#their relationship is like cat and mouse with the roles switching every time

[then-be-a-warrior]

In the original timeline, Kraang won because Leo interfered with getting the key. In the new timeline, Leo won because Kraang dodged Leo's sword instead of stopping it. Their respective cockiness made them lose.

The fact that the world (and history itself) was dependent on who was going to fuck up at the last second between these two prideful bastards is just wild to me.

[classic80sand90smovieloves2]

NSFW Headcanons~ Sammi Curr

(Not my gif)(Requested by anonymous)

(Following in the movies metal “god” portrayal of Sammi, I’m using BD for before death Sammi and AD for after death Sammi. :) )

- While I don’t think it changes the way he behaves astronomically, I do think it should be noted that Sammi BD acts at least somewhat differently than Sammi AD. Sammi BD is a bit more lighthearted than his undead counterpart and is more likely to genuinely love you/be in a relationship with you; while Sammi AD is more concerned with the amount of control he has over you.

- Either way, your boyfriend got around. He was a half naked, world famous, heavy metal Rockstar: if he wasn’t doing it with equally famous celebrities, he was doing it with the dozens of groupies he had throwing themselves at him every night. 

- I’m sorry but did you see that tongue?? AD Sammi is definitely more of a receiver than a giver; unless he’s got an ulterior motive for really pleasuring you, but BD Sammi was definitely a fan of going down on you, and was damn good at it too. He’d get off on seeing you come undone and that twinge of surprise and nervous anticipation in your eyes once he crawled between your thighs. 

- But speaking of AD Sammi, he’s got a selection of sensual superpowers to choose from and he’s more than happy to use them on you; especially when he thinks it’ll benefit him. Disembodied and invisible hands raking across your body and undressing you, a feeling of electricity washing across your entire figure, a ghostly energy pulsing deep inside you: it’s times like those that you remember exactly why you’ve sold your soul to him. 

- Electricity play is somewhat unavoidable: it comes off him in drives so while he isn’t going out of his way to taser your womb, he is undoubtedly giving off waves of energy; making every part of you stand on end, and occasionally delivering a shock to some part of you when you get particularly mouthy with him. 

- I mentioned it before but AD Sammi is definitely more of a receiver; especially when he thinks your loyalty to him is waning. Every now and again, you’ll have to assure him that you’d do anything for him; getting down on your knees and waiting for his next command as he stares down at you with a subtly pleased expression on his face. 

- Foreplay? Oh, you mean staring at him in awe and anticipation as he walks around your room? Just Kidding; but also not really. Both versions of Sammi tend to take their time in the bedroom so foreplay is usually a mix of cat and mouse comments, skillful touching, and your natural response to him towering over and fixing his attention on you. 

- Speaking of touching: he does a lot of it. Sammi is consistently feeling you up: groping and grabbing and running his hands down your body; even if they’re technically not really there. He’ll also use his long acrylics to trace down your skin and make you shiver; loving the way you arch your back at his barely there touch. 

- He’ll be especially handsy when you wear things with leather and/or black lace. He’s a sucker for it before and after death.

- BD Sammi is closer to being a switch than anything else. He isn’t really set in one role and typically likes to switch it up throughout the night; rolling around in the sheets with you and just doing what feels right/fulfills what you’re both trying to accomplish. Being wild and enjoying yourselves was his main goal. 

- AD Sammi is almost entirely dominant and borders on being “your master” in and out of the bedroom. If it isn’t completely a thing then there’s definitely hints of a master and slave/servant dynamic when the two of you are together and that’s just the way that he likes it. He loves knowing that you’re completely under his spell. 

- Speaking of his spell: a big part of his allure is how little you have to worry about when the two of you are together. Being with him; especially after his death, is like having a wet dream: your anxieties and self consciousness sort of just melt away. The first few times your together, it’s like your head is spinning in the best way possible and that feeling gets to be pretty addictive. 

- The only thing you have to worry about is his reaction to you defying him or letting him down; or maybe even a bit of jealousy....

- Depending on your relationship with him, jealousy and possessiveness can be a pretty big part of your sex life; especially after he dies. In his eyes, he “owns” you, so seeing you with other men is not something he particularly enjoys; especially if the two of you had an actual relationship prior to his fiery death. 

- You’d be trying to move on and date other guys, and his ghostly presence would watch from the sidelines before wrenching the door off the hinges of your dates car and disposing of his body. Don’t you know who you belong to? Now he’s really going to have to remind you.  

- Yet, regardless of his mood, his pace still stays the same. He’ll usually either take things slow and steady; focusing on being sensual and making you burn with desire, or go hard and deep; usually with a bit of a quickened pace. Some nights he does both and alternates between the two whenever he pleases. 

- Speaking of some nights: he’s the type of person who likes to go all night. He’s got a hell of a libido so as long as you’re up for round after round, he is too. 

- Doggy style is definitely his favorite position but he’s also a fan of trying new things so whatever fits the mood or helps him accomplish what he’s trying to accomplish will be used as well. 

- Quickies before or after his concerts; usually in his dressing room or a secluded corner backstage.. 

- Considering the fact that he bit into and drake a snakes blood on stage, I think it’s safe to say that blood doesn’t scare him. If you’re on your period, he’s still raring to go: whether that includes using his hands, his mouth, or his other appendages. 

- And, while we’re talking about getting messy, let’s talk about his lipstick kink. I think he’d be a big fan of smearing yours across your face or seeing his own spread across your body; quite literally leaving his mark for anyone and everyone to see. 

- Lipstick marks aren’t the only things he leaves behind, though. He sends you off with a patchwork of hickeys and bitemarks to show off to all your friends as well, and if you have a habit of trying to cover them up, he’ll make it so that you can’t. 

- He’s not a complete masochist but he does like a little bit of pain with his pleasure so don’t be scared to give him a few of his own bite marks or dig your heels/nails into his back. It’s probably how you manage to get yourself a call back before the two of you started dating during his “alive years”. 

- Regardless of whether he’s alive or dead, I have a feeling that he’d get off on taking you in your bed, surrounded by your photos and posters and records of him. He’d like the slight ego trip that it gives him and the idea that he was “making your dreams come true”; even if you were just roleplaying. 

- Roleplaying between the two of you typically revolves around groupie scenarios: well, either groupies or good girls being defiled by bad boys. He kind of likes the idea of corrupting you; even if it’s just pretend. 

- Sammi is packing and I refuse to believe otherwise. He’s not hung like a horse but he is longer than average and girthy and for that reason, he is very proud. 

- Birth control is definitely the best option when your with him; you might even want to throw in a bit of witchcraft while you’re at it because I wouldn’t trust regular old pills to save you. I also wouldn’t trust him to remember to put on a condom or even just trust him to put one on in general, and AD Sammi is exactly the sort of entity to purposefully make you into the mother of a literal hellspawn. 

- He’s not terribly loving during aftercare; especially after death, but he does take care of you when he thinks that it’s necessary: whether that be carrying you off to bed, saying something sweet/as sweet as he’s capable of, or leaving you with a passionate and heated kiss. Typically though, he leaves you limp in bed, completely satiated while he reminds you not to let him down and to fulfill your duties as his humble human servant. 

[kampfkuchen85]

We are enemies, right?

Characters: Haruchiyo 'Sanzu' Akashi, reader

Warnings: mention of blood and injuries

Note: english isn't my first language, so there could be mistakes - this is just a fanfic, don't take it too serious - I don't know what I wrote here and I had this for so long in my drafts :D There will be a second Part.

POV: Sanzu and you are in rival gangs

Part 2

Masterlist

===============================================

You did it! You actually did it! You were succesfull. You were finally able to steal the more than important usb-stick from him. All the names and addresses of their current business partners were on it. More than enough to blackmail and ruin Bonten. Your boss will be proud of you, you thought, with a victorious smile.

Sliding the stick in the back pocket of your jeans, you were looking around with open ears to be sure that no one was to be seen or heard.

It was a more than difficult mission. You knew that Sanzu is the one who was in charge of the device today, the 'owner' of that stick is switching every day. That was the most difficult part. Stealing the device from Kokonoi or Mochi would have been more than easy, stealing it from the Haitani brothers or Kakucho would have been difficult, but stealing it from Sanzu was nearly impossible, but you loved some challenges. You could never tell his next moves, that guy was unpredictable. That's what made him the most dangerous in your opinion, but you loved the adrenaline that flodded through your veins. Mikey never had that usb-stick, so he was out of question.

Your relationship with Sanzu, if you could call it that way, was different in another kind of way. You knew each other for quite a long time now, you were always members of different, rival gangs, always playing cat and mouse games. Sometimes he was the mouse and you were the cat, sometimes you changed your roles. The other members couldn´t believe that you both had so much fun chasing each other - laughs from both of you could be heard on the battlefield or wherever you met each other - they were wondering how none of you was already dead. Yeah, it was just a game for both of you.

Even with this strange behavior you two were enemies and you both knew that.

That's why he didn't hesitate to attack you with his sword when he realized that you were successful in stealing the device from him, which caused you a long, bloody wound on your left arm. If that wasn't enough he shot you in your thigh when you were out of reach of his sword, already escaping him. Thanks to your gun, he wasn't uninjured as well, you managed to give him a wound on his left forearm.

Now you are standing here in a dark corner of the underground car park, trying to calm yourself down and catching your breath. You were tired from running and you could already feel the blood loss. You just have to get out of this damn building, running to the streets where your colleague was hopefully waiting for you in the car and then your mission would be a success.

But you began to feel dizzy, your eyesight getting worse every minute, your forehead starting to get sweaty.

“Fuck!”, you cursed under your breath, trying to stop the bleeding by putting pressure on the cut wound and the bullet hole. You were holding your breath, when you heard footsteps coming closer, unable to defend yourself with one hand on your arm and the other on your thigh. If you wanted to defeat yourself, you had to use one of your hands, so you wouldn't be able to stop the bleeding for a short time.

‘Fuck, fuck, fuck….”, you thought repeatedly. ‘Is this how it ends?’

You searched for your gun, but you couldn't find it anywhere. You must have lost it while running away. Something like that could only happen to you and in the worst opportunities. So the question of how to defend yourself was off the table. Maybe with your fists and your legs?

Sanzu heard your small curse, walking slowly in your direction, before he was looking around the corner, seeing you leaning on the wall, approaching you with his typical smile.

“Hi Y/N! I can't believe you managed to steal something from me and on top of that something so important. You´ve got my respect! Mikey is going to kill me if he finds out, so.....I have to make sure that this will never happen again. You understand, do you? Sooo, any last words, princess?”, his words sounded so sweet, but he was pointing his gun at you.

You took a quick glance to both of your sides, but there was no chance of escaping, so you admitted your defeat with a deep sigh.

“I had fun. I mean….this thing between us, I don't know what to call it, but it was fun. I don't want to boost your ego even more, you´re already such an egomaniac, but you were always my favorite member of Bonten. Not as stiff as the others, especially Rindo”, you rolled your eyes in annoyance when you mentioned his name and faked a gag.

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Rindo sucks!”, he agreed, which caused you to chuckle.

“So….finish it. Make it quick please. Straight in the chest, not in my face, okay? They should at least recognize my face when they find me here”, you smiled at him even when there was nothing you could smile about at this moment, your last moment.

He paused for a moment, unsure of what to do next, while you waited for the shot. His reaction shocked you, when you felt his lips on yours. You looked at him like a deer in the spotlight when he ended the kiss, your mouth half opened.

“Not today, princess”, he whispered in your ear. “I want to have more of our funny games in the future, but this”, he showed you the usb-stick in between his fingers, “is my property.”

‘When did he…?’

You shook your head in disbelief with a small grin on your lips.

“Don´t tell Mikey that I lost it, okay?”, bringing a finger to his lips. “That's our little secret.”

He gave you another kiss on your lips, this time longer, before he made his way back.

“See you next time, princess. Make sure that you stay safe until then.”

Then he was gone and you were able to make your way out of there as well. You need to see a doctor immediately. The mission was a failure, but you were alive at least. That means that you could try it another time, continuing the funny games with him.

[jypbae7]

Im Changkyun - Natal Chart

- requested by @jookyunz

Can’t remember if you wanted the 18+ section so I included it at the bottom and marked it incase you wanna skip it ❤️

(Not claiming to be an expert this is just for fun please don’t take anything too seriously!) Hope this is helpful and that you enjoy it 🥰❤️

Personality: Aquarius Sun, Aries Moon, Capricorn Mercury, Aquarius Mars

Aquarius Sun comes with lots of intrigue and lots of complexity - like the other air signs Aquarius is very adaptable and tends to prefer an “exciting life” (though earth signs tend to see this lifestyle as pure chaos lmao)

Aquarians tend to be intrigued by mystical things due to their very logical view of the world, this logical side can often lend to them coming off as cold or aloof but it’s less about that and more about their need to rule with the head and not the heart in order to avoid being thrown off the balance that they like (Aqua is a fixed sign) also they do NOT want to be hurt by people so the guard they have up towards the world is basically an iron curtain till they develop enough trust with you

Aries Moon is equally as spontaneous and adaptable but for a different motivation - Aries is bold and wants the most out of life and you can bet your bottom dollars they’ll do WHATEVER necessary to gain the lifestyle and goals they set for themselves.

But since they are naturally social butterflies and genuinely just want to have fun and encourage the people they love to reach for their dreams and have fun doing it, they tend to succeed rather easily since people are drawn to them. - All about confidence, bold styles, working hard because they NEED to be the best at whatever they do, but they definitely play hard too (as does every fire sign lmao)

As much as Aries and Aquarius like change and excitement - Capricorn Mercury does NOT. This adds a LOT of grounding and “tradition” to quick moving Aries and unconventional Asquarius.

Capricorn Mercurys are known to speak slow, quite monotonous and precise which I definitely have always felt about Changkyun. You’re not getting too much fluff or extra words from them because Capricorn finds it a waste of energy. They say what they mean when they mean it and not much else more. But this means they are good listeners and are very comfortable and unreliant on “attention” or “being in the spotlight” giving them added levels of independence. I also feel that this is why they are sooooo unbothered by other people’s opinions and friendship.

Aquarians straight up rather be alone than around fake people. They don’t care if they “fit in” with general norms because they don’t want to be like anyone else anyway lmao and they are interesting enough to keep themselves entertained. While Capricorn and Aries have places to go, people to see, and goals to crush so why the hell be worried about others???

Mixed with the other 2 placements it’s likely that his home is a serious sanctuary for him that he takes seriously. When he’s out in the world doing his busy schedules and chaotic traveling and work he’s happy and really feeding into the air and fire energy. But when he gets home it’s his Capricorn Mercury that is being nurtured and stimulated. He’s going to wanna hibernate there for a while without leaving especially if he’s been gone a long time. Could be either unbelievably messy or unbelievably neat but likely no inbetween with these placements lmao.

Aquarius Mars.... reminder that Aquarius is a fixed sign so this in Mars could mean one HELL of a temper or at least rage once he’s set off. But thankfully the Airy nature of Aqua means you’d really have to mess with him to get that kind of reaction because they generally really dislike being upset. They prefer staying content and neutral rather than having extreme feelings of any kind or it makes them veryyyyy edgy. If you can disagree with respect and if you provide logic instead of ego as your argument you’re likely to get a much better reaction from Aquarius

Relationships:

Non-Romantic Relationships & overall communication style: Aquarius Sun, Aries Moon, Capricorn Mercury, Aquarius Mars

Boy oh boyyyyyy he takes a LONG time to open up to people - 2 Aquarius placements and a Capricorn placement screamssssss trust issues and vulnerability issues

Capricorn doesn’t wanna sulk and talk about their problems so IF they trust you enough to come to you with an issue they want solutions and practical help and support

Is really cheered up by acts of service and quality time - watching a great movie even in complete silence just near each other on the couch in sweats tucked under cozy blankets or getting surprised with their favorite dinner can boost their mood instantly

Aries Moon as I said before is a natural in social situations and tends to draw attention even when they aren’t trying so he’s bound to come off a lot more open and friendly than he actually is. The deep stuff won’t come out till he REALLY knows and trusts you and even then… in SMALL increments

That said he’s a super fun friend to have - down for adventures, actually thinks about and puts effort into doing cool stuff with friends and loved ones

When it comes to friendships he shows care through quality time and acts of service

When he buys gifts for people he cares about they are BOMB - cool as fuck and either one or a combination of the following: one of a kind, meaningful as fuck, and/ or super expensive - most likely fashion, jewelry, something music related, or super cool stuff from his travels

Romantic relationships and preferences : Pisces Venus, Aquarius Mars, Aquarius Juno, Aries Eros

Lmao even MORE Aquarius and Aries energy

Ok into the main meat - these four placements are particularly interesting combo: 2 fixed air (Aqua), 1 mutable water (Pisces) and 1 Cardinal Fire (Aries)

Aqua Juno - generally hints at a pretty unconventional relationship and this can come in manyyyyy forms for the very unique and varied Aquarians (partnership without legal marriage, mixed race/culture couple, could even mean choosing a bachelor lifestyle over any normal type of relationship, etc.) - given that Changkyun seems quite close with his parents and his interest in kids I’d say he’s unlikely to choose the bachelor route.

For a lot of Aquarians unconventional can also come in the form of a very stimulating partner, they enjoy learning and expanding their minds and experiences which is why they tend to run towards challenges that others would run from. I think someone who shares similar passions but varied skills and/or background would fulfil that for him. Aquarius, Pisces and Aries like to be stimulated A LOT.

