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cheriladycl01 · 2 days

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hiya could you maybe write a Fernando x Reader one shot, where something happens between the two of them they get into a fight and Fernando gives the reader the silent treatment refuses to talk to them. Goes on for a few days and finally the reader cracks and is really upset and cries in front of Nando reader thinks he doesn’t love her anymore etc.. and they make up in the end.. as much as I want it angsty I do love the fluff in the end

The Silent Treatment - Fernando x Reader

Plot: You and Fernando get into a rare fight. It’s a big one though and you say something you didn’t really mean making Fernando give you the pouty silent treatment …

Credit to meideixx for the GIF

You and Fernando were like salt and pepper and butter and bread. You rarely argued and always got alone, if you did argue you both had effortless communication skills meaning that whatever happened was resolved pretty quickly.

But after a not so good race weekend for Fernando that you couldn't attend because you were halfway across the world singing for a collab bran deal you were doing and a stressful weekend for you creating content for this brand deal you were exhausted when you got him straight from the plane Monday night.

"Hey" you smile tiredly at Fernando who is sat on the sofa. You're so sleepy you don't even notice his sour look.

"What is this?" he demands looking around the house and you look over to him confused at his raised voice.

"What?" you ask and he gestures to the house, you look around and you could tell it was a little disorganized and messy than it usually was but not dirty or unclean.

"Sorry honey, but we've both been extremely busy this weekend! I left only a few hours after you. You came back before me" you giggle thinking he wasn't actually mad, but the minute he stood up starting to do everything himself in an overly aggressive way had you at a stand still. Like a deer caught in headlights. He'd never acted like this before. It must have been a really bad weekend.

"Baby, why don't you sit down. We're both tired and I can just do it tomorrow while you are on the sim!" you exclaim coming closer to him to try and pull his arm away from the clothes hamper he was currently putting stuff into.

"God, why wasn't any of this done before you left?" he asks with almost a glare and you are in shock.

You and Fernando never expected anything from one another, whether it was Sex, Chores, Help... nothing was expected at all. So why was he demanding this should have been done by you before you left.

"I guess I was just busy" you explain.

"Busy more like lazy" he mutters, which was true sometimes you did have a tendency to have home days off where you didn't do any chores or shopping and would just laze about, but every needed those kind of days... right?

"Alright says Mr Crash on turn 1, maybe you should be focusing more on racing than bothering me about stupid little things and you might actually win again!" you say in the heat of the moment.

You regret it almost straight away blubbering after trying to back track what you said but it had already all come out.

"Nando, I- I didn't mean that I'm so so sorry!" you exclaim, but he just walks off going into the spare bedroom shutting and locking the door behind him.

Tears fill your eyes as what you said really settles in. You start to make dinner for the both of you with scraps from the cupboards and whatever was in-date in the fridge. It ended up just a simple pasta and home made garlic bread.

"Nando?" you knock on the door to the guest bedroom hoping he might come out for some food. When he doesn't after a few minutes you sigh going back to the kitchen. You wrap up his food with some clingfilm, leaving it out on the plate to cool down while you go round the house doing all the bits that hadn't been done while you and Fernando hadn't been here.

They were just little bits, like the clothes and drying up and putting the blankets from the sofa away in their basket, hoovering and dusting the stairs. Small little jobs that weren't taking you long.

The more you thought about it, the worse you felt. You could have just done these jobs before you left it wouldn't have been difficult and it wouldn't have taken much time. You were just very stressed over the brand deal.

You went to bed feeling incredibly guilty. You tossed and turned the whole night not being able to sleep with your husband not cuddled up in the bed with you.

You woke up the next day, going straight to the shower trying to wash away all your emotions from the previous night ready to start on a clean slate with Fernando.

However, what you didn't expect was Fernando to be waiting outside the ensuite for you.

"Buenos Dias!" you smile at him, but he just brushes past you, ignoring your morning greeting to him.

And that's how it went for the rest of the day. He would just leave the house without saying anything, coming back sweaty and with his trainer. He would refuse to eat the food and drinks you made for him, making you have to double up whatever you made for lunch as your dinner so the food didn't go to waste.

You tried at ever opportune moment to try and talk to him but he kept on ignoring you. It was stressing you out, all of this silent treatment. Was he really being this petty.

But once it got to day 3 you'd had enough. You were practically pulling your hair out at the fact the he had said nothing. You were doubting yourself wondering if you were really that horrible of a person and that Fernando no longer loved you.

You were laying in bed when he came home, sobbing into the pillow that still faintly smelt like him despite him not having been in the bed for the last few days.

Fernando was shocked to not see you, for the last few days you'd practically been running yourself raw trying to get himself to talk whilst cleaning then house. You'd even cancelled a few job opportunities that had come your way, feeling as though even more distance between the pair of you would be awful.

Now Fernando was the one to feel bad, he knew he was being petty by not talking to you, and he agreed with himself that he over-reacted when it came to your arrival home. But at the same time what you said to him, really really fucking hurt.

He knocked on the door and your sobs turned into small hiccups as you attempted to calm your breathing down.

"Yeah?" you ask, but it sounds a little chocked up to Fernando who feels just awful.

"Mi Amore!" he says as he pushes open the door a little. You fully sit up on the bed, red puffy eyes and tear stains down your cheeks making him sigh.

He didn't mean to make you this upset.

"I'm sorry Nando, I really didn't mean it I just was so confused why you were so angry with me and then you called me lazy which I know i can be but you've never said it as more than a joke and ..." you ramble until he comes forward pulling you into a sweet and short kiss.

"I'm the one that should be sorry, I didn't mean to call you lazy. I was just exhausted after an awful weekend and it didn't help that you were absent for it... i just felt useless" he explains and you nod.

"Please can we go back to talking things out? I don't like it when you freeze me out! It feels awful. I thought ... you didn't love me anymore and were looking into a divorce" you almost whimper at the thought of Fernando cutting ties with you in such a legal fashion. You genuinely thought that would break your heart.

"I'd never leave you mi amore! You are without a doubt the best thing in my life!" he exclaims pulling you into a hug and kissing the top of your head.

"I love you so so much! I'll talk to you next time okay? I promise" he sighs kissing all over your face, knowing you'd both be working overtime for the next few weeks, apologizing to one another.

Taglist:

@littlesatanicassholebitch @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @daemyratwst @lauralarsen @the-untamed-soul @thewulf @itsjustkhaos @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @summissss @gulphulp @starfusionsworld @jspitwall l @sierruhhhh @georgeparisole @youcannotcancelquidditch @tallbrownhairsarcastic @ourteenagetragedy @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @bigsimperika @blueberry64857959 @eiraethh @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @dark-night-sky-99 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle @laneyspaulding19 @malynn @viennakarma @landosgirlxoxo @marie0v @yourbane @teamnovalak @nikfigueiredo @fionaschicken @0picels0 @tinydeskwriter @ironmaiden1313 @splaterparty0-0 @formula1mount

#f1 imagine #f1 x reader #formula 1 x you #formula 1 #formula one fanfiction #formula one #fernando alonso x you #fernando alonso x reader #fernando alonso imagine #fernando alonso fanfic #fernando alonso #fa14 imagine #formula 1 fanfic #f1 fandom #fa14 #fa14 x reader #fa14 fic #fa14 fanfic

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wacky-nameless-inventor-24 · 4 months

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hhhhhh okay so so far you know I’ve built Lord Gearloose (NGyro) up as a villain so far in the royalty au. He’s always been the “oh well who could’ve guessed” plot twist villain reveal anyway, and he’s almost treated that way by nearly all the characters in the story.

But not NFenton. He wouldn’t call himself friends with Gearloose, but they were close. They had a certain kind of communication built between each other created over years of surviving so close to NScrooge. They knew each other like no one else, they trusted each other, they are very prideful people yet always tried to hear each other out.

So I realized lately that having NGyro be the “called it!” twist really downplays just how much NFenton would be hurt by that betrayal.

#it would really break him tbh #to know ngyro was plotting against him the whole time #anyway just thinking about the aftermath of that lately #NFenton’s trust issues would be 📈📈📈#nega gyro #nega fenton #gyro gearloose #fenton crackshell cabrera #madfen royalty au #ducktales #ducktales 2017 #dt17 #duckverse #the way nfenton reacts to things I think he just wouldn’t talk about it #he’d avoid it as much as he could even with people like Mads #but then there are signs like suddenly becoming visibly suspicious of all of his other nobles #or only letting the most vetted guards around his part of the castle #and sometimes he’d go through phases of it being bad enough that he doesn’t even trust the servant staff in his room #and it goes uncleaned for days because he’s not going to do it #sldldlfkf that’s where Mads finally puts his foot down this is his room too dlfkg #royalty rambles

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nrdmssgs · 11 months

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Little things, they do (Alex, Soap, König) (headcannons)

Masterlist

Part 2 (Price, Ghost, Gaz) here

Ok, guys, first of all, thank you all for giving this little sketch THAT much love. Honestly, I'mm shocked. I'm blaming mister Riley here, but boy, thank you so-so-so much for 100 beautiful followers. I`ve actually had something for this milestone, but I was sure, it would be hit somewhere in the end of the summer. Hope, you like it!

Little things, they do, that get you every time. Silly, warm, heart-melting, wholesome things.

Alex Keller

Almost unconsciously lowers his head to stay on your eye-level whenever you two are sitting at a table and chatting.

If you are cooking and even insisting on doing it solo (maybe it's just your thing, maybe you like to have more room in the kitchen), he is never leaving you. He will just sit there and keep you company, or tell you some stories, or maybe find a youtube video for you both to listen to, while you're doing your magic.

Talking about your cooking, he never turns down anything, you've made. Never. “Alex, don't take that bun, I burnt it!” Eats it anyway, because it's your effort that counts and makes anything you cook so special to him.

If you are dating, and he needs to go early in the morning, he covers your eyes with the corner of his blanket (very carefully so as not to wake you up!). That way, he can turn on the light and collect his clothes without waking you up.

Def pulls you closer in his sleep. Buries his face in your hair, mumbles some sweet nonsense, places a soft kiss on the top of your head. (by gods I need more headcanons on this man sleeping)

Sometimes just stops whatever he is doing to say “I love you” and give you a kiss. The fridge is still open, his sweater is halfway off him, his hands still wet and water runs on uncleaned dishes? Doesn't matter, the kiss is what important to him.

Johnny Soap MacTavish

Once Price saw how you two interact and commented it like “Looks like our Tweedledum finally found his Tweedledee…” And while other pairs could get offended, you two weren't bothered at all (you're two chaotic crows, nothing can stop you!). In fact, from that moment anything he buys or makes for you, comes with a small handwritten note, saying, “to: my Dee. from: your Dum.”

Once he cooked an absolutely amazing pie. You were practicaly moaning, while savouring it and he just sat there all bright with pride. In a few years you saw the same kind of pie in a menu in the pub, where you were supposed to meet Johnny and others from the 141. Once you pointed it out to Johnny, others flinched and looked at each other. In response to your uncomprehending look, one of them admits that Soap was so worried that you would not like his cooking that he practiced at the base for several weeks. Because of it, their diet consisted only of Johnnys` pies for these weeks.

Has no concept of “too girly stuff”. Will gladly go shopping with you, paint your nails, help you dye your hair at home, if you feel like it. Will sneak your eye patches, because they smell so nice, and he feels so fresh after using them!

During his deployments, sends you tons of the most random photos just to calm you down and cheer you up (because every time you are too scared, this could be his last mission). “Ok, bonnie, this time I present you the collection of random rocks, I've met on work.” For the next week, you keep getting… exactly that. Photos of rocks with short comments like “Here's wee one.”

You don't know why the last photo he sent you that week was a photo of some guy in a creepy mask. You also don't have a single idea, why Johnny then goes radio silent for two days and why he has a brand-new phone, when he's back.

König

You have a stiff back? He will gladly take you by the hands and lift you up so that your spine is extended. "König! No, no, wait, don't, OH!... Oh… Sweet mother of jesus, I actually feel better..."

Even if you are just friends, and you are staying over at his place - he presents you with a shampoo, shower gel, conditioner and body lotion of EXACTLY the same brands as you're using at home. He just notes these small things and wants you to feel relaxed and taken care of when you're around him.

You can call him anytime on any occasion and if his phone is on, he will answer in SECONDS. You had a bad dream, and it's 4 am, and he lives on the other end of the town? In another town even? No problems, he answers almost immediately and comes to you as soon as he can. Even if It's just to hold you for 15-20 minutes, while you slowly drift to sleep, and then to drive back to his place for another good hour.

Thanks you for everything, and not only verbally! Writes small notes and leaves them on your bag or just straight gives them to you. He doesn't take anything for granted. Every your intention is a gift for him.

And that goes not only for the time, when you two have just met each other. You are his wife or husband since 10 years, you already have 2-3 beautiful kids? He still writes you notes, thanking you for the most incredible goodnight kiss, you gave him yesterday (every your goodnight kiss is the most incredible to him).

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river13245 · 6 months

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I Don't Beg

Navigation / SPN Masterlist

Warnings: Fighting, being taken, arguing. Lucifer being an ass. OH ALSO best friend Crowley

Crowley who had been one of your close,dare you say friend. So when he had called you very early in the day asking you for help on a case. You couldn't exactly just tell him no. You drop everything you're doing just to go to his place

He knew to call you at a certain time when your boyfriend couldnt hear you. Your boyfriend slept in rather late while you got up at a reasonable time and went to bed after the sun goes down. Unless you had plans throughout the night.

After ending the call you had went to you and your boyfriends shared bedroom and looked at him once more before leaving a note on the door.

Goodevening Darling I had to leave early this morning something had needed my attention Im safe and sound so dont come looking for me Ill be home before tonight. Try not to evil today xoxo ~ yours

-----

When you arrived to where Crowley was he was sitting on his throne. He wasn't the king of hell anymore, but you had managed to let him keep his throne even after your boyfriend took everything from him. You just stole it back and gave it back to him.

what do you need my help with crow?" You used his nickname and he rolled his eyes. "Ive told you to stop calling me that y/n/n" He got up from his throne and walked in front of you with his hands in his pockets.

As you hear his response "yeah well I don't think the Winchester boys enjoy you calling them moose and squirrel. Now do they?" He shrugs and smirks "well you might have a point there"

You both looked at each other for a moment before you broke the silence "Okay what do you need from me. What's the job we need to do" Crowley looks at you for a moment as if he's debating on if he really should bring you into this. However he really did need help. "There's a family of vampires in the next town over, I could take care of those myself really but there's demons all over the place. Those I cant take care of alone"

Sighing you shake your head "Fuck Lucifer is gonna be so pissed" Crowley rolls his eyes placing his hand on your shoulder "yeah yeah your dear old boyfriend will be upset. Never stopped you before, now come on"

----

When you got there you moved quietly trying to find an opening to sneak through so you can go straight to the vampires and deal with them first.

