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mythalism · 8 days

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i realized the other day after posting about this fan theory that, at this point, it is basically talked about in fandom as if its canon, and newer fans might not understand why. my goal today was to explain the theory and all of the evidence we have for it in inquisition to give people a better understanding of why this has become so ubiquitous, and to hopefully have something to look back on in two months with that "apollo gift of prophecy" dodgeball meme when veilguard proves us right.

very important before i get started: this is not my theory. i didn't make it up. unfortunately, i also don't know exactly who did and if it could even be traced at this point. this is something that many people have believed for a long time, and i'm not the first to write about it. there are a lot of great posts and essays that speculate on this theory, and what it could mean for solas's character going forward.

PLEASE feel free to contribute thoughts, or link to posts you have made yourself or seen before in the replies/reblogs!!! much of my own experience with this comes from long before this account existed, so i dont have exact sources but rather random, amorphous fandom knowledge of this theory and what major arguments have circulated in the past 10 years. this post by @sammakesart and this post by @mrs-gauche went around recently and both touch on this theory and i highly recommend them both! i know @corseque has also written about this theory multiple times over the years.

i was first introduced to this on tumblr when it started gaining ground in the fandom after the release of trespasser in 2015, predominantly due to a couple of lines of cole dialogue from trespasser, so that is where we will begin.

shoutout to @daitranscripts and the dragon age wiki for the dialogue

this line of cole's is basically the foundation of this theory, and what is cited most often. i'm not entirely sure if the theory existed before trespasser, but if it did, i dont remember it being well-known or widely accepted like it is now.

this line is usually interpreted to suggest that solas, who would have been a spirit of wisdom/pride at the time, took a body and came into being as an elf at mythal's behest. this is also the line that suggests solas himself once wore vallaslin, and that he removed it himself using the same spell he uses on a romanced lavellan thousands of years later, but did so clumsily the first time and left the scar we can see on his eyebrow.

first i want to acknowledge what are pretty much the most damning indications of this theory

solas means "pride; to stand tall" in elvhen, according to world of thedas vol. 1

the dread wolf form we see in murals, written descriptions, and of course, in real life in the veilguard trailer, bears a pretty clear resemblance to pride demons:

most notably, in the face and eyes. yeah i dont really have anything else to say about those lmao it's pretty blatant

overall, inquisition tells us a great deal about spirits, and gives the player an alternate worldview through which to understand them, distinct from the chantry/circle narrative presented previously.

solas himself, along with cole, has a lot to say about the nature of spirits throughout his dialogue and banter with several characters. one sentiment that he espouses repeatedly is that spirits and demons are the same thing, but demons are a spirit corrupted and perverted away from its purpose.

Solas: They rarely seek this world. When they do, their natures do not often survive exposure to the people they encounter. Wisdom and purpose are too easily twisted to pride and desire

During All New, Faded for Her:

PC: Solas, you said your friend was a wisdom spirit. Solas: That is not its natural form. It has been corrupted. PC: Corrupted? Solas: Forced to act against its original purpose. What did they do, what did they do, what did they do?

second, that spirits and the fade are a mirror, and reflect the waking world. specifically, that spirits reflect the perception and expectation of a mortal, and adapts accordingly. belief makes reality.

On Ostagar:

PC: I've heard the stories. It would be interesting to hear what it was really like. Solas: That's just it. In the Fade, I see reflections created by spirits who react to the emotions of the warriors. One moment, I see heroic Wardens lighting the fire and a power mad villain sneering as he lets King Cailan fall. The next, I see an army overwhelmed and a veteran commander refusing to let more soldiers die in a lost cause. PC: And you can't tell which is real? Solas: It is the fade. They are all real.

and third, that spirits are people.

solas expresses concerns over what the breach does to spirits at multiple points, including here with cassandra.

he also regularly argues in favor of spirits personhood, and passionately pushes back against characters who argue the opposite, such as dorian:

as well as the inquisitor themselves, should they choose certain dialogue options:

PC: You trust these spirits not to possess you the first time you accidentally make a wish? Solas: Do you trust your friends not to turn on you? (authors note: LMFAOOOOOOO) PC: Well, yes, but they're people. Solas: Ah, of course. PC: You know what I mean. Solas: Are people only people because they are flesh and blood? Solas: Is Cassandra defined by her cheekbones and not her faith? Varric by his chest hair not his wit? PC: They're not defined by their bodies, but they do have bodies. You need one to be a person. Solas: A demon possessing a corpse has a body. PC: A living body. Solas: A demon possesses a living mage to become an abomination. PC: They didn't make that body. They just took it over. Solas: Technically your mother created your body, with some help from your father, one assumes. PC: You've thought about this. Solas: On occasion, yes. OR:

PC: Spirits are bound by their nature. You said it yourself. They're shaped by contact with real people. Solas: Just as Leliana was shaped by contact with Divine Justinia, as those who serve the inquisition are shaped by you. If I change your mind in this conversation, does that mean you're no more real than a spirit? OR: PC: Im certain you have some rhetorical trick ready to counter anything I say. Solas: It's likely. I've had a lot of time to discuss the question with people. Or "spirits", if you prefer.

aside from this entire conversation being hilarious and very fen'harel coded, i think its notable that his enthusiasm and snark here is distinct from the way he engages in other debates, where he is often clinical and detached. on the subject of spirits, however, we get a lot more emotional investment from him - it feels personal. as he says, he's thought about it. on occasion.

solas having originally been a spirit adds helpful context for his insistence on spirit's personhood despite modern thedas's completely contradictory beliefs, and also helps inform his worldview more generally, especially in regards to elves.

one of solas's most heavily criticized aspects is his disdain for modern elves and the dalish. and i agree, it's fucked up and he is an absolute ass about it at nearly every opportunity. however, his feelings regarding the elves sometimes seem... strange, even in the context of him being an ancient elf.

keeping in mind cole's line from trespasser, that he "did not want a body", as well as another cole line from trespasser:

most people infer that there is some sort of resentment on solas's end for him having to become human at mythal's request. it seems as if he was turned away from his purpose. wisdom forced to be pride.

cole's personal quest, which shows solas passionately arguing to keep cole a spirit, supports this. it is almost as if he is trying to prevent cole from the same fate that was forced upon him.

throughout the quest he says things such as: "This is not some fanciful story, child of the stone. We cannot change our nature by wishing." "A spirit does not work through emotions. It embodies them." "You would alter the essence of what he is." "It is good that he is not entirely changed, however human he becomes."

most telling of all, i think is this line at the end of the quest if you elect to keep cole as a spirit.

Varric: "He could have been a person." Solas: Possibly. Would that have made him happier?

OUGGHGH.

clearly, for solas, the answer was no. being a person has not made him happier.

regardless, solas still values spirits as fundamentally equal to people despite their differences and worthy of the same freedoms, self-determination and respect.

this kinship with spirits, however, might help explain his disdain for elves, in a way i find to be more satisfying than "all ancient elves are assholes" and more in-line with his character overall.

it seems as if solas doesnt see himself as separate from modern elves because he doesnt see himself as a modern elf, but that he doesnt not see himself as an elf at all, but rather as a spirit.

solas infamously says, following halamshiral if you bring up briala:

"I'm sorry, I was confused. I do not consider myself to have much in common with the elves."

the inquisitor has the option for several responses, and although most of us probably pick the one that tells him to fuck off, the others are more telling:

PC: Nor should you. You're not defined by the shape of your ears. They're not your people. Solas: No, they are not. OR PC: Who do you have much in common with. Who are your people? Solas: A good question. Solas: I joined the inquisition to save the world. Regardless of who "my people" are, this was the best way to help him.

"not being defined by the shape of your ears" and solas's immediate identification with the statement and approval of it sticks out to me. it seems like he's just being racist, and he very well might be, but in the context of this theory, it can also be interpreted as him disliking being "defined" by having a body at all, or any physical characteristics, consistent with how he resists the idea that varric and cassandra are defined by their own physical characteristics.

if the player insists they want to help the orlesian elves even if he doesnt, he still has something interesting to say:

Solas: Stop Corypheus. That will do for a start. It speaks well of you to feel for the oppressed. Help them for that. Know them for what they are.

this is not the only time he equates all oppressed groups of thedas to one another, defined by their shared subjugation rather than the real, in-world divisions such as race and religion. it's also interesting to consider the relationship between oppression, as a situation that evokes certain emotions in those who experience it, such as pride. as solas says of ostagar, spirits there were drawn to the emotions of the soldiers there. are spirits of pride drawn to situations of oppression, where pride is needed for liberation?

solas's failure (or refusal) to recognize the reality of how oppression functions in modern thedas along lines of race and ethnicity specifically is one of his biggest flaws, but it continues to fit with this theory, as it is consistent with that same sort of single-minded, spirit tunnel-vision that we see from spirits and demons. i would also assume that he considers spirits to be part of this monolithic group of "the oppressed", considering the spirit slavery/bondage practices in tevinter and nevarra, both of which he criticizes.

i do believe, however, that to equate all of solas's unfair derision of the dalish to him identifying with spirits over people, rather than ancient elves over modern elves, would be too generous and an oversimplification. its also clear how much of his anger towards the dalish comes from... wait for it.... his wounded pride.

solas is prideful. when he is faced with pride in others, he becomes defensive, even nasty. when his pride is challenged, often by others pride, he becomes almost unrecognizable. the dalish specifically rub up against his pride, in the most specific of ways that grate at his most cherished qualities and that disregard his own perception of himself. the thing he is most proud of, leading a slave rebellion against corrupt tyrants, erased from history entirely. branded a traitor instead, while those he fought against are worshiped as saviors for millennia.

