#again. too young to get married imo.

[babydarkstar]

still unfathomably envious of my irl who’s getting married. it’s literally only bc shes a dyke

[livinahey]

Random astro obs bcs y not

Warning ⚠️ mentions of abuse and trauma

scorpio luminaries & luminaries aspect to pluto (especially harsh aspect) almost be always know when something/someone is gonna do no good to you. If they warn you ab something then just follow them. Bcs what they say is scarily often end up being true

Also, if from the first meet these natives STRONGLY dislike you even though you didnt do anything then yeah.... Youre the problem lol. No matter if youre everyone crush, everyone sweetheart, or whatever is that. Again, like I said before, they seems to always know when something/someone is not good

These natives can also scared of themselves bcs of this

I think we admire ppl who have our mars sign as their sun sign

Sag sun with water moon women makes the loyal partner 🥺🤧 be it business partner, in friendship, or as a lover. Don't leave them.

When you see mars square pluto native gets bad mood or even angry.... RUN

Bcs they can be so violent at that time and you dont want to see that

Same goes to cap moon 💀

Women with moon square bml (black moon lilith) always have the best glow ups ✨✨🤧 im so proud (and bit jealous lol) of you dear

Mercury in leo degrees (5, 17, 29) being sooooo charming. They be say "hi" only and you already weak(???) lol

Leo venus 🤝 cant go a day without boasting what they love, be it their hobbies, their job, their loved ones, their pet, or even the place where they live lol. So passionate

I'm not surprised if theyre the one that have many posts on their social media account

Ppl with big 6 at 6 degrees (virgo degree) can be seen as villain

Moon conjunct jupiter synastry: when the moon person getting humiliated/disrespect, the jupiter person be defending the moon person. Also, the moon person can have soft spot for the jupiter person

Natal aspects to sun i like are sun conjunct mars and sun-pluto any major aspects. The word "sexy" is literally made for them lol.

TW ABUSE

women with cap or cancer mars plsssss check again the man you choose to date or even marry. Bcs i often see these women end up experience being abused severely by their man in their relationship. Men often being intimidated by these women yet still wanna date them. These women do dating man that seems cool and amazing or even adorable person outside BUT UNFORTUNATELY it turns out that the man are the worst person ever. At worst case, the man's family dislike these women due to jealousy towards them. No matter how bad these women get treated by the man, the man's family will still defend the man and treated these women as if theyre the problem 💔

Also, these women can dealing with fucking crazy men that cannot accept being rejected by them atleast once in their life. Scary af

Gemini moon/mars are naturally funny without even trying ✋😭

Sag/pisces rising 🤝 always have ppl crushing over them and even become worshipping them

Libra rising are so beautiful and it seems unbelievable

Cancer rising and their terrible mood swing 🤕 yet still look like the most calm and unbothered person ever

Mercury-bml aspects culture is having what they say being questioned. And if they have sun-uranus aspects too then.... Good luck trying to understand them 🥴

Mercury-bml aspects is underrated funny placements imo. They be say questionable thing but idk i find it funny tho 😩

Scorpio rising and having traumatic experience/memories when they young that seems keep haunting them even until they become old :(

Also they often get disappointed by their family :( they can give all their family members a mountain of gold, being so kind to them to the point they forgetting their own needs and this scorpio rising still getting unappreciated & bad treatment. PLS APPRECIATE SCORPIO RISING IN UR LIFE !!❤‍🩹🫂 they are one of sincere people that often attracts evil eye that doesnt wanna see them being success

Whats with earth rising and having this disgusted/judging look 🥲

They can look at you normally and you will feel that theyre judging you even if they arent

Sag rising and leo rising 🤝 having beef with eachother

Same goes to taurus sun x gemini sun

Cap sun x virgo sun friendship be the weird yet funny pair

Every leo placement always have virgo placement in their life

They can have love-hate relationship with eachother tho lol.

And the same goes to every cap placement that always have aries placement in their life

You either love the opposite sex that has the same mars sign as you OR going "mehh" of them

Earth rising 🤝 secured financially. Maybe you never catched them worry ab not having money to save their life

Hey thank you for reading this so far!! I do these obs not bcs I wanna gain followers or what but bcs I found these things give me joy hehe ✌🏻 english isnt my first language so apologize for any grammar mistakes. be safe out there!! 🫂✨

[marvelstars]

The fact fandom sees Obi-Wan as an uwu baby at 25 years old while also considering that Anakin should have got his feelings over his mother together at 9 show how bad it can get when we infantilize the characters to suit our vision of them imo.

At 25 Obi-Wan was a grown young adult when he started taking care of Anakin, in fact many people in real life marry and have children at that age, in light of that his hurt feelings and jealousy over Qui-Gon asking him to be knighted, which is supposed to be a good thing, a recognition of his skills, so he could take care of Anakin, show Qui-Gon was right in that Obi-Wan still had some maduration to go but that he was ready to be a Jedi Knight.

ObiWan defeating Maul sealed the deal for the council but it also presents a very problematic precedent, it wasn´t his emotional maturity and wiseness the thing that made Obi-Wan a knight but his dueling skills in his combat with Maul after his master was killed.

In Anakin´s case at 9 he was old to be introduced to the Jedi because he isn´t 4 or 5 but he is very young to be made a padawan, they usually start at 13 or 14 like Ahsoka did. So given Obi-Wan wish to train him to make a reality Qui-Gon´s dying wish, Anakin was made a padawan sooner than when he was supposed to be one, not because he was a kind child who worried about others and wanted to make a lasting change in the galaxy for the slaves, he was made a padawan because of his power potential and the Jedi Order didn´t try to make adecuations to the fact he was old enough to remember seeing slaves being blow up by their masters and the fact his mother was still a slave and in constant danger of this happening to her as well. Nothing of this was addressed with Anakin, he was told in no uncertain terms that his responsibility and compromise with the Jedi Order, which he made at 9, didn´t involve him thinking about his mother or seeing her ever again. Anakin obeyed this dictate until his mother was tortured killed and he had his first fall to the dark side by taking revenge on the tuskens for the murder of his mother.

Later at 19 he is made a Knight not because he had shown a grown in his control over the force or his own feelings but because he was an able soldier with leadership skills which served him well to survive a war in which the majority of the padawans of his generation were killed , at 20 he was made a Jedi master for Ahsoka during war time, he was responsible of teaching her how to be a Jedi while also making sure she didn´t die while also taking care of his troops and giving victories to the Republic all of which he did, even when his padawan was expelled, even when his men were killed for knowing too much like in Fives case and at 23 he was a general and one of the leading Jedi in the war, married to Padme with a child on the way, so Anakin was two years younger than Obi-Wan was when he was still a padawan and meet Anakin for the first time. Anakin fell to the darkside and became Vader when he was 23 years old, two years younger than padawan Obi-Wan.

So If I use the age argument it wasn´t Obi-Wan the one who got pushed into a situation he could not have managed on his own for his age but Anakin definitely was, because of his particular power and skills even if the popular take is that Obi-Wan was a baby at 25 taking care of an ungrateful, unstable almost teenager Anakin as a 9 year old, for many fans Anakin never was a child but he was, the fact he didn´t had an actual childhood is another thing.

But well if we take this in consideration then it makes all the sense in the world Yoda choose to let Anakin´s twins grow up with their families, train Luke when he was an adult and not make him a Knight at 23 if he didn´t deal with his inner conflict over his father but it was Luke´s choice of not wanting to fight or kill his father but rather ask him to come back to him, to the person he used to be, the thing that made the difference. Anakin came back to save his child from his master, himself and the Empire, he gave up his life to give Luke and Luke´s dreams a chance.

So while age certainly is a factor it isn´t everything when it´s about a character grow and choices imo.

[clunelover]

Okay book rec - I’m obsessed with this series, Rivers of London, about a young London police officer who meets a ghost and then ends up being inducted into the magic arm of the police. Then the books are sort of combination crime and sci fi/fantasy? I’m always hesitant to tell people about them cause they’re not Literary Fiction (🙄) but - they’re funny and interesting and exciting and unique…I can’t speak to what it’s like to just read them, because I do them as audiobooks, which I really really recommend - they’re read by a Ghanaian-British man with the most amaaaazing voice that IMO is essential to the books as I’ve experienced them. Anyway, without giving too much away, some of the things that make them unique:

- the protagonist is biracial, his dad is a white British guy and his mom is from Sierra Leone. The author is himself a white guy married to an African woman, and they have a biracial son, so I think he draws from that, in a way that feels…idk, like, smart about race, but in a casual way that sometimes comes close to skirting the lines of what is PC, but always stays on the right side of that, and seems true to the character, and nobody is a stereotype? Very deftly done.

- the protagonist has an interest in architecture so there’s random sprinklings about architectural styles and history of London that again feels true to the character and not forced, but also very unique and interesting

- the supernatural elements are very well realized and not hokey

- Like the pitch perfect way race and class are handled, there’s a similarly deft touch to addiction, sexuality, gender identity, etc. (but again not in that heavy handed “there are Diverse Characters in this book!” way). Like…okay I am going to spoil one little moment from like the 8th book in the series because I keep coming back to it as a great example:

The detective is meeting a group of people and identifies one as “a white woman with short brown hair” and then when the introductions are made (paraphrasing this to the best of my memory):

“She said, ‘my name’s Victor,’ with a particular emphasis on the name, as if to say ‘here’s a clue, let’s see if you get one.’ I shook his hand and said I was pleased to meet him.” Like - it just felt so real, he thought it was a woman, he found out he was wrong, he switched pronouns in his mind.

- And then the intrigue and suspense and all that across the books is great too

So, I’ve listened to all 9 of these books (and am DYING for the next one) multiple times, just like any time I’m doing something and need something to listen to, I re-listen to one of them because repetition is so soothing to me. I strongly recommend them AS AUDIOBOOKS

Oh also I think they’re being developed into a tv show, so get on it now so you can say you liked the books better!!

[presidenthades]

Trigger warning: Birth and infertility

Randomly popped in my mind. We know, due to prophecy,Jace and Aegon are going to have three children. But how will that be possible? Jace's first birth was really tough, it almost took her life and she was relatively young (not Aemma Arryn young but young). And Aegon is very afraid to lose Jace so how do they decide to have more kids? (I just know Aegon would age 90 years in those 9 months after what happened with Elaenar's birth)

And when they come around how is Jace able to safely deliver? I know every birth is different but some births mess up mother's bodies really badly they're never able to conceive and/or give birth again. I'm sorry if this is a rude or an out of pocket ask, but after we saw what happened to Aemma Arryn I got confused. (You know since she couldn't deliver healthy children because she was bedded and gave birth too young.)

Again, I am sorry if this is a gloomy ask 🙏🏼Ignore it if it makes you uncomfortable.

