Fortunate Misfortune (D.M X Reader) |Series Master List

TXT

All Members:

Headcannon #1: Being Goth has always forced you to be seen as an outcast, but could that change with the right person?

(Romance/Fluff)

Headcannon #2: Things have always been rough for you with having to hide your identity. But what will your boyfriend say when he finds out you're trans?

(Romance/Slight Angst/Fluff)

Headcannon #3: Vampires aren't real and there's not a chance that the hot guy you met yesterday could be one. Or is there?

(Romance/Crack/Halloween)

Headcannon #4: Dates don't always have to be traditional....do they? Sometimes mishaps make more fun!

(Romance/Fluff/Crack)

Kang Taehyun:

"Can We Enjoy Our Nuggets Without the Threat of Death in the Background?": You and Taehyun fight to the death for dinosaur chicken nuggets.

(Romance/Fluff/Crack)

Announcement for my Lovely Panko Shrimps!

TOMORROW. 10:00am. BULLET TRAIN FANFICTION. PART ONE.

💛🦐

he is such a tease!

💛💛💛💛

brad pitt fic recs

~~~

personal faves - 🗽

thats^^ more of a personal indictor for me <3 i love all these fics SO much

~~~

darling brad

bike rides and cigarettes by @hobisfavoritespritecan 🗽

see you later by @all-lit-up 🗽

what it would be like dating brad pitt by @all-lit-up

cliff booth

you're safe here by @tiredbeebo 🗽

dating cliff would include... by @fangirl-imagines

the stuntman and the singer by @companionjones

blueberries and cigarettes by @hobisfavoritespritecan

following all by @darling-i-read-it

sleep

scars 🗽

aldo "the apache" raine

thank you by @motelgirl 🗽

confident by @michelle-is-writing

distance by @mlmxreader 🗽

gift by @mlmxreader 🗽

worried fates by @darling-i-read-it 🗽

warm enough by @michelle-is-writing

following all by @sergeant-donny-donowitz

hey lover

goodnight 🗽

tristan ludlow

creek getaway by @darling-i-read-it 🗽

braided flowers by @darling-i-read-it

joe black

coffee pot by @darling-i-read-it 🗽

enchanted by @darling-i-read-it

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

Shoot your shot babe

*In the upside down*

Eddie: So uh, if we survive this, do you maybe wanna- idk-see a movie or something?

Y/N: Are you really asking me out rn?!

Eddie: W-Well I just thought with the VERY possible chance of sudden HORRIFIC DEATH, yeah, I’ll shoot my shot.

Eddie:

Y/N:

Y/N (blushing): Pick me up at 7.

Eddie (ecstatic): *throws fists in the air*

Steve: W-What the hell is happening?!

Robin: Teenage Romance.

Hannibal

Macabre:

A referral to a new psychiatrist was supposed to be the worst thing you could think of. However, your new therapist is kinda hot.

Macabre (Part Two)

(Romance/Horror)

Close Call:

Dr. Chilton gets a little too close to Hannibal's wife; all the more reason to show the two of you who you really belong to.

(Romance /Horror)

Nigel Banyai X Will Graham:

DOGSDOGS: Will is called to Bucharest for an investigation following the aftereffects of Hannibal's death. Nigel wants to ensure his and Darko's safety and remain outside the eye of the FBI.

In progress!

(Angst/Fluff/Horror)

💛💛💛💛💛💛

Other’s works Part 2

Series

Out of the Woods Series by @bsxcrxts

Strange Series by @damn-stark

New Journey Series by @suckerfordylansstuff

Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy Series (in progress) by @orangevtae

