#it's time for you to all accept that stu is actually the emotional stability in poly stu x reader x billy

[slasherscream]

     billy loomis x reader x stu macher + ft. wearing/sharing their clothes

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Stu wears the softest... best fucking clothes. You hug your boy because his hugs are state of the art but you also do it because he wears the softest shit. Someone who knows how to give a proper bear hug + the bliss of a sweater that feels like woven happiness? Indescribable high. Where the fuck are you buying this stuff, is often a question you mumble unintelligibly while you rub your face into his chosen top of the day.

Stu also doesn’t have a bad sense of style. Actually he’s got a pretty good one. Even a little bit aware of fashion trends. Is he following them? Not really. But he’s #Aware. Has summer, fall and winter wardrobe and no we’re not talking in terms of warmth/environmental protection. We’re talking colors. Certain cuts on certain clothing. We can go on and on here           The point is the boy is style conscious.

In other words despite the fact that he’s huge stealing his clothes is fucking CHOICE. The fabrics? Nice. Colors? Nice. Style? Nice. Even if his shit is just totally hanging off you it looks so good that you’ll look good. Besides you look cute drowning in all his sweaters and shirts. He has aww’d at you out loud when he’s turned around and there you are in his clothes again.

He was being an obnoxious dick about it but actually meant it lowkey. His heart? Soft. Bat him away from you with flappy sleeves (which he looooves watching you push up/adjust all day long).

Billy notices you doing this thing(TM) with Stu that you never do with him and he is ….irritated to say the least.

Trying not to get mad about it because outside of this one thing you and Stu show absolutely no favoritism towards each over him. He’s getting honestly 0 vibes that you prefer each other to him. Thus, he’s trying to be reasonable (for once in his fucking life). Besides, he and Stu have their own “special” thing they do together. Even if this is just a special “two of you” thing he should be understanding of it, right?? … riGHT.

So anyway he’s gonna blow his fucking gasket. 

Once he blows up. And yes it is a blow up (he’s physically incapable of discussing his feelings. Can only snap and yell them). Stu is actually the one who mediates this one. Gets up right in the middle of Billy bitching and yelling. Just walks upstairs. Billy is now absolutely losing his fucking mind becAUSE WHERE DOES STU THINK HE’S GOING-

Stu comes back and tosses a sweater at Billy's face full force. This did not make Billy less mad. Until he uses his one brain cell to realize it’s Stu telling him that if he wants to wear his shit he can and could’ve just totally been doing that all along. Why does he have to be so fucking difficult for? Nobody knows.

One part of his jealousy is fixed now even though he’s still trying to be huffy about it (he’s not putting on the sweater right now because he has to save face even though he wants to highkey).

"So why don’t you ever wear my shit, huh?“ Delightfully the focus is now on you. Your answer? Billy seems like the type to want his space/items/privacy/boundaries absolutely respected or God help you-

You didn’t really ask Stu to start wearing his clothes. It just happened naturally and increased in frequency naturally. You didn’t want to just do something with Billy and hope he went with the flow. Recipe for disaster right there.

Besides … you would’ve been embarrassed to just come out and ask if you can wear his clothes. It feels sappy and clingy to ask. Just doing it? Well the act is already done! Asking and then doing it? Flustered button has been pushed.

Silence settles in the room as you and Billy stare at each other wondering why you’re both like this. It’s rare that Stu gets to be the exasperated third party and he’s lowkey eating the shit it up.

Eventually Billy takes off his t-shirt and puts on Stu’s sweater. He tosses the t-shirt to you and you obediently put it on grinning the whole time.

The way you beam at him makes all his lingering insecurities melt away. Pretend this never happened anyone! Billy Loomis has never had a Moment of Vulnerability in his life. It was a false alarm. Shut the fuck up the both of you! Movie night is cancelled because y'all are laughing at him. He's going home! Fuck you! No he doesn't want a fucking hug-

You walk into school the next day wearing a white t-shirt that isn’t yours, a big ass cardigan that clEARLY isn’t yours and?? You look damn good. To the boys? You look very happily taken.

