#this is the bride all over again!!! <- by woman who liked the bride a lot more | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

missadangel · 13 days ago

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⊱ AMOR MEUS AETERNUS ⊰

(Marcus Acacius x Ofc)

III. Amor Primus

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Chapter Summary: You realize that Marcus is more than just a brutal man, and it's hard to ignore your anger over his push for marriage. Julius reveals Marcus's past, while Marcus finds something in your room that will change everything. Chapter W. Count and warnings: 12k; angst, brothels, sex workers, romantic comedy, ancient rome, using drugs (tranquilizer), anxiety attacks, violence, power imbalance, mention about marriage, periods. authors note: Vestalis Maxima: The Chief Vestal of vestal virgins. Pilus Prior: A centurion in command of the first century of a cohort, making him the senior centurion of the cohort. Pairing: Marcus Acacius x Ofc!Reader (Her name is Rose, and her hair is dyed) Rating: Explicit, 18+ MDNI, Smut General Warnings: Harsh, cold, grumpy Marcus, and the reader is NOT innocent a little bitchy, Lucilla is mean, Lucius is a jerk(but falls in love with reader), its Septimius Severus' era but Geta and Caracalla are the prince of Rome, time travel, modern-ancient era travels, falling in love, slow burn, rough sex, smut, sex, oral sex (both f&m receiving), all sex, dirty talk, gladiators, battle, war, violence, blood, ancient time language, fluffy, injury, forced marriage, arranged marriage, sexism, haters to lovers, first love, angst, vestal virgins, vestal priestesses, age gap; reader is 25 Marcus is 42, reincarnation my masterlist

...Chapter Theme...

Soft wedding music played in the background, blending with whispers and laughs all around. Everything was white—white flowers, white decorations, and even the guests were decked out in white. The priest at the front looked like a vision in his white robe, but honestly, it felt a bit much.

Way too much white.

So fucking white.

Standing at the altar, your heart raced, but something felt completely off.

“Here comes the groom,” came the voice, breaking the awkward silence.

Wait, what?

Shouldn’t the bride walk in after the groom?

What kind of shit was this?

Glancing back, you felt your heart drop—there was nobody coming. You squinted, searching the crowd until you finally spotted your sister, your relatives, even your aunt, who had been MIA for years.

This was your wedding day; it felt like a twisted replay of the day you got ditched at the altar.

Suddenly, someone stood up and chuckled, “Looks like the groom isn’t coming!” Laughter rippled through the crowd, and you felt heat rise to your cheeks.

What’s so funny?

In a fit of frustration, you threw back your veil and shouted, “Who wants to get married anyway?”

The priest, looking annoyingly calm, responded, “Now, now, dear. We’ve found you another groom.”

Your eyes nearly bulged out of your head. “Father, have you been drinking before the wedding?”

“Jesus Christ! You can’t talk to the priest like that!” your aunt barked.

Oh, right, she was a devout woman.

The music kicked back in, and everyone shuffled back to their seats. “Here’s the groom!” someone announced again.

You turned around and felt your jaw drop. It was him—the psycho in armor, sword at his side, walking toward you with a serious look that sent chills down your spine. You stepped back, hiding behind the priest. “Please, Father! I can’t marry this guy. He’s rude and brutal, with a fierce temper—not exactly husband material."

“This is what the heavens have decreed, my child,” the priest said without an ounce of empathy.

“Heavens? Really? Can we go over this one more time?”

The priest frowned. “You are going to marry this man.”

The armored man -Marcus- reached for you, extending his hand while keeping a stoic expression.

Just perfect—this was who you were supposed to marry?

Then, out of nowhere, a psychic woman appeared, her tarot cards clinking together as she flashed a grin. “See? I told you this was the one!”

What the fuck?

If this was a dream, it was so ridiculous that it barely made any sense.

"If you don't marry me, I'll cut down all of them," Marcus said in a cold tone.

Instead of panicking, the crowd erupted in applause. "Marry him, marry him!"

Seriously?

Marcus angrily sheathed his sword, grabbed one of the guests, and you screamed.

"NO!"

You jolted awake, your heart racing, drenched in sweat. As reality sank in, laughter bubbled up nervously from your throat. “Thank goodness it was just a dream. Man, what a dream…”

But as you took in your surroundings—the wooden furniture, the table against the wall topped with a jug, the flickering oil lamp casting shadows, the rough animal skin sprawled across the floor, the long, heavy curtains, and that Roman lectus where you had been lying—the laughter faded.

A familiar wave of anxiety crashed over you again.

The last thing that stuck in your mind was, “I will petition the Emperor for special permission to grant her conubium.”

Damn conubium.

You ran your fingers through your messy hair, panic rising.

Congrats on your anxiety attack.

“No, no, no. I can’t do this. Why, God? Why?” You struggled against the sheets, frustration boiling inside you until suddenly, you lost your balance and tumbled off the bed, landing unceremoniously on your backside. Wincing, you rubbed your aching butt and glanced up at the intricate mosaic paintings on the wall. “I hate ancient Rome,” you sobbed.

Crawling across the floor, you made your way to the chair to reach for your bag and pulled out your dwindling supply of pills. You popped one into your mouth, feeling a wave of worry about the decreasing number. What would you do when they ran out?

You should go back, you should go back now.

The thought of that glowing portal or a riff whatever it was, a possible path, an exit from this maddening reality, filled you with longing.

You had to do something, you had to give it a shot.

You were desperate.

“What? He’s going to marry me? Ha. Good luck with that,” you muttered to yourself.

With a determined huff, you flung your bag over your shoulder and glanced around the room that had been prepared for you. Larger than the previous one, maybe—sure—but nothing could compare to the your own room back home.

You had to get out.

You peeked out into the big corridor and saw no one around. Just a few slaves who were too busy to notice you. Scanning the courtyard to figure out your escape route, you felt hopeful. Once you made it outside, no one would come after you. With a quick glance around, you descended the stairs, heart pounding with a blend of fear and exhilaration.

When two girls approached, you ducked behind the fountain, holding your breath until they passed. A triumphant smile crept onto your face as you continued toward the exit. You had done it—you were finally breaking free from this suffocating prison.

“Just a few more steps, Rose. You’ve got this,” you mumbled to yourself, feeling your heart race. As soon as you slipped out of the courtyard, you spotted two soldiers in shiny armor you’d never seen before. Luckily, they were facing away from you, deep in conversation. You crouched down and made your way along the wall, focusing on the ground instead of looking up.

Please don’t let them see me.

Please.

Your awkward shoes hampered your movement, but you pressed on, determined. Just when you dared to glance back, your heart nearly stopped—were they actually looking your way?

You picked up your pace, only to collide suddenly with something solid.

"Ow!" Rubbing your head from the impact, your eyes drifted down to two sandaled feet before rising up to meet the piercing gaze of a man clad in black armor, chest was adorned with a striking embossed design of a golden medusa, right where you had been hit on the head.

Damn.

It was him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.

You widened your eyes, feigning innocence as you batted your eyelashes, quickly regaining your composure. “I just needed some fresh air."

With unwavering intensity, Marcus shifted his attention to the two soldiers beside him. “You two, get over here at once.”

“General,” they stammered, fear evident in their voices.

“This woman just wandered out here, and you didn’t even notice? Is this how you conduct your watch?”

"Forgive us, sir."

"We made a mistake."

You took a step backwards. “You guys keep talking. I’m going for a walk.”

But before you could turn away, he seized your arm firmly. “Let go of me!” you exclaimed, pulling against his grip.

“You are not permitted to go outside at this time.”

"I can go wherever I want! Just let me leave!"

His demeanor shifted slightly, and he continued in a more measured tone, “I understand that what you heard earlier was astonishing. Allow me to clarify.”

"Let go of me now, or I'll hit you with my bag," you shouted, tugging at his arm in a desperate struggle. "Let go! Let go! Let go!"

With an exasperated sigh, he finally released you, but not before you stumbled backward and crashed to the floor, a cloud of dust rising around you. The shock of the fall gripped you both—caught off guard by the awkard situation.

The soldiers shot each other looks, trying hard not to burst out laughing.

With a sharp glare from Marcus, they quickly averted their eyes, bowed their heads, and stepped away.

As you struggled to regain your composure, humiliation flooded over you. Marcus stifled a laugh, clearly trying to suppress the amusement dancing in his eyes. He didn’t even bother to help you up, leaving you to dust off your clothes.

You glared at him. “Why did you just let go of my arm like that?”

“You insisted.”

You muttered as you cleaned up your clothes. "Whoa. I can't believe it. You're unbelievable, you know that?" Then, as you walked forward, soldiers crossed in front of you.

You've turned into Marcus.

"I said you can't leave, not in the daytime at least.”

In a fit of frustration, you hurled your bag at the soldiers, landing a glancing blow. “Get out of the way! Now!” They exchanged bewildered looks, their confusion directed at Marcus.

"Please stop," Marcus said firmly as he moved closer. "Can you not follow my instructions? I don't understand why you're acting this way."

You let out a hysterical laugh. "Seriously? Why am I acting this way? Is that what you're asking right now? You're the one who forced me to come here, remember? I was living an ordinary yet happy life. I finally landed a job as an assistant designer on a film set, which meant I could earn the money I needed to cover rent and bills. Maybe my sister wouldn't even have to work over the summer to pay for school. But now, because of you, I've probably lost that job, and I don't even know if I will ever see my sister again. This is incredibly tough, and you’re making me feel trapped. So, are you still wondering why I'm like this?" Tears streamed down your face as you finished speaking.

Although he didn’t understand every word, Marcus grasped the main idea. "I promise I’ll ensure your return."

"Then let me go! I can't stay here any longer. If I go there and read those words again—"

"We'll go at night."

"But we've never tried in the morning. Maybe that would work."

"During daylight hours, the temple is frequented by citizens, including priests engaged in prayer and sacrificial rites. We’ll head out as darkness descends. After all, tonight’s moonlight will be minimal."

"But-" That's when the realization hit you.

Moonlight.

Moon.

Full Moon.

“Shit. Fuck.”

Marcus shot you a disapproving look. “Remember what I said about the swearing.”

You barely registered his words, your mind racing with countless possibilities. “Moon,” you blurted out, “There was a lunar eclipse that night!”

“Ec-lipse?” He looked confused.

You sighed. “An eclipse is when the Earth’s shadow falls on the moon, okay? It happens twice a year… Wait a minute.” You froze, a thought hitting you.

"The moon was temporarily darkened by a shadow... Indeed, I had the chance to observe that night."

“No, that can’t be,” you said, feeling the panic rise.

“What's wrong?”

“The next eclipse won’t be for another six months!” you exclaimed, dread sinking in. “I can’t stay here that long!”

“Calm yourself. We don’t have confirmation on that yet. You could be mistaken.”

Your hands shook as the reality of your situation hit you. How could you survive another six months in here? “I can’t, I just can’t,” you muttered, shaking your head.

“Why don’t you come inside and take a seat for a moment? You don't look well,” Marcus suggested, guiding you toward the courtyard.

“I can’t,” you kept whispering, feeling your grip on sanity slipping. He helped you onto the lectus, and your stomach twisted painfully. Desperation clawed at you as you fished out a pill from your bag, your hands trembling as you quickly swallowed it. “Water!” he called out to slaves. “You seem to be taking that medicine quite often,” he remarked, a hint of concern in his voice.

You swallowed hard as you took the cup of water from the tray that a slave had brought you. “It’s either this, or I lose my mind. You really want to see that?” You downed some water, trying to steady your nerves.

“You’re not exactly a sane woman normally, though,” he muttered.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” he replied quickly. “About that other matter…”

Before he could finish, your stomach growled loudly, twisting painfully. “Taking the pill on an empty stomach wasn’t the best idea,” you groaned.

“You there!” Marcus called to the slaves once more. “Bring us something to eat.”

You looked over at the slaves who were rushing off. “It was a nice move Mr General. But what if that woman—your stepmother—hates me and sees me here eating? I bet she won’t be cool with me sitting in her spot.”

“She’s not in the villa at the moment,” he said, unbuckling the scabbard from his belt and leaning it casually against the wall. "You can rest assured that her attitude will get better towards you from now on."

“That doesn’t exactly ease my mind, especially after your nonsense from yesterday,” you hissed.

“Nonsense? Is that what you call it?”

“Yes, exactly that,” you retorted, rolling your eyes.

“Do you really think I want to marry a woman like you? I made a promise, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep it.”

“There has to be another way, you know.”

“If you want to stay in this villa, there isn’t. In your time—you told me I must have my..." he tried to remember that word. "ID. Without Roman citizenship, living here could be brutal for you. You would be treated as if you were nothing more than a slave."

You rummaged through your bag and pulled out your ID. “Check this out! It reads, Repubblica Italiana. It clearly states I am an Italian citizen, residing in Rome."

As a slave approached with a tray, Marcus quickly grabbed your hand, saying, “Put that away. It’s worthless here. This isn’t ‘that Rome,’ obviously.”

The girl set the tray down in front of you, and your stomach growled louder. Without thinking, you picked up a strange fork and dug into the food, not even caring that it was hot.

“Easy,” Marcus cautioned, frowning.

“Look, I get it, but are you saying I have no choice but marry to become a citizen here?” you asked through mouthfuls.

“No, it doesn't work that way for most people. You need special permission for conubium.”

“Please don't say that word,” you grumbled, sounding a bit rude with your mouth full, but the hunger was overwhelming.

"Do you even chew? You'll choke if you don't eat slowly," he scolded.

At that moment, Julius entered the courtyard and greeted his brother.

“Hey Julius,” you called out, waving. He smiled and approached you, but his gaze was fixed on Marcus. "I visited the House of the Vestals as you asked, brother."

Without glancing up, Marcus poured wine into a goblet on the tray. “And?”

“The Vestalis Maxima is willing to speak to the emperor about the conubium permit. But there’s something she needs... clarified,” Julius whispered, leaning in closely. Whatever he shared seemed to darken Marcus’s expression; soon, both brothers turned their gazes toward you.

You swallowed the morsel you were chewing and asked, “What?”

“By any chance, have you ever been married before?” Marcus questioned.

You shot him a glare. “No, but why do you want to know that?”

“What we’re really trying to figure out is whether you’re untouched,” Julius explained, leveling a serious look at you.

You blinked, taken aback. “Are you... Are you two seriously asking if I’m a virgin?”

They remained expressionless, clearly waiting for your response.

Your cheeks were all flushed. "Ugh, you guys are really crossing the line. What kind of vulgarity is this?"

“Are you not?” Marcus asked sternly, disappointment lacing his tone.

What the hell?

You shrugged, trying to brush it off. “I refuse to answer such a bigoted question.”

“If we say she’s a widow..." Julius suggested.

Marcus stood up, visibly frustrated. “That won’t do.”

“Then?"

“I will speak to him myself,” Marcus asserted, his determination and unease evident. He reached for the scabbard attached to his belt. With a purposeful turn, he strode away.

“What just happened? Why is he so angry?” you asked to Julius.

Julius sighed as he settled down opposite you. “It would be easier to obtain citizenship if the Vestalis Maxima would vouch for you.”

“I don’t see how being a virgin is relevant,” you said, confusion coloring your voice.

"My brother has never been married, nor is he a widower, and he carries significant importance. The emperor has presented him with many suitors, but he has turned down every one of them. Now, he requires the support of The Vestalis Maxima to approach the emperor regarding this union. Do you understand the authority of the Vestals?"

“I must admit, my historical knowledge isn’t very deep in that regard.”

“They’re extremely important to Rome, but it comes with a heavy burden. Anyway, the Vestalis Maxima knows my brother, their relationship is steeped in a complex history... My brother seeking to harness her formidable influence to secure a conubium, this union. However, her support will only be granted if the young woman he intends to marry maintains her purity. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“And now Marcus is going to talk the emperor himself?” you asked.

He nodded. “I suppose so.”

“Julius!” Marcus called out, and Julius stood immediately. “Yes, brother.”

Your jaw dropped as you took in Marcus for the first time in something other than armor—he wore a white tunic, with a golden embroidered belt around his waist and a red shawl draped over his broad shoulders.

Wow.

He looked incredibly attractive.

If you weren't so angry with him, you would be melted by the sight of him.

But no.

You were very angry with him, seething even.

You looked down at the wine in your hand. At least there was one good thing about ancient Rome: the wine was absolutely delicious and fruity, almost like juice rather than an alcoholic beverage. You had nearly finished the decanter on your own and even sipped from Marcus's half-finished goblet after he left the courtyard.

Julius returned to your side, deep in thought.

“Where did he go?”

“In his honor, chariot races are taking place at the Circus Maximus, and the emperor along with many others will be in attendance,”

"In his honor?"

"He didn't mention previously? My brother Marcus has recently returned from the war."

“The war,” you said, suddenly realizing he was a general indeed. The image of him fighting in the chaos of battle hit you hard—blood, shouting, people scrambling, arrows flying, and the reality of death. This wasn’t a movie or a TV show; it was all too real.

You shuddered at the thought.

How could anyone endure that?

“Why didn’t you go?” you asked, trying to change the subject.

“To war?” he replied, surprised. "I am Pilus Prior, entrusted with the responsibility of the barracks while my commander is away. It has been two long years since my last campaign. Marcus was initially reluctant to let me join this time; his own eagerness surged like a restless tide, driving him to pursue the glory he so desperately craved. As a result, he has rightfully earned the title of General of Rome."

"That's not what I meant. I was going to ask why you didn’t go to Circus Maximus to watch the races. But wait... Did he go to war just to become a general? Is that why he was so eager?" you asked casually, not wanting to dwell on the topic.

“No, never. He’s simply a soldier... ready to fight.” There was a weight in his tone that caught your attention.

"Isn’t every soldier ready to fight?"

“No one is as willing as he is, believe me. He’s very willing to die.”

You nearly choked on your wine as you processed his words. “What do you mean? Why would he want to die?”

"Never mind," he said trying to close the subject. "To answer your question, I did not attend watching the races, as my duty is to remain here with you."

"Let me guess: your brother asked you to do that, didn't he?"

"Correct," he said shyly.

At least his mother and sister won't arrive until nightfall. That was somewhat of a relief. You pulled out your phone, needing to check the lunar calendar. Julius’s eyes widened as soon as you took it out. "What is this thing?"

Oh, poor guy, he had no idea.

"This is a phone. Let's see... You can access some information on it, but without Wi-Fi, it’s limited to contacts and other offline apps. Let me check the date of the next lunar eclipse and the full moon."

He frowned. "I only caught the word ‘moon.’ Everything else you said sounded like a foreign language."

"I don’t blame you. After all, you’re looking at a device invented thousands of years in the future."

He pointed at the phone, curiously observing the picture.

"Oh, that’s me and my sister; I set it as my wallpaper."

"Your sister is as beautiful as you are."

"Thanks," you said quietly, glancing at Lizze’s smiling face in the photo. You really missed her a lot. It was a struggle not to start crying, but the pill had numbed your feelings, keeping everything light and manageable. "Check it out, when I tap here, the calendar app pops up..."

"The letters here is very different."

"That's English," you said with a chuckle. "Never mind, it would take too long to explain. We use this language. The numbers are slightly different from yours, but we still use Roman numerals for other cases. Look, it says the next full moon is in 20 days. I hope I’ll be back before then.”

"What do those signs mean?"

The red droplets signified the start of your period.

"Oh no. It shows today."

"Today?"

"I think today is Thursday or Friday, but time flows differently here, and the days seem to drag on. I need to jot this down. My phone’s at 56% battery. Damn it."

"What does that mean?”

"When it hits 0%, I won’t be able to use it again. There are no chargers or sockets and, worse, no electricity.” You groaned.

“I’m having great difficulty understanding the words you used,” he said, mesmerized by the device you were holding.

"Believe me, you’re not missing much. Anyway, it looks like we have plenty of time until nightfall. Let me show you some pictures from my gallery; I think my battery will last a bit longer.”

In the evening, Marcus and the others came back, and they were having dinner in this cool room called the triclinium. You were really surprised they called you to join them. You’d always been curious about those rooms, and seeing it all up close was pretty impressive.

Again, It all felt surreal.

Marcus was sitting at the head of the table, with his stepmother Balbina and his daughter Lydia to his left. Julius was seated to Marcus’s right, and since there were no other available seats, you had to sit next to him. Balbina and Lydia shot you glares, while the slaves continued to bring you food and drinks, clearly displeased with your presence but managing to endure it.

"Do you believe the red team will perform well in the races tomorrow?” Julius asked Marcus.

"Their horses are strong, and the chariot racer is well-skilled. However, the blue team is also quite formidable. We will better understand the outcome tomorrow; you will attend as well to see for yourself."

Julius was glad to go; it meant he wouldn’t be stuck babysitting you. But you thought the day ahead was going to be pretty boring without him. Then Marcus said, “I want you to come with me tomorrow.”

You kept munching away, thinking he was talking to someone else, but when you looked up, everyone was staring at you.

Wait, was he actually talking to you?

“The Emperor wishes to meet with you,” Marcus stated, meeting your gaze directly.

You stopped chewing for a second, swallowed. “Me? Why?”

"My son, what could her purpose be for being there?" Balbina asked, interrupting.

“Emperor Severus has expressed a desire to meet the woman I intend to marry,” he stated matter-of-factly.

Lydia looked at him. “Will he grant her the necessary special permission for the conubium?”

“He didn’t say otherwise,” he replied coldly.

“Shouldn’t we ensure this girl is genuinely suitable for such a union?”

Ugh, why was this conversation taking such a frustrating turn?

It was making you angry.

Marcus, lips pressed into a thin line, paused to sip his wine, not saying a word.

"I will take her to the midwife tomorrow for an examination. I doubt she’s untouched,” she said, shooting you a look.

Suddenly, you felt your blood rush, and you stared at Marcus with wide eyes. But he shot a deadly look at Balbina. “There’s no need for that. It will not happen.”

“But my son—”

“I said it won’t happen!” he interjected, his tone slicing through the air like a knife.

“Look at what we’re talking about over dinner. What a family,” you mumbled to yourself.

"Commencing tomorrow, please ensure that all arrangements for the wedding are completed. I will be consulting with the high priest regarding the details."

“You said you were going to talk to him the other day,” you piped up. “Did you?”

Everyone turned to look at you again.

Oops, rude behavior alert.

“We’ll discuss it later,” he said, standing up and leaving the room, as cold as ever just like he always was.

But you weren’t going to let him go this time, so you followed him.

Something darted right next to your foot, small and with a tail.

Shit.

“Marcus—aaah!” You ran over to him, grabbing onto him for dear life. When he turned around at the sound of your voice, he regretted it; you lunged at him so fast he could barely hold you. But you didn’t care—the little mouse was still there, squeaking away.

“Rat! A freaking rat!” you squeaked louder than the rat.

“Calm down. It won’t harm you; it’s probably more terrified than you are,” he admonished, his tone steady as he tried to soothe your frayed nerves. In your frantic movements, your braided hair cascaded over your shoulder, drawing his attention. His gaze fell upon the mole nestled at the nape of your neck, his expression shifted to one of startled recognition, as if fragments of a long-buried memory were surfacing, stirring something deep within him.

You let out a sigh of relief when the rat finally disappeared.

Julius and Lydia came over, and what they saw was more shocking than the mouse. You froze, realizing how awkward things looked—your arms were wrapped around Marcus, and he was gripping your arms pretty tightly.

How did this even happen?

Damn it.

Marcus gently pushed your arms away to free himself, trying to regain his composure.

Julius crouched down, surveying the area in search of the rat. “We have been experiencing issues with the rats lately; it may be necessary to set some traps. I will arrange for the appropriate measures to deal with them,” he stated.

“That would be wise,” Marcus nodded, still glancing at you, while you looked away, still a bit freaked out about the rat.

“All this commotion over a mere mouse?” Lydia rolled her eyes and went back down the hallway.

Marcus turned the other way.

“Hey! You promised we’d go there!” you called out, quickening your pace to catch up with him.

“Make sure you’re ready to leave then,” he replied, his gaze fixed ahead, not sparing a glance back.

“Okay!” you exclaimed, a bright smile breaking through your unease as you hurried to your room to gather your belongings, unaware that you were heading into another failure.

Another melancholic morning unfurled, draped in a cloak of strangeness, with a profound sense of failure tugging at your heart like an unwelcome shadow. Like Marcus mentioned last night, the moon was almost a new moon—prevailing shades of gray, nothing really bright or dark.

Was that really what it was about?

That is why you can't go back?

The wait for the full moon felt like an endless ordeal, and you were anxious about how each day would pass without losing your mind. You really hoped it wouldn’t drag on until an eclipse occurred; that thought was gnawing at you.

As the girls got you dressed, you felt a warm rush running down your leg. Panic almost took hold, but luckily, your love for organization meant you had tampons tucked in your bag for unexpected situations like this —well not ike this but still— thank goodness for that. The girls looked at you in surprise; they must've had a different way of dealing with such things.

Honestly, being a woman was tough in any era.

The outfit you wore this time was brighter, adorned with sparkling gold jewelry that dangled from your wrists, arms, and neck. They even sang as they draped it on you, but it felt heavy and uncomfortable; you couldn't wait to strip it off.

Marcus was waiting for you in the courtyard. As you made your way down the stairs, you tugged at the new braid in your hair—it wasn’t your usual style at all. When you finally spotted him, his back turned, that flash of red from his shawl made your heart race again.

You should be mad at him—he was the guy who flipped your life upside down.You shook your head and tried to brush those dreamy feelings off. When he turned to face you, he paused for a second, and it felt like something shifted between you.

Alongside the anger, for the first time in ages, he felt his heart beat with real emotion, almost overwhelming. However he seemed to gather himself quickly, clearing his throat as he said, “If you’re ready, we shall take our leave,” but his eyes quickly fell to your big-ass bag—quite the contrast to your fancy outfit. “It would be inappropriate to bring that along."

Your frowned. “Why not?”

“Because it appears out of place, and I believe you will not require the contents within,” he explained.

“How can you say I won’t need it?” you protested.

Marcus sighed deeply and crossed his arms. “Can’t you just follow my orders? Do you always have to complain?”

You found your gaze drawn to his arms; the muscles were just a few inches from your face.

And those biceps...

What the hell?

You really need to get your shit together.

“Okay, okay, but I need to grab something,” you said, rummaging through your bag.

Marcus raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. “What is it?”

“Well, it’s a bit… feminine.” You couldn’t help but chuckle at the confused look on his face. “Let me spell it out for you, Mr. General. You know how women have their monthly thing, right?”

He paused as if processing your words, having never encountered a woman talking about it so casually. It was a bit indecent in his time, but honestly, it didn’t seem to bother him too much. Perhaps he has become accustomed to your unique way of speaking by now.

Clearing his throat, “I’ll be waiting outside,” he said, turning away to give you some space.

You didn’t look up; you were still fixated on locating those tampons. “Come on, where are you? If I say apples, appear; if I say pears, disappear.”

Those words.

Marcus froze mid-step, a shiver racing down his spine as a long-buried memory blossomed in his mind. A voice echoed from the recesses of his past, resonating with a sense of urgency that pulled him taut between the present and a fleeting recollection that danced just out of reach.

'Marcus! Where are you? If I say apples, appear; if I say pears, disappear.'

The timbre of the voice reverberated in his thoughts, youthful and playful, yet unmistakably familiar. His heart fluttered like a dust-laden page roused by a gentle breeze, yearning to shake off the dust. The very sound was the reason he couldn't dare to move, standing still like a statue.

Julius stepped into the sun-drenched courtyard, his features etched with both surprise and concern as he took in the scene before him. "Brother?"

Marcus, however, was consumed by an unshakeable silence that pressed down around him like a heavy fog; his eyes were fixed intently on a singular point, as if the world around him had faded away. When he finally turned his gaze back to you, you stood there clutching your tampons awkwardly, the bright morning sun casting a warm glow over your obliviousness. As you meticulously zipped up your bag, a sense of urgency gripped the air, and you noticed Marcus drawing closer, his expression undeniably strange.

“Those words you just spoke...”

You raised your eyebrows, wondering if he was referring to your period.

“Could you repeat that?” His tone was oddly insistent.

Julius looked confused as he glanced between the two of you, but he couldn’t have been more puzzled than you were.

“Are you upset because I called you ‘Mr. General?” you asked timidly.

“No, not that,” he replied shaking his head..

You thought the last thing you said was... the rhyme.

"If I say apples, appear; if I say pears, disappear. This one?"

He made a face as if you had cursed him.

“How do you know? Those words.”

What was his problem, really?

"I used to say it when playing hide and seek with my sister when we were little. What’s the big deal?”

"Is this saying recognized in your time? Do many individuals commonly use these words?"

“No, it’s just a code we made up to keep the game fun and free from getting caught,” you explained.

Marcus just stood there looking into your eyes. You really didn't understand what had happened.

Why was he acting like that?

His brown eyes pensive and piercing, compelling you to look away. You shifted your view to Julius, hoping for some clarity in this tangled situation.

Recovering from his own surprise, Julius placed a calming hand on Marcus’s shoulder. “Brother, we'd better leave now,” he urged.

With a slow nod, Marcus turned to head toward the courtyard's exit.

You called over to one of the slave girls, asking her to take your bag back to your room—carefully, of course. As she took it, a wave of sadness washed over you at parting with it, mixed with anxiety about the trip to Circus Maximus, which was just a ruin back in your time. With your period and cramps to contend with, you braced yourself for a challenging day ahead.

“Oh, my God.”

That was your immediate reaction the moment you stepped into the magnificent Circus Maximus. A maelstrom of emotions—fear, denial, panic, and disbelief—swirled within you. This couldn’t possibly be real. Yet, as you took in the splendor surrounding you, you realized it was as tangible as the marble floor beneath your feet—the cool stone grounding you in this extraordinary moment.

The images of RPG ambient videos you had scrolled through online flickered through your mind. Video games, films, and TV series had painted scenes like this, but nothing could prepare you for this overwhelming spectacle. It was beyond anything your imagination could conceive, far surpassing the vivid renderings of your fantasies. The grandstands of the colossal racing venue rose like ancient giants, filled with spectators—each face a mixture of excitement and anticipation. The air buzzed with the vibrant sounds of voices, lively music, thundering drums, piercing whistles, shouts of encouragement, and cheers echoing like a tidal wave crashing upon the shore. Instinctively, you recoiled, stepping back as the enormity of what lay before you threatened to swallow you whole. It was a blend of shock and awe—a devastating reality that ignited an exhilarating spark within you. When Marcus gently touched your arm, his presence snapped you back to reality. You noticed the tension in his expression, a slight nervous bite of his lower lip, mirroring the storm of emotions churning inside you. Your own palms felt clammy, not from the heat of the sun, but from sheer wonder.

“This way,” Marcus said.

Julius gestured in a direction, and instinctively, you turned, though your gaze was still captured by the spectacle surrounding you. Wherever you looked, your eyes were met with an entirely new detail—each one more fascinating than the last, drawing you deeper into this vivid reality. The dizzying array of sights threatened to overwhelm your senses, and the thought of finding a seat crossed your mind.

Nevertheless, you followed Marcus, enchanted yet bewildered, likely with your mouth agape and eyes wide in astonishment. Several times you stumbled on the uneven stones, clinging to his arm to steady yourself. He then admonished you to look ahead and be cautious. He reminded you to stay focused and watch your step. You squinted at him; this was a mind-blowing experience for you. He must understand how hard it was for you, but why should you be surprised?

