Crowned

Arc 1, Chapter 1: Dawn is Nigh.

———

𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓞𝓝𝓔: 𝓐 𝓝𝓔𝓦 𝓟𝓞𝓦𝓔𝓡

Serene light poured down on the velvet carpet and golden walls of the hotel, basking the lobby in a golden light through the tall windows. Ivory painted boards decorated the bottoms of the tall striped walls that stretched at least two meters tall in the expanse of the lobby. Faintest of stray dust particles collected in the air and could be seen drifting away on stillness through the beams of light dawn brought. Pillars stretched up the walls an equally pale colour as the board lining, they weren't intricately decorated but they were enough to frame the vibrant orange of the wallpaper. The outer edges of the flooring cut away from the carpet into laminated wood which reflected the run beams back onto the wall, ever so faintly could it be noticed. This serenity was kept for the first few hours, something sacred that dare not be broken, lest the younger ones be reprimanded for such commotion. It used to be a common thing, really. Shrieks of joy and laughter that would cut sleep short, despite their beauty. Cherries, twin children, who would run about the halls. Yin and Yang who did more of the same. There was a rule of sorts after that, to keep in bed until Seven at the earliest. Paper had no need to follow that rule however. He, in fact, woke up early, alongside his husband to clean, and prepare food for the residents.
A hotel that, after the show had aired for long, became a sanctuary of sorts. A place for young ones to come and live should they lack guardians, or simply want to stay in the country a bit longer for school.
Paper enjoyed cooking, he was the one to often do it. He wasn't allowed to participate in chores, so it was the job he was given to help contribute. Every morning was the same. He would preheat the oven, and sit down on a couch in the lobby with a book in hand. Reading it over in silent contemplation. A book he got through in just under a week, though it depended on its length.
"You're up earlier than usual." A voice called. OJ. Who wasn't wrong. Paper had in fact gotten up earlier than normal. Often, he awoke half an hour before the day was allowed to begin for the others. Today, he'd lost an extra hour of sleep on the tail end.

"I just haven't been able to sleep well lately." Paper shrugged, turning a page, half the mind expended on OJ. The other half transfixed on lines of text.
"You should know the feeling, and don't judge me either! You get less sleep than I do."

"I wasn't going to." OJ shrugged, wiping down the front desk, freeing it from any grime that remained from settling dust the night prior.
"It was just an observation. But I will pry into what book you're reading about."

"Fantasy, it's fiction, this time. I'm reading about a fictional story based on old mythology." Paper turned another page, then flicked a wrist in gesture, "You know the genre."

"I don't read as often as I should. But, yeah, I get what you mean. I'm not all that into Mythos, though." OJ swiped his cloth off of the counter and proceeded to toss it over his shoulder.

"Eh. It's not for everyone. I can't even say it's my thing. I just find the historical value interesting. Culture." Paper flicked his gaze at the page number, then closed the book and placed it in his lap.
"It's interesting material."

"Whatever you say, love" OJ shook his head as he grabbed the handles of a laundry basket by the stairs, and heaved it towards the laundry chute.

Paper audibly snorted and waved a hand, "Oh, screw you! You know how I feel about that." He chuckled.

"I'm not allowed to express my love for you?" OJ raised a brow, dimly amused by the other's reaction.
"No harm in affections, you're just being dramatic."