#he isn't in the closet he just doesn't see women as equals

[luvring]

one day people will stop looking at misogynistic men and saying they're secretly gay, and finally realize implicitly associating non-queer men's hatred with queerness as well as disregarding the patriarchy's pervasiveness helps (checks notes) literally nobody

[roguish-gallery]

What are your gender and orientation headcanons for the Rogues you write for (keeping in mind that anyone can request stuff etc)? Just curious because I always like your takes, thank you!!

Oh for sure!! Thank you for the kind words!

This is just my personal opinion, but honestly... I kinda picture all of them to be bi/pan to varying degrees, but nothing specific. In other words, I envision everyone to have a nebulous relationship with their sexuality, if that makes sense. for their gender, It just varies. I'll try to elaborate more for everyone down below:

Bane: For him, I think he's casually bi/pan, but he doesn't use any labels for himself. He likes who he likes, and he doesn't see any need to fret over it. I mostly see him as cis because I prefer sticking to his canonical origin story, which hinges on him being AMAB (In Santa Priscan law, only AMAB children can be incarcerated for the charges of their father). But! Transmasc Bane is fucking great and I love seeing people's take on it!

Catwoman: Selina is canonically bi/pan, which I think suits her lol! I use she-her pronouns whenever I write for her.

Clayface: I base my take on him from the Harley Quinn Show! He's fluid in every sense of the word and doesn't take sexuality or gender seriously. Uses he/him pronouns bc it's easier but kinda fucks around with they/them

Harley Quinn: Again, canonically bi/pan! Uses she/her pronouns and I LOOOOVE transfemme Harley!

Joker: He's like... Bugs Bunny. He's queer and does whatever he wants.

Killer Croc: Cisgender, and is mostly interested in women!

Mad Hatter: I actually... view Jervis as ace (but he doesn't use that label, he would just tell you that he doesn't care). He isn't interested in sex, and prefers different types of intimacy. Mostly cis, but he can get goofy with his gender every now and then. As a treat.

Mr. Freeze: Straight BUT him and Nora are T4T

Penguin: I think he has a preference for ppl who are femme-presenting, but he can warm up to anyone if they pique his interest. Definitely suffered from comphet until he started rubbing shoulders with the other Rogues and realized that he needed to unpack some emotional baggage. I equally like him as cis or transmasc.

Poison Ivy: Canonically bi/pan, and uses she/her

Riddler: HE IS A TRANS MAN. HE IS TRANSGENDER. Also bi/pan but that's canon lmao.

Scarecrow: YALLLLLL I COULD WRITE AN ESSAY ON THIS MAN. Definitely aro, and definitely repressed bc of religious trauma. Never even thought about his identity as a child (raised comphet), and was too busy as a grad student/professor to unpack any of it. As an adult he doesn't really know how to handle attraction to anyone and tries his best to avoid growing attached to people in that way. Jonathan uses he/him but the Scarecrow is a hard he/they/it. He doesn't use labels for himself

Two Face: 100% fruity and tbh it's kinda insulting that Detective Comics Comics still has him in the closet like this. He has two hands let him goof around with men and women! Like Oswald, I'm equally open to cis or transmasc interpretations

[therealnightcity]

I have some questions for all your babies:

💦 At what age did my muse lose their virginity?

😳 What was my muse’s worst romantic/sexual relationship?

💑 What are my muse’s requirements for a potential partner?

Spicy character asks for @morganlefaye79 under the cut💗💕

💦: At what age did my muse lose their virginity?

Hiro was 15, and it was with Tom, one of his acquaintances from Clouds--it wasn't a serious relationship, the other was only a year older than him, and they remain close friends. There isn't much regret there, they were both a physical outlet for the other, and both were experimenting/fooling around. Hiro lost contact with the man shortly after and he was relieved to re-connect with him later in life, and more than impressed that they both survived that long.

Ares was 18 and it was a woman from outside nomad clan. It was a one night stand, and the latter left soon after. It wouldn't have gone far, they weren't very compatible but it was an experience that confirmed she was only attracted to women, and shaped the rest of her encounters. Even if it wasn't anything long term, it was still formative, in spite of the experience being clumsy and not particularly memorable.

