#no more lies no more hiding in order to protect their hearts

[ashipiko]

DANCE WITH ME YOU LI-IA-IAR ♡

OVERBLOT ASHI??? ANYBODY??? the ANGST that this baby can store!!! SHEESH!!!!!!! <3 I only have one post dedicated to her and liar dance lyric analysis (the post is kinda outdated in gen) BUT…… I also have an overblot monologue as a treat 🫶 I wanted to better explain her angst and so!!! BABAM!!! enjoy

ASHI’S MONOLOGUE:

Sometimes I wonder why I ended up here.

A place named “Twisted Wonderland”, and at a school named “Night Raven College”.

At first, I figured that I was the odd one out— Y’know, the Ramshackle prefect and everything. The magicless girl at the magical all boys school? Nuts, ain’t it?

I’m known for a lot of things. Things that are different from the others. The fact that I stand out is part of the Ashi charm, something I’m known for.

But… Over time I found myself sorta feeling in place here.

Because as much as I try to believe it, I can’t safely say that I’m better than anyone else here.

I’m a fake. I make conversation and lots of friends, but for what? A backup in case something goes wrong? A sense of protection for my reputation? In what case are any of those friendships something I truly want? In what case are any of these strings more than just a tool instead of a thread made of my real feelings?

Behind this, I’m no different from any other student here. Even through my individuality, my cheerfulness, my endearing oddness… I’m still a horrible person. Using people to get what I want, toying with people and their feelings in order to gain power and gain a spot the top. All to become untouchable. It’s screwed. It’s not right.

My insides are ugly. The truth of me is something I want to keep tucked away deeply, because I don’t want people to see this part of me. A brash, annoying, selfish version of me, everything people hate to see. I don’t want this side of me to be seen because people will run away— people I don’t care much about, sures, but people I love, too. I don’t want to drive them away. So I keep quiet and give them a shallow show.

I give them a source of entertainment that’s controlled by the real me, every calculated movement translating into a marionette-like response. The only show I allow you to see is one that’s so carefully crafted by the chaotic clown backstage. The one that is shunned away from the light, the strings being the only hint of the puppet’s phony existence to the foolish audience.

But suddenly, I feel as if being here has started to let this side of me come crawling back into the spotlight.

It scares me.

It scares me to be vulnerable, let all of my faults lay out on the table like playing cards. To take the risk without the protection, to gamble everything I’ve built up away just like that. But you…

You.

You make me feel safe. You make me feel as if I don’t need to hide anything. I can give you the key to my heart and you would have no malicious intent. You wouldn’t cut out the parts people don’t like. You would enjoy the performance in full, every bit of it.

You make me believe that I’m nothing special, and yet something so valuable at the same time.

It’s silly. You’re silly. And yet that’s something that’s helped me.

It’s helped me realize that that truly is just how people are.

We aren’t villains. We aren’t antagonists. We aren’t monsters.

We are nothing but people, with faults and feelings that should be valued.

I am more than just a jester, a sake of entertainment.

I’m a person who is entirely worthy of love. All of me.

It reminds me that I must’ve came here for a reason.

Because this is where I belong.

#they drive me nuts. tbh #PLEASE LISTEN TO LIAR DANCE ITS SOOOOOOOOOO #!!! envy baby is also a big Ashi OB song #it’s so fun. she’s so fun #if you can’t tell her overblot works in like….. she IS the blot monster. or the (real) Ashi AKA the jester is #if she represents the true Ashi then the marionette Ashi represents what she pretends to be/puts out into the world #so even if you’re attacking the jestershi and the more antagonistic seeming of the two…… all you’re doing is feeding into the blot itself #as you’re doing what ashi’s afraid of— berating the real her #the solution is to kill the marionette!!! btw!!!!! and that’s what ace does #DW THEY ARE SO FINE AND OK. NO ISSUES HERE #ashace my beloved #ace trappola #ace trappola x oc #twst ace #twst yume #twst #twisted wonderland #twst oc #twst wonderland #disney twst #twst yuu #twst oc x canon #ashipiko draws ♪ #twstshi #I DONT THINK I REALLY POST ABOUT ASHACE LORE A LOT #APRY FROM LIKE? THE FIC ITS IUST SILLIES #so I hope you guys enjoy!!!!!!

[ohmthipakorn]

bed friend, episode 3

middleman's love, episode 3

#kinguea #middleman's love #middleman's love the series #the middleman's love #bed friend #bed friend the series #until i was writing this caption it did not fully hit me that these are both episode 3 #i think about them more than is probably clinically advised #anyway have you thought about how these lines are such a perfect depiction of their relationship #king. lying through his teeth saying that he doesnt like uea #because he knows that is the only way uea will let a fwb relationship between them operate #king protecting them both because neither of them have it in them to be honest #to uea proudly and happily and easily declaring their love #not just that he loves king #but acknowledging that he knows king loves him #something that uea had honestly come to believe was impossible #but it is king's love and honesty and support that has allowed uea to love himself more #and to realize he is capable of being loved by others #no more lies no more hiding in order to protect their hearts #just their love. simple plain and honest for everyone to see #they are ..... so perfect #*

[tossawary]

I think it would be fun to do a "character swaps with older version of themselves" fic with Moshang. A post-canon Mobei-Jun who has been happily married for a while (probably at least 50 years old) accidentally touches some plot device artifact and time travels, swapping places with his 20ish-year-old self. Older MBJ wakes up in head disciple Shang Qinghua's bed where his younger self had been napping.

Younger MBJ lands in his own palace, where he is quickly found and fawned over by Older SQH, who can't help but think this MBJ is so cute. The System quickly confirms for Shang Qinghua that this situation has been sorted into a "multiple timelines" thing, so SQH doesn't have to worry about "protecting the timeline" by doing anything like hiding the fact that he's MBJ's husband. (So, there's an alternate timeline younger version of Airplane Bro now? He's just going to... ignore having an existential crisis about it. Yeah.)

Which is great because Older MBJ would not have thought about this at all as a potential issue. Older MBJ also thinks Younger SQH (Younger Airplane Bro) is incredibly cute and has no problem informing him that they're married in the future. Younger Airplane Bro is trying to figure what the fuck is happening, but he's having trouble thinking over the sound of how MBJ only became hotter: MBJ didn't get much taller, but he did get wider, heavier, more muscular, and hairier. Holy shit. Older MBJ doesn't even have any problems passionately kissing Younger SQH just to prove that they're married. And he smiles! He's so gentle and communicative! Comparatively!

("Luo Binghe is the Demon Emperor in my time," Older MBJ says. "Ah? Who's Luo Binghe?" Younger Airplane Bro lies very badly. "Hmmm, so you did know," Older MBJ says, and then makes some comment about LBH's husband that makes Younger SQH go, "HIS WHAT NOW?!")

Younger MBJ is trying to be cool, not really confused or scared, and Older SQH spoils him rotten by showing off the home that they're made together and how well the palace works to serve and defend MBJ. Linguang-Jun can't show up here because SQH will light him on fire if he shows his face. Younger MBJ doesn't even really like his SQH yet and is also struggling with how good Older SQH looks: a little taller, broader, relaxed and easygoing, answering all of his questions and explaining important things to him, dressed like a beloved demon lord's spouse, efficiently ordering everyone around. "Call me Gege," Older Shang Qinghua said with a wink, and it went straight to Younger MBJ's defenseless heart; he is developing new kinks immediately. Help him.

In the end, after a few days at most, they manage to switch Older and Younger MBJ back without too much issue. Older SQH is a little annoyed that his husband kissed an alternate timeline version of himself, but mostly because he sure would have liked that experience when he was only a disciple! Okay, SQH may have pet Younger MBJ's head and pinched his cheeks and hugged him and brushed his hair a little and shamelessly lavished him with good examples of human affection, but it's not the same!!!

Younger MBJ and Younger SQH in the alternate timeline are left in SQH's tiny head disciple house, completely flustered, sitting next to each other and barely able to look at each other. What. The. Fuck. Eventually, Shang Qinghua manages to say, "Uh, do you want to make out?" at the same time that Mobei-Jun says, "We should get married as soon as possible. Tomorrow."

#tossawary svsss #moshang #fic ideas #mobei jun #shang qinghua #long post #moshang character time swap AU

[madwomansapologist]

blossoming alone over you

Meet Kind!Druid!Tav | More Weirdos | AO3

synopsis: It doesn't matter what their first impressions of you were, they certainly did not expect you to be so important in their lifes. And as the days passes, each one of your companions need to understand a simple fact: they love you. They all love you.

warnings: it's 31st december. i'm drunk. song "pink on the night" by mitsky for wyll. song "working for the knife" by mitsky for astarion. song "abbey" by mitsky for shadowheart. companions (wyll, astarion, shadowheart) x druid!tav. background cast (karlach, kagha, halsin, lae'zel, gale, cazador). tav is used as a nickname. wyll stuttering. astarion seeing draws of himself because he fucking deserves it. shadowheart falling for a druid that can turn into a wolf.

Trust betrayed, secrets spread, lies disguised as facts. That's how life works. It gives you hope, then crushes it front of your eyes. It let's you reach your goal, just to rip it out from your bare fingers.

The cruelty of life is the ultimate sign that gods do exist. There must be a higher being watching its puppets pathetic attempts of conquering an unreachable happiness. There are other proofs, but that's the easiest to perceive.

And they were used to it. From the renowed Blade of Frontiers to the pale elf hiding in the shadows: they all knew what to expect from life. Dishonest agreements, stolen hearts, the cold embrace of loss. Life is painful, so they shielded themselves from any harm.

But not you.

At first they assumed you were naive. The things Shadowheart thought to herself when you reached for a hand stuck in a portal; or how easily Astarion deceived you when he thought you were a mind flayer; even Wyll judged you from time to time.

You let your guard down easily. Instead of protecting yourself, you were helping others. Instead of using your teeths and claws to get what you wanted, you preserved nature.

But naive you were not. You may have trusted them too easily, but you weren't blind. You knew when a question was a order, when a joke was a threat, when a smile was just sharp teeth showing.

You discovered what Astarion really was and demanded he wouldn't maim anyone that didn't deserved it. You convinced Wyll that the evil he so wanted to tear apart was a victim. Saw right throught Kagha's distorted teachings, don't matter how alluring they sounded.

To turn a foe into a friend was your instinct, but you were not hesitant to solve problems with violence if it was needed. And sometimes you even got pleasure from it.

Wyll will never forget your face after finding out about Kagua's deal with the shadow druids. You didn't even allowed the party to rest. All your party received from you was an order to clean the ivy from their weapons.

"Shouldn't we focus on freeing Halsin? He must understand Kagha better than us," Wyll pointed. "You're a druid, but that doesn't mean the groove sees you as one of them. But they will hear Halsin."

"She can hear me," you slammed your staff on the ground, giving strength to your certainty. It pulsed with energy, and its glow matched the beat of your heart. "Or she can die. I can grant her mercy, but I won't give her time."

Wyll felt his body getting warmer, Shadowheart's impressed whistle reached his ear. "O-Of course," he cleared his throat. "After you."

"We'll purge some rats," you smirked at him. It didn't feel threatening. "Can I count with your blade?"

"Always," Wyll answered you, staring at your back. He could stare at your back all day. And he meant it.

Seeing that you weren't naive, Astarion came to a conclusion about you. Meanwhile the Blade of Frontiers stopped seeing your benevolent acts as a signs of impulsivity, the pale elf saw them as a mask. Something meant to cover what others should be paying attention to instead.

After all, who would suspect that something is rotten when the scent is sweet?

You're beautiful. Astarion admit it. Your laugh reverberates through the forests, your tiredness calls for aid, your eyes attract and soothe. Beautiful faces can make up for dirty minds, soft words can hide the lack of a heart, pretty acts are easier to see than destructive intentions.

You're just like him. Astarion sees it, clear as the sea. Your delicate smiles and his gaze full of lust are just as fake. Your sweet words and his dirty innuendos are both rehearsed. In need of this party, it's not hard to understand why you two would act to ensure they don't ever leave.

When Shadowheart cures you first, Astarion's invisible reflection occupies your eyes. When Lae'zel attacks monsters aiming at you, he's your shadow. When Gale puts more food on your plate, Astarion can see his smile on your face.

He wouldn't be surprised to find out that you both look the same.

One may say that your corrupt intentions are nothing compared to the good you've already done, but Astarion is not so idealistic. Sin stains your good deeds, he can see it. You depict yourself as someone better than them, better than him, but that's just your depraved plan to survive.

And he can't blame you. It's working perfectly.

Astarion may despise you for being as dirty as himself, but he respects that part of you. He trusts your plans, your combat skill, your magic. You're good on what you do. Screaming instructions to help during fights, discovering hidden passages, trading for better weapons.

You're not a good person, but there's a reason for why you survived this far. You're competent. That Astarion can respect. That's why he's constantly trying to get on your good side. You are smart and strong. Maybe strong enough to rip Cazador apart.

And if you haven't realize that Astarion is putting on an act to win your heart, than the shame is on you for not realizing that you both are the exactly same thing.

But you had to show him how wrong he was.

At midnight you approached his tent with your sketchbook. Astarion thought you wanted a distraction, using your drawings just as an excuse to talk a bit. Gods know he was dying of boredom before you appeared.

"I didn't knew you were so talented, darling," he praised you.

Illuminated by candles, Astarion let his guards down. Instead of just saying the right thing at the time, Astarion was really impressed at your skills.

It must be nice. To be able to create things with your bare hands. Sometimes he cry at the start of a good book. He don't know why, but it must be because he too would like to be making things. Astarion thinks that creating is the ultimate sign that you're alive, instead of just surviving.

Maybe one day he can become a poet.

"I can't help but notice that you have a muse," it was clear someone had attracted your gaze. Maybe a dear friend you miss, or perhaps another competitor for your attention. "Should I worry about being replaced?"

Astarion expect you to flush, but all you did was to get... softer? You seemed to shrivel up.

Your mouth dried up. He doesn't even recognize himself. Astarion don't even remember how he looked like.

"That's you, Astarion," you told him. "And that's a gift. You helped a lot these past months and... All I'm trying to say is that I'm grateful."

It was the first time you saw Astarion in silence. Paper by paper, he admired your drawings. Do they look bad? You've spent a lot of time training to be able to create something worthy of his beauty, but you admit they're not perfect.

Or maybe it isn't the quality. It's the fact that you spend so long drawing him. How many hours did you spend on those sketchs? How many hours did you spend glaring at him from your tent? Does he feel ofended? Invaded?

"That's how you see me?" Astarion whispered.

You barely heard his words.

"Yes, Astarion," you licked your lips. "I know some can be..."

His hand on your thigh stopped the rant you were about to go on. His bloody eyes were sharp. Just like the day you first met him, his dagger against your throat. Astarion looked pleased, but not happy.

As if he discovered being right about something he rather not be.

What you gave him... this is a treasure. So many drawings, so many angles, so many poses. How many centuries has it been since he last saw himself? How many since Astarion forgot his own face? Sometimes he touches his face, trying to picture it, but his imagination isn't good.

You gave him something priceless.

And when something is priceless that people discover how sunk in debt they really are.

"And now you want me to pay you back," his husky voice made shivers went down your spine. His nails scratched lightly your skin, drawing shapes on your thigh. "Don't you?"

You jumped from your spot, getting away from him. You were flushed, but not in a good way. "From where I came from," you breathed in. You sounded offended. "Something that puts you in debt isn't a gift."

As you turned over to go to sleep, you felt that if you didn't say what you really thought you would end up exploding. You know you don't have the right to speak about his life, but that didn't stopped you.

"Cazador made you believe that you have to sell yourself to be worth of anything, but he's wrong. He was wrong since the very start. We'll lacerate that monster for what he did to you. And that I promise you: it won't be fair. Cazador don't deserve fair."

You felt your nails digging the skin of your palms. "That was a gift. Get used to it."

Maybe Astarion was wrong about you. And maybe he was wrong about himself.

Merciful, but not weak. Gentle, but not naive. Pleasing, but not manipulable. You were a walking question mark. Whenever they thought they understood what you were, you proved them wrong. Not impulsive. Not manipulative. Not stupid.

Until they came up with a word that described you too perfectly. A word that didn't need any buts or explanations. One that everyone cognize, but that isn't used often. That don't deserve to be used often.

You're kind.

It's in your nature to be considerate. You help others because you can. No. Wrong. And that's something that Shadowheart still don't really understand: you help others because you can, so therefore you should.

She has only one goal in mind. Shadowheart needs to make to Baldur's Gate with the mysterious artifact in safety, and if she does everything right... maybe her Lady will grant her what she truly want.

But you make Shadowheart forget about all that.

She must be discreet, she did that her whole life, and still Shadowheart finds herself talking about her goddess to you. Her mission depends on her going straight towards Baldur's Gate yet there she's, following you as you try to solve everyone's problems.

Shadowheart didn't even noticed. She didn't made a rational choice to open herself to you. She just did it. Almost as if you were fundamental part of her forgotten past and her heart couldn't do nothing but to trust you.

You impervious into her prayers. Invaded her dreams. Burned your mark inside her mind. Your name feels like honey on her tongue. Like a sweet treat that she can never get enough of.

You tempted her, luring her with your determination and grace, and Shadowheart proved herself sinful once again.

If only you had judged Shadowheart for her loyalty to Lady Shar. Asking her what her favorite flower is. Listening to her opinions. Even when she was nothing but distant and cold, you were sweet. Toothaching sweet.

Shadowheart was hungry. She'd been hungry for her whole life. Starving for something easy. Something raw. Something more than a beautiful concepts. Something real. And how could a starving person ignore a banquet?

She can't. Shadowheart couldn't. But she should've. Damn, she should've.

You're testing her faith. Constantly. Every smile, every vulnerable look, every act of protection. It's like you're trying to compete with Lady Shar for the control over her mind. Sometimes it feels like you're winning.

She was admiring the sky without stars when the wolf came. All it took was a sight to paralyze her. Shadowheart had a mace, but the weapon was useless in her trembling hands.

The giant beast, wool pale from the moonlight, foamy drool dripping from its fangs. In a golden glow that being of darkness transformed into something.

Into you.

"It's just me," you whispered to her, eyes wide with worry and blame. "I didn't... You're safe. You're fine."

She forced herself to unclench her jaw. "Don't tell any of them," Shadowheart hissed as soon as she knew she could speak without stuttering. "Let this fear I have stay as a secret."

"As you wish," was what you said. No questions, no jokes, no provocations.

You went back to rummage through lost boxes and barrels in the ruined village. You had goblin's blood staining your face, but it didn't seen to bother you. "I wish I had a bag of holdings," you murmured to yourself.

Shadowheart was grateful. Either you decided to change the subject to cease her embarrassment or you just were this easily distracted, it still meant something. Her flushed cheeks went unnoticed.

