowly, Jason turned and slightly kneeled in front of her, urging her to grab onto both his shoulders. Thankfully—either by cooperation or pure exhaustion—y/n fell against him, her body moulding to the contours of his back as Jason hooked an arm around each of her thighs.
She was still wearing her cloak, but the position of her legs forced the fabric to ride up, taking her nightgown along with it. Her bare legs swung loosely on either side of Jason, and he tried wildly not to think too long of the impossibly smooth skin that fell just under his fingertips.
Jason moved fastidiously slow, trying intensely hard to balance both of their weights as he planted a foot on the branch lowest to the ground, boosting himself up. The tree groaned underneath them, and each creak jolted his heart. Y/N had her legs hooked around his waist, and her head had lolled into the crook of his neck.
This was, entirely too much.
How Jason continued to find himself in such positions would never fail to shock him. But he would contemplate his life choices later, right now, he had to focus on not accidentally falling to his death.
Thankfully, the climb wasn’t too long, and—he hated to sound cocky—but Jason was rather strong, so y/n’s weight wasn’t much of a bother. Still, trying to compensate for another body was difficult. His forearms burned with the effort, muscles straining as rough bark bit into his palms.
All he had to do now was get over the railing, they had made it! With a sigh, Jason stalled for a moment, catching his breath while holding onto the last branch. Just as he had begun to move, he could feel y/n’s grip around him falter, loosening with every passing second.
This was bad. She was going limp at the worst moment possible. Panic surged through him, and he didn’t think—he just moved. With a desperate heave, he swung them over the rail, landing hard on the stone balcony.
The impact drove the air from his lungs, pain sparking along the arm and shoulder he used to cushion the fall, but he barely noticed. Y/N had collapsed entirely against him, all her weight caught in his arms, safe from the crash.
Jason could have cried from relief. Could have kissed the cold, slightly gross stone below him. He took a moment to just lay, letting the chill of the floor encompass his entire cheek. Y/N was still above him, her head on his back, entire body slowly moving up and down as Jason took deep breaths.
He steadily moved from under her, and helped her sit up against one of the large stone columns. She had completely fallen asleep, but Jason still had to get her inside before he could fully relax. Delicately, Jason leaned down to scoop her into his arms.
They were safe now, but even so, he couldn’t help the flicker of worry that ran through him. Carefully, he slid one arm under her knees and the other behind her back, lifting her as if she were made of feathers rather than flesh.
She didn’t stir—her head just fell softly against his chest, hair brushing his collarbone. Every movement was deliberate, careful, as if any sudden motion might jolt her awake or throw off his balance. The world narrowed to the feel of her in his arms, the slight warmth of her skin, the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
Even though she was asleep, there was an undeniable intimacy in the act, a strange, grounding weight that made him acutely aware of the responsibility of holding her so completely. One misstep and she could slip, but he steadied himself, adjusting the grip on her body, making sure she was secure, entirely in his hands.
Mercifully, Jason found the door to her bedroom unlocked—which was actually very foolish, and extremely alarming given how it only took one tree to get up here, but he digressed—he fiddled with the knob until the door creaked open, pushing it wider with his leg, he entered.
Immediately, Jason rushed over to the bed, placing y/n flush against the large, billowing comforter and endless supply of pillows. Then, he practically ran to her door, ensuring its locked state before just standing in the middle of the room.
Huh. He’s never been in here before.
Jason felt out of place. He was out of place, he shouldn't be here, this was wrong.
And yet, there he was, standing in front of Y/N, watching her take steady, even breaths.
Okay, he definitely needed to leave. This was getting weird.
But he couldn’t shake the unusual feeling crawling through him. They’d talked before about alcohol, each of their limits and whatnot, and from what y/n had described, she could usually do well with drinks. Not dangerously, just… with ease. She had drunk a lot tonight, sure, but to be reduced to this? Something was off.
He wracked his brain for anything peculiar that happened tonight, he had stuck to water and fruity drinks the entire time, so why couldn't he remember? He went over each memory from the past couple hours, flipping them over and examining each facet with an intensity.
Whatever she drank couldn't have been regular mead, he’d been to that tavern dozens of times before, it wasn’t very strong—even if you go through a couple cups.
Something surged through him. …Had someone gotten to her drink? Worry was replaced with anger, and then quickly followed by shame. He had failed tonight. He was just a few feet across from her the entire time and still he let something happen.
He dragged his hands over his face, sighing into them as they combed through his hair. She was fine now, that’s all that mattered, it was okay. Jason looked behind him at the door. If he left, who would lock it? Certainly not y/n, she was out cold, and he wasn’t even sure if she would wake up entirely lucid in the morning.
More panic coursed its way through his body, if someone spiked her drink… Could they be tailing her? Them? No, he was sure no one had followed them, he had been extra careful on their way back. Still, something worrisome clung to him.
Should he sleep outside, just in case? But then again, the problem with the lock arose. He just didn’t feel secure leaving her alone tonight, it would gnaw at him till the sun came up, and that would be hours of cruel torture until he was sure she was safe. He didn't know when he would see her tomorrow, how he would check to ensure her well-being as soon as possible.
He scratched the back of his neck, conflicted.
Jason found himself in front of y/n again, found himself with a soft smile tugging at his lips. Carefully, he draped the blanket over her, tucking it around her shoulders so she would have all the warmth she needed through the night.
He lingered, feeling a strange, protective pull in his chest. She looked so small and unguarded like this, and it made his heart thrum in a way he wasn’t used to noticing. For a moment, he let himself stay, quietly watching over her, just making sure she was okay.
He couldn't risk something happening if he left. Jason was… Nervous. Afraid. And above all, anxious. He didn’t know why. Why all these emotions were stirring up inside him, or what for. Unconsciously, he gave y/n a sideways glance; the very thought of leaving her here alone agitated him.
After a moment of thought, Jason plucked a stray cushion from the unusually pillowy seats behind him and settled onto a spot a few feet from the bed. He didn’t need a blanket—he could manage the night without one. As long as y/n was safe and warm, he’d be fine.
His exhaustion caught up to him, and surely, on the cold floor, Jason began to drift to sleep.
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Y/N felt awful.
Her mouth was dry, and her head—god, she couldn't even begin to describe the feeling.
She rolled onto her side, pressing her face into the pillow, letting her legs sprawl across the cool comforter, not quite in any particular hurry to start her day. A low groan escaped her as her memory came back to her in splotches. It was as if a film reel of last night had been smudged, whole scenes missing or warped beyond recognition.
