"Ignore it. Maybe take something to give me a hand. Keep busy, that's very important. The less time I have to think about it, the better."
4. What are your real thoughts on [Whumper]?
He looks around, making sure no one is present. "Clyde's the worst. He's such an asshole. I think he feels fucking shitty about his own miserable life so he takes it out on people who can't fight back. He enjoys hurting me, I know it. He's a sadistic bastard and more than anything, I hate that I'm indebted to him. I hate that he's the one who saved me, that he's the one I owe everything to. I want to hate him, really. Some part of me does. But I can't forget what he's done for me."
"Jowan is weird. I don't even know what to make of him. In some ways, he's terrifying, I mean he-" He cuts himself off. His shoulders hunch, and he wraps his arms around himself. "I don't know what the fuck he's got going on. He'll talk like we're friends, whilst he's got me tied to an operating table with his hands digging around my guts." He shudders, trying to play it off. He hugs himself tighter. "I swear he thinks it's some sort of bonding exercise or something. But he's the only one will keep Clyde off my back, so I guess I should give him some credit."
14. What are your thoughts on your [Caretaker]?
(Jumping into the future a little for this one ;D)
"Huh? They're... nice, I suppose. I wish Cass would lay off a bit, I'm not as fragile as he thinks. Destrian needs to stop looking at me with those sad eyes. She needs to stop being a push-over too, I mean, I know I take advantage of it, but other people will too, with worse intentions.
"I wish they'd listen to my side of it a little more. I have done terrible things, and contrary to what they seem to want to think, I wasn't forced into all of it. I made my own choices.
"I owe them a lot. I'll never be able to make up for what I put Cass through. And everything Destrian gave up for me... I don't deserve them. I- I appreciate it! Make no mistake, I'm not ungrateful, I just... they deserve better. And I... I dread the day they finally see that."
15. What was your life like before [Whumper]?
"Ah, which part? First eleven-twelve years were good. We were happy then." He smiles just slightly, almost imperceptible. A wistful look of longing crosses his face, hidden in an instant. "Things got a worse. Dad got sick, and money was tight. My brother left. It was stressful. It was hard. I've never admitted that to anyone, but... it was hard. I did my best to keep things going, protect everyone... Then, I met Vor'gol." He fiddles with the silver cufflinks on his sleeve, averting his gaze. "I threw away my old life. That was my fault. Lady Dovemore picked me up off the streets, probably hours away from freezing to death, and then I was sold to Clyde. Better than the alternative, really.
"Though sometimes I cannot help it, I do try not to dwell on the old life these days. That's not my life anymore. I'm a very different person now. It feels wrong to think back to a life in which I no longer belong."
✨ Yep! MC is my irl nickname. I actually HATED nicknames for many many years (there's a very common nickname for my name which I HATED, and everyone kept trying to use anyway), but got this one in college and ended up liking it!
🦋 "Describe yourself in three words" aghhhhhhh this one's hard! Unfair! I guess if I had to pick three I'd probably pick smart, kind (at least I'm trying to be), and trying. Or maybe smart, queer, and trying! That feels like an easier standard to meet, lol
I just read your Sun and Glass series, and I found it absolutely riveting! Could I please be added to your taglist?
Is it okay if I message you about your stories as well? (I find Sun and Glass well worth discussing, and I’d love to experiment with a few drabbles in the universe if you’d be okay with it, tbh, but it might be too much of me to ask, in which case, let me know, please. I’m just a gushy fan, I don’t intend to offend)
Thank you!
Sure! I'm not sure I'll be writing more anytime soon, but I'll put you on just in case :)
Hi, if you want to, then 22, 1 and 3, OTP asks for Arnav/Khushi, please? Thank you 💕!
Hello love!
Thank you so much for instantly asking! I literally jumped in joy to see an ask just when I literally posted this.
1) What are things they both find funny?
Pranks - they find it very funny when they successfully prank each other!
Childhood memories - they both love to discuss the silly things they did in childhood and they have a lot of fun and laugh when discussing nostalgia.
Arnav’s cooking - for the life of him, he can never make decent jalebis and that is always hilarious!
Khushi’s mimicry - she’s terrible at it and he loves it, so they’re always laughing (she probably breaks midway laughing).
3) If they complimented each other, what would they say?
Sincerely
A: You are beautiful.
K: Aap bohot achhe hain.
Flirt
A: Not bad *while checking out appreciatively*
K: Aap bade woh lag rahe ho...
22) If their lives were what was originally intended at birth, would they have still fallen in love?
Yes. Not just because I’m in love with them - it’s because they were fated. The nature of their love story is a bit of soulmates/fated thing. Yes, it wouldn’t be a dramatic fall of Khushi in ASR’s arms but it would've been fate nonetheless.
Perhaps one day when Khushi was delivering sweets, she came across a building that was just as beautiful as her fairytales. She was curious on who had ordered sugar free sweets, and that’s when she would bump into a young, handsome Malik.
Redamancy for Arjun/Subhadra, Arjun/Draupadi or Draupadi/Bheem?
Hi @ambidextrousarcher 💙, you gave me three whole choices and seeing how bad I am with decision making, I chose two rather than one (hope that's alright 😄)
Redamancy: act of loving in return
Draupadi and Bheem
Both of them were blazing flames, but even if the wise words of old had pitted fire against itself as the only worthy opponent, these two were nothing but complementary to each other, their heat keeping the other one alive and fighting. He was the violently flickering red embers in the center and she the orange hued streams of flames that reached far and wide around the coals, both essential for the existence of that fire; one that protected and nurtured life through it’s light and warmth but was also capable of scorching those who tried to kill it from fear.