Crowley of course had other plans, he made himself known. He always had to make an entrance but you also know why he did it. It was so you can go undetected because they would be too focused on him.

As you walk into this abandoned facility that was in the middle of no where all you smelt was dust. You had to fight the urge to sneeze, it looked so unclean. Hell they were vampires, they had no class they were ugly creatures.

You make your way through the building until you find one. You knew that if you attacked now that there was a good chance of all of them looking for you but you decide to risk it.

When the vampire wasn't looking you grab both of your knives and jump onto its back. Legs wrapping around him and use your knives to completely cut off his head in one swift move.

It never had time to make a sound except scratch you slightly. That was something you could deal with later. You wipe of the blood from your knives so blood wouldn't trail behind you and give off where you were, you were smarter than to do that rookie mistake.

The next room you walk in there's a group of them all standing around a bit on edge from the demons outside causing a chaos. You had to think strategically so you grab the nearest thing you can throw and throw it across the room. A few of them go towards the sound but some of them come closer to where you are.

You end up slicing ones head off while the other one grabs onto you rather roughly. using your foot you kick high behind you right into the mans balls, you knew how painful getting kicked there is. he loosens his grip on you just enough so you could pull away and cut his head off too.

As you do this the other two vamps run up to you but you were quick and managed to get one. The other however did pin you down to the floor. However as soon as you manage to grab the blade you roll over on top of him as he beings his mouth to your neck. Before he sings his fangs in you cut his head off. "fucking ugly bloodsuckers"

Standing up you brush yourself off and let your guard down for one second before you hear a voice whose you've never heard before. "well that's a bit rude don't you think?" Turning around you see a demon.

"well what can I say im not very fond of vampires or demons. You guys are nothing but pricks" as you say that you go to step forward when something grabs you and presses you against them. When you hear a sarcastic evil laugh you know its another demon. "well thats no way to talk to a demon. Plus you cant hate us all to bad when you are dating THE lucifer"

I let out a laugh and look at the demon in front of me. "well lets just say he won me over. He is a fantastic kisser...I don't see any of you puckering up"

Saying this only made them more frustrated causing the demon behind me place a knife to my throat. "hm you've got a mouth on you. Wonder what Lucifer would react like if we were to cut your tongue out and then send you back to him"

Opening your mouth to say something that would be very stupid you heard someone come into the room and speak. "I wouldn't do that" everyone's head turned. The demon holding you turned the both of you around, the blade still against your neck and there stood your boyfriend. Looking at the others "you see if you would have cut their tongue out and sent them back to me I would have fixed them of course and then I would have found you and what I would do to you is a hell of a lot worse than you could think of"

The demon behind you falters just a moment but its enough that you are able to break free and swing your leg out tripping him and then you use his own blade to cut his head off. The other demon was running up to you who was stopped by lucifer and he instantly killed them with just a flick of his wrists.

Instantly he goes back over to you and looks over you. Clearly pissed even as you place your hands on his shoulders to try to ground him. "what the hell are you doing here?" he asks demandingly "I should have known you couldn't let me go anywhere without you knowing where I am"

He glares at you and before he responds Crowley comes rushing in. "shit y/n are you okay?" Lucifer turns to look at him and without even a second thought lucifer pinned him to the wall and punches him causing him to go flying back.

Running towards Crowley you shield him with your body so if Lucifer wanted to hurt him he would have to hurt you too. Lucifer looked at the both of you. "I should have known he would be the reason that you drop everything and leave to put yourself in danger"

Ignoring him you place your hand on Crowley's face and you keep asking him if he's fine and he leans away from you and stands up. "I'm fine y/n/n now shoo" he had a busted lip and was bleeding but he instantly used his magic to fix it and you were finally able to breathe.

You then stand up and look over at your boyfriend who is standing there glaring daggers at the both of you. Walking up to him you grab his arm. "were leaving"

----

As soon as your heels hit the floor lucifer is off of you and instantly yelling at you. "what the hell were you thinking. You really thought i would buy the whole "I'm safe" thing. Come on you should know be better than that by now"

He was pissing you off, this is how it was between the both of you. there was always something you do that angered him, the littlest things always ticked him off. "Yes because I thought since I'm your boyfriend that you wouldn't need to feel the need to come after me."

"oh come on. I'm Lucifer have you ever heard any stories where I'm anything but the devil. I'm not a nice guy, you knew what you were getting into when you got with me" he says as he glares at you his eyes turning colors but it doesn't intimidate you anymore.

Instead of coming up with another angry retort back you let out a sigh and shake your head. Lucifer looks at you and almost says something to piss you off but stops when you say. "Yeah you're right I did know what I was getting myself into" your voice is quiet but loud enough for him to hear. "maybe I made the wrong decision"

Finally looking up at him you see how he freezes. "what? what do you mean by that?" Tears start to form in your eyes but you take in a deep breath. "what it means is that I'm leaving. I cant keep doing this"

Lucifer looks at you for a moment before responding "cant keep doing what?" At his cluelessness you scoff and grab your bag. "I cant keep doing this. There's always something I do that makes you upset, I'm tired of being yelled at by you. That isn't what I want in a relationship...im tired"

Not giving him a chance to respond "I love you so deeply Lucifer but I cant keep doing this with you." He doesn't say much so you give him one last look before turning and walking to the door of your home.

The same home that you had to beg him to get because he just wanted you to live down in hell with him but he gave in and he even enjoyed this house more than you did. He was a good boyfriend some days. But you couldn't keep arguing all the time anymore.

Your hand is on the door when a hand grips onto your arm and turns you to look at him. He looks....heartbroken? Not really ever having seen this side of him before you yourself are confused.

When you see him start to kneel in front of you as he holds onto your hands you shake your head. "what..no..what are you doing?" you knew he wasn't proposing. He didn't believe in marriage, he had said "people will know your mine we don't need a label on it. You are my partner and that's enough for me" but it still made you nervous because he has never knelt in front of you like this before.

Lucifer looks up at you and in a shaky voice he speaks. "please don't go. I need you and I'm sorry for the way I've acted, I promise ill change." Now realizing what he's doing. He's begging for you back and your shaking your head placing your hands on his face gently.

You didn't need to speak right now all you had to do was focus and you would be able to see into his mind. As you hold his face he nods giving you permission and the memories he had shown you made your heart break.