Good question!

(I would like to take this moment to point out, again, that GRRM makes his female characters get married and have kids younger than even the real medieval world would’ve deemed appropriate. In the Middle Ages, a lot of women, especially commoners, didn’t get married until their 20’s. But we’re playing in GRRM’s sandbox, so…)

I don’t have an expert understanding of obstetrics, and there is some fictional hand-waving involved. But my thinking is that despite the difficulty with them waiting for Elenar to turn the right way, he was born in the ideal head-down position (thanks, Aunt Joff), and the birth didn’t cause long-lasting damage to Jace.

IMO, a lot of Aemma’s issues were because A) she got pregnant as soon as possible at age 13, and B) she probably wasn’t given much recovery time between the miscarriages and stillbirths. Even though from a modern perspective 16 is very young to give birth, there can be a huge developmental difference between a 13yo and a 16yo. That’s a major reason Rhaenyra demanded that Jace and Aegon wait to consummate the marriage. Rhaenyra would probably have preferred they wait even longer, but 16 is the age of majority in Westeros.

Aegon and Jace are also doing their best to prevent another pregnancy for a while, so Jace isn’t having another baby until she feels ready. I think after a few years, Jace will want more kids, and she’ll be the one who has to convince Aegon to try again. (It should also be noted that moon tea, like any contraceptive, isn’t 100% effective.)

If/when Jace gets pregnant again, Aegon is probably immediately taking her to Dragonstone for the entire duration of the pregnancy to reduce her stress and risk factors. I can also imagine Aegon gathering a bunch of pregnancy/childbirth experts from Westeros and Essos. (And that’s how Aegon inadvertently hosts the world’s first obstetrics conference.)

[imwall-e]

Until we meet again : Chapter 1

Pairing : TB!Arthur Morgan x Reader

Warning : MAJOR SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T PLAY THE GAME, major character dea•th, tuberculosis, angst, (tell me if I forgot some), reader but external POV

A/N : I wrote this a few months ago and finally decided to post it. I'm really proud of this chapter, my best work so far (imo). I first wrote it in French and mostly used Deepl to translate the text, and even if I re-read it, they may be some mistake so don't hesitate to tell me! This is not beta read. This is my first work for the Red Dead fandom and I hope it's good. Consider liking, rebloging or commenting if you like my work (and feel comfortable with that of course).

The atmosphere of Beaver Hollow was already being felt long before we arrived at the new camp. The area was dark, damp, stinking. It was as if it were haunted. Cursed. As for the cave, it was a concentration of all that, only worse. Once home to a local gang nicknamed The Rejects of Murfree, it bore indelible traces of the horrors it had harbored. The smell outside was unbearable, but inside was a vision of dread. Blood was visible from floor to ceiling, pieces of decomposing corpses smeared all the way down to its entrails. Impossible to settle inside.

Where just a few weeks earlier the gang had been celebrating their exit from the snowy mountains, and everyone was ready to give their all to make a new place a comfortable place to live, now there was no laughter to be heard. Not a smile was to be seen on any of the faces. Only whispers, distrust, fear and death reigned.

And Arthur… his coughing fits were becoming more violent, and more frequent. His skin was pale, contrasting with the blue of his eyes, which betrayed his illness and fatigue.

Outlawed, hunted by the Pinkertons or opposing gangs like the O'Driscolls, he'd been shot at many times. And yet, he was dying of tuberculosis. A fucking disease. After all, he'd probably earned it with the life he was leading… had led. His punishment for beating up Mr Downes. A good man, always ready to help others even though he didn't have much.

Arthur, who'd never done anything right. Or so he thought, but she was always there to remind him otherwise. After Mary, after Eliza, he never thought he'd fall in love again. Then she'd come along, and offered him more than he thought he deserved.

Arthur had met her while hunting. She was wearing a long white dress. At first, he thought he saw an angel. Then their eyes met. He saw the fear in her eyes and decided to put down his bow. He introduced himself and she gradually seemed to calm down. After a few minutes' silence, she finally told him her name. Her voice trembled, but she'd asked for his help: she was supposed to be getting married that very day to a man she'd never met. But what she was looking for was freedom.

She wanted to travel. To discover. To live. And Arthur had offered her all that. For five years, they'd been happy together. Arthur had even proposed to her while they were still in Blackwater. But they'd kept it a secret until things got better.

Unfortunately, the moment never arrived.

Micah was a traitor. And Dutch had blindly followed him, going so far as to question the words of John and Arthur. He'd rather believe a dangerous madman than those he considered his own sons.

Arthur should have left after the Blackwater massacre. Hosea had tried to warn him when they'd all fled to Colter. Or he should have let Micah hang at Strawberry. If only he'd been willing to open his eyes to what Dutch had become. To his true nature. If only.

But it was too late now, and there was no point in dwelling on the past. Now he had t o protect those who remained. Tilly had already taken Jack to safety. Abigail was safe thanks to him and Sadie, and the two women had left to join Tilly. Mary-Beth and Karen had probably escaped too. She was the only one left. And he knew exactly where she'd be safe.

He helped his young fiancée onto her mare, then settled down behind her. He wanted to smell her hair while he still could. He wanted to hold her close. However, time was running out and lingering was a luxury they couldn't afford. The person he was looking for was passing through the Annesburg area, but they'd better get moving fast. He nudged the horse's flank to move it forward, and whistled for the stallion carrying the young woman's belongings to follow.

The journey wasn't long, but it went by faster than he would have liked. A dilapidated house appeared in the distance. Arthur had exchanged a few letters with the man who had taken an interest in his bleak landscape, a man he had helped not long ago. He was standing outside, setting up his camera. His gaze wandered to them, and he soon recognized Arthur.

"Mr. Morgan! I'm so happy to see you again! As you may have noticed, I've given up taking pictures of wildlife. I'm now content with the magnificent landscapes" exclaimed Albert, warmly greeting the man who had helped and saved him on numerous occasions. But his familiar enthusiasm soon disappeared when he saw the young woman's tears and Arthur's sickly pallor. "What's the matter?" he asked worriedly, abandoning his camera.

"Mr. Mason, I need you to…" but Arthur was interrupted by a coughing fit causing him to cough up blood as he stepped to the ground. "I'm dying and I'd like you to take care of my fiancée."

The young woman tried to smile at Albert, but knowing that the man she loved would soon be leaving her was too much to bear. It dashed all memories, all hopes of a better life with her cowboy.

"I'm sorry I haven't written to inform you, but recent events haven't given me the opportunity," Arthur resumed after helping his beloved off his horse.

The tears continued to roll silently down the cheeks of the woman who was to become Mrs Morgan. She was silent now, staring into space.

"Mr Morgan…", Albert didn't know what to say. This kind man, who had come to his aid so many times, was going to die. He could see the sadness in the lovers' eyes. And Albert saw only one way he could do something for them: "Don't worry, I'll take care of mademoiselle."

Arthur was relieved: she would be safe. She would live. He turned to her: she seemed no more than a ghost. But she had to fight. For him. For her. For them.

"I love you, Princess," he began, taking her in his arms. "More than you can imagine. I wish I'd said it more often. I regret so many things. But I promise we'll meet again. Not in this life, unfortunately, but in another. I'll find you again."

"We… we… we didn't even have time to get married," she managed to articulate between sobs, the crying resuming in earnest following Arthur's words.

"It wasn't our time. Now you must stay with Albert. Live, princess. Do it for me. I'll always watch over you, but promise me you won't let yourself die."

"I… I promise, Arthur."

That was all he needed to hear. He had to go now. He had unfinished business with Micah, but also with Dutch.

The sun was setting as he rested his forehead against hers. His way of kissing her for the last time, wanting to avoid her contracting tuberculosis too. He squeezed her hands and heard her whisper "I love you, Arthur".

He gently let go of her hands and she kept her eyes closed, not wishing to watch him go. To tell the truth, she was so focused on remembering his scent, his laugh, his voice, that she didn't even hear him mount his mare and gallop away.

When she opened her eyes again, the sky had darkened. A storm was approaching. Arthur was gone. Only Albert remained, looking after the stallion carrying the young woman's belongings. He knew she wouldn't move immediately, but it was time to go. He'd better get back to the cabin he'd rented before nightfall.

"Mademoiselle, I'm sorry but we must leave now. Tomorrow we'll go to Rhodes, my house is close to the city."

"Of course," was all she could reply, her gaze fixed on the mountains.

The journey to the cabin Albert had reserved was silent. The storm was roaring in the distance. She held back from joining Arthur. But she had to keep her promise.

Without Arthur, life would be difficult. Her heart would be broken forever, but she had to try. And one day, they would be reunited. She had to believe that.

The rain finally came, falling on her cheeks and mingling with her tears. She couldn't stop thinking about all those mornings she'd wake up alone. She couldn't accept that he wasn't coming back. Ever.

"Mademoiselle?" Albert's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "We've arrived. You should try to eat something and get some sleep." He didn't know what to do or say.

She followed him silently. Inside, she sat by the window, where she could see the mountains near Beaver Hollow. Soon, she closed her eyes, tears still flowing.

Her mind took her to a river in the middle of the woods. The light wind gently moved the leaves on the trees. She was wearing a long white dress. A branch cracked, startling her. But it was only Arthur, wearing the hat he always wore and the blue shirt she loved so much.

"You're beautiful," he said, and she threw her arms around his neck. "Dance with me?" Was there an answer other than "yes"?

And, each immersed in the other's gaze, they danced. Without stopping, they talked about their future: having a ranch, raising horses, starting a family. A quiet life away from traitors and the Pinkertons. Just them.

"I love you, Arthur."

"I love you too, princesses," he replied, kissing her tenderly. A deer passed by them. Then nothing.

When she opened her eyes again, she knew Arthur was gone.

It was nearly nine o'clock when Albert and the young woman began their journey to Rhodes.

"I think you'll like Rhodes very much, mademoiselle. It's much quieter and warmer since the Gray and Braithwaite families, two rival families, entered… well, since they left."

The young woman smiled at the mention. It brought back memories that were certainly recent, but seemed so long ago. But her smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared as she recalled Sean's death.

Then came Kieran's turn. Hosea. Lenny. Eagle Flies. John. And Arthur.

Sensing that she wouldn't talk any more than she had the day before, Albert decided to talk to her about anything and everything, in the hope of distracting her from the sadness that overwhelmed her, even if only for a few minutes.

"The landscape is also much brighter. Annesburg offers beautiful scenery, but it's a very dark, eerie area. Rhodes is nicer, warmer."

Albert was right: the further they got from Annesburg, the fresher the air seemed, the more colorful and welcoming the surroundings.

She glanced back one last time, to where Arthur had remained. Her heart sank. She felt she was abandoning him. But she had to stay strong.

