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isatswap · 19 days

Text

(full game in stars and time spoilers)

(also this text has discussions of death and abandonment)

Family Quest

TTOS version of Tutorial Quest (Bonnie's friendquest) from ISAT

(Odile is standing here, seemingly consumed by her book.)

Loop: "Odile."

Odile: .... Odile: Oh, heyfrin. Odile: .... Odile: What do you want.

Loop: (...)

"Clocktower, sleepover"

"Worrying about tomorrow?"

"Anything weird happening lately?"

"Can I help you with anything?"

"Nothing!"

Odile: ...

(Odile seems to be contemplating you question.)

Odile: Don't you have anything better to do? Odile: ...No?

(Odile sighs heavily.)

Odile: Fine. I do need help with something. Odile: It might take a while, though...

Loop:

"I have time!"

"Maybe a bit later..."

Odile: Okay. Follow me, then.

(Odile brought you outside of Dormont.)

(There are some weak Sadnesses roaming in the distance.)

Odile: Loop. Odile: The reason I decided to let you help me is that you're less responsible than other adults.

Loop: (???) "What does that supposed to mean???"

Odile: Well, I think the others would be a bit against this. Odile: ...I need you to help me learn to fight.

(Oh!)

Odile: I know Boniface said I will be helping you tomorrow but... Odile: I want to fight. I don't want just just be on the sideline and shout mean things like I usully do. Odile: I mean, I know how to fight, just....

Loop: "What, too scared to face a Sadness on your own?~"

(Odile looks at you like she is going you use you as the first target for her training.)

Odile: No. Odile: ...Just.... To be safe, I need someone else here.

(That is fair. Would be kinda bad if Odile got hurt alone in this forest.)

(One of the Sadnesses approaches you.)

Odile: Look, I can show you!

(She immediately engages. You are forced to join.)

Odile: Scissors type. Well that's not good.

(Odile looks through her book...)

(TRISTESSE attacks!)

Odile: O-OW..!!!

(ODILE...!!!)

(Without hesitation, you strike)

(You breathe in, and out.)

Odile: Nghhh....

Loop: (You can't help but yell.) "ODILE, BE MORE CAREFUL!!!"

Odile: Shut up, I am fine....

(You inspect Odile.)

(Miraculously, she doesn't seem hurt.)

(She is clutching her book too hard.)

Loop: "...I shouldn't have yelled." Loop: "Breathe with me?"

Odile: ....Okay....

(You breathe in and out, slowly, making sure Odile breathes with you.)

(You need to calm down, too.)

(Slowly, she relaxes her clutch.)

Odile: Hah..... Odile: .... Odile: Thanks.

(She gets up.)

Odile: Well, that didn't go super well.

Loop: "It did not, no."

Odile: ....I shouldn't have rushed into battle like that. Sorry, I guess.

Loop: "Wow, Odile apologising? That is a rare sight."

Odile: Shut up. Odile: ..... Odile: We should fight another one.

(You nod, and point to the nearest Sadness.)

(Odile nods in agreement.)

(You jump in.)

Odile: Okay, so...

(Odile looks at the hand of the Sadness.)

Odile: Oh, Rock type. Odile: Weak to Paper, which is my specialty, we are in luck.

(Odile smirks a little, preparing her book in advance this time.)

(You smile with your eyes, and take an attacking stance.)

Odile: Heh. I'm pretty good at this, actually.

(You clap, trying to not do it sarcastically.)

(You breathe in, and out.)

Odile: That was fun, Loop. Thanks for assisting me.

(You've never heard Odile thanking you, either.)

(You decide to not mention it.)

Odile: ...

(Odile is looking up at you.)

(You look back.)

Odile: ....Why do you hide your face?

Loop: (HUH???) "Why are you asking?"

Odile: Because I'm curious and have never had a chance to ask you directly. Odile: Mirabelle, Isabeau and Boniface also don't know, so.... Odile: I mean, I have a myriad of questions about you, actually, but the face bugs me the most.

(Hm. Others have tried to ask you this in the past, but you never gave a clear answer.)

Loop: (And you're not gonna give one now.) "You'd be blinded by my beauty, teehee!~"

Odile: ...ew.

(She does smile a small bit, though.)

Odile: I don't believe you one bit, but I will get off your back, for now at least.

(....)

Loop: (Actually, you have a question yourself.) "What is that book you're carrying?"

(You always assumed it was a spellbook, but she seems to be writing in it as well. Also, it is way too big.)

Odile: Hah, as if I would just tell you.

(Well, was worth a shot.)

Odile: But you did help me, so maybe you deserve an answer.

(Oh!)

Odile: This is a familytale. You probably never heard of it, because you're not from Vaugarde. Odile: It's a book passed down in a family, and each generation writes their own stories in it.

(Oh! Interesting. So that is why she is writing in it.)

Loop: (But also...) "Wait, arent you from Ka Bue? Why do you have one?"

Odile: Oh, it's from.... my mother....

(Odile suddenly becomes sad.)

(No, no, no, you know why, she is an orphan, why did you--)

Loop: "Odile, I'm so sorry--"

Odile: No, it's fine. Odile: You couldn't have known. I haven't told this to anyone yet.

(Odile closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.)

Odile: It's okay. I promise. Odile: ... Odile: Actually, I have one more thing to ask of you. Odile: Always wanted to do it. Odile: High-five?

Loop: (?) "What?"

Odile: I defeated a Sadness just now. I think it's pretty appropriate.

(Oh.)

(You guess she is right.)

(You both take out your hands and do a high-five.)

Odile: Crab yeah!!!

Loop: "Crab yeah indeed!"

Odile: ....Should we fight another one, for good measure?

(You nod. Why not, right?)

(You spot the next Sadness and attack)

(You and the Sadness exchange blows.)

(This is different from usual.... You are not used to fighting outside anymore.)

(The ground is uneven, and there are stones and sticks everywhere.)

(Oop--)

(...You tripped on a branch.)

Odile: !!!

Odile: LOOP!!!

(The Sadness saw you fall, and is running towards you to attack!!!)

Odile: Oh no you don't!!!

(Odile strikes the Sadness with her book!)

Odile: Ahh...Ah....

(You breathe in, and out.)

Odile: LOOP! LOOP, ARE YOU OK?!?

(Odile is breathing heavily.)

Loop: "I'm fine, Dile! I just tripped."

Odile: Are you sure?...

(You nod.)

Odile: ...You haven't called me Dile in forever....

Loop: (Whoops.) "Odile."

Odile: I didn't say I dont like it! Odile: ....Are you sure youre okay?

(You nod, again.)

Odile: ...Sorry. I just got scared. Odile: It reminded me of the.... last time.

Loop: (Last time?) "Last time?"

Odile: Yeah. Have you forgotten?... Odile: It was a while back. Odile: When you protected me against a Sadness, you know.

(Huh?)

(What Sadness does she mean? You don't remember...)

Loop: "Which one?"

Odile: Which one?!--

Odile: The one which got your crabbing eye, you--

(Oh!!!)

Odile: I knew it!! You did forget!! You crabbing-- augh!!!

(Odile seems to run out of insults.)

Odile: You think it doesn't matter that you got hurt! And you keep getting hurt because of it!! Because of me!!

(Right.)

(You remember, now.)

(It was after you all met Odile. Before she stopped talking to you almost at all.)

(She wasn't careful, and a Sadness was about to hurt her.)

(She is so frail. No one was close enough to do anything.)

(You are the fastest.)

(So you ran, and got in front of her, and...)

Odile: Why did you do it, Loop?!? Why did you protect me?! I don't understand!!! Odile: You could've just stayed put!! I could've taken care of it myself!! I would have been fine!!! Odile: But noooo, Loop thinks that I'm still a child!!! That needs to be protected from everything!!! Odile: And now you can't see from one eye!!! You bump into things and trip all the time!!! Because of me!!!-- Odile: You're such a crabbing idiot for thinking it doesn't matter!!!--

(Odile kicks a rock in frustration.)

(She seems very angry at you.)

(But--)

Loop: "It doesn't matter that much, though?"

Odile: It does, though!!! Odile: You got hurt because of me, and I don't like it!! Odile: And I don't want it to have happened!! You should've just stood there and let me take it!!!

Loop: "But you would have died."

Odile: Wha-- No I wouldn't!!! Odile: See, this is what I mean!! You treat me like I'm useless and can't do anything by myself!!

(Odile throws her arms up in frustration--)

(...!)

(Several pages of the familytale fly out and get carried away with the breeze.)

Odile: !!!

(Odile manages to catch one of the pages.)

Loop: "Odile, I'm so sorry, let me--"

(You almost start chasing after the pages, but--)

Odile: ...No, it is fine.

(Odile lets go of the page, letting it fly away with the rest.)

Loop: "Wait, but your familytale--"

Odile: It doesn't matter, Loop. Odile: Those were my mother's pages.

(?)

Odile: ...You know, I've never actually told you all what happened to my parents. Odile: Well, with my dad, it's pretty simple. He died when I was a still preteen. You probably assumed that. Odile: But.... my mother.... Odile: She abandoned me even before that. She never wanted to have a child. Odile: .... Odile: When-- When my dad died, I... couldn't stay in Ka Bue anymore. Odile: That country... My home... It carried too many bad memories for me. Odile: And I thought-- Maybe, I could live here. In Vaugarde. Odile: Where my mother came from. Odile: ....But, alas, this place also didn't feel like home. Odile: Makes sense, I guess. My mother hasn't left me with anything. No pictures, no letters, no last words. Certainly didn't make me feel connected to Vaugarde when she was with me. Odile: But.... she did leave one thing. Odile: This familytale. Odile: Passed down to me from my mother, and to her from her parents, and so on. Odile: And I thought maybe this was it! This could help me connect to this place! Reading my family's tales, reading about how they lived, their adventures... Odile: ...But I was wrong, still. Odile: I did not feel like I was in this family. Odile: My mother severed that connection from me. Odile: The people who wrote this book are strangers to me. Odile: I've even tried writing my own journey in here, but it always felt so...wrong. Odile: .... Odile: And then, after The Scary Lady took over this country.... Odile: I met you all. And it felt... different? Odile: Like I actually belonged in this group? Like this was supposed to happen all along? Odile: ...Only now I realised what it was. Odile: You all are my family.

