So, in the post about Elizabeth accepting Wickham's tale, I mentioned Elizabeth's remarkable degree of confidence in her judgment of others.
Elizabeth will listen to Charlotte outline her entire unsentimental philosophy of marriage and say, "You know it is not sound, and that you would never act in this way yourself."
Or she'll listen to Bingley talking about how he's not planning on leaving Netherfield, but if he did, it would be very sudden because he makes all his decisions suddenly. They haven't known each other long at that point, but she responds, "That is exactly what I should have supposed of you" and adds, "I understand you perfectly."
Several weeks later, Charlotte has carried out her philosophy in her engagement to Mr Collins, and Bingley has abruptly left Netherfield.
Elizabeth:
But! Elizabeth and Darcy both say and think these kinds of overconfident things with zero self-consciousness.
Like, here's Darcy:
"But it has been the study of my life to avoid those weaknesses which often expose a strong understanding to ridicule."
"Such as vanity and pride."
"Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride—where there is a real superiority of mind—pride will be always under good regulation."
Uh huh.
That I was desirous of believing her [Jane] indifferent is certain; but I will venture to say that my investigations and decisions are not usually influenced by my hopes or fears. I did not believe her to be indifferent because I wished it; I believed it on impartial conviction
Sure, Jan.
There are plenty more examples on both sides, but honestly, I find it deeply endearing as well as funny. There are ways in which they're right to be sure of themselves, and I respect them for those and for being rooted in their convictions there, but sometimes it's just ... aww, you're so very wrong and so sure you are right. <3
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You're Timeless To Me
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Roughly 180 years after the events of ACOSF, Lucien looks up to find that he is surrounded by strangers. Meanwhile, Nesta realizes she has stayed still while the world around her keeps moving. Misery loves company, but these two can hardly make small talk.
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Part 1
Strangers. Lucien Vanserra was completely and utterly surrounded by strangers. He sat at the council table created by him and his friends. His family. A small band of exiles that dared to dream - to want more for themselves and others below the wall. He had always known that he would outlive them. Mourn them. That he would be responsible for keeping their memory alive. He never considered, however, that everything he had built with Jurian and Vassa would outgrow him.
Lucien looked around at a council of human nations and territories. Some leaders were human or half-fae, some represented monarchies or democracies, but they all ignored him. He led the first generation of leaders alongside his friends, the second generation revered him as a sage, but this lot treated him like an ancient relic. They often bickered over each other as they were doing now. If they weren't arguing, they were scheming and schmoozing. In that way, they reminded him of the courts above the wall.
He wasn't sure why or how it had not hit him sooner, but Lucien missed his home. Not the Autumn or Spring Court or even Velaris - but Prythian. He had not returned since Elain's wedding, where her viper of a sister nearly bit his head off. Lucien couldn't believe it, but in that moment he missed Nesta too.
He missed familiarity - some sense of stagnation. Humans changed quicker than the seasons and developed new technologies too fast for him to keep up these days. Hell, with more readily available access to magic the human territories started to see an industrial boom. Lucien hated the isolation and unfamiliarity that plagued his everyday life. Once again he was without a true home.
He fidgeted with the crisp paper in his hands, his thumbs stroking over the creases left by his back pocket.
Dear Lucien,
I hope the human territories have continued to treat you well. I apologize for not reaching out sooner or more frequently.
Starfall is coming up. Maybe you would consider visiting us back in Velaris. The Night Court misses its old emissary, and I miss my friend.
Best,
Feyra
Lucien smiled faintly at the letter before looking back up at the dysfunctional group in front of him. When had everything devolved so much? They swore like sailors and acted like petulant children.
He sighed. Maybe it was time to return to Prythian.
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Lucien knocked on the door of Feyre and Rhysand's river house in Velaris. He stood at the front steps, shifting in his clothes. As he waited, he peered back over his shoulders to look at the town.
Velaris beamed with the same technologies that thrived in the human world. Factories were being constructed on the outskirts near the edge of the mountain valley. The wealthier citizens drove around in their brightly colored automobiles on the cliffside roads bordering the city. He watched as tints of blue, red, and purple flashed past and around the city. They were accompanied by shrill honks and deep revving of engines as fae raced by.
