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

[southernreaper]

"S'all anyone can ask." She says, gently. "Marriage is hard, always has been. Weren't easy with my husbands, neither. Love is only part of the equation... the rest, you gotta figure out yourself." And it won't be easy, she knows, but they're young. They'll be fine.

"And don't think you gotta do all the work. That boy gotta do it too. He probably gotta do more, cuz he gets in that head o' his and he gotta be dragged out." She squeezes Kitty against her side. "Can't do that now."

[goingthroughaphase]

With a small smile, Kitty nods as she leans into Miss Amelia. "Yeah, we're definitely working on that. I'm hoping to get him to open up to more more. And I know it won't be easy, but...I'm willing to do everything I can."

[southernreaper]

"Now, did ya enjoy Disney? I ain't been since the boys were little." She looks in the kitchen. "If'n ya can ever call them louts little." She says, fondly.

Just then a police car pulls into the driveway. "Tom's home!" She calls, still watching out the window, a look of vague worry on her face. When the front door opens, she relaxes and smiles. "Tom! Kevin brought us his bride. Come meet Kitty."

Tom takes off his police hat, and walks over. "Howdy, Kitty. How'd a pretty thing like you end up with a sourpuss like that?"

"I tricked her!" Kevin calls, putting dinner together still.

[goingthroughaphase]

"Oh yeah, it was a lot of fun! There was so much to do there, we weren't able to see everything."

Kitty glances up as Tom enters the house, and with a smile she waves. "Hi, nice to meet you."

She laughs at Tom's teasing, and Kevin's reply, shaking her head a little. "Yeah, he lured me in with Mimsy."

[southernreaper]

Tom laughs. "Where is the baby girl?" He asks. "Lure her in with the pretty girl and then don't bring her along?" He tsks.

Kevin snorts, sliding something into the oven. "We spent a week at Disney. Couldn't bring her. Want to see her so bad, y'all need to come up north." He says.

"Bunch o' Yanks, up there, Kevin." Miss Amelia says.

[goingthroughaphase]

"We could always bring her next time," Kitty suggests, hinting that another visit was more certainty than not.

[southernreaper]

Tom laughs. "Oh, you gonna make Grandmama happy." He kisses his grandmother's cheek. "Always lamentin' that Kevin don't come see us often enough."

"Oh shoo. Go change. Dinner should be done soon." Miss Amelia scolds her grandson.

"Who cooked?" tom asks, heading for the back.

[goingthroughaphase]

"The guys did," Kitty replies. "Trust me, you wouldn't want me near the kitchen."

[southernreaper]

"Oh, so not only did he bring Grandmama a bride, he cooked?" Tom's voice is muffled as he yells from the back of the house, making Miss Amelia tsk and shake her head. He comes out, wearing jogging pants and a plain white tee. "What you sucking up for?"

Kevin shakes his head, and finally finishes cleaning up with the other two. "Dinner in about thirty." He settles next to Kitty, putting his arm around her. "And I like cookin' for Miss Amelia. Only drawback is I gotta feed you guys too." He smirks, daring Tom to say anything.

[goingthroughaphase]

Kitty can't help a little giggle, being careful as she leans against him a bit. "As if you don't enjoy feeding people," she said, lightly elbowing him.

[southernreaper]

He grins and kisses her head. He's still wearing the suppressor. It's just simpler around Miss Amelia and her grandsons. "I do. But," he says, wearing a shit-eating grin, "I feed people who appreciate my genius." He says, making Tom snort.

"Genius? What them yanks been fillin' your head with?" He shoves Kevin's head away from Kitty.

[goingthroughaphase]

Kitty bites back another giggle. She knows it's all teasing and good fun, but she chimes in anyway, "Kevin is really great in the kitchen, though. He's made some of my favorite dishes back at the mansion, and I didn't even realize he was the one cooking them."

[southernreaper]

"How come she didn't know?" Miss Amelia asks, sipping her tea. "You're a wonderful cook. Should know, I taught you everything I know."

Kevin's face flushes. "I know, but it's different at the Mansion." He admits. "Didn't want no one under foot, and sometimes, I just wanna be left alone to create."

[goingthroughaphase]

Kitty does giggle this time. "With all the people living at the mansion, that's definitely fair."

[southernreaper]

The meal is soon ready and Miss Amelia puts Kevin and Kitty right next to her at the big table. There's laughter, and jokes, and the boys tell stories of young Kevin, and how he's always had an artistic bent, though he hadn't found welding until high school, with blacksmithing coming very soon after.

After the table is cleared, and the dishes done and dessert eaten, Kevin takes Kitty's hand and bids farewell to Miss Amelia. Time for them to head to the hotel. He's starting to get the headache that says he's worn the suppressor for too long.

