#cheezy yaps

*used as the blanket term

Corvus

it was by no means the first encounter I’ve had with a person who felt very strongly about what they imagined me to be. Or to represent. My presence can be disarming to some. To a small degree, that’s by design. Well, I could choose to hide my horns, or my tail, or change my eyes to a color your irises can appear. I could attempt to more readily blend in with humanity. My refusal to do so sometimes invites reprisal.

Being authentic and visibly queer, dealing with queerphobia from strangers

Theo

I love my parents. I don’t want to hurt them. They’ve never even considered that I wouldn’t want this. I don’t think it’s ever even occurred to them. They can’t imagine a world where someone wouldn’t want their life. Who wouldn’t want to live forever? Who wouldn’t want that strength, that speed, that power? But I don’t.

Parents who aren't queer/are visibly cisheteronormative and had your life all planned out for you from a very young age

Lincoln

I feel like there’s a world where I ended up hating my powers or something, ya know ... The big stuff got the cameras, but the little stuff was what felt good. And since nobody asked for the little stuff, I got to have that for me. That’s the part of my powers that I love. And that’s why I’m taking a little bit of everything now at the Academy. I’m just trying to find all the stuff that makes me happy.

That's why characters like David and Milo are so attractive to the majority.

The way they navigate those issues and have healthy, loving, long term relationships is compelling.

They thought if they didn't have anyone left they were close with, Quinn wouldn't have anyone he could leverage to hurt them again. They thought he would have to attack them directly. And they could take him. They knew it, Quinn knew it. They were physically strong enough to fight him, to hurt him, maybe even kill him if they died trying in the process. But they had a good heart, a soft heart. They cared about innocents. And Quinn used that against them before.

They didn't want that happening again. They cared too much about the Pack to put them in that kind of direct line of fire that only they could handle.

But that's where David saw the failing was. That's where the thought of protection wasn't enough for him. Because Darlin still cared. And Quinn would have been able to tell. Quinn would have lured any one of the elders, the youngsters, Angel or Baaabe into an impossible situation for the whole Pack. An irreparable situation.

He was in Department custody, David and William pooled their resources to protect their people from him. He's as good as dead for his transgressions by the order of the Vampire Council.

From Darlin's perspective, us not getting any kind of update on him since 2023 means he's not living rent-free in anyone's head. There's no need to bring him up.

And because he fucked with the wrong people in Dahlia, Dreamer and their sister can rest easy knowing he's not going to be an issue for them either.

And it really just means so much to me. I don't know how anyone who is a fan of Darlin can hate David.

I hate getting yelled at and I get defensive when i'm called out on shit. But I also know how to use my listening ears.

"What in hell were you thinking? You know exactly what I’m talking about ... You lied to me ... you wanted to hunt him down yourself. You wanted revenge, dealt from your hand. He led you on, and he damn near killed your friend, and you want to hurt him"

"I figured as much. No, not because of anything Sam said, because I know you. I have known you for half of our lives."

David knows how they think. He pays attention and understands them better than they probably realized. And right now they're pissed he saw right through them.

"Mad is not enough of a word for it. Frustrated, disappointed, worried, take your pick. But yes, most of all, I'm mad..."

"...it's about your safety!"

"...you didn't think that was something you might want to bring up to your Alpha?"

He's angry because he cares, not just about the precarious position their actions have put the Pack in but because he cares about them and he doesn't want to see them hurt.

"You're family. You're one of us. We love you."

The way his voice breaks here breaks me. I feel like it's also meant to crack the defensive armor Darlin is wearing, the mask they have up.

As upset as David is, he knows Darlin's heart is in the right place

"You thought it would be protecting us."

"...you thought that not telling us what you were doing might keep us all out of the firing line..."

"I'm sure it would feel damn good to end him. To give him back some of that pain he loves dishing out ... He deserves whatever you want to do to him."

And he's clear and precise that he and the Pack are behind them, will support them

"You're family. You're one of us. We love you. We would've done whatever we could to help. I hope you know that. And that we'll still do anything to help."

"You're not doing this alone. I wasn’t referring to Sam."

"There are options other than an unsanctioned vigilante hunt."

"We’ll get you your vengeance."

The whole thing was the verbal equivalent of

Is it because he's the happy-go-lucky wolf with an unempowered partner?

Y'know how in his second BA he repeats "And I'm yours"? (whether it was an audio glitch, an editing error, or intentional is anyone's guess)