#otp: every night i save you
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2x03 | 6x03
#i rewatched school hard the other day and this LEAPT out at me#and immediately made me fucking insane so it has to go into everyone's brains now <3#theres no way this hasnt done before because this is SOOOO......#one thing about me is that i will find the spuffy parallels in everything and especially tie EVERYTHING to the after life speech#there's a reason my tag for them is#otp: every night i save you#ch: spike#ch: buffy summers#btvs#**#*gif#thank god tumblr expanded the images limit#also i suddenly know how to make gifs now lmao the improvement between this and my sets from last year...#proud of me <3#buffy the vampire slayer#btvsedit#spuffy#spuffygifs#btvsdaily#slayerdaily
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THEY FILMED A JIARA KISS FOR THE BRACELET TOUCH SCENE IN EPISODE 4 https://twitter.com/kiesvalentine/status/1630265832830844930?s=46&t=Me9dQYmuETPH_DVH1fA8Cg
GIVE US THE DELETED SCENES
#someone go hack josh pate's laptop rn i know this man has it saved and he watches it every night before going to bed#answered#anonymous#jiara#otp; did you tell jj#obx spoilers
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"Azriel's shadow dance around Gwyn's breath = ENDGAME"
I'm quite tired of this, it's been three years now. Do people understand that Azriel is not his shadows? Azriel's shadows caress Feyre's cheek and neck the first time they met, was it romantic? Because it's more intimate than the shadows dancing around Gwyn's breath.
The more important matter is how AZRIEL reacts towards Elain rather than how his shadows (which, I might note, made sure Elain got back safely after their interaction thinking Az rejected her. Shadows that coiled like snake, ready to defend Elain, because Nesta insulted her. Shadows that helped Az presenting the gift for Elain.) acts towards Elain.
And how does Azriel act around Elain?
Azriel doesn't need his shadows to read Elain, meaning he can read her. He understand her. (In CC, we found that shadows disappears when the person is happy and comfortable, plus even Az's shadows skitters away from him when he laughs)
Azriel waited for Elain to give her offer and permission.
Azriel knew Elain doesn't want Lucien and is very uncomfortable around his mate.
Azriel sat down with her during the longest night of the year, just talking.
Azriel was relaxed around Elain while she's presenting him her plans for the garden
Azriel was ready to risk his own life to save Elain.
It was Azriel who figured out she was missing, Azriel who figured out her powers and freed her from all the confusion she was experiencing
Azriel never let go of Elain even though she's alright and he was the one bleeding, he needed to be sure she'd be taken care of first
Azriel always reaches out for Elain.
Azriel bought her a present, bought the necklace thinking of ELAIN, and doesn't care if the necklace was given to another priestess as long as he get rid of it because it reminds him of pain
Azriel lend the TT (the one thing he never let anyone touches) to Elain, trusting her with it and wanting her to have a protection
Azriel followed Elain's laugh, wondering what had caused it.
Azriel was affected by Elain and Lucien's mating bond to the point where he cannot even stand in the same room with them together
Azriel wants Elain. Not just because of lust, but because maybe, after 500 years he already found his home.
Idk about you, but if I ever read Rhysand or Cassian wanting to taste another woman before ending up with their mate? Think about it.
If the only argument is about the shadows, then maybe ship the shadows and Gwyn? not Azriel and Gwyn? Since most people are convinced crackship=OTP, why not we make the real OTP, #ShadoWyn? Because Azriel, on the only POV we got so far from him, wasn't interested romantically to Gwyn. No, he never even considered her as a friend. Gwyn never even showed she's attracted to him, she blushed for Rhysand not for Az.
If these readers aren't even concerned about Elain's feelings and hated her so much, then I guess, they should just consider Azriel's wants and needs? Because it is Elain. He found his happiness with her. Feyre even pointed out that he never heard such a deep and joyous sound from him until Elain.
There's no need to deny every Elain and Azriel interaction throughout the series over the last 10% of a bonus chapter. It makes one think most people never read the actual books but place so much value over a chapter that wasn't available for everyone.
The POV ended up with a cliffhanger. But it never ended Elriel because it was all just a beginning, their book is yet to come and by then I hope everyone is ready to accept what SJM has been hinting us from ACOMAF until ACOSF. No need to twist texts or take every parallel that are out of context, no need to call Elriels crazy and throw out degrees. Just simply read the series with open mind, and maybe tone down the Elain hate? Okay bye.
#elriel#azriel shadowsinger#elain archeron#acotar#acosf#i swear that fb comment annoyed me today#i usually laugh it off but wtf#shadow x gwyn#shadowyn#shadows caressing a face isn't romantic but dancing around a breath is#got it#shadowyn forever
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crusades era joenicky recs
dana asked me to make a crusades era joenicky fic rec list when I mentioned how much I loved them so that no one would rec me what I had already read, so here you go (apologies, I can’t get the read more to work)
The Stiff Heart
I ALWAYS love dana’s fics and it was just by chance that hers was the first one that popped up in my search. This has them having already established a truce and working together to find ‘the dream women’, but it has such a lovely build up to when they get together, sprinkled with plenty of UST and world building as they learn more about each other and dashes of them coming together to a truce.
The Favored Son(s)
Crusade era Yusuf and Nicolo are transported to current time and the boys, Joe in particular, have a hard time reconciling who they were with the love they now share. It’s like having a slow burn, but your OTP is already there and happy together at the same time. Lots of Joe doting, which is always a bonus, and the other two learning about each other and overcoming their past.
The Land of Turquoise
The immortals dream of each other when the universe has decreed that they are not close enough to one another. Joe and Nicky start dreaming of each other a month and a half into their truce, when they are sleeping side-by-side every night in the desert. How much closer can they be?
Honestly, I can’t sum it up better than the actual summary. So much UST and trust building!!!
Ardeo In Te
Omegaverse and soulmates? My fucking JAM
Djinn’s Eyes
Man, this fucking fic. It’s so good, has so much build up and world building, learning to overcome preconceived notions and find love. I can’t even find the words, it’s such a wonderful fic.
Lessons Exquisitely Crafted
Yusuf goes home, leaving Nicolo behind, but he can’t shake him off because these are dumbasses who are meant to be together. It takes time for them to come back together, but they do, because they’re destiny.
The Weight of Fear
mpreg fic, where they have a night of passion and then Yusuf runs away, only to learn that Nicolo is pregnant once the girls find him to kick his ass. I love the story, how Nicky’s anxieties are written, how much Joe is stressed once he finds out that he accidentally knocked him up.
Heavy with the Weight of Who We Are
Yusuf can’t shake Nicolo, no matter how hard he tries, so they’re stuck together, learning each others languages and trying to figure out how to work together despite their differences.
Beginnings, Middles, Ends
Wind_Ryder did an amazing job with this series! It showcases how PTSD can affect a person, what having someone who cares about you can do to help you heal, and wraps it up by showing that somethings don’t just magically disappear over time.
Pistachios and Rosewater
The food alone makes reading this fic worth it, all of it looks delicious and it’s worked into the story so well, showing the progress of time and how cooking can mean love.
Holiest Among The Living
This actually has very little joenicky, but I had to include it because it shows Nicolo’s journey to understanding everything he thought was true, isn’t, and that even people you thought were good can disregard others just because they’re a different color/religion/etc
O Jerusalem
Has selective mute Nicky in it, because PTSD is a serious thing, and soft Yusuf caring enough about the man who killed him to not leave him abandoned in Jerusalem. This is definitely a story about kindness and healing.
Death is Just a Beginning
Plenty of hate and anger, and not all at each other. Includes Nicolo being found out for having revived and Yusuf saving him, but the road is paved with plenty of fighting before they find their footing and destiny.
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hi! :D
so i bingeread ALL of your lore posts last night (theyre all SO GOOD you analyze things so so so so well)
whatre your feelings on scarian/mumscarian?
hi!! thank you so much. I believe I recognise you from notifs (I was really flattered to see someone reading through my posts). it's such an honor for me :) I'm so glad that there are people who share my point of view even regarding things that have so many different (much more popular) fanon interpretations. especially with grumbo!
I don't want to dissapoint you after this kind feedback, but I don't really like either of them. there are several reasons for it (highly subjective; by all means, I have no intentoins of reassuring you or hurting your feelings, I'll just try to explain):
grumbo is my OTP in its original sense: One True Pairing. there is a time period (S7 post-election + turf war) where I fanonise Mumbo and Scar dating (I'm planning to make a post about that I promise it all makes perfect sense!), and also I really like Martyn's desperate crush on Mumbo in the deathloop, but the main story, both on Hermitcraft and in Life Series, is 100% about grumbo in my eyes. in every arc of every season of whatever project, I can explain in details where I see grumbo.
even! in the endgame of 3rd life, Grian is thinking of Mumbo (there's one particular moment cut from Grian's POV but saved in Scar's).
so. they have always been my priority, and scarian didn't stand a chance against them in the first place :D
I can't imagine Grian being romantically drawn to Scar or vice versa. I see them as failure of friends, rivals, enemies or someone else platonically, more complex than words can express in this already not-so-little post, and their canon and romantic fanon dynamic is not my cup of tea.
their interactions are proportionally more toxic than tender, and Grian already has so much feelings for Mumbo that for me there's no room for developing another equally detailed and strong love story.
I'm all for polyamory (I've had such experience in the past myself), but somehow I can't enjoy mumscarian; in the existing content, I never see them interpreted as equal partners. the trend the problem of not developing either Mumbo or Scar in these pairings with Grian is a topic for another long and tiring discussion.
mumscarian seems to me like a compromise scarian fans make just to include Mumbo when they don't really know what to do with him. if it sounds salty, it really is, unfortunalely-- I don't like how Mumbo is portrayed most of times. mumscarian content always feels like... "ah, desert duo and their usual stuff! ...and this guy, too", and meanwhile I love Mumbo's content and personality both in c! and cc! versions so much I can cry about it. you get my point.
sorry for dumping this into this post, and sorry for perhaps not lining with your expectations :D
this way or another, Scar is a great character with his own motives, feelings and desires, and I (hope I) do my best to interpret him as a deep and detailed character whenever I include him in different AUs and narratives.
my co-author and I even have an AU (in a completely different setting and atmosphere) with a bit of scarian and antagonist/villian Scar. but I can say no more :> I already feel guilty for taking so much of your time, and this idea is kinda secret from public since we want to create something with it one day
thank you for an inbox and your precious feedback again, dear anon! pleasure to talk to you :)
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pick up the phone !!! pt2: electric boogaloo
synopsis: my take on whether they’re a caller or texter
cast: maki zenin, yuta okkotsu, toge inumaki x black fem reader
cw: cursing, (yuta’s part is a teeny tiny bit self indulgent 😬 <3 mb y’all)
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maki - texter (occasional caller)
- doesn’t mind being on the phone since it’s you, but is more of a texter
- answers immediately like it’s almost scary
- is a bullet texter 🤷🏽♀️ idk she give me those vibes
- like i feel if you’re asleep or smth and she wants to talk to you she WILL spam you
- does not care
- has dnd on but allows your notifs to go through <3
- calls you when she can’t sleep but the second y’all get otp she’s knocked out
- like you’re talking about smth stupid and when you don’t hear her answer you’re like
“this bitch 😶”
- will facetime you but her camera is always off when she does
- however, if your camera is off she will be mad
“yeah go ahead and turn that camera back on you’re not slick 😐”
“mmcht 😒”
- has your contact photo as the picture she took of you kissing her cheek on y’all’s first date
- but then has your name saved as smth like
- “weirdo 🤥”
- always, always. ALWAYS. texts you good night
- she will not sleep until she does
—
yuta - caller (facetime)
- loves seeing your face
- facetimes you nonstop
- litterally twice a day he is obsessed with you
“babe can we facetime ☹️ i miss you”
“baby i wanna see your face, facetime me”
“facetime??? 😁”
- loves when you guys eat on the phone together cause he thinks its a date !
