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obislittleone · 2 years

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House Of Memories (43/?)

Obi-Wan Kenobi x Padawan!reader

Warnings: mace windu lol

Summary: Trapped beneath the rubble, you try your best to help yourself as well as Master Windu escape this terrible tunnel.

A/n: ouch y'all i'm trying to keep the updates coming but it's getting hard i've been swamped with orders and i have no one to help me oof-

also y'all if you like the story, maybe consider buying me a coffee :)

Words: 3k

Obi-Wan watched on with wide eyes as you slid beneath the oncoming ruble, running towards the rocks with impeccable speed. He was still too late unfortunately and pounded his fists against the cluttered surface with a fit of anger.

This wasn't his fault, it was your decision, and yet, he always blamed himself for anything that happened to you. He was your master, and swore an oath to protect you, but more importantly, he loved you, and if he failed to stay in alignment with that oath, he would never forgive himself.

"What was she thinking?" Anakin rushed up to stand beside his Master, and though it was a question thought out loud, not meant to receive answers, Obi-Wan had a perfect idea why.

"She's proving them wrong," he said, a bit of sarcasm floating in his tone. He was snippy when he was in a bad mood, and given that you were separated from him by a wall made of stone, he was in the worst mood he'd been in for a long while.

"What?" Anakin was more confused by his statement than by your actions themselves.

"I don't have time to explain, we need to find a way to get them out before those droids get over the mountain."

His fear of leaving anyone behind was crippling, but leaving you behind? And worse, leaving you behind when you risked your life to save the one person who may have despised you the most? He couldn't bear it.

He positioned all the men he could on clearing an opening, and hoped that on the inside, you weren't badly injured. You were a very strong Jedi, capable of immense strategy, but navigating the inside of a dark tunnel with Mace Windu constantly harping over your shoulder might be something to diminish your abilities.

You couldn't see a thing. You could only hear the sound of rocks falling into piles outside of where you'd been trapped. You reached for your lightsaber, igniting it and qaving around the hilt to get a better vision of where you were standing. There were some piles of clutter, mostly dirt and mud that came down with the rocks, the earthy materials blocking you from reaching the very person you rushed in to save.

"Master Windu?" You called out, afraid of how far in he'd been buried beneath it all.

"Here," he gasped out, clearly biting the inside of his mouth to try and stunt the pain. "I'm over here."

You rushed over, waving your saber blade where he was, almost making an incision in his face for how close you got. You backed it away immediately, looking at the situation before you. Both his legs were crushed under a giant boulder, and there was no chance you could lift it with your bare hands... luckily for you, you'd been blesses with a strong and rare connection with the force, meaning you were also strongly tied to every living thing in this galaxy, even Mace Windu. You placed a hand on his shoulder and focused on keeping him calm, forcing your signature to comb through his with the soothing waves of your mind. As soon as he seemed settled, you focused again, raising the boulder off of him long enough thay he could pull both legs out from underneath. You dropped it a moment later, and sank to your knees for the strength it took out of you.

"Are you alright?" He asked, watching your heavy breathing under the glow of the green and white light. He'd never actually seen the streak in your saber before today, but figured the battlefiled was not the place to discuss it. Now didn't seem like a great time, either.

"Yes, I'm fine," you tried to even your bresth intake, following a pattern that your Master had taught you when you were very young. "I just need a moment."

He didn't want to address it, the bantha in the room, or should he say cavern. He wanted to move on as if this was just a regular occurrence, but it was not. You ran in after him, you were the only one who'd come to save his life.... surely you'd bring it up eventually, maybe even right now, you would ask for a thank you, or brag about your decision to follow him. Maybe you would tell him this broke even, and that he was to stop treating you like he-

"Are you alright?" You asked, and his face went blank. You couldn't help your puzzled stare at him, he must have been thinking of something. "If you're not sure you can stand, I can help you. I'm mych stronger than I look."

Well, he thought, I'll be damned. Of all the years you'd been in the temple, he never really took the time to know you, after forming an opinion of you in your early stages of life, (no doubt even then he still didn't look into your situation) he decided you weren't worth the time spent, to understand your mind, the way it worked, or the complexity of your thoughts. He simply thought you were a trouble maker, harnessed only by the guidance of Obi-Wan Kenobi. He had an opinion on your bond to him, but never voiced it aloud to anyone, not even himself. If you both were what he feared, you might be dangerous... or, you'd be their greatest strength. Either way, if the bond was strong enough, you'd be unstoppable.

"I'm fine."

He didn't want to bring it up, so he didn't, because you seemed perfectly fine not to as well.

"Good," you nodded, beginning to stand up and offered him a hand to his feet as well. He didn't seem so steady on his heels as normal, but he pretended he was, and perhaps that was enough. "We need to find a way out, but the main entrance is sealed tightly, I don't think it will be a viable option."

"The other side won't be either, even if it's still open. As soon as we step out, we'll be swarmed with droids."

You nodded, holding your saber out in different directions and hoping another path was available. It didn't seem like there were many options, but there was a small crawl space by the wall that was still intact. Worse case scenario, you had to crawl backwards through it to come back out if there was a dead end.

"Over there, it seems to be some type of ventalation system. If the vents weren't too badly damaged in the explosion, it will take us to the surface," you explained, although the Master Jedi didn't necessarily need your help in understanding.

"After you," he gestured. He knew that if you didn't fit, he sure as hell wouldn't, but as you crouched down beside it, the evidence stood that it would be big enough for both of you.

It was a tighter space for him, but he followed along, knowing that he had no other options at the moment. He only hoped the outside forces were working just as hard to secure their escape from this horrible mes they were in.

Obi-Wan was sweating violently, and his anxiety was getting on everyone's nerves. Yes, they were trying their hardest, and yes, they were scared that it kay not be enough, but Obi-Wan's consistent badgering about the severity of the situation wasn't helping.

He tried to reach out in the force, to connect to your signature and to speak to you but you were distracted, and he could only hope that was a good thing.

As the troopers moved, quickly removing rocks and such from the area, he realized that maybe there was another way out. He approached Anakin, ready to confront him about his suspicion, but it seemed the boy had beat him to it.

"I've sent some men to look for the ventilation port. If it's still intact, that might be our best course of action," he knew this was hard on Obi-Wan, and he knew that though everyone was stressing out over his behavior, it was only because he was trying to get to you, and the obstacles seemed impossible right now. If it weren't for his exhaustion ridden mind, he would try and force away those barriers with only the power of what was in him. He, however, was using the last bit of his concentration and effort on trying to pinpoint you, to make sure you were safe until he could get you out.

"Thank you, Anakin. You've been an impeccable leader today, and you've done us proud."

The praise he received from his former master was always appreciated, but knowing the emotional toll it took for him to stsnd here without you beside him, Anakin wanted only to comfort his friend. They were brothers, always would be, and when one was in distress, it was up to the other to see out the issue, and help it dissolve.

"Maybe you should sit down for a minute," Anakin tried to usher him over to a ledge, whete he could still oversee all the happenings of the working soldiers, but he coukd maybe clear his mind for a few seconds. He knew it was a stretch, because when it came to you, all bets were off for Obi-Wan. He was devoted to you, mind and soul, and whatever he needed to do to have you by his side, it wasn't even a question of if he could accomplish it, rather instead, how quickly?

"I cannot rest until she is found," and though he meant it, his tired expression that followed gave him away. He hadn't slept the night before the mission, too afraid of what could go wrong. He had a sense about these things, often as did you. He only hoped he was wrong, but today he would not be so lucky. Now, most of all, he was worried about how you were being treated for your reckless move. Hopefully Mace wouldn't be too stern, given that it was him you went in to save. "I can't imagine what's happened between them in there."

It was utterly quiet between the two of you as on opposite sides of the new cavern, you tried carving into the access doors with your lightsabers. The ventilation system onky went so far before the access ways had been smashed by debris, so you took another oath and ended uo in what looked to be some sort of storage room. The lighting was working, which is why you both held hope that perhaps the doors would work too, but they had been sealed shut, and you were giving up on even thinking that there would be a clear exit if you could carve them out.

Master Windu seemed to be utterly annoyed by every attempt to escape this place, as were you, though you hid those emotions to stay on his good side.

"You can stop that, there's nothing on the other side," he let out, shaking his head and sitting against his side of the wall. You kept on, though your arms were thoroughly tired, trying your best to make a hole that was big enough to fit through.

"Jedi don't give up."

"They do when there's nothing else to be done. A wise Jedi understands when they have not the capabilities to accomplish something," he spoke, and you couldn't help but feel like he was trying to teach you something.

You looked back at him and furrowed your brows, he looked very comfortable on the ground, ans you figured perhaps it would be okay to take a rest from your endeavor, if only for a few minutes.

"Alright," you conceded, sinking down the opposite wall from him, and heaving a sigh of frustration. This conundrum was definitely not ideal, and you hoped you wouldn't have to converse with the Grand Council member any more than you already had. You figured being in a small space with someone who despised you would end up poorly if you interacted too much.

Mace had to wonder for a moment... why did he treat you the way he did? You clearly were not the person he'd thought you to be, the person he'd made you out to be to so many other people. He'd shared his opinion of you to nearly everyone he encountered that he knew would also encounter you. It wasn't fair... and now that you'd saved his life, and had asked for nothing in return, he could see that.

"I wanted to thank you," he started, watching as your confused face snapped up to meet his eyeline. "For saving my life. No one else ran in but you..."

He took another pause, unsure of how to phrase his next question without sounding ungrateful.

"Why is that?"

You calculated your response carefully, for all you knew, this could be a test.

"It seemed like the right thing to do," was a good answer, but your elaboration was even better. "My Master always taught me to seek the needs of others above my own."

Mace nodded, raising a brow and thinking about the ever so complicated words that were his next question.

"That wasn't what I meant. Why, when in the past I have shown indifference to you, woukd you run in here to save me?"

Oh boy... this wasn't a test, but simply his curiosity, and though you could answer in another profound way, you chose to stay silent for a moment while contemplating the truth of the matter.

"Your trouble with the council may have died with me, but you chose to ignore that fact."

Yes, you did, because it was your mission to prove them wrong, just as Obi-Wan had suggested.

"If I let you die, I'm no better of person, and I'm certainly not a good Jedi," your explanation dumbfounded him, he had a lack for words, blinking rapidly to try and process your meaning. "Master Kenobi taught me better than that."

This he could agree with, Obi-Wan was a good teacher, and the way he so gently guided you along your path was perhaps his greatest method as a Jedi Master. To be so kind and careful with one's Padawan, it was a skill of patience that he knew long ago he did not posess, and nearly envied.

"He has taught you well."

You weren't sure if you heard that right, but it sounded like Mace Windue was trying to make an effort to compliment you, which would be a first, and probably once in a lifetime experience. Maybe you were imagining it, maybe the lack of oxygen was feeding your brain wild fantasies that didn't exist.

"His mentorship has meant a lot to me, I believe it is because of him I have accomplished what I have in my life," you were letting your thoughts into the air, now. It was your hope that he did not grow tired of your weary conversation and turn back to his ways of loathing you again.

"You both share a bond that is greater than any between Master and Padawan in existence. It is my belief that you may be a dyad in the force."

What?

That can't be possible.

Dyads were of legend, hidden in the ancient Jedi texts and never proven to exist outside of old lore from times of the Jedi's originations. How did that even cross his mind, surely he was too sensible to think that such a thing could be true.

"A force dyad? That's impossible," you weren't even really responding to his statement, but rather reacting through thoughts said outloud.

"I once thought so, too. I promised Master Kenobi never to share this information with another person, but given that it's about you, I think he'd let it slide," he leaned forward a little, preparing to explain this to you in depth and detail. "He came to me in confidence, telling me that he felt stronger in your presence. He also said that you are able to communicate by use of the force when you're not even near each other. Your ability to locate him across star systems, just by reaching out with your signature is a gift that I have never seen the likes of."

You knew it was unwise to tell him anything else, because it would only give away the fact that you were also romantically involved with the one he spoke of. You could not let that happen. Truce or not, Master Windu wouldn't hesitate to expell you for such reasoning.

"He knows about this?"

"More or less, we've discussed it," it was his intention now to explain to you one last thing, he would tell you why he treated you- the council treated you in such a manner as they did. "I, in the past, had not been wise enough to see then what I see now. In the past, I thought you were a distraction to your master, an attachment that is forbidden from him, and that should anything happen to you, he would leave the order. I thought that your behavior in earlier circumstances made you a bad risk for him. I see now that you are his greatest strength, and any battle you fight together shall be won."

You couldn't help but smile. The greatest trial of your lives had yet to come, and you knew that it would be harder than anything you've even faced... but hey, if Mace Windu somehow approved of your attachment to him, then what could be so bad?

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cherrycheridarling · 3 years

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tic-tac-toe | mcu

marvel cast x actress!reader

warnings: one swear, fluff, no plot

summary: you play aphrodite in the MCU and it's time for the press conference for infinity war. based off of this press conference

wc: 2.7k

"Tom Hiddleston!" Jeff Goldblum introduced the man who was sitting on your right.

Everyone applauded before Jeff moved onto you, "Y/N Y/L/N!" more applause rang through the room.

"Sebastian Stan!" you looked to your left where Sebastian waved to the crowd as you clapped with everyone else.

"Anthony Mackie!"

After Jeff finished with the introductions, he explained how the panel would work. He would pull a ping pong ball out of a container and it would either have a name or category. The audience would be able to ask a question to that person or a person in that category after Jeff called on them.

As he pulled RDJ's name out of the container, Tom leaned over towards you.

"Does your water taste funny, too?" he whispered making you stifle a laugh.

You nodded, "Kind of like lemon, right?"

He shook his head, "Mine tastes like mint. Can I taste yours?" he held his hand out as you passed him your water bottle. He took a sip and spent a moment analyzing the taste, "Yours does taste like lemon! Why does mine taste different? Here." he passed you his water.

You took a sip and were hit with a strong mint flavour, "Woah. I think they're trying to drug you." you joked making him laugh.

"As I am answering this question, Tom Hiddleston and Y/N Y/L/N are discussing the flavours of the water behind me." Robert exposed you and Tom to the audience making the room burst out into laughter.

"They have fancy water. Mint and lemon." Tom spoke into a mic drawing more laughs. "Sorry. Carry on!"

As Jeff pulled the next name, you adjusted your dress. A white, long sleeve, blazer dress with gold buttons down the middle, the dress ended mid-thigh. The v-neck cut showcased your subtle gold necklace. Black stiletto heels covered your feet.

You unconsciously began bouncing your leg up and down in a fast motion. Sebastian placed a hand on your thigh, stopping your movements, "You're gonna drill a hole through the floor, Y/L/N." he chuckled.

"Sorry." you laughed quietly.

Sebastian pulled out a notepad and pen, "You need a distraction. Tic-tac-toe?" he offered.

You smiled with a nod before making your move.

"You absolutely suck at this." you chuckled as you won the third game in a row.

Sebastian scoffed, "You can't suck at tic-tac-toe."

"And yet, you do." you smirked.

He rolled his eyes playfully before you continued playing.

After two more rounds, your attention was back on Jeff as he pulled a new ping pong ball. "Ooh! You can ask a God or Goddess." Jeff announced, "So, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth or Y/N Y/L/N." he reminded the crowd, "Okay, yes, you!" he picked a woman in the front row.

"Hi, I'm Alexis with Forbes. My question is for Y/N." the room applauded as Jeff tossed the ping pong ball at you and you caught it with one hand.

"See, Robert! It's not that hard!" Jeff exclaimed making everyone laugh.

"Screw off, Goldblum! You chucked that shit at my head." Robert joked back. "Sorry, Alexis, go ahead."

"Um, I wanted to ask about Aphrodite's powers. We all know that she is the Goddess of Love and can seduce anyone with her beauty. We see in the trailer a small clip of her seducing men. How many people did you seduce in the film and were there any funny moments filming those scenes that you can share?"

Her question drew a mix of reactions from the cast. Some laughed, some furrowed their eyebrows and others were just confused. You took in the question before opening your mouth to reply, until you remembered that you weren't wearing a body mic. The cast laughed again before Sebastian passed you a mic.

"Sorry. Um, how many people did I seduce in the film? None." you stated drawing more laughs, "How many people did Aphrodite seduce? All of them." you chuckled, "I'm kidding. Although, I'm not sure what I can share because I don't know what's in the trailer." you confessed, "Kevin, Joe, Anthony, what's in the trailer?" you asked them making everyone laugh again.

Kevin picked up a mic, "I believe it's you seducing Spider-Man, Starlord, Drax and Iron Man."

You nodded, "I do have a funny moment that I'm sure Mister Holland will kill me for sharing, but it's too good to not tell." you smiled thinking of the memory.

Tom immediately grabbed a mic, "You wouldn't!" he exclaimed making the audience and cast laugh.

"I would," you retorted, "We were shooting that scene and, as you know, they have to act like they are falling in love with me. Like I'm putting them in a trance. Well, Tom took that a bit too seriously." you paused at the laughter that your sentence caused, "They're all on their knees in front of me, looking at me as if I'm their queen, because I am." you joked, "And then Anthony calls 'cut' and Dave, Chris and RDJ all get up and start chatting, but as I'm turning away, Tom doesn't move. Still on his knees, looking at me as if I hold the world in my hands." the room filled with amused laughs and chuckles as Tom covered his face with his hands.

"No, it was so bad because I just looked like a creep that couldn't stop staring at her!" Tom laughed at himself.

Robert grabbed a mic, "Very true. I was watching and it honestly had me convinced that Y/N had real powers."

"I have to say, I understand the kid's reaction. Y/N's costume for Aphrodite and the way they transform her only enhances how gorgeous she already is." Anthony Mackie spoke up causing the crowd to gush and clap, "I'm pretty sure we all had the same reaction when we first saw her while filming Civil War." he looked around as the cast nodded.

Scarlett picked up a mic, "Yeah. I remember her walking on set in this stunning white dress which made me extremely jealous," she confessed, "Because, one, it's so gorgeous and she looks absolutely amazing in it," the crowd and cast applauded again, "And two, it's made of the softest silk while my suit is leather and spandex!" everyone laughed at her comment.

Benedict picked up his mic, "Although, it wasn't Tom's first time seeing Y/N as Aphrodite. He was in Civil War and still could not contain himself." he teased making the audience and cast laugh again.

Robert spoke again, "Yeah, he did that during the filming of Civil War, too." the room hollered with laughs.

Tom's face was bright red, "I'm just a very committed actor. I really give all of myself to my work." his comment drew more laughs.

"That's why Sebastian despises Tom. It all started when Tom couldn't take his eyes off of Y/N." Chris Hemsworth added making everyone double over in laughter.

"I feel so loved," you held a hand to your heart as the room chuckled, "These are genuinely the best people in the world and I guess you could say I seduced one person during filming." you joked as the crowd continued to laugh, "Sorry, Tom. I'll buy you some juice, don't be mad." Anthony and Benedict laughed loudly. "Thank you for your question!" you thanked the lady as the cast clapped before Jeff picked out the next ping pong ball.

Next was Scarlett. You sat back and silently judged the man who asked about fashion. Scoffing with Sebastian at his question and laughing at Scarlett's sarcastic and witty responses.

Sebastian leaned over again, "I have to piss."

You stifled a laugh at his abrupt confession, "Go to the washroom, then." you nodded your head towards the exit.

"We're not allowed to leave." he frowned.

You chuckled and reached over, patting his thigh with your hand, "Don't piss yourself."

He rolled his eyes playfully before Jeff called out the next name.

"Anthony Mackie!"

"Hi, I'm Tiffany with Times Magazine. With such a star studded cast, do you find it difficult or any obstacles in developing your character with all theses amazing stories being told and struggling for screen time? Like, are there any obstacles or special difficulties or is it all just amazing?"

Before Anthony could answer, Joe Russo picked up his mic, "Are you asking Anthony Mackie if he has a hard time getting attention?" his comment caused the whole room to erupt in laughs.

Anthony nodded slowly as the laughter died down, "Touché, touché. Uh, well, Tiffany, a wise man once said that some men need an hour to make their presence felt and some need thirty seconds." there was an uproar of laughter and hollering at his comment as he dramatically dropped the mic on the table.

"Who are we asking next?" Jeff squinted at the ping pong ball, "Ooh! Back to the Goddess of Love herself, Y/N Y/L/N!" the room applauded for you as Jeff threw the ball to you.

Sebastian intercepted the toss and caught the ball himself with a smug smirk. You rolled your eyes, but smiled as Jeff picked a lady out of the dozens who had raised their hand.

"Hi, I'm Amy with Esquire and I wanted to ask about the relationship between Bucky and Aphrodite. We see in the previous films their awkward tension from their past history. They have a very special romance and their love story is a fan favourite in the Marvel fandom. What was it like building that bond and relationship on screen? And what do you think of the choice to match the two characters together, how did you react when you found out? Did the pairing of the two help build your bond off screen?"

Jeff spoke again, "I said 'one question', that was at least twenty." he teased the lady drawing laughs from the room.

You chuckled and nodded slowly as the laughter died down, "Excellent questions. Umm, I honestly really like the pairing of the two. I think it gives a great dynamic to both characters and reveals sides of them that we never would've seen without their relationship. It's a very 'good girl falling for the bad guy' trope. And if I'm being honest, I've always wanted that." you confessed causing the room to chuckle, "Their relationship is, without a doubt, one of the most complicated ones in the MCU, but I think that's what makes it so loved by the fans since there's not a dull moment between the two. It's nice to see Bucky have a sentimental side, in his own awkward way of course. And you get to see Aphrodite fall for someone who's not a God or a Titan." you turned to Sebastian, "What do you think?"

You offered him the mic, but he didn't take it, letting you hold it up for him, "Yeah, I agree. I never thought Bucky would have a love interest, if I'm being honest. But I'm glad he does because Aphrodite brings out the soft side in him and he brings out the fighter in her. They really balance each other out and Y/N portrays the character in such a unique way, it really brings a whole new fresh persona to Aphrodite and it's amazing having her as a partner on screen." the audience applauded at his words, "When I first found out about Bucky having her as his love interest—"

"—He called me screaming about how hyped he was." Anthony Mackie cut him off making the room laugh. "Anthony! Anthony! Bucky is gonna be with Aphrodite! That's gonna be sick!" Anthony mocked his voice as you were hunched over with laughter.

Sebastian nodded with a smile, "I did. Won't lie, I did. It's a really refreshing relationship and I'm glad that the fans love it as much as I love playing it. Back to you, you haven't talked about the development and our bond." he gave you a lopsided grin.

You chuckled, "I feel like I'm rambling, but yeah. Their development is definitely," you paused, trying to find the right words, "A development?" you settled on drawing more laughter. "Well, as I said, it's very complicated, but awkwardly adorable at times. Since Seb complimented me, I feel obligated to say something nice about him," you joked making them laugh again, "Kidding. He really does play Bucky with such passion and commitment, it's truly inspiring. And working with someone who loves what they do as much as Seb, it definitely motivates you tremendously and yeah. Um, I won't lie, I honestly was dreading working with Seb," you confessed drawing laughs and a gasp from Sebastian.

"Why?!" he exclaimed making you laugh.

You sighed, "Not because I think you're a bad person or anything, but you come off as very intimidating to people who don't know you very well. And I knew nothing about you before filming other than the films you'd already done, so you scared me." your confession caused everyone to laugh loudly.

Sebastian smirked jokingly, "I am extremely frightening. I understand." he shrugged.

You scoffed with a laugh, "I caught you sleeping with a stuffed turtle and whale noises playing." the room roared with laughter again, "That's when I knew you were a big softy."

Sebastian rolled his eyes playfully, "She's joking. I am the toughest man alive." he deepened his voice.

You shook your head with a chuckle, "Sure. Thank you for your questions." the room clapped for you as you set the mic down and relaxed back into your seat.

"Nailed it." Sebastian held a hand out for a high five and you chuckled before hitting your hand against his.

For the rest of the press conference, you sat back and listened to your friends answer questions. Laughed at jokes made and clapped when appropriate. Small tic-tac-toe games went on between you and Sebastian. Your attention was fully on your nails when Tom Hiddleston got called on.

"Hi, I'm Samantha with Daily Mail and I was wondering, since Loki is a very closed off and mysterious character, we never explore the aspect of him having a love interest. So, if you could choose anyone from the MCU for Loki to end up with, who would it be and why?"

