[ 001 ] “I should kill you.” [ 002 ] “You talk too much.” [ 003 ] “I’ve imagined this moment. You begging.” [ 004 ] “Touch me again and see what happens.” [ 005 ] “Why do you keep showing up?” [ 006 ] “Don’t flatter yourself. I just needed a warm body.” [ 007 ] “Hate looks good on you.” [ 008 ] “Is that jealousy?” [ 009 ] “You’re lucky I need you.” [ 010 ] “You always taste like lies.” [ 011 ] “One day I’ll stop saving you.” [ 012 ] “Take your hands off me.” [ 013 ] “You’re bleeding.” [ 014 ] “I don’t care. I’m still coming with you.” [ 015 ] “That was a warning shot.” [ 016 ] “Say that again and I swear—” [ 017 ] “You want me to say it? Fine. I wanted you.” [ 018 ] “You should’ve stayed away.” [ 019 ] “Is this your plan? Seduce me into forgetting?” [ 020 ] “We both know you won’t pull the trigger.” [ 021 ] “Next time, aim for the heart.” [ 022 ] “I should let you die.” [ 023 ] “Try not to get yourself killed. I’m the only one allowed to do that.” [ 024 ] “I liked you better when you were silent.” [ 025 ] “Are you always this reckless or just around me?” [ 026 ] “Stop staring.” [ 027 ] “I didn’t ask for your help.” [ 028 ] “You were supposed to be the enemy.” [ 029 ] “Admit it. You missed me.” [ 030 ] “You’re hurt. Let me see.” [ 031 ] “You don’t get to touch me like that.” [ 032 ] “I said I hate you. I didn’t say I’d stop thinking about you.” [ 033 ] “You’re the last person I wanted to see.” [ 034 ] “You can’t keep running.” [ 035 ] “Funny how often I end up saving your life.” [ 036 ] “Shut up. You’re making this harder.” [ 037 ] “Keep your voice down. Do you want to die?” [ 038 ] “Did it mean nothing to you?” [ 039 ] “You think I don’t notice when you look at me like that?” [ 040 ] “You’re not what I expected. Worse, actually.”

Slight tears welled up in her eyes as he went off on her, his emerald gaze burning with anger. And it was warranted, perhaps. The emotions were running high between them and he was on one too many truth potions, but his words still shocked her nervous system. She could not recall Nico ever speaking to her that way... and she was feeling extra vulnerable having done what she did just now. He had turned and broken the fall as she collapsed and was now furious with her as she sprawled atop him.

The woman I love.

That cause her brain to come to a screeching halt, her eyes widening as he continued to scold her relentlessly. However, Astra had not heard a single word past that point, the same phrase echoing in her mind over and over again. There was no way - but then again, he was under three doses of a truth serum.

Astra could not recall a single time Nico had expressed that he liked her beyond friendship during their time at Hogwarts. Girls were falling for him left and right at every turn and Astra had valued her friendship with him far too much to make a move. She was also shy beyond measure and had worked hard to build up her confidence over the last year at Hogwarts. However, Nico had never looked at her like.... like the way he was looking at her now. Passion, anger, desire, helplessness. It was all swirling within those emerald hues like a storm.

Somewhere in this moment, she heard Elysia walk out of the room, no doubt to report Nico's admission about Mel being married to Elysia's brother... and the revelation she heard just now from him. Sometimes she saw Elysia wear a ring on her wedding finger, but then other days it was gone. Though she wondered how she would react to Nico revealing what he did.

Her focus was not on that dilemma right now.

"You love me?" She asked quietly. It wasn't platonic, she understood that much. Nothing about this was platonic at all. Her gaze bore into his, not caring that her body was in pain, though the weakness took over, causing her to rest her head against his chest, inhaling his scent. "Since when?" She asked, having reached her limit of her ability to look him in the eyes, sniffling a little as she fought back the tears.

Truly, Cyrus had not smiled for years following his time at Hogwarts, choosing to spend the next 10 years working his way up the Ministry of Magic and political power to finally become a Minister. However, sometime during those ten years, a baby with sapphire hues was dropped at his doorstep, which had changed the course of his life forever.

Truthfully, he did not know how he would have gotten through the past few years without Loukas at his side. He'd grown up to be a fine son, but also Cyrus' only beacon of light that fuelled his need to end this war once and for all. And it finally had come to an end.

The city was partially destroyed and the battle left many casualties in its wake, but Cyrus had ended Klarick's life once and for all. He winced slightly as he walked down the hallway of his home, clutching his side briefly and slowing his pace as he breathed in deeply and waiting for the pain to subside. The battle did not come with no injuries to himself. He was heavily advised to take it easy as both Minister of Magic and London's new hero. However, he needed to see --

He swung open the door to see the one person he ached for since he stepped upon platform 9 3/4 and set his grey eyes on. It was as if time had stopped at that moment for a brief second before she tore her gaze away and looked at her feet. It caused his brows to furrow. "I'll take it from here, Astra," Cyrus said calmly, nodding at her before she departed.

"Minister?" He arched a brow. "I'm currently known as Cyrus the Great for taking down Klarick and ending his reign of terror," he casually said, carefully minding his side as he took a seat on the chair near her bed. He didn't comment on her weight loss, did not comment on her sunken eyes and nervous expression. To him, she was alive... and she was healing.. and she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever met.

