Tumgik
#i feel like he has more subtle passive emotions in this one
Text
HIS HEAD SPINS AS HE WATCHES THE DOG
2K notes · View notes
sanjisprincesswifey · 6 months
Text
romance alphabet ⋆ trafalgar law
summary: what it's like to fall in love with the surgeon of death
Tumblr media
a ⋆ affection; how affectionate is he? how does he show his affection?
at the start of the relationship, law almost never shows any affection toward you. he’s helplessly awkward when it comes to lovey-dovey stuff, but after a couple awkward encounters, he’ll gain some confidence and start providing you acts of service.
it’s honestly the little things with law; he’ll bring you a blanket and pillows to nap in his office; he always makes sure you eat, even going as far as to make you meals when you’re hungry; anything you desire, law will provide.
b ⋆ best quality; what's his best quality as a romantic partner and why?
law is an incredible listener. he is always paying attention to what you say no matter the time or place. he always remembers the smallest of details, which of most you didn’t even remember yourself. by knowing every detail about you, it’s his way of showing you how much he cares.
c ⋆ confession; would he confess his feelings first? if so, how would he confess?
lmao no. he’d rather roll over in his grave than tell you he likes you.
the only way you’d find out is through someone else (bepo).
d ⋆ dating; what is it like to date him? how is he as a romantic partner?
in the beginning, it feels as if your relationship is stagnant, nothing really changes from just being friends. until one late night when he asks if you want to see his coin collection or his comic books and it’s like his whole personality does a complete 180 on you, seemingly out of nowhere. suddenly you’re dating a complete nerd who is (un)secretly obsessed with you.
law’s definitely the type to remember all the little things you say, has a journal full of your favorite things, but rarely opts to be overly romantic. he would give you a present that reminds you of someone special to you and treat it as “no big deal.”
all in all, he’s a bit embarrassed to be romantic, but he’s definitely got the spirit.
e ⋆ emotions; how emotional is he with you? does he show his emotions right away or does it take time for him?
you’re lucky if you get a passive aggressive sigh from law for a very long time. he doesn’t start dropping his walls until a couple months to a year, again, if you’re lucky.
poor baby is so afraid to show you any real emotion because of all his unresolved trauma, so just be patient with him.
f ⋆ flirt; how good is he at flirting? does he flirt well or often?
oh my god, no; it’s the opposite in fact. he’s terrible, genuinely terrible.
he’s awkward, stuttery, sweaty, and kinda just stares at you when he can’t get any words out.
on the rare occasion he’s mediocre at it is when he’s drunk and no other time, you cannot convince me otherwise.
g ⋆ gifts; is he a gift giver? what kind of gifts does he enjoy giving you?
yes, but he’s not so much for the pageantry so they’ll be subtle; a new blanket on the bed for you, a framed photo of the two of you suddenly appearing on your nightstand, stuff like that.
h ⋆ hugs; does he hug you a lot? what are his hugs like?
he loves to hug you only when you're in the privacy of his room on the polar tang. he doesn't care much for the affection otherwise, that's what he tells you anyway. you later learn he's just embarrassed to be so romantic otherwise given his reputation.
since law towers over you, he practically throws his body weight into you when you hug. he wraps his arms around your waist, tightly clinging to you as his head droops into your shoulder. the majority of his body weight is now shoved into your shoulder like the big 26-year-old baby he is.
i ⋆ i love you; does he tell you that he loves you first?
again, i have to laugh, but no. maybe subtly, but never, ever directly and he will never say the actual words. he’ll be more ‘romantic’ or whatever his version of romantic is (being more attentive), and then the crew will catch on. law definitely talks about you way too much to the crew and they'll all realize that he loves you before you do.
j ⋆ jealousy; does he get jealous a lot? if so, for what specific reason?
oh, yes; probably one of the most jealous men in all of one piece, in my opinion.
law is deeply insecure, afraid of love, and has abandonment issues and if he feels even a twinge of jealousy it’s like his heart breaks on the sight.
however, it does take a little bit to get him jealous! he’s not threatened by normal interaction, but if someone was a bit too overly affectionate with you (read: luffy, sanji, or eustass), that’s enough to make him jealous. it’s the act of seeing someone be vulnerable with you the exact same way he is with you that drives him nuts.
k ⋆ kisses; what part of you is his favorite to kiss? how often does he enjoy kissing you?
his favorite is any place that’s intimate and vulnerable; being able to claim you as his because no one else gets to touch you where he does.
you can find law in the crux of your neck almost every night, it’s one of his favorite spots because he can practically breathe in your scent and lovingly kiss the area as much as he likes without getting tired.
after your relationship reaches the point where he’s no longer uncomfortable to show affection it’s like every second of the day with him. you wouldn’t think it by the look of him, but law adores kissing you even if it’s a quick kiss to your forehead in passing. it’s kind of his way of showing you love even when you aren't directly saying it and he gets super whiny when you don’t show him the same affection in return.
l ⋆ love language; what’s his love language?
acts of service. law thinks of it as an incognito way to show affection even when he’s around others. it’ll range from throwing a blanket on you when you “accidentally” fall asleep in his office to offering to aid you on specific tasks “just in case.”
m ⋆ memories; what memories of you two are the most precious to them? why do they treasure them?
it has to be the first night he said, ‘i love you.’ it’s after you had fallen asleep in his arms, your light snores echo around the room.
he has an elbow propped up against the pillow holding his head and the other arm draped around you. your bare skin is so warm against him, it was such a strange sensation compared to the cold air that usually envelopes him in his room.
your calm expression twitches slightly indicating that you had to be dreaming and law hopes it was about him.
his gray eyes were so soft; his facial muscles felt so foreign in such a gentle position, but he couldn’t help it when he was holding you so close to him. knowing that the person before him loved him so much.
that meant so much to him because it was the first time in 14 years that law had finally regained the love he had lost so long ago.
n ⋆ nicknames; what nicknames does he prefer to call you, if any at all?
law is such a ‘doll’ kind of guy. it just falls from his lips like butter and he’s so quick to start calling you that too.
o ⋆ on cloud nine; what is he like when he's in love? how different does he act when he's in love?
when law falls in love with you, it is probably the most confusing time in your relationship. it’s kinda like when the grinch’s heart grows three sizes but instead of accepting it, it scares the hell out of him. he’s extremely avoidant of you and won’t explain anything so you gotta corner him in his office.
he’ll get scared, possibly shed a tear or two and tell you just how terrified of love he is. you can’t really blame him, so you tell him you obviously love him too. he turns into such a clingy, obsessive guy after that. he loves having your attention; his walls really come down and he’ll show you all his nerdy collections like comic books and coins.
when law is finally ready to admit that he’s in love with you, he is the softest and most pure a man could be. he’s vulnerable and feels safe with you, so that means he’s extra protective.
p ⋆ pda; does he openly express pda? how affectionate is he in public?
unfortunately, law hates pda. in fact, law is very adamant on keep your relationship personal and private. due to his traumatic past, law chooses to keep you a secret so as to not put you in harm’s way.
though when you make the alliances that law does, he comes to realize that word will get out eventually. law attempts to threaten luffy to keep your relationship under wraps but, c’mon, it’s luffy.
q ⋆ quirks; what are some things you’ve learned about him since being in a relationship?
he’s very particular about everything; he always needs a solution to every problem. for instance, whenever you two have a disagreement, he’ll be unsatisfied until he has a direct solution for your issue and become frustrated if there isn’t one.
because of his particular-ness, when it’s his turn to plan date nights, they are often planned to a t. you will leave a certain time, the activity will take place at a certain time, etc., you think it’s completely adorable even when he’s frustrated when you’re a minute or two behind schedule.
r ⋆ romance; is he a romantic partner? is he cliché or creative?
contrary to popular belief, law can be quite romantic. he’s a ‘flowers just because kind of guy’ and is extremely creative in the gift-giving sentiment.
he opts for purchasing presents you’d actually enjoy, taking his time and putting energy into a photo album or scrapbook. the gestures from law are always well thought out; it’ll always be work he’s proud of.
s ⋆ smooch; what was your first kiss like? where did it happen and was it planned?
your first kiss is something law wishes you didn’t remember. he waited 26 years to kiss someone, did either of you really think he’d be any good at it?
it, of course, was a bit awkward. you never assume someone could mess up a kiss but somehow, he did.
you were in his office, chair placed closely next to his as you read over whatever book he was fixated on this week.
it was late, the both of you were sleep deprived beyond compare, but every time law glanced over at you reading the page he was, he swore his heart jumped out of his chest.
though the kiss itself was not planned, he spent at least 15 minutes mentally calculating if he should make his move.
when he finally mustered up the courage, he turned to you in an awkward position and just kinda stared between your eyes and your lips.
it doesn’t take long for you to notice your boyfriends gawking and before you can ask him if he’s okay he smushes his lips to yours.
of course, having no prior experience, he doesn’t really move his lips at all and just sits there for a couple of seconds until you pull away.
he’s confused, but he’s definitely got the spirit, so you give him some leeway and show him how it’s done.
the both of you laugh about that memory now, but he still feels embarrassed if he thinks about it for too long.
t ⋆ true love; does he believe you were destined to be together?
nope. he doesn’t believe in fate or astrology or anything of the sort but is definitely open to it if you do.
even if doesn’t believe in any spiritual destiny, he constantly finds himself thanking whoever may be up there that he is lucky enough to have you.
u ⋆ ultimatum; what is a dealbreaker in his relationship?
law needs loyalty. he needs to know that you are his and, more importantly, that he is yours. the hardest part about falling in love for him is that he is terrified that you’ll leave him and having your loyalty reassures him (most times anyway) that you’ll always be by his side.
v ⋆ value; how important is the relationship to him? what is it worth in comparison to other things in his life?
okay, don’t shoot the messenger, but at the start of your relationship law didn’t think that highly of it. due to his lack of emotional affection to or from anyone, he honestly saw no important significance for being in a relationship.
in classic law fashion, nothing really changed between you two until he realized how much your absence affected him. the romantic longing in his heart was such an unfamiliar feeling he mistook it for some kind of heart condition.
eventually law comes to realize that, maybe, someone who is as closed off and lonely as he could fall in love and then he is putty in your hands. the minute he knows he loves you, you become his number one priority. he tries to maintain some of his natural disposition, but he is so desperate to be loved by you that he does anything and everything for you.
w ⋆ wild card; a random relationship headcanon!
law is borderline obsessed with you. he’ll know things about you that you don’t even remember telling him. he’s kind of a freak if we’re being honest.
he steals clothes from your room because they smell like you, takes photos of you without your knowledge so that he can keep them for later, and bought your engagement ring the day he knew he loved you.
obviously, he has no intention of ever telling you any of this because he doesn’t need you to know just how desperate he is for you to love him.
law knows that you’re his and either he’s marrying you or he’s dying alone, no other option.
x ⋆ x-factor; what drew him to you?
law loves how different the two of you are. you aren’t opposites by any means, but the way that your emotional intelligence and situational awareness (especially when it comes to such a brooding man such as himself) differ so greatly from his that it entices something within him. he doesn’t consider you the opposite of him, but he views it as what he lacks, you offer.
he knew you had these qualities from the very beginning, that’s why he asked you to join his crew, but seeing how well they transfer over to your relationship made him swoon even more.
y ⋆ yearning; when does his find himself missing you?
though he never prefers to be put in situations that are rambunctious or crazy, law finds himself missing you most when he’s in them. something about having you there, holding his hand or talking to him makes the situation so much better.
z ⋆ zzz; what is his favorite sleeping position? is he the big spoon or the little spoon?
something about spooning always gives law so much comfort. he loves to cling to you, to have you pulled so tight to chest that you can feel his heartbeat through your back.
while the warmth and closeness being the big spoon provides him is extremely comforting, law does prefer to be the little spoon. when you’re as private and apathetic as law is, he’s practically begging to be held by you. since he rarely gets a good night’s sleep, being in your arms is the best melatonin substitute.