She leafed through some damp books, trying to find something useful. "Embrace loss," she murmured to you. Now your attention was back on her. "We'll never let you have one."

You gasped. "Moon, why is that?"

Shadowheart ignored how breath turned into a difficult task when you used that new nickname.

"Face it, Tav," she called you by the nickname Gale created to you. "You are a compulsive hoarder. I've seen you keep a rotten apple in your pocket."

"I thought it could be useful!"

Shadowheart smiled. She did not even realized she was smiling. "I bet you did."

You have a soft spots for battles you can't possible win, protecting people in need and turning foes into friends. And apparently you are their soft spot.

Part 2!

if you enjoyed, please reblog! i promise it makes a difference ♡

@ madwomansapologist.tumblr.

#madwomansapologist #kind!druid!tav #tavrem #baldur's gate #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate iii #baldur's gate 3 x reader #baldur's gate 3 x you #bg3 #bg3 x reader #bg3 x you #bg3 x tav #astarion #astarion x tav #astarion x reader #astarion ancunin #shadowheart #shadowheart x reader #shadowheart x tav #wyll ravengard #bg3 wyll #wyll x tav #wyll x reader #wyll ravengard x reader #wyll ravengard x tav #oc: liliana wilde

[calisources]

IN LOVE AND WAR, EVERYTHING GOES. a sentence meme based around the subject of allies, enemies, war and enemies to lovers and more of the same tropes we all love. change pronouns, names and locations as you see fit. these are all scrambled around.

“Friends ask you questions; enemies question you.”

“You can live safe and be protected by people just like you, or you can stand up and be a leader for what is right.”

“Where do we find allies?"

“War created bizarre allies, while peace itself could be divisive.”

“I promise you, nothing will happen to you.”

“I choose my allies carefully and my enemies more carefully still.”

“People fight wars over ideas.” 

“Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.”

“I was raised in hatred, Roma. I could never be your lover, only your killer.”

“We were enemies, no matter the truths. No matter that I loved him.”

“He’d set fire to the world around him but never let a flame touch her.”

“She's not the type to swoon for pretty lies.”

“The feud keeps taking and hurting and killing and still I couldn't stop loving you even when I thought I hated you.”

“These violent delights have violent ends."

“Men without morals are dangerous beasts.”

“The spiteful, little stars.”

“Death is real. Death is inevitable. Death comes when you're not ready for it. Be ready.”

“I was alive, but I wasn’t living. You took things from me. My soul―my heart.”

“You’re supposed to keep your enemies close. Therefore, it stands to reason that your sworn enemy should be kept closest.”

“When will you see I'm not your enemy, but your weapon. Wield me.”

“Can’t even get out of my grasp? Or is it because you secretly don’t want to?”

“Why are you confessing all of your crimes?”Are you trying to get hit?”

“You're a hero and I'm a monster. There's only one way that story ever ends.”

"Tell me you came to find me. That you changed your mind."

"How--how can you even say such things,on an evening you are meant to choose another as your bride?"

"My sweet nemesis, how glad I am that you returned."

"I hate you so much that sometimes I can't think of anything else.”

“The road for hell for me is paved with everything I would do for you, and that list never ends.”

“You have consumed my thoughts since the moment I met you."

“You have no idea what I could give you."

“If you mean to take me captive, you need only ask. I would come willingly.”

“I see you truly for everything you are and everything you will be and I claim you as mine.”

“I don't think I've ever met anyone as vexing as you."

“Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”

“A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends.”

"We're on opposite sides, you know."

"You're the one claiming we're all villains. There's no black or white, only gray area. We can coexist somewhere in the middle, can't we?”

“A man with no enemies is a man with no character.”

“I smile to myself knowing that they may be dead.”

“I like your savage brutality."

"That's a poetic observation, coming from such a savage creature.”

"And you are mine, Victor Nox. whether you agree is irrelevant.”

“Bitter people are not interested in what you say, but what you hide.”

“Enemies can't break your spirit, only friends can.”

“In order to know your enemy, you must become your enemy.”

“Such a pretty face, but so weak and emotional. Just a regular man, after all.”

#rp meme #sentence #sentences memes #sentence meme #rp resources #rp prompt #prompts #writing prompts #roleplay memes #roleplay meme

[scottishmushroom]

Bildad the Shuhite - Cobbler, Obstetrician, and Liar.

Bildaddy does more than craft footwear and assist birthing people. He’s also a weaver of untruths. Let’s explore them, shall we?

#1:

Of course as the audience, we know from watching Crowley throughout the last 6,000 years there’s some shame and self loathing when it comes to his identity as a demon. He is a fallen angel, therefore a demon unworthy of forgiveness. So to hear him phrase this as he does, comes off to me a little bitter. On the exterior his delivery may be one of stating a fact (he is technically a demon), but his inner conflict of being cast from Heaven but still wishing good in the world is a painful reminder of his loneliness.

But a step further, we also know as the audience that he is in fact lying to Aziraphale (and Hell) in this scene. Not about having permission to destroy everything Job owns, we know that’s true. But when he turns around and blows up the goats and sarcastically quips, “Seems legit to meeee” he is in fact lying. The goats are fine, and it wasn’t legit at all.

#2:

Crowley sets Job’s house on fire, and Aziraphale, just short of clutching her pearls says, “But… you said you wouldn’t.” This is followed by the very first time we hear Crowley say “I’m a demon. I lied.” We then get a very scrumptiously assertive Aziraphale standing his ground and insisting the children are safe, and Crowley is not going to harm them. Crowley is being challenged here by an angel, again. An angel. They’ve had limited encounters up to this point since his fall, and here he is being forced by the opposition to question where he truly stands. By backing down and saving the children, he’s not just going against Hell’s orders but also appeasing an angel. Crowley really cares what Aziraphale thinks of him. I’ve already written a meta that talks about this that you can find here: https://www.tumblr.com/scottishmushroom/730259715377020928/gif-credit-dancingcrowley-i-think-by-now-we-can

#3:

This one is like a stab to the heart. He says it so gently, so soft. On one hand, there’s that shame again. Regret and sadness at his identity as a demon, the inability to embrace who he is. The other aspect of it is about protecting Aziraphale. During the cellar scene, if you’re not too distracted with the sight of Aziraphale going absolutely rabid on that ox, Crowley denies that it is lonely going along with Hell as far as he can. By then, he is well aware that Aziraphale and him have that in common when it comes to their respective home offices. He doubts Hell’s decisions, and knows Aziraphale doubts Heaven’s/God’s. But he recognizes that Aziraphale is going to have a much more difficult time with coping with this realization. He lied about it not being lonely to protect him. To soften the blow he knew was eventually coming. To gently ease him into this new reality.

His soft delivery of “I’m a demon. I lied” here is a kindness. This is the true beginning of them on this path together of figuring out how to do their jobs even when it conflicts with their personal beliefs/morals. And also the beginning of neither one of them truly being alone. They may not recognize it just yet, but they have each other now. A group of the two of them.

My favorite thing about Crowley as a liar is when he does lie, it’s either a redirection to hide the truth (that he’s actually doing GOOD instead of evil), or to protect Aziraphale. Which makes it all the more heartbreaking that he always pairs his identity as a liar to his identity as a demon. True demons that lie, do so to cause harm. He lies to protect. He’s not a true demon. Just an angel that sauntered vaguely downwards.

#good omens #good omens 2 #aziraphale #crowley #aziraphale x crowley #aziracrow #aziraphale good omens #go2 #ineffable husbands #crowley good omens #ineffable idiots #bildaddy #bildad the shuhite #good omens meta #good omens bildad

[igotanidea]

Mistletoe: Jason Todd X reader

Christmas bingo day 15: mistletoe

Christmas bingo masterlist

"for the love of –‘’

She really should have seen this coming, right?

***

“Y/n?” she was barely reacting too distracted by what her beloved boyfriend Jason just told her “YN!” her blank face expression made Todd want to shake her a little to bring her back to reality. As for now he was effectively fighting that urge but each second of her acting like a lunatic were putting his patience to a very hard test. “How many fingers do you see?”

“Now that’s mean.” She came to life rolling her eyes at the charades

“Made you get back down to earth.”

“I’m shocked, not hazy.”

“Why?”

“Why?” was he even serious “you want the list on chronological or alphabetical order?”

“Humour me princess.”

“First: you’re attending a Christmas party at the Wayne Manor? You?”

“It’s only for Alfred’s cooking.”

“Mhm. Obviously.” she teased” Second, you are going to wear formal clothes? You?”

“I’m pretty sure you’ll like me in a suit, won’t you?” Jason reached for her waist pulling her closer to him and caressing the small of her back.

“I like you best when - “

“Oh, don’t I know that….” He murmured in her ear “we’ll get there too I promise.”

“Jace?” her sudden pulling back took him by surprise and when she raised her head to meet his eyes, the unclear message coming from them made him shiver.

“You don’t want to go?” a few years prior, if someone were to tell him he would actually have a girlfriend and wanted to show her off to his siblings and – well – Bruce- he’ll laugh at that person face. In the darkest times he was on the war path with his adoptive father and even being in the same city was almost unbearable. Not that it was sunshine and roses now, but they definitely worked through some differences and – a real miracle –talked for the first time in years. “It’s okay if you don’t.’ no matter the effort there was no way to hide the tone of disappointment in his voice. “we can spend the Christmas eve together, just the two of us and –“

“No! no, no! Jason. I do want to go. I mean , come on, Wayne Manor. Maybe I’ll finally wrap my head around the fact that my boyfriend is the son of a billionaire and start taking advantage of it.” She laughed happily ruffling his hair, that were calling for a hairdresser, but she loved that unruly shag regardless. “I just wonder-“

“what? You’re chickening out? You already know all of them, guess that eliminates the element of surprise when Dick climbs the chandelier or starts balancing on the chair.”

“Am I reading too much into it?”

“What are you talking about, princess? What’s there to overinterpret – oh!”

“Yeah….” She muttered and looked down, suddenly embarrassed of what she said, cursing herself internally for destroying the atmosphere as his grip weakened and mouth hanged open. “You’re inviting me to an official party. As your official girlfriend….”

“It’s not like they don’t know we’re together. Damn, Y/N, you had no idea how much teasing I had to put up with.”

“What did you to Tim, Jason?”

“Nothing! I swear.” he let go of her completely, much to her irritation, raising hands in surrender. The man build like a tank were trying to protect himself from his significantly smaller girlfriend.

“Jason Peter Todd.”

“Nothing permanent. Now, don’t change the subject.”

“Me? I’m still waiting for your answer.”

“You’re not reading too much into it. I want you there. Officially. Before someone get any stupid ideas of stealing you away from me.”

“Not a change, pretty boy.” She drummed her fingers on his chest, feeling his heartbeat “not when I almost give you a heart attack every time I’m near you. It’s the kind of power you don’t give up easily.”

“You say that now, you power-hungry woman. I’m sure you’d love some more hearts to your collection.”

“I have always been a fan of quality rather than quantity. And so it happens I got the best quality available on the market” she smiled at him lovingly, her pretty eyes sparkling.  

“You’re mine, you little tease” in a blink of an eye he was holding her again, running fingers through her hair and connecting their foreheads, letting himself be vulnerable and wishing she could read his mind and hear the words he was unable to articulate “thank you…”

Thank you for existing.

Thank you for staying by my side.

Thank you for loving me.

Thank you for accepting my broken, imperfect love.

***

As every real woman, she had nothing to wear and had to fix some outfit with the old clothes, found at back of the closet, about to feel terribly underdressed.

Or at least that was the plan, before she found neatly wrapped package with her name written across the paper and became a proud owner of the most beautiful and elegant dress she has ever seen.

Turned out Jason had an amazing sense of fashion, picking an outfit serving as a mix of style and quietness.

However, when she asked him about it, the only answer she get was I know what I want to see you in. In Jason’s language it was a sign of care that she won’t feel like an outcast around the female guests, but also a little hint at potential jealousy and protection against possible lustful glances from other men.

Doing a poor job at the second part of it, cause once they entered the manor, all eyes landed on her, leaving Jason gritting his teeth and refusing to leave her alone for even a second. This drove him to such an extreme that he even followed her to the bathroom and was giving responses on her behalf whenever anyone dared to ask her to dance.

“No, of course you can not dance with her. Can’t you see she’s already got a partner, back off, dude.”

Such words were followed by the tightening grip on her hip each time a man gathered enough courage to come too close.

Too close being a couple feet.

“Jason!” she whined at some point “don’t be mean. You don’t dance, you had grown attached to the chair and I'm bored. Come on, just let go off me, it’s not like I’m going to run away from you or anything…” she tried to break free but it was no use, considering both Jason’s strength and possessiveness.

“Sorry, princess. I don’t trust those fops. Can’t risk their hands wondering some place only mine are allowed.”

“But Jay-“

“No one but me dances with you.” He said sternly and much to her surprise dragged her to the dancefloor. What was even bigger shock was that he actually knew how to move. He knew the steps, had a perfect sense of rhythm and definitely did not stump on her feet, not even once, holding her gently, leading her to the music and being delicate and protective, almost making her swoon with the charm.

Apparently, she didn’t know her boyfriend at all.At least not from this side.

He never failed to make her feel safe and loved, but now – encompassed by his arms, held like the most precious person in the world, she felt like a true princess. Something she never experienced before.

“How do you like that, love?” he whispered in her ear, holding her a bit more firmly, causing her heart rate to spike.

“moderately –“

“Then why is your heart racing?” he spun her around perfectly, making sure she was quickly and safely back in his hold.

“It’s not.”

“Well then, it’s about to.” He smirked guiding her a little bit to the right, looking up with the mischievous look in his eyes.

Mistletoe.

“You’re not going to kiss me in the crowd with everyone -“

He was going to.

And most importantly – he actually did.

Luckily she didn’t know that plant wasn’t there earlier and only appeared because of some skilfull vigilante being jealous of the glances thrown her way. Luckily she didn't hear the muffled chuckles coming from the side of the stairs as Dick, Tim and Damian appeared all together out of nowhere, after being gone for a longer while.

She didn't care.

Not as long as she was standing under the mistletoe fulfilling the tradition that came with it with the most wonderful and sneaky bastard if a man there was.

And who couldn't care less about the glances now.

#jason todd x reader #red hood x reader #jason todd x you #red hood x you #jason todd x y/n #red hood x y/n #jason todd fluff #red hood fluff #christmas bingo

[babygirl-riley]

Could we have an alternative version of part 2 to lies? I crave pure angst, maybe reader doesn’t forgive him?

Lies Pt 2 Alternative Ending

You started to pack your things as Simon came home.

A/N: Oh yeah, I love the angst as well. Hehehe evil idea 😈 We love the angstttt! But here it is anon, hope it fulfills its expectation.

“I think I seen this film before and I didn’t like the ending.”

Warnings: angst, literally PURE fucking depression, not a happy ending, trauma, childhood trauma

simon x reader guide

simon x reader fluff/angst list

happy ending

You were packing. You couldn’t be in this god forsaken area anymore. You couldn’t look without seeing him. Seeing his face everywhere. Seeing your team. You were done. Done with everything. Your eyes burning with tears and your heart burning with anger. That was the first thing you did once opening this apartment door.

Simon knew what was coming next, he knew once you left the room. Price let him go in hopes everything would be fixed. Instead he came home with shit all over and you pacing. “Let’s talk please.” He begged watching you grab belongings.

You didn’t say anything as you pulled bags and cases, stuffing them. You couldn’t believe he even came here, yes you both lived here. But you didn’t want to see or even hear him. A week before he faked his iconic death, this was both of your home. A home that you could come back to. Feeling safe. Now darkened. You grabbed clothes piling them quickly next to a case. Simon’s heart raced quickly as more things started to pile up. “Please just hear me out.” He said stepping in front of you.

You froze, your lips trembling, anger bubbling up through your veins. “Move.” You ordered, he stood his ground.

“Where will ya go? Let’s just talk please.” Simon said trying to keep himself from holding you.

He fucked up bad, the realization setting in. Noticing the apartment disarrayed even before you grabbed your things. He realized how fucked up you were when he was gone. Bottles of liquor scattered, food and dishes piled in the kitchen. Simon was trying to calm himself, trying to get you to settle. To talk. To save the both of you.

“My parents live in the US,” You said moving passed him. Simon shook his head. “I already have a fucking plane. I already paid for all the bags I will use. I am going.”

Simon shook his head again. “No ya don’t have to go back to the states.”

You laughed, like it was a joke. Maybe it was. “You should have thought about that before you selfishly left.”

Simon laughed this time. “Selfishly, it was to protect the team. You!”

You snapped your head over to him. “ME! You are fucking joking Simon, this is all some sick fucking joke between you and boys huh,” Simon kept shaking his head as you fully turned around. “You lied you fucking lied! And it’s not some fucking lie that you can just brush underneath a neat fucking rug Simon! Do you realize how fucking serious this is?”

“Ya I do, I realize that! I had no choice it was a fuckin’ order! It was to get Samson out of hiding! It was the best choice!” Fuck. That’s not what he meant.

“Best fucking choice! There was other choices?!” You yelled, lifting your hands to your face.

“No there wasn’t there was no…”

“Bull shit! All this is bull shit! We were suppose to be a team Simon! A team! Instead you decided to play fucking hero! You decided that it was okay to play around with your foot soldiers and with the fucking captain! Everyone knew! Not including me of course! You wanted a fucking show! All of you!” You yelled flipping your body around stuffing a bag.

He walked up to turn you around. “I didn’t want it!”

You pushed him off getting in his face. Tears running down your face, anger written all over your face. “Don’t. Fucking. Touch. Me. You lost that the moment you fucking died.”

Simon stared into your eyes for moment. His heart tearing itself apart. “I can’t loose you,” He whispered, his own tears brimming his eyes. “We can fix this.”

He saw the internal battle. Your eyes soften then you blinked it away. Your Ghost shielding your innocents. Just how his Ghost shielded Simon. “No Simon this can’t be fixed. You can’t fix this. What if I killed myself? You know how guilty you would have felt?”

“That’s not fair.” He mumbled, thinking about if that route turned. If that route happened. Seeing you pale, cold. Gone. Simon would have felt guilty, would have gone off the rails. He caused that pain.

You got up closer to his face. “It’s only fucking fair, that’s how much pain I was in. I would have hated to see you in that pain,” You gasped trying to hold back a sob. You pressed your finger against his chest. “The funny thing is Simon you didn’t care. But I would have.”

Simon glared pushing your finger off. “Don’t put words in my mouth.” He stepped back rolling his eyes.

“I don’t need words to know how you fucking feel Simon.” You snapped back.

“You would have done the same thing! If it meant to protect me!” Simon argued. He tried to collect himself, feeling the guilt taking over his veins.

