#sean renard imagines

[rebelliousstories]

That’s My Sister

Relationship: Sean Renard x Reader, Monroe x Monroe!Reader

Fandom: Grimm

Request: No

Warnings: Brief Strong Language, Fluff, Light Angst

Word Count: 3,540

Main Masterlist: Here

Grimm Masterlist: Here

Summary: Bringing home your significant other for the holidays is always stressful. Even more so when you are a wesen, with another wesen coming, and a Grimm to top it all off!

Love is like death, it must come to us all, but to each his own unique way and time, sometimes it will be avoided, but never can it be cheated, and never will it be forgotten.

The spice shop was gorgeous this time of year. Smells of nutmeg, cinnamon, and juniper with just a hint of pine filled the room. Lights strung up along the banners and shelves. There were not enough to distract or take away from the business, but it added just enough of Yuletide cheer to the area.

“Rosalee? Are you in?” Someone called out into the shop. She looked around in wonder as she waited for the person to appear.

“Hey, it’s my favorite Monroe. What can I do for you?” Said Fuchsbau emerged from the back, dressed in a cozy cardigan.

“Don’t let my brother hear you say that,” the Blutbad teased, “but seriously. I’m looking for a gift for my boyfriend and was wondering if maybe I could poke around and see what I could find?” Her timid tone, and now shy demeanor intrigued Rosalee as she watched the woman.

“Oh. Your mysterious boyfriend that we have yet to meet. I’m sure we could find something. Tell me a little bit about him.” Breathing a sigh of relief, the Blutbad relaxed and went back to her usual self.

“Well, he’s super sweet and oddly loaded. Which makes it difficult to buy him a gift because if he wants something, he already has it. I just- I want this to be good because it’s our first Christmas. But he does like tea when he’s not working to wind down. So maybe something to do with that?” Her rambling encouraged the other woman to begin scouring the shelves for something that might peek her interest.

“Is he wesen? Just incase I give him something poisonous.” Rosalee stopped to look at the sister in her shop.

“He’s half zauberbiest, if that helps.” She offered, to which Rosalee confirmed that it did, in fact, help in her search. But all the while the Fuchsbau’s thoughts were racing as she tried to think of anyone who was half zauberbiest. It was not a very common type of wesen, especially if he’s half.

“Aha! This might do the trick,” she pulled something from a shelf in a glass container, “it’s a calming blend. Rose, chamomile, lavender, mint, and green tea. It’s delicious and should help calm him down from stressful days.” The other woman’s face perked up, and she excitedly followed Rosalee to the counter, where she began to dispense an amount to take with her.

“So this boyfriend of yours, are you bringing him to dinner tomorrow night?” Rosalee tried to sound nonchalant, but her curiosity was eating away at her.

“Maybe. We’ve only been dating a few months. I’m just worried about my brother going off on him.” She pulled out her wallet as she continued to speak.

“I mean, the last time I was dating someone, Roe went full Blutbad on the guy and I could never get a date after that. This is the first guy I’ve dated in years, and I really like him. I don’t want to mess that up.” Taking to leaning against the counter and watching the Fuchsbau measure out the tea and square it away, she continued her lament. Rosalee looked up at her future sister-in-law.

“Look, I get it with your brother. He can be a bit intense. But I will keep him on his best behavior. Is that why you don’t want to introduce them?” She asked, ringing up her family discount for the tea.

“Yeah. That last guy, he looked at me like I was a freak after my brother woged at him. Haven’t been able to get over that stare since. And then he told every other wesen at our school to stay away from me and my ‘psycho’ brother. Never wanted to hurt a Hundjäger so badly in my life.” Placing some bills on the counter, she grabbed the package of tea from the woman, who held her hand gently.

“Bring him to dinner tomorrow. Juliette and I will make sure everyone is on their best behavior. There won’t be a repeat of that.” Rosalee reassured the Blutbad in her care. The other wesen nodded, and placed a hand on top of the other.

“I will, Rosalee.” They both smiled, and let each other go. As the female Blutbad left her shop, the Fuchsbau could not help but let her mind wander as she began to clean up a little bit. Did she even have zauberbiest come into the shop? It’s so hard to tell sometimes, let alone if they are half. All at once, Rosalee had a revelation. She knew who it was.

“Oh no.”

Meanwhile, in the precinct Nick watched from his desk as his captain seemed preoccupied with his phone. It was an unusual behavior which is why it drew the young man’s attention.

“What are you staring at so intensely, Nick?” Hank asked from his desk right next to him.

“It’s the captain. He’s been on his phone more and more today.” The detective pointed out.

“Maybe he’s making plans for Christmas dinner tomorrow night. It’s not a crime for him to be on his phone to make plans Nick.” He tried to explain the behavior away, but Burkhardt shook his head.

“See that?” He called attention to a certain quirk of the face. “He’s smiling. There’s no one in his life that he smiles genuinely for anymore. I think he’s got a girlfriend.” Nick said finally in disbelief.

“If anyone needs a good woman to keep him grounded, it’s definitely the captain. Just be happy for once and don’t profile the man.” Griffin shook his head and turned back to his files, prompting his partner to follow suit. But their attention was called away again as the captain’s office door was flung open.

“Where are you going?” Hank asked, watching the man move fast; it was as fast as he would move if they were on a case.

“Oh, I need to go pick up something for someone. You two should go home, and enjoy Christmas Eve with your families. I’ll see you later.” And with that, he was gone. The two detectives sat there, dumbfounded.

“I’ll be damned; the captain has a lady.” Hank muttered to himself, stopping his work for a moment. Checking the time, Nick stretched his back while standing from the chair.

“Alright, you heard the man. Let’s get out of here. Hey, see you at dinner tomorrow night?” Burkhardt asked of his partner. Griffin nodded and followed suit; both men grabbing their jackets from the back of their chairs in order to leave.

“You know it. I’m not one to turn down a free meal.” Hank joked, stepping out into the parking lot of the precinct. The men said their goodbyes and made their ways home.

In the Calvert-Monroe household though, a full blown argument was about to boil over. They had been going at it since the subject was brought up at dinner. It had lasted from the appetizer, all the way to clean up before dessert.

“All I’m saying is that I would like to meet her boyfriend before he comes over. What if he’s a lowen?” Monroe complained, handing washed dishes to his girlfriend.

“Do you honestly think your sister would date a lowen?” Rosalee countered, drying off the plate to stack.

“You’re right. Still,” he continued, “I just don’t want her to date someone that’s just going to break her heart. I mean, all the guys in high school she liked were totally not for her.” The Blutbad paused for a moment, and rested his soapy wet hands against the sink. Setting down the towel, Rosalee wrapped her arms around her boyfriend and cradled his face.

“She really likes this guy, Monroe. Don’t go over board. Besides, he’s not the worst choice for her.” Turning back to the task at hand, it took the man a second too long to process what the Fuchsbau had said.

“Wait, do you know who she’s dating?” Monroe questioned, watching Rosalee’s face take on an air of faux innocence.

“Maybe. Maybe not. She didn’t explicitly tell me who it was. I just worked it out from what little she did tell me.” She began to place her dishes away, but it seemed that Monroe was not yet done.

“Come on, who is it? Who is she dating?” But the woman said nothing.

“Rosalee.” He growled out in a warning tone, to which she finally faced her boyfriend and rested her hands on her hips.

“The only thing I will say, is that you have met him before. That is it. Now, cake?” Rosalee went to retrieve the chocolate cake from the fridge, leaving Monroe there in the kitchen.

“I’m gonna be kept up all night now.” He complained, but followed his girlfriend into the dining room to have dessert.

The next morning, was a morning of rest. Christmas had come, and everyone was preparing for the festivities that would soon come. Sneaking out of her shared bedroom, a Blutbad began to make breakfast for her lover that was still asleep in their bed. It still astounded her that she could even call this place, this bed, this man, her’s.

Vegan sausages were being fried, toast, pancakes, and several smaller side dishes covered the counter in the kitchen. It continued to shock her at how far vegan alternatives had come as she put the fake eggs in the pan to scramble. As she cooked, two strong bare arms wrapped around her waist. A kiss was placed to her head from behind as the mystery arms relaxed.

“Good morning. It’s not often that I get breakfast made for me.” The voice grumbled out, still thick with sleep.

“Who says this is for you?” She teased. Making sure that nothing would burn, she turned briefly in the man’s arms to come face to face with him. Sage green eyes gazed lovingly into her own, but shut momentarily as they met for a kiss. Her lips molded to her own, and reluctantly she pulled away from the beautiful shirtless man before her, in favor of ensuring their breakfast would not be wasted.

“It’s almost done. Want to go ahead and start putting food on the table?” One last kiss was pressed to her head, along with a squeeze at her waist, and he was off. Soon, the whole table was littered with food.

“Thank you for making this.” He commented genuinely, holding her hand over the steaming food. Suddenly, she hoped up as if a light bulb went off in her head, and she made her way to the kitchen. When she came out yet again, a mug was in her hands this time around.

“What is that?” Came his question, taking the mug and maneuvering it next to his other cup of coffee.

“It’s one of your Christmas presents. Try it.” Sitting down, she watched with bated breath as he brought the mug to his lips, and took a tentative sip. His face lit up and he eagerly took another sip.

“This is delicious. What is it?” Another question, and he was reaching for her hand once more.

“It’s a tea blend from a friend’s shop. I thought it’d be nice to help you wind down after work.” She explained, happy that she was able to get one of two correct.

“This is wonderful. I genuinely appreciate this. Let’s eat though. You went through all this work.” And with that, they dug into the food that littered the table before them. It was not too much longer before they sat themselves on the couch, and enjoyed each others company with presents to either side.

“Here you go.” The man placed a rather heavy wrapped present in her lap, and watched her with eager eyes. She tore into the paper, and leveled her boyfriend with a look as she saw what she had.

“Really, Sean?” Her tone was dry, and she tried to fight the smile coming onto her face. However, with her boyfriend sporting one himself, it was rather hard.

“What? You could always use another book, and I thought you might enjoy the stories.” Said man tried to explain away.

“You gave me a collection of brothers Grimm fairytales!” She exclaimed.

“And you’re not wanting to read them?” He leveled her with another look, which made her shrink down into herself.

“Yes. I’m going to read them.” Muttering under her breath, she placed the book to her side and grasped the other box that was next to her. She placed it in her lover’s lap, and awaited his reaction. Sean gently unwrapped the present, and opened the box that was in his hands. His face dropped in surprise, and his eyes danced over the present he had.

“Do you like it?” Timidly, she inquired. There was no telling what his reaction was going to be. Sean’s hand reached in and pulled out the small object that was awaiting him. It was a ring. Tiny and unassuming, which described his lover but that was not what caught his attention. It was what was on the inside of the ring. An inscription dated September 23rd of that year; their anniversary.

“You don’t like it? It’s fine if you don’t. I just thought maybe you would. I can take it back though if you don’t want it. I’m sure I could at least get store-” she never finished her rambling, because her boyfriend had surged forward and captured her lips in his. They remained locked in their embrace for who knows how long, but she was pushed against the couch in the midst of it. Alas, they pulled away for some much needed oxygen.

“Do you like it?” She repeated her inquiry.

“I love it.” He replied, breathlessly. Helping her back up, Sean allowed her to slip the ring on to his left pinky finger. On the outside, it just looked like a simple silver band, but the fact that he knew that there was that inscription inside made it feel like a known secret. And it was all his.

“This is funny actually.” Sean reached behind him and found the box next to him once more. She was confused as to what he was talking about, and took the box gingerly from his hands. Opening, she let out a small chuckle as to what was inside.

“Now, now, you still have to get my brother on your side.” Once again, she was teasing him. He chuckled as well, but pulled the ring from the box.

“It’s a promise ring.” Sean slipped the ring on to her right ring finger. The emerald in the center, with the silver surrounding it instantly drew her eyes to the sparkling stone.

“This is going to turn some heads at dinner tonight.” Her mind could not help but think about what was going to happen.

“I’ll be right by your side.” Drawing her into his arms, Sean pressed a kiss to her head, and cradled her close.

A few hours later, the couple was dressed up and ready to leave. One last spray of perfume and the jewelry was placed on her body before they left for the evening. Her leg could not stop bouncing as they neared their destination. Sean reached over and held her thigh in hi grasp, which allowed her to calm down just enough. He parked on the side of the road and helped his girlfriend safely exit the car onto the icy sidewalks. They walked up to the door with stained glass, and she took a deep breath.

“You can still back out, you know?” She tried to tell her boyfriend, but he just held her by the shoulders and looking into her eyes.

“I’m not scared by meeting your family. It’s going to be fine.” Sean tried to reassure her.

“Alright. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” And with that, she knocked. Just a moment later, the door opened and revealed a festive looking Fuchsbau.

“You made it!” Rosalee cheered, hugging her boyfriend’s sister close. Letting go, she turned to face the man standing next to her.

“Captain.” She greeted politely, and held out her hand for him to shake.

“Rosalee. It’s good to see you again.” This confused the Blutbad standing between them.

“You know each other?” She wondered aloud. Renard and Rosalee looked at each other.

“I think you’ll find a lot of the people here have met each other at least once.” Rosalee responded cryptically. She pulled them in and out of the cold, before taking their coats to their spare room. The couple wandered through the house and found where the rest of the group was hanging around. She got to watch Sean’s eyes take in her brother’s Christmas decorations that littered the room. The sheer amount of tinsel, lights, and fake snow that was around the house was enough to make even the most Christmasy person take a step back. There was a pause as everyone stopped to stare at the couple.

“You’ve got to be joking.” Monroe stated, setting down his beer. Nick, Juliette, and Hank all turned to face where the Blutbad was staring.

“Captain? Nice to see you?” Nick drawled out confused, and followed his friend’s motion.

“Roe, everyone, this is Sean. But I’m guessing that you all know each other.” She was looking around at the rest of the guests.

“Oh, you’re dying now.” Rounding the corner at an incredible speed, there were shouts as Monroe grabbed the collar of Sean’s more casual sweater she had convinced him to wear instead of his suit. He shoved the zauberbiest against a wall, narrowly missing some decorations as he woged. By this point, Nick and Hank were trying desperately to pull him off of the man, while Juliette and Rosalee were holding and shielding the other Blutbad.

“What are you playing at? What do you want that you feel the need to date my sister?” Monroe growled out, eyes no longer human but red and black and unearthly.

“I am not dating her for a plan. I love her for her.” Sean held up his hands in surrender.

“Roe, let him go.” His sister growled, stepping out from behind the women. The man in question turned his head and let the woge fade back into his skin

“This man is not who he says he is. He’s a royal, little sis. He only told you he loves you to find a way to fit into his plans. Whatever they are.” The longer he spoke, the angrier his sister became.

“I know he’s half-royal, Roe. But that doesn’t mean that Sean doesn’t love me. Now get off of him.” Fully woge out, she grabbed her brother’s arm and threw him back enough to create some distance. The three men that were currently in front of Sean were replaced by one angry Blutbad woman. Her woge disappeared as soon as it came, and she checked in on her boyfriend.

“It’s been lovely seeing everyone, but if this is how it’s going to be, we’ll be leaving.” She said after whispering to Sean for a few moments. It shocked everyone in the room. Rosalee went to reluctantly grab their coats, while everyone else stared at Monroe with pointed glares.

“Wait!” The Blutbad called just before the couple left the party. Sean was helping her into her coat when they paused. He was entirely following her lead on this, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable or unwanted.

“I’m- I’m sorry, okay? You’re my sister and I’m always going to be protective of you. But you are an adult so I need to accept your choice. I’ll tone it down just, please, stay for dinner?” He was keeping his eyes on his sister, who returned with a less believable stare.

“You’re allowed to ask him three questions about our relationship, and three about himself. That’s it.” She replied, allowing Sean to once again, help her out of her coat. Rosalee took it back and happily went to set them on the bed once more. Monroe pulled his sister into a bear hug in the foyer of his home. When they pulled away, Sean stepped up to properly greet the Blutbad.

“You hurt my sister, I’ll break my pledge.” Monroe stared the half zauberbiest dead in the eye as he shook his hand. Renard brought out a smirk, and shook the man’s hand firmly.

“I’m slowly starting to realize the amount of people who will hurt me if I hurt her, including her.” He replied smoothly. The couple were pulled back into the fray easily. Everyone was laughing and eating, and in general, just having a great time. Looking at each other over their glasses of wine, and plates of food, Sean gave her a small wink, and held her hand. With the other, he thumbed a small velvet box the was in the pocket of his slacks. Perhaps next Christmas she would be more than a girlfriend. He needs to get through to her brother first.

[sweetandabitspycho]

Fandom: Grimm

Pairing: Captain Sean Renard x Grimm! Reader

Request; YES

Summary: After Sean gets shot after trying to protect you, a grimm who doesn’t know about him now has to make sure he knows you love him

Warnings: kinda au, female reader.

Ps, first time writing in a bet so sorry if it suck’s donkey dicks. Request are open.

Masterlist

“Please?” It came out no more then a whisper. A soft beg, begging him not to not die. The room was dark. The only light was the monitor that keep reminding her that he was alive.

The only sound was that annoying beeping that in the she loved to hear. It was the only thing that helped her. As she wiped her teary eyes.

She let out a soft breathe before looking up at her love. He still looked as handsome as the day they met.

“Why? Why didn’t you tell me. Please wake up.” She said moving her fingers to his face. Down the jaw she loved to kiss. His cheek. How? How had she not known? She wondered, she was a Grimm after all.

It has been a day since the attack. A day since he took a bullet meant for her. That moment played on repeat in her mind. The look on his face when he lost control and woge and pushed her behind him. When he saw the gun pointed at her. The sound of the gun being fired as his body hit the floor. She grabbed her gun and shoot the man in front of her.

The look on Sean’s face when he saw her as she held him. A light smile appeared on his face when he knew she was safe.

She placed his head in her lap as she begged him not to die. As the tears rolled down her face. Her hands covered in his blood. Trying to keep pressure. His hot sticky blood seeped into her hands.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, fighting to keep his eyes open. She shook her head. “No.” She kissed his head. “You have nothing to be sorry about.” She says not looking into his eyes. She focused on keeping her hands on his stomach. “I’m the one who is sorry. This is all my fault.” She cried out when he lost consciousness.

Tears rolled down her face as she closed her eyes. Grabbing his hand in hers. Her lips pressed against his hand. Praying to anyone and everyone that he would live.

“Don’t cry.” A voice told her. As she opened her eyes she saw Sean was awake. “Hey handsome.” She said his fingers wrapped around hers before he smiled at her. “You stayed.” He said in a small voice. Shook laced in, as if he really did excepted me to leave him. He looked at me with loving eyes. Before I could say anything the nurses walked in and asked me to leave.

After a hour I was able to go back into the room. Sean was laying down looking at the ceiling. “Why?” It was his turn to ask as he closed him eyes. “Why what?” I asked sitting back in my chair my his bed.

He looked at me. His green eyes staring at me. “Why did you stay?” He asked again. He look at me with confusion. “I love you, Sean Renard. You stayed with me knowing I was a Grimm and you loved me. I love you to much to let you go now.” I said putting my hand on his bed. Looking at him, those green eyes looking at me. “You took a bullet for me, why?” It was my turn.

“I love you. You are the only thing that matters to me.” He said scooting over and pulling me to lay with him. My head on his shoulder. He looked at me for a second before looking at the ceiling again.

“I didn’t want to lose you. I love you to much to let you go. I would give my life over and over for you.” He said as he kissed my head.