Tumblr media
likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated! (✿◠‿◠)
1K notes · View notes
regulusrules · 9 months
Text
A very long meta explaining why the confession scene in Good Omens is the best that has ever been written and performed on screen
First of, the scene begins with two different realisations that makes each of them believe that their dynamic will significantly change (Crowley wanting to confess his love and Aziraphale wanting to break out the news about heaven). This, you can see, creates an unprecedented shift in their energy, makes them super excited (Azi) and super nervous (Crowley) to break the news to one another. And despite the two matters being drastically different, when Aziraphale begins his revelation we don't get the Miscommunication trope where Crowley listens to the offer and passively retreats back his emotions. No. He is steadfast in his resolution, in his love for Aziraphale.
And that right here is king attitude no.1, because even if Aziraphale just threw something so godforsaken on him, he won't allow himself to be cowardly or let go of the one person he loves more than eternity. Crowley still bares his heart, still lets it all out, because he will not lose Aziraphale in his naivete of still believing that Heaven is good and Hell is evil. (I write this with supreme detachment of my own beliefs lol) He tries to make Aziraphale understand that sides didn't do them any good the past 6000 years, that the only solid foundation they ever had was them, and that Crowley would rather have them than have everything.
The way you hear Tennant's voice breaking when he said “And we spent our whole existence pretending that we aren’t”, is the perfect reflection of how Crowley genuinely despairs the time they lost and wouldn't have any more of it. And even with how bare and raw he's feeling with revealing all this, he still goes on. He still tries to tell him and I would like to spend our whole existence together, but struggles and struggles because he's strung wide open. But he keeps trying.
Now you see here a moment of disbelief on Aziraphale's behalf, because he doesn't understand why Crowley would refuse going back to heaven with him when all Aziraphale remembers of Angel!Crowley was how utterly bright his eyes shone when he lit up the stars and surely Crowley must miss that too? He wants the same thing Crowley is saying, just in a different dimension. The “I can make a difference” immediately changes to “We can make a difference” because that's all what’s ever been for Aziraphale; them changing the small engines of the world according to their partnered will. He is genuinely benign and not ill-intentioned when he says “Nothing lasts forever”, because he truly wants a better life for them, a better existence. And that's when it gets better: Crowley has his walls back up, he's walking away, because he can't bear that he was never enough as he is for Aziraphale. That he was never worth reciprocation.
But Aziraphale doesn't let him leave.
And that is king attitude no.2, because he doesn't want Crowley to leave when things are strewn all over the place that they don't know where they stand. All Aziraphale ever wanted was for them to stand on the same ground. He asks him to come back to him but hides it by finishing it with “to heaven!” because the whole conversation is going too fast for him, and he's undergoing a religious crisis of sorts that does not end in 6000 years, yet even so he still doesn't want to lose Crowley because he's everything he has and he can't do it without him and “I — I need you!”
And that's when it gets reaaally interesting. Aziraphale's expression then turns from sorrowful desperation to rageful desperation, because he's baring his heart and Crowley is walking away from him. Their solid ground is completely shaken when he says “I don't think you understand what I'm offering you” because he's trying to be subtle about his love for Crowley and still direct as much as he can, but Crowley responds with a condescending “I think I understand a whole lot better than you do” and if this isn't peak human beings in their arguments, I don't know what is. Because we all think we are so misunderstood every time we get into an argument with someone we love, and we absolutely despise it when we feel patronized, so it's no wonder Aziraphale bitterly says “Then there's nothing more to say”, because if Crowley understands, truly does, then he'd see right past his fear to how much he loves the ground Crowley walks over.
And on the other hand I don't believe Crowley truly meant to be patronizing, but in a desperate last attempt he wanted to make Aziraphale understand what he is trying to say, what he spent his entire eternity feeling for Aziraphale, what Aziraphale would be giving up if he goes to heaven. What their life sounds like with no nightingales.
“You idiot, we could've been.. us” is the very culmination of love confessions. It took every single emotion and equated it. Tennant's delivery of it was unsurpassed in the way that it truly covers everything. And the way he grabbed Aziraphale, not entirely lovingly but desperately and angrily and, honest to God, awfully, is the reason why their kiss is so perfect. No queerbaiting, no beating around bushes. It is raw and sad and giving and agonising. Crowley wants to say see what you're giving up? See what we can have? And all Aziraphale thinks is how could you lay this on me now after everything, after every chance we could've been something, after me loving you from the first time I've met you. He's angry towards himself too, because nothing he can offer Crowley will be good enough that he chooses him instead of his choices. Sheen's choice in making his character grab Crowley's shoulder and let it go and then grab it once more in desperation is so unexplainably perfect of how much Aziraphale wants to hold onto Crowley.
But in the back of his mind, Crowley isn't choosing the same. Instead, Crowley's choosing to run from something that no doubt will rebound in their faces. They are angels and demons of heaven and hell, how could Crowley expect they could run and hide without being a repercussion later on? At least what Aziraphale is suggesting ensures that they will have a high position of power, enough to make them together, enough to make them happy, but instead, Crowley is walking away.
And when Crowley lets go of him, not the other way around because of course it is Crowley who must let go and detach from the utter pain that pierced his heart, you can see his expression being one of defeated longing. He sees all expressions passing across Aziraphale, sees how torn apart the other man is, too, and awaits just a semblance of anything they could work with. But instead, Aziraphale's face closes, and he tells Crowley “I forgive you”, and Crowley thinks this must be his second falling, because he's never felt more pain. “Don’t bother”, he says, yet still waits for Aziraphale outside and doesn't leave until Aziraphale has left him. Because in the end, Crowley would always be there for Aziraphale, even if he doesn’t feel worthy of it.
And that, my beloveds, is why eternity will remember this scene.
2K notes · View notes
lovinggstar · 3 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
# JEALOUSY ★ !!
— where one of their friends get too close to you, and their reactions !
cw :: not proofread, MAY BE OOC NOT SURE, written with modern au in mind (but it can be read in the genshin universe ^_^) the tiniest bit suggestive in childes part, use of childe's real name in his part, swearing in scaramouche's part, fluff, gn reader !
characters :: albedo, childe, scaramouche
Tumblr media
阿贝多 ALBEDO :: everytime his friend would sit next to you really close, everytime his friend would put his arm around your shoulder, everytime his friend would talk to you a little too much, he kept his composure. or atleast, he was subtle about his jealousy.. he would put the mug on his table a bit too hard, causing a sound enough to alert people, he would be passive aggressive towards his friend, he would interrupt conversations towards you and his friend (which he almost never does with anyone else because he knows his manners), etc. after the hangout with albedo's friend, he goes up to you and hugs you from behind. "oh? what's this for?" you question him, although you enjoy this, you're curious why the sudden backhug is given to you. albedo hides his face into your neck, "mh.. let's stay like this for a while."
公子 CHILDE :: ever since childe introduced you to his friend, you started talking about them alot to him because you think that the more you and childe have in common, the better ! but childe is more jealous than ever..
"oh and then THEY said that i—" "stop talking about themm.." he murmured to hinself, pouting, however, you heard it. "huh?" you look at him, confused, childe starts stammering, noticing his mess-up. "ajax.. are you jealous?" you smirk at him, it's not everyday you see him stammering like this. "alright, alright.. you caught me." he put his hands up in defense, "awhh c'monnn, you know i'd never be with another guy!" you playfully hit him in the arm, but to your surprise, he caught your hand as you were doing it, and raises it up to his cheek, "i was just jealous, i know that i can make you feel good more than he can." he smirked playfully at you trying to get a reaction from you, "i'm not going to teucer's mr. cyclops themed birthday party." "WAIT NO—"
国崩 SCARAMOUCHE :: he would outright be the pettiest, in denial little fucker ever. he would go "tch, i don't care." and proceed to be ripping out paper napkins to shreds to control his anger. "scaraaa..." you lazily put his arms around his neck, "yeah?" as he said that, there was a bigggg rip on the napkin. "why are you soooo.. mad? sad?" you questioned his emotions, confused at whatever he's feeling. "i'm" riiippp "not." "oh? are you maybeee, jealous?" you smirked, laying your hand next to his by putting your head on his shoulder. "what!? hah—wh— NO.. me? being jealous? in your dreams.." he stammered and contiued grumbling under his breath. "scara, y'know i love you and only you, right?" you told him, nevertheless, he was still persistently pouting. but red.
you heard him mumble something under his breath, "hm? what is it?" he mumbled again but louder. "what?" you were there confused and wondering what he needed to say. he mumbled AGAIN. "huh????" you knew what he said now, still, you wanted to tease him, "I SAID I LOVE YOU TOO, GOD DAMMIT." he finally huffed, realizing that he screamed that, he covered his mouth, and was red. "i know !!" you slyly smiled and kissed him on the cheek, "i just wanted to hear you say it !"
Tumblr media
note :: i tried doing more chars but im currently not in that much of a mood to write + THIS HAS BEEN IN MY DRAFTS FOR AGEESSS
521 notes · View notes
Text
Uea and Red
I don't have a fancy intro for this so lets just get right into it.
Uea is red. We know Uea is red. I know Uea is red. But there is just something about the red on Uea that feels wrong. That I am having trouble wrapping my mind around. Maybe it's just that the color choice doesn't match well with James, but I'm going to choose to analyze it as an intentional part of the show instead, because fuck it, we ball. Because you see, it isn't all of the reds that I have trouble believing, just one specific shade.
So what red do I have a problem with?
Tumblr media
The bright red. Uea's main red. Unfortunately :(
Tumblr media
There is just something about it that makes it feel...fake? to me.
Tumblr media
But, as I said, there are plenty of moments in the show where I wholly accept, understand, and associate Uea with red.
So when do I buy into Uea Anol The Red Rascal?
In lighting like this:
Tumblr media Tumblr media
In clothing like this:
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
(I do consider pink to be a red since it has red in it.)
Tumblr media Tumblr media
(This last image is from the after-credit scene of Cutie Pie where Net and James cameo as King and Uea).
In King's sheets:
Tumblr media
All this to say that there are times when I completely see Uea as a Red Rascal, but I needed to figure out what it was about the main red that always took me out of that mindset. What was it about the main red that made me feel like it was a lie?
And after reading @respectthepetty's commentary on a previous thread : "Uea wearing a blue shirt in the past could very much symbolize him trying to not be himself." it really got me thinking.
That red is too saturated, too vibrant, too loud for Uea. At least in my opinion. Because while RTP is also correct and Uea "has been shown to be more spontaneous, attention-getting, and dominant" that is really only true when Uea is being sexual. When it comes to sex, Uea is the more dominant person. It is Uea that initiates/asks for the first sexual encounter with King, it is Uea who sets the (truly low bar) rules, at every point of the sexual relationship he has with King, Uea is in control.
But the same can't be said for non-sexual situations. In social situations, in matters of day to day existence, external personality, etc. King is the far more outgoing person. At the office King is the one who gets all the attention, he is more openly flirty. And while Uea gets his share of attention in the office, he does not reciprocate it the way that King does. Uea is quiet, Uea is reserved, and that's doubly the case when Uea is triggered. Unless he is actively re-living the moment, he dissociates or retreats in to himself to process his own emotions. When Uea's mother asks him for tuition in Episode 1 and he starts thinking about all his other stressors, he doesn't say a word, he just returns to the karaoke room and starts drinking:
Tumblr media
At the hospital he folds in to himself, he barely puts up a fight, the only time he really even says "No," is when King starts reaching for his own wallet:
Tumblr media
When King sniffs his neck the way his stepfather used to, Uea retreats to a hallway to hide. At no point does he offer any explanation (and to be clear he doesn't have to, he's allowed to keep it secret)
Tumblr media
Honestly, the only way anyone in Uea's life probably has any indication that Uea is going through so much is from physically witnessing it themselves (King seeing Uea freaking out in the dark, King seeing Uea submissive in front of his mother, Jade protecting Uea from Pock, King rescuing Uea from Pock).
So to have such a bright and vibrant red for Uea feels wrong, it feels like a lie to me. Mostly because Uea's daily personality is more passive and restrained compared to his more open and demanding personality in the bedroom. I believe Uea as a Red Rascal when his reds are darker and muddier (the red-browns) or lighter and more subtle (the pinks). Uea's bright reds make me question his color-coding far more because it is so strong a color. (To be clear here this is not me saying I don't think Uea is strong, just me saying that he is too quiet for the bright reds).
