#i keep going in my head ITS ALIIIIIIVE

[hijacksecrets]

I wanted to show y'all this progress shot of the 2d animation I'm doing of @alkalinefrog 's storyboards, which they gave me permission to do!! So far this has been GREAT practice!

I'll be posting regular updates on this project in the hijack discord server if u wanna see more of my progress, but I couldn't wait to show y'all this bit :>

[ralfstrashcan]

3x11 Reaction / Commentary

So I haven't even started the episode and I'm already confused.

Why did Netflix put 3B in a separate folder? I mean, they didn't with 2B. What's the matter with that. Or is this just the German Netflix??

Smoooooothe move. Somewhere Derek Hale is smiling proudly.

Wtf why they so slow. I was half expecting this to be a simulation or sth because they took ages to arrive and then were walking super chill???

Seelie guy doesn't use this obvious distraction of the others to try and escape, since he knows he's just a minor character and shouldn't interfere.

Beautiful grieving sequence, especially Jace with the sketch of himself. I knew there would be a portrait of him in there before he even turned the page, I could feel it. I love how sensitive and therefore predictable the show is.

Ooooh nooooo Clary is still aliiiiiive, who whould have thought?!?!?! Okay sorry haha I had to.

lol didn't he look in a mirror recently and realize there's still no real resemblance? I mean, at least now he's not charred anymore, so I guess there's more resemblance than before, but you know what I mean. And I get it, this is supposed to be a parallelism to Lilith saying the same thing, but if memory serves right, at this point in time Jonathan was a) in a thick glass casket and b) dead so I'm wondering how he could have heard that.

wtf I'm getting sooo mixed signals from him. Does he want to give off creeper vibes or play house? Because he's kinda doing both?? Play Creeper House???

YEAH LITERALLY I WANT TO SEE THEIR HEATING BILLS

This...... doesn't sound as reassuring as it sounded in your head, Jonathan.

So, points for Clary for that ploy, but my heart is already pre-emptively breaking for Jonathan when he finds out she's playing him. The poor guy just wants family after being used and abused his whole life, man. Is that too much to ask.

More points for Clary for being sensible and grabbing a coat!!

“Clary, come on. You can't go out there. You're never gonna survive.”

Hahaha that had me laughing out loud. So Clary.

Okay, minus points for Clary for not actually wearing the coat. You had a winning streak of common sense but all good things must end, I guess.

Picturesque. But, uh, since Jonathan isn't following her she could slow down. And if she was a Slytherin, she would have waited til after breakfast with her daring escape.

LISTEN I LOVE THIS CASUAL DOMESTICITY

Also if you're more make-up versed than I am (which, admittedly, isn't very hard) and realized something was off about the way Magnus held that eyeliner stick (?) then check lynne-monstr's eyeliner salt club tag because it's hilarious. I also want to rec volunteer_of_hufflepuff's fic smile even though your heart is breaking because it's awesome.

...........................really. Really. That's how they want to play it? Ugh, okay. Ugh.

You know, I've had a whole lengthy extensive (dare I say exhaustive) rant ripening in my head since I saw this bit in the sneak peek but I'm just not in the mood, so let me cut it short: I get Simon's reaction emotionally, since losing Clary must be a horrible experience for him, but I'm still bitter about early 3A where blasting that werewolf across Taki's yard and knowing he might never walk again didn't bother Simon for one second. Repercussions should always matter, regardless of how close you are to the person affected.

Oh dear, she's still running. And her hair still looks like that?

Sure. Also

How can he keep up with her when he's walking and she's running? I mean he's not that much taller than her. Or does she run ten feet, pause to gasp and pant a little, runs again, stop and go, y'know? So on average she's just powerwalking.

Ok srsly I need to stop this nonsensical commentary.

Yeah and I guess he didn't notice the Clave-approved vampire-torture-sunlight construction Aldertree installed in this very same office (shown in 2x04 if you care to remember).

........who are you and what did you do to Alec Lightwood? You seriously want to tell me he'd consider not bringing up a violation of the Accords, and more importantly power abuse and torture, because of political reasons and he's “scared” to lose his standing with Jia? Please. He'd be enforcing Clave law. He'd be well within his right. We're talking about the guy who flat out refused to do the Inquisitor's bidding because it went against his moral code. Compared to that, this is a walk in the park. So. Please.

“I understand the kind of pain you're in, Jace.”

