The Rare and Elusive Cuddly Seme

There has been some debate among writers of how touchy-feely a Seme/Dom would or should be in a story. I am reminded of a term for it in Trek fandom that was viewed derisively from many corners. Tupper was coined from Tupperware http://fanlore.org/wiki/Tuppertrek . It meant that one of the pair was extremely feminized and domesticated and prone to wear frilly aprons. The word cuddly conjures these sorts of images. One imagines that the dialog during cuddling would be sickeningly sweet baby talk. This is especially jarring when the pair act nothing like that anywhere else.

Character is Character

Whether running a criminal underworld gang or a corporation or at home having a glass of wine, a character should be the same multi-faceted being. If that character is compelling, a reader should be keenly interested in seeing him do anything including have sex. And they want to see him being that compelling character while in bed. They want to see him being that compelling character in a bare knuckled fight or cooking pasta. These Seme should always be interesting and compelling. In fact, the way they make love and the way they fight should be telling a reader a lot about their personalities and how they think as well as what they may be feeling at a given moment.

The Sneaky Possessive Cuddler

Sketch by DL Warner

Okay, so how can a writer have an arrogant, uber-Seme being cuddly with his lover and remain that same scary sexy bastard that was just causing all manner of sometimes violent mayhem? In the case of this author's Seme, it's in the reasons for the cuddly demeanor. For Rik Heron from The Soldier's books, the cuddling of Vincent comes from his possessiveness. He has an overwhelming need to be as close to Vincent as he can to exert ownership as much as show affection. Vincent is a beautiful young man inside and out. Even those who have run afoul of his temper can attest to his beauty. He has many people flitting around him wanting his attention for reasons that are wholesome and not. Rik literally wants to keep Vincent close to his body whenever they aren't working. The closeness is really pleasant. Rik loves how Vincent feels against his body. He enjoys the scent of his skin and his hair. And he knows that Vincent is his. Fortunately for them both, Vincent loves being held for many of the same reasons. Their friends and loved ones are accustomed to them being attached to each other on the sofa or on a lounge chair in the yard or in the office or wherever. None of those people would ever be so foolish as to come between them in any fashion.

Secret Cuddles Between the Classes

For Lord Darius Galetea, cuddling with Andreas Hesper is more difficult to explain. There are many aspects

Sketch by DL Warner

of his life that would not make him a candidate for a cuddly Seme. The social rules that bound every cast of the civilizations in their worlds are the first problem. In a way, Darius is even more constricted in his behavior than the lowest pauper. Any weakness or peculiarity in his behavior could call into question his fitness for leadership. Being challenged by his fellows could result not just a loss of a position but it could end in the loss of his life. Those beneath him, should always be treated that way. Darius always side-stepped that social edict, claiming that giving everyone respect helped make his job easier. His need to keep Andreas close, however, came from somewhere else. Just as Andreas was compelled to make Darius notice him, this Seme is compelled to keep his lover close. It began the first time they made love. Darius held Andreas in his lap to keep him still while they kissed. But it was when he woke the morning after that first time that Darius experienced holding a lover and being held by him. It was a gesture of deep affection that he ha never experienced. He couldn't do without that feeling. Darius also found that keeping Andreas close while lounging on the sofa was a way of exerting possession. It often keeps Andreas flustered and a little off balance. He likes seeing the confident Crew leader that way.

The other advantage of keeping Andreas close is that Darius knows who has been near his lover and if they were too close. But he also enjoys the way the man feels in his arms. Holding Andreas calms him on his craziest days. That is a fact that no one other than Andreas knows. This pair would never have a true power exchange. Darius could never allow it, and Andreas does not want it. But those quiet moments in each other's arms or with Andreas resting against Darius on the sofa under the protection of his most loyal staff, he is allowed some measure of release from all his responsibilities. While being held by Andreas in bed, Darius allows himself to truly let go and sleep deeply. Lastly, Darius is not one for great declarations of affection. His enjoyment of such close contact with Andreas speaks of a deep affection for him. Andreas is aware of that. He was not keen on cuddling at first, but he grows to love it because it brings him closer to his enigmatic Seme.

Thus, both Rik and Darius are the same characters when they are cuddling as they are kicking ass in their day to day lives. They are far from Tupper. And that makes even those quiet, loving scenes compelling to watch.

Next Time – Conjuring worlds that make sense but aren't a nerdtastic overload.