You turned to look at Tom as he pondered on the question, crossing his arms and rubbing his chin, "Very good question. Umm, who would I choose for Loki? Let's see," he paused again and looked around the room until his eyes landed on you, "Ah, I'd steal Aphrodite from Bucky." he answered making the room laugh and Sebastian chuckled with a nod.

"Why Aphrodite?" Jeff asked.

Tom chuckled again, "Well, it's Aphrodite." he simply answered drawing more laughs, "They are so different yet similar in so many ways. Loki is never fully evil nor fully good, but I think Aphrodite has the best chance of turning him good. And who wouldn't want to end up with the Goddess of Love?"

The cast nodded understandingly before Chris Pratt grabbed a mic, "If you were to ask any person on this stage that same question, I guarantee the answer would be Aphrodite." the whole cast nodded.

"They're all trying to steal Sebastian's woman." Jeff teased.

Sebastian scoffed jokingly, "They're all jealous." he wrapped an arm around your shoulder.

You chuckled with a shake of your head before Robert spoke up, "Adding onto the conversation. Miss Y/L/N, who would you want Aphrodite to end up with?" his question drew excited reactions from the crowd.

You let out a bark of laughter before looking from Tom to Sebastian, "Hmm, excellent question, Mister Downey." you rubbed your chin, "Stop doing that, Holland." you chuckled as you saw Tom point at himself in the corner of your eye.

He raised his hands in surrender before Anthony Mackie spoke up, "Spidey is five years old, kid." everyone laughed at that.

"I'd have to stick with Bucky. He is her true love." you shrugged as the crowd cheered.

Sebastian smirked from beside you as the men of the cast faked disappointment.

As the panel came to a close, you looked around at the family you were surrounded by. Friends you love more than anything. Hundreds of memories with the most amazing people you'd ever met. Your home.

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hanemiso · 3 years

Text

Operation: Dairy For Dazai

>>>a dazai osamu x reader<<<

request: "omg i love your post about Dazai and his possibility of having lactose intolerance hahaha, i wish you could do a fanfic out from that"

a/n: um this is such a great idea??? this was so much fun to write omg i hope y'all like it! also i know dazai doesn't necessarily drink coffee with milk and sugar/creamer, but for the sake of the story he does! also sorry if the gif looks weird, i couldn't find his weird little run anywhere else.

synopsis: no one has seen dazai drink milk or consume dairy of any kind...it's up to the agency to figure out if dazai is lactose intoleralnt or not!

warnings: one swear word, dazai not being able to handle dairy

"hey atsushi, you ever notice that dazai doesn't consume dairy?"

"what do you mean, y/n?" atsushi asks, glancing up at you from the computer.

"think about it. have you ever seen dazai drink milk? eat cheese? buy ice cream?" you press on, raising your brows.

atsushi takes a second to think before responding with, "now that you mention it, no i haven't...why are you asking anyway?"

"i think dazai is lactose intolerant."

you now have atsushi's full attention as he rolls closer to your desk and furrows his brows. he looks around the room for the brunette you're talking about before turning back to you, "you think so? i don't know...maybe it's like a dietary thing."

you deadpan, "you really think the man who goes out of his way to try new attempts at committing suicide--the one who came into the office with a hallucinogenic mushroom from a random mountain--is concerned with his own nutrition?"

atsushi goes silent and nods his head in agreement.

"come on, atsushi. i mean, why would that be the one thing out of his entire diet that he'd choose to cut out?"

"that's true, i've seen the kinds of things he eats...but why is this something you're interested in?"

"because, atsushi, the thought of THE dazai osamu even having one slight weakness--and the fact that it very well may be dairy, of all things-- is amusing. you don't find it interesting? that he can survive things like bullet wounds and getting kidnapped without any problem, but a glass of milk could completely ruin him?"

atsushi was beginning to take interest in what you were talking about. you had a point, he couldn't deny that. they don't know much about dazai and his life as it is. just as it began clicking in his brain, kunikida walks over to your desk to tell you both to get back to work. at the sound of his footsteps, you turn towards him and before he can say anything at all, you ask him the same question as atsushi. kunikida has a smiliar reaction and response to atsushi, which just adds to the curiosity of dazai's possible dairy problem.

"i don't pay attention to that idiot's diet anyway, nor do i care." he says matter-of-factly.

anyone could tell that kunikida was slightly interested, just by the way he was continuing to linger by your desk as you continued talking about it with atsushi. soon enough, tanizaki had joined the conversation; then ranpo and kenji, and soon everyone in the agency other than fukuzawa. everyone was huddled around your desk, sharing memories of dazai's lack of dairy consumption. it was then decided that this theory of dazai being lactose intolerant would be put to the test when dazai returned to the office.

ranpo had come up with the idea, it wasn't too elaborate but a simple plan that could trick even the likes of dazai into drinking a glass of milk. during the discussion of dazai's dietary habits, it was also brought to everyone's attention by kunikida that it seems dazai doesn't have a high spice tolerance either. with that in mind, the plan was for the agency to have a joint dinner tonight, with curry on the menu tonight; spicy curry to be exact. dazai always flirts with you in the office, so it was your job to distract him by indulging in his pick-up lines and such. once he takes a bite and realizes it's too spicy for him, he'd try to find water to alleviate the pain, but coincidentally there is no water in sight. because of this, he'd be forced to drink the glass of milk you hand him. of course, if this didn't work, for dessert you'd give him a cup of coffee with milk and sugar (he uses non-dairy creamer in his coffee anyway).

you and kyouka set up a table to put the bowls of curry on, while atsushi and kunikida began bringing in the curry. tanizaki, naomi, and ranpo were in charge of getting the desserts to really sell the image of a nice gathering. kenji and yosano were in charge of tinkering with the water pipes to close off any possibility of access to water. this task was treated with such care, as any mission brought into the agency would be. each and every one of you were interested in learning about this side of dazai; are you going the extra mile for such a minuscule detail of someone's life? yes, but will it be amusing to find out the truth? also yes.

soon enough, dazai is spotted out the window. the truth is about to be revealed, and you are all nervous but excited.

"remember guys, act natural! operation: dairy for dazai starts now!" you exclaim quietly.

you can hear everyone take a deep breath and begin "talking" amongst themselves as dazai walks in. he stops in his tracks as he eyes the table holding all the bowls of curry and widens his eyes in surprise.

"oh? what's this?" he asks, gesturing to the table.

"y/n suggested having dinner in the agency tonight, so we got some curry and desserts." atsushi explains.

"have a bowl, dazai-kun." you smile at him as you hand him the bowl of spicy curry.

"ah, you're too nice, my belladonna!" he exclaims and grabs the bowl.

so far so good, you think.

you can feel the tension in the room as everyone waits for dazai to take a bite. the conversations carry on amongst people, but no one was truly paying attention to what was being said. the gazes of each member of the agency shifted to dazai as he raised the spoon up to his mouth. you could hear the sound of everyone in the room holding their breaths, even kunikida was sweating.

once the spoon had been placed in his mouth, everyone froze in place. you and atsushi tried to pretend to not be paying much attention to dazai, but it was so hard not to when all of a sudden he stopped chewing. you both slowly turn your head towards him and see his eyes go wide once again. he hurries to the nearest trashcan and spits out the spoonful, quickly turning and looking for a cup of water on the table.

"w-what's wrong, dazai-san?" atsushi asks, also sweating.

"h-hot! spicy curry! atsushi-kun, i need water! please!" dazai exclaims.

you run to the table and pretend to look for a cup of water before grabbing the glass of milk and hurrying towards dazai.

"sorry dazai-kun, i couldn't find any water, but i heard milk helps with the pain!" you hold out the glass of milk.

it feels like time stops as dazai sits there, breathing shallows breaths in attempts to stop the fire in his mouth, and contemplating whether he wants to try his luck with continuing to gasp for air or drinking the milk. he hates suffering, after all. in his mind, all that matters at this moment is extinguishing the flames dancing on his tongue. he grabs the glass, just as planned, and drinks a couple big gulps. everyone is now turned to him, asking if he's okay.

"i'm...fine." he says between pants.

now it was only a matter of time. the dinner continued as normal, but dazai wasn't as social as usual. he sat down with you and atsushi as you continued to talk about different missions.

"oh yeah, dazai-kun, do you remember--" you turn to look at him but realize he's staring at the ground intently as sweat beads on his face, "dazai?"

he blinks once and tries regaining his composure as he looks up at you with his usual smile, "yes, belladonna?"

"are you feeling alright?" you ask with concern laced in your voice.

"of course i am!" dazai tries to reply cheerily, but his bright tone is cut off by a rumbling in his stomach that makes his face twist.

he tries replacing his expression with a smile again, but it looks more pained as another low rumble emits from his body. at this point, everyone in the office is stealing glances. he looks back at the ground as his eyes widen yet again, and only two words are uttered before he takes off running to the bathroom:

"oh shit."

everyone stares at the door, processing what just happened. it was so silent, the only sound you could hear was dazai's rapid footsteps echoing down the hall.

"i knew it." you smirk a bit to yourself.

but your feeling of victory is brief as the horrid smell invades your nostrils. your poor co-workers get assaulted by the same stench, and you all are forced to evacuate.

operation: dairy for dazai was a success, but at what cost?

------------------------------------------

BONUS: how chuuya found out about dazai's lactose intolerance

chuuya was the only person who knew of dazai's problem with dairy, but the way he found out was purely accidental and scarred him.

the event took place when they were 17, and they were both stopping for a drink at a local cafe after a mission. the mission wasn't too bad, but it was early in the morning and chuuya wanted coffee. dazai told him it would stunt his already lacking growth, so chuuya wasn't in the greatest mood; he never was around dazai.

"i wanna sit down so you can order for me!" dazai claps his hands together.

"hey! i don't wan-" chuuya begins to protest but dazai cuts him off while walking away.

"you know what i like!"

chuuya grumbles in annoyance as he heads to the counter and orders two drinks. in his fit of anger, he accidentally ordered two coffees with milk and sugar, but failed to notice as he brought the cups to the table dazai sat at. he narrows his eyes as he sets the cup down in front of dazai and sits across from him. chuuya stares out the window to try and tune out dazai when he hears dazai ask him something quietly.

"is there...milk in this?"

chuuya scoffs and replies, "what's wrong, can't handle a bit of milk?"

he was obviously joking, but the sound that emits from dazai's body in response makes him realize it was no joke. dazai quickly stands and runs to the bathroom while chuuya sits there in disbelief, but with the hope that the rest of the day won't be ruined because of it.

that was wishful thinking though, as they frequently had to stop at public restrooms on their way home and chuuya had to deal with the rancid odor that followed dazai as closely as his own shadow.

taglist: @justmycupoftea93 @loveliestmolly @darlingimawitch @b-i-t-t-i-e-s @browneyespinkhair @silverstar22x @stupidfrogfreak @anotakugardener @jhopesstickeredcarrier @joyfulartisanstudentlamp @spacedoutcoffeebeans @puddingowo66 @kaeyapng @beomluvrr @imobsessedwithskkanditshows

#anime #bungou stray dogs #bungou stray dogs x reader #bsd #dazai osamu x reader #bsd dazai #dazai's dairy problem #dazai x reader #bsd atsushi #bsd chuuya #bsd kunikida #bsd ranpo #bsd tanizaki #bsd kenji #bsd yosano #bsd naomi #bsd kyouka #bsd x reader

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scuttle-buttle · 3 years

Text

Chapter 11

WC: 2077

Rated: E

Chapter Tags: full on angst, discussions of emotional trauma, mild depictions of blood/gore, mentions of self h*rm & su*cide, mentions of child abuse, discussions of physical disabilities, institutionalization, some dialogue & plot canon to TV show, hurt/comfort

🧠

The rest of the conference went by much like the first day did. Both you and Laszlo bought a few books for your collections. An ease had settled over your conversations with the help of Sara and John's presence; you spoke more freely with each other. You tell yourself it is not because he's going soft on you or vice versa, but rather that you have found yourself in this imaginary bubble where you happen to get on well. It's inevitable that it will pop once you’re back at school and Laszlo will revert back to his usual callous state.

Laszlo. It still felt odd to think of him like that, rather than by his title. You couldn't lie, it gave you a sort of thrill. Even in your dreams you had only called him by his honorific. Thankfully you didn't have another dream after Friday. You couldn't escape the feeling that you'd said something incriminating in front of the man in question. So you chose to pretend it didn't happen.

Monday morning came and you headed to the train station. Once again he had secured a private cabin for the journey. This time you came prepared with a book since you had yet to replace your broken phone.

"Thank you again for inviting me to this, I really enjoyed myself. It was really nice of the department to foot my travel expenses, the hotel was really fancy. I may have helped myself to a mini-bottle or two," you joked.

"There is no need to worry about the department's finances; they were not involved."

You pause. He paid for you? Laszlo did say he would take care of the arrangements; but the four-star hotel, the private compartment train tickets, the admission to the conference, and every meal? Shit, that must have been a fortune, hundreds of dollars at least.

You don't know what to say, so you settle for an awkward "oh." A moment passes before you add "I appreciate that, um, I can pay you back. Might take some time but I can."

The professor is flippant in his reply. "There is no need, it was well spent for the research and knowledge acquired." He opens his book signaling the conversation is over.

You lick your lips. Fine then, I'll just consider it payment for emotional suffering and damages of the last eight weeks.

The first few hours of the journey were spent reading one of the new books you picked up at the convention. Occasionally you would peek over the pages at the professor. He was engrossed in his own selection; sometimes he would pause to write down a thought.

Around the seventh hour of your journey you had given up on reading anymore in favor of looking at the fields outside. The silence was comforting.

Laszlo had trouble concentrating on the book in his hand. He saw you as a conundrum. One minute you could be sociable and teasing with your comments, then next you were biting at his throat with your quick wit and fierce ideals. He decides that he wants to know what made you into who you are today. Now is as good a time as any.

His eyes on you cause a tingle up your spine but you ignore it. Laszlo breaks the silence; "may I ask a personal question?"

"You just did," you answer, still peering out of the large window. He huffed once, amused. At his following silence you face him. You raise your eyebrows to signal him to go on with his question. Curiosity grows at the thought of what he intends to ask.

"Twice now you have made implications of a traumatic past," he begins.

Bubble popped.

Interrupting, you snark "is this the part where you psychoanalyze me, doc? Because trust me, I've been through enough of that." You pick at the lint on your jeans.

Laszlo tries to choose his words more carefully the next time he speaks. "What I mean to say is, the first afternoon in the classroom where you defended that student you implied you had been witness to a trauma. You then displayed signs of anger and embarrassment before leaving prematurely. Yesterday you mentioned having entered a psychiatric facility. As an alienist I can't help but find myself curious about your experiences."

You slide your eyes to meet his from across the cabin. Your face is devoid of any emotion. "We all have our demons. Even you can't argue with that."

Your jaw clenches. Everyone had warned you. They all said he would try to worm his way into your head to figure you out. All the reviews, the gossip, everything. It was a big fat 'I told you so'. You give a pitiful laugh at the situation. "You know, everyone told me that you would pull this stunt."

He seems confused by your statement. "And what is that?"

"That you'd get inside my head and try to figure me all out or whatever. You already know I googled you beforehand, what everyone says about your methods. By now I assume you've done a little research yourself. I promise you there is nothing exciting here," you scoff and point to yourself.

"You would be correct in your assumption." You chew at your cheek as he starts. "I do know some of what happened in your past. Yet I also know that society likes to dilute the truth into something either more palatable, more entertaining, for people to consume greedily. What I want to know is what you have faced. How you have not allowed the experience to overcome you so much so that your humanity is erased like the characters I lecture on."

Eyes closing of their own volition you are thrown back in time to that night so many years ago. You didn't talk about it anymore. Bitsy knew of course, but that was the extent.

Laszlo waits. He knows this is likely to push you over the edge if your history with him means anything. Quite frankly, anyone would be tossed to their limit at his interrogation had they gone through what you had. John always told him that he needed to work on his bedside manner; that he had a habit of coming on too strong in his pursuit of learning the intricacies of the human mind. But your earlier comment about being sent to a so-called 'nuthouse' rubbed him the wrong way. It left a bad taste in his mouth. He needed to know. He needed to understand.

Laszlo can imagine the reprimand that he would receive from John and Sara for this. Just as he considers apologizing for his intrusion you open your eyes.

"She was fine. None of us suspected anything was wrong. I came home from having dinner with some… boy, and she had locked herself in the bathroom. She- she must have started over the sink and moved to sit on the side of the tub. She was hunched inside it when I got the door open. I pulled her out. Blood was… everywhere." Your voice is clinical as you explain.

"After, I shut down. So I checked myself into a psych ward a few days later when I couldn't get the feel of her blood off my hands. It's slippery, you know. And it smells. You wouldn't think so but it does." You clear your throat. "I did the therapy, took the meds they prescribed, all the standard treatments. Later I started watching true crime documentaries. I'd heard about exposure therapy so I figured the more I saw the gore, the less the image of my dead roommate would bother me. And it did help. The nightmares stopped after a while, I came back to school. I was better, just not the same.” You had watched the passing landscape as you explained. Turning to face him you speak again. “That's why those pictures didn't bother me. They weren't anything I hadn't seen before."

He contemplates you. The discovery and subsequent loss of your friend in this manner would no doubt cause lingering effects to your psyche. A stain that would forever remind you. "I offer my sincerest condolences. I do not presume to know what that would be like to experience, but I am glad you sought help afterwards. To make the choice to alleviate yourself of your own suffering where possible.”

As he says this he realizes that your anger towards the idea of being enslaved to unconscious impulse makes perfect sense. It explains why you focused so much energy on defending your belief in free will. That you have the power to choose how you carry your joy, your anger, your healing. It reminds him of how he held onto his own guilt and hurt, ignoring how it festered within him for so long. He feels as though he needs to share a piece of himself with you.

“I played piano as a child, quite well too. My mother hoped I would someday make a career of it. I vividly remember playing Mozart’s Concerto for Piano No. 20 in D Minor at a holiday party when I was seven years old. It was my favorite to play.... It requires two hands." You finally look at him. "My father...” He pauses to gather himself.

Now it is the doctor that cannot meet your eyes. As you listen you feel your confusion grow. How could he have been a talented pianist if he only had full use of his left hand? Unless..., the realization dawns on you just as he continues, his words slow.

“My father had two sides. One loving and the other brutal, the two often coexisting. It was something as trivial as putting me to bed, I recall... A game of tug of war. We were laughing…” He inhales a sharp breath. Already you can feel the tears begin to blur your vision. “I don't remember if he was drunk or if I said something that offended him. He must have pulled my arm behind my back.” Laszlo exhales shakily. “In small children, fractures can often affect…” he trails off, unable to finish. You can hear how he barely holds himself together.

Your heart aches for the broken man that sits in front of you. He never let on how much his arm bothered him, at least not within your presence. Suddenly you don’t see him as this rude, insufferable, obsessive man, but instead as someone that spends his life trying to protect himself. He projects his own anger and hurt so that he may, just for a minute, forget about his own demons. He wants to help others even when he feels he cannot bear to help himself.

But unlike you, he has to live with the physical reminder of his past every day of his life.

You stand and move to sit on his right side. Before allowing yourself to think too much of your actions, you place your hand atop his own, curling your fingers around his palm and squeezing delicately. You don’t bother wiping away the tears on your cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Laszlo;” the whisper is barely heard above the sound of the train. A second passes where you fear you have overstepped and offended him by touching the affected limb. When his thumb tightens against the backs of your fingers you know he is not. He holds you in place.

“You asked me how I kept my humanity. How does anyone really? We learn to take what we get and we carry it in a bag. Sometimes you have to drag the damn thing behind you. But eventually the weight gets less and less if you allow yourself to move forward, even if it’s still there with you all the time. I dealt with what happened years ago and it does still haunt me. It’s easier now than it was, but… I- I suppose I’ve learned from you too. Sitting in those lectures and hearing you talk. We can either let it haunt us for the rest of our lives… or we can accept it… and use the memory of our pain to help ourselves and others.”

“I’m not sure the choice is entirely in our hands.” His tone is mournful.

You turn to smile at him through your tears. His own eyes are bloodshot. “I disagree. If it weren’t, if we didn’t have the freedom to choose that, we’d all be murderers.”

Tag list

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#the interpretation of dreams #laszlo kreizler x reader #laszlo x reader #laszlo kreizler #the alienist #the alienist angel of darkness #daniel brühl #daniel bruhl #laszlo kreizler fanfic #laszlo kreizler daniel bruhl #scuttle-buttle #tw self harm #tw suicude #tw child abuse

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givemethatgold · 4 years

Text

Fix’er Upper Pt. 5

Pairing: Frankie Morales x F!Reader

Warnings: Mentions of past abusive relationship, swearing, past drug use, alcohol

Word Count: 1.8k

Notes:

Parts ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR

Your injury, and consequential recovery time, couldn’t have come at a better time. The harvest was done and the apples had to rest before being pressed, which meant Frankie was now free to start working on your home. The work didn’t often require more than two hands so the days found you doing menial tasks being his gopher.

“You know,” Frankie had had to explain to you, “Go’fer this, go’fer that.”

This mainly consisted of you passing him tools while he was swearing under his breath in the attic, or groaning after rapping his knuckles under the sink, or white-faced and clinging to the weathervane on the roof.

You had discovered Frankie’s sweet tooth on the first day of renovations, not noticing until after he’d left for the day that more than half the cookies you’d baked that morning were already gone. Making sure he was kept happy, you had a new treat ready for when he walked in the door.

He was a coffee drinker though, and while you owned a coffee press you had never actually used it yourself, preferring tea leaves for your dose of caffeine. You’d tried, the first morning, to make a cup for him. You even googled How to Make a Cup of Coffee? to make sure you didn’t fuck it up.

You could laugh about it now, but the look on Frankie’s face after he’d taken his first sip made you worry you had poisoned him. He had spat the black sludge out and handed you back the mug with a look of bewildered disgust. Apparently, you needed to grind the beans first, who knew?

An efficient, if not quite comfortable, rhythm had been forged between the two of you over the past week and a half. Frankie would arrive at nine in the morning, scarf down half a dozen treats while discussing the day’s projects. You would run to town in his truck (yours was still at the autobody shop awaiting parts) and buy any supplies that would be needed while he set up the worksites and organized the tools that would be required.

You had added popping into the local café for a large coffee for Frankie and a red rooibos latte with almond milk for yourself. The first couple of days you had bought him a brownie too but stopped after he’d only half-finished the first one and mumbled through the crumbs in his mouth that yours were better. It only took you three days before the owner had your order ready for you before you even walked in the door, five days before you noticed the sidelong glances the little old ladies were giving each other as you walked out.

Small towns, you thought to yourself, rolling your eyes, had the unique benefit and downfall of everyone knowing everyone else’s business. They’d quit with the hardly-concealed smirks if they knew how awkward working with Frankie was becoming.

You had been sure, in the immediate aftermath of waking up in Frankie’s arms while his truck sat in your driveway, that he was never going to speak to you again. The two of you and hopped out and began explaining away whatever conclusions Jacquie and Mark had made. Then Frankie, without even looking in your general direction, told Jacquie to get you inside and have your wrist looked at.

To his credit, he had taken care of everything regarding your truck for you. The tow truck came and hauled it to the yard, Frankie had commandeered the inspection report and, after calling them out on trying to swindle you into buying unnecessary parts, had ordered what was needed and paid.

You had, naturally, argued against this but you both knew you weren’t in a position to afford it. Frankie shut down your arguments gracefully, and broke his apparent vow of silence, with a gruff “I’m just doing it so I can drive my damn truck without you changing the radio station.” The absolute charmer.

It was your damn house, though, so you decided you'd talk as much as you wanted and it would be up to him to interact. Either that or you had music blaring from the radio, never playing his favourite country station purely out of spite.

Never quite sure if he was listening or not, you rambled on about anything and everything. You explained your vision for the house and the plans you had for a greenhouse in the yard. Memories from your childhood were described in great detail, as were embarrassing stories from your year in college. Baking tips, waxing poetic about your love for sunflowers, interesting animal facts, you'd even downloaded a Word of the Day App and made a game of fitting the words into your daily uninterrupted monologues.

It took three days for Frankie to break.

