#I believe it's called an oath of friendship | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

amiphitri · 9 days

Text

Explaining the mythological origins and namesake of Mithra (MHYK): a very long and probably unnecessary post by a mhyk obsessed mythology nerd

Let me just preface this by saying that I haven’t gone through any formal education in ancient history or religions (yet) and even if I’ve researched it quite a bit I’m still bound to make plenty of mistakes. Also my expertise lies in grecoroman myth and I only have very surface-level knowledge of the other religions I mention here, although I’ve recently gone down a rabbit hole in regards to specifically their portrayal of the mithraic figure because goddamnit those wizards have me in a stranglehold and if I can’t combine my two current hyperfixations what’s even the point.

As there is gonna be quite a few different Mithras mentioned I will be referring to the fictional Mithra as “Mithra (mhyk)”. If I mention any other Mithra/Mitra/Mithras assume I’m talking about the deity.

Also this text is quite long so read more under the cut:

As you may or may not know if you’ve read through Mithras (mhyk) wiki page he takes his name from persian mythology! However this is a bit of an oversimplification as Mithra actually appears in pre-Zoroastrian Persian myth, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Roman myth and Mithraism, although with slight variations in his name and more significant variations in his role and portrayal.

Unfortunately since I have no knowledge of japanese and am entirely basing my interpretation of mahoyaku off the english translations I can’t attest to if the romanji of his name is accurate nor if japanese translations of mithraic texts make any differentiation between the names of Mithra in the different religions in which he’s present, but going off the romanisation i’ve seen used his name is spelled “Mithra” which is the spelling used for the Mithra in persian mythology and zoroastrianism. In roman mythology and mithraism hes called “Mithras”, and in hinduism he’s called “Mitra”, so Mithra (mhyk) using that particular spelling for his name would imply that he’s more based on the pre-zoroastrian and zoroastrian Mithra.

However after reading about all different Mithras from the different religions I can find possible links and references to all Mithras in Mithras (mhyk) writing so I’m gonna talk about all of them anyways! I’m mostly gonna focus on Zoroastrianism and Mithraism tho since those are the ones I’m able to find the most information on!

The first mention of Mithra comes from 1400 BC where he is mentioned as a Vedic deity (gross oversimplification but Vedic religion is a sort of pre-cursor to Hinduism) and referred to as “Mitra”. He then seems to have spread to ancient Persia where he is adopted into the Persian pantheon, and when Zoroastrianism takes over as the dominant religion in Persia he continues to be a prevalent figure.

Zoroastrianism is (is not was because it’s actually still practiced! fun fact Freddie Mercury was a Zoroastrian) a dualistic religion that focuses on the fight between good and evil, with a supreme being commonly referred to as “Ahura Mazda” and an evil spirit referred to as “Angra Mainyu” whom he stands in conflict with. Gods from the earlier pre-zoroastrian religion are incorporated into Zoroastrianism as beings called “ahuras”and “daevas”, with a few divinities called “yazatas” standing directly under “Ahura Mazda”. One of these “yazatas” is Mithra!

Scholars argue whether Zoroastrianism should be considered a monotheistic or polytheistic religion but many choose to refer to yazatas and by extension Mithra as divine beings that are underneath god rather than actual gods (think like angels), with “Ahura Mazda” being the only true god. However wether or not Mithra counts as a god there are still some scholars that believe that he was worshipped kinda like one!

In Zoroastrianism Mithra is the yazata of justice, the sun, light, friendship (“Mitra” actually means friend!!! it can also mean “that which binds” or oath/contract/covenant), pacts, covenants, contracts and most notably for our purposes oaths. Yep, oaths. As in promises. Sound familiar?

As the keeper of oaths he observes the world and makes sure no-one breaks their promises, and if they do they suffer his wrath, which may have caused him to also sometimes be viewed as a god of war according to some scholars. Mithra follows the path of the sun during the day, and during the night he fights evil demons with a spiked club, which is why the sky is red at the break of dawn (as he smashes the demons to pieces). So yeah the deity Mithra doesn’t get any sleep either, although I find this more likely to be a coincidence than intentional lol. Mithra rides a chariot drawn by four horses with no shadows and gold and silver hooves. He’s described to have millions of eyes and ears that can observe any oath-breakers and arms that can stretch and aid his followers all throughout the world (reminds me of Mithras (mhyk) signature teleportation magic a bit).

Mithra is also one of the three judges in the afterlife. When someone dies the zoroastrians believe the soul remains in the body for three days, after which it goes to the Chinwad bridge. Mithra, Srosh and Rashn judges the soul and if it’s deemed to have lived a good life the bridge widens and the soul can pass through with ease, but if it’s deemed to have lived an evil life the bridge becomes narrow and the soul falls down into the abyss below. The associations with death really aren’t as strong in Mithra as they are in Mithra (mhyk), but its still interesting to see that they’re there.

Mithra is also associated with fire and running water, both of which are considered holy in Zoroastrianism. (Old zoroastrians used to dispose of corpses by tying them up and letting birds eat them as the body is considered impure after the soul departs and thus can’t be cremated or risk getting near running water (as fire and running water is holy). thats not really related to Mithra I just think that’s interesting lol.)

Like many other deities Mithra was later picked up by the romans, where he became known as Mithras. Mithras shares very few similarities with the zoroastrian Mithra aside from etymological links and a connection to the sun, and it’s widely agreed that Mithras is simply the case of romans seeing the worship of Mithra and adopting the name rather than any actual zoroastrians spreading their worship to Rome. A lot of the time in antiquity people would make connections between gods that have similar roles from different cultures and associate them with eachother, and because of this Mithras became linked with sun gods such as Helios, Apollo and Sol. He also became known as “Sol Invictus” which means “The undefeated sun god”! Poor Mithra (mhyk) kinda failed the whole undefeated thing..

One of the most famous mystery cults and an early competitor to christianity was actually dedicated to the worship of Mithras. A “mystery cult” in antiquity refers to a cult which only those initiated are allowed to take part in, and “cult” when referring to ancient cults doesn’t have the same connotations as modern day cults and simply means a sub-sect of a bigger religion with it’s own teachings and rites. Although i’m not gonna lie the cult of Mithras is kinda giving me scientology vibes so. Yeah. Maybe it is a cult cult.

The cult of Mithras, commonly referred to as Mithraism by modern scholars, was a popular cult around the first to fourth century CE. Mithraism was mostly popular among soldiers, merchants and slaves and it’s worshippers consisted mainly of men. I’ve seen split opinions among scholars on wether women were allowed in the cult, but even if they were they most likely didn’t have the ability to climb the ranks in the same way men did. Mithraism had a rank system, where members could do work or pay probably (hence the earlier scientology comment) to learn more of the secrets of the cult and gain higher status.