(!!!)

Odile: I don't need to cling to my roots like that, they were never there, basically. But you all are here. Odile: And I care about you all! About Isabeau, about Mirabelle, about Bonbo-- Boniface!!! Odile: And I care about you, Loop! And I don't want you to be hurt, you crab! So stop pretending like it's all fine!!!

Loop: "Dile....." Loop: "Yeah, it's not fine that I got hurt." Loop: "But it has already happened. We can't do anything about it." Loop: "...But I can promise to try to not get hurt like this again."

Odile: .... Odile: Heh. Odile: I almost believe you, actually. Odile: .... Odile: Just.... let me help more. Not just you. The whole group. So no one has to get hurt this much.

(....)

(Despite you saying what you said, you can't promise that.)

(You would get hurt again.)

(If it meant that Odile is okay.)

(If it meant that everyone is okay.)

(But she knows this already. She is not just a child.)

(And because of that....)

Loop: "You can help. If you also promise to try to not get hurt."

Odile: ... Odile: Shake on it?

(??? Huh???)

Odile: Shake on it. Like all the, haha, important adults do.

(...)

(You let out a snicker and outstretch your hand.)

(Odile firmly shakes it, visibly trying not to laugh.)

Odile: Can't believe you actually did it, Loop. Odile: ...But I do promise. And I actually believe you. Odile: We won't get hurt. And the rest of us won't. If we try together. Odile: .... Odile: Heh, all this feelings talk has tired me out. Let's get back to the village, before I call you a crab again.

(You laugh and lead the way back.)

#in stars and time #isat #isat au #ttos #in stars and time spoilers #catastrophic levels of yapping

14 notes · View notes

miraculouscontent · 3 years

Text

Didn’t Need Burrow (May 3rd-May 22nd)

Anonymous said:

Don’t Need Burrow to know that Ladybug’s distrust of Volpina will be played off as though she was simply jealous of her because she thought she was going to steal Adrien/Chat, even though she didn’t like Chat! Oh, but she did, she didn’t know it yet. That’s why she kissed him in Dark Cupid!

Not like she didn’t have a bunch of other reasons to distrust Volpina.

(the show also does this a lot where Marinette has an extra reason on top of “““jealousy,”““ like in “Oni-Chan” where the thing she was concerned about actually ended up happening, but the fandom boils everything down to jealousy anyway)

Anonymous said:

Didn’t Need Burrow: Su Han will take the Miraculouses from all the girls because he thinks girls don’t have the “physical and mental fortitude” to be heroes, giving them tto guys instead. The girls will find out about each others’ identities and join in the battle to get their Miraculouses back without any powers, led by Marinette, despite the fact that the genre of Miraculous Ladybug is supposedly Magical GIRL and thus the girls being powerful should be a given

(there was another part to this but I didn’t get it all so I clipped this ask a bit so it could work alone)

tbh the true ending should just be Marinette and the girls kicking each misogynist to the curb without any powers, and Su-Han goes last.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Luka and Zoe, from their styles and hints like the ice cream Luka holds in Truth and the flower on her shirt.... I'm sure at this point the writers will either send him on a tour with Jagged, or make him Zoe's bf offscreen somehow... Also more torture for Mari mentally :)

Of course. :)

Gotta make sure Marinette doesn’t have any choice but Adrien. :)

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Zoe will be Adrien's new love interest because she's "very sweet". Mari will be okay with it because she feels the Guardian must be alone. (And she's still punishing herself for hurting Luka.) The New-Bee and Chat also bond, making her feel even more alone. (But now Lila can't claim she's jealous and her hold over the class is lessened as Zoe becomes more popular.)

I’m super not here for Marinette punishing herself (and the show possibly presenting it as her “growing up” and “doing the right thing”) and for Ladybug getting jealous over the playboy cat.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Prince Ali/Rose turns out to be endgame, while Rose/Juleka gets Lukanette'd -- their relationship happened mostly off-screen and we only see them pulling apart. Juleka has to let Rose go so she can live out 'every girl's dream', possibly even being put on a bus/written out of the series.

In which the Couffaines aren’t allowed nice things because they’re poor-coded.

Anonymous said:

I can’t believe the Pig’s weapon is ACTUALLY a tambourine. I’ve had that down as my guess for the pig miraculous for ages but I never thought I’d actually be right. On that note - Didn’t Need Burrow: the Ox’s weapon will definitely be a hammer, and the Goat’s might be a shepherd’s crook or grappling hook, and the Rooster’s could be a horn.

Congrats on being right!

We’ll definitely see on the whole weapons things.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: That Rose's mysterious sickness from "Guiltrip" episode will be ignored in other episodes.

Honestly, it was ignored in “Guiltrip” too. Rose’s illness seemed to be related to headaches and then they literally have her headbanging in her transformation.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: After "Guiltrip", the dynamics of Juleka and Rose's relationship will revert to the "romantic standing next to each other somewhere in the background".

Just look at them doing [friendly task]... romantically!!

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Tikki's comments about not really understanding love are later treated as her being in denial about her being in love with Plagg. Because the two of them are 'soulmates' *just like Adrien and Marinette*, and there's no such thing as a PLATONIC bond. Plus, it's denying another feminine-identifying character the right to define and declare her own feelings -- she's not ALLOWED to not love him that way! If she says otherwise, she's either in denial or mistaken! Or both!

[flashbacks to “Animan” where Alya denies feelings for Nino as being “like a brother to her” and then gets together with him at the end of the episode]

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: In the upcoming Mr. Pigeon episode, Chat Noir's behaviour toward Mr. Ramier in Lies will not be brought up at all.

Yeah, this is why I knew writing “Lying on the Job” was the right choice. :P The show wasn’t going to do it.

(part of me hopes that this acts as a jinx but I doubt it)

soap-lady said:

Didn't Need Burrow: It will be revealed Adrien always knew about Mari's crush. He tells Plagg it's because not only would rejecting a friend be hard, her akuma would be even scarier than her dad. He later admits at the end of the episode to Plagg that having an "awesome person like Marinette" crushing on him makes him feel good about himself. The show will frame this as charming rather than egotistical.

wow i hate it

throw the whole man away, Marinette

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: The "reverse love square" will happen as a result of Adrien being drunk on a love potion/under the control of a spell which makes him fall for Marinette. This will result in Marinette being uncomfortable with Adrien's relentless pursuit of her...AGAIN...which is, of course, played for laughs...AGAIN. Her friends will probably shame her, saying, "why are you so upset? You used to like Adrien and now he's returning that affection! What is WRONG with you, Marinette?". Meanwhile, during battle sequences Chat Noir will be less playful and intrusive of Ladybug's personal space because he's in love with Marinette now and not her, which is good(minus the"in love with Marinette" part, obvs), except that it will cause Ladybug to suddenly fall in love with the new Chat Noir who is being respectful(and "just like Adrien used to act"), and she'll act like a giddy schoolgirl over him, which will be used to humiliate her for comedy as Chat treats her like a freak now. And no, the show will NOT "call him out" for suddenly being averse to the affections of the "girl of his dreams" but will treat him as justified, because guys who pursue girls are gentlemanly and entitled to love back, while girls who pursue guys are pushy and obnoxious. There will even be a lesson on how you shouldn't have to put up with unwanted advances. Chat will be the one to learn it. There will also be a lesson on how you can't force someone to love somebody else. Adrien will be the one to learn it.

Wow, how’d you get the synopsis to Season 5? Impressive! (⊙o⊙)

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Chat will complain about Ladybug not trusting him, so she tries trusting him with further responsibilities which he then shirks, blows off and whines about. Naturally, Marinette is Wrong for DARING to think that her 'partner' should share more of the burden -- no, she HAS to carry everything herself and enable him to keep treating their duty as a game! It's not FAIR for her to expect anything more from him--!

oh my god

he would *gestures loudly to “Lies”*

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Chat Noir will *deliberately* mess up a vital task that Ladybug assigned/entrusted him with, either to punish her for some petty/imagined slight (which is treated as Incredibly Serious and Deserving his retaliation) or because he simply doesn't want to have to deal with the extra responsibility. Much like somebody who 'never learns' the right way to load a dishwasher/do laundry/other chores so that somebody more responsible is forced to pick up their slack.

Sounds about right.

“Bonus” if Chat Noir is presented as in the right because Ladybug’s task was “too difficult”/”she didn’t instruct him right”/”you can’t expect him to be perfect on his first try,” or Chat Noir’s shirking is treated as “payback” for something she did that he maybe doesn’t even know about.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Marinette gives up on becoming a fashion designer because her duties as Ladybug/Guardian take priority. Tikki protests not for Mari's sake, but because she enjoys her creative drive/justifies it as a form of honing Marinette's creativity. Thus the lesson is not that Marinette was Wrong because she deserves to have things that make her happy/goals outside of her duties, but because she can fold them into her Greater Purpose.

