bakerstreet | The Not So Happily Married / Forced Family Unit Meme

The Not So Happily Married / Forced Family Unit Meme

The Not So Happily Married Meme

(or the FORCED FAMILY UNIT meme)

Let's get one thing straight. Not all marriages are happy. They don't start with love, and they don't end with it. In fact, some marriages are more arrangements that anything. Whether it be through the will of an iron-fisted totalitarian government or something as ancient as tradition, people end up stuck. And now, you're one of them. Maybe you were assigned you partner. Maybe your parents picked them out. Maybe it's something different all together. But no matter what, you're going to be with them in some shape, fashion, or form.

So, what can you do? Do you just deal with it? Try to find a way out? Or worst of all, do you blame your so-called "spouse" for all this? You'll have to do something.

HOW TO PLAY;
1. Comment with your characters, putting any preferences you have in the subject. These are your OOC preferences, however. Remember, in meme your character's preferences won't matter.

2. Reply to others! You can use the RNG to roll for the WHY (why are your characters in this mess), the WHEN (what stage are they at), and the HOW (how do they feel about their partner). Or just wing it.

3. The fun of this meme is putting together characters who would normally never be together or have no business getting married, whether it be cross-canon, enemies, or strangers. But feel free to do what you want. Unlike your characters, you're never forced.

4. This is not a smut meme, nor is it a romance meme. There is a smut option and a romance option, but neither are required. The focus here is on CR and coping with situations that might be fairly unpleasant.

5. Have fun! And by that, I mean be miserable.

WHY;
1. GOVERNMENT: You live in a world where all aspects of life are controlled by the government. This includes who you're matched up with. Take "government" to mean anything you want it to, whether that be actual government or something like gods.

2. ARRANGED: Due to your culture, status, or family, you have an arranged marriage. Your significant other was picked out long before now.

3. SOLD: One of you belongs to the other in some way. At any rate, it's not a completely consensual arrangement.

4. KEEPING UP APPEARANCES: You don't particularly care for this person, but you have to look good for some reason. They'll do for that.

5. SHOTGUN WEDDING: Because of outside circumstances (read: an unplanned child), you're stuck together.

6. CURSED/POTION: At least one of you is under the effects of a curse or potion that binds you both.

7. THE BEST I COULD GET: Either one of you or both of you are settling. This is just a marriage of convenience.

8. Wildcard/free space.

WHEN;
1. JUST MET: You've never seen this person that you're engaged, intended, or assigned to. This is your first meeting.

2. JUST MARRIED: Ceremony or knot, you've just tied it.

3. CONSUMMATE: What's a married live without consummating the union? Whether it's for some kind of ritual, a fulfillment of a contract, or the need to produce offspring to become workers, you have to come together.

4. IN THE FAMILY WAY: Congratulations! You're about to bring a child into this (potentially loveless) family. Are you proud?

5. MARRIED WITH CHILDREN: You have kids already. They might be biological, or they might be state-assigned. How's the family life going?

6. FILLING YOUR ROLE: The two of you have a job or purpose, such as starting a business.

7. TRYING TO ESCAPE: You have to get out. You can't take this life anymore.

8. THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE: Since you didn't ask for this marriage, one of you has a lover on the side. Do you tell your spouse upfront, or do they find out themselves?

9. Wildcard/free space

HOW;
1. STRANGERS: You hardly know this person. Getting to know them is important (since you're only going to be spending the rest of your lives together) , but are you willing to put forth the effort for that?

2. HATE: They've ruined your life. Maybe not directly, but they're there and that's enough.

3. LOVE: There might be a light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps you do love each other, or you're at least learning to do so.

4. IN THIS TOGETHER: It may not be perfect, and you might not be be in love, but you're making it work for yourselves or for any children you might have. And hey, sometimes friendship like that can be a strong enough bond.

5. Wildcard/free space

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

[She nods. She's pleased that the government already taken care of informing him of that; most men usually flee from her at this point of the conversation] Yes, morgue attendant and pathologist at St. Bart's. I take care of the dead and I know my way around test tubes. [She gives a little laugh, moving to sit down]

And you? You were in the army...which I guess we already sort of covered, huh?

Yeah. I'm sergeant, they only discharged me a few weeks ago. So I guess we're both working with dead bodies, huh? [He grins, glad to have found some common ground...only to have the grin shrink as he realizes he may have gotten a bit too morbid. This isn't the army anymore.]

That wasn't a good thing to say, was it?

What? No, it was fine - I mean, maybe not the most romantic thing and I definitely wouldn't say that around my friend John, but...well, it's a good thing you're paired me with and not him then, innit? [Enjoy a hint of Molly's trademark smile!]

Yeah! [The smile sets him smiling as well, mostly in relief that he hadn't completely screwed up within five minutes of meeting her.] I bet we'd, um, have a lot to talk about.

