#Neglect of Ricky Starks

[popculturevault]

[justanoasisimagines]

Current Requests

Hey my lovelies, below is everything I have the intention to write. Please be paitent with me as some will get written quicker than others.

Once Upon a time;

-Rumplestiltskin Drabble - Reader is a nanny to three children, her and Rumple meet up for a picnic (Requested by @twilightlover2007) -Killian Jones - Fic - Reader is under the sleeping curse placed on her by Rumple, Killian and the Charming's finally defeat him. Killian's kiss wakes her up proving they are each other's true love (Requested by Anon) -KIllian Jones - Fic - Reader has nightmares about a fiery room from the sleeping curse and Killian comforts her until eventually the nightmares go away (Requested by Anon)

Game of thrones;

-Robb Stark - Fic - Vampire!Reader, she has the power to talk to Greywind and other animals. Robb is her mate/ they meet when Robb is injured when he's hunting alone with only greywind at his side. Reader begins to visit Robb at night, she's kept as a secret. However, Robb begs her to turn him but she doesn't want him to be a 'souless monster (Requested by Anon) -Grenn - Fic - Reader is the only girl at the nights Watch and they have a secret relationship (Requested by Anon) -Set B - Preference - Your like Margery Tyrell (Requested by Anon) -Eddard "Ned" Stark - Fic - Reader is Ned's second wife and all the kids cling to her even Jon and Theon (Requested by @roselyhills) -Jorah Mormont - Fluff Alphabet (Requested by Anon)

House of the Dragon;

-Aegon II Targaryen - Fic - Blood and Cheese occurs but Reader manages to save the child and how they cope with it. (Requested by @roselyhills) -Harwin Strong - Fic - Targaryen Princess Reader (Requested by Anon)

Harry Potter;

-Student!Remus Lupin - Fic - Smitten with Reader; Staring at her longily, walking into walls. Sirius finds it funny. Silly and fluffy (Requested by Anon) -George Weasley - First date Headcanons with Hufflepuff!hyper/chaotic midsize (Requested by Anon)

Chicago Fire;

-Matt Casey and Kelly Severide - Fic - New relationship, relationship is private, they tell the whole fire station and they're happy. Reader has an accident, and the Intelligence Unit is involved. Kelly and Matt are horrified are when they find out. At the hospital, Connor and Will treat her, she's inhaled a lot of smoke and has bruises. She also doesn't remember who boyfriend is so Kelly and Matt have to explain to her it's both of them. (Requested by @maximeseveridecasey)

The Walking Dead

-Daryl Dixon - Fic - Not together yet, but Daryl likes Reader, and does all these sweet things for her, Daryl gets all shy when she thanks him and calls him sweet. One day he can't take anymore and kisses her. (Requested by @iheartdilfs1204)

AEW;

-Ricky Starks - Drabble. He has a sinus infection Reader takes care of him (Requested by Anon)

Shadow and Bone;

-King Nikolai Lanstov - Fic - Reader and him are expecting a child (Requested by Anon)

Mayans Mc;

-Miguel Galindo - Fic - Spending family time with their son Cristobal Reading. Fluffy, suggestive (Requested by @pear-1206) -Hank Loza - Continuation of the love letter (Requested by @encounterthepast)

Station 19;

-Jack Gibson - Fic - Reader is a trauma surgeon and she's overworking herself and neglecting her relationship. She's burnt out and it's difficult to watch. Angst/ with a happy ending (Requested by Anon)

[deswatchedit]

Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Boyz n the Hood (1991), directed by John Singleton, is a groundbreaking and poignant exploration of systemic inequality, masculinity, and the challenges of growing up Black in South Central Los Angeles. Widely considered a seminal entry in American cinema, the film blends deeply personal storytelling with a sharp social critique, examining the cycles of violence and systemic neglect that permeate urban Black communities. Through its richly drawn characters and powerful narrative, Singleton’s directorial debut delivers an unflinching portrayal of survival, brotherhood, and the enduring hope for a better future.

At its core, Boyz n the Hood is a coming-of-age story that follows Tre Styles (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.), a young Black man navigating the pressures of adolescence amidst the turmoil of South Central. Raised by his strong, principled father, Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne), and his loving but overburdened mother, Reva Devereaux (Angela Bassett), Tre strives to overcome the pervasive violence, poverty, and limited opportunities that define his neighborhood. Alongside Tre are his childhood friends, Doughboy (Ice Cube), a gang-affiliated but loyal figure, and Ricky (Morris Chestnut), an aspiring football player with dreams of escaping through a college scholarship.

The film is both intimate and expansive, using Tre’s personal struggles as a lens to explore broader systemic issues. Through Furious’ character, Singleton weaves in sharp critiques of redlining, the lack of economic opportunities, and the deliberate neglect of Black communities by institutions of power. Furious’ impassioned speech about the deliberate placement of liquor stores in Black neighborhoods and the roots of gang violence provides a sobering reminder of the structural forces that perpetuate cycles of despair. These moments of clarity elevate Boyz n the Hood beyond a coming-of-age drama, transforming it into a searing indictment of America’s racial inequities.

A key strength of the film lies in its nuanced portrayal of masculinity. Tre’s journey is not just about survival but also about defining what it means to be a man. Under Furious’ guidance, Tre learns that manhood is rooted in responsibility, self-control, and respect for oneself and others. In contrast, Doughboy’s trajectory reflects the consequences of systemic neglect, toxic masculinity, and the lure of gang culture as a means of protection and validation. Ice Cube’s performance as Doughboy is especially striking, capturing both the vulnerability and hardened exterior of a young man shaped by his environment.

The tension between Tre’s aspirations and the neighborhood’s brutal realities drives much of the film’s drama. Ricky, with his athletic talent and dreams of college, represents a glimmer of hope, but his tragic death at the hands of gang violence underscores the fragility of those dreams. This moment, one of the film’s most heart-wrenching scenes, serves as a microcosm of the hopelessness faced by many young Black men caught in the crossfire of systemic failure and street violence. Singleton forces the audience to grapple with the devastating consequences of these societal failures, refusing to offer easy solutions or sentimental resolutions.

