#but i cannot for the life of me think of which ine....

[dokyeomini]

what js that sound at the start of skip skip by purple kiss i swear i've heard it in another kpop song

[dailyadventureprompts]

Heavy Topics: A Child's Vision of Evil

One of the first big “aha!” moments in my journey to retrofit d&d’s laughably bad lore was the realization that the way the game treated evil didn’t make much sense.  As a dungeonmaster I was asked to create dramatic stakes for my players but the out-of-the-box antagonists supplied to me were as laughably one note as the pollution loving villains in Captain Planet. Who would ever worship the demon god of killing everything that lives? Of torturing you for all eternity? Of being unpleasantly covered in slime? 

None of it really made sense until I started to understand the world and recent history through a political lens, at which point several things became clear: 

Despite how large a bogyman it played in the satan scare of the late 80s, the people who laid the foundations for the lore of d&d came from a background of conservative american christianity, and baked a lot of that ethos into the game. 

The conservative christian imagination can only see things in black and white. People who disagree with them can’t just have a different opinion, even if that opinion is objectively good, they need to be wilfully evil . In fact they must be trying as hard to be evil as the christian is trying to be good, because they’re a backwards person, a monster, a demon. 

This idea of the “Backwards Person” is the exact process that gave rise to the bloodlibel, to the witchpanics, to the redscare, and yes, the 80s fear that satanists lurk around every corner sacrificing babies and putting poison in candy because they love evil that much.  It’s the same thought that’s given rise to Q-anon and the groomer panic. “People who disagree with just can’t just have a different opinion, they must be demons.”

D&D’s classic enemies are similarly all “backwards people”, hardwired to do evil so that players always have an excuse to kill them.  While on the surface it seems harmless or even childish it leads to the default d&d world being one where peace is impossible and genocidal violence is the only correct answer.  

We can do better in our writing than a bunch of shut-ins who wanted nothing more than to play cowboys and indians while ripping off Tolkien. Whether you want to write a sweeping epic or a mindless dungeon crawler, there’s a way to reconfigure d&d lore. 

Join me below the cut for a discussion of different ways to use evil in your games.

Children cannot control their emotions nor their fear, they lack the life experience necessary to contextualize things beyond a surface level reading. If you ask a child to "imagine something bad" they're going to take something that scared them, something gross or unpleasant or threatening and imagine it blown up to cartoonish proportion. Tolkien got bit by a spider as a kid and the entire fantasy genre has never lived it down.

D&D is weird because it keeps these childish ideas about evil and drags them forward into an adult context. Those three demon gods I mentioned in the intro make a sort of sense when you realize they're fears of dying, pain, and uncleanliness made manifest. That said most of us having outgrown our childish simplicity understand that those things are neutral, Spiders might personally gross you out but we all understand that doesn't make them bad on a spiritual level. In the base d&d lore however that personal distaste is ALWAYS true: Evilness is synonymous with ugliness and monstrousness, drawing a thick crayon line between the good people and the bad things.

That's where we get our particular flavor of backwards people, because one of those fundamental (pun intended) fears d&d inherited from it's creators was xenophobia, fear of the strange, but also fear of the stranger. When the white, suburban, middle class, christian creators of d&d imagined the other they took all the bad things they had been told in their youth about people who were not them and made them into monsters: That's why the default thinking enemies of d&d are tribal primitives who squat in the ruins of greater civilizations worshipping demons while coveting the beauty and wealth of cultured people. It sounds hyperbolic, but there's a one for one parallel between between the weird sexual anxieties conservatives have about black men and orcs raiding human lands to kidnap women as breeding stock. Same fears about emasculation and race mixing and ethnic replacement, only d&d gives the good ol' boys a narrative vehicle where they can revenge themselves upon their imagined foe.

Most modern d&d is not like this, and I chalk that up to the demographic shift that's happened both because of time passing and the influx of new voices that came along with the 5e renaissance. We're all media literate enough to avoid the obvious racial pantomime... except in cases like the Hardozee when the devs port something almost word for word from an older edition and we get a thanksgiving uncle/facebook aunt screed about how the silly monkey people are really SO happy to work for the refined and civilized and white elves.

What's left behind however is that pervasive childlike worldview: Where perfectly natural things that creep us out (like rot) or frighten us (like pregnancy) are made universally villainous regardless of any themes that are going on in that specific story. Ask yourself why the creators of a piece of media made their badguys look and act like they did, rather than just accepting that it's that way because "the lore says so".

Anyway, that's my rant over, and I promised you guys some different versions of how to use Evil:

Classic demons or lovecraftian horrors make for good bossfights but are thin on character, one of the basic building blocks of story. To remedy this, pair your unremitting force of darkness and destruction with a troubled and nuanced mortal agent, someone who is trying their general best but has been forced down this low road by circumstances beyond their control. This gives your roleplaying focused players something to play off against while your combat focused ones battle a building sized monstrosity. Raw evil isn't interesting, it becomes interesting when we see what it makes morally grey people, even good people, do in reaction to it.

Extremity is one of the best ways to turn normal people into villains, a looming disaster or recent crisis that's putting the pressure on everyone and preventing anyone from thinking beyond protecting themselves and their own. Beyond the people acting rashly, you're also going to have a legion of opportunists offering to fix the problem as your higher rank of antagonists to overcome.

Similarly, if you're going to have your villain backed up by legions of faceless mooks you're going to need a reason for their loyalty. Your villain is offering them something worth dying for, which gives your heroes an alternate win condition for overcoming their numbers beyond genocide.

If you're willing to take a step into a more fanciful, cartoony universe, feel free to play with the idea of good and evil as arbitrary teams: It's the badguy's job to cause chaos and it's the goodguy's job to stop em, they're all working professionals and the dungeon is the workplace comedy. This is fun, but then lets you escalate the tension when someone doesn't play by the rules. What happens when a zealot starts executing evildoers who'd already surrendered? what happens when the villain summons something that is more interested in devastation than wacky hijinx?

Think of morality like a punnett square: There's the party, and then there's the villain who wants the opposite of what they want. THEN there's the villain who wants what the party wants, and the ally who wants the opposite of party wants. Suddenly rather than a simple binary, the party is forced to balance the interest of varying groups as well as their better judgment. This can be made even MORE complex by creating different categories of "what the party wants", which is generally how you get complex political dramas like game of thrones.

[kanmom51]

This one is kind of personal and a lot mushy

(And as I'm writing this, a bit of a rant as well)

*Be advised.😅

Been a bit.

Well, I was kind of busy. On one of those 'once in a lifetime' trips you take to celebrate a big one, this one being my 30th wedding anniversary.

And while I was on this trip (and I am sure to share some pics, cause why not, seeing we got some spectacular ones) I got to thinking about Jikook. Because, who doesn't think about Jikook on their 30th anniversary trip, right?

Let's be real for a sec. Who doesn't think about Jikook ALL THE DAMN TIME?

Obsessed much?

Hell yeah!!!😂

Proudly admitting it!!

Look at those two:

Can you seriously blame me?

Nah, but seriously.

I couldn't help but think about who I am, where I've come from, how my partner and myself came to be, our love and respect for each other, how we fought through everything life swings at you and how our love not only survived all of it but seems to have flourished even more. I can honestly say that I love my husband today even more than I did when we got married. It's a different kind of love. A mature love. A love that survived many trials and tribulations. Some you know of when you tie the knot but many more you don't expect.

And thinking of us I couldn't help but think about those two young men and how they met, what brought them together, how they connected, how they have been through so much together, the hardships, the struggles, the amazingly good and the terribly bad, all making their bond even stronger.

There are those that cannot fathom how 2 young beautiful talented men could be in a committed relationship when they have this whole smorgasbord of beautiful people just wanting to lay a hand on them. Everyone wants a piece of them and here they are in a committed relationship with each other? A long term committed relationship? How ever could that be?

When you love someone to the core, which is exactly how those two feel (people can deny it all they want, but it won't change the facts, these two have chosen each other every single time over anything and anyone else), when you get to know that one person and fall deeply in love with them, know their ins and outs, know their flaws and issues, seen them at their best and at their worst. When they are happy or sad, healthy or sick, elated or furious, and find them attractive through and through, still want to be by their side.

No.

Need to be by their side.

Want to be there when they are happy, share their joy, but also be there when they are sad or down and stand by their side to support them through it (even with and despite all those flaws and issues and difficulties that at times can also infuriate you and basically make you want to ring their necks at certain points in time) there is no love (between partners) deeper than that.

I do know, we all should, that what they experienced and how they are living cannot be compared to us regular folk. Their circumstances are such that they have to deal not only with an industry and society that deems them as 'wrong' (that includes a big chunk of their own fandom btw), but also a lifestyle that is nothing like the one we know or have experienced. The hours, the cameras in their faces close to 24/7 (up until their break and hiatus and even prior to that during the pandemic - which btw is one of the reasons people have gone mad at that point given we stopped getting an influx of BTS content for such a long time), growing up and maturing in the limelight, enjoying the fame and exposure at first and then fighting for privacy and 'anonymity' when you realize there is a price to that fame. None of us have experienced that. Yes, we can find the similarities and by extension make conclusions about them, but at the same time we always need to remember that their lives are different than ours and that we cannot always hold them to the same standards of behavior that we are used to in our own lives and relationships.

This is beside the point that every relationship is different. I will just say this. A healthy long term relationship is built on 2 or more (I ain't judging) individuals that stand as their own person and chose to be with the other/s. They don't necessary have to have the exact same interests or likes. What they do need is to love, respect, trust each other and understand that part of that is allowing your significant other to do what they love, even if it means doing it without you. Even if it means doing it with someone else. You all know where I'm getting with this right? Going out with others, travelling with others, drinking with others, spending time with others, choosing to spend time alone without your significant other, none of them diminish from your relationship if indeed it's building blocks are solid. And brace yourselves (well, those that are in long term relationships know this already...), but all of the above actually helps maintain your relationship. Can make it better and stronger.

