#I love you complicated father-son relationships where the love is tender and there but tempered by physical and emotional distance.......

[faytears]

Theory: Rick had no choice but to nuke Poseidon's characterization & relationship with Percy because if he kept it Poseidon would've broken the fourth wall and clawed his bloody bloody way out of the pages to protect his son from what Rick is doing to him in HoO and the marketing trilogy. Thoughts?

real and true

[dagnyart]

I’ve tried to show all the bitterness of Maedhros’es internal conflict during the raid in Middle Earth. !!Disclaimer: I have a huge speech below about Maedhros and Feanor with my own opinion and headcanons about it, so if you are not ready for this, just skip :D \ \ Let’s talk about them. Their relationships are very complicated and hide a long story. Maedhros got a difficult place in his family, because he is the eldest son and the first heir. By the time of Maedhros birth, Feanor was already had some issues with his own dad (Finwe), so he translated some of them on Maedhros. It was very important for Feanor, he had a boy! Having a heir made him  more independent and well-established. He kinda told Finwe «Look I have my own family, now I'm gonna do what I think is right, I won’t be like you!» Also he named his son after Finwe and actually didn’t solve his conflict with father. For Elves Feanor was very young then, Even in their trip he showed his vernal ardent temper. He became father very early. Elvish life is so long, so Maedhros grew up and still didn't have other brothers, so he and Feanor become more like friends, nor like father and son. They had a lot of time for hunting and horse riding together, for some noble stuff and fancy elvish parties, for doing some business together and fooling around.   Then Maglor was born and then the other kids. It became more complicated to share the same time with everyone and look after kids. But first two sons had a lot of time with Feanor and now they were very good at help. According to their will they had to follow their father, how they were standing for him, the family was united and strong. We shouldn't forget that Feanor lost his mind and had PTSD after Finwe’s death. He was different before Melkor came to him. Before that, he act differently, he was the favorite of many Vallar, he couldn’t attack his brother with a weapon, because there weren’t any weapons in Valinor, and he didn’t have paranoia about Silmarills. There was a time there weren’t any gems themselves and he didn’t lost some part of his soul inside them.   Ok, back to suffering. The  Elder brothers had more time with their father,but still Maedhros knew him close than others. If any of 7 sons could advise and object to their father, it would be Maitimo. He knew him good.  Just imagine how weird it was to him watching Feanor’s paranoia growth. And still he supported him everywhere. To simplify the whole story, imagine that you’ve known someone for 30 years and they are wonderful despite their downsides and fails. You know when they can act like moron and what can make them mad, but you adore them, you feel their love and tender connection, support and careness. And then someone comes to visit them, tells them something in private and you watch them literally change in a month.They become strange, then lose their mind, while sometimes they look absolutely normal and everything is fine.  But you can’t throw out these years you have with them and absolutely don’t know what to do.   I think Maedhros finally understood that his father is sick in the head when he  started burning the ships.Just  imagine, Just imagine, he turns, look at Maedhros and says he knows that others can't go across the sea, he leaves them and Fingon too. And then he starts laughing like a psycho. BOOM and the first ship explodes with fire. And with Amrod. Commonly relied on his father in everything, Maedhros  is horrified by everything that happens, he doesn't know how to stop it, and events develop frighteningly quick. The fever of revenge reaches its peak and Feanor burns out, consumed by his own anger. This is a dreadful loss. Maedhros loses his friend and father, the fate of everyone in this campaign falls on him, he is the head of their house and the king, and they also managed to take an oath, not knowing its price. Then Maedhros did not have time to ponder everything and think it over, but he will have a rather long life, full of troubles. And every new tragedy in his life will be connected with these damn gems. Feanor didn't know where all this would lead, but it was him who doomed all his children to death himself, and this is his fault. He abandoned them. Yes, he died. Yes, he was out of his mind, but he wasn't there when he was needed. When Maitimo was in captivity, when he fought , when his brothers died. He wasn't with them in their moments of madness and in their moments of contrition. It’s hard to take and it’s hard to forgive. Maedhros' love for his father is incredibly strong, he also still respects him. But his pain is also strong. Even if Feanor freed his spirit by visiting Mandos and knew everything  happened there with the children, he still wasn't there and he couldn't prevent it. This is guilt that will be as heavy and pervasive as the anger that he once burned by. How would they look to each other? They wouldn't have any words to express what they feel. Maedhros also feels guilty about death of his brothers, losing the crown and the greatness of the Feanor's house. Who knows what nightmares he has at night, what's he thinks about when he is alone. He's changed. He had to cope with many things alone. They’re both different now. Any of Maedhros’es brothers. Any of Maedhros’es brothers would find it easier to meet him again. It’s impossible to say how it will end for them, WHAT must happen to bring them closer again. But still. I want to believe.

[clodiuspulcher]

Can I ask what draws you to Agamemnon? He's often kind of a difficult figure to grapple with. Sincere question btw, not meant to sound mean I swear :)

NO NO this isn’t mean at all it’s uh. yeah I know it’s an unpopular Take / Opinion and I really do … care deeply about Agamemnon as a character, so thanks for giving me a chance to explain! it’s complicated, he’s complicated… This is gonna get long

I: APPEARANCE Let’s first put the shallow aspects on the table: he’s big, he’s powerful, he’s My Type (physically), I’m gay. This never comes through in film adaptations (although you know what? 1962 Electra Agamemnon comes close, although he’s overshadowed by the hot Aegisthus) but look at how he’s described in the Iliad: He’s compared to 3 gods, canonically Agamemnon is the most handsome man Priam’s EVER seen in his like one million years of life (a list of men which includes Aeneas , Hector, etc). (this post). When Priam says he’s “Every inch a king”, baby, you know what that means-Anyway , @kashuan‘s art is VERY good for conveying how I imagine Agamemnon based on these descriptions. and he’s drawn like exactly my type there. It’s a lot to reckon with.He’s big. He has big arms and big thighs and could kill me if he wanted and he’s powerful and his aristeia is badass and i’m gay. thanks. II: PERSONALITY Now this part is. more about Agamemnon’s character. first, Agamemnon in the Iliad is in fact deeply flawed- he’s imperious and arrogant and shortsighted and short-tempered, he’s stubborn and selfish and ALL OF THE THINGS PEOPLE HAVE SAID HE IS but there’s also a complexity to his character that tends to get flattened - I think because Agamemnon’s at his worst in book 1, people adhere to this AWFUL first impression and don’t bother to look beneath the surface / take the rest of his behavior / his character into account / use this as the baseline of their understanding, but there IS MUCH MORE to him than that behavior even in the Iliad itself, as detailed in THIS POST. He’s a powerful warrior in his own right, and his failings reflect both the internal flaws of his character and the weight of his responsibilities; we see his concern for his men, for the army, the people, in books 4 and 10 (when he can’t sleep because of his anxiety about his men, about Hector). He DOES however, learn and become better, he grows, he’s dynamic: he and Achilles finally make up (book 19! book 23! They’re good now!) and the Odyssey also ends with their ghosts talking as friends.