Sorry, Not Sorry Series by @mackenzie-is-loading

Baby Brother Bear Series by @moonlit-imagines

Part One , Part Two , Part Three

Sunday, Bloody Sunday Series by @tiredbeebo

One-shots

Stay Up Late by @allaboardthereadingrailroad

Princess of the Night by @beautyandthenovels

Perv by @cowteapot

If I Only Could by @crazyk-imagine

Road Trip Relief by @eddiemunsons-girl

Peanut Butter Death Wish by @hobisfavoritespritecan

New Me by @kadorawrites

Funeral Grey by @kerstynn

Protect You by @kinghairington

talking in your sleep by @kiwicider

A Little Bit Closer by @ladylannisterxo

Saviour by @magicalxdaydream

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE by @marleyin

whiz in the kitchen by @maxmybeloved

The Night We Met - Lord Huron by @neptuneslanding

dark waters by @onceuponastory

back aches , part 2 by @peterparkergirlfriend1

Stay Alive by @river-fics

love bites by @robcharlieglenn

Wipeout by @robinsgfs

Elegia by @sattlersquarry

baby names by @scoopsahoy

Dangerous Waters by @songbirdsingingthings

don't you (forget about me) by @starberryes

The Dad I Never Had by @st-fandom-imagines

Slick Like Summer by @upsidedownwithsteve

Movie Club by @yesimwriting

Adventures In Babysitting (500+ Follower Special) by @zodiyack

Atonement

SEO MOON-JO X READER

When the world falls apart, you have him by your side, loving and caring for you every step of the way. Accidentally stumbling upon his most sinful line of work, you wonder how much you really know about the dentist you fell in love with.

The cold and dreary night sky looked overhead and the moon cast a shimmery glow onto the pavement in front of Eden Residence. The flowerbeds that seemed to be teeming with life at one point in time were now filled with weeds and miscellaneous cans and bottles. The sidewalk was perfect on the way up to the residence, however as soon as you stepped foot in the vicinity of your new boyfriend's place, you noticed how broken and jagged the cement was. Overall, you had expected a bit more from the dentist, but you weren't going to be the one to judge. Moon-jo wasn't close to anyone really, so when he'd offered to take you on a date the first couple of times, you were excited and surprised to say the least. You knew he had secrets (everyone does), but little did you know the secret he kept from the world.

Smiling, you see the familiar figure standing outside the entryway, smoking a cigarette. Moon-jo was wearing a black turtleneck and grey dress pants with a black leather jacket on top. His hair had been gelled down previously to his arrival but was now strewn about his face and ears; it was disheveled in the "I may have just got out of bed but I'm still sexy" type look. He had a piercing in one ear that was just barely visible from his curly black locks of hair and upon seeing your face, his expression changed from daunting to pleasant. Even his demeanor changed as he stood up just a bit straighter and positioned his hands behind his back, a stance that you were familiar with when he welcomed you to the clinic.

"Why hello there." You said with a knowing glance, making it obvious that you were checking him out. He didn't seem to mind though, in fact, he looked expectant of it. His eyes shifted downwards from yours to your lips and then to your outfit, never staying in one place for too long. How he was so good at undressing you with his eyes, you didn't know. All you knew was that you wanted him to do it again and again.

"Hello." He said in his soft deep voice. He smelled of Dolce and Gabbana or something similar in exquisiteness, with a faint familiar touch of... bleach?

"You look sexy as hell." You said, just itching to voice what was on your mind. It wasn't fair for him to be so taunting with his angled features and impeccable style.

"Wow. I thought I would've had to put in a bit more effort before you offered to sleep with me." He laughed and snaked an arm around your waist, leading you up the stairs. You smiled up at him and wondered how you found such a godlike person. From the way he walked to the way he acted, everything seemed so meticulous and beautiful, almost as if he was never truly from this realm. You were in awe of Moon-jo in every way, and you scared yourself with the thoughts of what you would let him do to you...

Up at the landing, he removed his arm from your body and pushed open the door to reveal the apartments on the floor which he resided. It was dark and dreary and had the faintest smell of mold and cleaning chemicals; you wondered if that's where you picked up the bleach smell from. The walls were a dark green which made it even darker and the walls were so close together that it felt suffocating trying to navigate your way around the building. There was not a decoration in sight, not a plant, not any of the other tenets. The silence was so deafening that your ears started to ring.

Opening up the door to his room, Moon-jo looked on the shelf above him for the car keys he needed to take the two of you on a proper date. He had offered to give you a ride to the new restaurant that had just opened, and you agreed even when he said you two would need to stop at his place for the keys.

"Where are they.....?" He asked himself as he shuffled about the shelves, looking for the familiar shape of the keys. You started to feel somewhat sick the longer you stayed in the building, the walls and the lighting started to take a toll on you. It was disorienting and uncomfortable and for a moment you thought back to the possibility of parallel universe liminal spaces, since the place reminded you of it so much. Clutching your purse closer to your body, you hold the cool chain around your neck to get some feeling back into your nerves.

