#i do think they still have some kind of bromance

[lsd-ink]

So, this is how it happened

[celaenaeiln]

I always assumed that from the comics I've read dick seems to have a somewhat complicated relationship with his own gender/sexuality/sex status, etc.

Anon!! You can't just drop this on me and leavee!! I need to hear more!! LEMME HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!!!

Ok so this is gonna be like three different things so I'll make subcategories.

Gender

Of the things listed. I think gender is the one thing Dick is rather set on/secure about. He has some feminine or softer traits which typically would not be associated with a male character such as empathy and caring to an overemotional aspect -

Joker: Last Laugh Issue #3

Nightwing (1996) Issue #86

Nightwing (1996) Issue #139

Being overly kind to an unappreciative and toxic girlfriend is one thing, but as a brother hugging and kissing a brother? It's a little softer than how people usually write male heroes.

He's male and I don't think he's considered switching to the female side because he's comfortable with his masculinity.

Does he do things like this -

Nightwing (2016) Issue #38

sometimes? Yeah. He takes the female role in his relationships with others such as Bruce and Barbara but he still very much sees himself as masculine. Like I said in another post, Kori asks him to be a male consort to her Queen because she was forced to marry a royal Tamaranian Prince. While male consorts are not unusual in history, they typically embody the female in a stereotypical relationship. (On a separate note, did you know Chinese emperors took on male consorts? It is circumvented when speaking about in the present and laters days but it's officially written down in the books).

But overall, Dick is very much a masculine male with feminine qualities.

Sexuality

Ok so the thing about Dick and sexuality is that Dick Grayson is a very, VERY old character. He's been there since the beginning of DC to the point that he was the third DC character created EVER. Clark, then Bruce, then Dick, AND THEN Wonder Woman.

So with a character this old and with a topic as controversial as sexuality, DC is not going to ever explicitly write Dick as gay or bi or whatever. Why? Because Dick is an icon.

When someone says "Batman and Robin" - EVERYONE knows who Batman and Robin is. Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. They've existed forever and are the kingpins of DC alongside Superman and Wonder Woman. Whether that person is in the fandom or not, they know who Batman and Robin are. Within the fandom, people know there's more than one Robin (several) but talking to someone outside the fandom, someone who enjoys DC casually, only thinks there is one Robin. And you could tell them that there's this many robins, some have been girls, there's this many timelines and etc (which is actually a really embarrassing convo if someone isn't in the fandom OMG and how I wish I could take that back and erase it from BOTH OF OUR MEMORIES) - but they're not gonna care. Because for them, there's only one Robin and that's Dick Grayson.

So with something like that, DC cannot have Dick Grayson be anything but straight because it would cause too big of an uproar. So he can't be. Explicitly. People have written him as having an ambiguous sexuality though. I actually wrote this specific POST a long time because someone wanted to know more.

Instead what you'll have is a BUNCH of BROMANCES. His Nightwing authors have wanted more male/male sexual attractions with him and other characters and some of them have admitted that openly even if they were not allowed to write. So if you're reading a comic that has him and something seems SUS, well it might just be.

So like with all things, I cannot say anything for certain unless there is evidence of him engaging in a romantic relationship with someone who isn't a woman, but given the homoerotic tension that exists between him and other characters such as ROY -

Outsiders (2003) Issue #11

Teen Titans: Silver Age TPB 2 (Part 4) Page 16

Nightwing (1996) Issue #114

WHICH IS ODDLY SIMILAR TO THIS -

Nightwing (1996) Issue #138

I'd say he's bi-curious at the least.

Sex Symbol Status

-this is my previous post which goes a little into the sex symbol thing

Anon, holy crap I have an ESSAY for you. It's in my drafts because it's wayyyyyyyyy too long and I'll definitely exceed the image limit but holy crap.

Here's what I will say about it though. The world REVERES Dick for his looks and body. The amount of attention he gets for his beauty is ridiculous. Even Green Arrow's half-sister - WHO'S MUCH YOUNGER THAN DICK AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF DICK MET - dreams about him romantically.

Green Arrow (2016) Annual_1

Because of course. Villains are going out of their way to compliment him on his looks in the middle of a fight - Bane, Bludhaven villains, civilians (MALE) coworkers - it's literally insane.

So Dick is clearly the hottest and most gorgeous thing to ever exist in the entirety of DC. There's also a panel from a comic where Dick becomes Talon AND SOMEONE STILL CALLS HIM THE PRETTY BOY TALON LIKE WTF??? THAT PRETTY BOY TALON CAN RIP OFF YOUR HEAD IN A HEARTBEAT! He's a talon, too! Clearly death does not hinder his looks in any way.

But Dick himself is VERY uncomfortable any sort of bodily attraction. It's not just the comments that gets him but he, who everyone claims has the body of a god, doesn't feel good about his own body.

The New Titans (1988) Issue #71

He's really conservative. And in another comic when Tim comments on how the the Nightwing suit is really a babe attractor, Dick is uncomfortable going 'I didn't make it for them'.

Like even looking at this comic pic where Dick is in disguise and he and Kori are just walking down the street, they both still attract the entire street's attention. It must be so uncomfortable.

Here's my thoughts on the sex symbol status. Yes, Dick is a sex symbol. That's just fact. But here's where the issue is. People can be sex symbols without it affecting their personality because that status, is something given to them or bestowed upon them by another person.

I'm leaning a little into my post in the drafts but Johnny Depp, Marylyn Monroe, David Bowie, Tom Cruise, Cleopatra - they're all so vastly different on their opinions of sexual liberty and yet all of them as considered sex symbols.

So what does this mean for Dick? Nothing, really. It just means the world takes one look at him and wants him but he is under no obligation to follow through nor does he. He's not a slut for sleeping with the people he likes and no one thinks of him that way either. He was slut-shamed after his rape by Pantha who always has some harsher opinions because that is her personality. She literally says the meanest things about everyone because she's a rough and tough character and she finds humor in being mean because she is who she is.

For Dick himself, it means nothing. He doesn't view himself as attractive which ironically is also what celebrities who were interviewed about the sex symbol status said as well, such as Johny Depp.

The problem with being beautiful though is that people brush you off. Certain girlfriends of his do it. They see him as just a pretty boy and writers of certain comics *cough* Batgirl comics writers and Tom Taylor *cough* throw his skills and talent down the garbage disposal so he can act as a dumb pretty boy toy for his girlfriend. His personality is degraded to a bland white paste and his intelligence and power and pain are thrown out the window.

(This POST gives some examples of when writers do this for Dickbabs)

Like this is a serious problem! I read this article some time ago -

Here are the main highlights:

There isn't a problem with Dick being ascribed a sex symbol status and to his great benefit most people don't treat him like this but some do! LIKE HIS GIRLFRIEND.

In summary, and I'm gonna borrow a lyric here to quote -

"It's hell on earth to be heavenly Them's the breaks, they don't come gently"

I think the problem is, instead of focusing on how beautiful Dick looks, I really feel like DC and the fandom should analyze how uncomfortable Dick gets, how certain comics force him into relationships when others clearly show he wouldn't be interested in a parallel situation, and mostly how Dick Grayson is robbed of his personality, identity, and beliefs all because of how people believe he should act due to his beauty.

I'm honestly tired of the equation that Dick's status as a sex symbol somehow reduces him to a slut. He is not. Instead we should focus on how his beauty is weaponized against him. He was born with those looks and complaining about them is useless. That's his mother and father-given appearance. It's his genetic inheritance. It's as much a part of his as his grace or his unyielding kindness.

The real issue isn't DC’s acknowledgment of his beauty—it's the utter failure to dig deeper. Instead we should explore how Dick deals with it. How does he carry the weight of being constantly objectified? What does it do to his relationships? How is he coerced to do something in a relationship because it is expected of simply due to the fact that he's beautiful? We should explore how people (even the batfam sometimes) only see his smile or good-natured humor while his complexities - his pain, his resilience, his brilliance - are shucked aside? He's constantly diminished by the fandom and canon because of his cheery personality and good looks just to fit a particular character's narrow view of him.

Call him pretty! Dick legit doesn't care if villains call him pretty or someone calls him that because what they're really focused on when they call him that, are his skills. He doesn't mind being called pretty, beautiful, gorgeous - as long as he's valued for his talents and efforts and skills.

(Here's the pretty boy post for my lovelies. Part 2 in the making)

The issue, once again, isn't his sex symbol status or his looks. It's literally everything else. Dick Grayson is not a reflection of what others project; he is a someone who stands apart, vibrant, and irreducibly whole. Which too often gets lost underneath his looks.

[k1ngarlo]

Tokyo Revengers Red Flags

Mikey, Draken, Mitsuya, Baji, Kazutora Chifuyu. All of this is hypothetical and how I believe the boys would be as red flags and what their traits would be.

Mikey - Lashes out on you in anger so you would hate him and distance yourself from him. He does this so he doesn't lose control one day and puts his hands on you. - Bromance over romance. I already mentioned in another post how he would be hanging out with Kenny more than you. - He's a night owl, sleeps for the whole day and even in class to stay up riding with Draken or for a nightshift if he has a job (lets be real he can't live off of Draken's pockets or inheritance). - It sometimes feels like he doesn't care about his future and it's not like you can stay out past curfew (if you have one) or on weekdays where you have school. Draken - Emotionally constipated. - It seems like he doesn't care when he's not needy. (In the top 3 rankings for least needy). - He would be unreasonably overprotective over his bike with you as if you can damage it. But doesn't care when Pah almost knocks it over by accident.💀 Mitsuya - He's the most greenest flag this is a toughie. - Treats you like family, so normally doesn't apologize in arguments. - He steals your ideas if you're also in the same club as his and makes it seem like they are his ideas in front of everyone. - When you confront him he makes some excuse like "i was thinking of that ages ago" or "i already made this" or "it's our idea, babe. you came up with the concept and I executed it. We make a great couple and team." - When you confessed to him you mentioned how he's so kind, accepting, caring. Saying no would ruin that image, plus he felt bad for you which is why he said yes. He offers you compassion and that's about it. Baji - Also a tough one for me. - After meeting Kisaki and trying to get him kicked out of Toman in the Valhalla arc (even if no one dies) he distances himself from you. - He is good at making you look like the bad person in every argument without fail so you apologize. Kazutora - Keeps the posters of those girls in bikinis in his room. - Doesn't stop the random chick that flirts with him, or pushes them which makes you shocked cause like?? Thought he was strongly against violence against women. - Sees it as betrayal when you don't listen to what he says. - He still has a few screws lose and listens to his friends instead of you when it comes to changing his possessive behavior. What a jerk. Chifuyu - Stalks you in school so you can say 'hi' to eachother and think it's fate that brought you together. - He has a list of your likes even though they are outdated. - Makes you think he knows you better than you do. - SMALL SPOILER: During the BD arc, Takemichi breaks up with Hina. He joins Takemichi and breaks up with you too to join him like an idiot even though he was looking forward to your date. Unlike Takemichi that had a valid reason to breakup, he does it without one and didn't even make a random excuse.

