#//When we met I was down bad for Makoto

[strykingfats-refattened]

I hereby blame Dr. Princess Gothmom Neon with a PHD in Astrology and Xbox technology for making me downbad for Haruka, RJ, and Makoto.

[romanticandupsetting]

Could you write a jealous Hanamiya Makoto X shy female Reader?

Like a rival or a random guy is flirting with reader (maybe Imayoshi?) idk just something I'd like to see.

FIRST MEETINGS AND JEALOUSY?!

jealous!hanamiya makoto, shy!female reader, fluff, high-school setting, implied that he's taller than reader (a headpat), i TRIED MY BEST to get his character to fall in love, reader's kinda ditzy bcs i read in his wiki that his type is a "stupid girl"

• hanamiya makoto isn't one for love.

• the thought of being in love alone is something he couldn't fathom. him? in all his wit and glory all being putty for a girl??

• that was all until he met you.

• you with your sweet eyes looking up at him (he's too tall!) and your voice that is so nice to listen for giving him praises and compliments.

• "wow! so it's like a king hidden in the shadows??"

• a pink shade covers your face as you realize that you just shamelessly talked to him.

• "i'm sorry!!!"

• it was casual at first. you sit beside him on physics and he started going to class diligently just to see you.

• you didn't even know he was missing classes!

• he wouldn't listen, though. he'd just glance at you and your notes and you assume that he must be looking at you because he would like to copy your notes for later.

• after class, he's shocked to see you give your notebook to him. "i thought you'd want it... you were looking at my notes earlier..."

• he chuckles and just accepts, pats you on the head while he's at it.

• hanamiya doesn't even need your notes. he gets the top scores without studying but he'll accept the notebook because it's yours. it came from your bag and contains your handwriting.

• also, he tried reading your notes and he just can't study it like that. you even spelled some of your words wrong!!

• he becomes friendly to you while keeping his "bad boy" persona but a couple (more like all) of the students notice how his gaze and tone softens if it's directed at you.

• one day, you're surprised to hear him ask as he returns your notebook.

• "wanna watch me play?"

• you blink like an owl at him, your pretty eyes batting your pretty eyelashes without even noticing.

• "we have a game at like 5 pm. you wanna come with and watch?"

• "i—is it okay?"

• he snickers. "why wouldn't it be okay?" he pats your head. "dummy."

• makoto grabs your bag without further notice and walks ahead. "come on, let's go. i'll treat you to a burger or something after."

• your heart is pounding. this is the first time you've been invited to something!!

• you've always been quite shy and found it difficult to approach others which in turn, others make it difficult to approach you as well.

• but now you're really happy that hanamiya has invited you!!

• until it all went wrong.

• "the hell you ganging up on her for?"

• he's scary. hanamiya makoto is scary.

• you've never seen him like this. sure, you heard some rumors but he's always been kind to you so you never believed it.

• he's so close to throwing that guy down the stairs.

• "h–hanamiya, it's okay..."

• you try your best to smoothen down the situation but he's just not having it.

• the way his huge hand grips the guy's collar is terrifying by itself.

• makoto takes a look at you and honestly, you looked like you were about to cry so he let that guy go.

• he'll remember his face though.

• he sighs, letting out the last (or is it?) of his frustration.

• makoto grabs your bag from your shoulder and puts it on his.

• "so, how about that burger i offered?"

"hah?! satsuki, don't ya think ya saw wrong?" aomine blabbers as he picks up his gym bag.

"i'm serious, dai-chan! i saw it with my own eyes!" momoi fights back.

"what's going on?" imayoshi asks, popping in the locker room. "you two hurry up. we gotta get back before it's dark."

"satsuki said he saw that bastard with a girl."

"bastard?"

"imayoshi-kun, you're familiar with hanamiya-kun right?"

"i am."

"i saw him with a cute girl when he was heading outside! he was even carrying her bag!"

"huh?" imayoshi fakes a gag, being unable to picture hanamiya with a girl. "oh."

