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* KickTheSonOfABitch: [[spoiler:Gale is the culprit behind the W.A.F. serial killings. He also rapes Talen for attempting to assassinate Simon behind his back.]]
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Three Amigos is a disambiguation
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* ThreeAmigos: [[TheHero Conor]], [[LoveInterest Simon]], and [[TheSmurfettePrinciple Mona]] are this. They also exemplify the TokenTrio, RockTrio, TrueCompanions, and TwoGuysAndAGirl tropes.
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Now defunct
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* AcceptablePoliticalTargets: This story really loves taking a dig at racists, homophobes, religious zealots, and self-serving capitalists.
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-->"It's a simple theory. Divide the slaves up into groups and [[ThePowerOfHate instill hatred in them until they rip each other apart]]. Torturing someone that's different from you [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex helps improve your self-esteem]]. [[EvilFeelsGood It gives you pleasure]]. Don't give a fuck whether they get hurt or not. They're not on your side, anyway. That is how moral deformity begins to develop, little by little. Just enough so you don't get trampled to death. Don't weed them out, but don't let them mix with your crowd, either. Treat them like trash. Beings that don't fit into the universal ideologies of society. In course, they'll become [[AcceptablePoliticalTargets objects of hate and resentment]]. That's when you reach out to them. It's the perfect time to offer them a sweet solution. "I understand you." "You are an important person." "Follow me." Then, strangely enough, they'll [[TorchesAndPitchforks cease to think]] and become dependent on their ruler and the masses."
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-->"It's a simple theory. Divide the slaves up into groups and [[ThePowerOfHate instill hatred in them until they rip each other apart]]. Torturing someone that's different from you [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex helps improve your self-esteem]]. [[EvilFeelsGood It gives you pleasure]]. Don't give a fuck whether they get hurt or not. They're not on your side, anyway. That is how moral deformity begins to develop, little by little. Just enough so you don't get trampled to death. Don't weed them out, but don't let them mix with your crowd, either. Treat them like trash. Beings that don't fit into the universal ideologies of society. In course, they'll become [[AcceptablePoliticalTargets objects of hate and resentment]].resentment. That's when you reach out to them. It's the perfect time to offer them a sweet solution. "I understand you." "You are an important person." "Follow me." Then, strangely enough, they'll [[TorchesAndPitchforks cease to think]] and become dependent on their ruler and the masses."
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* AllGuitarsAreStratocasters: Conor uses one during his rock band days. Other scenes have him play a simple guitar instead.
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* MeddlingParents: Conor's parents often try to get him to settle down with Veronica. They're also considered LoveObstructingParents when it comes to his love for Simon.
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** [[spoiler:The first time we see this visual breakdown is when he is looking at Veronica, who is the one who paid WAF to destroy his hands in a long term gambit to make him hers.]]
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* MiseryBuildsCharacter: The local reverend uses this trope [[spoiler:as an excuse in chapter 80 to publicly blast Simon with a [[PrematureEulogy malicious eulogy]] despite the latter TakingTheBullet for Conor. This earns him an ArmorPiercingSlap from Mrs. Lee whose opinion of Simon has now changed for the better.]]
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* MiseryBuildsCharacter: The local reverend uses this trope [[spoiler:as an excuse in chapter 80 to publicly blast Simon with a [[PrematureEulogy malicious eulogy]] despite the latter TakingTheBullet for Conor. This earns him an ArmorPiercingSlap slap from Mrs. Lee Lee, whose opinion of Simon has now changed for the better.]]
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Up To Eleven is a defunct trope
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* FingerInTheMail: [[spoiler:Gale]] takes it UpToEleven by sending the police [[spoiler:a whole hand with his DNA. Due to records registering him as dead, the police would have assigned blame unto his brother Simon if not for additional evidence proving he's alive and well.]]
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* FingerInTheMail: [[spoiler:Gale]] takes it UpToEleven by sending sends the police [[spoiler:a whole hand with his DNA. Due to records registering him as dead, the police would have assigned blame unto his brother Simon if not for additional evidence proving he's alive and well.]]
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* AdultFear: The Lees have plenty to be concerned about regarding their son. [[spoiler:Not only was he made the victim of a hate crime, him being gay only puts a bigger target on his back and further alienates them from their religious community.]]
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* HomophobicHateCrime: Conor and Simon become subjected to this at pivotal moments of the story. In Conor's case, [[spoiler:it leaves him unable to fully play the guitar and contributes to his break-up with Simon.]]
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* HomophobicHateCrime: HomophobicHateCrime:
** The Lees have plenty to be concerned about regarding their son. [[spoiler:Not only was he made the victim of a hate crime, him being gay only puts a bigger target on his back and further alienates them from their religious community.]]
** Conor and Simon become subjected to this at pivotal moments of the story. In Conor's case, [[spoiler:it leaves him unable to fully play the guitar and contributes to his break-up with Simon.]]
** The Lees have plenty to be concerned about regarding their son. [[spoiler:Not only was he made the victim of a hate crime, him being gay only puts a bigger target on his back and further alienates them from their religious community.]]
** Conor and Simon become subjected to this at pivotal moments of the story. In Conor's case, [[spoiler:it leaves him unable to fully play the guitar and contributes to his break-up with Simon.]]
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TRS has decided to disambiguate Token Yuri Girls. Removing all links to the page
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* TokenYuriGirls: [[spoiler:Mona and Teri.]]
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* FictionalCountry: The story's setting takes place in the fictional Van Tescosa, a conservative nation where non-whites and the LGBTQ community are marginalized on a daily basis.
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* FictionalCountry: The story's setting takes place in the fictional Van Tescosa, a conservative nation where non-whites and the LGBTQ community are marginalized on a daily basis. According to additional information in ''Guardians of the Lamb'', the country is located somewhere in Eastern Europe and has its own official language, although Russian is spoken in some areas.
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Not So Different has been renamed, and it needs to be dewicked/moved
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* NotSoDifferent: [[spoiler:Gale intentionally brings this up to Simon in order to drag him down from his moral high ground. It doesn't work.]]
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* NotSoDifferent: NotSoDifferentRemark:
** [[spoiler:Gale intentionally brings this up to Simon in order to drag him down from his moral high ground. It doesn't work.]]
** [[spoiler:Gale intentionally brings this up to Simon in order to drag him down from his moral high ground. It doesn't work.]]
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* RealityEnsues: The story has many instances of this happening, ranging from [[spoiler:the police not taking Conor's hate crime incident seriously to the Lees violently rejecting Simon for having a love affair with their son.]]
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* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: The story has many instances of this happening, ranging from [[spoiler:the police not taking Conor's hate crime incident seriously to the Lees violently rejecting Simon for having a love affair with their son.]]
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* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: [[spoiler:While Simon being framed for murder is bad enough, his boss effectively seals his fate by leaking two of the gay sex videos [[CastingCouch he was forced to make in order to become a star]]. Fortunately, the nosedive to his popularity stops once Conor comes to his rescue and their romance is depicted in a more positive light by social media users.]]
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* HatedByAll: [[spoiler:While Simon being framed for murder is bad enough, his boss effectively seals his fate by leaking two of the gay sex videos [[CastingCouch he was forced to make in order to become a star]]. Fortunately, the nosedive to his popularity stops once Conor comes to his rescue and their romance is depicted in a more positive light by social media users.]]
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* Gayngst: Conor goes through this a lot early on which contributes to his current slump.
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* Gayngst: {{Gayngst}}: Conor goes through this a lot early on which contributes to his current slump.
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* DirtyBusiness: [[spoiler:Simon prostitutes himself to influential executive and politicians in order to become a pop star. He doesn't like it, but feels that it's the only way to make something of himself after breaking up with Conor.]]
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* DividedWeFall: Happens when Dark Heaven breaks up, though Conor and Simon are the ones who suffer from it most.
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* Gayngst: Conor goes through this a lot early on which contributes to his current slump.
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* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:Implied by Simon who considered getting revenge on Pete for ruining his ex-boyfriend's life. Thankfully, said ex-boyfriend comes back to snap him out of it.]]
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* TalkingYourWayOut: [[spoiler:Conor tries to dissuade Veronica from aiming her gun at Simon, but it only makes her attempt a double suicide with the former instead.]]
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* ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption: [[spoiler:Talen is convinced that a violent uprising is needed to change Van Tescosa from within, so he sets up Simon to be a martyr in an effort to rouse the more progressive citizens into a frenzy.]]
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Do not pothole YMMV tropes on the main page
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* CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler:CompleteMonster characters like Pete and Alster die horrid deaths.]]
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* ParentalFavoritism: The root cause of Kiev distancing himself from the Lees. [[spoiler:He steadily gets over it enough to attend Conor's wedding in the finale.]]
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* RubberFace: :Conor punishes Simon with this when he catches him snooping on his personal belongings.
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* RubberFace: :Conor Conor punishes Simon with this when he catches him snooping on his personal belongings.
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* SadisticChoice: [[spoiler:When Talen and his girlfriend were attacked by Pete's gang in the past, he was given two cruel options: allow themselves to be killed or let his girlfriend be gang raped in exchange for their lives. He chooses the latter option and survives, but becomes guilt-ridden when the girlfriend hangs herself afterwards. This incident sets off his StartOfDarkness and RoaringRampageOfRevenge.]]
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* BonusEpisode: The epilogue has several side stories that reveal what happened to the cast after [[spoiler:Conor and Simon's wedding.]]
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* OvershadowedByControversy: [[spoiler:When Simon becomes the target of unsavory rumors during his debut, his boss milks it for all it's worth before his eventual arrest. As a result, his reputation goes down the toilet. He finally overcomes this problem in the epilogue by reviving his band alongside Conor.]]
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[[caption-width-right:350:Conor and Simon.]]
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* AlarmSOS: [[spoiler:How Simon saves Conor from Pete during their childhood years.]]
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* HappyBirthdayToYou: Conor and Simon play a variation of this song to earn their first pay.
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* ThroughHisStomach: How Kiev tries to woo Simon. It doesn't work out as well as he'd thought. [[spoiler:Conor does it more successfully after he and Simon get back together.]]
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* CallBack: During their childhood years, [[spoiler:Conor gives Simon a piggyback ride after the latter gets injured from a broken platform. In chapter 59, he does the same again to escort Simon away from the W.A.F. rioters.]]
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* TheReveal: [[spoiler:Veronica being the mastermind behind Conor and Simon's break-up is treated as one. A more subtle one is Mr. Winsor's death at the hands of his own son Gale.]]
* RivalsTeamUp: [[spoiler:Conor and Kiev put aside their differences to steal and destroy Simon's sex videos from T-Rex Corporation.]]
* RivalsTeamUp: [[spoiler:Conor and Kiev put aside their differences to steal and destroy Simon's sex videos from T-Rex Corporation.]]
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* ZeroApprovalGambit: [[spoiler:Though he'd rather have someone else take the blame, Talen is forced to invoke this trope on himself in the end if it means crippling the W.A.F. movement for good.]]
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* ANaziByAnyOtherName: The W.A.F. (White and Freedom) is a white supremacist movement that seeks to turn Van Tescosa into a religious ethnostate where racial and sexual minorities are not tolerated. The protagonists end up being victimized by them at different points of the story with [[spoiler:Conor having his hands mangled and Simon almost getting lynched in public.]]
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* ANaziByAnyOtherName: The W.A.F. (White and Freedom) is a white supremacist movement that [[ActivistFundamentalistAntics seeks to turn Van Tescosa into a religious ethnostate ethnostate]] where racial and sexual minorities are not tolerated. The protagonists end up being victimized by them at different points of the story with [[spoiler:Conor having his hands mangled and Simon almost getting lynched in public.]]
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* LensFlareCensor: How the naughty bits get censored during the sex scenes.
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* TheChainOfHarm: [[spoiler:The Winsor family gets wrapped up in a harmful cycle that leaves Gale mentally scarred and his parents dead. Only [[WhiteSheep Simon]] is left mostly unscathed due to his closer ties with the Lees.]]
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* VillainousLineage: [[spoiler:[[AvertedTrope Averted]] by Simon and Kiev who overcome this trope through love and effort respectively. Gale, on the other hand, deliberately plays it straight even though he does have some [[HiddenDepths redeeming qualities.]]]]
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* HomeBase: The abandoned church that Conor and Simon used as their personal hideout counts as this. [[spoiler:It's eventually restored in the finale and used as the venue for the main couple's wedding.]]
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* MementoMacGuffin: The dragon keychain Simon gave to Conor when they first met. Simon is touched that his boyfriend kept it all this time even after their broke up [[spoiler:and reconciled.]]
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Has no relation to the horror movie of the same name.
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Has no relation to the [[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0391044/ horror movie movie]] of the same name.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dark_heaven_cover.png]]
->''"Please don't deny my happiness just because you can't understand it, just because it doesn't conform to the majority. Nobody can tell me that the way I love is wrong."''
-->--"'''Conor Lee'''"
Created by [[https://twitter.com/azjuns Juns]] and formerly published by Lezhin Comics in English, ''Dark Heaven'' (다크 헤븐) is a QueerRomance manhwa that tells the story of Conor and Simon, two childhood friends who fall in love with one another while forming a band. Torn apart by the harsh reality they live in, both lovers are reunited through the most unlikely of circumstances. Will they be able to make their romance work a second time?
