#Trending Topic: Domward

The second I received the email that discussed Trending Topics for the Fictionators, I knew that I had to jump on Domward. No pun intended. D/s and BDSM are topics I hold near and dear because of my life choices. I have a lot of passion for Domwards, and more particularly, my quest for well written ones.

Even with my background spurring me on, I never really knew it existed as largely as it does in the fandom. D/s, also known as Dominance and submission, is a very taboo subject. People don’t understand it, or what goes into it, and therefore a lot of judgments are made. Assumptions are developed. I’m not here to educate, or to preach…I’m just here to push the smut.

No matter how much it is explained, there are always going to be those that frown upon it, those that stand tall in society and turn up their noses. However, as I delved further into my own curiosity of how the fic world portrayed my lifestyle, I found that perhaps it was slowly becoming less of a taboo and more of a growing interest.

I was quickly introduced to my favorite Domward, through Dariachenowith’s Heartbreak Remedy, also known to some as HBR. For the life of me, I wish I could remember who first pointed me to this story because it honestly changed my ideas on fanfiction. I realized, in reading that story, that there were people out there who really got what I believed in. There were people who really wanted to get their story out, and did it in a way that was honest and real. Daria never sweetens her story to make everyone warm and fuzzy inside. I was relieved to find it was a story all about the ups and downs along with the ins and outs.

I asked Daria for some insight to her story, more particularly why she wrote HBR and her Domward the way she did:

“The original one-shot was a contest entry for definatelystaying‘s birthday contest – the goal of the contest was to portray BDSM as it is, not a twisted, watered-down housewife version of it that was written without even reading the wikipedia entry on the topic. From there on it was just a matter of spinning a story that might, as a secondary plot arch, show people what it’s all about, and what not.

I think we all write our dream lovers as our male characters, and my Edward is pretty much my dream Dom, but he’s not based on anyone I know. He’s a complicated character – he’s a responsible and experienced Dom but he also makes mistakes, and he acts like a horny guy at times. He doesn’t coddle his subs nor does he believe in a kid-glove approach when it comes to all things BDSM – which quite frankly reflects what I myself am familiar with from real life. This attitude works for him and Bella, who have been friends for five years and explicitly trust each other, so he could throw her in at the proverbial deep end to see if she’s into the same things as he is. Kink is exciting, people usually don’t approach it with baby steps.

In short:

I wanted to write a smutty story with complicated, deep, realistic characters who engage in BDSM play while building a relationship all round it. Sometimes they mess up, act erratically, but in the end, ‘Heartbreak Remedy’ is a love story.”

I also pressed her for some insight on the relationship between her Edward and Bella. As always, Daria didn’t fail to deliver:

“Before they hooked up they’ve been friends for a long time. They love each other, they trust each other, lending them the foundation needed for every BDSM relationship. While not perfectly matched in their interest, they complete each other, both in and out of the playroom.

Edward, like most Doms, is a control freak – he gets off on being in charge, being the one trusted with that responsibility. While he doesn’t show it during a scene unless required, he deeply cares about Bella all the time. She’s the love of his life – everything he does, he does because he knows she likes being treated this way.

After some initial trouble Bella realizes that she is really comfortable in her role as Edward’s sub – to give up control, to trust him explicitly, to let herself fall and be sure that he’s there to catch her. He challenges her and forces her to step outside of her comfort zone and grow – making her both realize and appreciate who she really is. It’s a dynamic of giving and taking on both sides, all mixed with lots of sex – not a bad thing, right?”

On the almost opposite end of the spectrum, you have All of Me by flibbins. Bella is a fulltime submissive. 24/7, spent as a consensual slave for her respective Domward. I’ll admit, I’ve yet to fully submerge myself in this fic but due to the amount of recommendations I’ve received for it, I felt compelled to share it with all of you. Considering I’d rather spend my time writing than reading, it’s really saying something that I’m as excited as I am to read this fic.

Then, you have Domward one shots. I was lucky enough to have received Edgeplay by Dirtybrat via a tweet. It sat in an internet tab for a week before I indulged myself in reading it. I must say I’m disappointed that I waited that long to read it. It’s not often that I will read a o/s and feel satisfied with it. However, minus wanting to know more about the characters, I’d have to say I was thoroughly satisfied. Dirtybrat fully encompasses that of an experienced D/s couple. One filled with trust, honesty, love, adoration and understanding. Isabella, as Domward calls her, knows exactly what he wants from her, she takes the time to really focus on pleasing the man she loves. Edward, her Dominant, proves throughout that even though he is in control he is still focused on her safety, as it should be in any good D/s relationship.

Just like the multi-chapter fics, the o/s’ vary in experience and levels of D/s. Isabel0329’s o/s, Dualism was written for a contest and gives us a look at the first time for a Domward and his unsuspecting subella. While she never says it outright, we are led to believe that E/B have been together for quite some time, with Bella never really knowing that Edward is interested in Doming her. She falls into the roll slowly, and the two embark on a shaky journey together.

Isabel0329 follows Dualism up with Permission which finds our Domward and subella discussing the previous nights activities. It shows Edward really exploring his new role as a Dom and Bella trying to understand just what is going on between them. She is coming to terms with what he’s expecting of her all while learning what she herself can handle. It’s a look into the inexperienced side of D/s.

Now, I guess at some point we all have to admit that maybe it’s not the taboo nature of D/s that ropes us in. Maybe it goes a little farther than it making us feel, dare I say it, naughty? Perhaps it’s the prospect, as much as some of you may hate to admit, of a guy growling the word ‘slut’ in your ear as he ties you to the bed. Perhaps it’s the thought of clamps and crops that get you all bothered. Or, it’s possible it’s all of the above, wrapped into one neat little, demanding package. Whatever it is, Domward makes the girly bits tingle. You can’t deny that.

The more Domward I read, the more I feel like our fandom is growing, learning. My only hope is that we grow with the correct knowledge, with the facts. BDSM can be dangerous, even in the most experienced hands…but the experience and education is what draws that line of potential and actuality. With more Domward’s emerging everyday I look forward to the possibilities we’ll be seeing in the future. Mainly, I look forward to a certain bronze haired boy, slinging a whip and calling us all ‘whores’ with a devious smirk on his lips.

ARenee363 is a self-proclaimed retired fanfiction reader who came out of retirement, happily, for the Fictionators and Domward. She is the writer of Inked, Marked and other random fics, including an upcoming collab with FrogQueen.