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hellroots · 3 years

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『 MOBILE FRIENDLY RULES 』

— here you will find my rules or can also find them on my gdocs as well once i’m done with it. please like this if you read it, but otherwise don’t interact with this post, thank you. rest assured that i always read my moots rules before following and that i fully expect the same courtesy. i tried not to let them get too long but feel free to ask me anything you wanna know about them if it’s not clear ok?

『 THE MUN』

NOXTROMUN, THEY/THEM, 21+, BRAZILIAN

shy but friendly ! i don't follow for follow, if i follow you that means i've read your rules and want to write with you. i have no triggers nor squicks of my own except drama in the dash, for that reason i do not engage in callouts/witch hunts and if you do it on a constant basis i might have to hard block you for my own peace of mind. although i may come off too strong/harsh, i am always up to talking things out privately. as long as you are civil, so am i. any form of hate will be deleted and blocked - sometimes mocked, if i’m feeling cocky…

『 THE BLOG』

HELLROOTS, INDIE ( POTENTIALLY TRIGGERING AND NOT MINOR FRIENDLY ), HIGHLY SELECTIVE & PRIVATE MULTIFANDOM MULTIMUSE

primarily run on a low activity \ effort and with a slow speed.. my muselist changes a lot, depends a lot on what i’m watching lately so bear with me please. this is a drama free zone, therefore do realise that mun ≠ muses and (obviously) writing ≠ condoning !! as a quick note, do keep in mind that my blog is my safe space, just as your blog is yours - you are responsible for your own internet experience just as i am responsible for mine. should anything in my blog annoy/trigger/squick you, i strongly encourage you to block me & not write with me - your mental health is far more important ( for me, and hopefully for you as well ) than rp. on that note, please do not softblock me - that’s annoying, just hardblock please.

『 THE TRIGGERS』

TRIGGER HEAVY, PROPERLY TAGGED AND TAKING NO CRAP

i usually tend to write for trigger heavy fandoms (such as asoiaf, kingdom and others) and may incorporate some of it into my writing, muses' backgrounds and overall characterization. if you're bothered \ squicked \ triggered by that, i kindly encourage you to reconsider and not follow me. no amount of rp fun is worth your mental health. i try to tag everything accordingly and i fully expect the same courtesy for our followers' sakes. be aware that there may be mentions of death, gore, violence, consanguinamory \ endogamy (especially when it comes to the lannisters and kekkei genkai clans), rape ( kingdom, though it will only be mentioned on the character’s backstory ) and cannibalism ( hannibal and kingdom ) , as well as unhealthy relationships and dynamics alongside with powerplay, and otherwise bad behaviours. for all that is sacred, please, do note that i, the mun, do not approve, support or condone any of these actions or behaviours !! i simply am capable of separating fiction from reality. as long as everything is properly tagged, with mutual consent and there are no minors involved (muse and especially not muns), . i support the right of a consenting adult to explore these awful dark topics in a safe fictional environment with other like minded consenting adults, people shouldn’t have to share their traumas to strangers on the internet to explain why they write what they write, be considerate. if that notion bothers you perhaps you might not want to interact with me, for both of ours sakes. fair warning, most of my graphics and aesthetics might trigger those who have xylophobia/hylophobia (phobia of trees or wooded areas), and considering it is a main theme here i will not be tagging it, i'm sorry. but its too many. however, if you want me to create a special tag for you, there's no issue! it will be either "[your mun name] don't look!" or "[your url] don't look!", whichever you prefer. QUICK EDIT/ADDITION: i do not believe that aging up fictional characters is inherently a bad thing - from what i understand, the whole appeal of aging up a character is that while you like their personality but you do not want them to be kids (for whatever reason) but insteasd adults. if you are one of those who think that aging up a character is automatically something bad (without even knowing why it was done in the first place) don’t bother following me because i do think that opinion is quite silly.

『 THE INTERACTIONS』

OC, DUPLICATE, MULTIMUSE AND CANON DIVERGENT FRIENDLY

my tagging system is simple, i tag triggers as "tw; x" and . images that may be sensitive or triggering as "cw; x". you can further see how my tags work by taking a look at my tag dump post, just search ‘tag dump’ on my blog and you will find the most recent one i’m using. i shitpost and talk oocly on the dash constantly but you can easily blacklist my tag if it bothers you. here's something you should know about me: when i'm doing drafts i usually don't feel like chatting much, so please do not spam me because i won't be able to reply, i love to talk with my moots but sometimes it overwhelms me. on that note, please don't pester me for replies ic or ooc, i am slow and chances are that if you try to guilt trip me or just nag me about it i'll leave as the ones i'll get to in the later end on purpose, just out of spite. yes, i be like that. please be patient - i’ll never pressure you and expect the same in return. plotting wise: i prefer to just wing it with just a faint idea of where to take the thread but honestly i'm cool with anything. please be considerate when formatting your replies, i have a bad eyesight & if i can't read it, i won't bother with it. my own formatting is simple and clean. on a smaller note, please bear with me and my muses as my muses ramble a lot but you don't have to match the length, just give me something to work with. if we write together, the chances of me making edits/tagging you in stuff are really big, just lmk if you don’t like that though !

