#junired

[abyssalaquarist00]

class swap! instead of a crusader, al-hazred would be an islamicate knight (faris). considered basing him off salah ad-din. and then we have flagellant junia

[sunscream]

Alhazred tries to call Junia princess like once before she corrects him that technically he's closer to being a princess than she is. What comes in towers? princesses, what ALSO comes in towers? Wizards.

checkmate he's her princess now sorry bud.

[idrisalhazred]

What are ye al-hazred/junia headcanons? Coming here from ye fics, I like 'em!

thank you for reading! im glad you do.

i think these 2 are inexplicably drawn to each other. there's this unspoken chemistry between them they go back and forth on exploring because of who they are as people; junia has gone so long without another person she feels silly entertaining the thought; al-hazred has been with the beast for so long that he feels ashamed to want anything more. now combine these feelings with their respective religious guilt which they both feel "im too grown for this" about.

junia practices arabic with al-hazred since she's rusty. he reminds her of home in some ways. she loves hearing him recite poetry. she's very curious about him despite having no interest in the occult. junia is very comfortable in the exoteric but there's something about him that she wants to know.

al-hazred loves to fulfill any request she has and loves to cook for her especially. seeing her eat makes her happy but especially because he cant taste things, so when its good and she feels good, he feels great.

theres a certain thing btwn them that makes them both feel younger, lighter.

[idrisalhazred]

tbh despite reallyyy wanting to enjoy a sapphic junia pairing.. i've also become an al-hazred/junia fan, especially because you've made them interesting in a way that isnt strictly aesthetic. i often come away from your writing with the thought of "man, i should download some academic papers on [historical/theological topic] to read."

it also made me consider their roles in the game context as the two primary healers. it seems very stressful, doesn't it? needing to grapple with your own relationship to your faith, maintain an solid exterior to not show that doubt, handle others' prejudice/expectations.. and then have everyone's survival depend on your ability to not crack.

though, i feel it's also worth mentioning they probably wouldn't feel the pressure at rock bottom in the same way. junia's faith acts as a beacon of hope when stable, but it becomes her own moral failing when unstable; it's not the religion, it's junia's fault as a person.

but for al-hazred, with (most of) the other party members? his faith and the power he uses are probably considered the same. its usefulness is more of a surprise when stable (maybe a pleasant surprise to some, maybe tolerated to others), and all preconceived prejudice/fear feels justified when unstable; he's treated as a representation for whatever concept of the faith exists in other peoples' minds.

and thats all with the nonspecifics of religion/ethnicity. add in the historical background of real-world equivalences? many things to explore about the religious-healer experience, and a solidarity they can only really have in each other.

[[ this made me smile soooo much you have no idea

[[ i felt that i'm really in the same boat. i really want to enjoy junia and al-hazred in same-gender pairings much more than i do here ... but these two together have so much of a pull on me. i think part of that is because of my own interfaith upbringing. i also choose to tackle them as a bi4bi couple and really focus on putting them on equal footing, which i think already sets them apart from other m/f ships that are already encoded within heteropatriarchy. she's not centering her life around a man, she's centering her life around her faith. a man in the same position happens to see her and value the complexity she deals with.

[[ what you've outlined is just perfect. especially hitting the nail on the head with the way prejudice and ignorance affects how these characters are perceived both by their co-hort and, to an extent, by us as the audience. especially when they deal with the same thing in different flavors, one is just more accepted. it's also this reason why i love seeing al-hazred as a reclamation of the original lovecraft character, he's a hero and brings value to his team. he's not so scary once you get to know him, and yeah i relate to that! it's a very real experience i've been through and will continue to go through.

[[ junia is also a breath of fresh air for me being that she's confident in who she is, her sexuality included, and she's someone of faith. it's not something you see every day, usually the story is being liberated from religion to be who you are (which is it's own unique story that deserves to be told) or accepting religion and abide by a strict code (which is a conservative narrative that only represses people)

[[ i love imagining these two discussing faith and laughing about the differences, then really honing in on similarities. but i also love to imagine them talking about other things outside of religion; i can really see them bonding over literature / poetry.

