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esther-dot · 5 months

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Pride & Prejudice AUs

You Look Like A Movie, You Sound Like A Song 2k @jonsastan

She had met Jon Targaryen there. It was a complete accident and at first, Sansa thought, a complete misfortune. He was drenched from an impromptu swim in his pond, and she was flustered, not wanting him to think she was vying for his attention. But as she had attempted to make her hurried escape, he had found her and invited her parents to stroll with him around the gardens. He had offered her kindness, and thoughtfulness, he had talked with her parents, discussed the present state of politics with her father and chatted knowledgeably about gardens with her mother.

A Certain Step Toward Falling in Love 2k by @comma-splice

Jon Snow returns North after departing abruptly one year ago.

The Bennet Sisters - a P&P AU comic by @melinaillustrations

P&P Gifset by @sardoniyx, P&P Gifset by @dcbicki, P&P Gifset by deactivated

Persuasion AUs

Who Loves Longest, Who loves Best 1k by @ladysaruka

After refusing him years ago, Sansa sees her cousin once again.

Persuasion edits one, two , three by @glueck

Mansfield Park AUs

Half Agony, Half Hope 10k, incomplete by @noqueenbutthequeeninthenorth

After the death of his disgraced mother, Jon Snow is taken in by his uncle's family, the Starks of Winterfell. He grows up alongside his cousins, including the beautiful and kind-hearted Sansa, but knowing he can never truly be their equal, he fears he has little choice but to leave the place he's come to call home. corresponding moodboard

Catch Me If You Can 34k (P&P and Emma inspired too) by @ben-barnes-is-my-husband

Set in the countryside of Regency England, Jon Snow has been in love with Sansa Stark for as long as he can remember. He wants her as his wife, but Sansa is not sure she wants to be a wife at all, and she knows she doesn’t want to marry the pragmatic and boring Jon. She’d rather help Theon Greyjoy come out of his shell and play matchmaker. But then Jaime Lannister comes to town and Jon finds he has some serious competition for Sansa…

Moments Like This (So Few and Far Between) 3k by @lydiamartenism

Mama and Papa left the house to go pick up Jon, the son of her father’s oldest friend. Three weeks ago, the phone rang and their parent’s announced that Jon would be coming to live with them since his mother passed away and had no one else to take care of him.

Northanger Abbey AUs

The Lady in White 7k by @kissed-by-circe

Dragonstone Manor had looked like it had woken only a few days earlier, after a slumber of several years, if not decades, and Sansa had felt like the heroine of a gothic novel, a mysterious, naive girl with a dark past or a dark secret, arriving at the opening scene of the most dramatic story of all times. Or Sansa as Katherine Morland in a Jane Eyre Setting.

Sense & Sensibility AUs

In Such Jocund Company 2k @maybetwice

It would be no matter at all for Captain Snow to return to the north after seven months’ absence, had Sansa’s heart not changed entirely in that time. A remix of Colonel Brandon and Marianne Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility.

Emma & Clueless AUs

if i loved you less 2k by @ladystarks

Her father has, often and fondly, told Sansa that she and Mr. Snow bite at each other like wolves, but he hardly understood that their verbal sparring was as exhilarating as a sport well done, or a match coming together under Sansa’s skilled hands. corresponding artwork

Sansa: A NOVEL in Five Parts 15k by @imagineagreatadventure

Sansa Stark, handsome, clever, rich, hopes to establish herself as her town's foremost matchmaker. After seeing her governess Miss Shae married to the rich and clever Mr. Tyrion Lannister, she feels as though she deserves that title. Her dear friend and cousin, Jon Targaryen, heartily disagrees and is quite proven right when Sansa sets her sights on marrying off her newest and dearest friend Jeyne Poole to the vicar Mr. Baelish.

A Baldwin and a Betty 2k

Jon drives to the Valley to give Sansa a ride home.

Emma AU art by @dcvahkiin and Clueless art by wolvesofspring

Emma Gifset by @dcbicki

General Regency AUs

No Notion of Loving by Halves 2k @darkmagyk

The Stark cousin, Jon, goes home to discuss matters concerning the entail on Winterfell. In which Jon is a really good guy, and I flagrantly disregard how entails actually work.

Manners and Misunderstandings 114k, WIP by @x-winging-it

The Stark sisters have travelled all the way to London to begin their first season, leaving behind the familiar world of Winterfell Hall and a disappointed Jon Stark- with whom the eldest Miss Stark has been convinced to break off a connection. In London they join family friends the Baratheons and the fashionable young Tyrells in a world of romance and balls. Meanwhile Gendry Waters has been plucked out of the life he knew to become his ailing father's heir, Robb, Theon and later Rickon embark on military careers in the Napoleonic wars, and their aunt Lysa makes a foolish marriage. When tragedy hits the family, they must come together, learning how manners may hide monsters and the best people are often those misunderstood by society.

You Could Draw Me to the Gallows 2k by @azulaahai

After having eloped from home with and subsequently been abandoned by wealthy heir Joffrey Baratheon, Sansa Stark refuses to come home. Having caused a scandal that is sure to prevent her from ever marrying, she is adamant not to bring further shame to the family name by returning to Winterfell. Until, that is, a visitor comes to her - Jon Snow, an old family friend, determined to bring Sansa with him back north. He has a solution to offer her - a proposal with the potential to change both of their lives.

A Perilous Dance Indeed & fiercely, tenderly and eternally 27k by @amymel86

He should either look away or interrupt this improper little meeting, he knows. For some unfathomable reason, he does neither. The two look far too intimate for Jon’s liking, although he feels he should have come to expect it to be so. A romantic like Sansa – however proper she is – would simply adore overt flirtations and a secret tête-à-tête. Even from where he stands, Jon can see the way in which she has stars set in her eyes like precious cut stones. He only hopes the man for whom they shine is deserving of it. *** Cousin Jon is to inherit Winterfell Manor and its estate after the untimely death of his uncle leaves a widow and two daughters. Sansa is expectant of an imminent proposal from her dear beau, Harrold Hardyng and everything will be absolutely, stunningly, utterly fine.

Waiting for Your Slippered Feet 49k by @wintry-ritu

Lady Sansa Stark has always looked forward to her come-out season in London, the balls, the rides in Hyde Park, evenings at Vauxhall, the romance and wonder of it all. Never had she imagined that it would happen like this, with her parents gone and her younger siblings underfoot. Now, all Sansa wants is for it all to be over quickly so she can get back to Winterfell. She needs a kind, amiable man who will be brave enough to take on his wife's siblings. That should not be so hard to find in London, should it? And while she is most grateful for Jon Targaryen's help, why must her cousin be so distracting?

To Make You Love Me 16k incomplete and orphaned

When Ned Stark dies, he leaves behind his wife, two daughters, and his family’s estate at Winterfell. What follows is a series of unwanted marriage proposals, houseguests who far outstay their welcome, and Arya parading around in a comically large hat and an oil-paint mustache as she declares herself the new ‘Lord of Winterfell,’ in an attempt to dissuade her sister’s suitors. However, when Mr. Jon Snow — their distant cousin and Ned’s appointed heir to the estate — comes to call, an oil-paint mustache is hardly enough to deter him from courting Miss Sansa Stark. And she thinks, perhaps, that a man could marry her for love more than her claim, after all.

Mine for a Season 101k by @vivilove-jonsa

Colonel Jon Targaryen is a single man in possession of a good fortune who claims no interest in finding himself a wife. With his war wounds, he thinks no young lady would want him anyway for anything beyond the allure of his pocketbook. Fortunately and unbeknownst to him, Fate has chosen to find a wife for him and will even deliver her right to his doorstep. Taking on the responsibility of shepherding a young lady about for a Season in London is not at all what Jon had wished to do but he had accepted out of a sense of familial duty. However, once he meets Sansa again after only having met her years ago as a child, he may not consider it a duty so much as a torment.

a lady of winterfell 185k, WIP by @wandering-scavenger

She bit her lip and exhaled shakily, “If you are so sickened by the prospect of marrying me, we should be able to obtain an annulment easily enough with your father’s connections.” “I will do no such thing.” he snapped, refusing to look at her. Sansa had never felt more rejected than she did at that moment. Her past experiences of being humiliated at the hand of Joffrey did not feel as painful as this. Even so, she could not allow him to see the weakness in her, not now. “I will not be left out, Jon.” she said, tilting her chin up to look down at him. He grimaced. They were silent for longer than she cared to count, but each second that he did not speak chipped away at her resolve and her ability to withhold her tears. Jon did not want her, and she could not blame him. Who could ever want her? It should not have distressed her as much as it did. She was never his favourite sister, she who treated him as a stranger since she was old enough to understand what a bastard was. A tear slipped down to her face until she tasted the salt of it on her lips. “If we marry, we will remain so.” corresponding gifset

moth's wings 47k by @cellsshapedlikestars

Sansa was determined to convince her aunt to let Arya debut, which is how she finds herself in her current predicament. “Who is this secret gentleman who has asked for your hand?” Aunt Lysa asks, and Sansa knows from her tone that she does not believe. (She has every right not to believe, for it is not true.) And then Sansa does something very, very foolish. She says a name. “The Duke of Dragonstone!” Or, Sansa fakes an engagement so that Arya can debut and marry the man she loves. The only problem? Her fake fiance just so happens to be in the city when he was not supposed to be.

