#and well he is simply a gay person and this man is. so hot

[spinnenpfote6]

Regarding your author's note I think it's actually a good way to let ppl know that you are able to make them enjoy stuff they otherwise wouldn't! I've had a few comments on my video edits about the (infamous) Star Wars sequels saying that while they didn't like the movies they *did* like my edits. There were a few discussions about these types of comments on Tumblr that they might be considered kinda rude in disguise but I took them as a compliment because my skills made them look at the movies (or parts of them) a different way that was able to make them happy.

But I know what you mean! I love Frodo (obviously lol) and would love to see more Frodo x OC/Frodo x Reader but most of it is Sam x Frodo, though I have found a VERY good Frodo x OC story on AO3 ("Left The Tenderness Of Tears" by Lurea, for those who wanna know).

My best guess is that fandoms in general lean heavily on shipping and we already have an established emotional connection featuring lots of tender moments in both the movies and the books between Frodo and Sam that everybody loves. The LOTR fandom has LOTS of queer fans who see themselves in the characters where I believe the ambiguity of their relationship even fuels it instead of calming it down (what is something some would expect instead) because it's normalizing to the platonic/non-sex love parts of a gay relationship. It would be a perfect tragic love story which people simply want more of - even if the fandom has spawned some weirdly black and white corners where there's either extreme homophobic hatred for SamFro shippers OR extreme hatred for Sam/Rosie/OC or Frodo/OC shippers where the mere idea that the hobbit boys could be straight or bi/pan is simply outrageous, even if it makes total sense for Sam in canon. Much of the fandom seems to actively try to fight all the "heteronormative stuff" and while that can be good, they sometimes go overboard with it, so there's no place for Frodo x female OC for such an "obviously gay" character and it's probably also the reason Rosie isn't too much of a beloved character (not that she's hated, she just seems overlooked and more of a stepping stone or even replacement for Sam in order to get to his "true love" Frodo. Some believe she was just shoehorned into the story because of the 1900's homophobia and/or Tolkien's Christianity).

As for Frodo x OC, the fan fictions we've mentioned have female OC's where I think Frodo's personality and role come into play. The books and especially the movies establish him as a soft and more quiet and less obvious hero - someone who cries, has weak moments, fights very little and has to be saved a lot by his friends. He seems cozy and innocent, more childlike (more so in the movies but ya know) than the other heroes and his small size, huge hairy feet and Elijah Wood's youthful cutesy face with the big blue eyes certainly add to the feeling of character who is coddled and taken care of like a child or adorable fantasy creature (even in the books other characters are constantly like "OMG you little funny guys are so cute haha", despite the hobbits being grown men - well, except for Pippin). This is a stark contrast to the female fan's most popular men, Aragorn and Legolas, who are badass manly fighters whose friends are their equal. Even if they have soft and lovely moments they still fit the women's fantasy of a strong man who can protect them, while Frodo is less the type of guy to draw his sword and throw himself into carnage. He *is* good-looking, but more in a pretty, cute way and Aragorn's good-looking in a hot, handsome way, and especially since elves like Legolas are considered more traditionally appealing than hobbits (Frodo is often seen as a sort of 50-y/o rich, stoned farmer who lives in a teletubby house and just eats and writes all day) - even if most of us find hobbits more relateable lol. In theory you'd have less hot and cool adventures with Frodo n' his hobbit gang than with other LOTR characters. So people - especially straight women - are less likely to ship themselves with Frodo aka a hobbit by default and therefore do not seek out these types of stories while all the queer folks look for the cute SamFro content. (Not to mention that Frodo is more often overlooked than you'd think of the main character because he's so quiet and misunderstood)

Additionally I think many fans believe that Frodo staying in the Shire somehow undermines LOTR's main message and purpose, as in him getting a happy ending at home makes it seem like his trauma and wounds have no real consequences (since him leaving for Valinor is a big thing), even if the "Happy Ending In The Shire"-trope is popular, and the SamFro fan stuff at least has them sharing their mutual trauma and therefore aftermath of the journey. With Frodo - if you go by canon - you are somewhat bound to have your fanfiction contain heavy themes like PTSD in a homely place like the Shire and if it's not SamFro that's unappealing to many fans because they are just not interested. With an OC you don't know what to expect and, well, you simply have no audience even if the small number of people who like it absolutely love it.

(I actually found myself to have 2 reasons why I as a woman like to ship myself (or my OC) with Frodo - aside from the fact that I love the character and find Elijah Wood incredibly cute. One, I think his quiet-observing, introverted and sensitive is very much like mine and I like to see myself in him and two, with my history of chronic illness I can get some catharsis out of imagining myself as the caretaker while Frodo is the one suffering. Idk, it seems like I have a general interest in more niche and heavy topics lol)

Now I realize I still have to read your story haha. But your discussion about why the LOTR fandom seems to be so allergic to Frodo x (female) OC caught my attention because it's SO true! They're hard to find on AO3 and I wish the fandom had a bigger space for it!

(Btw with this post I'm not trying to be mean towards SamFro or queer LOTR shippers in general - or Aragorn/Legolas girls - all that was just my observation of how the shipping stuff in the fandom works^^. I very much appreciate the soft sweet queer and Stan-The-Strong-Hot-Guy content! It makes total sense! But c'mon, we should give Frodo some more of our own love as well!)

You know what's interesting?

I may have posted about this before, but the literal number one piece of feedback I get about The Flowers of Mordor is "I was skeptical about the premise, but now I'm sold!"

Which is great. It means something good about my writing - that I've been able to tell the story in a convincing way, that the characters acted in believable ways, and won the reader's hearts.

What I still don't understand, however, is why the premise seems to go SO much against the grain.

After all, I can't be the only person who wishes Frodo could have healed in the Shire. I can't be the only person who wants to ship themselves with Frodo. (Let's face it, canon/OC is sometimes, though not always, a vehicle for self-shipping, and that's totally fine! Fandom is all about wish fulfillment, and I am all for it.) In the end, I can't be the only person to wish Frodo could have found his happy ending with someone else besides Sam-maybe-eventually-in-Valinor. (Yes, sharing Sam or a poly arrangement is an option, and so is Rosie-as-a-beard, and so is erasing Rosie, but none of those approaches have felt satisfying to me, and again, I can't be the only one who holds this opinion).

Yes, I get that Frodo/FOC is not canon, but canon/OC rarely ever is. (And yes, I know I've made a fuss before about how Marigold is not an OC, but she is quite similar to an OC: she is mentioned briefly in canon, but all of her character development in FOM is my own).

Also, there are many non-canon premises that people absolutely go wild for, such as Boromir lives, or Thorin lives, or even Boromir and Theodred, so why exactly is it so difficult to see Frodo with an OC? It's been done with almost every other character, even ones who have canonical partners.

I mean, yes, to begin with, Frodo is positioned in canon as a confirmed bachelor, and Samfro is a very popular ship. But at the same time, Sam and Frodo are written and portrayed ambiguously enough that there is room for interpretation. They could be lovers, there could be unrequited pining, it could be one-sided on either of their parts, or they could be good friends. All of those things are possible. And similarly, Frodo could be a confirmed bachelor for a number of reasons: perhaps he is asexual or gay, or he is too much of an oddball, or he had a relationship that didn't work out, or it's the Ring's doing, or he senses he will someday follow in Bilbo's footsteps and is reluctant to put down roots. All of those things are possible.

So I have to wonder: maybe Frodo/OC or Frodo/someone besides Sam is not the most common ship, but why exactly is it such a hard sell? I just don't see it.

In fact, Flowers of Mordor is in part written for much-younger me, who first encountered the books and movies and genuinely wondered whether things could have been different if Frodo had found a nice hobbit lass to love.

Granted, at that age I was probably too young to understand the import of Frodo's burden, and the scars it left behind. Today, I understand that the ending was tragic but necessary, but a part of that hopeless romantic remains: I wish it could have been different. I wish Frodo could have found love. I wish that love could have conquered all. And as I said before, isn't fanfiction all about wish fulfillment?

[lucifer-kane]

Thinking about Albert again... my beloved workaholic prissy old bastard. I need to do more with him again honestly

[kooggukk]

𖦹 ׂ 𓈒 BEYOND THE JOB // JJK ; 2

daddy jungkook (literally)

; babysitting the cutest angel on earth is the perfect job. (except when her father is fucking hot and wants all of you)

+ comment to be added to the taglist

— 2/??

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“i told you i could just look after her for you.” the raven haired man said while doing nabi’s pigtails that she loves so much.

“you have your own job too, taehyung.” jungkook simply replied, “plus, you’re always near killing her when you’re left alone.”

taehyung scoffed, taking it by heart as he tied the final loop of nabi’s pigtails. “killing her? don’t be dramatic. she’s perfectly fine with me, right nabi?”

she giggled and taehyung picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder. the boring, quiet house was now filled with her sweet laughs. “hey! see now? put her— tae!” jungkook went to reach for his daughter, but the man ran away, nabi’s pigtails swinging and bouncing.

“you’re gonna drop her!”

“you know i won’t!”

“but anything could happen any second-“

taehyung stopped, playfully throwing nabi down on the soft mattress of the couch. “you ever have some fun, man? jesus..”

jungkook rolled his eyes at his words, “i can have fun too!”

“be for real, the last time you had fun was probably when you made nabi— ow!” taehyung laughed but instantly stopped when he felt a slap on his neck.

“watch your mouth?” he whispered, pointing to nabi. taehyung turned around and noticed how she was unbothered, being in her own little world playing with her princess dolls.

“calm down, the fuck. she ain’t even paying attention to us— i mean, you. right nabi?” taehyung asked the last part loudly with a huge grin, glancing at her.

he turned back with a smile to jungkook when she nodded, “see? i’m always in the center of her attention. she loves me, dude. you know that too!”

“of course i know she loves you, you’re like the second dad.”

“whoa, we ain’t gay—“ taehyung put his hands up in surrender.

“not like that!” jungkook smacked his neck again, “you’re her uncle, besides you and me, she got nobody else.”

“you ever thought of dating again?”

jungkook let out a sigh of frustration. “you at this again? i told you— at least a million times already that i don’t want to.”

taehyung shrugged and fixed the blanket next to nabi. “dunno, you could’ve changed your mind since then.”

“well, i haven’t.”

“okay, great to know. so, i guess i should cancel the blind date i planned?” taehyung asked with a raised brow.

“the hell, tae?!”

“jokin’..” he laughed but he quickly took his phone out, typing a message to someone. jungkook watched in disbelief, shaking his head as he checked the time.

“you should go, she could be here any moment now.”

“what? you won’t even let me meet the person who’s gonna spend all day with my precious angel?” he feigned hurt, pouting.

“you can, just another time.”

jungkook crossed his arms while taehyung kept his pout on with his puppy eyes, “no. that looks weird on you, grow up. stop it.”

he cursed at jungkook in a whisper, reaching his hand out to nabi. “nabi, come on. say goodbye to tata.”

she got up and walked to him, holding his hand. he bent down to plant a kiss on her hair, “am i the best?” he whispered to her. she smiled and nodded, “the best!”

“just go already,” jungkook scoffed and pushed taehyung. he opened the door but stopped, “what?” jungkook asked and looked to the door.

you stood there, about to press the bell. “oh,” jungkook rushed to the door and pushed taehyung aside.

he looked at jungkook and then back at you. “is this her?” he asked, unbothered if he sounded rude. jungkook gave him a look but nodded, already knowing what’s gonna happen next.

taehyung turned to you, looking you up and down. he hummed and that made something weird in your stomach, as if you were being looked down on.