You raked your fingers through your hair, laughing. “You are just getting more and more funnier Simon! I would have chose US, I would have found a different way! I would have argued! I would never ever put you in a situation like you went through with your fucking family!”

Simon consciously stepped back. He waited for a apology or a change in your demeanor that you didn’t meant to bring up his family. “This is where you apologize.” He said.

“Apologize? I know how much pain that brought you and I’m sorry for that but it seems like to me in order to get into your fucking mind. Is to relate it to that. You were my family. You were my person. But you died. You are dead to me.” You mumbled, you wanted to apologize, you knew the darkness behind his past but…how else could you tell him how you felt.

Simon could feel Ghost’s hands grabbing at him. Pulling him into a secure place. “That was fucking different. They were taken away from me without comin’ back.”

You shook your head. “Yeah but that would have been the same for me. You were gone, I couldn’t do fucking anything about it.”

Simon just stood there, the silent of the apartment now building. Everything was falling apart. Simon felt himself closing up, just like you closing up. The trust broken. The happy memories being plagued into this one. The happy home, that was called a home turning into a empty home. “Choices have consequences,” You said zipping up a bag. “Ironic that it was something you said.”

Simon didn’t know what to say. What could he say? He wanted to fix it, do something but it seemed like you were done. With no fighting for it. “Please.” He begged one more time, hoping that this was a nightmare or that you would stop and agree.

However more things started to disappear and bags being brought out next to the door of the apartment. “Simon I can’t. You broke a promise that I don’t know if you can ever keep. Work will always come first with you. Which is you. But me I can’t go through a lie like that again and I can not trust you to not do it again.”

Ghost stood there, jaw clenching, everything turned off. Simon now gone letting Ghost take over. “If there isn’t trust then fine,” He said walking towards the door. “Then leave don’t expect me pickin’ up when you call.”

You scoffed. “Don’t worry Ghost,” Ghost’s heart pinged with pain from you changing his name. You noticed the change in demeanor immediately, you seen him do it over and over during missions. Protecting Simon from the awful things he had to in the line of work. “You won’t get a call.”

Ghost looked over his shoulder to see you watching him leave. Seeing the tears. Seeing the pain. The tears and pain that he caused. Nothing can be fixed. This can’t be fixed. Ghost wanted to go back in time and tell Price to fuck off, that there could have been a different way. The only thing Simon was happy with, the only thing that made him not feeling like a ghost. A monster.

The look in your eyes when he walked through the door made him feeling a monster again. Made him know that he fucked everything up. Made you look at him with no love or adoration but hate and denunciation. He never seen that look towards him.

Watching him stay at the door made you want to reach out. Made you want to forgive. Made you want to try. However you were tired, you felt betrayed. The memories of both you laughing in this apartment being erased into this. Tears and anger. Broken hearts. “Good I don’t wanna hear from ya again. Ya better be gone by the time I get back.” With that he slammed the door behind him.

You stood there for a moment, waiting for him to come back in. You fell to your knees placing your hands over your eyes. You sobbed you shook from all the emotion that prowled through you. You wanted this but why did it hurt so fucking much? Why did you want to chase after him? Hold him? When was the last kiss? When was the last love you?

Ghost stood outside of the door for a couple of minutes listening to your sobs. He fought the urge to go back in to hold you but you made your mind up. You were done. So he was done. Simon couldn’t fight it anymore, he can’t convince a mind that has already been made up. He stood there for a moment looking at the door before walking away.

You were never the same after that. You worked with your parents but you weren’t the same woman you were. They noticed that your demeanor was darker. Less happy.

Simon was never the same either. The team noticed his demeanor changed, he wasn’t Simon, it was Ghost. Only Ghost, he was cruel, and closed up. His heart turning right back into an icy cold one. Always would be away from everyone after missions. Burying himself into work.

Both you never saw each other again. Nor were you the same.

#simon ghost riley #call of duty modern warfare #simon riley #simon ‘ghost’ riley #call of duty #call of duty mw2 #simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley x reader #simon x reader #simon “ghost” riley #simon riley cod #simon ghost #simon ghost riley x f!reader #simon ghost riley x female reader #simon ghost riley angst #simon ghost riley imagine #simon ghost x reader #simon riley x you #god i love angst #anon answers #hope this met the idea #cause i know i cried writing it #this was really painful

[myteavsricochet]

Latest firstprince fanfics read: Part 4

(part 1) (part 2) (part 3)

all i need (is on the other side of the door)

alex's neighbour plays the piano late at night when he's studying, and he hates it. when he meets his neighbour henry, he starts to form a crush on the hot british neighbour with a cute tax attorney beagle.

little does he know that henry's the one playing the piano.

I remember the time I knew what happiness was (Let the memory live again)

Alex undergoes medical treatment for depression, and comes out with some memories missing.

Henry helps him through it, and some memories are brought to light.

the tragic flaw is that they hide the truth (that you're enough, you're enough)

Alex has been staring.

For weeks now, actually.

Henry had originally chalked it up to Alex being, well, Alex. But lately, Henry can’t help but take it in as more than just his boyfriend's usual oddness.

Or: After gaining some weight, Henry feels self conscious. Alex however, loves his tummy.

Barracuda Is Down

“Barracuda is down, repeat, Barracuda is down-"

An attempt on the lives of the Claremont-Diaz's leads to a horrifying experience for Henry Fox, who was just trying to settle into new life with Alex in their New York City home. The two stand a test of true love-- if they can come out of the worst of their worst together.

Trigger Warning for Gun Violence

turn the desert to glass (you would be the one)

Henry and Alex's domestic bliss has lead to some changes in Henry's body. Henry doesn't really mind being a little chubby, but he wonders if Alex does. Alex, it turns out, does not. Not one bit. He does not mind one bit, and he is more than eager to prove it.

drowning man

Alex didn't know how he did it. How he did seventeen years of school, and extracurriculars, worked on his mother's, Rafael Luna's, and his father's campaigns, and was a good son/brother at the same time. He truly doesn't know how he did it.

He doesn't know how to recreate it.

He's starting law school this fall. He moved to New York and he's going to law school to become a lawyer and help people, then run for Congress.

you taste like home

“I lied to you,” he says.

He doesn’t clarify. He doesn’t have to.

Alex toys with his fingers. Quiet settles over them, offset by the pattering rain.

“I know.”

–

Or, the rizcriz prompt where Alex and Henry are roommates and Henry lies when Alex confesses his feelings in order to protect their dynamic.

we’d still worship this love (even if it’s a false god)

Alex and Henry are sleeping together because it's convenient, alright? They hate each other; it's supposed to be causal. So, why does Alex feel his heart break when he realises he's not the only one Henry is sleeping with?

It's Called Tact, Fuck-Rag!

Texas had been an odd choice, some might say. Henry thinks it's perfect. College is a time to go crazy, after all.

A Scream AU

Dallas, Texas

I thought I knew hopelessness. I thought I'd learned its specific dread years ago.

There's an assassination attempt on Ellen, Henry is caught up in the damage. Alex is... coping about as well as you would expect.

The sunshine lighting up my darkest days

Henry has a dark day and his daughter sits and reads to him.

Dancing, Drinking, Delighting in You

"Dance with me?" Alex asks, holding out a large hand to Henry. His palm is up, ready to take Henry's in it.

That very palm is one that Henry is oh-so familiar with. It's the palm that finds itself on the dip of Henry's hip when they lean closer together, the palm that cups Henry's cheek when they kiss. It's the palm that places itself on his chest as it pushes him down until the breath is knocked out of him, half by the impact of his back on the bed and half by the feeling of Alex's lips that often find his own not a minute later. He's traced the ridges of that palm, the slopes of its dips and curves, and drawn on the lines that June swears reveal Alex's nature. It's the palm that holds Henry's own, the one he kisses as Alex spoons him, the one that holds Henry's heart.

It's just his hand, but there isn't any universe in which Henry wouldn't take it.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Love, Henry has found, is at its strongest on a mundane Thursday night.

he feels like home

“Alex,” Henry sounded surprised to see him. He locked the door behind himself before dropping his things near Alex’s bag and hurrying toward him. Alex stood to meet him in the middle, Henry’s arms coming up around his shoulders while his own wound around Henry’s waist. Finally, despite being surrounded by all things Henry since he got home, everything clicked into place. Alex’s heart swelled as he breathed in the smell of real-life Henry and not just the products he used; this was home: clean linens and fresh-cut grass, with the new addition of cinnamon that clung to him, too, now that he spent so much time in Alex’s orbit. The realization made him dizzy.

-

or, alex gets a random night off; domesticity ensues

prove me wrong

Alex has texted.

Open the door. The first reads.

I’m not ready to go. The second says.

He stares down at the texts, then looks up at the door, and back down to the texts. You have a plane to catch, he replies.

I’ll figure that out later. Let me in. Comes the reply.

And Henry. Is feeling fragile and a little torn open and wanting and so he does the exact opposite of what he should do—he should tell Alex to go home because this was only a night, and they have to go back to their respective roles and expectations. They can’t just tell the rest of the world to fuck off while they get lost in each others skin.

--

or, Paris is more than a single night

come and get me

The email arrives 8 days after Henry left the lake house. He contemplates deleting it without reading, but it sits in his Alex inbox, where there are over seventy emails favourited, and somehow it feels wrong and weirdly impersonal.

As if leaving without a note were any different.

He stares at the from line with an aching longing that seeps into his veins. It settles on his heart like a tangible thing; something warranted and cruel that casts shackles around the aorta and locks them tight so that he might never love again.

--

or, alex sends an email instead of flying to KP.

Be Worthy Love, and Love Will Come

"For Christmas this year, all I would like is a best friend who doesn’t mind too much that I’m a prince. Most of my classmates poke fun because of who I am, or treat me like I’m too special to be their friend. I want a best friend who knows me as much as my family does and still likes me. I know that you can’t wrap a best friend up in a box and put it under the tree, but you’re magic so you know the best way to bring one."

(Movieverse canon divergence; Prince Henry, age 8, writes to Father Christmas wishing for a best friend. A few weeks later, he finds one.)

your needs, my needs

”Love,” he soothes, reaching out his hand to gently place it on Alex’s cheek and shuffles closer to the bed. ”Are you okay?”

Alex doesn’t answer his question and the silence tells Henry everything he needs to know. ”You’re home,” he says instead after a while, his voice rough and barely above a whisper.

***

Alex struggles with exam season and Henry helps him through it.

Fierce winds of love

Standing inside the lake, bleeding through his heart from a Henry shaped hole, Alex didn’t know. He didn’t know how to breathe, how to live or even how to exist without Henry.

If he managed to get himsef out of the lake, somehow made his legs work and enter his room, would he find Henry there, or would he be gone with the wind.

But if he just stayed there frozen, not finding the room empty, it would mean Henry never left, right? Never there but never not there either.

Biology 101 for babies

“There's a boy,” Arthur says seriously, still holding a bright red crayon tightly in his fist. “At nurs... nurs'ry. He's new an' he's brown.”

Henry, still twisting round to give Arthur his attention, blinks a couple of times, then very carefully takes his hands out of the washing up bowl and pulls off his gloves. “I see. What's his name?”

“Michael.”

"Alright. And why is it unusual that he is, as you say, brown?”

Arthur frowns. “Nobody else is brown.”

Henry realises with dawning horror and amusement that he is about to have one of the weirdest conversations of his entire life. “Arthur, my little love – you're brown.”

whatever you need

Alex’s jaw aches. He’s buried in a mountain of coursework preparing for the final that’s going to make or break any potential future career in law he has, his vision is blurry, and his fucking jaw aches. No amount of stretching it out or massaging at its hinges is helping, and it’s all he can focus on. Not the merits of a case from the 1980’s that set legal precedent, not the infuriating blinking of the cursor on his screen, only the insistent ache in his jaw.

He’s going to scream.

He opens his mouth to do just that, to vent all the frustration of it all out in an agonized groan, when he hears his bedroom door open and the silky sweet voice of his boyfriend saying, “Love, I made you dinner.”

pillow prince

So Henry lays on his side in bed, fidgeting with the unused pillow next to his head. No matter how hard he tries to force the thoughts of Alex out of his mind, they’re stuck. He thinks about the way Alex shook his hand upon arrival. Strong and firm with arms that nearly winded him upon sight. His unenthusiastic smile was still so bright and filled Henry’s stomach with butterflies. He was able to cope with that, he thinks. Then came the glasses.

Usually, Henry isn’t this quick to crumble. He’s always good at appearances and keeping everything together. He’s capable of restraining any unwelcome emotions. Or at least he was. Now he’s struggling to not rut against his mattress all over the passing thoughts of Alex.

---

or alex walks in on henry humping a pillow and wants to watch and help

Someone special

"That was Shaan," Henry explains as Alex snuggles closer to him, pressing his nose to his neck. "The blizzard hit early, apparently. Too risky to fly."

"So Christmas here?" Alex says in that sleepy drawl of his that Henry will never get tired of. "Fuckin' sweet."

in paper rings; in picture frames

“Your love for me,” Henry says, “and your devotion to our marriage, are here.”

He presses his own hand, and Alex’s where he’s still holding it, to the center of Alex’s warm chest, applies gentle pressure until he can feel the beat of Alex’s heart beneath the skin and muscle and bone that make up the framework of his favorite person in the universe.

“Not in a piece of metal, Alex, no matter how sentimental it may be,” Henry says softly. “Just here.”

or; Alex loses his wedding ring, and Henry is very understanding about it

Say don't go (I would stay forever if you say)

“Henry, there is something wrong. I’m June, by the way. I run this place, and this is Nora. Uhm. You see, one of our employees forgot to remove the date from the website."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I’m really sorry," June says, trying not to cringe.

"Please don’t expect me to go find a place tonight in this rain." Henry is angry, but he still keeps his composure.

"No. No, we have a place."

“We have?" Nora asks, as clueless as Henry is.

—

Or

Henry books a hotel online only to find out that the said hotel accepted it in error, and now he has to crash the hotel owner’s brother’s room because he has no place to go.

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #firstprince #rwrb fic #firstprince fanfic #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor

[kaedekolya]

alkaid: of sincerity, soulmates, and selfless sacrifice

˗ˏˋ ☆ ˎˊ Happy birthday, Alkaid! \(´▽`)/ ˏˋ ☆ ˎˊ-

In honour of this special day, I’ve prepared a present – a short meta post answering the question posed in the LBC discord server, “What made you fall for Alkaid?”

This screenshot pretty much sums it up (mild Godheim spoilers):

Alkaid loves deeply, and this manifests in his unwavering devotion and earnest sincerity. He is a steadfast protector who loves and feels and hurts with every fibre of his being, yet he conceals this intensity with a genial demeanour.

What are Alkaid’s core motivations and character traits? What lies beneath the facade of this heartrendingly complex character? For all that Alkaid is an enigma, he also inadvertently wears his heart on his sleeve, if you know where to look.

[ SPOILERS: broad references to Alkaid’s stories from Godheim, White Day, and Book of Tales. ]

Upon MC’s first encounter with Alkaid in the modern world, my first impression of him was a decently good one, but not particularly impressive or memorable. He’s the generic nice guy, the affable upperclassman who welcomes you to school and helps you settle in comfortably.

Later, we come to realise that this is exactly what he wants others to think. Alkaid intentionally projects the image of an unassuming gentleman, concealing his true emotions underneath an amiable disposition and a pleasant smile. Wearing this persona as his shield, he strives to be likeable, while also fading into the background, unobtrusive and unremarkable. The less attention drawn to himself, the better; there will be fewer chances to slip up, fewer risks of making a mistake. As long as he keeps up appearances, he can play the role of the perfect prince.

Alkaid does not do this to be deliberately duplicitous; in fact, it is much the contrary. His innate kindness and self-effacing consideration for others spur him to accommodate as much as he can, often to the point of self-sacrifice. He hides his true self, in order to please others. He relinquishes what he has, in order to give others what they want. Alkaid puts himself secondary to what others ask of him, not because he thinks of himself as worthless, but because he believes he is worth less.

In the Book of Tales event, Alkaid’s story draws from Oscar Wilde’s The Nightingale and the Rose. It is a tale of a nightingale who sacrifices her blood and her life, in order to create a red rose for the human she loves. In the same way, Alkaid readily pierces himself with thorns so that he can give MC the red rose she needs. Despite the excruciating pain, he does not flinch in the slightest, but he immediately reacts in a panic when MC is hurt by the thorny vines. Alkaid cares for others more than he does himself, yet he does not realise that by valuing himself less and taking all the hurt upon himself, he is inadvertently hurting those who care for him.

In Godheim, Alkaid’s love is also shown through selfless sacrifice. He willingly forsakes himself without a second thought, simply because he loves someone that deeply and thinks that little of himself in comparison. He would rather inflict wounds on himself than risk taking advantage of the person he loves, and he always strives to be kind no matter the cruelty dealt to him. His desire stems from love, and his power coalesces from his wish to protect those who matter to him.

In an effort to keep MC safe, Alkaid pushes himself to the brink, exhausting all his magic and life energy to the point that he nearly dies. One particular route branch has him shouldering the blame on MC's behalf, taking her punishment upon himself so that she doesn't have to. At the end of it all, he even writes a biography to honour Clarence's sacrifice, despite everything the Archmage has done to him. Alkaid is so empathetic that he can see past his sister's death and recognise that MC is an unwilling player in this whole situation, that she doesn't deserve anyone's ire.

Alkaid's heart runs so deep and so kind, yet he never recognises his own goodness, instead fearing the potential for evil within him. Throughout his Godheim route, he refrains from ending anyone's life, even that of his enemies, yet he is willing to commit evil with his own hands if it means he can protect his beloved MC. It is this irony, this multifacetedness to Alkaid that makes him such an intriguing character – even as it makes him fear himself for what he is capable of.

In modern-day Alkaid, this contradiction is reflected in his self-perception. Borrowing the metaphor of the Rose Elf and the Gentleman Agent, Alkaid believes he cannot possibly be the former because he is nowhere near as honest or upright. Instead, he identifies with the latter, because he hides so much of himself in the shadows.

What Alkaid fails to realise, however, is that these characters are not one-dimensional tropes, and neither is he. The Gentleman Agent is shrouded in veils and deceit, but he is also a protector. The Rose Elf is fragile and delicate, but he is also so ardent in his love and commitment. Alkaid is all of these things, because they can coexist without being contradictory. I won’t go into detail about Awakening, since it’s still a relatively new release and the story is best experienced for yourself, but his route there also ties in with this theme.

Alkaid’s worst fears stem from the dual nature he perceives in himself, the capacity for evil that he believes lurks dormant in his heart. He views good and evil as a binary, believing that they exist as a dichotomy within him, and this is exemplified by the black and white imagery he's often depicted with. Referring to his negative emotions and thoughts as his “other side,” Alkaid separates his good, ideal self from the side he believes he must suppress. 