『 THE FLEET』

MOSTLY BI/PAN MUSES, MULTISHIP AND MULTIVERSE, SMUT FRIENDLY

i love shipping but i like my ships to be devices to move the plot/dynamics/muses forward, every once in a while though i partake in some much loved self indulgent shipping. just because i ship a certain pairing don't presume that my characters are approaching yours with second intentions, please. most of the time i like to reblog those relationship memes, so if you’re interested in a ship the best way (other than sending me a message ofc) to let me know is by sending ones. there will be some triggering ships here ( like the lannisters, both cersei x jaime and joanna x tywin are my otps, and potential inter clan ships, like with the hyugas - i mean how the hell you think they keep the byakugan in their family?? ) that may either be played with trusted friends or be mentioned/reblogged sometimes, all properly tagged so you can easily blocklist/avoid it. most of my muses are either bi or pan, those who are not will be specified. don't be afraid to reach out to me for shipping right off the bat - i'd rather have you to be open and honest with me about the interactions you want than lying to me, just know that there will be needed some plotting and threading first to see if your muses match. as an adult, my blog is smut friendly, i partake in sexual sunday a lot because some of my muses are very lewd in nature, you can blacklist my tag if that bothers you as well.

『 THE FINAL NOTES』

GENERAL RP ETIQUETTE APPLIES, CREDITS, THANK YOU FOR READING MY RULES

lastly but not least, general rp etiquette applies on my blog: no godmodding, forced ships, etc. there’s only ONE thing that truly makes me go apeshit crazy, and it’s when people don’t read my rules. i ALWAYS find out and it’s not pretty; i block it like it’s hot, ♪ ♫ ♬ block it like it’s hot ♪ ♫ ♬. i strongly assure you that i always read your rules before both following you and also before sending memes, just in case. on a much smaller note, i’m not so hot on single shipping and i really feel weirded out about people forcing me to pic who i’m going to interact with due to theirs DNI’s. while i get DNI’s when it comes to actual predators, when it’s something seemingly random chances are that i’ll softblock you because it weirds me out how volatile some can be when it comes to a hobby. i have some trigger heavy hcs ( for example, the one about jiraiya’s hypersexuality being rooted in trauma that he suffered at a young age ) that i share with only a few muns that are closer with me, so i’ll be mentioning them every once in a while but won’t share them, please don’t insist. i don’t really like most of the main characters of the franchises i write for, and when it comes to certain characters i reserve the right to decline an rp for my own comfort. for further info on what i use to make my graphics please check my “CREDITS.” tag. most of my stuff is made by me, i’ve got a lowkey rph in case you wanna check it out it’s @brazucahelps, however if you want a custom content i can see if i get a free time to come up with something :D

IF YOU READ THIS FAR, THANK YOU SO MUCH — JUST ONE LAST THING, COULD YOU PLS LIKE THIS SO I KNOW YOU’VE READ IT? <3 THANKS!

#RULES.

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iluvsexyvoltageguys · 5 years

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Bad Romance - Part 12

Fandom: Scandal in the Spotlight (Love 365)

Pairing: Iori x Reader

You woke up feeling sick to your stomach, you hadn’t been feeling well but you figured it was just because of all the drama and knowing you would be facing Nagito soon. Your anxieties were lessened slightly by the guy beside you.

Iori’s arms were still wrapped tightly around you even as he slept. It was comforting even as you faced something you were really sacred to do.

“Iori,” you whispered, causing him to stir.

You were attempting to get him to let go so you could start to get ready, but he only held you tighter. You couldn’t help but smile, he looked so peaceful as he slept. If only you could just stay like this.

“Iori, I gotta get up,” you told him softly.

“No you don’t,” he replied, eyes still closed.

It made you laugh, despite how anxious you were.

“I wish I didn’t, but I gotta see Nagito,” you sighed, running your fingers through his hair lightly.

That got him up.

“Shit I forgot,” he mumbled rubbing his eyes, “Do you need anything?”

“Just to get it over with,” you said, your hand resting on Iori’s cheek. “I’ll be okay.”

You didn’t want him worrying about you too much.

“Do you want me to go?” Iori asked.

You shook your head, “It will be nice to come home to you. And then we can talk about whatever happens.”