(Side note I wonder how this works out when Agamemnon’s son kills Achilles’s son but… that’s for another day).

There’s complexity in Agamemnon’s characterization in the tragedies as well, each tragedian has a different portrait of Agamemnon but he’s never one-dimensional.Euripides’ Hecuba has Agamemnon as concerned about his image and his reputation, anxious (and almost insecure) about his authority, but also concerned with justice and the rule of law, even towards one’s enemies. Sophocles’ Ajax portrays an imperious, proud, stubborn Agamemnon who refuses to realize he’s in the wrong but is able to be convinced by the council of Odysseus and eventually, again, comes to an understanding. Seneca’s Trojan Women shows Agamemnon as a Stoic voice of Reason, urging Pyrrhus not to be too violent/hubristic in their victory, and I love both the presentation of Agamemnon as a tired old man wanting to go home and the sort of man who gets into arguments with teenagers about war crimes. As usual, Seneca excels at this subtlety of characterization, this is like the epitome of the Dichotomy of Agamemnon, sympathetic and infuriating, a good leader and a stubborn, proud man, stoic and short-tempered, as present in the Iliad, is here too, and I love it , and him. Seneca’s Agamemnon almost reverses this (HE REALLY SAYS “What can a victor fear”) but I still love that play, and there’s something to be said for the characterization of Agamemnon as someone who learned ABSOLUTELY nothing from victory.

Overall, it’s true that we get, mainly, a portrait of a hard, ruthless, powerful, embittered man- remember how he destroys that one guy Menelaus wanted to save in the Iliad - but he has a sort of “aggressive charisma” as Kashuan once put it and I REALLY see it, and honestly that in itself has some sort of an appeal to me. But with this portrait of his personality, his softer aspects, the moments of gentleness we see, are more striking, they really stand out and indicate the extent of his feelings. In the iliad, for example, we clearly see he loves Menelaus and while he’s almost laughably over-protective (MORE ON THIS LATER), his care for his brother is evident, touching, especially juxtaposed with his shortsighted selfishness. Just look at what happens in Book 4, when Menelaus is barely wounded and Agamemnon is practically writing his eulogy. Right afterwards, also, “Noble Agamemnon showed no reluctance, no cowardice or hesitation, only eagerness for the fight where men win glory”- he rushes in to fight (but not before first taking out his anxiety on his men by demanding more from them. Cannot do anything appealing / good without mitigating it with irritating behavior. love this fool). It takes him like 9 books to finally apologize to Achilles but he defends Menelaus from Nestor’s reproach in book 10, is anxious about Menelaus being in danger if he’s picked to go on a night raid with Diomedes (HERE) and is endearingly not-subtle about it, frets over him in book 4, when he’s wounded, etc.

The love for his family is something that continually stands out and is perhaps his main “redeeming” trait. In the Odyssey, as mentioned, he ask Odysseus desperately about Orestes with heart-rending choice of words especially when one considers Orestes’s Actual Fate: “Come tell me, in truth, have you heard if my son is still alive, maybe in Orchomenus or sandy Pylos, or in Menelaus’ broad Sparta: that my noble Orestes is not yet dead?”. Agamemnon’s no longer a king- he’s a worried father, he regrets the most not being able to see Orestes before he’s killed; it is this pain, of not being able to be a father to his children, which seems to cut the most deeply, which he speaks of multiple times to Odysseus. Then they just cry for a while, with each other. (I like these tender aspects hidden in a big mean man.. but I also like his big meanness).

the Tragedies take this to another level, of course, to drive home the PATHOS required for his death to have an impact but his love of his family is very much on display there. Iphigenia in Aulis in particular provides us with some agonizing demonstrations of this love: Iphigenia reminisces about an exceptionally tender moment in their relationship, when she was young (you used to ask me, “I wonder, my darling, will I get to see you married one day, married and settled happily in your husband’s home, your life ever blossoming, making me proud of you?” And I’d touch your chin, my father, hang from your beard, father, like I’m doing now and say, “and what about you, father, will I get to see you, father, an old man, visiting me at my house, ready for me to repay you for your hard work in raising me?”) an image hard to reconcile with the merciless violence and stubborn arrogance Agamemnon displays in the Iliad (BUT AGAIN, THAT’S THE APPEAL). Clytemnestra assumes he’s crying because he’s sad to see Iphigenia leave them, Agamemnon’s messenger tells him the arrival of his family will cheer him up: even his subordinates know how important they are to him.

I’d need a whole nother post to talk about his relationship with Clytemnestra but please peruse these crumbs I picked off the ground (HERE). they Had something, tbh the tragedy ONLY WORKS if they did and I will DIE on this hill. In Aeschylus, Clytemnestra calls Orestes the “mutual pledge of their love”, he calls her a “great-hearted woman”, she shirks in Aulis at his curt, demanding tone towards her, noting it as something out of character, she takes charge anyway, knows he can’t or won’t actually force her not to be involved in the Iphigenia marriage preparations-All of this creates an image of a man whose imperious, ruthless, stubborn character is balanced with a surprising capacity for tenderness, a genuine fondness and love for the members of his family, which makes the fact that his hand, albeit forced, aids in its destruction, that much more devastating.III: PSYCHOLOGY/HISTORY

Where things get especially interesting for me, character-wise, is when one thinks about his lineage, his past, and his childhood with respect to his current character. This section is about the House of Atreus in general.

Agamemnon clearly bears the scars of his environment: he was born into the House of Atreus and IMO that informs everything he says and does, all his thoughts and feelings, the way he perceives both the world and his place in it. Seneca’s Thyestes is a horrific portrait of what Agamemnon (and Menelaus’s) childhoods must have been like, ATREUS is their father, they were old enough during this event to almost be accomplices which means they’re clearly old enough to remember it. Speaking of that, Atreus isn’t worried that participating in his god-crime schemes will turn his sons evil because, in his mind, they were born evil (Ne mali fiant times? nascuntur. God GOD). Agamemnon and Menelaus grow up in a nightmare house, adjacent to atrocity, under the almost comically cruel hand of Atreus who sincerely believed his sons inherited said cruelty as if its on the same chromosome as the “house-curse” gene. It’s genuinely a miracle Agamemnon and Menelaus grew up to be functional fucking human beings, in my opinion. It also gives a lot more weight to his relationship with Menelaus and the hard imperious cast of his character; their bond was forged in fire, Agamemnon likely protected Menelaus from the worst of Nightmare House being the older brother, and being as protective as he is. There’s this one Iliad adaptation, I can’t think of it off the top of my head though, where when Agamemnon’s freaking out about Menelaus being Barely Wounded he says “don’t die… for you are all I have” and that’s absolutely  how I think about their relationship in this context- Menelaus WAS all he had for so long, they clung to each other, they preserved their humanity in the face of horror BECAUSE OF each other.

