#jaime/brienne

[corinalannister]

Sweet or Spicy Braime Exchange

Hello everyone, it's that time of year again. Halloween. Which means that I'm running my sweet or spicy exchange over on AO3.

When you sign up you sign up to provide someone with at least 500 words of fanfic and you get the same out of the exchange.

Sign ups end on the 29th of September and creations are due on the 29th of October.

[riocat01]

Everyone Knows Who He Was Talking About!

[jackoshadows]

Thinking of the parallels between Jaime/Brienne and Jon/Arya and the contrasts between Jaime/Cersei and Jon/Arya.

We start with the swords. I spy similarities in the writing where Jon gifts Arya a sword and Jaime does the same for Brienne.

First, it’s a gift.

“I have something for you to take with you, and it has to be packed very carefully.”  Her face lit up. “A present?” 

“You could call it that. Close the door.” - Jon, AGoT

“I have a gift for you.” He reached down under the Lord Commander’s chair and brought it out, wrapped in folds of crimson velvet. - Jaime, ASoS

Then there’s the unveiling.

By then Jon had pulled off the rags he’d wrapped it in. He held it out to her. Arya’s eyes went wide. Dark eyes, like his. “A sword,” she said in a small, hushed breath. The scabbard was soft grey leather, supple as sin. Jon drew out the blade slowly, so she could see the deep blue sheen of the steel. - Jon, AGoT

Brienne approached as if the bundle was like to bite her, reached out a huge freckled hand, and flipped back a fold of cloth. Rubies glimmered in the light. She picked the treasure up gingerly, curled her fingers around the leather grip, and slowly slid the sword free of its scabbard. Blood and black the ripples shone. A finger of reflected light ran red along the edge. “Is this Valyrian steel? I have never seen such colors.” - Jaime, ASoS

And then there’s the naming, where both Jon and Jaime name the sword, for Arya’s ‘love’ of sewing and Brienne finding Catelyn’s girls for the oaths promised.

“I almost forgot,” he told her. “All the best swords have names.” “Like Ice,” she said. She looked at the blade in her hand. “Does this have a name? Oh, tell me.” “Can’t you guess?” Jon teased. “Your very favorite thing.” Arya seemed puzzled at first. Then it came to her. She was that quick. They said it together: “Needle!” - Jon, AGoT

Before she could think to refuse, he went on. “A sword so fine must bear a name. It would please me if you would call this one Oathkeeper. ” - Jaime, ASoS

This then leads to the first instance of Jon/Arya (and Jaime/Brienne) being written as foils to Jaime/Cersei with Cersei’s anger at the difference between how she and Jaime were treated growing up as children.

"Yet even  so, when Jaime was given his first sword, there was none for me. 'What  do I get?' I remember asking. We were so much alike, I could never  understand why they treated us so differently. Jaime learned to fight  with sword and lance and mace, while I was taught to smile and sing and  please. He was heir to Casterly Rock, while I was to be sold to some  stranger like a horse, to be ridden whenever my new owner liked, beaten  whenever he liked, and cast aside in time for a younger filly. Jaime's  lot was to be glory and power, while mine was birth and moonblood."  - Cersei, AFfC 

And while Arya’s parents did treat her differently to her brothers, she did end up getting a sword because Jon Snow gifted her with one. Jon Snow who recognizes what it is that Arya is actually interested in, what it is that Arya wants, who understands the unfairness of the patriarchy where Arya is concerned and proceeds to try and fix in some small manner. 

And yet for as much as Jaime claims to love Cersei, giving up Casterly Rock and becoming a Kingsguard to be with her, he does not seem to either understand this side of her or acknowledge it any way. Given the constant reminders that Jaime and Cersei are very close to each other from birth, does Jaime even know of Cersei’s resentment and try to address it? Have conversations with her about it? Given what we know of pre - one hand Jaime and his initial interactions with Brienne, I doubt it. In fact Jaime is surprised at Brienne’s prowess and strength given that she’s a woman.