You didn’t miss the slight smile that tugged at Iori’s lips when you made the comment about coming home to him. It made you happy too.

You got ready quickly, not wanting to keep Nagito waiting. Iori stayed in bed, watching you with a hint of a frown on his face. You wondered what he was thinking about. Well you had an idea, but still you wish you could see exactly what was running through his mind.

“Okay, I’m going,” you announced finally, trying to sound somewhat confident. You leaned over the bed, pressing a kiss to Iori’s lips.

“You got this, _____,” Iori said, his hand trailing down your arm, resting on your hand, “I’ll be there with you in spirit.”

“Thanks Iori,” you smiled at him, before heading out.

On your way over to see Nagito you began to concoct what you were going to say to him. Nothing felt right, though. It all seemed forced, or rehearsed, or just wrong. God this is gonna be a mess, you thought as you approached his door. Your hand was shaking as you knocked weakly. You wondered if he had even heard it, but a minute later the door opened.

“Hey,” you said softly.

“Hey,” he sighed, stepping aside to let you in.

Your heart was racing as he followed you to the couch. You were suddenly getting emotional, thinking of how just a few weeks ago you were on the same couch with him, without a care in the world. You had been happy, he had been happy and now it was all coming to an end on the same piece of furniture.

You bit back tears, knowing that wouldn’t be a good place to start. Fuck, you didn’t even know where to start. Your mind went totally blank with Nagito’s eyes on you, the little bit of a speech you prepared totally disappearing.

“I-okay- there’s a lot I want to say and I don’t really know how to say it,” you began.

“Take your time,” he replied, though his voice was flat and emotionless.

You didn’t deserve that, he should be angry, yelling at you. You almost felt guilty that he wasn’t.

“I didn’t plan for this to happen, and I wasn’t using you to get to Iori. I really just need you to know that,” you told him.

It was hard to look him in the eye, but you tried your best to anyway.

“So what was it then?” he questioned, a bit of hurt peaking through his voice.

“Iori and I-” you paused, searching for the right words, “We just started hooking up. I didn’t even know if I liked it at first, I don’t know. It was a weird dynamic we hated each other but then we would…” You trailed off, not wanting to get into the details.

He knew what you were getting at.

You continued, “Somewhere in there I actually started to like him, but then we got into a big fight. It really hurt, and you were there for me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that. And I really liked you it’s ju-”

“Just that you like Iori more,” he finished the sentence for you.

You frowned, unsure of how to reply to that.

“I’m sorry,” was all you could manage at the moment, “I really thought Iori and I were done after that fall out. I never expected this to play out how it did. I should have told you right from the start about Iori. The two of you are friends and I slept with you knowing…God I’m so sorry Nagito.”

You suddenly broke into tears. Everything you were trying to hold back these past few days just flooding your system.

“I know you didn’t do it on purpose,” Nagito replied, handing you a tissue.

You took it gratefully, trying to dry your tear-stained cheeks.

“Please don’t be mad at Iori,” you cried, “Just be mad at me okay? Iori…he needs you. He needs a friend right now, and you’re the best friend someone could have. Please just don’t ha-”

“Okay slow down, _____,” Nagito stopped you, “I’m not mad…well I was mad, like really mad, but I’m not anymore.”

“You’re not?” you asked, surprised.

“I’m upset, not mad,” Nagito explained, “As much as it hurts, I realized you and Iori didn’t do this to hurt me.”

“Never,” you confirmed, “And I want you to be honest Nagito, if us being together is too much we’ll separate. We don’t want to hurt you anymore, we understand.”

Nagito shook his head, “There is no sense in all of us being unhappy. I’m gonna need space for awhile, but I know you guys like each other a lot. I’m not gonna mess with that.”

“You’re amazing Nagito,” you said,”I mean really, we don’t deserve this kindness but it really means so much.”

“I know you would do the same for me,” Nagito replied.

“Definitely,” you nodded, “You’re gonna find someone you deserve Nagi. I truly want that for you, and I know you’re gonna find it. I’m always here for you if you need it and I hope in time we can work on being good friends again.”

Nagito mustered a soft smile, “I would like that. Thank you for coming to talk to me, I really appreciate it.”

“Of course. Thank you for being so understanding. For being you,” you told him.

You both went in for a hug and it made you happy. You knew things were far from perfect and that your relationship still needed work, but you were happy. Happy he didn’t hate you, happy he was okay with you and Iori, and happy that he was willing to keep a friendship. You seriously didn’t feel worthy of his kindness, but you were incredibly grateful.

After a few more words and an exchange of goodbyes, you headed out. You were quick to get back to your apartment, knowing Iori would be waiting anxiously to hear about your meeting.

