#I think this exchange and Mel’s POV chapter

[nightswatchdisbandmentera]

Melisandre is one of my favorite minor POVs mostly because of how GRRM plays with the all-powerful mage trope. See the deconstruction with her is that despite her antics, she’s actually very powerful and all her visions are legit. It’s just that she absolutely sucks at interpreting said visions, mostly because she has all these preconceived notions and is very stubborn about them. And even when the answer is staring right at her (literally), she just doubles down. And it can be very frustrating as a reader, to be quite honest.

Like she’s been super gung ho about Stannis Baratheon being Azor Ahai/the Prince that Was Promised, though only R’hllor know why, to the extent that she will flat-out ignore any evidence to the contrary. Her visions in ADWD essentially scream that Azor Ahai is someone different (not Stannis!) but good ol’ Mel just won’t budge.

There’s this very hilarious interaction in Jon’s 10th ADWD chapter that essentially spells out all of her problems with visions and prophecy, with Jon serving as the reader’s proxy in some ways.

This interaction happens during Alys Karstark’s wedding feast and Patchface drops some of his weird jingles, which Mel very unsettled by. So she’s turns to Jon and is like, “ugh that dude is so creepy, all my visions tell me so”. And Jon’s reaction to this is super funny, because he’s like:

“You see fools in your fire, but no hint of Stannis?”

Wow Jon lmao

He just had to call her out like that, unprovoked. But his frustration makes sense. He’s constantly been asking about Stannis’ whereabouts but Mel’s responses just aren’t very satisfactory (in his opinion).

Then we get this next line which really just says everything about Mel’s stubbornness and perfectly embodies the deconstruction of the all-powerful seer trope.

“When I search for him all I see is snow.”

So Mel looks for Stannis, whom she believes to be Azor Ahai, in her fires but doesn’t find him. Instead she sees “snow”. And this part tracks with her POV too. We know from her chapter that she constantly sees Jon in her visions. It’s how we get the very interesting “I pray for a glimpse of Azor Ahai, and R’hllor shows me only Snow” line.

So one would think that Mel might go: “Hmmm I look for the prophesied savior, but I don’t see Stannis. Instead, I only see Snow. I don’t doubt R’hllor’s power so if my visions are true, then maybe I need to rethink a few things”.

One would think…

But nope!

And Jon’s like “Hey maybe you’re not seeing Stannis because he’s super dead, ever think about that Mel?” And she proceeds to spout the usual Azor Ahai stuff and even mentions Dragonstone:

“When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone. Dragonstone is the place of smoke and salt.”

To which Jon’s replies, “uhhhh news flash Stannis was not born on Dragonstone so that doesn’t track”.

Obviously this is Jon’s skepticism but I like to think that he took the reader’s place here. Because many of us have asked ourselves, why oh why would Mel think of Stannis just because she saw Dragonstone? Like yeah, he’s the Lord of Dragonstone but he wasn’t born there. It’s quite a valid question and how does Mel counter it? She doubles down and twist herself into a pretzel to make Stannis fit (even though he doesn’t fit at all!)

Really, Jon’s reaction is essentially what would happen if someone dropped me into the world of ASOIAF and gave me the chance to meet Mel and ask her a few questions. I’d be quite frustrated, just as Jon is here. And to be fair, the reader has a lot of auxiliary information (e.g., Jon’s parentage) that Mel doesn’t have.

But then the next few lines really illustrate just why poor Mel can be so frustrating. Because Jon’s follow up is,

“And what of Mance? Is he lost as well? What do your fires show?”

And what does Mel say?

“The same, I fear. Only snow.”

…??!

Mel!😭

Seriously, I cannot! This is the exact same situation as with Stannis. She looks for a king but only sees Snow. This makes me wonder then, based on previous wording, if she’s specifically looking for “the King Beyond the Wall” (not just “Mance”) and only seeing Snow - at this point, Jon has all but supplanted Mance.

So once again, one would think that Mel would go: hmmmm I look for the King Beyond the Wall but I see Jon Snow and not Mance Rayder. Seeing that Mance’s power has been diminished and Jon Snow is now taking control of the wildlings, maybe I should re-evaluate a few things”.

Yeah, one would think…

Homegirl is trying her best, she really is. But sadly, her best can only get E for Effort.

And at this point the reader is just done with Mel, and Jon is too:

“You are seeing cinders dancing in the updraft.”

He doesn’t even bother to phase it as a question lmao. He just calls her out and doesn’t care.

And we’re in his POV so he’s thinking of the lower case “snow”. Also, why in the hell is Mel referring to Jon like this?

Anyway, this is why I think Jon serves as the reader’s proxy in this conversation because it’s like a thinking exercise (facilitated by the narrative) that ultimately goes nowhere because Mel is so, so stubborn.

Because if we really break it down:

R’hllor/the Narrative: Who do you see when you search for the king/Azor Ahai?

Mel: Jon Snow

R’hllor/the Narrative: Ok…and who do you see when you search for the King Beyond the Wall?

Mel: Erm, Jon Snow…

R’hllor/the Narrative/the Reader: Great! So say it with me. The king you’re looking for is J-

Mel: STANNIS BARATHEON!

R’hllor/the Reader: …?!

And before anyone claims that this is a misdirect, Mel really is seeing Jon Snow. Straight from the horse’s mouth:

“I am seeing skulls. And you. I see your face every time I look into the flames.”

Friend….I don’t even know what to say anymore…

[agentrouka-blog]

I honestly wonder if Mel is going to lose her faith in R'lorr like in the show, just in the books it is going to be darker and more sinister like maybe is the R'lorr some Eldrich deity or maybe she is gonna have a wake up call after she burns Sheeren all for nothing

Hi there!

I don't think R'hllor is some kind of Eldritch horror we'll actually see physically manifest. It's much more powerful that human beings are quite happy to commit atrocities in his name that would otherwise simply not happen. R'hllor is powerless on his own. All his actions manifest in the willingness of his followers to sacrifice humans (even themselves) in his name for a magical reward.

It's like Mirri Maz Duur said, "Only death can pay for life", which is the lesson Dany took to heart, burning her slave alive to exchange her for dragons. That's the cynical deal, cruelty for power.

