#forever bitter their relationship wasn't highlighted in the show

[fearthhereaper]

you're in the wind, i'm in the water,

nobody's son,

nobody's daughter.

[space-blue]

Star Trek SNW review through SW lens

So I finished season 1 of Strange New Worlds (Star Trek), and it's such a bitter sweet thing.

I mean, the show is sweet. It has incredible trope use, adorable characters who have rich dynamics, cool set designs even if they don't aim for hard core realism (maybe precisely because of that).

More importantly, I feel like it perfectly managed to mix "adventure of the week" with overarching plot and character arcs.

The bitterness is because I'm a Star Wars fan.

I wish SW creators would look at SNW and learn a few things. They had it going in Mando season 1, until the easter eggs morphed into the plot itself.

This show didn't feel trapped by its legacy. It wasn't afraid to recast, and to tell its own story. I'm not a big trekkie (I watched the OG series on TV reruns as a child, missed a lot of episodes. I owned the Wrath of Khan tape though, and then saw the recent trilogy. Abandoned Discovery in season 1) so there's plenty of details that flow right over my head. I'm also conscious of the people being on tumblr saying "This isn't the Spock I know".

So I'm both unlucky (for the lack of depth) and lucky (because I loved that Spock, unbothered by other interpretations of the character).

I know how being too sauced in a fandom can really impact enjoyment. Re: being a SW fan. But I feel like the approaches have been incredibly different.

Can you imagine a SW show having fun with itself? Using tropes like Body Swap or Time Travel visions in a fun and thoughtful way? Even season 1 of Mando was an endless video game fetch quest, with the odd homage to movies like Seven Samourai. It worked fine then, but season 2 really devolved into a forever-fetch-quest, only for it to be completely invalidated/made pointless by BoBF.

I was positively giddy when the body swap happened, and the following shenanigans were GOOD. Well written, not too tropey, and genuinely useful for the characters.

Also, FUCK ME but it had FOOD. It had warmth and characters bonding. But the food really got to me. It's just *never* a thing in SW. They eat bland stuff or aren't shown to eat at all. You can go an entire film without a single meal. Meals are important!! People bond over food! Food is culture! A single shot of sawdust turning into beef stew isn't interesting. Characters having a moment over a shared meal is! There's a reason you see Spock and Pike giffed in the scenes where they talk about drinking tea or finishing the dishes. Those were fun dynamic moments that highlighted the character's relationship on a simple level we all understand deep down.

Fuck, I WISH SW would just try and bother to have people keep track of some internal culture, and make us relate a little more. The fashion is so bland, the food not present. Religions never mentioned. Politics dumbed down and pushed aside. It's no wonder they have nothing left but self cannibalising and Easter Eggs all the way down.

I'm this fucking close to dropping everything I'm doing to watch all of next generation and discovery. Like, maybe trekkies are better treated as fans than us. I certainly didn't spot any rabid toy marketing in SNW!

Okay okay I'll calm down. Basically, even if you don't know anything about any of the characters, go watch SNW. It's fantastic, the characters clearly had fun with their roles. The odd stiff acting or shoddy CGI is much more excusable, the world feels deep and well realised. You don't need background knowledge to enjoy yourself. Even if Pike has stuff going on that refer to another series, they never made me feel out of the loop.

Go watch it. It's the best scifi fun I've had since the Expanse.

[giorno-plays-piano]

Your place Part 2

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader (High School AU)

Warnings: yandere, obsession, bullying, degradation, dubcon.

Words: 1776.

Summary: You suffer in the arms of America’s golden boy, the one who has been bullying you for years.

Part 1

P.S. Some more smut, finally! All characters had reached 18 years of age. Hope you’ll enjoy!

______________

"Are you going to come on Saturday?"

Steve moved his hand down your naked belly, watching you laying close to him on your bed and breathing softly. You glanced back at him, his handsome features illuminated by the dim light coming from the lamp on your nightstand.