An Understanding 2k, WIP by @thewolvescalledmehome

At the start of Sansa Stark's third London Season, she decides it will be her last. She will secure a husband by the end of the final ball. Jon Snow is new to the London Season and high society. He never expected to inherit money or property from an unknown uncle. When they meet at a ball, Sansa gets an idea.

you're in my blood like holy wine 72k

Sansa finds it difficult to look at Jon’s face, with its weathered lines and cragginess. It is the face of the North and a face that northerners trust; the face of Sansa’s brothers and her father, who had been loved and respected by their tenants as their forefathers had been when they were kings. How can Sansa feel anything but resentment, looking into that face and knowing that all of her years of hard work will never earn her the respect that that profile engenders within seconds? But she does. It is a small, burning coal of something that must be smothered.

PRE CANON - WESTERN - FAIRYTALES - LITTLE WOMEN - HOLIDAY - SEASON 6 ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - THE GIRL IN GREY - FREE CITIES - FAIRYTALE PART II - POLITICAL MARRIAGE - SALTY TEENS - POST CANON

#jonsa #jonsa fic #regency au #pride and prejudice au #emma au #northanger abbey au #mansfield park au #persuasion au #dot fic list #marriage of convenience au #arranged marriage au

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gunpowderdtim · 6 months

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i wonder what me and @miralines rpverse ouatisblr would look like

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🌅 atypicalarielien follow 🔁 antiroyalribbons follow

🤡 normalpeopleonly follow

dni if you think that freckles luck should in ANY way be involved in goverment. i mean she's a rose red why should we ever trust that? theyre all monsters i thought this was well established when they FUCKING KILLED US FOR 30 YEARS??? wtf

🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

uh freckles luck did NOT spend 30 fucking years fighting for the rebels for you to call her a rose red. she's made it clear she's just a normal person dozens of times what is WRONG with you

🤡 normalpeopleonly follow

she's still a fucking clone. they put chips in their brains, did you know that? theyre all mind controlled and shit why should we ever fucking trust one. with fucking government programs. i dont care if she 'seems' 'normal' she's just a rose red. i dont get why they didn't kill them all anyway

🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

SHE'S A WAR VETERAN?????? BRUH. you owe your freedom to her she helped kill the fucking king?????

⚫ zanti-deactivated02334432

I think mentioning she assisted the new regime is unnecessary. RR-11678 betrayed the crown in 4395. I think either way she should be shot. Rose Reds, especially defective ones are a hazard. She betrayed the king once. If the new "president" Marion Belle were any sort of intelligent she would have her killed. She betrayed once. She could do it again.

🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

oh now the crown loyalists are here. @normalpeopleonly look what you attracted. this is why we shouldn't give people like op energy

🌅 atypicalarielien follow

bros stop reblogging this it has captain luck fucking id in it she's said like twice to stop spreading that information further...

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🌅 atypicalarielien follow 🔁 zanti2 follow

🌅 atypicalarielien follow

you guys ever think about how hot rose reds are 😳🏳️‍🌈

🪙 zanti2 follow

they are not people.

🌅 atypicalarielien follow

motherfucker you made an alt just to harass me i get it you're a crown loyalist why dont you go suck coles dick. oh wait. he's dead. maybe you should join him

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🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

everyone should read Althea Black's new book: The Army With a Single Face: Firsthand Accounts of Rose Reds in the Crown War. it really puts the whole war from the perspective of a rose red into mind. really fucked up.

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🟥 realredhood follow 🔁 antiroyalribbons follow

🪫 ravenousrebeliousraven follow

crazy how president marion belle and her husband are getting divorced... guess that's what the war ending does do a relationship

🟥 realredhood follow ☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️

its because belle sucks ass lmafo

🪫 ravenousrebeliousraven follow

RED HOOD?????

🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

only on sptumblr do we get war veterans gossiping about divorses. i guess. also is this government secrets or

🟥 realredhood follow ☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️

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🌅 atypicalarielien follow

can't believe that people threw rocks at fucking Rose Prince on the beach like. what. she's not a giant literally look at her stature..... this was like 3 miles from my house hell world can i move to fucking mulberry or some shit

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🟥 realredhood follow ☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️

if i get 100k notes ill leak crown and rebel documents on my sptwitch

#the mechanisms #the mechs #ouatis #rose red #once upon a time in space

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19burstraat · 3 months

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when existence or when hope is gone : soc jane austen / regency au

"And have you made this entire call without once vexing or offending poor Miss Ghafa?” Captain Rietveld looked coolly at him. Inej bent her head over her sewing to hide her smiling, since she was not sure she would not laugh outright. She had not thought that Wylan would deliberately provoke the Captain, but perhaps his deference to his father did not reach anyone else. “I am sure that is not for me to decide,” said the Captain, “But I own I have been perfectly well behaved.” “Does he lie, Miss Ghafa?” “No— he has been quite tolerable company,” said Inej. “If not quite a perfect gentleman.” “You wound me, Miss Ghafa.” “I suspect I do not, Captain.”

contextual and explanatory notes about regency literary and social conventions are below the cut if you have questions during/after reading! plus some trivia for fun :)

The redacting of certain place names (—shire, — Street) is accurate to lots of old novels, where you will see it from time to time. I think it was a deliberate omission to avoid libel accusations if they accidentally invoked somewhere or someone real, or to also avoid confusing people if it contradicted real life. I used it here both to mimic the style, and also because that way didn't have to pick streets or regions lol.

The 'cut direct' was a social nuke and Kaz has balls of steel for using it on an older man who is his social superior 💀 if you very deliberately stared at and then blanked a previous acquaintance who had greeted you, it severed a relationship or acquaintance forever and could also make people turn on the person being cut. Pekka could have challenged him to a duel for it, but sensibly I think he saw the lapse in logic in giving a pistol to a soldier who holds you responsible for his brother's death and letting him shoot at you

A reticule is one of those dumb tiny handbags that regency ladies had

Governesses were in a uniquely vulnerable position. Not genteel enough for the family while not technically a servant, they tended to be isolated. While they were ofc not comparable to what Inej canonically goes through, many were abused by the families they worked for, rivalled the mothers for their children's affection, and some were harassed and abused by husbands or male visitors. There's a reason Jane Fairfax does not want to be one in Emma.

The navy lists are a publication that, unsurprisingly, list all the men, their ranks, and their ships currently trundling around on campaign. Kaz checks them to see who is still alive and to backseat drive campaigns (what's new!) and Wylan waits on tenterhooks for him to find Jesper. Which he always does because he was already looking for him.

Married couples did not tend to call one another by their given names, at least not in company; Nina and Matthias do it because they have a fond disrespect for one another. Or Nina does anyway and it's rubbed off on Matthias.

Although Kaz and Inej are comparatively very young, twenty six is pushing it for the 'marriageability' of young women; Anne Elliot was twenty seven and was considered to have lost the 'bloom' of her youth, so she is being bourne down upon a bit.

The money concerns in Persuasion— landed gentry losing money and soldiers becoming 'new' money in the war via prize money, but still being looked down upon by the old nobility— are kinda reflected through Kaz and Jesper.

(to be so honest I do not quite understand how the regency economy worked but I figured that like, no one else reading this does either, unless ur a regency specialist. if you are, sorry. how's academia?)

I think we're actually not quite yet at the peak of the 'scandal sheet' Bridgerton-Lady-Whistledown craze, but I couldn't possibly deprive Kaz and Inej of their fishmarket wife gossip habit in any universe.

I also hate Lord Byron. Next!

Nina, Matthias, and Inej are not at the Wesper wedding because regency weddings were super tiny affairs that only had v close / local family and friends at them

I think the circumstances of Kaz and Jordie having been minor landed gentry having to join the navy out of necessity may be a bit of a stretch but... Well I had to think of something to replicate Kaz's backstory with. The easier solution would have been for them to marry rich but I can see Jordie thinking that trying to marry Kaz 'Cut Direct' Rietveld off to a Duchess might be a bit tough

A trousseau was the collection of clothes that women bought before they were married; it was an expected thing, to send brides off with new clothes. Nina and Mrs Ghafa (and Jesper) are a lot more interested in this than poor Inej is lol.