“hey, i’m taehyung, single—“ he couldn’t finished as he got pushed out of the door. “bye tae!” jungkook said and stepped aside to let you in.

you glanced at taehyung and you saw him make a ‘call me’ sign with a smile before he turned his back to you, walking away.

“sorry about that,” jungkook embarrassedly apologized as you both got inside. “it’s alright. is he your friend?” you asked, taking off your coat.

he nodded and took the outerwear from you, neatly hanging it. you mumbled a thanks and you took off your shoes too, placing them nicely next to the wall. “yeah, he can be kind of annoying.”

you both settled down on the couch, and after jungkook got a glass of orange juice for you, it was now discussion time.

“so, i have a set of keys hanged next to the coats, those are yours. i wrote the names of the doors on the keys to not switch them up. gate, front door, basement. i also got a key for nabi’s room if it would be an emergency.”

he explained everything and you nodded, taking a sip. “she usually eats lunch around 2PM, the latest is 3. if you’re out and get back late, just wait till’ dinner.”

he leaned a little closer to make sure nabi doesn’t hear him, but it was useless because she wasn’t paying attention anyways. “i have chocolate ice cream in the bottom drawer of the freezer, if she’s having a huge— and i mean huge tantrum, give her a small cup and she’ll be nice again.”

you laughed and nodded, “does she have allergies?” you asked. he hummed and shook his head, leaning back to his original seat.

“no, nothing that i know of. she got it checked a few months ago and she can eat anything.”

“oh god— food. she’s hella picky.” jungkook sighed and glanced at her, then back at you.

“first of all, peppers. she doesn’t like the seeds inside, so i always cut them in thin lines to make sure none gets in there. same with grapes, oranges and tangerines. literally anything that has seeds, needs to be picked out. except tomatoes, thank god.”

“whoa, i never met someone who doesn’t eat the seeds.” you said, looking at her.

“she says because it’s soft food, and the seeds are hard. i dunno, i guess it’s.. nabi logic or something.” he waved his hand, leaving the topic.

“next, bread. always cut the bread crust off. it once poked her gums and she wouldn’t eat it since then.”

“i don’t like the crust either, so that’s not an issue.”

he looked at you weirdly, “the crust is the best part of a freshly baked bread.”

you shrugged, “i don’t like it.”

after a good 5 minutes long discussion about bread crust, jungkook lead you to a door. “and lastly, this is your room.”

you step inside, taking in the decor. it wasn’t much different from the other furnitures in the house, “it’s the guest room,” jungkook broke the silence.

you turned to him with a nod, “it’s really nice. thank you.”

“it used to be my office so there might be a few papers or folders in one of the drawers, just let me know if you find anything.”

“yeah, of course.”

“you can bring as many decorations as you want in here, i want you to feel the most comfortable. you can move in whenever, i won’t rush you.”

he saw the hesitation written on your face, and he panicked that he must have misunderstood the situation.

“or— you don’t have to move in obviously! i just thought you’d be with nabi from early hours to late afternoons, sometimes even nights therefor-“

he ranted, his eyes going everywhere in the room but your eyes, his hands in a fist next to his body. he was nervous, afraid he made a woman, — he made you uncomfortable.

“i understand, don’t worry. and i think i’ll just spend a few days a week. if that’s alright?”

“yeah!” his tone was more excited than he intended to be, he cleared his throat. “yeah that’s fine.”

you smiled at his clumsy behavior, your eyes looking around the room once again. “oh, i wanted to ask you something.” you turned to him.

“yeah?”

“the man, who was here before, does he come over a lot? i don’t want unexpected people to show up when i’m alone with nabi.”

“oh, taehyung. well yeah, a few days a week but he also has his own job, so don’t worry. and he knows i wouldn’t be here, so i doubt he’d come over.”

you nodded as he explained, walking out the room and heading to the living room, where nabi was still occupied.

“i could—“ jungkook started and he hurried in front of you, stopping you with his arms reached out. “i could write a list of names and their phone numbers about whom to trust and reach out to if i’m not available.”

“oh, that’d he helpful. thank you,” you smiled and jungkook got lost for a second, your lips looking wetter than they did a minute ago, shining beautifully.

“i have a very close friend of mine, her name is sasha.” you said and he got his attention back, looking at you dumbfounded as what you wanted to say.

“uh, like— if i ever go out with nabi, would it be a problem if sasha comes along with us?” your voice was uncertain, if he said no it would be damn embarrassing and awkward.

he hummed as he hesitated, scratching his head. “i mean i guess? you said she’s your friend, so i believe she’s not a serial killer..” he joked, or half joked, maybe didn’t even joke about it but you laughed and his shoulders relaxed.

“no, she’s not. she was my co-worker, i can give you her number if an emergency were to happen.”

“sure, that’d be nice.”

┈ ⪩⪨   ┈

the first week of taking care of nabi wasn’t so horrible, better than you expected. she was really calm, sometimes too calm and quiet. you didn’t think much about it, telling yourself she gotta get used to you.

one day she was sweet like an angel, asking to play dolls with her, “__! play barbie with me!” she didn’t ask, she commanded you to play it with her.

so you did, you sat down on the floor across her, holding another blonde barbie doll. it was going fine, until she— or more like her ‘barbie’ talked bad about your doll.

“ew! your dress is so not cool!” her tone was high pitched, you gasped. “oh my! that’s not so nice of you, nabi.”

“i didn’t say that, it was her!” she held up her doll.

you got lost in your thoughts that day, afraid she might grow up thinking it was fine to judge others’ appearance. you know that she’s aware it’s just games, but what if she thinks it’s just as fine to do that in real life as with dolls?

then some other days, she just wouldn’t say one single word to you. she would mumble a few ‘thank you’s when you give her juice or make food, but she wouldn’t ask you to play with her, go out for a walk, watch a show. nothing.

when you would be the one suggesting to go outside, she’d shake her head. “everything okay, sweetheart?” you asked when you walked from the kitchen to her, holding a plate of cookies.

she didn’t look up at you but she gave you nod, “i brought cookies. chocolate, the one you like.” you put it down but she completely ignored it, continuing to draw.

you watched her in silence, maybe you were the one doing something wrong? maybe your cookies aren’t tasty? maybe you said something that she misunderstood?

all the bad possibilities flew to your mind, stressing you out. you sat down on the couch, zoning out but not completely. you saw nabi move from the corner of your eye, she walked up to you with two dolls.

“you wanna play?”

…

she just shrugged, giving you the same doll she did the other day, which made you remember what she had said.

it started fine, she said some stuff about horses and playgrounds, but then it happened again. she randomly changed the topic, saying your doll’s hair was ugly and it’d be better to buzz it off.

you put the doll down, “nabi, don’t be so mean. you know you can’t say stuff like that, right?”

“you can’t say someone’s dress is not cool or their hair isn’t as pretty as yours. you might think it’s okay because these are just dolls, but no. treat them like you would treat a friend.”

“i have no friends.”

your heart sank. you never asked about friends, assuming she had them. what a disgusting thing you did. assume.

you felt horrible, ashamed. “i’m sorry angel.” you placed your hand on her small back, and that’s when the door opened.

jungkook walked in, looking a bit like a mess but the tiredness left him as soon as nabi ran to him. he smiled but then frowned, hearing her sobs.

you widened your eyes, confused why she was crying now. you stood up and jungkook stared at you, picking up his daughter. “what’s wrong?”

he asked her, but she gave him no reply. he looked at you again for answers but you shook your head, no idea what was going on with her. “ya, it’s fine, stop crying.” he kicked off his shoes and carried her to her bedroom.

you waited, patiently sitting on the couch.

“she’s okay?” you asked when he got back, plopping down next to you.

“yeah, but she wouldn’t tell me what happened.”

you stayed silent, staring at the turned off tv in front of you.

“did you.. say something to her?” he asked, trying to sound as polite as possible.

you snapped your head towards him, “no, nothing bad that i know of.”

“what did you talk about?”

“we were playing with her dolls and she started talking bad about my doll, for the second time this week. so, i told her it’s not nice and she shouldn’t do that. she needs to be nice, not judge the dolls.”

he listened carefully, resting his head on his arm.

“i told her to treat them like she would treat a friend. i didn’t know she doesn’t have friends..”

jungkook sighed, “she must say those things because some girls used to be rude to her at daycare. that’s why i got you instead, i don’t want her to be raised in a place like that.”

“i’m so sorry i brought that topic up in front of her, i should’ve acted like a mature person and think before saying anything— god, i feel awful.”

“you don’t have to, you didn’t know.”

“but i assumed..”

“so? that’s just how the brain works, social life and friends are normal and common, we assume everyone has them.”

he saw how much this affected you too, he scooted a little closer and placed his big hand on your shoulder. “don’t feel bad. she’s fine, she will be fine.”

you groaned, throwing your head back. “i know..”

he chuckled, noticing how exhausted you looked by the end of the week. “was she fine tho? how was your week with her? i hope she’s not too.. horrible to you.”

you shook your head, giving him a look then closing your eyes. “she’s fine. a little quiet but that shouldn’t be a bad thing, right?”

“right. better than a child who runs around yelling all day.”

“oh i hope that day never comes. i wouldn’t survive that.” silence fell in the room after a round of small laughing.

“you had lunch?” he asked you out of the sudden, looking at the clock. almost 5PM.

“yeah, i cooked her some of those dino nugg—“

“no, i meant, you. did you have lunch?”

oh. how embarrassing..!

“no, i didn’t.” you sighed, sitting up straight.

“come on, then.” he stood up, walking to the kitchen. you frowned, “what?”

“let’s eat.”

“it’s late, almost dinner time.”

“then, let’s eat dinner. call it whatever you want.” he shrugged, taking off his hoodie which he threw on the armchair when he walked past it.

“i can eat at home, it’s fine.”

“__.”

wow, there was something in his tone, commanding, strict. he stood in the doorway of the kitchen, arms crossed, staring at you. he jerked his head towards the kitchen, signaling you to follow.

“please, eat with me. it’d be late when you get home, i don’t want you to cook at that hour. come on,”

his voice wasn’t aggressive nor loud, but yet it had a firmness, leaving no room for argument.

“also, it’s already getting dark. stay for tonight.”

taglist: @ahgasegotarmy116 @joonlover1207 @starlight-1010 @kingtinaa

[sanjisboyfie]

rockstar ! trafalgar law headcanons

trafalgar law x male reader ; he might seem ooc but he isn't, trust me. this is how law is supposed to be perceived, i talked to oda himself and sorted this all out with him before publishing.