Iori had migrated to the couch in your absence, but jumped up the second he heard the door open. “Hey, how’d it go?” he asked, a nervous edge in his voice.

“Good,” you told.

“Really?” Iori asked, about as surprised as you had been when Nagito didn’t just yell at you.

“Yeah, I mean he’s upset, but he said he’s not mad,” you explained, “I think he just needs time, you know? It’s a lot to process and he wants some space to do that. But he doesn’t want us break up and he doesn’t hate us.”

“I can’t believe it,” Iori replied, sounding relieved.

“I know, Nagito really is a great guy,” you agreed, “He wants to talk to you, he still wants to be good friends.”

“I don’t even deserve his friendship,” Iori muttered.

“You do Iori,” you replied, squeezing his hand, “We both messed up a little, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a good friend like Nagito. He cares about you a lot, you guys will work it out.”

“Thank you,” Iori said, pulling you in for a tight hug.

You practically melted into him, the warmth of his body making you feel at home.

“And you’re sure he’s okay with us?” Iori asked as he pulled away to look at you.

“Yeah, he wants us to be happy,” you confirmed, cupping Iori’s face.

You brushed your thumb over his cheek as a smile formed on his face.

“So we are free to just…” his voice trailed off as his hand slid up your thigh. It was soft, even if it’s implications weren’t.

“Yes, Iori, we’re free,” you replied, with a light laugh.

It sounded silly, but it was true. After months of pretending you didn’t care, sneaking around, and denying how you felt, it felt so good to be able to be honest.

“I love you, Iori,” you said suddenly, your emotions practically overwhelming you.

“I know,” he replied.

The next thing you knew, you were on his lap. His hands tangled in your hair as he kissed you, your hands drifting up and down his back. The longer you kissed the more desperate it got, like you couldn’t get enough of each other.

Iori pulled your legs around his waist, gripping the back of your thighs as he picked you up off the couch. You continued to kiss him as he walked you both back to your room. He placed you gently on the bed, crawling on top of you. His lips connected to your neck, soft, wet kisses peppering your skin.

Clothes began to fall to the floor, lips replacing what was once covered. Everything was slow and drawn out, not to tease, but to savor. It was like that night before you fought all over again, but a million times better. You were learning each others bodies, not just for a single hook up, but for a life time.

Iori slipped between your legs, pulling them over his shoulders. “I…love…you…so…much,” his words were punctuated with kisses on your inner thighs.

“I love you to-oh,” you were cut off by a moan as his lips attached to you core.

It somehow still surprised you how good he was with his mouth. His tongue moved in all the right ways as he slipped two fingers inside you. Your thighs tightened around him, but he used his free hand to hold them open.

“Iori,” you breathed euphorically.

Your fingers twisted through his hair as he continued to work at you, no sign of letting up. Moments later, your body tensed before relaxing into a deep bliss. Your back arched, pushing you further onto Iori’s face, which he loved. He kept going until you had to pull him off.

“That was amazing m,” you said breathlessly, putting a smirk on his face.

You kissed him while pulling at his boxers, the last piece of clothing that separated you two. You wrapped your legs around him, bringing him closer to you.

“Need you,” you mumbled onto his lips.

Iori nodded, the tip of his cock already brushing against your slit. You were about to whine that you didn’t wanna be teased but then he pushed into you. You dug your hands into his back as you felt yourself adjusting to his size.

Iori’s hips rocked against yours. They were deliciously long and deep strokes, making your head spin. Your hips rolled up to meet his making the angle even sweeter for you.

“Iori, I’m gonna-” you choked out.

You were so close it was getting hard for you to string together a coherent sentence.

“I got you,” he replied, his thumb finding your already sensitive clit.

You let out a moan as Iori worked you through your second orgasm of the night. It was even better than the first one, nothing could top him being inside you.

Iori was weak for the sound of his name spilling from your lips, causing him to let go with you.

Iori collapsed on top of you when you both finished. You were both panting, pushing hair away from each other’s eyes. His nose brushed against yours, a simple gesture but it made your heart swell.

“I love you Iori,” you told him, peppering kisses all over his face.

“I know,” Iori smiled.

“What are you so happy about?” you asked, though you sorta had a feeling you knew why.

“This,” he replied, “I can’t wait to do this with you forever.”

Now you were smiling like an idiot. You knew he didn’t just mean the sex - though there would be a lot of that you were sure. He meant everything, the ups and downs, going through it all together, forever. As you held him close to you, you couldn’t imagine a better way, or a better person to spend forever with.