Finally, Rhodes appeared before them as the sun tinted the sky orange, ready to give way to the moon.

"Miss, look!"

A majestic deer had stopped in the middle of the road, staring at them with its big dark eyes.

"It's the first time I've seen one approach like that. They're usually very frightened," Albert continued.

The deer approached the young woman and rested its muzzle against her leg. She gently touched its large antlers, then the animal moved away, disappearing among the trees.

"Goodbye, Arthur."

I hope you liked this first chapter!

[atopvisenyashill]

DAEMON BALLFYRE THEORY

it’s an unserious name but a serious theory!!!

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT QUENTYN BALL

If Daemon had ridden over Gwayne Corbray . . . if Fireball had not been slain on the eve of battle . .

-small mention from eustace in the sword sword

For his hot head and red hair. Ser Quentyn Ball was the master-at-arms at the Red Keep. He taught my father and my uncles how to fight. The Great Bastards too. King Aegon promised to raise him to the Kingsguard, so Fireball made his wife join the silent sisters, only by the time a place came open, King Aegon was dead and King Daeron named Ser Willam Wylde instead. My father says that it was Fireball as much as Bittersteel who convinced Daemon Blackfyre to claim the crown, and rescued him when Daeron sent the Kingsguard to arrest him. Later on, Fireball killed Lord Lefford at the gates of Lannisport and sent the Grey Lion running back to hide inside the Rock. At the crossing of the Mandel, he cut down the sons of Lady Penrose one by one. They say he spared the life of the youngest one as a kindness to his mother.

-egg says this in the mystery knight, bolded parts mine

Daemon was the name Daena gave to this child, for Prince Daemon had been the wonder and the terror of his age, and in later days that was seen as a warning of what the boy would become. Daemon Waters was his full name when he was born in 170 AC. At that time, Daena refused to name the father, but even then Aegon's involvement was suspected. Raised at the Red Keep, this handsome youth was given the instruction of the wisest maesters and the best masters-at-arms at court, including Ser Quentyn Ball, the fiery knight called Fireball. He loved nothing better than deeds of arms and excelled at them, and many saw in him a warrior who would one day be another Dragonknight.

The king sent the Kingsguard to arrest Daemon before he could take his plans for treason any further. Daemon was forewarned, and with the help of the famously hot-tempered knight Ser Quentyn Ball, called Fireball, he was able to escape the Red Keep safely. Daemon Blackfyre's allies used this attempted arrest as a cause for war, claiming that Daeron had acted against Daemon out of no more than baseless fear. Others still named him Daeron Falseborn, repeating the calumny that Aegon the Unworthy himself was said to have circulated in the later years of his reign: that he had been sired not by the king but by his brother, the Dragonknight.

-these are both from TWOIAF, again bolded and italicized parts mine.

WHAT STICKS OUT TO ME

Quentyn is married, a landless knight, and clearly older than Daena - it’s not just about a man “spoiling” a young, royal maiden but imo also that Quentyn specifically would get in a LOT of trouble because he is low class (see: Bonifer & Rhaella) and married to boot

He was master at arms, which gives him the ability to be in Daemon’s life without arousing suspicion from anyone, and also proximity to Daena to allow for an affair, even with her on the Maidenvault.

He’s name dropped SEVERAL times and he’s clearly very important to the founding of the Blackfyre Rebellion despite being both very lowborn and also dying in a kinda lame way (not even during the battle, just by a lone archer)

He wanted so badly to be on the kingsguard he forced his wife into the Silent Sisters, only to be denied by Daeron

He seemed to be on good terms with Aegon IV

Everyone seems real sure that the daddy was Aegon and we’re not given a reason why

Aegon doesn’t claim Daemon as his bastard until after (presumably) Daena has died

Also, Aegon doesn’t claim Daemon as his bastard until after all of the Great Bastards have been born

EYE think that Aegon IV was purposefully trying to have a bastard that could challenge Daeron, and that his affairs weren’t just like lust, boredom, wanting to disrespect Naerys & Aemon, etc. There is, imo, a shift in his mistresses being just, any woman he has access to - Falena, Bellegere, Cassella, and Meg - to woman who are highborn maidens from powerful families in Westeros - the Blackwoods, Brackens, and Lothstons. Even Serenei fits in here, given that Targ-looking wives from Lys & Volantis are not uncommon before or after Aegon IV. He’s even mentioned as still having a role in Aegor’s life by visiting him, potentially trying to groom him to rebel. But then everything with the Brackens blows up in his face (which is his own fault tbc), and Brynden is an emo fuck with red eyes, and Shiera is a girl. Then Daena dies…..and an opportunity opens up. Daemon looks like a Targaryen, no one knows who the father is, but for some reason everyone already suspects him (imo this is due to Rhaenyra’s boys looking like Harwin - like just a misogyny thing that SURELY Daemon couldn’t get his look from his mother alone, look at Rhaenyra’s kids vs Alicent’s), so publicly claiming Daena’s child at last gives him the perfect rival against Daeron.

ALSO, we have a few times in the story where someone joins the Kingsguard to be closer to a woman they want to protect - Aemon & Naerys, Jaime & Cersei, and Loras & Margaery. I think Lewyn & Elia likely fall under this as well. I think it makes sense Quentyn would see joining the Kingsguard as an opportunity to be closer to both Daena & Daemon especially given his low class status; skilled knights can rise to the Kingsguard even from lowborn or baseborn backgrounds. ALSO ALSO again, our only evidence of Aegon IV being the dad is, ya know, Aegon himself. Daena stayed silent her entire life on the subject. I like to think she had a reason for this - not that she protecting Aegon, but that she was protecting Quentyn.

[destinyc1020]

I think its very clear that Z and Tom have a exclusive relationship. Z is very much a 'my man' (singular lmao) woman and Tom seems like he wants to mimick his parents relationship (who are married and seem exclusive).

Austin/Kaia dnt strike me as a exclusive relationship tbh n nothing wrong with that. Dnt automatically mean he is after Flo or Z either lol bt i think he respects them both and Z obviously sets a boundary woth her male coworkers (again, nothing wrong with that, its a job).

Exactly Anon 💯

Tom and Z are practically married to me at this point. Lol 😆

They definitely seem very serious and are basically married to each other.

Austin and Kaia seem exclusive to me (they both seem loyal?), but not anywhere near on the same level as Tomdaya.... not in the least lol 😆

I know Kaustin shippers want to think of their rlshp as being super serious, but I'm just not getting that vibe? 🤷🏾‍♀️

There are way too many signs that give me the impression that they aren't on the same level as Tomdaya, and that's perfectly fine!

I know this might be an unpopular opinion for most who like them as a couple, but I really don't see them as endgame. I think they're just enjoying each other's company and the relationship, but I don't get "we're IT for each other" vibes from Austin and Kaia at all. 🥴

I always wonder why fans try to push engagement on them too, especially when Austin has NEVER even talked about marriage. Does he even want to be married? Austin didn't have the best life growing up... his parents split when he was at a young age, and when his mom remarried, supposedly his step father was very abusive 😩 Marriage isn't always everyone's end goal based on what they've seen growing up, and I think ppl need to respect that. Like fans always push stuff on people. It's really weird imo.

Honestly? Austin seems like he's on his career-building mode right now. I don't see him settling down with Kaia or ANY woman for that matter any time soon.

I could be wrong of course.... maybe he's just private... but the day I hear him talk about settling down, or the type of woman he wants, or even just talking about wanting kids or a family one day, then MAYBE I will think that he's getting himself ready for marriage.

But for right now? Just honestly speaking? I don't think he's thinking about that rn, and I think his dating choice right now reflects that. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Kaia herself seems very young and seems more focused on her career atm. I don't see her being a wife at this stage in her life.

I think when he's ready for marriage we'll see him dating a different person. That's just my personal feeling, but of course, I could be WAY off base, and they could already be secretly engaged for all I know lol 😆 😄

[painfullymeta]

Warning: I'm Gonna Be Earnest Now

I am deep in my feels right at the moment so I am actually making a post of my own on this, the deep in my feels hellsite.

I am late GenX.  (Not quite what gets called Xennial IMO but definitely in what gets called the Oregon Trail (Micro)Generation.)  And for all you young whippersnappers, you have to understand "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” ( - L. P. Hartley)

I am old enough to remember when AIDS was named GRID.  ("Gay-related immune deficiency.”)  I am old enough to remember ACT-UP, the Reagans’ abandonment, “If I die of AIDS just leave me on the steps of the FDA”, all those things that tired older people on tumblr try to remind people of when the TERFs come around to tell us to stop saying “queer” as if Queer Nation was a goddamn hallucination I had when I was a kid.

On the last day of high school, after the last exam, when none of us would have to ever see each other again if we so chose – that was the day that one of my friends, someone I had eaten lunch near every day since partway through freshman year, said to me “I have something to tell you.  I’m gay.”  And then he followed it up with “Is that okay?”

I hugged him.  He broke my goddamn heart and I hugged him.  "Is that okay," he asked me. Is it okay to be who I am, near you.

I was in college before I met someone who identified herself as a lesbian — and I went to a women’s college until I lost my shit and dropped out, and I expect that if I hadn’t done that I might have gone longer.

(Of course at the same time as I was clueless and not meaningfully connected with any sort of queer culture I somehow wound up with a friendgroup who, if we got bored and couldn’t come up with anything else to do, would watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show together.  This is what we did instead of going to Homecoming.)

By 2000, I was vaguely aware of trans things existing, and in fact met my first trans person while at Brighton Pride that year, though we didn’t really speak (I was there as the guest of some people in his extended social group) and I was vaguely confused and too awkward to try to do more than ‘observe and try not to fuck this up’.  I met a nonbinary person for the first time around then as well, and zie was the only one I knew of for nearly a decade.

By the mid-oughts I was with it enough to ask someone what pronouns she wanted me to use for her before sharing something about her on a message board.

(I am also old enough to have spent time on multiple message boards.  I’m old enough to resent the internet going through the world wide web instead of email and usenet actually.)

Sometime in the early oughts I guess I was at the subcommittee hearing in the Boston State House that was discussing, among other things, whether we might consider possibly condescending to allow same-sex couples to marry.  I was even going to testify!  (Please be impressed with my early twenties autistic ass I was terrified.)  There was a guy there - a senator on the committee - who was asking every person who came up if they were going to force his church to marry the gays.  Catholic, y’know, this being Massachusetts.  I revised my speech in my head to note that if we weren’t forcing the Catholic churches to marry divorcees yet he didn’t need to worry about it.

(Then my nose decided to haemhorrage all over my entire life and I couldn’t get it to stop bleeding so rather than testify while looking like an entire murder victim I went home.)

