taking responsibility

i grew up with him. i thought i knew him, but as the years went on i realize we've all been played. we all made a mistake, except for her.

[beyonce-knowles]

[mxtrixrch]

Elle’s belly is quivering with her laughter, her behind smacking against the dresser. It doesn’t hurt the least bit, their bodies were made of steel unlike the humans. She pushes herself up on the dresser, wearing only her bra and slip now. “If you can manage to get yourself untangled first, Hopkins.”

She startles for a second, suddenly realizing that she was now a Hopkins as well. Her expression goes soft for a moment, staring at the man she’d loathed for a better part of their lives. “Mr. Hopkins,” she corrects herself, looking at him through heavy lashes. It occurred to her, now, that they were to build a family together. To continue an age old bloodline, to rule one of the most powerful organizations in the world, to make the world a safer place. They would do it together.

[voicexfreason]

Mumbling under his breath about the forsaken rope, he nearly missed her correction. Tangled in the strings even more than moments ago, he froze and looked up at her slowly expecting to see regret in her eyes. This had to be the tenth time today she left him speechless, he couldn’t find any dismay and that fact gave him an idea. These stupid corset strings could burn in hell.

Adam walked toward her with confidence despite his hands now being tied together. In one movement, he had her trapped between his arms and the strings were bundled up in his hands behind her back. Leaning in, he pressed his cheek to hers and brushed his lips against her ear. He wondered if she could feel his smile as he moved past to reach for the knife in a bag sitting behind her.

“I’m free now, but you aren’t.” he whispered.

[voicexfreason]

mxtrixrch

It was more than a little cold outside, and Elle’s current attire wouldn’t do. The minute they reach the grand hotel they’ve both been put up in, she’s shedding her clothes in their honeymoon suite but not to celebrate their marriage. “Do you see my trousers in that bag? The long ones?” she asks through a laugh, stumbling over her train as she steps out of her gown.

She goes tumbling into him until they’re a mess on the bed, shoving her hands down the front of his trousers to push them off of him. She’s drunk on her excitement, knowing he has no intention of taking her on the overly planned honeymoon both their parents set up. That wasn’t who they were, and she just wanted to be them again. Once his trousers are shed, she flips their position so he can help her remove her corset. “Where to first, love?” She places his arms around her, hands on the intricate lacings so he can pull them apart.

Adam’s fingers can do a lot of things, twirl knives for instance, but tangled up in the strings of her corset he wished he had a knife to sever them. The wedding was… a disaster at first, the reception was incredibly awkward, this part would be better. Whatever the felt before, it was gone now because they both wanted it to be. At least for one evening, they wanted the same thing.

Laughing in her ear when he pulls her closer to get to the strings, he replies easily, “Oh I was thinking that dresser behind you.” He pushes her toward it as he finally yanks the strings out completely and tosses them to the side. Unfortunately for him, they managed to wrap around his wrist.

[mxtrixrch]

     The last thing she expected was for him pull her in, and she certainly didn’t expect it to be so comforting. His scent brought back so many memories, so many nights spent in the field. Nights where they could barely keep their hands off of each other. She still loved him, didn’t she? Maybe she always would. Even though her shaking does not cease, she still throws her arms around his neck which evokes a round of applause from their audience. If only they knew what this marriage meant, that soon a witch would be leading them.

Her voice is softer than anyone could think possible, not at all like the thick, thunderous Irish brogue that she usually spoke with. "Ya’re tha only one who can keep me safe.” It’s not a statement, it’s a plead. Their union would protect her from everyone else, but what would protect her from him? Would he love her as his wife, or would he treat her as he treated any other witch? Her cheek slides wetly against his as she pulls away just enough to feel his breath breath on hers.

     "Promise me, Hopkins.“

[voicexfreason]

     “Until the day that I die.” Adam kissed her forehead now sealing the promise the same way that he used to. He wanted to disappear into the background, but he knew all eyes were on them. The fastest way to get it over with was to walk down the aisle with his new bride and drive off into the distance toward their honeymoon.

Adam turned to the crowd while still squeezing her hand as tight as possible like she would float away if he let go. Lacking no charm, he announced to the crowd, “We’d just love to stay and dance, but we’ve got other plans.” The suggestive wink caused his mother to frown; he knew she was mentally cursing him for inappropriate behavior but nothing he did today was.

[voicexfreason]

      He’d blame his actions on forgetfulness, but deep down he knew it was just because he actually did want her. If only he would be honest with himself, he’d admit those feelings never went away. Avoiding her and pretending he hated her was much easier than facing his broken heart. Adam pecked her lips softly once, then pressed his lips to hers more firmly the second time. Tilting his head so that their noses wouldn’t bump, he kissed her one more time. When he pulled away, he bit her bottom lip gently and grinned.

