I just read through your binderverse tag and fell in love, if you ever feel like talking more about them please know you’d have a very willing reader!
*vibrates excitedly*
NONNY.
Nonny~~~~~~~~
TT^TT
OMG, seriously, that means so much to me. ^_____^ I love these four with my entire heart and I feel like I've been letting them sit on a shelf untouched for quite some time. So I absolutely will GLADLY talk about them (...once I'm out of grading hell, that is). :D :D :D
Is there anything in particular you would like to know? ^_^
Because @kingesstropolis was kind enough to ask me several questions from the character solidifying meme, and I decided to answer all of them for all four of my central characters, I thought I’d break them up. Otherwise, these would be very VERY long posts. XD
If anyone else would like to ask me questions, I welcome them! Adesina, Braden, and Declan are a poly trio (FxMxM), and Lehana is a younger woman who comes to them for help.
And… here’s the second question!
23. What do they want from a partner? What do they think and feel of sex?
OHOHOHOHO. This is a fun one. ;D
So… a bit of a preemptive explanation. Because of certain aspects of this world (some of which I've figured out, some of which I'm still working on), if a person doesn't marry by the time they're 25 years old, they become kind of a ward of their family or their town or the state. Same deal if they lose their spouse and are unable to remarry. These laws originally came about for somewhat nefarious purposes and essentially remained in place because they were advantageous to this world's 1%/nobility and no one with power wanted to change it.
Adesina: So, we come to Adesina. She is a bit of an unusual character for this world. When Braden and Declan first meet her, she is older than 25 and still unwed. (They're in their very early 20s at the time.) Her family is well aware of this and supports it. She wants to see the world and doesn't want to settle on someone just because her age has forced the situation. She wants to marry for love. She wants to marry the right person, not just the nearest available one. She's looking for someone who will support her the way her family has, who will let her be herself and who will take on their share of the work. She wants someone kind, someone gentle, and who appreciates a good story and even an intellectual pursuit here and there. Between Braden and Declan, she finds everything she wants.
As for sex, she's definitely a sex-positive character. She's into it and she experienced enough to know what she likes, but she's also a little adventurous and willing to try new things. As long as everyone is happy and feeling good, she's down for it. If I were trying to pin down her sexuality, I'd say she's bisexual but with a bit of a preference for men. (…probably a good thing, since she ends up with two of them. ;D)
Lehana: Lehana is aromantic and asexual. She does not want a partner. She does not need a partner. She is just not at all interested in romance or sex or ANY of that. She's never understood it and she doesn't want to. She doesn't understand how it seems to turn even the most sensible people around her into hormonal idiots. And she resents like WHOA the fact that she'll have to marry by the time she's 25 (probably earlier, because alliance marriage) or risk losing her position, especially as she has designs on her mother's throne. (Don't worry, her elder brother ALSO has designs to put Lehana on their mother's throne. He has no desire to be heir, but he has even less desire to see Lehana put in the position of having to have a child when he knows she doesn't ever want to have sex. It's… complicated. But they're working on it. :P)
Braden: Braden is… complicated. And a bit spoilery. So, I think I'll put his and Declan’s answers behind a cut, because they’re both related…
So, Braden is… ironically generally… pretty much straight? Or at the very least, he's bisexual but with a strong preference for women. Then thing is, though, that that hardly matters. Because Braden has had a firm, solid crush on his best friend (Declan) since he was old enough to know what a crush WAS… and probably before then, too. So, his 'type' is pretty much soft and intellectual with a dry, occasionally biting wit, willing to let themself be taken care of (by Braden, of course), willing to let themselves be pampered (again, by Braden)… you get the idea. ;D So, when he meets Adesina and starts to fall for her a little, too (and Declan, lord help all of us, does HIS level best to push them together when he figures out it's mutual OTZ), he kind of panics. Because he loves Declan and he's only EVER loved Declan and now he thinks he might love Adesina and what is he supposed to DO. Fortunately, Adesina has the brain cell that day and knows that there are loopholes in the marriage laws that allow three people to marry and once she gets Declan on board, everything works out to everyone's advantage. ^_^
As for sex… gender kind of complicates things, so let’s talk about that, shall we?