Pisces in Venus is a tricky placement - can be pretty hot and cold, lots of mixed signals, you should be ready to be stood up or flaked on atleast once in the beginning🙄) BUT if you actually manage to earn their trust and dedication they make very caring partners.

Pisces in Venus is art gallery and museum dates, binge watching documentaries especially murder mystery, and spending most of the summer near the closest body of water.

Aries Eros fantasizes about being in a partnership that others look at as a power couple but they’ll never admit it - they dream of a partner who is in awe of them and their accomplishments but has their own big goals and successes to cater to as well. They like people they can grow with as individuals and as a couple. Push and pull works really well with Aries (and the other two fire signs too honestly) they like the cat and mouse thing and they like to have time to miss & yearn for their partner especially the men - absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Love languages in order from most to least: quality time, physical touch, acts of service, gift giving

Aries is a strong sign and they want and need a real partner who respects and supports their independence and boss energy but also can nurture their softer more vulnerable side and be the strong one for them when they need it

***** 18+ Preferences ****

Ooof this should honestly come as a surprise to NO ONE but damn placements do NOT lie...Im Changkyun is one freaky ass boy

I mean ARIES EROS???? Let me spell that out for y’all: fucks you like he absolutely fucking hates you or ties you up like a present and edges you for hours till you’re crying

LOVES, let me repeat LOVES jealousy sex - whether it’s you being jealous of all the screaming thirsting fans he has or him being jealous of guys getting too close too you for his comfort - he is allllllllll about taking that energy directly into the bedroom ASAP (or a bathroom or even closet if it locks 🤐)

Could and WOULD makeout for hours on end - especially if he’s been drinking

The more you switch it up the more excited he is - with all them Aquarius placements it should be pretttyyyyyy often

Different positions, lingerie, role play - any and all of it excite him

With a partner he actually trusts and has feelings for I can see him being extremely open minded to trying things (though obviously EVERYONE has limits and boundaries)

Toys, blindfolds, handcuffs, whip cream, hot wax, spanking - all a STRONG yes

Get the strong feeling he has strong preference to use his mouth often - lots of kissing (passionate, needy, messy - sometimes more aggressive) , likes to give and receive hickeys, wants to kiss all over his partner’s body and LOVES oral both receiving and giving (and I get the feeling he’s TOO good at that 👀)

More willing to let his partner take control than you might think - he’s not a switch but he just doesn’t think you initiating or “being in control” makes him any less dominant. In fact it’s probably the opposite; you showing your desire to that point actually makes him feel MORE dominant and masculine

Literally could find anyone and everyone beautiful - is more attracted to people’s minds, spirit and energy than physical looks (BIG Pisces and Aquarian thing)

Gets turned on every single time he sees you in the crowd at one of his shows - makes him feel like you are the only two people in the world (drives his Aries Eros INSANE - gets a kick out of the slight power play of being on stage in front of so many people, as well as the secrecy and raw passionate energy of it all)

Tattoos, piercings, colorful wigs, or even just interesting jewelry paired with the right lingerie or outfit will have him 🤯- think short black see-through lace robe with nothing on underneath except a sparkling body chain dripping from your body....yep he’ll eat you like a main dish in .00000000023 seconds

Hope you enjoyed! 💕

[anonil88]

Malcolm and Marie live blog

I don't usually do liveblogs for movies but yea.

Spoilers ahead!!

I love that its modern timed but very 70s stylized.

A tune indeed.

When you are high and drunk on success and

How the white critic reacts is why I feel like gatekeeping my scripts. At the same time some things I do make are about race or involve.

Marie sitting on the patio smoking is a mood whenever men are talking.

So he's pretentious and unaware.

Whoever chose the music for this, I feel like we would be Spotify mutuals.

Can this nigga stop pacing.

Also can he stop talking;

Marie is so tired and unimpressed.

Also little booties matter and are to be bitten.

Oooo the tension and the jazz.

Title Card over mac and cheese.

Shitty boxes mac and cheese but still mac and cheese.

Tbh i always wonder if spouses/significant others get upset when their spouses don't acknowledge them during speeches.

John sounds so much like his dad but I really hope his acting style differs from his dad a lot.

Guilty confession?

He did not profit off of his partners backstory and then not even acknowledge her.....I.....

If that ever happened to me catch me cussing my partner out during the beginning credits, the end credits, in the car, and at home.

GASLIGHTER!

The way I'm excited for Zendaya to give me some, oooo can she work with Regina King. Please on my knees I pray.

Um no that's not your job to coddle your lead.

He's a dick and the type of dick who makes himself look like a good person around other people.

If Sam Levinson is trying to make his viewers more of misandrist, it's working.

I feel like Marie has her flaws probably a lot of them and we will surely see as this continues, but Malcolm needs to learn how to apologize sincerely.

70s vibes! 70s vibes!

Them kissing and talking about criticism and dreams makes me miss a partner. A partner that I've had and haven't had.

Women really are behind every great man.

Yea sir you fucked a happy moment.

Oh visual allegories for looking in from the outside and cat and mouse chasing and looking from the outside in.

She's saying she doesn't feel noticed by you.

Gas lighter :0 he called her an emotional support dog, bruh.

I would LOVE to co-write or take a writing class held by Sam Levinson. The fights i write are very much in this same realm of reflection and anger and monologue.

Sam.....sam.....are all the sides inside of you doing okay sir?

The ugly side of dating and being in a relationship with someone who struggles with their own demons.

Honestly I could close my eyes and listen to this script being read without seeing these characters visually. Just close my eyes and get a sense of these characters like it was a radio story.

Oh. Oh this is a new wheelhouse of Zendaya acting; a different voice is like breaking through here and her expressions aren't the same we are used to. You can literally hear another character in there....hmm.

Mans is outside really fighting with his invisible demons lmfao.

Selfish ass, how after everything she said you came out of it thinking about your own craft and self instead of how you hurt her.

So she's conditional.

Me: did sam (a white man) say nigga this many times in his script or are the actors adding their own inflections. Not just the lingo used but the topic of race and directing etc. being written by a white writer about black characters is always gonna be a critique when you're writer is a white person.

Alexa play Broken Girls by Saba

He is so hurtful.

A clown nigga a clown look in the fucking mirror you bozo head ass looking like you need some Mehron clown white and a size 16 in clown shoes.

John is doing a really swell performance and reading of these lines.

He is reading her for her insecurities by bringing up his experiences with other women and that.....is yikes.

Arguments can get messy like this in real life but it takes a lot of maturity and control to either not let it get to this point or have a healthy conversation afterwards.

This film is really shot on some very crisp lenses.

They sitting there like 🚬🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️.

Leftover Mac and Cheese and unfinished cigarettes.

The nyt etc. pay walls are so annoying, but there is a work around look at the articles on incognito or add a period at the end of the url.

He sounds like his daddy so much here, weird, this is the only part I'm eh on the dialogue it feels real but a bit out of pace in how they are bouncing off one another.

Nail scissors? So the end is not the only part he based off of Marie. 🙄

ITS A GOOD REVIEW YOU DINGUS but also its a full review they are going to critique things. She isn't wrong though he did profit off of a woman's story that was not his own to profit from.

Yes Malcolm because unfortunately all marginalized people look through a lens of life that is inherently political because of the world they live in.

He is so mad and upset and had a lot on his chest. But I think he Malcolm and Sam are talking about something thats an issue and a non issue. Being critiqued for you art is hard but also Malcolm is not super self aware. He's like a stand in figure of for example rich depop sellers who wanna be oppressed so badly they yell at others instead of examining their own personal behaviors and ethics.

Oh Marie, when you know the spark is gone and you pick fights because.

He ain't even ask her to read?

One critic I have for most of hollywood actors is they learn their cry and that is it. A change from this is Margot Robbie, I adore her fluctuations of crying being similar but the crying is carried differently for each character. If I had to say any actor that does a cry scene amazing its this woman right here (Amy Adams)

You stole her story from her and gave it away, she has a right to be upset and angry and a rubber band ball of emotions.

Citizen Kane, not the cinematography, but the story is it even that good? (Unpopular opinion but meh, maybe in my rewatch it will be better.)

But that is what people want authenticity and whatever authenticity means to them. What is real for one is false for another.

To be honest look at the criticism of Euphoria, well earned, but a lot of people were like this isn't real even though he literally wrote about his own life. People said it was inauthentic like....wtf.

Ahh the smoking is just a habit, he quit and she didn't.

CAST ZENDAYA IN A HORROR MOVIE PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING. Get Lupita and Zendaya and some more black actors preferably less known ones in a horror movie. One with a interesting script and story, directed by Regina King. Please and thankyou.

I love Marie yep that was amazing.

Behind every great man is a greater woman, one that deserves her credit for how she has stood behind. I wonder the stories of those women, what they have sacrificed or not sacrificed. Their thoughts and feelings when the world is surrounding their partner and views them as a plus one. (I'd write a short script about this but I think do I have the time, can I, or am I equipped ?)

He is a shitty person for bringing up his exes, like she even said I don't wanna know any of that.

Imagine being on anti depressents and rarely having a sex drive and then when you do your partner starts talking about their exes and tearing you apart for all your faults.

I love when you see peaks of Zendaya's cadence in roles.

Tension, what if's and he didn't even bring her up in his speech.

Marie to herself and the audience:

He is not afraid that he will loose her but as my character says in my unreleased story, "i can't wait til you give me a fucking reason to leave your ass." Malcolm expects everything in order for not even doing the bare minimum and she is only asking him for something as simple as consideration. She just wants him to be considerate. He wants to get married and considers their relationship like rolling down a hill at full speed and he cannot apologize, he cannot be considerate, and he cannot admit his wrongs. He can only offer her I love yous that he probably does mean but he does not back up outside of what he's done for her in the past. The past which was more of her experience than his and he sees his part in it as a burden. He doesn't use his own vantage point of the past to further his career he uses her. He does all of these things without a real apology or thankyou because he is not afraid to loose her.

The restrictions of quarantine and the panorama have made Sam's writing very no frills. I wonder how other films from other directors and writers that are filmed in small contained crews like this will be structured. But this was a very good movie gonna add to my letter box 3.3-3.5

Oh shit this is my song,

Ratings/overall thoughts:

Script is like a C+, B- : I could go into my heavier big brain thoughts on the script but I don't feel like it. You catch hints of it above it centers conversation on race and privilege, mainly the writers and questions i have that won't be answered but Sam did make me grow disdain for Malcolm over a short time. Which is sometimes hard to do because im one sympathetic person but the sympathy i have for Malcolm is at 0. Maybe a 2 at some scenes but then it quickly goes back to 0. Some parts of the dialogue miss the mark or hit the are off balanced. While some of it like Malcolm's bathroom speech albeit mean is really strong or their conversation when he comes back from peeing really shines for me.

Performances: B+ to A- because they carried the script further than it could of gone with less talented actors. The monologues do well to showcase their current skill levels which are already high af and leave room for anticipation in where these actors go next.

Zendaya holding a knife: A+ with a gold star. That switch on and off and on is delectable.

John being a shitty boyfriend but following Marie like a lost puppy: B+ with a good job written at the bottom of the paper, Malcolm being nervous a frantic dialed up with more realistic nervousness would have sold me completely on Malcolm's anxious waiting.

Cinematography: A and a participation award.

The mac and cheese: A+ for the easy mac. Wish it was like Annie's or Velveeta.

Cigarettes: Participation award and their picture hung up for student of the month. Why the grill lighter? Everytime Malcolm opened up his mouth Marie was like sparks fly.

The music: A++ with a prize. Whoever picked the music probably makes good Spotify playlists.

[xo-cuteplosion-xo]

A god's key to victory | Fyodor x Reader |

I got this idea whilst talking with another Fyodor simp. May mercy be spared on me for this piece.

A god's key to victory | Fyodor x reality-warping reader |

Disclaimers/ Warnings: Definitely a ton of mental manipulation. Obsessive themes. Depictions of abuse, controlling actions, violence, dystopia.

The moon shone elegantly, glimmering through the glass pane of your room. Off in the distance, there was life. Outside the glimmering stone walls of this cell-like room. The golden ring on your finger brought nothing but torment. At one point this choice had been easy. He’d finally broken you into submission. Even as the world submitted to his views, there lay a single person who could undo everything. If he touched you with a single finger, all of this would be gone. Fyodor had no room for the human emotion of love. Even though he did love you in his twisted way. He gave you everything, from jewels to fine silks. He teaches you his language and lets you see his rare moments of compassion.

This world was perfect, yet here you were broken. When had it happened? When had he stripped you of your free will? Your joy? Your liveliness? The smile he had no explanation for loving? The fight that made him fall evermore for you? He was a god now, a true god who dictated the crime and the punishment of this city. That had been it, hadn't it? The moment you used your ability so widely. The day he stripped this world of its filth. The day you became the goddess by his side. He had strained you too far. You seemed so numb now. Yet, it didn’t stop him from holding you on his lap and leaving pecks around your neck. You were all he needed in this world. If somebody touched you, he'd simply kill them. There were moments where your light returned, moments where he saw that glimmer of fight and joy.

It had started years ago, when you were naive and worked alongside the scum of this world. He’d met you in a cafe. He found the meeting rather... cliche. You had to work multiple jobs to pay for your place and support your life. He’d watched the way you avoided eye-contact with others. The way you so easily switched between personalities dependent on whom you were serving. You read through people so easily it was interesting to him. Nobody else seemed to notice that it wasn’t the real you. When you get to his table your eyes fell cold and distant. He had given you a mere smirk. You only needed one look to know how to warp his view. Your ability allowed you to push what you wanted onto anybody else. It warped the very fabric of the space you were around. He understood that within moments. He was after all a highly intelligent man.

When you begin to act smug and cold just how he was, he could only chuckle. You amused him. That alone was a dangerous feat; Gaining the interest of a man who thought of himself as a god. From then on he became a regular. He memorized what days you worked and the time. He’d sit there until your shift ended. With each of those passing days, he would find a way to talk to you. He observed the way you acted. Your eyes were the giveaway to it all. To almost everybody, you could pass for anybody. Yet, when he looked into your eyes, he found the light of a scared and naive child. He found it a fun game to change what he wanted each day. The confusion that passed your face, even if it only lasted a tenth of a second, filled his pride. You stumbled over what facade to act on.

It took a month for him to completely figure you out. When that happened you were doomed. He would begin his manipulation. He wanted you on his side. The things your ability could do for him were too enticing to pass up. He whispered soft words filled with false emotions. At least, that was what he called them at first. He never admitted it to himself, and so that’s what it was. It was all just a facade to gain your trust and snatch you away. To him, you were not a sinner like the others. You were something pure and unaware of the world's terror.

When he found you worked with the very agency that continued to stunt his plans, he became agitated. It was a minor setback. The one person he knows rivals his intelligence sat among that agency. His name was Dazai and to his luck, the two of you seemed rather… close. He would joke around with you a lot. That pink tint he had grown accustomed to forcing onto your cheeks would pass at his words. It grew an emotion he hated. This emotion wanted you for himself.

So, the next time he saw you, he began to ask you about your views on this world. Just as he had predicted you were nothing but innocent. You never noticed how you showed the real version of yourself to him. Laughing after work hours. He had started as a stranger, but now you trusted him enough to go drinking. You held up a glass with a rather bright smile. Still, unaware of his complex. He’d watch you drink and memorize your reactions to every little movement he made. “What do you think about the world?” he would need this sliver of information before he began his little game of cat and mouse. How far would he have to change your views to align with his?

“My views? Huh, I guess I haven't thought about it before.” you would laugh looking over to him. It was the first time you made real eye-contact. It felt so warm despite how cold his eyes looked. It sent an unfamiliar shiver down your spine. It shouted he was dangerous, yet you didn’t look away and continued to answer him. “I guess, I see the world as a scale. A world with evil and good? I think as the world is now. The scale is tipped in the darkness.” Fyodor would nod as if he were agreeing with you. Even if he didn’t, he wanted to make you feel safe and comfortable in his arms.

People are easier to control when they trust the person who is trying to gain control. If you opened up, he could sway and twist your own words to fit his own needs. “Then what is your ideal world?” he would often ask this question.

You would think for a moment before smiling with a hopeful glint in your eyes. “A world without suffering and pain! A world that’s just a bit less violent. It would be even on the scale. Enough evil to keep order but enough good to keep the peace. Things like the seven sins would be needed but, things like violence would be less frequent. People would feel safe walking in the night. Murders would be 1 in a million of chance. I want a peaceful world.” you would answer him honestly, and he’d hide his smirk. It would be so easy to twist your thoughts. The Armed Detective Agency stood in his way though. You believed being there would help the world; Even though that agency was filled with vile scum.

He’d begun to show you the truth, his truth. At first, he’d only suggest it. The suggestion that this violence was brought on by ability users. At first, you'd stick your tongue out and point out how you were one. When he made the assumption it was too early to begin that part of his mind game, he set his sights on bringing you closer. He wanted a step up from friends. He wanted to be able to touch you. So he slowly began to make his role in your life more prominent. “Your work, do you have a thing for anybody?” he would not be subtle with this.

When you told him you appreciate your friends there but, found you could never really love them because nobody else knew this you. He had thought you acted like this around your co-workers. Dazai could see through your ability, but it appeared that was not enough. You didn’t need an ability to pretend. That pulled his interest more. By now there was no going back. He had you in his grasp, and he would never let you go. “I don’t like anybody in that way.” when those words left your lips he would wrap his arms around you and lift your chin with a smug smirk. He’d let go immediately to watch your confusion. He would leave the bar to make sure that the moment kept its hold on you.

