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punk4ndisorderly · 8 months

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dreamboat

jack hughes x fictional character

intro | part 1 | part 2 | part 4

part 3 - point of no return

"Jack, buddy." Quinn called out to his brother, who was standing hovering around the sliding door that gave access to the backyard.

"Yeah?" he muttered, absentmindedly.

"Do you need me to go get the binoculars for you?"

"No, I think I can - What?"

"I know you're looking out to see if you can spot Coop and Eddy coming up." the eldest Hughes brother chuckled, joining him by the big glass door.

"I'm not, I'm just looking out into the lake." Jack nearly barked, an annoyed look on his face.

"Yeah, sure. I'm going to take a shower. When you're ready to stop sulking you should join the boys in the game room." Quinn winked, tapping his shoulder lightly.

"Hey!" he called out, waiting until his brother turned around, pointing towards him. "Fuck you."

His older brother grinned widely, walking backwards towards the stairs.

Ava wasn't supposed to be out for so long. The sun was setting. Where were they? What were they doing? Not knowing was driving him insane. Going over the possibilities in his head was like getting stabbed in the chest, which Coop would probably describe as drama queen behavior. Jack couldn't help it. Not when she had been his for so long. Not when he hadn't been taken seriously by her, all over a preconceived idea someone had most likely put in her head. He really wished he knew who had done it, who had made them sound so unreasonable. He had been hers way before he had been anyone else's.

Jack was about to call for a search party when he saw them approaching the deck. Ethan leaned in to whisper something into his best friend's ear and his hands closed into fists when Ava's smile grew and the little bastard winked at her, reaching out to slide the door open.

The two of them were caught off-guard when they were faced with the Devils's player, red-faced and pretending to clean the countertops.

"Jesus, Jack." she laughed, taking her hand to her chest. "You scared the living shit out us."

"Sorry." he muttered, his eyes lingering on his brother's friend's hand, resting on Ava's lower back. "Hey Eddy, I think they called out for another player to kick Duker's ass out there."

Ethan smiled slyly, rubbing her exposed skin softly. "Oh, I'm on it. You coming, beautiful?"

Oh, kid was testing his patience right there. Ava could tell something was making him angry, his nostrils flaring up ever so slightly. His mood wasn't affected by contract renegotiations, there had to be another reason.

"I'll help Rowdy over here and I'll join you in a minute." the brunette smiled.

"I'll take your word for it." he winked again.

What was that? Did he have an eye twitch?

The two friends were finally left alone, much to Jack's relief. He wanted to ask what happened so bad, but he knew he had no right to. It was private, it wasn't his business as her friend. Damn, it wasn't his business at all. Yet, there he was, hanging on her every word as she told him about the walk to their trusty old diving spot, the beautiful colors that were painting the sky, the cold water, waiting for her to give him something, anything.

Her cheeks were red, as was the bridge of her nose, her air in unruly waves, her blue eyes sparkling while she looked up at him. Oh, and those lips. Damn, they looked swollen. Ethan had done that. He was going to be sick and he knew she could tell his demeanor had completely changed the past few days.

"Jack..." she nearly whispered, grabbing his face with both of her hands. "What aren't you telling me?"

That I loved you when you had no front teeth. That I thought the dress you got made fun of for wearing at that one spring formal looked beyond stunning on you. That I didn't think you were gross when you had a runny nose for two weeks straight in the summer you turned ten. That I panicked when your grandparents sold their lake house because I thought we would never spend our vacations together again. That I worship you and your body like I've never worshipped any other deity before. That I haven't stopped thinking about kissing you again since that day in seventh grade.

Yet, he couldn't say it. Not back then because he wasn't worthy of her and she had never taken him seriously. Not now because she had apparently found someone that she liked. She'd immediately chalk up his confession to petty jealousy because he wasn't the only one she was giving her attention to.

"Nothing you should worry about, Coop." the Devils' player sighed, getting ready for her next move.

"You're so annoyingly private, you jackass." Ava protested, squishing his cheeks like she always did to annoy him. "I never know whst you're thinking, how the hell am I supposed to help you?"

"You just need to be there. I can't ask more of you." he replied, almost intelligibly, moving to remove her soft hands from his face. "Go, I'll just get some chips and I'll be right there."

The brunette tried to open her mouth to protest, but he shut her up with a stern look. That was his don't push it look. Her shoulders slumped as she made her way into the living room filled with rowdy young men. Luke and Quinn were nowhere to be found, and neither were Trevor or Cole. Then she spotted Ethan, his smile ever as dreamy as he stared at the screen, a controller in his hands. He had shown interest in her. He had made the first move. He wasn't Jack, no one ever would be, but he was nice and absolutely gorgeous. She couldn't go on feeling the way she felt about her best friend. They weren't in each other's orbit, why hold on to the way her chest ached every time his eyes set on her.

Mark's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Hey, loverboy, aren't you supposed to be cuddled up with the honorary Hughes right now?" the boy teased, getting everyone to join in hooting and whistling.

I shouldn't be listening in. But she wanted to. She felt like maybe he could be her out of the endless Jack cycle. He had kissed her promptly, complimented her on everything and told her he would love to go back to "their little spot" soon. It was embarrassing how good that made her feel.

"Alright, alright, you bozos, calm down. It's not like it leaves the lake house." Ethan interrupted them, not giving them a second of his full attention?

"What do you mean?" Dylan asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I mean, it's not heading anywhere, so you should stop with the teasing."

What now?

"Why not? You're single, she's single." Mark shrugged. "Plus, I think she might be one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen."

"Oh, yeah, she's gorgeous." Dylan added, smashing a couple of buttons with his fingers.

"I never said she's ugly, dumbasses. She's obviously got a beautiful face."

Oh no. Oh no. I know what comes after that.

"She's just not my type."

Wait.

"Dude, be serious. You've been flirting non-stop and now you guys disappeared for a while all alone." Rutger called him out from the ottoman, munching on gummy worms.

"Yeah and I've been on a slump lately with girls, so a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." he shrugged simply.

"That's actually insane, bro."

"You guys think we can hang out outside of this property and not get mocked? Especially me?"

"For what, Eddy?" Mark asked, clearly annoyed.

"I'm an athlete. I'm fit. I like to stay fit. I like to look good. And Ava's great, really. She's just... Too big for me."

There it is.