“No you don't. I'm sorry, you don't.”

“You're right...

Oh my god this isn't about Clary, or at least not for the most part. Jace is frikking traumatized because he wasn't in control of his body or his actions or his frakking mind for days. Btw I'm actually impressed and surprised they bothered to focus on anything but the Clary-Drama, namely Jace second-hand-killing like 33 people. And Imogen. And almost Alec. The way I see Jace he'll focus on his guilt, not the pain he feels over Clary's loss. Clary will be on his mind and that's one more thing to feel shitty about, because how can he be so selfish and think about his own pain when he brought so much more pain on other people? Jace has an incredibly intricately self-destructive mind and I love how it was portrayed here. Also loved the scene in general with some Izzy&Jace sibling feels, the tender way she talks to him, his kiss to her hand. But the focus (mainly because of Izzy) returning to Clary annoyed me a little.

And by the way, there is one person who can understand Jace. Alec. Because he was possessed by a demon and forced to kill someone, too. Granted, he doesn't have the memories of the action itself, but he saw it on tape. He blames himself because the demon fed off his own hate against Jocelyn. So I would really really love to see those two talking about it. I'm extremely thrilled to watch on and see if they do (but lol kinda hoping they don't because then I can finish writing my ficlet about it, which I sadly didn't manage to before 3B aired).

MY LIFE EXPECTANCY JUST INCREASED BY AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OKAY

Also what a damn badass nightlight, I want one as well even though I hate not to sleep in absolute darkness, that's how pretty this is.

HAHAHAHHAHHAHHAHAHA I  C A N ' T

ALEC'S OFFENDED FACE AS IF THIS IS NEWS TO HIM

Wow I'm so glad they didn't forget about Iris. I was scared, not gonna lie.

Tbh I don't find Madzie's reaction that realistic. I mean, Valentine – the first person to talk to her after she got ripped from her normal life in her normal home – told her Clary got Iris into trouble. At some point they must have told her that Iris isn't coming back. But did they really tell her Iris was breeding warlocks? I highly doubt that. At most they told her Iris did some bad things. But, since they probably said the same thing about Valentine (and he was always “nice” to her) and told her Clary wasn't in fact evil, that kind of loses its meaning. And let's not forget, she is a child. A probably traumatized child, I might add, since Valentine used her to literally kill at least ten Shadowhunters that we see on screen, likely more. Her perception of what is right and what is wrong is easily swayed. And personally I think she neither really registered that Iris is supposed to be the bad guy now nor that living with Catarina / Magnus and Alec is sooooo much better than living with Iris ever was, so her having such a strong opposition against going with Iris seems unrealistic to me.

Love this. So good.

This is actually really beautiful

This is actually really dramatic for no reason and I'm soooo here for it.

Soooooo am I the only one wondering why the F Cat didn't put some wards on Magnus's place? I mean????? There is no explanation given for that, and frankly I can't come up with one. If not for Magnus, then Cat would at least put wards there while Madzie stays with him. Or....... do they want to imply Cat doesn't know that he lost his magic?? Hä?! If so, who the hell patched Alec back up from his neat little life-threatening arrow wound? Cuz I had assumed it was Cat. Since, y'know Jace pleaded with Magnus to help Alec, implying (to me at least) that an iratze alone wouldn't cut it this time. Except of course, if he asked because he didn't want to be bothered with taking out his stele and activating Alec's healing rune, but when Magnus refused because no magic he had no other choice.... and let's be real, the first scene of this episode heavily implies that a healing rune can cure just about anything in 0.3 seconds flat.

Alec wanting to bench Magnus makes no sense. Keeping him around and/or at the Institute makes more sense than, oh I don't know, telling him to stay in his loft where there are no wards. Wtf is logic anyway, right?

I liked this scene, don't get me wrong but... what's with the tough love? Alec isn't usually like that?? He's soft and firm reassurance, not aggressive and authoritative reassurance. Did he try that route before and it didn't work?? I need some answers.

“I had no idea.”

“How could you? You weren't there.”

“Me leaving had nothing to do with Simon. I just needed to be alone.

Okay, what, am I supposed to blame Maia now for needing time for and taking care of herself? She's so defensive as if her leaving was objectively wrong, and it wasn't.

“I guess when times get tough, some people need to be alone. And others need to be around other people.