Avi was 20, and it was with another Arasaka agent. There was a good deal of tension between them, and he still doesn't know who's idea it was, nor does he linger on it. He was closeted at the time and its always been something he couldn't control about himself, and something of failure in his eyes. Failure and a lot of shame, despite how much he enjoyed himself. Avi tries to avoid outings to clubs with joytoys, knowing the topic will undoubtedly come up, and reacts with feigned distaste for the entire endeavor.

😳: What was my muse's worst romantic/sexual relationship?

Hiro doesn't consider clients relationships, or those would qualify. Aside from that, one of the flings he's had after he cut ties with the Claws. They've started to blend together after a point--not sure what he's searching for, other than a sort of escape in pleasure and something to get him out of his head. He doesn't do paid work anymore, anyone who tries to insinuate otherwise is quickly shown out.

Ares' experiences haven't been terrible, just not the most exciting. She's usually limited to whoever is traveling through the Badlands, or quick flings, and there isn't time to get to know the person before they're on their way again. It isn't as if the people themselves are bad, there's just no connection, and it's purely physical. She longs for something deeper, less fleeting and more steady.

Avi's worst relationships are those he's found himself in to keep up apperances, or to see that his contracts are carried through. There's no love or desire there, just a job to be done, the same as any other. They've always felt like lying to himself, and leave a bitter taste in his mouth, that he tries hard to forget.

💑: What are my muse's requirements for a potential partner?

For Hiro, it would be someone understanding--who can be caring, even if it's hidden, and the ability to reciprocate his affection with something genuine. He loves deeply, and seeks someone who does the same, and is fiercely loyal to them. He wishes to meet someone who he can truly trust, a rarity in Night City, where nothing is what it seems.

Ares wishes to find someone passionate, who feels deeply, and is equally adventurous, and someone who can contrast her roots. She's grounded but is looking for someone that pushes her further, to take better risks--to live more freely, and break her routine, and what she thinks she knows. And someone who won't shy away from getting their hands dirty, isn't afraid of a bit of trouble on occasion.

Avi seeks someone who intrigues him, who can match his mind with their own, and who challenges him--allows themself to be understood, and does the same in turn. And someone who is patient enough to stick around, allow him to flourish, and transform, reveal hidden facets.

[iamthenightcolormeblack]

Impressions of Bride and Prejudice (2004)

I finally watched this movie as it is currently free on YouTube! It's a really interesting "modern-day" adaptation (specifically a Bollywood musical) of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice which takes place in Amritsar, India, London, England and California, USA instead of the English countryside. It stars Aishwarya Rai as Elizabeth Bennet (now Lalita Bakshi) and Martin Henderson as Mr. Darcy (William Darcy).

Names:

Bakshis = Bennets

Jaya Bakshi = Jane Bennet

Lalita Bakshi = Elizabeth Bennet

Maya Bakshi = Mary Bennet

Lakhi Bakshi = Lydia Bennet (Kitty isn't included here)

Kholi Saab = Mr. Collins

Balraj = Bingley

Chandra Lamba = Charlotte Lucas

Kiran = Caroline Bingley

Darcy's mother (Catherine Darcy) = Lady Catherine de Bourgh

The Casting:

Aishwarya Rai as Lalita Bakshi. She's captivating and beautiful as Lalita, with intelligence and wits to match. The film understands why Elizabeth Bennet is one of literature's greatest heroines: she has a lot of self-respect, speaks her mind, and refuses to compromise on her values. What's most important is that she achieves the balance between the two clashing cultures: she cares about her family and respects Indian traditions yet is also a strong individual who keeps her dignity.