I've been lurking a little on SM, even while away, only to find that once again, or should I say still (surprise surprise... NOT) there are those that are doubting the bond that these two young men have. It's solos and cultists trying to create an alternative universe in which JK and JM are not close and even distanced (some would love for them to actually hate each other - good luck with that psychos). Or it's once again those insecure 'Jikookers' that seem to need that constant affirmation from a real life queer couple that most certainly will not be giving them that. I keep asking myself why is it that a couple like JM and JK need to constantly prove they are together (all while they actually can't come out and say it due to their circumstances - industry and society they live in), when a heterosexual couple, say Zendaya and Tom, for example, are not expected to? How come a blurry clip (which I still say is fake) released at a very suspicious point in time, together with other obviously edited clips and serious claims of misconduct that are clearly made up and were intended to cause JK harm, have more of an impact on them than years and years of interactions, talk, actions (including just before the clip was released and after it as well)? And now another blurry clip that people are going all crazy over. Like seriously, what is wrong with people? Is the lack of content driven them mad? No drama so we need to create it? Well, thing is that when you are in a healthy committed long term relationship there is not much drama. That's the way it is when you are settled and happy and know who you are and who you love and know that they feel the same about you. Arguments, disagreements, bad days - sure. That's life. But at the end of the day if people want drama they should go watch one on TV.

So, how do I put it to make is as clear as possible?

These insecurities we get from some of the fans, they work like clockwork. Every single time, in the past, when we didn't get much from the two there were these whispers and question marks regarding their relationship. Not even if they are still together, but down to the core of their bond, as to even question if they are close or friends. This phenomenon goes way back.

But since end of 2021 beginning of 2022, when they were on their break and later the hiatus into 2023 it blew up like a full on hydrogen bomb.

This got worse after they were assigned their own 'personal' IG accounts and went on their break.

The misconception by many that these accounts were somehow their private accounts that they use to interact with each other, I can't call it anything other than delusional. Sorry not sorry. And if people did not realize that themselves if only from the lack of posting or interaction with whoever, then we had the members themselves telling us that they regularly interact within their own private chat groups. That photos shared on IG with us have been previously shared with the others in those groups. These IG accounts were created to maintain contact between the members and their fans, knowing that the group is going into hiatus and that they will each be promoting their own individual solo projects. Yes, the group Twitter (X) account could be used for that, but there was an attempt to create a more 'personal' connection between each member and Army. These accounts were work, as simple as that, and them reacting to other members or talking with each other through these accounts was not an indication what so ever to whether they were in touch or not otherwise.

At the time, back in early 2022, when people were reeling over the lack of interaction between the two on their IG accounts I tried to explain that a. not seeing something most definitely does not mean it's not there (something those two made sure to prove time and time again over the past couple of years), and b. that the lack of interaction can actually be an indication to them spending most of their time together, as there is no need to comment on another's post when you are right there to tell them whatever it is you want to tell them to their face. Not to mention, and this part is all me, so take or leave it as you will, but some of said IG posts, well, how do I put it? I guess I just say it as it is... some of these photos posted were either taken by the other or they were right there or really near by when it was taken. There. I said it. In any case, the fact that these were the only two not to interact with each other in front of Army's face, out of the whole group, that, to me, meant they were the ones spending most of the time together.

Oh, and let's just address the whole fanservice stupidity surrounding those two once and for all.

If they were all about fanservice, how is it that since that during the break in 2021-2022 and then during the hiatus and their solo endeavors, we were robbed of said fanservice? Wouldn't you expect that the fanservice couple, the scripted couple, be pushed during each other's promotions? How is it that we have seen during these periods of promotions every single other coupling other than JM and JK. Even JK visiting JM during his rehearsals was heavily edited. How come, if we are being sold a fake bond? No JK being forced to go visit JM when performing at the music shows. No JM being forced to do the same with JK. JM paired with Suga for an add for Busan (? that one was really an odd one for me). When did we see them? So yeah, people can scream fanservice all they want, but deep down inside they know it's a crap claim. I won't even go into JK's lives. There was not one ingenuine bone in his body, and that excitement seeing JM's comments, that coquettish behavior while interacting with him (especially during the bed live, OMG!!!), the reactions to the JM centered content he CHOSE to watch during those lives, none of that is scripted nor acted. It's all JK. All him. And JM's reaction when JK shows up at his documentary viewing live, that little butt wiggle in his chair (reminds me of Bam when happy to see his dad/s, as shown by JK), the face lighting up, the genuine worry on his face talking about JK working hard (during another couple of lives), again, not faked.

So yeah, not fanservice.

I digressed, I think.

Let's get back to 2022 why don't we?

On their break these crazy stories of heartbreak and breakup and hate and suffering and god knows what, only all to be thrown out of the window as soon as we got to see the two together again during the Seoul concerts and then LV. Oh LV. That was a wild ride.

Then BTS went on hiatus and the solo era began. And we were getting less and less ot7 content, and once again the insecurities. These ups and downs (you know, the whole JITB party stories about them not being together - that was countered by the BTB that followed a while after), then Busan concert's high, then 2023's downs and ups and downs and ups and fruck it all, I'm sea sick from this stupidity.

Same exact stories were repeated in 2023!!!

Especially after THE CLIP "which shall not be named" dropped.

SAME EXACT TO THE T STORIES!!!

But again, I digress.

Insecurity regarding the two and their bond (seeing they aren't in the public eye) followed by realization that everything is as it was (if not even better and stronger) once we see them together again. And the reason we don't see them together while on break... wait for it... is because they are a private couple living their everyday life, not for the cameras, not for Army, but for THEMSELVES.

Who would have thought.

And when they are together, as in working together, either filming or shooting or performing, well their bond can't be hidden, as much as they might have to wind it down at times (which is mainly not when they are on stage hyped up on adrenaline, lol), seeing that this is still Kpop, with fandoms that feel ownership over them, not to mention them being a queer couple. You know. All the usual reasons.

This idea people have that these two owe us something. That they constantly have to prove their bond, their connection, their relationship. What utter bull.

Anyway, what a slap in the face (for some a good wake up call, for others a well deserved one) the news of them choosing to enlist together was for so many.

Bottom line is, repeated for the millionth time, that these two young men have shown us time and time again that when push comes to shove they will chose one another!!!

I feel like I'm all over the place here. Came to talk about my trip and ended up talking about fanservice and insecurity and god knows what. I guess it's the jetlag (yeah, let's go with that and blame it on the jetlag).

In any case I will go with my favorite saying as of late:

Why this whole long word vomit, you may ask (or you might not ask, who knows, lol)?

What the hell does this have to do with my trip?

Nothing...?

Probably, lol.

But I am going to try to connect the dots. Even if they did make sense in my mind when I first started writing this post and no longer do...

How about the fact that the two chose to take these trips together?

See how I did that? Connecting the unconnected?

Not even going to ask the egg-chicken question here, as I am quite positive it was always about the trips and the show/content for army was the excuse that allowed them to travel 'for work', and a little bonus of content for army when they are away - not to mention perhaps even an opportunity for a soft outing, who knows.

They wanted to spend this time together before enlistment.

We know of at least 3 trips. Connecticut, Jeju and Japan (the Jeju trip may or may not be part of that 'show').

We are yet to know what exactly this 'show' will be. Will it be an actual show, style BV or ITS? Will it be a Vlog? Will we be getting actual episodes or several minute clips? But one thing for sure. Whatever we get, it will be a drop in a lake of the time they spent together. They went on these trips to be together. They shot this 'show' to allow them to be on these trips. This 'show' will give us a glimpse, no more than that, of what they got up to while together. Bottom line - it's about them, not the show and definitley not us.

So yeah, tripping together (lol, as in traveling, just felt like using that fun word, which can mean so much more as well) is something couples love to do, and going on said trips prior to a huge life changing event (let's be real here, going into the military for 18 months, especially knowing that to be able to enlist TOGETHER, they will be placed in one of the harsher units and environments, knowing that even though they will be together they most certainly will not have the freedoms they enjoy prior to enlistment), well that is something they would do as well.

To sum this whole rant up:

I came here to show off some pics from my trip...

If Jikook are allowed to (and god help them all if we don't get that show eventually...), then so am I...

The scenery...

And the wild life

So there you have it.

I managed to talk about my trip and about Jikook all in one long ranty post.

To those that managed to work their way through it I have this to say:

[elexuscal]

something I feel Temeraire fandom hasn't dug into enough is how Kaneko and Junchiro are set up as narrative foils to Laurence

Kaneko is the platonic, exemplary ideal of 19th century noble Japanese culture, just as Laurence is for British culture from the same period. He's is diligent, lawful, loyal, and after the death of his family, has made a pledge to aide any traveller in need that he meets.

... and then just like Laurence, he's put in a situation where it is impossible to reconcile these two sides of honour. He's tasked with sheltering a white foreigner with a terrible head wound; and it becomes increasingly obvious that said foreigner isn't some random unfortunate sailor, but a key member of a diplomatic party between two of Japan's enemies. Does he follow the law, or does he follow his personal code of ethics?

He ends up... Splitting the difference. He protects Laurence, even though it's explicitly against the law. Then he ends up chasing Laurence and duelling him, as the law dictates but breaking his vow in the process.

Unlike Laurence, he's never truly able to reconcile these two warring elements, and he is saved from having to make that decision...

... By Junchiro.

Junchiro hasn't made any pledges to protect travellers. He does not like Laurence, does not trust him, and thinks Kaneko should turn him over. But. He also knows and fully believes Kaneko to be a good man, and as a student in his debt, believes the morally right thing to do is protect him. So he breaks the law helping Laurence escape, to spare Lord Kaneko in this impossible choice.

In this, he ends up echoing Laurence's choice to take the dragon cure to France, albeit on a smaller scale. When given the choice of following the law or his personal code of ethics, he chooses the latter.