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[thattimdrakeguy]

I couldn’t finish Batman and Robin 2009. It was just... mentally exhausting and I stopped shortly after Bat Dick put fake Bruce in the Lazarus pit. Based on his appearances in Teen Titans, Bruce Wayne: Road Home, as well as his big fan base, I assumed Damian’s character development was executed nicely in his own series. But then again in Gates of Gotham (literally read it just for Cass) he’s impulsive, arrogant and rude to Cass both to her face and behind her back-even after she saved his life 1

Don’t get me started on the sexist things he’s said to Steph. I want to like Damian, but writers don’t make it easy. I got into comics because of batfam fanfics and he was a fave of mine. Dude was extra violent and displayed borderline sociopathic tendencies in his first appearances, cool beans. There’s a lot they can do with a character like that. I just felt like his bad behaviour was never properly dealt with before B&R, and I couldn’t muster the energy to see him through his own series. 2/2

IMO, Damian felt like a Gary Stu at times.

I don’t know if that last one was from the same person or not, but I just got the feeling it is, and if it’s not, then well it blends well enough and don’t feel the need to answer it separately.

Like all I can really say is that I don’t really like Damian. A lot of people confuse that for me thinking he’s an evil monster. I imagine cause I have a Tim icon and other Tims do rage on about that every now and again. As well as just plain taking things I say the wrong way (though I have probably said things in the moment I imagine). But I just plain don’t really like his writing, and if I can’t really read a comic he’s in that I actually like. Idk, I just find it weird to say I like him, when all I really like is what he could be. I don’t feel like that really equals me liking him, cause when I think about it, I kinda realized that meant the opposite, and didn’t wanna project the wrong idea.

But I wanna say this about Damian. He is insanely inconsistent as a personality and character. To this very day. So, as I do with every character, I start from the beginning, figure out what was meant to be by the writers that helped develop them, and figure out what’s in-character and out of character from there. I just feel like it’s the most objective way I can look at anything if I want to review things with standards that are more than just “I like this” or “I don’t like that”.

And in the case of Damian he’s never not been inconsistent. Like one of the main reasons I reread Batman and Robin (or at least Morrison’s run) was for plans of a post about flanderization in the Bat-Family, cause it was pretty rampant in the 00s and still continues often to this very day, and I think is the cause of a lot of lost sales and unhappiness and overall fandom diminishment.

However also to say it, I liked to see a lot of what Damian could be within B&R 09.

But anyways, basically just because I can’t really do a part of the post on Damian without trying to figure out what he was like to begin with, and what he was supposed to be per his creator.

Cause you can’t really tell in fandom. Cause his most popular comics are from stuff that isn’t in the main universe and was purposely a lot lighter, or in the main universe from writers that really surprisingly didn’t get the character despite the popularity--which continues my thinking on it was less about the quality of the writing and more about the lazy fan service. They honestly really flanderized him in a similar yet opposite way then what they did with Tim in the 00s.

And while I can’t act like the sexism and homophobia wasn’t an actual part of the character of Damian at the time--he shows both of those traits in the series (at least the homophobia, cause I’m now realizing that I might be thinking of another series for the sexism). He was flanderized even then by other writers from the different series.

Like how he’s written in Red Robin, is not freaking Damian. It’s not Damian to me. I don’t accept it as Damian. Even a lot of the content of him in Batgirl I even less feel like is Damian--besides unfortunately some of the sexist comments, but they never really proper developed him on that as far as like--actively showing that, at least that I can recall. So all I can really say is it’s uncomfortable, and how they don’t delve into it is the only real reason I say “That actually sadly does fit in with him”. But it’s not like it doesn’t make sense, he was raised to fight, not to handle emotions or feelings, he probably would do and say really creepy things when he has a crush--I just wish they’d actually acknowledge that what was going on rather than sacrificing a good story for more fan service.

The other writers make him too much of a bratty, snotty, kid. And I found that, that is an absolutely terrible interpretation of Damian, because beyond his origin, he isn’t a typical brat, and he doesn’t really act like a kid (in some ways yes, but general mannerisms and personality no). And even then he was a different kind of brat. He was entitled and bitchy in his origin, not immature (at least in the same way) and snotty. They have him act more like some spoiled brat from next door rather than a kid that was abused into being obedient to be what his abusive mother wanted (Talia shouldn’t be abusive, but like I said before, I think the series sucked overall for reasons like that and more).

