Archive of Our Own ^beta

Now

When Jaime awoke and looked upon the other side of his bed and saw Brienne there every morning, it would take him a little less time to compute his surroundings. She was really there, and, no, he was not hallucinating or dreaming or dream weaving.

Everything was real.

The strong arm Brienne had flung around his waist was testament to that fact.

Jaime would make sure she was really there but kissing her on the forehead.

He couldn’t help but to test if it was reality each and every morning - before Brienne was awake of course, he had an image to maintain.

There was no reality or dream in which Jaime saw Brienne staying with him, or that was what he kept telling himself as he checked their connection every morning.

Kissing her just reaffirmed their bond, it would hum in appreciation, and Brienne would sigh, his touching having an effect on her sleep.

Jaime couldn’t fathom why Brienne would want to be anywhere near him, and, no, it was not because of his cocky and arrogant nature, though he was sure that would put most maidens off, it was because of what he was. He was a monster, a creature of darkness, an abhorrent demon, the bringer of darkness, and the destroyer of dreams, yet Brienne stayed - not that she had much of a choice.

She was no blushing maiden. Not anymore. Not after what he had done to her.

Although she couldn’t leave him, she had been given ample opportunity to do so, it was far too late now.

When Brienne had given herself completely to him, he had gladly taken all she had to offer, although he was a demon and had darkness residing in him, this was one thing he would not take from the unwilling.

However, in the process of their coupling, he had also bonded with her. He didn’t need a companion, nor did he need a family. He didn’t want either.

Yet, due to that one moment, just one moment in which he had achieved bliss he now had the opportunity for both.

Brienne was the one who he was destined to be with, across space and time she was the one who was for him and him alone.

Before

Jaime had only just gotten into the building he shared, barely even able to shut the door, before his room mate started in on him.

It was late and Jaime wanted to sleep.

And, yet, there was Bronn who always wanted a story, or wanted to share a story.

The man was more insatiable than him.

“Just you wait until I tell you about all the salacious activity I’ve had tonight. I also want to hear about what you’ve been up to. Tell you what, pour yourself a drink, it’s going to be a long one,” Bronn said, from the sofa which was stuffed into the corner of the room - the only piece of furniture in their living room.

Being a demon did not pay well, in fact it did not pay at all.

“Bronn. Can it wait until tomorrow?”

“Nope. Sit your ass down. I want to hear all about it. And don’t leave out any of the details. I want to hear all about your exploits.”

“So, there was this one woman who I’ve been working on…” Jaime said, careful not to reveal too much, and not to blow his cover. He carried on, only supplying minor details, nothing that could reveal the identity of the person he was thinking about. Bronn didn’t have to know that ‘working on’ had an entirely different meaning to him.

He was supposed to be a demon and creature of darkness, he had the power to seriously influence people’s dreams, he could make them believe anything, or experience anything. Unbeknownst to the dreamer, if he chose to, he could manifest himself in a dream, and feel everything because it would be real for him.

Everyone who was a demon would expect him to slip into nightmares, it was the easiest time for someone like him to enter a mind, and from there he could do anything he wanted.

Though, that wasn’t something he did actively. Jaime only did that to those who deserved it, he could sense atrocity a mile away. And he frequently sought it out so that there could be some grain of truth to the stories he could tell Bronn.

When Jaime finished his make believe story about a make believe dream that he had weaved for someone Bronn sat staring at him in disbelief. Had Jaime said something wrong or let out one of his secrets?

“Aye. You’ve had a rough night. You’re always telling me about the bad ones. What about one of the good ones? They’re always the best ones to corrupt. Tell me about one of them,” Bronn said, staring at him.

“You can tell me some more about Margaery. How has she been-”

“No!” Bronn exclaimed. “I know what you’re doing. And it’s not going to work. Not tonight. You’re not getting away that easily. Tell me about it right now.”

“Well...You see-”

“You’re telling me that Jaime fucking Lannister can’t tell me of a time he has corrupted a goody two shoes…” Bronn said, starting to laugh uncontrollably.

Jaime did not know how to answer. He had no desire to actively seek out and corrupt someone who actually had a moral compass. In fact he did the opposite, planting altruistic ideas into the corrupt.

Fortunately Bronn did not wait for him to reply. He just continued on talking, “You just have to go to the right places. There’s always some one’s dreams you can slip into. Any nightmare can turn into your own personal buffet,” Bronn said, licking his lips. “I know just the place. We’re going right now.”

“If we must,” Jaime replied.

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“A nunnery?” Jaime asked, incredulously. This would be the prime place for a demon like him to wreak havoc.

“Aye. Aint nothing else like entering the mind of a nun and corrupting it. I can already sense a few people who we will easily be able to sway to our side. And not just in their dreams. They’ll soon be begging for us in reality too.”

Jaime knew that was true, almost everyone in the nunnery was sound asleep at this time. Jaime closed his eyes, honing his senses. A couple were in the throes of nightmares, those would be the easiest minds to enter. One person was having the most pleasant dream - he would not be able to enter their mind even if he tried.