But yes, I agree that it would be a great twist to see Melisandre lose her faith to an extent. Her introduction in the ACOK Prologue is terrifying. She is powerful, serenely confident, seemingly indestructible, which is so painfully contrasted with the frailty, regret and futility of Maester Cressen, who saw his world slowly dismantled. Both stake everything on Stannis, who coldly allows Cressen to be humiliated, while cynically making use of Melisandre and the fanaticism she inspires.

Melisandre slipping into a position of helplessness and futility would be a poetic mirror to that. I am actually fairly convinced that it will not be Melisandre who instigates burning Shireen. I think her break with her previous certainty will come before that. It'll have to be a little more dramatic than burning yet another person and then not getting the desired reward. Something will probably shake her certainty that Stannis is the answer, perhaps even that R'hllor is benevolent. And then she will unravel like Cressen did.

Her power is her influence, the fact that people are willing to listen to her. In her POV chapter we see how preoccupied she is with keeping that power by constantly appearing unassailable and full of answers. Sleight of hand, cheap magician's tricks, the vaguest bits of information cloaked to sound certain and all-encompassing.

Hard to pull that off in a crisis of faith. And we know what Stannis does when his servants are no longer useful. Cressen will tell you.

Losing both her previous certainty in her interpretation of prophecy and the power of her influence would absolutely dismantle her. It would mirror Cressen, which would be poetic justice.

All her certainty will crumble and return her to the helpless frightened child she used to be.

She has bad dreams of the past that she actively tries to avoid.

Strange voices called to her from days long past. "Melony," she heard a woman cry. A man's voice called, "Lot Seven." She was weeping, and her tears were flame. (ADWD, Melisandre)

It's easy to imagine that Melony is Melisandre, the woman her mother, the man an authority figure deciding her fate. Melisandre weeps at the memory.

This was put in on purpose. What better purpose than to see these wounds reopen in the present. A girl, a man deciding her fate, a desperate mother, helplessness.

I think it's inevitable that the person holding responsibility for Shireen's burning has to be Stannis, the guy who is actually in power, and has been this entire time.

People might blame her afterward, though. And they wouldn't be all wrong.

[layce2015]

The Last of Us Part 2 (Joel x Reader)

Chapter 12: Seattle, Day 3

Chapter 11

(A/N: So I want to make some announcements on this story. In this story, Mel is NOT pregnant and Lev and Yara DON'T exist. Even though I did like Yara and Lev, the reason they won't be seen or mentioned in this story is that they were basically used as part of Abby's redemption arc in the game. Since Joel is not dead and Abby is dead set on killing him and (y/n), they won't be in here. So I hope you guys understand.)

*2 Years Earlier*

"Joel! Joel, honey, wake up!" I said, frantically, as I shake him awake. It was the middle of the night and we were on one of our patrols out with Ellie. I woke up just a few moments ago when I noticed that Shimmer and Ellie were gone. This worried me and I got up and saw a note from Ellie.

"(Y/n), what's wrong?" He asked me once he starts to wake up. "It's Ellie." I said and Joel sits up, quickly. "What happened?" He asked and I hand him the note I found. He reads it then his eyes widen and he looks up at me.

"She's gone." I said and we exchange a worried look before we got up, got dressed, mount our horse and head off after Ellie.

As the dark night sky started to turn a pink hue, we made our way back to that old familiar hospital and see Ellie sitting down on a crate. She looks up and sees us coming before she stands up as we get closer to her. "Ellie!" Joel and I call out and our horse stops then we dismount the horse and walk over to her.

"Come here." Joel whispers as he goes to hug her and I stand next to them and placed a hand on her shoulder. "The hell were you thinking? Running off in the middle of the night like that?" I asked her, worriedly, while I noticed she has this blank, disinterested look on her face. 

"You talk to us. You don't just leave us a damn note--" Joel said to her, his voice full of worry as well, when Ellie shoves him off of her then she slaps my hand off of her shoulder. She let's out a shaky breath then she looks up at us.

"Tell me...what happened here." She said, firmly, to us. Joel and I exchange looks before we look back at her, my heart pounding in my throat as I knew that this would happen. "If you two lie to me one more time...I'm gone. Both of you will never see me again. But if you guys tell me the truth...I'll go back to Jackson. No matter what it is." She said.

I look back over to the hospital and all the haunting memories of that night came flooding back into my mind. I look over at Joel as he looks at the building then he looks down at the ground. "Just say it." Ellie whispers to us and I bite my lips at this while I could tell by Joel's face that he was fighting the urge to say the truth.

"Guys..." Ellie pleads to us and I take a deep breath as I continue to stare at Joel. "Making a vaccine...would've killed you." I replied and Joel's face relaxed a bit as he turns to look at me and a tear runs down my face then we look over at Ellie, who looked shocked and disbelief. "So we stopped them." Joel finished and then the hurt and sadness hit Ellie as she looks down.

Then she sits down and starts to sob. "Oh my God!" She cries then she bends forward and starts to cry, her left hand over her face then she lowers it and places it over her heart as she continues to cry. Joel and I go to reach out to her, trying to comfort her, but she stands up and yells. "Don't you fucking touch me!"

She looks at us angrily while I tried to give the best I'm sorry look to her. "I'll go back. But we're done." She said, angrily, then she bends down, grabs her backpack and stomps away from us.

At that moment, I began to sob then I full on cried as I place my hands over my face, the tears running down my face. I felt Joel's hands on my shoulders as he turns me to face him and I bury my face into his chest while he holds me close.

"I...told...you. I...fuckin'...told you." I whispered, in between tears, to him as he holds me tighter and I hear him sniffling and his breathing shaking. "I know..." he whispers back, his voice full of tears, as we stay like this for a few moments just as we hear a horse start to gallop away.

Present Day

*3rd Person POV*

Joel groans as he wakes up in the same spot he always does since he was captured. Tied up to this damn chair. "Aiden and Ethan." A voice said and Joel jerks his head over to see Owen was sitting near him.

"Who's Aiden and Ethan?" He asked and Joel glares at him, confused. "You mumble in your sleep. Awhile ago you muttered those names. I mean, they must be important to you." Owen said. "That's none of your concern." Joel growls and Owen chuckles a bit. "Oh, they must be really important if you're being this tight lipped about it. Who are they, hmm? Friends? Cousins?" Owen asked.