Miraculous: Tales of Marinette Not Being Allowed to Be Happy

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Chat Noir will be (temporarily) killed during one of his 'Pity/Praise Me!' stints, because he decides that he can't function without Ladybug kissing his ass and she's too busy fighting the akuma to coddle him. Naturally, this is presented as Marinette's F-Up of the Week that she must fix at all costs and apologize for, insisting once more that she 'can't do this without him' despite being constantly forced to do this without him.

It’s Ladybug’s fault that Chat keeps sacrificing himself, obviously! She’s just not telling him not to in the rIgHt wAy, and she should be

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Ladybug will finally learn the truth about how Theo was akumatized, but Chat Noir will insist that he didn't lie and that she really WAS to blame for it. And anyway, that was 'so long ago' that she's not allowed to be mad over it anymore. (Bonus: this or other episodes will have callbacks showing that Adrien is still salty over things like being 'stood up', with HIS frustration presented as perfectly valid, as there's no expiration date on HER screw-ups.)

[flashbacks to “Stormy Weather 2″ where Plagg retcons Ladybug’s avoidance of Chat’s date as her standing him up]

+ Yeah, I don’t see Adrien not having expiration dates on his mistakes, and his are always for the better (i.e: stealing the book in “Volpina,” which was wrong obviously, and then Marinette covered for him immediately to get him back into school).

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Chloe is given a 'redemption arc' after all... in the vein of her falling for Kim or some other male character and being convinced to change her ways for/by them. On top of being grossly sexist, this lets them slam Marinette even more, painting her as a failure who couldn't help Chloe despite that never being her responsibility in the first place.

“Bonus” if it’s Luka who does it.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Rather than confirming Juleka/Rose, CHLOE is officially revealed to be a closeted lesbian, retconning all of her bullying into the tried-and-trite 'They're only tormenting you because they LIIIIIKE you'. Bonus points if this is used to reinforce the notion that Chloe is irredeemable because 'Evil Jilted Lesbian can't be saved by Hetero LI'/she lied about crushing on Adrien/other toxic and heteronormative bullshit. AND her evilness is Mari's fault for not loving her back!

It’s always Marinette’s fault for not loving people back.

Also, this just reminds me of how much I hate the “lesbian bully” trope fdkjgdfgdfg.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Chat Noir throws another Pity Me Party in the middle of a fight; Ladybug is sniped by the akuma while scolding him to stop fooling around. Naturally, this is presented as HER fault for not immediately accommodating his demands for attention. After saving her, Chat mockingly echoes her words about concentrating and keeping her head in the game.

╰（‵□′）╯

EVERY TIME!!

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Chloe gets another chance at redemption by learning how to mimic Adrien/Lila and feign niceness. Whether or not her 'redemption' sticks depends upon her patience level; if she sticks to it and 'grows' into another Lila/holier-than-thou lecturer like Adrien, it's considered good (and Adrien gets full credit for helping her change 'for the better'), but if she goes back to being *openly* judgy and bitchy, it's another sign that she's 'irredeemable'.

Ugh, when Chloe’s options are either to be a Lila or an Adrien. All I feel is disgust.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: The Love Square is reversed when Adrien learns Ladybug's secret identity and decides to focus on pursuing her as Marinette. Mari is put off by his advances/still convinced that she can't HAVE a romantic relationship with all her other responsibilities, and is further distracted and concerned by Chat Noir growing distant (as he's bitter over his failures and taking it out on LB/holding a grudge after learning she confided in ALYA and not HIM).

i hate it

And of course the method of “now she’s not interested so I’M interested.”

Anonymous said:

Didnt Need to Burrow: Despite being 'twins' with Juleka, Luka will never show up in another episode. Ever. And the only mentions of him are only about the breakup. Even in Juleka-centric episodes, Luka will only be a passing mention. Oh, and Juleka will 100% stick to just mumbling outside of episodes where shes akumatized. Because gIrL poWeR

I’m honestly just--expecting Luka to have like one/two episodes, maybe to get a charm, and then he’s gone forever.

I don’t know if it’s a mercy or an insult, but the constant mentions of the break-up between Marinette and He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named-Outside-Of-Spiting-Him definitely are an insult.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: "Gigantitan <insert high number>" episode

ANYTHING BUT THAT.

Anonymous said:

Didn’t Need Burrow: Ladybug and Cat Noir will be able to power up in some way, but they have to form a special bond (this is implied to be a romantic bond). They use this power up to defeat Hawk Moth. bEcAusE tHe pOWeR oF “LoVe” cOnQUerS aLL! Bonus if the characters imply that Ladybug should’ve accepted his affections sooner (Adrien won’t be mentioned at all, i wonder why:p)

I’m cringing so hard right now. I hate everything about this because you sound so correct.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: Lila will be written out/ret-conned from a show because she was only a Unredeemed!Chloe stand-in for time of Chloe "redemption arc". Every speculation about Lila (next Hawkmoth etc) will be applied to Chloe instead as a "plot twist".

I’m half-expecting that she’ll get akumatized as a season finale bad guy, then just immediately move.

Anonymous said:

Didn't need Burrow: Alya is the one who comes up with the akuma repellent charms and Marinette is going to be jealous that Alya is so much a better guardian. Alya'll also probably be able to wrangle the kwamis better than Marinette.

Honestly I might as well just put this one on the card right now. :P

Anonymous said:

Didnt Need Burrow: When Ladybug tells Chat that she told somebody her secret identity, hes gonna be mad, talking about how she broke his trust and the show will portray it as her fault for breaking under the pressure of being guardian. Meanwhile the fandom is gonna be mad at Ladybug. Ignoring, of course, the entirety of the New York Special.

We could sum up the fandom card as just, “Adrien is right and a sad uwu sunshine child, Marinette is wrong and OP and doesn’t give Chat the respect he deserves.”

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Rose's 'mysterious illness' will naturally flare up during times where Pigella might have been useful, with Ladybug getting blamed for her flare-ups/worsening condition.

BANNED

I HATE IT DX

Anonymous said:

Didn’t Need Burrow: Building off of the “Adrien knows about Marinette’s crush and manipulated her for it”, any time Marinette does something Adrien doesn’t agree with or disagrees with Adrien himself, Adrien will play the cute, naïve, sad boi we all know and “love”, complete with Bambi eyes and gratuitous long eyelashes, forcing Marinette to give in to what he wants. This is treated as cute, quirky, and hilarious, never abusive, selfish, or misogynistic.

I mean, considering Chat Noir and “Chameleon,” yeah.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: a) Episode, where Chat Noir is even worse than in "Lies" b) Situation where Chat Noir during meeting with Ladybug is like always (M'lady, Bugaboo, unwanted psychical contact etc.) then Ladybug reveals that she recognized him as impostor because "real Chat Noir never will be so pushy" (bonus points if false Chat Noir is akumatized Felix) c) Writers somehow manage to put both above options in one episode (obviously with real Chat Noir being even worse than his impostor)

“Copycat” but worse

differenttriumphdragon said:

Didn't Need Burrow to somehow correctly predict Zoe's identity as a joke based solely on some blurry pictures and an offhand comment about "secret siblings". Like, a YEAR or two ago.

I’m guessing this is referring to the writers creating her?

Because yeah, probably.

Anonymous said:

Didn't need the Burrow: We will get Lukagami. One of the reasons will be the clash of the Tsurugi-Motto of "No Second Chances" and Luka's snake power of "Second Chance" resulting in some weird sparks flying.

*puts head into hands and groans loudly* kill meeeee

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: The Multimouse!Mylene's model will be based on the Multimouse!Marinette's model (in the same way that the Rena Rogue's model is based on the Volpina's model)

plz no

plz

Anonymous said:

Didn't need burrow: Guilt trip hints at Adrien having actual depression, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but knowing the show, two things will happen: 1. His depression will only exist to make people feel bad for him instead of exploring his mental state and seeing him working through it, and 2. his depression will be magically cured when the LS becomes canon because "true love heals all your mental issues".

All of the above, yes. :|

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Ladybug gets a fresh new look (for the sake of more Real-Life ML Merch), and Chat Noir gets sulky about it. Both because he didn't get an upgraded appearance at the exact same time (despite doing absolutely nothing to earn it), and because he didn't get any input on her new look. So he passive-aggressively complains about the change, saying he preferred 'classic Bugaboo', and Marinette is presented as Wrong for not letting him dictate her power or appearance.

*stares at “Mr. Pigeon 72″* I’m waiting.

Anonymous said:

Didn't need burrow: Imagine after you made that fic where Bustier and D'argencourt get the miraculous they reveal in the show that Bustier's husband/boyfriend/fiance is D'argencourt.

I WILL DIE.

OF LAUGHTER? OF PAIN???

THE ANSWER IS “YES.”

“Bonus” if it’s a DJWifi dynamic where Bustier can get D’Argencourt to do whatever she wants and suddenly becomes aggressive/upset when he doesn’t, which D’Argencourt immediately folds to (because the only “““girl power”““ the show knows is “lol girls are scary when they’re mad”).

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: The Love Square gets 'Reversed' via Alya deciding that Marinette MUST have a crush on Chat as well, since she personally ships LadyNoir. All insistence to the contrary is waved off as denial, and Alya is bound and determined to hook up her BFF with ONE of her crushes, come hell or high water. Thus, Mari gets shoved towards Chat in much the same way she's forced towards Adrien, creating much awkward hilarity at her expense.

Marinette’s entire being: i want to go home

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Alya learns about Marinette getting jilted by Chat Noir during 'Weredad', possibly from Tom and/or Sabine. She rubs this into Mari's face as proof positive that she really DOES have a thing for Chat, crowing about how she 'does her research' while teasing her about her awful luck with guys. This casual cruelty is 'balanced' by her insistence that she'll help her hook up with ONE of them by forcing her towards both.