He was a cold bastard with no empathy.

“You’d better acclimate to the flowing fabric of that long dress, soon you'll be wearing a stola all the time.” Julius said with a chuckle.

Being a costume designer, you knew exactly what he meant and what a stola was. You’d done some design work and sewing yourself before. 'We’ll see about that,' you thought as you continued walking, stopping whenever Marcus did.

Your heart raced when you caught sight of someone in a huge imperial box wearing a shiny golden crown.

Jesus Christ, it was him.

Septimius freaking Severus.

What you were seeing felt like something straight out of a historian's wildest dreams. He was the focus of tons of term papers and theses. Those statues you'd seen, the busts in all those exhibits, auction houses, and museums didn’t prepare you for this moment.

Here he was, in the flesh and blood—totally alive.

You’d have sounded ridiculous if you told anyone about this in 2025; they would’ve laughed for ages. But right now, it was so real. The folks who made the statues, the artists who painted him, and even those who did 3D renders of his face online nailed it. You couldn’t help but think of how great it would be to tell them when you got back that he really did look like that. You had to bite your lip to keep from chuckling at the idea.

You still couldn’t wrap your head around the fact that it was him. But then you caught yourself just staring.

Oh, right.

Marcus had reminded you not to gawk at the emperor, not to turn your back, and only to speak if he asked you to. So, you gave him a respectful nod instead.

"I believe you are the woman General Acacius wishes to marry." His voice dripped with condescension as he scrutinized you from head to toe, making you feel exposed and uncomfortable. A shiver ran down your spine, and you quickly averted your gaze, only to realize that Caracalla was seated right beside his father. His expression twisted with disdain, as if your very presence was a foul stench, and just as quickly, he turned away. You weren’t eager to see him either; what was with that arrogant attitude?

"Do you have a name girl?"

In that moment, you and Marcus responded in unison.

"Rose."

"Rosa."

Oops, speaking of inappropriate behavior...

Marcus glared at you and you gave him a “What?” look with your eyes.

The emperor and his sons cracked up, and it was obvious where the princes picked up that laugh.

“General is also correct. However, in my homeland, we pronounce it ‘Rose,’ your majesty,” you said, trying to avoid using modern words and respectfully bowing your head.

He laughed again. "I understand. I appreciate your explanation, Rosa.”

You smiled, well he didn't seem like a bad guy. He was probably in his sixties, with gray in his curly long hair.

"She possesses a remarkable propensity to speak quite assertively," Geta murmured, giving you a meaningful look. He had a handsome look going for him, but he wasn't really your type. If he hadn't tried to kill you before, you might’ve felt a bit semphaty for him, but all you felt now was anger and irritation.

“All women possess the ability to speak assertively, my son,” Severus responded with a laugh, prompting a grin from Geta. Caracalla appeared preoccupied with his own thoughts. "I believe you and she would make a suitable pair, Acacius, especially given your reserved nature."

Marcus lowered his head respectfully. "With your esteemed permission, Emperor Severus."

Severus nestled comfortably in his box, adjusting one of his rings with a confident smile. "You have my permission, Acacius, and you will soon receive the contract documents you requested. You may commence preparations at your house. May God Juno bless your union," he declared, raising his wine glass at you two. His evident happiness was striking, more so than that of Marcus.

No, you were wrong.

You didn't like him.

Geta and Caracalla exchanged looks, their expressions unimpressed. Marcus thanked the emperor, and when the drums started, he pointed to the bleachers. You were sitting with the Senate, right next to the emperor. Lucilla and Lucius were with you. Marcus greeted Lucilla and took a seat beside her, motioning for you to join. Julius was on your other side. Once you sat down, you checked out the fancy gold-embroidered chair, running your fingers over the details.

Suddenly, the loud sound of the horn shocked you, and you found yourself clapping along with the crowd, not even sure what for, but it felt impressive. Honestly, it was probably the tranquilizer making you feel unreasonably cheerful.

A moment later, you regretted clapping because one of the gates banged open, and two gladiators stepped out onto the sand, their names called out.

No.

Freaking.

Way.

"You said there’d be a chariot race," you whispered anxiously to Marcus.

Marcus continued to clap, perfectly calm. "The opening often begins with a combat."

"As the dust settles from the fierce combat, the races truly begins with bets being placed," Julius remarked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

“I thought they were having gladiator fights in the Colosseum,” you said, hiding your face partway with your hand because you couldn’t bear to look at the arena, swallowing hard.

Marcus's lips curled in a smile. "Do you really believe the Colosseum is simply a place for battles?"

"It was in the movies," you murmured.

Lucilla intervened. "Most gladiatorial combats and battles occurs there, along with theatrical performances and a variety of events that captivates the hearts of the citizens."

Thank you, Google, you thought.

You turned your gaze away, resolutely refusing to watch as the two men clashed violently before you. It was an overwhelming sight, more than you could bear. Yet, the crowd around you was entranced, their eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and morbid curiosity. You’d never understood those who reveled in such brutality, watching with bated breath and eager anticipation. The tension coiled within you as you gripped the edge of your seat, your knuckles white from anxiety.

“It’s clearly your first time,” Lucius remarked, a knowing grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as he observed your strained expression. Marcus noticed that Lucius was paying attention to you. He tensed up but managed to stay calm. “Don’t your people have events like this one where you come from?”

“Thankfully, no,” you replied, your voice shaky as you darted your eyes nervously away from him.

But then a bitter truth pierced your thoughts. War had always been a constant shadow, lurking everywhere in your time as well. Despite the advancements in technology and the sheen of modern civilization, humanity seemed perpetually eager for conflict, always seeking justification to spill blood.

War had always existed.

This was merely its most primal form.

When the desperate clamor of the fight faded, anticipation surged through the crowd as the much-anticipated chariot races began. Excitement rippled like electricity, pulling everyone into its fervor, but you remained tense, the gruesome images of men savagely attacking one another still etched in your mind. Even as you shielded your face with your hands, the vivid memories assaulted you—the metallic tang of blood faintly lingering in the air, the sharp, jarring resonance of swords clashing echoed in your ears.

The races, however, were something beyond your wildest imagination. They were a whirlwind of color and speed, a breathtaking spectacle that held your attention captive. But in the middle of all the excitement, there was an annoying issue. The dust kicked up by the roaring chariots mixed with the leftover smoke from earlier, making your nose itch and sending you into a sneezing fit.

Really, why was it that ancient times were so achingly dusty and filled with smoke?

Everyone was buzzing with excitement over their bets. Lucilla and Lucius were all in for the blue team, while Julius was convinced the white team would take it.

“What say you Rosa?” Lucius asked.

You furrowed your brow, still trying to wrap your head around the whole thing. “I’m not really sure how this works.”

“It relies on the capabilities of the horses and their chariot drivers,” Julius replied, his enthusiasm evident. “For instance, the driver of the white team demonstrated commendable performance in the previous race.”

“How can you be certain of that? You were not present for the last race; you did not witness it firsthand,” Lucius interjected.

Julius shrugged. “It is not solely about observing the race. It involves having knowledge and experience. I believe the white team possesses a strong chance of success.”

In contrast, Lucius stated with assurance, “You are mistaken; the blue team is better motivated.”

“Red will emerge victorious,” Marcus asserted confidently, reaching into his pouch to produce several denarii, which he offered to you. “This is your opportunity to participate in betting. I suggest you place your faith in the red team.”

You accepted the coins, a sense of excitement washing over you. “Can I really bet?”

“You may place a bet on my behalf,” he responded with a gentle smile.

Whoa.

You didn’t expect that, and it caught you off guard in a good way.

After heading with Julius to place your bet, you returned, settling down to watch the race with bated breath. You were so focused that you didn’t notice all the times Marcus glanced your way, lost in thought about what you’d said earlier.

Those words.

Was it just a strange coincidence?

Voices melded into a cacophony, yet it was as though only your vibrant figure existed in that moment. His feelings, surprisingly raw and unguarded, danced around him like whispers of a forgotten memory.

Why were these emotions surfacing now?

After all these years, how could he find himself feeling this way again?

Suddenly, the thrill of your betting team’s victory had swept you away, and in that moment, you couldn’t help but hug Marcus tightly. You felt a wave of gratitude wash over you for bringing a spark of happiness into your otherwise somber mood, if only for a fleeting moment.

Your arms wound around his neck, your hair brushing softly against his cheek, and in that instant, he was overwhelmed.

The sensation struck him with the force of an unexpected arrow, piercing right through the defenses he thought impenetrable. But just as quickly, denial swept in, a survival instinct kicking in like a shield as the reality of the moment crashed over him.

He needed to remove that arrow.

Gently but firmly, he took hold of your arms, easing you back and breaking the physical connection that made him feel vulnerable.

“Oops! Sorry,” you said, a light chuckle escaping your lips. “But you guessed right, psycho—well, general, you’re incredible.”

Julius laughed too. "My brother consistently demonstrates wisdom in his judgments. In retrospect, I realize that I should have also considered placing my bets on the red team."

Marcus, however, remained quiet. He fell into a pensive silence, his thoughts drifting like leaves in the wind as he watched the final races unfold.

As an unfortunate time traveler, after several days filled with overwhelming melancholy and sour moods, you found yourself accompanying Balbina and her daughter Lydia to the market one day. The whole marriage nonsense weighed heavily on your mind, but you had no choice but to play along, despite your deep disdain for it. You kept reminding yourself to hold on until the full moon, convinced it would surely open the way back home—it had to, for the sake of your sanity.

All the while, your thoughts were consumed with worries about Lizze, leaving you unable to shake the painful possibilities surrounding her. You barely noticed that Balbina and Lydia were cruelly chatting about you as you wandered through the market, specifically in a fabric shop where they were buying everything for the wedding. Usually, working with fabric brought you joy, igniting excitement over new designs and upcoming projects. But not here. You loathed every moment, just as you despised your former wedding dress, which felt as if it had invisible words scrawled across it: 'abandoned on the altar by the groom.' That very dress, which you had designed and carefully sewn, had ended up in tears, frustration, and curses as you ripped it apart.

Slaves carried bolts of cloth, while Balbina engaged in animated conversation with someone nearby. Eyes were on you, just like that day at Circus Maximus; it seemed as if you had become some sort of celebrity in this world—the outlander girl the General was destined to marry.

How lovely.

You crossed your arms, looking away as a vendor enthusiastically offered you various fabrics. Just as you were about to decline and turn around, you heard a noise—a familiar voice you had long yearned to hear.

Your father’s voice.

Could you have imagined it?

Surely your brain was playing tricks on you from the tranquilizers you’d taken. No, you needed to see the face behind that voice to be sure. Your heart raced as you turned around, and there he was.

Damn it, it was him.

Though his hair looked different, the familiar face remained unchanged—those wrinkles around his eyes you remembered from the last time you saw him back in the hospital. The distinctive smile you recalled from your old days before the accident was still there. He stood before you in a Roman senator's toga, and for a moment, you were frozen in shock, paralyzed until he vanished from view. At that moment, Lydia's voice cut through the fog of your thoughts, snapping you back to reality.

You had to act, and fast.

Your instincts kicked in, propelling you into the throng of people, your heart set on finding your father or the man who bore such a striking resemblance of him. The shouts of Lydia and the others quickly dimmed as you maneuvered through the throngs of people, pushing aside those who got in your way, seeing them merely as obstacles. Soon, you reached a quieter street and spotted him again, standing beside a palanquin that slaves had lowered to the ground, conversing with someone inside.

As you crept closer, a whirlwind of questions flooded your mind.

What would you say first?

What would you do?

How could you ask if he recognizes you without bursting into tears?

Lectica—you suddenly remembered the word roman use for the palanquin—moved forward alongside the man, who continued speaking to the figure within. Your eagerness to see his face took precedence over all else until you caught the mention of a familiar name.

"We have decided to postpone our plan to eliminate Acacius," a woman’s voice chimed in, striking a chord in your memory.

"I heard that he is set to marry soon, my lady," your father replied, each syllable unmistakably his. Yet you forced yourself to listen; there was no room for tears now.

"He is to wed an outlander, someone of little significance—which serves our interests."

"As you wish, my lady. I shall gather near the Colosseum with the others when night falls."

With that, the slaves hurried the lectica along, their footsteps echoing on the cobblestones. As the curtain fell shut with a soft rustle, you barely caught a fleeting glimpse of a woman’s profile—Lucilla.

You found yourself torn between two shocking revelations: Lucilla's deceitful plans and the unsettling truth that your father's doppelganger was not only involved in those schemes but also had a sinister side.

As you trailed behind the man, your courage began to wane, and your physical strength was fading even faster. After walking for so long, the soles of your feet ached with each step. How did people in this era manage to walk everywhere without collapsing from exhaustion?

Your father's doppelganger turned down another street, and your foot caught on one of the uneven stones. You stumbled and landed hard on your knee. “Oh, crap,” you muttered, instinctively lifting the hem of your skirt to inspect the wound. Unfortunately, you hadn’t noticed that you were right outside a pleasure house—definitely not ideal territory. The man you were following disappeared into a large two-story building at the street's end. You decided to rest there until he emerged; your body was already protesting from pain and fatigue.

Just then, two really drunk men stumbled into view, their eyes locking onto you with unsettling interest.

“What are you staring at?” you barked at them.

Seriously, what was it with people in this time and their fascination with women’s legs?

The men laughed and sauntered away.

“That's really you,” a familiar voice chimed in, and you turned to see Lucius wearing that infuriating grin of his. When had he shown up, and where had he come from?

He glanced around before focusing back on you. “What brings you out here alone? Are you out of your mind?”

“Can't you see I hurt my knee?” you replied, frowning.

“Not just me, all men around here see that,” he said, crouching beside you. With a gentle tug, he adjusted the hem of your skirt to cover your exposed legs. "You'll live." Ah, yes, for people in this era, a simple injury like yours barely registered. “Does the general know you’re here?”

“Why do you care?”

He smirked. "Do you even realize where you are?"

You looked around at the bustling street. Men and women mingled, laughter drifting from the house behind you. One of the women lifted her skirt, flirting with a man, and suddenly it clicked.

Oh, no.

So that’s what showing legs was all about.

“Ugh,” you said, grimacing in disgust.

Lucius chuckled. “You’re quite a unique woman. I wonder why the General seeks to marry you, as he has always been perceived as emotionally distant from any woman, even from whores.” He cast a glance toward the house.

But his question didn’t pique your interest; instead, you fixated on his remark.

Does he never visit here?

You didn’t know why that made you feel so relieved.

“None of your business,” you said, narrowing your eyes. “It’s clear you frequent this place often, given how well you know the faces that come and go.”

He shrugged casually, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips. “If I were fortunate enough to find a beauty like you to marry, I wouldn’t need to visit this establishment to fulfill my desires,” he replied, his gaze piercing into yours with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. It made you feel both intrigued and uneasy, as if he could see right through your defenses with his blue eyes. "Do you have the strength to rise? This streets can become increasingly perilous for a woman, particularly once the sun sets."

Panic suddenly washed over you, and you placed your hand on the cobblestones, trying to push yourself up but failed. Lucius sighed, effortlessly scooping you up into his arms.

“Hey, put me down!” you protested.

“Where’s your carriage? I’ll take you,” he replied nonchalantly.

Your face fell. “I don’t know.”

Lucius laughed, a sound filled with genuine amusement. “Allow me to guess, you find yourself lost, do you not?”

Reluctantly, you wrapped your arm around his neck. “Yes, congratulations, genius.”

"You’re uncivilized and indecent girl, but oddly enough, I'm starting to like you more," he remarked, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.

“And I’m growing to hate you more. You’re not at all what I thought you were.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Did you know me before?”

Yeah, from the museum and history books.

“Just put me down; I can walk,” you insisted.

“I’ll carry you to the General’s villa.”

“That’s not necessary. Why are you even helping me?” Apparently, he wasn't as malicious as his mother, but trust was a different matter.

“I owe Acacius, and I don’t like being in debt,” he explained.

“You owe him?”

“It’s quite the tale, my dear flower. But first, I have to ask—are you certain you want to marry him?” he asked suddenly. “If there’s any doubt in your heart, why not marry me instead? Trust me, you won’t regret it,” he said. His fingers tightened around your legs as he leaned in, gazing at your lips.

You smacked him right in the face. “Put me down now!” you yelled, trying to break free.

He sighed and said, "Alright, I deserve this. I apologize."

His expression fell as you averted your eyes. People on the street stared as you two passed, but Lucius didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered.

When you arrived at the villa, Lucius was carefully lowering you down when Julius noticed and sprinted toward you, looking pretty worried.

“Where have you been? We have all been concerned.”

His gaze shifted to Lucius, whose self-satisfied smirk only deepened Julius's frown.

“Julius, I—” you began, your voice wavering, but your words faltered as you spotted Marcus emerging from the shadows behind him, his face a storm cloud of anger.

“How could you run away through the streets recklessly? Didn't I warn you before? It’s beyond irresponsible!” he thundered, his brow furrowed in disappointment.

You bit your lip, trying to defend yourself. “Just let me explain—”

He looked at Lucius. “What about you? Did I summon you to Rome at great risk to my men only so you could walk aimlessly through the streets?”

“I wouldn’t have been able to save the woman you are betrothed to if I hadn’t been walking those very streets, General.”

Marcus exhaled deeply, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “For that, I am grateful. Now return to your mother. And if you hold any affection for her, cleave to caution.”

“Don’t speak to me as if you’re my father, because you are not,” Lucius retorted sharply.

“Lucius, how dare you speak like that to him?” Julius exploded, his fist clenching in anger as he lunged forward. But Marcus intercepted him, his grip firm yet steady, forcing his brother to halt.

Lucius merely motioned for them both to silence themselves before melting into the shadows.

A heavy silence settled in the aftermath of Lucius's departure, and though Marcus uttered no words, the hurt etched on his features spoke volumes. The sudden intensity of his gaze shifted to you, and you felt a knot form in your throat. “Why did you leave without a word? You know I’m responsible for your safety.”

“I didn't mean to, I saw some....thing and then I got lost.”

He raised his finger and pointed inside. “Return to your room at once. You are not to set foot outside this villa until the wedding.”

“Look, Marcus, you don't have to marry me. I don't want to either, I can take care of myself.”

“Not here! This is not your time. The Emperor has already granted approval, and all arrangements have been finalized.”

“I can’t marry! It’s impossible—you don’t understand how hard this is for me.”

“It’s not a real marriage, after all. It’s for your own protection. Why can’t you understand that? Why won’t you let me keep you safe?”

“You think you can handle everything, don’t you, General? But you’re completely missing the traitor lurking right under your nose. How ironic.”

He paused, tilting his head slightly to the side, his frown deepening. “What do you mean by that?”

“I saw Lady Lucilla in conversation with a man.” It didn’t seem like the right moment to reveal that the man was the ancient Roman version of your father. “They were discussing you, plotting to get rid of you or eliminate—”

Suddenly, he rushed over, cupping your jaw and pressing his hand against your mouth. “One more word and I'll cut off your tongue.”

You gasped in fear.

Julius placed a hand on his brother's arm. “Calm yourself, Marcus,” he urged, but Marcus brushed him off and pressed on. “I told you to show respect when you speak of her. Do you really think you know her better than I do?”

You struggled to push his hand away from your mouth. “Sure, who am I to say anything, right?”

He was taken aback by your defiance.

“Believe it or not, they’re meeting tonight near the Colosseum. If you don’t trust me, go see for yourself!” you yelled, pushing his arm away with force. You stumbled into the courtyard, mumbling under your breath and touching where his fingers hurt your jaw.

“What a brutal bastard. I hate you.”

At night, you found yourself pacing in that damn room, lost in thought and unsure of what to do. Balbina and Lydia were even angrier with you after what happened today, and you definitely didn’t want to face them. Alone in the dim light, as anxiety clawed mercilessly at your insides, you felt the familiar grip tighten around your chest.

With an urgent flick of your wrist, you hurled your bag over your shoulder and slipped out of the room, your heart racing with the hope of escape. It was bedtime now, and in the stillness of the night, the villa felt like a prison, with your room resembling a cell. You thought of heading to the temple to read the parchment. Perhaps this time it would work. You just needed to get out, and fast.

“Are you going somewhere?” a voice broke through your thoughts.

Oh, crap. You hadn’t even descended the stairs yet.

Julius leaned against the balustrade, watching you. You hadn’t spotted him in the shadows. As he approached, his eyes fell on the bag slung over your shoulder. "I assume you were heading to the temple?"

“Hmm, looks like you know me well now,” you responded, forcing a nervous laugh.

He sighed, pushing a hand through his hair. “You really are stubborn. Please, leave your bag in the room and come with me.”

“I can’t just leave it behind.”

"Please, I made a promise to my brother to take care of you, so I really need to ensure you stay inside the villa."

“Where is he?”

He sighed and stated, “He has gone to the location you previously mentioned.”

You raised an eyebrow in surprise. “He decided to believe me now?”

“He’s not quite who you think he is. Allow me to clarify a few things about him.”

“All right,” you relented, heading back to your room to drop off your bag. But as you entered, you noticed a plate of fruit on the table so tossed the bag onto the bed. You left the room, not caring that it fell and scattered its contents everywhere.

Anger surged within you.

As if Marcus wasn't enough to contend with, here was Julius blocking your way. You felt isolated; nobody from this time understood you, and you couldn’t make sense of them either.

You were taken aback when Julius led you to the stables. Still, you followed him, sensing he was taking you somewhere else. The disgusting smell hit you, but oddly, you realized you had grown used to it. A small garden and a fountain lay ahead. Julius gestured to a boulder and sat down opposite it.

“My brother and I used to come here to practice swordplay in our youth,” he began. “He was older, so he’d let me act like I was winning. Our father would watch us from over there.” He sighed deeply. “We were so happy back then, and I was still young when he passed. It was my brother who comforted me after that; he always protected me, even stepping up as a father. Unfortunately, I was unable to protect what was most precious to him.”

You looked at him, intrigued and puzzled.

What did he mean?

“Have you ever loved a man deeply?” he asked.

“Like romantic love? I thought I did once, but it was a mistake. Honestly, I think love is pointless. It’s illogical to care for someone more than yourself.”

“He did," He cut you off. "My brother.”

“Marcus? He loved someone? Wow, that’s hard to imagine.”

“He wasn’t always like this. He used to be cheerful, hopeful, full of life.”

It was hard to believe, but your curiosity kept you listening. “He loved a girl, innocent and bright. He treasured her above all else, treating her like the most beautiful yet fragile thing. Their connection stood in stark contrast to the bonds I witnessed between my mother and father, or those of other couples, resonating with a unique depth and tenderness."

“I sense there’s a ‘but’ coming,” you said softly, hoping to lift his spirits, as the sadness in his eyes made you feel uneasy.

“However her family and my father weren’t in favor of their union. Though they chose to pause their arrangements, their hearts remained intertwined, steadfast in love. Then, my brother enlisted in the army, bravely stepping into the tumult of his first war. When he returned, however, he faced a devastating revelation. The girl he had intended to marry had been sacrificed to the temple of Vesta, her fate sealed by her family's offering."

You remember the Vesta virgins from your history readings; they could never marry and were bound to the temple for their lifetime.

It tugged at your heart.

“What did Marcus do?”

“He was devastated and furious, but there was nothing he could do. At least, that’s what everyone thought, including me. He loved her fiercely, and she was miserable in that temple. At first, he asked my father to speak to the emperor, but to no avail. The rules were set in stone. He tried everything he could; I was a witness to it all, and in the end, he made a choice.”

You tensed up. “What kind of choice?”

“He concocted a daring plan to sneak her out of the sacred Temple of Vesta, to spirit her away from the heart of Rome to a pastoral village where his commander, Maximus, lived peacefully with his family. But first, destiny called him to join Maximus in the northern legion, to face the ruthless onslaught of the Germans. When they returned, the Rome they knew had shifted irrevocably; Commodus had ascended to the throne and brutally punished Maximus for daring to defy him. This cruel turn of fate shattered my brother’s hopes, costing him not only his commander but also the chance to fulfill a promise made to the woman he loved. The sequence of events becomes a blur, but after Commodus’s demise, my brother saw a flicker of hope amidst the chaos that had engulfed the Senate. It was then he resolved to rescue her from the confines of the temple. Instead of serving a corrupt Rome, he chose to serve her. One of the temple guards, a loyal friend, agreed to aid him; they meticulously plotted their escape, with my brother awaiting their rendezvous at the harbor under the veil of that night. Yet, fate turned against them once more; despite their careful planning, they were apprehended just as they sought the promise of freedom. The guards, quick to act, seized the two of them, the priests punishing them for the offense they were clearly guilty of."

“The two of them?” you echoed, incredulous.

“They believed my brother's friend was her lover, as they didn't reveal my brother's name.” Julius looked at you with tears in his eyes. “They made a sacrifice to protect him.”

You swallowed hard. “Sacrifice?” you struggled to maintain your composure. “How did they..." Your heart was racing. "What do you mean by that?”

You knew the horrific punishment a priestess of Vesta faced for treachery, but it still felt unbelievable.

You dreaded what you were about to hear. “Oh god, don’t tell me…” you gasped.

Julius’ sighed deeply. “They… buried her alive.”

Your eyes flew open in shock as your heart raced. You pressed your hands tightly against your mouth, desperately trying to stifle the disbelief that overwhelmed you. An icy wave of dread, like a thousand icy fingers, ran down your spine, causing your entire body to tremble uncontrollably. Hot tears cascaded down your cheeks, blurring your vision as your surroundings spun around you.

How could anyone justify inflicting such a horrific and inhumane punishment on an innocent girl?

When Marcus stepped into the villa, an overwhelming weight settled in his chest, pressing down like a storm cloud ready to burst. Fury boiled within him, directed at Lucilla—the very woman he had been shadowing for the entire night—who was precisely where you had said she would be.

Lucilla.

The disappointment of betrayal weighed heavily on Marcus. He had placed his complete trust in this woman, offering support in her time of need. He struggled to comprehend how she could have turned against him. He fought against disbelief, yet the truth he had witnessed was undeniable. With a sense of urgency, he pushed doubts to the back of his mind, focusing instead on finding you to offer the apology he owed. He had wronged you, and the weight of that realization gnawed at him. It was late, likely past the hour when you were asleep, but something pulled him toward your room with an untamed instinct.

He cast a glance through the doorway, but found it eerily empty. The absence of your presence left him baffled. Just as he was about to retreat, a whirlwind of curiosity and concern surged through him, spurred by the chaos strewn across the floor—your bag sprawled open, its contents carelessly scattered.

“Rosa?” he called softly, stepping carefully inside. Silence wrapped around him, intensifying the chaos he observed. Frustration surged within him as he took in the mess you had made, yet an odd impulse to tidy up tugged at him, thinking how reckless you were, even when it came to your belongings.

As he crouched to gather your things, something caught his eye amidst the mess. It was your wallet. Normally, he wouldn’t pay much attention to your peculiar assortment of trinkets, but the sight of a photo nestled inside made him freeze, breath caught in his throat.

There it was—a vibrant snapshot of your twelve-year-old self, beaming with joy beside little Lizzie at age five.

At 26, the years had transformed your appearance but he could notice it was your younger version.

But that wasn't the real issue.

Not at all.

What truly struck him was your striking resemblance to someone embedded in his heart and realization crushed him, gripping his heart relentlessly, leaving him breathless.

The bewilderment consumed him.

The puzzle pieces of his youth began to scatter chaotically in his mind, and he found himself grappling with the impossible question.

How could you possibly look so much like her?

For over twenty years, he had cherished her memory, but as time marched on, the details faded: the nuances of her face, the sound of her laugh, the scent of her presence…

Only the pain remained, like a knife stabbed into his heart—unyielding and sharp.

Yet now this picture breathed life into everything he thought he had put to rest. Her smile was unmistakable; it was the same radiant energy that had once filled his world with light.

A whirlwind of thoughts engulfed him, turning sense into nonsense and clarity into chaos. He sank to the floor, cradling the photograph in his trembling hands, his heart racing as if trying to escape his chest. Memories flooded back from the day he lost her, the moment his world crumbled.

He could almost hear the echo of the words he had held onto when he awoke: “Your prayers have been answered, child.”

He then recalled the moment, how you spoke those words just like her previous day. It was between Marcus and her; no one could know that, but you knew somehow.

Then the mole on the back of your neck was in the very same spot as hers.

Again, the very phrase, “Your prayers have been answered, child,” drifted through his thoughts like a haunting melody.

He had only one prayer: to die and reunite with the woman he loved in another life.

Were you truly her reincarnation?

Why couldn’t you recall anything about him?

Could it be that you were just a figment of his imagination?

No, it couldn’t be.

He knew that you were real, made of flesh and blood.

The last memory he had of the woman he cherished was of her at twelve, which might explain why he hadn’t recognized you. With his fingers pressed against the bridge of his nose, he grappled with a surge of emotions.

Why?

If the gods had answered his prayer, why hadn’t they returned him to her? This woman may look like her, but she truly is not.

Or was she?

What intricate tapestry of fate had been woven here, and what lesson lay hidden in its threads?

After a time lost in contemplation, he wiped away the tears that had escaped his resolute facade and stood up, determination surging within him.

Questions could linger in the shadows for a while longer; there was something he needed to confirm above all else.

Were you truly her?

hope you enjoyed the chapter babies, thanks for reading ❤️

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sunnysidevans · 10 months ago

Text

Heart Of Texas - J.Seresin

Synopsis: While in Texas for your best friends bachelorette trip, the last thing you expect to find is the green eyed cowboy in the bar. Or to find him again months later.

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader.

Warnings: 18+, swearing, mentions of alcohol, mentions of the deed, soft jake(warning in himself really) , uh drunk marriage? not sure what to label that.

Authors Note: hi! i'm alive! I have had this draft for... MONTHS! I have not had much motiviation but upon it being hot glen summer. I'm here with my favorite green eyed boo.

The sun was shining bright through the soft gray curtains, causing you to squint. The silk sheets were soft against your skin. Rolling over in the King sized bed, you groan.

A night of bar hopping in the heart of Austin was probably not the smartest idea but the bride to be got what she wanted for her bachelorette party, her words playing on loop,

“I want to go to Austin and have a good time before I’m a married woman” .

The groan beside you pulls you from your thoughts, looking over beside you, gasping. You pull the sheet to cover your body, pulling yourself away from him and against the wall. “Oh my god” you whisper with a shake of your head.

Moving further against the wall and away from the man as he slowly woke up. Looking him up and down you take him in, he was tall, his feet hung off the bed slightly. His tanned skin and the small freckles adorned his chest, soft blonde hairs residing there. Once he opens his eyes, you note the soft green of his irises.

“What the hell?” he groans, hand falling to his forehead.

Then he looks over at you. You look like a deer in the headlights looking at him. Under his gaze, you can’t help but to pull the sheet tighter against your chest, less of his body being covered.

“Who are you?!” you whisper-yell. “Uh- My name's Jake” he chuckles, sitting up to push his body against the headboard. “Okay but why are you in my hotel room?” you ask.

He looks around the room, noticing the clothes scattered on the floor. "I think um” he rubs the back of his neck.

“I think we may have slept together Sugar” his drawl was soft, his voice deep and still riddled with sleep.