This work explores serious issues like domestic violence, homophobia, racial discrimination, drug abuse, and self-loathing. Not intended for the faint of heart.
Has no relation to the horror movie of the same name.
----
!!''Dark Heaven'' provides examples of the following tropes:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:# - E]]
* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: [[spoiler:While Simon being framed for murder is bad enough, his boss effectively seals his fate by leaking two of the gay sex videos [[CastingCouch he was forced to make in order to become a star]]. Fortunately, the nosedive to his popularity stops once Conor comes to his rescue and their romance is depicted in a more positive light by social media users.]]
* ADayInTheLimelight: Most of the side characters are given a number of chapters that focus on their daily lives while adding more nuance to the social issues in Van Tescosa. May count as LowerDeckEpisode for some.
* AFriendInNeed: How Conor and Simon's relationship first began.
* AGoodNameForARockBand: ''Dark Heaven'' is not only the name of Conor and Simon's band, but also the title of their personal song which they perform in the finale.
* ANaziByAnyOtherName: The W.A.F. (White and Freedom) is a white supremacist movement that seeks to turn Van Tescosa into a religious ethnostate where racial and sexual minorities are not tolerated. The protagonists end up being victimized by them at different points of the story with [[spoiler:Conor having his hands mangled and Simon almost getting lynched in public.]]
* ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine: [[spoiler:Pete]] gets a big dose of this courtesy of [[spoiler:Gale and Talen.]]
* AbusiveParents: [[spoiler:Simon's father and stepmother were this to Gale which made him the psychopath he currently is.]]
* AcceptablePoliticalTargets: This story really loves taking a dig at racists, homophobes, religious zealots, and self-serving capitalists.
* ActOfTrueLove: The story has Conor and Simon engaging in various acts of true love for one another especially in the later chapters. Two strong examples include [[spoiler:Conor outing himself in public to protect Simon from a violent mob and Simon shielding Conor from being shot by an unhinged Veronica.]]
* AdultFear: The Lees have plenty to be concerned about regarding their son. [[spoiler:Not only was he made the victim of a hate crime, him being gay only puts a bigger target on his back and further alienates them from their religious community.]]
* AllAbusersAreMale: Averted with the introduction of [[spoiler:Simon's stepmother.]]
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Much to Kiev's concern, his boss takes advantage of this trope by [[spoiler:allowing the fake rumors of Simon being a serial killer to fester in order to "enhance" his sex appeal with their female audience.]]
* AfterActionPatchup: Happens to [[spoiler:Conor several times. He also does this for Simon after the latter injures his leg in chapter 60.]]
* AlasPoorVillain: Even though he went about it the wrong way, one can't help but pity [[spoiler:Talen for falling so low in his quest to destroy the W.A.F. like they did to him and his late girlfriend.]]
* AllForNothing: Everything [[spoiler:Veronica did to make Conor hers is undone the moment Simon comes into their lives once more. To say she doesn't take this well would be the understatement of the century.]]
* AllGaysArePromiscuous: [[{{Deconstruction}} Deconstructed]] by [[spoiler:Simon who is much happier being in a monogamous relationship than engaging in one-night stands and orgies.]]
* AllGuitarsAreStratocasters: Conor uses one during his rock band days. Other scenes have him play a simple guitar instead.
* AllJustADream: Several chapters feature numerous dream sequences centered on Conor and Simon. Some of these range from NightmareFuel to TearJerker.
* AloneWithThePsycho: Pretty much any scene with [[spoiler:Gale accosting someone counts as this. Also applies to Simon and Veronica's confrontation near the climax of the story.]]
* AmicableExes: [[spoiler:Even after breaking up, Conor cannot bring himself to resent Simon for what happened between them. It becomes a moot point when they finally get back together. He also tries to be this with Veronica, though she's not having any of it.]]
* AnAesop: Never let anyone dictate your happiness because what or who makes you happy is ultimately up to you.
* AnachronicOrder: The story takes place months after [[spoiler:Conor and Simon's break-up with [[{{Flashback}} flashbacks]] detailing how they first met and why their relationship deteriorated. When they finally reconcile, the plot starts to move more chronologically.]]
* [[AngryWhiteMan Angry White People]]: How the story portrays the W.A.F. and its members.
* ArtEvolution: The manhua's art style had rougher details that made the characters seem more emaciated than they actually were. Later chapters gradually eschewed the rougher style with simplified outlines instead, giving it a more Western comic feel.
* AssassinationAttempt: [[spoiler:Talen hires a hitman to assassinate Simon in the event that he survives being lynched by the W.A.F. after his trial. It fails thanks to Gale who then turns on Talen for resorting to murder.]]
* AssassinsAreAlwaysBetrayed: Flipped around with [[spoiler:Gale betraying Talen after the latter decides to kill Simon instead of merely framing him.]]
* TheBabyTrap: [[spoiler:Veronica tries to entrap Conor with a fake pregnancy in chapter 62, even going so far as to mislead Mrs. Lee into thinking they'll have a ShotgunWedding for added effect. Not only does it fail to deter Conor from marrying his boyfriend, it also results in Simon exposing the charade.]]
* BawdySong: Simon has a habit of doing this whenever he wants to get frisky with Conor.
* BathtubBonding: Conor and Simon indulge in this after making love [[spoiler:in chapter 66.]]
* BattleOfTheBands: How Conor and Simon's band rose to popularity.
* BeYourself: One of the most important lessons this story has to offer. Even if it disappoints others, trying to hide who you truly are will only keep you from being happy in the long run.
* BetaCouple: While their relationship hardly gets much attention in the story, [[spoiler:Mona and her girlfriend Teri are the lesbian version of this trope.]]
* BettyAndVeronicaSwitch: The early portion of the story portrays Conor's current lover Veronica as the sweet, family-oriented Betty while depicting his ex Simon as the more glamorous and sensual Veronica. Several chapters later, [[spoiler:it's revealed to be the other way around with Veronica being a CuteAndPsycho RichBitch who masterminded Conor's hate crime incident and Simon being the UnderstandingBoyfriend who [[HeartbrokenBadass still carries a torch for his lover]].]]
* BigBrotherInstinct: Despite his resentment towards [[spoiler:his half-brother Simon, Gale secretly saves him from being stabbed by Talen's assassin.]]
* BigDamnHeroes: Conor does this several times for [[spoiler:Simon in the later chapters, showing how far he's come as a loving boyfriend.]]
* BiggerIsBetterInBed: A bemused Gale thinks this is why Conor is so beholden to Simon.
* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Simon (blonde), Conor (brunette), and Kiev (redhead) fit this trope.
* BloodyHorror: ''Dark Heaven'' does not shy away from blood and violence at all. Case in point, [[spoiler:Conor being the victim of a brutal hate crime]] is portrayed in a realistic but horrifying manner. Also, any scene involving [[spoiler:Gale and another character]] is likely to involve lots and lots of blood.
* BodyMotifs: Hands serve as the primary motif of ''Dark Heaven''.
**[[spoiler:Conor's hands visually shattering in the flashback chapters mean his dreams of making it big in the music industry are about to abruptly end.]]
**[[spoiler:One of Simon's CastingCouch scenes has him draped in the hands of multiple sex partners, visually cementing his status as a sex object exploited for profit.]]
* BondageIsBad: Sex scenes featuring [[spoiler:Gale]] will often have this.
* BonusEpisode: The epilogue has several side stories that reveal what happened to the cast after [[spoiler:Conor and Simon's wedding.]]
* BookEnds: The story begins [[spoiler:and ends]] with Conor and Simon performing live in front of a crowd.
* BreakUpMakeUpScenario: [[spoiler:The first half of the story serves as one for the protagonists.]]
* BreakingTheFellowship: Happens after Dark Heaven disbands in the flashback chapters. [[spoiler:Fortunately, [[PuttingTheBandBackTogether the band is revived]] in the finale as a [[CameBackStrong new record label]].]]
* ButLiquorIsQuicker: How [[spoiler:Conor]] ended up in a relationship with [[spoiler:Veronica]].
* ButWeUsedACondom: Why [[spoiler:Conor isn't so quick to believe Veronica's claims of being pregnant with his child]]. [[spoiler:Simon]] takes it a step further by [[spoiler:investigating the health clinic Veronica went to and learning about the deception.]]
* CallToAgriculture: When [[spoiler:Simon considers turning himself in to the authorities, Conor suggests they migrate elsewhere and live out their days in peace at a small farm.]] The idea is gently shot down.
* CallingYourOrgasms: Happens a lot in some of the sex-filled chapters.
* CassandraTruth: Aside from [[spoiler:Conor and his friends, almost nobody believes that Simon is innocent of the W.A.F. serial killings. It takes Conor's ShamingTheMob speech for public opinion to start turning around.]]
* TheCavalryArrivesLate: Thankfully averted [[spoiler:in chapter 59.]]
* ChristmasEpisode: The entirety of chapter 78 takes place during Christmas. [[spoiler:Even Simon's hospital room is decked with gifts and a small Christmas tree courtesy of Conor.]]
* CircleOfShame: Occurs in pivotal chapters where Conor and Simon are the recipients of ostracism from those around them.
* CityNoir: Van Tescosa gives off this vibe even during the day. Also counts as a ViceCity where racism and homophobia run rampant.
* ColdBloodedTorture: [[spoiler:Conor]] is subjected to this, leaving him [[spoiler:unable to fully play the guitar]]. [[spoiler:Pete and Talen]] also get this treatment from [[spoiler:resident psychopath Gale, though it's portrayed more as LaserGuidedKarma.]]
* ColorCodedCharacters: Conor mostly wore black during his band days while Simon donned brighter colors.
* ComingOutStory: Part of the story is about Conor coming to grips with his sexuality [[spoiler:and working to make things better for people like him and Simon.]]
* CondescendingCompassion: What Conor thinks when people are treating him nicely due to his sexual orientation.
* ConfessionTriggersConsummation: Though they've had plenty of sex before in their previous romance, [[spoiler:Conor finally saying "I love you" to Simon leads them to reconcile and make love to one another.]]
* ConnectedAllAlong: Takes place in the same universe as the author's current work ''Guardians of the Lamb'' with one of the side characters being part of the main cast there.
* ContrivedCoincidence: [[spoiler:Chapter 74 reveals that Conor's gay bashing incident was no mere coincidence.]]
* [[CopAndScientist Cop and Prosecutor]]: Krakow and Talen have this dynamic while solving the W.A.F. serial murder case.
* CostumePorn: The various outfits worn by Simon during his pop star performances count.
* CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot: [[spoiler:Conor admits his break-up with Simon could have been avoided if he had been more attentive and caring to his boyfriend when he needed it most. He spends the rest of the story doing just that which helps pave the way to their eventual happy ending.]]
* CoupledCouples: Conor and Simon are this with [[spoiler:Mona and Teri]] as the other couple.
* CourtroomEpisode: One chapter is centered on [[spoiler:Simon's murder trial and another on a W.A.F. youth caught spreading hate propaganda.]] Both instances display [[spoiler:Talen's obsession in mercilessly taking down the W.A.F. and using scapegoats like Simon to mar the group's reputation.]]
* CrapsackWorld: More like crapsack country. Things only get better once [[spoiler:the protagonists (and a few of the antagonists) take a stand against the W.A.F. movement.]]
* CreepyBasement: [[spoiler:Veronica has a basement filled with pictures and paintings of Conor in very sensual poses. Doubles as a TortureCellar when Simon is taken captive there.]]
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler:CompleteMonster characters like Pete and Alster die horrid deaths.]]
* CrushTheKeepsake: [[spoiler:Mrs. Lee angrily destroys Conor's keepsakes of Simon after receiving pictures of them having sex together.]]
* CultureJustifiesAnything: Due to the prevalence of conservatism in Van Tescosa, animosity towards foreigners and queers is outright ignored or even justified. [[spoiler:Fortunately, progressive movements do exist with Conor joining them late in the story.]]
* DaddyDidntShow: Let's just say [[spoiler:Simon being neglected by his father is getting off lightly.]]
* DefenestrateAndBerate: Done by [[spoiler:Mrs. Lee when she learns of Conor's affair with Simon.]] Fortunately, [[spoiler:Simon still kept some of their mementos with him.]]
* DehumanizingInsult: Both Conor and Simon are subjected to this, though the former gets it more due to being both Asian and gay.
* DeusAngstMachina: Conor has every right to angst about his life [[spoiler:especially after getting outed, crippled, and isolated at almost every turn. The climax reveals that all this had been [[ThereAreNoCoincidences orchestrated]] by someone who wanted to separate him from Simon at all costs.]]
* DidntSeeThatComing: Talen didn't expect [[spoiler:Conor to risk his life standing up to the W.A.F. who were about to kill Simon.]]
* DisproportionateRetribution: As much as [[spoiler:Simon despises Pete for crippling Conor, even he thinks Gale went too far with torturing the latter. Conor feels the same way when the W.A.F. almost gang up on Simon outside the courthouse.]]
* DistressBall: [[spoiler:Simon ends up with this twice. Both instances, Conor comes to his aid [[JustInTime in the nick of time]].]]