Please, this is a dirty lie. Remind me again, who was it that pushed Alec away after he found out about her yin fen addiction, insisted she could handle it on her own, ran away and finally confiding in some random stranger she had just met? It wasn't Maia. Who stayed up late all night, disregarding her own emotions and rather tearing herself apart trying to fix the drama of her brothers than to mention to anyone she wasn't alright? Wasn't Maia either.

I feel strongly about this because this seems like a really cheap way to break up Saia and set up Sizzy and I don't like cheap things. I don't like Sizzy either, but my main demand is quality, not a certain content. I'll accept Sizzy if it's done correctly. But this isn't it. This is laying blame on a character who's not to blame, and making claims about another character that are plain untrue if you look at the last three seasons.

I've said it before, there would be good ways to break up Saia. For example their attitude to violence differs greatly from one another. Maia is trigger-happy and sees no harm in it, Simon is more or less pacifistic (at least when he's not having his I-don't-care-about-anything-but-my-gig-mood). Creating a conflict out of this would have been in character. Claiming Maia is somehow to blame because she wasn't there is not only unfair, but also invalidating all Maia has done for Simon before, and that was a lot. Putting up with her shitty ex, helping him search for Lilith, fighting her own pack so they don't bully him. She was about to have a face-off with the Seelie Queen – the very same creature that held her hostage not too long ago – just to be by his side. Is that all suddenly not worth anything anymore, just because she had the audacity to take a little time for herself, to sort through her own issues?

Seriously, he let her walk in that? No wonder she collapsed. Jonathan should have gotten her nice hiking boots.

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS

CAN WE JUST.... CAN WE...... APPRECIATE.......... HOW HE BATS ALL HER MAGIC ATTACKS AWAY....... LIKE............ MAGNUS................ H O W

Btw if this is supposed to sway me and make me see that benching Magnus would have been the right call, then it's not working, because fine, let's assume Magnus had gone home. Then Iris would have had an even easier job to snatch him away, because a) no wards and b) no sword. And on top of that Alec wouldn't have had a way of knowing that Magnus was even taken, since I doubt Iris would have let Magnus call or text him.

Do you even know that? I'd like to see what you're willing to do after being tortured for ten years. Just saying. But fine. Stay there on your high horse.

Ohmygod I am stunned. I couldn't have written that summation any better and to be honest I had assumed the show would just blackpaint Jonathan as evil villain and be done with it. This is so much more than I expected. I am impressed. (And of course now I hope that there will be a redemption arc for Jonathan, but I'm afraid I'm setting myself up for heartbreak with this one.)

Do they intend to tell me that this whole place is warmed by the fireplace? Why not by a heater? Since the three billion lamps

imply there's electricity somewhere. Or was that line about firewood just Jonathan's way to exit the scene? Who knows.

“Ollie? Doesn't remember a thing. Praetor was good about getting her and Samantha relocated. New identities. They're safe now, like everyone else.”

I'm still high-key bitter about this. I love Ollie a great deal, okay, so this is a pretty disappointing solution to outsource her from the plot. Just let her forget all the shit so she doesn't have to deal with trauma. Guess she thinks now her mother died in an explosion caused by a gas leakage or something. I wonder what the mundane police has to say about that and how long it'll take them to find her, since, y'know, they have evidence against her and all that.

Edit: This doesn't actually make sense if you think about it. Did Ollie just get dropped into a witness protection program for no reason she can remember? Or does that “new identities” actually mean they have completely new identities because they don't remember ANYTHING from their old life?? I need answers.

I get it. This is supposed to make me see how rundown and wasted Luke is. But is he purposefully trying to make himself look like a confused hobo? I mean couldn't he like, prepare the notes he wanted to show Jace? It's like he's trying to reinforce to Jace he shouldn't listen to a thing Luke says because these are clearly the actions of a desperate man. Presentation is half the battle man, man.

Hah, badass. There's a reason I love him.

I totally dig Magnus in his kiddie clothes, but I also need a lot of answers because there's blood on his hands and bodies at his feet and this doesn't look like magic gone haywire, this looks like a massacre and I need answers. I wonder if they're gonna explain this flash or just let it sit there uncommented. (I hope they address it and I hope it has something to do with Asmodeus and their time together.)

Ugh do I honestly have to reiterate that parking Magnus in his ward-less loft wouldn't have helped? Also, he's a grown-ass man and can make decisions for himself, dammit.

Owning up to his mistakes unrestrainedly. There's a reason I have a soft spot for Raphael.