You had been reminiscing about your trip to Disneyland as a child when he abruptly cut in, voice muffled due to the nails being held between his lips.

"You never talk about it."

You assumed he was referring to the little all-day nap you’d shared in his truck, as it had yet to be spoken of, but were taken aback by the slight accusatory tone.

"Talk about what?"

He took so long to reply, you started to think that he had interrupted purely to shut you up. The silence demanded an explanation though, so you kept your mouth shut and waited.

Clambering down from the attic, where he had been strengthening the trusses throughout the sagging section of roof, Frankie pinned you with his gaze and softly repeated himself.

"You never talk about it. The time in your life when you were married." He must have seen your hackles rise because he quickly set down the hammer and held his hands up in a placating wave.

"You still haven't answered my question about being in the army," was your quick response, finished with an ever-so-mature, "so there."

With a resigned sigh, Frankie twisted his hat around backward and scrubbed his hands across his face. "Come on" -waving you towards the patio doors- "these kinds of conversations require fresh air and a drink."

Reluctantly you followed him outside but rather than sinking down onto the porch swing you opted to lean against the post facing it. Opening two ciders, which you now had free access to, you handed one to Frankie and watched him over the top of the bottle.

Half of your drink was gone and your mind had wandered to greenhouse and flower garden placement before Frankie spoke again. His voice low and quiet catching you by surprise.

"Yeah," he broke the silence with another ragged sigh, "I, uh, I served. Started in the Air Force, worked my way up to Special Tactics Squadron. Made enough noise there to get recruited to Delta Force."

"Oh, fuck," your exclamation was soft with shock "you've seen some shit then." Blast your runaway mouth and its inability to wait for your brain to catch up before blurting out your inner thoughts. "I'm sorry!-"

"No, it's okay" Frankie interrupted, trying to reassure you and remove the horrified look that had come across your face.

"No, no, that was totally uncalled for. Brad, my um, my husband, he was a Marine. He hated talking about it, said no one liked talking about it. I should have known."

"It's not that," Frankie reassured you again, "You were the first person to ever ask me about it, in all the time I've lived here. Just took me by surprise."

Leaning over in the swing, Frankie pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and handed you a photo from inside it. Five men beamed up at you. You could recognize them from a few of the photos that had rested on Frankie's mantle, they looked older in this one.

"Tell me about them?" you asked, knowing that most of the request was due to curiosity but a small part of you hoped that if you kept him talking you could avoid the subject of your marriage.

The sun was beginning to set and you'd long moved inside to eat dinner by the time Frankie was done sharing. It must have been cathartic, you mused, for him to bare this much about himself. He had never looked more relaxed in all the time you'd known him, which wasn't saying much and it could just as easily been due to the amount of alcohol thrumming through his system.

The room fell into a companionable silence, each of you digesting the information that had been revealed. You were in awe of the fact that, despite the life of violence he had witnessed, Frankie still maintained his humanity. Even after a messy divorce and lost custody battle, Frankie continued to choose the path of healing. He was clean, was fighting for shared custody of his daughter again, running his own business, and still had found time to endear himself into the town's hearts.

Frankie was, for all his sharp edges and gruff words, a sweetheart.

It put into stark comparison how Brad had reacted to the lemons life had served him. Born into an upper-middle-class home, the only son, doted on by his parents, Brad had been raised into a life where every door was open to him. Despite this, or maybe because of it, he had grown hateful of those weaker than him. He was controlling but had just the right amount of charm to pass it off as caring.

"I've met men like that,"

You nearly jumped out of your skin from surprise. Looking at Frankie with wide-eyed shock you wondered again what the hell was in the cider. This was the second time you'd poured your heart out to a virtual stranger, but this time you hadn't even realized you'd started speaking your thoughts aloud.

Squaring your shoulders and holding Frankie's gaze you continued, almost challenging him to find someone worse than Brad had been.

"He made me quit college because he said he wanted to start a family. Then berated me and acted like it was all my fault every time the pregnancy test came back negative. You know what that asshole did?" Tears were threatening to fall but you held on to Frankie's gaze, "He had gotten a vasectomy months earlier. I didn't find out about it until after he died; going through paperwork that had been stored in his desk."

Frankie was up on his feet now, pacing around the kitchen island, too distraught to keep still. How could anyone be so cruel? Let alone be so cruel to someone as sweet and pure as you. He hated seeing you cry but knowing you weren't receptive to people being in your personal space, wasn't sure how to comfort you.

Acting on pure instinct he grabbed the kettle and started preparing you some tea, not allowing himself to ruminate how he knew which flavour you preferred. Setting your favourite pottery mug in front of you, along with the little honey pot, he also decided to grab the fluffy throw blanket off your couch.

"I get it now," he thought to himself offhandedly, "why women have so many fuckin' blankets and pillows in every room."

Placing the throw around your shoulders he was preparing to say goodnight and let you have some peace but was stilled by your hand reaching up and covering his.

"Please. Stay."

Part SIX

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aubreyprc · 3 years

Text

burn for you

Hotchniss 1800 AU - loosely based on Bridgerton

Two - The Ruse

word count - 10.3k lol oops again

Read on AO3 or continue below

Aaron spots her the next day during his stroll with Dave, half listening to the mans chatter about a meeting he must attend in the evening. She and Clyde are talking among themselves as their parents discuss what he can only imagine to be town gossip as they cast their eyes across the park. He silences Dave with a swift one moment and heads over that way, not noticing the older man shaking his head at the side of him, a small laugh on his lips. The group silence as he walks over, Emily's playful smirk causing his stomach to flutter as he smirks back, ignoring the way her mother stares at the two of them.

“Care to take a walk, Miss Prentiss?” he asks, holding his arm out and her smirk turns to a smile as she bites her bottom lip, lifting herself up from leaning against the rail.

“Of course, Your Grace.” she answers, a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she loops her arm through his, and he can't help but chuckle at her eye roll at her Mother's mutters of questions as two begin walking away.

“Since when was Em and The Duke courting?” Clyde asks as he watches the two walk away.

“The engagement party last night.” Elizabeth says with a pleased smile.

“It is a lot better than Prince Ian.” Erin says to Elizabeth, who nods before turning to Rossi who has made his way over to them.

“Mr Rossi.” Elizabeth greets with a nod.

“Lady Prentiss. Good to see you again.”

“And you,” she smiles, casting her eyes on her daughter again as she heads further into the park.

“I see my nephew has once again found himself in the company of your daughter.”

“Yes,” Elizabeth says, “They seem to somehow always be around each other. Have you been told of their stroll yesterday?”

“I have indeed.” Dave nods, “The Duke seemed in good spirits upon his return.”

“As did Emily.”

The two look at the couple a few yards ahead.

“He's laughing..” Dave announces.

“She has a great sense of humour.” Elizabeth informs him.

“She will need it. Not only will she be in society she will be leading it…”

“I've prepared her quite well.”

Clyde buts in, “They are merely courting, let's not rush them along with a wedding so soon.”

Elizabeth laughs, “Do not mind my nephew... he and my daughter grew up in close quarters. He is quite protective.”

“I see.” Dave nods, “Fear not, The Duke is a great man.” He smiles, Clyde looks over at the two of them as they walk, squinting as he watches Emily smiles as Aaron talks, his eyes on her with his head turned in her direction.

“It is not him I worry about.” Clyde mumbles and all Elizabeth can do is laugh as she shakes her head as if he were joking, but sending daggers his way.

As the pair walk arm in arm, Aaron turns to her and smiles as she looks around at the views, the wind coming in their direction blowing her hair away from her face, exposing her neck; He looks away quickly as he imagines trailing his lips down them and clears his throat before looking to be again as she speaks.

“We will be telling our friends the details of your elaborate plan?” she asks him as she turns to face him, he chuckles.

“Would that not defeat the purpose?”

“I suppose..” she ponders, and he grins as she looks at him, “What?” She laughs.

“My elaborate plan?” he questions, she shrugs and looks away.

“You did come up with it, it’s only fair to give credit where it is due.” she tells him, he nods with a small laugh.

“I guess I should thank you then, for giving me my credit.” he grins, she smiles back as she looks to him, humming in response with a tilt of her head. He looks round to notice all eyes are on her.

"It seems we have an audience.” he tells her and she looks around before back at him.

“Yes well... have you seen me?” she jokes and he laughs, nodding his head.

“Indeed I have.” He tells her, catching her eye; she looks down, biting her lip and his heart flutters at the sigh and he swallows, forcing himself to look away.

“You need to buy me flowers, expensive ones.” Emily announces after a few moments of comfortable silence.

“I do?” he questions with a raised eyebrow.

“If my mother is to believe you are courting me you should get me flowers, just like you would if you actually were.”

He stops walking them and looks her up and down.

“If I were courting you I would not need flowers, only five minutes alone in the drawing room.” he meets her eyes as he says it, holding back a grin as she swallows, taking a deep breath, flustered as they walk again.

“How is your hand this morning?” he asks, changing the subject, only for his heart to skip when she laughs.

“I’m fine.”

“You must know you did nothing wrong.” Aaron tells her and she nods, before tilting her head to the side to look at him.

“Yes well, if word gets to my mother that I was even alone with him, never mind punching him, I’ll be shipped off to Ireland within a week.”

“I have no intention of causing a scandal, Miss Prentiss.” The Duke smirks. She hums in response.

“With you I just assumed it came naturally.” Emily tells him with a cheeky grin and he chuckles, before taking them across the bridge, the sound of their laughter catching the attention of everyone they passed. Neither one noticed.

Aaron is boxing with Derek later that day, the old friends taking time to catch up, fall back into normal routines upon Aaron's return.

“Are you really sure courting someone this close to the royals is a good idea?” Morgan asks him as he stands, the two catching their breath.

“I do not know what you mean.” Aaron tells him, dismissing the conversation topic.

“Hotch, if the two of you do not work out, are you aware of how awkward your future will be?” Derek questions, “Her cousin, who would protect her with his life, is to be king in a few years, do you really think he’s going to work respectfully alongside someone who hurt his family?" Morgan questions, before sighing, "Especially her? Have you seen how protective he is? They are more siblings than they are cousins.”

“Who said I would hurt her?” Aaron asks him, displeased with his friends accusation.

“You have said many times you do not want to marry nor bare a child..” Derek says, “Emily has no choice, are you really going to string her along like this? Think of both of your futures.”

“It is fine.” Aaron tells him and Derek scoffs.

“It better be, Your Grace, because if you hurt her it won't just be Prince Clyde you will have to worry about, that woman is like a sister to me and I wont have her hurt.” he threatens.

“It's under control. She’s a big girl.” Aaron smirks and Derek looks at him as he stands straight.

“Just don't be another thing she has to recover from, she’s been through enough." he sighs and his words make Aaron frown, but he’s unable to question his words, the man already walking off.

Three days later, Aaron is walking around the Greenaway Ball, smiling as he watches Spencer and Elle flirt in their own corner. As the couple look in his direction he nods his head at them as they smile back, heading towards the rest of the small group, smiling at Jennifer as she beams at her ring.

“Congratulations.” The Duke smiles as JJ flashes him her ring, the couple smile.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“I can not believe how long it took you.” Derek jokes towards Will, who laughs.

“Me neither.” Jennifer teases, wrapping her arm around his.

“Have you two thought about a date?”

“Not really, we are just enjoying the engagement.” Will tells the group.

The five look up as Penelope and Luke walk over, followed soon by Spencer and Elle, and Aaron can’t help but notice the absence of the woman he has been looking for all night.

“Has anyone seen Emily tonight?” he asks them, JJ and Penelope look at one another, he frowns.

“She won't be here tonight, we assumed you’d know..” Jennifer tells him softly.

“Know what?”

“It's the anniversary of her fathers death..” Elle tells him with a sad smile and the pain he feels in his chest on her behalf is one that catches him off guard.

“Have either of you seen her today?” he asks the group.

“My family and I went to see her family today, her mother told us she was up in her room, I did not see her.” JJ tells him and he nods, but before he can speak is summoned by his Uncle.

“If you’ll excuse me.” he smiles, they smile in response and he heads towards him.

Once at Dave’s side, he silences the older man's words before he can even form them.

“I have to go…” Aaron announces and Dave snaps his head to him with confusion, “To see Emily…”

Dave frowns as he looks around the room before finding the room void of any Prentiss or any Royal.

“Her father died three years ago today.” The Duke explains, and Dave nods as he remembers the date, “I should be there, go and see if she or her family need anything… do you not think?”

“Of course.” Dave tells him, “Go. I shall explain your absence.”

“Thank you.” He says, before fleeing the room unnoticed.

He arrives at the Prentiss house, smiling at the woman who opens the door and allows him through and into the house.

“Your Grace, what are you doing here?” Elizabeth says as he walks into the living room.

“I heard today was the anniversary of Antony’s death, I thought best to send my regards to you family." He tells them.

“Thank you, Your Grace." Elizabeth says with a sad smile.

Erin looks at him, “I assume you are here to see Miss Prentiss are you not?”

Clyde stands, walks over, stopping as his mother holds out her arm.

“She’s upstairs. Clyde, do go and collect the girl, tell her she has a visitor.” Erin tells her him.

“Of course,”

He stares at Aaron as he passes, clenching his jaw, before heading up the long staircase.

Emily is sitting on her window seat, clutching the necklace as she allows the tears to fall freely as she stares out the window, pulled from her thoughts by the knock on the door. She turns to find Clyde stood leaning against the wall, a sad smile on his face.

“You have a visitor.” he tells her softly as he walks through the room, the woman frowns, “The Duke.”

Emily’s eyes widen, before she wipes her tears.

“Did he say why?”

“For you, I assume.”

“Oh..” she stands, he grabs her hand and she looks at him.

“I can get rid of him if you'd like.” he tells her, she smiles but shakes her head.

“Thank you, though.” Emily squeezes his hand and he smiles.

“He’d be proud of you,” Clyde tells her, “Do not listen to your mother when she tells you otherwise, she did not know him if that is what she believes.”

Emily smiles sadly, a small thank you leaving her lips as she heads past him, a small smile growing on her face as she hears Aaron speaking with her mother, catching his eye as she glides down the steps.

“Would you care for a walk, Miss Prentiss?” The Duke asks as she walks towards him.

“I'd love to.” She says softly, a small smile growing on her face.

“Clyde, do chaperone.” Erin tells him.

“That won't be necessary, Your Majesty.” Aaron tries, but it is useless.

“No, I insist,” Clyde says, and passes Emily her coat, “ We wouldn't want any trouble.”

Emily stares at Clyde, who smirks in her direction and she looks away with an eye roll.

“Let's go shall we?” Aaron asks, holding out his arm and she places a hand on it with a small smirk and they head out.

“Do watch her, Clyde, especially today, she doesn't do grief very well.” Elizabeth says once the couple are out of earshot.

“Of course." he nods, before following the couple out, remaining a few steps behind them, close enough to watch them, but further away to not hear their conversations.

“Where are we going?” Emily asks.

“I take it you haven't been today? To the grave?”

“No…” Emily answers quietly, “My mother doesn't like to go.”

“Then we shall go now.” he tells her, and pulls out a rose from his coat.

“For you….For your father.” she looks at him as she takes it, a small smile on her face.

“Thank you.” she whispers, the sentiment causing him to worm his way further into her heart, a feeling she is weary off, but unable to stop.

Clyde stands a few feet away from them as they stand at her father's grave. Emily resting her head on Aarons shoulder as they both stare forward.

“He would be so disappointed in me…” she whispers, lifting her head to wipe her tears.

“Why do you say that?” he asks her in the same tone and she takes a breath while she places the rose down.

“Because it is true.” she tells him sadly.

“I doubt that, what would he have to be disappointed in?”

Emily laughs sadly, he looks at her.

“Your father loved you.” she looks at him, “From the stories I have heard of the man you were his pride and joy. I don’t think it possible for that man to be disappointed in you.” Aaron tells her, she smiles sadly at him before looking back at her father’s grave.

“You would think the same if you knew of the thing I have done.” Emily tells him softly, her voice breaking at the end of her sentence.

“Tell me.” he whispers, she looks at him and finds nothing but trusting eyes looking back at her, she looks away.

“I cannot,” she tells him, “Not now.” She whispers, looking backwards at Clyde. He can only nod in understanding as she turns around.

“I am really sorry you lost him so young.” he tells her quietly.

“Thank you,” she replies, “And you your mother.”

“Yes..” he nods, “We make quite the team.” He says, and the laugh that leaves her makes his heart quicken, unable to stop himself smiling at the sound.

“Yes, I guess so.” she smiles.

He loosely leaves his hand hanging next to hers, can feel her fingers next to his, the way they slowly graze across his and he slowly places his fingers through hers only for Clyde to walk over, the sound of his footsteps having her pull her hand away quickly.

“Time to go, Emily.” he announces to them.

Emily turns and nods, as she steps towards him she turns to face Aaron.

“Thank you for this,” she smiles “You did not have to.”

“It was no problem.” he smiles back, “I hope to see you soon, Miss Prentiss.”

Emily looks to the ground as she bites her lip, before looking up again as she walks backwards.

“I am sure you will.” she declares, before smiling and turning around.

Aaron watches her and Clyde walk away, and clenches his fist as the ghost of her touch lingers on the side of his hand.

He does see her soon, a mere two days later at the bridge near the park.

“Are you thinking of proposing?” Dave asks him and he laughs, shaking his head in shock.

“I am just getting to know her. It is far too soon for any of that nonsense.”

“You left a ball to go to her, Aaron, and took her to her father's grave.” Dave laughs as he informs him, “I think you are in deeper than you would like to think.”

Aaron doesn't answer, simply smiles as they stop in front of Emily and her family.

“Miss Prentiss, Prince Clyde.” Aaron nods, trying to stop himself from smiling as he looks at her.

“Your Grace,” they all reply.

“Lady Prentiss, it's nice to see you again.”

“And you, Your Grace.”

Emily smiles softly at Aaron when he looks back at her, he tilts his head as a cue for her to walk with him; she leans her back off the bridge and steps towards him.

“I hear you are maid of honour for Jennifer, at her wedding this coming Saturday.” Aaron says to her as the families begin to walk.

“Yes, I imagine it will be hard for her without Roselyn, so I was quite shocked when she asked.”

“I’m sure you will look beautiful in the dress.”

“Yes I’m sure I will.” she declares casually, he laughs.

“Quite confident aren't we.” he says, she looks at him with a shameless smile.

“Do I have a reason not to be?” She teases, he shakes his head.

“No, not at all.” he tells her, and the smiles that grows on her face as she looks to the floor has him grinning.

“Why, Your Grace, was that a compliment?” she plays shocked as she looks back up and he chuckles.

“I think it was.” he laughs and she grins.

“I'm honoured.” she teases.

"Yes, you should be. I'm not known for being the compliment type." he jokes back and her laugh has him in a trance, the want to be the reason for it having him doubt everything he had vowed, and as she smiles, biting her bottom lip as she looks to the floor he's unable to ignore the effect it has on him.

Rossi and Elizabeth are talking as they watch Emily and Aaron walk ahead of them.

“They get on.”

“They do.” Elizabeth nods.

“I am sure they will make each other very happy.” Dave tells her, Elizabeth looks at him.

“Has he spoken about a proposal?”

“I’m working on it.”

“Prince Ian is very keen on courting her when he arrives in a few months time.” Elizabeth tells the man.

“I’m sure he is...She is a beautiful woman.”

“Yes.” Elizabeth nods with pride, “I do hope The Duke has made a proposal by then, it would be a shame for them to lose this bond they have created.”

“Yes, it would.” he agrees, already working on a plan to change Aaron's mind on his declaration, but as he watches the way he looks at her, he starts to wonder if he will have to.

Jennifer, Penelope and Emily are all being readied for JJ’s wedding when the topic turns to Emily and Aarons newly formed bond.

“He left the ball for you, Emily.” Penelope laughs, “And then took you to your fathers grave. Do not sit there and tell us that you are just friends.”

“We are.” Emily tells them with a laugh.

“Fine.” Penelope says, “But I do not believe you.”

“Nor do I.” Jennifer tells her, “I have seen the smiles the two of you share when you are together.”

Emily laughs as she shakes her head, forcing herself not to react.

“Friends do not look at each other the way you two do.” JJ tells her.

“Yes well… I can assure you there is nothing going on.” Emily informs her friends, “And if we were, it would seem a bit pointless would it not? The man has declared he shall not marry.”

“Maybe it is you who is to change that.” JJ tells her with a raised eyebrow before she is led to the other room to have her dress put on.

“I think the two of you could be really happy.” Penelope tells her with a soft smile. Emily looks and her friend and smiles back, “This could keep you here…”

“Pen,” Emily says, taking the girls hand, “I am not going anywhere, I promise.”

Penelope nods, smiling, “Okay.” She says softly.

Jennifer walks back into the room and the woman gasps.

“JJ, you look beautiful.” Emily tells her, JJ smiles.

“Will is going to lose his mind when he sees you.” Penelope grins.

JJ looks to the floor and laughs, shaking her head. “Roselyn was supposed to be the one is Mother’s dress…”

“Jen..” Emily says, heading towards her, “I bet she’s so happy for you, you know how much she wanted you to have this dress.”

“Yes… I know.” JJ says, “She always said she should not be the one who is in white as she was not the pure one.” the blonde laughs.

“I know how hard it must be to not have her here, but…she would want you to enjoy this day, not be sad.”

“You are right.” JJ says as she wipes her tears, “Are you both ready? We are running late” She laughs. Her friends nod and the blonde smiles.

“I’m getting married.” JJ smiles

“You won't be if you don't make haste.” Emily laughs, and the three women head out, their laughter echoing through the house.

Emily walks down the aisle first and as she's walking she meets Aarons eye, he sends her a wink, a playful smirk on his face and she forces herself to look away, clearing her throat to stop the laughter that bubbles in her chest.

Throughout the wedding, Emily can feel Aarons eye’s on her, she turns to face him after a few moments, her stomach fluttering when he smirks at her again, she pierces her lips together and turns away, trying not to grin herself.

As Jennifer and Will share a kiss, the room cheers for the two of them, Aaron can't help but stare at Emily as she laughs with Will’s brother, he frowns when the man places a hand on her back, whispering something in her ear that makes her laugh and he hates that he can’t help the jealousy that rises in him. He swallows, looking away from them as he reminds himself that he has no right to her, that this whole ruse is for her benefit, he should not be jealous. He looks again in the corner of his eye and the relief that floods him when he catches sight of the man's wedding ring, tells him he's in far too deep than he should be.

The ball to celebrate the marriage is outside and Aaron can help but watch as Emily walks outside, taking a drink with a smile, and he heads her way.

“It seems as well as The Duke I am also a fortune teller.” he says as he comes up next to her, she laughs as she looks his way.

“What?” she questions, laughing.

“I did say you would look beautiful, it seems I was right.” he tells her, and she blushes.

“Thank you.” she smiles, “It seems you clean up well yourself.”

“Yes, but only once a month, do not expect to see this for awhile.” he jokes.

As they talk, Emily catches Elle’s eyes, who is summoning her over.

"I think they want our attention." Emily says pointing towards the group.

"It would seem that way yes." He says, letting her lead the way.

As they reach the group, Elle pulls a bottle from her dress and leads the way to the back of the house with a laugh, her hand finding Spencer's as the group following behind. Emily shivers as they reach the middle of the garden, jumping slightly when something is dropped onto her shoulders before turning to face Aaron, a smile on her face as she wraps herself into his overcoat.

“Thank you.” she whispers, he nods, his own smile on his face.

The group must have been there for over an hour when Elle and Spencer take their leave, soon followed by Luke and Penelope. Derek and Savannah take their leave soon after, as the two stand, Derek looks at the couple remaining.

“Do behave.” He teases, he points a finger at Emily, “Especially you, Miss Prentiss, we have no room for more scandals.”

“I shall do my best.” she plays, he nods, before almost falling backwards over a hedge. Savannah’s laugh carries back to them as they walk away and the two chuckle.

“Do you want to head back?” Aaron asks her, Emily shakes her head.

“Big scenes are not my thing.” She tells him, “Also I think John is here and I am in no mood for him. Not today.” She says sadly, before bringing the bottle to her lips and drinking some. Aaron can’t help but smirk as she doesn’t even flinch at the burn.

“Then we shall stay here.”