* DoubleStandard: One chapter brings up the concept of white privilege [[spoiler:when one of the anti-W.A.F. protesters cynically assumes the police are only taking the W.A.F. threat seriously because they almost lynched a white man (Simon).]]
* DownerBeginning: ''Dark Heaven'' starts on a [[AccidentalPun dark note]] with Conor and Simon already leading separate lives.
* DreamSequence: Some chapters primarily consist of dreams the characters have of one another. While not always important to the plot, it does give the artist ample opportunities to become more creative with their drawings.
* DrowningMySorrows: [[spoiler:Conor drinks himself silly to forget about Simon and ends up sleeping with Veronica. Needless to say, she guilt-trips him for taking her virginity and they become a couple... for only a few months.]]
* {{Dystopia}}: Although Van Tescosa is a democratic republic that just recently legalized same-sex marriage, it has a hate crime rate so bad that being non-white, gay, or [[TwoferTokenMinority even both]] could easily lead to death on the streets. The W.A.F. wants to keep it that way.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: The main couple has to go through pure hell in order to earn their HappilyEverAfter.
* EasyImpersonation: Unable to get over his break-up with Conor, Simon makes his sex partners wear wigs to look just like him.
* ElephantInTheLivingRoom: Conor's sexuality is one for the Lee household after he's ForcedOutOfTheCloset. [[spoiler:By the end of the story, his parents have come to accept his orientation.]]
* TheElitesJumpShip: What the elite establishment attempts to do when the W.A.F. is going down thanks to the police.
* {{Elopement}}: Discussed twice [[spoiler:by Conor. The first time he suggests this to Simon is when the couple is unceremoniously outed to his family. The second later happens when Simon considers turning himself in to the police.]]
* EverybodyHasLotsOfSex: Almost every character is shown having sex with the protagonists getting the lion's share of them.
* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Deconstructed by [[spoiler:Simon who gets treated like a [[Creator/MarilynMonroe male Marilyn Monroe]] by his benefactors, fans, and the media. It all comes crashing down when he gets outed and framed for murder. Gale is also a victim of this trope as his mother forced him to dye his hair blonde to make him resemble his father more.]]
* EveryoneWentToSchoolTogether: Downplayed in that only a few characters attended the same school together.
* EvilVersusEvil: [[spoiler:Gale versus Talen]] once their partnership breaks down.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:F - M]]
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: There are quite a few violent deaths in the story, with many of them caused by [[spoiler:Gale.]]
* FanArt: The story has its share of artwork made by fans.
* FanDisservice: The rape scenes [[spoiler:involving Gale are full of this.]]
* {{Fanservice}}: There's plenty of fanservice to go around, and the majority of them are of the main couple.
* FeelingOppressedByTheirExistence: One of the main reasons why the W.A.F. are so hellbent on making life miserable for minorities.
* FictionalCountry: The story's setting takes place in the fictional Van Tescosa, a conservative nation where non-whites and the LGBTQ community are marginalized on a daily basis.
* FingerInTheMail: [[spoiler:Gale]] takes it UpToEleven by sending the police [[spoiler:a whole hand with his DNA. Due to records registering him as dead, the police would have assigned blame unto his brother Simon if not for additional evidence proving he's alive and well.]]
* {{Fingore}}: This happens to [[spoiler:Conor after getting ambushed by Pete's gang. Although the wounds heal over time, he'll never be able to shred the guitar as fast he once did, not that it stops him from reviving his music career in the finale.]]
* {{Frameup}}: [[spoiler:Talen frames Simon for the W.A.F. serial murders and uses him as bait to drive the deranged protesters into a murderous frenzy. His death at their hands would then be used to spark outrage against the W.A.F. and their sympathizers. Too bad he didn't anticipate [[SpannerInTheWorks Conor's actions saving the day]].]]
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:Conor's hands visually breaking down during the flashback chapters is a sign he's about to undergo the hate crime that ruined his music career and love life.]]
* FreudianTrio: Mona being the Ego among the childhood trio makes sense because her presence is integral to [[spoiler:Conor's Superego reconciling with Simon's Id both figuratively and literally.]] Another example has Conor represent the Ego as a balance between Simon's Id and Kiev's Superego.
* GarageBand: Conor and Simon's rock band started out as this before briefly rising to fame.
* {{Gaslighting}}: [[spoiler:Veronica gaslights Conor into repressing his sexuality in an attempt to make him forget about Simon. Fortunately, it doesn't last very long. A more unsuccessful attempt occurs with Gale trying to make Simon think he's just as evil and murderous as the rest of his family.]]
* GayAesop: The story practically runs on this trope.
* GeodesicCast: The story has at least three pair-ups: [[OfficialCouple Conor and Simon]], [[StrictlyProfessionalRelationship Talen and Krakow]], and [[spoiler:[[LipstickLesbian Mona and Teri]].]]
* GoodEyesEvilEyes: The Winsor brothers have this with Simon [[WhiteSheep being good]] and [[spoiler:Gale [[TheSociopath being evil]]... [[EvenEvilHasStandards sort of]].]]
* GoodLawyersGoodClients: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon get a competent lawyer in Pita who skillfully gives Talen a run for his money.]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: The W.A.F. and their elite enablers share this role.
* GrowingUpSucks: As adults, Conor and Simon know from experience how harsh society can be towards people like them. While the demands of adulthood contributed to their fallout in the past, the pair find ways to overcome it [[spoiler:after falling in love with each other again.]]
* HaveYouTriedNotBeingAMonster: [[spoiler:Conor flips this trope against the W.A.F. protesters who were about to kill Simon after his trial.]]
* HarmfulToMinors: Conor's grade school days are full of this with him getting beaten up almost daily. It's further PlayedForDrama when the trauma is enough to make Conor wish he was born white.
* HardWorkHardlyWorks: Pre-timeskip Conor sometimes feels this way when doing odd jobs as people will likely judge him for his race rather than his efforts.
* HeroRivalBaddieTeamUp: [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]]. [[spoiler:While Conor and Kiev do put aside their differences to help Simon, Gale is left out of the equation for obvious reasons. However, his assault on Talen helps distract the latter from further targeting Simon.]]
* HeteronormativeCrusader: [[spoiler:[[TheFundamentalist The reverend]] who tried to "cure" Conor of his homosexuality is one. Unfortunately for him, his condemnation of Simon who [[TakingTheBullet took a bullet for Conor]] earns him a huge slap from Mrs. Lee.]]
* HomophobicHateCrime: Conor and Simon become subjected to this at pivotal moments of the story. In Conor's case, [[spoiler:it leaves him unable to fully play the guitar and contributes to his break-up with Simon.]]
* HopeSpot: A particularly cruel one happens [[spoiler:in chapter 76. Just when it looks like Veronica is about to give up shooting Simon, she aims her gun at Conor in hopes of [[ReincarnationRomance being happy with him in the next life]].]]
* HotPursuit: One occurs when Detective Krakow pursues [[spoiler:Gale who had just sexually assaulted Talen.]]
* HowWeGotHere: The flashback chapters reveal how the main couple formed their band and why they went their separate ways.
* TheILoveYouStigma: Why Conor's initial romance with Simon failed. [[spoiler:He finally spits it out in chapter 47 and from that point on strives to be a better lover.]]
* IKissYourHand: [[spoiler:Conor does this to Simon while reaffirming his love for him in their reconciliation scene.]]
* IWillWaitForYou: [[spoiler:Conor vows to wait for Simon to recover from his coma following the shooting incident. While the wait does take several months, Simon finally [[RuleOfSymbolism wakes up around the time spring comes]].]]
* ImagineSpot: While pondering whether or not he should see Simon months after their break-up, Conor imagines his ex acting bitter towards him while showering another man with love and affection.
* InSpiteOfANail: After learning of [[spoiler:Veronica's role in ruining Conor and Simon's lives, Mona blames herself for introducing her to them in the first place. [[PetTheDog Conor disagrees]] and even believes Veronica would have found other ways to get close to him.]]
* IncompatibleOrientation: No matter how hard Veronica tries to convince him otherwise, Conor just doesn't love her that way. It's also the reason why they have such a barren sex life to begin with.
* InevitableMutualBetrayal: Due to their clashing personalities and interests, it was only a matter of time before [[spoiler:Gale and Talen ended their partnership on a sour note.]]
* InstantHumiliationJustAddYouTube: After [[spoiler:Simon's arrest in chapter 54, videos of him having orgies with various men get leaked by the T-Rex CEO.]] Needless to say, it turns [[spoiler:him into a big target for the W.A.F. who hound him relentlessly during his trial.]]
* InstantWebHit: [[spoiler:Conor turns into one after standing up to the W.A.F. in chapter 59. He decides to make the most of it by quitting his job and becoming an online content creator to further gay rights.]]
* InterchangeableAsianCultures: Racists in Van Tescosa seem to think all Asians are the same. TruthInTelevision as some people can't really tell the difference between Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, etc.
* InternalAffairs: The Van Tescosa police department is rife with corruption early on with only a few virtuous individuals like [[ByTheBookCop Jan Krakow]] standing out. [[spoiler:It takes Simon almost getting killed by the W.A.F. for the police to respond appropriately.]]
* InterplayOfSexAndViolence: [[spoiler:Gale forces this trope on Talen after the latter pisses him off one too many times.]]
* IrrationalHatred: Kiev's resentment for Conor stems from [[spoiler:the latter's father shunning him during his stay with the Lees. He learns to get over it after Conor begs him to [[TeethClenchedTeamwork help free Simon]] from the T-Rex Corporation's clutches.]]
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: Not wanting [[spoiler:Conor to get caught in the middle of his murder revenge case, Simon tries to make him leave in chapter 47. Conor adamantly refuses which leads to their reconciliation.]]
* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: [[spoiler:Simon was on the verge of fulfilling this trope until Conor's unconditional love gave him a reason to do the right thing and turn himself in.]]
* KeepingSecretsSucks: It constantly pains Conor to remain in the closet while being in a relationship with Simon. [[spoiler:He officially comes out in chapter 59 as a PrecisionFStrike to the mob trying to kill his lover. Even then, his parents are in denial about the whole thing until the climax.]]
* KickTheSonOfABitch: [[spoiler:Gale is the culprit behind the W.A.F. serial killings. He also rapes Talen for attempting to assassinate Simon behind his back.]]
* KidsAreCruel: The kids who bullied Conor during his grade school years are this. One of them (Pete) grows up to become a gang leader who kills and rapes minorities.
* KudzuPlot: Much of the plot has different events that run independent from one another or are connected to varying degrees. These get conveniently resolved by the end of the story.
* LaserGuidedKarma: Most of the antagonists get a huge dose of this.
* LastSecondChance: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon agree not to press charges against Veronica if she drops her gun and leaves them alone. [[RedemptionRejection She refuses]].]]
* LetMeGetThisStraight: Conor is not exactly pleased to learn that [[spoiler:Simon hired Gale to abduct and torture Pete on his behalf.]]
* LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] by [[spoiler:Veronica and Mona. While both women seemingly play this trope straight, they're actually a subversion with Veronica being more dark-hearted and twisted and Mona being cheerful and supportive. Even their influences towards the main couple run counter from one another with Veronica tearing Conor and Simon apart and Mona reconnecting them together.]]
* LostLoveMontage: Happens in the chapters where [[spoiler:Conor and Simon haven't reconciled yet.]]
* LoveConfession: [[spoiler:Conor finally admitting his love for Simon heals their relationship and gives them a chance to fight for their happy ending together.]]
* LoveEpiphany: Reconstructed by [[spoiler:Conor who gets back together with Simon after realizing the pain the latter went through during their separation. It's at this point that he stops being confused about his feelings and sexuality.]]
* LoveHurts: A recurring theme in ''Dark Heaven'' is that love comes with a lot of conflict and heartache, but is still worth fighting for.
* LoveTriangle: Conor, Simon, and Veronica. Another example is Conor, Simon, and Kiev.
* MaleFrontalNudity: ''Dark Heaven'' has this in spades along with some female nudity here and there.
* MaliciousSlander: [[spoiler:When his sex video gets leaked, Simon becomes the target of nasty rumors suggesting he's a DepravedHomosexual who corrupts anyone he meets or befriends. Conor is also subjected to some light slander while working for Veronica's father.]]
* MasculineFeminineGayCouple: Averted hard by the protagonists.
* MassOhCrap: [[spoiler:The W.A.F. protesters ganging up on Simon have this reaction when Conor records them on his phone and the police come with reinforcements.]]
* {{Megacorp}}: The T-Rex Corporation serves this role.
* MeddlingParents: Conor's parents often try to get him to settle down with Veronica. They're also considered LoveObstructingParents when it comes to his love for Simon.
* MenDontCry: Averted. When the men in this story cry, they have a damn good reason for doing so.
* MerchandiseDriven: [[spoiler:The T-Rex CEO's whole plan for Simon involves this once the intrigue surrounding him spikes his popularity. It abruptly ends once he gets outed to the public.]]
* MiseryBuildsCharacter: The local reverend uses this trope [[spoiler:as an excuse in chapter 80 to publicly blast Simon with a [[PrematureEulogy malicious eulogy]] despite the latter TakingTheBullet for Conor. This earns him an ArmorPiercingSlap from Mrs. Lee whose opinion of Simon has now changed for the better.]]
