40sbarnes

[40sbarnes]

do it bounce

🧍‍♀️

[40sbarnes]

Medici: Spymasters of Florence

Til Death

(extra)

um,,. have this offering,....

pairing; lorenzo x reader <3

1.6k words; this defo has plot holes idrk whats happening with bianca etc, so just read with a grain of salt pls

Spreading the lip paint across your lips, you half expected it to sting. You pushed those thoughts to the back of your mind as you looked at yourself in the mirror. You felt as though you were playing dress up for a mission once again, as if the reflection staring back at you was just another character. But it wasn’t, for this was your life now.

Your hair was arranged in such a way that the prestigious women you had often tried to mimic would wear their own locks, although no longer were you mimicking, you were. The cream gown sat on your body as if it had been plucked from one of your wildest dreams, and not from a quaint dressmaker in Venice. With a smile you recalled your second visit to the shop, how your betrothed had not held back an ounce of opinion, ensuring that you also spoke up for exactly the dress you desired for your special day. Your mind wandered to the blacksmiths surprise on the same visit, as he was given a healthy lump sum to create the rings that would soon sit on your fingers. Your gaze was drawn to your ring finger now, seeing how the band you had stolen so long ago still sat in its place. It served as an engagement ring you supposed, you couldn’t see yourself without it, and as you slid it off and slipped it into a pocket in your skirts, you vowed silently to replace it as soon as the ceremony was finished.

A gentle rapping at the door echoed throughout the silent room. You stepped back from the mirror with one last glance to cross the room, stopping with your hand around the handle as a thought rose to your mind. “Who is it?”

“Your favourite,” even without his unmistakable voice, you would have recognized the cheek in his tone on your worst day.

“Lorenzo! What if I had answered!” you scolded, your hand falling from the handle to join your other as you crossed your arms across your chest in feign anger.

“Well, I was hoping you would,” the confusion in his voice was clear even with the inches of oak between you both.

“You can’t see me before the ceremony! It’s bad luck,” you informed, not sure how much you believed in it but knowing the both of you didn’t need any more misfortune.

“Never knew you were so superstitious,” he teased, although he respected your wishes, accepting that your conversation would take place with the door remaining between you both.

“You have much to learn about me, Medici,” Lorenzo didn’t need to see your face to hear the grin on your lips.

“And I cannot wait to learn it all, Medici,” your heart sped up at he returned your teasing words.

“Lorenzo!” his mother’s voice floated from outside the door, scorning him. You heard the shuffling of him standing up straight, presumably facing her. “Go! They’re waiting for you downstairs, and you shan’t seen your bride before the ceremony, it’s in bad faith!” Lucrezia pushed her son gently in the right direction, ignoring him as he mumbled something along the lines of ‘so I’ve been told.’

She waited until he was gone from the hall to slip into your room, a wide smile falling across her face as she took in the sight before her, “You look so beautiful.” The corners of her eyes crinkled as she complimented you, and you returned the grin. Although you had been living with the Medici’s for almost two months now, it was only recently you had the fortune of seeing the woman before you truly smile.

“Thank you, Madonna,” you dipped your head slightly, but she caught your shoulder, forcing you back upright. What is it they say about the apple?

“In a matter of moments I’ll be your mother, officially,” she squeezed your shoulder where her hand was, “no need for the formalities, y/n,” her voice was soft. Your mouth fell slightly agape before you nodded in agreement. Her addition of ‘officially’ didn’t go unnoticed by you. You had quickly fallen into the family, in such a tender time they were more than appreciative to have someone to lean on, and in Lucrezia’s eyes no riches could ever repay the way you cared for Lorenzo after the loss of his brother.

The Medici’s, just as the rest of Florence, believed the story that you had been devoted to Lorenzo from the start, and that you had been kidnapped by the Pazzi’s, threatened to go along with their plan. It wasn’t exactly a falsehood, it just simply emitted some of the more dicey facts. There was no rush on your wedding, most of Florence believed you to be already wed, and with funerals, politics and grieving being the core focus at that time, no one was particularly stressed over officialities. But as time passed, Lorenzo had presented the idea of having a proper ceremony and you certainly weren’t opposed.

