bakerstreet | Bondmates

WARRIOR/GUARDIAN AU MEME

In a world rife with war against monstrous fiends, there are those praised for their natural strength and healing abilities. Marked with a symbol which represents either a sword or shield, these individuals are further powered when contracted with those bearing the opposite symbol. Because of this, contracts are deemed mandatory once an individual turns eighteen years of age.

While contracted, Warriors (sword) and Guardians (shield) become sensitive to one another's emotional and physical states. The stronger the bond between them, the more power and abilities can be unlocked. While it's possible to form and break contracts at any given time, the result is a numb and draining sensation which takes time to recover from, making it in everyone's best interest to keep a lifelong contract. After all, the most legendary pairs are the ones who've been together for many years. And with monstrous armies constantly on the attack, the world needs all the help it can get.

Due to Warriors and Guardians being so vital to the city's survival, they are simultaneously treated as royalty by society and kept under close watch by the government. Powered individuals are assigned large and lavish living spaces within a closed community while Commoners, those who lack powers, are situated in surrounding mediocre homes. A vast shield around the city is among the greatest protection against monsters of the outside world, second to the combined power of brave Warrior and Guardian citizens.

But everything couldn't possibly run as smoothly as they do now without the help of Commoners. Everyone has an important role to play in the world. Which one have you been born into?

HOW TO PLAY -

Post with your character and preferences.
Choose their role and feel free to include a brief summary of ideal partner personalities, job duties, etc.
Pick a prompt and tag around!

ROLES

Warrior: Those whose supernatural abilities lie in offensive attacks, physical strength, debuffing the enemy, etc.
Guardian: Those whose supernatural abilities lie in defensive attacks, support, healing, buffing allies, etc.
Commoner: Those who are born without any supernatural abilities. Commoners are viewed as second-class citizens, as their duties revolve around aiding Warriors and Guardians however they can. i.e. Maids, cooks, weaponsmiths, entertainers, etc.
Monster: Those who are the greatest threat to humankind. Because they also possesses supernatural abilities, it's been rumored that they share ancestral ties with Warriors and Guardians. Though Monsters are at war with humans, there are some who are indifferent to them altogether and choose a life of peace.

PROMPTS

The Contract - Could this be your very first or possibly even your thirtieth? Whatever the case, you've trusted them enough to give them a glimpse into your soul so long as you're together. Will you take advantage of that vulnerability? Or use it to build a healthy relationship? Unfortunately, not all contracts are as perfect as they may seem on the surface.

Training - Good teamwork is the difference between life and death so it's important to ensure you and your partner are focused and in sync, especially before a mission.

Bonding - Physical intimacy between Warriors and Guardians is an experience unlike any other, but emotional intimacy is where it all begins. Spend some time together outside of combat, share in each other's interests, get to know their likes and dislikes. It might not seem important at first but in the long run it will make you both stronger.

Mission Time - Is it a long and perilous journey outside the barrier to slay Monsters? A short and simple quest to gather special materials from a specific region? A reconnaissance mission to survey unexplored territory? Whatever you two were assigned, just remember what comes first: keeping each other alive.

Aftercare - The aftermath of a mission can be incredibly taxing, both on the mind and body. Injuries may need to be tended to, emotional states may need to be realigned - especially if you or your partner came close to facing death. But hopefully your partner is there to provide the comfort you'll likely need in this time of vulnerability.

Downtime - When you're busy training or working all the time, it's easy to forget just how lively the city can be. How do you choose to spend your free time in it? Partying the night away? Visiting friends and family? Or maybe you're the type who just likes to stay in for a quiet night.

Different Classes - Whether they're a maid, tailor, or even family, Commoners make up the majority of the city's population. But even if society might see them as lesser doesn't mean they should be treated that way. Over the years, some may despise or be fearful of the supernaturally powered, but there are also some who've developed or maintained close relationships in spite of it all.

Forbidden Love - It's illegal for Warriors and Guardians to develop romantic relations with Commoners, extremely taboo with those they aren't currently contracted to, and utterly unthinkable to even speak to Monsters. But love doesn't discriminate. If you have to sneak around to see your lover then so be it, but sooner or later your partner or the government is bound to find out, right?

On the Run - For whatever reason, you and someone else have decided to start a new life far away from the city and its strict rules. It wasn't easy slipping away from under the government's watchful eye and it won't get any easier with monsters around every corner, but maybe you can find a way to make it work and live happily ever after. Just know that the government always finds a way to get what they want in the end.

Wildcard - Mix and match or choose your own adventure!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[I enjoy this set-up, even though I know it's not the most popular. I've had some fun threads come from it before.

Molly's probably a Guardian, but I'll also give Commoner a try.

Kind of love the idea of being a late-bloomer: had latent supernatural ability that only recently became blatant - so after X years as a Commoner she's thrust into Guardian status. Very much fish-out-of-water, class juxtaposition, and feeling like she has to catch up up quick, otherwise she'll let down her new partner.