(pt 2 out with Koko, shin, inui) Edit: Fixed Mitsuyas so its more fitting for his character.

[bengiyo]

hello, i am a huge fan of your writing on asian queer media from queer perspective. i'm a lesbian who often enjoys BL but feel like it's hard to find one that i truly connect with, maybe because i'm looking for something different than the core audience - reading your post about The Knowing i realized that's exactly what it was. i feel like my whole life has been defined by this knowledge of being different, wrong, unable to truly connect. and seeing it unfold on the screen is some special kind of catharsis. since your last addition to the post, do you have some recommendations of new releases where The Knowing can be seen in the characters?

Looks like I haven't updated the list of boys who experienced The Knowing since The Warp Effect.

Last I remember, @/respectthepetty called out Zo in Hidden Agenda as one who experienced The Knowing, and I do have to agree. He was outed and made to suffer for it.

My boy Dynamite clearly experienced it, and Fire did, too. Still a fan of Cooking Crush.

I think Nomoto Yuki experiences a really compelling version of The Knowing complicated by the expectations of being a woman. Everyone should watch She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat.

Xiao Yuan is a compelling example because of the complicated family dynamics. Despite specific qualms, I did really enjoy Unknown.

Tanaka Kazuhito from Living With Him (aka Kare no Iru Seikatsu) is probably my favorite Japanese BL example of the year, because he's conscious about it and resolved about how he will manage it.

My actual favorites of the year come from Don't Care For An Old Man's Underwear! (aka Ossan no Pants ga Nandatte Ii Janai ka!)It's almost unfair to the BL shows on this list, because this show is a different kind of drama. However, I will love Daichi for the rest of my life. I hope he and Madoka work through their issues and learn to communicate better.

My favorite Thai example of the year comes from Knock Knock, Boys! Peak's entire character arc is based on The Knowing.

The best Korean example this year comes from reigning champion Hwang Da Seul's Let Free The Curse of Taekwondo. Both of these boys are a mess because of it.

Mainland China is back in action and delivering with Blue Canvas of Youthful Days. Qi Lu definitely knows, and this one is not doing bromance.

But honestly, if you really need The Knowing, you should watch Love in the Big City. It's the most intensely personal and semi-autobiographical project of the year.

Thanks for the ask! Let me know if you watch(ed) any of these, and share your thoughts.

[dock57]

[Yo! Been a hot minute since I last did a bit of a ramble- been busy! Plus, was focus on completing the artwork I shared not too far down. Anyway, felt like rambling, or perhaps just appreciating this moment from episode 2, Lythops Libration.

I wish I could upload this moment as a clip, but Tumblr is not too kind about the size of videos you can add here.

There is a lot of things I love about Monkey Wrench and one of them is the interactions and overall relationship that Shrike and Beebs has.

So what do I love about this particular moment? Its one of the few times when we get to see Beebs and Shrike let their true self shine. A moment where they let their guards down and not be the professional Merc team they are expected to be (well in this case, for Beebs- who took this opportunity to be lax).

I may have said this before, but I cherish their relationship a lot. I love these moments when they can be themselves, to something more than coworkers. They are like brothers. I see Beebs being the older, protective and responsible brother, and Shrike is the irresponsible yet trying to figure himself out, younger brother. Although we do not know there exact time frame of how long they have known each other, their dynamic shows how the two were able to quickly form a close bond. Their 'bromance' formed quickly by how much the one needed the other, carrying character types that are needed to balance them both out.

This scene shows how easy it is for these two to become closer and become the brothers that they are. When Shrike is approached by Beebs who is appearing intimidating to Shrike, however, Shrike challenges this, but knows as well that despite how "serious" Beebs shows to be, he knows that Beebs is not- which the next shot quickly shows us how not "serious" Beebs actually is. This interaction of Shrike poking a plant, allow Beebs to take a moment to be silly, perhaps to get Shrike's attention, or to give Shrike a moment of comfort as well. Since the petals on his head allow Shrike to be motivated once again, as the mission so far has been losing Shrike' attention. This gave Shrike the reaction to laugh at the silliness and proceed to be silly as well. Basically to let Shrike have a moment to goof off so he can continue being focus on the mission, as after Dr. Agnes' call, he returns back to being focused on it. With Shrike little reenactment of being El Bandito and goofing off himself, this gave Beebs the opportunity to laugh as well and lay off some of the professionalism that Beebs is always carrying on his shoulder for the team. A breather for the two. This is then finally interrupted by Dr. Agnes who, of course, reminded the two that they are still on a mission. Where the two have seem to response to her phoning in during this moment as a vulnerable one, as she has caught the two while being unprofessional.

These interactions are so important to characters and their relationships, and its something I always look for in anything that tells a story. Without moments like these, it can be hard to tell how characters are supposed to react to one another- either as a friend, partner, or even an enemy. Its also really important to show these moments visualize and on screen as well, as just saying it happen off screen, does not really give us a reason to believe if the characters really like or dislike each other. Beebs and Shrike both need each other, more than I think they realize it as well. The two of them balance out each other. Beebs keep Shrike grounded, giving him an opportunity to explore his identity and well, a reason to live, as I am sure Shrike would have been dead by now without Beebs. As for Beebs, Shrike is good at keeping up the atmosphere, as in good at keeping up the overall 'mood' of situations, but also giving Beebs a chance to be more of himself. Letting Beebs be able to have moments of comfort. I'm sure as the series continue, I'll be able to list more reasons how the two are good for each other, even if they cannot see it themselves.

I guess in the end for this post, I just really wanted to capture this moment as well. As it is one of my favorites as it gave me a reason to care for these two and their relationship.

Hope ya guys enjoy, see ya next time!]

[thebrothel]

Heyyyy❤️ I’m here for the sleepover and I hope I’m not late😅 I don’t know what I’m asking for, anything honestly, but I’ve been thinking a lot about my man Nightwalks and his friendship with baby Vamp. I love their bromance so much and I’m definitely not opposed to be in that sandwich. So what if my car breaks down and it’s raining and I happen to walk to the brothel to ask for help and Nws and Vamp take me to their room to warm me up and Vamp is sweet and a little shy and Nws is 🥵🫠😵‍💫 asdfghjkl ya know, does his thing (this scenario brought me comfort when I was sick the last time🥹) I’m not even asking for smut. Just anything about these two will make me happy❤️😍

Love y’all and love you, Toxy💖💖💖

men of the night

After blowing out your tire, you pull into a sprawling, wooded estate. It's a foggy evening, and you get quite a scare. But your luck turns around when a mysterious man carries you to safety.

STARRING: vampire!Joel x f!reader x night walks!joel

LENGTH: 3.6k words

CONTENT: 18+ comfort, smut, minor injury, blood

NOTES: Love you, kate! I'm so happy these two bring you comfort. Ty ALL for your patience and support. Hope y'all enjoy this one. I do. 🩷

Your phone has been dead for a while by the time your tire pops. As your car hobbles along, you have no choice but to turn into the first driveway you see. Two big, steel gates are sitting open enough for you to pull in. Just after dusk, a dense fog has settled over the area. 

What is this place? 

You drive slowly, looking for signs of life. Someone you can ask for help, or at least to use their phone.

The road is winding. There are woods, lots of woods. When the tread falls off your tire completely, you’re still in a remote part of the complex, but you have no choice but to pull over. 

It starts raining. 

-

You get out your tire-changing supplies and you’re taking the spare tire out of your trunk when an imposing figure appears in your peripheral vision. You stare at the tire and freeze. Your heart races.  You’d know that figure anywhere. That stance. But it must be your imagination. Michael Myers isn’t stalking around some remote old estate waiting for a victim to blow out their tire. It’s probably the property owner. . . or groundskeeper. Huge groundskeeper. By the time you find the courage to look in the hulking figure’s direction, he’s gone. You exhale in relief, but then–are you hearing things, or are there footsteps receding into the forest? 

You need a minute. Deep breaths. 

Several deep breaths. Eyes closed. 

Then, back to the task at hand. 

You start using the tire jack and a sharp corner slices a hot line across the heel of your palm. “Shit,” you whisper.

You’re staring at your hand when a gentle voice some distance behind you calls, “Hey, You okay?” You jump and gasp, and he says, “Didn’t mean to scare ya, sorry.” 

You look over to see the silhouette of a man in a cape approaching. As his form pushes through the fog, you can see it’s not a cape, it’s a cardigan. He has the face of a kind professor. “Lost?” he asks, and his nose twitches. You stand up to face him, and his eyes fall on your bleeding hand. “Oh, fuck,” he mutters then yanks his eyes back to your face. He swallows and takes a handkerchief out of his cardigan then steps forward and hands it to you. “Here,” he whispers, then backs up and turns away to offer you a private moment, putting his hands back in his pockets. 

You thank him.

His adam’s apple bobs with a swallow, then he inhales through his nose and tilts his head up to the sky and mutters “Jesus.” He takes a deep breath through his mouth and composes himself, then forces a chuckle as he looks at you again. “All good?” he asks.

“Yeah,” you confirm. 

“Sorry, I’m Vahh....” his voice trails off as he realizes how strange this situation must be for you already, without knowing his condition. “Vam. You can call me Vam,” he decides. 

"Vam," you repeat, then share your name in return.

Your face is overcome with horror, but not at him. You're looking just over his shoulder, toward the woods. He turns to see what you’re looking at–who you’re looking at–Michael Myers, towering in a faded navy jumpsuit, mask and all. 

“Mike,” Vamp acknowledges the enormous slasher, then turns back to you to explain, “He prob’ly just wants to help.” 

You swallow and your eyes gaze over. You’re still staring over Vamp’s shoulder when Michael lifts up a big wrench. Your eyelashes flutter and your knees buckle under you.

“Oh, sweetheart-” Vamp lunges forward and catches you in his arms as you lose consciousness. “Oh boy,” he mutters to himself. 

Michael is still standing there. 

Vamp tells him, “Yeah–I’ll uh–you take care’a that, I’ll take care’a her.” 

Michael gives a single slow nod, then goes to the stripped tire, tools in tow. Vamp holds you securely with one muscular arm, then the other, as he takes his cardigan off and wraps it around you. “There ya go,” he whispers to you in your sleep, then scoops you up. “I’ve got ya, sweetheart.”

It's not a short walk, and vamp does his best to ignore the beautiful scent wafting from your hand. He passes the front of the mansion and no one notices, they're all watching tv together. Something exciting. A couple of them are bickering. Others are glued to the screen. For a moment, vamp wonders if he's missing a watch party, but he's far more intrigued by you.

As the road winds around back and vamp nears the joel mansion’s basement, you wake up in his arms. 

He feels your body tense as you lift your head up and ask, “Where am I?” 

