#but like come ON it doesn’t need to be fully committed role play just a light sprinkling

[dashiellqvverty]

no jamie tartt puppy play on ao3. this is an outrage.

[kicktwine]

A silly! The Exarch plays claw machine

G’raha is expecting the summoning of the Warrior of Light to be… a far more reverent and atmospheric moment than it is. He had researched for years in the Crystal Tower, finally able to piece together an enchantment he knows is capable of summoning one across time, across the barriers between shards. It is a complex and perfectly charted cast upon which rides the hopes and survival of both the Source and the First, and all within it. 

So sue him, when a fully naked unconscious hyur falls out of the spell and practically launches a nutkin (he was unaware it was possible to bring a plus one) directly into his face, he may have yelped a little and dropped his staff onto his foot. 

Never before is he more glad he forbids the people of the Crystarium have unmonitored access to the Tower. When he finishes jumping around holding his paw like a child, he is still left with (the nutkin is gone, and he never finds it again) a very unclothed man on his floor who is not supposed to be here. This is not the Warrior of Light — last he checked, the Warrior was a Miqo’te, like he, with a constant dastardly smile and near-black fur that rusts in the sunlight and ever-so-slightly mismatched blue-green eyes that glow in the twilight. Last he checked, academically, anyways. 

The Hyur groans, shifting imperceptibly. The Crystal Exarch does not panic, though his ears do flatten under his hood. Instead, he very quickly removes a small layer of his cloak and covers the poor man, and prepares to explain what in the name of the Twelve is going on. 

-

G’raha tries again about a year later, ever aware of the rapid time dilation but utterly committed to getting it right this time and, unfortunately, completely spent from the first attempt’s burden on his aether. Thancred, luckily, does not hate him, but he does also have his own business nowadays, and so he is not available when the time to try again comes. Hopefully, he can get word out soon, and the Warrior can have him as a traveling companion. 

Would that the Exarch could fill that role. And, would that he did not need to come up with it. With renewed determination and twice the aether poured into the spell, G’raha attempts to harry the gates of time and pull to his side a legend. 

He misses again. And for his efforts, he gets two of the Warrior of Light’s companions, both, again, without clothes. 

He is. Going to have to figure out how to fix that. Perhaps it has to do with aetherological travel and the acknowledgement of one’s possessions as a part of them? How is he to pull over the whole of the person without any pictures of what they happen to be wearing that day…?

The Miqo’te woman wakes first, and immediately hisses when he speaks up, her fur ridges bristling. This bodes well. 

-

So we don’t need to — he fails again. And at this point it is getting a little frustrating, but at least this time he has a blanket ready.

The Elezen boy, sitting on the floor with the blanket meticulously and with no small amount of self-consciousness positioned so it covers him in a little tent, listens quietly to what G’raha has to say, his tail curled around his knees. 

For a mercy, he listens and considers the Exarch’s tale very carefully. Apparently, isolated as he was from information back in Eorzea, he had no idea the dizzy spells weren’t just from… lack of aether permeating sections of Garlemald. But, at least, the voice of the Call lends credence to his claims. And so he seems to accept it, and introduces himself as Alphinaud Leveilleur, heir of House Leveilleur and Scion of the Seventh Dawn. 

G’raha’s tail puffs a bit under his robes. Such historic titles! And such peaceful parley. He goes to offer his hand, but— um. Alphinaud doesn’t move from the floor to shake it, turtling in the blanket tent. 

Right! Right. The Exarch startles and runs off to get a pair of trousers. 

-

Undeterred, G’raha swears he will try again, and soon, it will not be another year before he finds Ch’ari Tia, he swears it!

…Well. At least the other Elezen girl arrives with her smalls. This does not deter her from cracking her fist against his crystalline ribs, which he’s sure hurts him more than it does her. His ears are ringing from her tirade — not a good time to summon her, she said. The Exarch feels old. 

-

The forest. 

The forest! Of Lakeland! WITH his clothes, thank the gods, but so far out of range! What if he were assaulted by a sin eater while unconscious?! Or harried by some — some, who knows what! A carnivorous plant?!

The Exarch sprints out the gates of the Crystarium, his old man bones protesting at activity he hasn’t done in literal moons. He gains a few looks from the residents as he passes — most amused, at which he can’t decide if he’s amused back or embarrassed — and finally slows to a halt when he realizes Lyna has stopped the Warrior at the gate, and done away with a stray sin eater (!!) like a sensible guard. Bless Lyna. May Lyna have the bounty of the heavens rain upon her. Wonderful grandchild. 

He is out of breath as he approaches, and attempts to gain it back — an effort which he quickly realizes is entirely in vain, as the Warrior of Light finally turns to regard him, suspicious and curious and his eyes flicking to and fro across the Exarch’s form as if he could find some secret solution or an answer hidden within. His clothing is loose and wrinkled — if Alisaie’s scolding was any indication, they must not have had the time to care for it. But, regardless, his fur shines with recent care, and he stands with the height of someone who means to ask questions, not someone out of their depth. One fang pokes through his lips as he examines his abductor. 

The Exarch is great at controlling his face. Fantastic at it. Even so, he smiles a touch without truly meaning to, full of relief and suddenly swamped with strong anticipatory jitters at the journey ahead, promising the Warrior that he will answer his questions back in the Ocular. 

Ch’ari tilts his head like a puppy, eyes boring into the space where G’raha’s remain concealed. He follows, though — tail swaying, steps quiet, gazing at the purple foliage with silent wonder. 

…

Damn his spellcasting making such an exception as this one. 

[accio-victuuri]

excerpts for this interview about wang yibo and his character wei ruolai: Exclusive interview｜"Storm Chaser" director Yao Xiaofeng: Creating a period drama with a grainy and historical feel

The TV series "War of Faith" is on the air. This legendary story that cuts into the history of the Republic of China from a financial perspective has aroused the curiosity and follow-up of many viewers. It’s production level can also be regarded as the best work of 2024.

Director Yao Xiaofeng admits that he has always been interested in the history of the Republic of China. "This history is actually very heart-wrenching. During this history, the ups and downs of the country's destiny, what kind of experiences did the people who participated in it and those who followed the trend have? I find it particularly interesting.”

In addition to the visual presentation, the performances of many actors are also quite exciting. Yao Xiaofeng said confidently: "The actor in this drama will definitely be able to give one of the best performances in his career." He is a director who is very good at communicating with actors and bringing out their charm. Starring Wang Yibo is also in " Contributed a commendable performance in "War of Faith".

The first time he collaborated with Wang Yibo, Yao Xiaofeng recognized this "kid" very much. "I spent a lot of thought on Wang Yibo this time, and he was very involved and fully committed himself to me during the process. He also believed in me." He said, "There are no distracting thoughts in our cooperation. .”

The Paper: In the first episode, the male protagonist is dragged into the stock market by the landlady. On one side is the heroine's gunfire and on the other side is the male protagonist's stock market turmoil. This contrast is quite interesting.

Yao Xiaofeng: The male protagonist is an ordinary person. When an ordinary person is involved in chaos and bloodshed, he goes from being at a loss to being calm and making a choice. I think this is very interesting. An ordinary person's true reaction when faced with a world he cannot control may be the highlight of this drama. So for the first few scenes, I first created the atmosphere of his life and let the audience accept what kind of person he is. Talking about the relationship between an ordinary little person and the big era and the big world is my specialty.

The Paper: In previous interviews, I saw you expressing your appreciation for Wang Yibo. I would like to hear you talk about the cooperation process, including some observations of this young actor?

Yao Xiaofeng: When we met, I could feel Wang Yibo's sincerity, and I said I wanted to convey this sincerity to the audience. No matter what kind of scene you face, you don’t have to act, you just need to tell me your truest feelings on camera. The good thing about this kid is that he easily believed the scenarios I gave him.

I think this child is very good. He understands it very well. When he comes to the set, he is filming. He regards himself as an actor and leaves it completely to a director. As a director, I explained my ideas to him and let him develop them. I often say that actors and directors should trust and respect each other. From the moment we met, we only talked about the two creators’ understanding of the characters and the drama, so there were no distracting thoughts about our cooperation.

The actor in this drama will definitely give one of the best performances in his career. As a director, what I have to do is to amplify the charm of the actor and help him complete the role. I spent a lot of thought on Wang Yibo this time, and he was very involved, and he also trusted me in the process.

The Paper: How to build this trust?

Yao Xiaofeng: It’s equality. I don’t “pretend” to be a director, and he doesn’t “play” a star. We are just ordinary people. And then he was the younger guy and I was older than him and he certainly had a lot of respect for me. But at the beginning, when the two of us were not that familiar, I talked more about the script with him, without any pretensions to being a director, and communicated with him in a normal manner. After slowly breaking through the barriers between people little by little, the rest will not be a problem.

His smile was so lively that once I made him laugh. After laughing, I said you have such a cute smile, and we were both very happy. Later, he often smiled, and I think he probably smiled the most in my drama.

The Paper: The pavilion where the male protagonist lives on Qibao Street is also particularly rich in details.

Yao Xiaofeng: When Wei Ruo came to the room, I said it was not shabby enough. It was also a loft at the beginning. When the view of the loft was ready, I said as soon as I entered, you have no experience in living in a pavilion. It is too high, too big, and the room is not dilapidated enough. But the photography team is also worried that your space is too big. It’s hard to get small photography equipment in, so it’s not easy to take pictures. But when it comes to photography, I want it to be small and have enough space for people to hit their heads.

If the space is right, we will discuss every detail of the character's life, including what kind of lights to use at home, where to eat, and where to cook. The staff in the clothing team are relatively young now and have no idea about the "ragged" clothes of that era, so I asked them to make them as old and torn as possible.

When everything was ready, Wang Yibo put on a torn cotton-padded jacket, entered the pavilion where he would hit his head, and bent down. The small quilt on the bed could only cover his head but not his tail, so he could only shrink up. We filmed it in winter, and his most authentic reaction was aroused. By truly feeling in this real atmosphere and environment, you can bring the characters to life.

