#Border Conflict

[casscainmainly]

Why Duke Thomas Should Be A Dick Grayson Hater

Dick and Duke is such an underrated and underexplored relationship. Here is my pitch for why Duke should be a Dick Grayson hater.

1. The Rooftop Thing

Reason number one and the start of Duke's grudge should be the rooftop incident in Robin War. Dick, as part of his plan or whatever, leads Duke to a roof and abandons him to the cops.

LOOK AT DICK'S SMUG FACE. Tell me you wouldn't hold a grudge too if this was the FIRST major interaction you had with him?? Duke should use this against him at any possible opportunity.

2. ACAB

From We Are Robin #2. Once Duke finds out Dick used to be a cop, it's OVER for him.

3. Jason and Damian

Duke is quite close with Jason and Damian (in my head, particularly Damian - that's his LITTLE BROTHER). Anyway, these two are obsessed with Dick. You have Jason, with his miles-long brother issues that puts Dick on a pedestal, and you have Damian, who thinks Dick is the best person on Earth who can do no wrong. They would talk Duke's ears off about him. Duke would HATE IT.

4. Robin

This panel from Night of the Monster Men sums up quite nicely the difference in the way Dick and Duke approach vigilantism. Duke is the 'idealised' Robin, whose Robin-ing isn't contingent on Batman; Dick is more or less too tied up in Bruce. I think, because the Robin identity means a lot to Duke, having the original Robin be like this would irk Duke a LOT.

5. Tom Taylor

SPOILERS FOR CURRENT NIGHTWING RUN: in Nightwing #116, Dick gets framed for murder and Babs tells him to reveal he's Nightwing to clear him of suspicion. She says Bruce suggested it, and recounts everyone who agreed:

Hm. Is someone missing here? Oh yeah: DUKE. TT probably just forgot Duke, but where's the fun in that? Instead, if Duke is a Dick Grayson hater, you have the funniest scene imaginable. Everyone gathered in the Batcave, laying down their identities for Dick, and Duke is like 'I don't give a damn. He can rot in jail.' and peaces out.

BONUS points if he does this to get back at Dick for reason number 1.

6. Parallels

Duke's origin deliberately mirrors Bruce's, but that means it mirrors Dick's as well. Duke and Dick parallels go insane: they both had loving families, lost both parents at once, were in the foster system (varyingly for Dick but for the purposes of this post I'm gonna include it), were wards/not adopted by Bruce initially, have a huge reverence for family, have a thing about heights, view Robin as separate from Batman, forged their own identities, etc.

Tell me this page doesn't slap:

Anyway Duke would HATE this too. He'd be so annoyed that the person he has the most in common with is Dick, and that would fuel his Dick Grayson haterism.

Dick, on the other hand, has no hard feelings towards Duke. Duke would be glowering at him from the corner of the room and Dick would meet his gaze and be like 'ah Duke is so cute' and smile back. This would make Duke 10000x angrier.

Anyway that's my ideal Dick and Duke dynamic, feel free to add or modify or disagree with anything!!

[alwaysbewoke]

[captain-price-unofficially]

A Soviet border guard officer examines captured Japanese weapons after Battle of Khalkhin Gol, 1939

[sophaeros]

(albert plays the first three notes of call it fate, call it karma) julian: you are such a tease, albert!

the strokes @ thunder dome - thailand, 2023 / cr. infinityrepeats (x)

[fantodsdhrit]

you nod to everything of smooching nothing not even cosmic staircase

talkative outfit of blessed blooming day

st thomas hoists your brother from dead

that was then now cornfields are holy war blindfolds

take in that other force dilute yourself

resistance is only when you mountain

resistance is only flightless flight people meet at wagah border every year

naan with beef kebabs fancy some

most sacred passions lay university aflame 

black snow and your hermetic lips 

a christmas loneliness haunts dum conderet urbem after coal mines

all apostles live in that magenta tower

croon disused airport speeches et al

during riots thigh bruises of an ordinary kind claque foists authority

tell me there are utopias in expiry stars 

auctioned to narcose highest bidders

paid in emotion bubbles that spurn to ever pop like moi

[invinciblerodent]

never even thought i would ever have an opinion about solas sex and head game but i agree with you and i actually think he has non not bad at it not embarrassing nope just no game at all he doesnt go down on anyone like DJ khaled lol i think he would like rub it alittle then get to pounding which as sera ever so eloquently put it "Drop 'em and rebuild the empire" and im not a solas hater or anything i like him and his story but uuh yeah

Oh don't worry, I didn't think I'd ever have an opinion on this either until I read that lol, it was that post alone that made the "oh that is absolutely incorrect" switch click on in my head.

Like, I mean this in no offense of anyone who likes him or his romance, I think it's interesting to explore and he's a very complex and fascinating figure, one of the best antagonists I've ever seen in anything, but the way I imagine sex with Solas going is-

roughly 30 minutes to an hour of flirtatious philosophizing and reminiscence about the nature of spirits and analogies to desire, in which he uses very unclear, kind of misleading metaphors, and sounds like he's somehow attempting to explain sex to you in an attempt to get you going. this is the foreplay portion of the evening.