“My buddy's place, he’s a real good guy, we’ll get ya dry, and warm, get ya back to your car….” 

He seems to carry you effortlessly. You can hardly take your eyes away from his face. He’s handsome and familiar. His eyes nearly glow. Is he real? Is any of this? You wrap your hands around his neck to get a better look. He presses his lips together and gives you a shy look, holding you, a stranger, in a bridal carry with his handkerchief wrapped around your sliced hand and his cardigan wrapped around your body. Your hair has gotten misty in the fog and drizzle, and so has his.  

“Who are you?” you ask. 

He exhales through pursed lips before answering, "I'm Vam, remember?” 

Your eyelashes flutter heavily again. 

“Hey, you’re okay, sweetheart” he reassures you. “You’re okay.” 

In lieu of knocking at the basement door, Joel taps it with his boot a few times. “N-dub,” he whispers, not wanting to disturb you. 

As the door opens, a man is saying, “No more edibles, man. You gotta…” but his voice trails off when he sees you in Vamp’s arms, wrapped up in the cardigan. He’s speechless. He steps out of the way. 

He’s handsome, too. You’re in a daze, but god, he's good looking, and he's got this vibe, you can tell that much. He has a joint behind his ear and his eyes are slightly glassy. The place smells of weed with a hint of patchouli and shaving cream. 

“Shit, man. Where’d you take her from?” the basement owner asks. 

“SHH!” Vamp responds. “I didn’t take her. She was stranded in the rain.”

“She okay?”

“Yeah,” you answer for yourself. 

“Michael scared her,” Vamp explains. 

“Well shit, guess we’ve all been there,” the man with the vibe says and closes the door behind you. 

You feel strangely at ease in the basement. It feels familiar, like a place you’ve been in your dreams or fantasies, but hadn’t fully visualized. At the same time, it feels foreign, like it’s a familiar place in a strange location. A little darker, maybe. A little off.  But still, the strong sense that you belong somehow.

 

Vamp sets you down in an easy chair and they both stand there looking at you, then each other.

The pothead steps forward and squats next to the chair to have a better look. He gently nudges your chin to look toward him, and keeps his hand there. His eyes soften and he bites half his bottom lip as he admires your features, then says,  “Well, god damn. . .” Then, as his hand leaves your face, his forearm brushes the cardigan and he feels the light misting of rain on it. “Let’s get you dry,” he offers, and nudges the cardigan open.

Hunger overtakes his face as he catches a glimpse of your body in your rain-soaked clothes. He doesn’t bother averting his eyes from your tits until you accidentally cough. 

Vamp reacts, “we gotta hurry, she's getting sick,” and goes to check the closet. “Where are all your clothes?” he asks his best friend. 

“Laundry day,” the basement dweller answers. “Shit.” 

You ask, “You got a robe or something?”

“Uh, yeah,” he retreats to his bathroom. 

Vamp takes the opportunity to discreetly tell you, “Hey, I think he’s kinda into you. So if he makes you uncomfortable at all…”

“I can handle it,” you smile, and you get butterflies at the thought. “What’d you call him? Indub?” you ask. 

Vamp chuckles. “That's just his initials. It's Night walks,” vamp answers. 

“First name ‘knight’?”

“No you say it like one word, nightwalks.”

“Nightwalks and Vam, huh?”

Vamp nods, then asks, “You want a bath to warm up?” 

“Uhhh… I am kinda chilly, yeah” 

He calls over to the bathroom, “Hey nightwalks? Draw her a bath while you’re in there.” 

“Do what to the bath?” night walks laughs at the old fashioned term.

“Run a bath, man. C’mon.” 

The water starts, and night walks emerges holding a silk, leopard print robe. He lets it hang over his muscular shoulder as he kneels to take your shoes and socks off. 

Vamp leaves to attend to the bath. 

You giggle and flinch as your second sock is pulled off. 

“Ticklish?” Night walks smiles, eyebrows up.

You shrug demurely. 

He prowls up the lazy chair hovering over you, then kinda hugs you, hooking one strong arm under your back. “Let’s get you outta this,” he murmurs. 

You stand, and he helps for balance to make sure you’re not too dizzy. 

“I’m okay,” you whisper, and he lets you stand on your own two feet.

He nudges the cardigan off your shoulders and it falls behind you.  His eyes scan your body then meet your eyes again. You rub your lips together trying not to flirt with him, but there’s a cheeky sparkle behind your eyes. There’s something darker but equally charming behind his. 

And there’s a calming energy that seems to waft from him to you. Comfort and desire is thick in the air. 

He begins to take your clothes off, slow and intimate as if he doesn’t know how to do it any other way. His warm hands glide over your hips and up your sides as he lifts your thin, wet shirt.

He lets you keep on the undershirt for now. Not that it makes much of a difference. 

He stares at your tits, nipples blazing through the damp, thin undershirt. No bra.

“Freeballin’,” he nods in approval. “My kinda’ girl.” 

You can’t help but giggle at that. 

He adjusts himself, making your loins buzz, then he kneels to unbutton your jeans.  As he takes down the zipper, your face heats up as you remember the panties you’re wearing - they’re printed with a she-devil whose tail points down to your cunt. 

“Oohh,” He coos nearly under his breath, “We got a bad girl here.”  

You cringe at yourself and mutter, “oh, god,” 

He looks up and doesn’t laugh. “My kinda girl,” he repeats, locking eyes with yours. 

As he takes your pants down, his hands glide down and around your hips and linger on your ass for a squeeze. “God damn,” he whispers. 

Once your pants are off, for the first time, he notices the bloody handkerchief in your hand. It had been tighter in the clutches of your fist before.  

“Oh, shit,” he comments. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just a little cut,” you answer and glance at it to check. “It's fine, it stopped bleeding.”

He takes the handkerchief from you and discards it on the chair. He inspects your palm. “I dunno if I got any first aid shit,” he mutters to himself. 

“It’s fine, really,” you reassure him. He holds your hand, inspecting your palm, then looks at your face again. His eyes fall on your mouth and he seems to forget what he was thinking about. He wets his lips. “God damn, you’re hot,” he murmurs. 

“Thanks,” you whisper, thinking the same about him. 

He laces his fingers with yours as he steps even closer, then he brings his hands to your waist. 

Your head tilts upward, watching him look back and forth between your eyes. 

He leans in and your lips meet. 

There’s a spark, more of a spark than you’ve ever felt, and he must feel it, too. He slips his tongue into your mouth as his hand meanders and grabs your ass. “Mm,” he hums into your mouth. You put your arms around his neck and he pulls you against him. A warm bulge throbs against you, making you moan into his mouth. 

He breaks the kiss to murmur, “There’s my bad girl,” then he kisses you again and crosses his hands behind your back to take off your undershirt. 

He takes a long, deep breath as he looks at your tits, then urgently pulls you up against him again, one hand cradling your head as he feeds you his tongue

He grinds against you as you kiss, and your fingers lift the back of his shirt. He takes it off, breathing heavily, then says, “c’mere, baby.” His lips attack your neck as his thumbs hook into your panties and pull them down below your ass cheeks. He gives you a little spank then groans into your neck. 

Fuck, he's hot.  

His palm slides down your crack and between your legs until his middle finger can feel your dripping hole. “Hell yeah,” he breathes against your neck as he reaches further. Then he breaks away from your neck and wedges his other hand in between the two of you to finger you from the front. The hand in the back palms a cheek, fingers spanning quite a distance on your skin. 

He rubs you from the front and you moan. “Yeah, that's right, sugar.” He closes his eyes and tilts his head slightly upward as he touches you, letting himself get absorbed entirely by the feeling of you in his hands.

You're hypnotized by the veins on his neck and the rhythm of his fingers through your slick. 

The way he touches you, it’s like he knows exactly what you like. And his hands, they feel so…

“Oh, daddy,” the word slips from your lips and he replies, “Mmm,” and looks down to observe your face of pleasure. He grinds himself against your hip as he fingers you just the way you like. Like he'd done it dozens of times before - to you. 

“Yeah, cum for daddy,” he breathes then nudges your forehead with his nose, prompting you to lift your chin for his lips to take yours again. 

He moans into your mouth, the shape of his cock stiff against your hip through his PJs, his hand between your legs, and one on your ass.

As his fingers push you over the edge, you break away to moan, then stifle it in his bare shoulder, gently biting. 

“Good girl,” he whispers, “fuck yeah.” 

You cum in the palm of his hand, and he moans. 

“Attagirl,” he breathes, “fuck.” 

He shudders and groans, then his hard-on throbs against you and a warm, wet spot spreads through his PJ pants. 

“Damn,” he mutters. 

A short sigh comes from behind you. 

“Hey “ Night walks greets vamp matter of factly as he catches his breath. He looks vamp up and down and vamp casually covers his crotch, prompting a smirk from night walks.  

Vamp clears his throat, “Bath’s ready.” 

“Thanks,” night walks says. “Now I need one too,” he chuckles, then turns his attention back to you. “You’re real damn hot, you know that?”

He kisses you gently on the mouth then says, “finish this later,” with a wink. He pulls your soaked panties from your thighs down to your feet and helps you into the silk robe. 

-

You make your way into the bathroom and Vamp lingers in the living room with night walks. Never judging, he’s simply raising his eyebrows in a question - how did that happen? 

“Just happened, man,” night walks says, then squints. “She familiar to you?” 

“Uh, YEAH,” vamp agrees. “Smells familiar.” 

Night walks sucks his slick fingers and says, "Tastes familiar."

“Nice bathroom,” you announce, and both men file into the room to see if you need anything. “Never seen a bathtub this big,” you add, stretching out your arms, tits on display. 

Night walks takes the opportunity to ask, “Want some company?” 

“Sure,” you smile, and he takes down his pj pants. 

“Room for three?” night walks asks on behalf of his buddy. 

“Yeah,” you agree. 

Night walks asks, “You wanna be sandwiched or wanna look at his pretty face?” He can’t let vamp sit behind you. Too much neck access. 

“I’ll take the extra body heat,” you answer with a flash of your eyebrows.

-

Night walks gets in the bath behind you and settles his legs outside yours. You can feel all of him against your back. He sneaks in a squeeze of both tits as vamp prepares to get in front of you.

Vamp is a solidly built man. Not in a distinctly muscular way. A little softer than night walks, but he’s just so broad. His back flexes as he gets into the tub and rests back on you. His hair smells nice. And your tits feel amazing against his back.  

Sandwiched between them, you feel their breathing. You just sit and feel it for you don’t know how long. Your breathing synchronizes. All three of you.

You’re almost lulled asleep--maybe you even are asleep-- until vamp gasps softly. 

You look down to see a faint red plume coming from your hand. 

“Oh, crap,” you react. 

“He can take care’a it,” Night walks murmurs, sounding half asleep. “He’s got ya.” 

“How?” you ask. 