"Where to?" You asked as he covered the back of your hand with his palm twice bigger than yours.

"The field house. We have a game."

He traced your knuckles with his fingertips and you thought how odd Steve was. Who could have thought the school's biggest bully was such a cuddle-bug after sex? It wasn't bad, though. You actually liked this side of him.

"Sure."

You weren't interested much in basketball or any other sports, but it was easier to come rather then fight Steve again. He was stubborn like a mule. Besides, a part of you felt like you belong there - many of your classmates were coming to see almost every game.

Why did Steve care whether you were there or not? Surely, he had already been showing you off in front of everyone as much as he could as if you were his trophy - now you sat close to him in class and then in cafeteria during lunch time; he was dragging you with him after classes along with his stupid friends. The whole school knew the nature of your relationship, and the first weeks it was making you bitter and hateful. Steve Rogers head fucking forced himself on you, yet instead of sympathy all you got was an enormous amount of jealousy. You were still receiving hate mailes dropped into your locker. The girls kept whispering curses behind your back as you walked down the corridors with Steve and his pack of wolves. He was able to make everyone silent, though. Now even his friends had no right to bully you like before. He reserved it purely for himself.

"Did you buy yourself a dress?"

"What dress?" You blinked in confusion. "Do I need a dress on Saturday?"

Steve smiled at you and leaned closer, pressing a kiss to your lips.

"No, kitten, I'm talking about the prom."

You rolled your eyes at his words. Of course, Steve Rogers needed to show off everywhere he possibly could - he definitely hoped to become prom king. You, on the contrary, didn't care much. In fact, you didn't want to come there at all. You hardly had any friends at school, and coming to watch Steve flashing his smile and basking in the rays of glory would only make you more irritated with him.

"No, I didn't."

"Then we could go together. I know one nice place."

"Where? 5th Avenue again?"

You smirked, watching the guy frown. Last time you went shopping together was a nightmare for you. You ended up with several bags of expensive lingerie Steve paid for, and you were disgusted at yourself for giving in to him. True, his family was twice wealtier than yours, but it didn't mean you wanted anything from him. Except for leaving you alone, that is.

"And what of it?" Rogers asked you sharply, rising above you. "If I want to buy you a dress, I will."

You sighed, turning your head to Steve and pulling your body closer against his. You learned to enjoy this intimacy with time as he taught you what making love to each other meant. You were pleasantly surprised at his efforts to make you feel good.

"Steve, please. I don't want to think of it now. It's... ruining the mood."

He purred as you caressed his blonde hair and snuggled closer to you, dropping little kisses to your face and touching your cheek affectionately. Steve loved being tender. You believed he had a real physical need to touch you one way or another, often without any sexual subtext at all. It was almost as bad as his need to bully you verbally, especially when he was aroused. You were still learning how to cope with that.

If only he didn't make those photos of you and him in the locker room that time. It was the only reason you obeyed him three months ago when he declared he wanted to keep you close. You didn't know if Steve had stored those pictures somewhere, but you weren't worried about them anymore. His obvious obsession with you would keep him from showing photos of you naked with his cock buried inside your wet cunt to the hilt. You could walk away now, yet everything wasn't as easy as before. Steve made sure to gain trust of your parents, pretending to be the perfect caring boyfriend to you and just a very good guy to everyone else. He also made you meet his parents who turned out to be surprisingly nice, nothing like their son. Steve's mother Sarah took an immediate liking to you and often sent you a huge piece of her famous raspberry pie. It was a highlight of your day when Steve handed it to you during lunch. If you broke up with him now, you were sure he'd make up some story where you were the one to blame, and it would make your life even more miserable.

"Why are we doing this, Steve?" You asked him quietly as he played with a lock of your shiny hair. When be looked back at you, you realized he knew what you were talking about.

"What do you mean?" He grunted in return.

