Year of the OTP is officially back for 2025 with a new set of prompts!
we've switched some of the prompt categories around in an effort to make the event more inclusive of all kinds of fanworks. we've also included song prompts this year! the playlist is on spotify here.
we want to give a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the last event - it grew so much larger than we ever expected and it's truly amazing how you all took our last set of prompts and made so many wonderful things. keep it up!
a couple housekeeping notes: we will not be reblogging every entry this year. mods will keep an eye on the blog if you have any questions, but the reblogs were too much last time. thank you for your understanding!
we will be closing the 2023 collection on December 31. thank you for your continued participation, but it's time to look forward!
the link for the new collection will be posted here January 1.
we're looking forward to seeing what you create this year!
alt text below the cut.
Year of the OTP 2025
The Rules: the Ao3 collection accepts any /-ship works inspired by a prompt from this sheet
The Challenge: make 12 works for one ship in one year, using prompts from each month
*you do not need to do the challenge to post to the AO3 collection, as long as you follow the rules*
January
first kiss ⊠âmay I have this danceâ ⊠sharing clothes ⊠BDSM AU ⊠stockholm syndrome ⊠Strong â One Direction
February
Valentineâs Day ⊠âit made me think of youâ ⊠bed sharing ⊠multiple penetration ⊠mind control/mind break ⊠Like Real People Do â Hozier
March
fresh starts ⊠âwhat are you doing with thatâ⊠florist/tattoo artist ⊠phone sex ⊠major character death ⊠Take Care â Drake
April
pranks ⊠âright in front of my saladâ ⊠running away together ⊠dom bottom/sub top ⊠raised to be a killer ⊠Drops of Jupiter â Train
May
hanahaki ⊠âweâre dating? since when?â ⊠body swap ⊠magical sex toys ⊠stalking ⊠Paper Rings â Taylor Swift
June
pride ⊠âI canât get you out of my mindâ ⊠relationship reveal ⊠unconventional sex positions ⊠paying a debt with your body ⊠Good Looking â Dixon Dallas
July
vacation together ⊠âI like my _ how I like my coffeeâ ⊠kidfic ⊠mutual masturbation ⊠dehumanization ⊠You May Be Right â Billy Joel
August
Sports AU ⊠âyouâre thinking too muchâ⊠cooking together ⊠object insertion/ penetration ⊠becoming a monster ⊠You Shook Me All Night Long â AC/DC
September
high school/college sweethearts ⊠âcome hereâ ⊠date night gone wrong ⊠semi-public sex ⊠abduction ⊠Thinking Bout You â Frank Ocean
October
costumes ⊠âbooâ ⊠online dating ⊠shibari ⊠mutual non-con ⊠Mr. Brightside â The Killers
November
camping ⊠âare you sureâ ⊠touch-starved ⊠cockwarming ⊠abusive relationship ⊠A Thousand Years â Christina Perri
December
holiday traditions ⊠âwhere are you taking meâ ⊠bathing together ⊠food play ⊠tortured for information ⊠Everything Is Alright â Laura Shigihara
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch âą No registration required âą HD streaming
âAre you sureâ year of the OTP 2025 DamiRae KonRaeÂ
Chapter 3: Snippets
âIf you have an issue with me, I expect you to tell me about it. Not run away.â
âYou don't listenâ
âI always listenâ Damian said voice low,.
âI don't always agree. I have a problem I can't seem to solve by myself. I need you to help me with magic. I feel an obligation to Father. I join in and lend a hand when asked. But I have kept an emotional distance with him. I donât feel detached from you. I couldn't live with myself, if something happened to you while I was using you to help find Father. So I have to make every effort to keep you safe.â
âI am not an amateur. I have been a Titan longer than you and have. Honed my craft before you could hold a knife. You and the BatFamily are smothering me.â
âDeal with itâ
He looked over at Konâs backpack at the entrance of our secluded cabin. Our safe house. My current home aways from home.