SITS Masterlist

#scandal in the spotlight smut #sits smut #iori enjo smut #voltage inc smut #voltage inc fanfiction #scandal in the spotlight #sits #iori enjo #nagito aoshima #kyohei rikudoh #voltage inc #love 365

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rayewriting · 5 years

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Things Left Unsaid

Fandom: Batman

So… I’m using Damian’s new Teen Titan group. Or parts of it anyway. But I absolutely refuse to touch the “Ric Grayson” bull DC was shoving my way. So, Damian is just beginning with this new group, Damian’s first team (I use that phrase very lightly), of Starfire, Raven, and others did not happen—but Wallace did work with Robin from sometime, I don’t know, like a one-time-off-deal-type-thing, okay? Okay.

Dick finished his Sypral mission and is recovering at the Manor with some type of injury.

Damian Wayne, Troublemaker?

Dick picks up the Gotham Gazette issue, lets out a sigh, and begins to read the article, wondering if he should call the lawyers, his sides protesting from the lingering injuries from his long-term stint as a spy as he takes in a too deep breath to release another sigh. The paper in his hands already rustled from Bruce’s reading when he was eating breakfast before he left for the office with Tim.

Damian Wayne was seen in Brooklynn, meeting with at least two other unidentifiable people. Witnesses say they had skin so pale it looked blue, the taller one had a chain and the other one wearing a bizarre suit. Rumors are spreading about the youngest Wayne…

Dick’s reading was cut off as Damian rushed into the room, grabbing a spare apple from the fruit bowl and lunch from the counter before Damian was about to leave the room, but Dick spoke up, “What, no hello?”

“Hello, Grayson. Now I have to get to school, Alfred is waiting for me at the helicopter pad,” Damian informed, running out of the room. Dick rolled his eyes and finished reading the article and eating his breakfast. The article was full of lies, but Damian was spending a lot time in Brooklynn, and Dick can’t remember the last time Damian had free time. Obviously, this caused Dick to feel anxious for a second opinion, maybe he was being paranoid? Or Damian more friends than just Jon? Why was Damian even in Brooklynn?

By the time Alfred returned, Dick was in the Cave, finishing his reports from the Sypral mission, prompting Alfred’s frown of disapproval. But Dick could not stay in the Manor all day doing nothing and he was going to worry himself crazy until someone told him what Damian was doing, because last time Damian was acting this secretive there was a clone. Speaking of someone knowing what was going on, “Hey, Alfie?”

“Yes, Master Dick?”

“Has Damian been around the Manor very much? Because I can’t remember the last time he actually sat down,” Dick asks.

“I believe Master Damian is usually in the cave by eight to prepare for patrol and eat dinner. However, between dropping him off at school and him showing up for dinner, I do not see him. He requested that I only pick him up on days when the young master patrols with the younger Mister Kent, on other days he brings himself home,” Alfred informs.

“Do you know what he is up to? Because the paparazzi figured out he is in Brooklynn,” Dick’s voice is hesitant, not wanting to cross a line, but willing to find any evidence that Damian might not be safe.

“No, what Master Damian does outside of the Manor and city is his doing, unless I am informed otherwise. Is there anything else you need Master Dick? Perhaps a cup of tea, or sleep?”

Dick’s head drops in embarrassment, “Um, a cup of tea would be nice. I’ll be up in half an hour, okay?”

“Splendid, Master Dick, I will set it out for you then.”

Damian’s pattern of rushed mornings and staying out all day continued for a couple of weeks, sometimes resulting in more Gotham Gazette articles and Dick read every single one of them. But this last one was the last straw.

Confirmed, Damian Wayne, Brooklynn Bad Boy

The article in question was describing Damian’s actions in Brooklynn- ranging from rooftop meetings with a dark-skinned girl, meeting in alleys with two males, and even meeting Emiko at a small café. It also has a picture of Damian with two dark figures, Damian holding out his hand in a handshake with the tallest figure. Dick was beginning to worry about his brother, needless to say, not that Damian was getting into trouble or anything like that, but that Damian would feel he could not come to Dick with his problems and needs to run off to feel better.

So, Dick called Damian’s school, saying the thirteen-year-old is sick and would not be in today. And when Damian runs in the kitchen Dick calls out, “Damian, sit down, please.”

“I can’t, Grayson, I—”

“I called you in, said you were sick. Now please sit down and eat something better than an apple. You look thinner than normal,” Dick gently demands, pulling out a chair for the teen. Now that Damian was in Dick’s view for more than a minute, Dick notices Damian’s physical changes from the last time he saw the teen. He was thinner, shirt and jacket hanging off his frame slightly, bags under his eyes look like bruises, and his hair-though perfectly styled- had lost part of its shine. Dick calls out to the kitchen, where Alfred is, “Alfred, can you make Damian something to eat, I would try, but—”

Damian cut him off, “As I would eat anything you make, Grayson.”

“Exactly.”