-> listened to brooklyn baby by lana while writing this...hehehehheheehhehehehehe ps. i think that is my favorite photo of manga law ever oh my fuking godhes so hot.

rockstar ! law . . . did not get famous overnight, but also did not get famous on purpose...if that makes sense. like his ass was up posting his guitar covers on youtube for years before someone reached out to him on joining a proper band. but also he wasn't posting those guitar covers with the intent of getting noticed. he just wanted people to see how SICK he was on guitar (he's a not-so-secret narcisst). but also another reason he posted them was because of you, his boyfriend who he had been in a relationship for a year at that point, was encouraging him to do so. your support for him and his talent was really assuring and fuelled him to be confident enough to post them online. (he was kind of against the idea at first, probably saying romantic shit like, "i want only you to hear the songs i play," but eventually was swayed when you spent many minutes convincing him to)

rockstar ! law . . . when he finally goes on tour with his band, he is pretty insistent and headstrong in allowing you to come with. he doesn't care if he needs to pay out of pocket money to fund your stay with him and his bandmates, he will if he has to. because he's not leaving you for months on end, pursuing the dream that was only possible because of how you supported him through it. there's absolutely no way he's going on tour without his boyfriend.

law's tattooed arms were crossed over his wide chest as he listened to their manager and a team of people tell him and his band about their upcoming plan for their first ever tour.

after the end, when it was about time for everything to wrap up, law calmly asked, "what about bringing significant others?" this makes the executives share looks with one another before apologetically smiling at him.

"sorry, another person added onto the travel, boarding, and all that will not be able to fit into out budg-"

"then i'm not going," law says simply, already getting ready to storm out of the room. but the manager stops him by his wrist.

"n-now, let's not get hasty! this was not something we accounted for-"

"well you should've, i'm not going anywhere without him. i'm not gonna leave him." law states stubbornly, glaring down at the man that was much shorter than him, "he's either coming with us or i'm not going at all."

a silence passed over the room and his bandmates were internally praising law for having the balls to stand up to these powerful guys so carefree like that.

maybe that's what had made him such a good rockstar.

his passions that he was not willing to back down for, he'd settle for his desires being fulfilled or nothing at all.

what they didn't know was that all of those passions were singlehandedly fuelled by his immense love for you.

"a portion of it will have to come out of your pocket, then. we really don't have the funds to bring on another person. so if you can't-"

"i can manage. if that's all, and we're all good. me and [name] will be ready by the designated time and meet you all at the location with all of our things," law easily says, walking out of the room with his broad shoulders being the last thing the executives saw.

"wow, law is so cool!" a memeber, stage-named penguin, said with stars in his eyes.

"don't get any ideas." the manager immediately cuts them off before they can gush further.

rockstar ! law . . . is very openly gay for you <3 doesn't really care that people are expecting him to act a certain way because he is a rockstar, he could care less. he's said time and time again that the only reason these fans of his have the oppurtunity to appreciate him to such an extent is because of you. had it not been you encouraging him to post his covers, he would not be standing on that stage for them to admire. so he can be as shameless as he wants in displaying his affection for you. naturally, law isn't the most into pda, but when he hears annoying people batter him for being so into you, his boyfriend, he feels the need to piss them off even further.

law's calloused fingers were playing with the flesh of your waist as he held you close. it was dark in the after party room so he made sure to keep you secure to his side so that he wouldn't lose you in the crowd.

there were a bunch of celebrities that attended their recent show scattered around the room, but he didn't care for them. not when he had you on his arm. plus, he didn't really like these after parties that much - he'd much prefer to be on the tour bus cuddling with you.

feeling unimpressed with the party, he turned to you to feel some comfort. when he saw how you were just taking in the view of everyone, he leaned down to kiss you, surprising you at the sudden affection. but soon, the both of you were just pressed against the wall of the room and blatantly making out with each other. his raven hair was messy by the time you two pulled away from each other and that knowing smirk of his was proudly plastered on his face.

the next morning, the internet were ripping law into pieces for still being in a relationship with you despite having access to as many beautiful women, handsome men, and alluring people that he could have wanted. he was a talented, well-known name in the scene with a handsome face and charming demeanor. he could have had anyone. and some were frustrated, for some reason, that he was still with you.

five years going strong in your relationship wasn't enough for the press to believe he was satisfied and completely settled down with you, for some reason...

he groans the moment he sees the headlines, throwing his phone to the mattress and turning into your side to be comforted by you once again. the only person capable of calming him down still remains to be only you.

"love you," he says against your skin, making you laugh at the sleepy confession.

"love you, too, law. you know i don't care about the stupid shit they say," you comment, making note of how tight his arms were around your waist.

he doesn't acknowledge what you say, only peppering more kisses to your bare skin.

rockstar ! law . . . kinda perfectly fits the rockstar bf aesthetic to a T. he's wearing the leather jackets and the other staple fashion pieces that scream "rockstar boyfriend." it doesn't help the way the clothes so perfectly fall into place on his body. he enjoys matching with you too, even if your aesthetics may not match. if he's wearing a heavy jewlery piece, like a necklace, ring, or bracelet, he buys a matching one that you would like and would be able to style. he doesn't mind discarding his iconic leather jacket for you if you are feeling cold. and of course, he's attentive, protective, and caring for you (and only you) - perfectly fuelling the fantasies many people have of that "rockstar boyfriend persona"

law was not known for being hot-headed. there were never any stories of him giving customer service people a hardtime, or of him trashing hotel rooms like many others in the same genre as him were guilty of doing. his overall attitude was off standish, but polite.

with a slight difference whenever he was seen with you. still off standish and polite, but specially doting and careful when he is with you.

his arm is always slithered around your waist or shoulders and he is always seen attentively listening to whatever it is you're rambling about. his eyes focused in on you, and only you, show that he is blocking out the rest of the world and listening to you intently.

the way he almost, kind of, definitely glares at people that interrupt your time together before he softens his gaze the moment you catch him making faces and scold him. he's completely wrapped around your finger, despite his seemingly intimidating and threatening persona, he's complete mush with you.

his leather jacket was thrown over your shoulders as he protectively stood behind you. tonight, the two of you were at the bar and watching the live performance of the local band of the town you were in. due to your begging, he agreed to get off of the counter stool and dance and sway to the music with you.

his arms are resting in front of you as he holds your hands in his, completely engulfing them with the size difference. the jacket around you is practically drowning you as well.

he's rocking you back and forth, occasionally leaning down and pressing a kiss to your cheek and whispering sweet nothings to you. your cute moment unfortunately comes to an end though. some drunkard knocks into the two of you and spills their entire pint of beer on you and your clothing.

your first reaction is to take off law's jacket to spare it from reeking of the beverage, but law's first reaction is to push you behind him and size up the guy that knocked into you.

"the hell is your problem, man?! it was an accident!" the man defends himself when he feels threatened by your boyfriend.

law's one hand is holding your own, wanting to make sure you stay close to him some way, while the other is clenched at his side to form a fist. noticing how he was very close to landing a hit on the idiot's face, you pull him back by his shirt, "c'mon, people are staring,"

"don't care, this guy has got his head so far up his ass," law simply says, genuinely not caring at all that people were looking at him as if he were crazy.

"law, let's just go," he turns his head to you, his gaze softening as he turns.

he waits a couple seconds before speaking in whispers, "do you really want to go? i can just take care of him-"

"i do, really. let's just go, babe, it's alright, it was an accident," you continued trying to convince him.

"he could've done it on purpose, he could be a complete, total asshole,"

you laughed at his reasoning of giving the guy a lesson, shaking your head, "let's just go and get out of here."

law doesn't seem satisfied with having to let the guy go without any reprecussions, but if law is anything: he's a boyfriend that listens to his boyfriend.

so he walks away with you close by, tight grip on your hand, and silently cursing the asshole the entire ride home.

rockstar ! law . . . very casually dedicates the most romantic, sensual, loving, etc. songs to you when he is on stage.

"this one is for the man standing at side stage, waiting for me,"

"i've been with the same idiot for 5 years now and this song is for him,"

"this is [name]'s favorite, by the way. so if you don't like it, you can fuck off,"

rockstar ! law . . . who doesn't understand the way some fans really idolize your relationship. he loves you a lot and he's glad that they're accepting of that fact, but why are people on the internet asking him and you to adopt them...? or why are they calling the both of you their "daddies"? he's confused. he at least pieces together that they're being supportive, but he doesn't truly understand what they mean when they say stuff like "i wanna go to paris" underneath his posts of you and him on his instagram.

rockstar ! law . . . whose favorite audience is still you. he loves playing his guitar for you, just in the quiet of your room (when you're finally home for tour) and with you on the bed with his strumming as background noise to your reading, or whatever hobby you commit to.

his fingers move with such familiarity he can easily take his eyes off of the neck of the guitar. he looks at you with such love and care that it would make any onlookers vomit at how sweet he was being.

the song that he was playing was faintly resembling "can't help falling in love" by elvis, with his own personal twist. the moment you recognize the chords and notes, though, you look at him with a deadpan expression on your face.

he smirks, tilting his head, "what?" he'll ask with that annoying knowing look on his face.

"you're so cheesy," you comment with an eye roll.

"oh, don't be an asshole now,"

"not being an asshole, just being honest!"

law puts down the acoustic guitar, walking over to where you were and planting a kiss to the top of your head. clearing his throat, he begins to mimic the singer with exaggeration. it spurs you into laughter at his impression, which he only grins wider at. your laugh still remains his favorite sound in the whole world.

this soft side was only shown behind closed doors with you. and you liked it that way. no one else got to see your usually intimidating boyfriend with his walls completely down. how sweet and doting he actually was. polar opposite to that persona he put on whenever he walked onto those grand stages.

he was just yours right now.

and as he leans down to press a passionate kiss to your lips, you can smile against his with comfortability. and warmness spreads throughout both of your chests as he smiles back.

and finally, rockstar ! law who definitely gets your name tattooed somewhere on his body. probably on his hands or arms tbh because that is the most visible body part of his that gets photographed and noticed due to how he plays the guitar. that way if anyone wants to take photos of him in his element, they'll see a small part of you that he carries with him everywhere.

[littlesystems]

The weird thing about being bi and attracted to men is that I’m attracted to men in a gay sort of way, which is to say that talking about attractive dudes to straight women is sometimes like talking to an alien. One time my sister was like “oh yeah well [football player] is so gorgeous” and I had to look at a photo and be like. Oh uh. Yeah. He certainly is a man. Who has a face.

I saw a tweet about a tv show I don’t watch where the person was like [character a] is sooooo hot and sexy but ugh [character b] looks like a shoe!!

Reader, I could not tell these white brunette men apart with a gun to my head. They are the same guy. They’re the same guy!! Are they literally played by two different people? There’s simply no way to know. You could tell me that it was the same actor with a different haircut and slightly different makeup and I 100% would buy that. I have literally no idea what made one of these completely generic looking white dudes hot while something made the other generic looking white dude ugly. It felt like looking at a stereogram where you’re supposed to be able to see a boat but all you can see is a weird repeating pattern.

[virahaus]

Okay so I'm gonna say this cause I've just seen another post reiterating this narrative and I simply cannot comprehend the way people are going out of their way to make Tommy a villain when he's NOT.

First of all, the much discussed date.

It was clear that before Eddie and Marisol showed up Tommy was totally fine with Buck being a bit of a clueless baby bi and did not put it against him. He didn't say anything snarky to him, nor he questioned him being out or not, he teased and flirted with him even after the whole "I'm an ally" speech, which kudos to my man cause I couldn't have taken my date seriously if they said something like that.

It's clear that Tommy only took issues with the way the date was going after Buck made the horrible decision to say that they are going to pick up "hot chicks" and play it up like that.