“Kiss it better, man,” night walks encourages, then sighs with how comfortable he is with you nestled between his legs, laid back on his chest. He gets a waft of your hair and sighs, “Mm.” 

“You gonna kiss it better?” you ask vamp with a giggle.

“Sure, I can if ya want,” he offers and holds your wrist. He plants a kiss on the lower end of your wound, letting his lips linger long enough to inhale as much of your scent his nostrils can get. 

It’s not just a kiss. To the naked eye, it’s just a kiss, but it feels like more. It feels like healing. It feels almost like...pleasure. He takes his lips away and the part he kissed is no longer bleeding. 

“Whoa,” you whisper. 

“Pretty cool, huh?” Night walks mutters over your ear. 

“You want more?” vamp asks. 

“Yeah,” you answer. No brainer.

Night walks takes your un-injured hand around to vamp’s abdomen and rests it on vamp’s thick, semi-hard, uncut cock. The shape under your hand sends a pang of desire down your spine and between your legs. 

“might lose a little blood,” vamp warns. “But not much.” He brings your hand to his mouth, kisses your wound again, starting at the top and sliding his lips all the way down it. Then he shifts his lips a bit, and something smooth begins to slowly trace the cut as his lips slide back up the wound. You feel a suction along the cut, and at the same time, his cock stiffens under your palm. You reflexively palm his shaft, holding it against his stomach.

The suction in your palm feels good. Your nipples harden and a rush of pleasure shoots down your chest, then lower. 

“Oh, god,” you whisper. 

When he reaches the top of the cut, his lips break away with a moan, as you continue to massage him. “More?” he asks breathily. 

You nod, “please.” 

He repeats the process, ever so slowly, twice. . .and you go from massaging his cock to pumping it, until he’s coming against his stomach underwater, moaning into your hand.

When night walks slips his hand between you and vamp, you realize your hips have been moving, seeking pressure. Night walks finishes you off, and God, you cum hard.

Night walks’s dick is hard against your back, and you’d love to do something for him, but you’re utterly spent. Your palm looks good as new, and you can hardly keep your eyes open. Vamp twists his torso to look back and check in on you. He idly tongues his sharp incisor. 

You look at him, eyelashes fluttering and say, “You’re….” He closes his lips and swallows, and he looks away, expecting you to say that word he doesn’t like. But you don’t. . . “Special,” you say, making his heart swell. 

“You too,” he whispers as your eyelids fall shut. 

Your head lulls back against night walks and he asks vamp, “she okay?” 

“Yeah,” vamp answers. “Most people can’t process that kind of pleasure their first time.” 

“That’s why she’s passed out? God damn,” night walks says. “We’re the dream team, buddy.” 

“Let’s get her to bed,” Vamp says. 

—-

“This is all good, right?” vamp asks night walks as they get you situated nude in the bed. All three of you are dried off. 

“Yeah, bud,” night walks reassures vamp in a whisper. “We’ve got a duty to act.”

“That’s doctors,” vamp replies, then lowers his whisper more. “Not….men of the night.” 

“Shhh,” night walks replies. "we gotta keep her warm."

You stir and let out a sigh. Vamp is wearing silky shorts and night walks is in fresh boxer briefs.

They settle in on either side of you. After a minute, vamp whispers, “hey, n-dub?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Is she really familiar to you?” 

“Yeah,” night walks answers unequivocally. 

“Me too,” vamp agrees. “I think she–” 

“Let’s talk about it later,” night walks whispers. 

“Yeah,” vamp agrees. 

“Get some sleep, man,” night walks encourages. 

Vamp starts to respond, “I…” then doesn’t bother. “Yeah.” 

“Oh. Sorry, bud.” 

“It’s okay,” vamp says, then asks, “but hey, if I go in my restful state, will you rouse me if you're gonna fuck her?” 

“I think you'll be ‘roused,” night walks chuckles. “But sure, buddy.”

Vamp gets up on his elbow, then hovers over your face. strokes your cheek and plants a kiss on your forehead. “Sweet dreams,” he whispers. 

---

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I sincerely hope y'all enjoyed this as much as I did 💕. Ty kate for the prompt that kinda led me to write a comfort fic for myself too lol.

Note: in English, "woman of the night" is a tame or old fashioned way of saying female sex worker

[inchidentally]

This might be a good time for one of your "rpf is not reality" posts, just sayin 👀

askfgsaf you're probably right (referencing this) and for those who are wondering, I basically feel semi responsible for keeping landoscar rpf from crossing boundaries bc I've written so much abt them for so long - so once in a while I'll post reminders that the fandom doesn't welcome delusional ppl and we don't allow girlfriend hate etc pls just ignore if you're like wtf is this bitch talking about

bc the problem is not that people outside fandom use ship names publicly like Oscar very tentatively did yesterday - one of Daniel’s first orders of business on camera with Lando was to (jokingly) declare landan would be superior to carlando. Carlos, Lando, Adam (Lando's dad), McLaren, Netflix, every sponsor for F1 and F1’s official accounts themselves use carlando's ship name and content for engagement. (in fact McLaren almost never use the term 'landoscar' at all but still 'carlando' many times up to the current day) tbh it's actually more common for drivers to big up their bromances than to be like Lando and Oscar who have never gone that route outside of McLaren's usual PR stuff (which has also been wayyyy below the amount they did for Carlos and Daniel). it's actually been kind of nice that they drew that boundary of not sharing their time together outside of work beyond a passing mention and they don't do any gay chicken or overly PDA for fans that yes I personally love but that can lead certain ppl into thinking it's legit romantic/sexual. and that Lily (and Lando's dating/romantic/night life asflgsafja) are so visible and present bc we haven't had to deal with the whole pipeline of rpf delulu invading the ship. we got ahead of all that crazy.

and the problem is not even just when fans use the ship names outside fandom bc often the drivers themselves or people around them bait for it. the vast majority of people (including the drivers) think ship names/bromances are all a fun joke or at it's most serious it's just reflective of their real life platonic friendship/brotherliness etc. most of the popular usage has no sexual/romantic intent at all.

The Problem !! is fans crossing very clear boundaries !! and those are

being overly, grossly sexual (read the room type thing) or being pushy about the ship to the drivers involved (or their friends, families, teams) pushy meaning things like "admit it, driver name is closer to driver x than driver y" "we want pics/content of ship name" "we all know ship x is superior to ship y" "driver x prefers driver y over his own girlfriend" or top voting comments about a ship that has nothing to do with the post at all

deciding the ship is "real" (or “if it weren't for homophobia they would be together right now”) and becoming obsessive/pushing an agenda that always includes pretending that girlfriends and wives are fake or PR or beards or horrible witches controlling the poor weak white male millionaire athlete. sometimes with a side of thinking that teams are involved in the big gay cover up by "hiring/arranging" girlfriends for the drivers (when the teams can't even keep scandals about their own staff locked down alfhgsalfj trust me if a driver was closeted, he and his management alone would be taking care of that cover up and they'd NEVER risk telling teams who have rotating staff and who the driver will probably leave at some point anyway)

and the consequences of fans crossing those boundaries are

if you actively try to push a celebrity to come out then either way it will absolutely not happen, regardless of what their real sexuality is - and if you insinuate too heavily then they will probably double down on their heterosexuality to shut you up (again, regardless of their real sexuality so it doesn't matter either way!)

if you push a bromance ship too hard or publicly present it too seriously then it WILL backfire and at best your fandom is fucked until things calm down - at worst those two people might very possibly want to avoid each other because of the unwelcome insinuations and invasiveness. and if you abuse girlfriends/wives as part of it then you'll get an even angrier reaction (yes this is partly included in Lando's story about the breakup with Lu and the hate she got)

even drivers who play gay for jokes have certain limits - Daniel was at least partly genuinely concerned that people thought he was actually dating Max at one point. Carlos was openly disturbed by fans in a 2019/20? livestream who told him to kiss Lando and he pointedly told them they were very very weird in a not at all amused voice. and three of these men were in serious relationships with women at the time those things happened.

and the thing is with landoscar, Lando and Oscar don't do gay stuff as a joke at ALL and they genuinely take a gender neutral line in discussing theoretical dating and romance questions. that could easily be them just being progressive! it doesn’t mean anything that we as strangers can publicly claim about them and definitely not TO them! and specifically with Oscar, we really don’t know his feelings in terms of fans saying even jokey sexual stuff to him but I would personally say err on not doing it too hard. he's not a prude at all but he's absolutely not publicly raunchy or suggestive to a degree a lot of the drivers are. (I'd also like to say mayyyybe even back off of the Lily stuff directly to him, or at least don't get too comfy about it? idk it's been getting a bit much and he's clear about not wanting that part of his life discussed openly. getting weird how ppl keep demanding photos of her under his posts likeeee she's not a commodity ok!)

I usually say how we in landoscar fandom adore Lily - which we do! - but fuck it, even if Oscar or Lando were dating/seeing someone problematic or that we didn’t adore (!!hint!!) it is STILL not justification for pretending Lando and Oscar are in a secret gay relationship and that the woman they're with is just a cover-up/fake. like yes we all happen to love Lily but our respect for her as a human being and the boundaries between ourselves and her isn’t contingent on affection !! it's basic human respect and healthy boundaries !!

it's why I stick to tumblr and discord for really going off w rpf. even if someone tried to share any of it we know damn well none of the drivers will follow an unsolicited tumblr link (idk maybe Fernando might not know but I doubt he goes anywhere near social media DMs aslfgsalj)

but yea I think fandom overall can keep those people who cross boundaries mostly under control without getting into any fandom police bs. we can all go stupid in explicitly fandom spaces like tumblr ao3 etc but anywhere a driver or someone close to them could stumble upon easily it's worth a quick polite word of advice to ppl who are definitely going too far <3

[sinvulkt]

List of some of webtoon and manhwa recs.

First of all I should probably say that my favorite type of stories (so the type you might find in the list bellow) is ’tragedy comedy adventure’ without any romance, but possibly a lot of bromance | tension (ok some BL slipped by me into this list). And rather self destructive mc for the sake of their goal (often to the utter despair of the people who care about them xd). Bring forth conflicts and battles of will and rising against destiny !

@blackhazefanblog I did this for you! It took a while. Even if I think you’ll find the ones in [The Fantasy Kind] are the most likely to have similar vibes to black haze. : D

All summaries are from Baka-Updates or WebtoonLine. The links are either towards WebtoonLine, or towards the original official site (or official english translation if i found it).

The Fantasy Kind

Black Haze (Ongoing)

A long time ago, a portal to another world was opened, and those who acquired special abilities along with marks began to be called mages. After the incident known as "that day", the first-class mage from Ophion, known as "Blow", has become very famous. One day, he receives a very special mission: to protect the second son of the Artian family, who suffers from being called a "monster" at the magic school "Helios"! Thus, Blow enrolls in Helios under the name "Rood Krisch" to hide his true identity...