New York, huh? What a coincidence. Wouldn't want him to live somewhere else and have Maia burn through the other half of her paycheck to pay some warlock to portal them again, right?

Also, not to be controversial, but why don't they ask the Praetor first? Since they had a whole ass book on the mark of cain and everything. And figured out what it is. And getting rid of something so dangerous is basically their job. I mean. Just saying.

You know I always marvel at this. Just because he's old he knows shit? Is there really an age where knowledge pops into your head just because? Because I'm still waiting for that to happen to me, let me tell you. Just like being immortal somehow grants you immediate access to celebrities and the questionable honor to be in the midst of all historical events of the slightest relevance? Srsly if I was immortal I'd still be glued to my lappy and hate going out.

LOL give Iris a front row seat on how you smashed her XD XD XD

IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE

<3 <3 <3

This exchange thing is a ploy, and to be honest, a painfully obvious one. I find it really kinda hard to believe Iris falls for it. What I've been asking myself since this plot line started is, why didn't Iris have that idea herself? Like, I honestly expected her to use Magnus as a hostage and tell Alec he either hand over Madzie or she'll kill Magnus. Makes way more sense than her just trying to find Madzie herself and then what, try to break her out again? That didn't work last time, and since the warlocks are warned by Magnus's abduction it'd be even unlikelier to work now. I get it plot-wise since it'd be a little awkward if Iris out-blackmailed the Shadowhunters, but like. Seriously. What's the in-universe-explanation for this???

I don't know why, but Magnus looks super cute in this shot.

Five bucks say this is Izzy with a shapeshifting rune, and ISTG if this is actually Madzie then I can just shake my head at them.

Okay, I totally dig Lightwood siblings working together but. Why do you have to simultaneously hurt me with plot holes.

1) Where did they get Seelie Magic? Did they employ Meliorn? Srlsy. Also, the Seelie Magic at the beginning of the episode could move so why was Illusion!Madzie standing there like a display dummy? That was super suspicious.

2) Why didn't they use a shapeshifting rune? The illusion would have held longer, Izzy could have gotten closer and tied Iris up more easily, without Magnus getting smashed first. But, drama I guess.

3) Where the f is Catarina? Please. Her ward almost gets kidnapped and all she does is go “Oh shit, gotta relocate her to some other High Warlock lol.” Her best friend gets kidnapped and all she does is go “Oh shit, but whatever, here have a fake ransom note but don't think I'll move my ass from this super important Bitching and Drinking Conference. I payed like 200 bucks to get in.” Wtf. This is shitty ooc behavior from her. Wtf. She's either suuuuuper confident that Alec and Izzy will get Magnus back no problem, or she doesn't give a shit about him, and sorry, I don't believe either of those two options.

HAHAHA I'M SCREAMING LOOOOOL!!! Is this code for “We wanted to kill her but Lilith was quicker so we'll pretend we weren't even interested in killing her in the first place”? The Clave, man. Always good for a laugh.

No, dummy, this is their R&D Department.

I'm not even kidding, remember 2x04:

Oh the good old times.

This was. Really good. Really. I'm like, reeling. I feel like show writers read too many fanfics and therefore the Malec scenes this ep were exquisite. Magnus evasively running around and not liking his “powerlessness.” Alec there to reassure him with the sweetest of words. Their kiss, not to short, but hard and determined, with feeling. Top tier shit.

Wow, even though the words that left their mouths were reassuring and good it still feels like their relationship is suddenly dying. I wonder why that is? Oh, right. Because Sizzy, that's why.

I love.

Ooooh guess the residual electricity finally ran out. And I guess Clary turned all the candles off to match the mood? Also, since it was dark outside before and now isn't anymore.... was Jonathan out collecting firewood the entire night? That's dedication, man.

.......what a coincidence that their healing rune is in the exact same spot. On that note, I've been wondering.... if the ressurection resetted his skin to a state it hasn't been in for ten years, effectively un-charring it, shouldn't his runes have disappeared as well? Did he spend the “days” Clary was sleeping with putting runes all over himself?? On that note, why the hell did Clary have to sleep for days when Jonathan was the one who came back from the dead? All that Clary did was running at Simon in slow motion. I mean, I know what I would find more taxing.

I soooo appreciate the blood on her teeth. Such care for detail <3

Okay, so I realize that this makes Jonathan look like a fanatic, but I actually understand this scene like this: He's not an idiot. He knew Clary wasn't really going to give him a chance. But this, this is his chance, because now she has no choice but to stick with him and see for herself.