“Well,” Lucrezia clasped her hands together as she stood away from you, “ready?”

---

To say it was a small gathering would be a gross understatement. It was strictly Medici in its attendance, Lucrezia, Bianca and Father Carlo were stood out in the garden under an arch of rose bush. With fondness, you recalled some of the earlier planning of this day.

“And where? I suppose it would be a tad awkward to do it in the church,” Lorenzo pondered aloud from where he lay across your bed, supporting himself on one elbow. With everyone thinking that this day had already taken place, it proved difficult to make their beliefs true.

Your gaze fell off of Lorenzo and out of the window you sat in. “What about the gardens?” Somehow, they looked even more spectacular as you made your way into the summer months. The flowers appeared brighter, the grass greener.

“A fine venue for a grand wedding,” Lorenzo joked, his eyes surveying the side of your face, “Is there anyone you wish to invite?” the question escaped his lips as soon as it appeared on his mind, he despised the way he lost his smart tongue the minute you two were alone.

You focused your gaze on one of the rose bushes, “No,” you replied simply, hoping to keep any emotion from the answer. There was no one, you had no one. Only Lorenzo.

You looked to him now.

He looked at you as if you were also all he had, but the glint in his eye made it seem as if that weren’t something terrible at all. It wasn’t that you were all he had in this world, it was that you two were the only ones in his.

Goosebumps rose across your bare shoulders, your eyes remaining on his as you carried your skirts over the grass, joining Lorenzo to stand before Father Carlo. His fingers found yours almost instantly, lacing them together in the small space between you both. He only let them go for the exchanging of rings, and you couldn’t help but notice the slight shake of his hand as he slid the band onto your finger. You gave him a grin as you returned the gesture, earning a wide smile in exchange. You didn’t even hear Carlo’s next words as your now-husband cupped your face to pull you into a kiss, and if you had any lingering doubts of Lorenzo’s true intentions for this marriage, they were mercilessly thrown away as you relished in your lips meeting. Your hands had found his own face, and when you eventually pulled away, you stayed holding one another as you both surveyed your new spouse, trying to commit the image before you to memory; if such a thing was possible.

The look he was giving you made your heart swell against your ribcage, giving you the impression that you were holding his own beating heart in your hands instead of his cheeks. The cheers from your small audience almost weren’t enough to remind you that other people existed in that moment, until they turned into displeased gasps. You tore your eyes from your husband to his family, to see Bianca with her hand held out, her eyes on the sky. You followed her gaze to see the grey clouds that had appeared above you, and were beginning to spill down.

“Come along then, before we’re drenched,” Lucrezia glanced back at you as she headed for the house, Bianca and Carlo in tow.

You faced Lorenzo, wondering why he hadn’t moved, to see his gaze still fixed on you. Your hands slipped from his face to grab his own on yours, taking it to your side. “Come on, or do you wish to stare all day?” your tone was far too soft for the jab to hold any weight.

“Since when have you the ability to read minds?” he quirked a brow, although he seemed to be out of his trance now, a grin sat atop his blushed lips.

“Don’t worry, I can only read yours,” your thumb brushed his knuckles as you spoke.

“I suppose I mustn’t tell you how that only worries me further,” the rain was truly beginning to fall now, but neither of you had moved an inch still.

“You mustn’t,” a large raindrop landed on your brow, threatening to fall into your eye, if not for Lorenzo’s gentle fingers wiping it away before it had any chance.

The sky seemed to have little patience for you newlyweds, and opened up without any further hesitance. Lorenzo squeezed your hand before dragging you behind him, both of you breaking into a sprint as the droplets poured onto you. He glanced back as you struggled to gather your skirts, letting a raw chuckle bubble out from his throat, and you were quick to accompany him in his laughter, realizing that maybe running in the rain wasn’t all that bad.