Ava's heart sunk to her stomach, the feeling that her throat was closing up stopping her from speaking. Oh. The big girl. Of course. God forbid he was seen with her in public. It was embarrassing. Just like all the other boys had said before him, she was nice, she was gorgeous, but she wasn't taking care of herself, she didn't live a healthy lifestyle, she couldn't possibly enjoy outdoor activities like them, or exercise for that matter. They liked her, she was so easy to talk to, she had such a nice laugh, yet they wouldn't hear the end of it if they introduced her to their families or friends. Same story, different little tweaks to it.

Several of the guys gave him dirty looks, but he wasn't paying enough attention to care. Beside her, a body came to a halt, stiff as a board.

She didn't need to look up to know who it was. Or what he was about to do.

"Get out." Jack growled, loud enough so everyone could hear him.

All heads were turning towards the entrance, where they both stood, Jack stepping in front of her and hiding her face from their pitiful and remorseful stares.

The color had drained from Ethan's face. He got up and tried to move towards them, towards her, but Jack's cold glare made him stop in his tracks.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I -"

"I said get out." the Devils' player repeated himself, this time louder, more forceful than he had ever sounded.

"Listen, this is between Ava and I, you've got to back off, bro." his little brother's friend daring to meet them by the archway where they stood.

The brunette held her head up, meeting his eyes from behind her human shield of a best friend.

"It's okay, Ethan. You've made yourself clear." Ava managed to say through her teeth, not backing down, even though the amount of eyes on her at that specific moment terrified her. "I just wish you hadn't made me believe it was any different than this. I'm not apologizing for my appearance. My thighs are strong. My arms are toned. I work out every day, and even if I didn't, it still wouldn't be any of your business. You have every right to have a preference. Just don't try to play it as a concern for my health. It sets back years of healing and I'd rather not waste time on it. I'm fat and I'm at peace with it."

"Ava, I'm not a man-" his sentence was interrupted by Jack's fist colliding with his jaw.

"You're right. You're no man."

A/N: obviously this is fiction and i'm not implying ethan is fatphobic or an asshole. it's for the plot, dudes.

#Jack hughes #jack hughes x ava cooper #dreamboat jack hughes #jack hughes x fictional character #jack hughes x chubby!reader #hockey #hockey boys #trevor zegras #cole caufield #quinn hughes #luke hughes #umich boys #ethan edwards

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itsstrange · 21 days

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The Promise

Relationship: Rip Wheeler x Reader

Fandom: Yellowstone

A/N: A small idea I had while daydreaming at work, hope y’all like it. 🥹

Summary: Saying Goodbye Is Always The Hardest. So Is Keeping A Promise.

Word Count: 4.7k

Warnings: (No) Angst, Mention of Military, Farewells, A Little Sad Moment, Angry Rip, Sad Rip, Arguments, Small Confessions.

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ENJOY 🐎

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“So… you’re really goin’ back?”

You look up, meeting his eyes before averting them back down to your duffel bag where you toss the stack of clothes inside. The clothes that have been folded, locked away underneath the bed for the past five years. The clothes you swore you wouldn’t wear again, wouldn’t dare to see until you had kids in the future to explain to them why you had a pile of clothes and photos locked away in some old worn trunk that dusted away underneath your bed.

Unfortunately it didn’t last to reach that day because here you are, packing away the clothes into your tactical duffel bag that was also locked away.

“How long?”

You inhale deeply through your nose before slowly exhaling, still not meeting their gaze you continue packing away, placing the frame photo of you and the boys in the center before zipping the duffel shut.

“Not sure.. too early to say,” You answer as you move the bag to the foot of the bed before sitting down,

“When do you leave?”

You swallow, feeling the way your chest tightens at the thought, “Tomorrow, before sunrise,”

Thick silence hovers the room. Everyone thinking and feeling the same thoughts, emotions.

“And why are you going back again?”

“Will you morons knock it off with the questions,” Lloyd’s husky voice bouncing off the wooden walls brings a small smile and a chuckle from you,

“A buddy of mine needs help,” You still answer Jimmy’s question, which he doesn’t respond with another mostly because he can see the way Lloyd gives him the look,

No other questions were sent your way, neither of them wanting a look from Lloyd as well, nor did they want you to dwell on the heavy mood that hovered. So instead, Ryan and Colby were the first to bring up a farewell party, change of topic. You kindly decline their idea, but of course neither men listens to you.

As Ryan and Colby begin listing items on what to bring for the farewell bonfire, and yelling at one another on who gets to keep your bunk (because it’s the closest one to the bathroom) you couldn’t help the small chuckle that falls from your lips. You were really going to miss every single person in this room. Despite them making you lose a few strands of hair from their idiotic actions, and constant bar brawls, you were surely going to miss them.

They made every other day interesting, every night annoying and fun at the same time with their childlike games that they come up with that sometimes leaves them with bruises or a chipped tooth. Everyday, every night, they made it special and you were definitely gonna miss it.

“Hey I’m not leaving just yet, I still got the whole day and the night before y’all start fighting over my bunk,” You say as you stand from the bed, punching both men on their shoulders,

They both share a laugh with you as they continue listing whatever alcohol they should buy, asking if you preferred hotdogs or burgers as you all walked out the house.

Saying goodbye to them was hard, but not as hard as it’s gonna be when you say it to him. Now that.. that will definitely break your heart. The look in his eyes when you tell him, you can already picture them and from the way your chest tightens, you know it’ll be difficult.

*******

You were currently feeding the rest of the horses inside the stables. Marking down the ones who needed a wash and a trim, which stables needed cleaning. Same old routine before having to check up on the rest of the animals, considering your main job at the ranch was analyzing and tracking the animals health. You weren’t exactly a veterinarian, but you learned a few things throughout the years which John persuaded you to take up on his offer of being in charge of the animals when it came to their monthly health checkups. So of course you took classes to advance your knowledge, to help around the ranch, make it easier for the old timer.

Yes he did have actual trained, experienced, veterinarians working on his animals before, but knowing how you easily picked up the job, how much love and care you gave to the livestock, he knew it was a good investment on both parts. Besides, he trusted you dearly in that department.

Hours had flown by, nearing six o’clock in the afternoon as you were finishing up in the stables before heading out to help Lloyd and the boys to check out some of the cows that were further up in the land. As well as putting up a new fence since the one hanging on was already rusting away due to the weather these past few days, as well as some idiotic trespassers cutting through the fence simply to test the Dutton family.

Just as you throw some fresh hay into one of the stables and patted the horse in its neck as he eats his dinner, the sound of loud rough boots marching against the ground ring in your ears.