Visually, Boyz n the Hood employs a raw, understated style that mirrors the stark realities of its characters’ lives. The wide shots of South Central’s streets juxtapose moments of familial warmth with the ever-present danger of violence, creating an atmosphere that feels both lived-in and foreboding. Singleton’s use of music further underscores the film’s emotional weight, blending West Coast hip-hop with a melancholic score that reflects the film’s duality of hope and despair.

As a “Black film,” Boyz n the Hood is unapologetically rooted in the lived experiences of Black communities, giving voice to stories often overlooked in mainstream cinema. Its authenticity lies not just in its predominantly Black cast and creative team but in its unflinching portrayal of systemic injustice and its impact on everyday lives. Singleton’s direction is deeply personal, informed by his own experiences growing up in South Central, which lends the film a sense of urgency and truth that resonates with audiences across generations.

Thematically, the film grapples with the cycles of systemic violence, the importance of fatherhood, and the choices that define one’s path in life. Furious’ character embodies a rare representation of Black fatherhood as a guiding force, countering the negative stereotypes often perpetuated in media. Meanwhile, Doughboy’s tragic arc highlights the harsh realities of young men left without such guidance, offering a sobering counterpoint to Tre’s story.

In its depiction of these intersecting struggles, Boyz n the Hood challenges viewers to confront the societal structures that marginalize and endanger Black communities. The film doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths, but it also leaves space for hope, embodied in Tre’s eventual escape to college and his decision to honor Ricky’s memory by striving for a better future.

In conclusion, Boyz n the Hood is a powerful, enduring piece of cinema that balances personal storytelling with incisive social commentary. As a “Black film,” it speaks directly to the challenges of systemic racism, urban violence, and the resilience of Black communities in the face of these obstacles. John Singleton’s deeply humanistic vision ensures that the film transcends its genre, becoming a timeless exploration of race, family, and the choices that define us. By centering the voices and struggles of its characters, Boyz n the Hood remains a vital and influential work, a testament to the power of storytelling to spark empathy and change.

[seaofthemind-art]

The “Abuse” Trope in MCU Spider-Man Fan Fiction: Part 1

[Edit Note: This first post completely missed my point, and as such is now being continued in "Part 2". I have made several edits and additions to this post for coherence between the two.]

I became interested in these tropes partly due to what seemed to be its abundance within the fandom. Re-reading several stories recently led me to consider how this trope has been handled in the fandom, its variations and ways that it has been turned on its head, as well as stories ideas that have not been explored yet to my knowledge.

Within the "Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)" category on AO3 there are several overarching areas that would come under the trope of abuse.

To put it in context, on the 26th October 2020 there was 28,637 works in the category; this included 626 stories tagged as "child abuse", a total of more than 2% of the stories. Of course, as we well know, tagging on AO3 is not consistent: there will be "abuse" stories which do not use this tag, whilst the tag may also be referring to a range of characters' situations (ie: Tony's childhood, Flash's backstory, OC characters). However, for these posts I'm going to look at stories related to Peter's experiences.

For all the "popularity" of these stories in the fandom, it is just an example of what are wide spread tropes across media. TV Tropes lists several related tropes including Abusive Parents and Foster Kid, showing that it is not only this fandom in which it is common.TV Tropes also makes a good point in its Sliding Scale of Parent-Shaming in Fiction, in that: what one person classes as abusive behavior may be perfectly acceptable to another.

Major Plot Categories

One of the common targets for this trope is "May's Abusive Boyfriend", which seems to have grown in popularity in the last year as Endgame has provided a convenient set-up for this trope:

the second law of thermodynamics by extraordinarythings

"It happens the same way it always does. (It's just discipline. It's not that bad. It's fine, Peter is fine, he'll be fine--). Except he really isn't fine, and Tony knows something's up, and Peter's house of cards is falling apart, and so the story goes."

Who Saves The Hero by CamelotQueen

“May brings home her new boyfriend. Something about him makes Peter feel nervous, but he makes May happy. And if May's happy, then Peter is happy. Then it escalates.”

Fear all else but never me. Please. by Webtrinsic

“May's new boyfriend proves himself to be a grade A-asshole when he decides to abuse Peter. And that doesn't sit well with Tony at all.”

i get by (but it’s eating me alive) by Livinei

““Do you not want to be home?” Tony starts. “No.” Tony considers for a moment. Peter’s never not wanted to be home. Not before… Now that he thinks about it, he doesn’t know a lot about David. Peter doesn’t bring him up a lot, and when he does then he’s not very eager to discuss it for long. Tony hasn’t gotten an impression that Peter’s particularly fond of the guy, though.”

The Homes We Make by iamq

“Peter Parker isn't the type of boy to run crying to Tony Stark because he can't handle a punch. Michelle Jones and Ned Leeds aren't the type of friends to ignore Peter's rapidly declining health. Eugene "Flash" Thompson isn't an idiot.”

to this day by hopeless_hope

“It's months before anyone realizes May's boyfriend abuses Peter. The effects are lasting.”

Promotions Aren’t Always A Good Thing by Agib

“When May gets a new boyfriend, Peter's okay. When Carter moves in, he can deal. When May gets a promotion so she works days and Carter works nights, Peter finds it harder to deal. When Carter starts abusing him, he begins to feel crushed by the weight of it all.”

The Black And The Blue (All That It Takes Out of You) by Buckets_of_Stars

“David wasn't a person Peter would ever want to be around, but with him being May's new boyfriend and all, it makes it harder and harder to avoid him. But it was fine, May was happy and of course, Peter still has Tony. But that was before the hitting started. Before David spit neglectful words in his face and the spiderling begins to question his very worth.Tony, on the other hand, is not having it.”