[40sbarnes]

Omg they finally kissed, btw i really misses you updating❤️

I KNOW!! finally lmao

also thank you!! i’m going back to weekly updates for now, i’ve missed it too

[40sbarnes]

Medici: Spymasters of Florence

Epilogue

ahhh!! i was so uncertain with this chapter and i still am.. i hope you enjoy it and get *some* closure, but dw i will continue one shots for this story until i say otherwise! and now that this chapter is posted i will open up requests for one shots <3

as always thank you for reading,, i see all your likes and they are more than appreciated 

pairings; lorenzo x reader (but theyre actually together now??)

taglist; @brownskinnedblessing​ (this ones for you) @brynthebulldozer​ @mythicalamphitrite​ @nana035​ @valravnsraven​ @hannahhistorian92​ @not-thatweird @isaac-lahey-is-bae​ @angrygardendeer​ @unstoppable-xavi​ @johnbolton @voidmalfoy​ 

The bandages on Lorenzo's neck called for your gaze, although already stained through with blood. Both of your wounds had been treated soon after everything had happened. It was all a blur to you now, all you could remember was continuing the act for everyone, doing your best not to flinch when questioned about your 'marriage' to Lorenzo. His family seemed confused, but presumably from their recent loss, were not overly pressing the matter, at least for the time being.

Now, it was just you and Lorenzo stood across from each other in silence. The space between you was obvious, far more than usual, and it felt heavy, as if you would have to wade through it to reach him. Your hand sat uncomfortably on your side, although it had been wrapped in ointments and bandages, it still ached with each breath, and as the adrenaline wore off, it grew worse with every minute.

An uncertain amount of time had passed since Lorenzo had insisted you two be left alone, and you had escaped to his room. He cleared his throat quietly, catching your eye, before he finally spoke. "I'm glad you're okay," a ghost of a smile flashed across his features for a moment, gone the next.

"You too," you blinked back any emotion that threatened to show. You honestly were glad to see him well, despite everything. Silence fell over the space again, as all the lies and things unsaid had made everything so foggy and everything you felt you once knew had become so uncertain.

"He was your friend?" Lorenzo didn't need to use his name as he threw your words back at you. The words you had spoken out of anger. The words you still meant. The words you would speak again in a moment. The spite in Lorenzo's tone did not go unnoticed by you.

"Yes." You took a breath after answering, readying your explanation, but you were not given a chance to say it out loud as Lorenzo spoke again.

"After everything?!" His voice threatened to break as he raised it, his hand flying out to his side to help gesture his exasperation. 

"Lorenzo, please, just listen for a momen-" your pleading tone was unsuccessful as he denied your request by continuing his own trail of thought, taking a step closer to you.

"After everything he did? He killed my brother!" his voice cracked, a tear rolling down his cheek as he turned his head to the side, breaking the intense eye contact you were desperate to preserve. You tried your best to hold back your own tears, but Lorenzo's own upset was quickly filling the room, drowning you in it along with him.

You moved closer to him, slowly and gently lifting your finger to his cheek, wiping away the tear as it fell, along with the next one in its path.

"He killed Giuliano! Held you captive!" he continued his rant, his eyes meeting yours again, as you continued listening. His brows furrowed, before he slapped your hand away from his face. Your mouth fell agape, but you didn't move otherwise. "At least I had believed you to be..." uncertainty set into his features as he began to question himself, "Had I been a fool?" 

"I'm sorry for Giuliano." Your voice was a stark contrast to his, steady and unwavering, "I am." Your sincerity was not overshadowed by the lack of emotion. "But to insinuate it was all a lie after everything I went through?!" You ripped back your collar, the top buttons of your shirt popping open so the fabric fell to the side, leaving the bruises Jacopo had gifted you exposed.

"Y/n, I'm..." regret fell over Lorenzo as his cool fingers grazed your neck, his watery eyes apologetic. 

You leaned away from his touch as you continued your explanation. "They knew, I don't know for how long, about us. They knew about the poison... everything. They ambushed me that night, it was all a set-up. I certainly was not there by choice. I did everything I could to leave that place, to get to you. In fact, I had almost made it once, but I heard of their plan, and stayed to listen, like a fool. And was caught." You blinked rapidly as you felt tears creep into your eyes. "And you may know this to be true, because I popped my thumb out of its socket just to escape my chains!" You held up your hand, shoving it into Lorenzo's face as proof, furious that you had to.