“Were you ever gonna tell me?” His loud, rough voice settles behind you, words firm as you dumped hay into the last stable,

You sigh, taking off your gloves and placing them in your back pocket before looking up at him. Eyes wide, angry, betrayal, and fear were written in them. Just like you pictured.

“Yes.. I was,”

“When? Tomorrow? When you leave apparently?” Betrayal can be heard in his voice, blue eyes confirming his tone,

“There hasn’t been a good time to let you know,” You tell him, voice calm, tired, heartbroken,

It wasn’t a lie. When he had gotten back from running an errand with Kayce you were determined to lay it on him, but things got hectic that you weren’t even able to spare him a word. It remained that way for the rest of the day, work after work, problem after problem, when lunch came around he wasn’t at the table eating his supper with everyone else, he was out with Dutton, doing the man a favor, so wanting to talk to him during lunch didn’t happen like you were hoping for.

You told yourself you’d let him know when he came back, but apparently he was out and about with Dutton for the rest of the day. So by the time he had came back was at this very moment, catching you feeding the horses inside the stables. Dutton must’ve told him at some point during their errand runs, who else could have? You weren’t annoyed it was your boss who gave him the news, but you were hoping it’d be you who told him because it came from you, no one else.

“Do you not remember what that place did to you?!” He harshly whispers, taking a step closer to you, “Cause I sure as hell can!”

You lower your gaze to the floor with a faint sigh at his words. Of course you remember. How can one forget something like that? The constant nightmares, the flashbacks, mood swings, not knowing what was real or not, the cold sweats, all of it you remember. The first few weeks of being home after being honorably discharged were rather difficult, your body knew it was home, safe, but your mind was still at war. Constant nightmares played in your in head, bullets flying everywhere, blood stains surrounding you, staining your hands and vest. Screams echoing in your mind on a daily from those who were gunned down, who were injured and were slowly bleeding out in your hands.

It was an everyday thing. The boys, Rip, would beg you to get help, to talk to someone, but you’d just shrug them off telling them you were fine, that it’ll pass.

But you were in fact not okay and the nightmares never ceased.

It was after one particular night that everything had changed. The one night that had you finally reaching out for help, the night that had you admitting that you were not okay.

You had been home for two weeks when it had happened. All it took was a hectic, drunken brawl to trigger the episode. One minute you’re enjoying your beer, slightly laughing at a joke that one of the boys shared, letting lose to ease the noise in your head, then the next you’re being pulled off a blonde head who’s face was nearly disfigured beneath you. Blood covering her once fresh face and clean hair, along with your hands that shook from adrenaline, anger, fear, shell shock.

Once Rip got word of what happened he stormed his way to the bunkhouse which is where he had found you staring at your own reflection in the bathroom. The way a cold and lost look was written in your eyes will forever be embedded in his mind. It wasn’t you who stood standing in front of the mirror with tensed shoulders, hair a mess from sweat and dried blood, the real you was trapped in your mind.

It nearly took all night to bring you back, but not once did he give up.

“Rip,” You softly call his name with an exhausted sigh as you close the door to the stable,

“No. You’re not going!” Blue eyes widening more with fear and rage,

“Yes I am,” You respond in a whisper, “They need me,”

“And we need you here!” I need you here.

It was what he should’ve said, but he didn’t. He couldn’t. Wasn’t exactly how he wanted to let you know the truth, wanted to do it the right way, a more intimate, genuine way. But now, he’s out of time. And most likely lost his chance.

He lost you.

“Rip-,” You begin to say but was interrupted by Kacey walking in the stables,

“We’re loaded to fix the fence,” You turn to him before giving him a small nod,

The youngest Dutton switches his gaze from you to the brute man staring intensely at you, knowing then he had walked into something and immediately sensing the tension surrounding the air. He’s felt this mood before, felt tension between you two every so often, but for some reason this time it was stronger, as if one wrong word said would ignite the awaiting flame. So without another word and only a simple nod, he turns to walk away, giving you two privacy. However, you didn’t stick around. Both to just get the day over with and also to postpone the argument.

If you even get a chance to talk about it with him again.

You hear Rip call out to you as you walk out the stables, halting your steps. You glance over your shoulder, meeting his eyes, but no words were said, so instead you let out a sad sigh through your nose as you continue walking out the building. Leaving the brute man alone in the stables with angered thoughts.

*****

Hours had flown by. After fixing the fence, which took nearly the whole day since it was worse than anyone thought, doing daily health checks on the animals, running a quick errand with Beth, everyone was finally able to wash up and spend the remaining hours with you. Everyone sat around the bonfire sharing stories about anything and everything, chatter, laughter and music can be heard in the darkened night.

Empty beer and whiskey bottles, sticks with dried marshmallows and chocolate littered the ground around everyone’s feet. It was a night you’d deeply remember, a night you’d miss, a night you wished would happen every Friday, but you knew it wouldn’t be possible. At least not with you. Not anymore. You tried keeping a strong face, positive thoughts, positive energy, for the sake of everyone around you. They all had high hopes of you coming back home, claiming you’d be home in less than two months because you were tough as a bull, but you knew the truth. The reality of it all.

Obviously you didn’t remind them of the truth, didn’t want to take away the little happiness they held onto for you, the strong faith they had. So all you did was smile at them, raise your glass and down the last bit of your drink. Every so often you’d get lost in your thoughts, thinking of the mission, the serious consequences, the challenges that will come with it, the horror you’ll soon face, but before you can trap yourself in such thoughts they were there to bring you back. Invite you to their conversations, their stories they were sharing, their jokes, which you were thankful for.

What you didn’t notice was the way a pair of blue eyes have been secretly staring at you from across the fire pit. A dark corner where the fire barely illuminated his features. Light or not he didn’t care if he was caught staring at you, everyone was able to read his opinion of the whole situation but no one dared to ask him about it. He was already a fumed bull waiting to be provoked.

There were times where you’d glance up and catch him staring, but not once did you confront him. Making a scene in front of everyone was the last thing you wanted, so you ignored him and his glaring daggers.

Although, at one point during the night, Colby was the one to mention they had ran out of marshmallows, which you volunteered to grab the extra pack from the bunk house. Slightly buzzed you make your way through the Dutton ranch with sluggish steps till you push open the door to the bunks. Walking to the kitchen you grab the new pack of marshmallows sitting on the counter along with another couple chocolate bars. Just as you turn to head back out, your steps come to a stop when you see Rip standing by the couch.

Face emotionless, but eyes dark, red. Was he crying?

