Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Hi Mum, It's Sammy (Clone 63 - Part 8)

(This scene was done in collaboration with Avanis, Jericho's creator and THE expert on Striders.)
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"So, Sammy, what the hell do you want to ask that requires coming home?" Jericho demanded of me as we entered the door.

"I'm worried you are about to answer no. So I want a stiff drink before I ask. And you remember how our last jaunt to the dive bar went." We left without even ordering drinks, the service was impossibly slow. I grabbed two drinks from our bar and handed one to Jer.



Jericho looked at me with a small frown. "I can't imagine what you might ask that you think I'd say no to. Not if it's important to you."

I downed about half the glass in one gulp. "It is very important to me." It was now or never. "Jer, would you marry me? I want this to be a permanent relationship."

"Sammy... you have to know what you're getting into if you want a permanent relationship with me." He gave me a serious look with those heart-stopping blue eyes. "What you sims called marriage isn't... exactly... like what we Striders do. When a Strider takes a mate, a true mate, it's for life. And we live a very, very long time. You'll be tied to me for as long as I live. And that could possibly be centuries."

 "Centuries?" I blinked in surprise. "But I couldn't live for centuries. That's just not possible."

"As my mate, it would be. Because of the bond, you will live as long as I do. Or, if one of us died in an accident, the other will die as well."

"So you only bond if you find a mate?"

"Indeed. It's very rare for us to find a true mate. And once a Strider is bonded, there is no such thing as divorce. The phrase from your ceremony 'Till death do us part' is literal for us."

"Jericho, how do you know if you are taking a true mate and not merely entering some longer term relationship?"

"We just," Jericho closed his eyes for a moment. "We just know. Sam, I've known since our first date that you are my true mate. I just didn't know if you felt the same. There's a small ritual to follow, that will finish the binding. Just a few words to say.
'After the waves end, when the water is gone, I will still be yours.'
Just be sure, Sam Grant. Because once it's done, there is no changing your mind."

"You felt it too? That first date, it was just right. I'm sorry I wasn't sure then. It literally was my first date, it wasn't until I tried with others that I absolutely knew."

"I had never known a moment of jealousy in my life, Sam. Not until I found that you were out with Eddie. I was suddenly so angry, so upset. If there was the smallest doubt in my mind after our date, it was obliterated by that. I love you with all my soul, Sam Grant, and I will do so until the end of my days."

I could feel the truth behind Jericho's last statement. He was so still, nearly a statue, waiting for me to make a decision. I reached for him and brushed his face gently. "I love you too, Jericho Seastrider." Our love was real, it was true and there was no place I'd rather be then with him. "After the waves end, when the water is gone, I will still be yours."

He exhaled, long and slow. I hadn't realised he'd been holding his breath until then. Then Jericho returned my touch. "After the waves end, when the water is gone, I will still be yours."

For a moment, I felt like a wave closed over me. Warm water, a gentle hug and a feeling of deep abiding love washed over me. "Wow," was all I could say.

Jericho quietly said, "Our bond has the blessing of the sea goddess." He looked at me with wonder filling his eyes. "I've heard of it, maybe once in a generation this happens."

"What does it mean?"

"I'm not quite sure what the blessing of the goddess may bring. I can feel that the binding is finished, our lives and our fates are intertwined. You and I are one in a way that a Sim marriage can never equal."

"Jericho, how about celebrating with a wedding?" I put up a hand to stop him before he'd barely twitched an eyebrow. "I know what we've just done goes deeper, I can feel the truth of that down to my bones. But I think perhaps a little public ceremony, as Sims here do it, would be good. It will give our friends a chance to celebrate with us and make this legal from every point of view." I wrapped both arms around him.

"After what just happened, you really think this is needed?"

"I do, love. Since we live here, and our children will be growing up here, I want it to be clear that we are one in every possible sense. And having a piece of paper that says we are wed is just a part of that."

Jericho nodded slowly. "It seems so unnecessary from my point of view. A Strider would sense our bond and they would respect it. But I can see your point, the land dwellers don't have that same sense." I saw a flash of knowledge light up his eyes. "It was one of the things that confused me when I first arrived. It's not possible to tell who is taken and who is available. All right then, if you like. I assume you'd want to do it soon?"