And it got me thinking more about when and where Uea wears the bright red colors and where he doesn't. And it always seems to be in moments of anxiety.
When Uea wears bright red:
At the very beginning of Episode 1 when he is introducing himself to the audience
When he goes with King to get tested for STIs
When he goes home for his birthday.
These are all anxiety inducing moments.
Uea is making a first impression on us the audience, he's trying to gets us to see what he wants us to see. He is trying to convince us that what he is telling us is true. That is ordinary. The literal first words in his opening monologue are:
"I'm just an ordinary salaryman. I'm nothing different to others, but there might be one thing different...I don't like being around people in the office,"
Three minutes later, we get the truth:
Tumblr media
Uea may seem like an ordinary salaryman on the outside, but he has been horrifically abused and is struggling with navigating trauma that is far outside what I would call "ordinary". Guess who picks up on the issue? King.
STI testing is the same thing, Uea is worried and King says as much:
Tumblr media Tumblr media
And anyone who has seen Episode 4 understands perfectly well the anxiety Uea must be feeling at the prospect of going home. Because well...
Tumblr media
#pransdaddarktimelineedition
And we know one of Uea's coping mechanisms is sex. He can't find the words to talk about his feelings properly so he tries to push them down, and distract himself with pleasure. If we want to look at the bright red as anxiety, Uea usually has something white on as a cover. His anxiety is there but he is trying to hide it.
But at King's he takes that white sweater off, tries to fuck his feelings away, but the anxiety is fresh, he hasn't regulated his emotions enough yet to be convincingly okay, and King #greenflagextraordinaire once again notices Uea is not in an emotionally secure enough place to proceed with sex.
Tumblr media
And sure, you can argue that Uea wears these bright reds while he's one on one with King, and there the bright red can't just be anxiety, and we could also argue that every color has positives and negatives and the same could be said for the bright red. And to that I say, sure, but the one on ones with King are as follows: King snaps Uea out of an active trigger, King and Uea discuss starting a friends with benefits situation, Uea shows up to King's apartment on short notice after having a breakdown. None of these moments are what I personally would consider stress free.
Compare that to when Uea wears more muted/subtle reds:
The first time he meets King in a bar, (this is actually the brightest red that he wears that I can actually believe for Uea, and that's because it is a darker red than the other three firetruck red shirts.)
The day after he's shared a moment of connection and trust with King in the hospital after sending his mother home.
When he has forgiven King for accidentally triggering him without King knowing and is ready to re-initiate the FWB.
In the pool with King, when King asks him if he likes the sea and Uea replies "Kind of, but I preferred the calm one,"
Even the red lighting is different, the first red light is brighter and more intense, and that's because Uea is under time pressure to make a decision about whether or not to start the FWB deal with King. In the warmer post-coitus light of the second lighting photo, Uea is incredibly relaxed, almost drowsy, and is being asked to answer honest questions about why he agreed to be FWB. He's not anxious here, he's calm, and as a result Uea and King get to bask in a richer, deeper, less harsh red light. We can interpret the same information from King's sheets, with Uea being happy and relaxed and cuddled by King.
And even when we finally get King in red:
Tumblr media
It's still not as bright as Uea's more purely red outfits (ie not the red-browns or the pinks). And naturally because King is still hiding something we've got to trap the brand new red color with all that black.
ANYWAY all of this to say I have figured out what is off-putting to me about the bright red, what makes me feel like it's a lie. IT'S BECAUSE IT IS A LIE!! Or I guess, more accurately, it's an over-compensation. Uea is red, but his trauma and his pain has made that red less vibrant. If respectthepetty is right, and let's be honest the Parent of All Tumblr Color Theory is always right, then Uea wearing blue at home was his way of suppressing his true self.
Tumblr media
And if that's the case, then the separation he has from home, because he is no longer living there (since he's still in communication with his mother and therefore cannot fully be separated), has allowed Uea to stop hiding his true self, and embrace the Red Rascal he is. BUT because of his trauma, because his response to trauma seems to be more on the flight and freeze side of things, he is more prone to submission in the face of environmental triggers. When he can no longer simply ignore his mother's text messages, he will try to get his Mom to take a taxi, then give her money, and then resign himself to going to the ATM rather than actually fight her. When he sees his stepfather again, he will run to the dining room rather than engage, he will try to run to the kitchen, when he is stopped he will beg, quietly so as not to make a scene, and then he will run, and run again. (I want to be clear here, Uea does not need to fight, he is doing everything right, and he's doing the best that he can.)
When Uea is faced with high anxiety situations, he needs reminders of who he is. And those reminders need to be bright, and they need to be loud, because they need to be able to break through his initial panic and ground him. So he wears the bright red to tell himself and tell others fundamentally who he is:
A Red Rascal
Tumblr media
And funnily enough, this bright red shirt Uea wears at the end of Ep. 4 is the only bright red shirt so far that doesn't bother me. It seems to fit him better than the other bright reds do and that is probably mostly because the loudness of this shirt is mitigated by the shadows on the front darkening the overall color and back of the shirt being washed out by the light rather than intensified by it. Or possibly because the pattern breaks up the color in a way that doesn't make it even brighter. I feel like the solid white stripes, and the solid white jacket from the examples above make their reds almost neon.
Here though, Uea is drunk and being hit on by a stranger. I don't think our boy is coping very well with the realization that he might be falling for King and so the Anxiety Red comes back. But it's not as In Your Face Bright Red as the others, and that's because he's not in as high stakes of a situation here. It's just hinting to me of potential inner turmoil on Uea's end, and since I haven't read the book I have no idea if Uea is contemplated fucking up a good thing and trying to end it because he doesn't think he is deserving of good things.
---
And for a total tangent, shout out to the purple in Ep. 3 after King and Uea's first night as official FWBs. I love when red and blue combine ;)
Tumblr media
Ok, I have nothing else to say on this matter at this time. Thanks for listening, and as always if you made it this far, please collect your invisible Participation Medal.
TL;DR: Uea is a red rascal, but only when he is wearing muted red tones, not when he's wearing actual red. Shhh, I know...but it makes sense in my head
217 notes · View notes
Note
When people say that Dick “has a temper” what do they mean?  Is he the type to blow up over an inconvenience, be impatient, or rage-quit?
Tumblr media
Ahhhh, I had a lot of fun with this. Thanks for the ask, anon. <3
My main feeling about Dick's temper is it's an important part of his characterization, and it's a fun part of his characterization, but I also try not to overemphasize it? A lot of my thoughts are here; also @theflyingwonder has some good panel collections here and here and here if you want to see what Dick generally looks like when he's grumpy about something.
General thoughts / caveats:
Anger is obviously not the only emotion Dick ever feels!! He feels many other emotions too!! The fact that he is capable of getting really angry sometimes does not mean that he is angry all the time!!
He's a person who feels emotions very deeply - anger, love, loyalty, etc. - but also has a very conflicted relationship with his emotions. He aspires to be perfectly controlled, like he imagines Bruce is, and he's ashamed of moments when he loses control. Because he's wound pretty tight and represses a lot, his emotions can be a bit explosive when he loses his grip on them.
I would never describe him as "an angry person." He doesn't walk around fuming at the world and looking for things to be mad about, y'know? He's a person who wants to be optimistic and tries to be optimistic. This very much includes when he's Robin.
He wouldn't blow up over an inconvenience unless he was already really upset about something more serious. But yeah, if he's upset about something important, sometimes he'll lash out at whatever's closest.
He's methodical and focused; he'll sometimes get impatient when he's, say, bored by his friends' TV preferences, and in general he gets restless and likes to be moving, but if he's got a challenging task to complete he's completely capable of hyper-focusing on it.
In his civilian life, he generally has a pretty good grip on the anger - so e.g. I don't remember him ever shouting at Clancy or civilian friends in general. When a reporter tries to get dirt on him by interviewing his neighbors at his apartment complex, they universally gush about how nice he is.
Meanwhile, in his vigilante life, he's got a rigid moral code and a rigid sense of duty. He cares a lot about helping people and protecting civilians, and he's emotionally-fulfilled by it, and he can be very kind. But he's also a super-intense person who takes his responsibilities seriously, and he'll get sharp with people that he feels aren't being serious enough. He only screws around when he's with people who are very serious themselves, like Bruce.
In an argument, Dick's generally direct and confrontational: he'll snap at you to your face, not sulk behind your back. Even when he's being a bit more passive-aggressive, he's not subtle about it. If Dick's annoyed with you, you'll know. If he doesn't like you, he makes it obvious.
Tumblr media
Jean-Paul: I've seen you with Robin - you like Robin. Dick: You got a problem with Robin? Jean-Paul: No! I like Robin, too. He's an exceptional young man. I just mean... it's obvious when you like someone. And equally obvious that you don't like me. (GK 14)
Dick's just a very dynamic character in general, rather than a static one. When he's relaxed, he can be very easygoing and friendly; if you get off on the wrong foot with him, he's prickly and often harsh. He's got a very serious core, a strong sense of principle, and a passionate sense of loyalty to the people he cares about. Here's a light-hearted moment with Dick and Tim fooling around playing tag:
Tumblr media
Dick (grabbing Tim from above): Gotcha! Tim: Augh! (B: Transference)
This is from the exact same arc as the panel at the top - but before Hugo Strange almost kills Bruce. And just in general I think this panel is a good reminder that Dick does all kinds of things that are not about being angry, that he's also the person who keeps Tim fed and repeatedly saves him from falling, that sometimes he'll pour his heart out to Bruce, that he really really really loves his friends, and so on.
Now, all that said, if you would like an extensive deep dive into Dick yelling at people (and really, who wouldn't? yelling is fun!), I've collected a super-long list of quotes which I've attempted to corral into organization. Below the cut:
Dick vs. criminals
Dick vs. Bruce
Dick + list of reasons he gets upset
Dick + annoyance at friends/teammates
Dick + lashing out at loved ones (rare! but, uh, very memorable)
Dick + first meetings with future siblings (+Steph)
In conclusion
Anger at Criminals
Tumblr media
Dick's temper is an important part of how he thinks of himself: he's intensely self-aware about his temper and also conflicted about it. It comes up most often when he's fighting criminals, especially when they're threatening people he loves:
Dick (internally): At first, I couldn't believe what they were saying… but as the truth sank in, I felt a rage growing so great inside me - that it felt like I was just a part of the anger, instead of it being a part of me. Kid!Dick: Those animals! They murdered my mother and father! I'm going to the police! Bruce: No... not yet. (Secret Origins 13) Deathwing: You've been so angry for so long, Dick. Learn to accept it because you have no choice. You will become me, Dick, and I know because I am your worst nightmare! I am you! Dick: Never! I'm not you and I'll never be you! Yeah, I get angry. Sometimes I get so pissed I want to break everything in sight. But everyone gets mad. Everyone gets frustrated. But I don't fight out of anger! I fight when there's something wrong that needs to be stopped! And that's why I'll never be you! I don't fight to kill - I fight to protect! And what you said about Batman - well, pal, screw you. He's the best mentor anyone ever had! (NT 100) Dick (internally): I hit him harder than I should. Not sure why. It worries me that it feels so right. (N 2) Dick: I thought I was more in control than that. But I lost it. Tim: It was made right, Dick. The Joker is alive and not well in a maximum security cell. Dick: It’s not right with me. I never thought I could be a killer. I’m wrong. There’s a part of me I never saw before. The rage. I never felt anger like that. I feel like it clawed me up inside. (N 64) Dick (internally): Nothing Jason says can be taken for truth. He says Tim is dead. I'll need more proof than his word and an empty cowl. Because right now, I need to keep that hope alive. If for nothing else, then to keep me from losing control… and I won't let that happen. Can't let that happen. Can't. Dick (punching Jason): WHERE IS HE, JASON? Jason: Depends on what kind of life he led. Dick (breaking Jason's nose, then internally): There goes his nose. Control your anger. (BftC 3) Jason (internally): Dick is different from Bruce. In the way he fights. In the way he thinks. And the way he feels. And he gets angry. Really angry. That anger, it'd make him a great Batman, if he'd let it. He's trying too much to be like him.  The good son. Man, I hate him.  (B&R 25)
So something you'll notice about all of these moments is that Dick isn't proud of his anger. He doesn't experience it as cathartic, and he isn't proud of the things he does when he's angry. His anger is an enemy; it's the person he doesn't want to be, to the extent that after the fact being angry almost feels like an out-of-body experience, because in the burn of anger he'll do things that his conscious mind rejects.