He showed you the moment when you guys got your house. You had been so happy and instantly kissed him, or when you guys first kissed and he was so gentle. As he let you inside of his mind you seen everything and heard every feeling he felt for you that he struggled showing. However its the last one that finally makes you break.

~~~~

You had been taken by an angel who had been working with a demon and taking them both on had been a struggle but you did well enough that you were still alive. It had been almost three weeks and you know that the reason they kept you alive was because they needed something from Lucifer and the guys. They had fed you just enough to keep you alive but still keeping you weak and tied up. Then one day Lucifer had came and found you. The guys were there too, Crowley and Cas were defending you. You were barely conscious but conscious enough to hear what was being said. "Okay Lucifer you have something we need and we have something you want" one of the demons say before the other one finished "I think its a fair trade don't you think?" Lucifer wasn't having any of this while Cas was just telling him to just hand it over but that wasn't his style. "How about you hand him over to us and I let you go free" At the sound of them potentially gaining their freedom they almost let up. One grabs you by the neck tilting your head back ready to snap it. "hmm as tempting as that sounds I think id rather see you begging for your precious toy back" there is a chuckle in the air that's coming from Lucifer "I'm the devil, I'm not going to beg for anything." At his words you feel your heart break thinking he was just going to let you die to save his reputation but then you see the demons vanish and there stood Sam and Dean and you had passed out"

----

Coming back from the memory you move your hands to his shoulders and you kneel in front of him so you guys are kind of at the same height. Realizing that he was begging for you...not caring about how he looks right now. You place a kiss to his lips and wrap your arms around him. "I'm sorry. I don't want to leave you, but we have to work on the anger towards me. Ill work on my stuff too"

"of course as long as I have you with me" he says as he kisses you again

#river13245 #supernatural #crowley #crowley supernatural #crowley x reader #lucifer spn #lucifer x male reader #lucifer x reader #dean winchester #sam winchester #platonic crowley x male reader #angst #fluff #castiel #hurt/comfort #happy ending #angst with a happy ending

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brighttears · 1 year

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i love your characterization of Joel!! he’s just the perfect mix of protective and angsty and sweet!

id like to request a drabble or fic (whatever one you’re comfortable with) of Insecure! joel. Maybe it’s because of the age gap, or he feels like he can’t protect you well enough like younger guys can! i really loved the fic where he’s watching the reader sleep and the convo they have after it’s so sweet. Maybe a little bit of a continuation of that?

sorry if this is all over the place, and if you decide to write this then thank you! :)

Joel Miller x reader

No physical description except for having hair, no use of y/n, completely gender neutral

Warnings: language, mentions of death, age-gap, pet names (baby)

Word count: 1.5k

A/n: I know my writing has been lacking so I hope this isn’t trash and thank you for the request !! I enjoyed writing this :3

—

Joel smooths his hair back, sighing at the gray in his reflection. He turns his head to the side and pulls at the lines connecting his nose to his mouth, then his cheek down, which accentuates the tired gouges under his eyes. He inspects the crow’s feet reaching out to his temple. Are those freckles, age spots, or just being unclean? He’d never noticed before how much of his mustache and beard were near completely gray. The knuckles of the hand on his face are scarred on top of scars from decades of fistfights and beatings. To be fair, the cracked mirror is extremely dirty, but Joel knows that doesn’t make a real difference. At the sink in the grimy bathroom, Joel condemns his reflection.

He’s old. Only recently had he realized this, or started paying real attention to it. With too much else to crowd his mind, Joel had almost forgotten his age; he hadn't had to think about it.

What really bothers him, aesthetics aside, is how his bones ache when the weather changes now, how his knees hurt and he’s out of breath when he walks up more than three flights of stairs. He reminds himself of his dad when he groans getting out of a seat and it takes him four times longer than it used to.

What all this means is he’s growing less capable, and it’ll only get worse, and there’s nothing he can do about it. He’ll only get slower and soon enough he’ll be deaf. He won’t be able to aim a gun or actually run. He snickers at the thought of dying from old age instead of a bullet.

His real worry isn’t with himself, though: it’s always you first. If he can’t run, how will he get you out of somewhere when you need to escape? If he can’t hear, how will he know if someone’s sneaking up behind him? What if you’re screaming for him and he can’t hear you? What if he doesn’t notice a Clicker in time? If his vision goes and he loses his aim then he can’t hunt to feed you, not to mention that a gun is the first line of defense against everything.

He’s been sure, pretty much since the day you met, that he is going to protect you until the day he dies, but he hadn’t been thinking about the threat of aging.

Interrupting him, you push the door open and stroll into the bathroom. You come up behind him to slink your hands around him and knit your fingers together on his pudgy belly. Leaning to the side so that you can look at the reflection of you and him, your cheek presses against the side of his arm. Joel moves a hand over yours and sighs, a smile teasing his lips.

“Look at you, pretty boy.” You tell his reflection. He titters. “What’s so funny?”

“I was just thinkin’… ‘bout how I look like I could be your dad.”

You pull away, playfully punch his arm and laugh, “Fuck off!”

“I do, though, look.” Joel takes your wrist to lightly pull you back to him at the sink, holding you by your middle behind you, he rests his chin on your shoulder so that faces are side by side in the mirror.

Joel reaches a hand up to touch your hair, holding a piece up to be viewed. His head moves up and down from his stable chin as he talks, “My hair’s goin’ gray.”

“You’re a silver fox.” You counter.

Joel chuckles. “Silver fox?”

“Yes.” You turn in his arms to face him, “You trying to tell me you're ugly? Because you should know not to even try it.”

“I’m tryin’ t’say I’m old.”

“‘Old’ isn’t the first word that comes to mind." You reach up to run your hand through his hair, speaking to it, "But, first of all, it means you’ve made it far enough to start getting gray hair. And I mean, these days, people start going gray by the time they’re thirty. I don’t know why you’re so worried about it.”

“I’m not just talkin’ about the hair. I mean, I’m gettin’… less and less capable. Not that I was ever—” he pauses, deciding on different words, but they’re not much better, “I’m gettin’ worse.”

“Worse?” Your forehead creases, “I don’t like this rabbit hole you’re going down.”

“It’s not a rabbit hole. It’s the truth.”

“Joel. The fact that you’re fifty six” Joel inwardly cringes at you saying his age out loud, “means that you’re more than capable. You should wear it as a badge of honor.”

“I’m not talkin’ ‘bout how I feel about it, I’m talking about my faculties.”

“No, I know. I’m trying to say that your age represents how fucking good you are at surviving. It’s badass.” You raise your eyebrows at him.

“I’m not concerned about me.” Is all he replies with.

There’s a pause. You sigh and survey his face. “I trust you. I know you can keep me safe.”

Joel pulls away from you, frustrated, “That doesn’t matter. I mean, it matters, but that’s still not what I’m talkin’ about. I can try as hard as I want, and I’m gonna do everything I can to keep you safe, but what about when tryin’s not enough?” Joel’s looking at you, but not really—really, he’s flipping through the thoughts in his head, perfervid, “What about when tryin’ is too slow? When I can’t fight someone off’a me? Or you? What about when I go fuckin’ blind and can’t shoot a gun? I mean I’m already fuckin’ up, I can’t—I can’t—”

“Are you saying you want me to leave? I’m too much for you?”

“No, no baby no, I don’t want you to go please don’t go—”

“Joel, calm down.” You put your hands on his shoulders to get his attention but speak softly to bring him down, “You are getting in your head about this. Everything is ok. You’re fine, I’m fine.”

“But what about—“

“I don’t care, Joel, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is right now. That’s all I can afford, and your soul’s just as broke as mine is. Can you just be here, with me, now?”

“Yes, yeah, I can. You’re right baby I’m sorry—”

“You don’t need to be sorry Joel.” You smile, almost chuckling at him, “I’m not scolding you, you’re not in trouble for worrying.” You give him a short, soft kiss but he won't let it go, chasing your lips. He puts his hand behind your head to hold it in place and then brings the rest of him to you with his hand on your jaw. He repeatedly smacks your lips but deepens the kiss each time. And then you’re making out, which Joel loves to do because it makes him feel young again. When he pulls back away, you wrap your arms around his neck, naturally beaming. Joel takes notice of the wrinkles on your own face, the crow's feet and smile lines like his. He traces a finger over them.

Sometimes the love makes his chest ache. His heart has a habit of making it feel like he’s already lost whatever it is it’s loving. Love and fear muddle together sometimes, and he's not always sure which one he’s feeling when he looks at you. All he knows is that no matter how tightly he holds you, you never feel close enough, and no matter how long he does, it always feels like you’re about to slip away. With his age, he’s not afraid of dying first, it is exactly the opposite; Joel is terrified of you dying first, because of him.

Part of him wants you to leave him, find someone younger, stronger, faster, still sharp, someone who can protect you better than he can. He’d even tried shoving you away once, but you would have none of it. That’s when he opened up for the first time about his insecurity with his age, and that was the first time you saw him cry.

The rest of him says that he can’t live without you. What else is there left to do if it’s not for you? You are his risk, the twine holding him here, what keeps him awake, what reminds him that his skin can be supple. He is a shield, but he is built out of wood.

You take both of your hands to caress Joel’s face and whisper, “Grow old with me.”

He brings his hands over yours, feeling the warmth of your skin against his. Your finger twirls a lock of gray next his ear, thumb brushing down his cheek, palm on his patchy beard. He relaxes into your touch. From it, he knows where he is now, what’s real. He understands that you’re right here with him, safe and sound, letting him love you, and that’s what matters. Years and heart be damned, love ages, but it doesn’t get old.

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catholic-character-tournament · 1 year

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Round 1 - Side B

Propaganda below ⬇️

Johnathan

Catholicism doesn’t really exist in the game but it also kind of does. Basically, Johnathan didn’t know that God existed until one day all the angels started coming down from heaven to have a war with the demons from hell. And then Johnathan made a pledge to go serve god and heaven and kill all humans living on earth because they were like “unfit” or “unclean” or something. So then Johnathan’s friend Walter goes to hang out with satan and then they become enemies :( But he’s basically catholic even if he doesn’t directly call himself that so i’m gonna say yes.

Johnathan literally fuses himself with god to become merkabach. He is unhinged. At the start of the game i thought he was cool because he didn’t want me to kill my best friend like WALTER did. And unlike WALTER, johnathan didn’t fuck up the boss fight with the minotaur. But then johnathan became really really bourgeoise or bougie idk whatever idk how to spell it. And then johnathan was like “FUCK POOR PEOPLE” and i was like no girl nooooo. But johnathan wanted to fuse himself with god and wipe all humans off the face of the earth because heaven thought they were impure. So he was trying to invoke the angels of destruction so badly and i was like johnathan you can’t do that son, and so i had to beat his ass. And then by extension i had to also beat god’s ass. And then i don’t really remember what happens but johnathan was essentially the most catholic guy in existence considering i don’t know anybody else who was chill enough with god to do steven universe fusion with him.

ok so like in smt theres alignments . chaos neutral and law. jonathan is the local lawboy and this means hes like the one who rather follow the rules already established and reject radical changes. but anyways hes also shown to be some sort of follower of god in this world and also of the like. local religion or whatever in mikado (where everyone is from) and hes very devoted to the cause and to keep things peaceful as they are now instead of trying to change shit up like walter (the chaosboy)

if he wants to commit genocide who am i to say no

has one fight with friend and decides to become an angel about it and nuke tokyo off the map

Fuses with literal biblical angels to become another angel that then wants to genocide anyone deemed ungodly/unclean by the biblical higher powers (which includes the entire population of Tokyo. And people who read manga).

Dude he is absolutely insane. He's my poor little meow meow. The party got high and he rolled around on the floor and meowed because he thought he was a cat. He is also so insanely gay. Like stupidly queer coded . that just makes the catholic guilt hit harder tbh

Gay boy who dies in every timeline

Paul

he's like if renfield from dracula was cool youth pastor.

He's also a priest, who essentially becomes a vampire due to an "angel" and tries to convert the entire town. He also runs an Alcoholics Anonymous group. I love him

Listen you've probably gotten this guy idk how many times but JUST IN CASE, I submitted him. He's a priest who fell in love and had a lesbian daughter. He becomes a vampire after his money-laundering fundie simp sent him to the Holy Land. He's so torn up over his lover having dementia and God allowing so much overwhelming death that he decides he's going to try to Cure Death Forever but oh boy is it a slippery slope and the man is surrounded by enablers.

so i binged watch the chosen (it's a drama series but it's the bible) and I needed to balance or else Id be insane so I watched midnight mass. It was good. Fuck this rat -- op

#shin megami tensei #jonathan smt #smt #father paul hill #midnight mass #cct polls #tumblr tournament #tumblr bracket #tumblr polls

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pocketsizedowls · 1 year

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Lan Xichen, libra extraordinaire, has never made a decision in his life.

He's been trained to, of course, but only in an official capacity. His uncle once told him to only make decisions after gathering sufficient information, and that has since become the most important rule in his life. This means he's great at mediating conflict, hosting banquets, and making executive decisions like which village gets more rice and what policies he should enact, but he never knows what to eat for dinner and what to do during his free time.

Lan Wangji, neurodivergent/autistic icon, is the complete opposite. He's a picky perfectionist with a strict daily routine, which no one ever interrupts because why should they? It's just Wangji being Wangji. And, in fact, everyone should strive to be like him. Perhaps if he grew up somewhere rowdier like Lotus Pier or the Unclean Realm then someone would finagle him into being spontaneous, but this is the Cloud Recesses. Of course nobody bothered him until Wei Wuxian came along and turned his world upside down.

Before Wei Wuxian, though, there was Lan Xichen. He stops by the Jingshi often, not because he is concerned for his antisocial little brother (well, maybe just a little), but because he gets so bored sometimes and he never knows what to do. Whenever Uncle is busy, little Xichen likes to find little Wangji and follow his routine with him. Can I join you as you meditate, he asks, and can I eat dinner with you? What do you suggest I do after lectures tomorrow? The other day I took your advice and made a painting, do you wanna see it? Can you pick a book out of this pile for me to read first? I can't seem to decide.

This is why Lan Xichen gets along so well with people. He goes along with things, lets people make decisions for him, and genuinely enjoys it. He earns the trust of the skeptical people without even trying to, just because he lets them pick which wine to order at the inn and what day they should go on a night hunt. You might think it's quite counterintuitive for an all-important sect leader to be this indecisive, but it worked out for the majority of his life. Just like how he chooses to believe in the good in people, people also believe in the good in him.

These days, though, Lan Xichen is reconsidering his behavior. As weeks turn into months turn into years, he stares out the windows of the Hanshi and wonders: Would everything turn out differently if he made more decisions based on instinct? Who can he even trust anymore? Would Nie Mingjue still be alive today, if he didn't force him and A-Yao to become sworn brothers? Would A-Yao still be alive today, if he listened to Wangji and Wei-gongzi's warning sooner? All the people who tell him he did nothing wrong must be lying. How can nothing be his fault?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Cloud Recesses, Lan Wangji adds more items to his routine. With Lan Xichen in seclusion, he's busy now. He teaches and he nighthunts and he sits through meetings and he spends time with Wei Ying. He also visits his brother. He drops by the Hanshi every three days and says, can I join you as you meditate, and can I eat dinner with you? What do you suggest I do after lectures tomorrow? The other day I took your advice and wrote a new song, do you wanna hear it? Can you pick a book out of this pile for me to read first? I can't seem to decide.