“I think I can gather that '' you mumble, rubbing your eyes. The coldness of metal against your face pulls your hand away. “Oh-” looking down at your hand, then back at the man in front of you, who you now know is Jake. “what is it?” he asks from the end of the bed, looking back at you over his shoulder.

Holding your left hand up to him, you wiggle the small dainty band on your ring finger.

“Oh shit” his face pales, looking down at his own left hand, a simple band adored his own ring finger. “We’re fucking married” you mumble, pushing the sheet off your body to stand.

Grabbing your panties, you begin to pace the hotel room. “Dude, how the hell did we get married?!” you ask, looking at Jake. He chuckles with a shake of his head, hands on his knees. “FIrst of all, please put your tits away” rolling your eyes, you grab the first shirt in sight, buttoning it to look at him. “Please explain! What do you remember?” with your hands on your hips, he sighs. “Not more than you do,” he admits. “Just fuckin dandy” you mumble, pushing a hand through your hair.

“I must say, I do remember alot of shots, '' he admits, it causes you to chuckle. “I can’t believe this is happening right now” pacing infront of Jake, he sighs. “It’s okay, those marriages are never even legit, not legally” he admits, pulling his boxers on, standing infront of you. Stopping your pacing, he grabs your shoulders. “It’s alright Sugar” he smirks.

Rolling your eyes you push his hand off you. “It’s alright to you..” trailing off, you look at the floor infront of you, “Jake” he hums in response. You pick up the piece of paper infront of you.

“Certficate of Marriage'' you hold it out to him.

“Legally, I am now your wife” he rips the paper out of your hands, looking it over. “Oh shit” he looks back up at you then down to the paper. He goes to speak, knocking on the other side of the door stopping him.

Widening your eyes, looking around the room, you sigh. “Okay big guy” he goes to protest as you shove him into the bathroom quickly shutting the door before he can protest.

As the bathroom door shuts, your hotel room door opens. “Why did I think you should have a key?” you sigh. Your best friends are all making their way into the hotel room.

“Safety, I have all the room keys” Laura, bride to be smirks. She sits down on the bed, looking around the room.

“Are you okay?” she asks, looking at you with a smile. “I’m fine” you are lying through your teeth. “Are you okay?” you look at your best friend Wanda as she has a small smile.

“She texted Bradley at least 200 times last night, they’ve talked twice this morning” Laura says, looking between you and her friend with a deadpan look in her eyes.

“She’s in love” you admit with a grin. “I’m the one getting married!” Laura defends with a laugh. Wanda turns her gaze to you, “How are you standing?” she asks, you raise a brow. “What do you mean?” you ask, “You had a wild night” Allison says from beside you.

“What do you mean?” she chuckles, “you were all over that guy, he was so into you” Jake smirks from behind the door, listening to the conversation between you girls.

"oh really?” you ask as she nods. “I don’t remember his name but you guys hit it off..” she smirks looking around the hotel room. “You slept with him!” Wanda stands, pointing at you. “Okay” holding your hands up in surrender, you look between your group of friends.

“I remember nothing, um” you blush, knowing he had to be listening. “The sex was phenomenal okay?” The room cheers, Jake's smirk grows behind the bathroom door.

“You guys really were all over each other '' Laura nods, grinning. “Here, look'' she's pulling her phone out, showing you the photos. The night coming back to you, one photo at a time.

The music pounded through the speakers of the club. “I can’t believe that in two weeks I’ll be married!” Laura yells beside you, dancing with her own drink in hand. You smirk, sipping from your glass.

“In two weeks time we’ll be looking at Mrs.Machado!” you yell, the rest of the group cheering. “Oh! I love this song! C’mon!” You are pushed out onto the dance floor with your best friends. “Get Low” by lil John played through the speakers, singing loudly as you swayed your hips.

“Ohhhh (Y/N)! He is totally eye-fucking you!” looking over at Wanda, who sends a nod to the tall blonde at the bar. The same blonde who bought the drink you were currently nursing. He winks. Being the only single friend in the group made this a common occurrence.

You smirk, pointing to him as he smirks. Pointing to himself, you nod, motioning him over. Pushing your drink into the hands of poor Allison who was just trying to nurse her own hands.

You take his hand, pulling him away from the group of girls. “You know it’s rude to stare” you smirk, he shrugs, hands on your hips as he pulls you into his chest. Back to his chest, you didn't hesitate to grind your hips against his.

You feel his chest rumble, his chuckle against your ear. “Not that I see you complaining Sugar'' resting your hands on top of his, you continuing to grind against him.

“Neither is he!” you smirk, he couldn’t even be embarrassed as he knew you referring to his hard length that continued to poke your ass.

Laura stopped on the last photo of the two of you, it looked like it was straight from a prono. “Oh” you nod, looking at her with a blush.

“I’m gonna assume that” Allison points at your shirt with a smirk, “is not yours”. The blush now made its way up your cheeks to your ears. “No,” shaking your head, you bite your lip.

“Allison owes me $20” Laura smirks, sitting down on the bed beside your best friends. You gasp, “You placed bets?!” the girls laugh. “I knew you’d go home with him, he couldn’t keep his hands off you” the night was coming back to Jake as he continued to sober up.

“Anyways” Wanda grins, “Get cleaned up and we’ll see you downstairs for brunch in an hour” you nod, smiling. “Okay, I’ll see you guys then” they all send you a wink on their way out of the door, you sigh as the door closes behind them.

“You can come out now” Jake makes his way from the bathroom. “They’re fun,” he smirks. You send him a glare, running a hand through your hair. “Sorry” he smiles. “What are we gonna do?” looking up at him, he can’t help but look you over.

You were gorgeous. The whole reason the night ended the way it did. “Well I have to head back to California in about 4 hours,” he admits, hand on his hips.

“California?” you ask as he nods, looking at you. “We’re from California” he chuckles, a weird coincidence. “Here” he picks his phone up from the floor, holding it out to you.

“Sounds like you will be busy so” he smirks, looking at the deadpand look on your face. “Give me your number and when we both have the time, we can see a lawyer” nodding slowly, you take the phone from his hands. Putting your number in, holding it back out to him.

“I did have a good time, from what I remember” he admits, sending you a quick text so you could save his own phone number. “It was also your idea to get married” gasping, you snap your head up to look at him.

“It was not!” you defend as he shakes his head, pulling his pants on. “It was Sugar” he smirks, hand on his hips.

He stood in just his pants, shirtless in your hotel room. He had a small tattoo on his pec, you just now noticed. “It’s my niece's handwriting,” he admits. You can’t help the smile that makes its way on your lips.

It was the only tattoo Jake Seresin put on his tanned skin.

You are getting yourself dressed, feeling him stare at you. “Can I help you?” he chuckles, “can I have my shirt?” he asks. You blush, unbuttoning the shirt to hold back out to him. “Thanks” you nod, turning back to him as you finish pulling the clothes from the night before back on.

“I’ll give you a call in like, a week or so?” he asks as you nod. “Uh, give me like a month, my best friend get’s married here in a few weeks” he nods, smiling. “No problem, I have a wedding myself” you smile, your own mind drifting to see him in a black tux.

“Okay” he makes his way to the door, “Jake” he stops, looking over his shoulder to you.

“Have a safe flight” he smiles, sending you another wink. “You too”

A week later, you received a text from Jake. You never expected to hear from him until he was ready for a lawyer.

UNKOWN: Hey, You make it back okay?

You had to admit, you originally didn’t want to save his phone number, but you decided then, it was best to save it. You had nicknames for everyone, it was a love language for you, Jake getting his own.

You smirk as you save the nickname “Hungman”, for obvious reasons.

YOU: I made it okay, how about you?

He smiled, he didn’t truly expect a response. He also saved a nickname for you in his phone, “Sugar” because you were just so sweet.

“Does it fit?!” Laura is knocking on the door, pushing it open to see you in the Lavendar dress she chose for you. “Oh, (Y/N) you look stunning!” smiling at her in the mirror, turning to face her. “Are you sure?” she nods, helping you out of the room. “I love it” you smile, spinning on the small platform.

The week was leading to wedding preparations for the soon to be Mrs.Machado.

Including dress fittings to be sure the dresses from two months ago still were perfect. “Why are you so smiley?” Allison asks, smirking. You shrug, looking at yourself in the mirror. “I bet she was texting Mr.Texas” Wanda smirks.

The group had given Jake his own nickname. “Jake just texted to make sure we all made it back okay” she coos, “how sweet,he was concerned about you” you smile. Maybe he was, you werent sure.

You didn’t want to look into it too much. The way you didn’t want to just yet take the delicate gold band off your left ring finger. They had yet to notice it, you found no harm in keeping it on for the next week.

“The man, the myth , the legend!” Coyote shouts, standing from the chair at The Hard Deck. Jake smirks, holding his hands out in pride. “I’ve arrived” he chuckles, hugging his best friend. “Did you have a good trip home?” Fanboy asks beside him as he sits down. He thinks back, the gold band sitting against his chest. He didn’t want to destory it with work, opting to put it with his dog tags.

“Of course I did,” he smirks. “Back just in time for the wedding” Javy sits across from him, handing him the beer. “Did you get laid?” Payback lets curiosity get the best of him. “Of course he did” his best friend answers for him, Jake smirks. “Bradshaw!” Jake looks up at the mention of Bradley, smiling at him and then his girlfriend, Wanda. “Sorry guys, I had to go pick her up” he smiles at the redhead beside him. She waves, sitting down beside Javy.

“Hey guys” her smile is warm. Jake knew that her and Bradley were made for the other. “I’ll go get drinks baby, I’ll be back” he kisses her head, walking to the bar. “How was the trip?” Coyote asks, she smirks. “So good! I will be going back to Texas again” she smiles, “I missed Brad though so” Payback gags from his seat.

“Stop” Fanboy slaps him. The group all have significant others except Hangman. Javy had his fiance Laura, Bradley had Wanda and Mickey had Allison. Payback had a girlfriend but it was far from being serious.

Phoenix and Bob both had already been married before even coming back to Top Gun. The group had yet to meet their spouses. “Here baby” Rooster sits back down, looking at the group.

“Cap” he nods to Jake, a smirk on his face as he sips his beer. Captain Jake “Hangman” Seresin. He smirks behind his own beer. “Rooster” Wanda smiles at Hangman and the rest of the aviators.

She’s leaning over beside Javy, showing him pictures of his soon to be wife and her friends. He feels his phone buzz in his pocket. Pulling it out, he can’t help but smile.

Sugar: I found this on my phone, thought you may like it.

Attached was a photo of the two of you, a selfie of cake frosting smeared on both of your faces. He smiles, hearting the photo and saving it to his camera roll.

He didn’t want to admit his “wife” was becoming just that to him.

His wife.

“What’s got you smiling?” Mickey asks, he shrugs. “Is it the girl you slept with?!” Jake sighs, looking at his group of friends. “You slept with somebody?” Rooster asks, as he nods. “I can’t say I’m surprised” he mumbles, Jake sending him a look.

“I did,” he nods, looking at his friends. “And you kept in contact with her?” Javy smirks, looking at his best friend. Well of course I did, we’re married is what he wanted to say, instead he smiles.

“I did,” the group cheers.

“Maybe the hangman is finally getting himself a lady!” he can’t help the blush that makes its way to his ears. The bar began filing in with the rest of the group's spouses, Laura first. “Gentleman” she smiles, sitting down beside Javy. Laura was also a pilot, just now an instructor at Top Gun. Then filed in Allison who sat beside Mickey.

Payback leaving to go pick up his new girlfriend Lily. “I think this is my que to go” Jake sighs, pulling cash from his pocket as he tosses it onto the table. “Oh Hangman” Laura shakes her head, frowning.

“You don’t have to go,” he shakes his head, standing from his seat. “I have some much needed sleep to catch up on” he lies through his teeth. He hated being the odd man out of the group.

He waved goodbye, making his way out of the hard deck, his mind drifting back to you. Pulling the phone from his pocket, he sighs at the text from Javy.

Javy: Don’t let it beat you up man, you will find that someone soon, maybe at the wedding!

The continuous buzzing of your phone causes you to groan.

You knew the minute that group chat was created it was gonna be nothing more than a headache.

Ally: I think (Y/N) should go on a date with Hangman.

Wanz: I agree! The poor guy left because he was the only single one.

Lars: He’s a really down to earth man (Y/N)! Once you get past the cocky exterior.

Y/N: Can you guys not play matchmakers right now? I did really hit it off with Jake, remember?

Ally: He's in Texas ! You never know, your soulmate is right there, in Hangster.

Wanz: Bradley said he really is nice and you guys would be so cute together.

You give up then, muting the notifications and tossing the phone back on the counter beside you. They meant well, knowing you just wanted to get back out there after your break up.

You groan at the buzzing of your phone again, picking it up ready to block whoever's number for the night.

Stopping short at the message, the ellipses follow.

Hungman: Goodnight, Is it weird to text you goodnight?

Another message following

Hungman: Thought that's what married couples do so why not?

You smile. Jake felt his chest tighten, he was thanking whoever above that you had read receipts on.

Sugar: Goodnight Jake, We did drunkenly get married remember? My idea apparently.

A smile on his lips, he replies quickly.

Hungman: I mean, I didn’t have to agree to it. You clearly wanted to marry me though. I mean look at me.

The ellipses follow a few times, going in and out before one final message.

Sugar: I remember now you felt that way about me Mr. ;). Goodnight.

The week was over before you could blink. Wedding prep was extremely stressful, in ways that made you happy to just be a bridesmaid.

“(Y/N)!” you fix the skirt on your body as you walk to the table, smiling at the group. “Bradley Bradshaw '' you smirk, kissing his cheek and making it around the table. Hugging the group as you sit down beside Allison and Mickey.

You loved the group of Aviators. Bradley was originally your friend first, then the group followed. “What is that?” Mickey asks, pointing to your hand. You look to where he was pointing, your heart dropped.

In the weeks you had been home from Texas, you did the very most to hide the wedding band. “(Y/N)” Javy’s voice is stern, looking at you with curious eyes. “What?” you say, pulling your hand off the table quickly. He’s faster, reaching over the table to stop you.

“Oh my god!” Wanda sits up in her seat. “You married Mr.Texas didnt you?!” she points, looking between the group. Slouching back in the seat, you pull your hand away from Javy.

“Mr.Texas?” Mickey asks, chuckling. “She met a guy in Texas, they left. I just assumed they slept together but-” Allison smirks, looking at you. “That's where you snuck off to! You guys got married!” She's laughing. “This is not about me” you speak up, looking at Laura. She smiles, winking at you.

“This is about in less than a week, these two” you point to Laura and Javy “will be married!”.

The conversation now shifted to the wedding. You felt your blood pressure finally even out. You knew you should’ve taken the ring off.

In the last two weeks you shared lots of photos and texts with your husband, well Jake. He shared his own photos, asking you about your day. It was all things you were not used to.

Dating in a place so full of Naval Pilots was hard, it was not your type as it was your friends.

Having enough Navy friends, you were shunned off piolts. The group continued mumbling between themselves as you sipped your wine. Your phone then rang, furrowing your brows as you pulled it out.

Why was he calling you? Standing, Bradley notices first. He takes the hand closest to him as you pass. “Where you goin?” he asks, a gentle smile on his face.

“Uh, Jake is calling me, I just want to make sure he’s okay” his brain calculated what you said, before he put together Mr.Texas was Jake. “Okay” he smiles, giving your hand a squeeze.

“I’ll be back” you smile, walking outside quickly. “Hello?” he sighs, “thank god”. You frown, “Jake are you alright?” he smiles.

“Yeah, I just wanted to hear your voice” he admits, you can’t help the smile that grows on your lips.

“You know I am having dinner with my friends tonight” he chuckles. “I know I got the photos you sent, I just- I don’t know I wanted to say hi” he smiles.

He didn’t want to admit that he was starting to feel things for you. “Jake” you chuckle, looking in the window at your friends, none the wiser.

“I just wanted to talk to my wife” your heart starts beating harder in your chest. “You wanted to talk to your wife huh?” he smirks, it sounded even better when it came from your lips. “Yeah, I just want to say” he clears his throat.

“Have a fun evening, please text me once you make it home” you chuckle. “That's very Husband-y of you” he smirks. “I am a husband, your husband” you blush.

“Okay Mr.Seresin, I will text you when I get home” he smirks, “I also sent you some money if you need, Mrs.Seresin” it felt odd, but in a good way as legally, you were Mrs.Seresin.

“Jake,” he scoffs. “Nope, as a husband I am taking care of my wife, now go have fun” he blows a kiss over the speaker, hanging up before you can protest. You sigh with a smile. Typing out a quick text.

Sugar: Thank you, Husband. I appreciate you <3.

He can’t help the grin on his lips, looking over the text. He wouldn’t hate the idea of actually being a husband. The lawyer was the last thing on his mind. Making your way back inside, smiling at the text.

Hungman: No problem, Wife. Have a fun evening, talk later <3.

Wedding day had finally arrived, looking around the room, you sigh. “Where the hell is Laura?” you ask, standing in the suite with Allison and Wanda.

“I have no idea” you sigh, shaking your head. You knew she was not getting cold feet. “I’ll be right back” shutting the door behind you, you walk down the hallway with the bottom of your dress in hand.

Turning the corner you stop. Javy and Laura, both standing on the patio together. You clear your throat, both looking like deer in the headlights.

“This is not tradition” you say, arms crossed and brow raised. “I’m sorry” Laura smiles, hand locking with her now soon to be husband.

“Get back in the room, you have to get ready” she nods, kissing Javy one last time before she’s pushing past you.

Following her down the hallway as she got steps ahead of you. “Can’t believe you pulled me away from my husband” she gruffs, jokingly of course as you smile behind her. “I’m sorry miss, “I want a traditional wedding’” you throw the air quotes out to her.

She shakes her head, pushing into the room accompanied by the rest of your friend group and parents.

“I’ll be right back” you send her a reassuring smile, walking away from the room. It was hitting you a lot harder today that you were again only a bridesmaid and never a bride.

You tried hard not to mess up the makeup the lovely artist did trying to avoid the tears rolling down your cheeks. In the process, you don't notice the person in front of you, running into a hard chest. Soft hands catching you from falling, “woah there”.

Your whole body tenses, you knew that voice.

You look up to meet the same green eyes you had been thinking about for weeks. “Jake?” his hands remain on your shoulders. “(Y/N)?” his voice going up an octave in surprise.

“What are you doing here?” you ask as he looks you over, the lavender dress looks beautiful on you, “why are you crying?”.

You sniffle, shaking your head, “no answer my question first” he chuckles at your stubbornness. "My best friend is getting married today to his fiance, Laura” you gasp.

“Oh my god” you move from his arms, chuckling. “You are Hangman!” you point as his smirk grows wider.

“Javy’s best friend from top gun, oh my god” he nods sucking his teeth as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his suit. “You are Laura’s best friend” you nod, looking at him.

“What the fuck” you whisper, more to yourself than him. “I did not put this together” he nods, walking closer to you.

“Wanda and Allison tried setting me up with you” the words flow faster than you can process you are saying them as he laughs, a full belly laugh.

“Did you tell them that I am already your husband?” he asks as he then notices the ring on your left hand as it's brushing your cheeks. “No, I didn’t because I had no idea you were the same person” you chuckle, shaking your head again.

“I’m happy to see you,” he admits, looking at you. Looking back at him, you finally take him in, the black suit against the lavender shirt he wore under, bowtie tied neatly.

He looked as good as he did the last time you saw him in person. He smiles under your gaze, “I’m happy to see you too” . It's soft but in the large corridor it wasn’t hard to miss.

“Hey (Y/N)-” Bradley stops short at the end of the hallway, looking between you and Hangman. “Hangman, what did you do?” he starts making his way down the hall to get closer to you. Moving to stand in front of Jake, you stop Bradley.

“Bradley” he stops, looking between the two of you.

“Hangman is Jake” Bradley nods, looking between the two of you, “yes his name is Jake, what does that have to do with what is going on?” you shake your head, chuckling.

“Mr.Texas?” you ask, Bradley stops for a few seconds before he is chuckling. Jake slips a hand to rest on your hip, looking between you and his now friend. “She was the girl you slept with in Texas?!” He points to you, looking at Hangman.

Jake nods, looking at him with a sheepish smile, “Yes”.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe out of all the people in Austin Texas you married Hangman!” he laughs with a shake of his head. “Can I just say something?” you ask, between both aviators.

“One, I had no idea he was in the Navy until about five minutes ago. Second, he was just Jake in Texas, a southern gentleman” you look at Jake over your shoulder, he smiles down at you.

“Did he get me in his bed and marry him? I mean yes but I am also a grown woman, I had no idea he was the Hangman that you all talk about” Bradley nods slowly.

“I’m still in shock,” you admit, looking between them. “You have to tell the girls,” Bradley smirks, looking at you. “I vouched for you and everything Hangman!” he laughs at his friend, who furrows his brows.

“The text said, and I quote “Bradley says he really is nice and you guys would be so cute together” so I mean he did” you say, nodding between the two of them. “Had I known you already went out and put a ring on it” Bradley mumbles with a grin.

“How did I not recognize the girls' voices when they were in the hotel room?” he asks as you shrug. “We were hungover and barely remembered how we ended up there,” he nodded with a laugh.

“Okay point taken” you smile, looking between your two friends. “Well anyways, Hangman we are being summoned by the groom” Bradley smiles, “I’ll see you two later” he smirks, laughing as he makes his way back down the hall.

You turn to face Jake with a smile. “Mr.Texas?” he asks, hands resting on your waist. You laugh, nodding, “The girls all nicknamed you Mr.Texas, I reminded them time and time again you were Jake”.

He smiles, looking at you. “Go” you whisper, resting your hand on his arm. “I will see you later okay?” he nods, leaning down to kiss your cheek.

“I’ll see you later, Mrs.Seresin” he winks, walking back down the hallway the same way Bradley did.

He doesn’t miss the blush on your cheek. With a deep breath, you make your way back to the bride's suite.

“There you are!” Laura is grinning, holding a hand out to you. “Sorry, I’m here” you make your way to her, taking her hand.

“I want to tell you something” she’s whispering, looking at you.

“What is it?” you ask, squeezing her hand. “I never thought I would be here, marrying such an amazing man” she’s holding back tears as she continues, “I never thought I’d have such amazing friends like I do you and the group, I want you to know first” she’s grinning.

You nod, reaching out to wipe a tear from her face, “I’m having a baby”.

You grin, tears making their way to your eyes. “And I want you to be their god mother, Javy has already decided to ask Hangman to be godfather” you grin, both at the mention of Hangman and of the baby. “I’m honored” you smile, pulling her into a tight hug.

The wedding kicked off smoothly. You stood beside your best friend, watching as she married the love of her life. Doing your best to avoid crying, failing as they shared vows. You look up from the bouquet in your hand, Jake winks at you from his spot beside Javy. You blush, looking back at the couple.

“I now pronounce you, Mr and Mrs Machado!” the priest cheers as everyone follows suit. Jake waited so he could walk the aisle with you.

Following his best friend as he held an arm out to you. You move beside him and you link your arm through his, following the train of Laura’s dress.

Bradley smirks from his spot at the altar watching the scene in front of him as he was the only one to know.

He’s then looking at his own girlfriend as if she held the world. Following them outside, standing beside the rest of your best friends as you are throwing flower petals at the couple with cheers.

“See you all at the reception!” Javy grins, helping his now wife into the car, following after her.

“Wanna ride with us?” Mickey asks from beside you, smiling. Jake’s hands make their way back to your waist, shaking his head. “I got her” you smile at the look on Mickey's face, looking between the two of you.

“I’ll ride with Jake” you take his hand off your waist, lacing your fingers together. “Okay” He trails off, following Allison as she paid none the wiser of what was happening behind her.

“I now welcome you, Mr. and Mrs. Javy Machado!” you grin, cheering beside your friends as Laura and Javy make their way into the reception.

Laura looked gorgeous in the dress she chose. Jake beside you as he grins at his best friend. He was happy for them, even more happy having you beside him. You look up at the feeling of a hand on your arm, smiling at Wanda. “We need to talk” you frown, looking at her.

“Are you okay?” you ask, now turning to your best friend. She nods, smiling. “Hi Hangman” he nods, sending her a smile.

“Wanda” he nods and makes his way from the two of you to join his group of friends. You watch as he congratulates his friends, not missing the smile he shared with Laura.

“It’s Hangman?!” she’s whisper-yelling. “Huh?” you look back at Wanda, Allison on her way to join you. “Mr. Texas was Jake Seresin?!” she whispers a grin on her face. You blush, looking at your friends.

“What?!” Allison asks from beside Wanda, looking at you. “Yes, Jake is Mr.Texas aka Hangman” you look at them with a blush. “I can not believe this” Allison is laughing, watching you. “I can’t believe we tried setting you up and he already put a ring on it!” you laugh.

“Don’t be mad, Bradley told me” Wanda says, hand on your arm. Shaking your head, you smile. “I planned on telling you, I just haven’t told Laura because well it’s her day” you say, cutting short at the mention of your friend.

“What haven’t you told me?” she asks, glass in her hand.

“(Y/N) married Hangman!” you gasp, looking at Wanda.

“What?!” Laura is looking between you and back over at Jake, who stood with her husband. “Mr.Texas?!” she asks as you nod. “It all makes sense now, I mean sure Jake is a common name but in Austin Texas” she grins. “How did we not recognize him?” Laura asks the group, they shrug, “We were drunk and it was dark” Wanda says, they all laugh.

Making it through the crowd, you approach the group of Aviators. “Gentleman” you smile, looking between them, looking at Javy. “Javy, Congratulations” you smile as he pulls you into a tight hug.

You had grown close to Javy as he was like your big brother. “Thank you (Y/N/N)” you smile, moving back to stand beside Jake who doesn’t hesitate to wrap an arm around you.

“Am I missing something?” Javy asks, looking between the two of you. “They’re married!” Bradley yells from behind him with a smirk.

“What?!” he looks at his best friend, who grins. “I am indeed Mr.Texas” Jake laughs at the nickname, looking at his friend. “And I am the mystery texas girl” you are also laughing.

"Oh my god!" Javy is laughing, hand on his stomach as he looks between the two of you. "And all this time Laura has been trying to set the two of you up!" he points out as his wife joins his side with a grin. "I mean I did if you think about it" the two Machado's grin.

“Are you gonna stay married?” the question was loaded, in the weeks since you returned to San Diego neither you or jake thought about divorce.

“I don’t know” you say, looking up at the man beside you. “We'll see” you wink, moving from his grip and making your way back over to your friends. “I can not believe you two are married and I-” Javy furrows his brows.

“I never saw your ring! None of us did” Jake grins, holding his left hand up, “I wore it on my tags, didn’t want to ruin it, but I whipped it out for today” he shrugs as he sips the beer in his hand.

The reception continued on with drinks, laughs and speeches. The group all found out slowly you were indeed married to the captain of the squad.

Standing on the balcony of the venue, you close your eyes and take in the breeze.

“You know the party is not out here” you smile, the southern drawl making itself known now that he was a few drinks in. “I know” standing from the railing, you turn to face him.

He smiles, his suit jacket now discarded, now just the lavender button up. “I needed a few minutes,” you admit, looking at him.

He nods, moving to stand beside you. “Can I ask you something?” he asks, looking over at you.

Nodding, he continues. “Do you want to get divorced?” biting your lip, you shrug. “I don’t know,” you admit.

“I don’t” he admits sipping from the beer in his hands.

“What?” you look over at him, looking over his face. “I think I'd like to see where we can go,” he admits. You blush, looking away from him, “Oh” your voice is soft.

“I don’t know, something feels right, it has for the last few weeks” he’s spilling now, he realizes.

“In the nights that we talked, the texting, the photos” he shrugs, looking down at you. “I can’t help but think maybe we could make this marriage work,” he smiles. You bite your lip, nodding slowly.

You had the same feelings, but in the group of your friends you knew the reputation Hangman held.

“Are you ready to be tied down to someone, let alone me?” you ask, he chuckles.

“I haven’t looked another woman's way since you” he admits, looking at you.

“Really?” you ask as he nods. “I realize now what you’ve heard about me, how I sleep around and all but” he shrugs, moving closer to you.

“I am a simple man. I want a wife and a life with someone I love” you look up at him as he continues. “Now, did our marriage start traditionally? Of course not. I want to build it” he smiles, hand reaching out to cup your cheeks. “I want to take you on dates and woo you, be the husband you deserve” leaning into his hand, you kiss his palm.

“I won't lie I didn’t expect you to lay it on so thick” you grin. He chuckles, looking at you.

“What do you say Sugar?” he asks, his voice now deeper and accent thicker.

You nod, leaning up to connect your lips to his. Taking him by surprise as he doesn't kiss back at first but within seconds, kissing you again.

He’s pulling you against his body, hand on the back of your head to pull you and your lips closer. As you kissed him, you realized two things.

Laura was so smart for picking Austin for her bachelorette party. And when you left Texas, you left half your heart there.

The smooth talking green eyed pilot taking a piece of your heart and holding it with him. Traveling back to California with him, and holding it close as he himself was close.

“Can I take you out officially?” he asks softly, "soberly, of course" he nudges your nose. “I think that can be arranged,” he smirks, kissing you again.

God did you love Texas.

Authors Note part II: I must admit I don't think this is my best work but I think the story is good and kind of hallmark-y? But lawd! did anyone see this fic going where it did? let me know your thoughts! of course, likes, reblogs and comments are always welcomed!

and of course, if you liked this fic you can find more of my work in the library here

⇾ The Library

#glen powell #jake seresin #top gun maverick #jake seresin x reader #jake hangman seresin x reader #jake seresin fanfiction #jake seresin fic #jake seresin imagine #hangman fluff #hangman x reader #hangman fic

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uzumaki-rebellion · 3 months ago

Text

Brat by Uzumaki Rebellion

Pairing: Terry Richmond x Black Female OC

Warning(s): 18+, Explicit Sex, Spanking, Choking, Dom!Terry Richmond, BDE, Bisexual Female Partner, Compersion Fetish, BDSM Play, Urophilia/Watersports.

Summary: Sasha is a brat. On purpose. Now Terry is mad. Big mad.

Word Count: 6.7K

youtube

"I'm still, I'm still wet here tonight

So I will make you cum through the night

Will you touch me? Will you go deep in me?

I will in the sheets

I will, I will, I-I-I will"

Teyana Taylor – "WTP"

The cops were called to his home

Terry worked overnight duty on base, and his desk phone rang at ten-twenty. His neighbor Roderick, a fellow marine, hit him up with news that a noise complaint about his apartment brought out the local police. It was the second one that month.

"Your girlfriend has a bunch of women in your place again…the music is blasting and the cops are talking to her right now."

Terry rubbed his forehead. His jawline tightened. Sasha knew better than to have a bunch of people in his place when he wasn't there without letting him know about it ahead of time. He'd recently given her keys to his apartment six months ago as a reward for being a good girl. Here she was, fucking up the privilege already.

You see, Sasha is a brat.

On purpose.

It's a quality that titillates Terry, and yet it frustrates him, too. Sasha can't help it. Her nature is to be desirable, a supreme fuck, and well…a rule breaker.