Both understood the pains of the other, knew exactly where they were wounded, in more ways than one. That was why it was easier to offer a healing hand to the other when they were injured. When Panchaali was flared due to an injustice to the masses born out of errors in the governance of the Samrat, the second eldest of the Pandavas was the one who followed after her, listening to her arguments and reason; the one who stood beside her as an ally to explain the rationale to the king so as to change his opinion. When Vrikodara was agitated due to the misconducts of his relatives, she was the one who soothed his anger, for she knew it to be justified but unwise for them all, for she knew that patience was the virtue of the prudent.
They had quite similar tastes on multiple levels which produced an amusing pastime where they searched for and found different varieties of flowers in the gardens that they thought suited the other best. They would point out different lilies, marigolds, roses and orchids to each other, with Bhimsena finding special delight in comparing Panchaali to the adorable orange tufts of marigolds. He knew that Krishnaa was fond of lotuses the most and so it was an endearing game to always bring her the best ones, whenever the opportunity arose. What he did not know was the reason why she was so attached to that particular flower, something Yajnaseni never told him. Lotuses were so endeared to her because they always reminded her of him, gentle beauty amidst the grave harshness of life.
The wishes their hearts yearned for were quite alike too, and praised be their fortunes or that blessed pair of husband and wife that they granted those wishes for each other. When asked, her husband might smile and say that all his wishes were granted by his family, so he doesn't have anymore desires left, but even still, one last prayer leaves Panchaali's lips, something she couldn't ask of her Bheem himself; that if Mahadev be pleased with her, should he be as kind to her as he was in her previous lives, let her once again, in another lifetime, have the honour of becoming the partner of the brave one known as Bhimsena, a simple, humble life which she could offer entirely to the one who stood beside her now, with another lotus in his hand that he knows will cheer her up.
Sometimes, all one needed was someone who listened, someone who accepted you for all of that, someone who helped you in becoming better, who inspired you to live. Flames which may have fused to become one but did not dominate or overpower the other, rather fortified each other to achieve a brilliant, spirited glow. Between them, all it took for love to be expressed were not the grand feats of glory, but merely a constant presence beside each other which remained there and understood what was spoken, or what even remained unsaid...
Subhadra and Arjun
"Have I ever told you how much I adore your smile, princess of Dwarka?" Came the question for the hundredth time, as they finally found a rare moment all for themselves, "No, I don't recall your having ever said that, O great Gandivadhaari " replied Subhadra teasingly. "Well, allow me to correct that grave error: I dearly love the simple smile that you adorns your lips, Subhadrey" "Then, let me tell you that I love the charming modesty of your expressions, Paarth". "Learnt how to compliment from the best, did you?" "I did, he is a master when it comes to these delicate matters, handles them quite smoothly. Rukmini didi never had any complaints." In answer to the sudden quip Arjun had nothing to offer except for a hearty laugh.
Absently his hand reaches for her, and he finds hers halfway toward him too, the realization of the fact bringing a smile on his lips. That was another gesture that they shared, both always coming halfway in their relationship, waiting patiently for the other, so that they were always equal, dependent but never helpless without the other. Subhadra might jest about him needing a lot more than an encouraging nudge when coming to the decision of marrying her, but still he was fond of the memory of both of them racing towards Indraprastha on their chariot, her jovial laughs mixing with the whistling winds, and their hands finding each other's for the first time. Krishna knew from the start, he had to admit, and also took great delight in matchmaking, it seemed. Another one of his greatest achievements, he declared on their wedding and Dau couldn't help himself but laugh.
Watching the sunset go by, with rosy streaks of clouds embracing it's rays in their wisps, and feeling as content as he could be, he felt something else in her hand, a ring. He turned towards her with a curious smile, "what is that?" "Something that I acquired today, a white pearl-embedded ring." she answered in an eager tone, "It's beautiful, the flawless white is enchanting." "But still, not the purest white I have ever seen" she said unexpectedly, while smiling at him, and he understood what she meant, for she and her brother were quite similar in flinging those suprising compliments which came towards him from out of the blue.
"Let it be your charm of good luck from me, let it be a shield that keeps you safe from all harm" she requested. "I am grateful to you Subhadrey, I will protect it with my life." "Leave it to you to misunderstand the simplest of things, Arya. It's the other way round, you are not supposed to protect the charm, it's supposed to protect you." she sighed dramatically. "Then, I will accept it with great gratitude, but only if you will accept one from me" he proposed with a twinkle in his eyes, "alright then, I accept it but what and where is it?". "Your smile." Arjun smiled softly "always keep it with yourself, for me. So that, as long as you have it, you'll be safe from all bad and harmful things. As long as it's there, I'll rest assured that your smile will protect you in my stead."
In the years that follow, a humble ascetic, meditating rigidly in the forests that extend afar, with the bearings of a warrior, keeps only one artifact of wealth on his person, a ring tied inside a knot of his rough cloth, hidden from the world; but not hidden from the one who lives her life in prosperity, but even among all that wealth lost her most valuable piece of heart, and lives on with a resilient, enduring smile as she waits patiently, for him to come back to her, on their promised halfway...
8, 10, 13 and 15 for asks to spread love for either Mahabharata or Baahubali (or both!)
Baahubali
8. Best thing about canon
How it combines both aspects of the Mahabharata and Ramayana, and leaves so much open for fandom to play in.
10. A popular character you actually really like and why
Sivagami! My tragic flawed queen regent who stays badass and awesome even into middle age, unlike a lot of female characters who might have been pushed into one archetype or another.
13. Recommend a fic (can be your own!) that features something you wish was written about more
Veera by TheSkyAtMidnight, featuring Kumar Varma who was so brave and deserved better!
15. A topic you never get tired of discussing
What Sivagami’s reign must have been like and how her ruling style changed as she aged
