A gilded cage is still a cage

[asoftermeme]

THE CAGED BIRD shipping meme

From the moment you first set eyes on them, you've been drawn - but this is no meet-cute. Thy are beautiful, interesting...and so, so sad or angry, like a bird with clipped wings in a cage. They're a prisoner: mentally, physically, or both. Again, caged. You? You could be anyone, from an innocent bystander who happened to catch a glance in a faraway window, just a cog in the machine that keeps them trapped, to a fellow entombed creature. Even if you've never felt a thing like "compassion" before (or thought yourself incapable), you are sympathetic towards them now and your feelings only begin to grow, a fixation forming. At a certain point, you realize that you have but one option. You have to free them by any means necessary. You want to see them safe and content, more than anything in this world. ...even if they're free and don't want to be with you, that's enough. Right? HOW TO PLAY Comment with your character, preferences, role, and any other information to make you more taggable. Reply to others. RNG if desired. WHO Caged: You're the victim here, kept locked away. Passerby: Here you are, minding your own business, when - who's that? Why are they there? Rescuer: Whether you're a knight in shining armor type or someone simply paid or commanded to do this job, you never thought you'd fall for the one you had to rescue. Conflict of Interest: You're a guard, but you can't very well do your duty if you want the person you're guarding let go. Unknowing Villain: You had no idea your allies were keeping someone and you don't agree with their methods. Enemies: They did wrong by you in the past; even they don't deserve this, though. Should Be Reviled: Your people and theirs have never gotten along. You should hate them, yet you don't. You want to save them. Who's the Monster?: They're being locked away because they're a monster. No one could be further from a beast in your eyes, however. Never Felt Before: Usually, you're stone cold, but their plight has gotten under your skin. In this Together: Both of you are prisoners, so you can't easily save them, can you? Not All Bad: They're been told that they're being protected. You want to show them the outside world isn't so bad. The Better Devil: To be honest, you're not much better than their captor. Still, you're something new. HOW Plot and Plan: You know busting them out won't be easy, so you'll put your mind to it. Sneak: It's an old-fashion escape with all the subtleties and espionage to get out undetected. Fight Anyone: Maybe you're more brawn than brains, or maybe you're just in a tight spot. Bargain: Their freedom for yours. Seems like a fair trade. Guilt: You can't really free them, can you? This fact tears you up inside. Give You Hope: You might not be able to get them out of here now, but you'll keep them looking towards the future. Keep You Happy: You'd do anything to see them smile again. Be Healthy: They're being mistreated or ill-fed. You can at least try to remedy that. Saved Themselves: They only needed an extra push. At the end, they pulled themself out of the pit. Selfish: No denying it, you freed them for selfish reasons. Selfless: What you want doesn't matter. Their safety and peace are paramount. Sacrifice: If need be, you'll put your life on the line. Used You: They didn't really love you. But they did know you'd be useful. Failure: Your attempt failed and now both of you are looking death in the eyes. I'll Steal You: They didn't want to leave their "home." You stole them away. Indebted Friends: So they weren't romantically attracted to you. They, however, did platonically bond with you. Finally "Together": You've wanted to touch them, hold them, kiss them, and be with them in every way possible, even if it's only for a moment. The smut option. Happy Endings: You're both safe, far from danger, and together.

Comments

Princess Ayeka | Tenchi Muyo! | OTA

[not_so_delicate]

Princess Zelda | LoZ: OoT/SSB:M | OTA

[smash_wisdom]

Kairi | Kingdom Hearts (Kairi the Heroine AU) | OTA

[princess_keyblade]

Ruby Rose | RWBY | OTA

[just_want_normal_knees]

Luv | Blade Runner 2049

[best_angel]

Sherlock Holmes || Sherlock BBC || m/m

[desecrated]

[[ooc: bonus points for actual cage.]]