Alya, looking at her plans and just shrugging: Hey, now her odds of getting a guy are doubled as far as I’m concerned.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Alya will insist that all of Marinette's romantic woes are her own fault due to her being interested in multiple guys. (Mainly meaning Adrien and Chat Noir; 50-50 on whether she acknowledges Luka's existence as more than just proof of her 'fickle heart'.) She 'supports' her by shoving her into humiliating scenarios with her love interests, blaming all her failures on her 'divided loyalties' and giving her grief for being a 'dirty two-timer' that can't even get off first base.

Yyyyup.

And of course Luka would only be mentioned to shade Marinette.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Tikki will keep nagging Marinette about her inability to solve her romantic woes until Mari snaps that Tikki doesn't know what she's talking about, throwing her own words about how kwami don't understand love back in her face. Naturally, this is Mari's Mistake Of The Week, as Tikki is driven to tears over the rebuke and all the other kwami get pissed off at Marinette for upsetting her, giving her grief until she apologizes. Tikki barely apologizes in return, if at all.

Ugh, I am just dreading an almost-inevitable “all the kwami are mad at Marinette” episode, since Marinette literally cannot escape from them since the Miracle Box is in her room.

Anonymous said:

(Mylene's personality anon) Don't Need a Burrow: Mylene's "Marinette's trait" will manifest in Multimouse!Mylene's introduction episode.

Mylene: Soon, I will have successfully swiped a personality trait from each of my friends to form one of my own.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: Characters who are popular fandom choices for alternate Miraculous Holders (Bee!Aurore, Fox!Lila, Cat!Felix etc) are akumatized into evil versions of Core Five Miraculous Team (Ladybug, Cat, Fox, Turtle and Bee)

Season 2462 finale.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: There will be more immediate self-contradictions, where Marinette is berated about how something she's doing/done is Wrong, badgered into following somebody else's 'good advice', and then promptly punished for doing so when the results blow up in her face. These turnarounds will become so fast that they happen within the same episode. Naturally, this is treated as entirely her fault.

At the rate her treatment is escalating, I would be 0% shocked. Still disappointed, but not shocked.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: It will turn out that the mysterious future Hawkmoth successor that Timetagger talked about is simply the Shadow Moth.

I laughed at this one so hard because it’s so accurate. I don’t know for sure if it’s a reference to the whole “new villain who’s been around since the beginning who just turned out to be Shadow Moth” thing but omg.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: The akuma-resisting pendants are used as an excuse to push Marinette even further past her breaking point, subjecting her to ever worse humiliations and traumas. If the fact that she basically NEEDS the pendant to survive is ever brought up, it's in a chiding way; obviously, as Ladybug, she needs to be mentally stronger than this and not rely on a 'crutch'. Nobody else is insulted for needed the pendants' protection.

Imagine the pendants as metaphors for medication and this takes on a whole new meaning.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: In a counterpart to "Chat Blanc", one episode visits a Bad Future where Marinette was akumatized. Naturally, this is depicted as entirely her fault, with both Maris being raked over the coals. No matter what the breaking point was, it's treated as though it was petty and pathetic for her to let it effect her so much. For bonus points, this was at a point after she got the pendant, but she accidentally ditches or pitches it while reacting to whatever broke her back.

Especially with the reveal of two new seasons, I’m very much expecting Marinette to get akumatized at some point.

“Bonus” for a “Miracle Queen” set-up where Adrien needs to wear the ladybug miraculous and is suddenly good at it despite being awful at it before, ala Snake Noir.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Marinette will wind up making most of the anti-akuma amulets. This is purely so that, when they inevitably fail, she can be blamed for it.

It’ll probably be like--Marinette needed to do something specific to make the pendants and they’re “only as strong as she is.”

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: The Love Square gets reversed when Alya decides she ships LadyNoir more than MariAdri, pushing her newfound agenda over her BFF's protests. Meanwhile, Adrien reveals that he knew all along about Marinette's crush, starting to pursue her because he just doesn't uNdErStAnD why she's pulling away, feeling entitled to having her chasing after him even if he never intends to actually reciprocate. Marinette is caught in the middle and blamed for all this drama.

Marinette, counting down the days where she can finally drink alcohol.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: One or some of Adrien/Chat Noir's past lies gets revealed to Marinette/Ladybug... for the sake of a moral about forgiveness and 'letting things go'. Meanwhile, he continues to grouse and hold grudges against Ladybug for her supposed slights against HIM without being seriously challenged.

I’m seething.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow: Marinette is shown a 'better world' wherein she never developed a crush on Adrien. In this 'better world', Ladybug and Chat Noir are romantic partners. Bonus points if this pushes forward the agenda of reversing the Love Square by getting Marinette to start seriously considering Chat as a potential love interest, treating this as her 'missing the point' of what she was shown... even if the goal was rather unclear beyond guilt-tripping her for having FEELINGS and DESIRES.

The true goal/moral is that Chat’s feelings are valid while Marinette’s are not.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: Hawkmoth will somehow get Black Cat Miraculous and attack as Moth / Cat Fusion (Cat Moth?). After defeating this form, Black Cat Miraculous will be taken from him and without any questions returned to Adrien. Whole thing will happen in one episode.

“Bonus” if Hawk Moth just stumbles upon the ring and doesn’t question it.

Anonymous said:

Didn’t Need Burrow: All Ladybug and Black Cat Holders are soulmates/ have gotten romantically involved. This gives Chat even MORE motivation to invade LB’s boundari-I MEAN to pursue her. Also, LB reacts in horror to this (who wouldn’t?) but its played for laughs.

At this point, I feel like this is the only way for them to push the love square as hard as possible. “Chemistry” has just flown out the window and they need a crutch.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need a Burrow: Reveal that Rose has rich parents because ML writers can't make sad blond(e) character who doesn't have rich parents (and also to increase the "You see! They love each other despite so many differences between them" factor of JuleRose)

Zag, “Stop Giving Rich Kids Sad Backstories” Challenge.

Part of me imagined an episode that just shipbaits JuleRose constantly, with Juleka constantly asking Luka and others advice on “getting closer to Rose,” which just ends up being Juleka asking Rose to be best friends.

#Didn't Need Burrow

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soundofseventeen · 3 years

Text

We Belong Together (Part Five)

Hi! I finally bring you Woozi! I am also here with erin! (not irl but we still skying, lmao)

Word count: 1416

Jihoon wasn’t sure who gave his bandmates permission to use his house to get read, especially so early in the morning, but he was still in bed, listening to everyone’s footsteps. (Mingyu...or Minghao probably invited them. He was pretty sure that had to do with the fact they owned just about everything that helped them prepare for special occasions) Some were running between rooms, searching for god knows what and some just walked to where they needed to go. He could hear Jun and Seungcheol fighting over who was gonna shower in the spare bathroom (next time they decided to move into a bigger dorm, a third bathroom was definitely a requirement.) And then he heard them cursing at Dino, followed by a slam so he pieced together that the youngest beat them to it.

He tossed and turned for a couple more minutes, hoping to sleep the day away, or even just half. He hated that the sleeping pills he took the night before had little effect on him. He threw the comforter over his head, groaning and hoping he could drown out the noise to have some kinda peace before announcing his presence, but when Hoshi accidentally walked into his room, backed out slowly and closed the door a little harder than necessary, he sat up again, looking for something to throw at his best friend when he saw him, but he didn’t find anything. He hated when one of the boys went into a cleaning frenzy and left nothing in their wake.

Jihoon put on his favorite robe, the only thing he kept in good condition since his trainee days and his newest slippers that he received as a birthday present from...he couldn’t even remember who anymore. He wasn’t prepared for the mountain of clothes littering the hallway, and tripping over a belt in the process but he finally made it to the kitchen where Seungkwan and Joshua were sitting at the table, sipping their coffees and gossiping over whatever was on Seungkwan’s phone. Jihoon nodded at them and poured himself a mug, and although he enjoyed the warmth of it, he didn’t like how this was the coffee you got him hooked on once upon a time and eventually became his favorite. He could remember many times when you’d go out of your way to bring this to him when other brands didn’t cut it for him and how he threatened the members if they had some without his permission, and how you had to smuggle some so he wouldn’t kill them.

“Good morning Hyung,” Seungkwan greeted him happily when he sat next to them.

“Morning.”

“How’d you sleep?”

Jihoon nodded. “Same as every other time.” He had a sip, hating the flavor and he wanted nothing more than to throw it in the sink and buy a different brand. One that different leaves bitter taste in his mouth, no pun intended.

Joshua smacked the younger boy, either to get him to shut up or to focus on what was happening, but either way, he didn’t acknowledge him again.

He did notice that while Seungkwan was sweaty, he hadn’t showered and probably wouldn’t until everyone did. Joshua was also still in his most comfortable attire, not seeming in a rush to get ready anytime soon.

While many other times, he reveled in the silence when he was around his friends, today it seemed too much so he headed into the living room to play a video game. He tried acting as unbothered as possible, focusing more on knocking out his opponent in Mortal Kombat so he could proceed to the next level. Every so often the doorbell would ring and then he’d hear a new voice greeting him and then running into a room. At one point, Soonyoung walked out of the bathroom, dripping wet, sans towel, asking if they had more shampoo because the bottle ran out.

Though he didn’t miss the glares Soonyoung threw at him. Jihoon knew that his best friend’s long simmering anger would eventually erupt and he knew he’d have to take it all until they could be on good terms again. Soonyoung hadn’t been particularly warm towards Jihoon since he found out you’d gotten engaged to Jooheon and he probably heard every conspiracy theory that Hoshi had spewed, trying to see what really happened. Though it wasn’t fair to you or him, he merely said it didn’t work out between you.