And this is where the parallels really strike I think. Laurence gets to France, and Napoleon is like, good sir! What you have sacrificed for the sake of others is so incredibly honourable that it's making me want you carnally! Please, will you stay with me here in France? I will keep you in comfort, and we can do good work together!

And Laurence politely declines, says I'm going back to England, to face whatever wait awaits me. And Napoleon says, that's a damn shame but I won't hold you here. Bonaparte lets him go, and that decision definitely kicks him in the ass given how instrumental Laurence is in his defeat, but never seems to regret that deicsion.

So Junchiro breaks Japanese law rescuing Laurence-- a decision which while it spares his master Kaneko, honestly probably ultimately was to Japan's benefit, because can you imagine the fallout if they had ended up imprisoning or god forbid executing the adoptive crown prince of China? but instead of anyone formally recognising he just saved their collective asses, they're like, Yeah You're Exiled, get the fuck out of here.

Exiled, just like Laurence was to Australia.

So Laurence is like. Wow this kid just saved my life; I have the utmost respect for him. He says as much to Junchiro, and does everything in his power to set Junchiro up for success within British culture (just as Napoleon would have done for him). Teaching him English and Mandarin; letting him making connection; learning the ins-and-outs of aviator culture, so perhaps he can one day earn his step and get a dragon of his own, which Junchiro does seem to want, despite being otherwise bitter and listless.

and then after like... six months? (10? idk the timeline is fuzzy) Junchiro comes to Laurence and says: thank you very much for caring for me. However, I cannot continue. While Japan may think me a traitor, I am still loyal to them, and I can't keep helping their enemies. I'm going to abdicate to France. Tell me now if you disagree so I can kill myself.

And Laurence is like. Oh god no. Of course I understand. And let's Junchiro go, just like Napoleon let him go.

And yeah, that ends up kicking him in the fucking ass! Junchiro ends up providing the intel which allows French forces to steal Ning's egg, lure both Iskierka and Temeraire away from the front lines, and bolster Napoleon's early dragon-coalition by making it look like Laurence and Temeraire support it. A master stroke!

And obviously, it hurts, when Laurence realises it. But he realises that Junchiro was perfectly plain in his intentions, and Laurence still cannot fault the man for being loyal to his country. So when they have supper together, Laurence is polite and respectful, despite the dire situation.

TLDR: Kaneko is Laurence if Laurence couldn't choose to go traitor, and Junchiro is a younger Laurence

also i wonder what happened to Junchiro in the end.

[ghstsrock]

Dally is Irredeemable

! 🗯 ⋆ in which i persuade you into believing dally is irredeemable

( a/n : this is based off that poll I posted a while ago asking for help deciding what I should write my persuasive letter about. this the result of that. enjoy! )

Dear Reader,

My name is Jeremy, I’m a loser who runs a tumblr account. I am writing to you as someone who likes analyzing characters to express my views on the character of Dallas Winston.

Dallas Winston, one of the main characters in S.E Hinton’s iconic novel, The Outsiders, is often seen as a complex and intriguing character by many readers. However, his actions throughout the novel raise questions about his intentions and motivations. In this letter, I aim to present evidence and argue my belief that Dallas Winston is ultimately an irredeemable character, whose actions and choices cannot be excused or forgiven.

For context, Dallas Winston is described as being one of the older members of the book's main group. He’s mean, cold, tuff, and the most hardened and violent. He spent most of his life living on the streets of New York, getting into so much trouble that he was first arrested at the mere age of ten. While this does not define a person, it certainly does him.

This is the first reason I believe Dallas is irredeemable: Johnny Cade. The relationship and dynamics between Johnny and Dallas is nuanced. Despite their differences in mental and physical characteristics, they have a strong bond between them. Dallas constantly shows special treatment towards Johnny, which is evident in the second chapter when they are at the drive-in theater. Dallas is making inappropriate comments toward a soc girl named Cherry. While both Ponyboy and Johnny were uncomfortable by this behavior, Johnny is the only one who intervenes. “Dallas just scowled for a second. If it had been me, or Two-Bit, or Soda, or Steve or anyone but Johnny, Dally would have flattened him without hesitation,” (Hinton). This highlights the deep connection between the two characters, but how good can that really be? Johnny is seen idolizing Dallas throughout the book, this stems from his troubled relationship with his parents causing Johnny to feel the need to earn Dally’s approval. Dallas, on the other hand, uses this power imbalance to his advantage, lashing out at Johnny when he tries to assert independence. This relationship highlights the toxicity that has existed throughout Dally’s life.

Continuing that, I bring you to my second reason: Dallas has known nothing but a life of crime and hatred. Now, I know what you’re thinking. People change, right? Well, Dallas is a different story. He has allowed his upbringing to define who he is in the novel - his abusive dad, absent mother, numerous run-ins with the law, and other traumatic experiences have shaped his negative outlook on life. For example, in Chapter Five, Dally, Johnny, and Ponyboy are in Dally’s car outside a Dairy Queen. When Johnny asks Dallas if his parents have asked about him, Dallas gets rather upset at Johnny. “You think my old man gives a hang if I’m dead in a car wreck, or drunk, or jail or something’? He doesn’t care, and that doesn’t bother me none,” (Hinton). By saying this, Dallas shows that he has internalized the neglect he experienced from his father to the point where he has become desensitized to the feelings of others who have different ones. It also shows one of Dally’s biggest defense mechanisms, violence.

My final reason is that Dallas Winston is weak. When I say weak, I’m referring to Dally’s mental strength rather than his physical strength. I’m sure that boy is malnourished, lactose intolerant, and can’t handle gluten. But, I digress. Despite being portrayed as a strong character, his behavior shows nothing but weakness. He’s weaker than Johnny mentally. He’s weak with how he handles serious issues, relationships, and his own life. He recklessly deals with issues and his reaction to Johnny’s death serves as the perfect example of that. “Why can I take it when Dally can’t? And then I knew, Johnny was the only thing Dally loved. And now Johnny was gone,” (Hinton). As this iconic novel comes to a close, we witness two major character deaths, the first one being Johnny’s. As previously stated, Johnny and Dallas had a special relationship. Initially, Dallas doesn’t seem to react much to Johnny’s death, but as the moments pass, he becomes increasingly unstable, unable to cope with his emotions. He runs out following a moment of melodramatic whimpering, later we found out he robbed a magazine store with an empty gun. The way he handles his grief by resorting to violence, ultimately leading to his death, highlights his weaknesses. “Dally didn’t die a hero. He died violent, young, and desperate. Just like we all knew he’d die someday … But Johnny was right, He died gallant,” (Hinton).

Some individuals who hold an opposing view to mine believe that Dally is redeemable based on his loyalty to the gang and his good treatment of Johnny. However, Dallas has no actual sense of loyalty. He has a tendency to double-cross others for what appears to be his own amusement contradicts this viewpoint completely. The best example of this would be Dally’s on-and-off again friendship with Tim Shepard, the leader of a different gang in town. This is first brought up in the second chapter by Two-Bit Mathews when he says, “That’s why I came over. Mr. Timothy Shepard and Co. are looking for whoever so kindly slashed their car’s tires, and since Mr. Curly Shepard spotted Dallas doing it … well … does Dallas have a blade?” (Hinton). The fact that Dally’s tendency to betray people is a joke to his friends undermines any argument that attempts to redeem him based on his loyalty. Additionally, the incident where Dally lashed their tries and his lack of remorse for engaging in such petty and destructive behavior further demonstrates his lack of a moral compass.

I urge you to never find yourself in a position where you can actively sympathize with the man that was Dallas Winston. And that, if you do, you get the help you desperately need.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, Jeremy

﹙📦﹚ request inbox thing is open ﹒zᶻ

[bigboysfalldeep]

A policemans' tale - Part 3

Two months into his job as a police officer, Lennard couldn't be happier. He's doing a pretty good job at the station, and the chief is also very confident in him and his abilities as a police officer. In fact, he gave him a new partner, one greenhorn who just finished studying, to tell him the ins and outs of the job. Right now, the car is parked in a vacant parking lot. It's noon, and the shift is nearly over. Just two more hours to go. Mario, his new partner, had to go to the toilet, which is why Lennard is waiting inside the car, watching him enter a small gas station.

The sun is shining brightly through the front window, while Lennard is browsing his phone, looking at pictures of himself in uniform. Swiping the pictures away, an ominous feeling washes over him. It feels like hes being watched by someone, something lurking nearby. He looks left and right; there is no one in sight—just a few cars, a bird here and there, but nothing threatening. "Fuck." He chuckles; maybe he's just nervous. However, his body is tensing more and more, and the hair on the back of his neck is standing at attention.

Suddenly, he can hear something deep inside his mind. A noise, a low screeching sound, like somebody is scratching the whiteboard with rusty nails. It gets louder and louder—a pain-inducing sound. He closes his eyes and tries to cover his ears with his hands, but the sound is already echoing through his every thought. Lennard realizes that it seems like somebody or something is calling for him. "Lennard." A familiar yet distant voice mutters again and again.

"What is this?" He groans when the noise suddenly drops. The officer lowers his hands and opens his eyes. Again, no one was in sight. But then. "Can you hear me, boy?" That voice rings through his head once more, causing the cop to shake his head. "What? Who?" Lennard rubs his temple. "Lennard, do you hear me?" The voice says it in a more serious tone. Shaking his head and chuckling nervously, Lennard tries to play it off. "I must be exhausted. Hallucinating." He closes his eyes to concentrate, but then he can feel a presence inside him.

"You're not hallucinating, boy." The voice smirks. "I've been here for a while now." Lennard shakes his head and looks around. Where is he? "You cannot see me, boy." The man laughs mockingly. "It's inside your mind." Still chuckling nervously, Lennard looks into the rear view mirror, and inside his eyes, he can see something different. A faint shine is hiding behind them. "Who are you?" He says it worryingly. "This has to be a dream." He thinks to himself. "This can't be." For a few seconds, the voice is quiet before laughter echoes through his mind. "Not a dream, boy. Let me show you."