Now, I don't think the issue here is Buck not saying he's on a date with him. It's clear by the way the dialogue has been constructed with all the hints about closet space and by Tommy's snarky line (which again VALID. He was not outing Buck. He was not trying in the slightest to do so. Eddie and Marisol are talking about closet space as in FURNITURE. To that for Eddie to take a leap and think that the closet is something more than it is, is frankly ridiculous. We know the double meaning because we are the audience. It's a joke for US, and for Buck only, not for Eddie who by the way was also clueless about Tommy's own sexuality);

The real problem was that Buck also shoved Tommy back in the closet. I don't think Tommy wanted Buck to announce there and there that they were on a date, especially after the whole convo and questions about being out in the workplace. It's an obvious hint to the fact that Buck is not out and it's reinforced by Buck also telling him that it's his first date with a dude. Season 7 Tommy hasn't been shown to be stupid or insensitive so it's obvious that he would have read between the lines.

So, it's clear that the issue here is that Tommy did not want to be shoved back into the closet, especially after years of unlearning bad behaviour and the journey to accept the fact he's gay. He doesn't offer it but he also doesn't want to be shoved back into a position where he has to deny he's gay. Which again, is super valid of him.

The moment most people try to use against Tommy is the fact that he cut off their date and left Buck alone outside the restaurant, which... Tommy had all the right to cut short their date. He was uncomfortable with how things were going and so he cut his losses. He's not rude or disrespectful, he even reiterates how he thinks Buck is adorable and in the same breath he also establishes his limits. Again, fair.

But some of y'all are acting as if he left Buck alone in the middle of the desert, not in fucking LA where Buck can call a cab anytime and go back home easily. Buck is not a kid, he's a grown ass man and can very well go back home alone. He's not drunk, nor under substance, he's not injured and he certainly can use his phone and call a cab.

You all have a thing about seeing Buck as completely incompetent, helpless and unable to take care of himself, and I must remind you that he's the same person who got out of his parents house and immediately took off and did a tour of the Americas, managed to live on his own, and was healthy and alive when he got to LA in season 1.

So you might want to remember that.

Another thing you all like to dangle over Tommy like "gotcha" kinda moment is the fact that in his past he was an asshole to Chin and Hen, some almost 10 years before what is being shown on screen now. It's clear that he's friends with Chim still and even if he did not keep in touch with Hen there's no animosity there either. In the flashback where he leaves the 118 Hen is the one to shove him face first into a cake. Do you think he would have taken it so well had they not been friendly? Or that Hen would have done that if she didn't think she could do so? It's already established in the flashbacks that they have worked through their issues and for you to demand Hen or Chim to be hostile with him rn or that he needs to "work for their friendship" it's simply madness.

The flashbacks already established him as having changed and being friends with both them and Bobby, since there's also a scene of them going out to a bar together and they all have fun together. For you to demand more without also having a Tommy Begins episode it's frankly ridiculous. He's not that important in Chim or Hen's lives as of now to need a further explanation but "they resolved their issues and there's that". And he was not obligated to come out to Hen at any time. You do not owe your sexuality to anyone.

Anyway. There's that. My big rant for some of the things I've seen since the break. If y'all liked this I might do more dissertations of the other out of pocket takes I've seen around. And my ask is also open if you want to ask my opinion on something

[guywrestlingaddiction]

That Wrestling Moment: Proving you can fight - Michael Crowe v Devin (thundersarena.com)

Once in a while, a match will come along that turns your perception of gay wrestling on its head.  Up is down, strong is weak, jobber bait can even be an alpha hunk.  Today's wrestling moment is simply about proving yourself and being all you can be.  

Michael Crowe v Devin (thundersarena.com)

SPOILER ALERT: I highly recommend viewing this match in its entirety before reading this post.

The Backstory

We begin with classic wrestling trash talk.  Devin enters spouting about how he wants to hurt everyone.  Veins bulging from his arms, he casually lays it out there that no wrestler, no man out there can stop him.  

Devin is ready to devour all the pretty boys out there.  

When in comes our pretty boy now ...The man is built like superman and puts other wrestlers to shame. 

Michael: Not only am I pretty ... I came here to fight too!  

The Action

Things go about how you would expect with Michael and Devin locking up.  Michael my be pretty but the guy is still a big strong dude, a fact that Devin seems to have misjudged based on his groans.  

Eventually though, our heel finds his footing and puts Michael away.  There isn't a lot of back and forth in the match - Devin simply finds the best way to put that long, lean, model-esque body in pain and bam, there you have it.  Fall one is over.  

Michael tapped out and looking vulnerable.

Round 2 doesn't go Michael's way either.  The lovable jock valiantly fights back only to be leveled with an atomic drop to the groin.  

Michael vows to reclaim some of that big man energy.  

Michael's impressive package is of course the target of attack.  

At this point things seem personal for Devin.  He doesn't just want to win, the big hulking brute wants to destroy the pretty boy.  It's a story as old as time really.  Handsome, strapping newcomer comes along and hopes to replace the old guard - well Devin is not having any of that.    

Michael groans and helplessly flails those long limbs around

Now at this point you'd be forgiven if you mistook this for a squash job.  Our helpless hunk, the personal trainer, the wrestling wannabe Michael really hasn't given us one reason to think otherwise.   All we've seen so far is a jobber destroyed at the jealous hands of a bitter heel.  

Looks like it's the end for our hero ... or is it?

Our Moment

Michael groans in pain as the vengeful heel stomps his gross foot on his chest.  Devin's smile gave away his satisfaction at destroying something so beautiful.  In Devin's mind, there was always someone prettier or better looking out there but today that handsome jock was getting owned and humiliated. 

Michael fights back or how he finally "gets" gay wrestling

Michael works the advantage for all it's worth and mounts his opponent.  

Our moment today is not when we see Michael pin or submit his opponent.  No, our moment is when he proves he's got what it takes to stay in the match.  

Devin attempts a cheap shot of his own.  Punching dangerously close to our man's package.  

Our moment is seeing our abused, humiliated, hero, limp to his feet and get ready for more beat downs.  

Michael dry humped into submission

But not before a sweaty Michael is tossed on Devin's shoulders and thoroughly emasculated.

Right about now you're thinking that this is the end.  Michael proved he can take the punishment and he's just about used up all his nine lives.  Afterall, it's gay wrestling cannon to see a young hot jobber dominated by a older, stronger heel.  

Michael summons the last of his strength, he overpowers Devin

So think again, if you bet against Michael Crowe's sweaty abs of steel, then you my friend are sure to lose. 

You see those muscles aren't just for show.  Those abs can take the punishment. 

Michael thinking - is that all you got? His abs can take all that and more!

This is Michael Crowe - 200lbs of muscle and I own this mat! 

So there you have it.  In his debut, Michael proves his pretty face can take a punch sure but those abs, that incredible body, completes the total package and can take anything gay wrestling throws his way.  Scratch what I said earlier about our moment being Michael taking his punishment - our real moment is when the man turns from pretty face into a gay wrestling action hero.  

[welcometothejianghu]

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching reading. Today's choice: 死亡万花筒 / Kaleidoscope of Death.

Kaleidoscope of Death is a 2018 Chinese webnovel about two young men who fall in love while basically playing a whole bunch of horror-themed escape rooms that can for-real kill you.

This novel was gripping. I could not put it down. It started out fun and ended up ripping out my heart several times. It does a good job getting the ball rolling with a series of adventures in weird worlds, then turns into a meditation about grief and loss and what it means to have something to lose in the first place.

This is the first time I've ever done a book rec! I'm doing it in conjunction with a rec post for the Spirealm, and originally I was just going to do this as a bonus section for that post. However, I felt they both deserve whole different posts, because they both have very different things to recommend them. I also think Kaleidoscope of Death a 100% necessary read if you've seen the show, because it provides some context that the show simply cannot include -- but it's not a necessary read before you see the show.

Therefore, I'm going to give you five reasons I think you should sit down with this one, and not a single one of these reasons is going to assume you've watched the Spirealm! The book is great and deserves to be read on its own merits, and then if you then start watching the drama afterwards, so much the better.

1. All the Cross-Dressing

(Yeah, I'm going to punctuate this one with screencaps from the Spirealm, because otherwise it's just a wall of text.)

I'm not going to tell you why the male characters frequently dress and pass as women, since the book explains the practicality of it better than I could. You just need to know that they often do, and it's never not kinda hot when it happens.

When you first meet Ruan Nanzhu, it is as Ruan Baijie, a stunningly beautiful and noticeably tall woman. Lin Qiushi, our POV character who is extremely confused for a number of reasons, spends the first whole arc talking and thinking about Baijie like she's a girl. In fact, one of the cutest things about sweet, earnest Qiushi is that he clocks Baijie several times, and every time he's just like, oh, she's so flat-chested, how unusual for a girl, anyway...

And this isn't even just dressing up! Stepping into the door worlds changes you physically based on your clothing and cosmetics. Nobody inside looks the same as they do outside, and nobody looks the same inside as they did last time they were inside. The rules that govern these transformations aren't even clear to the characters themselves! So, you know, have fun with that.

I'm going to say it's not an out-and-out trans thing, in that we're not dealing with an AMAB egg who will crack someday. Ruan Nanzhu is a very male-identified, penis-having man! He's just also pretty entertainingly comfortable with performing whatever gender makes him the most fuckable person in any given room. Lin Qiushi is not so inherently genderfluid, however, which means that when his gremlin sort-of-boyfriend makes him pretend to be a girl, it's a completely different kink.

Therefore: If you like it in any way when boys dress up like girls, you owe it to yourself to pick up this one. And if you like a fandom that likes it when boys dress up like girls, baby, welcome to the world inside the doors.

2. Those boys GAY

This is a textual romance. Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu are in love. This is a danmei novel about how they fall in love. There is kissing and there are fade-to-black scenes that explicitly acknowledge that the two of them have sex with one another. We even know that Ruan Nanzhu (usually) tops. This s not just me pointing at them and saying gaaaaaaaaaay. This is actual gay.

And it is gay that takes its fucking time. They do not actually hook up until well over halfway through the book, but they are physically affectionate from almost the get-go. Ruan Nanzhu is such a trickster and a liar that Lin Quishi finds it hard to believe that anything he does is sincere, which leads to nearly lesbian levels of wondering if it means anything when a guy demands you kiss him on the mouth when he's pretending to be your girlfriend. Meanwhile, Ruan Nanzhu is over here being the Kate Beaton comic about sitting here consumed with lust all evening.

Even once they both acknowledge what they're feeling for one another, they don't get together right away. After all, they're playing a game of life and death where they lose friends left and right. Every time someone goes inside the door, there's a real chance they won't come out again. Is giving your heart to someone worth how much it will destroy your entire life when you lose them?

(Yes, says the book. Yes, it is worth it.)

The slow burn of their relationship is delicious, in part because the physical (though not sexual) aspects of it predate the romantic ones. It also has the fun hot-and-cold aspect where Ruan Nanzhu is incredibly affectionate inside the doors, then icy outside of them. Poor completely inexperienced, never-been-kissed Lin Qiushi does not know what to make of any of this. He can barely manage parenting a cat. He does not know how to handle a boyfriend who is also a girlfriend who is also (spiritually) a cat.

I also find it charming how much the gay part of it both is and isn't an issue. It's not that Lin Qiushi has a problem being in love with a man; however, the fact that Ruan Nanzhu is a man does mean the heteronormally indoctrinated and relationship-inexperienced Lin Qiushi takes much longer to realize what exactly those feelings he's having are. The book's world is one where heterosexuality is the assumed default, while queerness is unexpected but everybody's still pretty cool with it. Besides, no one's going to judge Lin Qiushi's gay yearnings, because who doesn't want to fuck Ruan Nanzhu?