Solas: I have joined my fair share of causes. But when I offered lessons learned in the Fade, I was derided by my enemies... and sometimes by my allies. Liar. Fool. Madman. There are endless ways to say something isn't worth listening to. Over time, it grinds away at you.

its also possible, considering what we know of the nature of expectation creating reality for spirits, that the dalish framing of the dread wolf actually does indeed make him worse - more arrogant, less compassionate, more ruthless, more cunning, more of a liar. a spirit being perverted into a demon based on the dominant perception of it.

perhaps the most interesting tidbit about solas of all which supports this theory, is that this phenomenon of expectation shaping his nature, making him more prideful or more humble, is not exclusive to the world of thedas, but also occurs on a meta-level with the player by proxy of the inquisitor.

a 2020 interview of trick weekes, solas's writer, says this pretty much verbatim.

"Solas mirrors. If you approach Solas from a place of humility and say, "I want to learn from you," Solas will bend over backwards to tell you how flawed he is and how he's just coming at this from his own limited understanding. If you come in with ego, Solas is genetically incapable of not bristling when he sees your ego... because he can't not do that."

this is fascinating for like 7 million reasons, but most notably for the language trick uses that i believe to be incredibly revealing. first, solas himself talks about how spirits "mirror" the real world multiple times. second is the way in which they speak about solas's mirroring as innate, uncontrollable, and involuntary. he is genetically incapable of not mirroring. genetically incapable of not bristling at someone else's pride. this being a genetic incapability implies, pretty unambigously, that he is a spirit. we dont know of any people in thedas who have pride in their DNA. except. you know. pride demons.

pride is his purpose. he cannot turn away from it or betray that purpose to pursue something else. he cannot change his nature simply by wishing. if he were to attempt it, he would be corrupted.

trick offers this information as an explanation for player's extremely varied perception of solas when playing the game, and it perfectly mimics the way solas himself talks about spirits as being created by a dreamer's expectation of them.

when asked about his friendships with spirits, he says:.

PC: You're saying that you became friends with pride and desire demons? Solas: They were not demons for me. PC: Meaning? Solas: The Fade reflects the minds of the living. If you expect a spirit of wisdom to be a pride demon, it will adapt/ And if your mind is free of corrupting influences? If you understand the nature of the spirit? They can be fast friends.

i just love how perfectly this reflects every fandom argument that's been had on twitter about solas for the past 10 years. like seriously.

random twitter user: you like that guy!? but hes a [demon]!! solas stans: he wasn't a demon for me

and it is true; people who are pretty deep into the games often know what solas is like to a low-approval inquisitor, but it can be shocking for new players to see what he is like at the other end of the approval spectrum, whether that is someone who hated him seeing the tenderness with which he kisses a romanced lavellan goodbye to remove her anchor in trespasser, or someone who romanced him witnessing the cruelty and detachment which with he grabs a low-approval inquisitor to yank off their anchor. he becomes almost an entirely different person based on how the player treats him.

for all that solas, in true spirit form, reflects the perceptions of the players, he has plenty of pure pride-demon vibes on his own, independent of player expectation. he is not just proud, or made proud as a mirror for player/character pride, but he often even goes as far as to act in ways that mimic how we have seen from spirits more generally, as well as pride demons specifically.

the wiki states:

"Spirits are not complex in the sense that they seize upon a single facet of human experience, and this one idea becomes their identity.[3] They are formed as a reflection of the real world and its passions.[10] A spirit embodies and latches onto a specific purpose and will do all in its power to fulfill that purpose. For instance, a hunger demon will attempt to feed on anything it crosses,[4] and a spirit of justice will stop at nothing to uphold its name”

along with further reinforcing solas's tunnel vission as characteristic of spirits, he does indeed intentionally attempt to stoke arrogance in others, as well as test characters to see if they are vulnerable to arrogance and power-hungriness. this is probably best exemplified by his banter with vivienne, versus his banter with cassandra.

i mean this one is self explanatory. cmon.

but it becomes especially interesting when compared to his interactions with cassandra, of whom he starts out very distrustful of. however, through their banter, he immediately begins to test her for indications of her inclination towards arrogance and desire for power:

cassandra passes solas's tests and earns his approval through her humility, curiosity, and willingness to give up power for the greater good. as a result, solas softens considerably towards her, and becomes more evocative of wisdom than pride, offering her advice when she asks, though very humbly:

"i would hardly presume" is actually hilarious considering how he does presume. ALL THE TIME. but it shows the extent of this "mirroring" that trick mentions, when compared to how he speaks with vivienne, who does not pass his tests of pride: notice how his jabs at her specifically target her pride, the things she is proud of about herself, and tear them down:

he tells her that her position in the orlesian court is unearned, that the freedom she is so proud of winning for herself will come to an inevitable end, and that her resistance to demons does not make her special. its absolutely BRUTAL.

its especially important to note how little bearing vivienne and cassandra's backgrounds have on solas's perception of them. vivienne is a circle mage, a group of people who solas deeply sympathizes with, and believes should be freed. meanwhile cassandra is effectively templar, a group whom solas despises and finds unjust, and has been complacent in the oppression of mages that solas is so vehemently against.

and yet? it does not matter. he measures their worth based entirely on their propensity for pride.

it’s worth noting too, keeping in mind Solas’s almost uncharacteristic reverence for cassandra’s faith in the maker and (take this with a grain of salt because it was david gaider and he said via forum post….) that there are actually two types of spirits that become pride. wisdom, and faith.

"A spirit embodies and latches onto a specific purpose and will do all in its power to fulfill that purpose."

what we DONT know: pretty much everything else about this. what was the process like? at what point in history did he take the body? how was that body made? was it stolen? did he start as wisdom and turn into pride later? did he always oscillate between both? was he corrupted by what was asked of him, to fight, as his friend was in his personal quest?

i could continue talking about this forever, probably, especially with how it manifests in the solavellan relationship and what it suggests for solas's story in veilguard, but ill cut it here for both my own sanity and yours. but first, a few fun dialogue bits that strike me as very pride-demon coded but didn't fit anywhere else in this analysis.

in conclusion:

#phew!#love putting my autism + english degree to good use on a saturday morning :D #come get yall juice #solas #solas dragon age #dragon age #meta #dragon age meta

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cardentist · 9 months

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op turned off reblogs on this post [Link], so I'm reposting this over here:

it's Extremely Unfortunate that we're at the point in trans masc exclusionism where we have to be hyper vigilant against seemingly innocuous posts.

when the op of this post says "men" in this post she means trans men.

trans men who present masc before (and sometimes during and after) hrt are often clocked as butch lesbians, because they are seen as feminine bodies presenting masculinely.

while there Are cis men who present similarly to butch lesbians (there's a very famous meme about it), how many cis men do you know that are Actively Trying or Want to present like butch lesbians?

or how about the Not Insignificant Overlap between trans mascs And butch lesbians (and lesbians in general)? the amount of trans mascs who identified as lesbians before they knew, who sometimes continue to feel a connection to that community as they realize more about their identity.

when op says "transandrophobia truthers" are the exact group of people this post was made about he's talking about trans mascs. this is a post saying that Trans Mascs aren't The Real Thing. and more specifically, the "transandrophobia truther" dog whistle refers back to trans mascs who stand up for themselves. who want their trauma to be taken seriously, who want to be treated like equals within the community. [Link]

it is a derogatory term that was specifically created by exclusionists to belittle trans mascs who speak up for themselves. it is Explicitly About trans mascs, and yet it's a term that people who are unfamiliar with the harassment happening towards trans mascs won't recognize.

and the nasty thing about it is that op was Intentionally trying to make a jab to hurt and belittle trans mascs while Framing it as a support post for trans and lesbian women. people who don't Already Know are going to interact with this post thinking that it's Only a positivity post.

thinking that it's just a silly little post punching up at cishet society.

when it's transphobia pointed at trans masc people.

