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libraryofgage · 3 months

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The Prince and the Metalhead (2)

Part of: Steve Deserves Good Parents, Actually

I know I just posted part one but I've got Thoughts for this AU that include: Steve's first birthday in Genovia and then his 16th, his conversation with his grandmother about attending public school in America for his senior year, and then we get into him attending Hawkins High and meeting Eddie!

So, yeah, plans lmao

Anyway, if you see any typos, no you didn't ;)

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"You'll have a rotating course schedule. Mondays and Wednesdays will focus on math and social studies. Tuesdays and Thursdays will be science and literature. Friday will be Royalty lessons and the history of Genovia. We can also include an elective, if you'd like."

Steve blinks, staring at Sue for a moment before glancing at Jonathan and Robin. Jonathan is looking through a book of photography and Robin is idly scratching behind Dart’s ears. "Will we all have the same elective?" Steve asks.

"Not unless Jonathan and Robin want to join you," Sue says, looking at Steve expectantly. She's got a pen at the ready to write down what he says, and it suddenly feels like a lot of pressure.

Is there a wrong answer here? Is there an answer that gets him sent back to his parents? He looks down, biting the inside of his cheek so hard he tastes blood. Before he can lose himself in his thoughts, a cold and wet nose presses against his hand. Steve blinks, smiling at Dart and picking her up to hold close. "What kind of electives are there?" he asks.

Sue hums softly, flipping to another page on her clipboard. "Possible electives include art, music, theatrical performance, physical education, equestrian studies, botany, and foreign languages, to name a few."

"I'll be taking photography lessons," Jonathan says, looking up at Steve and gesturing to his book.

Robin nods and leans back on her palms. "I'll be doing the physical stuff. Like learning how to fight and practicing ballet to improve my balance," she says, leveling a look at Steve that dares him to say anything about the ballet.

Steve wouldn't, though. He doesn't want to make Robin angry enough to ditch him. He looks down at Dart, thinking for a moment before asking, "Can I take more than one?"

"Of course, but you're limited to three for now," Sue says.

What would be the most helpful? Foreign languages, probably, since he'll definitely have to speak with ambassadors from other countries at some point. He should also learn something that can be shown off, a skill that he could pull out at functions to make his grandmother proud or distract guests.

"What language should I learn?" he asks.

Sue thinks for a moment, tapping her pen against her chin. "Mandarin. It's a business language, and we have close relations with a few representatives from China and Hong Kong. If you'd like to learn a Romantic language first, though, Spanish is good."

"I'll learn Mandarin," Steve decides, nodding once to himself. "And music. I want to learn to play...hmm...the piano."

With a nod, Sue writes his electives down. "Let me know if you'd like to add an elective later, Your Highness. In my opinion, though, your current courses will keep you properly challenged for now."

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Sue wasn't kidding about his academics being challenging. Steve struggles in math, muddles his way through science, drags himself through literature, and is ready to drop when he hits social studies. He'd ask the tutors to spend more time on topics, but Robin and Jonathan seem to have no problem keeping up, and Steve can't bring himself to disrupt their pace.

His Mandarin lessons are going just slightly better if only because the tutor seems to recognize that slower is better for him. After almost a month, he's starting to understand intonation and vocal variation better, and he can recognize a few characters on sight.

Piano lessons are also going well. His tutor there doesn't burden him with theory; she introduces the keys, shows him how to read sheet music, and then lets him choose songs to learn. Steve feels the most at ease when he's squinting at sheet music and slowly pressing piano keys into something recognizable.

The lessons he really looks forward to, however, are the ones for his Royalty Education. He gets to see his grandmother then, and she spends the whole day with him. Even better, something about this stuff just clicks. He's good at fixing his posture and memorizing silverware placement. He bows just right on his first try and his grandmother compliments his wave.

By the end of the lesson, she'll be smiling, her pride obvious, and take him for a walk in the gardens or to eat cookies in the kitchen.