“You will never lose me, I love you Sean.” I said kissing his lips. Once we pulled apart I smiled at him before asking him. “So you are half Zauberbiest?” He held me as he explained everything.

Once he was done he looked at me as if to make sure I was still okay with everything. “So you are a prince? That’s awesome!” I said as he held me tighter. “So my prince, how are you feeling?” I asked kissing his shoulder.

“Better with you in my arms.” He smiled at me.

[bi-bard]

But If We Fall, I Only Pray, Don’t Fall Away from Me - Sean Renard Imagine [Grimm]

Title: But If We Fall, I Only Pray, Don’t Fall Away from Me

Pairing: Sean Renard X Grimm!Reader

Based On: I, Carrion (Icarian)

Word Count: 2,986 words

Warning(s): mention of mental breakdown/risk of breakdown (brief)

Summary: (Y/n)'s new reality forces many secrets to come to light and many decisions to be reconsidered.

Author's Note: This story is a kind of a reworking of something else that I was working on, but ultimately scraped because I knew damn well that it would get out of hand.

Also, choosing a wesen for these stories is hard.

Sean might be out of character here but I am not gonna go back and change it if he is. I like this story as it is.

Finally, I'm not trying to disappear on you guys. Everything is just a bit chaotic.

UNREAL UNEARTH - HOZIER WRITING CHALLENGE MASTERLIST

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

I had many concerns about my job.

Being a journalist naturally came with many questions. Mainly about morality. What was the line between a necessary story and sensationalism? How far could you take a story before you were exploiting someone? What would you be able to do if it meant getting a story in its entirety?

I had done fairly well avoiding being on the wrong side of those questions.

There had been one exception.

Early on in my time in Portland, I had been assigned to stories that were almost exclusively about criminal cases. Whether it was an investigation or a court case, it was clear that there was a space that my boss wanted me to be in.

During this, I found myself interacting more and more with Captain Renard of Portland's South Precinct. Everything after that felt like it had spiraled wildly out of control. What was a professional relationship turned into Sean and I having something close to a friendship. And then that friendship became something very different that was very unprofessional.

I could remember being so scared at first. Not even that my feelings would be unrequited, but that said feelings would cost me my job somehow. I enjoyed what I did. The last thing that I wanted was to be moved because of my stupid decisions.

After some time, and far too many long conversations, Sean and I found something that worked for us. My boss was much kinder than I expected. I was told that my decisions were my own, but if a bias began to show in my work, then I was going to be sent to work on a different subject. Integrity was important in this industry. I was willing to do whatever was necessary for that, so I understood the threat of keeping a closer eye on the stories that I wrote.

And I never truly found myself questioning my choices again after that. I was able to work with the knowledge that I was trusted by others and myself. That I knew what was okay and what wasn't.

And then, one moment made me have to reconsider everything that I knew.

One moment had left me scrambling to figure out what was right again. It had me questioning my relationships and my family and all knowledge I had of the world around me.

And it all started outside the very precinct that had been the source of my last moral dilemma.

I was standing to the side with my camera. I had gotten word that the cops were bringing in a suspect in a recent murder case. I was simply there to get a photo for my article. I wasn't going to interfere or say a word.

I wasn't the only one there either. There were plenty of other photographers and journalists who were there to get the same story that I was. It wasn't a new pattern for any of us. All of us were used to seeing each other there.

That's to say that there was no reason that anything should have been different or weird or scary about that night. No logical reason anyway.

Everything had been going in the regular pattern of events. The detectives had shown up with the suspect, pulled him out of the car, and started walking into the precinct with him. I was off to the side with the other members of the media, snapping a few photos of the man in the hopes of getting a clear image of his face.

My camera's flash must have caught his attention better than the others. That's the only reason he would have ever looked at me in the first place.

He then acted like he was going to lunge at me, attempting to intimidate me. I wasn't going to flinch until I saw something that I couldn't fully explain.

His face morphed in front of me, taking on some kind of cat-looking... thing. He stopped, almost immediately turning back into his human form. He looked just as scared as I felt.

"There are two of you," he asked. I furrowed my eyebrows. I had no idea what he was talking about.

I found one of the detectives staring at me. He looked as if something in his head was clicking into place before he continued to push the suspect into the precinct. I was certain that all he saw looking back at him was fear.

I looked across the crowd of reporters, many of whom had seemingly missed the subjects concerning comment. Except for one. I found the eyes of a friend of mine, only to watch her face morph as soon as I did. She was different than the suspect that had been brought in. More similar to a beaver than anything else. She gasped before turning around to quickly walk away from me.

"Wait!" I took off after her. It seemed to only scare her more as she started running faster. "Hey! Hold on!"

She yelped as I touched her arm. "Please don't kill me!"

"What?" I replied. "We've known each other for ages; why would I kill you?"

"Because you're one of them... you're a Grimm!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Just please, leave me alone! I haven't done anything wrong!"

"I'm not-"

I didn't get to respond before she ran off again. I didn't have the energy to chase her again. I felt tears well up in my eyes. I put my hand over my mouth for a moment.

I was convinced that I was going insane.

All I could think to do was to go home and hope that this was all some kind of nightmare or that it would all pass on its own. I took my phone out of my pocket and called Sean.

Now, I could've told him the truth. I could've told him that I was scared and unsure about what I was seeing. But in the moment, glancing frantically around the street with tears in my eyes, I found myself frozen. Any confession I wanted to make fell flat and useless.

"(Y/n)?" I let out a small sigh of relief when I heard Sean on the other end.

"Hey," I said, trying to sound like I wasn't on the verge of some kind of breakdown. "I know you're busy, but I just wanted to let you know that I think I'm gonna stay at my place tonight. Alone."

"Are you okay," he asked. Ever the perceptive man.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just tired and I have a lot of work to do. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Alright," he muttered.

"Love you," I added, forcing a cheery tone into my voice as much as I could.

"Love you too."

Sean still sounded suspicious. I couldn't blame him. I wasn't the best actor; subtly was never something that I was praised for. But I couldn't focus on whether or not he believed me. I needed to get home.

I tried to do some work when I got there. I piddled away on my computer, churning out a story that felt completely pointless and read like a middle schooler wrote it. I still had to send it off, hoping that the editor would aid in making it sound more coherent in time for it to go to press.

Sleep proved to be an even more difficult feat than writing a coherent article. I tossed and turned all night. The few moments that I managed to fall into some kind of uneasy sleep, I would be jolted awake by the vision of that man I saw outside the precinct. His reaction to me and my reaction to him. And that detective that had stared at me.

This pattern continued for days.

At first, it was fine. I could pretend that I had a long night. But that excuse couldn't last forever, especially when I had an obnoxiously observant partner who was checking in on me whenever he had a moment to do so.

As time went on, I found myself with less and less of an excuse. Sean was suspicious. He could tell something was wrong but wouldn't simply confront me. I could tell that he could tell that something was wrong, but I refused to say a word because I knew that I could've been wrong. I had just been hiding in my apartment and faking that I was perfectly fine for ages.

I was beginning to see those creatures at work. My boss was noticing the weird looks and new tense relationships that were forming out of seemingly nowhere. I couldn't hide it forever. I was going to lose my job if I was determined to be the cause of the workplace hostility. None of those who had turned in front of me would talk to me anymore, so it's not like I could ask them to explain what was happening.

I was already struggling with no real family. Most of my relatives had either passed away years ago or just never made themselves known. Even my parents. My dad had run for the hills and my mom couldn't raise me alone, so I had spent years navigating the foster care system. Now, I was losing friends and colleagues. I was convinced that I was about to lose my partner because I assumed that he thought I was cheating on him or something. It was all becoming too much for me to deal with on my own.

It was maybe a week before I found myself at Sean's door. He had buzzed me up, so he knew I was coming. He was standing at the front door, waiting for me with a concerned look on his face.

I felt my eyes welling up with tears as soon as I saw him. He pulled me into a hug, slowly guiding me inside and closing the door behind him.

"I think I'm going crazy," I said as I tried to stop myself from sobbing.

He moved back so he could look me in the eye. "What's going on?"

"I... I keep seeing things," I explained. "People are... They keep turning into these... things- creatures- I don't know..."

I buried my face in my hands.

I felt his hands touch my arms.

"You're not crazy," he muttered. "I promise."

"Then what's happening to me?" I looked at him again.

He paused. I watched his face. Concern turned into something that I could only describe as guilt. I felt a new fear settling in as I took a few steps away from him.

"Sean...," I mumbled. "Did you do something to me?"

Maybe it was the exhaustion or just the desperate need for answers. I couldn't think of a time when I felt a need to question him like that. He was good to me. Maybe a little rough around the edges, but I thought he was a good man.

But in that moment, I was convinced that anything was possible.

"No, no," he insisted. "I wouldn't-"

"But you know what it is?"

"Yes."

"Then, tell me."

"You may not believe it."

"A lot has changed in the last few days; you don't know what I'd believe."

He took a deep breath. "I believe that you're a Grimm."

"Okay...," I replied. "I've heard that word before. There's a colleague... I thought we were friends. She- Her face turned in front and then she ran off. She said that she didn't want me to kill her. When I asked why she thought I would, she called me a Grimm."

"You're different than most," he explained. "You can see things more clearly than the average person. Those creatures you're seeing are called Wesen. What you saw that woman do was woge."

"The suspect your detectives brought in a few days ago..."

"To my knowledge, he was a Klaustreich."

"Okay..." I mumbled. "Why me?"

"It follows a bloodline. It doesn't affect everyone. It can skip a whole generation. It's all a question of if it will happen at all."

I nodded. "The man said, 'There are two of you' when he saw me and one of your detectives gave me a strange look. I've only talked to him once or twice; I can't remember his name."

"Detective Burkhardt?"

"Yes, that's it." I snapped my fingers together and pointed at Sean.

"He's also a Grimm."

"So we're... related."

"In some capacity. Bloodlines only get messier as time goes on."

"Are you part of the bloodline?"

"No," he almost looked like he was tempted to chuckle.

"What? That seemed the logical conclusion. You know a lot about this."

"It's nothing that you did," he promised. "Sorry. This is a serious conversation."

"So... Why do you know so much about this if you're not part of the bloodline?"

It was the first question that Sean had hesitated to answer since I had first gotten there. I felt another wave of unease hit me. There was something here. Something that was so monumental that it almost seemed to scare him.

"That might take some time to explain," Sean said after a few moments.

"I have all the time in the world." I crossed my arms over my chest and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Centuries ago-"

"Holy shit."

"I told you," he replied. I held my hands up. "Centuries ago, seven houses were formed. Seven royal families. They held- and still hold- mass amounts of power and wealth throughout the world. I am technically part of one of those families."

"You're a prince?"

"Technically," he explained. "I was the result of an affair. They chased my mother and me all the way to the United States."

"All because you were the result of an affair?"

"There's a bit more to it than just the affair. My mom was a Hexenbiest. A type of Wesen. As a result, I ended up being half-Zauberbiest, which is just the male form of the same thing. Having an affair with a Hexenbiest that resulted in a Zauberbiest was what led to the uproar.

"The royal families are not commonly fond of Wesen. Hexenbiest and Zauberbiest can be an exception, but they deemed my mother and I to be useless. Grimms are treated in a strangely similar way; good if they're useful."

I found myself with nothing to say. I felt like I should have said something, but every response felt like it wasn't good enough. Like it wasn't enough to carry the weight of the conversation.

"I wouldn't have pursued anything with you if I had known that you were going to become a Grimm," Sean continued. "I thought that we had gotten to the point that it would've already presented itself. I never would have placed that burden on you."

"Would you have ever told me any of this if I hadn't," I asked.

There was a pause before he responded, "I don't know."

I just nodded. I couldn't decide on whether I was angry with him or not. He had hidden this part of himself for a long time, but really, would I have ever believed him if he had told me? If I hadn't experienced what I had in these last few days?

"You can go if you want," he said. "I won't force you into this."

I felt my heart drop at the idea.

I couldn't leave. Not now.

I knew how my life had been over the last few days. I lost all sense of self. All concept of who I was and what my life was supposed to be. But being here, being with him, no matter how life-changing the knowledge, had brought me back into focus. How could I leave now and lose that?

I took a few steps forward, stopping just in front of him. I grabbed his hands.

"Show me."

"(Y/n)-"

"Sean," I stopped him. "Show me."

He hesitated for a moment. When it was clear that I wasn't going to back down, he relented.

I watched his neck suddenly crack as the skin on his face changed. It wasn't all of it. One of his eyes and part of his jaw turned. The skin that changed was red around the edge and turning gray. Parts of it looked like it was rotting away.

I thought that whatever I saw was going to scare me. I had put a lot of thought into how to not flinch when he showed me. Instead, I found myself feeling completely normal. As if nothing was different. As if I had seen this part of him a hundred times before. Maybe I had. Subconsciously, at least. Not that I could ever prove that.

I walked closer, stopping when I was just in front of him.

"I don't want to go," I muttered after a moment.

I watched his face change back to its regular form. "(Y/n)-"

"I don't want to leave," I said.

"(Y/n). I need you to understand this. Your life is now dangerous enough without me in it. You'll already have people looking to hurt you or use you. If I'm involved... it will only be worse."

"And I am willing to take that risk." I grabbed his hands. "I care about you. If something were to happen, then I think being with you would be the smartest thing I could do. I understand the risk and the danger. I can't say that I'm not scared of it, but I accept it."

Sean sighed, his shoulders dropping as he did. "Are you sure?"

"As long as you are," I replied.

I almost stumbled as I was pulled forward into a hug. I chuckled quietly before closing my eyes and moving to hide my face in his shoulder.

"I love you," he muttered quietly.

"I love you too." I tightened my hug a bit.

And for the first time in days, I felt the world settle around me.

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[thekirbishow]

Sean Renard is hot

[effectivelyprocrastinating]

I will always protect you

Imagine Sean was hurt while you and he were on a date.

Sean x Female reader 

Past Nick x Female reader

Word Count: 1240

Sean rolled over, his head pounding. “How long was asleep?” He looked over at the small table to his right, with a book, a bottle of water, and some pain reliever.  He was in his bedroom, in loose-fitting clothes. He couldn’t remember how he got here. “What happened?” He asked to the empty room. 

He tried to stand, knocked over the table, and cursed. Then she ran into the room, and he could breathe a little easier. “No, lay back down,”  She had a cup of coffee in one hand, which she sat down to come to him. “That Löwen almost killed you. You took a nasty fall.” 

Sean smiled at her despite his head pounding. He said, “I’m okay, love really.” 

“No, you are not. You have a concussion. Take these.” She pushed three pills into his palm. Once he placed them in his mouth, she handed him the bottle of water. After he swallowed the pills, he looked at her up and down.  “Are you okay?” She still wore the same red shirt and black pants she had worn on their date earlier in the evening, but now the pants were ripped, and the shirt was covered in dirt.

“Yes, my love. I’m fine, thanks to you.” She placed a hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. “You saved my life.” 

“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t need saving,” he said, his voice tinged with a mix of guilt and determination. 

“That was your brother, not you.” 

“But if you weren’t with me, Eric wouldn’t know you.” 

She smiled softly at him. “I made my choices a long time ago.”

That’s when he saw Nick in the doorway with his own cup of coffee, “Why are you here? Sean growled, but she put a hand on his chest to stop him from moving. 

“Love, please. I called him. I needed his help. You were unconscious, and I didn’t know if Eric followed us,” she said, standing. I’ll let you two talk; I need some sleep and a shower.” She kissed Sean’s forehead. Then, turning to Nick, who had stepped into the room, she said, “Thank you for coming.” 

“Of course.” He nodded at her, his eyes softening. Anything for you. “She turned the corner, and a few minutes later, they both heard the water running. 

Sean looked at Nick, “Did she really call you?” 

Nick shrugged. “I almost didn’t answer, but I knew that it must be important if she was calling me. You almost gave her a heart attack, you know.  You are both lucky to be alive.” Nick glanced back to where she had disappeared. “I'm surprised she was able to drag you to the car and up here without anyone seeing her.” 

“Wait, she dragged me to the car?” 

Nick laughed, “Hard to believe I know, I didn’t see it. But by the time I got here, you were in bed, asleep.  She said she wanted me here in case the Royals came. She knew she couldn’t fight them off herself. She told me the Royals have been after you two for a while.” 

Sean nodded and said, "Since that picture of us at the Christmas party. Despite my lineage, my family has never been keen on mixing bloodlines." 

“You should have told me.” 

Sean laughed, “Sure, so you could convince her to run back to you.” 

“So I could help protect her!” Nick yelled.

“That’s not your job anymore, Nick!” Sean replied with the same force. 

“I know, but if anything happens to her, I don’t think I’ll forgive myself…” He stopped making eye contact with Sean, “Or you.” Sean nodded, “If anything happens to her, and if I’m still alive, you will have my full cooperation when you cut off my head.” Sean reached out his hand, “Help me to the  couch, will you?”  Nick took it and helped him up. He gingerly tested his legs, and they walked into the living room together. Sean sat carefully on the couch, and Nick sat on a chair beside the door. 

It didn’t take too long before she walked back into the room. Her hair was wet but pulled back away from her face. She had changed into one of his shirts, which he had forgotten about, and a pair of gray tights. He couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. She made two cups of tea and handed one to him before settling beside him. She began talking with Nick about something, but Sean wasn’t listening. 

He finished the cup quickly and could tell she had added something to help him sleep. He must have really worried her. With that thought, he set down the cup and grabbed hers. After taking her cup, he pulled her to his side. He draped his other arm across her, pulling her closer to him. He wasn't sure if she knew how she affected him. They had only been together a few months, but she was the ultimate medication anyone could offer him; only in her presence could Sean sense his heartbeat slow and his body ease into relaxation. 

Nick took the hint and stood, clearing his throat. “Captain, now that you're awake. I’ll head home. Call if you need anything.” He approached the door but stopped, “Watch your back, Captain, and hers.” Sean nodded. 

Nick walked out the door and down the hall before they spoke again. “Thank you for getting me out of there.” He spoke into her hair. 

“You're welcome, she hummed, “Come on, let's get you to bed. I think we both could use the rest.”

“No,” If he hadn't been so comfortable, he would have pulled away to look at her face.

“No? What do you mean no?”

If I go to bed, you won’t be here when I wake up.” 

Confused, she pulled away from him, “Sean, you wake up at 5 am every morning.” 

“You aren’t going home tonight?” The implication caught him a little off guard. They had both decided to take their relationship slow. She had been very hesitant even to entertain the idea after her relationship with Nick had ended.

“Do you want me to?” She stood and pulled him up with her. 

“No.” He pulled her towards him, and not expecting such a quick response, she stumbled into his chest. 

She smiled sheepishly at him. “Then it’s settled. I’ll sleep on the couch. Just call if you need anything. You don’t want to overdo it after a head injury.” She moved away from his bedroom door, where they now stood. She was teasing him, and he knew it. 

“Oh no, you won’t. My savior does not sleep on any couch.” He pulled her into the bedroom after him. “If you plan on staying over often, I need to consider adding more security.” 

“Why are you afraid I will run away?” 

He stopped momentarily, thinking, “That and I want to make sure you are safe.” He smiled, laid down, and pulled her close to him. 

“Well, there is no need to add any extra security yet, but you may want to look into it."

He couldn't help but smile at the thought of her waking up with him becoming a regular occurrence. It took a few minutes for her breath to even out, and he knew she was asleep. It was only then that he let himself fall asleep, too. 