I was in my thirties when pregnancy-induced dysphoria made me start seriously thinking about my own sense of gender.

I was in my forties before I bought a binder.

I am from another fucking planet.  (The past is a foreign country.)

I know kids - multiple kids - who knew enough to identify as lesbians at an age younger than I think I knew that word.  (And I am one of those humans of freakish and unreasonable vocabulary and always have been.)

I crack jokes with one of my kids about the Queer Kids Stairs at their school, because that’s where the GSA kids hang out together after activities get out.  (While GSAs were around while I was a kid, they started in Massachusetts according to Wikipedia and that is not where I was when I was a kid, and to my best recollection I didn’t hear about them existing at all until I was an adult.)

I live in a world where my social circles include queer people of my generation, of older generations, of younger generations, and oh my gods, I look at the kids and my heart tries to explode.

My oldest knows more than one trans kid.  More than one *affirmed* trans kid.  (And we’ve talked a bit about the social dynamics that might make it more likely for the trans boys to be out than the trans girls, even now.)

And I’m writing this because of one of those trans boys, who is in the Coming of Age group at our church, and who is, apparently, in his credo, citing that thing I’ve seen on the tumblrs more than once, about how being trans means being a participant in the holy, divine process of creation, coming into being as himself.

And guys?

I’m not from the same planet as that kid.

Because I’m in my forties and I don’t even know what I’m creating.  And I’m terrified.

And here’s this kid coming out there with that as a core statement of belief that he’s prepared to stand up in front of, as the phrase goes ‘God and everyone’, to claim.

(I need to remember to talk to him about how in my Craft tradition there’s a canonically transmasc god.)

I know I’ve got at least two teenagers reading me and I just.  Y’all got this.  I know it’s hard and the world is scary and it’s fucking coming for us all but you are amazing and I am so full of inarticulate alexithymic feelings about all of you. The ones I know and the ones I don't.

We've come a long way from "Is that okay?" and you heal my broken heart.

[jackoshadows]

@nogoodsheepstealing-greatgrandma 

I didn’t want to derail or hijack your Dany post, so decided to make a separate post to what I think is an interesting discussion. 

As I have mentioned in some of my earlier posts, I find Sansa to be a confusing mess mainly because the character herself does not introspect, does not think, does not connect dots, does not proactively try to figure things out.

Which is why it’s doubly frustrating that the same hypocrites who are critiquing Daenerys and Jon for their leadership will write praises of Sansa’s intelligence and political acumen when she is the least political of her peers and hardly ever engages in critical thinking.

And honestly, there’s only so much that age can be used as an excuse considering these are characters in a fantasy world where a 10 year old has been elected Lord Commander, teenagers rule as Kings and Queens and marry young. Dany and Jon have decided that they want to be leaders and so I judge them based on their actions and, despite their age, they have done a far better job than the likes of Cersei, Jaime, Robert, Ned, Cat etc. IMO.

One of the opinions I very much disagree with is the notion that Ned’s warning to Sansa or what Maester Coleman tells Sansa is vague and not understandable when, for me as reader, they come across as pretty succinct and clear in their intention. There’s also the fact that these warnings do not happen in a vacuum, there is always context for a character to put 2 and 2 together to come up with 4.

Here's Ned telling Sansa that it's dangerous for the Starks in KL

Father’s mouth twitched strangely. “Sansa, I’m not sending you away for fighting, though the gods know I’m sick of you two squabbling. I want you back in Winterfell for your own safety. Three of my men were cut down like dogs not a league from where we sit, and what does Robert do? He goes hunting.”

“Sweet one,” her father said gently, “listen to me. When you’re old enough, I will make you a match with a high lord who’s worthy of you, someone brave and gentle and strong. This match with Joffrey was a terrible mistake. That boy is no Prince Aemon, you must believe me.”

“I am looking for a fast trading galley to take you home. These days, the sea is safer than the kingsroad. You will sail as soon as I can find a proper ship, with Septa Mordane and a complement of guards … and yes, with Syrio Forel, if he agrees to enter my service. But say nothing of this. It’s better if no one knows of our plans. We’ll talk again tomorrow.” - Eddard, AGoT

To then add context to everything Ned tells her, Sansa herself is witness to Cersei ordering her beloved pet wolf dead, Joffrey's sadistic mauling of Mycah and knowing what Jaime did to Stark men. It's clear to me that it's not that Sansa did not understand Ned's warning about the Lannisters, it’s that she preferred to ignore it in favor of wanting to stay in KL, marry Joffrey and become queen because she imagined herself to be in love with him. It's ignorant self interest, where she deliberately refuses to see the bigger picture of what is happening around her despite knowing all the facts.

Let us take the SweetRobin situation in book 5. Keep in mind that the Maester here is Westeros' version of a physician. So this is a doctor - an expert in someone’s health - talking to Sansa. Surely Sansa should start with the presumption that this man knows more about a person’s health than either she or Littlefinger does, right? When I go to a doctor, I don’t have to be a medical expert in order to take the doctor’s advice right? And we don’t get any of Sansa’s thoughts on Coleman’s competence as a doctor.

When Jon Snow as Lord Commander implements  Jeor Mormont’s defense strategy for rebuilding the Wall it’s because he trusts in Mormont’s experience and knowledge. As much as Jon was opposed to Bowen Marsh’s bigotry, he appreciated Marsh’s skillsets as a steward.

And while Maester Coleman is indeed incompetent and too scared of authority he does care about helping his patients. It’s a sad parallel that Coleman tried to save Jon Arryn in KL (from LF and Lysa’s poisoning ) and failed and now he will fail to save the son  as well. Recall that Pycelle was of the opinion that Coleman could have saved Jon Arryn and that’s why he kicked him out of KL

Tyrion tsked at him. “I saw the tears of Lys among your potions. And you sent away Lord Arryn’s own maester and tended him yourself, so you could make certain that he died.”    

“A falsehood! Yes,” he whimpered, “yes, Colemon was purging, so I sent him away. The queen needed Lord Arryn dead, she did not say so, could not, Varys was listening, always listening, but when I looked at her I knew. It was not me who gave him the poison, though, I swear it.”

The old man wept. “Varys will tell you, it was the boy, his squire, Hugh he was called, he must surely have done it, ask your sister, ask her” - Tyrion, ACoK

Coming back to Coleman and Sansa, from their conversation it's clear that Sansa ignores the doctor's warnings about SweetRobin's health because she trusts Littlefinger to know better that the politics of their situation is more important than SR's health. It’s a case of Sansa putting LF’s guidance and advice above the Maester’s.

Maester Colemon cares only for the boy, though. Father and I have larger concerns” - Alayne, AFfC

Now there can be an entire separate discussion on why Sansa is doing this given everything she knows about Petyr Baelish so far - Lysa’s confession about Jon Arryn’s death, LF being the last person she knows had Jeyne Poole, his role in the murder of Joffrey and framing Tyrion etc. Given that Sansa never introspects on all this we have to assume she is once again deliberately ignoring the truths right in front of her for whatever reason.

This is also why it’s mind boggling when this fandom takes away Arya’s critical thinking skills to prop Sansa up as the smart Stark. At 9, Arya is able to rightly guess that Cersei would harm Nymeria for what she did to Joffrey and drives her away.

Only she kept following, and finally we had to throw rocks. I hit her twice. She whined and looked at me and I felt so ’shamed, but it was right, wasn’t it? The queen would have killed her.” - Arya, AGoT 

When Jaqen has Weese mauled by his dog, Arya is able to connect the dots and deduct that the supernatural is involved. Again, remember she is only 9/10 here.

She had been avoiding the Lorathi since Weese’s death. Chiswyck had been easy,  anyone could push a man off the wallwalk, but Weese had raised that  ugly spotted dog from a pup, and only some dark magic could have turned  the animal against him. Yoren found Jaqen in a black cell, the same as Rorge and Biter, she remembered. Jaqen did something horrible and Yoren knew, that’s why he kept him in chains. If the Lorathi was a wizard, Rorge and Biter could be demons he called up from some hell, not men at all  - Arya, ACoK

So is Sansa gleefully and maliciously having SR poisoned? No. Does Sansa care for SR's wellbeing here? Also no.

I write about how SR is most probably suffering from epileptic seizures in this post and the Maester's solution for this is to keep him as calm as possible. Excitement leads to shaking and seizures, which requires the Maester to dose the child with more SweetSleep, dangerous in the long term. For Sansa however, it is important that SweetRobin show up in front of the lords looking normal - even though the boy has a disabling condition.

So the doctor tells Sansa that to keep SR calm, he would dose him with the less dangerous milk of poppy. Sansa refuses because appearances are more important.

“Good. That is good.” His chain clinked softly as he bobbed his head, atop a ridiculously long and skinny neck. “This descent… my lady, it might be safest if I mixed his lordship some milk of the poppy. Mya Stone could lash him over the back of her most surefooted mule whilst he slumbered.” “The Lord of the Eyrie cannot descend from his mountain tied up like a sack of barleycorn.” Of that Alayne was certain. They dare not let the full extent of Robert’s frailty and cowardice become too widely known, her father had warned her. I wish he were here. He would know what to do. - Alayne, AFfC

No doubt the Maester is scared of LF (And is most probably going to be framed for SR's death by LF), and yet he perseveres to make Sansa understand that it's these feasts/events that's making SR have seizures requiring the sweetsleep.

“Give his lordship a cup of sweetmilk,” she told the maester. “That will stop him from shaking on the journey down.”

“He had a cup not three days past,” Colemon objected.

“And wanted another last night, which you refused him.”

“It was too soon. My lady, you do not understand. As I’ve told the Lord Protector, a pinch of sweetsleep will prevent the shaking, but it does not leave the flesh, and in time . . .”

“Time will not matter if his lordship has a shaking fit and falls off the mountain. If my father were here, I know he would tell you to keep Lord Robert calm at all costs.”

I try, my lady, yet his fits grow ever more violent, and his blood is so thin I dare not leech him any more. Sweetsleep… you are certain he was not bleeding from the nose? I must speak to the Lord Protector. This feast… is that wise, I wonder, after the strain of the descent? Lord Robert mislikes strangers, you know that, and there will be drinking, noise… music. Music frightens him”

“Lord Nestor will have no singers at the feast, only flutes and fiddles for the dancing.” What would she do when the music began to play? It was a vexing question, to which her heart and head gave different answers. Sansa loved to dance, but Alayne… “Just give him a cup of the sweetmilk before we go, and another at the feast, and there should be no trouble.” - Alayne, AFfC

Does the Maester explain the science behind how the drug works to Sansa? No. However, I think he makes it clear enough that the drug stays in the flesh and is dangerous to a person’s health.

And again, we know that Sansa understands what the Maester is telling her regarding the SweetSleep -

“Very well.” They paused at the foot of the stairs. “But this must be the last. For half a year, or longer.”