He took hold of it, his touch gentle as he brings your hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss onto your thumb. He didn't bother surveying it, it was clear he trusted you. "I'm sorry," his breath flutters across your skin as he speaks, "does it hurt?" You take your hand out of his grasp in an attempt to not completely melt, you still had a lot to discuss. You turned away from his surprised expression and went to his desk, taking the bottle of wine sitting on it into your grasp.

His steps were soft across the wooden floor as he moved to join you, watching as you poured the drink into two cups. "I'm sorry that you're upset about Francesco," he sounded genuine, "I truly am." But not genuinely sorry for what he did. You didn't know that you could fully blame him.

You take a breath, before turning back to face him, handing him his drink. He hesitates for a moment before accepting it, and you can't hold back the chuckle that escapes your lips. "Would you like for me to drink from it first?" He shares a laugh with you at the irony, as he peers into his cup, but you reach your fingers around his, taking it from his hold, and bringing it to your lips anyways. 

"Don't you trust your wife?" A coy smile sits on your lips as you return the cup to his waiting hand, half-teasing, half-trying on the new title for size.

"Where would the fun in that be?" He smirks, but takes a sip nonetheless, invalidating his statement.

You share a genuine smile, drinking from your own cup, although it is clear you both still have much left unsaid.

Lorenzo sets his cup down on the desk, clearly preparing to clear the air. "Listen, y/n, I know you never imagined marriage for yourself, but-" 

You cut him off, "I understand Lorenzo. And I believe... I should thank you," he evidently didn't expect this response from you. "For saving me." You expand on your point. "Even if it means you are stuck with me"

A wide grin set across his cheeks. "I've been stuck with you for far before today," he teases.

"Well, officially..." you tilt your head to the side, smiling with him.

"About officialism...," he glances away for a moment, "I suppose a wedding is in order." He raises his chin as he looks back to you, leaning on the desk.

"Is that your way of proposing?" You raise your eyebrow, only meaning to tease but an air of seriousness falls over you both after your words.

"I think we are far past that," Lorenzo chuckles, "but still, you have more than deserved a proper proposal," he slides the ring off of your finger, taking your hand into his, "With the Pazzis gone the Medicis will run Florence almost unopposed, and I need you by my side now more than ever. You saved my life today as much as I saved yours. And I promise, should you agree to me, I will never treat you with anything less than the respect you deserve. You complained in Venice I never saw you as an equal," you bite back your disagreement at his choice of words, "which I admit to be true. I always saw you as far superior, it filled me with rage... and a strange sense of awe, and through everything, that fury has long since faded, although the awe remaining, now accompanied by something else, something more." Your heart was beating in your throat at his words, and at how close the two of you had moved to each other.

Your eyes flicker between each other’s, glancing to one another's lips. It is clear what you both wish, but there is a sense of uncertainty still. The last kiss of yours had been a plan, you both had imagined, to poison Francesco, who you had led to believe you cared for just as you were with Lorenzo currently. You try to read him, to see if it is truly a shared fear or it was just self-projection. 

You move towards him slowly, your noses touching as you pause before your lips meet. You gaze up towards him, to see him looking down at you, frozen, waiting for your next move. "Should I apply lip paint first?" Your lips smile against his, practically touching already.

"No," he breathes out, before you close the last bit of space, your lips finally meeting. The kiss is soft, as is his hold on your cheek as he pulls you closer. Your hands fall on his chest as all your worries and conflicts fade away for that moment. 

Eventually he pulls back, taking your hand back into his, holding the ring at the end of your finger, waiting as he realises you still had yet to answer. You nod slowly, and he slides the metal around your finger. 

"We are in need of proper rings, but for now..." he squeezes your hand with his, placing a kiss to your temple.

"I know a lovely blacksmith," you grin up at him, and he chuckles, before leaning down to connect your lips once again, as if you had done it a million times before.

Rapping on the door cuts the kiss short, both of you pulling away to rest your foreheads on one another. "Lorenzo!" The voice of a pained mother floats through the door, and he pulls away, instantly moving to answer it. 

"We have much to discuss," Lucrezia's eyes fall on her son before they flutter to where you stood behind him.

"I am aware, mother," he embraces her, "but not today." They share in a sad smile, the loss of Giuliano hanging like a weight between them.

She nods in agreement, sparing you one final glance before speaking, "Very well, then."