* MisplacedRetribution: [[spoiler:Simon becomes the unlucky recipient of this trope after being framed for the W.A.F. serial murders. The retribution only stops after the police arrive with help from Conor stalling for time.]]
* MomentOfWeakness: Happens to the protagonists after their horrendous break-up. [[spoiler:Conor gives in to Veronica's advances and is forced to work an unfulfilling job at her father's magazine company. Simon, for his part, willingly sleeps his way to the top while engaging in self-destructive behavior.]]
* MoodWhiplash: A few of the story's chapters conclude this way.
* MurderIsTheBestSolution: [[spoiler:Gale has no qualms resorting to murder if it accomplishes his goals. Talen and Veronica cross this line once their usual tricks get them nowhere.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:N - R]]
* NearVillainVictory: [[spoiler:Talen's plan to scapegoat Simon would have come to fruition if not for Conor standing up to the W.A.F. protesters and giving the police time to break up the crowd.]]
* NeverBeHurtAgain: [[spoiler:Partially the reason why Conor was somewhat hesitant to see Simon again considering the amount of trauma he went through. He gets over it after realizing his ex went through an even worse time after their break-up.]]
* NiceMeanAndInbetween: Simon (Nice), Kiev (Mean), and Conor (In-Between) respectively.
* NightmareSequence: [[spoiler:Simon has one where Conor greets him with his and Veronica's children all grown up. This causes him to furiously strangle Veronica who then turns into Pete with Gale goading him to become a killer. While not directly shown, Conor is implied to have experienced a similar nightmare in chapter 51.]]
* NothingIsTheSameAnymore: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon being cheered on by a crowd in the finale implies that Van Tescosa has become more tolerant of interracial and gay couples.]]
* NotSoDifferent: [[spoiler:Gale intentionally brings this up to Simon in order to drag him down from his moral high ground. It doesn't work.]]
** Conor sees a little of himself in [[spoiler:Talen after learning why he was so hellbent on using Simon to get back at the racists who wrecked their lives.]]
* OrderedApology: During his younger years, Conor is forced by a policeman to apologize to a hot dog stand owner after blowing up on him for his racist behavior.
* OvershadowedByControversy: [[spoiler:When Simon becomes the target of unsavory rumors during his debut, his boss milks it for all it's worth before his eventual arrest. As a result, his reputation goes down the toilet. He finally overcomes this problem in the epilogue by reviving his band alongside Conor.]]
* ParentsAreWrong: Although the Lees do care about Conor's well-being, their efforts to stamp out his homosexuality through religion only worsens his self-esteem and drives a wedge between their familial bond. [[spoiler:It takes a literal HeroicSacrifice from Simon to make them reconsider their views.]]
* PeerPressureMakesYouEvil: One teenager is forced to toss a tomato at Conor after being egged on by a gang of bullies.
* PiggybackCute: [[spoiler:How Conor carries Simon off to safety following his ShamingTheMob speech in chapter 59.]]
* PlotHole: In chapter 2, there's a picture of Conor with long hair being embraced by Veronica during a vacation in Switzerland. However, Conor had short hair by the time he became her boyfriend.
* PoliceAreUseless: Played straight in [[spoiler:Conor's case as the police are unable to catch the suspects who crippled his hands.]] Averted by Detective Krakow who helps [[spoiler:pinpoint Gale as the true suspect in Simon's murder case.]]
* PoorCommunicationKills: If Conor and Simon took the time to be more honest with each other rather than bottling their feelings up, their break-up could have been avoided.
** This is the reason behind [[spoiler:Kiev's animosity towards Conor and his family. Instead of opening up about his alienation by Mr. Lee, he takes it out on Conor who lashes back.]]
* PornWithPlot: Make no mistake, ''Dark Heaven'' has a plot beneath the scattered sex scenes.
* PositiveFriendInfluence: What Mrs. Lee thought Simon was for Conor [[spoiler:before discovering their true relationship. There is [[MetaphoricallyTrue some truth]] in that as both protagonists do bring out the best in one another not as friends, but as lovers.]]
* ThePowerOfLove: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon's reconciliation allows the former to embrace his sexuality once more and the latter to let go of his revenge against Pete.]]
* PowderKegCrowd: [[spoiler:The W.A.F. protesters condemning Simon during his trial practically explode when he's within reach courtesy of Talen sabotaging his exit route.]]
* {{Prequel}}: Serves as one for ''[[https://www.lezhin.com/en/comic/guardians Guardians of the Lamb]]''.
* PreserveYourGays: For a story that tackles homophobia, [[spoiler:none of the gay characters get killed save for one of the elites responsible for funding the W.A.F. protesters.]]
* PrisonEpisode: [[spoiler:Simon is imprisoned for a short while before getting bailed by Conor.]]
* PropagandaMachine: The W.A.F. website is one. [[spoiler:It takes the police's intervention to shut it down late in the story.]]
* PsychologicalProjection: [[spoiler:Veronica accuses Simon of ruining her life when in fact it's the other way around.]]
* RapeAndSwitch: [[spoiler:Veronica takes advantage of a drunken Conor and coaxes him into questioning his sexuality. This only adds to his self-loathing and renders him impotent for the remainder of their brief relationship together.]]
* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Best exemplified when [[spoiler:Gale is raped by his own [[EvilMatriarch mother]] and [[ArchnemesisDad father]] for the first time.]]
* RealityEnsues: The story has many instances of this happening, ranging from [[spoiler:the police not taking Conor's hate crime incident seriously to the Lees violently rejecting Simon for having a love affair with their son.]]
* RedOniBlueOni: Conor is the Red Oni to Kiev's Blue Oni. [[spoiler:Likewise, the Winsor siblings are this for one another with Simon being the Blue Oni to Gale's Red Oni.]]
* ReformedRakes: What Veronica essentially tries to do to Conor after tearing him and Simon apart. It doesn't work out since Conor still loves his ex [[spoiler:and eventually gets back together with him.]]
* RelationshipSabotage: Though Conor and Simon weren't aware of it at the time, [[spoiler:Veronica had been secretly sabotaging their relationship from the start by sending nude pics of them to Conor's family, siccing Pete's gang on their band, and ensuring that only Simon would be picked by T-Rex Corporation. Unfortunately for her, she didn't count on their lingering feelings being strong enough to lead them back to each other's arms once again.]]
* RelationshipSalvagingDisaster: [[spoiler:Simon being implicated for the W.A.F. murders kickstarts Conor's goal of reaching out to his ex which results in them getting back together.]]
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: [[spoiler:Pete's kidnapping was orchestrated by Gale at the behest of Simon who wanted to get revenge for what he did to Conor. If not for his and Conor's reconciliation, he would have likely given in to the temptation of murdering a hated enemy.]]
* RockIsAuthenticPopIsShallow: As a rising pop star under the T-Rex label, Simon's carefully cultivated image is not as genuine or soulful as his previous performances with Dark Heaven. Even the lyrics he's forced to sing come across as generic and artificial. [[spoiler:He becomes an authentic performer again in the finale after reviving his old band.]]
* RoomFullOfCrazy: [[spoiler:Veronica's basement is this as Simon finds out in chapter 73.]]
* RubberFace: :Conor punishes Simon with this when he catches him snooping on his personal belongings.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:S - Y]]
* SafetyInIndifference: One of the main reasons why the Van Tescosa citizens don't want to bother fighting for equal rights or progressive reforms.
* SchoolBullyingIsHarmless: Averted hard. Conor's life in grade school was pure hell, having been beaten almost daily by bullies [[spoiler:and even falling off a balcony at some point.]]
* SecretlyGayActivity: The two protagonists engage in this during their adolescence. The pair eventually take things to the next level as they grow older.
* SecurityCling: Veronica does this to keep Conor from reaching Simon when a corpse drops on stage at the Beer Festival concert.
* SeductionLyric: Simon has a tendency of doing this while seducing Conor.
* SelectiveEnforcement: The Van Tescosa police department is guilty of this as they prioritize crimes that affect white victims more than racial minorities.
* SellingTheShow: Tamara's obsolescence as a pop star is accelerated by her publicly badmouthing both T-Rex and their [[CashCowFranchise current cash cow]] Simon.
* SexEqualsLove: Averted when Conor and Simon have sex with different partners to cope with their break-up. Played straight when the two of them do it with each other [[spoiler:especially after their reconciliation.]]
* SexForSolace: [[spoiler:Conor, at his lowest point, does this with Veronica to forget about Simon. Simon also hooks up with numerous male partners everyday for the same reason. It only results in them being unfulfilled and miserable.]]
* SexIsGood: One of the most important lessons of this story is that sex is good if you're doing it with someone you love and that person loves you back.
* SexMontage: Happens a lot throughout different chapters.
* SexWithTheEx: [[spoiler:In chapter 47, Conor and Simon do this once the former finally admits his unconditional love verbally. They officially resume their romance from that point on.]]
* SexualKarma: The good guys get each other in the end and the bad guys have no one left to satisfy them.
* ShirtlessScene: It wouldn't be much of a love story without a shirtless scene or two.
* ShooOutTheClowns: Most of the side characters are cast aside for the climax, only appearing once the dust has settled.
* ShoutOut: Conor and Simon wearing pumpkin heads for their music performance in grade school is one for [[Music/TheSmashingPumpkins TheSmashingPumpkins]].
* ShowDontTell: Some portions of the story eschew text bubbles entirely in favor of more detailed panels that show what's going on.
* ShownTheirWork: The author does a good job portraying how bad media corporations can really be to their stars if left unchecked.
** The story gives a startling but accurate summary of how right-wing propaganda works in general.
* SiblingTriangle: While not related by blood, both [[spoiler:Conor and Kiev almost come to blows in chapter 52 over their romantic feelings for Simon.]]
* SiblingYinYang: Both Simon and Gale are this both appearance-wise and personality-wise.
* SideStoryBonusArt: The artist has loads of bonus art featuring the characters. Most notably, [[CreatorsPet Gale]] seems to be a recurring favorite.
* SleepingTheirWayToTheTop: How T-Rex Corporation selects its top stars, with [[spoiler:Simon and Tamara being among them.]]
* SliceOfLife: The story is a mixture of this along with some drama, romance, action, and psychological horror.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: While the story begins with a more cynical tone, it slowly gravitates towards idealism [[spoiler:once Conor and Simon get back together.]]
* SmellsSexy: Simon considers Conor's scent as this, wondering if it's because he drinks so much tea.
* SocialCircleFiller: Before the incident that led to Dark Heaven disbanding, both Conor and Simon had a small circle of friends who shared their passion for music.
* SocialMediaBeforeReason: [[spoiler:Simon becomes victimized by social media after getting arrested and having his sex video leaked to the public. A more benign example happens when Simon and Conor go out shopping together.]]
* SpeedSex: Conor's sex life with Veronica is both sporadic and unsatisfyingly quick.
* StalkerShot: Happens to Conor during the flashback chapters. [[spoiler:The stalker's identity is revealed to be Veronica in chapter 74.]]
* STDImmunity: Justified by the cast using condoms and lubricants when having sex.
* StrawCharacter: Racists, homophobes, and right-wing fascists are among those the story loves to caricature.
* StringingTheHopelessSuitorAlong: [[spoiler:Conor thought he was doing this to Veronica which leads him to break up with her and go back to Simon's side.]]
* StumbledIntoThePlot: [[spoiler:By reuniting with Simon, Conor finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy designed to scapegoat his ex for the sole purpose of further demonizing the W.A.F. in the eyes of the public. His involvement alone [[SpannerInTheWorks helps thwart]] the conspiracy and saves his lover's life.]]
* StupidSexyFlanders: Conor sometimes reacts this way towards Simon. A more one-sided example happens when [[spoiler:Talen gets hard at the sight of Gale dominating him.]]
* SuckySchool: Conor's grade school was this for him.
* SuperDeformed: It wouldn't be a manhwa without this coming into play. On an odd note, only Gale has a non-standard facial expression that makes him CreepyCute.
* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: [[spoiler:Although the story is dark and unforgiving at times, it has a surprisingly happy conclusion.]]
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: [[spoiler:How Conor is able to see through Veronica's lies while trying to locate Simon.]]
* {{Swirlie}}: Conor was cruelly subjected to this by bullies in school.
* SwissCheeseSecurity: With help from [[spoiler:Kiev, Conor easily infiltrates the T-Rex CEO's office to steal the sex videos she had of Simon servicing their benefactors.]]
* TabloidMelodrama: Happens to [[spoiler:Simon after he gets implicated for the W.A.F. serial murders following the incident at the Van Tescosa Beer Festival.]] The T-Rex CEO uses the intrigue to her advantage before [[spoiler:his eventual arrest in chapter 54.]]
* TakeAThirdOption: After learning about [[spoiler:Veronica's pregnancy, Conor insists on marrying Simon while taking responsibility for his possible child.]] The old Conor would have been forced to choose between [[spoiler:Simon and Veronica's baby, so him going for a balanced approach proves he's matured enough to make heavy decisions without sacrificing his own happiness. The whole thing ends up being moot when it turns out Veronica lied to Conor.]]
