#fic: a vow without honor

[damn-daemon]

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheCitadel/comments/nxclgj/any_good_jaimeoc_fics/

I randomly found this on Google if you read all the comments it is nice to see people appreciating your dic

How telling is it that I've seen this? Very? Very.

[creationcitystreet-em]

Voy a cuidarte por las noches

Voy a amarte sin reproches

Te voy a extrañar en la tempestad


Y aunque existan mil razones para renunciar

No hay nadie más

- “No Hay Nadie Más” de Sebastián Yatra

[zorostitties]

Intertwined; 2

⤕ Luffy and you were like two sides of the same coin: opposites in every way, but similar in what mattered the most. Tied by a vow made with the purity of a child's heart, life keeps trying to tear you apart - but the vow that intertwined your destinies would not be broken so easily. Or, Luffy promised to marry you someday when you were kids. This is how he keeps his promise.

pairing: monkey d. luffy x (f) reader

genre: childhood friends to lovers, slow burn, arranged marriage, fluff, angst, eventual smut

warnings: violence/blood, explicit language, toxic family relationships, death/grief, when i say slow burn i mean it

rating: 18+

word count: 7k

A/N: HELLO YALL 💋 I can't stress enough how excited I am about this fic - and it's only beginning. Thank everyone that left comments on the first chapter!! I still have to make a proper playlist for this fic BUT a little song rec - I listened to Stay With Me from Miki Matsubara while writing this chapter!! kinda cliche but it makes me feel nostalgic and those are the correct vibes for this one. 🤓 Enjoy <3

⤕  Masterlist  ⤕ Also on AO3 ⤕ Taglist open!

➛ 9

One year, zero failures.

Twenty five commissions. Millions of berries in profit to the Scarpia safes.

And finally – five days of freedom.

In the Scarpia family, you couldn’t ask for things. You negotiated. Everything was transactional; that was the soul of the business. To get something, you must give something in return. Different things had different prices.

The cost of your little unsupervised vacation was absolute and obedient hard work. No more running away, no more slacking off, no complaining… instead, improving in every area that mattered to be a better assassin. You took commissions, excelled in training and tests, attended Landon’s classes without fail.

All so you could get what you wanted on your birthday.

It wasn’t an expensive request, but you knew that it costed much more than anything your brothers ever asked for – much more than Urso’s cannon that was exclusive to Marine warships, Saqr’s golden armor armor or Crowley’s actual warship with a full crew. Five days of being away, not being followed by anyone from the family, no questions asked? That was a lot. And so, the price to pay for that was high.

But you payed anyway. Payed splendidly. So your father had to honor the deal.

And finally, after a year, there you were climbing Mt. Colubo again.

You were excitedly making your way up the hill – running, to be honest. It wasn’t hard to remember the specific hill you agreed to meet; you had an awfully good memory for some reason. Your heart beat faster with each step in both excitement and worry. What if he forgot about you? What if he missed the date? You didn’t know where Luffy lived, so you wouldn’t know where to meet him – and it’d take days to scoop the area after him.

What if he simply didn’t care?

The thought made you nauseous.

Well, if he didn’t show up, you still had a mountain to explore and money to rent a room in the city–

The wind brought an unknown voice to your ears.

Your instincts jumped, took control of your body. You immediately hid behind a bush, crouching down, and waited.

“...tired of this!” A young male voice. A boy’s voice. “We’ve been waiting since morning! I swear, if you’re trying to prank me, I’ll kick you off that cliff...”

Then, another boy’s voice – and your eyes immediately widened. You knew that high pitched whine.

“It’s not a prank, Ace! I said I’d be waiting right here, I can’t leave!”

“Yeah, right. Waiting for your imaginary friend.”

“I’m not imagining anything!” An uneasy groan. “Though maybe I missed the date… has it really been a year? She is taking too long…”

“Tsk. I’m sick of this. I’m heading back…”

“No! Wait!”

You got up and sprinted up the hill.

“Luffy!” Your voice cracked a bit while screaming his name… still not used to screaming. One hand kept gripping the strap of the backpack while the other waved excitedly.

And there he was.

The stretchy boy hadn’t changed a thing. Same hair, same height, same scar under his left eye, a bandaid on a different place this time – his forehead –, same battered up straw hat that was still too big for his head, jeans shorts and a blue tank top…

And same grin, big big grin, that appeared as soon as he spotted you… except he was missing his front tooth now.

“Wolfie!” He yelled. Who the hell–? Oh, right. That’s the name I made up. “You came!”

You had almost reached them when Luffy decided to engulf you in a hug.

...You were also not used to hugs and sudden proximity. The part of you that had been sharpened like a blade had the instinct to crush his trachea with the side of your hand. No no no, these are my five days of vacation. No business thinking! You made the conscious effort to push that part away, to lock it in a dark vault inside of your brain, a vault with a very complicated password. No bloodthirst. No kill intent.

So you just hugged him back instead and giggled excitedly.

Luffy then stepped away and grinned mischievously at that other boy.

He stepped behind you and put both hands over your shoulders as if presenting you like an item. “See? You seeing this? Is this imaginary? Call me a liar again, come on! C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, I dare you!”

You scanned each other in silence.

This guy was definitely a few years older than Luffy and you. His black wavy hair fell over his forehead, his tanned skin was peppered with freckles. Like Luffy, his brown eyes were so dark that they almost looked black. He wore shorts, an orange tank top, elbow pads, and held a steel pipe… what was that for?

He was much, much more judgmental than Luffy.

And apparently smarter, too.

Luffy walked to your side.

“This one’s my big brother Ace!” He presented.

You were immediately taken aback. Of course, you remembered how Luffy kept talking about someone called Ace. But you didn’t expect him to be a brother.

Just because your brothers are awful, doesn’t mean everybody’s are, too.

You managed to open a tight smile.

“My name’s Wolfie. Nice to meet you.”

Ace crossed his arms and measured you from head to toe – and you had to fight the urge to immediately despise him, because that look was familiar. Stop that. You don’t even know him yet. It’s your vacation! Time to have fun!

Luffy tapped your shoulder with the back of his hand. “Ace here kept saying I made you up, can you believe that?”

Ace side eyed Luffy with a frown. “You can’t blame me. The whole story sounded suspicious.” He focused on you again and tilted his head to the side. “The hell are you from?”

He carefully analyzed your outfit and backpack. Your clothes weren’t exactly fancy: you wore the standard Scarpia children “uniform”, which was basically a white button shirt, a black pleated skirt and the black blazer with the red scorpion on it (you had quickly gotten rid of that family crest from your clothes, however). You brothers, much obviously, wore pants instead of the skirt, but other than that, it was all the same.

You would have picked something different if you weren’t in such a hurry to get to the Dawn Island as fast as possible. Luckily, the last commission was already at some insignificant island of the East Blue – you picked it on purpose -, but the travel still took a days time. You still had to wait until the clock hit midnight to hop on a ship and head to the island (you couldn’t risk making your way with Landon nearby).

But anyway – your whole appearance was very obviously of a foreigner. A well lived foreigner. You couldn’t lie to two locals that you were from High Town, and you had already told Luffy you lived far.

Luckily, you had everything planned.

“Loguetown,” you announced. Ace seemed a bit surprised for some reason.

Big fat lie, obviously.

You’d been to Loguetown once or twice. It wasn’t that interesting of a place despite the mystique around it. Regardless, it was still a pretty big city and an acceptable answer: far, but not too far. Not too suspicious.

Ace quirked one eyebrow up. “...That’s far. What brings you to Mt. Colubo of all places?”

You shrugged. “My father visits the Goa Kingdom once a year because of his business and I like to come along.”

“You like to climb a mountain on your own.”

“I like animals and insects. I catalog them.”

“She draws pretty well. I mean, not better than me, but–“

“The mountain with the giant dangerous animals.” Ace cut Luffy off without taking his eyes off you.

“Yeah, that’s why this place is interesting.” You narrowed your eyes at him. “What’s the problem with that?”

“The problem is that this doesn’t make any sense.”

“What? You think a girl can’t take care of herself?”

“That’s not what I mean–“

“How are you alive? Luffy ate a Devil Fruit, so I get it, but how about you?”

Luffy looked between you and Ace like a ping pong ball coming and going.

And Ace looked very offended.

“What–?! I’m a hundred times stronger than Luffy!”

“Hey!”

“Don’t change the subject!” Ace once again ignored Luffy and pointed his finger at you. “I don’t know how a rich brat like you is even alive in here!”

You let an annoyed groan past your lips and tightened your fists. What an insufferable guy!

But then, you narrowed your eyes and refrained from arguing more. I didn’t come here to argue with anyone. I came here to play with Luffy.

A smug smirk grew on your lips. You held both straps of the backpack and took a small step back.

Then – you sprinted.

It made the wind howl, the trees sway. You had time to hear a satisfying gasp from both of them, but especially from the oh-so-annoying Ace.

In the blink of an eye, you were standing on the lower branch of a tree nearby.

“This is how.” You announced to a shocked Ace while smiling.

Luffy laughed.

He hopped excitedly and shook his arms. “I told you, see?! I told you, I told you!” The straw hat boy then looked at you with a defiant grin and fire in his eyes. “I said I’d be even faster this time!”

“Then prove it!” Now you were the one hopping excitedly. “You’re it!”

Luffy laughed and launched his weird stretched arm in your direction. You deflected him and jumped to another tree.

Ace stood there, still a bit shocked, and watched as you and Luffy chased each other through the trees. Both of you were noisy. Both of you disturbed the small animals like birds and squirrels, made branches shake violently, making a rain of leaves fall over his head. He heard a succession of tag! You’re it! before you said it one last time.

And then he spotted Luffy smiling devilishly at him like a gremlin.

“Are you just gonna stand there?!”

Ace took a step back and sent him a warning glare.

“Luffy, don’t you dare–”

Smack.

“You’re it!”

“I’m gonna kill you!”

Straw hat boy just laughed.

There were three kids disturbing the small fauna now.

“Have you ever eaten crocodile meat?” Luffy asked.

You shook your head. “Not that I remember.”

He smiled. “It’s soooo good. You’re gonna love it. Uh, now I’m hungry…”

“When are you not hungry, Luffy?” Ace side eyed you. “I’m surprised you didn’t want to hunt with us… since you’re soooooo good at everything.”

You shrugged.

Yes. It’s true that you decided to just stand near the river and watch them hunt the crocodile. Not because you couldn’t help them, but because it felt… wrong.

The crocodile was huge. Two times bigger than a cow, maybe. It was now wrapped in ropes as the two boys carried it above their heads towards their home. You’d never seen a crocodile this big, and that’s why you hesitated. Were there even that many crocodiles around?

“I feel bad for it.” You admitted quietly.

The two boys looked at you like you were insane.

“What? You don’t eat meat?!” Luffy seemed flabbergasted.

“I bet you don’t feel bad about cows or chickens,” Ace was much more defensive.

You just sighed and crossed your arms. “That’s not what I mean… whatever. Yes, I do eat meat.” You looked up at the huge animal for a few seconds. “Can I at least sketch it before you cook it?”

“Why would you wanna do that?”

“I already said that I catalog animals.”

“Weirdo.”

You wanted to punch Ace.

“Hey, hey, Wolfie, what’s your favorite food?” Luffy asked.

You held your chin and looked up. “Hmm… crab legs. I think.” Luffy hummed in response. “Or spicy noodles.” He hummed again. “Anything spicy, to be honest.”

It wasn’t without a reason. Your mother was a poison specialist. She made you and your brothers take small dosages of different types of poison not only to be able to recognize it, but to resist it. Turns out one of her poisons burned your taste buds and food became tasteless for months – until you ate a very very spicy pepper from Dressrosa and went oh, I can actually feel the taste of this. Your taste buds had healed, but your liking for spicy food stayed.

You weren’t going to tell them that, though.

“Never seen a girl that likes pepper,” Ace quirked his eyebrow up, clearly questioning you.

“You don’t know that many girls, do you?”

Ace blushed for some reason, but still looked annoyed. “Listen here, you brat–!”

He was interrupted by a growl.

You thought it was a savage animal nearby at first, but the sound was coming from too close…

It was Luffy’s rumbling belly.

“Ugh… I want to eat…” He tilted his head to the side as if he was suffering. “Crab legs… noodles… pepper…”

“You can’t take spicy food, Luffy,” Ace murmured.

“Yes, I can!”

They started arguing and you just watched in silence.

It was… interesting.

They bantered a lot. They punched each other and argued over silly things. Ace usually won most of the fights and arguments. However… you didn’t see genuine anger in his eyes not even once. You didn’t hear genuine insults meant to hurt. It was all silly, superficial – and they always got over it two minutes after it happened.

You wondered if that’s how siblings usually acted.

No. Don’t think of Urso or Crowley or Saqr… that’s not what you came here for.

So you looked ahead and spotted something, which caused you to stop on your tracks.

“Oh!” That caught their attention. “You guys have a tree house?”

It was well hidden in between the branches, but there was definitely a tree house some meters away at the top of an especially tall tree. The wooden structure looked a bit precarious and perhaps even abandoned, yet it immediately picked your interest.

“Did you guys build it?”

Luffy blinked and looked uneasy for some reason. “Huh…”

“It looks pretty cool!” An excited smile appeared on your lips. You gripped the straps of the backpack, ready to run. “I want to see it!”

“Wait, Wolfie–“ Luffy tried to warn you. Which was weird, because Luffy never tried to warn you about anything, so at that moment, you didn’t pay attention to him.

You were running towards the tree.

That’s when Ace yelled “No!”

The ground shook when he dropped the heavy crocodile. In the blink of an eye, Ace was towering in front of you, both of his arms extended to block your passage.

You froze on your tracks.

He… he looked angry.

“You’re not allowed to go there!”

His stance and his voice would’ve triggered normal you’s aggression. But that part of you was locked inside the vault – so all you did was widen your eyes at him.

“But it’s just a tree house,” you tried. That made him angrier for some reason.

“Do not get anywhere near that place!”

Luffy stepped closer, frowning. “Hey, Ace, you don’t need to get so angry–“

Ace turned his attention to him. “If you take her there, I will never talk to you again! Got it?!”

Luffy himself was surprised.

The oldest boy sent a last menacing gaze towards you before taking the crocodile on his own and marching ahead.

You just stood there, too shocked to say anything, for long seconds. Luffy sent you an apologetic look; it seems he didn’t know what to do, either.

...All older brothers are assholes, I guess.

Meeting Luffy’s “family” made you understand him (and Ace) much more.

Their house was deep inside the forest, in the middle of a large clearing. It was a big one-story house with a lookout, though it looked precarious. Many voices came from inside it.

The two boys announced that they had brought dinner. A couple of men wearing white turbans came from inside the house to check it. None of them seemed impressed that the kids killed a monster crocodile, which could only mean that wasn’t unusual. You stood there awkwardly for a while. No one seemed bothered by your presence.

That is, until a big ginger woman came out of the house.

Her hair was long and curly. She wore a white blouse, checkered green pants, a necklace made of red round beads and boots. She had two cigarettes (?) between her lips and the ferocious eyes that could only belong to a leader.

The woman immediately started scolding Luffy and Ace with why’d you take so long?! or which of you used all the sugar?! and your clothes are stinky, you better wash it before tomorrow! and you have to clean all the mess you made! and don’t you dare talk back like that, brat! and I will kick your ass if you don’t watch that tone! and then she finally laid her eyes on you.

She blinked.

You blinked.

“Hi.” You sent her a small wave. “My name is–

“LUFFY AND ACE KIDNAPPED A CITY GIRL!!”

It was like everyone finally noticed your presence at that moment.

The men gasped and gathered around you. The ginger woman fumed like a chimney – and suddenly everything became noisy noisy noisy, with everyone showing different levels of outrage.

“What a horrible thing to do-nii!” Said a short guy wearing a pink polka dotted overall who seemed to be already panicking.

“You guys really crossed the line this time!” Said another tall guy with a brown mustache and a weird wattle on the top of his head, looking at Ace and Luffy disapprovingly.

The woman grabbed the two buys by their collars and lifted them from the ground like they weighed nothing.

