#one piece daemon au

[setaripendragon]

One Piece Daemon AU - Sanji

So yeah, this is why I was thinking so much about daemons. I wasn't actually planning to write anything in this 'verse, I just wanted to think about what everyone's daemons would be, but then I started thinking abbout how and when they settled, and I thought about Sanji and all his trauma and I thought 'huh, okay, how would having a daemon make it worse?' And then I wrote this.

Ever since Sanji can remember, he’s always been weaker than his brothers. At this point, it’s not a surprise, but it never stops hurting. He can’t run as far or as fast as they do, he can’t take a hit like they do, he can’t fight as well or for as long as they do. He can’t send his daemon as far away as they can.

Every day, Father makes them practice. Every day, Ichiju, Niju, and Yonju diseappear over the horizon as birds or fish or flying insects. Every day, Sanji throws himself into the ocean after Sanju before she’s even reached the next snail-ship.

And every day, he lasts a few seconds less before the pain becomes unbearable.

He cries to Mama about it often. She clucks her tongue at him and wipes his tears from his cheeks with her thumbs, and then pinches his cheeks with a smile. “There’s nothing wrong with you,” she tells him firmly.

“But,” Sanji sniffles, “everyone else can do it. Even you.” He knows this because Voltaire often comes to sit with him when he’s hiding in his room, and maybe it’s not over-the-horizon far from Mama’s room in the infirmary, but it’s still all the way on the other side of the flagship, and Sanji and Sanju can’t manage even a fraction of that.

For a moment, Mama’s smile takes on a strangely sharp edge. “I didn’t used to,” she tells him softly.

“Besides,” Voltaire adds, voice gone wicked as he eels up Sora’s arm so he can stage-whisper into Sanji’s ear, “have you ever seen Legata go all that far from Judge’s side?” Sanji twists his head around to stare at him, utterly agog at the notion that Judge might be anything less than terrifyingly capable at anything and everything. Voltaire just cocks his head in challenge, mottled dark brown skin glistening under the harsh lights of the infirmary.

“Of course Father can do it!” Sanju protests, daring to uncurl from the little ball of pale pink shell she’s made of herself in Sanji’s lap.

“Whether he can or not,” Mama says, reaching up to smooth Sanji’s hair down and trying to tuck his fringe behind his ear, “doesn’t mean you have to. You’re perfect just as you are, baby.” His hair falls back in front of his eye, and he puffs a little laugh that makes Mama grin at him.

Sanji’s smile falls, though, the moment of humour not enough to distract him from his worries. “We keep getting worse, though,” he complains.

Mama closes her eyes, takes a breath, and then leans in and kisses Sanji on the top of his head, before bundling him up and onto her lap. Sanju squeaks and turns into a squirrel to scramble up Sanji’s shirt and onto his shoulder, to avoid any risk of getting squashed between them. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to keep your heart close,” she tells him, cuddling him aggressively, “all snug and safe, like this!”

Sanji laughs outright, and hugs her back as best he can.

---

He remembers her words, later, when he’s on that godforsaken rock. He and Sanju try again, to get more than a handful of feet away from each other, to reach the ocean, to find food. They don’t manage. He lies there on the barren rock with Sanju a quivering bundle of fur in his arms, sobbing with a desperation that still hasn’t managed to overcome the vice that clamps down around his chest any time she gets too far away from him.

His mother was wrong. She was wrong, he’s weak, and he’s going to die because he’s too needy and pathetic, just like Father said. “I don’t want to,” Sanju cries into his chest, butting her head up against his chin and whimpering. “Don’t make me, I don’t want to-!”

“We won’t,” Sanji says, determinedly. “There’s somewhere else we can get food around here.”

Except there isn’t. All he finds on the other side of the island is a bag of things he can’t eat and an old man who ate his own leg because he’d already given Sanji all the food. Sanji, who’d been willing to take even more food from him, just to feed himself.

The horror is almost entirely self-directed.

He goes back to his side of the island and thinks. His father was wrong. It isn’t just that Sanji isn’t capable of being what his father wanted, but he doesn’t want to be the sort of person who would hurt other people and take what they have just because he wants it. He doesn’t like the person hunger turns him into.

But that doesn’t mean Mama was right. Being weak and needy and depending on other’s kindness without giving anything back is just as selfish as taking things they didn’t offer. Sometimes, there is something wrong with keeping your heart close, when tearing off a piece of yourself can save someone else.

He looks at Sanju, and Sanju looks back, long ears twitching. “Okay,” she says quietly, and turns to the edge of the island again. She bounds off the edge, shifting into a mottled black and grey bird with a hooked beak as she goes.

It twinges in his chest almost immediately after she drops out of sight. Lurches, clenches, aches. He grits his teeth, screws his eyes shut, clenches his fists against the rock, and holds himself tense and still as it strains and hurts and tears. They can do this. They can.

It’s not as hard as cutting his own leg off.

A whimper slips out of his throat despite his best efforts.

Then a sob.

A cry.

A scream.

He thinks, if he’d had anything at all in his stomach, he’d have thrown up. His throat is convulsing like it’s thinking about trying anyway. There are hands on him, grabbing him roughly, shaking him, and Sanji’s in too much pain to think rationally. He cries and begs and apologises again and again. He’ll do better next time, he will, he promises! It hurts but he can put up with it, he can be strong, he can.

The hands turn gentle.

The pain fades.

The person holding him gasps.

Sanji picks up his head from a very bony shoulder, and sees Sanju perched awkwardly on one of the strange lumpy rocks that litter this island, a thin little silver fish clasped in her beak. She hops closer, and drops it on the stone beside the old man’s severed leg, where it wiggles uselessly in its death throes.

“Fucking hell, kid,” the old man grumbles, but he takes the fish.

And then tears it in half and offers one half to Sanji!

Sanji is too hungry to refuse, but it steels his resolve – their resolve – and Sanju takes flight again, diving back down to the ocean. It hurts just as bad as the first time, and Sanji only avoids throwing the fish right back up again by sheer desperation. And maybe, a little bit, because the old man holds him tucked against his bony ribcage and lets him sob into his shoulder without a word of complaint

In fact, his daemon leans over his shoulder and huffs at Sanji’s head with enough force that it ruffles his hair and almost feels like a caress. She’s so big, and even as worn thin as she is, with her person so close to death, she still radiates warmth. Sanji doesn’t know if it’s real warmth or soul-warmth, but either way, it doesn’t matter. Especially not when she’s crooning comforting nonsense and unfamiliar lullabies at him in her low, rich voice. It sounds nothing like Mama, but it reminds him of her a little bit anyway.

---

They find their feet at the Baratie. They find a purpose that fits them, that they can achieve, and while he’s a demanding teacher, Zeff never asks more of them than they can give. It’s freeing in a way Sanji has never known before, and Sanju takes to trying bigger and bigger shapes with bright-eyed mischief. Or sometimes, with teeth-bared snarling, when the customers decide to be assholes. Sanji is well past the days that he’d take that kind of shit lying down. No, these days he snarls back, and kicks heads in when the snarling doesn’t warn the bastards off, just like Zeff taught him.

These days, though, most daemons will cower in front of Sanju’s bared teeth, whether she’s a wolf or a lioness or a bear, and their people will back away from a teenager with a daemon that big. Sanji almost mourns those opportunities to start a fight, but he supposes Zeff must appreciate the lack of repair bills.

When they head back into the kitchen, Sanju usually turns back into something small, just to keep out of the way of the bustling and busy cooks. Or, at least, smaller. Neither of them are all that comfortable making themselves too small anymore; it leaves an unpleasant taste on the back of their tongue. Lately she’s been draping herself over his shoulders as some kind of rosetted cat.

So when she doesn’t leap up onto his back as they shove through the doors into the kitchen, a napkin pressed to the gash a customer managed to open up across his cheek, Sanji notices. When she dodges out of the way of a hollering Carne instead of changing to something smaller, she notices, too. They pause to stare at each other.

She’s still a cat, large and lithe and elegant, covered in spots, with a dark mantle over her neck and shoulders that turns into three dark stripes down along her spine. There are two dark tear-trails either side of her muzzle, too, and she blinks large amber eyes up at him. Sanji can’t help but smile, because she’s beautiful. A purr rumbles up in her throat, and she head-butts him in the stomach, letting him card his fingers into the lengthening fur at the back of her neck.

It feels… oddly vindicating, that she’s settled into such a fierce daemon, even if a part of him wishes he didn’t care about that anymore. All his childhood, everyone except his mother had mocked and scorned the way Sanju prefered smaller forms, and now look at her.

Not everyone else is as happy as they are at her settled form, however. It only takes a few days for it to become an issue.

“Get your fucking daemon out of the way!” Patty shrieks, sprawled out across a counter in his efforts to save the tray he was carrying when he stumbled trying not to trip directly over Sanju. She’s pressed flat against the back of Sanji’s legs, hissing back at Patty.

“She was out of the way!” Sanji snaps back, hands not pausing in their work chopping up a whole pile of vegetables. “Don’t blame her because you weren’t looking where you were fucking going!”

“I shouldn’t have to be keeping an eye out for rogue daemons! She should be in the cubby with all the other large daemons!” Patty scolds, shaking a fist at Sanji, who recoils, knife stilling.

He’s not wrong, is the thing. The kitchen would be utterly unfunctional if everyone with a large daemon let them dog their heels the way Sanju does Sanji’s. So Zeff – admittedly one of the worst cases, Sulia is huge– had a side room built just off the kitchen to allow the daemons to stay near enough to their people without getting underfoot in the kitchen.

Sanji looks over at the open archway, where he can see Sulia’s tail fwaping irritably at the floor. It’s a good twenty feet away from the far side of the kitchen, and that’s… too far. Sanji can feel all his muscles winding tight just at the thought. Sanju presses even more firmly into his legs, and he looks down at her, swallowing. They should-

“Patty! If that soup goes cold because you were lollygagging, I’ll kick you overbaord!” Zeff roars, and Patty yelps and hurries off. Sanji goes back to his own chopping, not sure how he’s feeling, because he’s pretty sure the fact that Patty got scolded but he didn’t was Zeff’s way of coming down on Sanji’s side of that little argument, but he still feels like he shouldn’t be getting away with breaking the rules of the kitchen like that, when he could-

A peg-leg connects solidly with his hip, and he yelps out a startled curse. “Don’t even think about it, Li’l Eggplant,” Zeff growls as he stomps past, directing a glower down at Sanju, too. “I’ll have Sulia chase you out if you set one paw in that cubby, and she’s still bigger than you are.”

“Fine,” Sanji grouses, feigning irritation as if they both can’t hear Sanju purring up a storm.