Lucien's attention was swiftly ripped away from the city by the front door swinging open. Nesta stood past the threshold, staring down at Lucien. He took a step on the next stair and opened his mouth to speak. The door slammed shut - inches from his nose.
Lucien blinked, utterly baffled. He knocked again.
"Nesta," he said, "could you let me in?"
Silence. He knocked again. Stubbornness and pride kept him planted on those steps. He'd wait there all night if he had to. After all, he was invited to be their guest.
With his fae hearing he could make out the sound of shuffling footsteps then two female voices bickering. He listened closer. A satisfied smile peeked out from Lucien. It sounded like Feyra was chastising Nesta.
Sure enough, Feyra opened the door a moment later. A strained smile plastered her face. Nesta stood behind her in the shadows, glaring at the two of them.
Feyra's expression softened as she pulled Lucien into a welcoming hug.
"Sorry about her," Feyra said.
Lucien chuckled, "It's good to see that she hasn't changed a bit."
He watched the sour female silently scoff and walk toward the sitting room. Feyra leaned back, planting firm friendly hands on his shoulders.
"It seems like you haven't either."
As they studied each other, Lucien realized she had cut her hair into a short bob. The front pieces of her hair were braided towards the back. He contorted his face into comical shock.
"Has empty nest syndrome gotten to you that badly?"
Feyra rolled her eyes, shoving him playfully.
"Can a lady not change her hair once in a while?"
They laughed as Feyre welcomed him into her home.
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after spending 29 hours thinking about a canon-ship scale for that poll, i decided i might as well spend another few hours looking through my old livejournal icons folder to rank the collection of ships i have written/am writing (for better or worse)...
we lost so much when we stopped making those 100x100 pixel icons. where are the pretty tiny photos of artfully cropped couples with even tinier text on them. all we know now is the wasteland of youtube thumbnails on google image search. we used to be a society
decryption key:
same canon, never met on-screen: clone!sam/jack (sg-1) (i'm rounding up from 0.5 here since she's an open-source fanon OC, but you get me)
they interact on-screen: jack o'neill/elizabeth weir (sg-1/sga), b'elanna/kes (st: voy)
some charged interactions: daniel/fraiser (sg-1), troi/ro (st: tng), margaret/trapper (mash), hawkeye/trapper/margaret (mash)
important intimate relationship (not labeled romantic): sheppard/weir (sga), hawkeye/trapper (mash)
one-sided feelings in the text: janeway/chakotay (st: voy) (i will hang for this take i know), miles/keiko/kira (st: ds9), talia/garibaldi (b5) (not necessarily proud of this one but i filled sooooo many five-subject notebooks about them when i was a teenager)
they kiss but it doesn't count: hoshi/travis (st: ent), julian/jadzia (st: ds9), riker/ro (st: tng)
mutual feelings in the text (unresolved): doggett/reyes (x-files), picard/crusher (st: tng - 24th century edition only)
unresolved on-screen, word of god confirmed: sam/jack (sg-1), jake/diane (jake 2.0)
they get together on-screen: trip/t'pol (st: ent), julian/ezri (st: ds9), frank/margaret (mash)
they stay together (endgame): mulder/scully (x-files), riker/troi (st: tng), miles/keiko (st: ds9), berena (holby city - somehow??? i hear we won in the end?), chidi/eleanor (the good place), jason/janet (the good place)
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Since Tholomyes is described as becoming a lawyer/a "severe juryman" after he abandons Fantine--- I'm surprised I haven't seen fanfics where Les Amis/Valjean/etc have to face Tholomyes in court. XD
We can even fudge it a little--maybe Tholomyes is a lawyer for the prosecution, maybe he's on the jury, maybe he's the judge, and I feel like that'd all be true to the general Spirit of his ending (which is just, the implication that he's now going to have the power of life and death over many more people just like Fantine.)
I now have a Plot Bunny for a fic where Marius is tried for the crime of supporting a rebel group, Cosette shows up at court to support her fiancee... but the judge is a man named Felix Tholomyes, and Cosette feels like she recognizes him but doesn't know why.
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