(I also find that stupid line cutting scene in RR where I presume he was trying to kill Tim to be even stupider, cause Damian wouldn’t freaking do that at that point. They make Damian come off as so stupid in that issue, I hate it. Cause it was all just a cheap way to force sympathy for him, but it doesn’t even make sense when you think about it and is a huge stretch.)

Damian doesn’t make jokes when he’s written better--it’s like his thing. He’s got quite the temper, and understandably why of course. He’s violent with criminals, but he’s also mostly just stoic as his base state when not in a stressed situation, and even shows remorse (which is a big stretch from his origin, but I blame that on the writing which could be very rushed and lazy). He was treated like just another adult for the most part, and it had a weirdly endearing quality despite the maturity of it, and general edge of the series. It was Damian’s place and it worked really well. It just felt right for their dynamics. Damian’s a unique kid, and they respected him for who he was. He just needed help on his morals and stability.

But other series didn’t really get that. He would still be really rude like his origin, and not really the same tone of rudeness (I’m not sure if I can really explain what I mean by that), he’s aggressive, but putting him in Teen Titans never made sense to me, because I don’t see Dick doing that. Dick had a lot more respect than to force Damian to do something like that. Dick was more patient, and while he did lightly smack (not any kind to hurt him any. literally to demonstrate without pain. more taps really) him to teach him a point about aesthetical weaknesses in his costume like the hood, it was mostly done out of finding a way to teach him that would speak to him. So just forcing him to do something he didn’t want to do--which would clearly not work on him--was just contrived and plain bad writing wise. Something they did more as a stunt so they can say “TITANS NOW HAS THE SON OF BATMAN” than to use him well or continue his story in a natural way.

With Cass I can’t say anything, because that’s like the one time he talks to her, and that basically shows their dynamic. So that’s just them, I can’t really say anything on it. If he felt challenged by her I could see him being a total jerk. It really depends on the scenes themselves. I never read the series myself cause I genuinely really don’t like that Batman Reborn era of Bat-Family. Too much of it was just done for publicity and random changes, and for the most part didn’t work much to me.

But overall, at the same time, despite me singing the praises of what Damian could be, and was for a little while. The overall writing for the character arc was super lazy. Stuff just kind of happens, and way too quick to fit in with what they introduced. He just kind of goes “this is right, now”, which makes his whole brainwashing thing feel a bit--useless, and makes how he went from chopping heads off to that in very little time sort of cuts out depth that could’ve really made the series more rereadable. Damian actually comes off surprisingly as a very flat character for stretches of time in the issues because his character arc is never focused on as much as you’d think until they need to be like “Oh yeah...uh, here’s an emotional moment”. Which just felt really cheap to me.

So the series to me isn’t worth it if you want a good story. None of the stories were good to me, I think I was questioning each one cause it was either schlocky, out of character, or both. I know people like Grant Morrison, but they aren’t for me, I’m not a fan of their writing. Damian was a Gary Stu a lot, which they try to explain with the League thing--but having the League give him experimental surgery so he could walk the same day (or next) after being legitimately paralyzed was just way too freaking much to me. But he does make mistakes, so he’s not at base a Gary Stu really--the writing just really stunk badly sometimes.

This isn’t me putting in a bid to say “OH YOU JUST NEED TO READ THIS, AND YOU’LL FREAKING LOVE HIM”, because to be freaking honest, when you already have a bad taste in your mouth, it’s best to just wait a bit till trying again. I read the fandom recommended comics and felt there was so many problems that I couldn’t read Damian for literal months. And he still has a lot of the problems you said. I’m just saying Damian is surprisingly different when written by his creator than others, cause honestly nearly every single other writer for him has gotten him wrong. Like mind-blowingly wrong. He does not feel like the same character anywhere else. It’s nuts.

To put it another way, it’s a generally speaking bad series, but if you want to see what Damian was meant to be like before they kept regressing him, and diminishing him, and turning him into more a joke, and see what his dynamic with Dick and Alfred was meant to be like, it’s a brilliant and perfect series to read it for.

It’s better for learning about them--then it actually is to enjoy it. Because it’s most likely not a series I’m going to be returning too often unless to research something again.