My all time favorite. I learned english thanks to it < 3. And it just group so many of my favorite tropes in one story ☆.☆

I’m not that kind of talent (Ongoing)

A talented individual who is respected by many and welcomed anywhere? Not at all! A bloodthirsty battle fanatic who knows no defeat? Couldn’t be further from the truth! In reality, Deon Hardt is a sickly human who coughs up blood from receiving the tiniest bit of stress and gets sunburns from standing in the sun for ten minutes. But due to an unfortunate misunderstanding, he becomes “Demon Arut,” the notorious 0th corps commander of the demon army and the demon king’s joker. Caught in a war between humans and demonkind, Deon must find a way to survive!

I discovered that one this year! I love comediy and tragedy mixed together, and that one fully achieved that, from making me laugh to absolutely destroying my heart seriously i am still hurting. Well this is a tragedy. Be warned. But a delicious one. (My heart TT.TT).

The Ember Knight (Ongoing)

When Nagyunn’s twin brother, Najin, is murdered before his very eyes, he vows to avenge his brother’s death by assuming Najin’s identity. But although the two may look alike, when it comes to fighting, Nagyunn lacks the talent and skill his brother possessed. In order to successfully execute his plot for revenge, Nagyunn resolves to train himself to become the prodigious knight-in-training his brother once was. Will Nagyunn be able to keep his identity a secret before others begin to catch on to his act?

Another one I discovered ’recently’ = last year. I absolutely adore the fact that the mc rely fully on wits and bluff. He will never get a cheat skill to get as strong as others- he just has to play his card rights (which happen to be a bunch of overprotective knights wishing he stopped going in front of the blade path). So he gotta bluff. A lot. Including playing betrayal at every corner, and i sure love betrayal :3. That and it’s a revenge story ~

TAL (Complete)

They walk like ordinary people, they talk like ordinary people but in fact there is nothing ordinary about them since they can materialize an image they have on their mind... They call themselves Chachaoong which also means Shaman and they do not know how or when they came to this world. It is now a time for their current king to choose the future one and so he did by choosing Yu Jin an ordinary human...? Many of the Chachaoong can not tolerate a human ruling them and now the poor Yu Jin not knowing what suddenly hit him, is trying to avoid the Chachaoongs who are trying to kill him!

This has been my second favorite after Black Haze for a long time, because I got a soft spot for escapists xd. All the more escapists with consequences catching them back faster than they can run until they’re cornered ☆.☆ Fight until the end against a fate you are doom to surrender to ~ I love it.

Catharsis (Complete)

Fear is a powerful emotion that can end up overtaking one's life. Leon thought he knew that. But when he's thrown into the demonic realm that Catharsis governs over, he'll learn that there is more to “true” fear than he could ever have imagined... But will he learn how to face it?

That one also stayed in my mind for a long time. The ending is more ’open’ than I would have wished, but well, there is no sequel yet so let’s call that an ending. Appart from that i loved the mc, and he has synesthesis which give really cool result in webtoon format (yay colors). In a world where nightmares take physical shape, the mc get attacked by nightmares and end up being recruited by the agency fighting nightmares bcs they feel smthg off about him.

Crepuscule (Complete)

Lark is different from the rest of the kids. He has red eyes, just like Vampires do, and he is bullied by the other kids for it. One day he meets Setz, a genuine Vampire of a Noble clan who is the only one that doesn't call him a monster or bully him. Eventually they become friends, but when Lark finds out he may have to return to the orphanage, Setz decides he does not want to lose his friend, so he invites him to his home... The world of the Vampires.

Another webtoon i grew up with as a teen. It isn’t my all time fav, but i still quite enjoyed it enough to reread it a few times. Must be the blond mc that reminded me of Rood xd. Or the fact that he is super weak in a world of monsters. Or the reason he has those red eyes. (Such delicious angst amidst the comedy). Are those just a trope I enjoy? XD

Godly Bells (Complete)

Divine Bells - they choose their own masters and they determine the status, prestige, and influence of the countries their masters rule. The presence or lack of these Bells also has great consequence in the lives of each country's royalty. In particular, the personal and political futures of King Hong-Ryeong seem doomed without a Bell, but at equally great peril if he obtains one. But are the Divine Bells simple magical charms, deities of great powers, or something else altogether? And when the owner of three of the eight existing Divine Bells dies, leaving them to choose new owners, where will the resulting turmoil lead?

Another blond mc i grew up with as a teen and reread a few time. And another ’king’ who is ’weak’. It’s in a fantasy world, where divine ’bells’ give each king (and thus each country) power. The mc country hasn’t been chosen by any bells for years, so quite look down upon. Until three bells at least or smthg choose the mc. And then they become people, with their own agenda. The mc didn’t want the attention but well can’t convince the bells to drop him xd. Which is why i loved this story. Once again, can’t escape fate even when you didn’t want it ~

Aegis Orta (Complete)

Val is an ordinary high school student who dedicates his life to God. His peaceful days however have to end when he learns about who he really is..

Very much in the same vibe of Godly Bells and Crepuscule, only I discovered it later and thus have less memories of it (bcs reread it less). It’s another blond character with red eyes that get ’fate’ thrown at its face ~ well. Demon powers. Same.

---

I’m not gonna put Mxtx’s works here (Heaven Official Blessing, Mo Dao Zu Shi, Scum Villain Self Saving System), but they’re great too. If you love comedy and tragedy and don’t mind BL too much. Go for it. I usually don’t enjoy romance that much but it didn’t bother me with those works, bcs it’s presented so naturally into the story rather than harassing us every second. Phantom Paradise is also a BL, although entirely different vibe. It’s what would happen with matriarchat instead of patriarchat but all the toxicity remain - only gender roles are reversed. As for why I enjoyed it so much... I guess I am still somewhat sensitive to fan service ? XD

I also feel like I should mention UnderPrin, even if it didn’t make it all the way to my favs, kind of similar vibe to Catharsis and Aegis Orta. I’ll also mention Makai Ouji: Devils and Realist which is a manga but another blond character in the same vibe of the earlier ones, who refuse his own power XD. And Pandora Hearts because its my favorite manga ever. I even prefer it to Black Haze (but I think someone who liked one would also like the other?).

[lunar-beauty]

s4 stancy + interview quotes

Natalia Dyer: “It was lovely to get to work with Joe Keery again because these two characters parted ways a while ago. I think both of them have grown up quite a bit since then; Steve especially has grown up quite a lot. It was really fun to explore what that dynamic looks like now after they’ve been through so much. Obviously, there’s still some love there between these two people. They care about each other very deeply, and I think that is apparent.” — Cosmopolitan

Interviewer: “The fight against the demogorgon or the fight for Nancy’s love?” Joe Keery: “The fight for Nancy’s love!” — Video

Natalia Dyer: “What this season touches on is that these are two people who do care about each other and that hasn’t gone away. What that is and what label you want to put on that, I don’t know, but we see these characters meeting again after growing up and going through life…Truly, I have no idea where it’s gonna go but I do like that they at least still care about each other.” — Variety

Ross Duffer: “The last time Nancy really spent time with [Steve] was the first couple episodes of Season 2, where he was a very different person. That was pre even his bromance with Dustin, so the Steve that Nancy knew and spent time with is not the Steve that we have all come to know and love.” — TVLine

Natalia Dyer: “I think it’s really nice for Nancy and Steve to come back to each other after a few years of kind of growing from where they were. They’re two characters that really care about each other, so it’s really nice to see that again” — Variety

Matt Duffer: “Steve has grown immensely, as has Nancy, so what happens when you add that on top of the fact that she and Jonathan were separated by such distance?” — TVLine

Natalia Dyer: “Both of those relationships are really interesting and they ask her to be different things in a way. Like maybe she feels more, I don’t know, maybe I’ll get in trouble for saying this...with Jonathan maybe it’s [she’s] more of the caretaker and I think maybe she thinks Steve is a little more care-taking.” — Collider Ladies Night

Natalia Dyer: “I think this season he’s really surprised Nancy. These are two characters who haven’t seen each other in a while and I think there was always like warmth from Steve and love. And there was a balance, you know, where she’s the smart girl and he’s like the jock guy, and there’s something about that dynamic that works in a way. But I think he’s really grown up and I think that impresses her a lot this season. He’s grown up, he’s kind of come to terms with things, and he also cares deeply and is brave, and I think that’s something that she aligns with as well.” — Collider Ladies Night

Maya Hawke: “I think that Robin’s definitely shipping Steve and Nancy. I think that Robin definitely wants whatever would make Steve the happiest, which appears to certainly be Nancy.” — Teen Vogue

Ross Duffer: “Again, that's setting up us coming full circle back to Season 1. I think you'll see that with a couple of the character arcs...also with Steve and Nancy, and her relationship with Jonathan where things are not fully resolved.” — Collider

[jinbeisluffy]

I see so many posts over different social media platforms about sexuality/gender hcs for the strawhats and i want to add in my own two cents because i believe im very correct (but anyone’s opinion is valid so long as it doesnt go against canon coding)

Luffy - the most aroace and trans guy to ever BREATHE. i dont mean aroace in that hes somewhere on the spectrum where he can still be attracted to people, because he cant. this guy had never grasped the concept of romance and never will, because theres no reason for it to him. hes trans because i say he is, i dont have many reasons for THAT but its just the signals hes sending me. trans to trans communication trust

Zoro - gay. thats it thats the post. no but i dont ship luffy with anyone but zoro is just attracted to literally any man who is strong, thats his criteria and thats all he ever needs. is he aware of it? not at all, he has no idea that its not normal to get bricked up by the thought of other men

Nami - i havent seen a bigger lesbian in media ever, genuinely i dont think any other character is as obviously lesbian as she is. she loves girls unapologetically no matter what, supports all girls at the end of the day (cough kalifa) . i also hit her with the asexual beam because i can, specifically demisexual because i THINK so

Usopp - while i wanna consider kaya, i wanna consider sanji too and thats making me lean between bi or omni even if omni is a label under the bi umbrella. its more a question of if he recognises his preference for men or not, because he does prefer then at the end of the day. the ace beam bounces from nami to usopp because he too doesnt feel anything and doesnt think about it either

Sanji - oh my god where do i begin. maybe just the blatant queer coding of wci as a whole?? of course hes attracted to women, thats not an aspect you can remove or just toss around to being something else. he loves and respects women, but he is so QUEER. all of wci is just queer coding, its a queer story and sanji is a queer character i will die on this hill. he probably has some kind of gender issues too, what specifically? no clue, but he likes people of multiple genders and is in deep denial about it all the time he wont ever truly accept it but he can one day as a treat live with that fact

Chopper - oh hes a reindeer he cant really have a sexuality DID WE FORGET THE FACT HES HUMAN TOO ISNT THAT LIKE HIS WHOLE THING, NOT BEING A MONSTER BUT ALSO A HUMAN. HE IS BOTH? i dont have any specific labels to slap onto him, just that hes a people lover and encourager of literally everything. ace beam bounces onto him too