She remembered Jason being annoying—she remembered herself being somewhat annoying too, but that was beside the point—and drinking an obscene amount of alcohol. But y/n was able to hold her liquor relatively well, even considering the pace she was going at last night.
She could barely remember anything. And she suddenly felt so stupid for letting this happen. How could she have been so careless? and for what, to make Jason angry, to make him do… something? She hated feeling helpless, hated feeling that things were out of her hands.
Moreover, she thought it so foolish to pull such a scene just to spite him, to get him to pay her some attention. Who was she? How old was she? God, she seriously needed to rethink some things.
Whatever the reason, she was here now, with a killer headache, and an even more killer need to throttle Jason the second she found him. Blaming Jason seemed to be the easiest solution to her troubles.
While, yes, she knew she had a key part in her misfortune this morning (the part, if she was being realistic) but she wouldn’t have drank as much as she did if Jason didn’t… What had he done, again? She couldn't remember. Well, she’s sure it’ll come to her sooner than later.
Y/N sat up in bed, yawning before stepping onto the cold wood. She welcomed the early morning chill, needing something to kickstart the energy she’d need for the day. Though, the steady streams of sunlight peaking through the curtains suggested anything but morning.
She had barely made it two steps to the bathroom before tripping over an unusually warm (?) mass on the floor. To her horror, the mass started to make sounds, the pair of them writhing on the ground from having been both tripped and tripped over.
Her vision was still blurry from waking up, but she could make out the figure of—a man?! He was still lying on the floor, one hand grabbing his stomach as he groaned.
Y/N screamed.
And she continued to scream as she threw whatever was closest to her at the figure. Books, pillows, and random articles of clothing were all used as arsenal. In the hysteria of it all, she hadn’t noticed the figure's face. It wasn’t until she landed a book straight to his chest that she caught recognition of a certain cerulean to his eyes.
To her horror, again, she realized that she had just unleashed all her hung over, freshly awoken wrath, onto Jason.
She immediately stalked over to him and shoved him hard on the shoulder. He was dazed. Still trying to break free from the grasp of sleep. Confused, he looked up and noticed who was staring at him.
“Y-Your grace? What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here? This is my room?!”
Jason glanced around. An awareness washed over him as the memories of last night settled.
“Oh,” he muttered. “You snore.”
His voice was deep and gruff, rough around the edges.
Oh. This is what he sounded like in the morning. The sound seemed to settle somewhere warm in her stomach.
She shoved him again, half annoyed, half amused.
“Have you been here all night? Why? I–why?”
Jason rubbed his eyes, taking the time to yawn and stretch with an absurd calmness. His shirt tugged upward with the motion, fabric riding just enough to uncover a strip of lean, hard muscle beneath.
Y/N’s gaze caught on the glimpse before she could stop herself, heat pricking at her cheeks. She tore her eyes away at once, but not before the image had seared itself into her mind.
As his arms fell back to his sides, something slipped from his shoulder and landed squarely in his lap.
He blinked down at it, confusion giving way to realization.
Y/N froze. Her stomach dropped as she recognized what it was. Of all the things she had been flinging at him earlier, that had to have been in the mix? Her face grew hot.
Jason glanced between the scrap of fabric and her, one brow slowly lifting.
He picked up the finely embroidered linen slowly between his fingers. Looking away as he did. “...These are yours.”
She snatched them from his hand. “Of course they’re mine, jackass. I didn't peg you for a lace kind of guy.”
She refused to be embarrassed—this was her room, for gods’ sake—but heat still rose up her neck. Jason wasn’t faring much better; his own face burned, blushing furiously as a faint smirk betrayed his attempt to stay composed.
She tucked her arms protectively over her chest, concealing the fabric as she did. Quickly, she moved to sit on the bed, leaving Jason to still look up at her from the floor.
“Are you going to tell me what I did to deserve such a lovely morning wake-up?”
Jason scratched his chin, drawing out the pause. “Well—”
A sharp rapping on the door cut him off. Urgent, insistent.
Lilith’s muffled voice carried through the wood, joined by the anxious murmurs of several others. “Your Highness? Are you all right? What happened?”
Jason stiffened, every muscle going taut. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Especially not when half the court seemed gathered at Y/N’s door.
They both froze for a moment. Eyes widening and silently freaking out before y/n began hauling Jason by his arm, dragging all 207 pounds with alarming ease across her room and shoving him into the closet.
“I’m fine!” She shouted towards the door. Despite everything in her body howling at her not to turn the lock, it wouldn’t be right not to assure everyone she was fine in person after screaming bloody murder.
Reluctantly, y/n opened the door, and plastered on the best smile she could pull as she greeted Lilith.
“Goodmorning. Sorry. Saw a spider. I’m okay!”
Lilith was visually relieved the moment she saw y/n standing before her, whole and unharmed. But her brows began to furrow as she took in y/n’s erratic breathing, the protective hold she had on the doorknob, and the nervous way she kept bouncing her foot. She was standing, yes, but not steady. Something was wrong, and Lilith knew.
Deciding not to push, Lilith simply raised her brow and gave y/n a knowing look, they’d talk about this later. “Right, well, breakfast is ready when you are, Your Highness.”
Grateful, y/n gave her a genuine smile filled with ‘thank you’s’ as she closed the door. Slumping against it and sliding down the wood just as the lock clicked. She thumped her head into the door a few times for good measure.
She stalked over to her closet and swung the door open, her arms crossed again.
“Out.”
“Not even a thank you for saving your skin last night?” Jason laughed. The sound bubbled in the air and reached down into the depths of her skin.
“I’ll beg for your mercy when I see you later, there's too much going on today for anything else. Come on, lets go” She was pushing him towards the balcony door, desperate to be alone for a few moments.
“Wait, don't you wanna know why I was in here?”
“Right now, I need to think about the best way to plan your execution, hanging?”
“Okay, okay! I’m leaving,” Jason laughed again, and continued to laugh as he gave her a dramatic bow, reducing himself to one knee with an arm around his back before stalking down the tree.
She watched him go. Lingering against the railing as he walked away. Just before he could disappear into the trees, Jason turned, smiling as he gave her a small wave.
God. What was her life.
As she moved to pick up parts of the mess after coming inside, y/n caught her reflection in the mirror. She froze. Hair a wild tangle, eyes shadowed, lips dry, she looked nothing short of wrecked.
