Then a small pause as you two continue walking, fingers interlocked. She looks at you from the corners of her eyes, lips twisted into a mischievous smile. She returns to looking forward abruptly, smile dropping into a face of neutrality, before stating simply:
âYou do know that next time you wish to hold hands with me, you can simply ask?âÂ
She looks at you, until her mask of neutrality breaks open to reveal a bright smile.
Alibaba:
He looks at your hand, and you could almost catch a glimpse of⌠something. Embarrassment? Surprise? His ears are a shade or two darker than normal, and he continues looking at the merchantâs wares in front of the both of you, faking interest.Â
âIt seems rather heavy, so it depends. Are you paying me for my manual labor?â
You nod.
âHow much?â Heâs making eye contact with you now, curiosity peaked.
âOne kiss.â
Noor:
She startles a tad when she realizes what youâre saying. Her face filled with warmth, she takes your hand, avoiding meeting your eyes. Her grip is firm, however, despite her shyness. You change the topic of converstaion, for her sake, to the flowers in front of you.Â
âThe lilies are beautiful. What kind did you say they were again?â
She meets your gaze now, blush fading a tad.
âOh. Theyâre calla lilies.â Her tone is soft.
You canât help but focus on the fact that her hand is still intertwined with yours.
Sinbad:
You hold your hand out, offering it to him. He grins wider than a river.
âOf course, habibi!â
The palace is big, you assure yourself. Thatâs why you wanted to hold his hand. You tell him as much. You get a raised brow and a teasing look in return.
âAre you sure about that, Dreamer?â
âOf course.â
The way he looks at you tells you that he doesnât believe you, at the very least, not completely.
âBut you are always free to hold my hand, Dreamer. Just so you know.âÂ
At least his smile is kind, his eyes, soft. Your hot cheeks couldn't handle anymore teasing than what little he was giving you. Perhaps you couldâve, but with his hand in yours? You couldnât dream of winning the battle between your pride and the creeping warmth now claiming your neck, as well as your cheeks.
 âWhat are you wearing?â She asks, head tilted.
 Your head perks up, and you pause for a second.
 â... Oh!â The question finally sunk in, and the answer rolls off your tongue. âThe Halloween party- or ball, I guess? Is tonight, yeah?â
 She giggles.
 âIt is. However, itâs not until tonight, and the sun is still fairly far above the horizon.â
 She smiles, face lighting up. You're taken aback abit. Your cheeks hint of new heat spreading, but you fight any back embarrassment. It is pretty early, but itâs Halloween! That calls for enthusiasm!
 âOf course, Iâm in no position to tease you for it! In fact, you look as excited as I feel.â
 Of course, this is Anka. Sheâd hardly mock you for being filled to the brim with excitement over a cherished holiday. Sheâd never mock you, no, but a little bit of teasing?
 âIâm glad youâre ready for the party.â she continues after a moment of silence. âYou know, you look very cute when youâre happy.â
 That gets a bit of a self deprecating snort out of you. Okay, so a little defensive self deprecation was a completely normal part of your routine, and totally not a response to the embarrassment you felt.Â
 Totally.
 Embarrassment? From the kindest princess youâve ever met, and the most beautiful person complimenting you?
 Perish the thought.
 âAnd you look even cuter in costume!â
 âŚ
 Okay so maybe.
 âI-Iâm sure youâll look even better in yours as well, Anka. What are you going as?â you say, slightly avoiding eye contact. She perks up, excited to share.
 âIâm going as a mermaid.â She states, with a bit of pride in her voice. Halloween had a soft spot in more than just one of your hearts.Â
 âThatâs neat!â
You wonder what the costume is gonna look like. Knowing how stylish Anka tends to be, something to remember, for certain.Â
âThank you!â
 You sat down beside her, finally settling for the first time you crossed her line of sight, which immediately brought questioning. She goes back to reading. Peeking your head over her shoulder, you try to decipher what sheâs reading about.
 âItâs about the impacts Halloween has on Magical practices this time of year. A truly interesting read.â
 You give her a little âhmâ, and rest your head on her shoulder. Normally sheâd tell you all about it, but she seems really invested, so you just settle for being near her. Not that it was really settling. Even though her shoulder was perfect for resting on, but of course, you had to be careful not to lean on her too much. Not that Anka was fragile. You just didnât want to bother her too much. You also had to be courteous of the fact that she needed to move around frequently. Thankfully, not leaning on her too hard helped her be able to readjust easier. You skim over the page, not picking up anything more important than what you were currently doing. Perhaps Anka was right, and dressing this early wasn't the best idea, as of right now, your costume was not the most comfortable thing to relax in. But were you truly expected to wait all day to dress up? After all this anticipation? Unrealistic.