* TakeThat: The story defies the MenAreTough trope by showing how it marginalizes men in general.
** Also serves as one for the YaoiGenre as neither Conor nor Simon fit the usual {{Seme}} and {{Uke}} stereotypes.
* TakeThisJobAndShoveIt: Conor's job working at a magazine company is both tedious and unfulfilling. Not only is he treated like an expendable work gopher, his coworkers constantly talk about him behind his back. [[spoiler:After outing himself to save Simon, he gladly quits his job in favor of becoming an online activist.]]
* TakingAdvantageOfGenerosity: What Conor ultimately thinks of his brief relationship with Veronica. [[spoiler:He dumps her in hopes that she'll find someone more suitable.]]
* TheThreeFacesOfAdam: Simon is the Hunter because of his willingness to take risks for the sake of making it big in show business, Conor is the Lord who must constantly strike a balance between responsibility and happiness as an adult, and Kiev is the Prophet whose experiences have worn him down to the point of cynicism.
* ThereAreNoTherapists: So much problems could have been avoided if the characters took the time to see a goddamn therapist.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Drek and Gwati, two of Conor and Simon's male friends, are this.
* ThreeAmigos: [[TheHero Conor]], [[LoveInterest Simon]], and [[TheSmurfettePrinciple Mona]] are this. They also exemplify the TokenTrio, RockTrio, TrueCompanions, and TwoGuysAndAGirl tropes.
* TimeSkip: The story begins several months after Dark Heaven is disbanded with Simon just starting his pop star debut and Conor floundering with his [[SoulCrushingDeskJob dead-end job]].
* TokenYuriGirls: [[spoiler:Mona and Teri.]]
* TragicDream: [[spoiler:Mrs. Lee's dream of seeing Conor and Simon with their own families gets crushed in the worst possible way via pics of them having sex with one another. She gets over it after finally accepting their relationship. Subverted with Conor as his dreams of becoming a famous guitarist still comes true in the finale.]]
* TraumaCongaLine: While the story loves dispensing this trope on the main couple, it doesn't mean the side characters are immune from it.
* TrespassingToTalk: [[spoiler:To warn Simon about the police investigating him, Conor does this with help from Mona and Teri.]]
* UnbalancedByRivalsKid: [[spoiler:Simon has a nightmare where he's confronted with a [[FormerlyFit middle-aged Conor]] and Veronica being all lovey-dovey while surrounded by [[BabiesEverAfter their grown children]]. This causes him to strangle Veronica's apparition in a jealous rage.]]
* UnbrokenVigil: This happens in the last few chapters with [[spoiler:Conor watching over a comatose Simon after he got shot protecting his lover.]]
* UnexplainedRecovery: It's a little jarring to see [[spoiler:Simon recover so quickly from both his drug abuse and leg injury.]]
* UnfocusedDuringIntimacy: Whenever Conor has sex with Veronica, he's only able to get off by thinking of Simon. This contributes to their relationship failing miserably.
* UnknownRival: Simon has one in Tamara, a Black artist who lashes out over being sidelined for him and [[EvilIsPetty stirs up rumors of his sexuality as payback]].
* VillainTeamUp: [[spoiler:Gale gladly teams up with Talen to frame Simon for murder, though the partnership abruptly ends when the latter breaks his own code of ethics to assassinate their target.]]
* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Make no mistake, the violence depicted in this story is definitely not for the faint of heart. Blood and gore is present even during some of the sex scenes.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: Conor and Simon get this quite a lot even in chapters where there's no sex involved.
* WavingSignsAround: Any chapter featuring the W.A.F. and their detractors will have these present.
* WeddingFinale: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon finally get married in the final chapter with their friends and family right beside them.]]
* WhamEpisode: [[spoiler:A dismembered corpse drops down the stage on one of Simon's concert at the end of chapter 18.]]
** After choosing to [[spoiler:spare Pete's life in chapter 54, Simon surrenders himself to the authorities.]]
** [[spoiler:Veronica's WhamLine to Conor at the end of chapter 62.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Veronica:''' "I'm pregnant!"]]
* WhatWereYouThinking: Conor's reaction when he learns that [[spoiler:Simon instigated Pete's kidnapping as revenge for ruining their lives.]]
* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: The bonus chapter reveals what the characters have been up to [[spoiler:after Conor and Simon got married. With the exception of Talen and perhaps Gale, all of the antagonistic characters are dead.]]
* [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield Where The Hell Is Van Tescosa]]: Van Tescosa is said to border between Europe and Asia with its racial demographics mirroring North America more.
* WhoMurderedTheAsshole: This is the crux behind the W.A.F. serial murder case. [[spoiler:People already assume it's Simon due to the rumors surrounding him, but evidence given by his lawyer prove that the suspect is Gale.]]
* YankTheDogsChain: Briefly happens to the main couple when they learn about [[spoiler:Veronica possibly bearing Conor's baby. Instead of breaking up again, they decide to get [[AltarTheSpeed hitched as soon as possible]] while investigating the truth behind Veronica's claims.]]
* YellowPeril: Asians are apparently a favorite target for racists in Van Tescosa.
* YouKnowWhatTheySayAboutX: Racial and sexual minorities in this setting are often the target of disparagement from the white majority both online and in real life.
* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: [[spoiler:Simon is shamed at the prospect of being like Gale who goads him into killing the man who ruined his lover's life.]]
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The W.A.F. is under the delusion that they're out to save Van Tescosa from the supposed evils of racial and sexual diversity. In truth, the group is secretly manipulated by a few elites who deem them as tools to control the population to their liking. As one of them puts it:
-->"It's a simple theory. Divide the slaves up into groups and [[ThePowerOfHate instill hatred in them until they rip each other apart]]. Torturing someone that's different from you [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex helps improve your self-esteem]]. [[EvilFeelsGood It gives you pleasure]]. Don't give a fuck whether they get hurt or not. They're not on your side, anyway. That is how moral deformity begins to develop, little by little. Just enough so you don't get trampled to death. Don't weed them out, but don't let them mix with your crowd, either. Treat them like trash. Beings that don't fit into the universal ideologies of society. In course, they'll become [[AcceptablePoliticalTargets objects of hate and resentment]]. That's when you reach out to them. It's the perfect time to offer them a sweet solution. "I understand you." "You are an important person." "Follow me." Then, strangely enough, they'll [[TorchesAndPitchforks cease to think]] and become dependent on their ruler and the masses."
[[/folder]]
->''"Please don't deny my happiness just because you can't understand it, just because it doesn't conform to the majority. Nobody can tell me that the way I love is wrong."''
-->--"'''Conor Lee'''"
Created by [[https://twitter.com/azjuns Juns]] and formerly published by Lezhin Comics in English, ''Dark Heaven'' (다크 헤븐) is a QueerRomance manhwa that tells the story of Conor and Simon, two childhood friends who fall in love with one another while forming a band. Torn apart by the harsh reality they live in, both lovers are reunited through the most unlikely of circumstances. Will they be able to make their romance work a second time?
This work explores serious issues like domestic violence, homophobia, racial discrimination, drug abuse, and self-loathing. Not intended for the faint of heart.
Has no relation to the horror movie of the same name.
----
!!''Dark Heaven'' provides examples of the following tropes:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:# - E]]
* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: [[spoiler:While Simon being framed for murder is bad enough, his boss effectively seals his fate by leaking two of the gay sex videos [[CastingCouch he was forced to make in order to become a star]]. Fortunately, the nosedive to his popularity stops once Conor comes to his rescue and their romance is depicted in a more positive light by social media users.]]
* ADayInTheLimelight: Most of the side characters are given a number of chapters that focus on their daily lives while adding more nuance to the social issues in Van Tescosa. May count as LowerDeckEpisode for some.
* AFriendInNeed: How Conor and Simon's relationship first began.
* AGoodNameForARockBand: ''Dark Heaven'' is not only the name of Conor and Simon's band, but also the title of their personal song which they perform in the finale.
* ANaziByAnyOtherName: The W.A.F. (White and Freedom) is a white supremacist movement that seeks to turn Van Tescosa into a religious ethnostate where racial and sexual minorities are not tolerated. The protagonists end up being victimized by them at different points of the story with [[spoiler:Conor having his hands mangled and Simon almost getting lynched in public.]]
* ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine: [[spoiler:Pete]] gets a big dose of this courtesy of [[spoiler:Gale and Talen.]]
* AbusiveParents: [[spoiler:Simon's father and stepmother were this to Gale which made him the psychopath he currently is.]]
* AcceptablePoliticalTargets: This story really loves taking a dig at racists, homophobes, religious zealots, and self-serving capitalists.
* ActOfTrueLove: The story has Conor and Simon engaging in various acts of true love for one another especially in the later chapters. Two strong examples include [[spoiler:Conor outing himself in public to protect Simon from a violent mob and Simon shielding Conor from being shot by an unhinged Veronica.]]
* AdultFear: The Lees have plenty to be concerned about regarding their son. [[spoiler:Not only was he made the victim of a hate crime, him being gay only puts a bigger target on his back and further alienates them from their religious community.]]
* AllAbusersAreMale: Averted with the introduction of [[spoiler:Simon's stepmother.]]
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Much to Kiev's concern, his boss takes advantage of this trope by [[spoiler:allowing the fake rumors of Simon being a serial killer to fester in order to "enhance" his sex appeal with their female audience.]]
* AfterActionPatchup: Happens to [[spoiler:Conor several times. He also does this for Simon after the latter injures his leg in chapter 60.]]
* AlasPoorVillain: Even though he went about it the wrong way, one can't help but pity [[spoiler:Talen for falling so low in his quest to destroy the W.A.F. like they did to him and his late girlfriend.]]
* AllForNothing: Everything [[spoiler:Veronica did to make Conor hers is undone the moment Simon comes into their lives once more. To say she doesn't take this well would be the understatement of the century.]]
* AllGaysArePromiscuous: [[{{Deconstruction}} Deconstructed]] by [[spoiler:Simon who is much happier being in a monogamous relationship than engaging in one-night stands and orgies.]]
* AllGuitarsAreStratocasters: Conor uses one during his rock band days. Other scenes have him play a simple guitar instead.
* AllJustADream: Several chapters feature numerous dream sequences centered on Conor and Simon. Some of these range from NightmareFuel to TearJerker.
* AloneWithThePsycho: Pretty much any scene with [[spoiler:Gale accosting someone counts as this. Also applies to Simon and Veronica's confrontation near the climax of the story.]]
* AmicableExes: [[spoiler:Even after breaking up, Conor cannot bring himself to resent Simon for what happened between them. It becomes a moot point when they finally get back together. He also tries to be this with Veronica, though she's not having any of it.]]
* AnAesop: Never let anyone dictate your happiness because what or who makes you happy is ultimately up to you.
* AnachronicOrder: The story takes place months after [[spoiler:Conor and Simon's break-up with [[{{Flashback}} flashbacks]] detailing how they first met and why their relationship deteriorated. When they finally reconcile, the plot starts to move more chronologically.]]
* [[AngryWhiteMan Angry White People]]: How the story portrays the W.A.F. and its members.
* ArtEvolution: The manhua's art style had rougher details that made the characters seem more emaciated than they actually were. Later chapters gradually eschewed the rougher style with simplified outlines instead, giving it a more Western comic feel.
* AssassinationAttempt: [[spoiler:Talen hires a hitman to assassinate Simon in the event that he survives being lynched by the W.A.F. after his trial. It fails thanks to Gale who then turns on Talen for resorting to murder.]]
* AssassinsAreAlwaysBetrayed: Flipped around with [[spoiler:Gale betraying Talen after the latter decides to kill Simon instead of merely framing him.]]
* TheBabyTrap: [[spoiler:Veronica tries to entrap Conor with a fake pregnancy in chapter 62, even going so far as to mislead Mrs. Lee into thinking they'll have a ShotgunWedding for added effect. Not only does it fail to deter Conor from marrying his boyfriend, it also results in Simon exposing the charade.]]
* BawdySong: Simon has a habit of doing this whenever he wants to get frisky with Conor.
* BathtubBonding: Conor and Simon indulge in this after making love [[spoiler:in chapter 66.]]
* BattleOfTheBands: How Conor and Simon's band rose to popularity.
* BeYourself: One of the most important lessons this story has to offer. Even if it disappoints others, trying to hide who you truly are will only keep you from being happy in the long run.
* BetaCouple: While their relationship hardly gets much attention in the story, [[spoiler:Mona and her girlfriend Teri are the lesbian version of this trope.]]
* BettyAndVeronicaSwitch: The early portion of the story portrays Conor's current lover Veronica as the sweet, family-oriented Betty while depicting his ex Simon as the more glamorous and sensual Veronica. Several chapters later, [[spoiler:it's revealed to be the other way around with Veronica being a CuteAndPsycho RichBitch who masterminded Conor's hate crime incident and Simon being the UnderstandingBoyfriend who [[HeartbrokenBadass still carries a torch for his lover]].]]
* BigBrotherInstinct: Despite his resentment towards [[spoiler:his half-brother Simon, Gale secretly saves him from being stabbed by Talen's assassin.]]
* BigDamnHeroes: Conor does this several times for [[spoiler:Simon in the later chapters, showing how far he's come as a loving boyfriend.]]