[idrisalhazred]

i don't know how long ago you asked for occultist headcanons, but one of my favorites is that while he eats terribly (a combination of being an academic, who forgets a lot of the time because he's in the middle of something interesting or time-sensitive, and of sharing his soul with the tentacled horror who will sustain him if he starts dying but also can't really taste and therefore doesn't care -- he drinks a lot of tea but actual meals tend to fall by the wayside), he genuinely likes experimenting with different cooking disciplines, and is good at it.

he enjoys making things that take a while, that aren't necessarily difficult to make, but that take concerted time and effort to make well. his vegetable curries are really good, and he's modest about them while knowing they're great, but if he's really looking to impress you (like if you're bigby or junia, and he wants to see your face when he does it), it's going to be with the rare non-cove-tainted seafood; a dish with big chunks of carrot and tomato and long thin slices of onion, simmered slow in a heavy-bottom pot. fresh fish, with as much shrimp, mussels, and squid as he could get his hands on, spice levels adjusted for your tastes and not his (although he'll add extra chili paste to his after serving). he doesn't rush it, lets it cook down until it's practically a thick stew and the fillets are tender enough to melt in your mouth, and serves it over couscous that soaks up the broth, with strong acidic tea and fluffy bread. it tastes even better than it smells, somehow, and he's modest but not self-effacing, because he knows it rules and knows that now you know it, too.

bigby thinks the paprika is spicy and al-hazred is a good sport who only makes fun of him a little about it. junia's spice tolerance is mystifying and fascinating; it's high and she's very embarrassed about it.

[[ i will always accept HC asks!

[[ It is so So delightful you sent this because around the time you did I was already working on a fic about Junia and Al-Hazred sharing food that he made (excerpt below)

[[ i should note that that curry isn't a signature / traditional Arab dish. i've seen him getting associated with curry i think twice now so i wanted to put that disclaimer out there; it's not that he cant have it or cant enjoy it or cant make it. indian food is really popular in the middle east. i just want to be clear for folks reading since conflating arab and indian cultures happen a lot and not always on purpose.

[[ THAT BEING SAID ! stew is very universal and we've got plenty of those. slow cooking is great for multitasking which is something i could totally see him do as he gets other tasks done. i think he could make a great curry too based on being good at that method of cooking.

[[ i used to love a show called iZombie where zombies couldn't taste anything but preferred spicy foods since it was the closet. i kind of love this concept for Al-Hazred too.

“I hope you can excuse the mess, I don’t often have company,” he said, walking toward the fireplace which his latest creation was simmering high over a low fire. There was another pot, one of clay, taking residence on the small round table accompanied by a single chair, “make yourself comfortable.”

With noticeable hesitation, the Vestal sat at the table, placing a hand on her shawl so it wouldn't move. 

“I’m afraid this may be the most appetizing meal in the entire town,” he spoke with a sarcastic undertone, retrieving a small bowl from the mantle.Once he opened the clay pot, it would unleash a welcome aroma. He scooped out the rice into the bowl with a wooden spoon, also fishing out one of the quartered onions and halved tomatoes for her. Then, he turned to the steady, small flame keeping the pot hanging above it warm. It was some kind of yellow stew made from some clearly foraged, and perhaps questionable materials- But it looked more appetizing than whatever the tavern served. He ladled some of the solids into the bowl with some of the broth.

“By divinity, Idris,” she said, stunned by the meal he presented, “How in the world did you acquire rice? This must have been expensive!”

“It’s not much. The bag was split between Josephine, Amani, Tardif and myself,” he nodded, “The meat is rabbit, courtesy of Missandei. I had traded her some candles which I had gotten from Dismas who wanted some bones to give to- The supply chain is unimportant, but rest assured ethically sourced by our honest activities. Tafadhal, let me know how it tastes.”