"Why do you care?" Joel asked him, with a growl. "Just curious." Owen said  Joel scoffs and turns his head away from him. "Okay, fine. You don't have to tell me. I'm just here trying to make friendly conversations." Owen said and Joel rolls his eyes and scoffs at this again.

"But I would like to know...who's Sarah?" Owen asked and anger flared in Joel's chest as he slowly turns his head to Owen, if looks could kill...Owen would be dead a thousand times right now. "Oh I must've hit a nerve with that one." Owen said, curiously, when there was a knock at the door.

Owen gets up and heads to the door, opens it to reveal Mel standing there. "Hey, Mel." Owen said her. "Can I talk to you?" Mel asked him just as Joel let's out a loud cough. Owen looks over at him then back at Mel. "Sure. What's up?" He asked her. "I need to talk to you, privately." She said and Owen sighs then he walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Joel watches and listens as their voices and footsteps fade away before he looks down and raises his foot, revealing a knife. When Owen got up to the door and talked to Mel, the knife fell off the tray of food Owen had brought earlier. Once the knife hit the floor, Joel quickly fake coughed to disguise the noise as he used his foot to hide the blade.

Once Owen and Mel were far enough away, Joel manages to get the knife up to his hand and begins to cut the rope, freeing himself.

*(y/n)'s POV*

I wake up from sleeping on the floor of the backstage room and started to grab my backpack and head back towards the lobby. I'd hope to find Ellie alone and maybe talk to her about last night; but once I got to the doors that lead to the lobby, I found Jesse and Ellie sitting in a chair while Dina was curled up in a couch.

I look over at her and see that she looked pale and she was sweating. I frown over at her then at the other two before Jesse gestures for me to follow him. The three of us head up the stairs and we walk up to the top balcony, Jesse leans against the barrister before he speaks. 

"She had a rough night. Barely could get her to keep water down." Jesse said and I look over at them and could see that Ellie was barely looking at me. "Should've woken me up." I said to them as Ellie rubs the back of her neck while Jesse looks out towards the theater.

"Is she pregnant?" He asked us and Ellie and I look over at him, shocked that he figured it out. Course he is a smart guy, he would've figured it out. "Yeah." We said. "We've got to take her back. She needs real care and she's not gonna get it while she's here." Jesse said and I nod.

"I know. And that's why I think you two should go and take her back to Jackson. I'll get Tommy and Joel." I said and Ellie finally looks up at me. "What? No, I'm not leaving you here alone!" She said, quickly. "And if she stays here, Dina will stay too." Jesse said and I stare at them and smile a bit at them.

"Screw it. Let's go get them." Jesse said then he turns to me, goes into his pocket and pulls out the map. "This aquarium that girl told you guys about. Tommy hasn't found Abby or Joel yet. We'll post up there 'til he does." Jesse said as he hands me the map.

I take it and look it over before I look up at them. "And you two are good with leaving Dina by herself?" I asked them. "Her orders." Ellie said. "Okay." I muttered. "I'll tell her we're heading out." Jesse said and Ellie started to leave but I placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Ellie, can I talk to you?" I asked her. She looks at me then at Jesse before I look over at him and said. "It won't be long..." he nods and he walks down the stairs. Ellie folds her arms across her chest, still not looking at me. "(Y/n), we have to..." she started to say but I interrupt her.

"You don't have to say anything, just listen..." I said and she slowly looks back at me. "I just want to say, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that...what I did to Nora last night scared you..." I said. "You didn't scare me." Ellie said, trying to act tough, and I raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh come on, Ellie. Ever since last night, you've barely looked at me. It's almost like you're...scared or afraid of what I'll do next." I said and she sighs before she looks down.

"I know you and Joel have said you've done some fucked up shit...but...I guess...just seeing it in person...was different than being told about it. I was just in shock." She replied and I frown a bit. "I did warn you." I said, softly. "I know, you did. I just...I thought I could handle it..." she said.

I frown at her again then placed my hands on her shoulders. "I've done even worse things to people. Things I'm not proud of. But that was under the guide of survival. Now I'm doing it for my family. For Joel, for Tommy, for Aiden and Ethan...and...for you." I said and Ellie's eyes widen in shock. "You guys are all the family I've got and have."

Tears start to fill Ellie's eyes then she goes and hugs me. I let out a small sob and hug her back then kissed the top of her head. We pull back from the embrace and I give her a smile as she stares into my eyes. "Okay...enough of this mushy shit...let's go get Joel and Tommy." I said and she nods and I walk over to the stairs and walk down them.

After waking Dina up and having her get the door for us, Jesse, Ellie and I head out into the rainy streets of Seattle. "Okay, the map showed the aquarium along the shore. Should be down this way." Jesse said and we make our way through the downtown area of the city.

"Did that girl ever tell you why they're doing this? Why they want you and Joel so badly?" Jesse asked and I could see Ellie giving me a worried look, I couldn't tell Jesse the real truth...at least not now. Hell, I'm still in disbelief on the truth as well.

"Yeah... they were part of the Fireflies. And Joel and I had some fallen out with them years ago." I replied. "What kind've fallen out?" Jesse asked.

"Joel and I were smugglers and we had some disagreements about some cargo. A fight broke out and some of their people died. And now they're wanting payback." I replied. "Damn. Seems a bit...I don't know...a lot of work for something pretty small." Jesse said. "Yeah, well, when you want revenge it can make you do some crazy stuff." I said and Jesse and Ellie nod.

"All I care about is to get to Tommy and Joel and bring them and Dina home." I said. "But that means leaving some of these assholes alive, including Abby." Ellie said. "Most of her friends are dead anyway. And as long as she or any of her living friends don't get in my way, then yes...we'll leave them alive. But if they do or try to come back to Jackson, we'll be ready." I said and they nod.

After making through some more collapsed buildings and large ponds and fighting through some WLF, we make it on top of a truck and I could see a ferris wheel off into the distance. "Hey, that aquarium. It's right next to that ferris wheel." Ellie said as she pulls put the map and shows it to me. "Good. Hopefully, Tommy has the same info." I said and we jumped down and started to swim through the collapsed area of the city.

We came up to an old bookstore and I started to look around when I hear Jesse and Ellie talking. "You know, I would've come with you guys. If you told me." He said. "I-I didn't think you'd want to or thought that it be a good idea." Ellie said as I look through some shelves. "I look up to Joel and (y/n). I would've come." Jesse said and I smiled at this.