“Unchaperoned.” she gasps playfully, “Whatever will people say.” she says as she passes him the bottle.

“Care for a stroll around the garden?” he asks, standing.

“Of course.” she nods, stepping in time beside him.

The walk until they find a bench a few yards from the party.

“It’s nice out here.” she says as they sit, her eyes casting over the gardens.

“Yes, I used to come here as a child to get away from my father. This is where I first met Roselyn years ago.” he smiles.

“Is your father the reason why you left as soon as you could?

“Yes, that and I had no reason to stay.”

“Did you and your father not get on?

“You could say that.” he tells her, he looks in her direction and swallows, “He was cruel, it wasn't a nice environment.”

“I’m sorry.” she says, she takes his hand, he looks down and smiles, squeezing it.

“Yeah, me too.”

“I wish I could leave, you know?” Emily sighs, “Start over somewhere where no one knows me.”

“How come?” he wonders.

“Many reasons, family, mostly,” she laughs, “The expectations..”

“You have that option, with Prince Ian,”

She laughs, “And be a princess? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of no one knowing me?”

“I guess so, along with him being a war criminal, he's not an ideal match.” Aaron teases, she laughs with a nod of her head while she gulps another drink down before passing it over, he takes it with a smile, not missing the way his skin burns as their fingers glide past each other. “Clyde.. He seems to be very protective of you. I’m surprised he's not hunted you down yet.” Aaron tells her before taking his turn of the bottle.

Emily laughs, “He means well, he worries about me, especially because of..” She stops, he looks at her, she shakes her head.

“Sometimes I think my mothers right…” she says, he looks at her, “That I’m just a string of mistakes pulled together.”

“That's not true.” Aaron tells her, she looks to the floor.

“You don't even know me, not really.” Emily tells him with a sad smile and a sigh.

“I’d like to. I think you’re pretty great.” he smiles at her.

“You wouldn't if you knew me.”

“… Try me.” he tells her after a pause.

She looks up, before laughing, shaking her head and bringing the drink to her lips, she passes it to him, he does the same.

“Not even Spencer knows about half of the thing I have been through and I’ve known him my entire life.”

“Is this about your illness? The one your mother took you away for?”

She nods, pulling her hair down and running her hand through it and as he watches her he finds himself wanting to do the same, he imagines its soft and thick, he imagines if he tugged it just right she would- he stops himself and turns away.

“After my father died I—” she pauses, looking at her hands “Shut down, I guess.” she explains, he looks back up at her, leaning his back against the wall as he listens to her, “My mother wasn't around, too busy pulling strings to take over from my father’s position in the courts...so it was just me.. And then I met John and…” Emily says, she sighs before laughing, “Looking back now I know he took advantage but back then I just wanted to feel something that wasn't pain, or grief..”

“You had sex with him?” he asks, she looked away from him and stared in front of her, wiping the tears falling, she nodded.

“Stupid, I know.” she laughs, shaking her head. “I was fifteen and I was hurting and it made me feel better, anything was better.” she tells him, “I..” she says, smiling when she looks at him, his eyes understanding and trusting, she looks in them for a few moments before she nods, “I got pregnant…” she whispers, he looks at her, his only reaction a wide eyed look, but he remain still, silent, ready to listen. “That's why I was gone for two months…” her voice is small and his heart breaks for her, “My mother made me get a termination and my Aunt Erin hid it all, that's why Clyde is the way he is...he doesn't want to see me go through that again.”

“I'm sorry that happened to you.” he whispers,

“It didn't happen to me, it's just.. Something that happened...a string of mistakes..” she laughs, she wipes her eyes and shakes her head

“So, that's me, you can run for the hills, I wont judge.” she laughs, looking away from him.

“I think I'll stay,” he smiles, “After all who else am I going to discuss my antics with foreign beauties with?” He jokes, she laughs and relaxes, a weight off her shoulder that she had finally shared something she’d been forbidden to speak about.

“Ah yes, what did you get up to these last few years?”

Aaron tells her about his travels, laughing with her when he talks about hungover mornings and late night rendezvous.

“I think Paris was my favourite.” he tells her, she nods in agreement.

“My father took me there a few months before he passed, when he was still healthy enough.” Emily tells him, “I am glad I had those few months with him before his illness took over. My mother thinks it was the reason why I behaved the way I did after his passing but, I am glad I was there when he died, that he wasn’t alone.”

“I am sorry.” He tells her, she looks at him and grins while she laughs.

“You’ve said that.”

He grins at her before tilting his head, “I am sorry nonetheless. The loss of a loved parent hurts more than anything I know of.” He tells her, Emily hums in agreement.

“He passed at the end of January and then after that the whole year did not get any better.”

“When did you meet John?”

“In the April..” she informs me, “I fell with child in the October.”

“Did you want it?” He asks her, she shrugs,

“I don't know, I wasn't given a choice.” she explains, “I told my Aunt, who told my mother and I was taken to the farm two weeks later.”

“Does John know?”

“Yes, he says he wanted to marry me,” she laughs, “claims he loved me and that we could have been a family but..” Her sentence dies down, her mind reliving the worst year of her life.

“But you were fifteen…” he says, “Your birthday is in October, I know it couldn't have been an easy month.”

“You know when my birthday is?” she asks with a smile, he nods.

“Of course…” he grins, she laughs happily and turns away from him.

“Is there a reason your mother was against John's plan?” He questions, “It was a good one, people would accept your pregnancy…”

“John is your age, Your Grace.” she laughs. Aaron stares at her taken aback by her announcement, his smile gone, “he was nineteen at the time, My Aunt, she set a law when she became Queen that woman is not to marry until she is 18, so.. It wasn't allowed. I got the termination and he has never really treated me the same since. He actually hated me up until Matthew's death.”

“He never loved you” The Duke tells her with anger on her behalf.

“I know.” she smiled, “He's a rake, Your Grace, I’m well aware.”

“He should not have taken you the way he did. Not at his age.” he says and she takes his hand, smiling when he looks at her.

“I know.” she says again, “But I consented and until October…. he and I had fun... in secret of course,” she grins, “But he is the reason I met Matthew and for that I could never regret what me and John had. Ever since Matthew died he's been trying to get me back, but... I don't know, he's not a good guy, I know that now.”

Aaron stands, bringing her with him by their entwined hands and pulls her close, their faces mere inches from one another, her breath hitches as she holds it, staring at him. The feel of his hand on her lower back send a shiver up her spine, has her heart hammering against her ribs and the feel of her hand rested in his, the feel of her chest pressed up against his own has him entranced, glancing his eyes to her lips before back to her own.

A shout of her name pulls them from their trance. She drops his hand as he drops his from her back and she turns with wide eyes.

“What are you doing out here?” Clyde says casually, until he spots the whiskey bottle and marches over, grabbing her hand and pulling her from Aaron. He stares daggers at the other man, fury taking over.

“Is this what you do?” He directs at the Duke, “Get girls drunk and take them in the garden?”

“Clyde-”

“Sush, Emily, everyone has been worried about you.” he bites, his eye's not leaving Aaron.

“You are lucky it was me that has found the two of you and not someone else, her alone in the garden with a man that could ruin her. As you are well aware, Your Grace.” the man spits.

“We were just talking…” Aaron tells him.

Clyde looks at him, taking in their appearances, her in his coat, her hair falling down her shoulder, him with an untucked shirt and he can only laugh.

“Is that all?” he throws at him.

“Clyde enough, we were just talking.” Emily tells him.

“We’re leaving, Emily. Say goodbye.”

She takes off the jacket and walks to him, a smile on her lips as she hands it to him,

“I’ll see you around, Your Grace, thank you for a good night.”

“You are great company, Miss Prentiss. I look forward to seeing you again.” he says with a grin. She nods, biting her lip, and turns around. Clyde then grabs her arm and pulls her gently, muttering words to her as he all but marches her back to the main garden. As he follows behind a few moments later, he catches her scent in his jacket and smiles.

“That was stupid, Emily. What if someone were to see you?”

"We are courting, are we not?” she lies, “We were just having a conversation.”

“Unchaperoned?”

“He's the duke.” Emily laughs, "What—”

“And you're the niece of The Queen, who, by the way, is on thin ice as is after your ordeal three years prior.”

“Do not dare use that against me.” Emily spits at him, pulling her arm from his hold.

“We are leaving, say your farewell to the bride while I get your mother.”

Emily storms away, putting on a smile when JJ comes up to the side of her.

“Where have you been?” Jennifer laughs.

“Around.” Emily laughs, Jennifer pulls her friend close and drags her to the floor.

“Have you had a good night?” Emily asks her.

“Yes.” she smiles, “I have.”

“Good, I am glad.” Emily tells her friend as JJ pulls her in for a hug.

“Thank you, for this morning. I could not have done that without you.”

“You are welcome.” Emily whispers, they pull away and JJ laughs as Emily twirls her.

The girls are still laughing when Clyde walks over.

“We are leaving.” he tells her, JJ frowns.

“May I ask why?”

“Her mother is feeling unwell, I am sorry for the early departure, Miss… I do guess it's Lamontagne now.” Clyde smiles, Emily laughs and turns to her friend as the woman’s face drops.

“I did not think of that…” JJ says, “Jennifer Lamontagne… Can I not keep Jareau?” She whispers, Emily laughs.

“That is a conversation for you and Will.”

“Come, Emily, make haste.” Clyde says as he looks around for Aaron. Emily rolls her eyes before pulling her friend in for a hug.

“Have a good night..” Emily tells her with a wink, JJ blushes. “Enjoy your week away.”

“I am sure I will.” JJ tells her, “If your words are anything to go by I am sure I-”

“On that note.” Clyde interrupts and drags Emily away as she laughs. JJ chuckles to herself, watching as Emily laughs as she is pulled away. They walk past Aaron on their way out and the two smile at each other, Aaron turning to watch her go, before frowning, worry settling in his stomach when her mother grabs her arm, all but dragging her out of view.

Elizabeth slams the door behind her as Emily walks ahead, jumping at the loud sound the door makes.

“Even after everything you've done you still find more ways to cause trouble.”

“We were just talking, mother...” Emily sighs as she turns to face her in the hall.

“I do not think you know how to do just talking, Emily.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I am saying that you seem to not know any better. You will drop your garments for anyone who pays you just the littlest bit of attention!” Elizabeth shouts. Emily stares at her with shock before laughing and shaking her head.

“I have done nothing wrong.” Emily tells her mother, “It is not my fault you are choosing not to believe me.”

“Have you ever given me a reason to believe you?”

Elizabeth walks up to her daughter, standing face to face with her and all Emily can do is holds her head high and raise an eyebrow.

“You are the biggest burden of my life and I can no longer pretend that you and your reputation are not something that follows this family name like a dark cloud.” Elizabeth tells her daughter, “You are used goods, and you are silly if you think The Duke wants anything more from you than what you have probably already given him. Girls like you always get the powerful men just before they are ready to settle down, you will never be the one he chooses, and you are naïve if you think differently.” she hisses, before knocking her shoulder as she walks past, the slam of the office door making her jump as she lets out a shaky breath, grabbing the stair rail as she leans back, closing her eyes as she forces herself not to cry before rushing up the stairs. She closes her door with her back and falls down as a cry leaves her body. She grabs the necklace around her neck as she cries, wondering is maybe her mother right.

In the Duke’s mansion, Aaron is listening to his Uncle’s rant.

“You cannot take a lady into the garden unchaperoned, and especially not the Royal Niece.”

“We were just talking.” Aaron explains.

“I know of your behaviour, Aaron. I know of your relations with women before you even left for your travels and I am not stupid enough to believe that you did not continue those...activities while you were away. And I am sure you are aware of her past relationship with John.. can you see where I may have issues with believing the two of you were just talking?” Dave questions, but he stays silent.

“I do not think you really understand how much trouble this could have caused.” Dave tells him, “Elizabeth is… she is not a nice woman, not to her daughter or anyone really… but to Emily she is especially cruel, maybe not in the way your father was but in her way of words.” Dave tells him, “I have heard Clyde comfort her many a time when her mother has spat evil things at her, and after tonight's events…” Dave looks Aaron in the eyes, before speaking, “Her mother will force that young girl to marry Prince Ian, he is just a few years older than you Aaron, and I have met him and he is very charming, if not dangerously so. She is young, impressionable. She will be forced to marry and she will be sent to Ireland. You are in a position to change that." Dave tells him, "So change it."

Aaron spots her for the first time in two days at the Garcia Ball, celebrating the Lord’s birthday. He walks to her, she smiles in his direction, he smiles back and once he arrives at her side, he notices that Clyde will not leave it.

“Upon request of my mother I am to stand still and look pretty.” she explains as his eyes move from hers to Clyde.

“So I guess a dance is out of the question?” he questions, Emily chuckles as Clyde stares at him. She turns to look at him, the word please being playfully spoken and the man rolls his eyes before nodding.

“Thank you.” she smiles, Clyde nods, watching them with a small grin as they walk off.

“I am sorry if our antics got you into trouble with your mother.” he says as he takes her hand.

“Do not worry, it is fine.” she smiles, “My Mother did not even notice, it was my Aunt who sent Clyde to search for me. I feel she is more mad about that.” Emily tells him, “And if Clyde hadn't caused such a big scene we could have snuck back in undetected so I am blaming him, that much he is aware of.” she laughs. “I hope you were not in trouble with your Uncle?”

He shakes his head, “he wants what's best for me really, he knows I would never disrespect you.”

Emily smiles, “He seems nice.”

“He is. I know he wishes he could respect mine, but unfortunately he cannot, I am the last Hotchner, and he knows I should carry on the name.” he explains

“You still don't want to?”

“I do not, I told my father I wouldn't. I will not give him what he wants.”

“Your grace—"

“Call me Aaron, if people are to believe we are courting you should call me by name,”. zhe smirks,

“Aaron, your father is dead, he has no power over you anymore.”

“Yes, and it will remain that way,”

“And if your mind changes and it's too late?”

“I will be happy in knowing my father never got what he wanted." he tells her and she looks at him with sad eyes.

“I am sorry that the man was that cruel you feel you cannot live the life you want...”

“I am.”

“Are you?”

He looks at her and she sighs.

“You never wanted to marry? Have a family? Not ever?”

“I—” he begins, but there is a tap on his shoulder, they both turn and Derek smiles at them.

“Miss Prentiss," he smirks, “May I have this dance? We have a matter we must discuss, urgently.”

She frowns, before taking his hand, nodding her head to Aaron before being lead away by Derek. Aaron watches them go, stepping backwards, turning with an apology when he bumps into someone. Penelope simply shakes her head, playfully holding out her hand and laughing when he takes it.

“You and Em look really happy, I am glad you're both working on something, you deserve it.”

“Thank you Miss Garcia, how is your father?” he asks her, watching Derek and Emily in the corner of his eyes.

“I heard that you and him were in the garden, alone yesterday,”

“You did?”

“Yes, it seems that someone over heard the conversation yesterday.

“I see.” she nods.

“This could ruin you.” Derek warns, she simply rolls her eyes.

“Its fine." she tells him.

“So the two of you are courting? “

Emily looks at him and nods. “Yes.” she lies.

“And you are aware of the declaration that he will not marry?”

“I am.” Emily confirms.

“And so what is your plan? You have to marry, Emily, I know you don't want to but you do not have a choice.”

“I’m aware.” Emily groans.

“And so what?”

“Do not worry, Derek, everything is under control.”

“If you do not have a marriage proposal in three months your mother will make you marry Prince Ian.”

“Actually as long as I am courting with Aaron she has backed off, she believes he will propose soon.” she smirks.

“But he will not…” he tells her.

“No, but, as long as I do not have to marry a war criminal, I find that I do not care."

“So you're leading him on in hopes of getting out of marrying Prince Ian…”

“Everything is under control, Derek, please, do not worry.”

“I'm afraid I do, and I will. Always.” Derek tells her and she smiles.

“I know, and I thank you for that, but right now there is no need.” Emily assures him.

“If you say so, Miss Prentiss.” he accepts with a nod.

Emily rolls her eyes, “will you drop the Miss Prentiss already?”

Derek laughs and twirls her, before pulling her back into him, “Never.” he whispers and she laughs.

She makes eye contact with Aaron over Derek's shoulder and he smiles at her, she smiles back as her heart flutters at the grin on his face, she looks away with a small smile of her own.

Aaron spots John across the room sometime later, and with a frown notices he is staring at Emily with an angered eye and a whiskey in his hand. Emily is standing on the other side of the room talking to Viscount Andrew Mendoza, as he watches her smile at something he says, he feels a pool of jealousy erupt in him, one that is getting harder to ignore. Taking a deep breath he heads out of the room and into the gardens for some fresh air, only for him name to be called a few seconds later.

“If it isn’t the man who stole my woman…” John slurs, Aaron just stares plainly at him. “Do you know about her and I?” John asks, stepping step closer to The Duke. “That we love each other? That it is I who should be marrying her? That the two of us have a past you can not compete with?” He starts to yell as he steps closer to him, the man laughing as he gets no reaction, “Is she giving you what you want, Your Grace?” He smiles smugly, “She is good isn’t she…” He smiles, “Very bendy.” He whispers, “God the things I used to be able to make her do..” John tells him, and Aaron loses it, grabbing the man by his shirt and pulling him behind the building before he drops him and throws a punch. John stumbles onto the floor and Aaron leans over him, picking him up by his shirt, and stares into his eyes with fury.

“If you ever speak of or too, Emily Prentiss ever again, I can and I will have you taken care of faster than you think, and I'd make it so that no one knew you were missing.” Aaron spits in a harsh quiet tone, “Do you understand?” Aaron asks him, and the man simply nods, dropping the the floor with a grunt as Aaron lets him go, looking at the man with a look of disgust before walking off.

Aaron walks through the door at the entrance of the house just as Emily and her family are heading towards the exit. He can hear Elizabeth talking to her daughter about Viscount Mendoza and he forces himself not to roll his eyes, reminding himself that this was the whole point, to give her time to find someone. When he hears Emily laugh he swears he feels his heart ache, but flutter at the same time.

“He is nice, yes.” Emily agrees with a hum of content.

“His father is also very powerful, he would leave a lot of money and power to Andrew in the wake of his death.”

“Mother—” Emily frowns, but Elizabeth just shrugs her shoulders.

“Just something to think about.” she tells her daughter.

Aaron appears in front of them, almost bumping right into Emily as he has his head turned in the opposite direction after hearing footsteps outside.

Emily laughs at the collision, smiling when he looks at her but the smile soon drops when his face looks back at her with anger, not directed at her. She stares at him with a frown before catching sight of his hand and grabbing it, looking back at him.

“What happened?” Emily asks softly, the tone of worry in her voice makes his anger fade and turn into something… he didn’t quite know how to describe.

“Nothing,” he tells her, “It’s fine.”

Emily stares at him, dropping his hand when she feels eyes of them.

“Your hand is bleeding, Your Grace…” Erin says, Aaron looks at her with a soft smile.

“Yes,” He says, “I must get it seen to, if you'll excuse me…” he nods his head in a bow at her and goes to walk away when he sees his Uncle walking towards him, he curses under his breath and goes to turn and faces Emily, who is looking at him with confusion.

“What is going on?” She asks him in a quiet voice, he shakes his head.

“Nothing,” He smiles, “Lady Prentiss..” Aaron says, Elizabeth turns and smiles.

“Yes, Your Grace?”

“Do you mind if I steal your daughter for a moment?”

“Of course not,” Elizabeth tells him with a smile, he smiles back at her and nods, before grabbing Emily’s hand and quickly rushing from the scene, the speed causes her to almost trip as she is pulled by him.

“What are you doing?” Emily asks as he tries to keep her balance as he pulls her, not giving her enough time to get her feet at the same speed.

Her family are still staring when he drags her behind the wall and into another hallway.

“That was strange..” Elizabeth says.

“Yes, yes it was.” The other woman agrees.

“Shall I follow?” Clyde suggest to them.

“I think that would be smart.” they tell him and Clyde nods, heading in their direction.

“Did I just see my dear Nephew run off with your Niece, Your Majesty?” Dave says as he comes up behind them and the woman turn.

“You did.”

“Did he give a reason?”

“He did not.” Elizabeth tells him “His hand was bloody though, Mr Rossi. Is there something we should know about?”

“No of course not.” Rossi smiles, “The Duke is very polite.”

“If he lays a hand on my Niece I will ruin him, you do know that, yes?”

“Yes, I am aware, but he would never, he’s his mothers son, not his fathers.”

“You better be right in that. My daughter is not one to mess with…”

“Of course, if you don't mind I think I shall go after them…” Rossi says, before talking of in a fast walk down the hall.

Aaron pulls her along, stopping them when they're in an empty room, closing the door behind him.

“What is going on?” She asks. Aaron just looks at his sore hand as he shakes it.

“Sit.” Emily tells him, pointing to a chair, he stares at her but she raises an eyebrow and he sighs, sitting. Emily walks over to a cabinet and pulls out a few wipes before heading back to him and sitting on the chair next to his. She holds her hand out and he rolls his eyes before placing his injured one in it.

“What happened?” Emily asks, he looks away.

“Nothing.” he mumbles.

“Yes it looks like nothing to me.”

“It's fine.”

“Did you get into a fight?” she asks.

“Something like that..”

“With whom?”

Aaron sighs, “Emily, I do not see how that is your business.”

“You are the one that dragged me here.” she reminds him, “For what if not to talk?”

“I like your company.” he smiles and Emily holds back a smirk, piercing her lips and looks back his hand.

“It is a small cut, you'll be fine.”

“Thank you.” Aaron grins, she nods with a small smile of her own, his hand remaining in hers.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Emily asks him quietly. He looks at her with a small smile and the shake of his head.

“There is no need, it's over now.”

“You are okay?”

“Yes, I am now.” he smiles at her and she smiles back, laughing as she bites her lip and looks away when his grin gets wider at the sound of her small laugh.

“What is going on in here?” Clyde says as he walks through the door, both their heads snap up to the door.

“Nothing, everything is fine.” Aaron tells him.

“You drag my cousin out by her arm in front of her family…”

“I asked her mother,” He tells him, Emily holds back a laugh and looks back to the floor.

“Yes for a moment not to drag her away.” Clyde snaps, “You should know The Queen is quite displeased with the display, considering the blood on your hand. “ Clyde informs them, “Which I see now is being treated.” He says and Emily drops his hand and places her own in her lap.

Aaron looks at him, “Everything is fine, Your Highness, I just needed a moment.”

“With my cousin?” Clyde questions, Aaron smiles,

“Who else?” he throws back.

Clyde doesn't have a chance to respond before Dave is barging into the room.

“What in the world is wrong with you?” The man hisses and Aaron rolls his eyes.

“You drag the Niece of The Queen away and into an empty room all while your hand bleeds? The Queen is not happy, neither is her mother.”

“Like I just told the prince everything is fin-”

“It is not fine my boy.” Dave interrupts, “ You forget your father was friends with The King, as well as the late Lord Prentiss. The whole family is aware of his temper. You dragging away Miss Prentiss with no explanation…” Rossi shakes his head and stares at him. “And I have seen the state you have left John in, the young man is stumbling down the road, his face covered in blood.”

“You fought John?” Emily questions, looking at Aaron, he goes to turn and face her when Rossi continues.

“Do you want them to believe you are your fathers son?” Rossi questions, Aaron stares at him.

“I am nothing like him.” Aaron tells him, his voice hard and serious, the tone causes Emily to look at him and Clyde walks over to her.

“I know that but how are they too? You come into the room with a bloody hand and pull a woman away? Not to mentio-”

Aaron stands and steps towards him “Compare to me that man again and I will have you taken care of faster than you can blink.” Aaron hisses, “Remember your status, you are not a Hotchner, you are where you are because I allow you to be.” Aaron spits, his voice low and venomous. Rossi stares at him, and nods.

“The way you act now.. you look just like him.” Rossi says and Aaron steps back and collects himself, his temper back under control. He looks at Emily quickly and hates that that he is the reason there is a hint of fear in her eyes as she grabs onto Clyde's arm

“I think I should like to go…” Emily tells Clyde softly.

“Of course.” Clyde nods.

“Emil-” Aaron tries,

“I will see you around, Your Grace.” She says with a nod, and allows Clyde to walk her away.

As they round the corner, Emily looks at her cousin.

“He's.. got a temper…” Emily whispers, Clyde nods.