“You little psychopaths! This girl’s from High Town, ain’t she?! Why’d you bring her here?! You wanna get us all killed?!”

“What are you–“ Ace grunted, grabbing her wrist. “Talking about, crazy old woman?!”

“We didn’t kidnap anyone!” Luffy screamed. “She’s Wolfie and she’s my friend!”

“Friend?! Don’t make me laugh! Why would a little girl get into the woods like that–“

“Miss.”

She finally stopped to look down when you touched her arm softly.

“They’re not lying. I’m on vacation and came to visit Luffy.”

Silence.

She quirked her eyebrow at you with distrust.

“Where’re your parents?”

“In the city.”

“Where will you stay? It’s almost sundown, there’s not enough time to reach the city before night comes.”

You slipped the backpack to only one shoulder and shoved your hand inside the small pocket.

“I was wondering if I could stay here for two or three days…” You finally showed her what you were looking for – and earned a collective gasp. “...If you don’t mind, of course.”

A wad of cash.

She put the two boys down slowly.

The woman took it from your much smaller hand and removed the rubber band, counting the berries rapidly.

She then looked at you again – and for a moment, it looked like it’d take some more convincing–

But she grinned.

“Of course, darling!” She crouched down to come closer to your eye level – and all of sudden, the aggressiveness and distrust and even the wrinkle between her eyebrows were gone. She was all smiles and blushes and it was like flowers were floating around her head. Even her voice became sweet like honey. “Of course, why wouldn’t we take such a cutie in?! My name’s Dadan. We’ll take care of whatever you need!”

And then all the other grown men were smiling sweetly and blushing too, and the flowers multiplied. You heard I’ll prepare you a bedroom! and I’ll cook you a great dinner! and I can make you cute dresses– wait, why do you know how to make dresses?!

Such a drastic change.

Well. One thing you knew from the world of the adults is that there were just a few things money couldn’t buy.

Ace side eyed you with a frown. Luffy didn’t seem to mind and didn’t seem upset at Dadan despite what she just did.

“Hey, hey, Wolfie–“ He tapped your arm many times. “There are a loooot of beetles around here! And scorpions too! And–“

“Didn’t you said you wanted to draw the crocodile or whatever?” Ace interrupted with somewhat of a pout. “You better do it now before we skin it. I don’t wanna have dinner late because of you.” The older boy walked away with his hands inside the front pockets of his shorts.

“Right.” You nodded. Luffy’s shoulders dropped.

“You’re gonna sit down and draw now? That’s boring! I wanna play!”

“It won’t take that long this time,” you explained while searching for the sketchbook inside of your backpack. Luffy pouted.

You sat down on the grass and quickly started sketching the crocodile’s head from the side. You’d have to check on your Reptile Encyclopedia if this species was already cataloged… you hadn’t brought that book with you – it was way too heavy – and that’s why taking as many details as possible was necessary, so you could compare the drawing with the book images back home.

Meanwhile, everything was noisy behind you.

Luffy, Ace, Dadan, the other guys… they all made a lot of noise. A lot of insults and arguments… but a lot of laughter, too. All that noise wasn’t bothersome. In fact, it was much more comfortable than the mortifying silence that always hovered inside the Scarpia mansion.

You finished the sketch quickly and left everything aside to play with Luffy – and from there, time seemed to run. You played catch and played with a ball and played with a white dog that lived there. You rolled on the grass and jumped rope and played on a tire swing until it made Luffy feel nauseous. You raced too many times to keep count and taught Luffy each different species of bugs you saw inside the forest (though he didn’t remember anything a second after you finished speaking). And then suddenly your clothes were dirty and you were tired but you didn’t mind at all, because that tiredness didn’t hurt.

Finally it was time to have dinner – and the amount of food they cooked was a bit absurd, but everything smelled great. Everyone gathered to eat after bathing and changing clothes. Luffy was quite literally drooling.

“Let the guest eat first, brat!” Dadan reprimanded Luffy with a punch in his head when he tried to grab a piece of meat. You quickly filled your plate with rice, meat and a bit of salad before someone else could complain.

“That’s not fair,” Ace whined with a frown. “Why don’t we get this type of treatment? You never make this many side dishes.”

Dadan glared at him with fire in her eyes. “Because you’re not full of mone– I-I mean, because you’re not a cute, polite girl! Work on your manners first before you get special treatment!”

They started arguing.

You ate from your plate in peace. Luffy filled plate after plate after plate and for a moment you wondered if that giant crocodile was enough to satisfy him. There was a lot of noise, still. They talked loud. Yet, in your silence, you could still see that same thing from before. They argued and cussed at each other, but you couldn’t hear genuine anger or contempt or the will to hurt. Even Dadan who seemed the harshest of them all had that underlying care in her gaze, though you doubted Luffy or Ace could see it too.

Everything made your heart feel surprisingly at ease.

And made you feel something else too – but it was small and irritating, so you decided to brush it off.

“Hey, Ace, you’re losing to Luffy on something, huh?” That guy with a mustache – was his name Magura? – said at some point. He had a suspicious smile and light blush over his cheeks.

Both boys stopped eating for a second and went Huh?

Magura blinked prettily.

“Your younger brother got a girlfriend first than you. You better work on that!”

A room full of grown men giggled. Ace blushed furiously and started cussing.

You and Luffy looked at each other at the same time.

He blinked.

You blinked.

You both scowled like you’d eaten a very sour lemon.

“EEEW!!”

“Where are we going now?” You asked as soon as you stepped out of the house.

The morning smelled like dew, sap and damp soil. There were no clouds to cover the bluest sky you’d ever seen. Multiple birds chirped their melody, and you felt tempted to try to recognize the different species, but you wouldn’t have time.

Luffy had invited you to go somewhere.

“You said it was a party?”

The straw hat boy grinned. “Yeah! A birthday party for the Mayor! Makino throws a party for him every year. She bakes cake and a bunch of sweets!”

You followed him shortly, starting to feel a little excited. That was when you spotted Ace leaning on a tree nearby with his arms crossed. He looked… upset.

Luffy seemed to hesitate for a second.

“I’m going down to Foosha now, Ace!” He announced.

The other boy just shrugged in response.

That was… weird.

Luffy started to run, so you quickened your pace to catch up to him. His hat flew from his head and swayed with the wind while trapped by that thin rope around his neck. Soon, the house and the clearing were left behind.

“We can get to Foosha Village quicker using this trail,” Luffy explained. You nodded and kept silent for some moments while he yapped about cake flavors.

But your curiosity got the best of you.

“Luffy.”

“Hm?”

“Why isn’t Ace coming with us?” Luffy visibly stiffened. “Is he that angry at me?”

The straw hat boy coughed as if he had choked on something.

“He… huh… h-he’s not angry at you!”

“Why isn’t he coming, then?”

“Huh… hmmm…”

You watched very closely as sweat dripped down his forehead, his cheeks got flushed, his eyes very consciously averted from yours, a pout formed on his lips.

He almost looked constipated.

“H-He… he said he’s not a kid anymore to attend birthday parties!” Luffy looked extremely proud of himself for coming up with this answer. “Boring guy, isn’t he? Anyway, I bet you can’t get to that tree faster than me! Three-two-one-go!!”

He sprinted down the trail before you could get ready, making a cloud of dust on his way. You narrowed your eyes slowly.

That morning, you learned that Luffy was a terrible liar.

Foosha Village was about what you already expected – small with not much interesting going on. Not many houses, not many establishments, not that many people. The village port was small with only a few ships docked. The sea that surrounded Dawn Island was of a gorgeous blue, so calm that it could be mistaken by the waters of the Calm Belt.

Partys Bar faced this beautiful scenery.

Luffy stormed in unceremoniously and ran to the arms of a young woman of dark green hair – was that the Makino he talked about?

“Luffy!” She said sweetly while embracing him. “You came early!”

“The earlier we get, the more food we eat!” He giggled before leaning away.

Her eyes quickly found you. “And who is this little princess right here?”

Your cheeks got warm.

What did she just call me?!

“A friend of mine!” Luffy presented. “I brought her to eat cake!”

Makino chuckled. “Well, you two will have to wait, then. The cake’s still baking and I haven’t finished the decorations yet. Care to help me with this?”

You certainly didn’t care.

Makino brought an old box with decorations: ribbons, balloons, confetti and more. You sat on the bar stool and busied yourself with filling the balloons while her and Luffy glued the colorful tapes and little flags around the bar walls. His Devil Fruit ability came in handy in situations like this.

It was weird, this feeling you had. Unusual. The sound of the waves crashing not far from there. Trees swaying with the oceanic breeze. Chatter coming from the street. Luffy’s laughter and Makino’s sweet voice.

It was peaceful.

So peaceful that you felt your shoulders relaxing. For the first time, the “sonar” within you that kept constantly looking for potential danger was down. Yes, you knew that was wrong; it was against everything you’d ever learned. Never let your guard down.

But Landon wasn’t there. Nor your father or your mother. Crowley wasn’t hiding somewhere with a knife waiting for an opportunity to stab you. Saqr and his hound dogs weren’t anywhere near. Urso wouldn’t try to squeeze you to death… and you weren’t completing a commission, either.

You never thought you’d like to keep that part of you inside the vault, but turns out your life became pretty quiet when it happened.

Some kids entered the bar at some point. You couldn’t tell if Luffy already knew them, but they talked excitedly. Soon, they were outside on the street, playing.

You wondered for a second if you should join them, but Makino approached.

“That’s enough balloons, thank you.” She smiled softly. “Care to help me with something else?”

She guided you behind the counter into the kitchen. The place was filled with a delicious sweet smell of the cake baking inside the oven. Other than that, there were plenty of other snacks over the table at the center: some of them were obviously sweets, some looked deep fried.

“I couldn’t finish rolling the brigadeiros. The Mayor always asks for them,” she explained while walking towards the counter where a pan rested. “If I asked Luffy to come, he’d eat everything instead of helping.”

“He would.” You nodded and frowned slightly. “But… what’s a brigadeiro?”

Makino quirked an eyebrow. “You’re not from here, are you? If you don’t know what a brigadeiro is.”

Well. You couldn’t tell if you didn’t know what that was because you weren’t from the area of because you’d never been to a birthday party before – a normal one, at least. Maybe people ate this brigadeiro thing on the Grand Line, too. Who knows?

You repeated your lie, but decided to leave the Loguetown name behind. Perhaps Makino knew that it was also a common snack at that city, which would raise more questions.

After washing your hands, she proceeded to explain what to do.

“First, you have to coat your palms with butter so it slides easily… then, you take a bit of the chocolate dough from the pan with the spoon. It doesn’t need to be much. And then… you just roll it with your hands… until it becomes a little ball. This size is okay. See? Now you just dip it in the chocolate sprinkles and it’s done.”

It wasn’t a difficult task – and Makino was kind enough to let you eat some. After you picked up the pace, she let you do it on your own and went to take care of something else in the kitchen.

You couldn’t help but take glances at her from time to time.

Makino was delicate. The scarf wrapped around her hair matched with her long skirt; the thin pearl necklace also matched with her pearl earrings. She was agile in everything she did and sweet with her words. And that was also unusual.

Your mother – the only female reference you had – was the complete opposite of Makino. She was older, of course, but the differences didn’t stop there. Your mother was beautiful, too, and extremely elegant. But she was also cold. Distant. Black instead of colorful. Reprimands instead of compliments. Makino smelled of candy; Scilla Scarpia smelled of poison.

That made you feel a bit sad for some reason.

“What?” She asked at some point, and you realized you had been staring for some time. You stiffened.

“...Your earrings are very pretty, miss.”

Makino opened a wide smile and approached. “Do you want them?”

“W-What?”

“I have many earrings… these would look cute on you.” She narrowed her eyes and leaned closer. “Oh! How come you don’t have your ears pierced?”

You didn’t. You also weren’t used to wearing necklaces or bracelets or hair clips… nothing flashy or colorful. Your face was almost always hidden behind a white wolf mask anyway, so why worry about your appearance?

“I can pierce your ears later,” Makino offered. “But it hurts a little bit. Do you want it?”

At the same time… why not worry about your appearance?

A sudden smile and unexpected excitement bubbled within your chest. “Yes!”

The bar was packed a few hours later.

There were mostly kids. Conversation and laughter filled the air. Your ears stung a little bit, but you didn’t mind; you were too busy playing. Makino decided that it was time to congratulate the Mayor, so everyone gathered around a table to celebrate.

The Mayor himself – a short guy wearing a bucket hat, glasses and a colorful shirt – came to stand in front of the cake. After lighting the candles, they all clapped and sang happy birthday to you.

You looked around while everyone was too focused on the birthday man.

So many smiles. So much excitement and care. Little flags on the ceiling, colorful ribbons, balloons, a big Happy Birthday sign on the wall behind the Mayor. Everybody in that room knew him, all of them took their time to come to the bar and celebrate. Was he feeling appreciated? Was he happy and grateful?

His smile told you that he was.

Yesterday was your birthday, you remembered.

No one in the bar knew. Not even Luffy. You wouldn’t try to tell him and steal the moment. So, while you clapped and sang along, you silently pretended that it was all for you. It was silly and inappropriate, but you did it anyway. You pretended for a little over a minute that your birthday was filled with sweets and cakes and kids around your age to play with and music and laughter.

When the Mayor blew the candles, you silently wished it would be you in that place someday.

The moment was over soon. Slices of cake were distributed. Chocolate cake with strawberries. It tasted amazing. Makino had to stand near the cake to prevent Luffy from eating everything by himself.

The kids went out to play again. You followed, leaving this small moment of sorrow behind.

“Hurry up, you two. I don’t want to see you climbing up that mountain in the dark.” There were still a few hours left until sunset, but Makino was right. You had eaten more than what your stomach could take and tired your legs from running around so much.

Makino handed you a picnic basket: it had slices of cake, brigadeiros, coxinhas (which was something else you had never eaten before – a crispy fried snack in a teardrop shape filled with shredded chicken) and sandwiches. “These are for Ace and the others. I’m glad you’re here to carry it, because Luffy would end up eating everything on the way if I gave it to him.”

“Hey!”

She giggled and leaned down to hug Luffy. When Makino leaned away, she lowered her voice, but you could still hear very well when she said: “Tell Ace I’ll go see him tomorrow, okay?”

She then approached and hugged you. “Don’t forget to clean your ears with alcohol everyday.” Makino touched the pearl earrings softly and smiled. “You do look very cute with them!”

Your cheeks felt hot again. For whatever reason.

After waving your goodbyes, there you were making your way into the forest.

Luffy didn’t feel like running, which was a bit of a miracle. Even him could get tired… and you were thankful, because like that, he couldn’t run away from you.

You waited until you were out of the village to start.

“Luffy.”

“Huh?”

“Why didn’t Ace come?”

He stiffened again.

“Y-You already asked that, didn’t you? And I already answered.”

“I don’t buy it. There must be another reason.” You approached him until your shoulders bumped. “Come ooooon. I won’t tell anyone.”

Luffy made that weird constipated face again and crossed his arms. “I… huh… I don’t know! I have no idea! Hah!”

“I’m great at keeping secrets! You can trust me!”

“Seriously, I don’t know anything!” But he was sweating again and avoiding your gaze so much that his eyeballs were almost rolling inside his skull, so it meant it was time to play dirty.

You shoved your hand inside the basket and put a coxinha in front of his face.

His eyes widened.

“I’ll give it to you if you tell me.”

Luffy gasped.

He froze, his fingers trembled, his mouth drooled. It looked like he was facing the biggest challenge of his life. The coxinha smelled amazing. It was still warm and shining golden in its crispy fried glory.

For a second, it looked like he was raising his hands to grab it – and you were ready to sing victory.

But Luffy tapped his foot on the ground and whipped his head to the side aggressively.

“No!”

It was your turn to gasp.

Was it so serious that Luffy couldn’t even be bribed with food to tell the truth? That was surprising.

Admitting defeat, you put the snack inside the basket again and went back to walking. “Okay, then.”

You heard Luffy whine behind you and the tap tap of his sandals fast approaching again. “But we could eat one of them, right? They would never know.”