Vertigo by GalaxyThreads

“Coming back from the dead wasn't nearly as awesome as TV made it out to be. Peter's learning this on the go. And it really doesn't help that May's new husband absolutely hates him. And that May is pretty ignorant of that and him now. But it's all fine. Really.”

Your Heart Changed (mine stayed the same) by @loboselinaistrash​ [WIP]

"Peter Parker is back but 5 years into the future and the world has changed. Peter goes home with May only to find she had moved on, with a husband and two kids. Peter struggles to find his place in this new family with a strict step uncle, the longer he's there the harder he finds it to stay on his good side, uncertain if May will believe him."

A Peter Parker Problem by @spagbol99​ [WIP]

"Peter comes back to find May has a husband and a kid. A new family he has to fit into. But he has done it before, he can do it again. The only thing that feels solid is Tony: the Blip and fatherhood have mellowed him and Peter loves the bond they have now. He knows Tony would be there for him through anything. But Tony needs to focus on his own recovery - not small time Peter Parker problems. When things at home take a turn for the worse, Peter decides that he'll handle it himself. He is Spider-man. He's been to space and fought aliens. He can get through anything. After all, if May is happy, he is happy, right? Right?"

--

This premise has been turned on it's head by a couple of authors with the straight opposite of this trope in "May has a new boyfriend who is decent (and confused)":

The Secrets We Keep by @euphoric-melancholyy​

"May has a really awesome, loving boyfriend who's just a little confused as to why she lets her teenage son stay out til 1 every night and sleep somewhere else every weekend. Also, he’s friends with Tony Stark? Chris - May’s new boyfriend - feels like he’s missing something here."

A Good Kid  by kuragay

"Ricky thinks that May's an exceptional woman, and he thinks that Peter's an exceptional kid. But there's no denying that the Parker household is full of mysteries, and most of them are centered around Peter and his supposed internship with Tony Stark."

--

Then there has also been several stories changing the abuser, such as in the concept of "What if May (or Ben) is the abusive carer?":

Brooklyn by @hailing-stars​ [part of a longer series]

"After leaving Peter with Tony and months of no contact, May shows up in Peter's life again, interrupting Tony's plans to adopt him. Peter has to decide who he wants to live with, but soon learns the decision may really not be his."

Parker Luck by CreepyLittleLullaby

"He never met one, he got left behind by the other, the next one died, and the only one he had left was pushing him away. And he doesn't know what to do. Peter really has rotten luck when it comes to parental figures. No matter how hard he tries. Parker luck will always prevail."

Please, Understand by jipseebree

"When Aunt May discovers that he's Spider-Man, something inside her snaps. She starts to abuse him and he deserves it, doesn't he? After all, people have died because of him. People who wouldn't have died if he was a better hero."

Spiders hunt alone, anyway by karma_is_a_turtle [WIP]

"Ben’s death hits the Parker family hard, May worst of all. May Parker struggles to cope with her husband’s death and her nine-year-old nephew grows up learning how to pick up her slack."

Always Silent, Peter Darling by LlibLo

“After a traumatic experience at age 6, Peter Parker hasn't spoken a word. Most blame it on the fact that he witnessed his Uncle die in a horrible fire, this is only partly true. Now, almost 10 years later Peter is given the chance to finally speak, but will he take it? Or is the fear of his Aunt to much for him to take that chance? Either way, Tony Stark can tell something's not quite right about the kind hearted May Parker.“

It’s All Just Static In My Head by Blue__Dreams

“And then May was shot. Foolishly, childishly, Peter hoped Iron Man would swoop in and save the day again. He hoped and hoped and hoped. And Ben drank and drank and drank. As Ben grew worse, and their fridge grew empty, as Peter’s face became more bruised, and his powers grew, Peter realized, you can’t depend on superheroes. So Peter created his own hero - Spiderman.“

 I told you I had issues by Bergen            

“Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, and right now, a little exasperated. Because some guy is swinging around New York, shooting webs and making trouble, Fury is breathing down his neck, and his latest intern took off with his coupon for a free coffee.“

--

Another focus for the abuse trope are the "Skip Wescott" stories, which take their concept and the character from a one-shot from the comics. @irondadfics​ has a good rec list for this. Many of the stories take it further than the comic that inspired them, and within the fandom it has also become common to see it re-mixed in variations of “Abused by Other Person of Authority” AKA: Babysitter/Teacher/Foster Carer/etc.

Although Skip is a common character for authors to use when they need a character as the abuser who isn't a complete original character, both original characters do appear as well as other characters from within the MCU.

The Third Option by Uncertainty_Principle

“Ben and May divorced before Peter’s parents died, so when Ben is murdered Peter goes into foster care. It takes just a tiny taste of superpowers for Peter to decide he doesn’t want to put up with his horrible foster father anymore—the streets are infinitely more appealing. All he wants is to be Spider-Man anyway.“

take a look at me now, there's just an empty space by @lyssismagical

“As much as Peter does want to disappear to his bedroom and avoid the awkward attempts at a one-sided conversation or inquiries about the life Tony’s read about, he craves the closeness to another person. The last time he felt properly close to someone was May. Every home in between had people who tried or people who didn’t, either way, it never felt the same. He was just another mouth to feed, another set of house visits and questionnaires from Elaine, another troubled kid under their roof. He was never treated like a human being, like a kid.“

Like A Flame That Flickered Out Too Soon... by @mysterycheerio

““He did this to you?”. Peter nodded. “And this is why you haven’t been talking?”. Another nod. Tony left the room in a hurry. Peter didn’t know where he went. Pepper knew. Rhodey knew. The whole damn neighbourhood around Stark Mansion knew, his yells were so loud.”

The Education Complication by Buckets_Of_Stars

“When young Peter Stark was diagnosed with Asthma, he was given two very important rules to always follow: 1. No long distance running. 2. Always have your inhaler with you. But when a new Gym Teacher with a hatred toward Iron Man gets hired, the 13 year old is going to find that following these two simple steps has never been more difficult.”

