#never wanted marriage or love

[pixiemage]

Unfortunately I’m allergic to cats, so my next thought was, as a writing prompt:

The story of someone who is cursed by a witch to end up living alone with nothing but a mass of cats and books in their home. They love the reading, and they’re not looking for a life partner, so 2/3 of that curse sound legitimately enjoyable…but the cats. They LOVE cats, don’t get them wrong, but the longer they’re near one the worse their allergies get. Runny nose, itchy eyes, itchy skin, the works.

So as the years go by and the cats keep flocking to their door, a little bit of their income has to go toward allergy meds on a biweekly basis just to keep them sane. Strays follow them home, they’re drawn to boxes of abandoned kittens, and even the neighbors’ cats visit sometimes. They’re a cat magnet, and where cats appear the runny nose is soon to follow.

But they also never have need to buy new books because they’re just always there. New ones appear on their shelves bringing new stories and new worlds. It’s wonderful and completely free. And when they’re out in public they no longer get insistent and annoying people trying to ask them out on dates who can’t seem to take no for an answer. All the people who kept coming back, who ignored their protests even when they explained they were aro and ace…no longer an issue. They’ve never felt so free in their life.

If it weren’t for the allergies, and if it weren’t for the constant purchasing of allergy meds, they would almost go so far as to say that whatever spell the witch used? It was more of a blessing than a curse.

[forzathunder]

"I have many fears, most of them about Lucrezia." — Cesare Borgia (The Borgias, 2011-2013) + hints of insecurity

that she adores someone that much / if she will reject his dark nature and act of love and violence as Ursula did / if he truly is not part of her desires / that she easily forgets him

[ilynpilled]

jaime turning women down constantly more bc he is very monogamous and in love with someone else right now for the first time and is also kinda scared of actually having sex with someone other than cersei is sm better to me than “i respect the kg vows of chastity so intensely rn actually because i changed into a good and serious person” or whatever lol

[contagious-watermelon]

lowkey i feel like the aro community focuses a lot of effort on trying to change people's opinions on us without wanting to actually do anything about the societal structures that prioritize romance and nuclear families

[alicentsaegon]

They actually took the BEST male love interest in all of the Bridgerton universe and made him into a woman destroying both his and Francesca's characters and arcs going forward.... Like I'm sorry but the gender roles Michael and Francesca have are integral to their story... The infertility, Michael inheriting all of John's estate and title....and the guilt that comes with it. They even give him John's old clothes to wear

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

I have never seen this man in my life.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[aprito]

sos month day 26: undercover / arranged marriage

based off of the tv show the americans which you should all watch btw

[twistedappletree]

Arranged marriage zhuiling AU where instead of being arranged to marry each other, Jiang Cheng keeps trying to set Jin Ling up with random girls from other clans after Jin Ling mentions he’s interested in marrying ‘someone’ because he doesn’t know Jin Ling meant Lan Sizhui, so Jin Ling keeps doing the most ridiculously annoying and unappealing things to scare off every girl who comes to Koi Tower and Jiang Cheng is ripping his hair out because you little brat, you said you wanted to get married???

Eventually, both of them are so exhausted from the miscommunication that Jiang Cheng investigates and finally finds out what’s wrong, then tells Jin Ling he has one more potential spouse for him to meet. Jin Ling is a pouting lackluster mess over it until his entire world stops when the doors to Koi Tower open and Lan Sizhui walks through.

[amnestyliketaz]

tucker is gay to me that’s why he made his robot wife a lesbian

[three-realms-archive]

Hello! We all know (or hopefully perceive the idea) that Satan would be a sweet romantic at heart! So imagine Satan x MC in an arranged marriage in TSL AU! For eg: everything was going well, they’re slowly falling for each other but MC has to keep secrets that hurts Satan! So MC tries gaining his trust by being honest, while Satan falls for MC again, as much as he denies it!