“You can’t eat just one. You’ll want the whole thing.”

“Nooo, I’m serious!” He brought both hands close to his face in a praying position and looked at you with round, begging eyes. “Just one? Please? Please? Please?”

You hesitated before admitting defeat for the second time that day.

“Just one.” Luffy giggled excitedly. “Eat slowly ‘cause it’s really gonna be the only one!”

He took one. You took one.

You chewed in silence.

This coxinha was another secret you’d have to keep. Another lie.

Luffy was a terrible liar. It looked like he couldn’t lie to save his life. Meanwhile, lying to you was easy… it was part of the job – sometimes you’d have to go undercover, and to get info on a target, you’d have to lie your way in. You were also used to lying to avoid punishments. It wasn’t hard to come up with something on the spot. Believable lies, sometimes only twisting the truth a bit to get what you wanted.

You lied to everybody here. All of these kind people that had been nothing but honest to you. All of these people calling you by a name that wasn’t truly yours. Wolfie this, Wolfie that… but Wolfie didn’t exist.

No one should see your face. No one should know your name.

But would you ever be able to make a real friend behind this mask of lies?

You wanted Luffy to be a real friend.

So you swallowed and gathered some courage.

“Luffy.”

“Hmm?” His mouth was full.

“I have a secret to tell you.” He seemed mildly interested. “‘Wolfie’ is not my name.”

You gave him your real name quietly – almost as if there was a possibility of someone else hearing it nearby. You decided to leave your last name behind. That would be too risky.

Luffy repeated your name. You nodded. He quirked an eyebrow. “So what?”

“I’m not from Loguetown. I’m not even from the East Blue.”

Luffy narrowed his eyes slowly, finally fully interested. “And why’d you lie?”

You pressed your lips and debated for a second if this was the right thing to do… but Landon wasn’t here, or anyone from your family, and the only thing with ears nearby was a squirrel and a couple of birds.

So you continued.

“I’m an assassin.”

You held your breath and waited for Luffy’s reaction.

He could laugh at your face and say you were lying. He could scowl and run away in fear. He could push you down the hill and tell you to never get near his family again.

But Luffy did what you least expected.

...He didn’t react.

At all.

He just kept chewing the coxinha as if you told him what you’re having for dinner.

“Why are you an assassin?” He asked.

“It’s the family business.”

“So your parents are, too?”

“Yeah.”

“And why do they do that?”

“For the money.” You shrugged.

“Hmmm.” He finished eating and rested both hands behind his head. “That’s why you’re rich.”

“Yeah.”

Luffy then frowned as if remembering something.

“Wait. Why’d you feel bad for the crocodile, then?”

That was an interesting question. “...I like animals. They’re irrational. And cute.”

“You think a monster crocodile is cute?”

“Uh-Huh.”

“Weirdo.” He was pretty much imitating what Ace said earlier, but you didn’t mind. “So. Do you like to kill people?”

That was another interesting question. No one had ever asked you that. You hummed and held your chin.

“I don’t like it. But I don’t mind it either. It’s just... work.”

“Sounds pretty boring.”

Your shoulders dropped. “It is boring.”

“So that’s why you’re here?”

He caught things pretty quickly. You nodded, an annoyed knot appearing between your eyebrows. “They don’t let me play. They don’t let me do anything! It’s just work work work, it’s just you have to honor the family or whatever.” Your voice sounded more whiny and bitter at each word. “They never even asked me if I wanted to be part of the business. Not that they have ever asked my opinion on anything.”

Luffy hummed again – but there was something a bit strange about his voice now.

His hat had dropped a bit, casting a shadow over his eyes.

“...You’re like Sabo.” Luffy’s voice was… strangely quiet. You’d never seen him speaking quietly before.

You tilted your head.

“Who’s Sabo?”

“My brother.”

“Really?” Luffy had another brother? You didn’t hear anyone mention that name. “Where is he?”

Luffy dropped his arms from behind his head.

“He… he died.”

That took you by surprise.

“Oh.”

Silence.

You’re like Sabo, Luffy said.

For some reason, you remembered Ace’s aggressiveness towards you… how he didn’t want to let you in that old tree house...

And something clicked.

Did you remind Ace of this dead brother? Was he somehow jealous of your presence… as if you could perhaps assume that empty spot?

You scratched your head and frowned. That didn’t make any sense since, well, you had enough brothers and you hated all of them. Why’d you want to have any more brothers? That’s not what you came here for. Ace was a few years older than you, but if your suspicions were right, then he was nothing but delusional and childish.

Luffy made a strange noise, which brought your attention to him again.

You leaned to see his face under the hat.

“...You crying?”

“I’m not!”

But his face was wet with tears and his cheeks were flushed and he had the biggest pout and he rushed to clean his nose with the collar of his shirt. Oh no, he’s actually crying, even though he was clearly trying to hold it in. What do I do?!

You weren’t one to cry. You didn’t even remember the last time you did. Wait, have you ever cried at all? Have you ever seen anyone in the family cry? Huh… no, I don’t think so. Never felt anything deserving of shedding tears, I guess.

“Stop staring at me!”

“Sorry!” You leaned away and crossed your arms. “It’s just that this is, huh, unusual.”

Luffy sniffed and frowned. “What do you mean unusual?”

You scratched your own cheek awkwardly. “Well. If any of my brothers died, I’d throw a party to celebrate.”

Luffy stiffened for a second – and you worried that you had worsened the situation.

But then he laughed.

He sniffed again and cleaned his face with his forearm. The tears stopped! Great! “You really are a weirdo. Is your family that bad?”

You scowled instinctively. “I don’t even wanna talk about them.”

“I don’t wanna talk about them, either. They sound boring.” Luffy sniffed again and side eyed you with a small pout. “Don’t tell Ace you saw me crying. He’ll smack me.”

“Okay.” It was your turn to point at him. “Don’t tell Ace my secret or I’ll smack you.”

“Right. Wolfie.” He used a funny tone to say that name while grinning, and it immediately made you smile too. Luffy was kind of slow, but he got the message. That name was forbidden, even though you decided to share it with him anyway.

Luffy knew the real you now – and he didn’t care.

“Can I get another one–?”

“No!” You took the basket out of his reach before he could sneakily stretch his arm to grab it. “I was serious! Just one!”

“But–“

“No!”

You brought the basket close to your chest and sprinted up the trail without looking back. Luffy’s laugh and the tap tap tap of his sandals quickly followed.

At that moment, while running from Luffy and getting deeper into the forest, while feeling the delicious smell of the food inside the basket and sap and damp soil, while listening to his giggles and the ones that erupted from your own chest, you got to a conclusion.

One year, zero failures – twenty five successful commissions, uncountable classes, uncountable boring hours of painful training… it was a fair price to pay for the happiness you could experience at that mountain, at that island, at this god forsaken corner of the world. No golden armor or cannon or warship could compare to that.

No money could buy that.

You were willing to do whatever it took to always keep this small island of peace intact.

[hwaretic]

The Moonlit Vow | j.yh

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note : hey guys !! so I was thinking about this story for a long time, so enjoy !! and don't mind me writing so much, yunho fics. I'm too obsessed with him these days TvT

genre : romance, fantasy, royalty au

pairing : prince yunho x princess f!reader

word count : 2.9k+ synopsis : In the kingdom of Valtoria, Princess Y/N has always known that duty comes before love. Betrothed to a prince she does not love, she finds herself drawn to his younger brother, Prince Yunho, whose kindness and warmth awaken emotions she never thought possible. Their love, hidden in stolen moments and whispered promises, is tested by the expectations of the court and the weight of tradition. As their forbidden love threatens to unravel, fate intervenes, unravelling a conspiracy that changes the course of history. With the kingdom on their side, Y/N and Yunho are finally free to wed, sealing their love not as a secret but as a promise to their people. Years later, as they rule side by side with their children, their love becomes a legend—one that proves that even in a world of duty and sacrifice, love will always triumph.

The kingdom of Valtoria was a land of grandeur, its castles kissed by the sun and its rivers whispering secrets of ancient love. Yet, within its gilded halls, a love story unfolded—one that defied duty, challenged destiny, and was written in the stars long before the lovers even met.

Princess Y/N had spent her life preparing for duty. Every lesson, every whispered word from her tutors, had sculpted her into the perfect queen—the kind who put her people before herself, who followed tradition without question. She had been raised to understand that love was a luxury, not a necessity.

But no lesson had prepared her for Prince Yunho.

He arrived at the Valtorian palace in the bloom of spring, his presence commanding yet effortlessly warm. Unlike the stiff, formal nobles she had grown accustomed to, Yunho carried himself with ease. He was charming, yes, but not in the practiced way of court politicians. His kindness was not a tool but a truth.

Their first meeting was nothing remarkable—just a fleeting exchange in the castle gardens, a courteous greeting. Yet, the way he looked at her, as if he had already read every page of her heart, left her breathless.

And then, there was his voice, rich and smooth like honeyed wine. “It is an honor to finally meet the princess whose name carries the weight of legend.”

She had laughed, surprised by his playfulness. “I hope the legend is not too disappointing in person.”

His gaze held hers, deep and unwavering. “Quite the opposite.”

What began as polite conversations soon turned into something far more dangerous. They met in secret corners of the palace, beneath the grand chandeliers of royal banquets, where stolen glances spoke louder than words. They exchanged letters, hidden in books and carried by trusted hands, each word laced with longing.

Yunho was different from any man she had ever known. He did not view her as a pawn to be played in the great game of politics. To him, she was not just a princess, but a person—with dreams, desires, and fears.

One evening, as they stood in the palace’s moonlit courtyard, Yunho took her hand. “Tell me something true,” he whispered.

She hesitated. Truth was dangerous in their world.

But under his gaze, she felt safe. “I wish I were not a princess.”

His fingers tightened around hers. “And I wish I had met you in another life—one where we were free to love without consequence.”

But love, no matter how powerful, could not erase duty. Y/N was betrothed to another—a man chosen not for love, but for alliance. The engagement was meant to unite Valtoria and Rhenmere, ensuring peace between the two great kingdoms.

Yunho, though a prince, was not her intended. His elder brother was. And in their world, love did not overrule duty.

As the wedding day drew closer, the weight of expectation pressed down on her, suffocating. At night, she lay awake, haunted by the knowledge that she would soon stand at the altar with a man she did not love, while the one who held her heart would be forced to watch in silence.

One evening, in the hidden solace of the castle library, Yunho found her sitting by the window, lost in thought.

“I cannot bear this,” she confessed, tears threatening to spill. “Every step I take leads me further from you.”

He knelt before her, taking her hands in his. “Then let us find another path.”

“But how?” she whispered. “My fate is already written.”

He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss against her fingers. “Then let us rewrite it.”

Their love was not destined to remain a secret forever. Whispers of their stolen moments reached the ears of the court, and soon, the king himself summoned Yunho.

“I have been patient with your indiscretions,” the king warned. “But love is not a privilege princes can afford. Your duty is to your family, to your kingdom.”

Yunho’s jaw tightened. “And what of her duty to herself? What of her heart?”

The king’s eyes were cold. “A queen does not follow her heart. She follows her duty.”

That night, Y/N and Yunho met in the royal gardens, knowing their time was slipping away. The stars above seemed to weep with them, their silver light casting long shadows across the marble pathways.

“I cannot ask you to fight for something that will only bring you pain,” she whispered, her fingers trailing over his cheek. “I love you too much to see you suffer.”

His hands cupped her face, his touch desperate, reverent. “Then let me suffer. If it means loving you, I would endure every pain, every consequence.”

She closed her eyes, leaning into his embrace. “If only love were enough.”

He kissed her then, slow and deep, as if trying to etch the memory into his very soul. A promise. A vow. No matter what the world demanded of them, their love would remain.

The wedding day arrived, but fate had other plans. A political scandal rocked the royal court—Y/N’s betrothed was caught in a conspiracy against the throne, his betrayal laid bare before the kingdom. The engagement was annulled, the alliance shattered.

And through the storm, Yunho remained by her side.

As the dust settled, the royal council convened. With no heir to marry, a new union was proposed—one that would strengthen the kingdom and honor the people’s wishes.

One that would finally bring Y/N and Yunho together.

The grand halls of the palace were adorned with gold and ivory, the scent of fresh roses filling the air as the kingdom gathered to witness their beloved princess wed the man she had fought so hard to love. As Y/N walked down the aisle, her gown shimmering like stardust, she locked eyes with Yunho, whose smile was brighter than the sun itself.

When he took her hands in his, there was no hesitation, no fear—only love, pure and unwavering. “With this vow,” Yunho said, his voice steady, “I promise to love you in this life and the next, until the stars themselves fade from the sky.”

Tears shimmered in her eyes as she whispered, “And I vow to stand beside you, as your queen, your partner, and the keeper of your heart.”

As they sealed their promises with a kiss, the kingdom erupted into cheers, celebrating the love that had defied all odds.

The years passed, and their love only grew stronger. In the quiet moments, away from the eyes of the court, they found solace in each other’s arms. Their kingdom thrived under their rule, their bond an unshakable force.

And then, one evening, as the sun set over the palace gardens, Y/N watched as Yunho knelt before their twin children, laughter spilling from their lips as he crowned them with flower tiaras.

She smiled, her heart full.

“You’ve given me everything,” she whispered.

Yunho turned to her, his expression soft. “No, my love. You were my everything, long before the world allowed us to be.”

And as their children ran toward them, their laughter filling the air, Y/N knew—love had truly conquered all.

For theirs was a love that would echo through history, whispered in the winds, sung by the stars, and cherished for all eternity.

[reidsbookclub]

Vows of Rivalry

Authors Note: MY FIRST AARON FIC AHH!! Idk what is scarier the fact that this is FINALLY going out to the world or the fact that my first Aaron fic does not follow cannon events. Either way I would really appreciate any feedback you guys can give me. gif credit to original creator. I had it saved on my laptop so I really do not remember

special thanks to @boldlyvoid for beta reading the first draft of this fic. pairing: Aaron Hotchner x female reader

Without further ado here is Vows of Rivalry.

Mock trial season. Every law student’s worst nightmare. Except for one.

Most students dreaded the possibility of being pitted against Aaron Hotchner—reigning champion since his first year. Hotch was renowned for his ruthless precision, impeccable argumentation, and the intimidating scowl that seemed permanently etched onto his face. But for Y/N Y/L/N, the prospect of facing Aaron was anything but dreadful. In fact, she relished it.

She could see it now: his jaw clenched, his lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes narrowing whenever she’d poke holes in his carefully laid arguments. For her, it wasn’t just about winning. It was about watching Aaron Hotchner, the unflappable law prodigy, completely lose his composure.

That day was no different. The mock trial courtroom buzzed with the tension of impending arguments, the air crackling with unspoken competition. Y/N adjusted her blazer, her eyes scanning the room for her favorite opponent. There he was, already seated with his ever-present briefcase of legal weapons, jaw set and brows furrowed as he reviewed his notes. She couldn’t help the smirk tugging at her lips as she walked to her seat across from him.

The mock trial had barely begun, but the room felt like a pressure cooker. Y/N had just finished outlining her opening argument when Aaron stood to cross-examine her witness. As always, he delivered each question with surgical precision, his voice sharp, his gaze colder than a winter morning.

But she wasn’t backing down.

“Your Honor,” she interrupted smoothly, “he simply doesn’t have the evidence necessary for—”

“Evidence?” Aaron interrupted, his calm demeanor finally cracking. He looked like he was about to explode, his face flushed with frustration. “Evi—Jesus, woman, you make me so annoyed sometimes. I just want to very publicly divorce you!”

The courtroom fell silent, and Y/N stared at him, stunned by his outburst. Then, instead of being thrown off, she smiled. “You’d have to marry me first, Hotchner.”

Aaron stormed off, leaving the room in a buzz of shock. The judge cleared his throat awkwardly and called for a recess, but all Y/N could think about was how much she had enjoyed watching him unravel.

Neither of them realizing that the judge for this mock trial, their peer Marcus,  had a murderous look trained to where Aaron had left. 