“bae can you pass the salt? 😋”
“boy if you don’t getcho corny ass on somewhere 😭”
- you still do it though cause it makes him laugh, it’s y’all’s little inside joke
- loves facetiming you on wash day cause he likes to watch you detangle your hair
- finds the way you work the different moisturizers and curl definers through your hair satisfying
- tells you you’re pretty nonstop
- has your contact saved as “my pretty girl 💕”
- and the photo is of a picture he took of you during golden hour when the sun was hitting you just right
- sends you good morning and goodnight texts
“good morning beautiful, hope you slept well <3”
“goodnight my love 😴”
—
inumaki - texter
- this man is a menace
- A MENACE I SAY
- litterally texts you all day
- like you could be at work and here he is blowing up your phone like a madman
“love, im at work 😭”
“i didn’t ask all that but ok”
- does not give 1, 2, or 3 fucks
- is always
- and i mean
- ALWAYS
- sending you those flirty meme pictures
- he thinks they’re so funny 😭😭😭
- sends hella tiktoks
- doesn’t know how to start a conversation to save his life though so he’ll usually just send something random asf in hopes of getting your attention
- works every time though
- checks on you to make sure you’re having a good day and to remind you to eat and drink water
- sends imsg games
- is an 8 ball god so you hate playing with him
- whenever you start losing you send darts and he get real quiet
“you always do this bs 😒”
- your contact photo is of you wearing a tinfoil hat he made cause he’s gotta protect you from the aliens !!!
- your name is set as “❤️❤️❤️”
- gets the point across perfectly in his opinion
#saint laurent productions#jjk x reader#jujutsu kaisen#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jujutsu kaisen headcanons#jjk x poc!reader#jjk x black reader#inumaki x y/n#maki x reader#yuta x reader#jujutsu kaisen x black reader
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The Yiling Laozu’s Lost Spells part 2 AKA Chaos in Canon
part 1
Wei ying and mo xuanyu were originally planning to just run away, but alas, the Mo family plus the lans plus a freaky hand get in the way
Seriously, what was with that freaky hand? Mo Xuanyu’s used to working with weird stuff but nothing like that. Was that what normal cultivators deal with?
He tries to ask Wei Ying, but Wei ying is to busy freaking out over Hanguang-jun showing up, and what if he saw me???!
Mo xuanyu (excited to see his OTP happening): If you’re worried about looking your best, I can help with that.
Wei ying: I don’t want to look my best! I’m the fourth most handsome master! He’ll recognize me! I want you to make me look so different he’ll never guess it was me! Can you do that?
Mo Xuanyu, who both the soul of a theatre kid and literal years of petty frustrations to work out, was more than willing to take up the task. (But not too bad, he does want his OTP to reunite after all) Thus Wei Ying becomes his “Poor old senile grandpa.” Complete with artfully drawn wrinkles and a shawl for warmth.
Wei ying is having way to much fun pretending to be senile though, so Mo Xuanyu guesses he lost there.
As they travel Mo Xuanyu asks him about the talismans. The Radishes, the release statements, the grass butterflies, he’s had literal years to study these talismans and he doesn't know how they work fully, he has questions.
Wei ying is thrilled to see someone respects him for something other than his demonic cultivation or the sword path he can no longer follow. He is happy to tell him what he remembers, but its not much, he wrote most of them in a sleepy haze at 2 in the morning, and he kind of suspects Mo Xuanyu knows more than he does at this point.
Is Mo Xuanyu mad that his whole job is the result of a guy’s sleepy 2am ideas? A little. But at least the Yiling Patriach seems mostly interested in sticking around and helping him instead of going off to form his own cultivation path with all his fake-ass fans. Take that Xue Yang. They’re gonna do their own thing, and it’s gonna be awesome
Then they run into Jin Ling
Jin Ling does not take well to seeing his Uncle who one day was there, serving him tea with a peacock tail, and the next day was gone and everyone started calling an incestuous cut-sleeve. He didn’t even say goodbye!
Wei ying does not take well to Jin ling not taking well, and proceeds to insult him.
Mo xuanyu slaps a hand over his mouth and says to ignore his “poor senile grandpa”
Wei Ying: Yeah! Respect your elders kid!
Mo Xuanyu: shut up I am begging you
Wei Ying then tries to use a talisman to release little apple but grabs the wrong one
It was the peacock tail one
Mo Xuanyu tackles Wei ying
Jiang cheng comes into the scene to see his nephew and his nephew’s weird uncle have peacock tails, the latter of which is wrestling an old man under a donkey still caught up in the nets.
Jiang Cheng: ....Weird shit?
Jin Ling (nodding): weird shit
As if it couldn’t get any worse, Hanguang-jun appears to free Little Apple, and see Mo Xuanyu and “the old man” rolling around in the dirt.
There’s no way Mo Xuanyu can reveal to him who the old man is now, Not when he saw him rolling in the ground with the love of Hanguang-jun’s life. The assumptions he’ll make!
Mo Xuanyu: I”m taking my very old and totally senile grandpa back on the night hunt now! Bye!
Lan Sizuhi: A night hunt? With a senile elder? Are you sure you don’t want us to look after him until its over? We have Tea!
Mo Xuanyu (shoving Wei ying forward faster): NO thanks! We’re good!
They should have left right then, but they didn’t want to draw any suspicion. That was a mistake
“Did you make this?” Mo Xuanyu yells to Wei ying as they are running from the giant fairy statue.
“No! Why would you think I made it?” Wei ying yells back. “I don’t make every weird thing that happens to us!”
“Yes! Yes you are!”
The statue grabs Jin Ling, and to save him, MO Xuanyu pulls out his most dangerous talisman: the cooking one.
Now the statue is trying to cook and use jin ling as an ingredient.
Wei ying summons Wen ning just as MO Xuanyu tries again.
Now Wen ning is hit with the cooking talisman.
There’s a cook off, Wen Ning is winning. Wen Ning makes rock soup out of the statue. Wen Ning is now trying to force the juniors to eat it. The juniors are crying. So is Wen Ning.
Mo Xuanyu realizes one of the is going to have to hug the ghost general to make this stop. He is not doing it. Even if the ghost general is kinda hot for a corpse. He’s not risking getting fed rock soup.
Wei ying does it.
And jiang sheng comes in. Again.
Jiang Cheng: Wei WuXian!
Mo Xuanyu: NO it was to release the spell I swear!
Jiang cheng whips Wei ying. Mo Xuanyu watches with baited breath, terrified he’ll have lost his friend before he even really got to know him. Hanguang-jun jumps in to Wei ying’s side but its to late, he’s hit. He goes down, But to the shock of all of them, Wei ying gets back up.
“You whipped me!” He says in his absolute worst old man voice. “Unfillital! No respect for your elders! Hitting old men who can’t defend themselves, what has this generation come too? Humph!”
Hanguang-Jun gently helps him to his feet, placing himself between Jiang cheng and wei ying. Wei ying blushes
“Oh now here’s a polite young man,” Wei ying leans into Lan zhan’s space. “And so handsome too! I could eat you up!”
Wei ying thinks he’s being that annoying type of elder who pinches your cheeks and makes lan zhan want to leave quicker. Mo xuanyu wishes Wei ying would stop flirting with his boyfriend before he gets them caught.
“Mark your words,” Goes Lan Zhan, sweeping up Wei ying in his arms.
Mo xuanyu wants to faint.
“why is Hanguang-jun taking that old man?” one of the juniors mutters
“It’s a cutsleeve thing!” MO xuanyu blurts out. “We like older men!” then winces at the very stupid excuse.
“You would know.” goes the junior nastily. Mo Xuanyu wilts, remembering for the first time in a while what all these people think of him.
Jin ling proceeds to hit said junior in the back with his bow. No one insults his uncle but him.
“You’d better come with us,” Lan Sizuhi offers, slipping beside Mo Xuanyu. “You'll be a welcome guest at Cloud recesses, and you’ll want to be with your grandpa of course.”
“I’m allowed?” Mo Xuanyu asked, remembering that Lan Xichen was close to Jin Guangyao. He’d been certain they’d heard the rumors and didn’t want him anywhere near their precious pure cloud recesses.
“Of course,” Lan Sizuhi smiles. “As if we’d ever ban the brave hero who saved Hanguang-jun and all those rabbits.”
“And the flowers,” Mo xuanyu reminds him, and follows.
#the yiling laozu#yiling laozu lost spells au#mdzs au#mdzs#mo xuanyu#wei ying#wei wuxuan#hanguang jun#lan zhan#lan wangji#lan sizuhi#Jiang Cheng#jin ling#I thought i could get all the rest of my ideas in one part 2 but I was wrong.
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The Sunshine Undertow (II)
Pairing: Oberyn Martell x f!reader**; Doran Martell x f!reader; Marcus Pike x f!reader (time travel/Outlander AU) (no use of y/n, reader uses a fake name)
Word Count: 9.0k
Warnings: Smut, semi-public smut, language, mentions of rape (not the physical act), teasing, banter
**Main pairing for the fic. They are end game and the otp but things get messy and there are a lot of feelings across the board. (Gif/moodboard made by me)
Summary: Marcus takes her on a date. Oberyn sees her naked. And Doran knows she’s lying. Thank you so much to TJ @pettyprocrastination for taking a look at this and helping me get some of my confidence back.
[Previous Chapter] * [Series Masterlist] * [Complete Masterlist]
The Night She Disappeared
He looked sharp in the black blazer and matching button down.
“These are for you.”
Marcus stepped into her apartment and handed her a small bouquet of pink and white lilies. She returned the gesture with a kiss on his cheek before setting them in the kitchen. They’d be fine on the counter until they got back from the museum.
“They’re beautiful,” she grinned, slinging the long strap of her purse over her shoulder.
“Just like you,” he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back in for a real kiss on the lips.
She laughed against his mouth. “Oh! So, you’re pulling out every cheesy stop in the book tonight?”
“You know it,” he smiled down at her, keeping her close.
“Are you going to open my door?”
“Yes.”
“Pull out my chair?”
“Yup.”
“Put your coat over the puddle to keep my shoes from getting wet?”
“Highly impractical, but of course I will.”
“Beat up the man at the bar who stares at me too long?”
“I will wait for him to buy you a drink first–you know, because of the economy.”
“Oh, sure, sure, sure,” she laughed.
Marcus’s hand was warm in hers as they drove to the restaurant. He liked to hold her hand over the gear shift as he drove with his left–it was just something he always did, only letting go when he had to pass or turn on the wipers. He kissed her knuckles and held eye contact. He let her pick the radio station. His hand always found its way to the small of her back, like there was a magnet inside them both. When he slid into the booth at the restaurant and brushed his lips against the shell of her ear to compliment her dress, it made her lower stomach flip a little.
Everything was always, unequivocally about her. Her. Her. Her.
Like he promised, he ordered the avocado egg rolls. They were annoyingly tasty. She ordered the chicken, him the steak–they traded bites off of each other’s fork. The food was delicious and they were disgustingly cute. It was enough to make guilt settle in the hollow of her throat about her earlier concerns during her middle of the week lecture. When it came to Marcus Pike–she had absolutely nothing to complain about. But if that were true, why did she feel so shitty about it all?