"Hey, baby are you okay?" You hear him ask on the opposite end of the room.

"Yeah, yeah. I just need some air." You lied, trying to look at the floor to appease your stomach. Your shoes even felt tight.

"You can go wait for me in the kitchen, if you'd like. It's a bit more open in there. Down the hall to the left." He said, shrugging his shoulders and continuing to look through the cabinets. How he lost something in such a small place, you had no idea. But, you took him up on the offer of leaving the room and you made your way to the brightest but dreariest kitchen you've ever seen in your life. The wallpaper was ripping off the walls and dishes were piled into the sink as if their intended use were to sit and collect dust. Sitting down on one of the dining chairs, you place your head in your hands and take deep breaths as you try to steady yourself. What was wrong with you? Why did you feel so sick all of a sudden?

"I think I might've left them on the fourth floor." You heard the familiar voice resounding from behind you. Moon-jo knelt down beside you, placing his hands onto yours and removing them from your face. His expression was one of genuine worry and you felt bad for him for having to deal with you when you were like this. He offered you a slight smile as he tried to read your expression; his fingers brushing away at the hair that had fallen into your face. "Are you alright?"

"I guess I'm just claustrophobic or something. I'm sorry, I'm not usually like this it's just that this place-"

"-Feels like a cage." He said, completing your sentence. His gaze turned into a dark one but you had no idea why he was so bothered by the thought. It was reassuring to hear that he felt the same way about Eden Residence that you did.

"Yeah," you said, "something like that."

...

Walking up towards the fourth floor, you were relieved to catch your breath and to breathe in the night sky. The ascent to the floor above meant climbing one flight of stairs and trying not to step on any broken glass. This place that Moon-jo lived in made you nervous for him as it didn't seem all that safe. You wondered if the rest of the tenets were a bit strange.

The big heavy door to the women's area of the building looked even older than everything else. There were charred marks on the door (you didn't know what from) and the way it was tucked neatly into the corner all by itself shrouded it in an eerie darkness. The sign was chipping away and soon enough any evidence of there ever being any humanity living behind the door would be gone forever, like dust in the wind.

"Why were you on the women's floor?" You asked, slightly accusatory. You and Moon-jo had only been together for two weeks, but you still felt hurt to know that he could be around other people that sparked his interest.

"I was working." He said, revealing a hallway even darker than the one from downstairs. "I have a side hustle of..... sorts."

Walking into the room, the sensation of being trapped filled your senses once again. The walls had the same charred marks as the doorway and the floor was scuffed and dirty. "What happened in here?" You asked, noticing how it looked as though someone had set the place aflame.

"It burned down shortly after Eden Residence was built," Moon-jo held your hand, walking towards the end of the hallway slowly, "Everyone died except for the old lady's cat. Sometimes you can still hear it up here, moving about and scratching the walls."

The hallway ended and the two of you were in a room so isolated from the rest of the building that you felt a knot in your stomach. This was the type of nerve-wracking that people on Criminal Minds talk about before they're brutally murdered, and you finally understood now why Moon-jo had insisted that you stop at the Residence to grab his car keys. He was trying to get you alone and vulnerable and you didn't think it was for sexual related reasons.

You slowly stepped back from the middle of the room as Moon-jo grabbed something off one of the wooden planks on the floor. "Here they are. Would you look at that?" He said, turning to you with a wicked malicious grin. In his hands were the keys, pristine and clean as he liked the rest of his belongings. That's what drew him into you, the fact that you seemed so pure and innocent. Something he could make an absolute mess of. Dirty hands on a white towel. Satan holding a sacred dove. You were his most precious belonging.

"Moon-jo? I think I'm going to call it a night. I'm still not feeling all that well." You let out a slight whimper, trying to feel around for the door you just came through. Instead, your back hit the wall and you were met with Moon-jo's face just inches from your own. He wrapped his arms around you and forced you into his embrace, not caring whether or not you wanted to be touched at the moment. The truth was going to come out tonight and he knew you would take it well. You would have to take it well. And if you didn't, he would make sure you felt too threatened to leave him either way.

