Musing On Cut & Run

memorable brienne & jaime moments (5/?):

sasuke, whose been fetishized his whole life, is a deadass genocide victim, is literally no younger than 17 for the entire series, an implied victim of assault, n hes been gaslighted by the village,, the uchihas are like. an oppressed clan because back in ye olden times ppl were „too scared of them“, and in the end everyone he ever loved has either lied to him or died or tried to kill him...

Is a brilliant military strategist and commander

Helped Laurent turn a bunch of mercenaries into a loyal army in a couple of weeks. As an Akielon slave, he convinced these people to follow his command

Figured out that they were walking into a rockslide based on the fact that the terrain was unsuitable for any other type of ambush, and saved everyone by knowing exactly how far off the road they’d have to go to be safe

Keeps calm in difficult situations and reasons out the best course of action

Won Laurent a Veretian fortress, which are notoriously difficult to conquer, using a strategy that accurately assessed the risks and benefits of splitting up their troops

Likes Akielon poetry. Is particularly into super long war epics

Speaks nearly flawless Veretian, among other languages

Was the one to figure out that Paschal had evidence of the Regent’s crimes, which not even Laurent managed to do

Can tell when Laurent needs to be left alone versus when he needs sense talked into him

Also Damen:

I speak your language better than you speak mine, sweetheart

Has the emotional intelligence of a pineapple

Doesn’t remember the names of the people he’s slept with

*gropes the Prince of Vere in the baths* *is shocked at there being consequences for this*

Loses all his brain cells in the presence of hot people

See that last point again

Torveld: *flirts with laurent* Damen: *frowns*

Tries to escape Arles. Is recaptured immediately

Tries to fight an entire Vaskian clan with his hands tied behind his back

Asks Laurent if he’s straight

*Sees his lover in less clothes than usual* *literally drops a pitcher*

Walks into the palace at Ios, his childhood home, using the code name Damen. Yes very stealthy. Definitely fooled those guards.

“Laurent is innocent because I love him so much. Listen to how much I love him. This is clearly an effective argument for a trial.”

Puts away his sword around Kastor. Stabby Kastor. Still-has-a-knife Kastor.

Insists that his life-threatening injuries are quote unquote “not that bad.”

Never listens to nik

Never listens to his doctors

In conclusion:

Kinda reminds me of Auguste and Laurent

1) the fact that like every four seconds damen reminds us that he has a Type, and everyone else reminds us that he has a Type, bcs every single person in every single kingdom knows that damen has a Type. WE GET IT. U LIKE BLONDS. mess. (“i have SEEN HIM.”)

2) equally, the fact that every four seconds damen starts daydreaming about What If I Could Court Laurent For Real. my two fave varieties of this are (a) the fact that basically every time he sees anything, up to and including random buildings and like, trees, probably, he’s like IF ONLY I COULD SEE THIS THING WITH LAURENT, BUT PROPERLY, WHILE COURTING, and (b) the time he was all “what if we’d met when we were younger, hmm i’d have been like 19, so laurent would have been… 13? wait, no, that wouldn’t work, how about instead: AU where laurent is 16 when i meet him at 19, so that i could—wait for it—court him! NICE.”

3) basically, all aspects of damen’s Big Dumb Crush. damen: “laurent is kind of hot i guess, too bad he’s an asshole so i definitely don’t care or like him at all or appreciate that everyone is super convinced that we’re fucking.” also damen, a short while later: [literally drops a fucking pitcher and spills wine everywhere bcs he unexpectedly sees laurent’s legs]

4) “the soldiers in kastor’s army are trained in massage?” and then that entire scene; i read this bit as i was walking home from work bcs i’m an idiot who thinks she can read while walking, i almost walked into like three different trees and then when it ended i had to go over to the edge of the sidewalk so that i could stand still and scream quietly into my hands

5) “hello, lover” (this was another point at which i had to put the book down so that i could have both hands free, in order to physically drag them down my face)

6) damen said, “you asked for it, once.” damen said, “wear it for me.” laurent said, “put it on me.” (i said, approximately, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHADhHhdh”)

7) “you’re very…. attractive.”

8) “i’m a little more experienced than that.” “yes, that is immediately apparent.” “is it?”

9) actually every piece of dialogue occurring during or shortly before or after any of the sex scenes honestly, like, sex scenes as character studies, re: which, murder me about it

10) murder me especially about how careful damen is, even before he has any idea, like he doesn’t know what laurent’s deal is, only that he definitely has one, and he’s so so so attentive to that even though he doesn’t get it—and then, when you are done murdering me about that, you should pls murder me at LEAST twice about like………. every single tiny carefully constructed agonizing detail of how laurent functions in intimate situations. god.

11) “it was charming because it was clear that laurent was unsure exactly what to do, yet, typically, had acted to take control of everything” have i mentioned that laurent is my CHILD

12) [scandalized] “that is SPORTS”

13) the time when laurent gets drunk and is more sociable than usual and then the next morning is EXTREMELY CONFUSED by the fact that he appears to have made friends by accident asdkhfgksdjk BLESS. my tiny disaster baby.

14) the fact that nikandros spends basically the entire time he appears in these books being like “look, i get that there’s literally no hope of you not fucking him, bcs: U Have A Type, but also, the thing is, have you considered—” [long-suffering wordless scream into the void]

15) HE IS CHARLS. I AM CHARLS. WE ARE COUSINS, NAMED FOR OUR GRANDFATHER. CHARLS.

16) laurent teaching a little girl a fucking magic trick afsdksadhjfkjkahfkhdgjk bye bye bYE

17) the fact that laurent BLUSHES CONSTANTLY, he spends so much time blushing, it’s incredible. here’s a thing i enjoy thinking about is how fucking delightful damen presumably finds this, and how much fun he prob has making laurent blush at inopportune moments.

18) “he won’t kill you but I WILL”

19) damen at the end like “WELL, this wound isn’t actually LIFE-THREATENING, and now my BOYFRIEND is gonna have to TAKE CARE OF ME ATTENTIVELY while i recover, so :D :D :D on the whole i am rather pleased with this stabbing!!” DAMEN ARE U LITERALLY EVER OK

20) it :) was :) one :) kingdom :) once :)))))) goodbye

21) that time laurent brought damen an apricot

charls

charls