“You had best take that up with the Lord Protector.” Maester Colemon cares only for the boy, though. Father and I have larger concerns” - Alayne, AFfC

Then at the end of this same chapter, Littlefinger has a monologue where he tells her why they are doing what they are doing.

He turned her hand over and lightly kissed her wrist. “So tell me, sweetling—why is Harry the Heir?”

Her eyes widened. “He is not Lady Waynwood’s heir. He’s Robert’s heir. If Robert were to die . . .”

Petyr arched an eyebrow. “When Robert dies. Our poor brave Sweetrobin is such a sickly boy, it is only a matter of time. When Robert dies, Harry the Heir becomes Lord Harrold, Defender of the Vale and Lord of the Eyrie. Jon Arryn’s bannermen will never love me, nor our silly, shaking Robert, but they will love their Young Falcon . . . and when they come together for his wedding, and you come out with your long auburn hair, clad in a maiden’s cloak of white and grey with a direwolf emblazoned on the back . . . why, every knight in the Vale will pledge his sword to win you back your birthright. So those are your gifts from me, my sweet Sansa . . . Harry, the Eyrie, and Winterfell. - Alayne, AFfC

This then leads to the sample TWoW chapter where Sansa as Alayne flirts with Harry the Heir so that they can get married.

So if Sansa expects SweetRobin to live long enough to marry, then why is she seducing Harry for him to offer to marry her when that depends on SweetRobin’s death?!

Which is why the conversation between Robert and Sansa is all sorts of ridiculous because even a sickly little 8 year old SR knows that Harry’s importance in all this depends on his death, Littlefinger has explained to her very clearly that SweetRobin will die and yet Sansa is talking about how his future wife will like his hair?!

If SR is going to live long enough to marry, than why is Sansa trying to marry Harry?

“I hate that Harry,” Sweetrobin said when she was gone. “He calls me  cousin, but he’s just waiting for me to die so he can take the Eyrie. He  thinks I don’t know, but I do.”

“Your lordship should not believe such nonsense,” Alayne said. “I’m sure Ser Harrold loves you well.” And if the gods are good, he will love me too. Her tummy gave a little flutter.

“He doesn’t,” Lord Robert insisted. “He wants my father’s castle, that’s all, so he pretends.”

He does have pretty hair. If the gods are good and he lives long  enough to wed, his wife will admire his hair, surely. That much she will  love about him.- Alayne, TWoW

This is why context is important and the Maester’s conversation does not exist in a vacuum. LF has told Sansa that SR needs to die for their plan to work and WILL die, SweetRobin has told her that Harry is waiting for him to die to get the Vale and the Maester has warned her that giving SR high doses of the drug is dangerous. After all this, how is Sansa going to be surprised by his death? That would be like being surprised when told that 2+2=4.

Six books in and Sansa remains a character who continues to ignore the truths in front of her for selfish reasons. That’s been a consistent character trait for her, from book one to her first chapter in book 6.

So is Sansa actively colluding with LF’s gradual medical poisoning of her little cousin in order for Harry to become the Lord of the Vale? Surely, in the back of her mind she must be aware of what is happening? However, it’s an unpleasant truth, one she does not want to acknowledge and chooses to ignore because it’s more important for her that LF’s plans to get Winterfell for her succeeds.

Does she care for her little cousin’s well being? No. Despite the Maester repeatedly telling her that the drug is dangerous to his health, she thinks the politics are more important.  

Remember in Sansa’s very first POV chapter with Arya and Mycah playing at the Trident and Joffrey showcases himself to be a sadistic ass?

Sansa was shrieking, “No, no, stop it, stop it, both of you, you’re spoiling it,” - Sansa I, AGoT

That’s her primary character trait. She is written as a character who does not want the unpleasant truths to spoil her personal narratives of Joffrey being a good person or Arya being responsible for Lady’s death or Cersei knowing better than her father or that SweetRobin is going to live long enough to marry a wife who will love his hair.

So we can either read Sansa as someone who is incredibly dense, who despite being presented with all the facts before her, still does not understand SweetRobin’s fate - when even 8 year old SweetRobin knows that Harry is just waiting for him to die. Or we can read her as someone who selfishly ignores the truth in front of her because it’s so unsavory and ‘spoils’ her idea of what she thinks is good and right and moral. In that, she knows that SR has to die and will die and yet keeps pretending that he’s going to be fine.

And both of these interpretations are in stark contrast with how Sansa is generally viewed in this fandom as being the smartest, most intelligent, most compassionate, idealistic ‘embodiment of hope’. She’s none of these things.

[ctrl-lupin]

I was looking back at the ending of Castle of cagliostro and the bit where Clarisse de Cagliostro asked him to bring her along on his journeys even when she admits she doesn't know how to be a theif now when I looked at the hug and kiss I never really saw it as romantic more like he doesn't want to leave but he also doesn't want to jeopardise her life either. The fact we never got to see her again after this movie surprises me apart from a cameo in part 5 episode 1 in your head cannon what do you think happened to Clarisse de Cagliostro as it seems she has feelings for him

Man, oh man. There is enough things to say on the topic to write an entire essay. Personally my interpretation is that

1) Clarisse had some form of misplaced crush on Lupin - he saved her, he's cool and mysterious, he's her knight in shining armour. So of course she wants to follow him, be a thief like him, be a part of his life. Cagliostro's also full of bad memories, she just got freshly traumatised, and while we don't know her age she's probably too young to be ruling a country. It's no surprise she wants to get out of there.

2) Lupin, who is older and knows better, is having none of that. He's very attached to Clarisse and I'd say that the affection he feels for her is probably akin to an older sibling's (I can get into my headcanon of how they're related in another post if you're interested). He wants what's best for her, and he knows that he'd be a bad influence on her, no matter how much he wants to stay with her/for her to stay with him. Maybe he also wants to give her space to grow out of those feelings (we've seen how awkward it can get with Ami Enan... 😬) and out of her desire to be a thief like him.

3) About Lupin wanting to stay (as opposed to taking Clarisse with him), there's also the whole interpretation of Cagliostro as an older Lupin who's considering retirement, which I won't get into for personal reasons (but I'm sure you can find more about that if you dig a little, especially if you look into Miyazaki's own interpretation of the movie).

As for why we've never seen her again, imo that's just because of the franchise's statu-quo - all secondary characters aside from the Main Five are one-off characters who only exist within the bounds of their respective movie or season (admittedly the more recent seasons, P4, 5 and 6 have been breaking that pattern a little). It's the same reason we've never seen Murasaki again despite her being literally married to Goemon (for like 10 hours, but still). I'd like to imagine that Lupin still keeps in touch with Clarisse (and with many others), maybe even visits her. We just don't see it onscreen for Doylist reasons.

(My personal self-indulgent headcanon is that Clarisse is now the ruler of Cagliostro, she's still in frequent contact with Lupin, and she made polyam marriage legal just so he could legally marry his partners there)

[olderthannetfic]

I can't wrap my head around why people talk about how they want fandom to be an escape for others, but can't deal with people who like things differently, or see a character differently.

I'm in a server for a tv show I love, and I see one character as super extroverted. Someone else came in and said, and I quote "no he's INFP" and.... okay? This is a tiny example, but this convo went on and this individual just could not accept that other people may see the same character differently, that that's okay, and doesn't mean anyone who sees him extroverted is against them. Even now, they're randomly talking about "oh well I could never write him extroverted like some people, it's wrong". Dude. Let people like things and see them how they want. This person also goes on and on and on about how they're a fandom old and been around the block (funny, as they're only in their late 20's) and hates all the drama... then starts drama over people seeing a character in a different way than them.

Again, small example, but this happens so much, with so many characters and mediums. I'm married to someone who's also involved in fandom, albeit different ones usually, but even when we're in the same fandoms we see things differently, and that's okay. We don't all have to agree on characters cause that's not possible

it so commonly seems to either be literal kids who don't get others have different points of view, or the self professed "fandom moms/fandom olds" who act like anyone not 100% agreeing with them is wrong and terrible, and at this point it makes me want to block anyone who goes on and on and on about how long they've been in (insert fandom) on sight. A mention or a comment in conversation? sure, that's natural, but consistently bringing it/how old you are as a "haha gotcha!" moment is a red flag, imo

funny thing is too, I'm both older than this person (nearly 40 haha, and still "young" for many of my fandoms) and have been in the fandom/fandom in general for considerably longer than this person. I've never said anything to them or in the server, but whenever they go on about how old they are how they're seen it all/been around the block, i laugh to myself a little. i hope they'll get over this attitude, but doubt it

--

Anyone who's actually a fandom old thinks it's normal to be in fandom forever and does not talk like that because it's fucking weird.

The "waaaah, you can't write them as an extrovert" crap is about projection and then feeling like their own personality type is being devalued. It's the move of an embarrassing child.

[lemonhemlock]

Jaehaera has a disability for narrative purposes, because GRRM needs to quickly explain away why the greens somehow stop demanding that Andal inheritance law be respected. Aegon III had to be king, so he's making his way backwards to fit his ending.

This gets even weirder when you realize that there's ANOTHER case of a young Targaryen girl getting passed over for the iron throne because of a disability - Vaella, who needed to get passed over because Aegon V was the one who is supposed to be King. Her claim is "immediately" dismissed despite the fact that she's the only child of the King's eldest son, presumably because of both her gender and her disability.

In fact, there's a... Weirdly significant number of Targaryen girls who are described as "simple-minded," or otherwise appear to be coded as intellectually disabled: Gael, Jaehaera, Vaella, and potentially Daella as well. Daella dies of childbirth at 18, Gael drowns herself at 19 after being "seduced and abandoned by a traveling singer," and giving birth to a stillborn baby, Jaehaera dies at 10, either by suicide or murder, and while we don't know what happens to Vaella, the fact that she's never mentioned at all after that event means either she lived an unremarkable ignored life and then died before present times, or that she died young. That's a weird amount of "simple-minded" Targaryen girls who die young. Idk if this pattern means anything, but I've noticed it before and it sticks out to me.

(while I do want Jaehaera in the show to have a character and not just be portrayed as an "simple-minded" little girl, I do hope they keep her as autistic. I think there's plenty of room to give her a ton of depth without simply erasing her neurodivergence and I really want the showrunners to realize that potential.)