I tend to think of anger for Dick as akin to a temptation. He's strong and talented and smart. He's capable of really hurting people. He also believes - viscerally, fiercely - that it's wrong to do so.
Worth remembering: Dick's big confrontation with Zucco, in most of his origin stories, involves taking the photo that gets him arrested:
Tumblr media
Dick (remembering): Twenty-four hours later, we were on the trail of Boss Zucco... and when he murdered his own henchman, I took the photo that sent Zucco to prison! (Secret Origins 13)
And in Batman: Year Three, he's furious when he thinks that Bruce might have arranged for Zucco to get killed - when Dick's calm and thinking clearly, he believes it's wrong to kill even people who are clearly evil. It's only when he's swept up in emotion that he'll get violent.
Anger at Bruce
Tumblr media Tumblr media
... Look, I had to give Bruce his own category.
Dick and Bruce have a lot of fights. Like, a lot of fights.
Now, this isn't at all particular to Dick! Dick's just one of many, many, many people in Bruce's life who periodically get fed up with him. So I wouldn't gloss this as Dick being unusually short-tempered - post-Crisis Bruce would provoke a saint (and does! at one point Clark briefly votes him out of the JLA!). And Dick doesn't always get angry when Bruce is being a jerk to him - sometimes he's just discouraged, or depressed.
But at the same time, Dick's not a pushover, and when he's sufficiently provoked, he'll often track Bruce down to confront him / demand an explanation / demand better behavior / etc. Paradoxically, I actually tend to see these confrontations as an expression of Dick's faith in Bruce. He gets angry because he expects better.
Here's a small sampling of Dick-angry-at-Bruce moments (some confrontations, some where Dick's just fuming on his own):
Bruce: Listen to me. Dick: Listen to you? You hand Gotham over to that nutcase altar boy. You leave this kid out to dry without a snowball's chance. Then you throw everything you’ve lived for aside like it was nothing! Killing this creep doesn’t make you as bad as the scum we hunt. It makes you worse. Because they never stood for anything. (R 8) Dick: If you say anything about 'finding myself,' I think I'll puke. Bruce: I thought you'd be glad to see me back. Dick: That depends on why you came back. Bruce: To take up the mantle again. To take back my place. Dick: For how long this time? Bruce: Not now, Dick. We can talk about this when - Dick: Right now. We're settling this right now, Bruce. (R 12 - Bruce has abruptly reappeared in the Batcave after leaving Dick and Tim in charge during Prodigal)
Dick: It was you who told us to stay out of Gotham. I’ve got a life here. I can’t just walk away from that. You’ll have to - (Bruce hangs up on him) Damn you! (N 34 - Bruce has been AWOL for months and now abruptly summons Dick to join him in No Man's Land) Dick (internally): Bruce is playing martyr. Keeping us at a distance. […] Why does it have to be this way with us? WHY? (He punches his car, and his hand comes away bloody.) Uncontrollable rage. The same rage I felt when I killed the Joker. Thought I had it under control. (N 65 - Bruce is accused of murder and freezing out the Bats) Bruce: What are you doing out of bed? Dick: You did it again, didn't you? You pushed everyone away! (N 99) Bruce: I assume this isn't a social call? Dick: What the hell is the matter with you? I mean, aside from the obvious! Ignoring the many layers of denial, and the fifty feet of psychological body armor that you throw up to avoid feeling anything! Aside from that! And the pathological need to control everything on Earth and beyond! Ignoring all that! What exactly is your compulsion, your burning desire to deceive, lie, and manipulate the only people who give a good god damn about you?! Bruce: You getting to a point? (O 21 - Dick just found out that Bruce was secretly funding the Outsiders)
Dick's relationship with Bruce is Complicated (TM), because he's also incredibly loyal, and - despite everything - he loves Bruce a lot. A lot of Dick's anger comes out of this frustrated loyalty - Dick feels betrayed and hurt because he loves Bruce so much. Here's a panel from later in Outsiders 21:
Tumblr media
Bruce: You shouldn't place that much faith in me. Dick: I have more faith in you than anyone.
Reasons why Dick gets angry: an incomplete list
So if Dick isn't really the type to, say, rage-quit a game, then what does he get angry about (other than criminals and Bruce in general)?
I've tried to loosely categorize what seem to me to be the main things that can make him lose his temper:
as above, somebody Dick loves has been hurt and he's furious at the person who did it (so e.g. trying to kill the Wildebeests when they threaten the Titans, trying to kill Hugo Strange for trying to kill Bruce, lashing out at Tumult when he hurts Tim),
he's feeling attacked or betrayed and he's lashing out in self-defense (so e.g. a lot of the fights with Bruce, punching Roy after Roy fires him in New Titans, or calling Roy a junkie when Roy tells him he's just like Bruce in Outsiders, or yelling at Tim when Tim's insisting he should be Robin again),
he's angry about a lack of loyalty (so e.g. he's furious and feels betrayed when he learns that Bruce has replaced him with Jason; he's angry at Bruce for picking Azrael as Batman instead of Dick; he's angry at Tim when Tim suggests Bruce might be a murderer)
he's jealous (so e.g. he's hurt and angry when Kory marries someone else; his resentment of Azrael is much more about Bruce than it is about Azrael)
he's angry at another vigilante for behaving too violently/irresponsibly (so e.g. he has multiple fights with Kory insisting that she can't kill anyone; he's similarly furious with Bruce when he thinks Bruce has tried to kill someone; he snaps at the Titans in general after a failed mission; he's harsh about Tim and his team during Graduation Day)
he's unhappy and taking it out on someone else, often to drive them away (so e.g. he snaps at Donna and Alfred when he's depressed about Kory's marriage - arguably there's some supernatural influence here, but IMO he'd do it anyway; he gets snappish with Tim when he's depressed about his own lack of progress with Chulo/in Blüdhaven and also when he's actually mad at Bruce about Jean-Paul; he's very harsh to Babs and Wally when they try to comfort him post-J:LL; arguably most of his behavior in Outsiders after Donna's death falls under this category too),
he's unhappy and he's taking it out on an inanimate object (so e.g. smashing things after hearing about Kory's potential marriage; punching his car until his hand is bloody after Bruce has been a jerk to him, smashing a sign when Babs is jabbing at him by comparing him to Bruce),
his privacy is being violated by paparazzi (Dick hates photographers and will not hesitate to punch them or destroy their equipment)
I think something important about all these reasons is... they're understandable? It's not surprising that Dick is upset about the woman he loves marrying someone else; it would be stranger if he wasn't upset. It's not surprising that he lashes out defensively when he's feeing attacked - this is an extremely common thing to do! Dick's anger isn't a weird cloud of rage that just descends on him for no reason; he gets angry when he has something to get angry about.
That said, he does have particular things he's especially touchy about - loyalty, privacy, control, etc. And his anger can be physical - he does break things.
Dick + annoyance with friends/teammates
Tumblr media
Dick calls a team meeting to rebuke the Titans in Titans 13
This is lower-key, so I wouldn't always describe this as anger per se, but it feels relevant: Dick can get snappish if he's in a bad mood, though he'll usually back off if it's pointed out to him:
Dick: Half this world goes to hell in a handcart and you do nothing? Donna: Hey, don't shout at me because your personal life has gone crazy. We had a crisis… Dick: You had a crisis? Who hasn't? And my personal life, for what it's worth, is a: just fine, and b: none of your business. Do me a favor and go. I want to be alone. (NTT 18 - Dick's upset because Kory is marrying someone else)
Dick: Roy! What the hell is this? Why is Lian in the way? She should be in a crib or something, not where people can step on her. Roy: Dick, my daughter is in nobody's way, and I'm watching her every move. Dick: Oh, yeah? Well, I've had it - Roy: Dick, your friends are here to help you and you're not making it any easier. C'mon, pal - calm down. Dick: You're right. I'm sorry. This is all getting to me. Roy: Really? The immediate world and I never noticed. (NT 100)
Dick (surprising Tim): You should've known you wouldn't hear anything. Not in this wind - but if you'd been downwind on the other side, you might have scented me. Tim (startled): Nightwing! Dick: You did want to meet - or do you just like playing computer games? Now let’s make it snappy - I’m in New York on my own business. Tim: And a big fat hi to you, too. (Showcase '93 11 - Dick's upset because he's blaming himself for someone Chulo murdered)
Dick: He didn't send you to check up on me? Tim: Huh? Dick (scowling): Don't play dumb. Tim: Batman? I came down on my own, Dick. What's with the attitude? Dick: Sorry, Tim. I haven't been making a lot of progress since I got here. (N 6 - Dick's self-aware here - he's on edge because he thinks he's doing a bad job)
Babs: Okay, calm down, take a deep breath, and explain again why you’re so angry… Dick: Why am I angry? I’m not angry, I’m–I’m–I’m dismayed, okay? I’m dismayed that there can be a Robin who believes Batman could be guilty of murder! How could that happen, Babs? How could that happen?! (GK 26) Kory: You could say goodbye to your teammates. Dick: They're not my teammates anymore. Kory: They noticed. (TT/O Secret Files 2005)
You'll notice that several of these include Dick backtracking and apologizing. He doesn't hold grudges or fume forever! And Dick's generally self-aware enough to realize why he's snappish once he takes a step back:
Dick: I…I’m sorry…I know this isn’t your fault. Here I’m attacking you - and you’re probably just as scared as I am. I just feel so frustrated. Batman could always remain calm in a crisis. I guess that’s just another difference between us. Maybe I’d be better off if I just cut myself off from all feeling like he does. (NT 77)
Something Dick generally isn't apologetic about: Dick is intensely self-critical about badly-done vigilante work, and in a team setting, he's not that patient with other people's mistakes.
Here's Dick calling a team meeting so he can scold the team in Titans 13:
Dick: Lock the doors, sit down, and pay attention. And that's an order. ... Our performance against Tartarus and the HIVE was unacceptable. Each and every one of you should thank God you weren't killed.
Here's an argument between Dick and Donna in Graduation Day 2 - the context is that Young Justice just screwed up an earlier fight, and Tim's berating himself and Conner while Dick and Donna eavesdrop (you'll notice that like Dick, Tim tends to be pretty self-critical + impatient with teammates):
Conner: The Titans got their lumps. Tim: No, the Titans got our lumps. They were looking out for us. There we were, shoulder to shoulder with the inspiration for Young Justice. And we lose half our team and half of theirs. Conner: Tim, I bet they were a lot like us when they started. Tim: No, I don't think so. (Donna and Dick are eavesdropping.) Donna: He's being awfully hard on himself. Kind of reminds me of someone. Dick: I don't know what you're talking about. Donna: You could tell him he's wrong. Dick: Is he? Donna: We stepped in it plenty of times, Dick. Plenty. We got beat by Dr. Light. Completely pantsed by Trident. We had the ill-conceived idea that the Mad Mod was a threat. There was that time in South America when we left Garth in the sun for three hours. Lots of stuff… We even got kidnapped by Count Vertigo. How embarrassing was that? Dick: I didn't get kidnapped. I got nabbed when I was coming to save Roy. Donna: Nevertheless, they could use a kind word. Dick: I'm not sure a kind word is what they need.
The upshot is that Donna goes to comfort Cassie while Dick goes off alone.
Again, the point is not that Dick goes around fuming about his teammates 24/7! He cares about the Titans and trusts them to watch his back; he feels the same way about Tim.
But in the heat of the moment, he'll sometimes get snappish or impatient, especially with people he's close to. The friends that Dick has who stick around are the ones who are tough enough to stand up to him, and who understand him enough not to take his occasional moods personally.
