So for the past month or so, I've been working with the Delta system ( @AlyssSolo ) on lore for Korathius in ROTW, because I'm back on my bullshit with this random Arena wizard from older Prodigy and he wasn't too well-written initially. There, I said it. I'm very much going to get dragged for this, but here we fucking go. Behold, my bullshit writing:
The anxiety is palpable. He can almost taste it. His heart pounded in his chest as his fears began to weigh on him. What if they don't like him? What if she changed her mind for them?
It took every ounce of his sanity to step forward, into the private common room he frequented many times when Jade became trainee. But she had never invited her family over those past times.
“Are you sure they’ll actually like me?”
“Of course they will—I love you, don't I?”
“Yes, but you, my love, aren’t everyone.” He goes in for a kiss.
She rolls her eyes at his romanticism, leaning in as well before stopping, “Hunter!”
The greynette whips around, blushing, blue eyes meeting amber. A half-fey stands at the doorway, hands balled into fists as he glares down at them both, towering over them with ease.
“That’s your brother, I take it?”
The young man bites the inside of his cheek as he states at the couple, fluttering his wings in irritation. They were spread at their full span, to which the young wizard was unfortunately unaware of, was a sign that Hunter absolutely did not hold the greynette to an ounce of respect.
“That's what you've been dating?”
“Excuse me?”
“Hunter—”
“Jade,” his teeth are grit, anger highlighting his features, “Have you looked at him?”
Korathius gives him a filthy look, standing firmly beside his girlfriend.
“Love isn't about looks, Hunter. I mean, Juniper likes Storm and if anyone's a thing it'll be that cyborg.”
“Storm is not a thing,” a shrill voice chimed in as Juniper in question shoved Hunter out of the way.
“You must be Jade’s sister.” Internally, Korathius added Please be nicer than Hunter.
Juniper blinked, “OH SO YOU'RE THE FUCKING DRUG ADDICT WHO'S TRYING TO SWOON JADE? WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN—”
“Excuse you, I am NOT a drug addict. I don’t know where you got that from—”
“He's a what?” Hunter snapped at his youngest sister in a threateningly low tone, eying the wizard with a glare.
“If you would just let me explain—” Korathius looked frantically to Jade, hoping she’d stand up for him.
She looked as if she was about to, but one more joined the party, “Juniper had read the Book Korathius, I'd advise against lying.” Leaning against the doorway was a certain violet hatted witch, flipping through the pages of said book.
“Then she’d know that I didn’t choose that life. I was born into—” He looks up properly.
Shit.
Hunter looked down right about to strangle the wizard, “How dare you think you can date Jade when you're off getting high—”
“I HAVEN’T TOUCHED THE STUFF SINCE I WAS TEN!”
“You were a drug addict at TEN?”
“I didn’t choose that life. I was born an addict, which I would have TOLD you if you had let me speak.”
“Oh that's just even better,” Hunter practically growled, words dripping with sarcasm as he took a dangerous step close.
“Why? I never wanted it!” Another pointed glance at Jade. “An entire year in the hospital recovering before I could attend classes, do you think I would have gone through that if I wanted to stay an addict?”
Jade shuffles at being met with a glance, not having an argument in his defense.
“Jade…?” The name was said tentatively. He had really expected his lover to stand up for him.
A shrug, before she whispered, “You never told me about this.”
The wizard blinked. It was fluttery—he had always had long lashes. He had told her about this, a while back. The exact discussion was fuzzy but he had mentioned it ever so clearly. Maybe she forgot because she thought it wasn’t important to their relationship? Because she loved him regardless?
Doubt began to creep in but he dismissed it. He loved Jade and wouldn’t question her, not even when she forgets. Instead of accusing her of forgetting something so crucial to his childhood, he whispered lightly, lovingly in response, “I mentioned it before, but it was so long ago it’s alright if you forgot.”
Always the easiest way out, letting things go. Jade wouldn’t do it for him, but that was fair after all she’d been through. Besides, there was enough tension here already.
Hunter clearly heard both comments because he stared the greynette down, having creeped all the way up to him, “Are you trying to gaslight my sister?”
“I’m not! I just forgot how long ago it was that I told her. I don’t like talking about the past.”
“Well I have you know, if you are trying to, Jade’s already had to deal with so many people lying to her I don’t think she can take another.”
He never lied, but the greynette deflates, looking away. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Hunter huffed. Hilda, meanwhile, relaxes her position, walking into the room, “I have to apologize for my son, Korathius, but he has a point, we can’t quite accept you as my daughter’s betrothed if you can’t be honest.”
“Yes, ma’am. I suppose I should tell you now, huh?”
She blinks in surprise, but waits expectantly.
Korathius begins giving her an abbreviated version of his life growing up in the Penny District, his parents dying and leaving him to fend for himself, the long recovery from the drugs he’d been born addicted to, and meeting Jade, leaving out a few choice details (namely the gang fight that killed his mother and father, as the last thing he needs is any more side-eye from his girlfriend’s family, and he’s well aware that that’s the least that will come out of telling Hilda that fun little piece of trivia).
After all this occurred, Hilda stared blankly, having already known this information alongside Juniper, but offers the response, “...thank you for the honesty. Hunter?”
The hybrid glanced at her, having still been eying Korathius suspiciously, “What?”
“Leave him be for now please.”
“I’m not going to—”
“Hunter.”
Hilda nodded in satisfaction, “Well, best that we be going then. Perhaps I’ll see you soon.”
This time Juniper pipped, “But—” The violet wizard promptly grabbed her youngest daughter’s arm and dragged her off, leaving the couple along with an aggravated Hunter.
And there it is, that's the fucking scene. I very much take constructive criticism, please tell me what you think, and if there's any questions, I'm happy to answer. Also no, it's not finished, I just wanted to put it here.