There were 7 different ranks:

Corax (raven), Nymphus (bridegroom), Miles (soldier), Perses (persian), Heliodromus (sun-runner) and Pater (father), and each rank had their own protective planetary god and symbols.

Mithraism had some sort of an initiation ritual, however we don’t know exactly what that ritual entailed. It’s referenced as including both extreme heat and extreme cold, and inscriptions have been found where an initiate into the cult writes about having been “born again”. Christian writers have described the initiation ritual as being extremely brutal, but this likely isn’t true as those sources are incredibly biased with many christians standing in direct conflict with Mithraism.

The worship of Mithras took place in underground temples known as “Mithreums”. These Mithreums were often formed like caves, and had several altars, seats, a place to prepare food and several reliefs depicting Mithras in his various myths. The most central myth to Mithraism seems to have been a tauroctony, or in other words a slaying of a bull. All Mithraums have a depiction of the tauroctony in them.

In the tauroctony Mithras is shown grappling a bull and stabbing it with a dagger, with several animals almost always including (but not necessarily limited to) a dog, a raven, a snake and a scorpion surrounding them. Wheat grows out of the bulls tail, and grapes well out from the open wound in its throat. Watching down on them is Sol (a sun god heavily linked to and sometimes synonymous with Mithras) and Luna (a moon goddess), and two twins named Cautes and Cautopates stand on either side holding torches, with Cautes torch pointing upwards and Cautopates torch pointing downwards.

Unfortunately since Mithraism was a mystery cult there is not much written down about it’s teachings from actual practitioners, and most written sources we have are either heavily biased, written way after Mithraism stopped being practiced, or both. Most of the information we can gather thus comes from these reliefs, so interpreting what the myth is really about is a bit challenging.

Some scholars have interpreted it to be a sort of creation myth (kinda Ymir style if you’re familiar with norse mythology), which could be further cemented by the possible similarities between some iconography in Mithras birth and Orphic (another cult (although not a mystery one) don’t even get me started we’ll be here all day) creation myth.

Speaking of Mithras birth, he gets born out of a rock! Sometimes as a child but usually as a grown man, and often the torch-bearing twins are present at his birth too. This is also gathered from mostly reliefs and short inscriptions so we really don’t know much about it.

There is also reliefs of some sort of water miracle where Mithras shoots a rock with a bow and arrow and summons water from it, depictions of Mithras hunting the bull, a banquet where Mithras and Sol feast on the bull, a handshake between Sol and Mithras, and Sol and Mithras ascending to the heavens in a chariot. There is also a statue of a lion headed god with a snake wrapping around its body that commonly shows up in mithreums, however we don’t really know who this god is.

Mithraism seems to be heavily linked to astrology and many believe the figures in the tauroctony to be representative of different celestial bodies and star signs, however theres a lot of disagreement in regards to which figure represents what. Some even link Mithraism to some sort of astral ascension, but this is hotly debated.

Mithraism is also believed by some to have inspired christianity, with Mithras often being compared to Jesus. I personally don’t really buy this and see other mystery cults such as those surrounding Dionysus to be more likely to have been inspiration for Jesus, but it’s at the very least possible that Mithraism influenced christmas to be on the 25th of December. According to some scholars Mithras birthday was celebrated the 25th of December (others argue it was more a general celebration of the sun) and early christians may have chosen to put christmas on that day to directly compete with Mithraism. Additionally, many mithrean rituals have been compared to christian rituals and were described by christians at the time as evil imitations of christian practices.

When christianity became the state religion in rome Mithraism quickly declined, but during a good while Mithraism was just as widespread and popular as christianity and some believe that had things gone differently Mithraism could’ve ended up being an important world religion still to this day.

Now all of this is really interesting, but if you came here for Mithra (mhyk) it may not be all that relevant. Lemme tell you what’s more relevant tho: The bull is the moon. Or well more accurately, some scholars believe the bull to represent the moon.

Bulls were sometimes a symbol for the moon in antiquity due to their crescent shaped horns and their association with the moon goddess Selene/Luna. This, in combination with the imagery of Sol and Luna on opposing sides of the depictions of the tauroctony has made some believe that the scene depicts Mithras triumph over the moon and by extension death and darkness.

Additionally, Mitra (the Vedic Hindu version of Mithras) actually has a similar bull slaying story in which he reluctantly participates in the sacrifice of the moon god Soma who takes the form of a bull, so yeah multiple Mithras may do moon slaying. Ig Mithra (mhyk) fights the moon in every universe.

There’s obviously a lot more about all these deities I haven’t gone over but finding credible sources is unfortunately a bit difficult and if I continue I may be here for weeks so!! That’s all for now! I doubt Mahoyakus creators actually knew about all this, but I still think its really neat they chose Mithra as the name for their character considering hes such an interesting mythological figure!! Also ig the Cult of Mithras lives on in all the crazy Mahoyaku fans simping over Mithra (mhyk)..

#ik this isnt art but i put hours into researching it and i think tumblr needs to hear it #if anyone wants me to elaborate i can and will do so #mhyk literary references have me in a stranglehold #mahotsukai no yakusoku #mahoyaku #mhyk #promise of wizard #mithra #mithra mahoyaku

33 notes · View notes

justburningdaylight · 2 years

Text

Icarus and the Sun | S.H.

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Female Reader

Summary: Reader's in love with her best friend. Considering she can’t tell him about this particular secret, she instead entrusts it to her diary, neglecting to remember Steve’s old habit of reading said diary.

Warnings: fluff (finally!), best friends to lovers, a little bit of kissing, multiple references to the greek myth about icarus and daedalus, glorification of bob dylan, spoiler free!

Word count: 3.4k

a/n: hi besties ! sorry i’ve been quiet lately but vol.2 dropped so here’s a lil somethin’ i wrote just for you <3 it’s one of my veeeery favourite works so far. i’m a firm believer in best friends to lovers supremacy and i figured it was time i gave y’all something sugary sweet instead of the usual mountain of angst. let me know what you think ! p.s. asks are open, come chat with meee !

Certain as the crashing tide always rises and the conflagrant sun always sets, you’re positively resolute that the secret you’re so strenuously harboring will always remain just that; A secret.

It’s trivial, you think, arduous, to venture into the plethora of prominent memories you benevolently share with your best friend and attempt to pinpoint the precise genesis of your affections.

Would it be helpful to reminisce upon the exact juncture in which love became love?

Would it be helpful to identify when, in your mind, his eyes stopped being brown? When they instead transformed into the purest shade of delectably rich milk chocolate. When the sticky, syrupy sweet pools of golden honey began to hold such a brilliant tepid glow to them that the sun itself could have seemed dull in comparison; the world itself could have seemed dull in comparison.