Dick + lashing out at loved ones
Tumblr media
This one's a bit meaner. Dick's really good at picking out other people's insecurities, which he almost never uses against them ... but when he's retaliating, he's got an instinct for what will hurt the most:
Dick: No, I won't stop it. How dare you tell me what to do when you screwed up so badly Raven could be dead by now? Who knows what Mento did to Gar and Vic? Maybe your failure killed Kole. No, I won't stop. I won't! Donna (punching him): Shut up, Dick! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I don't want to hear anymore! Dick: But you're going to, Donna. You made me listen to what you had to say. But you don't like hearing the truth about yourself, do you? The perfect Donna Troy maybe isn't so perfect after all. (NTT 19 - Dick's under an ambiguous amount of Brother Blood influence during this period, but he's also just really upset about Kory, and I tend to interpret BB as "reducing his self-control" not "he's a totally different person")
Bruce: I didn't expect to see you again. Dick: I heard about Jason. I'm really sorry, Bruce. Bruce: You weren't at the funeral. People asked about you. Dick: C'mon, Bruce - talk. Don't turn your back on me. I'm here… now. Bruce: You were lucky. When you didn't listen to me, your injuries weren't fatal. Of course, by the time I properly trained you - Dick: Bruce, c'mon…lay off. I'm not here to fight. Bruce: Then don't! Dick: Are you blaming me? I left, so Jason replaced me, and because I left he died? No way, pal. Jason wasn't me. I was a trained acrobat. I could think quickly in perilous situations. But why did you let him become Robin before he was ready?!? Bruce (punching him): Don't you dare blame me for Jason's death! Don't you dare! (NT 55 - this fight is ofc 110% Bruce's fault even before the punch, but Dick absolutely is blaming Bruce for Jason's death here) Dick (trying to punch Roy): GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME, YOU TRAITOR!  Roy: Dick, I'm your friend… Blast it, man - why are you doing this?  Dick: Friends don't turn on friends, Harper. I've been there every time you called me. I sat up with you all night while you were detoxing. That was not a pretty sight.  (NT 101 - Dick's upset about getting fired as team leader)
Dick: I disgraced myself and my uniform. Both uniforms. I have to learn to live with that or quit. No more surprise visits, Babs. Don't make me sorry I put an elevator in this building. (BoP 37)
Roy: Look at you! Your greatest fear in life, the thing that eats at you - is that you're terrified of becoming Batman!! A cold, detached, emotionless loner. I've got news for you, that's exactly what you are. You've become the man who raised you. Dick: Yeah…and you're just like the man who raised you. A shallow, self-loathing, womanizing thrill-seeker. Except he was never a junkie. (O 16) Gar: I guess it doesn't bother you that your new teammate killed your old one? 'Cause it sure bothers the hell outta me. Dick: Enough. I'm here to find Kory and Tim. I don't need Terra's best friend lecturing me about loyalty. (TT/O Secret Files 2005)
Dick + 1st meetings with future siblings (+Steph)
Tumblr media
I hesitated including this on the list because it's lower-key and not always anger per se, but I think a lot of times when people say Dick "has a temper," they're not necessarily talking about his angriest moments so much as pushing back against the idea that he's happy or welcoming all the time.
If you're reading post-Crisis canon, Dick's a prickly introvert who can be slow to warm up to newcomers in Gotham. He's not exclusively cranky by any means! But he's not all smiles, either. Here are some snappish moments from first meetings with Jason, Tim, Cass, Damian, and Steph:
Dick: They'll probably switch to another lab, now that you've spooked them. Jason: Then it's no big deal! We'll just locate their new digs and bust them when they take possession. Dick: Wrong! I'll locate the new lab all by myself! You're going home to tell Batman how you screwed up tonight! Jason: Come on... (from Dick's first meeting with Jason in B 416 - Jason attacked a group of criminals too hastily)
Dick: Now, who the hell are you? Tim: That doesn't matter now. Dick, look at this please. Dick: Kid, I don't like games. (from Dick's first-technically-second meeting with Tim in LPoD - Tim's been chasing him all around the circus, and although Dick doesn't yet know this, also broke into his apartment)
Bruce: You can trust her. Dick: Six months ago, that would've gotten you further than it will now. Now, I'm not sure it's enough. Bruce: What more would it take? Dick: An explanation of who she is for a start. (from Dick's first meeting with Cass in B: LotDK 120 - Bruce went AWOL for months and has now resurfaced with a protégé) Jason: It's a new world. It's not all backflips and balance bars. You were good. Were. But Gotham needs a tougher Robin now. Dick (internally): A sneaky, mean little punk. Maybe you hired him before the Joker could. (from the retold version of Dick's first meeting with Jason in N 104 - Bruce gave stupid instructions leading Jason to misunderstand and pick a fight with Dick)
Dick (internally, when he notices Damian's makeshift Robin costume): Damian's costume. Note to self: smack a clue into this kid. Damian: You're embarrassing me! Dick: You do that just fine on your own. (from Dick's first meeting with Damian in N 138 - Damian's probably scared, which means he's snarky; he's making rude remarks and resisting Dick and Tim's attempts to protect him)
Dick: What in the hell were - are - you thinking, throwing someone so reckless into the field like that? Babs: Gosh, Dick - I'm sorry I haven't spent more time trying to train a murderous little twit. (from right after Dick's first meeting with Steph in BG 5 - Steph accidentally froze Damian)
How much you weight these moments depends a lot on your personal aesthetic preferences! I love conflict, and Dick's initially kinda thorny relationships with his siblings are part of why I enjoy him as a character. I don't feel the need to "fix" this kind of grumpiness and honestly I don't even really see it as a flaw? Dick's not morally obliged to like his future siblings on first meeting them, and if he never got snappish with any siblings ever, no matter how annoying they were being, he'd be a lot less interesting to me personally.
For me, Dick's prickly side adds an important nuance to his characterization, and makes it more compelling. He's a human being, not a conduct book! His strength is that he's willing to reconsider his first impressions, not that he never has negative first impressions.
That said, obviously genre and context matter! I have enjoyed plenty of softer takes on the Batfamily in fanworks, and in a softer, gentler world like e.g. WFA, it would be weird to keep Dick's grumpier moments. Also, Dick obviously isn't 24/7 harsh to his siblings - he can also be really empathetic and protective, and although he never gets especially close to e.g. Steph, he does change his mind about her, and he's ultimately a huge source of emotional support to Tim and Damian (they grow on him! ... eventually).
In Conclusion
One of my favorite Dick stories of all time is Nightwing 139, and I think it nicely encapsulates how I see Dick's anger - it's an important contrast to his softer side. He's a person with an instinctive temper, and compassion and understanding aren't always immediate or easy or effortless for him. But he's also a loving person with a big heart, and it's the love that always matters to him in the end.
Here's Dick discovering that Tim is thinking about using the Lazarus Pit, getting angry, and leaping down to try to physically stop him ("He may not stop you, but I sure as hell will!")
Tumblr media
Dick (sarcastically): So, Robin... you think maybe we can hug this out?
It's important to me that Dick's first instinct is to have a physical fight, not to try to talk! He does all the wrong things before he does the right thing! He doesn't magically know the right thing to say to Tim right away!
But doing the right thing matters to him, and Tim matters to him, which is why he gets there eventually. When Tim tears up Dick softens at once:
Tumblr media
And in the end Dick backs off and lets Tim make the choice, which isn't easy or instinctive for him either! But it's the right thing to do, and it's what Tim needs to pull himself out of the power struggle and realize he's making a mistake, and then Tim stammers apologies and Dick reassures him and they do hug it out, and it's very tender:
Tumblr media
Without Dick's anger, you don't have a lot of his stories. But his anger doesn't define him - he doesn't let it. As Dick puts it,
"Yeah, I get angry. Sometimes I get so pissed I want to break everything in sight. But everyone gets mad. Everyone gets frustrated. But I don't fight out of anger! I fight when there's something wrong that needs to be stopped! And that's why I'll never be you! I don't fight to kill - I fight to protect!
And that's a big part of why I think he's great.
330 notes · View notes
zhongliswify · 1 year
Text
Zhongli When
Here is how I think Zhongli would react during emotional scenarios. In my extremely delusional mind these scenarios are canon. Tell me which scenario do you agree with the most! My personal fave is tired Zhongli. He’s too cute…Let’s start off the year with something fun~
(angry, sad, jealous, happy, tired & horny)
cw: slight nsfw! gen!reader
find all my little imagines using the # zhongliswify
enjoy! <3
Zhongli when he’s angry with you:
Zhongli is usually straightforward about what he likes or dislikes. However, when it comes to you, he can’t help but conceal those feelings. At first, you wouldn’t notice a thing. Zhongli has a habit of speaking a bit coldly to everyone. Some would even say that he can be quite rude. It’s only when he opens his mouth to speak with you that you notice the change in his tone. He’d speak to you as if he were speaking to a colleague at work. No pet names, no words of affirmation, the usual kindness in his voice would simply be nonexistent. It’ll take for you to actually reach out and ask if it’s alright for him to let it all out. He wouldn’t scream, on the contrary, he’d be rather calm. So calm that it’s a bit scary. But once he lets it all out, he’ll pull you into his arms and get right back to using pet names. He might be petty, but he can never stay mad at you for too long. If for some reason you still don’t notice after a while or you’re angry at each other, he’d be the one to approach you first. He just doesn’t like being angry with you, even less when you’re the angry one.
Zhongli when he’s sad:
Zhongli isn’t one to voice his negative emotions to you. Even during his most emotional moments, his first concern has always been you. When it comes to you, Zhongli doesn’t care about himself one bit. When Zhongli is sad, he zones out more often. He tunes everything out and simply loses himself in his head. You have to call out to him about thirty times for him to finally answer you. Over the years, you’ve learned that simply saying “Are you okay?” doesn’t work with that stubborn husband of yours. Instead, you wait until he’s sitting on the couch, laying in bed or simply sitting on your patio and hug him. You wrap your hands around his torso while laying your head on his chest as you listen to the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat. You two simply stay in that position in complete silence until he’s ready to talk to you. Not once has he ever rejected that kind of approach. After some time, he whispers a small “Thank you.” When he does, you let him know that you’re always ready to listen and that he can always lean on you. Sometimes he tells you everything and sometimes he doesn’t and the story ends there. You don’t push any further.
Zhongli when he’s jealous:
Zhongli doesn’t get jealous often. Not because he thinks you can’t attract others, on the contrary, he’s very aware that you’re a sight for sore eyes. He just knows that you like him just as much as he likes you. Your love language might not be as vocal as his, but you’ve never made him feel unloved. However, there are very rare times when Zhongli does get jealous. Whenever you meet with people that are not only successful but super extroverted, he can’t help but feel annoyed. When he’s jealous, he becomes passive-aggressive toward the person he’s jealous of. From rude comments hidden as questions to compliments meant to be hurtful. He knows that this kind of approach was childish, but he doesn’t care. Holding your hand, giving you not-so-subtle kisses and wrapping his arms tightly around you. This way, the entire room will know that you belong to him just as much as he belongs to you. You find it cute when he’s jealous, but you’ve never told him this. There was only one time when his jealousy got over his head. Even after reassuring him a million times that it was okay, Zhongli still ended up punching some guy right in the face. After that, you didn’t speak to him for 3 days. The man he had punched was someone that could help boost your career tremendously. Not only that, he was an openly married man. Zhongli had to beg you for forgiveness for a week. Don’t worry, the man was still willing to help you.
Zhongli when he’s happy:
When Zhongli’s happy, the phrases “I love you,” and “Give me a kiss…” will be floating around the house for a while. From hugs to random kiss attacks, he’ll give them to you all. Although it might not seem like it, Zhongli loves physical affection and words of affirmation. Just being in your arms brings him great joy. Every moment he spends with you makes him feel like a kid in love. He’ll shower you with compliments until you have to physically put your hand over his mouth to shut him up. He hopes to share many more happy moments with you. It seems that he always finds comfort in your arms.
Zhongli when he’s tired:
Zhongli doesn’t get tired often. Even with such a tiring job, he knows how to balance his work and personal life. There are days, however, when he feels like a deflated balloon living off the little amount of air left. The moment he comes home, he drops his things to the floor and plops down onto you. He doesn’t care if he’s heavy. He wants to be selfish just for a little while. He waits patiently until you shower him with your recharging kisses. In Zhongli’s head, your touches bring him back to life. He feels like he could work for a hundred more hours. You, on the other hand, are very strict about your husband's free time and work hours. When he’s home, you don’t even let him near his laptop. So when he comes home, looking absolutely defeated, you pamper him. Like a cat, he lays his head on your thighs and lets you stroke his soft brown hair until he fails to keep his golden eyes open.