3. HAKO ONNA HAKO ONNA HAKO ONNA

So as I was reading through @zintranslations' earlier chapters, I kept seeing translators' notes down at the bottom about being so excited to finally get to the Hako Onna arc. Okay, I thought, this is a lot of hype; I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Friends, it does not. This is the arc I was reading while screaming into a pillow. It's thirteen chapters long, tied for the longest arc in the book with the first door. It is a fucking nail-biter. It does the clever thing of taking all the things you've learned about what can happen inside the doors and combining them for a worst-case scenario.

The setup is pretty simple: There's a bunch of boxes. One has the exit. Most are empty. Some have things that help you. Some have things that hurt you. The more things you find that hurt you, the more things there are to hurt you. And you have to open the boxes.

All the door arcs are pretty well-written, so that you can more or less play along with their various adventures. Hako Onna, however, is exceptional. It's so complicated, but you can actually follow it. And you need to be able to follow it, because the multiple emotional gut-punches that happen in this arc all depend on understanding how the rules of the game have just been leveraged to fuck someone over.

Now I really want to play the board game -- which I was pleased to discover is a real board game! And speaking of board games...

sidebar: Betrayal at House on the Hill

I know this isn't technically related to the novel at all, but if you like board games, horror, and being incredibly dramatic, you owe it to yourself to try out Betrayal at House on the Hill.

It goes like this: You and several other horror-movie archetypes wander through a mansion, "building" it as you explore it, so the game layout is different every time. At some point (and it's based on so many random factors that you never know when it'll be) someone triggers a condition, and the haunting begins. All the players then get the rules of haunting explained to them -- except for one player, the one picked to do the titular betrayal, who gets a different set of instructions and becomes the antagonist. From that point on, the game is about either surviving or completing the haunting, depending on which side you're on.

I have played this game before with normal board game people, and they were like, eh, this is fine. I have also played this game before with theatre kids who RP and LARP, and we all had a fucking blast. So I'm going to warn you that you have to choose your crowd carefully. This is a game for people who do improv and voices.

4. The art of losing isn't hard to master

The book has a high body count -- higher than the show's, in fact, though that's related to how the book also has more characters than the show does. When you meet someone who can go into the doors, be careful how much money you'd lay on their survival.

Death after the doors comes so quickly, too. There's barely any time to say goodbye, if there's even any time at all. Often there's just a phone call telling our main characters that one of their friends or allies or enemies is gone.

Everyone who gets the chance to go through the door worlds is only able to do so because they're dying already. The more doors they pass, the more they get to kick that death further down the road -- but the more doors they enter, the more chances they take that they might die inside one. So really, none of the players can be that resentful of being forced to play a game that can kill them, since they're already playing it on borrowed time.

I will say, somewhat cryptically, that the book has a positive ending that leaves open the possibility for other positive things. The path to that positive ending, though, leads through some pretty wrenching takes on living through grief. It's not even all rah-rah and it-gets-better, either -- the text acknowledges many times over what it means to have someone that life isn't worth living without.

And that's maybe not what you expected from a BL horror adventure webnovel, but it's what you're gonna get! Ha ha!

5. What He Is

Which is the title of the first extra chapter, which is not extra at all, but is in fact a necessary explanatory piece that whacks you upside the head like a two-by-four and recontextualizes the entire story.

...Yeah, that's all you're going to get from me about that. You'll understand when you get there.

Have you put it on your reading list yet?

The way you have to read it is a little convoluted: @zintranslations has chapters 1-17 and 63-end + extras. Taida Translations has chapters 1-62. So no matter where you start reading, you're going to have to switch sites at least once.

There are also apparently Portuguese, Indonesian, Russian, and Spanish translations too? And the original Chinese webnovel, of course. And some audio dramas and subs linked to from this Carrd, which helpfully has other information, like content warnings for specific chapters, in case the horror aspect of the story gives you pause.

Anyway, once you're done reading it -- or even before you're done! -- you should absolutely go watch the Spirealm. I think it's clear from both rec posts that I definitely like the book better, but I appreciate having the drama to bring so many scenes to life, and I think the casting is great. Also, I don't think reading the book makes you like the drama less! Rather, I think reading the book gives you insight into the awkward and sometimes terrible choices the drama had to make to survive -- which in turn gives you the ability to see through those choices, on to what the show always wanted in its heart to be.

I do find it funny how "Kaleidoscope of Death" and "Death's Kaleidoscope" technically mean the same thing, but they sure read different, don't they?

[sleepynegress]

Meta About How Fandom Dishonestly Talks About Wanting "Queer (It Only Counts When it's White Male!) Rep"....

Fandom always looks like fandom...

The above tweet is dishonest. They are only talking about the characters they want to see be gay or queer in media, coincidentally white men. Mind you, Loki said he was into men and women in his show, they had bisexual lighting, and classic queerbait w/ Morbius and (sorry shippers but I gotta be honest about just my opinion, continue to ship away tho) ZERO chemistry with Sylvie. ...A lot of fandom ate that bait up back in the day, because that's as far as the media for these fandoms would go, back then. Given that Wiccan literally only just appeared with zero indication of his sexuality in MCU, beyond the character himself being portrayed by a gay actor (which I've written can be limiting as an assumption for gay actors, shout out to J Bailey playing love well, regardless), and having in-community affect (if there is a more appropriate term, let me know). Loki, if we're judging them by the same rules... And really, Loki is ahead since he outright said he likes both... The big difference I see is Loki gave classic queer (Disney) villain "coding" which is based in times when queerness wasn't allowed to be played outright as much, while Wiccan is simply giving gay teen existing. So, about that queer rep in the MCU... You mean Phastos and his whole husband and kids in The Eternals?

or Ayo literally being kissed by her partner in Black Panther 2 but we know it only counts to fandom if it's a white male... *sideeye* There's Val and her big gay energy... Hell, Taika went as far as cutting out some tongue action with Thor, which kept her bi much less obvious, and pushed the sapphic energy much more forward:

*the difference between coding and bait is these two confident acts, the second while winkingly gazing at the audience for a beat vs. Carol and Maria's "gal-pal" montage...it don't always have to be intimacy with the same sex* All this to say, you cannot claim to honestly want queer rep while ignoring explicit queer rep that ain't white male... because then it's obvious that you just want to see white gays in a hot make-out session... Which IMO is just the fandom version of straight dudes watching two girls kiss, and that ain't about rep, especially when deeper rep already exists and you ignored it. As for Loki, to me he always came off sort of vaguely slutty/flirty when bound, hit, or challenged in some way.

His energy has always been that, but I will give you, that the only person Loki actually *penetrated* onscreen was a man... not Mobius, but Agent Coulson... Once again, it's coding.

As for Wiccan, I think it's too early to say what the MCU will do rep-wise. YES Agatha All Along is giving EXPLICITLY gay energy. And yeah he's a gay character played by a gay actor, but will he get to be explicitly and honestly be attracted to another boy onscreen? I hope so for him, it would be qt and I would be chin-hands all the way for it.

...But again (same show!), I feel the same about Agatha and *spoiler*I know who Aubrey Plaza is playing but I'll be quiet *spoiler*

[blazinghotfoggynights]

No one knows if Buddie will happen. It may. It may not. I think there is just as good of a chance of Buddie happening as Eddie being written as realizing he deserves good things and that good thing being Ana or Marisol or some other woman and Taylor redeeming herself and becoming Mrs. Buckley. Tim may even write a BuckTommy endgame for all I know, but that doesn't change what the story is so far. (911 does crazy things. Anything is possible.)

What that leads me to is what about Buck and Tommy indicated anything more than a convenient plot device? Buck and Tommy had zero chemistry. ZERO. There was more chemistry with Buck and Ali and that was flatlined. The whole BuckTommy relationship felt forced and created in order to push a bigger storyline. Were we all watching the same show?

Personally, I think there were great subplots that were left unexplored. We could have been given Tommy being confronted about his racism and misogyny, Buck dealing with being with someone like that, Tommy's journey to becoming an openly gay man, Hen and Chimney finally opening up about what Tommy's behavior was like for them and how it feels to now be confronted with one of their tormentors on a frequent basis, etc. (Feel free to take any of those and write fic. Can you tag me if you do? I'd love to read it!)

Every single interaction between Buck and Tommy was cold, dismissive, or about sex. There was nothing deep there. Buck was, once again, trying to force something.

Go back to 7x3. Tommy PUSHES Buck away while watching Eddie. Tommy was spending time with Eddie every spare minute they had. He never once invited Buck to hang out. When Buck visited him at the hangar, Tommy simply checked him out, then was condescending. When Eddie arrived, Tommy's whole demeanor changed. He physically stood up straighter, began smiling, and couldn't wait to get away from Buck.

Tommy going to Buck's loft was not about attraction. He was dealing with realizing he couldn't have Eddie and it wasn't because of Marisol. I could be wrong, but I don't recall Tommy ever mentioning Marisol. He complained that he could never take Buck's place. That was someone congratulating the victor. Did you not hear the tone of Tommy's voice and his phrasing? He was not complimenting Buck at any point. He was annoyed and jealous.

He kissed Buck for something other than attraction. How did the fans who figured it out know? The man had no clue Buck was attracted to him because he was paying Buck dust!

Tommy had the chance to play with a baby bi and he took it. Buck was young, hot, and ready to do anything so Tommy took the offer.

When Buck tried to open up and be vulnerable after Bobby's heart attack, Tommy turned it into sexual innuendo. I don't care how you spin it, that conversation was creepy and not something someone who cares about you would say.

When Buck was at the cemetery, he mentioned his boyfriend wouldn't touch him. Tommy didn't ask for Buck to be healed for Buck's sake. He wanted to be able to sleep with him!

You don't have to be Buddie to have seen that relationship was a mess. Buck dove in head first and was reckless and needy immediately. Tommy was distant and cold. It was all right there in the viewers' faces the whole time. If you saw a deep, committed, loving relationship between Evan Buckley and Thomas Kinard, you were missing the blatant clues.

Tommy was there for fun and knew it would burn out. Buck was the same old Buck, begging for someone to love him and jumping in with his eyes closed. Eddie? Well, we have to wait to see which direction Tim chooses, but the past was really clear about who Tommy wanted to spend his time with initially.

Tim could easily send BuckTommy and Buddie fandom both into meltdowns by putting Eddie and Tommy together. Ijs. Then no one gets what they want. You never know with him.

[purlty23]

gonst turned dc follower here, would love to hear your thoughts about bat jokes ❤️

BATJOKES UNDER THE READ MORE

As Im sure everyone knows, theres a toooon of different timelines and universes and Batman iterations out there.

My favorites personally are:

🤡 The Killing Joke

🦇 Batman: The Animated Series

🤡 Lego Batman

🦇 The Batman 2022

🤡 Batman: The Dark Prince Charming

I grew up watching A LOT of super hero cartoons, some older like 1960s Spider-man and some newer like BTAS. Batman the Animated Series was definitely my all time favorite and still is to this day. Cant help being born in the ninties. Its a heavy cross to bare

I just think that there are some universal truths I like to have across all my batjokes, no matter what universe or situation theyre in. I want them UNSANE, UNSAFE, and WEIRDLY CONSENTUAL.

