Sorry for the wait- here's all the Super Spicy Takoyaki challenge matchups translated! Not sure why the official English account didn't also do this promotion, or at least some variation of it?
Jackson: No.
Sam: That bad, hey?
Jackson: They got Standish.
...
Donovan: We needed the photo to look real.
Catherine: Who did you send it to? Lamb? Cause if you're trying to blackmail him with a threat to me, I'm not sure it'll work.
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i told my friend that i’m really excited to meet her baby and that i hope he likes me and she replied “i think he’ll love you as soon as he knows you! how could he not?” and i think i will cry and lose my mind over this forever and ever and ever
Is there going to be an opportunity to escape the tragic fate that will befall us? Maybe like gathering allies to fight back against the clan or escape from Bellhollow altogether?
Please read the reminder of the last J&C related ask.
I’m probably never going to write this in full but I CANNOT get the idea out of my head so I’m posting my way-too-fleshed-out outline as is:
Lifeswap AU (and the reverse of a fix it AU) where Claire is an 18th century servant at Leoch who fancies Jamie, and he fancies her back. But while out traveling with the renting party, Jamie is forced to wed the mysterious Laoghaire to protect her from Black Jack Randall.
Jamie is tossing stones into the stream, lost in thought over the most recent row between him and his wife. His life until now has always been so clear, his choices always so straightforward. But now Jamie finds himself adrift, much like the wee pebbles he tosses into the water.
So focused is he on the rocks, he almost doesn’t hear someone approaching from beyond the trees. He turns stiffly, but relaxes when he sees ‘tis only Claire.
Claire is someone Jamie feels he has known all his life-- she is the daughter of the late Beaton healer, and Mrs. Fitz’ granddaughter. When he first stayed at Leoch as a lad, he followed her around like a puppy, but as a young and green boy, she merely treated him as a friend (albeit one who she smiled indulgently at when faced with his attempts at flirting). She was over six years older than him after all. Aside from a brief distraction in France from Annelise, he had always dreamed of returning to Leoch and sweeping her off her feet when the time was right.
The only reason he honestly didn’t do it immediately after returning was because of the price on his head. He promised himself that the second he had a pardon, he would go to Claire and beg for her hand. Until then, he would never ask her to tie herself to an outlaw with nothing to offer.
Of course, that doesn’t mean he couldn't flirt and court her. He was quite certain he could win her heart when the time came.
(Little did Jamie know, he already had it.)
Then came the damned rent party. Dougal had insisted he come along, already planning on using his scarred back for shock value. Before leaving, he had asked Claire if they could talk when he returned-- Jamie still didn’t have a pardon but frankly he couldn’t wait any longer. She agreed and he went off, leaving his heart behind. He tried to get Murtagh to stay and watch over her but the old man insisted Jamie needed his protection more, though he did say he would ride back early should there be a need.
While on the road, Jamie unfortunately found himself bound to Laoghaire, the strange woman they rescued from BJR on the road.
She was traveling with them along the rent route because Dougal saw no reason to drag her back to Leoch immediately, but suspected she was a spy from the fact that a) she showed up so randomly at Craigh na Dun and b) she claims to be and sounds like a Scot, but Dougal has never heard of a Laoghaire Mackenzie in HIS clan and certainly not one who clearly doesn’t know any Gaelic. He suspects she’s an English spy who perfected the accent but nothing else.
Jamie is forced to marry Laoghaire somehow, (honestly the details don’t matter), but he isn’t happy about it.
The wedding is like the exact opposite of canon-- it’s not in a church, Jamie doesn’t insist on a ring or dress (because in his mind his one and only bride was always Claire), and Jamie is the unhappy one while Laoghaire is silently thrilled that she’s getting such a hot stud as her husband out of all this.
Back at Leoch, Claire is absolutely heartbroken when she hears the news. Jamie tries to find her to explain, but he’s held up by well wishers and she slips out.
Laoghaire notices his distraction, and is pretty dissatisfied with how distracted he’s been overall, and at some point they argue about it when she sees him try to go talk to Claire again. She reminds him that she is his wife and his lady, not ‘some lowly servant’ like Claire, and he made vows to her.
Later that day, he heads to his thinking spot to figure out what to do. End flashback.
Claire looks equally surprised to see him, but her looks soon change to something in between hurt and amusement. She remarks that she should have known he’d be in her thinking spot. “Yer thinking spot, Claire? Was I not here first?” “Aye, you were, Jamie, but ye forget, it’s been my thinking spot longer.” they both laugh, but it tapers off awkwardly.
Claire asks if he wants to unburden what’s on his mind, and starts picking up stones to toss into the stream alongside him. They skip stones together in silence for a bit while Jamie gathers his thoughts.
After a beat, Jamie admits that he doesn't love Laoghaire and feels like he betrayed his father for marrying a woman he didn’t love. He admits he wishes he had been a bit more selfish, and not helped Laoghaire at all despite feeling obligated to help a lass in distress. Under her breath, Claire murmurs something that sounds like “you selfless bastard”.
He says it's her turn to share, and she admits she came here because the man she loves is now married to another woman (obviously talking about him), and doesn’t know what to do.
They have been picking up and skipping stones this whole time, and after Claire’s confession they both reach for the same stone. Looking from her hand over his, up to her face, Jamie asks her if she thinks it’s okay to be a little selfish, sometimes. Claire says yes, I think everyone is a little selfish sometimes, her voice almost a whisper now because their faces are inching closer and closer together. Finally, their lips meet and they abandon the pretense of skipping stones altogether.
They make out for a while, but when they almost start rucking up each other’s skirt and kilt, they stop and realize they shouldn’t-- no, can’t be doing this. Brokenhearted, Claire tells Jamie to just go.
He tries to say something, starts saying “mo cridhe,” but she stops him and tells him no. She may love him, but he wouldn’t be the man she loved if he wasn’t true to his word and faithful to his wedding vows. He nods, heartbroken, and asks if she can forgive him. Claire pecks his lips once more, and says there is nothing to forgive. And maybe one day, they’ll meet again, free to love each other once more.
Jamie leaves, certain that he’ll never be as happy as he was in his love’s arms, but resigned to cherish the opportunity they had together as nothing more than a memory.