“Of course, masters, in fact I already have something prepared,” Alfred walks into the room, with an omelet with green bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions and a small cup of Greek yogurt with strawberries and granola, then places them in front of Damian. Alfred’s eyes shine in a way Dick knew that Alfred wants to smile as Damian began to eat, so Dick smiles at both of them instead. “What would you like to drink, Master Damian?”

With cheeks turning a slight pink, Damian finishes his bite of egg and requests, “Anything is fine, Pennyworth. I appreciate it,”

“Of course, I believe tea with brown sugar, fresh lemon, in a china cup would be best,” and with that Alfred walks away, leaving the younger men alone.

Dick lets Damian eat silently for a few more minutes before bringing out the newspaper and placing it on front of the teen, “Anything you would like to say, Little D?”

“Nothing that you need to know of, Grayson,” Damian answers as Alfred places his tea on the table and exits the room again.

“Really, Damian? Because I can list multiple reasons why I would need to know why you are being spotted in Brooklynn.” Damian gave Dick a dark look as he finishes his eggs and begins his yogurt, but Dick did not let that detour him from his goal, “I could be asked why you were in Brooklynn by reporters, like Vicki Vale. You could be having an emergency and I wouldn’t be able to find you. I could—”

"Father does not care about my afterschool activities, so why should you?" Damian says, then he takes a sip from his tea.

Dick’s shoulders slump slightly at that, "Bruce does not have a good track record of asking his family what they are up to. I just want to make sure you are safe. Because if something happ—"

Damian stands up from the table, food forgotten, and yells, “I get it! I do! But it is not like you have not kept secrets from me! Perhaps it is my turn to keep you in the dark, make you feel unnecessary emotions and think of 'what if's!”

Dick’s temper is beginning to spark, but Dick stomps it out before he says something stupid, “I’m sorry that I hurt you—”

“It was not just me your fake death affected! Todd went off on a killing spree, Drake left the Manor to work with the Titans, and if Gordon visited- she would not look me in the eye! But the worst was that I came back from the dead—the dead to find out that you were never coming back! I could do things people could only dream of! I could fly, I could lift the Batmobile, I was bulletproof! But none of it mattered- nothing mattered because you were not here…” Damian screaming pattered off into whispers as he looked down, as if these thoughts were sacred, as if this was the first time he ever spoke them into existence.

“Oh, Dami…” Dick starts to get up pushing his chair back, but Damian leaps backwards as if burned and turns his back to Dick.

“So, I do not think I can trust you, at least not yet. Perhaps it can be recovered- over time and space- but not—not right now,” the teen’s voice wavers and hiccups at the end.

Dick can see a tear hit the carpet, feels his heart shatter- all the pieces jagged and sharp, but he accepts this- this distance if it means that one day Damian can trust him again, “Okay, Damian. Take the time, all the time you need. I’ll be here when or if you are ever willing to give me a second chance.”

#This was not how I pictured this prompt #It was supposed to be fluffy #But the angst grabbed me and said NOOOOOO #so here we are #Damian Wayne #Dick Grayson #DickandDamiweek2019 #might post a sequel later\#RayeWriting

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shantelemile · 6 years

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The Untraditional Culture: Fandoms

A fan is the shortened term for fanatic. The word fanatic was associated with people who were, “insanely but divinely inspired” with temples and sacred places. The word’s meaning has shifted to, “marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion”and has entered our pop culture and everyday lives. “Fandom is a sociocultural phenomenon largely associated with capitalist societies, electronic media, mass culture and public performance.” (Duffett, Understanding Fandom: An Introduction to the Study of Media Fan Culture). A fandom is a group that expresses their love and dedication to something in a creative form of art (fan fiction, drawings, cosplay, etc.). Fans are allowed to creatively express their love without being judged.

A fandom can be considered a culture because it follows the definition of what a culture is, “Culture is the shared knowledge and schemes created by a set of people for perceiving, interpreting, expressing, and responding to the social realities around them.” (Lederach, Preparing for Peace: Conflict Transformation Across Cultures.). A culture is something taught and passed down through generations. Fandoms are establishing knowledge pertaining to the object being liked and the code of conduct within a fandom. They are also growing in size which can classify it as an actual culture.

Being a part of fandom is like an echo chamber, it becomes a space where ideas and beliefs are reinforced because it is closed off to outside opinions. Mark Duffett uses the example of Rupert Till’s experience at the Free Nelson Mandela concert in London. He states, “Rupert Till’s pleasure seems to spring unbidden from his experience of a live performance and yet it likely represents the culmination of an extended engagement with Sting’s recorded and broadcast music. Till is in a leisure environment surrounded by like-minded people, at an event that could resonate with his value system.” Till was able to feel a strong connection to this concert and the people around him because they had a common interest and they were able to reflect these interests to the public.