Just as he predicted you were distracted at work. And within the next two months, you began to trust him. Your co-workers knew nothing about this man. He had asked you to keep him from people he didn’t know. He lied about what he did for a living. He told you his work involved the government and telling anybody you knew him put himself and you in danger. So you were vague when your friends called you out on daydreaming or letting your attention drift. They asked, but you shrugged it off. When it got too much you simply came out with it. “I think I fell in love.” These words shocked even yourself. The faces of your coworkers were distant as you smiled to yourself.

He would only smirk, waiting for you that night at the bar, as if he knew nothing. He’d tease you. His body growing too close for comfort. He’d wrap strands of your hair in his fingers. Whisper little things that made you question yourself and your relationship with him. It took two months before he noticed even the smallest eye-contact would turn your face into that beautiful shade of rose. He’d lean down and finally give you what you had been wishing for. A soft peck on the lips. When you squealed in response he would snicker. “Something wrong, little mouse?” he would ask you the question waiting for your reaction. When you grew more embarrassed and attempted to hide your face, his dominance slipped from the facade he had been using around you. The glow of his eyes shaking you to your core. “It’s only natural to be so… adoring over a god.” That was the first time you had heard Fyodor call himself a god. If he did that in the start you'd have completely tossed him aside. Yet it was hypnotizing now that you had already fallen into his grasps. He always got what he wanted. Right now that was you and your ability.

The next step began in hints and murmurs. He would bring up your ideal world and put the question into your head. “What do you think makes that scale tip into evil?” when you respond with violence he’d nod and act like he was thinking. He was tricking you with terrifying ease. “This violence? Who causes it?” you would tilt your head before the answer peeked in. The one time he had mentioned abilities being at fault consuming your reason. You would argue in your mind until the answer you normally went for came to you.

“Violence is made from suffering.” you would smile and shift in your seat. You never initiated contact with him. You were too nervous too. He would hold back his agitation and nod understandingly. His hand cupping your chin to pull you to his lips. He was always rough with you; He knew how it affected you.

You kept it a secret from the agency for a while. Dazai eventually figured it out and asked if you were seeing somebody. You had only nodded and walked out to leave for the night.

It took a handful of weeks, but he did crack your mind eventually. It took some nudges, but he got you to start taking in his views. He would run a thumb over your hand and whisper things about the mafia. Like how if they didn’t have the powerful ability users they had, the crimes they committed would be punished. It would drive you to rethink your views. “So without abilities violence would be less? No, violence would be punished easier? That would lead to a decrease in crime from fear of being caught.” you would mumble your thoughts aloud unknowingly. He got pleasure from seeing you drift towards what he believed.

The next obstacle came ripping you from your current living style. You hadn’t noticed how your every free hour was spent by him. He did his work with you so sneakily, you didn’t see how you no longer had control of your life. He could get you to stay from work with a simple strand of words. He pulled you to his home one night. It was rather large compared to what you had thought. He began to show you sides of himself you haven't noticed. The sides that would have repulsed you now dragged you into him. Once you made a permanent residence in his home he began to talk about his views. You took them in and listened. Your chats were normally short. You took care of him. He smirked at how your dependence on him began to grow. You came home exhausted, and he’d plant you on his lap. His hand massaging your tired muscles.

He had to work rather hard to get you to leave the agency, but it happened. Now that you viewed ability users in the same light he did, all he had to do was show you the darker sides of your friends. Dazai’s past seemed to shatter you. You were betrayed and hurt. Fyodor did not waste a moment, he rebuilt your shattered heart around himself. He whispered how you only needed him and nobody else. You fell, trapped in that web.

At some point, you began to see him as your savior. He was the only person you trusted and didn't feel revolted by. You had stopped interacting with the outside world. There were times when you got annoyed with him and would scold him for forgetting to take meds, or stay warm. You found yourself smiling and laughing at his side. He showed you his co-workers eventually. When he had to go on trips he made sure they kept an eye on you. You could always call him if you felt down without him.

A year into this he made the move to make you permanently his. A ring on your finger. Something that made you smile with joy whenever you looked down at it. He began calling you his goddess from then on. You felt like you meant something to this world. For the first time, you were yourself without any insecurities.

He would never admit it, but that smile sent an unfamiliar flutter in his chest. He never laid a hand on you, but his words did enough. He so easily controlled you. If you displeased him he only needed to ignore you or give you a stern and cold glare. Those actions would have you on your knees, tears falling, and pleas for forgiveness leaving your lips. You never noticed how abusive this was. It may not be physically abusive, but this thing you had with your husband was most definitely mental abuse. Yet, you turned a blind eye. You never noticed. You were so starved for his love. You did anything for him.

So, when the fateful day came you pushed yourself just to achieve that perfect world. You were the key to his ascension. The key to a perfect world. The people who you once called friends came into your home threatening to take away the life that made you happy. They called you a traitor, yet Dazai took pity on how easily you had been manipulated. He could have prevented this had he seen through you. It was too late now and you’d need to be in rehab once they caught Fyodor. When those sounds reached your ears you could only panic.

Your heart raced as you ran to Fyodor. You clung onto him like a life-line. When they saw this everybody shook their heads in a clear disappointment. With riffles targeting you, Fyodor could only smirk. He looked down at you, leaning down, he kissed your cheek and whispered. “Warp this city to paradise. Can you do that for me, my little goddess?” he spoke with a false softness in his voice.

You looked to Dazai with fear, but when you blinked he saw no difference. The aim lights that had been on you and your husband shifted onto the agency. You had used your ability. Dazai knew he had to touch you to fix this. Fyodor also knew that so, he placed you behind him. Pulling a knife from his pocket, he merely smirked. “How do you plan to get over here Dazai?” he taunted before warning shots echoed and the agency members dropped to their knees. “We win.” he gave a final kick to dazai’s face. When they were cuffed and pulled away, Fyodor finally turned back to you.

You shook with fear and confusion, but the moment he wrapped you in his arms you were safe. You held onto him snuggling into his chest.

It took you two days to completely envelope Yokohama in your ability. Anybody who entered would fall victim. When you were done you fell, exhausted.

Even as the realization of what you had done enveloped you, there was no reaction. Fyodor found it upsetting at times. You were numb so often yet, in those fleeting moments where life poked in, he adored it.

This world looked perfect even though it was far from it. If anything this paradise you had made was a nightmare. There was peace and comfort; People were safe and pure. The only true evil that balanced the good of this scale were Fyodor, the demon, and his fallen angel; The god and goddess of this new paradise. He had most of the ability users wiped out, but the few who had held positions before your ability was used were kept alive.

“Look at our world, isn’t it beautiful?” he asked, whilst holding you on his lap. You merely nodded a soft, joyful glimmer appearing in your eyes before it left, just as suddenly as it appeared.

“I love you.” you would whisper the words, hoping to hear it back from his lips.

This once he thought, he’d say it just this once. “I love you too, my little mouse turned goddess.” that brought a smile to your lips. A real smile, one he hadn’t seen in ages.

[horrorslashergirl]

How would Stu, Billy, Jesse, Asa and Jeepers react to meeting, their future S/o, for the first time about to attack them, their S/o just standing there calmly when they get alittle closer their eyes turn blood red and a growl sounds from their throat followed by them saying 'if you come any closer I will make sure you feel every last drop of blood leave your fucking body' before flashing their fangs in warning

Slashers with an aggressive vampire s/o

Stu Macher

He would probably be the one to be the most scared shitless and the reason is evident; he is human with no force to combat yours, so of course, he drops his knife and backs away slowly.

Funny, because the other day he sees you in the hallways of the school and he knows he wants to find out what you truly are, he is just a curious idiot.

You two actually hit it off nicely after he promised that he won’t try to attack you again. You find the Goofus actually cute because he thinks he has a chance of actually hurting you.

He gets a little anxious when you get to close to his neck, but you promised that you won’t rip his throat off.

Billy Loomis

He actually got brave enough not to listen to your warnings and despite flashing him your fangs he actually runs straight to you, shocking you when he knocked you off, but with your in-human strength you flipped him off, getting on top of him.

The start of this relationship is kind of hate-love, because Billy doesn’t like competition, especially when he knows you have the upper hand. The only reason you let him alive was maybe you found him cute?

He admits he might get a crush on you, seeing how to are something he has fantasizes about? Blame the vampire movies.

Chromeskull/Jesse Cromeans

The start of a cat-mouse game and has every minute the role switches up because Jesse isn’t one to back down that easy, even for your vampire powers, he managed to give you some cuts here and there.

He likes a good chase and a formidable opponent, plus you are gorgeous with these red eyes and fangs snarling up at him. You are quite the feisty little thing.

Likes to tease you a lot and he doesn’t mind if you get these fangs close to his neck, on the contrary, quite the turn on for this behemoth of a man.

The Collector/Asa Emory

I don’t know how you will end up, but the image isn’t pretty, because you will end up being experimented on and it’s no surprise from Asa here; he loves uniqueness and you are one of a kind.

The way you flash these fangs and snarl at him reminds him of a very venomous spider and he wants to have you to his collection. No arguing there.

Of course with that feisty attitude of yours, he will be very tempted to knock one of your fangs out, plus he is curious to find your weak points. Not the fluffiest relationship.

Jeepers Creeper

Probably the one that isn’t fazed at all by your fangs and red eyes glaring up at him. He isn’t human himself and the fact he meets another creature of the night intrigues him.

You might actually end up being very good together, hunting for humans, chatting over a glass of fresh blood as one of your victims struggles to crawl away from you two. The dream date!

He isn’t scared by you. Have you seen what this monster packs? I’m talking about rows of sharp teeth that can rip flesh to shreds. What were you thinking?

[margridarnauds]

🔥 toho MA (both versions). and if you could disclose why exactly everyone likes it so much, i only watched A version once so i don't have much to compare

Potentially controversial opinion is that I do, actually, think that Natsumi Kon was a good Margrid - She put a lot of thought into the role, even if the conclusion she reached wasn’t the same as Sonim’s, that thought really comes out in her acting, and her Margrid is very distinct as a result. I do like her partially because, of the two, she confirms my ship of choice, but I also genuinely like her take as well, even though I think, of the two of them, Sonim probably ended up most defining Margrid as a character. 

As to why everyone likes it...

Hm, it depends, I think. For a lot of us, keep in mind that we were there for the German production, so we came in rather scarred to the Toho and had very low expectations. Then we saw it and were amazed because the difference was TREMENDOUS. It was a totally new musical. 

- Well-developed female characters. Both Antoinette and Margrid carry the musical and, while both of them have elements of stereotypical female characters in Japanese theatre (Marie wanting to be a good mother, wise wife; Margrid heavily being implied to want a life where she’s loved + has a family), they’re ultimately well-developed enough, on their own, that that isn’t really....a massive Thing™? Both of them are flawed, both of them are given high points and low points, both of them make mistakes out of blind prejudice, and the entire musical is really them coming to that understanding with one another. Fersen is, in theory, the male lead, but, by the end of the musical, most people aren’t REALLY talking about him, because....with the exception of Furukawa Yuta’s Fersen.....Fersen doesn’t really DO that much compared to the women. He gets a bit of stage time, but it’s usually there with Marie’s. In Margrid’s case...I can’t really think of that many female characters LIKE her, especially ones who are allowed to survive the musical. She doesn’t have a canonical love interest, she’s not ladylike, she’s bitter, she’s grimy, she’s uncouth, she’s impulsive, she routinely says things like “KILL THE CUNT” to the Queen of France, but she’s also vulnerable, brave, smart, and pragmatic. She’s allowed to do very fucked up things and then pay the price for them. While musical theatre definitely has come a long way when it comes to female characters being PEOPLE, it’s still relatively rare....to see a female character be a PERSON. Not necessarily a good or likable person, but a person. 

~ A well-developed villain. It really, really shouldn’t be a surprise that I like the Duc d’Orléans at this point, given that I have, as of the writing of this post, over 21,000 words published dedicated purely to him and Margrid banging in every conceivable surface in Paris and then getting emotional about it. And Mitsuo Yoshihara’s Orléans, in particular, has a phenomenal stage presence. The man isn’t conventionally attractive (sorry, Yoshi), but he OWNS the stage for every second that he’s on it. You can really tell that he put a lot of effort into his Orléans, creating a character who isn’t conflicted, who isn’t tormented, but who also isn’t the embodiment of pure evil, either - He’s doing what he’s doing because he believes, earnestly, that it’s for the good of France, even if that takes him to the point of doing terrible, terrible things. 

~ Fersen. Furukawa Yuta did something that I’ve never seen anyone do with Fersen before or since - Made him into a real character, not just a romantic hero. Historically, Fersen was said to be quite aloof and icy, a bit of an asshole (I’ve read some of the man’s reports, there’s a reason I have a folder on my computer called “Fersen being an asshole”, which is dedicated to when, for example, he’d suggest burning Paris to the ground) which is something that a lot of adaptations totally miss. With Furukawa...I can tell that he really looked into Fersen’s life, he really did his research into who he was, and the result, like with Orléans, is a character that’s much more grounded in reality, creating a much more plausible relationship with Marie. 

~ Interesting character dynamics - All that acting means that there are two levels to the musical - The first is the official canon, the second is the subtext that the actors create together, which can have a hundred different layers to it at a given time. A personal favorite is, predictably, Yoshihara, because even though he wasn’t double-cast in the role of Orléans, he actually switched up his take depending on who he was acting against - He reacts differently to both Margrids. With Sonim, he has a more professional relationship, occasionally teasing and goading her, while she tends to be more openly scornful of him, even though she does clearly respect him (and is devastated by the ending). With Natsumi, he’s very friendly, often touching her, with her reciprocating (and acting jealous when, for example, he shows attention to another female character, like La Motte.) With Furukawa’s Fersen, he’s enjoying the cat and mouse game the two of them are playing, while he has no such respect for Mario Tashiro’s Fersen. On and on - It really shows why I bother to buy both casts, because just one actor can totally change the dynamic. 

~ Impressive stage design - Toho borrowed a lot from the 2014 Korean, especially when it comes to its impressive usage of projections on the stage, but it also innovates with, for example, using a turning stage at key points, leading to some very smooth scene changes. 

~ Attention to detail - You can really tell that the people behind it put a lot of effort into getting the details right - Yes, some of the detailing on the costumes, for example, are wrong, and they had to condense a LOT of the Revolution into the breakneck pace of the second act, but you can see that, for example, they actually took the time to recreate Marie Antoinette’s historical bedroom. The costumes are stylized, but not as much as, say, in 1789 or even in the Korean MA, often borrowing quite a bit from the 1938 film with Norma Scherer, giving it a feeling of realism and being grounded in its own time. 

 ~ The music. It WAS written by Kunze and Levay of “Elisabeth” fame. Do I think the score is AS iconic? No, but a number of songs in it certainly give it a run for its money. Weil ich Besser Bin, Gefühl und Verstand, Frauen von Paris, the Reign of Terror, Blind vom Licht, etc. 

~ In general, by cutting out a lot of the superfluous characters in the German/2007 Toho productions, you just get this very human story, not making a grand point about Good and Evil, but about people making mistakes and then realizing it, with the final question of “What IS justice?” being something that’s left to the audience. 

[martellthemandalor]

Happy Deathday

Pairing: Max Phillips x f!reader

Warnings: Language, suggestion of biting 

Rating: T (teen)

Word count: 1.9K+

A/N: This is a small fic for anyone celebrating their birthday! I hope you enjoy this little treat with our favourite vampire sales manager. also no editing because i finished this at 3am lmaoo. 

Masterlist!

GIF IS NOT MY OWN. CREDIT TO THE OWNER.

“Happy birthday to you!”

The off-key drone of your co-workers voices finished with an enthusiastic round of applause. You smile up at the gaggle of them, leaning forward to blow out the singular candle protruding from the cake being presented to you.  

“Thank you everyone, please help yourself to a slice before you leave. Lord knows I won’t be able to finish it by myself,” You joked, gesturing to the sizeable cake that rested in the hands of your boss. He chuckled at you, setting the cake down and producing a knife to section it with.

You got to packing away your days’ work right away, your colleagues flocking to the sweet treat being offered freely on the adjacent desk.

A cold hand on your shoulder caused you to jump. Your mouth twisted into a small smile as you swivelled to find yourself met with the dark eyes of your manager.

“(Y/N) I need to see you in my office,” He instructed, that damn infuriating smirk playing across his face.

“Come on Boss, it’s her birthday let her go have fun,” Tim protested through a mouthful of cake. You grinned at him, rolling your eyes as you saw him reach for another slice.

“Thank you for your concern Tim, I would almost be grateful if it wasn’t a clear ploy to get more of my cake,” You accused playfully. “Of course boss, I’ll be right with you.”

Max gave your shoulder a squeeze, shooting you a wink as he sauntered back to his office.

“You really shouldn’t let him keep you late, this is literally the one day a year you can break the rules,” Tim mumbled at you, biting off another chunk of cake.

“Tim, I really don’t think that’s true,” You laughed, “But if it makes you feel any better, my plans don’t start until later, I kind of guessed Max would be enough of an asshole to keep me back after work,” You slung your bag over your shoulder and made your way over to Max’s office. Glancing over your shoulder you saw Tim trying to sneak another slice cake.

“Hey Tim, just take the whole thing okay? I’ve got another one coming later,” You called to him.

Tim’s eyes lit up, nabbing the cake off the desk and all but sprinting out of the door. You really did work with some… interesting characters to say the least. It certainly made every day a different experience, especially with the changes that had been happening around the office recently.