 You feel her shift, but pay it no mind. It was a soft moment, and you didnât wish to end it already. You drifted off slightly, your mind filled with half-lucid thoughts of ghost and ghouls, and most importantly, you and Anka partying with said ghost and ghouls. Who knew spirits could hang? You drifted through a haze of sweets on a long table, and punch with a little too much mango, all far made more fun with you company.
 A soft shaking. An earthquake, perhaps? Hm, nothing worth getting up for.
 âDreamer⌠I hate to wake you, but I thought youâd like to know itâs almost time for the party.â
 Ah, now sheâs something worth getting up for. You crack open an eye, then two. Lashes fluttering, her grin turns into a giggle. Your lips twitching in the slightest smile, you noticed the blanket thrown over you, along with a pillow under your head. It appears she tucked you in while she went to change into her costume. You sit up, a yawn clawing out of you, and adjust to consciousness. Your costume was now a tad wrinkled, and hair surely messed up from your cat nap. With your eyes now completely open, Anka takes your hand, pulling you both away, presumably to go readjust your appearance into a more⌠presentable one.
(Xelef is a male li from the @ataleofcrowns game. Itâs really good, and I highly recommend it!)Â
word count: 388
  âCan you do it for me?â he asks, with the puppiest of puppy dog eyes.
  âAbsolutely not.â you counter, tone dry. âAnd not only that, Iâm going to remove some specifically because you asked me that.â
  He gasps at this.
  âYour Imperial Majesty- Iâm appalled! What heinous crime have I done to deserve this kind of treatment?â he sways, hand clutching his chest.
  You stop his display with a raise of a hand, eyes bored. You barely bite back a smile as you speak to him.
  âIâm not going to set off more fireworks for the festival because theyâd âlook coolâ, Xelef. Thatâs a safety concern.â
  He pouts a tad.Â
  âItâs perfectly safe! Besides, are you seriously going to try and tell me it wouldnât look cool?â
  Your professional facade slips some, and you canât bite back a grin. Ok, so maybe it would be cool. But you donât want to roll into power and immediately say âYeah I want more fireworks at my coronation festival. Oh donât worry, itâs for the Pale Sword, not me.â Itâd be rather rude, not including self absorbed.
  Itâs one thing to be a bit rude. Itâs another to be rude because your headâs up your own ass.
  âYou know it would be cool, youâre grinning.â he tries to ration with you.
  You quickly drop the smile in response.
  âWhatever do you mean, my dear Xelef?â you question, voice monotonous and bored.
  âIâve never smiled in my life, let alone grin.â your golden eyes met his, and you keep up the act. âEspecially not at the prospect of such childish endeavors.â You keep your pace as cool and even as the marble floors you walk on. The heels of your shoes click gentle with every step.
  âYour Imperial Majesty.â he whines, you keep walking. He pauses.
  Click,Â
  Click,Â
  Click.
  âMC.â he says, tone more normal than before. Your gate barely stutters in response.
  Click,Â
  Click,Â
  Click.
  âMy darling star.â he says, softer than silk.Â
  Click.
  You freeze, and you damn near feel his grin despite having your back to him. His long strides allow him to catch up with you quickly. You allow it, which only makes him more smug.
  âPretty please?â his lipâs back out, face drawn back into a pout.
 âŚ
  You suppose a few extra fireworks never hurt anybody.
  The sun was brutally pressing against the back of your neck, seeping into your anxiousness. He- he was the finest fighter, of course, and the Empressâs Champion, no less, but you were still positively terrified.
