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thedevoraksblog · 3 years

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"You must be very proud"

"...i am."

HDM GENDERBEND AU-

Characters - Mr. Marius Coulter, Doc. Mariàn Malone

Summary - a doctor meets a...sperimental theologian.

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Getting settled in the morning, making oneself presentable in the eyes of those around him was certainly not a priority for him Dr. Mariàn Malone. He combed his hair, sprinkled himself with a little perfume ... but the natural curly and wild state of his red hair reappeared after a while (it was enough to leave the house). But he, with hands full of books and car keys in one finger, did not even notice as he hurriedly walked towards the college of St. Peter every morning.

Every day the same routine: he greeted the doorman, took the elevator to the fifth floor, crossed the narrow white corridor with a few intersected doors in light wood, golden handle but worn with rust. Cavern updates from Olivia and observations on dark matter. He rummaged through the keys lazily, turned the key to the strictly double-locked office, opened the door and for a good ten minutes he enjoyed the silence of the early morning sitting in the chair of his messy desk. He liked being around people, but sometimes in the morning and the peace of them was sacred to him. Not that he spent his time arranging the papers scattered all over the place ... he just looked through them lazily and then took a look at the wrens' nest that perched on the eaves just above the window every year after the cold winter. He closed the door behind him, looking for a moment that it had closed properly with one hand still on the handle and the other holding a ring notebook with his paperwork inside. His wristwatch said a quarter past eight, exactly twenty minutes before the doctor's time to enter the door before him.

The start of a new long day with the prospect of part-time babysitting that afternoon at his niece and nephew, and those little faces always paid off for the length of the day.

But as he turned to put the bunch in the key ring next to the door, Mariàn froze at the sight of an unknown figure in his office.

"Can I help you?"

The broad-shouldered figure dressed in a black formal suit turned around, two intense green eyes fixed on the blazing blue of Mariàn's while the stranger moved completely towards him, the light filtering behind him colored his hair (slightly curled) in a few shades of red and then gold in a sequence as the sun comes covered by some clouds.

Mariàn looked at him with distrust, head tilted to one side and distant and doubtful eyes while he kept a sober tone. His mouth remained half open for a brief moment, ready to ask the next question.

"Yes. Mr. Malone?" was the man's question.

"Doctor Malone. Who let you in?" he promptly corrected the other, letting go of the books on his desk and placing a hand on his side. The other remained motionless, still like a statue with his hands folded placidly one over the other. A single ring was around his ring finger, and it flashed briefly as he moved his hand just as briefly. He was watching him, as if he were studying his every move. There was benevolence in his gaze, yet there was something cold and controlled in those clear irises. Something that commanded respect, attention, a strong presence. "I've read about your work, Doctor. And I find it extremely fascinating."

A sufficient smile was all that was needed as an answer, Mariàn reached out a hand to the handle and pulled the door open. He clicked his tongue on the palate with a clear "If someone sends you, tell them they'll have to wait until the book is published."

The man's response was otherwise sufficient "nobody sent me." he chanted calmly and in a low voice, a soft yet solid look at the same time observing the attitude of the other. "Marius Coulter, I am a scientific theologian." he said while Mariàn closed the door in a skeptical way, raising an eyebrow "I'm Lynel's father."

Mariàn was watching the man now, and now that they were closer it was clear as water ... Facial movements , eyebrows, deep eyes and even the shape of the smile she was now giving him with a similair upper lip. But this was a more complex, more elegant and poised version of the rowdy kid who had left his studio in a hurry.

The doctor closed the door he had opened again to ask him to go out, now looking at the other with eyebrows raised in amazement "Lynel's your son? Is he okay?"

The other man nodded sternly, hands still clasped together and back straight. He spoke with every word, every syllable clearly. "He's fine. He's residing here in Oxford with some friends, and I've come to take him home."

"he mentioned that there were problems at home..."