The made up house names are entirely inside jokes with myself. Geldings references horses but is actually a play on the Geldstraat, Crawley means 'clearing frequented by crows', Stavewell is a play on the Stave where Tante Heleen and the Menagerie are, and I think Trasselwood is fairly obvious lol.

#the edit's wonky ik. shhhh #six of crows #soc #soc fic #my fics #kanej #six of crows fic #my post #austen au

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gothicfairytopia · 3 months

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How act two of The Sound of Music might foreshadow Good Omens season three ~

I was reading this post about Aziraphale’s ball idea coming from The Sound of Music rather than Jane Austen, and remembered that I’d meant to make a post about parallels between Aziraphale and Maria. The romantic plot of Good Omens has a lot in common with the plot of The Sound of Music, and season two just so happens to leave off at the very end of act one. So, is there a chance that act two could provide some clues about season three? I find the idea very compelling, so here’s my analysis of the movie and how I think it compares to what we’ve seen so far, as well as what we can hope to see in season three.

In the beginning we have Maria at the abbey, where it is made clear that she does not fit in because she has a hard time abiding by the rules. She also has a tendency to prioritize the natural/material world over her spiritual duties, which is represented by the opening song (“The Sound of Music”), the singing of which literally makes her late to return to the abbey. This has obvious parallels to Aziraphale’s difficulties conforming to Heaven’s way of life, as well as his worldly attachments.

(A fun bonus parallel is in the song “Maria,” when the nuns say “she’s always late for everything / except for every meal.” Aziraphale-coded fr.)

Maria leaves the abbey to be the governess to the von Trapp family, and this is where she begins to really learn about herself as an adult outside of a tightly controlled religious environment. She still doesn’t conform to the new world she lives in, but begins learning how to retain her selfhood without feeling ashamed of doing so. This period is obviously a parallel for Aziraphale’s time on Earth—although the time frames are quite different, the same general lessons are learned.

At the end of act one, as addressed in the linked post, there is a ball where the Captain and Maria dance, and this is the moment where Maria discovers her feelings for the Captain. Although this scene is an obvious parallel for the Jane Austen ball scene, I think it’s honestly more similar to the kiss in the final 15. Maria, mid-dance, stares into the Captain’s eyes, freezes, and backs away, saying she can’t remember the dance anymore. The Baroness is watching from the doorway, and when Maria runs upstairs to get changed for dinner, the Baroness follows her.

Up in Maria’s bedroom, the Baroness confronts Maria about her feelings for the Captain, which Maria denies initially. The Baroness convinces her of her own feelings and of the Captain’s, and essentially encourages her to run away—I’ll get into why in a second. Without a word to anyone, Maria returns to the abbey. This is a super obvious parallel to the end of season two, with the Baroness acting almost in the role of the Metatron by pulling Maria aside and reminding her of her “duty.”

Now into the more speculative side of things, trying to think of how The Sound of Music might offer hints as to what’s coming in season three.

When Maria returns to the abbey, she remains in constant silent prayer for the first several days before being called upon by the Abbess. Maria confesses that she ran away because she was frightened, and admits that she had accidentally developed an attraction for the Captain. She gives her reason for not telling the Captain about her feelings and choosing to return the abbey: “I was there on God’s errand. Oh, I couldn’t stay, I just couldn’t. I’m ready at this moment to take my vows.” This sense of misplaced duty might not be all of it, but again, we’ll get to that in a second.

The Abbess responds with probably more kindness than we’d expect from anyone in Heaven: she says that romantic love can be holy, that Maria needs to discover how God intended her to spend her love, and assures her that “if you love this man, it doesn’t mean you love God less.” With this, she commands Maria to return.

While this may seem incongruous with Heaven’s general business model and something unlikely to be paralleled in season three, I think it’s important to think back to the conversation at the end of season one immediately following the failed apocalypse, when Crowley asks, “Angel, what if the Almighty planned it like this, all along? From the very beginning?” People joke about God trying to set them up from the beginning of time, but I don’t know that it necessarily has to be a joke. The question of God’s ineffable plan is a constant throughout the series—the whole point is that it’s impossible to say what exactly God intends.

This is the exact same conflict Maria faces in the scene with the Abbess. When she objects to returning, she says, “But I pledged my life to God, I — I’ve pledged my life to his service.” The Abbess rejects the idea that this is the only possible plan that could have been intended for Maria, saying, “You have to live the life you were born to live.” Perhaps there will be something similar in season three, some way in which God communicates the same thing to Aziraphale—that loving Crowley doesn’t mean loving Her any less, that their love is holy, and that the life he is meant to live is not one pent up behind heavenly walls, but rather out in the world with Crowley.

After Maria returns, she’s reunited with the children, the Captain and the Baroness break off their engagement, lots of little plot things. What I’m interested in is the song “Something Good” (which I would just like to emphasize is sung in a gazebo... anyway). The song introduces an additional reason for Maria’s departure—namely, that she did not feel worthy of the Captain’s love, a sentiment that he returns. They both come to the conclusion, though, that they must have done “something good” to deserve having found each other. Here are some lyrics:

For here you are, standing there, loving me

Whether or not you should

So somewhere in my youth or childhood

I must have done something good.

The basic theme of the song is self forgiveness, and the acknowledgement that past imperfections do not make a person unworthy of being loved. Rather, both characters here have felt themselves to be inadequate, but view the other’s love as a sign that they must, in some way, be good.

I love the idea that Crowley and Aziraphale might have a moment like this, because I think it would be massive in terms of their own self acceptance. For Crowley, Aziraphale’s love (and possibly God’s endorsement?) is proof that his fall did not make him irredeemable, that he remains a being who can love and be loved in return. For Aziraphale, Crowley’s love is an affirmation that he can honestly be forgiven for his transgressions, rather than marked forever by them (like removing the stain from his coat, allowing it to be forgotten).

Unfortunately, the movie does not end with their marriage—they still have to escape Austria after the Captain is called to serve by the Nazis. I think we can assume the Nazis parallel Hell, and say that perhaps Aziraphale and Crowley really will have to establish “their own side.” Maria has to break free of the abbey, and the Captain has to break free of the Nazis. They do this by running away, and I’m not sure Aziraphale and Crowley would ever flee Earth in the wake of the Second Coming, but I will say that it does immediately evoke the idea of the pair running away to Alpha Centauri. I do think that given the “they are bad at their jobs and did very little to seriously prevent Armageddon” joke from season one, it would be a little funny if humanity managed to save itself during a momentary retreat from Aziraphale and Crowley.

I don’t mean to imply that the blueprint of season three is found in act two of The Sound of Music, but I do think that the movie being canonically a favorite of Heaven’s, the recurring theme of the ineffability of God’s plan, and the sheer number of parallels within the plot so far make it a fair place to look for clues. Who’s to say that God’s plan wasn’t hidden in plain sight?

#brought to u by ur local theatre kid fr #i’ve prepared for this sound of music analysis my whole life #good omens #ineffable husbands #aziraphale #crowley #good omens s3 #sound of music #aziracrow #good omens meta #good omens s2

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certified-scoundrel · 2 months

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Captain Von Trapp: I need a governess who will keep order in this house while I'm away. I need someone who won't let my children step a toe out of line- someone disciplined!

those damn nuns: we have the PERFECT girl for the job-

#why did the send the floor kisser to nanny for a naval officer #love her tho #the sound of music #julie andrews

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anxiouspineapple99 · 7 months

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Way of the Water

Summary: After being saved from drowning during a storm by a mysterious stranger, you can’t get him out of your head. A chance second meeting piques your interest further, but little do you know there’s more to him than meets the eye.

Pairing: Commander Monnk x reader

Prompt: “It was inevitable, but I regretted it every step of the way.”

Warnings: Monster AU, merman!Monnk, reader almost drowns, lots of talk of the ocean and water, reader is very naive, Monnk is very manipulative, angst, slightly suggestive, brief mention of blood, not a happy ending, this is a horror story so please keep that in mind.

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The storm comes out of nowhere.

One minute you had been staring into the water, entranced by the inky blackness below, and the next you had been clinging to the side of the ship as it rocked violently. Rain whips against you, only serving to make the wood harder to cling to. You’re soaked through, doing everything in your power to avoid being thrown overboard as the crew races around you, doing everything in their power to keep the ship steady and above the water.

Lightning flashes overhead, illuminating the waves around you. Your lips part in a gasp, many others in the crew pausing as they too spot it.