#mo dao zu shi #the grandmaster of demonic cultivation #lan xichen #lan wangji #mdzs #ficlet #drabble #light angst #mdzs headcanons #the untamed #cql #mdzs character study #can you tell i'm currently writing an mdzs fic bc my brain is rotting #mdzs analysis #analysis

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planetary · 28 days

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oh im so mad i have a cavity in my tooth and like what the fuck i brush my teeth twice or sometimes three times a day i literally Have to or i cant relax enough to sleep i floss after eating like anything and before i brush i have special mouthwash i use in the middle of the day too i am Obsessive about my teeth. and i get a fucking cavity. WHAT IS THE POINT GRRR IM SO SICK OF DENTAL WORK two abcesses a wisdom tooth and that whole debacle with my stupid fuck of a dentist shoving a broken piece of my tooth INTO MY SINUS CAVITY and now i have to get a FILLING maybe multiple bc who knows there could be others LIKE wtf. just take them all out at this point whatever omfg.

AND MY DENTAL INSURANCE DOESNT COVER SHIT so this will be probably like a thousand dollars again hopefully not more and what else? yeah i cant stop thinking of that fucking episode of CatDog where they went to the dentist because when i first saw that episode like 10 years ago i got so fucking mad i still have a screenshot of me bitching about it. heres an excerpt from the episode sypnosis

“When the dentist opens Dog's mouth and examines it, he finds his mouth perfect, which surprises Cat. Then, he checks Cat's mouth and notices that his mouth is unclean and loaded with all sorts of decay. The dentist scans CatDog through an X-ray and discovers that whatever damage Dog does to his teeth will affect Cat's teeth and vice versa.”

so thats fucked right now let me go transcribe the screenshot i have from 10 years ago. ok heres my thoughts from 2014

“before i send this i would just like to say that ive been watching a lot of CatDog recently and it's on now and im SOrry. but it needs to be said. have you ever seen catdog? it was on TV about ten years ago and it's about this cat and this dog that were attached to each other. ive got some concerns about it. the show isn't ever fair to Cat. especially in this one episode, where CatDog goes to the dentist. Cat eats very good food and Dog eats literally shit. Cat brushes and flosses after each meal and Dog is still eating shit. but because of some logic that has no scientific backing at all, whatever one does to his teeth affects the other. so Dog just gets to be a shit-eater and be rewarded while Cat is punished no matter how hard he tries. its just... so unfair. you get where im going with this?”

LIKE DO YOU GET IT IM LITERALLY CAT RN AND IDK WHO DOG IS BUT WHEN I FUCKING GET THEM IM KILLING THEM sorry this is long but im not putting it under a readmore you followed me so you agree to see me complain on the dash. you love it. I HATE TEETH

#dental trauma #tooth trauma #STUPID FUCKHEAD PIECE OF SHIT TEETH TW

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allthelittlecreepycrawlies · 11 days

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For identity. Something humorous. NHS finding out who this MY person that came out of the blue really is (he introduced himself as da-ge's new commander and that's it) after fishing for info and someone giving him the full gossip. MY is worried he's going to be prejudiced now but NHS just says something silly like "more pleasing to the eye than Jin xiong", or "a jin without a snooty pout what a miracle" or anything of the sort that leaves MY reasured.

This is probably less funny than you intended, but I couldn't resist making Meng Yao Suffer a little. His (justified) paranoia of public opinion is too fun.

------------

Though his new sect leader mentions something about introducing him to his younger brother when they reach the Unclean Realms, there is no one waiting for them that he could immediately identify as a member of the inner family.

"That brat. Probably wasting the day in the markets or the back hills," Nie Mingjue huffs. "Ah, well. You'll cross paths with him soon enough; he's always getting in the way in some fashion or another."

Night falls.

Dinner passes.

He settles as best he can into his new quarters, but as he lies down to sleep, he finds himself unsettled by feeling of being watched.

It goes away almost immediately, but he still finds sleeping more difficult than usual.

---

Morning arrives.

Breakfast passes.

He begins his new lists of tasks with a gusto driven by a desire to prove Nie-zongzhu had not been wrong in raising him up to his new position.

He tackles paperwork and does his best to, if not make friends, at least convince the captains and senior disciples it is in their best interest to work harmoniously with him.

It isn't until lunch that he realizes he still has not yet met Nie-gongzi.

"He does his best to keep to himself," one of the servants he has won over says jovially. "The less he shows his face, the fewer chances Zongzhu has to throw him into a training class. You'll trip over him eventually."

He eats dinner in his new office, having had enough of the judging gossip for his first day.

And then he feels it again; the weight of being watched.

This time, he quickly looks around the room, but there is still no one to be seen.

He had put aside the rumors of the Unclean Realms being heavier with ghosts than any other sect would permit their ancestral home to be. Perhaps he should not have been so quick to do so.

He sleeps huddled under the thick blankets that night, chilled by more than just the weather.

---

Morning arrives.

Night falls.

For three more days, he feels like ghosts are clinging to his back, unable to find who is keeping such close tabs on him and followed from hallway to hallway by whispers no one dares speak in front of their sect leader.

And then, as he is brushing down the horse he'd borrowed to deliver some missives, he whips around at the prickling on the back of his neck to find out that, this time, there is a boy his age or a little younger watching him from the stall door.

The braids, the delicate silver guan holding them, and the bright green eyes immediately identify the newcomer, and he involuntarily sucks in a breath, all of his etiquette lessons momentarily deserting him at finally meeting the elusive Nie-gongzi.

Before he can recover his wits, or even bow, Nie-gongzi suddenly grins at him and folds his arms, leaning over the stall door. "Now that I've actually seen you, I don't really see the resemblence."

Dread creeps up the back of his throat. Of course Nie-gongzi would have heard about that, if not before he'd arrived, than in the gossip flying under the sect leader's notice. "I- I do not- I am unsure what Gongzi alludes to," he says, stumbling over the obvious lie.

Nie-gongzi's grin only widens. "I've met Jin-zongzhu, you know. You must take after your mother like Jin-xiong does, because you're way too cute to belong to that overfluffed chicken."

The laugh escapes him involuntarily as the bubble of tension that had been building in his chest just collapses.

Night falls as they walk to the main building of the sect, Nie-gongzi cheerfully chattering away about specific people and things he still needs to be introduced to.

So this is his mystery ghost, he thinks. And he also thinks they will get along just fine.

#mdzs #sangyao #sangyao week #nie huaisang #jin guangyao #fanfic

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thebiscuiteternal · 4 months

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Okokok, finally getting at least one "Things I'll Probably Never Write" post finished, and it's the one that goes in the file drawer of "Huaisang Is Accidentally Or Intentionally Given The Wrong Impression About The Circumstances Of His Brother's Sickness And/Or Death, Blames And Ruins Himself Trying To Prevent It/Bring Da-ge Back"

(whew, god)

SO.

One night in the time period between the bonfire incident and the would-have-been-fatal qi deviation, something... weird happens at the Unclean Realms in the middle of the night. The guards who were awake at the time it happened registered it as if (to rip off a description from an early aughts webcomic) the whole world magnified with a loud "whump" noise before everything went back to normal.

While most of them don't see it as a big deal since nothing dangerous seems to have happened, a couple of guards go to wake Nie Mingjue because their sect leader would be very annoyed to only hear about it in the morning and his anger has been uuuuuuhhhhh little bit touchy ever since that last fight with his brother.

Despite the odd hour, when Nie Mingjue rolls out of bed to take the report, he feels... fine. Great even. He can't remember the last time his head was so clear and the humming bond between him and Baxia was so vibrant.

Except Baxia is also practically pacing around the inside of his skull in distress about something that she can't seem to put in words, and none of this can possibly be coincidence.

So he scatters the guards to try and find the source of the disturbance, he finds himself at Nie Huaisang's door.

They haven't spoken in weeks and Huaisang has pretty much been avoiding him and while even thinking about his little brother would piss him off just the day before, now that he's suddenly healthy again, his feelings are a lot more complicated.

He'll deal with that later though, for now, Huaisang should at least be warned of what's going on-

The door's locked. Not just locked, bolted.

Nie Mingjue's just getting ready to knock and call out when he registers the smell of blood.

A lot of it.

(rest is going under a cut for injury description and also someone writing themselves a suicidal pep talk)

Nie Mingjue and one of the guards who comes running at his shout wind up breaking down the door to Nie Huaisang's room.

Aside from the biggest/heaviest pieces of furniture, it's still pretty starkly empty since Huaisang hadn't gotten around to replacing any of the burnt stuff, which only makes the huge array on the floor and the horrible mess of a body lying on it stand out even more.

Nie Mingjue barely recognizes his own brother under all the blood from what was clearly an induced qi deviation.

By some miracle, Huaisang is still breathing when the healers arrive, but he's in such bad shape that they have to restart his heart twice before finally managing to get him into a stable coma.

If a coincidence was unlikely before, it's impossible now. Nie Mingjue knows that whatever his baby brother did to himself is the reason he now feels so healthy.

As he was lying on the floor, Huaisang was clutching a bundle of bloody papers and scrolls to his chest, so Mingjue gets what archivists they have out of bed to begin cleaning them up in the hopes of deciphering what they had to do with what Huaisang had done.

Though not everything is still legible, they gradually piece together an extremely difficult ritual that had been buried in the deepest darkest shelves of the inner family library, an early attempt at dealing with the threat the strongest sabers posed to their own wielders.

They also find a page in Huaisang's writing, also spattered in his own blood, but partially legible.

---

-udied it backwards and fo- -at least twelve times. If Da-g the current and previous Nie Zongzhu ever saw- -apparent why they never attempted it.

-a core like mine- -good as dead. Not even sure if I have enough- -instead of just a few more years.

Thinking about- -comments back in Gusu on splitting- With more people, there'd be less threat to all-

No... No, it wouldn't work.

-only if they love Nie-zongzhu more than they hate me, and even then- -keep someone from telling- -as soon as he finds out, I can already hear- -a selfish coward for asking such a thing of the sect.

And then- -right back where I started.

Doing this alone.

Better to just- -one brave thing in my life.

Besides, if it does work as outlined, then this would be the best possible outcome. Nie-zongzhu and Baxia will be themselves again, Er-g Zewu-jun and Lianfang-zun will get their sworn brother back, and the sect gets to keep the leader they actually like. And no one will ever have to tolerate me again.

Everybody wins.

---

When Nie Huaisang first hears that his brother is ill, and has been for some time, of course he immediately remembers what happened with their father. The shouting, the insults, the bruises... the feeling of hands crushing his throat.

For the briefest moment, he wonders if this means maybe his brother doesn't hate him, that it's just the sickness like it was for their father, but listening in more makes it clear that the speakers believe qi sickness mostly exacerbates problems the sufferer already had.

Which... oh.

Okay.

He gets it now.

Clearly, it means his father and brother both hated him and just managed to hide it until he, stupid selfish pain in the ass that he is, aggravated their sickness enough that it came out in the open.

And for the whole sect to have just gone along with the rages... For everyone to have been hiding this from him...

Well, then.

So when he winds up digging up an opportunity to take on all of his brother's qi poisoning, which comes with a very high possibility of killing him immediately because of the weakness of his core, comes up, he doesn't hesitate.

#mdzs #nie sect #nie mingjue #nie huaisang #whump #mostly #very slim chance of a happier ending??? perhaps???#ideas

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sunfyresrider · 1 year

Text

Romeo & Juliet AU

Part 1

Synopsis: Two households, Targaryen and Velaryon, both alike in dignity in Westeros, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes. A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Whose piteous misadventures buries their parents' strife.

pairing: Jacaerys Velaryon x Reader warnings: kissingg and mutual simping word count: 6k + note: I used a mix of Westeroi, modern English, and Shakespearean language so I hope it's still an ok read. I never realized how fast paced it was until I read the screenplay and scripts, so this is a shorter series than others.

ACT I

It was excruciatingly hot, even at eight o’clock. King’s Landing was coming to life: people poured out of the houses and filled the streets while market traders set up their stalls in the grand piazza. It was an excellent place for business of those who lived and worked in the rich houses that lined King’s Landing’s main square. The Targaryen mansion was by far the largest – filled with servants and king’s guard, always buzzing with activity.

Lately, Jacaerys had been faithfully ignoring his dear brother due to a recent heartache. Lucerys had carefully planned out today how he was going to catch him off guard and bless him with good tidings. Lucerys strolled slowly behind his brother and down the street. “Hi.” he spoke as he got near to Jacaerys, his tiding was ignored.

Lucerys ran in front of Jace and bent his head to catch his brother’s eye. “Good morrow.” Jacaerys pretended not to see him. Lucerys wrapped an arm around his elder brother so he could ignore him no longer. “Good morrow,” Lucerys sang.

Jacaerys sighed a long, mournful sigh. “Is the day so young?” Lucerys walked in unison with him carefully studying his face. “Only just past eight.” He sighed again, “how slow time goes when you’re depressed.” Luke raised a brow, “What sadness plagues you that makes time drag so?” Jace rolled his eyes, “not having what I need to make it go fast.” Luke gasped, “not in love…!” His brother stopped walking, “no, out… Out of the favor of the girl I love.”

“Oh my,” Lucerys whispered, attempting not to giggle. “It’s a hard life. Love, tis’ such a gentle thing, yet so rough when it comes down to it.” Luke did not know much of love, but he knew this was just another crush that failed to come to fruition. His elder brother was quite talented at being overly dramatic. “Tis’ true,” muttered Jacaerys.

The youngest brother was struggling to hold his composure as he listened to his brother's woes. Jacaerys shook his head sadly. “The world is filled with hate… I’m thinking only about love. Oh, everything feels upside down.” Jacaerys ears perked up when he heard a hushed giggle behind him. He whipped his head around and looked sharply at Lucerys. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Would I do that, dear brother o’ mine,” jested Lucerys. “You make me want to cry.” The elder brother grew tense, “Why?” Luke patted his back, “because you’re so pathetic it’s saddening.” Jace scoffed, “It’s love that makes me pathetic, but don’t give it another thought.” His eyelids slowly began to brim with tears. “If you start feeling sorry for me it’ll only make things worse… So go home.”

“Be serious right now. Tell me who has caused such despair.” Jacaerys pouted like a child, “I won’t dare speak her name… but she is a girl.” Lucerys made his best attempt to not tease “Oh. well done,” remarked Lucerys. “I assumed that when you said you were in love.” His elder brother smiled to himself reminiscing on his memory of her, “Her name is Baela and she’s beautiful.” That she was her skin glistened with the oil she used to soften it. Her dark eyes glistened brighter than any star and her lips were plush and red like the most beautiful rose. Luke was growing bored and mildly annoyed. “Good for you.”

Jacaerys plucked a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at his eyes. “She’s not interested in boys says she never will be. When our eyes meet, she looks the other way…. I’ve even offered her coin, Lucerys, coins!” The younger brother sighed, “Well. She’s determined not to have a man.”

“Oh Gods,” Jacaerys groaned. “She’s so beautiful, Lucerys. And she’ll go through life alone and when she dies all beauty will die with her. She says she’ll never love anyone, so I’m destined for a living death.” Luke could bear no more of the self-pity, he grasped Jacaerys’s wrist. “If you trust me, I can tell you how to forget her.”

“Impossible… Tell me how.’ Jacaerys stopped crying and lifted his eyebrows. His eyes were as bright as the sun gleaming above them. “Easy task,” exclaimed Lucerys. “Get out and about. Look at other girls.” Jace’s joy melted away and he nearly let out a sob, “It’s no use… Whenever I see a girl from now on, I’ll only think of one who is even more beautiful.” Luke chuckled to himself, “I’m taking that as a challenge, I’ll sort it out, don’t you worry big boy.”