Embarrassment crept up her neck at the thought of Jason seeing her like this. She shook her head quickly, trying to smother the flutter in her chest. Anyone would be self-conscious to be seen in such a state. It wasn’t about him.
She tried to reassure herself. It was only the mess of her hair, the wrinkles in her dress, the unguarded way he’d seen her. That was enough to make anyone flustered, wasn’t it?
Y/N found herself drifting towards her bed, picking up the stray pillow on the ground and holding it in her hands. It emanated a deep, rich musk that she found herself breathing in slowly, allowing the scent to envelope her senses.
It smelled slightly of burning mahogany and teakwood, paired with the air when the weather turned. It smelled of Jason.
That feeling wasn’t just embarrassment, it couldn't be. It was the raw, unsteady feeling of being seen too closely, too honestly, by someone whose gaze unsettled her in ways she couldn’t name.
She sighed, leaning back into her pillows.
a/n: sorry i cucked u guys i know the cw sounds sort of misleading (😜) but how are we feeling??? also, i was looking over the last chapter and i realized y/n and jason talk for a total of like. 3 minutes.
so i hope this chapter was a nice refresher and revealed more about their dynamics! they’re both so stubborn i actually cant—also, this chapter was so charged?? hello? things are definitely starting to change !
So in a historic setting Gotham kingdom, would Jason get adopted and become a prince or join through the knights and then get adopted?
Also love your work, can’t express my love for Strawberry Waffles enough…
ana this question is killing me bc knight jason is something that is so personal to me. knight jason is my mona lisa tbh
but the thought of jason being adopted as a prince who's then cast out for whatever reason??? and then becomes a knight of a neighboring kingdom before coming back to the gotham kingdom to try and dethrone the king for casting him out is making me gnaw at the bars at my enclosure
it's a toss up honestly, i love both answers
(also i love YOU for loving my little (re: not so little) story 💛)
Hi! Anon requested a Jasico Royal AU Fluff Oneshot so here you go :3 Prince!Nico + Knight!Jason
this was made with the help of @multifandom-asexual who came up with Jason's dialogue and like half the plot
Word Count: 1430
Genre: Fluff
Characters: Nico Di Angelo/Jason Grace
Pov: Nico, 3rd person
He’s walking through the castle halls, late at night, unable to sleep. He hears footsteps down the hall and Sir Grace appears around the corner.
“Oh, uhm, hey Nico!” he says with an awkward wave.
“Hi Jason,” he replies.
“So, why are you not in bed, mister? A prince like you needs his beauty sleep,” Jason scolds.
He shrugs. “Couldn’t sleep. I’ll go to sleep if you’re with me though. Preferably with cuddles…”
Jason blushes, and Nico grins. “H-heh?! Oh, um, sure!” Jason chuckles awkwardly.
“Alright,” he says. “Come with me.”
“Lead the way, my prince,” Jason says with a bow.
“No need for formalities, Jason. Follow me.”
“Yes sir,” Jason grins. Nico rolls his eyes but as he turns down the corridor he grins lightly. When he stops at the door to his room, Jason opens it for him.
“Thank you, my knight,” he says with a smile. Jason nods and smiles back. Nico loves his smile. He flops down on his bed, Jason still standing awkwardly by the door. “Are you gonna join me or what? I was promised cuddles,” he says with a flirtatious grin.
Jason blushes. “Are you sure that’s okay?” he says anxiously.
“Yes,” Nico grins.
“I- uh- okay,” Jason says and sits gently on the edge of his bed.
“This is not cuddling. C’mere!” he says and pulls Jason to him.
“Neeks-”
“Mhm! Cuddles…” he sighs as he snuggles into Jason's chest. Jason starts playing with Nico’s hair, and he can feel that he’s still tense. “You don’t seem very relaxed,” he says and looks up at Jason.
“Well, uh, what if we get caught?”
Nico laughs. “I’m the prince, Jason. Nobody can do anything to me, and I will always make sure that nothing happens to you.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
Jason smiles. Nico feels himself getting tired as he snuggles deeper into Jason’s embrace.
“Nico? Sir?”
“Yes?”
Jason leans closer to him, then suddenly their lips meet in a gentle kiss. Jason breaks quickly, bringing his hand to his lips.
“Shoot. I am so sorry- I don’t know why I did that-” Jason sits up, causing Nico to fall out of his arms.
“Oh! Uhmm,” he sputters and turns away, laying on his back. “Uh, I think that was okay, actually…”
“C-can I do it again?” Jason stutters as he pulls Nico back to him.
“Y-yeah,” he turns his head to look up at Jason, and their lips meet again.
“Was that okay? I mean, I can leave if you want-” Jason says hurriedly and starts to get up.
“No! Please don’t leave,” he says and grabs Jason’s wrist. Jason stops and looks back at Nico, anxiety painted across his face. “It’s okay.”
Jason’s face softens and he lets himself be pulled back into bed. He snuggles back into Jason’s chest and falls asleep sooner than he ever has.
~~~
Jason’s already awake when Nico wakes up and yawns sleepily. It’s still dark outside his window.
“Woah,” Jason says.
“What?” Nico asks, still half asleep.
“You’re really really cute.”
Nico can feel himself blush, but can’t resist saying the same. “You’re really really pretty.”
“No you, my moonlight.”
“No you, my star shine.”
Jason blushes and hides his face in the pillow. Nico smiles lovingly at him, and Jason peeks from his pillow-submerged fate. Nico grins and cuddles up to Jason again, falling back into slumber.
~~
When he wakes up again, Jason is gone. Nico gets worried and decides to roam the halls and find him.
He exits his room slowly, just to find Jason coming around the corner.
“My prince, you’re not supposed to be up this late,” Jason scolds.
“I came to find you, my knight. I got worried when I woke up without you by my side,” Nico says playfully.
Jason blushes. “O-oh. Uhm. I had to patrol the halls, I do this every night.”
“Well, as long as you’re keeping me safe, my knight,” he says and with a surge of confidence, gives Jason a kiss before dashing into his room. He locks the door behind him and leans against it, blushing.
“Nico?” Jason’s muffled voice comes through the door.
“I-um thought you were supposed to be patrolling the halls,” he stutters.
“Well now I want more kisses, my prince,” Jason teases.
“You should get back to work Sir Grace. Keeping the castle safe and all.”
“The castle can wait, little prince.”
Nico sighs and unlocks his door.
“Hi Nico,” Jason says and grabs his wrist, dragging him down the hall.
“Jason! Where are we going?!”
“My room. My bed’s comfier.”