But, when they get to the hotel and into their room, Kevin pulls Kitty against him and kisses her thoroughly, before regretfully pulling back. There are two beds in the room and for the first time in their marriage, they're going to have to use them. "Thank you." He says, pulling the suppressor off and putting his gloves back on. He tucks the suppressor into the box, putting it on the nightstand.

[goingthroughaphase]

The evening is a lot of fun, getting to spend time with Kevin's family and listening to stories about Kevin. Kitty can't remember the last time she'd laughed so much. They leave on a high note, with Kitty promising that they would visit again soon.

When they get back to the hotel, she's surprised when he kisses her suddenly, and returns the kiss while she can. When he pulls back, she smiles gently, even as she watches him remove the suppressor.

"You're welcome. It was really fun today." Hesitating a bit, she takes a step towards him, though keeps a bit of a distance. "How're you feeling?"

[southernreaper]

She knows him too well. Or, she can tell time. Whichever it is, he finds it irrationally irritating. He knows she's his wife, and he knows that he's being unreasonable.

So, instead of snapping at her, he takes a breath and flops back on the thankfully synthetic bedspread and sighs. "Starting to get a headache." He admits, grudgingly. He wants to put on his ring again and show her how much he appreciates her taking this side trip with him. Her meeting Miss Amelia and the boys had been Important to him. They're what's left of his family and they hadn't been able to make it to the wedding. He'd needed her to meet them.

But the headache is there, nagging at his attention. He should take some of the pain meds he'd brought and just sack out for the night. But, he doesn't want to. He wants to cuddle his wife. He wants to have sex with his wife. Neither of which he can do, because of the damned headache!

"Could ya get me the ibuprofen in my bag?" He asks, rubbing his temple. Pain meds, plenty of water, and sleep. That'll put him in a better mood.

[goingthroughaphase]

She had a feeling that had been the case. He'd been wearing the ring pretty much all day, and it's finally catching up to him.

"Of course," she replies, walking over to retrieve the medicine bottle. Then she walks back over, making sure to be careful as she hands it to him.

[southernreaper]

He tosses back four of them without any water or anything. Almost like he's done it a few times. Being unable to be healed by Josh? Sucks.

"I'm sorry, Kitty. You're gonna have to sleep alone." He says, softly, still laying back on the bed. He's probably going to have to pay damages when they check out, but that's alright. It's not like he hasn't had to do that before.

"Wanna go out and do somethin' tomorrow? Miss Amelia will be at the church most of the day." And he doesn't expect Miss Amelia to entertain them. "Or, we can head back to the Mansion, if you want?"

[goingthroughaphase]

She offers an understanding smile as she nods. "I know...it's okay." They both had known there would be nights like this, when they'd have to sleep in separate beds.

She had expected it to happen sometime...but somehow, it still felt a little lonely.

Thinking for a moment, she shakes her head. "I don't think I'm ready to go back home quite yet," she admits. "I wouldn't mind doing something tomorrow."

[southernreaper]

She's utterly sweet and wonderful. He sighs. "How about this? We'll hit the Aquarium, and then do a ghost walking tour?" Real touristy stuff. "Gives us time to just wander around and do nothin' all day until the ghost tour." He's never been on one. They always take place at night, and he's always been a homebody.

"Or we can go to the zoo? I know a few places that are real tourist traps that won't be too full this time of the year." He doubts she'd be interested in all the civil rights stuff, but Legoland is interesting.

[goingthroughaphase]

She takes some time to change into some pajamas and let her hair down, sitting on the bed as she starts to brush her hair. "We could do either the zoo or the aquarium, I don't mind. They both sound pretty fun. I've never heard of a ghost tour before, though. What's that?"

[southernreaper]

He chuckles. "Well, how about you decide which one you want to hit and we'll go there." He's willing to indulge her, since she's indulging him a lot of the time. "But ghost tours?" He grins, wickedly.

"Why, ma'am, Georgia's 'bout as haunted as they come, more'n either of the Carolinas, Alabama or Mississippi put together. Beat out by Louisiana, o' course." His southern accent gets thick, because he's teasing her. "But walkin' tours show ya all the haunted places. Think there are more'n a few to choose from." He rummages for a moment and pulls out his phone, looking it up. "Yeah, more'n a few." He hands over his phone so she can see.

[goingthroughaphase]

She giggles a little as he pours on the thick accent. "Sounds fun," she says as she takes his phone, looking over the different options.

"Maybe we can see if there's one close by the zoo or aquarium, that way it won't take long to head over."

[southernreaper]

She's adorable, and she's all his. It's... frightening, exhilarating, and yet he's content.

and fuck the Professor for knowing they'd be a decent fit.

"I don't think there is, but have a look through." She still has his phone. "Anything you want. Shouldn't be too many tourists joining, so it'll be nice and calm."