"Royalty requires maintenance," Clarisse says, standing in front of Steve with relaxed shoulders. "You maintain your demeanor, your image, your knowledge of foreign dignitaries, your understanding of the people’s needs, and your humility. But you must also maintain your pride and your boundaries."

"That sounds like a lot," Steve says, idly tugging at the hem of his shirt.

"It can be overwhelming, but it becomes second nature in time," Clarisse explains, smiling reassuringly. "When you're royalty, you are constantly watched. Many eyes are kind or curious, but others are malicious, and you want to do everything you can to disappoint the malicious ones."

"How?"

"By acting like the Crown Prince you are."

"What kind of prince am I?" Steve asks, finally voicing the question that's been lingering since these lessons started. What kind of prince does his grandmother want? What kind of prince would best serve the people? What kind of prince will be so loved by all that nobody could even think of thinking about getting rid of him?

Clarisse hums, thinking for a moment. "I suppose a good one," she says, her slight smile telling Steve that she's only lightly teasing. "My hope is that you'll be kind and competent. You will make Genovia prosperous without compromising tradition. You won't allow politics to stand in the way of doing what's right by the people of Genovia. But this is a tiring job, so I hope you'll learn how to balance your duties with relaxation."

It's a lot, but Steve can do it. He can be that kind of prince, especially for the country and grandmother that's offered everything he's ever wanted and more. He nods once. "Okay," he says, "What do I need to learn, then?"

Clarisse smiles fondly at him. "Let's start by reviewing Genovian history. Only by knowing the past can you face the future."

With that, she places a book on Steve's desk and doesn't wait for him to open it before telling him about Genovia's founding.

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Steve has weekends off from classes, which leaves him with more free time than he knows what to do with when he doesn't have to clean a house or make his own meals. So, he's bored, and telling Robin that he was bored was a huge mistake after she suggested riding bikes around the garden only to learn Steve didn't know how.

She'd insisted that he should learn, insisted that Clarisse be the one who teaches him, and insisted on hearing no objections.

And now he's here, standing in front of Clarisse's desk and staring down at his feet as she finishes writing something on the paper in front of her. Joe is standing just to her right, hands behind his back.

"Okay," Clarisse says, gently placing her pen on the desk before looking at Steve with an encouraging smile. "What did you want to ask me, Steve?"

Steve bites the inside of his cheek, takes a deep breath, and looks up. "Well, um, Robin wants to ride bikes, but I don't know how," he says.

"Well, that's easily fixed," Clarisse says, reaching for a phone at the corner of her desk. "I'm sure a member of staff is free to teach you."

Before she can pick up the phone, Steve finds himself blurting out, "Well, I...I was hoping...you could teach me."

Clarisse freezes, blinking twice with confusion before looking at Steve. "You want me to teach you?" she asks. When Steve nods once, she sighs softly. "A queen does not ride bikes. Besides, I have too much work to complete. Perhaps I could accompany you for a walk this evening to make up for it."

Despite himself, despite bracing for rejection, it still hurts. In the three months he's been in Genovia, Clarisse has agreed to just about every request he's made. Every held breath as he waits for cruel words has been released with unprecedented relief when none came. Even when he broke something---a priceless vase, according to Jonathan---his grandmother had simply surveyed the damage, thanked him for being honest, and asked him to avoid kicking soccer balls in the presence of priceless vases in the future.

Perhaps Steve has gotten too comfortable. He shouldn't be pushing like this. If he wants his grandmother's affection, he should know when to hold himself back.

So, despite the unfamiliar urge to ask again in case Clarisse might change her mind, Steve nods once. "I look forward to walking with you, Grandmother," he says, his voice quiet. He glances up, waiting long enough to see Clarisse's smile before turning on his heel and leaving the office as quickly as he can.

Clarisse watches him go, her head slightly tilted as the door closes silently behind Steve. She nods once, glad that Steve is sensible enough to understand things like work and propriety, and picks up her pen once more.