She is stronger than I am.The realization chilled him. Robert had been stronger than him, to be sure. The White Bull Gerold Hightower as well, in his heyday, and Ser Arthur Dayne. Amongst the living, Greatjon Umber was stronger, Strongboar of Crakehall most likely, both Cleganes for a certainty. The Mountain’s strength was like nothing human. It did not matter. With speed and skill, Jaime could beat them all. But this was a woman. A huge cow of a woman, to be sure, but even so … by rights, she should be the one wearing down. - Jaime, ASoS

And while Cersei resented that Jaime got Casterly Rock and the swords, there is understanding and empathy on both sides where Jon Snow and Arya Stark are concerned.

“Why aren’t you down in the yard?” Arya asked him. He gave her a half smile. “Bastards are not allowed to damage young princes,” he said. “Any bruises they take in the practice yard must come from trueborn swords.” “Oh.” Arya felt abashed. She should have realized. For the second time today, Arya reflected that life was not fair. - Arya, AGoT

Jaime only gets to this place of seeing Brienne as an equal in ASoS, after interacting with her, starting to respect her skill and accepting her as a fellow warrior and trusting in her to keep his oaths to Catelyn.

He swayed with the motion of his horse, wishing for a sword. Two swords would be even better. One for the wench and one for me. We’d die, but we’d take half of them down to hell with us. - Jaime, ASoS

With Jaime’s gradual change in feelings towards Cersei and Brienne, we get that final contrast between Jaime/Cersei and Jon/Arya - possibly also where Jaime/Cersei ends once and for all and where romantic Jon/Arya may start with a resurrected Jon reuniting with an older Arya. Yes, this is about the letters.

“Does my lord wish to answer?”

I love you. I love you. I love you. Come at once.

“No,” he said. “Put this in the fire.” - Jaime, AFfC

“What do you mean to do, crow?”

 I want my bride back … I want my bride back … I want my bride back …

“I think we had best change the plan,” Jon Snow said. - Jon, ADwD

Keep in mind that by laws and oaths sworn, as a sworn brother of the Kingsguard, Jaime can and most probably should defend the queen in a trial by combat and still Jaime refuses to help. Meanwhile, Jon Snow is prohibited by laws and sworn oaths to step in and help Arya and yet he decides to endanger the neutrality of the NW by going to war with Ramsay Bolton.

Jaime is as done with Cersei as Cersei was done with Jaime when he returned without a hand. Meanwhile Jon Snow is just getting started, breaking his sacrosanct NW oaths and rallying an army of Wildlings to go attack the Warden of the North for Arya.

And following through on here, I think there will be a very different reaction from Arya to a scarred Jon Snow - and yes, depending on how Jon is resurrected he may have a lot of scars or never healing injuries like Ladystoneheart and Beric Dondarrion - compared to Cersei’s revulsion at Jaime’s stump. Their bond and love for each other goes deeper than the lust and infatuation based on beauty and looks between Jaime and Cersei.

So yes, I think Braime makes for some nice parallels with Jonrya, while Jaime/Cersei work as foils to Jon/Arya.

[catharsis-on-fire]

ok i adore braime but i need to say i kinda wish that brienne was younger because istg. brienne and sansa could be so in love with each other.

like im stuck with imagining the young-and experienced-yet-very-jaded female bodyguard *cough, knight* just falling over her heels to find sansa, keep her safe at every moment. and sansa would quickly grow to trust in her sooo damn much and they would bond over their experiences

[kidcataldo]

This has been sitting in my drafts since basically the show ended. Jaime and Brienne are happily married living on Tarth, you can’t convince me otherwise. Here are their children I made for fanfiction purposes that I never got around to write

Galladon “Adon” Lannister - bookish, like his uncle. He’s very beautiful but too in his head to realize the girls around him are blushing at the very sight of him.

Joanna Lannister - a natural leader. She is her mother’s daughter, wanting only what’s right and what’s honorable. Jaime’s favorite, though you’ll never hear him say it out loud.

Gerion Lannister - a trickster at heart, he spends most of his time hiding from scolding maesters, or lecturing mothers. The other half is training to become the best warrior Tarth has ever seen.