He sighed in frustration, trying to concentrate. He would not focus on the betrayal of his brothers ditching him. He had much better things to do than to think of why they were leaving, like work on his music, and go to the new ramen place that opened up. He could ask Beomju if he wanted to….no, Beomju already had plans to go too. Whatever, he didn’t want to hang out with him anyway. Jihoon could also reorganize his bedroom space. It needed a serious cleaning….actually, he didn’t want to touch anything. Some of your stuff was still mixed in with it and he wasn’t sure what you’d still need. He wasn’t petty enough to burn your belongings, but he also wasn’t a big enough person to return them to you in person. He hadn’t seen you in awhile and he thought it’d be weird if he just showed up out of the blue, especially because he wouldn’t be in the state to remain calm. The mere thought often sent him into a panic or anger attack, and then he’d mope. Well, not mope, but he’d eventually spiral into a web of things that made no sense and he’d try tto figure the riddle out.

Chan sat down next to him, brushing his teeth while trying to style his hair. “Hyung, aren’t you gonna get ready yet?” The foamy paste was all over his mouth and Jihoon hoped it wouldn’t get on anywhere except the sink.

“I’m not going,” he said simply, more focused on how to survive the round without taking any more hits. “I have to work on my music after this and possibly move things around in the studio. It’s gonna be a busy day.” When his opponent delivered the fatal blow on screen, he threw the controller on the floor with a little more force than necessary, scaring Chan. “Goddamn it!”

“Hyung,” he said quietly, “are you okay?”

“Yeah! I’m fine. I’m just hungry. Do you want anything? Are you sure? I offered.”

Jihoon stood up, stretching in the process and then made his way to the kitchen where he found Jeonghan helping Wonwoo with his contacts. At this he sighed in annoyance. Since when were you important enough that Wonwoo would ditch his glasses? You always said Wonwoo should be comfortable with you at all times, no matter the time, place, or occasion.

“Don’t move so much or I’m gonna poke your eye,” Jeonghan warned.

“It burns. This probably wasn’t a good idea.”

No shit. “Is it even necessary?” Jihoon found himself asking. “No one’s gonna care either way. It’s not like we’re having this epic concert….” he trailed off awkwardly, realizing it wasn’t his place to critique his friend.

“Ahh, the rumor’s true. You’re really not going.”

He shook his head at Jeonghan, giving him the same excuse. “I’m busy. Things to do and deadlines to meet.”

Wonwoo patted Jeonghan’s shoulder in thanks and the older boy disappeared with a wan smile directed at both. “Let me go see if anyone needs help adjusting their ties. Wonwoo, I’ll have the solution in my pocket for when you need it. Jihoon….just don’t overwork yourself.”

Wonwoo then decided to turn his attention to the producer, walking towards him until he turned Jihoon around and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, hugging his back.

“What are you doing?”

“You look like you need a hug so I’m giving you one.” Wonwoo rocked him side to side, humming whatever came to his head.

“Why? Nothing’s wrong. I’m not sick or dying.” Jihoon resisted the urge to break away from him. Why couldn’t anyone see that he was okay? Sure, he was gonna be by himself for the day and no one was gonna check in on him, but he was a grown man.

Wonwoo squeezed his shoulders once more before letting go. “Why couldn’t you just have gotten your shit together?”

At that, he had no response, because he wasn’t sure if it was his question to answer.

21 notes · View notes

what-do-1000-swords-look-like · 3 years

Note

Hi, I recently came across your post talking about dark Daenerys always being the end game. I thought you did an excellent job showing the foreshadowing fans missed from the show. What surprised me on the show was JonxDany. I just couldn't wrap my head around the "romance". It felt out of character and illogical. As someone who loves Daenerys as a character and seems to really understand her, do you think they were in love? Is it tragic or political? I can't seem to reconcile it. Thank you!

Hi Nonnie! Thank you so much for the compliment, oh my goodness! And thank you for the ask!

Tbh with you, I never quite wrapped my head around the Jonerys romance either. I know a lot of people thought it was due to the lack of chemistry between Emilia and Kit on screen (I disagree, that dragon riding scene in 8x01 proved they did which makes me think their lack of romantic chemistry was intentional on the show’s part through the writing and editing), or that it was rushed (this part could be possible since they rushed her dark turn as well). But I honestly think it was meant to be tragic for both Jon and Daenerys, but more political on Jon’s side, at least in the beginning.

I know a lot of people don’t agree with the pol!Jon theory and think it’s just that, a theory, but looking at the time from when Jon has met Dany through to the end, I find it hard to think anything else. Because that certainly would have explained away the receding of Jon’s POV/character after he and Dany met. It also would have went in line with what Kit had said before the beginning of season 7 about Jon being more political that season, possibly manipulating (I don’t think he used that exact word but I’m paraphrasing for him), but doing it kindly. Even though GoT blew up everyone’s arcs at the end of the last season, at the time, we knew there was a reason that Sansa said the line to him in 7x01 “You need to be smarter than Father. You need to be smarter than Robb” and we had seen Jon listening to Sansa by him deciding to leave the North (and organizing their defense for the upcoming battle) in her hands, asking Sansa what she thought when he got Tyrion’s scroll in 7x02, and what he says to Tyrion in 7x03. So, I personally think they were gearing up for Jon to do whatever it took to get Dany and her dragons up North for the battle (while probably not feeling all that comfortable about it but knowing it had to be done), which is why I think we see him and his band of men go on that quest in 7x06 & meet with Cersei and Co along with Dany in 7x07.

There’s just too many questionable moments that happen from 7x03 to 8x06 that prove Jon was not as smitten as Dany was with him:

The way he studies Dany reuniting with Jorah, the fact that he seems almost uncomfortable when Dany says in 7x05 “I’ve grown used to him” & his response “I wish you good fortune in the wars to come, Your Grace” and he doesn’t look back once as they push the boat out into the water (I think they purposely showed the contrast between Jorah saying goodbye to Dany vs Jon saying goodbye to Dany, there was definitely a reason they show Jorah looking back and not Jon but they play Jon and Dany’s love theme in the background - x)

Jon’s “what did I do face?” after he bends the knee figuratively in the boat cabin (3:23 - x) (though to be fair, the 7x06 script confirmed this is when Jon realizes he has feelings for her after seeing Dany mourning Viserion so this reaction of Jon’s could be that he basically just gave the North away)

Jon’s reaction and looking over at Varys and Missandei after Dany blows up on Tyrion in 7x04 and says “Your family, you mean? Perhaps you don’t want to hurt them after all” (1:11 - x) - which is really foreshadowing that Jon will have to make the same choice eventually, that Dany will give that ultimatum, me or your family, which she does in 8x04 and then inadvertently continues to in 8x05 and 8x06 - then Dany pushes him for advice, he gives it to her, and she doesn’t completely follow it to the letter, and then eventually she disregards it completely when she burns down KL in 8x05

Jon not showing any emotion when he receives word that Arya & Bran are alive & back home while in front of Dany though we see his reactions in 8x01 when he’s reunited with them (7x05) (8x01)

Jon’s reaction to the Northerners’ not so great reaction to Dany that was cut (0:43 - x)

Drogon watching Jon and Dany make out in 8x01 and Jon keeping his eyes open as he kisses Dany & keeping her in front of him (a very common trope, if that’s the right word, to indicate that something shifty is afoot or there is distrust - 4:11 x)

the infamous squint Jon has in response to Dany talking in response to Tyrion (x) which they definitely included for a reason and this for me solidified Kit as one of the Masters of Microexpressions

Jon’s reactions to Dany (that she can’t see) when she visits him in his room after the Feast in 8x04 (x)

Jon’s immediate whiplash worried turn to Dany when Tormund says proudly “or a King!” to check her reaction (x) plus the framing in this scene is not only meant to show the increasing isolation & paranoia Dany is feeling but for Jon to have his back to her (after they shared that warm smile no less which she realizes in 0:45 - x) I think it speaks very loudly that he is not as head over heels as people think he is but that he is placating her while also caring about her (she is family to him, the last of his real father’s family, & he’s also still attracted to her)

his glare to Sansa while planning the assault on KL to get her to shut up for lack of a better way to put it (2:36 x) which Tyrion later confirms in the same episode with his line to Sansa “why provoke her?” which leads to Sansa realizing Tyrion is afraid of Dany and then she also realizes Jon is too (Jon’s fear is not confirmed in dialogue in this moment but the ones seeing the writing on the wall for this whole thing, it wasn’t a large leap for them to make, knowing the characters they way they do) which then leads to her telling his secret

Jon giving himself up basically, to go South, I think he’s very aware he will not be coming North again once Dany wins and that is why he asks Tormund to take Ghost with him - you see him saying goodbye to Sam and Gilly, finding out about their child on the way, to Tormund, to Ghost (I know people were mad that Jon didn’t pet Ghost, I was too, but I think he honestly couldn’t handle it at that moment and I’ve seen brilliant metas circulate that talk about how Ghost is an extension of Jon and his injuries and look echo how Jon really feels - & if you see the sliced ear, it’s very possible that they are fully correct in that reading, Jon has stopped listening, he’s doing what he thinks is right, what he has to do, his duty, he’s not listening to Sam or Tormund or Sansa or even Arya) - this whole scene is meant as a goodbye to Jon Snow as a character (his Night’s Watch arc, his Wildling arc, even his bastard/Stark arc (and his wants that he has, his response to Gilly when she tells him they want tto name their child after him: “I hope it’s a girl” is just heartbreaking, Jon wanted a family someday (5:08 - x, notice how the Stark theme starts up subtly in the background) & he always wanted to be a Stark and in his mind, he is getting neither one nor does he think he deserve them at this point) and I think that’s why they don’t have any other Starks in that scene (& plus they had the Starks in that other scene in 8x04) (x) -- this whole scene really is the proof in the pudding for me regarding the whole duty vs love debate, coming down on the side of duty