[In search of something to look at that isn't her, his eyes light on the cafe menu.] Do you want a coffee or something? My treat. Cause...cause, well. Cause we're gonna be married and all.

I bet we would.

[Molly slips off her jacket and puts it on the back of her chair to get a bit more comfortable. The 'M' word makes her stomach twinge a little bit - she's been so used to living alone (well, mostly alone) - what if she's a terrible wife? Still, Andrew seems like a genuinely nice bloke, and his offer of coffee makes her smile brightly]

I'd love a coffee. And...maybe a chocolate chip cookie? [She looks at him with innocently hopeful eyes. She'll gladly chip in if it's too much to ask, of course]

Oh, um, also, I have something important to ask you...

Yeah? Go ahead, ask anything. [Carter's mind is full of a hundred horrible things that she might want to ask and he's looking shy and nervous again.]

[So is she! What if this is a deal-breaker question?]

Do you...

How do you feel about cats? O-Or a cat, rather?

Cats? I...I dunno. [But he sits and thinks hard, hands pressed between his knees.]

I don't really have any thoughts on cats. I guess I like 'em? I like most animals, though, so I can't say I like them the most.

[Okay, not a bad answer. There's still hope. She reaches for her wallet and pulls out a photo] Um...this is Toby. He's...practically my baby, so....

You get me, you get him too.

[Carter stares at the picture, at the dignified looking animal gazing so stoically up at him. And slowly his finger moves to mimic giving the pictured-cat scritches on his little pictured head.]

You mean it? [He looks up at her hopefully.]

[She nods slowly] I'm not going anywhere without him, so...yeah. Package deal.

Is...is that okay?

Okay? It'd be great! [His eyes are wide, nearly sparkling.] He looks like a real nice cat. And maybe we can get another one, so he's got company. [Hey, if he has to put up with an arranged marriage, so should his cat.]

Really?! [Her face is lighting up like the lights of a West End production!] Can we get a girl kitty? I've always wanted Toby to have a friend but I've never really had the time...

Sure! We can go to one of those animal adoption things, you can get cats for real cheap there. [He'd wanted to get a pet himself when he came back to the home country, but there hadn't been the time and then this came up...

Carter's already getting excited about this.]

Oh, oh, oh this'll be wonderful! Toby'll be so happy! [...Eventually. Toby needs to trust this new man in Molly's life first...]

Heh, it's...it's kind of funny, I was so nervous when I woke up today and thought about meeting you, and....now we're getting cats! [And she feels much more at ease. Oh please let this be a good sign; a sign of a happy marriage]

I know, me too. [His hands are all excited and fluttery.] You seem like a real nice girl. I mean, you're pretty and you like cats so you can't be that bad, right?

Well, I'd certainly like to think that I'm not! [Molly giggles before looking at him curiously]

You really think I'm pretty?

I think so. [Carter's a bad judge of these things. He doesn't really 'notice' beauty in a woman, even if he can decipher whether or not he should call her beautiful. If anything it's the cats thing and the fact that she's treating him nicely that make her seem beautiful to him.]

I mean, I've never gotten engaged at all before. I had a girlfriend back in school but.. [He gives the idle shrug of the Dear John letter.]

[Molly doesn't really care why he thinks it; simply the fact that he finds her pretty is enough to warm her heart. It's been a long time since a man's called her that.]

Oh, this is a first for me too. I haven't had a proper boyfriend in two years and trust me, none of them were the marrying type.

Since we're being honest, can I tell you a secret, Andrew?

Sure! [He leans forward, hands clasped, his pose remarkably resembling that of a curious teenage girl.]

[It's at this moment that she impulsively leans forward (perfect opportunity and all) to kiss his cheek]

I think you're sweet.

[Carter's eyes widen, and a flush creeps across his wind-roughened features.] O-oh...thanks... [One hand covers the kissed cheek and he gives her an awkward smile. This is getting off to an enterprising start.]

[She giggles and shyly ducks her head for a moment, glancing back up at him with almost as much awkwardness. She doesn't do that sort of thing often] You're welcome welcome.

I should...I should go get that cookie now.

[He scampers off, head bowed, and has a few quiet words with the man at the counter. When he returned he had a coffee and two cookies in hand, and was grinning even wider.]

They gave us a free one. Since we're getting married. Cause I told him.

[She's quiet and fiddling with her hands until he returns]

Oh, that's so nice! [She smiles and gratefully takes her cookie from him] And thank you very much.

[She takes a pleased bite into her cookie] So...I suppose we should talk about family? F-For the wedding, I mean. Relatives and...whatnot.

(no subject)

stlg13bomber - 2012-03-21 20:27 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

wealldosillythings - 2012-03-21 21:27 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All