“Yes it would seem that way.”

“I have never seen that side to him before.”

“Good.”

“I find I did not like it.”

“I doubt he would ever be like that with you,” Clyde tells her. “I have known the man for years, he is more like his mother than his father.”

Emily nods and Clyde stops them, she looks at him as he stands in front of her.

“If I felt him dangerous, he would not be anywhere near you, you know that.”

“Yes I do.” She smiles, he nods.

“Good, let's get you home. It has been a long night.”

Emily hums in agreement, turning back around and finding Aaron staring at her as he and David walk out of the room, she turns when his eyes find her and follows Clyde round the corner.

Aaron goes to the Prentiss house the next day to find her, needing to apologize for the night before, unable to rest with the pang of guilt that lingers in his stomach.

“Your Grace, how unexpected. " Clyde says when he opens the door "I'm afraid Emily is unavailable today…” He tells her.

Aaron frowns, “Is she okay?”

“She is fine.” Clyde nods.

“Then… Can I see her?” Aaron questions with confusion.

“I'm afraid not, You Grace, she is not up for visitors.” Clyde tells him, Aaron looks back at him.

“So she isn't okay? Will you please just tell me what is wrong?” Aaron asks.

“Miss Prentiss is ill, Your Grace, and her mother has made the decision to not allow visitors until she is seen by a doctor, I am sure you understand.” Clyde tells him.

“How ill?” Aaron asks, worry in his face, Clyde sighs.

“Aaron,” he sighs, and steps forward, shutting the door, before facing him with a deep breath, “Emily is unwell. She woke today with a high fever and a cough.” he explains, before swallowing and looking Aaron in the face, “The last time we saw this was her father." He whispers and Aarons heart drops.

“Lady Prentiss and my Mother are inside, she is being well cared for but until she is seen by a doctor there are no visitors allowed.”

Aaron looks at him and Clyde can see the worry on his face. “I think she will be fine, I believe it to just be a slight flu but to be cautious she is being seen by a doctor today.”

“She.. she was fine yesterday…” Aaron stutters as he tries to calm the worry that grows in him.

“Indeed she was, which is why I am not worried. Her father was ill before these symptoms, but our family is worried, Emily is never ill."

“Do you..do you think it could be something dangerous? Late onset of what her father had…” Aaron asks.

“I am not sure, but as soon as I know anymore I will have someone inform you.” Clyde tells the worried man. “I will tell her you called, Aaron, but I must get back inside.

“Of course. Do let me know.”

“I shall, good day.”

“Yes, good day, Clyde.”

The man walks in the house and Aaron heads away from the door, his mind reeling, worried right to the pit of his stomach.

Clyde walks back in, into the room with his mother and aunty.

“Was that The Duke?"

“Yes, I told him of Emily's condition, he seemed quite worried.” Clyde tells her.

“Yes, the two of them are quite close." Erin smiles. "Maybe he should call over in a few days.."

“He is not to be anywhere near my daughter while she is like this, anything could happen.” Elizabeth scolds as she paces the door awaiting the doctor.

“Dear sister, do calm down, I merely meant she may like to see him, he will not be alone with her.”

“I am not sure, what do we really know of this man anyway?”

“He’s The Duke, not a War Criminal like the man you have lined up.”

“I just want my daughter to be able to have a fresh start.”

“I’m sure you do, however she does not, she and The Duke are getting on and when the doctor gives the green light, he shall come over and that's final.”

The doctor then heads down the stairs, interrupting the argument.

“How is she?” Elizabeth asks.

“She has quite a high fever and that cough is definitely something to keep watch on, but her chest and lungs seem to be clear, I heard no sign for concern when listening to her breathing, I think it to be a rough flu, lots of rest and some hot liquids and she should be fine a in a few days.” He tells the family.

“So we do not need to be concerned that the symptoms mirror that of what her father died from?” Elizabeth questions.

“No, I do not believe so. Antony had lots of fluid in his lungs from the start, I would have heard the first stages of it during my visit today.”

“Thank you, doctor, I shall have a hot tea sent to her straight away.” Elizabeth says, the doctor nods and sees himself out.

"I will go and inform her of The Duke's visit."

Clyde goes into Emily’s room after a tap on her door, he looks as her and she is wrapped in bed, half asleep, he sits on the chair next to her, and she smiles

“Hey…” she crocks.

“Hey.” he says back, “The Duke called for you.”

“He did?” Emily questions as she opens her eyes slightly more.

“Yes. I imagine he wants to apologize for his behaviour last night.”

“Hm.."

“I told him of your condition and he seemed quite worried,” Clyde tells her, “The Duke cares a lot for you.”

Emily smiles as her eyes drop closed.

“Rest, I shall let The Duke know you will be fine, I'm sure he would like to see you at some point over the next few days, once you're able to get out of bed, that is.” he jokes.

“Thank you," she smiles and he nods, closing the door behind him.

Three days later he calls around again, flowers in his hand, he walks through the house, thanking the woman he leads him to the living room and Clyde turns at the sound of footsteps.

“Are those for Emily?” he asks.

“Would you rather them be for you?” Aaron teases, Clyde laughs.

“She is the second room to the right, I trust you to behave.” he says with a raised eyebrow.

“Of course.” Aaron tells him with a wink and Clyde points a finger at him.

“There are three maids up there, I have asked them to watch out for the both of you.”

Aaron laughs, “Trust me, I will not be misbehaving, the woman is unwell... I do not wish to catch it.”

“You are a funny man I see.” Clyde notes and Aaron smirks before he heads up the stairs.

He taps on Emily's door and opens it at her small come in. She is sitting on her window seat, clutching her necklace that he has noticed before. She looks at him and smiles, standing up.

“Are those for me?” she teases, a smile on her face.

“No, I'm afraid I'm courting the maid next door... these are for her.” He tells her.

“Ahh,” she nods, “found true love I see.”

“Of course, she is quite the woman.”

“Yes,” Emily smirks, he smiles back as he passes her the flowers.

“Thank you, they're beautiful.” she puts them in a vase on her vanity and faces him

“Join me,” she says, before heading towards her window, “The city is busy today, I like to watch people.” He sits across from her, watching her as she looks outside, she finds him starting, she laughs,

“What?”

“Nothing, just good to see you’re feeling better.”

“Yes, my cough is still quite heavy but my fever is gone as well as the aches”

“I’m glad, the balls are a lot less fun without someone whose company I like..” He grins as she looks at him with a smile.

“Is that you telling me you missed me?” she questions.

“Hmm maybe it is..” he says to her.

“Hmm, I guess I could say I missed you too.” she replies, he laughs.

“You guess?

“Yes.” she tells him before looking out the window, but he can’t help but stare at the smile on her lips long enough to look away.

“Spencer and Elle seem pretty happy these days.” she says, watching them as they stroll down the city.

“Yes, I think he will propose soon.”

“They make a nice couple.”

“Indeed.” he agrees and she smiles, looking at him from the side.

“That is a nice necklace.” he tells her as she looks at it, she smiles.

“My father got it for me from Paris a few months before he passed for my birthday.” she opens it and passes it to him.

“It's beautiful."

"Thank you." she says quietly.

“He sounds like a great man.”

“He was.” she says softly as he passes the necklace back to her. After a few moments of peaceful, comfortable silence he speaks.

“I wanted to apologise for the other night. The way I acted.”

“It’s okay.” she smiles.

“It is not.” he tells her, she looks at him, “My father was cruel and… being compared to him made me see red, but I should not have reacted in the way I did in front of you and for that I am sorry.”

“I am sorry for how I reacted.” she tells him, “ I am not scared of you.”

Aaron smiles, “Good. I would never hurt you.” he tells her, “I promise.” he smiles.

“I know,” She smiles back, “But thank you… for promising.”

He looks at her, nodding.

As they look out the window blissfully, enjoying easy conversation, it hits him like a wave that the thought of her doing this with someone else makes his blood boil, and that he cannot see himself ever doing this with anyone else.

Emily finds herself stuck between wanting to ask him what this was now and not wanting to know, because if she falls by herself… she doesn't know if she’ll be able to get back up again. Not this time.

After that he doesn't see her for a few days, his work as Duke taking over, he is taking a walk with Dave, discussing work when he spots her with their friends, as well as Viscount Andrew Mendoza.

“It seems Miss Prentiss has company.” Rossi tells him.

“Yes, I see that.”

“If you don't propose soon you will lose her.”

“I have told you before, I do not intend to marry. How many more times shall I tell you this?”

“So, are you going to allow yourself to lose Miss Prentiss just to spite your late father? Does he still remain that powerful to you?”

Hotch doesn't answer, just watches Emily as they pass the group, all seven nod their head, Emily gives him a smile and a small wave, he nods back with a smile and carries on his walk.

“You and The Duke are good friends, yes?” Andrew asks her.

“Yes, you could say that.” Emily agrees.

“Hmm, I heard rumors the two of you were courting…” he says, she nods.

“You did?”

“Indeed.”

Emily just nods at him, a smile on her lips, "Just a rumour." she tells him, and forces herself not to turn to watch Aaron walk away.

“You are staring.” Derek tells him that night as they all stand in the middle of the room, Aaron rolls his eyes.

“No.” he says, “I am just simply observing.”

Derek laughs, “You’ve fallen for her.” Aaron looks at him , “Maybe that vow to never marry wasn't very well planned.

“We are just friends.” Aaron tells him, “And she has had a few day’s out with Mendoza.”

Derek just laughs once again, “You are being stupid. Mendoza is trying but I have been there when they are talking and she is somewhere else, Aaron. She likes you.”

He tries to ignore the hope that flutters in his chest.

Andrew smiles at her, "I gather you and The Duke are just friends?"

“We are…” she tells him.

“Do I save myself the embarrassment of assuming you will be available when I am back?”

She smiles, “I don’t know.”

“Is that so?” the man asks her with a raised eyebrow.

“I have no idea what things will be like in three months.” she tells him, he looks at her.

“I guess we wait and see then.”

Emily grins, “I guess we do.”

As the dance changes she is twirled from him and lands in Aaron embrace, she smiles.

“I have not seen you tonight.” She says, he nods.

“I have been mingling upon request.” He complains, Emily grins.

“You don’t seem to like many people do you?” she asks.

“I do not.” he agrees, before smiling at her and pulling her closer to him, “You are the rare exception.” He whispers, she smiles at him, before laughing as he pushes her back and then into him again.”

“Andrew Mendoza seems to think you are going to propose to me.” She tells him, he looks at her, “He is leaving for business for a few months and is under the impression will be on our way to marriage by then.” She’s laughing, shaking her head.

“My mind has not changed..” he tells her, she looks at him and nods.

“I know,” she says softly, “And this isn't real anyway, right?” She points out, meeting his eyes, hating that there's a hope in her chest that he might change his mind.

“Right…” he agrees softly, a pain in his chest catching him off guard.

They separate, each heading in different direction of the room.

Both of them far too scared to admit its a lot more than a ruse anymore.

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#hotchniss fic #hotchniss 1800 au #hotchniss #hope u like besties

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Text

Together or Not at All [Din x Reader]

Word Count: 8000+

Summary: Normally two Mandalorians working together wasn't a good idea, but sometimes you're forced to make it work; and sometimes you want it to work.

It had been months since you had seen another Mandalorian. It was better for only a few hunters to work at a time, so they hardly crossed paths during a mission. That's why when a Mandalorian showed up in your town, word got around fast.

You had just picked up a bounty puck from an old friend of yours when a group of chattering droids wandered into the cantina. You twiddled your thumbs as they gossiped away, giving you all the information you needed. You could almost laugh at the stupidity of droids. They didn't know or care about what they could be giving away.

You slid your drink down the counter for someone else to enjoy. Normally, you'd take one back to your ship, but this couldn't be one of those times. You had work to do and a bounty hunter to find.

You walked down the street looking for the one person you knew that couldn't resist telling you everything; Even if it was for a price. As you passed by children playing in the streets, their mothers rounded them inside as quickly as they could. They knew your reputation, and though you would never hurt a youngling, it was probably best they stay out of your way. They watched curiously behind their mothers until you had passed their dwelling.

"If it isn't old Wrist Rocket!" Jung Powell's voice rang out signaling you had reached your destination. He called you that because a small missile launcher on your wrist was the only piece of pure beskar you had. It stood out, hence him picking it to distinguish you from other Mandalorians.

He emerged from his workshop and walked over to you. "Here to ask about the new Mando in town, eh?"

"Where are they?" You asked simply.

Jung laughed and squashed a bug underneath his foot. He was always easily distracted. "You know I like ya," he smiled. "But payment's been kind of high this month. Y'know how it is--"

"Fine. I'll get you a payment," you interrupted.

He chuckled and crossed all four of his green arms. "That's why I like you, but it's a bit different this time." You withheld a breath. If Jung wanted you to do something different, it was never good.

"I don't have time to chase down the people you squabble with," you argued.

"It's not a squabble," he countered. "He owes me money, and he won't pay up."

"So, a squabble," you huffed.

He waved two of his hands dismissively. "Ok, call it what you want. The point is I'm not very intimidating--"

"You don't say."

"But if you so much as walk in the door, he'll be at your feet with the money. I just know it." You took a moment to weigh out the options. It was just a simple debt collection. You figured it would be an easy job. Just get it over with and find the other Mandalorian.

"Fine," you agreed. "Who owes you?"

"Don't know if you've heard of him. His name's Kole. Never gave a me a last name, but he doesn't live far away."

He gave you the directions to your target, and you went quickly on your way. You needed to get this job over with so you could get the information you needed about the Mandalorian. You were almost jogging down the streets as you relayed the directions in your head. Left. Right. Left again. You stopped your mental GPS when you heard some kind of commotion. You took a deep breath. It was where your target supposedly was.

You armed the rocket on your wrist and slowly walked into the building. A man dropped at your feet and you instinctively aimed at him. He wasn't moving. You kicked his arm to make sure it was safe to continue.

"Who are you?" A voice made you whip around. Standing only a few feet from you was a Mandalorian decked out in full beskar armor. Every system in your body froze, and you had to remind yourself to breathe.

"You're a Mandalorian," you commented, ignoring his question.

"So are you," he added. He took a step towards you and you pulled out your blaster. He raised his hands slightly, but he didn't step back.

"What are you doing here?" you questioned.

"I'm just passing through," he answered. "I didn't know...I thought all the other Mandalorians were dead." You were glad the helmet you wore concealed the shock on your face. Either he was a lunatic or something terrible at happened.

"Why would you think that?" you asked.

He kept a hand raised as he crouched down at the man at your feet. "Because they all died," he quipped. You didn't quite know how to process what he was saying. You hadn't gone back to Mandalore in years, so it wasn't impossible that he was telling the truth. Still, you refused to believe that they were all gone.

He pulled something out of the mans pocket and stepped back once more. "What is that?" you questioned. The only reason you could trust him was the fact that he was a Mandalorian, and at the moment, that wasn't enough.

He crushed the device in his hand, making you wonder what it was even more. "Broken," he responded simply.

You rolled your eyes though he couldn't see it. "You better start talking, because this is my town. I'm not letting another Mandalorian put me out of my job here.

"I'm not here to take your job," he assured you. "I just came for him." He gestured to the unmoving man that was still at your feet. You figured by now that it was Kole. Your target.

"He was my job," you growled. He still hadn't told you why he was there or how the other Mandalorians had died. He wasn't telling you anything, and it frustrated you to no end.

"Well," he sighed. "You better hope your employer will take him in cold." He tried to walk by you and you were quick to block him.

"Move," he ordered.

"Not until you give me answers," you insisted.

"I was going to," he said. "Back at my ship."

"I'm perfectly fine discussing this here," you said pointedly.

"I'm not." He changed his approach, realizing that he wasn't getting through to you. "Believe me, I'm not going anywhere. I've been looking for another Mandalorian for a while. I just need to get something."

You both stared at each other as if you could read the other's expression through the helmets. That was always a problem with Mandalorians. They couldn't communicate without getting physical. The longer you stood there the heavier the tension in the air became.

A squeal interrupted your stare-down, and before you knew it, your blaster was aimed in the direction of the sound.

"Don't!" The Mandalorian cried. You took a moment to take in what exactly you were looking at. A small green creature with abnormally large ears was standing on a counter not far off.

"How did that get in here?" you demanded.

The Mandalorian rushed over to the creature and gingerly picked it up. "I don't know," he huffed. Then to the child he added, "I thought I told you to stay on the ship." It cooed in response and held it's hand out toward you. You still had your blaster raised, so you lowered it slowly and stared at it's three little fingers.

"What does it want?" you asked. Instead of responding, he put the child down on the ground, and it stumbled in it's oversized coat towards you. You tensed up as it got closer.

"What does it want?" you repeated with more urgency. The kid reached your feet and grabbed on to one of your legs. You froze, so you didn't hurt it by moving.

"Don't hurt him, he's just a kid," The Mandalorian said.

"I wasn't planning on it, but you need to get it off of me!" You raised the boot with the creature on it so he could take it off. He set it back on the ground, and it immediately started making it's way back to you. He picked it up with a warning and didn't put it down again.

"That's not....your kid---"

"No," he interrupted. "I just found him."

"A foundling," you whispered as you stepped towards the child.

The Mandalorian instinctively stepped back. "Yes. I've been keeping him safe."

"Hence my target being dead at my feet," you guessed.

He nodded. "Are you a guild member?"

"No, I get my targets from locals," you explained. "Something I intend to keep doing, so you and your foundling might want to make yourselves disappear."

"We're not here to ruin your business."

"You being here is ruining my business," you pointed out. "Right now, I get plenty of jobs. Why shouldn't I? I am the only Mandalorian in this town after all. Add another in the mix? eventually we'll be either splitting the load, or fighting for the best offer."

"I'm not here for the jobs," he said. "If I needed jobs, I could go anywhere. Like I said, the Mandalorians are gone. People will hire anyone. All you need is the armor."

"Speaking of," you said with a nod towards his armor. "You've got a pretty good set. What are the odds of the Mandalorians being wiped out and a single man making it out with full beskar armor? I'd guess pretty slim. Unless of course he helped kill a few so he could keep the spoils."

"I got this armor before they all died," he informed. "High paying customer."

"Must've been quite a bounty."

"Still is," he looked at the kid in his arms. "That's why I have to keep him safe."

You paused to take in what he had said. "That was the bounty?"

"If you lay a finger on him--"

"I'm not interested in the money," you snapped. "I just want to know how you got paid and still got to keep him."

"It's complicated."

You looked back and forth between him and the kid. "Alright. I don't care. Just get what you came for and get off my planet."

***

It had been days since your Mandalorian encounter and he still hadn't left. You would see him around town every now and again, and he was always with that kid. He insisted he was leaving, but he never did. It made you anxious. In just the few days he had been there he had stirred everyone up. You couldn't imagine what would happen if he never left.

You sat on the edge of a rock on the outskirts of your town. He claimed he had his ship parked somewhere around there. You wanted to check it out, but you weren't in any hurry. It was nice to be able to take in the scenery for a moment. You stood and took a deep breath. Calming down for a second was just what you needed. This Mandalorian had you worked up for nothing.

You turned around and froze when you saw the Mandalorian's kid standing right in front of you. For some reason, he always made an effort to find you. You liked to think the Mandalorian told it to, just to get on your nerves.

"Go back to the Mandalorian," you ordered. It titled it's head and continued to stare at you. "The other Mandalorian." It stayed.

"Look, kid, I'm not babysitting you. Go back to the Mandalorian that takes care of you, cause it certainly isn't me." Finally, he started walking. Unfortunately for him, he was walking straight towards the edge of the cliff. You put your foot in it's path and it looked up at you.

"Try the other way," you instructed. You nudged it with your foot away from the edge. It paused there for a moment, then turned around and headed for the edge again. You sighed and picked it up by the back of it's cloak. You really didn't want to touch it at all, but you couldn't leave it to wander off the cliff like that. You held it away from you as you continued to trek through the rocky area. Either you'd find his ship or you'd take the creature back to him directly.

A few moments later you saw smoke rising in the sky. There was nothing in that area for miles. The perfect place to land a ship. You picked up the pace, hoping that it was the ship you were looking for. Sure enough in the middle of the clearing was a broken down ship that looked like it used to be a Razor Crest.

"Please tell me that isn't his ship," you said to the child. It only gurgled in response. You set it down now that it couldn't wander off an edge somewhere, and it started walking to the ship. No wonder that Mandalorian was still there. He hardly had a ship to fly back on.

"Hey!" The Mandalorian came up behind you. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"You intend to fly back on that?" you remarked. "That wouldn't make it off the ground, much less the planet."

"You think I don't know that?" he huffed. "That's why I've been repairing it these past few days. Don't worry. The kid and I will be out of your little town in no time." He stopped the kid halfway to the ship and carried him the rest of the way. You decided to follow, curious about the inside. You followed the Mandalorian up the ramp and took a quick look around the ship. It didn't take long since it was so small and cramped. You couldn't imagine living in it.

"Are you done with your little tour?" he grumbled when you had made it back to the ramp.

You shrugged. "If you don't want me to look around your ship, you should've had it off the planet."

"Unless you have a spare parked in a garage somewhere, that's not going to happen just yet."

"It might be easier if you didn't have a kid to look after," you pointed out.

"It's not that difficult."

"Oh really?" you smirked. "Is that why I found it about to wander off a cliff?"

You could see him tense beneath his beskar armor. "What?" he said testily.

You walked off the ship with a last comment over your shoulder. "I'll let you get back to work."

You sat outside the cantina with Jung Powell talking business. He always bought you a drink thought he knew you couldn't remove your helmet. He probably did it as a temptation to break your code, but it would never work. Instead he would just drink yours as well as his.

"You did great with the money Kole owed me," he was saying. "But you killing him gave a lot of people cold feet y'know."

You tilted your head slightly. "What about you?"

He reached forward to grab the cup in front of you. "I understand it was all in a day's work," he said through a chuckle. He emptied the glass in one gulp and slammed the cup back on the table. "So, if you're looking for another job, I'm the one to talk to."

"That's why I'm here," you said.

"This one's a bit different--"

"With how often you say that, it's starting to become expected."

"Right, I get that, but this really is something else." He leaned over the table enough for you to smell his breath. "Are you up for a cargo run?"

You leaned back and shook your head. "I'm a bounty hunter, not a mail carrier."

"Not even if the mail includes a high paying customer?" he bribed. You stared at him as you considered the offer. It was almost impossible for you to give up a good payment, and you knew that Jung never let you down when it came to those.

"Where to?" you asked warily.

"A dwarf planet a couple systems away--"

"Off planet?" you interrupted. "No deal."

"Come on, wrist rocket, it's getting harder and harder to get deals that stay on planet," he whined.

"Maybe for you, but I have other sources." You stood up to leave and he was quick to tumble out of his chair and stop you.

"No, no, wait!" he cried. "I promise it's worth your time! Plenty of credits! Probably enough to get you more than just a wrist rocket!" You froze. You couldn't lie and say that it wasn't tempting. Deep down you knew it was because of the Mandalorian, but you didn't listen to yourself.

Instead you turned back to Jung. "What do I need to take and where?"

He smiled and rubbed two of his hands together. "Glad you're on board." He gave you your assignment and you walked away knowing you just made a big mistake. Madnalorians were true to their word. If you said you were going to do it, you have to see it through. Now you took up a job out of what? Spite? It was a terrible idea. However, you pushed the doubt out of your mind and looked towards your goal. The only thing you needed now was a way off the planet.

***

"You want me to do what?" The Mandalorian didn't sound thrilled about your offer.

"I'll give you a cut," you assured him. "I just need transportation off-planet."

"I'm not towing you around to whatever planet you want for a small tip."

"A small tip and the repairs you need to get that ship off the ground," you corrected.

"No thanks. I'll repair it myself." He walked back into his ship, not letting you respond. You stepped back to see his ship was still smoking and hissing and let out a frustrated breath. You knew you could fix it for him, but you wouldn't do it for charity. You weren't getting through to him though. You cut your losses and turned around to leave.

Something grabbed on to your leg and out of instinct, you tried to kick it off. You heard the Mandalorian's foundling squealing so you stopped and looked down. Once again, the creature was holding onto your boot with a iron grip. Normally you'd pry it off and send it on it's way, but as it looked up at you with it's big black eyes, you had an awful idea.