Lennard's heart beats through his chest; he can't breathe or move when his eyes close shut. He doesn't have control right now, and more and more flashes explode in front of his inner eye. Memories of the past few months The voice lets him live through these moments again. He remembers the first time he went under, inside a similar police car, just one week into this job. He feels his whole body going through it again, his partner chocking him hard, the music playing in the background, the commands. Obey. Relax. Stay calm and follow orders.

His breath quickens even more as he feels himself going under again. His dick turns rock-hard, edging him on, while all of his muscles try to burst through the tight uniform. Then, as it ends, another memory bursts to life. The second time, that man visited him at home. He went under in just an instant, his body already conditioned to follow this man's voice. The same voice as today. Unable to breathe, he opens his eyes and lets out a long, deep groan. "What the fuck are you doing to me?" Lennard shoots loudly, sweating heavily. "Liked what you saw?" The voice mocks, causing Lennard to look at his crotch, his dick bulging and twitching inside his tight pants.

"This is sick!" Lennard protests, but he cannot help but stroke himself firmly again and again. It's written into his mind; hearing the voice of his master is triggering him more and more. "You're a freak!" He hisses, looking around again.

"Im just going to take whats mine, Lennard." The voice smirks again. Lennard closes his eyes for a second, contemplating. "This has got to be a nightmare". He thinks as he feels himself growing weaker. "Don't fight it, boy; you're just making it harder for yourself." Lennard bites his lips and opens his eyes when he feels a familiar warmth spreading through his body, starting at the top of his spine and sending shivers down his back.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" The cop growls as his back gets stiffer. All of his muscles and every fiber in his body are vibrating. "Taking over." The voice speaks calmly. Lennard tries to get out of the car, just away from him.

But somehow, the seatbelt acts as a restraint, growing tighter around his heavy chest. "LET ME GO." He thrashes around, but it's no use. "I love it when they try." The voice laughs, and Lennard's breathing gets heavier as it gets harder to breathe.

At the same time, he is touching himself, his dick getting bigger and bigger the more the warmth spreads through his body. Lennard feels it invading his chest, his abs, and his stomach. "FUCK." He looks down, his pecs hardening, and he tries to get the belt off, or at least his police vest. Still, no use at all. Quite the opposite.

His heart accelerates even more, and he's close to fainting due to pure pressure. It's hot and sweaty inside the car. He gasps for air, for relief, but the warmth keeps spreading right into his thick arms. "No. Please." He cries out as his muscles tense more than ever before. Looking at his sleeves, he can see something move underneath his skin.

Whatever that thing is, it's really inside him already. The warmth then reaches his fingerstips, and his arms go numb. He can't move them or feel them, but in horror, he watches them move again. The hand on his dick intensifies the grab, rubbing the twitching cock now firmly, while the other strokes across his chest, easily sliding underneath the vest to put more pressure on the chest.

"How do you feel now?" The voice mocks him as he's in pain, lonely tears running down his face. "Please, stop." He begs, but that feeling won't stop. Instead, it slowly spreads into his thighs, balls, and further down into his calves, feet, and toes. Lennard kicks violently until his legs go numb too.

He can only sit there, watching his body disobey him. "Nearly there, boy." The voice says, and the officer lets the hand stroke him even harder. Lennard is already sweating; his chest and heart are aching, while his hands wander across his whole body. Then he sees Mario inside the gas station, buying some snacks.

He tries to reach for the horn to make any noise, or maybe the holster around his thighs, but his arms and hands are not responding. "Nice try." The voice giggles. "There is no help for you now."

"Dont. Please." Lennard says, his eyes following his hand towards his cock again, before he grabs himself firmly. His dick is imprinting through the pants along his thighs, and he starts to jack him off. The warmth is still spreading; his chest feels fuzzy now, and his cock is filled with it too.

Still, he can feel the pressure, the pain, and the pleasure with every move of the hand. He shakes his head in one last attempt to break free. "Still so resilient? I like that." The voice laughs, and the feeling stops for a second. Lennard takes a deep breath, hoping for it to be over. But then, so quickly, the warmth spreads into his head and his mind, flooding it with more flashes of past overtakings.

It simply gets too much, and he feels his thoughts being washed away. He drools heavily, and it stains his vest. With his hand still massaging his cock, his eyes lose focus, and with multiple strong thrusts, his body shoots loads and loads of cum right into his briefs, the hot liquid even pressing through their fabric and into the navy blue uniform pants.

For a few more seconds, he sits there, his body stiff and rigid, before it slowly goes limp. Lennard regains his composure, his eyes gain focus, and he moves a hand to steady his heavy head. However, Lennard is gone; it's the voice who's leading that body now. His eyes are shining slightly as he looks into the rear-view mirror, admiring his pretty face.

He moves his hand towards his firm jawline and traces it with one finger while the other hand touches his wet, throbbing cock through the pants. "Finally." He groans, still feeling the pleasure radiating through every fiber of his body.

"I was waiting for this day," he says in the officer's voice, yet not his voice. A mixture of their voices, deep, rough, yet smooth at times. The man starts to touch himself—his chest and neck—feeling his biceps pressing against the tight shirt and vest. "Even better than expected." He smirks, still rubbing his cock firmly. There is a huge wet spot covering his crotch, but this just makes him hard again. And the smell is so good.

Lennards aftershave is easily covering up the faint scent of cum, but it's slowly but surely getting heavier inside the car. He exhales deeply, his body still sore from the hostile takeover. "Fuck, this feels good." The officer leans his head back, enjoying this moment. He licks his lips, taking a closer look at the tattoos, which are beautifully drawn, making him even hotter. Looking at himself in the mirror, he flexes his huge arms one by one.

But then, his eyes spot Mario slowly walking towards the car, some snacks in hand, and when he sees 'Lennard' he smiles. "There he is." 'Lennard" smiles back and quickly picks up his phone from the floor, looking through it for a very special video. The door opens, and Mario gets inside. "It was a mess in there." He says, sitting down, turning his face towards 'Lennard'. "I hope I didn't catch anything." Mario giggles and hands his partner a bag of sweets, but he doesn't respond.

Just then, he notices the state 'Lennard' is in. Messed up hair and face, dranched in sweat, his vest and pants stained, and ultimately a mess. "Are you ok, Lenny?" Mario says, his eyes slowly wandering down his partner's body, catching him stroking his dick through the wet pants while going through his phone. "What the fuck?" he says, but looking into 'Lennards' eyes interrupts him. They're shining ever so brightly—multiple colors at once, it seems. Mesmerizingly, they spin slightly, and it gets worse once their eyes meet. "I never felt better." 'Lennard' smirks, but it's not his usual voice. "Whaat...what happened?" Mario stutters, his eyes pulling back from that burning gaze and back to the hand rubbing that massive cock.

"I took what was mine." 'Lennard' says, placing a hand at the officer's shoulder, right next to his neck. This causes Mario to flinch and look back into those eyes. "Yours?" He says quietly, and 'Lennard' just raises his phone right into his face. "Watch this, and you will understand." The video plays, and instantly, the car is filled with ear-piercing music. The officer tries to pull away, flinching again, but 'Lennard' holds him in place. "Whatt?" He says this, and his eyes stare at the screen. A beautiful spiral dances across the phone, with so many colors swirling around.

"Hold it," 'Lennard' demands, and without hesitating, Mario takes it with both hands. They drop to his lap, but his eyes are stuck at the screen. "Good job, officer." 'Lennard' smirks and reaches for the man's chest. Lovingly, he starts to stroke him underneath his vest, one hand still caressing his neck. "Thats right. Watch it. Good boy. Feels good?" Mario doesn't respond; instead, his mouth opens slightly, and he starts to drool. "Ah, that's good. I see." He says this, stroking him more and more as his body reacts instinctively. The chest grows firm, the nipples hard, and his muscles bulge, with the uniform barely able to contain him. "Big boy, aren't we?"

'Lennard' holds back a low growl while touching his partner's upper body. He feels good, smooth, and young. Mario enters a state of vacancy. That video is made to weaken a man's mind and make him open to programming. And Mario seems to be the perfect subject. His body reacts simultaneously to every single touch, and while he keeps watching that video, he keeps listening to the music. The officer's mind is filled with commands. Obey. Relax. Just give in. That feels so good.

'Lennard's body is reacting as well, with his throbbing cock again tenting inside the uniform. "I love this part." He says this and runs a hand down his trousers. At the same time, he feels Mario's dick tenting as well. "Good boy." He smirks, that twitching cock in his hand. "Can you hear me, Mario?"

"Yes." He says it in a monotone voice, his eyes stuck on the screen. "Good. Were nearly there." 'Lennard' licks his lips, opens Mario's pants, and manages to pull his huge dick out. "Look at that." He wraps a hand around it and gets started. Rhythmically, he moves his hand up and down, starting off slow, with increasing pace and strength. He leans into him, whispering into his ear. "Listen to my voice. You're trained to serve and meant to serve, and that's what you will do. You will follow my orders and my commands. What I say is your wish. What I want is an order. Do you understand?"

Mario's face grimaces due to the pain and pleasure echoing through his whole body. "Yes." He moans deeply, his body tenses, and all of him is pulsating—his mind, his muscles, his cock, every fiber of his being. He begins to thrust against 'Lennards' grip, but he just smirks. "Good. But you won't cum yet. Just when I tell you to. Do you understand?" This makes his body even harder. All of him is ready to cum, ready to serve, but he can't. His eyes lose focus; he drops the phone and leans his whole body back against the seat.