âThis should be interesting.â
âYouâre not going to do something stupid are you.â Damianâs jellies was legendary. But we werenât together anymore. He made sure of that.
âIâm never inclined to be stupid. But Iâm willing to make an exception here. Nor am I leaving. And if you sleep with him while Iâm here, Iâll have to kill him.â
Well shit!
If anyone else had said that, Iâd think they were joking. But the glint in his trembling green eyes said he was serious.
The audacity of this ungrateful man. I eyed his knees and his balance. I was so tempted to pull the rug and upend him.
January: First Kiss
February: It Made Me Think of You - Bed Sharing
March: What Are You Doing With That / Phone Sex Bonus
April: Running Away Together 1 2 3 4 Bonus
May: We're Dating? Since When?
June: Pride
July: Mutual Masturbation
August: You're Thinking Too Much
September: Come Here 1 2 Bonus 1 2
October: Costumes
November: Camping - Touch Starved
December: Holiday Traditions - Bathing Together
âTheyâre so gross,â Moegi sighs as she watches Konohamaru and Hanabi getting right in each otherâs faces.
Itâs been like this for years at this point, and itâs just getting old. Watching two people so clearly in love but just as clearly oblivious. Just circling the otherâs orbit endlessly, making eyes and coming this close.
or
Hanabi and Konohamaru figuring it out through puberty, war, and taxes â stupidly in love, whether either will admit it.
November prompt: Life changes
Rating: E
Chapter 1/?
âTheyâre so gross,â Moegi sighs as she watches Konohamaru and Hanabi getting right in each otherâs faces.
Itâs been like this for years at this point, and itâs just getting old. Watching two people so clearly in love but just as clearly oblivious. Just circling the otherâs orbit endlessly, making eyes and coming this close.
When Hanabi entered the academy, she was a loner. In her head, she imagined making friends right away. It would all comes so easy, sheâd just put this big smile on her face that her sister always complimented, and the friends would just come rolling in. Theyâd sing her praises, call her cute and want her to come to every event and party anywhere and everywhere. Sheâd never be bored again in her life. Instead of just sparring all day and vying for whatever adultâs attention she could garner, sheâd be at the academy, or a friendâs house, or showing a friend around the compound. Going to lunch, watching movies, attending festivals. It was supposed to be great.
It was just short of one year before the war kicked off that Hanabi managed to weasel her way into the academy, and it really wasnât what she expected at all. Surprise, surprise, no one really wanted much to do with the HyĆ«ga heiress. Turns out, people kind of look down on you when youâre considered royalty and you intrude on lower ranking society. She heard one of the senseiâs gossiping about her to another, claiming that she was roleplaying. That was just two weeks into her initial stint at the academy.
A few months in, she had already been given detention for knocking out another student. It wasnât the first time, and it wasnât the last time.
But it was the first time she was in a room with a certain other notable little shinobi.
âHey,â she whispers when the sensei in charge of detention takes a bathroom break. The brown head of hair from the other side of the room turns to look at her, and deep blue eyes connect with hers. She smiles at him and he eyes her with nothing but suspicion. âYouâre the Hokageâs grandkid, right?â
The boy rolls his eyes and lets out a puff of air, blowing his front bangs up. His headband lays on the desk in front of him and his scarf covers most of his chin. âWhat about it?â
âKonohamaru,â she says, confidently, slinking out of her chair to side step her way to one closer to him. His eyes follow her, ever suspicious, and hers never leave his. âYouâre not sâposed to get into trouble.â
âYeah, you think?â he scoffs, eyes rolling again. He leans his head back. âYou donât know much about me.â
âWhatâd you do?â Hanabi asks, tilting her head with excited curiosity. It wasnât often other kids actually talked to her, so itâs nice that he is. Maybe he could relate to her.