“Havin’ fun?” Rip questions, tone cold and firm, yet his blue eyes have another written emotion in them,

You shrug a shoulder, “Tryin’,”

He scoffs, “Yeah I see that.. but it ain’t workin’,”

You knew exactly what he was referring to. The constant lost in thought when the conversation was directed somewhere else. What you didn’t know until now was those same eyes that have been staring at you from the dark were analyzing you throughout the entire night. Watching the way your smile quickly faded as you once again lost yourself in your thoughts, watching the way your fingers peeled off the label from your beer bottle, the way your leg bounced uncontrollably from nerves, fear, and anxiousness. He knew you were afraid, he read you perfectly, but he knew nothing he’d say would change your mind. Not now, not ever.

You were stubborn like a goddamn mule.

“Yeah well, it’s a little hard to have fun when I got two sets of eyes throwing daggers at me all night,” You say, matching his tone as you stare into his eyes,

Heavy tension once again surrounds you two, the muffled music coming from outside was the only thing that can be heard in the room. Neither of you said anything for a good minute or so, just staring at one another with pain written in both your eyes with tears threatening to build. This wasn’t how you wanted to give your farewells to him. Having an argument with him before you left was something you did not want, but yet here you are.

“Can we just..,” You pause, letting out an exhausted sigh before continuing, “Enjoy the rest of the night before I have to catch a flight in a few hours?”

Rip stares deep in your eyes. Hurt, sadness, anger, and fear were written in his blue ones, they were easy to read, especially when he stared at you the way he was staring. He didn’t bother to hide it, yet he didn’t express it to you verbally. Not like he had to or wanted to, it was obvious on how he felt of the whole situation.

“They’re out there celebrating your death..,” He says pointing a long finger at the door then continues with, “.. and I ain’t being apart of it,”

His voice slightly breaks with each word. His blue eyes standing out more when tears begin building, but not one dares to slide down his cheeks, at least not in front of you. Not saying another word, he turns around and heads out the door with a harsh shove that has it banging against the wall.

Whatever string was left holding your heart in place had finally snapped as you watched the door shut behind him. The last memory you’d have of him. This wasn’t how you wanted to leave things with him, he was the only one who could have helped you through it, fought through the dark times, the constant noises in your head. He was the only one who you stayed alive for while you were out in the field, but now that he’s walked away, not wanting any part of it, you didn’t know if it was even worth staying alive once you landed on base. He was your anchor to it all.

And now you’d be stranded in the dark, drowning with nothing to hold you upright. Keep you up float when you felt like sinking, when you felt like the water was too strong for your fighting body. The one person who could’ve saved you from it all was now walking away, leaving you alone.

‘Maybe it was for the best.’

You tell to yourself. You convince yourself. Maybe him not being apart of it, apart of your life would one day guide him to a better life with the love of his life, guide him to someone who can make him happier, stronger, happier.

It was for the best that he left.

*****

4:30 am

Throwing your duffle and backpack in the backseat you shut the door before facing the small crowd. You give everyone a big hug, including the man himself, John Dutton who hugged you for a good long minute before being slightly shoved by Beth who took you in a stronghold as she secretly let the tears fall down her cheeks. You don’t know how, but you kept your own tears from spilling down. Once departing from the woman you go ahead and start hugging the cowboys, sharing a few laughs with them as they joke with you one last time. Which you appreciated their effort in trying to lighten things up, but you knew they knew nothing they can say now will help. But still, you appreciate it.

“So.. who won?” You say when Ryan and Colby stand in front of you,

They both share a look, small smile forming on their lips, “Neither,” Colby says,

You give them a confused look, but Ryan continues with, “We decided to leave it ready for you when you come back,”

Come back. Something you knew was a big word at the moment.

“Can’t have it ready forever,” You say with a sad chuckle,

“We can and we will,” Ryan firmly states, letting you know no one will come near the empty bed unless it’s you,

It was a faint demand from them. They wanted you to come back, no matter how hard it will be, they demanded that you come back to reclaim your bed at the bunkhouse, and that alone brought the ball back in your throat.

“Gonna miss you dorks,” You manage to say before quickly bringing them both for a group hug,

Both men wrap their arms around you, burying their faces in your hair as they cherish the moment. As you go to pull away both their hands on either side of your hip tighten, not wanting the hug to end, but eventually step away from you.

You give them a small smile and then a small wave to everyone huddle in front of you before turning around to climb into the truck where Roscoe patiently waited for you.

“Ready?” The soldier asks as you take one last glance out the window, watching everyone wave at you with saddened smiles, the ranch standing tall and beautifully behind them.

Letting out a small sigh you give him a nod.

In a matter of seconds the truck roars to life before beginning to move down the driveway and out of the Duttons ranch. Silence engulfs the car, only the sound of the radio softly playing in the speakers is heard. Leaning your head against the headrest behind you, you let your mind drift away, thinking about everyone at the ranch, playing their faces in your mind to not forget them, your fingers softly playing with a small deer origami that Tate had made for you last night for good luck. Then thinking about him once again.

Remembering how things were left between you two. Wishing you could’ve fixed things before you left, wished you could’ve said the truth, wished he could’ve have given you the chance to let you show him just how much he meant to you. But he didn’t. None of it happened.

So now, all you’ll think about is What If.

While driving halfway out the ranch and you still being lost in thought, you didn’t capture the moment a large black figure blending in the dark speeding in your direction until the truck comes to an abrupt stop. Causing your seatbelt to lock just in time to catch your body from going forward.

“The fuck?” Roscoe reacts, putting the gear in park as he eyes the figure that is currently blocking his way,

You clench your jaw as you make eye contact with him, even in the dark and with the only source of light from the headlights you both immediately lock eyes.

Of course it’s Rip on top of his horse. Black hat on his head with his black jacket wrapped on his frame.

“I’ll take care of this,” You say, never breaking eye contact with him as you unbuckle yourself and open the door,

“(Y/n) we don’t have time for this,” Roscoe tries arguing back, but you repeat yourself as you hop off the truck,

Shutting the door and standing by it you face him, where he still remained on top of his horse.

“Rip seriously what is your problem? I don’t have time to deal with you right now!” You yell as the brute man climbs off his horse,

A grim look was written on his face as he makes his way towards you. A look he only has when he’s angry about something, and right about now he’s angry at you, you knew that.