"It may take a little to set up the arrangements. A couple of weeks or months, I don't know." I grinned at Jer. "It's not like I have to rush you to the altar before you change your mind about me."

"I will never do that."

I closed my eyes. Because of the bond, I could sense Jericho in ways that I couldn't just a short while ago. His love was with me,  I could feel it like a warm glow. "I know. I expect I'll know it till the end of our days."

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Bonus pics


I'm really not quite used to Ice roaming my hood yet.

Jericho, haven't you heard this about Sam? He was on the other side of the house and noticed your daughter needed attention. He beat you there and you were in the same room as the baby. Be faster on your feet and wipe that look off your face.

The obligatory Sammy in the shower shot. No Sam story is complete now unless there is one.

16 comments:

  1. So, the details of Seastrider true mates are from Avanis as well as some of Jericho's reactions. Mostly, you can blame me.

    I don't know where the goddess came from but she's mine. At least I have something to blame if the bonding between Jer and Sam is different from that of a normal Strider pair.

    I am particularly pleased with how this worked.

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  2. Yay! Now I just hope no one has an accident and dies young...if they do, talk to Jared - he knows how to cheat those sorts of things lol

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  3. @cami, hmm, I'm not sure Jared's experience would help. After all, there was a pregnancy involved. Technically, Jericho can be preggy but he's not so...no. If one dies, the other does too I fear. Poor guys.

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  4. Ah, good :) at least they're happy until bad things happen.

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  5. I love the Striders stuff! I've never read Jericho's original story- I may have to now!

    Eek I hope neither of them dies suddenly... That way neither of them has to live without the other, but those poor bbies would be orphans!

    Yay a wedding! I love weddings.

    Moohaha that last shot...

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  6. @miadarkdecider - as a couple they are certainly very happy. As for their future - hmm.

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  7. @amelia Jericho's original story didn't have as much of this - it's things she's been working on for what will happen to Jericho's son Nautilus. But even without the other Strider stuff, it's worth reading his origins. :)

    The die when the other dies clause is rather interesting... Hopefully they won't die too young. Yes, orphans but the babies currently have 2 more males to take care of them. I'm sure they'd be loved.

    Eventually a wedding. We have missing pets to find. :)

    Need at least one nude Sammy shot per story. Or you could be disappointed.

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  8. That was such a romantic bonding! I loved the detail you went to ... although I have no seastriders, that's the kind of connection I feel my Eddie and Bert share :D

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    1. It was fun working on that post. I know that Avanis bonded her Nautilus with zbornie's Hibicus in a similar way but I don't know if either of them really posted it.

      Sammy living for centuries, that's quite an offer. :D

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  9. I love the strider stuff and can never get enough of it. So happy for them!

    And yes, Nautilus was bonded with Hibiscus and it's not posted...yet. XD

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    1. A few things changed since I last read about a bonding - like a Strider mate living for centuries.

      Now I've added the goddess to the mix - but if any couple *needs* a goddess blessing, it would be Nautilus and Hibiscus. Cause those boys are just too sweet together.

      So, somehow I managed to be the first to actually post a bonding? LOL Still, Sammy and Jer are very very happy.

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  10. Oh wow! That was beautiful! I love this story so much!! :D

    --SimChick1016

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    1. Thanks SimChick. I expect this post is as good as my writing will go, but it seems pretty fine to me. :D

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  11. Awwwww!!! SO romantic. T_T Was very beautifully written, PiB! ♥ And I especially liked this picture: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b-iTiPixv1Q/TykmyH2njqI/AAAAAAAALJU/OYFc9RCVqBg/s640/Screenshot-12_sam_01_02_12.jpg

    Squee, I'm so glad to hear they're not only married, but will have a long, LONG happy life together!! It sounds absolutely perfect. Anyone, boy or girl, who can make Sam happy is alright in my books. ;)

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    1. Awwww, thanks Kaleeko. Tis one of the best I think I've ever done.

      They adore each other, Sammy gets an extra long life. And we get to explore Striders on land.

      I didn't expect this story to have a strong romantic part to it. But the boys got a bit carried away once they started. :)

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  12. Oh my word, I teared up, that was simply beautiful!

    Well done, Lynn :)

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