I've said it before, but all exclusionism on this site is the same. it's the Exact Same tactics used over and over and over again, just with different targets.

and you saw Exactly this technique with ace exclusion All The Time. make a post that seems silly and lighthearted on the surface, that's Worded like it's referring to a privileged group, so that people pass it around without thinking about it.

but the Undercurrent, is a coded message to hurt a specific minority group, to hurt the target that's Familiar Enough with their own exclusion to read the intended insult.

and by Coding It, by making it a dog whistle instead of making it explicit, it Seems like more people support their position than they do (furthering the feeling of isolation in their victims). and works to help Normalize their talking points as they slowly become more explicit (intending to convert more people).

with asexuals it was "cishets trying to invade queer spaces," with trans mascs it's "men trying to invade trans/women's spaces."

it's intuitive that queer people punch up at cishets, it's Intuitive that trans people and women punch up at men, and That's The Point.

if the op of this post hadn't Explicitly referred to trans mascs in the notes ("transandrophobia truthers"), then I probably wouldn't have figured out what they were doing. I would've felt put off by it (as I was intended to, as it was created with the explicit intent to make people like me feel uncomfortable), but I wouldn't have had reason to look further into it. I probably would've just brushed it off and moved on.

unfortunately the only way around it is hypervigilence (learning the dog whistles, familiarizing yourself with how exclusionists talk about their victims), and hoping that the hand was tipped somewhere. hoping that the people who do this give away what their real Intent was.

and it's frustrating because the Vast Majority of the notes on the original post are just people having fun. who saw a post about trans butch lesbians and got excited and happy. and it's So Gross to see someone weaponize that.

it's unfair that people Need to be hypervigilent about posts About Them. it's one of the more upsetting aspects About exclusionism.

#discourse #exclusionism #transphobia #transandrophobia #queer unity #I do think the fact that op immediately locked down #means that I was right on the money #not that it was up for debate #because they said what they meant outright themselves for free

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shizucheese · 7 months

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Okay okay okay, I need everyone to listen to me about this.

I know I kinda talked about this before in a reblog to someone else's post, but the idea has been rotating in my brain ever since and I feel like it needs to be further explored. A lot of people have been talking about the differences between TMA and TMP, and memeing about how people can actually quit the OIAR (which btw, I'll believe when I actually see it, by which I mean if we're able to get through the entire series without Teddy either coming back or turning up dead or otherwise facing "You can quit but you can never leave" levels of repercussions) but like nobody, from what I've seen, has been talking about what imo is the pretty glaringly obvious element at play here. So let's talk about the spider in the room, shall we? What do we know about the Magnus Institute in TMA?

People came there to give statements regarding their spooky experiences, including people who had doubts about doing so (because they weren't sure if the Institute was reputable, because they weren't sure if they believed what they had experienced, because they served a different entity so what reason would they have to do something for The Eye, etc).

The head archivist would ultimately become the Archivist, an Avatar of the Eye.

The Archivist's abilities included enabling statement givers to give their statements without going off track or leaving out details (we even see what happens when it's not the Archivist taking the statement), and being able to compel people to tell them things against their will, from statements to their darkest secrets.

You couldn't quit, at least not without gouging your eyes out.

The Magnus Institute was a part of the Eye.

Or was it? Because the other thing we know about the Magnus Institute is that the Web was using it as part of its plan to break free from the TMA world and gain access to the other worlds out there. How much of the compulsion aspects of the Institute-- people being drawn to the Institute to give statements, the Archivist's ability to draw statements and secrets out of people, people's inability to quit the Institute--was actually because of the Web? Where does the Eye's "compulsion to seek out knowledge even if it could be bad/ harmful" end and the Web's "not being in control of your own actions" begin? Was the Archivist--at least in the form Gertrude and John took--really purely an Avatar of the Eye? Or were they an Avatar of a mix between The Eye and the Web, much like how Martin, if he were to ever become a full fledged Avatar, likely would have been a mix of the Eye and the Lonely, just like his domain in S5 was? After all, Jonah was an Eye Avatar, was he not? And as far as we saw, he never needed to compel information out of people. He just Knew it (and used it to torment people).

One of the themes I've been playing around with in my TMA fanfictions since I first finished the podcast for the first time last winter is how the course of history would be different in the alternate worlds, where the Web wasn't interfering--at least not on the same scale, or for the same reasons--since it had already gotten what it wanted at the end of TMA. And I think that's exactly what we're seeing a version of in Protocol. I think the OIAR is what it looks like when it's entirely the Eye at play, with 0 interference from the Web. The Eye is all about having your secrets exposed, being watched, being followed. The tape recorders--something that would need to be turned off and on (controlled) in order to record something--were a tool of the Web. Now we're "witnessing" the events of the podcast through the audio from security cameras and other things that are constantly running; constantly seeing and listening without needing to be turned on and off. The statements aren't being given by people who somehow found their way to the institute and were on some level or another compelled to tell their tales. They're journal entries detailing a person's private thoughts. They're letters meant only for the eyes of the recipient, sharing secrets not meant for anyone else. They're recorded therapy sessions.

And the statements that are related to the Eye? The ones read in John's voice? They're forum and blog posts, which not only makes them the only ones whose sources didn't have the same expectation of privacy as the others, also ties them to the Web, since computers and websites were previously established as being associated with it.

#the magnus protocol #the magnus protocol spoilers #tmp #tmp spoilers #tmagp #tmagp spoilers #tma spoilers #shizu's red string board

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ljubitelj-sonca · 3 months

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How to find your way around Joblr!

Hello! This is your first time on Joblr and you're wondering how this works? So relatable, been there, this website can be confusing!

But do not fret. We're happy to have you here and want you to have a good time.

So here's a guide on how to exist on Tumblr dot com and how to have a good time being a fan of Joker Out on this website.

Collectively written by the Joblr Discord Server.

Here you'll find:

what you are getting yourself into

a step by step guide on how this website works

spoken and unspoken rules of RPF on tumblr

First of all, what are you getting yourself into?

Pros:

So many talented artists, writers, editors, gif makers, meme makers, it's actually wild! And they all do this for free!!

Long rant posts with detailed analyses on whatever new photos Damon has taken of the guys

Pics, Gifs, vids and clips of gigs, interviews and their social media, also often throwbacks (with sources/credits if the original posters didn't take them themselves)

So many lovely and unhinged thoughts people leave in the tags when reblogging your posts (more on how that works later) so you see direct reactions to what you've made

A very chill environment with virtually no drama or arguments (and we really mean that <3), the only thing we're feral about are the guys

Cons (or something):

The "what is Kris's hair colour?" discourse pops up every couple months

So many polls (but are we really complaining about that?)

You're intrigued! Nice! How does all this work then?

Step 1 - your blog:

Create your blog and customize it.

Unfortunately Tumblr is dealing with a lot of bots that look exactly like new blogs. So if you keep your profile picture and header as the default one, blogs you follow might think you're a bot and block you. TO PREVENT THAT: change your profile pic and header to something you like and maybe add something in your description, even if it's just "Hi, I'm just here to lurk, do not perceive me".

That shows other blogs that you're a real person and they'll enjoy having you as a follower.

Step 2 - general tags:

Take a look at some tags you enjoy.

Tumblr is all about tagging, which is essentially nothing other than a hashtag, but they're only at the very bottom of a post, in a separate little section. (Writing "#joker out" in the middle of your post does absolutely nothing, but if you use the tag "joker out" in the tags section, your post will appear in the "#joker out" tag on tumblr)

For example, we have tags for each of the boys, as well as a general "joker out" of course. But there are also tags for ships (more on ships later!). Find some you're interested in and take a peep inside.

(You can also follow tags to find them easier again later.)

Step 3 - reblogging (and more tags):

See a post you like? Reblog it!

Reblogging is just about the best thing about tumblr, it's truly the easiest and quickest way to connect with other blogs.

A reblog is a little bit like a retweet on Twitter, it is not a repost! You are taking a copy of the post and slapping it onto your blog, kinda like a scrap book. But the fun thing: you can leave your thoughts!

Here's where tags come back into play: they're not only to file your posts and to have them appear in tags, they're the place to leave any little comments you might have.

For example: you see a post with a gif of Kris at a gig, he's wearing an outfit you like and fun sunglasses. So you click on the little reblog button. At the very bottom of the post, you have the gray bubble with the tag "#add tags to help people find your post" (or whatever it corresponds to in your language) (or just "add tags" on mobile). Click it, and write what you think.

#Kris i missed you!! #he looks so good in that jacket #and also thank you to whoever gave him those sunglasses #<3333 #Kris Guštin #joker out

Then when you reblog the post, it will appear on your blog with those tags at the bottom. The tags you leave on a post will only be on your blog. Someone in turn can reblog the post from your blog and leave their own tags.

The original poster (short: op) will see all the tags people leave on their post in their activity and other people can see them when they click on "notes". It's so much fun to click through what people leave in the tags, be it your own post or someone else's.