Ironically, this demarcation between the parts of him that are acceptable and the parts that are not inevitably exacerbates Alkaid’s fears. The more people like his outward persona, the more he worries that they will scorn his true nature. He believes that other people like him for what he seems to be, but that they will not like him for who he actually is. He is deceitful, dangerous, disappointing, do they not see that? Do they not realise that the true him is not worthy of such praise or adoration?

The answer is no, because Alkaid is far harsher on himself than he deserves. He is human, and he is allowed to be multifaceted, to have different sides to him, to feel emotions that are positive and negative and the full gamut that runs in between. He is not a dichotomous binary, but a complex being that exists beyond good and evil.

This is where MC comes in. She sees Alkaid for who he is – all the sides he does not show others, and all the selves in disparate worlds across space and time. Beyond the idea of soulmates, her connection with him is that of 知己 (zhī jǐ) – to know someone as you know yourself – in how deeply and thoroughly she understands him. She perceives him, down to the depths of his soul, and she says: I love you, still. Not despite his flaws, or regardless of his shortcomings. Rather, it is an acceptance, encompassing every fibre of his being. I love you for everything you are.

There’s a line from Tian Guan Ci Fu (天官赐福; Heaven Official’s Blessings) that resonates with this idea: 对我来说，风光无限的是你，跌落尘埃的也是你。重点是'你'，而不是'怎样'的你。”To me, the one basking in infinite glory is you, and the one fallen from grace is also you. What matters is ‘you,’ not the state of you.” Alkaid strives to only show his best sides to others, but MC embraces all his worst sides just as readily. He is terrified that she will leave when she realises he’s not like the person she initially thought she loved, but she stays because she sees all of him and cherishes him through it all. She loves him, because he loves so deeply, and he deserves to be loved in return.

So, happy birthday, Alkaid – you are worthy of the love you receive.

#lovebrush chronicles meta #lovebrush chronicles #for all time #lbc #lbc spoilers #alkaid mcgrath #lovebrush alkaid #godheim alkaid #eden alkaid #modern alkaid #sol's meta musings

[muertawrites]

Bandanna anon back again, different thought this time. Ok so Eddie lives (obviously, why wouldn’t he?) but he has to go to the hospital where they shave his head in order to give him stitches and just Eddie with a buzz cut 😌 convincing Eddie you still love him without his hair 😊 Eddie growing it out and having these little ringlets that you fight him to not tease out 😍 Eddie’s hair growing back as a reminder of him healing 🥰

bandana anon i love youuuu *mluah* 😛

as a traumatized and healing bitch i love this. i 👏🏻 love 👏🏻 this 👏🏻

eddie x hopper!reader bc parallels 🥺

Your father is up before anyone else in the house, as always. You roll out of bed to find him at the kitchen table, reading the day's newspaper and nursing his second cup of coffee. Instead of saying good morning, he just grunts at you.

"How's he doing?" he asks as you help yourself to what's left in the pot.

It's an odd question, coming from him.

Jim Hopper had always hated the "him" he was referring to - the scruffy miscreant who he'd busted multiple times for vandalism, petty theft, public intoxication, possession...

He hated him even more when he found out his eldest child had fallen hard for him.

Even more when the way he found out was walking into your room one evening after he'd snuck in, finding the boy in a precarious position between your legs.

But since the earthquake, he'd softened. He saw the way Eddie looked at you, the way he risked his life to protect you, and suddenly a criminal history didn't matter as much.

He was troubled, sure. But he was good to you. He made you happy. And that was enough for Jim.

"He's okay," you reply. "Nightmares again last night. Couldn't sleep."

Your dad hums, sympathetic.

"Those'll stick around for a while."

As if on cue, the man in question emerges from your bedroom, looking as ragged and sleep deprived as he feels. He wears a gray beanie over his newly shaven head, hiding the ugly gash that lies beneath. He doesn't meet your eye, popping a cigarette into his mouth and slipping onto the back porch. You sigh.

"Still upset over his hair, huh?" Jim comments.

"Yeah," you confirm. "It, um... It reminds him of his dad, I think. How he used to make him shave it."

Your father is also familiar with the elder Munson, the crime that got him thrown into prison with a life sentence. More so with the abuse he used to inflict upon his son, since he was the one who answered many of those calls.

"Munson was a scumbag," Jim grumbles. "Hard to believe a kid as good as Eddie came from him."

You smile at the compliment, which your dad shares over the edge of his paper, pursing his lips together to try and hide it. Coffee in hand, you open the back door and join Eddie, sinking down beside him on the porch steps.

"Mornin', angel," he greets you.

You lay your head on his shoulder, and he wraps his arm around you, keeping you warm against the spring chill. In the distance, what remains of downtown Hawkins smolders, sending ribbons of black smoke into the clear blue sky.

"How's your head doing today?" you ask.

He doesn't answer, opting instead to take a long drag of his cigarette.

"... You've gotta show me at some point."

Eddie huffs, flicking ash into the tray your father keeps on the back porch.

"You don't wanna see it," he mumbles. " 's pretty bad."

"So are the ones on your neck," you remind him. "But you let me kiss those."

He side eyes you, and you can tell he's trying to argue the sense you somehow manage to talk into him. You were the one who dragged him back through the portal when he tried to be a hero, after all.

"... You're not gonna like it," he finally admits. "I'm not... I'm not me anymore."

"You still eat Froot Loops for dinner," you contest. "That's pretty you."

He tries to fight the laugh that bubbles in his chest, the resulting smile warming your heart with just how genuine it is. You haven't seen him smile like that in far too long.

"I'm just worried you're not... You're like, serially into guys with long hair," he continues. "My hair was what got you to notice me in the first place. What if... What if you're not... What if I'm not attractive to you anymore?"

You sit up, taking his face in your hands; almost a little too aggressively, because he flinches the slightest bit in surprise.

"Eddie," you say. "Do you know what the sexiest thing about you is?"

He stares at you blankly.

"That stupid demon voice you do when you're playing a villain in a campaign," you tell him. "The over the top, snarly, borderline feral voice that comes out of you when you get really into it. It's ridiculous. And I'd be lying to you if I told you I didn't cum so hard the couple times it's come out during sex."

Eddie's eyes pop, mortified.

"I've used it during sex?"

You laugh, nodding as you lean forward to peck his lips.

"Yes. But my point is that you're goofy, and dramatic, and clever, and sweet, and so shamelessly you that this-" you pat the beanie covering his head "- doesn't matter to me. What matters is that you're safe. That you're still with me."

Eddie raises a hand to your cheek, gently running his thumb over the high point of the bone. He gazes lovingly, dreamily down at you, a bemused smile curling his lips.

"I don't deserve you," he murmurs.

"You deserve me more than anyone."

---

"Stop."

You lift the comb out of Eddie's hand, kissing him on the cheek as you do.

"They're cute. Leave them."

He tsks, snatching the comb back up when you set it on the bathroom counter, resuming the process of teasing out the ringlets his hair has started to grow into.

"It looks better longer," he growls, frustrated. "I hate my fuckin' hair."

"Can I have help?"

El appears in the doorway, holding her own set of styling tools. Her hair has also grown out quite a bit, now at the awkward length where it has to be styled every day or else look totally unpresentable. You gesture her inside, perching on the closed lid of the toilet as she sits on the floor in front of you, letting you work your older sibling magic. In a matter of minutes, her locks have been tamed; she bounds up to the mirror beside Eddie to inspect your work.

"It's coming back," she notices, looking up at him. "Your scar is almost gone."

He hums, running a contemplative finger over the raised, darkened bit of flesh peeking from his hairline. The scar runs all the way around his skull, down the back of his neck, but it's disappeared under the nest of dark brown curls that have grown in since his stint in the hospital.

He grins at her in the mirror, pointing to her wrist.

"So's yours," he notes, indicating her tattoo. "Ink's fading."

El smiles back, positively beaming. Her hand lifts to trace the bats etched above his elbow, a habit she's picked up in the months since Eddie moved in. She loves him like a brother. It makes your heart want to explode.

"I like your hair like this," she admits. "You look better than before. You're healing."

Eddie pauses, his face crumpling like he's about to start sobbing. You hide your smile behind your hand as he takes a deep breath, regaining his composure, then takes one of El's own curls between two fingers, pulling and releasing so it bounces like a spring. She giggles at him, playfully smacking his hand away.

"You're lookin' better too, short stack," he says. "Guess we're both gonna be okay."

#eddie munson #eddie asks #muerta's works #eddie munson blurb #eddie munson x gn!reader #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson drabble #eddie munson x you #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x reader fluff #eddie munson x you fluff #i had to have an eddie and el interaction i just HAD to #he'd love her #they'd adopt each other as siblings #ugh el my sweet baby angel #also eddie and hopper interactions???? #i need more of them #eddie munson x hopper!reader

[kyrieeleisonelise]

Ruby the Actress (major Manga spoilers!)

Ruby is probably my favourite character in Oshi No Ko. She’s someone who at first seems really simple and straightforward, but as the story progresses it becomes more clear she’s more complex than that.

In the current arc, a lot of parallels are being drawn between Ruby and Ai, Ai is central to Ruby. As Sarina, Ai was her escape and her idol. As Ruby, Ai was her mother (and still her favourite idol). Ruby both loves Ai, wants Ai to love her and wants to emulate Ai. Ruby is borderline fanatical about Ai. 

But how similar are they?

The narrative has portrayed Ruby both as one of the more honest/straightforward characters, but also asserted that she has been lying/acting this whole time, so what’s the truth?

Ruby isn’t a step-ford smiler and doesn’t have any issue with expressing negative emotions. Whether it’s her initial hostility towards Kana or her nerves before a big show or throwing a childish tantrum about a song. 

It’s hard to imagine Ai being comfortable being this emotionally open around someone. Even when Ai was insulted by a friend on B-Komachi she hardly had any outward emotion, compared to Ruby in the same situation.

Ruby also values honesty even to her own detriment, wanting to honestly do the work out YouTube challenge with Pieon, even though they could of just edited it. Compared to Ai, who felt that being a liar was intrinsic to being a good idol and felt unable to stop lying.

But if Ruby is a sweet, honest and straightforward person, how was she able to change so quickly into someone who was willing to manipulate those around her for the purpose of revenge? Is it a sudden character change or something that was building in her all along?

Even before she was Ruby, Sarina is shown to be a sweet and cheerful girl. I don’t think this was completely an act, but she felt she had to hide her more ‘ugly’ emotions in order to keep her parents love and affection. Even to Gorro she never showed the extent of her hurt and anger about being abandoned by her parents. Crucially, she also lied to herself, unable to face reality that her parents didn’t love her the way she wanted them to. She is unable to face this reality even as Ruby, until she can’t deny it any longer. 

Even though Ruby is ‘cute and honest’ the circumstances of her life necessitated her to lie about important parts of herself; She kept being reincarnated a secret from Ai and everyone around her. She even kept the details of her past life a secret from Aqua. When Ai was killed she had to keep it a secret from the world. This increased her reliance on lies, as in order to protect her own secret and Ai’s, she has to play a ‘role’ and continue to pattern of cutting off unwanted parts of herself. 

Although Ruby was able to overcome Ai’s death to an extent and is able to grieve in a more healthy way than Aqua, she’s obviously still traumatised and harbours a lot of rage and hate for the perpetrator in her heart. Which she keeps mostly hidden. 

Ruby has shown to cope well with Ai’s death, but the fact she is unable to speak to any of her friends about major traumas in her life (one mother abandoning her, another being murdered) probably limits her ability to come to terms with her feelings. The only person she can sort of speak to- Aqua- has his own stuff going on. 

One of the first things Ruby says post time-skip is that she has two big secrets, showing that hiding things have remained central to her life. Whether she wants to or not. 

  Ruby remains cheerful and straightforward post time-skip, and I really don’t think this is all an act. She builds genuine friendships with Mem and Kana, unlike Ai who struggled to make connections with her teammates. Ruby really enjoys being an idol. She wants to fulfil her own and her mother’s dream and be a pure-hearted idol. 

And for a while things are fine. 

Until they’re not and Ruby realises that the person behind her mother’s death is still out there, and they killed the doctor who supported her more than anyone in her previous life. 

It feels like a complete character change. But is it?. Ruby is someone who feels love very strongly, but she also feels hate too.

She begins to be motivated by hate instead of love. With the same single-mindedness she displayed aiming to be an idol, Ruby aims for revenge for both Ai and Gorro. Ruby has always felt incredibly strongly about those she loves; Ai goes without saying. For Gorro, Ruby wanted to become an idol partially to meet him again, even though that was completely improbable. She can be fanatical with things she loves.  

So she is able to cross her own morals in order for revenge. Ichigo agrees to introduce Ruby to Ai’s old contacts if she becomes famous. So motivated by vengeance, Ruby manipulates those around her to become more famous. She’s surprisingly adept at it, because she was already used to having to hide things and put on an act to an extent. She isn’t ‘made of lies’ like Ai felt she was, but Ruby has always been cutting off the uglier and more complicated parts of herself in order to fit the role she wants to play. 

 Ruby becomes super popular. Her personality starts to shift but it’s she hasn’t completely left behind her childish traits. Being a manipulator is another role for her, but there are hints she still isn’t as calculating and serious as she maybe wants to be.

The pedestal Ruby put the idol world on starts to crack, and she starts to confront the ugly part of show biz beneath the glittering veneer. She realises that Ai probably had to lie too to be successful. She starts to realise the truth about things she’s lied to herself about. Idols aren’t always pure and perfect and the world they live in is brutal. Ai was the ideal to Ruby/Sarina, she always tried to emulate her. She wanted to be a pure and innocent idol like she thought Ai was, now she thinks she needs to be a liar like Ai. 

The happy lies Ruby made into part of her identity start to crumble.

Then, Aqua tells the world Ai’s secret in order to save Kana. Ruby see’s this as the ultimate betrayal. She thinks Ai is no longer first in Aqua’s heart and she feels totally alone in the world. Even though she has others around her, Aqua is the only one who can understand the reincarnation and Ai’s death.

All her core beliefs have been squashed; The Idol world is cold and brutal and lead to her mother’s death, Ai wasn’t a perfect innocent idol and had to lie constantly, and now she thinks Aqua has stopped caring about Ai, and loses the bond with the only person who could really understand her. She also has to confront that as Sarina she wasn’t loved by her mother.

At this point she begins questioning her own identity and falling apart. She no longer enjoys being an Idol but feels she have to get revenge. Ruby doesn’t know who Ai is, so she doesn’t know who she is herself. The entanglement with her own identity and Ai’s gets more confusing as she’s playing her in a movie.

She can’t be the perfect innocent idol- nobody can- but she doesn’t enjoy being the liar and manipulator she feels she needs to be to avenge Ai and Gorro.

We see how fragile her sense of identity is; she’s able to convince herself she became an idol to avenge Ai, forgetting that it was her dream across two life times.

It’s only when Aqua reveals who he is and reminds Ruby of who she was prior to her path of vengeance that she’s able to start rebuilding her identity. Finding out Aqua is Gorro helps tether her and bridge the gap between Sarina and Ruby.

Crucially, he reminds Ruby that she is not Ai. She doesn’t have to be her, she’s her own person and she’s good enough a herself.

Ruby still has a lot of struggles to come in the movie arc, but hopefully she’ll continue down the path of becoming her own person; realising she can’t be perfect and she will have dark feelings, but that doesn’t mean her naturally cheerful upbeat personality is a lie either. 

Is Ruby like Ai? I don’t think so. But they both struggle with identity. Ai feels like she’s never been able to form or connect with an identity, Ruby has had so many thrust on her (Sarina, Ruby, ‘Ai’) that it’s confusing to her.

They’re their own people with completely different backgrounds, personalities and quirks. But I do think Ruby’s emotional journey will leave her best placed to understand Ai; Ruby is starting to realise that Ai neither a perfect ideal idol, nor a mysterious master manipulator. She’s more than her idol persona. Ai is a complicated human with her own motivations, fears and issues just like everyone else. 

#oshi no ko spoilers #oshi no ko manga #oshi no Ko analysis #ruby hoshino #ai hoshino #aqua hoshino

[petriquors]

Maple & Steel

samurai!Iwaizumi x fem!reader angst

Pre-Edo Period royalty AU

The kami blessed you with a perfect day in your family’s garden, but you thank them with a restless heart. Seated under your favorite tree, a stunning maple with leaves as red as blood, your mind is anywhere but here.

You’ve read the same sentence in your book a dozen times, but you still can’t remember what it says. Every syllable drowns under the ominous swirl of your thoughts, so, with a sigh, you decide that reading is just as hopeless as you feel.

“What troubles you, my lady?”

When you look up, you see a man whose broad shoulders eclipse the low afternoon sun. The turquoise-and-white kamishimo he wears moves gently with every step, making him look like water flowing calmly over stones. 

On any other day, his presence would soothe you just as much as a walk by the river would. But today, Iwaizumi Hajime, the eldest son of his clan, is the last person you want to see.

The gentle breeze stills. Without it, the summer air hangs heavily around you, and silence buries the garden. 

Iwaizumi inclines his chin in your direction, peering down his nose at you. “Speak.”

“You would command me?” You smile through your threatening tone. You are the daimyo’s daughter, while he’s just a samurai’s son. If your father heard him speak to you that way, swift punishment would be in order.

If only your father knew about the romance you’ve been hiding from him.

You stand up, hiding your face in the shadows of the maple tree. Carefully, you eye Iwaizumi; watching, waiting for him to answer. On most days, he would respond to your coyness in kind, but today is not most days.

Today, a rift as wide as the sea lies between you, and you fear what you might find in his face when you cross the depths.

“Please,” he says gently, “tell me what’s on your mind.”

When Iwaizumi calls, you can’t help but answer. From the moment you met him as children, he’s known your heart well enough to see through lies and half-truths with frightening ease. “I heard your name on the war party roster. You’re going to travel at my father’s side.”

Though it was not a question, he still answers. “Yes.”

Your breath catches in your throat and tears sting your eyes. You knew it was true, but your heart still clenches when you hear it from his lips. “Congratulations.”

Riding with the daimyo is an incredible honor, but his eyes are full of dread. He looks away from you, searching for comforting words he cannot seem to find. “We ride west in the morning.”

“How far? How long?”

“Telling you might put you in danger,” he says.

“With whom?”

The stiffness of his upper lip is all the answer you’ll receive. You know that he’s right. He’s doing his best to protect you from the storm of war that gathers far to the west, but something more slices through your heart with a katana’s precision. 

You leave the maple tree’s shade and step into the sun, placing yourself within arm's reach of Iwaizumi. You watch his hands twitch at his side, see him internally weigh actions and consequences, duty and honor—and then, he seizes you by the hand.