Flash forward — Present day

The BAU office was quieter than usual, the team scattered as they worked on different aspects of their current case. Aaron Hotchner sat at his desk, tapping his pen absently against a case file, the rhythm of his movements betraying his usual calm. His mind wasn’t on the case—not entirely. Instead, it kept wandering back to Y/N. Their history, their rivalry in law school, the way she always managed to get under his skin.

His mind began to drift to that impulsive night in Vegas that had been the culmination of all that tension

The neon lights of Las Vegas blared like a siren song, luring Y/N and Aaron into a world of wildness and excess. After an exhausting week of mock trials, they and their law school classmates had decided to blow off some steam and take a trip to Vegas of all places.

“Okay, Hotchner, let’s see if you can handle another round!” Y/N challenged, her voice slightly slurred as she leaned against the bar, her hair a tousled mess.

Aaron rolled his eyes, his own drink barely clutched in his hand. “I think you’ve already had enough, Y/N. You know, you might actually lose your pants at the blackjack table this time.”

“Ha! Please, I’m a betting goddess! You’re just jealous because I outsmarted you in court last week!” she shot back, leaning in closer, her breath a mixture of fruity cocktails and determination.

“Outsmarted me? You mean you got lucky!” Aaron replied, smirking. 

“You know what? Let’s get married!”  she taunted, downing the last of her drink. 

“What?” Aaron burst out laughing, nearly spilling his drink. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope!” Y/N declared, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Let’s do it. Vegas style! You and me! A wedding! Right now!”

He glanced at her, both amused and wary. “You realize that you’re completely drunk out of your mind, right? You know what they say about Vegas weddings. And I don’t want to be part of a ‘you’re-who-I-got-drunk-with’ story.”

She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Come on, Hotch! It’ll be epic! Plus, we’ll have a great story to tell during our class reunion 10 years from now about how we got wasted and tied the knot on a whim!”

“Yeah, and how you lost all your money at blackjack the same night!” he shot back, unable to hold back his laughter.

“Shut up!” she laughed, but then her expression shifted to one of playful defiance. “I dare you to come with me! We’ll show everyone that even stoic Aaron Hotcher  can do something crazy with the right company! Or are you too scared”

Aaron raised an eyebrow, a grin spreading across his face. “You think I’m scared? You really want to drag me into this madness?”

“Absolutely!” she insisted, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the chapel like a determined toddler. “C’mon! What’s the worst that could happen? We’ll wake up tomorrow, laugh about it!”

“Or we might actually end up married,” he replied, a mixture of thrill and dread filling him as they reached the chapel’s entrance. “What’s your plan if we do?”

“Um… we’ll just call it a really fun mistake!” she quipped, giggling as they stumbled into the small, tacky chapel. Elvis’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” played in the background, setting the perfect absurd tone.

Inside, they approached the altar, barely able to contain their laughter. The Elvis impersonator greeted them, his eyes twinkling as he took in their disheveled appearance.

“Welcome to the chapel, lovebirds!” he boomed, clearly accustomed to drunken couples making rash decisions.

“Lovebirds?” Aaron muttered under his breath, shooting Y/N a glance. 

“Shhh! Just go with it,” she hissed, nudging him with her elbow. “It’ll be fun!”

The officiant cleared his throat. “Do you, Y/N, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“Sure, why not?” Y/N said with a grin, her tone decidedly nonchalant. “I mean, he does make a decent man most of the time.”

“Y/N!” Aaron exclaimed, mortified and amused at her flippancy.

“And do you, Aaron, take Y/N to be your lawfully wedded wife?” the officiant continued, a bemused smile on his face.

Aaron shrugged dramatically, looking at Y/N with exaggerated seriousness. “I guess so. As long as she promises not to annoy me with her terrible jokes and awful puns.”

“Hey!” Y/N shot back, mock-hurt. “I’ll have you know my jokes are legendary!”

“Legendary at making people cringe,” he replied, chuckling as the officiant tried to stifle a laugh.

After a few more playful jabs and exaggerated vows—filled with drunken laughter and outrageous promises—they exchanged rings made of plastic and signed their names on the chapel’s official log, feeling giddy and foolish.

As they stumbled back out into the glittering chaos of the Vegas Strip, their marriage license in hand, they couldn't help but laugh that they even printed out one. 

“Is this even legal?” she asked not expecting a reply, glancing at their license as if it might disappear into thin air. “You would think that for a pair of law students we would know the answer” 

Aaron only shrugged, too drunk to think, tossing an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s hit the casino again. After all, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?”

As they walked, their banter flowed freely, filled with giggles and playful nudges. They knew they would laugh about this ridiculous night for years to come, even if they had to figure out how to disentangle themselves from the drunken mess they had just created.

The next morning had been awkward, to say the least. They had agreed to get the marriage annulled immediately, laughing about how ridiculous it all was. Except, somehow, neither had followed through on the paperwork. It had slipped through the cracks of their busy lives.

Now, his mind kept wandering back to Y/N wondering where she was now. He couldn’t help but notice how the victims all had a striking resemblance to her. 

The team had been called in to investigate a series of kidnappings, and the more they dug, the clearer it became for him how they all looked like Y/N. Where was she now? He couldn’t help but think. Was she safe? 

He leaned forward, pinching the bridge of his nose, the weight of it all pressing down on him. He had to find her, his protective instincts kicking in. 

“Did you find something, Garcia?” Hotch asked, breaking the silence of his office when Penelope Garcia appeared at the door, her fingers flying across her tablet.

She hesitated momentarily, her usual cheerful energy replaced with a seriousness that made Hotch’s pulse quicken.

“I… I think so, sir,” she said, her eyes widening as she glanced at her screen. “Does the name Y/N Y/L/N ring any bells?”

Hotch’s heart stopped for a moment. His eyes locked with Garcia’s, his mind racing. “Yes,” he replied, his voice strained. “She’s… my wife.”

Garcia’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what?”

Hotch took a breath, the memories rushing back. “We got married… years ago. It was a mistake. We were supposed to get divorced, but… it never happened.”

Garcia blinked rapidly, trying to process what he had just revealed. “So, you’re telling me… you’re still married?”

“Yes.” Hotch’s voice was tight with emotion. 

He stood abruptly, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair. “What did you find?”

Garcia quickly shifted gears, “well, her co-workers reported Y/N missing yesterday after not showing up to work,” pulling up a map of the latest victim location.  “Y/N’s phone pinged from an industrial area near the docks about an hour ago. The unsub is still playing games, but I believe she is the latest victim, sir. It appears he stalked her online for a couple of weeks’”