Of course, feel free to discard the idea, no pressure :)

Just A Small, Little Lie (TSL Arranged Marriage! AU)

(first request! i won't lie, i'm relatively new to the fandom and couldn't find any specifics for the tsl!au other than mc being henry and the demon brothers being the seven lords. but! i hope this suffices! all the tsl writings out there seem to have a more darker, sombre tone, too - so i hope that comes across :D but thank you so much, anon, for being my first requester! i hope its decently alright ahaha)

(Full fic under the cut! And feel free to plop ideas in the idea box :D)

Synopsis:

(Takes place in the TSL! AU - reader is Henry).

You used to be a knight serving the Seven Lords, popular amongst all in the realm. Then one day, without warning, the Lord of Corruption orders you to marry the Lord of Masks; of whom you had the closest relationship with out of all his brothers. However, the feelings for him that had once been growing in your heart turn sour as you're required to give up your knighthood, your life and your freedom for this arranged marriage.

Your husband gradually drops his mask, as he falls deeper in love with you.

And you gradually put up your mask, as you fall further out of love with him.

_

You don’t tell your husband that your fingers hurt, as you wind the stems of green willow between them into something that maybe, possibly resembles a flower chain. Fake green willow; because nothing survives here except him, you and the cats he allows to come and go from the castle. Fake green willow; with plastic that splits into sharp prongs that dig into your flesh when you bend it. Your husband’s flower chain is made with real green willow that has long since withered away; but today, for whatever reason he keeps behind the mask he wears, he’s decided to bring the flowers back to life by winding them into a chain. And, for whatever reason, he’s demanded you do the same.

Your flower chain looks horrible. His chain looks perfect. Like your perfect husband, with his perfect kingdom, and your perfect marriage.

The perfect, perfect marriage you never even asked for.

You don’t tell your husband much of anything, nowadays. You remember your days as Henry, the brave knight, who fights against evil and protects the seven, wise sages of the realm. You used to talk with the Lord of Masks before heading off on excursions, during breaks in military council meetings, over private, celebratory dinners… Anytime you could, you’d seek him out. You remember shifting in your seat the first time you had invited him to dinner, avoiding his gaze bashfully as you both had placed your hands on the table, fingers inching ever closer to touch. You remember he had taken your hand in his, lifting it to his lips. You even remember the exact knuckle where his soft, gentle lips had kissed. Such a romantic night; where you were free to speak and laugh and smile as you pleased. Free to possibly even fall in love with him.

… Free. You were free, until the Lord of Corruption had suddenly forced you over to the Lord of Masks as a prize. He had stripped you of your title as a knight, had forbid you from entering any other kingdom, and presented you to his brother with a shackle on your ring finger and a matching mask to wear.

So now, you do what you do best as a knight and steel yourself, putting up your guard. Everything you want to think, say or do… you keep secret.

_

The Lord of Masks doesn’t realise your fingers hurt, as you wind the stems of green willow between them into something that maybe, possibly resembles a flower chain. Fake green willow; because nothing survives here and he wanted you to have only the prettiest things which come close to matching your beauty. Fake green willow; which pales in comparison to the adorable expression on the face of his dear, beloved Henry, your tongue poking out of the corner of your mouth in concentration. He, himself, doesn’t really know why he’s decided to come to your room in the middle of the night to make flower chains, but he tells himself it’s to keep his spouse entertained. Nothing more than his usual behaviour and cunning. To keep up the façade of an upstanding, untouchable member of society.

He marries Henry and keeps them happy.

He shares in Henry’s immense popularity and gets the knight’s military prowess at his disposal.

Such a good deal for Henry, the Lord of Masks thinks… ignoring the unfamiliar, warm heat spreading over his flushed cheeks when you hold out your finished flower necklace out to him.

A good deal for Henry - no, not himself - indeed.

He tells you too much, these days. He remembers talking to you: Henry, the knight - not Henry, his spouse. Faking his smile in the breaks between council meeting and pretending to care before you headed off on military excursions.