You grip his arm. It’s sturdy, like a tree branch, so you wind your weak, vulnerable roots around him. In seconds, you’re captured in his embrace, planted firmly where your heart knows you belong.

When he grabs your face, neither the cool silk of his kimono nor the warmth of his fingertips can stop your tears. He holds you as gently as he would hold the head of a rose, with a touch so delicate that you barely feel him. You need more, you realize, as your longing overtakes you completely.

“I will not have you become a ghost,” you sob. 

A shaky breath flows from his lips, and you marvel at how well he manages to tame his emotions while yours are a raging ocean.

“I can’t protect you from this pain,” he whispers. You know his heart, too; he takes on your pain as if it’s his own, and counts every ounce of fear you feel as a personal failure.

You can't bear to look at him, so you let your tears soak his sleeve instead. A hum ripples from his chest and reaches your ears, shushing you as gently as a honed warrior possibly can.

With his free hand, he begins to stroke your hair. “Please, don’t cry for me. Sadness doesn’t suit your beauty.”

“But what if—”

“I would kill every cruel thought in your head if I could,” he interrupts. His voice has a sharp edge that makes you believe the threat wholeheartedly. “And then, I’d fill the space with sweet words instead.”

You sniffle. “Iwa—”

“I would write ten thousand songs for you. I would use ink and paper I made myself, so you can feel the patience of my love in every brush stroke. I would string together the words the kami whisper through the trees when I think of you. I would read them to you personally, reciting every word by your bedside until you grow sick of me.”

Finally, a smile tries to return to your face. You bite your lip, nuzzling his chest. “I could never grow sick of you.”

“Good,” he says. “Because I am nothing without your affection. When I ride west, when I raise my sword, I only do so to fight for a better future—one that you deserve.” 

The wind picks up, rustling the maple leaves and billowing through his kamishimo. You tilt your head to look at him, and you find red-rimmed eyes and a sad smile that’s full of love. Your heart beats like a butterfly’s wings.

“Wait for me,” he says

“Come home to me,” you reply.

“I will,” he says. “I promise, my love.”

#haikyuu x reader #haikyuu x you #iwaizumi x reader #iwaizumi x you #iwaizumi angst #haikyuu angst #haikyuu royalty au #iwaizumi royalty au #knight!iwaizumi #knight iwaizumi #princess!reader #princess reader #my stuff #my angst #my Iwaizumi Hajime stuff #my Iwaizumi Hajime angst

[fatecantstopme]

I Can't Lose You

PART THREE

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x reader

Summary: The BAU team is hunting a sadistic murderer and you go undercover to reveal his identity and catch him in the act. Things don’t go according to plan and so much is revealed about you, your team, and your boss…things that will change all of your lives forever.

Warnings: Flashbacks of rape and torture. Mentions of death. Cursing. Lots of angst. Sweet fluffy fluff.

A/N: Series should be read in order or it won't make sense. This part also jumps between different characters' POVs.

Part One, Part Two, Part Four

~Hotch’s POV~

She looked so small, so broken. Just looking at her was enough to break my heart, but hearing the way she said ‘I love you’ like she was saying goodbye felt like a knife in my heart. 

She was looking at me like she was trying to memorize my face…like she was convinced she was never going to see it again. Then suddenly, she closed her eyes.

“Baby, stay with me,” I pleaded.

I squeezed her hand, but she didn’t squeeze it back.

“Baby, please…”

Tears streamed down my face and my heart pounded in my chest. Then I heard the loud beep that indicated her heart had stopped beating. The medic pushed me out of the way and immediately began CPR. 

“Punch it or we’re gonna lose her!” he yelled to the driver. We were already racing down the highway, but I felt the vehicle pick up speed.

My hands were shaking and I was terrified by what was happening. I silently began to pray, begging God not to take her from me.

The medic continued to give her CPR, but she still wasn’t responsive. Then I heard the beeping begin again as her heart found a rhythm. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. 

Moments later, we pulled into the ER parking lot. Within seconds, they unloaded the gurney and raced into the hospital, with me right behind them. A nurse stepped out in front of me and calmly told me I needed to wait in the waiting room…that I couldn’t go with her. I wanted to fight her, but I knew it would be fruitless. I backed off and she guided me to a seat and told me to wait. 

I looked down at my white shirt, now stained with Isabelle’s blood, and I felt the tears begin anew. I’d always been told that tears were a sign of weakness…and I must never show weakness. I did my best to bottle up my emotion, to not show any pain on my face. I donned the mask I wore every day to hide the agony I felt inside. The fear of losing her gripped my heart in a vise and I struggled to keep the emotion off my face. 

I took a deep breath to calm myself and moments later, my team came rushing into the ER. They saw me and made a bee-line for me. As much as I loved them, the last thing I wanted to do right now was talk. Especially about Isabelle. 

Morgan reached me first. “How is she?”

“She’s in surgery.” I didn’t add that we almost lost her in the ambulance. 

“How bad is it?” Reid asked quietly. 

I looked at him and shook my head. He looked terrified and I instinctively wanted to lie to him, to protect him, but I knew I couldn’t do that. “It’s bad,” I said softly. “She’s very weak and she’s lost a lot of blood.”

Reid turned even more pale and Emily put a hand on his arm. “Reid, maybe you should sit down,” she said gently. He complied and Emily and JJ sat beside him. 

Morgan walked away to call Garcia and Rossi sat down beside me. “How are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” I lied, knowing he wouldn’t believe me.

“Come on, Aaron. Talk to me. I know you’re not okay.”

Part of me wanted to tell him everything I was feeling; just get it all out on the table. But the other part of me was too scared of what could happen if I shared all of that. If I talked about it, if I said it out loud, then it became real…and I wasn’t sure I could handle that right now.

“You’ve been through a lot these past couple years,” Rossi said. “And we’ve been with you through all of it, especially Isabelle. So don’t think for one second that we’re not going to be here when you need us the most.”

All I could do was nod. It was taking all of my self-control not to break down. I was surprised to find myself saying, “You never think this sort of thing will ever happen to you…and you never dream it could happen twice.”

Rossi’s expression was a mix of pity, sympathy, and sorrow. “I’m so sorry, Aaron. You deserve better than this.”

“Thanks,” I said quietly. “But it seems the universe has other plans.” 

“Don’t give up hope just yet. Isabelle’s a fighter…just have a little faith.”

“I can’t lose her,” I whispered.

Rossi put his hand on my shoulder. “I know,” he said gently. “I know.”

The hours passed by slowly. Everyone talked quietly, moving around occasionally. Garcia arrived a couple hours into the surgery. She had grabbed a seat on the first available flight.

I hadn’t moved in at least 3 hours. I couldn’t. I knew they were all wondering what was going on with me. I could tell they were dying to ask questions, but they were all too focused on Isabelle to bother asking me. 

At some point, a nurse came over to tell us Isabelle was still in surgery and I heard Rossi ask questions, but I tuned everything out. 

Time blurred by, but still, I didn’t move. Six hours after we walked through the ER doors, a doctor finally came out to talk to us. He looked exhausted and I instantly felt on edge. 

“How is she?” Morgan asked.

“Her injuries were quite extensive. It took a while to repair the damage the knife caused in her abdomen and to stop the bleeding. However, she’s currently stable and is resting.”

“She’s going to be okay?” Reid asked hopefully. 

“She’s not out of the woods yet, but her chances increase exponentially if she survives the night.”

We all looked at each other in concern. All of us had heard the word ‘if’. 

“What are the odds, doc?” Emily finally asked. 

“Honestly? I’d say she’s got a 60-40 chance.” He looked at each of us individually. “Are any of you her next of kin?”

“No,” Rossi said. “Her parents are deceased and her sister is out of the country.”

“How about a spouse or significant other?”

Rossi glanced over at me, but I remained silent. She wasn’t my girlfriend and it didn’t feel right to claim her as such without her permission.

“No, she’s single,” Rossi answered. “We’re her family.”

The doctor nodded. “Due to her injuries, she’s slipped into a coma. It’s likely her body is just trying to heal itself.”

At the word ‘coma’, I sunk back down into my chair. I buried my head in my hands and tried not to cry. The doctor was still talking, but I could no longer focus on his words. 

“Hotch?” JJ’s voice said a little while later. “The doctor says one of us can sit with her.”

I lifted my head up to find the entire team staring at me.

“It should be you,” Morgan added. 

I nodded and got to my feet. With trembling hands, I followed the doctor to Isabelle’s room. He led me in and I saw her laying on the bed, hooked up to various machines, her skin the same color as the sheets except for the dark blue bruising and angry red cuts.

I took a tentative step towards her and the doctor encouraged me. “Talk to her. She may be able to hear you.”

I sat down in the chair beside her bed and took her hand into mine. “Hey Isabelle, it’s Hotch,” I said. “Umm…Aaron.”

I heard the doctor quietly leave and shut the door behind himself.

“I’m so sorry,” I blurted. “I should have never let you go in there. None of this should have happened.” I closed my eyes. “But that’s not what you wanna hear. You don’t wanna hear me blaming myself, because what good will that do?” I paused. “But what else am I supposed to say? I mean, I don’t even know if you can hear me.” 

And it’s not like I’m a big talker anyway. What am I supposed to say? Should I tell her how much I love her? How desperate I am for her to open her eyes and look at me? Should I tell her all the things I’ve left unsaid?

I settled on telling her a story instead. “Do you know when it was that I first knew I loved you? It was that case in LA, with the guy who kidnapped and murdered all those kids. We’d finally caught him, but we couldn’t find the kid he’d recently kidnapped. I knew it was likely we were just looking for a body, but he didn’t wanna talk. You insisted on giving it a shot, so I let you. You humanized this man, this monster. You made him feelsomething and he told you where to find the little girl. You were so full of passion…of life. You ran out of that room and I followed you. We found that little girl alive…the look on your face when you reunited her with her parents was an incredible sight. I’d never seen anything so beautiful before. You looked at me and smiled. I could still see that fire in your eyes and that’s when I knew. I’ve tried to hide how I’ve felt for so long, but I can’t do it anymore. All I want to do is be with you.” 

Tears streamed down my face and I made the toughest decision of my life. “I want you to come back to me, Izzy. I desperately want you to open your beautiful eyes and look at me…but I can’t ask you to do that. I can’t force you to come back. It’s your choice, Isabelle. You’ve been through so much…and it would just be selfish of me to ask you to stay for me. So if you want to go…I’ll understand.”

I broke down sobbing. I buried my head in her sheets and let it all out. I’d been lucky enough in my life to have loved two incredible women…but I already lost one of them and the thought of losing the other was tearing me apart. 

I tried to picture my life without her and I simply couldn’t. She’d been a part of my life for 5 years…she’d helped me through the most difficult time of my life. Isabelle made my life better. I didn’t want to have a life that didn’t include her. 

~Morgan’s POV~

“Did any of you know?” I asked.

“Know what?” Emily asked.

“About Hotch and Isabelle?”

“They’re friends,” Rossi said. “Isabelle’s been there for him through all the hell he’s experienced the last couple years.”

“Don’t pretend you don’t see it Rossi,” I said. “He’s clearly in love with her.”

“What?” Garcia exclaimed in surprise. “Hotch? In love with Isabelle? No way.”

“It’s true,” I insisted. “You should have seen the way he reacted when she got taken…and when he saw the video.”

“I can’t believe it,” Garcia said.

“Does it really matter how he feels?” Rossi asked.

“I suppose not,” I said. “I just have to wonder if Isabelle feels the same.”

“She does,” Emily said softly. Everyone looked at her in surprise. “I saw the way she looked at him earlier today. You could see it on her face…and you could see it on his too.” 

Rossi sighed. “I saw it too. Not from Izzy, but from Hotch. He told me—back in the van—he told me he loved her. I had no idea until that moment.”

Everyone was silent for a moment. After a while, Reid broke the silence. “What if she doesn’t wake up?”

He sounded so incredibly young and vulnerable. I knew how much he loved Isabelle and I didn’t want him to blame himself for what had happened. “Don’t worry, kid. She’s going to be alright.” Maybe I was reassuring myself more than him. 

JJ reached over and squeezed Reid’s hand. “Don’t blame yourself,” she said gently. 

“It was my idea.” 

“And Isabelle wanted to do it,” Emily said. “It was her decision.”

“No one tells Isabelle what to do, Reid,” Rossi added. “She puts her life on the line for her job every day. The only remarkable thing about today is that she almost lost it.”

It was obvious from Reid’s expression that he was still blaming himself, but he did seem a little less upset. 

“Alright, we’re all exhausted,” Rossi said. “Why don’t all of you go back to the hotel and get some sleep? I’ll call you if anything changes.” We all began to protest, but Rossi held up his hand. “You’re no good to anyone if you’re sleep deprived. Now, go.”

There were grumbles all around, but everyone began to get up and prepare to leave. 

“Rossi? Do you wanna get some sleep? I’ll stay here,” I said.

Rossi shook his head. “As long as my girl is in that bed, I’ll be staying right here.”

I knew how much Isabelle meant to him, so I understood his desire to stay. “Why’d you let Hotch see her instead of you?”

“He loves her,” he said simply.

“So do you.”

Rossi smiled. “I do indeed, but I would never stand in the way of true love. He’s a good man and Izzy deserves someone who loves her like that.”

I clapped him on the back. “You’re a good man, Rossi.”

Rossi nodded. “I just hope that hearing his voice convinces her to wake up.”

“You and me, both.”

~Your POV~

You woke up in a place you didn’t recognize. The bed was soft and warm, and you had no desire to leave it. You breathed in deeply and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted your way.

You smiled to yourself and sat up, instinctively glancing at the other side of the bed, but it was empty. You stretched and slid out of the bed, before making your way slowly to the bedroom door and down the hall. There was something familiar about this place, but you couldn’t quite place it. 

You followed the smell of coffee and walked into the kitchen. There was a tall man at the stove with his back to you. He heard you come in and turned around with a smile on his handsome face. “Hey gorgeous. Did you sleep well?”

Your jaw dropped in surprise. “Hotch?”

He looked at you quizzically, then laughed. “I think you may have slept a little too much. You only call me ‘Hotch’ when we’re at work.” 

You continued to stare at him for a few moments before shaking your head. “My brain feels a little fuzzy,” you admitted. 

He smiled and poured a cup of coffee for you. “Maybe this will help.” He handed you the cup and gave you a warm, sweet kiss.

You smiled at him and took a sip. It tasted just the way you liked it. “Delicious,” you murmured. You sat down at the table and watched him cook. He brought you a plate of your favorite breakfast foods before joining you at the table. “Wow. What’s the occasion?” 

He looked surprised. “You really did sleep hard.” He chuckled. “It’s our anniversary.” 

You nearly choked on your coffee. “Our what?” 

He lifted his left hand and wiggled his fingers at you. You noticed the wedding band on his ring finger and instinctively looked down at your own. There was a large diamond ring and platinum wedding band shinning on yours.

“You didn’t forget, did you?” he asked.

“I…I guess I did—I’m sorry.” You closed your eyes and tried to remember your wedding…nothing. Completely blank. “I don’t really remember anything.” 

He looked concerned. “What do you remember?”

You closed your eyes again. “We were working a case down in Atlanta. A Senator was raping and murdering prostitutes.”

The concern on his face intensified. “That was when I first told you I loved you.”

“Yeah, I remember that too…” but you couldn’t remember what happened after that. You could feel something there on the edge of your mind, but you couldn’t grab it. 

“Baby, that was four years ago.”

“What?” you gasped. 

“We worked that case four years ago.” 

You shook your head. “No…no that’s not possible.”

“It’s true,” he insisted.

You closed your eyes and tried to picture what happened next. “What was his name? The Senator?”

“Mark Jacobs.”

You gasped as memories of torture and agony flooded your brain. You dropped to your knees and cried out. 

Hotch grabbed your arms. “Isabelle, what’s wrong? Izzy? I’m here. Stay with me.” His voice began to fade. “Stay with me…”

~Hotch’s POV~

Suddenly, Isabelle began to convulse and machines started screaming. I jumped up as nurses raced into the room. 

They started yelling orders to each other and only one thought occupied my mind. “Isabelle…I’m right here. Stay with me.” She stopped seizing and the nurses relaxed. “Stay with me,” I whispered.

The machines commenced their normal beeping sounds and the alarms stopped ringing. I sunk back down into my chair and one of the nurses squeezed my shoulder.

“She’s alright, sweetie. It was just a minor seizure. It happens sometimes with trauma patients.”

I stared at Isabelle and nodded.

“Your wife?” she asked kindly. 

I looked up at the older woman and shook my head. “We work together.” As if that’s all she was to me…a coworker.

The nurse, ‘Ellie’ according to her nametag, raised her eyebrows. “Never known someone to care enough to sit with their coworker in a hospital overnight.”

I gathered her meaning, but for some reason I just didn’t want to admit the truth. “We’re FBI agents, so we’re really close. Practically family,” I said instead.

She nodded and glanced over at Isabelle with a shake of her head. “The poor girl has been through a lot.” She turned her focus back to me. “Tell me you caught the man who did this.”

“He’s dead,” I said dispassionately. 

She nodded again. “Good. Now you just holler if you need anything, alright?”

“Thank you.” 

She left and I focused my attention back on Isabelle. I couldn’t help but wonder if she could hear me. Part of me hoped she could and the other part hoped she was blissfully unaware. It would be miserable and terrifying to be aware yet trapped in your body. I shook my head to clear the negative thoughts, but it wasn’t working. I decided to go back out to the waiting room to tell the team to go back to the hotel to rest. 

I stopped by the nurse’s station to tell them I’d be right back. When I got out to the waiting room, only Rossi was there. 

He saw me and jumped out of his chair. “I sent everyone back to the hotel. They were exhausted.”

“You should get some rest too.”

“Nah, I’d rather be here.”

A couple people were staring at me and I realized I was still wearing my blood stained shirt. “Why don’t you come see her? I’m getting some weird looks out here.” 

Rossi nodded. “I’d really like to see her.”

We headed back to her room and Rossi entered first. When he saw her, he brought his hand to his mouth and his eyes filled with tears. “Oh my sweet Isabelle,” he said softly. 

“I’ll give you some time alone.” I started towards the door, but Rossi shook his head. 

“It’s okay. Stay. It’s what she would want anyway.” Rossi pulled up a chair on the other side of the bed and I sat back down in mine. 

We sat in silence for a little while before Rossi said quietly, “The team knows.”

I sighed. “I’m really not surprised. The last 24 hours have been rather telling.”

“Does Isabelle know how you feel?”

Dave was one of the few people I actually felt comfortable discussing this sort of thing with, so I answered him truthfully. “I told her last night at the hotel—or I guess the night before.”