      Backing off, he rested his forehead against hers briefly before sliding down to snuggle into her neck. Adam yawned and pressed his lips against her skin, “Sleep Ellie, I’m tired.”

[mxtrixrch]

To say Elle was mesmerized by his kiss would be an understatement. She smiles easily at his teasing, fingers sliding into his hair as he whispered against her. “You better be here when I wake up,” she warns with a yawn of her own, snuggling down into his shoulder.

It’s awkward and messy, their own little tangle of limbs. But it works, and she hasn’t been this comfortable since before she was pregnant. Their child trapped safely between them, Elle falls sound asleep wrapped in his warmth.

[mxtrixrch]

Elle leans back a little bit to look at him, lips slightly parted in surprise. Adam wasn’t one for rule breaking, in fact he was the responsible one. His answer is surprising to say the least, and until now Elle hasn’t truly grasped his…dedication to her. To the family they would build.

It has been weeks since they’ve kissed, save for the obligated peck on the cheek in front of others. Possibily months, and Elle doesn’t remember what his stubble feels like against her chin. Eyes dewy and lowered, she leans up to press her lips to his. Soft and undemanding, so unlike herself. She wants him to want to kiss her back, and it’s stupid and she doesn’t know why she’s still trying to be a normal couple. But God, did she crave a kiss right now.

[voicexfreason]

      He’d blame his actions on forgetfulness, but deep down he knew it was just because he actually did want her. If only he would be honest with himself, he'd admit those feelings never went away. Avoiding her and pretending he hated her was much easier than facing his broken heart. Adam pecked her lips softly once, then pressed his lips to hers more firmly the second time. Tilting his head so that their noses wouldn't bump, he kissed her one more time. When he pulled away, he bit her bottom lip gently and grinned.

      Backing off, he rested his forehead against hers briefly before sliding down to snuggle into her neck. Adam yawned and pressed his lips against her skin, “Sleep Ellie, I’m tired.”

[mxtrixrch]

Ellie all but melts into him, absolutely in love with everything about this. Could she blame this joy she felt on the baby? Her fists curl into his shirt as she wiggles her way into his lap. It’s cozy, and bordering on cuddling but she could care less if he had the upper hand right now. She was far too happy.

His warmth surrounds her, and it’s making her just a tad sleepy. When she looks up at him, her eyes are heavy with it. “When he comes,” she says slowly, rubbing her belly in circles. She just knows it’s a boy. “When he comes, will you be there with me?” It wasn’t customary to have a man in the delivery room, but she couldn’t do this alone.

[voicexfreason]

      Adam wiggled until he felt comfortable, actually ending up with both arms around her and turning her to settle her in his lap without crushing him. She felt like home to him, and for a moment he thought that maybe they loved each other. Maybe they actually did care for each other and it wasn’t one sided, but he still believed John wasn’t at fault. That wasn’t something he wanted to think about now though.

      “When the baby comes, they’ll have to restrain him or lock me up. Let them try to keep me out of that delivery room.” he yawned as he answered her. Adam didn’t want to mention that baby’s gender yet. Elle may be determined, or may even know exactly what the baby would be but Adam still loved the surprise aspect and didn’t even want to guess.

[voicexfreason]

mxtrixrch:

His proximity is making her drunk with giggles, and she can’t explain why his response makes her laugh. She’s just… happy. All that fear from their wedding day had slowly dripped away, until all she felt was longing. Longing for him, the way they used to be and what they could have been. Despite that longing, she was happy because she was with the man she loved and she was carrying his child. Would he ever love her again?

     "Will ya be keeping your promises then, my husband?“

Pulling her closer to his chest, Adam rested his cheek comfortably on hair and allowed his eyes to slip shut. Her scent could either drive him wild or calm him down depending on their mood, and right now he decided the meeting could go on without either of them. The couple had an excuse to be absent anyway, and they were both content at the moment. Adam would prefer to bask in her sweet glory rather than be pestered by business men that were afraid to progress. The fact that she had a little baby growing in her had to be her reason for enjoying his touch, but he wasn't going to complain while it lasted. In fact, despite his denial Adam was going to cherish every moment until they were back to their strained relationship again.

      “I will always keep my promises to you, my dear Mrs. Adam Hopkins.”

[voicexfreason]

mxtrixrch:

     Kissing Adam Hopkins had been Elle’s dream since she was just a little girl. When they first met, and she could see the king he would be. That dream was shattered the moment he denied what John was, what he’d always be. This kiss is sour, and it makes her sick to pretend she likes it.

It’s the second time he’s broken her heart.