“You gotta work this weekend?” he asked, stabbing a roasted potato with his fork.
“Like always,” she sighed, doing the same with a caper that was trying to roll away.
“Saving lives,” he beamed and she scoffed.
“More like pumping stomachs of alcoholic frat boys and stitching up thumbs that have fallen victim to kitchen accidents.”
“It won’t be forever,” he encouraged her. “You’ll move on to your next practicum in December, right?”
“Yeah.” She took a sip of her wine.
He cut another piece off of his steak and pushed it around in the sauce before turning to face her, more head on. “You know if you hate it, you can always change careers?”
“I don’t hate it. It’s just that I’m…” she shrugged, feeling guilty for the weight of the conversation. Another thing to add to the already growing pile inside of her.
“Burnt out?” He raised an eyebrow and she nodded again as he wiped his mouth on a napkin. “I get it.”
She knew he did. If anything the definition of Marcus was ‘understanding’. He took everything in stride. It didn’t matter if it was his work or hers. His parents, halfway across the country in Texas. Her increasing irritations and mood swings about life. Nothing seemed to bother him. He rarely if ever got angry and when she brought it up he attributed it to his job and his desperate need to be a better man than his father.
The chicken melted like butter against her tongue as the waiter offered them another glass of wine. She nodded enthusiastically while she chewed.
“Why don’t we go somewhere this year for Christmas? When you’re on winter break?” Marcus asked, breaking the silence.
She let out a short, abrupt laugh. “Really? What about your parents? They’re gonna freak out if we don’t come spend the week.”
“Meh,” he shrugged. “Let them. We could go somewhere warm. Crystal blue waters, palm trees, sex on the beach–”
“The drink or the activity?”
“Yes.”
They both laughed and she leaned her head on his shoulder.
-
Marcus had taken them in the back door of the museum. He had expertly sorted through the hundreds of keys on his multiple rings and deactivated the alarm with the confident punch of a four digit code.
Every shared look was a secret grin, a playful tongue and cheek. He seldom did anything outside the rules and his playful energy and slight buzz from wine at dinner was infectious. She couldn’t keep her hands off of him. She rubbed against the side of his body, nipping his ear as he worked the door, giggling against his shoulder as he fumbled his keys and tried to capture her mouth.
“Focus,” she teased as he tried to put his hand under the hem of her dress and he scoffed.
“Hard to focus with you looking like that,” he whispered as the door unlocked and he pulled her into the employee only area.
The storage where the artifacts and paintings were stored when not on display was cluttered and dark. The fullness muffled the soft click of his dress shoes as he let the door shut a little too hard in favor of dropping his keys and grabbing her around the waist. Big hands and deft fingers pulling at the soft material of her sundress as she shoved his blazer to the floor and started pulling his button down out from its loose tuck.
“Marcus,” she breathed and he groaned, pulling apart just long enough to pick up his discarded jacket and toss it over the nearest crate. She gave him a questioning look.
“So you don’t get splinters in your ass when I fuck you right here…” he leaned down and kissed her throat and she squeaked.
“Wow–I forget how much I love Marcus without his inhibitions,” she teased and he pinched her thigh.
“I love you too, smartass.”
They pulled apart just long enough for her to hop on the crate, wiggling her butt back and spreading her legs so he could stand between her knees. His thick fingers reached between them to rub her through the silk of her panties while she worked on his belt. He was already hard against the soft front of his slacks and she couldn’t help but rub him through his pants as he pushed up her dress.
“You’re so pretty.”
His teeth at her neck were gentle, but each scrape left her wanting more. Harder. It was too much to ask for him to leave marks, that wasn’t his style. But it still sent goosebumps down her arms every time he added pressure.
“No one’s on duty?” she asked against his mouth as he nosed her head up.
“Joe is–but he sleeps at the desk and never comes in here.” He paused to give her another grin. “You’ll just have to keep quiet. I know that’s hard for y-OU..oof,” he grunted as she tightened her grip on his dick at his quip.
His breath was hot against the shell of her ear as he gripped her ass, lifting her just enough to push inside her comfortably. Over and over. She clung to him. Nails dragging across his shoulders and wrinkling his dress shirt as he pushed her closer towards the edge.
He deserved this. He had deserved the night out at his stupid favorite restaurant. He had deserved her doting affections, and her tender touches, and their shared laughter. When they were like this, she was no longer the ill-fitting puzzle piece. Things were as they should be. Things were good. Sex was their way back to one another, but she felt guilty being the only one who knew they had drifted apart to begin with. She could give him this. She could love him like this.
“Marcus,” she gasped and he covered her mouth with his, muffling her cries as he pounded her hard enough to shake the crate she was perched on.
“Like that?” he groaned and she nodded desperately.
“Just like that–like that–fuck, baby, please,” she whimpered and she reached down desperately for his hand, slapping his arm lightly until he gave it to her. She took his palm and placed it over her own mouth to stop herself from getting too loud. The action made his cock pulse inside of her.
“Fuck, that’s hot,” he gave her cheeks a light squeeze and her eyes rolled back slightly.
She knew better than to ask him to finish inside of her–Marcus was too careful for that. And she should have been thankful, but in the moment it was a different story. She knew he didn’t have a reckless bone in his entire body.
His lips found hers in soft kisses, spaced between even breaths as he gripped her thighs, then her ass, like he couldn’t keep from touching her. He nosed at her chin, carefully biting his way down to her ear as he waited for his heart rate to slow. Marcus let out a deep hum of contentment as she threaded her fingers through his hair and held him close.
“I meant to show you the exhibit,” he said gruffly and it made her smile.
“I mean I have a pretty good view from here,” she joked, pointing towards one of the paintings on the wall. “Tell me about that one.”
“Which one?” Marcus turned his neck at an awkward angle to keep from having to leave the comfort of her arms.
“The one with the lady–with the dark hair and the snakes?” she gestured again before going back to stroking his hair.
“Oh, that one,” he nodded. “One of my favorites–Princess Elia Martell. A tragic story, really.”
“Tragic?”
“Mhmm,” he hummed, laying his head on her chest.
“Tell me.”
–
Dorne - Now
The journey had taken four days.
In four days she had been chased through the woods, nearly assaulted, and slept three nights sitting straight up on a horse. She had learned to relieve her aching bladder in the woods without falling ass first into a thorn bush. She had subsisted off of hard cheese and stale bread with the occasional dried meat that was reserved for every other day. Magnus had told her it was meat from a snake, she didn’t believe him…at least not entirely. But when Doran gave her a wink and a gentle nudge, she ate it anyway. She was too hungry to care even if it was.
Her ass hurt from the hard leather of the saddle. Her thighs were chafing and she cursed every fiber of her being for falling through time in a fucking sundress. She would have killed someone for a pair of leggings. Kicked a puppy for her mattress and pillow. She would have committed unspeakable sexual favors for her phone and all of her unread emails. She didn't want anyone to ask what she would have done for her toothbrush.
She was dirty. Sweat and mud pooled in places that made her skin feel tight and itch with the need to be clean. She was certain that she smelled terrible, but the man at her back didn’t say anything. The prince at her back seemed perfectly content to keep his good arm around her waist for balance and make idle conversation with her while the others kept their distance.
It was clear no one trusted her. She was an outsider, clearly not belonging and not willing to give them more information than was absolutely necessary. They didn’t ask and her lips stayed sealed. It was better that way.
The first morning, when they had stopped at the river to refill their waterskins and give the horses a break, she had truly been able to look at Oberyn and what she saw nearly made her fall into the water.
He looked…like Marcus.
At first she thought her eyes were deceiving her. They were playing tricks on her and showing her what she desperately wanted and that was to see her boyfriend. Seeing Marcus would mean she was back in Boston. Back in her own time. Back where she belonged. But she wasn’t. And though the similarities were comically astute, the differences still shook her to her core.
Oberyn had a dark line of facial hair, where Marcus was clean shaven. His skin was darker, more time in the sun, the elements, the climate of Dorne no doubt being vastly different than Massachusetts. In fact, everything about him seemed darker, from his coal black hair void of product to his striking eyes the color of river rocks stoic beneath the rushing water. The nose, however, was the exact same. Strong and slightly curved down the ridge. A prominent landmark of his handsome face.
“What is it, princess?”
He had caught her staring.
“Nothing,” she shook her head and turned back to the river, splashing her face with the icy water. She stood back up and went to the horse, wiping her hands on the cloak that hung off of the saddle. “You just–you just remind me of someone.”
His eyebrow raised with interest as he stepped closer to her. He lowered his voice as the other men moved along the bank around them.
“Judging by the heat here,” he lightly touched his knuckle to the apple of her cheek. “And how quickly you looked away from me–do I remind you of your husband?”
She batted his hand away lightly. “He’s not my husband.”
"Betrothed?" He grinned at the admission and then again when she shook her head. “Your lover, then?”
“I guess that’s a good word for him,” she bit her lip and her chest felt tight.
She didn’t know why she suddenly wanted to cry. She was exhausted beyond measure. And it would be a lie to say she hadn’t found some comfort in Oberyn and Doran the last few days. The latter especially. Marcus was probably going out of his mind with worry. He was probably looking high and low, having called the police, her family, her job–and instead she had pulled another man’s arms around her tighter with each passing night.
The excuses piled up. Most of them relied on her fear and the multitude of unknowns about her current situation. But even that didn’t make her feel any less guilty, especially when any attention from the princes made her gut tighten and her heart gallop.
He had said her ‘name’ twice before she pulled herself from her thoughts and looked at him.
“I’m sorry,” she shook her head and wiped the burning from her eyes. “What did you say?”
“I asked if he was no longer of this world,” Oberyn said, putting a hand on her elbow. “Your lover–is he not alive?”
“No,” she shut her eyes tightly as she suddenly couldn’t stop the tears. “No, I guess he’s not.”
It was the truth. Hundreds of years in the past, Marcus wouldn’t even be born yet–so, technically, Oberyn was right in assuming he wasn’t alive. As ridiculous as the statement was, it still made her breath catch in her throat as she made a soft choking sound and pressed her hand over her eyes to hide the fact that she was about to cry.
“Shh,” Oberyn soothed her with soft mouth sounds as he turned her away from the horse and pulled her into his embrace. “It’s alright. I apologize for asking, m’lady.”
“It’s–it’s f-fine,” she cried harder into his tunic as she let her forehead rest against his chest. “I’m sorry for,” she shook her head and hiccuped. “I’m sorry for crying–”
When she attempted to pull away, he kept his hold firm. “It’s alright.”
His hand pressed gently against her hair and it was the final straw. She sobbed. There was no other word for the dam of emotion that burst from her mouth, from deep inside her ribs. She let him hold her and she sobbed. The aches of fear, frustration, loneliness, uncertainty, insanity–all of it, came pouring out from the deepest parts of her soul and onto his chest. He quieted her gently, soft murmurs of his lips against her temple to let her know he was there, she was safe.
“Oberyn?” Doran asked as he approached and she felt the younger man shake his head lightly.
The retreating sound of footsteps told her that they were alone again and she began to loosen her grip on his clothes. Now she was dirty and covered in tears and snot. How he didn’t find her repulsive was beyond her current reasoning.
“Here,” he said quietly, leaning back just enough to hold a rag in front of her face.