“What made you tell her?”

“I don’t wanna hide how I feel anymore. Isabelle makes life worth living. I don’t care that I’m her boss. I don’t care that I’m not supposed to feel this way. I’m in love with her and it was killing me not to tell her.”

He nodded. “Izzy and I don’t often discuss her love life, but on the few occasions when I’ve asked her if she was seeing someone, she always laughed and brushed me off. She claimed no one really appealed to her, but it was always clear to me she wasn’t being entirely honest.”

I chuckled. “I never would have thought in a million years that someone like her would go for someone like me.”

Rossi raised an eyebrow. “Can I assume the man she’s been in love with these past few years is you?”

I nodded. “How did I get to be so lucky? What makes me so deserving of love, not once, but twice?”

“You’re a good man, Aaron, and you’ve got a good heart. You deserve to be happy.”

I looked at him and gave him a small smile. “I appreciate that, Dave. I’m just not sure the brass will feel the same way.”

“Screw them. Do what makes you happy. Besides, Jack adores Isabelle. You’ve gotta think about him too.”

I smiled. “He really does love her. She’s so good with him. He asks about her all the time. Jessica says he even talks about her when they’re together. He likes to tell her about all the things he does with Isabelle.”

Rossi smiled. “That’s so sweet. Jack’s a good kid.”

“He’s the best. He really could use someone like Isabelle in his life…on a full-time basis.”

Rossi raised his eyebrows. “Full-time, huh?”

I blushed. “I haven’t exactly had time to mention that to Izzy, but I’m hoping she’ll be open to the idea.”

“You’ll have plenty of time to discuss it when she wakes up.”

I grabbed Isabelle’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I told her she didn’t have to.”

Rossi looked confused. “Didn’t have to what?”

“Wake up.” 

The confusion changed to surprise. 

“I didn’t want her to feel burdened by what I want. I want her to make the decision for herself. I know it sounds crazy, but in case she can hear me, I just wanted her to know that if she can’t fight anymore, then it’s okay to let go.”

Rossi stared at me in silence for a few seconds. “You really are a good man, Aaron Hotchner. Izzy deserves someone like you.” 

“That means a lot to me.” And I genuinely meant that. Rossi viewed Isabelle as his daughter…it’s almost like having a stamp of approval from her father.

We lapsed into a comfortable silence and I felt myself start to drift off. Within minutes, I was sound asleep upright in my chair, the beeping of the machines a soft lullaby in the background. 

**********The Next Morning

I woke up in a strange place, groggy, and disoriented. I could smell disinfectant, which only served to enhance my confusion. Then I heard the beeping of the monitors and it all came rushing back. I opened my eyes fully to see Isabelle still lying motionless on the bed. Rossi’s jacket was sitting on the back of the chair he was using, but he wasn’t there. 

“Oh dear. Did I wake you?”

I turned to see who was speaking. It was Ellie, the nurse from the night before. “No, I didn’t even hear you come in.” I yawned. 

“I just wanted to check on her before I head home.” She bustled over to the bed and started running various checks. 

“How’s she doing?” I asked tentatively.

Ellie smiled. “She made it through the night, which is a good thing. She’s quite a fighter. Her vitals look good and she appears to be stable.” She patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry, deary. I think she’s going to be just fine.”

I thanked her and she left, heading home after a long night.

Moments later, Rossi came in carrying two cups of coffee. “Morning sunshine,” he said as he handed me a cup. 

“Oh thank god,” I mumbled, taking a sip. If anything could make me feel alive, it was coffee. 

“How you holding up?” he asked as he sat down across from me.

“I’m alright. The nurse said she looks good.” 

Rossi smiled. “Isabelle’s not one to give up.”

“You don’t have to tell me that.”

Seconds later, my phone rang. I audibly sighed. “It’s Strauss.”

“I’d recommend answering that if I were you.”

I sighed again and answered the phone. “Hotchner.”

“How’s Isabelle holding up?” she asked without preamble. 

“She’s in a coma. She experienced quite a lot of trauma.”

“That’s quite unfortunate,” she paused. “I’m sorry to do this, but I need your team back here immediately. There’s an urgent case we need you on.” 

I turned pale and felt anger bubbling up. “Couldn’t you have another team do it?”

“I’m sorry, Aaron, but your team is the best. And you’ve been requested personally.”

“I can’t leave Isabelle,” I said.

“You don’t have a choice, Agent Hotchner.” 

“Look, Chief Strauss. I understand what you’re saying, but I will not leave one of my agents all alone in a hospital in a strange city. I’ll send the rest of the team. They can handle the case without me.”

I could hear the annoyance in her voice as she begrudgingly agreed. “I expect them back in DC by tonight.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said as I hung up.

Rossi eyed me quizzically.

“We’ve got a case. The team has to go.”

“You’re staying with Isabelle?”

I nodded.

“Good.” Rossi sighed. “When do we leave?”

“As soon as possible.”

“I’ll go to the hotel and get everyone. I’m sure they’ll want to see Isabelle before we go.” 

He left and I sat down again to await the team’s arrival. It wasn’t long before I heard them coming down the hall. They all filed into the room and fell quiet when they saw Isabelle. 

Garcia was the first to recover. She went to the bed and grabbed Isabelle’s hand. Tears streamed down her face. “I don’t wanna leave her.”

Morgan stood behind her and put his arm around her. “None of us do.”

The rest of the team gathered around her bed, except for Reid.

“Reid?” I said gently. 

He couldn’t even look at her and his hands were shaking. “I can’t…” he whispered.

I looked at JJ and nodded toward Reid. She moved over to him and took him by the arm. “It’s okay, Spence. You don’t have to stay in here.” She led him outside and came back in a few minutes later. “He’s still blaming himself.”

I shook my head. “It’s no more his fault than it is mine.”

“You know how he gets. He won’t listen,” she said sadly. 

“I know.”

Everyone spent some time talking to Isabelle and slowly preparing to leave. About an hour later, I escorted the team out front to say goodbye. None of them wanted to leave, but I had to put my foot down. 

“I’ll call you if anything changes, guys. So please, don’t worry.”

We said our goodbyes and I watched them drive away. I couldn’t help but wonder how long I could get away with staying here before Strauss fired me or sent someone to drag me back to DC. 

********** 2 weeks later

I rolled out of bed at 7:15am. I checked my phone and saw that I had three messages from Strauss. I groaned and pushed the play button for the first message. I heard Strauss’ agitated voice demanding that I return to DC immediately. I deleted the message without listening to the whole thing and pressed play on the next one. It was more of the same, but she was definitely pissed this time. I deleted that message as well, then listened to the final one.

“If you’re not on the next plane to DC, Agent Hotchner, I promise you’ll be working the night shift in some remote hell hole for the rest of your career,” she said before hanging up with a slam.

“Shit,” I mumbled. I’d been avoiding her calls for the last few days. I knew I couldn’t hold out forever, but I was still hoping Isabelle would wake up before I was forced to go back. It’d been the longest two weeks of my life…I was desperate to go home and see my son, but I was also terrified to leave Isabelle.

I also didn’t want to lose my job, which meant I needed to call Strauss whether I wanted to or not. I dialed her number and waited for her to pick up. 

“Chief Strauss.”

“It’s Aaron Hotchner—”

“Where the hell have you been? Have you been ignoring my calls?”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m still in Georgia. Agent Heywood is still in a coma.” 

That seemed to calm her down a bit. “I’m sorry about that, I truly am, but we need you back here. You have a unit to run.”

I sighed. “I know. And trust me, I want to come home, but I’m having a hard time leaving her.”

Strauss was silent for a moment. “Why?”

I was now faced with a choice. I could either lie to my boss or I could tell her the truth…either way, I would be facing serious consequences.

I took a deep breath and took the plunge. “Do you want me to be honest?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“Even if it’s not what you want to hear?”

She paused. “Tell me what’s going on, Aaron.”

“I…umm…I’m in love with her,” I blurted.

“Oh…” the silence drags on. I could tell she was trying to figure out what to say. A solid minute passed before she spoke again. “Does she know?”

“Yes.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“Nothing’s actually going on, but I’ve felt this way for a while.”

She sighed. “Aaron, you know the rules.”

“I’m well aware of the rules, Erin, which is why I didn’t act on my feelings. But coming this close to losing her really put things in perspective.” I thought about Haley and I’m sure she was too. 

“I shouldn’t even be entertaining this, but how does Isabelle feel?”

I blinked back tears as I recalled the look on her face when she told me she loved me. “Isabelle’s last words to me were, ‘I love you’.”

There was a long pause before Strauss responded. “If it came down to it, would you step down to be with her?”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “I would do anything.”

“Then I’ll do what I can here.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me just yet. Aaron, I need you to think about this very carefully…what are you going to do if she doesn’t wake up?”

I closed my eyes. “I can’t even think about that. I—I don’t think I can live without her.”

She let out a long exhale. “Alright, I’ll deal with the higher ups. You focus on waking Isabelle up.” 

“I will,” I said before we hung up. 

~Your POV~

The lights were too damn bright…you could hardly see. You squeezed your eyes shut again and let out a soft moan. You desperately tried to remember where you were, but nothing was familiar to you. The sheets were rough, it smelled funny, and you were pretty sure you could hear beeping. 

You tried to shift your body, but sharp stabbing pains shot up your limbs. You tried opening your eyes again, much more slowly, giving them time to adjust to the light. Once they did, you looked around the room. “What the…is this a hospital?” you thought to yourself. 

You tried to sit up again, but it was much too painful. You tried to remember how you got there. Was it a car accident? You looked down at your arms, but you couldn’t see the wounds because of the bandages.

You saw a call button attached to the side of the bed and you reached out to push it. Seconds later, an older lady, a nurse you assumed, came running in. “Isabelle!” she yelled in surprise. “You’re awake!”

You tried to speak, but your throat was too dry. The nurse seemed to know this and she hurried to get you some water, which you chugged down gratefully.

“Where am I?” you asked. Your voice sounded raspy even to your own ears.

“You’re at Truman Memorial Hospital.” 

“How did I get here?”

“Do you remember anything?” she asked instead of answering your question.

“No…” you closed your eyes and forced yourself to think. “My team…we were working a case…Hotch…Hotch!” your eyes sprung open. “Where’s Hotch?”

The nurse shook her head. “Who’s Hotch, honey?”

“Aaron Hotchner. He’s an agent. He was with me in the ambulance…but I don’t remember how I got in the ambulance…”

“Oh! Aaron! Let me call him, deary. I’ll be right back.” She hurried out of the room. 

You stared at the ceiling and desperately tried to remember what happened. You could feel something pricking at the back of your mind, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it. 

A few moments later, the nurse came back in. “Oh, he’s going to be so excited to see that you’re awake! He’s spent nearly every waking moment with you for the past two weeks.”

You nearly choked on your own saliva. “Two weeks?”

The nurse blushed. “Oh, yes. You’ve been in a coma for the last two weeks.”

You rubbed your temples. “My god, what the hell happened to me?”

“I think I’ll let Aaron tell you that,” she said gently. 

I was about to pressure her for answers when I heard loud footsteps running down the hall. To my surprise and happiness, the man ran right into my room…it was Hotch. His eyes were wide with worry and I could see the pure emotion on his handsome face. 

“Isabelle…” he breathed. He was looking at you like he didn’t believe you were real. 

“Hey,” you said softly as you reached out for him, beckoning him towards you.

You saw the nurse quietly back out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

You smiled at him and he tentatively touched your hand, as though he was afraid you’d disappear. “You’re awake,” he whispered.

You nodded and reached up to touch his face. The moment your skin touched his, he lit up. You could feel the joy radiating from him. In an instant, he leaned down to kiss you sweetly. You breathed in his scent and deepened the kiss. You could feel how badly he needed you and it made your heart flutter. 

“Aaron,” you whimpered.

He affectionately caressed your face and smiled at you again. “You had me worried,” he murmured. 

“I’m sorry,” you said earnestly. “Honestly, I don’t even remember how I got here—or why I’m here for that matter.”

He froze and looked at you in surprise. “You don’t remember anything?”

You shook your head.

“What’s the last thing you remember?”

“You telling me that you loved me.”

His eyes widened. “Nothing after that?”

“An ambulance ride, vaguely. But nothing else.”

“You don’t remember Reid knocking on your door at the crack of dawn?”

You thought for a moment, then shook your head. “All I know is that something bad happened and I ended up in a coma for two weeks.”

He nodded. “Maybe it’s better that way.”

You looked surprised. “No, Aaron. The not-knowing is terrifying. I need to know what happened.”

“I don’t want you to relive it.”

“I have to know.”

He stared at the sheets and didn’t respond.

“Give me a cognitive interview,” you pleaded.

His head jerked up and his eyes filled with emotion. “Absolutely not.”

“You know I can do it myself. It’ll just be easier to have you with me…to walk me through it.”

“Iz…”

“Aaron, please.”

He sighed. “If at any point in time you feel like it’s too much, we’re stopping, okay?”

You nodded and closed your eyes.

“Think back to that night. You’re comfortable in bed and you hear knocking on the door.”

“I’m annoyed because it’s so early…it’s Spence.”

“What does he tell you?”

“He’s got a plan…I have to go undercover…then we tell you about it,” you grimaced. “You don’t like the plan.”

“No,” he said softly. “I did not.”

“But we do it anyway, because it’s the only way to catch the unsub.” You started to breathe heavily. Hotch leaned forward, watching you closely, concern apparent on his brow. “Senator Jacobs…he’s the unsub.” You rubbed your temple. “He…he took me. He…” Tears began to stream down your face as the memories of that night came flooding back. You remembered it all…the rape, the torture, every moment of it. 

You let out a sob and Hotch wrapped his arms around you. “Stop, Izzy. You can stop.”

You shook your head. You needed to know how this story ended. You remembered the team breaking in, you remembered Hotch begging you to stay with him, and you remembered hearing his voice, but not being able to respond. He was telling you about the moment he realized he loved you. You couldn’t see him, but you could distinctly hear his voice. You also heard him tell you that he understood if you had to go. You could feel his pain and his love as if it were your own. 

Your eyes fluttered open and you looked up at him. “Oh, Aaron…”

He brushed your hair back and looked at you lovingly.

“I heard you,” you said softly. 

He furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

“When I was in the coma…I heard you tell me that I didn’t have to stay—that you would understand if I couldn’t.”

Tears welled up in his eyes. “You heard me?”

You nodded. “You told me about the first time you realized you loved me…that kidnapping case we had in LA.”

He wrapped you in his arms and buried his face in your hair. “I can’t believe you heard that,” he whispered. 

“You were there for me the whole time.”

He pulled back to look at you. “How could I leave you?”

You smiled through the tears. “I love you, Aaron Hotchner.”

“I love you, Isabelle Heywood.” 

He kissed you and you found it hard to breathe. When the kiss ended, a horrible thought popped into your brain. “How much did you see?” you asked softly without looking at him. 

He doesn’t need you to clarify your question, but it was clear he didn’t exactly want to answer. After a few moments of silence, he said, “I saw everything from the moment he turned that camera on to the moment it stopped.”

Tears poured down your face and you fiddled with the blanket. “Everything?”

“You were in agony…you were being tortured and it was my fault. It felt like just punishment.”

Your head snapped up and you fixed him with a stern expression. “None of what happened was your fault, do you understand me? None of it.”

He was quite clearly taken aback by the intensity of your statement. “I can’t help but blame myself.”

“Well stop it, because none of you were to blame. It was all Jacobs.” You gasped loudly. “Oh my God, and Brady!”

“Brady?”

“Detective Brady! He was there! He’s the reason Jacobs knew I was FBI. Did you get him at the warehouse?”

Hotch looked extremely pale, but you could see the cold fury in his eyes. “That son of a bitch…he wasn’t there when we found you, Izzy.”

“He probably knows I was in a coma…and since Jacobs is dead, no one else knows he’s in on it. He’s probably still at the station, biding his time.”

Hotch looked furious, hands balled into fists at his sides. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. “Captain Harris, this is Agent Hotchner.” Pause. “She’s doing well, thank you.” Another pause. “Is Detective Brady in today?”… “I’d like to meet with him.”… “No, no. It’s better if you don’t tell him I’m coming. In fact, don’t tell him you spoke to me at all.”… “Will do. Thank you Captain.”

He hung up and looked at you apologetically. “I have to go…the rest of the team is back in DC.” 

“No, Aaron.” You tried to sit up, wincing in pain. “It’s not safe for you to go by yourself.”

“You’re probably right, but there’s not exactly another option.”

“Why don’t you call the Atlanta field office and see if you can get an agent to go with you?”

“That would take too long. If he finds out you’re awake, he’s going to make a run for it…or worse.” The look on his face told you he was picturing the ‘or worse’ very vividly in his mind.

“Hey. You don’t get to go running into danger without backup just because you’re worried about me. That’s not how this works.” 

His expression softened. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing. Not when he’s out there and you’re lying in that bed.”

“Well, I’d get up if I could,” you said softly.

He winced as he came over and grabbed your hand. “That’s not what I meant. I just can’t help but worry about you, Izzy.”

“I know.” You yawned. “Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

He nodded. “I promise.”

You yawned again and he smiled. “I think you need to rest. Your body has a lot of healing to do.”

“I was asleep for two weeks.”

“That was just to catch up on all the sleep you missed because of work,” he joked.

You laughed and rolled your eyes. “It’s because my boss overworks me.”

He chuckled. “He must be an ass.”

You grinned. “I don’t know about that, but he does have a nice ass,” you teased.

He blushed, which only made you grin even more. Then the two of you burst into laughter before you yawned again. 

“Maybe you were right about that rest thing. Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” He kissed your forehead. “Get some sleep. I’m going to see if I can get an agent from the field office to come down here.”

“Good. Be safe.”

“Always.”

You closed your eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep. 

~Hotch’s POV~

I’d made a promise, but I knew I had to break it in order for her to be safe. Isabelle was all that mattered. 

I felt a twinge of guilt as I made my way to my Suburban, but I brushed it off. I got in and made my way to the police station. I knew I should have at least called Rossi and told him what I was planning, but I didn’t want to give him the opportunity to talk me out of it. 

I pulled into the parking lot and headed inside, eyes peeled for any sign of Brady. I saw him standing on the other side of the bullpen with his back to me. I started walking toward him when another officer noticed me. “Agent Hotchner?” he called out. “What are you doing back here?”

Brady turned around and saw me. His eyes widened and the color drained from his face as he turned to run out the back door. 

I wasted no time in rushing after him. “Brady stop!” I yelled, drawing my gun as I chased him out the door. 

A shot rang out and I felt the sting of a bullet graze my arm. I pulled back into the doorway, peering out slightly to see Brady running toward the parking lot next door. I dashed after him, ignoring the pain in my arm. 