Just liking something is not enough to consider yourself a part of a fandom or a fan, there are steps to the process. There are three key stages of the fandom initiation according to John Fiske discussed in the book Media Studies: Key Issues and Debates: 1. The Semiotic Productivity: Do you feel empowered when you see that thing on TV? 2. Enunciative Productivity: Do you talk about the thing outside and proudly own their merchandise (posters, shirts, CDs etc.)? 3. The Textual Productivity: Do you write about your thing of interest and share it? When you can answer yes to all of these things, you are considered to be a part of a fandom.

Fandoms are popular, one of a kind, and grow in size every day. The question is what makes fandoms so appealing to the public. Since being a part of a fandom means you are entering a culture, John Jenkins brakes down what fan culture really means. He stated that there are five characteristics of fan culture: 1. When watching whatever it is on TV, you feel as though you are right there in the crowd even though you are not. 2. When you become a fan you have to understand all the inside jokes, you read and do whatever everyone else in the fandom is doing. 3. You can and will call radio stations to request a song or TV shows to gain attention or express your displeasure to whatever it is you like. 4. A fandom culture develops their own style and traditions. 5. A fandom is like a getaway from reality. (Media Studies: Key Issues and Debates). In a fandom, fans refuse to succumb to the social norms of the regular world, so they are able to express themselves freely there.

Even though within a fandom you are given unlimited freedom, the freedom and behavior are seen as crazy to people outside of the fandom. Like the definition stated earlier, a fan is a crazed person who would go to great lengths for the thing they love. People in a fandom would see this as dedication and an undying love whereas others would see it as being a lunatic. This is especially true for fandoms surrounding musical artists, celebrities, and television shows. The downfalls of having a fandom is the consumption of time and the stalker like behavior that people engage in. Being in a fandom requires spending a lot of time online and in communities to create new content for the fandom. There has to be new fanfictions, art works, and having to constantly be up to date with whatever is going on with the artist/celebrity, so it becomes very time consuming.

Fans are [sometimes] borderline psychotic. The term “stan” means when you obsess over a celebrity in an extremely overzealous way. It is derived from the Eminem song Stan (2000) which tells the story of an obsessive fan who is being ignored by his idol and kills his family and himself after he continuously gets overlooked. The musical group, One Direction, their fans would pay people to get information about which airport or hotel to stalk or harass them for a picture or try to talk to them. They would sometimes leak this information online and hordes of people would gather in these places making it dangerous.

Aimee Wilson, a 20-year-old that left the One Direction fandom believes leaving the fandom was the best choice for her. “There were people who were actually mean on Twitter. Other fans would dismiss them just saying that they were just protecting the One Direction members, but no it was bullying. Some of the Directioners would act like they owned the members and would tweet them non-stop demanding that they follow them or to do something. I remember they even made up this thing where they wanted two of the members to date each other and they found ‘evidence’ of their relationship. Some people would cut themselves because they were so sad they weren’t being noticed. I couldn’t even. As I got older I realized it’s not that serious, you can enjoy an artist and their music without being crazy.”

The good thing about having fandoms is that it has proven to benefit companies because they are making money from these fans. Dedicated fans will buy merchandise with the musical group(s) faces on it or anything referencing/promoting them. At concerts, they have multiple booths that have t-shirts, mugs, CDs, posters, and light sticks. Buying the concert ticket is the first way the companies that manage singers make money, then selling merchandise on the side is another way. Having fandoms also helps add hype to the company and the musical group. Simon Cowell is known for discovering the One Direction members on The X Factor UK and managed them under his record label, Syco Music. One Direction became the world’s biggest boyband during their six-year reign. Their success has been nothing but great for the founder and the company. This would not be possible without the fandom that demanded and supported the music they released. The use of social media sites like Twitter allowed the people who are in charge of the group to directly see the public’s response to the group and what they should incorporate or change.

The internet is aiding in shaping the identities of those in a fandom. Fandoms have a hierarchy system which determines who has power and who is popular. The number of followers you have indicates who’s the “leader” of the fandom. The more followers you have the more influence you have within the fandom, people are more likely to turn to you for information about the artists and what you say will be taken more seriously than other people. The PBS documentary Generation Like, Ceili the super Hunger Games fan, dedicated a lot of her time to getting more spark points and earning a higher level. The higher the level she had the more people would see her posts, and she would be able to enter the list of the top Hunger Games fan. Fandoms have helped reinforce this system in our society, fans want the high levels and followers to show off to the public so that their love is known within the fandom and not questioned.