For those who're interested, the daemons are: Sanji - King Cheetah Sora - Great Crested Newt Zeff - Pacific Walrus

[autisticaboutstufflol]

Writing my sabolaw daemon au fic,,,,, evilly rubs my hands together I love writing idiots falling in love while being oblivious,,,,

I LOVE GAY PEOPLE IT WILL BE PUBLISHED DURING PRIDE MONTH OR YOU CAN LEGALLY ATTACK ME I SWEAR

[to-a-merrier-world]

One Piece x Daemon AU

Straw Hat Pirates' Daemons

Luffy - Peregrine Falcon (separated by DF): Settling abnormally young—at only 7 years old when Shanks gave him his hat—Luffy’s daemon is associated with freedom, intuition, and bravery. The fastest bird in the world, these falcons are also associated with a number of gods, including the sun god Ra and the sky god Horus, and are sometimes considered king of the birds. Luffy’s daemon shape was heavily influenced by his Devil Fruit and the strength of his personal goals/dreams, since his own personality is already very open, honest, and straightforward (thus, he already bares his soul to the world, even without a daemon). The small size of his daemon also often leads others to underestimate him.

Zoro - Wolf-Dog: Is anyone surprised? Zoro’s daemon reveals his nature as a mix of wild animal and loyal pet. While dog daemons are associated with servitude, wolf daemons are neither docile nor friendly (to most strangers, at least). I found this mix of loyalty, wildness, ferocity, and an orientation towards pack/protection to be a good fit for Zoro. (Especially cause everyone calls him Luffy’s loyal attack dog anyway😛). (During the time skip, Zoro separated with his daemon under Mihawk’s instruction.)

Nami - Red Fox: Foxes have it all—associated with tricksters and hoarders, cuteness and sexiness, aggression and playfulness, Nami’s daemon works well with here, both when they’re trying to survive under Arlong and as Luffy’s navigator. While sometimes associated with thieves, foxes are also known as spirits who help those in need (and punish those who are arrogant). The fox is also sometimes depicted as a guide between worlds, perfect for a navigator.

Usopp - Great Horned Owl: Usopp is the only crew member whose daemon isn’t settled before joining. His daemon settles after Ennie’s Lobby, but prior to that, she often took the form of a cape hare. Associated with wisdom, intuition, self-actualization, and victory in battle, I chose an owl for Usopp in part b/c I wanted to relate and contrast him with Luffy (both birds of prey). I also chose an owl b/c of they’re “silent killers”—appropriate for a sniper! (During the time skip, Usopp would train to separate with his daemon, but ultimately only stretched their bond, unable to fully separate.)

Sanji - Slender Mongoose: This daemon is associated with boldness, rebellion, and resourcefulness, and they’re known for taking on predators that are much bigger and badder than them (look up the mongoose vs lion confrontation!). Mongoose are also considered a protector of gods, and can be very cooperative and family-oriented. I chose a mongoose in-part because of their unassuming, rodent-like appearance (and also for the mental image of Sanji cooking with his cute mongoose daemon hanging around his neck).

Chopper - Anna's Hummingbird (separated by DF): One of the only hummingbird species that sticks around during winter, this daemon is associated with luck, healing, life, and tenacity. Chopper’s daemon appeared after he ate his Devil Fruit (and gained a human soul), and settled after Hiriluk’s death. In part, I chose this hummingbird for its pink head and b/c it’d be really cute perched on Chopper’s antler.

Robin - Spotted Hyena (separated by DF): While they’re associated with evil, impurity, and stupidity, the hyena is actually an intelligent, nurturing, and courageous animal. Settling young, only a short year after her escape from Ohara, Robin’s daemon is a reflection of both who she is and who people believe her to be. Her daemon’s form was also taken for protection—for much of her life, Robin needed a daemon who could fight back when their backs were to a wall. Luckily, once she joins the Straw Hats, she and her daemon finally find the family group they’ve been looking for, where their kindness can flourish.

Franky - Painted Dog: Franky is by no means the type to have a domesticated dog daemon, but as someone who is family-oriented, friendly, and playful (and tough as hell), a wild painted dog is a good fit. After being hit by the sea train, Franky’s daemon ended up heavily scarred, giving her a fierce look.

Brook - White Satin Moth (separated by DF): With delicate, all-white wings, these moths are often seen as symbols of loved ones visiting from the afterlife. Prior to their death, though, Brook’s daemon was a mourning dove, chosen both for the symbolism of death/mourning and because they have my favorite bird call. Imagine the duets when they were alive…

Bonus (under Read more): Ace, Sabo, Shanks, & Law! Plus, some world-building thoughts:

Ace - Lion (separated by DF): While a large, threatening predator, lions are also one of the few big cats that typically live in family groups. Ace’s daemon took this form both as a form of defense, as well as misdirection—they deeply crave family, connection, and acceptance, but can be held back by their own anger and distrust. Lions are associated with royalty, but are not associated with pirates the way bird daemons are.

Sabo - Caracal: Associated with being protectors of gods, I mostly chose a caracal for their unique jumping (reminded me of Sabo’s fighting style) and the cute ears. Both he and Ace have individualistic/loner personalities that lend them towards cat daemons, but unlike Ace, Sabo is less concerned with a family connection. Caracals are associated with both hunting and protection. (Also, I can definitely see Sabo’s daemon playing with Luffy’s by jumping to catch them^^)

Shanks - Raven (separated): One of the smartest birds around, ravens are often known as harbingers of death and doom. They are also known to communicate with other ravens about who friends and foes are, and will be friendly or hostile accordingly. Shanks and his daemon separated the traditional way, by purposeful stretching of the bond until it broke.

Law - Black-footed Cat (separated by DF): I know, I know, everyone gives him a snow leopard, which I respect, but!! This cat is the deadliest wild cat in the world with the highest kill count. Deceptively small and cute, they are known for their tenacity, bravery, and ferocity. For Law, I wanted to highlight his upbringing as the child of 2 doctors & his connection to Cora—he had a normal childhood, before everything fell apart, but his experiences surviving in Flevance and with Cora led him to a smaller, quieter daemon that wouldn’t draw attention. Also, while fierce and dangerous, Law can still be quite cute, imo🥰. And with such a small/non-threatening looking daemon, Law would tend towards hiding them, making himself appear more threatening (as people are naturally off-put by a lack of daemon).

World-building:

When a person eats a Devil Fruit, the power also applies to their daemon. (Ex: When Bon Clay mimics someone's face, his daemon can also mimic their daemon.)

When a person eats a Devil Fruit, they and their daemon are separated. Unlike the traditional and artificial methods of stretching and separating from one’s daemon, Devil Fruit separation is largely painless.

Daemons can use haki, but it is very difficult, requiring training.

It's highly stigmatized in most of the world for daemons of strangers to touch, including in fights. Pirates' daemons, however, are often seen fighting each other. However, even among pirates, it's taboo to touch another's daemon without permission.

Bird daemons are stigmatized due to their association with piracy during the pirate era (Gol Roger's daemon was a golden eagle). (Each of the Straw Hats who have/had bird daemons do so because their dreams involve being a pirate specifically.)

All races in OP have externalized souls (ex: Minks have visible auras that can interact with each other. Fishmen/merpeople have sentient water—think Moana—that follows them or is kept in special jewelry.)

[lewiscarrolatemybrain]

I think when you eat a devil fruit it doesn’t sever you from your daemon or anything like that but it does stretch the distance you can travel from each other and also, more importantly, the daemon also gains the devil fruit power

I also think Ace’s daemon is a bird of some kind? Probably a crow. Which of course means that Ace is followed around by a crow that occasionally just catches on fire.

I also also think there’s a running gag among the Whitebeards where any time the crow is on fire the crew will pretend to mistake the crow for Marco

Marco is the only one not amused

[theshittymarimo]

Dreams and Daemons

Chapter 1: Luffy, Zoro, Sanji Fandom: One Piece Summary: Introduction of Meggy, Sora and Mimi. Words: 1 851 Prologue - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4

Monkey D. Luffy - MEGGY, Ring-tailed Lemur

"Family, Play, Happiness. Lemur people are very focused on family and friends, food, tradition, and enjoying the simpler things in life. They tend to be charismatic, unique, spirited individuals. They also have a great sense of fun and are often considered eccentric, living in their own world (and happily so)." - “Dæmons Unveiled: Navigating the Bonds of this World”, Filipe Haulman

Initially, Zoro had spotted the black-haired boy from atop the wall and attempted to scare him off. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when the little girl from the town came back, and the idiot son of a navy officer stomped on the first food Zoro had seen in a long while before callously ordering the girl to be thrown over the wall. Zoro found himself silently hoping that she was all right when he noticed the boy from earlier now standing in front of him, and this time he saw his daemon. The first thing to catch Zoro’s attention was the long black and white striped tail wrapped around the boy’s stomach and neck. For a moment, he mistook it for a snake, but swiftly realized his mistake as a small face with golden eyes, framed by black fur, emerged just centimetres from his own. Zoro had never seen such an animal, nor a daemon. A deamon who seemed to ignore all societal norms by climbing onto his shoulders, sniffing curiously at the ropes binding his arms to the cross. “Oi!” Zoro’s daemon, Sora, growled indignantly and with surprise from beside him as the unfamiliar daemon touched Zoro. Despite the almost paralyzing hunger they both felt, Sora stood up but hesitated – technically, Zoro wasn’t touching the daemon; the daemon was touching him. But such a thing was unheard of. The boy in front of them laughed happily, looking relaxed with his arms crossed. “They say you’re a bad guy”, the unfamiliar daemon suddenly spoke to him from her perch on his arm. Zoro looked at the daemon disbelievingly, who tilted her head slightly when he didn’t respond. “… You still here?” Zoro redirected his attention to the boy; he wasn’t comfortable talking with someone else’s daemon. He could almost hear the daemon pout next to his ear. There was something strange about the boy, and not just his daemon, who later introduced themselves as Luffy and Meggy. Zoro wasn’t usually the one for conversation, even among those he might possibly call friends. Yet, Luffy managed to coax Zoro into sharing his dream, much to Sora’s surprise, as Zoro found himself speaking more than he had in a long time. Luffy didn’t laugh at him; instead, his daemon, Meggy, seemed to shiver with excitement. However, Luffy did blackmail Zoro into joining his crew with Zoro’s own katanas, which Luffy had gotten from the base. It was ridiculous - a grinning boy, probably younger than him, with his strange black and white daemon perched atop his hat. Yet, when Zoro threatened that he would make him commit seppuku if he ever got into his way, Luffy just grinned and said he expected no less. Zoro could feel a kindred spirit in that grin and smirked back. Though he hadn’t anticipated Luffy being made of rubber. Nevertheless, he seemed strong, Zoro noted as he observed his new captain fight Morgan. If you could even call it a fight as he was clearly stronger than the marine. “She’s fighting too”, Sora murmured to him. Zoro blinked down at her in surprise, then looked up to see what she meant. Normally, daemons only fought each other, and stayed out of the human’s fights to avoid touching other people. But Meggy was darting around, distracting Morgan and using her tail to unbalance him despite the marine’s daemon chasing after her, touching him without reservation. There was something very strange about them. Later, at the restaurant in town, after Zoro had finally eaten his fill (though Luffy still managed to eat more than him), he got to know what kind of animal Meggy was. She was a ring-tailed lemur, some strange sort of monkey, or so they claimed. Despite his skepticism, Sora insisted it must be real, as Meggy was living proof.