Of course you don't have to reblog posts, the like button is there too. But reblogs are the only way posts are spread throughout the fandom, as there is no proper algorithm (which we're all very glad about!!!), and they're the way for you to personalise your blog. So reblog liberally! It's how this website thrives!

Step 4 - following blogs:

Follow blogs you enjoy!

In order for posts to appear on your feed (your timeline), you have to follow blogs, that makes sense. So when you find a blog whose posts (or art or writing or whatever they blog about) you like, give them a follow.

Now, on other websites it might be seen as creepy to spamlike someone's account. Here it's like the biggest compliment ever to go through someone's blog and like and reblog a lot of their posts (especially if you leave your thoughts in the tags). It is absolutely flattering!

Step 5 - making posts:

Make posts if you want.

It's totally fine to just exist on this website and to like and reblog stuff, there is absolutely no pressure. But posting is fun!

You made some art? You took a photo or video at a concert? You have a question about something or just a cursed thought? We'd love to see it! Slap it into a post and share it with the Joker Out world.

Add tags about the people involved so others can find it, a little "#my art/video/pic" so we know you made/took it yourself, and even share some behind the scenes thoughts in the tags if you want.

Tags for a drawing can look like this for example:

#this took me so long #but I'm really proud of how it turned out!! #the shading was a struggle but oh welk #*well #tried a new brush #jure maček #my art #joker out

And then others can like and reblog your post with their own thoughts.

Keep in mind: do not (re)post someone else's art/Gifs/writing without their explicit consent! If you do (with their consent), credit them (you can add links to text by highlighting the text and clicking on the little link symbol, then copying the link into the bar. It looks like this.) (Here is a handy guide on how to repost Gifs on Tumblr while giving proper credit at the same time.) Same goes for sharing photos the band, their photographers or their friends have posted on social media: give credit when needed.

There has been a serious issue with people stealing Gifs off of Tumblr and posting them on Twitter without consent or credit. That is not okay! People spend a lot of time and effort making them, having them get stolen like that is incredibly frustrating!

Step 6 - making friends:

Interact with other people.

Now, we totally get that this is scary. But think about this: everyone else on this website, in this fandom, is just some guy (gender neutral). We're all wimps giggling, kicking our feet at five slovenian men and their music. Honestly, there's nothing scary about us, even if it might feel like it.

But we love making friends! And that doesn't necessarily entail sliding into some DMs to talk to people (but you can do that, most blogs are super okay with that), there are many ways to interact with others on this website.

The tags are one way of course, for your own thoughts or to respond to something OP has mentioned in their post. Making posts and polls and asking people to interact with you is another way, then you can see their thoughts in the tags, how fun is that!

Another way is asks, which is a special bonus feature on Tumblr. When you're on someone's blog, some have a little bubble below their description with "ask me anything" or something along that inside (unless they have turned off the feature). Click that, and you can ask them a question which they can then respond to publicly (or privately) in a post.

People use this feature for writing or art prompts, ask games, birthday wishes, or just to ask random questions or share thoughts. You can even send anonymous asks if you're too shy (some people take advantage of that to send anonymous hate. Do not be one of those people!). But it's always nice to have a face behind the ask.

Keep in mind, not all artists/writers are open for prompts or requests. Some state it somewhere on their blog if they are or aren't, some reblog lists with prompts and explicitly ask for them. If you're unsure, send them an ask or a DM and ask about it.

Then there are also Discord servers of course. There are a couple different ones floating around. If you're interested in the Joblr one for example, feel free to send me a DM! :D

Step 7 - ignoring and blocking:

Saw something you don't like? No stress, just ignore it.

It's as easy as that. The best way to have a good time in fandom, is to focus on what you enjoy. So when someone makes a post you don't like or has a take you disagree with, just scroll past it.

If you feel like the blog and its posts you don't like keep appearing, block them. For real, the block button is your friend. And no one is going to be mad at you, promise.

Arguing on the internet is not fun for anyone involved (you, the person who made the post, everyone who sees your argument), especially when it's about personal opinions (that includes interpretations, ships, even kinks). So it's best to just. not.

There’s also the option to blacklist/filter tags, if you don’t like a specific ship for example, but it’s also really helpful for triggers you’d rather not see! On desktop, you do so by clicking “Settings” and then scrolling down until you see “Content you see”. There under “Filtered Tags” you can add tags you’d rather avoid, and under “Filtered Post Content” you can do the same with, well, post content. On mobile, you go to your blog and click the settings icon, then “Account Settings”, then “Content You See”. There you’ll find “Filtered Tags” and “Filtered Post Content”.

This way, posts that are tagged with the filtered tag or include the filtered word will be blocked with the message “This post contains filtered tags/content”. There’s also a button to view the post anyways, but you do so at your own risk of course! There’s content you’d rather not see behind it!

(Of course, if you see someone being bigoted, being particularly hateful or spreading misinformation, that's a different thing! It's totally fine to defend or correct someone. In most cases, the comment section or even DMs is the best place for that, to keep it about the people involved. Making posts about it, will let it get out of hand and is rarely necessary, unless it's really important.)

Spoken and unspoken rules of RPF (real people fiction) on Tumblr (and by extension: AO3)

(In no particular order)

1. They're real people.

Joker Out's members (and their friends) are real people we know virtually nothing about. We know that we know virtually nothing about them. And we are totally okay with this.

The people we post about, write fics about, draw are fictionalised versions of the real people (maybe with the exception of when we post pics/vids we've taken or share what they've shared on social media). Most of it is made up, because again, we don't know them. And in no way shape or form is anything we write/post/draw speculation about what they might be like in real life. We know this and are okay with this and that's exactly what makes RPF fun.

This way we can just make shit up! Wanna draw them in skirts? Give them random jobs? Trans their genders? Think about different dynamics? All of that is fair game, because it's all made up.

So when we call Kris a princess and Jan a babygirl, we are not reducing them to that or think that they're only like this in real life. In the next sentence, we might call Jan a hunky dude, and both are correct.

Same goes for ships. Ships like Jan x Nace, or Kris x Damon stem from the interactions the real people share with us, but in the end, anything we make of it is entirely made up and doesn't represent the real people at all. Be it an AU or something that could've happened during an event that really happened.

You'll often find disclamers like this (much shorter versions tho) in the beginning notes of fics.

2. Keep fandom in fandom spaces.

Fandom is not a secret, the guys are probably well aware of what's happening on social media in their fandom spaces (though probably no specifics). So far they have not expressed any discomfort with any of it, even encouraged it in some way or another.

If that ever changes, if they ever do say that they are uncomfortable with what is written about them, we will respect that and refrain from doing so. Their comfort comes first.

Still, we don't want them to accidentally stumble across something they haven't been actively searching for, so we keep it on Tumblr and AO3, where it's unlikely they'll just randomly find it.

So please refrain from sharing art/fics on sites like Twitter or Instagram, which we know they frequent, if the artists don't post them there themselves.

3. Don’t like? Don’t read.

This rule goes for basically everything on the internet and corresponds with Step 7 - Ignoring and blocking, but it’s helpful to repeat it here again.

You might enjoy being in a real people fandom differently than others. Maybe you don’t like reading fics about the people involved, or don’t like some interpretations others have of them. That is totally okay! Everyone enjoys different things.

But if you don’t like something, simply don’t read it - or scroll past it, or block the blog, or filter the tag, you get the gist. Receiving comments like, “this is so weird, why does this exist? Why are people like this?” is incredibly hurtful and will gain the commenter absolutely nothing (apart from others thinking they’re a super shitty person), so don’t leave them. Just go on with your day.

Tldr: Be respectful, be mindful, be creative, be open, and if need be, take a step back. That’s really all it takes.

Alrighty! Now you know a whole lot more about how Tumblr works and how we're existing in the fandom here.

We hope you're staying for longer than just to lurk about what it's like here, and that you're having a good time. We’re looking forward to going feral about Joker Out with you!

If you have any questions, the comment section is a good place to leave them, there others can find them and the answers as well. Or feel free to try out the ask button on my blog <3

#thanks to the lovely people in the Joblr discord for helping with this #we're genuinely having the time of our lives here #and we know and want you to have the same fun #joker out #bojan cvjetićanin #kris guštin #jan peteh #jure maček #nace jordan #joblr

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hello-from-the-night-archives · 10 months

Text

hello from the hallowoods dashboard simulator

😈 valerie-meme-stone

I'm not ready for my spotify wrapped to just be stonemaiden. like i get it spotify i know i'm gay

53 notes

📝 the-poetry-panopticon Follow

Unfriendly reminder not to sign up for a Dreaming Box subscription! The Botulus Corporation is not to be trusted! Here's an article explaining the language in their contract and why it's concerning! In addtion, they use AI generated images in the Prime Dream, which we should all know by now is unethical.

14,034 notes

🥗 bisexualranchdressing Follow

dang this is crazy. i thought wildfire smoke was bad but what the fuck is this????