Martin Henderson as William Darcy. I don't like that Darcy is an American in this movie because (in general) Americans are usually less reserved than British people, so it takes away a key part of Darcy's character (his repressed emotions). He's much more sympathetic than book Darcy because he seems to be more open-minded towards Indian culture the more he learns about it (unlike book Darcy, who is stubborn and insists that his "good opinion once lost is lost forever"). In the book, Darcy's pride has several characteristics (belief in the correctness of his opinions, belief in his social superiority, bad treatment of others he thinks is beneath him). I don't like how the film simplified his pride into imperialism/ethnocentrism, which he lets go of pretty quickly. Plus his "rudeness" can easily be perceived as discomfort in a new cultural environment because he hasn't been exposed to Indian culture, whereas in the book it seems to be intentional (and Darcy acknowledges to Elizabeth that he was taught to treat others beyond his own social circle meanly). Overall I had rather too much sympathy for him because he's too easy to read; he's experiencing a lot of culture shocks which he isn't prepared for, and his imperialistic beliefs (which come from his mother) don't help. One of the reasons book Darcy is interesting is because he's mysterious; his emotions remain hidden and the only sign of his growing love for Elizabeth is his staring at her. This Darcy is just a typical white American boy who is in love with a woman far superior to him in terms of intellect and cultural awareness.

Nitin Ganatra as Kohli Saab. Mr. Collins is one of my favorite cringe characters ever and never fails to disappoint. In this movie, he's an accountant who lives in the Beverly Hills area in Southern California and is very arrogant because he thinks he's a big shot living close to celebrities in a one-of-a-kind colonial home (when in actuality he lives in a cookie-cutter house in a suburb). He peppers his speech with Western slang to show off how "American" (and thus wealthy) he is, yet still clings to outmoded beliefs that women should be submissive housewives. He represents the very worst of Western culture in that he's materialistic and looks down on Indian culture as beneath him. In his quest for riches he has lost his Indian identity and become greedy.

Notable Scenes:

The first dance. Balraj is happy to have fun and show off his awesome dancing skills. Darcy, meanwhile, observes that the mothers are eyeing Balraj for the marriage market and is worried that his friend may be trapped by gold-diggers. He's clearly uncomfortable and out of his element here, so Kiran helps translate the songs for him. It's interesting seeing Kiran as a translator here because it would explain why she's one of the few people Darcy hangs out with; she's a cultural intermediary here to help him acclimate to a strange new environment.

Darcy snubs Lalita. This part in the book where Darcy insults Elizabeth by proclaiming her "tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me" is significant in forming Elizabeth's hatred of Darcy. Not only is he impolite in refusing to dance with Elizabeth, he also shames her by criticizing her looks. In the movie, Darcy excuses himself from dancing with Lalita by saying that he's busy preparing for a conference (in this version, he's a rich businessman who operates luxury hotels). I wish they had kept the original insult in because without it, Lalita's dislike of Darcy has less merit. While it was impolite of him to not dance, he did use a proper excuse and didn't insult Lalita, so unlike in the book, it doesn't make sense why she would hate him so intensely after that one meeting.

A Marriage Has Come to Town song. In this song-and-dance number, Lalita and Jaya are preparing for the wedding to Balraj. The whole town is excited for the wedding and Lalita wonders if life for a woman is all about getting married to be a mere wife: "It seems they had nothing in their lives before today / and why are they so happy to give a daughter away."

Darcy and Lalita conversation #1: Lalita points out most Amritsar residents can't afford to stay at Darcy's luxury hotels; Darcy says standards are necessary, justifying the high price. Darcy says he finds arranged marriages strange and "backwards," hinting at an affinity with Lalita as they are both "romantics." Lalita, still thinking that Darcy is attempting to insult Indian culture, says that arranged marriages have evolved and may not be so evil as he thinks it is.

Lalita and Darcy "accomplished woman" scene. So they have the part from the book where they have Darcy's unrealistic list of the characteristics of his perfect woman and then it becomes a culture clash. Lalita says Darcy's whole hotel business is imperialism (the tourists visit without appreciating Indian culture and the jobs created only benefit the well-off). Darcy replies: "But I'm not British" ("American exceptionalism" is just another form of imperialism).