Robin - trans trans trans trans trans trans trans trans you will accept robin transfem into your life right here right now. she can like anyone, she has no label on it, she just likes people and cant bother with genders or anything like that. the ace beam actually skips her because if they were doing a hear me out cake she’d be the one putting all of the crazy things. freak. (lovingly)

Franky - HOW TRANS CODED IS IT NOT TO REBUILD YOUR OWN BODY TO BECOME A BETTER VERSION OF YOURSELF AND TO REBUILD YOUR LIFE IN A WAY YOU WANT, BUT GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU LOVED ABOUT YOUR OLD SELF, AND EMBRACING IT. literally, trans goals. he modified his body and went i might as well give myself top surgery and an awesome dick while im here!! sexuality wise hes a lover of everyone, but he has preferences for women (robin) but encourages all bromances (with brook)

Brook - THIS IS WHERE IM MOST PASSIONATE!!!! people can say that hes the token straight grandpa. but theyll never understand the joy of old gay brook had a romance with his captain, the joy of brook trying to subtlety let the other strawhats know he accepts them (he isnt subtle at all and everyone knows). look at brook in drag twice for no reason and tell me he isnt queer, in some way. the ace beam finally hits someone and its brook, insert skull joke here

Jinbei - very specifically old gay man who didnt really do much throughout his youth, he always knew he liked men but he never had TIME to do anything, too busy being awesome and a father i fear. now that hes with the crew he isnt automatically gonna seek anyone out, but hes also not gonna restrain himself from finding interests in people, hes being more selfish now and thats good for him. finally the ace beam hits jinbei and proceeds to fly off towards other op characters that i might talk about some other time

can you tell im asexual and love projecting onto characters with it !!!!

[kpopscatterbrain]

Kdramas i've watched this year

Some of these are older dramas but i'm a procrastinator

Black Knight (2023): Loved this one! I have watched it probably 5 times now. Kim Woobin kicking ass is all i need!

Under the Queen's Umbrella (2022): I didn't watch this when it aired (no idea why). I was worried that the plot would be overrun by romance but thankfully i was wrong. Loved Kim Hye-Soo's performance (i cried a little).

Island seasons 1 & 2 (2022-2023): Honestly i only started this one for Kim Nam-Gil. I loved the cast, but the flow of the plot was a little off (don't know how, i can't put a finger on it). Was positively suprised by Cha Eun-Woo's acting, i think he needs more roles like this! Hot villain alert no.1! Sung Joon as a bad guy is either a blessing or a curse. Cgi could have been better.

Taxi Driver season 2 (2023): Loved the first season so of course i had to watch the second one. Love Lee Je-Hoon. Love the main characters. Love the plot and the message of this drama. A masterpiece. Waiting for season 3.

Weak Hero Class 1 (2022): Only heard of this drama wayyy after it aired (thanks tiktok) and god does it deserve every award there is! I was a bit hesitant because Park Ji-Hoon was the main lead, but boy was i wrong because his talent got me speechless (weren't we all). I cried, i cheered, i shadowboxed, i cried a little more and in the end i called my therapist. Thankfully season 2 is coming.

Bloodhounds (2023): Woo Do-whan and Lee Sang-Yi in the same drama beating people up? Yes please! The plot wasn't mindblowing, but sometimes just simple ass kicking is enough. Bromance was bromancing. Park Sung-Woong with another great villain character.

Revenant (2023): After dropping Mr.Sunshine i wanted to see Kim Tae-ri in other dramas, so when this aired i gave it a go. Her range is phenomenal! I have only seen couple spookier dramas, so i made a mistake and watched this at night (slept with the lights on). The eerie vibes and plot twists were well made. Hong Kyung had great chemistry with Kim Tae-ri and his cop role was refreshing to see after his performance in Weak Hero Class (if you know you know).

Flower of Evil (2020): Okay, this is one of the dramas i procrastinated hard on. It's been sitting on my "have to watch" list since it aired and i'm the only one to blame (i hype up a drama in my mind, then don't want to watch it because now i'm afraid it doesn't go the way i think it does and then i get disappointed blaablaablaa). This year i finally got over myself and why. didn't. i. watch. it. sooner!!!! It is all i ever wanted in a kdrama. 1. serial killers 2. a psychopath (but is he really?) w/ an effed up childhood 3. mindgames 4. marriage problems (but has a lot of soft & cute scenes) 5. Lee Joon-Gi. Also as a plus (hot villain alert no.2) the bad guy is kindaa (i'm sane i swear). I would be lying if i didn't say that i found the wife slightly annoying (might be me, but she went too much back & forth and sometimes i had to take a breather while watching), but all in all this drama will be hard to top and i fell in love with Lee Joon-Gi.

Moving (2023): Honestly one of the best dramas of the year. I don't usually really go for plots that have a lot of romance in them (if you haven't noticed), but i found this one to be really well balanced and the romance scenes weren't "cringy". Although Bong-Seok and Hui-Soo were great and had great chemistry, i looooved the background stories of the parents. Park Hee-Soon also pops up as kind of a non-villain villain. I hope there is a season 2.

Song of the Bandits (2023): Kim Nam-Gil again. 1920s Korea and gunslingers... what more could i need? After Mr. Sunshine left me with a disappointment (this might be an unpopular opinion) i craved for a drama set around the same time period, but with a little less romance (i know, i am defective). I think dramas should explore this time period more, but i understand it might still be a touchy subject. The skills of the cast were obviously great, Kim Nam-Gil killed his role like always, but Lee Ho-Jung as Eon-Nyeon shined with her performance (i am now a new fan). Hot villain alert no.3! I have seen Lee Hyun-Wook in Remarriage & Desires and seeing him as a villain made me feel things. If there isn't a second season i will cry.

The Killing Vote (2023): A "serial killer" in a dog mask making the public vote on punishing criminals and everyone suspects each other? Cyber crime? Chemistry between two cops? Major hot villain (no.4)? Sign me up. I love when crime dramas make you question your people reading skills (i have the tism so i really got none) and have all kinds of theories flying around. I liked that even Kim Mu-Chan and Joo Hyun had obvious chemistry between them it didn't overshadow the main point of the plot. I liked Seo Young-Joo's delivery and i hope he gets more bigger roles. Kim Kwon.... why does the psychopath have to be hot? He also needs more bigger roles. !spoiler! Also Park Sung-Woong killing (heh) yet another morally grey character.

The Worst of Evil (2023): Okay, first of all i have to say... the wife ruined everything (some agree and some don't). We get another bromance duo of the year with Wi Ha-Joon and Ji Chang-Wook. Loved the crime organization infiltration plot, heavily despised the romance plot (sorry Bibi baby). I was constantly on the edge of my seat and the characters started to get so morally grey that in the end everyone needs group therapy. Action scenes were chefs kiss. A honorable mention goes for Lee Shin-Ki as Seo Jong-Ryul (or Chief Seo, knife guy, the man has many names) and Bibi for her performance as Lee Hae-Ryeon.

Evilive (2023): Heavily underrated. Kim Young-Kwang doing what he does best, playing a psychopath. This combined with a bromance plot with the one and only bromance master Shin Ha-Kyun? I'm sold. The dramas literal title "villain story" really sums up the plot. Sometimes you are not sure who to cheer for. Sometimes you are not really sure about your own sanity. But to be fair, so aren't the main characters.

Vigilante (2023): Love it. Currently re-watching it. Needs more attention. Needs more episodes. I'm in love with Nam Joo-Hyuk. The best crime drama of the year, the title is all i needed to hear. Beating up criminals in well made action scenes is my favorite genre. No romance. One sided bromance? Morally grey characters (am i repeating myself now?). Yoon Ji-Tae as a beefy cop and Lee Joon-Hyuk as a slightly insane admirer? If we don't get a season 2 i will start a riot.

[desertfangs]

The City Never Sleeps - A Lestat/Daniel Story

Today is the TWO YEAR Anniversary of The City Never Sleeps, one of the best fics I've written IMHO.

In the Court Era, Lestat shows up at Trinity Gate to find that Armand is not home, so Daniel has to entertain him. He decides to give Lestat the Daniel Molloy Tour of New York City Circa 1979. They talk, they angst, they make out a little. Armand is very much present in their minds.

It's 3 Chapters, 13,024 words, originally published 2 years ago today on April 4, 2023. I know Lestat/Daniel is kind of a rarepair but I really enjoy their dynamic together and this fic was months in the making. I wanted to celebrate it now because I'm still so proud of how this fic turned out and because of how older fic gets lost in the shuffle. Also it was, at the time, the longest fic I'd written!

It's kind of dialogue-heavy but hopefully funny, entertaining, and heartfelt and there's a hot make out scene. There's angst! There's flirting! There's a lot of talk about Armand!

If you want a fic that explores Lestat and Daniel's bromance with benefits, here it is!

Thanks for letting me celebrate this milestone!!

Short Excerpt:

Inside, books lay discarded on the large oak table and a figure lay sprawled on the reading couch, a velvet green monstrosity. Lestat wore black pants and a elegant silken long-sleeved shirt with a ruffled collar, as if he’d stepped out of the 1800s. His feet were clad in leather boots and were propped up on the arm rest on the left side of the sofa, while he reclined the against the right side. His blond hair was loose and cascaded down around his shoulders. He held a book but didn’t appear to be reading. He wouldn’t have looked out of place on the cover of a romance novel. 

Daniel looked down at himself. He was in travel clothes—worn jeans with a few tears and a sweatshirt with fraying cuffs, the sort of thing Armand would discreetly throw in the trash when he thought Daniel wouldn’t notice. His own blond hair was messy and unkempt and his purple chucks were dirty. 

Lestat turned his head toward Daniel in the doorway. “Ah, finally, signs of life! I was beginning to think to this place had been abandoned.” 

“Yeah, you know Armand, loves to build massive estates and then leave them to rot and ruin.” Daniel joked. “What are you doing here?” 

Lestat sat up and tossed the book on the table next to the sofa. “Is that the sort of hospitality Armand taught you? Are you going to evict me next?” 

Daniel snorted. “As if Armand would ever kick you out. I just thought you were busy at Court.” 

“Am I not allowed a break? I agreed to be the Prince, not a hostage.” 

Daniel rolled his eyes. “Just asking. Besides, I thought Louis went there to visit you.” 

“He had to make a trip to Paris. I believe he had some business regarding his flat there.” 

Daniel highly doubted Louis had left Court for business reasons. He suspected they’d had a fight of some sort. But he decided to leave that alone for now. 

“Where’s your Maker and his brood?” Lestat asked. 

Daniel pulled out his phone. No messages. He shot Armand a quick “Back home. Where are you?” text and then slid it back into his pocket. 