Anonymous asked: not talked enough about how Jaehaera witnessed her twin's death. y'know the brother who grew up healthy and fit unlike herself. the brother who had a little too much of everything: toes, fingers. now he's down a whole head! I also believe Alicent was already planning their marriage when they were still kids lol. bedside reading time with granny Ali and she pulls out the tales of Jaehaerys and Alyssane again 🙄🙄 we get it grandma! tbh not so sure about the detailed timeline, but I thought it interesting that Jaehaera died shortly after ser Willis Fell (her larys-assigned KG) died from fever. like that was her guy! whom she had all for herself and now he's gone away commanding the KG, and now he's gone away for good. I'm probably one of the few who loves all 3 of Aegon III's little girl wives (tho Daenaera ranks lowest). I really felt for Myrielle and thought the whole doll-bit so needlessly cruel from Aegon III? his random af decision to marry Daenaera? he said fuck it we ball.

Anonymous asked: This fandom is so disgustingly ableist and no surprise here when many team green members have disabilities. And the show's treatment of disabilities is questionable to say the least. I have questions for GRRM too........

I received these additional asks about Jaehaera and was meaning to answer them, but I got distracted.

I want to clarify the fact that IMO the problem isn't if Jaehaera had a disability or was autistic/neurodivergent, the problem is that the author chose to incapacitate her so much that she is/would be incapable of taking care of herself. She is described as having some kind of mental setback ("she is eight going on four"), weeps inconsolably when she is corrected, wets her bed every night, doesn't laugh, has to be drugged to sit still at her own wedding. I cannot imagine how she could consent to a marriage or to marital relations in the future, with the whole trouble of child-birthing and rearing.

And what is the point of all this, I have to ask? Because this is very much not Jaehaera's story. It's not about how Westeros is so ill-equipped to handle mentally impaired individuals. In fact, the narrative doesn't know how to get rid of her quicker. After fighting a bloody civil war over Andal Law, the greens conveniently decide to disregard all that and don't push for her claim (that's how disabled she is). Everyone who could conceivably be on her side is quickly killed - her father, her grandmother, Ser Willis Fell. The new 15-year-old Lord Lyonel Hightower suddenly can't raise another army for the greens because he is too busy fucking Lady Sam. (?!) Jaehaera dies a horrible, graphic death, lingering in tremendous pain for half an hour. Couldn't she have received at least the mercy of a quick death?

This is why I see her being incapacitated for narrative purpose. All of this happens in favour of Daemon's freaking children - it's like they all had to band together to help erase Jaehaera from the annals (three of them at least). There is no reason for all of them to survive, considering how FB has no issue with inventing random events just to get rid of characters. Yet they do. Of course Aegon III becomes king at Jaehaera's expense, of course his brother Viserys II also gets to become king at some point, because why not? Daemon should get to have two kingly sons, not one, as a treat. Baela and Rhaena get this stupid gotcha moment at the Maiden's Day Ball when they bring their six-year-old cousin Daenaera to replace Jaehaera as Queen, as if that's some sort of triumph and not inappropriate AF.

This is why I dislike the introduction of characters like Daenaera and Myrielle - because they're been intentionally placed there to replace a traumatized and damaged little girl with a trauma-free, suitable, lovable consort. Don't get me wrong, these two girls don't get a chance at their own story either, they exist only to replace Jaehaera and to please Aegon III.

I also deeply dislike and do not understand why there are so many "simple-minded" Targaryen princesses - Daella and Gael have particularly awful stories. Vaella's story is just a repeat of Jaehaera's, but with less awfulness and violence. What's the point? Get some interviewer grill these questions into GRRM ASAP.

So, I do hope that they change this in the show somehow to make it less awful. I would not want Jaehaera reduced to an invalid, her claim passed over, and I would not want her to die. Of course, if she lives, then I would have to contend with her being the mother of Aegon III's senseless children, so, honestly, I don't know which is worse.

[fairydares]

Okay hear me out on this random yet elaborate headcanon: when Damian and Anya get older and start dating, Loid will neither pull the "overprotective dad routine" or be overtly warm and accepting of Damian. Instead, he will do a secret, third thing:

A thing I call the "James Fraser Special" or a "Hyper-Intuitive Dad Move."

So I'm not necessarily proud to admit this but yes, the idea comes from Outlander, which I sometimes watch with my mom (also I read the first book--moments of brilliance but too much of it is infuriating homophobic, racist trash imo. But whatever I digress.) At some point or other, James Fraser's adopted French son announces he's going to marry (I think?) James' friend's daughter. Jamie immediately says he doesn't approve and storms off. Claire (Jamie's wife) chases after him and asks what the fuck his problem is, and he reveals that he pretended to be against his son's relationship because he wanted them to work out. He knew them well enough to know that if they didn't have a common enemy to face together in the early stages of their relationship, the family's stressful circumstances, their youth, and their natures would drive them apart.

With Operation Strix, the telepathy, whatever will happen with Donovan Desmond (probably not good 😬), and most importantly all the lies and secrets, there will be a lot for Anya and Damian to overcome to be together. Loid, who I genuinely think does (or at least would, if he got to know him) like Damian and obviously wants his daughter to be happy, would try to find a way to make them work.

How else would a master manipulator do that, but to shape himself into exactly the obstacle and/or facilitator a young couple needs to help them realize they can still work together and trust each other?

Also he'd probably get in over his head again but he'd try anyway lmfao.

[rawliverandgoronspice]

Just gonna throw out an issue I got with botw and totk, and maybe some else will recognize it too: All the more... love interest like female characters feel kinda simpery. Like if they're written to be romantic into Link or another male character, they'll be completely besotted by them in a very obvious way. Not saying they don't have any other personality besides that, but it's still a very big and noticeable part of them, all blushing and starry eyed. Example: Yona, Paya, Zelda, and kinda Sonia. Them being into a male character Sidon, LinkX2 and Rauru respectively feels like a really big part of how they're portrayed, it's like a personality cornerstone of them. Meanwhile the males, even if they are canon with the female character, Sidon and Rauru, just feel a lot more like their own personality and character still stands above their partner. (Though Sidon's writing is pretty weak in totk) But even other male characters with a slightly bigger role, eg Tauro or Kass, just don't get portrayed at all like they care abt romance, even if in Kass'es case he's married? It's only the named girls with a bigger role in the story, and who "fit" into the sweet cute girl trope. Kinda hard to explain, but it just feels like most of the girls are the exact same trope of "cute and small-femme" aka "easy waifu material".

I agree, and I'd extend your list to Mipha as well, which I kind of always felt very "??? okay" about (I think the fandom has done fun things with her and what's hinted of her relationship with Sidon is heartwarming, but her actual characterization is very very barebones).

But I also want to add that it's kiiind of a Zelda honored tradition --not a good one, but Ocarina of Time is straight up unbearable in that department imo: every cute girl that interacts with Link is so extraordinarily into him, and it's very effective in sending the message that the game is for a certain audience first and foremost (young boys). And even as far as BotW/TotK, characters like Paya and Mipha are written to be interacted with, not to be discovered; they're not written like characters you could project yourself onto but as receptacles to your own projection onto Link.

I agree that girls are defined by their romantic lives in pretty extreme ways (*banging my extremely bruised up gerudo pan once again*), and the rare "main" girls who do not behave like this (thinking of Purah, Impa, Riju, Buliara, Josha, Mineru, Cece) are all detached from romantic subplots --but it doesn't save a lot of them from the small-femme/easy waifu archetype.

(can I throw the Great Fairies into the pile of "female characters Zelda is weird about"? I don't know. I feel..... conflicted emotions about the Great Fairies, always have, always will. But. They exist.)

(I once pretended to be a Great Fairy to surprise a friend by wrapping myself in vines --I was clothed-- and then banged my knee against a tree stump when bursting out from behind it with the horrible laughter, it hurt really bad, anyway)

[leupagus]

If I were writing this, I'd call it "Little Scraps of Wisdom," but I'm not writing it

So @themardia and I were talking, as we so often do, about why Henry Lasso should be in high school and not grade school, and... things happened. [Warning for some discussions of stillbirth and child death—not Henry—and warning for... us being us, basically]

Chapter One: In Which Gus And Mardia Discuss Why They Should've Been Consulted On Ted Lasso

GUS: SEE THIS IS WHY HE SHOULD HAVE HAD HENRY BE LIKE 17

MARDIA: MAKE THE KID BE A COLLEGE FRESHMAN

GUS: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO FUNNY

MARDIA: and Ted and Michelle are empty nesters and that’s part of why the marriage implodes

MARDIA: people get married and have kids young! It happens!!!!

GUS: well and like... the implication from the show is that they got married out of college or whatnot, at least imo

GUS: when he mentions meeting her in the school parking lot

GUS: that was always my takeaway

MARDIA: Oh yeah

GUS: so right, they get married at say 23

Chapter Two: In Which Gus Has A Bad Idea

GUS: ...god you know what would make sense but would be like

GUS: SO DARK

MARDIA: Oh no

GUS: oh yes

MARDIA: I am afraid

GUS: maybe they DID have a kid

GUS: and he DIED

MARDIA: OH NO

GUS: YES

MARDIA: DANGIT GUS

GUS: is it worse if Henry was born before or after Kid A kicked the bucket

MARDIA: After

GUS: you're right

GUS: Michelle being like "we'll just try again! Mulligan!"

GUS: or wait no I think Ted would be more like that

GUS: and Michelle is devastated but like, pregnancy was actually really easy for her or whatever, so they have Henry

MARDIA: Yep yep

GUS: I think this only makes sense if the first kid died because of something they couldn't have prevented

GUS: bc if it had been an accident or something no WAY would ted have been able to like, leave

MARDIA: Or heck, even a stillbirth

GUS: man this is so terrible, thank you for yes-and-ing my horribleness

MARDIA: Ahahaha here for you

GUS: I think a stillbirth they would've tried again sooner

MARDIA: Ooh true

GUS: but like if the kid's IDK

GUS: ...doing math in my head... maybe 12? when it dies?

GUS: that gives them time to get henry, if henry's about 7 at the start of the show

GUS: and Ted and Michelle are early 40s

MARDIA: Oof this is dark af

GUS: honestly I want to write this now

GUS: oh man what if he had a daughter

MARDIA: DAMMIT GUS

GUS: WHAT IF HE HAD A DAUGHTER MARDIA

MARDIA: STOP TRYING TO HURT ME

GUS: AND WHEN HE SAID THINGS LIKE "LITTLE GIRLS ARE MYSTERIOUS AND PLAYFUL AND I GAVE UP TRYING TO FIGURE THEM OUT A LONG TIME AGO"

GUS: HE WAS THINKING ABOUT HIS LITTLE GIRL

MARDIA:

GUS: HAHAHAHA

Chapter Three: In Which Gus Has A Slightly Better Idea

GUS: ok ok what if instead I wrote that they DID have a first kid

GUS: but she's still alive

GUS: an actual Mary Sue

MARDIA: Thank you

MARDIA: Yes

MARDIA: I am a delicate flower 

GUS: I'd even call her that

GUS: Mary Sue Lasso

MARDIA: No judgment

MARDIA: Ted WOULD name his kid that

GUS: he absolutely would

GUS: ok so Mary Sue

GUS: first season she's finishing high school in Kansas

GUS: second season she rolls up because she got into college somewhere in the UK

GUS: not cambridge or oxford

MARDIA: St Andrews!