[khalix-hyetology]

How Alucard is a great character and teaches us how to make great characters

I think Castlevania did something we can all learn from. That is how to make a good character. Now, the age old rule on the internet is that don’t make a gary stu/maruy su. This is a character with no flaws and neither do they seem to be real. But then we had people link another crucial thing. In Fanfiction, many cis/trans people (especially girls), NB or genderqueer people chose to write characters that were able to be wish fulfilment. This is important as well because usually cis and trans girls/women are told they are not good enough by society so when they write they are able to be perfect in a way. We cannot shame them as then we must shame all the popular superheroes. Can we say Batman and Superman are not wish fulfilment? They most certainly are. However, can you have a character who is skilled, talented, intelligent, knowlegdeable, wise and also drop dead gorgeous, and still have flaws. Well. The answer is. Yes. Alucard or Adrien Tepes, son of Dracula, has taken the role of being a character who takes the gary stu/mary su persona and make it workable. Here’s how .

Despite, Alucard’s great strength he is defeated by his father. Now, here is the thing. In many ways, Adrien is better than his father. He has his mother’s beauty and he is also has charisma and charm. Which, ironically, Vlad Dracula Tepes does not possess. In many ways, Adrian is an antithesis to Dracula. Look at how feral and cunning Dracula looks and how poised and resereved Adrian looks. Dracula is more unrefined and “animalistic” in nature. But, Adrian is very poised. Adrian is less emotional than Dracula. So, he has what Dracula lacks. Dracula gets enraged, emotional and out of control. Adrian, like his mother, doesn’t. He maintains equilibrium and a clear head. He is methodical, unbiased, logical and pretty much beautifully erudite about situations, both social and culture. He understands academia.

However, Sypha pointed out how those qualities can also be very unnerving. When Adrian is badmouthing Trevor Belmont he inadvertently shows how being a mary su/gary stu can actually be a very bad thing. Sypha comments that he has reigned in his natural responses and he takes condescension, sarcasm and overall clever barbs as a way to repsond to anger, sadness and depression. That is his shortcoming and overall flaw. His perfecton becomes the axe that hurts him and his companions. And, even though in knowledge he is Sypha’s equivalent and seems almost flirty with her, the reason Sypha is more drawn to Trevor is because Trevor shows most of his bad qualites. Most of his vulnerabilities, which Adrian has a hard time doing.

Being intellectually sound and also emotionally restrained may not always be the best thing when one wants a more nuanced, personal and truthful responses to situations.

Adrian is also pretty refective but as is shown he does not know how to share his refections or even translate them with warmth. Like Sypha and Trevor, he too wishes to uphold his family’s legacy and in that stead they are all less selfish than Dracula. But f Dracula needs to learn restraint then all of them need to learn freedom. Sypha and Trevor learn to be open. Adrian cannot still do that; being open is somethin he has trouble with. He just lacks the ease to do so but he does try at times with Sypha. As Sypha comments he has some aspects of a teen within him too and that is not incorrect. Trevor and Adrian both lost their family stability thus had to be alone and being too isolated hurts social communication.

The show displays that being very knowledgable and logical may not always work because in the end communities and even loves are replenished by good communication and mutual vulnerability. Dracula loves Lisa because she did not worship him or treat him with disdain. But she treated him as a mortal. As a person. And, that is something that Dracula clearly loved about her.

Alucard also does not wish to be treated as some famed legend. So, when Trevor and Sypha critique him he accepts it though he does not know what else he can do about it.

It takes a long time for Adrian to cry. This in itself is a flaw. He has to be completely alone for him to do so. The fact he could not be vulnerable shows he still needs time to heal and he needs time to undertand himself better. Perhaps, he was mean to Trevor because he was jealous of him. Trevor was very unreserved and even though he lost everything could not be poised.

This ultimately shows how Alucard/Adrian Tepes completey upturns the mary su/gary stu concept, while still using it. Of course, Adrian is strong, talented and vert powerful but he lacks everyday skills that people use not in a way a basic mary su/gary stu gets away with it. He doesn’t. He has to take the pain of not knowing. Also, these lackings hurt him in the end as well.