"what's up?"

"but i do remember... back in middle school hanamiya said he's into stupid girls."

you take a bite of the burger you took from the tray. hanamiya looks at you with his arm on the table and a palm below his cheek.

"you know that's my order, right?"

"what?!"

[ajatheoleander12]

Sure, therapist Nahida sounds nice. But have you thought about good coping mechanism Nahida and bad coping mechanism Wanderer healing together?

There's something nice about her giving it to him straight, without coddling him or trying to get a result from helping him or looking down at him like the other people in his past did. She still let him believe that she was doing it for her own benefit cause she knows that he feels guilt for his deeds and his feelings towards others and he wouldn't belive her if she claimed otherwise. She doesn't want to push him to far out of his comfort zone and she doesn't need him to believe that she's trying to help because she doesn't need the affirmation that she's a good person, she doesn't push her insecurities onto him. She tries to both encourage him to walk out of his comfort zone and establish bountries.

I really like the scene where she practicaly tells him: "You were a bad person and you did horrible things and you have to own up to the shitty things you've done."

She's also probably the only person in Teyvat that completely understands him. She was also deemed unworthy of the title of an Archon, she was also deemed too little and not enough for her caretakers at the time. She was also discarded by the people that were meant to assist her growth. She was also replaced with a "better" option. I am fully aware that they also share differences, but I believe those differences are meant to show us an alternate ending to either story. Nahida was never coddled, which lead to her having doubts about herself and trying to please others and resulted in her growing a little on her own. Wanderer grew dependent on his emotional bonds with the people that cared for him and ended up taking their loss too hard and stalling his growth. Nahida met the right people that helped her through a difficult time, both physicaly and emotionaly. Wanderer met Dottore, who manipulated him and made him worse. Dottore was an enabler to Wanderer and a bad influence. And that might be a stretch, but I believe that the meeting between Rukkhadevata and Nahida could have been the meeting between Wanderer and Makoto.

Idk, I could be wrong, but I don't like it when there's a singular interpretation of the relationship between two characters. I'm also not a fan of how we forcfully speedgrow Nahida and how the "baby" metaphore in Wanderer's lore is only ever used to say he's a shotacon or smth. I like the complexity of these characters too much to only have one opinion for them. I also like the idea that Nahida is also self-healing by helping Wanderer, who is kinda like a man-child at times.

[hoshibatake]

FREEDOM – Reality and Freedom/Chapter 1

Previous chapter

<End of flashback. In the real world, Trickstudio>

Subaru: ...so I called out to Anzu as soon as she arrived.

Subaru: I said: “Yaho☆ So you’re that transfer student who we’ve heard so much about♪”

Mao: You came on too strong.

Hokuto: And then he started to demand money from her.

Mao: You came on way too strong.

Mao: I’ve heard this story countless times, but it really was a pushy and absurd first meeting～. You must’ve been at a loss, huh, Anzu?

Mao: ...Hmm? You were feeling a little lost on your first day, so it actually helped?

Mao: Oh, right. The three of them, including Makoto, showed you around the academy, didn’t they?

Mao: That sounds so nice. A true highschool experience. I was in quite the fix back then. I was caught between my student council job and Trickstar.

Mao: A lot has happened since, but that was probably the toughest time for me, because I was so inexperienced back then.

Subaru: But those times were also the most fun, weren’t they? When we were hoping that things would change, and when things were changing dizzyingly fast.

Subaru: No, actually, I’m always having the most fun! No matter what kind of trouble we’re facing, I believe we’ll always get through it if we’re together♪

Subaru: ...Wow, our trip down memory lane took us all the way back to when we met Anzu. Ukki～’s pretty late, isn’t he?

Subaru: I wonder where he could be dawdling. Maybe he got lost?

Mao: No, no. There’s no way he got lost now, after coming here so many times.

Hokuto: That’s what’s worrying me. I hope he didn’t wind up in some kind of trouble.