--

This is just a selection of the stories which can be found on AO3, from which it should be already clear that these cover a wide range of treatments of the subject.

Across all the categories, the reactions of characters to the abuse is varied; as well as some notable omissions in the range of stories. 

This we will look at in Part 2.

[charliegreco]

( ben barnes + cis male ) — have you seen charles greco ? this thirty-eight year old is a personal financer who resides in manhattan. he has been living in nyc for thirty-eight years, and is known to be charming and confident, but can also be conniving and arrogant, if you cross them. people tend to associate them with beaten italian leather boots and smiles that never meet his eyes. @codstarters​

triggers for neglect, drug use, gambling, & personality disorders.

general information.

full name: charles greco. handle: charlie. title: n/a. age: 38. date of birth: november 12, 1983. place of birth: manhattan, new york. zodiac: scorpio. gender: cis male. nationality: italian-american. religion: atheist. orientation: greyromantic heterosexual. relationship status: single.

physical attributes.

face claim: ben barnes. height: 6'1″. weight: 170 lbs. hair color: dark brown. eye color: dark brown. tattoos: none. distinguishing marks: deep brown eyes. outfit/clothing style: beaten boots, expensive jeans, dark shirts, worn leather, fitted suits.

background information.

hometown: manhattan, new york. current residence: manhattan, new york. past residences: manhattan, new york. spoken languages: english, italian, german, russian. financial status: upper class. education level: college graduate. organization: potential illegal ties.

familial information.

mother: alessia greco. father: unknown. siblings: none. children: possibly a few bastard children.

personality.

moral alignment: chaotic neutral. mbti: estp-a - the entrepreneur. enneagram: type 9: the peacemaker. temperament: choleric.

biography.

one thing was incredibly clear to charlie greco from the moment he could comprehend the hand that life had dealt him: nothing would come easy, and nothing would be worth the time if it was.

his mother always had the means of making a decent living for her son and herself, but squandered all of her earnings on selfish means instead. she was certainly a beautiful woman: alluring both physically and with a wit sharp as a blade’s edge, but all of her attention had always been selfish. surely it was habit taught to her from a young age, something she never bothered to break before she involved herself in other human interactions. but it was likely her beauty and charm that had seduced the man who impregnated her, and the likes of his name were never so much as whispered around offspring. charlie has never known the man’s name.

babies should be a joyous occasion, and yet alessia greco found a way to make it entirely self-involved. her body had to bear the pain, her child was what made everyone so pleased, her creation. anyone who dared to involve themselves in the mess of his mother’s life was sure to see how narcissistic the beautiful italy born-and-bred woman was, and yet no one pressed a finger onto the issue.

but such is the way of the world, so often are children abandoned to their fates.

he was a beautiful baby, but grew to be an awkward toddler, an awkward little boy. alessia made no attempt to hide her disgust at how her creation could be so gangly and ungainly, could stow away for hours with quiet toys that suggested knowledge more than play with other children. but perhaps that was for the better — she couldn’t very well brag and show up with something like him, her offerings would be meager in comparison to children who were the spitting images of their beautiful parents. simple genetics, the awkward transitional period of a child, were held against a child who knew nothing of the world or such disgust from his mother. charlie was six, and alessia greco was the love of his life. all mothers should be, for little boys.

but as he grew older, as his awareness developed, and as the blinders fell from his eyes charlie became aware of his mother’s feelings. while he was utterly devoted to her, drew pictures of her at school or told stories about my mom and me, she was ashamed of his too-long legs and chubby cheeks. his loss of innocence came across the dinner table (boxed macaroni and cheese again, so mom could go out again for the night), when he told her “i love you, mommy” and alessia heaved a sigh and responded with a purfunctory, “yea.”

grades meant nothing. educational achievements meant nothing. unconditional love from a child meant nothing, and charlie began to realize that if he wanted something more than boxed macaroni and cheese for dinner every night (if alessia even bothered to make it) he would have to get it himself. however it wasn’t as simple as taking it — simply taking things earned him a swift but stern slap across the face and if he hadn’t learned in his younger years, charlie surely understood alessia’s feelings with those.

he learned his charm from her, but it wasn’t easy being the odd child he was. still, with a desire to achieve, charlie applied himself to the art of manipulation. he discovered it was simple with the charm of a child: people were more likely to assist if you added a few tears, a little naievety. his teachers began to understand his plight as home as difficult when he spun the yarn of his mother having become deathly ill. his peers found him appealing when he shared goods pilfered or traded from others (without their knowledge for the former), and the reputation he earned himself in his youth formed the personality that perfected at puberty.

while all of these tricks worked outside of the household, charlie never managed to pull the wool over his mother’s eyes. but where unconditional love once stood in tolerance for alessia and her narcissism, now contempt remained. charlie fell out of love with his mother at twelve, and never looked back.

on the summer at the end of his freshman year of high school charlie left an odd-looking boy. in the fall of his sophomore year he returned transformed, as if the summer heat had been a chrysalis and the ugly caterpillar emerged a butterfly. now if you held up a picture of alessia greco beside charlie you could see he was her child, all it took was a shot of growth hormone and the deepening of his voice. abyss-black eyes were the stark difference between the two of them (ignoring the thick black hair that sprouted from his face if he didn’t tame it back to stubble every four or so days), and alessia noted how much she despised the way he stared at her now. it made her skin crawl if only because it seemed as if he was looking through her.

and he was. now he saw her for what she was: a selfish woman who had only wanted him to brag about her own achievements. but he hadn’t been worth bragging about when he was small, and now that he towered over her she wanted him to be seen with him. but charlie refused, perhaps a little too politely for her to understand at first, and it was only in a binge of some substance abuse that he took a stern hand with her. only when she struck him first out of a dead sleep — staring at him for near twenty minutes before lashing out at him. it was the threat of never touch me again that he punctuated so perfectly, threatening to hold back no means to defend himself should she raise another hand at him.