"I am not here to question you... nor will you be fed any sort of potion against your will," he replied gently, his gaze never leaving her face. "For your children, it was necessary as we needed some clarity before removing their mark. All of your children are residing here in this estate.... save for Melitta, who is in custody with the Ministry. I am overseeing that."

She was even more glad to be in Nico's arms. His scent encased her, his body warm, his heartbeat strong against her ear as she briefly closed her eyes. "I never thought I'd see you again," she whispered against his chest as his lips pressed atop her hairline. She breathed him in deeply and exhaled slowly, committing the way he pulled her closer to memory. She wanted to drown in this man.

Elysia saw the whole spectacle and gave Nico a knowing look. There was a short pause after he'd asked the question. "He's in rehabilitation. Almost healed and itching to go out and fight... despite the fact that it took him a year to heal from that day... and he is more scarred than not," Elysia explained, pushing herself off the wall to stand straight, tilting her head towards Astra.

"No," Astra said firmly. "I am not tired. I will be doing the removal now." She pulled back, taking a hold of his arm as she did. Brown eyes lifted to meet his, letting him know she was absolutely not going to budge on this. "I am stronger than I look." She did not need to be coddled. This was a war and people were suffering far more than a little fatigue.

Before Nico could protest, she manhandled him onto the bench, sitting his massive frame down with a strength most people did not know she was capable of. It caused Elysia's brows to raise in mild surprise. "I don't want this mark on you for any longer than necessary." Her eyes glowed a bit as she took a hold of his arm, seeing the dark magic gathered there. Traces of ancient magic brewed around them and she gathered those bits into herself, knowing she'd need it to neutralize the dark magic that came out of this mark.

The extraction process began and she pulled the dark magic out with her wand, her movements precise, coordinated, as magic pulsed around them. She saw the tethers of the dark mark with her Sight and cut them, effectively ending his connection with Klarick before she consumed the onslaught and flood of darkness that emitted from the mark. The pain was immeasurable, worse than Oliver's pain and it sent every cell in her body into overdrive as she worked to neutralize it with ancient magic. Spikes, pins, needles, stabs, the mental torment caused her breath to hitch and hands to tremble, but the determination in her gaze never wavered, nor did the hold on his arm.

❛   i told you i had a plan dove. it just took longer to initiate it then planned !!   ❜ he chuckles: finding a small shred of humour in the situation. needing the simplicity of it all. the reality that for now, they were safe. that she was safe. as oh he knew his 'father' would be pissed at the turn of events. that he would lose his god damn mind and no doubt make mel kill even more people. and without nico or oli there, he wasn't sure deaths would be prevented. but he couldn't think on those what-ifs right now. instead he focuses on other things, like astra in his arms. as well as the other person tasked with watching him. the sister of one of klaricks earlier victims. his lips curling upwards, in the smallest remnants of a smile as she speaks. ❛   sounds like elias. and i know why hes doing it. but she's not gonna be happy her husbands willing to put himself back in klaricks firing line. not after everything that happened last time. or the moves shes made to undermine klarick ...   ❜ he shrugs, before snorting softly as he realises the truth potion was clearly still in effect. given the truth bomb he'd just dropped. the truth that the pair had married the night of graduation, and why elias had been the key. to his sister breaking. still his attention is drawn from that, to astra. an eyebrow raised at her steadily as he senses the stubbornness in her. his shock is enough of an action to freeze him in place, granting her the opportunity to manhandle him. and he has to bite down on his cheeks, quickly and harshly, to hide how much he enjoyed it. [   it really was not the time, for his mind to cook up images of it happening in a different way. ] 

if you are sending to a multi-muse, remember to specify the muse that the sentence starters are being sent for .

fluff

“ [Name], will you marry me? ”

“ I take you to be my lawfully wedded husband / wife. ”

“ Happy anniversary, my love. ”

“ Can you believe it’s been a year already? ”

“ I made us some dinner. It should be edible. ”

“ I still get butterflies when I look at our rings. ”

“ I’m proud of the life we’ve built together. ”

“ We really need a bigger couch if we’re going to keep cuddling like this. ”

“ You know I’m legally obligated to steal your fries now, right? ”

“ I married you, not your terrible taste in movies. ”

“ I love you, but if you snore like that again, I’m filing a complaint. ”

suggestive

“ Are we arguing or flirting right now? I can’t tell. ”

“ Close the door. I need my husband / wife to myself. ”

“ You still make my heart race like we just met. ”

“ I love how you still look at me like that. ”

“ Remind me why I fell in love with you - slowly. ”

“ If you keep looking at me like that, I’m not doing the dishes. ”

pregnancy

“ What do you think about us having kids? ”

“ I'd love to have kids with you. ”

“ I don't know how I feel about having kids… What if I do something wrong? ”

“ What if I'm a horrible mother / father? ”

“ I'm pregnant. ”

“ Wait. Are you pregnant? ”

“ We should think about a name for our baby. ”

“ Our son / daughter has your eyes. ”

“ I don't think my genes had any chance of winning. They're a spitting image of you. ”

“ It's your turn with the baby. ”

angst

“ We’ll get through this. We always do. ”

“ I married you for better and worse, remember? ”

“ It’s okay to fall apart. I’m not going anywhere. ”

“ Do you ever think about our wedding day? ”

“ I love you, but I don’t know how to fix this. ”

“ We can’t keep pretending everything is fine. ”

“ When did we stop talking like we used to? ”

“ I’m scared we’re becoming strangers. ”

“ Do you still want this? Us? ”

“ I don’t regret marrying you - but I regret how we’re hurting each other. ”