Zhongli when he’s horny:
When Zhongli gets horny, he tries his best to hide it. He doesn’t let you kiss him, hug him or even get near him. He can only hold your hand and even then, his grip is tighter and firm. You didn’t understand why he did this. You were his spouse. If he needed someone to help him relieve himself you were right there. His stubborn attitude never lasts long though. Whether you’re relaxing, standing next to him while fixing yourself a snack or simply laying in bed, his hands will somehow find themselves on your chest. The moment his lips begin to pepper your neck with kisses, which is the spot he attacks first when he’s in the mood, you already know that it’s going to be an eventful night. Unlike when he’s at work, where his image is kept clean and professional, at home he’s unrecognizable. Unless he’s feeling extra romantic or expects to go for multiple rounds with his beast-like stamina, you two will be doing it right where you are at that moment. His usually sharp and clear eyes will be clouded with lust, whilst his voice will go down at least three octaves. His skin doesn’t flush easily, but his ears become bright red. Whenever you mention the colour change of his ears while gently brushing them with your thumb, he sinks his teeth into your skin. You’ve always assumed that it was his way of shutting you up, but according to him, it’s because every word that comes out of your mouth at that moment sounds lewd to him. Especially if you’re teasing him. Eventually, he did tell you the reason why he doesn’t let you touch him when he feels like doing it. It’s because knowing himself, he’d do it in a not-so-subtle place. He wants to at least wait until you’re both inside your home, even if it means the front door, to start devouring you.
also..thank u hoyoverse… 🤍💕💕🧖‍♀️👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨
Tumblr media
337 notes · View notes
topazshadowwolf · 5 months
Note
Will Lyra still be helping out with the boys when they’re older or…?
does dream know?
HNBD Lyra considers the boys Nightmare's sons. Regular FuzzyNight Lyra knows the boys are Nightmare's sons and figures she is adopting them into her life by forming a relationship with her NightStar. Gooptales Lyra let Nightmare play the single father of a group of small children for a while, but no more. She will stay and help him raise his boys and continue to stay with him long after they are adults again. She will be their mother. ... And will likely cry when they first call her "mom."
As for Dream...
---
Nightmare stood outside of the cottage, permission to be in the OmegaTimeline given by Core when Lyra asked. It was a surprise visit. One that Lyra set up without telling Dream that he would be there. Also, without telling the positive skeleton there were four tiny skeletons with them.
Not that Dream was unaware of the condition of his... his sons... But the Guardian of Positivity was not informed on how they went from henchmen who acted like sons to just... sons. Nor, were the children aware they had an uncle. An Uncle that Lyra was insisting the children needed to get to know.
She knocked on the door as Nightmare shifted, unsettled about being here after... well... that day. Each tiny skeleton child with them was held off the ground and protectively by a tendril. He could feel Dust's subtle breathing as he slept, Killer's excited wiggling, Horror's stillness as he passively watched, and Cross's hand as he gently petted the limb holding him. Nightmare was about to back down when the door opened.
"Lyra," Dream greeted with a smile, but he then paused as he looked at Nightmare. "And Nighty... I will be honest, I did not think I would see your... well... them again."
Nightmare folded his arms and frowned, "I had not planned on you seeing them either." A light elbowing from Lyra made him sigh and add, "But I know I can not hide them away forever... And as my... as they are mine, Lyra has reminded me that they also become part of your family." After a moment, Lyra nudged Nightmare one more time, and he knew what she wanted him to say. With a long-suffering sigh, Nightmare finally added, "And... they may benefit from having their... Uncle Dream in their lives."
Dream's eye sockets and eyelights grew, stars forming within as he struggled to contain his aura as he was filled with annoying positive emotions. "I'm an uncle?" He asked, excitedly, then quickly moved, "I am sorry, please, come inside."
---
As the children play with Blue and Stretch, their self-declared cousins, Nightmare would explain what happened. Dream would have the scientists he knows there look into finding a cure too, but no luck. They reach the same conclusion as Sci.
Still, Dream is more than happy to watch the boys for a while... just a while. They are a handful! An adorable handful, but no wonder Lyra and Nighty bring them over now and then. One, they are trying to build a relationship and need to have a moment to themselves now and then, aka date nights (Dream hopes he is invited to the wedding). Two, at times, the two need a chance for a good long, sleep. A good rest in which they don't have to worry about kids waking up before them and getting into mischief.
And the best part of being an uncle? Spoiling the kids and then shipping them back off home to their parents once they start to get unruly.
34 notes · View notes
cherryatombomb · 1 year
Text
Simon Riley headcanons
help girl this man is rotting my brain. anyway here r things that might not show up in my fics but i still think apply to him :] some of them are explicit autistic! ghost others are not but. he always is in my brain u get me. could be considered x reader bc i only mention s/o vaguely so go wild gang
Tumblr media
Good with body language, figuring people out via how they act. Mostly good at understanding tone and such - but passive aggression is where he falters. He just doesn't get it mostly, struggles to register it. Surrounds himself with people who are pretty blunt so it doesn't matter, but oh man he hates passive aggression
Speaking of, he's so blunt. He just doesn't see why he should need to sugarcoat himself and will speak his mind all the time. Doesn't see it as being rude, he's just an honest guy.
Love language is physical affection he just has no idea. He's SO touched starved please hold him.
When he gets comfortable with an s/o he's just so cuddly when sleeping. Like, full on limbs everywhere, you have no idea whose limbs are whose. He loves it.
Favourite positions for cuddling are either his s/o on his chest, or him on their chest. Both becoming weighted blankets for the other, it's GREAT.
Also loves quality time, but when the person he's spending time with and himself are doing separate things in comfortable silence, it's so cozy.
The mask is a sensory comfort for him, that's why he wears it so often. He also doesn't emote expression-wise that much, which some people find disconcerting, so it helps. Mostly communicates physically through his eyes.
He's got a secret sweet tooth, and has multiple snacks stashes hidden throughout the bases he stays on. Gummy sweets + chocolates are his favourite.
He has dimples bc I think they're cute. That's all.
Good with kids but they scare him in the like "they're so sweet and I'm not sweet how do I handle it??". They think the mask is cool and just think he's pretty cool. Uses his shitty jokes for good if he's ever in a situation where he needs to calm a kid down, but makes sure they're more pg. Everyone thinks it's so funny to see this intimidating masked man make a joke abt fish being so-fish-ticated (sophisticated) when wearing bowties, but its okay bc it makes the kids giggle
Shows his affection in subtle ways when in public, he's not really a PDA guy. Like, pinky fingers intertwined, or feet touching when sat down. Not very obvious about it, but he's there nonetheless.
If his s/o is in the military he'll like do their armour straps before a mission, or clean their gun in between missions
Loves petting hair. It's so soft and feels so nice under his hands ohh he loves it. Lay on him and let him pet ur hair and he can die happy
Has a list of names of people who his s/o has mentioned hurting them. If they ever show up this boy will just glare the Whole Time.
Speaking of he's so protective but tries not to be overbearing with it. Like if someone's hitting on his s/o he trusts them but will just loom behind them to see if they need help. Waiting for them to either leave, or for his s/o to sic them on him like a guard dog, bc lets be real, that's who this man truly is
Loves picking his s/o up he's so strong so he can pick up most people. Only done in private time but will sling his s/o over his shoulder or stuff bc he loves hearing their response it's so fun
Good at art, but only really does charcoal landscape paintings. Very protective over this because he's kind of embarrassed about it but he finds it comforting
Not really a gift giver, he mostly just gives people money so they can buy it themselves because he's very practical.
For those that are close to him, though, I can see him making some effort - a personal sentimental gift alongside the money
Gifts his s/o one of his knives so they can protect themselves. Will teach them how to use it if they aren't military
Likes to fuck with new recruits who are scared of him because he thinks it's hilarious. This man is a MENACE
Cat person for SURE. They just get each other. The need to fuck with people and seem kind of hostile but also love affection on their terms? That's so Ghost.
253 notes · View notes
lostrandoblog · 6 months
Text
Okay so after watching the pilot episode of The Amazing Digital Circus, I have a lot to say.
I'll start with Jax, who is quite popular. He may not be as much of a shithead as he may appear. He leaves the two most mentally fragile characters behind (he likely had the sense that something was wrong), snapped Pomni out of her dissociative panic, shoved Kinger and Gangle into the hole to hide before jumping in himself even though he could have easily just left them behind. He's still a jerk, obviously, but there are subtle tells that he isn't as mean as he plays himself out to be.
Also, I know his stepping on Gangle's mask seemed mean, but I swear it feels like more to me. Masking and hiding emotions is an unhealthy coping mechanism, which Jax can probably recognize. So he did it in his passive-aggressive way of being helpful.
Which Segways into what I want to say about Gangle. I saw a short on YouTube that discussed the hints about the characters via their designs. In which it was stated Gangles mask could symbolize she's dramatic and being made of ribbon because she's fragile. Both of them make sense but I think also alternatively, Gangle has a habit of Masking. Whether in autistic sense or emotional sense, it's too soon to truly tell. (Probably both) and being made of ribbon symbolizes that she bends to others whims. So basically she's a doormat. Maybe? Idk maybe I'm projecting a bit too much with this one.
Now for Zooble. What I find interesting about Zooble is their ability to be taken apart and put back together, which isn't a trait we see in the other characters. Pomni tries and gets as far as pulling her eye out of her socket, but it goes right back into place when she lets go. Bubble is able to pop, but they're an ai, and it's not quite the same. This unique trait could be symbolism for how much of a mess they are? Also, the chaotic design feels like it could be a sign of struggling with decisions or a sense of self since there's very little rhyme or reason to their appearance. Once again, we'll have to wait and see.
Next is Pomni. An absolutely delightful, anxious mess. I've seen some hate for her and that's she's being overdramatic and I just?? Don't see whatever these people are seeing. Pomni is rightfully freaked out, in such a strange place surrounded by strange people, not even able to remember her own name. Not to mention, her first day was chaotic. She still hadn't come to terms with the situation when she met her first Abstraction. Of course, she would panic. Any even semi sane person would panic. And she didn't immediately flee like Jax did either, she wanted to help Ragatha but there was too much going on and it seems entirely possible she wasn't even capable of helping given what happened when Pomni tried to grab Ragatha's hand. She went back for her too, so it's clear that Pomni does care to an extent even if she's unable to fully comprehend her situation.
Wow this post is already very long. I think I'll leave it off here for now but I have plenty more thoughts on this whacky series. It's my new hyperfixation so I'll probably ramble again about them in the near future. Pardon me if this was terrible I don't make posts like this often.
44 notes · View notes
xerith-42 · 3 months
Text
What if I made a whole post about Blaze
Wouldn't it be funny if I did that?
Blaze MyStreet (that's his name now) is the gayest character in the entire aphverse and I am tired of him being slept on. That's not to say that people don't like Blaze, they do. He was a popular character, but not in the way other characters are popular. It's hard to find other people who have him as a favorite character, and if you're a fan of Minecraft Diaries, most people forgot he was in that series because he was in like an episode of Season 3 and even I forgot about Season 3 outside of that. He's liked, but not in the way people can really latch onto characters in this series. More passively liked, because it's really hard to hate him.
And even in MyStreet, his ultimate conclusion is just bad. It's bad. I don't have any other words for it, it just sucks. Blaze being mind controlled and then killed off right before the finale was just unnecessary. It didn't add anything. This season had already implied to kill Melissa, and made it clear it wasn't afraid to kill off characters. There was no reason to do this other than to keep people hooked and make them have an emotional reaction to the episode.
And it worked! Most of the times I look up Blaze fanart, I find art of him as an angel, or in heaven with another character, or just art of him dying. And I don't object to making fanart out of these moments it just... it sucks opening his wiki and seeing "Status: Deceased" every time. It sucks going to find content of this character only to find a majority of it is just angst around a death I've actively tried to forget.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHY BLAZE IS THE BEST CHARACTER IN MYSTREET AND WHY YOU SHOULD ALL (yes even you) GIVE HIM MORE LOVE AND ATTENTION
Did you guys know Blaze is canonically not straight and probably polyamorus? That isn't my headcanons, that's in the text. Sure it's all in mini-games, but the mini-games are supplemental material to the canon work, and when Blaze gets so little actual character work, I am unashamed to pull from these sources. And in these sources Blaze has stated that he is very much one of the fruits.