“Don’t know. They’ve been following this band on tour sporadically. Or maybe they went to Court. That’d be ironic, huh?” Daniel smiled. Lestat huffed out a breath. “Did he know you were coming?” 

Lestat leapt to his feet. “Of course not. I intended to use the element of surprise to my advantage.” 

Daniel’s phone buzzed and he pulled it from his pocket. Armand had texted back. He read it over. “Bad news, Big Guy. They’re in Seattle til Friday.” 

Lestat didn’t quite pout but he was on the verge of doing so. 

The end of Armand’s message read, “Unless there’s an urgent matter I need to attend to.” A plea for help? Daniel smiled. Armand loved Sybelle and Benji, but Sybelle’s infatuation with this band was intense. 

Did Armand want him to invent a reason for him to come back or was he merely letting Daniel know that he could? Daniel replied: “No emergency, but Le Prince is here. He wants to see you.” Daniel added a winky emoji. There. If Armand wanted to use that as a reason to cut their trip short, he could. If not, he could ignore it. 

“Looks like it’s just me and you for now,” Daniel said. 

Lestat’s face shifted, and Daniel saw a hint of something—Disappointment? Hurt?—before his signature winning smile returned. He clapped Daniel on the back a little too hard, making Daniel jolt forward and nearly drop his phone. “Then let’s make the most of it. What do you do for fun around here?” 

Read the Whole Thing on AO3

[hueghost]

Crazy Shapiro analysis???

Shapiro’s entire emotional world seems to orbit around Vinnie. He’s not just friends with him but he constantly seeks Vinnie’s approval. He defers to him in almost every situation, and expresses an almost obsessive loyalty. His frequent “I love you” remarks, physical closeness, and visible emotional vulnerability around Vinnie contrast sharply with his shallow or chaotic relationships with women. It’s not just admiration, it borders on unspoken romantic or emotional yearning towards him.

His sexual relationships with Eva and Rozzie are messy, impulsive, and detached. They feel more like attempts to prove something—to Vinnie, to the gang, maybe even to himself—than sincere romantic or emotional connections. He doesn’t seem to pursue women on his own terms. It’s usually when they’re emotionally available or convenient, and there’s a hollowness to how those moments play out. The affair with Rozzie, Vinnie’s gf, might not be about her at all—but about getting a reaction out of Vinnie. It’s painful, self-destructive, and possibly a way of saying: “I want to matter to you this much.”

Shapiro initially doesn’t want Eva because she’s fat—which could be surface-level misogyny or deeper internal discomfort with women in general. Vinnie, though, talks about her as a prize, a conquest. And he pushes Shapiro into sleeping with her, not because he thinks they’ll get along, but because it’ll be funny or prove something. The dare escalating from $5 to $5.50 is laughably petty, but it means that Shapiro doesn’t care about the money. He gives in the second Vinnie tweaks the offer, because it’s Vinnie doing the daring. It’s not about Eva, it’s about Shapiro constantly needing to prove he’s “one of the guys.” He can do what Vinnie tells him to, he’s not different. But he is different. He doesn’t desire women the way Vinnie does and he knows this, but uses it as leverage against Shapiro, not compassion.

Shapiro is physically affectionate, sometimes inappropriately so, especially toward Vinnie. His behavior is more tactile and emotionally intense than that of his peers. Remember, this is a 1950s New York gang environment and would never allow open queerness, so any same-gender affection would have to be channeled through coded behavior like teasing, bromance dynamics, exaggerated “jokes” that aren’t quite jokes. In this context, Shapiro’s behavior feels like it’s pushing the limits of what he can get away with—longing expressed through brotherhood, proximity, and humor. He likely has no real attraction to women, but uses them as props in his pursuit of male validation, is desperate for Vinnie’s love, even if it can’t be romantic—he wants closeness, approval, just really anything. He’s unable to assert his own desires, because he doesn’t know what those are in a world that hasn’t allowed him to explore them, is painfully loyal, even to people who manipulate him because being needed, even conditionally, is better than being alone.

This is a textbook example of repressed queer people longing playing out under social and cultural constraints, being set in the hypermasculine, deeply homophobic world of 1950s Brooklyn—perfectly captures that tension without needing to spell it out. The scene where some of the queer Stompers’ gang members are kissing in private but acting straight in public speaks volumes because in their world, queerness exists, but only in the shadows. The fact that Vinnie doesn’t seem to care shows that he’s not aggressively homophobic but he may be indifferent or even tolerant in a “don’t ask, don’t tell” kind of way. But still, the rules of masculinity are unspoken and rigid like “You can be gay, but don’t be soft. Don’t disrupt the masculine hierarchy. Don’t flirt with the leader.” So even if he accepts queerness on some level, there’s a difference between tolerating it in others and being the subject of queer desire himself.

Vinnie doesn’t hate Shapiro. He might even care about him in a distant, possessive way. But he treats him more like a pet than a friend because he lets Shapiro orbit him emotionally. He dangles validation just enough to keep Shapiro close, tests his loyalty constantly through humiliation, manipulation, or dares. And he’s fully aware that Shapiro will do anything to stay in his favor. It’s classic toxic masculinity. Vinnie’s not outwardly cruel (except for a few times), but he doesn’t respect Shapiro as an equal. He uses him as a tool for control and a mirror to his own ego.

Vinnie uses Shapiro for entertainment and control, and Shapiro goes along with it because he wants love, loyalty, and to feel like he belongs. His actions around women aren’t driven by desire but by a need to “pass” and survive. And Vinnie—though tolerant of queerness in others—is unwilling or unable to acknowledge Shapiro’s feelings, instead redirecting him with humiliation and dares masked as “fun.” This is what makes Shapiro tragic. He’s not just comic relief. He’s a young queer-coded man caught in a suffocating system, clinging to the only person who gives him scraps of attention while losing himself in the process.

Remember the beginning of the movie where Shapiro is sitting afar from the hookers while Vinnie is doing all the negotiating and convincing? Despite it being Shapiro’s idea first by saying he wanted to “pick up girls that night”, it feels like he’s trying to sound confident, like he’s echoing what a “normal” guy in his circle should be saying. It’s posturing, not desire. He’s saying it for Vinnie’s benefit, probably to prove he’s just as “manly” or cool. He spots the women, signals for drinks but makes no actual move. He lets the idea hang there without commitment. This is classic behavior for someone who is trying to perform heterosexual interest but doesn’t have the emotional or sexual drive to back it up. That’s not just social awkwardness, it reads as internal conflict. And he only goes through with it because Vinnie wants him to, which reflects the emotional dynamic. Shapiro does things not because he wants to, but because Vinnie does. Shapiro knows he can’t be out, even in a “tolerant” environment. Is desperately in love with someone emotionally unavailable—someone he can’t have. He sees that Vinnie is tolerant of others, but can’t bring himself to risk rejection by being fully open about his feelings. He might be a repressed queer man or at the very least, someone performing heterosexuality to gain approval.

Vinnie’s judgment of the women as “low” adds a layer of pressure. Suddenly Shapiro’s attempt to impress him backfires, he’s made the “wrong” choice. This likely triggers his deep-seated insecurity as he’s trying to impress someone who can’t be impressed in the way he needs. Vinnie then takes control and starts doing the talking, coaxing Shapiro to follow through, almost like a test of masculinity. While he engages, Shapiro lingers from afar. He wants Vinnie to think he’s confident and masculine, but in practice, he freezes. It’s not necessarily shyness, he’s very extroverted. It’s the lack of interest, conflict, and discomfort. His body language says everything that “It’s not what I want, but I have to do it.” That physical distance mirrors the emotional distance between who he pretends to be and who he really is.

Shapiro’s a young man navigating a rigid system of masculinity, trying desperately to pass as straight, cool, and sexually assertive. He knows that being different like being soft, unsure, or affectionate toward another man, puts him at risk, even in a gang where queerness exists privately. But he’s also not attracted to women in any convincing way because his pursuit of them is only ever filtered through his relationship with Vinnie. He wants to be seen as worthy of Vinnie’s friendship and approval like using women as social tools, not romantic partners, can’t fully admit his feelings, even though they’re obvious in how much he stares, clings, and emotionally prioritizes Vinnie.

He’s as a tragically submissive, emotionally abused queer-coded character whose loyalty is constantly manipulated by Vinnie. And what’s heartbreaking is that he seems aware that he’s doing things he doesn’t want to do, but he does them anyway for the one person’s approval he desperately craves. He eventually does sleep with the prostitute, but only after Vinnie has done all the negotiating. Shapiro shows zero initiative himself. He never flirts or engages beyond the minimum effort. It’s not attraction, it’s obligation. “I guess I have to prove I’m not weird. I have to keep up the act.” And Vinnie isn’t even watching when it happens, which makes it even sadder because Shapiro is performing for someone who’s not even paying attention. This is an emotionally confused man, pressured into heteronormative performance, not because he wants the experience, but because he thinks it will keep his place in the gang and his bond with Vinnie intact.

Also, Vinnie probably does know. He’s not stupid because in the movie, he’s portrayed as very observant (and also manipulative). He sees Shapiro constantly touching him, watching him, doing everything to stay close. And he doesn’t lash out, which is interesting. In the 1950s, a man “grabbing” another man, playing with his hair, or hugging him for too long could easily provoke violence or odd stares. Instead, Vinnie firmly sets boundaries. He moves Shapiro’s hands off him, tells him to back off, reasserts his dominance. This could be his way of saying “I know. I don’t hate you for it. But I can’t give you what you want.” Which is deeply tragic but realistic. It’s a quiet rejection that preserves the friendship while keeping emotional distance. Vinnie likely knows and respects him in his own guarded way but also makes it clear “You can love me, but I can’t love you back.”

If Shapiro were to openly confess or cross a line, it might end things completely. Only then, he could stay close by pretending. Even if Vinnie is okay with queerness, Shapiro may not be. He might feel shame or confusion especially in a world that’s toxically tells him masculinity is everything (instead of a positive masculinity). He knows Vinnie isn’t interested, but he can’t stop feeling it. So he hangs around, hoping for crumbs of affection. Like the rest of the queer Stompers members, he “acts straight” in public. It’s not just social camouflage but survival.

Ralph Bakshi is known for pushing boundaries with his characters whether racially, sexually, and psychologically. He’s portrayed complex and marginalized figures in other works like Heavy Traffic and American Pop, and he’s definitely not afraid to include queer-coded characters in unconventional ways. Shapiro might not be an “out” character because the 1950s setting wouldn’t allow it but Bakshi knows that repression, confusion, and queerness existed long before open representation. So, it’s entirely possible, and very likely intentional, that Shapiro is written as a repressed or questioning queer man. That repression becomes part of his emotional unraveling. He doesn’t know how to exist in his world as someone soft, affectionate, or vulnerable, let alone queer. So his love becomes something destructive, desperate, and confusing.