Btw if you're wondering why I'm so pro Jonathan, you can read the beginning of this post where I got out all of my Jonathan Feels. Basically, until I actually see him act intrinsically evil I refuse to believe all hope is lost for him. He did terrible things, yes, and he's aware of that, but the way I see it he did them because he wasn't ever presented with an alternate choice. And now that he has one, he's holding onto it tooth and nail. He wants to leave all the pointless violence behind.

I'm aware he's a sadistic psycho in the books, but this wouldn't be the first time the show gave a character a make-over (for the better) and so far the only compelling piece of evidence on the show in favor of Jonathan's demon blood causing him to be unsavably evil was Jocelyn's vision of him killing a flower as a baby, and it's not even clear if that was intentional. So excuse me if that's not enough for me to write him off.

Gif Sources: Malec cheek kiss, Magnus being cutesy with his croc impression, Magnus brandishing his sword *facepalm* you know what I mean, Magnus batting Iris's magic away

[ultravioletsoul]

A Woman’s Duty [ Salen Kotch x F!Reader ] Part 2 / 2

So here’s the second and final part, yay me! I managed to finish a fic at long last.

Not much to say other than… I feel aliiiiiive! Now I should complete my other projects and stop procrastinating by watching and reading weird things that steal my sleep. Also, I need to stop inserting plot in every smut I want to write because I usually wind up with long stories that take about 10+ chapters to get to the good stuff. Bad habit of mine…

Hope you enjoy and, well… eem, see you later.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Call of Duty Infinite Warfare or its characters. They all belong to Activision and Infinity Ward. No copyright infringement intended. All I’m trying to do is provide entertainment to the readers and by no means do I have lucrative purposes.

Warnings: Unbetaed work. Misogyny. Implied abuse. Squick. Cousincest (depending on your views on such relationships). Possible OoC. OCs. English isn’t my first language.

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First Part:[here]

Part II

Marriage and sexual relations between first cousins weren’t strange or new practices in your world; in fact, such unions were thought to be beneficial— even encouraged, sometimes— as it created stronger bonds and kept the wealth within the family. Generally speaking, it was thought that both parties would be more comfortable in a relationship with a relative than a stranger, given that they knew each other beforehand. Of course, a study on the groom’s and bride’s genetic codes was carried out to avoid any unwanted surprises that could appear during the conception of a child. But even if that was the case, gene therapy solved virtually every problem by then.

Your elder sisters had taken vows with the sons of other important figures in the council. Being the child of a concubine yourself, you wouldn’t be allowed to do the same but your father wanted to give you a chance to have what he considered a ‘good marriage’. While you appreciated his concern, you very much preferred being with a nobody whom you could grow to love one day. That would never happen on his watch, unfortunately, and while you didn’t like the idea— for your cousins were like siblings to you, despite the fact that Salen acted as anything but— you knew there were far worse situations than this. Such was the case of a man who had turned one of his half-sisters into his mistress, as they weren’t legally permitted to marry, though you doubted she’d been happy to be the focus of his attentions. It was most disturbing to think this could become the norm in the future, but something deep inside your heart told you that it’d always been this way despite many efforts to conceal the truth and keep up appearances.

At least Salen had never tried to force himself on you, but it was difficult to tell for how long he’d remain like this. Once you married, you would have no choice but to submit and do as he said. It was the duty of a woman to obey her husband and give him descendants, the same way a man had to care for his wife and ensure she and their children wanted for nothing.

To be honest, you weren’t looking forward to it.

Before you realized it, Victory Day came. It was an important date for your people to commemorate the Secession Wars and celebrate the liberation of Mars from Earth’s yoke. Cydonia being the capital and core of the Martian economy and military power— as it was the location of Tharsis 02, one of the biggest and most important shipyards of the SDF— was the epicenter of these festivities that lasted for many sols. The metropolis was busy with exceptional parades and demonstrations of the prowess of the SDF armed forces that, you’d heard on numerous occasions, would put Earth’s to shame. Being the daughter of a hierarch, you were required to attend these events with your family and, of course, there was the private celebration reserved for members of the council and other families of renown.