To me they are two guys who never should have crossed paths, but tragedy after tragedy in their own lives led them to the same place on the wrong night and ever since, they've been attached by the same fucked up red string of fate. Joker is obsessed with Batman because Batman helped craft him. Batman is obsessed with Joker for the exact same reason.

Batman thinks "I can fix him". He sees Joker as a fundamentally flawed, extremely dangerous, but most importantly unwell person. He needs to believe that theres hope for people like Joker.

Joker thinks "I can make him worse." His whole life revolves around their games together. He needs to fuck with Batman more than anything else in the whole world. He needs to pull Batman down to his level. If only he could finally get Batman to kill someone, to kill HIM. Then he can finally prove that Batman is just as unjust and chaotic and BROKEN as the rest of the world. No one is above the effects of society (BEATBOXING NOISES)

Joker is not cis at all also. That guy is not a man at all he is a woman. He is a gay man in the she/her way. He is high femme and high maintenance and is NOT A CHEAP GIRLIE. I do think that he does absolutely abuse and mistreat Harley in almost every iteration, I find it so difficult to imagine their story ever turning out a different way simply based on.... Well their relationship is always an awful power dynamic that shouldnt ever have happened.

In a perfect world like Lego Batman I can see them being best friends. Gal pals. Maybe Harley is the first woman who ever makes Joker feel like a woman, and thats special. Sure, Joker is married to his work, but he loves her. He loves her deeply in the way that queer people have been loving each other for hundreds and thousands of years; without label or limits. He cant imagine being without her in his bedroom at 3am on hot Gotham summer nights. The hyenas are just an annoying add on to his already stupidly annoying life. Just like Harley's gf Ivy is.

I was kind of hoping that the new Joker Folie movie would do something cool about Joker and Harley's relationship. But as a DC fan you kind of just learn to deal with disappointment. I havent seen it yet, and dunno if I will. I think if anyone had a shot at being an actually interesting and net positive relationship between them would have been that specific iteration of Joker meeting Harley not as a doctor, but as a pop star. A beautiful, very high in society. A woman who when she speaks, people listen

I also think that Joker should never care too, too much about finding out Bruce's true identity. I think the anonymity of their tussles is an incredibly vital part for Joker. I think it probably perplexes Batman, maybe even disturbs him a little the lengths that Joker will purposefully go to in order to keep the secret. He doesnt want to know AT ALL and yet is utterly obsessed with him either way. The same way that he doesnt ACTUALLY want to kill Batman. Because if he kills Batman, he'll be killing his whole drive for life. He'd be killing himself

Also Bruce is bisexual and also falls in love with so many people in the queer way, thats why hes always checking up on Gotham Asylum patients. His massive evil gotham polycule that he refuses to call that

[strawberry-milkbunny]

I have no one to talk to about Tokyo Rev so here r my random hot takes that I need to say:

- Emma and Hina r boring and used as romance plot devices it’s okay to admit that Wakui can’t write women idk I don’t expect shounen/men to be able to write girls well (still cried when Emma died tho bc she didn’t deserve it!!!)

- lol I LOVE Yuzuha and Senju tho

- I actually do like Emma and Draken together but I also firmly believe Draken is in love w/Mikey and was just projecting onto Emma LMAO

- Yuzuha is a lesbian

- Controversial: I don’t think Shinchiro was THAT great of an older brother. Like he was cool but he still introduced Mikey and Izana into the world of gang life/normalizing violence and yeah OG Black Dragons isn’t like that but….what do u expect when u form a gang??? .obviously there’s a high chance that it’s gonna develop into LEGIT gang activity

- As an adult and someone who was basically raised by an older sibling w/a big age gap (my sis is 7 years older) I kinda don’t blame Takeomi for being a bad older brother??? Realistically he’s a 17 yr old in charge of raising 2 toddlers like NO SHIT he did a bad job. At least Shin had his grandfather to help out but Takeomi actually had no one. Doesn’t explain y he’s a brokey LOL buttttt again I don’t FULLY blame him for being a bad sibling still hurt my boi Sanzu 😤😤

- I HC that Mikey is used to having a caretaker (Draken and later Sanzu) bc when Shin died he was so depressed and genuinely couldn’t get out of bed

- Takemitchy is also lowkey boring/typical shounen protagonist and canonically stinky like Hina could do sm better. This is personal preference so I find myself wanting more chaotic/dumb protagonists who are slightly morally ambiguous like Denji, Gintoki, hell even Naruto at times. Takemitchy didn’t get character development until BD arc and that’s just a bit too long for me….

- Koko and Inui r gay and dating 💅🏻💅🏻💅🏻

- the Haitani brothers r the kardashians of the TR universe they’re so embarrassing Deadass show up and pose/do absolutely nothing I LOVE THEM SHKSKSKSK

- I love how it’s universally agreed that Mitsuya and Chifuyu r the best bois

- I have mixed feelings about Izana. I genuinely do like him and DESPISE how he’s whitewashed by fanart

- I get it u genuinely just wanted to not be alone and found out ur adopted in the worst way possible but…..idk how that justifies killing ur own sister but u do u ig 🤷‍♀️ and u have KAKUCHO AS UR FAMILY WTH

- don’t listen to me tho I’m a Mikey and Sanzu stan LMAOO 🤭🤭🤭

- Izana is the definition of mommy issues and 100% had crunchy hair lik mans was homeless

- if I saw Izana IRL I would RUN 🏃‍♀️idk he looks a lil crazy

- also this man does not know Tagalog he didn’t even know he was Filipino until he was lik 12

- idk the Tenjiku arc is so funny to me bc Izana is deadass: imma kill everyone in Mikey’s life for revenge and Mikey is lik: bruh I didn’t even kno u existed until last week and now ur killing our sister UNPROVOKED ???

- Bonten!Mikey is a virgin/no libido mans is DEPRESSED

- wished the Bonten arc was longer simply for the outfits bc Wakui KNOWS FASHION but that shit was DEPRESSION

- 3 Deities Arc was amazing and also funny/serious at the same time. It literally was an all out brawl in an AMUSEMENT PARK

- fr tho wtf was Benkei, Wakasa and Takeomi doing there??? Like they’re canonically 27 GO GET A JOB STOP FIGHTING 15 YEAR OLDS SHKSKSKS

- U cannot tell me that Sanzu WASNT sad when Baji and Mucho died.

- Baji was straight up his childhood friend and the only one other than Senju who knows about the plane incident/Mikey’s possessive side. And In the OG!timeline I’m pretty sure Baji was the only friend Sanzu DIDNT attack. While with Mucho he was pretty much his older brother, Sanzu just decided Mikey was better

- Tbh if the dark impulses/Shin thing wasn’t real I would’ve firmly believed Mikey had DID or something. Which again made only worse by the fact that violence and death is such a regular thing in his life (GET THIS MAN THERAPY LIK WTF IS SHIN AND GRANDPA SANO DOING???)

- Kazutora going a lil crazy is lowkey expected and I hate how we only find out about his home life in the character books. This kid grew up in a physically and mentally abusive household (gaslight to pick between parents and as s/o who has experienced that shit it’s fucked up) and I rlly don’t think prison helped out his mental stability either no shit he tried to kill Mikey

- I don’t ship Mikey and Takemichy (despite the IMMENSE gay ness btwn them) firmly bc I think everyone can see how much power Takemitchy has over Mikey idk it has a weird power dynamic like if Takemitchy tried he could 100% control Mikey (platonically or romantically)

- Baji, Chifuyu and Kazutora r a throuple

- I HATE how Sanzu is reduced to this crazy drug addict. Sanzu is canonically smart, manipulative, and formally trained fighter. He also REMEMBERS the OG timeline, he had to experience Shin dying twice and everyone else die no shit he’s a little bonkers/needs drugs to take everything away. Plus his relationship to Mikey which tbh is a whole separate post

- controversial !!!: I ship Mikey and Sanzu or Mikey and Draken. Sanzu only bc this man has a big ass crush and deserves some niceness for once

- ppl write Kakucho as this shy, nice guy like ur not wrong but mans is also running UNPROVOKED into Yakuza offices like it’s the gym while dragging Rindou wit him 😭😭😭

- the haitanis r the best sibling duo

- It lowkey makes me mad in fanfics where Ran is depicted as cheating w/Rin’s gf like??? This man raised his younger brother himself u cannot tell me he doesn’t love his brother and would actually do that to him

- Ran would 1000% do anything for Rin and i firmly believe he kinda regrets not saying anything in court to prevent Rindou frm joining him in jail. Like saying he forced Rindou to kill someone w/him, abusing his brother at home, etc especially in the Bonten! tl he def thinks about wtf he dragged his brother into

- I also don’t think they’ve slept w/ the same person before. Idk I feel like they have diff types like Ran goes for more motherly/mature types while Rindou goes for sweeter/shy types

- Draken has road rage

- Yuzuha should’ve been taller like AT LEAST 5’7 bitch is related to Hakkai and Taiju for gods sake

- OG BD 100% thought Wakasa was a girl for at least a month. He’s canonically 5’3 and pretty.

- Characters who r 100% bisexual: WAKASA, Senju,maybe Hina, Draken (def in denial), Rindou, Ran (he’s a whore as long as ur pretty he’s down), Sanzu, Koko, Kazutora, Chifuyu

- Mitsuya had a crush on Draken

[daemon-in-my-head]

Oh by gosh thank you for your opinion about Katheric I feel like I'm alone in opinion about him. He's no sad grandpa who lost his family, he's selfish, homophobic, old man who made sure that everyone in kingdom should suffer with him. Like I'm kinda feel bad for him but Gortash and Orin also didn't have easy life. I can even say they had worse

I agree with you for the most part, but despite, or rather because of that, I also gotta confess that personally, I very much adore Ketheric for it. Like yes he's such an awful little creature, but to me he's a beautifully written character and appealing antagonist (also hot af but that's subjective).

This is a villain fucker blog and his atrocities do be making him more appealing.

So ye, I agree; he is undeniably a horrible person, but it makes sense for the setting and for what he went thru. Loosing your family like that in the realms is as normal as it is sad, but so is gods granting favors to their most devoted followers. Which Ketheric used to be.

He spent his entire life doing everything and sacrificing for Selune, but when he needed her, she ignored him. Not only did she do nothing when his wife passed away, even when his daughter, who was dating Selunes own child and blessed by Selune, died, the goddess did nothing. And neither did her offspring, who would've very well had means to intervene considering all we've seen Dame Aylin accomplish and the fact that she's a lesser deity herself. When Ketheric truly needed his goddess to hear his prayer, she ignored him. He devoted his life to her, but she graced him with nothing. Aylins presence would've become a distasteful mockery of his goddess being able to hear him but purposefully choosing to ignore him.

So he turned to Shar, who promised him what Selune could not as well as revenge on her, but Shar eventually ignored him as well.

And yeah, he objectively had a better life than the other Chosen or Tadfools. But here's the thing that I think many people forget; the others were all heard by their gods. They recieved the favour Ketheric was always denied. Gortash had Banes backing, the Bhaalspawn had Bhaal looking out for them in some weird way, Gale didn't simply attract Mystras attention but even her love. Shar and Selune who both ignored him had a bitch fight over Shadowheart. But Ketheric has always been ignored, despite serving his gods better than some of them ever could.

He prayed to every God but no one besides Myrkul answered him. In a world where the gods listen and heed prayers, in a world where the dead don't have to stay dead, where loss can be but a tempoary inconvenience, his pain, his grief and his misery were rejected endlessly.