* BiggerIsBetterInBed: A bemused Gale thinks this is why Conor is so beholden to Simon.
* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Simon (blonde), Conor (brunette), and Kiev (redhead) fit this trope.
* BloodyHorror: ''Dark Heaven'' does not shy away from blood and violence at all. Case in point, [[spoiler:Conor being the victim of a brutal hate crime]] is portrayed in a realistic but horrifying manner. Also, any scene involving [[spoiler:Gale and another character]] is likely to involve lots and lots of blood.
* BodyMotifs: Hands serve as the primary motif of ''Dark Heaven''.
**[[spoiler:Conor's hands visually shattering in the flashback chapters mean his dreams of making it big in the music industry are about to abruptly end.]]
**[[spoiler:One of Simon's CastingCouch scenes has him draped in the hands of multiple sex partners, visually cementing his status as a sex object exploited for profit.]]
* BondageIsBad: Sex scenes featuring [[spoiler:Gale]] will often have this.
* BonusEpisode: The epilogue has several side stories that reveal what happened to the cast after [[spoiler:Conor and Simon's wedding.]]
* BookEnds: The story begins [[spoiler:and ends]] with Conor and Simon performing live in front of a crowd.
* BreakUpMakeUpScenario: [[spoiler:The first half of the story serves as one for the protagonists.]]
* BreakingTheFellowship: Happens after Dark Heaven disbands in the flashback chapters. [[spoiler:Fortunately, [[PuttingTheBandBackTogether the band is revived]] in the finale as a [[CameBackStrong new record label]].]]
* ButLiquorIsQuicker: How [[spoiler:Conor]] ended up in a relationship with [[spoiler:Veronica]].
* ButWeUsedACondom: Why [[spoiler:Conor isn't so quick to believe Veronica's claims of being pregnant with his child]]. [[spoiler:Simon]] takes it a step further by [[spoiler:investigating the health clinic Veronica went to and learning about the deception.]]
* CallToAgriculture: When [[spoiler:Simon considers turning himself in to the authorities, Conor suggests they migrate elsewhere and live out their days in peace at a small farm.]] The idea is gently shot down.
* CallingYourOrgasms: Happens a lot in some of the sex-filled chapters.
* CassandraTruth: Aside from [[spoiler:Conor and his friends, almost nobody believes that Simon is innocent of the W.A.F. serial killings. It takes Conor's ShamingTheMob speech for public opinion to start turning around.]]
* TheCavalryArrivesLate: Thankfully averted [[spoiler:in chapter 59.]]
* ChristmasEpisode: The entirety of chapter 78 takes place during Christmas. [[spoiler:Even Simon's hospital room is decked with gifts and a small Christmas tree courtesy of Conor.]]
* CircleOfShame: Occurs in pivotal chapters where Conor and Simon are the recipients of ostracism from those around them.
* CityNoir: Van Tescosa gives off this vibe even during the day. Also counts as a ViceCity where racism and homophobia run rampant.
* ColdBloodedTorture: [[spoiler:Conor]] is subjected to this, leaving him [[spoiler:unable to fully play the guitar]]. [[spoiler:Pete and Talen]] also get this treatment from [[spoiler:resident psychopath Gale, though it's portrayed more as LaserGuidedKarma.]]
* ColorCodedCharacters: Conor mostly wore black during his band days while Simon donned brighter colors.
* ComingOutStory: Part of the story is about Conor coming to grips with his sexuality [[spoiler:and working to make things better for people like him and Simon.]]
* CondescendingCompassion: What Conor thinks when people are treating him nicely due to his sexual orientation.
* ConfessionTriggersConsummation: Though they've had plenty of sex before in their previous romance, [[spoiler:Conor finally saying "I love you" to Simon leads them to reconcile and make love to one another.]]
* ConnectedAllAlong: Takes place in the same universe as the author's current work ''Guardians of the Lamb'' with one of the side characters being part of the main cast there.
* ContrivedCoincidence: [[spoiler:Chapter 74 reveals that Conor's gay bashing incident was no mere coincidence.]]
* [[CopAndScientist Cop and Prosecutor]]: Krakow and Talen have this dynamic while solving the W.A.F. serial murder case.
* CostumePorn: The various outfits worn by Simon during his pop star performances count.
* CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot: [[spoiler:Conor admits his break-up with Simon could have been avoided if he had been more attentive and caring to his boyfriend when he needed it most. He spends the rest of the story doing just that which helps pave the way to their eventual happy ending.]]
* CoupledCouples: Conor and Simon are this with [[spoiler:Mona and Teri]] as the other couple.
* CourtroomEpisode: One chapter is centered on [[spoiler:Simon's murder trial and another on a W.A.F. youth caught spreading hate propaganda.]] Both instances display [[spoiler:Talen's obsession in mercilessly taking down the W.A.F. and using scapegoats like Simon to mar the group's reputation.]]
* CrapsackWorld: More like crapsack country. Things only get better once [[spoiler:the protagonists (and a few of the antagonists) take a stand against the W.A.F. movement.]]
* CreepyBasement: [[spoiler:Veronica has a basement filled with pictures and paintings of Conor in very sensual poses. Doubles as a TortureCellar when Simon is taken captive there.]]
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler:CompleteMonster characters like Pete and Alster die horrid deaths.]]
* CrushTheKeepsake: [[spoiler:Mrs. Lee angrily destroys Conor's keepsakes of Simon after receiving pictures of them having sex together.]]
* CultureJustifiesAnything: Due to the prevalence of conservatism in Van Tescosa, animosity towards foreigners and queers is outright ignored or even justified. [[spoiler:Fortunately, progressive movements do exist with Conor joining them late in the story.]]
* DaddyDidntShow: Let's just say [[spoiler:Simon being neglected by his father is getting off lightly.]]
* DefenestrateAndBerate: Done by [[spoiler:Mrs. Lee when she learns of Conor's affair with Simon.]] Fortunately, [[spoiler:Simon still kept some of their mementos with him.]]
* DehumanizingInsult: Both Conor and Simon are subjected to this, though the former gets it more due to being both Asian and gay.
* DeusAngstMachina: Conor has every right to angst about his life [[spoiler:especially after getting outed, crippled, and isolated at almost every turn. The climax reveals that all this had been [[ThereAreNoCoincidences orchestrated]] by someone who wanted to separate him from Simon at all costs.]]
* DidntSeeThatComing: Talen didn't expect [[spoiler:Conor to risk his life standing up to the W.A.F. who were about to kill Simon.]]
* DisproportionateRetribution: As much as [[spoiler:Simon despises Pete for crippling Conor, even he thinks Gale went too far with torturing the latter. Conor feels the same way when the W.A.F. almost gang up on Simon outside the courthouse.]]
* DistressBall: [[spoiler:Simon ends up with this twice. Both instances, Conor comes to his aid [[JustInTime in the nick of time]].]]
* DoubleStandard: One chapter brings up the concept of white privilege [[spoiler:when one of the anti-W.A.F. protesters cynically assumes the police are only taking the W.A.F. threat seriously because they almost lynched a white man (Simon).]]
* DownerBeginning: ''Dark Heaven'' starts on a [[AccidentalPun dark note]] with Conor and Simon already leading separate lives.
* DreamSequence: Some chapters primarily consist of dreams the characters have of one another. While not always important to the plot, it does give the artist ample opportunities to become more creative with their drawings.
* DrowningMySorrows: [[spoiler:Conor drinks himself silly to forget about Simon and ends up sleeping with Veronica. Needless to say, she guilt-trips him for taking her virginity and they become a couple... for only a few months.]]
* {{Dystopia}}: Although Van Tescosa is a democratic republic that just recently legalized same-sex marriage, it has a hate crime rate so bad that being non-white, gay, or [[TwoferTokenMinority even both]] could easily lead to death on the streets. The W.A.F. wants to keep it that way.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: The main couple has to go through pure hell in order to earn their HappilyEverAfter.
* EasyImpersonation: Unable to get over his break-up with Conor, Simon makes his sex partners wear wigs to look just like him.
* ElephantInTheLivingRoom: Conor's sexuality is one for the Lee household after he's ForcedOutOfTheCloset. [[spoiler:By the end of the story, his parents have come to accept his orientation.]]
* TheElitesJumpShip: What the elite establishment attempts to do when the W.A.F. is going down thanks to the police.
* {{Elopement}}: Discussed twice [[spoiler:by Conor. The first time he suggests this to Simon is when the couple is unceremoniously outed to his family. The second later happens when Simon considers turning himself in to the police.]]
* EverybodyHasLotsOfSex: Almost every character is shown having sex with the protagonists getting the lion's share of them.
* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Deconstructed by [[spoiler:Simon who gets treated like a [[Creator/MarilynMonroe male Marilyn Monroe]] by his benefactors, fans, and the media. It all comes crashing down when he gets outed and framed for murder. Gale is also a victim of this trope as his mother forced him to dye his hair blonde to make him resemble his father more.]]
* EveryoneWentToSchoolTogether: Downplayed in that only a few characters attended the same school together.
* EvilVersusEvil: [[spoiler:Gale versus Talen]] once their partnership breaks down.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:F - M]]
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: There are quite a few violent deaths in the story, with many of them caused by [[spoiler:Gale.]]
* FanArt: The story has its share of artwork made by fans.
* FanDisservice: The rape scenes [[spoiler:involving Gale are full of this.]]
* {{Fanservice}}: There's plenty of fanservice to go around, and the majority of them are of the main couple.
* FeelingOppressedByTheirExistence: One of the main reasons why the W.A.F. are so hellbent on making life miserable for minorities.
* FictionalCountry: The story's setting takes place in the fictional Van Tescosa, a conservative nation where non-whites and the LGBTQ community are marginalized on a daily basis.
* FingerInTheMail: [[spoiler:Gale]] takes it UpToEleven by sending the police [[spoiler:a whole hand with his DNA. Due to records registering him as dead, the police would have assigned blame unto his brother Simon if not for additional evidence proving he's alive and well.]]
* {{Fingore}}: This happens to [[spoiler:Conor after getting ambushed by Pete's gang. Although the wounds heal over time, he'll never be able to shred the guitar as fast he once did, not that it stops him from reviving his music career in the finale.]]
* {{Frameup}}: [[spoiler:Talen frames Simon for the W.A.F. serial murders and uses him as bait to drive the deranged protesters into a murderous frenzy. His death at their hands would then be used to spark outrage against the W.A.F. and their sympathizers. Too bad he didn't anticipate [[SpannerInTheWorks Conor's actions saving the day]].]]
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:Conor's hands visually breaking down during the flashback chapters is a sign he's about to undergo the hate crime that ruined his music career and love life.]]
* FreudianTrio: Mona being the Ego among the childhood trio makes sense because her presence is integral to [[spoiler:Conor's Superego reconciling with Simon's Id both figuratively and literally.]] Another example has Conor represent the Ego as a balance between Simon's Id and Kiev's Superego.
* GarageBand: Conor and Simon's rock band started out as this before briefly rising to fame.
* {{Gaslighting}}: [[spoiler:Veronica gaslights Conor into repressing his sexuality in an attempt to make him forget about Simon. Fortunately, it doesn't last very long. A more unsuccessful attempt occurs with Gale trying to make Simon think he's just as evil and murderous as the rest of his family.]]
* GayAesop: The story practically runs on this trope.
* GeodesicCast: The story has at least three pair-ups: [[OfficialCouple Conor and Simon]], [[StrictlyProfessionalRelationship Talen and Krakow]], and [[spoiler:[[LipstickLesbian Mona and Teri]].]]
* GoodEyesEvilEyes: The Winsor brothers have this with Simon [[WhiteSheep being good]] and [[spoiler:Gale [[TheSociopath being evil]]... [[EvenEvilHasStandards sort of]].]]
* GoodLawyersGoodClients: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon get a competent lawyer in Pita who skillfully gives Talen a run for his money.]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: The W.A.F. and their elite enablers share this role.
* GrowingUpSucks: As adults, Conor and Simon know from experience how harsh society can be towards people like them. While the demands of adulthood contributed to their fallout in the past, the pair find ways to overcome it [[spoiler:after falling in love with each other again.]]
* HaveYouTriedNotBeingAMonster: [[spoiler:Conor flips this trope against the W.A.F. protesters who were about to kill Simon after his trial.]]
* HarmfulToMinors: Conor's grade school days are full of this with him getting beaten up almost daily. It's further PlayedForDrama when the trauma is enough to make Conor wish he was born white.
* HardWorkHardlyWorks: Pre-timeskip Conor sometimes feels this way when doing odd jobs as people will likely judge him for his race rather than his efforts.
* HeroRivalBaddieTeamUp: [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]]. [[spoiler:While Conor and Kiev do put aside their differences to help Simon, Gale is left out of the equation for obvious reasons. However, his assault on Talen helps distract the latter from further targeting Simon.]]
* HeteronormativeCrusader: [[spoiler:[[TheFundamentalist The reverend]] who tried to "cure" Conor of his homosexuality is one. Unfortunately for him, his condemnation of Simon who [[TakingTheBullet took a bullet for Conor]] earns him a huge slap from Mrs. Lee.]]