Mr. Coulter nodded conciliatory "everything is fine, I apologize if Lynel has bothered you."

Mariàn vigorously shook his head, now approaching the other. "oh! No, absolutely not! I loved talking to Lynel." A boy of just twelve who mastered mathematics and physics in this way was surprising, considering how mathematics was a particular subject and physics even more so. His sister herself had always been more inclined to the humanities rather than spending days with a calculator in her hand and sheets of math everywhere. "his physics knowledge is astounding, does he take private lessons?"

The man looked down imperceptibly before those thin lips parted in an answer "I give him some lessons from time to time, I went to a scientific secondary school." Mariàn found himself hanging from the lips of the other, clinging to every micro movement of his very little tanned face. And though brief, the small movements of any kind of emotion on Marius Coulter were elusive, yet clearly visible.

The man's nature seemed full of contradictions.

Only such a man could have raised such a smart kid as Lynel. "you must be so proud." And at that point a shadow passed over Marius Coulter's face, straight over his eyes which for a moment seemed to seem brighter than the darkness that had fallen around them. But a moment later he was cold and distant again, a very brief smile creased two dimples on the sides of his lips accompanied by a slight nod. It was so short that if Mariàn had blinked his eyes he would not have noticed the change in emotion. "i am."

And his tone was sober, confident again. And this time not the shadow of a smile crossed the threshold of his mouth, only a neutral frown was on that face of his. Mariàn was not able to be silent, never was. Then a smile was printed on his face "your profession is rare ..." he said, leaning on a nearby chair and observing the other. He hadn't moved an iota, he just moved his head with every movement of the redhr, tilting it questioningly from time to time. "where would you say that theology has to do with the scientific field?"

It was another movement on his face, and this time in the form of a slight frown of those menacing "where does it not?"

A second of silence in which Mariàn, for the first time, did not say a word to fill this. He simply blinked at him as if expecting a more logical explanation. In response, Mr. Coulter gave him a calm yet commanding look. He did not cross his arms, did not make his posture appear threatening or intimidating. A glance was enough to silence any discontent that went against his idea ... that Coulter man gave the idea of a powerful man, certainly someone who does not know what insecurity is, or being inadequate. Yet his gaze, now after passing a hand over his nose Mariàn eased the tension with a chuckle, seemed more reflective. Almost tempting to a silent irritation.

"Oh, please ... have a seat." Mariàn got up to close the window, a bit of cold was beginning to enter. "but please, tell me about her work, it must be interesting-"

and when he turned around, Mr. Coulter was gone and the door was wide open.

What a quiet Monday morning.

#his dark materials fanfiction #hdm series #his dark materials #marisa coulter #mary malone #male! marisa #male! mary #marysa #marius coulter #marián malone #fanfiction #hdm fanfiction #hdm au #genderbend #this can be platonic or romantic

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thedevoraksblog · 3 years

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But I'm not interesting...you are

HDM GENDERBEND AU

Summary - in a world of nuns, a new personality comes along in Lynel's life.

Characters - Marius Coulter, Lynel Belaqua

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A golden monkey sat in the vacant seat next to him.

The sharp and intensely blue eyes of the eleven-year-old boy had been distracted shortly before by the movement caused by the sitting of several of the nuns of the convent after the evening prayer, as it was usual for him to be distracted from him. Exactly like during the lessons of Sister Fenella and her stories on the gospel, her rants on mathematics and on the importance of commas in writing. Lynel, for his part, found the prospect of being able to stop sitting and be able to run across the rooftops with Rosaria more interesting, no matter how much one of the sisters in the convent scolded him about his abrupt and unorthodox ways. Making the poor nuns take heart attacks every time they saw him and Pandora, his Dæmon, fly from roof to roof with enviable agility and courage. Once he had tumbled down from a branch that had broken off, and had landed unscathed ... but Sister Magdalena had turned pale as a rag and had collapsed on Sister Maria who was looking at the boy with apprehension mixed with maternal reproach.