Hotch’s jaw tightened as he listened, his professional side taking over. “Send me the coordinates. I want the team assembled now.”

~~~~~

The BAU team had nearly arrived to the warehouse, moving swiftly and silently. Hotch led the charge, his mind a blur of tactical planning and personal fear. He couldn’t let anything happen to her. Not after all these years. Not when he was just realizing how much she still meant to him.

Inside, the air was thick with dust and decay. The unsub had clearly been holding Y/N here, but as they searched the space, there was no sign of her or the unsub.

Hotch’s phone buzzed. A new message.

It was from Y/N’s phone, but the words were clearly from the unsub:

“Do you remember? Do you remember how much you tried to hate her? Tried to hide much did you love her? You won’t find her in time, Hotchner.” 

So this was someone from their past, but who? While trying to think of anyone that would’ve been trying to get close to her and hating him he couldn’t help but recall one fateful winter day that cemented them as academic rivals while also cementing his love for her. 

The cold bite of winter air seeped into the library, where a few stubborn law students huddled around textbooks and laptops. Outside, snowflakes drifted lazily, painting the world in white, but inside, a different kind of storm was brewing.

Aaron Hotchner glanced up from his notes, his sharp gaze falling on Y/N, who sat across from him in their study group. The usual fire was in her eyes, and the faintest trace of a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she readied herself for another round of their never-ending banter.

“You’re completely wrong, Hotchner,” she said, her voice sharp and teasing. “Your interpretation of the case law is so off-base, I’m surprised you’re even here right now.”

Aaron raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Is that so? Enlighten me, then. If you can, that is.”

Y/N’s face flushed, her hazel eyes narrowing in mock-annoyance. The faint crinkle of her nose appeared—the one that always seemed to surface when she was riled up. It was something he had started to look forward to, something that drove him to keep pushing her buttons just to see that reaction.

“Don’t tempt me,” she said with a huff, leaning forward to point at his notes. “Right here, you missed the entire point of the ruling. You can’t just cherry-pick the facts that support your argument. You’re better than that… or at least, I thought you were.”

Her words were laced with sarcasm, but Aaron found himself barely hearing them. Instead, his mind focused on the way her hair fell loosely over her shoulders, how her cheeks were tinged pink from the warmth of the heated room, and how that fire in her eyes sparked every time they clashed.

She was beautiful in a way he hadn’t allowed himself to fully acknowledge until now. He’d always admired her intellect, her tenacity, the way she stood her ground no matter how hard he pushed. But today—today something shifted. It wasn’t just respect or admiration anymore. It was something deeper, something that hit him square in the chest as if knocking the air out of him.

God, he loved seeing her like this—passionate, focused, and utterly unrelenting. His heart raced as he watched her argue her point, lips moving with a confidence that captivated him. He’d always riled her up for the sake of competition, but now he realized it was more than that. He loved it. Loved the way her nose crinkled, the way her skin flushed pink when she got under his skin and knew it.

She was like a force of nature, and Aaron—against all logic—was caught in her storm.

“Are you even listening to me?” Y/N’s voice cut through his thoughts, her eyes narrowing further as she leaned back, arms crossed.

Aaron blinked, shaking off the haze of his realization, and quickly returned to their debate. “Of course I am. I’m just trying to figure out if you actually believe that nonsense you’re spewing.”

Her mouth fell open, and that familiar spark lit in her eyes again. “You’re impossible!” she snapped, throwing her pen down dramatically.

Aaron bit back a grin. “And you’re predictable.”

That earned him a glare, but he could see the amusement behind it. She thrived on this, just like he did. The banter, the push and pull—it was their language, and he’d never felt more alive than when they were like this. But now it came with a deeper ache, a longing he hadn’t anticipated.

Later that day, after they’d packed up and left the library, Aaron lingered near the hallway, stuffing his textbooks into his bag. Y/N’s voice drifted from around the corner, chatting with her friends.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come out with us tonight?” one of the girls asked. “Marcus has been wanting to ask you out and you always shoot him down.” 

Y/N laughed softly. “No, I’m good. I promised myself I’d focus on law school. No distractions. I’m staying single and just keeping my head down until graduation.”

Aaron froze, his breath catching in his throat. The words stung more than they should have. He had just admitted to himself that he might be falling for her, and now—now she was putting up a wall, and he wasn’t even on the other side of it.

Single. Focused on her studies. No distractions.

It was clear where she stood, and Aaron felt a knot of frustration tighten in his chest. He could never compete with her ambitions, nor would he try. He respected that about her. But still, it hit him hard, this quiet admission of hers that he had no place in her plans.

He stood there, hidden just out of view, feeling the weight of her words settle over him. He had never been one to chase something he couldn’t have, and Y/N had just made it clear she was determined to stay unattached.

But if he couldn’t have her the way he wanted—if she would never see him the way he saw her—then he’d find another way to stay close to her.

That night, as snow continued to fall softly outside the window, Aaron made a silent vow to himself. If being her rival was the only way to be near her, then so be it. He would challenge her, argue with her, push her to her limits—because that’s when she was at her best, and it was the only way he could keep her in his life.

If being her academic rival was all he could be, then he would make sure to be the best damn rival she ever had.

The blood drained from his face as he reread the words. This was personal. The unsub had been watching them—watching their past, their history. And now, Hotch knew he was the key to finding Y/N. Could it have been Marucs? Marcus was the  other relentless suitor that y/n had. Could it be him? 

He called Garcia, “we are almost at the location Y/Ns phone pinged last. Look into Marcus for me, he went to school with us” he ordered 

“Looks  like Marcus has had many girlfriends that resemble Y/N physical appearance since graduating, up until last year in which his girlfriend broke up with him to marry someone else. The wedding date coincides with the first killing sir” 

“Thanks Garcia” he said as they arrived at the location. 

The SWAT team had cleared the perimeter, and Aaron Hotchner stood just outside the door of the dilapidated warehouse. The once-industrial building had long since been abandoned, its cracked windows and rusting metal exterior fitting the profile of a man like Marcus Chambers—someone who had faded into the shadows, but had never truly disappeared.

Aaron’s heartbeat thudded heavily in his ears, the only sound louder than the quiet murmur of the team communicating over comms. They’d been tracking Marcus for days, and this was their best lead yet. But there was one glaring problem—it seemed Y/N wasn’t here.

And time was running out.

The door to the warehouse creaked open, and Aaron nodded to Morgan and Prentiss, signaling them to enter first. Inside, the air was stale and filled with the faint scent of metal and dust. There were scattered pieces of old machinery and boxes, but it was otherwise empty—save for a table and the man seated at the far end of the room.

Marcus.

His dark eyes were fixed on the team as they approached, his mouth curled into a bitter smirk. He didn’t make any effort to move or run, didn’t flinch as SWAT flooded in behind them, guns raised and voices sharp with commands. He sat there, unbothered, like he’d been expecting them all along.

Aaron’s jaw clenched as he approached, unable to shake the burning anger and desperation clawing at him. Y/N’s life depended on this, and every second felt like an eternity.

“Where is she?” Aaron’s voice was low, controlled, but the fury beneath it was unmistakable.

Marcus’s eyes flickered with amusement as he leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms lazily. “You think it’s that easy, don’t you, Hotchner? You swoop in, play the hero, and save the day.” He sneered. “But not this time.”

Aaron’s fists clenched at his sides. The rage boiling inside him was barely contained, but he couldn’t afford to lose control now. He couldn’t let Marcus see just how much he was getting to him. He wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“I’m not playing games with you, Marcus,” Aaron growled, stepping closer, his voice like steel. “Tell me where she is, or I swear you won’t like how this ends.”

Morgan stepped forward ready to jump and protect his boss and close friend, hand resting on his gun, ready for any sign of danger. “You’re surrounded, man, you’re not walking out of here, so you might as well make it easier on yourself.”

Marcus chuckled darkly, shaking his head as if amused by the entire situation. “Easier? For me? This was never about making it easy, agent.” His eyes drifted back to Aaron, and there was something unsettling in his gaze—something cold, unhinged. “This was about making you pay.”

Aaron felt the weight of those words, and it took everything in him to keep his expression neutral. He had known Marcus back in law school—had always seen him as a man with an inferiority complex, always jealous of anyone who succeeded around him. But that was nothing compared to the bitterness Aaron saw now.

“This is about Y/N, isn’t it?” Aaron said, voice steady but cutting. “You’ve hated me since the mock trial when I said I would marry her, but Marcus you should know we were just rattling each other”

“Bullshit” Marcus yelled irritated 

Marcus’s smirk widened. “You have no idea, do you? No idea what it felt like watching you—golden boy Aaron Hotchner—get everything handed to you. The grades, the reputation, and then… her.”

Could he really know about Vegas, about them actually marrying? Aaron thought. It wasn’t as if they actually lived like husband and wife, they had just forgotten to annul the marriage, granted, as far as he knew neither of them had dated after that day. Could he really be this infuriated by a piece of paper? Aaron decided not to focus on the  pang of guilt he felt by thinking of the marriage to the love of his life as just a “piece of paper” he had to figure out where she was before it was too late.

“I watched you two,” Marcus continued, his voice laced with bitterness. “Watched you marry her like it was some joke. Like she was some prize you could just win and forget about.” 

Aaron’s stomach twisted. It all went back to Vegas. The night they’d gotten drunk, the night he and Y/N had woken up with rings on their fingers and hazy memories of how they got there. A wedding that should have been forgotten, annulled, but had somehow turned into something much more permanent, a silent promise that they would always be there for each other. A promise he couldn't break, not after all this time. 

 And Marcus had been there. He’d seen it all. And he was dead set on breaking the fragile bond that was made that night between Aaron and Y/N.  

Suddenly, a faint sound caught his attention—a soft, muffled cry coming from the back of the warehouse. Hotch motioned for the team to follow as they approached a locked room. Kicking the door open, his breath caught in his throat.

There she was. Y/N. Bound and gagged but alive.

You were there that night?” Aaron asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Marcus nodded, his eyes flickering with something darker—something dangerous. “I saw it all. You don’t even remember, do you? How you laughed about it. How you said it didn’t matter, how it would all be a funny memory years down the road. But it mattered to me.”

Aaron’s chest tightened. Yes, there was laughter that night. But, he hadn’t brushed it off like it meant nothing. It had scared him the days after how much that marriage had meant to him. But Marcus had twisted that memory, had held onto it all these years, letting it fester into something deadly.

“This isn’t about Vegas, Marcus,” Aaron said coldly. “This is about your obsession. You’re angry because you never stood a chance.”

Marcus’s smirk faltered for a brief second, but the madness in his eyes only intensified. “I didn’t stand a chance because you took her from me before I even had one.”

Aaron’s fists clenched tighter, his patience fraying. “I'm done with this, I’m done with you. Tell me where she is. Now.”

Marcus chuckled, leaning forward in his chair, his voice dripping with malice. “You really think I’d make it that easy for you? No, Hotchner. This is your punishment. You don’t get to save her this time.”

Aaron’s blood ran cold, a chill settling deep into his bones. He stepped closer, towering over Marcus, his voice deadly calm. “You tell me where she is, or I swear–” Aaron couldn’t finish his threat, noticing Marcus’ eyes flickered to the timer he set on a nearby table. 

Marcus met Aaron’s eyes, his smile fading into something more sinister. “You’re too late. She will be dead in 20 minutes.”

Aaron’s heart stopped. Too late. No, that couldn’t be possible. Not Y/N. Not when they were so close.

“Where is she?” Morgan demanded, his voice rising.

Marcus didn’t answer. His gaze drifted lazily around the room, savoring the tension, the desperation on Aaron’s face. “You’ll never find her. She’s too far gone.”

Aaron lunged forward, grabbing Marcus by the collar and hauling him to his feet, rage boiling over. “Where is she?!”

Morgan and Prentiss moved to pull Aaron back, but he was already too far gone. Marcus laughed in his face, taunting him with the one thing Aaron couldn’t afford to lose: time.

And then, in a quiet, venomous whisper, Marcus finally spoke.

“You’re looking in the wrong place.”

The words sank in, chilling Aaron to his core. Marcus had known all along that they’d come here, had expected this, planned for it. And while they wasted time finding him—Y/N was somewhere else.

Somewhere Aaron might never reach her in time.

He released Marcus, stepping back, chest heaving with frustration and panic. They had him in custody, but it wasn’t enough. Not without Y/N.

They were running out of time, and Aaron knew he couldn’t afford a single second more

Back at the BAU Penelope Garcia’s fingers flew across the keyboard, eyes glued to the flurry of data populating the screen. She’d been digging into Marcus's background, searching for anything that could lead them to where he was keeping Y/N. “Come on, come on…” she muttered under her breath, frustration building—until suddenly, a detail popped up, too familiar to ignore. “Wait a minute,” she whispered, freezing. She leaned closer, eyes widening as the puzzle pieces clicked. “The old library!”

Spencer Reid, sitting across from her, looked up from the stack of files he was pouring over. “What about it?”

Garcia spun her chair toward him, her face pale with realization. “That abandoned library—the one Hotch and Marcus used to study at with the group. It was scheduled for demolition last year, but the plans were scrapped. No one’s been there in years.”

Reid’s eyes lit up with recognition, and his voice dropped. “It’s isolated. Quiet. The perfect place to hide someone.”

Garcia immediately tapped into her comms, panic lacing her voice as she patched through to Hotch. "Hotch, I think we’ve found her. She’s at the old library. Marcus has her at the place you all used to study.”

There was a beat of silence before Hotch's voice came through, tight with urgency. "We are  on our way."

Aaron Hotchner’s heart pounded as he pushed through the crumbling doors of the abandoned library, his flashlight slicing through the dust-choked darkness. Morgan was right behind him, followed closely by Prentiss, JJ, and Rossi, their footsteps eerily silent against the cracked tile floors. The air was heavy with mustiness, and the faint echoes of their past—years spent studying in this very place—seemed to haunt the hallways. But there was no time for memories. They had to find her.

A distant sound, soft but unmistakable—a faint whimper—cut through the silence. Hotch froze, his breath hitching. His pulse quickened as his eyes darted toward a door partially ajar at the far end of the room. He motioned for the team to fan out as he crept forward, fear and determination twisting in his gut.

He pushed the door open, revealing Y/N—bound, bruised, but alive—lying in the corner of the room. Relief surged through him like a wave, but there was no time to celebrate, she was breathing but not conscious. Morgan moved quickly to her side, cutting her restraints while JJ and Prentiss scanned the area, and Rossi stood guard. Hotch knelt beside her, his voice low but filled with an emotion he rarely let surface. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

Her eyes, though tired and scared, widened when she saw him. Relief washed over her face “Y/N,” he whispered, his voice cracking for the first time in years.

She coughed softly as she tried to smile. “You… you found me.”

“Always,” he whispered, pulling her into his arms. “I’ll always find my wife.”

tagging some of my friends that I know would not mind reading an Aaron fic

@samuel-de-champagne-problems @boldlyvoid @reidsaurora @milla984 @thedancingcostumeyoungadult @reid-ingandweeping @ssahotchnerr

[ducksido]

Loved your Baur courting fic but I would DIE at a Sebek version especially where his “flawless” courtship of the Prefect is so misinterpreted since she is from our world and has NO idea about Fae customs and suddenly Sebek is coming at them full sprint screaming about dueling💀

(I had to write this as quick as i can)

The first time Sebek challenged Y/n to a duel, they genuinely thought he wanted to kill them.

To be fair, the sight of a six foot two-tall, half-fae knight-in-training charging at them full speed, bellowing about honor and proving himself, was enough to send them into full fight-or-flight mode.

Y/n had barely stepped out of Ramshackle Dorm when they heard his unmistakable voice echo across the courtyard.

“PREFECT! PREPARE YOURSELF! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL!”

Their stomach dropped. “What.”

Sebek didn’t slow down. In fact, he picked up speed, the sunlight gleaming dramatically off his perfectly polished uniform. Y/n had just enough time to yelp and throw themselves sideways, narrowly avoiding becoming a human pancake. They hit the ground, heart hammering, as Sebek skidded to a halt, his expression filled with… determination?

“What are you doing?!” they gasped, staring up at him in horror.

He crossed his arms, eyes burning with fervor. “It is only right that I prove myself in battle! A worthy knight must show their devotion through strength, and I shall not rest until I have earned your acknowledgment!”

Y/n blinked. Once. Twice.

“…Acknowledge what? What are you talking about?”

Sebek’s face flushed an alarming shade of red, but instead of embarrassment, he seemed positively brimming with more intensity. “MY COURTSHIP, OF COURSE!”

Their brain short-circuited.

They were courting him? When had that happened? More importantly, how were they still alive if they had somehow been dating Sebek without realizing it?

“I—” They struggled to form a response. “Sebek. I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“Nonsense!” He pointed at them dramatically. “As Lord Malleus’s most loyal retainer, I would never conduct myself improperly! I have been displaying the most exemplary courtship rituals known to Fae-kind!”

“…Such as?”

He began listing on his fingers. “Training at dawn outside your dormitory every morning so you may witness my strength. Bringing you exotic meats from the Night Market to ensure you are properly nourished. Vowing to vanquish anyone who so much as looks at you with ill intent.” He huffed proudly. “And, of course, challenging you to a duel! Only by testing your mettle can I prove we are well-matched!”

Y/n ran a hand down their face. “Sebek.”

“Yes?”

They took a deep breath. “None of that is normal where I’m from.”

Sebek frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean people from my world don’t… do all that when they like someone.”

His eyes widened in abject horror. “IMPOSSIBLE! Then how do your knights swear fealty to their beloved?!”

“…We go on dates?” they offered weakly.

Sebek looked as though they had just spoken in riddles. “Dates?” He repeated the word as if it were a foreign concept. “Like… strategy meetings?”

“No! Like… going out somewhere fun. Talking. Spending time together.”

His expression darkened with deep contemplation. Then, after a moment, he straightened, resolved. “Then I shall take you on one of these ‘dates!’”

Y/n threw their hands up. “That’s not—” They sighed. “You know what? Sure. Fine. One date. But NO more surprise duels!”

Sebek grinned, victorious. “HAH! THEN IT IS DECIDED! I SHALL PLAN THE MOST HONORABLE DATE IMAGINABLE!”

Y/n had a sinking feeling that they had made a mistake.

(Spoiler: They had. They got kicked out of Monstro Lounge)