Melanie Sanchez, a 19-year-old fan has been a fan of One Direction since their debut on The X Factor. She is still supporting them even though they are on an indefinite hiatus. “I liked the music that the boys put out, that’s why I liked them. But then I followed them on Twitter just to see what they’d tweet about and I don’t know when, but I entered the fandom. I kept posting memes and talked about how much I loved the boys and I gained a lot of followers over time, like 10,000. I would post something and if it didn’t get enough likes I’d delete it- I didn’t want to be lame.” When asked about the people in the fandom she said, “The community was filled with girls my age (at the time I was like 13-14). We cried, screamed, and laughed over these boys who didn’t know us personally. We all understood each other. We were all Directioners. I made friends online and we planned and met up in person in the city. It was the best time of my life.”

Within the fandom’s hierarchy system there are the OGs (Original Gangsters: people who’ve been around for a long time). They are constantly nitpicking and weeding out the fake fans. Since a fandom is its own culture, to just one day say; “Oh, I’m going to stan this thing” will not sit well with other people, especially the OGs within that fandom. That’s almost like culture appropriation to them. You are just wearing the name of the fandom for show, you have no idea what it is truly about. To test the loyalty and authenticity of fans in the fandom they might ask questions to test your knowledge and ask you about certain milestones. Some OGs base how long you have been interested in that specific thing to determine your fan status. Because fans treasure the artist and the fandom so much they do not want it to be disrupted by anyone who does not share the same feelings as them.

Fandoms are also shaping our gender roles/stereotypes. Gender roles have been instilled in society since the beginning of time, so it is only natural that they travel into our communities. In the Bible, 1 Timothy 2: 12-13 it states, “And I do permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first then Eve.” According to the Bible, men were born to be natural leaders and with leadership comes strength and authority. When men stray from these characteristics it raises criticism and some concerns towards their sexuality. For example, in the movie Grease (1978), the character Danny Zuko was a badass with a leather jacket, had a gang, a sweet ride, and girls swooned over him. In the Summer Loving scene of the film, he exaggerates what happened over the summer making everything more sexual than what it was. He makes Sandy change because he is embarrassed to be seen in public with her. Scenes like this have been translated and repeated throughout Hollywood, we see a repeat of similar characters like Danny, so it became the norm for men to act like him.

However, the children’s television show, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (2010) is changing this long running gender stereotype of men. The show has a fan club of grown men who call themselves bronies.The show’s intended audience is children and airs on a children’s tv show network. The show has gained an unintended audience of males and these men are seen as weirdos to the public because the shows target audience is little kids. Yet, it does not say anywhere that children and their parents or males cannot bond over the shows storyline or the lessons it teaches at the end. The grown men who watch this show are most likely enjoying the experience that the show has to offer them. These men are not living up to the gender roles set up by characters like Danny Zuko. The scenes that have constantly been on replay in Hollywood have been disrupted by a children’s show about ponies. Because this is out of the social norm the public is perceiving this as something bad, a taboo. The bronies are facing a problem similar to those of actors in the film Chocolate Babies. In this film the group of friends were HIV positive and they always received the shorter end of the stick. They were mistreated by the government and they had to form a group of their own to get the support and love they deserved. The bronies are being ostracized for liking a children’s show and they find comfort within one another because they understand the situation they are facing with the public.

Nashaun, a 22-year-old African American father who is not a part of a fandom stated, “People can like whatever they want. It’s just that it’s weird to want to be in something for little kids, it makes me wonder if they got other motives in mind. Why would I want grown men associating with my kid? Something doesn’t add up there.”

There are many cultures around the world that are not accepted or understood, and fandoms are falling into that category. Humans are conditioned to repel what they do not know. Our automatic responses to the unknown are fear and to destroy it. The behavior and the craze that comes along with fandoms cannot be processed by people outside of it. The One Direction fandom and the My Little Pony fandom are only some of the many fandoms out there and they carry many controversies. Even though they have these negative connotations surrounding them people still flock to these fandoms because of the community they provide. If you never had a place to fit in in the real world, you can most likely find your spot within a fandom. The judgement free zone is something we don’t see a lot in everyday life. I think this is the biggest factor as to why fandoms are appealing to more and more people.

Works Cited

Chocolate Babies (n.d). Retrieved April 21, 2018.

https://vimeo.com/62632619

Devereux, Eoin. (2007). Media studies: Key issues and debates. London, UK: Routledge.

Duffett, M. (2015). Understanding fandom: An introduction to the study of media fan culture. New York: Bloomsbury Academic.

Generation Like (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2018, from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/generation-like/

Lederach, J. P. (2008). Preparing for peace: Conflict transformation across cultures. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University.

PBSoffbook. (2012, September 06). Can Fandom Change Society? Retrieved April 23, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9Zum7azNIQ

#fandoms #case study #one direction #1d #my little pony #bronies #culture #study #fandom

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