“I swear to god Rip if you don’t get out the way I’m gonna-,” Your words were cut off by a pair of rough lips latching onto yours,

Your eyes grow wide in anger, shock, and confusion. But once you feel the way his hand gently cups the side of your face you realize what exactly is happening and only react back. Your own hands finding their way to his face, fingers slowly tangling themselves in his soft, dark curly hair at the base of his neck. A deep, saddened relieved sigh escapes from you two as you both pour the hidden truth into the kiss. Deepening it and cherishing the moment at the same time, neither one wanting or planning to break it off, but you both knew it had to happen, you had to leave.

Which is why Rip got a little selfish for a second, he deepened the kiss, licking his way into your mouth as he held a tight grip on your hip to not let you out of his hold. Just a few more seconds of this, he had to. If this was the only time he would get this opportunity until you came back home, then he was sure as hell he would take every second that was available to have you in his arms, have your lips molding with his, have your fingers tugging on his hair, have your breath fanning his lips, have both your hot tears smear against his own cheeks. He was taking advantage of the moment because he knew it would be more than a month that he would be able to feel it again. Feel this moment again.

Eventually, you both do break the kiss, but not once did he let an inch form between you two. Leaning his forehead against yours, he lets you both catch a breather from the intense, beautiful moment.

“You come back to me you hear?” He whispers, beautiful blue eyes now searching for your own,

When he finally does find your (E/c) eyes that he has grown to love, he whispers once again, “You come home,”

New tears fall down your cheeks at his words, you knew you couldn’t make such a big promise, especially in your line of work. It was a rule, a rule everyone in the military who serves knew they should never make, because they knew reality was always behind that promise.

You stare into those blue eyes of his that have tears of their own, some finding their way down his rough skin, while the rest build at the brim of his eyes. You knew he knew you couldn’t make that promise, but he knew you’d fight for it no matter what, no matter how impossible it might seem, because he knew you always kept your promise. That’s who you were. Loyal, loving, protective, unafraid, and a true fighter.

You stare into his eyes a little longer, feeling the way another tear slides down your cheeks then feeling the rough pad of his thumb gently wiping it away. The words get caught in your throat, the words where you wanted to tell him to be realistic, to not make you promise anything because disappointment and pain is the only thing he’ll receive, but before you can even force them out you hear your name being called from inside the truck.

“We gotta go,” Roscoe softly says, hating to interrupt the moment, hating to part you from the man you clearly love,

You sniff, looking down at the ground then back up to Rip where he only gives you a small smile.

“C’mon,” Rip whispers as he leads you back into the truck,

Once sitting inside, shutting the door, Rip points at the man behind the wheel before saying, “You look after her you hear?”

Roscoe nods at him, “You’ve got my word man,”

Rip nods back before averting his eye to you. You sat there, tears still slowly sliding down your cheeks, you weren’t ready to say goodbye to him, not after you both finally confessed to each other. Which reminds you, you had to say it, in fear of not being able to ever again.

“Rip I-,” You try but he cuts you off with a shake of his head,

“No. Don’t say it. You say it when you come back,” He demands, small smile tugging on the corner of his lips, “Just know I do too,”

I do too.

You sniff once again, tears falling down as you glance behind him, seeing the ranch and the bunkhouse glow in the background. Memories flash in your mind. All those laughs, tears, injuries that you’ve accumulated over the years with everyone who lives and works at the ranch played in your head, reminding you that you had a family to come back to once again, you had friends who were also waiting for you to come back with open arms. You had a life to get back to.

Come back.

Averting your eyes back to his that had tears of their own falling down his cheeks, you stare at him as you remembered, you had him to come back to. He was your main reason to come back home, he was the reason why you weren’t going to die in the field, he was the reason why you weren’t going to give up when shot down, he was the reason why you weren’t going bleed out. He was your reason why you were coming home.

And if anyone tried stopping you from doing so, then it would be the last thing they ever did.

Because you are coming home.

Reaching a hand out the window, you let your small held cup his bearded cheek before letting your own thumb wipe away the tears that fall down. Looking into his eyes with a firm stare, a promise, you let him hear the words.

“I’m coming home,”

—————

-Ahhh It’s Finally Here!!! I’m Not Kidding I Have Been Going Back & Forth With This One. Mostly Because I Had Writers Block, But Also Because I Would Change A Lot Things & Finding New Ideas To Replace The Old Ones.

-But Again! Thank You To Those Who Have Been Patient & Have Been Waiting For This Wheeler Fic! More To Come!!

-Lastly, Make Sure To Turn On Post Notifications!! 🔔 🔔 For More Updates!

—————

Part 2 ?

#rip wheeler #rip wheeler x ofc #rip wheeler x reader #rip wheeler x female character #rip wheeler x you #rip wheeler smut #Yellowstone #yellowstone x reader #cole hauser #cole hauser x reader #Cole hauser x you #angst with a happy ending #pain and fluff #military fiction

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lagosbratzdoll · 8 months

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On Daenerys, Colonisation and Race Discourse within the ASOIAF Fandom

This has been on my mind for a good long while and honestly, as much as I would like to leave discourse in the pits, it has been bugging me intermittently over the past few weeks.

Far too many of you get on here and call people who like the fictional dragon-riding family, neo-Nazis and that sentiment is so prevalent, that white people feel comfortable telling me a black woman that I am a neo-Nazi for rooting for Daenerys Targaryen. I am upholding neo-Nazi power fantasies for wanting to see a little girl live at the end of a story. I am a neo-Nazi for wanting to see the rape survivor have the family she aches for and children with the man (or men) she loves.

Then, those same people go on spiels about how the systemic erasure of those who sing the song of the earth and other old races is not colonialism. That their removal from their home is not displacement but an agreement between two equal parties. The fact that the only place where those who sing the song of the earth exist in the present timeline is north of the wall, surrounded by the bones of their dead, is not a travesty. That the expulsion of the old races from their home isn't that bad and should not be condemned.

Instead, people argue, completely seriously, that the harm that the First Men and Andals have caused is centuries in the past, so essentially the slate has been wiped clean. The logical leaps that are required to arrive at such a boneheaded conclusion are truly mind-boggling, and those who make such arguments are not good people.

I am unsure how one could read those books and come away with the impression that the old races do not mourn the loss of their home. I am unsure how one could read The Last of the Giants[1] and Ygritte’s reaction to both the song and Jon’s dismissal of the ethnic cleansing of the giants then believe that the old races and the free folk have moved past their displacement.