So, you see how even a perfect character can become imperfect because the way the narrative and realism go the character may fail in some glaring ways that other less capable may succeed. In this way, Adrian was a very well written character who showed any character can be made to work seeing how their environment works, how their story moves foward and how they interact with others.

[juniper-shmuniper]

Billy you adorable dumbass

     billy loomis x reader x stu macher + ft. wearing/sharing their clothes

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Stu wears the softest… best fucking clothes. You hug your boy because his hugs are state of the art but you also do it because he wears the softest shit. Someone who knows how to give a proper bear hug + the bliss of a sweater that feels like woven happiness? Indescribable high. Where the fuck are you buying this stuff, is often a question you mumble unintelligibly while you rub your face into his chosen top of the day.

Stu also doesn’t have a bad sense of style. Actually he’s got a pretty good one. Even a little bit aware of fashion trends. Is he following them? Not really. But he’s #Aware. Has summer, fall and winter wardrobe and no we’re not talking in terms of warmth/environmental protection. We’re talking colors. Certain cuts on certain clothing. We can go on and on here           The point is the boy is style conscious.

In other words despite the fact that he’s huge stealing his clothes is fucking CHOICE. The fabrics? Nice. Colors? Nice. Style? Nice. Even if his shit is just totally hanging off you it looks so good that you’ll look good. Besides you look cute drowning in all his sweaters and shirts. He has aww’d at you out loud when he’s turned around and there you are in his clothes again.

He was being an obnoxious dick about it but actually meant it lowkey. His heart? Soft. Bat him away from you with flappy sleeves (which he looooves watching you push up/adjust all day long).

Billy notices you doing this thing™ with Stu that you never do with him and he is ….irritated to say the least.

Trying not to get mad about it because outside of this one thing you and Stu show absolutely no favoritism towards each over him. He’s getting honestly 0 vibes that you prefer each other to him. Thus, he’s trying to be reasonable (for once in his fucking life). Besides, he and Stu have their own “special” thing they do together. Even if this is just a special “two of you” thing he should be understanding of it, right?? … riGHT.

So anyway he’s gonna blow his fucking gasket. 

Once he blows up. And yes it is a blow up (he’s physically incapable of discussing his feelings. Can only snap and yell them). Stu is actually the one who mediates this one. Gets up right in the middle of Billy bitching and yelling. Just walks upstairs. Billy is now absolutely losing his fucking mind becAUSE WHERE DOES STU THINK HE’S GOING-

Stu comes back and tosses a sweater at Billy’s face full force. This did not make Billy less mad. Until he uses his one brain cell to realize it’s Stu telling him that if he wants to wear his shit he can and could’ve just totally been doing that all along. Why does he have to be so fucking difficult for? Nobody knows.

One part of his jealousy is fixed now even though he’s still trying to be huffy about it (he’s not putting on the sweater right now because he has to save face even though he wants to highkey).

“So why don’t you ever wear my shit, huh?“ Delightfully the focus is now on you. Your answer? Billy seems like the type to want his space/items/privacy/boundaries absolutely respected or God help you-

You didn’t really ask Stu to start wearing his clothes. It just happened naturally and increased in frequency naturally. You didn’t want to just do something with Billy and hope he went with the flow. Recipe for disaster right there.

Besides … you would’ve been embarrassed to just come out and ask if you can wear his clothes. It feels sappy and clingy to ask. Just doing it? Well the act is already done! Asking and then doing it? Flustered button has been pushed.

Silence settles in the room as you and Billy stare at each other wondering why you’re both like this. It’s rare that Stu gets to be the exasperated third party and he’s lowkey eating the shit it up.

Eventually Billy takes off his t-shirt and puts on Stu’s sweater. He tosses the t-shirt to you and you obediently put it on grinning the whole time.

The way you beam at him makes all his lingering insecurities melt away. Pretend this never happened anyone! Billy Loomis has never had a Moment of Vulnerability in his life. It was a false alarm. Shut the fuck up the both of you! Movie night is cancelled because y'all are laughing at him. He’s going home! Fuck you! No he doesn’t want a fucking hug-

You walk into school the next day wearing a white t-shirt that isn’t yours, a big ass cardigan that clEARLY isn’t yours and?? You look damn good. To the boys? You look very happily taken.

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