Manon Blackbeak Apologist

These are mostly nsfw but since when are these two sfw? anyway, here is the playlist~

And by work here i mean EVERYTHING Dorian wasn’t joking when he planned this entire thing.

He’d go out in the morning to cut wood for the fire, every batch he finished he makes Manon take it back to the cabin so that’s her making the same trip on food 5-6 times and she’s not supposed to complain because there will be consequences for that. She did mutter something though about growing tired so quickly but Dorian was quick to return that all the walking will help get the drugs out of her system so there will be A LOT OF movement for her.

He was also planting all the vegetables they’ll need because he won’t make the trip to town often. It would be a reward so he will hold back on making those trips until he sees actual improvement. Of course, Manon has no green thumb but she can watch and follow his instructions like he won’t leave her alone to tend to anything.

The same goes for cooking. He does the main work but she helps with everything. He’d tell her to get a particular plate or a pot or to put something back etc. and cleaning up afterwards because the entire place must be kept clean at all times.

Since this isn’t a fun gateway, Dorian didn’t make much room for any nighttime activity. Bed time is around 7 pm, like literally it’s lights out by 7:30 pm there is no way Manon is awake after that hour. It was awful because the sun is still bright out who can sleep at this time??? But after a couple of complaints and having to endure the consequences Manon learned not to argue and just lay down and go to sleep because it is the better option.

Dorian wasn’t joking when he said that he won’t give her any leeway. But Manon is Manon and she didn’t make it easy at first. But she realized quickly that she’s only making it hard on herself because she’s the only who has to endure this and Dorian isn’t letting anything slide. Every eye roll and every huff landed her in hot waters and she quickly learned to save herself from landing in any more trouble.

But Manon is always testing to see where the line is. Nearly two months later they took their first trip to town and Manon thought that since they’re in the car she’s safe from Dorian’s usual ‘punishment’. Turns out, as she quickly found out, it didn’t. Dorian didn’t hesitate to get out of the main road and spend the next twenty or so minutes reminding Manon that their rules still stand. While she didn’t appreciate it at all she was grateful that he didn’t turn the car back and they actually got to spend the day in the small town.

It wasn’t just a rehab sort of thing, but it somehow strengthened their bond. Manon trusted Dorian more than ever before. Despite his unreasonable firmness, she felt safe in the environment that he created. She hated every small detail because it was just awful but deep down she felt settled and allowed herself to relax and just be.

But of course being out in nature meant that Dorian got to get creative and Manon didn’t like that one bit because back in the city he didn’t have access to some of these things and Manon didn’t know how lucky she was. But of course, Dorian’s retort is always: it’s all in your hands, your behavior dictates how things go.

She hated this logic because complaining should definitely not warrant that kind of thing but Dorian wouldn’t budge at all. He was adamant about these things and all of her attempts (you bet she had PLENTY) have failed.

Manon might have resorted to all kinds of tactics, even childish ones just to see how far it would get her. She got nowhere. She was only setting herself up for failure and Dorian has a long fuse so he managed it with ease.

In the end, she did as Dorian wanted without much of a fuss because that seemed like the only thing that works. She didn’t like it, and she certainly was a brat about it after a few days (Manon can be her own worst enemy at times) and she just kept going in circles. (She behaves properly, everything goes well, she starts acting out, meets the consequences, rinse and repeat)

And really, Dorian knows her well enough to expect this. He knows her compliance is not something that lasts because she isn’t this kind of person. But he is consistent and never let her get away with anything. It was more than just the drugs. It was how she handles stress and any other taxing situation. She can be extreme at times and doing the wrong thing like that is unacceptable. She was hanging out in shady places where anything could happen to her. She was spending time around awful people and he honestly feared for her life. So Dorian used this as a learning opportunity to teach her how to cope with stress and not engage in risky behavior just because things didn’t go her way.