"You're not going anywhere, love." He pushed his nose into the crook of your neck and allowed for his face to rest there, listening to the rapid pace of your heartbeat and taking in the scent of your perfume. It was intoxicating to him knowing that your life belonged to him and he could end it at any moment. He could, but he wouldn't. He wouldn't ever lay a finger on you in the way he killed so many others. You were different. You spoke to his soul and made him feel something after years of searching for something to fill the empty space within his chest.

Your entire body froze as Moon-jo held you there, calmly breathing into your skin. You wanted to run away but you had no idea how you would be able to leave without him following you. He knew where you lived and you worked within the same office. Rejecting Moon-jo would be impossible.

Finally, he turned to look at you as he continued to hold you close to his chest. "I'm a killer, (Y/N). You were going to be my next target but I think I accidentally fell in love with you."

Your heart plummeted to your stomach. There's no way he was telling you the truth. This had to have been a lie, the antisocial doctor whom you had gotten to know was quiet and poised. A killer wasn't even an option in your mind as to what he could've occupied himself with outside of his work. And that's when it hit you: the dead bodies that had been found all over Gyeonggi-do with missing teeth.

To confirm your suspicion, you noticed a dentist's chair in the corner of the room, the white upholstery now stained with colors you did not want to familiarize yourself with. Next to it laid a table with various tools, all clean and polished.

"I kill them. And then I eat them after I take their teeth."

That's when you fainted.

...

Waking up in Moon-jo's room, you look up at the ceiling overhead. It was cracked and crumbling and visibly painted over layers and layers of ruin. The window closest to the top of the room let in just enough light that you were able to barely make out your surroundings...and the person who shared the bed with you.

Moon-jo looked so innocent while he slept. His head was resting on the bed (he had given you his pillow) and his hair was a mess as he nuzzled deeper into the sheets. His arms were around you still and you noticed how hard it was for you to move in his intense grasp. His face was completely calm and his skin glowed in the soft light above. You didn't know when you had passed out or how you had gotten into his bed, but you assumed he had taken you here after your vision went blurry. In other circumstances, you would have found him to be cute in the position he was in, but instead your stomach was filled with worry. What did he mean by killing? Why was he sparing you? What did he mean by loving you?

Even with the nervousness bubbling up inside of you, you still found yourself glued to your spot, not even because Moon-jo was holding onto you so tightly. You knew that you wouldn't have left even if he allowed it, so instead you nuzzled up closer to his chest which awoke him softly.

"You're awake?" He asked in a deep soft voice, holding you even tighter in case you decided to make a run for it. He seemed confused as to why you were still okay with being near him and why you hadn't tried to escape while he was vulnerable.

"Yeah." You said after a moment of silence.

Moon-jo noticed your slight distress and watched you conflict in your head the possibilities of loving him and leaving him. He watched your eyes and saw behind them that you were trying to keep your morals, noticing it became harder and harder as you leaned into his touch, giving into him completely.

"(Y/N), because I love you, I'm letting you leave if you decide not to be here anymore." He felt his chest tighten as the words left his mouth, knowing that he was being entirely honest with you and dishonest with himself. He didn't want you to leave his arms.

"Moon-jo, I'm not going to leave you." You said, looking up at him from the pillow. He looked beautiful in the soft light.

"Why not?" He asked, certain that you were going to make a run for it.

"Because I think I love you too much to do that."

For The Glory of Rome

MARCUS ACACIUS X READER

You're finishing your senior year at Orpheus University when your history class is chosen to give an evaluation on one of the professors. Why does he feel so familiar?

⚠️ Past lives AU! Reader is Geta and Caracalla's sister! Reader is also 22 years old, Pedro is older. ⚠️

The mountains were just visible through the window you were sitting next to; their peaks reaching toward the sky above, almost as if in embrace. They were beautiful at this wintry time of year, with the snow cascading down their formations and painting them white. Bare trees that flanked them transformed into branches of green where the cold hadn't hit just yet- your eyes traveling further down the scene. It was that transitory period of the merging seasons, where autumn became winter and left everyone with an odd illness due to the changing weather patterns. Both snow and leaves were tracked inside the bustling classrooms that were alive with the excited chatter amongst the students. Everyone was excited for the upcoming break that would mark the end of the semester. For you, it would mean the midway point of your senior year at Orpheus.