âNone of your business, brat.â
âBrat?!â she gasps, pushing herself in her seat backwards. Now that wasnât what she was expecting. âExcuse you ââ
âHanabi!â
She jumps at her name being called, head spinning to see the old sensei standing in the doorway, glowering at her. She huffs, sliding out of the seat and returning to her original one.
âI donât want to have to tell your father any more bad news,â the old sensei sighs as she falls back into the front seat. Hanabi frowns, deeply, because she really doesnât want her father to hear any more bad news, either. Sheâs afraid sheâs on the verge of losing her place in the academy, that her father would just tell her that this was enough play time and that itâs time to get back to business. Back to the bore and depression of being the heiress.
She folds her arms and leans back in her seat, resting her chin on her chest as she tries to occupy her mind with other thoughts. Like why that kid would call her a brat. Who does he think he is? Hokageâs grandson, sure, but sheâs Hanabi HyĆ«ga! You donât talk to a HyĆ«ga like that.
âOuch!â she whispers, albeit loudly, when she feels a pinch at her arm. She shakes her head, looking side to side for the interruption, only to find a folded piece of paper on the ground next to her. Taking a moment to check to see if the detention sensei was watching, Hanabi confirms the sensei is deep in her book, and Hanabi plucks it from the ground. Darts her eyes up to Konohamaru, who was watching her from the corner of his eye, looking nonchalant. She feels her heartbeat pick up as she pulls the note into her lap and unfolds it.
whos your dad?
She smiles at the note, excitedly grabbing a pencil and writing out her response. Carefully, she folds it back up into a triangle, puts it on her desk, and lines up her shot. Square in the chest it hits him, and he lets out a little puff of air at the contact. Her smile gets bigger as he opens the note, the way his eyes get a little wider as he reads. Excitement grows in her chest as he quickly jots down his response, and within seconds launches it back at her.
meet in the courtyard after
Hanabi sucks in a big breath.
Friends!
Itâs really happening! Sheâs finally made friends!
Itâs her time.
The rest of the detention period, Konohamaru didnât look over at her, even after she sent the note back with an excited confirmation of their proposed hang out. Over the next 30 minutes, she tried to keep herself looking casual, like it wasnât a big deal. But her heart drummed with eagerness, and in turn, the clock ticked by at the pace of a snail. When that second hand finally landed on the 12, she shot up and practically threw her bag out of the classroom and she stumbled over her feet to get to the middle of the academy, where they were to meet.
A few minutes later and heâs strolling in, looking entirely casual about it all, as if he hadnât just asked her to hang out! She rocks on the heels of her feet as he approaches her, knowing she looks far too excited. He stops in front of her, lookd her up and down, and rolls his eyes. Again.
âHeiress, huh?â he asks, readjusting the strap on his shoulder. She nods, excitedly. It was a wonder he didnât already know, since everyone else had, but it was incredibly refreshing. âSo you do like, special training?â
She pauses, swallowing as her smile drops, just a little, before she nods. âUh, yeah. Yeah! Sometimes.â
âCan I come over?â
Her voice catches in her throat, but she still manages a squeaky, âYes.â
âAlright.â He nods before gesturing behind him. âLetâs go.â
âYeah, okay.â She nods back, forcing her feet forward. When sheâs next to him, he turns to meet her, and they begin their trek to the HyĆ«ga compound.
Donât panic Hanabi. Heâs the thirdâs grandson. Father is going to be proud I made friends with someone of such high caliber.
Not that she cares about the caliber of anyone. But this was a boy she was bringing over, so as least she had that in her back pocket. Heâs not just any boy, heâs the Hokageâs grandson. Itâs fitting for the grandson and the heiress to get on, isnât it? Yeah, thatâs what sheâll tell herself.
They fall in step together and Hanabi struggles to figure out what to say. She keeps pace with him better than she thought she might. Heâs sweet, she thinks, because he keeps looking back at her and slowing his pace.