Terry met Sasha at a wedding in Bayagoula Parrish, Louisiana. Both were part of the wedding party, he as a groomsman and she as a bridesmaid. He wore his military dress blues to match the groom. Sasha's beauty angered the bride who felt she eclipsed all the other women in the wedding party. He appreciated it because they'd been paired with different people to walk down the aisle, and he had the opportunity to watch her stroll in after him. Sasha displayed her shapely figure, which could be quite distracting. Her legs were fantastic, especially in heels and a high slit dress. She was top heavy too, and the off-the-shoulder dress made every attracted eye dart back and forth between thigh meat and the big juicy melons bouncing as she approached the altar. The tangerine orange of her dress enhanced the warm cognac color of her skin. He couldn't pull his eyes away from her. She was pure fap material for guys who couldn't pull her, which happened to be many at the reception. Samuel, who partnered walking down the aisle with her, strutted around thinking he was the shit with her displayed on his arm. But it was a wrap once Sasha lined her gaze with Terry's at the altar. Fireworks.

The two of them together oozed sex appeal and thoughts of sex. They complimented each other's energy. He had an assertive, domineering personality shaped by his years in the marines. Equal parts controlling and nurturing, he could overwhelm the ladies within seconds of meeting them. He already had the women there swooning over his voice. A gaze from his alluring eyes in any direction set hearts fluttering. Even the older women tee-heed with girlish enthusiasm interacting with him. He knew his power to attract and weaponized it as needed.

Sasha was a natural pleaser. Not to be mixed up with an overall people-pleaser, or a tiresome PickMe, her desire was to satisfy her lover, and they in turn would naturally gift her the moon, with a necklace of stars to match. She came off bubbly, warm, and endearing…the type of woman receptive to romance from an Alpha type. Male or female. He sensed she needed a little bit of spoiling with firm discipline to keep her in check. Pleasure and punishment. A heady combination he wanted to offer.

One bridesmaid joked about Terry and Sasha looking like human versions of Scar and Nala from The Lion King. His devilish green eyes and her equally cat-like eye shape gave testament to it. Their instant chemistry was like an electric current running through a socket. Everyone around them sensed the incredible magnetism they carried in proximity, like static electricity zapping them.

She sat down at the same table and immediately started flirting with Terry. After a few drinks, a deeper connection blossomed. Her voice turned him on. Everything sounded erotic the way she enunciated certain words, as if she wanted to make love to his ears. They chatted each other up, lightly touching hands and arms, whispering in each other's ears. Her breasts kept brushing against his arm, turning him on further as he fantasized about sucking on them with her sexy legs thrown over his shoulders. She brought out a feral competition in a lot of the men who interacted with her on the dance floor. What impressed him the most was how she complimented women there constantly, hyping them on their clothes and make-up. She was a girl's girl and danced with some who men passed over by streaking to the dance floor because the DJ was excellent. Sasha rallied a group of women into doing the YaYa, a Creole line-dance making a resurgence in those parts because of Beyonce's Cowboy Carter album.

He didn't want to get sweaty in his military uniform, but Terry couldn't resist a good, soulful line dance with a bunch of Black people. Bayagoula had some slim pickings for Black women since it was a majority white town, but since the bride was Black, Terry and a host of other Black soldiers hoped she had enough Black female friends coming to town available for some good times. He silently thanked the wedding planner for placing Sasha next to him. They shared a slow dance, and he loved having her breasts resting against his chest.

As the evening continued, they cozied up even more.

Sasha kissed him first right at the table. The lights in the venue had lowered for after-dinner partying, so Terry took advantage, purposely grazing his fingers against her right breast where he'd thrown his arm around her shoulder. Their table was empty and the dance floor was full tilt boogie. Nibbling on her earlobe, he whispered filthy things he wanted to do to her. He lowered his hand and slipped them up the slit in her dress, sliding her panties aside, fingering her with shallow thrusts. She let him finger fuck her, begging for him to go deeper.

Sasha started playing with Terry's dick under the tablecloth. Everyone else was too drunk and too occupied with dancing. No one paid attention to them. She got his dick so stiff that he dragged her to the nearest restroom and fucked her. Lifted her onto the sink, hiked up her dress, unfastened the upper part of her dress and released tits he now adored. It didn't take long for him to spill into the condom. Their foreplay at the table had them rearing to go.

His dick was too big and heavy to fit all the way inside her pussy. The last two inches, visible at the root, moved up and down as he ejaculated. He loved how she handled his meat. He packed so much length that her pussy squirted from the pressure of being stretched to capacity. She peed on him, too. He pinched her big nipples, obsessing over them already.

"I'm taking you home with me," he said.

His dick kept pulsing cum, and he shivered as the last orgasmic surge pushed through his dick. Even his nut sack jumped at the pleasure of release. Sasha gave off soft babygirl energy, and he wanted a woman like that. He'd only known her for five hours and already claimed her as his.

"Okay," she said, with her legs draped over his arms.

Terry turned her around and lifted her breasts. He watched his reflection in the mirror bounce them in his hands, getting off on the weight and size. His dick finally started going down, and Sasha peeled the condom off. He turned to urinate in the toilet and she held his dick for him, guiding the stream into the bowl.

"You like watching me do that?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Hmmm, into watersports?"

Her sloe eyes twinkled with delight.

"I used to watch my brother's college friends pee in our backyard when they were drunk. The sight of dicks out in the open like that…squirting everywhere…yummy. I get wet just thinking about it."

"What if I pissed on you? Would you like that?"

"Yes, Daddy…I would play with my pussy while you did it."

He grinned. She already understood his expectations. He whispered in her ear that he wanted a good girl, an obedient one, and she knew exactly what he meant. A submissive that catered to her man.

She shook his dick and used one of the soft paper towels to clean his tip. Then she dropped to her knees and sucked him off for a final cleaning. He wanted to bust a load on her face, but they'd been in the restroom long enough.

He scooped her up and drove back to his apartment.

They began a committed relationship soon after.

Terry dominated her life. Told her what to wear, what to cook for them when he worked hard all day supporting them both. Sasha flitted from part-time job to job like a bee gathering pollen whenever she was bored, not in a rush to find a career like Terry had done. He was a big bad marine with a jacked body, a tatted sleeve down one arm, and a sculpted face. He liked her being home, and she liked being there spoiled by him. His pay grade and rank allowed him to provide a comfortable life for her.

There were other rules, of course.

The apartment had to be pristine clean and her pussy had to be ready when he came home. He dealt with loud, tense, funky, gritty, and abrasive men all day. His home had to reflect the opposite vibe, and he needed to sink into her softness in the evening.

She greeted him at the door after work, looking dreamy in heels and clothes he liked to see her in, like short skirts and sexy dresses to show off those legs. With a cocktail in hand and deep welcoming tongue kisses, Sasha played her role. He brought home flowers every Friday, and at least once a week he bought her presents. She liked bracelets and expensive perfumes in fancy little bottles. He bought her books on whatever new hyper-fixation she had. One month it was soap-making. Another month it was origami, and he suffered through an apartment full of little flying cranes and odd-shaped butterflies. It made him feel good to bring her something special just to witness the sparkle in her eye and the squeal she let out each time. That was often more arousing than foreplay.

On the weekends, when he had to stay on base or travel out of state for additional work-related training, they agreed that she could have a female lover over for girl time. They'd brought other women into their bedroom on various occasions, and Terry sat next to Sasha as she had sex on the king-sized bed. He never indulged in the other women with her, preferring to watch and jerk off. Some might say he was a cuck, but that wasn't it. He had a compersion fetish. Sasha's happiness at having him as a boyfriend and still indulging in sex with another woman gave him pleasure mentally. It stimulated him, no doubt, to watch his woman go at it with another beautiful woman, but he never did a threesome by sticking his dick in someone else. Sasha was enough woman for him, plus, not every outsider was into the things that he liked to do to her. Like breath play with choking, and of course, the golden showers.

Sasha played the submissive well, pampering herself during the day in preparation for his coming home. Terry gave strong Daddy energy, and it brought out the softness in her. His father raised him to be a stern patriarch and southern gentleman. Women were to be taken care of and the expectation was for them to please their men like sweet southern belles.

Sasha was sweet and one hundred percent southern…but a brat, nonetheless. And brats don't always do what you tell them.

She'd purposely leave crumbs in the kitchen for him to find after work. Or she'd forget to make the bed the way he liked. Sometimes she ordered take out instead of making him the home-cooked meals he expected. That's when Terry would fume and take off his belt, lifting her up and taking her into the bedroom to get spanked until her ass cheeks were a deeper shade. When he finished striking her backside, he'd rub cooling blue gel all over her rump, simultaneously soothing her and chastising her.

"Why do you make me do this to you?" he'd lament. "You know I don't like punishing you. I want to come home and have peace. You're my peace, Sasha."

Those searing green eyes would narrow and his brows stayed furrowed, correcting her behavior.

She loved that shit.

However, on the day he had to leave for a weekend base stay several hours before Roderick called him about the police at his place, Sasha (purposely):

1. Forgot to pick up his dry cleaned dress blues on time the night before when he asked.

2. Tossed his clean clothes in drawers without folding them.

3. And God forbid, mixed his unpaired socks in his underwear drawer.

His jaw grew rigid, and he spoke to her through gritted teeth.

"Didn't we talk about this?" he said with an exasperated tone.

"Who cares? Everything is clean. I'll get your dry cleaning today. Don't have a cow," she said, scrolling through pages of fashion on her tablet, hoping he'd snap.

He always took the bait.

His hand went gently around her throat, and he pushed her against the wall.

"What did I tell you about talking to me like that?"

A dangerous smirk twisted his lips to the side. Sasha pouted.

"It won't kill your clothes to not be perfect. I washed and dried them and put them away. That's good enough. Deal with it."

"You know we have to have order in this home. I tell you this every day, Sasha, an orderly home denotes an orderly mind. Fix it."

"You fix it."

He sighed and glanced over at the clock on the wall. His work day started in thirty minutes. He had to be on base in fifteen or risk being late. That was simply a no-no.

"Go straighten out those drawers," he insisted, with more bass in his voice.

He pushed her toward the dresser and hurriedly went to their walk-in closet to grab and fold his old dress blues. He liked to have them on him in case the upper brass needed him to appear ready at a moment's notice for any occasion. His new uniforms needed cleaning before he would wear them. Sasha strolled past their bureau.

"Sasha, I'm not playing!"

He buttoned up the shirt of his duty uniform. She sashayed toward the bedroom door, switching her hips in her babydoll nightie, big titties bouncing, not having any plans for the day except eating chocolate bon bons and shopping online or doing whatever she wanted at her whim because he wanted her to.

"Sasha!"

She ignored him. He snatched her up, throwing her across his lap on the bed. Yanking her nightie up, he pulled the matching panties down and swatted that ass. He gave an even number of spanks on each cheek, careful to soothe as well as punish so as not to harm her tender skin. She yelped and refused to apologize for back talking, making him more upset…and his dick hard.

He added some harder smacks under the jiggling booty cheeks, and she got the message, jerking on his lap and hissing from the sting of genuine pain settling in. He held her down with one arm and heated that ass up, stopping before she needed their safe word. Her disobedience and disrespect resulted in an unscheduled spanking session today, although they had scheduled sessions for weekdays and weekends.

He refused to use the cooling gel on her. She needed to feel the pain of punishment for at least an hour. He'd give her more after he returned home from work.

Terry looked down at his protruding dick nearly blasting a hole through his work pants. Sasha stared at it too, licking her lips. This was what she wanted. He'd ignored her earlier in bed when she wanted dick at four in the morning. The night before, he'd dragged home exhausted from combat drills. He chose to crash out instead of pleasing her. Her hand rubbed on his muscle-toned thighs and traced lines on his tatted bicep, but he was not in the mood.

She chose to make him late. Just to get back at him. He came harder when he was angry or irritated. Down went his zipper… and her knees. He fished out his dick and stroked hard and fast.

"Selfish little brat," he barked. "Making me fucking late!"

She pulled down her nightie, revealing his weakness, and he stared at her breasts. He moaned out loud when she plucked at her nipples and circled her pretty manicured nails around the edges of her dark areolas, reminding him visually of how big they were, and how much he loved that about her.

Pre-cum spilled out of his deep slit, and she used it as a lubricant to tease around her sizeable nipples that stood out like fat, juicy blueberries. His sack was heavy with cum. Sasha licked her lips. Smacked those big melons together, and he blew his load all over her pretty face. She brushed back her wild, wavy hair and continued shaking her titties for him.

He panted and shot another hot rope across her tongue. She jumped up and placed herself on the bed, spreading open her labia for him to see the wet pink of her dripping pussy.

"Fucking slut!"

His eyes became mere slits of angry jade. He grabbed his cell and called his boss while shaking off his pants. A credible lie fell out of his mouth as he plunged into her. He bought an hour pretending to have a dead battery in his car. Tossing the phone on the bed, he fucked Sasha as deep as she could take unsheathed. He grunted, and she threw her arms across his shoulders, satisfied that she got what she wanted.

Anger guided his thrusts. When he started getting too aggressive, he switched to eating her pussy. That helped calm him down. She was insatiable. He should've paid more attention to that quality about her after the first night he fucked her. Sasha loved his dick and craved it at all hours.

Terry sucked and licked her clit, forcing breathy moans out of his woman. She rocked and rolled her hips, her vulva laid out like a summer nectarine: smooth, juicy and sweet. Sasha soaked his lips and chin. His facial hair became a sticky mess with her excess.

He spooned her on his side and parted her cheeks with his dick alone, sliding in and stretching her properly. Terry fondled a breast and pounded her down until that juicy pussy clenched around him. He kept fucking because he knew she needed more.

"Oh, Daddy! I'm sorry! Don't punish me like this!" she screamed, clutching onto the covers.

She wasn't sorry. She wanted that deep Daddy dick.

Sasha said it like a mantra over and over, "Oh Daddy…I'm sorry! Oh, Daddy…I'm sorry! Oh, Daddy…"

He groaned and hit the side of her walls to really make her feel it, and spurt a geyser of cum, still angry that he was late. But busting a nut that hard was worth it in the end. She gasped, her legs jerking wildly at the intensity.

Rising from the bed, he looked down at his brat. She took her fingers and peeled back her labia, letting him see the big creamy mess he made inside of her.

"Wait until I get home Sunday!" he snapped, lifting his pants from the floor.

She pissed him off.

And he let her.

He grabbed his small work duffle, and the garment bag he stuffed his old uniform in and slapped her thigh.

"Fix those clothes in the drawers," he grumbled.

After he left, she teased him mercilessly with several bathroom selfies of her voluptuous breasts and pancake areolas. Her big nipples stuck out hard, and she knew he would suffer at work seeing them all weekend and unable to touch them. During his lunch break, he went into a restroom stall and recorded himself urinating. Using his pelvic muscles, he made his dick twitch and spill urine on the seat. His penis was still big while flaccid, and moving it as he splashed into the toilet would excite her. He shot off the clip to her and later, during another break in his car, she sent him video clips from her smartphone of herself fingering her wet pussy and sucking on her nipples while she watched his video on her tablet. Sex was their shared passion. Their best form of communication.

"You were mean to me today," she texted afterward.

He jerked off in the car, re-watching her squirt all over herself. His dick was the object of her affection when she watched him piss. To her, it was just as sexy as watching him ejaculate semen. It came from inside of him, therefore it was precious to her.

She sent more photos of herself looking down at the phone with her breasts hanging with her tongue partially sticking out. He fucking loved her, and immediately sent her a sweating face emoji with hearts, and couldn't wait to fuck her like a goddamn wild man.

Back at work, he did some emergency drills and then took his place at the duty station, overseeing lower ranked soldiers.

Roderick's phone call shattered the routine of his evening. He couldn't leave work to deal with her, so he had to suffer the entire weekend.

Sasha didn't know that Roderick notified him of the cops. She kept sending him loving texts. Asked him what he wanted for supper on his return home.

"I picked up your uniform, and I organized the drawers properly, Daddy," she texted.

He ignored it, pretending to be busy.

She never mentioned having a gathering at his place that weekend. Technically, it was their shared residence, but his name was the only one on the lease. That meant any problems that occurred with the cops reflected on him in the complex. It wasn't a rarity to have the police called around there for noise ordinances. It was predominately military living there, so close to the base. Lots of parties occurred. But he'd never had them called on him until Sasha moved in. He didn't want that reputation, and he didn't want to dump her like he did his last girlfriend, who stayed out of pocket with him until he had enough. She was disobedient in other ways, but not enough to bring the authorities his way. His reputation and moral character around town was everything to him. He'd hate to let go of amazing pussy and fat titties. Terry was already thinking of putting a ring on Sasha's finger after only six months of being together. Babygirl was that perfect.

Except for when she acted out in ways he didn't like.

Sunday couldn't come fast enough.

He'd have Monday and Tuesday off. Plenty of time to course correct Sasha.

After showering and shaving on base, he drove to his complex in the early evening without telling her the exact time he was coming back.

He crept up the stairs to his second floor. The onsite apartment manager taped another yellow noise complaint notice to his door. He pulled it down and read the warning while sliding his key in. Stepping inside, the living room lights were off, but the bedroom and hall lights were on. She'd cooked something because the odor of something good still wafted in the apartment. He kicked off his shoes, already upset that she wasn't there to greet him.

Dropping his bags and the warning notice on the couch, he padded to their master bedroom.

Sasha was sucking down another woman's box on his bed.

Jasmine.

Both women were oblivious to him being there.

Terry sat down on the side chair in the room facing the bed and watched them go at it. Sasha had a small vibrator inserted into her vagina that also stimulated her clit. It was a cute little pink toy that hummed along to their sex play. His irritation from the notice simmered in the back of his mind. It took him a few minutes to settle into watching his woman and her side piece. Their moans and soft murmurings lulled him into arousal.

He started playing with his dick, pulled it out all the way along with his balls. Smearing pre-cum all around the bulbous head, he took slow strokes up and down, staying underneath the thick ridge. Sasha's pussy looked so pretty, with the pink toy snug inside of her. Her lover thrashed her head back and forth. He fisted his dick faster, smacking on his balls, wishing her pussy could go all the way down on him.

Jasmine came in Sasha's mouth and his lady love's pussy throbbed with a powerful orgasm. Sasha smacked her lips and moaned as her pussy took the internal vibrations. She glanced over her shoulder.

"Daddy," she sputtered, shocked to see him sitting in the room.

Jasmine lifted on her elbows and grinned.

Terry stood and dragged Sasha by her foot to the end of the bed. He pulled out the small vibrator from her pussy and jammed the tip of his dick against her vulva and nutted all over it. Sasha squealed with delight at the man-handling and Jasmine stared with envy. She longed to suck and fuck him, but that would never happen.

"Come lick up his cum," Sasha said.

She smeared it all over her clit and Jasmine settled between her thighs, lowering her head to lick like a cat lapping up milk.

Terry pulled off the rest of his clothes. Sasha kept her eyes locked on his, ignoring Jasmine licking her way to glory. When most of his semen went down Jasmine's throat, he climbed onto the bed. Jasmine scooted over, giving his large body precedence. His dick bobbed and Sasha whimpered in expectation.

"So glad you're home," Sasha said.

Terry carefully placed his thumb and fingers on the sides of her neck. She relaxed under him.

"Jasmine, I think it's time for you to go home," he said.

Sasha blinked twice and her eyes darted over to Jasmine, disappointed that he didn't want their favorite voyeur staying for their lovemaking.

"Now, Jasmine."

Jasmine quickly left the room. They heard her scramble into her clothes and leave the apartment.

"What's wrong?"

He liked the hesitant tone in her voice. It threw her off.

"Do you enjoy living here with me, Sasha?"

She tried to sit up. He held her down by the throat. Still gentle, but gripped tight enough to let her know she wasn't getting up. Pushing his tip into her, she sucked in a breath and he squeezed the sides of her neck, careful to count out the seconds she could handle before easing the pressure. The opening of her pussy throbbed around him. He slowly pushed in, each inch parting her slippery walls. Jasmine made Sasha frothy and wide open for him. He stopped and squeezed her neck again, giving shallow thrusts and counting to her limit before releasing the controlled grip.

"Can we keep going? Do you need a break?"

"No Daddy, I can take it a little more. I'll tap you when to stop."

He pushed in to her limit, thick and heavy. Her pussy lips looked like a swollen vise around his girth, with the last of his inches unable to go in. Each time he pushed forward or pulled back, she gripped him with her walls, giving him the friction he dreamed about all weekend waiting to come home.

He began fucking her slowly, his hand clamped on her neck.

"Ready?"

She nodded and he pressed his fingers in again with gentle pressure, heightening her pleasure. Her eyes went glassy with lust. Although he choked her with their breath play, her pussy choked his dick and he released her neck to rock his hips into her with a steady rhythm.

"You feel so fucking good…taking care of Daddy's dick…"

He started kissing her, thrusting his tongue in her mouth, letting hers slide against his until the erotic sensation of their lips feeling raw and sensitive to the connection overtook him. Kissing her was life itself. He pulled back from her, still stretching her pussy, but not pumping into her.

"Roderick called me about the cops being here again. There was a warning notice on the door. What do you have to say about that?"

Her eyes widened, and she bit her bottom lip.

"How come you didn't tell me before I left about having people over here?"

"It was impromptu. A few friends, and then…a few more friends of friends…it was a wine and cheese thing and then…the cops showed up."

Terry pulled all the way out of her and left the bed.

"Do we have to talk about this now? Can we finish this and talk later?"

She breathed heavily, upset that his dick wasn't plowing her.

"What do you think will happen if I get another notice?"

She pressed her lips together for a second.

"It won't happen again. I promise."

"You said that last time two weeks ago."

"You won't have to worry. If I want to have a gathering again, I'll do it at Jasmine's. Please, Terry, don't be upset."

"What do I like more than anything at home?"

His hard dick pointed toward her and Sasha's eyes kept losing track of his face by focusing on his erection she wanted back in her guts.

"Peace and calm."

"My neighbor shouldn't be calling me about you. That means it disturbed him, too, and probably a lot of other people. If I get a third notice, the manager will break my lease. You know what that means? He can ask me to move. I picked this complex because it's close to my job. The job that takes care of you, and allows you to be my good girl. You've put our housing in jeopardy. Before I left for work, you were acting out and I didn't have time to really put you in your place. I've been super busy this past month and I think I've been letting you get away with too much. But I'm going to get back to proper discipline. No physical contact at all."

Her mouth dropped open.

"What?" she said.

"Spanking won't do this time. You don't get to have me until I think you get your behavior together."

He walked to his side of the bureau and pulled out lounging pants and a t-shirt. He strolled into the bathroom. She followed with panic in her eyes. He stretched his back and stood in front of the toilet. She reached for his dick to help him urinate, but he slapped her hand away.

"No," he said. "You don't even get to watch."

He arched an angry eyebrow, and she pouted. He ignored her breasts and the fat pussy he'd just been inside of that enticed him to cave.

"Out!"

She scuttled away like a little crab who sensed danger on sand.

He relieved himself and changed into his house clothes.

"I would like my dinner in half an hour," he called out.

He went into the spare bedroom where he set up a mini-gym and desktop computer. He checked sports updates before opening a porn app. His balls ached wanting to cum inside Sasha, but he searched for Black women masturbating and found one using a vibrator with large pussy lips that excited him. Fisting himself, he left the door open so Sasha could hear him and seethe. She slammed the kitchen cabinet doors and let some silverware clatter onto the table to show her anger at not getting his dick. He chuckled.

"Fix that attitude. This is your fault for being irresponsible," he called out.

His porn play pal had nice tits and a soft belly. He came into his hand.

"Your dinner is ready," Sasha called out.

He cleaned his hands in the bathroom and walked into the dining area with his mouth salivating. Smothered chicken and rice with French green beans drenched in garlic butter. Homemade and piping hot.

"This looks good, baby. Thank you."

He sat down and she sat across from him. They said grace together, and he stuffed his face, licking his fingers and complimenting her cooking. That perked her up, and yet she still stared at his chest in the tight T-shirt, and admired the sleeve tats.

He punished her for a month.

Sasha stayed on her A-game. Clean house. Clothes put away properly. Bed made so perfect that he could bounce a quarter on it. Uniforms pressed and already placed in his garment bag. She'd gone to the apartment manager and explained the situation with the loud party. Sasha claimed to be his house sitter who didn't know the rules about no loud noises after nine at night. Terry was pretty sure she jiggled her tits and flirted with the male manager. Her legs in some stiletto heels would do the trick easy. The manager actually ignored the second noise warning…and the first, clearing Terry's apartment record.

In bed, she suffered from wanting to curl under or around him, but he stayed on his side with his back to her. She knew better than to seek out Jasmine for respite. It wouldn't be a satisfying, playful romp when she yearned only for her man's affections. She thought it best to accept the dry spell.

Meals…impeccable.

Cocktails at the door…refreshing.

Terry slowly started showing her physical affection with a kiss on the cheek goodbye in the morning. He brought home flowers and gifts again with kisses on the forehead.

He ended her punishment by walking into the bathroom as she smoothed unscented body butter all over her naked body after a shower. She stared at him in the mirror as he stood behind her. He circled his hand around her throat, forcing her to turn her face to the side so he could kiss her.

Sasha moaned into his mouth and broke into tears of joy.

"I won't disappoint you gain," she whispered into his mouth.

"That's all I want from you, baby. Follow my rules."

He continued kissing her, lifting those glorious breasts.

"Will you fuck me now?" she pleaded.

"Of course."

Sasha whimpered at the deep rasp of his morning voice. She leaned forward, and he entered her. Cupping her breasts, he fucked her hard and fast. Her pussy squelched, and she cried, her tears of happiness wetting her face.

"I'm sorry, Daddy…sorry, Daddy…sorry, Daddy…!"

"Pussy so fucking good…I missed these big titties…tight pussy…oh babygirl…fuck Daddy's dick!"

He studied her expression in the mirror.

"Want Daddy to punish this pussy?"

"Yes!"

"Take this dick then…take it…take it babygirl…oh you're taking it deep…oh shit! Oh, shit!"

She still couldn't take him in all the way, but it truly felt like he got in deeper than he'd been before. Her eyes looked up to the ceiling, then rolled back. She squirted everywhere, soaking his dick.

He ejaculated hard enough to make him lift onto his toes. He dropped to his knees to smother his face in her ass and pussy, wanting to feel the back rush of his cum dripping out of her.

His bladder poked at him. He drank an extra glass of water for the occasion.

"Get in the tub, baby," he said.

Sasha yelped with excited anticipation. She climbed into the tub and he handed her a towel that she folded as a knee cushion. Once she was comfortable, he rested his balls on her mouth and she sucked them while playing with her clit and pussy lips.

"Let me hear that wet pussy, Sasha."

She flicked her clit and used her three middle fingers. He stared down at her, reaching for a heavy breast.

"You ready, baby?"

She hummed with his nuts in her mouth.

"You'll be my dirty little slut? Huh, baby?"

"Yes, Daddy…yes, I'll be your dirty little slut…"

"Oh, let me hear that pussy talk, Sasha!"

Sasha whimpered, and her tone was on the edge.

"Daddy's 'bout to give you what you want…get ready…oh…get ready…"

"I'm still your good girl!"

Her tongue slid up and down the underside of his dick, her words warm on his skin.

"Sasha…baby…fuck…dirty little slut letting me do whatever I want!"

Terry took a step back, and Sasha kept pleasuring her pussy. She tilted her head back. A hot stream of urine flew out of him and splashed all over her breasts. Holding his release for a longer period made the sensation of voiding his bladder sweeter. It felt almost as good as an orgasm soaking her.

Sasha's glassy eyes looked far away. She was in her pleasure zone, cumming so hard she couldn't even speak anymore. He drained himself all over her tits, and she slumped back with loud pants.

"Goddamn, that was fucking good!" he shouted to the ceiling.

His aftercare was tender with her.

He used the shower nozzle to rinse her off first before he cleaned her with honeysuckle body wash. Helping her stand up, he rubbed her vulva, thighs and backside, then lathered up her tits. He rinsed her off, then stuck the nozzle back up high and joined her in the shower for a long rinse with hotter water. They kissed as heat steamed around them, his arms cradling her.

"I don't like punishing you like that. It hurt me not to touch you for a month, baby," he hummed in her ear.

She hugged him tight.

Back in their bedroom, they made slow love on the bed. She rode him and he praised her…worshipped her body.

"I love you, Sasha."

"I love you, too, Terry. I want to make you happy."

"I want to make you happy every day. You're really the boss of me. Everything I do is for you."

"I know. I'm yours, Daddy. Let me take care of this dick."

He held his legs wide open, and she rode him backward, perched between his thighs at an angle. He let her slide up and down to the depths she could take and watched her pussy work his length. She slid back to sit on his face, where he slathered her folds with a wide, wet tongue.

They finished with him on top of her, declaring his undying love. He came all over her breasts, and hugged her tight under the covers, playing with her nipples and making plans for their future.

Terry cooked them a late brunch and cleaned the kitchen himself. Sasha washed clothes and looked up a movie for them to go see. All was well until he went to his sock drawer and found unmatched pairs with underwear mixed in.

"Sasha!"

She sauntered in, carrying one of his belts folded in her hand.

"Shall I assume the position?" she teased.

"Once a brat, always a brat," he said.

He chased Sasha around the room until he caught her, snatching the belt away and pushing her down on his lap.

Terry taught her a new lesson.

And, of course, she loved it.

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siolixz · 2 months ago

Text

'*•.¸♡ FATHER FIGURE ♡¸.•*'

Being Lucy's sister came with a lot of perks: good food, nice places to stay at- a rich handsome multimillionaire falling madly in love with you. Did I mention the rich handsome multimillioanire?

pairing: harry castillo x reader (Lucy's sister)

part2

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

context: just fluff and romcom scenarios, older man x younger woman, everyone is over 18 and fully consenting; words: 3k I hope you will enjoy and pls tell me if you like it or tell me if you don't- I will probably write a part 2 with smut if it is well received. ପ(๑•ᴗ•๑)ଓ ♡ I will probably write the smut anyways tho loll Yes i have put a George Michael song name as the title put me in jail or whatever. Also I have no idea if his name is Randy or Harry so oh well, who cares hes so sexy.

It was a beautiful day in New York that welcomed you right back here in this city, looking across the cafe for your Lucy.

You slept in today, after a long plane ride and a longer ride to your sister's apartment you had to get your rest for the days ahead- and for the wedding. Because of spring break and because she received a plus one invitation to one of her glorious matchmaking results- her ninth to be more precise, you just had to join her in New York for the week ahead. You didn’t have anything else better to do, plus, you missed her.

She smiled at your sleepy face as you sat down in front of her.

As the coffee arrived you finally had some time to catch up on life, on your school and on her job. More importantly, how could John ever break up with her? She’s successful, she's beautiful and she’s brilliant. You told her that you were hoping she could finally get a guy who actually deserves her.

“I hope your wedding will be the tenth-” you started.

“Maybe it will be yours princess, did you think of that?” She smirked at you, clearly enjoying the banter you two were so used to having.

“So that’s why you called me here- to set me up with someone?” you leaned across the table “Because I’m taking the first plane back to college if that's the case.” There’s nothing more embarrassing than your own sister setting you up, I mean you could get a date if you tried but the boys back at school are, lacking.. certain qualities you were hoping for in a man.

She laughed at your expression, knowing you were being sarcastic and joking but also not really. You could hardly hear each other anymore as more people came into the cafe.

