Arranged Marriage

[bostonhowler]

It's a trope near and dear to our hearts. Arranged marriage.

Maybe it's for the family. Maybe it's for a friend. Maybe you know the person and have been expected to marry them for years. Maybe it's the wedding day and you have no clue who it is you'll be tied to for your natural life. Maybe you've been married a while, and you're just now starting your life, away from the expectations of others. Or maybe, the "others" are watching, waiting, making sure this marriage sticks.

Prompts for those who need them:



Reasons:

1. Station → You come from a royal, noble, or otherwise distinguished family who has chosen a suitable spouse for you.
2. Feud → You are being married to put an end to the bitter enmity between your two families.
3. Economics → Your economic state and/or your station will improve through the union, though one of you may be marrying down.
4. Empire → You and your spouse are merging your businesses and/or property to create something more influential or profitable.
6. Tribute → You have been offered as a gift or appeasement, alternately you're the spoils of war.
8. Bloodline → Carrying on your distinguished family name has fallen to you and the equally well-bred spouse of your family's selection.
7. Disapproval → Your marriage has been arranged to keep you away from the person with whom you truly wish to be.

Scenario:

1. First meeting → This is the very first time you're meeting your future spouse.
2. Courtship → To get to know each other and encourage affection, your family has approved of you going on dates.
3. Engagement party → Be it a huge, formal affair or a small, intimate get together, you're celebrating (or pretending).
4. Wedding day → The big day!
5. Reception → The big party!
6. Wedding night → Every meme needs a smut prompt, right?
7. Honeymoon → Where will you go with your new spouse and what will you do there?
8. Been at this a while → Just starting to get to know the other person

Comments

Eh. Who cares?

[southernreaper]

He chuckles at the line from the musical. But her comment about the tiny food has him laughing, deep and warm. He covers her hand with his. The deep purple fabric slides over her skin, protecting her from the deadliness of his.

The waiter smiles as he puts the water filled crystal in front of them. He offers them wine, but Kevin turns it down. He's driving. He sips the water, and it's filtered within an inch of its life.

They're given options for dinner. Vegetarian or not. That's their options. Kevin actually takes the vegetarian option. Not his typical thought, but he's willing to try.

[goingthroughaphase]

Glancing up at him, she gives him a smile, unaware of the waiter’s expression. But she also declines the offer for wine, not old enough to drink yet.

She gives him a look of surprise when he selects the vegetarian meal, even as she asks for the same. As the waiter leaves to place their order, she looks at him curiously.

[southernreaper]

Kevin sips his water again, then sees the curious look on her face. "If you're willing to put up with all my quirks," including his gloves, "then I can at least try to see it from your point of view now and again, right?" He says, shyly.

He wants to try new things with her. He wants to experience new things with her. He knows some things will never be normal, but he can try this.

[goingthroughaphase]

She places her hand on his. “Some of these things are beyond your control,” she says. “The least I can do is try to be understanding towards them.” Then she smiles. “But thank you. That’s really sweet.”

[southernreaper]

"Yeah, but this isn't." He says, softly. "I'm not giving up my steaks and burgers, but a few vegetables now and again won't hurt." He teases. "Besides, if my new wife is vegetarian, no reason I can't support her in that."

[goingthroughaphase]

Her smile brightens, and she gently squeezes his hand. “I appreciate that. And I don’t mind if you still eat meat. But thank you for understanding.”

[southernreaper]

He shrugs. "Don't, really, understand it, but I don't need to." He says, gently. "See, it's your thing. Just like blacksmithing is my thing. If you can put up with the smell, and the heat, and me losing track of time, this? This is easy." They're a partnership now. There's going to be times where they don't see eye to eye, there are going to be times when things are going to be so much worse for them. But this? This is easy. And why shouldn't he do something so simple to support her?

[goingthroughaphase]

"Well that's what I mean by understanding. If you don't understand why, you get that it's still important to me. And you're willing to try. That means a lot to me."

[southernreaper]

He brushes a thumb over the back of her hand. He likes the little gestures he remembers from his parents. No, theirs was not a conventional marriage. But that doesn't mean they can't have some of the trappings. "We're partners. That's going to be hard enough. Why make it harder?"

[goingthroughaphase]

She smiles, turning her hand over to take his. "Still, sometimes it's the little things that really make a difference."

And maybe she's just a bit hopeful and a little naive...but she could see this working out.