Dinner with Kohli Saab. I love watching all the "Dinner with Mr. Collins" scenes from all Pride and Prejudice adaptations because it reveals Collins' great arrogance in assuming himself to be of greater importance than he is, as well as his bad manners. This movie does not disappoint; Kohli Saab literally eats with his fingers, shoving rice into his mouth while talking at the same time. Meanwhile, he spews out misogynistic views of women, stating that he came to India to find a "traditional" wife who will serve and obey him; after all, there is "no life without wife." He notes that the Indian-American girls have "a conceited sort of independence" (not what he actually said in the movie, this is a quote from the book which really fits here) and that some of the Indian-American girls "have turned into the lesbian." Lalita later recalls that watching Kohli Saab eat is like observing "a Jackson Pollock painting."

"No Life Without Wife" song. An accurate reading of Kholi Saab: he's "crude and loud" and came to find a wife by flashing his "green card, new house, and big cash." The song reveals what a hypocrite he is; he's lonely and pathetic because there is "no life without wife" yet he won't respect his wife as his equal. I love the "Kohliwood" fantasy sequence where Lalita pictures herself unhappily serving Kohli as a submissive wife. After the song ends Lalita imagines herself marrying Wickham in the English countryside before it turns out Darcy is the groom; she runs away from him.

The Cobra dance. Maya shows off her dancing skills in an awkward dance. Kholi criticizes Indians for being "unsophisticated" (what an arrogant person) while Darcy, in a change of heart, praises how highly they value family.

Kholi's proposal. I love how he tries to train himself to power walk because it's trendy and before proposing stretches himself clumsily, knocking over a pot (he definitely isn't husband material). Lalita mocks Kholi's obsession with physical health, pointing out that many people are physically healthy but don't exercise their minds.

Visiting Kiran. Kiran is arrogant and takes the Bakshis over to her fancy apartment where the mother tries and fails to show some cultural knowledge. I find it interesting that the movie made Lalita and Kiran foils of each other. They are both intelligent women who are "multicultural" in that they can navigate both Indian and Western culture, but they use their cultural knowledge in different ways. Kiran uses it to belittle others and demonstrate her own superiority, while Lalita uses it as a means of gaining respect for herself and others.

Darcy ends up on the same airplane flight as Lalita. This is a cute scene where he gives the first class seat to Mrs. Bakshi just so he can sit with Lalita in economy class (he's totally in love with her!).

Kohli Saab's epic house tour. Love how he pays great attention to the jet tubs and the closets.

Meeting Darcy's mom. She's totally ethnocentric and possibly racist. The first thing she asks Lalita is "tell me about India" and she expresses her disappointment at Darcy's decision (because of Lalita, it's so obvious he's in love) not to buy the hotel in India because "everybody has their hand on India these days" (brings to mind spheres of influence/colonialism since the mother sees India as a place to make a profit). Then the mother reveals that she really isn't interested in India and only knows about its stereotypes: "well, with yoga, and spices, and...wonderful Eastern things here there's no point in traveling there anymore." Meanwhile Lalita retorts that "people haven't stopped going to Italy because Pizza Hut's around the corner."

The first proposal. Darcy's conflicted feelings for Lalita are effectively summed up (perhaps better than in the book, where he begins well but ends with a long account of the inferiority of Elizabeth's connections): "he loves her in spite of the fact that he tried to forget about her, he still wants to marry her in spite of the fact that his family (specifically his mom) will disapprove." Unfortunately, the emphasis on the social inferiority of Lalita's family is left out; Darcy doesn't say anything else until Lalita claims that he thinks her family is inferior and blames him for separating Jaya and Balraj. I don't like this because it seems like the separation of Jaya and Balraj was the only reason Elizabeth rejected Darcy. Also Elizabeth's admission that she did try to overlook her prejudice of Darcy doesn't make sense, because only after the first proposal does she do so.

Plot Changes. The major plot points are all included but the "order of events" has changed:

Lalita and Darcy become friends and she meets his family before his disastrous first proposal. There's a montage where they are traveling alone together, visiting the Grand Canyon and sharing a moment on the beach. I don't like this change because Darcy's separating Jane and Bingley wasn't the only reason Elizabeth rejected him, it was because she hated him (arrogant, proud, doesn't treat others nicely). By showing early on that Darcy is a good person, Lalita's prejudice against Darcy makes less sense because she now has a glimpse of Darcy's true character which in the book doesn't happen until the Pemberley visit.