She grabbed the hand you had on the table as she said: “You’ve grown so much- I’m so happy you're here with me.”

All day long you walked across New York City, first it was dress shopping- you probably tried on like 10 dresses before picking a gorgeous green floor length dress and your sister a blue dress. She covered everything like the great older sister she is and on you went towards Sephora to get everything you might need or just plain wanted- perks of having an older sister with money- and then it was take out time back home; feet sore and exhausted. You loved and hated being in this city, but you could clearly see why Lucy wanted to live here. So many people, so many stories to tell. You two took a nap and then by late afternoon you were out again for dinner with some of her friends and then for a walk in central park.

“You know, I think tomorrow is going to be really special.” she linked your arms together as you passed people.

“Really?” you turned the upper part of your body towards your sister as you walked. “In what way may I ask?”

“Like in a good way; maybe you’ll meet someone.” she whispered the last part “Or maybe in a bad way.” She turned away from you like she was thinking. “Last time we were at a wedding together, you were very little- remember you got that stomach bug-”

“Ugh don’t remind me Lucy” you grimaced at her macabre reminiscing while she laughed in your face “We just ate-”

The wedding was truly beautiful, the bride and groom looked great together and the food was completely out of this world. The groom was a finance guy, so it made sense that the wedding would be held in a grandiose style, I mean they had a chocolate fountain for god sake. And free gifts for people- free gifts!

You and Lucy talked with some people, ate some food from the candy bar while gossiping and danced a little bit but you had to take a break as ‘Cupid’ herself was socializing with acquaintances. You texted some of your friends, one from childhood and two from college- all ecstatic about the amazing things there. You had to remember to get Maddy a necklace as her birthday was coming up and Mark asked if you could get him a lucky cat doll and also-

“Is this seat taken?”

You looked up at the owner of the voice, “Um, no- no it’s not.”

Um, yes it was, your sister was seated there- who even is this?

The stranger sat on the chair, turned his whole body to look at you and placed his hand under his head- like he was engaged in the most passionate discussion.

From this position you could finally see the man up close- this must be the groom's best friend. Your sister told you as you sat down during the ceremony, even if you were seated far away, you could remember him now. He was right next to the groom.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you-”

“No, it’s okay-” Now you’re interrupting him, please stop.

He smiled at you, endeared by your attempt at alienating his worries. His smile reached his eyes and the corners wrinkled, like a testament of this strange man’s seasoned life. He looked at you in an almost parental fashion like he already knew you- wait, do you know him?

Your sister has a bunch of friends and acquaintances around New York, maybe you did know him. “Do we know each other?”

“No, I don’t believe we have met.”

He had this air about him, like he was so comfortable and sure of himself. He smiled again at you, like he knew something you did not, was there something on your teeth?

“My name is Harry, it’s nice to meet you, miss…” You told him your name and he repeated it.

Why was your heart beating so fast? Maybe because he was very, very handsome.

“Would you like a drink?” he said your name again and you forgot all about the phone buzzing in your hand.

“Um..”

You looked across the ornate ballroom for your sister for a second.

“Wait, you’re old enough to drink, right?” His smile faltered for a second but he quickly regained it as you reassured him that you were indeed, old enough to drink.

He ordered a cosmopolitan for you and an old fashioned for him and while you chatted, he asked about what you were doing in New York and how you knew the bride and the groom.

“You’re the matchmaker’s sister.” he pointed at you and you teared your gaze away from his beautiful brown eyes to notice the green ring on his finger.

“I am.”

He must’ve noticed you looking at it as he too, looked at it- then at you and remarked:

“Green is my favorite color.”

This handsome man was clearly hitting on you, but why? You haven’t chatted with anyone this evening besides your sister and some basic chit-chat with the bride. He must’ve singled you out of the crowd as only a man with experience could have probably. Well it wasn’t going to end how he hoped, with you in his bed and him never calling you again. You weren’t born yesterday nor were you that desperate, no matter how handsome he was nor how tall and big he was compared to you-

No, you’re not going anywhere with him, you’re here for and with your sister. Speaking of which-

“I see you’ve made some friends.” She smiled as she came closer and introduced herself to Harry. Harry. What a beautiful name.

As he turned his head towards her you looked at the curls he had at the base of his neck and thought you could never look at someone more handsome- his face looked like it was sculpted!

She made some polite conversation and It wasn’t long before she had to excuse you two in order to introduce you to some people there.

So in about 2 minutes- you said your goodbye’s and you left him there, silently hoping that maybe he could call out your name as you walked away or run after you and tell you he is madly in love with you ‘please don’t go’ - you audibly giggled next to your sister as you walked away, amused entirely by your schoolgirl-like-dreams as she gave you an odd look.

It was the cosmopolitan’s fault, you were sure.

As the night wore on you tried to see him again but to no avail; he must’ve left with some pretty model or gorgeous woman- the thought left an emptiness in your stomach you couldn’t shake for the whole night.

You were woken up by the sunrays on your face and by an immense amount of thirst that left your throat feeling like you scratched it all night long. You grabbed your phone instinctively and after about 30 minutes of coming back to life you finally got up.

As you entered the living room you saw your older sister on the phone and gave her a small wave.

She nodded her head at you as you walked into the kitchen to grab some ice cold water.

Why was everything so hot in this apartment?

After she finished her phone call you could finally debrief with her about last night's events, the most important of those things was definitely her meeting up with John again.

“Life just finds a way I guess.” you told her as she grabbed a coke from the fridge.

“Yeah, I guess.” She opened the can, took a sip and said “By the way, I have a surprise for you.”

“Yeah, what?” You couldn’t deny the way your heart jumped a little bit- maybe a bit more.

“I have a date for you.”

“Lucy, no..” you groaned. Was it with him? God let it be him.

“Hear me out, ok? I have to be at a girlfriend's house this evening and I want you to go, I would hate for you to be inside while I go have fun- plus you don’t have to go on a second date or anything, this is just for fun- no expectations, ok?” She pleaded with her eyes at you.

“I can’t say anything about this guy, but you have a lot in common, he is also a student like you- maybe you can bond over that.”

The day dragged on until 5pm when you had to get ready, you were hoping this guy wasn’t some snob or insufferable, but you trusted your sister. A short red dress and heels would suffice, as you were going to quite a fancy restaurant on the upper east side. When you arrived you said your name to the waiter and sat down at one of the beautiful velvet booths and ordered a glass of water for yourself. Being alone in a place as fancy as this, you did feel quite out of place a little bit.

On to wait for that guy to show up, even though you arrived on time.

Traffic in New York is horrible, so maybe he is fashionably late.

He was not fashionably late as 45 minutes had passed and you were still alone, you could see people glance at you between the sounds of silverware- pitying you.

Or maybe no one cared, it was hard to tell- especially because you were so embarrassed.

Your fingers itched for your phone, to text Lucy a 'I told you so'. Netflix and pajamas sounded infinitely better than this empty booth and the pitying glances. God you wish you were home right now, not dressed so fancy and looking so good only to be stood up.

The waiter came back, probably to ask you if anyone is coming.

No, no one is coming.

“Is this seat taken?”

You looked up in bewilderment and met the gorgeous brown eyes of last night's enamourment. Harry was looking down at you, an amused look in his eyes and a smile on his lips.

“Hey!” you exclaimed, almost too loud in this fancy setting. “No, no it’s not.” Your heart started beating fast as he sat down in front of you, he looked even more handsome in the dimmed yellow lights of this restaurant.

He took off his dress jacket and placed it on the chair, you couldn't help but stare at the way his big arms looked, he was a very big man, so handsome too-

“I was having a meeting with my business partner and I looked across the room and there you were. “ He smiled at you like he did last night.

You were happy to see him, very happy.

“What are you doing here, Cinderella?”

“I was waiting for someone, some guy my sister set me up with- he didn’t show up.” You leaned across the table so only he could hear what you said, not the old couple next to you two as well.

“What an idiot.” He leaned close to you as well and you could smell his cologne “Well it’s good I am here now, right? We can carry on last night's conversation.”

As you two ordered food, he asked you what you were studying.

“Psychology. I have a scholarship.”

“So you’re beautiful and smart.” He placed the napkin he received across his lap and you felt your ears get warm- you hoped the lights in this restaurant would dim the blush on your face as well. “Do you like what you are studying?”

“Yes I do. I truly want to start my own clinic back home and help people.” You must’ve talked for like some full minutes about your degree and dreams while he asked you questions. He seemed genuinely interested in what you were saying, like he wanted to learn as much as he could about you.

He told you he would like to be your first pacient when you do become a psychologist and you laughed.

Harry was a funny man, very charming as well, though he had a way of turning a phrase to escape any sort of mention towards his private life, you wondered why that is.

“Can I ask you a question?” you played with the short hem of your dress under the table.

“Of course, anything you want.” He took a sip of his drink as he looked at you. His hands looked so big around the glass.

“I don’t mean to sound rude, but may I ask how old you are?” you could find in his eyes a touch of mischief, like he was thinking of something funny to say so he could see you smile.

“24.” he said. With the most monotone voice he could muster and with a straight face.

“24?” you asked, knowing he was messing around with you but deciding to play into his game.

“Yes, I lived a rough couple of years as you can see. What’s so funny?” he asked you, faking being angry at your smiling face.

“Nothing.” you tried to hide your smile.

“You better not be laughing at my life story.”

“I’m really not.” you put on your serious face.

A man came by your table as the waiter started bringing dessert, and Harry got up to greet him, the man shook Harry’s hand and thanked him, before he left he gave you a polite smile and a ‘good night’ to both of you as he exited the restaurant with his wife or girlfriend.

“Old friend.” Harry said as he sat back down again “He just bought an apartment complex.”

“Wow, he must be rich.”

“Very rich indeed.” he took the spoon from next to the plate and cut through the lava cake he was brought. “Like this chocolate.”

“I wanted to ask you if you wanted to dance with me yesterday” He looked at you again and you wanted to die inside when you remembered that you left him. "You missed out," he teased, a smirk playing on his lips. "I'm quite the dancer."

"Oh, really?" you challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"Don’t worry. I'm a fast learner. I won’t let you get away twice"

"Is that a threat?" you asked.

"A promise," he corrected you as he took a bite of the dessert.

Harry asked for your number by the end of the night and you gave it to him, of course you did.

As he told the waiter that he should put the dinner on his tab you protested, but he would have none of it. He said that this was the most fun he had in a while as he got up and watched you exit the booth.

“Let me take you home-” He started as he let you walk ahead of him; you tried to ignore the way he looked at you; like he was still hungry.

“You shouldn’t worry about me, I’ll call an uber.” He helped you put on your jacket before he opened the door for you.

A soft breeze danced around the streets of the city at this late hour- you hugged your jacket closer to you. You didn’t want your meeting to end, but it had to.

“Nonsense, let me take you home, c’mon.” He climbed the steps before you and turned around so your eyes could meet at the same level. His dark hair, with its natural waves, framed his face and the silver streak in his hair reminded you of something- he was so handsome, how was he so handsome? He smelled great too.

You smiled at him, maybe the drink you had inside made you this courageous.

“You never told me how old you are.” Everyone passing by you two must think you were drunk by the way you were smiling at each other. He grabbed your hands in his much bigger ones and pressed them close together, like one might do to a child to make them listen- butterflies danced across your stomach again because of the sudden intimacy.

Harry’s smile faltered slightly and he adopted a more serious expression before lowering his voice and telling you: “I’m 49 years old.”

His deep brown eyes searched your face, like wanting to remember it before you start showing any signs of discomfort.

You wanted to say something, before he interrupted you “If you are uncomfortable, I promise, I’ll take you home and I’ll never say-”

“And If I am not?” you spoke over him.

His eyebrows relaxed back on his face as relief washed over his expression and a smile slowly started spreading across his lips. His eyes twinkled under the light above you two from the entrance of the restaurant and he looked at you like he wanted to kiss you.

“I’ll take you home then.”

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Authors note: I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this for you and for me. I hope you have a great day and wish u de best.

If you are one of my long time followers, I just wanna say im sorry that I havent written anything in quite a while, but life got in the way and I just couldn't find any inspiration to give you something actually good. But I am back now! And to stay for good this time unless stated otherwise. ILY

#pedro x reader #harry castillo #harry castillo x reader #harry castillo x you #materialists #pedro pascal fic #harry castillo fanfiction #pedro pascal #materialistics movie

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yuujispinkhair · 2 years ago

Text

Death's Bride

Death visits your village to reap the souls of the dying, and you end up making a deal with him. If he spares your sister's life, you will join him in his dark kingdom and become the woman by his side.

Halloween Masterlist 2023

Pairing: Sukuna x Reader (female) Genre: Dark Romance, fluff, smut Word Count: 14k Warnings: 18+, smut, dark content, mentions of death, gore + blood. Reader has to take her own life so she can join Sukuna in the afterlife. Sukuna is described as a fallen angel who became the God of Death. All characters are of age. This story is 18+. Minors don't interact.

You know this is no mortal man who is walking towards you with his white cloak billowing behind him as he strides through your village, carrying himself like a king, while you lie on the threshold of your small house, breathing weakly, clutching the bag with herbs to your chest. You know this is no man. You know that this is Death coming to your village to collect what's rightfully his: The souls of the dying.

It started two weeks ago. A strange sickness took root in your village and spread like wildfire. By now, almost everyone has been infected. For some, the sickness is easier to bear, and they are on the way to recovery by now. But others are at the end of their strength.

You are the only one out of your little family who is able to get up while your mother and younger sisters are still bedridden, trapped in fever dreams and violent shivers. You went out this morning to get more herbs, taking hours for the task because you were so shaky on your feet, weakened by almost two weeks of fever, your chest hurting from one coughing fit after the other. But you forced yourself to keep moving. You had to. Your family needed you. You had to prepare more tea to fight their fever.

You dragged yourself through the streets back to your small house, feeling dizzy and nauseous but driven by desperation. But you only came as far as the door before your legs finally gave out, and you broke down from exhaustion and ended up where you are now: Lying weakly on the threshold in the open doorway, staring in horror at the scene in front of you.

A tall, broad figure striding with large, strong steps through your village, dressed all in white with a long flowing cloak with a hood that covers the head of the man wearing it.

It sparks a memory inside you. Old tales whispered to you on long, cold winter nights when you huddled together with your little sisters to keep warm, and your grandmother, who was still alive then, told you those gruesome tales about him. The one who could walk freely between the realms of life and death. The Reaper of Souls. The Fallen. The merciless, cold-hearted God who ruled over the afterlife and held judgment over the souls of the dead.

Hysterical laughter bubbles out of your chest. You cannot look away as the huge man leans down over a crumbled body on the ground. The cobbler, who was always so nice as to accept homemade pie in exchange for a new pair of soles. He was one of the first who was infected. And now he broke down in front of his shop.

The white-cloaked figure extends a large hand and brushes over the head of the lifeless man on the ground. His touch has a frightening finality to it. As if you can see the life leaving the cobbler's body.

The figure in white straightens up again, and the wide hood of his cloak slips off and reveals reddish pink hair and a face more beautiful and otherwordly than anything you have ever seen.

You draw in a sharp breath as you stare at him. Now that you get a clear look, it is obvious that your mind wasn't playing tricks on you. This man really isn't human. You are looking at a creature beyond mortal limitations. You are looking at a God.

He turns his head at that moment, and a pair of glowing red eyes trap you in their intense gaze. Your eyes widen, and your breath comes out in short, panicky huffs. You know you wouldn't be able to move even if you tried as if his gaze alone holds enough power to shackle you to the ground.

He is here. The Fallen. The Grim Reaper. The God of Death.

And he starts walking in your direction with slow, sure steps. There is no hurry in his movements. He has all the time in the world because, after all, he is the end of all time for the ones he claims or a neverending cycle of the same suffering over and over again for the poor souls he decides to punish.

Behind him, bright red splotches appear, and you realize that those are flowers, blood-red spider lilies that grow out of the dirt, building a small path to mark where Death walked. It is a horrifyingly beautiful sight.

He carries himself like a King, walking through these dirty streets as if walking down a wide marble hallway in a castle. You suspect that even if you tried, you wouldn't be able to tear your gaze away from him.

His beautiful face is adorned with black lines. Intricate filigree patterns accentuate his angular features. The black symbols mark his otherwise flawless skin with a story of pain and sin. Your mind is suddenly flooded with the tales your grandmother told you on those winter nights long ago.

There once was a beautiful angel, the most powerful of them all. But he was too proud to abide by the rules, and so he was punished. His beautiful white wings got torn out of his flesh, and his skin was etched with the marks of the crimes he committed. He was cast out and cursed to become The Fallen. The one who claimed the throne of the afterlife, of the world beyond mortality. He took the reins, and from then on, his true name was forgotten, and everyone only called him by his new name, which was Death.

And now he is walking towards you. Strangely, you don't feel fear anymore, only fascination as you watch him approach.

He stops next to you, looking down at you with an unreadable expression. This close, you can see his face even more clearly, and your mouth opens in awe. He is devastatingly beautiful.

And so big. He is towering over you, tall and broad. From where you are lying on the floor, he looks like a mountain that is about to crush you.

"Are you here to collect souls?"

Your voice sounds weak and hoarse from coughing so much.

His glowing red eyes watch you intently for a long moment, and you think that he almost looks surprised for whatever reason. But then the moment is gone, and he nods. A slight smirk lifts one corner of his lips,

"Yes, but not yours, little one. It's not your time yet. Your body will heal again."

His voice is low and calm. He sounds soothing. Not at all how you imagined Death to sound. You were always scared of this mysterious figure you heard all those grim tales about. A terrifying, violent creature with blood-red eyes and monster-like fangs, a devil who brings pain and suffering.

But right now, you only feel calm. You feel strangely at peace with him here. His power emanates from him, so powerful that you can feel it on your skin and smell it in your nose. But it doesn't feel evil or threatening.

Instead, it feels comforting, like a warm bed with freshly washed sheets waiting for you to sink into and wrap yourself in its sweet comfort. Like the relief you feel after finally lying down after a hard day of physical labor, like the feeling of sinking into a hot bath that eases the tension in your limbs.

But that momentary feeling of peacefulness slips away again a second later when Death takes a large step past you. His feet stomp heavily on the wooden threshold next to your head, and with it, terror fills your senses.

"No!"

Your voice is a hoarse scream as you lunge forward despite your weakened state, your hand darting out to wrap around his ankle and cling desperately to it.

"Please don't go in there! Please don't!"

Your family is in there. Your younger sisters and your mother.

Your lips tremble, just like your hand, but you refuse to let go of the black leather boot that's slippery with mud. You cling to it, sobbing as you gaze up at Death through the hot tears clouding your vision.

He looks down at you, an elegant eyebrow lifted in a curious expression. He stares at your tiny hand wrapped around his ankle. You cannot tell if he is angry or amused about your pathetic attempt to stop him.

"Let go, little one. I told you, your time hasn't come yet. But I have to collect a soul from in there."

You are drowning in dread. And the words pour out of your lips, desperate and panicky,

"Please don't do it! Please take me instead! I am begging you, my Lord! Please spare them!"

Narrowed red eyes meet yours. He laughs softly and lifts his leg, effortlessly shaking your hand off. His low voice sounds amused as if you made a nice little joke.

"Look at you trying to negotiate with Death. You are a brave one. Foolish but brave."

Now you see how truly terrifying he is. Death knows no mercy. He doesn't just collect the souls of the old people who lived a long, fulfilled life. He claims anyone whose time has run out in the cruel hourglass that is life. He will go in there and take your mother or one of your sisters with him even though they still deserve so much more from life.

He looks at you with a cold, intimidating look in his red eyes. His mouth is set in a thin line, and his shoulders are pulled back, making him look even more massive. You cannot negotiate with Death. He is the God of the afterlife. There are forces at hand which every mortal is completely helpless against. Humans are all just little toy figures on the game board of the Gods. Or not even that. Just tiny, irrelevant grains of dust.

And yet, you cannot stop yourself from pleading with him.

"I don't care what you do to me! Take me with you! I am ready to die any death you see fit! Just please, please let my family live! My sisters are still so young. They deserve to see more of life! And they need my mother, she has to live too! But I am dispensable. Take me instead! Please! I will do anything you say!"

He watches you with amused eyes and a thoughtful expression.

"You're such an interesting one. You aren't dying, though. So I cannot take you to the other realm. But we could make a deal. I have to collect one soul from this house. I don't care whose it is. There is still time. I could still heal your sister. But only in exchange for another soul. You die, she lives. How does that sound to you? Are you still brave enough now?"

His red eyes watch you with an amused glint in them. Cruel excitement seems to fill him. You can't help but think that you are something like a strangely colored bug that he watches for his entertainment before he crushes it under the soles of his boots.

But you don't care. You refuse to avert your gaze, staring stubbornly into his otherwordly red eyes, your hands balled into fists as you nod.

"I agree. Please, my Lord. Please save her."

He chuckles softly, a low, amused sound, and his face lights up in a grin. He looks disgustingly delighted.

"I will, little one. But only if you seal a binding deal with me first. I spare your sister's life, and in exchange, you take your own life and let me take you with me. The moment you breathed your last breath, you belong to me, and I can decide what to do with your soul. I am in a good mood today, so I will be open about my plans for you. It would be a waste to send you back here as a curse that haunts your family. Instead, I want to keep you by my side. I could use someone who looks after my temple and warms my bed. I could use a bride. What do you say, little one?"

You can see that he is amused, that he expects you to decline after hearing his plan for you. But you don't. For a moment, you stare at him, horrified by what his words imply. But you shake yourself out of it, driven by a desperate conviction. You cannot let your little sister die today. You could never live with the guilt of knowing you had a chance to save her and let it pass. You will do what it takes. Even if it means following Death into his dark kingdom and giving your body to him. You swallow hard, lips trembling as you answer him,

"Alright. I will be your bride and look after your temple. I agree to your terms. Now, please hurry up and save her!"

More laughter falls from his lips. His red eyes glitter like two precious rubies. He sounds pleased when he says,

"You're a fearless one. I like that."

His red gaze never leaves yours as he reaches inside his cloak and pulls out a wicked-looking dagger.

"Here. Do it. End your life, and let me collect your soul. The moment your soul belongs to me, your sister will wake up from her fever dream and recover from the sickness that has befallen her."

You gulp hard, fear squeezing your heart tightly, as you stare at his large hand wrapped around the golden hilt of the dagger, his red eyes watching you challengingly, watching if you will really fulfill your part of the contract.

You are scared suddenly, your breath coming out in short huffs. You feel lightheaded, adrenaline pumping through your veins, making stars dance before your eyes.

Maybe this is how things are. No matter how prepared you are for Death, when he comes to really collect you, you feel fear after all. Fear of the finality of it all. There is no way back after you take this step.

But you don't hesitate. You press your lips together tightly and take the offered dagger out of Death's hand.

The moment you hold the heavy weapon in your grasp, Death's large hand wraps around your wrist, and he pulls you to your feet, making you stand before him.

He is so much taller than you, even now when you are standing. You have to tilt your head back to look into his eyes. He looks even more intimidating up close. Powerful, strong, unrelenting. A cunning business partner who is waiting for you to fulfill your side of the contract. A contract you pay for with your life.

You half expect him to taunt you, and it makes you clench your jaw and stare up at him defiantly. But to your surprise, there is no mockery in his low voice when he speaks up again.

"Have no fear. You won't feel any pain. I will make sure of that."

His words bring tears to your eyes, making them spill over with the hot salty liquid as your chest fills with comfort, finding solace in the fact that Death apparently knows mercy after all.

Your hand is trembling violently, but you bring the sharp blade of the dagger to your neck, gazing up at Death as you do so, looking deeply into his glowing red eyes as you slice your own throat.

The sharp metallic taste of blood fills your every sense. You taste it, you smell it, you feel it hot and wet running down your slit throat and your chest, you hear it gurgling in your mouth when you try to speak.

But Death leans down to take the bloodied dagger from your hand. His other hand cups your cheek. It's so large against your face. But his touch is gentle as if he is holding a thin, fragile porcelain cup,

"It's fine, little one. You did well. Brave until the end."

His voice is soothing. Low and calm, almost seductive. Like a lover luring you into his comforting embrace. You lean into his touch, smiling weakly when you feel his thumb caress your cheek soothingly.

Black spots dance before your eyes, and you feel so tired. You see his lips move, but you can't hear anymore. Your legs and hands feel numb. You fall forward, but strong arms catch you.

You feel yourself get swooped up into Death's strong arms and pressed safely against his broad chest. You feel him move as your head lols back weakly. The ghost of a smile tugs at your blood-stained lips. He carries you like a groom carrying his bride to the bedroom on their wedding night.

How fitting. After all, you are truly his bride now.

If you weren't so weak, you would laugh at the commentary your delirious mind provides.

By now, your vision has vanished completely. The only thing you are still aware of are his arms around you. It's peaceful and warm. As painless as he promised. You feel one last weak throb of your heart. And then it's only sweet, comforting darkness and the feeling of those strong arms carrying you safely across the border from mortal life into Death's dark kingdom.

You wake up feeling rested and comfortable. Your eyes are still closed, and you sigh contentedly, snuggling deeper into the soft and warm sensation of a silky pillow and blanket.

In the back of your mind, some strange warning tugs, but you are too wrapped in the luxurious feeling of being well-rested after a good night's sleep to pay it much attention. You can't remember the last time you felt rested like this. It was hard since your father died. You are the oldest daughter and had to help your mother raise your younger sisters. You were the one who had to do most physical labor, working on one of the farms day in and day out. Your body constantly ached somewhere.

But not today.

You sigh happily, stretching your limbs and marveling at how soft the bedsheets and the blanket feel against your naked skin and how large the bed is.

That's when the little voice in your head becomes too loud to ignore. You blink in confusion and open your eyes.

You are in a large room with marble walls decorated opulently with red and gold murals. Red candles are flickering in large lanterns. A fire is crackling in a beautifully decorated hearth. The bed you are lying in is huge and definitely not made for only one person.

You gasp and sit up, looking around hastily.

There are two red pillows and two red blankets, and everything is made of the finest silk. As if you are in a King's bed chambers.

And, suddenly, you remember everything.

The sickness haunting your village. Your dying sister. Death walking towards you. The deal you made with him. The dagger in your hands. The blood. Strong arms carrying you. You remember him. Death himself. Your bridegroom.

Instinctively, you grab the blanket and wrap it tightly around your body, feeling exposed and vulnerable. Your heart is beating wildly, and it makes you feel nauseous. You still remember the feeling of your heartbeat becoming slower and slower before it finally faded away completely. You remember dying.

And yet you are here now, breathing, feeling the silk on your skin, feeling the thrumming of your heart. So very alive, even though you know you can't be.

And so very naked in a man's bed. Or not a man's bed. In a God's bed. In Death's bed.

At that moment, the large door opposite the bed opens, and you wince in fear. You clutch the blanket tightly against your body, staring at the door with wide eyes.

He stands in the doorway, his pink hair almost brushing against the doorframe. Tall and massive. He looks intimidating even without the white cloak he wore when reaping souls. Even the way he is dressed right now, as if he just woke up too, with only a pair of black pants on his muscular body. His feet and chest are bare.

There are more tattoos on his body, matching the ones on his face. Black lines decorate the defined muscles of his chest and stomach, as well as his strong arms.

He could almost be a human man. Almost. But those glowing red eyes tell you otherwise. Those are the eyes of a mythical creature. The eyes of a God.

And you feel like a small animal trapped in that gaze as you sit there on his large bed, naked except for the silk blanket wrapped protectively around yourself, unable to move as you watch him walk into the room.

He moves gracefully like a big cat, even though he is so tall and muscular. A slight smirk lifts his lips as he approaches the bed. His red eyes never leave your small figure huddled in his blanket.

"Ah, I see you are awake."

"What... what did you do to me?"

The words have left your mouth before you can stop yourself. Confusion and fear make you blurt out mindlessly. You are distraught by the memories of slitting your own throat, by the feeling of dying. And you are terrified by the knowledge that you are naked in Death's bed. Terrified by what he might have done to you in your sleep. On the other hand, maybe it would be better for you not to have been awake for what he did.

He falters for a moment, his beautiful face shadowed by a frown as his red gaze bores searchingly into yours.

"We made a deal. Can you not remember? Your life in exchange for your sisters? You agreed to follow me here."

You nod firmly,

"Yes, yes, of course I remember."

"When what..." he starts, but then comprehension seems to dawn on his features, and he laughs, sounding mocking, his eyes glittering amusedly when he continues,

"Don't worry. I didn't touch you while you were unconscious. Where would be the fun in that?"

Oh.

You feel some of the worst tension leave your body, a long breath you had been holding finally finding its way out of your lips.

"But why am I... naked?"

"You were dirty. Do you think I would let you sleep in my bed like that, full of dirt and blood? My servant undressed you and cleaned you and put you in my bed."

So you were right. This is his bed.

"Why am I in your bed?"

He huffs at your question as if you asked something utterly stupid.

"Because you are my bride. Of course, you sleep in my bed. We have a deal. So if I say you sleep in my bed, you will sleep here. Is that clear?"

You lick your lips nervously, feeling fear tingle under your skin at his imperious tone and the intense gaze out of those unnervingly red eyes.

You quickly avert your gaze, bowing your head obediently,

"Yes, my Lord."

"Sukuna."

You blink and lift your head again to look at him questioningly.

"What?"

"That was my name before I became Death. Sukuna. I want you to call me that from now on."

He sighs, and the stern expression on his face becomes softer when he adds,

"It would be uncalled for my bride to address me with my title. I am Sukuna for you. Your betrothed."

He says his own name with a slight tilt in his voice as if he isn't used to saying it. Maybe he isn't. It must have been a very long time since he told someone his name. Maybe eons.

You gulp hard.

How strange it is to be here with him. To talk to him as if he is a regular mortal when he is so much more than that. He has never even been human. He is a being so ancient and so powerful, so crucial to every mortal's existence, that your head spins just from trying to imagine it.

But you force yourself to be brave and look at him.

He is right. You agreed to his terms. And he did his part. He spared your sister. Now, it's your turn to fulfill the rest of your side of the contract.

You are still trembling and hugging the blanket tightly to your naked form, but you look bravely into his eyes and give him a polite nod,

"Of course, Sukuna. Thank you for saving my sister. I will be a good bride for you."

A day ago, you were a mere mortal. One of millions who were caught in the hands of fate. Working day in and out to stay alive, always hoping, begging, praying to have more time and to see your loved ones live a long life too, while all of you were exposed to the threat of Death cutting your lifespan with his sword at any second.

Now, you are beyond that. You died, and you came back again. Brought back by Death himself, the Master over every soul who left the mortal world behind.

From this day on, you reside in the afterlife. From this day onwards, you will be Death's Bride and live your new life, or rather your afterlife, by Sukuna's side.

He tells you that you are free to move around in the temple. When you ask if you are also allowed to go outside, he lifts an elegant eyebrow and seems strangely amused, as if you asked something stupid.

"You can also go outside. But I don't think you will find anything interesting there, little one."

You don't know what he means, but accept it and take the fine clothes his loyal servant Uraume brings you. Everything is made out of the finest silk. A fabric so luxurious and soft that it feels like a caress when Uraume helps you get dressed. You gulp when the servant puts jewelry on your neck and wrists. Heavy gold and pretty jewels, red rubies that glitter in the same color as your groom's eyes.