* HomophobicHateCrime: Conor and Simon become subjected to this at pivotal moments of the story. In Conor's case, [[spoiler:it leaves him unable to fully play the guitar and contributes to his break-up with Simon.]]
* HopeSpot: A particularly cruel one happens [[spoiler:in chapter 76. Just when it looks like Veronica is about to give up shooting Simon, she aims her gun at Conor in hopes of [[ReincarnationRomance being happy with him in the next life]].]]
* HotPursuit: One occurs when Detective Krakow pursues [[spoiler:Gale who had just sexually assaulted Talen.]]
* HowWeGotHere: The flashback chapters reveal how the main couple formed their band and why they went their separate ways.
* TheILoveYouStigma: Why Conor's initial romance with Simon failed. [[spoiler:He finally spits it out in chapter 47 and from that point on strives to be a better lover.]]
* IKissYourHand: [[spoiler:Conor does this to Simon while reaffirming his love for him in their reconciliation scene.]]
* IWillWaitForYou: [[spoiler:Conor vows to wait for Simon to recover from his coma following the shooting incident. While the wait does take several months, Simon finally [[RuleOfSymbolism wakes up around the time spring comes]].]]
* ImagineSpot: While pondering whether or not he should see Simon months after their break-up, Conor imagines his ex acting bitter towards him while showering another man with love and affection.
* InSpiteOfANail: After learning of [[spoiler:Veronica's role in ruining Conor and Simon's lives, Mona blames herself for introducing her to them in the first place. [[PetTheDog Conor disagrees]] and even believes Veronica would have found other ways to get close to him.]]
* IncompatibleOrientation: No matter how hard Veronica tries to convince him otherwise, Conor just doesn't love her that way. It's also the reason why they have such a barren sex life to begin with.
* InevitableMutualBetrayal: Due to their clashing personalities and interests, it was only a matter of time before [[spoiler:Gale and Talen ended their partnership on a sour note.]]
* InstantHumiliationJustAddYouTube: After [[spoiler:Simon's arrest in chapter 54, videos of him having orgies with various men get leaked by the T-Rex CEO.]] Needless to say, it turns [[spoiler:him into a big target for the W.A.F. who hound him relentlessly during his trial.]]
* InstantWebHit: [[spoiler:Conor turns into one after standing up to the W.A.F. in chapter 59. He decides to make the most of it by quitting his job and becoming an online content creator to further gay rights.]]
* InterchangeableAsianCultures: Racists in Van Tescosa seem to think all Asians are the same. TruthInTelevision as some people can't really tell the difference between Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, etc.
* InternalAffairs: The Van Tescosa police department is rife with corruption early on with only a few virtuous individuals like [[ByTheBookCop Jan Krakow]] standing out. [[spoiler:It takes Simon almost getting killed by the W.A.F. for the police to respond appropriately.]]
* InterplayOfSexAndViolence: [[spoiler:Gale forces this trope on Talen after the latter pisses him off one too many times.]]
* IrrationalHatred: Kiev's resentment for Conor stems from [[spoiler:the latter's father shunning him during his stay with the Lees. He learns to get over it after Conor begs him to [[TeethClenchedTeamwork help free Simon]] from the T-Rex Corporation's clutches.]]
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: Not wanting [[spoiler:Conor to get caught in the middle of his murder revenge case, Simon tries to make him leave in chapter 47. Conor adamantly refuses which leads to their reconciliation.]]
* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: [[spoiler:Simon was on the verge of fulfilling this trope until Conor's unconditional love gave him a reason to do the right thing and turn himself in.]]
* KeepingSecretsSucks: It constantly pains Conor to remain in the closet while being in a relationship with Simon. [[spoiler:He officially comes out in chapter 59 as a PrecisionFStrike to the mob trying to kill his lover. Even then, his parents are in denial about the whole thing until the climax.]]
* KickTheSonOfABitch: [[spoiler:Gale is the culprit behind the W.A.F. serial killings. He also rapes Talen for attempting to assassinate Simon behind his back.]]
* KidsAreCruel: The kids who bullied Conor during his grade school years are this. One of them (Pete) grows up to become a gang leader who kills and rapes minorities.
* KudzuPlot: Much of the plot has different events that run independent from one another or are connected to varying degrees. These get conveniently resolved by the end of the story.
* LaserGuidedKarma: Most of the antagonists get a huge dose of this.
* LastSecondChance: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon agree not to press charges against Veronica if she drops her gun and leaves them alone. [[RedemptionRejection She refuses]].]]
* LetMeGetThisStraight: Conor is not exactly pleased to learn that [[spoiler:Simon hired Gale to abduct and torture Pete on his behalf.]]
* LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] by [[spoiler:Veronica and Mona. While both women seemingly play this trope straight, they're actually a subversion with Veronica being more dark-hearted and twisted and Mona being cheerful and supportive. Even their influences towards the main couple run counter from one another with Veronica tearing Conor and Simon apart and Mona reconnecting them together.]]
* LostLoveMontage: Happens in the chapters where [[spoiler:Conor and Simon haven't reconciled yet.]]
* LoveConfession: [[spoiler:Conor finally admitting his love for Simon heals their relationship and gives them a chance to fight for their happy ending together.]]
* LoveEpiphany: Reconstructed by [[spoiler:Conor who gets back together with Simon after realizing the pain the latter went through during their separation. It's at this point that he stops being confused about his feelings and sexuality.]]
* LoveHurts: A recurring theme in ''Dark Heaven'' is that love comes with a lot of conflict and heartache, but is still worth fighting for.
* LoveTriangle: Conor, Simon, and Veronica. Another example is Conor, Simon, and Kiev.
* MaleFrontalNudity: ''Dark Heaven'' has this in spades along with some female nudity here and there.
* MaliciousSlander: [[spoiler:When his sex video gets leaked, Simon becomes the target of nasty rumors suggesting he's a DepravedHomosexual who corrupts anyone he meets or befriends. Conor is also subjected to some light slander while working for Veronica's father.]]
* MasculineFeminineGayCouple: Averted hard by the protagonists.
* MassOhCrap: [[spoiler:The W.A.F. protesters ganging up on Simon have this reaction when Conor records them on his phone and the police come with reinforcements.]]
* {{Megacorp}}: The T-Rex Corporation serves this role.
* MeddlingParents: Conor's parents often try to get him to settle down with Veronica. They're also considered LoveObstructingParents when it comes to his love for Simon.
* MenDontCry: Averted. When the men in this story cry, they have a damn good reason for doing so.
* MerchandiseDriven: [[spoiler:The T-Rex CEO's whole plan for Simon involves this once the intrigue surrounding him spikes his popularity. It abruptly ends once he gets outed to the public.]]
* MiseryBuildsCharacter: The local reverend uses this trope [[spoiler:as an excuse in chapter 80 to publicly blast Simon with a [[PrematureEulogy malicious eulogy]] despite the latter TakingTheBullet for Conor. This earns him an ArmorPiercingSlap from Mrs. Lee whose opinion of Simon has now changed for the better.]]
* MisplacedRetribution: [[spoiler:Simon becomes the unlucky recipient of this trope after being framed for the W.A.F. serial murders. The retribution only stops after the police arrive with help from Conor stalling for time.]]
* MomentOfWeakness: Happens to the protagonists after their horrendous break-up. [[spoiler:Conor gives in to Veronica's advances and is forced to work an unfulfilling job at her father's magazine company. Simon, for his part, willingly sleeps his way to the top while engaging in self-destructive behavior.]]
* MoodWhiplash: A few of the story's chapters conclude this way.
* MurderIsTheBestSolution: [[spoiler:Gale has no qualms resorting to murder if it accomplishes his goals. Talen and Veronica cross this line once their usual tricks get them nowhere.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:N - R]]
* NearVillainVictory: [[spoiler:Talen's plan to scapegoat Simon would have come to fruition if not for Conor standing up to the W.A.F. protesters and giving the police time to break up the crowd.]]
* NeverBeHurtAgain: [[spoiler:Partially the reason why Conor was somewhat hesitant to see Simon again considering the amount of trauma he went through. He gets over it after realizing his ex went through an even worse time after their break-up.]]
* NiceMeanAndInbetween: Simon (Nice), Kiev (Mean), and Conor (In-Between) respectively.
* NightmareSequence: [[spoiler:Simon has one where Conor greets him with his and Veronica's children all grown up. This causes him to furiously strangle Veronica who then turns into Pete with Gale goading him to become a killer. While not directly shown, Conor is implied to have experienced a similar nightmare in chapter 51.]]
* NothingIsTheSameAnymore: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon being cheered on by a crowd in the finale implies that Van Tescosa has become more tolerant of interracial and gay couples.]]
* NotSoDifferent: [[spoiler:Gale intentionally brings this up to Simon in order to drag him down from his moral high ground. It doesn't work.]]
** Conor sees a little of himself in [[spoiler:Talen after learning why he was so hellbent on using Simon to get back at the racists who wrecked their lives.]]
* OrderedApology: During his younger years, Conor is forced by a policeman to apologize to a hot dog stand owner after blowing up on him for his racist behavior.
* OvershadowedByControversy: [[spoiler:When Simon becomes the target of unsavory rumors during his debut, his boss milks it for all it's worth before his eventual arrest. As a result, his reputation goes down the toilet. He finally overcomes this problem in the epilogue by reviving his band alongside Conor.]]
* ParentsAreWrong: Although the Lees do care about Conor's well-being, their efforts to stamp out his homosexuality through religion only worsens his self-esteem and drives a wedge between their familial bond. [[spoiler:It takes a literal HeroicSacrifice from Simon to make them reconsider their views.]]
* PeerPressureMakesYouEvil: One teenager is forced to toss a tomato at Conor after being egged on by a gang of bullies.
* PiggybackCute: [[spoiler:How Conor carries Simon off to safety following his ShamingTheMob speech in chapter 59.]]
* PlotHole: In chapter 2, there's a picture of Conor with long hair being embraced by Veronica during a vacation in Switzerland. However, Conor had short hair by the time he became her boyfriend.
* PoliceAreUseless: Played straight in [[spoiler:Conor's case as the police are unable to catch the suspects who crippled his hands.]] Averted by Detective Krakow who helps [[spoiler:pinpoint Gale as the true suspect in Simon's murder case.]]
* PoorCommunicationKills: If Conor and Simon took the time to be more honest with each other rather than bottling their feelings up, their break-up could have been avoided.
** This is the reason behind [[spoiler:Kiev's animosity towards Conor and his family. Instead of opening up about his alienation by Mr. Lee, he takes it out on Conor who lashes back.]]
* PornWithPlot: Make no mistake, ''Dark Heaven'' has a plot beneath the scattered sex scenes.
* PositiveFriendInfluence: What Mrs. Lee thought Simon was for Conor [[spoiler:before discovering their true relationship. There is [[MetaphoricallyTrue some truth]] in that as both protagonists do bring out the best in one another not as friends, but as lovers.]]
* ThePowerOfLove: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon's reconciliation allows the former to embrace his sexuality once more and the latter to let go of his revenge against Pete.]]
* PowderKegCrowd: [[spoiler:The W.A.F. protesters condemning Simon during his trial practically explode when he's within reach courtesy of Talen sabotaging his exit route.]]
* {{Prequel}}: Serves as one for ''[[https://www.lezhin.com/en/comic/guardians Guardians of the Lamb]]''.
* PreserveYourGays: For a story that tackles homophobia, [[spoiler:none of the gay characters get killed save for one of the elites responsible for funding the W.A.F. protesters.]]
* PrisonEpisode: [[spoiler:Simon is imprisoned for a short while before getting bailed by Conor.]]
* PropagandaMachine: The W.A.F. website is one. [[spoiler:It takes the police's intervention to shut it down late in the story.]]
* PsychologicalProjection: [[spoiler:Veronica accuses Simon of ruining her life when in fact it's the other way around.]]
* RapeAndSwitch: [[spoiler:Veronica takes advantage of a drunken Conor and coaxes him into questioning his sexuality. This only adds to his self-loathing and renders him impotent for the remainder of their brief relationship together.]]
* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Best exemplified when [[spoiler:Gale is raped by his own [[EvilMatriarch mother]] and [[ArchnemesisDad father]] for the first time.]]
* RealityEnsues: The story has many instances of this happening, ranging from [[spoiler:the police not taking Conor's hate crime incident seriously to the Lees violently rejecting Simon for having a love affair with their son.]]
* RedOniBlueOni: Conor is the Red Oni to Kiev's Blue Oni. [[spoiler:Likewise, the Winsor siblings are this for one another with Simon being the Blue Oni to Gale's Red Oni.]]
* ReformedRakes: What Veronica essentially tries to do to Conor after tearing him and Simon apart. It doesn't work out since Conor still loves his ex [[spoiler:and eventually gets back together with him.]]
* RelationshipSabotage: Though Conor and Simon weren't aware of it at the time, [[spoiler:Veronica had been secretly sabotaging their relationship from the start by sending nude pics of them to Conor's family, siccing Pete's gang on their band, and ensuring that only Simon would be picked by T-Rex Corporation. Unfortunately for her, she didn't count on their lingering feelings being strong enough to lead them back to each other's arms once again.]]