You’ve never been afraid of the sea. You’ve spent your life by the water and on it. You’ve learned to respect the raw power, and the danger. Sudden storms, rough seas, pirates. You’re no stranger to the legends of the horrors that lurk in the deep, either. Horrors able to control the sea and conjure storms. Ghost ships that would appear and leave nothing but ruin behind.

You blink against the rain threatening to blind you as another flash of lightning proves you’re not hallucinating. It’s not some mirage conjured up by the storm.

There’s a ship.

Appearing out of the darkness like some nightmarish creature is a ship. It’s large, larger than the ship you’re on. You stare at it as it steers along the starboard side, visible in the darkness like some hulking monster.

The voices of the crew rise over the storm. The name Dark Star seems to echo above the thunder and the roar of the waves.

“It’s Captain Fisto!” Someone shouts.

Your heart is thudding in your chest. The feared Captain Kit Fisto was supposed to be nothing but a legend. A warning for sailors that may get too carefree, too confident. The monstrous, inhuman captain controlled the seas and everything in it. His cursed crew would kill without sympathy and destroy anything in their path. You were raised on the legends, the ghost stories you and your closest friends told to frighten each other.

“Princess, we must get below deck.” Your governess appears out of the storm, hands grabbing at your arms desperately.

You nearly scream, not expecting her to appear. You’re hesitant, but you release your death grip on the side of the ship, feet slipping on the slick deck as you try to navigate to the hatch.

You don’t make it.

Something slams into the side of the ship, rocking it violently against the waves. You lose your footing, your governess’ losing her grip on you.

You’re falling.

The water is frigid as you hit it suddenly and unexpectedly. It’s dark, only the outline of the ship visible in the occasional flash of lighting as it gets further and further away from you.

You’re a good swimmer. You’ve spent your life around the water, in the water, and on it. You’ve been in the water as long as you can remember. You’ve been able to swim as long as you can remember. You kick and claw at the water, trying to get to precious air but you make little progress.

Your dress is weighing you down.

You only have so much time, so much air in your lungs. You attempt to pull at the stays of your dress but your fingers are going numb. There’s no way you can get them open and the dress off fast enough to push yourself to the surface for air. You’re slowly sinking, getting further and further from the surface.

Even if you can get the dress off, you might not make it before your body forces a breath, before you inhale water and drown. No one is coming to save you. There’s too much to worry about above the water. You’re going to die here alone. There won’t even be a body to return to your parents. You’ll sink down into the inky depths that had captivated you just an hour ago to feed the things that lurk in the darkness.

Black spots dance in your vision, lungs burning for air, ears ringing. You can’t hold on much longer. At least if you’re unconscious, you won’t feel the pain of drowning to death. It will happen quickly and you can move on to whatever awaits you.

Your eyes slip closed, body relaxing as you slowly slip into unconsciousness. Moments before your vision goes dark something wraps around your waist, tugging you upward.

***

The first breath is jarring. It catches in your throat, liquid rising up your esophagus. You choke, body rolling to the side as liquid is expelled from your lungs. Your lungs spasm, more liquid pouring from your lips as your body tries every attempt to expel it from where it doesn’t belong.

You take in a deep, painful breath. Your eyes flutter as oxygen floods your brain, life coming back to you suddenly. You roll limply onto your back, lungs burning as you inhale raspy breaths.

You don’t think you’re dead. You don’t think the afterlife would be this painful. Your blurry vision begins to clear as more oxygen is pumped through your body with every agonizing breath. You’re staring up at something. The sun is behind them, painting the sky with oranges and pinks.

It’s a person.

Dark curls stick to dark, tanned skin. Eyes too large, too dark stare down at your face. Your breath hitches as you blink blearily up at him. Those big, dark eyes stare back into yours, his brows raised in curiosity.

You blink and he’s gone, leaving nothing but a quiet splash of water and the imprint of his face in your mind. You lay there in the sand, suddenly aware of the cold air on your wet skin. Your dress is gone, leaving you in nothing but your wet chemise and stockings.

You close your eyes, sketching the man’s face in your mind. Was it a man? You can’t be sure. Whoever he was, he had saved your life.

You pick up a noise on the air, your name being called. It’s getting closer and closer, along with the sound of barking. You're glad your eyes are closed as sand kicks up around you moments before a warm tongue licks the length of your face. You blindly stick a hand out, trying to push the dog away. You push yourself up to sit, head swimming a bit as Fish, your father’s favorite dog, continues to try and lick your face.

“Thank the stars.” You hear a voice moments before you’re lifted onto your feet, a warm coat being wrapped around your body. You’re squished against a familiar chest, arms wrapping tightly around you. “We thought you were dead.”

You lean into your father’s hold, squeezing your eyes shut. You’re shivering from the cold now, suddenly very aware of how wet your clothes are from the water.

“Your brother set out first thing this morning when you failed to reach port last night.” Your father continues, guiding you through the sand and back towards your home. “Your mother’s been worried sick.”

You’re still shivering, clutching your father’s coat tight around you, but it’s not entirely from the cold. Memories flash through your mind of what had happened yesterday. The storm, the ship, nearly drowning.

You should have died.

If the ship hadn’t made it back yet, it likely wasn’t coming back at all. There wouldn’t be anything to find, just as the legends said. You lean in closer to your father’s side, not looking back at the sea as you make your way up the path towards the castle.

In not looking back, you miss the eyes just peeking out of the water before disappearing back under the surface.

***

You twirl a ribbon in your fingers as you lean against the balcony door. Your gaze is distant, just past the breaking waves far below.

“Lost in thought again?”

You jump at the voice, turning to meet your brother’s gaze as he steps up next to you. You let out a breath, having been more jumpy since the incident. He moves out onto the balcony, turning and leaning against the railing, blocking your view of the sea.

“You’ve been distant lately.” He says, crossing his arms. “Are you feeling alright?”

It’s been a little over three days since the incident, since the storm, since your brush with death. You had told your father everything, down to the ship and falling into the water and your supposed rescuer.

He’s been what’s plaguing your mind. You haven’t been able to get him out of your thoughts. His face is what you see when you close your eyes. You see him in your dreams. He’s so...strange. You’ve never seen anything like him before. Your father had brushed him off as a hallucination, just as he had brushed off the supposed ghost ship.

You nod, straightening up a bit. “Yes. Just...thinking.”

He stares at you for a long moment. “You know nothing could have been done. Storms like that-”

You scoff, turning away from the balcony, stepping back into your room. “It wasn’t a storm. I know what I saw.”

“I know.” He says, following you inside. “And I believe you.”

His words give you pause. You turn back to look at him, brow furrowing a bit. “You do?”

“Of course I do.” He steps up to you, fingers wrapping around your arms. “I’ve been on the water more than you and father. I’ve seen things I couldn’t explain out there. I’ve heard the stories, same as you. Stories have to come from somewhere.” He squeezes your arms. “You know father couldn’t tell the kingdom a ghost ship was responsible. Not without proof.”

You let out a quiet sigh. “You’re right.”

He gives you a soft smile, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. “Come on. Let’s get some breakfast.”

You let him lead you from your room, the ribbon in your hand sliding from your fingers to land on the floor.

***

You lean against the rock behind you, trailing your feet through the water. Back and forth, back and forth. Your eyes are closed, listening to the quiet rolling of the waves over the rocks and up the sand. It’s quiet in the cave, one of the reasons you still come here.

You discovered the cave as a child by accident with your brother. It was your favorite spot to play, until you both grew and your duties shifted. You still come here on occasion, mostly for peace and quiet and to avoid your duties, which is precisely what you are doing now.

It’s been a little over a week since the incident. You’ve had little time to yourself between your family and your duties. You understand their concern. There were a few hours where they were unsure if you were even still alive. A few hours where they assumed the worst. You can only imagine how they felt during those tense hours. You’ve felt the same concern when your brother’s ships have been late to port.

You still need your time alone. Mostly to think.

It’s been a little over a week and you haven’t been able to stop thinking about the face. The man. You see him constantly. When you close your eyes, in your dreams, even when you’re wide awake. You can’t help but wonder who he is. Where had he disappeared to? Was your father right? Had you simply imagined the whole thing?

You let out a sigh, absentmindedly kicking your leg back and forth in the water. The bottom of your dress is getting wet, but you don’t care. It will dry eventually.

“The tide’s coming in.”

You jump at the voice, nearly slipping off the rock you’re seated on. You manage to catch yourself from dropping into the water, but you scrape your leg against the sharp edge of the rock. You turn to look at the shore, expecting someone to be there, but there’s no one. The small beach is empty, and there’s no one sticking their head through the cave entrance. Your gaze turns out to the water, eyes widening when you see the head floating above the surface.