You softly rapped on the solid wood of the door, and upon hearing the muffled “Yep!�� from the other side swiftly entered.

Max was leant back on his chair, legs propped up on his desk. His eyes raked over your figure as you shut the door behind you. You turned to face him, bracing your back against the smooth wood.

“You never learnt the art of subtlety did you?” You asked him, arching your eyebrow at your undead boyfriend.

“Absolutely not sweetheart, sales don’t come from subtlety,” He claimed, swinging his feet off the desk and beckoning you to come sit on his lap. You rolled your eyes at him, an involuntary action you found yourself doing twice as much since beginning your relationship with him.

“People are going to find out about this if you don’t tone it down,” You said nonchalantly, wandering slowly towards the desk, your eyes locked on his.

“You say that as if it’s a bad thing,” Max retorted, dramatically rolling his eyes in direct parody of you. “Besides babe, I just know you love it.” He punctuated his point with a wink.

God you wanted to slap him sometimes.

“And… how do you know that?” You asked. Your fingertips trailed across the polished oak of the desk, dancing around the various pencil pots and other knick-knacks he had spread across the surface. Another part of his game with the team, every time he turned someone new, suddenly a new item turned up on his desk.

Max had told you it was a motivation tactic, because of course it was. He said that people don’t like being reduced to objects, explaining that by adding an item, a trophy, each time someone was turned reduced them to just that. By doing this, and drawing attention to it through meetings and whatnot, the non-turned would work twice as hard in order to stay that way, to not be reduced to an object. He may be a smug bastard, but you couldn’t say he wasn’t a clever one.

You slid across the front of the desk, gave Max the smuggest smile you could muster, then hopped up onto the edge opposite him. A blatant shun to his previous invitation. This was another game he liked to play with you, the cat and mouse of it all, and you were more than happy to fill your role.

“Because,” he said, leaning forward in that ridiculous chair and dropping his voice lower. “I could hear your heart beat faster.”

Yeah, he got you there. Damn his upper hand.  You tried to keep a straight face as the cogs in mind whirred furiously to come up with a smartass retort. It quickly became impossible to do so though, you knew Max could see right through your struggle as he slowly inched his chair closer to you. You fought back your smile, but lost the struggle with an infectious laugh as his face contorted into a smug duck face.

“Gotcha,” he proclaimed triumphantly. In one swift move he lifted you from the desk and into his lap, his strength meaning you weighed nothing as he pulled you close to him, causing a slight squeal to escape you. It sent a thrill through you whenever he displayed his strength like that, the way he strong armed you around a complete juxtaposition to the feather light way he handled you while doing it.

You wrapped your arms around his neck as you settled into his lap, his own hands resting comfortably around your waist. He cocked his eyebrow at you, his copyright smirk playing across his lips as he waited for you to make the move.

You smoothed your hands across the back of his neck, over his shoulders and traced your fingers across the rigid lapels of his suit. Then you grabbed onto the lapels and tugged him towards your mouth, leading him into a surprisingly gentle kiss.

His cool lips instinctively moved against your own, hand coming up to cup your jaw as he dragged his tongue across your bottom lip. Opening your mouth you let him slip his tongue in, his gentle taste of mint flooding your senses. You smiled against him when you broke for breath.

He dragged his lips across your jaw, trailing kisses down your neck.

“Happy birthday baby,” He murmured against the warmth of your skin.

“Thank you babe,” You responded, tugging lightly on his hair to pull him from you. You both looked at each other for a minute, his eyes darting over your features, as if trying to memorise you.

The silence was thick and comfortable, but as was normal with Max the quiet didn’t last long.

“Are you sure you want to do this sweetheart?” Max asked. He brushed his thumb softly across your cheekbone, his other hand coming up to caress down your neck. The tenderness of his touch made your heart jump at your ribs. You slid your hands up his arms, resting them at his wrists.

“I’m more than sure Max, we’ve talked about this, I want this,” You reassured him.

“But-” You quickly placed a finger over his lips. For a man so hell bent on turning every other warm body in the office for the sake of efficiency, he was being surprisingly apprehensive with you.

“Max. Look at me. I love you. I want this with you. There’s no one else I can possibly imagine being with, and I- fuck- I want to be turned by you so I can live with you as we are, forever. Okay?” You stressed. Max took your hands in his and brought them to his lips, peppering kisses along each of your knuckles.

“I love you to baby, so much,” He said gently. He leant in and pressed a series of chaste kisses to your lips. Then it was like a switch flipped in his head and suddenly your suave, almost douchebag of a boyfriend was back again. “Come on then sweetheart,” He announced, a tap on your thigh giving you the hint to stand up. You smiled as you dismounted him, heading for the door.

He got up and shot to the door before you could get close, opening it for you. He landed a playful swat on your ass as you crossed the open threshold, his voice following not long after.

“Let’s get you home and turned to the sexiest vamp in the office, rivalled only by me of course”

-

Entering your apartment was like entering a different world. Max had disappeared on his lunch break and where initially you were confused as to what he could have got up to for the full hour, it was now crystal clear.

He had come back to yours and cleaned the place from head to toe. He had also layed out candles and ruby red rose petals across the floor of the hall, which he was currently, and rather frantically, lighting as you hung up your coat.

Your living room had undergone the same treatment, with the addition of a bottle of red wine, a new wine glass set, a box of fancy chocolates and a small, very neatly wrapped, present sitting pretty in the middle of your coffee table.

“Max you- you didn’t have to do all this,” You exclaimed to your boyfriend, who had now settled himself on the sofa. He patted the space next to him, which you eagerly occupied.

“Of course I did, it’s your birthday and you deserve something extra special,” He responded, hand waving off your concerns.

He then leant forward and took the present from the table, placing it into your waiting hands. Snuggling into him, you began to carefully unwrap the present. The paper fell away to show a black velvet box, opening which caused you to gasp loudly.

Inside was a ring, a beautiful woven band of silver with a small diamond set with precision in the middle.

“Will you marry me?”

The words were murmured next to your ear, soft and laced with anxiety. Your stomach did a somersault for him, your beautiful, self-assured dumbass was really afraid that you would turn him down.

You twisted in his embrace, softly kissing him before whispering “Yes,” against his lips. His answering smile was one you were never going to forget, so full of joy and love, and all for you. Only for you.

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as Max gently took the ring box from you. 

He took the ring from the box and slid it onto your ring finger, sealing the placement with a kiss.

The rest of the evening flew by. Between the glasses of red, feeding each other chocolate and laughing, it felt like time had turned to liquid around you. Max was running his fingers through your hair, his gaze fixated on your neck.

It was time.

“Ready sweetheart?” He simply asked, as if you weren’t about to give up your rhythmic heartbeat for him. The anticipation was making your heart race and you wondered if you would ever miss the feeling of it hammering in your ribs.

“Yes Max, ready as I’ll ever be,” You affirmed, your hand seeking his own and instinctively locking with it.

You skin felt alight, burning hot when you felt the smooth curve of his fangs brush against your neck.

“Happy deathday baby.”

[huihuiheart]

In Bed - Wang Ziyi

Requested by: Anon

NSFW Themes Below:

100% - Switch 97% - Exhibitionist 84% - Dominant 80% - Degrader 78% - Submissive 78% - Primal (Hunter) 75% - Rigger 74% - Voyeur 73% - Sadist 71% - Experimentalist 69% - Primal (Prey) 68% - Daddy/Mommy 68% - Rope bunny 66% - Degradee 65% - Brat tamer 63% - Owner 59% - Brat 58% - Vanilla 58% - Masochist 47% - Master/Mistress 43% - Slave 42% - Pet 40% - Ageplayer 34% - Boy/Girl 14% - Non-monogamist

Description:

Switch: Ziyi is a switch to his core. He can switch on a dime too, but don’t worry he has the stamina for it. He has a tiny bit of a dom lean, but not much of one, so really whatever you’re down for he is too. This also makes him the perfect teacher if you’re a more inexperienced switch. He can teach how to dom or sub depending on what you want to learn. The hardest thing about him being so switchy is learning all of his triggers for each side of him.

Exhibitionist: Ziyi may be a little flustered, but he won’t hesitate to show off. Whether it be videos to his s/o, porn, mutual masturbation, or showing off to others. He’s all for it. He doesn’t much like to share his s/o (if you’re in a relationship), but he thinks it’s super sexy to show that side of one or both of you. It’s super aesthetic and arousing to him, though he might wear masks/hide faces in regards to porn.

Dominant /Degrader: He’s more of a soft dom, in that his punishments tend to not be super extremely physical for the most part (I’ll explain more in the sadist part), but he loves to break you down with his words. Make you squirm and drip by speaking the filthiest shit about you, honestly, he could possibly make you cum untouched with just his words.

Submissive: So it’s pretty obvious his subby side isn’t too far off from his dom side. I won’t go into too much detail, because that’ll come with later explanations. He’s a pretty fun sub, though, he’s eager to please. He can get a little whiny at times, but not necessarily in a bratty way more of he’s just whiny cause he’s needy (and a cute sub).

Primal (Hunter)/Primal (Prey): Ziyi likes playing a kind of cat and mouse game with you. He does have a preference being the cat in that, the hunter not the prey. It is 9% higher than the prey side, but he doesn’t mind either way. He thinks that to get the reward you have to work for it a little bit, plus it makes things more fun and more interesting.

 Rigger: As much as he loves it, I don’t think he’d do it all the time. Only, because he’s always trying out different things. For him though it’s about the aesthetic of it. Tying you up in different ways just makes you so pretty and irresistible and it gives him more reason to degrade you, so...it’s a win-win.

 Voyeur: Not nearly as much as an exhibitionist, but he is without a doubt a voyeur. He likes that he can get new ideas from it to try out on you and that it kind of sets the mood. Though likely he’d want you to be there with him while he’s watching whatever.

Sadist: So there are parts of this that he loves and parts he’s not as into which is why it’s not higher. Ziyi doesn’t necessarily want to bring you pain, which sounds somewhat out of place for a sadist, but let me explain. He likes humiliating you and when you trust him enough to give him control over you. It makes his heart race when you hand that over to him. Also, he loves the aesthetic of you reacting to the pain and the marks it leaves behind, whether in the form of bruises, bites, scratches, or wax. Since he isn’t necessarily huge on inflicting the pain aspect expect his hands/mouth to do the work instead of toys. Or the pain of denied orgasms. Though he will use wax play for this too.

Experimentalist: This man is all over the fucking place like he will try just about anything! He’ll switch around the ideas randomly too, almost as randomly as he switches between his dom and sub side. Sex with this kinky ass mf is never boring.

Daddy: So daddy here isn’t about the title, in fact, he doesn’t much care what you call him when he’s dom, as long as you aren’t a little brat. The percentage is more about the stereotypes of this role. Daddy doms are often softer than Owners/Masters and Ziyi is the same way. He has a gentler approach and is a bit more guiding and nurturing, typically. Also the sweetest, softest aftercare.

Rope bunny/Degradee: He’s a soft sub for the most part, but he likes being made to feel filthy. So degradation (within reason) is definitely something he’s into. Being tied up also has the same effect, plus it appeals to him because he wants to please you. So he’ll allow you to do whatever you want to him pretty much while he subs, being tied up only lets you do that even more.

Brat tamer: So he’s pretty patient, willing to let you have your fun even if it’s a little bratty. Hence, why this isn’t higher. Sometimes though he will snap. Usually, his punishments are more orgasm control/denial though instead of a pain-inflicting punishment. The man likes to tease okay.

Owner: Once again not about the name, call him whatever you want while he doms. It’s more of what this role would stereotypically entail. I don’t see Ziyi as the type to make you crawl around or collar you, put you in a cage, etc. He’s too soft for that usually. Though occasionally to spice things up he might throw this in from time to time.

Brat: Usually he’s more of a needy and desperate sub, but he has his moments. He thinks sometimes things just need to be changed up to keep things interesting and fun. Which is exactly what his bratty side will do.

Vanilla: His percentage for vanilla is so high because he’s a softy. As much as he loves spice and variety in the bedroom, he’s also for passionate lovemaking. You’re his heart and he feels like there is no way to express how he cares for you in words, so he has to show it to you some other way. 

Masochist: Ziyi doesn’t mind some pain, but he more of likes being on edge. He likes being surprised and finding wonderful little marks he didn’t know were left the next day. Reminders that will get him needy for you all over again.

Master/Slave/Pet/Ageplayer/Boy: So all of these are on the lower side, he’d still likely be willing to do stuff like this though. It’s simply that he doesn’t typically go that extreme in the bedroom, these being more intense than his typical style. Every now and then though he might switch it up, especially if you wanted.

Non-monogamist: This is the case if he’s in a committed relationship already. If he’s not he’ll do threesomes and stuff all the time. However, if he is in a relationship, then you are his very life. He wants you and you alone and it might actually shatter him to see you with another.

[unholyplumpprincess]

Seeker

Last of the survivor installments for @realityinspace featuring their OC Alex and his adventures in fucking killers.

Reblogs > Likes

!!!Minors and ageless blogs dni or you will be blocked on sight!!!

Fandom: Dead by daylight

Relationship: The Trapper/Male OC (Alex)

Warnings: R18+/NSFT, Dead by daylight normal violence, fluff, making love, mentions of scarring, twist ending?, gay shit man.

Words: 4.1k

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The game of cat and mouse between survivor and killer had been going on for so long that some spice was needed. Planting the seeds within Alex had been easy enough, he had already started making his switch whether he knew it or not. His want for revenge through pain and agony meant he was no longer willing to just play the Entity’s little game of fix the generator; It meant he was actively seeking out specific killers and making plans if he could snatch their weapons and slit their throat.  

An interesting survivor he had been since he arrived, the Entity had tiptoed along the lines of what he would be at first. And yet, now he is showing them his true colors. Running may have been his strong suit, and helping fellow survivors, but when it came down to it?  

You could only be a toy for so long.  

~Rest under the cut~

Since the run in with the Wraith, Alex has been back on his feet and more focused it seems. Yet, even other survivors can note his distance. The seeds of doubt were sown in his chest after all. If a killer could treat him as gently as the Wraith did, and the survivors just used him-  

No, didn’t use him, he made his role this way-  

Wait, no, what if that wasn’t true? Was he forced t--  

No! That wasn’t true- was it? No. This is all...  

All so confusing.  

Alex’s mind is jumbled and stressed every night, flickers of the rights and wrongs, what was up, what was down, what was true? He can’t quite find it.  

Nor can he feel the flickering lights inside of his own body calling to him to come into the fog, to come play with the big dogs, to enter the loving spider-y arms of the Entity who would love and care for him.  

Just take the leap.  

Alex’s mind at night is plagued by whispers, whispers he doesn’t remember in the morning yet whispers he does once he closes his eyes. The warmth of the fog around him, the idea of warmth sliding down his hands. Sticky sweet- crimson over his bare hands. The idea of getting vengeance is tempting, the idea of hearing another person scream that isn’t his own-  

Now that was a thought.  

Perhaps it has something to do with an event that happened a few days ago between a certain grinning masked killer and the arachnid beast that haunted its very own playground.   

“I’ve been here since day one  doin ’ what  ya  asked of me. Haven’t asked  ya for one damn thing, have I?” A gruff voice is heard only to one specific being. It doesn’t show itself, merely a mash of oranges, yellows, and blacks. It should have come to life as your nightmare, but considering the Trapper was no longer just a mortal man, it can only show up in this torrent of energy floating in front of him.  

The Trapper stands in the thick, dark fog, arms crossed and waiting for a response. The being before him shakes, as if seeming to laugh, but then it pauses, waving to the left and then to the right before a booming voice enters the Trapper’s head. It sounds like twenty different voices talking in sync, all in different pitches and emotions yet the most being prominently like a smoky feminine tone, “And, what, my dear Trapper, is it that you wish from me?”  

“The boy. You know the fuckin’ one. Been givin’ ya  hell, hasn’t he? ” The Trapper begins  as if in a huff , watching carefully as the begin changes form into the very same one he’d been fantasizing about. Alex. Except instead of his lovely olive toned flesh and his red hair, the being is completely black with glowing yellow eyes- far too many, maybe six all blinking at him and a wicked grin aimed back at him.  

The Entity was toying with him.  

“Oh, this boy?” It speaks, running a hand over its own throat  up into  its hair with a sigh as if pleasured. “Ah, yes, Alexander was it? What a lovely body he has...” It continues,  running a hand down the curve of its toned body, only for its eyes to snap open and glare at him, “The one who has been distracting you and making you fail my little assignments?”  

The Trapper bites his tongue despite having no need when he doesn’t use it to speak. Shamefully, he casts his eyes down to the floor to the side and briefly nods. No lying.  

“This is not how this game works, my dear.” The voice continues, less angry and much softer now. When the Trapper looks back up, the being is shifting forms and is now one of more just spider legs outreaching down from the sky- a favorite of theirs. It reaches towards him, stroking over the mask’s cheek affectionately. “You are my favorite and most reliable, Evan, you must understand this,” It sounds so soft, gently, but then it turns to a low growl, all voices seeming enraged like a disappointed mother.  “But, this is my game, not yours.  Return to your realm and do as told. ”  

However, this conversation was not ignored, that much Evan could feel as he leaves the fog with his head held like a disappointed child not getting what he wanted.  

--  

Alex’s moods shift through each trial as if he can’t quite get a grip of himself. He avoids the other survivors, yet still feels affection for them as he normally did. He still confides in Claudette the same as she’ll do to him, finding comfort in her sisterly aura and the way she confides in him back. Nothing but the truth between them, a sibling’s bond, truly. He still feels the need to protect, but there’s something more...  