Alysanne “Alys” Lannister - born two months too early and in the worst storm Tarth has ever seen, her birth nearly put an end to both mother and babe. Brienne keeps a careful eye on her.

[jaime-brienne-fic-exchange]

Jaime x Brienne Fic Exchange Interest Survey

You asked and we've answered! It's time to gauge interest in a 2023 Mid Year Jaime x Brienne Exchange! Your responses really help, even if you are unlikely to sign up this year, so please reply to the short survey below by April 30th.

What is the Jaime x Brienne Fic Exchange? Way back in 2020, which I'm pretty sure was a decade ago, a few fans decided to run a fic exchange to celebrate our favourite knights. It's a pretty straightforward exchange: participants sign up, providing us with details on canons, ratings, and topics they are willing/unwilling to write, as well as three prompts. Matches are made based on that information and sent out. You will then have approximately two months to write a fic of at least 1000 words based off one or more of the prompts you received, posting it during the posting window and receiving a gift based off your own prompts! If you have any questions, feel free to send us an ask!

[queeneverwas]

“She slept but little that night. When she did sleep, she expected to dream of the tourney, but instead she dreamed only of Jaime laughing in the river, water dripping from his golden hair.”

[andthentheybow]

prompt: leonine contract

title: the risk i took was calculated, but man am i bad at math

fandom: Game of Thrones (TV)

relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth

warnings: canon-typical violence, implied/referenced torture

summary: It’s their one day off for the whole month when the agent known by the codename Kingslayer gets taken by the enemy. It’s two days later that Agent Brienne Tarth gets herself taken by that same enemy with one goal: breaking Jaime out.

cross-posted as part of Whumptober 2023! (day 28)

link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51177634

[cactusspatz]

March recs

Much delayed by travel and post-travel virus that turned into laryngitis (yayyy), but please enjoy!

DCU

All gen unless marked otherwise.

Say Uncle by Megaerakles

Tim is prepared to take the steps necessary to ensure that Bruce will not feel obligated to adopt Tim when a comatose Jack Drake inevitably dies. But what could be better than preventing Bruce from ending up with a son he doesn't want? Bringing back the one he does.

Jason agrees to the Replacement's stupid, stupid plan to invite some strange adult man he's never met to come live with him, if only to keep the idiot alive long enough for him to serve his purpose in the Great Red Hood Revenge Scheme.

Might this new roommate situation have an impact on either of their worldviews? Surely not...

Tim, why are you LIKE this.... *facepalm* I really didn't think the Fake Uncle Scheme TM could get any more insane but this fic does it with style. (thanks to @smilebackwards for the rec! and the next one lol)

The Seven-Layer-Dip From Hell by Oberon Bronze

Jason enlists Tim to help him through the stages of a 48-hour fear toxin trip in exchange for a favour, on one condition -- Tim can't call any of the bats for help, no matter what happens. Tim, thankfully, will do quite literally anything to get his family all under one roof again.

Emotionally messy delicious h/c, and the sequel doubles down on the goodness.

Prince of Foxes by poisonivory/ @pluckyredhead (Roy/Jason)

Once upon a time, Roy Harper almost had a mate.

Years later, he's kidnapped for a deadly game where shifters are forced to fight to the death for the entertainment of the humans who despise them. All he wants to do is escape—that is, until he recognizes one of the other shifters: a feral wolf who, a lifetime ago, was his best friend's little brother. Until he died. Until Roy lost him.

But no force on earth is taking Jason from him again.

Well-written shifter AU with a great look at their relationship over the years (and Jason's death), culminating in a tensely-written period of captivity in a shifter fighting ring (which also has some amazing pit fights).

GAME OF THRONES

So apparently four years is finally enough time for me to read GOT fic again without being swamped by annoyance at the series finale - at least, as long as the fics are VASTLY AU. Which both of these stories are!

The Right Question by Aviss (Jaime/Brienne)

In which Ned asks the right questions at the right time, and Jaime keeps most of his vows. The important ones at least.

aka the one where Jaime hides Elia Martell and her children on Tarth. Very satisfying!

