Happy Valentine's Day! I hope everyone had a wonderful day.

I've been replaying the game again. I think this is my third or fourth time through, I can't remember; all I know is I love DQB2. It's definitely one of my favorite games of all time. Anyway, so this oneshot is inspired by Goldirox and Babs.

Oh and please know I am in the process of working on multiple requests! I just wanted to upload something for Valentine's Day because, well, why not? Some of the other oneshots I'm currently working on are a little long, so here's a little somethin' in the meantime ^_^ I apologize if there are any typos or errors. I did notice that a few of my previous oneshots had one or two little errors that I will be going back and fixing in the future.

While this one revolves around Babs, there's a bit of Builderoth sprinkled here and there, though. I guess this would be considered a one-sided ship or crackship amidst Builderoth? I dunno... I hope you guys like it regardless!

Thank you again for faving and following this. It means the world to me and I'm always humbled by the kind words you all leave. Thank you for reading! And if you wanna see a particular character written or you have a Builder x Malroth request, don't hesitate to send it to me!

Next oneshot will revolve around Malroth.


It figured that Babs could have anyone she wanted, but the one person she was interested in was not even an option.

All That Glitters

It was strange, to say the least—these feelings she had whenever her mind drifted to images of gold and a sparkling golden bar high above the Khrumbul-Dun town she'd been born and raised in.

All her life, people had raved about her beauty. Even as a child, people cooed over how lovely she was, and when she'd grown up, suddenly she was surrounded by the word "beautiful." Babs was deemed a gorgeous woman, from her long, silky hair to her bright eyes framed by long lashes, to her perfect hourglass figure. She didn't need a lick of makeup, but any makeup she did wear only accentuated her natural beauty.

Beauty, beauty, beauty. That's all anyone ever saw, at least, that's how it felt, anyway.

She supposed she shouldn't complain; most women would kill to have men fall at their feet like many did as soon as they caught sight of her. Even Serge, who was rather effeminate and seemed to also eye some of the miners appreciatively, began vying for her affections within a short time of staying within their growing community.

Eventually, when all people saw was physical appearance, all those compliments and wide-eyed stares became tiring. She knew deep down that Dougie, Digby, Magrog, and her father were exceptions to this; they'd been around her for her entire life, after all, so they knew her pretty well. Babs remembered a handful of times when she'd had heart-to-heart conversations with the bulky miners and the blacksmith. They'd known her all her life: they'd seen her at her worst, when she'd lost her temper on a few occasions, and they'd seen her at her absolute best, like when she'd finally gotten up on stage to do the Khrumbul-Dun Rhumba after the builder completed the silver bar. They knew her well enough and she trusted each and every one of them with her life. They actually gave a damn about her well-being and would brave anything to ensure her safety and happiness.

But each and every one of them—excluding her father, of course—still competed for her affections. Most of the time it was playful—they did love her dearly, she knew, and they liked her as a person, but she wasn't so sure they were ever serious about marrying her. Den was a good man with a kind heart, but they knew better than to press the issue with the bartender unless they were ready to give Babs the world and then some. Babs was the vineapple of her father's eye; as such, he was incredibly protective over her. And she knew they were serious about her—they'd all risked their lives in the battle against the Madusa, all in hopes to save her life and break the curse.

The tragedy of it all, however, was that Babs didn't have eyes for them. She didn't view any of them as potential partners. Babs caught the eye of many, but no one caught hers.

Goldirox, too, had started to pursue her upon first glance at her. It was almost humorous, really, a massive golem like him meekly asking the builder to build a church so he could ask for Babs's hand in marriage. While the strawberry-blonde was somewhat flattered by the golem's compliments and affectionate, almost dopey ways, she'd initially found herself disappointed. All these men and this male golem ever focused on was her looks and winning her as if she were some sort of trophy to display. Didn't they realize there was much more to her than that? Babs was a person, not some doll for them to tote around on their arm, and yet that's all they seemed to view her as: a delicate damsel to woo and marry. Nothing more, nothing less. That's how it felt sometimes, anyway. After a while, she'd learned to tune out their rants and verbal declarations that they'd win her heart. It wasn't that she was ungrateful or haughty; she was just tired of the constant heart-eyes and competitions for her attention.