She sniffed and took it, wiping her face and nose. “I’m sorry–”
“Keep your apologies,” he brushed his knuckle under her chin and gave her a kind smile. “They aren’t needed.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He nodded in acknowledgement before releasing her slowly. Nodding towards the horse, he put his hand on her waist. “I can’t use both hands,” he nodded towards his arm still in the sling. “But get your foot in the stirrup and I can give you a boost–as long as you don’t mind my hand on your ass.”
He grinned and it caught her off guard just enough to make her cackle. He looked at her like she had lost her mind. And maybe she had, but she kept laughing. It felt better than crying.
-
The mountains and forests soon gave way to sand. Large crags of rock and bare trees with gnarled branches stood stoic in the gentle breeze that blew hotly across the open. Most of the area was flat but off in the distance the dunes rose and dipped, and even further behind that stood the red mountains. Everything was shades of burnt orange. The land was made of sunshine and warmth as if the light touched it all and blessed it with an endless summer.
Oberyn had tucked the blanket away in one of the saddle bags as soon as they had made it across the border. Doran pushed the horses a little harder. A little faster. The animals didn’t seem to mind, it was as if they could taste home.
They breached the gates, three large archways that seemed to magically open the moment they came into range. The stone path bypassed the labyrinth that was the city itself and took them right up to the massive palace.
The stone and tan terracotta walls were offset with bronze ringlets that kept the gargantuan towers from all being one color. Large suns with swirling rays were perched on top of each tower, centered over almost every window, and fluttered in the middle of every flag. The sun glittered off of the mosaic trimmings that had been carefully pressed into the corners and the rooftops.
Her face must have shown the level of her wonder because Oberyn chuckled and leaned down by her ear to be heard over the sound of the hooves against the cobblestone.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” she agreed, leaning forward a bit in the saddle.
“Do they not have palaces like this in the Massachusetts Kingdom?”
His question was so earnest, she only laughed a little. “Not even close.”
“Well,” he leaned back, pulling up on the reins a bit as they broke through the last gate and up the incline to a set of large, open doors. “Welcome to Sunspear.”
Sunspear.
The name was incredibly fitting. Just like the planet, the palace seemed to be what the entire city revolved around. It was bright and warm and yet, as they got closer, she noted the sentries on the winding walls, and the guards at the entrance with a few people ready to receive them. It was both beautiful and deadly in equal parts.
Lewyn and Magnus rode up first, dismounting with grace and immediately passing off their mounts to the waiting stablehands. They exchanged greetings with a few men in fighting leathers and what appeared to be the customary orange and yellow tunics of the city.
“Magnus!” a gruff voice called out and they looked towards an old man, limping his way towards the horses. “What have you done to my Sevana?” He thrust his cane into the hands of a younger stable hand and lovingly stroked the nose of the horse that Magnus had jumped off of.
“I didn’t do anything, Mel,” Magnus scoffed. “I been riding all night, and I don't need you squalling in my ear.”
“Did you even look at her feet?” Mel raised his voice as he bent over and tapped the beast on the leg and inspected her hooves once she lifted them.
“What am I supposed to do with her f–”
“She served us well, Melvan,” Doran interrupted, making his own horse stop beside the others. “We couldn’t have made it without any of them.”
“Your grace,” Melvan bowed slightly. “You can't expect any beast to carry around something that weighs as much as Magnus without taking care of the poor creature's feet.”
“Listen, you old man–” Magnus started.
“It’s like a cow riding a mouse,” Melvan exclaimed.
She couldn’t stop the giggle that came from her lips and it was much louder than she intended. As all of their heads turned towards her, Oberyn broke into a coughing fit that effectively hid her outburst. He waved them away as if to signal he was alright and when they turned back around he pinched her hip. She glared at him.
“Doran! Oberyn!”
They once again all turned collectively towards the ornate doors of the palace as a woman squealed and called their names. It was hard to miss the large smiles that both men suddenly wore as she ran down the incline.
She wore teal silks that rippled in the wind created by her movement. Her earrings jingled and the gold bangles on her wrists made her sound like a walking windchime. Her dark hair was pinned back with an ornate array of pearls held together with gold thread, and it still nearly fell to her waist. She had the bronze skin and dark eyes of the Princes but her smile was as breathtaking as the palace.
“You’re back early!” she squealed again as Doran dismounted and she threw her arms around his neck.
He grunted, but caught her around the waist as he hugged her tight enough to lift her off the ground. “We had a bit of good luck.”
“I mi–” She started to respond but wrinkled her nose instead and started to push against his shoulders in an effort to get back on the ground. “You smell awful, brother.”
“Do I?” he raised an eyebrow as she took a step back. “Well, in that case…”
He caught her around the waist and rubbed his greasy curls on her shoulder as she laughed and protested. Her small hands shoved at him as she tried to turn and reached to Oberyn for help. “Get off! Disgusting–Oberyn!”
The younger brother slid down from the saddle and held up a finger for her to wait a minute as he reached up and helped her off of the horse. It felt good to have her feet on solid ground. Even if it was filled with more unknowns, it felt good to be somewhere stationary, somewhere that hopefully had a bed or at the very least a couch.
The woman had managed to untangle herself from Doran and shoved him playfully as she hurried over to Oberyn and hugged him tightly around the neck.
“Oh, hey, hey,” he chuckled quietly as he put a large hand in her hair and angled her body away from his arm still in the makeshift sling.
“You’re hurt,” she pulled away just enough to look at him. “I knew something was wrong. I knew it. I told Aero but he wouldn’t listen–”
“We’ll talk about this later and you can give me an earful about how you’re always right. But first,” Oberyn turned her slightly and gestured to the other woman by the horse. “Mistress Lily Pike,” he nodded to the woman who had his arm around her shoulders. “Elia Martell–princess of Dorne.”
Her heart stopped–the woman from the painting.
“Your sister?”
“Hard to believe I know,” she said with mock sincerity. “Thank the gods I was blessed with mother’s good looks.”
“But none of her common sense,” Oberyn muttered and Elia elbowed him in the ribs hard enough to make him grunt out a puff of air.
“Where did you find this one, brother?” Elia jerked her head to the other woman and the Prince smiled.
“Doran found her,” he started to explain but stopped, a tightness settled in his mouth that she didn’t quite understand, but he shook it off quickly. “Insisted she come with us.”
“Well, you look like you’re in need of a hot bath and some food,” Elia nodded. “And most definitely ten minutes of peace from this sorry band of ruffians.”
“Honestly, if you could give me somewhere vaguely flat, I’d be ecstatic,” she laughed. “I’m tired of sleeping sitting up on a moving animal.”
“Oh, you poor thing,” Elia looked positively appalled as she took her hand and started to pull her away from the group. “Let’s get you cleaned up and fed…and some better clothes.” Elia eyed the dirty, torn sundress with curiosity.
“Thank you, sister.”
“Thank you, Elia.”
The brothers said almost in perfect unison behind them as the princess waved them off and kept walking. She stopped short when the new woman stopped walking and looked back over her shoulder. Elia gave her a quizzical look before following her gaze.
“What about him?” she asked, nodding to Oberyn. When Elia raised an eyebrow, she continued. “He’s hurt–more than he lets on.”
“I’m fine, Lady Pike,” Oberyn started to protest but she cut him off.
“He’s not fine,” she shook her head. “I bandaged his side but I didn’t have the right supplies. It could get infected–you know, with fever, and–and swelling?” She tried to explain in terms that were more common for the time but Elia looked like she understood.
The princess nodded before looking back to Oberyn with her hands on her hips. “You heard the lady–come along.”
Oberyn rolled his eyes and huffed loudly, but he followed.
–
Elia moved around the room as she collected the things that were needed. She seemed curious about Pike but not distrusting in the least. She listened, and nodded, and offered suggestions as the other woman tried to remember natural remedies from the botany class she took last year. Fuck, she should have taken better notes.
The room they were in now was off to the side of the kitchens on the first floor. It was a warm, bright room that had spices and dried plants and vegetables hanging from racks and shelves. Elia pulled a wooden stool over to the fireplace and shoved Oberyn down into it, standing on her tiptoes in order to do so.
An iron pot hung off of a hook over the flames once Elia had dumped water into it along with a handful of plants that she had first smelled and inspected.
“That’s the queen’s skirt flower,” Elia said as the other woman pulled down a white, spindly plant. “You can use that? I thought it was a weed.”
“Back home it’s called anise,” Pike explained, breaking off the heads and putting them in the pot. “This–biloba,” a fan shaped plant went in next, “And most importantly–garlic,” she added a few bulbs into the pot from the dry storage shelves.
“And they do what, exactly?”
“Clean the wound before you bandage it,” she explained as Oberyn watched her carefully.
The princess handed a spoon and she started to slowly stir the items into the water as it heated up. She cleared her throat and smoothed her teal skirts before sitting up on the table, hands clasped in her lap. “Where did you learn this?”
“I’m going to school to be a doct–a healer,” she corrected, remembering Oberyn’s earlier confusion.
“And where are you learning that? Where is home for you, Lady Pike?” Elia asked, tucking her hands under her thighs.
“Far away.” She focused intently on stirring the pot and not looking at the other woman.
“She’s from the kingdom of Massachusetts,” Oberyn enunciated the strange word very particularly and Elia raised a brow.
“I’ve never heard of that place,” the princess shook her head. “How ever did you wind up here?”
“I–” she bit her lip as her chest suddenly felt tight again. She couldn’t possibly explain the truth to them, but she didn’t have an alternate story. Her shoulders clenched and she could feel the sweat along her brow as she continued to avoid eye contact with the royals at her back. Suspicious didn’t even begin to cover her behavior, but she wasn’t sure what to do about it either.
“My sister loves to ask questions,” Oberyn came to her rescue. “She asks more questions than anyone I’ve ever met and it is dreadfully irritating. She also clearly cannot tell when someone is trying to concentrate.”
“If you weren’t injured, I’d shove you off that stool,” Elia boasted, sticking her tongue out at him as he chuckled.
“You’re distracting my nurse. How is she ever supposed to patch me up with you squawking in her ear?” Oberyn gestured to her and when she looked over her shoulder at him, he winked.
Bastard.
“I do not squawk!” Elia protested and it made the other woman smile. “Lady Pike, I’m going to go get some things together for you–I’ll be back. And if my brother isn’t in one piece when I return, I’ll assume it’s because he annoyed you and deserved it.”
“Thank you.” That made her laugh as she nodded her head in thanks. Before the princess left, she stopped stirring to look back at her. “Also, you can call me Lily, your…highness,” she hesitated, the title not normally part of her daily vocabulary.
“And you may call me Elia,” she returned the favor with a kind smile before leaving quietly. “I’ll be back soon.”
The room quieted around the two of them as the sound of her footsteps quietly echoed down the hallway. She felt Oberyn watching her with quiet interest as she pressed the spoon into the pot, crushing a few of the ingredients slightly. She picked up a few of the clean strips of cloth that Elia had provided, dropping them in the water using the spoon to gently submerge them.
Movement caught her gaze from the side as Oberyn used his good arm to remove his shirt. She tried not to stare at the broad lines of his tan chest, the sparse dusting of hair, and an impressive barrage of scars of various sizes and shapes telling stories of violence and reckless behavior.
Oberyn watched her carefully as she pulled the strips of cloth from the pot and wrung them out. She turned her own stool to face him as she started to undo the belt and shawl that had served as a sling for the last few days.
“Magnus will be glad to have his belt back,” Oberyn observed, making conversation as she peeled the old bandages away from his stab wound.