“Jason, I’m the prince. My bed is one of the finest in the castle.”
“Yeah, yeah. Come on.”
Nico gets dragged along begrudgingly, then notices they’re not going to Jason’s room.
“Jason, this is not the way to your room. Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll see, my moonlight.”
Nico blushes, flustered. “Okay.” Jason pulls him into a kiss then continues dragging Nico along. He blushes more, then realizes where they’re going. “The roof! I love the roof!” He says, a smile blooming on his face.
“I knew you’d like it, my moonlight,” Jason croons and brings them to the room.
“The stars are my favorite,” Nico sighs “they remind me of you, my star shine.”
Jason blushes. “I like the moon…”
Nico gazes at him lovingly, then pulls him into a firm kiss. He whispers very quietly, knowing Jason won’t hear.
“I love you…”
“Hmm?”
“Oh, uhm, nothing.”
Jason grins. “Your lips are really soft.”
Nico blushes. “Shut up. Do you wanna dance?”
“Ah. Well, uh- I… don’t really know how to dance?”
“Then this is the perfect time to learn darling.”
“Y-yes sir.”
Nico smiles widely, gazing at Jason. “Ok, so uhm, you’ll put your hands here…” he instructs, placing Jason’s hands around his waist “and I’ll put mine around your neck, okay?”
Jason blushes, but nods. “Uh-huh…”
Slowly, Jason seems to get the hang of it as they spin around the roof. Nico starts to hum a tune as they sway together under the moonlight.
“You’re so handsome, my knight. My star shine.” Nico says lovingly.
“You, my prince. Not me.”
“Don’t ruin the moment, darling. You’re very pretty… now let's just dance, okay?”
“I actually meant for us to stargaze…” Jason trails off, looking at the sky.
“That’s probably a better idea. You’ve stepped on my feet at least twelve times,” Nico teases.
“My bad-”
“It’s alright darling,” Nico says and lays down at the roof, admiring the clear night sky. Jason lays down next to him, pulling him closer to his chest. “Can I tell you something?” Nico asks tentatively.
“Go ahead.”
“I think, I uhm, love you…” he says, his face blotchy with blush.
“Oh!” Jason says, his face starting to match Nico’s.
Nico starts to overthink, thoughts racing. “Sorry, uhm was that too much too soon? I can just go…” he says and starts to get up. Before he can leave, however, Jason pulls him back down.
“Would this ease your worries, pretty boy?” Jason says, kissing him. Nico kisses him back gently, still hesitant.
“Kinda.”
Jason frowns and kisses him again with more force and confidence. Nico kisses back with a bit more confidence, but still light. Jason smiles into the kiss, and Nico breaks away, gazing at Jason.
“Hi pretty boy,” Jason flirts.
“Hi my star shine,” he replies. “Do you see any constellations, my love?”
“No, but I see you. My moon.”
Nico grins.
“Nico?” Jason asks.
“Yes, Jason?”
“Follow me, my pretty boy,” Jason says and takes Nico’s hand, leading him back into the castle.
“Where are you taking me now, my knight?”
“My room. I’m sleepy. Want cuddles.”
Nico smiles lovingly, squeezing Jason’s hand gently. “Okay my love. Of course we can cuddle.” Jason smiles back. They arrive at Jason’s room, and Nico is eager. “It’s cuddle time Sir Grace!”
“Yes Sir,” Jason says with a bow. Nico grins. “I’m surprised you aren’t telling me off for being formal.”
“Hmm. Fair enough. Just tired I guess.”
Jason climbs into his twin-sized bed, making a grabby motion. “C’mere.”
Nico squeezes in next to him and snuggles into his arms.
“My pretty prince,” Jason says, kissing the top of Nico’s head. “Goodnight my moonlight.”
“Goodnight, star shine.”
Jason starts playing with Nico’s hair as he holds him. He gives Jason a quick kiss before snuggling back into him and drifting to sleep.
“How are you so cute?” Jason whispers and holds Nico’s face in his hands.
“Jason, I am trying to sleep. Goodnight. Love you.”
Jason was fighting for victory for his king, Nico di Angelo. His rival was a woman with a long braid and brown eyes.
Their swords collided and ripped through the air. Jason, in each swing and thrust, put his heart out. The heart that belonged to Nico. Kind, selfless, gentle Nico.
Jason gave it his all but, in an unexpected move, the girl hit him hard and snatched the sword from his hands.
Then, with a strong kick, the girl pushed him back. His helmet fall off and Jason fell to the ground. The woman, who was now pointing her sword at his heart, looked at him, surprised.
DemonKing!Dick x Hero!Jason? Say Dick’s been secretly in disguise and has been traveling with Jason since the beginning. At first it was so he could judge whether Jason would need to be “dealt” with, but then he slowly fell in love and kept making excuses to himself to stay. So when they finally reach the Demon Castle throne room Dick reveals who he is and then proposes marriage. He tries to sweeten the deal by offering throne sex and saying as his consort Jason could distract him or advise him.
———-
Meaning of the Words
Jason couldn’t believe this. His dearest companion. The man that had been with him every step of the journey since he’d crossed the border to the kingdom of Gotham. The man he had fallen in love with.
His beautiful Richard.
Was the Demon King he had been sent to slay on orders of his god, the great Bat Lord.
“Please, Jason. Rule by my side.”
“How could you lie to me like this? I love you!”
They stood in the throne room. The batwing throne throwing shadows in sharp relief against the stonework.
In all honesty, it was nowhere near as dark and terrifying as Jason had always expected.
“I love you too!” Dick knelt at Jason’s feet, a circlet resting in his hands in offer to the knight. “I never expected to fall in love with you, but I did! How could I tell you who I was? How could I knowing you were sent to kill me?”
It was agony. The deception. The lies.
His whole mission was to -
“End his reign of solitary destruction and terror.” Jason ground out. “That’s what Bruce told me. That’s my mission.”
Dick froze. “I’m sorry, Little Wing. Did you say ‘Bruce’?”
“You don’t get to call me that right now!” The knight hissed.
“No, this is important.” Dick stated, rising. “Bruce? I thought you said your god sent you on the mission. The Bat Lord.”
“Yes.” Jason stated. “Bruce is the Bat Lord. He came to me. Spoke to me himself when he gave me my quest.”
“And what,” Dick ground out, suddenly furious, “was the exact phrasing of that quest?”