Jon’s “I love you” in the fireplace scene seems to be more an answer to not just reassure her but tamp down any growing fury after just witnessing Varys’ execution (1:11 x) immediately followed up by his usual line “you will always be my queen” and then when she asks “is that all I am to you? Your queen?” notice that he doesn’t answer but lets her kiss him which he then doesn’t return and she realizes (notice his loud breathing too, it’s not passion, it’s fear, fear of what it might mean that he is not returning her affection so to speak, sadly for Dany I think she realizes this too and that’s why she subtly shakes her head, steps back and says “alright, let it be fear”, the part of me that loves Dany truly felt horrible for her in this moment though she scared the crap out of me too lol, it’s harsh because she really does love Jon, not enough to give up the IT and her destiny, but enough that she wants their relationship to work, that she did go up North to fight for him, delaying the attack on KL, she lost Jorah and Viserion, her forces were depleted, idk I just have some sympathy for her here because I still love her, and this is before she went full on dark, and Jon’s “I love you” was said softly with some measure of warmth in his eyes I think but I don’t believe he meant it the way she wanted him to)

Kit had this to say right before season 7 aired which I find fascinating because yes while he can’t give away spoilers, he didn’t need to answer this so definitively. And while he didn’t know what was going to happen in season 8 yet, I think this lends creedence (is that the right word?) to the fact that Jon was not head over heels in love with Dany (not like he was with Ygritte)

But saying all of that, I think by the end, Jon definitely cared for her. I don’t think he wanted her to die or even go bad. I think he was ready to give himself up to be with her to protect his home, to placate her, but also so there would no longer be a Targaryen living alone in the world. I think he remembers Aemon’s words all too well. However, I don’t think he could reconcile himself to a full on romance (which I think incest did play a part into it, but I think had that not been a factor, he still wouldn’t have been head over heels for Dany, incest with cousins and uncles/aunts was common in the GoT universe, Starks in history married their cousins at times [look back at their family tree, they were no strangers to it], and we all know about the Targaryen inbreeding, but I really think it has more to do with who Dany ends up being in the end than anything, and that’s why we see some moments that could be misconstrued as romantic and some warm, I would almost say tender, like the waterfall scene in 8x01 before Drogon enters the frame so to speak). I think, like every other character in the show that came into her orbit, Jon had feelings for the same Dany that they all did, that Jorah was in love with, that Tyrion believed in and was also in love with, that Varys supported until he couldn’t: the breaker of chains, the girl who walked into a fire with three eggs and out of the same fire with three dragons, etc. But once the curtain was pulled back and the Wizard was revealed, after he was around her long enough, I think Jon knew who she really was becoming and I really believe that played a major part in the portrayal of their “romance”. I also think that when Jon left to go to KL in 8x04, a part of him planned to take up Jorah’s role in Dany’s life. Not to say that he could replace Jorah or become a full on advisor to her, but that he would join Tyrion, Varys, Grey Worm, and Missandei in helping to win Dany back her IT like he promised but also to keep her placated, maybe help steer her in the right direction. And be someone who genuinely cares about her, another Targaryen (though no one knowing he was one had Sansa not told Tyrion). Until she tired of him or decided to kill him to end the threat his birthright posed. He says as much in 8x06 to Tyrion “That’s her decision”. I don’t think he ever thought Dany would actually ask him to join her on the IT and it definitely wasn’t something he wanted.

I did mention tragic for Jon, too, and I think that’s where the tragedy comes in. He has now become the Targaryen alone in the world, he is now a queenslayer, a kinslayer, and he is exiled back to the Night’s Watch. He had to kill someone he cared about, he had to kill a woman (he couldn’t do it twice before, with Ygritte and Melisandre), he had to kill his last living Targaryen family. And he had to do it while deceiving her in that last moment (which is why I think they dialed back the whole pol!Jon thing if it was ever on the table, which I definitely believe it was at some point) and watch her die. It wasn’t something he wanted to do as we know, but he had to, and we see him questioning himself even after she’s gone. (x) So I feel it was more political (in the beginning), complex (middle), and tragic (in the end) for Jon but for different reasons than Dany.

As for Dany, I think from her end, it was meant to be more of a tragic romance. In the books, I believe, there is a prophecy that Dany will know three betrayals and love is one of them. I don’t know if they carried that into the show here exactly, but there is a common theme of betrayal among Dany’s arc as we all know. I think she truly loved Jon and hoped he would be what she could never find before, had never seen in Viserys (not that she considered him romantically but I mean since he was the only other Targaryen she knew about at the time, and she knew the Targaryen history of siblings marrying siblings), or Drogo, or Daario, or even Jorah. Regardless of her feelings for any of them, regardless of their feelings for her, I think she thought she found what she wanted, what she needed, in Jon. Though I think finding out about Jon being her long lost nephew (and rival claim to the IT) deterred it maybe for a moment (or make her at least second guess it), but she still loved him and felt just as strongly. Not enough to deter her from her goal and her destiny (after the Great War is over, I mean), but as much as she possibly can. I think she really thought Jon was it for her. I also think she expected betrayal from Jon as she states in 8x05 to Tyrion (x), and then the look she gives Jon after Tyrion is taken away to a cell in 8x06 (1:50, you can also see Jon’s shock here because he wasn’t expecting her to be watching him so closely & he realizes oh crap, don’t blink, while they play the love theme in the background, she’s waiting for him to “betray” her too and had he defended Tyrion then and there, I have no doubt she would have thrown him in a jail cell, too, waiting for judgement aka execution x) but when he doesn’t “betray” her and she’s attained her goal, she is ready to make plans to rule together and be with him completely. It is definitely tragic for her end because here she expected him to betray her (like everyone else has at some time or another except Missandei, GW & Daario) twice by then, and the one time she doesn’t expect it, he does (no matter how it might have been justified & Jon’s only option) and it means her end. I’m not justifying her actions at all but I can see where they attempted to portray this as a tragic romance for her but only for her. Dany’s POV ends up swallowing most of the show in season 8, to the point where her story line becomes basically the show’s story line. Her arc becomes the sun that all other arcs are orbiting around and this is because she’s the other Big Bad after the Night King. Plus, I also think they were planning something big with Jon and that’s why they removed most of his story (so to speak) and important moments with the Starks, etc, for the big reveal in the end (it’s common in other shows I’ve seen and they did everything the same way they did in those other shows until 8x06 when they abandoned it). I don’t know what changed in the end, but that’s what I truly believe was what they were going for when it came to Dany herself. Tragic romance. I don’t believe it was ever political for her, in any way, shape, or form. I think once she fell in love with Jon, that was it.

The love theme itself “Truth” if you listen to it on the S7 soundtrack (Ramin Djawdi is a master btw) has an epic feel to it but almost a tragic one (though tragedy takes a back seat to the epic). It’s more Targaryen theme in nature (I have no idea what specific instrument you would call it) and you can hear it coming from Dany’s side almost, if that makes sense. And I think that’s because not only does it refer to the scene where Bran reveals who Jon is, and the boat sex is happening, but also because I believe it was only meant for Dany to experience this great romance. It does start out Stark-y just a tiny bit but then turns into something more, swells, and you can hear a slight Targaryen tint coming to it. After the first swell of music, you can almost see the boat scene happening in your head, whether you’ve actually seen it or not, and there’s almost a trepidation in the beginning, a contemplation, and then it’s all in, both feet over the edge and all hands on deck, pardon the pun. (x) This music plays as we know during the bending the knee scene in another song “See You For What You Are” (x), more subtle, but it’s there. And I think not only is it because it’s the moment where Jon realizes he has feelings and this leads to opening the door for the boat bang, but also because it’s what Jon says (this song, to me, sounds even more Targaryen-y to me) to Dany after he bends the knee, “see you for what you are” not who. And I know I mentioned it above, but it also plays during certain moments in season 8 that really make you question that romance, like that scene in 8x06. I think it’s all very telling.

I have to be very honest, I’m not pro-Jonerys at all. But it’s not because I hate Dany or Jon or hate the idea of them together or get squicked by the family angle, it’s because the relationship was not good for either of their characters in the show.

I remember watching 7x06 for the first time and seeing her reaction (or lack thereof) for Viserion’s death. I think she was in shock when it happened but who does she stand on the wall waiting for after? Jon. And that bothered me so much because she was the mother of dragons and they were the only children she would ever have. (and I might be more slightly biased towards the animals on the show) Yes, she did cry for Viserion on the boat later, but it’s almost more muted I feel because it blurs with her concern for Jon in that moment. That bothered me tremendously. Little did I know this would become a recurring theme for the last season as well: Jon comes first to everything else except the IT. (and I personally can’t stand it when this happens, I’m sorry, I’m all for love, but when you lose who you are, when you sacrifice yourself, I just can’t get past that) We do see her pain in 8x01 when Bran tells her about Viserion, and her pain at Rhaegal’s death in 8x04, but this is a strong female character who has proven she doesn’t need a man to run things. She is not someone who would get so besotted with someone that she would push everything else to the back burner and allow whatever is happening with him to color her decisions (I know, we all fall in love and it can happen, especially if it’s a first love or something akin to what one can feel as true love, if they’re convinced it’s that, but damn). Daario made suggestions to her but in the end, she made her own decisions. Drogo told her how to be but in the end, she figured out a way to appeal to him to do as she wanted (as we see in that scene where she takes the women into her care). Jorah advised her, so did Tyrion, but in the end she made her own decisions.