Okay so this related to Manon’s drug use arc. At the time she and Dorian are broken up and she was just spiraling on her own.

Dorian found out, and he wasn’t too happy about it. He called her over and had a long talk with her and it kinda worked but Manon realized that they weren’t back together so Dorian actually has no right to tell her what to do. So she continued going to the shady bar and getting drunk and high before eleven in the noon.

Dorian found her there and he took matters into his own hands. There are rooms upstairs, and he quickly marched Manon up to one of them to let her know that he wasn’t joking earlier. This will end and he will make sure of it.

Manon didn’t like where this was going because why are they up in the room like this and Dorian is looking so displeased. Dread and excitement battled inside of her because she knows where this is going. But still, she’d rather they go home instead of this room up here. The lock is probably busted and anyone can walk into them. Dorian pushed a chair under the door handle, his action telling Manon that he won’t be swayed. She complained that people can hear them, but the music is too loud and people are drunk off their asses no one will be aware.

Dorian was aware that he was angry, and he didn’t trust himself to carry on doing something that will hurt Manon. He stopped and decided to drop her off at her place and hopefully this is the end of this problem.

Later on, as he poured himself a drink in his living room, Dorian wondered how things got to that point. It was clear that Manon was self destructing and she didn’t know how to stop. Dorian knows that without any clear direction, this will continue to snowball. Manon wasn’t doing any hard drugs, yet. She will get there eventually because where does she draw the line, really.

He thought about it for a while. At the end, Dorian said fuck rehab, he knows how to fix this problem. It wasn’t an addiction per se, it was lack of direction and he knows exactly how to steer this woman back into track.

He called Manon and told her to pack her things. He will pick her up in an hour.

Dorian drove them all the way to the cabin in the mountains. Nature and isolation are ideal for what he plans to do. It wasn’t a vacation: there will be work to do and Manon is about to have a reality check. She can’t be left alone with her thoughts, as this is what led her to where she is now.

Dorian planned their days with military precision. Every hour was filled with something. Lots of outdoors time and many things are to be done inside. It won’t be fun, but Manon will benefit from this rigid structure. Dorian was clear about any consequences. After a few times testing him, Manon learned that he meant everything he said.

It was confusing though. Dorian wasn’t her boyfriend so why was he doing this. Better yet, why is she letting him do it? Manon never found the answer to this question and it left her so confused. Sure, she and Dorian slept in different rooms but he was in her room every night, talking to her before leaving her to sleep.

Dorian was also confused. Him and Manon aren’t together yet he sprang into action the moment he learned she was getting herself into trouble. He has no right to touch her yet here they are, seclude up in the mountains miles away from any civilization.

Manon is a friend, and he’d hate to see her do this. She needs rules and structure, more so than she did earlier. She was lost and confused and he’s there showing her that she isn’t alone and she’s going to get looked after. Try as he might, Dorian couldn’t just leave it alone.

So he came up with this plan. He had a lot of rules that Manon is going to follow and things will progress from there. When they get back home, using drugs again will be the last thing in her mind after he’s done with her. He knows where the problem is and he will fix it. He will give Manon a direction and ensure that she’s safe within the structure that he has set up.

Though at times it was awful. Many nights he wanted her in his bed, in his arms. But alas, she wasn’t his anymore even tho he wanted nothing more than to have her in his embrace. He wanted to kiss her and tell her it’s okay. He loves her, that’s not something he can lie to himself about. He never stopped loving her and his feelings only intensified during their time on the mountains.

Manon felt the same way but she was confused. Why was Dorian doing all of this if they weren’t together anymore? She normally loved this side of him but now she didn’t know why he was doing this. He was a lot more strict and it made her, deep down, feel more settled but she couldn’t bear the distance between them.

One night she snapped and told him that. Why did he care and drag her all the way up to the mountains in full isolation. She isn’t his girlfriend anymore so it didn’t make any sense. She was also very upset because she needed him in a way that wasn’t possible anymore.