Taken aback, Jason recited the words by rote. They were seared into his memory, “Jason, my son, you face a perilous path. You must tame the Nightwing King of Gotham. End his solitary reign of destruction and terror and make Gotham and Parkrow whole again.”
“You! I! Bruce! Argh!” Dick threw his hands up in the air. “I’m going to kill him!” He swooped in and claimed Jason’s mouth in a hungry kiss. The other man couldn’t help but respond, fingers curling in the blue cloak.
When they parted, the Demon King rested their foreheads together. “I am sorry you got dragged into this. I love you. And I’m going to kill my father.”
“What?” The knight was confused. Nothing made sense anymore.
Dick stalked over to a brazier and lit it with a wave of his hand before reaching into a pouch and throwing a handful of glittering powder into the fire.
He shouted, “BRUCE!”
Jason gaped.
“Don’t you fucking ignore me, you bastard!”
One did not summon the gods. What the hell was Dick doing?!
The Bat Lord’s face appeared in the fire, the ears of his cowl curling with the path of the flames. If Jason didn’t know any better, he’d say he looked… smug.
“My dearest, eldest son.”
Wait.
Nightwing was the eldest child of the Dark Knight. Gotham’s chief deity.
“You manipulative pain in the ass!”
“Did you just call me to insult me, Dick?” Bruce drawled, amused. His eyes flicked over to Jason and his expression seemed to shift. “Jason.”
“How dare you meddle!”
“It worked.”
“Fuck you!”
“Language!”
“Stop trying to set me up!”
“Well, as I was successful, I no longer have to.”
“Wait -” Jason squeaked, “What?!”
“Bruce,” Dick explained through clenched teeth, “set us up.”
“I don’t have to kill you?” Jason cautiously asked.
Bruce recoiled as much as an image of fire could, “Of course not.”
“Fuck off. You’re not invited to the wedding.” Dick doused the fire with another wave of his hand.
Jason stared at the empty brazier. “I-I don’t. What.”
The Demon King gently placed the circlet on Jason’s brow. “Marry me.”
What could he do? He loved him. “Dick. You can’t… You can’t keep on the way you have been. No more destruction. No more death.”
“Jason, you’ve already changed me. You make me better.”
“I… okay. I love you.” Dick claimed his mouth in a hungry kiss and snapped his fingers.
Jason found himself straddling his lover on the throne. “That’s -” A moan as dragged from his lips as teeth scraped his throat, “Cheating.”
synopsis: it's jasons birthday 😛 (in which princess!reader slowly becomes encompassed with knight!jason grace)
wordcount : 3.4k
read part 4 here
a/n: no bricks around here 🥳
enjoy!
⋆ ˚｡ ⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡ ⋆
Y/N woke that morning with a goal in her mind. As she took a bath, got dressed, and ate breakfast, she was determined to ensure her plans went as seamlessly as possible. Although, it was clear her agenda would have some unexpected detours added to it. As she finished running through the mental checklist in her head, she started to mutter to herself lowly. “Berries, flowers, blankets…”
“—Are you alright, your highness?” Percy asked, sounding slightly concerned.
Oh, she had forgotten he was there. “Sorry, could you repeat that?” She hadn't heard a word he’d said.
Percy offered her a polite smile before continuing, “Is there anything I can do for you today?”
They were sitting in the courtyard for some mid-morning tea, her father forced her to go over some things with Percy, seeing as he was basically her babysitter until further notice. She wasn’t exactly being the warmest person to him. It wasn't his fault, she knew that, but y/n honestly didn’t care; the whole thing seemed so frivolous to her.
“I need some things from the market,” she said blankly, watching the clouds in her coffee bloom.
“Okay, just let me know what you need and I can go retrieve them for—”
“I am perfectly capable of getting them myself.” She stared at him challengingly.
“Uh, I really think I should go get them…” His voice trailed off as she glared at him. He put a hand on the table and smiled diplomatically. “It’s not the best idea to go into town right now, I promise everything you want will be in my hands when I get back.” His tone was calm and steady, far too patient for the attitude she was giving him this early in the day.
She really ought to treat him a little better, but this was a big deal, and she couldn't afford anything going awry. She glanced at the hand he rested on the table, and her eyes flitted back to his face. She was not going to let him get in the way of her usual routines.
Percy bowed before her a few minutes later, helping her get onto the carriage. Sighing in defeat, he sat at the front and took the reins of the horses. “I’m getting fired,” He muttered miserably to himself.
Inside, y/n sat against the plush, soft cushions and leaned back, grinning in triumph. They had taken a much smaller, simpler carriage than she was used to; it was necessary to stay discreet, but she didn’t care. She was just happy that Percy actually listened to what she said, she wasn’t expecting him to give in so easily. Maybe this wouldn’t be a bad thing after all.
Her thoughts halted as she felt the carriage come to a stop, Percy opened the door and held out a hand, she accepted it gingerly and stepped onto the fresh soil. They had stopped just a little farther north of the market to stay sort of hidden. She furrowed her brows as she looked around the landscape, it felt… familiar. Y/N smiled at Percy as she dusted off her dress. She had changed into a more plain gown and coerced Percy to do the same; he omitted his usual uniform and opted for a regular tunic.
“Right, where to first?” Percy looked hesitant to say anything else, he was slightly afraid she would give him another death stare.
She shrugged on her cloak and half-heartedly wrapped a scarf around her head before replying,
“There’s a more secluded part of the market I’d like to go to, it’s just behind the blacksmith stalls and past the seamstress.”
Percy looked alarmed. “How do you even know that?” Astonishment poured onto his face.
Y/N gave him a sly smile, laughing as she noticed his expression, “There's more to me than you’d think.”
She didn’t elaborate further, and Percy wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
As they gallivanted through the market—Percy almost struggling to keep up—y/n had amassed most of the things on her list. They were just about to leave when something particularly shiny caught her eye, and she almost ran straight into Percy as she quickly beelined for the stall. She examined the item, and her head had practically started buzzing. It’s perfect. She thought. Excitedly, she picked up the object and immediately had the vendor wrap it up for her. She paid extra for some more attractive wrapping, but didn’t mind. She was so entranced by this little product, she’d have done anything to make sure it left with her.
Turning around, she found Percy just behind her, peering curiously at some quality quill pens at the next stand over. She tapped him gently on the shoulder.
“Ready to go?” He asked, turning around. She bobbed her head in response, smiling as Percy took the remaining bags in her hands. He started to reach for the parcel when she interjected. “I can carry this one.” She stated firmly.