âYou like it there?â
She hums, looking off to the side. What a nice question to ask. Brings a hand up to her chin and taps. âI like it enough.â
He snickers, and itâs a cute noise. Makes her smile a little bigger as she turns her face towards him.
âSomething to say, Sarutobi?â
âSarutobi,â he repeats in an amused voice. She bites her lip when his hands clasp behind his neck. âJust funny, I guess.â
âIâm funny?â she asks, giggling slightly as she skips forward, then turns so sheâs facing him and walking backwards. She sticks her tongue out, trying to get a reaction from him, but he just peaks out of hooded eyelids towards her, wholly unimpressed. âNot even a smile?â
âNot one,â he says, shaking his head. She stops in her tracks, causing him to stop, too. He eyes her, an eyebrow raised and hands falling to his side. âWhat?â
âWhy donât you give me one of those award-winning smiles, huh?â
She doesnât know why she says it, especially as harsh as she does. She curses herself for it, even. He blinks down at her, tilts his head, and thenâŠhis mouth splits into a smirk. A big one, one that makes her feel uneasy, in an embarrassing way. A way that makes her feel tingly and shy. She takes a step back. âLike this, HyĆ«ga?â
Her heart is crammed in her throat cavity. It almost hurts. She turns her head away. âI-uh-I dunno.â
âHow âbout I just see you later?â
The words are like a stab right through her sad little heart. Takes everything she has not to buckle, keel over, clutch her chest and just die.
Fatality.
âSure,â she says, wholly unconvincing.
âIâll see you at lunch.â
Itâs so passive, the way he says it.
âYeahâŠâ she sighs, slouched over, pathetic and little. Wonders why sheâs like this, why she canât just be normal. Why canât she ask normal questions, like âhow was your day?â or âany missions coming up?â or even âhowâd you do on your exams?â
âGive me a smileâ Hanabi? Give me a smile?! Really? Freak.
Hanabi groans, loudly, kicking the dirt under her sandals. Doesnât help when Hinata giggles at her, peaking around the corner without an ounce of mischief in her step.
âBig sister!â Hanabi cries, shoving her palms into her eyes in shame. âStop watching meee~â
âI apologize,â Hinata calls out, stepping from behind the gate. âI donât mean to embarrass you.â
âYeah, right,â Hanabi huffs, crossing her arms.
What a miserable day.
In the morning, Hanabi practically drags herself to school.
Thereâs nothing to look forward to, only things to dread. Like the look on Sarutobiâs face, or maybe the lack of a look when he wonât even look at her. How is she supposed to make friends when she screws it up immediately? No one is going to want to be around her once they find out the Hokageâs grandson rejected her as a suitable person to be around.
In the classroom, Hanabi scans the layout. Nothingâs changed, everyoneâs still sitting where they usually do, and the spot around her is still empty. The one seat thatâs still empty is where Konohamaru sits. She glances up at the clock, and thereâs not more than a minute until instruction is to begin.
So maybe she lucked out for one more day. Maybe she could do damage control. Could try to make some new friends quickly, before he could come back to tarnish her name, because of course thatâs what heâs going to do! Trust no one, like father always said.
Hanabi swings into her usual seat, preparing for another unsuccessful day, until the door slams open. With seconds to spare, Konohamaru comes skidding in and she wants to scream, so she does so in her head. But then, he stops and darts his eyes over the classroom until they land on her. She immediately shrinks in, eyes getting bigger as he beelines for her. She braces herself as if heâs going to hit her, hit her for being such a loser.
No, instead, he slides into the seat next to her and settles in. It takes her a moment to process, but she realizes sheâs safe and wills her body to begin to relax. Their sensei comments on his seat change, asks if thereâs trouble in the notorious trio, and she forces herself to focus. Konohamaru scoffs, not giving a real answer, and she just sort of gawks at him. Forces her mouth shut when he glances at her from the corner of his eye, then shakes her head and refocuses her attention ahead.
Heâs messing with her. She crossed some sort of line and now heâs messing with her!