"Officer?" The man says, removes his hand from the erect cock, and places a hand at Mario's neck. In response, he lets out a low, guttural moan. "Now." 'Lennard' says, and with that, Mario's body twitches as his cock explodes again and again. He moans and groans as his eyes roll completely back into his skull. After a few more dry shots, he regains his composure. 'Lennard' is touching himself while watching his newest subject. "Good boy." He pats Mario's cheek, who doesn't react. His eyes are vacant now, but they are shimmering slightly. "Very good boy." 'Lennard smiles, grabs the officers dick, and carefully dresses him again.

He pats his chest and thighs, admiring that man's physique. Then he lets his hands explore the whole body. His arms, hands, shoulders, and thighs; he takes his time feeling his chest, neck, and face, enjoying that smooth skin, the stubble, and soft lips. "Can you hear me, boy?" Mario nods, his eyes looking into the distance. 'Lennard' unzips his pants, pulls them down, including the underwear, and exposes his wet, sweaty, throbbing cock.

"You earned yourself a meal." He says, patting Mario's neck firmly, "He doesn't waste any time. He bends down and takes the cock into his mouth. He knows how to move his mouth, exactly hitting every one of his most sensitive spots. "Fuuuuck." 'Lennard's groan turns into a giggle. He puts a hand at Mario's neck, forcing the whole cock into the mouth, making him gag. This, however, does not interrupt him. He keeps sucking, and after a few more seconds, after all that pleasure before, he cums right into his mouth. Mario swallows it, and 'Lennard' has to tell him to stop.

"Good job." He says, admiring Mario's engagement. "We're going to have fun".

[scientia-rex]

I bet a bunch of people who were pissy about me referencing Machiavelli (nobody got AS mad about Sun Tzu or Musashi, leading me to wonder if they've actually read those either--and I know nobody reads The Discourses on Rome by Titus Livius from Machiavelli, because it's such a more nuanced and interesting work and they keep going "The Prince was satire!" as if I've never encountered that idea in my life before, to which I say you can write a thing satirically and still have people take it seriously, see: The Colbert Report) also think they have no recourse when a political system isn't working for them outside of that system, which is why they're going "I won't vote" as their primary form of protest.

Look at the protests from hippies against the Vietnam war. They occupied buildings, sometimes for large chunks of time. Look at the AIDS die-ins. Look at the WTO protests. When the government isn't budging, sometimes you need to take to the streets, even in the face of violent suppression that has become exponentially more violent and better armed as the government seeks to make those kinds of protests impossible. They cannot suppress every single one of us. Tear down their houses with your hands. Stalk political figures until you obtain usable blackmail information. We all have talents that can be useful to the revolution, and the revolution will have to happen in parts and pieces, not all at once, because there are too many moving parts in society. (Or do you want the hospitals to lose power when you succeed in knocking out the grid?)

Don't limit yourself.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for asking my mom to stop using scented bath salts?

For background, I am 35 and live with my mom and stepdad in an apartment. We split rent and utilities equitably. I am disabled and spend most of my time in my room. I have the bedroom that has its own bathroom and the rest of the apartment is functionally theirs. I have the use of the kitchen and can go hang out in the living room etc. but they control the space and it contains their belongings almost exclusively. In other words, my room is the only place that's really "mine." My mom has always enjoyed heavy fragrance products (perfumes, plug-ins, etc.) and knows I hate them. I do NOT have an allergy or any medical issue pertaining to them, I just find the smells very unpleasant and in strong enough concentrations a bit nauseating. I mostly accept her doing scent stuff in the main apartment as it doesn't affect my room, but lately she has been taking baths with a scented bath salt (in their bathroom, not mine) that has an intense, overpowering "clean" scent. I have compared it to Lysol, not sure what it's actually supposed to smell like. For reasons I cannot identify, it invades and permeates my room (even with door closed) like no other smell, at an intensity that wakes me up if I'm sleeping, makes it hard to even think straight, hurts my sinuses, and stays like that for hours. I can mitigate this somewhat by opening my window and running the fan but of course it's the middle of winter and 20 degrees outside. So I asked her to stop using this product, and suggested the same brand's fragrance-free variety. After a bit of back-and-forth she agreed to stop but said "I hope you appreciate the sacrifice I'm making, because I really like the way that bath salt makes me smell. So I'm basically giving up my happiness for yours." I said "There are lots of other ways you could make yourself smell nice, right? Maybe a body wash or lotion?" (Note: she has, for my entire life, loved and used lotions, body washes and similar products freely.) She said "No, I don't want to use those. I wanted to use the scented bath salts. But I'll stop so you can have things your way." I keep thinking about her framing this as an equation by which either I could get what I want (room not reek of chemical fragrance) or she could get what she wants (smell how she wants) and she gave up hers so I could get mine. I let the argument go because she'd agreed to what I wanted, but now I'm back and forth between thinking I'm being selfish and thinking she's being melodramatic and manipulative. It seemed more to me like asking a neighbor to turn down their very loud music (are they sacrificing their enjoyment for yours if they comply? or were they just doing something annoying and stopped when asked? is there a difference?) but maybe that's a false equivalence. AITA for getting my mom to stop using the bath salts to get her desired smell because it makes my room miserable?

What are these acronyms?

[sarasade]

The Dragon Prince & Queer Subtext - Fandom and Media Analysis of Sort

Lately I’ve been pondering about the ins and outs of Viren and Aaravos’s relationship and why they give off such a queer vibe. So I ended up writing this 2 and half Word document pages long little breakdown because why not.

I think what’s going on here is about the underlying elements of the story- subtext and how their relationship could be perceived through a queer lens. Note: my brain has marinated in queer subtext juices my whole life and I have no intent trying to prove my reading is the only right one.

That Sweet Sweet Gay Shit- A Fandom Perspective

There is a lot of queer subtext between them. Homoerotic subtext even. Their scenes together definitely activated the search function in my brain’s queer coded villain trope lexicon. 

You know- mutual penetration with a phallic object (knife), sharing some kind of mysterious bond through blood magic, so, you know, bodily fluids are indeed involved, the classic slash fiction trope “we are close but we cannot touch” -gay pining because the mirror separates them. When Aaravos is shown for the first time in the mirror the camera does this Laura Mulvey Male Gaze 101 up-down pan shot of him from Viren’s POV. Something that’s usually reserved for female characters when male characters “check them out” in a movie. And then my personal favourite: Something that comes out of Aaravos enters Viren, comes out and then transforms into a creature with a toddler level intelligence- they made a freaky little metaphor baby together! Awwww!

And let's not even talk about the possession and Aaravos slowly taking over Viren’s body. The aesthetics of a toxic queer romance are all over their interactions.

No, Viren! Don’t express vulnerability as an intimidating male figure! Tumblr will babygirlify you!

Storytelling

So what about their interactions makes me perceive them in a queer way? By “queer“ I mean the broader concept of queer here; does the way the characters are depicted come across non-heteronormative and disruptive to gender norms.

I’m mostly talking about the season 2 here since they share their most intimate scenes together in that season.

1 Story Function

Aaravos and Viren’s interactions are supposed to have multiple purposes in the story: They move the plot forward, characterise both Viren and Aaravos, create emotional conflict and intrigue in the viewer etc. Viren observing Aaravos through the mirror is supposed to create mystery and spark the audience’s curiosity. Viren is a device through which Aaravos’s allure gets demonstrated to the viewer so of course their interactions come across pretty, hm, charged. Anyway there are layers of meaning here the audience can interpret in multiple ways both intuitively and through an analytic lens. The meaning naturally changes the more context we get. There are still three more seasons to come.

2 Gendered Tropes

There is a certain element of seduction present: Viren gives Aaravos more access to himself and his body little by little in exchange for Aaravos fulfilling his desires (for power). This could be read as having sexual undertones. Some of Aaravos’s first words to Viren are clearly something Viren wants to hear “How may I serve you?” Weaponising manipulation and seduction, where a character poses as submissive while having alternative motives, is something female characters traditionally do in stories. I don’t know about you but Aaravos’s character has a bit of a femme fatale thing going on if you ask me (haha!) There is something about him that defies gender roles that’s not just about his androgynous looks.

A traditional Femme fatale is often a tragic figure trapped in unfortunate circumstances. They are shrouded in mystery which prevents the audience from empathising with them or understanding their motives. The character often uses coercion to make their victim do what they want. And yes there definitely is an element of coercion and even a threat of violence present in Aaravos and Viren’s relationship. Their goals are aligned for now but what happens if/ when Viren decides to defy Aaravos? TDP makes me wonder (with horror) what it is that Viren has really agreed to.

3 How the Show’s “Camera” Portrays Aaravos

Even the camera emphasises him as an object of desire. Something he is from the story point of view as well. Viren desires access to Aaravos’s power after all. When the camera puts Aaravos on display in an objectified manner in the beginning of the season 2 it’s supposed to, in my opinion, heighten the feeling of Aaravos seeming harmless at the first glance. And by “objectified” I mean he’s portrayed without agency.

I joked earlier about male gaze and Laura Mulvey but I do actually think there is some truth to that. One of the biggest reasons behind me thinking Aaravos was a pretty pretty lady at first was how he was introduced in such a feminised way. And I wasn’t the only one. Just look at the comments under his TDP Wiki article. (Lots of het men being confused about their sexuality. Also shout-out to that one lesbian). This makes him appear less threatening so the story can build suspense around his true motives. It’s not evident that Aaravos is a completely sinister figure at first, at least compared to Viren who seems more like the main villain of the story prior to the seasons 3-4. Little did we know back then that Aaravos was the true alpha male of this whole sordid affair.

Aaravos in the mirror from Viren’s point of view, season 2, episode 3.

Why I’m not mentioning anything about Viren’s gender performance is because his story conflict is all about struggling with traditionally masculine gender expectations. Understanding how his character relates to hegemonic/ toxic masculinity/ emotional struggles men face in real life is a core part of understanding his character as a whole. That’s a broad topic and this post is long enough as it is so I’m going to leave it at that. (Maybe someone else has written about that already?)