Didn't they know her heart wasn't on the market? She was beautiful, yes, but that wasn't all she wanted to be known for. There was so much more to her than her looks, yet no one seemed to want to pursue her mind. They just wanted to be able to possess the beauty she displayed, and that, for her, was a definite deal-breaker.

When Malroth and the builder showed up, Babs was relieved (and impressed) that they didn't act like most people who saw her—the builder understood Babs and they could speak without issue. Even Malroth had the decency to look her in the eye and keep her gaze without ogling her body. The pair treated her like a person despite her beauty. The builder also didn't seem to harbor hatred for Khrumbul-Dun's most beautiful lady, another anomaly considering most women immediately hated Babs and were green with envy at the attention she received, immediately offering judgmental glares and clipped tones when she attempted to make friends. The builder, however, wasn't like that at all, for she, too, held Babs's gaze and always greeted her with genuine kindness, never once giving her judgmental once-overs or sneering at her. Suffice it to say that the pair had earned the Khrumbul-Dunnian's respect quickly upon their arrival in town for those exact reasons (alongside their building efforts) and she considered them close friends.

And she was pretty sure the reason why Malroth didn't look at her like most men did was because he was too busy following a certain blonde builder around like a puppy.

Babs had seen how Malroth looked at the builder, the way he looked at her when he thought she was too busy sketching in that book of hers. She'd also seen the blonde sneak a few looks at her destructive best friend. The Khrumbul-Dunnian dancer knew it was only a matter of time before their hearts caught fire and they fell for each other, if they hadn't already.

In terms of Goldirox, though, upon meeting him, Babs found herself thinking about him more and more with each goal they accomplished. It wasn't a crush or anything; she just couldn't stop thinking about him. From the very first meeting, he was genuine. He was kind to everyone and sometimes he even managed to make her giggle with his choppy sentences, the way he unintentionally listened in to the conversations around him and butted in when Dougie and Digby started going on about how they'd be the ones to win Babs's heart. Goldirox's growing confidence never made him rude or obnoxious or arrogant; he remained a meek and gentle soul despite his excessive physical strength. Most of the time, when Babs witnessed someone becoming stronger, gloating and arrogance followed soon after, but Goldirox didn't do that. Never once did he try to lord his strength and power over his "competition."

When the curse on her was lifted and she found out he'd given his life for hers, she was surprised to feel heartbroken. While everyone else partied the night away and swept her around the stage, eager to get at least one dance with the "crown jewel of Khrumbul-Dun," Babs's thoughts revolved around the golem. Was he well and truly gone? Was that it—they'd all worked themselves to the bone to get the ores he'd needed and now, once they'd defeated the Madusa, Goldirox was... gone? But he was supposed to stay with them, he was supposed to be here celebrating with them!

It was after the party, when Babs was in her private bedroom and alone with her thoughts, that she cried herself to sleep. Because once she'd realized he was gone, her heart cracked and ached and suddenly it didn't matter that they'd been victorious against the Children of Hargon—they'd lost a key part of their town, a key part that had helped inspire everyone to shake off their fear and get back to living normal lives. She was grateful that the Children had been defeated, their hold over the mining island finally destroyed, but without Goldirox, home suddenly felt like a strange, empty place. Khrumbul-Dun was free, but it would also never be the same without the golem's presence.

It wasn't until later, after Goldirox revealed that he had become part of the golden bar and reassured everyone that no, he was not gone—he was just watching over the island—that Babs realized why she'd been so heartbroken over his "death."

Goldirox had not only given his life for hers, but he'd encouraged her to move on with her life, to see the world that awaited her. Now that the Children of Hargon had lost their grasp on Khrumbul-Dun, her home was safe. She could do whatever she wanted, go wherever she wanted, and her heart yearned to see this Isle of Awakening that Malroth and the builder always spoke about. The future was brighter than anyone could have ever dreamed and it was right there at their fingertips, and it was mostly due to the builder's efforts, but Goldirox's sacrifice had set everything in stone, no pun intended.