[godlygivenanxiety]

Renard: *tries to look composed, looks like there's an entire broomstick stuck up his ass instead*

Juliette: i can't believe i'm gonna sleep with him

Random friend: you don't have to?

Juliette, re-applying lipstick like a woman with a mission: no, i'm gonna

[the-unidentified-author]

Deepest Desires | Sean Renard | Grimm | Part 1/2

Part 1 | Part 2 - Comming soon

One or more parts will contain:

Warnings/ Tags: SMUT[NSFW}, smut, minors DNI, established relationship, p in v, creampie, a little rough, Cunnilingus, consensual!, hes a big man, orgasm denial, one orgasm after another.

Summary: A potion puts you and the Captain in a bit of a predicament. Will you be able to save him from the evil spell, before time runs out? (He spends most of the time tied up. )

Word Count: 8,003

The bell atop the door chimed softly as you stepped into the shop, a sound you had not expected to hear again for quite a while. The air was thick with the familiar scent of aged paper mingled with an array of spices and herbs, some recognisable, others lost to memory. Wooden shelves, bowing under the weight of countless books and jars, lined the walls, casting long shadows across the worn wooden floor beneath the dim glow of hanging lanterns.

Your gaze settled on the familiar silhouette of Rosalee, who leaned casually against the counter at the back, absorbed in a book. Her dark hair fell like a curtain around her face, and the gentle lamplight glinted off her round spectacles. She looked up, a little startled by the noise, having been so engrossed in the book that the sound of the bell at this late hour had made her jump. The cozy warmth of the shop provided a stark contrast to the chill of the night's air, and for a moment, you felt as if you had never left this quiet corner of the world.

“We’re clos-“ she started before her features twisted into a look of confusion. “Why are you here, shouldn’t you be back in Europe by now?” She asked, dropping the page she had been holding and moving to walk around the counter.

You were breathing hard, and her confusion quickly turned to worry as she stepped toward you. She stepped closer, her hand instinctively reaching out to brush your hair aside, revealing a bruise blooming just above your hairline. Tilting your head back, she examined your face; you hadn’t dared to check your reflection before entering, yet the sharp throb from the blow you had suffered lingered, echoing through the hours since it happened. In the brief time you had been apart, everything had spiralled into chaos, and you desperately hoped she could provide the help you so urgently needed.

“What happened?” Her expression turning fierce, her Wesson self flashing across her face for a moment with the sudden change of emotion.

She stole a glance over her shoulder, as if anticipating someone to burst through the door of the shop at any moment.

“Yeah, I have a little bit of a problem,” you started, placing your hands on your hips and taking a breath, not really sure how you were going to explain the situation to her. You weren't entirely sure that you genuinely understood it yourself. “Is Monroe here? I could really use his help with something, and then I’ll explain to you exactly why I’m not where I am supposed to be.”

“Right, he’s secured to the chair, but look, I promised I’d go help Nick with something.” Monroe placed his hands on his hips and looked from Rosalee to you. “I can get him over here if you want to make this a team effort?”

Then he looked at Captain Sean Renard, the imposing figure now tied to a wooden chair that creaked under his weight. He didn’t move. His head had fallen forward, obscuring a face that was usually so composed, so commanding. It was a stark reminder of the chaos that had unfolded. Monroe and you had been forced to haul him into the shop, grappling with the bulk of the unconscious man and hauling him into the Spice Shop. Rosalee stood to one side, her brow furrowed with a mix of trepidation and determination. The air in the room hung heavy with tension. This was bad.

“You should go,” Rosalee said with a nod and a small smile, a determined look taking over her features. “We can handle this.”

“You sure, this seems like something we should all help with, I mean a love spell on the Captain. That’s really gonna suck, how are you going to explain it to him when he wakes up?”

“He already knows, he’s the one who came to me about it. Hell, it was his idea for me to knock him out.” You folded your arms and shot a sideways look at the Captain.

“Damn, I bet you enjoyed that.” Smirked Monroe.

“Come on now, don’t say things like that. You should really get going; you can’t keep Nick waiting. It might be important,” Rosalee spoke gently, her gaze softening.

Monroe chuckled, a roll of his eyes indicating he knew he was being mildly reprimanded, but also that he wasn’t truly sorry for his comment. “Alright, alright,” he conceded, waving a hand dismissively.

With one last look at the Captain, who shifted ever so slightly in his sleep, Monroe turned to leave.

You heard the bell jingle, signifying the three of you were now alone in the shop. It was quiet, it had already been late by the time you had arrived. You glanced down at your watch, it was nearing ten pm. You should have been back in England this time last night.

“I should lock the door,” Rosalee said, her voice barely above a whisper as she moved towards the door frame. Her footsteps were quiet on the creaky floor, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of thoughts no doubt racing through her mind. The weight of the situation seemed to press in around the room, thick and tangible, as her fingers hovered over the door handle.

“Leave it," you interjected, startling her slightly. "There’s the closed sign on the front, right? If this goes bad, we’re going to need Nick and Monroe here ASAP, and I’m not sure if I want a locked door between them and us.” Your voice was steady, but beneath it lay a current of underlying tension. The open door was a lifeline, a connection to support and safety.

Rosalee paused, her brow furrowing in contemplation. "Yeah, but what if someone comes in and sees the police captain tied to a chair in the back of my shop?” Her voice held a tinge of worry, an understandable concern given the bizarre tableau that lay behind you.

“Well, we can just say it’s his kink,” you laughed, your attempt at humour lightening the mood for a fleeting moment. Your comment earned you a slight smile from her, a brief respite from the gravity of the situation.

“You do not say that,” came Sean's voice, suddenly cutting through the semi-darkness like a sharp blade slicing through silk. The two of you turned toward him, his jaw clenched, an unmistakable scowl etched onto his features.

The room hummed with tension, the air charged as his icy gaze flickered between both of you, a mix of incredulity and simmering irritation in his intense eyes. For a heartbeat, the room held its breath, as if anticipating the storm that could follow in the wake of Sean’s displeasure. Yet, even in his current state, there was a peculiar spark of humour in his eye. Sean, despite everything, seemed poised to navigate this ordeal with his characteristic blend of severity and unexpected wit.

Sean parted his lips just slightly, rocking his lower jaw from side to side, and for a fleeting moment, guilt washed over you at the memory of how hard you had struck him. A faint bruise was beginning to blossom at the edge of his jaw, a visible mark of the confrontation that had just transpired. It was a stark reminder of the violence that had been done, and for a fleeting moment, you couldn't shake the dread of him somehow overpowering the restraints binding him to the chair. Your gaze fell on Sean once again, studying him with a mix of curiosity and concern. It was indeed a weird sight, the imposing figure of the Captain, usually so commanding and confident, now utterly helpless, tied to a chair. There was something about it that stirred something within you—a strange allure in seeing such a strong man so utterly vulnerable.

“Oh good, you're awake.” you muttered, stepping towards him, Rosalee following you. “Now you get to tell her what you told me.”

“That was one hell of a right hook.” He glanced up at you for a moment before shifting his focus to Rosalee.

“He's lucid?” She asked, looking at you wide-eyed.

“Ugh, yeah. Why?”

“Love spells typically make people entirely infatuated with the person they have been cursed to obsess over. Typically, as it gets stronger, they begin to lose their faculties to the point where they’re unable to so much as string a sentence together.”

“Well, maybe it works differently for him as he’s a Royal half-breed or something?” You leant against the bench, folding your arms, looking Sean up and down.

His expression was anything but amused, likely a reaction to your flippant remark about his birth status. A pang of sympathy tugged at you; he looked worn out, more so than you'd ever seen him in the months you've known him. Beads of sweat began to form on his brow, a sign that the spell or potion he'd been given was taking its toll. You understood the gravity of the situation. There was no pleasant or straightforward resolution to this situation, and it certainly wouldn’t resolve itself on its own. Time wasn’t on your side.

Rosalee recognised the gravity of his predicament, realising it was more urgent than she had first thought.

“Right, before we do anything we need to figure out what someone has given him, how potent it is and how long since he ingested it. We will have no hope of curing him until we figure out what the hell is wrong with him.”

“So this somewhat feels a little bit like conventional medicine.” You muttered as she handed you a heavy book.

She dismissed you with a glance and shifted her attention to Sean.

“What exactly are you feeling?” She inquired, opening her book, glancing at the page before turning her gaze back to him.

He cast a glance at Rosalee, then turned to you before tightening his jaw, remaining silent.

“Did you not hear her, if we don’t know what this is, we can’t fix it.” You stated, stepping next to her and scowling at him.

He let out a deep sigh, his eyes falling to the floor as he chewed the inside of him cheek. “I don’t know. It’s just when I’m not around her, it almost feels painful. It started just like a dull ache when you miss someone, but over the last two days it has got so intense that I almost feel robbed of air when I don’t have her in sight.” He stated, not meeting the eyes of either of you.

The way he was acting amused you a little, here he was the Bastard Prince, who was usually so imposing and confident. Tied to a chair, unable to look you in the eye. There was something about it that stirred something within you. You liked seeing such a strong man so utterly helpless, no, you liked seeing Sean Renard tied to a chair.

You turned your gaze toward Rosalee, who seemed blissfully unaware of the amusement you found in the situation. Instead, she was engrossed in her book, her hand skimming rapidly across the pages before she flipped to the next one, continuing the motion with a determined efficiency. A scowl marred her features as she studied the text, which set your teeth on edge. You had hoped for a straightforward solution. You had been hoping that this would be a simple fix, maybe someone yourself or Nick had some dealings with that was left unhappy. Perhaps someone who wanted to inconvenience you a little, but by the looks of things, I was a little more complicated than that. Or perhaps just someone who had it out for the police captain, he must have made a fair few enemies in his line of work.

“What else is there?” Rosalee inquired, glancing up from her book, her expression a mixture of expectation and urgency.

“What do you mean by that, 'what else?'” Sean responded, his voice tinged with irritation. His scathing glance flicked to Rosalee before his focus shifted to you, a silent demand for clarity embedded in the depths of his gaze.

Rosalee met his eyes with unwavering resolve. “You need to tell us everything, Sean. Every little detail, no matter how insignificant it might seem to you. We’re grasping at straws here, and anything might be the key to unraveling this mess.”

She turned back to her book, scanning the pages with diligent determination, the sound of rustling paper punctuating the tension in the room. You could almost see the gears turning in her mind, fitting puzzle pieces together in an intricate attempt to uncover the truth.

Sean sighed, seemingly weighing his words with the same careful precision as someone picking their way through a minefield. His gaze softened, the irritation giving way to a flicker of resignation. The truth, however small, was what they needed, and behind his initial resistance, he knew it.

“There’s… a lot,” he began, hesitantly, his voice subdued, “but I’ll tell you what I can. I know that my family is behind it, and that they most certainly don’t care if I die. That they have power and money at their disposal, so it is likely complicated and an expensive potion.” He shrugged his shoulders.

He didn’t seem overly bothered by the potential death he was facing down, and you couldn’t tell if he genuinely didn’t care, or he was just brilliant at hiding it.

Rosalee let out a deep sigh and then turned back to the previous page of her book. This was definitely worse than you thought it would be, if his family were behind it, then there might be the risk that Rosalee couldn't undo whatever spell or potion had been placed on him. You chewed at the inside of your cheek, your body ached, and you wanted nothing more than to collapse into the little bed that Rosalee had set up in this little room. That wouldn't be of any assistance, and you didn’t know how much longer Sean would be able to control himself. Even though he was a half-Zauberbiest, he was strong. You were sure if you would be able to get him back into the chair if he managed to escape from it.

“Tell her what you told me at the airport.” You said putting down the book Rosalee gave you.

He clenched his jaw, his eyes darting between you and Rosalee, yet he chose to remain silent.

“What happened at the Airport?” Rosalee questioned looking from him to you.

“Just watch,” you said, turning from the two of them and walking from the back room to the front of the shop.

The second you left the room, you could hear Sean grunt in pain, you gave it a few seconds before you walked back into the room. Sean was red in the face and slightly more sweaty than he had been when you had left him.

“It physically hurts him when you walk too far from him?” Rosalee glanced down at her book before lifting her gaze to meet yours.

“Yep, he damn near passed out when he found me at the airport. The further I go, the more it hurts and as far as I can tell, it's getting worse.” You took a deep breath and leant back against the table.

“I am assuming you didn’t come here straight way, then, if it hurts him that much just for you to be in a different room?”

“Nope, he said that he could figure out what it was and well that was yesterday. I persuaded him to come here.”

“And he’s tied up…because.”

You gestured toward the bruise blossoming on your forehead. In turn, Rosalee cast a disdainful glance at Sean, her scowl deepening.

“I didn’t mean to.” He reasoned. “I don’t know what this feeling is, but it is intense, the idea of her being anywhere but right here with me, well, it. It makes me violent.”

“He didn’t mean to, I just tried to leave the room and well you saw how much that hurt him, so he stopped me.”

“You’re lucky you’re a Grimm, I doubt that anyone else would have been able to manhandle a Hybrid Royal here without serious injury.” She clutched the book she was holding against herself and then looked at you with a sorry expression.

“Can we hurry this along, I do have work to get back to.” Stated Sean, the irritation evident in his voice.

“Right,” Rosalee started, letting out a sigh and turning back to him. “What are your feelings?”

“What are my- what do you mean?” He asked looked at her, a confused scowl twisting his features.

“How do you feel about her, what is the key emotion? Hate, anger, obsession, love?”

There was a flicker of something in his eye as spoke the last word, but it was gone in little more than a blink of an eye. Slow enough for you to detect, but not slow enough for you to decipher.

“I don’t know, all I know is if I am not near her, it’s like my body is on fire.”

Rosalee looked to you and then back to him, before stepping towards the bookshelf. She placed the book she was holding on the small table to her left, and then pulled another book from the shelf. Shuffling through the pages, she frowned at it before replacing it on the shelf and pulling out another. You watched her in silence until her expression changed as she read the fourth book she had pulled from the shelf.

“It could be a strong obsession potion, I don’t think it’s anything to do with love. He wouldn't be able to string a sentence together.” She turned to you and looked up from the book.

“Great, now how do I make him less obsessed?”

“With another potion,” she smiled.

*  Forty-five minutes later, you were staring down into the pot on the portable stove top Rosalee had put on the table in the middle of the room. Arranged on the table was a wild assortment of things, some of which you could name and others you couldn’t even attempt to pronounce the word scribbled onto their aged labels. Some aromas coming off the items were pleasant, most, however, were not.

“I don’t have to drink this, right?” You asked, looking down at the gloopy, disgustingly thick brown goo she has spent so much time concocting.

“No, but you do have to put your blood in it and then hold the pot while he drinks it.” A smile played on her face and the two of you glanced at Sean.

He had been quiet for most of the time, only making a noise when you went to move out of the backroom into the front of the shop to collect one of the things on Rosalee’s list. Forgetting for a moment how he reacted when you moved out of sight.

“You sure you want to try this?” Whispered Rosalee, low enough that Sean likely wouldn’t hear. “I mean, having a Royal slash Police Captain fiercely protective of you might be fun.” She smirked.

She always had an opinion about the two of you, firmly convinced there was something brewing between you both. Regardless of how much you insisted you wouldn’t touch the man even if he were the last one on earth, there was an undeniable spark in her smile that made you certain she didn’t believe you.

“Behave, him freaking out and writhing in agony when I leave the room isn’t any use to me at all.”

“Well, you could have worse people obsessed with you.”

“Having Zauberbiest obsessed with me is really not something I want to deal with right now. You know, being a Grimm and all, I doubt that will really work out all that well.”

“Okay, okay…” she grabbed your finger and poked it with a needle.

You winced as she squeezed it, drops of your blood falling into the liquid. To your surprise, the brown sludge turned a colour that more closely resembled a strawberry milkshake.

“Oh, that sucks, I was enjoying the idea of him slurping down the nasty stuff.”

“I can hear you, you know.” Muttered Sean.

You turned to see him glaring at you, those dark eyes looked you up and down before he clenched his jaw again. He looked a little worse than he did before the two of you started. You could see his chest rising and falling fast, as though he had just finished running. And he was a little sweatier.

“It’s still going to taste pretty awful,” Rosalee remarked as she carefully poured the potion into a glass. “But it should do the trick and cure him.”

“Should?” You raised your eyebrow as she handed you the glass. “What do you mean should?”

"Well, if it is an obsession spell, then it will get rid of it," she explained confidently.

“And if it isn’t?” You glanced down at the liquid, grimacing as you caught a whiff of it.

"It won’t do anything, and we will be back to the drawing board," Rosalee added with a resigned sigh.

You raised your eyebrows and let out a sigh, turning to Sean. Despite the weariness that clung to him, he was undeniably captivating. His strong jaw and intense eyes drew you in, even more so now with that unguarded look. His gaze held an energy that seemed to spark and flicker, revealing a depth of emotion that was difficult to ignore. In that fleeting moment, even tied to a chair, his presence was utterly magnetic, imbued with a rugged charm that was impossible to resist. Stepping forwards, you watched as he visibly relaxed a little.

“It’s getting worse, isn't it?” You asked.

You watched his Adams apple bob in his throat as he swallowed and nodded at you. “Yeah.”

“Well, let’s hope this works.” You stated stepping forwards and placing your free hand on the back of his head, your other hand holding the glass, moving it to his lips.

He grimaced at the smell, his nose wrinkling in distaste, but sealed his lips to the glass as you began to tilt it. The liquid sloshed as it met his mouth, and he drank quickly in big gulps, determined to get it over with. A brief choke caught him off guard, his throat bobbing uneasily, but he pressed on, swallowing the strange concoction as fast as he could manage. When the glass was finally empty, he exhaled in relief as you pulled it away, releasing your gentle grip from the back of his head. A moment's pause allowed him to catch his breath, the tension in his muscles loosening with each passing second. Hopefully, this would put an end to whatever the hell was happening to him.

He pulled a face and looked up at you, you laughed and he frowned. Carefully, you raised your sleeve and wiped the milkshake like moustache the potion had left on his upper lip. You then joined Rosalee, who had sat down on the edge of the bed a little off to Seans right. Placing the glass on the bedside table, you looked at her.

“How long is it going to take for this thing to work?” you asked, your voice tinged with both curiosity and impatience as you looked Sean up and down.

“I don’t know, I say we give it five minutes and then test it. If it’s working, then you should be able to walk out of the room without him writhing in agony.” Rosalee replied, her tone measured and hopeful.

You put your head in your hands and let out a deep, exasperated sigh. It felt like you were running on fumes, the stress of the last day weighing heavily on your shoulders. The whirlwind of emotions and tension had taken its toll, leaving you feeling drained and weary.

“You don’t happen to have any aspirin, do you, my head is killing me,” you said, your voice tinged with pain as you pinched the bridge of your nose.

Rosalee smiled and nodded before getting up and disappearing out of the room. She came back a few minutes later with a glass of water and something that definitely was not aspirin. You looked down at the root looking thing in her hand and then back up at her.

“It will work better than aspirin. You chew it slightly, then swallow.” Rosalee smiled and nodded reassuringly.

You eyed her suspiciously but took the root, chewed it a few times and then swallowed, taking a mouthful of the water to wash away the slight tangy bitterness of the root.

Then you stood and moved towards Sean. He visibly relaxed once more as you got a little closer, your presence easing the pain he was feeling. Gently, you placed your hand on the back of his head and helped him to drink the water. When he finished, he nodded at you in thanks, a silent acknowledgment of the comfort your closeness brought.