"If I may speak freely, Your Majesty?" Joe asks.

"At this point, Joe, you may as well assume the answer is yes."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, and please pardon my French, my experience has been that assuming makes an ass out of you and me."

It takes a moment for Clarisse to understand the joke. When she does, she can't help her amused smile. "Fair enough," she says, "Go ahead, Joe."

"Do you remember what I said about being Steve's grandmother?"

"Yes, of course."

"Perhaps now is one of those moments where being a grandmother is more important than being a queen. His Highness does not ask for much, and he is not the kind to ask more than once, even if he really wants something. I imagine it took a significant amount of courage to ask you to teach him in the first place."

"Are you suggesting that I...I risk making a fool of myself for all to see?" Clarisse asks.

"I am suggesting you spend time with your grandson, who asks very little of you because he does not believe he can ask for anything."

Clarisse is silent a moment, letting Joe's words process and settle in her brain. Finally, she sighs and gestures to the papers on her desk. "I have work to complete," she says.

"Your Majesty, editing these proposals was on your schedule two weeks from now. You are ahead of your work. A break would not be unreasonable or unwarranted."

Well, when he puts it like that.

Clarisse sighs, leans back in her chair, and looks up at Joe. He's still staring at the door, giving no indication that he feels her eyes on him, but she knows he does. "Have a groundskeeper retrieve bikes and safety gear and meet us in the garden," she says, standing from her chair and bracing herself to look like an utter fool.

Her apprehension fades away fifteen minutes later. It can't hold last when she sees Steve's surprised and delighted expression at her presence. As she helps him put on knee and elbow pads, shows him how to pull the helmet's strap tight, and holds the bike steady as he sits on it, Clarisse decides a little foolishness is perfectly fine (necessary, even) if it will keep the smile on Steve's face.

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Tag List (let me know if you'd like to be added to future parts!)

@y4r3luv, @potato-of-the-lord,

#stranger things fic #steve harrington fic #princess diaries crossover #queen clarisse renaldi #modern royalty au #future steddie #robin buckley #jonathan byers #the party's parents #my writing #anybody else ever have that experience where the first time you realize that somebody won't make you feel guilty for asking for things #you get way in your head about not asking for the one (1) thing that will ruin it all for you #so every time you ask for something new you're bracing to take the request back as quickly as you can #just me?#aight then lmao #to absolutely nobody's surprise i am projecting on steve harrington #if you made it this far in the tags #you deserve a cookie lmao

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indecisivemuch · 1 year

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Time wasn't in our favor - Prologue

Pairing: TASM Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) x Female!Reader

Summary: What if...your soulmate is from another universe but you didn't know? Soulmate AU. Set during NWH, fluff.

Note: Hi, this is the first piece I've ever published and it's part of a series (to be fair, part 1 and 2 is more exciting, but this establishes the background). It slightly won't match with MCU's timeline. Based on 'See you later' (ten years) by Jenna Raine.

Word count: 2.8k

Series Masterlist: Prologue, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Happy Ending, Sad Ending.

Soulmates were something that only came by recently. Nevertheless, it was something that Y/N wasn’t very fond of, unfortunately.

Hopelessly staring at the spider tattoo on her wrist, Y/N bitterly wrapped her black bandana over it.

After careful observation, scientists declared that upon turning 16, teenagers worldwide would discover a mark on their right wrist: an unremovable symbol identical to one single person in the universe. Those already above the age would miraculously receive it on the same day of establishment. This was also, unfortunately, established during the snap. So many who found their soul mark during that time never found their person. Some thought that their soulmate was dead, until people were resurrected.

It wasn’t that Y/N hated her soulmate. She just didn’t like the concept of it. To fall in love with somebody just because you knew they were the one, and nothing else. Where’s the thrill of knowing uncertainty? Where was the risk? And mostly, the reason she grew bitter about it was: what's to say your feelings for the person were genuine rather than a manifestation of the concept?