Braden was born Kiera and AFAB. Braden had known he was a man since he was pretty young. And it didn't help that he never really fit into the gender role he was expected to fit, either, nor did he fit into the familial role as heir to a wealthy merchant family. He was always more interested in physical pursuits than mental ones, and if he weren't his family's heir, he'd have taken himself off to sign up for the Guard the second he was legally allowed to do so. The Captain of the Guard and her wife were always more mothers to him than his biological mother was, and they encouraged him where they could, but there was only so much they could do. And he probably would have found a way to live and be true to himself as best he could, but Declan had a better idea. The long and the short of it is that Declan found a way to use his magic to turn Braden into the man Braden always knew he was. Before that transition sex was… not something that really appealed to Braden. There were a few experiments pre-transition that involved Declan and strap-ons, but there was so much concern about getting caught that neither was ever able to fully enjoy it as much as they could have. Post transition, OTOH? Oh. Oh, Braden is INTO IT. No more rushed adrenaline-laced couplings, no more dysphoria, and he is ready to make up for lost time. ^_~
Declan: Declan… isn't looking for a partner. It's the last thing on earth he wants, actually. Because of the way magic works on this world, he knows he's going to die young, younger than most, if he keeps pushing himself the way he's been doing. He'll be lucky to see 35, much less 40. So, because of the way the marriage laws are set up, the absolute LAST thing he wants is to put someone he loves in a position to become a ward of whatever government rules the place they end up settling in. He's more willing to put himself in that position than anyone else. To him, it's just not worth the risk. BUT, if he had to pick someone… it would be Braden. Hands down. Because…
Declan is demiromantic and asexual as FUCK. Part of it is that he just honestly never really has the energy or opportunity to be attracted to anyone. Part of it is natural inclination. He just… doesn't really feel sexual attraction. Towards the end of Braden's time as Kiera, he's willing to experiment with him a little, but that's really more because he knows Braden wants it and can't really go to (…nor does he WANT to go to) anyone else. Which isn't to say that he doesn't enjoy the sex; he does! But left to his own devices, he would never have sought out that kind of relationship, nor does he ever really initiate sex on his own. He ends up in a similar kind of arrangement with Adesina once they become a triad, but they're both careful not to overwhelm him with attention that he may not have the energy or desire for.
Because @kingesstropolis was kind enough to ask me several questions from the character solidifying meme, and I decided to answer all of them for all four of my central characters, I thought I’d break them up. Otherwise, these would be very VERY long posts. XD
If anyone else would like to ask me questions, I welcome them! Adesina, Braden, and Declan are a poly trio (FxMxM), and Lehana is a younger woman who comes to them for help.
And... here’s the second question!
11. How do they see themselves: as smart, as intelligent, uneducated?
Adesina: I don't think Adesina sees herself as intelligent in a classic way. She was educated "on the job," so to speak? She learned everything she needed to learn while doing it, and a lot of her people's histories are passed down orally by tradition, since storytelling is a good way to pass the time on long trips at sea or on land. But she IS highly intelligent. She has a mind like a steel trap, and she can suss out a lie from a mile away. She's clever, even more than she's intelligent, if that makes sense. She's very good at problem-solving and finding loopholes in arguments, and I'm thinking once the three of them settle down that one of her side jobs is offering legal advice for free. But I think there's always going to be a part of her that feels she isn't as intelligent as she really is because she's lacking in that formal education and schooling.
Braden: Braden… Braden is highly educated—only child of landed wealthy merchants and all—but doesn't see himself as particularly intelligent, nor does he want to. He's definitely the brawn of this operation. No matter how hard his family pushed the books when he was younger, he pulled just as hard away in the direction of the captain of the guard. If it weren't for Declan helping him (and the captain convincing him that he could never join a proper guard company if he couldn't read his marching orders), he probably wouldn't have ever managed to learn to read. Or write. Or do much of anything formal education-wise. If we're going to dip into education, though, he DOES have high bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. He's a very good fighter and a pretty decent strategist. And though he enjoys a good story when Adesina or Declan can be convinced to share one, you generally won't catch him reading on his own.
Declan: (cribbing from a similar question I already answered once… ;D) Declan is intelligent, an intellectual, and very much book-smart. Due to having a magical gift that made him highly valuable, he led a relatively sheltered life. Books were both his only escape from that life… and for an entirely different reason, the bane of his existence. As a result, he spent much of his time with them, even as he resented them. So, he learned a lot and significantly broadened his own horizons, but he never had a chance to run and play and engage with the world the way other children did. That left a lot of his knowledge in the realm of the purely theoretical. On some level, he very much resents his own intelligence, because he feels that—like the magical gift and the books it’s so wrapped up in—it’s the only thing for which he is valued. And that magical gift he has is someday going to be the end of him.
Lehana: She's the second child of a ruling monarchy… she is highly, highly educated, and she knows it. And flaunts it. Whenever she has a chance. She's gotten used to thinking of herself as the smartest person in the room, and the most clever. She can debate circles around most of her mother's advisors by the time she's sixteen. She's well-read, she speaks several languages, and learned the art of diplomacy at her mother's knee. It's a bit of a novelty for her when she meets Adesina and Declan, because they're definitely at least a match for her in that department. Sometimes she'll start arguments with one of them just for fun. Adesina will indulge her, but only to a point, but if she can get Declan going, he'll debate her all afternoon just because a) he can and b) they both enjoy it.