Would it be helpful to establish the specific moment that his laughter was no longer a sound? When the aforementioned laughter transmogrified into a mellifluous, harmonious symphony. When no vinyl or cassette tape that you owned could compare to the melodic original composition of his euphonic joy.

Would it be helpful to remember the first time a friendly touch led way to an ever-hastening heartbeat? When the gentle grazing of his fingertips against your skin set a metaphorical wildfire to the surrounding area, leaving the searing warmth no choice but to take up semi-permanent residence within your body, the remaining smoke loosely floating its way through your airways and constricting your heart in a biting display of affection.

Would any of this prove helpful? Considering you’ve inadvertently managed to fool Steve into a smooth and blissful ignorance of these feelings, why should it be helpful to dwell on the origins of your tender yearning?

The verisimilitude of the situation is as follows; You’re desperately in love with your best friend and he’s none the wiser to it. This is precisely how it should always remain; A secret held as though it were an oath, forged in love and kept in fear. You’ve not a doubt in your convoluted mind that the revelation of your feelings would negatively alter the course of your friendship, which is simply not something you’d ever be willing to risk.

But it’s been tearing you apart. The sheer density of the secret weighing you down is nearly unbearable and you need to emit your innermost sentiments before the tear gives way and splits you in two; One half of you finally free from carrying around the burden of unrequited love, whilst the other wanders around aimlessly, aching on the precipice of being demolished from the unwavering mass of her devotion.

For obvious reasons you find yourself unable to relinquish this information to Steve, the only person you would ordinarily trust with a secret so immense. Taking the current circumstances into account, you’re left with only one viable option to break your internal confidentiality.

Your diary.

The juvenile undertones of writing to your diary about this situation are not lost upon you, but desperate times call for the invocation of desperate measures.

You don’t fight the triumphant simper that overtakes your lips when you manage to skillfully locate the well-worn diary, comfortably wedged on the bottom shelf between the sturdy wood of your trusty bookcase and your near-deteriorated copy of Little Women.

You’re instantly regretting the gentle blow of air you gave in an attempt to efface the wispy layer of dust coating the cover, your throat constricting as you breathe in the primitive particles. It’s been longer than you thought, you suppose, since you last publicized your internal conflicts in the pages of your diary.

Here goes nothing.

“-And it’s like, yeah, I get it, you wanna watch Top Gun, so does every other teenage girl on earth, that’s why we don’t have it right now!” Steve sibilates exasperatedly, tumbling jauntily onto your bed and landing on his back in the space beside you.

“I don’t really get the whole Tom Cruise thing,” You start, referencing the noticeable crush of whichever teen-aged girl it is that’s gotten under Steve’s skin at the video store today, “If we’re talking heartthrobs, he’s not coming anywhere near Rob Lowe.”

“Wha- Rob Lowe? Seriously? C’mon (y/n), did you even watch About Last Night? The best thing about that movie was Seger on the soundtrack.” Steve retorts, turning on his side to face you directly.

You make the intrepid decision of cultivating direct eye contact, instantly filling your insides to the brim with equal parts gratitude and regret.

His eyes hold all the warmth in the world, and you know this for a fact because the sun itself is resting contentedly inside of them. The longer you look, the more fervently the warmth spreads through you, and yet you can’t resist it. You find yourself no different from Icarus, flying ever-closer to the sun solely to bask in its warmth. And just like Icarus, you crave the proximity, consequences be damned. It was the death of him and you’re sure it’ll be the root of your own demise, but at this very moment you can’t find it within yourself to descend the smallest of distances, not even as you feel the wax starting to melt the feathers from your own back, dripping down carelessly into the sea below, you’ve simply no sense to heed Daedalus’s warning. This is the end, you think, and what a seraphic way to die.

“(y/n)? Did you hear me? ‘Cause usually you’d be fighting me to the death right now or something.”

“Yeah- Yeah I heard you, I just- I thought you needed a long silence to really soak in the idiocy of your words. You know, let it marinate a little.” You snap out of your reverie, grateful there’s no residual burn from your trip to the sun.

“Oh I’m marinating like a big juicy steak right now,” He scrunches his nose in a darling display of antipathy, a visible opposition to your words, “I just don’t get what you see in that guy.” There’s a certain deflation laced amongst his words as the sentence dies off. He wants to say more, he longs to say more, but at the potential of anything interfering with your friendship, he bites his tongue instead.

“Whatever. And to think I never said anything about that Jane Fonda poster you used to have hanging in your room.” You state with a deadpan delivery, quickly erupting into a fit of laughter once you catch sight of Steve’s mouth gaping like a fish, a playful expression of mock betrayal painting itself like a masterpiece upon his heavenly features.

It’s then that he regrets holding it in, with the canorous sound of your laughter floating impeccably through the air, with the empyrean sight of your face delicately scrunched up in amusement, with your hand right within perfect holding distance, practically begging to be intertwined with his own, it’s then that he wants to blurt it out. Hey (y/n), did you know that I’m wildly in love with you? Hope this doesn’t mess with the friendship we’ve had since we were six, he thinks, yeah that won’t backfire at all.

Your laughter gently subsides and you’re all too aware of Steve’s eyes on you as you cast your gaze upon the ceiling, as desperate as you are to bore your eyes into his own once again, you still feel the tepid remnants of your previous vacation to the sun inside, and you’re not ready to head back into the miraculously searing warmth just yet.

They take their time, his eyes, exploring each carefully crafted curve and bend delicately lining the gentle expanse of your face. They stop and ponder at how such true beauty can emanate from behind your eyes, even when they’re not directed at him.

There’s a shine to them, he notes. A glimmer of the moon he’s almost certain is carefully encased behind the irises of your eyes. When they look at him, really look at him, he can see the glisten of that fractured moonlight, gently casting its glow upon a quiet dark night. When they sparkle after one of his particularly atrocious jokes, he sees a shooting star soaring swiftly through the sky, illuminated by the moon aside it, he can almost feel it falling from your eyes and landing gently inside the confines of his own heart where it’s sure to thrive, fuelled by his admiration of it, fuelled by his admiration of you.

The modulation of your ringing doorbell snaps the two of you from your thoughts, leaving you both vexatiously unaware of how similar the meanings of those thoughts are.

“Not it!” You call, your voice combining with Steve’s.

“Noes goes!” Steve states, hurriedly placing his finger to the tip of his nose, not attempting to hide the confident and optimistic smile resting upon his tender pink lips.

“Ugh, no fair. You’re the one who wanted to order pizza in the first place! I have a perfectly good frozen one that could’ve been in our stomachs by now.” You gripe, reluctantly pulling yourself up from your bed and away from the ever-present warmth of your best friend.

“Yeah, ‘cause I’m gonna let you near an oven again. I still have nightmares about the last ‘pizza’ you cooked for me. No thanks.” He throws up air quotes around the word pizza, as if you had intentionally burnt the thing to an unrecognizable crisp. He’s the one who still ate it.