Sukuna's temple is enormous and luxuriously furnished. Not at all like the tiny, shabby house you grew up in. But you cannot claim that this temple is better than your old home because, contrary to the vivacious atmosphere of your former home, Sukuna's house is eerily silent. A silence that feels haunting.

You don't dare walk too fast so as not to make any loud noise. You catch yourself whispering because your normal voice sounds too loud in these empty halls. It's a ghostly place. The silence feels too heavy, almost tangible. Something that can easily drive a person into madness.

You try to focus on the little noises that are there. The little signs of existence, like the sound of water flowing into the large bath. Or the sound of the doors sliding open and closed.

It takes a while to explore the whole place. To see all the large rooms with their rich tapestries and carpets. Gold and rubies shine and glitter everywhere. But a lot of the rooms look too clean, too perfect. There are no signs of someone actually living in them.

It is lonely here.

Maybe this is why Sukuna was willing to make a contract with you that would bind you to him and make you join him here. Maybe he was looking for a companion, or just a pet, to amuse him in this everlasting silence.

It is not like you are a servant here, as Sukuna made it sound at first. You assumed you would tend to him, clean his temple and clothes, wash and cook for him. But that isn't the case. His servant, Uraume, takes care of those tasks. They mostly remain invisible, like a ghost, taking care of everything for their Master, seemingly manifesting out of the shadows to bring you fresh clothes and oils and wine.

You ask them timidly what you are supposed to do, and they shake their head to inform you that you are just here for Master Sukuna's enjoyment.

A statement that makes a shudder run through you.

You have been here for three days, and so far, he hasn't laid a hand on you, maybe because he was away most of the time, apparently reaping souls on a battlefield.

But he demands your presence at dinner with him, where he sits across from you at a large table, and those gleaming red eyes never leave you. He is polite, asking questions about your day and how you like the jewelry.

And he joins you in the large bed every night, naked, with his tall and broad body full of solid muscles and black lines unashamedly on display for your terrified gaze.

You try to tell yourself it is the shock that makes you unable to look away from him when he undresses next to the bed and then slips in. But a little voice in the back of your mind whispers treacherously to you that maybe it is because Sukuna has an undeniably beautiful body.

"You're getting quite intimate with Death, my dear, aren't you?"

His amused low voice makes you hastily look away and hide your face in the silky pillow, heart racing nervously. His mocking laugh makes goosebumps creep over your skin. But he doesn't seem mad. He is just amused once again.

"Don't be shy, little one. Look all you want. You'll have all the time in the world to explore this body."

You bite your lip at his words, your body tensing up under the blanket when a large hand lands on the nape of your neck and slowly slides down your spine. Your heart is fluttering, and you don't dare breathe. But he pulls his hand away after a moment.

You slip to the edge of the bed, as far away from him as possible, your arms wrapped tightly around yourself, knees pulled up, curling into yourself, instinctively trying to protect yourself as if it would help anything against this God in your bed.

The more time you spend in Sukuna's Kingdom, the more you realize that this is really death. It is the absence of life, the absence of sound, and plant- and animal life. You begin to understand that the once graceful angel Sukuna really got punished. This here is his suffering, his punishment. The loneliness, the absence of life that so suffocatingly surrounds him at all times.

But he was cunning enough to cheat and take his chance when you offered it so beautifully to him. Now, it is the two of you here in this dead place.

It's truly a lonely place. Maybe that's the definition of hell. To be trapped in a beautiful temple that holds all the riches the world could offer but lacks life, lacks the connection to other beings.

You try to befriend Uraume, but they seem to vanish when they aren't busy with some task. Your attempts at chatting with them get declined with a polite but stern bow and a "Please forgive me, my Lady, but I must ask you to refrain from distracting me from serving Master Sukuna."

You meet no other being aside from Uraume and Sukuna.

The worst thing is the eerie silence. It almost drives you crazy. It makes you stomp your feet loudly just so you can reassure yourself you are still able to hear. It makes you slowly push open the large gate that leads outside in a desperate attempt to find anything living.

The rich opulence inside Sukuna's home is a stark contrast to what greets you when you finally step outside the temple.

A seemingly endless wasteland stretches before your eyes. There is no sky above you. It feels like you are in an enormous cave with a ceiling so high your vision cannot reach it. Eternal darkness lives in this place. Cold with icy winds and a rotten stench of iron and decay.

It's gruesome. Hopeless.

You press a hand over your nose and mouth and stand there wide-eyed, staring at the endless darkness in the distance. But as frightening as it is, the complete darkness in the distance is a blessing compared to what you see in the strange, dim, reddish light surrounding Sukuna's temple.

A vast crimson-red sea surrounds the island upon which the temple is built. The color and the stench make you ask yourself a question to which you already know the answer. Yes, this sea must be a sea of blood.

You shudder as you take a tentative step closer to the crimson-red liquid at your feet. You gulp hard as you lift your head to look straight ahead. There is a narrow path leading through the sea of blood, a path that is made of stones and other shapes. Shapes that look too similar to bones to be a coincidence.

But at the end of that path is something even more horrible. A massive pile of bones. It is so high that it seems like a small hill. And on its top is a large throne made out of skulls.

This must be the place from the tales you heard whispered.

Death's throne.

This must be where Sukuna holds court and decides on the fate of the newly deceased. Some will move on to eternal peace. Some will suffer forever in the fires of the afterlife. Some will be forced to return to the mortal world. But not as humans but as empty shells. As curses that were laid upon them by others.

A heavy hand lands on your shoulder, and you scream.

You whirl around wide-eyed, only to stare into the smirking face of your soon-to-be husband.

Sukuna's red eyes wander slowly from your face to his throne in the midst of the sea of blood and back again to your face, looking deeply into your eyes as he says in his low, velvety voice,

"I see, you found my throne. You can sit next to me up there if you wish while I pass judgment on the newly reaped souls."

You shake your head frantically.

"No! No, there will be no need for that!"

He raises an elegant eyebrow and huffs softly.

"Such a pity."

But he leaves it at that. His white coak billows behind him majestically as he strides back into the temple, and his soft laugh carries over to your ears, amused, maybe a bit mocking.

You follow him hastily, not wanting to be out here any second longer.

You plan to never set foot outside again after that. It's easier to pretend when you are inside the temple. It's easier to pretend that you are not in the middle of literal hell.

You aren't sure how many days or weeks have passed since you arrived in Sukuna's Kingdom. Time is nonexistent here. There are no seasons. There is no night and day. You have dinner at appointed times, and you go to bed where you still slide to the far end of the bed. But you have no idea if the days have the same hours as in the mortal world.

It might be a week, maybe since you were brought here when Uraume informs you while dressing you in the morning,

"Tonight, the wedding ceremony will be held. I will bathe you and dress you in your wedding dress later on."

And you feel like you are falling. Falling deeper and deeper into darkness so absolute it feels like velvet brushing over your skin as it swallows you wholly.

You knew this was coming. But it still shakes you to your deepest core. There is something so final about becoming Death's bride. You know you will be here forever. You will be Sukuna's forever. Bound to him by a promise, by a contract, by a union of bodies, maybe by blood too.

The wedding dress is the most beautiful dress you have ever seen. White silk, so delicate it looks like a mere spider's web. Your skin shimmers through it. The dress clings to your curves, showing your body almost as if you are naked. It looks like the dress of a Queen. Or a Goddess.

"Master Sukuna wanted the finest wedding dress ever made for his bride. You should be grateful and wear it with pride."

The disapproval in Uraume's voice is evident as they catch you crossing your arms timidly in front of your breasts, trying to hide your body.

When you walk towards your groom, you hold your head up high, clutching the wedding bouquet of spider lilies tightly in your hands, your gaze glued to Sukuna's glowing red eyes, trying your best to be brave.

You play along and do what Uraume instructed, extending a hand so Sukuna can take it and let him lead you to an altar. You are brave. You don't flinch when Sukuna takes the same dagger that you took your life with and touches it to your wrist, cutting your skin lightly.

No blood is welling up from the wound. Another mystery. What are you now? You feel a heart beating in your chest, but you don't bleed. Is anything you feel even real? Or is the beating of your heart just a phantom sensation you remember from being alive and refuse to let go of?

You feel lightheaded as you stare at the thin wound on your wrist, but only for a moment because then Uraume hands Sukuna a tray with a small pot with a black liquid in it.

You know what is to come. Your husband is marking you as his, filling your wound with the black liquid, giving you the same markings he bears.

He doesn't kiss you but stands in front of you, so close that you feel his warmth. One of his large hands cups your cheek, his thumb brushing slowly over your lower lip before it pushes into your mouth and feeds you some of the black liquid he marked you with.

"Take my sin into you and become mine for all eternity. Be my companion in this eternal darkness, like I will be yours."

There is something in his voice and about his choice of words that makes tears prick at your eyes, but you will them away and repeat his vow.

He takes you that night for the first time, consummating your marriage by pushing you onto the bed, one of his large hands pressing your face down into the silken pillow, as Sukuna settles over you.

You clutch the pillow tightly between your fingers when you feel his heavy weight pressing your body down. You tell yourself to be brave and obedient, but you cannot stop a muffled cry from falling from your lips when his huge cock splits you open and claims you for the first time.

He takes you with deep, thorough thrusts. The initial pain vanishes after the first few thrusts, and after that, your union isn't exactly painful anymore, but it feels frightening how full you feel, how stretched out. You have never lain with a man before, but even if you had, you know no mortal man would have been able to prepare you for your wedding night with a God like Sukuna.

He is so big, so strong, taking you unrelentingly while you tremble in his arms, knowing you could never run from him even if you chose to back out of your contract with him.

His large hands are placed on each side of your head, his lips trail over your neck, sharp teeth grazing over your skin, while he snaps his hips and makes you feel like you are getting crushed anytime his heavy weight presses you down onto the bed.

There is no love in this union of your bodies, but it's not like you were as naive as to ever imagine your wedding night to be filled with love or tenderness.

You always expected to marry out of convenience. A girl like you couldn't afford the luxury of love when picking a husband. You had a family to look after. Maybe it would have been one of the farmer's sons if you were lucky. You would have given birth to his children in exchange for a relatively comfortable life for yourself and your mother and sisters in one of the big farmhouses.

You never were so foolish as to believe you would have a loving marriage. So this wedding night with Sukuna isn't that much different from what you were expecting in your future anyway.

And so you grit your teeth and take his cock obediently, letting him use your body to satisfy his desire until you hear his low groans in your ear when he finds his release and fills you with his warm seed.

You are a good bride.

You know you aren't expected to work, but you find your way into the large kitchen anyway, standing behind Uraume as they prepare a meal.

Sukuna has been gone the whole day, and there is only so much staring at the ceiling while lying in your bed that you can do before you inevitably go insane. So you went in search of the only other living being down here, hoping they wouldn't send you away.

"Do you need help with the cooking? Can I maybe chop some ingredients or something?"

Sukuna's servant sends you a cold gaze over their shoulder, looking at you as if you offended them by the suggestion alone.

"I have spent eons preparing Master Sukuna's meals, my Lady. I don't need any help. And you aren't a servant here. You should do other things."

"But... but that's not what I meant. I am sorry if I offended you. The food you cook is always perfect. I just...I am looking for something to do and for some company maybe. Can I please assist you? There is nothing else to do here."

Uraume sighs, but they nod slightly, and you feel relief wash over you. They wave you over, hand you a knife, and point to a cutting board where a small pile of vegetables is waiting to get sliced into little pieces. You smile at Uraume and murmur a soft thanks, going to work immediately.

"Uraume? Can I ask you something? Does Sukuna even need to eat?"

It's something you have been curious about since the first time you sat across from him at the large dining table. You don't feel any hunger since you woke up here in the afterlife. Why would someone who is already dead need food? But you eat because you feel like it is required of you in your role as Sukuna's bride. It made you wonder, though. Why would a powerful being like Sukuna need to eat? Or does he just do it because he likes the sensation of eating?

Uraume watches you warily for a long moment, probably contemplating whether they should chat with you about Sukuna. In the end, they sigh softly and answer you,

"Master Sukuna doesn't need any food. But he wants to eat."

Uraume hesitates for a moment, their hand with the knife hovering over the meat they are currently chopping, but then they add softly,

"In the heavenly realms, they have big feasts all the time with as much food and wine as one can imagine. Even after The Fall, Master Sukuna didn't want to give up on that. He was supposed to have a life void of all those joys, but he evades that form of punishment by consuming the food I prepare for him with ingredients I collect from the mortal world. Of course, it's not quite the same taste as the foods prepared in the celestial realm, but for the ingredients I can obtain, it is the best food he can get."

It makes sense.

You can't help but chuckle softly as you realize that eating a four-course meal every night is Sukuna's little ongoing rebellion against the ones who turned him into The Fallen.

It somehow makes you see your husband in a different light. It makes him seem a little more human. A little more relatable. You have been there, too, several times, feeling the desire to do something out of spite when someone tries to forbid you something.

That evening, you watch him closely while he eats the meal Uraume and you prepared for him. For the first time, you take in how much he seems to treasure the food served to him. He takes his time eating it, letting it melt slowly on his tongue, taking in all the different flavors, and his eyes close in pleasure when he savors the taste.

It almost makes you feel sorry for him and for what he lost when he got cast out of heaven.

You never wanted to set foot outside the temple again after seeing the endless wasteland and the sea of blood. But your curiosity gets the better of you when Sukuna informs you he will be holding court today, and you watch him slip into his white cloak and walk through the huge doors of the temple towards the path that leads to his throne.

You follow him after a few minutes, unable to resist the lure his words have on you.

A horrifying sight greets you. The sea of blood is filled with a large crowd of shadowy figures. The bloody waters are shallow, only reaching up to the knees of those standing in it. But none of them look down. They all have their heads tilted back to look up at the imposing figure who thrones over them. Atop the gruesome pile of bones, sitting on his throne of skulls, is Death.

He looks bored. His long legs are crossed casually one over the other. His chin is resting on the back of one hand while his eyes trail slowly over the souls standing before him, awaiting his judgment.

Eyes that glow blood-red, vibrant like two lights in the dark, standing out frighteningly in the dim light of the afterlife.

He is beautiful and terrifying.

You can see the immeasurable extent of his power and can even feel it as if it is a physical thing that surrounds you, making the air thick and filling your senses with dread. A dread that comes with the absence of all hope.

Sukuna is the King of the Afterlife. The God of Death. There is no escape from him. Every living soul will one day end up here and stand before your husband.

A shiver runs down your spine at the thought. You instinctively hug yourself even as your gaze stays glued to the scene playing out in front of you.

As expected, Sukuna is unrelenting in his judgment. There is no mercy to be expected when he makes his decisions. He isn't swayed by the cruelty of the fates of the ones standing before him, no matter how tragic they are. His decisions are rational and brutal at times. And yet, after you stood there for several hours and watched him, you have to admit that his judgment is fair. Of course, he won't revive anyone. But he assigns an appropriate ending to their lives. He punishes the ones who did evil. He transforms the ones who got cursed. He leads the ones who are innocent to their eternal sleep.

When the last soul has vanished in a cloud of red smoke, Sukuna gets up from his throne and slowly walks back toward the temple. His movements are graceful, making you watch him with a feeling akin to admiration.

His red eyes land on you, and for a split second, a surprised expression crosses his beautiful features.

When he reaches you, he stops next to you with a content expression on his face and a small smirk lifting the corners of his lips,

"So my bride watched after all, hm? I am pleased."

You nod at him, and to your surprise, you see his smirk turn into a smile.

One of his large hands reaches out and lands on your head. Long fingers brush over your hair, petting you for a brief moment before he pulls away again and continues walking toward the temple.

You feel strangely light-hearted when you fall into step behind your husband.

When he takes you that night, he is gentler in the way he handles you. He doesn't press you face down into the pillow like he usually does, but instead rolls the two of you to the side, entering you from behind while you lay in his strong arms and his large hands trail down your body, cupping your breasts and rubbing circles over your belly.

His lips graze your earlobes while his low groans and murmurs fill the room,

"You're a good little bride."

You don't know whether it's his words or the way he snaps his hips that makes you clench around his thick cock and exhale a surprised moan, as for the first time, you feel thick syrupy pleasure explode inside you and spread through your whole body in warm crashing waves.

Your husband is often away. In the mortal world, reaping souls. You know that anywhere he goes, he brings devastation and fear. But when he comes home to you, he brings a certain comfort with him, as strange as it sounds.

You are almost glad when Sukuna's tall, broad figure walks into the wide double doors. It is very lonely here and scary at times when you become too aware of where you are, and the silence becomes too suffocating. Sukuna's presence brings comfort. His low, calm voice helps you drift away from that brink of madness you sometimes feel yourself drifting towards when you are alone with your thoughts for too long.

Your husband is Death, but to you, he is the only sign of life you meet down here, and that is enough to make you drift towards him when he is at home.

He is terrifying because of his role in this cycle of life and death. He is terrifying because he symbolizes the end. His position is terrifying. But the man Sukuna doesn't seem so bad.

He treats you well. He is polite. And as long as he looks at you and talks to you, you feel real. You still exist. You aren't gone. You aren't a ghost or a curse. You are very real and corporal.

You catch yourself following Sukuna around, watching him while he polishes his sword and the various daggers he carries. Watching him when he sits comfortably on the bed with books spread around him, reading and making notes.

His red eyes find yours and narrow in a frown.

"You've been staring at me for half an hour. Do you have nothing to entertain yourself with? What are you usually doing while I am away?"

The question catches you off guard. Is he mad at you? Is he accusing you of being lazy?

You look nervously at him,

"There isn't a lot to do here... I mostly just... wait? I sleep a lot, I take baths, and I help Uraume in the kitchen. Is there anything you want me to do?"

He blinks at you and shrugs.

"Why don't you find a past time? I showed you my library. Why don't you spend your days there and read?"

You feel shame wash over you. You get treated like a noble woman here by the King's side. But you have always been just a poor peasant from a dirty little village where the only thing that mattered was physical labor.

"I never learned how to read."

Sukuna's red eyes widen, and he stares at you for a long moment before he finally says firmly,

"Follow me."

He gets up and walks toward the door without bothering to check if you follow him. A man who is used to everyone obeying his commands.

You quickly scramble to your feet, bunch up your dress, and do as he says. You have to walk fast to keep up with Sukuna's large steps, probably looking pathetic as you hurry after him. But he doesn't comment on it. There is an amused smirk on his beautiful face, though, when he waits for you at the door that leads to his personal library.

It's a vast room with large shelves filled with so many books that you suspect he must own every book that has ever been written.

"Sit."

Sukuna's low voice is demanding, but you can hear the tint of amusement in it as he points one long finger to one of the large armchairs.

You nod and sit down, watching Death stride through his collection of books and pull several books from the various shelves, which he then places on the small table next to your armchair.

"I will teach you how to read. These are all books that contain very little text. We will start with those."

Your head snaps up, and you stare at him, caught off guard and astonished by his offer. Why does he care whether you have something to do in your time here or not? Why does he take some of his precious time to teach his bride, who he claimed is only here to warm his bed, how to read?

At the same time, you feel a shudder run through your body, feeling flustered suddenly as you realize that this means you will spend a lot of time with him.

Holed up in Death's personal library, where he sits so close to you that his large hand brushes against yours anytime he turns a page. So close that his breath caresses the skin of your neck anytime he tells you something in his low, velvety voice. You find it hard to focus on his words, too distracted by the warmth emanating from his tall, muscular body.

He takes you almost every night, but somehow, those hours spent with him in the library where he teaches you how to read feel much more intimate than the nights spent under his heavy body.

Sometimes, Sukuna returns home as immaculately looking as he left. His white cloak clean, his beautiful face flawless. But at other times, he comes home covered in dirt and blood from walking over a battlefield or through a slaughtered city.

On those days, you help him shrug out of his stained clothes and then lead him to the large bath, where you join him in the hot water to wash the blood and dirt off his muscles.

It is something he demanded from you.

"Why should I wash myself when I have a perfect little bride to do that. Isn't it your duty to serve me? Now take off your clothes and join me in the bath."

At first, it took all your bravery to slip out of your clothes in front of his wolfish gaze and smug grin. But now, it is no cause for shame or discomfort anymore. You are used to being naked in front of Sukuna. Used to getting claimed fully by him.

But it's not just that, you realize as you slip into the hot water and walk towards your husband.

By now, you feel a certain pride in this. Sukuna is Death. He is a God. A being that seems untouchable with all the power he holds. But you are allowed to touch him. You are allowed to invade his personal space.

There is something so intimate about straddling his lap here in the hot water, naked skin on skin, as you cup his beautiful face with one hand and use a washcloth to wipe the blood off his skin and wash his hair. A certain bond blossoms between the two of you when his muscular arms encircle you, and his red eyes watch you intently, glittering like two rubies in the flickering candlelight while he lets you take care of him. There is a certain softness in the way he thanks you for cleaning him despite his former claims that this was your duty to him.

It's during one of those shared baths when Sukuna kisses you for the first time.

He has claimed you almost every night, had you under him or in front of him, or made you be on top and sit on his large, heavy cock while he lifted you up and down and rolled his hips to thrust deeply into you. He made you bury your nose in his pink pubic hair while he used your mouth for his pleasure, made you choke on his copious amounts of seed, or sneered when he pulled out in time to shoot it all over your face and naked breasts.

He claimed you in every way a man can claim a woman. But he never kissed you.

In all the months you have been here by his side, Sukuna never kissed you until this afternoon here in the large bath where you sit on his lap and wash the blood off his face.

Your face is barely inches from his as you scrub at the dried blood on his right cheek when you feel one of his large hands trail up your back slowly. A caress that feels too gentle for a being like him. Your eyes flicker to his, and you see him watching you intently with an unreadable expression in those glowing red eyes.

Before you can go back to scrubbing at the blood on his cheeks, you feel his large hand cup the back of your head and pull you closer.

Your eyes widen when Sukuna's lips touch yours. They are surprisingly soft. His kiss is slow at first, lips barely moving against yours. But it grows more passionate quickly. His large hand tightens its hold on your hair, his mouth opens against yours, and his velvety tongue licks over your lips before pushing between them.

You shudder, not able to tell if it is from fear or pleasure. But your eyes fall shut, and your hand drops the washcloth. Your arms link behind Sukuna's broad neck. You open your mouth willingly for him, letting him in further, licking against his tongue experimentally, surprised at the heat that it makes throb in your core.

A soft growl is heard, and you can't tell if it's coming from you or Sukuna. But you know that his arms tighten around you and that you press your naked breasts against his muscular chest as you push your tongue eagerly against his, caressing it with a hunger that you didn't know you possessed.

You feel an all too familiar hardness growing beneath you, but instead of dreading it, you press against it eagerly, allowing yourself to fall into those hot, red feelings of desire and need. Allowing yourself to dive into those stormy waves of carnal pleasure, embracing the comfort and freedom it offers you.

This time you shudder in pleasure when Sukuna's thick cock pushes into you. This time, you gasp needily when his large hands knead your flesh, and his nails dig into your skin as he lifts you up and down on his throbbing hardness. This time, you meet the snaps of his hips eagerly, taking him deeper, making the act faster and more passionate as you ride him shamelessly until you are both grunting and gasping loudly, and the warm water splashes out of the large tub anytime your bodies connect in those passionate and frenzied moves. Both of you cry out loudly when your pleasure reaches its peak at the same time.

When Sukuna is at home, you can almost believe you are living a normal life in the mortal world. Of course, a life very different from your former one. A life as a princess, maybe, or a queen, who is living in a castle, wrapped in luxuries, with nothing to do except improve your newly acquired reading skills and help your loyal servant prepare decadent meals that you eat with your husband before he leads you to your opulent bed chamber where you both read and share the occasional laugh about an amusing passage in a book until your low moans fill the room while your lips and bodies meet in a passionate union.

You almost succeed in pretending that you are still alive.

Almost.

But then Sukuna leaves the temple to fulfill his duty as Death, and you become too aware again that the windows are only enchanted to show day and night and a blurry landscape instead of the eternal night and the nothingness surrounding Sukuna's temple.

And that's when you feel the unsettling presence of the complete silence choking you again. That's when you feel the absolute absence of life closing in on you again as if the temple walls are moving closer and closer to you.

You can only escape for so long into the fantasy world of the books you are able to read now. And Uraume isn't very helpful with how they seem to avoid you except when dressing you or cooking with you.

You catch yourself humming under your breath to comfort yourself. The humming turns into soft singing. At first, you feel a bit weird about how loud your voice sounds, but soon, you become braver and sing at an average volume, unafraid of how your voice fills the marble rooms of the temple with its clear sound. You are surprised by how many songs you remember. Songs from your childhood, folk songs from your village, popular songs from the big cities you heard performed at the harvest festival every ear.

You get so comfortable with it that you don't think twice about singing, even when Sukuna is at home. You only realize what you are doing when you hear him chuckle softly behind you, and you gasp and stop singing and turn around to see him standing in the open doorway, leaning against the door frame with his muscular arms crossed in front of his broad chest, his white cloak painted with the scarlet pattern of a soul claimed.

He smirks at you,

"Don't let me interrupt you. I am just unfamiliar with such sounds here in my domain. But it sounds lovely. Keep singing for me, my little bird."

You feel intimidated all of a sudden now that his red eyes are watching you, but you swallow down the nervousness and continue singing the song you were in the middle of before Sukuna entered the room. A song as old as your village, kept alive from generation to generation, speaking of the human longing for company, a home, a fire to keep you warm, and a love to comfort you.

Sukuna's gaze is glued to you, a strange emotion flickering over his god-like features. Something akin to longing, you think. Something akin to sadness even. But before you can wonder too much about it, he turns away from you and leaves the room without any further word.

When you wake up the next morning, you can't move. Your eyes fly open in panic, only to realize you are lying draped over your husband's broad, muscular body, your naked skin pressing against his, one thigh thrown over his hip, your head resting on his buff chest. And what made you unable to move are his strong arms that are wrapped tightly around you, holding you in their firm embrace while he is still fast asleep.

Your breathing calms again, and a small smile lifts your lips as you relax against Sukuna's warm body, letting his strong embrace pull you back to sleep.

"Sukuna, look!"

You are walking next to him on the path leading from his throne back to his temple when you spot it. A bright green patch of color in the otherwise dim and monotone landscape of greys and browns.

You hurriedly walk over to it, only to realize that, to your utter astonishment, it seems to be a cherry tree sprout growing bravely out of the seemingly dead ground of this Kingdom of Death.

You lift your head to look at Sukuna, only to find him staring at the tiny sprout bewilderedly.

Before you can ask him what's wrong, he stomps towards the small flower, yanks it out of the earth, and burns it with a swish of his hand, making you take a hurried step back and gasp,

"Why... why did you do this?"

His eyes glow viciously in the dim light when he turns to look at you.

"A flower like that doesn't belong here! This is the land of the dead!"

He stomps away, his white cloak billowing behind him as you can only stare after him with a confused frown.

Why does a little delicate flower bother him so much?

It is later during dinner when you dare ask him again. Sukuna's gaze is stern, his expression filled with a cold rage that makes you gulp fearfully.

"You don't know why I am upset? Then let me tell you, my little bride. Nothing grows here! No life exists here! That is how it always was! But now you are here with your singing and your liveliness, and suddenly, a symbol of renewal and hope grows in the middle of my kingdom! I disturbed the balance! By bringing you here, I disturbed it! You brought life into the realm of Death!"

"B... but that doesn't make sense. I died. I took my own life to follow you here!"

"And yet, you are still so ... so full of life. It's not right!"

You gulp hard, instinctively trying to hide the hurt you feel at his words. You bow to him, muttering,

"Forgive me, my Lord."

"I told you not to call me that."

You don't answer him but just get up from the table and hastily walk deeper inside the temple, fleeing from his words that cut deeper than the dagger that you used to slit your own throat with.

Tears are gathering in your eyes. You cannot bring yourself to care about whether you are allowed to leave the table before Sukuna or not. If he wants, he can punish you later, and you will endure whatever punishment he sees fit.

You wipe angrily at the tears that spill over as you stumble into the library and close the heavy door behind you. Why does it hurt so much? You came here because you agreed to his cruel conditions. You sacrificed yourself to save your sister. It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience. Come here, get wed to Death, and warm his bed. It was something you were supposed to hate. So why does it feel like you are being ripped apart upon feeling like your husband rejects your presence?

You huddle into one of the oversized armchairs, hiding your face behind a random book you grab from the table in a fruitless attempt to distract yourself.

That is where Sukuna finds you later that night.

You lift your head from the open book in your lap when you hear the door opening and see Sukuna's tall, broad figure looming in the open doorway. His red eyes glow devilishly in the dim light of the room.

"Don't run from me, brat."

A sad laugh escapes your lips, and you close the book you couldn't focus on anyway, lifting your head to glare at him.

"I thought you didn't want to have me around. So shouldn't you be glad if I run?"

"I never said that."

"But you think something is wrong with me and that it was a mistake to bring me here."

You hate the way your voice breaks at the end, turning into a teary sob as fresh tears spill over and slowly run down your cheeks. You don't understand yourself anymore. You don't understand why this bothers you so much, why you are so hurt by his words.

You should be glad if he doesn't want to spend time in your presence! You should be glad if he decides to let you go and fall into the nothingness of eternal sleep! You should even be glad if he decides to send you back to the mortal world as a curse that lives in your family's house!

Anything should be better than being forced to live here in his temple and be bound to him! But here you are with an aching heart and tears running down your cheeks because apparently, somehow, during the last months, you grew attached to Sukuna, and somehow, knowing he thinks you don't belong with him makes your heart break in ways you didn't know before.

Sukuna stares at you, a baffled expression on his beautiful face. The silence stretches on, deafening, suffocating, making you ball your hands helplessly into fists.

But then your husband moves. Sukuna marches towards you with large, sure steps, and before you know what is happening, he grabs you and pulls you up from your armchair and against his tall, broad body.

"That's not what I meant. I apologize for my careless words. There is nothing wrong with you. I am just... surprised by what you do to me."

His words make you lift your head to look up at him, blinking against the tears as his large hand cups your cheek.

"I don't understand, Sukuna. What do I do to you?"

His red eyes flicker with an array of emotions. Regret, pain, longing. He looks so strangely human right now. As if he isn't an almighty God who reigns over this Kingdom of Death and has the final say in the fate of every soul who comes here.

His voice is soft like a caress, low and velvety, but filled with a sadness that surprises you.

"Don't you see? You made a flower of life grow in the depths of the afterlife. When you sing and laugh and hug me with that warm, soft body, there is so much life everywhere around me. I am Death. I am used to being alone. I am used to numbness, to silence, to nothingness. It is part of my punishment. But now you are here, and you fill everything with colors and sounds and warmth. You are a source of light in this eternal darkness. And it... it unsettled me when I saw the extent of your power."

You blink at him in utter astonishment.

"But Sukuna... you are Death. How could you be unsettled by anything? What effect can someone like me even have on you? What power could I ever hold?"

He huffs softly, a sound that reverberates in his broad chest.

"I have existed as Death for eons. And it was always an existence in solitude. It's the irony of being me. Death belongs to life. It is inevitable. And yet, everyone who lives chooses to ignore it. They push it away, they demonize it, they make a taboo of it. I was always just a fearful whisper. I am something the mortals try to pretend doesn't exist until their last moments, when all hope is lost. Their delusion is so strong that I can walk through the middle of a crowded city filled with mortals, and no one will notice me. That's how much they banished me from their existence. I am invisible to them. They can see me only in the moments right before they die."