[inbarfink]

I’ve seen some interpretations of the Rocky Horror Picture Show that compare Frank to the Christian Devil and/or the Serpent of Eden. And… it’s not like that doesn’t make sense. Frank is a tempter who stands against the restraint of the explicitly Christian morality of the mainstream culture our protagonists come from. The Criminologist even calls his temptation of Brad and Janet a “forbidden fruit”.  But… I just think that’s not the only angle one can take when looking at Frank. Frank is many things both as an in-universe person and a narrative character. But we are first and foremost introduced to him, before we even get a chance to see him, as a Frankenstein Pastiche.

Is it any wonder that he does such a good job of playing God?

Like any good Postmodern Prometheus, Frank creates new life, but this goes beyond just Rocky. It’s Brad and Janet who are kind of the Adam and Eve in this comparison, and while Frank didn’t literally create them with mad science - he did re-make them in his own image.

(And after first turning them to stone - a form of earth - and then back to flesh)

Also, if we're looking at the Frankenstein's Place as a sort of twisted Garden of Eden -  a place where Brad and Janet lose their innocence, gain greater knowledge and understanding of themselves, commit a transgression by giving into temptation, and then get cast down to Earth unsure of what to do with what they have learned - then Frank as the Master of the castle, who first welcome Brad and Janet but eventually then targets them with furious punishment, fits much better playing the role of God than a random snake or even the Devil himself. 

Yes, it's a weird-reverse-sort-of-God whose creed is exactly the opposite of the Conservative Christian God in whose church Ralph and Betty got married - but this is already a weird-reverse-sort-of-Eden as well. Adam and Eve started off so 'innocent' in that they felt no shame about their nude bodies, and when they lost said innocence is also when they started feeling the need to cover up. Brad and Janet’s 'innocent' state has them dressed very modestly, and their 'corruption' is marked by them... well, they're never fully naked, but certainly gradually get more confortable walking around in their underwears or lingerie.

And following the narrative thread of this weird-reverse-Garden-of-Eden, the real Forbidden Fruit isn’t actually Frank’s dick, it’s Rocky. The Garden of Eden was this wonderland of earthly delights where Adam and Eve could pertake of any fruit they desired.... except for the Tree of Wisdom. That was the one pleasure they were forbidden from. And the Frankenstein’s Place is similarly a paradise of desires - just less of a fruitbowl and more of the Sex, Drugs and Rock n’ Roll variety - but the one thing you can’t do, the one person you’re not allowed to have sex with... is Rocky.

And I think the interesting question here is ‘why is Rocky the one thing that’s off-limits in Frank’s Fantastic FuckCastle?’.  Because, well, if we look at it from an Eden Perspective, here’s what the Serpent had to say about the subject of the Fruit of Knowledge:

Eating the Forbidden Fruit isn’t just about succumbing to mortal pleasures about godly morality or whatever, it’s about becoming kinda like God. And maybe that’s the real reason why Frank’s so upset about the idea that Rocky has slept with someone else. It’s less actual romantic jealousy and more... galling at the idea that someone else can tempt his Significant Other to cheat on him. That’s his thing!

And like, espacially since Janet has that line in “Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me”

Which I always read as a kind of admission that she’s like... exploiting Rocky’s desire for an emotional connection for own sexual pleasures. She is maybe falling into this very Frank-Brand of hedonistic manipulativeness. Her newfound knowledge of her sexuality is making her more like ‘God’ in a way, and now this God is pissed about that idea.

And this also does places a ‘Serpent’ figure in our Garden of Eden and that’s Riff-Raff. It’s through his manipulation of events that Janet get offered that Forbidden Himbo in the first place. He probably wasn’t really counting on it directly, more like just causing random chaos in the hopes of distracting Frank long enough to prepre for the coup. But still, without Riff-Raff and Magenta’s tormenting of Rocky, he wouldn’t have fallen in Janet’s lap like this.

And I think, this is taking very directly from the Christian interpetation of the Garden of Eden myth, where the Serpent is retconned as Satan. Riff-Raff is, after all, a resentful servant planning to usurp his master out of jealousy and uses the humans as pawns in his scheme to do that. If Frank is playing God, than Riff-Raff is clearly playing Devil here!

And, like the pitchfork is OBVIOUSLY a reference to the American Gothic motif but... there’s no reason why you couldn’t also connect it to a Satanic motif? Especially as, with Frank being a Reverse-God who preaches for sin and pleasure, Riff-Raff is a Devil of... well, I dunno if he necessarily believes in all of that sexual conservatism stuff - but he’s certainly willing to use it as an excuse for his personal beef with Frank! Either way the point remains, the pitchfork ties together the concepts of traditionalism and sexual shame, as symbolized by American Gothic, with the Devil.

[hellsbroadcaster]

Not that I don’t think Alastor can’t be humanized but I don’t think that’s the mindset I want when it comes to my interpretation of him.

Like I do think he cares about the group, and about those he lets in but there’s always a limit.

There are things I wanna tap into when it comes to writing him to where it’s relatable but it’s scary to be relatable. He isn’t someone to idolize.

He is evil. He is an opportunist. Yes he’s funny, he’s charming, he’s entertaining. He’s got traits that make him easy to like, but he’s also a serial killer. And a lot of serial killers have these traits. It’s not really him.

I think what makes things hurt more, and at least for my portrayal is that he remains detached. He’s loyal to a fault. He’ll use whoever he needs to achieve his goal.

He is here for chaos. He wants raise hell. It’s fun.

One thing I liked about villanelle from killing eve that I really liked was when she talked about how life bored her.

“Most of the time, most days, I feel nothing. I don't feel anything. It is so boring. I wake up and I think, again, really? I have to do this again? And what I really don't understand is how come everyone else isn't screaming with, with boredom, too, and I try to find ways to make myself feel something. More, and more, and more, but it doesn't make any difference. No matter what I do, I don't feel anything. I hurt myself; it doesn't hurt. I buy what I want; I don't want it. I do what I like; I don't like it. I'm just so bored.”

This really resonated with me because I do feel like this sometimes. And I think it’s a scary thought to have. It’s a state I don’t want to get to. And it makes me think of Alastor.

How he goes through life. Yes he likely has trauma as a child, the abuse and racism he faced growing up.

But how it’s warped or shaped his mentality. He’s had to play a role, a part. Be something that people will like. How many times he forced a smile and inside he was screaming. His entire personality is an act.

The only time he’s ever been himself is when he’s holding a blade and stealing the light from someone’s eyes. It’s the only time he’s ever felt alive.

He has his passions, radio, jazz, drinking and dancing but it’s all just fillers. They don’t actually fulfill his need to kill, to feel.

It’s why I think he loves being in hell. Loves being a demon. He doesn’t have to hide his true nature like he had to as a human. He can be exactly as he wants.

Except now he’s hiding again. He’s not entirely free, he’s still chained down. His power is one hand tied behind his back.

And he will take that freedom over anything. And this is why I don’t think he can fully commit to the group. Because he is in it for himself. To get what he wants means he’ll likely have to turn his back on the others.

I talked about this with @videoaux because a lot of ppl think Vox was at fault for whatever their fallout was about but I honestly believe Alastor sabotaged it. Pushed Vox away, and turned his back on him. Because Vox is angry, rightfully angry and Alastor acting indifferent just shows me that Alastor doesn’t care how he’s hurt or upset Vox in the slightest.

And that’s in his nature. That’s who he is. You can’t be surprised when you get up getting fucked over by a demon. What were you thinking?

[welcometojackass2022]

The CKY/Viva La Bam Boys Switch Roles During Sex [Short Smut Drabble]

Quick little drabble about what Rake, Frantz, Raab, Dico, and Novak would be like if they each played the opposite role from what they usually play during sex. Frantz, Rake, and Dico try out being submissive, and Raab and Novak try out being dominant. I’m doing one long paragraph for each of them! @chasingwinehouse thanks for giving me plenty of cool ideas! <3

Notes: I really like the Raab concept here, let me know if you want a full fic for it. Also, here’s a couple warnings: Dico’s part involves you being rough with him (degrading, slapping and light choking), Novak’s part involves him calling himself daddy, Raab’s part involves him slipping up and calling you mommy once or twice and also attempting (and failing) to degrade you, and Frantz’s part involves him whining when you pull his hair. Rake’s part doesn’t need any warnings.

@butttxray credit to you for the Frantz hair pulling idea that I use in his section!

@asskickedbygirl tagging you as always.

Brandon DiCamillo:

For what was probably the first time in his entire life, Brandon DiCamillo was gonna be put in his place. He was on his knees in front of you, staring up at you with that same cocky, condescending, ‘I’m laughing at a joke that no one gets except me’ smile he always had on his face. That smile you were determined to wipe off. You’d already removed all of his clothes to make him feel more vulnerable and breakable—now all you had to do was break him. You roughly grabbed him by the chin, staring him down with an unflinchingly dark look as you decided what you wanted to do with him first. “Naked on your knees like a little bitch and yet you’ve still got that fucking look on your face. What’s it gonna take to wipe it off?” Dico’s grin widened, and he shrugged, not the least bit affected by how tightly you were squeezing his jaw. “I dunno, babe, how ‘bout a gimp mask and some nipple clamps—” You cut him off with a firm smack across the cheek, and he instantly went silent, staring up at you with a slightly shocked (but not pained) look. “That was a rhetorical question, bitch, don’t speak unless I tell you that you can.” The grin came back, and he instantly went against your orders by talking back once again. “How was I supposed to know it wasn’t a real question, it sounded like a —” You cut him off with yet another smack across the cheek, and then, just to really get your point across, you wrapped your hand around the base of his neck and applied enough pressure to get a reaction from him, a slightly choked sound leaving his mouth as he stared up at you with a slightly fearful expression, his cock suddenly hard as a rock against his thigh. The smirk was finally gone.

