#but the whole bitey thing was SO misinterpreted damn

[tinylilvalery]

What y'all didn't understand about Bitey was that it wasn't this moment where Tomshiv suddenly became equal and safe to be themselves both truly. It was entirely on Shiv's terms. They only play Bitey because Shiv initiates it and tells Tom to bite her hard.

Listen, Tom got Shiv the Scorpion. I love you. You kill me. I kill you. Yeah Tom started to think maybe Shiv could love him as he loves her: in his entirety and not just the nice parts.

And then Shiv punishes him by shitting on his reputation at a party they're throwing together as payback by spreading rumour he's gonna be fired,,, all cos she didn't like the scorpion, and furthermore the idea of you kill me I kill you, we stab each other, we both get to bite each other, we both get to hurt each other - not just you hurting me, we're both scorpions, we're both equal, you sting me and I sting you. We're equal.

But they're not and they never will be. Cos Shiv loves like her father does: an owner that kicks a loyal dog to see how quickly it returns. Cos Shiv expects Tom to love it when she hurts him, but it's not allowed for him to hurt her back, to sting her back, to bite her back. Cos it's not about equality in a relationship for her, sorry, it's about playing with power dynamics for her in a fetishistic way. It's exciting for her when Tom bit back because ultimately she told him to and moreso could stop it at any time. It's only allowed under her circumstances - of which she's still in power always. She'd never allow Tom to be equal to her truly.