Roronoa Zoro - SORA, Bengal tiger

"Independence, strength, beauty. Tiger people tend to be confident, powerful people that need space, enjoy solitude, and revere silence. Tiger medicine teaches ferocity, passion, sensuality, and physical grounding. The tiger is a symbol of power, physical strength, and indulgence."      - “Dæmons Unveiled: Navigating the Bonds of this World”, Filipe Haulman  

Chopper had to admit that the one he feared most on the ship was Zoro and his daemon. Chopper was still new to the crew and didn’t have a daemon. He never had one, probably because he was a reindeer from the beginning; it was the one thing the devil fruit hadn’t been able to give him. However, the daemons on the crew were so friendly and kind to him, accepting him like he was one of them, even though he wasn’t a daemon. So, he felt very close and similar to them. But Sora was just terrifying - those huge teeth and sharp claws made him shudder at the mere thought of them. Though he hadn’t seen her in action yet, she and Zoro mostly seemed to lay around and sleep. But a tiger was a dangerous animal; he had read about them, very powerful and independent. Still … he was on Luffy’s crew; that had to mean something. Chopper peeked over his shoulder and saw Zoro leaning back on Sora, both of them sleeping on the deck. Suddenly, Sora yawned, showing all those large canines, which looked very dangerous. Chopper gulped. “You looking at Zoro?” Luffy’s voice suddenly spoke up from behind him, making him jump. “Or wait, is it Sora?” “Ah, no, I mean, yes”, Chopper stumbled over his words. Though Luffy and Meggy had been incredibly kind to him, he didn’t want to make a mistake. “She just looks so… And Zoro is …” “Scary?” Meggy grinned, while Luffy looked confused that anyone could ever think that. “Don’t worry, they’re big softies!” If they said so… But still, Chopper couldn’t quite believe it. Until they were in Alabasta, walking in the desert. Chopper was nearly dying, or at least it certainly felt like it, from the heat. The other daemons must have felt the same; Meggy had been collapsed on Luffy’s back for a long while after the first excitement, but Chopper had checked that she was still breathing. When Chopper wasn’t able to walk anymore, he suddenly felt someone grab the back of his clothes and lift him up. He almost yelped, but when he looked up, he barely managed to keep the sound in. Sora was holding him in her mouth; it must’ve been heavy. But she held him and walked up to Zoro, who looked down and grunted before taking over and helping Chopper. Chopper hadn’t even needed to say a word, and surely Sora needed Zoro’s help more - after all, no one else could touch and help her. “Are you sure..?” Chopper mumbled in embarrassment as Sora walked next to them. “What?” Sora said, a bit annoyed, but Chopper guessed they were all a bit annoyed because of the heat. “Don’t be dumb. I’m fine.” Chopper glanced at her and saw that she was panting, her long tongue lolling out. She didn’t look very fine and would probably not like to know how much she looked like Luffy in that moment. Chopper managed to keep in the giggle only because it was too hot to giggle. He felt a lot more comfortable with them after that.

Sanji - MIMI, Mountain goat

"Fearlessness, high ambitions, curiosity, intuition. Sensuality, determination, health and vitality. Goats have a reputation for having great dignity and composed behavior. Goat people are good at maintaining their balance. Whether climbing a narrow mountain ledge of challenges or walking a calm wooded path, they have sure-footed determination. They take life one moment, one step at a time. As a Goat person they instinctively know when and whom to trust. Even when the ground may look very uncertain or dangerous, they proceed cautiously, yet confidently." - “Dæmons Unveiled: Navigating the Bonds of this World”, Filipe Haulman

During Sanji’s childhood, his daemon had been just another failure to his family. His siblings’ daemons had already achieved their final forms from a young age. But Sanji’s daemon, Mimi, kept changing. Most of the time, she preferred to take the form of a mouse so she could hide in one of his pockets. A mouse. His father called it useless. Sometimes she changed into the bird his mother’s daemon was, but mostly she remained something small so she could run and hide from his brothers’ daemons, who liked to pick on her just as his brothers did to him. Sanji sometimes felt jealous of her; he wanted to be able hide too. However, when they ran away from home, Mimi slowly started to take on bigger forms as they grew more comfortable. Though the mouse shape came in handy during their weeks on the island. A mouse didn’t need a lot of food. It wasn’t until the late teenage years that Mimi finally found her final form. It was a bit embarrassing. Zeff’s daemon was a brown-red goat, and lately Mimi had become fond of taking the shape of a large white goat. The other chefs teased Sanji relentlessly, claiming he wanted to be like Zeff since they were both goat people. Sanji found them annoying, and one day during a long stint of washing the dishes and enduring their teasing and laughter, he asked Mimi if she could change into something else. “No?” Mimi looked at him with a confused look in her comforting golden eyes. “Just for the moment, please?” Sanji hissed lowly so the others wouldn’t hear him. “But I can’t change”, Mimi stated plainly and sat down on her bum, she looked ridiculous. “I haven’t been able to for a while.” Sanji blinked, and the kitchen suddenly fell silent as the others had heard her too. They all stared at the goat daemon, who sat there looking as if it wasn’t something special. “You what?!” The kitchen suddenly exploded into laughter. Sanji asked her why she hadn’t told him earlier, and she answered that she thought he had noticed. If he wasn’t so hell-bent on not kicking ladies, he would’ve kicked her then and there. The teasing didn’t get any better; the others even baked a cake in the shape of a white goat. Sanji would deny forever that he felt a bit warm from that cake. He hadn’t even considered the possibility that someone would celebrate that. Zeff just huffed.

Notes: I knew that I wanted to give Luffy a monkey. I wanted it to be a happy smaller monkey and at first I thought of a squirrel monkey. But soon I recalled the ring-tailed lemur, so I looked up some symbolism behind the animal and it was perfect for Luffy. That's all he love; food, his family and crew, and having fun. The name Meggy come from I wanted to have a similar short simple name as Luffy, ending in y, for her. Zoro have been a tiger since the start, classic but yet so right. I wanted her to have a short similar sounding name to Zoro, and I could only find Sora that satisfied me. I realized later that Sanji's mom had that name. But let's say that there was a couple of uncomfortable weeks there in the beginning before Sanji got used to her name. Sanji's mountain goat is also an animal that I had for him from the start. I wanted her to be female and have horns, so I was specific in the search for a goat that had horns. His "family" had a tradition of letting the children give their daemons their names when they found their final forms, Sanji's brothers all gave their daemons harsh masculine names. Sanji was a "late bloomer" and called his daemon the name Mimi, a cute-sy name, that was supposed to be temporary. But in the end Mimi liked her name and Sanji didn't feel it was right to change it. Fun fact: Sanji and Mimi's party trick is when Sanji straighten up one leg into the air, and Mimi jumps up to stand on the sole of his shoe. Sanji loves to impress the ladies and Mimi loves to show off.

[thisisallthehattersfault]

Thinking about. Daemon AU. Thinking about Jimbei having some kind of amphibian (Chinese Giant Salamander?) and it having to try and drag Luffy's monkey daemon off Marineford while Jimbei carried Luffy.

Thinking about the daemons being too slow, and Jimbei having no choice but to pick Luffy's daemon up in order to get them out of there.

Jimbei is ashamed! He has compounded an already traumatic event for Luffy by trespassing against him in a way that can never be apologized or atoned for. He tries so so hard to stay distant and respectful when they meet again, and Luffy hasn't ever brought it up but he's also keeping physical distance so Jimbei assumes he has graciously been forgiven but also that Luffy doesn't feel comfortable putting his daemon in Jimbei's touching range, which does sting -- he would never have done so outside of such extenuating circumstances -- but he can't fault Luffy for his caution.

Then Jimbei gives Luffy a blood transfusion, and as they're both laying there Luffy's monkey crawls over and climbs right up onto Jimbei's chest to curl into a little ball over the scar he got saving them both. As the crowd of gathered fishfolk start absolutely losing their collective minds, Jimbei just goes "Ah. I see." And puts a comforting hand on the monkey's back.

[sabraeal]

Have you ever written any collaborative fanfic with another author? I think you'd be incredibly fun to work with!

I have indeed, though right now it's mostly just bits and pieces of an AU. Me and @bubblesthemonsterartist both write this Concubine AU series, which was originally inspired by @onedivinemisfit 's artwork. Though half the time I feel like that's cheating because part of both mine and Joanna's writing process is "yell in DMs at each other until it's kinda like an outline" and then go off and write. Only this time we wrote different parts of the same thing instead of different things entirely 🤣I did something similar with both the Obi-Works-For-Izana AU with @krispy-kream, and then also the Shirayuki Sedai AU with both Sharon and @claudeng80.

Otherwise I don't think I've done a typical author collaboration-- An Economy of Suffering was just a happy accident, where I wrote something that haunted Joanna so much she had to write a fic, and then those haunted @another-miracle so much SHE had to write her OWN fic, and then we put them all together on AO3.

[z-nightshade]

Was rereading Echoes by @echoingonepiece (it’s really good, you should read it) and thinking about a daemon au for An Oracle’s Odyssey

And then I was struck with the realization that if Cass had a daemon, the bond would probably get severed on account of them, ya know, dying

And now I’m caught between writing it for the angst but also, do I want to do that to my baby?

It also makes me wonder what would happen if a daemon got severed before they settled. Could they even settle anymore?

On a happier note, Cass and Luffy are definitely the type of bitches to touch each other’s daemon. Both on accident and on purpose

[acaciapines]

man does anybody remember when i making a deltarune daemon au fangame....started that like a WEEK AND A HALF before chapter two came out and i proceeded to write hundreds of thousands of words of deltarune fic in like one year <3 as one does.

replaying what i made of it now and it is SO WEIRD to see this old version of kris njgkdfg my kris is so so so different.

but!!! i AM stealing bits and pieces of it for the dess raises kris au :333 i had a really fun player-mechanic n they are coming along for the ride <3

[dreammfyre]

wedding celebration ⋆ jacaerys velaryon

SUMMARY. You are the only Rhaenyra and Harwin’s daughter. Jacaerys is your brother, but is engaged to Baela Targaryen and this is the celebration of their wedding announcement.

WARNINGS. +18. Targaryen incest, rude Jacaerys, AU (no Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenyra is the Queen of Seven Kingdoms.)

The engagement celebration was overwhelming and exhausting for you. The queen did not skimp on the grandeur of the event, a dinner full of variety and fresh delicacies, fruits, desserts, large platters of roasted meats that they tore to shreds leaving only the bones. All to celebrate in grand style the marriage of her first son with the daughter of Daemon Targaryen.

For you it was being a bore, sitting next to your brother Lucerys Velaryon who was talking with Rhaena Targaryen. Everyone was enjoying the dragon riders, while you just wanted to escape from the hall where the music, the shouting and the applause made it impossible to have a conversation. Sitting down you played with the food left on your plate, moving your fork side to side without purpose in that place, no one spoke to you, and when they did it was to talk about the couple of the moment. You were trying to get your mother's attention sitting next to Daemon, but she was too busy attending to everyone, always smiling and raising her glass to Jacaerys and Baela to look at you. On your other side, your little brother, Joffrey, was trying to convince you to dance a piece, but you refused for shame of falling down in the attempt.

You watched your brother Jacaerys laugh whispering in his betrothed's ear. But when he looked at you you looked away immediately. You felt your face hot with embarrassment at being discovered, but deep down you didn't mind being unwelcome.