Warily, you began walking it back to the ship. You heard the Mandalorian in the the cockpit so you waited for him to come down. When he did come down and saw you with the creature, he froze.

"What are you doing with him?" he said. You could tell he was tense, and his hand was hovering closer and closer to his blaster.

"Your little foundling won't let go of me," you said with a smirk that he thankfully couldn't see. "I tried and tried, but he just won't budge."

"Sounds like a you problem," he said. You thought you heard a hint of humor, but he was far too concerned about his kid for you to tell.

"It is until I go off-planet to finish out this job, and because I couldn't get him away from me, he tags along. That sounds very much like a you problem," you teased.

The Mandalorian clenched his fists. He scooped the kid off your leg and placed him in his bed. He closed the door and turned back to you. "Leave the kid out of this."

"I can't help what it does--"

"You're not taking him with you." Now he was getting upset.

You felt the kid grab onto your boot again and without looking down at it you said, "I don't think I have a choice."

"How did you--" The Mandalorian tried to take him off again, but the kid stayed put. "C'mon kid, let go."

Nothing.

The Mandalorian tugged harder, but the kid squealed, causing him to stop. He looked from the creature to you. For a second, your stomach flipped at the idea that he might actually kill you just to get his kid back. You quickly pushed the thought aside. He wouldn't. It was against the code.

He stood there considering his options for a while before he finally mumbled, "You'd have to get it to fly."

You smiled and gently took the kid off your boot. "Thank you," you said as you handed it over.

He took it and brushed past you as he said, "Just one trip there and back. No more." That was fine by you. You got exactly what you needed. Now you had to get to work with the repairs.

***

You and the Mandalorian sat in the cockpit ready to test out the repaired ship. His kid sat in his lap since you were taking up it's usual spot, so he carefully reached around it to flip switches and press buttons. He had instructed you not to touch anything, then proceeded to unscrew a small lever and hand part of it to the kid.

"We just repaired this thing, and you think it's a good idea to take it apart for that thing's chew toy?" you inquired.

"I know what I'm doing," he snapped. He pulled up, and the whole ship rumbled beneath you. For a moment you weren't sure it would make it off the ground. Then, with a low creak, the ship rose and started cruising forward slowly but surely.

"Hold on," the Mandalorian instructed. He increased the speed and the ship let out a number of complaints. It started rumbling and shaking uncontrollably, and you grabbed onto the seat so you wouldn't get tossed around.

"What's happening?" you shouted over the noise of alarms and groaning metal.

"It'll stabilize once we break through the atmosphere!" he responded.

"If we make it that far!" you snapped. You looked over at the kid on his lap. He was smiling and bouncing like it was some kind of ride to him. Something you would've found funny if there wasn't a good chance that you would all plummet back to the ground. A few moments later, space came speeding into view and the alarms switched off. Then in a second everything went from chaotic to completely silent.

"Told you," the Mandalorian said. "Now we just cruise over to your dwarf planet. I don't think we'll be able to jump to hyperspace."

"What?" you said louder than you had planned. "That could take us days, and that's if we don't come across any obstacles!"

"You're the one who wanted a ride," he quipped as he leaned back in his chair. "If you change your mind, there's always the eject pods."

It took every cell in your body to maintain your composure. This wasn't even a mission you were particularly thrilled about going on, much less with this Mandalorian. You felt at times that the only thing keeping you both from each others throats was the Mandalorian code, but according to him, all the Mandalorians were dead. What validity was there to that pact?

The creature on his lap kept looking at you with it's huge, pitch-black eyes. You didn't know how to react. It was hard not to stare. It's eyes and ears were oversized, and it's layers of clothes made it look like it was in a squishy cocoon. It was kind of cute. You smiled at it, and though it couldn't see, it gurgled and smiled back.

"How old is it?" you asked. The Mandalorian seemed taken aback by the question. You were almost surprised yourself. You didn't care about the kid. You were just curious.

"I don't know," he said after a while. "Somewhere around 50?"

"Fifty?" you asked surprised.

"Well, he obviously ages slower than we do," he remarked. You looked over at the kid and he looked back at you with wide questioning eyes. The Mandalorian stood up with the kid in his arms, and went to the lower part of the ship. "I'll be right back. Don't touch anything!" His command echoed just far enough for you to hear him. You rolled your eyes and reclined in your seat. You might as well get comfortable.

You had been twiddling your thumbs for almost half an hour, and the Mandalorian still hadn't come back. It was irritating, especially since you couldn't do anything on his ship. It clearly wasn't meant to be a livable space. It was just meant for towing him across the galaxy.

You had thought about traveling beyond your planet before, and the longer you stayed the more you wanted to leave. You had heard that it's the spirit of a Mandalorian to travel from place to place, but you never tried. Now you looked out at the black of space littered with stars. It had been so long since you had seen it.

A small, quiet sound roused you from your thoughts. You turned your seat around to see the kid standing there and staring right at you. A small chuckle escaped your lips.

"What do I have to do to get you to stop following me?" you asked half-jokingly. He babbled as if he was actually trying to respond. He walked closer and raised his arms.

"Sorry, but I don't think your dad would want me picking you up," you warned. It insisted and walked even closer. You rolled your eyes. The Mandalorian didn't seem to be coming back soon anyway. You granted the child's wish and picked him up. You didn't set him on your lap, but rather held him a good distance away from you as if he was toxic.

"Are you seriously older than I am?" you whispered almost to yourself.

"Hey!" The Mandalorian's voice cut through the ships low hum and made you jump. You almost dropped the kid so you brought him closer to you by instinct. "What are you doing with the kid?"

"Your kid keeps coming to me!" you explained angrily. "Besides, he's fine." You held the creature out towards the Mandalorian like it was some dull object. He was quick to take it from you, and he sat back down in the pilot's seat. You needed to say something. Anything. You were getting tired of constantly being mad at each other. After all, you were supposedly the last two of your kind. It probably wasn't best to be fighting each other with every word.

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to call you," you mentioned. It was a sudden thought that you had. You currently didn't call him anything. The way you got each others attention was by yelling at the other. Definitely not a good way to end the fighting.

His head moved ever so slightly towards you. "I don't really..." He trailed off and a long moment of silence passed before he spoke up again. "Why don't you just...call me Mando?"

"Mando?" you inquired. "That derogatory nickname that almost every Mandalorian gets?"

"It's not a derogatory nickname. At least, not anymore," he corrected. "I don't have anything else in mind."

"Well, Mandalorians get their nicknames by what they look like or how they act," you pointed out. You looked him up and down. "I guess that would make you 'Beskar?'"

"And what would that make you? 'Not beskar?'" he retorted.

"Ha ha," you replied unenthusiastically. "I'm seriously just supposed to call you Mando?"

"Call me whatever you want," he concluded. "It's not like we're going to be seeing each other after I drop you off." You couldn't argue with that. You certainly didn't intend to see him again, and you were positive the feeling was mutual. You laid your head back against the seat. This was going to be a long trip.

***

Two days since you had left, the dwarf planet finally came into view. You were relieved to be so close to your destination. Of course, the trip wasn't as bad as you thought once you actually talked to Mando without bickering. If you didn't leave room for an argument, he hardly said anything, but the few things he said were actually worth something.

"That's the planet right?" he asked.

"It is," you confirmed. "Are you sure this thing is equipped to land?"

"I guess we'll find out in about five minutes," he replied as he flicked switches and pressed buttons.

"Ship 4119, this is landing pad 7. Do you have clearance to land?" A voice from the intercom made both of you freeze. A small hologram appeared with a symbol that made your blood turn cold. It was the crest of the Empire.

"This is an imperial trade?" Mando hissed under his breath.

"Dank farrik!" you growled. "I'll kill you, Powell."

"Ship 4119, are you reading me?" The voice pressed.

"What do we do?" you whispered.

"Four minutes 'til we land," he started. "We stall." He raised his voice so the person over the intercom could hear. "Yes, I have clearance, but there's some bad interference. Let me switch you over to another channel. Stand by." He switched off the intercom and turned towards you. "That should buy us about a minute."

"Only?" you asked incredulously.

"What did you expect dealing with the Empire?" he scolded.

"I didn't know it was the Empire," you defended weakly.

"We don't have long to figure out what we're doing," he reminded you. "We can't land on the pad so we need to find an alternative."

"It's all trees," you huffed. "The landing pad is our only option."

"Ship 4119, you cooperation is required or you will be terminated."

"The landing pad it is," he sighed. "Hold on to the kid. It's not going to be a smooth landing."

You did as he said and waited. He lowered the landing gear and the ship immediately seized up. The shook and rumbled, and alarms started going off. The voice over the intercom had started a countdown until their "termination". Mando waited until the count of one to expertly roll to the side and half land half crash onto a separate landing pad. Guards were around the ship in moments. Stormtroopers.

"Step out of the ship with your arms up," one commanded.

"They don't know that there's two of us," Mando whispered to you. "I'll walk out as they said, then on my signal, you come in behind and start taking them out." You nodded, and he started to make his way off the ship. You watched him closely for the signal as you readied your rocket. One hit, perfectly aimed, would take them all out.

The signal, followed by your rocket going off, followed by a blinding white light filled the next few moments of your life. When the smoke cleared, there was hardly anything telling you there were stormtroopers there at all. You exited the ship with the kid still in your arms.

"Not bad," you complemented yourself.

"Yeah, yeah, you did good," he brushed off. "We're not entirely out of the woods yet. Spread out and make contact if you find the package."

You stopped. "I thought you were leaving."

"What can I say?" he said with a small shrug. "I'm bored." He threw a small communicator in your direction. "If you come back without the kid, you're as good as dead." Without another word, he jogged off to look for the package. You look down at the kid in your hands, and he tilted his head.

"Yeah, I'm confused too," you murmured. You jogged in the opposite direction already waiting to get off this planet.

What seemed like hours later, Mando contacted you on the communicator. It was pretty choppy, but from what you could tell, he either had the package or he would soon. You breathed a sigh of relief. You weren't comfortable being so close to the Empire.

You quickly found the river you had been following, and began heading upstream. The kid was getting restless. He wanted to walk, but the Mandalorian would have your head if you let him with so many stormtroopers around. So you continued. You thought all would be well, but out of nowhere a gun shot fired right next to your head.

"They're over here!" A stormtrooper yelled through the woods. You found cover and quickly opened your communicator.

"Mando, I'm under attack!" you warned. "South of the ship, not far! Hurry!" Shots were firing all around you and the child started whimpering in fear. You held him close to you as you fired shots blindly into the forest. "Mando!"

Stormtroopers yelled in the distance signaling help was there. You stood from your cover and came helmet to helmet with a camo trooper. He knocked his gun into your hands, sending the kid rolling across the forest floor. You fired your blaster and the trooper dropped to the ground. You heard a sickening splash as you realized the child had rolled towards the river.

Mando caught up with you and noticed you didn't have his kid. "Where is he?" he yelled. You ignored him and plunged head first into the river. The child was so small, it would've been carried away in an instant. When you finally spotted him, he was bobbing downstream with a wide smile. You swam towards him, scooped him up, and placed him back on solid ground. Thankfully there wasn't a scratch on him.

The Mandalorian had made it to you and the kid right as you pulled yourself from the river. You were ready for him to scold you, grab the kid, and walk off, but he picked up the kid and extended an arm to you.

"You alright?" he questioned. You hesitantly took his hand, and he helped you stand.

"Fine," you said quietly. A small hint of a nod from Mando, and you were both walking through the forest back to the ship.

Mando held out a metal rod laced with blue light. "This the package?"

"Yes," you said as you took it from him. "Thank you."

"We can't get back on the Razor Crest," he informed. "It's too banged up."

"What are we supposed to do then?" you asked.

He turned to you. "We need one of those Imperial Cruisers."

***

It had been a whole month since your run-in with the Empire. You and Mando successfully stole one of the Empires aircraft, and made your way back to your planet without a hitch. It was there that Mando offered for you to work with him for a while. You told him you had to think about it, but your mind was already made up. You loved the thrill of going off planet, and you wanted to go again.

You hadn't looked back until now. You were currently making your way back to that same dwarf planet to retrieve the ship you had left behind so long ago.

"Either the Empire will be completely flushed out--" Mando was saying.

"Or they'll have grown ten times their original size," you finished.

"That about sums it up," he confirmed. Working together felt so natural now. It was a wonder Mandalorians hadn't worked together before. They had similar expertise, making it easy to agree to and execute a plan. At least, that was the case for you and the Mandalorian. You found a way to communicate without fighting, and you only grew closer from there.

You liked being around the Mandalorian. You hadn't expected to become so close to him, but you didn't mind one bit. You were both at ease with one another and didn't need a lot of words to understand each other. You both had learned the micro movements that the other would use. A small shift of the helmet. A clench of the fist. A drop of the shoulders. Small things that meant so much.

"So, you run the kid onto the ship as I cover you," Mando said, going through the plan once more.

"I set off a distraction long enough for you to make it on the ship yourself," you continued.

"And we fly off the planet as quick as we can."

"Assuming it will fly," you quipped.

"All of this is assuming they've grown stronger," he reminded you. "I'm not sure the Empire is capable of that at this point."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up," you cautioned. The intercom rang out with the same warning you had received last time.

Mando kept his eyes forward. "Here we go." He ignored the voice and landed the ship on the pad. You picked up the kid and waited for Mando to leave the ship first. He walked out, guns blazing, and you were quick to slip out behind him. A few troopers saw you, but luckily they were terrible shots. You made quick work of them and moved the kid onto the Razor Crest. So far so good. Now you just had give Mando a distraction.

Before you could even think of anything, three TIE fighters let loose a rain of fire on the pad where the Mandalorian was. In a panic you fired a rocket at one, but it just missed the fast moving ship.

"Mando!" you called. "Get in here! We need to move!" You fired at as many troopers as you could without attracting fire to yourself, but it didn't help much. He was practically by himself.

"Fire up the ship and take off!" You heard Mando's voice over the communicator in your helmet.

"I'm not leaving you," you replied.

"Leave the ramp open! Trust me!" Going against your better judgement, you did as he said. The child was confused as to why you were leaving the Mandalorian on the planet, but he stayed with you. You tried to get the ship off the ground, but it wouldn't budge. You diverted power and fuel until you had enough of a kick to get it moving.

"Now would be a great time to get on board!" you informed.

"I'm on my way! Fly!" he responded. You pushed forward as the ship creaked. Would it be able to make it off the planet?

"Lower!" Mando's voice called out suddenly. You pushed the ship downwards and everything lurched forward. Including the child who was more than happy to be around all the buttons.

"Get back in your seat," you instructed him. His ears drooped, but he obeyed and crawled off the control panel.

"I'm on! Close the ramp," Mando said. You closed the ramp and tried to direct the ship upwards. TIE fighters noticed the attempt to escape and started firing making the ship worse.

"We're taking fire!" you yelled. Mando climbed the ladder into the cockpit, and you were quick to move so he could take the controls. The ship slowly climbed while taking shots from the TIE fighters. You couldn't dodge them without using much needed fuel to get away from the planet. The ship was rocking and squealing as it tried to break through the planets atmosphere. You grabbed the child and rushed him down to his bed. He would be safer there than in the cockpit.

"We broke through!" Mando informed you. You climbed back up to where he was.

"Then why are we still shaking uncontrollably?" you questioned.

"Those TIE fighters will be on us in seconds," he continued. "We need to jump to hyperspace."

"This ship can't do that!"

"It'll have to. Where's the kid?"

"He's safe."

"Then hold on." He prepared everything for the jump, but he looked over at you before he started. "It's our only option."

You strapped in as quickly as you could. "Then do it." Mando engaged the hyperdrive. Immediately you knew you were going to crash. The ship's alarms blared and the engine burst into flames. Pulling out of hyperspace, you saw a planet speeding into view, but you couldn't stop the ship in time. You crashed and slid on the icy planet before everything went black.

***

When you woke up, you could only make out the orange light of fire mixing with the blue light of the planet you were on. You tried to blink to make the world come into focus, but your eyes refused to comply. You took off your helmet for a moment and cold wind whipped at your face. The back of your head throbbed and you gingerly touched it. When you moved your hand you saw that it was coated in blood. You were wounded where no one could see.

You slipped your helmet back on before going to find the Mandalorian. You didn't know what to do except find him, so that's what you would do. You didn't have to walk far before you found the crashed ship. You picked up the pace as you called for the Mandalorian. You entered the burning ship and found Mando unconscious in the cock pit. You shook his shoulder until he finally woke.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"I'm fine," you lied.

"And the kid?" he pressed.

"I don't know," you answered. You both quickly descended the ladder and opened the door to the sleeping pod. The child sat on the bed completely unharmed. You breathed a sigh of relief. You felt as if the kid was your own. You didn't know what you'd do if something happened to him.

"Any sign of the Empire?" Mando questioned.

"None," you replied. "But there's no sign of getting off this planet either. We really messed up."

"There has to be some kind of lifeform on this planet," he insisted.

"I saw the planet. It's all snow and ice. You'd have to be crazy to live here."

"We have to try anyway." He grabbed a blanket off the bed and wrapped the child in it. You all left the ship and stepped onto the freezing planet. Your hopes of finding a way off were low to non-existent, but you followed Mando. He'd find a way.

The longer you walked, the dizzier you felt. Your head hadn't stopped throbbing and you were finding it hard to focus. Whatever you had done to your head was slowly chipping away at you. Your legs felt weak, and it wasn't long before they gave out on you. You crumpled into the snow.

"Y/N!" Mando called. You couldn't register his voice. Where he was. What was happening. The fact that he had used your name though you never gave it to him. It was all just a fleeting thought that was drowned out in the pain. He held you in his arms as he tried to keep you conscious. You felt his hands at the sides of your helmet and you quickly held them away.

"It's against the code," you groaned.

He looked at his hand which was covered in blood from your helmet. "You're bleeding! I have to take it off to help!"

"No!" you insisted. "You can't see my face. You know that."

"I'd rather you live with the shame then die here in the snow!"

"I can't," you breathed. "I've never taken it off in front of anyone." He stopped and looked at you hopelessly.

"It's ok," you said. "Find a way off the planet and take care of the kid." The Mandalorian carefully propped you up in the snow then slightly stepped back. Before you could say anything, or even think of what was happening. He removed his helmet and dropped it at his feet. His brown hair blew wildly in the wind as he bent down to you.

"You..." you barely whispered.

"I'm helping you even if that means breaking the code, but we'll be breaking it together," he said. You felt him lifting the helmet off your head, but you didn't stop him. He placed your helmet next to his in the snow and gently moved your hair aside. You didn't have the willpower to fight what was happening. You let him work as the world grew fuzzy around you. It all seemed surreal. Especially when the next thing you remembered was the child dropping to the ground in exhaustion.

The world was coming back into focus, and the throbbing pain in your skull subsided. You looked up to see your Mandalorian unmasked and holding his child. Your hand instinctively reached for the wound at the back of your head, but there was none.

"He healed you." It was strange to hear the Mandalorian's voice outside of the helmet. It was softer and more real. "I don't know how he does it, but it drains his energy. It was the only way to save you.

You stood slowly, unable to take your eyes from the Mandalorian's. It was strange to think he was seeing your face just as you were seeing his. You thought you'd be more ashamed. After all you had broken one of the most important rules on Mandalore. You both had. But you didn't feel guilt like you had done something wrong. You felt what you could only identify as relief. Relief that you didn't have to hide behind your metal helmet in front of the one you cared so deeply for.

Mando picked up both the helmets, handing yours to you. "We should get moving." You stared into yours, not wanting to put it back on. You grudgingly did, and Mando followed. You both took moment to stare at each others expressionless helmets, then continued through the ice and snow.

When you finally found people, you recognized them as a rebels. There weren't many that were aware of the Empires presence and even fewer would fight. They wouldn't harm you. They brought you into a cave that was partially lined with metal and cement. They hadn't been there long. They were hesitant to let you in at first, but when they saw the child laying unconscious in Mando's arms, they obliged. They took the kid to care for him, and you could tell Mando was tense. You placed your hand on his shoulder and he turned to you.

"He's going to be fine," you comforted. He remained silent. "You...said my name. Back in the snow. Unless I was hallucinating--"

"You weren't" he confirmed. "I saw it on our first trip to that kriffing dwarf planet. I never meant to get used to saying it in my head. I'm sorry."

You shrugged. "I don't think you knowing it puts me in danger."

He took a deep breath. "My real name is Din Djarin."

"You didn't have to tell me--"

"From now on, we do things together or not at all. Deal?"

You desperately wished he could see you smile. "Deal."

***

A week passed on the planet you came to know as Hoth. You needed time to recover and so did the kid. The rebels were working on a way to get you off the planet, and the Mandalorian spent most of his time working to help them with that. He was getting more frustrated every day. You wanted to help him. Tell him they'd find a way soon, but the only option they had was another week of waiting until a ship flew in for supplies.

It was late at night when he came to you. He was broken down and stressed, but he would never tell you so. He hardly said a word to you during the whole week. But now here he was.

He walked over to you slowly and stopped. "I can't find a faster way off this planet," he said, his voice laced with defeat.

"It's alright," you assured him. "What matters is that we will get off. Eventually."

"Eventually," he repeated. "Eventually isn't good enough."

"We're alright here," you soothed. "Nothing's going to happen to the kid here."

"They have trackers," he pointed out. "They'll find him if we don't move--"

"Din," you said, using his name for the first time since he told it to you. You stepped closer so he was only a few inches apart from you. You removed his helmet without any objections from him and set it aside. You did the same to your helmet. You needed to talk to him face to face.

"No one is going to get the kid because we're protecting him," you said. "We protect him together." Din smiled, wrapped his arms around your waist, and pulled you closer to him. Your arms rested around his neck as your lips touched. A kiss was something a Mandalorian could never know. But you both disregarded the rules just so you could know each other's touch not through a casing of metal. And you did it together.

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nightswithkookmin · 4 years

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Jikook and Taekook in The Soop: Ep 06 Analysis

PREFACE

This discussion is a continuation of my opinion piece on Soop episode 06. I explained in that post, how I think Soop was initiated by BigHit and BTS to repair and replenish the dwindling bond of the group as prior to Soop, there had been some friction between some of the members which could be traced as far back as November last year and had only increased exponentially through to March this year.

Now I said this without prejudice, and knowing full well there are a ton of content withheld from us in the present day likely to be released years from now that may reveal a moment, a behind scenes, that to others may seemingly counter this perception of mine.

But like my theory on the Jikook break up moments, I stay my ground. I don't draw my conclusions based on a single moment of tension happening in isolation because they are human- a jet lag here and a muscle pain there could lead to an unnecessary outburst here or there. That's not it.

I look for patterns, take into consideration their personalities, note how a moment impacts or is likely to impact those established values and patterns of behavior that BTS themselves consciously contribute to to influence their public image and reputation- I take this delulu business pretty seriously you know? Lol.

For instance, when I say Jikook broke up it's mostly because I've noticed that over a period of time, certain things that make Jikook a couple to me are no longer present between them, in the way they interact, rather than that there was a few seconds tension between them in random moment on screen.

And I am well aware, that when some people say they feel Jikook are broke up that they are basing their conclusions off of their own insecurities about them rather than that they have seen enough, thought through enough about those observations to reasonably draw such conclusions.

For example, because to them Jikook interactions is their evidence of a romantic relationship, then Jikook not interacting in a random moment would indicate to them that something is wrong and that they are broke up- basic delulus.

I employ a different metric. Not better, just different. For example, I used them not knowing certain things about themselves within certain periods as an indication something is off.

This is not a hard rule. It could be random but when the information they are in the dark about came into existence within a period I suspected they weren't a couple due to other things I had noticed within said period, then that becomes a confirmation of that period for me. Feel free to disagree.

Jikook know everything about eachother, EVERYTHING. Or at least, they act like they know or should know everything about eachother.

They love to be the ones to know eachother the most and love to show off their knowledge about eachother like in the recent Bangtan Bomb when JK said he knew Jimin could touch his toe when he stretched.

'See, I told you he could touch his toe.' he says with pride. Then the bit about Jimin and beans, Jimin and the convenience store underwear etc.

So when JK suddenly doesn't know Jimin took pop dancing or when Jimin acts surprised that JK had gimbap it raises an eye brow. No?