He stops momentarily as if to let his words sink in while his gleaming red eyes gaze deeply into yours. Something about what he said makes no sense. You frown.

"But... But I.."

"But you saw me. Yes, I know. You weren't supposed to be able to see me. But you did. Do you begin to see what I mean? You talked to me, and I was greatly amused by it but, at the same time, utterly fascinated. Do you think I go around randomly making deals with people? So many beg me in their last moments, but I always ignore their pleas. But you were different. You weren't standing on the threshold between life and death, but you still saw me. That's why I offered a deal to you. I was curious. But I wasn't prepared for what you would do to me. I wasn't prepared for what it would do with me when you talk to me and eat with me and bathe with me or when you kiss me and lay with me and find pleasure in it. I wasn't prepared for what it means to be seen by someone."

Sukuna's thumb brushes gently over your cheek, wiping your tears away while his red eyes gaze deeply into yours. He is a God, yet he is so human now. His words make your chest feel tight, and more tears well up in your eyes. But this time they aren't for you. Those tears are for him.

You realize that you are pressing your body tightly against him, wrapping your arms around him, and holding him. Hugging Death and looking at him with a gaze full of compassion.

"And I will keep seeing you, Sukuna. You aren't just a shadow. You are very real, and you aren't unspeakable or evil."

This makes him raise an eyebrow, his red gaze burning into yours.

"You don't think Death is evil? If you could, wouldn't you bring an end to it? Isn't that the ultimate goal mortals want to achieve? To defeat Death?"

You gulp hard but shake your head, refusing to avert your gaze but instead looking deeply into Sukuna's gleaming red eyes.

"No. You have a right to exist. Death belongs to this world just like life does. Why would anyone value their life if they knew it was everlasting? Many things are so much more special because of their fleeting nature. Your position brings a certain beauty to the world, a certain urgency, that wouldn't be there otherwise. Death can be cruel and unfair. But it belongs to this world. There could be no real value of life without you."

Surprise flickers over his face before it gives way to a pleased expression.

"I knew from the start that you are brave. And maybe fate sent you here to conquer Death after all. You definitely have conquered me."

A smile lifts his lips, so beautiful and flawless that it's not hard to believe that he once was an angel. Red eyes as beautiful as jewels glitter in the soft glow of the candlelight, making your heart flutter.

You look up at Sukuna, reaching out to touch his cheek too. He is so much bigger than you. Tall and broad. Death is standing in front of you, powerful and merciless, and yet you feel no fear anymore. His red eyes are soft when they look at you. His large hand is gentle when it cups your cheek. His voice is full of tenderness when he asks,

"Will you sing for me again?"

You smile at him and nod gently.

He picks you up and carries you to the bedroom, his lips finding yours several times on the way while your small hands cup his beautiful face, and you kiss him back eagerly.

You sing for him again when you are in bed, and he lies beside you, his hand playing with your hair. You sing even while he undresses you, parting your robe and exposing your naked breasts to him. Your chest heaves, and your voice flutters, but you keep singing even while Sukuna cups one of your breasts with his large hand and squeezes it gently, his thumb brushing over your sensitive nipple.

You keep singing, only interrupted by short, breathy gasps when his hand travels down further and slips between your naked legs. He is so loving tonight. His touch is tender, his large hands surprisingly gentle. Long, strong fingers caress you in a way that makes your whole body fill with heat. He isn't taking from you tonight. He is giving to you.

And you fall apart under his tender touch, spreading your legs for him shamelessly, lifting your hips to press your naked cunt against his hand, letting him feel how wet you are for him and how much you long for his touch.

You only stop singing when you can't form coherent words anymore, and your song turns into needy sobs and loud moans. Your hips buck, and you whine when Sukuna's fingers spread your creamy wetness over your folds and over your pulsing nub that he caresses slowly.

He keeps touching you, keeps caressing that little bundle of nerves that sends shocks of desire through your body, almost overwhelming in its intensity.

Loud gasps of Sukuna's name fall from your lips. The heat and pressure become so intense that you think you can't take it anymore. Your tiny hand's claw at his large one between your legs.

But Sukuna is unrelenting,

"No, let me. Let your husband take care of his beautiful bride."

A loud, raw scream falls from your lips as the pleasure crashes over you in hot, unrelenting waves, and your body arches up, thighs twitching as your swollen nub pulses hotly against Sukuna's large, firm fingers. He keeps rubbing it, slow but firm, and you feel hot wetness gush out of you and over his hand while you scream his name and twitch helplessly in his arms.

He is breathing heavily, his red eyes gleaming as he watches you intently.

"So beautiful for me, my sweet bride."

He pulls his hand away, but only to push your thighs wide apart, exposing your naked, wet heat to his hungry gaze. And his face gets pressed against your soppy cunt, mouth licking up your wet mess. Your hands tangle in his pink hair, tugging on it, crying out as your head falls back on the pillow when your husband pushes his tongue into you and licks and kisses you.

You fall apart for Sukuna that night on his fingers and on his tongue. And when he finally takes you with his cock, it is slow and intense. He faces you this time, kneeling between your spread legs and capturing your lips in a kiss when he sinks down on you and claims you with his thick cock.

He is everything you see and feel, tall and big, a mountain of muscles, and a cock that fills you so completely. He takes you with slow, strong thrusts that make you clutch his muscular back and moan his name while you chase peak after peak of blinding pleasure until you are so exhausted that you fall asleep right there in Sukuna's strong arms while his low voice whispers to you,

"You sing the most beautiful songs for me, my little bird."

"Mortals always say they will love each other until death do them part. What do you think that means for us?"

Sukuna's lips are lifted in an amused grin as he asks you the question.

He is lying next to you, his beautiful naked body laid out for your admiring gaze on top of the dark red silk sheets. His chin is probed up lazily on one large hand as he watches you, letting his gleaming red gaze trail slowly over your equally naked body.

You smile at him, reaching out to run a hand down his muscular arm, tracing his biceps and the black bands around them with your fingertips before they wander to his broad chest. You let your small hand rest there, fingers sprawling over his firm muscles, right where his heart would beat if he were a living being.

"I would say this means nothing and no one can do us part. It means our love will last until the end of time, just like Death will."

Sukuna's large hand lands on top of yours, covering your hand completely under his. He sounds pleased when he murmurs in his low voice,

"My bride is not only brave but also smart."

You laugh softly at his words before you lift your head to look deeply into his eyes.

"Sukuna?"

"Yes, my love?"

"You told me I could sit on a throne next to yours if I like."

His red eyes glitter in the firelight as he cocks his head curiously, a small smug grin lifting the corners of his mouth.

"Yes, I did."

"Is that what you want?"

"It is your choice, but yes, I would like it if you sat next to me."

"Then I will do so."

There is respect in Sukuna's gaze when he gives you a nod to signal that he will set things in motion.

You know this is where you belong. By Sukuna's side.

One day, you will see your mother and your sisters standing in front of your husband's throne of skulls, but you don't fear for their souls. You will sit next to Sukuna when it happens and guide them to eternal peace, where they can finally rest free of all pain and worries.

You are Death's Bride.

You kiss him gently farewell before he leaves for the mortal world to reap the souls of the dying. You greet him with a smile when he returns, hugging him tightly and helping him out of his coat. You wash the blood off him, you kiss him, you talk to him. You fill his dark kingdom with light, just like he said.

And he lets you.

He even laughs softly when another little green sprout fights its way through the rotten soil next to the sea of blood.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!!! I didn't think this story would get so long, but once I started working on it, I got dragged into Sukuna's world and didn't want to leave again. The power he has over me!!

I hope you enjoyed this story!! Please let me know what you think. Comments and reblogs would be very sweet!!

This is the last story for my Halloween Event 2023! I am so happy that I could write all the stories I wanted! Thank you so much to everyone who read a story (or maybe several) of this event!!

#sukuna x reader #sukuna x you #sukuna #sukuna smut #jjk x reader #jjk smut #sukuna fluff #sukuna x y/n #ryomen sukuna #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk fluff #tw dark content

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devotedfem · 1 month ago

Note

Hello, lovely !

If you're taking requests, i would like to ask if you could do something with a plot similar to Mulan ?

Maybe Yandere Colonel Jungkook is upset with reader being a male and is really mean to her, that is until he discovers that she took her brother's place to join the army.

I love your writting, you're amazing 🥰

Also feel free to ignore this if you don't like it.

Mulan - J. JK x Reader

A/N: I'm so sorry for dissapearing for like three weeks😭, i've been through a lot of bad things lately in my life but now i'm back. Tomorrow I'll post something on my Patreon! I haven't forget abt u guys.

Tags: yander-ish, period typical sexism, mulan au, enemies to lovers, mean Jungkook, smut.

3k words.

Permanent taglist | patreon.

You were the only child of the Liu Family, raised and trained to be the perfect bride to wed an honorable man who could bring grace and honor to your family. Your mother took very seriously her duty of turning you into the perfect wife that any man would desire. After all, in your village the sole purpose and worth of a woman is based on how desirable she is for men.

How boring. That’s why you wanted to be a boy so bad, they have way more fun than girls, and they could do and be anything they want without worrying how desirable they are for the opposite sex. When you realize how differently the world treats girls compared to boys, it’s when you knew you were doomed since your birth. Your fate consists in being owned by a high-ranking man if you’re lucky, trapped in a house to serve him, just like your mother. And you loved your dad with all your heart, but he was so controlling and possessive over your mother, treating her as if she isn’t capable of looking for herself.

He was a retired general because of his disability and age. People say that the men from the imperial army are ruthless and cold-blooded, but your father is none of that, he’s just protective of his family.

You looked at your reflection in the mirror chewing your bottom lip with anxiety sinking heavy in your stomach. Today you have to make a good impression on the matchmaker of the village so she could marry you off with a wealthy and honorable man.

This is why you trained all of your life, for this exact day to be perfect, to be chosen. You were so worried of fucking up this day, you just wanted to make your parents proud of you. They made a lot of sacrifices to raise you with comfort and love, the least you can do for them is being wed to a good man.

Easy peasy, isn’t it?

Well, it isn’t.

Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. And it was all your fault, no one else. You were so nervous and clumsy that you throwed by accident the potful of tea on the matchmaker, burning her skin. Her next words sank deep within you; You may be beautiful and look like the perfect bride, but you’re not! You are a disgrace to your family, you’re worthless!

And with those words being yell at you, she turned around leaving you with tears streaming from your eyes, humiliating you in front of the village people. Everyone leaved, except your mother. Her crestfallen and disappointed face was enough to break your heart.

You felt like a disgrace. But even though you weren’t the perfect bride and daughter, your father was there to comfort you, hugging you with love and telling you that everything will be okay.

But that didn’t happen, because the next day the imperial soldiers came to your village with dreadful news; the country was being attacked by the enemy, and the emperor ordered his soldiers to recruit one man from every family to serve in the army.

But you were the only child of your parents, and your father was too weak to fight in the army, he already did in the past, so there was no need to recruit him again when it will get him killed.

So, when the soldier read from the list your family’s last name, you stopped your father from stepping forward, looking at the soldier with pleading eyes; “Please don’t take my father, he already fought in the army honorably in the past. He’s too weak to fight now,” you begged with a trembling voice, but the soldier look down at you with contempt. “Silence woman! These matters are none of your concern, you better hold your tongue in a man’s presence,” he barked with anger at your audacity, but you didn’t care, you were too worried for your father’s wellbeing to care about your place.

But when you turned around and noticed your father’s embarrassed face, you shut your mouth up, not wanting to dishonor him any further. Watching with a clenching heart how he was listed to serve the emperor.

That night you bickered with him, begging him to not go to the army, but he lashed out at you, telling you to know your place as a woman. That broke your heart, and his face fell with regret immediately after. He never said such things to you before, but you supposed that’s what he really thought of you as a person.

But at midnight, you planned something; you will dress up as a man to take your father’s place in the army. You will not let him die pointlessly when there are plenty of young men that can fight for your country, and if that mean risking your own life to protect your father’s, so it be.

You sewed your father’s old military uniform to adjust it to your size, and then you wore it, looking at your reflection in the mirror with curled lips, tying your long hair in a manly bun, like the men of the army. You might be too skinny and short for a man, but with your father’s clothes you could pass as a young boy.

You hope they don’t bully you too much, men are very mean, even more with the weak ones, you will try to go unnoticed until you finish your duty.

You practice your “manly” voice a few times in front of your mirror, mimicking some of the mannerism that the boys from your village use. When you were satisfied enough with your cheap performance, you grabbed your things to get out of your home, glancing back at it for the last time with a clenching heart; you’re doing this for your father, because deep down you knew he always wanted a son to bring honor to the family, not a clumsy daughter that embarrassed him with the matchmaker, that’s why you will make it up for him.

You walked into the army camp drawing the attention of few of the men, but they looked away uninterested. Your back was straight and your steps long, you tried so hard to walk manly and nonchalant, you just hope you’re not making a fool of yourself and draw unnecessarily attention. When they listed you to join them in the training quarters, they barely glance at you, looking at your body with contempt and saying things like; “you need heavy training for that scrawny weak ass body.”

But you took no offense, feeling relieved that at least they didn’t notice you were a woman, otherwise you couldn’t imagine your punishment if they did, feeling a shiver running down your spine.

Your happiness was short-lived when you bump into a man so hard that you fell on your ass, you blushed by how handsome the man was; tall, buff, manly with a stern gaze and an intimidating aura, but his doe eyes made a contrast of his looks. It was a shame that the moment he opened his pretty lips the spell was broken.

“Watch where you’re walking or I’ll break your legs the next time you get an inch close to me,” he snarled at you with anger flashing his eyes. He took a silent look at you from head to toe, curling his lips with contempt and watching you now with a sneer. “What do we have here, did you already grow hair down there? Such a sissy boy shouldn’t be fighting along with men, but I guess the emperor must be desperate.” His mocking words made everyone else laugh at you, making you feel exposed and humiliated. Your worst fear came true, now you’re the target of dumb men thanks to this asshole.

“Why so curious about if I have hair in my balls, do you want to see? Is that it?” You couldn’t help but smirk at his widened eyes and the group of men erupting into laughs, they didn’t expect you to have a comeback. But you never were the type to back down in an argument.

“Silence!” Everyone shut their mouth up immediately after his violent and strident order, almost as if they were scared of him. You flinched a little at his murderous gaze, clenched jaw and flared nostrils. You felt like a prey about to getting killed by its predator. “Everyone is punished with 5 more hours of heavy training. You can thank your little new friend here. This clown better join a circus after the battle, if he survived of course, but we all know that won’t happen.” You felt dread sinking in your stomach at his mocking and cruel words, nauseous at the implication of dying.

He grinned like the devil when he noticed your fearful expression, walking away with a sneer, leaving you with a spiral of catastrophic thoughts.

But a question crossed your mind; who was him to order the other soldiers around?

“You’re so fucked up mate, you just got under the skin of our general. That man will eat you alive, I can’t even be mad at you when you’re the target of Jungkook. Good luck.” Some guy said to you with genuine pity written on his eyes.

Fucking amazing, that was what you needed; being the target of your superior. Good fucking job y/n.

But at least they believe you’re a man, not everything is bad, isn’t it?

Everything is in fact, very bad. It was a living hell for you everyday thanks to Jungkook, your general. He verbally abused you; mocking your weak appearance, calling you names like pussy and little princess, giving you more labor than the others, humiliating you each time he could in front of the other soldiers, making you the target of their laughers. He also gave you the worst duties like cleaning the bathrooms, dooming you to gag with disgust at how dirty men are. You were deprived of important information the others were given, making you feel lost and fail in your tasks and training, all thanks to that son of a bitch that’s obsessed with ruining your life. At this point you prefer to die in the battle rather than to endure another day with him.

You always cried every night, missing your mom and dad, feeling useless and hurt. You couldn’t bond with the group because they were too scared to talk to you and being the target of Jungkook’s wrath. You felt isolated and hurt.

It was a lot, you weren’t used to heavy training under the sun, physical labor and getting bullied from men. You were a spoiled girl that was always treated with care by your family and friends. But you were doing this for a greater cause. For your father.

You never showered with the other men, too scared of them finding out your secret. And of course, Jungkook noticed, mocking you about you being afraid that everyone will notice your lack of pubic hair and small dick.

But you didn’t let him get under your skin, that’s why one night you sneak away from the quarters to go to the nearest pond of water, taking with you a change of clothes and your chamomile shampoo. Your hair was matted and disgusting.

You took off your clothes, sinking your legs in the water, hugging yourself when the cold water embraced you, you sink down to wet your hair, closing your eyes in pleasure at the sweet aroma of your shampoo cleaning your greasy hair. You hummed watching the stars above you, feeling for the first time in a week completely relax and unbothered.

But you felt watched, that’s why you look at your surroundings with a frown, finding no one.

Until you heard steps, and your heart stops.

Jungkook was standing at the edge of the large pond, looking shocked, tense and furious all at once. You shriek covering your chest with your arms, and his heavy and dark gaze fell to it, clenching his jaw and fists.

“Why are you in the army?” he chastised, with genuine curiosity and anger flashing his dark eyes. His gaze was fixed on you, not looking away even once, and not blinking at all. That frightened you, making you sink until the water reached your neck.

“I’m doing this for my dad, he-he’s sick and too old to join the army, he already did in the past! I just don’t want him to die,” you blurted out with a trembling voice and pounding heart, averting your gaze towards your hands under the water, too scared to look into Jungkook’s eyes.

He said nothing for a couple of seconds, until you heard something heavy drop to the floor, widening your eyes when you noticed it was Jungkook’s clothes.

“What-“

“Do you mind if I get into the water? I haven’t showered either.” You saw the mischievousness flashing his predatory eyes. But you shook your head anyway, after all he was your superior and you can’t tell him to not wash in the pond. No one else besides him knows that you’re a woman, so you’re in a position of disadvantage right now.

You turned around to give him privacy even though you knew deep down that that’s the last thing he want. You’re not an idiot, you can tell when a man’s gaze fills with lust, like a predator finding a good prey to devour. Sometimes, men can be very scary.

“This explains a lot, why you look so fragile, why you didn’t fit in at all, and why you’re so pretty for a man,” you heard him approaching you from behind. “You should be wed to a man, carrying his kids, making him good meals and warming his bed every night instead of wasting your beauty away. This is no place for a woman, but still, you’re here, aren’t you?” His voice dropped an octave, and you can feel him being inches away from your back, but you didn’t dare to turn back.

“Won’t you look at me pretty thing, are you scared?” his voice softens faking a concern tone. You felt him on your back, not touching but ghosting above your skin. His hot breath was closer to your ear, whispering something near to it; “I can help your daddy to not get punished for letting his daughter fight for him, believe me, that won’t look very good to the emperor.” His lips brushed your earlobe, and dread sink to your stomach at his sugar-coated threat. You were so fucked up, of all men it has to be Jungkook the one who finds out your secret.

You turned around with your eyes blurred by tears, he was mocking you and using your dad to take advantage of you.

“What do you want!? Leave my dad out of this, I came here willingly, he has nothing to do with my choice. If you and your emperor want to hurt and punish someone, that should be me and no one else,” you fumed with a single silent tear dropping from your eye, Jungkook wiped it away with his thumb.

“I won’t hurt a woman, I’m not that pathetic. It’s your father’s job to control his daughter and to make you learn your place, so he’ll bear his punishment.” Your stomach churned at his words, scared and worried of getting your dad hurt because of you. You knew Jungkook has power over you right know, but you can use the burning desire on his eyes to your advantage.

“Please, don’t hurt him, I’ll do anything,” you pleaded with a soft voice and watery eyes. You two were inches apart, and you noticed Jungkook inhaling sharp, affected by your words and doe eyes. His gaze darkened and flashed with desire.

He gripped tightly your waist, pulling your body against his, feeling your breasts brushing his skin. You felt aroused by his desperation, by his need and thirst for your body. You squirm into his grasp when he started to kiss and licked your neck slowly, like a starve dog devouring its food. His hands wander to your bottom, holding and lifting your body making you wrap your legs around his hips, feeling his hard cock brush your folds, making you whine. He growled at your sounds, tightening even more his grip on your body. His mouth devoured yours, kissing you with force and need, eating your lips like a starve man and drinking all of your sweet sounds, chasing your lips even when you broke the kiss. But then you cried in pain when he shoved slowly his cock into your folds, making you whimper and wrap your arms around his neck to ground yourself, feeling small under his dark and intense gaze.

His jaw was clenched and his face slightly scrunched up in pleasure, almost as if he was restraining himself from ramming into you sharply, and then when you tell him to move, it was like unleashing a beast, splitting you open and thrusting into you with force, making you sob into his neck, crying and holding onto him.

You came first, bearing the erratic and strong rolls of his hips against yours, ignoring your overstimulation until he came too, filling you up to the brim.

That night he took you to his private quarter, fucking you again in your sleep. You thought you were just being used for one night, but then when you wake up, you found yourself with the news that you were kicked off the army thanks to Jungkook revealing your identity. You were about to break down and feel used and betrayed, until he told you that you're going to be wed to him whether you like it or not. At least if you marry Jungkook your dad won’t be punished, but you’ll be his wife without your consent.

And as he said, you ended under his care, cooking meals for him, warming his bed every night, and carrying his children.

But at least your dad was safe? Not everything is bad, isn’t it?

Taglist:

@demonshauntingthedoves @pynkgothicka @deluluisdasolulu @uniquecutie-puffs @Marrylouise @livingformintyoongi @captainhoook @asillysimp @devilzliaison @zephyrdawn @kvstjwonnie @yoongilovescats @bammbi-jeon127 @jerdafuck @Holy_Hobi_water8

#bangtan fanfic #bts x reader #yandere bts #bts imagines #bts x you #jungkook x reader #jungkook #jungkook bts #jungkook smut

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dvchvnde · 3 months ago

Text

when the earth starts spinning backwards

EXCERPT: GEORGIAN ERA AU. ARRANGED MARRIAGE. AGE GAP.

You've been told for most of your life that the measure of a woman's worth laid in the pedigree of her potential suitors.

And maybe that's why—on the eve of your birthday—the pool of your of esteem dwindles to a mere maudlin tear at the bottom of a weather-worn bucket. One swiped up by the trembling finger of your desperate father as he shakes his hand (and within it, the crumpled dowry he had expected to part with on the dawn of your eighteenth year inside his household) at the only man who seems keen to take the heavy burden from his white-knuckled fist.

A man named John Price.

Captain, they say, of the King's Army. Someone who led them to victory on several fronts before being called home year ago when his second wife had passed, marking him a widower with two children. A powerful man on the battlefield, unshakeable in his tenants and faith. A warrior. As fearsome as a wild bear, and hungry for flesh as one, too.

And it's this facet of his character that is given before much else, including the formidable temper that nervously follows when all points of fascinating esteem run dry.

His rage is as legendary as his exploits under the King.

And you're to marry him tomorrow.

A quick, decisive arrangement that brokered no room for negotiations, and likely couldn't since you're well past respectable marrying age and have been already ushered, quietly, into the encompassing title of a spinster. A blemish on your mutable reputation.

But despite the desperate lengths your father had gone to tuck away money for a dowery on the eve of your birth, it had been for naught. Everyone knows the debts your name carries, and any man stupid enough to take you on a bride would only inherit the devastating black hole of your crumbling finances.

Untouchable, it had seemed. Or so those were the whispers late at night.

It's unfathomable a man of his esteem would stoop so low in the social hierarchy for a wife, but from the stilted, haggard conversations you've pried upon, he's in need of a mother to his grieving children. The abysmal state of your family name doesn't matter much when all he needs is a nanny for his children and a pretty thing to warm his bed.

And, they offered begrudgingly, you are rather pretty.

Just much more suited to be the mistress of a Duke rather than a wife of significance to an important advisor to the King.

Envy, you realise, and this pitiless thing called social standing, leaves you very little room to weep over the ill-made match with a stern, ferocious man two decades your senior and twice widowed with three children desperate for comfort you have no idea how to give.

Then again, respectability is more important than comfort, isn't it? And perhaps this is for the best considering your second, and only, option is to agree to warm the bed of a Duke (or several) when he's away from his wife. Who would want to marry the daughter of a penniless estate drowning in so much debt, it's a wonder your father got to keep his flimsy title when the collectors started breathing down his neck, after all? When the jewels were stripped from your neck, the curtains, your clothes and pawned for recompense for a financial loss that happened when you were hardly old enough to feed yourself?

Such is life, you suppose.

And maybe you're giving too much credence to the feverish whispers about your soon-to-be bridegroom.

Two wives—both gifted to him from the kings pool of consorts—who died under strange, mysterious circumstances aside, he might be the polar opposite to the surly beast they make him out to be. One with a temper so formidable, enemies of the country write to air out their grievances after crossing paths with the savage Captain on the battlefield, lamenting the brutal nature of his warfare practises.

It might not be the cage you've been told it will be. Instead of squandering your youth under the thumb of a man so animalistic, they claimed he was birthed by a bear, it could be the escape you've been yearning for.

And perhaps—as silly as the notion is for women of your station—even love.

It's a thought that blots the unease inside your chest. A bandaid over uncertainty even though it's such a silly, silly thing because just what is love to a man thrice wed? Indignity, surely, to stoop so low as to pledge his heart to someone two decades younger than he when an heir has already been secured. Nuptials tied twice before. An old hat at this farce.

What room is left inside of him for a destitute bride with little more than a brooch to your name, and a contemptible debt that will surely ruin any burgeoning matrimony when he doles out whatever sum he agreed to when taking you on as a—

A nanny, maybe.

Pretty thing to warm his bed.

It'll be fine, you think, knuckles bulging from under the thin skin of your fist; so long as there is harmony between you and this man.

That's really all you can ask for, and even that seems overmuch.

He stands across from a man you don't recognise, dressed in a handsome black waistcoat and black breeches. The bristles of his beard—the sight of which gives your mother a terrible start when she sees the unkempt ruggedness of his appearance—brushes against the silk of his white cravat when he angles his chin in defiance at something the man says, arms folded over his broad chest, looking mutinous.

It's not the stance of a man eagerly awaiting his bride but of someone making idle, impatient chatter until the festivities begin.

But—

You can't deny he makes quite a striking spectacle.

His legs are thicker than all of the men in the room, breeches pasted tightly against his skin showing off the beastly appearance they whisper about. More bear than man. And you see it now when he moves. Arms barely contained inside the confines of a thick waistcoat, bulging at the seams. Flexing.

His hair is dark brown. His beard a seamless match to the umbre hue. It peppers along the span of his face, cut clean below the tip of his nose. Bedraggled comes to mind as you take him in. Then—

Wild.

His eyes flash. He rocks forward on the tips of his toes until his nose is a breath away from the man who stands opposite of him, swallowed up in the untenable bulk that threatens to collapse upon him like an unsturdy house. Heaving. The buttons along his jacket stretch taut around every ragged breath he takes, whining under the strain.

He's a beast.

A bear ripped from the wilds and shoved to ill-fitting finery; told to behave.

It's breathtaking, really. All that raw power forced into the shape of a man, one that buzzes with a frenetic energy around the edges as if the potency of it is too much for mortal flesh to carry. Crackling through the air like a whip. His snarling rejoinder clashing against the stained glass mosaic of Mary and Joseph readying their inn for the arrival of baby Jesus, the echo trembling through your bones.

You hadn't realised they were quite so hollow until his growl bounced inside them like a stone tossed into an empty bucket.

Beside you, your mother makes an impatient, contemptuous sound. That, too, echoes, and you smother a wince by burying your hands in the plentiful lace gathering at your thighs. Clinging to the old silks as the men blink from their churlish debate, turning towards the sound.

His gaze is purposeful. He doesn't linger. Doesn't meander. It slashes across the chest of the man standing in front of him like a clutched dagger, stabbing into the thin-lipped frown your mother wears more comfortably than finery with a slight tick of his brow. Settles there just for a moment. Taking her measure. Her worth.

And then it rolls over to you.

Dutiful bride to be.

Standing on fawnlike legs and drenched in a fine sheen of sweat under the swelter of dusty velvet no one expected to ever see the light of day, and jaundiced lace—the one thing your mother was able to convince the debt collectors was worth less than the meagre loaf of bread sitting on the dining room table.

A pittance.

And it's a dismal thing, really. The way he looks at you. Brows pinched. Puckering in displeasure. It's little less than a sneer, and even that feels like a kindness. A blessing.

But you suppose if a woman is fit to lay with the king, then she must be a thing of beauty. That must be the level of esteem he's used to. Lavishness. Sylphlike, pretty things the king is wont to imbibe himself on—a never-ending search for a faerie, or so the rumours go.

But these lissome beauties, the King's hand-offs, birthed this man's children—and rather quickly, you'd heard. Almost scandalously so. But had declared himself the father—at the hurried acceptance of the King—and the matter brought to the church in whispers had been silenced.

You can't help but wonder how you compare in his eyes.

It makes you so acutely aware of every inch of your body that it all starts to sting. Burn. From the way the shoulder of your grown doesn't quite sit tight—having been altered and hemmed over the years to account for your growth; a dress made at the fourteen under the assumption you'd be married away immediately. Extra fabric added at seventeen with illustrious care. There was still hope, you know. And each delicate stitch reflects that. But the ones that follow—twenty, twenty-three, twenty-five—are looser. Less attention was paid to the seam. The project was just that: an obligation. A duty.

Hope ended with the addition scrap of off-colour silk on your eighteenth birthday.

And with such hawkish, keen eyes, you know he must see it.

They dip along the curve of your throat, following a taut, intense line of oceanblue down the drape of it. Puddling at the base where a tear in the lace sits against your neck. Folded into itself because there simply wasn't enough time to mend it properly. A blemish.

Beneath the thick bed of wry, burnt umbre curls, his jaw clenches tight, muscles budging at the sides.

The intensity of endless blue is too much for you to wade through—his stare, the weight of his regard, a crushing thing—and you dip your chin in silent supplication, staring at the floorboards in a shameful display of cowardice to avoid the heat in those eyes. A searing fury hot enough to scald you from this far away.

He doesn't want you.

On the alter, John clenches his fist tight against his thighs as he devours the little bride too frightened to meet his eye, and wonders how much longer this nonsense will take before he can finally sink his cock inside of you—

#eventual: dubcon/wifely duties/dom price/breeding/carriage fucking

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bubbleggum444 · 3 months ago

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—❝S∪GAƦ, YES PLEASE!❞

𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 jason todd x fem!reader, bride/wifey!reader au, tooth rotting fluff (+ a teeny tiny bit of angst), songfic (bc i'm high-key a sucker for them), 2k+ wc.

𝑠𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑝𝑠𝑖𝑠 jason marrying the love of his life—you :)

[I'm hurting, baby, I'm broken down. I need your lovin', lovin', I need it now.]

The man Jason used to be before he met her and the man standing at the altar now were two entirely different people. Before, he was hardened, broken, convinced he was beyond saving. After the resurrection, he had been nothing more than a shell of himself—no longer the sweet, happy Robin. But then she came into his life, and piece by piece, she put him back together. Every time she was near, she picked up his shattered remains, healing him in ways he never thought possible. She became the guardian angel his 15-year-old self had desperately needed.