In one mini-game Aaron says "You can't marry two people Blaze, you know that!" And Blaze's response is "I do?"
[vine boom]
Tumblr media
In another that I am rationally normal about, Aphmau stumbles in on Blaze with his head on Garroth's lap in a closet, WHILE THEY ARE UNDER MISTLETOE! And Blaze says "Your thighs are soft" while Garroth comments on how soft his hair is?!
[vine boom]
Tumblr media
And this is all in tandem with the fact that he at the very least canonically had a thing for Dottie, and it's very easy to say he might have harbored feelings for Daniel, Rylan, OR Aaron
[vine boom]
Tumblr media
So, we've established Blaze as one of them queers, this is great. Aphmau series really struggle with having gay characters at all, let alone good ones, but there's a quality queer character just sitting right there! Blaze is charming, funny, doesn't take up more space than he needs, and while it isn't in the test of MyStreet, I'll take what I can get. And he only gets better from here!
Wanna add drugs and stoner stuff to your next rewrite? Blaze is literally RIGHT THERE!! He's been around since Phoenix Drop High, and his birthday is literally April 20th, the writers are not being subtle about it. And in MCD, he's technically been around as a misspelled name since episode 40, and if you're making a rewrite, just add him in sooner.
Oh, you want Aaron to have a bigger support system that isn't just Aphmau in earlier seasons? Blaze and the werewolf pups are right there and would totally all live together in a house on My Street or Lover's Lane! Just saying! You want these characters to have a vector to explore polyamory? Blaze is basically an open book and very much agrees with the "a friend of Aaron/anyone else is a friend of mine" and would be willing to share his experiences. You want someone for characters to confide in that they normally wouldn't under normal circumstances? Blaze loves getting high and having vent sessions neither of them will fully remember in the morning.
And if we take it to MCD, he can provide a lot of this and more. Fleshing out of the werewolf experience, an actual werewolf that's at least closer to a part of the main cast than any other ones, AND you get to have him smoking out the other characters. Why wouldn't you make MCD Blaze the inventor of the first bong in Ru'aun? Literally why wouldn't you do that? What reason do you have not to do that? That's objectively great.
Blaze is a character who easily lends himself well to comedy and emotional scenes by being vulnerable all the time, and having the ability to bring levity when needed. He knows when you need to just scream into a pillow, or when he needs to pass you a joint and put a movie on in the background. There's not a lot given for him, but enough to build a solid character out of. He's stated to have an extended family, and a lot of siblings. He was probably the oldest one and had to help raise them, and would easily be able to empathize with older siblings in this show, especially ones who may have had to take care of a younger sibling while growing up due to absent parents (cough cough Melissa).
He also stood up to bullies for Daniel and was willing to make enemies with his entire pack, even his Alpha, just to make sure Daniel wouldn't get hurt or harassed. He's fiercely loyal and absolutely willing to throw hands at a moments notice for the right reason. It doesn't take a lot to make Blaze a ride or die friend, you just have to not be a dickhead and show that you're actually a decent person. He's very sociable and outgoing, a bit of a loudmouth, but he's got a good heart and generally gets along with anyone you could think to pair him up with.
I'm serious, send me a character and I will tell you how they could have a beautiful friendship/romance/something else with them and how it fleshes out both their characters. Blaze just does that by being around people. I'm serious. Please do this.
I didn't make an Instagram account in 2018 titled "Blaze_Best_Werewolf" (or something like that) with a self-made profile picture of Blaze wearing a flower crown and actively get in fights with people over MyStreet season 6 for my boy to be slept on in this manner.
17 notes · View notes
gamequeenanya · 2 months
Text
I may have figured out FNAF.
(Aka: "Phone Guy and the inherent tragedy of every developed FNAF character.")
Now, this isn't some deep theory post. It's just my observation watching the characters of the series and what happens to them.
FNAF is and always has been, a tragedy. (Everyone already knows this in relation to the ghost kids, but let's look deeper.)
And all this time I've been wanting more character development for my faves, I failed to realize that they already had it. But in the opposite direction as I may have liked.
You see, FNAF characters - every single one of them that even has a character to speak of - goes through a fall arc. Every single one of them (even the few who get rescued in the end, like Vanessa.)
Michael Afton has a fall arc (Bite of 83, and his gradual deterioration in the Sister Location Custom Night)
William Afton has a fall arc (his envy of Henry leads to his downfall, and then leads to himself getting Springlocked and deteriorating physically as well as mentally)
Other characters can have either a physical or mental state of getting worse as the story goes on, but many have both.
The Glamrocks get dirtier - and most of them are broken by the end. Glamrock Freddy survives but by the end, only his head is left.
There are exceptions to this rule - we don't yet know what Steel Wool is going to do with Gregory and Cassie - but for the most part this story is about everyone suffering because of FNAF, even if they start out in a relatively good place at the beginning.
Now to the part I've been waiting to tell.
All of Phone Guy's calls through the three games are about a fall arc. (Yes, even FNAF 3. It's subtle but it's there.)
He starts out as an older teen/young adult who seems really happy and excited to be a part of the Fazbear Experience. Listening to the tapes, you can hear the smile in his voice as he's reading the script.
But then, gradually, he starts smiling less and less. If you listen to the first tape and then the last tape back to back, you'll notice the fall from grace... What started out as a sweet, happy young man turns into a sad man with guilt and trauma. And even though he is telling us to "Remember to Smile!," he no longer puts any effort into even faking a smile by the end.
And it gets worse when you realize that this is someone who is bearing the burden of something he didn't do. People who are too nice often find themselves bearing the burden of other people's actions. And it feels like this is the case here. Phone Guy did not want anyone to get hurt on the job. Whether they actually listened to his tapes or muted him is not clear, but the fact is it would upset him greatly to hear someone got hurt on the job, and bear the guilt of the incidents. Phone Guy is good at hiding his emotions and pretending everything is fine, but as I'm listening close during a deep dive, it's clear his heart is affected by this.
That's not even getting into what William Afton did... Phone Guy has to pretend to be happy and smiley, but he can't help get passive aggressive when he finds out William broke the rules.
And then, listening to the less subtle ways the restaurant broke his heart... He went from a cheerful youngster wanting to work for a company that seemed like a lot of fun, to someone just trying to keep it together for the next person. By FNAF 2, he "succeeded." He's "lucky" because he gets to be paid more as a manager. But FNAF 2 contains probably the worst trauma ever for him... failing to save five children, and then dealing with the guilt. Then, (for whatever reason), he steps down from his previous position to take the night shift. Well, I have an inkling why, but it's dark. Does tumblr still allow us to say it without censoring it? I think the reason is that he's punishing himself for not being able to do more.
And then the FNAF 1 fall arc. This has all led up to the most unconvincing attempt of hiding his emotions we've seen so far. Phone Guy here is nervous. He's frazzled. He knows he's going to die. (But goshdarnit if he isn't going to talk to the nightguard he's training and try to help as much as he can.)
(And I know a lot of what Phone Guy says is just Scott trolling the player, but I can't help love it and want to analyze it nonetheless.)
And how could this be complete if I also don't analyze the trailer line:
"Hello hello? If you're hearing this, you've probably made a very poor career choice!" - If every other instance of Phone Guy lines can be dismissed as not being dark humor, I think this definitely is. But take a moment and consider: who is he really talking about here? The player is not going to have a long career at Freddy's. Nightguards at Freddy's tend to be a short time gig (for whatever reason). Whose job can safely be called a "career" then? It's Phone Guy. He's talking about himself. He regrets working here and he wants to warn you away from the job... And why would the trailer line be cut from the game? It isn't out of character. It's just something Fazbear Ent would not let him get away with saying.
Basically, this is the first instance of the FNAF fall arc, but it's a darned effective one. It's a tragic tale of a man who just wanted to have fun at a place that seemed nostalgic and happy.
9 notes · View notes
cornus27florida · 5 months
Text
Frederick Appreciation Post!
Sorry in the mess kinda style and born from various emotions tbh - the goal is to feel better towards thinking him as the best boi tbh ^^
As in, thinking more about him - Frederick! ~
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Him being the Green Plaid Prince ultimately makes him the green flag too - there's so many examples but only in Gwen's dinner arc alone he keeps helping people that he knows care about him and being very supportive to Gwen <3
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
His character is so complex, the pioneer of the redemption trio - as he indeed make mistake that basically the trigger of the story unfold with unintentionally making Gwen hurts and then she meets the CPC. But it's not coincidence, as giving ultimate breaker for his father's evil plan. He indeed jerk and sassy and judgemental on early appearance but I know LambCat has stuff in store to gives layers for him and that's turn out right! Dark troubled past that's relatable but very capable of goodness - he just need an angel of the fortune (Gwen) to guides him to the light path and have mutual "special" relationship in form of respect and cares to each other = relationship goal, totally! This what healthy (love) should be! And he totally capable of goodness like what his sudden surprise! mentor at the street when wants to meet Gwen, Whitney, that later on becomes part of the CPC says - his pain although "subtle" is valid so he shouldn't belittle his own as 'insignificant' but he didn't need to wallow too long as once he feels ready - He could change his story, ultimately changes story roles. First part he painted as unaware villain, then later we learn how he could be a very nice supporter as simple a friend to Gwen. He's judgemental but that's his defense mechanism, and yet at the same time he isn't afraid to admit his mistaken opinion-ask forgiveness-and totally making amends out of it.. He just need to be pointed out gently about where his mistake!