What's more concerning to me is their reaction to news like this. JK zoned out for a bit and Jimin looked confused out of his wits in those instances. You could tell its something that really bothered them.

And while this may be an isolated incident for most, it's usually not for me or even surprising to me. Because, as explained, usually moments like these fit into an established pattern of inconsistent behaviours identified within those specific timelines prior to such moments, from my observation.

And I see most people also don't know how Jikook looks like when they are not 'together.' Which is also part of the problem.

To most people, a Jikook break up would look like the apocalypse up in BTS- it's not.

I've said several times in my blogs, if you believe Jikook are real then pay attention to what they are and not what you expect them to be. Their relationship parameters are set by them not us and our ideosyncracies.

To me and the way I see them, a Jikook break up is and would always be a return to friendship.

When Jikook break up they revert back to being friends. Friendship is their default, in the group setting anyway.

And as I've said, they lose or strive away the qualities that make them a couple during break ups but at a bare minimum their friendship will be there- for the harmony of the group.

And I think this is why some Jikookers theorize that Jikook knew the consequences their relationship was going to have on the group before entering into their relationship.

While I disagree they thought things through before deciding to commit to a romantic relationship, I agree that they know and have considered the impact their relationship can have on their group.

It is why they revert and will revert to being friends during times like that so their break up and conflicts doesn't affect the dynamics of the group.

I think this is one thing they both very much understand and commit to, to make sure their shenanigans doesn't impact the dynamics of the group- they owe their bandmates that much.

It is also this understanding that allows them to thrive and hide within the group.

What all this means is that, in times of a break up, the skinship will very much be there, the wearing the same attire will be there, the wearing the same bracelets will be there, they will still ride together if they have to- because none of these is what make them a couple!

And a fight is not a breakup, mind you. Often when they fight, I find they may not want to be around each other among other things but they don't lose the qualities that make them a couple.

You can still see their couple aura in such times. Whereas in the case of a breakup those couple qualities disappear entirely. In my opinion.

Perhaps I should make a blog post on what I feel makes Jikook a couple and how those qualities disappear around the times they break up? I'll think about it.

I have stated over and over that, skinship, car sharing etc are all not in any way indicative of a romantic relationship, not to me anyway. And honestly, if you can't tell between Jikook as friends and jikook as a couple- do you even deserve rights? Consider your delulu membership revoked. Lol

And if you aren't observant, shy away from angst, see them as a fantasy rather than actual human beings in an actual romantic relationship- subject to change, subject to growth, susceptible to temptations; if you mistake things that make them friends for things that make them a couple you would not spot their break ups when they happen. Or worse, you'd dismiss and overlook them when they do happen.

Deadass, you could be very much looking at the end of Jikook but still screaming power couple extraordinaire-

Isn't that where we are with Taekook? People mistaking all the things that make them friends for a romantic couple?

People dismissing all the questionable moments that's happened between them over the years- like Tae saying he couldn't even tell JK had been given a mission to ignore him because Jk ignores him anyway behind cameras, Tae's passive aggressiveness towards JK like in the VLive he exposed Jikook, the missing birthday wishes on Twitter etc- and not reflecting on them enough to critically examine their impact and what it says of the state and nature of their relationship?

Taekook in the Soop is an indictment of the shipping community. But I am not here to police anyone's delusions- freedom of belief, speech and all that jazz.

What I am here to do today, my dear delulu colleagues, is to examine Taekook in the soop and share my thoughts on the infamous conversation they had in that episode.

I will also be pointing out a few observations I made about Jikook in that episode that I feel will help shed more lights on the current dynamics between Jikook which further proofs Jikook is real.

TAEKOOK IN THE SOOP

Taekook's conversation in Soop 06 is shaping out to be one of the most controversial moments in the history of BTS ships.

To some it was a doze of reality, a game changer, if you will and had some people questioning their sanity while others jumped off the Taekook bandwagon all together.

But some die hard fans of the ship were quick to come up with a theory to explain away what had transpired that night as big bad BigHit curating that entire scene in order to bamboozle them and absolve themselves of all guilt for having previously separated Taekook and forced them to hide their relationship- scammers never die. Lol

Why would Taekook have that conversation on camera if it was that serious, they ask.

If they aren't close why did JK put his hands around Tae here? Why did he look at Tae there? They fist bumped in the background of this MV, surely they are a couple- y'all know how I feel about skinship being used as a determinant of romantic relationships so I'm just gonna roll my eyes here and keep it pushing-

This is what happens when you whimsically and randamly label a ship as real without due diligence, without conducting the necessary tests that allows you to reasonably assume that that ship is or could be real.

A ship is not real until it's breached the fourth way into alternative shipping and I'm sorry, Taekook has not breached that fourth wall. No other ship in BTS has breached that wall except Jikook. I have explained this over and over again.

How can Taekook breach the fourth wall when half of the moments, half of the content needed to establish it's piercing moment exists in the imagination of people?

By claiming BigHit hides, and cuts Taekook moments or any other ships moment, by claiming Taekook's interactions are mostly off camera, these shippers are shooting themselves in the foot and fooling no one.

Because what they are indirectly saying basically is there aren't enough moments to analyze upon whose findings we can draw such conclusions that Taekook is real.

I have a hard time believing Jesus is real and I'm a Christian. You think I'm about to buy that Taekook is real, based on faith??? Y'all tripping.

And no. The skinship don't count either. I mean people were running around the corners of the internet swearing up and down Jimin and Mina were dating based on their skinship until it was revealed Jimin had been abusing Mina all those years.

Skinship is performative and not a reflection of true intimacy or true bond.

That being said, yes I see Taekook's relationship. I see their dynamics. They are beautiful and as a multishipper- I really dig their bond. I do.

I have called them the evil power duo of BTS. I have said they don't have much intimate interactions between them on camera but when they activate their evil powers, lord do they set my insides on fire.

WHY FILM THAT BIT ON CAMERA?

For quality entertainment purposes. Lol.

Soop is a quasi self produced production by BTS. As such they themselves created the content, concept, decided where they were going to be, what they were going to do at what time and most importantly who they were going to be with or hang out with.

Everything was pre determined by BTS and the schedule was presented to BigHit- the camera crew and staff, beforehand so the staff knew where to place cameras, what equipment they were going to use and what props they are going to have to provide for BTS for effective filming.

Unlike run or Bon V where BTS have little creative control, BTS played a major role in the production of SOOP. So if that bit was staged then it wasn't staged by BigHit, but by BTS themselves- including Tae and JK.

I explained in my previous post, how I felt Soop is business but also BigHit's way of shutting BTS in a room and forcing them to settle whatever differences had crept up between them that had been affecting the dynamics of the group and threatening the longevity of their group around that period.

I said it was no different from Rookie King where they had an episode where BTS was allowed to shout their grievances off the top of a roof to foster unity among the members.

It's also no different from the missions they've are given from time to time or the love letters they have been asked to write to eachother. The objective of such projects have always been to bring the members closer, to build intimacy and to foster unity amongst them. Soop follows suit.

What's of interest to me and what you should be pondering over is what had led them all- BTS and BigHit, to embark on a project of this nature this time around.

BigHit is a business and can only stay on top of the game for so long if BTS is in the game. Them disbanding impromptu due to petty conflicts and misunderstandings amongst them will be a huge loss to BigHit.

And if you think petty issues aren't enough to bring down their empire- you are in the wrong delulu industry. Lol.

Kpop is wrought with stories of these nature. There are a lot of bands that debuted with and around the time of BTS's debut that are disbanded now due to the least misunderstandings- google it. I dare you to.

BTS do have issues from time to time that does threaten their band. How often have we heard them talk about almost disbanding? Remember 2018? Remember when JK cried because Hobi almost left the group? Remember when JK almost left the group to pursue a career in dancing?

The Kpop industry is hectic and brutal and bands within this sphere are fragile. it's easy to jump ship than to keep sailing. I mean, there's a reason Korean interviewers keep asking BTS their secret to staying together and for this long.

As RM puts it in the recent KBS interview, they are seven boys from different backgrounds in the same boat headed in different directions. That can create a lot of clashes here and there. So when tensions arise that they can help it, they take initiatives like Soop to help nip it and replenish their bond.

They don't allow issues to fester on to the point they want to go their separate ways. BigHit loves this about them and encourages that among them.

Do y'all see why I side eye people who claim BigHit is not happy with any pair within the group because they are real and wants to hide and suppress them?

Left to BigHit alone, BTS would be in one big happy gay polyamorous relationship with eachother if that meant the success and longevity of their business- they are depending on it. They would rather BTS keep the love in the barn than spread it elsewhere, if you know what I mean.

How are BTS portrayed in Tiny Tan? The bond you see in that animation is not just a reflection of BTS's actual bond but also a reflection of BigHits vision of their bond.

Jimin is portrayed as that hyung who is always watching over JK because he loves him so much. Tae is also portrayed as the one hyung who will dive to save JK. Tiny Tan is BigHit's ideal intimacy goal for the boys.

Again, BT21, how are their friendships portrayed in there?

It's absurd thus to think, believe or even assume that if there is an actual real intimate relationship between any of the boys, that Bighit's objective would be to hide and suppress it or even to kill it.

BTS's intimacy is a currency BigHit transacts with. But that doesn't mean BTS doesn't bank on it too. They are proud of their bond, often flaunt it. They know it makes them stand out of the lot and it's what has led to them staying together for this long in the business. They have a pretty strong bond.

They wouldn't have agreed to do this project Soop if they didn't want to or didn't think they needed it. They really love eachother as a team, as a band; they love working together and care about their careers unlike other bands we know. Cough, cough.

They are the blueprint and they know it. The last thing they want is for something as trivial as a misunderstanding to break them apart- Hobi said in his recent YouTube live how BE is their voice and an expression of their feelings and I can't wait to hear all the songs on the Album to understand what they've been through these past few months.

If building intimacy is the objective of Soop, then conversations like that of Taekook really shouldn't be shocking. It's to be expected.

If they felt the need to talk it's because they felt they was something they both needed to get off their chest.

Is a content of that nature good for ratings? Absolutely. Does that mean they performed it? No. Not at all.

It's similar to what Jimin did with JK in Rookie King in order to get closer to each other. They were friends. You think he couldn't have just approached JK off camera and told him how his actions hurt him?

How often have we heard RM or Tae ask if the cameras were they to capture a moment where the members have claimed to have cried and consoled each other?

See this is why people think Jikook is fake. They just don't understand that these boys choose to share certain intimate moments with the us out of love, out of a need to connect and have people share in their moments.

It's no different from BTS filming themselves screaming when they heard of that BB news. They share their joy, their pain and their conflicts with us as a way to connect with us.

How often have we wished the VMin dumpling fight was recorded, or that the rain fight was recorded? But when such similar moment is recorded y'all want to question the intention behind it.

Besides, having conversations like these on camera is the perfect cover for them to be vulnerable with eachother without feeling too vulnerable or feel like they are exposing themselves too much.

It's similar to how people choose to text or be vulnerable with others through letters and texts rather than in person. Its the fear of vulnerability. Being vulnerable like that in person can be extremely scary for them too. They are human too and sometimes they find their confidence and their voice when they turn on the cameras.

It's ridiculous to think a moment is staged simply because it is or feels like an intimate moment- Y'all claim BigHit hides Taekook's intimate moments and when they show it to us and it's fake? Chileeee!

If that moment was staged, then Jin apologising to Tae after their fight is fake, the fight itself was staged, V's letters were staged, V crying when reading those letters was staged- y'all see where I'm going with this?

None of it was real and we've all been bamboozled- Let's pack our bags!

Seriously though, we can't sit behind our screens and pick and choose which content is real and which is not simply because it doesn't align with our delusional theories. It doesn't work that way.

Especially not when everything we see is captured by the same lenses, edited by the same people and distributed by the same company.

Besides, Tae said the reason he did that was just to spend time with JK- which was the objective of Soop, wasn't it? For all of them to spend time together and bond?

How then is Taekook bonding by having a meal together any different from Hobi spending time with NamJoon in the mountains? Or Tae riding around the country side with Hobi? Or RM and Kook painting?

I'm yet to figure out the sequence that the entire project was shot in as I still haven't seen the full episodes. But I'll bet if there were any Taekook bonding moments, they were shot after their heart to heart moment, not before it. Tae wouldn't have been shy to invite JK had it been so. But who knows, I could be wrong.

TAEKOOK vs JIKOOK DYNAMICS

On Taekook's dynamics, I stated during our discussion on their love language that I don't see Taekook as emotionally compatible or emotionally dependent on each other even much less that they speak each other's love languages. They don't.

It's no secret Taekook have always lacked a certain level of mutual emotional dependency and vulnerability within their dynamics. To me anyways.

Rarely would you see them being emotionally vulnerable with eachother the way Tae is with Jimin or Jk is with JM. The only time I have seen them close to being emotionally vulnerable with eachother was at an award show when Tae cried and JK comforted him. But even that felt impersonal-

again the thigh slapping, cheek squishing, pegs on the cheeks, cuddling in bed etc doesn't count. That's skinship and you know how I feel about skinship or what I think of it.

When I say emotional vulnerability and dependency, I'm talking about instances such as when Tae said he missed Jimin, when he had to drag Jk away so he could ride with Jimin, all the things he said about Jimin in his letters, the way he talks about Jimin in his solo Vlives, writing songs inspired by Jimin, when he said Jimin was the one member who had been there for him during his grandmother's passing etc.

Jk expresses his emotional dependency on Jimin through his actions more so than his words- that need he has to constantly be around Jimin. You see this in moments where he subconsciously finds his way to Jimin like the 2018 comeback VLIVE where he and jimin were put in separate teams but after picking their groups mission he headed for Jimin's team instead of his.

You see this in the way he talks about Jimin when Jimin is not around. He would find a way to chip Jimin into any conversation- I dare you; Talk about heaven and it would remind him of Angel Jimin, talk about hell and he will burst out laughing because of Jimin's devil may care attitude that one time.

You see it in moments when he sulks and yap, whines and complains in a submissive tone when he interacts with Jimin at certain times.

Like when he talked about Jimin not waking him up in that interview, or even the New Jersey Live where he whined and pouted like a broke hearted seven year old and Jimin ended up doing- whatever that was to placate him... that VLIVE still makes me uncomfortable to watch to this day.

You just don't see that level of emotional attachment in Taekook. Their interactions are just that- interactions. Frankly, this moment in Soop is the only meaningful conversation I've heard between them in years.

It is this lack of emotional intimacy between Taekook that disqualifies them from being anywhere near real in my books.

While I acknowledge this lack of emotion amongst them, I wouldn't go as far as to say there's been a cataclysmic decline of their bond or friendship. They are still very much friends, just not intimate friends. Skinship wise, sure. But there is no depth to skinship as I've said.

So if skinship isn't what binds them, what does? Personality, for starters. And I know JK saying he and Tae had different personalities sounded confusing to most.

Jk had called Tae his commonality- this Festa was it? He's described Tae in his profiles over years and in recent times as someone he shares the most personality traits with within the group. He is not wrong.

Personally, I see him as very similar to Tae, Suga and RM in different aspects of their personalities.

I think what he meant by his statement about Tae becoming reserved since their trainee days was that he doesn't find Tae relatable.

You can share the same personality trait with people and still not find them relatable. And I contrast this with his interview with Jimin where JM said he and JK were similar in that they are both sleepy heads and hate to lose.

Jk quickly noted that they both were studying Japanese as well. He acknowledged the similarities between him and Jimin here also. Does it mean he found Jimin relatable?

No.

Jimin said after they both acknowledged their similarities that in spite of this Jungkook didn't seem to like him. Clearly. he too like Tae was feeling a barrier in his relationship with JK.

Jk futher admitted he liked Jimin. So if he liked Jimin and had a lot in common with him what was the problem? Relatability. Jk could relate to JM just as he feels he can't relate with Tae now.

In that interview he described how JM was pretty serious minded who liked to focus on one thing at a time- a trait he said was different and as such perhaps he couldn't relate with.

Isn't it the same song he is singing about Tae now? That Tae is reserved and too serious like Jimin was?

The difference between Tae and Jimin is, over the years and especially in recent times the members have talked about how Jimin seems less serious behind camera. Suga even went ahead to give him an award for this- lol, Suga.

Jimin has changed over the years. He's become more goofy and to JK- more relatable.

Have we all not seen Tae gradually close himself off within the group dynamics? How is it hard to see that that could be something that's impacted his dynamics with JK?

I've already mentioned how Tae has been through a lot trauma enough to shut him off emotionally to anyone but Jimin.

Seeing his two besties coupled up too mustn't be easy either. Exclusivity is one of JK's values and love wants. Jimin's love language dictates you treat him exclusively, differently from others- while this is complementary for them, it very much often leaves them with a tendency for to isolate and exclude others- how do you feel watching them from home? Think that but twice Tae and these other members.

That exclusivity Jikook exudes can make anyone emotionally dependent and attached to any one of them feel left out. And for Tae, I see how he would then want JK to treat him as a friend- as he treats Jimin perhaps. He didn't want to feel left out. Similar to how I said Jimin partaked in the culture of the group in early days because he didn't want to feel like the outsider being the last to join the group.

Jikook's exclusivity tendencies have a way to make him feel further isolated and disconnected from the group.

What it then comes down to between Taekook is the difference in their values and their understanding of intimacy. I think.

I have said, JK is one person emotionally closed off within the group. He used to be physically closed of too and took a minute for him to come to terms with even skinship.

These boys may be from the same cultural backgrounds but they have different beliefs and values and upbringing.

I explained how JK had had to suppress himself, his values and his beliefs especially in the early days in order to be the Maknae of the group and how he's been on a journey to slowly yet drastically grow out of that role and image.

I have explained that even though he does not have a problem with Skinship, he believes couples aren't supposed to cross certain boundaries with others which I said is what jeonlous is mostly about.

So when he said during that conversation, he preferred to keep a certain level of distance from people because he felt that level of proximity could end up ruining relationships, I understood perfectly what he meant. I have always suspected and speculated that about him.

No one BangPD script writer-nim put that in his mouth.

Tae is the opposite of JK in that regard. While Jk is emotionally closed off, Tae is emotionally lose and latches on to people quite easily- aka his attachment to Jimin.

He is among the members of BTS who I think lack emotional boundaries in the group.

Being emotionally close to people and receiving that emotional nourishment is one of Tae's love languages as I've explained in the past. And so I smiled when I heard him talk about how he wanted to feel loved by Army.

Tae lowkey has an anxious insecure attachment style brought upon him by no fault of his in my opinion and I've always felt a similarity between his and jimin's attachment styles in that sense- that constant need for reassurance for one.

While I feel Jimin's anxiousness and need for reassurance is often performative and as such is often exaggerated as part of his idol persona- Jimin does not in reality need reassurace of love from his love interest.

He may appear clingy to some and a bit insecure about his looks, but he doesn't trade his looks for love.

His looks I feel are important to him as long as his career goes. And he tries to look a certain way and obsesses about the way he looks because his looks is a means to longevity and fruitfulness of his career.

His love language is more towards wanting certainty and stability and making him feel like he is the only one.

On the other hand, Tae's need for reassurance sits at the core of him. I don't think it is an exaggeration or a persona at all. In my opinion.

His need for reassurance is born out of an innate fear of losing a connection, a fear of not being loved and a fear of losing love- not to psychoanalyze him or anything. It's just theory.

I've said Tae strikes me as a very melancholic person.

Remember when he faked being an Army to see if an Army was a Solo stan who just loved one member or him also as well- that bit was unsettling and uncalled for. Then during his conversation with JK he talked about how he needed that constant reassurance of love from Army- y'all still think he boo-ed up in there? Alright then.

Loneliness is a bitch. And I understand how he would be driven by an emotional void to connect and attach to people. He really was attached to his Grandmother and having a love connection like that yanked away from him without warning, without proper closure can leave a void behind.

So I see often while he craves to connect he often self sabotages that connection- he does this with Jimin at times, boy can he work Jimin's nerves!

It takes a big heart and a lot of patience to love a person of this nature- and there's only one Jimin in that VMinKook dynamics.

Jk is not good at emotions, can barely work his way through his own much less nurture someone with complex emotions such as that of Tae.

Tae has been working through a lot. Trying to be better. Taekook is just a casualty of Jikook...

I keep saying these boys are human and ought to be viewed, thought of and treated as such. If you want to ship them as characters within the Kpop verse then do that. But don't breach the fourth wall and still think of them as fictional beings.

If any ship is real, then their real lives are bound to affect their dynamics, their desires and influence their needs. It's crazy to turn a blind eye to all of that while uWu-ing your ass off at every cute moment edited and shared to you.

Comparing Tae to JK, JK to me barely expresses a need for emotional attachment to anyone. He is similar to Suga in that sense. It's easier to see who he is emotionally attached to and attracted to than to see his overt expressions emotions.

When you look at all seven you see who JK is emotionally attached to based on how he act around and towards that person. He shows, he doesn't tell. In my opinion.

Tae asking JK to treat him as a friend rather than as a hyung thus to me was his way of asking to JK to connect emotionally. That doesn't mean they weren't close. They were, just not as close as Tae wanted to be.

This is what I meant when I said both him and jimin had tried to break down JK's walls in their early dynamics around debut.

Jimin's approach was to breach JK's physical boundaries but in so doing he had accidentally breached Jk's emotional walls as I've explained in previous posts.

I stated how I felt, perhaps, JM coveted that physical connection between Tae and JK at the time he joined BTS, but it's occurring to me Tae equally perhaps coveted Jikooks emotional connection; asking JK to treat him as a friend- as he treats Jimin?

Now I don't know if that conversation was had before Jimin joined BTS or after so I won't push it.

Regardless, it seems JK putting up those emotional walls with him had led to Tar harboring resentments towards JK- typical of people with passive aggressive tendencies.

Sort of explains all those weird TaegiKook dynamics in the early days of Tae trying so hard to do things to make JK jealous- Do y'all see why I disregard anything that happened between all the members before 2016?

I feel because Tae was young at the time, he didn't have the emotional maturity at the time to deal with a situation like that and coupled with his passive aggressive personality, resentment was bound to build up between them.

This resentment showed itself through his passive aggressive attitudes towards JK- Jimin wants to come, JK is stopping him, then that slight head tilt. Oh, you were given a mission to ignore me? I didn't notice, you ignore me off cam anyway followed by that attitude whatever it was.

In turn, I feel JK along the way started to build similar resentments towards Tae too as response to Tae's coldness and I see how to him Tae would be the problem- to him Tae is the one who had changed and grown distant, reserved in their dynamic- unrelatable.

I feel JK's grudge against Tae leading up to Soop however was because he felt his partner in crime had stabbed him in the back- get out of your imagination. That's not what I'm referring to. Lol. I'll explain in a bit.

But yes, this resentment I feel they were both harboring could probably had further complicated their dynamic and got in their way of achieving true intimacy beyond the skinship- when I tell you skinship is not an indication of intimacy.

You could see this in the way they both were very defensive in their conversation. Whatever had happened, JK had extended an olive branch to have Tae to sit and have drinks with him but Tae had brushed it off.

After this, he's shy to approach Jk to ask him to have a meal with him- Where did it all go wrong, they asked- twelve year olds, that's what they are. Lol.

There was a certain degree of lack of vulnerability in the way they expressed themselves with each other especially on JK's part which I feel leads people to conclude that their conversation was somewhat coerced- It wasn't in my opinion.

I have explained when I was talking about their love languages how I feel Tae in general is very headstrong, almost as strong headed as JK which I feel it's one of the things that gets in their way of achieving true intimacy and I feel that is what we were seeing in that moment during conversation.

I've explained intimacy, true intimacy requires a crucification of pride and a sacrifice of ego without which any intimacy would be superficial. I used VMin's dumpling fight as an example, where I said it took 2 days to two weeks for them to resolve their issue because they were both being strong headed.

It took Jimin's vulnerability and a sacrifice of his ego to reach through to Tae and even that took how long? And this is Jimin, the half blood Hufflepuff, president of the kumbaya fanclub we're talking about-

Y'all think Mr. Let it burn, I'll rather be dead than cool is about to let shit go? - Get some education. It's not in his vocabulary. It's not in either of them's vocabulary. Lol.

While I see these two as both unwilling to bow and submit to eachother, I've see them willfully submit emotionally to Jimin. Where they both fail to be vulnerable with eachother they both eagerly let themselves be vulnerable in this way with Jimin.