So yeah he's a bitch. He's awful, spiteful, absolutely unreasonable and lacks the ability to let go. He did do all that shit, he was in pain and made everyone live in hell with him. But he had his reasons. And they're understandable reasons. Grief left him hollow, carved up and bleeding, but instead of helping him, the gods he was so devoted to only used or ignored him. Everything he ever did, everything he ever endured, lost all it's purpose and all that was left was misery.

On a side note though, I don't think he's homophobic, that's more of a fandom joke, cuz he absolutely has his reasons to despise Aylin, who is a lesser diety, but did jackshit when his daughter and her very own lover died. But it's fun to think he was just in endless agony cuz of all the gays around him.

[broodybuck]

Title: Slow Burns Are Overrated

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Bucky Barnes

Rating: E

Tags: 18+ explicit smut, social media AU, no powers AU, pre-serum Steve, booktuber Bucky, internet famous, top Bucky, bottom Steve, couch sex

[ao3 link]

Steve's not the biggest reader, he can admit this. But he is obsessed with watching one, very specific booktuber online. And alright, fine, Steve will admit it's only because the guy is hot.

Bucky Barnes can talk anyone's ear off about every novel Steve has never touched, but Steve will watch every single minute that Bucky uploads. As long as his beautiful face is on the screen.

Bucky doesn't talk about much else other than books and his cat Alpine who makes an occasional appearance in his videos. And so, Steve truthfully had no idea where the guy lives. He could've guessed New York simply from the slight accent in his voice but the city is huge and maybe he's from New York but has moved away. There are a thousand excuses Steve could tell himself when he happens to walk into the man himself in the small Brooklyn bookstore down the street from his apartment.

And yes, Steve doesn't read. He actually has never stepped foot in the place before today but he was walking past it and instantly thought of that cute face he watches online and just thought, why not? So he walked in for the first time ever and right into Bucky Barnes. Just as he was rounding the corner from the romance section because of course that would be the section he was browsing.

Steve's stunned the moment he recognizes the brown, wavy hair in front of him. The cute, dimpled face he's replayed for hours on end.

"Sorry, didn't see you there," Bucky says but the words only ring in Steve's ears because the voice matches, the face fits. It's Bucky freaking Barnes standing in front of him! He can't get over it.

"Are you okay?"

Steve quickly blinks out of his trance.

"What— um, yes. Sorry, I'm sorry for bumping into you."

"It was my bad, I wasn't looking," Bucky defends with a smile.

Dammit, that smile looks gorgeous on him in real life. Steve's mouth falls open slightly, he's so staring again.

"Romance fan?"

"What?" Steve asks shaking himself free again.

Bucky motions to the book in his hand. Steve looks down to see the romance novel he picked up. It was the last book Bucky raved about on his channel. A gay romance about two boys from the city. Steve couldn't help himself, he got curious.

"Oh, um. Actually, I'm not much of a reader. Trying it out."

"Well, that one's really good," Bucky tells him. "One of my personal faves."

"Yeah, I kn—" Steve stops himself. He can't humiliate himself anymore by admitting how often he watches this man on his laptop. "I've heard it's good, I mean. Hopefully I like it."

"I hope you do, let me know."

"How... would I?" Steve stammers like an idiot.

"I'm gonna be reading in the back. I spend most Sundays here. If you drop by, maybe I'll see you again," Bucky says, he even sounds hopeful.

Steve can barely form words, he's too shocked. He bites his tongue and nods.

Bucky smiles and walks around him to head to the back of the store where comfortable chairs are sprinkled into the corners.

Steve knows exactly where he'll be next Sunday.

~~~

Steve has never read a book so damn fast. He reads the entire novel in a week. Which for him is unbelievable. He knows Bucky can read a book in a few hours, he's documented this many times.

Still, Bucky doesn't have to know how long it took Steve. All that matters is that he can go back to the bookstore and tell Bucky all his thoughts.

The next Sunday, Steve finds him right where he said he'd be. In the back corner of the store, nestled into a deep red armchair with a novel in his hands.

He looks lovely, Steve takes a moment to stare until Bucky's eyes catch the slim figure lingering ahead of him and looks up.

Steve raises the book in his hand in a desperate attempt to prove why he is standing there.

"I read it," Steve says, stepping a little closer so he doesn't need to speak too loudly. He stops in front of the chair Bucky's sitting in. Bucky stares up at him with those bright blue eyes. Steve swears his legs could give out at any moment now.

"What'd you think?" Bucky asks.

"I loved it!" Steve exclaims and little too loudly. He winces and blushes. "Shit."

Bucky chuckles and stands so they're more eye to eye. Except they're not because Bucky is taller than him, so now those blue eyes are angeled down at him. Steve's not sure which is worse.

"I'm glad, what was your favorite part?"

Steve answers without really thinking, just genuinely blurts out what he liked best, "How much they wanted each other."

Bucky's eyebrows raise high and Steve's face goes hot.

"I mean, the build-up. You know? I guess I like a slow burn — I heard that's the word for it," Steve rambles on and leaves out that he learned all these terms from Bucky himself.

"Yeah, slow burn," Bucky smiles. "I like that too."

"Yeah," Steve nods and then suddenly, he's lost at what to say. He looks down and clutches the book tightly in his hands.

"If you liked that one, I could suggest a few more," Bucky offers. Steve's eyes jump back up.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Bucky says and starts leading them right back to the romance section. "How steamy do you like stuff?"

"Steamy?" Steve asks like an idiot. What else could steamy mean? But it's too late. Bucky turns around with a smirk on his face.

"You know, raunchy. The book you read is pretty tame. But if you want more spice, I know a really good one."

"Yeah, I could do with more spice," Steve lets slip and he can't believe he's just said it.

Bucky looks pleased though. He spins back around and scans the shelves for a mere second before finding the book he wants. He hands it over and Steve recognizes the cover immediately. It has orange flames and a rose on the front. He remembers Bucky reviewing it in one of his recent videos and rating the book a level 5 for spice. That's the highest level. Steve's face burns just thinking about it.

"G-great," Steve says nervously. "I'll let you know what I think when I'm done."

"I definitely want all the details," Bucky croons.

Steve's eyes go wide at the impish tone in his voice. The idea that he wants to talk about all the sex in the book. And god, Steve wants to go over every last naughty word with him and he hasn't even read it yet.

He rushes home to do just that.

~~~

Steve beats his previous record and finishes the second book in four days. Bucky would be proud, he thinks. And then he remembers every sex scene in the book — which was twelve, he counted — and gets hot all over just thinking about them. They were so graphic and all Steve thought about while reading them was Bucky.

He still has a few days before Sunday. So, in the meantime, Steve opens his laptop and sees a new video uploaded from Bucky. He clicks on it and begins watching right away.

Bucky starts out with his classic introduction and then gets into the books he's read this week. He holds up a book Steve recognizes and it takes a second for Steve to recall it's the book Bucky was reading in the store last week.

Bucky begins reviewing the novel with a soft smile. It's such a coy, sweet smile that Steve smiles too. He can't believe he's met this man in real life, he can't believe — Bucky's talking about him?!

Steve replays the clip.

"I guess that's what happens when you meet a cute guy in the bookstore. Leaves an impression on you, so I'm bumping this book up to a 3.5 rating."

Steve blinks and plays it again. His ears must be deceiving him but no. Bucky's talking about how he has fond memories of the book because of who he met while he was reading it last week. And Steve knows it was him. Saw the very book in Bucky's hands. Was at the same bookstore with him.

Steve sucks in a breath. Does this mean he actually has a chance?

~~~

Bucky's in the very same chair when Sunday arrives. This time, when Steve steps into the back corner of the bookstore, Bucky notices him immediately. Almost like he was waiting for him. He stands and smiles happily.

"Hey."

"Hey B—" and that's when Steve realizes they never exchanged names. And when Steve realizes how creepy it is that he knows exactly who Bucky is and hasn't told him yet. "I'm sorry."

Bucky looks at him funny.

"I uh, know who you are. I watch your videos," Steve confesses.

"Oh," Bucky responds simply. Steve can't tell if he's mad or not.

"I should've told you. I just couldn't believe I happened to run into you."

"So, you're actually a reader?" Bucky asks.

"Oh no, that wasn't a lie," Steve laughs. "The day I met you was the first time I ever stepped foot in here. You uh, inspired me... kinda."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm sure you get that all the time," Steve assumes.

"Not really."

"You don't?"

"Most of my viewers are already long-time readers and most people who come up to me don't even want to talk about books, they just tell me I'm hot," Bucky explains.

"I can't exactly argue there," Steve says quietly.

Bucky smiles, surprised, "I wouldn't mind it so much from you."

Steve rubs his neck awkwardly.

"I uh, watched your last video. I thought you might've been talking about me."

"I was," Bucky confirms and it feels surreal to hear.

"You're... interested?" Steve whispers.

Bucky looks confused, then frowns.

"Wasn't it obvious?"

"I mean, I kinda got the feeling but you're like way out of my league."

Bucky shakes his head, "Man, I've been waiting all week to ask you your name and now I'm out of your league?"

"No, you're outta mine! You could have anyone," Steve readily corrects and hears how ridiculous he sounds. "And it's Steve."

"It's nice to meet you, Steve," Bucky smiles, ignoring everything else.

Steve smiles much too wide and looks away.

"Um, so I read the book you recommended," Steve lifts it up in his hand. "It definitely had spice."

"Wanna talk about it over coffee?" Bucky offers.

Steve stares at him. Perhaps it's the romance books talking or maybe the unexpected confidence that emerges from Bucky Barnes telling scrawny Steve Rogers he's in his league.

"I got coffee at my apartment."

~~~

He's making out with Bucky Barnes. Holy shit, he's making out with Bucky Barnes on his couch, Steve thinks as he straddles the man and sticks his tongue in his mouth.

He never thought it would get this far. Then again, he knew what he was offering when he suggested his apartment and Bucky didn't really hesitate... so there's that.

Bucky grabs him by his waist and shoves him down against his crotch. Steve has to pull away to moan at the gloriously hard friction between them.

"You know, I don't usually do this," Steve decides to say then.

"Right," Bucky breathes, "you like slow burns."

Steve grins and kisses him for that. Their kiss turns desperate again and soon they're pushing off each other's clothes.

"This slow enough for you?" Bucky teases as he's pushing the head of his cock in. He'd been opening Steve up for the past twenty minutes so Steve's well and ready for nothing slow.

"Slow burns are overrated," Steve growls.

Bucky laughs darkly.

"Fuck slow burns," Bucky agrees and then pushes in further.

He's still going much too slow for Steve but the burn is delicious so he decides he can pick his battles. He waits until Bucky bottoms out and they both make a satisfied noise at the feeling.

When Bucky starts fucking him in earnest, Steve's suddenly reminded of his surreal reality. His internet crush with 800k subscribers is fucking him in his apartment on a Sunday afternoon.

"Jesus, fuck," Steve hisses.

He's definitely not going slow anymore, thank god. Bucky's fingers are digging holes in his skin, holding his hips back as he keeps fucking him harder and faster.

"Fucking christ, Stevie," Bucky says, the nickname rolling off his tongue so easily. "You're so tight."

"Split me open," Steve grits and right when he says it, he realizes that was a line from the book they both read.

Bucky groans like he likes it and swears again.