But functional like.. .for a given value of “function”. Agamemnon is clearly deeply affected by these events, the weight of the Curse of the House of Atreus clearly impacts him. Take Iphigenia in Aulis, where he says “each one is born with his bitterness waiting for him”, the fact that a Son of Atreus would say that, I think, speaks to the innate, unspeakable fear of the certain destruction of his world, of the tragedy that awaits him, at his own hands, of the House-Curse waiting perched on his shoulder to strike just when he thought he’d created something impenetrable. The tragedy of Iphigenia in Aulis is Agamemnon’s realization that he has locked himself into this, that he has no other choice (see: this post about the Odysseus impact, there is in fact a point when it’s inevitable, although he still made the first move which makes it even WORSE he created this, etc) and all he can do at this point is watch as the life he so carefully built for himself and his family collapses around him, just like he must have always dreaded it would. (Also in the Iliad It’s Agamemnon who says “We must toil, in accord with the weight of sorrow Zeus loaded us with at birth” and that reminds me of this aspect of him too: Good Things Never Last, Bad Things Never Die, etc.)

It’s made clear that the story of Atreus and Thyestes is widespread, familiar; Teucer in Sophocles’ Ajax and Neoptolemus in Seneca’s Trojan Women both call out Agamemnon for trying to reference his lineage as a source of authority because it is a HORRIFIC lineage. “I know about the famous family of Atreus and Thyestes”, Neoptolemus says. And THEREIN LIES A CONFLICT: Agamemnon’s sense of self comes from his authority, his kingship, his position of power and his social status as a member of the nobility, of the class of royalty BUT. It’s all undercut by the fact that this power, authority, indeed his very identity is based in cruelty, violence, and crime; Agamemnon is descended from the most ignoble nobility, which he knows all too well.

It’s Interesting that Agamemnon’s relationship with his identity, status, family, power is brought up in Ajax, of all plays, primarily concerned with the destruction of Ajax’s identity- reminding Agamemnon of the crimes of his house genuinely cuts him down. I see Agamemnon as a man who genuinely fears his past, who dreads the legacy of his father and in his desperation creates a crisis for himself (as happens in tragedy).

We (I) laugh at Agamemnon “forgetting” about the god-crime shit before he pulls rank by referencing his Authority and Status but there’s something in Agamemnon continually being owned by forgetting about the House….  Agamemnon wants to distance himself from the “legacy” he inherited from Atreus, but he can’t without disavowing his power, his authority, his identity. Whether he likes it or not (he does Not), this is fundamental to who he is. I feel like that knowledge too lurks in his mind, rises to the forefront occasionally at his lowest points-

Clytemnestra in Aeschylus’s Agamemnon pretty clearly sees him / his actions as the next link in the god-crime family chain, a continuation of the house -curse, heir to his father’s throne and his crimes, hence her belief that killing him is the only way to end it/ stop the cycle of violence (spoiler she is wrong but there’s another post coming eventually about how they are Very Similar Characters short version the Etruscans Understand).

IN short, I think there’s a lot of complexity in Agamemnon people overlook, or don’t get to see since they don’t read the peripheral plays. Agamemnon seems to me a man in conflict with himself, a Man of Contradictions, who defines himself by his authority and status while fearing the source of it, whose devotion to his family contrasts with the horror of his childhood, and with his own agonizing role in its destruction, a man who willfully ignores or cannot bring himself to fully interact with the legacy of Atreus, who tries to distance himself from the crimes of his house and the cruelty of his father while being reminded of both every time he’s called by the epithet Atreides.

[hopeishappinessff]