Hokuto: Hm? I just got a notification for a text.

Hokuto: ...Fumu. It’s a message from Yuuki. Apparently he overslept and only just woke up.

Subaru: O～oh, so he just overslept. I’m glad nothing bad happened, but that’s unlike Ukki～, huh?

Mao: If he just woke up, that means he’s at the dorm, right? If we wait for him to arrive, we’ll be here until nighttime. Let’s move our review meeting to a different day. We still have some time, after all.

Subaru: I agree～. Since Anzu is here too, let’s go grab a bite to eat☆

<At the same time, in Makoto’s dorm room>

Makoto: ...We’ll have the review meeting on another day, huh? I messed up. I’ll have to apologize the next time I see the others.

Makoto: *yawn* Oof...♪ It looks like I passed out while I was still logged in to FREEDOM.

Makoto: What was ‘I’ doing again? Uhm…

Makoto: Oh, right. ‘I’ was about to leave Trickstar.

Makoto: Wait, that sounded a little strange. My avatar in the game is the one who is leaving Trickstar.

Makoto: What to do… I vaguely remember that although joining or leaving a unit is easy, there are conditions to rejoining a unit.

Makoto: ...Yup. It’s written here in the guide. After leaving a unit, you need to wait at least 24 hours and get the approval of all existing members to rejoin.

Makoto: If my avatar quits, it’ll make things easier, but maybe I’ll try continuing like this for a bit longer. I’ll just see it as a challenge with extra restrictions¹.

Makoto: Because we’re only really Trickstar with the four of us...♪

Makoto: Alright. Let’s see how FREEDOM is doing～

Makoto: ...Wait, huh? His clothes changed…

Makoto: Huh? I don’t see my avatar… Where did he go? His coordinates aren’t being displayed…

Makoto: “Gwaaaaah!?”

Makoto: That scream sounded like ‘me’.

Makoto: I hear footsteps. I have a bad feeling about this, but I should go check it out…!

Makoto: “Waaah, where am I～!? Somebody help me～!”

Izumi: “Yuu-ku～n, don’t worry! I’m here to save you♪”

Makoto: “You’re the one I’m running from! Uurgh, I can’t let him get me!”

Izumi: “Oh, so you want to play tag?♪ Alright, then. I’ll chase you anywhere.”

Izumi: “L-O-V-E! I! Love! Yuu-kun! L-O-V-E! I! Love! Yuu-kun!”

Izumi: “Let’s live happily ever after with just the two of us, in a place where no one else can reach us...♪”

Makoto: Whoa! This must be a bug, right!? I need to force-quit the game!

Makoto: But why did Izumi-san show up all of a sudden?

Makoto: It seems like he can’t see me, so he must be an avatar too. Or is he an NPC?

Makoto: The residents’ appearances are determined by their jobs, so that means…

Makoto: I’m not sure about the logic behind it, but the Izumi-san I just saw seemed like he was based on that terrifying incident that happened at Yumenosaki.

Makoto: It would be a little scary if even small details like that have been included in the game… Huh? I wonder who just messaged me.

Makoto: It’s from Isara-kun… I see. Because I’m in a location that hides your coordinates, he can’t come talk to me directly.

Makoto: Huh!? My avatar has left Trickstar? Oh. So that’s why his clothes changed.

Makoto: I don’t remember making him quit. Is this a bug too?

Makoto: Once the criteria are met, he’ll be able to rejoin, but… Now he can focus on city-building, so in a way this is actually convenient.

Makoto: …

TL note:

The word Makoto uses here is 縛りプレイ ‘Shibari play’. It has two meanings: either ‘rope bondage’, or ‘playing a video game with self-imposed restrictions’. Obviously Makoto himself means the second one here, but given the fact that the next scene contains heavy references to the incident where Izumi kidnapped Makoto, this might be another, more meta reference to that.