It’s him.

You know it’s him. You’ve been picturing his face over and over for the last week. His curls still stick to his face, too big eyes staring at you over the water. He seems to float seamlessly, hovering in the water gracefully and with ease.

“You don’t want to get caught unawares.” He says, his deep voice echoing through the cave. It’s accented, though you can’t place it.

You blink at him in shock, forgetting the stinging cut on your leg for a moment. “Who are you?” You ask, pulling your feet up onto the rock as he begins to float closer.

“My name is Monnk.” He says, slowly drifting closer to your position on the rock.

You tell him your name and your position in the royal family. “You saved my life.” You say, a shiver running down your spine as he floats right up next to you.

He nods once. “I did.”

“Thank you.” You say, staring down at him, down into those dark eyes. “I owe you a great debt.”

You gasp as his hand shoots out, wrapping around your ankle. His hand feels strange, not what you were expecting. It feels slick and almost slimy. His tanned fingers bite into your flesh as he holds your ankle out, staring down at the blood beading from the cut and mixing with the water sliding across your skin. His grip is tight and strong, and a sudden chord of fear strikes within you.

He’s strong.

How easily he could pull you from the rock, how easily he could force you under the water. How easily he could hurt you. You’re entirely alone. No one knows where you are. No one is looking for you, and no one likely would be for a while. You could disappear so easily and no one would know until it was too late.

Your heart thumps in your chest as his fingers prod at the cut. His hand slides from your skin, dropping back into the water. You pull your leg back up to your chest, wrapping your arms around them protectively.

“Wait here.” He says, dipping under the water and disappearing.

You watch the surface of the water, waiting for him to appear, to take a breath before dipping back under, but the surface of the water remains unchanged. Another shiver runs down your spine. The too big eyes, how gracefully he’d floated in the water, how quickly he’d disappeared when he saved you. There was only one place he could have disappeared that quickly before anyone saw him, and that was back into the water.

You know he’s not human.

You know it deep down.

You have half a mind to leave. You should make for the rapidly disappearing sand and get back to the castle. You can’t be sure he’s coming back, and you’re quickly losing time to get out of the cave before you’ll have to risk swimming out. You’re not sure you could handle swimming again. The thought of being in the water brings back the mental image of the black depths slowly swallowing you, the burning in your lungs as you desperately held your breath as long as you could.

You’re not sure you could attempt to swim if you had to.

You’ve resigned to getting up when he appears from under the water once more, floating gracefully towards your rock. He reaches for your leg and you fight the urge to pull away. You should, but instead you sit there, feeling the strange slide of his skin against yours.

He mashes something against the cut, a hiss leaving your mouth as it makes the wound sting. He carefully wraps a piece of kept around the wound, tying it off and releasing your leg.

You stare at him, the water splashing your toes as it laps against the rock. You need to leave, need to get out of the cave now before it’s too late. Yet, you can’t bring yourself to move, not with him staring at you. “What are you?” You ask.

He grins at you, floating backwards away from the rock. “You already know.” He pauses a few feet away, bobbing with the waves. “Until we meet again, Princess.”

He dives under the water, the tanned skin of his back flowing into a scaled tail colored in black, white, and gold. The white tail flukes flip above the water long enough for you to make out their shape before slipping back under the water and disappearing.

Your lips part in a gasp, eyes widening in shock as you stare at the surface of the water where he’d disappeared.

A merman?

You’re no stranger to the many tales of merfolk. Some paint them as friendly, helpful to stranded or drowning sailors. Others paint them as bloodthirsty, luring sailors and drowning them for fun. They’ve always been just that, tales to you, but then again, so had supposed ghost ships.

It was a merman that had saved you.

You rise as the water laps at your feet, carefully treading across the outcropping of rocks and back to the sand, then through the cave entrance. You keep your gaze past the breakers as you hurry up the beach, looking for any possible sign of the mysterious merman.

You pause at the head of the trail back to the castle, staring out at the expanse of water in front of you. You see nothing, not even a piece of driftwood that could be your merman. For a moment you doubt it, for a moment you wonder if you’d fallen asleep in the cave and imagined the whole thing. You lift the hem of your skirt, staring at the kelp wrapped around your ankle.

It was no dream. It was real.

He was real.

Your name echoes on the wind, loud and stern. You’ll be in for quite the verbal lashing when you get home. You turn your back to the sea, a smile tugging at the corner of your lips as you make your way up the path towards the castle.

***

You return to the cave the next day. As soon as the tide had turned, you had been out the door, delaying your duties in favor of making your way to the cave in hopes Monnk will be there again.

You climb out onto the rocks in the cave, a familiar dark-eyed face popping out of the water. You take a seat on one of the rocks, Monnk gracefully gliding through the water closer to you. You tuck your knees into your chest, giving him a smile.

“Hello, Monnk.” You say, wrapping your arms around your knees.

“Hello, Princess.” His deep voice resonates through the cave. It’s a calm day today, the waves small and calm. “I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

You nod. “I wanted to say thank you, again, for healing my wound.”

You had checked it the previous night, carefully unwrapping the dried kelp to find nothing more than a small pink scar.

“And?” He asks, swimming right up to the rock you’re perched on.

“And...I was curious...if you’d be here again.” You admit, staring down into his dark eyes.

“Couldn’t resist?” He smirks, resting his arms on the rock.

“Curiosity got the best of me.” You say, feeling almost dizzy staring into the depths of his eyes. It’s not unlike staring over the side of the ship into the dark depths of the sea. It’s mesmerizing and dizzying all at once. “I thought merfolk were only legends.”

“We prefer to keep it that way.” He says, making a small wave as his tail flicks in the water. “Not everyone is so fond of our kind. Others would hunt us. Turn us into trophies. Our survival relies on our secrecy.”

You frown. “Then why take the risk and reveal yourself to me?”

“Curiosity got the best of me.” He smirks.

A smile tugs at your lips. “I won’t tell anyone about you. Not that they would believe me, anyway. I’m just a silly little girl, after all.”

“No,” He says, floating backwards in the water. “You’re so much more than that.”

You look at him from the corner of your eye. “You think so?”

He nods. “Yes. I like to consider myself a good judge of character.”

You stretch out your legs, letting them sink into the cool water. “That’s very kind of you to say. My family still treats me like a child sometimes.”

“And you are not a child.”

You jump slightly as a cold, slimy hand wraps around your foot. Your gaze snaps up to see Monnk floating in front of you, your foot in his hand. He’s staring at it, assessing it.

“No,” You say, fighting the urge to pull your foot away as his other hand lifts, his fingers trailing over your arch. “I am a grown woman.”

He hums curiously as he wiggles one of your toes. “Indeed.”

“Have you been close to many humans?” You ask, tilting your head curiously at him.

He slowly lowers your foot back into the water, swimming closer to you. Your knees are parted, skirt soaked where it dips into the water. He fearlessly swims up between your knees, eyes staring into yours. Your breath catches as you stare at him. You’ve never been this close to another man before. Not like this, at least.

“No.” He answers, floating with the waves. His skin brushes yours every so often, sliding cooly against it. “I try to avoid them and their ships as much as possible.”

“But you were there that night.” You say.

Something flashes through his eyes, something that sends a shiver down your spine. The reality of your situation hits you suddenly. You still don’t know him well. You’re not even sure if merfolk are friendly.

“It was simply chance.” He says, floating backwards away from you. “Luck too, on your part.”

Something about his words don’t ease the unsettling feeling brewing within you. It churns like the sea during a storm, causing goosebumps to arise on your skin.

If we wanted to hurt you, why would he have bothered saving you? If he wanted to hurt you, why hadn’t he done so already? You’ve given him plenty of easy chances. Perhaps he really is simply curious about humans. You’re certainly curious about him.

You push away the fear trickling its way down your spine, brushing it off as nothing more than irrational.

***

Tears slide down your cheeks, mixing with the rain pouring from the sky. The weather feels fitting for your mood as you slog through wet sand to the cave. You’re soaked and freezing but staying inside the castle wasn’t an option. Not right now.

You’ve been visiting the cave often. Nearly every day for weeks now.

Rain or shine, if the tide is low enough, you visit the cave. Monnk is always there, usually before you arrive. You spend as long as you can with him, often until the water is dangerously high. You’re not sure what it is that’s driving you to take such risks with him. Perhaps it's the curiosity, the intrigue, the mystery about him and his kind. Perhaps it’s a bit of disbelief that you spend your days talking to a merman. Perhaps you’re afraid one day he won’t be there, and you’ll realize you’ve been dreaming the entire thing.

