Fascinating character study of Daniel. I can actually see this side of him easily. Daniel does have a darkness about him, and contrary to fanon, I think he knows just how attractive he really is.
Descended Daniel is a much darker beast than innocent Daniel from the film.
Descended Daniel is a much darker beast than innocent Daniel from the film.
Oh yes, I couldn't agree more. And I love him for it and feel like it's a logical progression for him.
I don't see Daniel as a vain man, but yes, I think he realizes that he's pleasing to the eye. I think he still relies more on his strength of personality, though. Such pretty lies can trip off that tongue...
You're very welcome! And thank *you* for what I consider high praise!
See, I've read some slash versions like this and I really wanted to match the tone in a het context. The coldness and desperation. And this has taken me *forever* to get right. I've tried several different angles but they never felt quite right. I tried OCs (totally aside from the general fandom dislike of them - I'm brave enough to do it if it worked), but I just couldn't make Daniel as cold as I wanted to. I just like Daniel too well to make him this mercenary when the OC had a face.
Again, thank you so much. I've been so damn busy with work that it wasn't until I had a semi-vacation that I had the time to actually get this all down in practically one shot.
I desperately *needed* to write fic after Unending lest my muse die in the ending of my show. I told myself I had to write something, anything, and this is what came out. I now feel able to tackle my Apocofic :)
Guh. Still love this. Exploring the darker angles of the characters' personalities is something I really love so maybe I accept it easier than others, but it's so *there*.
I love how he's so deliberate and detailed and specific. He's going out to get sex, and he knows exactly who he's looking for and exactly what he wants, and it isn't about trying to get lucky as much as it's about making it happen. In a very particular way. And that's just so very hot when it comes to Daniel, dark or not.
Thanks! And thanks so much for your help! It was really valuable.
Daniel is kind of scary when he's focused on a particular goal. I really loved being able to put that into a sexual context.
And no, I suspect this won't be a very popular story, but I don't care all that much. It's actually taken me a couple of years to get this story right, so I feel an immense sense of satisfaction in finally gaining some measure of success.
And while I never commented on it, yes, it has some definite parallels with CtG. This actually sort of fits into that universe in a perverse sort of way.
I find *all* of the characters incredibly hot when they're being dark and sexual. They don't even necessarily have to have sex, but I love those insights into their inner selves and their needs and passions.
Huh. This was a really interesting take on Daniel and it's a little disturbing how well it works. Most of the time I tend to think that season 1-5 Daniel was celibate (outside of cases like Hathor or Shyla) but descended Daniel does have that edge, that sense, as you put it, of coming back slightly wrong/twisted and he has just enough cold calculation to him to pull this off - just enough arrogance and awareness of all he's sacrificed and that maybe, just maybe, life owes him the tiniest bit of selfishness
( ... )
Without re-quoting everything you said in your first paragraph, yes. Yes, it's meant to be a bit disturbing, yet inside the realm of possibility for Descended!Daniel. He *is* just that much more mercenary and edgy. I love that they allowed that bit of character development, because yes, even without his Ascended memories, he's got to remember enough of his prior life to feel a bit of anger and... I dunno... privation at what he experienced during his previous 'life
( ... )
he's got to remember enough of his prior life to feel a bit of anger and... I dunno... privation at what he experienced during his previous 'life'.
Uh huh. I can't shake the feeling that somewhere inside him is this 8-year-old who just wants to fling himself to the ground and throw a kicking-and-screaming temper tantrum about how horribly unfair life is. On the outside he (usually) calmly takes everything thrown at him and gets more and more self-sacrificing and carrying the weight of the universe, but some small part of him has to resent it, has to feel like the universe owes him something for that burden.
He's mercenary about getting what he needs, but he's not cruel or mean. He doesn't really want to hurt anyone, but he needs what he needs.Exactly! And you walked that line pretty much perfectly, which is why this works. While Daniel can be downright scary when he hates someone (Apophis) he doesn't really have a taste for cruelty or violence. As for the money thing - I can see that both ways. Depending on where the woman
( ... )
On the outside he (usually) calmly takes everything thrown at him and gets more and more self-sacrificing and carrying the weight of the universe, but some small part of him has to resent it, has to feel like the universe owes him something for that burden.
Oh yes, absolutely. And so often, Daniel finds himself in a place where his choices are just *impossible*. Sacrifice himself or others are going to die (or worse). Whether or not his incremental choices along the way lead to that, that's usually only apparent in hindsight.