The next day, in the cafeteria, Y/N and Sebek sat together, hands intertwined. It had become a casual, natural thing, but the moment their friends noticed, the reaction was instant.

Ace nearly choked on his drink. “WOAH, WOAH, WOAH! Are you two… holding hands?!”

Deuce’s eyes widened. “W-Wait… does this mean—? Are you guys dating?!”

Epel smirked, nudging Jack. “Looks like all that effort finally paid off.”

Jack folded his arms, giving Sebek an approving nod. “Hmph. ‘Bout time.” Side-eyeing Deuce who give Ace a crisp 10 madol bill.

Ortho’s eyes glowed excitedly. “Oh! Congratulations, Sebek! I’ll make sure to update my data on human-fae relationships!”

Grim, meanwhile, gagged dramatically. “Ugh! This is so gross! Y/N, how could ya do this to me?!”

“D-Do not make such a fuss! This is simply—!”

Y/N squeezed his hand, cutting him off with an amused smile. “Yeah. We’re dating.”

Sebek made another strangled noise as Ace and Deuce erupted into laughter, and Grim continued his dramatics. Y/N just chuckled, leaning against him. This started with Sebek running at them full speed to them holding hands.

[thepascalparadox]

The Echoes Between Us

Those who bear great responsibility must be willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of others.

Aemilia Aurelia, the sole daughter of Rome’s reigning emperor, Antoninus Justus, is resolute in her desire to be a Domina remembered for her compassion, grace, and unwavering devotion to her people.

Marcus Aurelius, a general of Rome's mighty legions, has pledged himself wholly to the service of the empire. His life is a tribute to duty—he would lay it down without hesitation for his comrades, his emperor, and the imperium he holds sacred.

Neither of them had dared to dream of love’s tender joy. Aemilia, bound by the chains of duty, knows her marriage is but a tool for political alliance, not the sanctuary of affection. Marcus, hardened by the burdens of command, has vowed to keep his heart as barren as fallow earth, so his focus in battle do not falter.  

To some, may be a burden. To them is an honor, a sacrifice gladly embraced. And yet, it took but a single glance, and everything changed. Chapter One - Beyond the Window

Chapter Two - Everything Feels...

Chapter Three - Echoes of Us

Chapter Four - Duty

Chapter Five - Everything Changes

Chapter Six - Away

Chapter Seven - Princess of Nowhere

Chapter eight- Responsability Above All Chapter Nine - A Fragile Bubble Chapter Ten -

· · ────────────────── ·𖥸· ────────────────── · ·

Author notes: please be kind! It is my first fic, English is not my mother language, and to be honest I don't know if will write something big! To give some "guidance": I really don't like the Y/n stuff, but maybe I'll put it in the first person? Not sure yet.  I'll try to do some Marcus's POV because it will be important to their story. I'll definitely put smut on these because I love it too, and I hope to make it very romantic. But there will be slow burn! Is what a had in mind since the beginning, so I'll be loyal to that. 

I'll try to be poetical as well because it is the only way I see Marcus behaving.

The Original Character has no specific physical description!! She has her physical abilities like Lucila in the movie like her gracious way of walking, long hair (no color specific yet) but a little shorter than the actress. 

Please, if you feel like you can KINDLY help me with the grammar and such, direct me! I know I need help, and I'm also very open to learn. But anything disrespectful I will ignore and know that it won't affect me (therapy in check!) That's it! I'm very excited to develop the character and maybe do something that will be remembered like I do to so many fics in here!

[celestiamour]

‧₊˚✧ ❛[ bitterly sweet taste ]❜

ft. thomas lawrence x f! reader — conclave

╰₊✧ he says it’s the last time he’ll see you, but it never is┊1k words

contains: more plot than smut!! sacrilege (broken vows of celibacy), sex work, age gap (unspecified but legal ofc he’s just ancient), guilt, unprotected piv, thomas is a guilt-ridden pathetic old man and i want to fuck him

➤ author's note: i was gonna post the benitez fic first but there’s gonna be a delay on that once because i still don’t really know what i’m doing so have this lawrence fic and then a tedesco one sometime next week i love these old men so much

thomas lawrence is trapped in a constant, grueling cycle of temporary pleasure in exchange for eternal shame. he doesn’t remember when it started, but it doesn’t really matter when he can’t see the end in sight. his main excuse is the stress he’s under, struggling with the faith that makes up his entire identity and considering retiring from his position as dean of the cardinals. although the holy father won’t allow him to. his words echoed in his mind, “some are chosen to be shepherds, and others are needed to manage the farm.”

he hesitates before picking up the phone to call you, knowing the exact sequence of events that will unfold once he does. he could end it right here, do the virtuous thing, and pray for closure rather than indulging in earthly desires as a temporary solution to his problems, but he never does, and his request to see you is whispered.

as he waits for you, he’s conscience-stricken over what’s to come, but there’s no one to blame but himself. 

you’re gorgeous as always, an example of lust come to life with those sultry eyes and soft lips. most importantly though, you know how to keep quiet and respect the deals you make. you promised you would never say a word, and you’ve been honorable about it ever since. you don’t even charge him any more than you would for a usual customer. he’s certain that if he were unlucky, he would find himself being blackmailed by you, asking him to wire tens of thousands of dollars to your account in exchange for silence knowing he’d gegrudingly oblige since the church didn’t need any more sex scandals than it already had.

you kiss him first, you always do, gently with both hands cradling his face as you pull him towards you. if you leave him to make the first move, you would be waiting all night before eventually leaving without doing the job you were called to do. 

he falters for a second, but soon melts into your touch. he so starved for affection from another, the poor thing. it’s almost embarrassing how much he needs you, yearning for a younger thing like you, but you truthfully don’t mind it. it’s almost cute actually.

feeling the warmth of your skin against his and the weight of your body crawling into his lap is enough to send him spiraling, throwing all of the morals he’s held his entire life out the window as his large hands grab the plush of your thighs. he holds onto you like you would disappear at any moment, almost as if he was scared you would escape from his grasp and reveal what was going on with a single whisper. he doesn’t trust you, yet he has no choice but to do so.

the layers between you slip off, and it always makes you sigh at all the clothing clergymen wear on the daily. do they not get hot? it’s fine, you have plenty of experience when it comes to removing the religious garments of men and women alike.

there’s a war going on in his mind when you lay yourself down for him, one between his vocation and his need for you. it’s his last chance to back out, but when his icy eyes met yours full of want, he caved like he always does. the closest thing to heaven he’ll ever feel is the embrace of your velvety walls around his cock, the sound of your gasp when he sinks into you, and the way you call out his name like a prayer, “thomas, thomas, thomas.”

he’s slow, careful, as if too much pleasure at once would break him. he’s not used to this, he doesn’t think he ever will be, not when he’s already at this age and trained to keep his mind above the carnal appetites of the body. he lost his first time with you in a desperate last-minute resort to alleviate all of the pressures on his shoulders, and his last time ever will also be with you if it ever comes soon. it’s wrong, so very wrong, but the constant push and pull that brings him makes him feel like it’s worth it at the moment.

when he finally snaps back to reality with your shared climax, he feels an overwhelming wave of guilt wash over him. he shouldn’t be doing this, he shouldn’t be behaving like an animal to relieve himself of his stress and succumbing to lust as if he had no restraint. restraint is all he knows, all he’s ever known, he’s the dean of cardinals for crying out loud. everyone knows thomas lawrence to be disciplined and reverent, an image of holiness and composure, and example for the rest of his peers as someone who was chosen by the pope himself to manage them. he could only imagine the scandal that would break out if it was discovered what he was doing in secret, how he’s no better than anyone else and just another sinner hiding within the walls of the church.

he runs a warm, wet towel across your skin to soothe any aches he might have left on your body, as if he even had it in him to treat you as roughly as another client, the tips of his fingers barely ghosting over your flesh as if he was scared to touch you unlike how he was mere minutes before. his regret hangs heavy in the air along with the sinful smell of sweat and sex. 

“this must never happen again.” he speaks sternly and autocratically, allowing you to see a glimpse of the noble cardinal he is rather than the pathetically desperate man you usually see, although it seems like he’s talking more to himself than he is to you. his tone is so confident that you almost believe that he means it this time.

only for a second though, you know it’s far from the last time. it will only be a week or two before you’ll receive another phone call from him for another secret rendezvous. he’s only a human before he is a holy man, after all.

[alen21]

Excerpt from a rant I wrote under a Woochul fanfic dissecting their relationship in Solo Lev Ragnarok

Spoilers from Solo Leveling Ragnarok Chapters 301 and 302

Chapter 301: SJW most concern about WJC back on Earth and WJC's struggle with PTSD from previous timeline and yearning a god out of reach

Some background spoiler relevant to our boys: in Ragnarok sjw has to leave Earth again to fight against the outer gods, and on Earth wjc locked in the moment gates start appearing (hes a veteran atp XD being one of the only ones who remember the past timeline and all) and created the Association and took the lead

WJC, still A rank, started doping (the steroids joke in this fic is real now!!) on rune stones to increase his strength to the point his body cant handle it, but sjw, extremely worried, before he left (or he made his son do it for wjc i forgot), did smth i forgot specifically to help only wjc to adjust to the influx of mana ;-; THEYRE BFS YOUR HONOR

Wjc in the new timeline is still alone :( the novel literally show how how trapped and haunted by the past life he still is and that has taken extreme measures to prep humanity for the inevitable war that will take place (he fears it daily), then he has no one and the only important person to him is literally a god, out of reach for him ;-; UGH THE ANGST

And about him remembering, in solo lev side stories even sjw was surprised that wjc managed to remember, meaning he remembered sjw on INSTINCT, bro forced himself to chase those memory fragments himself T^T and then chapter 301 in ragnarok had sjw literalky going the person im most concerned for on earth is wjc bc hes always overworking, to the point sjw had to erase his memories multiple bc of the immense ptsd wjc experiences, but wjc remembers on his own EVERY SINGLE TIME, even pleaded with sjw not to erase it.

"A comrade. The only colleague who shares the old memories with me."

[A human with memories of the previous era… If that's the case, he must be playing a big role in this chaotic time, so why are you so worried?]

"…Because he might overwork himself."

[Hmm?]

Sung Jinwoo couldn't help but smile bitterly at the Ruler's question.

"He's that kind of person."

"Yes. Actually, Sung Jinwoo tried to erase Woo Jinchul's memories several times for his sake. But it was no use. Having already formed a deep connection with Sung Jinwoo, The flashbacks of the previous era were no longer mere fragments of memories. Because the events involving the king who ruled death, the great Shadow Monarch Sung Jinwoo, were engraved deep within his soul, beyond his human body… Sung Jinwoo, feeling concerned as he thought of Woo Jinchul, turned his gaze back to the fierce battlefield and muttered,"

Bonus banter excerpt:

"- Actually, I'm just unpopular. Whenever I go on blind dates, they all say my eyes are too scary, chug their coffee, and quickly pack their things.

– …Chief, when's your birthday? I'll buy you some luxury sunglasses."

Solo Lev Ragnarok chapter 33 of the manhwa, when wjc gets reintroduced, his work desk, no pic of family, wife, whatever, the singular pic on his desk was a pic of him WITH SJW!!! wjc is the chairman of the association rn, and ughh on Earth he literally vowed to protect sjws family no matter what to repay the insurmountable debt that he owes him bc he doesnt know how else or what he can even offer to a god. And tank you sm for giving wjc such a lovely family here bc wjc literally went "im an orphan, no fam, no kids no wife, but its better that im alone anyway bc i can focus on protecting himanity without liabilities"

Chapter 302: Kintsugi symbolism in relation to SJW dealing with WJC overdosing on rune stones

god x overworked mortal trope except the mortal is constantly yearning for the other and anguish over not being able to offer/help the other more who is practically a transcendental being beyond the limits of human, with said god constantly making sure said human is okay despite being worlds away and reminiscing and worrying about him... Bromance so peak its romance--

Also if you care to know, i just reread chapter 302 of Ragnarok too and omg, wjc doping for power buff literally make his body start cracking and disintegrating, but sjw's help goes beyond just "making it so his body can adapt to influx of mana", no its more beautiful than that (he passed the soulstone to beru then beru brought it back to earth and gave it to sjw son to use it on wjc)

The novel literally invoked/likens the process to Kintsugi

"– An art that doesn't restore something to its perfect, new state, but rather makes it more beautiful by filling the broken parts with gold. It's just like our lives. – And he (Suhos art teacher speaking btw) continued his explanation.

– A vessel is bound to break someday. We too, in the storms of life, are sometimes hurt, cracked, broken, and even collapse. But is there anything perfect in the world?

And in this moment, It was only natural for Suho to recall that day's memory.

– …To finally love even that imperfection. To accept the scars accumulated in our souls as their own beauty. And those accumulated scars of life are the true history of our struggles…

'Golden joinery' (cues wjc cracks glowing and bro start ascending JK JK, but he he gloing a blind goldenlight)

It wasn't just a simple repair, but a sublimation through scars…"

Oml sjw is literally saying "i love every scars you have because they craft the essence of your being. Your scars are beautiful and i love your imperfections because theyre you"

"Javier's Soulstone. The magic circle of Sung Jinwoo contained within, that mystical golden light, was running through the cracks that were spreading throughout Woo Jinchul's body.

Whoosh—!

It was like the roots of a tree, spreading its branches, Like an intricately crafted spider web, Like the hands of a craftsman repairing a broken ceramic. Sung Jinwoo's barrier began to meticulously stitch together Woo Jinchul's cracked vessel, the history of his struggles, with golden thread."

Rathen than just fixing him because hes broken, its "ceramic being reborn by the hands of a craftsman" which in kintsugi means clueing the pieces together with gold again to not only accentuates the beauty in imperfection but also giving rise to an entirely new kind of beauty ykwim.

These are all canon materials i cannot believe it!! Okay everyone, its chapter 301 and 302 in ragnarok for Woochul crumbs- not even crumbs, its in our face!!

Apologies for any awkward order or wording, these were taken straight from a comment section where i got too passionate spreading the words on Dauls (the author of Ragnarok) choice to give this much depth to Woochul.

[nosferatini]

🕊️ The Season of Nightingales 🕊️

Chapter 33/36

3 Chapters to go!

Summary

The Second Coming looms large. Supreme Archangel Aziraphale vows to fix Heaven without asking the impossible from Crowley. As their effort is complicated by unexpected friends, a guileful Metatron, and a Heavenly floor full of the Blessed Dead—Aziraphale and Crowley find navigating their relationship is not mutually exclusive from saving the world from Armageddon.

Chapter 33 - The Ten Commandments

Excerpt:

The Decalogue, the Ten Commandments, the Words on the Twin Stones, began to morph before Aziraphale’s eyes. 

*I was right!*

He beamed back at the glowing message, and read it aloud with his most awe-inspired voice. 

“I am the Lord, thy God. Have Faith in Me. My Name is a blessing, use it well. Rest and Rejoyce this sacred day. You honor Me with this union. Live with him. Love him. Give him your soul. Share with him your knowledge. And envy not those who art in Heaven. For you shall want for nothing more.”

He was basking so nicely in the golden glow that it was jarring to hear his love’s gravelly voice pipe in with, “That’s not what it says.”

“I’m sorry?”

Read Chapter 33 on AO3!

Or…

🕊️ Start From the Beginning!🕊️

Huge hugs and gratitude to my beloved betas, @dbacklot99 , @demonsandpieohmy @addledmongoose and u/blackjeans93 from @goodomensafterdark for helping me scrub and polish my beloved fic!

@whickberstreetwriters

[byullielle]

Walls Could Talk // Bang Chan x Mafia!Reader

Part 1/3

Trilogy Playlist, Till Death Do Us Part, is what the vows contain. Hitched off to notorious mafia boss Christopher Bahng, and despite her volatile and bratty attitude–it'll be only through her that anyone gets to kill her husband.

Tags: Yakuza/Mafia AU, Est. Marriage, Marriage for Convenience, Eventual Lovers, Resolved Sexual Tension, Smut, Hurt/Comfort

Disclaimer: how chan looks in the freeze mv is exactly how he looks in this fic. themes and graphic descriptions of violence, drugs, substance abuse, panic attacks and disorders, trauma and traumatic responses are present, proceed with caution. chan does NOT cause the reader's trauma, however, and vice versa. MINORS DNI. NSFW Content.

4.5k Words

"Boss," he clears his throat, a nervous gait to him, "We failed to take her," he reports with a shaky voice, "Resistance…it was more than we anticipated,"

Your phone buzzes against the cupholder while the car speeds through the busy Seoul streets. Annoyance flares through your body like an allergy as you grab it with a wince–switching to airplane mode before a yelp escapes your lips. “Sorry,” Felix lowly mutters while concentratedly patching up the wound on your thigh.

For what it’s worth, it wasn’t your fault you were running late to the stupid function your husband was currently throwing. With the guest of honor late and wounded in her car, you hoped to god that he already started without you. Although if you didn’t have the police force under your family’s grasp Seungmin would’ve gotten 5 speeding tickets, at least. 

A loud yelp escapes you again, making Felix look up in concern while he’s putting pressure on the bleeding leg, making sure your pretty black dress isn’t soiled by blood. “Sure you can take it boss?” he asks with concern in his voice.

You huff, trying to lean back and endure the pain, especially the sore spot on your stomach after being kicked right by your diaphragm, “I can,”

You’ve argued to him many times that if he simply wanted to network he could do it without you there but apparently according to him, “Your presence is crucial,” and the second part, “Don’t run late,”

Normally, you weren’t one to be tardy to any function with special considerations such as this one but you highly doubt that was the conclusion your husband of 6 months would go to. Women and their womanly whims tend to make them late after all, you knew that much you’d get that specific flack for showing up almost an hour late. “Boss we’re almost there,” Seungmin announces before you groan and try to not mind the searing pain your body is going through before Felix places a square bandage on your thigh. You hand him the ice pack before turning your back so that he can put the dress back in place.

 “You sure you could walk properly in this state boss?” he asks, concern lacing his voice before handing you your gun. You hum noncommittedly, slipping the weapon on the garter holster on your more decent thigh before pulling the dress down completely, “Not that I have much of a choice, Felix,”

By the time your car rolls into the estate, Minho, one of your husband’s closest guards is already waiting outside, phone pressed to his ear wearing a very unamused and apathetic expression on his face it scares you a bit. “We should’ve brought Jisung with us,” Seungmin murmurs as he turns exits the car, immediately jogging to your side as Felix heads out first to give instructions to the valet boy. Seungmin reaches a gloved hand out while you take it, trying not to wince in pain as you smile sheepishly at Minho. “Sorry I’m late,”