This came from Y/N’s personal experience, one that she wished she could forget.

She met Peter and Ned two years ago. Being the second most intelligent student in school, she thought they would have had the stereotypical rivalry. However, that wasn’t the case. They got along just fine. The two clicked straight away - too quickly, in fact.

That was the beginning of the trio.

It didn’t take long for her to realize that the boy was Spiderman, either. After all, the signs were clear as day if anybody had looked into it. Especially with her intelligence, it was bound to happen. From then, the three became even closer, to the point where she saw Peter and Ned as family. This meant that things were all great for Y/N. She was living the life she had always dreamt of: an amazing friend group, a well-paid internship, and good grades.

However, everything went downhill that day, and she remembered every detail.

12th October.

Well, hard to forget, really. It was the "Blip" day, known as the resurrection of those who were victims of Thanos' snap.

Y/N remembered lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. One second, the fan above her was spinning. The next, it was standing still and covered in spider webs. Her bedroom felt a lot dustier, too.

It was strange for her because merely seconds had passed. But something felt wrong, so the girl called out to her parents. However, no replies rang through the house.

An itching feeling took over Y/N’s right wrist. She scratched and thought nothing of it until it started to sting. Then Y/N saw it: the tattoo etching on her wrist slowly, forming into something.

Her eyes widened when the formation finished.

"A spider?" she questioned out loud, grimacing at the sound of her scratchy voice.

Just then, she got a text from Ned. Peter's text came a few moments later. She skimmed through them, realizing that the boys were on their way to her house.

"What did you get, Y/N?" Y/N screamed when she heard a voice asking. Upon realizing it was Spiderman on her window, relief took over her.

"Gosh, you have to stop doing that," she complained, fully convinced that she would die from a heart attack caused by Peter someday.

"But "get" what?" the girl asked, slightly confused.

"Your soulmate mark? Apparently, it came about during the five years of me being snapped," Peter took his mask off, climbing fully into her room rather than sitting on the window.

“Snapped?”

“Oh...I didn’t know you were part of it. Right. Long story short, Thanos snapped his fingers and half of the universe vanished...it’s been five years, and we just got back.”

“What the fuc-”

"Look what I got," the boy spoke up, hoping to distract his best friend from panicking.

“Are we just gonna skip over what you s-” Y/N paused mid-sentence when her eyes landed on the mark on her best friend’s wrist.

That was the moment.

Y/N snapped her head from the young hero of Queens's wrist to his face.

Suddenly, those plain brown eyes belonging to Peter Parker seemed to hold a glimmer of autumn firewood warmth in them. They looked prettier and so innocent. Something about it had made her body freeze, but everything within her was melting.

Little things she didn’t notice before, they were made aware of.

But then her heart ached for some reason - it was wrong, but she didn't know. The girl thought her heart was reminding that while, seemingly, her heart was beating for Peter, his was beating for Michelle Jones, the kind-hearted beauty who stole his heart from just a couple of words and exchanges.

So Y/N did what she thought was best then: to step away. If the concept was real, someday, he would realize that MJ was not the one for him.

Oh, how wrong Y/N was. Before she knew it, the class trip had come along. The girl helplessly watched Ned become Peter’s wingman. Of course, she didn’t tell Ned, as much as she adored him. The boy wasn’t really good at keeping secrets. Besides, Ned was Peter’s 'bestest' of friends. There was no doubt where his loyalty would stand if the two turned against each other.

Y/N watched as they attempted again and again for MJ and Peter to get together during the trip. And failed again and again.

Maybe he would give up now?

Oh, how wrong she was, again.

“Peter!” Y/N yelled, concern etching every inch of her face. She ran towards Peter. The battle against Mysterio was now over. Throughout the event, her heart barely had time to rest, always thumping against her chest, worrying about the teenager who wore a superhero costume that attracted him to danger.