The entire lecture, she isnât focused. Not learning a thing. Just keeps checking on Konohamaru, who is still next to her, because of course he is, it would be weird if he changed his seat. Heâs probably waiting for a good time to declare that Hanabi smells horrible, and he needs to move back to his old seat. Humiliation! It has to be his angle. But the entire time, heâs just slouched over his desk, scribbling on a blank piece of paper, doodling, sometimes on the desk itself, sighing, practicing jutsu symbols with his hands, dragging a kunai across the desk, kicking his feet. Everything under the sun possible that doesnât involve paying attention to the lecture or looking at her.
She needs answers.
When theyâre dismissed for break, she stays in her seat and stares at him, waiting for him to get up. While other kids shuffle by, he kicks out his legs and leans back, stretching his arms behind his head. He glances at her, then does a doubletake. She raises her eyebrows when he snickers, tilting his head at her.
âGet a good look, HyĆ«ga?â She feels the heat rush to her cheeks as she immediately whips her head back. âGoing to break?â
âAre you?â she asks, trying not to let nerves betray her voice. She sees him shrug in her peripheral. Then, she slaps her hands on her desk and shoves her seat back, gets to her feet. She starts her march out of the classroom, wills herself not to look back to see him heâs following her, but luckily, she can already hear him getting out of his seat, too. She smiles a little when he jogs to catch up to her. Still, anxiety hits her gut and puts her on edge. She sucks in a breath, and without looking at him, says âI thought you didnât want to be around me.â
âWhat?â he asks right away, something like genuine confusion in his tone. âWhyâd you think that?â
âYou ditched out on me,â she says quickly, looking at him now, âyesterday. You didnât want to go to my place anymore.â
âDoesnât mean I donât wanna be around you,â he says with a shrug and it irks her that heâs treating this like itâs no big deal. It was a big deal. To her. âJust thought â I dunno.â She furrows her eyebrows at his lack of coherent answer.
âYou dunno? What donât you know?â
âIf I knew, Iâd know, wouldnât I?â
Hanabi puffs out her cheeks, frustrated. He glances at her and laughs, reaches out to poke one of the cheeks, causing her to recoil. âDonât touch me.â
âIt was begging to be popped.â
She bites her tongue, glaring at him, unsure if she still wants to be friends with this boy now. He flashes her a lopsided smile, maybe the one she was asking for yesterday, and she softens a little. It just slips out. âI was hoping weâd be friends.â
They both stop in the middle of the courtyard, and she eyes him. Is it possible to feel bold and shy at the same time? Maybe overconfident and nervous. She crosses her arms behind her back, and he shoves his hands in his pockets. Looks her right in the eye but doesnât look too serious. Playful, or mischievous might be a better way to describe it. âYou? Be friends with me?â
âYouâre too good?â she asks, rocking on her feet for a moment. His loud laugh catches her off guard. Still, she waits for him to answer.
âYouâre serious?â he asks, looking taken aback now. She shrugs, confused. âI didnât think someone like you would wanna be friends with me.â She squints and he groans. âDonât be dumb about it. Youâre that HyĆ«ga leaderâs daughter. Like, the one whoâs gonna take over. Why would you want friends?â
Ouch. âWhy wouldnât I want friends?â she asks back, leveling her tone as best she can. âIâm a kid, like you. What kid doesnât want friends?â
He looks up for a moment. âThought theyâd, I dunno. Knock that out of you, or whatever. Not to get close to people.â
Oh.
Ouch.
âThey try,â she whispers, looking away now. Suddenly the air feels so heavy around her, and she feels her face harden. âNever mind. Weâre good.â
Moving quickly, she turns on her heel and leaps away, aiming for the nearest tree branch, but sheâs quickly yanked back down before she can land. She scrambles to land on her feet, but instead gets swung around, and lands flat on her stomach, but not on the ground. Air is forced from her lungs and she throws her head up to see what sheâs landed on. Konohamaru lays underneath her, a grimace on his face and his back on the ground. She looks at him belligerently, ready to lay into him.