“The boss isn’t happy,” he immediately counters as you fix yourself up one last time, “Well I’m here now,” you let out with a sigh before straightening your posture.

Minho pushes the door to the function open, the creaking sound of the closed door calling attention towards you while Seungmin and Felix take their posts on your right and left, a few steps back. Some of the chatter stops, all eyes on you but your eyes immediately land on Christopher’s.

And evidently, he isn’t happy.

The eye contact lasts for about 10 seconds, before your eyes start roaming in caution–starting to read the faces of the people who showed up. It grows with you, your stellar ability to read people's body languages and looks, the hardest challenge posed to you is still none other than Christopher.

However, today, he was wearing his heart out his sleeve. 

"Ladies and gentlemen," he grabs a pen nearby and taps it against the glass of wine he was nursing, "My beautiful wife," he announces, voice booming throughout the hall as the rest clap to your entrance. It does set off a few sensitive alarms off your head, the booming and drowning sound of claps flying all over, but you could feel Seungmin push you towards Christopher a bit more and snapping you out of the alarming noises. 

"Sorry I'm late dear husband," you smile, saccharine and sweet before gently cupping his cheeks, pressing a very chaste kiss on his lips, "I hope I didn't crash the evening too much," you whisper, close to his face before you feel him grip your arm tightly, "You're in big trouble,"

You bite back your retort, knowing better than to start being a smartass now. 'How big a trouble could I truly get when it comes to you,'.

People start approaching you, the prickle of the skin on your arm making itself known as you shake each and every person's hand while trying to read their faces. Some old, some new, all just the same. Chris still had his hand placed on your hip, knowing that the very condition you set him to show up in the first place was for the people to not get too comfortable.

They say it’s a possessive husband’s desire, you say it’s a wife who knows how to play her cards. 

Once the crowd around you has died down, distasteful comments of “Women getting ready,” and every variation of it finally gone, Christopher leans forward, “Where the fuck were you,”

You turn to him and smile, “Don’t you know women take forever to get ready, Christopher?”

A punch is lodged into your stomach as you groan. Felix digs his knife into the assailant’s back before tossing him aside, Jeongin is fending off two men single-handedly.

Who in their right mind would attack someone in front of their estate? Idiots. That’s who.

You roll onto your back to dodge an incoming attack from a knife, immediately extending your legs to kick the weapon away–as it flies mid-air you immediately rush to catch it before the assailant could. Once the hilt lands on your palm, you immediately slash the closest body part you can, handing a hit to the jugular. 

Blood splatters against your face, making you wince before getting up, the adrenaline from all the defense you have to do still fending off the stomach pain you know would hurt like a bitch. About 5 unconscious bodies are scattered around the perimeter of the infiltrated courtyard, blood painting the pavement. Felix and Jisung manage to hoard in another 3 men while Jeongin finishes off the last one, accidentally ripping his sleeve off as the body slumps down coldly on the pavement. “How many do you think are dead?” you wipe off the blood from your face, “Only two Boss,” Felix estimates, “We’ll clean up here, go get ready,” he immediately suggests before you notion to Jeongin, “Help me walk, I think one of them managed to get me on the thigh,”

“Yes boss,”

“Just tell me why I need to be here Chris,” you exasperatedly sigh, wrenching his hand off you before a sharp pain comes with your inhale. He furrows his brow and raises his hand again, this time a gentle grip encasing your shoulder, “You’re hurt,” he states as a matter of fact, “What happened, Y/N?”

“Just a little scuffle,” you excuse, “Christopher, I swear I have it under control. This is just collateral damage now tell me why I’m here,” you impatiently prod on, not bothering to even shrug his hand off. “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

“Do I need to shank someone?”

“No,” he shakes his head, finally lowering his hand, “You just have to observe. You’ve always been good at that,”

You sigh out to relieve some of the pressure off your stomach, nodding along with it before letting out a hum, “What exactly should I be looking for then,”

Christopher looks around and shakes his head slightly, taking your hand before pulling you into a more secluded corner of the venue, dimmed to its maximum before placing a hand on your back, both of you walking around with his head nearly pressed against yours. It looks intimate in an outsider’s view, so loving and so sweet. The contents of his information are anything but.

“The shipments are supposed to arrive today. Instead, we were met with a truck-full of cocaine gone,” he sighs while you keep your eyes on him, “Unfortunately, I suspect we have a rat amongst our ranks,” You furrow your brows, a frown on your face, “And you're suspecting the rat is here?” 

“That's what I want you to find out. Anything suspect, you immediately report to me,”

“How far back would it knock sales down?”

Chris shakes his head, “Not a lot, I got that covered at least,”

"Okay,” You nod, laying a hand on his arm before turning towards the crowd. You press a chaste kiss on his cheeks, nearly hitting the corner of his lips before you walk away from him, flipping your hair to the side while walking towards a few women with a confident stride. The stinging pain in your thigh was nothing, so long as you didn’t exert too much pressure against the leg, the stitches wouldn’t open. “Ah! If it isn’t miss Y/N!” one of them notices you as you take a glass of champagne from the passing waiter, a friendly smile immediately plastered on your face. “Hello ladies, mind if I join in?”

A few hours of chatting go by, and you're quite surprised you could find suspect so quickly. 

“Oh my husband would never even let me enter his office,” one of the ladies rolls her eyes, while the wife of one Jung Kwang-ho nods erratically, eyes obviously dilated while she goes on rapid-fire speech about her husband getting mad at her for wanting to stay with him in the workspaces. “And I can’t believe he named his nephew heir for his seat in office! Nephew!” she rants while flailing her hands wildly, the sweat on her forehead beading while she wipes them off with a handkerchief already in her hand, “That sister-in-law of mine isn’t even half reliable,” she mutters before you step closer to her, “Are you feeling warm Jung-ssi? You seem like you need a cooler place,” you suggest despite the air conditioning around. You had to ask Seungmin about the temperature later.

“Oh don’t mind me,” she giggles with a little tinge of unhinge-ness to it, “This is just my hot flashes darling, menopausal and all,”

‘Sure,’ couldn’t help but nod, however aside from another wife she was the only one profusely sweating. Continuing to converse with the wives, you couldn't help but keep a keen eye on her. ‘This couldn’t be good,’

The water swishes around as you scroll through the files Jeongin has sent you on your tablet, half your body submerged in the floral fragrance of the tub. You furrow your brows at the percentages presented to you, the loss of the drugs was not that great but something wasn't adding up, something amiss that you couldn't point your finger on. 

It was so reminiscent of something, long lost in the back of your mind but before you realize it a few drops of blood start dripping from your nose, a strong tremor shaking through your body as you feel your chest tighten. Tears blur your vision while the crushing weight on your lungs never lets out. You grip the sides of the tub, blurry vision seeing the bell your guards have left you for an emergency.

This was definitely one. Yet you couldn’t lunge forward to grab it, your bare body freezing cold in the water as nails scratching on the board tamper with your hearing. It was deafening, and you didn’t know if you were screaming or a silent wail unable to escape your throat. “Boss!” Jisung runs in with a towel in his hand immediately draping it over you not minding as the tips get dipped in the tub water, “Boss,” his voice softens, a steady hand on your shoulder, “Boss we’re here, should we call Soyeon?” he starts talking while trying to look at you in the eyes.

The searing pain in your thigh and stomach flare up, and then a stinging sensation by your spine jolts you up, tears flowing down as Jisung gently cajoles you back to reality. 

It goes by like forever, but once the pain stops, and nothing but the breathlessness is left, you look at him with wide eyes before he shouts for Felix to get another towel.

“What happened there boss?” he softly asks, making you gulp down and gasp out, “The attack,” you mutter, “It’s the same thing that killed my mother,” you painfully recall, closing your eyes before Jisung hums in acknowledgment, not pushing you further. “Boss, you wanna get out now? Some warmth would do you good,”

You nod and have him help you out of the tub, water dripping from the first towel as Felix walks in and hands you the new one, both of them leaving the bathroom with the door ajar as you dry yourself up. You’re careful to pat the wound on your thigh before looking back on the tub, realizing that there was blood coming from your nose. But the water was simply cloudy with oils and bath agents, with no trace of blood either in the water or from your nose.

You furrow your brows and take a deep inhale, trembling hands patting the towel around your body. The faster you were out of this bathroom, the better.

With paper in your hands, your footfalls echo against the mosaic tiles of the manor, desolate and lonely. You couldn’t help but have goosebumps rise over your skin as you tread the seemingly endless hallway to Chris’ office, but once you get there, you heavily pound against the heavy wood door.

Stepping back a bit, you come face to face with Changbin and his glock. “Changbin,” you greet with a slight nod of your head. He lowers his gun and guard down before bowing politely to you, opening the door wider to reveal Chris scanning through papers, desk filled to the brim with files scattered around. All the legwork he did the past week was catching up to him, and you were about to add more.

“Yes?” he mumbles, not even bothering to look up at you while signaling for Changbin to grab a chair for you. You wait for the velvet chair to be placed in front of his desk before gently smacking the papers against the file he was reading. “Jung Kwang-ho, familiar?" you question, trying to contain the residual trembles on your hands, “Yes, one of our valued assets, what about him?"

"Does his wife have a history of drug intake?"

“Not that I'm familiar with," he furrows his brows, setting the files aside, now fully facing you. "I met Jung Hyeon-ssi on exactly three occasions, and none of them seemed off,"

“Not anymore,” you nip at the corner of your lower lip, peeling off the slight excess skin with your teeth, “We talked. It's too early to say but keeping an eye on her and the Jung family isn't out of our best interest,” you mutter while averting your gaze.

He sighs, leaning back against his chair with a finger pressed to his temple, “I'll keep that in mind,” he responds, another sentence about to spill from his mouth before you get interrupted by a knock on the door. Both you and Chris turn to look before Changbin opens it and announces his presence. "Mr. Jung Yejun is here,"

In alarm, you immediately shoot out of the seat before making yourself comfortable on Chris' lap right after. 

"You didn't tell me someone was coming?" you scold through grit teeth while Changbin checks any weapons on the sudden guest. "Where would be the fun in that," Christopher smiles cockily at you, resting his hand on the shy of your satin-dressed back and pulling your legs closer with the other. "Oh you dog," you whisper in disbelief before the man himself enters.

"Oh, it's a pleasure to see you here today Miss Y/N, I hope you remember me," 

"I do," you smile, the mood immediately turning 180 come face to face with the guest. "Your aunt and I are well acquainted," 

Christopher draws small patterns on your back as you speak, your position on his lap making you seem like such a clingy spouse it makes you want to throw up. "Well, what brings you here Yejun-ah," Chris moves the process forward as he clears his throat. "Reports given by my uncle, our faction is already clearing out the fields to find the missing men belonging to the Jinyoung group, sir," 

"What missing men?" Chris then sits forward, hands still encasing you but adjusting you accordingly. Deciding to just end your suffering, you slide off his legs before placing both hands on the backrest of his chair, listening intently. 

"Your uncle hasn't reported any missing men yet, Yejun,"

“Haven’t you heard sir?” Jung hands over a file, your hand point blank on his arm as the sleeve rides up a bit, scales inked near his wrist. You peer over Chris’ shoulder and start scanning the files. It’s men from his faction of the city. “They’ve been gone for a while now, a few more added. I don’t know who’s responsible for this yet although my uncle is looking into it,”

Chris looks up at you, silently asking if you know these men. You subtly pat Christopher’s shoulder before he lowers the file and nods, “Thank you for your input, Mr. Jung, any more?”

“None sir,”

“Then you’re dismissed. Your information is highly appreciated,”

He nods wordlessly. Getting up, he makes a very quick exit to the office. Changbin starts checking in case he left some recording device while you take the file off Chris' hands. Flipping through the papers, you're shocked to see a few of the men from your faction of the group as well. 

"I thought only the cocaine was missing?" you question him with a scowl. "So did I," he sighs, "I'll look into it tomorrow. Jung would probably call me out-site. You keep on checking tabs on his wife,"

You nod, swallowing down the lump in your throat. Something was terribly wrong.

"Here Mrs. Jung," you kindly offer her a glass of iced water, "Oh thank you so much Y/N-ssi, what a darling you are," she smiles kindly, although her pupils are dilated widely there's still a certain endearment to how she looks. "How are you finding the party so far?"

"Oh, it's nothing too different. Nothing I haven't been to," she chuckles with whimsy laced in her voice, "Although the younger men are now in charge of their groups, it is my first time seeing their wives. Such as yourself," she starts to ramble. And you gladly let her, most of the time cocaine dependants are chatty, always giving out information with such little care in the world, it was quite convenient.

"How has your husband been treating you darling?" she asks, a hand on your arm before you couldn't help but flinch at the contact a bit, making her immediately detach from you. "Oh, sorry,"

"No, it's alright," you sheepishly chuckle, "I just get jumpy at times," you explain before straightening your dress, looking for Christopher amongst the crowd, "He's been wonderful," you try to dotingly muster, "He's been nothing but accommodating and kind to me,"

"Is that so?" Hyeon smiles, "Darling…you know you could tell me anything right," she woefully lays a gentle hand on yours, sweating profusely. You try to not let your brows shoot up in surprise at the sudden opening, "Oh me? I believe I don't have anything…" you try to excuse. 

"Do you…?" you question with hesitation, unsure about where the conversation was going. 

"Oh I do," she openly admits, there's no reason not to. Despite the confusion coursing through your body rumors about abuse regarding you aren't so far off the roster, "I've heard things my darling. This world wasn't always made for us," she smiles down at the glass of water, "But we can make it safer. At least your generation of wives,"

You control every nerve in your body to not snap in her direction, trying to ground yourself as you feign concern, "I don't quite understand," you gulp down before she hands you a slip of paper, a phone number scribbled onto it. "If Christopher touches you, call me, yeah?"

"Yeah, okay Jung-ssi,"

"Please, call me Hyeon-unnie,"

Leaning back against your chair, you furrow down at the piece of paper wedged between your fingers. Groaning you lean back and press your lips together. You suspect something off with the Jung family–with the messy case of the inheritance and Hyeon Jung’s potential drug addiction–it wasn’t the hardest to spot. What you were ultimately on the edge about was just how involved were they with your family.

For Hyeon to question how Chris treats you, an alleged abuse going on behind closed doors–where she got that information was beyond you. 

To Christopher’s credit, you and he got along well in terms of a loveless marriage– your ultimate free reign over your activities save for the occasional heiress chores you have to air out, and the respect you had for each other was a far cry from domestic abuse. Sure, the both of you were still aloof around each other, glorified housemates if anything but you knew he wouldn’t lay a hand on you. 

Letting a sigh roll out your lips, a knock comes from your door before you call out to let themselves in, "Felix," you tiredly smile at him, "Great timing I was about to call you,"

“Well I have a bit of bad news boss," he steps up in front of your desk, "What do you need?"

"Give me a background check on Jung Hyeon,"

“Sure,” he nods, “Here boss, the bad news," he hands you a folder. You thank him before he retreats from your office. 

Opening the folder, you immediately see photographs of a tattoo, serpentine in shape and scaly, a mamba of sorts. You turn the picture and see a name tagged to it, one of the men slain in the assault yesterday. Flipping through the pages is the same variant of the tattoo, clothed and unclothed.

You have a sense you’ve seen it before. 

Keeping up with the reading, the status of their factions are still unknown but there was a certain group they fell under. It didn’t take a genius–they were all part of the Jung family. Guards and marksmen. 

A sense of dread spills into your stomach, and you immediately scramble to reach out for your phone, contacting Hyunjin who answers in two rings, “Miss Boss?”

“Where is Chris?” you ask with urgency. “He took Minho-hyungnim with him, they’re on their way to Daego-do, last time he updated had to get gas. If you need anything Changbin is also there,”

“What exactly are they gonna do in Daego-do,”

“Check out the missing men case Jung-ssi presented yesterday,” was all you had to hear before hanging up abruptly.

“Fuck,” you spit out.

Running past Jisung and Changbin, you hot-foot it to the garage, grabbing your gun and keys. The pair look at each other and hurriedly follow, grabbing car keys no questions asked. You snatch your helmet out of the garage stands before putting it on hurriedly, the key already starting in the ignition while you tuck your gun in the holster on your leg. You mount your motorbike and rev up the engine while Jisung scrambles to start the car.

You immediately take off, smoke filling the garage. You speed out of the estate as fast as you can, time and a life on the line because Hyeon’s voice doesn’t stop–playing over and over again like a broken record. The verbalization of the realization catches up a bit late, through grit teeth and the wind pressure ahead of you, ‘Jung Kwang-ho is gonna ambush Chris,’ You weren’t a hundred percent sure, but your intuitions never failed you.

Your eyes are zeroed in on the road, speeding and weaving through cars as they honk at you violently. Seoul traffic wasn’t that bad for a 2 PM rush but fuck, were you tempted to hit the very end of that speed meter. You increase the speed drastically, tilting the bike back a bit before fully speeding off into the highway. Chris left 10 minutes ago, he couldn’t have made it that far yet, from what you knew Minho was a cautious driver, not even risking to speed up on the freeway beyond its limit.

You could catch up, you had to.

You squint your eyes to try and see further, trying to spot a black GMC but so far it was futile. Unless Hyunjin was wrong there was only one South Highway in the entirety of Seoul City. You lean forward, pushing the limits of the bike as it shoots off, gradually getting faster before a relieved gasp escapes you, seeing Chris’ car approaching a tunnel.

The panic in your system spikes, already seeing how many ways this could go wrong. So with a final boost of speed, you get close enough to the tail of the car, slowing down as you feel for your gun plastered to your side before pointing it at the wheel behind.

Then a gunshot goes off, narrowly missing you as you curse, motorbike wobbling a bit. You grit your teeth and speed up to the side of the car, trying to match its speed before targeting the front right wheel. The car’s brakes screech against your ears painfully, making it careen off to the side only to be stopped by the railings along the highway, smashing against the front of the car. You immediately step on the brakes of the motorbike, swerving it to the side before r immediately pointing your gun at the invisible gunman.

You squint and take two chance shots, a yelp immediately coming from the foliage atop the wall before a man crashes down the concrete, helmet emitting a crack sound as you see his leg shot. 