Crazy Shapiro might be one of Bakshi’s more tragic queer-coded characters as he’s caught between the world’s expectations of what a man should be, masculinity, violence, and his own aching need for love and connection, especially from Vinnie. Whether it’s romantic or not, his attachment is emotionally charged and painfully real. In a hypermasculine, homophobic 1950s gang culture, that kind of unspoken queerness is exactly the kind of thing that would drive someone to the edge. Crazy Shapiro is a layered, tragic character because he’s emotionally raw, desperate for love, possibly queer, and stuck in a world that doesn’t give him the language or safety to understand himself. It’s sad but human, and for a 1982 film, it’s incredibly progressive and heartbreaking for its time. Ralph Bakshi definitely knew what he was doing.

[petew21-blog]

Who will save Rivia now?

Henry looked at himself in the mirror. No, he doesn't care what he looks like. This man will do anythin for the Witcher story to be as accurate to the books and games as possible. But now he feels as if he has failed. The story is going sideways and he is contemplating if he truly wants to act in the TV series.

Scene 47

Director:"Ok Geralt. This is the scene where Jakier talks to Geralt about finding an amulet that would help them finish the banshee."

Henry:"I recall, but an amulet wouldn!t be needed."

Director:"Well... we made another change to the story. We need the numbers and the viewers want Jaskier to have another romance. But we think your bromance with a bit of spice might help the ratings. So, we'll just gve you some of the new script and then we'll let you do whatever you feels is right."

Henry:"Are you... This says that Jaksier grabs Geralt's penis and sucks it. What kind of an idiot wrote this?!? You know what. No. I am done. Sorry. I am leaving!"

Director:"Oh come on Henry. Ecerybody loves it now. Nobody cares how the story truly goes. Come back. You still have a contract!"

Henry went into the toilet to be alone for a while. A knock followed

Outside of the door Joey (Jaskier) and the director stood.

"I already said no. So there is the door, thank you very much."

Director:"Henry, if you choose this we have to replace you. And the replacement would be Joey here."

Henry pictured some of the scenes he did with Joey in the lake.

Henry:"I'm sorry, no offense Joey, you really gained a lot of muscle for the past two years, but do you two really think that Joey replacing me as the Witcher will get accepted by the fans? I don't think so."

Director:"This is your contract. You can read it after, but you signed it and gave a consent to replace you, therefore I am not doing anything worng here."

Flash of light

Henry opened his eyes. He was now standing on the hall next to the director. "What the..."

Director:"Security. Please escort Mr. Batey into my trailer and lock him up there. I need to have a word with Mr. Cavill here."

Henry screamed the most horrible words I have ever heard in my life. The director still kept smiling at me. It was kinda creepy I must say. I was nervous what he was about to tell me.

Director:"Now. Joey. Your contract also included being silent about any of the replacements. Now, you are Henry and Henry did the same. So unless you wanna go to a court with Netflix, I suggest you come back to the set in 30 minutes. We have a new lovestory to set up."

Joey went to the mirror. He was now one of the hottest men on the planet.

"Mannn. What a body."

He chcecked out the rest of this present and let's just say that Joey won't be sleeping tonight.

Another story from the inbox: Could you do an Henry Cavill and Joey Batey body swap? It could happen while they r recording the last season of the witcher

[oeufoeufoeuf]

I finished High School Frenemy recently and I have been thinking about it non-stop ever since (I'm posting on Tumblr for the first time because of this lol it's that bad).

This show really resonated with me, but not in the same way it did for most people? Since I'm (somewhere) on the aroace spectrum, I'm fascinated by how compulsory (hetero)sexuality is removed from the world of High School Frenemy. Also, how people have reacted to the 'bromance' category in general is really interesting to me.

Disclaimer: not trying to come for the people who saw their own queer experiences reflected in the show - I fully understand and acknowledge how queer coded the direction and writing is. But individual interpretations are one of the most interesting parts about media analysis so I'd like to chip in too.

I personally really appreciate seeing a show of this genre portraying Saint and Shin's relationship as (at least explicitly) platonic. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a sucker for a good bl, but - as everyone has already said - the chemistry and writing in this show is on another level. It feels rare to see a friendship explored in such depth and so successfully, so I was obviously incredibly normal about it while watching.

That said, some people's responses kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Specifically those who imply that because they love each other so clearly and obsessively, their love must be more than platonic, or that straight guys simply don't act like that. I'm sure it's unintentional, but such phrases enforce expectations of gender performance and correct ways to be straight or gay by suggesting straight men can't have such close friendships. (But also I am feminine presenting so I can't talk too much about that). Mainly, I want to remind people that asexual and aromantic people exist (hi, here I am) and that there isn't an inherent hierarchy of relationships. Platonic love doesn't reach a stage where the feelings are so strong that it becomes romantic, they are separate forms of love that can be just as strong as each other.

Soulmates like Saint and Shin can, and do, exist - both platonically and romantically. But maybe that's what makes the show so powerful - people with all sorts of experiences can find value in their own interpretations of it, queer or otherwise.

Anyway, if you've read all this (good job, you deserve a star⭐), any thoughts? I might be yapping to the void but whatever, I needed to get this out of my system lol.

[npookie0]

luca x reader x feli fic :3?

Sure :D

And historians call them friends.

༻✦༺ ༻✧༺　༻✦༺ ༻✧༺　༻✦༺ ༻✧༺　༻✦༺ ༻✧༺　

"But Feli I want to stay with you and play." Luca's voice sounded from the speakers. "Also with Y/N, you know like buddies do." The literal golden retriever wanted to ditch a bonfire for the two of you. Both you and Feli just groaned, but you also chuckled.

"Jeez, you're such a hypocrite Luca."

"Yeah Y/N is right, you're so annoying, but whatever we can play." Feli sighed. "You will play too right Y/N?" Her voice softened slightly.

"I would never miss our game night!" You exclaimed happily, which was followed by Luca's loud "Hell yeah!" You chuckled to yourself, he was really like a dog, a cute one at that.

What. Cute? Luca??? Hell no, he's just your homie, both him and Feli, you're just great friends and nothing more. Right? Right???

"Jesus fuck, you three are so fucking hopeless, I'm leaving before this sappy collage bullshit will affect me." Ronin said, only now did the three of you realise that he still was on the call with you. Oops.

"What the hell dude, we're just friends, you're delusional." Luca said in the most defensive words ever.

"Exactly, the three of us are great friends." Feli joined him.

Their words made your heart ache. Huh? No, no. You are totally chill, they're right. You three are just buddies, zero romantic feelings whatsoever.

That game night was great, the three of you had a lot of laughs, made new inside jokes and just spent an amazing time together. You always had such a great time with them, it made your heart beat faster. Faster because of excitement of course! Why else ahaha. You were just so happy to have amazing friends like them.

The three of you always spent a lot of time together, talked on video chat, played together, sometimes one of you started a call just to fall asleep while the other two were talking. That's just what friends do, right?

So why did Misaki, Angel and the other called the three of you a throuple? Ronin left snarky remarks about your guys' talking stage, and V literally said that he doesn't wish to get in the middle of your love lives. What was wrong with them? Your friendship was obviously platonic...

Months had passed, it was February and you were having mixed feelings. You really loved being friends with Feli and Luca, but are they just friends for you? Your cheeks turned hot every time you heard Feli's cute laugh, or Luca's tries to rizz you two up in a bromance kind of way. You almost could hear your heartbeat and swore that other people could hear it too.

Why are your feelings so complicated? They just want to be friends, that's obvious... or do they? You spent a lot of time thinking about it, the server was kind of right. The three of you act like some kind of lovebirds, but maybe that's just the dynamic you have? Or maybe you are just three blind idiots who are scared to admit their feelings.

"Gahh this is so fucking complicated!" You groaned and fell onto your bed. "What should I do?" You whispered to yourself and took a deep breath.

You can confess, Valentines are here soon anyway, so it's little dumb confession just in time for the love holiday, just perfect. Okay, you can confess, but what if they don't feel the same? Well, you can just copy V's coping mechanism for whenever he feels embarrassed, get caught by the police or go into the verge of murder. Ah yes, such beautiful options!

"Fuck it, I will confess. If even V thinks that me and them are a thing, then maybe the whole server is right." You murmured and sat up, you opened your laptop - yeah you keep it on your bed, you have to be ready for the falling asleep calls! You opened your small group chat with Feli and Luca and took a deep breath before typing.

<@Y/N>: Can we hop on call now?

You didn't have to wait long for an answer, the two dummies were already online and Luca started the call.

"Yo, what's up dude?" You could hear the sound of crashing waves from Luca's side. He was probably at the beach after training with his surfer buddies. Damn he must've looked so goddamn cute with his hair all wet and messy. Shut up stupid mind! it's serious, let's drool some other time.

"Yes, what is the matter Y/N?" Soon the voice that you knew so well joined in. Feli with her unironically cute French accent was just like music to your ears. Seriously, why is your heart beating so fucking loud?

"Uh... so, it will sound weird but..." You paused and took a deep breath. "I, I think that I may be in love with you two." There you go! You spilled your guts, now it's only time for the crashing landing and Luca's bullying for the next weeks, yay.

You waited for an answer, but there was a long pause.

Do they hate you know? Are they so not in love with you nor each other that they will never talk to you ever again?

Your mind was a mess, you almost clicked the hang-up button, but Luca's voice was faster.

"Oh shit, shit, oh fuck! Dude why does it make so much sense?! I think that the old folks were right and I may also have a thing for the two of you." His words were almost not understandable, he was speaking so fast and loud at the same time. He sounded kinda scared and excited at the same time? Well, now it's time for Feli, and she was really quiet.

"Feli? Are you... are you not feeling the same way?" You broke the silence, your heart breaking at the thought.

"No, it's not it." She paused. "I am not as amazing as the two of you, I'm not outgoing I can't... I can't do as much as you can do. You two would fit better together without me." She stopped talking.

"Dude what...?"

"Feli, for the love of God. We've been friends for like forever at this point! We talk, play and do stuff all the time! If we can do it as friends then why not as, well a throuple?" The word tasted strange, almost foreign on your tongue, but it was positive strange? You sighed. "Your disability isn't a problem for us Feli, we love you for you... But do you feel the same?

The seconds when Feli hesitated to answer felt like Hell, you just wanted to know if both feelings were mutual or is it just you and Luca being idiots.

"Then, yes. I do feel the same way." Her voice softened and you could hear Luca's excited sounds as he shouted from happiness.

"Hell yeah dude! i have two cool partners now! Wait, are we even dating?"

"Christ, you're so dumb Luca." You replied and Feli just laughed.

And this is how your wonderful love life began, now the server hated you three even more. Especially on monthly anniversaries, birthdays or love related holidays. You were so sappy and sickly sweet that it was unbearable for the other killers.

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Made it short bc I'm a short ho /j

Hope you enjoyed -N<3