He simply nodded and led the way back to the carriage, looking behind him every so often to make sure she was there. He was nice, and she could definitely tell he was soft-hearted the way he talked to her in such gentle tones. The unease she had seemed to slowly melt away as he helped her onto the carriage. She got lucky, she supposed, y/n couldn’t imagine being stuck with someone more contemptuous. Despite being the princess (heir to the throne, mind you), she’d encountered more than a few people—men, mostly—who clearly didn’t think much of her.
They never said anything outright to her face, of course, but it was noticeable in the way they shook her hand, in the stiffness of their posture, in the way their body language seemed to flinch anytime she was near. Perhaps it could be chalked up to nerves, skittishness due to being in the presence of royalty, but the majority of the people were often royal themselves. And Y/N knew better.
No one would ever dare speak rudely to her or act in any way that could openly be labeled as disrespect. But still, she noticed.
And sometimes, she wondered how different things might be if she had a brother. Or if she had simply been born a man.
Nevertheless, she was glad Percy didn’t dismiss the things she said, she was starting to have a newfound appreciation for him. She didn’t mind the face he carried around either, those pretty sea-green eyes were hard to miss. Not to mention his frame, he was rugged, tall, and pretty muscular.
She leaned her face against the carriage window, watching the topography of the land blur into each other as the carriage raced across its terrain. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to make sense of the landscape. She had been here before, but when? It wasn’t until they passed a heavy thicket that something in her mind clicked.
Oh. This was the spot she and Jason had taken weeks ago, before they had even become friends. She reminisced fondly about the memory, she hadn’t forgotten how flustered he was when they had to ride on Tempest together—though, to be fair, she was too. He was so delicate with her, he always was.
She took the carefully wrapped parcel into her hand, tracing her finger along the faint creases of the paper. Y/N wasn't sure why, but she began to compare the two. They were almost complete opposites. Percy seemed to be a much more spur-of-the-moment guy, while Jason was more structured. Their physical appearances alone were diametrically opposed, Percy’s skin was considerably tanner, and his disheveled jet-black hair swept across his forehead like he was just searching for trouble. Jason had a much lighter complexion, similar to his hair, which shone in the sun like a beacon. They were both breathtakingly handsome, she had to admit. A cheeky grin crept onto her face as she realized what she was doing. When had she ever allowed herself the luxury of simply thinking about boys like this?
She let out a small sigh. As attractive and kind as Percy was, she couldn’t help but long for Jason’s company. She smiled. The thought of him made her giddy, she couldn't wait to have everything set up for tonight.
She woke up extra early to find Lilith to have her request the kitchen for a special little treat.
“A Cake? Sure, but what for?” Lilith asked.
“Just wanted something a little more confectionary today,” Y/N smiled sweetly, but didn’t elaborate.
She started to bounce her foot up and down, she could barely contain her excitement as she stepped out of the carriage. She hadn’t seen Jason yet and was determined to keep it that way. She thanked Percy and set to hurry to her room as inconspicuously as she could before she heard him speak.
“Wait—do you want some help taking those up?” He glanced skeptically at the bags in her hand, wondering how long she’d last before they all tumbled to the floor.
She thought for a second, trying to determine whether or not she’d be able to lug all the things in her hand up to her room. Might as well, she thought.
“Please,” she smiled at him with gratitude.
He took all the things from her with ease, relieving her from the slight ache that was starting to develop in her forearms.
They started to make their way through the castle, laughing along the way as Percy recounted some crazy story about him and Frank regarding a shopping trip for cereal grains. They ascended the stairs, oblivious to the figure watching them from across the hall.
Jason’s steps faltered. He wasn’t surprised to see them together, but the sight struck something strange in him, a soft twist low in his gut, strikingly similar to the day before. He blinked, trying to brush it off. Why should he care? They were just talking.
He tore his eyes away and resolved to just keep walking. He was supposed to meet some squires for a little mentoring. Hopefully, they’d ask him enough questions to get his mind off things.
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Jason leaned against the frame of his bed, trying to balance an apple onto Frank’s head as he started to doze off next to him.
“You took her into town?!” Jason whisper-yelled at him in disbelief.
“I had no choice! She’s so scary.” Percy made a face as he recalled their morning chat. “It felt like my life was on the line, man,”
“Coward,” Leo called out.
Jason clasped his face in his hands. Damn, Percy was such an idiot. “She's not even half your size,” he muttered into his palms, shaking his head disapprovingly.
“You’d’ve done the same if you saw the look she was giving me,” Percy clutched a stray pillow to his chest. “I could practically feel the dagger tracing my back, it was horrifying.”
Jason knew what he was describing all too well, Percy wasn't wrong. It really was chill-inducing to be on the receiving end of one of those stares. And once y/n had her mind set on something, there was nothing that could stop her—but still, it was dangerous to be in town, for everyone, really.
The July sun hung high among the clouds. It was still pretty early, only eight o’clock, but they had finished all their assignments early and decided to just relax in their room. Jason was meant to meet y/n out on her balcony soon; he usually visited her close to this time whenever he had the chance, but today, he was surprised to find a note on his bed. It was folded neatly, tucked between the creases of his pillow. Inside, there were pretty, ornamental loops that graced the paper. ‘Your presence is requested tonight at nine o’clock in the evening.’ There was a small smiley face at the end, and y/n’s initial at the bottom of the parchment. He smiled, not even attempting to mask it in front of his friends. How she even got the note up here was a mystery to him. What was she planning?
He managed to slip away without any suspicion. Everyone was pretty drained from the day, and Frank had just about fallen asleep on him. Once he was able to carefully remove Frank from his shoulder, and tiptoe past Leo and Percy—who were also close to falling over each other—he looked at himself in the mirror, raked a hand through his hair, and hurried outside.
Jason clambered up the balcony, slightly panting as he boosted himself over the railing. He was about to knock on the door, hand outstretched, before it swung open, blowing some air into his face from the force.
“You made it!” Y/N greeted him with smiles of pure joy, and the sight made Jason’s knees go a little weak.
“How could I miss it?” He returned the smile and laughed, she was virtually vibrating with energy. “Are you gonna tell me what this big invite is for?” He cocked his head, waiting for a reply, though Jason wasn’t slow, he knew it was for his birthday. He knew the second he told her the day before, he’d seen the cogs turning in her head, and y/n wasn’t exactly subtle. Still, he decided to play along, curious to see what she’d come up with.