alessia mourned for herself the loss of her baby boy. all that was left was a man who was nothing more than a reminder of her failed relationships throughout the years. you’re just like them. you’re just like them.

but he was nothing like them. perhaps the only similarity being how much he despised her, as they all did in the end.

over-achieving won him an early high school graduation by one year and excellent grades a near free-ride through college. he was always good with numbers, always good at calculations and the choice to step into the mathematical field was easy. alessia was notably absent when he gained his college diploma, if only because charlie couldn’t be bothered to let her know of the date. any by now he’d escaped the clutches of her den and made his own home somewhere on the other side of the city. he was sure he would never purposely cross paths with her, and if they did meet it was purely accidental. purely venomous.

his first steps into the world of banking began the same as any other bland story: a teller whose talent for numbers opened gateways of opportunity. charlie was twenty-two when he was offered the position of personal finance. he was twenty-four when he began taking private, rich clients, and it was only a few months into that position that he met “slick ricky” dimatteo. the meeting wound up more fateful than any singular moment he had with his mother, at least it was opportunistic. silver-tongue and charm allowed for charlie to step into the world of second set of books, illegal numbers … extra money.

now he looked exactly like the son of alessia greco. fine suits, hundred-dollar hair cut, winning smile the smiles never met his eyes — that died in his childhood, with his innocence, but he when he wagged his tongue people listened and were apt to believe the words that oozed from his lips. honest life turned to opulence … he was sure he could have had more if he wanted it, but sitting on the outskirts of a life of real crime was comfortable for him. when he stole away in the middle of the night to confirm the collection of illegal debts owed he kept his own two hands clean (so what if his command got people hospitalized, right?) and charlie prided himself on the ability to forget what he had seen. things are so often lost in the black abyss.

potential connections.

clients: charlie works as a personal financer - he cooks two sets of books. this can either be a legitimate client or one that seeks to make bets or otherwise gamble their money in some form through his other connections. 

past flings: 30+ please. charlie is a one and done kind of person. he’s not at all unfamiliar with his needs and has never expressed romantic interest in any of the women he’s slept with.

arm candy: someone who attends high-class events with him. typically someone who understands his humor, and also understands that in the world of money appearances are everything. best suited to someone he’s more friends with than a stranger. (davina yueng).

friends: legitimate or otherwise. if they aren’t connected to his illegal business, they don’t know about it. if they are friends with him through said illegal business, obviously they know. (abby rosen).

i’m open to various other connections, these are just some ideas!

[ofwhiteknuckles-blog]

(BEN BARNES / THIRTY EIGHT / HE/HIS ) – ( lucas felix ) has been spotted in the castle. they said to originally be from ( detroit ) and is often seen to be ( conniving ) but seemingly ( adaptive ). After being in Wolfenstein for ( two years ), they’ve come to ( be hesitant of ) the council in their own way. They work as ( sector patrol ) and are known around these parts as ( the sycophant ). better watch your back with that one around.

A LIST OF (AT LEAST) 6 AESTHETICS FOR THIS CHARACTER: ( abyss-black eyes tracking the motion of a conversational partner as they stalk away, the rhythmic tapping of calloused fingertips over a crossed arm, the rasp of a soft hum under the continuous hush of wind, sweet words clinging to the tip of your tongue, gears of thought grinding continuously and without halt, a smile that never meets the eyes but feels genuine regardless (and isn't) )

THE SONG YOU SEE AS THIS CHARACTERS THEME: ( amarillo sleeps on my pillow - fair to midland )              “ ... no one turned over leaves, no one branches out, no one went out on a limb when he belted out: get gone.          some one looked for a clue, someone got the ax, someone yelled in the wake of the great collapse: get gone.             minced words from anonymous cowards fell down from kingdom come. the threatened source of this obstacle course had cornered in a guessing game.       every attempt turned a kettle of fish -, and loves making it’s waves.                   if i had to guess, he’s still making a mess worse than any                                   thunderstorm.”

triggers: abuse, neglect, drug references

YOU ARE A CHILD OF POISON, THEY SAID.

      one thing was incredibly clear to lucas felix from the moment he could comprehend the hand that life had dealt him: nothing would come easy, and nothing would be worth the time if it was.       his mother always had the means of making a decent living for her son and herself, but squandered all of her earnings on selfish means instead. she was certainly a beautiful woman: alluring both physically and with a wit sharp as a blade’s edge, but all of her attention had always been selfish. surely it was habit taught to her from a young age, something she never bothered to break before she involved herself in other human interactions. but it was likely her beauty and charm that had seduced the man who impregnated her, and the likes of his name were never so much as whispered around offspring. lucas has never known the man’s name.       babies should be a joyous occasion, and yet alessia felix found a way to make it entirely self-involved. her body had to bear the pain, her child was what made everyone so pleased, her creation. anyone who dared to involve themselves in the mess of his mother’s life was sure to see how narcissistic the beautiful italy born-and-bred woman was, and yes no one pressed a finger onto the issue.       but such is the way of the world, so often are children abandoned to their fates.

      he was a beautiful baby, but grew to be an awkward toddler, an awkward little boy. alessia made no attempt to hide her disgust at how her creation could be so gangly and ungainly, could stow away for hours with quiet toys that suggested knowledge more than play with other children. but perhaps that was for the better --- she couldn’t very well brag and show up with something like him, her offerings would be meager in comparison to children who were the spitting images of their beautiful parents. simple genetics, the awkward transitional period of a child, were held against a child who knew nothing of the world or such disgust from his mother. lucas was six, and alessia felix was the love of his life. all mothers should be, for little boys.       but as he grew older, as his awareness developed, and as the blinders fell from his eyes lucas became aware of his mother’s feelings. while he was utterly devoted to her, drew pictures of her at school or told stories about my mom and me, she was ashamed of his too-long legs and chubby cheeks. his loss of innocence came across the dinner table (boxed macaroni and cheese again, so mom could go out again for the night), when he told her “i love you, mommy” and alessia heaved a sigh and responded with a purfunctory, “yea.”