A knight of House Lannister approached the table you shared with your family to ask if you wished to dance with him. Distressed to answer, you looked at your mother pleading for help, but Rhaenyra forced you to stand up for the first time since the event began and do some socializing, something you find very difficult to do.

It was awkward throughout, he just showed you off like a trophy and never looked you in the eye you felt like the song went on for hours. You went round and round, when he touched you a little rejection won you over and you ended up taking a step back. Your smell of alcohol gave you away as did your clumsy and uncoordinated movements. A few meters away, Prince Jacaerys noticed the situation, attentive if his sister needed help. He didn't like to see you with other men, they didn't know how to treat you and that was further proof, he noticed you uncomfortable looking at the exit constantly touching your waist too long. He took the opportunity to get close to your face, he didn't listen to what you were saying but from your facial expression he didn't need to know.

"Is something wrong?" asked Baela noticing that her fiancé was too distracted. Jacaerys immediately denied without arousing suspicion, but without ceasing to be attentive to the situation assuming that he was just behaving like an older brother protecting his sister.

While you continued to dance the extensive choreography you exchanged glances with your brother. None of them looked down, Jacaerys' tense jaw reflected his annoyance.

"You look especially beautiful tonight, my princess," said the blond-haired gentleman, gaining your attention. "The red brings out your look."

Without realizing it, you smiled. It was the first time anyone had complimented your dress that you designed, until the wine glass your escort was holding spilled on you when another gentleman accidentally pushed it. You let out a small scream as you felt the liquid on your skin, the fabric absorbed all the alcohol ruining the golden color of the embroidery.

"Gods." You whispered annoyed looking at the mess you brought on yourself. You looked at the queen who stood attentive to you, Jacaerys stopped suddenly leaving Baela dancing alone by her side who in the happiness of her engagement was not attentive to her guests. "My dress…"

"My princess, I am sorry. I didn't mean to." Said the knight wiping a cloth across your torso, drying a few drops of wine.

"Don't touch me!" You exclaimed when his fingers brushed your chest, an unpleasant and invasive sensation. People turned at your shout and at all that attention you ran, finally escaping the room amidst malicious whispers that were sure to become controversial by tomorrow.

Locked yourself in your room staring at the reflection of the stain I had left on you, cursing yourself for agreeing to leave your safe place in the chair next to your mother and now your favorite dress was ruined. Your fingertips had also turned crimson and you reeked of alcohol.

Not even a minute passed when there was a loud knock on your door, startling you by the unexpected. You approached taking a deep breath so as not to sound distressed or upset.

"I'm fine, mother. I'd rather stay and rest." You said, complimenting yourself for sounding so convincing.

"Let me through." You opened your eyes when Jacaerys' voice was heard on the other side. You immediately opened the door and your brother entered your quarters, which he knew by heart, and hurriedly closed the door before a guard discovered them. You didn't reach to say anything when he rushed to ask. "Did he do something to you?"

"What are you doing here, idiot? You're the fucking groom."

"Did he touch you?" he kept asking, looking at you intently, scaring you. "Damn it. Answer me, did he dare offend you?"

"Balea must be worried about you, must go back." You raised your voice, annoyed by your brother's recklessness. "Her Majesty must be asking about you and I don't think Daemon would be amused if you left his daughter alone in the middle of the celebration."

"Let them ask whatever they want, you know I care little for them and they'll have a hard time finding me."

"Don't tell me lies. You're the heir, all eyes are on you now, it's only natural that you care about your reputation." You said turning your back on him, you weren't angry, you were just being realistic. You didn't want him to look at you. "You need to go back, Jace, your fiancée is probably looking for you around the castle and she's not going to want to find you here."

"You think I want this for myself?" his question sent chills down your spine, Jacaerys' tone sounded hurt. "You must understand what it means to do the duty of our position."

Damn. You thought. That conversation again.

"Do you really want to talk about this right now?"

You heard his footsteps, the right thing to do was for him to leave you alone, but his hands came to rest on your shoulders. An intense sensation ran up your neck as his breath hit your cold skin. His pointed nose touched your back awkwardly moving unsure of his decisions, hands shifted to your waist clinging tightly without letting go. You couldn't control yourself, Jacaerys was yours, you hated to see him with another lady.

"Jace." You whispered with your eyes closed. You wanted to say with all your might that it wasn't right, but the warmth of his breath and his fingers touching yours was so much better.

"Just shut up, can you?" He ordered plaintiff. "And don't call me a liar, that makes me mad, you know it."

Listening to him angry you loved it, he was always so correct but when they were alone you couldn't control it.

You could fall into his arms easily, he had the demanding tone you need to hear. You turned around looking for his mouth desperate to kiss him, to reaffirm that he has been yours forever. His wet lips with yours knew each other perfectly, you were not new to this nor had you spoken of leaving him. Jacaerys took your neck with his hand squeezing gently, but enough to know he didn't want you to move. His tongue entered your mouth invading your space, desperate for your touch he cupped your cheek. You ran your hand through his long hair, tangling your fingers in his curls pulling them pulling his body closer to yours.

"Do you want to do it now?" he growled between your lips without letting go of your waist. You nodded without hesitation forgetting the fear of being discovered, you were so needy and only he could help you. "Gods, you're such a good sister."

Between wet kisses and ragged breaths they reached your bed which was perfectly tidy. His suit with the symbol of House Targaryen stood out on his chest, he sat on the edge waiting for you to sit on it, when you did he kissed your bare neck leaving marks that he cared little if they showed later, he wanted to mark you, that no one would look at you, but the idea that you were desired by the knights he always liked because he could have you while the others only desired you.

"That idiot won't bother you again." He muttered with difficulty, but convinced to keep his word for you. "Vermax will turn it to ashes."

You were so wet that any touch was going to make you scream in orgasm. Jacaerys was your first man and you didn't want anyone to be your second. The first time Jacaerys was gentle and soft with you, but the more they repeated it, hidden from the eyes and ears of others, you experienced more things that pleased both. Your favorite place was the bed, you could do many things there and get into various positions that made you feel more of him.

"We don't have much time, darling." Said the boy tucking a strand of your long hair behind your ear. "We can save that for another day."

In a hurry and a little clumsy, you pulled up the long skirt of your dress just enough to be exposed above it, none of you were naked, you could imagine that the celebration had not stopped in the absence of the prince nor yours. Jacaerys also settled down below you without taking his eyes off you at any time, thinking that he did not want any maiden, however pure and elegant. That wasn't the first time time time had worked against them, but the adrenaline rush was unique, like riding dragons. The sex felt much better though.

"Come here." He commanded with dilated pupils, tired and anxious from so much waiting to feel you. His hot member brushed against your wet entrance unleashing an intense sensation that made you moan but without opening your mouth. Jacaerys' hands slipped under your dress while you didn't let go of his shoulders so you wouldn't lose your balance, your knees bent on the mattress giving you comfort and the prince sitting under you, watching your every expression.

"You don't know how much I was looking forward to having you again." You said panting, your skin beginning to flush from the heat emanating from your bodies. "Promise you won't leave me." You said taking her face in your hands, desperate for the rubbing between your legs. "Get fucking married, but you'll keep coming back to me."

When he entered you let out a sweet moan that you tried to hide by covering your mouth. Jacaerys threw his head back taking a moment to accommodate you, you were so wet he slid in easily reaching your bottom in a matter of seconds. You squeezed his shoulder reflexively and he smiled when he heard you moan.

"Look at me." He commanded taking in your hot face, you found it hard to concentrate feeling him so deep inside you, but you looked into his eyes. "I will always come back to you." Replied.

And that was what you needed to hear.

You moved up and down slowly, Jacaerys moans giving you more pleasure from the movements and the feeling between your legs. The prince closed his eyes tensing his jaw holding his cum so fast, you kissed him biting his thick lips at the same time moaning louder.

You were clothed but it felt so good to feel his member rubbing against your walls that you just wanted to increase the speed. Jace enjoyed feeling you, with your hands he pulled down the front of your stained dress to let your breasts out. He took one between his big hands to squeeze it mercilessly, making you moan, you were very sensitive to any touch and your brother knows how to take you to the max.

"Jace." You gasped without stopping.

"Go on." He challenged you.

You listened to him, obviously. You were convinced that if at that moment Baela Targaryen entered you would not mind if she found you riding her future husband.

You felt him hard and hot, you watched him writhe with pleasure under your body, you kept moving until you couldn't hold back the urge to speak.

"Do you know what that man told me?" You asked pausing for a second, Jacaerys eyes opened still inside you, you caressed his open, swollen lips. "If I married him I was never going to be short of a good fuck."

The prince's expression changed completely, you knew what you had just done and you didn't regret it. He grabbed you by the waist and turned you over on the bed leaving you exposed to his desire and discomfort. He quickly pulled your dress up again entering you, this time without softness or gentleness that characterized him, you screamed forgetting that you should keep quiet to guard his secret, but he grabbed you so tightly and kept moving behind you.

"Do you like it like this?" he asked agitated, moving back and forth constantly, you were clinging to the sheets. You nodded unable to modulate a statement. "No one can touch you." He kept up the accelerated pace. You stuck your cheek to the mattress in pain but the sensation in your legs was growing, the friction was getting more and more delicious and rough, it was something new that you liked. Your brother's hands were marked on your skin, there was less and less time left to feel the orgasm. You wanted him to know what he was going to miss out on by marrying another woman.

"Jaca-Jacaerys." You tried to speak.

"A little more." He begged.

You couldn't stand the pressure growing under her belly any longer, your legs faltered and your chest couldn't expand any more. You stood there for a few seconds recomposing yourself, trying to get the air back into your hot agitated lungs. You turned to look at him, he looked exhausted, his skin red and curls in disarray. You had never felt his anger or jealousy over you.

You sat on the edge of your bed while he quietly adjusted his pants. Jacaerys looked at herself in the mirror, adjusting her hair, her suit, trying to conceal it. You didn't know whether to speak or remain silent.

"I'll go back to the celebration." He said without looking at you.

"It's okay." You whispered tidying the long skirt of the frayed dress. "I think so do I."

The prince turned with an expression of unpleasant surprise. "Are you serious?"

"Sure. I'm going to change this fucking dress first." You affirmed with an innocent smile. Your hair messy, your lips swollen and wet were still warm. "Congratulations for your wedding; brother." You scoffed.

Jacaerys grabbed your jaw hard stealing a long kiss that you didn't manage to escape. He looked at you disapprovingly. "You’re wicked."

[queers-gambit]

Not All That Glitters is Gold

prompt: during your engagement dinner, you learn from your fiancé's niece that he holds choice words about you. or finding out he calls you clingy behind your back.

pairing: Daemon Targaryen x female!reader

fandom masterlist: House of the Dragon

collection masterlist: Clingy Baby

word count: 3.1k+

warnings: cursing, draaaama, mild angst, AU timeline technically, hurt and comfort (reader don't play those games i guess), relationship angst, half edited.

His cloak was a shimmering beacon of golden glimmer even in the dark of night. It promoted an air of confidence and swagger, something independent from his usual cockiness. No, with that gold cloak, he walked as if the very air you all breathed was produced by him; being silent and domineering in his presence. It had been something you were initially attracted to, his alluring mystery and overwhelming stoic self-awareness.

