❝ Winter Wonderland ❞

[medievalism]

{ i wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? }

That's it, that's the post. It's here for all your cozy, hygge, wintry RP dreams. Here are some ideas:

• snow: first snow of the season/ever, making snowpeople, forts, or snow angels, snowball fights, snowed in
• warm: hot drinks, warm blankets, crackling fires, busting out the winter coats and socks, baking in a cozy kitchen
• holidays: decorating, picking out a tree, preparing the big holiday meal, exchanging gifts
• activities: shopping, cooking, sledding, ice skating, cuddling with someone special
• new year: par-tay!, toast, countdown, midnight kiss

Comments

[incitement]

Esen was right hold some of himself back from the rebellion. Yes, Esen not being publicly associated with the rebellion is helpful to the rebellion, but he also gets to maintain some semblance of a normal life. He has the illusion of normalcy in his life. He can see his family and he can remain home (for all of its faults, for all of the problems Insu aims to fix, Geden is still home. Though he likely never will in his lifetime, he longs to come back and just live there again. A familiar place). In exchange for that, though, he has to live a double life. There's always the chance that one misstep could mean one life bleeding into the other, or just ruining the other entirely.

Insu, meanwhile, has thrown everything into this rebellion. He's given it everything he has and will continue to give until he has nothing left. He's given it his family and friends (though he has also gained a new family and new friends), his home, his freedom. He's given it his whole life. He encourages others to not follow the example he's set. Keep some of their lives for themselves, whether for purely personal reasons, or for the good of the rebellion.

Clutching at his good friend's arm, Insu glances over his shoulder at his parents. They're watching him and looking a little worried. Of course they are. He's being weird. But he also feels weird. He can't find a way to speak to his own family. He spent most of his life living with these people but they feel like strangers. But Esen is familiar and a safe space, and a buffer between Insu and these people he doesn't know anymore. He turns his attention back to Esen and rests his chin on the other's shoulder. "Yes, please." He huffs out a sigh. "This is stupid, right? I shouldn't need help talking to my parents... right?"

[dedicateyourheart]

Of course, there are pros and cons to what they're both doing. Insu's path is more openly dangerous. He's the face of the rebellion. He's not the only member of their resistance that's given up everything for it. Many have abandoned the lives set out for them, their blood kin for this. Esen just happened to have the (mis)fortune of a very influential father who was able to move his family into a higher social sphere. MAybe that's why his mother approves whole-heartedly of his involvement with the rebellion: she saw how hard it was to make that move, saw the disgrace her late husband faced for marrying below his station, saw how much harder her children had to work to be accepted.

The life Esen has on Geden is a lie. Outside of his mother's kitchen, everything is a lie. His so-called friends and peers, all so small-minded, so content with the world because it isn't as hard for them to live as others. He steals from the very plutocrats who invite him to dine at their tables. They think buttering up to him will somehow make them richer, more comfortable. It's a dance.

It's a sword dance. One slip, on single misstep and it's Esen left bleeding.

It's a dance he does enthusiastically for the sake of the better future he and Insu and a handful of others dream of. Even if it's a future they will never benefit from. That's no reason to stop. Geden is how it is because of people selfishly settling because things are good or okay for them. They ignore the suffering and struggle of others because their lives are alright.

"It's a game," he admits quietly. "Talking to people so wholly unrelated to what we're doing, it's like a masquerade." All said flatly, without craning his head to try to look at his friend. Esen hates that so much of his life is a carefully crafted lie. Shifting to turn and face Insu, he finally gives him a warm, genuine smile. "You can tell them about the places you been and the things you've seen on your travels. Treat it like you've been traveling for holiday or education. Leave out the whys of it and stick to the wheres."