Our Scars Make Us Golden by K_R_Closson (Jaime/Oberyn)

Jaime Lannister drives her sword through Aerys's back to save a kingdom. When her father's armies sack the city and kill those she was sworn to protect, she flees King's Landing, unsure what to do. On her way to Dorne, she runs into Ned Stark who hands her a baby and a purpose, protect the Targaryen heir.

Interesting genderswap AU with a badass Jaime.

MISC

A Light in the Dark by @glimmerglanger (Star Wars, Cody/Obi-Wan)

Sometimes, it seemed Obi-Wan only saw other people across the field of battle.

The only reliable source of contact he had with other living beings - for the past year - had been during a fight. And he had not been able to enjoy such contact, had not been able to sink into the Force and refill his reserves, because all of the men he fought were trying so desperately to kill him and all the people he was trying so hard to protect.

OR, the one where Obi-Wan serves the Republic, Cody serves the Separatists, and they find a way forward anyway.

Loved this! The army-swap AU premise, the captivity h/c, and the hope of the resolution.

The Emperor Gregor Vorbarra special exhibit of the Vorbarr Sultana Fibrecraft Institute by rattyjol (Vorkosigan Saga, gen)

NARRATOR: No record survives of precisely when or how Emperor Gregor first picked up knitting. The first public acknowledgement of the Imperial Hobby was in the thirty-eighth year of his reign, when the Emperor was forty-three. However, it is abundantly clear that the Emperor had been knitting for some years before this. Throughout this audio tour, alongside clips and reenactments, you’ll be hearing reminisces from Princess Olivia herself. Here’s one now:

P. OLIVIA: My father knit almost constantly inside the private Residence. I remember him reading me and my brothers to sleep as children: he would balance the handreader on his knee or the arm of his chair, and go on knitting over top of it. Never dropped a stitch, never skipped a line. And his character voices were legendary.

This is SO sweet, and a great use of fake-documentary style.

[insignificantly-notorious]

In my boxing era (just watched all the Creed movies) and the way I have a fanfic pitch for Braime.

LIKE?! Imagine Boxer! Brienne, in her final match before she retires back to Tarth and Unhonorables discharged Heavy Weight champion nepo baby heir of the boxing organisations! Jaime

And they hated eachother (because Jaime’s mouth) but they kinda formed a bond as years goes by because Jaime was a talented fighter regardless and he gives her tips and he never missed her match.

[corinalannister]

Sweet or Spicy Braime 2023 Reveals

Fics have been revealed for the Sweet or Spicy event!

Sweet or Spicy Briame 2023 - Works | Archive of Our Own

Have fun reading the creations and good luck if you're trying to guess the authors of each of them :)

If you missed the exchange, there's still time to take part. You can treat, and show love to all the authors this round. You can even leave prompt ideas here just in case they inspire someone to create a late fic for you.

[riocat01]

[aviss]

The very first one I saw made me so excited! Please tell us about #11, Grosse Point Blank AU.

Oh that's one that has very little in it, I'm afraid.

I got very excited about the idea because Grosse Point Blank is one of my favourite movies, and the idea would be having Brienne as the killer and Jaime as the one who stayed to live a quiet life, with Tywin as the mark.

Then I remembered I had already used that movie for an AU (In Spanish, in the HP fandom about a million years ago) and the backstory for Brienne's character got repurposed for another wip (The Book Club).

[samirant]

Chapters: 3/4 Fandom: Game of Thrones (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, The Good Place (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth, past Jaime/Cersei - Relationship Characters: Jaime Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Tahani Al-Jamil, Shawn (The Good Place), Glenn (The Good Place), Real Eleanor Shellstrop | Vicky, Judge Hydrogen Additional Tags: it's not so much a crossover as a parallelogram, an ouroboros in fic form, a splash of cersei/lancel makes this an M fic and i resent that, spoilers for the good place finale Summary:

Ah, self-reflection, that unrelenting bitch.