4 The Audience Is Also at Aaravos’s Mercy

Aaravos’s submissive façade is supposed to fool both Viren AND the audience. The show plays rather cleverly with the audience’s expectations here. Slowly the roles are starting to flip until it’s clear that Aaravos is the one in control. Given Aaravos narrates the opening of the first story arc it raises even more questions: Is his control over Viren supposed to parallel his control over the whole world of the show? This circles back to the show’s themes of freedom vs destiny. It feels almost meta in a way how the story’s villain tries to gain control over the whole narrative.

5 Horror and Fantasy

The powerplay between the characters naturally creates a plenty of tension and it’s not unusual that this translates into something sexually charged in the audience’s minds. While this is the perspective I’m the most interested in, there are other layers to Aaravos and Viren’s scenes together.

For example this kind of breaking of bodily boundaries is common in horror as well. Aaravos is beautiful and mysterious but is also associated with repulsive things like larvae and blood and there is something very eerie about him in general. These kinds of emotional reactions of repulsion and attraction are essential to horror. The audience sees that everything isn’t definitely quite right about him but it’s also understandable that the audience (and Viren) find him fascinating. I think the key word for these scenes in the season 2 is “ambiguity“. Even if you aren’t invested in these characters this show would be much less fun without all the nuance their interactions have.

In a good story everything isn’t just literal. Especially since TDP is a fantasy story- A genre that’s traditionally been all about symbolism and intertextual references. I could go on and on about the genre traditions with similar flavour to what Aaravos and Viren have. Michael Moorcock’s classic sword and sorcery antihero Elric of Melniboné and his pact with the demon Arioch comes to mind.

Something Something Fandom

Viravos as a ship lives in the subtext but the subtext isn’t always black and white. Fiction uses metaphor and other storytelling methods to create meaning- To give a narrative experience. The queer subtext in TDP feels very elaborate to me and while I’m dissecting these scenes more analytically here my emotional reactions are the original source of that interest. No matter how much time passes I’m still a morbid teenage goth at heart and that part of me loves the dark fairytale aesthetics akin to TDP season 2.

I didn’t even touch on the element of Viren giving into a “forbidden desire” (literally his desire for power but- you know- multiple readings etc.) when making a deal with Aaravos. Something very typical to the horror genre as well. It’s a “deal with the devil” -sort of situation and those stories often paint the agreement as something corruptive and sinful and therefore transgressive. This post by Tiredsunrisesmeta got you covered on that. Also queer coded villains something something- Anyway, read Tiredsunrisesmeta’s blog for more.

Pictured: Yours truly

Last and Least

I remember when I saw a post here saying that “Viravos couldn’t be canon because it’d be too sexy.” and that’s just the funniest way to put it in my opinion. Their relationship feels a bit too, I dunno, mature? for this show. But what does “canon” even mean? Is a gay ship canon when two characters of the same gender kiss and declare their love? Get married? Have kids? Personally, I don’t want to see LGBT+ characters’ stories just copy straight romance tropes beat by beat all the time. I want something that feels authentic and what’s more authentic than Viren being a cringefail bisexual getting rejected by men and women and then getting his life ruined by the sexy femboy elf satan? Kinda iconic honestly.

[nalyra-dreaming]

Hey Nalyra,(I don't know if I can call you by your name since we don't really know each other?)I started the show and binge watched in a day (at first I thought it would be one of those background noise tv show while I'm on my phone and ended up watching the whole season,I've been obsessed since,and it was only 7 days ago)Long introduction sorry.

I've been wondering about, Lestat was he always that heartless or living as a vampire made him become so cold (with Claudia other humans) I don't mind spoiler,I could read the book,but I'm a slow reader,and I really need to understand why he is like he is?

Hey!

Welcome! And sure, do call me so? :)

So - I come from the books, and my opinion is informed through them. Just as a note. And then:

It's been confirmed by now that certain events of season 1 will be revisited, and that "it will change how we think about everything in s1" - since this is a tale. A tale which broke at the end of season 1. Jacob has said at the TVA panel that "Louis is trying to regain his true memories". That just in real short.

What this means though: No, Lestat was not that heartless or cold, and definitely not as shown. That does NOT mean he wasn't an asshole (at times), or even abusive. The abuse is in the books. The fighting, too. But the tale has been told for a purpose, and that purpose will yet become clear.

We will yet get to see the "real Lestat". In season 2 we will get Armand's POV of his and Lestat's origins. Which will shine an even different light. In s3, we will get Lestat's POV.

Lestat is not cold. He is ... intense. "A lot." He is jaded and he has been lonely for a long time. He was raped into this vampiric life, and heavily abused in his mortal one. He has had run ins with the old covens, and has lost both his fledglings by the time he finds Louis. He has a temper, and he cannot stand being ignored.

In the show, Lestat has been a vampire for much longer, and he has been alone much longer. That did shape him, more than being a vampire did.

But what we saw... was a deliberately painted picture of Louis trying to prove why they had to kill Lestat. He did not really want to continue the tale with Lestat in Paris. He wanted Lestat to stay dead in the tale. But Daniel interfered. And then Armand did. (And that's where we're at, at the end of season 1^^).

There are... a LOT of moving pieces to this show, its characters, and what is to come. We have only seen part of it.

Lestat is caring, and loving, and protective. Funny and a theater kid. He loves music, and art. He is also fierce, and can be a real asshole. I'm sure we will still get to see aaalllll the aspects of him in the show.^^

For now... the tale will shift in season 2 - and our view of the characters - ALL characters - will shift with it.

I can tell you more if you want to, but... Lestat, the canon Lestat and the Lestat we will get to see in upcoming seasons - is not cold^^.

[rainbowmess823]

You absolutely cannot change my mind about this:

- Steve is the mom, Robin is the dad, Eddie and Nancy are the step parents, and Jonathan and Argyle are the really cool uncles.

- Steve definitely mothers everyone, there's curfew, there's a carpool scheduled, and, even if he doesn't admit it, he has definitely got into a shout match with a ref or another mom about his kid and another kid.

- Robin definitely fits the dad, she helps out with the kid's homework (especially languages classes), she has thrown one punch at a jock for picking on one of the kids tho she made them swear never to let anyone know that she punched someone for them, and her arsenal of dad jokes help.

- Eddie and Nancy both are step-in parents when the kids can't find either Steve or Robin, there's usually a threat of violence involved and the kids feeling extremely safe with the two tho both Steve and Robin scold all of them for it.

---

"No, Eddie! You can't say you'll summon Satan if they pick on Dustin."

"Nancy don't flash them your revolver please, I know they shoved Lucas but bullets wont solve this."

"THAT IS NOT WHAT WE RESORT TO WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT MAX AND HER WHEELCHAIR! NO PUT MY BAT DOWN!"

"I'm not mad but...when we agreed to talk I imagined the talking with less threat of bodily harm and more of 'Hey! that's my brother so back off or else.' But it works."

---

- Jonathan and Argyle are very much the chill, laid-back uncles for when the kids just want to vent or want to see a different kind of perspective.

- Steve and Eddie parent Dustin and they have Sunday morning put aside for sci-fi movies in their pajamas.

- Robin parents the Sinclairs who loves that they get Robin to themselves on Mondays bcos they get milkshakes and talk about easy stuff like how their week is so far or Robin teaching them new shit.

- Eddie and Robin share custody of Will with Jonathan and all four of them have a bi-weekly gossip session at a diner, they talk shit about ppl and judge jocks.

---

"He's so stupid but so cute."

"You are down baaaad, mini Byers."

"He was terrible in California, I wanna hit him."

"I'll hold him down and you can handle him."

"I like the way you think, Buckley."

"We have a deal, Byers."

"Remind me never to get on your bad sides."

"Please don't."

---

- Robin and Nancy parents Max and they have a day-in every Sunday morning where they play music and do their own thing, Nancy's working on her article, Robin is reading her other language book, and Max is playing tea party with Holly (who sneaks her way in every morning to play with her new big sister Max).

- Nancy and Jonathan parents Mike and it a more of a subtle parenting caring thing bcos all three of them are emotionally constipated, there's casual check-ins and subtle reassurances.

- Argyle and El are the communal uncle and child, respectively.

- The kids go to Argyle for advice about anything under the sun and loves his relax attitude on life.

- The teens love El and makes sure she gets a semi-normal childhood which mean cartoon Friday with Steve, learning new things with Robin, shopping with Nancy, listening to new music with Eddie, bedtime stories with Jonathan, and advice about what life can be with Argyle.

- Everyone is absolutely terrified of Jonathan and Robin that when being scolded the two are used as a threat.

---

"Mike you better be down here on time or I'll have Jonathan and Robin teach you about punctuality!"

"I said no, Henderson! I swear to God, I'll have Jon and Rob take you for the week instead."

"Usually I'd say "hell yeah, red!" But Jonny and Buck scare me as much as they scare you and they'll find out we did this so I'm gonna have to say no."

---

- Jonathan and Robin get along so well and together they can get so scary.

- When the entire party are hanging out together they get scared when both Jonathan and Robin being scolding them bcos it's scarier than Nancy and definitely scarier than the Updie Down.

---

"I told you it was a bad idea! We're gonna get I trouble!"

"Relaaax, Eddie wouldn't care, Nancy's always telling us to do it ourselves and Steve won't know."

"I don't think stealing booze from the cabin counts, Michael."

"Don't call me, Michael!"

"They can't say anything all three of them drank waaaay more at our age anyway."

"Dustin, you may have a point but that's not what I'm worried about."

"Will's right you guys. Robbie and Jonathan are here so maybe we shouldn't be doing this."

"We'll be fi--"

"What do you four think you're doing?"

"That better not be alcohol, mini dinguses."

"Shit."

----

Tadaaaaa? I just find it funny just how scary both Jonathan and Robin can be. Just imagine for a bit how scary those two can be together when any of the kids are theirs for the week. They'd be so chill but as soon as you do a wrong they can be so firm that none of the older teens would dare cross both of them. Anyway! Tadaaaa

[nobleriver]

Is Rick the jealous type? If so what would he do if a guy was flirty with Michonne?