In Westeros, from the Wall to the broken arm of Dorne, they all speak one language despite the fact they are all different ethnicities and they all landed on the shores at different times. That is not the case in Essos, we have been introduced to at least six languages and in A Dance with Dragons, Tyrion notes that the Valyrian spoken in the Free Cities has evolved into nine distinct dialects, and they are well on their way to becoming different languages.

How would a continent as large and diverse as Westeros maintain its hegemony over the people if not for forced assimilation, discriminatory practices and violence? The brutal repression required to keep one house in power for thousands of years is nothing to sniff at. The suppression required to keep the vast majority of Westeros worshipping one (or seven) gods. The systems in place ensure that language does not grow or evolve amongst the highborns at least.

Centuries before Aegon's Landing the maesters were the definitive educational authority and even now centuries after, nothing has changed. The grey rats still decide who learns what and when they learn it. There's one in every highborn home, all correspondence passes through them, they are the healers and the councillors.

The circular logic gets even more blockheaded when you factor in the fact that Daenerys is far from the only white character in the books. She is not the only character who wishes for home. She is not the only character who draws strength from her ancestors, her bloodline and her magical creatures.

Cersei draws strength from her family’s iconography, and the Stark children (Jon included) all draw strength from their direwolves, their home and their blood. Sansa, Arya and Bran wish to return home and their home was built on the indiscriminate murder and displacement of the indigenous peoples. Their home is built on centuries of rape, murder, exclusionary practices and sexual slavery.

However, if we give the nonsensical argument that time erases crimes air; the Starks, Lannisters and Tullys are warring to settle personal grievances in the present timeline. As a consequence of that war, thousands (a modest guesstimate) of small folk, minor nobles and even some major ones have been raped, tortured, maimed and killed.

Despite all this, no one writes meta after meta about how Sansa and her siblings must surely die for justice to be had for those who sing the song of the earth, the free folk, the giants and all the old races that fled beyond the wall.

People write meta about Cersei and how she must die, but those are typically more misogynistic nature. They typically argue that she must die not for the “crime” of being Lannister, but for the “crime” of being Cersei and “ruining” Jamie.

I would not mind criticisms of Dany and her peace-focused approach to ending slavery because the approach is naïve and she gives the slavers far too much ground. However, she is learning, growing and self-critiquing. At the end of A Dance with Dragons, she has decided to embrace fire and blood, her knight is breaking the false peace which is a necessary step forward.

What I find offensive is people saying that she should have planned better before she abolished slavery. And that the death, violence, and sickness that arises from her quest to eradicate slavery is somehow worse than the death, violence, and sickness that already existed in Slaver’s Bay.

This argument often downplays the horrific conditions and suffering that exist(ed) under the slave system in Slaver's Bay. Such arguments are often in poor taste and prioritise the lives and comforts of the slavers more than the people they have enslaved.

I would not mind criticisms of Dany if people applied that same critique even-handedly. The same people who believe that Jon and Bran have done much to rectify the evil that their ancestors perpetuated believe that Dany has not done anything to right the wrongs of her ethnic kin. They praise them for the non-existent steps that they have taken, but in the same breath, they condemn Dany for not being able to immediately end the plague that is slavery.

It is perfectly alright to not like fictional characters, no law requires you to like certain fictional characters over others. However, what is not right is making broad accusations about those who do, it is beyond the pale. It is disgusting, and annoying, and trivialises real-world issues to score cheap points against fictional characters.

Equating the survival of a teenage survivor to the restoration of a fascist house or neo-Nazi power fantasy when such designations do not exist in the world of ice and fire is strange behaviour. Saying that the teenage survivor will eventually be manipulated and raped (again) before ending up dead on her manipulator's blade is also strange behaviour.

Dismissing the horrors of colonialism, especially when the text shows you that the involved parties are still affected by it, is not normal and often veers into real-world imperialism apologia. While criticism and analysis of characters and their actions are valid and even encouraged, it is essential that we do not resort to sweeping generalisations about other people and that we keep criticisms of characters grounded in the text.

[1]

Ooooooh, I am the last of the giants, my people are gone from the earth.

The last of the great mountain giants, who ruled all the world at my birth

Oh, the smallfolk have stolen my forests, they’ve stolen my rivers and hills.

And they’ve built a great wall through my valleys, and fished all the fish from my rills

In stone halls they burn their great fires, in stone halls they forge their sharp spears.

Whilst I walk alone in the mountains, with no true companion but tears.

They hunt me with dogs in the daylight, they hunt me with torches by night.

For these men who are small can never stand tall, whilst giants still walk in the light.

Oooooooh, I am the LAST of the giants, so learn well the words of my song.

For when I am gone the singing will fade, and the silence shall last long and long.

#I do not like most of y’all.#Do not call people of colour you do not know neonazis to win points against a fictional character.#It is not my fault that most of your faves are boring and do nothing to drive the plot forward #take it up with george rr martin and stop villifying dany and her (mid) family.#The insistence that we must mind fandom etiqutte is tired as hell too especially because people use it as silencing tools.#“Yes I called you a neonazi but you are the real weirdo for finding my post so really it’s on you that you saw that.”#that’s how y’all sound.#If I see another post that equates enjoying dany to being a neonazi #i will make it everybodys problem.#Took a long break from this fandom because the rancid takes were overshadowing the good takes #and i’ve been back less than a year and the takes are even more rancid than before.#hotd opened an evil door that should’ve remained shut.#Cause why the fuck are there criston cole apologists? Why are there aemond and aegon ii apologists? It is a dark world we live in.#put the last giant at the bottom for my homies who have not read the books which if we're speaking real is more than half of y'all #now that i have gotten this out of my system #it is time to get back to demon slayer #daenerys targaryen #asoiaf #asoiaf thoughts #asoiaf nonsense #if you saw the typos in the first version #no you didn't #edited this to add some thoughts I originally put in the tags because I felt it worked better there.

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phantom-does-a-thing · 2 years

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Dakota getting a 68% on a math test. It’s not much but god did he work hard for that.

He studied, did the homework (plus extra worksheets), asked William for help, read the textbook, he worked SO hard.

And it comes back a 68% all on his own, no cheating, no foul play, just him.

And he is so proud of himself, so proud of himself because he’s never passed a test like that before and he did! It’s a passing grade!!! He passed. Barely, but it still counts.

He shows EVERYONE this test because he’s so happy, he’s so proud of himself he is off the WALLS. He nearly bowled William over in his excitement after class. They’re so proud of him.

Tide hangs it up on the fridge with a smiley face sticker and one that says “good job” and he’s so proud of Dakota because he KNOWS how hard Dakota has worked for it. They’re all so proud of him!!