Chapter 64

**A/N: I’m not a fan of this chapter... just thought ya’ll should know that. But, enjoy!**

He explained everything to me. Everything that I wasn’t sure about and even everything that I was already well aware of… he clarified it all and I was extremely thankful for that.  There was a story behind this story, is what he told me… and it was more complicated than I could have ever imagined. It all started with his childhood, more specifically with his father, Clinton… the man that he absolutely loathed more than any one thing or person in this world. The man who abused his mother, attempted to abuse his one and only son, and even went as far as attempting to molest him. And that man harbored a secret that no one knew of and no one would have even guessed existed. He put on a façade for them… an act to prove that he was a feared man. He portrayed himself to be a man who allowed no one and nothing to stop him from getting what and where he wanted. Apparently, he wanted it all and he painted a picture of his perfect life that excluded one of his families… the family that included a son who struggled through life and barely made it to the age of nineteen with only the divine strength of his mother. Clinton was a selfish bastard, Chris explained, and it was surprising that he even took time from his precious schedule to care for at least one of his offspring… Trey. Trey was the son that existed about a year before Chris was even conceived. He was the son that Clinton consciously chose to bond with more than he ever would with little ole’ Chris. Because of his blatant love for one son and not the other, Clinton quickly began to neglect Chris’s entire existence and his boyhood.  He would come in late in the evenings, wreak havoc on the Brown household then make his way back to his beloved family on the other side of town. Ms. Joyce was well aware of his doing’s… she’d put two and two together and figured out that he was living an entirely different life outside of their home. She stayed complacent in that relationship though. She knew better than to act on her emotions after the discovery of his infidelities and feared triggering his deadly alter ego, Eze. As horrid as it sounds, I didn’t blame her for unwillingly allowing the abuse to continue… she did what she felt best to keep her kids protected and at that time, that was perhaps the smartest thing she could have done. She knew if she would have left abruptly and without a plan, Eze would have hunted her down and done more damage than just the abuse she endured behind the closed doors of their home. I asked Chris why he thought his dad resented him so much and he said it was simple… Eze couldn’t cope with the fact that at the tender age of eleven, Chris used the intelligence that he was blessed with to turn down the opportunity to become a pawn in his game. Sure, he was obviously young and naive at the time, but if he didn’t know anything else he knew that daddy’s job required scary weapons, lots of blood, drugs, and death and that all terrified him.  When he denied his dad’s offer, Eze became infuriated by the thought of his own son ‘disrespecting his command.’ And that was the night, Chris explained, that his dad got extremely inebriated and nearly took his innocence while they were alone in the house together. He never told me exactly how he managed to get himself out of that situation and I didn’t push for him to elaborate… I figured it was a sensitive topic for him and I didn’t want to pressure him into divulging more details than necessary.  He said that once Ms. Joyce uprooted them from Tappahannock and moved them all to Richmond, he was left tainted with the memories from his hometown. I’d always wondered why the very first time I met him, he seemed so… weird. He was far from a typical nine-year-old boy in my eyes and that was all thanks to what they’d left behind in Tappahannock.  It didn’t even feel like we’d been lying in my hospital bed for more than three hours, but we’d done just that and I was quite surprised none of the nurses came in to remind Chris that visitors hours were over. He was currently laid up under me, revealing some of his deepest memories just to satisfy my curiosity. I told him that he didn’t have to bring up anymore of those painful topics, but he insisted he was tired of keeping the truth from me and that I needed to know everything there was to know about him… whether it hurt him to tell me or not.  “I never thought that nigga would show face again and I was completely content with that,” He explained, “I ain’t want him around my mama or my sister, so when he decided to commit all his fucking time to that bitch ass nigga Trey and his mom, I really couldn’t have been happier. Then one day, he randomly popped the fuck up in my life. He somehow managed to get ahold of my contact information and he called me, asking if I was ready to commit to the life I was destined to live. I told him to fuck off, but I never told him that I was already knee deep in it… doing shit my way without his guidance. I mean, he was never there for me… ever. I knew what he wanted more than anything was the bank I was bringing in.”  “I’d made a name for myself at a young age. I was the up and coming young’in in the game and I knew what the fuck I was doing and I was doing it all on my own. I was most notorious for my temper and everybody in the city knew not to fuck with me ‘cause I ain’t tolerate shit, even at the age of sixteen. I kept my shit in order, I was never big headed about it and I always took my job very serious. I guess Eze realized Trey wasn't making moves as quick as me and that’s why he showed up smack in the middle of my prime.”  “So, the day he popped up at mama’s house, I was beyond fucking furious. He’d already tried to get at me the night we went out for New Year’s Eve, but I wasn’t having it then and I let him know quick that he needed to back the fuck off and leave me to mines. He wouldn’t listen though… the nigga was adamant as fuck. He wanted an in with me and that was that. He got bold then and that’s why I was so pissed that day. I specifically told him to stay the fuck away from my family and to have him defy me as a man and step foot on my mother’s property… that was disrespectful beyond reason.”  “After that day, I guess Eze has just had it out for me. He couldn’t cope with the fact that his youngest son was living a life he could only dream of and because I’d gained so much more respect from some of the most notorious niggas out here, oh… Eze wasn’t having that. Now, I’m not tryna jump the gun here, but I’m almost positive that old ass nigga and his dumb ass son had a whole lot to do with my accident. They knew if they could take me out, they could claim my territory and they would be set.”  Closing my eyes and resting the palm of my right hand against his chest, I noted that the pace of his heartbeat was much quicker than usual. I rubbed my hand in a circular motion against his chest to soothe him and tilted my head back, opening my eyes to look up at him.  “Chris,” I whispered, prompting him to snap out of his sudden daze and glance down at me, “Can I ask you something?” “Anything babe.” He murmured. “Kin… where did that come from?” With a sigh, he slithered the hand he had resting against my side down and clutched tightly at my waist “It came about because of my temper. When I was like fourteen or fifteen, this black ass African guy I was working for at the time told me I was the fiercest seller he’d ever had. I remember him having a strong ass accent and he told me he was from Durban, South Africa. He said that in the part of the country he was from, the men were all known to be strong and brave warriors who feared no one and nothing, so that’s where Akin, or Kin, came from. It means warrior, hero, brave man… everything that he said I was.”  I snuggled my face as close to his hardened chest as I could and smiled… whoever that man was, he was definitely a smart man. Chris was every bit of the warrior that man said he was, plus more. Besides his charm, personality, and handsomely good looks… his protective and masculine nature was what drew me to him. He was such a strong young man who took nothing from no one and always knew what he wanted and exactly how to get it.  I honestly believed Chris and I were the epitome of ‘opposites attract.’. He’d always been such a tough guy, never afraid to face whatever daunting tasks were thrown at him no matter how difficult, and he was always willing to do whatever it took to get to the top. I, on the other hand, was a timid and reserved girl throughout my childhood and early teenage years. I was always so afraid to live life to the fullest like Chris and I never really held myself to high standards. I’d always been calm by nature, while Chris was like a raging tornado… he was a bottle of anger who, when triggered just the right way, could easily be your worst nightmare.  So many people have told me that I seem to be the only person who has the ability to gain any sort of control over Chris when his temper flares, but I would always relate it back to our contradicting attitudes… if you take a person who’s as bold, angry, and tough as Chris and mesh them together with someone as quiet, reserved, and gentle as I… the outcome is exactly what Chris and I have created. I’ve come to realize that we have a love-hate relationship. Some days, I will honestly despise the very ground that he walks on, but at the end of the day I still, and will always, love him unconditionally.  With a sudden thought flashing through my mind, my face immediately contorted into a frown and I pushed away from Chris’s chest, groaning softly as I did. He turned his head to look at me and before he could reach out and stop me from moving away from him, I gripped the side rail of my bed and maneuvered myself into a comfortable upright position on my knees beside him.  Licking my dry lips and tilting my head to one side, I stared at him with a frown that only continued to deepen the longer I stared “I want you to be honest…” “About what?” He asked as he too sat up in an upright position.  “All the stuff Trey said… about you not loving me or caring about me… is it true?” I asked calmly, though my heart raced a mile a minute. He almost immediately froze in place and stared at me, which worried me because I hadn’t expected him to react that way. He sighed deeply and dropped his head with a chuckle, running a hand over his tired face “No, it’s not true. Nothing he said was true… never has been and never will be. Lemme explain something to you…” He said, leaning forward with his feet flat against the surface of the bed and his knees bent, allowing his elbows to rest against them “I love you Sy’Diyah… more than life itself. Before you, I’m confident I ain’t know nothing about love. It goes so deep with you that I almost don’t know how I was surviving before I met you. It’s hard to explain… and it don’t really even make much sense, but I just know I can’t live without you. I know I can’t. That nigga Trey may have been interested in you, liked you, whatever… but from the moment I met you, it’s like you were it and I knew you were it. Almost like how those wolves found love in that Twilight movie. I felt like I imprinted on you and I just can’t be with anyone else. Like I told you before, even when you weren’t mine… you were mine and I wasn’t gonna let anyone else have you.”  “But why would he say all those things Chris? Why would he lie about something like that?” I could feel my throat and chest tightening and I knew it was only a matter of time before the waterworks began.  “Because he knew that this was exactly what would happen… you would doubt me. He found some type of twisted humor in coming between me and you because he knew you meant the world to me. Everything he said to you was like a last-ditch effort to keep you away from me. I had already made it loud and clear who you were and how much you meant to me… I even made it clear to Gabby.” I shut my eyes for a moment and released a deep sigh. Though he’d explained to me before that he’d made it known to Gabby how he felt about me, it was still weird to hear.  “Listen Hope,” He started, swiping his tongue out over his plump pink lips as his eyes penetrated me, “I know we young and I know there are people who think we just naive and caught up in some type of puppy love and we just lusting over each other. People think we don’t know what love is and that we just infatuated with the thought of a relationship or whatever. But if I don’t know nothing else, I know how I feel about you. I knew from the moment I met you and I know right now, in this very moment, that I love you and care about you more than the air that I breathe. I’ve never felt this way about anyone in my life… ever. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that you were gonna be mine, no questions asked.” My focus remained on my twiddling thumbs as he professed his feelings for me and I couldn't control the smirk itching at my lips. Eventually I raised my gaze to meet his hazel eyed one in and I giggled softly. “You were just that confident that I would want to be with you, huh?” I muttered. He nodded quickly and returned the smile “Yep. I knew from the moment you damn near tripped over the steps on your aunt’s porch the very first time we met, when you caught me staring at you.” I couldn’t help but full out laugh as I thought back to the day we first met and the moment that I had indeed nearly fell flat on my face trying to stare right back at his handsome little face.  “But what I’m tryna say is, all that shit that nigga was talking… the bullshit lies he was throwing at you about me not caring about you… that was all his last attempt to salvage anything with you.” He explained with a sudden stone expression.  “His last attempt?” I repeated, searching for clarification. He cast his gaze off past my head and nodded with that same hard expression “Yeah… that jealous muhfucka almost took me out, but what shocked me was when I realized the bullet that hit me wasn’t even his. I almost went down without looking up to see who fired off at me, but I caught a glimpse… and it was Eze.” I held my breath and stared at him, waiting patiently for him to continue “I don’t know where he came from or how he even knew we were there, but he showed up and he was the last person I saw before I completely blacked out. I remember seeing him standing back behind Daynah in the shadows, but for some reason I guess I just thought I was imagining shit and didn’t even bother moving out the way when he raised his gun to me,” He paused for a moment and shook his head at the memory, “I was wearing my vest though, so I wasn’t concerned with him shooting me. He wasn’t aiming at me though… I swear it didn’t look like it. That nigga Trey was over by you and Jaylen ‘cause he tried to hop out the way after the shot was fired. The only thing I remember after that was everything going black, but I remember that I could still hear. I heard another gunshot, loud and clear… then a body hit the floor. When I finally opened my eyes, Trey was down and he wasn’t moving.” My gaze remained locked on my hands… I was too shocked to say anything. Chris didn’t bother to finish that half of the story and I didn’t wanna just assume he was saying that Eze shot Trey, but there was no other way around it and I didn't want to push him to tell me.  “But all that don’t even matter though. Wherever he is, dead, paralyzed, whatever… he’s not gonna fuck with you anymore, okay.” He assured me. I nodded as I took in the confidence lacing his words and crawled back over to him. He still had his feet planted flat on the surface of the bed with his legs parted, so I took the opportunity to move his arms away from his knees and I climbed right between his legs. I could see him smirking down at me as I gently pressed a hand against his chest, forcing him to lay back against the pillows so I could cuddle against him.  “And last but not least… please, please, please for the love of me… do not ever break up with me, whether it be because somebody threatened you to do it or just because you want to… just don’t. You would never understand what it felt like the day you walked in my house, told me that it was over, then walked out. You left with my heart in the palm of your hand that day and my soul floated right out the door behind you. I’ve never felt that type of pain in my life and I never, ever wanna feel it again.” He muttered as he slipped a hand through my wild hair and caressed my scalp. I smiled, snuggling my face as close as I could to his chest and tucked my hands beneath his shirt, resting them against his warm skin.  “I’m sorry,” I whispered as I massaged the tips of my fingers into his sides, “I didn’t mean to hurt you like that.” I could feel him puffing his chest out, pushing me forward a bit to get my attention. I tilted my head back and peered up at him as he gazed down at me lovingly “You know what I would call us?”  He continued to ease his fingers through my hair and I stared up at his perfectly chiseled face as I awaited his next statement “The black Romeo and Juliet. Only we gotta worry about everyone but our families tryna break us up.”  I stared at the handsome smirk on his face for a while then burst into a fit of giggles. I continued to laugh as I readjusted myself so that I was on my side, still lying on his chest with one hand beneath his shirt clutching at his side and the other directly over his heart.  “Well I love you, my Romeo.” I said. He chuckled softly and leaned forward to press his lips against my forehead “I love you too, Juliet.” 

