Fic: Eat, Drink, and be Merry, for Tomorrow We May Die; Stannis/Davos

[emynithilien]

Eat, Drink, and be Merry, for Tomorrow We May Die

Pairings/Characters: Stannis/Davos; Stannis Baratheon, Davos Seaworth, Robert Baratheon, Eddard Stark

Summary: The evening before leading the royal fleet to victory during the Greyjoy Rebellion, Stannis has a bitter conversation with Davos about what his life has become.  However, Davos is able to

Comments

[linndechir]

Haha, oh Davos. And I love Stannis' reaction, "I will hang you for this, smuggler." So perfectly in character. I love everything about this fic.

“But I don’t think you hold anything against me,” continued Stannis, looking up to meet Davos’ eyes, “or else I’m being played for the biggest fool in the seven kingdoms.”
As Stannis looked at him with those deep, sea blue eyes of his, Davos registered all the hurt and grief that was buried in them, and also a hope beyond hope that one of the few goods things in his life really was as good as it seemed. It broke his heart to see his lord like that, and he wished he could find the words to comfort this grave and bitter young man.
This is as heartbreaking for me as it is for Davos. How Stannis can barely believe that someone would like him.

He would also like to be sitting on the great lord’s balcony of Storm’s End, young sons playing at his feet. But all those thoughts were flights of fancy that would never come true, and it was no use to dwell on them. I loved this entire paragraph, but

[emynithilien]

Thank you so much for your comment! And I'm glad you've liked my recent Stannis fics ;). I'm always interested to know more about younger!Stannis/younger!Davos, to see how their relationship evolved and why exaclty they both came to mutally trust and respect one another.

In response to your comments, I guess one thing that I really wanted to get at with this fic was to show that Stannis, when it all comes down to it, wants love/respect from people but everyone he remotely cares about does reciprocacte it. His parents? Drowned. Renly? Doesn't care. Robert? Cares even less, loves Ned Stark (who is ironically rather similar to Stannis in his views of honor/duty, etc) more than his real brothers. Selsye? Less than his brothers. Then along comes Davos, who is loyal, shows respect, and seems to like being around him....Yet he still has all these insecurities that prevent him from seeing that others can like him.

[alcanis_ivennil]

Poor Stannis. He really neds his onion knight.

[emynithilien]

I know, right? But sometimes it's hard for him to willingly admit that to himself ;).

[fortinbrasftw]

Lovely! So sweet- and the part about Stannis thinking of the sons he could have had at storm's end and just so desperately but secretly wishing for just someone to care about him- uhg! It's all just too heartbreaking. Great fic :)

[emynithilien]

Thank you very much! ;)