[40sbarnes]

I honestly am so excited for the epilogue

thank you so much! it was fun to keep writing this story ngl!

[40sbarnes]

Hi girl! How are you? How's your life going?

hi love!! life has been a little busy so i apologise for my lack of posting but im back now <3

how are you doing?

[40sbarnes]

when do you think you’ll start posting one shots? x

hi!! i think i might go back onto a schedule soon,,

i might do every sunday? for now at least and we’ll see how it goes, i will post the epilogue first this sunday?

i will take requests for one shots also!!

[40sbarnes]

Hey its me, the anon who wanted tips for writing a Lorenzo fic. First off, thank you for considering giving some advice,, it really means a lot. And so, Its nothing very specific I need advice on, I've written a draft for the fic but I'm not sure it'll be as good. It would really help of you could please give me some tips on how to make it interesting and basically not boring (cuz like yours was so compelling !!) and maybe you know, like how to fave writers block? Thank you so much!

hi hiiiii! of course i’m glad i can help in any way, and i’d love to proofread or anything if you do wish! but for now,, general tips!!

1. don’t compare to others writing! i know it’s easier said than done and i still catch myself doing it but we’re all different and so is our work, comparing never helps !!

2. for wanting it to be interesting, make sure you have a story outside of the romance, (i’m just assuming you’re doing an x reader or some type or romance story sorry) as much as i love a good relationship when you have a plot separate from it this adds so much to your story and in turn adds to the relationship as they work through the plot!

3. another tip for interest: keep it fresh, throw in an odd curveball, not every chapter of course but i as a reader love a good surprise or point of conflict, it’s a good way to hold intrigue between chapters

4. for fighting writers block, this is probably my biggest general tip for writing: write. every. day. even if it’s one single word, it’s one more word down. (of course if there’s stuff going on in your life, or if you ever need a break certainly take one, this is more for when you are mid-chapter and can’t bring yourself to finish it!)

5. this goes hand in hand with the last tip but don’t pressure yourself too much, as in if you begin writing a chapter, you tell yourself you have to finish it once you start. i did this a lot subconsciously, and would face writers block as i saw it as i had a whole chapter to write, when you could focus on getting out 100 words that day instead! i worded this tip quite poorly but basically you don’t have to always write 2k words in one sitting!!

6. leading on from the last tip againnnn, don’t fret over your word count! the content of your writing is much more important and you know where you want the end to be, and how much you feel should happen in the chapter, rather than how long it is. the flow of a chapter is much more important than its length. for example @heyrowena (sorry for the callout) has lengthier chapters but she’s mastered the flow of them, and so you don’t even realise just how much you’ve read once you finish them, and they suit the tone of her story to a tee.

i really hope these tips helped in some way, if there’s anything i missed or if you have any specific questions i’m more than happy to help and so flattered you asked!! i also recommended this blog @wordsnstuff as they are full of writing tips and are very informative!

[40sbarnes]

Hey, I just wanted to say that I loved your Lorenzo fic. I'm planning on writing one myself. I'd really appreciate if you'd give me any tips if u could. Thanks <3

hi, thank you so much! that’s so exciting this fandom definitely needs more writers! i’d be more than happy to give you tips but i wouldn’t even know where to start! is there anything in particular you want tips on? my dms are always open as well! <3

[40sbarnes]

Omg,, hi!. First off i just wanted to say that THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING SPYMASTERS! Reading this has been an absolute blast. I loved it so so much and your writing has been beyond amazing. Reading Lorenzo and reader's relationship has been the only thing keeping me sane in quarantine. The ending was fantastic i loved it so much <3

oh my godddd tysm!! i’m so so glad you enjoyed and i appreciate your support so much! it was weird not updating yesterday it’s become such a big part of my day to day life lol

[40sbarnes]

hi, the angry reader from earlier here. I feel so much better after reading your reasoning from earlier and it makes sense now. I am sorry for saying the ending was horrible but after waiting for you to update week after week I guess the ending just threw me off because it wasnt what I imagined but I forgot it really isnt about my imagination its about yours because it is your story and a spectacular one at that. I really do like it otherwise I wouldnt have even with all this.

it’s okay your opinion is completely valid! i was aware from the get go it wasn’t the nicest ending and not everyone would enjoy it, hopefully if you stick around you might enjoy the one shots and such for it where we get to see their relationship after everything! i’m sure lorenzo had some of the same apprehensions as you as that’s something they would’ve discussed !