More primal about it.  

He’s gone from just taunting the killers from afar and running to running AT them. Making the moves he needs to get a hit or two on them. He’s becoming more emotional, reckless- hell he bit poor Michael last round on the HAND!  

So, imagine how Alex feels when he sees the familiar white face of The Ghost.  

It’s like a switch in him. All Alex sees is red. The feeling of his pride being stolen from him, the burn of the scar on his hip. One could say there was no point in his anger, considering it had just been a hook, he’d finally been caught, and yet...  

He’d been branded. He’d been claimed- by someone he had no interest in being claimed by. It had been stolen from him, this sort of pride and aching that had him running circles around the killers for sport-  

The Ghost is tricky to find, he moves quietly and sneaks up on his prey. Thankfully Alex is following footsteps and the wisp of a cloak. Only briefly losing him only to hear a scream to his right- Claudette.  

He whips around the trees just in time to see a knife going up and Claudette kicking, always the fighter.  

There were unspoken rules in this realm. A Mori was a special gift bestowed upon a killer, you were to not interrupt it. You were to allow it to happen or run off before you could be seen. That’s how the games went, you were forced to obey these rules- you had to.  

And yet, as if in slow motion, Alex finds himself darting towards the cloaked killer. Snatching him around the waist in a tackle and throwing his lesser body weight into the Ghost. There’s a cry from behind him of ‘Alex, don’t!’ in fear, but his ears are ringing as he struggles for the upper hand. Rolling once before slamming his legs on either side of the killer’s chest, knife in hand.  

There’s no second thought, just the loud humming of whispers of ‘do it’ ringing in his head tauntingly, as if excited by this turn of events. The world seems to shake around him, vision flashing oranges and reds as he stabs the knife straight through the Ghost’s neck with a cry.  

And just like that? The world around him goes black. Alex is left with his legs straddling no man, nothing seems to be underneath him. He’s on his knees, knife stabbed through nothing, and confusion buzzing through his now quiet head. Knitting his brows, he slowly begins to get up, turning his head this way and that as the foggy shadows seem to envelop him.  

A soft noise behind him that sounds like a skittering insect has the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. Whipping around, he finds the spider-y legs hanging from seemingly nowhere reaching out to him as if beckoning him closer. Alex goes to move towards it, to take a swing, but it feels like his legs are walking through thick slime. He huffs, trying to open his mouth, but it feels like his jaw is aching and sore- like he was trying to break a jawbreaker for hours. His words are slurred, echoing as he tries to take another swipe at the leg that’s reaching out, aaaalmost touching him- aaaalmost able to hit it and then-  

A whirling sensation. Like he’s being ripped from the fog. Alex finds himself in a dark area, like a forest of sorts as he lands harsh on his knees with a gasp. His head whips around, lifting his body up so he can pat himself down to look for any injury. Nothing. Yet, also, no weapon. Frustrated and full of rage, he screams at nothing and slams his hand on the ground with a loud, “Damn it!”  

It takes a few moments to calm down, eyes whipping around at his surroundings.   

The sky was dark and cloudy, almost a dark blue shade like the moon was full somewhere. The wind is soft, rustling the trees overhead and surrounding the stone path leading to a. ..a  building nearby- a house. It looked like a  two story  house, almost like an old farmstead feeling to it. The porch had two lights lit on it with a rocking chair, the chimney churning out smoke and all the lights were on. It felt homey. It almost whispered to him to come closer.  

Hell, he hadn’t seen anything that comforting in months- or however long he’d been trapped here.  

Alex should have paid closer attention to the bear traps mounted on the wall outside or how he could see a deer head mounted inside. It takes him a moment to work himself up to slide up onto his feet, arms and legs aching and feeling out of breath. It takes him a moment longer to roll his neck to work out the aches only to freeze.  

Bear traps.  

The Trapper.  

What if this was a one versus one scenario? What if he’s playing into this game of cat and mouse? What if he had all this time for a  head start  and didn’t run?!  

Yet, the crunching of stones behind him tells him he isn’t alone. Alex’s breath is shaky, holding his head high to stabilize himself and to feel more in control. His fingers clutch into fists at his sides, hearing the huffing breaths coming from behind him much like an irritated bull.  

A feeling washes over him, as if someone is prodding at his mind and trying to find something before it clicks and he hears a voice breathe out, echoing around him, “I changed my mind.” It’s got this southern drawl to it, gruff and hardly used sort of tone. It sends a feeling over him he can’t quite describe- familiarity perhaps.  

Yet, Alex still whips around, taking a step back just as he sees a rough hand reaching out to him and the large, tall body of the Trapper stepping into the light. He bares his teeth, making a show of snarling the best as his mortal throat could allow before barking out a laugh to hide his nerves. “Changed your mind on what, huh? Not gonna fight me like a fuckin’ man? Going to just stand there and gawk?” He lets the taunts fly free from his mouth, trying to hide the way his hands shake.  

But, before Alex can take another swing with his words, the Trapper pauses. Doesn’t move any closer to him, just slowly reaches up and removes his mask much like someone would with their hat. He holds it at chest level, head bowing slightly to appear smaller and more at level with Alex despite being two heads taller. “I changed my mind on you just bein’ a passin’ fuck, Alex. ” His mind echoes the words, yet he watches as full, scarred lips don’t move.  

Even just the way that the Trapp—Evan says his name makes a shiver run down his body. He squeezes his eyes shut, feeling weak and strained all at once as he swallows a lump in his throat. Alex briefly remembers confiding in the Wraith about being tossed around roughly like a toy and wonders if he’d had a chat with the guy in front of him for that reason exactly. Something Alex would have to thank Philip for another time.  

“Come inside,” Evan begins again, voice soft and taking a step closer slowly, as if Alex was a rabid kitten. When he doesn’t flinch or move away, Evan comes a bit closer until he’s  arms length  away. “I made dinner? I know that may seem strange- I don’t think y’all are allowed those comforts, right?” His voice is oh so soft, and even the word ‘dinner’ makes Alex’s stomach growl. Something they both hear.  

Evan just sounds so...convincing, that even if this was a trap? Alex still follows without much of a fight.  A hungry man was a hungry man, after all. Besides, he’d been put through worse than someone trying to invite him into his home only to get stabbed.  

Yeah, wow, these games were really fucking him up, huh?  

But as Alex is led inside and the smell of food hits him, he genuinely begins to wonder if this was even a trap. Evan is so kind, pulling out his chair for him and pushing it in. The plate is filled with home style cooking and Alex about drools over his plate. The whole set up was rather sweet, a small table that they could reach each other across, different sides and dressings set around a ham that looked too good to be true. Everything was delicious once he finally put some in his mouth.  

Evan the whole time is sweet, looking like he’s trying to make himself smaller. Alex quickly gets over the fact his mouth doesn’t move when he speaks, able to trace his eyes over Evan’s face and how his facial expressions change. Evan tries to flirt in little ways, which is rather sweet in its own way and a big surprise to Alex. Philip must have talked to him, it’s the only answer- something must have switched in him.  

Evan’s features are rough with chiseled cheekbones and a strong, sharp jaw. His eyes are piercing and heavy set, seeming to be a hazel gold color with flickers of glowing orange inside that must have been the Entity’s influence. His nose is strong, the bridge obviously having been broken a time or two in the past with his lips full and a scar going from the left of his chin, up over his lips, past his nose and ending at his blurrier right eye that must have been blinded in some fashion. Yellow and orange lines seem to cut through his skin, including on his face.  

He was rugged and handsome, but not in a conventional way. It was  kinda  nice, considering what a pretty boy Alex was IN a conventional way.  

Evan, despite all of his doings in the past and what he is, is fairly kind while he flirts. Alex decides to play along, absolutely endeared as he nudges his shoe at Evan’s calf and hooks it around in an act of footsie.  

It isn’t until after dinner where Evan gently picks up Alex bridal style, unlike the way he’d been tossed over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes in the past. Alex laughs, feeling free and at ease for once as he’s carried up the stairs and to a bedroom. It looks well cleaned, just a regular bedroom with the bed creaking as he’s sat on it. It smells like blade oil and pine.  

He expects Evan to shove him down, ravish him- hell, Alex almost wants that to happen. But instead, he’s asked oh so softly by the huge man, “Philip lemme know ya had a bad run in with someone...left somethin’ ya don’t want .”Alex’s breath falters for a second, turning his head briefly but is caught by rough fingers gently grabbing his cheek and bringing him back to look up at Evan. “ Lemme take care of ya, pretty boy. I’ll be real gentle- know a thing or two about scars. ” It’s said so gently, a soft echo in Alex’s head that he can’t even sass.    

Carefully, Alex kicks off his shoes and socks at the words of Evan to get comfortable. He stands on command for Evan, shimmying his jeans down enough to expose his hips and hiking up his  torn up  shirt to show the ugly scarring left behind. Jagged words that made him irate. Left by a man who had no means to claim him as his own.  

Watching Evan sink to his knees should not make  Alex’s  heart twist like it does. He’s so gentle the way he traces the scarring, it was pink and flaked, but not as deep as Evan had thought it would be. Some salve and some deliberate marking towards that area should fix it to let it fade in due time.  

It’s quiet and soft. And once Evan raises onto his feet, Alex can’t help but watch him, watch as he tries to come up with something, watching Evan’s eyes flicker to the bed. “Do you wan- ”  

“Yes.” Alex quickly responds, nodding vigorously in approval.  

That’s how they wind up on the bed. With Evan’s overalls and boots thrown to the side with just his boxers on and Alex’s clothing having been gently and gingerly taken off until he was only his boxers as well. Evan kisses him like a lover this time, soft and gentle as he could be with his body weight lying on top. Alex’s legs are framing one of Evan’s thighs, who is brace himself on his arms on either side of his head. One large hand caressing Alex’s red dyed hair as if he meant so much.  

He felt it too.  

The kisses start to get hotter, heavier with Alex starting it by biting Evan’s bottom lip. His hips grind up shamelessly into the large thigh between his own, Alex making a lovely, soft sound that just spurs Evan on into growling. It doesn’t sound possessive or angry, it just sounds aroused, a noise Alex could get used to. Not to mention all the soft, yet heavy pawing on his body.  

When the kiss parts, Evan fits himself between Alex’s thighs to spread them apart. Alex’s cock is leaking onto the front of his boxers, a dark spot on the gray that makes his breath shake. His eyes are half lidded, lips rosy and his teeth biting at his bottom lip in desire. There’s no words, there’s no need for them right now as Evan slots his clothed cock up against Alex’s so they can both shamelessly grind together.  

Alex looks a pretty dream, toned body flexing as his hips push up to rock his dick against Evan’s. It’s heavy, dirty, dry humping. Fit with Evan cupping the side of Alex’s chest so he can thumb at a nipple and use his other hand to wrap a hand loosely around his throat. The noise Alex makes is worth it, a low whine and an arch up into his hand as if asking him to put more pressure. Evan doesn’t, just holding him right where he wants him.  

“I wanna consume every inch of ya,” Evan starts just as he works Alex’s underwear down. A fumble for lubricant left in a nightstand drawer and a generous amount on his fingers is Alex’s demise as he dissolves into soft laughter. It makes Evan’s heart constrict in adoration.  

“Inside and out,” Evan continues, a smile on his lips as Alex’s eyes flutter before shutting just as he works a finger inside of him. His hand that had been thumbing at his nipple traces down the curve of his body to his hip, squeezing fondly. “I want you to be mine. Mine and mine alone...Think I could share ya, if ya knew that. ” Making a note to remind Alex that even if he still wanted to be sexual with others, he wasn’t going to stop his fun. As long as he knew who he belonged to.   

The noise, regardless, is worth it when Alex chokes on a sob as two fingers push into him. Carefully working him open and quirking upwards to make his smaller cock jump against his abdomen.  So  cute. So pretty.  

“I think I love you.” Evan’s voice is an echo of sincerity in Alex’s mind. It makes him choke on another sob, this time for various reasons. He nods in agreement, one hand reaching down and patting until he can grip Evan’s wrist on the hand that holds his hip. Thumbing over his pulse point adoringly.  

It makes Evan about break.  

Fitting his cock inside of Alex is much easier than all the times before. With lubing Alex up as well as himself and taking the time to stretch, he slides in with hardly any resistance besides Alex’s harsh panting and whining telling him to hurry up. He’s only silenced by hard, bruising kisses with desperate thrusts inside of his body.  

Evan doesn’t take him like an animal, not this time. His thrusts are well timed and deep, making sure Alex feels every inch of him inside of him. Making sure that Alex is moaning against his lips only out of pleasure. Alex’s arms wrap around his neck, holding him tight in turn as his hips start to  cant  and hump with Evan’s. Trying to reach his peak without a care in the world. As long as Evan’s heat stayed on top of him.  

Evan’s voice is a sweet symphony in his head of praise. Calling him a pretty boy, that he’s doing so well taking him, that he’s going to be his sweet little boy  toy  isn’t he? And all Alex can do is nod furiously in turn, clawing at his back and grabbing onto a hook jutting from Evan’s shoulder as he  cums  with a loud cry of his name. Spilling all over his own abdomen as Evan smashes their bodies together to vigorously pump into him.  

Alex is left feeling full and exhausted. Vaguely, he can feel Evan cleaning him up and wrapping him in a blanket, falling asleep in his arms. For once, feeling safe.  

His dreams are plagued, however. As oranges and yellows spin around his vision. The spidery legs coo to him in their multi-voiced persona, “What a special day it is for you. I am sure you shall keep my favorite sated, yes? And in turn, I give you another chance, Alexander. You shall play for the other side.”  

Alex can vaguely feel the change in his system, hardly fighting against it as the legs reach out to him, stroking down his cheeks fondly. “You will be accepted and adored by the rest of my toys.” Its voice is sickly sweet, sounding like a delighted child getting a new toy.  

“Let the rage consume your heart...Seeker. ”  

--  

A scared, panting survivor darts around a new arena. Their eyes flickering all around the new map. It looked like a huge gym, darting into hallways of a  broken down  college. Equipment in the gym allowed them to hide and a huge locker room to boot. Yet, it was far too open, you had to be careful about the generators all tucked into dead ends.  

You had to be careful of the new bare foot killer with a beaming fox mask with a dangerous weapon of kukri. For if you made a sound, anywhere he could hear, you’d hear the rapid padding of his feet heading right for you.  

May the hunt begin, and let rage consume your very thoughts,  

O’ dearest Seeker.  

[lazys-moved]

mobile  friendly  muse  lowdown   sparkling  heart  emoji

slice of life

cherry  duchanee  ––  teenage  runaway,  phone  sex  operator,  aspiring  camgirl     ( lisa, she/her )

nae  jiwoo  ––  fallen  baseball  prodigy,  online  presence  with  his  sports  webtoons     ( yeonjun, he/him )

nana  yang  ––  true  crime  podcaster  with  a  lack  of  empathy  due  to  a  lack  of  experience     ( soojin, she/her )

cash  chu  ––  college  dropout  and  full  time  caretaker  of  his  kid  sister     ( sungchan, he/him )

levi  hwang  ––  juvenile  delinquent  turned  frat  boy  dropout  working  two  jobs  until  he  inevitably  ruins  his  sobriety  &  probably  someone’s  night     ( chanyeol, he/him )

finn hae mingi ––  retail  worker  and  aspiring  fashion  designer     ( hanse,  she/they )

bok hajoon  –– former  farm  boy  who  left  for  the  city  with  guilt  and  dancer  dreams  in  tow     ( yeosang,  he/him )

jovi  cha  ––    high  school  luminary  left  behind  in  hometown  who  turned  to  onlyfans  as  a  spiteful  means  to  prove  his  success    ( doyoung,  he/him )

arielle  byun   ––   digital  editor  wasting  away  in  her  bedroom  due  to  difficult  maintenance  of  friendship  and  social  misinterpretations     ( lia,  she/her )

tess  han  ––   hawaiian  beach  bum  conservation  snorkel  boy  with  perpetual  broken  heart  syndrome     ( san,  he/him )

olan  sasiprapa ––   feline  pastry  chef  at  family  run  cat  cafe  with  constant  existential  worry     ( bright,  he/him )

james  ‘ jimbo ’  lee  ––    try - hard  bitch  baby  who  can’t  take  a  hint     ( yuchan,  he/him )

anna songprawati  ––  full  time  flight  attendant,  part  time  clout  chaser     (  tu tontawan,  she/her )

watchara  chao  ––  failed  med  student  with  mounds  of  loans  and  nothing  to  show  for  it  except  a  hidden  drawer  of  lipstick  stained  cash     (  pp krit,  he/him )

kane  shim ––  serial  monogamist  with  a  victim  complex     (  yunho,  he/him )

amani  davis  ––  history  professor  with  an  odd  interest  in  plagues.   velvety   timbre  as  though  permanently  between  library  walls,   genuine  adoration  for  topic,  & wanting  to  make  others  feel  that  same  way.   (  lakeith,  he/him )

cristian  kang  &  quincy  choi  ––   self - destructive  couple  by  nature,    passive  aggression  runs  through  veins  &  fuels  every  type  of  frustration.    sometimes  long  relationships  are  just  that:   long.   years  spent  together  considered  a  way  to  pass  time,   both  parties  finding  no  easy  way  out,   no  matter  the  dramatics.   trust  hung  by  a  thread  at  this  point  but  grip  of  codependency  held  tight.   (individual  blurbs tbd)  (  hyungwon  &  i.m  )

beau  youn   ––  classical  training  washed  down  the  drain  and  chased  with  bitter  pills  of  reality.   hushed  tones  and  no  traceable  path   ––   full  control  of  outside  perception.   days  planned  down  to  the  minute  as  though  puppeteered  by  curtained  authority.  (  juyeon,  he/him )

roxy  seong  ––  classic  case  of  neglected  child  syndrome,   but  catch  a  mouthful  of  silver  rings  if  caught  discussing  such  topics.   people - pleasing  arrogance  stemmed  in  the  possibility  he  could  be  worse.   virtual  friendlessness  a  result  of  distrust  of  himself  &  everyone  around  him,   but  victim  complex  stood  strong.   also  he’s  a  chef   (  wooyoung,  he/they )

simon  yu  ––   sensory  issues  misunderstood  as  rich - kid  antics  and  brushed  off  as  cavalier.   dreams  tucked  away  à  la  pandora,   knocking,  begging,  pleading  to  be  freed.    time  spent  alone  with  no  qualms  but  alienation  sat  heavy  upon  heart.   (  seungwoo,  he/him )

malakai  kyun  |  anita  cockatoo   ––   youth  hidden  away  behind  torn  hoodies  &  fingertips  stained  with  shades  of  soft  pastel ;   sense  of  self  found  in  solitude,   reflection  recognizable  for  once.   sticky  remnants  of  double - sided  tape  marked  the  blurred  line  between  expression  and  impersonation,   but  where  is  the  partition ?   (  seonghwa  &  chaeyoung,   she/her )  

in the spotlight

hwa  myung  ––  popular  online  makeup  artist  with  a  penchant  for  karma     ( taehyung, he/they )

sena  mun  ––  tiktok  influencer  whose  entire  sense  of  self  is  formed  by  her  followers     ( jennie, she/her )

jin  chani  ––  high  fashion  model  with  a  fragile  ego  &  a  habit  of  self  medicating      ( xion, he/they )

holli  tsutsumi  ––  heiress  whose  questionable  acquisition  of  fame  resulted  in  stunted  growth  and  the  know - how  to  play  an everlasting  role     ( momo, she/her )

ashwin  koomrampai  ––   recently  acknowledged  actor  of  his  generation  after  years  of   dark  horse   attitude  has  found  family  in  A - listers  notorious  for  holes  where  hearts  should  be     (  ten,  he/him  )

river  feng  ––  idol  walkout  coasting  on  name  recognition  and  pretty  privilege     (  xu  jiaqi,  she/her )

cao  zhenya  ––  actor  on  the  rise,  easily  starstruck  &  eager  to  please     (  minghao,  he/him )