[mymelodyheart]

Starting Over Chapter 8 ~The Confrontation~

Jamie swallowed hard and eyed the cleaver nervously. Christ, what did uncle Lamb ask again? Oh, aye ...he was asking how I know of Claire. 

"Joe is our mutual friend. Ye ken, Joe, aye?"

Quentin stopped what he was doing. "Yes. Joe is a family friend. While ye were away with my niece, he relayed everything that happened. Why did you go to so much trouble helping Claire?"

Whack!  Jamie jumped on his stool again. For fuck sake, what's wrong with me? I could tackle this git to the ground if I want to.  He ignored the feeling of unease and tried to remain calm. "Joe would have wanted me to help her and so would ye," he replied.   "Claire was desperate to run away. If I hadn't been there, she wouldn't have made it far. And from what I've heard, ye weren't overly keen on Frank marrying her. Surely, you must be elated that the wedding didn't go ahead."

Quentin ignored his last statement and went to the point. "Do you intend to ask her out?" he asked. 

Sweat broke out over his skin. Truth, Jamie lad!  "I like her a lot, and I would like to see her again."

"She's not like your girlfriends or the girls you go for. And if you ..."

"I've never had a girlfriend," Jamie interrupted, suddenly feeling annoyed. "And besides, seeing her doesnae mean there has to be something between us. As I said, Joe is our mutual friend, and I would like to be her friend too."

Quentin arched an eyebrow. "You expect me to believe that?"

His temper ratcheted up. "No. People will believe what they want to believe. Looks like you've made up your mind already."

"I wish to be enlightened. Tell me then, what is fallacious about the articles written about you?" Quentin asked, unperturbed by his outburst, throwing the hacked beef bones into the pot with loud clacks.

Jamie tunnelled his fingers through his hair and stared at the older man. He disliked talking about his public image. It was something he'd chosen to forget, hoping sports history will omit what the tabloids had written about him and solely focus on his contribution to rugby. A cold ball of misery fisted his gut. "I'm not a player if that's what you think. But I'm not a monk either. I've had consensual, brief affairs. Unfortunately, I've been photographed during an infamous walk of shame, and that stuck ever since. My life was strictly ruled by rugby ...until my accident. Most of the articles that were written about me that didn't pertain to sports are pure speculation. It stemmed from the public wanting to know all about my private life. And because I have nothing to show, tabloid writers made up stories. Every time I was photographed with a female during public functions, it was automatically dubbed as romance in the making. It's hard to fight it because fighting it only results in feeding the flame. I can't win either way. All I ever wanted was to play rugby and talk about the game."