🌅 nerdy-tragedy-theorist Follow

well according to color theory

🌅 nerdy-tragedy-theorist Follow

never mind i've got nothing

739 notes

⚡ evil-electrician Follow

friendly reminder to stop spreading misinformation about the black water! people are saying that it brings people and animals back to life but that's not exactly true! although their body may be back, they're not the same person and they will likely become violent and dangerous. please stay inside and be really careful what you and your pets eat or drink.

🐈‍⬛ cats-not-capitalism Follow

fuck you op i'm keeping my undead cat

⚡ evil-electrician Follow

good luck keeping your fingers

48,230 notes

🐧 morally-grey-penguin Follow

1,383,248 notes

eccentricelina-deactivated04232030

i must not go to sleep in the lake today. afternoon nap is the mind killer

eccentricelina-deactivated04232030

mmmmmm cozy

eccentricelina-deactivated04232030

where is my skin

eccentricelina-deactivated04232030

going back to sleep honk shoooooo

635 notes

🌮 mysteriously-crafty-nacho Follow

reblog this post to go north with the person you reblogged this from

54,092 notes

🧊 botulus-corporation Follow

The Botulus Corporation is with you during this difficult time. Join our happy dreaming family where you and your loved ones will be safe from the rain. Tumblr users get 30% off on a Dreaming Box subscription!

🐨 chief-koala-typhoon Follow

73,932 notes

🌿 shiny-wolf-tragedy Follow

it fucken rainny

🐼 dreamland-panda Follow

love that they'll be a literal apocalyse and tumblr users will just make memes. never change tumblr

72,138 notes

👁️‍🗨️ the-magnus-brotocol

choosing between the irl amazing digital circus or probably fucking dying was not on my 2030 bingo card but okay

👁️‍🗨️ the-magnus-brotocol

at this point i just gotta expect that if the year is divisible by 10 then something terrible will happen

94 notes

🐺 werewolves-are-hot

hey do you think i can get a real werewolf boyfriend now that monsters are real

🐺 werewolves-are-hot

any cute werewolf boyfriends in this part of the woods

429 notes

🌷 pleasant-arcade-land

oh man it's been a couple months since I last updated this fanfic huh! so I just drank some black water by accident and now I have a few extra fingers, and honestly that took some getting used to, but it's actually pretty convenient now and is really helpign me get more words in lol im still here writing homestuck fanfic in 2030 hehehehehe anyway new chapter here

38 notes

🌑 the-void-whispers Follow

so, it looks like tumblr might be dying soon due to, well, *gestures wildly.* You'll have to kill me before I join Twitter now that the Botulus Corporation bought it (and no, I am not calling it B, that is just stupid) so if you want to hear from me you will simply need to look out for passenger pigeons. in the meantime, ill be here until tumblr straight up dies and i have a crying session about it

🦌 gamer-guy-bath-water Follow

we do not grieve ice when it melts, or celebrate the sapling when it rises from the soil. they just are. life and death and rebirth are one constant state. and without change, there would be nothing to watch

⚔️ sword-lesbian-enthusiast

add that to the list of banger quotes from tumblr memes

82,362 notes

#my post #hfth #hfthw #hello from the hallowoods #unreality #fake post #hfth spoilers

258 notes · View notes

picturejasper20 · 2 months

Note

You what’s funny is that I’m seeing so much talk about how this explains why Mabel acted the way she did during Vs. The future.

And etc.

Because of the stuff going on with the parents.

Instead (or at least less so in my experience) of stuff like u and/or me talked about on here.

More on why Dipper seemed and clung so much to what/who he saw as authority figures, like Ford, more in Dipper acting mature/feels the need to act mature/be more mature/etc., why he also, maybe to extent didn’t want to leave (too), him but taking as much care of himself he should and having reoccurring nightmares, what exactly he maybe overheard his parents saying ;like theories on it), etc.

It just kind of bugs me a bit, because these these things are important and interesting. And like it was Dipper’s nightmares, not Mabel’s (at least of the dreams/nightmares that were revealed. The cast probably has more).

She was having nightmares herself ofc, but it involved her pig dying, not her parents. We don’t really knows how much she knows, though she could have suspicions. Though either way, Dipper and Mabel have obviously been affected by their parents in ways.

Anyways, just wish people talked about those kind of things more u and me talked about in relation to Dipper and his nightmares, instead of focusing so much on how this “explains” stuff w/ Mabel (not saying it doesn’t at all. Ur does some. But still).

Curious if u have experienced the stuff I talked about. I.e. how Mabel is affected by their parents, more than Dipper. Despite it being his nightmares? I just find it a bit odd and stuff.

Also, the post which image I an sharing here. I ofc, agree a lot with that post and ur tags.

Also, thank fir answering my other Ask. If u do ever rewatch the show to make that post talking about Dipper’s issues setting up boundaries and stuff. I would love if could ping me that post, if u post it, and if want to ping me. ^^

(Also, lmao at ur toxic your post about Furd and Bill)

Have a nice day/night!

Yes, it does explain quite a lot about Dipper's character in the series itself. He acts more serious than other kids from his age and he really was looking for the author from the journal because he related to him.

I wonder if he acted more ¨childish¨ and, after seeing that argument with his parents, he assumed that he needed to grow up more quickly than other kids? That he would have to depend mostly on himself? It is interesting to think about.

I wouldn't say i experienced that because i'm not that involved in the fandom. I only reblog some stuff i see around and memes of Bill getting drunk over his break up with Stanford (Lol). I haven't seen if people talk more about Mabel than Dipper when it comes to this reveal or confirmation about how their parents are.

And sure! I'll try keeping that in mind if i ever write about it.

#gravity falls #book of bill #dipper pines #mabel pines

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e-dubbc11 · 1 year

Text

The Sweetest Pain

Photos are not mine. They are courtesy of Pinterest/Google.

Pairing: Tattoo Artist Billy Russo AU x F! Reader

Warnings: Fluff, couple of swear words, mentions of oral sex F! Receiving, mention of fingering (18+ please, no minors or I’m telling)

Word Count: 4.7k-ish

Summary: You have a crush on your tattoo artist. As it turns out, he may have a crush on you too.

A/N: Part One of I’m not sure how many yet. This one is all the way self indulgent right down to some of the tattoo photos in the moodboard. Bottom center are all mine and the octopus is the reference photo my tattoo artist is working from for my latest one which isn’t finished yet. Based off of the lovely conversation my lovely Lily @munsonownsmyass and I had while I was being tattooed this last time. I hope you like it! ❤️

As always, thank you for reading! I appreciate it so much and comments, reblogs are welcome and encouraged. Don’t be shy to tell me your favorite part. 💕💕 💕

Casually thumbing through all the receipts in your wallet, you were looking for a specific one. You knew the appointment was coming up soon and you just wanted to make sure you had the right date…actually that was a lie, you knew exactly what day your appointment was on but you wanted to look at it again. Just looking at the receipt caused a smile to stretch across your face…every time.

At the top of the receipt had the date of your appointment, April 21, the line underneath the date had your name and phone number, the time of your appointment, and the name of your tattoo artist, Billy Russo.

Billy Russo. Just his name prompted the butterflies in your stomach and sent shivers down your spine. He was handsome, sweet, and had a very gentle touch when it came to tattooing whereas some artists you had previously gone to, did not. Looking at him, you swear he could have been a model with his good looks and perfect smile but he was an amazing artist and the perfect artist for what you wanted permanently inked on your body.

Some people preferred colored tattoos but you were in love with black and gray and they loved you. Billy always loved to tell you how well your skin took black ink and how anytime he tattooed you, your skin healed to perfection.

“Look at that. That healed up nicely, your skin really loves black ink doesn’t it.” He’d say with a warm smile.

Not only was Billy your tattoo artist, he was also your friend, texting back and forth, sending each other funny videos or memes, talking shit about some of his clients that didn’t sit well or that they were “flinchers.” It was just easy with him, you laughed a lot, shared stories, and Billy had many stories being a combat veteran. You felt like you could share anything with him and he was surprisingly comfortable with you, because he didn’t just openly share his life stories with a lot of people.

Billy was a very popular artist, everyone wanted an appointment with him so sometimes it was difficult to get into the shop. It took longer to do the sleeve you had been wanting than it should have because he was busy. Last time you had been at the studio, Billy put the finishing touches on it so this appointment coming up he would be tattooing your thigh, although he didn’t know it yet.

It was a sunny early spring afternoon walking to the studio in downtown Brooklyn. The breeze coming off of the water was cool but the sunlight directly hitting your skin felt exceedingly warm.

Billy had tattooed you countless times, but this would be the first time he’ll be tattooing you in a relatively intimate place, it was all you could think about, and you could feel the heat rising to your cheeks. Better to get it out of your system now than start to blush while you’re in the chair.