MARDIA: That’s the only other Uk college I know

GUS: oh my god I'm looking up colleges in the uk

GUS: she has to go to University College

MARDIA: Ahahahahahah

GUS: because that's the dumbest fucking name ever

MARDIA: it IS

GUS: she straight up applied because she didn't think it was a real place

GUS: and because her dad was like "aww you should apply to somewhere in the UK! then we can be expat buddies!"

GUS: and she DOES love him but like, jeez dad

GUS: anyway she gets in, has a HUGE fight with Michelle about it/the divorce/etc and is like FINE I'LL GO TO LONDON I'LL GIVE YOU ALL THE SPACE JUST LIKE DAD DID, TOO BAD YOU CAN'T DIVORCE ME TOO

MARDIA: AHAHAHHA

GUS: like one of those very teenager fights

GUS: so when she gets to the UK she's still like, fuming

GUS: and Ted's like "... hi honey"

GUS: and she's like "I'M ON MY PERIOD AND I HATE MOM, GIVE ME CHOCOLATE AND LET'S GO ON THAT FERRIS WHEEL THING"

GUS: I feel like she stays with Ted

GUS: and absolutely destroys his apartment

MARDIA: and there is so much makeup in the bathroom

GUS: Five different shampoos

Chapter Four: In Which Mardia Proposes An SMAU Of Sorts

MARDIA: She tries out every new TikTok trend

MARDIA: Ted has a heart attack when he comes home and tries the wolf cut haircut

GUS: oh my god what is THAT

GUS: is both his reaction and mine

MARDIA: LOL

MARDIA: it’s basically like a shag haircut

GUS: oh god

MARDIA: There’s this famous YouTuber Brad Mondo

MARDIA: Who reacts to people fucking up their hair

MARDIA: And offers many tutorials

MARDIA: Anyway thanks to him

MARDIA: I know the wolf cut is popular with the youths

GUS: terrible I love it

MARDIA: And I love the idea of Ted watching it so he can help her

GUS: omg

GUS: YES

MARDIA: She puts the whole thing on the internet

MARDIA: It goes viral

GUS: periodically he'll stop and say "Hi Henry! Just me and your sister having ourselves a barbershop duo!"

GUS: because he thinks she's filming for Henry alone

MARDIA: AHAH

GUS: she has a whole series

GUS: omg what if she did this back in Kansas too

GUS: WHAT IF SHE WAS THE ONE WHO FILMED THE LASSO DANCE

GUS: and everybody in Richmond knows about this including the press but nobody talks to ted about it

GUS: assuming he knows

GUS: which of course He Does Not

GUS: should this have a ship

MARDIA: Of course not!

MARDIA: YES

MARDIA: MARY SUE AND SHANNON

GUS: lol I was thinking for Ted but yes good

MARDIA: Lololol

MARDIA: I think Trent

MARDIA: Just because the parallels with the daughters is funny to me

GUS: god right

GUS: what if she hates him at first

GUS: and is BIG MAD at him for betraying her dad with that article

MARDIA: YES

GUS: but in the end is like, ... I GUESS if you like him or whatever

GUS: this would be funniest in her POV I think

MARDIA: Yes

MARDIA: Bc her response to Ted is so different

GUS: but it does mean I would have to learn more about TikTok

MARDIA: I…will try to help

MARDIA: I have one but I barely get it myself

GUS: THANK YOU

GUS: basically I just need verisimilitude in re: uploading vids, getting responses etc

MARDIA: Oh for sure

GUS: I assume it's like insta/snapchat/twitter in terms of like

GUS: people can comment/like/subscribe

MARDIA: It’s basically the successor to vine if you know what that is

GUS: I do!

GUS: vaguely

MARDIA: There you go!

GUS: I never had one but i understood the basics 

GUS: mostly I'm Old Person about all of that

MARDIA: Dancing challenges are super common

GUS: Mary Sue definitely puts together a compilation of Lasso Dance Competitions

MARDIA: OOH YES

GUS: someone else did a music compilation thing to the GO LASSO GO LASSO GO chant that's like, catapulted some tiktok musician into actual success

GUS: ie like this

Chapter Five: In Which Gus Nixes The SMAU

GUS: okay god I am NOT making a fucking SMAU

MARDIA: Ahahahahahah

GUS: basically it's season 2 plus teenage daughter

GUS: but all through her POV

MARDIA: I dig it

GUS: so there's limited interest in what Ted's actually up to

GUS: I wonder if she knows about his panic attacks

GUS: I bet he doesn't tell her

MARDIA: I think this is when she figures it out

MARDIA: Or like, she finds out with everyone else

GUS: but like not because her dad was OPEN AND HONEST WITH HER

MARDIA: If she finds out when the article drops

GUS: so her anger at Trent would be like a drop in the bucket of her RAGE at her dad

MARDIA: Or because the article drops

MARDIA: she’s mad at EVERYBODY

GUS: EVERYBODY

MARDIA: does she know about how her grandpa died?

GUS: for sure, but again not because Ted told her

GUS: because that's the kind of family secret that's not actaully a secret

GUS: it's more a We Don't Talk About Bruno deal

MARDIA: Also she 100% takes a swing at Nate if she finds out he was the source

MARDIA: I love the idea of Ted having a daughter who is emphatically Not Nice

MARDIA: And may occasionally have rage issues

GUS: is it funnier if she's like, the spit of Michelle ie a tiny blonde

GUS: or more along the lasso lines so she can actually do damage to Nate

MARDIA: I think it’s funnier if she’s a mini Lasso

GUS: I mean either way Nate would be terrified

MARDIA: Like imagine a tiny teenage female Ted

MARDIA: But MAD

GUS: HAHA

GUS: I'm imagining like

GUS: Florence Pugh

GUS: which is funny for a number of reasons

MARDIA: ahahaha omg that would be great

MARDIA: Give her dark hair tho

GUS: maybe she used to dye it blonde

GUS: like her mom

MARDIA: Ooh yeah

GUS: (bc no way is Michelle a natural blonde, no disrespect but srs)

GUS: (which: neither is Rebecca so)

MARDIA: Particularly bc Sudekis’ hair isn’t that dark

MARDIA: so going blond wouldn’t be that hard or that shocking

GUS: lol what if she home dyes her hair all the time

GUS: just destroying Ted's bathroom

GUS: because she felt pink

MARDIA: this is how she’s a Brad mondo addict 

GUS: and he's like "babydoll you know I love you very much but what the heck"

MARDIA: And Ted starts having to watch just to understand wtf is happening on his baby’s head

GUS: she comes into his bedroom one night and he does like a Keeley-worthy toss of his phone across the room

GUS: and she's like "...ew if you're watching porn, gross"

GUS: "but also, that stuff is exploitative and you should really be on Make Love Not Porn"

GUS: and Ted is like "...thanks?"

Chapter Six: In Which Okay, This Might Have Some SMAU Elements

MARDIA: I gotta say

MARDIA: It would be even funnier

MARDIA: If Ted is actually pretty good with hair

MARDIA: Both bc he learned thanks to having a kid

GUS: true! ooh what if Ted was the primary caregiver bc Michelle was the breadwinner

MARDIA: so when she uploads the videos of her dad doing the wolf cut

MARDIA: He is very earnestly and carefully sectioning her hair

GUS: **chinhands

MARDIA: And talking about how you have to do it like THIS because that Brad boy said so

MARDIA: And waxing poetic about getting the right type of scissors

MARDIA: “Can’t be hacking at your hair with kitchen shears”

GUS: all the while Mary Sue just looking dead into the camera

MARDIA: and putting on the screen type that says BRAD MONDO YOU CREATED A MONSTER

MARDIA: Brad mondo immediately does a reaction video

MARDIA: He is DYING

MARDIA: and also SO VINDICATED

MARDIA: “See THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE CORRECT METHOD”

MARDIA: He’s actually super enthused about Ted’s technique

MARDIA: oh god

MARDIA: What if she’s a semi regular on his channel

GUS: yes

GUS: continue

MARDIA: Like, she’s done wild shit to her hair in the past

MARDIA: So he’s reacted to her a few times

MARDIA: And is straight up going “I’m sorry but you need your dad to do your hair more often, this is the best you have ever looked"

GUS: I feel like that would be CRUSHING to an 18 year old but like

GUS: objectively hilarious

MARDIA: He’s actually very nice on the whole

MARDIA: But honest

GUS: Mardia

GUS: you look me in the screen and tell me what 18 year old wants honesty

MARDIA: HAH

MARDIA: like, she tends to go wild bc she is impatient

MARDIA: like, her hair never looks BAD BAD

MARDIA: but Brad is vibing bc Ted is METHODICAL 

MARDIA: And takes the time to do it CORRECTLY

MARDIA: (To be fair, the wolf cut technique is supposed to be idiot proof)

MARDIA: (It is not)

GUS: (there are a lot of idiots in the world ok)

MARDIA: Like, the video is just Ted being patient and following ALL THE STEPS

MARDIA: while Mary Sue just squirms bc she is IMPATIENT OKAY

MARDIA: And to add insult to injury

MARDIA: Brad keeps pausing the video

MARDIA: To point out all the things that Ted is doing CORRECTLY

MARDIA: “You see how he’s directing the ponytail to the very top of her head”

GUS: I love it

GUS: although fair warning, you're writing that part

MARDIA: HAH I got you

GUS: I'm just going to be like [HAIR SCENE/FILMNG HEREY]

GUS: [BRAD REACTION VID HEREY]

MARDIA: AHAHHHAHA

MARDIA: Perfect

GUS: god

GUS: what if she used to get comments back before her dad became famous

GUS: (bc she's been doing this since she was like 15)

GUS: from women being like "IS UR DAD SINGLE"

GUS: and she was like "EW NO HE ISN'T STOP LEAVING WEIRD SEX COMMENTS ABOUT MY DAD"

GUS: like not puriteen about it

GUS: but like full on Amy from Brooklyn 99

GUS: EW ROSA THAT'S OUR DADS

MARDIA: YES PERFECT

GUS: and then thanks to the Lasso Dance (and maybe a little bit of Dad becoming this famous soccer coach or whatever)

GUS: her channel (does tiktok have channels? whatever the term is)

GUS: becomes HUGELY popular

GUS: like she still films stuff with her friends etc

GUS: but the Dad stuff is the big ticket item

GUS: which she's so grossed out by but also: it's hilarious

Chapter Seven: In Which Children Of Divorce, Whoo Boy

GUS: also -- Mary Sue is ABSOLUTELY the kid who sides with Dad in a divorce

MARDIA: Oh yep

GUS: (Henry's too young but I think he sides with Michelle)

MARDIA: Especially because like. The reason that Michelle is right to leave

MARDIA: Is not something I feel like Mary Sue would get instinctively

GUS: oh absolutely

GUS: ... oh man

GUS: you know what I could do

GUS: is have Beard sit her down at some point

GUS: and be like "your Dad is hard to be married to"

GUS: "I should know, I've been his work wife for 20 years"

MARDIA: He’s not wrong!