Their early friendship disrupts Darcy's character journey because it reduces the significance of the first proposal to his character development. In the book, he doesn't start to reform himself until Elizabeth tells him that he needs to behave in a "more gentleman-like manner."

The first proposal is the consequence of all the miscommunication and false perceptions affecting Elizabeth and Darcy, and it motivates both characters to change. Elizabeth rightly scolds Darcy for being inconsiderate; he did the proposal for the selfish reason of purging his feelings so that he wouldn't have to suffer anymore and assumed that she would say yes. Elizabeth rejects him because of his rude manners and lack of consideration, and his defensiveness (where he portrays himself as the victim of feelings and implies he's such a good boy for wanting to marry her in spite of her horrid family) doesn't help. After realizing the extent to which Elizabeth hates him, Darcy writes The Letter to set things right, and Elizabeth realizes that she is not the best judge of character. Thus, giving us a fuller picture of Darcy's character and letting him charm Lalita before the first proposal reduces the significance of the event to the plot and character development.

Wickham and Lakhi have a connection early on, making Lakhi's attempted elopement inevitable. Right after the failed first proposal, Lakhi runs off with Wickham and Lalita and Darcy find out about it at the same time that Darcy comes to apologize and tell Lalita that Wickham is bad. I love that Wickham was punished really badly; after Darcy fights him, he gets slapped twice, once by Lalita and the second time by Lakhi. Even better is that Lakhi doesn't end up with Wickham.

Themes

The film uses the culture clash between India (Eastern) and Western cultures to examine what makes a good marriage.

Indian culture as presented by the film is more collectivist ("we" over "I"). It also promotes traditional gender roles, with women expected to be "meek and submissive" wives. In contrast, Western culture in the film is more individualistic and aspirational (careers and love are possible). But at its worst it condones exploitation of others for profit and cultural intolerance.

In the book, there are different kinds of "culture clashes:" traditional nobility versus new money (the Bingleys made their fortune in trade and Caroline is hoping to be an accomplished woman to make up for this), country versus city (Darcy offending Mrs. Bennet by claiming that the society is "confined and unvarying") and arranged versus romantic marriages.

The misunderstandings that propel the story (Darcy's dismissing of Elizabeth as "tolerable," him falling in love with her even though she still hates him, her belief in the legitimacy of "first impressions") are emphasized through the culture clash. Many of the conflicts in the film are a result of cultural stereotypes and conflicting beliefs.

Interestingly the film doesn't resolve the question it raises of how best to appreciate India and its culture. Lalita raises a lot of points about not oversimplifying Indian culture to a few stereotypes, but one could argue that India as represented by the film might be stereotypical. With the exception of the resort scenes and Goa beaches (which are tourist traps according to the film), the scenes in India heavily emphasize the "developing country" aspects of India with lots of pastoral scenes (cows crossing the road unharmed, farmland, dirt, shacks, dirty motorcycles fighting each other in traffic). Plus the "culture" as represented by the film's dance sequences seems to be the dominant Hindu culture with lots of elephants and saris and curry. Yes, I know this film is a romantic comedy, but the assertion that India is a complex, diverse country is contradicted by what we are presented. Presenting the rustic aspects of India would explain why the characters want to get out of India and go to the richer Western nations, but it harms the premise of the story that we shouldn't judge based on first impressions because the India scenes seem to confirm a Westerner's stereotypes of India (exotic people living in a primitive land).

Changing views on marriage: In the film, as in the book, we are presented with traditional and modern views on what makes a good marriage. Mr. Collins' marriage represents the traditional view in which marriage is a practical "economic proposition," much like a business deal where the marriage is made for the securing of material wealth and happiness comes last. Lady Catherine and other members of the aristocracy view marriage as a means of producing heirs (and bringing large amounts of money through dowries) to keep the property (source of power and wealth) in the family. The modern view of marriage is a partnership of equals who love and respect each other; happiness rather than material wealth/power is the priority. It threatens the power of the traditional nobles as it provides the potential for social climbing. Finally, it becomes another part of the culture clash, as it also ties in with the Western value of individualism, putting it at odds with the more collectivist Indian culture as presented by the film.