“I guess it didn’t work?” You whispered, chewing the inside of your cheek as he shook his head.

“So it’s not an obsession potion.” Stated Rosalee, picking at the dry skin on her bottom lip.

“Not a love potion and not an obsession potion, I really think we are running out of options here.” You stated stepping away from Sean.

He grunted, and the two of you turned towards him.

“And time.” Said Rosalee as you watched the vein in Seans neck poke out as he clenched his jaw and started at the ground. “You stay close to him, there’s no point in putting him through more pain than he needs, we will figure this out.”

She disappeared back into the front of the shop, and the soft, familiar sound of the ladder being wheeled along the shelves reached your ears. Carefully, you stepped closer to Sean. It was becoming clear that being more than a few feet away from him was starting to affect him, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly with each step you took towards him.

“What the hell is this?” You asked out loud, looking at him relax increasingly with every step you took closer to him.

As you stood in front of him, he looked up, his eyes meeting yours. He shrugged, tilting his head back and taking some deep breaths, relieved the pain was somewhat eased up a little.

“If it was getting this bad, you really should have mentioned something.” You continued looking down at him and crossing your arms.

He let out a small laugh, his green eyes sparkling with amusement. His smile was cocky, revealing a flash of his straight, white teeth. The lines around his eyes and mouth deepened with his expression, adding a certain warmth to his face.

“You look like a school teacher scolding me.” He mumbled, adjusting in the seat a little.

You were about to quip something back, but Rosalee burst into the room.

“I have something!” She announced, brushing the items on the table out of the way with her forearm and thumping a heavy book down on the table.

“A cure?” You asked, stepping away from Sean, which drew a pained grunt from his lips.

You shot him an apologetic look and stepped closer to him.

“No, but it should buy us, if we’re lucky, another day to figure out what the hell is wrong with him.” She didn’t look up from the book, just hurriedly started grabbing ingredients.

She had been working in silence for a little more than ten minutes, her focus unwavering as she hurriedly prepared the items she needed to brew the potion. You could hear the soft clink of glass bottles and the rustle of parchment as she gathered her ingredients with practiced ease. Despite your curiosity, when you'd gently inquired about the concoction she was preparing, she had merely shushed you, too absorbed in her work to spare you a glance.

Left to your devices, you began to pace around Sean. The invisible tether binding you to him meant you couldn't move more than three feet away, so you resorted to a slow, rhythmic pacing back and forth behind him. The space felt much like a cage, limiting and unyielding. Each step was careful and measured, a dance you were forced to partake in as you both waited in the small, tense room. The repetitive motion became both a comfort and a reminder of the strange predicament you now found yourselves entwined in.

“Can you please stop that.” Sean, glanced back at you over his shoulder.

Stopping, you turned to look at him.

“No.” You stated and turned and began pacing again.

"Please," he implored softly, his voice carrying a surprising note of vulnerability that caught you off guard.

Turning to look at him, he was still looking at you over his shoulder. He looked more tired than he had when the two of the two of you had arrived. Whatever the potion or spell was, it didn’t look as though he had all that much time left.

“I don’t think I have ever heard you use that word before.” You smirked, shaking your head at how pathetic the word sounded coming out of his mouth.

"Well, extreme circumstances," he shrugged, his tone casual as he tried to downplay the situation with a hint of resignation.

There was something about him, even though he was sweating and looked as though he was uncomfortable, he didn’t seem as uptight as he usually did. There wasn’t the same sense of superiority as he typically had lurking around him. It was as though the carefully crafted shield of charisma and sarcasm was starting to falter.

"I can’t move more than three feet from you, without you writhing around in agony and forgive me, but I don’t really want to stand there and stare at you. I’m tired, and my legs hurt," you said, your voice a mix of exasperation and defeat.

"Then why are you pacing?" he asked, a curious blend of irritation and genuine interest lacing his words.

"It makes them hurt less," you explained with a resigned sigh.

"Come here," he instructed, a gentle yet firm command in his voice.

"I'm already here, like I said, no more than three feet," you replied, a hint of frustration tinging your words.

He glanced over his shoulder once more, his large green eyes unexpectedly gentle. With a subtle tilt of his head, he urged you to shift to a spot where he wouldn’t have to exert himself so much to catch your gaze.

With a deep sigh, you turned to face him. His gaze tracked your movements.

"What do you want, another glass of water?" you asked, your voice laced with a mix of curiosity and gentle teasing, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Sit on my lap," he said with a surprising nonchalance, the words slipping out as if it were the most natural request in the world.

"What?" you replied, eyebrows raised, the suddenness of his request catching you completely off guard.

"Sit on my lap. Your legs hurt, but you can’t be more than a few feet from me. Sit on my lap, then your feet won't hurt, and I won't be in pain. It’s starting to become insufferable," he explained, his expression sincere, devoid of his usual scowl.

“Well, I can just sit over there.” You replied, gesturing to the bed about five feet away. “It would just hurt you, not me.”

“Please.” This time it sounded more like he was begging than pleading.

“There it is, that word again.” You laughed, folding your arms.

“Hey Rosalee, how long is this going to take?” Sean asked, looking past you and over to your friend.

You glanced over your shoulder at her, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration as she carefully measured a fine, dark powder in a worn metal spoon. The steam from the pot curled upwards, a swirling dance against the warm light of the room. With a steady hand, she poured the powder into the cauldron of bubbling liquid, its surface hissing in protest.

“Uh, if I get this right, it should be ready in about ten minutes.” She didn’t look up from her books as she spoke.

“You want to pace around for another ten minutes?” He inquired, his head tilting ever so slightly to one side.

You shut your eyes, releasing a long, exasperated breath before opening them again to find his green gaze upon you.

“Fine.” You said, shaking your head in disbelief and turning and sitting on his lap.

“I said sit, not perch.” His voice was low and commanding, you could feel his breath on the back of your neck.

You rose and then sank back down, pressing against his solid form. Instantly, the ache in your feet and legs dissipated, relieved now that they no longer bore your weight. Yet, your mind began to betray you; his sturdy presence, anchoring you, sparked a flurry of thoughts. You wondered what it would be like if he weren’t bound to the chair, how it might feel to have him lean into you, enveloping you in his embrace. You envisioned the sweetness of his lips against your neck, a gentle touch that lingered on your skin.

“Who would have through that a little over two months ago, you were trying to kill me.” His voice once again low, this time there was a hint of something else in it, something that you were starting to figure out the meaning of.

"Well, I am a Grimm, but now we only kill the terrible ones. And as far as everyone is concerned, you’re one of the bad ones," you replied, your voice level and calm, despite the tension in the room.

“So, I’m the reason you came all the way over here?” You felt him move slightly under you.

“You already know the answer to that question, Sean. Now, how do you think someone got you to drink the potion?” You asked trying to sit as still as possible, attempting to figure out if this was more or less uncomfortable than standing.

“I don’t know, in my coffee perhaps or one of the snacks I keep in my drawer,” Sean mused, a thoughtful look crossing his face.

“You keep snacks in your drawer?”

"Long hours and I can’t always be bothered to make dinner when I get home," he admitted with a shrug, a hint of tired resignation in his voice.

You raised your eyebrows, forgetting for a moment that he couldn’t see the expression on your face.

“It's done,” stated Rosalee, turning around, her eyes falling on the two of you. “Did it get worse?”

You jumped up from his lap and turned to look at him.

“Yeah, a little bit, I can’t move more than three feet from him without him complaining about it.”

“This should help.” she moved forwards and handed you a small vial filled with a green liquid that looked as though she had just bottled up swamp water.

“Is it a cure?” Sean asked, his eyes fixed on the vial in your hand, a grimace tugging at his lips as he considered the murky liquid inside.

“No, but it should buy me some time to figure out what the hell you are infected with and how to cure it.”

“Does that mean you can untie me from the chair?” He looked from you to her, his expression hopeful.

"Yep, it will dampen the negative effects of whatever it is you have," she reassured, her voice steady and confident as she met his gaze.

You shrugged and turned to him, and pressed the vial to his lips as he tilted back his head.

“How long does this one take to work?” you inquired, your brow furrowed with a hint of concern.

“Should just be moments, move in the direction of the door.”

You eyed her a little suspiciously before taking a step away from Sean, he looked you up and down but didn’t writhe around in pain. Cautiously you took another step, again nothing. After a few moments, you had made it all the way into the shop and out of sight.

“You can come back in now, I think we have more than confirmed that it works.” Called Rosalee.

You sighed and moved back around the counter into the back, where Rosalee was leaning against a table and Sean was still tied to the chair.

“So how long is this going to work, I’m looking forwards to spending a little time away from him.” you addressed Rosalee, not looking at Sean while you spoke.

“Well there's the catch, it will give us about a day give or take. But the further you are from each other, the shorter the time will be.”

“So there is no hope of me getting a hotel for the night and spending a little time forgetting about this whole thing?” you asked, your tone edged with frustration and longing for a momentary escape.

"No you need to stay together, this is the sort of potion that only works the once, so if the two of you could give me as much time as you can to figure this out the more likely he will live through this," she explained, her tone urgent yet calm.

“You should stay with me until we have this figured out.” Sean interjected.

You turned to him, the reality of his situation washing over you like a cold wave. For a moment, you had almost forgotten that he was still tied to the chair, a powerful figure reduced to a position of helplessness. Sean met your gaze with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine.

Raising your eyebrows, you felt a mixture of disbelief and reluctant understanding. There was no way you were going to argue your way out of this one; the urgency in Rosalee's voice rang too loudly in your mind. It was as if the room had narrowed down to just the two of you, the air thick with unspoken thoughts.

With a reluctant sigh, you folded your arms, aware that your disagreement would lead nowhere. Instead, you shifted your focus to Sean, taking in the way his brows knitted together with a mix of frustration and vulnerability. There was something poignant about seeing him there, a man typically full of authority now trapped in this bizarre situation. It was eye-opening, and as much as you wanted to dismiss it all, a part of you was curious about what it meant for both of you moving forward.

* He pulled his suit jacket off with a fluid motion, the fabric slipping off his shoulders and landing on the chair next to his chest of drawers with a soft thud. As he moved, there was an effortless grace to his actions, honed from years of command. He sat down on his bed, the mattress shifting slightly beneath him, and began to unbutton his shirt.

With each button he deftly released, the fabric parted to reveal the defined contours of his chest, a blend of strength and vulnerability. He paused for a brief moment, his hands lingering on the last button, as if contemplating the transition from his polished, professional facade to something more raw and exposed. Finally, he let the shirt fall away, the material cascading down until it lay crumpled at his side, leaving him clad only in pants, showcasing his muscular physique.

“What the hell are you doing?” You asked, folding your arms and looking at him with the most disapproving look you could muster, doing everything not to look at his toned chest.

You had thought once or twice about what was beneath the immaculate, expensive suits he strutted around in. Not once had you imagined him to be so muscular and tanned. His physique was striking—a testament to strength and discipline. His shoulders were broad, tapering down to a well-defined chest and abs that rippled with each breath he took. Warm, golden skin hinted at time spent under the sun, contrasting sharply with the refined suits he usually wore.

“I’m going to take a shower, and then I’m going to bed.” He finished with the buttons, pulling his shirt from where it was tucked into the waistband of his trousers and pulling it off, throwing it to the floor.

Then he stood and unbuckled his belt, the sound of the metal clinking breaking the heavy tension in the air. With a single, fluid motion, he pulled it out of the belt loops, demonstrating an undeniably captivating casual confidence. You weren’t entirely sure how to react; you wouldn't ever admit you were a little impressed, maybe even turned on by the sight. The way his muscles flexed as he moved, combined with the confidence radiating from him, felt almost electric.

He tossed the belt aside, and as he did, your gaze unintentionally traced the sleek lines of his physique, the way the fabric of his pants hugged his form just right. There was a raw, primal energy at the moment that drew you in, igniting a flurry of emotions you never expected to feel.

"Damn it, I need to get some air," you muttered under your breath, feeling a little overwhelmed by the intensity of the situation. You moved to leave, but a firm hand grabbed your arm, halting your escape.

The grip wasn't painful, but it was firm enough to communicate a clear message: he wasn't going to let you leave that easily. The warmth of his fingers lingered on your skin, a reminder of his hold on you. It was a strange mixture of emotions that surged through you at that moment, uncertainty, frustration, and perhaps even a hint of something akin to attraction. The entire situation was far more complicated than you could have ever imagined, and as you looked back at his unwavering stare, you knew that things were only just beginning to get interesting.

“You know what Rosalee said, the closer we are, the more time she has to come up with a solution.” His voice was low but not threatening, he was behind you, but you could feel how close he was to you. Smell his aftershave, one step back and you would be pressed against him.

“What, you want me to shower with you?” You retorted, delivering the jab with a thinly veiled layer of annoyance while maintaining a playful edge. Your words were punctuated with the crisp sound of your footsteps echoing as you took a few steps away from him.

Being close to him felt overwhelmingly intense, as if an invisible force was drawing you towards him. It was something beyond logic, almost primal in its allure. It was wrong, he was a Wesen and you were a Grimm. The only emotion you should harbour was disdain, yet your body defied your mind, betraying you in ways you struggled to understand.

He shrugged his shoulders, the muscles of his body flexing. You tried not to look, but the glint In his eye intrigued you.

You let out a deep, exacerbated sigh and moved past him to sit on the bed, lying back and staring at the ceiling. The room was filled with the low hum of city life outside, a contrast to the thick tension inside. A few minutes later, the sound of the shower starting in his ensuite broke the silence, a rhythmic patter that seemed to echo your racing thoughts.

After a little while, you stood up, unable to shake the restlessness that clung to you. You wandered over to the large chest of drawers opposite his bed. It was an ornately carved piece, its craftsmanship a testament to a bygone era. Probably ancient and expensive, the rich wood gleamed under the soft light, a stark contrast to the sleek, modern lines of the condo. Everything around you felt slightly out of place, as though the furniture had memories of a castle's long-forgotten halls.

Slowly, you meandered to the window, pressing your forehead against the cool glass as you gazed out over the dark cityscape. The little lights dotted across the towering buildings surrounded you, the only signs of life in a city cloaked in shadow. It was a panoramic view that stretched out endlessly, reflecting the myriad of emotions swirling within you, a reminder that despite the darkness, life continued on.

As you turned back into the room, a soft rustling caught your eye. On one side of the bed lay silk pyjamas, meticulously folded, their sheen catching the ambient light. They seemed entirely in character for him, luxurious, understated elegance. But at the same time, the thought of him stripping off his suit and climbing into bed in silk pyjamas amused you.

You lingered a moment, absorbing the air of intimacy they suggested, before the sound of water ceasing pulled your attention. A sudden quiet took the room, amplifying the creak of the bathroom door as it opened.

“You sleep in silk pyjamas?” You asked, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of your mouth as you gestured towards the neatly folded ensemble on the bed.

You looked up at him, and the smile on your lips faltered slightly. He moved toward you with a measured calm, a towel slung low at his hips. His physique was striking, a testament to both discipline and natural grace. His abs were perfectly defined, each muscle sculpted with precision, leading down to the unmistakable V line that vanished beneath the fabric.

His skin, still glistening with droplets from the shower, seemed to glow under the soft light, highlighting the golden hue of his complexion. The sight of him walking so confidently, the play of muscles beneath his skin, was undeniably captivating, an electric mix of elegance and raw power that left an unexpected flutter in your chest.

He shrugged. “What would you prefer I sleep in?” he asked, a cocky nonchalance lacing his words.

You blinked, heat rising to your cheeks as you realised you had been caught staring. Embarrassment flooded over you, making it suddenly difficult to meet his gaze. Your eyes darted around the room, settling on anything but him, while a flurry of confusing feelings stirred within you.

“Just put some clothes on, I’ll be just outside the door,” you managed to say, keeping your voice as steady as possible. You walked past him, feeling his eyes on you, and sensed the warmth of his gaze following you as you stepped out of the room.

You closed the door and leaned against the wall, pressing your back to it and letting out a deep, long breath. This wasn’t like you, never had a man so completely disarmed you without even trying. Your thoughts were a jumble, a mix of surprise and undeniable attraction. Rubbing your eyes, you heard the door open. Turning, you saw Sean standing next to you, having decided to put on only the pyjama bottoms. His chest was bare, revealing the same captivating allure that left you flustered moments ago.

“I thought you said you were going to sleep?” You sighed.

“I figured that you might want to shower too. I laid some clothes out on the bed for you, and there’s a clean towel in the bathroom,” he said, his voice easygoing yet considerate. He moved to the wall across the corridor, leaning his back against it as he folded his arms. “I’ll wait here, you know, keeping a short distance between us and all.” His casual posture matched the familiar warmth in his tone, making the situation feel surprisingly normal amidst the chaos that had made up the majority of your evening.

You nodded, walked back into his room and closed the door. This was turning out to be quite different from what you had imagined.

The bell atop the door chimed softly as you stepped into the shop, a sound you had not expected to hear again for quite a while. The air was thick with the familiar scent of aged paper mingled with an array of spices and herbs, some recognisable, others lost to memory. Wooden shelves, bowing under the weight of countless books and jars, lined the walls, casting long shadows across the worn wooden floor beneath the dim glow of hanging lanterns.

Your gaze settled on the familiar silhouette of Rosalee, who leaned casually against the counter at the back, absorbed in a book. Her dark hair fell like a curtain around her face, and the gentle lamplight glinted off her round spectacles. She looked up, a little startled by the noise, having been so engrossed in the book that the sound of the bell at this late hour had made her jump. The cozy warmth of the shop provided a stark contrast to the chill of the night's air, and for a moment, you felt as if you had never left this quiet corner of the world.

“We’re clos-“ she started before her features twisted into a look of confusion. “Why are you here, shouldn’t you be back in Europe by now?” She asked, dropping the page she had been holding and moving to walk around the counter.

You were breathing hard, and her confusion quickly turned to worry as she stepped toward you. She stepped closer, her hand instinctively reaching out to brush your hair aside, revealing a bruise blooming just above your hairline. Tilting your head back, she examined your face; you hadn’t dared to check your reflection before entering, yet the sharp throb from the blow you had suffered lingered, echoing through the hours since it happened. In the brief time you had been apart, everything had spiralled into chaos, and you desperately hoped she could provide the help you so urgently needed.

“What happened?” Her expression turning fierce, her Wesson self flashing across her face for a moment with the sudden change of emotion.

She stole a glance over her shoulder, as if anticipating someone to burst through the door of the shop at any moment.

“Yeah, I have a little bit of a problem,” you started, placing your hands on your hips and taking a breath, not really sure how you were going to explain the situation to her. You weren't entirely sure that you genuinely understood it yourself. “Is Monroe here? I could really use his help with something, and then I’ll explain to you exactly why I’m not where I am supposed to be.”

*  “Right, he’s secured to the chair, but look, I promised I’d go help Nick with something.” Monroe placed his hands on his hips and looked from Rosalee to you. “I can get him over here if you want to make this a team effort?”

Then he looked at Captain Sean Renard, the imposing figure now tied to a wooden chair that creaked under his weight. He didn’t move. His head had fallen forward, obscuring a face that was usually so composed, so commanding. It was a stark reminder of the chaos that had unfolded. Monroe and you had been forced to haul him into the shop, grappling with the bulk of the unconscious man and hauling him into the Spice Shop. Rosalee stood to one side, her brow furrowed with a mix of trepidation and determination. The air in the room hung heavy with tension. This was bad.