* RelationshipSalvagingDisaster: [[spoiler:Simon being implicated for the W.A.F. murders kickstarts Conor's goal of reaching out to his ex which results in them getting back together.]]
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: [[spoiler:Pete's kidnapping was orchestrated by Gale at the behest of Simon who wanted to get revenge for what he did to Conor. If not for his and Conor's reconciliation, he would have likely given in to the temptation of murdering a hated enemy.]]
* RockIsAuthenticPopIsShallow: As a rising pop star under the T-Rex label, Simon's carefully cultivated image is not as genuine or soulful as his previous performances with Dark Heaven. Even the lyrics he's forced to sing come across as generic and artificial. [[spoiler:He becomes an authentic performer again in the finale after reviving his old band.]]
* RoomFullOfCrazy: [[spoiler:Veronica's basement is this as Simon finds out in chapter 73.]]
* RubberFace: :Conor punishes Simon with this when he catches him snooping on his personal belongings.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:S - Y]]
* SafetyInIndifference: One of the main reasons why the Van Tescosa citizens don't want to bother fighting for equal rights or progressive reforms.
* SchoolBullyingIsHarmless: Averted hard. Conor's life in grade school was pure hell, having been beaten almost daily by bullies [[spoiler:and even falling off a balcony at some point.]]
* SecretlyGayActivity: The two protagonists engage in this during their adolescence. The pair eventually take things to the next level as they grow older.
* SecurityCling: Veronica does this to keep Conor from reaching Simon when a corpse drops on stage at the Beer Festival concert.
* SeductionLyric: Simon has a tendency of doing this while seducing Conor.
* SelectiveEnforcement: The Van Tescosa police department is guilty of this as they prioritize crimes that affect white victims more than racial minorities.
* SellingTheShow: Tamara's obsolescence as a pop star is accelerated by her publicly badmouthing both T-Rex and their [[CashCowFranchise current cash cow]] Simon.
* SexEqualsLove: Averted when Conor and Simon have sex with different partners to cope with their break-up. Played straight when the two of them do it with each other [[spoiler:especially after their reconciliation.]]
* SexForSolace: [[spoiler:Conor, at his lowest point, does this with Veronica to forget about Simon. Simon also hooks up with numerous male partners everyday for the same reason. It only results in them being unfulfilled and miserable.]]
* SexIsGood: One of the most important lessons of this story is that sex is good if you're doing it with someone you love and that person loves you back.
* SexMontage: Happens a lot throughout different chapters.
* SexWithTheEx: [[spoiler:In chapter 47, Conor and Simon do this once the former finally admits his unconditional love verbally. They officially resume their romance from that point on.]]
* SexualKarma: The good guys get each other in the end and the bad guys have no one left to satisfy them.
* ShirtlessScene: It wouldn't be much of a love story without a shirtless scene or two.
* ShooOutTheClowns: Most of the side characters are cast aside for the climax, only appearing once the dust has settled.
* ShoutOut: Conor and Simon wearing pumpkin heads for their music performance in grade school is one for [[Music/TheSmashingPumpkins TheSmashingPumpkins]].
* ShowDontTell: Some portions of the story eschew text bubbles entirely in favor of more detailed panels that show what's going on.
* ShownTheirWork: The author does a good job portraying how bad media corporations can really be to their stars if left unchecked.
** The story gives a startling but accurate summary of how right-wing propaganda works in general.
* SiblingTriangle: While not related by blood, both [[spoiler:Conor and Kiev almost come to blows in chapter 52 over their romantic feelings for Simon.]]
* SiblingYinYang: Both Simon and Gale are this both appearance-wise and personality-wise.
* SideStoryBonusArt: The artist has loads of bonus art featuring the characters. Most notably, [[CreatorsPet Gale]] seems to be a recurring favorite.
* SleepingTheirWayToTheTop: How T-Rex Corporation selects its top stars, with [[spoiler:Simon and Tamara being among them.]]
* SliceOfLife: The story is a mixture of this along with some drama, romance, action, and psychological horror.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: While the story begins with a more cynical tone, it slowly gravitates towards idealism [[spoiler:once Conor and Simon get back together.]]
* SmellsSexy: Simon considers Conor's scent as this, wondering if it's because he drinks so much tea.
* SocialCircleFiller: Before the incident that led to Dark Heaven disbanding, both Conor and Simon had a small circle of friends who shared their passion for music.
* SocialMediaBeforeReason: [[spoiler:Simon becomes victimized by social media after getting arrested and having his sex video leaked to the public. A more benign example happens when Simon and Conor go out shopping together.]]
* SpeedSex: Conor's sex life with Veronica is both sporadic and unsatisfyingly quick.
* StalkerShot: Happens to Conor during the flashback chapters. [[spoiler:The stalker's identity is revealed to be Veronica in chapter 74.]]
* STDImmunity: Justified by the cast using condoms and lubricants when having sex.
* StrawCharacter: Racists, homophobes, and right-wing fascists are among those the story loves to caricature.
* StringingTheHopelessSuitorAlong: [[spoiler:Conor thought he was doing this to Veronica which leads him to break up with her and go back to Simon's side.]]
* StumbledIntoThePlot: [[spoiler:By reuniting with Simon, Conor finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy designed to scapegoat his ex for the sole purpose of further demonizing the W.A.F. in the eyes of the public. His involvement alone [[SpannerInTheWorks helps thwart]] the conspiracy and saves his lover's life.]]
* StupidSexyFlanders: Conor sometimes reacts this way towards Simon. A more one-sided example happens when [[spoiler:Talen gets hard at the sight of Gale dominating him.]]
* SuckySchool: Conor's grade school was this for him.
* SuperDeformed: It wouldn't be a manhwa without this coming into play. On an odd note, only Gale has a non-standard facial expression that makes him CreepyCute.
* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: [[spoiler:Although the story is dark and unforgiving at times, it has a surprisingly happy conclusion.]]
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: [[spoiler:How Conor is able to see through Veronica's lies while trying to locate Simon.]]
* {{Swirlie}}: Conor was cruelly subjected to this by bullies in school.
* SwissCheeseSecurity: With help from [[spoiler:Kiev, Conor easily infiltrates the T-Rex CEO's office to steal the sex videos she had of Simon servicing their benefactors.]]
* TabloidMelodrama: Happens to [[spoiler:Simon after he gets implicated for the W.A.F. serial murders following the incident at the Van Tescosa Beer Festival.]] The T-Rex CEO uses the intrigue to her advantage before [[spoiler:his eventual arrest in chapter 54.]]
* TakeAThirdOption: After learning about [[spoiler:Veronica's pregnancy, Conor insists on marrying Simon while taking responsibility for his possible child.]] The old Conor would have been forced to choose between [[spoiler:Simon and Veronica's baby, so him going for a balanced approach proves he's matured enough to make heavy decisions without sacrificing his own happiness. The whole thing ends up being moot when it turns out Veronica lied to Conor.]]
* TakeThat: The story defies the MenAreTough trope by showing how it marginalizes men in general.
** Also serves as one for the YaoiGenre as neither Conor nor Simon fit the usual {{Seme}} and {{Uke}} stereotypes.
* TakeThisJobAndShoveIt: Conor's job working at a magazine company is both tedious and unfulfilling. Not only is he treated like an expendable work gopher, his coworkers constantly talk about him behind his back. [[spoiler:After outing himself to save Simon, he gladly quits his job in favor of becoming an online activist.]]
* TakingAdvantageOfGenerosity: What Conor ultimately thinks of his brief relationship with Veronica. [[spoiler:He dumps her in hopes that she'll find someone more suitable.]]
* TheThreeFacesOfAdam: Simon is the Hunter because of his willingness to take risks for the sake of making it big in show business, Conor is the Lord who must constantly strike a balance between responsibility and happiness as an adult, and Kiev is the Prophet whose experiences have worn him down to the point of cynicism.
* ThereAreNoTherapists: So much problems could have been avoided if the characters took the time to see a goddamn therapist.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Drek and Gwati, two of Conor and Simon's male friends, are this.
* ThreeAmigos: [[TheHero Conor]], [[LoveInterest Simon]], and [[TheSmurfettePrinciple Mona]] are this. They also exemplify the TokenTrio, RockTrio, TrueCompanions, and TwoGuysAndAGirl tropes.
* TimeSkip: The story begins several months after Dark Heaven is disbanded with Simon just starting his pop star debut and Conor floundering with his [[SoulCrushingDeskJob dead-end job]].
* TokenYuriGirls: [[spoiler:Mona and Teri.]]
* TragicDream: [[spoiler:Mrs. Lee's dream of seeing Conor and Simon with their own families gets crushed in the worst possible way via pics of them having sex with one another. She gets over it after finally accepting their relationship. Subverted with Conor as his dreams of becoming a famous guitarist still comes true in the finale.]]
* TraumaCongaLine: While the story loves dispensing this trope on the main couple, it doesn't mean the side characters are immune from it.
* TrespassingToTalk: [[spoiler:To warn Simon about the police investigating him, Conor does this with help from Mona and Teri.]]
* UnbalancedByRivalsKid: [[spoiler:Simon has a nightmare where he's confronted with a [[FormerlyFit middle-aged Conor]] and Veronica being all lovey-dovey while surrounded by [[BabiesEverAfter their grown children]]. This causes him to strangle Veronica's apparition in a jealous rage.]]
* UnbrokenVigil: This happens in the last few chapters with [[spoiler:Conor watching over a comatose Simon after he got shot protecting his lover.]]
* UnexplainedRecovery: It's a little jarring to see [[spoiler:Simon recover so quickly from both his drug abuse and leg injury.]]
* UnfocusedDuringIntimacy: Whenever Conor has sex with Veronica, he's only able to get off by thinking of Simon. This contributes to their relationship failing miserably.
* UnknownRival: Simon has one in Tamara, a Black artist who lashes out over being sidelined for him and [[EvilIsPetty stirs up rumors of his sexuality as payback]].
* VillainTeamUp: [[spoiler:Gale gladly teams up with Talen to frame Simon for murder, though the partnership abruptly ends when the latter breaks his own code of ethics to assassinate their target.]]
* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Make no mistake, the violence depicted in this story is definitely not for the faint of heart. Blood and gore is present even during some of the sex scenes.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: Conor and Simon get this quite a lot even in chapters where there's no sex involved.
* WavingSignsAround: Any chapter featuring the W.A.F. and their detractors will have these present.
* WeddingFinale: [[spoiler:Conor and Simon finally get married in the final chapter with their friends and family right beside them.]]
* WhamEpisode: [[spoiler:A dismembered corpse drops down the stage on one of Simon's concert at the end of chapter 18.]]
** After choosing to [[spoiler:spare Pete's life in chapter 54, Simon surrenders himself to the authorities.]]
** [[spoiler:Veronica's WhamLine to Conor at the end of chapter 62.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Veronica:''' "I'm pregnant!"]]
* WhatWereYouThinking: Conor's reaction when he learns that [[spoiler:Simon instigated Pete's kidnapping as revenge for ruining their lives.]]
* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: The bonus chapter reveals what the characters have been up to [[spoiler:after Conor and Simon got married. With the exception of Talen and perhaps Gale, all of the antagonistic characters are dead.]]
* [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield Where The Hell Is Van Tescosa]]: Van Tescosa is said to border between Europe and Asia with its racial demographics mirroring North America more.
* WhoMurderedTheAsshole: This is the crux behind the W.A.F. serial murder case. [[spoiler:People already assume it's Simon due to the rumors surrounding him, but evidence given by his lawyer prove that the suspect is Gale.]]
* YankTheDogsChain: Briefly happens to the main couple when they learn about [[spoiler:Veronica possibly bearing Conor's baby. Instead of breaking up again, they decide to get [[AltarTheSpeed hitched as soon as possible]] while investigating the truth behind Veronica's claims.]]
* YellowPeril: Asians are apparently a favorite target for racists in Van Tescosa.
* YouKnowWhatTheySayAboutX: Racial and sexual minorities in this setting are often the target of disparagement from the white majority both online and in real life.
* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: [[spoiler:Simon is shamed at the prospect of being like Gale who goads him into killing the man who ruined his lover's life.]]
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The W.A.F. is under the delusion that they're out to save Van Tescosa from the supposed evils of racial and sexual diversity. In truth, the group is secretly manipulated by a few elites who deem them as tools to control the population to their liking. As one of them puts it:
-->"It's a simple theory. Divide the slaves up into groups and [[ThePowerOfHate instill hatred in them until they rip each other apart]]. Torturing someone that's different from you [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex helps improve your self-esteem]]. [[EvilFeelsGood It gives you pleasure]]. Don't give a fuck whether they get hurt or not. They're not on your side, anyway. That is how moral deformity begins to develop, little by little. Just enough so you don't get trampled to death. Don't weed them out, but don't let them mix with your crowd, either. Treat them like trash. Beings that don't fit into the universal ideologies of society. In course, they'll become [[AcceptablePoliticalTargets objects of hate and resentment]]. That's when you reach out to them. It's the perfect time to offer them a sweet solution. "I understand you." "You are an important person." "Follow me." Then, strangely enough, they'll [[TorchesAndPitchforks cease to think]] and become dependent on their ruler and the masses."
[[/folder]]