Then I found some children's books that seemed to be intact. I wipe of the dust and look them over to see that they were, indeed, in great condition. "Yes." I muttered and I take off my backpack and put these books in my bag. 

"Whatcha got there?" Ellie asked me. "Some books for Aiden and Ethan." I said as I put my backpack back on. "Oh, cool." Ellie said then she looks around and smiles. "Here some more." She said as she pulls out more books out of the shelves.

She goes to hand them to me but I stopped her. "Why don't you say that those are from you. They would love it." I said to her. "Really?" She asked, shocked. "Of course." I said and she smirks a bit as she puts the books in her bag. "You know, they missed you." I said and she nods. "I missed them too." She said and we share a smile before we head out.

"Done with the shopping?" Jesse asked us. "Yep. Maybe you should look for some books for...y'know..." I said and Jesse shrugs. "Or I can borrow your books." He said and Ellie and I laugh. "Yeah, okay." I said and we head out.

"You think Abby picked the aquarium because it's so damn hard to get to?" Jesse asked us as we climb though some buildings. "Probably." Ellie said as we walk through this hole and walk along this walkway and look out towards the downtown area, where there was a highway off to the side and where the roads should be was replaced with a river. But the Ferris Wheel did look a bit closer now.

"Jesus. How the hell are we crossing this?" Jesse asked as I looked around. "We could us that road." Ellie said as she points out the highway. "It's pretty fuckin' far." I said then Jesse looks down. "Or we use that." He said and we look down to see one of the soldiers using a boat.

"Yeah. That's better." I said. "Okay, this way." Jesse said and we go through another building, climb down the floors until we reach the bottom area to see it was flooded.

We swim through it then ended up at looked like the main area of a mall, but it was crawling with WLF soldiers walking around. "Sniper spotted in 12. I repeat, sniper sighted at the marina. Likely a trespasser. Any nearby units report. Over." We hear a woman's voice say over the radio.

The three of us exchange a look as one of the soldiers ordered some of his man to head to the marina. Sniper. That's got to be Tommy. I thought as we swim over to a rope and we start to climb up.

We get to the top floor and I could see a soldier trying to start up a boat. Then I walk over to Jesse and Ellie as they stand next to a large hole of the building on the side. "Okay, here's the plan. You two head to the marina and help Tommy, I'll go to the aquarium." I said. "Are you crazy?" Ellie asked me. "Maybe." I said, shrugging.

"You can't go by yourself." Jesse said to me. "I can and I will. Plus, if Abby is there..." I started to say but Ellie shakes her head. "I'm not letting you go alone. I'm not turning my back on you and Joel again." She said and I give her a look. "I'm sticking with you. No matter what." Ellie said, her eyes full of tears. I stare at her for a moment then looked over at Jesse.

"You think you can handle getting Tommy on your own?" I asked him. "Yeah, I can do that. I've handled a bunch of WLF before, what's a few more gonna do." He said and I smiled. "Okay...good luck." I said and Jesse looks between us. "I really hope you guys make it." He said and he walks one way and Ellie and I walk another way.

@fangirl-inthe-us @critical-musings @sleepylunarwolf

[evak-fic-rec-turtleanon]

Evak Fics - Co-Workers

A list for coworkers/colleagues. Includes fics where they are not exactly colleagues or coworkers but related to them working together in a way.  

No Flirting in the Science Lab by smilexdarling (728 words) - Isak and Even fall in love at school, but this time, they're the teachers.

sweet creature by Skamtrash (1k words) - Along the lines of "We’re both baristas and sometimes I have trouble reaching for things and I show up to work one day to find a personalized stool with hearts and my name on it i hATE YOU but also thanks"

Pumpkin King by i_once_wrote_a_dream (1.7k words) - Isak grins, and taps the crown. “You’re the dumbest king I’ve ever met.” They work on a pumpkin patch.

White Elephant by HazyCosmicJive (1.8k words) - Vilde turns the office Secret Santa into a White Elephant Secret Santa.

stuck on you (what did i do?) by itjustkindahappened (1.8k words) - a teacher AU with zero teaching and a lot of crushing.

settle down by allyasavedtheday: Chapter 21 Model Au (2.5k words) - Isak was not prepared for a partner at this photoshoot. Chapter 35 Model Au Part 2 (1.9k words) - Prompt fill for where they’re doing like a couples photoshoot or something with Mikael and now they can’t stop kissing each other and everyone’s too endeared to be frustrated with them

in sickness and in health by wyoheartsmusic (2k words) - Emma is crushing on her teacher until she finds out he's very much in love with his husband. So this is in Emma's pov.

love doctor by princevaltersen (2.3k words) - “Looking through Tinder and rating guys in the paediatric unit is definitely something that you shouldn’t be doing at work.” Doctor au.

Email from Somewhere by wyoheartsmusic (2.4k words) - Isak gets an email from no one. He asks Even for help.

Did you hear oxygen and magnesium got together? OMg by sugarbeat24 (2.5k words) - Isak and Even are chemistry partners. Fluff and chemistry jokes ensue. They are not co-workers but this is cute.

Colleagues? - SKAM Fic Week Day 5 by glbertblythes (2.6k words) - Isak and Even have been work colleagues for three years - a couple for two - and they like to call the office their "second home" for multiple reasons.

It Only Takes a Taste (When You Know It's Good) by shakespeareandsunshine (2.8k words) - It would be bad enough if it was just some mystery coworker stealing meals from the office fridge. Then Isak could hate their anonymous ass in peace. But no, Isak has a very good idea who the culprit is. And seeing the villain in the breakroom every day, smiling at Isak like he has nothing to apologize for was testing Isak's very limited patience. And also probably his self-control, although for an entirely different reason.

I Don't Date Cops by jinglebin (2.9k words) - Isak gets a new colleague and he's instantly smitten. Until said collegue tells him he doesn't date cops. b99 au

just a little bit out of my limit by theyellowcurtains (3k words) - Isak is pissed about where he got placed for work experience, that is until he meets his fine ass supervisor.