You look back hurriedly, seeing Jisung and Changbin try to catch up from the other side of the highway. You rush to Chris’ car, seeing the airbags activated before the door slams open, a gaping wound on Christopher's forehead, and a limp to his gait while holding his side, "What the fuck was that!" he yells as if he isn't in pain. You stand your ground and frown,"I'll explain later, help me get Minho out of the car," you push past him before rushing to the driver's side. Your own car stops, the doors flying open quickly “Fuck, boss what did you do!” Jisung curses as he gets out but you immediately signal to the dead man down on the highway.

“Get rid of the body quick, they probably retreated,” you look into the dark tunnel before you, “But this means war,”

Final disclaimer! This is not entirely accurate and is fabricated for the sake of storytelling. This is a work of pure fiction and does not represent any real-life people, events, or places.

> next part

> moodboard; sampler 1 | sampler 2

[damn-daemon]

Are there already songs composed about Jaime and Myra?

Probably. I'm not going to be writing them lol.

[creationcitystreet-em]

And if I could turn back the clock

I'd make sure the light defeated the dark

I'd spend every hour, of every day

Keeping you safe

I'd climb every mountain

And swim every ocean

Just to be with you

And fix what I've broken

Oh, 'cause I need you to see

That you are the reason

- “You Are The Reason” by Calum Scott

[captainremmington-13]

A Lady Made of Snow

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own The Hunger Games franchise, the images above, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, or any of the characters in this fic other than Bellova.

SUMMARY: An unexpected rebel attack leaves both Coriolanus and Bellova in the hospital. But it seems that nothing, not even a close encounter with death, can keep them from butting heads.

Warnings: spoilers for TBOSAS, mentions of death, mentions of explosions, injury, cursing, overall just some dark stuff (it’s the Hunger Games franchise so that’s sorta a given)

A/n: I am using a combination of the movie and book version of the events that occur in this chapter.

Adorning a brand-new black suit and sleek black heels, Bellova stood at the front of homeroom. As they had been ordered to stand in alphabetical order, she and Coriolanus ended up side-by-side. 

He looked nervous. She figured it was because he had to open the ceremony by singing the national anthem. She hadn’t heard him sing in years, not since they were young children. Back then, he sounded truly awful. She hoped for his sake he’d improved since then.

After a quick briefing of the ceremony’s schedule by Professor Satryia Click, Bellova took her place in the stands with the other attendees. She quickly wished Coriolanus good luck as he made his way towards the stage, and sat down with the other Academy students. 

Coriolanus’s performance of the national anthem went smoothly. President Ravinstill gave a brief speech commemorating Arachne, and signaled for the funeral procession to begin.

First came the honor guard of Peacekeepers, marching in perfect harmony with the drums. Then, Bellova heard the crowd around her gasp in disgust as a truck pulled a flat bed along behind it, where the remaining tributes were shackled to the floor. The body of Arachne’s killer hung from a hook above them, like a person executed by hanging. 

Bellova felt her stomach twist unpleasantly at the sight of the corpse, but didn’t look away. She’d seen plenty of dead people in her lifetime, it wasn’t anything new.  

After the tributes came Arachne’s coffin, which was elaborately decorated with flowers. Then came a chariot pulling Arachne’s parents, who looked uneasy about this whole affair. The chariot stopped in front of the podium, where Dr. Gaul was waiting to speak.

"Arachne Crane, we, your fellow citizens of Panem, vow that your death will not be in vain. When one of ours is hit, we hit back twice as hard. The Hunger Games will go forward, with more energy and commitment than ever before, as we add your name to the long list of the innocent who died defending a righteous and just land. Your friends, family, and fellow citizens salute you and dedicate the Tenth Hunger Games to your memory.”

Bellova thought it was a dramatic statement to make, but agreed that Arachne was innocent. Bratty and arrogant, sure, but not deserving of her violent end. 

The funeral procession passed a few moments later, and the crowd began to disperse. Bellova followed the other Academy students to the cafeteria, hoping that a nice meal would dull some of the grief lingering on her conscience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Can you climb?”

Velvereen shook her head. “Not very well. But I can try.”

Bellova pursed her lips, trying not to seem too disappointed. The arena’s best hiding spots seemed to be above ground, and it would be impossible to reach them without climbing.

As she and her tribute walked around the arena, she kept subconsciously glancing over at a certain blonde boy. He was far too close to the little songbird girl. They seemed to be bantering cheerfully, which was insane given where they were standing. 

‘She’ll be gone soon,’ Bellova reminded herself. ‘She’ll die in the arena, and you’ll never have to see her and Coryo together again.’

“Bellova?” Velvereen asked, trying to get her mentor’s attention.

“Huh?” Bellova said, confused. Then, she remembered what she was there to do. She had to stop worrying about the little songbird, and focus on helping her own tribute. “Oh yes, I’m sorry.” Bellova looked over at Coriolanus again, and noticed that there were some piles of rubble near where he stood “Let’s go over there and check for other good hiding places, okay?” 

Velvereen nodded. They took a couple steps towards Coriolanus and Lucy Gray. 

Then, the world erupted into flame.

Bellova yelled in terror as the bombs exploded around her, knocking down tributes, peacekeepers, and mentors alike. She scrambled to her feet, running away from the sound of the blasts. 

A Peacekeeper knocked into her hard while running for his life, sending her flying to the ground. She felt her ribs slam the pavement, eliciting an agonized scream from her lips. Somehow, she got to her feet again, racing towards a section of the arena where the bars had been blown away. 

Bellova was just a few feet from safety when she lost consciousness, crumpling to the ground as Velvereen stood triumphantly over her body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hushed voices and the sound of beeping pulled Bellova from her unconscious state slowly. 

Her eyes fluttered open, squinting shut as the harsh hospital light attacked her pupils. She could tell she’d been hooked up to morphling by the dull throb in her left arm. 

“She’s awake,” someone said.

“Oh thank god,” another voice said quietly. 

There was some more mundane chatter, and then she felt someone grasp her hand gently. 

When she opened her eyes fully, she saw Sejanus standing next to her bed, his hand on top of hers. 

“Sejanus?” she murmured, her head swimming from her injury and the drugs.

“Hey, Bellova,” the boy said, smiling weakly. “Glad to see that you made it.  A couple nights ago, we weren’t too sure you would.”

Bellova’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell have I missed?”

Sejanus, who was soon joined by Lysistrata Vickers, filled Bellova in on what had happened. Coriolanus and a few other mentors besides herself were in the hospital. Six tributes were confirmed dead, including Velvereen.

Bellova’s brow furrowed. “What happened to her?”

Sejanus sighed. “She hit you upside the head with a rock before trying to make a run for it. She was shot before she could escape.”

Bellova’s fists clenched. “That bitch. After all I did to try to help her, she tried to murder me? Barbaric.”

Sejanus winced. Clearly, the morphling was wearing off. “Yeah, well…there were other casualties. The Ring twins.”

Bellova sat up, trying to ignore the nausea that followed instantly. “That’s not true. It couldn’t be.” 

“Lay back down, miss,” a nurse said, stepping into the room and past Sejanus. “You need to rest your head.”

Bellova scowled at her. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

“She’s a nurse, Bellova,” Lysistrata said. “Please listen, it’s for your own good.”

Bellova reluctantly laid back down, allowing the nurse to refill her supply of morphling and inject more sleeping serum into her arm. “So…Didi and Pollo are dead?”

Sejanus nodded. Bellova’s eyes immediately filled with tears, and she grasped Sejanus’s hand tighter. “Oh god,” she said, squeezing her eyes shut. “That’s…I-I can’t believe it.” 

“I know,” Sejanus murmured. “I can’t either.” 

Bellova sniffled. “H-How’s Coryo?”

“He’s alright,” Sejanus said. “He’s resting. He got a mild concussion, some burns, and some bruises, but otherwise he’s just fine.”

“Good,” Bellova whispered, the serum beginning to take effect. “That’s good.”

“You should go to sleep, Bellova,” Lysistrata insisted. “It’ll help you heal.”

Bellova hummed in agreement. “Will you visit me again? Let me know what I’ve missed?”

Sejanus nodded. “We will, I promise.”

With that, Bellova drifted off again, dreaming that Coriolanus had come to visit her, holding a pretty red rose and wearing an equally gorgeous smile. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Monday evening, Bellova sat on her hospital bed, reading a book that Sejanus had dropped off. She was set to be released the following morning if her symptoms continues to subside. Her head injury had mostly healed, but it was still rather sore.

There was a sudden knocking at the door. 

“Come in,” Bellova said, closing her book.

Her primary nurse, Elsbeth, peeked her head through the doorway. “You have a visitor, Miss Bellova.”

“Send them in,” she said. Elsbeth nodded, and opened the door completely. She stepped aside to reveal Coriolanus, who was indeed holding a rose. But instead of a vibrant red blossom, it was the purest shade of black Bellova had ever seen.

Elsbeth shut the door behind him, leaving the two students alone. 

Coriolanus placed the rose on the table next to Bellova’s bed. “My Grandma’am only successfully grows a few black roses each year. I was able to convince her to prune this one for you.”

Bellova picked it up, examining the macabre plant. “It’s lovely. But it’s the kind of flower you’d see at a funeral.”

He shrugged. “It felt fitting, giving that you could’ve died.”

She winced. “Thanks for reminding me. Be honest, though: would you really care that much if I had?”

Coriolanus sighed. “Do you really think I despise you that much?”

“I don’t know, Coryo,” Bellova said, looking away from him. “We fight, we insult each other, we compete constantly. But when we aren’t, we get along quite well.”

“Most of the time, you’re the reason that we end up arguing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sure, but only because you say something insufferable.” 

He huffed. “Please just answer my question.”

“No, I don’t think you hate me. But our personalities clash in some rather ugly ways. However, if we actually try to work around it, we could get along swimmingly.”

Coriolanus smiles slightly. “I agree.”

Bellova puts her book on her bedside table. “Now, what really brings you here?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I know that’s not all that’s on your mind, Coryo. You wouldn’t have come here bearing gifts otherwise.”

Coriolanus sighed and sat on a chair next to the bed. “I did want to discuss something with you. Your tribute, Velvereen, is dead, meaning you’re out of the running for the Plinth Prize and technically no longer a mentor.“

Bellova nodded. “True. I still plan to act similar to one while the Games are occurring, though. I want to observe how it works from the lenses of a mentor, even if I don’t have a tribute to represent.”

“Right,” Coriolanus said. “However, it means you’ll be significantly less busy than the rest. So, I was wondering if you’d be willing to aid me in helping Lucy Gray while she’s in the arena. She needs all the support she can get, especially after being hurt by the rebel bombing. I know Highbottom wouldn’t approve of it, but if we keep our collaboration secret, I think it could really help Lucy Gray’s chances in the arena.”

Bellova just stared at him blankly. 

He opened his mouth to continue, but was abruptly interrupted by a harsh laugh. 

“Are you being fucking serious?” Bellova asked, the angry glint in her eyes sending a cold shock down Coriolanus’s neck. “You think I have any interest in helping some little district rat? It’s bad enough that you care about her, why the fuck would any effort into aiding her survival?”

Coriolanus scowled. “Because it would increase my odds of winning. And I don’t care about her, I care about the Plinth Prize.”

“Sure,” Bellova sneered. “That’s why you held her hand at the Zoo, and why you visit her during any free time you have, and why you gave her a rose, and-“

“Oh, shut up!” Coriolanus snapped, standing up quickly. “I only did those things to earn her trust!”

“You’re such a bad liar, Snow,” Bellova said, smirking. “Look, you do whatever you want with her, it’s your reputation on the line. But I’m not tarnishing mine by associating so closely with district filth.”

Coriolanus loomed over her, his hands balled into fists. “You won’t even consider it?”

She shook her head, her smirk growing as she saw Coriolanus’s face flush with anger. “I won’t lift a damn finger to help your songbird.”

“Fine, I don’t need your help. You’d just slow me down anyways.”

Bellova laughed without humor. “What happened to trying to get along?”

Coriolanus gave her a cold stare, and swept out of the hospital room without saying another word. 

Bellova watched him go, anger forming a pit in her stomach. She was utterly furious that Coriolanus was doing so much for Lucy Gray. She’d be dead in five seconds once the Games began.

His only real hope at winning the Plinth Prize was to make her a sensation before her blood went cold. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Bellova! What are you doing down here?” 

The girl in question smiled at Persephone Price, who greeted her with a warm hug. “I got approval to survey the Games with the others. Even though my bitch of a tribute is dead, I figured it would be fun to see what you all do to aid yours.”

Persephone smiled. “That makes sense. Gosh, I’m just glad to see you standing and well.” 

Bellova patted her shoulder. “Thank you.” 

She headed towards where the rest of the mentors were, and spotted Coriolanus sitting next to Sejanus, who looked anxious. Marcus, his tribute, hadn’t been found yet. For all they knew, he was still loose and roaming the Capitol streets.

Bellova walked over to Sejanus, tapping him on the shoulder.

“Oh, hey,” he said, smiling weakly. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she replied. “The constant headache I’ve had since I regained consciousness is dimming slowly. The doctors said I’ll make a full recovery.”

Sejanus nodded. “I’m glad to hear it.” 

Bellova took a seat in a spare chair that was set in between Coriolanus and Sejanus. She glanced at the blonde boy out of the corner of her eye. He looked nervous. Not as nervous as Sejanus, but definitely still anxious. 

Bellova silently hoped his worry was about the Plinth Prize and not Lucy Gray. If he pulled any more strings for her, she would be forced to punch him until his pretty face was bruised and bleeding.

Within a few minutes, the broadcast of the Games had begun. Lucky Flickerman began his commentary, which quickly became annoying in Bellova’s opinion. He had always thought he was funnier than he actually was.

The cameras showed the tributes taking their places in the arena. Most of them looked downright terrified, while some looked eager to fight. 

Bellova found herself losing focus, and stared up at the ceiling aimlessly. She really should’ve brought a snack to the event. A bowl of assorted chocolates would be lovely right about now. 

Her focus was snapped back to the television screen when people around her start gasping in horror.

Her eyes widened as the cameras panned to Sejanus’s tribute, dangling from the ceiling of the arena, barely hanging on to his life.

✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊

TAGLIST: @daenerysqueenofhearts, @squidscottjeans, @euphemiaamillais, @gracieroxzy

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading! This chapter was super long and really fun to write. The story will only continue to be more exciting as it progresses! Let me know if you want to be tagged in the comments below!

[awesomedurraworld]

She's been half in love with him for years, but she never thought she'd see him again after he left for the military academy. He and her father argued terribly about it, and he left in a storm of fury without even saying goodbye to her.

Hello beautiful people!

I am sweet, an artist who had the pleasure of creating art for one of my all time favorite authors @lynyangell! She is one of the warmest people I ever met, a wonderful kind and very supportive lady, I am so deeply lucky to be paired with her I can't even express how much I adore her 🥺🩷

Over the course of the last month, she was wrote this fic under an event that is ran by @rene-of-the-blackouts called “ lets transmute together!” and I was honored to create some art to go along with it!! Hope you guys enjoy the first chapter that comes out TODAY!

I’ll keep you safe.

Summary: When Roy Mustang returns to his Sensei's home seeking the knowledge of flame alchemy, he gains much more than he bargained for. Left alone and destitute, Riza Hawkeye has few other options other than to rely on the kindness and generosity of her father's former apprentice.

“I give you this ring as a sign of fidelity,” Riza repeats the clerk’s words. “All that I am, I give to you. I submit myself to you wholeheartedly, to be your obedient wife for all of my days and to cherish you in my heart as my husband.”

She slips the cool band of metal onto his left hand, and Roy smiles at her. Before the officiant can prompt him, he repeats his own vow, one that he’s come up with himself.

“Riza, I give you this ring as a sign of fidelity,” he says. “All that I am, I give to you. I swear to protect you and care for you wholeheartedly for all of your days and to cherish you in my heart as my wife.”

Art for the first chapter: “ Hold out your hand”

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Five Fics Friday: February 23/24

Happy Friday everyone! It's time for another awesome selection of fics added to my MFL list this week!! AND be sure to give lots of extra love to the boosted fics this week!! Enjoy!

SIGNAL BOOSTING

Conversation Hearts by rsong912 (M, 1,382 w., 1 Ch. || POV Sherlock, Developing Relationship, Valentine's Day, One Shot, Bed Sharing, Fluff Without Plot, First Kiss) – This little one-shot is in honor of Valentine's Day and the boys. I got the idea by reading about the origin of those little conversation heart candies, once manufactured by Necco and now by Spangler Candy Co, which have apparently been in production with only a few years of a break since 1902. They usually have a theme every year, in addition to the classic hearts. I've used the prompt of the classic hearts to come up with the theme for this little fic: Will U B Mine?

Feels Like Falling by BRNZ (E, 15,028 w., 4 Ch. || S3 Divergence, Angst, Humlur, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Developing Relationship, Doctor John, Oral Sex, Slow Burn, UST, Idiots in Love, First Kiss/Time) – John harrumphed in the way he did when he wanted to get the conversation back on track. “So, sex?” Sherlock put his cup down with a clink, leaned forward, linking his fingers together and smirked the tiniest amount at John “Are you asking or offering?” For a microsecond they stared at each other, familiar banter underlaid by another….deeper tension…John grinned and looked away “Smart arse. Everyone knows your temple is undefiled, so to speak.” “Yes, I’ve carefully cultivated that impression. But we weren’t talking about me.”

Domestic Bliss by 221Beloved (M, 23,962 w., 11 Ch. || Fluff, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Family, Feelings, Love, Emotions, Flashbacks) – Sherlock and John visit the Holmes family to tell them first-hand about the shift in their relationship. As they spend a lovely Easter-weekend together, they reminisce about the early days of their relationship.

RECENT MFLs

Sometimes You Hear The Bullet by LipstickDaddy (G, 2,378 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TRF / No Mary, Injury / Blood, War, Flashbacks, Bed Sharing, Caring, Bathing / Washing, John's PTSD, Protective Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending) – John is no stranger to the sound of gunfire— but something about this case managed to pull at the sutures with which he’d sewn up all his old wounds, and he can’t close them up again. Not alone.

So Soon? by Gregorovitch (E, 3,336 w., 1 Ch. || HLV Divergence, Jealous John, Mutual Pining, Porn Without Plot, Hand Jobs, Conversations, Infidelity, Idiots in Love, Guilty John, Moral Dilemmas, Difficult Decisions, Heart-To-Heart, Arguing, Declarations of Love, Hopeful Ending) – Only John knows what Sherlock is really like. Or, that's what he likes to think, at least. (A proper exploration of that one specific scene from His Last Vow.)