Dorian didn’t have any answer aside from he does it because he cares deeply about her and also because he still loves her so much. He knows she’s emotionally distressed because of that and he tried to be more present and caring.

Long night talks slowly turned to more. He stayed longer, unable to get himself to leave Manon even after she had fallen asleep. He kept her in his embrace during storms and electricity outages, he told her stories to keep her distracted. After days of hard work, he’d reward her with a trip to the nearest town where they’d eat somewhere nice and spend the whole day there.

Overall this entire trip brought them closer together and it led to a confession from both of them. Their feelings were growing each day and there was no denying it. They have a history they can’t ignore, and their feelings to each other never died. Their confession after a couple of months there settled both of them and they both felt that a missing piece is finally back in its place.

Okay so- (this is what i recall im trying to fill the blanks here) since Tristan and Lothian are married and all so Rhiannon is the older sister (from a previous marriage) not the younger one.

Also there is something about Manon being troubled like— I think she was living with the matron for a while (no idea why or how but it appears she somehow had custody before her parents could get her back??? idk something like that)

Dorian reads all those books to Manon because she doesn’t read but enjoys this because this was the one thing her grandmother prohibited her from doing her whole life

listen I know that deep down Manon would be petty enough to bring it up in an argument if it serves her purpose like she isn’t above doing that at all especially when it comes to making Dorian feel guilty.

They both are alive and well, and Manon is born to loving parents, who will love her unconditionally and teach her how to be a fair queen. She will grow up knowing of her people’s history, and she will have so many plans on how to rebuild the wastes and make it a proper home for the witches. She will think of ways to make alliance with the Ironteeth witches and perhaps they all can live together and move on past their bloody history

I am a very concerned lifeguard right now

Yeah in modern au she can’t swim at all rip

she never learned and when she was young she was nearly drowned by her grandmother so she just hates being in any sort of water because she vividly remembered drowning so yeah (she doesn’t remember that all she can recall is the drowning itself her brain completely blocked the part where her grandmother kept pushing her underwater until she couldn’t breathe and left her there to die)

Since it’s been getting so hot lately this is how I think Dorian will handle it.

Like, Manon can’t deal with the heat at all. She overrated easily as she is prone to fainting due to the heat so Dorian doesn’t take any chances with it. Not only that, but Manon also burns easily so being outside while the sun is at peak is a no-no.

Normally people try to cool off in a swimming pool or so. But Manon doesn’t because she can’t swim and hates being around water anyway.

But Dorian is determined and he wants a solution to this problem because he needs Manon to cool off with water away from any source of sunlight. So he got one of those tanning pools and put it inside the house. There is no direct sunlight there, as it’s not deep at all so it’s completely safe. This way he can get main to cool off in the water without any of these issues arising.

(Pictures attached for clarification)

Manon becoming a mother was both wonderful and scary at the same time.

She has A LOT of trauma in her. Her own upbringing was very harsh and even as an adult who’s been in therapy and currently has very emotionally safe environment, is still haunted by that childhood.

This was one thing she didn’t want to pass down to her daughter. She reads emotions differently, that’s why she never wants to be angry at her daughter, she never wants to yell or raise her voice, never give out threats and come up with harsh punishments because having this kind of power gives her a high of sorts.

No, Manon wanted to be the opposite of that. She wanted to have nothing but love for her daughter. She wanted to love her, to enjoy every moment with her, to guide her through life without threats and consequences. She wanted her daughter to be her own independent person who will always be loved and accepted as she is. No room for pretense, or trying to be someone else. Manon wouldn’t have these impossible standards and stress her daughter out because she can’t meet them.

Not only that, because Manon was hurt by other people while she was growing up. She knows more than anyone that the world isn’t a safe place for a young girl to be all in her own with no one to look after her. This is something that continues to haunt her. Predators are everywhere and they know how to pick their victims and not be seen.