#I’m so normal about Dakota Cole #this doesn’t make me emotional at all #I am not beaming with pride at a fictional character in a hypothetical scenario #(affirmations)#all of that stuff was a lie btw this post gives me so many emotions #that isn’t even canon #anyway he manages to get his grade up a little bit #just barely passing the class #and he’s so so so so happy #none of them are very good at school #so Dakota passing a math test is a big deal #jrwi #jrwi pd #rambling #phever dreams with phantom #Dakota Cole

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harmonity-vibes · 7 months

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Imagine

He's always waiting for you outside with his books in his hands.

#fictional crushes #fictoromantic #fictional characters #imagines #fictional boyfriend #chris evans #cole turner #cevans #ghosted #cole turner x reader #cole turner x y/n

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kiaerinnn · 7 months

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My best friend guessed Ninjago characters.. (this was made a couple months ago I just remembered it hehe😅)

⚠️⚠️Mine I made thisss❗️❗️ (my water mark poofed??😦😔)

#ninjago #ninjago cole #ninjago kai #ninjago nya #ninjago zane #capcut #edit #my edit #fictional characters #friends #character names #yippee

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thedisabilitybookarchive · 3 months

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'Shaman'- Gordon, Noah

Disability Rep: Deaf

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age: Adult

Setting: 1860s America

Additional Rep: POC SCs

For more information on summaries, content warnings and additional tropes, see here:

#books #disability books #disability representation #disability #disabled characters #hearing disability #deaf #deaf character #historical fiction #fiction #historical setting #series #cole family trilogy #link

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chaos-vulpix · 11 months

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Legacyverse: Cole - Earthen Soul

Took some time, but I've finally got a solo playlist for the musically-inclined ninja himself! Enjoy!

Can't Stop Dancin' - Becky G

Counting Stars - OneRepublic

Dearly Beloved (Sad Meal Remix) - Yoko Shimomura | Kingdom Hearts

Feel Good - Illenium & Gryffin ft. Daya

Ghosts - Mako

Greater Than One - ericdoa | Valorant

Musician - Porter Robinson

Nevada - Vicetone ft. Cozi Zuehlsdorff

Never Sleep Alone - Kaskade ft. Tess Comrie

Sure Thing - Miguel

#the ninja legacy whip #legacyverse #cole brookstone #legacyverse playlists #it's time for my SPECIAL BOI #have you ever seen a fictional character & go “I would die for you”?#'cause that's how I feel about Cole

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mittenslikescats · 11 days

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Haha

That “saveMyboyCole” account from insta made an account here. Like bro thinks that ppl r gonna support him here. Like dude ppl here are making fun at how ridiculous ur being. It’s a fictional lego character and ur whining abt him being gay.

Also him trying to promote his deleted petition is the funniest shit ever. Bro there’s nothing for ppl to sign so why do u keep sending out a link that leads to nothing?

#Bro actually thinks we’re gonna support his homophobic views #It’s a fictional character bro needs to learn to get over it #Gay Cole can’t hurt and Geo can’t hurt u either #Lostshipping #Cole x Geo #geodeshipping #Ninjago #Ninjago dragons rising #Ninjago Cole #Ninjago geo

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punk4ndisorderly · 9 months

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dreamboat

jack hughes x fictional character

intro | part 1 | part 3

part 2 - lovestruck

Her eyes kept finding his across the dock. He was looking at her with curiosity, almost like she was the first of her species, whatever it was. She was appreciative of the soft smile on his lips as he did.

And then there was Jack, watching the silent exchange like a Wimbledon match, pursed lips and arms crossed over his chest. Out of all the men in the world, Ava had to be eye-fucking a guy staying at their house. Right in front of him. In that goddamn white bikini.

It had been two days and Ava and Ethan were giving everyone the impression that the tension between them was about to come to a breaking point. Jack had made sure they were never left alone, but you can't keep the waves from crashing into the shore. Whatever was going on, the girl he had been crushing on since they were little kids and his brother's friend were the ones making the calls.

Maybe waiting for Ava to realize he worshipped the ground she walked on hadn't been the right strategy. Maybe the amused expression on Quinn's face when his eyes drifted to him was the I told you so he had been holding in for so long.

Jack stood up from the deck chair, excusing himself to go back in the house and refill the warm drink he had been nursing for over an hour.

"Hey."

The New Jersey Devil turned around at the sound of her voice, a soft smile painted on his lips.

"Hey."

"You good?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" he countered, turning his attention back to the inside of the kitchen device.

Ava's eyebrows rose, skepticism lacing her words.

"Nothing, I was just checking on you."

Slowly, she closed the distance between them, placing herself in front of the open fridge and looking up at him through her lashes. He could never look away when she did it.

"Why are you not being your usual annoying self? You've barely talked to me since the others got here."

Jack cleared his throat, his heart beating erratically in his chest.

"You always tell me not to hover."

"And you always ignore that. Did I do anything wrong?" she asked, always assuming the worst.

He would never blame her for anything. In his eyes, she could do no wrong. Except maybe flirting with his brother's friend. Even then, he couldn't fault her. She wasn't his to lose.

"Of course not, Coop." he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I've just got a lot on my mind."

Technically, he wasn't lying. Chaos ruled in his brain. He had a lot to think about. The subject was the only thing that didn't change. Ava. His beautiful, witty, amazing friend.

He was well aware of Ethan's track record with girls. Damn, he'd congratulated him on it. He'd been just like him. He has been just like him. Not around Ava, though. Never around Ava. When she was around, there was no one else.

"Earth to Rowdy." she chuckled, waving her hand in front of his face. "What is going on with you?"

"Contract renegotiation soon."

That should hold it.

"Sorry. I'll try to annoy you more often." he smirked, shoving her shoulder lightly.

The sliding door opened, catching their attention.

Oh, GREAT.

"There you are. I was starting to think you had stood me up." Ethan pouted, a shit-eating grin taking over his face once Ava rolled her eyes.

"I would never."

Jack's heart sank to his stomach, feeling queasy. He was waiting for her? To do what exactly?

"He wants me to show him our diving spot." she explained, seemingly reading his mind. "We'll be back in no time."

"Nobody else is going?"

"Nope, everyone's nearly knocked out at the dock." his brother's friend answered, draping his arm around Ava's shoulders as he winked at him in complicity.

She isn't yours. You can't react. Do not punch him.

"Careful, Coop." he warned, his eyes not leaving Ethan's. "Don't want you to hurt yourself."