"Is that all?"

Was that all?  He almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of the interrogation.  Why am I giving him my time of day?  Shaking his head, he let out a deep sigh of resignation. "Aye. One more thing. If something was to happen between Claire and me, it wouldn't work anyway."

"Oh! Why is that?" It was Quentin's turn to look surprised.

"I'm unstable, and I'm going through a phase. I have nae idea what I want to dae with my life. I had a call earlier from my agent. There is an opening for a rugby presenter on TV, and I was told I'd be great for the job since I know how to articulate the inner workings of the game. My only drawback is, I have a blemished reputation as a womaniser, and we're talking about representing a wholesome TV program where scandals are frowned upon by the board of directors. So I doubt I'll be given consideration. As for Claire, she needs to find herself. And if she's with me, the reporters will eat her alive. Furthermore, I dinna ken how to be in a relationship. My track record bears testimony to that."

"You honestly believe that about yourself? Unstable?"

Jamie didn't reply. A long silence settled in the kitchen and an odd calm over him. It felt good to verbalised the nagging voices in his head and share a part of him he'd concealed. Maybe it was for the best to quell any notions of Claire, finally accepting that they were both at a difficult point of their lives. In as much as he was physically attracted to her, a commitment right now would only complicate things.

"Well, son, we may have something in common then."

"Aye?" Jamie's brows knitted together and wondered what he was on about.

"You mentioned you don't know how to be in a relationship. Well, I don't know how to be a father, and to this day, I'm still figuring that out. I've raised Claire since she was five and yet, here I am, I'm still stumbling my way through parenthood. Like you, I had to deal with a life that I didn't ask for. It took a lot of heart and courage just to pull through. In the end, it was all worth it. Claire grew up to be a fine young woman, and I couldn't be more proud of her. Don't believe everything you tell yourself. They're just noises in your head. I learned from raising Claire, that love is strongest when you learn to trust the process despite the doubts." He stopped, coughed and looked at him directly in the eyes. "By the way, do you like brandy?"

"Huh?" Bewilderment swarmed his head. He hadn't been expecting a quick turnaround. "Ah, weel ...eh ...I prefer whisky, but I drink brandy once in a while."

"The snifter glasses and the brandy are on the far right cupboard. Pour us some if you please."

The request cut through his confusion, and he shot to his feet. "Aye, of course." He quickly prepared the brandy, half expecting to get whacked on the head with a cleaver, while Quentin washed his hands, 

Once the drinks were poured, Quentin took a glass and swirled it in his hand, before taking a whiff. Pleased with the aroma, he raised the snifter and gestured for him to do the same. "Here's to you and thank you for helping, my niece. I appreciate the lengths you went through in keeping her safe. How much do I owe you for the trouble?"

Jamie almost choked on his drink. "Ach, no! It was nae bother at all. I don't need the money."

"Very well." Quentin put his glass down and pointed at the bowl of vegetables. "Do you mind chopping those carrots and celery sticks for me?"

"No. I can dae that," Jamie answered, pondering what the older man will say or ask of him next. Uncle Lamb was proving to be an enigma and full of surprises, but he was beginning to worry about Claire.  How long have they been in the room?

As if reading his mind, Quentin smiled at him. "And when you're done, send Frank in, please and go and take Claire away from here. Frank and I need a heart to heart talk."

Grabbing a knife, Jamie bowed his head down and got to work, resisting the urge the smile. He wondered what uncle Lamb had to say to Frank, and if Frank will get the same meat-cleaver-treatment, he received.  Didn't Claire mention earlier that Frank had never visited Quentin? Was Frank trying to isolate Claire from her only relative too?

In no time, he completed the task. Just as he was about to go, Quentin stopped him. "Another thing. If you don't mind and if it's no trouble at all, may I please have a signed jersey from you? I'm actually a big fan of yours."

Jamie was stunned but kept his expression bland and bit his lip. He couldn't help doing a mock contemplation. It was good to know that behind the no-nonsense facade, Claire's uncle had a weakness. "Of course. I will have one sent as soon as possible. Maybe I'll throw in a ticket for the next home game in Murrayfield. A private VIP box perhaps?"

"That'll be grand," Quentin's face lit up. "And James?"

Ah, what now?  "Aye?"

"You have a lot of heart. I believe everything you told me."

"Thank ye, I appreciate that." To his surprise, a weight lifted off his shoulders and wondered why it mattered so much to have Claire's uncle's approval. He tamped down the urge to hug the older man. 

If only Quentin knew, how much those words meant after having difficulties in overcoming the stigma attached to his popularity. He could only hope Claire wouldn't judge him too harshly about his past.

..........

"Why did you leave me, Claire?" 

Frank had his back to her as he looked out the window. Hands shoved in his jeans and legs braced apart, an air of self-possession and authority emanated from his frame and carriage, his voice, rich and deep, just as she remembered them. 

It was a simple question which she had an answer to, but panic and dread welled up. She was ill-prepared for their confrontation.

As if sensing her trepidation, he turned around and approached her, his dark chocolate eyes that she once adored, never leaving her face. "Did I ever hurt you? I need answers, Claire. I need to understand what I've done wrong. Have I not told you often enough how much I love you?" he asked softly.

Her brain worked to form a logical reply, but simple utterances were proving difficult. "Ah, I ... I'm so sorry ...I ran away ...I couldn't ..." 

His face dissolved into understanding, and a hand reached out to stroke her hair. "I forgive you. You know I'll always forgive you. We're so good together. All I've ever done is love you, and everything I do is for you. For us."

"B-but ..."

"Sssh, no buts." Frank pulled her into his arms and whispered loving words into her ears. He kissed her cheek and stroke her hair. "It's my fault, my love. I was so busy at the hospital, and I thought all was well with us. I failed to see you were under a lot of pressure with work and with planning the wedding. It's me who should be asking for your forgiveness." A hand ran down her back with the expertise of an experienced lover, massaging and soothing the tautness in her muscle. Once it had been so easy to succumb to his display of tenderness and forget everything that had happened.

The conversation with Joe and Geillis popped in her mind, and her guts clenched. She had seen this side of Frank before. He knew what buttons to push and the words to say. How many times had she fallen for his promise of devotion and humbling plea for forgiveness, only for him to suddenly turn around so fast with a cutting remark or a cold look of objection that she thought she imagined the whole thing? He'd rewarded her with presents and gentle affection when she won his approval but punished her with hurtful words when she didn't live up to his expectations. 