3-5 minutes of mediocre missionary. you come nowhere close to coming, but it's okay, it's not terrible.

another roughly 30 minutes to an hour of self-flagellation that sounds like he's concerned about the potential that he took advantage of you and requires reassurance for it, but in reality he's kind of cleverly saying-without-saying that he was hit by the whole internal conflict he has going on about whether modern elves are people, and what questioning that makes him for having had sex with one of them. Like was this exploitation, who did it technically exploit (the spirit or the mortal)(is he a spirit or a god or closer to a mortal)(he can't even say 'oh god' without it sparking another minor existential crisis moment)(post-nut clarity hit him like a sledgehammer), and whether consensual sex under pretenses this false with someone he isn't totally convinced is a fully realized person would qualify as assault, or a roundabout form of bestiality, or what. this makes continuation, or a second round, entirely unfeasible.

he either sneaks out when you fall asleep (a la what Weekes said at one point), or says something like "I thank you for this wonderful evening" and leaves without cuddling, but either way he's leaving you to rub one out on your own.

that's it, that's the entirety of how I imagine it going. (during the plot of the romance in Inquisition, of course.)

I'm sorry for all this, Anon.

[keicordelle]

Not really an original thought, but thinking about Ryuu and his over-willingness to let others touch and grope him in exchange for things he wants or needs -- and him making use of that when Trigger is first struggling on their own.

It starts small. Some photographer who says (and was he joking? Ryuu takes him seriously, and it becomes serious, but was it at first?) that he'll do a photoshoot with trigger if Ryuu will let him feel him up. And maybe Ryuu's been drinking with him and he's a little bit drunk, or maybe he's entirely sober and thinks it through a moment before agreeing. It's a good opportunity, and trigger is short on those lately. He does not tell Gaku or Tenn or even Anesagi how he got them the job.

The next time, it's something more. They want him naked, maybe just to look at him. Maybe to touch, but just the upper half. Still within the realm of acceptable. Kind of. But the job is bigger too, so Ryuu goes along with it -- and besides, he's used to being almost naked for shoots anyway. This is just a little bit more. And it's still for work, so that counts, right?

Then again, and again. There's a director that offers him a role in a drama -- if he's willing to let him fuck him. Ryuu balks at that -- that's a big step. He's let people touch him and fondle him at this point, but never sleep with him. But the director sees him hesitate, and ups the offer: a role for him, and one for Gaku too. And Ryuu caves, because they need the job, and the exposure, and it doesn't really matter to him anyway (aroace king). It's just another way to use his body, to put himself on the line for the people he loves.

He realizes he may be in over his head when the next request is that he fuck someone. To take up an active role, instead of just letting people touch him and use him. That… That's different.

Give it a few more months, and he'll be one small step away from doing AVs

[ivansbadart]

Our Blue Hours - The Bulletin Board

In my inner eye I see the fic that I wrote so vividly, and I wish I had the time and artistic talent to draw literally every single "scene" in it, but alas I do not.

New chapter of my Ghost/König fic should be up now. (Read on ao3)

this was so fun to draw, especially considering I looked like the Pepe silvia meme while storyboarding the fic;

[fogonsunday]

Why do people say that “tankies” support Russia… brother…. Russia is a capitalist nation…

[xxfunk1b3atxx]

Hello dear, I am Muhammad Jamal from Gaza. I live in very harsh conditions in Gaza, especially in the displacement camps. Life has become very difficult since our house was destroyed by the occupation, and we are now left without a house. My family and I hope you will help me. Your donation will save our lives from death My friend, donate $20 to help my family 🍉🥹💔

https://gofund.me/766fb5d1

if you can please donate to Muhammad so he and his family can survive. The fund is currently at €175/€15,000

[captain-price-unofficially]

Indian Army and PLA soldiers salute each other after completion of disengagement in disputed regions.

[spooky-spextre-arts]

Instead of celebrating October 7th this Monday, here are a few on-the-ground aid organizations you can support:

Anera

(https://www.anera.org/)

Doctors Without Borders

(https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/)

Care for Gaza

(https://x.com/careforgaza?lang=en)

Palestinian Children's Relief Fund

(https://www.pcrf.net/)

World Central Kitchen

( https://wck.org/ )

Feminine Hygiene Kits for Gaza With the Assad Sisters

https://piousprojects.org/campaign/2712 )

The Road to Recovery

( https://www.theroadtorecovery.org.il/ )

Feel free to list more that you feel should be on this list. Stay safe, everyone. ❤️

[alwaysinbetweeninsaneandinsecure]

This family was able to escape Gaza into Egypt and the United States, which is fantastic news! AND ALSO They still need help and support. From Mahmoud (who has been organizing this on behalf of his family in Palestine): "While my family's progress is encouraging, the road ahead is still long, and they will continue to need support as they navigate this challenging journey. Therefore, I humbly ask for your ongoing help and support to reach our fundraising goal. Your contributions will enable us to cover their expenses for the first six months, providing them with the stability and resources they need to rebuild their lives and create a brighter future." Every reblog and every donation make a difference in helping this family rebuild their lives! So, please give what you can and share this

[mcybree]

yknow every once in a while I go wow I really am insane… third life was nothing like that to the average person what a strange hill to die on… And then I remember the whittle him down to nothing clip and I go ah never mind I’m right forever and something is seriously wrong with him