While we may not see him have that 'It's not FAIR!!' meltdown externally, I'm pretty sure some part of him feels it on the inside. So instead, when it gets too loud or too much, he takes something for himself. Something that doesn't really take anything from anyone else. He can rationalize that if this woman hadn't left with him, she have may well have left with someone else and Daniel knows at the very least he's not going to hurt or abuse her.
It works. Well. Daniel's a lot more complex than a lot of people want to acknowledge. We've seen hints of his cold, calculating side from time to time and this is, IMO, an excellent extrapolation of that. The fact that he goes out of his way to ensure that the women he choses won't be harmed shows that his basic personality is still there, but he needs what he needs and he's found a way to get it. Good job.
Thanks so much! I've been dying to explore this side of Daniel for a long time. It was just finding the best way to do it that was problematic for me.
Daniel's not truly cruel and certainly not to someone who didn't deserve it. He's cold, calculating and manipulative about what he's doing, but it's not something these women would realize because they don't know him well enough. As far as they're concerned, he's just dandy - a caring, considerate lover, even if he's a bit pushy at times.
Comments 22
Descended Daniel is a much darker beast than innocent Daniel from the film.
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Oh yes, I couldn't agree more. And I love him for it and feel like it's a logical progression for him.
I don't see Daniel as a vain man, but yes, I think he realizes that he's pleasing to the eye. I think he still relies more on his strength of personality, though. Such pretty lies can trip off that tongue...
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
See, I've read some slash versions like this and I really wanted to match the tone in a het context. The coldness and desperation. And this has taken me *forever* to get right. I've tried several different angles but they never felt quite right. I tried OCs (totally aside from the general fandom dislike of them - I'm brave enough to do it if it worked), but I just couldn't make Daniel as cold as I wanted to. I just like Daniel too well to make him this mercenary when the OC had a face.
Again, thank you so much. I've been so damn busy with work that it wasn't until I had a semi-vacation that I had the time to actually get this all down in practically one shot.
I desperately *needed* to write fic after Unending lest my muse die in the ending of my show. I told myself I had to write something, anything, and this is what came out. I now feel able to tackle my Apocofic :)
Reply
I love how he's so deliberate and detailed and specific. He's going out to get sex, and he knows exactly who he's looking for and exactly what he wants, and it isn't about trying to get lucky as much as it's about making it happen. In a very particular way. And that's just so very hot when it comes to Daniel, dark or not.
Reply
Daniel is kind of scary when he's focused on a particular goal. I really loved being able to put that into a sexual context.
And no, I suspect this won't be a very popular story, but I don't care all that much. It's actually taken me a couple of years to get this story right, so I feel an immense sense of satisfaction in finally gaining some measure of success.
And while I never commented on it, yes, it has some definite parallels with CtG. This actually sort of fits into that universe in a perverse sort of way.
I find *all* of the characters incredibly hot when they're being dark and sexual. They don't even necessarily have to have sex, but I love those insights into their inner selves and their needs and passions.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Uh huh. I can't shake the feeling that somewhere inside him is this 8-year-old who just wants to fling himself to the ground and throw a kicking-and-screaming temper tantrum about how horribly unfair life is. On the outside he (usually) calmly takes everything thrown at him and gets more and more self-sacrificing and carrying the weight of the universe, but some small part of him has to resent it, has to feel like the universe owes him something for that burden.
He's mercenary about getting what he needs, but he's not cruel or mean. He doesn't really want to hurt anyone, but he needs what he needs.Exactly! And you walked that line pretty much perfectly, which is why this works. While Daniel can be downright scary when he hates someone (Apophis) he doesn't really have a taste for cruelty or violence. As for the money thing - I can see that both ways. Depending on where the woman ( ... )
Reply
Oh yes, absolutely. And so often, Daniel finds himself in a place where his choices are just *impossible*. Sacrifice himself or others are going to die (or worse). Whether or not his incremental choices along the way lead to that, that's usually only apparent in hindsight.
While we may not see him have that 'It's not FAIR!!' meltdown externally, I'm pretty sure some part of him feels it on the inside. So instead, when it gets too loud or too much, he takes something for himself. Something that doesn't really take anything from anyone else. He can rationalize that if this woman hadn't left with him, she have may well have left with someone else and Daniel knows at the very least he's not going to hurt or abuse her.
Reply
Reply
Thanks so much! I've been dying to explore this side of Daniel for a long time. It was just finding the best way to do it that was problematic for me.
Daniel's not truly cruel and certainly not to someone who didn't deserve it. He's cold, calculating and manipulative about what he's doing, but it's not something these women would realize because they don't know him well enough. As far as they're concerned, he's just dandy - a caring, considerate lover, even if he's a bit pushy at times.
Thanks again! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
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