You'd gone to Orpheus all three years of your college career so far, immediately entranced by the large stone pillared building it was. It was so different from your usual pace in the rainy countryside, with its suburban feel and authentic restaurants. It wasn't immediately that you felt the urge to explore the grand halls of the place and to make it your home, but that feeling came soon enough. One glance at the psychology department and a sip of coffee from the bistro down the road were enough to convince whatever part of you left unsure this would be the place. Even with how far you had to uproot yourself and make such a move, you'd made the connections you'd needed and the friends you'd always wanted.

Lee had sat himself next to you this morning with a coffee cup in hand and his phone in the other. He was addicted to that screen- any video that would appear around his recent interest in Danish pop music would be enough to send him down a spiral of excitement. The coffee, however, was for you.

"Morning!" He said, way too chipper for an 8:00am class. He usually went to Starbucks way too close to the time you were meant to be seated with only a minute left to spare. How he didn't have crippling anxiety around his time management, you'd never know. But he did bring you a drink.

"Hey, Lee." You said, with as much energy as you could muster at the moment given how tired you were. "Thanks for the coffee."

Lee threw his bag onto the ground under the long tables in the lecture hall. His spot had been on the other side of the room for the majority of the class as he'd argued he couldn't focus if seated next to you for laughter purposes. However, today he plopped himself down into the one next to you with his notebook open to the most recent material from last week. His hair was a mess as he'd most likely not had the time to brush it but at least his pants matched his shirt today.

"Yeah, 'course."

You took a sip of the drink, wincing slightly at the heat on your tongue. He'd remembered you liked your coffee black.

This morning, you had your history course which was conveniently in the building furthest from your shared apartment. Deciding the added three minutes to your walk would mean a warmer outfit for the day, you wore a white button down with fleece tights under your skirt. You had to substitute your usual leather jacket in favor for a heavier coat but still opted to wear the full face of makeup you had on every day. Eyeliner was your saving grace and you swore you'd never be caught outside without it on. You weren't much of a "girly girl," but that beauty product was the one exception.

Your shoes were still a little damp from the snow and the water had melted into the bottom of your bookbag, to your dismay. Your notebook was mostly fine except for the bottom edge, where the pen ink had run together, ruining your script.

"Did you hear about the evaluation today?" Lee asked, with his arm outstretched, offering you one of the Starbucks napkins to dry your notebook.

You hummed in a quizzing tone, signalling you didn't hear about it as you got to work cleaning up the mess before class started. There wasn't much you could do about the few pages that had been destroyed, but thankfully it wasn't the topic you needed at the moment.

"Well," Lee went on assuming you wanted him to continue, "Professor Klotsbach had to officially go on maternity leave so they're giving us someone else for the duration of this year. Apparently they're having this new guy come in today and we get to decide whether we like him or not." Lee said, rustling through his own belongings. "The history majors are saying this is the fifth one this semester."

"Oh? that'll be interesting. I didn't realize she was out already." You stated, throwing the napkins into your coat pocket. At least that meant this class would be easy today and you wouldn't have to worry too much about the notes. You took another sip of your coffee and turned your attention back to the large window to stare at the mountains again. The sun was really starting to come up now, which would hopefully make the walk home warmer. The sunlight shone over the leaves and made its way into the classroom, turning the wood paneling into that comforting auburn color you loved. Even with the weather outside, the inside felt like summer.

You directed your attention back to Lee, who was now back on his phone. You decided you weren't too tired for a conversation.

"I wonder why they're so particular about a professor for a general education course?" You asked, inquiring Lee as though he'd know the ins and outs of how the administration worked. Orpheus was always a semi-prestigious university; you wondered if they did so many evaluations for all the subjects.

"No idea," he said, taking a sip of his own drink, "I guess they wanted insight from other majors as well."

"Ah." You said, thankful that it would at least be some form of deviance from your usual schedule. After this, you and Lee had plans with the rest of your roommates to go to the bistro down the road so you considered today an easy one. A listening lecture followed by a sweet treat was a great morning.

As you were thinking of your plans, the door on the right side of the room finally opened, meaning the professor had officially walked in and class was about to start. Lee put his phone in his pocket although he didn't turn it off, so you assumed he was listening to music. You scavenged in your case for a pencil that wasn't broken and directed your focus to the front of the room, where the evaluated professor would begin.

Your breath hitched in your throat.