On this occasion it was held in the residence of your father. Given that you were in your own house you’d chosen to retire to a safe haven, with the excuse that you were tired after a long day, despite the objections of your father’s wife. In truth, you had no wish to see Salen and she knew that you wanted to avoid him. Emin, on the other hand, was more understanding and allowed you to take your leave. At any rate, he knew you’d be spending a lot of time with your future husband… until one of you decided to die.

“I admit I never thought you and Salen would end up together. I thought it was only our parents joking because you were always arguing,” your sister Kalyna said, which prompted you to roll your eyes. The engagement had been announced not long ago during a familiar dinner and, while your siblings and cousins had congratulated you on the decision, you couldn’t say you shared their thrill.

“Seriously, must we talk about him now of all times? Are you trying to make me lose concentration, so you can win in Hounds and Jackals? That’s cheating, I’ll have you know.” Gently you petted the cat dozing off on your lap, eliciting contented purrs from her, whilst Kalyna heaved a weary sigh and regarded you with unease.

“You refuse to talk every time someone mentions the topic, but I see you’re distressed and that’s not a good sign. If only you would open up to me, then maybe I could help you deal with this. I know how you’re feeling because I was in your place once.” Her green eyes focused on the board, as she paused for a moment to move one of her pieces before nodding at you. “It’s your turn.”

“If I cannot avoid it, then I’ll ignore it. As simple as that.” Grabbing the sticks, you rolled them in your hands and cast them. A smile appeared on your lips, then. “Oh, triplets!”

“Um, I’m afraid that’s not how it works. You’re only blinding yourself to—”

“I don’t care.” It was a lie, of course. You did care, but there was nothing you could do about it. If your father said you were getting married to Salen, you would have to do it whether you agreed or not. “Don’t ruin such a lovely evening, please.”

“I understand you’re upset at these news, but this is an important event in the life of any woman and our father is a prominent member of the High Council.”

“That is the problem. He could have chosen anyone to be my husband yet, for some caprice of him and his brother, he decided that Salen is the best option for me. How tragic do you think that is? I’ll be stuck with a bastard for the rest of my life!”

“You know, I don’t think Salen is as bad as you believe him to be. Maybe if you actually gave him a chance, you would discover attractive qualities about him.” She was trying so hard to make you see the good side of your misfortune, but her kind words didn’t offer any solace for you.

“He has had plenty of chances to fix the wrong he’s done, but he’s not even sorry. What makes you think he will be a better man after we sign a contract that practically makes me his property?”

“It’s not as terrible as it sounds. The more you resist, the more difficult it’s going to be getting used. It happened to me with Erazem, and I was unhappy at first… but I promise it’ll get better once you start to accept him. Otherwise, trust me, you’re not going to have a good time.”

Other people would say you were overreacting and you probably were, given your circumstances and the fact you’d always known this would happen one day, but you didn’t really want to marry Salen. Time and again, it had been proven that you’d never understand each other so what was the point in trying to force a relationship between you and him? Willingly or not, your father was condemning you to a life of misery. You knew that you would never have hope of finding love or happiness with someone like your cousin, who seemed incapable of any kind gesture or affection. It was sad recalling that you’d once pitied the woman who would one day become his wife, only for you to be the one.

“Why is it always the same story? It shouldn’t have to be this way. We are not things!” you grumbled, flinging one of the jackal pegs to the floor with such force that it split in two. The racket scared your poor cat and she jumped off your lap, rushing to hide somewhere, as you watched the head of the pawn skid a distance away from you until it came to a stop near a pair of black leather shoes.

To your dismay, Salen had to appear at the most convenient of times, accompanied by his younger sister Roshan. His arm was linked to hers as they walked in the room, but he let go of the girl to pick up the strange item that had seemingly materialized out of nowhere, staring at it with casual interest before giving you a knowing look that did very little to put you at ease. Salen approached with the aplomb of a man who owns the world, not an ounce of hesitation or modesty in him, and you had to divert your gaze from his smug expression lest he’d take it as a silent invitation to test your patience.

He came to a stop by your side and greeted Kalyna briefly, then focused his attention on you as he tossed the head of the jackal at you. “Did you lose your head, my sweet?”

What a charming man he was…

Rolling your eyes in disgust, you held the item with the tip of your fingers and set it aside with a grimace. “Oh, Salen, each day I’m more convinced you’re the reason we can’t have nice things.”

“It’s good to see you both,” your sister greeted apologetically, trying to lighten up the mood, and Roshan seemed to find the situation hilarious for some reason.

“Why the long face, (Y/N)? Come on, you should be all smiles for your fiancé,” she teased, prompting an irritated huff from you.