I heard the sound of running feet behind me and I turned to see Captain Harris running toward me. I kept running and just prayed he was on my side…otherwise, I knew this would end badly for me.

A few yards ahead of me, Brady had started to slow down. I thanked God I was in excellent shape as I began to close the distance between us. Moments later, I sprung forward, tackling Brady to the ground. His gun flew out of his hand and he groaned in pain.

“Detective Brady, you’re under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder and obstruction of justice,” I said as I put handcuffs on him.

Captain Harris came up behind me just as I started to pull Brady off the ground. “Agent Hotchner, what’s this all about?” he demanded.

“Brady here has been working with Senator Jacobs. Not only is he your leak, but he’s also the reason my agent is in the hospital.” 

Harris paled. “Are you sure? How do you know?”

“Because Isabelle is awake.” I saw Brady’s eyes widen. “She told me herself.”

Harris closed his eyes briefly, before letting out a string of curse words. “You son of a bitch!” he yelled at Brady. “You betrayed your oath, you harmed innocent people, and you almost got a federal agent killed. What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I want a lawyer,” Brady said stubbornly.

I sighed. “Yeah, I bet you do.”

The three of us made our way back inside the station. All eyes were on us as I marched Brady straight through the bullpen, into the parking lot, and into the back of my SUV. 

Captain Harris and I bid farewell and I immediately called the Atlanta field office. I made arrangements for a couple agents to come down and get him for extended questioning. Until they arrived, however, I wasn’t letting him out of my sight. 

I drove back to the hospital and dragged Brady in with me. I was halfway to Isabelle’s room when a wave of pain hit me and I remembered my arm. The adrenaline had finally worn off and it was beginning to throb. I turned back around, heading to the nurse’s station with Brady in tow.

“How can I help you?” a nurse asked me. 

“I got shot in the arm and I just need a quick patch up.”

The nurse paled and her eyebrows shot up. She eyed me warily, her gaze shooting over to Brady and back to me like she was trying to figure out what was happening.

I pulled my creds out, showing them to her, and her expression immediately changed. She led me to a small room and gestured for me to have a seat. I put Brady in the corner farthest from the door and took off my suit jacket. 

“Shirt too,” she insisted sternly. 

I gingerly removed my shirt and she stepped closer to get a good look at the wound. “It’s pretty shallow, so you’re lucky.” 

I nodded and she set to work cleaning me up, stitching the wound, and bandaging it. Ten minutes later, she patted my shoulder gently. “You’re done.”

“Thank you,” I said as I got up and started to pull my shirt back on. 

“Don’t you be putting that bloody shirt back on,” she snapped.

“I can’t just wear my under shirt,” I complained.

“Well you’re gonna have to.” She took my shirt right out of my hands and tossed it into the medical waste bin. “You’ll live,” she insisted as she walked out the door.

I sighed. “Come on,” I grumbled as I dragged Brady out of the room and towards Isabelle’s room.

I expected her to be asleep, but instead I saw she was on the phone. A nurse gently stopped me from going into the room. 

“She said it was a private call and that no one was allowed in the room,” she said softly. 

“Oh,” I said in surprise. “I’ll just wait out here then.”

Brady and I took a seat in the chairs just down the hall from Isabelle’s room. I couldn’t help but wonder who she was talking to and what was so private that she didn’t even want me to know.

~Your POV—10 minutes prior~

There was a knock on the door and a kind-faced nurse entered. “Isabelle? There’s a phone call for you.”

You furrowed your brow. “For me? But no one even knows I’m awake.”

“Actually, we received a request from your boss that she be notified immediately if you woke up. I’m assuming this is just her returning the call.”

‘She?’ you thought to yourself. Confusion lit your features, but it quickly dawned on you, ‘Strauss’. Out loud you said, “Could I take it in here, given that I can’t really move?”

The nurse laughed lightly. “Of course, dear. I’ll transfer it.” She turned to go.

“Wait.” She looked back at you. “Please make sure no one bothers me until I’m done. Even Aaron.”

She nodded. “Absolutely.”

Thirty seconds later, the bedside phone rang. You took a deep breath before answering the call. “This is Isabelle.”

“Isabelle, it’s Strauss.”

“Hello, ma’am.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a train…twice,” you said honestly. “But I’ll heal.”

“I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” There was a pause and you waited for her to speak. When she didn’t, you broke the ice. “While I appreciate you calling to check up on me, I sense there’s something more.”

Strauss sighed. “Unfortunately, yes, there is. It’s about Agent Hotchner.”

You immediately tensed up. “What about him?”

“Well, for starters, he’s refused to come back to DC for the past two weeks. He even stopped taking my phone calls. When he finally answered, he informed me he wouldn’t leave you…do you know why that is?”

You had no idea that Hotch had been disobeying direct orders. That was so unlike him. You had a sinking feeling Strauss knew exactly why Aaron had refused to leave you and it wasn’t his sense of loyalty. 

You decided to feign ignorance. “I would assume it was out of a sense of duty. He’d never leave a member of his team behind.”

“No, Isabelle. That’s not why.” You could hear the annoyance in her voice. “He informed me just this morning of his feelings for you.”

You nearly dropped the phone in surprise. “I’m sorry, he did what?”

“He also told me you reciprocate those feelings.”

You closed your eyes and let out a long breath. “And?”

“Is it true?”

You knew it was pointless to lie. “Yes, ma’am. It’s true.”

Strauss sighed dramatically. “He’s your boss, you know.”

You felt annoyance creep into your voice. “I’m well aware of that, ma’am.”

“If he’s taking advantage of you—”

“It’s not like that,” you said quickly, cutting her off. “We’ve never been together. My feelings have nothing to do with him being my boss or pressuring my in any way.”

“Alright,” she said before pausing. “Do you plan on starting a relationship with him?”

You wished you could say it was none of her business, but unfortunately, it was her business. “I would like to,” you said honestly. 

She sighed. “I was hoping you wouldn’t say that. I’m sorry to have to do this Isabelle, especially after everything you’ve been through, but you and Aaron Hotchner cannot be together.”

You inhaled sharply, feeling the pressure of tears welling up in your eyes. “What?”

“It’s against policy, Isabelle. I simply can’t allow it.”

You laughed harshly. “Allow it? Who are you to decide who I can love?”

“I’m the one who has the power to ruin your career. I can transfer you to another unit. I can fire Agent Hotchner. I can end both of your careers in an instant, Agent Heywood. That’s who l am.”

Tears streamed down your face and your heart snapped in two. “Why?” you whispered.

“Having a relationship is too distracting. Either of you could get hurt. You’ll be too focused on each other and one of your teammates could be hurt—or worse. And what if you break up? Could you still work together? This is my best team and it’s my job to ensure that everything runs smoothly. I’m not going to risk jeopardizing that just so you can have a boyfriend.”

While her points were valid, she was still wrong. You just had to find the words to say to make her see that. “You’re right, it could be dangerous. We could get distracted. We might fight. We might be angry with each other at times…but he’s not ‘just a boyfriend’. I’m in love with him, Strauss. Love. Those feelings didn’t just develop overnight. I’ve spent the past three years of my life completely head-over-heels for someone I thought I could never have. But I never once acted on those feelings. I never jeopardized anyone’s safety. I never prioritized him over anyone else on the team. That team is my family. I would die for any one of them in a heartbeat. I love them as much as I love Aaron, just in a different way.”

You took a breath before continuing, “And we fight just like any other family, but we forgive each other and we come back stronger because that’s what families do. So if you think for one second that I’m going to put my family at risk just because I want a boyfriend, then you really don’t know me at all. I love Aaron with all of my soul and that kind of love doesn’t break, Chief Strauss. Ever.”

There was a long pause as Strauss took in your words. It was clear she was surprised by what you said. Finally, she spoke, “I didn’t know you felt that way.”

“That was the whole point. When I’m at work, I’m professional.”

“Can you remain that way?”

“Absolutely.”

She took a deep breath. “I am willing to allow this on a trial basis as long as you promise me one thing.”  

“Anything,” you said with a hint of desperation.

“Don’t make me regret this decision.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

“Because I will use my earlier threats, Agent Heywood. Do not test me.” 

“Yes ma’am. You have my word.”

“Good. Then rest up and get your ass back to DC as soon as possible…and bring Agent Hotchner with you.” 

“Yes ma’am. Will do.”

She hung up and you stared at the wall in silence, phone still in your hand. You couldn’t believe what had just happened. Somehow, you’d managed to convince Chief Strauss to let you and Aaron date…it was damn near a miracle and you couldn’t wait to tell him about it.

~Hotch’s POV~

I was starting to get a little antsy, waiting for Isabelle to finish her call. I tried to imagine who she was talking to, but I didn’t want to guess. She’d looked pretty upset earlier…

“Mr. Hotchner?” I looked up and the nurse who had told me to wait earlier was smiling at me. “You can go in now.”

“Thank you,” I said as I stood up. “Come on, Brady.”

The man grumbled, but allowed me to lead him into Isabelle’s room. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw him, but that surprise quickly faded to concern when she looked at me.

“What happened?” she demanded as she stared at my bandaged arm. “Where are your clothes?”

I told Brady to sit in the corner, then I moved closer to her bed. “It’s just a little scratch, nothing to worry about.”

She quite clearly didn’t believe me and Brady let out a cackle.

“Scratch?” he said sarcastically. “I shot you.”

Isabelle’s eyes widened again. “You did what?”

“He was chasing me. What was I supposed to do?”

Isabelle looked like she was about to tell him exactly what he could do, but I cut her off by lightly touching her arm. “I’m fine, Iz.”

Her eyes darkened. “I told you not to do anything stupid! You were supposed to wait for backup!”

I frowned. “I’m sorry, Izzy, but I couldn’t risk him getting away.”

“He could have killed you,” she hissed.

“But he didn’t.”

She glared at me. “That’s really not the point.”

“Oh would you two please shut up?” Brady interrupted. 

We both turned our glares on him and he fell silent. 

“Did you really have to bring him here?”

“Well, I couldn’t leave him at the station. I don’t know what they would have done,” I said. “There are a couple agents coming down to get him.”

She nodded, seemingly content with my response. 

“Who was that call from?” I asked innocently. 

She turned a shade paler and said, “Strauss.” 

Now it was my turn to pale. “What did she want?”

“She was just checking in to see how I was doing,” she said lightly. The tension in my body lessened significantly…at least until she added, “Oh and to tell me that you and I can’t be together.” 

I felt anger bubble under my skin. “She can’t do that,” I said harshly.

“I heard a similar reaction…but she does have the ability to ruin our careers, Aaron.”

My face hardened and I desperately tried to control my emotions. I knew Isabelle was right, but I didn’t want to lose her. Not after everything we’d been through.

I was about to say as much when she once again continued her thought. “However, I did manage to convince her to let us try it, ‘on a trial basis’. Her words, not mine.”

My jaw dropped. “How the hell did you manage that?” I asked in shock.

She shrugged. “I told her the truth,” she said simply.

I stared at her in silence, hoping she’d continue. I was dying to know exactly what she’d said. It quickly became clear that she wasn’t going to say more, so I said, “We can talk more about this when we’re alone.”

She gave me a small nod. “Have you called the team yet?” she asked softly. 

I blushed. “I…well—I sorta forgot…”

“You forgot?” she asked with eyebrows raised. 

“I was a little busy,” I said, pointing at Brady.

She rolled her eyes. She didn’t say a word, just picked up her bedside phone and dialed a number she knew by heart. “Hey, Spence,” she said softly when it was answered. 

I couldn’t hear his response, but I could imagine he was overjoyed.

She laughed lightly. “I feel fine, Derek, relax. Hey, Em!” she paused. “Yes, I’ll bring Hotch with me.” Pause. “Yeah, Dave. He’s right here.” She looked up at me with a small smile on her face. “He is a good man, I know. I’m very lucky.”

I felt warm inside as I listened to her half of the conversation. I was dying to get home and I was so glad she was coming with me. The conversation continued for a little while and I sat patiently, waiting for the team to stop throwing questions at her. 

I knew how much she loved them, and how much they loved her. They were all so worried, but instead of calling them the minute she woke up, I went after Brady. I felt slightly ashamed, but I still think it was the right call. 

I glanced over at Brady, taking note of his expression. He was watching Isabelle with a look I knew very well. I’d seen hundreds of male unsubs stare at her with the same kind of hunger that I saw on his face in that moment. The very thought of him touching her made me want to punch him in the face. 

Instead, I ignored his expression and focused on Isabelle. Even covered in bruises, healing cuts, and bandages, she was still incredibly beautiful. So much so, it was almost painful to look at her. I loved her more than I ever thought possible…and somehow she’d managed to convince Strauss that we could be together without jeopardizing the team. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what she’d said to her…

My phone started to ring and I glanced at the caller ID, but didn’t recognize the number. “Hotchner.” 

“Agent Hotchner, this is Agent Collins. I’m on my way to pick up your suspect. Where should I meet you?” 

“I’m at Truman Memorial Hospital.”

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. So’s he, unfortunately. ETA?”

He chuckled. “About 20 minutes.”

“Perfect. See you then.”

I hung up and looked over at Isabelle who was still on the phone. The team must be in-between cases or she never would have let them talk so long.

My phone rang again.

“Mr. Popular,” Brady muttered. 

My trademarked glare silenced him and I looked at the small screen, a number I recognized flashing across it. 

“Hotchner.” It was my customary greeting and I wasn’t going to change it, even for her. 

“Aaron, it’s Strauss.”

“Ma’am,” I replied.

“Have you spoken to Isabelle?” Straight to the point…not that I was surprised. 

“Briefly. She said that she’d gotten your permission to pursue a relationship.” 

“Indeed. As long as certain rules are followed and expectations met.”

“Of course. I do have to wonder though, how did she convince you?”

“She’s a very determined woman and she cares very deeply for you and for her team. I have to respect that. As for specifics, well, you’ll just have to ask her.”

“I will,” I said earnestly. Strauss sounded like she really did respect Isabelle…and that was saying something. The two of them often butted heads and there had been quite a few heated arguments broken up by me or Rossi.

“Good. Now, when are the two of you returning?”

“I’ll have to talk to her doctor. We’ll travel as soon as she’s cleared to.”

“Drive if you have to, Aaron. I’d like you back at work and apparently that’s only going to happen if Isabelle is in a hospital close-by.”

“You’re correct. I’ll get us back as soon as possible. You have my word.” 

“Good. I’ll update the director on her status. Talk soon.” She hung up without waiting for a reply. 

I shook my head. That woman really was a lot to handle. 

Isabelle seemed to be finishing up her call with the team. I smiled at her as she told them how much she loved them and promised to be home soon.

“You know she’ll never stay with someone like you,” Brady said softly beside me.

I turned to him in surprise. “Excuse me?”

He nodded towards Isabelle. “She’s not the kind of woman that would settle for the kind of life you would give her. She’s fire…and you’re water.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I growled angrily.

“It means that eventually she’ll leave you. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next year…but she will leave.” 

“How would you know what she wants or what she’ll do?”

He smiled mirthlessly. “Because I know women like her…and I know men like you. You’re damaged goods Agent Hotchner, and sooner or later, she’ll tire of trying to fix you.”

His words slammed into me like a baseball bat. It hit me repeatedly as the realization that he could be right dawned on me. My heart clenched and I dared to glance at Isabelle. She was looking at me with concern clear on her pretty features. I doubted she had overheard the exchange, but that didn’t stop her from reading my body language. She was a profiler after all.

She beckoned me to her and I reluctantly got up and went to her side. She took my hand and squeezed it. I squeezed hers back, a little harder than I’d intended to.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly.

I smiled tightly. “Of course.”

“Are you sure? You look a bit…tense.”

I laughed and it sounded fake, even to me. “I’m always tense.”

“No…not with me.” She paused. “You hide your feelings, you pretend to be fine, you act stoic…but that’s with other people. You don’t have to wear your mask with me, Aaron. No matter what you share with me, I’ll always care. I love the man beneath the mask. Nothing will ever change that.”

The fierceness in her voice took me by surprise. Hell, 90% of what she did surprised me. I started to respond, maybe even tell her what Brady had said, but I was interrupted before I could. 

“Mr. Hotchner?”  A nurse asked from the doorway. “There’s an FBI agent asking for you.”

I sighed quietly. “Tell him I’ll be right out.”

The nursed nodded and hurried off.

I turned to Brady, but Isabelle’s hand on my arm stopped me. I turned to look at her again. 

“This conversation is far from over,” she said pointedly.

I simply nodded because I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t want to show weakness or vulnerability in front of Brady, so I stood up straight and donned my armor once more. 

“Come on, Brady. Time to meet your new best friend.”

“Aw, I thought we were best friends!” I could hear the sarcasm in his voice, but I chose to ignore him. Instead, I grabbed his arm and led him out of the room.

A tall man in a navy blue suit walked towards me and introduced himself as Agent Collins. I shook his hand and pointed to my prisoner. “Agent Collins, meet Detective Shawn Brady.”

Agent Collins raised his eyebrows. “Detective?”

“Former detective, now disgraced,” I corrected myself.

Collins nodded. “We don’t take too kindly to anyone coming after one of our own…being in law enforcement makes it so much worse. Hope you’re ready to be locked up for the rest of your life, asshole.”

Brady didn’t say a word, but I could see a twinge of fear behind his defiant stare. It brought me a small amount of pleasure and I handed him over to Agent Collins happily. I waved goodbye as Collins and Brady headed for the exit. 

“Good riddance,” I mumbled under my breath.

I turned and walked back to Isabelle’s room. She looked up at me when I entered. “He’s gone?”

I nodded.

“Good.” She patted the bed beside her. “Come sit with me so we can talk. And close the door.”

I did as she asked and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Talk to me, Aaron.”

I ran my fingers through my hair. “About what? I’m fine, Iz.”

“Don’t offend me by lying to me.”

My eyes widened in surprise. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt or upset her. I sighed and took a deep breath. “It’s just…something Brady said got me thinking.”

“Why in the world would you listen to anything that man had to say?”

“Because he was right—at least about this.”

She didn’t look convinced, but she remained silent and waited for me to continue. 

“He pointed out how incredibly different you and I are. But that’s not really what got me thinking. He said that I was damaged goods and that you would get tired of trying to fix me. He’s right—I am damaged. And you deserve better—”

“I’m gonna stop you right there,” she said harshly. “Now you listen to me, Aaron Hotchner, and you listen good because I’m only going to say this once. You are not damaged. Life has thrown incredible obstacles your way and you’ve experienced pain and loss than most people would be able to handle, but you’ve overcome it. You don’t let the past define you. You’re the kindest, bravest soul I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. You save lives for a living, Aaron. You’ve dedicated your life to helping others, in spite of what’s happened to you. You never give up, ever. You inspire me.” She paused, slightly out of breath. “You wanna know what I told Strauss?”