OK, first of all, just the THOUGHT of you wanting to write fic for something I wrote has me squeaking and blushing and hiding my face. So. There’s that. ;D
But yeah, if you’re picturing Braden like... climbing up a trellis and over a balcony railing and through the window of Declan’s bedroom?
...I’m not saying that’s what happened, but yeah, that’s pretty much exactly what happened. ;D
So, your brain is right on track with mine. As usual. XDDDD
Because @kingesstropolis was kind enough to ask me several questions from the character solidifying meme, and I decided to answer all of them for all four of my central characters, I thought I’d break them up. Otherwise, this would be a very VERY long post. XD
If anyone else would like to ask me questions, I welcome them! Adesina, Braden, and Declan are a poly trio (FxMxM), and Lehana is a younger woman who comes to them for help.
So, let’s go!
5. Were they overprotected as a child? Sheltered?
Adesina: Adesina was born to a trading family and has been journeying with them since she was very young. That instilled a certain sense of freedom and independence in her from the beginning. So, no, I wouldn't say she was particularly sheltered or overprotected. She has a caring family who is supportive of her dreams and abilities, protective when needed but not overly so. She's probably the most well-adjusted of all my characters in this series, now that I think about it. ;D
Braden: Braden was also born the only child of a merchant family. So, in some respects he had a similar amount of freedom as Adesina, but being the heir to a landed, rich family, he was a bit more sheltered. His family was nowhere near as supportive of him as Adesina's and was definitely the type to restrict freedom and deny support as punishment for not fitting the mold, but Braden has always been headstrong and found his way around those restrictions whenever necessary.
Declan: Declan was EXTREMELY overprotected as a child. Due to having a magical gift that made him highly valuable, he led a relatively sheltered life. He was never really allowed to run around outside with the other children and only really allowed outside in the company of a guardian, lest someone try to steal him away. Fortunately, he had Braden who, as mentioned, finds his way around restrictions whenever necessary. So, even when Declan couldn't go OUT, Braden would find a way IN. He also got pretty good at sneaking Declan out of the house whenever he wanted, and that came in pretty useful when they both eventually made a break for it.
Lehana: Lehana was born the second child of royalty. In many ways that left her almost as sheltered as Declan, but in many others almost as free as Adesina. Being the second heir, she had a certain amount of choice in the path her life took that her older brother didn't, but she was also given a level of responsibility that most children her age didn't have. She's the second most well-adjusted of the bunch, really. Don't get me wrong: she's pampered and protected and spoiled and generally used to getting her own way, but she takes her responsibility to her people very, VERY seriously, and that helps to balance it out somewhat. She's also the youngest of the bunch when the story starts, being only 18. The others are in their mid-late 30s in comparison.
New book in the book press! :D Been a while, eh? :D I’m particularly pleased with how the stitching came out. the blue thread looks really nice. Now I’ll just have to find a good color cover paper to match it. ^_^
Just... don’t ask what I went through to find my book press this morning, OK? OK.
Of course, working on this has brought back to mind thoughts of my OCs for the first time in a while, so now I kind of want to do some work on that. Hmmm... MAYBE I WILL. ;D
Side note: ALL MY INK SAMPLES AND MY NEW GLASS DIP PEN HAVE ARRIVED and I just spent like... an hour playing with them and I AM IN LOVE. *_*
Not going to post pictures of ALL the inks, I tried, but here was my favorite of the bunch:
Diamine Jack Frost. *_*
It’s a lovely turquoise with pink shading (yes, I know it looks more purple here, but trust me, it’s pink). And I am OBSESSED. I think I may need a full bottle of this one. ^__________^
Anyway... how are you all doing on this lovely morning? Any fun plans? ^_^
kingesstropolis reblogged your post: “For the prompt meme, 12 or 18 (or both—both is good) for your...”
#you guys#my friend wrote a thing#an original thing!#and she shared it on tumblr which is hard and scary#and the thing is full of FEELINGS#and the thing is full of people who love each other#WHO TRAGICALLY LOVE EACH OTHER#and you should all roll around in the feelings with me#(and then go bug eirenical for more)#(she responds very well to excited babble jsyk)
OMG, @kingesstropolis. ^______^ THANK YOU. Not just a reblog, but a reblog WITH TAGS??? You totally made my morning! XD
I am glad you liked it! Especially as writing this got ME having all the feelings TOO, and what I’m saying is that I may have spent an hour in bed this morning just... looking up how to make paper from scratch because RESEARCH. So. ;D THANK YOU FOR GETTING ME THINKING ABOUT THEM AGAIN.
For the prompt meme, 12 or 18 (or both—both is good) for your bindverse! (I can’t recall anyone’s names so feel free to choose your own character combo!)