Nausea slammed her with full force, and Claire stepped away from his hold. "Frank, I can't do this anymore. I've been unhappy for a long time, and I don't like the person I've become."

His brows furrowed, puzzlement evident in his eyes. "Claire, why are you speaking like that? I can understand you're confused because of the stress you're having, and you feel we've grown apart. It's normal to feel that way from time to time. Relationships cannot be likened to a walk in the park. It requires hard work. We'll have bad days sometimes, but that doesn't mean we don't love each other anymore. We're perfect together. Can't you see that? Everyone thinks so too."

She thought of Joe, Geillis and uncle Lamb, her towers of strength and the only thing consistent in her life. How many times had Frank excluded them from functions he'd arranged? It was almost like he was embarrassed by the company she kept. Geillis and Joe had tried their best to get along with him for her sake, but Frank never made it easy for them. And then she thought of her day-out in Cullen with Jamie. It was the first time in ages laughter had come easy, and there had been no expectations of her other than to be herself.  

"No, Frank, not everyone! My friends don't think we're perfect for one another. They believe you are keeping me away from them. You don't like them. You don't like me either. You're continuously telling me how to fix myself to make you happy. I'm so tired of living up to some standard. You want to change me, and that isn't what love is all about."

"What do you know of love?" he shot. He took a couple of steps forward, forcing her to back up against the wall. His calm demeanour was gone and in its place, a rage that she'd never seen on him before. Alarm seeped through, and she wanted to run, but fear froze her in place. "Do you even realise what you put me through? Imagine the humiliation I felt when I saw your picture on the newspaper this morning with that drunk former rugby player. The hospital is rife with gossip and everyone stares. Right now reporters are staking my home as well as my workplace. And did you even think of giving me a call? No, because you're so wrapped up in your own world and that James fucking Fraser. Mark my words, that man will use you Claire, and once he's done with you, he'll drop you like a hot potato. That's what he is, and that's what he does."

Anger bubbled up, and years of frustration found its voice. "What are you insinuating? I planned to run off with Jamie? I fell trying to escape through the window, and he caught me. If he hadn't been there, I'd be dead," she snapped, shoving him away from her. "And for your information, nothing happened between us. But by God, I was tempted. And you want to know why? Days before our wedding day, I kissed him in Lallybroch because I wanted to know if there was something wrong with me. You were always finding fault in our lovemaking, and I started to think something must be amiss. And guess what? You should have seen his face. I've never seen a man look at me the way he did. Desired and ..."

He flinched. "He's a player, Claire! 

"Do you think I care what he is, Frank?" she shouted. "The fact he made me feel whole and not broken and not undesirable was enough. I may lack experience when it comes to relationships, but I wasn't born in a bubble, and I'm not stupid. You treat me like a child ...like I can't think for myself. Give it a rest, Frank. Can't you see it? I'll never be enough for you, and you'll always find ways to change me."

The intimidation waned, and Frank's shoulders sagged. "Claire, the only reason why I asked more from you, is because I saw the potential in you. You are a brilliant doctor, and I didn't want you to settle. If I've caused you pain by pushing you, I'm so sorry. I'll change my ways. I can fix me. We can fix us together."

Guilt threatened to take hold, but she remembered how Frank treated her friends. "I'm so sorry, Frank. I don't want to fix us anymore. We're beyond repair. Let's not make this any more difficult than it is. It's over," she said softly. 

The unshed tears that glinted in his eyes nearly broke her heart, but she reminded herself to remain strong. "Please, Claire, give us some time. Take all the time you need. You're not thinking clearly right now. Don't throw away what we've built together."

Her body began to shake, so she wrapped her arms across her chest, to still the shiver skating over her body. "No, Frank. It will never work. We don't work anymore, and we haven't for ages. Just let me go. Please."

"We can work. I know that. But I won't push. You are understandably upset, and you need space." He reached out to touched her, but when she recoiled, he dropped his hand. "I will see you at the hospital next week, and we'll take it from there. I won't give up on us, Claire. I love you too much, and I know you feel the same way."

"No Frank, please don't do this ..." Her words trailed off when Jamie suddenly walked in.

She sucked in a breath as both men stilled and had a standoff staring at each other. She feared Frank might say something sharp and uncivil leading to a provocation. But to her relief, Jamie spoke first. "Uncle Lamb wishes to speak to you."

Frank nodded, glanced one more time at Claire and then left the room without another word.

Once they were alone, Jamie walked over to her and tilted her chin. "Ye alright, Sassenach?" 

"He won't let me go. I told him already it was over, but he won't listen."

"How about your things in his apartment?"

"I forgot to ask him. But I'll talk to him again next week when I go back to work, and I'll arrange a day to collect it."

"Joe and I will come with ye. Did Frank threaten ye?" He caressed her cheek, looking her over to check if she was harmed.

"N-no, nothing like that. It's Frank's mannerisms that is intimidating. He knows me too well. He plays on my guilt like a master, and his stubborn refusal to give up is making it all more difficult."

Jamie's face hardened, contradicting the gentleness of his touch. "Dinna fash, Sassenach. We'll talk more about it later. I need to get ye out of here. It's yer uncle's orders. By the way, yer uncle is not by any chance a murderer, is he?"

"Wot? Wot are you talking about?" Then a realisation hit her, and her eyes widened. "No! He didn't do the meat cleaver act on you, or did he?"

"Aye, he did." Jamie didn't look impressed, so she suppressed the laughter that was beginning to bubble up. "Weel, it will serve Frank right to get that treatment from yer uncle, intimidating ye like that. I nearly shat bricks when he was interrogating me." He tugged her hand and led her out of the apartment.

"That's why I didn't have boyfriends when I was the uni. He scared the hell out of them. How did you get away with it?"

Jamie glanced at her and winked. "I bribed him with a signed shirt from me. And a VIP pass for Murrayfield at the next rugby home game."

She stared at him in disbelief and saw the grudging smile trying to mar his handsome face. This time Claire let out the laughter, forgetting for a little while the heartache and worry Frank had caused and the problems that were yet to come.

[victoriousscarf]

for the meme: Jason Todd and Slade Wilson

Jason: First impression

Okay I’m reaching back to 2008 for this but I’m pretty sure the first time I ran into Jason was Hush because I read Hush really early. I remember it being my introduction to a lot of characters (including Dick as Nightwing) which is both great because it covers like Batman’s entire rouge gallery and crew but is also awful because it covers everyone and that gets confusing fast hah.