“Alright, fine. Just trying to offer you a nice home-cooked meal and this is the kind of thanks I get.” You sigh, placing a hand above your heart to further dramatize your dialogue.

He lets out a soft chuckle as he repositions himself on the bed, now laying his head on your pillow. You almost whisper an unintelligible thank you to the universe as you’re now certain your pillow will carry the delectable scent of Steve’s shampoo.

You’d likely have retracted those unspoken words of gratitude if you didn’t turn out of the room and head for the door so quickly. Perhaps if you waited just a moment more, you would have seen the somehow charming look of physical discomfort on Steve’s face as he feels a rigid protrusion from underneath your typically plush pillow.

He lifts his head, perplexed. After sliding his hand beneath the pillow, his nimble fingers form a grip on the source of his discomfort. He can’t repress the smile that graciously overtakes his lips as he pulls it out and discerns what it is.

Your diary.

He hasn’t seen the thing in ages, you had stopped writing in it years ago. His smile grows as he vividly remembers an excerpt from the time he’d read it in seventh grade, Bob Dylan is the greatest songwriter alive, and so incredibly handsome too… He teased you about it for months, it even led you to arguing over which of his albums is the best, a disagreement the two of you haven’t settled to this day. You, being of sound mind, are aware that Blonde on Blonde is one of the greatest albums ever written, but Steve swears it doesn’t top Highway 61 Revisited.

He lets out a diminutive snicker at the memory and decides he’s going to find that page and dredge up the old jokes he used to not-so gallantly taunt you with.

His lithe fingers move quickly and precisely as he gently unwraps the twine enveloping the book closed. There’s still a pen inside, acting as a bookmark. Maybe she had the same idea, he smiled to himself as he opened the diary to the marked page, his eyes wandering toward the first sentence scrawled across the slightly curled up piece of paper.

It’s hopeless to feel this way, and even more conceivably lame to be writing about it in a diary like a middle-schooler, but I have to get it out somehow and it’s not like I can tell Steve

Can’t tell Steve what? He thinks, eyebrows creasing together in confusion, we tell each other everything. Well, almost everything. Another thought occurs to your best friend, should I be reading this? But then he remembers that you likely haven’t touched the book in years, this is probably something you’ve long since forgotten about, just more fuel for the jokes he’s sure to aim your way. So he reads on.

I mean how would that conversation even go? “Hi Steve, I know you only see me as a friend considering we’ve been that to each other for over half our lives, but did you know that I’m completely in love with you? Oh you didn’t? Cool, well I’ll just see you later I guess” I don’t even know why I wrote that because I’m getting nauseous just thinking about it.

There’s no point in telling him anyway, he’d never feel the same way. And then I would ruin our friendship. Oh god I don’t even want to think about that. Why would I say that? This whole thing was entirely unhelpful. Another great idea (y/n)! So, bye I guess? Do you write that in a diary?

A quick glance at the date scribbled across the top of the page informs Steve that this was written only yesterday.

There should be a word for what Steve is feeling right now, a word to describe the complete and utter happiness, bewilderment, and relief coursing through his body. You loved him? You loved him? He can’t count on both hands how many times he’s backed out of telling you how he feels, ruled by the fear that his affections could be unrequited. Come to find out you feel the same way in all regards. There should be a word for what he’s feeling, but all he can think about is how grateful he is for the existence of words in general; For words, your words, are how he found out that you love him.

He’s donning a splendid, blinding smile. He feels as though it’s splitting his face in two, but he couldn’t subdue it if he tried. He’s aware that there’s a conversation to be had about privacy and personal boundaries but his grin just keeps growing, it’s nearly touching his ears when you finally return to your room, plates in your grip as you simultaneously and near-unsuccessfully attempt to juggle two glasses of water in your hands.

“Ummm. Little help? Please?” You murmur confusedly, taking in the paradisiacal sight of Steve’s broad smile.

“What? Oh-Uh yeah, yeah I gotcha.” He speedily grabs a plate and a glass from your hands, the gentle brush of his fingertips against your hand causing a trail of goosebumps to form along your flesh.

“What are you smilin’ about? You’re watching one of those Fonda aerobics tapes in your mind, aren’t you? Little perv.” You’re joking, but as heavenly as the view is, you’re questioning the sincere origins of his smile.

“Huh? No actually, I was- I was just thinkin’ about your diary. You remember this?” He’s still smiling that blissful smile as he holds up the aforementioned diary, wholly unaware of the dread that’s now coursing throughout your body.

Oh god, oh god, oh god. Please tell me he didn’t read it. Please, please, please.

“Y-yeah, mmhmm, yep. ‘Course I remember the ‘ol girl,” What are you saying right now? “Spent many a night wishing I never wrote about Bob Dylan on the cover of Street Legal,” You attempt a giggle but it verbalizes more as a nervous wince, “Definitely got your fair share of torture material out of that thing, didn’t you?” You end off with a shaky smile, disastrously attempting to quell the nerves soaring through your veins like a jet plane.

“Yeah. Yeah I did.” He states with that same smile, walking closer to you and discarding the plate and glass you’ve been clinging onto for dear life, placing them swiftly on your nightstand alongside his own. “Thought it would be fun to do a dramatic reading tonight, y’know? Bring some attention back to your love for old Bobby,” He’s still smiling as he takes another small step toward you, he’s still smiling and you think you’re going to pass out because you’re almost positive that he’s seen it, “I was gonna spend some time on it too, y’know? Really craft out my jokes.” He takes one final step toward you, and though every bone in your body is screaming for you to look away, you chance a look into his eyes once more.

You’re surprised by the sheer admiration you find inside them, dancing in perfect rhythm alongside the sun. “But then I read somethin’ else.” His voice is lower now, a quiet harmony of earnest elation and disbelief, almost as though he’s the one who can’t believe this is all happening. “I read somethin’ else and I need to know that it’s real. That you really mean what you wrote,” He’s almost whispering as he finishes his final sentence, bringing up a gentle hand and resting it tenderly on your cheek, his thumb grazing back and forth slowly as he gazes into your eyes, “Please tell me that you mean it.”

You can almost hear Daedalus now; See? It didn’t work out for you either and you had Icarus as an example! Because you did fly too close to the sun. The wax melted, trickling away like warm water, and the feathers followed suit, leaving you too close to the sun with no means of transportation. But you didn’t plunge into the hungry sea below. You didn’t meet a salty oceanic demise, because you had a paramount advantage over Icarus; The sun rose for you.

Suck it, Icarus.

It took you a moment, to recapture the breath Steve knocked out of your lungs with his lighthearted monologue, to think of anything besides the perfect sensation of his skin resting against your own, his thumb still rubbing indistinguishable shapes onto your cheek. When you belatedly muster up the courage to respond, you’re already smiling, “I’ve never meant anything more in my whole life.”

