Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Relationships:
Character:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2023-03-04
Completed:
2023-03-05
Words:
60,219
Chapters:
12/12
Comments:
17
Kudos:
55
Bookmarks:
14
Hits:
1,850

itsy bitsy butterfly

Summary:

“The younger of the three, the son no doubt, as the third man didn’t look like the Lord Bane, spots him, and he freezes, paralyzed in place. “Sir Cliffs?” he says, taking off his hat and shaking out long hair. Is it too old fashioned, to say hi, before saying Gunil’s title?

“Sir Bane.”

People are beginning to stare now, curious about the foreigners, and their involvement with the dead boy brought back to life. Shakily, he holds out his hand, to shake Sir Bane’s, but the other takes it instead, and pulls it up to his mouth, pressing his lips there lightly. “I was wondering, with your father’s blessing. May I have to honor of courting you?”

Through a shaky inhale, Gunil smiles.

“...It would be my pleasure.””

For about a decade, Goo Gunil has been stuck in the same shack in the same plot of land in the same rotten guilt since he was disowned by his father, a shunned heir. Those he was forced to leave behind think he’s dead. Until an offer from another promises to take him away for forever.

And so begins the staged courting.

Notes:

Another month another casual 60k yk how it goes. i’m insane simple as that. this is an old abandoned story i’ve wanted to rewrite for a while and here’s how it’s turned out ig. a little gunsu centric but i love them all equally. i will be back who knows when unless i get real therapy and a life. until then i hope you enjoy the messy inner workings of my mind disclaimer i did no research on nobility so just think of this like you would a dreamscape pls and thank you.

also there’s a playlist! itsy bitsy butterfly (ʚɞ)

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: the itsy bitsy

Chapter Text

Over mud and moss he dances. His clothes stick to his skin and weigh him down, but still he moves. Twirls and spins and laughs. Someone sings along with him. One voice. Then two. 

He pauses, panting, searching around. 

There. 

Gasping, he drops to his knees, crawling forward at a snail’s pace. Gentle black eyes glance past him. He knows them. Mama tells him about them. About the friendly house sparrows that converse with you and flitter about your feet with a lovely chatter. With tan crowns and underbellies, and pretty little stripes all over their back and feathers. 

She talks to them all the time, yet he’s never gotten the chance to. 

He inches forward, reaching out, fingers stretched far. 

The sparrow cheeps. And it flies away. 

“No, wait!” he shouts, scrambling to his feet. 

“Gunil!” 

He slips. 

He swears, that’s when Goo Gunil first died.

FUN FACT:

TO SOME, A SPARROW IS AN OMEN OF DEATH. IF YOU HAPPEN UPON A SPARROW IN A PARTICULAR WAY, THEN IT MEANS A LOVED ONE IS TO DIE, OR HAS ALREADY DIED. TO SOME, IF A SPARROW HITS THE GLASS OF YOUR WINDOW, AN ENDING IS TO COME. AN END TO WHAT? WHAT MAY THAT ENDING ENTAIL? THAT IS FOR THE VISITED TO LEARN.