It was high past noon when little Luke returned with a grand plan to free his brother from wallowing in sorrow. After a deal was made with their less than adequate cousin a plan had been hatched. He rushed through the humming streets and slammed the door open to their lush apartments. “Aha!’ shouted Lucerys announcing his arrival. “We have just gotten invited to the most lavish party, dear brother. We have finally made our way into a Targaryen affair!”

Jacaerys leapt from his seat and rushed over to where his young brother stood. “Who shall be in attendance?” Luke waved his ticket proudly, “Your dear Baela, among some of the finest girls in King’s Landing. Let us go to Targaryen’s party, Jacaerys.” He shoved the ticket into his brother's hand. “I’ll show you that the girl you think is a swan is nothing more than a crow.”

“A girl more beautiful than Baela?” His eyes widened before they dulled once more, “never. The sun’s never seen a more beautiful woman since the world began.” Luke wanted to vomit, he had heard enough of this, “Rubbish! Every time you’ve seen her she’s been on her own. You need to make comparisons and I bet there’ll be hundreds of girls who’ll put Baela in the shade.” Jacaerys thought to himself for a long while, clearly he believed his brother but refused to admit it. “Alright, I’ll go,” spoke Jacaerys. “But not because I think you can show me anyone better. I’m going only so that I can see her.”

Lady Targaryen came into the sitting room where her daughter’s nurse was sewing a pattern onto a handkerchief. She gazed around the room before speaking. “Where’s that child o’ mine? I wish to speak to her.” The nurse stood from her place on the settee, “Ladybird!” she called. “My little lamb! Where are you child? Y/N!”

“Coming,” a soft voice called, and you came running in from the adjoining room. The surprise on her face was evident when she saw her mother. Lady Targaryen was so busy as of late she rarely had time to visit you. “Mother! What do you want?”

“We need to discuss a private matter,’ spoke Lady Targaryen. It was a private demand for the nurse to leave. Thus, the nurse got up reluctantly, but before she reached the door, Lady Targaryen called her back. “You might as well stay,” she sighed. “Your advice would be helpful.” Lady Targaryen cleared her throat. “Y/N’s getting to the age when…” She frowned, searching for the right word. “Let’s just say she’s at a pretty age. She’s going to be fourteen in two weeks.”

“Oh yes,” exclaimed your Nurse. “On Maiden’s Day she’ll be fourteen. She was the same age as my Susan when she died, God rest her soul. Anyway, on Maiden’s Day she’ll be fourteen. I remember it so well: it’s eleven years since the earthquake…” She took no notice of the impatient tapping of Lady Targaryen’s fingers on the table, nor the glances you were giving her to cease her gabbering. “And you stop dead now too, please, Nurse,” you pleaded.

“I swear I have finished.” The Nurse bowed her head. She tenderly gazed upon your face before opening her trap once more. “But I must say it. You were the most beautiful baby I ever nursed. If I could live to see you married, I’d die peacefully.” Your mother, Lady Rhaenyra Targaryen grinned, “Married… That’s just what I’ve come to talk about!” She clapped her hands together and motioned for you to sit on her lap and so you did. Though she now shifted under your weight unlike when you were young. “Little lamb, what do you think about getting married?’

“I’ve never even thought about it,’ you sighed. You knew where this conversation was headed. “Well give it a thought now, girls younger than you are already mothers. As a matter of fact, I was your mother when I was much the age you are now… The Count of Casterly Rock wishes to marry you.”

The Nurse clapped her hands together. “Now there’s a man, the perfect man.” Rhaenyra smiled, “The best in King’s Landing.” Your nurse’s voice reeked of excitement, “without doubt.” Your mother ran a finger through your hair. “Well? Do you think you could love him?’ You had no clue to say. It was too unexpected and far too soon. The idea of marriage, especially to an older man did not suit your fancy. You had heard nothing but bad things about the Lannisters. They were greedy and too ambitious to trust. “You’ll see him at the party, take a good look at him. He has sound prospects and many riches.”

You felt all the joy you once had for this evening being slowly drained away with every word she spoke. Riches and prospects… you did not care much for those either. “Come on, what do you think? Do you like the idea?” You knew a simple no would not suffice. You spoke carefully, “I shall look at him but I’m not going to rush or do anything that I haven’t thought about.”

A knock at the door caught both of your attention. One of your father’s servants came in, “Madam, the guests are starting to arrive. My master wants you.” Lady Targaryen stood up and brushed off her skirts. “I have to go, come on Y/N, the Count’s waiting.” You glanced back at your nurse praying for aid, “Go and meet your love.” The nurse was no help after all, traitor.

Jacaerys was impatiently tapping his foot. “Are we going to make some excuse for coming? Or shall we just go in and see what happens?” The three boys stood in the piazza, watching the huge front door of Targaryen’s mansion open. Aegon, the one with the invitation, and Jacaerys’s best friend, sat on the ground. He was making it clear that he was the only one to have been invited and the other two were stowaways. The reason for his invitation was that he was a Targaryen too.

Lucerys was the first to stand up and speak. “Speeches are out. No-one makes speeches when they arrive anymore. We’ll just go in and pretend we belong. Tough luck if they don’t like us.” Jace nodded, there was no need to draw attention to themselves. He sighed, “Give me the torch, Aegon. I’ll carry it: I’m not going to dance.” Aegon rolled his eyes, “seven hells… No, you're dancing. That’s the entire point.”

Jacaerys sat down beside his friend and relinquished his hold of the torch. “Come on kid, lovers are always in the mood for dancing.” He wrapped his arm around Jace’s shoulder. “Not me. It’s because of love that I’m not in the mood.” Aegon laughed, he did not have the same restraint as Luke. “What a fuss about nothing.” Lucerys hid his face as he chuckled. “So now you laugh at me?” He was offended to say the least. Of course, a scoundrel like Aegon could never understand love. He was too in love with himself to feel the agony Jace did. “You don’t know what it’s like until you’ve felt it. It hurts like hell.”

Aegon groaned, “It'll stop hurting once you’re inside. Hand me a mask, Aemond.” The other three boys gathered around him. “Now as soon as we’re in let’s all get down to some serious business.” Lucerys declared in the most serious voice he could manage. Jacaerys was reluctant, “I know we mean no harm and all, but I don’t think it’s very bright to go to this party.”

Aegon furrowed his brows in confusion. “Why?” The eldest boy sighed once again, “I had a dream last night.” His ears were filled with a symphony of groans from his friends.

“If we don’t get a move on, all the food will be gone by the time we get there.” Aemond spoke quickly as he bounced on his feet. Jacaerys glanced at the door and realized there was a hoard of people going through the doors. “I have a strong premonition that something’s going to happen tonight. I feel it’s going to end in my having to repay a debt with my life.”

“Pray tell, when did you become a dragon dreamer?” Aemond raised his brows at him. The boys glanced at each other once last time and threw their heads up in laughter. Fools, Jacaerys realized he was surrounded by jesters. He shrugged, “Alright then, off we go.”

The servants were running rampant trying to clean up after the dinner and prepare for the dancing. A few bumped in Jacaerys’s shoulder causing him to become more annoyed at being here. There was no joy to be found here unless it was with Baela.

They stood off to the side as Lord Targaryen walked upon a raised floor and waved to the crowd. “Welcome, gentlemen. Once there was a time when I could wear a mask and charm a girl by whispering a story in her ear. No more, no more, no more. If you aren’t old like me, all the ladies who aren’t suffering from corns on their feet will dance with you. Ha ha! My ladies, now which of you will refuse to dance now? If any of you acts shyly, I’ll swear she has corns. Come, musicians, play. Make room in the hall! Make room! Dance, girls.” Jacaerys realized again at that moment his family’s greatest foe was a fool.

You didn’t arrive early, nor did you arrive right on time. Lady Targaryen decided to arrive late to make an entrance and that you did. For a second all eyes were on you and the more than revealing evening gown you were forced to wear, twas not to your liking. Your father, Lord Daemon Targaryen had already begun making a spectacle of himself atop the hall.

Your nerves ached as you stared at the crowd in front of you. Instead of listening to your mother speak about how you need to charm your way into the Lannister’s heart you slipped away into the crowd. The guests took kindly to you and gladly swung you around as they danced. If you ever were filled with sorrow, dancing was sure to ease that pain.

Jacaerys noticed you too late, you were already dancing with other people. He had never laid eyes upon such a beautiful maiden in his entire life. Thus, his agony from earlier melted away and soon became long forgotten. He leaned over to Aegon, “Who is that girl on the arm of that man over there?”

“I do not know. Perhaps a cousin o’ mine by the hue of her hair.” Jace’s heart raced as you glanced over to him before quickly being spun the other way. “She teaches the torches to burn bright! Her beauty is too precious for this world like a white dove in a flock of crows, she surpasses all the other women. When this dance ends, I’ll note where she stands, and then I’ll touch her hand and bless my ugly one. Did I ever love anyone before this moment? Renounce that love, my eyes! I never saw true beauty until this night.” Aegon looked at his friend and began laughing to himself. “By the Gods, you are pathetic.”

You finished your dance quickly and bid the lord good night. The room was quickly becoming suffocatingly cramped so you moved to a pillar by the back wall. You watched the crowd sway in a trance-like state until you heard a voice from behind. The masked boy gently took your hand in his, “If I offend you by touching your holy hand with my own unworthy one, like two blushing smallfolk, then my lips stand ready to smooth my rough touch with a gentle kiss.”

Even though he wore a mask you could see his handsome features underneath. You couldn’t help but blush, “you are unfair to your hand. Your hand shows proper devotion by touching mine, just as smallfolks reach out to touch the hands of septas. Holding palm to palm is like a smallfolk’s kiss.” Jacaerys squeezed your hand, “Don’t septas have lips? And smallfolk, too?”

Quickly your cheeks became heated... was he flirting with you? Your face blessed his eyes with a smile, “Yes, smallfolk lips they’re supposed to use to pray.” His eyes were soft, and his smile warms your heart. “Oh septa, let lips do what hands do: pray. Grant my prayer or my faith will turn to despair.” Your heart beats with excitement, “Septas don’t move, though they do grant prayers.” He leaned in slowly and his voice turned into a hushed whisper, “then remain still while I pray.”

Your lips touched in the gentlest embrace. You weren’t sure what had driven you to behave like this, but something drove you to him. Mayhaps it was the poetry he used to lure you in that drove you to madness. “Thus, your lips have cleaned the sin from mine.”

You gazed at his charming smile, “Tis’ my lips that have the sin they took from yours.” He pulled your hand to his chest and studied your features, “Sin from my lips? How you goad me on to another crime. Give me back my sin.” It was impossible to resist the taste of affection he granted you. You leaned into his lips, “You kiss as if you’ve studied how.”

Your lips touched once more, this time you basked in their subtle warmth and tender flesh. You tasted sweet, like strawberries freshly picked from the garden. There was never a more perfect being than you, Jacaerys thought.

“Y/N, your mother needs to speak with you.” Your nurse’s voice immediately caused you to pull away. Jacaerys watched you walk away, and curiosity took over his newly healed heart, “What is that girl’s name, nurse?”

“Y/N Targaryen, daughter of the good lady Rhaenyra Targaryen.” Jacaerys stood frozen at her words. What a price I’ve paid, I’ve fallen for the enemy, he thought. Love must be a monster to make him love his worst enemy.

Jacaerys couldn’t stand to leave the Targaryen property until he laid eyes upon you one last time. His heart had been trapped here — nowhere else. Besides, he knew what would happen on the way home. His friends would jest at his expense, and he could frankly live without that. They would go on about Baela. Baela? Who was Baela again?

“Jacaerys! Hey Jacaerys!” The boys walked faster than he thought. He hopped behind a stone wall as they quickly approached where he was hiding. “Brother! Where art thou hiding?” Aegon began drunkenly shouting, “Ja-cae-rys! Ja-Ja-Ja-cae-rys!”

In a quick attempt to escape he climbed atop the wall and laid flat as they walked below him. Aemond, the tall lad, nearly saw him. “He’s run off home to avoid us,” Jace listened intently to Luke’s voice. “He’ll be in bed by now.” Aemond turned in in a circle and stood on his toes trying to peer over the wall. “No, I swear I just saw him a moment ago. I’ll bet he climbed over this orchard wall.”

“He’s vanished like a ghost… Let’s see if I can conjure him up.” Jacaerys lay, trying not to make a peep, listening to their drunken giggling. They huddled in a circle until Aegon emerged and began proudly shouting. “I conjure thee, Jacaerys Velaryon, in the name of Baela’s bright eyes!” Aegon spoke in the formal tone of a priest. “By her plush lips. And her round bum.”

Lucerys and Aemond burst out into a fit of giggles. “And quivering thighs! And everything else in that region!” Aegon held a hand in the air, “appear to us! Appear to us in the likeness of… of… yourself!” Lucerys slapped a hand over his mouth, “If he hears you, he’ll be furious.”

“Raising him in the name of his beloved would make him furious? That sounds fair to me,” Aegon placed his hands on his hips. “Let us waste no more time,” spoke Aemond when he had stopped laughing. “Since love is blind, leave him in the dark.” Aegon sighed, “oh well. Goodnight to Jacaerys” Lucerys raised his hands in defeat. “I’m going to bed. You’ll never find someone who doesn’t want to be found.”

He was stuck atop the wall he climbed onto. The moon illuminated the dark part of the world he was trapped in. On one side was the orchard and the overwhelmingly large Targaryen mansion. On the other was the alley his friends escaped through. He stared at the mansion and began wondering to himself. You were in there. What were you doing? Were you thinking about him? Have your thoughts been consumed by him as his thoughts had been consumed by you.

A single window lit up and it reminded him so much of the sun. You were his sun and so much more beautiful than the moon. A goddess of the morning, you were. The gods granted his prayers as you opened the doors to your balcony and walked out. It’s my love, he whispered to himself.

Jacaerys wished you could see him sitting there, mayhaps it would be less creepy. You were talking but he couldn’t hear it. Surely, it wasn’t about him. As he stared at you his head was whirling with thoughts. How could someone be so beautiful, like two of the most radiant stars left the sky and told you to take their place. Your eyes shined so brightly in the heavens that you would believe it was daytime.

He watched you place your hand on your cheek and nearly fainted. Oh, how he wished to be a glove on your hand so he could touch that cheek. Jacaerys decided he had to get closer, he jumped off the wall and landed on his feet. He crept through the orchard until he was below your window barely hidden by a tree.

You sighed as you watched the stars paint the night sky. Your mind had been overcome with thoughts of the boy from before. You spoke out loud to yourself to ease your heart. “Jacaerys, Jacaerys, why must you be a Velaryon.” He wanted to reveal himself but chose to stay still and listen.

“It’s only your name that’s my enemy… If you loved me, I could take yours.” You paused and wondered about the strife between your families. “What is a “Velaryon”? Tis’ not a hand nor foot, nor arm or face. What’s in a name anyway? The dragon we call Balerion would still breathe fire no matter its name. Whatever name Jacaerys had would make no difference: he would still be perfect.”

Jace couldn’t handle it anymore. He leapt from behind the bush and lifted his arms. “I’ll take you at your word, just call me ‘love’ and that will be my new name,” he proclaimed.

You stumbled back, it was shocking to hear someone out there. You couldn’t recognize the voice at all. “Who’s out there? Coming here, watching me and eavesdropping like this?” He sighed, “I can’t tell you my name since you hate it so.” The voice was familiar, you leaned over the balcony, excitement lacing your voice. “Is it Jacaerys? Jacaerys Velaryon?”

“Neither” he said, “Since you dislike both names.” You glanced at him, “How and why did you come here? This place is dangerous, considering who you are. If any of my family finds you here your life may be forfeit.” He smiled back at you, “I climbed over the wall with the strength your love bestowed upon me. Do not fret for my safety, your eyes are more powerful than twenty of their swords. Just give me one look and I’ll be invincible.”

“Who told you where to find me?” Jacaerys found it impossible to be serious. “Love told me. I’m no navigator, but even if you were living in Asshai I would find my way to you.”

Your cheeks flushed slightly, “It’s a good thing it’s dark or you would see me blushing… Do you love me?” Jacaerys opened his mouth to respond but you kept rambling on. “Oh Jacaerys, if you do love me, please tell me honestly… Or if you think I’m too fast tell me, and I’ll put on an act and be coy and play hard to get. I’m so in love with you: that’s why I’m being so forward. I should have been all shy, I know, and would have if you hadn’t overheard my real feelings. So, forgive me.”