He moved around the Throne Room like wings were gifted to his feet, carrying him with lithe movements to look as if gliding. All eyes were on him, whether out of admiration, jealousy, confusion, or lust - eyes followed him no matter where he went, no matter what he did, who he interacted with. You lifted the heavy gold goblet to your lips, taking a careful mouthful of wine before setting it down, swallowing, and standing from your seat at the banquet table.

You wanted your lover, so, you got up to satisfy your craving.

You approached him as he spoke to a pair of noblemen, slowing your gait to ease your arrival and not cause a surprise. Your dress was something a little more alluring, more revealing than you'd usually wear, and as you approached the men, the eyes not belonging to your new fiancé nearly bulged from their skulls.

Daemon turned his head and saw you, smirking as his arm opened and he welcomed you into his side. "I was beginning to wonder where you got off to," you told him softly, one arm around his hips as the other planted your hand against his chest. "The Aunties have descended and are becoming insufferable, I fear I needed reprieve."

Daemon grinned, sounding amused, "It was a matter of time before they found you. Stick with us, darling, the Aunties will stay away."

"They're about to serve dinner," you told him, "perhaps we should find our seats?"

He nodded, looking at the men he had been speaking to before you showed up. Daemon bid politely, offering no other explanation besides, "Excuse us, gentlemen."

They bowed out of their Prince's way, letting Daemon lead you toward the head banquet table (again) where his brother, King Viserys, was sitting with other prominent members of court. The night had been pleasant, everyone rejoicing in the upcoming nuptials between you and the Rogue Prince. For years, he'd been something chaotic and shunned; and after the passing of his first wife, Rhea Royce, he was like a kite cut from string. Loose and set adrift. Wild and out-of-reach. And then you came back into Daemon's life after not seeing one another since you were ten-and-six, and all of a sudden, the Rogue Prince was something more domesticated.

It was a refreshing change, albeit totally uncharacteristic for Daemon.

Viserys was the most shocked of them all, constantly praising you for whatever you had done to his brother to reel him into a controllable pace. He thought you and Daemon were perfect for one another, likened you two to fit-together puzzle pieces. The King had been more than happy to host the celebrations, starting with tonight, an engagement party! You had to play part of dutiful fiancé and upstanding citizen since you were to inherit a royal title; being poised and collected at all times with either a calm, passive expression or one of bright entertainment.

"Here, love," Daemon whispered, pulling your chair out for you. He waited until you were sat before taking his own seat, sighing when he glanced around the table only to settle his gaze on you.

"What's wrong, my Dragon?" You asked softly, leaning in to place your hand over his on his lap; pressed into his side despite the wooden chair arms between you.

"Just amusing," he mused, "most of these Lords and Ladies had much to say about my first marriage, and now, they break our bread to celebrate us."

"Cannot be the first time someone's tried to suck up to you," you chuckled, moving your conjoined hands in your lap. "The dragon does not concern himself with the opinion of the sheep," you advised smartly, "they only tolerate the sheep because one day, the dragon will need to feast - hmm?"

Daemon smirked, "When did you become so insightful, darling?"

"I've always been, you're just pussy-whipped now that I make a lot more sense."

He laughed, letting a servant pour your wine. In your ear, he mused, "Jest all you want, but you were meant to be a Targaryen. Once we are wed, I will plant my seed, and bind us together for eternity."

"Our marriage wouldn't doing exactly that already?"

"A child is more tangible - it's a bloodline."

You shrugged as a plate of blood-red lobster was set in front of you. Viserys truly went all out - giving a wide variety of foods to taste. "A marriage is for life, though," you countered.

"So is a child."

"Until they are married off."

Conversation continued, flowing easily between the family members and patrons of court. Viserys looked pleased, enjoying the celebration as his ailment often caused him grave pain and he could not attend events. He hardly had reason to smile, but when he watched you feed a bite to Daemon, he let his lips spread without thought. Queen Alicent clocked the King's expression, glancing at you and Daemon, then smiled fondly before reaching for her husband's hand.

Throughout the dinner, Rhaenyra watched you and Daemon with a bitter glare on her face; jaw locked and lips pursed. You ignored her obvious displeasure in favor of your husband, both too enraptured with one another to ever pay attention to the Princess' distain. When the meal was over, the dancing, mingling, drinking, and musical portion of the evening commenced.

And cake. Cake was to be served.

Daemon's golden cloak swept around guests as you both played dutiful host for your party, and mingled with those who arrived tonight to celebrate your upcoming nuptials. You did your best to keep up with the plethora of Lords and Ladies, like Daemon did so effortlessly, but it was a lot. You still held your own, but by Gods, there was a lot of people in attendance tonight and there was noway you could remember any names.

Thankfully, while Daemon was caught in a conversation with Ser Gerold Royce, you eventually made it to a small group of familiar faces: Princess Rhaenyra, Ser Harwin Strong, his brother, Larys, Lady Laena Velaryon, and her twin, Ser Laenor.

You graciously received the compliments, well-wishes, and joyful greetings of them all, but acutely noted the Princess did not offer even so much as a polite greeting. "This dress was made for you, it's just darling," Laena complimented, petting the bodice. "It must've cost a fortune."

"It was a gift from Daemon," you told her with a soft smile. "And the necklace, too! See?" You showed her, "He had it custom made, it's Valyrian Steel with embedded jewels."

"The perfect combination of your Houses, and a gorgeous piece of art to hang on such a gorgeous neck," she praised, but it was Princess Rhaenyra's scoff of annoyance that peaked your interest.

You thanked Laena Velaryon before eyeing Rhaenyra. "Princess?" You questioned. "If I may ask you something, plainly?"

"By all means."

"Have I... Upset you in anyway?"

"You mean beside my uncle spending the Crown's coin to buy you something exquisitely made; being a fleeting, lady interest of the Princes'? No, no, nothing's wrong," she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"What is this distain you hold towards me - towards my relationship with Daemon?" You demanded, the alcohol in your system spurring you on despite knowing the looming consequences of offering a member of the Royal family sharpened words.

"Truly? You wish to know why I do not fawn over you as others?"

"They do not fawn, oh - " You stopped yourself, sighing deeply and correcting yourself, "Of course I wish to know what the issue at hand here is, Princess, I do not wish for ill-will between us. I wish to resolve this."

"In truth, I simply do not understand it, this - this sham of a wedding," she snapped. "Daemon might buy you pretty things, but it's only out of guilt."

"What guilt could he possibly - "

"He finds you overwhelming, overbearing, suffocatingly clingy. So, with his distain, he, too, felt fleeting guilt - being why he showers you with gifts, it's for his own conscious. But if you ask me why I host such distain towards this union, it is because I know my uncle is not happy with your overwhelmingly clingy behavior. He's voiced his displeasure many-a-time. Not just to me, but to the King and Queen, as well."

You felt shell-shocked, acutely aware of the lingering eyes of the audience around you. You worried: how many of them had heard this rumor, how many secretly pitied you? Finding your voice, you managed to squeak out, "I beg your pardon?"

Rhaenyra only shrugged, "You asked, I answered."

"I see," you cleared your throat. "And your answer is that my betrothed has, what, started to slander my name behind my back?"

"Indeed. His chief complaint is how you seem to cling to him more and more, and he doesn't have the heart to push you away more than he already has. You're the one daft enough to not take a hint."

"And where do you get your information from?"

"Daemon, himself."

Your mind raced with all the little things: how Daemon would release your person during public events, avoid physical touch, ignore you sometimes, shut down your woes (call that gaslighting), how he stiffened at times you took his arm, how he seemed to shut down and only offer bored 'mmhms' when you spoke to him about your life. Your heart sank to your feet as you realized there were some truths to Rhaenyra's words.

You nodded slowly as Daemon chose that moment to approach your awkward group. His arm slithered around your waist, but you were silent as the grave and stiff as the corpse in said grave. Your mind raced with the idea that Rhaenyra could just be fucking with you, but the also with the idea that all she said was true.

"I'm going to retire for the evening, I've a headache," you told Daemon, finding an easy way out of his grip, "but you stay, enjoy the celebration. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am just tired."

He agreed and gently kissed you - sure to remain modest but still affectionate. "I'll visit you tonight," he muttered in your ear.

"No, I am truly tired," you told him softly but sternly. "We'll see each other tomorrow."

He hummed, "Then I shall walk you out - "

"No, you're needed here to save face. Go, mingle, play nice," you dismissed him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

You bid whoever you came across a good and safe night; thanking them for their attendance tonight. After thanking the King for hosting the party, you disappeared, taking a few secret passages to avoid the main hustle-and-bustle of the feast. When you arrived in your room, you slammed the door, bolted it, and leaned against it for a good long moment. Your mind was reeling with all kinds of thoughts regarding your intended, his niece, all of it suddenly feeling very overwhelming.

You were exhausted, so, you swiftly stripped, unpinned your hair, refused your maid's help, and soaked in a long, hot bath. After, you settled into bed with a book, and tried not to overwhelm yourself with the anxiety tomorrow would bring.

About an hour later, you heard Daemon knocking at your passage door. You paused, not making a sound, hearing his muffled voice, "Love? My love, are you awake?"

You didn't answer.

"Please, sweet girl, let me in," he begged quietly.

When you wrenched the door open, you seethed, "NO!"

"What - ?"

"I heard plenty tonight from your niece. In your moments of frustration, you know what? Sure, complain about your woes - but to find out you call me clingy when in regard to my affection - that's not something I'm going to be happy hearing, Daemon!"

"I know, but let me explain - "

"What? What will you say? That you just needed someone to talk to? To vent your feelings? I get that - I really do. But you fully offered slander to my name, to our relationship; to who I am as a partner. Your poisoned words of your irritation is soaked into your family, in the courts. And now, I must endure the pity those will offer knowing my husband truly holds distain for me!"

"No, you've got it wrong, I don't - "

"Then why!?" You demanded, voice cracking. "Why say those things? Why not come to me and communicate you're not comfortable with this and that behavior!? I won't know unless you tell me, so, instead of talking your shit to the courts and your family, why not just speak to me!?"

"I should have!" He admitted quickly. "I should have, I know that, and it was my mistake, my love. But I regret it, I regret feeling so, so - I don't know! Sure, let's call it frustrated, irritated, I don't care, I just needed it off my chest!"

"I understand that fully, but being as we're to marry one another, I should be the one listening to you when you need something off your chest. You should talk to me. And if I'm the one you need to speak about, choose more trustworthy confidants that do not need further reason to despise me!"

"What're you...? What? What does that mean?"

"Rhaenyra, Daemon! Your niece, Rhaenyra! Every-fucking-thing you've said to her, she remembers, and holds it against me! You forget, when you speak to family about the woes of your relationship, that's all they remember. You get to make up with me, we get to move on, but because you needed t'vent to them, that's what they can hold against me. Do you even wish to marry me, still!?"

"Of course, I do!"

"Then something needs to change," you deadpanned, exhausted by this. "I refuse to be belittled, spat on, and disrespected by your niece any longer."

"I will speak to her."