That’s all Steve needed to hear, that’s all he’s ever wanted to hear. His eyes flicker down to your lips and back up to your own eyes, a silent request to stop talking about it and instead show each other just how desperately you both want this. You barely have time to nod your head before his lips are on your own.

There’s no word deserving enough to describe the way you feel when his lips brush delicately against your own, gentle and precarious, as though he’s expecting you to pull away, you don’t. You move in closer to him, deepening the kiss ardently as you place your arms around his neck, gingerly weaving your fingers through the hairs resting against the nape of his neck. He kisses you back fervently, his hands having found a new home on your waist, letting out a deeply delectable hum of bliss when you give a light tug to the tresses of his hair.

“God, I love you so much (y/n).” Steve murmurs against your lips, only pulling away long enough to utter the words before bringing your lips back to his own.

When you finally make the mutual decision to come up for air, you’re tenderly resting your forehead against Steve’s own, content to live in this moment for as long as humanly possible.

“I love you Steve. You probably figured that out by now but just thought I’d tell you, you know, in case you can’t read.”

“Oh yeah? Thanks, wouldn’t wanna let my illiteracy stand between me and my girl.” His girl? Guess the whole diary thing actually was a great idea.

“You know that was, like, a complete invasion of my privacy, right? Reading my diary? It wasn’t cool in seventh grade and it’s not cool now! Well- Actually, I guess it is kinda cool just this once ‘cause we- Just, don’t do it again, okay? I mean it.” You’re giving Steve your best attempt at a stern tone but you’re aware of the bright smiles covering both of your faces during this speech.

“Got it, no more diary reading. Hey, just to be clear, do you maybe think I’m so incredibly handsome?” He jokingly references your seventh grade diary entry once again with a ravishing smile, leading you to internally debate whether you should throttle him or kiss his delicate lips. You choose the latter, again.

“At the risk of slandering a legend, Dylan’s got nothin’ on you.”

“Woah! Big talk. I must be special.”

“Rob Lowe on the other hand…”

“Ha Ha,”

“That was a joke right? I’m better than Rob Lowe?”

“Sure Steve.”

Certain as the crashing tide always rises and the conflagrant sun always sets, you’re positively relieved that the secret you’ve been so strenuously harboring is no longer a secret, but is instead the genesis of something new entirely.

You flew too close to the sun and lived to tell the tale.

#stranger things #steve harrington x reader

1K notes · View notes

jeeaark · 3 months

Note

I apologize if someone's already asked you this question, but if Greygold wasn't a ranger, what class do you think they'd be? Would they be a paladin with an oath of friendship?

I think somebody made a delightful analogy of it at one point, but nay, not in a form of a question!

And I continue to absolutely love the idea of a paladin with an oath of friendship as Greygold's alternative class.

But! Deciding to become such a fancy class probably would've never have happened until after forming the tadpole squad. Gotta have friends to believe in friendship.

But a before-times choice if the call to ranger knighthood went unsung?

Shoot. Greygold probably would've been a whole different person if they never joined the Ranger Knights and befriended killer animal buddies.....I'm gonna be unfun and say it's a toss of the dice where their fate would've led them otherwise.

They joined the knights just so they can get a free meal, so....Whoever offers ✨the next best thing✨ to a young, hungry, and impressionable Greygold, is the pathway they'd've follow.

but then later with Tadpole Friends R "US", first opportunity, respec into Paladin: Oath of Friendship totally.

#never apologize for asking is all good I just answer #If Paladin of Friendship was a thing now and Greygold wasn't attached to any animal companions #would've totally respecced #otherwise destiny-wise -most likely would've gotten tricked into warlock or make a living doing roguish crime (stealing food)#barbarian or fighter if somebody explained to them how killing can make money but most importantly be able to buy food #Bard if they had a healthy upbringing and properly follow their guild artisan background #wizardry if it involved magic recipe books #sorcery is the only one where the class chooses -them-#monk temple got free food? Cleric temple got free food? Greygold hang out #druid teach Greygold about the ways of the good berry spell? Greygold loves nature now.

20 notes · View notes

saras-devotionals · 4 months

Text

Quiet Time 2/27

What am I feeling today?

I’m a bit troubled over a situation but I’ve spent time in prayer over it. I hope it it can all be resolved either today or tomorrow. I also know I have a long day ahead of me but I’ve prayed and believe God will give me the strength to persevere.

Sermon: The Lord Declares War! (Part 2/3)

James 4:4-8 NIV

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Disciples can still be against God if they are still friends with the world -> friendship = stop resisting the devil

Think of this, you witness someone come out of the bathroom after #2 and they did not wash their hands. Think of how you’d react to seeing that, that’s how God views your sin (the scripture says to wash our hands and purify our hearts, God wants us to be pure and Holy before Him)

You need to be sold out! either you're all in for God or you're not for Him at all!

you're a sponge, you'll suck up what's around you (and since we all live in the world, that’s what we absorb). But this is why you need share! because the world does constantly!

Exodus 5: 4-5, 17-21 NIV

“But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!” Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.””

‭‭ “Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.” The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.””

Pharaoh asking why should the work stop and his response to them wanted to be let go (calling them lazy and punishing). How does this relate to us? If you work in the world, you work for Pharaoh!

Colossians 3:23 NIV -> “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”

But we also must show how valuable we are (bc ofc we need to work in the world, what else can we do?). If we show how valuable we are, they’ll respect and allow us the space to put the kingdom above our job.

Hebrew 10:25 NIV

“not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Making every effort for Him. Even if He doesn’t provide, we should not turn our backs on Him or get critical/bitter in our suffering.

Deuteronomy 8:1-2 NIV

“Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”

People can slowly stop obeying the word of God until it turns into no love or faith at all. God already knows what’s in our hearts but He tests us in order for us to know whether or not we would continue to keep His commands.

