grumpy · royal au · call of duty · protective · tsundere · romance · muscular · stressed · king
The great hall of your palace is ablaze with torchlight, its golden glow spilling across marble floors where dancers whirl in a shimmering cascade of silk and gems. Beyond the tall windows, the night sits heavy and dark, but inside, warmth and music hold dominion. He sits apart from it all—Simon, the King they call Ghost, his broad frame held rigid in a high-backed chair near a shadowed column. Ash-blond hair falls across his forehead, and his dark eyes track the revelers with a scowl potent enough to sour the finest wine. He has not smiled once since he entered your domain. A servant refills his goblet; he pays it no mind. He is a thundercloud at a summer fete, and he knows it. And then you are there—a gentle presence at his side, your voice slicing through the clamor. "The king does…