The uneasy feeling hasn’t left completely. Sometimes when he looks at you, you can’t help but feel like he’s waiting for the right moment to drag you into the water and drown you. But there’s been plenty of chances for him to do so, and he’s never made you truly feel like you were in danger.

He’s just as curious about humans as you are of merfolk, though you offer up more information to him than he does to you. You understand his cryptic answers. The safety of his kind is at risk. Even if you did promise not to tell anyone, he still has to protect himself and his kind.

You’ve kept your end of the promise. You haven’t told anyone about him. You haven’t even told anyone where you’ve been going, where you’ve been disappearing off to. Your brother likely has an inkling, as it was where you used to sneak off together, but you’ve been completely undisturbed.

Perhaps you should have been more careful shuffling off your duties in favor of spending time in the cave. Your parents took notice, and of course raised their concerns. The resulting conversation had led to his point, to you crying your way down the beach to take refuge in the cave, and hopefully in your merman friend.

You slip into the cave, climbing out onto the rocks to your usual spot. You wipe the tears from your eyes as a familiar dark head appears from under the water. He swims up to the rock, resting his arms on it beside you. He tilts his head as he stares at you, his brows furrowing.

“What is it?” He asks, concern lacing his voice.

“My parents and I had an argument.” You say, continuing to wipe at your face with your damp sleeve. “They think it’s time I get married. I don’t want to marry some man I don’t know, some man I don’t love.” You sniffle. “But I’m the princess, I have to marry with the good of the kingdom in mind.”

“That’s hardly fair.” Monnk says, sounding almost angry.

You nearly fall back off the rock as he lifts himself from the water, sitting next to you. You haven't seen so much of him at one time before. You've seen his head and his broad shoulders, and you've seen his strong arms. You've seen his fluke, and small glimpses of his tail, but you haven't seen all of him at once, and certainly not this close.

You stare at him in shock, taking him in as he sits before you. His tanned chest ripples with muscle as he situates himself. There’s scars on his skin of varying lengths and sizes. His shoulders are broad, but his waist tapers to his thin hips where his tan skin blends into his black, white, and gold scaled tail. He’s beautiful, beyond just his handsome face.

“You have no say in this?” He asks, pulling your eyes from his body.

You shake your head. “No. I am only a princess. I’m at the mercy of what my parents order of me. If it is their wish that I be married, I will have no other choice.”

“That’s hardly fair.” He says, leaning in closer to you. “You are your own person. You should have the freedom to mate with whomever you wish.”

The phrasing of his words makes your cheeks warm. You know it’s nothing more than the cultural differences between your kind. You’re not sure what marriage, or mating customs merfolk have. You’ve never thought to ask. Obviously he understands you in a way. Enough to be upset on your behalf.

He reaches out, those cold, slick fingers touching your cheek. Your breath hitches in your throat at the bold touch. He wasn’t shy about breaking normal physical boundaries. He often grabbed and played with your feet, something you had grown used to during your time together. This, though. This is branching into new territory.

“I must confess that my continued interaction with you hasn’t solely been out of curiosity lately.” Monnk says, his thumb tracing your cheek.

You let out a sharp exhale, waiting with bated breath for what he’s going to say next.

“I have become rather infatuated with you, Princess. Perhaps that is why I risked saving your life, why I’ve been so reckless in our visits.” He leans closer, so close you can see your reflection in his large, dark eyes. “The thought of you belonging to another makes the blood roil in my veins like an angry sea.”

“Monnk,” You whisper, tears springing to your eyes once more, but these are for a different reason now.

“Condemn me now.” He says, pulling himself closer to you. “Order me to cast myself back into the sea and never return.”

You shake your head, lifting your hand to press against the one on your cheek. “Never.”

He leans forward, closing the distance between you. His lips are cold and slick against yours, just as the rest of his skin feels. He tastes like the sea, salty and briny and just a bit fishy. His arm wraps around your waist, pulling you tightly against his body.

You’ve never been kissed before, much less like this. It’s exciting, chills running through your entire body. You don’t mind the strangeness of his touch, his odd taste. He makes you dizzy, giddy in a way no one ever has before.

He pulls away from you, letting you breathe for a moment. Your tingling lips part as you pant, the salty taste of him still on your lips, on your tongue. You’re close to him, so close you can see the slits in his neck where he breathes. Your eyes trail down his body to his tail, your eyes able to see every small scale up close.

“Can I touch you?” You ask, looking up at his face.

Something darkens in his gaze as he stares at you, and he nods. You reach out, trailing your fingers along his tail. It’s the same strange, slick feeling as his skin, except it feels thicker, more hardly. More like how you imagine a dolphin’s skin feeling. The scales are flat and nearly indiscernible from one another, not unlike a fish.

You continue to stroke his tail, lifting your gaze up to his eyes. He tightens his grip around your waist, fingers digging into the skin. He leans down, kissing you once more. He’s more forceful this time, lips pressing harder against yours. It steals your breath away, your body nearly falling backwards. His hand keeps you close to him, keeps you steady.

He pulls away suddenly, releasing you. “Someone is coming.”

“Wait.” You grab his arm before he can slip back into the water. “How is this going to work?”

He puts his hand atop yours, squeezing it gently. “I will find a way.”

You lean back against the wall of the cave as he slips into the water, leaving barely any trace behind. You stare at the water, wondering if he’s left at all, or if he’s lurking deep in the depths of the pool.

Your gaze is drawn from the water as a figure enters the cave. It’s your brother, unsurprisingly. He has to lean down more than you remember to make it through the small opening. It’s been years since the two of you have been here together.

“I knew I’d find you here.” He says, carefully climbing onto the rocks. “It’s smaller than I remember.” He says, looking around before moving closer to you.

“Or maybe you’ve just grown.” You say.

He hums, sitting down next to you. “I suppose that’s true.” He says. “But so have you.”

“If you’ve come to lecture me, please refrain.” You say.

He holds his hands up in surrender. “No lecture. I simply wish to impart some wisdom.” He takes your hand. It feels oddly warm and dry compared to Monnk’s. “Mother and father only want the best for you. You know this. They would keep you here forever if they could. You have to trust they’re not going to throw you to the wolves. You’re their daughter and they love you. You may not grow to love the person they choose, but they're not going to force you to be miserable for the rest of your life.”

Forcing you from here will make you miserable. You’re not brave enough to save it out loud. “I thought you weren’t going to lecture me.” You say instead.

Your brother grins, ruffing your damp hair. “I can’t help it. I am your big brother.”

You playfully splash him with some water, getting splashed back by a bigger wave. You can’t help but laugh, remembering the good times you used to have here. How carefree you both could be back then.

He smiles at you, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “Everything will be alright. You’ll see.” He stands, holding out a hand. “Come. It’s freezing and the tide’s coming in. best get you back home before you get sick.”

***

“I don't believe it.” You say, tears springing to your eyes. “So soon?”

“Their kingdom has long been an ally to us. It will be an ideal match.” Your father says.

“An ideal match? I don’t even know him!” You protest.

“If he’s anything like his father, then he’s a noble, honorable man.” Your mother interjects.

“I don’t care if he’s honorable!” You shout. “I won’t marry him!”

“You are my daughter and you will do as I say.” Your father says sternly, quickly losing his patience with you. You know you’re treading dangerous waters, but you can’t help it. Everything is falling apart with this new development. “You will leave in three days.”

“Three days?” You stand to your feet. “No. I refuse to go.”

“No?” Your father says angrily. “You dare defy your own father?”

“Only when he’s making stupid decisions on my behalf!” You snap.

“Enough!” He stands to his feet. “I don’t know where this attitude has come from, but I will have no more of it. You will be leaving in three days and you will be married. Now go to your room where you can stay until the carriage arrives in three days.”

You storm off, leaving the room in a flurry of anger and tears. You do go to your room, trusting your father will send someone to follow you if he feels it necessary. You drop onto your bed, burying your face into your pillows and screaming in frustration. It’s not fair. None of it is fair.

You need to see Monnk. You need to know if he’s come up with a plan. You need to tell him so he can hurry up if he hasn’t.

You glance at the door, knowing there’s likely a guard waiting outside to keep you in. Your chances of slipping through the castle unseen are slim. Everyone will be watching for you, making sure you don’t try to slip away in the night. Instead you strip the bed, tying the sheets into a makeshift rope, long enough to reach the ground from your balcony. You slowly lower yourself over the side, carefully scaling your way to the ground. You sneak from the castle grounds, slipping down the path to the beach.

You run through the sand, making your way to the cave. You’re breathing heavily when you arrive, the stays of your dress digging into your ribs but you don’t care. You clammer onto the rocks, looking out at the water with teary eyes, anxiously awaiting Monnk’s arrival.