OMG, @kingesstropolis, you woke a monster. ;D So, for anyone curious, this snippet of story comes from an original fiction universe I’ve been picking at for a few years. There’s a LOT going on behind this scene, and it happens relatively late in what would be the first book of the trilogy. But I think it can stand on its own? If you have any questions, though, FEEL FREE TO ASK. PLEASE. I’d love to talk about these guys more. ^_^
things you said when you thought iwas asleep & things you said when you were scared (binderverse)
“He doesn’t have much time left,does he?”
Lehana’s voice. Hesitant. Young. All but breathless. It penetrated the fog Declan had been lost infor the past who-knew-how-long as little else would have.
“No. No, he doesn’t.”
Adesina’s voice, this time. Soft. Firm. Accompanied by the touch ofgentle fingers running through his hair. Declan would have given almost anything to have the energy in that momentto reach up, to catch those fingers, to offer some words of reassurance, somedenial… but he didn’t. This morning’sworking had seen to that. He barely hadthe energy to follow the conversation.
“We’ll think of something. We’ll find something. We can’t give up hope yet. We can’t.”
The surface Declan was lying onshifted with those words. Braedon. Reaching out to catch Adesina’s restless handwhen Declan couldn’t, even as his other arm tightened around Declan, refusingto let go of either of them, no matter how difficult it was to hold on. That was Braedon, through and through.
Adesina jerked her hand out of Braedon’shold—the reverberation of that movement causing Braedon to tighten his gripeven further. Declan was going to havebruises where Braedon’s fingers had dug into his side. Not that it mattered. He’d be beyond petty concerns like bruises soonenough. Adesina’s footsteps echoed in theworkshop as she began pacing, fading as she walked away, creaking louder as shereturned, until she stopped. “I’ve hadenough of false hope. Because that’s allwe’ve found, Braedon. In fifteen yearsof trying, there’s been no real cure, no real hope of a cure, even. This is how it ends. This is how it always ends for aBinder. You know that. He knows that. We all know that. And every second you spend away from himlooking for a cure that doesn’t exist is one more second you won’t have withhim before the end. Is that what youwant? Is that what you want for him?”
“No.” Declan’s chest ached, his heart skipping severalbeats—beats it could ill afford to skip when he had so precious few left—at theway that single syllable was all but dragged, limping and broken, from Braedon’sthroat. Braedon’s hold shifted, pulling Declancloser as Braedon’s head dropped to burrow into his neck. Braedon’s next words were muffled, but spoken so closeto his ear, Declan heard them loud and clear. “This can’t be it. You can’tleave me. Not yet. We were supposed to have more time.”
They were. By all the Powers Above and Below, they were. Braedon was right about that, more right thanhe knew. They should have had moretime. Ten years more. Twenty years more. Possibly as many as thirty. But Declan had sacrificed those extra yearslong ago, when he was too young to understand what that would mean twenty yearshence. But he’d done it to save the lifeof the person he’d loved best in the world… he’d done it for Braedon. A simple truth that would break Braedon completely if he even suspected it. So, Declan would take that secret to thegrave.
Finally able to dredge up enoughenergy to do more than lie in Braedon’s arms like a wet dishrag, Declan priedhis eyes open, stretched out his hand to touch Braedon’s leg. Braedon’s head came up like a shot, one handloosing its desperate hold on Declan’s body to touch his face instead. A touch so soft, so hesitant, that had Declanhad the energy, he’d have wept on contact.
Seconds later, Adesina had droppedback down beside them, her hand cupping Declan’s other cheek as though, betweenthey two, Braedon and Adesina could hold him to this life by sheer force ofwill.
If only that were so.
It was Lehana who broke up themoment, her voice sharp and quick as a whip lash. “Would you two back off? He can barely breathe for all your hovering,much less speak!”
As quickly as they’d converged,both Braedon and Adesina let go, stung into doing exactly what Lehana had askedfrom the force of her words alone. A smilelifted the corner of Declan’s lips. Thatwas exactly why this was going to work. That was exactly why he’d been willing to spend what little remained ofhis life and power on Lehana’s commission. Because maybe, just maybe, in so doing, he could make the rest of theworld listen to her, too.
Declan touched Braedon and Adesina’sfaces in turn, offering each a softer version of the smile that Lehana’swords had prompted. Then he reached outfor Lehana’s hand. “That’s enough restfor now, I think. Shall we get back towork?”
And even as Braedon and Adesina eruptedinto protests around them, Lehana’s lips were lifting into a smile to matchDeclan’s own. Reaching for his otherhand, she pulled him to his feet. Andeven though he swayed, still far from steady, with her help, it wasenough. As for time… he might not havemuch, but with Lehana’s help, Declan thought he might just have enough of that,too.