“You should go,” Rosalee said with a nod and a small smile, a determined look taking over her features. “We can handle this.”

“You sure, this seems like something we should all help with, I mean a love spell on the Captain. That’s really gonna suck, how are you going to explain it to him when he wakes up?”

“He already knows, he’s the one who came to me about it. Hell, it was his idea for me to knock him out.” You folded your arms and shot a sideways look at the Captain.

“Damn, I bet you enjoyed that.” Smirked Monroe.

“Come on now, don’t say things like that. You should really get going; you can’t keep Nick waiting. It might be important,” Rosalee spoke gently, her gaze softening.

Monroe chuckled, a roll of his eyes indicating he knew he was being mildly reprimanded, but also that he wasn’t truly sorry for his comment. “Alright, alright,” he conceded, waving a hand dismissively.

With one last look at the Captain, who shifted ever so slightly in his sleep, Monroe turned to leave.

You heard the bell jingle, signifying the three of you were now alone in the shop. It was quiet, it had already been late by the time you had arrived. You glanced down at your watch, it was nearing ten pm. You should have been back in England this time last night.

“I should lock the door,” Rosalee said, her voice barely above a whisper as she moved towards the door frame. Her footsteps were quiet on the creaky floor, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of thoughts no doubt racing through her mind. The weight of the situation seemed to press in around the room, thick and tangible, as her fingers hovered over the door handle.

“Leave it," you interjected, startling her slightly. "There’s the closed sign on the front, right? If this goes bad, we’re going to need Nick and Monroe here ASAP, and I’m not sure if I want a locked door between them and us.” Your voice was steady, but beneath it lay a current of underlying tension. The open door was a lifeline, a connection to support and safety.

Rosalee paused, her brow furrowing in contemplation. "Yeah, but what if someone comes in and sees the police captain tied to a chair in the back of my shop?” Her voice held a tinge of worry, an understandable concern given the bizarre tableau that lay behind you.

“Well, we can just say it’s his kink,” you laughed, your attempt at humour lightening the mood for a fleeting moment. Your comment earned you a slight smile from her, a brief respite from the gravity of the situation.

“You do not say that,” came Sean's voice, suddenly cutting through the semi-darkness like a sharp blade slicing through silk. The two of you turned toward him, his jaw clenched, an unmistakable scowl etched onto his features.

The room hummed with tension, the air charged as his icy gaze flickered between both of you, a mix of incredulity and simmering irritation in his intense eyes. For a heartbeat, the room held its breath, as if anticipating the storm that could follow in the wake of Sean’s displeasure. Yet, even in his current state, there was a peculiar spark of humour in his eye. Sean, despite everything, seemed poised to navigate this ordeal with his characteristic blend of severity and unexpected wit.

Sean parted his lips just slightly, rocking his lower jaw from side to side, and for a fleeting moment, guilt washed over you at the memory of how hard you had struck him. A faint bruise was beginning to blossom at the edge of his jaw, a visible mark of the confrontation that had just transpired. It was a stark reminder of the violence that had been done, and for a fleeting moment, you couldn't shake the dread of him somehow overpowering the restraints binding him to the chair. Your gaze fell on Sean once again, studying him with a mix of curiosity and concern. It was indeed a weird sight, the imposing figure of the Captain, usually so commanding and confident, now utterly helpless, tied to a chair. There was something about it that stirred something within you—a strange allure in seeing such a strong man so utterly vulnerable.

“Oh good, you're awake.” you muttered, stepping towards him, Rosalee following you. “Now you get to tell her what you told me.”

“That was one hell of a right hook.” He glanced up at you for a moment before shifting his focus to Rosalee.

“He's lucid?” She asked, looking at you wide-eyed.

“Ugh, yeah. Why?”

“Love spells typically make people entirely infatuated with the person they have been cursed to obsess over. Typically, as it gets stronger, they begin to lose their faculties to the point where they’re unable to so much as string a sentence together.”

“Well, maybe it works differently for him as he’s a Royal half-breed or something?” You leant against the bench, folding your arms, looking Sean up and down.

His expression was anything but amused, likely a reaction to your flippant remark about his birth status. A pang of sympathy tugged at you; he looked worn out, more so than you'd ever seen him in the months you've known him. Beads of sweat began to form on his brow, a sign that the spell or potion he'd been given was taking its toll. You understood the gravity of the situation. There was no pleasant or straightforward resolution to this situation, and it certainly wouldn’t resolve itself on its own. Time wasn’t on your side.

Rosalee recognised the gravity of his predicament, realising it was more urgent than she had first thought.

“Right, before we do anything we need to figure out what someone has given him, how potent it is and how long since he ingested it. We will have no hope of curing him until we figure out what the hell is wrong with him.”

“So this somewhat feels a little bit like conventional medicine.” You muttered as she handed you a heavy book.

She dismissed you with a glance and shifted her attention to Sean.

“What exactly are you feeling?” She inquired, opening her book, glancing at the page before turning her gaze back to him.

He cast a glance at Rosalee, then turned to you before tightening his jaw, remaining silent.

“Did you not hear her, if we don’t know what this is, we can’t fix it.” You stated, stepping next to her and scowling at him.

He let out a deep sigh, his eyes falling to the floor as he chewed the inside of him cheek. “I don’t know. It’s just when I’m not around her, it almost feels painful. It started just like a dull ache when you miss someone, but over the last two days it has got so intense that I almost feel robbed of air when I don’t have her in sight.” He stated, not meeting the eyes of either of you.

The way he was acting amused you a little, here he was the Bastard Prince, who was usually so imposing and confident. Tied to a chair, unable to look you in the eye. There was something about it that stirred something within you. You liked seeing such a strong man so utterly helpless, no, you liked seeing Sean Renard tied to a chair.

You turned your gaze toward Rosalee, who seemed blissfully unaware of the amusement you found in the situation. Instead, she was engrossed in her book, her hand skimming rapidly across the pages before she flipped to the next one, continuing the motion with a determined efficiency. A scowl marred her features as she studied the text, which set your teeth on edge. You had hoped for a straightforward solution. You had been hoping that this would be a simple fix, maybe someone yourself or Nick had some dealings with that was left unhappy. Perhaps someone who wanted to inconvenience you a little, but by the looks of things, I was a little more complicated than that. Or perhaps just someone who had it out for the police captain, he must have made a fair few enemies in his line of work.

“What else is there?” Rosalee inquired, glancing up from her book, her expression a mixture of expectation and urgency.

“What do you mean by that, 'what else?'” Sean responded, his voice tinged with irritation. His scathing glance flicked to Rosalee before his focus shifted to you, a silent demand for clarity embedded in the depths of his gaze.

Rosalee met his eyes with unwavering resolve. “You need to tell us everything, Sean. Every little detail, no matter how insignificant it might seem to you. We’re grasping at straws here, and anything might be the key to unraveling this mess.”

She turned back to her book, scanning the pages with diligent determination, the sound of rustling paper punctuating the tension in the room. You could almost see the gears turning in her mind, fitting puzzle pieces together in an intricate attempt to uncover the truth.

Sean sighed, seemingly weighing his words with the same careful precision as someone picking their way through a minefield. His gaze softened, the irritation giving way to a flicker of resignation. The truth, however small, was what they needed, and behind his initial resistance, he knew it.

“There’s… a lot,” he began, hesitantly, his voice subdued, “but I’ll tell you what I can. I know that my family is behind it, and that they most certainly don’t care if I die. That they have power and money at their disposal, so it is likely complicated and an expensive potion.” He shrugged his shoulders.

He didn’t seem overly bothered by the potential death he was facing down, and you couldn’t tell if he genuinely didn’t care, or he was just brilliant at hiding it.

Rosalee let out a deep sigh and then turned back to the previous page of her book. This was definitely worse than you thought it would be, if his family were behind it, then there might be the risk that Rosalee couldn't undo whatever spell or potion had been placed on him. You chewed at the inside of your cheek, your body ached, and you wanted nothing more than to collapse into the little bed that Rosalee had set up in this little room. That wouldn't be of any assistance, and you didn’t know how much longer Sean would be able to control himself. Even though he was a half-Zauberbiest, he was strong. You were sure if you would be able to get him back into the chair if he managed to escape from it.

“Tell her what you told me at the airport.” You said putting down the book Rosalee gave you.

He clenched his jaw, his eyes darting between you and Rosalee, yet he chose to remain silent.

“What happened at the Airport?” Rosalee questioned looking from him to you.

“Just watch,” you said, turning from the two of them and walking from the back room to the front of the shop.

The second you left the room, you could hear Sean grunt in pain, you gave it a few seconds before you walked back into the room. Sean was red in the face and slightly more sweaty than he had been when you had left him.

“It physically hurts him when you walk too far from him?” Rosalee glanced down at her book before lifting her gaze to meet yours.

“Yep, he damn near passed out when he found me at the airport. The further I go, the more it hurts and as far as I can tell, it's getting worse.” You took a deep breath and leant back against the table.

“I am assuming you didn’t come here straight way, then, if it hurts him that much just for you to be in a different room?”

“Nope, he said that he could figure out what it was and well that was yesterday. I persuaded him to come here.”

“And he’s tied up…because.”

You gestured toward the bruise blossoming on your forehead. In turn, Rosalee cast a disdainful glance at Sean, her scowl deepening.

“I didn’t mean to.” He reasoned. “I don’t know what this feeling is, but it is intense, the idea of her being anywhere but right here with me, well, it. It makes me violent.”

“He didn’t mean to, I just tried to leave the room and well you saw how much that hurt him, so he stopped me.”

“You’re lucky you’re a Grimm, I doubt that anyone else would have been able to manhandle a Hybrid Royal here without serious injury.” She clutched the book she was holding against herself and then looked at you with a sorry expression.

“Can we hurry this along, I do have work to get back to.” Stated Sean, the irritation evident in his voice.

“Right,” Rosalee started, letting out a sigh and turning back to him. “What are your feelings?”

“What are my- what do you mean?” He asked looked at her, a confused scowl twisting his features.

“How do you feel about her, what is the key emotion? Hate, anger, obsession, love?”

There was a flicker of something in his eye as spoke the last word, but it was gone in little more than a blink of an eye. Slow enough for you to detect, but not slow enough for you to decipher.

“I don’t know, all I know is if I am not near her, it’s like my body is on fire.”

Rosalee looked to you and then back to him, before stepping towards the bookshelf. She placed the book she was holding on the small table to her left, and then pulled another book from the shelf. Shuffling through the pages, she frowned at it before replacing it on the shelf and pulling out another. You watched her in silence until her expression changed as she read the fourth book she had pulled from the shelf.

“It could be a strong obsession potion, I don’t think it’s anything to do with love. He wouldn't be able to string a sentence together.” She turned to you and looked up from the book.

“Great, now how do I make him less obsessed?”

“With another potion,” she smiled.

*  Forty-five minutes later, you were staring down into the pot on the portable stove top Rosalee had put on the table in the middle of the room. Arranged on the table was a wild assortment of things, some of which you could name and others you couldn’t even attempt to pronounce the word scribbled onto their aged labels. Some aromas coming off the items were pleasant, most, however, were not.

“I don’t have to drink this, right?” You asked, looking down at the gloopy, disgustingly thick brown goo she has spent so much time concocting.

“No, but you do have to put your blood in it and then hold the pot while he drinks it.” A smile played on her face and the two of you glanced at Sean.

He had been quiet for most of the time, only making a noise when you went to move out of the backroom into the front of the shop to collect one of the things on Rosalee’s list. Forgetting for a moment how he reacted when you moved out of sight.

“You sure you want to try this?” Whispered Rosalee, low enough that Sean likely wouldn’t hear. “I mean, having a Royal slash Police Captain fiercely protective of you might be fun.” She smirked.

She always had an opinion about the two of you, firmly convinced there was something brewing between you both. Regardless of how much you insisted you wouldn’t touch the man even if he were the last one on earth, there was an undeniable spark in her smile that made you certain she didn’t believe you.

“Behave, him freaking out and writhing in agony when I leave the room isn’t any use to me at all.”

“Well, you could have worse people obsessed with you.”

“Having Zauberbiest obsessed with me is really not something I want to deal with right now. You know, being a Grimm and all, I doubt that will really work out all that well.”

“Okay, okay…” she grabbed your finger and poked it with a needle.

You winced as she squeezed it, drops of your blood falling into the liquid. To your surprise, the brown sludge turned a colour that more closely resembled a strawberry milkshake.

“Oh, that sucks, I was enjoying the idea of him slurping down the nasty stuff.”

“I can hear you, you know.” Muttered Sean.

You turned to see him glaring at you, those dark eyes looked you up and down before he clenched his jaw again. He looked a little worse than he did before the two of you started. You could see his chest rising and falling fast, as though he had just finished running. And he was a little sweatier.

“It’s still going to taste pretty awful,” Rosalee remarked as she carefully poured the potion into a glass. “But it should do the trick and cure him.”

“Should?” You raised your eyebrow as she handed you the glass. “What do you mean should?”

"Well, if it is an obsession spell, then it will get rid of it," she explained confidently.

“And if it isn’t?” You glanced down at the liquid, grimacing as you caught a whiff of it.

"It won’t do anything, and we will be back to the drawing board," Rosalee added with a resigned sigh.

You raised your eyebrows and let out a sigh, turning to Sean. Despite the weariness that clung to him, he was undeniably captivating. His strong jaw and intense eyes drew you in, even more so now with that unguarded look. His gaze held an energy that seemed to spark and flicker, revealing a depth of emotion that was difficult to ignore. In that fleeting moment, even tied to a chair, his presence was utterly magnetic, imbued with a rugged charm that was impossible to resist. Stepping forwards, you watched as he visibly relaxed a little.

“It’s getting worse, isn't it?” You asked.

You watched his Adams apple bob in his throat as he swallowed and nodded at you. “Yeah.”

“Well, let’s hope this works.” You stated stepping forwards and placing your free hand on the back of his head, your other hand holding the glass, moving it to his lips.

He grimaced at the smell, his nose wrinkling in distaste, but sealed his lips to the glass as you began to tilt it. The liquid sloshed as it met his mouth, and he drank quickly in big gulps, determined to get it over with. A brief choke caught him off guard, his throat bobbing uneasily, but he pressed on, swallowing the strange concoction as fast as he could manage. When the glass was finally empty, he exhaled in relief as you pulled it away, releasing your gentle grip from the back of his head. A moment's pause allowed him to catch his breath, the tension in his muscles loosening with each passing second. Hopefully, this would put an end to whatever the hell was happening to him.

He pulled a face and looked up at you, you laughed and he frowned. Carefully, you raised your sleeve and wiped the milkshake like moustache the potion had left on his upper lip. You then joined Rosalee, who had sat down on the edge of the bed a little off to Seans right. Placing the glass on the bedside table, you looked at her.

“How long is it going to take for this thing to work?” you asked, your voice tinged with both curiosity and impatience as you looked Sean up and down.

“I don’t know, I say we give it five minutes and then test it. If it’s working, then you should be able to walk out of the room without him writhing in agony.” Rosalee replied, her tone measured and hopeful.

You put your head in your hands and let out a deep, exasperated sigh. It felt like you were running on fumes, the stress of the last day weighing heavily on your shoulders. The whirlwind of emotions and tension had taken its toll, leaving you feeling drained and weary.

“You don’t happen to have any aspirin, do you, my head is killing me,” you said, your voice tinged with pain as you pinched the bridge of your nose.

Rosalee smiled and nodded before getting up and disappearing out of the room. She came back a few minutes later with a glass of water and something that definitely was not aspirin. You looked down at the root looking thing in her hand and then back up at her.

“It will work better than aspirin. You chew it slightly, then swallow.” Rosalee smiled and nodded reassuringly.

You eyed her suspiciously but took the root, chewed it a few times and then swallowed, taking a mouthful of the water to wash away the slight tangy bitterness of the root.

Then you stood and moved towards Sean. He visibly relaxed once more as you got a little closer, your presence easing the pain he was feeling. Gently, you placed your hand on the back of his head and helped him to drink the water. When he finished, he nodded at you in thanks, a silent acknowledgment of the comfort your closeness brought.

“I guess it didn’t work?” You whispered, chewing the inside of your cheek as he shook his head.

“So it’s not an obsession potion.” Stated Rosalee, picking at the dry skin on her bottom lip.

“Not a love potion and not an obsession potion, I really think we are running out of options here.” You stated stepping away from Sean.

He grunted, and the two of you turned towards him.

“And time.” Said Rosalee as you watched the vein in Seans neck poke out as he clenched his jaw and started at the ground. “You stay close to him, there’s no point in putting him through more pain than he needs, we will figure this out.”

She disappeared back into the front of the shop, and the soft, familiar sound of the ladder being wheeled along the shelves reached your ears. Carefully, you stepped closer to Sean. It was becoming clear that being more than a few feet away from him was starting to affect him, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly with each step you took towards him.

“What the hell is this?” You asked out loud, looking at him relax increasingly with every step you took closer to him.

As you stood in front of him, he looked up, his eyes meeting yours. He shrugged, tilting his head back and taking some deep breaths, relieved the pain was somewhat eased up a little.

“If it was getting this bad, you really should have mentioned something.” You continued looking down at him and crossing your arms.

He let out a small laugh, his green eyes sparkling with amusement. His smile was cocky, revealing a flash of his straight, white teeth. The lines around his eyes and mouth deepened with his expression, adding a certain warmth to his face.

“You look like a school teacher scolding me.” He mumbled, adjusting in the seat a little.

You were about to quip something back, but Rosalee burst into the room.

“I have something!” She announced, brushing the items on the table out of the way with her forearm and thumping a heavy book down on the table.

“A cure?” You asked, stepping away from Sean, which drew a pained grunt from his lips.

You shot him an apologetic look and stepped closer to him.

“No, but it should buy us, if we’re lucky, another day to figure out what the hell is wrong with him.” She didn’t look up from the book, just hurriedly started grabbing ingredients.

She had been working in silence for a little more than ten minutes, her focus unwavering as she hurriedly prepared the items she needed to brew the potion. You could hear the soft clink of glass bottles and the rustle of parchment as she gathered her ingredients with practiced ease. Despite your curiosity, when you'd gently inquired about the concoction she was preparing, she had merely shushed you, too absorbed in her work to spare you a glance.

Left to your devices, you began to pace around Sean. The invisible tether binding you to him meant you couldn't move more than three feet away, so you resorted to a slow, rhythmic pacing back and forth behind him. The space felt much like a cage, limiting and unyielding. Each step was careful and measured, a dance you were forced to partake in as you both waited in the small, tense room. The repetitive motion became both a comfort and a reminder of the strange predicament you now found yourselves entwined in.

“Can you please stop that.” Sean, glanced back at you over his shoulder.

Stopping, you turned to look at him.

“No.” You stated and turned and began pacing again.

"Please," he implored softly, his voice carrying a surprising note of vulnerability that caught you off guard.

Turning to look at him, he was still looking at you over his shoulder. He looked more tired than he had when the two of the two of you had arrived. Whatever the potion or spell was, it didn’t look as though he had all that much time left.

“I don’t think I have ever heard you use that word before.” You smirked, shaking your head at how pathetic the word sounded coming out of his mouth.

"Well, extreme circumstances," he shrugged, his tone casual as he tried to downplay the situation with a hint of resignation.