      grades meant nothing. educational achievements meant nothing. unconditional love from a child meant nothing, and lucas began to realize that if he wanted something more than boxed macaroni and cheese for dinner every night (if alessia even bothered to make it) he would have to get it himself. however it wasn’t as simple as taking it --- simply taking things earned him a swift but stern slap across the face and if he hadn’t learned in his younger years, lucas surely understood alessia’s feelings with those.       he learned his charm from her, but it wasn’t easy being the odd child he was. still, with a desire to achieve, lucas applied himself to the art of manipulation. he discovered it was simple with the charm of a child: people were more likely to assist if you added a few tears, a little naievety. his teachers began to understand his plight as home as difficult when he spun the yarn of his mother having become deathly ill. his peers found him appealing when he shared goods pilfered or traded from others (without their knowledge for the former), and the reputation he earned himself in his youth formed the personality that perfected at puberty.

      while all of these tricks worked outside of the household, lucas never managed to pull the wool over his mother’s eyes. but where unconditional love once stood in tolerance for alessia and her narcissism, now contempt remained. lucas fell out of love with his mother at twelve, and never looked back.

CLEVER AS THE DEVIL AND TWICE AS PRETTY.

      on the summer at the end of his freshman year of high school lucas left an odd-looking boy. in the fall of his sophomore year he returned transformed, as if the summer heat had been a chrysalis and the ugly caterpillar emerged a butterfly. now if you held up a picture of alessia felix beside lucas you could see he was her child, all it took was a shot of growth hormone and the deepening of his voice. abyss-black eyes were the stark difference between the two of them (ignoring the thick black hair that sprouted from his face if he didn’t tame it back to stubble every four or so days), and alessia noted how much she despised the way he stared at her now. it made her skin crawl if only because it seemed as if he was looking through her.       and he was. now he saw her for what she was: a selfish woman who had only wanted him to brag about her own achievements. but he hadn’t been worth bragging about when he was small, and now that he towered over her she wanted him to be seen with him. but lucas refused, perhaps a little too politely for her to understand at first, and it was only in a binge of some substance abuse that he took a stern hand with her. only when she struck him first out of a dead sleep --- staring at him for near twenty minutes before lashing out at him. it was the threat of never touch me again that he punctuated so perfectly, threatening to hold back no means to defend himself should she raise another hand at him.       alessia mourned for herself the loss of her baby boy. all that was left was a man who was nothing more than a reminder of her failed relationships throughout the years. you’re just like them. you’re just like them.       but he was nothing like them. perhaps the only similarity being how much he despised her, as they all did in the end.

      over-achieving won him an early high school graduation by one year and excellent grades a near free-ride through college. he was always good with numbers, always good at calculations and the choice to step into the mathematical field was easy. alessia was notably absent when he gained his college diploma, if only because lucas couldn’t be bothered to let her know of the date. any by now he’d escaped the clutches of her den and made his own home somewhere on the other side of the city. he was sure he would never purposely cross paths with her, and if they did meet it was purely accidental. purely venomous.        his first steps into the world of banking began the same as any other bland story: a teller whose talent for numbers opened gateways of opportunity. lucas was twenty-two when he was offered the position of personal finance. he was twenty-four when he began taking private, rich clients, and it was only a few months into that position that he met “slick ricky” dimatteo. the meeting wound up more fateful than any singular moment he had with his mother, at least it was opportunistic. silver-tongue and charm allowed for lucas to step into the world of second set of books, illegal numbers ... extra money,       now he looked exactly like the son of alessia felix. fine suits, hundred-dollar hair cut, winning smile the smiles never met his eyes --- that died in his childhood, with his innocence, but he when he wagged his tongue people listened and were apt to believe the words that oozed from his lips. honest life turned to opulence ... he was sure he could have had more if he wanted it, but sitting on the outskirts of a life of real crime was comfortable for him. when he stole away in the middle of the night to confirm the collection of illegal debts owed he kept his own two hands clean (so what if his command got people hospitalized, right?) and lucas prided himself on the ability to forget what he had seen. things are so often lost in the black abyss.

      a much-needed vacation found lucas in austria when the world ended, on a small trip around europe that had begun in italy. abject horror is the best way to describe lucas’ initial response, and though it took time for him to find wolfenstein he learned the climate of the post apocalypse. survival meant utilizing the one skill he’d been perfecting since his youth: a silver-tongue. people were less likely to trust in this world (and he couldn’t say that be blamed them), but they were also more insipid. it was a new hurdle, a new obstacle to decipher how to overcome, though ultimately lucas is of the impression that he’s doing quite well for himself.

FELL DOWN FROM KINGDOM COME.

      it’s been two years since the sycophant stumbled into wolfenstein. at first he was unsure of his position in this small but growing civilization --- there are too many eyes that would be all-too willing to tear him apart for his less-than-honest means of surviving. but even here it’s simple to discover those who are willing to hear a good word. silver tongue found the correct ears to earn him a relatively safe, relatively useful place among these people where he’s already begun to weave his empire of secrets and misconceptions. when he was offered his place on the council he was hesitant, but accepted when adept eyes deciphered the usefulness of being in the know. people were easier to craft when you understood the workings.       he’s not fond of the weight of a gun in his hand, but there’s no room to be picky when the large threat-at-hand doesn’t want to listen to his greatest weapon. if the creatures that roamed outside of the castle walls were able to listen to sweet nothings it would be an entirely different story, and so lucas once again has adapted. ultimately he is wary of the council, understanding the corruption that seeps within it but keeping his lips stiff on the matter. depending on who approaches in privacy, they will hear a different story of lucas’ opinion on the matter: sometimes he agrees wholly with them, others he can’t trust them as far as he can throw them, and his own personal truth is the most well-kept secret of them all.       in wolfenstein lucas is the most careful of his lies overlapping, ensuring that what he tells one person never directly intersects with another --- it’s been more than thirty years since he learned his art and he isn’t so careless to let it fall apart now. while the creatures that roam the world are certainly a looming threat, in the post-apocalypse humans are the most dangerous monster of all and lucas is all-too aware of that.