You nearly cry as the familiar dark head pops above the surface. “Monnk.” You breathe, voice shaking with tears and your breathlessness.

“What is it my love?” He asks.

“Three days.” You try to catch your breath. “I’m being sent from here in three days to be married.”

He sinks back into the water, only his eyes visible above the surface. They shine with anger and something else you can’t discern. He says like that for a moment before he lifts the rest of his head out of the water.

“Do you trust me?” He asks.

You nod. “Yes.”

Something flashes across his face, something that sends shivers down your spine. It’s not unlike how you felt the first time you spoke with him in the cave. Something in the back of your mind is screaming, telling you to run, telling you to make for safety, for the beach. But what is there for you back there? Another reprimanding? A carriage waiting to take you from your home in three days, to take you from the sea and everything you love?

You can hear someone calling your name, the sound of dogs barking getting closer. They must have noticed you missing, or seen your makeshift rope. Your brother will have led them here, or perhaps he’s coming after you himself.

He holds out a hand to you. “Come into the water.”

You push aside the fear trickling down your spine as you swing your legs over the side of the rock. Your toes kiss the cold water, goosebumps forming on your skin. You push yourself off, dropping into the water. It’s freezing, shocking you and stealing your breath. Monnk is there, securing his arms around your waist. It’s deeper than you expected, your feet not touching the bottom.

“Monnk?” You stammer, teeth chattering as the cold sets in. You’re suddenly back to that day weeks ago. You can see the ship through the storm, numb fingers desperately clinging to the side of the ship.

Why had he been there that day? It’s open ocean out there, nothing but clouds and occasionally ghost ships. Ghost ships captained by legendary pirates capable of controlling the sea and everything in it.

Pain erupts in your sides, making you squirm in surprise. The water tinges red around you, your trembling lips parting in shock. “Monnk! You’re hurting me!” You attempt to shove him, fight him, but you can’t find purchase on his slick skin.

He grins at you, revealing sharp, shark-like teeth. “It was inevitable,” His inhuman, dark eyes stare at you, almost with pity. “But I regretted it every step of the way.”

You can’t even scream before you’re suddenly pulled under the surface, into the dark depths below.

Nothing remains, no sign of you left, except for the ribbon slowly drifting back to shore.

#submission #pineapple’s 2023 halloween party

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frenchublog · 1 month

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#sound of music #the sound of music #maria von trapp #captain von trapp #georg von trapp #georg x maria #what do you call them i need to know #captain and the governess #christopher plummer #julie andrews #i slept on christopher i slept on them i slept on this movie i have so many regrets #special thanks to fanfiction writers i have been feasting for a week #tsom #my art #please don't repost

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jukti-torko-golpo · 6 months

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শুভ বিজয়া!!!

A kinda rushed piece

@callonpeevesie @kermithermit @shaonharryandpannisim @jasmineiros @allegoriesinmediasres @cynicalities @paneerlajwanti @ramayantika @hoziestgf @adoginthemanger @burningqueentimemachine @kingweaslee @seekerbrave @peace-punch-captain-crunch17 @laad-governess @raat-jaaga-paakhi @a-confusedmess @vaijayantheee @the-slythering-raven @travalerray @strawberryphrogg @cipher-dorito @salt-n-caramel @your-favourite-skittles @azureblupdf @lovechildofamyrosagina @dhyanshiva @inexhaustible-sources-of-magic @balladofableedinggod2112 @medusasprotegedaughter @cosmicdreams1111 @chaoticaindica @prachi1729 @caffeinated-pingu @fineliine @lookintomyfuckineyes @jalebi-weds-bluetooth @deckedcards @cat-alkali-hates-themself @brutalrebelkid @jugn00 @himasikta @roshanee

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moonahsrobin · 3 months

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My ghosts youth/childhood headcanons

Captain:

• The middle of three children (he had one older sister and one younger sister)

•Had to take care of his mother and sisters after his father left

•Met Fanny a few times in his childhood- his mother was a tutor for Fanny’s daughters. (He saw her as a parental figure)

•Joined the army to make his mother proud

•Didn’t talk much as a child (he thought what he had to say was unimportant)

Pat:

•Came out as bi when he was 15

•Heavily bullied for his personality and glasses

•Met Julian whilst on a trip with his parents (they despised each other)

•One of 5 children

Thomas:

•Both his parents were also poets

•Was read to in Scottish Gaelic

• His father was Scottish and his mother was English

• Had 2 siblings (Francis also lived with them)

• Had a fear of all animals especially horses

Fanny:

•An only child who was born late into her parents life

•Tried to run away the night before her wedding (she was caught by George and her father)

• Often felt isolated and used books to escape from reality.

• Her favourite colour was blue (she wore it when she was at her happiest)

• Got her first dog for her 10th birthday

Kitty:

• Favoured by her mother over Eleanor (also by her governess)

• Would always talk to Robin (everyone thought she was insane)

•Kind to everyone regardless of how they treated her

•Almost killed by Eleanor twice whilst playing hide and seek

• Told her father she likes girls when she was 10 (he threatened to disown her)

Julian:

•Spoiled only child

•Raised by his grandfather (his parents were alcoholics and very young)

• Met Margot when they were both 18

•Secretly wanted to have a normal childhood

#bbc ghosts #six idiots #them there #my headcanons #I’ll add more for the other three when I think of them

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justjasper · 4 months

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do you have any domestic moreid headcanons?

Pre-Relationship

They become fast friends, they hang out a lot, they call each other at odd hours.

Reid gets Morgan into Star Trek by making him watch Deep Space Nine. Morgan would fight god for Captain Sisko.

They fall into bed sometime in season 1, and keep doing so on and off for years while their feelings brew.

Reid wakes up alive after the events of Amplification with Morgan by his bedside, and they have a conversation full off feelings. They become "official" here.

Newly Established

They can both cook; Reid looked after his mother and went to college young, Morgan's dad cooked, and Morgan followed his example.

Nobody proposes moving in together officially, Reid just spends less and less time at his apartment until the lease runs out. He mentions it to Morgan quite matter of factly, and Morgan shrugs, smiles, pulls his pretty boy in for a kiss. "Most of your books are here already."

A morning where they don't have to work goes like this: Morgan gets up early to go for a run with Clooney. By the time he's back, Reid is making is making them breakfast. They eat, and then shower together.

Morgan has a decent vinyl collection and likes to listen to them on chill evenings. Reid is a musical sponge, and if he gets a chance when they're on cases, will seek out record shops for something interesting or rare.

Their favourite takeout is Thai. Reid is one of those "white guy with spice tolerance" outliers.

Well Established

It takes some time for them to switch to using first names in private, Morgan takes significantly longer. It's not a problem, they've known and loved each other a long time with these names. Neither of them shorten each other's names.

Clooney is a K9 dropout, and highly trainable, and Reid teaches him a lot of silly tricks. He likes to show Clooney magic tricks.

One of the properties Morgan buys has a decrepid grand piano in it. He gets it restored for Reid, who's dabble with learning on and off. He plays the piano every day.

Morgan thinks Reid doesn't really believe in marriage as an institution, and is okay with that, they don't have to get married, even if they could. Reid proposes to Morgan one morning in shower.

Reid never gets an official autism dignosis, wanting the plausible deniability while working for the goverment. They talk about it. Morgan starts packing a weighted blanket in his go-bag for him (people often ask why his go back is so heavy).

The Future

They get married once it's legal, a simple ceremony but all their important people are there.

When they leave the BAU it's a joint decision. They're both ready for a new adventure, with less actual threat of bodily harm.

Morgan goes into property full time, flipping houses and rent-to-buying them to local people/families, instead of selling them to landlord who will end up pushing locals out of the area.

Reid goes into research/lecturing.

They move to Chicago to be closer to family. They move Diana to be close them them too.

As Reid gets older, he has to use a cane more. His migranes are mostly under control, but eventually he experiences migralepsy (migraine seizures). The dog they get after Clooney passes becomes Reid's service dog.

The Future (with kid)

Reid carries (he's trans). It's an unplanned pregnancy, but they go for it. Reid is terrible at being pregnant.

They have a daughter they name Sam after Morgan's dad (bc I chose this fanon name years before CM bothered to give Morgan's dad a canon name and I am sticking with it out of spite).

Morgan's sisters teach Reid to do Sam's hair.

Morgan is very involved when sam becomes a Girl Scout, and coaches her softball team.

Reid teaches her piano. They read together every day.

They struggle not to intefer when she's a teen and it becomes apparent the girl she keeps bringing home is her first crush.