"Yes, you will! This is far too out of hand! She has weaponized your frustration to drive a wedge between us, and she chose a public event with an audience to lob it all at me!"

"What truly happened with Rhaenyra? What was so bad?"

"Daemon, she called me out for 'being clingy' in front of an audience! At our engagement celebration! Do you know how humiliating that was!? I'm more embarrassed than angry!"

He nodded, "I'll handle this. I swear, my darling, this will be resolved."

"You know what?" You breathed. "Do whatever you please because I've realized something. Not only did Rhaenyra spew our business to others, but you... You said it in the first place. You said those words..."

"Out of anger - "

"But you still spoke them!"

"I was foolish to do so!"

"You are a fool for many reasons, Daemon, but this is one act I am not willing to forgive so blindly. Wear your jester hat all you'd like, but it will take more than pretty words to make this up to me."

"I'll do what it takes to fix this." He tried to step into the room with you, but you held your ground in the doorway. "My love, please, how can I make it up to you if you do not let me in?"

"You must find any other way to do this because there's no chance in any of the Seven Hells that you share my bed again - married or not." You offered him a look of distain, musing, "You know what, I've decided: I simply don't care what you or your family thinks. I am extremely proud of who I am, and there's not a soul alive that can make me feel lesser than. Your words hurt, they cut deeper hearing it from the Princess, but that's simply your opinion," you eased. "I refuse to modify myself, but it's good to know you don't like my affection - I can always reserve it for whoever I choose to warm my bed. What was it you said?" You quipped venomously, "Marriages are political arrangements?"

"Not ours," he snapped.

"Oh? We're so different, are we?" You laughed.

"Of course we are, there's nothing I'd change. Hear me? Nothing," he sounded angry. "I was a fool to speak out of term, but you're right, I should talk to you about it - I am simply unequipped to having a wife I've chosen."

"Oh, spare me - "

"It's true," he insisted, "what woman in my life has loved me as you do? Has encouraged me to be so - so - loving and safe?"

"Apparently, I've been clingy and not as encouraging as I thought."

"I spoke out of turn," he insisted. "You're right - I can't go and take back what I've said. But I will do all I can to ensure I change their opinions on you, to mop up whatever verbal mess I've made."

You laughed without humor.

"And I will set Rhaenyra straight about all of this, I will ensure she knows that there's no room for such tension, jealousy, hatred."

"You swear to clean up all your messes?" You wondered earnestly.

"I swear."

"Good," you mused, "after that, how do you intend on rebuilding my trust?"

Daemon blinked, "You do not trust me anymore?"

"Of course not," you assured, "not since finding out how you speak of me so hatefully without my knowledge. That's where trust comes in, Daemon, but you proved me wrong, and now, that trust is gone."

Daemon looked confused, mouth opening and closing rapidly, shaking his head, "No, no, no, love, don't do this. We're okay, all right? We're fine, things with us - we're fine. We're okay."

"Saying it doesn't make it true."

"Do not tell me," He snapped. "H-Have I lost you?"

"Mhm. Not saying you can't fix things between us, but as of now, there's nothing about you I can trust."

"And if you cannot trust me, can you love me?"

You paused, considering his words. Honestly, his betrayal was something that hurt worse than anything you've endured before. "I'll have to think about that one," you whispered. With a saddened look, you hugged the door, sighing, and bid, "Goodnight, my Prince."

"My sweet - don't shut me out. Don't do this."

"Find a way to make this all up to me," you demanded, "because I'd hate for either of us to eventually resent this marriage, too."

He tried to argue but you shut the door on him forcefully; loudly locking it from the inside to prevent him from following you. You felt yourself brimming with anger, but nothing was like the betrayal coursing through your heart and veins. There was no sleep that night, there was a lot of tears, a lot of pacing, and a lot of grumbling to yourself.

requesting rules and masterlist

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[randomdragonfires]

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[autisticaboutstufflol]

Dropping this at your feet like a cat with a dead mouse :3

This is another fic set in my daemon au, this time focusing on Law and his daemon as they come to terms with themselves after Minion Island.

If you like it, please leave a comment or kudos! I am also like, desperately looking for a beta reader who would be willing to put up with my autism bullshit, so if you like what you've read so far and would like a glimpse into my mind and google docs, please hit me up!

[elodieunderglass]

Hi Elodie! I was wondering if I might ask about your process for choosing names for the daemons in His Delicious Materials? I have some daemon characters knocking about in the back of my brain, but I’ve never been able to settle on names for them. I know that in His Dark Materials, some daemons have more common names, and some have more fantastical, but beyond that I don’t know much about daemon naming conventions, and yours sound so delightful to hear and say.

Oh jeez sure! I unfortunately love making sweeping decisions and then forcing myself to live up to them.

(In reference to His Delicious Materials fanfic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/56658973/chapters/144024799 )

The only set HDM daemon naming constraints I can recall are that they’re set by the daemon’s parents and thus relate to the parental names and desires; this Stelmaria, Greek, “Star of the sea,” has a son Pantalaimon “multitude of blessings.” But other daemons, such as the nurse who was severed, have names like “Nicholas.” Thus they can be what feels right, I think, with reference to internal family-feeling. people from Lyra’s Oxford are clearly going for Greek names - even the character who’s a “kitchen boy” has the lofty Salcilia, which seems to connect to “salt” - but the witches in HDM give their daemons Finnish names.

I think where possible it can’t be the language you’re reading the story in - I.e. if you’re reading in English you shouldn’t have a daemon named Trustworthy - and be three syllables. It would be ideal if it secretly revealed a piece of character, but could also be an aspiration. Will’s “kirjava” (multicoloured) is a description.

I had a few constraints. I set them early on. I think constraints make things easier but that’s possibly a personality flaw.

One thing that doesn’t happen much in daemon AUs is that I had different species of human to consider. This made me decide that they had to have relatively distinctive naming cultures.

- Bee was the one who sprang into my head without invitation and instantly suggested “wouldn’t it be great if it lengthened into Bibelot, which is French for trinket?” And I was like, such a great idea bestie! Let’s write a novel about you! Maybe two! So if that happens to you, let that happen.

- this led to all half-foots having a daemon naming convention where they had to have three-syllable French names with the first syllable shortening to their everyday name and their long name being reserved for intimates; the short name should shorten to a word preferably in English. At first this was fine and made things easier because the only other half-foot daemons instantly presented themselves as Chatelaine and Chiendegarde. If you have a good convention/restriction it can make things easier at first and makes you sound confident.

- I felt that Greek-inspired names for daemons in OG HDM felt very cool in that setting. Laios is a Greek name IRL (Falin is Irish I think but ignore that) so I mentally fixed the convention of the siblings having Greek names.

- then I used Google Translate to find a word that meant gentle or feathery and found Elafros, which alludes to both, and also having the highly desirable -os ending which matches Laios and obviously creates a cohesive, family feel

- everyone reading this is probably like, no the hell it doesn’t

- I liked the three syllables and sense of parental expectation so I researched it a bit more and settled on it.

- I wanted Laios’s daemon to start with a P, three syllables, Greek and match Falin in some way. I scrolled through the P entries on a 1990’s website with a list of “dead words”. Palinode was chosen for being obviously a cohesive and familial resonance with Falin (rhyming first syllable.) it also shortens to PAL and has connotations of sounding like paladin. She’s Falin’s paladin.

- everyone reading this is probably like, no the hell it doesn’t

- Palinode’s a terrible name actually. Oh well moving on

- I wanted Marcille’s daemon to have a Greek name too, this choice feeling synonymous with a certain expectation of class/education as well as species to me. I wanted it to start with a P because at that point I had read more of the manga and she had a pet bird named Pipi.

- the pyx- beginning is super cute to me because I originally pictured Marcille as being a pixie.

- while scrolling through the list of dead words looking for Greek inspired names starting with py- I saw Pyxis and was instantly in love. It was listed as meaning “small pot for medicine and cosmetics” but upon more research I realised it was a constellation and apparently also means “compass,” all of which felt absolutely perfect.

- Pyxis is an absolutely crap moral compass though

- I wanted Anne to be named Anne but that needed to be longer, so I tried putting the word “shield” into Google Translate and cycling through languages until Welsh gave me Tarian. It means shield and shortens to Anne! It’s also a very pretty word.

- This then set the convention of dwarves getting Welsh names, and at that point I was happier for them to have proper names, so Aneurin (a Welsh men’s name meaning honorable, and shortening to Nye) and Gethin could just be chosen from a list.

- in conclusion it’s a lot of meaning+vibes!

- thank you for this question!

[vaokses]

Anger, a daughter (Pirtir, Ch.1)

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Aegon x Rhaenyra's Daughter!Reader

Summary: You return to Dragonstone after nearly two years away, having done what was expected of you and secured your mother's standing with the Great Houses. The safety that you felt after once again doing what was expected of you is taken once you learn that in your absence, your family arranged for you to marry Aegon.

Word Count: 4.5k 

Warnings: Topic of arranged/forced marriage. Threats of violence. The usual Targaryen incest stuff.

Some AU/Setting stuff: Reader is a bastard of Daemyra (claimed by Laenor of course), firstborn child of Rhaenyra and heir to her mother’s claim. It is mentioned she has Valyrian features (the hair). She rides Vermithor. She and Aegon had a thing when she was still in King’s Landing. How relevant or impactful that ‘thing’ was depends on who of the two you ask. I’ve stretched the timeline a bit. Rhaenyra spent a few years more in King’s Landing (making Aegon around 16/7 when she leaves, and the Reader, the eldest of the Velaryons, around 14/5). Instead of six years in Dragonstone, the Blacks have spent around three there in this story. Viserys still lives (and is rotting slightly slower), Aegon and Helaena did not marry. Mysaria left for Dragonstone with Rhaenyra, but is still the information broker of the first season, just working from afar. The Reader has spent nearly two years touring Westeros, as her mother did, in search of a husband.

A/N: No Aegon or any of the greens yet, but I wanted to set up some things, so this can be considered a prologue of sorts. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy!

Title is from the "anger, a daughter" by volatilepoetry (link to the piece here, I couldn't find the author's socials)

“Cousin.” You greet with a wide smile, taking the riding gloves off as she comes closer, a mirror of your own smile on her lips. 

“Sister,” Baela greets in kind in well-practiced Valyrian, at your reprimanding glare answering with a defiant one of her own. She grabs your hands in hers, smile wide and mirrored in your own face. “I thought you would return to Dragonstone, at the end of your…tour.” 

“Even I tire of politics, of playing,” You admit, linking your arm with hers and letting her guide you towards the Driftmark castle. “I wish to rest for a while, before I am to report back to f-…to Daemon. I hoped our grandmother would grant me a few days here?” 

“I’m afraid it won’t be possible,” She tells you, pulling from her belt a rolled up message and offering it to you. “A raven brought this shortly after dawn.” 

You immediately recognize Daemon’s handwriting, as well as the parting message he directs at his daughters and you in place for a goodbye. Fly, daughter. 

Your sister is needed at home, tell her to return to us at once. You must ready yourself to fly to Dragonstone at my command. I’ll send word. Sōvēs, tala. 

“So, who did you choose? Whoever it is, you made father angry.” 

“Your father.” You correct, but she pays it no mind, as she always does. 