Brandon Novak:

“Just like that, baby, suck Daddy’s dick. Mmm, fuck, that’s good. Get Daddy’s cock nice and wet, baby, just like that.” It wasn’t often that Novak got to be the one in charge during sex, but when he did, he fully committed to the role. Novak loved to show off his dirty-talking abilities, especially while you were sucking him off, and he had a real talent for degrading you in the most encouraging way possible. He pushed your head further down, forcing you to take his entire shaft into your mouth, his slick tip hitting the back of your throat, and you ran your tongue up and down the underside of his cock, eliciting a pleased moan from him in response. You pulled your mouth off of his cock to swirl your tongue over the head of his cock, letting your drool coat the tip and then taking the whole head into your mouth to suck on it. Novak stared down at you with a domineering look that he reserved only for these moments, and it only spurned you on more, leading to you enthusiastically taking the whole shaft into your mouth again. “Yeah, baby, you like sucking on that big fat cock, don’t you? You love having Daddy’s dick in your mouth, don’t you? Come on, baby, all the way down your throat, just like that.” He forced your head down again, and you allowed him to shove his cock down your throat, saliva dripping from your mouth onto his cock as he face-fucked you. You knew this side of Novak wasn’t gonna be around for too long; he kept it up for as long as the blowjob lasted, but once he came, he was usually done being dominant for the rest of the week. But that was fine with you; you’d just appreciate the moment while it lasted. “Keep it up, baby, Daddy’s so close to cumming.”

Chris Raab/Raab Himself:

“Okay, so, uh, mommy—fuck, I mean, uh…what do I call you while I’m doing this?” Raab looked at you with uncertainty as he stood next to the bed, waiting for you to get comfortable on your back so he could get on top of you. He was clad only in his boxers, his cute little cock already clearly hard and leaking through the fabric as he admired the sight of your naked body. As excited as he was, though, he was also clearly a little nervous. Being in charge was far from something he was used to doing; it wasn’t that he preferred receiving over giving (quite the opposite, actually, given his people-pleaser tendencies), it was just that his personality wasn’t quite suited for being bossy or giving orders. But you had really wanted to try this, and he was more than happy to oblige you. You smiled up at him reassuringly, leaning over to grab his hand as you pulled him onto the bed and helped him get on top of you. “You’re in charge here, baby, you decide what to call me.” Raab still looked uncertain, so you whispered a suggestion. “How about just calling me by my name?” Raab nodded, looking very relieved that you’d helped him out. “Right! Right. Okay, uh, here’s what you’re gonna do, (Y/n). You’re gonna lay right here and take my dick like a good little slut.” You raised your eyebrows at the comment, wondering if Raab had been hiding a secret dirty dom side, but his face crinkled up almost immediately and he shook his head. “I didn’t like that, I’m sorry, mommy—I mean (Y/n). I’m not gonna do that again.” You smiled. “That’s okay, Raab, just stick to what you like.” He nodded, gently lining his cock up with your pussy as he thought over what he actually wanted to do. “I like calling you pretty.” You giggled. “Do that, then.” He leaned down to kiss you, and gently pushed the head of his cock inside you as he spoke. “Right. Okay. In that case, you’re gonna lay here and look nice and be pretty for me while I fuck you, okay?” Raab momentarily stopped what he was doing to shoot you a questioning look. “How was that? Was that good?” You grinned. “Yes, baby, that was good.”

Joe Frantz:

Frantz had never been much of a submissive type. When it came to sex, he liked being rough, fast, and aggressive, degrading you under his breath in a low, growly tone and smacking your ass and thrusting inside you until you came around his long, fat cock; the idea of him ever letting you be in charge during sex was unlikely at best and downright laughable at worst. But when it came to eating you out? That was a different story. You lowered yourself down onto Frantz’s face, moaning softly when he pressed his lips against your pussy to kiss it and stared up at you with a vulnerable, awestruck look that felt almost uncharacteristically submissive for someone as domineering as Frantz usually was. He ran his tongue over the lips of your pussy, squeezing his eyes shut and moaning softly as he savored your taste, and you fisted your fingers into his hair, giving it a rough tug that made him whine against your pussy pathetically like a whore. Something about having you on top of him, pussy against his mouth and hand tangled in his hair, turned Frantz into a whining mess; it was a side of him you quite literally never saw anywhere else, and it always shocked you when you did see it. It felt almost too vulnerable, like the taste of your pussy alone was enough to make him weak. You tugged on his hair again, and another whine left his mouth, his lips wrapped around your clit as he sucked on it with as much energy as he could muster, opening his eyes to look up at you again with that vulnerable look. In any other instance, Frantz would have been his usual domineering self, but in this little moment, with his face smushed between your legs, Frantz’s only purpose was to whine and beg and stare up at you pleadingly as he worshipped your pussy. To lap up your juices and suck on your clit and moan at the taste. To be your little bitch.

Rake Yohn:

“You sure you’ve got this, princess? You can take it from here? If you need help, just say so and I’ll show you how to—” You cut Rake off with a wave of your hand as he finished taking off his clothes and laid down on the bed on his back. “I’ve got it, Rake, don’t worry about it. And don’t call me that while we’re doing this, I’m in charge here.” Rake grinned with amusement, watching you as you stripped down to your bra and panties and climbed on top of him to straddle his lap. “You’re right, how could I forget? You’re not a princess anymore, you’re my Queen.” You blushed at the new name, pointedly ignoring his obvious amusement and leaned down to kiss him, and he ran his hands up your back, hips and thighs appreciatively, his cock already hardening underneath you. You pulled away with a smirk, running your hands down his bare chest and giving him the sexiest look you could muster as you ground your hips down against his to rub against his bulge. He raised his eyebrows at you with a soft moan, clearly slightly surprised at how easily you were assuming the dominant role. Rake was pretty much always in control, so he had just assumed that you wouldn’t know what to do once the roles were reversed. Unbeknownst to him, however, you’d been looking forward to doing something like this for a while. You wrapped your hand around the base of Rake’s long, thick shaft, hovering over it so your dripping wet pussy was barely an inch away from the tip, and Rake’s hands automatically shot up to grab at your hips supportively. “Beg for it.” Rake looked up at you, surprised. “Sorry, my Queen?” You smirked. “You heard me, baby. Beg me to ride you.” Rake’s look of shock turned to one of pride, and he smiled. “You’ve really got the hang of this, haven’t you?” You grinned. “I learned from the best, baby.”

[brighteststar707]

Hi Faye!!

I'm here for Valentine's day 2023!! 🥰😘💗🌹

I would love to request Deeply with Zen.

Honestly I'd request all of them with Zen... but I'll leave it at this hihi 🤭

💗💗💗

Hi Kali!

Thank you for the request and happy early Valentine’s day <3 Here is my gift from me (and Zen) to you!

I hope you enjoy it <3

Zen loves deeply

He doesn’t do anything in his life by half measures. He throws himself into his work with a rigour that’s rare to see in other actors in the industry. He defends the people he cares about without question. He fights against perceived injustice impulsively. With Zen, it’s all or nothing.

Why should it be any different in love?

Before meeting you, he was a person overflowing with love and nowhere to put it. He daydreamed about how he’d spoil the love of his life and treat them like royalty. He imagined what it would feel like to be loved fully, not just for his looks or talents, but for his soul too.

He tried to avoid the emptiness he felt by diverting his passion into the characters he played. He put a lot of his own struggles into each portrayal and each one expressed the same love he carried with him. Each song, poem, and confession came straight from his heart.

Throughout his career, he embodied almost every role there was to play in traditional love stories, and then a couple of experimental ones on top of that (he’s still a bit embarrassed about The Jalapeño Topping). He played both the object of affection and the lover left behind. He had been both infatuated and jaded, innocent and provocative.

Despite all this experience, it was never enough to quell the yearning in his heart for something real. While his character might have ended the night content and in love, he always left the theatre alone to return to his empty flat.

In you, he finds the missing piece in his life. Here you are, finally, the person he can shower his love upon.

Upon first meeting you, he wants more than anything to impress you. You might be a stranger, but your attention and compliments make him feel electric. He should have known, even then, that you would become someone special to him.

Within a few days, he knows that he’s a goner. He finds himself waiting by the phone for your call, and smiling so hard his cheeks hurt when he hears your voice. He resists the urge to tell you everything about his day and ask you for your opinion on the people he met, the role he’s working on, his plans for the evening.

When you finally begin your relationship, he’s anxious to learn everything about you. He wants to know what makes you tick so that he can learn all the ways he can make you happy.

Experiencing true love with Zen is overwhelming. No half-measures, every gesture is well-planned and every compliment comes straight from his heart. He feels all his emotions intensely, and love is no exception.

He’s not the kind of person to love you quietly. If he could, he’d shout it from the rooftops.

For the sake of his career, he has been convinced against doing that just yet and has instead committed himself to romantic gestures that are a bit more private. He pulls strings with old friends to get you the best tables at restaurants, private days at the spa, and empty theatres for him to sing to you in. There’s a unique satisfaction in finding new ways to surprise you.

It takes him a little while to recognize the new meaning you have brought to his life.

He used to work only for himself, as a means of survival (not just financially but also emotionally). He learned early on that he had to fend for himself and become his own biggest supporter so that he wouldn’t get crushed by the industry. He buried his insecurities under a thick layer of artificial self-confidence in order for other people to not find and exploit them.

Despite how hard he tried to ignore and hide them, his insecurities still ate him up on the inside. The shell self-confidence became a way for him to seek approval from the people around him. He needed that reminder that he was worthy.

With you by his side, he no longer needs that reassurance. He trusts you enough to dig up his insecurities and show them to you without any embellishments. You allow his passion for the art he creates to overshadow the desperation he used to feel for approval. Yours is the only approval he needs nowadays.

You have given his life outside of acting meaning, and he no longer performs for his survival, but so that he can afford to build a comfortable life for you both together.

You’ve even helped him improve his performances. As his roles become more complex and he is given more freedom in interpreting his characters, he loves to ask you for your insight into the character’s internal thought process. You look at the character with fresh eyes and your own experiences, both of which are invaluable to him. Little pieces of you and him end up working themselves into the final interpretation of the character, and each performance feels like a love letter to you.

Zen loves you deeply, with his entire being. It bleeds into every aspect of his life and changes it for the better, and he would have it no other way.

[jechristine]

I honestly don’t mean to offend you because I like your blog usually. But once in a while you get stuck on a point that is clearly not making sense and it’s almost as if you want to save face and not admit you were wrong, so you keep on going and making it even worse. You want to talk about celebrities feeding the parasocial, fine, it’s a reality, but picking a promotional post to make your point is weird and is giving I just have an agenda. Would it make you feel better if he said I watched it and it’s worth it? It would be pointless regardless, he’s just helping his brother out and being transparent about it. You are also comparing with celebrities that either have nothing in common with him (age, how they became famous, how they had to use social media) or you are giving passes because they had it harder (and they did, but does that make Z’s continued rs with her fanpages make it any less parasocial)? And all that about some comments he made on fame 1,5 years ago. Unless he has given interviews more recently…

I like your blog, I do, but you aren’t being astute on this, you just really want to make a point. It’s just weird that you feel this need.