So my introduction to him was Bruce’s overwhelming guilt and rage over his death. That’s a pretty strong impression. I also know I read Under the Red Hood fairly early and liked it enough to get the animated movie the instant it came out. But I don’t remember really LOVING Jason at that stage. Like I liked him but he wasn’t someone I was so into. I’m pretty sure the first time I ever wrote him was Find the Sun. I had Dick and Tim in the first story I ever wrote but I’m pretty sure Jason wasn’t in it.

Impression now

God I can not with this compassionate broken and angry child. He’s brash yet kind, too messed up by his own tenderness and driven to extremes by his anger. Someone hug this boy.Favorite moment

Damn I don’t know. I mean the end of Under the Red Hood when Bludhaven is nuked and he fights Bruce anyway creates this really interesting triangle between Bruce Jason and Dick and tho Dick isn’t there he’s still so much a presence of the screen, the favored son vs the one who messed up and died and Bruce’s panic while finally facing this ghost. I don’t know if I can say it’s my favorite but it fucks me up to this day. I also like him fucking with Black Mask that always gives me a kick. And I really love him first meeting Dick back as Robin (the post zero hour one, not Nightwing Year One).Idea for a storyI’m sure variations have been done but I’d love more about him dealing with the Lazarus pit and how that continues to effect him. Unpopular opinionI really don’t like new 52? Like I’m all for Jason having actual friends and there’s some good in Red Hood and the Outlaws but like that’s never where i go first. Like Roy and Kor almost always are Dicks friends first. I wish Jason had been allowed to keep growing in the pre 52 with maybe some more links to Donna and Kyle and building a life post all the things he had done instead of scrapping the slate back and making him WAY less angry or brutal. Like, I’m glad new 52 reframes his compassion but I really like his compassion held in tenuous balance with his rage. (I feel starved for truly angry characters okay that aren’t just assholes). Pre 52 had some major issues with him too but tbh I’m more in Under the Red Hood territory than Red Hood and the Outlaws. Favorite relationshipYou gonna make me say it??? Really? Okay fine I’m totally into him and Dick. And I don’t just mean I really like making them kiss: I am so fascinated by the possibilities of their relationship in canon: favored son vs second son, and how Jason’s idolization of Dick turns to rage contrasted with Dicks behavior toward Jason starting as Robin, changing to his guilt and missing Jason so much turning to complete disregard for Jason when he comes back which directly contradicts Dicks entire reaction the whole time Jason was dead. Dreaming about him, getting into fights with Bruce, and perhaps most importantly beating the Joker to death with a crowbar when he mocks him about not remembering Jason’s name. (Sure it got fixed almost instantly but like mocking Jason’s death drove Dick, guilt complex almost fell apart when he let someone else kill Blockbuster Dick, to actually /kill the Joker/ which makes him the only member of the batfam who actually avenged his murder at any point??? Does Jason even /know/?) Add on legacy issues (when Dick disappears for a year Jason takes up the Nightwing suit too) and like yeah I’m fucking here man. I mean I love Bruce and Jason and the pain between them, and Jason and Tim starting with rage and moving to actually being friends but like the miasma of whatever the fuck is between Dick and Jason keeps dragging me back. (Come home brother is the only page I want to keep from Battle for the Cowl)

Favorite headcanon

Jason is acting president of all Robin’s have a crush on Dick Grayson club. They’re still trying to figure out where Duke lands but Steph is a member, tho she got the least of it since her stint as Robin covered Dicks mental breakdown era.

Slade:First impression

Damn I don’t remember. I’m fairly certain I ran into him in the teen Titans before anywhere else and he’s always interested me but I can’t quite remember which issue I found him in first. I know I spent a lot of time tracking down Judas Contract since it was out of print at the time and I have like a really early printing tpb from the 80s as a result. And even more time finding the issue where he just strolls into Dicks apartment to tell him he’s in Bludhaven because that issue never was collected in trade, so I was checking every comic store I could find and their back issues.

Impression now

I’m really disappointed he’s become more of a generic villain in a lot of DCs media. Like I loved him under Wolfram, when he was a Merc with an honor code and snarky outlook who was as likely to tutor the Titans as attack them. He almost became an ally a few times. And like I haven’t dug into his post new 52 comics that much but he just seems so bland and like oh ho ho he’s such a badass and that’s all that matters!!! So like I’m still attached to the character I just haven’t paid much attention to his recent canon.

Favorite moment

Hmmm… I mean I really like the time he allies with the Titans and the old squad was just side eying him the whole time while the newcomers where sorta more like eh? Is he so bad? And then Dick rode a goddamn nuke because why not.

But honestly it’s probably him and Dick standing outside the abondoned Titans tower, fighting over their guilt over Joeys death. It’s showcases both of their emotional pain, Dicks temper, and Slade’s strange capacity for compassion.

Idea for a story

Can I have another 80 stories set in Flashpoint with him as a pirate???

Honestly I’d be really here for an actual nuanced story exploring his relationship with his kids. Too often it gets reduced to hate or them being too much like their father and that’s not what I want.

Or! Considering I have no idea what the fuck is happening with DC right now but I just read that Superman and Lois from pre and post new 52 just got combined and have memories from both universes combined Slade dealing with his kids and Dick and sure throw Ollie in here too. The fact he’s both not met Grayson and has spend years intimately knowing Dick and the workings of his mind would be a trip and could be fun, plus his more complicated relationship with Joey and Rose pre new 52. Also Ollie would have a shit of a time figuring out his two lives (as he’s a set of characters that changed by far the most with the new 52) and why not throw Slade at him again too for old times sake? (Hey asshole remember when I crashed your wedding? I’m not even–actually yeah yeah I do you ASSHOLE)

Unpopular opinion

I have no idea??? I honestly don’t know what’s popular and what isn’t with him. So far no one’s bitched at me with anything to do with Slade.

Favorite relationship

While I’m totally here for the respectful turned to hateful rivalry between Slade and Dick (and honestly that’s another relationship that’s been stripped from Dick that drives me MAD) my favorite is actually Slade’s relationship with his kids. He’s distant, moves on a scale as simply a neglectful and not great dad to full on abusive and using his kids for his own ends (like for sure sticking kryptonite in Roses eye is a great idea!!!! But that was also at the height of Slade loosing his morals and mind). But as much as he wasn’t there for Grant, it was Grant’s foolish death and Slade’s pride that sent him on a collision course with the Titans. His guilt over Joey, first with his muteness and later for killing his own son, the fact that as terrible as he was to Rose he wants the person he respects possibly the most (Dick) to take care of his kids, especially her. The fact that when he looks at Rose the emotion the black lanterns see is love. The fact his entire plot in Flashpoint was his quest to save his daughter as the world goes pear shaped into apocalypse. Slade loves his kids he’s just a terrible fucking father and I love it.

Favorite headcanon

He still respects Dick despite everything they’ve done to each other.