You were close and could see the shop window up ahead: Anvil Tattoo Studio. Goosebumps peppered across your skin as you fumbled for the door handle, you swallowed hard, and the butterflies in your stomach began to stir. You took a deep breath before walking through the door.

It was just another appointment, relax.

The scents of green soap, shaving cream, and something else that you never could quite put your finger on but the only way to describe it was…sterile, wafted through the air as you walked inside. The buzzing of the tattoo machines altogether sounded like a cluster of cicadas as they scratched and scraped across the skin. Closing the door behind you, Billy looked up from the client he was working on and smiled his perfect smile at you, and your stomach dropped.

So much for not blushing.

Billy’s best friend Frank sat in the chair across from him, watching closely as Billy placed red ink into a woman’s arm.

“I’m just finishing up, y/n. I’m so sorry I’m running late.” He said apologetically.

As you took a seat on the couch, Frank whispered something to Billy that made him look in your direction and smile. All of a sudden Frank was sitting next to you on the couch.

“How ya doin’, kid? What are ya gettin’ today?” Frank asked with a smirk on his face.

You smiled back. “I’m good, Frank! And today I’m getting an octopus.”

He looked at your arm with the sleeve, pointed and said “Well, I know you’re not putting it on that arm. You gonna start work on your other arm?”

You bit down on your lower lip, shook your head and gently touched your leg. “Actually, I want this one…on my thigh.”

Frank raised his eyebrows and sounded surprised when he replied “Really?” A sly smile spread across his face.

“What’s that look for?” You asked, narrowing your eyes at him.

Frank glanced at Billy, then back at you. “Bill know that you want your tattoo there?”

“Well, no…not yet. You saw me, I just got here.” You said nervously.

Frank continued to smirk at you.

“Ok, well I gotta get goin’. You have fun, kid. I wanna see a picture when it’s done and if know Bill like I think I do, it’s not getting finished tonight.” He said.

Looking a little confused, you replied. “I dunno, Frank. Billy works pretty fast.”

Frank reached out and grabbed the door handle. And only loud enough for you to hear, he whispered “When he wants to. Why do you think it took him so long to do that sleeve of yours?” He gave you a wink and walked out.

You sat back against the couch with Frank’s words played again in your head. “When he wants to.” What was that supposed to mean? Did Billy purposely work slower on your sleeve so he could see you more often?

Billy could have any woman he wanted. Sometimes they would come into the studio in droves wanting to make an appointment with him. He’d always tell them he’s booked solid for the next six months, which wasn’t a lie. You witnessed it firsthand one night while you were in the chair.

They all came in batting their eyelashes and twirling their hair asking for something small that ANY tattoo artist could do. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at every sound that came out of their mouths because you had to admit, it did make you a little jealous even though you had no right to be.

Billy tattooed a lot of people, it was how he made his living. He wasn’t just yours, but maybe you wanted him to be. Maybe you wanted him to tenderly touch your skin in other ways, not just in a professional setting, and because he wants to and not because you’re paying him to.

As he finished up with his client, it was hard not to steal glances at him. He really was the most handsome man you had ever seen but you knew he couldn’t have the same feelings for you that you had for him. Yes, you were friends, but that’s it.

But what if Frank was right? What if he wasn’t joking around and Billy did work slower on purpose so he could see you more often. Could Billy Russo have on crush on you too?

This could turn out to be a long night.

After Billy’s client paid for her tattoo, she said goodbye and walked toward the entrance of the shop. On her way out the door, she glared at you and walked out. What possesses people to be nasty to someone they don’t even know?

Maybe she, like all the women that stop into the shop, had a crush on Billy too. Still, there was no excuse for behavior like that so you returned the gesture and narrowed your eyes back at her before she walked out of the shop.

Walking out from behind the front desk, you finally got a good look at Billy today. He was wearing a green waffle knit shirt, black jeans, and black boots whereas most of the time he would be wearing a shirt with his shop logo on it.

With his arms stretched out, you moved in close for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. It was the standard greeting you usually got from Billy with an extra squeeze at the end of the hug followed by the biggest smile. This really was one of your favorite places to be.

“Come on over, have a seat at the desk while I clean up and then we can get started.” He said.

Billy only had one other artist working today and he was just about done with his client.

“I’m almost done for the day, Bill. I’ll clean up and take off in a few.” He said.

Warmth spread to your chest as you asked Billy. “Is anyone else working today, Billy?”

The scent of 409 cleaner hung in the air while he was wiping down his tattoo chair. He smiled again and answered. “Nope, it’s just you and me tonight y/n.”

Oh no.

You quickly changed the subject. “Frank didn’t want to stick around tonight?” Frank always liked visiting with Billy while he worked, they were best friends and he always seemed to like visiting with you too when you came in.

“Ah Frankie said he had to get the kids off the school bus and make dinner tonight so he couldn’t hang out. He always likes it when you come in though.” Said Billy.

Was he the only one that likes it when you come into the shop?

“Why do you think it took him so long to do that sleeve of yours?”

Those words sounded like a broken record playing over and over in your mind and you remembered the first time he touched that tattoo needle to your skin. You placed your arm on the stand alone armrest and he started in on the outline but quickly paused.

“You’re gonna have to move a little closer to me, darlin’. It’s ok, I don’t bite.” He had said with a wink and a slightly wicked smile, as he pulled you closer to him.

The little flirtations progressed from there.

Starting out with a ¼ sleeve, he tattooed from your collar bone to just past your shoulder. You had to move your tank top and bra strap out of the way so he could work on that area, resting his hands on your chest, his long agile fingers wrapped tightly around the pen as he meticulously shaded the poppy flowers and lace. Every time he exhaled, his breath came in contact with you, goosebumps would scatter across your skin and he’d always ask if you were cold.

“Oh! No, no…Billy I’m fine.” You said.

When he tattooed the skull on your triceps, you had to lay face down on the tattoo chair, fingers grazing his pant leg, rubbing the fabric in between your fingertips took your mind off of the pain from the shading, that spot is surprisingly tender.

He pulled you out of your daydream.

“Huh?” You asked.

He smirked. “I said what are we doing today?”

“Oh! Right! I’d like an octopus.” You answered.

His deep brown eyes lit up as he asked excitedly. “Oh are we starting in on your other arm?” He took a sip of his water.

He wasn’t prepared for your answer.

“I’d actually like it on my thigh.” You said.

Billy coughed up a little water and swallowed hard as he finished cleaning up from his previous client and he seemed a little nervous. But he usually doesn’t get nervous and seeing him this way made you feel like maybe he DOES have a little crush on you.

He cleared his throat. “Oh! On your thigh? Ok, well do you have any, um, reference pictures for me?”

You pulled out your phone and navigated to the photo gallery, where you had a whole folder full of tattoo ideas and opened the photo of the one you liked. “I really like this little guy.” You said.

“Oh yeah, he’s great…this one is gonna be fun. Text that to me and I’ll start work on the stencil. You want this big, right? Take up most of the top of your thigh, right here?” He said as he placed both hands on your jeans, showing you the size he was thinking of.

“Yes, that’s a good size.” You answered.

“Come back and sit with me while I draw this up. You can tell me what’s new with you.” He said, rolling up his sleeves, revealing his patriotic tattoo sleeve underneath which you found incredibly sexy.

Billy asked about how work was going and life in general. You, in turn, asked how the business was doing, how his mom was even though he hated to talk about it. He had told you awhile ago he visits his dying mother once a week.

You think he mentioned that to you because subconsciously he wanted someone else to know, he didn’t want to keep that so close to the chest. It was a deep dark secret that hardly anyone knew about but you were privy to because he felt like he could trust you.

“She didn’t want me, she never wanted me.” He had said in a low voice, barely audible. “Shit, I really can’t believe I’m telling you all this.”

“You were a child, Billy. It’s ok to be angry.” You told him. “It’s just not good to keep that stuff inside, I’m glad you told me.”

Hovering over the light board, Billy continued to trace the outline of the octopus. “I’m almost done if you wanna change into your shorts.”

As you were changing in the restroom, you violently shook your hands and kicked your legs around to try and get out all of your nerves. The energy inside your body was shooting around like a pinball in a pinball machine, bouncing from one corner to the other and the butterflies in your stomach were turning in circles.

Stepping out from the restroom, suddenly you were a little self-conscious and felt exposed. Billy had never seen your bare legs before and the bike shorts you had on didn’t leave much to the imagination.

“All set?” He asked, his stare lingering longer than maybe he wanted it to.

You nodded and walked over toward his chair where he knelt down in front of you to shave the top of your thigh and just like that, your nerves were back with reinforcements. He was eye level with your core and your mind started to wander. You wondered what it would be like to have Billy’s face in between your legs, to have his beard tickle the inside of your thighs, placing kisses on the inside of your knees, and leaving love bites all over your stomach before devouring you.

It made you wet just thinking about it.