GUS: HE IS NOT

MARDIA: And Mary Sue could hear it from him

GUS: exactly

MARDIA: where she can’t hear it from her mom, not that Michelle is even trying to justify it

GUS: because Beard is also The Mom

GUS: man what if when she was little

GUS: and she'd get mad at her parents for whatever

GUS: she'd run away from home

GUS: to Beard's house

GUS: two blocks away

GUS: like backpack full of her favorite stuffed animals and her blankie over her shoulder

GUS: "WE'RE LEAVING"

GUS: "PACK YOUR TENT"

GUS: Beard: ok lemme just make a reeeeeal quick phonecall

GUS: they actually did go camping

GUS: bc Beard lived right next to like, a park or whatever

GUS: so they'd pitch the tent about 100 feet away from his house and make a fire and toast marshmallows

GUS: and talk about whatever books she was reading

GUS: or just stare at the fire

GUS: and then she'd fall asleep and he'd bring her home

GUS: and Michelle and Ted were totally zen about it

Chapter Eight: In Which Mary Sue's Reaction To Characters Is Not Necessarily Our Reaction To Characters

GUS: so when she moves to the UK she still randomly shows up at Beard's

GUS: which causes some stress in Beard's relationship with Jane

GUS: or maybe they get along worryingly well IDK

MARDIA: I think Mary Sue would be like “who is this”

MARDIA: At first they get along

MARDIA: And then Mary Sue sees the crazy and is like NOPE

GUS: YES good

GUS: Mary Sue's like "you remember that ventriloquist girl? and the telemarketer who was into recreational caning? Yeah Jane is worse"

GUS: and Beard is like "woah that is an indictment" and breaks up with Jane

MARDIA: she’s not wrong!!!!

GUS: SHE IS NOT

MARDIA: And Ted is like “oh thank you sweetheart”

GUS: I feel like she'd dislike Keeley at first because teenage girls still have a weird puritanical streak

GUS: but Keeley would win her over

MARDIA: Oh yes

GUS: and I think she LIKES Rebecca but like... in the way you like your dad's boss

GUS: she knows that they're close but Rebecca seems really remote and inaccessible

MARDIA: oh for sure

MARDIA: Like, that’s her dad’s work person

GUS: which means she just becomes very Midwest Polite around Rebecca

GUS: and Rebecca is like SHE IS SO CHARMING

GUS: and ted is like yes... charming

GUS: not revealing that his daughter has become a pod person

MARDIA: AHAHAHAH

GUS: what if there's some sort of crisis

GUS: one of the players is in a car accident or something

GUS: and everybody rushes to the hospital

GUS: including Rebecca who's like, no makeup in her sweats with sneakers that squeak on the linoleum

GUS: and Mary Sue is like "oh she's a human being ok"

GUS: and promptly becomes as horrible to her as she is to everyone else

MARDIA: Rebecca is so BEWILDERED

GUS: "I don't know what I did wrong, Ted, she's acting so--"

GUS: "oh no, you did something right. and now you get the same patented Mary Sue Lasso Special that us folks she actually likes get on the regular"

MARDIA: Rebecca is both flattered and insulted 

GUS: Rebecca knows she really Made It, though, when Mary Sue runs away to her house one time

GUS: (because Beard is out of town or something)

GUS: and Rebecca is like "... I have an outdoor fire pit?"

GUS: "It's remote-controlled but I'm sure we can manage"

GUS: Mary Sue brings over her last bag of Jet Puffed Giant Marshmallows

GUS: I'm trying to think of how Trent and Mary Sue interact

GUS: She's DEFINITELY at the pub with her dad that time Trent's there and asks about the "food poisoning"

GUS: and she clocks that SOMETHING'S hinky

GUS: but assumes it's her dad's sublimated crush on trent

GUS: and is like "dad he was totally flirting with you"

GUS: which has the benefit of derailing Ted's concern about Trent figuring shit out

GUS: and also giving Ted a whole NEW thing to worry about

GUS: he makes some comment about how he's not gonna slip Trent a note asking if he likes him, check yes or no

GUS: and Mary Sue's like "oh my god you're so OLD"

MARDIA: okay I gotta detangle and wash my hair

MARDIA: KEEP GOING THO

GUS: haha don't try the wolf cut

Chapter Nine: In Which Gus Is Left By Herself, With Predictable Results

GUS: so it can start with Mary Sue getting off the plane in Heathrow

GUS: and Ted and Beard are waiting at the gate bc rebecca bought them fraudulent plane tickets so they could get through security

GUS: which, background to that is that Ted talked Rebecca's ear off about how anxious he was having her here for the first time, seeing as how she didn't come with Henry and Michelle that spring bc exams or whatever

GUS: but mostly Mary Sue's just like "oh my god you're so embarrassing"

GUS: so the first section would be mostly her like, starting college, dealing with her own culture shock etc

GUS: if you've got an idea of what she'd be majoring in/interested in lmk, I kind of want her to be completely separate from both Ted and Michelle

GUS: and Michelle I still headcanon as like an engineer of some kind

GUS: Maybe she's into music or something arts-related?

GUS: god what if she's an English major

GUS: Anyway so the season's already started, I assume? Whatever, timeline

GUS: eventually Mary Sue goes to the clubhouse and meets people

GUS: oh man what if Ted's taking her on a tour maybe like... post-ep 3, a few days after Sam has his moment speaking out against the Nigerian government

GUS: and Trent rolls up while Ted's mid-tour trying to get a question in

GUS: and Mary Sue's like "WHO'S THIS GUY"

GUS: like immediately rude to him

GUS: bc he reminds her of one of her professors who she hates

GUS: although she clocks immediately that Trent's not going to be putting any moves on undergraduates since he's so obviously got a crush on her dad

GUS: which she keeps to herself

GUS: (omg I'm absolutely working in a real-life thing that happened with my parents many years ago: we were all at this cute granola-type grocery store in Ann Arbor once and this twink just FELL IN LOVE with my dad, asking wistfully if he could help him with anything, and Dad just obliviously chatting with him about IDK, artisanal bread or whatever while Mom and I were dying trying not to laugh. I think of that poor boy often, I hope he's doing well and has found a silver fox of his very own)

GUS: anyway she makes a total conquest of Higgins who adores her

GUS: she super negs Jamie's eyebrow thing

GUS: goes to maybe a game or two but like... she doesn't care about soccer

GUS: and didn't care about football either

GUS: omg what if she's a THEATER MAJOR

GUS: god that would be even funnier

GUS: dreams of getting into RADA or something

GUS: lemme think - I think she goes home for Christmas, so that part for Ted is unchanged, and maybe Mary Sue has another fight with Michelle and stomps out of the house only to realize that she can't run away to Beard's house because he's back in the UK

GUS: and like she has some contemplation about her life and about the history of her own family

GUS: OMG WHAT IF SHE'S ONE OF THE EXTRAS AT THE MUSEUM THAT EDWIN HIRES

GUS: like she answers a craigslist ad or whatever

GUS: or some of her classmates tell her about it and they all go and get their $200 for the day

GUS: only she recognizes Sam and waves

GUS: and Sam is like "...????????"

GUS: in the middle of that whole scene

GUS: I'm trying to figure out when she'd meet Shannon

GUS: probably just like, around, since Shannon lives near Richmond Green too?

GUS: basically the same way Ted meets her

GUS: only Mary Sue's like "ugh another jock"

GUS: And Shannon's like "you're not a fan of jocks?" all smiles and Mary Sue is like "oh no"

GUS: what'll also be interesting is Mary Sue's relationship to alcohol

GUS: because like - she's aware of the family history

GUS: and of the right age/temperament to go full teetotaller

GUS: but also this would be the first place where she can legally drink

GUS: while ALSO knowing her dad likes to drink

GUS: and I can definitely see her also being like, well grandpa was an alcoholic sure but that didn't have anything to do with him killing himself

GUS: ...oh god

GUS: I just realized what the Big Fight would be between her and her dad

GUS: like she finds out about his panic attacks from the article

GUS: and immediately throws her grandpa's suicide in his face too, because he didn't tell her about THAT, either

GUS: she found out from a cousin, or something

GUS: and is like "do you have ANY IDEA how terrified I was, all last year, because you were the same age Grandpa was when he killed himself? I called you EVERY DAY, and if you didn't pick up I called Beard, and if he didn't pick up I called Katie at the front desk because she'd always know if you'd come in to work that day and I knew you wouldn't kill yourself at work, that'd be so unprofessional, right Dad?"

GUS: just so incredibly cruel the way daughters are

GUS: being like "you're so obsessed with this idea of nobody having to worry about you that you ignore us worrying about you ALL THE FUCKING TIME"

GUS: and this is the first time she's yelled at him in YEARS

GUS: and he suddenly realizes why - it's because she's convinced that he'll kill himself if anyone hurts him too badly

GUS: cue hugging and stuff

GUS: and him telling her about therapy and the panic attacks and everything else

GUS: he even tells her about Sassy

GUS: Mary Sue: ew, also I already knew about that

GUS: oh my god what if all this happens at Trent's place

GUS: because at first she was mad at him for writing the piece so she stomped off to HIS apartment

GUS: and he of course immediatley called Ted being like "your feral child is in my flat, please retrieve asap"

GUS: but when Ted shows up they have this big fight

GUS: while Trent is in the kitchen making tea and pretending not to hear a thing

GUS: because revealing the panic attack is one thing but this is another

GUS: and as they leave Mary Sue says she wants to apologize to Trent so she stays back for a second

GUS: and she apologizes sort of half-heartedly but also is like "look, you're gonna have to wait a couple months before asking him out now, okay? maybe at the beginning of next season"

GUS: and trent is like "pardon?"

GUS: and mary sue considers it and shrugs and is like "okay realistically he'll be over it by like tomorrow but we're going back to Kansas for the summer and long-distance relationships are hard for old people"

GUS: THE END

Epilogue: In Which Mardia Comes Back To... All That

MARDIA: I LOVE IT

GUS: I should just post this

GUS: so I don't have to write it

MARDIA: BOOOOOO

GUS: too late

MARDIA: sigh

MARDIA: At least we have chat fic

GUS: we'll always have chat fic