"You know this can't last forever." You said, your voice tired. "There are only a few months left before the graduation."

You were still stroking his hair as he bit down on his plump lower lip, his eyes not leaving your face as he stared down at you from above. There was something unsettling in his gaze, something dark, even scary, but you refused to be afraid of his temper tantrums.

"We're applying to different colleges, and they're not close to each other. How do you think we can keep... this going?"

Steve struggled for words, and you saw he was getting frustrated. It was odd - he liked to use aggression as his shield, rarely showing his vulnerable side to anyone and barking off whatever accusation you threw at him. Yet here you were, looking at the guy who couldn't utter a word to answer a simple question.

Was it despair you saw on his pretty face?

"You can choose the same place, too."

"Are you joking? My family would have so sell our house to pay for my studies then." You let out a sigh.

"You can apply for a grant. With your grades it's not impossible."

"Steve, let's be realistic. You wanna go to Columbia University. Do you have any idea how many people are applying for a grant to study there?" You said and, seeing him getting more agitated, wrapped your hands around his muscular shoulders, reaching out to kiss him again.

He deepened the kiss immediately, swirling his tongue around yours and then licking the insides of your mouth when you mewled softly beneath him. The soft vibration against his lips made Steve shivered from pleasure. He spent a bit more time rolling the tip of his tongue all the way around yours and finally released you, dropping a kiss to your chin.

"If you can't make it, I'm going to apply to the same place as you." He whispered, and you felt his cock gradually getting harder. "I'm sure they'll be happy to take me."

"Steve, you're mad." You shaked your head. "What are your parents going to say? They want the best for y-"

"I don't care what they want, it's up to me to decide." The guy growled and bit your lower lip gently, lowering himself on top of you again. "You're my girl, and my girl is going with me. I still have those photos in case you forgot."

"Ah!"

You squeezed your eyes shut as his fingers touched your overstimulated clit, rubbing it skillfully as you squirmed. Your mouth fell agape as you were left gasping for air, trapped under Steve's athletic figure. Moaning at his touch, you looked at him, feverish, getting aroused again, your hands caressing his back as he smiled at you. He loved when you were a blushing mess beneath him, crying out his name as you were orgasming. No one else got to see you like this.

"I know you were a good girl today, but I want some more. You can handle it, can't you?" The guy cooed in your ear. "Come on, kitten. Show me how you mewl with my cock inside you. You're gonna mewl for me, right? Do it. Now."

You did as he said when his fingers were slowely fucking your sloppy cunt, your core aching for his dick almost painfully. Mewling softly, you kissed him again, and Steve slammed into you, muffling your high-pitched cry with his mouth  as he started rocking his hips. It felt so good, so fucking good. A wail of pleasure ripped from your throat, and Steve grinned at you.

"You're such a good little kitten, Y/N. I think next time we won't go to a restaurant, I'm just gonna give you a cat bowl full of my cum. You're gonna lick it clean, yeah? You're gonna do that for me, dear?"

"Yes, yesss, Steve." You whined as you felt your pussy kissing the base of his cock with a lewd sound. Panting and moving with Steve, you already felt one more orgasm building up, your mouth open and drooling. "I'm a good kitten, I'm a good kitten... pleaseplease Steeeeve..."

He groaned at your words, speeding up gradually and watching your eyes roll to the back of your head: he was rubbing against your g-spot to make your pussy milk his balls dry. Of, he fucking loved seeing that stupid expression on your face when you came, completely helpless, dependent on him to give you pleasure no one else could.

Steve was the one and only who could make you like this. Who the hell cared what his friends or parents said if he could hear you moaning his name beneath him whenever he liked? You were becoming more and more accepting, clinging to him when others were to mock you in public, spreading your legs for him when he cornered you in your or his own room. You grew to enjoy obeying him like a good girl you were, and Steve was going to keep you, finally, after all those long years of waiting.

He would make sure you never left his sight again.

