Hiiii not sure if asking anonymously counts but... I am shy. I am a lurker who came across your story and read from the beginning, (yes the whole thing) and I can't get enough. My question is- with Coraleye being Yellow's youngest child, is he protective over her at all? Also, how does he feel about all of the boyfriends she's had? I am curious about his opinion on them all. Thanks :))
omg I love this question! First of THANK YOU SO MUCH!! It warms my heart to hear you read the whole story, I know it's a lot. Sorry it took so long to respond, I wanted to do something fun with this😁
It is true that Coraleye is Yellow's youngest child and only daughter, and of course he's generally concerned for her well-being, Yellow also takes pride in being a very progressive parent and has definitely always strived to give Coraleye the tools she needed growing up to make thoughtful, well informed decisions when it comes to love.
With that being said, that doesn't mean Lo hasn't developed some strong opinions on some of the characters Coraleye has found herself entangled with over the years.
I tracked down everyone she's actually dated (not including just flings or love interests) so let's go over her history from Yellow's perspective!
Duane
Duane Talla was Coraleye's first boyfriend, and she was absolutely enamored with him right from the start. This made Yellow very wary, since they were only just teenagers at the time, and Coraleye was certain that Duane was her soulmate.
Yellow watched Coraleye experience her first heartbreak when the convoluted Shelbi story arc came into play. Duane, being so young at the time, didn't seem to know what he wanted, and this really messed with Coraleye's heart and strung her along. Yellow doesn't hold this against him anymore, though. Coraleye has forgiven him, and they were both just kids after all. Additionally, Duane seems to have settled down and matured quite a bit since marrying Shelbi. He and Coraleye still remain friends and Duane and his family are even considered family friends of the Darlings, especially to Frieda and Charm in Sulani who see Duane and Shelbi almost daily.
Lark
Lark McCloud was a classmate of Coraleye's, and while things were off during Coraleye and Duane's on-and-off-again romance, Lark offered a reliability that Coraleye took comfort in. Lark was Coraleye's first prom date, and while that was interrupted by Duane, the two shared an unforgettable experience, worthy of the sappiest of teenage rom-coms.
Yellow could also appreciate this relationship. Lark was a good kid, aside from skipping class now and again. Yellow couldn't deny he didn't really see Lark as someone Coraleye would go for, but maybe that's what she needed. They went on lots of adorable dates and finally made things official, but Lark reluctantly broke things off with Coraleye one night, after Coraleye introduced Lark to her beloved swarm of bees, which they later discover that Lark is deathly allergic to. Yellow agrees that this (the break up) was for the best. Lark was nice, but if it weren't for the bees it would most assuredly be something else. Lark's life seems to be too tame for Coraleye, and he didn't believe the two would be compatible for very long.
Maarvin
Coraleye was just beginning her magic journey, when she crossed paths with fellow spellcaster Maarvin Stonehart. He had a charming demeanor, a captivating smile, and a barely comprehensible Henford-on-Bagley accent that Coraleye found absolutely irresistible. They shared an intense attraction for one another and bonded over their pink-adjacent eyes and hair colors. Immersing themselves in the Realm, and one another, they dedicated most of their free time to training together, quickly becoming a teenage power-couple of sorts. Yellow never had the opportunity to meet Maarvin face to face, but he could already see many red flags emerging from the situation. Maarvin often attempted (unsuccessfully) to manipulate Coraleye or seek to exert dominance. He was highly competitive, and a sore loser to boot. Their relationship ended fairly quickly, but it didn't take long for Maarvin to enter and even longer and more toxic relationship with Coraleye's rather vulnerable cousin, Robin, which only just ended recently.
Morgyn
Ahh, Morgyn. Coraleye's relationship with Morgyn Ember was passionate, long, and turbulent to say the least. I'll try to keep it concise. Morgyn was Coraleye's first YA relationship. With Morgyn being the Sage of Untamed magic, as well as Coraleye's mentor, their relationship was forbidden and they vowed to keep it a secret. Yellow clocked this immediately and didn't care for Morgyn because of the power dynamic their relationship created. Despite the secrecy, Morgyn was devoted to Coraleye and treated her with love and respect as the relationship progressed. Yellow noted this, and even gave his blessing to marry his daughter, despite still harboring additional personal grievances. Morgyn and Coraleye experienced break ups, and make ups and Coraleye happily remained by Morgyn's side as they navigated their childhood trauma, a gender identity journey, the loss of Morgyn's mother, and the most impactful, Morgyn's own brutal death, haunting, and eventual resurrection through vampirism. Coraleye figured these things only made their love stronger. Unfortunately, Coraleye was proven wrong one New Year's Eve night when Morgyn betrayed Coraleye, by cheating on her with fellow vampire Caleb Vatore.
Coraleye continues to deal with trauma inflicted on her from this young relationship, but she strives every day to forgive Morgyn and put the past behind her. Yellow, however, will never forget the pain his daughter endured by getting involved with the Sage of Untamed Magic.
Tycho
Yellow absolutely loves Tycho. He sees so much of himself in him, both being incredibly clumsy guys and devoted partners. The Darlings have known Tycho for so many years now, dating back to when he befriended Sunglo in college. He's had his screw ups, but Yellow can see how happy he makes Coraleye, and he thinks they'd make a good forever pair. Yellow does recognize that Tycho unfortunately doesn't fit into the criteria for a valid co-heir to the Darling family legacy. However, Yellow strongly urges Coraleye to not let that stop her from finding her soulmate. The family has lived without magic before, and they could do it again. Yellow knows that the legacy is important to Coraleye and he can see her apprehension when it comes to taking things further with Tycho. He worries about that a lot, and hopes Coraleye makes the right decision.
Thank you again for this ask! Memory lane questions are always so fun. Anyone who made it through this whole post, let me know, I'm sending you flowers!