Now, standing at the altar, waiting for her, Jason felt something foreign yet familiar—hope.

[When I'm without ya, I'm something weak. You got me beggin', beggin', I'm on my knees.]

The weight of the moment pressed down on him. Everyone’s eyes were on him—it was expected, of course, he was the groom. But Jason had never liked being in the spotlight. His heart pounded against his ribs, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He wasn’t nervous about marrying her—that was the one thing he was sure of—but the anticipation, the sheer magnitude of what was about to happen, sent his nerves into overdrive.

Then, the music changed. A hush fell over the room.

And as Jason lifted his head, his breath caught in his throat.

There she was.

Walking toward him, down the long white aisle, looking every bit like the angel she had always been to him. His knees nearly buckled. Was it the nerves? Or was it the sight of her—the woman who would soon be his wife?

Both. It was both. And for her, Jason would go to his knees all over again.

[I don't wanna be needing your love. I just wanna be deep in your love.]

The Jason before her had been defensive, guarded, unwilling to let anyone in. No matter how sweet she was, he had fought against needing her—whether because he felt too broken, too unworthy, or simply too afraid to be vulnerable.

But as she walked toward him now, memories of her flooded his mind.

The first time they met—her tumbling into him, muddy and scraped up from roller-skating straight into his path. Jason had barely had time to register what had happened before he was on his knees, making sure she was okay.

Their first date—her in a sundress that made her glow like the sun itself, laughing as she compared them to mismatched socks. "We're like a perfect pair!" she'd said. He hadn't known if it was the way she made imperfection seem beautiful or the way she so easily called them a couple, but his knees had felt weak even then.

Jason had once told himself he didn't want to need her love. But he had missed the memo—his heart had already been deep in her love from the first moment he saw her. And for the first time since his resurrection, Jason Todd didn’t mind needing someone else.

[And it's killing me when you're away, ooh, baby.]

As she reached him, he took her hands in his, steadying both her and himself. Another memory surfaced.

Jason, exhausted, dragging himself home after another brutal night of crime-fighting. His body ached, his mind was drained, and his soul felt heavier than ever. But when he opened the door to his apartment, warmth wrapped around him like a long-lost embrace.

The fire crackled softly in the dim room, the smell of roasted beef lingering in the air. And then, there she was. Smiling at him, eyes full of love. A moment later, she was in his arms.

"I got off early from nursing school," she had said, as if those simple words weren’t everything.

But they were everything.

Jason had never realized just how much he needed her—how much he hated being away from her—until that moment.

[Cause I don't really care where you are. I just wanna be there where you are.]

Now, in the present, Jason’s cold hands enveloped hers, his world narrowing to just her. The nervousness, the crowd, the weight of all the eyes watching—it all disappeared.

And then, finally, his lips met hers. A kiss filled with love, devotion, and every spoken and unspoken vow in his heart.

It didn’t matter where they were—in his tiny apartment, feeding ducks by the river, ice skating (and failing miserably), or lost in a crowd larger than Gotham itself.

Jason didn’t care.

As long as he was wherever she was, that was enough.

➽──────────────❥

𝑏𝑢𝑏𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑔𝑢𝑚444©

𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 <𝟑

#jason todd #jason todd dc #red hood #x reader #dc x reader #jason todd x reader #jason todd x you #dc comics x reader #dc comics #dcu

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multific · 4 months ago

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The Gladiator’s Empress

Lucius Verus x Reader

Summary: He choose you, and you had no other choice.

Lucius’s rise from a skilled gladiator to Emperor was a tale told across the Empire.

A story of determination and skill.

You first saw him in the Colosseum, his fierce presence captivating the crowd, though it wasn’t the adoration of the masses he desired, it was you.

He became obsessed, his eyes finding you in the sea of faces each time he fought.

After a while, he didn't even have to look.

You had a specific place where you liked to sit.

Though you didn’t know it at the time, Lucius’s victories weren’t merely for glory or freedom.

They were for you.

When he became Emperor, his first rule was one that surprised you, he wished to marry you.

Fear filled your heart when you heard the news.

Lucius was known for his ruthlessness in battle, his unyielding will, and his obsession with victory.

You imagined a cold, authoritative man who would force you into a loveless marriage, one where you would be nothing more than a trophy.

A nice piece by his side.

Your parents were thrilled by the chance, a union with the Emperor would elevate your family beyond anything they had dreamed.

But you, with uncertainty in your heart, didn’t share their enthusiasm.

The day you were summoned to the palace, you braced yourself for an encounter with a tyrant.

Instead, you found Lucius waiting for you in a beautiful garden, surrounded by blooming flowers.

He rose from his seat when you arrived, his expression softening at the sight of you.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” he said, his voice gentle, surprising you. “I have no intention of hurting you. I only wish for you to give me a chance.”

His words were unexpected, and you found yourself speechless.

He wasn’t what you had imagined. His eyes were intense and yet they held a warmth you hadn’t expected.

“Why me?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

Lucius smiled faintly, his eyes never leaving yours.

“Because from the moment I saw you, I knew there could be no one else. You made me want more than battles and blood. You made me dream of a life beyond the Colosseum.”

His honesty surprised you, but your fear didn’t vanish overnight.

Still, you agreed to get to know him before making any final decision.

"I wish to get to know you first. If you truly care about me as you claim, you would understand."

"I greatly appreciate the chance, My Lady."

In the weeks that followed, Lucius showed you a side of him that the world rarely saw.

He was patient, never demanding more than you were willing to give. He walked with you through the palace gardens, listened to your thoughts, and even laughed at your sharp wit.

One evening, as the sun set behind the palace walls, you found yourself alone with him in the grand hall. The flickering light of the torches cast a warm shine over the room.

“I was wrong about you,” you admitted, breaking the silence. “I thought you were ruthless and cold. But you’re not.”

"I’ve fought many battles, but winning your heart has been the greatest challenge of all.”

A smile played on your lips, and for the first time, you didn’t feel fear when you looked at him, you felt something far deeper.

The night he proposed again, it wasn’t as an Emperor demanding a bride but as a man asking the woman he loved to spend her life with him.

“Will you marry me?” he asked, holding out a simple ring, his voice trembling slightly. “Not because I’m Emperor, but because I love you.”

“Yes, Lucius. I will marry you.”

The wedding was a grand affair, but despite the grandness, all you could focus on was Lucius’ unwavering stare and the love shining in his eyes.

He had proven you wrong in every way, turning fear into love, doubt into certainty.

As his wife and Empress, you stood beside him, not as an unwilling partner but as someone who had fallen deeply in love.

And in his arms, you found the warmth and safety you had never expected, but always longed for.

~Masterlist~

ˇAO3ˇ

Wattpad

/DO NOT TRANSLATE, STEAL OR REPOST ANY OF MY WORKS TO THIS OR OTHER PLATFORMS/

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harunayuuka2060 · 6 months ago

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MC: *listens to the bride's and groom's families as they discuss whether to proceed with the wedding after the groom hits the bride*

Groom's mother: He didn’t mean to do it! Why are you making such a big deal out of it?!

Groom's father: That's right! It was an accident! And they were arguing!

Bride's father: Do you hit your wife when you're arguing with each other?!

Groom's father: You-

MC: *lets out an irritated sigh*

Them: ...

MC: *looks at the bride* My dear child, as the one who has been wronged, do you wish to continue with this wedding?

The groom: Yes, Father! We will-

MC: I'm not asking you!

The groom: ...

The groom: *turns to his bride, attempting to coax her into continuing the wedding*

The groom: Love… I promise that will never happen again. A-and we've been together for five years—you're not going to throw all that away over one misunderstanding, right?

The bride: *looks at him, clearly disappointed*

The bride: I think you forgot… I was raised in this church, where I learned to be confident in myself and not let anyone trample on me or my principles. So, wasting five years of our relationship means nothing to me.

MC: Well, the bride has decided.

The groom: You will regret this-

MC: I would be careful with your words, child. If anything happens to this woman, I will have every nun in this church on your trail. And believe me, the women of this church are like those in the Bible—confident and merciless when angered.

The groom: ...

His family: ...

Raphael: *impressed*

Michael: *chuckles* That's right.

Simeon: Michael, do you think we can visit him?

Michael: ...

Simeon: Michael?

Michael: ...

Michael: No, we can't.

Raphael: Why not?

Michael: The prince of Devildom will take an interest in him.

#obey me #obey me mc #obey me michael #obey me simeon #obey me raphael #obey me confessional

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lizzyiii · 7 months ago

Note

hey, so ur works are literally heaven in itself (im in love with u)

you guys reading my works are what validate me in life (i'm so in love with you too, babe)

Scales and Arpeggios

pairing | aemond x wife!reader word count | 4.3k words summary | aemond and his wife share tender moments with their children, engaging in music lessons that bring warmth and joy to their family amidst the shadows of the dance of dragons.

note | slight angst, hotd au (greens win), KING AEMOND, toothrotting fluffff, children, no description of reader, fluffy Aemond, soft aemond, pregnant!reader a/n | aristocats inspired (duchess and her kittens), I thought of this this morning. I really needed this fluff after all my negative thoughts and feelings. also don't worry, I have all my requests in the making, and in my draft's - prepare for the angst and feels.

likes, comments and reblogs are much appreciated ✨

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

Aemond was tired.

Day upon day, his life was mired in endless council meetings, audiences with quarrelsome lords, and grievances of the peasantry, all in the name of healing a realm ravaged by war.

It had been two years since the Dance of the Dragons had torn through the land, yet the scars remained, as fresh as the charred ruins left in the dragons’ wake.

And here he was, King of the Seven Kingdoms—but at what bitter cost. He had bested Daemon in the fierce clash over the God’s Eye, and his half-sister, the self-styled Queen, had been devoured by her own madness.

She met her end as Sunfyre tore her asunder upon Aegon’s command. Not long after, Aegon himself succumbed to his wounds, leaving the crown a hollow prize.

Aemond had defeated the Blacks. The traitors were vanquished, their cause snuffed out. But his family had been taken in the fires of war. Jaehaerys murdered; young Maelor torn apart; Daeron slain.

Helaena, dear Helaena, had taken her own life. And Aegon—Aegon had burned away with his dragon, his defiance crumbling under the agony of his wounds.

All that remained of his bloodline were fleeting shadows of memory and ashes of kin. Only his wife, the woman bound to him since he was but fourteen, remained steadfast.

Through the dark days of the war, you had been his only constant, his sole source of solace. In the end, that was all he had left: his bride, his son Aeron, his niece Jaehaera, and his mother, Queen Alicent, who clung to life with a frail resilience.

It was his wife, too, who had stayed his hand when he considered the fates of Daemon’s daughters. You had urged him to spare the lives of Baela and Rhaena, allowing them sanctuary with their sole surviving brother, Aegon the Younger, now far away in Driftmark.

And yet, his mother had been torn asunder by grief, the madness that followed the loss of three of her children consuming her like a wildfire. Just months ago, Alicent had succumbed to the cruel grip of Winter Fever, and with her passing, the warmth of their family had dimmed further.

He blamed himself, for in his fervor to protect his own—the children he adored and his beloved wife—he had allowed himself to be blind to his mother’s decline. Each day, he devoted himself to the care and nurturing of Aeron and Daenys, ensuring Jaehaera felt the presence of family, while the ever-looming responsibilities of the crown overshadowed his duties as a son.

Now, he barely caught glimpses of the life that remained. He would rise in the early hours, the dawn light casting a soft glow upon his wife’s sleeping form, a fleeting moment of peace before he was swept away by the relentless tide of royal obligations.

In the fleeting minutes before he departed for court, he could only admire the serene lines of your face, knowing that the day would steal him from your side again.

The children were no better; brief encounters in the corridors felt like whispers of a past he could hardly grasp. Aeron would be playing with his toys, and Daenys might be crawling after the palace cats, laughter echoing softly in the halls, but those joyful sounds seemed distant, muffled by the duties that consumed him.

But on this day, a flicker of fortune shone upon him; he had managed to complete his duties earlier than usual. Typically, he toiled long into the night, only to return to the warmth of their chambers when all were asleep. Though it was after supper, a glimmer of hope sparked within him that perhaps he could still find them, to grasp those precious moments he had so dearly missed.

Through the dimly lit corridors of the Red Keep, the young Prince Aeron and Princess Jaehaera raced, their laughter echoing against the cold stone walls as they hurried toward the music lesson that awaited them. The air was filled with the thrill of their spirited competition, each eager to claim the title of first to arrive.

As they rounded a corner, Jaehaera noticed Aeron pulling ahead, determination etched across his small face. In a quick, daring move, she reached out and tugged at his tunic, managing to pull him back just enough to dart ahead. “Me first!” she shouted, her voice ringing with triumph.

Not to be outdone, Aeron swiftly grabbed hold of her arm, attempting to halt her advance. “And why should you be first?” he challenged.

Jaehaera strained against his grip, lifting her chin defiantly as she met his gaze. “Because I am the future queen, that’s why!” she declared, her voice bold and unwavering.

With that, she broke free, dashing down the corridor, but Aeron was quick on her heels, bumping her to the side in a playful shove that almost sent her sprawling against the wall. “You’re not a queen! You’re nothing but my cousin!” he yelled.

Jaehaera shot him a fierce glare, her brows knitting together. “I’ll show you if I’m a queen or not,” she murmured under her breath, determination simmering in her tone as they neared the door to the music room.

In a last-ditch effort to claim victory, Jaehaera pushed Aeron aside just as they reached the threshold. He stumbled slightly but quickly regained his footing, throwing a frown her way. “Fight fair, Jae!”

Without missing a beat, she rolled her eyes and slipped into the room, only to be met with an unexpected shove from Aeron as he followed closely behind. He hadn’t meant to, but the force sent Jaehaera tumbling to the ground with a hard thud that echoed in the hall.

She shot him a fierce glare, her lips forming a pout as she rubbed her side. “Now that hurt!” she exclaimed, the hint of a whine creeping into her voice.

“Aunty! Aunty!” she called out, her tone shifting to one of urgency.

Moments later, you entered the room, carrying Daenys on your hip. A mixture of sternness and affection danced on your face as you regarded the two children. “Jaehaera, my darling, Jaehaera,” you said, your voice firm but softening with a smile. “You must stop that; it is really not ladylike.”

Your gaze shifted to Aeron, your tone turning slightly admonishing. “And you, Aeron, such behavior is most unbecoming of a lovely gentleman.”

Aeron’s cheeks flushed, and he scowled at Jaehaera, ready to defend himself. “Well, she started it,” he retorted, crossing his arms defiantly.

Jaehaera, unfazed, lifted her chin in a gesture of regal disdain, pointedly turning her gaze away from him. “Queens do not start fights,” she declared, her voice dripping with authority. Then, with a scrunch of her nose, she added, “But they can finish them.”

Aeron rolled his eyes dramatically at Jaehaera, sticking out his tongue in mockery, but the jest was short-lived as he heard his mother’s voice call out from across the room. “Now, Aeron, don’t be rude,” you scolded, your tone firm but laced with affection.

He turned to you, flashing an innocent smile, his eyes wide with feigned innocence. “We were just practicing fighting and pushing,” he replied, his words punctuated by an exaggerated shrug that only added to the mischief of the moment.

You felt a jolt of discomfort at his words, a wave of haunting memories crashing over you. The echoes of past conflicts flickered in your mind—battles fought and lives lost, the heavy price of such lessons. “Targaryens do not practice fighting and pushing and things like that,” you replied, your voice low, the irony of your own words hanging heavily in the air. “It is just horrible.”

With a determined effort, you sought to redirect the conversation and lighten the mood. “Now,” you began, your expression softening as you turned your gaze to Daenys, nestled in your arms, her tiny form clearly on the brink of sleep.

You smiled adoringly at her, a sense of calm washing over you as you looked back at Jaehaera and Aeron. “Why don’t you two head over to the piano, and let’s begin our lesson?”

“Yes, Aunty!” Jaehaera chirped, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as she practically danced toward the instrument, subtly shouldering Aeron aside.

Aeron glared at Jaehaera, his indignation flaring up momentarily, but he quickly turned to you with a soft nod. “Yes, Mama,” he replied.

“It’s time to practice your scales and your arpeggios,” you encouraged, as you moved toward the piano. You settled onto the chaise beside it, Daenys resting her head comfortably against your shoulder, her eyes half-closed as she watched her brother and cousin with a sleepy fascination.

Jaehaera stood poised beside the grand piano, her back straight and shoulders squared, a picture of determination. She cleared her throat, the sound echoing softly in the air, and waited expectantly for Aeron to begin.

However, she cast him a pointed glare as he took his sweet time, leisurely warming up his hands as if the lesson were no pressing matter.

Finally, after an impatient moment, Jaehaera announced, “I’m ready, Maestro,” her voice ringing with a blend of authority and hautiness.

Aeron shot her a sideways glance, his mischievous grin returning as he subtly shifted his foot and stomped down hard onto Jaehaera’s, eliciting a sharp squeak from her.

“Aunty, he did it again!” she exclaimed, turning her wide eyes toward you, indignation clear in her voice.

Aeron, unfazed, looked away, propping his chin on his hand with an exaggerated air of nonchalance. “Tattletale,” he whispered in response.

You carefully rubbed Daenys' back, the gentle motion soothing your daughter. Your patience was unwavering, as you said, “Now, Aeron, please, darling, settle down and play me your pretty little song.” Your voice was calm, and your tone both firm and nurturing.

With a resigned sigh, Aeron nodded, his playful demeanor shifting as he positioned himself at the piano. “Yes, Mama,” he murmured, fingers poised above the keys. As he began to play, the room filled with the soft, melodic strains of his music.

Aemond was at a loss, frustration tightening his chest as he searched the sprawling halls of the Red Keep for you. He had scoured your shared chambers, his personal solar, and the children’s bedrooms, but you were nowhere to be found.

The sinking feeling in his gut only grew as he realized he needed assistance, and at last, he sought out one of the guards stationed nearby.

The guard cleared his throat and straightened slightly, sensing the prince’s impatience. “At Her Grace's music lessons, sire,” he replied, his tone respectful.

“Music lessons?” Aemond murmured to himself, brow furrowing in confusion. He had not realized such an event was taking place, nor had he been informed of it.

Without another moment's hesitation, he rushed in the direction indicated, making his way down a seldom-used wing of the castle, its walls lined with faded tapestries and the whispers of history.

As he drew closer, he heard the unmistakable sound of a piano, its notes cascading through the air like a gentle stream, drawing him forward.

Coming closer to the door, he opened it quietly before he peeked his head inside, his heart melting at the sight as he heard Jaehaera's voice.

"Do mi sol do do sol mi do," the girl of six summers sang, her voice young and somewhat pitchy as she sang confidently, "Every truly cultured music student knows. You must learn your scales and your arpeggios Finger music ringing from your chest And not your nose. While you sing your scales and your arpeggios"

Aemond stood just beyond the doorway, a swell of pride filling his chest as he watched his five-year-old son, Aeron, seated at the piano. The boy’s fingers danced across the keys with a mixture of enthusiasm and concentration, his small face lit with determination.

To Aemond’s surprise, Aeron broke into song as well, his voice sweet yet tinged with the tremor of youth. “If you’re faithful to your daily practicing, you will find your progress is encouraging,” he sang, each note imbued with his budding confidence.

Beside him, Jaehaera stood, arms crossed and a hint of exasperation in her eyes as she rolled them subtly at Aeron’s exuberance. Aeron continued, his voice growing bolder yet still wavering, “Do mi sol me do, mi sol me fa la sol, it goes. When you do your scales and your arpeggios.”

Jaehaera lifted her voice to sing her part again, “Do mi so do,” but she was abruptly cut off by Aeron, who had become overly enthusiastic at the piano, his fingers now racing across the keys with fervor.

“Do mi sol do, do sol mi do,” you chimed in, your voice ethereal and melodic, casting a gentle spell over the room. Aemond found his gaze drawn to you, the light catching your features as you sang alongside the children.

Jaehaera quickly fell in with you, her voice harmonizing beautifully, “Do mi sol do, do sol mi do. Though at first it seems as though it doesn’t show, like a tree, ability will bloom and grow.”

In your arms, Daenys, who had previously been drifting off to sleep, now sat wide awake, her bright eyes filled with wonder as she attempted to mimic the words you and Jaehaera sang. Her babbling intermingled with the melody.

The three of you continued in unison, your voices intertwining, “If you’re smart, you’ll learn by heart what every artist knows. You must sing your scales.....and your arpeggios.”

Aemond leaned against the doorframe, a small smile gracing his lips as he took in the delightful scene unfolding before him. The flickering light of the candles cast a warm glow across the room, illuminating the joy radiating from his children.

Aeron beamed at you, his face aglow with pride as the final notes of the song faded into the air. “How was that, Mama?” he asked, his bright eyes shining with eager anticipation.

You turned to him, your heart swelling with affection. “Absolutely wonderful, my love,” you replied, your voice laced with warmth and encouragement. Just as you opened your mouth to add more praise, a small, excited voice broke through the moment.

“Kēpa! Kēpa!” Daenys cried out, her tiny hands clapping together in delight, her wide lilac eyes fixed on the door where Aemond stood.

All three of you turned your attention toward the threshold, and Aemond couldn’t help but feel a slight flush of warmth at the sight of his little girl’s enthusiasm. He stood there, somewhat awkwardly.

“Do you wish to join us, my king?” you teased gently, a playful amusement dancing in your tone as you gestured for him to enter.

Aemond gave you a small smile before striding into the room, the familiar weight of his crown momentarily forgotten in the presence of his family.

Daenys, her cherubic face lighting up with excitement, eagerly raised her arms toward him, and he scooped her up effortlessly from your embrace, her giggles filling the air. “I was not aware there were music lessons in the first place,” he remarked, an amused glimmer in his eye.

“Merely for the children’s entertainment, I assure you,” you replied softly, your heart warmed by the sight of your husband.

Aemond shot you a skeptical glance, an eyebrow arching slightly as he nodded. “Oh, I am sure,” he replied, a hint of teasing lacing his tone.

“Father, did you see how I played?” Aeron asked eagerly, his small hands still resting on the piano keys, a bright grin spreading across his face.

“Yes, I did,” Aemond said, his expression softening as he smiled down at his son. “Much better than any bard I’ve heard.” The pride in his voice was unmistakable, and Aeron beamed at the praise.

“And did you see how I sang, uncle?” Jaehaera chimed in, her voice a melodic chime that danced through the air like the notes of the piano.

“Yes, of course,” Aemond replied, nodding with genuine admiration. “One day, you might even come to rival the Queen’s voice.” The compliment brought a bright flush to Jaehaera's cheeks, her eyes sparkling with delight.

“She’ll be even better than me,” you murmured, a soft smile gracing your lips as you watched the exchange unfold.

As the children chattered excitedly, desperate for their King's attention, your gaze drifted to the doorway, where you spotted your maid, Emery, standing patiently, signaling that it was time for bed.

You cleared your throat gently, drawing the children's attention back to you. “Children, it’s time to go to bed,” you announced softly, your voice laced with warmth yet firm.

Aeron turned to you, his wide eyes shimmering with innocence as he clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture. “Do we have to, Mama? Father just got here,” he implored, his lower lip jutting out in a way that made your heart ache.

You sighed, feeling your resolve weaken under the weight of his pleas. However, Aemond came to your rescue, his hand affectionately ruffling Aeron’s fluffy silver hair. “And I’ll come say goodnight once you are in bed, little king,” he promised, his voice soothing and reassuring.

You tilted your head toward the door, giving a gentle nudge. “Emery is waiting for you,” you murmured, the soft authority in your tone guiding them toward the inevitable.

Disappointment flickered in both Jaehaera’s and Aeron’s eyes, yet they nodded reluctantly. Jaehaera approached your side and planted a tender kiss on your cheek, her small frame radiating warmth as she bid you goodnight.

Following her lead, Aeron hurried to do the same, his kiss lingering a moment longer before he bent down to press his lips against your swelling stomach, his sweet gesture eliciting a smile from you.

Aemond, observing the tender moment, passed baby Daenys into your arms. She giggled excitedly, her laughter a delightful sound as you smothered her with kisses, before you handed Daenys to Emery, who was prepared to lead the children out.

As the soft patter of little feet faded down the corridor, the lively laughter and chatter of the children ebbed away, leaving you and Aemond cocooned in the warm embrace of the cozy chamber.

A serene silence enveloped the two of you, a precious moment amidst the storm of duties and the remnants of grief that lingered in the air.

“Hello, husband,” you greeted softly, your voice barely above a whisper, not wanting to shatter the comfortable stillness that settled between you.

“Hello, wife,” Aemond murmured in return, his tone low and warm as he lowered himself onto the piano bench beside you.

With a gentle grace, he let his hand drift over the piano keys, pausing just short of touching them. It was a silent acknowledgment of his lack of skill, yet he seemed fascinated by the instrument nonetheless.

You watched him, the lines of his face illuminated by the soft glow of the chamber, and felt a pang of affection.

“I apologize for not informing you about the lessons,” you said, your voice steady yet filled with sincerity.

“Tis alright,” he replied, though his gaze remained fixed away from you, a flicker of concern shadowing his features. “When did it begin?”

“The day of your mother’s funeral,” you replied gently, choosing your words with care. “Your duties had taken you away, and Aeron and Jaehaera were feeling very down. I thought music might lift their spirits, and it has. Jaehaera even asked me to teach her to sing and play.”

At the mention of that day, Aemond’s expression shifted. Guilt washed over him, and memories flooded back—his mother’s service at the Sept, the heavy atmosphere of sorrow, and how he had been swept away in the currents of his responsibilities, never given a moment to truly mourn.

He nodded thoughtfully, his voice barely above a whisper. “Aeron seems particularly skilled.”

“He is a very intelligent little boy,” you agreed, your eyes not leaving his as he continued to stare at the piano, lost in thought. “He has an eagerness to learn that reminds me of you.”

Aemond chuckled softly, the sound breaking through the solemnity that hung in the air. “I fear he has far more talent than I ever did,” he said, a hint of pride seeping into his words. “But I’m glad to see them find joy in something so beautiful.”

“Music has a way of healing,” you remarked, a wistful smile playing on your lips. “Especially in times like these.”

He turned to face you fully, his piercing violet eye searching yours. “And what of you? How do you fare amidst the shadows of loss?”

You hesitated, feeling the weight of his concern. “I carry the grief, as we all do. But I find solace in our children. Their laughter reminds me of the light we can still find in our lives.”

Aemond’s gaze softened, and he reached for your hand, his fingers brushing over yours with an intimacy that sent warmth coursing through you. “You are stronger than I,” he said earnestly. “I often wonder how you manage to bear the burdens we both carry.”

With a gentle squeeze of his hand, you replied, “We bear them together, my king. That is what family is for.”

Aemond's brow furrowed slightly, and he murmured, “Aeron... he shall be a better king than I.” His voice held a weight of expectation and uncertainty, a reflection of his own doubts.

You turned your gaze toward him, a hint of sadness flickering in your eyes as you stood and swiftly settled beside him on the bench.

Reaching out, you cupped his face in your hands, grounding him with your touch. “Only because he shall learn from your mistakes. Every king should be better than the former.”

Aemond stared into your eyes, his heart swelling with gratitude. In truth, he had often wondered what he had done to deserve your steadfast presence. Memories washed over him—of the day he first met you when he was merely fourteen, a boy angry and hateful at the world.

He leaned his forehead against yours, finding solace in your warmth. “You are very wise, my queen. You never lead me astray.”

“Destiny has its designs,” you replied softly, a small smile gracing your lips. “And I am merely fulfilling mine. To guide you, to stand by your side.”

He chuckled lightly, the sound a blend of affection and admiration. “Even when I do not deserve it?”

“Especially then,” you countered, your tone playful yet sincere. “Every king needs a queen to keep him grounded, to remind him of what truly matters.”

Aemond took a deep breath, the weight of the realm and his responsibilities momentarily lifted. “And what is that, my love?”

You leaned in closer, your voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “It is love, loyalty, and the hope for a better tomorrow. The kind of future we want for our children.”

Aemond leaned back, a rare lightness settling in his chest for the first time in what felt like an age. He placed his hand over your round belly, feeling the warmth radiate from within. You tilted your head, an amused smile blossoming on your lips as you caught his gaze.

“Aeron has taken to kissing my stomach,” you said, your tone playful. “He believes that if he shows enough affection, it might persuade my body to grant him a brother. He claims it would make his chances of having a fair fight against the girls much better.”

Aemond chuckled, shaking his head in bemusement. Then, nodding toward the piano, he added, “Teach me. I may never reach the heights of Aeron’s talent, but perhaps I could aspire to match little Daenys’ skill.”

Your laughter chimed like music in the air, a sound that warmed his spirit. Aemond grinned at the absurdity of comparing his potential to that of his infant daughter. “Very well,” you said, your eyes sparkling with delight. “First, let us see what you can do.”

You guided him closer to the piano, instructing him to place his large, slender hands over yours on the keys. “Feel the movement,” you encouraged, your voice soft and patient. “It’s not merely about the notes; it’s about the rhythm and the heart behind them.”

Unbeknownst to you and Aemond, enveloped in your own intimate world, three pairs of curious eyes peered in from the slightly ajar door of the chamber. Jaehaera, Aeron, and little Daenys had quietly slipped away from their caretakers.

Jaehaera, though only six years of age, sighed wistfully as she watched her uncle and aunt. “How romantic,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, yet filled with a sense of longing.

She cradled baby Daenys in her arms, the infant unusually calm, her wide eyes reflecting the gentle glow of the room as she took in the scene of her mother and father together.

Aeron, standing beside Jaehaera, observed his parents intently, a thoughtful frown furrowing his brow. “Do you think our marriage will be like that?” he asked, glancing over at Jaehaera to gauge her reaction.

Jaehaera turned to him, her gaze sharp and serious, her little brows furrowing in determination. “It has to, Aeron. It has to.”

“Do you think we’ll be that happy?” he pressed, his youthful innocence shining through, even as the shadows of doubt crept into his mind.

She nodded vigorously, her long silver hair bouncing with the motion. “Of course! The king and queen love each other. If we love each other like they do, it will be just as wonderful.”

Aeron pondered her words, his gaze drifting back to the sight of you and Aemond, lost in your shared moment. “And what if…” he hesitated, searching for the right words. “What if things become difficult, like they do in the stories?”

Jaehaera frowned slightly, her youthful optimism momentarily faltering. “Then we fight for each other, just like they do,” she declared with conviction.

Aeron nodded, a small smile creeping onto his face. “I like that idea,” he said softly, his gaze drifting back to the happy scene of his mother and his father.

“We’ll make it the best story ever.”

[Jaehaera, Aeron, Daenys]

headcannonsss:

— aemond and reader end up having six children in total: aeron (18), daenys (15), mikael (13), jaemes (10), elaena (7) and aelora (4) + jaehaera (19)

— aeron and jaehaera marry

— daenys falls in love with aegon (rhaenyra's son)

— mikael comes out as gay

— jaemes and elaena marry

— aelora refuses to marry and part with her mother (sophie/donna relationship)

HOPE YOU ENJOYED!

#aemond targaryen x reader #house of the dragon #aemond targaryen #aemond x reader #hotd fanfic #hotd #hotd aemond #aemond one eye #aemond x you #aemond targaryen imagine #prince aemond

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