There was something about him, even though he was sweating and looked as though he was uncomfortable, he didn’t seem as uptight as he usually did. There wasn’t the same sense of superiority as he typically had lurking around him. It was as though the carefully crafted shield of charisma and sarcasm was starting to falter.

"I can’t move more than three feet from you, without you writhing around in agony and forgive me, but I don’t really want to stand there and stare at you. I’m tired, and my legs hurt," you said, your voice a mix of exasperation and defeat.

"Then why are you pacing?" he asked, a curious blend of irritation and genuine interest lacing his words.

"It makes them hurt less," you explained with a resigned sigh.

"Come here," he instructed, a gentle yet firm command in his voice.

"I'm already here, like I said, no more than three feet," you replied, a hint of frustration tinging your words.

He glanced over his shoulder once more, his large green eyes unexpectedly gentle. With a subtle tilt of his head, he urged you to shift to a spot where he wouldn’t have to exert himself so much to catch your gaze.

With a deep sigh, you turned to face him. His gaze tracked your movements.

"What do you want, another glass of water?" you asked, your voice laced with a mix of curiosity and gentle teasing, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Sit on my lap," he said with a surprising nonchalance, the words slipping out as if it were the most natural request in the world.

"What?" you replied, eyebrows raised, the suddenness of his request catching you completely off guard.

"Sit on my lap. Your legs hurt, but you can’t be more than a few feet from me. Sit on my lap, then your feet won't hurt, and I won't be in pain. It’s starting to become insufferable," he explained, his expression sincere, devoid of his usual scowl.

“Well, I can just sit over there.” You replied, gesturing to the bed about five feet away. “It would just hurt you, not me.”

“Please.” This time it sounded more like he was begging than pleading.

“There it is, that word again.” You laughed, folding your arms.

“Hey Rosalee, how long is this going to take?” Sean asked, looking past you and over to your friend.

You glanced over your shoulder at her, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration as she carefully measured a fine, dark powder in a worn metal spoon. The steam from the pot curled upwards, a swirling dance against the warm light of the room. With a steady hand, she poured the powder into the cauldron of bubbling liquid, its surface hissing in protest.

“Uh, if I get this right, it should be ready in about ten minutes.” She didn’t look up from her books as she spoke.

“You want to pace around for another ten minutes?” He inquired, his head tilting ever so slightly to one side.

You shut your eyes, releasing a long, exasperated breath before opening them again to find his green gaze upon you.

“Fine.” You said, shaking your head in disbelief and turning and sitting on his lap.

“I said sit, not perch.” His voice was low and commanding, you could feel his breath on the back of your neck.

You rose and then sank back down, pressing against his solid form. Instantly, the ache in your feet and legs dissipated, relieved now that they no longer bore your weight. Yet, your mind began to betray you; his sturdy presence, anchoring you, sparked a flurry of thoughts. You wondered what it would be like if he weren’t bound to the chair, how it might feel to have him lean into you, enveloping you in his embrace. You envisioned the sweetness of his lips against your neck, a gentle touch that lingered on your skin.

“Who would have through that a little over two months ago, you were trying to kill me.” His voice once again low, this time there was a hint of something else in it, something that you were starting to figure out the meaning of.

"Well, I am a Grimm, but now we only kill the terrible ones. And as far as everyone is concerned, you’re one of the bad ones," you replied, your voice level and calm, despite the tension in the room.

“So, I’m the reason you came all the way over here?” You felt him move slightly under you.

“You already know the answer to that question, Sean. Now, how do you think someone got you to drink the potion?” You asked trying to sit as still as possible, attempting to figure out if this was more or less uncomfortable than standing.

“I don’t know, in my coffee perhaps or one of the snacks I keep in my drawer,” Sean mused, a thoughtful look crossing his face.

“You keep snacks in your drawer?”

"Long hours and I can’t always be bothered to make dinner when I get home," he admitted with a shrug, a hint of tired resignation in his voice.

You raised your eyebrows, forgetting for a moment that he couldn’t see the expression on your face.

“It's done,” stated Rosalee, turning around, her eyes falling on the two of you. “Did it get worse?”

You jumped up from his lap and turned to look at him.

“Yeah, a little bit, I can’t move more than three feet from him without him complaining about it.”

“This should help.” she moved forwards and handed you a small vial filled with a green liquid that looked as though she had just bottled up swamp water.

“Is it a cure?” Sean asked, his eyes fixed on the vial in your hand, a grimace tugging at his lips as he considered the murky liquid inside.

“No, but it should buy me some time to figure out what the hell you are infected with and how to cure it.”

“Does that mean you can untie me from the chair?” He looked from you to her, his expression hopeful.

"Yep, it will dampen the negative effects of whatever it is you have," she reassured, her voice steady and confident as she met his gaze.

You shrugged and turned to him, and pressed the vial to his lips as he tilted back his head.

“How long does this one take to work?” you inquired, your brow furrowed with a hint of concern.

“Should just be moments, move in the direction of the door.”

You eyed her a little suspiciously before taking a step away from Sean, he looked you up and down but didn’t writhe around in pain. Cautiously you took another step, again nothing. After a few moments, you had made it all the way into the shop and out of sight.

“You can come back in now, I think we have more than confirmed that it works.” Called Rosalee.

You sighed and moved back around the counter into the back, where Rosalee was leaning against a table and Sean was still tied to the chair.

“So how long is this going to work, I’m looking forwards to spending a little time away from him.” you addressed Rosalee, not looking at Sean while you spoke.

“Well there's the catch, it will give us about a day give or take. But the further you are from each other, the shorter the time will be.”

“So there is no hope of me getting a hotel for the night and spending a little time forgetting about this whole thing?” you asked, your tone edged with frustration and longing for a momentary escape.

"No you need to stay together, this is the sort of potion that only works the once, so if the two of you could give me as much time as you can to figure this out the more likely he will live through this," she explained, her tone urgent yet calm.

“You should stay with me until we have this figured out.” Sean interjected.

You turned to him, the reality of his situation washing over you like a cold wave. For a moment, you had almost forgotten that he was still tied to the chair, a powerful figure reduced to a position of helplessness. Sean met your gaze with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine.

Raising your eyebrows, you felt a mixture of disbelief and reluctant understanding. There was no way you were going to argue your way out of this one; the urgency in Rosalee's voice rang too loudly in your mind. It was as if the room had narrowed down to just the two of you, the air thick with unspoken thoughts.

With a reluctant sigh, you folded your arms, aware that your disagreement would lead nowhere. Instead, you shifted your focus to Sean, taking in the way his brows knitted together with a mix of frustration and vulnerability. There was something poignant about seeing him there, a man typically full of authority now trapped in this bizarre situation. It was eye-opening, and as much as you wanted to dismiss it all, a part of you was curious about what it meant for both of you moving forward.

* He pulled his suit jacket off with a fluid motion, the fabric slipping off his shoulders and landing on the chair next to his chest of drawers with a soft thud. As he moved, there was an effortless grace to his actions, honed from years of command. He sat down on his bed, the mattress shifting slightly beneath him, and began to unbutton his shirt.

With each button he deftly released, the fabric parted to reveal the defined contours of his chest, a blend of strength and vulnerability. He paused for a brief moment, his hands lingering on the last button, as if contemplating the transition from his polished, professional facade to something more raw and exposed. Finally, he let the shirt fall away, the material cascading down until it lay crumpled at his side, leaving him clad only in pants, showcasing his muscular physique.

“What the hell are you doing?” You asked, folding your arms and looking at him with the most disapproving look you could muster, doing everything not to look at his toned chest.

You had thought once or twice about what was beneath the immaculate, expensive suits he strutted around in. Not once had you imagined him to be so muscular and tanned. His physique was striking—a testament to strength and discipline. His shoulders were broad, tapering down to a well-defined chest and abs that rippled with each breath he took. Warm, golden skin hinted at time spent under the sun, contrasting sharply with the refined suits he usually wore.

“I’m going to take a shower, and then I’m going to bed.” He finished with the buttons, pulling his shirt from where it was tucked into the waistband of his trousers and pulling it off, throwing it to the floor.

Then he stood and unbuckled his belt, the sound of the metal clinking breaking the heavy tension in the air. With a single, fluid motion, he pulled it out of the belt loops, demonstrating an undeniably captivating casual confidence. You weren’t entirely sure how to react; you wouldn't ever admit you were a little impressed, maybe even turned on by the sight. The way his muscles flexed as he moved, combined with the confidence radiating from him, felt almost electric.

He tossed the belt aside, and as he did, your gaze unintentionally traced the sleek lines of his physique, the way the fabric of his pants hugged his form just right. There was a raw, primal energy at the moment that drew you in, igniting a flurry of emotions you never expected to feel.

"Damn it, I need to get some air," you muttered under your breath, feeling a little overwhelmed by the intensity of the situation. You moved to leave, but a firm hand grabbed your arm, halting your escape.

The grip wasn't painful, but it was firm enough to communicate a clear message: he wasn't going to let you leave that easily. The warmth of his fingers lingered on your skin, a reminder of his hold on you. It was a strange mixture of emotions that surged through you at that moment, uncertainty, frustration, and perhaps even a hint of something akin to attraction. The entire situation was far more complicated than you could have ever imagined, and as you looked back at his unwavering stare, you knew that things were only just beginning to get interesting.

“You know what Rosalee said, the closer we are, the more time she has to come up with a solution.” His voice was low but not threatening, he was behind you, but you could feel how close he was to you. Smell his aftershave, one step back and you would be pressed against him.

“What, you want me to shower with you?” You retorted, delivering the jab with a thinly veiled layer of annoyance while maintaining a playful edge. Your words were punctuated with the crisp sound of your footsteps echoing as you took a few steps away from him.

Being close to him felt overwhelmingly intense, as if an invisible force was drawing you towards him. It was something beyond logic, almost primal in its allure. It was wrong, he was a Wesen and you were a Grimm. The only emotion you should harbour was disdain, yet your body defied your mind, betraying you in ways you struggled to understand.

He shrugged his shoulders, the muscles of his body flexing. You tried not to look, but the glint In his eye intrigued you.

You let out a deep, exacerbated sigh and moved past him to sit on the bed, lying back and staring at the ceiling. The room was filled with the low hum of city life outside, a contrast to the thick tension inside. A few minutes later, the sound of the shower starting in his ensuite broke the silence, a rhythmic patter that seemed to echo your racing thoughts.

After a little while, you stood up, unable to shake the restlessness that clung to you. You wandered over to the large chest of drawers opposite his bed. It was an ornately carved piece, its craftsmanship a testament to a bygone era. Probably ancient and expensive, the rich wood gleamed under the soft light, a stark contrast to the sleek, modern lines of the condo. Everything around you felt slightly out of place, as though the furniture had memories of a castle's long-forgotten halls.

Slowly, you meandered to the window, pressing your forehead against the cool glass as you gazed out over the dark cityscape. The little lights dotted across the towering buildings surrounded you, the only signs of life in a city cloaked in shadow. It was a panoramic view that stretched out endlessly, reflecting the myriad of emotions swirling within you, a reminder that despite the darkness, life continued on.

As you turned back into the room, a soft rustling caught your eye. On one side of the bed lay silk pyjamas, meticulously folded, their sheen catching the ambient light. They seemed entirely in character for him, luxurious, understated elegance. But at the same time, the thought of him stripping off his suit and climbing into bed in silk pyjamas amused you.

You lingered a moment, absorbing the air of intimacy they suggested, before the sound of water ceasing pulled your attention. A sudden quiet took the room, amplifying the creak of the bathroom door as it opened.

“You sleep in silk pyjamas?” You asked, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of your mouth as you gestured towards the neatly folded ensemble on the bed.

You looked up at him, and the smile on your lips faltered slightly. He moved toward you with a measured calm, a towel slung low at his hips. His physique was striking, a testament to both discipline and natural grace. His abs were perfectly defined, each muscle sculpted with precision, leading down to the unmistakable V line that vanished beneath the fabric.

His skin, still glistening with droplets from the shower, seemed to glow under the soft light, highlighting the golden hue of his complexion. The sight of him walking so confidently, the play of muscles beneath his skin, was undeniably captivating, an electric mix of elegance and raw power that left an unexpected flutter in your chest.

He shrugged. “What would you prefer I sleep in?” he asked, a cocky nonchalance lacing his words.

You blinked, heat rising to your cheeks as you realised you had been caught staring. Embarrassment flooded over you, making it suddenly difficult to meet his gaze. Your eyes darted around the room, settling on anything but him, while a flurry of confusing feelings stirred within you.

“Just put some clothes on, I’ll be just outside the door,” you managed to say, keeping your voice as steady as possible. You walked past him, feeling his eyes on you, and sensed the warmth of his gaze following you as you stepped out of the room.

You closed the door and leaned against the wall, pressing your back to it and letting out a deep, long breath. This wasn’t like you, never had a man so completely disarmed you without even trying. Your thoughts were a jumble, a mix of surprise and undeniable attraction. Rubbing your eyes, you heard the door open. Turning, you saw Sean standing next to you, having decided to put on only the pyjama bottoms. His chest was bare, revealing the same captivating allure that left you flustered moments ago.

“I thought you said you were going to sleep?” You sighed.

“I figured that you might want to shower too. I laid some clothes out on the bed for you, and there’s a clean towel in the bathroom,” he said, his voice easygoing yet considerate. He moved to the wall across the corridor, leaning his back against it as he folded his arms. “I’ll wait here, you know, keeping a short distance between us and all.” His casual posture matched the familiar warmth in his tone, making the situation feel surprisingly normal amidst the chaos that had made up the majority of your evening.

You nodded, walked back into his room and closed the door. This was turning out to be quite different from what you had imagined.

A Link to My Complete Inventory

[0ciestiel0]

In my Grimm obsession and my Renhardt obsession I’ve made my first Renhardt edit with an unintentional emphasis on Sean Renard. I stand by Grimm underused him and cheated him by not making him full Zauberbiest but that’s a separate post. Anyway I hope there’s some fellow Renhardt enthusiasts out there! I just think they would have been such a good couple.

(Fav canon is Monroe/Rosalee. No one was more adorable than those two.)

[mikaela-granger]

The Long Wait - Chapter 2

Fandom: Grimm

Pairing: Sean Renard/OFC

The Long Wait Masterlist

I am using Danielle Campbell to help imagine what Lorelei looks like.

Lorelei Burkhardt had grown up hearing about soulmates. Her Aunt Marie would tell her and her brother Nick that their parents were soulmates, and how happy they had been. Lorelei didn’t remember her parents, as she had been a baby when they died. It was a few months before her first birthday when they had died in a car accident. Her aunt didn’t share a lot of stories about her late sister and her husband, so Lorelei had to rely on Nick and what he remembered about them.

Lorelei was four when she asked Aunt Marie about the mark on her arm. Marie had explained that it was her soulmate mark, and it would help her to find her soulmate. Lorelei had asked if Marie had one. Marie confirmed she did and when asked about her soulmate, the subject was swiftly changed. Her big brother was happy to show his soulmark to his sister and shared everything he knew about soulmates. Through Nick, Lorelei learnt that most soulmarks were a solid colour, while theirs (and as she later learned, Aunt Marie’s) had an ombre look to them. Similar colours that melded into each other. It wasn’t rare, but not exactly common.

When Lorelei started school, her soulmark wasn’t the only thing that made her different. Within weeks of starting kindergarten, it was obvious that Lorelei was gifted. As she grew up, she had spent a lot of time around her older brother, reading his textbooks and listening as he grumbled over algebra and calculus.  She could already read at a level that far exceeded her peers and could do maths equations off the top of her head. Marie was encouraged to approve Lorelei being moved ahead to the third grade. She would only allow Lorelei to skip to the first grade for the time being, as she wanted Lorelei to have some normalcy. However, by the time Nick left for college, Marie conceded to have Lorelei start middle school. Lorelei had begun to misbehave and school administrators believed it was because she was bored with elementary school work. So, at the age of 8, Lorelei started middle school, three years before those who were the same age as her were due to start.

Being placed with students older than her, she would hear her classmates gush over the soulmates, wondering what their soulmate was like or wondering if the boy they a crush on had was their soulmate. It was the first time she was hearing about soulmates from a different perspective, that of a pre-teen and teenage girls. Lorelei started wondering about her own soulmate. She knew that she was born with her soulmark, so that meant her soulmate was older than her. She wondered what they were like, how much older than her they were, would they think she was weird for being smarter than most people. Although Lorelei did have friends from school, including a couple she made in kindergarten, she still felt different and there were people who treated her as if she was a freak due to her intelligence. However, she did not spend a lot of time dwelling on it as she was racing through middle school and started high school while Nick started his final year of college.

It was during high school, when colleges began to actively recruit Lorelei, when Lorelei began to put a lot of thought into what she wanted to do in the future. Thoughts of her soulmate were pushed to the back of mind, as her teachers encouraged her to consider medicine, physics, biology, or engineering. Medicine appealed the most, but she didn’t want to become Doogie Howser.  She did, however, discover Public Health and something about it spoke to her.

By the time Lorelei had finished high school, she was almost thirteen and had been admitted to John Hopkins University to study Public Health. It had taken lots of begging for Aunt Marie to agree. Since Nick had finished college and was living his life as a rookie police officer, Aunt Marie and Lorelei left Portland and travelled across the country so Lorelei could attend the college of her choice.

College brought Lorelei back to thinking about her soulmate and dating in general. She had friends and classmates who were meeting their soulmates, some were getting married and starting families. Lorelei had never dated anyone, and there were not exactly people her own age at school that she could date. Nick had jokingly said she could date when she finished college. Marie however remembered being a teenager, and told Lorelei if she was going to date, make sure it was someone her own age.

Marie also had Lorelei slow down when it came to her studies. She encouraged Lorelei to join off-campus groups and activities that had people her own age. Taking a page out her brother’s book, she joined a youth theatre group as well as a local volleyball team. Marie also began to teach Lorelei martial arts and self-defence. “A girl needs to know how to protect herself.” Marie had said. Despite the involvement with people her own age, Lorelei never got around to dating. She didn’t have time, this made Nick happy as he wasn’t ready to see his baby sister dating.

It was near the end of her second last year of college, when Lorelei experienced something that would change her perspective of the world. Marie was at home one day, when she heard the front door bang open and Lorelei calling out for her in a panic. She met her niece at the bottom of the stairs. Lorelei was pacing around, running her hands through her long wavy hair, looking panicked.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Marie asked.

Lorelei continued pacing. “It’s happened. The curse of the gifted child. I’ve finally snapped. I’m losing my mind.”

“Woah, woah.” Marie said, grabbing Lorelei’s shoulders to stop her from moving around. “What do you mean, you’re losing your mind?”

Lorelei looked up at her aunt. “I’m hallucinating!”

She tried to start pacing again but Marie kept a firm grip on her. “Sweetheart, what do you mean you’re hallucinating? Tell me what happened? What did you see?”

Lorelei stopped trying to pace and took a deep breath. “It first happened yesterday. I was waiting for the bus. One had already left, just as this woman came running up. She had missed it. She angry, upset, I don’t know, but for a second her face…it changed before returning to normal. She looked like a lizard or something” Lorelei took another breath. “I didn’t think too much of it. I pulled an all-nighter the night before to finish one of my assignments, so I thought I was just tired. But then today, I was in the library with my study group; Toby and Amanda were arguing about something, and then Toby’s face changed. Again, it was just for second, before it turned back. And, and no one else seemed to see it. So, I must be losing my mind.”