 In the ring, in the battle, he was quick, just as he always is, dodging beneath the beastâs arm that thrashed out at him, hair falling out of the confines of his hair tie. He almost shone from all that running and dodging and throwing and the heat- the blazing heat of the sun. The tan bricks of the coliseum crowded you in, and you leaned forward. The cries of the crowd, the screams, the cheers- it was all almost too much. You almost wanted to leave- almost, if it wasn't for the man in the center of the ring. The creature, his opponent, raced towards him, only for him to duck under it, unexpected- unpredictable. SInbad had a way of being an open book, all the while still surprising you at each turn of the page. He grabs the beast, using its momentum to twirl it further into his grasp, and lifts!Â
 The crowd roars around you, and you have to stand with them to keep your eyes on Sinbad. Your heart flutters at the sight of him, lifting a monster more than twelve times his size, with such ease, above his head. He stares back at you, and the shade of the monster almost- just almost- hides his blue eyes. His lips twitch into a smile, then he grins up at you. As the people surrounding you fawn, and the announcer screams out his victory, you keep your eyes on each other. For the first time since heâs entered the ring, you smile, right back at him. That smile, almost shriveled up under the afternoon sun, spreads wider, into a full fledged grin, as Sinbad puts the creature back down, and looks to crowd. That grin continues all the way until see him again, hair still out of his usual half-ponytail, catching his breath in his dressing room. You could barely suppress it when you saw him, and it came back only after a few moments of pressing your lips against his.Â
 Sniffling a tad, an old pickup line you learned rolls off your tongue without another thought.Â
 âSpeaking of blessings, how are you doing today?â
 You say it nonchalantly, while still reading your book you nabbed from the palaceâs library. It takes a moment or two of silence from Alibaba before you realized what you said. You look up quickly, and see him staring at you, trying to compose himself.
 âI-â
 He takes a second to regain his posture.
 âIâm a lot better, with you here.â
 It's adorable how he tries to hide how he was caught off guard- or maybe how he was flustered? The two seem so intertwined with him. Heâs so used to being able to predict people, that being surprised by you- especially in, ah, in softer ways, like calling him a blessing- flusters him.Â
 âI think that ought to be my line, Spymaster.â
 âDo you now?â he asks, ears perking up.
 You give him a âhmâ, bookmarking your page, before setting the book aside. you finally make eye contact with him.
 âOh, absolutely.â you gave him a grin. âI rather enjoy your company, Alibaba.âÂ
 The words are genuine. It was nice, knowing heâs a little shy but in a lowkey way, but... the mood is getting a little less playful than youâre both comfortable with, so you decide to go heavier on the teasing.
 âItâs not often I have company after all. And such handsome company, at that. I have quite the luck.â
 If you werenât staring him down, giving him your undivided attention, you might've missed a sharp exhale on his part. He relaxes his posture some, putting on a casual facade to match yours. You smirk just a tad. Flirting with him is always rewarding.
 âYou forgot smart.âÂ
 âAnd talented.âÂ
 âAnd quick-witted.â he says, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
 You grin.
 âAh, my apologies, sweetheart. How foolish of me to forget some of your sharpest qualities. Whatever shall i do to make it up to you?â
 He pauses, head tilted in exaggerated contemplation as his finger taps the chin of his mask.
 Tap.
 Tap.
 Tap.
 Silence.
  âSayakisssayakisssayakisssay-â is the mantra swallowing your thoughts.
 His head tilts back to its former position, and he looks at your, mischief in his eyes.
 âWell, I wouldn't oppose to you taking me out to dinner.â
 Oh.
 Oh.Â
 Ok!!! So it wasnât a kiss, but you didnât expect him to actually say a kiss anyways, but you definitely didnât expect him to say dinner, either. That was like, a Date. You decide to just keep your grin up.
 âBut of course, itâs the least I could do to remedy the aftermath of such a heinous crime. Saturday at six sound fine to you?â
 If he thinks you won't take him out on a date over him joking about you buying him dinner, heâs dead wrong. You refuse to back down. He doesnât falter, however, and it surprises you. You shouldnât be making assumptions about Alibaba, anyways.
 âSure.âÂ
 He didnât back down either.Â
 âThen itâs a date.â
 Without another word, you stride out of the room, leaving Alibaba and your book behind.
 Well, now you have a date to plan, donât you? You put your head in your hands, hoping to cover your now visible blush.
  She looks at you in a way you canât quite place. She throws you another glance, and you can practically feel the gears in her mind turning, trouble brewing. You can see sheâs hiding something, hands casually behind her back, palms surely clasping something.