Serious "Dark Comedy" 'Fun' corner
Tumblr media Tumblr media
This give ultimate debate regarding topic about gaslighting, too eager 'To die' or passive suicidal ideation - one thing that I could say: mental disaster blonde, someone (or multiple) people please save him! This clear sign of "self-harm"
Frederick, and the cliffs - symbol of "death"
Sorry for ping there @randomgentlefolk but I remember your talk at episode 158 about Frederick and the cliffs at the Pastel Kingdoms
He never actively jumping to the cliff but somehow falling a lot too - and in the real world rational thinking...The height of the cliff are all abnormal (one of funny yet also concerning is when he accidentally fell down to the CPC as isn't like several meters? People could fall to death depending on many factors, but I feel if ordinary people (unlike him who has ridiculous Plaid genetics that makes him physically strong deep down) fall from the cliff like him-they die
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
And when i am rereading balcony serenade arc
The first event as the catalyst that make sure for Frederick that at least Gwen as his fiancee care-
Tumblr media
^ the comment section pointing out: if Gwen let go, what happened to you?! You just fall from the cliff then? Maybe in the CPC for Frederick's case he somehow 'magically' surviving all the falling from cliff incidents but Frederick himself knows that "pushing someone from the cliff"=murder
That's the whole reason why he mistaken Gwen with Monika thus thinking Gwen as immortal witch after all - he so scared 'kills' Gwen
But why he feels totally OK if himself the one that falling? The nonchalant exclaim "I fall a lot" seems not bodes with me - if not adding the unwritten fact that if Pastel siblings are like fairy tale with superpower abilities each.. Then Plaids has fairytale resiliency and ridiculous power. Leland could rip a coffee mug in half. Make dull knife a lethal weapon. Frederick that supposed to be "the weakest" could carry 200 kilograms llama, and his resilience over falling from the cliff seems the nods for that. Blaine in physical power not clear but in swordsmanship skill he so excel. Now only need to see Lance that dubbed as the strongest plaid prince can do! It's established as he can make someone flying with a slap
14 notes · View notes
gravity-barbie · 1 year
Text
The Sparrow’s reaction to their sibling being in a toxic relationship HCs
Request
Warning: Possibly implied emotional abuse (Nothing detailed)
Umbrella version (The first hcs I ever wrote btw)
Masterlist
Marcus Hargreeves
Tumblr media
-As number one, the leader, and kind of your boss, Marcus feels partially responsible for you and so feels obligated to step in
-Sometimes your down moods do effect your performance and he uses that as an excuse to go into leader mood and try to keep you and your partner apart through orders and lectures
-He doesn’t easily let it show but it’s all coming from care for you, it’s actually a real struggle for him to know you’re being mistreated
-He takes initiative in making a meeting with your partner and very forwardly telling them to cut their crap, with calm threats and polite intimidation
-But he has zero qualms resorting to violence and/or treating them like any other criminal if they don’t take his warning seriously
Ben Hargreeves
Tumblr media
-Even when he was the leader, Ben had never payed that close attention to his siblings personal lives, he doesn’t realise anything’s going on with you until he overhears some of the others talking about it, but once he’s in the loop he does take the matter seriously
-He alternates between inserting himself into the issue and badgering you with questions, and trying too hard to act like he couldn’t care less what’s going on with you
-He gets a bit frustrated by the fact that you seem to put up with someone like that (because he cares about you and he doesn’t know how to translate that in a healthy way) and will be brutally honest about it
-The next time he meets your partner he lays on the passive aggression and intimidation thick, but might wait for you to be out of earshot before he issues a direct warning, less of a ‘they better start treating you better’ warning and more of a ‘they better remove themselves from your life’ one
-He almost hopes they’ll argue back because he would find it unbelievably cathartic using his powers to back up his threats
Fei Hargreeves
Tumblr media
-Fei is careful, she doesn’t want to scare you off and isolate you by ranting about how much your partner sucks, so she keeps it to herself and remains your confidante, but she’s playing the long game, offering you more and more advice and help over time
-She’s good at keeping an even temper but she’s really pushed to her limits whenever she interacts with your partner
-Though she has a talent for unnerving them without overt threats, just casually telling them what she’d do to ‘someone’ if they hurt you
-You’ve got a bird watching you most the time, always ready to step in, as she feels she has a certain level of plausible deniability if your partner just so happens to be mauled by birds
-Despite all her efforts to put an end to your relationship in order to do what’s best for you, she’s still sympathetic to your heartbreak and will be there to comfort you after your break up
Alphonso Hargreeves
Tumblr media
-Alphonso isn’t the most perceptive or analytical person, he misses most the subtle signs, he notices you’re unhappy more but you deflect and he doesn’t think to push it
-But when he finally realises what’s going on because of something obvious your partner does he’s outraged and will try picking a fight on the spot
-He doesn’t usually act like it but he’s quite empathetic when it comes to the people he cares about and will be quite kind and gentle while talking about the subject with you
-He’s very insistent that you should break up with them, borderline desperate, and it kills him that you won’t
-He becomes very protective, and quite stubborn about it, trying to be by your side as often as possible and acting like a guard dog whenever your significant other is around
Sloane Hargreeves
Tumblr media
-Sloane can really empathise with you, she can only imagine how sad she’d be to fall for someone who turned out to be so crappy, her own romantic ideals just give her all the more ammunition to judge your partners massive shortcomings and wish better for you
-While she’s nice about it, she isn’t afraid to speak her mind on the matter and tell you when she thinks your partners done something out if line and recommend you take some kind of action or at least confide in her
-If you do ever need comfort she is so there for you, she’ll spend days keeping you company, letting you vent, distracting you, giving you all the kindness you’ve been missing out on, whatever you need
-In general she just tries to be around you more, as to hopefully reduce your time around them and help you see more clearly
-She won’t do it lightly because she wants to respect your choices but if your partner ever goes too far in her eyes she has no issue literally sending them flying
Jayme Hargreeves
Tumblr media
-Jayme does not understand how you keep ending up in these kind of relationships and why you’re not willing to end them after the first big offence, she seems almost bored on the subject but it actually infuriates her
-Not afraid to tell it like she sees it, she gives you kind of a hard time about not setting better boundaries or just plain breaking up with people but backs off whenever she seems too invested
-Even if the person you’re dating is on their best behaviour around her she’s tense and quick to aggression around them, it will not take much for her to get physical, if they give you just a little bit of attitude she’s seeing red
-She’s smart enough to handle the matter carefully if she absolutely has to though, or even do some research on how to best handle the situation, because despite how cold she’ll act she just wants what’s best for you
-She’s obviously not the best at pep talks (she’s not one for talks in general) but she tries to make it clear that you deserve better
Christopher Hargreeves
Tumblr media
-Christopher cares about his siblings more than he’d like to admit, and he’s pretty smart, so it doesn’t take long for him to notice somethings wrong with your relationship
-He initiates a casual but concerned talk with you soon thereafter, he’s pretty blunt about his opinion but he doesn’t push you too hard, just letting you know that he’ll be there for you if you need it
-But he doesn’t let it go either, keeping an eye (metaphorically speaking) on your partner whenever their around, his change of color giving away his hatred of them
-Him and Ben are like a tag team for insulting them, even if you can convince the two to not be avert, your partner will hear plenty of Christopher’s beeping followed by Ben snickering
-Christopher tries not to use violence as a first resort only for your sake and he does a pretty good job controlling himself, but if your partner really steps out of line, he has no problem bringing his power out and they will know your suffering by tenfold
97 notes · View notes
complexhaystack · 1 year
Text
Late to the party, but been binge watching The Handmaid's Tale! It is such a well written drama with so many layers and nuances. I've only just started S3, and haven't read the book... But I have some thoughts, particularly about Luke.
I've seen some reddit posts describing Luke as passive. I believe his role goes beyond that - his behaviours are a milder version of the extreme male chauvinism we see in Gilead.
Luke ends up staying with three women (at least up till where I watched :p) in Canada. While this on the surface seems to show his patience and kindness, his role in the house becomes a milder parallel to the Commanders in Gilead in several ways:
- In a scene where the four eat around a table, the three women have to watch Luke's mood for some time - as Luke presses Emily because he is inconvenienced by her presence. Heck about Emily's trauma, or that she risked her life to bring his wife's child over. A man is inconvenienced and something must be done. Thankfully Moira is assertive enough, but she also has to rein Luke in rather than Luke having sufficient EQ to rein himself in, while the other two women are uncomfortable. This echoes how the women in Gilead homes constantly have to watch for the man's cue and mood, and adapt their behaviours around him.
- The fact that Luke presses Emily for answers before she's ready to speak - also shows that he does not understand the gravity of the trauma that the three women before him have faced. He wants answers and he expects her to answer. Sounds familiar? (Yes sir)
- The above also indicates that under stress, he externalises how he feels as someone else's responsibility (usually a woman in the scenes he's in). This is done more subtly than the Gilead villainous men, because Luke is generally shown as kind. He is irritated at Emily because he's reminded of June. He says his wife is trying to eff up his life when he's the one who cheated. Once again, these are much milder, but also echoes of how the men in THT have low emotional immaturity and generally blame others for their situations or feelings. (The exception is Nick, but that's a whole other discussion on how he attunes to June's needs and allows her alot of space to be vulnerable.)
- Luke's passivity is reflected in many areas of his life in Canada and pre-Gilead. He laughs off the increasing restrictions placed on women (like signing off forms for June, or saying dismissively he'll take care of her). In Canada, I presume he works, but so does say, Moira - yet the caregiving of baby Nichole is left primarily to her (that is, his passivity is also in falling to stereotyped gender roles). Moira takes up a job at another refugee posting, actively helping people from Gilead where possible. She also sits and flips through thick binders for a long time to find out whether her gf was alive. In contrast, Luke appears quite content to let news come to him most of the time (even getting his mail Moira had to get it for him). June also once said that he never learnt how to use the dishwasher properly. This sense of passivity and honestly, entitlement - while the women around him are either proactive or helping Luke do things reminds us also of how Commanders in Gilead basically don't do much themselves, their households are primarily kept up by a legion of women in different roles. (Of course, what they do is to inflate their self importance by "working" to control these women.)
- It might be a minor point, but I also find it interesting that in his interaction with Waterford when Luke tried to hit him, his main concern was "you rape my wife!". While this is a legitimate concern, this also partially can be seen as a very subtle and normalised way of Luke positioning June as his woman, and something of his has been violated. He doesn't go up to Waterford to ask how or where June is, or that she's being held captive by him, or demand that she be let go. This point is again a very subtle one - Luke's focus appears to be on (1) June being violated by this man, and (2) an empty threat that he'll fight Waterford. Both in a sense a matter of potential male pride, which we also see echoed in Gilead's awful harsh consequences for adultery by a woman (because the man is cuckolded).
In other words, Luke got out of Gilead early, but his own almost invisible chauvinism (because of how normalised it is) makes males like him in the story complicit in some ways of how Gilead came to be.
I don't take issue with Luke not trying extreme ways to get back to Gilead to save Hannah and June, he might not have the guts to become a hero - and that's okay, most normal people don't. But his role in the story reminds us of how smaller echoes of extreme chauvinism can play out. I think if he did not manage to escape Gilead, perhaps he might have found he could adapt quite well to its regime.
Perhaps there'll be further development of his character, but at this point in time while watching, he sure is in the unlikeable bucket.
38 notes · View notes
vegasandhishedgehog · 10 months
Text
I don't remember which one of you said it last week, but I agreed with it and episode 11 only solidified that for me:
Jeng and Pat shouldn't be together. Not even eventually after the two year time skip.
I felt a gnawing in my stomach hearing that line coming from Put saying Jeng wasn't suited for Pat, because while I don't like Put, I also don't hate him and knew he was right. Pat wasn't there to see their little passive aggressive fights over him, he didn't see how both of them wanted control over the relationship so badly. Pat being dangled like a prize instead of a person between them colored the development of things darkly early on, but when the weather is overcast for so long it's hard to tell when the storm will actually hit.
I don't need to repeat what's been said about how ultimately Jeng put his needs above Pat's just like Put did and how that led to the breakup, but it is more disappointing. He was aware of Pat's relationship with Put and had seen how being around him affected Pat's mood when they first saw each other again. Jeng should have known better. What I think a lot of age and professionalism has done is make it easy for Jeng to pass as emotionally mature when he truly isn't. Not enough to handle the consequences of the relationship he wants so badly. Since that's the case, he's allowed Pat to shoulder most of that emotional burden, and in a romantic relationship that's just not going to be sustainable. Even worse, knowing how Pat handles his feelings.
The first half of this show really seemed to set up a sort of Mr. Darcy transformation for Jeng but it chose to take a more realistic route. The way Jeng reacted to Pat's emotional outbursts in the beginning was callous and apathetic at best. Sure, both he and Pat have developed in the aspects of Pat being stronger in his emotions and Jeng having greater sympathy, but I think for Pat it isn't from Jeng's encouragement and more from the everything else he's had to handle. Jeng's sympathy seems to really only extend from his liking Pat and wanting to be seen better by Pat. I'll exclude his feeding the homeless from that because we're not given a timeline or a reason for when and why he started doing it, and I won't speculate on them either. But a majority of his generosity, whether he's aware of it or not, is an extension of his crush.
Due to Jeng being older, rewriting over old habits or filling them in with new ones is harder for the very reason of them being more practiced. This can sabotage someone trying to handle certain things in a different way than they have in the past because they have to consciously stop something that's become reflexive or follows a certain pattern. So when someone isn't consciously stopping that pattern, isn't thinking they're going to follow that pattern this time, or thinks they have no pattern to worry about, they get struck with the consequences later when things play out and they realize "oh shit, I haven't changed." And that's what we get at the end of the episode.
That isn't to say that Jeng is incapable of growth, but he needs to choose that growth for himself. Is this corporate job and remaining in the closet for the interest of everyone but himself what he truly wants over a life with more play and a loving partner? Are the consequences of choosing not to take on that responsibility equal to those of never living a fully realized life? How long will it take him to choose?
I'm sad because all the way through episode 8 I was so excited to see their relationship and truly believed that it could be better than this. The messages about the BL industry, however more subtle they are later on, are really speaking here. If we get a happy ending with JengPat together it will take some really clever work for me to accept it. I honestly think it's time we got a BL that ends without the mains together because if we're going to follow a realistic thread, sometimes we have to follow it all the way. Breaking up a queer couple in queer media doesn't have to be homophobic. Sometimes these stories are made to demonstrate what could go wrong or for older queers to finally tell their story or to explore certain dynamics in ways that haven't been done before, etc. Whatever the intention, and as much as I hate the curse of episode 11, I'm glad they broke up.
16 notes · View notes