[agameoftragedy]

@janiedean

Can I speak my truth. I don’t think Brienne is even a little gay. I think she’s a kinsey zero who false positives on everyone’s radar. I think if you dropped brienne into new age 2024 she would get treated as a lesbian in her day to day life but whenever a woman liked her she’d be like. Ummmmmmm I’m really sorry but I don’t. Feel like that. I think she’d give lesbianism the good old college try bc of the direness of her male love life and come down firmly on the side of not attracted to women. I think she is quintessential pnw woman who you think is a slam dunk homerun lesbian based on everything about her who drops the word husband on you. I think she gets clocked on sight and mentions a partner named Jaime which makes people go. Okay. Partner i know that game. Jamie easily the name of a lesbian. Easily. And then she drops the he pronouns and you go. Well. Could still be a weird lesbian. And then Jaime is a business major in a frat with generational wealth. And HE is the kinsey five in the relationship.

[jaime-brienne-fic-exchange]

JB Festive Fest 3: Fest With a Vengeance

You asked and we answered...

Signups are open for the JB Festive Fest!

Now in its third year, the JB Festive Fest is an opportunity for Jaime x Brienne fans to close out the year with some lovely gifts. It's a low-key, inclusive exchange meant to celebrate our favourite knights! All fanworks are welcomed (and encouraged!)--art, fic, fanvids, any creative endevour!

Already convinced?

Sign up here!

Need more information? Read on!

Important Dates

Signups: November 23rd - November 30th Assignments out: December 1st Posting Window: December 23rd - January 1st Stocking Stuffer Prompts Released: December 23rd Last date to check in: December 28th NEW THIS YEAR. In order to simplify the knight writing process, you must begin posting or check in with us by this date, or we will assign a knight writer. If this happens, you can still post, we just want to ensure everyone gets a gift!

Rules

1. You create one (1) fanwork, and receive one (1) fanwork. 2. If you can't complete your gift on time, please let us know as soon as you do! Life happens, but the sooner we know the easier it is to deal with. 3. For recipients: no specific, detailed scenario prompts, only a list of general likes/tropes/vibes and your squicks and triggers. For gifters, any detail you want from your recipient you’ll need to sleuth on your own, or guess. 4. Have fun! 2022 was hard for a lot of us, and this is meant to round out the year with a little extra joy.

FAQ

Who can participate? Anyone! Artists, writers, vidders, poets, interpretive dancers! This is an inclusive exchange – whether it’s your first or hundredth, you are welcome!

What do I need to do? When you sign up, you’ll provide three general ideas of what you like--tropes, vibes, nothing too specific!--for your creator to work from. Once sign ups close, you’ll be assigned someone and you’ll need to create a fanwork for them based off the information they provided. It could be a short fic, a piece of art, a poem, a vid, an interpretive dance, whatever you like! There are no minimum requirements, but as a rough guideline, think of it as something that would brighten your day if you received it.

When do sign-ups open? They’re open now, and will close on November 30, at the end of the day for you, anywhere in the world.  

What if I can’t finish something in time? Please send us an email at jbficexchange@gmail.com to let us know and we’ll do what we can to either let your recipient know you’ll be a little late, or organize someone else to backfill.

Does my fanwork have to be festive themed? Definitely not. You’ll just be sharing it between December 23rd and New Year’s Day.

Will my prompts be private? No, they will be released to everyone on December 23rd to allow for the Stocking Stuffer exchange (details coming later in the month). This will be open for anyone to contribute to, not just the people who participate in the main exchange.

When is the posting window again? Between December 23 and January 1. If you have not begun posting by December 28 and have not contacted us, the prompts will go to a knight writer to make sure that everyone receives a gift by New Year’s.

Important Notes:

You must have an AO3 account to participate. If you do not have an AO3 account, you can either request one via the AO3 website or email us at jbficexchange @ gmail.com

If you have any questions, please email us at jbficexchange @ gmail.com. This will be a tight turnaround for signups–about a week–so get in quick if you’re interested!

Click here to sign up!