KIKI  |  kian  park    ––   former  star  for  the  mouse,   male  finished  contract  with  decency  and  found  the  switch  to  a  music  career  quite  easily.    bridging  the  gap  was  to  be  modeled  after  ––  he  was  made  for  this.   somehow  everything  goes  right  for  him,   though  he  attributes  it  to  being  in  sync  with  earthly  energies,   perfectly  unpretentious  and  fearless.   (  jjk,   he/him  )

                 ‧͙⁺˚*·༓  SUITS  ༓·*˚⁺‧͙

ace  |  kitt  kaewburesai  ––  luxurious  offspring  of  narcissism  and  intrusive  thoughts,   decorated  in  matte  black  ornaments  and  topped  with  glossy  lips.   guided  by  clear  mental  hierarchy  and  insatiable  desire.   quintessence  of  immodesty  and  the  act  of  getting  off  on  that  knowledge  alone.   (  gulf  kanawut,  he/him )

jack  |  jang  jaehwa  ––  virtually  unrecognizable  by  design,   anonymity  incarnate  with  a  trail  of  ash  in  his  wake.    former  vicious  nature  diluted  &  concealed,   mask  far  more  impenetrable  than  self - imposed  veil  of  years  past.   mystery  shrouded  in  icy,  yet  enviable  energy ;   arrogance  ultimately  found  in  belief  of  ex - prey  never  catching  up.   (  hyunjun,  he/they )

queen  |  aaliyah  cha  ––   vitality  leaks  from  tear  ducts,   courage  the  only  weapon  available  against  forces  disagreeable.   sunbathing  in  the  warm,   jaded  glow  of  adoration  without  a  care.   abrasive  etiquette  off - putting  as  first  impression  but  loyalty  unmatched.  (  karina,  she/her )

king  |  adrian  he   ––  unresolved  traumas  wrapped  up  tight  with  a  bow  and  crowned  in  eroticism.   someone  under  stress  meets  someone  looking  pretty.   desire  lights  candle  beneath  self - imposed  iron  boots,   a  spark  to  outrun  the  void  that  always  seemed  to  be  at  his  heels.   (  xukun,  he/him )

supernatural  &  canon

ryeo  aeja  ––  [ mumbles ]  year  old  vampire  who  prides  herself  on  restraint  and  human - like  trust,  but  has  a  ravenous  darkness  waiting  to  be  freed     ( jisoo, she/her )

berri  darmadi  ––  reluctant  witch  no  longer  able  to  push  away  powers  (  brianne  tju,  she/her )

jake long ––  mack  daddy  dragon  of  the  nyc     ( lucas, he/him )

marshall  lee  ––   not  so  bad ?  he’s  the  son  of  a  demon  and  the  vampire  king.  it’s  not  something  he  has  to  try  at.   ( san,  he/him )

bonnie  gwan   ––   runs  family - owned  candy  shoppe  like  it’s  her  entire  personality.   too  smart  for  her  own  good  &  fails  to  see  how  she  could  go  wrong.   aka  pwincess bubblegum   (  onda,   she/her )

[harry-leroy]

OK. I've got to ask--Henry VI? I think you're the first person I've met who claims those as their favorite Shakespeare. I'll admit that I've read and seen a fair bit of Shakespeare, but I'm not familiar with them at all. What's the appeal? Why do you love them? Sell them to me. ;)

Oh boy, here we go :))))) (Thank you for giving me permission to scream - I also think I’m the only person I’ve ever met who has those as their favorite Shakespeare plays). Also, as we’ve talked opera - I think these plays could make a great Wagnerian style opera cycle. 

First off, little disclaimer: I’m not a medievalist, so I can’t say that I’ve definitely got the best interpretation of the Wars of the Roses and the history that the H6 cycle covers. I know I do not - so you may read these plays and have totally different interpretations, and that’s great! This will kind of be how I came to love the plays and why they were (and still are) exciting for me to read. 

I will admit, these plays are a bit of a minefield (as my Shakespeare professor said during a lecture on the histories and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that descriptor). Some of these scenes are not as well written, and many of them are almost irrelevant to telling a tight-knit story, so things get cut. Sometimes 1H6 is just cut entirely from productions, and I might venture to say that it is probably the least performed Shakespeare play. We get lines like “O, were mine eyeballs into bullets turn’d, / That I in a rage might shoot them at your faces” (1H6.4.4.79-80), which I might say is nearly on par with “a little touch of Harry in the night” from Henry V. But despite the unevenness, there is so much from these plays that are meaningful, heartbreaking, and that continue to fascinate me. There’s so much about power and leadership that we can learn from these plays - and perhaps that’s why I took an interest in 1990s British politics because there are actually some very interesting similarities happening - but also a lot we can learn about empathy, hope, and love. 

These plays have a lot of fascinating key players - it would honestly be a privilege to play any of them - and most (if not all) of these key players have some claim to power, just in the family lines they were born into. And this conflict is one that’s been building up since Richard II. With the Wars of the Roses we have a man who is unwilling, and sometimes unable to lead because of various circumstances, some of which having to do with his mental health, which was generally poor, and some of which have to do with the various times he was dethroned, captured, etc. - and I say unable for lack of a better word. Essentially, politics in these plays are caving in, and at a very rapid pace. There’s a hole at the center of government and people are ambitious to fill it. We also have a lot of people who could potentially fill that role, people who on principle, have a lot of political enemies. The nobles in these plays are having to assure that they themselves are in power or that their ally is in power, otherwise it is their livelihood at stake. 

We have Henry VI, who was made king at nine months old after the untimely death of his father, the famous Henry V, and basically has people swarming him since birth claiming that they’re working in his best interest. He’s a bit of a self-preservationist to start, but by the end we see a man completely transformed by the horrors of war and ruthless politics. I also think he might be the only Shakespeare character who gets his entire life played out on stage. We see him at every stage of his life, which makes his descent all the more bitter. (One cannot help but see the broken man he is at forty-nine and be forced to remember the spritely, kind boy he was at ten). He’s a man who clings closely to God in an environment where God seems to be absent. He desires peace, if nothing else, and he wants to achieve this by talking things through. He’s an excellent orator (one only needs to look at the “Ay Margaret; my heart is drown’d with grief” monologue from 2H6, but there are countless other examples), but there’s a point where even he realizes that his talking will achieve nothing, and his alternative is heartbreaking. 

We have his wife, Queen Margaret, otherwise known as Margaret of Anjou, or the “she-wolf of France”. I advertise her as “if you like Lady Macbeth, you’ll love Margaret of Anjou”. Sometimes Shakespeare can portray her as wanting power for herself, but I genuinely think she wanted a good life for her husband and her child, otherwise the alternative is begging at her uncle’s feet for protection in France (her uncle was Charles VII of France) while separated from her husband, having her or a member of her immediate family be killed, or worse. I think it’s important to remember with Margaret that historically she came from a family where women took power if their husbands were unable to. Her assumption of power in these plays is something that’s natural to her, even if it’s not reflected very well in Shakespeare’s language. You also see some fantastically thrilling monologues from Margaret as well, especially her molehill speech (one of two molehill speeches in 3H6, totally different in nature - the other one is from a heartbroken and forlorn Henry after the Battle of Towton) - Margaret’s monologue has got the energy of a hungry cat holding a mouse by the tail. 

Also Henry and Margaret have a fascinating relationship. Because they’re so different in how they resolve conflicts, they grow somewhat disenchanted with each other at times, and can actually be mean to one another, despite their love. My favorite scene might be at the start of 3H6, where Margaret has come in with their seven year old son, Edward, and starts berating Henry for giving the line of succession to the Yorkists. What strikes me there is that we have a little boy having to choose between staying with his mom, or going with his dad - it’s something very domestic, and I think the emotional accessibility of that scene is what makes it memorable. It’s not about politics for me at that moment, it’s about a boy having to choose between his very estranged parents. Here’s a little taste from 1.1. in 3H6 - lines 255-261: 

QUEEN MARGARET: Come son, let’s away. / Our army is ready; come, we’ll after them. 

KING HENRY: Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak. 

QUEEN MARGARET: Thou hast spoke too much already. Get thee gone. 

KING HENRY: Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me? 

QUEEN MARGARET: Ay, to be murdered by his enemies. 

We also have Richard, Duke of York, who is Henry’s cousin and leader of the Yorkist faction. If you’re at all familiar with 1990s British politics, as I have grown close to over the past month, York reminds me very much of Michael Heseltine (filthy rich and constantly vying for power) - and I would love to stage some kind of modern H6 cycle production just so I could make that connection. York’s father is one of the three traitors executed by Henry V at the start of H5, leaving him an orphan at four years old (historically). He is also Aumerle’s (from R2) nephew, and so when Aumerle dies at the Battle of Agincourt, little four year old Richard inherits both his father’s money and titles, and his uncle’s money and titles, making him the second richest nobleman in England behind the King. All this information is historical and doesn’t really show up in the play, but I think that kind of background would give a man some entitlement. He’s also next in line for the throne if something were to happen to Henry (until Henry has a son), so he feels it is his duty as heir to the throne to protect Henry (or in better words, he feels that he should be running the show) - Margaret feels that it is her duty to protect Henry as she is his wife and mother of Edward of Westminster, the Lancastrian heir, and so you can see where these two are going to disagree. 

More fascinating are York’s sons, Edward, George, and Richard. Edward is this (for lack of better words) “hip” eighteen year old who comes and shreds things up at the Battle of Towton - becoming Edward IV in the process and chasing Henry off the throne. He is incredibly problematic, but I might venture to say that he’s the least problematic of the trio of York brothers. George of Clarence is (also for lack of better words) “a hot mess” and feels entitled to power, even though he may not readily give his motivations for it. I think he just wants it, and so he actually ends up switching sides mid-3H6 because he would actually be in a better position in government with those new allies. And finally, we have Richard of Gloucester (future Richard III), and in 3H6, you just get to see him sparkle. It puzzles me a bit how people can just jump into Richard III without getting any of the lead up that Shakespeare gave in the H6 cycle, and I think 3H6 is the perfect play to see that. I think it clears up a lot of his motivation, which Shakespeare didn’t get perfectly either, because there are some ableist things going on with these plays. He’s just as bloodthirsty, just as cynical, but in this play, he wins out the day. 

These are just a few of the main characters. We’ve also got Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (known to history as “The Kingmaker”), who is this incredibly powerful nobleman who is wicked skilled in battle and seems to have a lot of luck in that area (until he doesn’t). We’ve got Clifford, who is just as bloodthirsty as Richard III (if not more so). We’ve also got Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester - Henry’s uncle and quite unpopular with his fellow noblemen, and Eleanor Cobham, his wife who gets caught in the act of witchcraft. (Talk to my lovely friend @nuingiliath if you want to hear about Humphrey or Eleanor). Joan of Arc also makes an appearance in 1H6, and often she’s the only reason that 1H6 gets performed. 

There are so many ways to latch onto this cycle, and it can be for the huge arcs that these characters go on, or it can be for the very small reasons, like in the first scene of 3H6, like I mentioned earlier. It’s very much akin to Titus Andronicus in the language (I did a bit of research a while ago about the use of animal-focused language in Shakespeare’s plays, and the H6 cycle and Titus Andronicus lead the charts just in terms of frequency of people being referred to metaphorically as animals- they’re also chronological neighbors, all written very early in Shakespeare’s career). Also, these plays held a huge amount of weight at the time they were written - the effects of the Wars of the Roses were still pressing over the political climate of the 1590s. 

I think these plays are great to read just in being able to contextualize the histories as a whole - you get to know how things fared after Henry V (spoiler: not well), and you also get the lead up to Richard III. The ghosts in Richard’s dream make sense after reading the H6 cycle - because those ghosts lived in the H6 cycle, and (spoiler: Richard wronged them in the H6 cycle). They were also the first of Shakespeare’s history plays, so you read subsequent histories plays that make subtle references to the H6 cycle, and I think you can take so much more out of the rest of the histories plays once you’ve read these. 

I hope this was a little informative, and perhaps persuaded you to check them out! 

Productions I recommend (you can click on the bold titles and it’ll take you to where you can access these productions): 

Shakespeare’s Globe at Barnet (2013) // Graham Butler (Henry VI), Mary Doherty (Margaret of Anjou), Brendan O’Hea (Richard, Duke of York), Simon Harrison (Richard of Gloucester) - filmed at Barnet, location of the Battle of Barnet, where Warwick was killed in 1471. 

ESC Production (1990) // Paul Brennen (Henry VI), June Watson (Margaret of Anjou), Barry Stanton (Richard, Duke of York), Andrew Jarvis (Richard of Gloucester) - a more modern production, one cast put together all seven major Plantagenet history plays (1H6 and 2H6 are combined into one play - a normal practice). Sometimes this footage can be a bit fuzzy, but I loved this production. 

The Hollow Crown Season 2 // Tom Sturridge (Henry VI), Sophie Okonedo (Margaret of Anjou), Adrian Dunbar (Richard, Duke of York), Benedict Cumberbatch (Richard of Gloucester) - done in a film-like style, also with some pretty big name actors as you can see. Season 1 stars Ben Whishaw as Richard II, Jeremy Irons as Henry IV, Simon Russell Beale as Falstaff, and Tom Hiddleston as Hal/Henry V. (also available on iTunes) 

RSC Wars of the Roses (1965) // David Warner (Henry VI), Peggy Ashcroft (Margaret of Anjou), Donald Sinden (Richard, Duke of York), Ian Holm (Richard of Gloucester) - black and white film, done in parts on YouTube. 

BBC Henry VI Plays (1983) // Peter Benson (Henry VI), Julia Foster (Margaret of Anjou), Bernard Hill (Richard, Duke of York), Ron Cook (Richard of Gloucester) - features my favorite filmed performance of Edward IV (played by Brian Protheroe), and my favorite filmed performance of Warwick (played by Mark Wing-Davey). 

Also if you ever get to see Rosa Joshi’s production of an all female H6 cycle... *like every time I see photos my immediate reaction is *heart eyes* I haven’t seen it yet, but my amazing friend and fellow Shakespearean @princess-of-france has - I’m sure she’d love to talk more about it sometime! I’ll leave a picture I found on the internet... 

Also tagging @suits-of-woe because we could cry about these plays all day. 

[inforapound]

Emboîté Part 6

A/N - This is the final chapter. It’s a bit of a ride. As @youbloodymadgenius doesn’t love angst, I softened it with sickly sweet suckie fluff. I do have an epilogue in mind which I may or may not write. We’ll see. 

Pairing – Ivar and Sarah     (Aethelswith)

Words – 3,900 approx

We fell in love, blinding love, totally consumed by the other. Dance was the single and only part of my life that prevented me from being swallowed entirely by Ivar’s passion. I was his obsession and I loved it. Within a month we spent every moment outside of rehearsals and weekend performances together and when the seasonal break came, I taught ballet and we were glued at the hip for the rest of the time. Exploring the city like visitors, going to movies, countless suppers out, being that couple who couldn't sit without tangling in each other’s arms on the same side of the table.