10 notes · View notes

mimisempai · 2 years

Text

Dreamling Masterlist

THE BEGINNING OF HOB AND DREAM

The beginning of something new

Something new but not unknown

You are the reason I will always come back

A reality sweeter than the dream

My world is always brighter when you smile

You don't have to hide your tears anymore

You are the reason I don’t want to die

You are my strength

The music of your heart heals my aching soul

You are enough

I don't want to wait a hundred years anymore

Let's build our happiness on the ashes of our bad memories

A new dawn

My heart blooms with the touch of your love

I don’t want to hide what you mean to me

You are not the sum of your mistakes

See big sister, I love and I am loved

Missing you comes in waves and tonight I’m drowning

Let me hear your deepest needs

You're not alone anymore

Every evidence of your presence is precious

You are my only safe place

Something of you on me

As long as the sun rises, there is hope

Unforgettable, that’s what we are

My sweet Lord

You scars tell me how beautiful you are

All you have to do is ask

The one who can read me like an open book

Let our love create new memories

Even in my dreams, I still miss you

We don't need to be perfect, we just need to be happy

As if you were wearing me on you

The day you were born was the first step towards my happiness

The taste of your lips

Worth all the waiting

Your light outshines the sun's

All these little things

It feels like home

Look at yourself through my eyes and you'll know why I love you

In every form, I'll always want to save you

You’re the light in my darkest hours

I want to grant all your secret desires

You have the heart of a poet

Love notes written in your flesh

I miss you in ways that not even words can understand

My love for you blossoms every day

You are my favorite serendipity

Dear Hob

The destination doesn't matter if I'm traveling with you

The secret ingredient is always love

No trick, no treat, just love

Leaning on me does not make you weak

Help me to forget

Let my voice lull you to sleep

Even in your dreams, I will protect you

I want to see all of you

Mine to love and to protect

In my dreams I hear your call

Fragile

You only have to let your heart speak

It doesn't matter how we were, what matters is how we are.

My favorite kiss

My favorite moment of the day

Don't stop believing in yourself

It was always there

You are my only reality

Never alone again

You have the right to grieve

You're the only one I see

Everything is new and different with you

The happiness we deserve

I don’t want to say goodbye

No matter what, I’ll still choose you

Perfect for each other

All those words I didn't tell you

Absolute trust

Claimed

A new year full of promises

Home

Even in the smallest things

We’ve come full circle

Family Bliss

The music of our hearts

Intoxicated with you

Give me everything

Whatever it takes

I want it all

The one who knows me

The best part of the day

Let me carry some of your burden

You will always be my priority

Sweet Mornings

Healing kisses

So much to live for

Content

Proud of you

A picture of happiness

THE LIFE OF A RETIRED LORD OF DREAMS

MULTI-CHAPTER FANFICS

I wish you could stay a little longer 6/6 - Complete

Chap 1

Chap 2

Chap 3

Chap 4

Chap 5

Chap 6

If it's not love, then what is it? Ongoing

Chap 1

Chap 2

Chap 3

Chap 4

It's just a risk to take 2/2 - Complete

Chap 1

Chap 2

Meet me where the sky touches the sea 3/3 - Complete

Chap 1

Chap 2

Chap 3

DRABBLES

Irresistible

Just because you’re you

The one who knows me

A nectar worthy of a god

Make a wish

I know you

A match in heaven

My oath

Sometimes it only takes a few words

Fire

Give

Thankful

Kind

Outside

Jump

Friendship

Love

Believe

Hope

Faith

Focus

Clean

Work

CHRISTMAS STORIES

Since I met you, life has been smooth skating.

It's already perfect if it's with you

I will always be there for you

With a little help from our friends

My Dreamling fics on AO3

#the sandman #the sandman netflix #dream of the endless #hob gadling #dreamling #dreamling fic #centennial husbands #centennial boyfriends #morpheus #morpheus x hob #hob x morpheus

208 notes · View notes

aita-blorbos · 2 months

Note

AITA for betraying an ally?

I allied with Mordred (800~M) to kill the dread Morgana (?NB), out of desperation. My friends and I were stolen away and infected with Morgana's parasites. Mordred had long resisted her, and offered to share his shield, a gift that prevented the infection from progressing. He asked us to find Morgana, destroy her army, and kill her. In the end, I broke our agreement to keep faith with a dear friend. Mordred believed we would lose, and fled to Morgana to beg for mercy. We met once more on the battlefield, where I put him to the sword with his old queen. Was I wrong?

The ruin of our great alliance began in one night, Mordred called myself and my friends on night watch in desperate need of aid. We went to his house expecting assassins... and found knights, hell-bent on rescue. My dear friend Niniane recognized them and their quarry, the King Arthur of her people. I really didn't want to fight the Knights of the Round Table, especially for a man who clearly wasn't who I thought he was. But Mordred asked me to trust him. He told me that Arthur was the source of his protective magic, and his freedom would mean the end of all of us and Morgana's victory. I kept faith with him, and even convinced Niniane to kill the rescuers. I had to promise Lane that we would find a way to make things right with Arthur. In the aftermath, I tried to find a balance between Arthur's freedom and our success, but Mordred wouldn't compromise. He made us choose: him or Arthur?

At the time, I was furious. I felt that Mordred had caused the situation with Niniane with his secrecy, a failing that arose again and again as I found out more about his history. Truly, I found the imprisoned Arthur, so beloved by his allies that they sought after him for thousands of years, a far better group project partner than a man whose previous partners had all died (one of whom had been enslaved to Mordred for years. I also wished to repay Lane's faith in me. I do not know if Mordred ever had faith enough in me to lose it. Even now, I am unsure of the truth of who he truly was.

Yet the alliance I initially agreed to was not one of friendship, but of mutual necessity. Indeed, I called upon a few in the battle for whom I held neither love nor trust, only their word of oath. He saved our lives, and we aided him in turn. I acted also in personal interest, and not out of honor. The fate of his last enslaved friend weighed on me heavily. I worried over my own, if our goals ever diverged at a point when he no longer needed me. But he never acted against me prior to that.

Was I wrong to break our alliance?

#aita #am i the asshole #unreality

3 notes · View notes

thebibi · 2 years

Text

Van Helsing and Loneliness

Van Helsing's description of his loneliness is interesting because he's not just talking about it generally, but rather in the context of companionship and marriage. This ties into his relationships with Mina and Jack.

When he first talks about loneliness, he mentions how lonely he would feel if Jack didn't help him desecrate Lucy's corpse (September 21st):

"...without my friend trust in me, I work with heavy heart and feel, oh! so lonely when I want all help and courage that may be!"

This speech comes at such a tense time the phrasing could be seen and incidental.

But later, during the infamous King Laugh speech in front of Jack, Van Helsing confides in him about his wife. He says:

"...my poor wife dead to me, but alive by Church's law, though no wits, all gone—even I, who am faithful husband to this now-no-wife, am bigamist."

There is a thread of remorse that Van Helsing feels about being married without any companionship. "Dead to me but alive in the eyes of the Church" evokes a sense of pity on the professor as it prioritizes his feelings over the health of his wife, which is Not Great. It's clear he's unhappy more about his situation.

Interestingly, in the Annotated Dracula by Leslie Klinger, the footnote here compares Van Helsing to Rochester from Jane Eyre. Rochester wants a new companion/lover even though in a plot twist it turns out he's already married.

Van Helsing also confides to Jack that he has an extreme fondness towards Arthur because he reminds him of his son. So that's another person the professor projects onto.