She glanced behind him, and a playful smile quirked at her lips. “We’re gonna have to go down there.” She pointed down at the ground below them, and Jason’s mouth opened. “I just came from down there!” They both laughed as Jason continued babbling about the horrible inconveniences he suffered on a daily basis.
They were able to reach the ground safely and stood for a second, catching their breath.
Y/N tapped Jason on the shoulder and gestured for him to follow her. Intrigued, Jason obeyed.
She led him into the woods, and the denseness of the trees almost acted like a curtain, hiding them away into their own little world.
After a short walk, they arrived at a clearing with a large blanket sprawled on the ground, with little plates and cutlery to go with it. There was a lantern settled nearby, emitting just enough golden light for the scene. In the middle stood a small cake, decorated with white frosting and ornamented with a variety of different flowers, which wrapped the sides and the top, and were accompanied by a handful of blackberries. (Y/N had decorated it herself with flowers she foraged from deep within the forest.)
“Happy birthday!” she exclaimed, sweeping her hands out dramatically to reveal the setup.
Jason stood cemented to the ground, frozen in shock. He stared at the display in front of him, genuinely astounded that someone would take the time to do such a thing for him. He didn’t know what to say; he didn’t think there was a single word in his vernacular that could describe how he felt in the moment. He knew y/n was going to do something, it was evident in the way she furrowed her brows when he told her about his birthday—but he never would have expected this.
He gaped, at the scene, at y/n, at himself. Surges of intense emotion threatened to pour out of him as he felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes. He looked at the girl in front of him, who was smiling with silent gratification, and stepped forward. Jason wanted to hug her. To wrap his arms around her delicate frame and tell her just how much he appreciated her, her stupid jokes, her funny stories, her unrestless hate for all things orange. He was so overcome with the warmth of the gesture that he raised his arms, ready to completely envelope her in his embrace, but his movements stalled.
What was he doing? She was the princess, he couldn’t just go on hugging her whenever he wanted. Although they were quite comfortable with each other, their friendship was still relatively fresh. Jason reluctantly forced himself back, and offered her a smile instead.
Y/N was not an idiot; she could see everything play out in front of her, and she noticed the hesitation immediately. She tossed all formality out the window and swiftly moved forward, closing the gap between them. She wrapped her arms around his waist, humming as she softly rested her head against his chest. Jason tensed, caught off guard by the motion, but instantly melted into her touch, surrendering to the comfort of her body. He instinctively draped his arms around her shoulders, letting his face rest against her soft hair. “Thank you,” He whispered. Thank you thank you thank you. The words kept falling from his mouth, swirling around in his head, and threading their way through his entire being. He couldn’t believe this, he’d have thought the whole thing a dream if she didn’t pull away, smiling up at him with those pretty eyes. The hug was soft, sweet—an embodiment of friendship, laced with genuine warmth and honest affection.
“Let’s sit,” her voice was light, mellowed by the ease of it all.
It was over far too quickly, and Jason found himself longing to pull her back in as she guided him to the blanket.
The clearing was filled with the soft sounds of their laughter and easy conversation. They talked about their days, her father, their friends, the townspeople, the insolent little squire who wouldn’t shut up during mentoring. Every topic seemed interesting and worth analyzing when he talked to y/n, no matter the substance. It was her who made it all seem so riveting.
After they had finished all the food and cleaned up most of the mess, they just sat there, continuing to talk about everything and nothing all at once. Y/N had just finished teasing Jason over something he’d done to the young squire from earlier in the day, lightly shoving his shoulder as she laughed. “You’re always so serious. Have you ever done something just because it made you happy?” The question came out a little more solemn than she’d intended, but she was still curious all the same. She plucked a purple flower off the ground next to them and examined it, twirling it between her fingers before placing it in his hand. Jason paused, giving her a soft smile. “I don’t have that luxury.” He gently pushed the offered flower back into her own hands. Their fingers slightly brushing.
She looked at him. For a long time, her eyes tracing every little detail on his face when something dawned on her. “Oh! I almost forgot—you stay here,” she pointed a finger at him before jumping up from the blanket and rushing towards the bag of things she had brought. After rummaging around for a few moments, the clatter of utensils and jars hitting one another, she emerged from the bag and kneeled in front of Jason. He leaned back on both hands, looking at her curiously.
“Close your eyes,” she instructed, a grin plastering itself onto her face. He raised an eyebrow and let out a small laugh as she took one of his hands and forcefully placed it over his eyes. She propped the other open and gently placed something in his hand. It was small and cool. He could feel the chill of the metal against his palm. “Open them,’ she whispered excitedly. He removed his hand from over his eyes and gazed at the small trinket that rested against his skin. It was a sheen, polished silver pin, with a lightning bolt emblazoned on its front.
“It reminded me of you. I thought it was perfect.” She said, buzzing with excitement as she awaited his reaction.
Just when he thought today couldn’t get any better. He was seriously on the verge of crying now, he’d never received a present before, let alone a birthday one at that.
“It is,” He said, “It’s perfect. Thank you.” He gave her the biggest smile of his life and sighed in contentment, leaning back on the blanket.
She laid down onto the space next to him, hair fanned out like a nimbus. He mimicked her, head resting against his arm as they watched the sky transform into a canvas, pinky hues blended seamlessly with each other as wisps of clouds wove their way through the ether.
For the first time in a while, Jason Grace was truly happy.
synopsis: In which princess!reader slowly becomes encompassed with knight!jason grace
wordcount : 1.5k
a/n: hello this is unedited and my first ever fanfic so please be forgiving and lmk if u want more !!
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Cold air seared her lungs as she ran, the forest blurring in streaks of grey and green. She was fleeing— not from danger, but from everything she’d ever known, the idea of escape felt exhilarating, until she tripped over a stray branch.
Crashing into the cold, rough dirt, all the air in her lungs was pushed out of her. The sound of ripping fabric jolted her off her back, with wide eyes, Y/N sighed exasperatingly before dusting dirt and debris off her gown.
Muttering to herself while checking for any cuts or scrapes, Y/N let out a groan before starting a trek back to the castle. She had grown fond of the idea of leaving her place in the kingdom, even going as far as simulating the experience for herself by running through the woods. A self-imposed fantasy of rebellion was the most excitement she’d ever get, seeing as her father rarely let her leave the castle. A princess had no business gallivanting in town, especially not among peasants. Or so he claimed.
As she advanced closer to the town, the stares of passersby began to become increasingly harder to ignore. Diving in between the busy buildings, Y/N wove her way throughout the jostling village and onto the path that led to the castle. Upon reaching the premises, she snuck into a window that led to the servants kitchen with practiced ease.
