ZEROBASEONE ONESHOTS AND IMAGINES

Oneshot- Hao/Ricky PT.3

To hell with the stars- Royalty au with Zhang Hao and Ricky

Genre: romance, angst

Pairing: y/n x Ricky, queen oc x Zhang Hao

About: you're back in Astoria where you feel love bloom again. among other things, the queen of Mariposa's relationship with king Hao worsens. 

The sky is a beautiful orange, with pinks bl endings purples to welcome the impending setting of the sun. Celeste and Citrine are busy drinking from the water trough after a long day of riding. Ricky tosses you an apple meant for the horses, but you don't have much of an appetite.

"I hear you're leaving tomorrow." The prince takes a bite into the red fruit, as he sits down next to you under the tree where you've been planted for the past twenty minutes. Your mind was all over the place, thinking about your sister – how you and her husband, the king, spent over an hour crying and getting closure, how you eventually shared a kiss with him.

That would have been enough reason to leave the following day anyway. So when you received a letter from your parents in Astoria asking you to come home, you were a little bit relieved. It saves you the agony of coming up with an excuse to tell your sister.

In true avoidance, you spent the whole day riding. You rushed to the stables that morning, without even letting Chaehyun know. Everyone was looking for you the moment they realised you disappeared with your horse. Which is exactly why they sent Prince Quanrui to look for you, and he successfully found you crying by the pond.

With no one in sight, he hugged you, arms embracing your torso as you sobbed into his chest. His head rests atop yours, as he soothes your back trying to get you to calm down. Even in your misery, a part of him is glad that he gets to hold you like this.

You don't want to return just yet. So again, there you were sitting under the tree. Just thinking. You haven't said much to Ricky at all, he didn't pry. Instead you both moved in silence. Grateful for his perceptiveness to your emotions, he deserved a decent conversation. "Yes, tomorrow morning. The King and Queen have summoned me."

Ricky nods slowly, but he's undecided on whether or not he wants to believe that answer. He sets the apple down, and sighs loudly. "Since you'll be gone, I have no purpose staying here any longer than you are. I'll leave tomorrow as well." he says matter-of-factly.

You can't say you're not surprised. In fact, you've suspected that he favours you more than any other royal because he likes you to some degree. And you like Ricky too, how could you not?

You spent every year of childhood playing with him around the castle, he was your favourite guest at your tea parties, he was your escort for your first royal ball, he taught you how to paint, and he made you laugh. And you once overheard both your mothers joke around, saying perhaps their children will marry each other one day. You weren't sure if that meant you. But if it did, you wouldn't mind. Ricky is a friend above all things, a really good friend – who is also a welcome distraction from your thoughts.

"You spent almost all of Spring here in Mariposa, did you not tire of my company?" you playfully nudge him, and the tip of his ears turn a little red. He breaks into a smile as he turns to you, eyes locking "it wasn't dreadful", he jokes back.

"I knew it. So you do like me a little bit, Prince Quanrui?" you tease.

"Love. I do love you Princess Y/N."

There is no more joking undertone, just a declaration. He says it confidently, his voice unwavering. He looks to your lips, then to your eyes before he looks away – staring at the sky instead, "but I can wait, however long you need, Y/N."