This man had to have been about ten years older than you but he was gorgeous. The brown in his eyes and his hair shone under the sun with such elegance; he appeared to be a painting. His brown leather jacket placed stylishly over his buttoned shirt- save for the two at the top- and his dress pants neatly drawn with a belt. An expensive one at that. He looked less like a professor and more like the cover of a teenage romance novel. Even his facial hair was properly trimmed and accentuated the angular curves of his face, which widened into a heartthrobbing smile.

"Hello, I'm Mr. Marcus." He said, turning around and writing it onto the chalkboard with whatever chalk was left in the tray from the class before. He then wiped his hands against each other and stood in front of the desk, leaning against it in an effortless grace as he stared at the class. His eyes scanned the room before they fell on you. It was only for a moment before he looked elsewhere, but you were starstruck and your stomach flipped.

Lee snickered quietly at the face you were making which took you out of your trance. "Dilf season, huh?"

Your cheeks were flushed and your whole body felt hot. It was unlike you to immediately be so caught off-guard. You shook it aside and attributed it to intimidation. That had to be it, you were just nervous of a new professor and at this guy's confident yet inviting demeanor.

"Shut up, Lee." You said with a small smile, so he'd know not to take offense although you were serious. You didn't want to draw any attention to your heart beating wildly in your chest.

As he continued talking, however, the burning in your abdomen only got stronger. There was something to this man, some sense of familiarity that struck you defenseless, although you were unsure as to why. You were certain you'd never seen the man before in your life, yet there was an undeniable pull that rendered you speechless for the rest of the class. He was wonderful at explaining everything in full detail and perfect when it came to answering questions. One thing was for certain though, and that was there'd be no way you could focus on any topic if Mr. Marcus was the professor. Despite how well he performed his job, you just couldn't concentrate. So, when the papers came around at the end of the class for the evaluation, you checked the box stating your disinterest in Mr. Marcus as your professor. How would you be expected to learn in a place where he was the teacher if you were so flustered? All you wanted to do was go home and decompress.

You submitted your paper to the front of the room, Lee in tow. You placed it face down on the desk even though the evaluations were anonymous; you felt awful for the decision you made. How was it fair for him to do everything perfectly and to not be granted the occupation?

As you were about to turn towards the door, you locked eyes with Mr. Marcus. They were a golden honey brown, very similar to the warmth of the room you were in, and they had you entranced. He smiled at you and raised his eyebrows as invitation for conversation, which was when you realized you'd been standing there in front of him with open eyes for longer than you meant to.

"Miss (Y/N), did you enjoy the lecture?" He asked, calm and composed. He must've read your name off the seating arrangement sheet and pieced two and two together.

"Uh, yeah-yes. Yes, I did. I find Rome pretty fascinating." You said, trying to regain your own composure. You smiled back at him in a last effort to appear normal and then walked out of the room and into the large hall where Lee followed close behind.

Alone in the Lecture Hall once all the students had departed, Marcus let out a hitched breath. You must have noticed it too? There was something so off about you and he was immediately drawn to your presence the minute he'd entered the room. It was as if he'd bumped into you before, only this odd feeling of familiarity was far more intense than anything he'd encountered before.

He learned against the desk for support and reached for the evaluation papers. He remembered exactly which one you'd placed down as he counted the number of sheets placed on top. He was unsure as to why he needed this clarification so badly, as if the evaluation was going to be enough insight as to how you truly felt about him.

You'd written that he performed everything perfectly. Checked all the boxes showing the administrators that he'd done as he should. But, at the end of the form, you'd written you didn't want him to have the job.

He smiled to himself, just slightly. He must've been overreacting.

...

It was with disdain that his eyes followed yours, the vituperative look etched into his skin. He appeared no older, even with the worry lines becoming apparent as he frowned; kohl seemingly molded into the flesh of his face with its darkness around his eyes. His tunic adorned with goldened jewelry held his red cloak fastened at his shoulder, which swiftly moved side to side as he walked about the palace floor. With his domineering personality and flamboyant demeanor, one could argue he very much belonged here. But those who truly knew him, such as you, would argue the complete opposite. A child in the body of man, ruling over the Roman Empire with the ability to kill any one of the men who'd built the imperial palace with the flick of his wrist.

And to think, he was your brother.