[southernreaper]

Yeah, they're both a bit naive about this, but they've been thrown into the deep end, and there's nothing they can do about it, except try their best.

The meal comes and goes. There are a lot of courses, and even Kevin is a bit overwhelmed by the amount of food. But he doesn't find it bad. In fact, it's very, very good, if not his style. He's much more a steakhouse type person. But, someone thought they'd enjoy this, and watching the kitchen is fascinating. At one point, the Chef comes over to talk to the pair of them, and Kevin and he talk for a moment about different methods of sauteeing. But the Chef has to go back to work, and Kevin puts his hand over Kitty's. The Chef coming over was the final excitement for the evening.

He leans as close as he dares. "Ready to get outta here?"

[goingthroughaphase]

Kitty is certainly enjoying herself. Even if it's a lot more food that she'd ever eat, she at least tries a little bit of everything. She also enjoys getting to see the kitchen, and even though she contribute much to the conversation when the Chef comes over, she listens to him and Kevin talk with interest.

When the Chef gets back to work and she takes a last bite of her dessert, she glances at Kevin with a smile. Taking sip of her water, she then wipes her mouth daintily before reply, "I'm good to go."

[southernreaper]

Kevin stands and takes her hand, tucking it into his arm. They need to get out of here. He breathes a deep sigh of relief being out in the open air again. It smells of blacktop, heat and rain to come. Black clouds are obscuring the horizon now. Kevin opens her door for her, then slides into the driver's seat.

Silently, he drives them back to the hotel. Once they're in the room, he kicks off his nice shoes and wiggles his toes. He hates those shoes. "That was a very large meal." He says.

[goingthroughaphase]

She sits in content silence as they drive back to the hotel. Once they enter the room, she places her purse aside, laughing as she slips out of her own shoes.

"Gosh yeah," she replies, starting on removing her earrings. "I feel like I don't need to eat for a week."

[southernreaper]

He chuckles and falls on the bed after removing his suit jacket. No need to wrinkle it after all. He sighs and closes his eyes. It's nice to just stretch out on the bed, and relax for a while.

"That mean we're not eating our way through Disney?" He teases cracking open his eye to watch her.

[goingthroughaphase]

"Hey, there's always room for sweets," she says playfully, carefully putting the jewelry away.

[southernreaper]

"Sweets huh?" He stretches, reaching for the suppressor. He peels off his glove, putting it on, and then peels off the other and rolls to his feet. Kevin walks up behind her and drops a kiss on the back of her neck. "I like sweets." He whispers in her ear.

[goingthroughaphase]

With a slight shiver, she glances up at him with a coy smile. "Think you have a little room for some...extra dessert then?" she asks.

[southernreaper]

He drops a kiss on her mouth, smiling. His warm hands rest on her shoulders. "I believe you promised me the chance to peel you out of this dress." He says, softly.

[goingthroughaphase]

"I believe I did," she agrees, gathering her hair and pulling it over one shoulder to reveal the clasp and zipper of the dress.

She also has another little surprise for him, when he starts unzipping the dress, as the only thing she's wearing underneath it is a rather lacy, rather small string thong.

[southernreaper]

He kisses the back of her neck, his hands slowly peeling down the zipper. He pushes it out of his way, his hands encircling her waist, able to see the top of the thong. That's very nice of her. He drops a kiss on her shoulder, pushing the dress down with one hand the other coming up to play with her nipple. His eyes meet hers in the mirror.

[goingthroughaphase]

She watches him in the mirror as he removes her dress, keeping her eyes locked with his even as a soft sound escapes her lips at his touch. Soon the dress falls away completely, leaving her in only the thong.

[southernreaper]

He kisses slowly down her neck, wanting to draw this out as long as possible. She's utterly beautiful, no matter what she is, or is not, wearing. His arm wraps around her, holding onto her and pulling her against his warm body. He's still watching her reaction in the mirror as he toys with her nipple slowly.

[goingthroughaphase]

She shivers, tilting her head a bit to give him more room while leaning into him as he plays with her nipple. Then she laughs softly, glancing up at him.

"Hey now," she says, fingers gently tugging on his shirt. "I think things are a little unfair right now."

[southernreaper]

Kevin laughs, kissing her cheek. He runs his hands down to her waist, and turns her around to face him. "Wanna fix that?" He asks, kissing the tip of her nose. Kevin wants her hands on him, wants her to explore him, the way he enjoys exploring her. It's only fair after all.