“Y/N! What are you doing here?” Bewildered, Lilith’s knife paused mid-chop as she scolded Y/N before laughing. Y/N leaned against the wall as she hummed, an amused glimmer shone in her eyes before responding. “Don’t pretend you know not of my whereabouts” she chimed with a smirk. Y/N had a bad habit of waltzing into the servants quarters to talk to her handmaiden, Lilith. Something that she had been yelled at for many a time by her father.
Lilith gave a sideways glance at the state of Y/N’s gown, deciding not to question. Rolling up her sleeves before sinking a handful of carrots into a basin, Lilith looked up at Y/N “Before I forget, the king requested your presence today in the throne room. Something about courtship?” Lilith said her last sentence a couple octaves too high, teasing Y/N. Thumping her forehead against the wall a couple times, Y/N sighed, “I’d rather have my head on a spike before discussing future prospects with my father.”
Tip-toeing past the throne room, Y/N ran a finger along the castle walls, trying to reach the safe haven of her bedroom before running into her father. “...Your Grace, I bring word from the Northern Front, Lord Fenric’s forces have broken through the pass.” Y/N’s finger halted to a stop, she slowly crept back towards the throne room, holding her breath as she listened to the deep, unfamiliar voice.
Lord Fenric? Broken through the pass? Y/N had heard that name before in several hushed, tense conversations between her father and his commanders in battle. She could hear the disgruntled voice of the king as he thrust random objects across the table. “Send men along the border to stand guard.” the king exhaled as he pinched his nose bridge, trying to steady his thoughts.
Quivering outside the room, Y/N started to pace back and forth, attempting to make sense of what she’d just heard. Her father was not the type to sound so nervous, he was a big, fervid man who never showed worry.
Wrapped up in her thoughts and unable to hear the slight groan of the door as it swung outward, Y/N was met with a fairly warm, hard surface straight to her forehead. Stumbling backward, she placed a hand on her face, rubbing the spot that made contact with what she assumed to be a wall. “Damn it,” she cursed under her breath before looking up. Y/N made eye contact with a man who had a rather horrified expression on his face.
Y/N’s breath hitched as she assessed the man before her. He was tall, and had a muscular frame. His blond hair fell across his forehead, but every strand seemed uniform. As her eyes trailed down his face she noticed a small scar, barely 2 inches long on his top lip. In his hand he carried the helmet of a knight.
All in all he was handsome, Y/N began to feel a slight blush creep up the back of her neck. He kneeled and bowed his head before looking up at her, “Your Highness– forgive me, I wasn’t looking at where I was going.” He stumbled over his words and a similar blush rose from under his skin.
“It’s alright, the fault was my own” she chuckled as she politely nodded her head, acknowledging his apology, “and please, call me Y/N.” She eyed him curiously as he got up from his stance and bowed his head once more, “Jason,” he replied. He gave her one last sheepish smile before walking past her and down the corridor.
She had seen the knight before from within the windows of the castle; he was often stationed outside the gates or along the walls if not patrolling the grounds with other knights-men. She had never paid him much attention, but recently he seemed to be popping up more and more frequently.
Dodging her fathers questions about future alliances with far away princes, Y/N exited the room through a back door and started to wander along the garden paths, her footsteps soft against the gravel. Her hands whispered over the dew-slick flowers before finding herself at the foot of the courtyard entrance.
Y/N could hear people talking rather loudly, almost howling from laughter from beyond the threshold of the garden. Curiosity threatening to overflow, Y/N began unlocking the gate, she pushed open the heavy, grass stained barrier and continued walking.
“Hah! Can’t get me when your sword’s fallen, can you Frank?” Jason laughed triumphantly as his sparring partner lay on the pebbled floor in defeat. Reaching over for the hilt of his sword, Frank playfully glared at Jason, “Whatever…” Frank muttered, standing up and getting back into position. They continued to spar in the courtyard, wooden blades withering under the sun.
Y/N watched from beyond the hedges as the two slashed and dodged each other's hits. Nearing the 3rd round that Frank has lost, leaving him in a particularly funny spot— he had somehow managed to get his sword stuck behind his gambeson— before she could stop herself, a laugh left her lips, grabbing the boys’ attention. Their heads whipped towards the hedge the laugh was coming from and Y/N quickly put a hand over her mouth, reddening by the second.
Coming out from behind the bushes, Y/N greeted the men, “Good morning, sorry to interrupt your match, it seems like you were just about to win.” she jested as she gestured to Frank with a smile. “Good morning, your highness,” both boys knelt down and bowed their heads before returning grins.
Jason rose to his feet, brushing his hands along the seams of his gambeson. “Apologies, your grace, had I known you were watching I might have let Frank win a round.” He smirked as he made his way towards the princess, absentmindedly inhaling her jasmine scent.
Frank scoffed and shook his head slightly, deciding not to fall prey to his instigation. Y/N laughed, her eyes crinkling warmly at the corners. Jason felt the sound stick to him like honey clinging to his skin— sweet and impossible to ignore— He scolded himself silently, but couldn't stop the small quirk from tugging at his lips.
Turning back to her, he forced a casual tone. “I hope all is well with yourself and the king, no more running into any more clumsy knights I trust?” Jason teased, flustering both himself and Y/N with the sudden confidence. She gave him a small nod, her smile softening as she held his gaze a moment longer than expected.
Then, with a gentle sigh, she turned and began walking back toward the castle, her footsteps slow — as if reluctant to leave the warmth of the moment behind.
Y/N sat at her harp, vacantly strumming her fingers along the various strings. She kept replaying the sequence of events from earlier that day. Smiling softly to herself, she continued to reminisce about the most enjoyable experience she’d had in quite some time.
Y/N didn’t have a lot of company in and around the castle, her father was determined to make sure she was well versed in things like foreign language, embroidery, and of course, the harp and pianoforte.
However, her heart quickened as she thought back to Jason in his sparring uniform. The interaction was hardly flirtatious; if anything, she was just happy to finally have someone who may talk to her every once in a while.
Upon this realization Y/N clasped her face into her hands, “How pathetic to be so affected by a mere smirk…” she muttered, a hint of self-mockery in her voice. With a sigh she extinguished the oil lamp atop her desk and slipped beneath the covers. Determined to rid her mind of a certain blonde haired knight, Y/N drifted to sleep.
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a/n: ty @stellashine for giving me this idea i hope ur satisfied 💞