The look on her face when he pulls away says it all. She would never love him again, and they were looking forward to a lifetime of painfully faking it. How could she build a family with him? She really is crying now, but to everyone else it appears that she can’t contain her excitement. She’s gripping his hands now, sweaty and shaking. He thinks this is funny, his smirk says it all. Ruining her life is funny to him, but she isn’t surprised. She’s the one who has to let him touch her, she’s the one who has to bear his children. She’ll be the one who bears all the scars of this marriage.

     As soon as he pulls away his face nearly drains of color and he wished for an instant he hadn't gone too far. Adam thought it was a game they were playing, but it was for the rest of their lives. He may be able to live with it, but what sort of strain would it be on her? How much did she really hate him? If he let go of her shaking hands everyone would know. If he pulled her in for a hug, she might not find comfort in it. Elle could feel forced into something else that might make her cry more, but he wanted more than anything to comfort her right now.

     "I'm so sorry..." he whispers into her ear, "I know out of everyone, out of all the men in here they had to choose me." His arms are wrapped around her now, holding her close to his chest. He’s shutting out the rest of the world to allow her to cry, and though he may be the reason for her tears, right now they had no where else they could go. The ceremony wasn’t exactly over yet, but he's ignoring the rest of the world. Only Ellie existed, and even though they were not how they used to be he never wanted to hurt her. He could never truly erase those lingering feelings he had for her. No matter how many women were in the world, none of them compared to her.

[voicexfreason]

mxtrixrch:

Her hand moves of its own accord, fingers gently ghosting over his. It’s instant, the relief she gets from his touch and she can’t deny how good it feels to be so close to him. Her nose crinkles when she laughs, leaning her head back against the headboard.

     ”Please, whatever ya do; do not become that.”

Lying to himself seemed easier than admitting the truth because he knew how she felt. Ignoring their lingering touches and pleasantries when they were alone was simpler. This baby had to have been created out necessity, not passionate love for one another. It couldn't be them rekindling a flame from years ago because it was his name protecting her. His status keeping her safe. Yet despite his adamancy, he still found himself wanting to put his arm around her for that calming feeling and comfort only she could provide.

          "I can only promise that I will try."

[voicexfreason]

mxtrixrch:

Elle tries not to look so pleased at the suggestion, but ultimately fails. She can’t help the way she’s been craving him lately, just the comfort of having him near. Playing with the buttons on his stolen shirt, she nods.

     ”The idea of it exhausts me, your father is a man of…many words.”

Attempting to keep the smile off his face, Adam sat down on the bed next to her and scooted closer to keep from falling off of course. He definitely didn’t want to be next to her, Adam just wanted her to rest for the baby’s sake.

           “He’s really... monotonous and full of it.”

[voicexfreason]

mxtrixrch:

She huffs, burying her face deeper into her arms before looking up at him. She’s begun to grow pale from exhaustion, save for a deep rouge on her cheekbones. A pregnant glow.

     ”Ah want to go, ah don’t want to be stuck in bed. Wasn’t built for that, ya know that.”

Adam scrubbed his face with his hand and held it against his lips for a moment to keep from saying anything that might sound like an order.

      “Okay, okay. May I sit with you for a moment first?             I’m a little tired from the early morning meeting with my father.”

[voicexfreason]

mxtrixrch:

     ”Ah can handle one more meetin’, Adam.”

        “I told you that you don’t need to go.           Please just rest, Ellie.”

[voicexfreason]

mxtrixrch:

     There were so many things that could have gone wrong today. Elle hadn’t suspected for a second that this would be one of them. Her parents knew her disdain for Adam Hopkins, knew it was even greater than her one for John Stearne. At least she could smother John in his sleep, and there wouldn’t be much of a complaint. But Adam? Adam was the golden boy, and Elle was just a Stearne cousin with abilities she shouldn’t possess. Why on Earth would his parents agree to this?

She’s obviously doing everything to keep it together, and looking into his eyes actually helped. No matter how hard she tried to deny it, there was a time when she was madly in love with him. When she was young and naive enough to believe that he truly was some God sent hero, destined to change the medieval ways around here. Instead, he protected the man who murdered her best friend. There were no ifs or buts about it. John killed Sarah, and Elle saw it as if she had been standing there herself. John killed Sarah, and Adam did nothing about it.

It almost proves too much to bear, but she would be stronger than him. She would show him that she was just as worthy as him, and so was Sarah. She deserved better than to be slaughtered like an animal, and Elle deserved better than Adam Hopkins. There is an unmistakeable loathing in her eyes, and she doesn’t try to hide it from him. No one but the priest can see her raw reaction, and she knows he’s too busy trying to stay on task when the audience was making such a ruckus. Her voice is soft, so that only he can hear but she schools her expression so that it appears that she’s overly excited.

     ”Don’t you dare kiss me.”