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

      i’m open to anything with lucas, really. he’s been around the castle for two years and i’m certain that he’s built any array of connections in that time. he’s a relatively social creature (which is needed for him to work his art), but he doesn’t really trust anyone. should we venture into any semblance of romance, please be aware that lucas is strictly heterosexual and has never been devoted to one partner, however i am willing to develop something given time and chemistry.

[hellopopculture]

Top 20 Worst Things About All Elite Pro Wrestling (Part 3) Description: Even though AEW has been mostly enjoyable since 2019 when it launched, no product is without it's flaws. With this being a new company there are going to be some growing pains as well as some flaws in the booking philosophy that come naturally with difference in opinions and views on how wrestling should be presented, here are few things on the downside of AEW.... 16. The Neglect of "Absolute" Ricky Starks-Starks is a guy whose name I heard blowing up a lot when he was on the NWA roster which is saying something because outside of Nick Aldis it was rare that I would see any conversation about anyone who was on that roster. He comes to AEW and he does well, both in competition and on commentary but somewhere along the line he's kind of gotten lost. Now MJF, Darby Allin, Jungle Boy & Sammy Guevara have been declared as the "Four Pillars" of AEW even to the point where there has been merch made out of that concept. These are supposed to be the guys to carry the new era into the future, the question is, where does that leave Starks and the current AEW Champion, Hangman Page? They are just as talented if not more so than these 4 and Starks specifically hasn't been treated with anywhere near the respect, they have despite that. They made him a part of Team Taz, a place I never thought he fit because he's a pretty boy in a stable with a bunch of Brawlers and Meatheads, they all kind of have a similar vibe and he sticks out like a sore thumb. Hopefully in the future they can figure out where he actually fits and use him more tactically because I think he could be a big star for them and put some asses in seats.

15. Over-reliance on Surprises-It seems like almost every PPV and for their special episodes of Dynamite there some sort of big reveal and a new title is unveiled or there is a big signing. Sometimes those signings are a big deal like when CM Punk finally debuted and other times they are disappointing like when Paul Wight said they had just acquired a big star and it turned out to be Christian Cage. This can't turn into a gimmick. As you can see from their ratings, they pop big for this and then the numbers go back down when all they can showcase is the talent they already have. Danielson vs. Page in both instances didn't move the needle much and that sucks because not only where they really good matches, but I feel like they've been doing a good job building Hangman. They need to figure out a way to get people to show up for their storylines and their top talent as opposed to the moment of revealing something or someone new.

14. Crowded Roster-AEW has signed a lot of talent in a short time, and they don't really need to officially sign jobbers like Peter Avalon or Michael Nakazawa anymore. They seem to have a system going with the way they handle AEW Dark & AEW Dark Elevation. It might be time to start cutting off the bottom half of the roster every year the way WWE does. The roster isn't crowded in the general sense, they have plenty of room and camera time for everyone with 4 shows but they are moving dangerously close to "talent hoarding" territory.

13. Jim Ross on Commentary-Not only is Jim Ross way past his prime as far as commentary is concerned, but he also just flat out doesn't fit on this product. He's a fish out of water here. Schiavone having an AEW based podcast and being an interviewer allows him to connect with the talent and Excalibur already knows a lot of these people from working with them on the indies, so they work very well for this product. When you add guys like Taz or Jericho or any of the guest commentators like Ogogo and Starks, it really puts things into perspective as to where good ol' J.R. stands today. Aside from all that there was a period where he insisted on getting his old man opinions over about work rate and other things that kind of buried a product, he's supposed to be selling to us. If he was a heel commentator, I would understand that it was a work, but it wasn't a work, it was a shoot and it's not a good look. Vince would never let a commentator bury his product while actively sitting at his announce table.

12. Random Tag Team Matches-AEW's tag division is entirely too stacked for them to put together so many pointless tag team matches. I don't need to watch Jericho & Hager or Jericho & Sammy when Santana & Ortiz are the actual tag team in the Inner Circle, that makes no sense. I also don't need to see people who are in stables work with people outside of their stable for tag matches or big ass 10-man tags with two stables working together unless it actually leads somewhere or adds to a story.

[buttdawg]

Into the Fire

I rewatched the main even of Into the Fire, because I sort of lost interest in it when I was watching the show the first time.   The problem I’m seeing with NWA is that they’re putting most of their promotional energy into building the World title up, but most of what I care about is on the undercard, which feels somewhat neglected.  

I don’t think NWA is ignoring their undercard at all.   Question Mark is over like rover, and they seem to get that, and Thunder Rosa is over, and Aron Stevens winning the National title seems to be effective.    It’s not like it’s an afterthought, but I do think there’s a lack of focus.  

I’ll put it like this: The main event storyline makes no sense at all.    During the show, they finally communicated to me that James Storm got a title shot some time ago, and he lost clean.    But they kept pointing out that it almost ended in a double-countout until Billy Corrgan restarted that match, and for some reason Storm is pissed about this, even though he would have failed to win the title either way.    So he’s been pissing and moaning about getting this new title shot, which Nick Aldis finally decided to give him, and now James has lost that match too.    That should make James Storm look like a two-time loser who needs to go to the back of the line, but they overbooked the match to the point where it’s so mired in “controversy” that they’ll probably keep the story going. 

