Chapter 21 p16 – You have me!
Jany: — oh!
I didn’t mean — I wasn’t talking about y–
Labels: Little swishy dress / Flowers / Bows
Kara Lynn: Weren’t you? Master?
For me, this isn’t stupid, because I want to please you. But when you dress the same way, to appease her . . .
Jany: I . . .
Kara Lynn: It’s because your whole life is steered by her. And she might not even deserve your allegiance.
But you’re scared.
Jany: I’m not doing this for Walker’s sake! It’s to keep us safe!
Kara Lynn: You’re scared.
Jany: Of course I’m scared! She’s filthy rich, she’s been systematically trying to kill Beings for who knows how long, and, oh right, the world might be ending!
Kara Lynn: You’re desperate to feel in control of something again.
Jany: God, yes!
Kara Lynn: You have me. I’m right here!
Hit me.
[KRAK]
[SMACK!]
…Rippy, did you just read the same strip I did?
I think so Fly, but where are we going to find a sex therapist at this time of the night? (narf)
But seriously, this does come back to the question about whether Beings can consent, in the human sense. If this were two humans…this isn’t an ideal method of resolving anything, but at least Kara literally requested it. As a Being though, this implies several dozen potentially VERY odd trains of thought on Jani’s part. Everything from a desperate need to express “fight or flight” safely, all the way to Jani have some subconscious kinks that she’s going to need to work out (seriously, I have two or three other ideas about why Jani would want to hit someone). I do appreciate that Jani did notice that she’d subconsciously adopted Kara’s fashion sense (or something). On the third hand, if Cohen is right about Being behavior, Kara volunteering, almost ordering it, means that Jani is not merely a good Mistress (insert cheap BDSM joke here), but a very good one, making it a “safe” space, relationally, to ask for things, instead of obsessively worrying like early Pat.
So you’re sure this isn’t just Jany letting out her inner Ike Turner? Because this all feels like Jany just taking out all that bottled up rage, not like this is unleashing a kink that she’s been holding up.
I did say there were 4 or 5 possible reasons. Jani actually being an abusive son of a *bleep* (as Ike was) is an option, though I don’t think it’s a likely case. We know too little to actually judge, at this moment. I expect the next panel to be Jani having a horrified shock moment, followed by many tears.
This is all complicated by Beings aligning themselves in such a way as to make ‘Master’ Happy. They seem to have no fears or qualms beyond things that would damage their relationship with the one who holds their contract, such as removing one’s name before death.
Patrick shaped himself into Bianca’s perfect partner without asking, but didn’t know B would overthink and become upset, thinking she had forced it on him, rather than it being something he did to try and be closer to her.
A few pages ago, Kara Lyn was very forward about Jany’s brother clearing the air about BDSM culture through oversharing, So she’s possibly been planning this for a while, or had been thinking on ways to get Jany to stop seeing The Dog’s master in a bad light and seized an opportunity.
Yup. all this. alll a this. Erin is a crafty crafty writer.
That magnificent bastard, WE READ HER COMICS!
Cue emotional breakdown in 3…2…1
That or an ultimately self destructive pseudo-BDSM relationship.
I honestly don’t know which will be most to read.
That escalated.
I think that’s enough soda from your brother