You pictured him pulling sinful sounds of pleasure from you using just his fingers. The same talented fingers he used to create beautiful works of art, now being used to draw circles on your clit. Parting your folds with one finger, then stretching you further with another, hitting that spot that makes your vision go white and your head spin.

“What do you think of the placement?” Billy asked, snapping you back to reality. “Go check it out in the mirror.”

You tried not to fall flat on your face as you slowly walked over to the full length mirror to look at the stencil, it took up most of the space on the top of your thigh and some of the tentacles wrapped slightly onto the side of your leg. He hadn’t even started yet and it already looked awesome.

“I love it!” You exclaimed.

Billy told you to stand around and wait for it to dry while he set up his machine, ink wells and other supplies. It was going to be mostly black and gray but the suction cups, you wanted them to be blue.

While you were waiting for the stencil to dry, you passed the time by checking out the other artist’s portfolios when Billy’s voice boomed from across the room. “ANDY! Stop checkin’ out y/n’s ass or you’re fired!”

No one could see, but you cracked a smile before you turned around to look at Andy who looked like a deer in headlights. He apologized profusely and you continued to look at everyone’s artwork while the stencil finished drying.

“Should be dry, y/n. Come have a seat.” He said.

The stack of paper towels was piled high on his side table, along with the box of black nitrile gloves. Everything was ready to go.

As you tried to get comfortable, Billy was figuring out how he wanted your leg to rest. You told him just to manipulate your leg to how he wanted it and because you have a dirty mind, you bit down on your lower lip to keep from laughing, realizing how that sounded when it came out. A slight smile spread across his face too.

He placed the copied photo you sent in front of him so he had a reference to work off of and got to work. The pen moved smoothly across your skin, drawing a solid black line for the outline of the head. The black ink pooling at the starting point as he wiped the excess away, concentrating on drawing a perfect line.

His gentle exhale grazed your thigh and left you wanting to clench but you couldn’t do that without risking him messing up, so you just held your breath in silence.

“Relax, darlin’. Ya know I tell you that every time you’re here. Relax your leg and turn it toward me…that’s it.” He whispered.

He had no idea what this was doing to you.

With both of his hands resting on your thigh, you closed your eyes and began to daydream again. You wondered if Billy had ever used his tattoo chair for play, thinking about his hands on the tops of your thighs and your hands making a mess of his ink like hair, as his tongue explores the part of your body emanating the most heat. The low moans he pulls from your lips fetch a wicked smile from him against your entrance that leaves your release glistening in his beard.

The long drag of the single needle against your leg jerked you out of your dream.

As he moved closer toward your inner thigh to draw one of the tentacles, the vibration of the needle hit a special spot that had you clenching your teeth. He stopped and looked at you, his eyes as black as the ink he was using, and the concern in his voice made you smile. “Are you ok? Did I hurt you?”

“No, Billy I’m fine…really.” You whispered which was followed by a slight chuckle.

“What’s so funny?” He asked. His tone was silvery and sweet like candy.

“Oh it’s nothing.” You said.

“Come on, y/n. Tell me.” He begged.

You paused for a second and finally got the courage to say it out loud.

“I was just thinking that after all these years of you tattooing me, you finally got my pants off.” And you burst out laughing.

Billy’s smile extended from ear to ear. He placed his pen on the table, took off his gloves, and said he had to go outside for a minute.

He stepped out onto the back deck, and left you inside alone. Andy took off a little while ago so it was just you and Billy at the shop.

A few minutes had passed when he came back inside, you were sitting sideways on the chair with your legs dangling off of the side. He walked right to you and stopped, the gap between your bodies was small and he gazed down at you. His onyx colored eyes had you frozen in place, almost forgetting to even breathe.

He had never looked more gorgeous.

As he bent at the waist, still staring at you, he raised one finger and said. “No one…has ever made me blush like that, y/n.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” You asked, looking up at him through your dark lashes.

Billy started to close the gap between your bodies even more like he was going to kiss you but pulled away just as fast.

“Lemme ask you something, y/n. Why do you think I took so long to finish your sleeve?” He asked.

Oh shit…Frank was right. But you decided to play dumb.

“Well, I don’t know Billy…I just figured since we spend a lot of time just talking before we actually start tattooing, we run out of time and you just book me another session. No big deal.” You said.

He starting shaking his head and put his hands on his hips. “No, that’s bullshit. You’ve seen how fast I can work, I coulda had that sleeve done in half the sessions it actually took.”

“Then tell me, Billy. Tell me why it took you so long.” You said with your voice slightly raised.

He ran his fingers through his raven colored hair and brushed his beard with his fingers. His slightly agitated state told you that he wasn’t used to saying how he felt.

“I did it on purpose so I could see you more often, ok?!”

You thought your heart was going to burst out of your chest. The feeling WAS mutual.

“And look, I know you’re probably mad that I made you come in—“

You interrupted him.

“I like you too, Billy.” You weren’t sure that he heard you over his ranting.

“What?” He asked and took a few steps closer again.

“I.Like.You.Too.”

You barely got that last word out before his lips crashed onto yours, his hands tangled in your hair and his tongue touched your teeth begging to twist and knot with yours. His kisses were hungry, all tongue and teeth as his nipped up and down your neck. Your body felt like it was on fire and you didn’t want him to stop but you were in the middle of getting a tattoo, so you pulled away.

“Billy? My leg.” You said, shyly.

“Fuck…I forgot.” He said as the two of you started to chuckle as he cupped your cheeks and leaned in to kiss you one more time.

After you cooled down at little, you and Billy resumed your session. He finished the outline and did a little shading before calling it a night, although it was difficult to concentrate on anything except remembering Billy’s lips all over you.

“I don’t wanna keep you here too late, beautiful.” Billy said with a warm smile as he started to clean off your skin, prepping it for the tegaderm dressing he was going to put on. The clear plastic film was thin, sterile and it kept out water and germs but it was also breathable which made the healing process a lot faster.

On his knees in front of you, he carefully placed large strips of the flexible plastic on your leg, making sure to cover the entire tattoo. Every time his calloused fingers grazed your leg, he felt the goosebumps rise up to touch his fingertips. You couldn’t help it.

“Is it cold in here, y/n?” Billy’s voice sounded very concerned.

You shook your head slowly back and forth, biting down on your lower lip and gazed down into his intense brown eyes. The skin on the top of your thigh was red and hot to the touch. It matched the skin on your cheeks. Billy inched closer to you, his warm exhale brushed against the inner part of your knee which made your vision hazy.

You could tell he was having a hard time concentrating too.

“Ok, you’re all set.” Billy said taking off his gloves. “That’s gonna look badass when it’s all done. When do you wanna come back?”

He asked nervously.

“Billy?” You asked.

“Yeah?”

“Please don’t make me wait.” You said with a slight hitch in your voice.

Throwing his gloves away, he started to walk over to his desk calendar.

“I don’t want you to wait, so just tell me when you want—“

You cut him off.

“I’m not talking about that, Billy.” You said.

He narrowed his eyes. “Then what—“

You interrupted him again.

“I want you to kiss me again, Billy. Don’t make me wait.”

He delicately moved a stray hair away from your eyes as you clasped your hands around his neck and pushed yourself up onto your toes to kiss him again. The taste of peppermint on his soft lips still lingered from the gum he was chewing earlier as you allowed his tongue access to your mouth.

You clung to him almost desperately, not wanting to let him go but he was like a magnet that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t pull away from him.

“I want you back here in two weeks.” He said.

With your eyes wide, he kind of caught you off guard. “Oh…well ok. Just let me know which—“

It was his turn to interrupt you.

“But I wanna see you tomorrow…for dinner.”

A shy smile played across your face.

“Really?” You asked.

Billy’s entire body smiled at you.

“Y/n, I’ve wanted this since the very first day you walked into my shop. I feel…” He paused, grazed his beard with his thumb and forefinger, and sat down on his tattoo chair.

“Billy?”

“Every time I tattoo you, I always end up telling you something about myself that I thought I would end up taking to the grave whether it’s about my shitty childhood or how I listen to 80’s hair metal when no one’s around. Remember what I told you, don’t you DARE repeat that!” He cracked a smile.

You couldn’t help but giggle at his idle threat but you were just as comfortable around Billy as he was with you.

“The point is, I like this…being comfortable enough where it’s easy for me to share this stuff and it’s easy with you.”

“That’s what friends are for, Billy.” You said.

“Well, what if I wanna be more than friends?” He asked.

Billy looked nervous after saying that, almost scared as to how you would reply.

“Like friends that see each other naked?” You said with a little laugh.

“How many times are you gonna make me blush today?” He asked trying to hold in his laughter.

Walking over to where he was seated, you straddled him so your knees were on either side of his hips and adjusted yourself so you were firmly pressing down on his crotch.

“At least one more time, handsome.” You whispered against his mouth before your lips collided with his. “I like making you blush.”