Here’s the thing, I still don’t get who the bad guy in that program was supposed to be.      It was implied that Nick Aldis was manipulating everyone in some elaborate scheme, except he had to wrestle James Storm and beat him clean, so I don’t understand why he didn’t just do that in the first place.   Is Camille in cahoots with Nick or James?   If she’s in cahoots with anyone, why did she only get involved on the first fall and not the second or third?   Was Tim Storm in cahoots with Nick?   If so, what was it that he did that the other referees wouldn’t have done?

Personally, I’m rooting against James Storm from here on out.   Fuck that guy.    For a dude who keeps saying “Sorry ‘bout yo’ damn luck,” he sure does whine a lot whenever things don’t go his way.   Sorry about your damn luck, you dope.   How is he supposed to be a cowboy, anyway?   He’s from Tennessee, which I never really think of as cattle country.   He doesn’t wear a hat or chaps to the ring.   His entrance them sounds like a rip-off of a rip-off of Jeff Jarrett’s ripoff of “Cowboy” by Kid Rock.   Maybe James Storm’s gimmick is that he’s actually a poser who identifies as an outlaw roadhouse cowboy badass simply because he owns a truck and lives in a southern state.   But nobody got the layers, so he just ran with “actually a cowboy, somehow.”

I can live with a convoluted main event scene in NWA, but what annoys me is how they pile that on top of all this rah-rah crap about how important the NWA world title is.    The Ten Pounds of Gold.   Sweet Charlotte.   The Real World’s Heavyweight Championship.    Tradition!   Honor!   Traditnor!   Honition!    It’s the same title your father used to see defended by the likes of Ric Flair!   Harley Race!   Dusty Rhodes!    Bullshit, my dad thought wrestling was stupid.   I’m sick of hearing Nick Aldis video packages where he lectures me on how important this storied world title is.    I’m sick of Eli Drake coming out and repeating the exact same talking points.    The Independent Wrestling TV title is just as important in my eyes, even though it’s barely two years old.    Because Warhorse goes out there and makes you care about it with his fiery promos and his frequent defenses.   

You wanna know what I take seriously after last night?   The flag of Mongrovia.    Trevor Murdoch threw the flag on the ground, and Question Mark was so enraged by this flagrant act of disrespect that he got all fired up and won the match.   You think I’m joking, but I’m not.    Mongrovia’s not even a real country, but it’s important to the Question Mark character and that’s what they showed us on Into the Fire.     He’s a patriot.    His costume is patterned after his goofy country.   Aron Stevens took the flag seriously and he’s the new National Champion.    Trevor Murdoch didn’t take the flag seriously, and he got his ass whooped.   We didn’t need a long documentary to get this idea across.  

And that’s the sort of energy and motivation that they need to work into the other title divisions.    The National title is probably in good shape, since Colt Cabana wanted it back so badly, and Ricky Starks and Aron Stevens were so determined to take it for themselves.   It’s a lot better than James Storm treating it like a consolation prize.   What concerns me is that they re-introduced the NWA Television Title, and they haven’t convinced me that they know what to do with it.  

The Tag Division looks like a joke from where I sit.    Wild Card holds wins over the other big teams, and then they lost two-in-a-row to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, who have a combined age of 124.    I’ve got mixed feelings about letting older guys rise to such a level, but the Rock and Roll feels like my breaking point.    They each look like the Crypt Keeper with a mullet.   I get that they’re a legendary team and still popular with NWA’s core audience, but I suspect that a lot of people who love the RNR as sixty-something tag champions are the same guys who complain about Marko Stunt “exposing the business” by being too small to be a credible fighter.    The message NWA is sending is that the best team in their entire division are two guys who passed their prime in the Clinton Administration.   They look terrible and the only reason they seem to have the tag titles is because the other teams are too sentimental or too stupid or too weak to just push them over and take the belts from them.

The message here is that NWA is only interested in nostalgia pops, and the only reason they haven’t stacked their roster with more 1980′s stars is because they’re unavailable.   In other words, Nick Aldis only holds the Ten Pounds of Gold until we can find a way to wish Harley Race back to life.  These guys always talk about tradition in wrestling, but no one ever seems to remember the tradition where guys like Harley Race and the Rock and Roll Express only became legends because the even older guys stepped aside and let them take center stage.  

What I would like to see is a new, young team debut, and kick the shit out of the Rock and Roll and take the titles with authority, because they’re young enough and hungry enough that they can’t afford to worry about how that’ll hurt everyone’s feelings.    That’s why I like Guerrillas of Destiny so much, because those two dudes are relentless in the ring.   They have to be, because no one’s going to take pity on them like Morton and Gibson.   In 2019, nostalgia acts like the Rock and Roll Express shouldn’t be able to get anywhere near the tag titles, because the competition should be too fierce for that.   

The women’s championship is even worse off, because I think I watched the entire NWA women’s division last night, and they only had two matches.   Neither was for the women’s title, which is troubling.   Allison Kay is the champion, and I have no idea why.   She’s surrounded by much more charismatic performers.   Tasha Steelz debuted on Into the Fire, immediately jobbed to Thunder Rosa, and I’m more excited about Steelz than I’ll ever be about Allison Kay.     I feel like the plan is for Thunder Rosa to take the championship at some point and become the woman to beat, but they want to take their sweet time setting that up, and right now Kay is the champion they’ve got.   But the division looks puny and underdeveloped.   Meanwhile, they’re tripping over themselves adding stuff to the men’s world title picture.   They keep talking about how awesome Nick Aldis’s belt is, and all I want to see is Thunder Rosa kick everyone’s ass.   There’s a disconnect there. 

So I’m not optimistic about the TV title.    When they showed it off on the PPV, I had to think back to the last time I even watched wrestling on a literal television set.   The name may be a little dated, for one thing.    I was thinking about how Scott Hall dumped the TV title in the trash once, but that was the WCW version of the TV title.   At any rate, that was in 1999, and dumping titles in the trash was cliche even then.     NWA needs to really work hard to make me care about this thing.   My suggestion would be to put it on Thunder Rosa.