“If he wants me to smile, then he should give me a reason to.”

“I would, dear cousin, but where is the fun in that?” Salen’s reply didn’t surprise you at all. It was evident that pestering you had always been one of his favorite pastimes, for as long as you could remember.

“I swear you two are like children,” Kalyna lamented whilst you eyed him out of the corner of your eye, assessing his appearance with subtlety. In this occasion he donned his navy blue full dress uniform, sporting several medals on his double-breasted jacket to account for his exemplary service since the beginning of his military career, and the stars on his golden and black shoulder boards denoted his recent promotion as Captain 1st Rank.

He removed the peaked cap from his head— revealing dark hair that was smoothly slicked back underneath—, placed it on the divan you were sitting on and unbuttoned the high collar of his jacket. While you could have agreed that he looked particularly handsome that evening, you would never entertain such asinine thoughts of infatuation for him.

Your gaze followed the trail of his facial scar, from the center of his forehead to his right cheek— an old wound that you’d found appalling, when you saw him for the first time after his return from training and naval college. It was an ‘accident’ that nearly cost him his eye and his career, his sisters had explained. Something, indeed, was very wrong though you couldn’t dig much deeper into the issue and you were scared to do so. Those who dared question the regime had disappeared in mysterious ways and were never seen again. No one would tell you what was going on but you weren’t an idiot. The name of Intracore,  the police that enforced the law on Martian territory and executed the will of the High Council, was enough to give anyone second thoughts about being nothing but happy to serve the SDF.

“Dear Kalyna, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Roshan’s voice interrupted your train of thought, and your elder sister turned to the youngster with a curious expression on her face.

“And what would that be?”

However, Roshan seemed a little withdrawn suddenly, and you dreaded what she might say next as she threw a sly look her brother’s way. “I’m afraid I need to talk to you in private. Hope you don’t mind, (Y/N).”

“But we’re playing Hounds and Jackals… ” The little runt! Though you knew you should be angry at Salen, since this was probably his idea and Roshan was merely doing what he wanted.

“I’m sorry but it’s really important!” She sounded truly abashed for doing this to you and, while you wanted to tell her to get lost when their elders were speaking, you could never say no when she looked at you with those cute chocolate eyes of hers— a trait that, unfortunately, Salen had also inherited. It had been that deceiving look he wore which convinced you to give him another chance, until you realized that beneath that facade of his there was only hardness of heart and cruelty.

Figures. “I’ll be on my way then.” The more distance you put between you and him, the better.

“Oh, no, no!” Roshan shook her head. “It would rude of me to make you leave like this, and I’m sure Lyna will agree on that. Please, don’t worry about us. You stay here with my dear brother. I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about.” She laughed under her breath, taking Kalyna by the hand and dragging her away. “Come, we must hurry.”

You couldn’t believe they were actually leaving you behind. Kalyna stared at you with sympathy, aware that you weren’t going to have a pleasant time with Salen, but there wasn’t much she could do to save you from him. It wasn’t in her power to do such a thing.

“Using your little sister as an excuse to annoy me? Outstanding.” Sarcasm dripped from your voice, something that didn’t escape his notice.

“Using your sister to avoid me? Predictable,” he remarked with a chuckle, and you glared daggers at him.

“Does this seem amusing to you?” Of course it was. He got you where he wanted you.

“Well, the truth is, I’ve always found your short temper entertaining,” he began, holding one of the hound pegs in his hand to inspect in an absent-minded fashion.

“So you made it a hobby to harass me, apparently.”

“Harass you? No, love; I only intend to make you understand your place. Ever since we were children, you have been too spoiled and outspoken for my liking or your own good.”

“Oh, is little Salen mad because someone dared talk back to him? Aw, how cute. That wouldn’t happen very often if he showed consideration and respect for others, don’t you think?”

Setting the object in his hand down on the board, he shrugged— clearly impassive at your words. “Laugh while you still can. Your father may have gone easy on you all these years, but rest assured that I won’t. Once you have pledged yourself to me and we have consummated, you will not dare go against me.”

The reminder that your first intimate experience, and all subsequent encounters, would be with him made you sick. If you refused him, he would force you— no doubt about that— and no one would even consider it a crime.

“Are you threatening me?”

“Take it as a warning that I will not tolerate insolence or disobedience from anyone, and certainly not from you.”