      It was painful how hyperaware he was about the whole situation. Luckily, none of the adults seemed to notice their discomfort. He had to hand it to Elle, she was just as professional as he hoped she'd be and then some. Still smiling with radiance and determination in his eyes, he tugged her closer to whisper in her ear, "We have to, Ellie. It's part of the ceremony."

      Essentially, he was accepting her challenge and he was going to make their kiss memorable for the onlookers and each other. They would be stuck together for the rest of their lives, the least he could do was play it up like they loved one another. At one time they did, but now it was over. At least he could make it enjoyable for himself by pissing her off.

      When the priest uttered the words, Adam bent her back enough so that she couldn't stand without him. As tasteful as possible, he kissed her with enough passion to make it look like their hatred for each other was actually love. The crowd whooped around them, when they parted he stood her back up straight and smirked.

[voicexfreason]

huntresslost:

     Sarah looks up, surprised. Adam Hopkins. He’s hardly who she expected to be making a point to say hello to her. To make sure she was settling in ok.

     ”It’s different from home, but not bad.” At least there were cousins here with her, a few familiar faces. It helped with the homesickness. “Though if I’m honest, I am not a fan of the food.”

      Cracking a smile, he also nodded in response, “Yeah, to be honest no one is really a fan of the food. It’s really bland right?”

      “I do hope that everyone has been nice to you so far, if not you’ll let me know right? I can get them to stop.” he proffered. Adam didn’t want anyone to mistreat her just because of her family name. Adam knew Bellamys weren’t a founding family, but he also knew that didn’t mean they weren’t good at what they did. 

[voicexfreason]

mxtrixrch:

     The dressing room is quiet, not one of the maids speaking to her in fear that they’ll accidentally tell her the identity of her groom. They’ve seen him of course, and everytime they left the room Elle would hear them tittering with laughter in the hallway. That couldn’t be good. A sinking feeling had begun to grow in her stomach, made it turn over and over until she felt she may vomit all over her beautiful dress. At least she got to choose her dress, instead of having it thrust upon her like the rest of this dreadful day.

Music had begun to fill the halls beyond her cage, and it only made her heart beat faster. Faster and faster still until she felt like she was going to faint. Her veil hung on the one of the many mirrors set up along the wall. She tried to focus on its intricate lace work, to occupy her mind. Not many things frightened her, but the thought of her wedding turning into a nightmare plagued her dreams for weeks now. The man at the altar was a mystery to her, and she knew it was just as likely that she be married to another Stearne. A vile, evil man like John Stearne who was a vicious sociopath obsessed with the goal of dominating each and every hunting family. Just the same, she could be married to a Bellamy. A sweet, kind Bellamy who could show her incredible new things. But what kind of luck was that? Gripping her tightly corsetted bodice, she falls back into her chair.

When she finally looks up again, she finds a familiar face. One that soothes her every worry. “Oh thank God…” she murmurs, accepting his hand. She grips it tight every step of the way, blinded by her thick veil as he leads her down the aisle. Good thing Sarah’s father was a strong man or else she would have crushed his hand to dust by now. Maybe she will make it out of this, if he was so confident in her groom to give her away.

She is but a foot from her future husband now, her hand placed within his. It’s only seconds until she sees his face, but she’s finally wearing a smile.

      It seemed like an eternity had past since Mr. Bellamy had started bringing his new bride toward him. While he waited, Adam’s hands were getting clammy. He subtly wiped them off on his pants then fixed his hair nervously. Finally the two arrived next to him and he took his future bride's hands in his own.

      Smiling as confidently as he could, Adam nodded at Sarah’s father to lift the veil. Unfortunately, when he did Adam’s face immediately drained of color. His smile altered momentarily and ended up forced. He squeezed her hands tighter in case she tried to pull them away because he knew what people would say if it happened. Both sets of parents would be disappointed if they couldn’t at least put on a show.

      Years ago, maybe she was the one he thought about at night. She was the one he hoped would be arranged to stand across from him on this very day, but now things had changed and she was the last person he wanted to see up here. Their friends from the academy knew because someone from the crowd made an extended 'Oooo' in the audience. This caused the priest to stutter and their headmaster to rush down from the stage and attempt to silence the outburst. Maybe he was trying to be quiet, but he audibly whisper shouted, “Damn it, Darren! Quit ruining their beautiful day.”

      Adam kept his eyes on Elle's and he bit his lip, now trying to stifle any kind of sound that may leave his lips.

[voicexfreason]

      Adam gazed at the new girl with his arms hugging the back of his chair to help him stay facing her. He felt it was his job given his position as heir to the Hopkins family to welcome the Bellamy kids and treat them with as much respect as he treated the Stearnes. It was his duty, but it was also the right thing to do.

      “So... Sarah Bellamy, is it? Welcome to our academy.               Have you been settling in well so far?”