“I’m sure the rest of us will be glad he has it back, too,” she quipped and he chuckled.
“I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to see his bare ass.”
They shared a soft laugh and her fingers pressed gently on his side to angle him where she needed. He was pliant under her touch, only jumping slightly when she touched his upper ribs. She made a mental note that he was ticklish as she moved to clean the wound.
“Can you hold your arm up just a bit–there, perfect,” she nodded as she cleaned the dried blood, carefully avoiding the already forming scab. “It’s not infected. Does it hurt?”
“Shoulder? Yes. This?” he gestured to the stab wound and shook his head. “No. I’ve had worse.” He paused before adding, “Much worse.”
“I can see that.” She dropped the soiled pieces of cloth onto the floor as she grabbed new ones. “I’m sure you have good stories to tell.”
“Loads of them, princess.” He grinned as she lightly tied a longer strip of cloth around his waist to keep the dressing in place. “I’ll have to tell you sometime.”
She bit her lip to stay quiet and instead just nodded. She didn’t want to offend him, but she had no intention of being here long enough for that. She had to get back. Back to Boston. Back to Marcus. She had a life and did not belong in this place, let alone in this century.
He continued to watch her as she continued to work. His soft, brown eyes were equal parts comforting and unnerving–they reminded her so much of Marcus. She cleared her throat quietly and moved the pile of rags to the table. With the stab wound cleaned and covered, she moved back to the pot and stirred it slowly, careful not to slosh the contents.
Oberyn cleared his throat quietly and leaned forward on the stool.
“You know you don’t have to be afraid–you’re safe here.” His voice was gentle as she looked over her shoulder at him. “Especially when you’re with me.”
She bit her lip gently and nodded. “What about when I’m not with you?”
His face sombered slightly as he rolled the tension out of his shoulders. “Just remember you’re an outsider in a world on the brink of war–I don’t envy you for that, Mistress Pike.”
–
Her bare ass was on a table, rhythmically rocking back and forth with a soft thud against the wall as her knees clenched up around his torso. She felt protected. Safe and cherished as big hands pinned her hips in place and held her still. Slightly chapped lips dragged along her collarbone and up her neck before whispering in her ear.
“Princess.”
He had never called her that. Marcus typically stuck with the usual terms of endearment. Sweetheart. Babe. Doll. She whimpered softly and clutched him tighter. Her sex stretching to accommodate his girth as he pinned her with his thrusts.
“Open your eyes,” the voice whispered again as he nipped her ear lobe. “Look at me when I make you come.”
She did as she was told, her lashes fluttering as she raised her gaze expecting Marcus to be looking down at her. But it wasn’t.
Those dark brown eyes bore into her soul as her fingers gently cupped his face and ran along the black hair of his jaw. He kissed her lips like he intended on consuming her with teeth and tongue. She would go willingly into the vortex of his mouth. She wanted to be consumed. Swallowed and kept safe.
“Keep your eyes on me, Princess.”
She sat up straight in an avalanche of pillows and gasped. Her breathing was not ragged but her heart was trying to beat out of her chest as she looked around the unfamiliar bedroom. The events of the last week came crashing down on her as she realized this still wasn’t some crazy dream.
She had been dreaming of fucking one of the princes. It was a toss up on if it was Oberyn or Doran who had been railing her on the table but neither was acceptable.
Fuck.
After she had patched up Oberyn, Elia had taken her to her room. It was gorgeous. A room that one expected to find in a lavish palace. A room fit for royalty. She kept thinking the ridiculousness of it all would eventually wake her up from this bizarre dream and she would be back in Boston. But so far, it was all still very real.
The bed was massive, awaiting her with emerald blankets and a mountain of tasseled pillows, and she all but belly flopped into it before passing out from pure exhaustion. It hugged her comfortably, much more than the bedroll on the ground outside or the back of the horse had. Her aching limbs and joints sang an angel’s chorus each time she rolled over.
The bedroom opened to the outside, gossamer curtains blowing gently in the breeze gave the illusion of privacy as they beckoned out into an open wading pool surrounded by unlit sconces. The air blew the water in a gentle, rhythmic lapping against the stone of the steps as the early morning sun glittered off the surface. Was there not a single thing in this place that wasn’t heart wrenchingly gorgeous?
She lifted her arm slightly and sniffed. She definitely should have taken a bath before she went to bed last night but she didn’t have it in her. Now, it was unavoidable.
As if someone had prepared for her eventual train of thought–a small table had been placed at the entrance to the pool with everything she needed. Glass bottles filled with some type of rose oils, a bar of plain homemade soap, and a stack of lush towels.
Dipping her toes in the water told her it was a little chilly. The sun had yet to fully come up and warm it but it would have to do. It was either tepid water or spend another minute smelling like a horse–she chose the former.
“S-shit,” she gasped as she stepped off the stairs and fully submerged, shoving her hair out of her face and clutching her chest. Goosebumps went down both arms as her nipples pebbled from the drastic temperature change. It wasn’t exactly terrible but it wasn’t nearly as good as her own shower in her apartment.
“Cold?”
She squealed, trying desperately to blink the water droplets from her eyes as she spun around to find the voice that hadn’t been there a second ago. As soon as her vision cleared she saw a smirking Oberyn, staring down at her with his thumb hooked into his belt.
He wore what appeared to be leather riding pants, a loose white shirt was tucked haphazardly in his belt and open enough to reveal his chest. His injured arm was still in a sling but he looked much better than it had the night before–at least he was caring for it properly. Fuck, he was handsome. Handsome enough that it pissed her off.
“What are you doing in my room?” she glared at him, keeping her arms over her chest. The water was clear so she had no doubt he could see plenty, but the principle of the action made her feel better.
“It’s my palace.”
“You mean your brother’s palace?” she snapped and he chuckled.
“Same thing–we share well.”
She felt like there was an innuendo that went over her head and it made her frown. “Do you always sneak in on your guests?”
“Of course not, lady Pike. I knocked,” he turned slightly and gestured back towards the door. “But you didn’t answer. Considering trouble seems to follow you everywhere, I let myself in.” He paused and grinned again. “I was only concerned for your safety, princess.”
“Ha!” she rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Thank you.”
“Well, as you can see,” she swept her arm out around the pool. “I’m perfectly fine. Now, get out.”
He had sat down on the edge of the pool and leaned his upper body back against one arm as he continued to look at her. Nothing but arrogance and audacity.
“What are you doing?” she balked.
“Sitting,” he inspected his well trimmed nails like he was bored.
“While I bathe?” she asked. “In case you haven’t noticed–I’m naked. So, get o–”
“Trust me, I noticed.” He smirked without looking up and she had the overwhelming desire to slap him. “Besides, what if you start to drown?” he asked with a shrug.
“The water is barely five feet deep. I think I can manage.”
“Yes, but you’re very tired. You could fall asleep and sink under,” he offered.
“Get. Out.” She tried again.
“What if you need to wash the middle of your back and you can’t reach?”
“Oh, and you’re going to be the one to help me?” she bit back and he nodded. “You have some nerve–”
The door opened again and they both turned and looked at Elia entering the bed chamber. Was walking in someone’s bedroom whenever they wanted a fucking family trait? She sank lower into the water and grabbed the bar of soap from the ledge.
“Oberyn?” Elia asked as she approached. “What are you doing here?”
“We were just discussing that actually,” he offered up a big, innocent smile, and she suddenly wanted to drown herself.
“Knowing you,” Elia stomped over to him and grabbed him by the back of his shirt. “You were being a vouyer–how many times has that gotten you into trouble?” He started to respond as he allowed her to pull him to his feet, but she cut him off. “I’ll answer that. Too many, brother, too many!”
She was much smaller than he was but she turned him around and pressed both hands against his back and dipped her head, using her momentum to begin shoving him towards the door. He chuckled and looked over his shoulder at her and winked. He fucking winked.
“Doran wants to see you, Lady Pike,” he called over his sister’s head. “That was my actual reason for coming in.” That bastard.
“Yes, yes,” Elia nodded. “I am well aware of what our brother wants. I’ve got it from here.”
“Enjoy your bath!” he called.
“Out!” Elia huffed as she gave him one last shove through the threshold and shut the door hard. She smoothed her hands down her dress and flipped her long black hair over her shoulders, righting herself once again. “My apologies about him, my lady,” she said as she came back towards the pool.
“Is he always like that?” she asked, running the soap over her shoulders and sinking down to do the same to her aching feet.
“Since the day he was born,” she blew a puff of air up to ruffle her own bangs. “Trust me, I was there.” She moved to the other side of the room and pulled out a stack of clothing that she had hastily laid out last night and started going through the items. “I’ll help you get dressed and then you can go see Doran.”
“Okay,” she nodded, suddenly feeling small. “Am–am I in trouble of some kind?”
Elia paused as she turned around and held the items to her breasts and looked taken aback. “Gods, no. What would make you say that?” She shook her head and placed her choices on the table with the towels. “I’m sure he wants to check on you–you’re a guest of the house Martell. It’s his princely duty to make sure you’re doing alright.”
That made her chest feel less tight as she finished lathering up her body and rinsed. Elia made her way to her discarded pile of old clothes and started picking them up off the floor.
“I have a thousand and one questions of my own for you, but I’ll refrain from asking until you’re more settled in.”
“That’s fair,” she nodded.
“I do have one question, though,” Elia prompted as she turned around with her bra dangling from her finger. “What by the goddess is this? It looks dreadfully painful.”
–
Elia had helped her dress. She had listened intently as she made up a lie about where she had gotten her modern day bra and sundress. She was certain she would be found out but the princess just nodded with quiet fascination.
When the sun was high in the sky, Dorne grew hot. It was clear the land was an endless summer, a warm breeze in the sands, a tropical paradise that required light, airy clothing that she wasn’t entirely upset about. The soft fabric left her midriff exposed and when she tried to cover it up, Elia had gently pulled her arms down and told her she looked exquisite. Her arms were bare and the dress slit up both sides to allow for adequate movement and air flow.
The palace was massive. She had never seen a bigger building in her entire life and without a map she was certain she would get lost. Without a tour guide or flashing neon sign, she was destined to never find her room again.
Her stomach growled while getting dressed and Elia had taken her to the kitchens for a quick bite. Her nerves didn’t allow for much more than a piece of fruit and hunk of bread but it would suffice for now. She was disappointed to see the princess go after depositing her in a study-like room with Doran. But Elia gave her another reassuring smile and shut the door quietly.
“Lady Pike,” Doran smiled as he walked over to her and took her hand gently, kissing the back of her knuckles in greeting. “May I call you Lily?”
“That’s….fine,” she nodded, momentarily forgetting that her entire existence here was a lie down to her name.
“How are you?” He released her hand and guided her to the table, pulling out a chair for her before taking his own.
“Better now that I got a full night’s sleep not on the back of a horse,” she smiled, trying to offer pleasant conversation. She could do this. She could do this. Less was more. If she kept it simple, she could lie her way through a basic conversation.
“Yes, that makes all the difference,” he chuckled with a nod. “Is the room to your liking?” he asked.
‘Apart from your brother barging in on me naked’, she wanted to say, but she refrained. She was talking to a prince for christ’s sake. A fucking prince. She didn’t know the first thing about what she should or shouldn’t say to this man. She was a med student from Boston. She was just a girl.
“It’s stunning,” she nodded quickly before adding, “...your–er grace.”
“Please call me Doran,” he insisted and she nodded again, putting her hands in her lap. He grabbed two small cups and a glass bottle. “Wine?”