So it's not as if they are incapable of being vulnerable with eachother. If Tae's narration of his offer of friendship to JK is anything to go by, it seems he at one point was willing to take the steps to build that level of intimacy needed for their friendship to thrive but JK had barred him.

Tae in wanting to be close with JK the way he(Tae) is close with JM spoke volumes about Vmin dynamics as well. It tell me he doesn't see his bond with Jimin as exclusive. Special, but not exclusive- and we know how both Jimin and JK feel about exclusivity.

Which brings me to JK's perception about VMin.

I don't think JK see's Vmin's friendship as problematic. He just see's their lack of emotional boundaries as problematic and so often you see him try to put up boundaries for Jimin in their dynamic.

To Tae emotional connection is important and an indication of intimacy. That's his love language, that's his value. But how is JK going to open himself up like that to Tae when he sees what Tae and JM have as problematic? When he values and believes emotional connection has to be reserved for an intimate partner?

As explained earlier, exclusivity is a huge deal to JK.

He believes somethings ought to be reserved and exclusive to love relationships. He believed it then, he believes it now and he has consistently lived that belief through his actions throughout the years.

And if this is his values, then imagine his frustration at seeing people cross all sorts of boundaries with his man everywhere he turns- its enough to give anyone a complex, seriously.

When Tae explained that JK refusing to treat him casually as a friend was part of the reason they couldn't be as intimate, JK was quick to point out why he made that decision all those years and from the looks of it he ain't changing his mind anytime soon.

Dude literally said- I said what I said.

JK believes to make his intimate relationship special and to protect the sanctity of it, he ought to put up walls not further indulge in and perpetuate the lack of emotional boundaries within the group.

In this regard, Taekook is a casualty of Jikook, nothing personal. I've said, a real relationship involving JK or Jimin within the group is mutually exclusive to any other ship involving those two. As such all those other ships involving those two are bound to be casualties of Jikook.

In as much as BTS have thrived as a group on the lack of boundaries between them, this lack of boundaries was also ruining some of the members' joy especially JK who believes a certain level of boundary is necessary for a healthy relationship- Soop was very much neccessary.

And I see some Jikookers are claiming, Taekook settled their differences and had that conversation perhaps for Jimin's sake? Chileee- it makes sense if you are looking at things in isolation? But...

I mean Jikook have been dating a long time- six years now, for Taekook to be only now considering the effect of their dynamics on Jimin. If Jimin is whom they were concerned about they would have nipped it in the bud a long time ago especially around the time Jimin was having a tough time in his life. In my opinion.

I acknowledge the role Jimin played in bringing those two together and even believe he is the one that influenced them to take the initiatives they both took separately but no. I don't think they did this for Jimin. They did this for themselves first of all and for the sake of the sake of their careers, and the group.

[Image below. Check end of post if it's missing. Tumblr, Sigh]

I know some people have theorized that JK posted this on Weverse after his live because he was eager to do his next live with Jimin- true, but not only that.

The tension in that live was there but it wasn't there because he was uncomfortable with Tae per se. He has had a live with Tae in the past, has filmed with staff around and so Jeon Jungkook really had no excuse now did he?

Then the shade he threw, I shouldn't try to make anything next time- then proceeds to make gimbap with Jimin in their live while cheesing through it.

I feel his statement about making things was a Jab at BigHit. I told you previously how I felt he didn't want to do the live. That neither he nor Tar wanted to do the live hence BigHit's results to coercion. In my opinion.

BigHit at the time, it seems, was making them do these weird PG13 arts and craft thingy during their heavily monitored lives- it was weird as fuck especially for the audience that have grown used their VLives being a way for them to have intimate moments and conversations with BTS- I dipped out of most of those VLives. Deuces.

Homeboy was protesting because he just wanted to, first of all, have a Vlive alone with Jimin because they hadn't had one in a while- he deadass wanted to sit and stare into JM's soul while the rest of us watched on in silent discomfort and miserable loneliness while we thirdwheeled- This man, I swear to God!

But he also wanted to fight for their right to as a group to do whatever they wanted with little control and interference from BigHit- Independence really is recurring theme in JK's dramas. Lol.

After JK posted those rebellious tweets to out BigHit, Tae followed those tweets with a tweet akin to hold your peace followed by the shush emoji.

On its own it doesn't mean much. But read together with JK's post and the background I've given, it takes on a whole new meaning.

This moment to me was one of those evil twin power activation moments. Tae seemed to be with JK on that, in his own passive aggressive manner.

I talked about how social media was one of the tools they use to fight back against BigHit. Especially, by withholding their presence on social media platforms.

The company needs them to be online, interacting with fans and growing their fanbase. I hear some Idols, not BTs, are allegedly forced to appear on VLives even and social media even.

Yet BTS do that pro bono. So when they feel the company is tripping they exercise their rights to remain off the internet.

So imagine my surprise when Tae was suddenly popping up on Weverse, Vlive, YouTube live left right left!

I was surprised not because it was unusual of him, but because I felt that was contrary to the move he had made in support of JK earlier.

Do I think it is probably one of the immediate causes of the heat between Taekook that they needed to address? Probably.

I mean why else would Tae bring up him spending so much time online in his conversation with JK? How is that a way to bond with JK? Unless, perhaps JK had been pissed he did that and so Tae felt he needed to explain why he did that? Don't mind me. I'm delusional- but deadass.

Now a chunk of that conversation was voiced over so we will never know everything about that moment. And I hope, in the future they both talk about this and give us more details about this.

Both Jk and Tae have had issues with BigHit in the past and when they do they aren't afraid to come at BigHit with direct or passive aggressiveness.

Did y'all see ILand? How Tae took a jab at Bang PD over chicken breasts? How in Rookie King he expressed his resentment at BangPD for not knowing his name?

They are both expressive, assertive and less of a pushover in that way, I feel. They will put up the you can force the horse to the river side but can't force it to drink attitude if pushed against their will.

OTHER THINGS I NOTICED IN SOOP

I mentioned in my previous post how Jikook have been asserting themselves against eachother.

By that I meant, JK has been pushing JM to put up boundaries, treat their relationship with the same level of seriousness he does and not act like an ass kisser within the group all the time- bless him.

Jk used to be that guy who tried to please everyone. He would sacrifice his own happiness if that meant the happiness and harmony of the group. He is very Kumbaya in that way.

While this is noble, often he ended up stepping on JK's happiness because sacrificing his happiness is sacrificing Jk's happiness.

Him being the decision maker in their dynamics, that often means he ends up sacrificing JK's happiness without JK's permission.

To JK, JM would always come first. But Jimin is a bit of a people pleaser. He would consider the effect putting JK first would have on the group before placing him first- lately that has changed.

I feel Jk has been pushing him to careless about people's opinions of him and their relationship- please listen to the lyrics of GCF Helsinki to see what I mean especially whenever Jimin comes on the screen for the longest bar.

Just as much as JK has been pushing JM, JM has equally been pushing JK to be mindful of his possessiveness. While I see Jimin as someone who likes to belong, I don't think he wants to be owned.

So you see him pushing Jk to be social, to spend time with others- fix his issues with Tae for example, read books etc.

I hinted at this dynamic when I talked about Jikook shading eachother. Please check it out.

JK's always asserted himself and wanted to assert himself in the group dynamics and he has always expected that of Jimin as well.

It's no surprising then to see Jimin say no to Tae when Tae asked him to go on a car ride with him and Hobi in Soop episode 06. Old Jimin would have run along, no questions asked.

Jikook have changed. Their relationship dynamic has changed, their individual personalities have changed- are changing and they are changing eachother as well.

It explains why to JK Jimin feels more relatable as we've talked about above. They are changing but are also changing for eachother.

Some of these changes are glaringly obvious, others are subtle and easy to miss if you blink.

For example, Vmin's interaction mentioned above. Notice how Jimin is the outdoor kind of guy but in this instance he chose to stay indoors? Outdoors activities are his thing, indoors activities are JK's thing.

Do you see how Jk is influencing him?

He not only chose the indoors, he also chose an indoors activity that had JK written all over. How should I put this, painting, craft, drawing- those are ravenclaw traits not halfbood hufflepuffs' traits. Know what I mean?

True, Jimin loves these activities too but when you think of him traveling all over the world during their vacation- something I said was a cause of misunderstanding between them in August last year, you'd understand what I mean by JK asserting himself against Jimin.

They are compromising, they are negotiating, they are each embracing aspects of their personalities and accommodating it- you call it domesticity, I call it the aftermath of a trail period in Jikook's journey.

There are a lot other observations I made but this is all the length Tumblr can permit. Love Jikook and Support them.

Signed,

GOLDY

#Jikook #jikook analysis #jikook theories #kookmin #kookmintheories #jikooktheories #kookmin analysis #Goldy #nightswithkookmin #Soop episode 06 analysis #jikook dynamics #jikook is real #support Jikook #jikook lovers #bts ships #bts ship analysis

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twoidiotwriters1 · 3 years

Text

Written In The Stars CXLI (Harry Potter xF!Oc)

A/N: That’s right PoA gifs are making a comeback -Danny

Words: 3,121

Series’ Masterlist

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

Chapter Three: A Brief Talk.

Mel was packing up the stuff she'd taken to the mission when someone knocked on the front door.

She heard Erick said he'd get it a second later. Mel put everything in her bag and hung it over her shoulder, rushing out of her room. Dumbledore stared at them with a smile.

"I must say you worked faster than expected."

"We did our best — Oh!" Erick went to the living room and grabbed his bag, drawing out the men's wands. "These are from the death eaters — maybe you'll be able to track them down?"

"I could, if Ollivander hadn't gone missing," Dumbledore said sadly. Mel didn't ask about it, she wasn't ready for any more bad news. "Anything I should know?"

"Yeah," Mel approached. "I'm upset."

Dumbledore gazed at her quietly.

"I said I'd tell you everything and I will, but you must wait a bit longer. We'll visit Harry's house tonight, and pay a visit to Slughorn."

"You said we couldn't talk to him."

"This time will be different. This time I'll go with you."

"How wonderful," Mel said sarcastically.

"I'll get my stuff," Erick gave her a look that was meant to stop her rudeness.

"Very well," Dumbledore nodded, "do close the door on your way out, Mr Flint."

She followed him out in silence, her uncle approached the entrance of the Dursley's house and knocked on it.

"Were you in danger?"

"No."

"Then you know I didn't lie."

"You didn't tell us everything," She replied. "You keep withholding information and I'm not some disposable thing you can use as you please —"

"That was never my intention," Dumbledore interrupted. "By the end of the year you'll know all, and you'll understand why I've acted this way."

Mel seriously doubted that but she'd been proven wrong before, she was willing to hear his side of the story.

Mr Dursley complained all the way to the door, he opened it abruptly, freezing at the sight.

"Good evening. You must be Mr Dursley. I daresay Harry has told you I would be coming for him?"

Harry rushed down the stairs and stopped at a considerable distance from his uncle. He looked torn between amusement and panic, holding a pair of trainers in one hand and a telescope in the other.

The young witch eyed Mr Dursley up and down and held back a smirk. He was wearing a reddish dressing-gown. The last time she'd been standing this close to the man he'd looked gigantic, now he was barely able to reach her nose.

"Judging by your look of stunned disbelief, Harry did not warn you that we were coming," Dumbledore said happily. "However, let us assume that you have invited me warmly into your house. It is unwise to linger overlong on doorsteps in these troubled times. It is a long time since my last visit, I must say, your agapanthus are flourishing. What do you think, Mel?"

"Oh, it's been years," Her voice trembled with contained laughter. "The house looks exactly as I remember, though. Is your chimney still the same after the Weasleys burst through it?"

Harry snorted at this, and this caught the old man's attention.

"Ah, good evening Harry... Excellent, excellent."

"I don't mean to be rude —" Mr Dursley spoke.

"— yet, sadly, accidental rudeness occurs alarmingly often. Best to say nothing at all, my dear man. Ah, and this must be Petunia— Albus Dumbledore, we have corresponded, of course. And this must be your son, Dudley?"

Mel looked at the boy, it had been almost two years since she'd last seen him: He was muscly big, with the body of a trained wrestler. She didn't like that he'd be able to kill a child with his bare hands and call it a sport.

"Shall we assume that you have invited us into your sitting room?

Dumbledore crossed the hall and she followed, Harry jumped the last steps and approached them.

"Aren't — aren't we leaving?" He inquired.

"Yes, indeed we are, but there are a few matters we need to discuss first. And I would prefer not to do so in the open. We shall trespass upon your aunt and uncle's hospitality only a little longer."

"You will, will you?" The Dursleys were all glaring at them.

"Yes, I shall."

He drew his wand so rapidly that Harry barely saw it; with a casual flick, the sofa zoomed forward and knocked the knees out from under all three of the Dursleys so that they collapsed upon it in a heap. Another flick of the wand and the sofa zoomed back to its original position.

"We may as well be comfortable."

"Sir," Harry started anxiously. "What happened to your — ?"

"Later, Harry. Please sit down."

The boy looked at her searching for an answer, but she had none. It was her first time seeing Dumbledore's injury as well. She walked up to the armchair and stood next to where her uncle had seated. Harry sat in front of them.

"I would assume that you were going to offer me refreshment, but the evidence so far suggests that that would be optimistic to the point of foolishness."

A third twitch of the wand, and a dusty bottle and five glasses appeared in midair. The bottle tipped and poured a generous measure of honey-coloured liquid into each of the glasses, which then floated to each person in the room.

"Madam Rosmerta's finest oak-matured mead," said Dumbledore.

Mel took her glass and inhaled the sweet scent before drinking it, hiding her grin. She was starting to feel less annoyed now that Dumbledore was torturing the Dursleys with his displays of magic.

"Well, a difficulty has arisen which I hope you will be able to solve for us. By us, I mean the Order of the Phoenix. But first of all, I must tell you, kids, that Sirius's will was discovered a week ago."

"Oh. Right..." Harry muttered.

"This is, in the main, fairly straightforward. You add a reasonable amount of gold to your account at Gringotts, and you inherit a few of Sirius's personal possessions. Emily knows this of course, but Sirius left the other half of his gold to you and your brother, Mel. As well as the rest of his belongings, which you'll be able to use once you're of age."

It was obvious Leon was going to inherit stuff from Sirius, the man was eager to provide for his new family, he wanted to be there, make sure his son would never be left to his luck.

"The slightly problematic part of the legacy —"

"His godfather's dead?" Mr Dursley interrupted. "He's dead? His godfather?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore without further explanation. "Our problem is that Sirius also left you number twelve, Grimmauld Place. To the three of you."

"He's been left a house?" Mr Dursley questioned.

"He's not done talking," Mel snapped, Mr Dursley turned purple at her statement.

"You can keep using it as headquarters," said Harry. "I don't care. You can have it, I don't really want it."

"Me neither," Mel accepted. "I don't need it, nor I think my brother will want to use it once he's old enough."

"Brother?" Mrs Dursley asked in bewilderment.

"That is generous," said Dumbledore. "We have, however, vacated the building temporarily."

"Why?"

"Well, Black family tradition decreed that the house was handed down the direct line, to the next male with the name of 'Black.' Your brother should be the one to take it, but we can't be sure if the rules apply since Emily and Sirius decided to use her last name. While Sirius' will makes it perfectly plain that he wants you to have the house, it is nevertheless possible that some spell or enchantment has been set upon the place to ensure that it cannot be owned by anyone other than a pureblood."

"I bet there has," Harry lamented.

"Quite. And if such an enchantment exists, then the ownership of the house is most likely to pass to the eldest of Sirius's living relatives, which would mean his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange."

Harry stood up in distress.

"No..."

"Well, obviously we would prefer that she didn't get it either. The situation is fraught with complications. We do not know whether the enchantments we ourselves have placed upon it, for example, making it Unplottable, will hold now that ownership has passed from Sirius's hands. It might be that Bellatrix will arrive on the doorstep at any moment. Naturally, we had to move out until such time as we have clarified the position."

"But how are you going to find out if we're allowed to own it?"

"Fortunately, there is a simple test."

"Will you get these ruddy things off us?" Mr Dursley yelled.

Harry looked around; all three of the Dursleys were cowering with their arms over their heads as their glasses bounced up and down on their skulls, their contents flying everywhere.

"Oh, I'm so sorry... But it would have been better manners to drink it, you know."

Mel left her glass on the coffee table and waited.

"You see," Dumbledore continued, "if you have indeed inherited the house, you have also inherited..."

There was a loud crack, and a house-elf appeared, with a snout for a nose, giant bat's ears, and enormous bloodshot eyes, crouching on the Dursleys' shag carpet and covered in grimy rags. Aunt Petunia let out a hair-raising shriek; nothing this filthy had entered her house in living memory.

"Kreacher," said Dumbledore.

"Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't! Kreacher belongs to Miss Bellatrix, oh yes, Kreacher belongs to the Blacks, Kreacher wants his new mistress, Kreacher won't go to the brats and the Black bastard! Kreacher won't, won't, won't —"

"As you can see," said Dumbledore over the yelling, "Kreacher is showing a certain reluctance to pass into your ownership."

"I don't care," said Harry with repulsion. "I don't want him."

"Won't, won't, won't, won't —"

"You would prefer him to pass into the ownership of Bellatrix Lestrange? Bearing in mind that he has lived at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix for the past year?"

"Won't, won't, won't, won't —"

"No," Mel replied, "we need him far from them."

"Give him an order," said Dumbledore. "If he has passed into your ownership, he will have to obey. If not, then we shall have to think of some other means of keeping him from his rightful mistress."

"Won't, won't, won't, WON'T !"

"Kreacher, shut up!" Harry demanded.

It looked for a moment as though Kreacher was going to choke. He grabbed his throat, his mouth still working furiously, his eyes bulging. After a few seconds of frantic gulping, he threw himself face forward onto the carpet (Aunt Petunia whimpered) and beat the floor with his hands and feet, giving himself over to a violent, but entirely silent, tantrum.

"Well, that simplifies matters," said Dumbledore brightly. "It seems that Sirius knew what he was doing. You three are the rightful owners of number twelve, Grimmauld Place and of Kreacher."

"Wonderful, I own a haunted mansion," Mel sat heavily on the armrest of Dumbledore's chair.

"Do we have to keep him with us?" Harry asked.

"Not if you don't want to. If I might make a suggestion, you could send him to Hogwarts to work in the kitchen there. In that way, the other house-elves could keep an eye on him."

"Yeah," said Harry, "yeah, let's do that. Er — Kreacher — I want you to go to Hogwarts and work in the kitchens there with the other house-elves."

"You're not allowed to leave your duties unless we ask you otherwise," Mel added.

Kreacher, who was now lying flat on his back with his arms and legs in the air, gave Harry one upside-down look of deepest loathing and, with another loud crack, vanished.

"Good. There is also the matter of the hippogriff, Buckbeak. Hagrid has been looking after him since Sirius died, but Buckbeak is yours now, so if you would prefer to make different arrangements —"

"No," said both of them, then Harry added, "He can stay with Hagrid. I think Buckbeak would prefer that."

"Hagrid will be delighted. He was thrilled to see Buckbeak again. Incidentally, we have decided, in the interests of Buckbeak's safety, to rechristen him 'Witherwings' for the time being, though I doubt that the Ministry would ever guess he is the hippogriff they once sentenced to death. Now, Harry, is your trunk packed?"

"Erm..." Harry blushed.

"Doubtful that I would turn up?" Dumbledore smiled.

"I'll just go and — er — finish off," said Harry, picking up his telescope and trainers.

"I'll help," Mel said.

It was the first time she'd ever been in his room. The only time she'd managed to look around was when they rescued him on the Ford Anglia. It was evident this was the only place in the house Harry was allowed to exist freely: A bit messy from running around and packing everything in a hurry, but she didn't mind it at all.

"Cozy," She teased.

"Shut it," He replied, hastily picking up his stuff. "I should've known... of course he wouldn't leave me..."

"You had your reasons to doubt," She shrugged, then added. "We both do..."

Harry stopped and looked at her, but she wasn't in the mood to talk. Mel helped him pack and soon enough everything was in place, she grabbed Hedwig's cage and smiled at the creature.

"Hi there..." She looked back at him. "I'll never forget the look on your uncle's face when we arrived, he looked so frightened!"

"I'm glad I don't have to stay," He picked up his stuff and guided her out. "Because he would murder me if I did..."

Mel snorted, following him to the hall. However, Dumbledore hadn't moved.

"Professor?" Harry spoke. "I'm ready now."

"Good. Just one last thing, then... As you will no doubt be aware, Harry comes of age in a year's time —"

"No," said Mrs Dursley.

"I'm sorry?" said Dumbledore.

"No, he doesn't. He's a month younger than Dudley, and Dudders doesn't turn eighteen until the year after next."

"Ah," He smiled, "but in the Wizarding world, we come of age at seventeen."

"Preposterous," mumbled Vernon.

"Now, as you already know, the wizard called Lord Voldemort has returned to this country. The Wizarding community is currently in a state of open warfare. Harry, whom Lord Voldemort has already attempted to kill on a number of occasions, is in even greater danger now than the day when I left him upon your doorstep fifteen years ago, with a letter explaining about his parents' murder and expressing the hope that you would care for him as though he were your own."

Dumbledore's air changed, and although it wasn't obvious, he was once again emanating power, now more than ever he looked like a man no one should try to upset.

"You did not do as I asked. You have never treated Harry as a son. He has known nothing but neglect and often cruelty at your hands. I'm thankful Emily agreed to move in next door all those years ago and relieved a bit of Harry's misery. The best that can be said is that he has at least escaped the appalling damage you have inflicted upon the unfortunate boy sitting between you."

"Us — mistreat Dudders? What d'you — ?"

"The magic I evoked fifteen years ago means that Harry has powerful protection while he can still call this house 'home.' However miserable he has been here, however unwelcome, however badly treated, you have at least, grudgingly, allowed him houseroom. This magic will cease to operate the moment that Harry turns seventeen; in other words, at the moment he becomes a man. I ask only this: that you allow Harry to return, once more, to this house, before his seventeenth birthday, which will ensure that the protection continues until that time."

Mel would've loved to add a few insults of her own, but she knew there was no use, they would never learn, would never feel guilty for treating Harry the way they did and to be honest, Dumbledore was right, Mel and her mother were his real family.

"Well... time for us to be off," said Dumbledore, standing up. "Until we meet again."

Mel looked at them one last time without saying anything, something in her felt different, there was a bittersweet emotion that kept her from enjoying herself, and at the same time stopped her from snapping.

"Bye," said Harry shortly.

"We do not want to be encumbered by these just now," Dumbledore said, pulling out his wand and pointing it towards the boy's trunk and owl. "I shall send them to the Burrow to await us there. However, I would like you to bring your Invisibility Cloak... just in case. And now, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."

Erick was waiting patiently against the front of her mother's car. His backpack was hanging from one shoulder, and when he saw them he quickly approached.

"All good?"

"Yes, we just wanted to chat a moment before leaving."

"Chat?" Erick raised a brow, he knew the Dursleys weren't friendly people.

"We'll explain later. C'mon, time to go."

"We're not taking the car?"

"No," said Dumbledore. "It'll be faster if we use magic. Keep your wand at the ready."

"But I thought we're not allowed to use magic outside school, sir?" Harry asked.

"If there is an attack," said Dumbledore, "I give you and Mel permission to use any counter jinx or curse that might occur to you. However, I do not think you need worry about being attacked tonight."

"Why not, sir?"

"You are with me... This will do."

He stopped at the end of the street.

"You have not, of course, passed your Apparition Test," he said.

"No," said Harry. "I thought you had to be seventeen?"

"You do," said Dumbledore. "So you will need to hold on to my arm very tightly. My left, if you don't mind — as you have noticed, my wand arm is a little fragile at the moment."

Erick looked down briefly at his hand and paled.

"Professor, I passed my apparition test last month, I can take Mel so you don't tire yourself out."

The idea of Dumbledore 'tiring himself out' was laughable, but Mel didn't want Erick to feel stupid, and it appeared that Dumbledore was of the same mind.

"Very well, Mr Flint, if it's not much trouble..."

"It's not."

"You know where to go."

Erick offered his arm to her.

"Ready?"

"Like we have a choice," She groaned, firmly holding onto him.

Next Chapter —>

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