He rushed to speak, “I swear by the moon…” You leaned over the balcony, “don’t swear by the moon! The moon’s too changeable.” Jacaerys’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What shall I swear by?”

“Swear by yourself and I’ll believe you. No, don’t swear. Although I love you, I don’t like this – making commitments like this. It’s too sudden, too fast. It’s not a good idea.” Jacaerys couldn’t understand what you were doing at all. You said you loved him and now you’re saying it’s not a good idea? He couldn’t let this be. “Are you just going to leave it like that?”

You sighed, “What more could we do tonight?” He paused to think. “Make faithful vows of love.” It was high past your bedtime, and you could hear your nurse calling from the other room. You couldn’t just leave him so quickly after you said all of that. “Just a few more words and I must leave, dear Jacaerys. If you really mean it, and you want to marry me, send me a message tomorrow. I’ll send someone to you, and you’ll tell them where and what time you’ve arranged a wedding.”

You leant over the balcony and reached out towards Jacaerys. “If you’re trifling with me, please leave me alone to wallow in my sorrow.” You turned and ran towards the sound of your nurse calling. He was left dumbfounded, you left without a goodbye and claimed he did not mean it! It felt as if the sun itself had been burned out. Jacaerys turned to leave but your voice carried him back.

“Psst! Jacaerys! Pssst!” He walked over and gazed up at you. “Jacaerys. What time shall I send someone?” He chuckled to himself, “at nine.” You laughed, “It’ll feel like twenty years till then… Oh! I’ve forgotten why I called you back.” He smiled up at you, “I’ll stay here until you remember it.”

“Then I’ll never remember it, so that you’ll stand there forever.” He blushed, “I’ll keep standing here, hoping you’ll keep forgetting. And I’ll forget that I’ve got any other home but this.” You bit your lip and thought about speaking more but the sun peaking over the horizon caught your eye. “It’s almost morning, you must leave now.” You spoke in a hushed whisper. After you gave him one last lingering gaze you took off towards your room.

Jacaerys had healed his heart and found a wife in the same night. He took off out of the orchard and towards the chapel to tell Septon Daeron what had happened.

Septon Daeron was up early. The clouds in the southern sky were streaked with light as the night scurried out of the way of the advancing day. He wanted to fill his basket with a mixture of poisonous and healing herbs before the sun came up to dry the dew.

“Morning, Septon,” he shouted from across the field. Jacaerys ran up to him heavily panting. He looked over the boy's features, “Who’s this then, visiting me so early in the morning? Is there something wrong, being up so early?” Jace smiled, “You’re wrong, I had a better rest.”

“Gods pardon you, have you been with Baela?” Jacaerys’s brow furrowed. “Baela? No. I’ve forgotten that name and everything about her.” Septon Daeron smiled, “that’s my boy! But where have you been then?” Jacaerys spoke quickly, “I was dining with my enemies when suddenly one of them wounded me and you’re the one who can heal me.” Daeron looked at him confusingly, “I don’t understand what you’re getting at.”

“To put it plainly, I fell in love with a Targaryen’s daughter, and she with me. You must marry us, and you must do so today.” The Septon stopped dead in his tracks. “By the seven! What a turnabout. Have you forgotten Baela? Am I to understand that young men love with their eyes and not their hearts? You cried buckets for Baela, the sound of your groans is still ringing in my ears.”

“You told me off all the time for loving Baela.” Septon Daeron debated, “For being infatuated, not loving, my boy.” Jace sighed, “And told me to bury my love.” Daeron scoffed, “Not to dig another one up.” Jacaerys grabbed his hands. “Please, don’t reprimand me. The one I love now loves me in return. The other didn’t.”

‘Because she could see you didn’t mean it.’ Friar Lawrence was thinking. Marrying the two young people from the feuding families would be a disaster and he couldn’t possibly agree to it. Or could he? It may be the best way of bringing the families together. It could just be the salvation of Verona. It took him a second to decide. ‘Come on then, you young rascal,’ he said. ‘Come with me. This is one thing I can help you with. This could be the answer: the thing to turn your households’ hatred into love.’

“Where in the seven hells could Jacaerys be?” Aegon and Lucerys sat in the shade of the fountain’s wall. It was another dull day in King’s Landing. “Didn’t he come home last night?” Lucerys continued playing in the dust, “Not to fathers house.” Aegon huffed out a laugh, “Who would have thought it? The cold Baela should have the power to drive him crazy.”

“Hey!” Shouted Lucerys as Jacaerys ran towards them. “Here he is, the man himself.” Aegon stood up, “look at him. What a lad.” He bowed, “ Rytsas Jacaerys, sesīr kipi! How’s that for a nice Valyrian greeting? You cheated us well last night.” He stopped in his tracks, “Excuse me?” Aegon wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Don’t you remember kid? You gave us the slip.”

“I’m sorry Aegon. I had important business.” Aegon didn’t accept that as a proper excuse. They began making fun of each other, exchanging insults. Jacaerys’s friends were pleased to see that he was back to his normal. At least they thought he was normal again. “Isn’t this better than groaning for love? Now you’re sociable – you’re Jacaerys again, the Jacaerys we all know.”

Jacaerys was unable to take the big grin off his face. He kept looking around the square: whenever he saw any movement he looked up. And alas your nurse all dressed up in full skirts and a billowing train appeared in front of him. So, this was the messenger you had sent for him. Jacaerys, and his friends joined him as he ran to greet the Nurse.

Aegon grabbed the train and flapped it up and down for a jest. The Nurse turned and gave him a backhand which sent him flying into the dust. “Good morning, gentlemen,” said the Nurse. “Good afternoon, fair gentlewoman,” mocked Aegon, rubbing his jaw. “Is it afternoon already?” she asked sincerely. “Oh yes, the rude hand of the dial is now right on the cock of noon.”

“Disgusting! You disgusting man.” Aegon and Lucerys burst into giggles. “Can any of you wastrels tell me where I can find young Jacaerys?” Everyone peered over at Jace. “I can tell you, it’s me. I’m the youngest of that name. For better or worse.”

“Well said.” The Nurse grinned. “That was well said? You’re not hard to please, are you?” Aegon grinned wider. The Nurse waved him away and he threw himself on to the ground dramatically, lifted her skirt an inch and peeked under it and received another well aimed slap for that. “If you are he, I’d like a word with you… without the scoundrels you surround yourself with.” She winced and blew on her stinging hand.

“I think she’s going to proposition him,” Lucerys leaned over and whispered to Aegon. “A whore, a whore!” cried Aegon, “Tally ho” The young men came closer and began walking around her. “Leave us alone, children.” She swatted them away like flies. Aegon finally ceased his teasing after she spouted a fair share of insults. “Farewell, old girl,” sang Aegon, walking backwards, bowing. “Lady, lady, lady.”

“Who’s the cheeky one? All those tricks!” She watched as they walked away with a face laced with clear disgust. “Just a fellow who loves the sound of his own voice.” She looked at Jacaerys. “As I was trying to say, I want a word with you. My young lady told me to find you.”

“Tell her to find some way of going to confession this afternoon and there at Septon Daeron’s chapel she’ll be given absolution and married, all at the same time.” He pulled a little bag out of his pocket. “No,” she said as she took the money and hid it in her clothing. “Not a penny. This afternoon, you say? Well, she’ll be there.”

“If you’re loyal to us I’ll pay you well. Goodbye, give your mistress my love.” She grinned, “bless you, bless you, Sir.” Jacaerys shouted as she walked away, “give her my love, Nurse!” The nurse was all smiles twirling the coins in her pocket. “Of course! With pleasure.”

You could see by the way the sun hung over the distant hill that it was twelve o’clock. Your Nurse had been gone three hours! She had promised to return in half an hour. Mayhaps she hadn’t found him! No, that couldn’t be. The messengers of love should be as light as thoughts, traveling ten times faster than sunbeams, pushing all doubts and fears away, as light does to threatening shadows.

If your Nurse had any feelings – any passion whatsoever – your message would travel as fast as a tennis ball. The Nurse would be the ball. You would serve and Jacaerys would return it just as fast. But like all old people, the Nurse might as well be dead. You stuck your head out of the window every few seconds, searching the alleyway along which the Nurse would come.

And alas, there she was!

You rushed downstairs and into the garden, meeting the Nurse as a servant was opening the gate for her. You flung yourself at your old friend. “What did he say? Did you find him? Send your servant away.” The nurse didn’t expect to be bombarded with questions as soon as she returned. She turned to her servant and forced him to leave.

“Whew, I‘m exhausted, leave me alone for a while.” She sank down onto a bench and started to fan herself. You wanted to scream with impatience. “Would you just give me your news! Please, Nurse, I beg of you, tell me. Please, dear, dear Nurse, tell me!”

‘Gods, what a hurry you’re in! Can’t you wait a minute. Can’t you see I’m out of breath?’ You rolled your eyes, “How can you be out of breath when you’ve got enough breath to tell me you’re out of breath?” The Nurse shook her head sadly. “Well, all I can say is that you’ve made a bad choice. You’ve no idea how to choose a man. Jacaerys! No, not him, he’s not the one.”

She got up suddenly and yawned. “Off with you now, girl. Get on with it. Have you had your dinner?” You huffed out a breath filled with growing annoyance. “What did he say about us getting married? What about that?”

The Nurse slid back on to the bench and lay, reclining. “Lord, what a headache I’ve got. It’s pounding so hard that it feels as though it’s going to break into twenty pieces.” She tried to stand up. “Oh, my back. Shame on you, sending me all over the place like that. It’ll be the death of me.”

You scoffed, ‘Honestly, I’m very sorry you’re not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse. What did my love say?” The Nurse heaved a huge sigh. ‘Your love says, like an honest man, and a courteous, and a kind and a handsome, and, I have no doubt, a good-” She stopped and looked towards the house. You pondered if she was doing this to drive you mad! “Where’s your mother?”

You through your hands in the air, “in there, where do you think she is? What a strange answer. Your love says, like an honest man, where is your mother?” The nurse groaned in pain… though it seemed like false pain to you. “Good Gods, my dear young woman, bad tempered with me? Is this the thanks I get for my aching bones? Do your own dirty work from now on.”

“This is impossible, come on, what did Jacaerys say?” The Nurse stopped rubbing her back and took your hands. “Have you got permission to go to confession today?” You nodded excitedly as a smile blessed your face once more.

“Then get yourself to Septon Daeron’s as quickly as you can. There’s a husband waiting there to make you a wife.” She smiled at you genuinely before turning you and patting your bum. “Off with you. I’m going to have my dinner. Go on Hurry.”

The chapel was chilled today even though the sun was boiling the ground outside. Jacaerys watched heat waves rising above the wildflowers which grew unhindered across the hillside. Septon Daeron was going on a small tangent about how feelings can lead to disaster and to be careful. But Jacaerys wasn’t listening. He had been watching the brow of the hill and when your head appeared he sprang up and rushed to the door while the Septon was still talking.

You came, running so softly that it was as if you weren’t touching the ground. You didn’t even have a chance to say hello before he embraced you. Jace clung to you like a newborn babe and kissed you again and again. Septon Daeron pulled you apart gently.

“Dear Y/N, if you are as happy as I am and can express it better, then tell me how much happiness you imagine we have when we add it all up.” you laughed and shoved his shoulder, “as usual, you say ridiculous things… People who can count their wealth are poor: my true love has grown so huge that I couldn’t measure half of it.”

“Enough of this nonsense. Let’s get on with it. Follow me.” The Septon forced you two to refrain from embracing each other during the ceremony; thankfully it was quick. You both were told to sit on your knees and pray before vows were exchanged. You pretended to be praying as you snuck glances at your soon to be husband.

Daeron told you both to stand, neither of you had cloaks to exchange so instead you skipped right to the vows. It was painfully obvious to Daeron how ill prepared and immature the two lovers he was marrying were. A subtle feeling of dread washed over him staring at the pair.

You intertwined your hands with each other upon command. “With this kiss, I pledge my love. And take you for my lady wife.” You smiled bigger than you ever had before, “With this kiss, I pledge my love. And take you for my lord husband.” The Septon cleared his voice and declared, “one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever.”

Your lips crashed into each other in a searing embrace. A short-lived embrace as Daeron cleared his throat behind you. Your happiness was short lived as you both were quickly pulled apart.

A plan was already in motion. Once the sun set and the moon rose over the horizon, the nurse would sneak out once again and inform your beloved it was safe. Then you would let a ladder fall from your balcony which he would climb up. It was the same place in the orchard where he watched you the other night.

You would finally be able to consummate the marriage, and no one would be able to separate you. Not your parents, cousins, church, or state. Only the gods would be able to tear you from your true love… Soon you would realize how cruel the Gods could be.

#jacaerys velaryon #jacaerys x reader #jacaerys x you #jacaerys x y/n #jacaerys imagine #jacaerys fic #jacaerys fluff #house of the dragon #hotd #hotd fic #hotd au #hotd imagine

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cryingteacup · 2 years

Text

Creepy pasta sleeping habits

I am such a god damn nerd okay.

Jeff

Barely. He'll stay up all night doing the dumbest stuff shit online. you can practically hear the sticky ipad noises echoing through the hallway. Just the squish on his fingers tapping the dirty screen. He plays those games that have adds like "i bet you cant beat level pink or you're legal good" just to prove himself.his ipad is laggy from the amount of viruses hes gotten from sketchy websites. He'll sleep in till 4pm then deny when everyone asks if he's tired. He trudges through his tasks, yawning, dark bags contrasting with his pale ass skin. Someone will be like "Hey dude are you okay you seem tired" and he'll blow tf up on them. He usually sleeps with his eyes open out of convenience, but When he does need a good night sleep he needs a sleeping mask because he has no eyelids.

Ben

Ben stays up with jeff on discord calls. He has shitty ass mic quality so when you pass by either of their rooms its just garbage noise. His bed sheets are stained with cheeto crumbs and he has enough stuffed animals to create a new makeshift mattress, so when he sprawls out all of them just go flying off the bed. Has a nightstand filled with various bowls and cups he just never bothered put away. Along with 50 empty uncleaned monster cans that he keeps for "decoration" (they are full of bugs)

Toby

He has a fan in his room to create white noise. He gets really anxious during the night. (thanks slender man lol) he has one bed sheet. One pillow. One blanket. No posters. No books, no nothing. He has a phone, but instead up spending all night on social media, he just. binges. He knows everything about a show before everyone else because he just binges, he cant function until he finishes the show.his favorites are Hallmark movies. They remind him of the movies his mom was always playing on the tv. He spoiled shows so often that people had to pay him 20 bucks each to stop. After a while though he just felt he HAD the binge all the shows and then he had a panic attack because he didn't sleep for three days and now he goes to bed everyday at 9.

Jane

Only person here who has a skin care routine. She takes a shower. Sets out new comfortable clothes for sleep on her bed so when she gets out of the shower so she doesn't need to pick out pajamas. She also tosses a towel in the dryer so its warm and fluffy for when she gets out.she has a 14 step skin care routine full of various moisturizers and serums. She also has a jade roller. Shes very incecure about her skin since she got her burns, so she always puts in extra effort to feed her skin good stuff. She likes to watch a show before she goes to bed just to unwind. She used to doom scroll but then she read a artical about the effects and stopped like the queen she is. Her go to's are true crime, the crown and bojack horseman. Shes a back sleeper because feeling her body touching while shes sleeping makes her hyper aware and in turn, makes her uncomfortable.

Hey u. STOP OMG DONT LEAVE YETPLEASEOMGPLEASE

if you liked the story send stuff to my inbox pls n ty

#creepypasta #ticci toby #jeff the killer fic #jeff the killer hc #jeff the killer #ticci toby hc #ticci toby fic #jane the killer #jtk headcanons #jtk #creepypasta fic #creepypasta hc #ben drowned #ben drowned hc #ben drowned fic #ticci toby headcanons #toby rodgers

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fxshrxfmxn · 1 year

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Hiya! Can you please make a headcanon about how Thaddeus, Philip, Big James, Andrew, Simon Z, and John would react to you being pregnant and then going into labor, and everything that goes with that?