“It's morning?” she blurted without thinking and when he gave her a small grin she couldn’t help but return it. “Sure, why not?”
“Dornish wine is the best wine in the seven kingdoms,” he offered as he poured them both a small amount. “But I’m biased.”
She took a small sip, his casual and kind demeanor made some of the tension leave her shoulders. Fuck. That was good. She took another drink, slowly looking around at the shelves of books and trinkets, scrolls and a table covered in old maps and tiny statues. This had to be his personal space. She wasn’t sure what she expected but it was more cluttered than she thought it would be. Where was his throne? His crown? Did he even have one? She was letting her mind wander to every period piece of media she had ever consumed. She was certain not all of it was based in fact.
The balcony opened up to a glorious view of the city and the waves of the ocean could be heard crashing against the rocks in the distance. This place was by every definition of the word and paradise and if she wasn’t so completely out of her element, she would have enjoyed being here.
“I–uh,” she swallowed thickly and put her cup down. “Doran?”
“Yes?”
“I’ll need to travel back to the Red Mountains as soon as possible.” She tried to sound confident, but she was anything but. Even if she made it to the place she had fallen through time, it was still a mystery as to how she was supposed to get back.
“Is that how you plan on traveling back to your home?” he asked, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “To Massachusetts?” When she nodded he frowned. “I’ve been doing my research, Lady Pike, and I have no record of such a place ever existing.”
“You looked into me?”
“Is it not my duty as Prince of Dorne?”
“Well,” she swallowed hard as she folded her hands in her lap and tried to appear calm. “What did you find?”
“Nothing.” He leaned his hand on the desk and gave her a stern look. “Nothing about your late husband either. Or his house. Or which of the families he served.”
“I can assure you–” she tried and he held up his hand and shook his head.
“Think very carefully before you continue to lie to me.”
Her stomach dropped as Doran’s tone became serious. She had never heard him speak in such a way and it made her want to puke. They held eye contact for a moment, his amber gaze burning into her own in such a way that she felt a bead of sweat run down the nape of her neck from her hairline.
“I’m not lying.” She hated how meek her voice sounded.
“Perhaps not,” he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “But you’re not being truthful either.”
“What do you want me to do?” she asked and he sighed.
“I understand you are in an unfamiliar place and want to have your secrets,” he continued. “But I do wish to know how, a lady such as yourself, came to be wandering about in the woods, dressed in nothing but her shift?”
She bit her lip gently and tried to formulate her next words carefully. It was probably best to stick to the truth as much as possible but even she was having a hard time grappling with it. How could she possibly expect him to believe her?
“I’m,” she sat up straighter. “A widow.” That was technically true–Marcus wasn’t born and therefore not alive.
“Oberyn said as much. My apologies.”
“I was traveling with a servant,” she hesitated, trying not to make it sound like a question. “When we were robbed.”
“Robbed? How awful.”
“Yes, robbed,” she nodded and the paranoid part of her brain swore she saw the prince start to grin before clearing his throat. “I managed to escape the bandits, I was forced to abandon my horse and my stuff–I ran across that horrible man in the woods–”
“Rhaegar?”
“Yeah–him.”
“Rhaegar Targaryen.”
“You say that like that’s supposed to mean something to me?” she quipped before she could stop herself and he chuckled.
“The Targaryen’s are the ruling family of the seven kingdoms–”
“I don’t care who he is,” she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. “He tried to rape me.”
“And for that I’m very sorry, but he is a knight–”
“What does that have to do with anything? You saw him. You stopped him with his hand up my dress! You saved me!” She could feel her voice getting higher and she hated the tears of frustration that had started to burn behind her eyes.
“I beg your forgiveness, my lady. An unfortunate turn of phrase on my part.” He stood slightly and moved his chair closer to her and lowered his voice. “I need you to understand something.”
“What’s that?” She kept her arms close to her body, closing herself off from him as much as she could. In the short time she knew him, she was certain that Doran was one of the very few people who didn’t mean her any harm.
“You have managed to cross paths with one of the most powerful men in the new world,” he said quietly and she felt like she was going to be sick again. “But he has no power here. Dorne has managed to maintain its freedom from the dragons at our door–you are safe here.”
His words were similar to what Oberyn had told her the night before. Why were they both so concerned with her safety? Just who had she encountered in the woods? This larger than life man who made princes walk on eggshells–
“I just want to go home,” she said quietly, looking at the floor and shutting her eyes.
“I’ll try my best to make that happen,” Doran nodded, leaning back in his seat and taking a large drink of wine. “I’ll have my brother escort you personally. He is due to check in with the Yornwoods Saturday next and would be happy to have you.”
“Saturday next? Which is how long?” She had no idea what day it even was. Fuck. This just kept getting worse.
“In five days.”
“Five days?” she asked with surprise. “What am I supposed to do for five days?”
“That is the soonest anyone can escort you.” He stood up and walked behind the desk, resting his back by putting his hands on the surface. “Until then, the palace and the city are humbly yours.”
“That’s very nice of you,” she stood up as well, feeling as if she was about to be dismissed. When Doran remained silent, she started to move towards the door but his words stopped her.
“Maybe one day soon, you’ll trust me with your secrets, Lady Pike,” he looked down and poured himself another glass of wine.
“I doubt that.”
Her unabashed tone made him grin.
“There is a formal dinner tomorrow evening in the main hall–I’d like you there as my guest. One of my siblings will collect you when it’s time.”
It wasn’t a question. It was an order phrased like an invitation. With a nod, she quickly left before she could open her mouth and get herself into more trouble than she already was.
--
A/N: I am not doing taglists for this story--they are more trouble than they are worth at this point with very little pay off. I apologize for that. If you enjoy it, let me know!
#oberyn martell#oberyn martell x reader#marcus pike x reader#doran martell x reader#game of thrones#got fic#tsu#marcus pike
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tagged by @ranilla-bean for the 20 questions meme!
1. how many works do you have on ao3? 35
2. what’s your total ao3 word count? 466,309. Hey, that's not too shabby!
3. what fandoms do you write for? Currently NONE. previously: dragon age, tsubasa chronicle, supernatural, fullmetal alchemist, legend of zelda...
4. what are your top 5 fics by kudos?
Your Princess is in Another Castle ("Dragons kidnap princesses, everyone knows this… except sometimes, they get it wrong. Or do they? A story about mistakes, misunderstandings, and flower crowns. Also Kurogane's non-stop never-ending suck of a life, and the idiot that causes all that chaos to begin with.")
For Better or for Worse ("A 'five things' fic, featuring five different times Hawke proposed to Anders.")
The Centre of All Things ("Hawke gave Anders a ring, after their first night together, and never quite told him what it meant. As Kirkwall begins to crumble around them, Anders struggles to strike a balance between love and the needs of the mages.")
Adjustment ("A year after the end of Act 2, Anders comes home late, and Hawke missed him.")
Bound ("Anders receives many gifts from Aggressive!Hawke across the years. He's charmed by most of them, surprised by others.")
most of my fics predate ao3 and while i backloaded the TRC ones on, I can't be bothered doing the same for the FMA fic i wrote 20 years ago. and the SPN stuff, uh, well, AO3 kind of did it for me! i woke up one day and an old archive i forgot my fic was on had been ported to the archive, all my spn fics helpfully attached to my account in the process. when i tell you i orphaned them at something like the speed of light -
5. do you respond to comments? Um.... I MEAN to, but.... i'm not great at remembering...? i really cherish every one i receive and i KNOW it's bad of me, i can only offer apologies.
6. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? i literally just write happy endings i can't answer this
7. what is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? how are defining happy??? look mikke takes the piss out of me ALL THE TIME for my definition of fluff, ever since i entered a fluff vs angst competition on the side of team fluff with a story in which one half of the otp was tortured and murdered (he got better)! *i* define a happy ending as one in which, during the course of the story, a character grows and develops. by that metric, an ending where the character loses everything and everyone they love but gains a mindset enabling them to find peace with the loss is a happy ending, TO ME. a sad ending, by contrast, is one in the character does not grow or change, and stays in the same state (or worse!) than they started the story.
so with that in mind, probably through a forest wilderness. people die! anders and hawke are rejected as monstrous by the people they tried to save! but they gained one (1) feral orphan and solved their relationship issues, d'awwww. <3
8. do you get hate on fics? nope
9. do you write smut? if so, what kind? yes, but not in EVERY story. i find smut to require a lot of effort to write! there's complex choreography and emotions to handle... the only thing harder (HEHEHE) is fight scenes for the exact same reason
10. do you write crossovers? what’s the craziest one you’ve written? i'm not interested in crossovers (blorbos from series a meet blorbos from series b) but i love a good fusion fic, where blorbos from series a have always lived in the world of series b. craziest... probs the trc/wow fusion fic i wrote for an audience of three people? idk i've written a lot! i dreamed of a zukka howl's moving castle fusion a few days ago (probably inspired by chiptrillino's gorgeous illustrations she's been sharing recently) so that was pretty fun, as someone who very, very rarely remembers my dreams.
11. have you ever had a fic stolen? nope!
12. have you ever had a fic translated? yeah, to russian!
13. have you ever co-written a fic before? yeah, @mikkeneko and i wrote a whole SPACE OPERA. well. half of one, i guess (oops).
14. what’s your all-time favourite ship? whatever i'm shipping at the moment
15. what’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? i plead the fifth
16. what are your writing strengths? EMOTIONS. also i think i write humour well?
17. what are your writing weaknesses? starting, continuing and finishing. /sob
18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? even if you're fluent in that language, it alienates more people than it impresses, i think. i love using other languages as an easter egg (like rana has a character named with a cantonese pun in the iconoclast) but whole dialogue is like... very hard to pull off, and outright mortifying if you don't actually speak the language and just google translate it.
19. first fandom you wrote for? the legend of zelda! my irl friends and i (aged 13) had a massive shared self-insert 'verse going on. my first steps into fandom PROPER tho was with fullmetal alchemist.
20. favourite fic you’ve written? this is a complex question because how do you define favourite? swift illuminations was probably the most fun to write (anders vs hawke arm wrestling) and i always enjoy getting to write comedy - your princess is in another castle has my favourite lines i've ever written, for example:
"Can I go?" Yuui asked Ashura. Despairing it was, then. At least he wasn't naked. It was a low bar to meet in terms of presentation, but so far two of the six people in this room weren't making it.
these skies are breaking i've always been fond of because it's 35k and i wrote it in two days but the plot is uhhhhhh. missing. ash on the windowsill same sitch, 50k in 36 hours and my first completed multi-chapter fic but i wince at how clumsy it is when i reread it. i'm proud of a lot of my later dragon age fics because they contain better exploration of ideas and characterisation, so... idk. toss up!
but in terms of stuff i'm most satisfied with, probs 'how to love a god' this short character exploration piece i wrote for the anderszine. first time writing second person and because of the zine space limit i had a hard maximum word count too so i agonized over every word choice. i don't really edit my own stuff - i post it pretty much hot off the hoop - but i did actually enjoy doing it that time.
uhhhh so that's me. but i'm tagging.... anyone who wants to do this!
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Let's meet my favorite kdrama cursed prince - Muhyul as portrayed by Song Il Gook in The Kingdom of the Winds
Or more specifically, this very long-ass post is my attempt to convince people to watch this ridiculously underrated 2008 sageuk.