[40sbarnes]

i- what an ending ! i was sitting here like "i know this is a slow burn and they are about to have a moment, but is she gonna die right after ???" it be like that sometimes lol once again, your writing is just *chef's kiss* i'm excited for whatever you have planned next ! until then, stay safe and take care 💕

thank you so much for all your kind words!!! i love a good tension filled slowburn if you couldn’t tell lol! i hope you have a great day thank you <3

[40sbarnes]

omggggg I loveee your story! I have been a silent reader BUTTTTTTTT it’s been so good!! Please please do some one shots! How funny would it be if they really were married after ch 14 before the events of ch 15 hahaha

that is such a fun idea!! maybe they could’ve been.,,,

and thank you!! i appreciate everyone who reads my story thank you for your kind words! i will defintiely do one shots i’m not ready to leave it behind just yet <3

[40sbarnes]

I’d love an epilogue maybe the reader explaining what happened or lorenzos POV. I’d love to see their life after or their wedding maybe with more fluff

i like all these ideas and will most likely write them all!

[40sbarnes]

pleaseeee could you write a one shot about their first kiss bc the way they went from 0 to 60 is crazyyy😂

also could you pls add me to any tag lists you have 🥺👉🏽👈🏽

ofc i will! i think it’d be very interesting to see!

and yes! i’ll have to sort something out going forward for tag lists but you’ll be added!

[40sbarnes]

Honestly i am very disappointed with the ending. What a horrible way to end such a great story. It felt like the reader really wanted to be Francesco and not Lorenzo. Why did she ran away with Francesco after he had killed Guiliano? It would only fuel Lorenzo's belief that she was playing him all along. It makes no sense. Surely Lorenzo would have understood her circumstances after all she did save his life by yelling his name during mass.

hey um.,, i’m really really sorry you feel this way. thank you for the criticism it’s expected and welcome! i do have a bias for francesco but i think it was clear in the story that the reader did care for him as a friend, and i’ve never hidden that their relationship is important to my story as i tag them in my pairings every chapter along with lorenzo. she didn’t wish to run away with francesco after mass, the crowd was turning on them both, as to the public she was a pazzi, and so she didn’t have much of a choice but to run. it was supposed to fuel lorenzo’s uncertainty because i liked playing with that throughout the series, i felt it made the relationship more interesting. lorenzo did understand her circumstances because of that and other hints she gave him, that’s why he chose to marry her to spare her life, he would never hang her but marrying her wasn’t really for the romance, it was to save her reputation of being a Pazzi and to solidify that she was on his side throughout. of course the marriage doesn’t hurt either of them bc of their relationship but that was his main reasoning.

of course, you can still dislike my ending, but this was how i planned it from the start and i know it isn’t a fairytale ending but i feel it fits their relationship quite well and of course once they solve their issues they will be married and can finally indulge into their true feelings for each other. this isn’t to change your mind or anything i just do find it a little hurtful to say my story makes no sense so i just wanted to lay out my reasoning here. thank you for reading my story nonetheless! i’m sorry the ending tainted your experience

[40sbarnes]

Girl I'm shocked! We definitely need more one shots to know how is family reacted. I need him to confess his love!!! He really just said "Girl, you are now my wife" like what, just like that Lorenzo? Not even a kiss? Hahaha This chapter was amazing!♥️♥️♥️ But I really need to know what was happening with Lorenzo while the reader was with the Pazzi. As always, your writing is wonderful and I will keep reading whatever you write. Even if it's about Francesco ☹️ Here's your crown queen 👑

lorenzo is so problematic not even an engagement or nothing..,,. i guess since he killed francesco he inherited you as his fiancée or something idk 🙄🙄

i do apologise for the lack of fluff within the story but neither of the characters were super fluffy imo,,, although i can see it after they’re married! that’s an idea to do another lorenzo pov once you get taken... i might have to write it!! tysm my dear <3