Mornings, evenings, stolen moments in the day were spent making love. Our bodies moving as if in some race to absorb the other. Within a few months, there wasn’t a part of me, not an inch, not a speck of flesh, he hadn’t claimed and worshipped. Not a single thing two bodies could possibly do, that we hadn’t. His hands on my skin, my face, my tummy, everywhere, felt as familiar as my own. Always, always the moment he pushed inside me, his words of devotion would flow, how beautiful I was, how perfect I felt around him, how much he needed me, how lucky he was to have me, that I was his baby, his woman, his princess. It was fiercely intense and dangerously addictive without a moment to catch my breath. His relentless lips inhaling me, tasting me, gulping up every whimper and cry of his name.

Within half a year our bodies new the other so intimately, our love making could stretch hours or just a minute if that’s all that time would allow. Never parting without him reminding me that he was mine and I was his and that we fit together. It was true, we did. Was it healthy? Probably not but I didn’t care. He was unlike anyone I could have dreamt of. Not an easy man but a remarkable one. A man of extremes and complexities with an immense ability to feel. His brilliance and passion as vast and powerful as his fear of being without me. There was a pain inside him, it had been there long before me but somehow, he felt it less when we were together.

His moods, oh my god. They were overwhelming with his immediate reaction always being hurt or rejection. Our fights at times were brutal. Arguments that would start the same way each time with my desire to return home for a night or two. Heading back into season, I wanted to rest and refocus, get used to waking up in my own space in anticipation of the opening season.

Without fail, it would catapult him into a tailspin of anger, even despair. He refused to understand my desire for space or time alone, particularly after the man had purchased me everything I could ever want to keep at his place. Pajamas, clothing, toiletries, goddamn matching sweatsuits to his.

In truth, I didn’t really want to be away from but I felt I should. Should as an exercise in maintaining some shred of independence.

Opening night at the theatre was just over a month away and we were already fighting about my upcoming rehearsal schedule.

On those nights when I would simply walk out, leaving him to sit alone in the dark and brood or smash something against his concrete floors, I still lay awake on my crummy pull out couch and ache for him. Sometimes even cry for him. My body feeling adrift without his arm over me or his chest against my back anchoring me down. I’d wake in the morning to sometimes a dozen texts, the last few always sounding defeated. Was I like a drug to him? Possibly.

When I would return, he’d just embrace me, not allowing me to sit anywhere but in his lap, the hurt immediately forgotten. Always making me laugh by being a dork, doing something stupid like shoving his head up my shirt, pretending he was lost or someone had turned out the lights.

Ivar Lothbrok was the love of my life. My partner and my very best friend and I couldn’t imagine life without him. And one day, in an instant, with a single phone call, everything changed.

----

“Hello.”

“Sarah!” Wynne’s urgent tone pulled me from the haze of sleep. Ivar’s heavy arm over my side.

“Wake up.”

“I’m awake.” Pushing down on the mattress, I forced myself up, leaning back against the headboard. Scooting toward me, Ivar again draped his arm across my outstretched legs. “What’s up?” I asked knowing by her rushed voice that this was not a call about scheduling.

“It’s Giovanna. She’s been tapped.”

“What?” my eyes shot wide. “Seriously?”

“Yes, Paris baby. And guess what else?”

“What?”

“You’re up girl. You’re in. You got lead. Board decided this morning. This is your official call.”

Mouth gaping, I couldn’t say a word.

“Sarah! You’re our new principal starting opening night. 4 weeks today.”

“Oh my god,” I replied in a whisper, looking down to Ivar’s face, half-buried in his soft pillow. As if feeling my eyes on him, his armed squeezed my legs.  

“Right!?”

“Wow.”

“Yep, get in here so we can talk about your contract. Practice for you starts, like now.”

“Yeah, okay. Oh my god. Ok. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Dropping my phone onto the duvet, I exhaled loudly, closing my eyes. The thoughts were entering my brains so quickly, I felt as if I couldn’t hold on to a single one of them. I needed to get to the theatre.  

“Ivar, I’m dancing lead.”

Looking up, he withdrew his arm, turning onto his side.

“I gathered, congratulations.”

“Giovanna…. she’s going. I learned so much from her. Now, I have to be her?”

“No, baby, be you. You’ve earned this. We should celebrate,” shifting closer, he lifted his head, extending his arms and yanked me by the waist down beside him.

“No,” I smiled, pushing meekly on his chest as he leaned in kissing the side of my face. “They are expecting me.”

“I’m expecting you,” he smirked rolling onto his back, heaving me over to straddle his waist.

“Come on. Let me just slip it in really quick before you go.”

“Ivar! Really romantic,” I laughed, looking down, pushing my legs further apart as his hands slid up my thighs, grabbing my hips and grinding up against me.

“I’ll make it the most romantic 3 minutes of your life.”

“Okay,” I laughed again, pulling off my camisole, bending down to get my morning kiss.  

----

The first week, I rehearsed full days often staying into the evening. Declining Ivar’s offers of picking me up or bringing me supper at the theatre. Hyper focussed, I did not want any interruption or distraction, not a single break in the pace I had set. At first, Ivar was understanding but within days, I could sense his hurt.

When I would arrive to his place late in the evening, he would go through the motions of being the supportive boyfriend, rubbing my feet, offering food, a hot bath but I could feel the resentment. His love making was needier, demanding, even pushy.  Or, perhaps, I was beginning to detach. My mind, previously filled with thoughts of him and us, was consumed with preparation and the expectations of the following day’s practice. That and my body needed sleep, terribly. Not two hours of sex when I was already facing a short night with an early morning start.

Around and around we went the first week, the more I withdrew, the more desperate he became for my affection. Constantly needing reassurance. By the second week, I just couldn’t return to his place after rehearsal. I walked into my apartment, looking around as if I had never lived there. Texting him that night, I lied. My first ever lie to him. To my best friend and the love of my life. Said there was a problem with the water lines and the building manager had called. Explained that since I was already there, I was just going to head to bed.

The following night, I again returned to my apartment, and the night after that, my excuses sounding weaker and weaker and his frustration only growing. I started leaving out the back door of the theatre like some woman in hiding avoiding her abuser who may or may not be waiting in an SUV out front. My Poor Ivar. His only crime was loving me fiercely, compulsively. But I just couldn’t deal with it.

He called and called and texted. I began hitting the DECLINE button as I had no idea what to say and no extra energy to diffuse his upset. I was exhausted and it was make or break time. Do or die. I didn’t want us to be over. Not at all. Hitting that red ignore button on my phone was me wanting a pause. A pause on us - our relationship until after opening night, after the first couple of weeks when I had proven myself worthy of replacing Giovanna and beating out Nicole the other second.  New steps, a new role, the pressure of representing the theatre, not to mention, the ticking clock counting down the dwindling timeline for my career. My life! Twenty-two years of ballet and in a matter of weeks, it would all be put to the test.

Ivar was an intelligent man, he loved me and wanted me to succeed but he had never known hunger. Couldn’t possibly understand what it was like to be a woman fighting in a world filled with talent for a chance. With no money, no family to fall back on. His circumstance and mine weren’t his fault but in the back of my mind, I worried his need for me overpowered his ability to support my success.

The truth was I loved him. I wanted to spend my life with him, but I couldn’t deal with him now. After two weeks of this cat and mouse game, a switch flipped, and I stopped all communication. No more excuses. Nothing.

Asleep one night on my pull-out couch in my studio apartment, a knock on my front door woke me at 2am. Like a cold-hearted coward, I froze, laying in my bed, pretending I wasn’t there. The knocking turned into banging and I literally pulled the covers up and cried. Cried because I needed him to leave me alone. The noise stopped and at some point, he left. When I opened the door in the morning, there was a bouquet of pink tulips thrown on the dirty carpet of the hallway. My poor Ivar. He was hurting and I kept shutting him out.

My phone blew up with texts for days and days, angry and demanding and I deserved it. Every word. How does a person cut another from their life like that? The last I read before turning off my phone was a plea for us to meet at Piccolo's to talk. I couldn’t. It would not be just supper. He would want more, everything, and I would give it to him. I needed to stay away. By the third week, his texts stopped. No more calls or long voicemails.

As much as I kept my mind on the steps, on the music, on my breath, my heart ached for him. Physically hurt as I sensed his rejection and pain. I was torturing him and at the same time, I had to dance like I was as free as a bird.

----

The black SUV should have stood out to me but it didn’t. My mind was on the morning ahead as I raced down the sidewalk at 7am with a paper cup of coffee and my gym bag slung over my shoulder. The door of the vehicle opened, and my steps slowed as I noticed the familiar sight of Ivar’s cane hitting the sidewalk and him stepping out from behind the door. Nearing dropping my coffee, my eyes widened, shocked at how broken he looked. Pained, angry, pale, his blue eyes watery as if he hadn’t seen sleep in days.

My reaction? I glanced at the door of the theatre to calculate whether I could make it inside before he could stop me. Who had I turned into? I wasn’t afraid of him so why was I doing this? Had I subconsciously, or even conscientiously decided that being with him would cost me my career? Like I had cost my mother’s when she was left pregnant.

“Sarah.”

Sounding like a ghost his voice pulled me out of my thoughts, my focus returning to his hardened face.

Sarah?” he repeated again, frustration flaring in his tone. “You can’t be bothered to pick up my calls or even make excuses anymore? I have to come here, and catch you off guard like an insane person? Baby,” he pleaded, his face contorting with emotion, “I, I can’t believe this. Any of this. That you can just drop us.”

“Ivar, I can’t do this right now.” My brows pulled together, and I knew I looked like I was begging.

“You are going to blow me off when I am right in front of you? Sarah! If I’m awake, I‘m missing you. Fuck! I can barely…” looking down, he shook his head, shuffling his cane and I could tell he was working hard at controlling himself.

“I will call you later. Tonight. Ok?”

“But you won't,” he shook his head again,” looking up.

Breaking from his intense glare, I dropped my eyes to the pavement, holding back the wisps of loose hair flying around my face. I didn’t know what to say. I just needed to get inside.

“I’m sorry, I have to go,” I whispered, stepping forward and heading for the front door.

“Wait,” he cried, and I felt a tug on my gym bag and shoulder. Snapping my head to look, his hand was gripping the side of my bag.

I must have looked panicked as when I pulled away, he quickly let go, sending me tumbling sideways, and down flat on the sidewalk

“Baby!” he yelled, shuffling over me, his hands grabbing trying to pull me up. “Baby, I’m so sorry. Fuck, are you alright? It was an accident. I’m so sorry,” he rushed, looking horrified.

Awkwardly he pulled me up onto my feet, spilled coffee all over the pavement. “Are you okay?” he reached forward and I stepped back, blocking his embrace.

As if I had kicked him in the groin, he gasped at my rejection.

“Baby, I didn’t mean for you to fall.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“I know!” I shot back impatiently, straightening my clothes. “I know it was an accident.” Looking back up to his sad eyes. “I have to go.”

“Sarah, are you alright?” a man’s voice came from the theatre door. Turning I saw the guy who did our lighting, standing in the doorway, holding the glass door open.

“Is she alright?” Ivar’s head shot back. “I’m trying to talk to my girlfriend, thanks,”

“Doesn’t look like she wants to talk to you.” He yelled back, matching Ivar’s volume.

“It’s none of your goddamn business.” Ivar barked over my head.

“That’s enough,” I muttered, turning back to the theatre.

“Todd, it's okay. Thank you. It's fine. Really. I’m coming right in.”

Nodding, Todd flashed Ivar a poignant look before letting the door close.

“What kind of fucking name is Todd? Is he some teen lifeguard?”

“Ivar, please,” I kept my voice soft, turning to look at him, embarrassed by the seen we were creating. “Just go. I know it was an accident. Please,” my voice cracked, and tears began to fill my eyes. “I can’t do this right now. I’m….” shaking my head, I felt everything inside me shatter, all the pressure of opening night less than a week away. “I can’t do this Ivar,” I repeated, throwing my hands up frantically, my voice wavering.

Frowning his eyes bore into mine, “Can’t do what? Us?”

“Yeah.” I choked out the word feeling no relief. “I can’t do us…anymore.”

“Baby...” his eye narrowed, his mouth falling open in disbelief, “don’t do this. Please,” slowly he shook his head, uncertainty, fear, devastation in his startling blue eyes. His hands hung heavily at his sides, his fingers twitching like all he wanted was to reach for me and wrap me in his arms.

“I’m sorry Ivar,” I whispered, taking a step back. I had to put him out of this misery. “It’s over.”

His eyes flashed wide with the final blow and I turned toward the theatre, making my way through the front doors without looking back to the man I had felt was my forever.

----

It was time. Opening night. The steps ingrained in my mind as if I had choreographed the ballet myself. I could dance them without music, without cues, in the pitch black, prepared as anyone could be.

Sitting on my chair in a dressing room, I stared into the mirror. My eyes and brows heavily lined, the border of bright lights reflecting in my eyes and I felt...numb. No, not numb, I felt sad. Empty. There was a dull hum inside my head dampening any sense of nervousness or excitement. I glanced at the screen on my phone for the hundredth time in an hour but it was still black. No messages.

Leaning forward, toward the mirror, I inspected my make-up again, turning my head side to side, the harsh rouge on my cheeks stretching up to my temples. I felt ugly. Hideous. Like a monster who could eat her own young. Placing my arms across the table, I lowered my head, resting my forehead on the edge.

A knock on the door startled me and I lifted my head peering into the mirror at the reflection of the door behind.

Wynne poked her head in, “Knock, knock,” her black bob framing her round face. Opening the door wider, she stepped in holding a vase of pink tulips.

“We usually have to wait until the end of the show to get flowers,” I said. 

“Not you miss. Not when you have your own cheerleading section.”

“Hmm?” I squinted, the pressed powder on my face feeling as if it might crack.

“Ivar,” she lifted the vase slightly, frowning as if I should know what she was talking about.

“What?”

“You guys are still not talking? He's in the balcony with his family.”

“What!” I spun in the chair, turning to look at her. “How do you know?”

Entering, she kicked the door closed behind and walked over, placing the glass vase on my make-up table, quickly taking a seat at the next station.

“A group of gorgeous men, two of whom have women with them, and all have the last name Lothbrok.”

“Oh my god. I’ve never even met them.” My eyes shot wide. “Ivar never wanted to because of family tension...” shaking my head, “the oldest two are married. It must be…” my voice fell silent. Saying nothing, I looked down, fiddling with the sheer material of my costume. “Wynne,” I whimpered, “I’ve been so terrible to him.”

“Awe don’t worry. You have all season to make it better.”

“What do you mean?” lifting my chin, I looked back up to her.

“He’s reserved the balcony every Saturday until the new year.”

“What!” 

“Yes, he must be loaded.” She jerked her head toward the huge bouquet. “There’s a card there.”

Reaching for the vase, I spun it, grabbing the white envelope with gold trim tucked inside the rim.

“Shit, do you think I should read it before I go on.”

“Up to you but....yes. You are obviously thinking about him and he’s here so he’s obviously thinking about you.”

Blowing air out between my lips, I tore open the envelope, pulling out the card.

“Stay though, okay? While I read it?”

“Yep.”

Looking down I was hit with a surge of excitement as I saw that the card was completely filled with Ivar’s perfectly symmetrical writing.

Sarah,

I know that I acted horribly and was out of line the other day. I am not sure anyone will ever understand what having you in my life means to me. It’s no excuse though.

I am so proud of you and how hard you have worked to get here. You are such a strong person and I hope you are not upset that I had to come tonight and watch this incredible moment in your life.

I fell for you the second you got into my car that night at the auction. Hopelessly and completely and I acknowledge how smothering and controlling I’ve been since. I have never felt this way before and was terrified that if I loosened my grip, you’d slip away. It left you feeling divided and I know I put you in the position where you felt you couldn’t have it all. I should have been championing you toward your dreams from the start. You deserve everything.

I accept your decision to focus on your dancing and I will support you from afar. I wish I could have been there with you tonight, taking your photo, kissing you good luck before you went on but here we are.

My brother asked why I was so broken and why I was convinced I had to be with you. I know in my heart, in my bones, that it just won't ever be anyone else. What I’m saying is that I love you, Sarah. I love you. I know that I have never said those actual words. God, I should have. A thousand times. They just never felt big enough and I have seen what people do to each other who use them. But I love you.

Lastly, I’m sorry I didn’t know how to do this better.

Enjoy every second of tonight. You will be amazing.

Yours,

Ivar.

Pressing the card to my chest, I slouched against the back of the chair, closing my eyes, willing away the tears.

Emboîté, emboîté, the voice of my first ballet teacher rang through my head. Emboîté, she would call out to us little girls floundering like ducklings across the vast wooden floor.

Turning to Wynne, I smiled, sniffling through my tears. “Do you have a pen, and can you take something to Ivar? Right away?”

----

Dear Ivar,

There are things to talk about but most importantly, I am so incredibly sorry and I love you too. So much. I want us to be together, in fact, I want to move in. Formally move in, if you’ll still have me, of course.

No matter how crazy life gets, let us have the comfort of each other every night and together learn how to do this properly. I will see you after the show and I am so glad you are here. It would not be the same without you.

Yours always,

Sarah

----

When I landed and lifted my head listening to the eruption of applause, I took my bow and for the first time looked into the light. Tipping my face up, I focussed on the balcony and smiled with all my heart at Ivar who, up from his chair, stood staring down, pounding his hands together, clapping. The white envelope was tucked under his arm and his beautiful smile was lit with the brightness of our future.