Her arms wrapped around his weakened body, breathing heavily.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine Y/N,” and before she could mutter another word, the boy limped towards MJ.

Y/N turned around, thinking that the little pain couldn’t get worse.

That was when she saw it: the sheer look of adoration on Peter's face. It signified something a lot bigger, something that tore Y/N down - love. He was looking at MJ the way she wished her soulmate would look at her.

Peter nodded eagerly at what MJ said. Her hands were on each side of his face. MJ had the same expression of concern that was once on Y/N’s face.

Before Y/N could register the scene in front of her, the two teenagers started kissing amidst the mess. Yet, that wasn't the last strike. All Y/N saw at that moment was the tattoo on MJ's wrist, slowly shifting colour.

Identical to hers, MJ’s wrist also sported a spider tattoo. The only difference then was MJ's ink, which was in a colour Y/N now hated: Red.

As cliché as it was, upon the first kiss with your soulmate, your tattoo would turn red. It signified commitment and love.

Y/N waited.

She waited for the pain, the heartbreak, the sorrow, yet none came.

She stood there. Her heart dull, as if the scene produced no effect. Her brain, however, was screaming and yelling at herself and Peter. It couldn't comprehend the situation - did Peter have two soulmates? Or was he not hers?

That was when she caught onto the small difference between their tattoos, the way hers had two slightly shorter spider legs.

Realization dawned on the girl, as Y/N realized she had just experienced a roller coaster ride called false hope. It shattered her faith in the whole concept. She ridiculed the fact that she fell in love with Peter simply because she thought he was her “the one” instead of, perhaps, actually falling for him. She blamed the concept of soulmate for blinding her.

So she shunned it. The girl bought numerous bandanas, determined to cover away the tattoo that had familiarized itself into her memory.

Peter Parker was her first heartbreak, yet he never knew.

Both him and Ned wondered why Y/N started despising her tattoo. Did she find out who it was and wasn’t pleased with it?

They asked. She shook them off. Either shrugging or brushing the question away seamlessly. Both the boys assumed that perhaps it would be better to stop interrogating the girl. So they stopped, and she was glad.

Days later, the world learnt of Spider-man’s identity. Despite being the smartest person in his school, Peter decided to mess with a time spell to revert the damage.

The result was detrimental.

The next thing Peter knew, he was fighting a man with robot octopus legs on a bridge while trying to convince the 'MIT lady' to give MJ, Ned, and Y/N a fair chance to be considered for MIT. Several days later came the death of Aunt May.

Meanwhile, Y/N was forbidden to associate with her friend group. Her mother was worried upon receiving letter after letter of University rejections.

After taking on the duty of Spiderman, Peter's grades barely slipped, but it was enough for Y/N to surpass him and become the top student at Midtown high school. Despite liking Peter, her mother was delighted with this development. However, right now she couldn't be more disapproving of the young superhero. Because of him, Y/N could potentially not get into any university.

So here Y/N was, sitting on her bed, preparing a speech so she could plead her case to universities who had rejected her - which were all of them. Not long after, she sensed a gush of wind in her room. The girl looked at her window, which was shut.

"Y/N!" she snapped her head at the voice of Ned yell-whispering at her. Standing next to him was MJ, while between Y/N and the other two teenagers was a portal similar to the ones Doctor Strange summoned before.

"Ned?" she matched the same tone, not wanting to catch her mother’s attention in the room next to hers.

"Come, hurry!"

"I can't just leave."

"We really need your help, please. Peter needs us."

She froze at their pleading. It was obvious that they were desperate, but what kind of help did they need her to supply with?

"Alright..." she trailed off, hoping that she would not regret this decision. It was most probable that her mom would ground her for life after this.

Running through the portal, she saw Ned making finger motions which shut the magic circle behind her.

Little did she know the things ahead of her.

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Thank you for reading the Prologue!

Continue: Part 1

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