xxlucyferxx | And So Sanity Got Up And Left

Entry tags:

And So Sanity Got Up And Left

Title: And So Sanity Got Up And Left
Rating: PG
Pairing: Caspian/Edmund
Dedication: To my beautiful sister

ladylapislazuli - I was going to make this fluffy for you, but you know what I'm like. I just can't help myself.

Notes: This one's for prompt #11 - 'What if we fell in love?' at

100foraslan . I'm probably embarrassing myself, since I wrote it just this morning and it's more or less unedited, but I can't be bothered with my usual perfectionism today.

Caspian is not an easy person to care about.

There are times when Edmund wonders whether it’s worth all the trouble. Whether Caspian mightn’t have been right after all when he’d said he wasn’t ready to be king. There are many ways, he thinks, in which the Telmarine monarch is still a child. He’s stubborn and temperamental. Sometimes he loses his temper for no reason at all. Sometimes he’s self-pitying and impossible to deal with.

At royal functions, Edmund sits quietly and rolls his eyes as Caspian flirts shamelessly with the ladies of the court. He doesn’t mean anything by it, but none of the ladies realise that. They’re all completely under his spell.

Edmund doesn’t blame them. Sometimes he wonders whether he isn’t a bit enchanted himself.

Today, he’s been dragged into the study with Caspian to look at some supposedly troublesome loophole in Narnia’s trade agreements with Archenland. Caspian is leaning over a piece of parchment, russet hair falling forward over his face, and it strikes Edmund how easy it would be to make Caspian fall for him. Because at the heart of all Caspian’s flirtatiousness, his quick temper and his inexplicable bouts of sullenness, is a desperate craving for approval and affection. It’s an unforgivable flaw in a king, who cannot afford to need to be liked by all his subjects. But Edmund knows that he’ll never exploit this vulnerability – and for all he knows, he’s the only one that even sees it. For all he knows, Caspian has everyone else fooled.

Wordlessly, Caspian reaches out to hand over the paper he’s been working on. Their fingers brush, and Edmund feels a jolt of warmth run down his arm and into his stomach. Their eyes meet, and Caspian smiles – a nervous, uncertain smile. He’s noticed as well, then.

Edmund smiles back, and turns his gaze to the parchment as casually as he can. It would be so easy to just lean over the desk, to press his lips to Caspian’s and kiss him until all trade agreements and politics and matters of state fade to utter insignificance. But he won’t. Falling in love with Caspian would be a disaster – a blissful, cathartic, delicious disaster, but a disaster nonetheless. Because regardless of his charm, Caspian isn’t ready to fall in love. He’s too difficult, too uncertain of himself.

And it’s altogether too easy to love him for it.

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Aw, I love you! <3 Thank you so much!

I loved Edmund's maturity... And the portrayal of Caspian was so true. XD

:D :D :D

Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. &hearts

oh... Edmund.

Um, I'll take that as a compliment, shall I? :P

If you wish :P

*pokes you*

this, for example, was bloody well awesome. As was 'playing quoits with crowns'.

Here, look at this bit:

Edmund smiles back, and turns his gaze to the parchment as casually as he can. It would be so easy to just lean over the desk, to press his lips to Caspian’s and kiss him until all trade agreements and politics and matters of state fade to utter insignificance. But he won’t. Falling in love with Caspian would be a disaster – a blissful, cathartic, delicious disaster, but a disaster nonetheless. Because regardless of his charm, Caspian isn’t ready to fall in love. He’s too difficult, too uncertain of himself.

And it’s altogether too easy to love him for it.

I usually just flail at you and say your fic is awesome without stopping and saying why. Allow me to point out why: it's things like this bit I just quoted, where you write with both incredibly sharp human insight, and a lovely sense of balance in the wording itself.

I was going to say 'see, this is nothing like Teenage Writing', except that's not true at all. It's nothing like the kind of Teenage Fanfic you're trying to avoid. I suspect that being a teenager, and an emotionally high-strung teenager to boot is a good part of what produces these sorts of insights.

SO NER.

LUCYMONSTER.

Can I podfic this? Please? And can I record this one (http://xxlucyferxx.livejournal.com/13122.html#cutid1) with it, as a sort of two-for-one?

Eep, podfic? Me? That sounds bloody awesome! Of course you can. :D

Do it, Edmund! Do iiiit.

That was *my* first thought, too! *laughs*

Oh, he nearly did, I'm afraid. I had to bodily restrain him, as a matter of fact.

Yeah. He's not really as high-minded as he likes to come across in this story. :P

The fluff is hidden beneath. ;) It's like a constant desire for fluff that cannot be fulfilled. *g*

and it strikes Edmund how easy it would be to make Caspian fall for him
Than why don't you do it, Ed?!

*smiles*

Ah, of course. It's just very cleverly disguised fluff. I am a super-stealthy fluff ninja...that's it!

He wants to, believe me. He just has an irritatingly angst-inclined medium who's been holding him back. I really should stop that. XD

You put images in my head, girl. *g*
The thought of you wearing a fluffy pink ninja costume just made me laugh so hard. XD
I'm sorry... but... MWAHAHAHA!!!