I nodded, too stunned to speak.

“I told her that I’ve spent the last 3 years of my life completely head-over-heels in love with a man I thought I could never have. I told her I would never do anything to jeopardize the safety of my team—my family. I would die for any one of you without a second thought. Aaron, you’re the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I love you with all my heart and soul…and that kind of love will never break.” She paused. “That’s what I told Strauss. That’s what changed her mind. So don’t you for one second think that I will ever walk away.”

I sat in silence, trying to wrap my brain around her words. What had I ever done to deserve her—let alone her love? 

I must have been quiet for too long because she spoke very softly, “Please say something.”

I looked into her eyes. “Three years?” I asked softly. It was all I could think to say.

She nodded.

“I didn’t know—I never thought—I always assumed you would never love someone like me.”

“How could I not?”

I was certain the surprise showed on my face. “What did I do to deserve you?” I whispered my earlier thought aloud.

Isabelle smiled at me. “It’s not about deserve, Aaron. I met you and I knew immediately that you weren’t like other people. Now here we are, years later, my heart is filled with love for this amazing man. Please don’t make me try to convince you that you’re worth it. You’re the most important thing in my life.” 

I smiled warmly and she smiled back. “I love you so much, Isabelle Heywood…I always will.”

“I love you too, Aaron Hotchner. Nothing is going to change that.” 

I leaned down and kissed her gently, careful not to hurt her. It dawned on me that we hadn’t really talked about what happened, but I didn’t want to think about all of that right now. I wanted to focus on the future—our future. 

~Your POV~

You smiled at him warmly when your lips separated. His eyes were filled with affection and it made your heart flutter. His dark hair was messy and he looked tired, but he was still the sexiest man you’d ever laid eyes on. 

Your eyes slowly wandered over his face and down his body, then back up again. You could see the lean muscles through his shirt and you felt the strong urge to place your hands under his shirt to feel the strong, smooth muscles of his abdomen and chest. 

You felt a warm, tingling sensation throughout your body and he seemed to sense your desire. You saw him tense up and when you looked up at him, you saw the heat in his eyes. You smiled flirtatiously and gave him a little wink. You were too weak to do much of anything else, but he didn’t seem to mind. 

“Later, I promise,” you murmured. 

He shook his head. “I can wait forever if I have to, Izzy. As long as you’re with me.”

You smiled. “I won’t make you wait forever. You might be able to handle it, but I think I would die.”

Surprise lit up his handsome face. “Really?”

“I’ve spent the past 3 years pretending I didn’t have feelings for you. I’ve had to keep my thoughts and my hands to myself for a long time. I think I can hold on a little while longer.”

He smiled and gently caressed your face. “You’re so incredibly beautiful.”

You closed your eyes and leaned into his hand. “I probably look like hell right now, judging by the way I feel.”

He shook his head. “You’re perfect.”

Your eyes widened slightly. 

“I’m serious,” he insisted. “Absolutely perfect.”

You gave him a small smile, but you didn’t say anything. You could feel the medication wearing off and the pain had been slowly intensifying. You tried not to react…you didn’t want this moment to end. 

“I can’t wait to tell Jack,” he said with a smile.

Your eyes lit up. “Jack! Oh, I miss him.” You paused. “I—I hope he’s okay with this.”

He grabbed your hand. “He adores you, Isabelle. I have no doubt he’ll be thrilled.”

You nodded. “I hope so. I just don’t want him to feel like I’m trying to replace his mother.”

Aaron shook his head. “Jack and I both know you would never try to do that, Iz.” He paused. “But since you are the closest thing he’s had to a mother since Haley died. Don’t ever feel like you’re not good at it. He’s a lucky boy and I’m an extraordinarily lucky man.” 

Your heart warmed at his words. You felt tears pressing on the backs of your eyes, so you joked to lighten the mood. “You certainly won’t feel so lucky when he’s a teenager,” you said lightly. 

Aaron laughed. “Thank god we have a while before that particular nightmare.” He gazed at you affectionately. “You’ll be an amazing mother.” This time, you couldn’t stop the tears. Aaron gently wiped them away with his thumb. “What’s wrong?”

You shook your head, smiling softly. “Nothing—I’ve just never been this happy.”

He grinned and leaned in to kiss you. When he pulled back, he bumped into your side and you winced slightly. Unfortunately, Aaron noticed and immediately examined you with a worried expression. “Are you in pain?”

“No, I’m alright,” you lied.

He narrowed his eyes. “You winced.”

You tried to move your arm to wave him off, but pain shot up your arm and you groaned involuntarily. 

“Alright, that’s it. You need pain medication,” he said as he reached for your call button. 

You tried to stop him, but you were too weak and in too much pain. 

The nurse came in and Aaron told her that you were in pain. She came over to you and gave you a shot of morphine in spite of your protests.

“There’s no need to suffer,” she said gently.

“But it makes me so tired,” you said sleepily. The morphine’s effect was almost instantaneous.

“Good,” the nurse replied. “You need your rest.”

Aaron thanked her and she left the room. You reached for his hand and he wrapped yours in his. 

“Don’t leave me,” you murmured.

“I’ll never leave you,” he whispered as he leaned down to kiss your hand.

You drifted off to sleep with his words ringing happily in your head. 

**********

Unfortunately, the happy feeling didn’t last long. The moment you fell asleep, you fell into a nightmare. Maybe ‘memory’ was a better term for it. 

You were lying on the floor, face down, and you heard movement above you. You couldn’t see anything and you had no idea where you were. It didn’t take long for you to realize you were naked. You tried to move, but your arms were restrained above your head. 

Fear gripped you and you heard a male voice right behind you. “You’re so soft, Isabelle.” 

The man’s hands slid down your back and you tensed. His breathing was heavy and you could feel his body pressed up against your own. You struggled and he laughed loudly. “It’s futile, Isabelle. You can’t escape me.”

With a grunt, then man plunged his erection inside of you and you cried out in pain. He continued thrusting, ignoring your pleas and your tears. Each thrust was more painful than the last, your blood the only lubrication he had. 

Finally the man stopped and you silently thanked God for the reprieve…

You awoke to find yourself strapped to a cold metal table. You were still naked, but you were in a lot more pain than you were before. You looked down at your body and you saw cuts on various parts of your body. You couldn’t remember how you got them or how you ended up here. 

You heard someone enter the room, but you couldn’t see anyone. Then a man spoke, “Isabelle…don’t you just look delicious?”

You shivered involuntarily and he moved into your field of vision. Surprise lit up your face as he came into focus. He was holding a knife and smiling at you. Your breath caught in your chest as you gasped, “Aaron?”

He smiled wider. “We’re going to have fun, you and I,” he said as cut into your thigh and you screamed in agony.

**********

You jolted awake, heart racing, breathing ragged. Aaron’s face was hovering over yours, concern covering his handsome features. A moment of fear gripped you and you flinched away from him before reality settled in and you realized it had been a dream. This was your Aaron, not the one from the nightmare.

“Aaron,” you gasped as you grabbed his arm.

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly, brushing the hair away from your sweaty forehead.

“It was just a bad dream.”

His brow furrowed and his eyes traveled over your face. “Flashbacks?”

You closed your eyes and wished that for just one moment he couldn’t read you like a book. You sighed and looked up at him. “Worse. It was a flashback, but Jacobs wasn’t the one hurting me.”

“Who was?”

You shook your head. He didn’t need to know what you saw. “It doesn’t matter. I’m fine.”

“Izzy,” he said firmly. “You need to let it out.”

“Aaron, you don’t want to know.”

He gave you his patented glare. “Yes, I do.”

You sighed again. He was the most stubborn person you knew and it was making you crazy. So against your better judgment, you gave in to him. “You,” you whispered. “I saw you.”

His face turned white and he stepped back. “I would never hurt you.”

You reached for him and took his hand. “I know that. That’s why I said it doesn’t matter. It was a dream—it has no meaning.”

“Dreams sometimes have meaning, Isabelle. You know that. Maybe you’re subconsciously afraid of me—”

“Let me stop you right there, Dr. Freud. I’m not afraid of you, subconsciously or otherwise. Afraid of losingyou, yes, but afraid of you? Never.”

He smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m overthinking this, aren’t I?”

You smiled back. “That’s sort of what you do.”

He laughed and it warmed your heart. “It’s just so new…I don’t want to mess it up.”

“So don’t,” you said simply. “Just be yourself…I already love that man, so you have nothing to worry about.”

He smiled. “I’ll do my best. I promise.”

“That’s all anyone can ask.” You paused. “Now how about you go find my doctor so we can see when I can go home, okay?”

He stood up. “With pleasure.” He leaned down and kissed your forehead.

You smiled up at him and he left to find the doctor. 

#aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner #hotch x reader #criminal minds fic #i can't live without you series

[calliesmemes]

THE PAST ON STAGE IN SCRIPT AND SONG

A COMPILATION OF LYRICS AND QUOTATIONS FROM VARIOUS STAGE PRODUCTIONS WITH HISTORICAL SETTINGS OR STORYLINES.

CHANGE gendered words and in-universe phrases as needed.

SPECIFY muse for multimuses.

I. HAMILTON

“   He looked at me like I was stupid, I’m not stupid.   ”

“   Talk less; smile more.   ”

“   If you stand for nothing, what will you fall for?   ”

“   I imagine death so much it feels just like a memory.   ”

“   I will lay down my life if it sets us free.   ”

“   You want a revolution? I want a revelation.   ”

“   Chaos and bloodshed are not a solution.   ”

“   It’s hard to listen to you with a straight face.   ”

“   You’ll remember you belong to me.   ”

“   When push comes to shove, I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love.   ”

“   Have I done something wrong?   ”

“   Dying is easy; living is harder.   ”

“   But what do we have in common?   ”

“   I’m about to change your life.   ”

“   I will never understand you.   ”

“   Don’t do a thing. History will prove him wrong.   ”

“   I can’t disobey direct orders.   ”

“   History has its eyes on you.   ”

“   Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?   ”

“   They are asking me to lead. I am doing the best I can.   ”

“   I’ve nowhere else to turn.   ”

“   Turn around, bend over; I’ll show you where my shoe fits!   ”

“   Every action has an equal opposite reaction.   ”

“   Try not to crack under the stress.   ”

“   This prick is asking for someone to bring him to task!   ”

“   See how he lies?   ”

“   You can finally speak your mind!   ”

“   They will tear him into pieces!   ”

“   As long as he can hold a pen, he’s a threat.   ”

“   This is the only way I can protect my legacy.   ”

“   That’s one less thing to worry about.   ”

“   I came as soon as I heard.   ”

“   I will choose her happiness over mine every time.   ”

“   Be careful with that one; he will do what it takes to survive.   ”

“   I’m erasing myself from the narrative.   ”

“   You forfeit all rights to my heart.   ”

“   I hope that you burn.   ”

“   This man has poisoned my political pursuits!   ”

“   Your last chance to negotiate.   ”

“   It's him or me, the world will never be the same.   ”

“   This man will not make an orphan of my daughter!   ”

“   Legacy, what is a legacy?   ”

“   Teach me how to say goodbye.   ”

“   History obliterates, in every picture it paints.   ”

“   I survived, but I paid for it.   ”

“   You have no control over who lives, who dies, who tells your story.   ”

“   Can I show you what I’m proudest of?   ”

“   Oh, I can’t wait to see you again.   ”

II. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

“   Please promise me you’ll try.   ”

“   Where in the world have you been hiding?   ”

“   You did well. He will be pleased.   ”

“   It frightens me.   ”

“   Don’t be frightened.   ”

“   Insolent boy!   ”

“   My power over you grows stronger yet.   ”

“   Now you cannot ever be free!   ”

“   So, it is to be war between us!   ”

“   We'll be safe there.   ”

“   I can't escape from him . . . I never will . . .   ”

“   Don't take me back there!   ”

“   All I want is freedom.   ”

“   I'm here, nothing can harm you.   ”

“   You’re safe; no one will find you.   ”

“   Say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime.   ”

“   Anywhere you go, let me go too.   ”

“   I don’t want any part in this plot!   ”

“   If he finds me, it won’t ever end.   ”

“   Every hope and every prayer rests on you now.   ”

“   You've already succumbed to me.   ”

“   No second thoughts, you've decided.   ”

“   I had rather hoped that you would come.    ”

III. ANASTASIA

“   Wherever I go, you’ll always be with me. ”

“   Do you believe in fairytales? ”

“   It’s risky, but not more than usual. ”

“   I don’t know a thing before that. ”

“   You don’t know what it’s like not to know who you are. ”

“   I see flashes of fire, and hear the echoes of screams. ”

“   We’ve lots and lots to teach you, and the time is going fast. ”

“   Pull yourself together, and you’ll pull through it! ”

“   I don’t like being contradicted! ”

“   You have courage and strength you barely know. ”

“   They would kill you without hesitation. ”

“   Everyone imagines being someone else; I’m no different. ”

“   Be very careful what you say. ”

“   I heard the screams, but it’s the silence after that I remember most. ”

“   I believe he did a proud and vital task. ”

“   A revolution is a simple thing. ”

“   Your eyes. A man could look right into them. ”

“   Want to see what else I can do? ”

“   My father used to bring me here. ”

“   I’m not as strong as you think I am. ”

“   You were the only hope I had. ”

“   You’re the stubbornest person I’ve ever met! ”

“   Get a grip and take a deep breath. ”

“   We’ll be safe soon. ”

“   You put these ideas in my head. I’m beginning to think that they might be true. ”

“   You are all I know; you have raised me. ”

“   We’ll find them, never fear. ”

“   She’s nothing but a child. ”

“   I feel a strange connection I can’t allow. ”

“   I am nothing but a man, with nothing but his orders to fulfill. ”

“   Are you ready to be astonished? ”

“   If only I could lose hope entirely. ”

“   I won’t let you give up. ”

“   We are going to change history. ”

“   The voices keep coming back! ”

“   I began to wonder if you were ever going to pay me a compliment. ”

“   Do not come any closer! ”

“   I do not need reminding of what happened to my family! ”

“   I’m old and impatient. Kindness has become a luxury. ”

“   You’re clever. I’ll grant you that. ”

“   I have found solace in my bitterness. ”

“   Do you know what it means to lose everything? ”

“   It’s never too late to come home. ”

“   Do you think history wants you to have lived? ”

“   I am my father’s daughter. ”

“   I am my father’s son! ”

“   Be careful what a dream may bring! ”

IV. LES MISÉRABLES

“   I’ve done no wrong.   ”

“   You’re standing in your grave.   ”

“   They've all forgotten you.   ”

“   Your time is up.   ”

“   Do not forget my name.   ”

“   In their eyes I see their fear.   ”

“   Freedom is mine.   ”

“   You broke the law.   ”

“   Now every door is closed to me.   ”

“   What we have, we have to share   ”

“   Rest from pain, and rest from wrong.   ”

“   I commend you for your duty.   ”

“   My life was a war that could never be won.   ”

“   I feel my shame inside me like a knife   ”

“   Another story must begin.   ”

“   Cheer up dearie, show a happy face.   ”

“   I’ll kill you, you bastard.   ”

“   If I stay silent, I am damned.   ”

“   I swear to you, I will be there.   ”

“   Crying at all is not allowed.   ”

“   Like mother, like daughter.   ”

“   Please do not send me out there alone.   ”

“   I used to dream that I would meet a prince.   ”

“   There are treacherous people about.   ”

“   Don’t judge a girl on how she looks.   ”

“   The time is near.   ”

“   It is better than an opera!   ”

“   It is time for us all to decide who we are.   ”

“   Have you asked of yourself what’s the price you might pay?   ”

“   What was right seems wrong, and what was wrong seems right.   ”

“   Who cares about your lonely soul?   ”

“   How can I live when we are parted?   ”

“   My place is here, I fight with you!   ”

“   You're here, that's all I need to know   ”

“   Just hold me now, and let it be.   ”

“   Though we may not all survive here, there are things that never die.   ”

“   Come; time is running short.   ”

“   I am the law and the law is not mocked!   ”

“   Vengeance was his, and he gave me back my life.   ”

“   There is nothing on earth that we share.   ”

“   He gave me my life. He gave me freedom.   ”

“   I should have perished by his hand.   ”

“   Must I now begin to doubt what never doubted all those years?   ”

“   My heart is stone and still it trembles.   ”

V. 1776

“   There you are!   ”

“   What in the hell are you all waiting for?   ”

“   Oh, good god.   ”

“   I’ve had enough of you!   ”

“   Can’t we compromise here?   ”

“   Will someone shut that man up?   ”

“   It’s all quite simple, really.   ”

“   Have you done as I asked?   ”

“   I’m afraid we have a more urgent problem.   ”

“   Damn it; this is no time for playing games!   ”

“   Why don’t you give it up? Nobody listens to you.   ”

“   You’re obnoxious and disliked.   ”

“   What new intrigue are you cooking up?   ”

“   That was the most revolting display I have ever witnessed.   ”

“   It’s traditional. Even more, it is historical.   ”

“   I wonder if I might speak to you for a moment in private.   ”

“   How can anyone see you if you insist in standing in his shadow?   ”

“   Your voice is hurting my foot.   ”

“   What are you staring at? Haven’t you ever seen a great man before?   ”

“   I’m not certain whether representing the people means relying on their judgement or on my own.   ”

“   There’s a question I’ve been fairly itching to ask you.   ”

“   I’ve never seen, heard, nor smelled an issue that was so dangerous it couldn’t be talked about.   ”

“   You are merely an agitator, disturbing the peace, creating disorder, endangering the public welfare!   ”

“   Don’t let him deceive you!   ”

“   Why the long face?   ”

“   I have objections — I have lots of objections!   ”

“   What is all that racket?   ”

“   Do you mean to say that it is not yet finished?   ”

“   I’ve forgotten the feel of your hand.    ”

“   I am, as I ever was and ever shall be, yours.   ”

“   Excuse me, madam, but we met last evening.   ”

“   I won’t appear in the history books anyway.   ”

“   All right, enough socializing. There’s work to be done.   ”

“   When they hang you, perhaps you’ll put in a good word for the rest of us?   ”

“   If I thought that we could win this war, I’d be at the front of your ranks.   ”

“   What we do we do rationally.   ”

“   Why begin, until we know that we can win?   ”

“   If we cannot win, why bother to begin?   ”

“   Most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor.    ”

“   You’ll give yourself an attack of apoplexy if you’re not careful!   ”

“   This is a revolution, damn it! We’re going to have to offend somebody!   ”

#askbox meme #askbox prompt #rp ask meme #roleplay sentence meme #ask box #sentence starters #roleplay prompts #roleplay sentence starters #* sentence meme #musical rp #historical rp #broadway rp