âLetâs be friends,â he grunts out through gritted teeth, the fall clearly taking a toll on his back. The words stop her, and instead she just blinks at him. His painfully squinted eyes finally relax, and his grimace turns into a reluctant smile. She bites her lip, and he says, âYou look dumb right now.â
That would bother her if he hadnât just offered to be friends, so she just plants her palms on the ground and heaves herself off of him, then offers one of her hands to him. He ignores it, hopping to his feet with ease.
âYou told me not to touch you,â he says, matter-of-a-factly. She rolls her eyes and dusts her hands off on her robe. âBut part of being friends with the Konohamaru Sarutobi does, in fact, require some touching.â She makes a face at him and he waves his hands in front of him. âNot â not like that. Get your mind right, HyĆ«ga.â She crosses her arms, nodding at him to go. âSparring. I wanted to come over âcause I wanted to see what kind of training you guys do.â
âOh, great!â she exclaims sarcastically, throwing her hands up in the air. âUlterior motive!â
âHey, hey, hey!â He puts his palms up defensively. âAll great friendships have give and take, and Iâm on a mission, yâknow. To become Hokage, and wouldnât it just be great for the leader of the HyĆ«ga and the Hokage to get on?â
She groans. "You think I care about that? About being a leader?â He raises his eyebrows. âYou know what? Maybe this wasnât such a good idea.â
Before he can say anything else, the bell rings and sheâs swiftly walking away.
Stupid! Stupid, always so stupid, like they say at home. Stupid.
Hanabi spends the rest of the day avoiding making eye contact with Konohamaru, and when theyâre dismissed, she bolts out of the classroom, detention-less for once.
.
.
.
.
.
A few minutes later, when she turns the corner to come into view of the front of the HyĆ«ga compound, she sees shimmering blue eyes waiting for her. His grin is big and â good gods, she knows his ego must be bigger.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
âJason,â Dick calls through his door. They have less than ten minutes until theyâre supposed to leave. Tim and Steph are dressed and ready, giggling away together in Timâs room, and Wally is ready apart from his hair, which heâs been messing with for the last half an hour, and Ace is ready apart from Dick needing to put his vest on for him, and Dick is ready apart from the fact that Jason is sulking in his room when theyâre supposed to be getting ready to leave. âJason. We need to go.â
ââ
When Dick is sixteen, he invites Wally to his first gala. He intends to spend the evening watching over his brothers and Steph, rescuing his dad from the worst of the attendees, and dancing with his boyfriend. Unfortunately, things can never quite seem to go smoothly for him when he wants them to.
Fortunately, Wally actually thinks thatâs part of the appeal.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch âą No registration required âą HD streaming
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Title: Rain in Southern California
Pairing: Ian & Anthony
Rating: Gen
Summary:
Anthony. He and Ian seem forever tied no matter how distant and in the past their friendship now seems. Ian has long since resigned himself to the fact that they would never be the type of friends they once were. Anthony was a lot of things. Ian is tied to him because of their past, history, because of building a YouTube channel on the back of their friendship. Anthony was Ianâs best friend. Anthony was a sore spot, like a bruise that would never heal, would purple and darken, and bloom when nudged and prodded. Anthony is someone Ian hasnât hung out with in a couple of years. Heâs someone he texts a happy birthday and merry Christmas text to yearly and always gets an equally dry and overly polite text back.
Notes: Written for the @yearoftheotpevent for September's prompt: Thinkin' 'bout You by Frank Ocean
[So this is very raw and minimally edited; the finished product when it's eventually part of the main story will/should have some significant edits+improvements; I'm just writing a lot of scenes for this story right now and don't want to clog my flow getting stuck editing, lol]
Evangeline
The sound of the door thudding behind her echoed the drop in Evangelineâs stomach. She couldnât help but freeze on the spot. Her new wife had been nice during the ceremony, but now that they were alone⊠She wouldnât blame Callisto if she wanted to treat her with a cold shoulder again. After all, neither of them wanted this marriage.