Okay listen….. 👀 I did research for this. Men being present during childbirth back then wasn’t really a thing, they’d be removed from the room(not that they really had a problem with that) and absolutely not allowed to touch anything. If they did they’d be considered ritually unclean according to Jewish law.

(Joseph(the ultimate stepdad) was a real one when Mary went into labor because it was just the two of them and it was an emergency. The article I found with all of this information disagrees, but they literally stayed with the animals and laid the baby in a manger……so you believe what you want I guess.)

So normally, midwife would do the delivery, all the women folk were present if they could be to help out. We’re talking birthing chairs, as many clean cloths as possible, warm water, clean olive oil. I’ll post the link to where I got the info if someone wants it.

Also, new life is always a happy thing, so every one of these men would be happy and excited. However, I’m going to focus on the other accompanying emotions. So don’t get it twisted, they’re all happy, even if I don’t mention it.😉

I also ask you to graciously ignore inconsistencies that I have for sure made. It was such a different time back then, I don’t know which terms they had and which they didn’t.

That being said, 😤 let’s do this.

Andrew:

Anxiety city. He would literally fret over every little thing.

“Are you feeling okay?”

“Do you need me to go get water? I’ll do it.”

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

“You shouldn’t be on your feet so much.”

And that’s just the entirety of your pregnancy, you going into labor??? Dial that up x1000

Dude would be silently panicking, but asking you every single question he can think of.

Shaking hands, jittery and nervous and worried for you.

He’d get you to the midwife as quick as possible.

Most men are just content to stay out of the birthing part,,,, Andrew would have a heart attack.

He’d pace the entire time. Simon Peter would try to get his mind off of it(seeing as Eden would absolutely be involved with you, he’d be around anyways.)

As soon as the door opens, he’s by your side.

Holding baby would wreck him. He’d cry. He’d just be sobbing and kissing the crown of the head.

You both would cry. Him crying would cause you to cry and you’d both be a mess(obviously you’d also be exhausted, so that has a hand in it as well.) Hormones man, they do a number on ya.

Simon Peter would have to pull him away physically in order for them to do anything. He would never want to leave baby even weeks after.

Thaddeus:

He is so sweet all the time. That’s just the general vibe he gives off.

Foot rub? Fo sho. More water? You got it.

The last few days of your pregnancy, he would be right there with you. You’d both be able to tell when it was close. And he’d be stuck to your side.

When you do actually go into labor, he’d be ecstatic. So excited.

Very supportive, getting you safely to the midwives, getting you who or whatever is needed.

Then of course he’d be pushed from the room, while the women worked.

He would seem content on the outside, but he’d be a bit worried on the inside. Not pacing, but he’d for sure be bobbing his leg.

They tell him that he can see you and the baby and Nathaniel kicks him to knock him out of whatever trance he’s in.

So gentle when holding baby, he’d freeze. He’d be afraid of moving.

As soon as he could, he’d hand baby back. Not because he doesn’t want to hold baby, he’s just afraid of making a mistake.

Definitely doesn’t want to hurt baby.

You help him though, teaching him how to support the head and how not to be so stiff.

Over all, he’d be so cautious and loving.

Big James:

Hot take: James is a teddy bear. Super softy, but incredibly protective.

I feel like he’d talk to your belly when it’s just the two of you. Softy to the max.

I feel like he’d find out you were in labor from someone else tho and then like sprint to be there as soon as he could.

He wouldn’t pace, but you know that stance he takes when “protecting” Jesus? Arms crossed, feet wide, chin tilted. He’d stand like that right outside the door. He wouldn’t move, regardless of how long labor takes.

After everything is ready for the father to come see baby:

He’s so tall that when he holds baby for the first time, it’s almost funny how small baby is compared to him.

Idk how his singing voice is, but I feel like he’d try to sing baby to sleep. You’d help too. Whisper singing baby to sleep.

He’d tell baby stories. 100% he just would. He’d talk to them as much as possible.

Simon Z:

Calm and collected. A silent protector.

While training to be a zealot, he didn’t have plans to be married. Let alone raise a child.

He’d be so afraid that this wonderful thing, that is you and the family you two are starting, could be taken away at any time.

His prayer life would be healthy, I’ll tell you that much.

Beyond that: caring for you during your pregnancy and when it gets close to the end; it would be effortless for him.

You wouldn’t have to ask for anything. He’d always be watching you when he was able, so in tune to anything you might need.

He’d know when you were sore.

When you were thirsty.

(You know in cloudy with a chance of meat balls: Earl with his chest hair that tells him when stuff is happening?) yeah. I’m not saying it’s his chest hair, but yknow. 🤷🏻‍♀️

He’d know right when you go into labor without even being in the room.

Because of how he was trained, whenever labor starts, he’d be quick to get you to the midwife and then he’d keep watch.

I’m not talking about standing at the door. Way more than that.

He’d case the building. On the roof. He’d change sides.

He would know the face of every person in there with you AND who passes by.

After you’ve been cleaned and can stay awake long enough, they come to get Simon.

He is basically a sponge while the midwives are talking to him about how to hold baby and what to do while he’s holding baby.

He’s listening, but is always looking at baby.

You thought the way he protected Jesus and you were overkill,,,, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

it’s so much worse.

“Who’s holding baby?”

“They’ve had enough time holding baby.”

“Please sit down while you’re holding baby.”

“Do not touch baby until your hands are clean.”

“Baby is sleeping, be quiet.”

Any of the guys makes so much as a rustle, they are forcibly removed from the room by either the ear or the upper arm, whichever one is the easier grab at that moment.

Philip:

That episode in season 3 when they’re going 2 by 2 and he’s sitting with the kiddos. 🙃🙂🫠 y’all I melted.

He wants kids. Dude wants kids.

Ecstatic at the idea of you being pregnant and getting to raise little ones with you.

He’d do his own form of research, he’d talk to people he trusts who have kids and ask about it.

He’d ask for advice, but would weigh every bit of advice he gets.

Ultimately trusting Adonai for everything beyond his control.

Very calm when you go into labor, knows exactly what to do and where to bring you for the midwife. Will step out begrudgingly.

He doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable, or angry. Also the law….

The first time he holds that baby, he doesn’t want to let go.

Obviously he has to at some point, but his heart changes when he holds your little one.

He loved kids before, but it’s so much more than that now.

He would do anything for that little one and you can tell that the baby already has him wrapped around that tiny finger.

John:

Is so attentive. Would def talk Salome’s ear off about how to be there for you and she would absolutely drill that into him.

Be there. Be present until you can’t be and then be present afterwards.

He gets this excited puppy expression when you tell him you think you’re in labor. You know the one. Pure unbridled glee.

Anxious excited, not so much anxious worried.

Of course he’s concerned. Especially when the midwife kicks him out.

But more excited.

Pacing, bobbing on the balls of his feet while he waits outside.

Listen, Christ is first in all of their lives, but the second he holds that baby for the first time, his world stops.

He’s so infatuated with that little bundle of cloth and softness that he literally can’t hear anyone for a good thirty seconds.

There’s ample teasing from Big James when he meets the little one and sees that John is holding the baby instead of you.

He also won’t let anyone else hold the baby for a good chunk of time.

Slight overkill, but he’s a first time father can you blame him?

One more because I just have to:

Being a part of the ministry while being pregnant and going into labor. This one is more story based and less generic.

Everyone would be at your house because of course they would be when they’re in town, you’d love being a home-base for them.

You loved listening to Jesus talk. He could ramble about agriculture in the background and you’d find comfort in it.

This particular day when the group showed up, Jesus gave you a softer greeting compared to the others who buzzed their way in and made themselves at home.

It took you off guard for a half second before you returned it.

“How are you feeling, y/n?” He would ask. “Ready to be an eema?”

“I feel heavy. And if it means I won’t be pregnant anymore, absolutely.” You would chuckle.

“Oh yes, it’s close isn’t it?” Mary M. smiled warmly at you. “Is there anything I can do for you?” You returned the smile.

“Oh I don’t think so, everything is ready, my own eema is here to help as well. Thank you though, you’re very kind.”

Everyone would sit down and you’d make sure everyone has food and drink. When you finally sit down, someone asks for something and you go to stand up, but Mary M. Tells you to stay where you are and she gets it instead.

In the midst of Jesus talking, you have a particularly uncomfortable cramp. No, that’s an understatement, it hurts, a lot.

You grunt and everyone turns their heads to you.

“Everything all right?” Jesus asks, but when you look up he’s grinning.

“Y/n, I think your water just broke.” Mary says setting down whatever she was doing.

You look down and sure enough, it looks like you’ve wet yourself.

“Well, that’s embarrassing.” You give a half laugh before another contraction makes you double over. Then it’s go time.

Everyone is moving at once to make sure you get to where you need to be.

Mary and Ramah go with you and your eema and just before they get you out the door, a warm hand plants gently on the crown of your head. What you didn’t see was your husband hurriedly speaking to his Rabbi as chaos had begun.

He had asked for a blessing.

Labor was long and by the end, you were completely exhausted.

You slept the rest of the day.

But the next day, once you got to go home with baby, everyone was waiting. It was truly a sight to see.

The whole group is so excited to have another member of the ministry.

The most interesting part about it is the fact that when Jesus holds baby, baby instantly calms.

No matter what was wrong, as soon as he’s cradling the little one, their cries cease. Baby just lays there staring up at the messiah.

(Oh to be a tiny child looking up at your lord and savior)(I cry)

@multifandomsofficial I know this ask was you, lol I hope you enjoyed it.

#the chosen #the chosen tv series #john the beloved #Philip #Simon Z #Big James #Thaddeus #Andrew #fxshrxfmxn fanfic #fxshrxfmxn writing #fxshrxfmxn #pregnancy #childbirth #the chosen tv show #sons of thunder #the chosen headcanons #the chosen fanfic

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officialyourdailyinspiration · 6 months

Text

Return Faithless People

1 Elohim said, “If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, does he return to her again? Would not that land be made greatly unclean? But you have committed whoring with many lovers. And would you return to Me?” declares יהוה.

2 “Lift up your eyes to the bare heights and see: where have you not lain with men? Besides the ways you have sat for them like an Araḇian in the wilderness. And you made the land unclean with your whorings and your evil.

3 “Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain. You have had a whore’s forehead, you refuse to be ashamed.

4 “Shall you not from now on cry to Me, ‘My father, You are the guide of my youth?

5 ‘Does one bear a grudge forever? Does one keep it to the end?’ See, you have spoken and done the evils that you could.”

6 And יהוה said to me in the days of Yoshiyahu the sovereign, “Have you seen what backsliding Yisra’ĕl has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there committed whoring.

7 “And after she had done all these, I said ‘Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Yehuḏah saw it.

8 “And I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Yisra’ĕl had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Yehuḏah did not fear, but went and committed whoring too.

9 “And it came to be, through her frivolous whoring, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and wood.

10 “And yet for all this her treacherous sister Yehuḏah has not turned to Me with all her heart, but falsely,” declares יהוה.

11 And יהוה said to me, “Backsliding Yisra’ĕl has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Yehuḏah.

12 “Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, ‘Return, O backsliding Yisra’ĕl,’ declares יהוה, ‘I shall not look on you in displeasure, for I am kind,’ declares יהוה, ‘and I do not bear a grudge forever.

13 ‘Only, acknowledge your crookedness, because you have transgressed against יהוה your Elohim, and have scattered your ways to strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice,’ declares יהוה.

14 “Return, O backsliding children,” declares יהוה, “for I shall rule over you, and shall take you, one from a city and two from a clana, and shall bring you to Tsiyon.

15 “And I shall give you shepherds according to My heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

16 “And it shall be, when you have increased, and shall bear fruit in the land in those days,” declares יהוה, “that they no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of יהוה.’ Neither would it come to heart, nor would they remember it, nor would they visit it, nor would it be made again.

17 “At that time Yerushalayim shall be called the throne of יהוה, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the Name of יהוה, to Yerushalayim, and no longer walk after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

18 “In those days the house of Yehuḏah shall go to the house of Yisra’ĕl, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers.

19 “But I said, ‘How would I put you among the children and give you a pleasant land, a splendid inheritance of the hosts of nations?’ “And I said, ‘Call Me, “My Father,” and do not turn away from Me.’

20 “But indeed as a wife betrays her husband, so have you betrayed Me, O house of Yisra’ĕl,” declares יהוה.

21 A voice was heard on the bare heights, weeping supplications of the children of Yisra’ĕl, because they have perverted their way, they have forgotten יהוה their Elohim.

22 “Return, O backsliding children, I shall make your backslidings cease.” “See, we have come to You, for You are יהוה our Elohim.

23 “Truly, delusion comes from the high hills, the noisy throng on the mountains. Truly, in יהוה our Elohim is the deliverance of Yisra’ĕl.

24 “For shame has devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

25 “We shall lie down in our shame, while our reproach covers us. For we have sinned against יהוה our Elohim, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and have not obeyed the voice of יהוה our Elohim.” — Jeremiah 3 | The Scriptures 1998 (ISR 1998) The Scriptures 1998 Copyright © 1998 Institute for Scripture Research. All Rights reserved. Cross References: Genesis 4:7; Genesis 38:14; Leviticus 26:19; Deuteronomy 24:1; Deuteronomy 24:3; 2 Kings 17:13; 2 Chronicles 34:1; Ezra 9:6-7 Psalm 3:8; Psalm 71:17; Psalm 103:9; Isaiah 1:2; Isaiah 11:13; Isaiah 15:2; Isaiah 24:16; Isaiah 31:6; Isaiah 54:5; Isaiah 57:6; Isaiah 60:9; Isaiah 65:17; Jeremiah 3:7; Jeremiah 8:16; Jeremiah 11:13; Matthew 5:31-32; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 1:9

#The Wages of the Harlot #Judah Follows Israel's Example #invitation to return #Jeremiah 3 #Book of Jeremiah #Old Testament #ISR 1998 #The Scriptures 1998 #Institute for Scripture Research #Holy Bible

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jaimebluesq · 9 months

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I'm very interested in several but especially sangcheng coup

This was another idea I'd had for the SangCheng minibang that I started to write and decided would end up too long for the bang (and considering my current word count will come to just under 50k, I wonder if it would have been fine lol). I do like it and think it might be fun to finish one day!

But the idea of the fic is a canon-divergence set shortly after Nie Mingjue's death. The Nie sect is a very martial sect, and NHS was hit very hard by his brother's death, and several Nie cousins get together and decide NHS will not make a good sect leader. They plan a coup, starting with NHS leaving the Unclean Realm to go into town escorted by a disciple loyal to the rebels, who will lead him to a place where an assassin waits.

The assassination attempt fails - NHS may be a shit fighter but he can get away and hide like nobody's business! But then there are people trying to find him, meanwhile the Unclean Realm has closed itself to outsiders while the rebels decide who among them will lead Qinghe Nie. Word spreads to the other sects of what happened and LXC and JGY go out to search for NHS, both worried about him, and they send word to Yunmeng Jiang.

JC gets the news and is in shock, has so many conflicting emotions because he and NHS haven't seen each other much since the war, but this was his friend once, and this isn't *right*. He tries to keep apprised of the search efforts, but no NHS in sight. He remembers their days in Gusu and remembers one drunken night, NHS telling him about a place he likes to go to to get away from everyone, including his brother, and on a whim, JC grabs Sandu and leaves to go there. He arrives just in time because a group of mercenaries (several had been hired by QHN, mundanes rather than cultivators, because they figured NHS wouldn't give them much of a fight) were about to find NHS and he fights them off, then brings him to Yunmeng with him.

After that there are a few directions it might go, I have a general idea, but will decide when I get to writing more of it. I *do* have the first scene written, however :D