[Disclaimer: Tumblr never saved my edits 2x in a row, so if this doesn’t make sense, it’s because my brain is tired of trying to regurgitate the coherent answer I first came up with]

First of all, I want to sincerely apologize for being so, so, so late responding to this. To be honest I think either youledmehere or whateverisbeautiful would give a better, more definitive answer.

I don’t know if I can speak on him because I don’t know the ins and outs of his character. I haven’t watched enough of the show. I’ve only seen TOWL and maybe 33% of the main show. Basically, I’ve skimmed the book, read the epilogue, but never digested it whole (a crime, I know, I plan to go back). I don’t want to pretend I know what I’m talking about. Anything below is just my rambling opinion so far.

It depends. Early Rick? Yes. Current Rick? I don’t think so.

To me a jealous type is a negative thing: a person who feels so insecure in their role and in their relationship, they habitually perceive others as a threat that may take their position. To be the jealous type is to see your value as outside of yourself as external removable component, as something somebody else can mimic, reproduce, or steal.

Early Rick was the jealous type. From my cursory look at the early seasons, Rick – as a husband and partner – comes across as incomplete, his character development half-baked. Possessive, aggressive (when not indifferent), jealous to the point of violence (literally kept killing his rivals). A simmering bomb waiting to go off. His insecurities were still a gaping, festering wound: his lack of confidence as a husband, a father, a leader, a man – which were then exacerbated by Shane’s betrayal, Lori’s death, the fall of the prison, and more. Maybe I’m being hyperbolic, who knows? Yet, the difference between Rick then and Rick now is night and day, and it boils down to, in my opinion, security.

The current Rick, the Rick I am most familiar with, Michonne’s Rick, does not exhibit the aggressive, insecure jealousy of his younger self. He has no reason to be jealous, no reason to doubt or try to assert his importance to her. He knows where he stands. They are the love of each other’s lives, and they aren’t afraid to say it aloud. They exhibit such healthy communication. Michonne constantly speaks life into him, encouraging him, strengthening him, reminding him of his necessity to her and to their family. He is the love of her life and the father of their children. He cannot be mimicked. He cannot be replaced. They have never experienced that level of intimacy with anyone else in their lives, an unbreakable, logic-defying soul connection. They are secure in each other. Almost nine years passed, and he knew her love hadn’t changed. Soulmate connection so deep they act as mirror images of each other: “I know you never moved on from me because I never moved on from you.” What a brilliant foil to his first reunion. Connections like that can make jealousy dissipate. There’s no impetus driving it, no anxious root for it to stem from. Why be jealous when you know she will never desire anyone but you, and you never desire anyone but her?

Michonne represents this concept so well in her interaction with Jadis in 7x10 (?). When Jadis makes a move on Rick, Michonne doesn’t become aggressive or defensive, telling Jadis to stay away from her man. No, she just looks perplexed at Jadis, then looks at Rick, then back at Jadis, and just calmly says (paraphrasing): I think we should go. Then, she walks away, knowing Rick will follow. It’s laughable for Jadis to approach Rick in that scene because he’s so obviously, irrevocably Michonne’s, and Jadis knows that. Michonne is 100% secure in Rick's love for her. When Michonne shows up in the CRM, she never perceived Thorne or Jadis as a romantic threat. No jealousy, even when Thorne tried to say Rick was her family. She had zero doubt her man waited for her, the same way Rick had zero doubt she waited for him. Again. Mirror images.

In short, I don't know for sure. Yet, I imagine current Rick is too entangled and secure in his wife’s love to notice the flies buzzing around them, too busy staring at her lips to register anyone else as a threat (also because he knows they never will be and vice versa).

[gaemms-chamois]

random unorganized darknights trio + paprika musings bc sometimes i'm hit with like a pang of Brief Worry that i'm completely misinterpreted blabla that usually doesn't last too long bc i then go back to my state of I'm Just Vibing but ig at some point i just gotta let it out publicly once and be done with it lol

this is messily written Please Understand this isn't meant to be a grand thought piece

fuuuck ok well this is like very specifically abt the w, ines & paprika part now

like don't get me wrong on this. i joke abt wines moms and stuff but i dont genuinely mean it in the way of wahh wow littol family for reals kinda deal?

less on wines 'adopting' paprika, moreso paprika imprinting on them like a duckling after she was saved by them. paprika adopted them lmao. i cannot possibly interpret either w or ines as Maternal in such a way.

it's moreso that i think it's nice that this little sarkaz merc became part of the story, a girl who all her life since she was infected at a young age, was presented with becoming a mercenary being basically the only option for her.

and then, as annoying as w can be, being shown that she does have different options.

i just think it's sweet that paprika, judging by her voicelines, clearly looks up to w and ines. which is just amplified by the fact that w and ines are notoriously not the most popular people on rhodes lol. and she calls w annoying but still keeps knitting stuff and wanting to gift food to her. like if she often seeks out w and ines to tell them how well she did on something, when they are on the ship, etc. that'd at least indicate that those two humor her.

ALSO IT'S UNOFFICIAL BUT SHOUTOUT TO THAT LITTLE CHUZENJI ART WITH PAPRIKA AND W, INES & TOTTER WEARING KNITTED HATS SO CUTE

OKAY WOO DARKNIGHTS MERCENARY TRIO AND STUFF

cool yeah obviously i fucking love them. i'm not very good at words though and i tend to keep my more elaborate thoughts to just discussions between friends who know how i tick djsfhdfs

just the other day i was smiling to myself during a walk bc holy shit all three are actually playable now and that's not just wishful thinking anymore. anyway chapter 13 also happened and more stuff with the trio happened and Cool Lots of things Happening and my brain is full

they're so found family to me, like in an utterly unconventional way. i mean c'mon with how they act sometimes like- ykno. but like have y'all seen the new furniture set and descriptions that came with hoederer's release it made me go insanse.

but i think especially in ines' case it just kinda highlights that best. considering ines' arts can figure people out (putting that in rather vague terms), it truly means something when someone with her capabilities and temperament has people she chooses to stick by and actually trust. even if she pretends she doesn't by verbally denying it.

like waugh Okay they have a lot to unpack and shit but with them being reunited (take that, W file that said W needs companionship but her friends aren't around anymore) and having a COMPARATIVELY more ""relaxed"" life than before (that one Hoederer file where he just has rather regular days on rhodes), it's just nice to imagine they can finally have something better and figure stuff out. as complicated as the three of them are.

with that said i think it's a given that i despise a nuclear family treatment of the three (aka mom ines, dad hoederer, daughter w).

for one with me being highly doubtful w was a kid/teen at the start of darknights (young? sure, but not that young), which just seems like such a...widespread belief that i really do not get? arknights always put a LOT of emphasis on when a character's story was about them being a kid, 0 of that with w. like something about her expression and big cloak just gave people some different impression, even though she literally keeps looking the same aside from a change of clothes. only instance of w being called a kid during that time i can think of is that one boiler worker in her files but that seems way more like any typical old guy calling anyone on the younger side a kid. hell, even hoederer was called young in darknights, like in a sarkaz's lifespan i can believe that.

and also...hoederer had somewhat of a mentor-like role for w, but if anyone tries to tell me ines ever acted maternal towards w i will chew through your walls. read through darknights memoir and actually pay attention to ines, both w AND ines were pettyass women and they made that so very clear. cannot fathom how anyone can see ines as having been motherly towards w

seriously just feels like a case of Well there is man and there is woman....and this other character so clearly these are mom, dad and kid.

that's not even me being biased towards w/ines, just how i objectively see it. hell, i even ENJOY ines/hoederer, but my enjoyment of it is limited bc for some reason ppl like to make it weird by shoving w in as some daughter. i promise it's completely possible to like ines/hoederer without trying to fit in w as a kid figure

anyways yeah like cool i like these characters I Guess. Look at them

[koraesrambles]

Reasons I'm enjoying gotham war: a thought exercise.

I wanted to do a deeper analysis but am sitting in a restaurant waiting for my family to get here so might as well dive into it and I can do a more scholarly deep dive later.

I want to talk about Gotham Wars, why I'm liking it, what I think about it, and what I think they're doing well. I'm new to comics (tell me, at what point does your brain start to explode when you try to read the entire DC batfam canon in 2 months. Asking for a friend) but I'm not new to storytelling, so here we go!

K, so im a huge angst fan. It's a disease, not everyone is here for the angst but I most certainly am. The batfamily is so incredibly messed up, which is just right up my alley. I love WFA but let's be real, if they're not crying I'm not as invested. So this run where they are absolutely beating the shit out of my favorite character (Jason Todd)? Mwah. Beautiful. 10/10 will read 100 times.

I read stories for the connections between the characters, not so much the plot. Which is a personal preference thing. So the obvious plot holes and issues with the various characters points of view just don't really bother me. I can suspend my disbelief to think that heroes are running around in spandex beating people up, I can suspend it to think catwoman training an army of thieves to eat (I mean steal from) the rich is a viable idea. I don't care about the logistics, I care about how those things effect the characters.

And MAN do they effect the characters. Honestly I've loved Selina throughout this run. She could get a post all on her own. I love that she's refused to slander Bruce, I love how protective she is over her kids (step kids? Exs kids?) And I love every single interaction she's had with Jason. Honestly the moment that hit me hardest with her was when she's looking for Jason and thinks that if she loses him Bruce will never forgive her.

Obviously, Jason is a worthwhile human that has value outside of Bruce, but I think it really gives us a glimpse into Selina's mind right now. She loves Jason, she's grateful for his support and cares for him, but at the end of the day, he's the love of her life's baby boy, and it is that identifier that will pop up during times of stress.

I LOVE everything about Jason's involvement with this. I like that the tie ins are showing how he disagrees and the main storyline has him already convinced. I love that it explores both sides of his character, I love how it shows how important he is. And he is SO. IMPORTANT.