Elizabeth and Darcy in the book and in the film are united by their belief in a marriage based on love (the modern view). In the film, Darcy says he wants to look forward to starting each day with his wife, while Lalita says she wants a man who is a romantic and respects her for her mind. For instance, Elizabeth states that "only the deepest love will induce me into matrimony" and that Jane and Bingley should have some time to get to know each other before being rushed into marriage. To Elizabeth, mutual love and respect are essential for a marriage to succeed.

As for book Darcy, when Caroline catches him admiring Elizabeth and asks if he will marry her right away, he jokingly rebuffs her for making that assumption: "A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy." Significantly, he mentions love needing to come before marriage, hinting that he shares the same belief about respect (admiration) and love being necessary for a good marriage. In fact, a big reason he separated Jane from Bingley was because he feared that Jane did not love Bingley in return. In short, love in marriage is just as important to Darcy as it is to Elizabeth.

Conclusion:

Bride and Prejudice, as shown by the title, focuses heavily on the theme of marriage and uses the culture clash between India and the West to emphasize the importance of first impressions in our treatment of others.

Even if you aren't into Pride and Prejudice, the movie is worth watching for the Bollywood dance sequences. I also liked the songs because they effectively developed the marriage theme.

The characters are mostly true to the book, except for Darcy, who isn't proud enough and is quick to reform his character.

Last but not least, the real villains of the story were imperialism and ethnocentrism.

Tags: @thatvermilionflycatcher @appleinducedsleep @princesssarisa

[arcgeminga]

Aries Venus, Taurus Venus, Gemini Venus, Leo Venus, Scorpio Venus, Sagittarius Venus, Capricorn Venus for the twins.

Venus Sign Headcanons! (For the Twins, Aspros and Defteros)

Aries Venus: What is your muse's favorite pickup line? Are they brave when it comes to asking someone out? How bold is your muse in expressing their affection?

♚— I wouldn't say that they have a favorite pickup line. Gemini, in astrology, are silver tongues, so they will fit their words to the situation if they can do so. Defteros and Aspros are equally flirty, but Aspros' flirtation flourishes under different circumstances.

Are they brave when it comes to asking someone out... well, Defteros is brave to ask/hint at sex. He isn't one that asks someone out on dates (because he's never been on one, romantically). Aspros... Well, I can see him being sort of brave. But I wouldn't count it as 'brave' rather than him just throwing darts on the wall and seeing what sticks.

How bold are they... Hm, can I say that they're pretty cowardly?

Defteros won't initiate affection. Especially if we're going with my normal portrayal (close to canon). He thinks that being affectionate is too weak to start, which is why he won't ask for hugs or pull someone in for cuddles. And he doesn't like PDA, and he might end up saying the wrong thing if he is too flustered or embarrassed (when he'd mean to say something affectionate, it comes off as an insult). So, I would say that Defteros isn't bold with expressing his affections. For my private AU and/or any AU where he's recovered from the trauma of his brother dying or being evil, and he has a partner who understands him, he can be affectionate. but it will take a long time for him to get to the level of being comfortable with it.

Aspros, on the other hand, is... bold with his affection behind closed doors. He loves showering his partner with affection in private, especially if he can trick them into loving him. I would like to say that he even treads into semi-public territory, but seeing how evil the 18th century was towards homosexual men (going with my headcanons of him being closeted), he wouldn't do such things directly in the public eye. He's fine with flirting and showering women with affection in public, but it doesn't mean he's really comfortable with it lol. Of course, in his unsundered AUs, however, he's an embarrassing lovebug, so yes, he would be very bold in those AUs, but it's restricted to Sanctuary. Outside of Sanctuary is when he is more careful about it.

Taurus Venus: How long does it take your muse to settle into a relationship? Does your muse value relationship stability or excitement more? Is your muse possessive of their partner(s)?

♚— Hm! Interesting set of questions.

How long does it take...