___________

Tags: @finleyjayne @alexakeyloveloki  ​@helenaeisenhower @villanellevi @hurricanerin ​@lovelydarkdaydream

[onewomancitadel]

I’m going to say what I think you said and you can correct me if I’m wrong; so basically the main point you’re making is that we more or less already went through what jaunes reaction was with Pyrrha, and that going through it again wouldn’t make sense from a character and writing perspective right?

And that they chose Jaune specifically to be the one to kill her, when it could’ve made more sense for someone else to do it, someone who’s closer to penny. But choosing Jaune means that he’s once again in the forefront of the Cinder-ness, right?

Yeah that all makes sense! Though allow me to place devils advocate here in order to satisfy my own mind: don’t you think they could use this in a way to show jaunes changes as a character? For example, Jaune was reckless, bitter, too angry, etc etc. While this Jaune is angry, but calculating with his intent to kill. Does that make sense?

Keep in mind, I don’t think it’ll go this way but I’m making scenario’s in my mind so you can defeat them and satisfy my worries XD. Or maybe you think it’s possible too idk.

On your first point: yes.

On your second point: also yes. There is that element because he's a male character, he can't inherit the Maiden power, but by virtue of being a male character now involved with helping/hurting Maidens... that also sets him up, in a way, to naturally be related to Cinder. It's kind of too perfect, really, that's why I remain interested in it.

We can already achieve, this is why she's evil and this is why they're good, through other narrative means, particularly Winter. Winter is pretty much the perfect character for that, no less because her redemption arc occurred this volume.

Yeah that all makes sense! Though allow me to place devils advocate here in order to satisfy my own mind: don’t you think they could use this in a way to show jaunes changes as a character? For example, Jaune was reckless, bitter, too angry, etc etc. While this Jaune is angry, but calculating with his intent to kill. Does that make sense?

That's not incompatible with my reading, if anything it only relates him to Cinder more. Her approach to killing - it's nothing personal, dear (she is SO melodramatic) - specifically contrasted or highlighted against his? Idk, seems suspicious to me.

And if you go down a darker path with him as you might suggest, again: Cinder is right there. If instead his future arc reaffirms his goodness, this is still potentially... good portents for Cinder? It depends how they choose to play it out.

There are all sorts of things which can happen in the Fallen Place, and my bingo card has room for Joan of Arc-esque visions of St. Margaret, the saint who broke out from the belly of a dragon (Satan). Lol!!!

But, if your point is that it's not about Cinder at all, but instead only about Jaune: that just feels overly simplistic, not when you have a Maiden involved in it.

If we're going by couple patterns in the show, the Adam question is pertinent to Blake and Yang. According to those six relationship pairs, (Blake/Adam, Blake/Sun, Blake/Yang, Jaune/Weiss, Jaune/Pyrrha, Jaune/Cinder), it seems obvious to me a second character is involved in the angst. For Jaune and Cinder first it was Pyrrha, now it's Penny.

It's too convenient, especially when the show is calculated about its story patterns and symmetry. There are lots of ways you could've used Cinder's traumatic backstory to only make her more of a villain, and represented only a good and merciful Maiden kill. Jaune doing it wasn't it, and neither was the continual characterisation of her pain (and sympathy - Jaune sees her Grimm arm and is worried! Whether it's just fear or whether it's actual worry for... her? For another person? remains to be seen) past the point of affirmed villainy in the face of Watts' little charming speech.

That's why it's curious, that's why I won't let up on it. If you wanted to say, 'Ok, sad backstory, you're evil forever anyway' this isn't how you do it. It would be better to also show why Winter is good and why Cinder is bad - that's the aspect I'd focus on, not Jaune.

The foiling with Winter is already there, who's another Maiden and significant player (albeit not a major character/main cast, I think).

So I guess the question is why tie Cinder (a major character) to Jaune (another major character, one of two main male protagonists, in fact)?