Yeah, you definitely should get it over with. I know you can do it. ;)

I love Edmund's self-control and quiet observations...and I think Caspian's characterization is right on target.

Edmund may not choose at this time to "make" Caspian fall for him; but that doesn't mean Caspian himself has no ideas on the subject.

*eyes the last two paragraphs with interest*

Thank you! I'm really pleased to hear that about the characterisation actually, because I was a bit worried about it when I posted...I've been trying to avoid making them seem too angsty and OOC.

Oh, Caspian has ideas alright. In fact, I'm feeling a sequel coming on in which he elaborates a bit more on those ideas. Hmm.

*wanders off thinking*

I don't think either Peter or Susan would see Caspian dispassionately enough, for various reasons, to realize *why* he does these things. Lucy *might* understand, but she's too sympathetic to be anyone's emotional anchor.

Often, people focus on Edmund's sharp wit and forget that he was also a gravely kind and fair man, as an adult. IMO, he really grew into the best-balanced of all of them, and he never forgot anything he'd done, that helped make him who he was.That kind of maturity would be very attractive someone who's world has been overturned and who never had much emotional wealth to begin with, I imagine...attractive to anyone. :)

I'm happy to hear you've got more planned, because this really does feel like the first of something. :)

I try to avoid going the whole 'Emo!Caspian has serious mental issues because of his loveless childhood' route because I know it's rather cliche, but I cannot help seeing Caspian as, well, a little bit messed up. Not that he's admitting to that...he's not the most introspective fellow. I don't think he really sees anything of his own behaviours and motivations beyond what he's feeling at any given moment, and what he's been taught he should be feeling.

Edmund is an absolute sweetheart. People often seem to overlook the fact that he is, above all else, the Just King. His apparent detachment from personal situations is what enables him to be more insightful than just about anybody else. Because he's had plenty of experiences that put him in touch with his 'dark' side, he's more willing to see the dark in other people as well without necessarily judging them unfavourably for it.

Dammit, when I set out writing it this morning I just thought it was going to be 400 words That Is All Thank You Very Much, but by the time I'd finished writing it had thoroughly taken hold. I really would like to expand on this...my muse has been flirting with something along these lines for a while, but it hasn't been working out. Now, FINALLY, I might just have a grasp of it. :D

I also think it's absolutely in character (regarding both Edmund and Caspian) and very lovely and thoughtfully written.
And I did hear sequel... Yippieh :-)

Thank you so much! *blushes*

I'm REALLY glad you liked it, and you did indeed hear sequel. As soon as Real Life backs off and allows me a more reasonable amount of fandom time, of course. Stupid Real Life.

OH. This is Edmund, it really is. You must have a supernatural connection to his psyche or something, because this is Edmund. And his insights into Caspian's character are perfect. Very thoughtfully written; I love it. :)

Oh Edmund, I loved him so much in here ( except for the fact that he wouldn't kiss Caspian [Kiss him darn it!] ) But they were fantasticly in character and Edmund got to be the mature one this time, which I adore. Capian is such a child so you pin pointed him perfectly. All in all I loved this more than I should have.

I can't wait for a sequel!!!

Eeee, thank you!

/unintelligent random hyperness.

Thank you so much! As I've said a few times to various people, hearing that about the characterisation is such a huge relief. I wasn't sure I'd be able to pull it off.

&hearts

Oh, this is just wonderful ♥♥ They're both so in-character, I love it. I really like how the first and last lines tie into each other so well. The paragraph with their hands brushing made my heart "skip a beat," haha. XD Nicely done!

Wow, thank you! I am really glad you liked it. :D

that was nice. for all i can see, there's only one mistake in there. =)
by the way... i know you're gonna hate this.. but.........
is there any chances of -i dunno- twist this one -shot? make edmund a little evil by making caspian fall for him just for kicks?
its mean, i know.

i just feel diabolical at the moment. >.

Thank you! Where's the mistake? *goes into perfectionistic frenzy* I need to fix it...

Haha, that really IS diabolical. But spectacular...I'll have to try it! Or you can if you want...:P Either way, it would be AWESOME.

it wasnt a serious misttake. just one of the lines missing a key word. re-read the entry and you'll see. =)

nooooo... i dont trust myself with a good plot. i'll just ruin it!!! but hey, i'd love to toss in some basic characteristics for Ed. i'm just dying to read about him being the mean, nasty one for a change. there's already a nasty-bastardy caspian fic going around, and peter-the-manbitch fics arent bad either. but never ed-the-cold-heartbreaker ones.

Oh, it would be so easy, Edmund! Come on, just kiss him! This was so sweet and good, I really liked it.

*giggles* He's tempted, believe me.

Thank you so much!

Oh Edmund, you poor thing, you see and understand so many things, but that doesn't necessarily make everything better.

Edmund is a darling. He's the only one of them with any ability to look at a situation objectively, I think...:P

I adore this- the second to last sentence is literate candy!

Thanks! Really glad you liked it. :D

o WOW i loved it! edmund's so wise. the end was a little sad, but i absolutely loved it!

Thanks so much! &hearts

Edmund should be The Wise & Just.

Bless. Trust Edmund to think of something he wants to do and rationalise himself out of it :P

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And So Sanity Got Up And Left

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