They both try so hard to be present, devoted dads that they can can fall into helicopter parent tendencies.

#moreid #headcanon #derek morgan #spencer reid #my fic #not really but

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nicole-paints · 5 months

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Till You Find Your Dream, by kyele

“You know, my child, that the orphanage cannot continue to support you once you become an adult.” The abbess sighs. “There is one path that is always open to you. You may choose a holy vocation, and take orders. The Sisters of Perpetual Grace will accept you as a postulant if you choose.” Dick had known to expect this. “Thank you, Reverend Mother,” Dick says respectfully, “but I cannot follow that path.” The Mother Superior nods. He looks unsurprised. “Then perhaps,” he says, “you would be interested to hear of another opportunity.” From the papers on his desk, the abbess removes a single sheet. “Are you familiar with Captain Wayne?” Dick accepts a position as governess to eight war-orphans, adopted by millionaire and WW1 flying ace Captain Bruce Wayne. The rest is inevitable.

#brudick #till you find your dream #fanart #batman fanart #art #fanfic art #the sound of music au #bruce wayne #dick grayson

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zeawesomebirdie · 4 months

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Brudick Co-parenting + Batfam Shenanigans Rec List

Thanks to @holybatmandickgrayson for requesting this, and thanks for your patience while I put it together!! (And paging @steine-druff as per usual!) Dick acting as the defacto second parent in the Wayne household is one of the best brudick tropes, and it has my whole entire heart. And the batfam dynamic itself has so much potential and is a joy to read, especially when the common goal of teasing Dick about Bruce is involved!

These are in no particular order, but I've tried to organise them into general categories. The titles to each fic contain a link to it. A lot of these are on the shorter end of the spectrum, but there's a few longer fics included too! I hope you find something here that you haven't read yet!

Co-parenting

1. Till You Find Your Dream by Kyele [@timeforalongstory on tumblr]; rated E; no archive warnings apply; 177,062 words; 31 chapters; complete

Summary:

Dick had known to expect this. “Thank you, Reverend Mother,” Dick says respectfully, “but I cannot follow that path.”

The Mother Superior nods. He looks unsurprised. “Then perhaps,” he says, “you would be interested to hear of another opportunity.” From the papers on his desk, the abbess removes a single sheet. “Are you familiar with Captain Wayne?”

---

Dick accepts a position as governess to eight war-orphans, adopted by millionaire and WW1 flying ace Captain Bruce Wayne. The rest is inevitable.

Starting this list off with a bang, this fic is glorious! It's a The Sound of Music AU and A/B/O, and that sounds like a wacky mixture but truly this is one of the best co-parenting brudick fics I've ever read. It features beautiful sibling dynamics, Dick learning to function in high society at the same time as he's teaching the children to do the same, and the best exploration of gender and social roles I've ever come across. And the way the children come to accept Dick as their governess then protect him from being fired by Captain Wayne is utterly glorious!

2. The Fall of An April's Fool by Mysterious_Aud_Lou; rated M; creator chose not to use archive warnings; 3,967 words; 1 chapter; complete

Summary:

All it took was one mission, one week, one bed, and one very tired mistake for Bruce Wayne to realize that he was in love with Dick Grayson.... and then came the fallout.

Bruce and Dick just came back from a mission in which they were fake engaged, and during that short mission, Bruce got a little too used to acting as a couple. Of course, the rest of the batkids pick up on this immediately, but luckily Dick is great at improv, and so this one has lived rent-free in my head ever since I first read it!

Damian Playing Matchmaker

Because I have a very surprising number of recs with this exact premise! These also sometimes double as co-parenting fics with the other batkids besides Damian too :)

1. Covet by resurrectedhippo; rated M; creator chose not to use archive warnings; 16,059 words; 1 chapter; complete

Summary:

Dick Grayson is an extension of Bruce Wayne. If there’s no Bruce Wayne, there’s no Dick Grayson. They struggle to exist without each other.

The entire world wonders if they have ever been separate people.

This one is a little bit of both co-parenting and Damian being the one to force them together. It features Bruce denying his feelings for a million years, Dick helping to train each successive Robin, and so much mutual pining it hurts (affectionate). And of course, Damian calling a family meeting to announce that Bruce and Dick will need to be wed over the summer, much to the shock of every other person in the family

And I'm adding a cut here because this is getting long, but I've got more under the read more!

2. Better than the Sweetest Dream by shield_of_selene; rated T; no archive warnings apply; 15,089 words; 1 chapter; complete

Summary:

Damian accuses Bruce of failing his Valentine’s Day duties; namely, romancing Dick Grayson. This starts a chain reaction that leads to exploding heart bombs, forced imprisonment, and wedding bells.

I love a villain who can commit to the bit, and the Matchmaker, a Valentine's Day themed villain, does not disappoint! This fic also features Damian having a better grasp of Bruce's emotions than Bruce himself does, which is always a delight to see!

3. To Court a Grayson by Mysterious_Aud_Lou; rated T; creator chose not to use archive warnings; 3,285 words; 1 chapter; complete

Summary:

Damian Wayne has always gotten what he wants, and what he wants is his father to realize that Bruce will find no better romantic partner than Damian's beloved Grayson. So, armed with a briefcase and a carefully planned powerpoint presentation, Damian takes on the challenge of convincing his father that it's time to throw all other romantic entanglements aside, and begin to court Grayson properly.

Oh my goodness, where do I even begin with this one? The whole thing is just glorious, featuring Damian hacking into Bruce's work calender, Bruce actually sitting through the entirety of Damian's presentation, and one of the most delightful reveals I've ever read!

General Batfam

1. Old and New by junetangerine; rated E; no archive warnings apply; 5,241 words; 1 chapter; complete

Summary:

Objectively speaking, he knew the man wasn’t infallible or indestructible (heaven knew he’d picked enough fights over it, Bruce insisting on patrolling even when he could barely stand on his own), but the prospect that he might not bounce back into the brilliant steamroller of a man that Dick loved in more ways than was appropriate or healthy was terrifying.

Not as jarring as the Twilight Zone experience of having Bruce look openly delighted to see him.

“Dick!”

It was all Dick could do to remain frozen in place while Bruce crossed the distance between them and just kept going, right into Dick’s personal space and then closer, until his mouth was against Dick’s. It was short, just a firm press of lips, but enough to turn Dick’s world on its head.

---

A head injury leaves Bruce confused. He seems to believe he and Dick are a couple. Dick doesn't have it in him to say otherwise.

Exactly what it says on the tin. This fic is a delight, featuring Dick being incredibly conflicted and Bruce trying to deny his feelings the moment he gets his memory back! Also featuring the various batkids accepting this new dynamic with surprising ease

2. Be Kind, Rewind by kleine_aster; rated T; creator chose not to use archive warnings; 2,138 words; 1 chapter; complete

Summary:

Batman always thinks of everything, except for erasing his old tapes when he really, really should.

This fic is very funny! I greatly enjoyed the dynamics between the various batkids as they processed what they were watching, and Dick's frantic reaction to being caught with Bruce

3. It's A Christmas Miracle (Or Not) by RandomMayhem [@randomlymayhemic on tumblr]; rated T; no archive warnings apply; 6,864 words; 2 chapters; complete

Summary:

With Harley and Ivy causing chaos in Las Vegas, Dick and Bruce must go on an impromptu trip to stop the unruly couple. Only, they aren't quite sure what exactly they're supposed to be stopping...

Waking up married wasn't in the plan, regardless. Not with Damian on the verge of pulling a Rumplestiltskin. So, there's no doubt about it - the holiday season's about to get a whole lot crazier.

In which Damian threatens Dick's firstborn child should they return home late for Hanukkah. This fic is very cute and very enjoyable, and the batfam's reactions to their impromptu marriage are a delight!

4. Truth or Dare by rnedagemacaroni; rated T; creator chose not to use archive warnings; 959 words; 1 chapter; complete

Summary:

This is why the Bat Family kids should not have free time.

Anything with the batkids actually getting to relax and have fun is an amazing read, and this fic is no exception!! Oh to be a fly on the wall during their games of truth or dare!

5. Wayne Family Adventure: the secret episode by Caroaimezoe; rated T; no archive warnings apply; 4,005 words; 1 chapter; complete

Summary:

Prompt: How will the Batfamily take discovering that their dad and big brother/mother have been in a secret relationship for years

I adore the sibling dynamics in this one, and Damian being smug the whole time is just SO cute! There's also so much that could be said about how valiantly Dick tries to keep their relationship secret only to fail so miserably, it's a true delight

And that's all for now! I hope you enjoy these!

#brudick #rec list #thanks again for your patience while i put this together!!#this was very fun to do <3

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