As you gently nibbled on his ear lobe, he let out a low moan before saying “Oh I’m gonna have my hands full with you, huh sweet girl.”

Unexpectedly, he thrusted his hips up against your core and you expressed a tremor of pleasure. The thin fabric of the bike shorts didn’t shield you from feeling the outline of his hard cock against you, teasing you, and you wanting nothing more than to feel him inside you, soaking him and the chair underneath him so much that he would need more than just a paper towel to clean it up.

You’d save that for another night though.

“Mmmm hmmmm...but I’ll let you take me out to dinner first, baby.” You said.

Billy leaned forward to kiss you again as you raked your fingers through his hair, gently scraping your nails against his scalp. He kissed you with a passion like his kiss was always meant to be yours, tasting you, and binding his body to yours so he would never forget all of the curves and hollows of you that haven’t yet been touched with his tattoo pen.

“Ok, well let me finish cleaning up and I’ll take you home.” Billy said.

A mischievous grin stretched across your lips.

“Take your time, handsome because god damn, I love to watch you work.”

Tag List: @mindidjarin @saintmurd0ck @wheresthesunshinesblog @rafaelakelley @idaoftheburningmind @snowkestrel @xdervyxccgh @mattmurdocksscars @fakehappy27 @music-indie-tv @fictional-hooman @kayhi808 @munsonownsmyass @gijos @celestialams @idek-what-to-put @anastasianeedstoread @ratsys @k-marzolf @nutmeg17 @rosaleenablack

Others that might enjoy: @itwasthereaminuteago @fluffyprettykitty @jvanilly @simple-lovebot @russosafehaven @mrsbillyrusso

If you’d like to be added to (or removed from) my tag list for the ever so handsome Billy Russo, just let me know and thank you again for reading! 💕💕💕 If I tagged you but didn’t want to be, just let me know and I’ll never do it again

#billy russo x reader #billy russo fanfic #billy russo imagine #billy russo au #billy russo fluff #billy russo smut

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indelicateink · 2 months

Text

Please cheer on these in-progress claimed prompts on the IWTV anonymous kink meme!

anonymous authors out there, you have our attention.

there's no way to notify claimants that we're cheering them on, but: if any of the rest of us want to give a shout out to a prompt you're anxious to see, you're welcome to comment on this post or reblog with a comment; maybe it'll be seen.

thank you to @vampire-dove for maintaining our kink meme.

(If you fall in love, note that prompts can be claimed more than once!) some prompts are truncated here for space, but click here to read more

There's so much love out there I had to split this into two posts. Post 1/2 of prompts that have a pending claim:

Nicolas de Lenfent/Lestat de Lioncourt "I would love to see a first time between Nicki and Lestat. Maybe it's their time in general or the first time after Nicki is turned. (Maybe even some canon divergent reunion sex?) I'd just like it to be very fluffy, those men deserve to be in love. (Bonus points for laughing/giggling/joking around during)"

Daniel Molloy/Louis de Pointe du Lac "What if Daniel took Louis up on his offer while Armand was out to lunch? "Armand comes back to find the two of them either fucking or having just done so. Jealous!Armand so very welcome and perhaps he wants to join in or hear about the encounter in detail? Author’s choice!"

Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac "Lestat cajoles Louis into hooking up at the Azalea, and Louis gets hot and bothered imagining Lestat as one of his sex workers. "This can just be something Louis thinks about privately while he fucks Lestat or it can be a full on roleplay Lestat ropes him into. Either way Louis is embarrassingly and shamefully turned on by it, and if Lestat is aware then he obviously is too."

"Daniel meets Claudia in the present day and is caught between being starstruck and horrified. (An AU where Claudia is a ghost that only certain people can see.)"

Armand/Louis de Pointe du Lac "Something triggers a flashback during a particularly rough BDSM session, and Armand's mind regresses back to when he was in the brothel. He is confused but too scared to say anything to stop the scene, and Louis realizes this much too late. He attempts aftercare, but Armand/Arun is too scared of him for it to be helpful." […]

Armand/Lestat de Lioncourt "Lestat hears through the grapevine (Louis? Daniel? The internet or someone else entirely?) that Armand is getting over/moving past his love for Lestat. Lestat refuses to accept this, and decides his solution is to give Armand what he’s always wanted, and show him why exactly, Lestat is his type, through and through." […]

Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac "Louis is firm: he doesn't want to get back together with Lestat. Not in this century, at least. "Doesn't mean the sex isn't great. "Four times Louis dropped in on Lestat's tour to hit it and quit it. "Four managers who got fired for pointing out Lestat's mood swings post-visit were going to ruin the tour."

Armand/Daniel Molloy "Daniel's on an important phone call and Armand decides that instead of leaving his boy be, he goes up behind Daniel and starts trying to distract/fluster him by nibbling on Daniel's neck, unbuttoning Daniel's shirt, slowly sliding his hands over Daniel's body, with this going on and on until Daniel finally snaps, hangs the phone up on whoever he's talking to and wild vampire sex ensues."

Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac "He's full of contempt for the process, but Lestat doesn't hold back on telling his story. To Louis's annoyance, Daniel sends him uncut parts of the more incendiary interview sessions as the weeks go by. "Four times Louis almost picked up the phone, and one time he did call Lestat."

Armand/Louis de Pointe du Lac "Dubai Era, Pre-/Intra-Interview: It’s been a bad night. So now, ankles deep in his rock garden, Louis watches as Armand cuts his own switch from their magnolia tree. They both would rather burn the tower to the ground, with themselves and Rashid in it, than let their husband get in the last word." […]

Claudia/Madeleine "Modern-day mafia assassin AU. "Claudia averts her eyes from the rising sun as she tosses her gun into the river. She's decided. This was the last one. She's getting out of the life. She's going to run--travel--starting with some small, bright Caribbean island for a few weeks. "She doesn't have any ties to hold her back: if her dads haven't been able to get their shit together for 30 years, it's clear she isn't going to make a difference. "But first: the dry cleaners opens in an hour. After three years of increasing sexual tension and expertly removed damning bloodstains, she's finally going to shoot her shot with Madeleine Eparvier."

Armand/Daniel Molloy/Louis de Pointe du Lac "They're adapting Interview With the Vampire for film, and Daniel is producing it. He wants to bring Armand and Louis on as consultants, since they have firsthand experience of the story. Armand and Louis interact with Daniel, as well as each other, and their interactions bring up some feelings from the past, as well as some that are new."

Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac "Louis and Lestat tentatively re-establish a connection with each other over Facetime while Lestat's on tour. "Louis is used to seeing Lestat in early 20th century clothing. He can admit to himself he likes Lestat's new slutty rockstar look. "Lestat can tell. And the clothing budget is starting to get out of hand."

Armand/Daniel Molloy "You know how best friends don’t have any boundaries? Well, Louis and Daniel are chatting shit, which leads to talking about their sex lives, which leads to Louis offering tips on how to deal with Armand, which leads to Daniel revealing that out of the two of them, Armand very much likes to take charge in the bedroom. None of that Maitre shit with them"

Armand/Louis de Pointe du Lac Corporal Punishment, Bad BDSM Etiquette, Accidental Voyeurism […] "Claudia is absolutely mortified to return home and overhear her father scolding and spanking her beloved coven master. Worse still is the fact she has to come in afterwards and pretend she hasn't heard a single thing, and isn't suspicious of any of the possible impromptu implements left out."

Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac Internalized Homophobia, Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Getting Together "AU of pilot episode: through the course of courting period Louis' shame grows along his feelings for Lestat. The more he wants him, the guiltier he feels. But, no matter what he does, his desires won't go away, so he stuck in permanent state of horny frustration, which starts to show outwardly: his mind wanders during his conversations with Lestat, daydreaming about his hands and mouth." […]

Armand/Louis de Pointe du Lac "I think it’s time someone fucked Armand against the Marius painting until he comes all over it"

Armand/Daniel Molloy "Armand absolutely does not covet a copy of Lestat's numbered special limited edition double album--gatefold with the silver foil alternate cover and colored vinyl. And he doesn't wish he had one of the exclusive Indianapolis concert tees with the set list printed on the back in glow-in-the-dark ink. Why would he want an actual Vampire Lestat guitar pick. Who cares about the already-out-of-print Long Face Japan cassette single. A signed copy of the Vampire Lestat tour concert program book would be intellectually interesting, but it's not like Armand actually wants such a thing--that would be silly. "Interviewing your situationship's obsession on tour has its perks. "A courtship in five merch items."

Armand/Lestat de Lioncourt "after talking armand into attending a function at the theatre of vampires, lestat insists on dressing armand in some of his nice clothes for the occasion, but a bath must come first. they've shared blood but this is the first time they have sex."

#iwtv kink meme #iwtv #interview with the vampire #loustat #loumand #armandaniel #claudeleine #lestat de lioncourt #louis de pointe du lac #armand #daniel molloy #claudia #madeleine #kink meme

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