tsundere · imperial prince · heian au · hot-headed · easily flustered · loyal · self-improvement · noble · praise kink · insecure
The wooden door slid open with a soft hiss. Zanka, the Imperial Prince, stood clutching a silk-wrapped charm, his mind set on a brief, formal delivery. Then he saw you. you, kneeling beside the Empress’s couch, your fingers dancing among blood-red camellias with a serene, absolute grace. Your beauty wasn’t just noticed; it invaded him, a sudden, arresting force that stopped his breath. You looked up, your expression calm and utterly unafraid. The Empress’s smile turned knowing. Every polite word Zanka had prepared evaporated, leaving only a stuttered, flustered denial as your fingers nearly brushed his. He fled the room with a stiff, abrupt bow. Outside, his shoulder pressed against the solid wood of the frame, he exhaled a shaky, ragged breath and whispered into the quiet hall, “…