When Van Helsing meets Mina Harker a few days later, he goes more deeply into the loneliness he feels:

My life is a barren and lonely one, and so full of work that I have not had much time for friendships; since I have been summoned to here by my friend John Seward I have known so many good people and seen such nobility that I feel more than ever—and it has grown with my advancing years—the loneliness of my life. Believe, me, then, that I come here full of respect for you, and you have given me hope—hope, not in what I am seeking of, but that there are good women still left to make life happy

When he says his life is barren and lonely, he distinguishes loneliness from lack of friendships. Even though he's met Quincy and surrogate son Arthur through Jack, he's still missing something. Interestingly he also indirectly clarifies that he's not seeking another wife, but that Mina gives him a way to live through a happier marriage vicariously, even if the opportunity has long been lost to him.

Lets turn to Jack here. I'd argue the the relationship between him and the professor is probably the closest to what could alleviate this loneliness. They aren't just mentor and student but Van Helsing calls Jack an equal. Jack challenges him often but also is his "Ride or Die". Also, they did kind of vow to be "not two, but one" in terms of unity against the unknown, which also serves as a metaphor for marriage (full credit to @imsorryimlate 's meta). However, its also sufficient to say that the entire Crew of Light serves as this, because they are no longer just friends, but are bound together by an oath.

So, in conclusion, between his interest and projection in Arthur, Mina, and Jack I think Van Helsing might need to warm up to the idea of found family and polyamory real fast here because that's the closest he's going to get to truly overcoming his loneliness. And also therapy.

#dracula daily #abraham van helsing #mina harker #jack seward #arthur holmwood #thebibi on vampirez #dracula meta #thebibi post #idk if i should ship tag this

50 notes · View notes

theravenclawrevolutionary · 1 year

Note

Hello! So uh I’m trying to write a musical about Max, but there’s literally so much about him I don’t know how to simplify everything. How would you summarize Max’s life in about 26 bullet points?

Oh boy. That's tricky. But thanks for the ask and props to you for taking on such a big but really cool task! I could absolutely never lol. Hopefully I can help though (This is assuming you want your musical to cover the span of his entire life in the way my book does/did. and is trying to put emphasis on his life during the revolution.) Obviously this list doesn't exhaust all important events in Max's life, but these are the ones I personally believe are most relevant to telling his story and the story of the revolution.

At 6, child Robespierre loses his parents (death and desertion) and moves in with his grandparents. (1764)

Leaves Arras and attends school at Louis-le-Grand in Paris. Friendship with Camille forms. (1769-1781)

Max's law career back home in Arras after graduation. (1781-1789

Estates-General is called to meet. Max is elected as a deputy for the Third Estate of Artois (April 1789)

Estates-general meets. Tennis Court Oath. (May-June 1789)

Storming of the Bastille. (July 14 1789)

Joins the Jacobin club. Meets Danton a few months before. (November 1789)

Elected president of the Jacobin club (March 31 1790)

Louis and the royal family flee Paris. Calls for the deposition of the king to the Jacobins. (June 1791)

Champ de Mars massacre. (July 17 1791)

Max moves in with the Duplays. Begins to establish a close relationship with them. (Late July. Sometime in the aftermath of the massacre.)

Makes speeches against war in the Jacobin club (December 1791)

War is declared on France (June 1792)

Overthrow of the king/storming of the Tuileries. (August 10 1792)

September Massacres (2-6 September 1792)

Elected as deputy to the National Convention. Meets SJ around this time. (Sept 5 1792)

King's trial and execution (January 14-21 1793)

Appointed to the Committee of public safety. Becomes president 2 months later. (July 27 1793)

Camille attacks Max and the government in the Vieux Cordelier. The friendship ends. (Dec 24 1793)

Arrests and executions of the Dantonists (March 13-24 1794)

Assassination attempts (May 23-24 1794)

Festival of the Supreme Being (June 8 1794)

Law of 22 Prairal (June 10 1794)

Speeches before the Convention and the Jacobin Club. Is refused to be heard and arrested.

Events at the Hotel de Ville

Execution

#robespierre #maximilien robespierre #french revolution #frev #ask #answered ask #advice

20 notes · View notes

walkingstackofbooks · 7 months

Text

DS9 4x10 Homefront and 4x11 Paradise Lost thoughts (I’m re-watching, so beware spoilers for future episodes!) [2 July '23]

"Dax is the most humanoid person I know." XD

The Siskos' relationship is so important to me :3

Not vegetables wait takes hee hee

Miles' and Julian's attempted London accents XD Miles' is better than Julian's though which is hilarious given Julian's dad had that accent

Quark was a ship's cook once? interesting

Quark's "Humans. All you care about is yourselves." is kind of true though - yes, Ferengi values are different, but that doesn't mean Quark's feelings weren't similar

Anyone I can look up for you "Uh no.. No." That's the perfect response, given what we learn about Julian's family later on.

"I don't believe in luck... but I appreciate the sentiment." Odo <3 That's quite sweet

I love the Klingon beliefs - killing their pwn gods is the most Klingon thing

Acting head of security! :O Is Layton a changeling?; Who wants to get Sisko off DS9? I cannot rememner!

"When are you gonna stop growing?" Not yet, Joseph, Jake's still shooting up!

"Nathan, the usual." This is so cute that Nog is already part of the extended family <3

"They call it the academy but what it really is is school." Nog!!! You knew this?!!!

"I am a good guy to be around, aren't I?" Jake and Nog are the cutest friendship, I love how easily he restored Nog's confidence <3

Nog just being like "I can just ask Captain Sisko for a favour, why not?" - he's really good at going after what he wants unapologetically.

The fact Sisko just tenderly kisses his dad is very sweet, I love how gentle all the Sisko men are

"I had a talk with your doctor." That's a violation of doctor-patient confidentiality, surely?

"They don't all share Odo's lack of skill when it comes to mimicking humans." Ouch

"This business has got you so twisted around you can't think straight." Well, yes... shapeshifters are tricky.

"If I was a smart shape-shifter, a really good one, the first thing I would do would be to grab some poor soul off the street, absorb every ounce of his blood, and let it out on cue whenever someone like you tried to test me." Joseph is serving the real facts - this has already, presumably, been done by the Martok-changeling.

"It's like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders." "He is." Jake knows what's up, bless him. 4x11 Paradise Lost

"I'd hate to see the members of Red Squad get into any trouble." Sisko can just be so cool under pressure.

"I'm not lying to you, sir." This cadet has balls - it cannot be easy to stick to your guns when Sisko's laying into you like that!

It's weird seeing a changeling so open about what they are, taking the form of O'Brien just because they can, but not actually pretending to be him.