For Aspros... I would like to say it probably takes him about a month? The reason why I say that is because prior to getting into the relationship, he evaluates the person with heavy scrutiny. He wouldn't get into a serious partnership if he didn't think they are compatible. So, because he's demisexual, he would probably have to spend a long time as a 'comrade' with the person first before he takes it to the next step. Or, rather, he won't consider them to be 'partner' material until he gets emotionally invested in them--even if that means he's faking the relationship before then. If he's faking the relationship, he wouldn't ever 'settle'. There are little things he does that gives away that he's 'settled'.

For Defteros, though... I wouldn't know. He's never been in an actual relationship in my headcanons... But if he did 'settle' into a relationship, I suppose it might take longer than Aspros. Since Aspros has a set requirement to get comfortable, Defteros doesn't have a definitive requirement as an aromatic...

Value Stability or excitement... Hm... Honestly, for both, Stability.

For Aspros, he's a romantic, so ofc he'd want to have a stable relationship. If he could have a perfect balance of both, then he'll be very happy, but he is a secret romantic with a soft inner heart (thanks to his Pisces moon). So I would imagine he wants his relationship to be true, especially after the shit he went through in regards to romance.

For Defteros... Especially if it's after his brother died, he wouldn't want a partner who isn't there for him when he becomes emotionally or mentally unstable.

On the account of Possessiveness... actually, if it's a romantic partner, for both of them, yes! If it was just a casual sexual partner, they wouldn't really care because they aren't emotionally attached, but for romantic partners, they're pretty possessive. Defteros more so than Aspros, since Defteros, especially in his later years, embodies more of the 'rawness' of a typical 'male'. But they are both quite possessive. I wouldn't say to the point where it interferes with their partner's daily life, but they will get pretty competitive and aggressive if they see someone making moves on their partner.

Gemini Venus: What's your muse's favorite dirty joke? Is your muse a tease? How long does your muse stay in a relationship on average?

♚— Hm... Like with the pickup lines, I don't think they have a favorite dirty joke... Just whatever comes to mind, I suppose.

A tease... Well, I wouldn't know? I don't see them as people that would tease unless it's just for one-night hookups. But even then, I feel like they pursue more than they want to be pursued. Maybe Aspros would play a little more hard-to-get if he's feeling like being a bottom... but I wouldn't know! I never considered it.

How long do they stay in a relationship on average... Well, this one is easy for Defteros: None, because he's never had a partner before. For Aspros... well, I headcanon that he only had one prior real relationship, and that only lasted like less than a month because it turns out the dude was using him as a fucktoy. So, I would say that like.... they aren't actually well experienced with dating. But, usually, if they were to date *more often* (which they won't) with the intention of it being a long-term commitment, because of their standards they would probably try to stay in the relationship for a long time. Defteros would probably have shorter relationships though...

Leo Venus: Does your muse boast about their prowess? How much attention does your muse require in a relationship? Is your muse a showoff when it comes to flirting?

♚— Haha, 'prowess' as in 'sexual prowess'? No. Neither of them would brag about it. Unless they're dirty talking to their partner, but even then they don't brag about it. It's not their style to brag rather than show with their bodies.

How much attention...? Hm... Honestly, not too much! I would think anyway... The only one that needs attention is Defteros, and it's not really in a flattering way. It's just in the way to help him overcome his inner demons and mental state whenever he feels like a failure or having a meltdown over his brother's death. Other than that though, they don't really need a lot of flattery. Do they like having attention? Yes, of course. But If you over-flatter them with praises, they might start to feel awkward or that you're pulling their leg for entertainment. Which isn't bad, but it will get you in a tickle fight.

Are they showoffs... No! Not really. They're quiet flirts, i'd like to think. Speak in gentle murmurs, whispers in ears, careful but calculated touches as they kiss down their partner's neck... They don't really show off a lot because when they flirt it's not about them. They make it all about the person they're flirting with and try to shower their significant other with so much affection and flattery that it wins them the reward of getting laid.

Scorpio Venus: How intense are your muse's love affairs? How good is your muse in bed? How quick is your muse to confess that they love someone?

♚— Ohhoho, this turned into Sinful Sunday...

Hm... How intense... I would like to say 'very intense' but it's different for both of them.