Marie had let out a breath and her shoulders dropped. “Lorelei, I promise you, you are not losing your mind. There is something about our family that I need to tell you.”

That was when Lorelei learnt about Wesen, and the history of Grimm’s. Marie explained that her mother had been a Grimm, as was Marie. Nick wasn’t, but there was a good chance he would be. Marie had kept their family history from them so they could have a normal life. She showed Lorelei a trailer containing weapons and books about Wesen and Grimm’s. Marie explained that not all Wesen were bad and that it was their job to hunt those who were. Marie had Lorelei promise not to say anything to Nick until Marie had a chance to speak with him about it, even though Marie and Nick hadn’t really spoken much over the past few years.

Once she was aware she was not crazy, Lorelei felt a lot more prepared the next time she saw a Wesen woge. She continued with college, while pushing any thoughts of her soulmate to the back of her mind. Lorelei had reached the mind set of ‘if I meet them, I’ll meet them. If I do, then its ok.’

At the beginning of her final year of college, as she was deciding on her next step; Aunt Marie was diagnosed with cancer. Once it became obvious treatment was not working, Marie decided to return to Portland. She believed that when she died, Nick’s Grimm abilities would begin to appear and wanted to prepare him. Lorelei had already made plans to move back to Portland to complete grad school. She was finishing up at her part-time job, so Marie made the journey across the country herself.

The day before she was due to fly to Portland was when she received the news that her aunt had died. Nick didn’t provide much information, just that she had been attacked and was in hospital before she eventually passed. The flight back to Portland and the funeral were a blur. Nick and his girlfriend, Juliette, offered to let Lorelei live with them. Lorelei declined as she intended to stick to her plan of living on campus, something she had been wanting to do for years.

One day, Nick had picked his sister up with plans to get lunch together. He advised her that he had to stop in at the precinct to finish up a report. Lorelei decided to join him as she was eager to see where her brother worked. When they arrived, he introduced her to his partner, Hank Griffith.

“So, you’re Nick’s genius baby sister?”

Lorelei smiled up at the older man. “Yep, that’s me. And you’re his partner against crime?”

Hank smiled back. “Yep, that’s me.” He parroted back.

The two continued conversing, as Nick quickly finished up what he needed to do. Hank was filling her in on some of the precinct gossip, when a voice interrupted them.

“Burkhardt, you’re supposed to be on bereavement leave.”

Lorelei looked away from Hank and found a tall man standing beside her brother. Lorelei’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at what had to be the most handsome man she had ever seen. Nick began talking to the man, while Lorelei tried not to gawk at the man.

“And who might this?” the man asked.

“Oh yeah. This is my baby sister, Lorelei. Lore, this is Captain Sean Renard.”

Lorelei put out her hand for brother’s boss to shake. “It’s nice to meet you”. She said, keeping her voice and expression neutral. She felt a jolt of electricity shoot down her arm as their hands met. Lorelei fought to keep her expression neutral.

 “Likewise.” Captain Renard replied after a moment, “My condolences for your aunts passing.”

Lorelei’s heart ached at the mention of her late Aunt. She gave him a small smile. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t realise Burkhardt had a younger sister.” The captain stated. “Do you live in Portland?”

“Yes, he does. He doesn’t talk about me much, because I am the smarter and better-looking Burkhardt sibling.” She said, throwing a teasing grin towards her brother, who uttered out a disgruntled “Hey!”. “And I’m in the process of moving to Portland. I finished up with school out east and decided to move to be closer to my big brother. I’m starting at Portland State.”

The captain nodded. “Well, welcome to Portland.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“And I am done.” Nick stated, closing the file he had been working on and stood up. Lorelei turned to look at her brother.

“Brilliant, you can buy me lunch.” She said, threading her arm through his.

“See you Hank, Captain.” Nick said, as he allowed his sister to drag him away from them. Lorelei gave both men a wave over her shoulder, as the siblings left the precinct.

Nick drove them to a nearby diner for lunch. As he drove, Lorelei stared out the window in silence, her mind, as usual was busy. ‘You cannot have a crush on your brothers boss’ she groused to herself. ‘He’s like 20 years old than you.’  Lorelei couldn’t remember the last time she had been attracted to someone, especially at first sight. Lorelei was so caught up in her thoughts she didn’t realise they had arrived at their destination until Nick waved his hand in her face. She apologised and followed him into the diner. They settled down and ordered drinks and food, making small talk as they did so. Their food arrived and just as Lorelei was about to dig, Nick interrupted her.

“Lore, did Aunt Marie ever tell you about our family’s history?” he asked.

Next Part

[fairy-writes]

1300 Follower Event!

Hello! I recently reached 1300 followers and am literally, like… lowkey crying?

I know I say this every time. But I seriously cannot imagine myself ever having gotten this far. I can’t imagine anyone actually enjoying what I write, much less wanting to follow my silly little writing blog.

But for this event! I’m hosting a cafe! Just like I did way back when! Basically, you guys order a drink, and I’ll write either headcanons, drabbles, scenarios, or one-shots!

The event will be open for two weeks starting today! It’ll be available from Monday, November 27th, 2023 to Monday, December 11th, 2023! 

ALL ORDERS ARE UNDER #fairy1300followers

Rules are: 

All orders are written as character x reader!

Everything is gender neutral reader unless specifically stated otherwise (ex: you request a female reader)

TWO ORDERS PER PERSON

Please send them in separately so I can keep track of everything!

You don’t have to choose an add-on special. Those are just if you want to have some extra fun!

Any orders that do not follow the rules will be deleted. 

I will write for the following people:

Arcane: League of Legends: Viktor, Silco, Jayce Talis, Vi, Vander, Caitlyn Kiramman, Mel Medarda

Bungou Stray Dogs: Nakajima Atsushi, Nakahara Chuuya, Dazai Osamu, Kunikida Doppo, Fukuzawa Yukichi, Saigiku Jouno, Suehiro Tecchou

The Case Study of Vanitas: Vanitas, Noé Archiviste, Roland Fortis, Dominique de Sade

Demon Slayer: All the Hashira (except for Muichiro), Akaza, Kokushibo, Douma, Kamado Tanjiro (aged up), Agatsuma Zenitsu (aged up), Hashibira Inosuke (aged up)

Doctor Who: The Doctor (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th), Jack Harkness, River Song

Fullmetal Alchemist: Roy Mustang, Greed (not Greedling), Riza Hawkeye, Jean Havoc, Envy, Alex Louis Armstrong, Olivier Armstrong, Edward Elric (post-FMAB), Alphonse Elric (post-FMAB), Ling Yao (post-FMAB)

Grimm (NBC): Nick Burkhardt, Hank Griffin, Sean Renard, Drew Wu, Monroe

Jujutsu Kaisen: Gojo Satoru, Fushiguro Toji, Geto Suguru, Nanami Kento, Itadori Yuuji (aged up), Fushiguro Megumi (aged up)

Moriarty the Patriot: William James Moriarty, Albert James Moriarty, Louis James Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, Fred Porlock, Sebastian Moran, James Bonde

Tokyo Ghoul: Uta, Kaneki Ken, Kirishima Touka, Kirishima Ayato (re: age), Nishio Nishiki, Tsukiyama Shuu

MENU

Sizes: 

Large: Imagine (500-750 Words)

Medium: Scenario (350-500 Words)

Small: Drabble (250-350 Words)

Extra-Small: Headcanons (new headcanon style with a short blurb at the end)

Drinks: 

Latte: Fluff

Black Coffee: Whump (physical pain)

Espresso: Angst (emotional pain)

Cappuccino: Hurt/Comfort

Mocha: Paranormal (idk what this entails, but I’ll figure it out, lol)

Americano: Platonic Relationships

Smoothie: My choice! Just send in a character and a size!

Add-On Specials: 

With Spice: Victorian Era AU

With Sugar: Pirate AU

With Cream: Domestic AU

With Ice: Soulmate AU

Extra Hot: Fantasy AU

Example Order: Hello! Can I please get a large latte with spice with Tanjiro from Demon Slayer? 

Translation: Hello! Can I get a fluffy Victorian AU imagine with Tanjiro from Demon Slayer?

Example Order: Can I please order a medium black coffee with Kaneki Ken from Tokyo Ghoul?

Translation: Can I please get a whump scenario with Kaneki Ken from Tokyo Ghoul?

[rebelliousstories]

For His Sake

Relationship: Sean Renard x Reader, Nick Burkhardt x Sister!Reader

Fandom: Grimm

Request: Yes by Anon

Warnings: Fluff, Angst, Mentions of Violence and Blood

Word Count: 3,543

Main Masterlist: Here

Grimm Masterlist: Here

Summary: A Grimm and a zauberbiest can never get along… right?

I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing.

In a quiet, sterile white lab, a woman sat hunched over a microscope. She was so deeply invested in her work that she did not notice that the door had been disturbed. The soft thudding of boots across the hard flooring did not reach her ears, nor did the calling over her name. However, when a hand was placed on her shoulder, the woman jumped, and spun the person around. Their face pressed against the cold, smooth table she had been working on, with their arm at an uncomfortable angle, threatening to break.

“Whoa! It’s okay, sis. Just us. You can let the captain go now.” Turning her head, her brother’s face greeted her, and below was the face of her boss. She immediately let go of the other man and leveled her sights on her brother.

“Couldn’t have knocked, Nicky?” She scoffed, turning back to whatever it was that she was examining.

“We did. Multiple times. And, before you ask, yes. We also called your name out. What are you so invested in over there?” Nick made his way over to where his sister had sat back down again. Their captain stood and was rubbing his right arm to ease the ache.

“I thought we were friends, Ms. Burkhardt.” Sean teased, finally getting some feeling back in his arm.

“Don’t sneak up on me and we wont have that problem.” Her voice was clipped, clearing not in the mood to entertain anyone at the moment. “To answer you, Nicky, I’m looking at some bacteria samples from a Vic that was brought in. They want a cause of death, and I would bet money that this guy injected some contaminated water. But I’ll have to watch for the tox screen to show up to make a full determination.”

“Well, that’s exciting. I guess. Listen, we got a tox screen that we need you to look at because it will cause to much attention going to someone else. What are we dealing with here?” The detective passed his sister a sheet and she scanned over it for a few minutes.

“Latroinsectotoxin. You’ve got a spinnetod on your hands. Kind of shocking considering how rare they are.” Passing the paper back, the woman dusted her hands off on her coat, and tried to go back to her work. But before she could, her brother caught her arm.

“One last thing, we’re going out tonight. Join us? Please.” Nick pleaded.

“Who’s all going?”

“Hank, Wu, Captain, Monroe and Rosalee. Then you and me. Come on, Rosalee is dying to see you again.”

The female Burkhardt was nodding back and forth, as if she was weighing her options literally. Silence kept ticking on which made her brother grow more and more nervous. It had been a really long time since they got to hang out with friends; her more so than him. She was always so busy with work and never seemed to have the time. Not to mention the fact that she made it very known her stance on Sean.

“Fine. But only for a few. I’ve got work in the morning.” With her concession to her brother’s plea, he bounced excitedly in his spot before wrapping his arms around his sister.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I swear you’re going to have a great time. Rosalee’s going to be so excited.” Nick began to walk out of the lab but only stopped when he did not hear a second set of footsteps following his. Turning around, he noticed that Sean and his sister were still standing there in silence, neither one quite knowing where to go from there.

“Captan, you coming?” He called out, breaking the taller man from his trance.

“Coming Nick.” Sean replied, letting his eyes stay on the other Burkhardt till he could no longer. If his staring had affected her, she did not let it show. She simply turned back to her work like nothing had ever happened. Nick supposed that this was better than her sending threatening glares towards the man; as she had been known to do in the past.

Later that day, Nick sent his sister a text of when and where to meet everyone. She was dreading going home and changing to go out. Not because she did not like to go out, because she did on occasion. But it was because Sean Renard was going to be there. If you had asked her even a year ago where she thought she would stand on the man, it would be a completely different answer. There was no longer any hostility from her, but definitely some trepidation. A zauberbiest working with a couple of Grimms was not how she had imagined her life to be going. And yet, there was something about Sean that she found intriguing.

Maybe it was his stature, the way he carried himself and projected his image. Or maybe it was the fact that he had not killed the Burkhardt’s when he found out they were Grimms. Whatever it was, she would never admit out loud that she found it interesting. For now, she remained cordial with him, purely for the sake of the workplace and her brother.

She parked her car along the street in front of the bar that they were all meeting at, and was pleasantly surprised to see that she was not the first one there. Monroe, Rosalee, Sean and Wu were already inside with a drink in hand when she opened the door. At the arrival of someone new, Rosalee stood and raced over like lightening to hug the new member of the party.

“Oh I’m so glad you could make it. We’ve missed you. Come one, have a drink.” She led the both of them over to a table in the corner. Rosalee was then replaced with her husband who hugged the female Burkhardt tight. By the time that she had ordered her first drink, Hank and Nick had shown up. Another round of greetings and hugs went around before the gang settled in for the night.

It had been a calm few weeks in terms of wesen. They had the odd killing here and there, but very little in wesen politics had actually occurred. It was a delightful change of pace. They laughed and caught up on what had been happening in the last few weeks. Throughout all of this, Nick’s sister was keeping a cordial stance towards Sean. But Sean was trying to interact with her. Every time he tried, something came up that prevented it.

He tried to get her to laugh, but all that was managed was a small smile. Sean refocused his efforts into keeping that smile on her face, but it dissolved into a grin the longer the night went on. Renard was not even sure why he was trying to get and keep her attention, but he had to have it.

“Alright, well I’m getting another drink. Do you want another on, hun?” Rosalee asked rubbing her shoulder gently.

“Yeah, another glass of wine please.” She passed her glass to the Fuchsbaus and watch as Rosalee and Monroe went up to the bar.

“I’m going to hit the head real quick. Be right back.” Hank declared, getting up as well. Wu followed him without a word and left the three at the table. Sensing the tension at the table, Nick stood.

“I’m getting another drink.” He went to go join Monroe and Rosalee at the bar, leaving his captain and his sister alone at the table. With no drink to distract herself, she began picking at her nails.

“How was your day?” Sean asked after a few minutes.

“Good. Yours?” She replied politely.

“Good.” He responded. Sean took a sip of his whiskey as they slipped back into silence.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” The question came out of nowhere as they sat.

“What?” Her head shot up as he spoke, not quite catching what he said. Sean repeated his question.

“Oh, no. It’s not to do with you. I mean, it does a little but it’s mostly me.” He waited for a moment for her to continue on her explanation.

“Because of how we grew up, Nick and I have always been cautious and hesitant to trust someone. And with what we are, and what you are, well. I’m a little weary of you, captain.” She paused for a moment, desperately wishing she had a drink.

“A Grimm and zauberbiest?”

“Yeah. It’s nothing personal, captain.”

“Sean.” There was a pause.

“What?” She asked.

“You can call me Sean. We’re not at work.” Hs teasing little smirk made her feel something inside. Part of her wanted to see it more, the other wanted to slap it right off of his face. At that moment, everyone decided to come back to the table.

Hank and Wu were talking about something as they exited the bathrooms. Monroe, Rosalee, and Nick were also engaged in a conversation as they neared the table. Her brother passed her glass of wine back, and she eagerly took a sip.

“Hope we didn’t leave you two lovebirds alone too long.” Wu drawled, his face deadpan.

“Hey. That’s my sister.” Nick grumbled, even though his eyes were flickering between the two. Before she could respond to anyone, a phone rang out. It took a moment to react, but eventually she realized that it was her own.

“Excuse me.” She stood from her chair, and went to walk out of the front door. Sean’s eyes refused to leave her figure no matter how much he knew it would draw attention.

“Hello?” The phone clicked as she answered the call. A cool night breeze hit her in the face as she stepped outside of the bar.

“Hello?” She tried again.

“Count your days, Grimm.” A voice on the other end of the line growled. She gulped down the knot that was forming in her throat, and looked around in vigilance.

“Who is this?” There was only silence on the phone while she waited for an answer.

“See you soon, Grimm.” The line went dead. Burkhardt had clenched her jaw as she dropped her phone from her ear. There was a scuffle right behind her, but when she turned to catch what it was, something came in a clocked her across the face.

Falling to her knees, she tried to right her blurry vision in order to save herself. But another kick came in and hit her right across the ribs. It knocked her wind out of her lungs. A fist went to go connect with her face again, however, she grabbed it and yanked the person down. Standing, she was able to fix herself proper before the real event began.

A blutbad, skalengeck, and a klaustreich stood around her; and they looked angry. As she maneuvered around their hits and swipes, she tried to keep her back to the alley’s brick wall. The skalengeck held her hands and tried to bit her neck, but a push kick to his gut halted the movement. It allowed for the klaustriech to come in and swipe at her body with its sharpened claws. He managed to nick her arms with the tips, but the offending arm was twisted behind his back to the breaking point.

But while she was focused on those two, the blutbad managed to sneak up behind her. Burkhardt howled in pain as a bit was delivered to her shoulder. The Grimm slammed the blutbad into the brick wall behind them, causing it to disengage. Turning, she threw one, two, and three hits to the temples of the wesen. It dropped unconscious in the alley, and she turned her focus to the remaining two wesen.

The klaustriech tried again to swipe at the Grimm with its one good arm. She remained outside of his range, and kicked in his knee. It crumpled down in pain, now with a broken leg, and broken arm. Before she could render the man unconscious like his blutbad counterpart, a set of arms came up to grab her. She had failed to eliminate the skalengeck, which was proving unfortunate for her. Thankfully the klaustriech stayed down while she dealt with the other. However, his arm was cutting off her airways which made it difficult for her to fight back.

All of the sudden, her airways opened back up now that it did not have something constricting it. Couching and hacking as she tried to regain her breath, she turned to see Nick, Hank, and Monroe. Just behind them and coming in hot, was Sean, Wu, and Rosalee. Nick and Hank were busy cuffing up the three assailants while Monroe turned to help the female Burkhardt.

“Hey. Are you okay?” Monroe scanned his eyes over her form, taking in every injury and scratch.

“Yeah, I’m…” but she never could finish that sentence. Before anyone could react, she had fallen down in the middle of the alley. Monroe tried to catch her, but it only resulted in them crouching down together. Sean and Rosalee ran over to help keep the other Burkhardt from falling completely, while the three officers called in the attack.

“Is she okay? What’s going on?” Nick ran over to his sister who was unconscious.

“She’s got a nasty bit on her shoulder. Who has blood on their mouth?” Rosalee looked as she questioned. Monroe joined in her search and sniffed deeply.

“This one,” they came across one of the perps with blood on her mouth, “she’s a blutbad. Oh. That’s not good.”

“What is it? What can we do?” Nick was about to be sent into a full blown panic over his sister, who was now in Sean’s arms as the others were busy.

“Well, if my nose is right, and it usually is, then we need to get her to the spice shop. They have a poison all over their mouths. All three.” His grim assessment was enough to send Nick into his full blown panic. He was flittering about, trying to decide where he was needed most. Red and blue lights flashed as they neared the alleyway.

“Nick. Nick!” Rosalee barked, catching his attention. “Deal with the cops. Get these guys arrested. We’re going to take her to the spice shop to treat the poison, and then we’re taking her to the hospital. Buy us some time.”

The male Grimm nodded and tried to get his mind in gear. He watched Monroe, Rosalee, and Sean carry his sister off to their car. Renard stayed in the background with the female Burkhardt as Monroe nearly broke every traffic law to get them to the shop. If they had not been in such dire straits, Sean definitely would have said something.