Pictures of You by MacksDramaticShenanigans (3.2k words) - The au where Even is a photographer and Isak is his infuriatingly gorgeous model

Can't We Be Sweethearts? by HazyCosmicJive (3.3k words) - in which Isak and Even work at a summer carnival together

EVEN by LiliMane (3.5k words) - A friends with benefits or kinda of an enemies with benefits type of situation. 'Whatever. People come and go. Sometimes they don't come at all. Sometimes they only send you money. And the ones that come don't stay too long. But that's how it is and there's nothing I can do about it. Not that I want to do anything about it.'

Adrian and Markus by ufologies (3.9k words) - Isak and Even go undercover on a case that unexpectedly ends up bringing them closer together.

i bet my life on you by janesargnt (4.8k words) - “Ok, so it’s settled then,” said Elias, getting to his feet. “If Bech Nӕsheim loses, he has to give Valtersen his car. If Valtersen loses, he has to go on a date in said car.” B99 au.

from my lips my sin is purged by slvtherxn (4.8k words) - After Even's last relationship with his coworker ended quite messily, his boss has forbidden him from dating any more of her employees. It takes him ten seconds alone with his new trainee before he decides to date him in secret.

Fuck Tha Police by MacksDramaticShenanigans (5.2k words) - “This,” Eskild said, spinning the photograph around so everyone could see it, “is a picture of the latest piece of vandalism from our favorite little street punk.” he finished with a heavy sigh. They are both cops. 

Thank You for Flying Norwegian Air! by orphan_account (5.4k words) - Isak and Even are both flight attendants who definitely don't have feelings for each other.

Don't worry, I've got you by everything_else (5.7k words) - Isak gets a job at a coffee shop.

18 Secret Santa Horror Stories That'll Turn Anyone Into A Grinch by GayaIsANerd (6.1k words) - Some secret Santa, some unfortunate google results, a whole lot of complaining and a heart full of gratitude. They work for a website that is like a Norwegian Buzzfeed but different.

i tried to be strong but i lost it (i knew it was wrong, i’m beyond it) by orphan_account (6.3k words) - Even has a thing for his intern, Isak has a thing for his boss, they're both a bit clueless and their friends just want them to get their shit together.

Crying Over Spilt Milk by MacksDramaticShenanigans (8.4k words) - The boys get their hands on Isak’s resume; Isak gets his hands on Even. Coffee shop.

my heart held a ledger by cynical_optimist, strangetowns (8.6k words) - A hitmen AU, wherein Isak and Even hate their jobs but love each other. This 'verse is now on permanent hiatus but it can still be enjoyed as a standalone oneshot.

Unclassified by bri_ness (9.7k words) - "Separate fiction from fact, romances from tragedies, the stories you want to experience from the ones you’d rather ignore." Isak and Even flirt in a library while having some deep thoughts about cataloging.

Merry Kiss My Ass (under the mistletoe) by TheGirlNoOneKnows5 (9.8k words) - Working in retail during the holiday season is a nightmare. Especially when Isak has to work right alongside his just friend and not at all crush, Even. Among freaky customers, secret santa presents and constant reminders of his one night of passion with Even, Isak doesnt know if he'll make it to the new year. If only he could figure out who was behind all the random mistletoes he keeps finding...

Is This What You Wanted? by cuteandtwisted (9.9k words) - Isak is filthy rich and Even is a hardworking male model who just got signed to his father's agency. Even gets an awful offer from Isak: one night with him in exchange for money, and begins to despise him. Little does he know that everything he thinks he knows about Isak is wrong.

sweeter than wine, softer than a summer's night by dewdrops (12k words) - Isak and Even work at an amusement park.

Valtersen's Anatomy by evak1isak (12k words) - Isak Valtersen, a nurse intern, happens to fall in love with one of the new interns, Even Bech Næsheim, from the mental health team.

when your heart is bleeding, i'm coming to get you by cosetties (13k words) - Isak doesn't exactly expect his hookup from last week to be the love advice columnist at the school newspaper he's working at. He also doesn't expect to fall even harder for him than he already has, which is a shame, really, since Even's crushing on someone else.

Ground Me by Bellakitse (13k words) - In which despite his father helping with rent, Isak still needs money and therefore a job. Isak gets a job at a cafe and meets a barista who's beauty blows Isak away.

i broke the world for us by cuteandtwisted (16k words) - Isak is 'heartless', young, busy, addicted to work, and incapable of committing. And Even is a repairman who fixes things around the office, who sees right through his smokescreen, and who might end up 'fixing' Isak's cold heart.

turn my blue heart to red by allyasavedtheday (16k words) - “Did I scare you?” Even asks teasingly, waggling his eyebrows as he leans casually against the counter beside Isak. “Never,” Isak scoffs, sending a fierce scowl in Jonas’ direction when he catches him smirking at them both. Jonas is under the ridiculous impression he and Even have a crush on each other which is not true. Doctor au.

I Just Want You For My Own by Twinklylightseverywhere (19k words) - Even loves the holidays, really. He loves spending time with his friends and family, drinking hot chocolate by the fire, exchanging gifts, the like. You know what he doesn’t love about Christmas time? Working in a fucking Post Office.

Taste by MermaidsandMermen (SophiaSoames) (21k words) - Isak Valtersen doesn't do feelings. He doesn't do relationships. He's a good boss, and he knows his shit. Then that asshat Naesheim swans in like he owns the bloody place and Isak's carefully managed world starts to fall apart. He's impulsive and stupid and childish and probably the last person in the world who should be allowed to run the Food and Beverage department at the Radisson Blu, however many brilliant ideas he has and seems to manage to miraculously pull off. It's a match made in hell. Enemies to lovers.

Dear Friend by bri_ness (26k words) - Isak and Even work together in a failing video store, and they cannot stand each other. Isak and Even both signed up for the Love Letters dating service, and they’re both falling for their anonymous pen pal.

is it gravity, or are we falling in love? by mels (28k words) - Isak works at a coffee shop. There's two things he loves about the morning shift: 1, how beautiful the city is when it's sleeping and 2, avoiding the hot guy who he happens to have a crush on. Until one faithful day, he has no choice but to work with his crush.