Hah, Sisko has the same laugh as Jake! "And dated her for three years" haha

"I never knew it was so easy to break into classified Starfleet files." "Everything I know I learnt from Quark." I'm.. really not sure what to make of that admission. Makes sense though - Quark's presumably been doing it for far longer than Odo? Hmmmm

How did they change Sisko's blood for a changeling's?! Is Benteen a shapeshifter?

Uggh, Sisko, why tell Layton your plan? That's always a bad idea! Unless you're recording this to use against him?

"They've been told everyone on the Defiant has been replaced by shape-shifters." - You're willing to risk the lives of so many Starfleet officers, Layton?! That's when you know you're the bad guy!!

"I only wish I'd taught you more about the importance of loyalty." "You want to talk to me about loyalty? After you broke your oath with the Federation, lied to the people of Earth, ordered one of our own starships to fire on another! You don't have the right." Sisko!!! ❤️

"I hope you're not the one making the mistake." For once, I agree with Layton - God, I hope you're not the one making the mistake here, Sisko. I don't like Layton... but he was fighting so hard for earth in his own way, he's so sure this will end badly. I just don't know.

#ds9 4x10 #ds9 4x11 #ds9 homefront #ds9 paradise lost #andi watches ds9 #WSB

3 notes · View notes

the-gateway-to-madness · 5 months

Text

Anyway cara x krel childhood friends to lovers things

and also just some Cara things

childhood:

Cara's house has a blood oath that all members are born into that goes as follows: "By the light of my core and the right of my birth, I am bound to the protection and upholding of the righteous and rightful rulers of Akiridion-5, to set aside personal attachments for the sake of the throne, and to give myself entirely, in life, in sickness, in injury, and in death, to my Royals. I will live, walk, and breathe as a sacrifice upon the altar of the Royals' future. Let my bones be broken, my coreslick spilled, and my core splintered for the sake of their call; let my body, my mind, and my soul be torn from me in service to the upholding of Akiridion. Such is my vow and such shall I be."

(if that sounds unhealthy or toxic, that's because it is. Cara's arc involves overcoming the warped sense of honor her House established, since that honor code is the last thing she can still remember that makes her feel connected to her Akiridion heritage, and becoming the first Okhrana to ever be released from the oath)

Anyway

Cara was the only noble kid with the patience to sit with Krel while he learned engineering and robotics and all that. She didn't have his gift, by any means- she was always more of an artist, though she tried to hide it back then -but she was still intrigued by his intelligence and passion for tech

She's a Summoner- a member of House Okhrana with the ability to summon small tools, weapons, and even art pieces or sculptures out of energy, always attached at the wrist (though artistic pursuits were discouraged by her house in favor of finding combative or scientific ways to protect the Royals). They take a lot of a Summoner's strength to create. Because of this, Summoners' hair doesn't stick together in clumps like other Akiridions', and they give off lower-energy green light rather than blue light, with the energy being diverted instead to their Summoning

Because of her differing appearance, other Akiridion noble kids often shunned her, but Krel was smart enough to actually figure out why she looked different, and didn't turn her away

Cara and Krel often spent hours talking about his little projects, or just with her watching him work in silence. She would draw or practice combat forms in the background. Since Krel was the member of the Royal family Cara was assigned to protect, her family allowed the friendship, and over the course of a couple years they became deeply, mostly quietly attached to each other

They made little dark blue beaded bracelets for each other, each with the crest of the other's House engraved on the largest bead in that signature Akiridion aqua.

present day:

Cara always has the bracelet Krel gave her on her person; she avoids him once she finds out he's in Arcadia, believing he could never forgive her for failing to return to Akiridion-5.

Cara believes she hasn't upheld the Okhrana oath by being unable to return to Akiridion, despite the fact there was no technology available to her to make that possible. She believes she exists purely to protect the Royals and die for them. She won't allow any friendships to get too close anymore and believes she doesn't deserve to be loved in any capacity, by anyone, despite being desperately lonely. (She taught her older sister the Akiridion language young though, so she's still able to speak it somewhat fluently in the present day, thanks to that and books written in Akiridion obtained from Stuart)

Krel finds her eventually, and is at first hurt she didn't reach out until he realizes how guarded she's become. He then begins carefully, gently trying to dismantle her misunderstandings about Akiridion culture, trying not to scare her off even as he tries to persuade her to let go of the way her family trained her to think in her formative years.

Cara's adoptive family, the Halls (her father is a sorcerer and her mother is a siren, and her two siblings are an older sister and a younger brother who lean towards their sorcerer and siren parent, respectively), are instrumental in that they're her emotional rescue family figures, working to undo the trauma left by House Okhrana and softening her; however, it's not until Krel, a fellow Akiridion, tries to correct her ideas about how Akiridion works that she really lets in that the way she was raised was wrong.

Her arc culminates in her asking Krel to release her from the oath that got her family killed and accepting her place as Matriarch of House Okhrana, working to build a healthier ideology for her family to live by someday.

As for Cara and Krel's relationship-

Their friendship is built on deep emotional intimacy that only grows stronger as she grows in confidence in herself as a person, beyond her oath's limitations- the confidence that drives her to be free of the oath. She's a naturally fierce, clever, intuitive, selfless person, and as she steps into that and accepts herself, she complements Krel better and better. He softens and grows more self-aware as he realizes he can trust her with the depths of his feelings; they grow into the sides of themselves they wouldn't embrace as naturally apart when they're together.

Cara still adores watching Krel work and working alongside him. She tries harder to help him with tech stuff nowadays, and they share an eclectic love of music. She introduces him to a bunch of music, from ABBA to k-pop to country to Lindsey Stirling depending on her mood, and sending songs to each other becomes another language to the two of them.

Cara is a classically trained violinist and a decent mezzosoprano, and eventually manages to get Krel to sing duets with her while he plays guitar. She loves playing with harmonies and can write lyrics but not tunes so much, so she and Krel start writing songs in tandem since he does tunes but not lyrics.

I genuinely despised romance as a kid and in my young teen years; I didn't understand it when I solely saw it in other people, and only began to like the idea when I began wanting romance for myself- and even then, I still to this day hate the idea of traditional dating and want to cultivate platonic bonds of trust before shifting to work on the romantic interest part of the relationship. What I see in Krel is much of the same attitude; romance seems unnecessary to him when he sees it in others, but I believe that if he were to ever shift towards having an interest in romance, he'd do it the way I did

Point is, it's not until Cara and Krel are quite close and the oath is already gone that Krel acknowledges the kind of closeness he wants with her, and even then they're less dating and more hanging out and kissing or holding hands or whatever they feel like when they want to (because rott isn't canon)

they're very casual about physical closeness already as friends. not much really changes tbh lol. Mainly they verbally express love more

So yeah. Carel

here they are again

#tales of arcadia #3below tales of arcadia #krel tarron #krel x oc #oc x canon #oc x character #toa 3below #toa

6 notes · View notes