What amazing warrior knight princess would want to marry a frail simpleton like her anyway?
âEvangeline?â
She jumped, turning as goosebumps raced up her arms at the tone in Callistoâs strong voice. And flushed when she saw a glint of something in her eyes. Almost feral, but⊠Not angry?
But it was gone when she saw it, her wifeâs gaze softening to something gentler. Softer. Tender.
Shivers went up Evangelineâs spine again as Callisto took her waist in one hand, the other coming up to cup her cheek. She didnât mean to nuzzle against the rough touch of Callistoâs callused fingers against her skin, but sagged a little when a thumb brushed gently against her cheek. Very undignified.
Callistoâs eyes felt like they were trying to look deep into her soul as she spoke, so close to her now. âWe donât have to do this tonight.â she murmured. âNot if you donât want to.â
Evangeline stiffened again. Right. The consummation of marriage. It wouldnât be official if they didnât⊠do whatever it was a newlywed couple was meant to do.
Clearing her throat and looking away, she croaked, âLetâs just get it over with.â
She meant to pull back, to disrobe and climb into the bed for whatever awaited her. But Callisto still held onto her firmly. So she looked up, trying not to lose herself again in those beautiful blue eyes.
âI know you didnât want to marry me, but do you really despise me that much?â Callisto asked, frowning.
Evangeline blinked. âI donât despise you!â
The frown didnât budge from the other womanâs face.
Sweat built on Evangelineâs brow, her hands trembling just the slightest bit. âReally, I donât.â she mumbled, her words falling over themselves as they tumbled from her lips. âYouâre just⊠youâre youâre incredible and captivating and smart and I justâŠâ she sighed, picking at her fingernails. âIâm sorry you had to settle for me.â she said, much more composed now, though quiet. âI realize my sister would have been a much better partner to settle my fatherâs debt.â
âYour sisterâs a selfish bitch.â
Evangelineâs jaw dropped as her head shot up to stare at Callisto, who just shrugged.
âShe is. And, honestly, until my brother announced his idea, I thought you were the same.â
Had her heart stopped beating? It must have. Because there was no way she could be alive and hearing someone talk badly about Rosanna. No one ever said a bad thing about her. Ever! Even for all the⊠No, she had to be dead. That was the only way this made sense.
Fingers gently tipped her jaw up to shut and her eyes focused again on Callisto. The strange and fantastic woman before her that still looked at her like she was something of value. Something to treasure, even.
Her fingers traveled through Evangelineâs hair, picking out pins as she went. âDo you really think youâre only here to pay a debt?â
Evangeline nodded firmly, the last of the pins coming lose as she did, but she paid her hair no mind as it tumbled over her shoulders as she said firmly. âI am now yours. Heart, mind, body, and soul.â
The traditional wedding vows of her people werenât used at the wedding. Which she didnât object to, as she quite liked the new ones theyâd given together instead. But it had felt wrong not to include at least those words from the old vows. A weight she didnât know she had felt like it was lifted from her as she said them now.
And it felt right, doing it here. Just the two of them. Her and Callisto.
Her wife hummed, pulling her close again. Her lips were soft as they brushed against Evangelineâs neck. âIf you are here to pay a debt, then so am I. If you are mine, then I am yours.â Evangeline felt like she was drowning in those eyes. âDeal?â
Breathless, Evangeline murmured back, âDeal.â
âGood.â Callisto smiled against her lips, her eyes twinkling. âAnd now that thatâs settled.â Evangeline shivered as a warm and callused hand slipped under the back ties of her dress. âIâd like to pay that debt now, if thatâs alright with you.â
As a hot swooping sensation spread through her abdomen, Evangeline could only whimper in reply before her lips were stolen in a deep, fervent kiss.