But then you had invited him to dinner for the first time after a victory. Then, he had seen expressions he had never seen you show anyone. Not even his brothers. The Henry that wasn't just the tool he could use to conquer territory; nor the Henry he could use to gain status. This Henry smiled at him. Stuttered and faltered and even blushed when he kissed their hand - like the princesses in the fairytales he pretended he didn't love to read, or the fairies illustrated in the bedtime stories he read as a child. Someone enchanting, perfect and loving in a world where's he's only known masks.

So he does what he does best and dons his own mask. Through his various connections in high society, he had covertly pulled the strings and had the marriage arranged himself; masquerading it as his idiot older brother's idea. It’s on-brand; a marriage proposal masked as pure business, so he never has to face what he really feels. But he can pretend. Pretend he was brave enough to get down on one knee, ring in hand. Pretend that his story was exactly like that of the heroes of his favourite tales.

Pretend it wasn't the prince, instead, who was hopelessly, foolishly, in love with his loyal knight.

_

The Lord of Masks smiles. If one looks closely, past the haze of the lamplight, they might be able to notice that the smile reaches his eyes. He takes the necklace made by his spouse and barely squeezes it over his head and around his neck. Green willow-shaped plastic digs into his skin.

You try to smile, too. You look at him and try to remember the man who had lovingly pressed a kiss to your hand on that night, small specks of emotion spilling out from under his carefully-crafted guise. You keep his true image in your eyes - that of your rage-filled captor - a secret. It’s the only way for you to keep up your own act… and maybe stop yourself from breaking the heart of the gentleman you once held feelings for. If he was even still there at all.

“I love you.” The Lord of Masks says, forgetting how tight the flower chain had felt around his neck only seconds ago. His mask slightly falls forward, loosely, as he leans his head against yours and gently nuzzles you - like a cat would. He even rubs his nose against yours, basking in your scent. Internally, he curses himself. His body is betraying him.

“I… I love you, too.” You say, the band of your own mask chafing painfully into the back of your neck. You're unable to move when your husband shows his affection and you ready yourself to play it off as nerves. But something in your heart - as you look at him and see the man who had leaned forward to kiss your hand - falters. Were you still holding out hope, even now? Internally, you curse yourself. You need to learn to be better at acting.

The two of you stay there a while: the Kingdom of Masks' happy, perfect couple. Your foreheads touch, your fingers intertwine and, yet, your hearts are far, far apart. Into the darkness, the two of you continue to utter that sentence:

"I love you."

It's a whole-hearted truth after a lifetime of hiding, for one...

… And one of many, many small, little lies, for the other.

(hello, anon, i hope you enjoyed this! i went kinda tragic love story route; with hopeless romantic satan and a trapped mc, though i'd like to think mc is still holding out hope that the man they fell in love with is still there. if you wanted something a little happier though, anon, please let me know and i'll write a sequel, this premise is one i really enjoyed!)

[lotus-pear]

MY FRIEND WHO DOESNT KNOW A DAMN THING ABT ANIME OR MANGA SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER WATCHED IT OR ENGAGED IN JAPANESE POP CULTURE JUST GOT ME THREE BSD MANGAS FOR MY BDAY SHOULD I ASK HER WHAT HER RING SIZE IS

[rottengurlz]

lover, don't touch me // leave, i am a danger to you // but ooh, i hunger for you

[milolunde]

I love that Cosmo and Wanda have separate beds yeah I could never share a bed every single day for the rest of my life. Besides, Cosmo wanted a race car bed!!!!!! It's not fair for him not to have a bed he loves and it's not fair for Wanda and her princess bed either! They're literally magic anyway.

[dayurno]

I'm sorry that everyone is so cowardly as not to say Riko feminizing Kevin to feed his mommy kink

riko was always the original kevin feminizer because i know there have been many times in his life where he looked at kevin and said, out loud, I wish you were a girl to which kevin had nothing to answer at all. the original i would castrate and marry you in a heartbeat

[justaz]

pan merlin and gay arthur no one understands you like i do

[leche-flandom]

Contrary to popular belief, the most romantic way to declare your intentions of devoting your life to your partner is not, "Will you marry me?" but is in fact:

"Who do you want me to kill first?"