A demon could only influence a mind if it was in distress.

No matter how much he wanted to, there was no hope for him to see what they were dreaming of.

Then there was one which made his senses go haywire, his demon coiled in on itself with determination not to slip into their dreams, the part of him which was man warring at the demon who was screaming ‘mine’.

He knew that when he opened his eyes they would be blown wide and fully black. His demon visage, seeping through.

This was his chance to prove to Bronn that he was a good demon, his eyes snapped open without a thought and Bronn actually stepped back, he was still fully in his human state.

Jaime felt his nails elongate as his demon acknowledged that there was another demon nearby that could steal his prey.

Bronn sensed something was up, and cast his senses inwards so that they were not brushing up against Jaime’s.

Mine, mine, mine, mine.

Kill, kill, kill, kill.

The demon was almost boiling up and out of him. Jaime almost became one with the darkness of the night.

He was going to kill Bronn if he didn’t move.

Yet, it didn’t come to that, and Jaime was grateful, he would have regretted it afterwards.

Bronn’s demon knew to back down, “I see something’s caught your eye. I’ll leave you to it. Just don’t leave out any of the juicy details when you get home. I’m sure I’ll have my own story to tell. Tit for tat as they say,” Bronn said, punching him in the shoulder, causing him to snarl. And, it wasn’t his demon that time.

He almost attacked Bronn right then and there, but he was leaving, and there was someone whose dream he needed to enter.

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Jaime wasted no time in breaking into the nunnery. It was easy enough as someone had trustingly opened a window, leaving it on a latch.

He allowed his demon self to guide him.

Focusing on the dream was easy, and it led him deep into the nunnery, past the doors of those who were deep in the throes of nightmares.

He spared a few seconds for each of them, pushing a pulse of calm into their dreams. It would be the difference between going for a lone walk in an abandoned mansion to going for a walk in a mansion with one other. Not enough to push the sleep from nightmare to dream. Bronn would be none the wiser - Jaime didn’t know if he was in the vicinity or not.

In no time at all Jaime was outside the door which held his other half, she was in a dream state, not in the nightmare state, it would be hard to enter her mind.

His demon had already claimed whoever it was.

Jaime tried to open the door and his demon roared in anger, nearly tearing it off the hinges in its rage.

This door was not unlocked.

It should be unlocked.

His demon needed full access to his mate.

“Calm down,” Jaime said to himself, as if that would help..

Funnily enough it did, and he didn’t break the door down. He ripped the handle off, pulling it out, the other half dropped to the floor, making a noise, leaving half in his hand and a door which would never lock him out.

He would not be parted from her.

And he knew it was her because he was looking at her.

There was no dream or nightmare for him to enter as he had foolishly awoken her.

Being able to look into those amazingly blue eyes was almost worth not being able to enter her dreams.
“Tell me you feel it,” Jaime said, basking in her presence.

“What are you? And why have you broken into my room. Have you come because I have sinned?” She asked him.

Jaime looked at her, canted his head, and immediately said, “You have not sinned. I would sense it.”

Then, he looked down at his hand to see the broken handle, he had broken into his room, maybe the demon was more in control than he had thought. The what are you question struck his mind as he looked at his hand, his nails were still elongated and sharpened.

He searched the room for a mirror, there was none. His eyes would still be the bold black if his hand was back to humanoid.

Yet, this woman was not scared of him, not an ounce of terror was coming off her.

She must feel it.

He also found he could not lie, “I am your worst nightmare.”

“Then why does this feel like a dream,” the woman said.

Strange, he thought, “Might I know your name?”

“Brienne. What should I call you?”

“Jaime. Just Jaime.”

“Why aren’t you screaming in terror, Brienne? Most people would be,” Jaime couldn’t help but ask her.

“For some reason I think you won’t hurt me. I feel safe with you-”

“You shouldn’t feel that way. Especially with these,” Jaime exclaimed, stalking closer, raising his hand up as he did so. He wanted to prove that he was the worst of the worst. She needed to leave now or he may do something he was going to regret.

“With your...hand?” Brienne said. “I know something that you could do with those.”

“Indeed. Would you like me to show you?” Jaime said while smirking.

And, there it was, the blush that proved that she was a maiden. He could do some very nasty things with his human hand. He was very adept at pleasing a woman.

This was an activity that they would do on a different day.

It would have to wait until she was ready.

And this night was almost over and he would be confined to his home again until the next evening.

“May I call on you again?” Jaime asked her.

He waited impatiently for the answer, the demon in him begging to just steal away with her into the night.

If she answered incorrectly he might not be able to stop himself from doing just that.

“Yes, you may.”

Jaime reached out for her hand, the man in him wanting to make sure that it was truly what she wanted. She did not flinch away.

And when he touched her everything clicked into place, he had found his bonded. Brienne was his partner for life.

He wanted to stay holding her hand forever, yet he could feel the pull of the sunrise.

“Until next time,” Jaime stated, for there would be a next time. He bought Brienne’s hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it before vanishing into the night.

The man was happy as was the demon.

And that was all he could ask for.