Bruce has obviously lost his ever loving mind (rip) and vacillates wildly between thinking his children were a mistake and wanting to protect them from everything. Up to this point, though plenty of the bat kids are sympathetic toward Selina, they aren't actively helping her, except of course for our boy Jason Todd.

Jason is actively working against Bruce (shocking right?) And I LOVE that Jason even tells Bruce that it's not just to spite him (though I'm sure that's a plus) it's because he believes in what Selina is doing. And Bruce cannot handle it.

Like I said before, Jason is Bruce's baby boy. The one he can't lose again. The one he needs to protect. But also he has to stop him from murdering people. And above ALL ELSE he cannot stand to see Jason in cahoots with someone else. Bruce doesn't share well under normal circumstances, let alone when he has totally lost his mind.

This vacillation has a lot of people irritated because they think that Bruce is being written inconsistently. I disagree, I think my man has lost his ever loving mind and he wants to both protect his children and STOP them. Him telling Jason he loves him not once, but TWICE within the span of a few panels while simultaneously ruining his life and leaving him completely defenseless is just... dude. My man. My psycho baby. Stop that.

Jason has always been fiercely independent and now that independence has been stripped from him. He literally can't protect himself. He's going to need to rely on other people to help him and heaven knows he doesn't have a good track record of people helping him out when he needs them.

Luckily, Dick knows about the drugging now and is super pissed off (GOOD!) Cannot wait to see where that goes next.

So tldr: why am I enjoying gotham wars? Mostly because so far everyone is obsessed with Jason Todd, which is highly relatable. Also because these relationships are being torn to shreds and looked at from a very interesting lens. Bruce is gone gone gone. Cannot wait to see his horror when he realizes what he's done.

[ashesandhackles]

Yeah, I also struggle to imagine Severus and Remus becoming friends in canon. Remus is extremely passive aggressive and way too loyal to James, while Severus is very open about his disdain for certain people, including Remus and especially James. If I were Severus I would also find it extremely hard to trust Remus given their history. Remus is also the kind of person who’s willing to do anything to fit in and be liked, while Sev is comfortable with his own company. Both make sense given their circumstances. Contrary to popular belief, Sev did NOT hate Remus because he was a werewolf - he hated him because he was and quite frankly remained one of his bullies. Yet at the same time, I love both characters and I’m fascinated by their dynamic. I do think there is a version of reality where under different circumstances, they could have gotten along. Now, I’m wondering, do you think there’s any version of reality where Severus and Sirius could have been friends?

I have answered this somewhere before - but I am going to quote my friend @dragonlordette on this and explain why they are incompatible:

"Snape is unafraid to be himself to the point of being bullied and disliked his whole life, while Lupin is avoidant. These two characteristics don't lend themselves to complementing each other, they just lead to Snape disrespecting Lupin. As an alternative example of a more "complementary" case of opposites attract, Tonks is sociable while Lupin is avoidant. This means she can help him out his shell, but she is not so committed to "staying true to herself" that she would find lupins tendency not to speak up to his friends weak (like snape would). It's a more complementary strength.

I just feel like nearly every trait of Lupin and snape is mutually exclusive, rather than complementary. "

My own take is that, "Remus enjoys being around people who are aspirational - someone whose life he can live vicariously through (James, teen Sirius, Tonks) or someone he can look up to (Dumbledore). Severus is aspirational in a way that won't speak to Remus."

In canon, from the way I read it, Snape is on backfoot by what he considers is Remus' dishonest civility. He cannot effectively argue with Remus when Remus is polite but inwardly hostile/oppositional - see, here: Verbal Fencing Between Snape and Remus , Neither Likes Nor Dislikes Severus

He tries to avoid Remus the best he can, because one, there is genuine fear there from the teenage brush off of the Whomping Willow incident and he is constantly wary and hypervigilant. My reading of Remus is harsher than a lot of the fandom, but I really don't see a scenario of them getting along. (I'm sure other interpretations may make that feasible, but it's not my vision of who these two characters are)

Also, it's clear to me that Remus, while acknowledging that his friend's behaviour with Snape wasn't great, isn't too fond of him himself. (he will try to lighten how James' behaviour looks - see end of POA, OOTP chapter post SWM). He disapproves of Snape as an authority figure - as demonstrated by the Boggart lesson (Snape's jibe about Neville pissed him off - he raises his eyebrows at him, which in Remus language, is "ticked off"), and the fact that while he agrees with Snape that Harry shouldn't be in Hogsmeade, he will not let Harry be in Snape's power to deal with.

Sirius, on the other hand, as hot take it might be - but as my friend @saintsenara pointed out, Snape enjoys baiting him ("how is the cleaning going?"), engaging with him because Sirius is upfront (the entire kitchen scene). Snape knows how to deal with that kind of language, it's batting in a language he knows, whereas with Remus, he is never sure of what he is getting.

Sirius and Snape are narrative mirrors, explicitly in canon. Sirius and Remus are narrative stand-ins for when James is important for Harry's development, while Snape's story becomes more important when Lily is important to Harry's development:

They have much in common:

- people who lost their best friends and the most damaged by it.

- Sirius punishes himself for James' death by staying in Azkaban for 12 years, Snape atones for his own guilt by being a spy.

- Snape and Sirius both live in their childhood homes, and they both act as prison. For Sirius, it is imposed on him, for Snape - it seems to be self inflicted.

- anger issues, to put it lightly.

- intensely loyal, and very very brave. But great capacity for cruelty.

- Snape spent his teenage years running away from his Muggle roots, Sirius spends his teenage years running away from aristocratic pureblood house

As my co-writer and friend @thedreamermusing pointed out: "Also: Snape has father issues; Sirius has Mommy issues. Their lives run parallel more or less- Sirius and Snape both form a formative best friend friendship in their childhood, are both drawn sorted in their houses in an effort to cement their own family complexes (Snape and his mom, Sirius and his family), both base their identities om the basis of belonging to a community (Snape-DEs, Sirius- Marauders), both form their moral complexes by becoming the opposite of their roots (Snape loves the dark arts and blood supremacy, Sirius hates the dark arts and hangs muggle posters), both have a cruel sense of humour (Snape thinking dark magic is just a laugh, Sirius thinking feeding Remus Snape a la Carte being a joke), both of them joining a group to further themselves away from their roots after school, both of them risking their lives to protect their bestfriends, both of them making a terrible mistake by trusting the wrong person that leads to their best friend dying, both of them punishing themselves for the next 12 years to atone, both of them using the memory of their bffs as the one shining light in their miserable lives to keep going on, both of them forced in their childhood homes in the last part of their lives, both of them finally dying for Harry."

Essentially, they have a capacity for understanding each other in a way because there is an intense projection involved in how they interact with each other. I have answered bits of that dynamic here and how their dialogue flows, where they throw words back at each other whereas the one with Remus involves Remus taking the rug from under his feet. So yeah, basically I don't see it with Severus and Remus - but like I pointed out, the way I envision the two characters might not align with others :)

[coffeedrgn87]

Hai. I just wanted to say that LPK has ruined me for almost every other BDSM story. Now when I read any, I'm like "Where's the enthusiastic consent? Where are the loving and frequent check-ins with your sub? Where is the scene where you discuss whether this is something both of you want?" And I'm including original stories in the list too. There are very few stories that can satisfy me now. Even when the sex scenes are hot, the lack of a connection between the Dom and sub puts me off. There's a Sterek BDSM fic that kind of lives up to LPK, but that's the only one I've found. You have completely ruined me. I hope you're happy, you ridiculously talented author.

Hi! 💜

Funny you should say this, because this is, in part, how LPK came to life. I wanted kinky reading that really emphasised consent, communication, and negotiation.

And sure, there are some relatively good works out there (now at least) but they generally feature a) a hetero relationship and b) some rich dude who happens to be a Dominant and a submissive gal who wants to try out kink or is in the community (to some degree) but falls head over heels in love with the Dominant which changes the whole dynamic and leads to much unnecessary drama (my personal opinion, also mainly reference original works here…fan works very often do have queer representation).

While there’s nothing wrong with that trope, it doesn’t represent me in any way. I want queerness with my kink, I want munches and shibari and tough conversations, and trust. I want things to reflect reality with a scene going well and emotions changing the dynamic midway.

There are many reasons why LPK is so dear to me, and you mentioned some, the enthusiastic consent, the conversations, but also life getting in the way and finding ways around that, growing together, etc.

I grew a lot with the writing of the story which I absolutely expected I would (or at least hoped for). Never in a million years did I think so many people would read it, comment on it, favourite it, etc. I’m not in any community where people might talk about different works so I don’t see it happening…which is why I, for the most part, still have imposter syndrome about it all, but I think that can be said for all my other writing too, not that any of it comes close to where LPK went.

I have this recurring dream of wanting to turn it into an original work, but I’m daunted by my own word count thus far and the amount of rework required so I keep thinking that the perfect idea will eventually come along.

I honestly cannot thank you enough for you very enthusiastic support and your kind message. It means the world to me, and I know I say this to everybody who takes the time to tell me what LPK means to them, but it’s not some spiel, I truly mean it. The verse has done something special to me, even though I don’t want to believe it. I fear believing it may lead to me getting a big head about it all, even though I’m certain that I could never…ugh, look at this, not only do I digress but I’m also rambling.

I won’t lie, there’ve been many times I’ve wanted to take the verse down, and not just it but all my works, as I don’t especially feel connected to the fandom world, but then I remember that I primarily write for myself and anyone who would like to come along for the ride is more than welcome. As for the rest, I try my best not to care and if I do, I run to yell at my therapist.

Okay, this response is getting out of hand. And it’s also starting to sound a lot like a journal entry rather than a response to a very lovely and sweet ask. Let me close with this: I hope to have an update for book 3 soon. I’ve a lovely idea floating about my head…