In the spice shop, the bed was immediately put to use to house the woman that had yet to awaken from the sleep she had slipped in to. Sean remained at her side and brushed her hair from her face. As he did, he noticed that she was growing paler and sweating more than before. Monroe and Rosalee’s voices faded into background noise as they tried to find a cure for the poison affecting their friend. In the meantime, Renard held her hand and kept his eyes on her breathing.

By the time the couple had found the cure, the other three members of their party had arrived. Nick had rushed over to his sister’s other side and held her hand. Hank and Wu stood nearby, offering help and morale support.

“Damn it!” Rosalee exclaimed after a while. Everyone’s head shot up and looked over to where the married couple was busy mixing ingredients.

“What’s going on?” Nick pressured, standing up but not letting his sister’s hand go.

“Ugh,” she growled, “I should have read the recipe better. It requires blood from a Hexenbiest or zauberbiest because of the magical properties in the blood. I’m such an idiot.”

“Will it work with something else?” Nick was scared for his sister now.

“No. it has to be blood from one of those two. There’s nothing I can do to substitute it. I’m sorry, Nick.” Rosalee lamented. Her hands rubbed over her face and through her hair in frustration over the entire fiasco. Monroe pulled his wife in close as she tried not to let tears fall from her eyes.

“Will it work with half?” Sean suddenly said, without taking his eyes off of the unconscious Grimm.

“It might. Better than nothing.” Rosalee turned to face the man. He stood, looked at her one last time, and went over to the couple. Renard was already rolling up his sleeves so as to not get them more stained than they already were. The fuchsbau prepared a small knife, and slice the tip of the man’s finger. He winced, but that was all he showed in discomfort. Once she had what she needed, Rosalee went about mixing the salve and liquid that she needed to give.

“Okay. I’m going to put one on the wound itself, and another she has to drink. Just be ready.” Rosalee instructed, bringing a bowl over in her hands. Her husband stood behind her with a bowl in his own hand. Everyone held their breath as she deposited a liquid of sorts on to her shoulder. Sean resumed his spot on her right side, while Nick sat by her left. Monroe passed the second bowl, and watched as Nick held open her mouth. Rosalee poured the liquid into her mouth; and everyone waited.

“How long is this supposed to take?” Nick asked, keeping his eyes on his sister.

“With full blood, it’s supposed to be immediate. But with half, I’m not sure.” Rosalee admitted. Everyone sat there in silence and watching the woman that was resting on the bed. No one chose to draw attention to the fact that Renard was still holding her hand the entire time.

It took an hour for anything to happen. First it was little hand twitches that alerted the two men, who then alerted the others. Then it was facial movements. And finally, a deep breath was taken, and her eyes began to flutter. She groaned as the light from beside her head blinded her, to which Sean immediately shut off.

“Wha- what’s going on?” Her speech was slurred, but the relief that came across everyone’s face was infectious.

“Hey, sis. How are you feeling?” Nick leaned over and brushed some hair out of her face.

“Like I got hit by a truck. What happened?” Her speech was starting to become clearer and clearer as she became more in touch with the waking world.

“You got attacked. By the looks of it, it was Black Claw. You’re lucky to be alive.” Sean commented. Their hands were still joined together, but no one cared at that moment.

“They had poisoned you with a bite to your shoulder area. We had to create a salve and potion that reversed the effects. It’s a good thing Sean was here with us, otherwise… well, let’s not think about that.” Rosalee piped up from where her and Monroe stood. He had his arms wrapped around his wife in a comforting embrace, and a relieved look on his face.

“Why would it matter if Sean was here?” She asked, trying to raise her body up in the bed. Nick and Sean helped her sit up and refused to let her go.

“Well,” Monroe looked around for someone else who wanted to answer. No one was itching for that position. “The recipe required the blood of a Hexenbiest or zauberbiest. Since he’s half, he was our best shot. I’m going to make some tea for everyone. It’s bee a stressful night. Glad you’re awake.”

And with that, Monroe and Rosalee left. Hank came over and patted her uninjured shoulder, before leaving to follow the couple. Wu smiled and gave her a thumbs up before catching up with Hank.

“Hey,” her attention was drawn over to her brother. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

Nick left the pair of them with a smile and a kiss to her drying forehead. He went to go where the rest of them had gone, and that only left Sean and the other Burkhardt. They sat in silence for a while, but did not let go of their hands throughout all of it.

“Did you really use your blood to heal me?” She asked in a quiet voice eventually. Sean’s face tried to remain neutral, but a worry creeped in.

“It was the only way for Rosalee to heal you.” He answered, but she was not going to take that.

“That’s not what I asked.” Her statement was far more direct.

“Yes. I did.” Finally, Sean stated.

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” Her other hand began to fidget as they continued to sit there.

“You’re welcome.” His voice raspy and low. Her eyes drifted over to the hand that Sean had occupied and squeezed. They did not speak, but they both had come to a mutual understanding. Perhaps this could morph into something else. Something closer than they had before.

[metataxy]

Remember Khloe, the Musae in like S2?  What if Nick DID sleep with her?  And what if she was pregnant when Renard ran her out of town?

I can just imagine her having a girl.  Fast-forward 12 years, and that girl turns out to a Grimm--she’s an early bloomer like her grandma Kelly Burkhardt.  Khloe wouldn’t actually care that her daughter’s a Grimm, except half her lovers are wesen, and most of THEM certainly do care.  It takes all her enchantment to convince them not to behead her daughter, and detracts from the energy she can put into inspiring her would-be artists.  Clearly, this situation isn’t sustainable.  So she ships the girl off to live with her father.  

The girl herself had, up until this point, no idea who her father was, much less that he was a Grimm.  Khloe expected her to be a Musae--she expected to be a Musae--so the fact that she had a father was pretty insignificant, right up until her eyes began turning rim-to-rim black.  Her Mom ships her to Portland with a friend, since Renard still prohibits Musae from crossing into his Principality under pain of death, and she gets dropped unceremoniously on Nick and Juliette’s doorstep (bc Nick/Juliette, sue me).

Nothing too exciting happens after that.  

Juliette’s nonchalant about the new addition to their household, because by this point, she’s basically spent ten years cooperatively parenting Kelly Schade-Burkhardt with Adalind Schade.  The worst she does is jibe Nick as to when she can expect to learn about the rest of his love-children.  Also, if some of the local wesen were displeased to hear about Blutbud/Fuchsbau babies, they (and not a few Grimm), were even more alarmed at the prospect of Grimm/Hexenbiest children.  Since for safety reasons, neither Juliette nor Adalind could get a regular babysitter for their kids, the whole lot of them (and the Monroe/Calvert kids, because why not) grow up between their houses.  

Beyond all this, the rituals that changed Juliette into a Hexenbiest bind her close to Adalind as a sister.  She shares the Schade family magic, and she even shares some genetics with Adalind--enough to be flagged as a cousin.  Hexenbiest always raise their children with close female relatives.  As far as Diana is concerned, Juliette’s daughters are her sisters.

Sean Renard also ends up babysitting.  Partly, this is because he wants to be close to his daughter and heir, and Diana and her pseudo-siblings come as a package-deal.  But it’s also because he can see the benefits of cultivating familial loyalty to himself and his daughter among a pack of baby Grimm and Hexenbiest.  And, he supposes, the Monroe/Calvert children aren’t an unwise investment either.  Their parents certainly proved their worth many times over in a thousand small demonstrations of skill and good sense.

The only person who ends up slightly annoyed with the whole arrangement is Nick’s son Kelly.  He’s pissed because, like his father, he doesn’t Grimm up until well past the point anyone expected it to happen--long after his father and Juliette’s kids Grimm up or woge.  Poor dude.

[marchtothefuckingsea]

Ace of Clubs: Chapter VI

Series Masterlist My Masterlist

Word Count: 2.4k Warnings: Canon violence (if any).

Recap:

"It's okay. I'll be here." He comforted me, his free hand ghosting over my cheekbone. I sighed, finally allowing myself to relax and drift off.

I raised my head, looking around the room with foggy and half lidded eyes. Something felt wrong. After a few moments, I remembered what had happened. My eyes darted over to the side of the bed, and I let myself relax back into the pillows when I saw Renard's sleeping form in the chair. An involuntary sigh of relief left my lungs. 

He stirred with a groan, stretching out his long limbs and eyeing me. "You're awake." He said. "How do you feel?"

"Like I want to go home." I rasped out, my voice hoarse. He reached for something on the table beside him. I realized it was a paper cup of water when he held it up to me. I struggled to prop myself up and retrieve the cup from him at the same time. With a wince, I gave up and reluctantly let him tilt the cup up to my lips. I drank the cool water down quickly, relishing in the soothing feeling it provided for my throat. Once I had emptied the cup, he pulled it away, setting it back down on the table. He folded his hands together in his lap, and I suddenly noticed clothes that didn't look like his folded over the arm of the chair. 

"I don't think that's going to be possible." He told me, picking the clothes up and shifting in his seat. "We can talk about this once you're in your own clothes." He smiled tautly, handing me the bundle of material. I gave him a confused glance as he stood up and made to leave the room. I recognized the baggy turtleneck and jeans as my own.

"You left while I was asleep?" I asked suddenly. I knew I couldn't blame him, but I had trusted him too.

"I did. Nick came to check on you." He said quickly. "I had him stay. I figured you might want clean clothes to leave in." 

"I..Thank you." I smiled at him appreciatively, a bit surprised. He nodded, turning and leaving, shutting the door behind him.

I dressed as quickly as I could, given my injuries. I inhaled sharply as I tugged my shirt on, the movement causing my ribs to shift, and the stitches on my side to pull. It was loose and soft though, and I silently appreciated the thought he had held while selecting what to bring. The material didn't cling to my bruised skin, and it didn't snag on my bandages. The jeans were the comfiest I owned, fitting more like a pair of leggings than actual jeans and making them easier to put on. It was still a painful struggle, but eventually I managed.  I looked around the room for the clothes I had come in, and found nothing. I assumed he had taken them when he went to my apartment.

"What did you mean?" I asked when I exited the room, finding him leaning against the doorframe, his head just about level with the top of it. Seeing me, he began to walk down the hall at a brisk pace and I followed as fast as I could. 

"You know exactly what I meant." He said seriously. 

"I do. I don't see why I can't go back." I argued. I knew exactly why I couldn't, but it wasn't like I had anywhere else to go.

"Don't you? They broke in, and they've obviously been in before without even having to do that, from what Nick has told me. They've been all over your apartment, Ace." He stopped just outside the automatic doors of the hospital. He reached for my back, guiding me away from the traffic by the door. We came to a stop a ways away from the busy entrance. I leaned against the cool concrete wall for support, exhausted. He turned to me, eyeing my hunched frame.

"Fuck." I sighed out in realization. Of course they wouldn't stop just because I had killed a couple of them. They wouldn't stop until I was dead, especially not now that I was becoming a bigger threat to them. "Why can't I just go back?" I mumbled under my breath. I reached up to comb my hand through my hair, but immediately winced and returned it to my side. 

I felt lost and unsure. 

"So I need to move." I half laughed out at the ridiculousness of the situation. "Not like that's going to help at this point, not if I stay in Portland."

"You're not leaving." He said sternly. 

"I can't just keep moving around Portland, it's no use." I gestured with my hands dramatically, ignoring the painful jabs as my body protested. "This is so stupid. I can't believe I thought this would work.." I trailed off, mostly talking to myself now as I stared at the sidewalk. A pained laugh left my throat, halfway turning into a sob.

"Hey. Look at me." He suddenly said, his hands on my shaking shoulders. I looked up at him with a pained expression. "You're not leaving, not if you don't want to. You have people on your side now, and we'll fight for you." He reassured me. 

"I can't ask that of you. This is my problem." I argued.

"Not anymore." His voice and eyes were sincere, stern. I couldn't help but to believe him. I wasn't alone. I didn't have to do this on my own.

I nodded slightly, slowly coming to terms with my situation. I broke eye contact with him, breathing out a sigh I hadn't realized I was holding in. He stepped away, putting a platonic amount of distance between us.

"I need to get back." I started quietly. "I just need to get a few things, I won't be spending the night there or anything." I was quick to reassure him.

"I'm coming with you." He said, leaving no room for argument. I didn't want to either; the idea of going back there alone was daunting. It made anxiety rise in my chest. I may have been through this several times already, but that never made it any easier. Each time the trauma of it had stuck with me, clinging to my brain. It had built up into the night terrors I now suffered from nightly, and the constant anxiety and panic in my throat.

I followed him to his SUV. He walked slower this time, allowing me to walk by his side. I suddenly stumbled, one of my legs giving out. He was quick to react, catching me before I could near the ground. He supported me as I groaned in pain, helping me to continue staggering towards his car. When we neared it, he reached into his pocket for his keys with his free hand and unlocked the car. He helped me into the passenger side, slamming the door shut and rounding the front into the driver's side. I had slumped into the seat, pain overwhelming me. 

"Maybe you should get some rest first." He suggested, eyeing me. I shook my head tiredly, my hand pressed to my ribs, supporting them to ease some of the pain.

"I need to get my things. Then..then I'll find a hotel or something, I guess." I mumbled, leaning my forehead against the cool window.

"I'm not letting you stay alone." He frowned. "We don't know if they've been keeping track of you still. They may jump at the opportunity to finish you off." 

"Well, it's not like I have anywhere else to go. Don't worry." 

"You can stay at my place." He offered. 

"Not happening." 

"It's safe. Secure. I'll be there to keep an eye out." He went on, trying to convince me.

"We've been out on one real date, it's a little early to be moving in with each other." I deadpanned, pulling away from the window and meeting his eyes. He was dead serious.

"Artemis. I'm serious." 

"As am I. No." 

"Look," He said, scrubbing his face. "This is concerning your safety. I care about you." 

"I don't want to intrude like that. I'm not helpless." I frowned.

"I know you're not."

"I'm going to get another apartment, this isn't permanent. I'm just going to stay low until I do."

"Exactly." 

"Good, I'm glad you agr-"

"Then you won't be intruding." I glared at him. The way he stayed serious throughout this entire conversation was infuriating.

His serious look softened though. "I really do care about you Ace. I don't want you getting hurt." His hand reached over to me, covering my own on the armrest.

I caved. "Fine." I agreed begrudgingly. "I'll be out as soon as I can, though." 

He smiled wryly. "I'm sure you will." 

"Did you get my phone?" I suddenly asked as we pulled up to my apartment.

"I did." He said, reaching for it on the dash. He handed it to me and I took it, unbuckling my seatbelt and exiting the car with a wince. I leaned against the side for a moment, steadying myself on my feet. 

"I need to text Nick really quick." I told him. I needed a place to store all my books, and I figured the trailer would be a perfect place. Sean rounded the car to stand by before I looked up from my phone with a nod, tucking it into my pocket. I walked up the stairs, a slight limp to my step, with the captain right behind me. I reached to unlock the door out of habit, and found it was already unlocked. Of course.

"I'll go in first." Renard said firmly, moving to stand in front of me. I didn't argue, backing up a step as he pushed the door open, a hand resting on his gun. I followed behind him, my eyes quickly darting around the room. He gave me a nod before vanishing into the other room to scope it out. He returned a minute later. "It's clear." He said finally. I nodded, still looking around the room and surveying the damage. The look on my face must have said it all, because he stood beside me, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. I leaned into his touch gratefully.

"Sorry. Right." I mumbled after several heartbeats. I crouched down, tenderly picking up one of my books and looking at it with a broken expression. The pages had been torn out and strewn around the room. I heaved a shaky sigh, gathering the pages and placing them in between what was left of the book. One of my favourites. I stood up slowly, stumbling and grabbing onto the wall for stability. I hissed in pain, the stab wounds in my side burning horribly.

After I recollected myself, I set the book down on the dining table. I collected all the ruined books, along with my binding supplies, and placed them in a backpack. I carefully made my way into my bedroom, pulling clothes out of the dresser and stuffing them into a duffle bag. I suddenly leaned forward, resting my forehead on the tabletop of the dresser and letting out a sigh.

"God," I mumbled under my breath. "I should have never even unpacked." I laughed humorlessly.

"How are you doing?" Renard appeared in the doorway, startling me. I jerked my head up, flinching at action.

"I'm almost done. Sorry about taking so long." I half-smiled apologetically. I blinked hard to clear the water in my eyes, turning away from him and stuffing things in my bag again.

I never usually reacted this way when I had to move on. I'd move and be done with it; simple as that. I never had time to dwell on my lifestyle. Now, though, there were so many more things at risk. Before, I had never understood what I heard about people afraid to risk the people around them. The people they cared about. I had never understood why they would do things against their morals to avoid the people around them from being hurt. I never understood their reasoning because I had never stuck around long enough to form connections with people. Now that I did, it was simultaneously the biggest mistake of my life and the best decision I had made. I never realized how much I had craved something as simple as friendship. 

I didn't want to get them involved with my way of life. I had always been an extremely private person, but it wasn't just that. I didn't want them to put themselves in the line of fire for me. This was my problem, and mine alone. Renard had already gotten involved though, and Nick too. I couldn't afford to risk any of them. 

My vision grew blurry through my tears as I kept blindly stuffing clothes into the bag. 

It would be safest if I just left, safest for all of them, but I was selfish. I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not now that I knew what it was like. I don't think I could go back to a life on the run. Not after a taste of this.

I inhaled shakily, the tears that had been gathering in my eyes falling onto my bag. I ignored my ribs' protests, squeezing my eyes shut, attempting to steady my breaths. I couldn't lose this. 

"Artemis." Renard's gentle voice startled me. I looked up. He had crept into the room, and he was now standing halfway between the bed and the door. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." My voice cracked. I clenched my jaw, turning to stuff more things into my now full duffel. I zipped it up forcefully, blinking repeatedly. I started to heave the bag over my shoulder, entirely forgetting about my injuries. I hissed in pain, dropping the bag to the floor and pressing an arm to my side. Renard immediately came to my aid, supporting me and guiding me over to the bed. "I'm fine." I repeated, my voice betraying me once again. 

"Just sit down." He ordered softly. "I think you might've pulled your stitches." 

"I don't know." I said shakily. 

"It's okay." He soothed me, sensing I was talking about more than just the stitches. He sat down beside me and gently placed a hand on my back. "We'll figure this out. For now, you need to rest up and heal." 

"Yeah." I agreed hesitantly. "Yeah, I guess so. Okay." I took as deep of a breath as my ribs would allow me, reining in the hurricane of emotions running through me. I didn't miss how he said 'we' and not 'you'.

[thekirbishow]

I just posted my first chapter of my book “Timelines Entwined” on Wattpad. It would mean the world to me if you could check it out and share it! Please comment your thoughts and suggestions!!!

[effectivelyprocrastinating]

Hey everyone! 😊 I'm thinking about diving into a Nick x OC story and I’m excited to start writing! I’m considering making it a chapter story, but I’m a bit torn on how to post it. Would you all prefer shorter chapters that come out more frequently, or longer chapters that might take a bit longer to update? Your feedback would really help me out, and I’d love to hear what you think! Thanks so much! 💖

[frost-queen]

Nick Burkhardt

• Wesenworld ( Daughter!Reader)

• Naiad 

• Start over 

•  Cold as ice 

• Love potion 

• Dangerous world 

• Camera, action, torture 

• Wesen games (Musai!Reader)

• Witch in disguise (ft. Juliette)

Sean Renard

• Obsessed ( ft. Juliette)