A Fucking Bet by Crazyheart (32k words) - Isak and Even are just friends. They make a bet and decide to fuck only five times and then go back to being friends again. Isak hopes that he might be able to fuck his crush out of his system, once and for all. Who knows what Even’s motives are. They work at KB

We Don't Need to Whisper by staylucky (34k words) - Isak Valtersen is a new teacher at Bekkulaget with an embarrassing crush on the Head of Upper Juniors, Even Bech Naesheim. His mentor, Christoffer, is constantly winding him up and Isak's beginning to doubt if teaching is for him.

(WIP) Magic Eight Ball by folerdetdufoler (35k words) - Last update Dec 2019. His cubicle is in the bullpen, but at the edge, across from the offices along one wall. When the Chief makes his announcements Isak stands near the middle, leaning against someone else’s cube, reading emails on his phone instead of paying attention. This time, though, the Chief is introducing some new hires to the office: a sports editor, a city editor, and a marketing head. When Isak looks up to finally acknowledge the new team members, he gets a good look at the guy who is going to make his life a living hell.

Blind by evak1isak (44k words) - Isak has sex in a dark room with a random stranger, but he only hears his voice. He hears that voice again: it's his new boss', one of Norway's richest men.

(WIP) Medically Speaking by Ms_Tassimo (44k words) - Last update Aug 2019. Working as a hospital porter was not how Even Bech Næsheim saw his life ending up. But here he was; mopping up sick after a stupid mistake. However, the hot doctor with the nice smell? That just about makes up for it. Too bad Dr Valtersen seems like a bit of an asshole with a hell of a chip on his shoulder.

I'll Be Coming Home, Wait For Me by dahlstrom (47k words) - The diner AU. Even and Yousef open a 1950s American-style restaurant together - Even is the creative genius in the kitchen, Yousef keeps the trains running on time, and Isak, Chris B, and Magnus are all along for the ride. Falling in love over food while Elvis serenades from the jukebox. Welcome to the Throwback Diner.

such a beautiful mess by skambition (48k words) - Isak works at Kaffebrenneriet to save up some money for a trip with his friends. Normally, working there is chill. Until Isak starts to work together with Even, an arrogant hipster with horrible taste in music, that keeps using the phrase 'sex hair' and is not only judgemental and stupid, but also so hot that Isak sometimes can't breathe around him.

On call by MinilocIsland (49k words) - Isak knows what he's meant to do in life - surgery. And he can't wait to show everyone that he's good at it. That is, if he'll ever get a goddamn chance. Not getting hindered by ridiculous, charming guys whose main advantage in the operating room simply is the length of their legs. Or - a hospital AU, with both Isak and Even as intern physicians.

Around the Corner (My Very Personal Christmas Shopper) by Crazyheart (51k words) - Isak (22) works in a record shop for Jonas. Isak’s best colleague and friend is Eva, who works in the shop, too. Isak is still in the closet. He says things as he thinks, though. Doesn't like snowglobes. Even (24) comes and asks for a job. The two get off on the wrong foot, although Isak finds Even irritatingly attractive. Additionally, Isak has just gotten a personal Christmas gift shopper.

Masquerade by Sabeley (53k words) - Isak and Even were best friends before one botched mission tore them apart. When they are assigned to go undercover as newlyweds at an oceanside resort where couples are going missing, can they put their differences aside for long enough to solve the case? And can they fix what’s broken between them before it’s too late?

(WIP) and it falls just where it needs to be by mmxii (53k words) - Last update Aug 2018. An au where isak works at a campsite and there’s suddenly a new guy joining their team. featuring a completely chill isak, a suspiciously quiet cat, and a three-year-old asking way too many difficult questions.

Caught in the Crossfire by CrochetingWords (65k words) - AU where Isak and Sana are partners working for the Oslo police department. Even used to work for the Oslo PD and is now Oslo's most well known private detective assisting the department in cases while also blogging about them. Isak is not impressed when he shows up on one of his crime scenes, because what other reason is there to publicly blog about your cases than being fame hungry.

(WIP) a careful hypothesis of the heart by StMisery (87k words) - 12/13 chapters posted. Isak and Even don't start out on the best of terms. Isak had been waiting nearly a year for the position of researcher to open up again. If he got it, he'd be working his dream job within one of the best biotechnology companies in the world. He applied for the position, heart in his throat, only to be passed over for the new recruit. When he discovered the new hire was also the son of the CEO, well, that was an unforgivable offense.

You Don't Even Know Me! by cuteandtwisted (101k words) - The one in which Isak and Even are interns who got off the wrong foot and don't like each other at all (except that they do).

[castaliareed]

A case for a very dark Jon or thoughts on Jon’s resurrection

Let’s talk resurrection. Specifically resurrection in an ASOIAF and GoT. I recently answered a Quora question about Jon’s resurrection. I’ve decided to adapt it a bit for a tumblr meta. 

Here’s the original question: In ASoIaF, being resurrected from the dead always comes with heavy consequences (as exemplified by Beric and Lady Stoneheart). How will Jon Snow change after his likely resurrection in TWoW?

Jon Snow’s resurrection in the books will be fascinating to see. Many believe his changes will be more subtle than previously resurrected characters. While, others believe his negative traits will become more pronounced. Fanfic writers like to call this changed Jon, dark!Jon. And dark!Jon has some very specific traits, he is more violent, cold, dominant, and jealous. And in some case very animalistic or wolf-like. These traits (minus the animalistic nature) are all traits Jon has already shown in small doses.  Let’s face it book!Jon has always been morally grey. His POV is just very sympathetic. We see his reasoning for doing questionable things and can get on board with them. To in-universe characters, characters not in his head, it could all look very different. Jon can be very cold, jerky, sullen, etc. etc. And this is all before he died. So, imagine the possibilities when he is brought back!

Is it simply that Jon’s dark traits will be magnified to the nth degree? No, that would be too easy.  When characters in ASOIAF are brought back from the dead, yes, they are changed. The change is much more complicated then their negative traits get turned up to 100. When talking resurrection, certain things need to be taken into consideration in ASOIAF. Please note, this is about resurrection by R’hllor aka the Lord of Light not the zombie army of the Night King. We have two characters Lord Beric and Lady Stoneheart to look at as examples of resurrections by R’hllor. Both these characters were much changed when they were brought back. And both came back with a single-minded purpose. What was going on when the person died. More specifically what was going on in their head when they died. When Beric died he was on a mission to do the King’s justice. When Lady Stoneheart died she was literally going crazy watching Robb be killed. Their after resurrection missions or purpose stemmed from what was going on when they died. Beric wanted to continue to serve the King’s justice in the Riverlands. Lady Stoneheart to avenge the Red Wedding.