Well I’ll agree that my point is getting clearer in my own head as I go around with different anons. I think of my blog as more of an ongoing discussion that shapes my own thinking, and less of a “I make a fully fleshed out argument that’s either right or wrong.” From my pov, developing a viewpoint in tandem with others is a common process is talking and writing especially in low-stakes space like tumblr. If my point is unclear it’s because I’m working on it as I go and trying to respond to different angles that anons bring up. I’m pretty open to being challenged, I’d say.

There’s also a central point I’m trying to make—that celebrities play a role in nurturing and activating parasocial relationships that they benefit professionally and financially from. Some anons seem to be feeling really defensive about that point as applied to Tom Holland, probably because of the parasocial relationship he’s successfully created with them! But I’m not going for good vs bad, criticize vs celebrate, as they seem to be expecting me to.

And there are ancillary points that have come up because anons who feel angry love to take conversations to whataboutism or other deflections. Those ancillary points: 1) other celebrities create less toxic (?) or potent versions of those parasocial relationships, maybe because they’re older and more mature? I’m 33 and I don’t see 26yo’s sm lives as that much different than mine idk. Or maybe because those other celebrities have simply never been committed to an idea of showing vulnerability the way Tom has? Or something else or some combination? 2) the immutable traits of a person’s identity play a role in how they are able to succeed in the entertainment industry and to what extent they need to connect to fans for that success. And 3) that some quasi political figures who are also celebrities like the BRF Harry & Meghan have additional or different incentives for putting themselves out there.

So to your point: I guess I agree that the Paddy post isnt the best example of Tom activating the parasocial relationships that he’s played a role in developing, but I do think it’s an instance of his doing so. I didn’t pick it exactly. The issue that I’ve talked about many times over the last year popped up yesterday again on @wetheoriginals blog, and I said the same kind of thing I always say about it.

I think about the point I’m trying to make as being spurred more by the desire to defend fans who are caught up in a market system that doesn’t really benefit them in any material way. Maybe it makes them feel good for a second.

Like I said, I think most celebrity-fan relationships include an element of the parasocial, and how much each contains and activates can be better assessed along a spectrum. It’s a part of celebrity culture, and I usually see very reductive or shallow assessments of it (I.e. “this stan needs to touch some grass”). I’d like to think more about it and how it works.

[kanazawa-division]

Justice Shield Team Dynamics

As team leader, Wataru is naturally seen and participates on the frontlines. He’s strong and is quite intelligent so he balances out, he has quite a lot of power but his rapping and speed are on a bit of the slower side which is to be expected since he has to prior experience with rap and the like but that slowly changes the more he practices and the experience he gains from each battle.

Kyler is the team’s best bet when it comes to defense although he may not look like it. He can definitely take a punch and he knows it, he also knows that he can just as well throw one back just as hard but only should the situation calls for it. His speed and power are unmatched but his rapping prowess still needs a bit of work, still, he is not someone to be trifled with.

Unlike his more athletically gifted teammates, Joey shows his strength through his mind, which is why he is appointed as the team’s strategist…and personal wild card. His ability makes him rather unpredictable and he uses that to his advantage, his sharp wit and intelligence when strategizing make him a formidable foe against opponents. His rapping and speed are high but he lacks a bit in power.

— Wataru

Kyler to Wataru is his coworker, while initially suspicious of his appearance, especially given the tension between their respective countries after the war, but he has grown to respect him after seeing him defend a young girl from an assaulter and that respect has continued to grow after seeing how dedicated he is to help solving the murders. He doesn’t fully trust him yet but he’s getting there, sometimes they (and of course, along with Joey) go out for drinks after a long day of work. In Rap Battles, these two are a powerhouse, their sheer power alone is enough to overwhelm their opponents, they have good teamwork but both tend to work individually.

Joey to Wataru is also his coworker but he’s often annoyed by Joey’s carefreeness (and his horrible jokes). Honestly if it weren’t for Joey’s smarts and his actual dependable detective work, Wataru wouldn’t have given him a second glance. It’s always surprising to see the two of them working together, it’s also pretty funny as well, the sight of Joey talking and joking an annoyed Wataru’s ear off amuses their coworkers to no end. Much like with Kyler, Wataru respects Joey and appreciates his will to help with the case but is slow to trust him. In Rap Battles, Wataru relies on Joey’s intuition for planning battles, he also uses Joey as a distraction while he goes in for the blow.

— Kyler

Wataru to Kyler is his coworker that he respects but the two don’t talk much (at least, now without Joey’s prompting). Kyler actually respects Wataru and does see him as a responsible and appropriate authority figure, the two seem to have a mutual respect for one another and decided to leave it at that. However, when the group does go out drinking, there is a visible change, for one, they actually talk more and seem to relax for once (but still keep their guard up, there is always danger afoot). In Rap Battles, the two of them work well to overpower and defeat their opponents but they prefer to work individually.

Joey to Kyler is his coworker who he finds weird but funny at times. He was surprised to meet him as he doesn’t fit what he thought as a homicide detective but has since then gotten used to his antics, even plays along sometimes, he knows he can trust him, given how well Joey does his job and how committed he is to solving the case. Though he can get annoyed with him and his theatrics, he generally sees Joey as a silly little guy. In Rap Battles, Kyler tends to take a defensive role when backing up Joey, he also relies on him to strategize the team’s battles.

— Joey

Wataru to Joey is his coworker who he desperately tries to get him to smile, just a tiny curve of the lips upwards will do! Alas, all the results so far have been a failure but he still hasn’t given up! Joey has a lot of respect for Wataru and genuinely looks up to him, that was another reason as to why he wanted to help him solve the murders. When the group goes out drinking, Joey always likes to tease that he and Kyler are Wataru’s only friends, he’s also always at awe to see the stoic and stern officer relaxed for once…until he gets drunk, then it’s just jarring to see him depressed. In Rap Battles, Joey covers for him while Wataru either recovers or charges up an attack.

Kyler to Joey is his coworker who he thinks is super cool, Joey always wanted to go to America and now he has a super cool American best friend! Like Wataru, Joey also respects and looks up to Kyler, the two of them actually getting along more due to their close age. Best part? He doesn’t even mind his jokes! Score! The two of them tend to share and compare things about America and Australia, Joey joking that they should take a vacation to go to either countries (he’s actually serious tho). All in all, Joey’s convinced that Kyler is his best friend (a better one than him). In Rap Battles, the two work together surprisingly well, with Joey laying traps for opponents to spring and Kyler just completely decimating them.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Rocky (1976)

The best sports movie ever made… isn’t even really a sports movie. Rocky takes the time to develop its central romance. By the time the leads have their first kiss, the movie could be talking about the most mundane subject and you’d be on your feet cheering. With fully realized characters, an enduring story and an ending you can never forget, it’s essential viewing.

Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is an uneducated and crude but kind-hearted aspiring boxer. He’s finally asked Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire) on a first date when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity lands on his doorstep. Heavyweight boxing world champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) has announced an exhibition match in which he'll compete against an ordinary fighter and give the ultimate underdog a shot at the title.

One of the biggest shocks comes from the number of boxing scenes in the film - there are only two. The first is right at the beginning and serves two roles. Firstly, it establishes Rocky as a boxer. Secondly, it shows you just how low on the totem pole he is. After winning, he’s given a measly pay - certainly not enough for me to risk getting my nose broken. The ring is surrounded by jeerers who litter the area whenever they see something they don’t like. There’s no fanfare whatsoever. He’s a bum. From there, we move onto the emotional foundation of the film. We get to see Rocky outside of the ring. We see his home and his attempts to impress Adrian. You don’t see it at first but she likes him. Unfortunately, she’s so cripplingly shy, she can’t even admit out loud that she wants to go out with him.

Our hero’s first victory comes when the woman he’s dating finally opens up to him. In their first real moment of affection, everything becomes clear. You recognize they’re both people who have deep flaws and insecurities. On their own, they’re stuck, but together, they fill all of the gaps and become so much more than just two people.

Carl Weathers does not have a large role in the film. Mostly, his scenes are there to establish how much he doesn’t take Rocky seriously and how - unlike our hero - he isn't preparing for the upcoming fight. You have no reason to hate him. Unless you count Adrian’s bully of a brother Paulie (played by Burt Young), there’s no villain. Instead of resorting to cheap tricks, Rocky places its bets on the lead. You want to see Rocky succeed because you understand what that slice of the spotlight means to him. By the time we get to the conclusion, Apollo Creed represents the world. If he learns to take Rocky seriously, then everyone will. Maybe then, the love story will be complete. Rocky will have the self-respect and confidence he needs to commit to the love that started blossoming on that first date.

So it isn’t really a sports movie… but then again it is because it concludes with a big title match. What a show it is. The lead-up has been spectacular, with several great shots that without any words hammer down just how much of an underdog we’re following. The fight itself is the antithesis of that first bout. Everything is flashy, the payout is more valuable than any amount of money could ever be. We’ve spent at least an hour and a half getting ready and now, it’s here. Every time a punch gets thrown, you’re on the edge of your seat. If an actor stands up and gets in the way of the camera, you move to swat them away. "Did somebody just get knocked down?!" Every emotion you’ve felt previously, every scene rushes through your head and just as quickly, you banish them from your mind. All you can handle is the here and the now. Even if you know what the results will be, you’re so entranced you wonder if the results might be different this time around.

To watch Rocky is to get swept up in its drama. The writing is tight, with subtly nuanced characters expertly brought to life by wonderful performances. It’s got a dozen memorable moments or quotes you’ll replay in your mind over and over. Each subsequent viewing makes you appreciate the movie more. (On Blu-ray, October 12, 2019)

[star-anise]

I'm up around 3am, thinking about incels and tradwives. (Note: If these are movements you're a fan of, or if you just want to fight with me generally, I will block you if you annoy me, and even if you behave there's a $20 fee if you expect me to actually reply to you in any way.)

This got started because of Khadija Mbowe's and F.D Signifier's videos about Black patriarchy, which has led me to pick up bell hooks' 2004 book The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love.

The thing that hooks says that really knocked my socks off in a "how dare you notice that" way is that a lot of people, men and women alike, are angry not just because of the male violence they've experienced, but because of the lack of male love they've experienced.

Which like, part of being human means that being seen and cared about is pretty viscerally equated with survival in our brains. We want it, we need it, we suffer when it isn't there. To be seen and genuinely loved by the people in our lives matters, so we are always affected when there's someone important to us who doesn't seem to see us, to love us, to care about our wellbeing, or to be proud of our accomplishments. It matters to be disregarded, rejected, or shamed by someone we want to love us.

But no power in the world can compel another person to give a shit about you—a truth most of us spend our lives frantically suppressing because being unloved is terrifying, so we work at being better, more attractive, smarter, more accomplished, more charming, sexier, or to be brutally honest, more lovable. But when we do experience a lack of love, a lot of us take that anger and decide to opt for second best. If we can't be loved, we can at least be powerful. Power can take a lot of forms, but because the lack of male love often goes hand-in-hand with violence, people who face it generally want, at the very least, to not be hurt anymore.

But there's another element in play. Patriarchal gender roles divide behaviours and skills in a very particular way: Boys and men are expected to use power to dominate, and girls and women are supposed to use emotions to tend and nurture. Anyone who fails to perform those roles gets harshly punished. Terrence Real talks about how this leaves men with very limited knowledge of their own emotional needs or how to communicate them to other people, and Paul Kivel talks about how boys are taught that this is women's work—that if they are masculine enough, they will attract a woman who will make sure that they feel loved and cared about. How a great deal of men's anger towards women is the feeling that women are witholding this essential service, or failing to fully handle men's emotions (which is pretty damn common, since humans aren't telepaths so it's basically impossible to reach inside someone's head and change their emotions for them).

So hooks notes that women are just as likely to uphold patriarchal gender roles as men, and one element of that is women's anger when men are emotionally vulnerable. Men who confess to their partners that they feel lost and ashamed and unworthy of love are doing exactly what women keep saying we want men to do, but the reaction many women have is a kind of incredulous frustration—"You want me to handle all this? Fuck no, I'm busy!"

Part of that reaction is that in patriarchal gender roles, it is a woman's literal job to completely soothe and manage her male partner's emotions—to diligently praise him, make him feel more accomplished, and to reassure him of her ongoing love and admiration in all things. And that is a lot of work that is quite likely not to succeed because it's really hard to talk someone out of a self-hating funk. (There's also an element of just plain sexism. Even without the implied demand for help, some women just think men's vulnerability is pathetic or laughable.)

The feminist response to this that hooks, Real, and Kivel advocate for is to spread the load a little more evenly; to work to reduce the violence with which gender roles are policed, to allow men to be soft and emotional, but in the process, give them the emotional skills to handle the shame and dread we all feel sometimes about not being lovable or or worthy, and empower them to form many different emotionally fulfilling relationships.

So the thing about incels is, they tend to be obsessed with finding a woman who will make them feel worthy, sexy, accomplished, admirable, and dominant, like a "real man". The prospect of getting a woman is the single potential oasis of love and support in an incredibly bleak desert landscape in which a romantic partnership is the only possible source men are permitted to seek love and care from. A man who hasn't gotten a girl is a pathetic loser whose life is meaningless.

What that entire worldview takes for granted is how the desert became a desert in the first place. How boys learn to fear the violence and rejection that comes from stepping out of their gender role by being emotionally vulnerable or by emotionally nurturing somebody else; how emotional knowledge and expression are punished by a system that says men should always seek to dominate. The desire for a female partner rests on a bedrock of learned fear and contempt for the idea that men can or even should have the kind of emotionally close and supportive friendships among themselves that women tend to have with each other.

Incels are the fucking allegory of the long spoons in action. They gather in huge numbers to discuss their pain, frustration, and disappointment about their difficulty attaining a relationship that provides emotional fulfillment, but it's impossible for them to try to seek or offer that kind of relationship with the many many people right there also looking for love, because violating the gender rules means inviting violence and ostracism. Affection and mutual esteem between men is super gay and doesn't count, especially when it's provided because of a mutual vulnerability instead of admiration for achievement. So it's incredibly hard for incels to in any way break out of the mental cage that says the way to be loved is to be as masculine, as stoic and unemotional and successful and admirable and dominant as possible. And because being dominant tends to require people to be better than, incels spend a lot of time criticizing each other for failing to be masculine enough, and therefore not worthy of love.

Meanwhile... tradwives.

If you're into men, the dream of being truly loved by a man who will take care of you and make your life materially better is fucking amazing stuff. That's just... that's just The Dream, okay? The romance industry's extreme popularity decade after decade will tell you what bell hooks also notes: Women who are into men want to be loved by men SO MUCH.

So it really seems to me that the basic appeal of being a tradwife is managing to be submissive enough to get the men they love to genuinely show up and fully commit to loving them. If conflict in relationships happen because men feel threatened in their masculinity or not fully loved by their wives, then gosh darnit, these women will plaster themselves over the cracks to make sure there are absolutely no problems. That will earn them a relationship where they are truly loved and appreciated.

(It's a trap. I hate to say it, but we're not a telepathic species, and you will never manage to be good enough to actually change what someone else feels. No matter how hard you submit, your husband will still feel moments of doubt and fear and inadequacy, because he's human and we're built like that. It's the cross we have to bear as a species. And it does not go well at all if both of you are used, in those moments, for blaming you for whatever you "did" to "make" him feel that way.)

[hillarysss]

HOW TO SEE HOW YOU AND YOUR PARTNER WILL END IN ASTROLOGY~

This is a way to see the energies surrounding breakups. How patterns subconsciously play out. It doesn’t have to be a breakup. Could be a seperation.

Just endings in general. First of all, head to astro.com head to extended chart selection . 

Click on “Chart Type” >>

 “Composite Chart, Midpoint- method (2)”

Look at what sign the 12th house is in. This will tell you the energy sounding the ending. You can use this to your advantage as well.

Can I find out with no birth-time? Don’t think so. I think if one party had their birth time it might be possible. You can experiment. 

Here are some basic info for the signs in the 12th house: 

Composite 12th in Aries= Karmic issues with anger. Doing stuff without thinking clearly. Ego issues in relationship.

Composite 12th house in Taurus= Issues with Stubborness. Difficult to ground your energy. Don’t focus on the superficial parts of the relationship too much.

Composite 12th house in Gemini= Hard time understanding each other at times. Not good mental understanding of each other.

Composite 12th house in Cancer= Tells feelings only during bad moments. Hard to open up. Emotionally this will suffer.

Composite 12th house in Leo= Ego with not wanting to come off as too “clingy”. Issues with giving and getting affection.

Composite 12th house in Virgo= Parties are both very critical of each other. Difficult to handle basic things in relationship. Insecurity.

Composite 12th house in Libra= Not much respect or/and commitment issues plays out here. Hard to be fully peaceful. Not decisive relationship. Doesn’t know what to do.

Composite 12th house in Scorpio=  Issues with violence and abuse. Hard to find some passion. Jealousy issues play out.

Composite 12th house in Sagittarius= Hard to take care of one another. Issues with Independence.  Not taking things seriously. 

Composite 12th house in Aquarius= Kind of similar to Sagittarius. Hard to make changes in relationships. Independence issues. Weird energy surrounding relationship. Others might react weirdly to your struggles.

Composite 12th house in Pisces= Hard to tap into intution with this relationship. Issues with victimizing yourself. Issues of the relationship with cycles and just constant energy of nothing ever going right. 

Composite 12th house in Capricorn= Issues with a third party like an authority & can’t plan well. Ambitious but nothing seems to progress sometimes.

Planets in Composite 12th house

Also this can also have positive aspects! But here I’m talking about the negative parts.

Sun in 12th= Hiding parts of yourself from this person. Being quite delusional when it comes to the relationship itself. The relationship is a secret to others. Difficult to express.

Moon in 12th=  Difficulty opening up emotionally to the party. More give from one of the parties. You need to find security in this relationship.

Mercury in 12th= May feel like you can not open up to each other. One can be more reserved and the other one tries to help and be understanding. Not on the same page.

Venus in 12th= Hard time showing love and affection. Old soul type of relationship.

Mars in 12th= Not much driven & less focused. May feel like this relationship stimulates like a job.

Jupiter in 12th= This doesn’t bring much issues. This is good. Can see things very clearly. 

Saturn in 12th= You don’t like dealing with issues in the relationship you like to bury it. Hard time moving on from the past issues.

Uranus in 12th= Honestly this is a weird placement to have. Weird endings. This is the type of placement from a couple that breaks-up for very strange reason. The past and random stuff that comes up. Secrets revealed out of nowhere. Sudden endings. And I can confirm that as well. 

Neptune in 12th= Can’t move on from what has happened. But this is good for Neptune to be in.

Pluto in 12th= Someone in the party wants to have all the control. Battle for control. One partner does everything and one doesn’t. Secrets and lies play a role. Make sure you guys are doing everything equally.

🙂 Give feedback in the comments! Have a great day!

[slasherhaven]

I'd like to request michael, bo, asa, and otis guiding their s/o through their first kill :3

Includes: Michael Myers, Bo Sinclair, Asa Emory (The Collector), and Otis Driftwood.

Normal warnings and some nsfw stuff mentioned (nothing detailed)

Guiding their S/O through their first kill: 

Michael Myers

Michael is against it at first. He works alone and he doesn’t really think that you mean it, or that you could actually go through it.

But he eventually gives in and allows you to do it once, then you might stop bugging him about it.

He takes you out one night, both of you stalking the victim he had chosen for you. Somebody who was home alone for limited complications.

Once your inside the house, he pretty much lets you go for it, not considering himself to be much of a teacher.

If you go in a little too eager, he will grab your shoulder and still you, giving you a stern glare to be quiet and patient.

You get to see Michael in full ‘Shape’ mode, but he’s still oddly aware and protective of you.

He had given you a knife similar to his own and lets you go for it.

If you manage it with ease, attacking and killing the victim. He’s just a little impressed.

But it might not be that easy, they might run or fight you off. In that case, Michael will step in.

If they run, he will catch them and throw them to the ground in front of you. Letting you finish the job.

If they fight you off, if they even lay a hand on you, he will have them within an inch of their life before letting you finish the job. Reminding you of just how protective he is over you.

He wonders if you feel same the rush and relief that he does, or if your interest in killing comes from something else.

It can only bring you closer together.

It’s not like the two of you are just going to go home and sleep after this. On a normal day, that wouldn’t actually be too uncommon for Michael, but the rush of seeing you kill somebody with him, it’s going to lead to a rough night in bed.

Bo Sinclair

Bo had always supported you playing a role in luring victims into a false sense of security, and you had probably already agreed to that before you expressed your interest in actually killing someone.

But after so long of playing the part to lure victims in, you wanted to experience the actual kill.

When you told Bo that, he was a little surprised but also curious.

So, you went about the usual routine of luring in the victims, and separating them.

Now, neither of you want your first kill to just be shooting a runaway victim, he wants it to be worth your time.

So, it all takes place in that basement of his.

He’s oddly supportive and patient, something you don’t see from him much at all.

He’ll ask you how you want to go about it, all while telling the victim to be quiet.

And he’s all the more happy to help you, to guide you.

He’ll tell you what to do if you don’t know where to start.

If you want to take your time, he’s completely supportive. If you’re more interested in making it quick, he’ll allow it but is a little disappointed.

In the end, it’s your kill and you get to do it however you want.

You get so much praise afterwards. 

It brings the two of you closer, like you’re really part of the family now. There’s no going back after this. It’s a weird form of commitment between the two of you. You’ve fully accepted life in Ambrose and you fit in as much as they do.

Asa Emory (The Collector)

He’s unsure at first, telling you to give him some time to consider it.

He will finally make a decision and agree to it but, as always, he has complete control over the situation. 

Asa will take you to the hotel, where he will already have a victim waiting for you. 

Before you go into the room where the victim is being restrained, Asa reminds you that once you walk through the door you can’t go back. (The truth is that if you change your mind, he will take care of it for you, but he needs you to know how big a decision this is). 

Once inside, he’ll hand you a blade and guide you over to the victim he had picked out for you.

You will follow his guidance, following the orders that he makes. 

And he watched you like a hawk, observing and controlling.

If you’re nervous and need some more guidance, he’ll come up behind you and help you guide the blade. He guides you like he’s just teaching you to cook or something, which is at least a little reassuring to you.

If’ you’re more confident in what you’re doing, he will step back a little and let you do it by yourself, even if he’s still giving some orders.

Ideally, he’ll have you draw it out but if you express that you want to make it quick, at least this time, he will show you how to do so effectively.

He watches you, trying to figure out what you’re thinking or how you’re feeling. Just so he knows when to stop and pull you out, putting an end to it if you suddenly change your mind.

However, he is also watching for your reactions out of curiosity. Figuring out why you wanted to do this, whether you liked it or not, wondering what would happen after this.

You’re like his little pet project as he observes you afterwards, seeing how it effected you, if you wanted to do it again. He likes to work alone, not trusting anyone to do a job as well as him, but having you around the hotel more would be welcomed.

Otis Driftwood

When you first told Otis that you wanted to kill with him, he was beyond excited. He couldn’t wait to bring you even further into his world.

He’ll take you out one evening to find the perfect victim, letting you pick from the public like choosing a lobster from a tank. He wanted you to get the victim you wanted, this was a special moment.

One way or another, the victim will be brought back to the house to give you the time you might need.

Otis will be there for whatever you need, and he does insist on watching. This is a major turn on for him.

He lets you do whatever you want but will be smirking like crazy if you decide to drag it out and torture them a little. 

But he will take a step back and let you do what you want, unless you want him to be right there beside you. In that case, he’s happy to join you.

He’s very encouraging, placing a knife in your hand, pressing a kiss to your shoulder, before letting you go.

He’ll give you plenty of tips if you ask for them or ask for more guidance, he’ll even guide your hand if you want him too. But for the most part he lets you be very independent with the kill.

Afterwards, you two are absolutely fucking. This was pretty much foreplay for Otis.

[pomp-and-circumstance]

Just when I think I can have a little bit of a break without having  t h o u g h t s  I suddenly arrive at an episode that gives me so much to think about and it’s STUPID.

(No it’s not, I love it, it just forces me to organize 60 thoughts immediately and sometimes that’s a chore. You know how it is.)

Episode 108. Here we are at Traveler Con, the Nein feel like they’re at an impasse (I see you setting up Aeor with those dreams to Caduceous, Matthew, you sneaky Hobbitses) and Beau goes to talk to Fjord about Jester, who, after a moment of admitting his feelings, turns it around on Beau. Now, I know everybody and their dog know what bit I’m talking about, but I want to take a moment and continue to praise one Marisha Ray for how she’s done this and how she steps fully into this role. 

Beau is a flirt, Beau enjoys company, she’s going to be who she is and fuck anyone who tells her to act differently. She might not always have the right words to say (or the proper expressions to use with them, lol) but she’s only apologetic when she has to be. She owns her mistakes and doesn’t ignore her gut when it tells her something. That’s what makes her words to Fjord about Yasha so compelling. Beau is not stupid. Connecting the dots is kind of her thing.

Which makes the line “there was something about Yasha from the moment that I saw her... that I think I’ve been avoiding” so fucking powerful. Attraction can make us silly, and a crush can make us question things, but when you’ve gone beyond those and there’s something more, it can be very sobering. It’s smart of Marisha here to go back to her words about her crush on Jester and saying what I’d previously thought in a very Beau kind of way (that everyone in the party has to have had a crush on her at some point, because she’s that beacon of unconditional love none of them have had) because there very easily could have been a whole “ok but what about” that Veth would have thrown at her. Marisha nips that in the bud right away by admitting the crush, and that “it transfers in a way” bit is so damn true and feels to me like the best way to relate it back to the audience. You know when you have a crush on someone, but then you realize you have genuine feelings for someone else...?

But now the struggle. She swore off Yasha because Yasha has a lot going on: “She’s, like, mourning her wife. So I can’t be like that asshole who comes in and is like--no one wants to be the rebound, you know?” As someone who has been the rebound in a marriage that very recently ended, man, does it suck. It’s a very valid, very self aware statement from Beau that we’ve not seen before at all. She’s telling us her position in a relationship - not a one night stand, not the things we’ve seen before, but a commitment to someone else - matters to her, and yeah, you can make the argument we know that already based on how she interacts with the rest of the Nein, but the position in a one on one relationship is entirely different, and Beau knows that. She also clearly cares how Yasha sees herself in this, too; if it didn’t matter that much to her, she probably would have tried to seduce Yasha already, but no, Yasha is mourning a dead wife. That’s a boundary she’s going to respect. She’s not cold or selfish. She wants the other person to be invested as well.

Which makes her little “I don’t know, you think Yasha likes me though? You think she’s like--you think there’s like--I mean, when she like--you know” so fucking real and so beyond the Beau we’ve known to this point. What she’s really asking Fjord is “do you think she’s stopped mourning now? Do you think it would be okay for me to go after this?” I just think there’s something incredible about that.

Gonna backpedal a bit here, ‘cause this is a Tumblr that respects one Marisha Ray and I will continue to sing her praises. I love that the deepening of this thing between Beau and Yasha came from her first, and while I think people would wonder if it wouldn’t have been better coming from Ashley first, there are going to be moments where Marisha needs to take the lead in order to help settle Ashley into something she’s not done before. I mean, hell, go back and watch this scene and pay attention to Ashley.

Find the discomfort, I dare you. The delight is radiating off her. I don’t think she stops smiling from the moment Fjord turns it around and asks about Yasha. Imagine if Marisha had played this earlier while she was gone and Ashley missed this. It’s the first time Beau openly admits to feeling something for her, and Ashley gets to experience every facet of that - the flattery of hearing someone praise your character is almost like hearing someone say it about yourself. That is how you help guide someone into something they’ve never done before. “Here is open admission. Let’s take this how you want.”

After that scene is done? Marisha checks in the only way she really can a moment later.

“How was that?”

“That was great. Touched me right here.”

When there is complete trust at the table, you can achieve great things. I’m so happy we get to see these friends play their home game. What a great spoiler to know it gets even better from here.

Also, like, if I’m clogging the beauyasha hashtag or something, please let me know? I’m new to Tumblr and I’m just getting my thoughts out there, and if it’s annoying, I’ll stop doing it. I’m mostly here for the fics and the pics, as my header says, so if people don’t want to read the ramblings of a baby Critter, I totally get it. 

[thequackcity]

Quackity and Schlatt’s Relationship - More Complicated Then You Think

(this is all /rp and about the characters from the dream smp! pls assume i have the dignity not to write analysis of youtubers)

recently there was a bit of discourse surrounding the relationship between Quackity and Schlatt floating around on tumblr. tho i never saw the original post that sparked the conversation, i did see a few posts that were inspired by it mentioning how they disliked that the original post implied that Quackity and Schlatt were mutually abusive and/or equally bad for each other 

since i never saw the original post, i can't be sure if that's what the op meant to imply. it's not really my place to speak about a post that i never got the chance to read. BUT the conversation that was caused by the post in question did get me thinking about how this fandom treats the relationship between Quackity and Schlatt and how little nuance there is in discussions about it

now before i say anything else, i want to make a few things clear:

i don't think Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship is mutually abusive. no need to worry about hearing that from this post

i don't look down on ppl who have different interpretations of their relationship

there will be potentially triggering content in this analysis. i will place a quick warning whenever i think one is needed!

their relationship is romantic in canon and therefore i’ll be treating it as romantic

alright now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, we can finally get on with the analysis! i apologize for how long this is gonna be

part 1: let's talk relationship!

i think we can all agree that Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship was not exactly a healthy one. tho it didn't start out that way, it certainly turned into what could be read as abusive or toxic (i personally read their relationship as being abusive in its later half due to evidence provided by the text, but i understand if others prefer to view it as just toxic instead)

but what happened that led to their partnership ending so badly? what caused all of this mess?

well, it was a lot of things. but we will get to that later. let's talk relationship first!

from the very beginning, Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship was pretty one-sided. tho they both clearly liked each other as friends/partners in crime both before and after the election (yes they did interact before the election!) Quackity was also interested in Schlatt romantically- something that Schlatt wasn't fully committed to

as we all know from the infamous date stream and from a few other moments, Quackity and Schlatt enjoyed playfully flirting with each other- tho it was pretty obvious that Quackity was more serious about it then Schlatt was even tho Schlatt considered Quackity to be very attractive

in my opinion, Quackity is someone who wants a long term relationship, while Schlatt is more interested in flings. this can be seen in Schlatt refusing to marry Quackity and rejecting most of his advances while Quackity tried his best to convince him to feel otherwise. Tommy put it best: Quackity is just one of Schlatt’s many bitches U_U

to Quackity, the romantic aspect of their relationship was very important. because Schlatt never actually shot him down or told him that he didn't feel the same way, Quackity took that to mean that they were truly in love. Schlatt on the other hand wasn't very invested in the romantic side of things but clearly valued Quackity’s looks and his support as an ally against Pogtopia so he never fully rejected Quackity’s advances

this might not seem like too big of a deal considering the other things that happened between them, but i think it shows part of the nature of their relationship. there is a lot of miscommunication and, on Schlatt’s end, manipulation of emotions. love is a strong motivator for loyalty and Schlatt is a smart guy who would know how to use that to his advantage

but that isn't to say that Schlatt didn't ever care about Quackity!

Schlatt is a complicated guy and figuring out when he's actually being genuine can be pretty difficult. but i think there are some moments that point to Schlatt genuinely caring about Quackity

when he was alive, Schlatt was pretty paranoid. not as paranoid as Wilbur, but certainly up there. but there were never any times where he truly questioned Quackity’s loyalties after his first day as president. Schlatt also seemed truly upset that Quackity betrayed him, bringing up their status as partners in crime while ranting about how much it hurt him and singling Quackity out while talking about how he had been abandoned during his time of need

Schlatt also spent a lot of time sulking after Quackity betrayed him and whining to Ponk about needing a new bitch. this is in contrast to how angry he was after Tubbo betrayed him- both during and after the execution

there is also the situation with the Big Man Gym 

after being dead for a while, Schlatt contacted Quackity despite them leaving off on bad terms and asked for him to visit him in his cave gym. when Quackity showed up, Schlatt talked about how he valued their relationship and the good times they had together. tho this can easily be seen as emotional manipulation, Schlatt’s a lot smarter than he seems and- if he doesnt have memory issues due to being a ghost- would know that Quackity’s opinion of him was in the dump at the time of his death and most likely wouldn't have improved since then. Fundy has a higher opinion of Schlatt than Quackity does and is someone who obviously craves validation. but Schlatt went to Quackity first anyway and trusted him to help revive him

i think that this is all good evidence that points towards Schlatt truly caring about Quackity as much as someone like Schlatt can care about anyone- or at least valuing him as a companion

i also think that it is pretty common knowledge that Quackity cared about Schlatt- and possibly still does- but i will go over a bit of evidence that i haven’t already mentioned before we move on to the next part

Quackity tried multiple times to impress Schlatt (like when he lied about knowing how to play chess), would attempt to help Schlatt when he was drowning in water, sadly said that they could have had something together while Schlatt was dying in the caravan, and implied that he wouldn’t have left if Schlatt hadn’t taken down the white house. Quackity also willingly went to the Big Man Gym after being summoned there by Schlatt and wanted to revive him long before the revive book became part of the story

part 2: what made it fall apart?

everything i've said so far has been pretty interesting (hopefully) but it doesn't really answer the original question: what went wrong to turn Schlatt and Quackity’s mainly positive partnership sour?

well it comes down to two things in my opinion: their incompatible desires for political power and Schlatt’s deteriorating mental state

Quackity wanted political power from the beginning and wasn't afraid to be open about his desires. he pooled his votes with Schlatt because Schlatt offered him the position of vice president, something Wilbur and Tommy weren’t willing to give to him. tho Quackity obviously cared about L’Manburg and wanted to see good things for it, he also desired power and was willing to team up with someone he didn't fully agree with to get said power

at 32:40 in this video, Quackity talks about how in politics everyone uses everyone so it's alright if Schlatt is using him. he then talks about how he doesn't want to be a man with no power and how he understands that Schlatt’s main goal is also gaining/keeping power. Quackity also shows a bit of his naughty evil side by saying if he overthrows Schlatt then the fun ends too early! 

(side note: these two are pretty evenly matched in intelligence and manipulativeness, i love it!) 

it's a bit of a fandom misconception that Quackity was a love sick yes man during the Manburg era. tho Quackity did want to please Schlatt and was in love with him, he didn't shy away from standing up to or disagreeing with Schlatt when he believed it was needed

at around 26:12 of this video, Quackity and Schlatt meet together in private and Quackity tells Schlatt off for playing down his role in the power structure of Manburg. since this was very early in Schlatt’s reign, Quackity shows no fear towards him and confidently tells him not to treat him like that

Quackity also broke Niki out of jail after regretting letting her be put there in the first place, tried to convince Schlatt to not execute Tubbo, jumped in front of Fundy when Schlatt tried to attack him, tried to stop Schlatt from tearing down buildings, and attempted to protect the white house he built from being destroyed by Schlatt. these are not behaviors of a pure yes man but of someone who, despite fear, has the confidence to speak up for himself even when disrespected by someone in authority

Quackity has always been someone who wanted power and someone who was never a yes man to authority. this contradicts with how Schlatt believed Quackity should act as vice president. in Schlatt’s opinion, Quackity’s one job is to sit around looking pretty while Schlatt does all of the important things and holds all of the power. Schlatt was a big fan of promoting people to worthless positions of authority and its pretty obvious that he considered vice president to be similar to the fake positions he gave Fundy and Tubbo 

in the end, this was a big part of what destroyed their relationship. like it or not, Quackity’s a power hungry guy and always has been. he didn't like that Schlatt constantly shoved him aside and refused to listen to him

now onto the nasty bit...Schlatt’s mental state

cw for mentions of alcoholism, mental deterioration, and abusive behavior  

before i say anything more, i just want to say that i don't think having issues with alcoholism makes someone a bad person. i personally have some issues with such things so it would be pretty stupid of me to say being an alcoholic makes you a bad person. alcoholism does negatively affect your cognitive functions tho and, combined with other health issues, can cause some of the very serious mental problems that Schlatt clearly struggles with

throughout the Manburg era, Schlatt’s mental state rapidly deteriorated. he went from a pretty normal- if eccentric- guy who had a drinking problem, to someone who was delirious most of the time. it's a sharp and noticeable decline that caused a lot of pain for Quackity due to Schlatt often taking his excess aggression out on him by yelling at him and/or belittling him. tho Schlatt often belittled Quackity before he went fully off of the deep end, it was never as aggressive as it was when he was in this delirious state of mind

it was during one of Schlatt’s most aggressive and delirious moments that he tore down the white house despite Quackity’s protests. as we all know, this caused Quackity to snap and kill Schlatt (it's more complicated than that but we will get back to that). as mentioned previously, Quackity implied that he would have stayed with Schlatt if the white house hadn’t been destroyed

in my opinion, these two things combined are the biggest reasons why Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship fell apart. their differing desires for power were not compatible and Schlatt’s awful behavior while his mental state declined caused a rift between them that couldn't be fixed

part 3: how toxic was it really?

cw for emotional and physical abuse 

as i said all the way back in part one, Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship was not healthy. i have provided many examples in the other two parts that shine a light onto why it wasn't healthy, but i didn't show the entire picture

there are many moments that show exactly how Schlatt treated Quackity when he was acting at his worst and none of them are pretty. tho Schlatt was never truly aggressive with his insults until he started to go off of the deep end, that doesn't mean that what he said wasn't negatively affecting Quackity

Schlatt would belittle, insult, and mock Quackity for his appearance not being up to his standards, for his opinions, and for being emotional in ways that Schlatt disapproved of like crying. tho Schlatt would often brush off Quackity’s reactions towards this cruel behavior, it's very clear that Schlatt’s treatment of him has stuck with Quackity in many ways

Quackity is very sensitive about his appearance and it seems to be because of how badly Schlatt hurt his self esteem during their time together. Schlatt tied Quackity’s worth to his appearance and then would claim he wasn't meeting his standards of attractiveness. we can tell that this has stuck with Quackity because of his sensitivity towards people bringing up the scar on his face (something that greatly alters his physical appearance) and he still reacts very badly when Schlatt calls him the mocking nickname flatty patty

speaking of flatty patty- that stupid insult shockingly has a lot of weight in Quackity’s relationship with Schlatt. tho its something the audience is meant to laugh at, the nickname also shows just how little Schlatt respects Quackity because he's constantly throwing it around just to make Quackity upset. Schlatt’s last words are flatty patty all because he wanted to get in one last dig at his ex and ruin Quackity’s day even further 

Schlatt tends to do a lot of things that are intended to make Quackity upset. tearing down the room Quackity made for him in the white house is the biggest example of this- especially since Schlatt mentions how it will upset Quackity while he does it. you can see this moment at around 19:10 of this video

and now let's get into the elephant in the room when it comes to these two: Quackity was scared of Schlatt. tho we never really see Schlatt hit or attack Quackity physically outside of their confrontation at the white house or their confrontation in the caravan, these clips imply that Quackity was at the very least scared of Schlatt physically harming him in some way 

as for actually physically harming him, Schlatt hits Quackity multiple times with a pickaxe and with his fists during their white house fight. Quackity hits Schlatt a couple times too, tho these are all primarily defensive blows since he is trying to protect himself and his property. he also chases after Quackity with a bow after Quackity’s plan to trick him into signing Manburg over to the Pogtopians fails and hits him multiple times during the caravan confrontation

all of this evidence shows that Schlatt was an abusive (or at least toxic) partner towards Quackity and someone who greatly affected him in many ways

tho Quackity did a few questionable things throughout his relationship with Schlatt (such as trying to get Schlatt to have sex with him despite Schlatt not being interested as shown in the later half of this video) and did some downright morally wrong things during his time as vice president of Manburg, no one deserves the pain of an abusive relationship- even a person who has done bad things

as a brief side note before we move on because i know people will bring it up if i skip over it, Quackity did- and most likely still does- want to literally possess Glatt. he brought up reviving Schlatt and using him as a political pawn after Schlatt’s funeral and during their conversation at the Big Man Gym Quackity talked about owning Glatt and having him work at Las Nevadas with no pay

this is unsettling behavior to say the least but this essay isnt about the aftermath of their relationship so much as it is about their relationship when it was actually happening. maybe i will make another post talking more about how Quackity’s relationship with Schlatt affected him even after Schlatt’s death and/or about Quackity’s relationship with Glatt

part 4: final thoughts

i’m not exactly sure why the nuances in Schlatt and Quackity’s relationship get lost when it comes to the fandom, but it’s pretty disappointing to see. hopefully this essay can help people take a closer look at canon and maybe even help them find something interesting that they’d want to explore!