Lynel could be considered a wild cat in all respects with his impulsive and indomitable manner ... but it was precisely that rebellious spirit that made the nuns loved him as he was their son. He boasted that he was not amazed by anything, even when he fell from a roof he didn't seemed to have been in the least scratched in spirit or adventurer soul ... but that monkey was watching him curiously, with those black eyes and that curious face. Small black hands grabbed the edge of the table to rise to it and better observe the boy and his blond curls.

Lynel eyed the alleged daemon with caution mixed with confusion, brows furrowing downward covering his immaculate golden lashes over his blue eyes.

The confusion came and went from his face like storm clouds until a new figure joined the scene, drawing the attention of one of the Sisters herself, who sat two chairs away from the boy and Pandora, who had now stood up from her his legs looking at the monkey with curiosity.

"Lynel," she said as if the newcomer wasn't that important, "this is Mr. Coulter, you might find him interesting." Mr. Coulter was no older than thirty-five, and he sat in that chair with lightness and elegance. A smile curved up the edges of his thin mouth and reaching his eyes, green and shadowed by the arched and proud shape of his brows. His daemon turned to him, looking at him briefly and then looking back at Lynel with the same gaze the man was now watching Lynel with. Instinctively the boy straightened up on his chair, leaning towards the newcomer with unprecedented curiosity "... hello-" he said, a shred of curiosity mixed with honor tinted his tone of voice.

From what they remembered, Lynel and Pandora had always lived here at the convent. They had always been surrounded by women, only women and all very distant ... some too distant to be considered mother figures. And without a mother figure, knowing how to recognize a father figure is even more complicated: The only important figure in his life was that of his aunt on the part of his deceased mother. Aunt Azrael was a woman as mysterious and distant as the nuns in the convent ... she was beautiful, no doubt ... but her only great love was science, travel and dealing with everything but chasing that undisciplined nephew and a liar who had taken on herself after her sister and her husband died, but to whom she sent postcards, and of whom she had photos sent every month, keeping them in her notebook. Aunt Azrael loved him ... but it was rare that she wanted to see Lynel more than once a year, and when she returned it was just to make sure he was in good health and studying. Although brief, the moments he could spend with his aunt were the most special in the boy's life. But he had never received a caress or a hug from her to convey affection. There were only vacant smiles and looks that conveyed a certain cold pride in Azrael's distant eyes.

"I'm not used to all this grandeaur." Mr. Coulter's voice was young and light, but at the same time he had a note of masculine depth that Lynel's still very boyish voice aspired to reach. He smiled as he spoke, but his tone was low and collected in a murmur. "You'll have to tell me which fork and knife to use, I don't want to make a fool of myself."

Lynel watched him closely. Men came and went to the convent, but most were travelers or visiting men: but all wore practical clothing. This man knew what elegance was and wore it proudly in his dark teal solid suit and slightly curly brown hair carefully trimmed and hanging down the side of his head. "Are you a scholar?"

Mr. Coulter smiled "you look surprised."

Lynel shrugged involuntarily "well ... scholars don't dress like you."

Any adult would have been taken aback, but Mr. Coulter laughed gracefully tilting his head down before his green eyes turned back to Lynel's "I take that as a compliment." he said, an ounce of laughter colored his voice. His daemon made her gaze sway between him and the boy letting go of curiosity verses every time Pandora poked her ermine nose to take a closer look at her, also extending a black hand to gently caress her head. Pandora did not withdraw in the slightest, quite the opposite: Lynel felt her lean into that touch of hers.

Mr. Coulter moved closer to him to look at him better, head tilted to the side "no, I'm not exactly a scholar." he said "I am a member of St Sophia's college. I work most of the time outside Oxford." Lynel could feel his eyes widen, which the man could clearly grasp given the smile he gave him "but I'm not interesting, you are. Your friendly rooftop raids don't go unnoticed, right Lynel? "

The boy blinked at him before a laugh came from both of them. "Raids?" he said, quieting the last bit of laughter in his throat.