Emperor Geta manically moved back and forth, his steps echoing in the greatness of the hall where the two of you stood. Your other misfortune of a sibling somewhere entranced by his monkey, you presumed. Even with neither of them being much too intelligent, Geta was definitely the force to be reckoned with. This flurry of anger he felt was often of your own doing and today was no different- although the situation was more dire than previous mishaps.

What was usual sibling banter had turned into something fierce, unforgiving. It seemed as though the two of you no longer stood on the same plane and no words could be spoken to alleviate the tenseness between you two.

"There's a traitor-" He began, voice laced with more anger than anything else now that the shock had subsided. "Someone is helping the Senate to conspire against us. A traitor within the castle?" Geta dramatically flung his fingers over his heart and buried it into the fabric of his dress, steadying himself from falling as if he were intoxicated.

"I've heard nothing of the sort, brother." You let out, hardly above a whisper. It felt wrong for the secret to spill past your lips after all this time of keeping it. Although this had been going on for nearly five months, to speak it aloud even partially breathed it into existence. You, who had no family other than Geta and Caracalla, were plotting the demise of both of them. Rome was a collective and you'd been appointed to preserve the democracy of the people- something your brothers had turned into tyranny under their rule. However, it seemed as though they'd just caught wind of the plot without knowing who was leading the rebellion. Of course, Geta would eventually figure it out but the best thing you could do would be to deny anything that would lead to you or Acacius. He would have his head by morn and yours by the next.

Geta focused his eyes toward the nearest column so as not to look at you, forcing himself to tongue over the idea as it repeated within his head. His ornate laurel wreath crown he wore glistened in the light from above, casting a radiant glow on the floor. He was beautiful, if undeservingly so.

"Geta." You started, still fighting the fear that was always prevalent when conversing with your brother, "You are the emperor. Who would dare conspire against you?" you asked, knowing you had to do damage control. It all felt too real and too sudden for anything to happen just yet, this was unplanned. There was still so much more to be done and now that Geta had heard, Caracalla would be next to be informed- potentially halting the senate from being able to make a proper move. Your brothers would behead them all and force you to watch.

There had to be an informant within the Senate, someone who sided with your brothers in hopes of some grand reward for ratting you out. If they told Geta of the uprising, there's no telling how long it would take until they knew you and Acacius were leading it.

Suddenly, it was as if the color returned to Geta's white painted face. The creases that had formed out of worry now resumed with a smile so horrid and vile that your stomach seemed to drop to your toes with dread. The redhead inched closer to you until he was standing directly before you, inches away from your faltering breath. Smug look upon his face with his hands placed behind his back, he whispered in your ear the one thing you never wanted to hear from him.

"Make sure to relay this message to the Senate. If I hear of any further plans or catch the name of anyone involved within the operation, I will make sure the streets of Rome run red with their excrements."

Your veins turned to ice. It was as if your body had become as still as the marble statues surrounding the two of you. The sunlight hitting your brother's hair was not a warm and comforting light, but the light of a thousand fires ready to destroy anything within its path. You could smell the antimony from his makeup, and it was churning your stomach the longer you stood next to him. And then, he pulled you into a forceful embrace.

"You're my brethren, (Y/N). But bloodshed triumphs over blood. My mercy doesn't spill out of my fingertips such as the weak do. I am to carry on the tree of my lineage and I will do so from the seed of my power. Don't let me ever hear my dear sister has fallen into the conspiracy of the people."

Then he left, and a piece of your soul died with the slam of the door behind him.

...

General Marcus Acacius, still clad in the paludamentum from the evening's dinner, gathered himself after a lengthy conversation with some of his troops. He was fortunate for the day's conquer, but he was entirely ready to return to his chambers to meet with his love; hoping she could soothe the grievances that emanated from his soul. A slight glance into the reflection of the gate showed a man worn down by war. Physically and spiritually he felt beaten and old. His face, which had appeared so bright when he'd first started his efforts, had now succumbed to the weight he felt inside. He was duller than the man he'd always been. A light had been extinguished and would never again be set aflame. His body felt as though it were an empty chamber, hollow with only the sounds of the maternal screaming he heard from war. Mothers calling home their only sons that would stay calling for the remainder of their lives. Praying for the boys who'd become soldiers, fallen under an empire that prided themselves on greatness.