What was Jon thinking about around the time he died in the books? He was thinking about his family. His Stark siblings and about going to treat with Ramsey to save fakeArya.

How long does a person stay dead? Lady Stoneheart was dead for three days and her body thrown in a river. Not great for a comeback. Lord Beric has died multiple times in battle. He does not seem to stay dead for very long. His wounds and injuries are horrorfyingly visible.  What happens to Jon’s body (probably gets put in an ice cell.) This sounds great for preservation. Jon’s body will most likely come back in pretty good shape even if he is dead for several days or hell even weeks. Jon’s case will also be special because he almost definitely wargs into Ghost when he dies. 

What life is exchanged for theirs? Beric gave his life for Lady Stoneheart. At that point, he had already been brought back many times. Each time, he is less and less the man he was before. This no doubt contributed to LSH’s terrifying state. My guess is that Shireen’s burning will give Melisandre the power to bring back Jon. The time spent in Ghost and the exchange of Shireen’s life, that of a able-bodied young girl, could allow Jon to come back less changed. 

Jon maybe less changed than Beric or LSH but he will not be unchanged. Again, it is more than negative traits being amplified. Though, I think that will happen. They will be amplified in pursuit of what he sees as his new mission.

A few of those negative traits: LSH becomes a vessel for vengeance. Perhaps, this was a trait Catelyn Stark had repressed within her. We see it a bit in her quickness to take Tyrion as a prisoner for Bran’s fall. This is a trait of Catelyn’s that gets amplified in LSH. Of Jon’s negative traits, readers are well aware. Coldness bordering on cruelness. We’ve already seen this in ADWD in Jon’s treatment of Gilly and her child. He forces her to switch little Sam for Mance’s kid. This is to protect the child from getting burnt by Mel. Violence. Jon has always been hotheaded. He pulls a dagger on Alister Thorne when the man calls him a ‘traitor’s bastard’ in AGoT. There are hints of jealousy, too. He is jealous of Joffrey in his very first POV chapter in AGoT. These traits could certainly increase after the resurrection.  Confusion/Memory loss. Memory issues are a big thing when bringing someone back. Beric claims he knows he had a betrothed but he can not remember what she looked like or who she was. 

In ADWD there are hints that Jon’s is having memory issues. He thinks Mel is Ygritte for a moment. Alys Karstark asks him to dance with her ‘anon’. It’s an odd ask. He later remembers the phrase “I’ll dance with you anon.’ but does not associate it with Alys.  Jon will have some type of memory issue when he is brought back.   TINFOIL ALERT (and shameless self-promo): Jon will have major memory issues around the women in his life. I have a theory that he at times of stress confuses Ygritte and Sansa when Sansa does eventually reach the Wall. For more insight into my thoughts on this check out my fic Dark Sister, Dark Nights. 

Single-minded Purpose

Most importantly, characters that have been resurrected (by the R’hllor) thus far in ASOIAF. LSH wants to kill all the Freys she can. For her it’s about avenging the wrong done to her family at the Red Wedding. Lord Beric wants to continue to do the King’s Justice even though the King in whose name he fights is dead. By the end, Lord Beric has been brought back so many times, he even loses sight of this focus. 

What will Jon’s new mission be? Saving the realm from the Others will be the surface level purpose. It will be what he sells the outside world. Because his true purpose is something too dark for even Jon to articulate.  Remember in the ASOIAF books before he died he was ready to treat with Ramsey to try and save Arya (who was really fArya). His last thoughts are about his Stark family. I wrote about this recently in how it relates to Sansa HERE.  “Jon flexed the fingers of his sword hand. The Night’s Watch takes no part. He closed his fist and opened it again. What you propose is nothing less than treason. He thought of Robb, with snowflakes melting in his hair. Kill the boy and let the man be born. He thought of Bran, clambering up a tower wall, agile as a monkey. Of Rickon’s breathless laughter. Of Sansa, brushing out Lady’s coat and singing to herself. You know nothing, Jon Snow. He thought of Arya, her hair as tangled as a bird’s nest. I made him a warm cloak from the skins of the six whores who came with him to Winterfell … I want my bride back … I want my bride back … I want my bride back …“ Jon XIII ADWD Jon’s mind is on his family. Notice in this quote we also see Sansa being associated with something Ygritte said. Is it another sign of possible confusion or memory issues on Jon’s part? Perhaps...

When he comes back and realizes that Arya is not really Arya. He will be crushed. He is killed after declaring he wants to break his Night’s Watch vows to help her. The show while a different entity from the books, gave us a hint of Jon’s state of mind after he is brought back. He has essentially given up. He’s done with the Night’s Watch. Jon may reach a similar point in the TWoW. Overcome by nihilism.  Except that Sansa will arrive as she did in the show. Now, we don’t know if Sansa arrives before Jon is brought back in the books or shortly after. We don’t know when Jon will learn about fArya. Either way, Sansa is there around the time he is resurrected. Sansa who has already suffered and will suffer again as she travels North. GRRM has confirmed we are getting a controversial Sansa chapter in TWoW.  Sansa’s arrival will give Jon a new purpose in his new life. His single-minded purpose will be to protect her. It will be more than protecting a long-lost sister. It will be akin to protecting his lady love. Jon’s jealousy may increase. dark!Jon will be motivated by this. Jon will have very strong feelings for her. This will become something that he can not outwardly share with the world. He will, however, be able to publically obsess over saving the North from the Others. The two missions he was working towards in ADWD, bringing Wildlings fleeing from the Others south to protect them and trying to save fArya from Ramsey will become one.  To the world, Jon will claim to be saving the realm from the dead. But he won’t be saving the realm for all of humanity. He will be saving the realm because that means he can protect Winterfell and what is left of the Stark family, Sansa. In this, he will do whatever it takes with cold ruthlessness. Add in some extreme jealousy and violence and you have a very dark resurrected Jon Snow.

[aegor-bamfsteel]

i know you really don't like shiera seastar, but do you have any thoughts about the theory that melisandre is her and bloodraven's child?

