a/n: I just can't get the idea out of my head that Daemon is an incredibly sweet & loving father & honestly really needed to write this for comfort. when I started I thought it would be a little oneshot/imagine, but I ended up having a lot more to say than I anticipated so this is going to be multiple parts! if you, like me, are in need of wholesome soft! daemon who would do anything for you & be an amazing father, I hope this helps 💕
summary: a recounting of the day you were born & daemon's first moments with you
cw: difficult birth (but it all ends happily!), fem reader, mostly comfort & fluff
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-The day you were born was one of the happiest days of Daemon Targaryen's life.
-He didn't know quite what to expect of fatherhood and in truth, there was more than a small part of him that dreaded the idea, even feared it. He didn't think himself terribly well-suited to a life of domesticity, seemingly so tedious and dull. Of course, everything changed the moment he saw you.
-It was a difficult birth, but not once did he leave your mother's side. His hands would be covered in bruises for days to come from the way she squeezed, but every single patch of blue and purple was worth it.
-You weren't ready to leave your mother's womb just yet, and after much struggle, one of the Maesters pulled your father aside and told him another method may be required to successfully deliver you. But when informed of the sacrifice it would require, Daemon gave the old man such a glower that the midwives thought the Prince would slay him where he stood.
-Daemon composed himself and simply said that both you and your mother would be happy and healthy by the end of the day. The threat was clear as the summer skies and from that moment forward, though one hand continued to be squeezed by your mother's, the other rested firmly on the hilt of Dark Sister. Daemon would do anything to protect his family.
-He was never a man of the Faith, but in those trying hours he prayed to the Old Gods and the New. He prayed to the Many Faced God and the Lord of Light. He prayed to anything and everything that might be listening, that might possibly hold some power. He didn't think he deserved to be spared pain or loss, but he knew for a fact that you and your mother deserved all the goodness this life had to offer.
-When your mother began to lose hope and panic started to set in, he wiped her brow and kissed her forehead, whispering, "This world is not yet done with you, my darling."
-He likes to think you heard his voice, for despite the hours spent by the Maesters and midwives doing everything they could, it was only after he spoke those words that you decided you were ready to join the world.
-Of course, he let your mother hold you first, and though she desperately wanted to spend the rest of the day with you in her arms, she needed her rest. After a few minutes and many more assurances that you were healthy as could be, you were passed to a midwife and then, for the first time, to your father.
-You had come into this world screaming and crying, and even in your mother's arms, you wouldn't quite settle. But the moment you found yourself in Daemon's embrace, the whole world turned soft and warm. Everything was kind and good. Everything was love.
-And he was in love from the moment he held you in his arms, the moment you looked in his eyes. He saw so much of your mother in those eyes, but what surprised him was how much he saw of himself. You were the most gentle mirror, only reflecting the good. You were half of him, but you had his whole heart.
-He pressed his lips softly against the center of your forehead. "Tala," he murmured, tears in his eyes. Daughter.
-As soon as he uttered the word, he knew you would be one of the few people in his life to speak High Valyrian. He would teach you the language of your ancestors and delight in every word you spoke. No victory would be small. Everything would be celebrated.
-He imagined who you might be and what he might pass onto you. He wondered if you'd be a dragonrider. He hoped you would like Caraxes (he knew Caraxes would love you). He secretly dreamt of teaching you how to fight and, when you were old enough, letting you hold Dark Sister. Maybe even wield her. He was incredibly possessive over his Valyrian steel sword, and rightfully so. Very few were worthy of her. But he knew that even fewer would be worthy of you, and at the thought of you wielding her, his heart swelled with pride.
-But he knew he would love you just as much if you preferred the graces and arts to battles. Perhaps you would have a voice to enchant the realm, or a sharp wit to rival any Maester.
-Anyone else might have worried. So many parents expected their child to be the best they could possibly be, but that wasn't Daemon. He loved you as you were. No matter who you would become, no matter your accomplishments, you would always be his world. You would always have his heart. He would always be proud to be your Kepa.
-He smiled as you wrapped your hand around his finger, cooing as you looked up in awe. Daemon Targaryen was many things. He was the unruly, chaotic brother of the King. He was the second son, former heir to the Iron Throne. He was the Prince of the City, Lord Flea Bottom, King of the Narrow Sea, and, first and foremost, the Rogue Prince. But he never expected that his favourite title would be born of love instead of war. He never expected a title so gentle, so beautiful.
-He never expected it, but he was so grateful to be your father.
-Your Kepa.
I doodled this last year and forgot about it lmao
LOOK AT HIMMBBB
RIP Genya Shinazugawa you would have loved The Offspring, mosh pits, bisexuality, the Competitive Eater LA Beast’s YouTube series where he sees how much rotten milk he can drink before he pukes and/or cactuses he can eat before he has to go to the ER, karaoke, tongue piercings, the Nintendo Switch, shirts with random English words on them, and metal covers of ABBA songs amen
Hate how lighting a candle does wonders to my mood. Like wowwww. Grug like fire? Grug not sad anymore because Fire in Cave? Wow. Real predictable of Grug.
I can’t keep up with all the socials help, heres some geto doodles hehe ! I will try to keep up with all the platforms I use 😈
Do you believe an argument could be made that after Sanemi “actually” died, he still decided to go to hell for his mom? Or would that not make sense for his arc. For how selfless of a person he is, even after what happened, he’d still go to hell for his mom since she is with their dad or no?
Thank you so much for the ask!! This is a great question!
So, to me, the way Sanemi phrases it makes it sound like he plans to walk his mother to hell and stay for her punishment before returning to his siblings' sides. I think he just didn't want her to be alone but he had no intention of completely leaving behind his siblings and the reason I believe that is this one single panel:
"Besides, if I went there too soon, Genya would be sad."
It sounds to me that Sanemi does intend to be with Genya and the others, just not yet. First, he wants to take care of his mother since she seems to be stuck in some kind of purgatory where she longingly watches her children in shame.
This brings me to a theory: Shizu had the option of going to heaven, similar to Ume, but she chose to go to hell out of shame and guilt for harming her children. Sanemi, accepting her feelings, was willing to guide her there on his back, to be there for her punishment until she was "ready."
As for whether this makes sense for his arc... Sanemi is one of the most self-sacrificial characters in KNY, something I will discuss when I do a dedicated analysis for him (like I did for Genya's birthday, but since I missed Sanemi's birthday...)
It makes perfect sense for the character willing to put literally everything on the line for his baby brother to also sacrifice his very soul for his family.
So, yes, if he were to find Shizu still in that purgatory-like state after he dies, I fully believe he would still carry Shizu on his back to hell.
Thank you again for the ask!
[commission] a heart to heart with sensei
My cunty cowgirl vampire gunslinger Kaspian, or Kas for short 🥹 I play her in a kind of Zaun-like cityscape meets traditional DND! it's been such a blast. She's currently level 15 with THREE guns now??? Her sniper rifle, Requiem, her magical revolver, Lucky Shot, and her antimatter rifle, Reaper 🔫 Goooooddddd I'm finally making art I actually kind of like the look of I'm nervous that feelings gonna go away but this piece makes me so happy so I'm gonna soak up all that serotonin as much as possible 🤠
having a freeze response to stress is so funny in the context of normal adult stressors. millions of years of evolution are trying to tell me that the email will not find me if i stay very still and do nothing
This video of Paddy Considine saying "she's serving Targaryen realness" has me stunlocked