Personality: Shy at first, inquisitive, empathetic. Tries to look on the bright side, but she's not immune to gloomy moments. Used to making herself small to accommodate others, but as a Guardian she's expected to take up space and make confident decisions. Her attempts at humor aren't always received well. Big heart, and emotionally perceptive.
Powers: Build defensive walls of steel, psychic shielding, and eventually healing]

Edited 2026-04-10 22:24 (UTC)

( ota, cross-canon/medium. more likely to be the warrior but open to any role. )

(I am totally dating myself but I would love for Jack to play guardian to her warrior)

( totally down and open to any options. go for it! )

[ Warrior or Guardian role for him. Formerly contracted, he lost his long-standing partner due to a monster killing his other half. The loss was devastating; he has not re-contracted in over a decade and has long since been considered an outcast. What special circumstances have occurred to force him to form a new contract with someone? Or are you simply a commoner passing by in need of rescue from a monster? Has a bonded pair come seeking the old man's knowledge and training to prepare them for what's to come? Something else?? OTA! Willing to write a starter if you tell me what you would like to play out. ]

[Could easily go either way, though I definitely lean towards Warrior, just because of the schedules and the plans and making sure everything is proceeding exactly to specifications. He's gay but probably hasn't admitted it yet, which could complicate things.
I'm also happy to write the starter, just let me know.]

[A Monster, but a reasonably beneficial one, acts as a Guardian when it suits him to.
I'm happy to write the starter, just say the word.]

[Sure, he's a Monster now, but he used to be a Guardian. He's built a nice little enclave for himself outside of the Cities, rescues the ones he thinks need it and lets them live there where they can be themselves.
I can write the starter if you like, just let me know.]

[Either role works, though I feel like he got marked later in life than most people. Also A-OK with either/or turned Monster due to circumstances or accident.
I'm happy to write the starter, just say so.]

[Guardian AF, like yeah he's a fighter, but always in defense of others.
I can write the starter, just let me know!]

[Guardian, and one that's had a contract broken before, not by choice, or, rather, not by his choice.
I'm happy to write the starter, just point me in a direction.]

[A Warrior who's lost two Guardians now (first his brother when they were kids and then a lover more recently) and is maybe just a little bit Monster because of it.
I'm happy to write the starter, just let me know.]

[Definitely a Warrior, and possibly one who survived/fought his way out of a pit of Monsters, though he was probably the only one of his group to do so (RIP Simon & Co.)
I can write the starter, just say the word.]

[This dude has got Guardian written all over him. His Guardian magic will still 100% befuckinate a monster though.
I can write the starter, just let me know.]

[She's a member of a group of scavengers living outside the Cities, marks don't matter to them, nor does being nearly a Monster as long as you aren't a danger to yourself or others. What matters to them is who you choose to be.
I'm happy to write the starter, just say the word.]

[Retired Warrior living as a commoner, but he's also an archivist, so he's got all the information you could possibly need about whatever type of monster (or other Creature From Outside The Dome) you might be dealing with.
I'll even write the starter, if you like.]

[Warrior who was raised outside the City, which probably makes her some kind of fugitive, and maybe just a little bit of a monster.
I can write the starter, just let me know.]

[Guardian, but with gene-splice/selective magical overload Monster parts (wings, in his case). He's also blind, but can feel colors, yes, with his fingers.
I can write the starter, just let me know.]

[Her parents were expecting she'd crop up a Guardian, like the rest of the women in the family, so being marked as a Warrior was a surprise.
Getting taken by a Monster during a routine training exercise was a tragedy.
Coming back from that, months later, was... another surprise, something that her parents don't trust, though the City has assessed that she's still in fighting shape and has been trying to assign her a new Guardian since her return & recovery.
Also available as a dude/surprise Guardian flavor at

ccunningham, just let me know which you prefer.
I can also write the starter, just let me know if you want me to.]

[A Guardian who has been at the mercy of a Monster for some time now. It's entirely possible that he was never formally trained, but he was pulled out of The Mother's lair along with a few others she was keeping and sent to the nearest City for evaluation & pairing off.
I'm happy to write the starter, just say the word!]

[I definitely lean towards Guardian, even with as cocky as he is, but it really could go either way.
I can write the starter, just let me know.]

(( An odd salesman who travels between Cities, questions on how he does it alone are expertly dodged. Presents himself as a Commoner, in truth he's a very unusual Guardian, one whose Warrior swaps places with him in fights.

Would be difficult to pin down with a long term contract, but he's more than happy to enter temporary ones, especially between Cities. Doesn't like lingering in Cities for too long due to his unusual circumstances. ))

[Warrior for sure. Up for pretty much anything, castmates, cross-canon, all good. more prefs/permissions in journal]

Bondmates

Molly Hooper || BBC Sherlock | OTA

barbarella — 1968 film

no subject

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Juste Belmont | Castlevania: Nocturne | OTA

Shane Hollander | Heated Rivalry | OTA

Cheshire Cat + American McGee's Alice (and others) + OTA

Zepar + OC + OTA

Eddie + Stranger Things + OTA

Charles - Dead Boy Detectives - OTA

Gabreel King + OC + OTA

Klaus + Umbrella Academy + OTA

Edwin Payne - Dead Boy Detectives - OTA (M/M for romantic/smut but anything goes for platonic)

Steve | Stranger Things | OTA

Shiny \ Fabulous Killjoys OC \ OTA

Bobby Singer | Supernatural et al | OTA

Hanna + Movie of the same name + OTA

Iggy | Maximum Ride (Canon divergence & AU) | OTA

Chrissy Cunningham + Stranger Things + OTA

Techie | Dredd | OTA

Ilya | Heated Rivalry | OTA

The Medicine Seller/Kon | Mononoke Film Trilogy | OTA

Noctis Lucis Caelum | FFXV | OTA