To Babs, his willingness to give up his life was the ultimate form of love. He'd given up everything for her and he wanted her to be happy, even if it wasn't with him. He wanted her to live her life to the fullest, to build to her heart's content if that was what she wished to do, to explore and see the world that extended past the shores of their desert-covered island where he was to remain forevermore. He could have asked for anything in return for saving her life—he could have asked for her hand in marriage, he could have asked her to stay with him for the rest of her days, but instead of any of that, all he asked was that she visit Khrumbul-Dun occasionally and regale tales of the builder's island. He wanted to hear stories of what they were up to, of what they'd accomplish and build and tear down and the times they would all have. Of everything he could have asked for, all he wanted was to remain part of their group and to stay in-the-know about how everyone was doing.

The golem's selflessness was what truly earned him her full attention. She wasn't used to being around male figures who she would describe as "selfless." Most of them would go to bat for her without question—not that she needed them to, but it was the sentiment that counted—but they almost always had selfish motives. They wanted to be heroic in her eyes. They wanted her affection and admiration in return. But Goldirox didn't; he'd helped save Khrumbul-Dun for the sake of saving it. Because it was Babs's home, he, too, considered it his home, and so he went above and beyond not just for her sake, but for everyone's. He wanted to save everyone and protect them, no rewards necessary.

It was then that she also realized she had developed some kind of feelings towards the golem. One day on the Isle of Awakening, during a particularly stormy afternoon, Ordelia sat down with Babs and recounted the story of the Madusa per the dancer's request. She listened intently as the older woman explained how the monstrous Underseer had once been in love with a dashing young man who was loved by many for his looks and charm, the young man who would later become known as Goldirox. She often found herself wondering what he'd looked like as a human. Perhaps his hair had once been just as golden as the bricks that formed his body. What would he have been like? Would he still be as selfless as she knew him to be now? Would he have been just as genuine and humble? Or would he be like most men she'd encountered: only enamored by her looks, her personality merely a bonus in their starstruck eyes?

Babs was eternally grateful to all of her friends for helping her achieve her goals of bringing the golden age back to Khrumbul-Dun and for helping Goldirox. She was even more grateful to them that they'd all fought to lift the curse the Madusa had placed on her. But as she watched Malroth and the builder go from being best friends to lovers, their hands intertwined as they walked around the Isle of Awakening, their lips meeting in sweet, tender kisses when they thought no one was looking, all the flirty winks and smiles they sent each other... she realized that for once, she was the one envious of what someone else had. Babs didn't hate them, of course, nor did she wish ill upon either person, but these feelings she had... They could never be explored or pursued. Goldirox was not human, nor was he really a person anymore (was he ever truly a person, or was that story just a folktale?). He was simply a guardian spirit. Malroth and the builder were lucky, for Malroth was still intact; he was still alive. He was human (mostly), he was solid, he was there.

The one person that Babs was interested in... and he wasn't even human.

She watched the heroic pair's relationship grow with admiration and a sliver of sadness. She may have been beautiful and perfect in the sight of most who beheld her, but the true beauty was in the relationship between Malroth and the builder. They were so lucky and they didn't even realize it. Malroth protected the builder no matter what—hadn't Goldirox done that for her? Malroth understood the builder's heart just as the builder knew him better than anyone else. Goldirox understood Babs's desire to see the world, and he not only understood but encouraged it, even if it meant watching her leave him behind.

Malroth's feelings towards the builder were on display for all to see, much like Goldirox had been completely up-front about his affection towards Babs. The difference between Goldirox and the miners was that Goldirox didn't seem to want Babs for her beauty alone; he liked her as a person. He was humble about his feelings towards her. Most miners thought themselves the best match for Babs, but Goldirox put her on a pedestal, claiming he wasn't worthy but still wanting to do his best to make her happy. While the miners were willing to save her, there was always some underlying selfish motive, whether it be to earn Babs's affection or admiration, but Goldirox... He only wanted to see her happy.

When Babs really thought about it all... It figured that the one to finally catch her eye and steal a piece of her heart was also out of her reach. He was to remain in Khrumbul-Dun forever as guardian over the arid island. He was to forever reside in the gold bar, his body gone in favor of the golden structure. He wasn't even human, and yet somehow, he'd won her heart. She wasn't in love with him, but he'd certainly gotten her attention, something the miners had never been able to do no matter how beefy their muscles were. Goldirox had been the closest she'd ever gotten to being interested in another person.

Close, but no cigar.

It figured that the jewel of Khrumbul-Dun, wanted by many but never giving a second glance to any of her admirers, had developed feelings for someone she could never have.