Aspros' sort of love affair is intense on an emotional level. Especially if he's in the mood to make it intense. I wouldn't say that it's something that happens all the time. He doesn't like to put the love meter on intense all the time, but it's still more of an emotional thing than a physical one.

Defteros, on the other hand, as I mentioned time and time again, he's into the very rough stuff (bdsm territory). So his 'love affair' would probably be very intense physically, but it's not really 'love' if he goes that hard. It's just more of an outlet for his negative emotions. If he were with a partner, it's still going to be intense physically with a lot of aftercare, even if they don't actually do any of the rough stuff.

How good are my muses in bed... HAHAHAHA It should be self-explanatory. So I'm gonna skip that.

How quick is it for my muses to confess that they love someone... Honestly, very hard! Between the two, Aspros would probably crack first, but even that requires a lot from him. Defteros, on the other hand, I feel like would only say "i love you" if he or the person he loves were on a deathbed. Defteros just has no need to say it most of the time, so he doesn't. But it's very very hard to get them to even slip and confess it.

Sagittarius Venus: Does your muse prefer their relationships to evolve or stay consistent? What's a description of your muse's ideal partner? Do they take love seriously?

♚— Hmm.... this is actually weird.

For both of them, ofc they would want relationships that evolve. Gemini needs to have mental stimulation and they're always moving (mentally, physically, and spiritually). If their partner can catch up while not caging them, then they would be a lot happier with their partner. So, of course, they would like evolution in their relationships even if it's slow. I would imagine that Defteros and Aspros are patient with their partners if it's a slow but positive improvement.

For their ideal partner, I'm skipping that question, lmfao.

Do they take love seriously...

Well, Aspros does. Although he wouldn't realize it in the 'close-to-canon' AU. He takes love very seriously to the point where he feels a bit weird taking advantage of someone's genuine interest (I write, laughing at Aspros because he's a hypocrite in this regard), but, most importantly for him, he takes HIS feeling of love seriously. It's a bit selfish, but if it's HIS feelings, then he takes it a lot more seriously than he takes other people's feelings.

Defteros on the other hand never felt 'love', as an aromantic. Not romantically, anyway. He's felt familial love for his brother, but romantic love he's never really experienced (I'm not including my AU version of Defteros for reasons), so I wouldn't know if he takes it seriously or not. I would assume he's aware and conscious of another's feelings for him, but I don't know if he would handle those feelings like fragile glass.

Capricorn Venus: What are your muse's favorite displays of affection? Do they prefer more to give or to receive gifts from their partner(s)? Are they practical or idealistic in love?

♚— Favorite displays of affection? They both love physical attention. Gentle kisses, hugs, cuddles, spooning, and definitely head scratches. They are so sensitive to head scratches! But as much as they love physical affection, they won't ask for it even if they crave it. But this is the number one reason why Defteros is very picky about who touches him, as I stated numerous times. Aspros is also pretty picky about who touches him, but he plays off his discomfort since he has a public image to maintain.

Do they prefer to give or receive... Honestly, if it comes to physical gives, they both prefer to give. They want to shower their partner in diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, gold and silver... I feel like they would think that they need to give their partners expensive gifts because that's the only thing of value. They wouldn't just hand over flowers and chocolates, no, they'll do that plus give brooches or rings or necklaces or even a jeweled accessory box! So, for physical stuff, they prefer to provide.

Practical or Idealistic in love...

Aspros is idealistic when his imagination really starts going. Heck, if he and his partner talk about it too long (say, they have fantasies about their future together) Aspros will let it get to his head. So I will like to say that Aspros is a bit idealistic, but only when he's really head-over-heels in love with his partner.

Defteros, on the other hand... I feel like he's always been the pragmatic twin. So even in romance, he'd be practical. In fact, I feel like, in its rawest form, he wouldn't even think of it as a 'romance' (if this is after his brother died and he lives on canon island). I feel like he'd just adopt the natural way of seeing 'relationships' and view it as a mutually beneficial partnership. At least, in the normal or serious AUs that I have. He's not really idealistic in any AU where he has a partnership with someone...