The Romans were cruel murderers. And he did their bidding.

Trying his best to push his stressors aside, he stepped into the small garden flanking the back perimeter of the palace, knowing that was your usual place upon nightfall. The fountain seemed to hum as the water rushed down into the basin. The sounds of bugs chirping filled his ears. The calmness of the fire tamed within the confines of the torches made flickering shadows upon the stones beneath his feet.

And then, there was you. Turning to face him once he'd entered the palace and meeting his gaze. He'd sworn he never understood the meaning of goddess until he'd met you. From the first encounter at the palace, Acacius knew he was in love. Every statue and painting couldn't compare to the beauty that radiated off you, he knew. Your eyes were pools of mystery and your skin softer than the sheets lining the bed you shared, fragile under the callouses of his hands that were worn by the hilt of his sword. You were a delicacy. He thought you were more striking than the sun itself.

The word love would never be enough to describe the power that flowed through his veins upon the mere mention of your name or the gentleness of your kiss.

You were here in your usual palla, the purple dye of the fabric shimmering under the soft glow of the fire. Your face was hardened into a concerned expression and your lips were downturned. What was usually a gleeful expression when your fiancé returned home safely seemed to be just a little short of animosity.

Acacius immediately went to place his hands gently at your sides, pulling you in slightly with a quizzical look, assessing for any physical ailments. "What troubles you, my Lady?"

You wanted to cry, to scream, to let out all your frustrations through vile words such as your brothers did, but you felt so beaten down you couldn't even formulate the words. Acacius had done nothing wrong but be within your proximity. And now your lover would be subjected to the unforgiving wrath of Geta.

"My Lady?" He asked once more, softer this time. He had a rough day, you could tell, and his forehead lines became more apparent as his brows furrowed. His beard was trimmed but not shaven, so as not to flaunt off some of the scars he'd gathered below his nose. He had one on his cheek and one on the back of his hand that you would run your fingers over in an intimate embrace. He was beautiful, even with the years of war embroidered into his skin. He was your heart.

"It's Geta," you finally mustered, holding Acacius's hand to your cheek and letting a tear fall, "he's enlightened to our uprising."

It was the General's turn to express his worry. "How was he informed?" Hs asked, pulling you in for a stiff hug as he was still wearing his breastplate.

"Macrinus must have caught word after last night's gathering. W-we were so careful, I-"

"Shh." Acacius said, slowly rubbing circles into your back, "We'll be okay, we'll find a way." He said this almost so convincingly you wanted to believe it yourself. But you knew Geta would do his best to punish you in every way humanly possible. There would be no escaping.

"We can run away before they find out its us-"

"To where? We both have the faces of those known in Rome, we'll never even make it past the gate without our identities being revealed. And then what? Where will we go that has no promise of being conquered?" He asked, holding onto you as though your arms alone would ground him. "And (Y/N), you know my heart belongs to you and the people. I couldn't leave one in place of the other."

Any form of democracy was going to be dead if your brothers continued to be the ultimate monarchs the were. Their reign had caused nothing but horrors to the people .

"Geta may want my head when he finds out, but he'll never kill you," Acacius said, looking into your eyes, "He'd never kill our kin." At this, his hand dropped to your stomach, caressing the top of it gently.

"You will not die without me." You said, knowing what he would suggest in the hopes of keeping you safe. "I will not allow it."

"And then what? You die and there will be no hope. Not for the people or politics or our son. My work to free us from the grasp of Rome will be for nought."

Your tears started to cascade down your face as quickly as they came, taking your kohl along with it. This was unfair. All of it was unfair. You wanted nothing to do with your brothers or ruling or Rome or anything. All you'd hoped for was to live peacefully in a world without it- how foolish.

"I love you, Acacius. You know this." You said, burying your face into his shoulder. You took in the metallic scent of his breastplate, trying to ease yourself. You knew as a general that he would never leave Rome defenseless.

"As I love you," he said, moving you gently so you were facing each other, "You know what has to be done."

You composed yourself and met his eyes, trying to find solace in them. He felt more like family than the insufferable gingers you shared a bloodline with. And you knew you'd do anything to protect the family you made for yourself, even if that meant sacrificing the birth one.

"We have to kill them." You said. You found the words didn't trouble as much as you thought they might.