“So, who will be the lucky man?” 

You turn to face her as you both stand in the base of Driftmark’s stairs. 

“I didn’t choose anyone.”  

Of course, a Tyrell knight caught your eye and your attention for a while, and you could use the strength of the alliance marrying Vaemond Velaryon’s son would bring, or Rickon Stark’s. You even considered the proposal of Hobert Hightower’s grandson, if only to see your mother breathe fire at the mere idea of it, were you to propose such a union. 

But the tour was never organized for the purpose of finding you a husband, this you knew from the beginning. It is the reason you agreed to such a circus in the first place. As Rhaenyra’s first-born child, heir to the Iron Throne and future Princess of Dragonstone, you were sent throughout Westeros to remind the noble Houses of the pledges they made, of where their allegiance is to lie if they hope to remain on the Crown’s good side. 

What foolish Lord you couldn’t charm with a well-placed smile or compliment, Vermithor’s presence in their city would remind promptly of the risk of turning on your House, of undermining your mother’s claim. What wouldn’t bend to your will, you would remind how quickly you could break. Such was your task, what was demanded from you, and you played your part as you have always done. 

It matters not if by the end of this tour, after twenty months away from home -though a part of you reminds you it has been much longer than that, it has been over three years-, donning whatever face was deemed ideal to realize your objective; you cannot really remember who it is you were before it all. It matters not if it has been months since you’ve been able to meet your own gaze in a mirror, in fear of seeing a stranger -or worse, a familiar face, your mother’s, your father’s, Lady Mysaria’s- looking back. 

Your eyes meet Baela’s, and you whisper, “Have you heard I am to marry?” 

She hesitates, and that is enough of an answer. You shake your head, step away, stumble over your own feet. 

___ 

You almost feel a young girl again, in the worst possible way, dragged like a dog on a leash after your mother as she departed King’s Landing, gritting her teeth at your cries and answering with soft caresses of your silver hair to your promise that you would never forgive her for taking you from your home. 

Now, over three years later, you are to be dragged back to the city that saw you be born, away from your mother’s side, from your brothers’ and stepsister’s sides. And the people responsible for arranging for such a thing are set on hiding, on ignoring you since your return to Dragonstone. 

For a time, especially since your aunt’s death and Aemond’s claiming of Vhagar, you believed your mother and Daemon kept you unmarried, kept you here, so that if war were to break out, they would have you and Vermithor to send to battle, to which he is no stranger. You believed if you would one day have to marry, it would be to defend your own claim, offering your hand in exchange for an army, to a man that would know to bend the knee before his queen and before his wife alike. 

You believed they kept you near, they let you remain unbound and unmarried, because you served a purpose while free. You believed by playing your part as was demanded from you, twisting and turning to fit into whatever face you were expected to wear, you would have some control over any of it, you would be safe. How foolish, childish, those notions were. 

Since Vermithor flew you into Dragonstone, your mother has secluded herself in her rooms, and you have only Daemon to ask for answers to the madness that brews past the safety of the island. 

“I do not wish to leave. I will not leave, unless you tell me what awaits me in King’s Landing.” 

But you know, some part of you knows, and that part of you is gnawing at you, at your composure, at your resolve. 

Daemon shrugs one shoulder, “Why? It was once your home. That shithole of a city saw you be born, after all.” 

“My home is, as has always been, Dragonstone.” Lie, lie, lie. You remember the halls of the Red Keep better than you know the halls of this very castle. 

“Then you must be used to homesickness by now. Five and ten years raised in King’s Landing, nearly two years touring Westeros. You have spent…what? A year settled here?” 

You roll your eyes, but he doesn’t much care, walking past you to pour himself a cup of wine. He lifts an empty cup your way to offer a drink, but you hold your ground, and insist, 

“I detest games, Daemon.” 

“You sound like your mother when you talk like that,” He quips, with cruel humor, chuckling at a joke that only amuses him. You turn to look at him with narrowed eyes and jaw set tight, and he lets out another mad little chuckle, “You also look like her when you glare like that.” 

“I only ask that-…” 

“When in your life have you asked for only one thing?” 

“And yet you have always indulged me. Indulge me now,” You ask, walking to him, forcing the tension in your shoulders to loosen and your face to reflect the softness of the child he has always had a weakness for. What is expected, what is needed, if you are to win this particular battle. Your mother, your brothers, they are to be faced with callous strength, with a temper and a certainty you inherited from the man who made you who you are; but the man himself is to be faced with the pleading eyes of his daughter, with the docile manners of a maiden who needs his guidance, his protection. And so, you show the face required to get the upper hand. Quietly, softly, you plead, “Do not insult me or my intelligence by acting as if I cannot understand whatever game is being played.” 

“You wield lies effortlessly,” He concedes, head lolled to the side as he considers you, “But you should know better than to try with me.” 

You allow yourself a smile, despite yourself, and let go of pretenses. Even so, you aren’t sure if the face you show Daemon now is an honest one, or merely yet another mask to try and gain his favor. 

Shrugging one shoulder as you lean against one of the stone pillars, you admit, 

“It was worth a try.” 

“It is more of an instinct than a choice by now, I’d say,” Daemon corrects, taking a few steps in your direction. You don’t miss the fact that he has positioned himself between you and the door, a physical reminder that whatever he is about to say is as inescapable as this room. “A useful instinct, now that you are to marry.” 

Your refusal is immediate, “No, I’m not.” 

At his answering look, halfway between surprise and anger, you wonder absently if this is the first time you’ve denied him since he married your mother. 

“You are aware this is not a request.” 

“I’ll feed to Vermithor whatever man you try chaining me to. You are aware this is not an empty threat,” You tell him. It feels good, to admit such a thing, to promise such a thing, because it feels true. “I told you I wouldn’t marry unless the war demanded it.” 

“It does. You are to avoid war, and marry my brother’s son, Aegon,” He promises, and he knows it, you see it in his eyes, that at the uttering of a single name your threat is made null. You realize then why it is your mother hides from you. “It is done, a deal has been brokered with my brother and his wife, y-…” 

“You have no right to make arrangements in my name.” You blurt out, a desperate attempt, not unlike a cornered beast lashing out and wounding its own maws as it bites the approaching spear. Now this, shamefully, terribly, this feels yours. This anger, this desire to hurt. With all the venom of a lifetime of wasted deference, of useless loyalty, you ready yourself to speak a lie once again, “You are not my father. Whore out your sons to the Hightowers if you wish, but you have no right t-…” 

Your words die in a gasp as Daemon hurls the cup in his hand at a wall and advances towards you, quick strides until he stands before you, towering over you with quickened breath. He doesn’t strike you, never has. But it is no less of a threat. A warning not to step out of line, a reminder of what your lies protect you from. 

A twitch in his expression, a glimpse of a snarl, before he warns, 

“Careful now.” 

“We both know there are things my mother won’t forgive,” You answer, “It is you who ought to be careful.” 

“She has approved of this union.” 

You doubt it. You want to doubt it, need to. It is one thing to try and link the warring branches of the House of the Dragon by joining Jacaerys, kind and gentle Jacaerys, and your sweet aunt Helaena. 

It is another to send her only daughter, her heir, to one of Alicent’s sons. 

Still, because some part of you, small and still in the carriage as it drives away from King’s Landing, grasping your mother’s hand in yours even as you curse her and her choices, cannot stand the thought of standing corrected, of being made to face that for the security of her claim Rhaenyra would give you away to a man on the far end of the Crownlands; you do not voice an argument, and instead clarify,  

“I was speaking of what you are threatening to do with your hands,” Daemon leans back with a thoughtful hm that does nothing to hide the way he still bristles at the faintest reminder of powerlessness. Careless, you push forward, insist, “Let us wait, let me stay, and…” 

“And what, hm? Let war come to us? Let those vipers continue to undermine your mother’s claim? Let them put Otto Hightower’s pawn on the throne our forebears forged?” 

You are shaking your head before he is even done speaking, and you can only offer a sigh as an answer, a plea as a retort, 

“Let me fight.” 

“You will fight as I see fit that you do,” He answers, simply, carelessly. “You will play your part, as is your privilege, your duty.” 

“If I had been a son, y-…” 

“I have had a lifetime of hearing your mother speak the same nonsense. I will not hear it,” Daemon interrupts, before leaning closer and reminding you, cruel, mocking, “You are not a son.” 

“I ride the second largest dragon in the world, I-…” 

“Then you should find it easy to tame a smaller one,” Daemon promises, not without cruelty. “We will depart in a month. The betrothal will be officially announced then, with us all in King’s Landing. Plenty of time to say your goodbyes.” 

“There have been…whispers of a royal event for months now. I didn’t know, I-…” 

“Did you think they were setting up a tourney for one of those shits? Or that my brother had somehow managed to sire another child?” 

You shake your head, but your heart races and your breath quickens, because how could you not see it before? 

You served your purpose, without faltering, without question. You amended the bonds your mother’s carelessness and her husband’s viciousness had broken, you strengthened the claim her mistakes had weakened, you lied and charmed to protect your brothers from the fate she imposed upon them. And now your use is through. 

The reward for your deference is a noose around your neck. 

“You had me travel the entire continent, entertaining countless proposals from the most insufferable of men and breaking bread with the most boring fucks alive, while you planned on giving me away.” 

“The tour was never meant to find you a husband, you knew that. A future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, birthing children for a…a…Tyrell? Or a Stark?” Daemon asks, as if the mere idea is unfeasible, ridiculous. “You are the blood of Old Valyria, and as wretched as that little cunt is, Aegon is my brother’s. A Targaryen.” 

You do not care for his tales of superiority, you do not care for those fantasies. Instead, you merely insist, “You plotted against me, while I was far from home.” 

“No. There is a plot, but it was not against you. If anything, this was done in your name, for your benefit,” He argues, pragmatically. Daemon leans closer, head bowed to meet your eyes. “Everything I’ve done has been to secure your claim, to ensure your ascension after your mother’s.” 

“To ensure your blood sits the Iron Throne.” 

He doesn’t deny it, and you don’t expect him to. The faintest of gestures of his head towards the door orders you to walk. You follow the unspoken command, for what else can you do but obey, and walk towards the door. 

“It is settled.” He calls out after you. At the absence of your answer, of your compliance, Daemon barks a call of your name. An order, a threat, even if it isn’t voiced as one, making you stop in your tracks. “You are a loyal daughter, and you know better than to forsake your duties to your mother. You won’t betray her.” 

“What you are asking of me is betrayal,” You argue, turning to look at him over your shoulder. “To marry our enemy, to lay with him, what is that if not a betrayal of my mother, of her claim?” 

“It is a sacrifice,” He corrects, but such appeasements, such manipulations, better suit Lady Mysaria. He has too much pride for the deceit to work, and so the lie stumbles in his tongue, rushing forward a truer sentence, “And I don’t ask.” 

___ 

Lady Mysaria finds you in the eastern balcony overlooking the sea, welcomes herself into the room and walks towards you, stopping only a few steps behind you She doesn’t announce herself nor ask for permission to speak, and you know better than to expect her to do either, after years of knowing her as your parents’ advisor. 

“I’m guessing you do not come here bearing good news.” 