“You are despicable. I can’t believe you actually agreed to this arrangement. Out of all the men in Mars, it had to be you! Why couldn’t you choose someone else and leave me alone?”

“Why would I settle for less when I could have you?” He grabbed a lock of your hair and you flinched at his touch, slapping his hand away with a scowl. “And to think you once said you wouldn’t marry me, even if I were the last man left in the solar system. Life is such a delightful irony, isn’t it?”

“And I see you, your father and mine, have forgotten to ask my opinion.”

“A woman must do what her patriarch decides. You know it very well. Like it or not, you’re going to be mine— all mine like my dog, or any other of my possessions.” He then frowned in deep thought, considering something for a moment. “Though, compared with my dog, I will love you more… and trust you less.” At this, you had to laugh if only to conceal how miserable that statement made you feel. “You will never do the things to me you would have done to another man, batting your eyelashes without shame and giving them coy little smiles.”

Oh? Did he want to bet, then?

Putting on your best facade of loving young lady, you arose with delicate poise until you were standing small and fragile before him— the way he wanted to see you. Your chiffon farasha dress, embroidered with a pectoral collar of precious stones, shadowed the curves of your body under your long silk slip but it showed just enough to  draw his attention, which made you smirk in anticipation. With a sweet look in your eyes, you closed the distance between you and him, smiling tenderly as your arms slipped around his broad shoulders.

Your lips hovered his but never touched fully, and you knew he wouldn’t be able to resist when his breath caught in his throat at the sensation of your body so close to his. It took less longer than you’d expected for him to fall victim to your pretense. His strong arm wrapped around your waist and he pressed you against him, fingers tangling in your hair before he claimed your mouth in a heated kiss. It was possessive, meant to assert his ownership over you, and you played along to make him believe you longed for his touch. It would be a lie saying that his overpowering lust didn’t ignite something in you, and you knew you were at fault for that. But your contempt for him was much stronger than any odious desire you might be harboring deep inside, and you weren’t going to forget that any time soon.

He should have a taste of the affection you’d never feel for him, of the passion you’d deny him every time you were in his arms.

As the kiss came to an end, Salen parted from your flushed face, his eyes half-lidded as they took in your sweet expression that was soon replaced by one of smug triumph. Realizing you’d deceived him, he  frowned in indignation and you couldn’t hold back your laughter at having hurt his pride. Your actions had clearly angered him, for he gave an irritated growl and pushed you to the divan on top of the satin cushions. Oh, the look on his face was priceless and you surely savored this small victory!

His chocolate eyes narrowed dangerously, as he circled you like you were his prey, and he retrieved his peaked cap with a forceful snatch. “I know you, my sweet. You’re a sharp-clawed treacherous little peacock, but you’re a prize that many want to claim… and I’m going to have all of you.”

He had clearly misunderstood your intentions. Even if you were his wife, you’d never be truly his and that was what you wanted to make very clear. “In your dreams. Did you think my kiss was a promise of what you would have?” How quick he was to jump to conclusions. “No, little Salen. It was to let you know what you will not have. I could never love you.”

The black-haired man arched an eyebrow and scoffed in amusement, much to your surprise and discomfort as that wasn’t the reaction you were expecting from him. “Does that matter?” What a fool you’d been to believe he would care. In less than a second, however, his expression darkened and you felt a knot in your throat at the clear menace in his gaze. “You will be my wife. I will have you whenever I want you, and I will enjoy that very much. Whether you enjoy it or not is your own affair…” He placed the covering on his head and threw a last glance at you, as one of the corners of his mouth rose in a smirk, “but I think you will.”

At long last, Salen walked away and left you to sulk in your bitter desolation, incensed at the way he’d turned the tables on you. With a glower, you wiped your mouth with the back of your hand to get rid of the taste of his wicked lips and quivered as your stomach churned in disgust.

A soft meow came from beneath and you looked down to find your cat staring with concern in her blue eyes. Jumping to your arms, she purred— as if trying to comfort you— and you petted her soft fur, refusing to shed tears because of him.

“At least I have you…”

It was just an average day for the woman of Mars,after all.

A/N: What can I say? Salen has such a way with the ladies in my fics :P what a romantic gentleman he is!

This two-shot was heavily based on a scene of the Ten Commandments, an old movie from the 50s. Nefertiri has always been my favorite character and I thought her story was tragic and sad ;A;

You can see for yourself how I butchered the scene on my story: