#don't talk to me ab the quality it's so bad

[tomkinard]

✨ 20 FILMS BEFORE I TURN 20

PRIDE & PREJUDICE 2005, dir. Joe Wright

[bigboysfalldeep]

My first skin suit

For a while now, I've been visiting a local tennis court to watch handsome men run around in tight, short shorts, groaning with every swing, just to play ball.

Most of the people were pretty cute, but no one compared to Jake.

He would be there every Sunday and Wednesday to play against the same ol' guys, week after week. I figured they don't really know each other; they would never really talk, just chitchat during the match about the match.

Even though I never talked to him, I kind of knew he was an awful prick. Every game was the same. He would enter the court and play for a couple of minutes before discarding his pretty tight shirt to the side, exposing his well-formed physique. His shorts were barely able to contain his member, and it was visible most of the time.

This made him the center of attention every time—he was handsome, well-trained, and had a pretty smile. Jake was completely aware of this as well, and he made sure that not only every woman's but every man's eyes were on him only.

He wasn't a bad player either; his groans echoed across the field with every swing. He was quick on his feet and possessed talent and prowess as well.

I was so fucking envious, and it felt like he knew. At times, he would look at the crowd, flexing his abs, arms, and thighs for anyone to look at.

During my nightly web surfing, I stumbled across a, at first, weird-looking site. It was a doctor selling a special serum—an injection—to create special skin suits. The site promised a fast but high-quality result. Still, $1000 was a lot of money for me for something that might be just a scam.

But then I remembered all the times Jake was teasing his audience, showing off his pretty body, and that's when I made the decision to try it out.

What could possibly go wrong?

My package arrived two weeks later, and I was surprised at how good it looked. Also, there were multiple shots of the serum included with a personal note.

"Starterkit for your new collection."

I read the instructions, which told me there are three kinds of serums. The first one—the most important one—was to create the suit. The second one was to finish putting on the suit, and lastly, the third one was to get out of the suit.

This made me excited, and I wanted to try it.

The next Wednesday, I went to the tennis court again, and of course, Jake was already there—his beautiful chest exposed, of course.

With the serum inside my bag, I hid inside the bathroom—a tiny yet secluded kind of room with multiple stalls. I watched him use the bathroom so many times after two rounds of tennis. Like all of us, he was just a creature of habit.

Someone opened the door, and I peeked through the stall door. It was Jake who went straight to the urinal. He groaned as he pissed and kept running a hand across his sweaty chest—fuck, so hot.

He stretched his neck and walked over to the sink, looking at himself through the mirror—the opportunity to strike.

Jake wasn't able to see me; he was too busy admiring his own reflection. I caught him off guard, covered his mouth with my hand, pulled him back, and injected him right away.

He screamed into the palm of my hand and tried to fight me off, but the serum incapacitated him in mere seconds. Still, I pulled him back into my hiding place, locked the stall, sat down, and embraced him in a tight hug.

I never imagined holding a handsome man like Jake in my arms—fuck, I got hard right away. He kept breathing slowly, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, while I tenderly stroked his cheek again and again. His skin was sweaty yet so soft, and his scent was so damn delicious.

As his breathing got lighter, I started to stroke his firm chest; his nipples and pecs were so hard, just like his abs. It was a sensational feeling. But somehow, I felt his body deflating slowly.

The serum was actually working.

I ran my hand down his chest again and again before my eyes fell on his huge junk hidden inside his shorts. I grabbed him firmly through the fabric of his shorts—so hard, so good. But at the same time, all of him flattened rapidly.

After a minute, his shorts slid down his thighs and dropped to the cold bathroom floor. All that was left of this handsome, thick bloke was a rubber-like, skin-tight suit.

The kit included a sharp knife, which I used to open up the new skin suit for the very first time. Slowly, I stripped and discarded my old clothes on the floor behind me; there was no use for them anyway.

Then, I grabbed him by his shoulders and held him in front of me, like a tailored suit just made for me.

My own member was tenting visibly; I still couldn't believe this actually worked.

Carefully, I stepped into his legs; my own were barely able to fill his thick thighs and calves. It was a weird yet amazing feeling. This suit smelled, looked, and felt like Jake, yet I was able to simply step inside it.

It felt like putting on my biker leather suit. I loved how tight he was and how his skin dragged over my own. Even though he was slightly ill-fitting. He was a little bigger and much bulkier than me, after all.

Even though my cock was nearly fully erect, it wasn't enough to fill this suit, and that made me chuckle—he was packing.

The next thing I did was put his upper body on, one arm at a time. I slipped inside him, barely reaching his finger tips, and my arms were way too thin to fill him.

Lastly, I put his face on like a mask before I pulled the second serum out of my bag.

"Here we go."

I injected myself and felt the effect right away: my whole body was shaking, my head was spinning, and my stomach was twisting and turning. However, it actually worked: my body enlarged itself to fill Jake completely.

My arms, thighs, and chest grew bigger with every deep breath I took. This made me stroke myself and my chest again and again; it just felt soooo good.

I let out an audible moan, and to my surprise, I heard Jake's deep, manly voice. Using his hands and his fingertips to touch my new skin felt amazing. My body was tingling, almost tickling my inner self, and this made me chuckle again, using Jake's beautiful voice.

Shivers ran down my entire back once my head was flooded with serotonin, making me feel so fucking good. A side effect of the serum was to make the subject feel no pain, just pleasure.

My new member grew so hard so quick, and I needed to hold back releasing myself just now. I started touching myself, one hand at my junk, the other following my new firm 'jawline. Feeling my stubbly moustache made things worse, however.

"Fuck." I groaned, steading myself against the door in front of me, as it took all my strength to not cum right there. "So good." Instinctively, however, I started to jerk off, starting off softly and slowly at first, but my hand basically moved on its own.

After mere seconds, after edging on for a while, I came the first time through my new skin suit, covering the door with my precious cream. The release felt so good, and for a while, I just enjoyed the moment.

Loving my new scent, I smelled my own pits deeply. Damn, this was so fucking good. At the same time, my dick was still pulsating. Just touching myself made me leak some more, as all of me was acting purely on instinct.

I grabbed myself, touched myself, moaned, and groaned until a noise from outside snapped me out of this state of pure blissful trance. I needed to hurry up a bit.

Then, I got dressed again, leaving my old clothes behind. I just put on his tight underwear, shorts, and shoes. They suited me so well.

I stepped outside the stall and caught a glimpse of my new face. Damn, I was beautiful.

"I can't believe it worked." I groaned deeply, touching myself, my chest, and my junk once again. I grabbed my bag and Jake's old stuff and licked my lips. With one last look in the mirror, I winked at myself and left the bathroom.

It was time to go home and explore my new acquisition.

[theres-a-body-here]

The Hillbilly x Tomie!Reader (smut)

No one liked you. That was expected considering how absolutely uncaring you seem to be towards anyone but yourself. There is a slight exception.

Max.

You liked how obedient he was. So you let him follow you around. You eventually made his realm your hang out spot.

He was so easy to tease. It was second nature for you to press other's buttons. But there was something about playing with the hillbilly that made you feel euphoric.

You learned from the others about his past. Chained up and locked away from the world. Unspoiled, in a sick way. You knew for a fact he doesn't even know what sex is.

You looked forward to ruining him.

As you sat at one of the tables in the Thompson house, inspecting your perfectly polished nails, you caught a glimpse of Hillbilly's adoring gaze. Turning to face him, you could see the way he looked at you. Like a dog waiting for orders.

"Is there something on your mind?" You asked with an amused smile.

Hillbilly shook his head quickly and murmured incomprehensibly. He was clearly nervous around you but couldn't help being drawn to your "spiral-like" qualities. Even if you were a bit mean to him every now and then.

Your face changed into a strange look of amusement.

"Lay on the floor puppy. I'm getting bored. Maybe you can entertain me" You said nonchalantly as you kept inspecting your nails.

Hillbilly quickly got on his knees and then laid down on the floor as instructed. You got off from the table and walked over to him, standing above his body.

"So eager to please," You mused, with a smirk on their lips. "Maybe I'll reward you for your obedience."

You leaned down and ran your fingers through Hillbilly's greasy hair, eliciting an involuntary shiver from him. You could feel his excitement growing.

Without warning, you reached down and grabbed a handful of Hillbilly's hair, pulling his head back sharply. He let out a gasp of pain mixed with pleasure.

"You like that don't you?" You whispered in his ear. "You want more?"

Hillbilly nodded frantically. You chuckle a bit as you think of what to do next. You stood above him as he waited for what comes next.

You pressed his chest with your foot and shoved him down on his back.

"Take off your pants" you ordered.

Hillbilly hesitated for a moment, looking up at you with a mixture of confusion and nervousness. But as always, he followed their command without question.

Slowly and awkwardly, Hillbilly fumbled to remove his pants. His hands shook with anticipation, unsure of what was going to happen next.

You watched him undress with predatory eyes, feeling a wave of excitement wash over you at the thought of taking his virginity. You licked your lips in anticipation.

Once Hillbilly was completely undressed from the waist down, they straddled him, admiring his body beneath them.

"So pure," You murmured under your breath. "I'm going to enjoy corrupting you."

Max didn't understand what you meant by that.

"Take off your underwear too" You say calmly.

Hillbilly's face flushed red with embarrassment as he complied with your command, removing his underwear to reveal his naked form. He tried to cover himself with his hands, but you suddenly stomped down on them with your foot.

"Don't you dare hide from me," You said sternly. "I want to see every inch of that body."

Hillbilly let out a cry of pain as the weight of your foot pressed down on his fingers. He quickly removed his hands from covering himself, exposing himself fully to your gaze.

"Good boy," You purred, stepping closer to Hillbilly's exposed form. "Now let me see what I'm working with."

You looked down at Hillbilly's naked body with a critical eye. After a moment of contemplation, you spoke.

"Not bad," You commented, "Not amazing either."

Hillbilly seemed to relax slightly at the praise but was still confused by the situation.

"Stroke yourself," You commanded him. "Show me how you pleasure yourself."

Hillbilly looked even more bewildered now. He doesn't know what your talking about. He lets out a grunt of confusion.

You rolled your eyes as Hillbilly looked at you with confusion. You walked over to him and grabbed his hand, guiding it toward his penis.

"This is how you do it," You said, moving Hillbilly's hand up and down the length of his shaft. "Just like this."

Hillbilly followed along awkwardly, watching as you showed him how to stroke himself properly.

"That's it," you murmured encouragingly, watching as pleasure began to build within Max's body. "You're doing so well."

At first, Hillbilly felt embarrassed and unsure of what he was doing, but soon the sensations overwhelmed him. He began stroking himself more confidently and with greater speed as he started feeling a pleasure he had never experienced before.

You watched in fascination as Hillbilly pleasured himself under your guidance. You could feel yourself growing aroused by the power you had over this inexperienced killer.

"Good boy," You said huskily, leaning down closer to him. "Keep going."

As Hillbilly continued to pleasure himself, the sensations grew stronger and more intense. His body was responding in ways he had never experienced before, and it both scared and excited him.

You watched him with a mixture of amusement and arousal, feeling a sense of control over him that was intoxicating. You loved the way Max followed your every command without question.

"Very good," You whispered into his ear as you traced your fingers down his chest. "I think you're ready for something new."

Suddenly, you stopped Hillbilly's hand and pulled away from him. He looked at you with confusion, unsure why you had stopped him.

Max started at you with curiosity as you began to take off your own pants and underwear. Were you about to "stroke yourself" as well?

You could feel the heat rising within you as you positioned yourself over Hillbilly and guided his cock to your slick, wet opening. You were absolutely ecstatic for what comes next.

Hillbilly was utterly confused about what was happening but couldn't help feeling a sense of excitement he had never felt before. He watched in awe as you took control, guiding his cock towards your dripping hole.

As you sank down onto him, taking him deep inside of you with a moan of pleasure, Hillbilly let out a gasp at the intense sensations that washed over him. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before – warm, wet, tight, and overwhelming all at once.

You leaned back and moaned as Hillbilly's hands instinctively went to grab your hips. You began to slowly ride him, moving up and down on his cock in a steady rhythm.

Hillbilly groaned in pleasure at the sensation of being inside you, feeling overwhelmed by the intensity of it all. He clung onto you tightly, almost afraid to let go.

You smirked teasingly down at Hillbilly as he clung to you tightly. "You're gonna let me do all the work?"

Hillbilly looked up at you with desire. He was eager but unsure of what to do next.

You could feel the heat rising between the both of you, your body responding to every movement and sensation. You wanted Max to take charge, even if just a little.

"Come on," You urged him on. "Show me what you can do."

Feeling emboldened, Hillbilly did an experimental thrust upwards, causing you to moan in pleasure. The sound of your arousal spurred him on further.

Taking the hint, he began to move his hips in sync with you, lifting himself up to meet you each time you came down. As he gained confidence, his movements grew more forceful and demanding.

Hillbilly was lost in a sea of intense sensations, feeling completely overwhelmed by the pleasure coursing through his body. He continued to fuck you eagerly and desperately, unable to get enough of this new feeling.

As he moved faster and harder with every thrust, drool started to come out from his mouth without him realizing it. He didn't know how long he would last or how much he had left in him, but right now all that mattered was the intense pleasure they were sharing.

Suddenly, Hillbilly wrapped his arms around you, pulling them close as he fucked faster. You moaned loudly at the sudden change in rhythm.

"Fuck," You moaned loudly, arching your back in pleasure. "Yes, just like that."

You could feel yourself getting closer and closer to the edge, your body responding to every movement and sensation. The sound of Hillbilly's breathing and animalistic grunting in their ear only served to intensify your arousal.

"Keep going," You murmured huskily into his ear. "I'm almost there."

As Hillbilly's eyes shut tight and he continued to drool from the intensity of it all, you could feel yourself getting closer and closer to orgasm. You knew you couldn't hold out much longer.

"Harder," You growled at him, their voice thick with need. "Faster."

Hillbilly complied eagerly, thrusting into you with ever-increasing force. The sensations were so intense that you felt like you might pass out from pleasure any second now.

As Hillbilly kept going, he began to feel a strange sensation building deep inside of him. Your cries of pleasure and encouragement were driving him forward, making him want to give them everything he had.

But suddenly, something new started happening. He could feel a tightness in his balls that was growing with each thrust and stroke. It was an intense pressure, unlike anything he had ever felt before

You could sense the change in Hillbilly's movements and moaned even louder as you realized what was happening. You knew that this would be his first orgasm – a moment of pure ecstasy for both of you.

"Let it go," You urged him on breathlessly as you continued to ride out his movements. "Give it all to me."

Suddenly, everything went white as Hillbilly experienced an intense orgasm that rocked his entire body. He screamed out in pleasure, shooting his hot load deep inside you as stars danced behind his eyes.

His limbs jerked uncontrollably while still inside you. You reached your own orgasm seconds after.

As Hillbilly came down from his high, he began to nuzzle into your neck. He pulled you closer to their body and held onto you tightly. You could feel his body shaking as the last remnants of his orgasm faded away.

"You did so well," You purred soothingly, stroking his hair gently. "You're such a good boy."

Hillbilly whimpered softly in response, feeling drained and yet completely fulfilled at the same time. He had never known pleasure like this before; it was overwhelming in every sense of the word.

"Okay we finished. Now let go of me" You said with annoyance clear in your voice.

However, Hillbilly wouldn't let go and clung on tighter.

For a moment, you struggled against him, wanting nothing more than to break free. But then you sighed heavily, feeling Hillbilly's warm body against yours and the comfort it brought.

"F-Fine," You murmured softly with a huff. "Just a few more minutes." You closed your eyes as you rested on Max's body. He wraps his arms around you and closes his own eyes.

[angrylesbianstereotype]

I don't like Walter White. I don't know... he's an objectively well written character but I just don't vibe with him.

Not because he's done so many fucked up things in the show (because most other people have messed up pretty bad, as well).

Walt just didn't pass the vibe check for me, I guess.

I don't find him badass, personally. He can be really cringey sometimes.

I just have to bear with him whenever I start rewatching the show because he's the protagonist. It's weird.

Lmao I am so sorry I keep forgetting to go through my inbox and actually respond to y’all but Yeah Basically!! I think there are actually three main reasons his character rubs me the wrong way and this might sound bad but none of them are bc he’s a murderer (it’s fiction lol) number one I can’t stand having secondhand embarrassment and he’s so cringe he makes me have to pause the show every five minutes to pace around my bedroom for another five minutes so it takes me foreeeeever to get through a rewatch which is annoying and his fault number two he operates less like a drug dealer in terms of his criminality and how he operates and more like a domestic abuser, esp the way he jerks Jesse around but also in just how little effort he makes to keep his family separate from his criminal dealings, he makes a big talk ab professionalism but everything is always personal w him which is why nobody wants to work w him and his family man schtick is ironically a big part of why he’s so despicable. Number three I haaaate condescending ppl and being condescended to it is my least favorite human flaw and I’m not saying you can’t have any redeeming human qualities if you have a bad habit of condescension but I am saying we would not get along lol

[fandomfluffandfuck]

https://x.com/tooturnttoni/status/1559534851157643272?s=20

Look look look look 😩

[Link] to a photo of a guy taken from a low, low, low angle showing his abs and pecs. The caption is, "shave my titties??"

I am looking

I feel like this is absolutely a text and photo that nomad Steve sends to Bucky, teasing him from a dingy hotel room, bad lighting, and grainy, low quality but still drool-worthy. The photo alone would make Bucky violent, but with that caption? Bucky fervently calls him back and threatens unspeakable, painful, torturous acts if he dares touch a single hair on his body.

It's all Steve can do to laugh, low and raspy. Answering his threats with a cocky, "knew that'd get your attention, sweetheart." He rumbles on, "hey, Buck."

Bucky sighs heavily, "what?"

"Don't gimme lip, baby. I sent you a nice photo, and you're not even gonna say 'thank you?'"

Bucky grumbles over the phone line.

"What, cat got your tongue? Thought all you had 'round was goats, hm? Where've you been hiding the pussycats?"

"You're an asshole."

"So you can talk. You gonna thank me for your photo? I even asked your opinion on my body. I'm being considerate, honey!"

"..."

"I can think of somethin' else you can say other than 'thank you--'"

"..."

"Okay, well, if you're not gonna talk to me, sweet thing, then I'm gonna hang up."

"...what?"

"Tell me what you're wearing."

Bucky snorts, "smooth."

"Mmm-hmm. I know it. Now, c'mon, I showed you what I'm not wearing, now it's your turn to pay up, baby."

"Fine," Bucky sighs, he can't ever resist for long, "fine, I'm--"

[princescribbler]

Hi little boy Scribbler. I'm sad. Iasked your mommy but maybe you can help too.

I'm scared I'll never find a mommy into AB/DL. It's so hard to be strong and stay brave when I wanna cry and be cared for by a mommy.

How did you find a great mommy like yours? How do I make sure she doesn't leave me or lose interest? How do i stop them from just ghosting me when they see I'm not rich, or into findom? And how do I find someone who will give me what I want not just what they want?

Sincerely,

All alone anon

Huh...I hate to jump to conclusions (and apologies if I'm judging incorrectly) but i'll admit you're setting off a few quiet alarms in my head!

I might be unfair, but when people push hard on the idea of only ever being ghosted, financially manipulated, and there being no mommies out there...It gets my guard up. Because often, very toxic or unhealthy behavior in subs or littles is sort of ignored, or accepted, and it really shouldn't be! And I'll admit, I wasn't the most healthy and mature participant in this community when I first got involved years ago, so I'm trying hard to not judge, but if you don't change your outlook and behavior, there's probably not much I can do or suggest to help!

That said: there are an astonishing number of people eager to take advantage of your needs and desperation, many who will probably ONLY have interest in your wallet and the like. The trick... isn't just in them. See, scammers and manipulators work by tricking you (or you being desperate enough) to ignore the many obvious red flags. Like, someone talking to you for 2 days, not knowing your real name, then insisting on knowing your address. Or, their entire blog is 4 days old and exclusively filled with the 10 easy to find posts tangentially related to your kinks... but they have no likes, no history, and their ability to communicate is shit.

THOSE people will immediately leave the second they no longer feel they'll have a good chance at scamming or manipulating. If something seems way too good to be true... it probably is. If a Dominant partner claims to be very well versed in BDSM, power dynamic relationships, and Ageplay... but jumps into offering you a new full time dynamic before even discussing SAFE WORDS or getting to know you? THAT SHOULD BE A SUPER CLEAR RED FLAG THAT THEY AREN'T A HEALTHY, REAL, SINCERE PERSON!!

So how did I get my momma princess and switch partner, @giggle-byte ? Well, first, don't forget that it's a two way street. Momma pursued me just as much as I pursued her. So step 1.... find someone who actually likes you. And SHOW OFF YOUR GOOD QUALITIES! Why would any domme or mommy want to care for a lazy, unkind, mean, demanding person? If you're just getting to know them and quickly start pushing for your kinks and desires to immediately be bowed to, you're probably not coming across in a good light.

Whether it's CG/L, BDSM, ABDL, ageplay, or just simple diaper fetishism, you need a partner who wants you, who sees your value, and enjoys you.. and you won't find that with random messages to 200+ online dommes in the hope that EVENTUALLY one'll fall in love with you. Instead, seek out actual meaningful connections with people, whether online or in person!

And my real best advice for avoiding toxic and fake mommies, findoms, and scammed is to focus on YOUR SAFETY AND SECURITY over getting off. If you truly can't tell if someone is a scammer... well, being honest, then online platforms to meet are a very bad idea for you. And if you need to know if someone is real or fake... recognize that a HEALTHY caregiver or dominant probably won't just jump into offering you a relationship (especially with strings attached), but a scammer or predatory findom probably will.

Good luck and I hope you find a way to get a happy and healthy dynamic, some day!

[hislittleraincloud]

so when are you posting the afterburn wednesday x uvc cairo enemies to lovers fic /j

I laughed for about ten minutes after I read this. It was a guilty laugh.

Don't think I haven't thought about a crossover, however that would be...somethin' else since they're the same fkn character, with few differentiating qualities. UVC Cairo is more talkative and casual, lugubriously loquacious like a typical Southern Gothic writer. AB Wednesday is...well, she's Wednesday. Sharper (in the head and on the edges, obvs), and doesn't tolerate who she perceives as imbeciles. But with UVCC practically being her twin, the competitiveness would be explosive. Wednesday is the better writer, too, and that would piss UVCC off to no end...and amuse Jon in the process.

...

...Damn you, anon. I have too much to write as it is. I mentioned it before, but I have multiple active 'Benson' files (UVC, though one of them isn't UVC universe, it's standalone one-shot "What If?" that centers around their confrontation/when Cairo is emasculating him). Look at this mess

Damn you, mid mfkr...damn you to Hell. 💀🥲😭🪦🥀

I don't even know how many active AB files I've got going atm.

It is very rare that I go out anywhere, but I needed a walk/break from everything so I took the senior dogs (and the baby dog strapped to my chest) out in their stroller. Been struggling mentally with the non-writing shit that's been happening in my life. Every day I take care of the needy dogs (the seniors are both 17 years old this year...as old as some of the teacher crushers that I see on my fyp 💀 and a year younger than Wednesday). One of them has trouble with his back legs and sometimes energy. Anyone remember that Family Guy cutaway where Peter is holding an elderly Brian who is blind/deaf/senile by his water bowl so he can drink? That's me, except my boy is able to drink on his own. He just needs me to hold him up on his bad days. The other senior I inherited from a nasty (racist) old lady who passed away, but this dog is behaving more and more like her every day (won't let me cut her nails...same as Mommie Dumbest, who lived with a gross, yellowed, grown out pinky nail she wouldn't let anyone cut). And because she's 17, she has CCD (canine cognitive dysfunction, it's doggie dementia) and sometimes gets lost or stares at the wall even though she's blind. Both dogs can still eat/drink, potty in the right place, and still come when called (though they love sleeping 💤 ). My boy is still sharp in the head somehow. I can talk to him and he still understands. I never trained my dogs to 'obey commands', I just treat them like the mental toddlers that they are. They listen to me, though the old girl here has a little trouble orienting herself/figuring out where the sound of my voice is coming from (which is ironic, since for her mother, she was a Hearing Dog). Taking them all out at once is a big feat since I'm also disabled/walk with a cane, but thankfully the stroller worked well for all of us. It was a nice day to walk around the lake.

Of course I got one fkn ass bish making a comment about how they're dogs and should be walking. Had to tell her that they're both 17 and the bigger one can't walk steadily all the time. And when I did let the little excited girl down to walk shortly after I took this photo, she couldn't get her bearings since she is blind. Yes, she looks like she's excitedly looking at something but she's not...she struggles finding treats I put down in front of her. BTW, the seniors are my babies, but my baby baby is the one everyone is enamored with, since she still looks like a puppy/has a baby face...hmm....

I played the AB soundtrack on the walk and it was a good motivator. I had forgotten what an eclectic collection that is, since I usually play the Gates Mansion Secrets soundtrack while we're out (blasting the Genitorturers while walking by an Easter Sunday church crowd was fun). I really want to get 8 done so I can move on to After the Burn/AtB, but there are small scenes that will be happening between her winter vacation and the start of the spring semester (which was/is January 2023). I'll have to decide whether they're going to be published in between 'the first season and the second season', or whether I'll keep them for flashbacks in AtB.

This is not to mention the other non-fandom stuff I've got in my notes/partially written. I'd love to improve one of my movie scripts, and I have ideas for a couple of others.

Anyway, TLDR; the 💩 that no one cares about: I know you were j/k, but exploring the F/F sexual dynamic beyond the Nighshades in AB isn't something I feel I need to do (...yet). With ABW and UVCC, I feel like it'd be a very slow burn. I can't slow burn anything besides what I have in the pipeline for AB.

[vancilocs]

30-39 for any blorbos you have 0.5 seconds away from bursting out of your nogging?

my parents ambushed me and took me out to get some chicken nuggest. also you get the vampire n the king

30. Do they exercise? Regularly? Or only when forced? What do they act like pre-work out and post-work out?

Raven makes sure to move a bit every day, usually a few pushups and crunches and plenty of stretching, and goes on nighttime walks with his cat. No difference from how he acts.

Fenrir mainly just walks around the castle or goes horseback riding, mainly to work out his anxious energy, if he's very twitchy he will go out for an hour or so and be more relaxed. He's banned from riding saddleless and he's a bit pissed about it.

31. Do they drink? What are they like drunk? What are they like hungover? How do they act when other people are drunk or hungover? Kind or teasing?

Drinks very little because his liver is already so fucked up, at most he will have a tiny bit of wine. If drunk, lays around and cries. If hungover, lays around and cries. Not a fan of looking after drunk or hungover people either, but won't complain, will hold their hair back and say nothing.

Drinks a bit too much though he has cut back a whole lot from his youth, still will down a bottle of wine in a night three times a week. When drunk he's sleepy and cuddly and giggly, when hungover he's like a bear that's been shot in the ass, don't talk to him. Gently makes fun of drunk or hungover people, especially if they're his kids

32. What do they dress like? What sorta shops do they buy clothes from? Do they wear the fashion that they like? What do they wear to sleep? Do they wear makeup? What’s their hair like?

Mainly wears black work clothes, buys from any retailer that has clothes that fit at a reasonable price. Sleeps in a hoodie and boxers. Wears eyeliner and eyeshadow on gigs, keeps his hair mid-length and clean, tucked behind ears or swept back

Wears the finest finery, embroidery, leather, jewels, velvet cloaks and gold buckles, but adds his own rougher style with leather gloves and chokers and needless straps and belts. One good part of being king is that people can't tell you what to wear. Always compensates his tailors well, so while he doesn't buy new clothes often, when he does they're the best quality. Sleeps with just pants on. His hair's real long and luscious, good for braiding and buns and ponytails if he's feeling sassy

33. What underwear do they wear? Boxers or briefs? Lacey? Comfy granny panties?

Simplest black boxers money can buy

34. What is their body type? How tall are they? Do they like their body?

Tall (like 190 cm), thin, kinda sinewy? He's a bit too skinny compared to how much muscle he's built. He doesn't particularly like his body, mainly because he's so chronically ill, but weight and heightwise he's fine.

Also around 190 cm and way more built, he's got some chunk ontop of the beef, no abs here no sire. Thick boi, can't knock him over with a pail of water. He thinks he might have gotten a bit too fat but that's nonsense.

35. What’s their guilty pleasure? What is their totally unguilty pleasure?

Sleeping with Vikas is a guilty pleasure, as is sometimes smoking (he only does when very stressed). Unguilty pleasures are sleeping late because he has a night shift and just laying in bed petting his cat

Smoking and drinking are guilty pleasures, old bad habits die hard. Feels no guilt over delegating small responsibilities to his underlings and laying in bed with his wife or spending time with his toddler, like bitch why do you think I hired you

36. What are they good at? What hobbies do they like? Can they sing?

He is a singer and a keyboardist, very good at both. Doesn't have the energy for other hobbies.

The best horserider in the castle (closely followed by Rawk), pretty good at swordfighting. Not a great singer.

37. Do they like to read? Are they a fast or slow reader? Do they like poetry? Fictional or non fiction?

He enjoys some reading, especially gothic poetry, writes some songs himself so those are inspirational. Likes to take his time reading and analyzing. Sometimes indulges in nonfiction.

Doesn't like reading and is slow at it but also doesn't destroy books on sight anymore. Mainly reads important letters and documents, sometimes children's books for Nepheli.

38. What do they admire in others? What talents do they wish they had?

Admires assertive people (Lyssa shutting Orion up made her a legend in his eyes) and wishes he was better at managing his own emotions. Unfortunately your upbringing left you with some attachment issues

Doesn't understand how people can stand long meetings without going insane or falling asleep. Or how people like reading. Or how his wife can talk with people with a smile on her face and then later say that she doesn't actually much like that person

39. Do they like letters? Or prefer emails/messaging?

Communicates via text always, receiving a letter would be kinda romantic tho.

He doesn't write letters because his handwriting is ass, he dictates them instead

[ilovefictionalmen-123]

hi pookie wookie, so for that mash up…

so i’m a first gen. immigrant, i’m american, i’m texan, and i’m in the healthcare field.

i’ve been in the healthcare field, volunteering, interning, or working for the past 5 years now. im such a high achiever that i actually got certified as a sterile processing tech. while in high school and graduated with a job already where i interned previously.

im also in the navy as a hospital corpsman, i start my duty in august tho so i’m still cooking surgical instruments

i consider myself a pretty lax person and easy going but kind of judgmental and forthcoming. if i have a problem, i definitely speak up asap. i’m the type of person to go and ask for ketchup for you lol

when it comes to love, i most definitely have not had a good time—that’s why my fics are so self insert-y lol i just want someone who’s more than happy with dealing with my bs and my imposition but also low social battery

my love languages are acts of services and quality time, maybe gift giving. i grew up in a household where everyone was constantly working and as the oldest daughter, i had to take care of a lot of household things. so having someone who can afford (literally) time off and help me around the house or just in general is a big deal.

i hope this is enough 😭😭 take ur time pookie bear!! ab’s thanks in advance ! 🩷🌺

I match you with... Gaz!

Considerate partner, definitely. He's the kind of bf to show you off to everyone, like yup, that's my partner, so amazing and great!

Gaz will treat you like royalty, hoping you'll forget your bad past experiences. He will make up for anything bad you might have experienced.

Always happy to listen to you talk about things you're passionate about. Not just listen, but also ask lots of questions about everything.

I like to think he's a very thoughtful person, so acts of service and quality time are definitely his thing.

Had a long day? Let him make you something to eat. Don't feel like talking? Let's just sit together in silence.

He's also great at planning dates, he just wants to spend some quality time with his amazing partner!

[apoorplayer]

december tcc challenge but i did the whole thing bc i was bored lmao

* What music genre fits your tc the most?

early 2000s pop punk , lol . he has the voice for it

* What's your favorite personality trait for your tc?

his confidence for sure . he says everything like he knows he’s right and it’s so hot

* Do you think they fit into a certain aesthetic or two? If so, which ones?

closest aesthetic i could fit him into is like ,, soft artsy boy ?? that’s the way he dresses at least lol

* If you could, how would you comfort your tc?
(Like if they seem to be having a rough day)

whenever he seems like he’s having a rough day i just try to make him laugh :)

* What type of winter activity do you think is their favorite?

he seems like a snowball fight type of guy tbh lol

* If you could (or have) what book or movie would you recommend to you tc?

any emily henry book !! i think he’d like the humor in those books + would love for those romcoms to give him some ideas ;;)))

* What's their sense of humor like? Is yours similar?

he’s obsessed w “cringe” things lol , we have very similar senses of humor and he’s told ppl he thinks i’m rlly funny hehe

* What's the nicest thing your tc has ever said to you?

sometimes he compliments me in this super low voice and it actually makes me MELT but one time he basically said he loves the way i act and it made me never want to change myself lol

* What wintery activity would you love to do with them?

cuddle up together and watch christmas movies <333

* What do you think your tc's love language is?

prob quality time . he’s all ab spending time w ppl :)

* Do you have a quote or poem that you associate with them?

plentyyy of song lyrics ,,, like the entirety of using you by mars argo <333

* Do you prefer emailing them or talking in person?

talking in person BUT emailing him feels so special esp since he always emails me first hehe

* Do they have a signature cologne or perfume?

nooo i wish he did tho lol

* Is your tc someone you can go to for support?

yeah i think so , he can tell when i’m having a bad day and tries to comfort me :)

* Have you ever pictured yourself with their last name or vice versa?

all the time tbh

* Is there anything you don't like about your tc?

we have completely opposite political opinions hahah and we both feel very strongly ab those opinions

* Have you ever seen them in a really bad mood?

not a RLLY bad mood , but he did get super sick awhile back and he would legit come into lunch and just lay on the floor lmao

* Does your tc ever laugh differently when they're with you?

yeahhhh hehe i made him laugh harder “than he ever had before” :))))

* What's your tc's staple drink? (If they have one)

vanilla coffee for sure

* Is there anything that the two of you have in common? Is there a lot?

we’re both gaming and coffee nerds lol

* Have they ever targeted you directly in class or in the halls?

he comes up to me a lot in the halls , we don’t have class together tho so </3

* Have you ever said anything that might have given away your feelings?

i don’t think so , i try to keep my feelings pretty hidden lol

* Do you dream about them often?

WAY TOO OFTEN

* Is your tc more physically or verbally affectionate? Or not at all?

def more verbally affectionate :)

* If you could, (or have) what would you get your tc for Christmas?

prob some rlly nice coffee beans hehe

* Do you like them in a romantic sense or in a more platonic way?

tbh more of a romantic sense but i know nothing would ever happen and i’m 100% ok with our current dynamic

* Are they a cozy sweater person?

no he literally wears short sleeve button ups in december 😭

* What color looks best on them?

green :)

* If you could see yourself the way they see you, would you take the chance?

yes ofccc

* What little habit they have is your absolute favorite?

when i’m talking i use hand movements a lot , and he always mimics them after i do them so i’ll get embarrassed . he thinks it’s so funny lol i love seeing him laugh ab it

* If it was legal, would you share a midnight kiss with them?

yes hehe

[fancyfade]

choose violence: 1, 6, 7, 10, 12, 22

1: answered here (link)

6: which ship fans are the most annoying?

:P Oh wow a choose violence one indeed. I have seen so much character hate in dick ships. like. Babs is put down and simplified, people speak of her character from a place of ignorance to try to explain why her ship is bad, Kory is put down and simplified people speak of her character from a place of ignorance to explain why her ship is bad (and on AB dickb.abs side, people just accept ableism if it means they get their ship). Like. The problem is not the relationships themselves, it's the fans who prioritize male characters above all else and it happens in more than 1 group of shippers.

7 what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

I don't really hate any characters because of how fandom interacts about them, I can generally separate canon from fandom pretty well.

I think my characters with the longest #character name negative tag, which is often influenced both by how they are portrayed in fandom and in canon, are jason todd and tim drake. :P Sorry dudes. But I still like you. But when I see bad stuff in canon or fandom i make negative posts about u, or more of my take on the bad stuff which I realize can be perceived as negative and tag it as such.

10 worst part of fanon

God there are so many. NGL I do not like the 'my blorbo most be the most oppressed and special person ever and everyone around them is mean and unreasonable'. Like whether it's Dick or Jason having relationships with Bruce that are way oversimplified from canon for the sake of angst (or always going with the most black-and-white, boring version of a canon story told multiple times, often a retcon), Tim being bullied by the entire Batfam and oppressed by a 10 year old, or Damian's childhood in the League being written to be even harder than it was with a lot of emphasis on physical abuse it's terrible.

12 the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them

Helena Kosmatos (aka Fury v1). I just learned that she had more than 1 comic appearance like a week ago and I already love her. What's not to like? She's super strong, her power was first activated by murderous rage she felt towards her nazi collaborator brother (who she then killed) and she can turn into a giant red monster and power up even further.

... however I have to warn everyone that like. Young All Star comics are not very high quality. And (link) So I'm not really saying you have to go read her comics, just that she's unpopular (because no one knows who she is) and I love her.

22 your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

hmmmm...

like the character everyone gets wrong, this one is hard for me to tell because you kind of wind up naturally surrounding yourself with people who like the same things you do, so you can be insane about those ideas together. Like LexCorp Talia is great and generally ignored in fandom (unless the person in question is a Talia fan), but the people I talk to about Talia all love it.

I guess overall it's not my favorite part of canon, but it's still a thing I like in canon that I think most people ignore :P Crisis events. I don't always like the interpretation that the world literally changed, like often I try to think of things that are less reality altering, but I do like the giant scale and characters all working together and I think they're fun fic fodder.

[an-non-y-mouse]

Overanalysing Stories Because That’s What I Enjoy Doing, Part 1: Nevin Jovel and Chris Jackson are a match made in hell. (IBVS)

(Minor warning for mentions of ab*se and some rough language)

I know what you’re thinking and no, this has nothing to do with my personal IBVS ships. This is merely my opinion based on the logistics of relationships.

Now, at first Nevin and Chris seem to have a lot in common. They both come from abusive households, they both have a love of memes, they both have a younger brother they feel they need to protect and they both do so by lying and being evasive towards them. However, this is where their similarities end. There is a particular difference between the two that I think is one of the main reasons a relationship between them wouldn't work out, and that's how they respond to living in a bad home environment.

Nevin responded to his abuse by seemingly embodying the qualities demonstrated to him as a child, whether he intended it or not. He is rude, unaffectionate to those close to him, controlling, belittling, manipulative and is implied to have anger issues. He latches on to Chris and tries to ensure that Chris is completely reliant on him. He forces Chris to experiment with his powers and belittles and manipulates him by telling him that he knows he enjoys it (using his empathy to intrude on Chris’ feelings). Perhaps I’m supposed to feel sorry for Nevin, seeing as we know he experienced abuse at the hands of his step mother, but because that is literally all the information we have (we don't know the severity of the abuse, we don't know anything the step mom said or did e.c.t) and we're this far into the story, I've stopped caring. With so little information, we can't tell if he's learnt to manipulate people from his step mom (although I assume he has) or whether he's just an asshole who justifies his shitty behaviour by painting himself as the victim.

As an example, Drew was able to tell Isaac was upset that Chris had run off with Nevin by just being in Isaac's vicinity for 2 minutes, yet Nevin had multiple interactions with Isaac and just went "Wow, he really struggles socially and I just ran off with his only friend. I don't care!"!

Before this turns into 101 reasons why I hate Nevin Jovel, I'm going to move on to Chris.

Chris dealt with his abuse by becoming complaisant and a people pleaser. He's rarely shown to argue with anyone or do anything that displeases another character. This makes him a prime target for Nevin's manipulation because he just does as he's told no matter how badly Nevin treats him. We can understand why this is, however, because we have been shown that Xavier is liable to get vioient with Chris. Since we know the exact extent of the abuse, it's easier to sympathise and relate to this character.

It's sort of my belief that Nevin learned manipulative behaviour from his step mother, but because he despises her, he refuses to admit these flaws because it makes him seem similar to her. Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, since we have no confirmation of this, or really any other information regarding his past, we can’t understand him as a character and can only watch on as he emotionally drains everyone around him.

To summarise my point before this gets too long; Nevin is not a nice or understandable character and is shown to manipulate Chris, who does nothing to fight back due to his personality and trauma. The more time they spend around each other, the worse it becomes and thus they would be ill suited for a relationship. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk, hope you enjoyed.

-Mouse/Charlie/Basement Gremlin/Whatever else you want to call me

IBVS by OneBizzareKai

[princeescaluswords]

what do you mean by 'not aesthetically pleasing'? I've seen you use it a few times for things that seem unrelated to aesthetics.

You've all heard the phrase "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." It's so ubiquitous it's a cliché, though a very useful one. We call a pleasurable or appreciative reaction to a particular sensory input "beauty." As we grow and accumulate experiences, we begin to understand that there is a certain set of characteristics that, singularly or in combinations, we find beautiful. This is our aesthetic, and we all have one. It's very hard to define our personal aesthetic, and sometimes it can be damaging to try, like pinning a butterfly to a board, but we know it when we sense it.

As an aside, sometimes enough individuals in a society share so many aspects of their aesthetic in common that it becomes a public aesthetic. This phenomenon can be positive or negative or sometimes both at the same time. You only have to open Tumblr to see debates about public aesthetic and the campaigns to preserve or change them.

When I use that phrase 'not aesthetically pleasing' I am 99 times out of 100 referring to my personal aesthetic. It's important to me to make a distinction between my evaluation of a cultural object's quality with how it makes me feel. My favorite example of this is The Godfather. The Godfather is among the best United States films ever made. The writing is precise in its economy, insightful into humanity, and perfectly balanced between expository detail and pacing. The acting is exquisite from Al Pacino and Marlon Brando down to Abe Vigoda. The directing and cinematography is symphonic in creating tone. The setting and action is timeless while still being aware of history and the principles explored are universal without ignoring the nature of the Mafia as a product of class uprising and xenophobic oppression. There are many reason that it is consistently listed in the top ten movie rankings, but nevertheless, I hate it.

It does not sit well with my personal aesthetics. I despise the way in the movie the victims of these criminals vanish like ephemeral soap bubbles on the screen, even though I am intellectually aware that this is deliberate because it represents how the mobster justify themselves and 'this thing of ours.' I detest how the movie makes the point that the same qualities that make Michael Corleone a war hero make him an effective don. I am unsettled by how bonds of love and family transform people into heartless murderers. This isn't a rejection of darkness or unsettling images; there are few movies darker than Kubrick's and I am aesthetically pleased by his disturbing works from The Shining to Dr. Strangelove to A Clockwork Orange.

I recognize that there is a difference between the quality of a piece of media and my aesthetic reaction to it. I think it's a significant problem in United States culture -- and especially the fandom -- that this awareness seems to have been discarded. Too many people operate under the oversimplified idea that "if I like it, it's good, and if I don't like it, it's bad." Don't get me wrong, an individual can derive aesthetic pleasure from a quality piece of media, but it's not a necessary relationship.

Take my primary fandom, Teen Wolf. While as a work of art it has significant flaws -- shoddy chronology, an overindulgence in spectacle, needless casting bungles, and a recurring practice of prioritizing the emotional trauma of white male characters and white male characters alone while portraying the neglect of the emotional trauma of characters of color and women as necessary to the plot -- most of it still provokes within me aesthetic pleasure. It's why I talk about it, but I don't try to say it's on the same level as The Godfather.

There is a resistance to separating quality from aesthetic pleasure that I lay at the feet of Post-Modern thought. No, I am not a fan of Foucault or the people he inspired. By rejecting any attempt at objective measurement, we have become bound to the subjective, and it has created a toxic cultural experience. That's why I try to be clear when I voice an opinion dependent on quality or voice an opinion based on aesthetics.

[sometimesiwrite]

What I See In Joey Batey's Physicality in the "Topless" Scene: A Contemplation

From The Witcher: Unlocked Batey, talking about the lake scene HC: "Looking ripped." Interviewer: "Is that all you did? Sit ups the whole time?" JB: "I just didn't eat. It's not that hard."

I'm sure there are many (God, I hope there will be many) discussing the obvious issues with actors needing to starve and dehydrate themselves in order to look a certain way in front of the camera. Hollywood beauty standards are off the charts and it's bad for everyone. Full stop. What I would like to focus on, however, are details from the perspective of a theatre-trained actor (which Joey Batey also is) to shed a little light on two gifsets which tell me just how much the visual requirements of the topless scene impeded a brilliant actor's access to the tools that allow him to do his job best.

Actors who are trained to sing and work in the theatre maintain a delicate balance of stamina, cardiovascular endurance, and physical fitness, all while ensuring their bodies are carrying as little unnecessary or extraneous physical tension. This is crucial for vocal and emotional expression and health, and maintaining energetic connection with scene partners and the audience. Don't expect tight abs from live performers. We don't have them, and there's a reason. Don't make us have tight abs. It fucks with literal decades of training our bodies to let go and take risks so that we can all achieve catharsis.

If this is sounding a lot like that post you saw circulating about Eskel's physicality in The Witcher 3, that's because it's me! Hello! I'm back to ramble :)

For context: I have a BFA in acting from a studio-focused theatre training program; an MA in performance studies with a focus on how our acting tools benefit/affect our nervous systems; and am a working actor/coach (albeit COVID's done its best to put a stop to that).

For reference:

A Youtube video of the full scene

Two gifsets: 1 and 2

Breathing: An Introduction

Most people don't think much about their breathing on a day-to-day basis unless they're involved in a breath-based discipline of some kind like Yoga, martial arts, Breathexperience, or other mindfulness practice. After all, the breath is part of the autonomic nervous system, it works on its own just like blinking or swallowing. Like blinking and swallowing, though, breathing is also something we can do or not do intentionally, and we can control the quality of our breath by coordinating different muscles in our abdomen, including our intercostal muscles (the muscles between our ribs).

Because we're able to control and manipulate our breathing—and because the breath is affected by our emotional/physiological states (fear, sadness, anger, sensuality, etc.), when we want to suppress our emotions, we tend to control our breathing before anything else (Rodenburg/Bond). As we grow and mature out of childhood, and our emotions become more complex, we develop patterns, habits of breathing that allow us to still get oxygen into our bodies, but inhibit certain emotions and impulses because society has told us what is acceptable or unacceptable to feel—not just express, but experience at all (Rodenburg).

Throughout, I will be referring to "allowed breath" and what I mean by this is breath that is not being suppressed or otherwise manipulated by patterns of holding. I will also be referring to "trained breath" which is allowed breath that is enhanced and supported by the abdominal musculature without holding. "Trained breath" is breath used by opera singers, live actors, and other vocal performers to maintain healthy vocal stamina and allow emotions to flow freely into vocal and physical expression (Breathexperience).

The trained breath involves the entire body, and the state of the body affects the state of the breath which in turn affects the state of the voice. Feet, legs, pelvis, hands, arms, shoulders, back, torso, chest, neck, tongue, jaw, armpits (yes, armpits)... there's not a single nook or cranny in the body where a pattern of holding won't affect the breath/voice relationship. Vocal performers work hard to break down their emotion barriers and patterns of holding as they develop their trained breath for free and safe vocal power and expression (Rodenburg).

Rib cages get wider as intercostal muscles loosen to allow greater lung capacity; the jaw hangs loose, the tongue sits slack in the mouth; the shoulder muscles melt downward; the abdominal muscles soften (but don't weaken) to allow the diaphragm to swing downwards and forward. This softening allows for the breath movement to extend into the pelvic girdle and stimulate the fascia and tissues of the visceral organs which allow us access to deep emotion, movement impulse, and intuition (Rosenberg/Kolk).

Everything that we do as vocal performers is powered by the trained breath. It's our engine. It's our flow-state brain. It's our power source. It's our soul.

Did you like Joey Batey's performance in Season 1? Dynamic, right? Expressive, his timing was impeccable, his body fully integrated, his voice rich and melodious. Know why? He was breathing.

The Scene

As I stated in my introduction, I don't think I need to go into too many details about why an actor starving himself for a scene is an issue. But as if that wasn't enough, he then was faced with the difficulty of having to show muscular definition. It wasn't enough that he lost perfectly healthy body fat for two minutes and thirty seconds' worth of camera time. He was forced to restrict access to his breath. Why? As I said above, both the allowed breath and the trained breath require the torso to expand in all directions, allowing the lungs to expand and breath movement to stimulate our emotional body. In order to show muscle definition, we need to do the opposite, and clench our pectoral, abdominal, and intercostal muscles. To give you a better understanding of a soft body breathing and a "defined" body breathing, I've attached a video below of myself first demonstrating my trained breath, then reciting the same bit of text in both scenarios. Note the differences in my voice and full-body.

Could I get the lines out? Sure, of course. Was I able to sound like I was feeling the right emotions? Well, yeah, we all need to know how to fake it every once in a while when there are circumstances beyond our control. But my point is, I wasn't feeling it. I wasn't in it. If I'd had a scene partner I needed to respond to, I would have been disengaged from them and not giving my audience the performance I'm capable of. I'm not able to give my scene partner the attention they deserve.

Sure, I might look "more attractive" but no one is leaving that scene feeling satisfied and that's the worst feeling to have as an actor; knowing your partner didn't get connection from you. Acting is a give and take. You give everything you have to your partner(s) and they give everything they have to you. When one side doesn't deliver, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth and a vague feeling of betrayal.

Note how intense Batey's eye-contact is in both gifsets. While it's true that his eye-contact is always keen (as is Cavil's), to me this is the eye-contact of an actor fighting to maintain connection against all odds. Looking specifically at the second gifset, second gif from the bottom, you can see Batey forcing his breath into his upper ribcage and into his back-ribs. His voice is supported, but only just as he does his best to keep his abs tight and visible. If you look closely, you can also see his lower abdomen move to soften instinctually but is held back.

In the second gif of the first gifset, you can see him take a trained breath. His lower belly softens and extends as his diaphragm releases and swings down and forward to allow air to rush freely into his lungs. In the same moment, his tongue relaxes in this mouth, and his upper arm muscles release and free up. You can even see the muscles around his eyes soften. Imagine if that allowed breath had been available to him for the entirety of that scene without sucking in? Without him having to devote a part of his attention to forcing his body not to do something he spent his life to teaching it how to do?

I also want to point out two other details I noticed in this scene that distracted me almost immediately which are tied to the lack of trained breath. The first is that he sounds out of breath. This could be because the water is cold, and that's completely valid. But I suspect it also has to do with the fact that he can't take in as much air as he's used to getting.

The other detail that I believe points to the same issue is his voice. Hear how it sounds more throaty than in the previous season? It could be a combination of factors, including what I believe to have been direction for all actors to dampen/dull their emotions throughout. It could be a desire to age the character, it could be the result of having just recorded an album. But one thing that happens when you restrict your trained breath is that you no longer have access to the same resonators as before. The resonators that make a voice sound rich and complex are all in the mid-to-lower torso, and resonators are primarily accessed through breath movemen (Rodenburg).

Conclusion

It's easy enough to make an argument that "actors should be able to do their jobs no matter the circumstances" and that's one that's been drilled into us since day one. The simple fact is, well, we can't. Because when the circumstances do not allow us access to the specific tools we've honed and studied for decades in order to do our jobs well, then we're limited; we're no longer acting, we're indicating.

An actor's body that is capable of performing the tasks required of it (combat choreography, singing, dancing, projecting, expressing, feeling, connecting, sustaining) is the body they need to do their job. Sure, there's something to be said for "getting in shape" for a role, but when you have a perfectly fit actor who plays a character with few physical demands, and you ask him to lose weight and then restrict his tools for the sake of 150 seconds, you have to admit that's unnecessary.

We've talked so much about how harmful the male gaze is in film and tv. How damaging and unrealistic it is to only see women of a certain size and shape in certain kinds of roles. We've ranted and raved about the objectifying voyeurism of how female bodies are portrayed over and over again.

It is not "our turn". Demanding equal objectification of the opposite sex is not equality. These are sons and brothers, fathers and lovers, community members. Just because they're paid to act doesn't mean they owe us their bodies, doesn't mean we can demand they starve themselves and suppress themselves so that we can have a cheeky look. Actors' bodies are their instruments; the best played ones are not always the most beautiful to look at, but they're full of soul.

I'm not saying we can't appreciate the beauty of other humans. But I see no beauty in scenes where actors are robbed of their souls for the sake of a good pair of tits and a tight stomach. The only beautiful moment of Joey Batey's topless scene is that brief moment of freedom where he's been allowed to soften back into himself and show us the emotional, passionate vessel of nuance that he's capable of being.

In short: fuck you, corporate Hollywood. Your beauty standards are the death of everything that is good and pure about humanity; they ooze, tar-like, black and sulfurous, into the innocence of "independent" productions. quashing passion to replace it with insincerity.

To those directors and producers who have the choice to make, I say take up space with softness! Rise up against the oppressive forces of false aesthetics; show the power and beauty of truth and vulnerability; be brave enough to allow your actors their truth: you'll be stunned by the results!

References

Bessel van der Kolk: The Body Keeps The Score: Mind, Brain, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Patsy Rodenberg: The Right To Speak: Working with the Voice and The Actor Speaks: Voice and the Performer. Stanley Rosenberg: Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve: Self-Help Exercises for Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Autism.