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The dullest part of the day was more manageable after the arrival of that mysterious man of unprecedented elegance, next to whom Lynel and Pandora now walked with him and his daemon. "You are a very captivating personality, Lynel." he proclaimed, speaking a little louder than before. "It's very odd that Azrael doesn't talk much about you."

Lynel's heart tumbled into his chest as his curly head turned to look at the man, a smile appeared on his face "you know my aunt? So you're a traveler too!" At which an affectionate laugh rose from the man's chest. "that's such a grand word," he said, a hand reaching out to fondly caress Lynel's head,running his hand across the surface of his dark blonde hair several times before letting it drop onto his shoulder. "but yes, I am a traveler."

"have ... have you ever seen an armored bear? or a Tartar?" A man from the north, a traveler ... who knows how many stories he could tell. A traveler like his aunt.

"Oh, I fought the Tartars and it was fun - watch the step -, with the armored bears I contacted ... and it was exhausting. They know how to be very stubborn creatures."

As they walked, the door to the common room was now in front of them even though it was closed. Mr. Coulter stopped in front of it and gave Lynel a look, turning to him completely "Are you sure you are interested? Sometimes I can be boring." But the boy's response was a vigorous head shake "oh, no no no. When it comes to the north I never get bored!" Mr. Coulter smiled at him, opening the flat door and with his head indicating him to enter "sit where you want."

Lynel threw himself into the first chair he met, or rather sat down on the sofa in the center of the room on which Mr. Coulter followed calmly "Lynel," he began solemnly "Sister Mariana asked me to find accommodation for you. And obviously I wanted to meet you first." Lynel leaned on the edge of the sofa, looking at the man with the big eyes hanging from his lips. Mr. Coulter's green eyes studied him, serious but kind. Then a slight smile opened on his face "and now that I have met you, I offer you a position as my assistant." Before Lynel could answer, since a smile had already made its way, Mr. Coulter spoke immediately "sure, you will have to learn and I will not let you slack off ... but with my competence and your personality we will be one great team."

"we'll go to the North?"

Mr. Coulter sat down next to him "well, we'll go to London first. And you should be ready to go ... tomorrow morning." He watched him closely, but Lynel's eyes immediately dropped. In the morning?

... and what would become of his best friend?

Lynel looked at him "can Rosaria come too?"

Rosaria Parslow and Lynel had been friends since they were infants, and from what they remembered neither had ever been too far from the other. In that world apart from all they had was mutual friendship and the affection that one feels between brother and sister: they were two orphans. But if Lynel had (so to speak) Aunt Azrael, Rosaria was completely alone working in the convent kitchens. Mr. Coulter's shadowed brows frowned curiously down "Rosaria?" he asked.

Lynel slowly raised her eyes to the man's "She's not much of a travel girl ... but she can clean-"

"the girl in the dining hall?" Lynel nodded "please ... she's my best friend. My only friend." a hint of sadness tinged his voice, eyes now lowered. The older man looked away for a moment, then with a smack of his lips he spoke in a calm and gentle way. "All right. She can come."

A brand new smile appeared on Lynel's face, and before Mr. Coulter knew it the boy had rushed over to him and wrapped his arms around the man in a grateful hug. Automatically Mr. Coulter's arms were wrapped around Lynel in an instinctive movement. As if part of him wanted to hold him close. But an "Oh!" mixed with laughter came out of his mouth when Lynel walked over to him for the hug.

He felt the boy's head in the hollow of his neck, a smile was pulling his features.

And Marius Coulter smiled in turn.

#his dark materials #hdm au #his dark materials fanfiction #fanfiction #marisa coulter #lyra silvertongue #hdm series #fanfic #male mrs coulter #male lyra silvertounge

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