Why? Is it politics? Complicated families, cursed destinies, battles, or more hurt/comfort than you can want? Nope, none of these. I have my priorities straight and it's official. Muhyul/Yeon is one of my favorite period OTPs.
Take one Cursed Prince (who does not know he is one, and is brought up as a slave), add in one capable Enemy Princess who saves his life, add in ninjas (yes I know ninjas are Japanese but I have no idea what the Korean equivalent term is and I am too lazy to type in secret assassins every time), poisonings, intrigues, and a lot of hurt/comfort and we are set!
Once upon a time, there lived a man named Muhyul. He was only a slave but what he did not know was that he was actually a Prince who was given away by his family at birth because he was cursed to kill his whole family, people he loved, and to top it off, to destroy his country. Despite it all, he was still super-hot.
In the enemy nation of Buyeo, there lived a Princess named Yeon, who was ladylike, kind, a skilled healer....also a deadly ninja.
Point 1: Heal captured slaves from torture. One day they might be the Crown Prince.
Muhyul first sees Yeon after he has been horrendously tortured by Buyeo troops. He opens his eyes to see a heavenly vision quite competently stitching him up, so to speak. It is love at first sight for Muhyul. And who could blame him. He knows that with the director's troubling penchant for h/c, he will need a hottie healer around.
Point 2: "Heal a hottie and he is yours for life"
Muhyul spends some free time drawing her portrait. Without knowing who she is or if he will see her again. If the whole slave/assassin/king thing doesn't work out, he can always make money as an artist.
Point 3: "It's not stalking when he's hot!"
Muhyul is on an undercover mission in the enemy country but he forgets everything when he sees Yeon walking by (btw, he assumes she is just a commoner doctor). I love how he sort of stops thinking of anything else at all.
And then he thinks of her at night...
And lo and behond, their paths cross again when she heals a slave in the house he is staying in.
And he introduces himself to her and she is totally mesmerized. Who can blame her, it's freaking Song Il Gook!
And "rescues" her from evil Byueo soldiers. Only, oooops, they were sent by her family as escort and she is piiiiiiiiissed!
"Why did she slap me, whyyyyyy?"
Still, be happy, boy! Despite it all, she bailed you out of jail for assaulting the Royal Guards :)
Awwww, Muhyul doesn't want to leave...
Point 4: You know what makes anything better? Torture and homicidal angst
Did I mention the part where Yeon's Dad runs an Evil Assassin camp where they experiment on slaves with poisons and torture them? You see where this is going? If you do, then you have the mindset of both the writer of this drama and myself.
Muhyul gets captured by them (after losing the only person he ever regarded as family, but that would drag us into plot and this post is about the shippy):
And tortured for a solid year. If he ever marries Yeon, that might make for an awkward family Thanksgiving. "So, how are you, son?" "Well, I almost regained the use of my arms!"
Anyway, Yeon is visiting Daddy and sees some slave being taken out, after they have tried poisons on him. It's Muhyul, so it's Yeon to the rescue! Man, no wonder he loves her - it's self-preservation on his part!
(this shot here is for troubling reasons)
And then Muhyul is drafted by evil assassins (long plotty reason) with the only alternative more torture. The training is psychotic and gets Muhyul near-broken utterly but as a side benefit, makes him even more hot. If now mildly psychotic. As you can probably figure out by the end of the drama he's so hot he's a supernova
Also, as I posted earlier, gorgeous armored men on their knees looking up at their OTP who is teaching them foreign language (because Yeon is an Evil Assassin trainer for daddy) and thinking of the fact that they are a slave and she is a Princess (which is something he found out only in the ninja camp) is pretty high on the list of my favorite things.
Plus, Yeon takes him out for fresh air and exercise that doesn't involve being hung upside down and being ordered to off oneself. Score! She even makes him smile.
This is hitting the cap limit for continuing in part 2 shortly...
ETA: part 2 here:
(99+) Musings of the Obsessive Kind on Tumblr
And part 3:
(99+) Musings of the Obsessive Kind on Tumblr
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Sandy from Grease for the character ask
It's been many years since I last saw Grease and I'm not sure how well I remember it, but here goes.
Favorite thing about them: She's a likable every-girl, who navigates the difficulties of teenage romance and friendships in a relatable way. She sings great music too.
Least favorite thing about them: Well, her ending is rightfully controversial, both for the fact that she goes back to Danny after he repeatedly treated her shabbily, and for her transformation into a greaser chick. I don't think it's an inherently bad ending (see "Unpopular opinion" below), but it's not unproblematic either.
Three things I have in common with them:
*I was innocent and never a "cool kid" in school.
*I usually seem sweet, but I can have an edge too.
*I was nervous when I got my ears pierced. (Fortunately, I had it done professionally, not by a teenage friend, and I didn't throw up.)
Three things I don't have in common with them:
*I wasn't born yet in the 1950s.
*I've never had a relationship with a "bad boy."
*I've never worn a skin-tight black outfit in public.
Favorite line: Probably the lyrics to her final love duet with Danny, either "All Choked Up" from the stage version or the more iconic "You're the One That I Want" from the movie.
brOTP: All the Pink Ladies by the end, but especially Frenchy.
OTP: Danny.
nOTP: Any adult.
Random headcanon: Her verses in "Summer Nights" stretch the truth, just like Danny's do. While her version of how they met is the real one, as opposed to Danny's contrived story of saving her from drowning, their romance at the beach was less chaste and innocent than she paints it. He was sweeter and she was naughtier than either one lets themself be in their everyday life.
Unpopular opinion: Her transformation in the end isn't inherently anti-feminist – it can be viewed as just the opposite – or a case of succumbing to peer pressure. I've read a few analyses online that make a convincing defense for it. The key is to remember how conservative, conformist, and stifling 1950s culture was. Sandy's good-girl persona is exactly how girls were "supposed" to be according to that culture. She might be a misfit among Danny and Rizzo's gangs, but she's the one who fits into society in general. Arguably, she isn't just being herself, but following the rules she's been taught by her parents and society, and in the end she realizes she's not happy this way. Meanwhile, Danny and his friends might be the school's "cool kids" one one level, but at the same time, they're the "bad kids" – from the wrong side of the tracks, almost all Italian or Polish (ethnic groups that weren't fully privileged as "white" back in the '50s), and in short, the ones who don't fit in. By loosening up and embracing her inner bad girl, Sandy arguably isn't denying her true self to fit in with the cool kids and get her man, but finally discovering her true self, rejecting conformity, and coming into her own power. Now, maybe it's not well-written enough for this to come across. And I'm not saying it's unproblematic. The show was written by men, and there is an element of male fantasy in it as Sandy becomes Danny's sexy dream girl. Still, just listen to the lyrics of both "All Choked Up" (Sandy and Danny's original final duet) and "You're the One That I Want" (which replaced it in the movie and later stage revivals), and try to deny that they empower Sandy! She makes it clear that even though she's joining Danny's world, she's not going to put up with any more disrespect. "You better shape up" she tells him in "You're the One That I Want," and he echoes it with "I better shape up"; and in "All Choked Up" she literally makes him beg her to take him back, and still insists that he "take it slow" and not expect her to sleep with him right away. So she doesn't abandon her morals either.
Song I associate with them:
There are quite a few of these, some exclusive to the stage version, others sung in the movie.
"Summer Nights"
youtube
"Hopelessly Devoted to You"
youtube
"It's Raining on Prom Night"
youtube
"All Choked Up"
youtube
"You're the One That I Want"
youtube
Favorite picture of them:
Olivia Newton-John in the movie.
This rare picture of Carole Demas in the original Broadway production, 1972.
A 20-year-old, pre-stardom Sutton Foster in the 1995 US tour:
Laura Osnes in the 2009 Broadway revival:
Julianne Hough in 2016's Grease Live!:
#character ask#grease#sandy olsson#sandy dumbrowski#musical theatre#ask game#fictional characters#fictional character ask
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Lighter and Princess ep 3
Ah, this is where reality finally gives us a wave and departs completely. Young ML the super genius master-hacker freshman that builds an extra special genius virus in like 30 minutes while the FL watches, interfering with school property, and the entire IT department and then his professor marvel at his brilliance, not at all threatened or irritated or threatening disciplinary action. And we were doing so well.
Gotta say, I think FL isn't entirely wrong when labelling ML a poser. He's authentically not socialable and contrary, but he's trying it on a bit too hard like kids do PLUS he obviously isn't as disinterested in her as he's trying to front. She's a very pretty girl and he could simply ignore her. But he takes multiple actions to get her notice, after that 1st fateful cafetaria mistake.
Gao's fixation on ML seems suspicious and creepy but tbh that might be just my bias since I know in the future/present he's sketchy.
Episode 4
yeaaaaah he's so into her. Oh you're way too cool and counter culture to be interested in pretty girls. Everyone believes you.
I love how fried his hair looks. That's really the look of a university kid who just bleached his hair in the bathroom. And the long sleeves striped shirt under the black tshirt 👌. Kudos to the stylist.
Zhu Yun the FL and these over achiever students starting to get on my nerves now. I'm not even distracted by FL's luminous beauty because I'm buying into her student persona too well and it's not my type.
ML flipping the script and pretending (?) to hit on her at the school assembly whatever was pretty ballsy of him. Sometimes he tries so hard to be 'different' that he's actually not much more original than these other kids (just mimicking a different role) and it's endearing but a lil dorky to my 40-something self. But other times he's actually got the spirit and I'm feeling his sullen & mischevious magnetism. The type of kid I would have hung out with at that age.
lolololol pretending so hard not to care but if she had gone for it you know he would have dated her.
The invest in the band girl scene from the flashbacks! Kinda exciting to fit a piece together. Don't really know what their connection is, maybe I missed it. but nice to see him relaxed and smiling without putting on an act for once. idk maybe there really isn't a backstory. I tended to know a lot of the other counterculture people in my district, at least enough to say hi to. why not?
Episode 5
I'm so done with the past RETURN ME TO HOT GRADUATE FL 😭😭😭😭😭
I did like the lil scene with Future Villain Gao and FL where she really rejects Gao's reasoning of quitting to save face and not get humiliated. Being like, nah that's fine if we're the only 2 people and no one else wants to join us. See, that's actually dgaf i do what i want energy and you can see why she is ML's type. Oddly reminiscent of the Thousand Autumns otp - demonic sect leader realizes that the uber good, incorruptible cultivator is actually just as unbending and iconoclastic as he is... It's just that they are standing for different things.
dear asian drama writers, we truly madly deeply do NOT require female extras to dramatically fawn over a male character to indicate they are desirable. Just write them that way!! This shit is too ridiculous and knocks me out of the story.
tbh Gao may be Potentially Evil but ML Li Xun is insufferable when he starts pontificating about what a special programmer snowflake he is.
lmao I wonder if any instinctive part of him feels uneasy that he's the one in the crowd. She's comparatively going against the grain.
but kids, you obviously like each other. making all these excuses to hang out all night together smh. Just give it up and kiss.
THE PIG KEY MOMENTO from the future. another piece slots in!
I see, so mom makes every decision for FL. That's why she's so stubbornly rebellious against ML's percieved takeover of their class. She's instinctively rebelling against his leadership. She's reacting against him acting as the authority on comp sci and dicating the 'right' way to learn and be a programmer -- become she can't rebel against her mother.
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I understand that you appreciated enough things about Love & Thunder (as in Jane's scenes, Thorjane, etc) to consider it canon, but what are your thoughts on the Thor2 deleted break up? I can't help but prefer them breaking up because of the long distance, or Jane being so overwhelmed that she "couldn't imagine a life with him" after everything, than what we got in canon. Maybe my opinion would change if I watched the movie, not sure, but I'm interested in your take on it.