“What would be good news to you, Princess?” 

“A freak dragon-riding accident leaving my future betrothed somewhere in the depths of the Narrow Sea?” You ask, rueful smile curving at your lips. 

“You speak as if you wouldn’t grieve for him.” 

“I would not grieve Aegon, or any of them, for I do not know the people they have become in these passing years.” 

“Is that why you ask my spies about him when they reveal themselves to you in your travels? To know the man he has become?” 

You sometimes wonder why you bother arguing with her. Not once have you been able to hold the upper hand for more than a breath. 

“I asked once.” 

You were wary, and far from home, and the flutter in your chest when Alasdair Tyrell laid a crown of Dragon’s breath on your lap -after his victory in the tourney organized to welcome you into the Reach- had felt familiar but wrong. Nostalgia and something else, something far more stupid, overwhelmed you, and you summoned one of Lady Mysaria’s spies, sent with you as a handmaiden, and asked her to tell you what she knew about how Aegon fared, who he had become in these passing years. 

You told yourself that while you knew better than to reach for a past and a bond long gone, neither could hurt you, so many years removed from the girl you were, so many miles away from what you once called home. And it didn’t, the past didn’t hurt you. What could have been did, however. 

“I will concede that you have learned to request information more subtly, but it does not mean you don’t ask, Princess.” 

“No, your spies offer information freely. Information I do not ask for,” You argue, but she breathes a short little laugh in response. It irks you, unsettles you, and you find yourself arguing further, explaining further, “I wanted to know if he was well, long ago, a-…” 

“And my spies told you he wasn’t.” 

“And so I never asked again.”

“It is a smart choice, to feign ignorance, but you should know better than to attempt to hide something from me.” 

“I have hidden nothing, for there is nothing to hide.” 

She hums lowly, considering her words with a sly smile on her lips. 

“You must refrain from defensiveness if you are to lie efficiently, Princess.” 

You grit your teeth but refuse her the satisfaction of knowing she prodded at a still-unarmored part of you. Instead, you bow your head as you did when you were barely five-and-ten and she had issued her first lesson on how to survive a world such as this. 

“Of course, Lady Mysaria.” 

“I would have expected you to be relieved, if nothing else, at the revelation of who you are to marry,” She muses. If she understands the threat written in your eyes when you turn to look at her, she cares not for it, and presses on, “You were quite close when you were younger.” 

“I was close to all of them.” 

“I mislike repeating myself. You cannot hide things from me, Princess.” 

You take a breath that feels a tad too shallow, you grit your teeth until you hold yourself under control, you hold your tongue until you’re certain it won’t betray anger, sorrow, something else. It feels invasive, unbearable, like fingers prodding at a well-hidden wound. 

“It was nothing. A passing infatuation of youth.” 

“Passing fancy,” She corrects. “The words the Queen used were passing fancy. If you are to shield yourself with the words of others, do so properly.” 

The troubling and annoying thing about sharing a home with someone that trades secrets is that none can be kept from her, and the frustrating thing about counting amongst those closest to you the person that taught you to lie and deceive is that you find it impossible to fool her. And with no secrets, with no lies, there is no fun in playing the game anymore. 

“What is it you mean to ask, Lady Mysaria?” 

“Aren’t you at the very least relieved? Contented?” 

You shake your head. 

“I do not know who Aegon is any longer. Who I-…” The revelation stumbles in your tongue, remains sealed past closed lips. The admission that you have forsaken yourself somewhere in the road to this day is something she might know already, but you refuse to admit aloud. “I have spent the last two years on lands foreign to me, many of them hostile to me. I am…I am wary, and I do not wish to do so again. I am tired of feeling…defenseless.” 

Mysaria lets silence linger for a few moments as you both watch your brothers’ dragons at flight in the skies above you. 

“You want war,” She states, “You deem fire and blood the only future in which you are safe.” 

It is a truly horrifying talent that she possesses, that uncanny ability of hers of digging under your skin until she finds the truer face out of all you wear and brings it to light in all its ugliness and its monstrousness. 

But perhaps that is why you can allow yourself to speak in honesty now, for the first time since you left Dragonstone for a royal tour, or perhaps for the first time since you left King’s Landing. 

“In war, me and my dragon are useful here, defending my claim. In war, I remain unbound, able to fight back,” You tell her, not caring about considering your words, about guarding your back. Turning your head to look at her, you argue, “In times of peace, I am sent away. Twice over, I have lost my home for the sake of peace.” 

“Hm,” Mysaria muses, and when she walks past you towards the balcony, you cannot help but follow. Your eyes seek the horizon, while the White Worm’s linger on Arrax and Vermax playing in the clouds above you. “You will not find yourself without allies, Princess. A spider can spin a web anywhere in the world, it needs only time.” 

“Speaking of time,” You start, straightening yourself and turning on your side to face her. You bow your head, in goodbye and in something else, something closer to gratitude than your hurt and your pride let you admit right now. “I fear our time together has come to a close.��� 

“Your family isn’t leaving for King’s Landing for another two days.” She argues, but she knows, you are certain she does. It is no coincidence, that she has come to find you now, that she has come to say goodbye. 

Because honesty comes easy with her, you admit, “I dislike feeling like prey.” 

You could swear there is the beginning of a smile curving softly at her lips, but Mysaria merely bows her head and whispers a wish of, safe travels, Princess. 

___ 

Daemon approaches, you know him by the cadence of his footsteps by now, as you stand on one of the cliffs near the castle. He says nothing, joins you in watching as Vermithor stands before you, proud and stubborn, head held high despite your request that he bow it to allow you to climb onto his saddle. 

“Are you two having a fight?” 

“The old brat doesn’t want to leave the Dragonmont, and thinks we have a choice in the matter!” Your last words, hissed in Valyrian as you argue with the old dragon, make Daemon chuckle. “If I ask that Silverwing fly with us, y-…” 

“You know better than to ask that from us.” 

“He doesn’t want to leave her side. Vermithor, sweet thing, I feel for your broken heart, I truly do. But I won’t go by boat, much less carriage,” Vermithor answers with a huff of steam, and flaps his wings slightly, a warning that he will shake you off like he would a bothersome fly if you attempt to mount him regardless. You heave a sigh, “Stubborn fuck.” 

Vermithor understands the Common Tongue, you are certain he does, for he lowers his head for a moment as if to taunt you to try, and the call that echoes from deep in his chest truly sounds mocking. 

“It is your own restlessness, your own fear, that make him refuse you. You do not wish to leave, and so he doesn’t want to take you there.” 

“I did not want to visit half the places we did during my tour, and yet he took me anyways.” You argue, and though for a moment you think to ask him if he will try to stop you, you refrain.  

Daemon somehow knows that you have decided to take flight to King’s Landing tonight, and he has chosen not to stop you. Perhaps he understands the restlessness that has only grown in you since you were told of your betrothal, as perhaps that same restlessness consumed him once, when he was also young and sent off to marry for duty. 

“You weren’t afraid during your tour.” Daemon argues, but you shake your head. 

“Of course I was afraid. I did it anyways, because…because it was what you and mother demanded from me, but I was terrified,” You admit. Perhaps it is the darkness and quiet of a night in the vast openness of the Dragonmont, perhaps it is the defeat that clings to your very bones like the most bitter cold, but you do not care for lies, for masks, right now. “I haven’t stopped being afraid since we left King’s Landing.” 

Daemon turns to you, but you cannot look at him. You dread to look into your father’s eyes and see disappointment at your admission; you dread to see anger at your weakness. Most of all, however, you dread to see a shadow of regret, at what he’s done, at what he has failed to do. 

For it wouldn’t change a thing. You would still be sent off, you would still be given away, you would still be left with no control over any of this. 

At your silence, Daemon turns back to look upon the Bronze Fury. 

“And yet you do not want to return. And your dragon defies you because of it.” 

“He took me there once already, you know. A month or so before the tour began,” There’s a ghost of a smile playing at your lips as you share the memory. “It was…the worst storm I can remember, and he had us fly right through it. I cursed his name until I was hoarse and once it was over, I demanded he take me home at once. He took me to King’s Landing.”

"Did you land?"

"Of course not. It is hostile territory."

“It is your birthright,” Daemon promises. It used to feel liberating to hear him reaffirm your claim and your mother’s. Now it feels heavy. The weight of a crown you do not yet wear is entirely too great, and you bow your head. Daemon continues, “It was Vermithor who called to you, who allowed you to claim him. Vermithor, a dragon who only ever bonded with Kings.” 

“But I am no King,” You argue, returning your gaze to him. “For I am not a son.” 

Thank you for reading, i hoped you liked it! I would love to hear your thoughts on this!

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[theshittymarimo]

Dreams and Daemons

Prologue: Romance Dawn Fandom: One Piece Summary: In another vast world of adventure, devil fruits, and diverse islands, everything may seem similar. But in this world there are also daemons by their side through it all. This is the introductions of the daemons. Prologue - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4

In Makino’s bar, a black and white monkey with a striped long tail sat in Shanks’s lap, poking at a gem that he had brought for her from their latest trip. “Hey, Luffy”, Shanks called out to the happy boy who was scarfing down food next to him. “Yeah?” Luffy responded distractedly, fully focused on his second lunch. “Can I ask Meggy a question?” Shanks asked, aware that it wasn’t common for people to speak to other people’s daemons unless they were close to each other, as in considering each other almost like family. It was considered polite to ask the human first if someone wanted to talk to someone else’s daemon. Luffy looked at him with bulging cheeks, like he had asked him a stupid question. He glanced down at his daemon, who was right there in Shanks’ lap. “She’s right there”, Luffy responded, like he was weird before returning to his food. Shanks sighed, he should’ve known that Luffy would answer like that. Those two weren’t exactly like others and had been that way since Shanks first met them. “Hey, Meggy”, Shanks began again, looking down at her in his lap. “Yeah?” Meggy answered, quickly losing interest in the gem as the pirate captain shifted his focus to her. She let the gem fall down on the floor with a clatter and without waiting for an answer, she climbed onto his shoulders, letting her long tail curl around his face. She seemed oblivious to the fact that it tickled his nose and made it harder for him to continue. Instead, she seemed intent on leaning over Luffy to see if there was any food left for her, using her tail around Shanks’s face as an anchor. “Meggy”, Shanks sighed again, blowing some fur out of his mouth. “You know, most daemons don’t climb all over other people like this.” “Huh?” Meggy said in surprise, stopping what she was doing and looking back at him in surprise. “You don’t feel uncomfortable?” he asked curiously. He knew from his own experience that when his daemon touched someone else, it required immense trust for letting someone else touch a part of your soul. There was something very exposing in letting yourself bare for someone else to touch as people could get a flash of the person’s inner self and feelings. Most people felt fear or embarrassment from it. But all he could feel from Meggy was curiosity. “Why would I?” she tilted her head in confusion. “… I don’t know”, Shanks responded after a moment with a quirk of his lips as he returned to his drink. “Shanks is weird!” Luffy laughed loudly for the whole bar to hear as he finished his food. “Ah! You didn’t leave anything for me Luffy!” Meggy shouted in distress. “You little brat”, Shanks’s brow twitched as his crew around them laughed.