Eren Jaeger | Shingeki no Kyojin | M/M(can

[preciousbrat]

(the caged bird)

lace baskerville ; pandora hearts ; m/f

[perpetua]

[ creepy girl in a tower looking for love amusement. open to crosscanon! ]

Sieg | Fate Apocrypha | M/F

[freedom_to_choose]

Hyuuga Masamune | Touken Ranbu | M/M

[umeboshitantou]

[ Either role! ]

shinsou hitoshi | bnha

[villainlike]

Rikuo | Darkstalkers M/F

[curiously_attractive]

[ So like. I haven't seen The Shape of Water but. ]

[bear_killer]

[I...have also not seen the Shape of Water (besides meaning to which is....kind of not the same??) but I think a rescue thread with these two could be interesting? Iku is basically a combat librarian who doesn't really look that strong but can easily lift an entire stack of folded chairs by herself and rushes headlong into every situation, trying her best to save everyone and everything.]

cloud strife: ff7

[cloudinstrife]

Alice | Alice in the Country of Hearts

[roleofoutsider]

yui sakamoto ( original )

[flutzing]

( She'd be the caged bird in this instance!! I have a penchant for f/f, but ota for shipping and all scenarios. )

bb | fate/ | ota

[bbbeam]

[the captor]

Elio Perlman | Call Me By Your Name

[softpeachboy]

warren worthington iii [(arch)angel] ଘ xmu ଘ ota

[verpissdich]

[open to either or, regardless of how cliché 'caged bird' would be in his case.]

10-1

[stealyoursoul]

[Leo wasn't sure just how he'd ended up in this circumstance, but somehow, he'd been captured by some all-powerful being who seemed to enjoy caging 'pretty things' to look at. Apparently, that must have extended to pretty monsters as well. They kept Leo fed well enough, bringing in some scum of the earth occasionally for him to feed off of so that he couldn't go dark and tear this entire place to the ground.

There was someone else held in a cage nearby. Leo had heard the myths of angels, but he'd never thought to see one before. Over the weeks they'd been held captive there, he'd gotten to know the mutant a little. He sometimes tried to keep Warren's mind off things with stories of his home in South City, fighting against the Corsai and Malchai monsters that ranged the truce line.

Lately, though, Leo had grown restless. They needed to get out of here soon or they would never end up leaving. He turned in his cell towards Warren's.]

I think tonight might be the night.

Gotou Toushirou | Touken Ranbu | M/M

[caretaller]

[ Captive! ]

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret | Final Fantasy XV | ota

[luxoraculi]

[ She... is definitely the captive. ]

[fallen_stage]

[Would you like a crosscanon to fuck up canon, or an AU?]

greer galloway | new camelot | m/f

[americanqueen]

ginny payne | original character (urban fantasy) | ota; see post

[trashgoblin]

[ some basic info on her universe/powers here. ginny's a friendly and upbeat person who works as a diviner-by-contract for people in need of magical assistance. she'd do really well as the 'rescuer' half of 2, 3, 7, 8, or even 4. very okay with a literal cage, especially in the case of any monstrous characters to play against - to that end, AUing her into their universe/creating an altogether new AU sounds fantastic to me.

metaphorical cages are just as well, though. ginny has some history of familial abuse and would intervene on someone else's behalf in a similar situation. feel free to PM me to hash out extra details for any of these, or just go for it - starting right in the action, with or without assumed CR, would be fine! ]

integra hellsing » hellsing

[fairbrook]

( Really want to play her as a captive tbh?? But I also wouldn't be averse to her acting as a rescuer. Open to m/f and f/f for shipping. )

Sasori | Naruto | OTA

[eternalscorpion]

[ Most likely the "rescuer" or even the captor, but I'm open to playing him as the captured. Smut is ok, but no noncon please.

There's probably always going to be a bit of The Better Devil at work for him, but other prompts that would work well are: Passerby, Rescuer (paid), Conflict of Interest, Enemies, Never Felt Before. For How prompts, I'd be especially interested in Sneak, Be Healthy, Selfish, I'll Steal You. ]

Christine Daae | Phantom of the Opera | f/m

[hersoulobeys]

ooc: can be modernized if need be!