"I'm close," Bucky rasps.

Before Steve can urge him on, all of Bucky's weight pushes him down into the couch and Bucky lies on top of him pumping his release into him until he finally slows and breathes heavily by Steve's ear.

"Did you?" Bucky asks.

Steve shakes his head and Bucky lifts up instantly. He turns Steve over, grabs his cock and starts stroking him. Pressing breathy kisses along his jaw until Steve comes.

"Fuck," Steve breathes turning to look at Bucky.

"That was amazing," Bucky smiles. He kisses him on the lips, hard and long enough that Steve feels like he can go again. Bucky pulls away still breathing heavy.

"Better than all those romance books?" Steve teases.

Bucky playfully glares at him.

"Way better than fiction, sweetheart. You're a goddamn dream."

[atypical-artisan]

Punch out but make it pride 2!!!!

Even more gender and sexuality hcs for the lads, including Mr Dream, and pizza pasta. I've talked abt some of them already but I'll do it again!!

Gabby Jay:

As mentioned in my aroaspec post, Gabby is grey aroace. He'd never been attracted to ANYONE until he met Doc which, unsurprisingly, shook him up a bit. Finding the term 'grey' and understanding his aro/asexuality was immensely helpful for understanding himself and becoming more happy in life.

Realizing he was trans also came late in his life- roughly his mid 30s after Joe came out to him and explained what being trans was. Gabby had a bit of a mental crash afterwards, re-assesing his entire life and all the discomfort he'd been feeling since he could remember. But now he feels very comfortable with himself and happy in his body.

Piston Hurricane:

Gay, gay, homosexual, gay. Sure, he didn't know it when he was younger, but this man is absolutely gay. For years he thought he was bi, but after realizing that every 'chick' he'd ever dated ended up coming out as a trans man during or after their relationship, as well as many guy's gay awakenings, he came to the realization that he was very much a magnet for gay guys (Knowing or not). He kinda likes it though because it's a funny anecdote.

Cis, plain and simple. But he is way more knowledgeable about trans people, particularly trans men, because he's close to so many of them. He's an excellent ally!

Bob Charlie:

Attracted to anyone, but has a slight preference for men. He's honestly too loosey goosey to attach himself to a label, but if asked he normally says "Eh I'm bi... or pan... idk I like people." and shrugs. He likes the term queer quite a bit, though.

Tried being trans, def had fun, but landed on being a dude. Turns out he mostly just likes skirts n dresses lol.

Dragon Chan:

Realizing he was bi came through his exposure to the internet, but he never got any relationship experience until he was 22. For the longest time he felt like his attraction was 'fake' due to being too shy and preoccupied to consider dating. But he's slowly improving his confidence and healing that part of himself with Heike.

He's cis, but he's very attentive towards gender stuff and very curious about other's own experiences with gender because it fascinates him.

Masked Muscle:

God this man does not give a shit about the gender of the people he's with. He doesn't really care about anything except how hot someone is and how compatible they are lmao. With that being said, he's actually quite fond of the pan community (Even if he's run into some serious assholes) and enjoys the solidarity he has with other m-spec labels! Technically he fits other labels too but he prefers the look of the pan flag and so calls himself that.

He's cis through and through, doesn't really care about trans people's genders, even if he doesn't understand half the stuff he comes across online he figures it's just not his business. Even for people he knows personally he doesn't delve too deep into gender cause he simply doesn't see the point in it, though he does respect them, obviously. Heike tried to explain what being multigender was to him once and it completely flew over his head, absolutely no hope for this man fr (Positive)

Snes Aran Ryan:

Bi, with a very strong preference for men he really doesn't like to admit to himself. He spent most of his life only being with women and avoiding his feelings for men, until he almost lost to Hurricane because he found him so hot. It was hard, but also not cause he very quickly found a guy to crush on. He's still very out of the loop when it comes to the community and gets terms mixed up all the time.

Cis and pretty dumb about trans stuff. He straight up didn't understand that nonbinary wasn't a 'new gender' until Heike sat him down and explained it to him for an hour. It still confuses him a lot but he does his best adhering to proper pronouns and respecting people.

Heike Kagero:

gay, nonbinary

Heike is gay in the sense they're only attracted to men or nb men. Gay is just a term of convenience for him, really, but it works and it feels right so he's in no rush to change it.

As I mentioned in my first hc post about them, they struggle to find a perfect label but mostly sticks to nonbinary and bishonen to describe themself. He realized he wasn't 'quite' a boy from a very young age and made it clear to his parents that'd he'd be more than expected. They supported their child and have been very resolute in their support for their sexuality and gender.

Mad Clown:

Labels? The fuck are those? This bitches gender AND sexuality are noting but WACKY!!!

For real though, Clown just doesn't attach himself to labels that much- aside from very esoteric ones that are mostly silly and fun, he doesn't use them for his gender or sexuality. However, he does prefer women and generally more feminine partners.

Narcis Prince:

As I've said before in my first hc post about him and the aroace hc list, Narcis really can't decide on his orientation. Though he knows he's attracted to men he's not sure if he's interested in women romantically and sexually or just likes the way women look. He's also growing to believe he's demi or greyromantic because he has very little interest in romance and hardly distinguishes it from friendship.

He's very confident in the fact that he's a man and also very confident that his body is perfect just as it is. Narcis has Klinefelter (xxy) syndrome and gynecomastia as a result. His parents were horrified to discover he had it and heavily pressured him to get surgery to 'fix' his body, but it only led to him thinking they were idiots. He wears a shirt in the ring mostly for practical reasons because of it, but otherwise doesn't care how other's see his body because what matters is that he likes it.

Hoy Quarlow:

Hoy is old and doesn't get the desire for newfangled terminology. He doesn't mind people using it and respects other's labels but he finds it too cumbersome to label himself. He sees himself as nothing more than a free spirit, flowing from relationship to relationship like a breeze.

Like his sexuality, Hoy doesn't have much use for labeling his gender. When he was younger, he only thought of himself as a man. Nowadays, interaction with people like Heike and general curiosity made him, and his twin sister, realize their feelings on gender are no longer as concrete as they once thought. These days they'll steal each others clothes and go out as the other for a bit of relief from their 'expected' gender, a la a many of shakespeare's comedy plays.

Rick Bruiser:

Cis and straight (Mostly)

What else can I say, this guy is p simple. He's got no (Strong) attraction to men. (Tho he'll admit that Hurricane and a few of the others are p easy on the eyes if you get enough drinks into him.)

As for his gender- any form of non conformity was beaten out of him and Nick from a young age. He hates anything feminine and always needs to be one of the most masculine guys in the room. (Deep down he does deeply enjoy jewelry but doesn't go past rearing silver rings in his ears. Even gold is too gay for him.)

Nick Bruiser:

cis and gay but homophobic

God this man is so gay it's painful- he's had a crush on literally every guy in the wvba and especially Joe (Though that particular obsession is extremely unhealthy). However, because of his upbringing, he's deeply homophobic and disgusted by himself, forcing himself to date women even though he doesn't even care for them and isn't attracted to them at all. His life would be so much easier if he accepted he was gay, but that's not happening any time soon.

As with Nick, any gender non conforming traits were beaten out of him young. As an adult he deeply overcompensates for being gay by being hyper masculine and is extremely fragile about his masculinity.

Peter Punch/Birdie:

Peter honestly can't pick a label. He's bi, he's pan, he's gay- he can describe himself in so many ways and going down a rabbithole of cool labels and awesome flags only left him more confused and constantly stressing if he was using the 'right' ones. Nowadays He just shrugs and says he isn't straight. That's good enough for him and it'll be good enough for everyone else.

As with his sexuality, his gender is extremely hard to pinpoint. Even though he experiences dysphoria, it's very touch and go and his feelings on gender and presentation are so fluid and flexible that words are hard for him to find to describe himself. Even pronouns are pretty hard to settle on!

Mr. Dream:

Again, as mentioned in my aroace post, Dream is, well, Aroace!! It took him years to realize and process but nowadays he's very comfortable with his orientation and very close to the aroace community.

Though he is cis, he's also intersex, which, for him, is a very important part of the lgbt community. He found out VERY suddenly in his late 20s when, during what he and his doctors thought was appendicitis, they found he actually had Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) and fibrosis on his ovaries. Everything was removed and they later found out he has 45,X/46,XY mosaicism as well. All of this left him questioning not only his gender but much of his life beforehand. Though he's okay now, he advocates heavily for the intersex community and overall better knowledge and acceptance of them.

Pizza Pasta:

Refuses to label himself. He's interested in hot people, that's all you have to know. (Though he does find the bi flag very pretty and when pushed, uses that term exclusively)

Cis and doesn't give a shit about what other's do with their bodies. He thinks the whole debate about trans people is ridiculous and that people should be left to do what they want.

[showtoonzfan]

I genuinely wish Vivziepop’s gay male characters had more depth to them, and what I mean by that is I’m so tired of her gay characters liking each other simply because of a lust driven relationship and nothing else. I’m so tired of seeing everyone say that she’s so good at writing complex LGBTQ relationships when I legit don’t get it. Obliviously Stolitz is the main centric one, we have no idea what these two even like about each other and what drives them to the other, other than they’re good in bed. They don’t even fucking know each other well, it’s just….0 chemistry.

Then you have Moxxie and Chaz, and they could have been the perfect opportunity for an interesting insight, but Chaz unfortunately is just there so Viv can wave in your face that Moxxie is in fact bisexual, and apparently Mox was only attracted to Chaz because……..he’s hot and they both like dick, like…that’s all I got since they never even explain why he liked Chaz. Such a well written relationship Vivzie BRAVO. I totally believe that Moxxie, someone who’s supposed to be down to earth and the straight soft man, liked Blitzo 2.0, a crude and juvenile character who’s whole personality is that he loves dick and is obsessed with it. They try to pull this thing where it seems like Chaz regretted what he did to Moxxie, but it’s obliviously bs. Chaz only liked Moxxie because of his dick, because his entire character is just “Me sexy and me want sex”. Such great bisexual representation Viv! 🙃

Finally, there’s Fizz and Ozzie. It’s too early to speak on them, but from what we’ve seen in the trailers, I’m glad they actually seem to be diving into how they met, and their relationship. It even seems like they’re genuinely comfortable around each other too, since Ozzie seems to have his own room with the other and let’s him eat and sleep with him. These two might…MIGHT actually be good, right off the bat I like how lovey dovey they are…..like….GASP, a gay relationship that’s love dovey and isn’t just driven by lust or sex?? THIS is what we want Vivzie.

I want your gay characters to be written well, to have chemistry, BELIEVABLE chemistry. I want to see what attracted themselves to the other and how they’re supportive to the other. I want to actually see them passionate with one another on screen, that isn’t just sex related. Have them kiss, or cuddle, or give each other gifts, just show your gay characters actually being AFFECTIONATE of one another, instead of solely relying on the stereotype that they like each other because they both have dicks. It’s so funny because Charlie and Vaggie or Moxxie and Millie are the perfect example of a couple being supportive and affectionate, so why can’t your gay characters be written that way? Why do your straight and female characters get to be actually nuanced relationship wise but your gay characters are reduced down to “ME LIKE DICK LET’S FUCK BECAUSE IT’S HOT”. Hopefully Fizz and Ozzie can break this homophobic stereotypical ass writing but I’m not counting my chickens, Viv sucks at writing gay relationships there I said it.