I hate it when they do this to strong female characters (which is why I despised the whole Sansa vs Dany thing, I get it story wise but here were two arguably incredibly strong women going head to head over a man most of the time or at least they tried to show being a factor in Dany’s fall and it just... ugh). So not only did Dany falling in love with Jon lead to her fall, her demise, but it wasn’t good for Jon, either. He had to keep who he was a secret, he had to placate her, give himself up and over to duty, the table was not tilted towards him really in their relationship, not in season 8 at least, the power dynamic was all screwy (as shown in that bedroom scene in 8x04 & the fireplace scene in 8x05). I just don’t think they made a good couple to be honest, not one that could have worked out long term I think, despite what happened in KL & Jon feeling uncomfortable. Personally, not that I’m the show or GRRM, but I think eventually, had Jon not married her and ruled with her, there would have been a Dance of Dragons 2.0 with Jon possibly losing in the end. It depends really on if anyone else found out about Jon’s parentage and how much of a threat ir would have become. And I love both characters too much to see either of them go that route. But then of course, that happened so...

Anyhoo, I’m so sorry for the 100 page essay in response lol. I swear I didn’t mean to get so wordy. I guess I still have a lot of thoughts where this show is concerned. This was my first ask, thank you so much for being it and for such an amazing question! <3

#ask #what a great question!#thank you #got #game of thrones #political!jon #anti jonerys #because i'm not pro jonerys #and never will be #both characters deserved better #than each other #too destructive #look at where they ended up in the end #pol!jon #undercover lover!jon #jon snow

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gaysparklepires · 6 years

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27. Human

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I didn’t get very far before driving became impossible.

When I couldn’t see anymore, I let my tires find the rough shoulder and rolled slowly to a stop. I slumped over on the seat and allowed the emotions I’d fought in Jacob’s room crush me. It was worse than I’d thought—the force of it took me by surprise. Yes, I had been right to hide this from Jacob. It would have made everything infinitely worse if he saw this.

But I wasn’t alone for very long—just exactly long enough for Alice to see me here, and then the few minutes it took him to arrive. The door creaked open, and he pulled me into his arms.

At first, it was worse. Because there was a part of me that craved a different set of arms. A part of me that was fighting to become the dominant part. So then there was fresh guilt to season the pain.

He didn’t say anything, he just let me sob until I began to blubber out Charlie’s name.

“Are you really ready to go home?” he asked doubtfully.

I managed to convey, after several attempts, that it wasn’t going to get better anytime soon. I needed to get past Charlie before it got late enough for him to call Billy.

So he drove me home—for once not even getting close to my truck’s internal speed limit—keeping one arm wrapped tightly around me. The whole way, I fought for control. It seemed to be a doomed effort at first, but I didn’t give up. Just a few seconds, I told myself. Just time for a few excuses, or a few lies, and then I could break down again. I had to be able to do that much. I scrambled around in my head, searching desperately for a reserve of strength.

There was just enough for me to quiet the sobs—hold them back but not end them. The tears didn’t slow. I couldn’t seem to find any handle to even begin to with those.

“Wait for me upstairs,” I mumbled when we were in front of the house.

He hugged me closer for one minute, and then he was gone.

Once inside, I headed straight for the stairs.

“Beau?” Charlie called after me from his usual place on the sofa as I walked by.

I turned to look at him without speaking. His eyes got wide and he lurched to his feet.

“What happened? Is Jacob…?” he demanded.

I shook my head furiously, trying to find my voice. “He’s fine, he’s fine,” I promised, my voice low and husky. And Jacob was fine, physically, which is all Charlie was worried about at the moment.

“But what happened?” He grabbed my shoulders, his eyes still anxious and wide. “What happened to you?”

I must look worse than I’d imagined.

“Nothing, Dad. I… Jacob and I had to talk about… some things that were hard. I’m okay.”

The anxiety calmed, and was replaced by disapproval mingled with concern.

“Was this really the best time?” he asked.

“Probably not, Dad, but I didn’t have any alternatives—it just got to the point where I had to choose… Sometimes, there isn’t any way to compromise.”

He shook his head slowly. “How did he handle it?”

I didn’t answer.

He looked at my face for a minute, and then nodded. That must have been answer enough.

“I hope this doesn’t mess up his recovery.”

“He’s a quick healer,” I mumbled.

Charlie sighed.

I could feel the control slipping.

“I’ll be in my room,” I told him, shrugging out from underneath his hands.

“Okay, Beau,” Charlie agreed. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I know that couldn’t have been easy for you. Take as much time as you need, okay?”

I think I nodded, but I couldn’t be sure. I stumbled blindly to my room as my tears started pouring out even heavier than before.

Once in my room, I fought with the clasp of my necklace, trying to undo it with shaking fingers.

“No, Beau,” Edward whispered, capturing my hands. “It’s part of who you are.”

He pulled me into the cradle of his arms as the sobs broke free again.

The longest of days seemed to stretch on and on. I wondered if it would ever end.

The night dragged relentlessly, I tried to think back if it was the worst of them. At least someone was here to comfort me tonight, and that was something.

Charlie seemed to understand that I needed space, so he left me alone, though I was not quiet—he probably got no more sleep than I did.

My hindsight seemed unbearably clear tonight. I could see every mistake I’d made, every mistake we all made. Every bit of harm I’d done, the small things and the big things. Each pain I’d caused Jacob, each pain he’d caused me, every would I’d given Edward, and every wound he’d given me, all of them stacked up into neat piles that I could not ignore or deny.

And I realized that I’d been wrong all along about the magnets. It had not just been Edward and Jacob that I’d been trying to force together, it was the two parts of myself, the two halves of my heart—the half held by Edward and the half held by Jacob. Two halves of me. They existed in direct opposition to each other, even though they were exactly the same.

So much damage done.

Edward said little; he just held me on the bed and let me ruin his shirt, staining it with salt water.

It took longer than I thought it would for me to cry myself out. It happened, though, and I was eventually exhausted enough to sleep. Unconsciousness did not bring full relief from the pain, just a numbing, dulling ease, like medicine. Made it more bearable. But it was still there; I was aware of it, even asleep, and that helped me make the adjustments I needed to make.

The morning brought with it, if not a brighter outlook, at least a measure of control, some acceptance. Instinctively I knew that this tear in my heart would always ache. That this fracture was just going to be a part of me now. Time would make it easier—that’s what everyone always said. But I didn’t care if time healed me or not, so long as Jacob could get better. Could be happy again.

When I woke up, there was no disorientation. I opened my eyes—finally dry—and met his anxious gaze.

“Hey,” I said. My voice was hoarse. I cleared my throat.

He didn’t answer. He watched me, waiting for it to start.

“No, I’m fine,” I promised. “That won’t happen again.”

His eyes tightened at my words.

“I’m sorry that you had to see that,” I said. “That wasn’t fair to you.”

He put his hands on either side of my face.

“Beau… are you sure? Did you make the right choice? I’ve never seen you in so much pain—“ his voice broke on the last word.

“Pain is a part of being human,” I said softly.

“But…”

“I’m sure, Edward.” I touched his cool lips. “What Jacob and I had—what we could have had—would have been great. Amazing, even. But we both understand that we aren’t meant to be… not in this life, anyway. This life is mine and yours, Edward. You’re who I choose.” I took a deep, slightly shaky breath. “I can only hope that some day Jacob finds someone who loves him the way he deserves to be loved.”

“Beau, I can’t stand for you to be miserable. Maybe…”

“No, Edward. There’s a part of me that’s always going to love Jacob Black, and that’s just something you’ll have to learn to accept. But I love you, and I choose to be with you. I fell in love with you first, after all.” I tried to smile, but it took more effort than it should.

Edward wrapped his arms around me. “I love you.” He whispered into my hair.

“I love you. I know what I want and what I need… and what I’m going to do now.”

“What are we going to do now?”

I smiled just a bit at his correction, and then I sighed. “We are going to go see Alice.”

Alice was on the bottom porch step, too hyper to wait for us inside. She looked about to break into a celebration dance, so excited was she about the news she knew I was there to deliver.

“Thank you, Beau!” she sang as we got out of the truck.

“Hold it, Alice,” I warned her, lifting up a hand to halt her glee. “I’ve got a few limitations for you.”

“I know, I know, I know. August thirteenth is the date, you have veto power on the guest list, and if I go overboard on anything, you’ll never speak to me again.”

“Oh, okay. Well, yeah. You know the rules, then.”

“Don’t worry, Beau, it will be perfect. Do you want to see your tuxedo?”

I laughed. “Sure.”

Alice’s smile was smug.

“Um, Alice,” I said, blinking, “When did you get me a tuxedo?”

Edward squeezed my hand, smiling.

Alice led the way inside, heading for the stairs. “These things take time, Beau,” Alice explained. Her tone seemed… evasive. “I mean, I wasn’t sure things were going tto turn out this way, but there was a distinct possibility…”

“When?” I asked again.

“Perrine Bruyere has a waiting list, you know,” she said, defensive now. “Fabric masterpieces don’t happen overnight. If I hadn’t thought ahead, you’d be wearing something off the rack!”

It didn’t look like I was going to get a straight answer. “Per—who?”

“He’s not a major designer, Beau, so there’s no need to get too worked up. He’s got promise, though, and he specializes in custom tuxedos which was exactly what I needed.”

“I’m not getting worked up.”

“No, you’re not.” She eyed my calm face suspiciously. Then, as we walked into her room, she turned on Edward.

“You—out.”

“Wait, why?” I asked.

“Beau,” she groaned. “You know the rules. He’s not supposed to see until the day of!”

I chuckled softly. “It doesn’t matter to me. And you know he’s already seen it in your head. But if that’s how you want it…”

She shoved Edward back out the door. He didn’t even look at her—his eyes were on me, wary, afraid to leave me alone.