@youbloodymadgenius @naaladareia @funmadnessandbadassvikings @redama @mdredwine @didiintheblog @yourpurplequeen @londongal2810 @fields-and-fields-of-poppies @hexqueensupreme @littlecarolina94 @oddsnendsfanfics  @youbelongeverywhere @blonddnamedhandz @waiting4inspiration  @zuxiezendler @heavenly1927  @jzr201 @hecohansen31

[bigskydreaming]

It drives me crazy how in so many 'popular' mlm pairings the bigger/older guy is always the top.

Yeeeeah. 

So like, apologies if you’re here for reasons other than DC fandom and thus don’t care about any of the following, lol, but I keep meaning to write a post about something related to this so might as well do it here. 

Like, my biggest issue with S/ladin isn’t even the age gap (well okay, my BIGGEST issue is shit between Slade and Dick when he’s still Robin and thus underage but ASIDE from that, I mean).....but like, okay so ONE of my issues with S/ladin is the automatic contortion of Slade and Dick’s dynamics to Slade being the big, older, experienced aggressive top in all senses of the relationship dynamic, while Dick is uncertain, inexperienced....like, this thing where Dick’s inevitably shoehorned into being an ‘apprentice style role’ comparative to Slade even in the comics....where let’s be clear, Dick has NEVER been Slade’s apprentice.

People often ask if the Renegade thing actually happened in comics. And it did. But what I feel like most people don’t know....Dick was in no way acting as an apprentice or even subordinate to Slade in that arc. They already had a long established history between them at that point...AS RIVALS and enemies.

And like the thing is, and why it drives me so nuts to see that pairing always relegated to “Slade introduces the nervous, uncertain and out of his depth Dick Grayson to like...life” - is that you can’t be rivals and arch-enemies if you can’t consistently hold your own against the other person!

Dick’s never gone into conflicts with Slade desperately saying Hail Mary’s. The outcome is ALWAYS a 50/50 chance with them. He’s not like...overwhelmed by Slade, in awe or fear of Slade, or anything other than treating him like an equal DESPITE the vast age difference between them. 

And the fact that this so consistently gets ignored or diluted or dismissed....while at the same time this going hand in hand with it being taken for granted that Dick assumes the role of bottom in any and all dynamics between them....like....that’s bringing a LOT of preconceived assumptions into their dynamic, with not a single one of those preconceptions being relevant to either character’s actual interactions with the other.

But back to the Renegade storyline....the way it happened was Dick went undercover in the Society of Supervillains as this alter ego he made up expressly for that purpose: Renegade. And Slade knew exactly who he was from the start, because he knows Dick, he’s studied his movements, techniques, etc. But also, Dick wasn’t even trying to hide who he was from Slade either....he didn’t care that Slade knew, because he knew Slade was more intrigued by trying to figure out what he was after than ratting him out to the rest of the supervillains.

So the whole time, it was really more of this cat and mouse game between them where they BOTH were on the same page about the fact that they were each blatantly trying to use the other for their own agenda, as far as they could take it, while giving the other as little opportunity to use them as possible. 

Part of their interaction at this time was Slade ‘demanded’ Dick train his daughter Rose while they were working together. Then, at one stage of Dick’s big master plan that he was working undercover towards, and in order to convince the Society he was really one of them...he went to Metropolis and stole some Kryptonite for them....being confronted by Superman in the process. Clark of course knew exactly who he was the second he recognized Dick’s voice and heartbeat and all of that...but Dick had been off the grid for awhile, nobody knew what was going on with him, and by all appearances he was now working for the bad guys....and Clark demanded answers, wanted to know what was going on, wanted Dick to give him some reason to believe this wasn’t what it looked like....

And so Dick launched into a series of lies that fit his cover, that made it sound like he’d turned his back on his ideals and really was working with the Society, genuinely.....expecting all the while that Clark would be able to hear from his heartbeat and breathing and the like, that he was lying through his teeth and not to take anything he was saying here at face value.

But instead, Clark was getting more and more agitated and angry and frustrated with him....because what Dick only realized after he escaped from Clark - because he HAD to, Clark wasn’t just going to let him go at that point....

Is that Slade had secretly rigged one of Dick’s gloves ahead of time, with a wireless receiver and transmitter he had the remote for while watching/listening to this encounter via a bug and hacked satellites. Basically, Slade had rigged Dick’s glove to without him knowing, match the sound/rhythms of his heartbeat....and then kinda layer a fake/artificial version of his heartbeat just over the real thing. So Slade was remotely using this transmitter to make it SOUND to Clark’s super-hearing that instead of Dick’s natural body rhythms conveying that he was lying about all the things he was saying....now, it sounded like he was actually being totally honest and sincere. That everything he was saying to Clark was true.

Think about that for a second.

Slade made Clark Kent - CLARK - doubt Dick Grayson.

And you know what Dick did in response to that, once he realized what had happened?

He turned Slade’s own daughter against him.

Like...THAT is the level of one-upsmanship these two characters are constantly operating at. That is the degree of tactical chess they’re engaged in every time they interact, going back to the eighties.

There’s nothing hugely imbalanced about their power dynamic in any of their interactions DESPITE the fact that Slade is much older, much more experienced and a metahuman....because Dick’s own talents and skills have always compensated for all of that. Yes, he loses to Slade sometimes. But Slade just as often loses to him.

Despite all the differences, in terms of one on one....these two have always been consistently portrayed as equals, going back decades.

And like....that’s been utterly erased, even by people who DO know their comic history....because that doesn’t ‘fit’ the preferred dynamic of top/bottom in mlm ships.....which basically demands that Slade - being older, stronger, more aggressive and the villain...obviously must be the top, the initiator, the one holding all the cards in any interactions with Dick....who by contrast, is always the bottom, not just in their sexual positions but in the sense that he’s consistently portrayed in fics as only able to stand side by side with Slade or against him....by Slade’s grace and goodwill. With any time Dick comes out on top with Slade in ANY sense of the word, its only because of luck or chance or Slade making an obvious mistake or in some other way because Slade ‘allows’ it.

And that...there’s a lot to unpack there, is the thing. But it bugs me for two reasons: the first being like...its so dismissive of everything that actually occurs between these two extremely competent and capable characters who are so noteworthy for how much they relate and understand each other DESPITE the vast differences between them and all the things that suggest they SHOULD be incapable of existing on even footing, yet they manage to anyway....

And also, equally, because like....its really bothersome how fandom continually reinforces this idea that there are ‘obvious indicators’ of who is top and bottom in any mlm relationship, that these things are almost always ingrained and resistant to switching it up ever....and also carrying along for the ride a lot of fixed conceptions that borrow heavily from not all that great ideas of gender norms in the first place. Like, there’s a lot that’s not awesome about the assumption that the ‘penetrator’ in mlm sexual encounters is inherently supposed to be ‘stronger’ in at least SOME way and that by related logic....someone being the penetrated in mlm sexual encounters is the more effeminate or subordinate with these things additionally layered to carry the implication that this partner is the weaker of the two, or the one more in need or protection or guidance.

That’s....not great.

Like, ultimately my biggest gripe is that even when immediately visible power imbalances don’t actually exist in a mlm pairing......fandom overall seems to feel a need to then INTRODUCE a visible power imbalance or weighted dynamic anyway. With the uneven dynamic being deemed MORE essential to the ship....than the ACTUAL canon dynamics of the characters that make up that ship.

[homenum-revelio-hq]

Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix, Kat!

You have been accepted for the role of GIDEON PREWETT! We really liked the layers you put into Gideon’s characterization, both within his work (a dark object expert who is presumed to be a mere paper-pusher, how lovely!) and his personal life. We’re looking forward to seeing how he builds relationships with both Fabian and others on the dash! We are so excited to have you as part of this roleplay!

Please take a look at the new member checklist and send in your account within 24 hours! Thank you for joining the fight against Voldemort!

OUT OF CHARACTER:

NAME: kat

AGE: 25

TIMEZONE: est

ACTIVITY LEVEL: about a 7 I try to get on every day at least once to get some replies done. With the whole quarantine thing I am around more often since school has been cancelled forever.

ANYTHING ELSE: nope! I just love this rp!

CHARACTER DETAILS:

NAME: Gideon Prewett

AGE: 30

GENDER, PRONOUNS, and SEXUALITY:

Gideon has always identified as a male and uses he/him pronouns. It never occurred to him to ever be anything else and he feels comfortable in his own skin. The only thing he may not be the most comfortable with is his sexuality. He’s bisexual and though he’s known it about himself most of his life he doesn’t go around telling people. It’s not to say that he’s ashamed of it he just doesn’t see the need to be very open about his romantic life in general. If he were to enter into a romantic relationship with a man he would treat it no differently than if he were to be with a woman. He is aware there might be some that less than accepting of it but what other’s have thought of him has never really been a major concern for him.

BLOOD STATUS: Pureblood

HOUSE ALUMNI: Gryffindor. It was a natural choice. Fabian was sorted and right after he was too. They had always been together in their youth and they remained so in school. They were inseparable and if Gideon sometimes tried to get Fabian to switch places he would dare someone to prove it. He felt at home in Gryffindor. They were lively and brash and the comradery was something he lived for. Perhaps that was part of why he so easily joined the order. The brotherhood that he felt in his former house resonated in the order.

ANY CHANGES: nope he is perfect

CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

PERSONALITY:

Gideon is a complex person. He holds his family above all else and believes they are worth everything. He would die for them and as much as he loves them he would have a hard time accepting that same kind of devotion from them. Though he followed Fabian into the order he has taken to it and held fiercely to his convictions during the war. He believes he is on the right side that the order is where he belongs but he also believes he can be contributing more to the order. That he could be more of a leader and lead them down the right paths. This puts him in a hard spot because he doesn’t want to make Fabian feel as if he’s being abandoned. However in the same thought he thinks Fabian is hiding things from him and that his twin is potentially going down the wrong path. As a child he was like a spot of sunshine. A dreamer but the older he’s gotten the more grounded and cynical he becomes. He still believes that people can live their dreams he just doesn’t believe that kind of life is an option for him anymore.

Gideon has always been the more steady and stable of the twins. He believes in thinking things through before acting on them. He isn’t the one to run head first into the unknown but once he decides something is the right thing to do he will stop at nothing until he sees it done. He is loyal almost to a fault and though he isn’t as bright as he used to be when he was a child he still maintains a friendly disposition and he does his best in all that he does.

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF FAMILY:

Gideon grew up in a loving home. His parents raised him in a way that was not as elitist as the other pureblood families but there were definitely some of those pureblood traits that filtered into his family. He grew up on the outside of the truly elite but not exactly so outside that he was looked down on as much as those who weren’t of pure blood. He loved growing up with his brother and sister. As the oldest boy of the family he often felt it was his job to take charge of his siblings. From deciding which games they should play to telling them how they should live their lives. Though he often came off as bossy he still got on well with his siblings and he loved them more than anything.

Now he would give anything for either of his siblings and his nephews completely own his heart. He can’t imagine his life without them. That’s why it’s such a heart wrenching thing to know that he and Fabian have grown apart. He can’t look back and pinpoint an exact moment when they turned down different paths. They always used to walk down each new path of life together and he can’t see where they went wrong. He only knows that they did and he blames himself for it. Somewhere he got too busy to see what was right in front of him and if he can’t fix things with his twin he’ll never forgive himself. In these uncertain dangerous times it’s even more important to fix their relationship and yet it’s because of these times that he can’t seem to find his way back to Fabian.

OCCUPATION:

His job is to work for the ministry with dark objects. From handling them safely to identifying what they can do any confiscated dark objects are sent off to him and his colleagues to figure out everything about them. His job is dangerous and he knows one wrong move could have disastrous outcomes. He keeps a stable and cool head while at work and often can be found scribbling various notes and mumbling to himself about what he had observed. He considers himself good at his job and has unlocked the details about several hard to crack objects. He views each of them as a puzzle and he enjoys the work over all. The element of danger is enough to give him a little adrenaline kick in the most stressful moments of the job and the rest of the time he’s cool, calm, and collected.

He never reveals any information about the objects he handles to anyone outside of his department and even then it’s only to his superior. He doesn’t believe that the knowledge of all the dark objects the ministry keeps locked up should be out there for just anyone to know. He does however use his knowledge for the good of the order and the people around him as much as possible. Always ready to step in whenever a dark object pops up in their lives.

The wizarding world as a whole probably doesn’t spend much time considering his job at the ministry. As far as he can gather the general public upon hearing his job title normally think of him as a paper pusher. Which is fine with him. The less they know about his job the better. He does confide about his work in a few people. Fabian for the most part though lately he’s been more likely to speak to Edgar about his work. Things are off with his twin and he doesn’t know that speaking about his job would be helpful to him at the moment.

ROLE WITHIN THE ORDER/THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ORDER:

The order is his second family. He can honestly say he cares for each member of it. Some more than others? Of course but he would die for each and every one of them. He takes his role with them seriously. Always ready to perform whatever task is assigned to him. Does he never question them? Of course he does. He isn’t a sheep after all. The leadership are all trustworthy but at times he finds they can be too rash. They doesn’t perhaps always think things through. He believes he can offer the inner circle some stability. Some other opinion that isn’t calling for action all the time but rather calling for observation. Calling for a calm that could benefit them all in the end. His role has gotten a bit more in depth with the order lately. Edgar seems to always be coming to him asking for advice. Asking him questions and he answers as best as he can. But with as much honesty as he can too. He doesn’t want to get into the inner circle with anything less than complete honestly. He’s hesitant though. Wondering how it will effect his relationship with his brother. He knows Fabian is the one who brought him to the order and he doesn’t want to hurt him but he believes his stable calm nature could do some good for the leadership in the order.

SURVIVAL:

Gideon has never been the best in a fight. He can duel when he needs to and he tries his best but his battle for survival has always been fought in the shadows. Like a game of cat and mouse that he’s always winning. At least he has been so far. He doesn’t believe himself to be in much danger in the general day to day of life. He isn’t anything but a paper pusher at the ministry to most people walking down the street. He’s survived everything else with carefully thought out plans and a little luck. Perhaps listening to those who might know better around him as well.

RELATIONSHIPS:

Ryland- All he can feel when he looks at the man now is guilt. He knows Ryland is hurt that it took the order so long to come rescue him and Gideon can offer him no excuses. They have a bond that even now he doesn’t believe is broken but things are strained. Gideon wants them to be easier. He feels as though he failed him but he feels even more that the order failed him. There’s something close to righteous anger over the entire situation and perhaps that’s another driving reason why he wants to be part of the inner circle. He can’t help but think that if he had been one of the ones making the decision that they might have gotten Ryland back sooner.

Fabian- His other half. The only person he would say knows him. Truly knows him. At least he used to. They used to know each other with one glance. Though things are different now. Things are strained in a way that neither will admit to. Weak laughs and half hearted smiles are becoming more and more often between them. There’s something off about his twin. Fabian is into something that he can’t quite put his finger on. He doesn’t know what’s going on with his twin but he wonders if somehow it’s his fault. If many him being tapped to join the inner circle could have caused this shift between them. Or was it simply something he missed when he was trying to keep everything else together.

Edgar- The man is considering him for the inner circle. He knows it. His opinion is asked for so much more now. Edgar wants to know his thoughts on things and Gideon is ready with the answers but they fall from his lips a bit more hesitantly than they normally would. He views Edgar as a rock. Someone who is trustworthy and steady. He admires those things about him. He even thinks he could learn some things from him. He could gain a bit more patience. A bit more even headedness if he were to spend a bit more time around him.

OOC EXPLORATION:

SHIPS/ANTI-SHIPS: First and foremost I ship Gideon/Chemistry. I am always up for some angst in the ship cause that is honestly my favorite thing. Ships that are just fluff just aren’t much fun. I would like to explore Gideon being involved with a male mainly because in my mind his only serious relationship has been with a girl and I think it would be fun to explore him being in different kinds of relationships.

WHAT PRIVILEGES AND BIASES DOES YOUR CHARACTER HAVE?

As for privileges he definitely has them. As a pureblood male even on the lower end of the pureblood totem pole he never really had to face much prejudice against himself. Though he is a bloodtraitor now and therefore getting more crap from the pureblood society he is still not looked down upon like those of other blood status’. He still has times when he catches himself acting as if he is above those around him and often it is pointed out to him. He does his best to fix it when it is pointed out to him but habits are hard to break. He is also a bit sexist. He believes men should be out on the battlefield but the thought of taking any of them women into a battle with him always gives him pause. He is often the first to suggest they stay and work on something else. He believes they should be in the kitchen or knitting or something though he is trying to work on his views he still hates the thought of any of them going into a fight believing that a man is the best option for any kind of confrontation. He is also not a fan of werewolves. He knows it is an unoriginal thing to think but he just can’t get over his reservations over them. Even if he were to befriends a werewolf and know about them he would still not like them as a whole. He would view that person as an exception and not the rule.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? I’ve been looking at this roleplay for awhile now and when the one I was in closed down I came back to this one. It seems to have been around for awhile and the members seem like they are nice and accepting of new people. I would love to get into an active roleplay that is around to stay.

PLOT DROP IDEAS: I would love literally anything. I know that is lame but plotting is not my strongest point. I think it would be cool to have them in some kind of battle. I also think on the complete opposite note some kind of big party could be cool. I also love plot drops where people who wouldn’t normally interact are forced together.  

ANYTHING ELSE? In my mind Gideon isn’t the best at fighting and I think it would be pretty cool if he had a teacher or even multiple teachers teaching him different aspects of the fight.