What a peculiar mannerism she noted. The way he switched directions using the same tone as he started with was odd, but nothing out of the ordinary despite how it stood out to her. She wasn’t to judge, after all, it looked like real food had been put in front of her. Yes, the guild accommodated her well and her dues earned her a spot at their table where they ate mostly roasted catches. But this meal was prepared differently, in a manner more familiar, more closer to the holy land where she was from.

Junia scooped a small bite of the broth-soaked rice with a bit of meat. The flavours that hit her tongue fell strangely, but not repulsive. She was too polite to say anything negative, but it was hard to hide the way her face immediately furrowed into confusion.

“It’s-” she began, “It’s interesting.”

“Really?” his eyes widened, “Could you… describe it?” he asked, with some shy wonder, a hesitant smile and an unbreaking gaze, “I apologize if it’s off, I haven't tasted anything in some time…”

Was that true? It wasn't her place to pry, but it hadn't stopped an undue apology from being expressed.

“Oh, I’m sorry, is that a recent development?” she asked, cautiously concealing her concern. Though an untraditional healer, it did her well on her lone journey before the hamlet to brush up on medical knowledge. She knew it could be a symptom of something, or the effect of something long past.

“Not quite, no,” he scratched the underside of his chin, “Seemed to have been on the fine print of the contract with the Beast.”

Junia looked up at him from her seat, feeling the point between her brows grow thicker than it was before. 

“It’s nothing to worry about,” he waved, picking up his own bowl he’d forgotten he was halfway through, “We all face consequences eventually, and this just happens to be one I face by sharing my body with… Well, I shouldn’t bore you with the details. I know it was an odd request, but if I should have any more guests I would like to try and make something more appetizing.”

There was a brief silence as she took another bite.

“It’s not bad, it’s just bitter,” she unapologetically began. She would describe the sensations after contemplating each bite; this cooling type of feeling which tickled her soft palate and made her more aware of her nasal cavity, for with each inhale was an icy return. Then, this flat bitterness- somewhat like an olive- would coat the back of her throat until it was masked by the accompanying herbs. Yet, despite its strangeness, the earthy, vegetal and fungal accompaniments held it together and uplifted the unique profile. He watched in fascination as she regaled the odd taste. It looked like he was more than satisfied that she continued to indulge him, describing how strange it was but a welcome change from the non-flavorings often found in the hamlet. 

As she continued to her description, she noticed the way he looked at her with eyes full of fascination. Al-Hazred had himself leaned close to the fireplace, arms crossed but his head hung as if to better receive the information he was gathering about this recipe he’d never shared with anyone else. She wasn’t sure how much of her words he cared for, but for some reason she wanted every bit of it to be important to him. One thing she was sure of, however, was that standing so close to an open flame was usually a recipe for disaster, especially when one’s fashion choices often included drapery. Between his warm smile and the edge of his robes, she wasn’t quite sure which to focus her attention on.

“Thank you for indulging me,” he bowed his head politely and placed his now empty bowl on the table.

[idrisalhazred]

okay yeah what the hell some shirtless junired light body horror below

[abyssalaquarist00]

i think al-hazred might be afraid of making romantic or physical connections because of the uncertainty that tbb brings. which only brings so much tension to the table when he is interested in someone. he'll talk himself out of acting on his feelings but he'll show it in other ways, particularly in conversation.

i think w junia they both drift to each other and hover around the other, the thing is that junia isn't afraid of making a move bc shes not afraid of rejection. they're both interested in each other and learning more about the other person, they'll talk or sit in silence. they back each other up.

al-hazred avoids rejection, for whatever reason that is, possibly because he doesnt want the dynamic to change for the worse. hes fine with it as it is, and denies himself the idea that she's interested. he's out of practice, only really engaging with tbb for intimacy (maybe another reason why he'd avoid making a move; feeling like this relationship w tbb is a price he has to pay and nobody else should have to deal with the affects it brings)

but she's curious and she wants to know.....

[abyssalaquarist00]

The Dread, Chapter 5

My longest chapter yet at 7357 words. My most self indulgent chapter as well. Some light junired stuff, and some exposition on Miskatonic's library.

Next chapter is the last one! I'll probably post it in a few days.