*takes a deep breath* Buckle up.
1. I appreciate you saying whether I'd consider anything canon or not. Buddy, my acceptance is irrelevant. Anything Marvel puts out IS canon, regardless of how we feel about it. That's the whole entire reason I can't let this shit go. Because he's CANONICALLY drilled into the ground by Marvel with nowhere to go. And it depresses me.
2. I hate both break-up scenes because I simply don't want my OTP separated. Period. But if I have to validate any one, I'd go with Thor4 because at least its idea was understandable, the issue was its failed execution. The Thor2 breakup makes no sense and regresses their characters. The two reasons you present that the movie presents:
a) Breaking up because of long distance is such a bastardization of their magical relationship that transcends realms that I just cannot. He's not a coworker or a one-night stand she tried to have a relationship with and decided it wasn't working out. He's the Prince of the paradise in the clouds that's advanced to her realm by a millennium. He's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as far as boyfriends go lol. And his mother died to protect her. Why? Because she had all but accepted her as her daughter-in-law.
You don't just break up with THAT because of long distance, that's unbelievably simplistic.
b) Jane being overwhelmed that she "couldn't imagine a life with him" is also against her character because she is such a zero self-preservation inquisitive soul that was so fascinated by Asgard's advanced technology, she would be at home on Asgard. She would want to be with him and explore his magical world she's studied about her whole life.
And ok, she was so overwhelmed that she would dump him. For what? To return to her boring 9 to 5 life and do theories of the phenomenons she could do practicals of on Asgard. That makes no sense with Jane's character.
Or she was so scared by the challenges of a life with him (even tho she was ready to die saving him a scene ago) that she just quit? That's not the Jane I know either. She takes challenges head-on and is not a quitter.
The ONLY reason she would break up with him is for him - like I said in my theory that Odin made her do it.
3. Even from a story-telling perspective, it was a terrible choice because it resets every character to their factory settings, rendering the development of Thor1 and 2 completely pointless. Jane becomes a meaningless person forgotten going forward. Thor and Odin are chilling in Asgard with nothing to do and Loki and Frigga are dead with their sacrifices for Thor and Jane amounting to a big fat 0. Why dedicate two whole movies to their romance only to break up because of freakin long distance?
You can't have the event of Ragnarok with Thor in Asgard. You can't have him on Midgard for Avengers movies. What is the point of this then?
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Not to elongate an already long answer, but I always thought the plan was to make her the Queen of Asgard, the perfect foil for King Thor. Her love and quest for knowledge + kindness to help shirtless strangers combined with Thor's sense of justice and protection of his people would make them the PERFECT rulers. Do you know what I'd give for this to be Thor's final ending in the MCU?
Like, I thought she was written to be so fascinated with the stars beyond because that where she belongs. That's where she'll rule. That if anyone from Midgard in the MCU was meant to leave it and stay on Asgard their whole life, it's Jane because she's so far ahead of her time.
But I was Boo Boo the Fool. Her entire purpose in life was to die for him. Because Marvel's all about feminism.
#answers#anonymous#thor#thor odinson#jane foster#thor x jane#deleted scene#thor the dark world#thor love and thunder
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oh ur tags about how ppl deal with steve being a little slutty lol i see it sooo muchhh like they love it when he has wild freaky sex but only when it’s with one person like pls relax about casual sex pls! the energy given towards casual sex reminds me so much of what my old religion teacher used to say about it which essentially boils down to every sexual partner takes half ur soul like some sort of weird horcrux situation. and like there’s always this energy of a one true love “saving” steve from the horrors of casual sex. like he’s having fun sucking and fucking he’s fine lol maybe they need to do some soup searching tho
IT REALLY IS like I think if you are genuinely trying to explore different options for his sexuality (specially him being gay or on the ace spectrum) it’s one thing, but like, the amount of fics that act like all the rumors are a lie for no discernable reason
idk maybe its a way to like purify steve somehow? The same way fics go out of their way to talk about how sweet and kind and helpful steve was before big mean tommy and carol came and forced him to start being a huge bully!! I mentioned this in your tags but i’ve legit seen more than one fic where he loses his virginity to nancy that night in s1 and im just like??? Whats the point of this what does this do for the character lol. People hate on stancy bc of how it ended but his relationship with her was significant to his character growth for more reasons than the Jonathan fight, and him having his first like actually serious relationship after a bunch of not serious ones i feel like is a big thing?
Then the other half is them doing the thing where they want to make sex with your “soulmate” or something the most important sex you will ever have!! And the best sex you will ever have the first time you ever have sex with that person!! (which is a whole other issue - it’s okay to have embarrassing or just mid sex with your partner esp for the first time it doesn’t need to be perfect and amazing the first time) like casual sex and intimate relationship sex are different things often but that doesn’t mean one is automatically bad….
YOURE SO RIGHT ABOUT THE RELIGION TEACHER THING THO like it feels very purity culture-esque the way people talk about it. Its okay for steve to have sex and like having sex! I get that he makes a comment about wanting a lasting relationship which is fine but he doesn’t need to actually be “saved” in anyway from fucking around he can choose to stop doing that himself anytime he wants and he doesn’t! Bc casual sex is fun and is obviously something he enjoys it just isn’t filling all of his emotional needs which is also fine!!
But yeah I really wish fandom realized how much they CONSTANTLY sound like they are repeating or perpetuating purity culture. Fandom will have Steve fall in love in 2 days to the point he will abandon his friends/found family for them but god forbid he casually gets his dick wet outside of their otp and actually enjoys it
#fandom wank#sorry this is long and then i got distarcted at work so forgot to click post lmaoooo#stregoniconiconii#asks#steve#st meta#just UGH#they do this with like any slutty character that isnt jackharkness i swear lol#the virgin before nancy thing esp blows my mind esp bc its half the time not even in a stancy ot stancy adjacent fic its just weird
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by SamandDean76
Psst! Want some Sabriel? Look no further!
The Viking And The Hermit God | Mature | 15,297 words (Viking AU) | OTP
The modern-day author Sam Winchester is giving an in-depth presentation about his latest book to a group of college students. The audience could never even begin to suspect the truth behind the knowledge that he possesses. How he was personally given a bad map by Loki, the Trickster demi-god, that led to Loki's great-grandfather, Buri. But what Sam discovered was that Buri wasn't what he appeared to be. That he was the Archangel Gabriel and that he had created an entire pantheon of demi-gods in his spare time, as he whiled away the countless millennia, while he hid from his real family. The question now was, would Gabriel risk it all to save the love of his eternal life?
Letting Fate Decide | Mature | 14,612 words (A/B/O AU) | Half Sabriel & Half Destiel
Castiel is a new Omega in the big city. He meets the Alpha for him in the form of a fry-cook named Dean Winchester. But a military commander pulls Dean in for a mission and as Castiel waits he is taken by Lucifer to be added to one of his many Omega brothels. There he meets an Omega named Gabriel who helps him to survive. Little does he know that Gabriel is longing to be reunited with his one true Alpha, Sam Winchester.
Do You Take This Archangel | Explicit | 1,802 words | Established Relationship
Sam and Gabriel have finally gotten hitched. Now Sam just has to keep his new husband happy on their wedding night. Gabriel has ideas on just how Sam can accomplish such a task...
To Love, Honor, & Cherish | Explicit | 3,745 words | (A/B/O AU) | Sabriel but also Sam/Gabriel/Castiel
Alpha Sam Winchester is a top Omega Retrieval Specialist. He is handed the file on a bonded pair of runaway Omega's. But when he finally tracks down Gabriel and Castiel, the information in the file and the reality of the situation are wildly different. Now Sam has to figure out if he can rescue the two Omega's before it's too late.
His Perfectly Good Boy | Explicit | 1,417 words |Established Relationship
Gabriel loves it when Sam takes care of his wings. He also enjoys praising Sam for all of his many efforts. Sam loves it when Gabriel repays the favor, and lets him know what a good boy he has been.
One Night Angel | Explicit | 931 words
Gabriel is looking for a little action. Enter Sam Winchester. Gabriel's night is looking up!
Or
What Gabriel wanted, um no. What Gabriel needed, no, not quite. What Gabriel fucking REQUIRED, was a good solid dicking every now and then.
How To Accidentally Create Soulmates | General | 1,980 words (Just Fun AU)
Gabriel was given a brand-new and very important responsibility by Chuck. To oversee the soul nurseries in heaven. Well, Gabriel delegated this boring task to Castiel.
I mean, what's the worst that could happen?
And so much more is on the way!
#Sabriel#Sam/Gabriel#Gabriel/Sam#Viking AU#OTP#A/B/O AU#Established Relationship#Just Fun AU#Alpha Sam#Omega Gabriel#Human Sam Winchester#Archangel Gabriel#SPN#Supernatural#Ao3 FanFic#Archive Of Our Own
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Hate to say this but tarlos fiancés era is so disappointing. It lacks the intimacy, there's not a single hug, the kisses are so fish like, they act like strangers on calls, we didn't even get to see carlos in hospital and tk's reaction to carlos dying was so emotionless. I just find their relationship in this season to be super underwhelming and that's so unfortunate because tarlos is my favorite otp of all time.
i'm sorry that you're feeling underwhelmed anon, but i guess i just don't see this? i mean, this wouldn't have been my preferred storyline, but we went into the season knowing the arc from 1-4 would have them in the limelight, and it likely wouldn't be pure happiness for them. and despite the shock and angst that came about....we got so much? so much more than we even had at this point in season three? we got tk talking about wedding venues at work, tk bringing up the wedding in a moment that had nothing to do with it because he's so excited, we got tk "heart eyes" strand in the first episode, we got the shock of the secret reveal but also them just grinning and cupping faces over possibly getting their dream venue in eight weeks, we got countless moments of them talking about each other to other people ("he's the one" "literally my heart" "[we're a match] in every way that matters"). literally the entirety of episode two—to me—counteracts your point about intimacy: hand holding! bicep grab! calf touch! carlos holding tk's wrist! carlos seeing how upset tk is and moving his legs to sit next to him, to basically crowd him into the corner of the couch so they could talk! the chin touch! carlos admitting to tk he felt like a project that needed to be fixed until he met tk! "shut up"! "you're my hot mess" "i hate you" "oh yeah?"! the lingering kiss that would've likely gone further if not for the phone call! and then just this past week, we got them about to have an intimate, date night at home? one that adapted to include owen in a little family dinner starting on wedding planning?
i'd also have to argue against tk's emotionless reaction to carlos dying....the whole episode we see him slowly unravelling. we see him trying to stay strong even though he knows something is wrong when he's at work. we see him desperate. we see him turning to carlos' parents. we see him on the verge of a full-on mental breakdown in that abandoned house. we see him put together the clues. and when it comes to performing cpr, he keeps himself together so that he actually can properly save carlos' life. he's barely breathing as they wait for the narcan to work, his eyes shining. you can practically feel the relief when carlos wakes up, from gabriel and tk alike.
i also think we have to remember we're just about to hit episode seven of eighteen, and wedding planning is about to be in full swing. i'm happily surprised by what we've gotten so far, and i can only be optimistic going forward because their fiancé era is likely going to last until a late season/finale wedding, and i'm sure we have good things coming.
#answered#anonymous#idk maybe it isn't just the pure blissed-out passionate engagement period we dreamed of but there's so much there and there's more coming
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