I nodded, hoping my expression was tranquil enough to reassure him.

Alice shut the door in his face.

“All right!” She muttered. “C’mon.”

She grabbed my wrist and towed me to her closet—which was bigger than my bedroom—and then dragged me to the back corner, where a long black garment bag had a rack all to itself.

She unzipped the bag in one sweeping movement, and then slipped it carefully off the hanger. She took a step back, holding her hand out to the tuxedo like she was a game show hostess.

“Well?” she asked breathlessly.

I appraised it for a long moment, playing with her a bit. Her expression turned worried.

“Ah,” I said, and I smiled, letting her relax. “I see.”

“What do you think?” she demanded.

I couldn’t help but smile widely at the tuxedo.

“It’s perfect, of course. Exactly right. You’re a genius.”

She grinned. “I know.”

“Nineteen-eighteen?” I guessed.

“More or less,” she said, nodding. “Some of it is my design, the coat, the waistcoat…” she turned and pulled something off a nearby shelf and showed it to me. “The cufflinks are vintage,” she smiled, opening the box. “Do you like it all?”

“It’s beautiful, Alice. Just right for him.”

“But is it just right for you?” she insisted.

“Yes, I think it is. I think it’s just what I need. I know you’ll do a great job with this… if you can keep yourself in check.”

She beamed.

“Can I see your dress?” I asked.

She blinked, her face blank.

“Didn’t you order your bridesmaid dress at the same time? I wouldn’t want my maid of honor to wear something off the rack.” I pretended to wince in horror.

She threw her arms around my waist. “Thank you, Beau!”

“How could you not see that one coming?” I teased, kissing her hair. “Some psychic you are!”

Alice danced back, and her face was bright with fresh enthusiasm. “I’ve got so much to do! Go play with Edward. I have to get to work.”

She dashed out of the room, yelling, “Esme!” as she disappeared.

I followed at my own pace. Edward was waiting for me in the hallway, leaning against the wood-paneled wall.

“That was very, very nice of you,” he told me.

“She seems happy,” I agreed.

He touched my face; his eyes—too dark, it had been so long since he’d left me—searched my expression minutely.

“Let’s get out of here,” he suddenly suggested. “Let’s go to our meadow.”

It sounded very appealing. “I guess I don’t have to hide out anymore, do I?”

“No. The danger is behind us.”

He was quiet, thoughtful, as he ran. The wind blew on my face, warmer now that the storm had really passed. The clouds covered the sky, the way they usually did.

The meadow was a peaceful, happy place today. Patches of summer daisies interrupted the grass with splashes of white and yellow. I lay back, ignoring the slight dampness of the ground, and looked for pictures in the clouds. They were too even, too smooth. No pictures, just a soft, gray blanket.

Edward lay next to me and held my hand.

“August thirteenth?” he asked casually after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

“That gives me a month till my birthday. I figured I should give Alice some time to throw everything together, but I also didn’t want to cut it too close.”

He sighed. “Esme is three years older than Carlisle — technically. Did you know that?”

I shook my head.

“It hasn’t made any difference to them.”

My voice was serene, a counterpoint to his anxiety. “My age is not really that important. Edward, I’m ready. I’ve chosen my life—now I want to start living it.”

He stroked my hair. “The guest list veto?”

“I don’t care really, but I…” I hesitated, not wanting to explain this one. Best to get it over with. “I’m not sure if Alice would feel the need to invite… a few werewolves. I don’t know if… Jake would feel like… like he should come. Like that’s the right thing to do, or that I’d get my feelings hurt if he didn’t. He shouldn’t have to go through that.”

Edward was quiet for a minute. I stared at the tips of the treetops, almost black against the light gray of the sky.

Suddenly, Edward grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into his chest.

“Tell me why you’re doing this, Beau. Why did you decide, now, to give Alice free rein?”

I repeated for him the conversation I had with Charlie last night before I’d gone to see Jacob.

“It wouldn’t be fair to keep Charlie out of this,” I concluded. “And that means Renée and Phil. I might as well let Alice have her fun, too. Maybe it will make the whole thing easier for Charlie if he gets his proper goodbye. Even if he thinks it’s much too early, I wouldn’t want to cheat him out of the chance to walk me down the aisle.” I laughed, picturing it to myself. “At least my mom and dad and my friends will know the best part of my choice, the most I’m allowed to tell them. They’ll know I chose you, and they’ll know we’re together. They’ll know I’m happy, wherever I am. I think that’s the best I can do for them.”

Edward held my face, searching it for a brief time.

“Wedding’s off,” he said abruptly.

“What?” I gasped. “You’re backing out? No!”

“I’m not backing out, Beau. I’m just letting you off the hook. Whatever you want to do, however you want to do it.”

“Why?”

“Beau, I see what you’re doing. You’re trying to make everyone else happy. And I don’t care about anyone else’s feelings. I only need you to be happy. Don’t worry about breaking the news to Alice. I’ll take care of it. I promise she won’t make you feel guilty.”

“But I —”

“No. We’re doing this your way. Because my way doesn’t work. I call you stubborn, but look at what I’ve done. I’ve clung with such idiotic obstinacy to my idea of what’s best for you, though it’s only hurt you. Hurt you so deeply, time and time again. I don’t trust myself anymore. You can have happiness your way. My way is always wrong. So.” He shifted under me, squaring his shoulders. “We’re doing it your way, Beau. Tonight. Today. The sooner the better. I’ll speak to Carlisle. I was thinking that maybe if we give you enough morphine, it wouldn’t be so bad. It’s worth a try.” He gritted his teeth.

“Edward, no—“

He put his finger to my lips. “Don’t worry, Beau, love. I haven’t forgotten what else you wanted—what we wanted.”

His hands were in my hair, his lips moving softly — but very seriously — against mine, before I realized what he was saying. What he was doing.

There wasn’t much time to act. If I waited too long, I wouldn’t be able to remember why I needed to stop him. Already, I couldn’t breathe right. My hands were gripping his arms, pulling myself tighter to him, my mouth glued to his and answering every unspoken question his asked.

I tried to clear my head, to find a way to speak.

He rolled gently, pressing me into the cool grass.

Oh, never mind! my less noble side exulted. My head was full of the sweetness of his breath.

No, no, no, I argued with myself. I shook my head, and his mouth moved to my neck, giving me a chance to breathe.

“Stop, Edward. Wait.” My voice was as weak as my will.

“Why?” he whispered into the hollow of my throat.

I labored to put some resolve into my tone. “I don’t want to do this now.”

“Don’t you?” he asked, a smile in his voice. He moved his lips back to mine and made speaking impossible. Heat coursed through my veins, burning where my skin touched his.

I made myself focus. It took a great deal of effort just to force my hands to free themselves from his hair, to move them to his chest. But I did it. And then I shoved against him, trying to push him away. I could not succeed alone, but he responded as I knew he would.

He pulled back a few inches to look at me, and his eyes did nothing to help my resolve. They were black fire. They smoldered.

“Why?” he asked again, his voice low and rough. “I love you. I want you. Right now.”

The butterflies in my stomach flooded my throat. He took advantage of my speechlessness.

“Wait, wait,” I tried to say around his lips.

“Not for me,” he murmured in disagreement.

“Please?” I gasped.

He groaned, and pushed himself away from me, rolling onto his back again.

We both lay there for a minute, trying to slow our breathing.

“Tell me why not, Beau,” he demanded. “This had better not be about me.”

I laughed.

“No, my beautiful idiot, this is about me.”

He looked at me, confused.

I took a deep breath, and I stood up.

“We’re doing this the right way. Because it’s how I want to do it. I want to give Charlie and Renée the satisfaction of seeing me married. I want Alice to have her fun. I want to have a wedding. I want to tie myself to you in every human way possible… Because I’m choosing me. I’m choosing to be human, Edward.”

His eyes widened, and he stood with me. “I don’t understand, you said you didn’t want to cut it too close…”

“Well, I don’t want people making a big fuss about a wedding anniversary and my birthday all in one month. I might explode.”

“But, what about giving Charlie a proper goodbye?” He asked, his eyes blazing.

“I’m going to be moving out, either way. Be it for college, or getting married, or whatever. I want Charlie to know I’m being taken care of. I want everyone to know what I chose. I’m choosing you, Edward—but I’m choosing to stay human.”

He wrapped his arms around my waist and I smiled.

“This wasn’t just a choice between you and Jacob. It was a choosing the right path for me. I’ve faced death and loss and pain in your world. But, I’ve also never felt stronger, more real, more… myself. Because it’s my world, too, Edward. It’s where I belong.” I smiled at him. “But I belong in it exactly as I am. Human. Because that’s how I’ve faced it so far, and how I’ll face it from now on.”

He smiled down at me, wistful. “If you change your mind…”

“You’ll be the first to know,” I promised.

The rain started to drop through the clouds just then, a few scattered drops that made faint thuds as they struck the grass.

I stared up into the sky, smiling widely.

“I’ll get you home.” He brushed the tiny beads of water from my cheeks.

“Rain’s not the problem,” I sighed. “But it does mean that it’s time to go do something that will be very unpleasant and possibly even highly dangerous.”

His eyes widened in alarm.

“It’s a good thing you’re bulletproof.” I teased. “I’m going to need that ring. It’s time to tell Charlie.”

He laughed with me now. “Highly dangerous,” he agreed. He laughed again and then reached into the pocket of his jeans. “But at least there’s no need for a side trip.”

He once again slid my ring into place on the third finger of my left hand.

Where it would stay—for the rest of my human life.

#Eclipse Revamped #The Twilight Saga Revamped #3.27 #Edward Cullen #Beau Swan #Jacob Black

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