~~~

“So, are we all in agreement?”

“I wish there was another way-”

“There isn't, not if we want to preserve our sect's way of life.”

“I know. I just don't like it.”

“None of us do. We've all watched Nie-gongzi grow up under our noses. We don't bear him any ill will, but we've also seen him avoid saber training at every turn, watched him duck out of any and every responsibility, and since Nie Mingjue's death, he's been absolutely useless to anyone.”

“He's grieving.”

“Aren't we all? And yet there is still a sect to run, training to manage, trade deals to sign. How much longer can we wait for our sect to have a real leader in the Unclean Realm?”

“Have we figured out yet what we're going to do about Lanling, Gusu, and Yunmeng? The smaller sects will keep their opinions to themselves, but the larger ones...”

“I don't think Yunmeng will be an issue – Jiang-zongzhu's kept to himself since the Yiling Laozu's death, barely interacts with the other sects except when it comes to trade negotiations and cultivation conferences – and his nephew. Jin-zongzhu is taken care of – we have a man in Lanling that, the moment word arrives of Qinghe's change in leadership, will speak to him on our behalf.”

“But Lianfang-zun-”

“Has no influence over his father. As long as Lanling profits, Jin Guangshan won't care who's in charge.”

“And Zewu-Jun? He won't be appeased with money or trade promises.”

“Zewu-Jun folds when offered alcohol at a banquet, do you really think he has enough conviction to stand against us?”

“Nie Mingjue would hate us for what we're planning.”

“Nie Mingjue is <i>gone</i>, as is his father, and every other leader we've had. How many have we lost in the last twenty, thirty years? We go through leaders like Jin-zongzhu goes through whores. Maybe replacing the main line will help us actually keep a sect leader alive for more than a decade.”

“So... we're really going to do this.”

“Does anyone have any doubts left? We can't afford to hesitate. The moment we start this, there's no going back.”

“I'm in – for Qinghe Nie.”

“As am I.”

“My brother and I are both on board.”

“I'm in, but my sister won't like this one bit.”

“Well, if our assassin does their job right, it won't be traced to us. Your sister and any other loyalists will be none the wiser.”

“And if the assassin fails?”

“Then we lock down the Unclean Realm until we've established order and a new sect leader emerges.”

“May whoever of us is strongest earn victory over the rest, and may Qinghe prosper under their leadership.”

“Either way, when Nie Huaisang leaves this fortress tomorrow, he won't be coming back...”

~*~*~*~

#sangcheng #my wips #coup in qinghe

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vickyvicarious · 2 years

Text

The Harkers are both selfish.

Well, sort of. In a selfless, self-sacrificing way.

I've had this idea percolating for the past few days... something about how Jonathan and Mina represent a sort of example of selfish love, despite their complete willingness to make personal sacrifices for one another. Or rather, in many instances, their selfish motivation leads to selfless actions. They also demonstrate a neat contrast with Arthur/Lucy as an example of desire over duty, in certain ways.

The TL;DR goes something like "JonMina are deeply in love and increasingly feral," but if you want a much longer and more specific exploration, there's the cut.

To start off, their romance is very supportive of one another. They both work to make sure the other has no need to make sacrifices, or at least so that their sacrifices are both made in service of future happiness. So, Mina may be quitting her job as a teacher, but (quite aside from it being a cultural norm to stop working after being married) she isn't giving up on her work entirely, she's planning to help Jonathan. He's working himself extremely hard in order to be able to afford to marry her sooner. Mina mentions once that they have to be careful with their money since they aren't as well off as Lucy, for example. They're still probably wealthy enough to have a few servants, but definitely at the lower end for their expected class. They are making a bunch of small sacrifices but those are all made together, with a clear sense that they've discussed these moves and are planning for the future. It's a trade-off, in order to achieve their goal (being married happily) sooner. Any little sacrifice from one is either matched or shared for the most part, and they tend not to even view them as sacrifices so much as they are excited for the future. This is kind of a 'selfish' point of view if you feel the need to inflict that kind of binary, but definitely not in any negative way, more just knowing what they want and actively working towards it.

It's only when Dracula comes into the picture that we start seeing them making real sacrifices. And for the most part, they're all very understandable.

I'm going to talk through these in a bit more detail in a moment, but just to preface - there's definitely a trend of things getting more and more intense as we go along. And the more that happens, the more selfish/selfless each decision becomes. And the more they choose individually instead of together.

Mina leaves Lucy behind to go care for Jonathan

Jonathan asks her not to read the journal but trusts her to do so if needed

Jonathan tries to throw himself back into regular life; Mina hides her own worries to stay strong for him

Mina reads his journal and shares it with Van Helsing, they start vampire hunting

Jonathan leaves Mina out, and she doesn't protest

Mina submits to Dracula's attack so that he doesn't harm Jonathan; she declares herself unclean/unworthy of touching him, which he denies

Mina decides to kill herself if she hurts anyone she loves, and asks others to kill her; Jonathan decides to join her in vampirism

Mina asks to be left out again, and Jonathan breaks his vow not to put any distance between them

Leaving Lucy behind is a tough call, but very understandable given that she is starting to do a little better and has more people to support her. Meanwhile, Jonathan has been missing for a long time and Mina pretty much presumed him dead. This is an example of her choosing Jonathan over others but nothing too egregious. It shows how devoted to him Mina is, that she drops everything to go to him.

The reason I listed the journal is because it's a mixed bag here. It shows great trust and faith in Mina, and he has very excellent reasons to not fully know whether to believe it himself/to not want anyone else to know. But he is giving up any hope of certainty or reassurance about what happened to him in favor of trying to be happy with Mina. He's deliberately choosing not to dig further, and that's a sacrifice in a sense. So is Mina's willingness to go along with this - but both are made out of love and a focus on their future, just like before.

When they actually try to resume normal life though, the cracks are very much showing. Jonathan has PTSD, and Mina is extremely stressed out about him but trying very hard not to show it. If he weren't doing so poorly, she probably would've been by to see Lucy sooner. Both of them are trying to make sacrifices for the other one (Jonathan throwing himself back into the groove of normal life, Mina being supportive) without really consulting together in the same way as before, and eventually it isn't sustainable. Mina has permission to read his journal, so it isn't exactly a betrayal, but it is a sacrifice. She's giving up on the notion that the efforts both of them have been making since coming back are working. She's giving up, very soon, her natural skepticism and her peace of mind about the state of the world and what exists in it. Again, this is a 'selfless' act in the sense that it involves personal sacrifice for his sake, but 'selfish' in that her love for him is what matters most and any sacrifice in service of that is necessary to make. The more selfless act is for them both to go all in on Dracula hunting right away, though that may be somewhat necessary to give Jonathan closure.

They briefly come back together again and are working in concert, but at the suggestion of the other members of the group Jonathan agrees to leave Mina out for her own good. This seems at first to be the height of discord between them; they talk very little. Mina tries to hide her tears from Jonathan, and while he notices he doesn't talk to her about it. There's a total communication breakdown for a little while. And the reasoning is their usual brand of selfish concern for the other, but for the first time we see it actively hurt the other person. Jonathan wants Mina safe and protected from Dracula's influence, and in trying to ensure that he makes her feel left out and undervalued, and leaves her vulnerable to Dracula. Mina wants to support Jonathan and to stay as close to him as possible, and in doing so hides and dismisses her own feelings and symptoms which leads to Dracula's worst attack. I definitely think there is some direct Dracula magic interfering with Mina (at a minimum) here, but the result is the same. And at this point, they kick things into high gear.

Obviously, Mina is the most physically harmed that night. But Jonathan is hurt deeply too. (Also: obviously neither are at fault for anything here, the blame lies with Dracula, but this is more about how they feel than the facts of the situation.) She knows he wouldn't hesitate to put himself in danger to protect her from Dracula, but she feels the same way and so submits to Dracula's bite in order to protect him. This makes them both feel guilty - Jonathan for being right there and unable to stop it, as well as for being the hostage she had to protect; Mina for 'agreeing' in any sense to such an act. Mina feels unclean afterwards (because she knows she resembles his source of trauma) and tries to sacrifice herself for his sake, unwilling to touch him as she is now. Jonathan in turn rejects this, fully willing to bear with any possible flashbacks it may cause because Mina is more important to him.

Now we get to the next day. I actually want to quote a little bit for this one, because it's the key to all of this and why I wanted to write this meta. Mina and Jonathan both take their thoughts to extremes of self-sacrifice for the other, without consulting one another at all.

"But dear Madam Mina, are you not afraid; not for yourself, but for others from yourself, after what has happened?" Her face grew set in its lines, but her eyes shone with the devotion of a martyr as she answered:—

"Ah no! for my mind is made up!"

"To what?" he asked gently, whilst we were all very still; for each in our own way we had a sort of vague idea of what she meant. Her answer came with direct simplicity, as though she were simply stating a fact:—

"Because if I find in myself—and I shall watch keenly for it—a sign of harm to any that I love, I shall die!"

"You would not kill yourself?" he asked, hoarsely.

"I would; if there were no friend who loved me, who would save me such a pain, and so desperate an effort!" She looked at him meaningly as she spoke.

Then without a word we all knelt down together, and, all holding hands, swore to be true to each other. We men pledged ourselves to raise the veil of sorrow from the head of her whom, each in his own way, we loved; and we prayed for help and guidance in the terrible task which lay before us.

It was then time to start. So I said farewell to Mina, a parting which neither of us shall forget to our dying day; and we set out.

To one thing I have made up my mind: if we find out that Mina must be a vampire in the end, then she shall not go into that unknown and terrible land alone. I suppose it is thus that in old times one vampire meant many; just as their hideous bodies could only rest in sacred earth, so the holiest love was the recruiting sergeant for their ghastly ranks.

Both of them state firmly that their minds are made up. Neither have consulted the other, and in fact there seems a deliberate intent to leave the other out. Mina leaves Jonathan along with the rest to piece together her meaning at first, while Jonathan agrees with the group to free Mina from Dracula's influence right before resolving to join her if needed. And here we see a kind of divide for the first time between the previously-overlapping selfishness and selflessness.

Mina is determined to die rather than become like Dracula or Lucy. She is willing to kill herself, which would in fact sacrifice her soul just as surely, in order to ensure her corruption does not spread to others she loves. She will protect Jonathan from herself at whatever cost is necessary, whether he likes it or not. She is the selfless side to their love, she is protecting others no matter the personal cost.

Jonathan is the opposite. His decision here directly repudiates Mina's stated wish of being killed if she turns into a vampire. Instead, he decides to join her. He would rather sacrifice his soul and become a monster, spreading misery and death and corruption, rather than ever harm her. Even if that goes against what she wants. He is the selfish side to their love, willing to harm anyone as long as he doesn't have to pay the cost of losing her.

Both of these feel opposed to one another... but the thing is, with these two I truly cannot be certain that they wouldn't swap decisions if they had swapped roles. If Jonathan were the one turning into a vampire, might Mina be willing to sacrifice everyone else? Quite possibly. I definitely think he'd be advocating to sacrifice himself in that situation, just as she is.

The broken promise to never hide anything from her again, the lack of trust that follows... those are just extensions of these decisions, they're the fallout. Mina and Jonathan are together so often now, but there is a wall between them. And that wall is built out of their love, each of them. They love the other one so much that it can drive them to anything. After Dracula's (third) attack on Mina, both she and Jonathan stop planning for the future, and begin preparing for their own personal worst-case scenarios.

Mina's greatest fear is harming Jonathan.

Jonathan's greatest fear is losing Mina.

She's willing to ensure he loses her forever to make sure her fear doesn't come true; he's willing to allow her to harm him irreparably in order to make sure his fear is never realized.

Mina's actions seem more selfless because in sparing Jonathan, she spares others as well. His seem more selfish because in protecting Mina, he might harm others. And maybe that's all it comes down to, the situation, because otherwise their motivation and even in large part their attitudes and the ways they react are the same.

Dracula/his influence has been the sole reason they were both pushed to these extremes, and if they are able to defeat him soon it may not be too late to return back to something closer to where they started. But if the situation gets pushed too much more, it will eventually break in one direction or another. And time is ticking away.

Edit - I tried to sum this up/clarify a little bit here. Basically, the motivation is usually selfish in a sense, even when that results in self-sacrifice. But the results are usually selfless/don't harm others. Later on when we see them stop communicating and working together as much, their decisions start hurting one another to a degree, and then this culminates in their individual decisions about what to do if Mina becomes a vampire, which regardless of the effect on everyone else, don't take the personal preferences of their partner into consideration.

A short little note on duty vs. desire, primarily focusing on Arthur and Jonathan, but dipping into Mina and Lucy as well.

Beginning with Arthur:

"I have a duty to do in protecting her grave from outrage; and, by God, I shall do it!"

"My true friend, from the bottom of my broken heart I thank you. Tell me what I am to do, and I shall not falter!"

Arthur felt a duty to Lucy's corpse and to her soul. He resisted Lucy's call (albeit not without help), and then asked Van Helsing to tell him what to do to save her soul. He already considered her as lost to him. All that was left now was to do right by her memory in whatever way he could. He forced himself through the terrible act of staking her, despite any horror or guilt or loss he might feel, because he knew it was his duty. He saw it through and then it was finished.

She is calling to me.

The first to act was Harker, who, with a quick movement, threw himself before the door leading into the room in the front of the house.

Starting with the first line - Jonathan's entry ends on this note. He answered. This line is both chilling and romantic in spades. Mina's call may very well be echoing Lucy's calls to Arthur in the graveyard here, but Jonathan has no one to pull him back. And if they tried he wouldn't let them, because his perspective is different.

Jonathan is driven by a desire to be with Mina at any cost. He wishes to save her human self, but even if she fully turns into a vampire he refuses to consider that a loss. He will chase after her. He is barely willing to wait to collaborate and isn't easily taking directions from anyone but Mina herself. He isn't waiting to throw himself into the action.

The difference isn't in how much they love their partners so much as it is in the way they express said love, and the situation they believe themselves to be in. For Arthur, everything was already done and all he had left was his duty. For Jonathan, nothing is even close to ending, and he wants to make sure it never does.

Similarly, Mina is actively going after what she wants, while Lucy plays a much more passive role and expresses real feelings of responsibility/guilt over choosing who to marry for example. Mina is a very responsible person who feels societal duty weigh on her but who is in the end always able to choose personal desires over it (nicely summed up by her concerns over holding Jonathan's arm in the park, and then deciding to keep on doing it). Lucy acts much more carefree, but it is in fact often an act brought on by her strong sense of duty to behave as the cheerful friend/good daughter/happy fiance/etc.

You could probably extend this into a longer meta on duty/desire in these two couples. Arthur is driven by duty so often (to his father, the responsibilities as well as freedoms his title holds, to Lucy's memory and Dracula's defeat) and his desires seem more exceptions despite how carefree he presents himself/how relatively easy of a life he has had so far. The same is true for Lucy. Jonathan is the opposite, with his goals (his career, Mina, defeating Dracula) being more related to personal desire even if there is overlap with duty there/circumstances have forced him to be more responsible in the past. The same is true with Mina. There's also places you can go with Art's freedoms vs. Jonathan's as relates to their class and the duties that go along with it (Arthur has obligations to his dad and can't be with Lucy, but he can just break in wherever and get away with it; Jonathan is trapped by social rules in Dracula's castle, but he can marry Mina immediately once the option is there). Again, same for Lucy and Mina. That's way off-topic for this meta though, and this is already much longer than planned, so I'm not going to go there.

#dracula daily #dracula meta #my meta #jonmina #jonathan harker #mina murray #arthur holmwood #lucy westenra #this is SO LONG and i wrote it all on my phone #my fingers and brain are both tired #gonna just post it now and hope it still makes sense tomorrow

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