  âAnka.â you say, lowly in her ear, wanting in on whatever she has planned, âMight I ask whatâs behind your back?â
  You kept your voice breezy, hoping that she couldnât pick up your eagerness. Curiosity killed the cat, yes, but it was satisfaction who brought it back, and when Anka has something going, itâs sure to be fun. She looks at you from the corner of your eye, continuing to keep her oh-so casual pace, and lets off a small smile.Â
  âThat would ruin the surprise.â
  A surprise? Now, that sounds interesting. What could she have? You fall slightly behind her step, hoping to be able to take a peek behind her back. She catches on quickly, as sharp as ever, giggling as she copies your pace. Deciding to just tease her, you slow even more. Her eyes light up, and she smiles as she slows down too. This continues, little by little, until you both are at a snail's pace. At this rate, youâll never make it to the center of this maze. The thought burns away when you hear her laughter. Your steps barely count as such, and you stop, making it look like you were concentrating hard on walking, making a slugs stroll seem like a marathoners race. Face screwed up, focused on making what must've been very tired noises, falsely gasping for breath. Ankaâs laughing really hard now, and when you turn to her, you drop the act all together. After all, laughter is contagious, especially when its Ankaâs. You stand there, side by side, giggling as the dark green walls crowd you two in.Â
  When you both finally catch your breath, you suddenly remember what it was that started this whole debacle. At some point, she must've put it in her pocket, because her hands are no longer behind her back. You decide to ask her outright this time, fearing that if you are both posed with more distracting shenanigans, you might never make it into the mazeâs center.Â
  âSo, what was it behind your back?â your head twists a little to the side, scanning her up and down to look for clues. Just in case she decides to keep it a secret for longer, you wanna have some idea of what it was. Her head perks up, it seems sheâs forgotten about it. She gives you a honeyed smile.Â
  âI thought it was only fair, to return your surprise with another surprise!â
  Your brows knit together. You absolutely, positively, beyond any shadow of doubt, have no clue of what she was talking about. Your face seems to give that away. Her smile widens, and she begins to elaborate.
  âLast week, you told me about your fondness of the ocean. I was surprised to hear it, it seems that you donât talk about yourself very often.â She waits, giving you a moment to remember the conversation.Â
  âOhhhhhhhhhâ. Your starting to solve the puzzle. She looks almost sheepish now.
  âAnd, as a small thank you for your companionship, I got you this.âÂ
  She outstretches her hand. She was right. Truthfully, youâre rather shy when it comes to talking about yourself. But with Anka, it's hard not to talk. She always has something to say, and is always more than willing to listen. So you surprised yourself that day when you admitted that you liked the ocean. Of course, it wasnât a big deal for most, but usually when interacting with other people, you kept it⌠light, playful, and a bit impersonal. It was something new, for you to open up. You often compared yourself to a clam when it came to being around other people. If you always had you lips clamped shut, as you learned early on, then nobody could use what you like (or dislike, for that matter) against you. As ridiculous as it may sound, since you are no longer a child being teased by other school children, it was still very⌠comforting, to make yourself a tad bit anonymous. It was like camouflage. However ridiculous it may be, though, Anka didnât think you were. In her palm, she cradled a piece of seaglass. It was a pale pinkish-purple, and matched her eyes. You gently take it out of her hand. She giggled a little at your awestruck face.
  âItâs not porcelain. You don't have to be so gentle. In fact, itâs not a ceramic at all. You could throw it, and it would most likely not even crack.â
  Upon hearing the word âthrowâ, you instinctively clutch the stone tighter, and almost chuck it into the hedge on that instinct alone. Realizing that you consciously do not want to throw the stunning piece of seaglass, your fingers loosen their hold. Ah, the numerous benefits of denying your immediately instinct to start throwing things. Like the seaglass, for one. You turn your attention back to her.Â
  âThank you, Anka.âÂ
  You give her as wide of a smile you can muster. Which isnât very wide, considering your⌠predicament, with you being open your emotions or whatever. Despite all the newness surrounding you and your self expression, and how it was a tad bit uncomfortable, it was mostly nice, thanks to Anka.Â
Requests: Open for: 1001 days game, A Tale of Crowns.
Master list list (to be added)
Rules for requesting:
Headcanons are something you can request!
all requests that have an MC will be gender neutral, and use âyouâ form and they/them pronouns, unless you ask otherwise.Â
when request for ATOC, you can either say âMale Xâ or âXelefâ, or any alteration of that, obviously, but itâs easier to have a gendered version or the Liâs for writing fics. You can, however, request the gender neutral version for headcanons bc thatâs chill (X with a shy Crown/MC?)
General:
As said previously, I try to write all MC inserted fics in âyouâ form (I forget what person pov thatâs called, but that's what I use). If itâs not, I just forgot to put it in or something.
Iâm dyslexic as hellllllllllll, which means some words are misspelled, so misspelled that it was autocorrected to an entirely different word, or my brain just skipped the word (or words) entirely, and didnât write it at all, which left a gap in the sentence, making in incoherent. If you want to, you can shoot an ask saying thereâs a typo in (ficâs name) in (whatever part). Regardless, thatâs why sometimes the sentence/writing is fucked up.Â
my writing tag is just âmy writingâ
my talk tag is âvampire talkâ
Thatâs about it! Feel free to send an ask anytime!