"No need to worry, Hughesy. I'll be there."

#hockey #hockey boys #jack hughes #jack hughes x reader #jack hughes x chubby!reader #jack hughes x fictional character #trevor zegras #alex turcotte #cole caufield #team usa #quinn hughes #luke hughes #michigan hockey #ethan edwards #jack hughes x ava cooper

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jinxed-ninjago · 10 months

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Fun fact, the other day I was figuring out voice claims for some of my OCs and decided almost immediately that my main fursona's voice claim would be Cole, specifically Andrew Francis's Cole.

immediate gender euphoria tbh

#lego ninjago #ninjago #ninjago cole #cole brookstone #andrew francis #jinx's dumb bullshit #im genuinely serious deciding to make andrew francis cole my main fursonas voice claim had me like “man. now i want to start hrt”#nothin like a fictional character's voice makin you wanna start medical transition lmao

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st-clements-steps · 2 years

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I think it’s really interesting how much of hotd is about parenting and about parent-child relationships.

Of course this does come up in asoiaf/GoT but so many of the children lose their parents or are separated from them and that’s a very different story to tell about parenting. Here the parents are present and failing in various interesting ways. (But this is not Succession, the only parent who comes close to seeing his children merely as another commodity he might move around the board, is Otto, and even then we don’t quite get the sense he would sacrifice Alicent to the game as Logan Roy is willing to do.) There is also this double dynamic now, children as parents, so we can follow through some patterns. I’m intrigued considering that it’s a show about dynastic strife and dragons that so much focus has been out on parenting.

(Critical of all the adult characters below the cut)

There are obviously various parental absence that we have seen, Viserys is particularly absent from all his children’s lives, even Rhaenyra’s, in my opinion, when she was younger, is it adulthood or the role of heir that makes him much more comfortable in his relationship with her?

Laenor admits to parental absence despite his love for Jace, Luc and Joff. And of course Rhaenyra and Daemon’s distraction and therefore absence must impact on their children’s experience of the fight and its aftermath.

The fight is, surely, not actually Aemond or Baela and Rhaena’s or Jace’s or Luc’s fault, it very clearly due to the absence of caregivers. Part of this is hand wave, clearly the second, third and fifth(?) in line to the throne are unlikely to all be wandering around at night entirely unsupervised. Part of this is about the literal distraction of their parents; Viserys, physically and mentally unable to parent; Alicent distracted by scolding her drunken eldest child; Daemon and Rhaenyra wandering off to consummate years of will they, won’t they; Laenor distracted by grief or Qarl. Part of this is about Criston Cole’s failure to do his job; he did not, after all, have the watch.

Alicent’s parenting in that teeming showdown that follows the fight is very interesting, those caught up in her vilification or defence, focus on her frantic demand for a small child’s eye, or her demand for justice for the terrible injury her own child has received. But for me this debate detracts from a lot of interesting moments about parenting that we see in this scene. The vicious desire that somehow this awful thing can be solved is entirely in line with how it feels to parent, but surely the viewers are meant to see that Alicent’s priorities, her focus, are desperately limited?

(I’ll say it again, Criston Cole did not have the watch. Although I would be viciously angry with Rhaenyra for raising children who brandish blades without realising the utter damage they do, Criston Cole would probably be worried for both his eyes were he my sworn protector and in charge of the entire safety of the royal family and my child had lost an eye. Btw I would also be viciously angry with myself for raising a child who would repeatedly try to cave in his younger nephews’ heads with a large stone (rather than running for help, away, or talking or something))

I’d be so interested to see what happened with Alicent during the time jump, in the early episodes we see her parenting Rhaenyra. Alicent is a girl made wise beyond her years by grief, counselling her best friend on her relationships and feelings. Pregnant with Helaena, and celebrating Aegon’s second name day, she seems comfortable enough with young motherhood. But then we see her fraught and Helaena crying, we assume that it is what is going on around her that has made her fraught, her relationships are fracturing, she is very alone, and she is alone in her motherhood.

The next time we see her as a mother it is again with Helaena, and the show have decided to code Helaena, in my opinion anyway, as neurodivergent in some way, and personally I think they are attempting to imply she is on the autistic spectrum. Alicent is clearly trying with Helaena, to support her and love her, to listen to her, even though she doesn’t understand her. She also doesn’t appear to have any support with dealing with this situation, either from her husband, nor from any of the other people around her.

Perhaps she was, at least partially, fraught, all those years ago, by trying to care for Helaena. Maybe it is this that has shaped her mothering of her sons? For though she tries to support Aemond, all she can do is accuse and snipe, both about Jace and Luc and at Aegon, at once invading his privacy and loading him with her own worry. She shows none of the calm, thoughtful advice and guidance she showed Rhaenyra in the wake of Aemma’s death. Her patience and empathy has been worn very thin perhaps, and I have to wonder why this has happened?

In my mind that does not excuse her behaviour following the fight, it explains it to some extent but it doesn’t excuse it. And it is the remorse that she voices to her father that reminds me most of the girl who was able to support her friend, almost as a surrogate parent, all those years ago.

I would also be interested in seeing Rhaenyra’s parenting during the time jump. We see Laenor navigating the dance of this co-parenting situation he has ended up in very gracefully. We see Harwin attempting to balance the love and care he feels, with the societal pressure not to acknowledge his connection to Jace, Luc and Joffrey. And we see Rhaenyra caught in the crossfire of this situation too, but we have seen little of her mothering, although there was a moment of that anxiety you have as working mother about handing your baby over, before she goes to the counsel meeting.

From what we are shown, Rhaenyra, caught up in defending herself against their mother’s accusations, has failed to attempt any kind of relationship with her siblings. Just as the time jump gives us this space to imagine how Alicent becomes more and more isolated in motherhood, it also gives us the space to imagine that Rhaenyra withdraws from connections with her father’s younger children and into this unit of adults which social convention, and especially her status as heir dictates must be entirely hidden. (Interestingly, if Aegon were heir her unconventional family might be seen as merely risqué, and I imagine no one would be interested in casting it as some threat to decency of the realm.)

Surely this inability to model what familial relationships can be, on the part of both Rhaenyra and Alicent (and also, obviously, on Viserys’ part), is another way in which parenting fosters this situation in which children engage in such violence against one another?

#house of the dragon #hotd #critical of all the adult characters #anti criston cole #yes this is kinda out of date already #im not actually anti anyone #but I do imply that if I were a fictional character I might threaten another fictional character with violence

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