Thanks for the question, El! I did a very cursory search for arguments on this theory, so I admittedly don’t know all of its ins and outs. The evidence I’m referencing comes from the comments section of Shiera’s SSM:

Melisandre is described as having full breasts, a narrow waist, and a heart-shaped face while GRRM described Shiera in the SSM as “slim of waist and full of breast” with a heart-shaped face. She has red eyes and “pale, unblemished skin” while Brynden Rivers has albinism and red eyes. By contrast, the people of Asshai have a “dark and solemn” appearance, maybe indicating her foreign origins. Her original name Melony could be a combination of Melissa Blackwood and Serenei of Lys, Brynden and Shiera’s mothers. Melisandre practices shadow magic and sees visions in the flames, while Brynden Rivers has an affinity for shadows and prophetic green dreams. Both of them possess magic jewelry, a Ruby choker and a moonstone brooch. Brynden Rivers and Shiera Seastar had a sexual relationship; Brynden asked her to marry him “half a hundred times”, perhaps because he felt a duty to their newborn child while she refused to give up her independence. Serenei of Lys was implied to be much older than Aegon, and Shiera allegedly used the dark arts to keep her youth, so maybe Melisandre is much older than she appears and uses magic to keep her youth just like her putative mother and grandmother.

I dislike this theory, but not because I think it lacks evidence. Although I don’t find any of these pieces of information convincing. Firstly, Melisandre and Shiera are both considered great beauties in Westeros, so it makes sense that they share the features Westerosi men deem attractive. The appearance-based parallels to Brynden Rivers are even more spurious, as Melisandre has “pale, unblemished skin” but does not have albinism (we know the Ghost of High Heart does, so it would’ve been obvious with Mel) while Bloodraven has albinism and a pronounced crimson birthmark. Neither Brynden nor Shiera has red hair, but silver-gold or white hair. On the other hand, if Melisandre can alter her own appearance with magic, she might not even look the way she is described. Melony isn’t a straight portmanteau of Melissa and Serenei (Melenei would be), but even if it was, this series isn’t Twilight where parents give their daughters amalgamations of their grandmother’s first names; I did a meta on the names of Aegon IV’s children, and these names come from their mothers’ culture. If Shiera had a daughter (which does not seem likely to me given her selfish and abusive character), then she would’ve given her a Lysene name, but Melony doesn’t sound like any female Lysene name we know of (Larra, Serra, Serenei, Mysaria, Doreah, Shiera), lacking a vowel diphthong or a double r. She might not be native Asshai'i, but slave ships kidnap children from certain lands (like Naath or beyond the Wall) and sell them to slaving cities like Asshai, so it doesn’t mean that her parents were two Westerosi nobles. Sure, Melisandre has supernatural abilities: she can’t be poisoned, can make swords glow, births shadow assassins, has visions in the flames, and can glamor people to look like others; but she does not have any abilities that we know must be inherited through the blood of the First Men, like skin changing and green seeing (which would confirm an at least part-Westerosi heritage, if not that Bloodraven was her father). Shadow binders such as Quaithe and Mirri Maz Duur learned their magic in Asshai, doubtless where Melisandre learned to create shadow assassins. Thoros of Myr can light swords afire and see visions in the flames like she can, so her powers also come from being a priestess of R'hllor. It seems that her abilities were learned, not something born to her.

And that brings me to why I don’t like the theory: it denigrates Melisandre’s character and abilities in a way that I find rather unsettling. Speculation is a fun way to pass time until the next book comes out and causes people to read the available books more closely. I don’t mind coming up harmless theories and headcanons without much evidence (I’ve done it myself), but the theory that Melisandre is Bloodraven and Shiera’s daughter isn’t that to me.

Think about it: Melisandre has impressive magical abilities, but she uses tricks to make herself seem more powerful (powders that she conceals in her robes) and pretends working magic takes less of a toll on her than it actually does. She likes to project an air of calmness and certainty, but her aDwD chapter shows that she is wracked by doubt; it also gives us a clue as to why: she was a child named Melony who was sold at auction to a red temple. She was in a horrific condition at an incredibly vulnerable stage in her life, so she is afraid of appearing weak or less knowing in front of others. She spent “years beyond count” honing her abilities to never be vulnerable again, and her devotion to R'hllor is for giving her a better life outside slavery. I believe that making Brynden and Shiera her parents undermines her story. She didn’t spend lifetimes studying to be so powerful, she inherited her abilities from her parents! Notice how while Quaithe and Melisandre are popularly speculated to be secret Targaryens, none of the male sorcerers like Thoros or Moqorro are, no matter the likelihood of any of them being so; it feels like a fandom example of the “Never a Self-Made Woman” trope, where men can become respected practitioners on their own merits whereas women only get their abilities because of their family heritage. Furthermore, GRRM has already been criticized for his lack of well-developed Essosi and ex-slave characters, and this theory makes an Essosi ex-slave, a PoV character with significant development for four books, the child of two Westerosi nobles. That makes me incredibly uncomfortable. And as someone who appreciates Stannis Baratheon having a common born smuggler and a foreign priestess as his closest council in a noble society that looks down on the “smallfolk” and foreigners, it undermines one of his positive traits as well. So while I don’t believe this theory, I also think it’s problematic (I don’t like using this word, but it conveys my meaning since I’m sure the theorizers don’t have bad intentions, but the implications are still very much present) because of its underlying sexism, classism, and xenophobia.

(If you’re still here after that somewhat overly dramatic conclusion, the final paragraph gets even more wanky, so might want to check out now.)

One of the most prominent supporters of this theory has an elaborate headcanon where Maekar banishes Shiera from court for getting pregnant by Bloodraven because it would “be too many bastards”, is spurned by Bittersteel when she offers to become his lover again in exchange for shelter, and then dies in childbirth with Melony in the Free Cities. She makes posts that get hundreds of notes about how GRRM uses women as “wombs with legs” in his writing and helped popularize the term “Dead Ladies Club” in fandom. She also took turns with another prominent member of the fandom mocking certain speculators as being “drunk”, “crazy”, and how “not having new books in so long addled their brains” because they came up with an improbable theory based on scant textual evidence. So please don’t think I’m being too harsh in my criticisms about this particular theory, since it’s coming from such an overrated hypocrite. At least I bothered to do some research before disagreeing.