tho the point of this essay is to clear up any misconceptions and hopefully add some nuance to the conversations surrounding Schlatt and Quackity’s relationship, i also wrote it in hopes of showing people how fascinating these two partners in crime were back in the Manburg days. i didn’t cover everything but i think i did a pretty good job for my first analysis post in the dsmp fandom

also since you read to the end, i must say thank you! it really does means a lot to me that you did. i hope you enjoyed and maybe even learned something. this post can be used as a resource if anyone wants to use it as such

here’s a tiny devil Quackity for your troubles <3

[thevindicativevordan]

Why isn't Nightwing a bigger deal? He has all of Batman's skills and Superman's faith in humanity and is arguably the most beloved hero in the DCU, but most people seem to know him either as the leader of the N̶o̶t̶ ̶J̶L̶ Teen Ttians or just Robin.

Thank you for asking me about Nightwing, I've been wanting to write a piece about him for a while now. The short version is that everyone who claims Dick becoming Nightwing was him "moving out of Batman's shadow and becoming his own man" is completely wrong.

Dick Grayson is a fantastic character, someone who saved Bruce Wayne in-universe both by forcing Batman to grow up a bit, and the countless times he saved Batman's life as his partner whether as Robin or Nightwing. Dick saved Batman in the real world as well, hard to believe but Batman was actually in danger of being cancelled due to poor sales early on. Enter Robin, a young daredevil audience stand in the creators hoped would get kids interested in reading Batman. And it worked! Sales on Batman doubled once Robin showed up which is crazy to think about, but Dick Grayson has always been a popular character. Cartoons like Teen Titans, Batman: The Animated Series, and The Batman only helped grow his audience.

Character-wise, Dick Grayson really does fill a number of crucial roles in the DCU. For Batman, Dick is proof that Batman is a positive force. Meeting Batman helped change Dick for the better, helped him heal after his parents died. With Dick, Batman can take comfort in knowing that yes, he has made a difference in the world for at least one orphan boy, which is all he wanted when he lost his parents himself. To the wider DCU, Dick is a friendly face who convinces others that Batman is competent and not a complete asshole. He took this kid in, trained him to be one of the best heroes the DCU has seen, and did it all out of the kindness of his heart. That someone like Dick can confront the evils of Gotham and not break means there's still hope for that city. As Robin, Dick has led the Titans and is an icon in his own right as The Sidekick, the original, the one every other Robin is built around copying or contrasting. The one all other superhero sidekicks are drawing on as a basis. As Robin Dick Grayson is very much on Batman's level.

Just not as Nightwing. As Nightwing, Dick has been a second rate Daredevil which means he's a third rate Batman (fully prepared to get hate for this but I've read and enjoyed the Miller and Bendis DD runs so I feel entitled to my opinion). A typical Nightwing run tends to go like this: Moving to Bludhaven (which is Gotham... but WORSE!), Dick Grayson usually enrolls in a pointless job we don't care about in order to provide some meaningless soap opera drama that doesn't go anywhere. Patrolling the city as Nightwing, he fights a variety of bad guys who are usually rather lame and unthreatening, with his big bad being a Kingpin knockoff called Blockbuster. Villains are fought, long running plotlines are set up, then everything is abandoned because it's Batfamily event time, and Dick has to run back to Gotham in order to play sidekick again. Usually his involvement is completely superfluous and it would've been better if the writer had gotten to opt out. By the time we finally get back to Nightwing's solo plotlines, the audience has usually ceased to care and the run gets cut short.

That's how Nightwing has been since the New 52 at least. Anyone who thinks that's "becoming their own man" is out of their mind. Dick is so thoroughly in Batman's shadow that he got shot in the head and spent a longer time as "Ric" which everyone fucking hated and sold like shit, than he did as Agent Grayson which was extremely well-received. Reiterating: Ric went on longer than Grayson because of a fucking Batman plotpoint Tom King wanted where Bruce was sad and cut off from the Batfamily because of Dick getting shot. Not just calling out King either, how many times was Kyle Higgins Nightwing run derailed because of Scott Snyder's crossovers? Or how about that entire run getting dumped to the side because Johns wanted to out Dick during Forever Evil, a Justice League/Lex Luthor story? DC has repeatedly made their contempt for Nightwing clear, he's Batman's sidekick still in their eyes, and he serves whatever story role the Batman writer wants.

Hell his best stories tend to have been the ones where he's not Nightwing. He was Robin in a good chunk of the Wolfman/Perez New Teen Titans run. Morrison really showcased his depth as a character when they wrote him as Batman, their time with Dick under the cowl was actually one of the first Batman runs I ever read, and no Nightwing run has ever matched it in terms of quality in my humble opinion. Scott Snyder's work with DickBats also was a high point for the character, showing Dick as competent and examining his relationship with Gotham and the Gordons. King and Seeley gave him one of the best comic runs with Grayson, a series where he wasn't even a "superhero" technically! When it comes to actual pre-New 52 Nightwing runs that are highly recommended where he *is* Nightwing, there's Chuck Dixon and uhhhhhhh... Tomasi's brief run before Dick became Batman? It's not exactly an overwhelming list.

Look there has been good work done with Nightwing, I'm not claiming there hasn't been. Tim Seeley wrote a great run with Nightwing Rebirth. Seeley fleshed out Dick's Rogues Gallery with cool new ones like Raptor, he brought back old foes like Dr. Hurt (why oh why couldn't you have brought back Flamingo too?), he gave Dick's world some character it solely needed. Bludhaven under Seeley is pretty much the only time I've really felt like it lived up to being Dick's city.

The problem with fictional cities is you have to put in the work to give them the character of real cities. You have to make the cities feel like characters in their own right. Gotham is the best example of this, it's a character all it's own, one that tells you a lot about Batman and his cast. In contrast Bludhaven is usually one of the worst. Any place that wants to claim to be worse than the city that is built over the gate to hell and gets wrecked every other month by the Arkham freaks has to really put in the work to compete. Simply put, Bludhaven typically fails utterly. There's nothing about it that makes you really buy it's worse than Gotham, I mean does anyone really think Nightwing's Rogues wouldn't get their lunches eaten by Batman's? No, no one genuinely buys that. When Bludhaven claims to be worse, it just comes across as tryhard, an attribute that does end up telling you about Nightwing in unintentional ways.

So Seeley didn't do that. Instead he created a city built for a hero like Dick Grayson. Someone who is bright and flashy, but does have an element of darkness to him. Someone who loves the spotlight, but often uses it to obscure. Seeley turned Bludhaven into Las Vegas, and that was the fucking best concept for Bludhaven I have ever seen, it makes so much sense. Las Vegas is the "Entertainment Capital of the World" and isn't that the perfect city for a hero who got their start working in the circus? Isn't the aesthetics of the gleaming casinos, the glamorous sex appeal of the performers, and the spectacle of the shows, all being used to cover up the seediness of mob bosses meeting backstage perfect for Nightwing? It's so utterly unlike New York City, yet Las Vegas is still dangerous, it's got a crime culture all it's own. Seeley used it to great effect, as did Humphries during his brief run, and I will always be pissed that DC didn't continue to use it. That should have stuck around and been the definitive look for Bludhaven.

How Seeley's take on Bludhaven was treated feels like a small scale version of how Nightwing in general gets treated. Whenever creators pitched ideas for him, if editorial thought there was potential to break big, they asked for those ideas to be repurposed for Batman instead. Anything big or good gets repurposed for Batman or tossed to the side so Nightwing can go back to his default: having irrelevant adventures in a city that is supposedly worse than Gotham but can't live up to it. Just like how Nightwing is supposedly better than Batman but never gets to show it. Goddamn it's so frustrating seeing his potential get wasted like that.

The Nightwing book should be one of DC's most ambitious books in terms of storytelling. You can go from traditional superhero stories, to romantic soap opera, to spy stories, to crime noir, to horror, to cosmic adventures, and ALL of them would fit because Nightwing is someone who has a foot in both Gotham and Metropolis. He's got friends everywhere on every team, and has been a hero longer than most Leaguers have at this point. No reason DC should still be afraid to let him loose and insisting on hewing close to what Dixon established almost over 30 years ago is only holding him back. At the very least get him some better Rogues, why the hell didn't he get to keep Professor Pyg? That's Dick's villain not Bruce's! Bullshit that they didn't let Dick keep him. Hopefully Flamingo comes back, with a slight revamp I think he'd make a great reoccurring Nightwing Rogue.

Luckily it does look somewhat like Nightwing fans have reason to be optimistic. While Taylor isn't to my taste, DC clearly views him as a "big" writer, and that they put him on Nightwing says a lot. Taylor has been selling well so far, so hopefully he gets to tell his story, hilarious that even he lampshaded having to write Dick running over to Gotham for another tie-in after Taylor's big opening arc was all about Dick committing himself and his money to Bludhaven. Scott Snyder is apparently working on a Black Label Nightwing book which will explore how he's a different detective than Bruce. The Gotham Knights video game has him as one of the main stars, and while Titans is... controversial, it's one of the most popular streaming shows and Dick is the main character. There's a lot of content coming that features him in the starring role, and that will only help his star rise further.

For the first time in, well, ever it feels like DC may be serious about elevating him. Time will tell if it pays off, but I for one choose to be optimistic that the 2020s will be a turning point for Dick Grayson where Nightwing becomes hugely popular in his own right. Not just as Batman's sidekick.