Translated by me, proofread by Altea (@icaruswasthesun on Twitter)

Next chapter

[nyaboshi]

❤️‍🩹,😎,🥰

Ooo

❤️‍🩹 Oh my gosh, that is 100% The World Ends With You. God used that game to shape my understanding of the world, I am so sure of it. That game truly helped me to come out of the shell I had locked myself into! There are so many morals in that game that just.. spoke so my to my 13-year-old self. It's the #1 reason why it will always and forever be my favorite game! I don't know if this counts toward a fandom in particular that helped me, but I'm saying it does.

😎 My favorite part is always the friends I make. I've made so many friends just because I've been part of a fandom, and I think that's beautiful. I met these people because we have one thing in common, but now I'm talking to some of them almost daily and consider them some of my closest friends!

🥰 GRAH RAAAAA APBJEOAOEWJA

THESE TWO!! Neku Sakuraba and Shiki Misaki from The World Ends With You. These two– Oh GOSH these two. They have my heart, for real man. They're just so perfect for one another, and like– They both went through so much character development BECAUSE of each other, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT FORMING RELATIONSHIPS IS SUPPOSED TO DO! And I'm not just talking about romantic relationships! This game is so good because the main focus is about forming relationships with people so that you clash with them and ricochet to become a better person because of the relationships you formed and GRAAHHHHH

Anyways– Neku and Shiki are a perfect example of this particular moral of the game because they build off of each other's personality traits and become SUCH better people! At the start of the game, Neku is – for lack of a better, family-friendly descriptor – a complete and total douchebag. He's super self centered and outright rude with how he treats other people. Wants nothing to do with them and just wants to shut them all out. But underneath it all, he's actually just a boy who's very much hurting from trauma (they imply that in the past he very abruptly lost his best friend and he hasn't gotten over it) and is using his walls as a defense mechanism. On the other hand, Shiki is super cheery and peppy (at first) and tends to bend over backwards for people. But when you get past all of that, she's an incredibly insecure girl who has almost zero confidence in herself. Put them together and what do you get? They hate each other. :D Or, to put it more accurately, their surface personalities hate each other. But once they start to get to know each other a little more, they realize, "Oh hey. They're actually not that bad..." Neku helps Shiki with her confidence via administering some tough love, and Shiki acts as the catalyst that pushes Neku to break down his walls and actually interact and bond with people for a change!

This post by @altorav (my favorite artist to scroll through for NeShiki brainrot, btw) pretty much sums it up. XD Although Neku and Shiki aren't technically canon, they are so heavily implied, man... They have so much chemistry, and there's literally a scene in the game where a guy mistakes them for lovers and they both FREAK. I love them so much.

A close second OTP would be Makoto Naegi and Kyoko Kirigiri from Danganronpa.

But I'll save you from another long ramble about these two, because I have a lot to say about them as well. XD Just know that they are the epitome of Black Cat GF and Golden Retriever BF. :3 And they are also another couple that isn't directly stated to be canon, but is heavily implied AND IT PAINS ME TO NO END, GRAAAAHHHHHH

Thanks for the ask, May! <3

[despairmakoto]

Sometimes I think about an AU where the apocalypse didn't happen and the students graduated normally sort of like how they do in the V3 after-story minigame. Despite everything Makoto never really figured out any special skills or talents while he was at Hope's Peak, and Togami graduated the same way he was before: a cold and reserved young man who means business. The tragedy not happening made the two like oil and water; they would come close to eachother but never close enough to form any sort of real bond. Togami was simply not interested in making a friend, and Makoto didn't seem to be of any use for him. He heads off to live his life as the head of his (mostly still alive) family while Makoto decides to settle down and get himself a small apartment above a local bar and work as a bartender down below. It's a regular job but he's satisfied with it, and he can be social when he wants to.

A few years pass. Togami learns that things aren't quite as they seem for him. Due to the nature of his identity his father still is a major deciding factor over everything he does, including picking and choosing who he is to procreate with for the next generation's heir. Life is tense and shameful and he feels tricked. He's had a few children at this point but he doesn't get to see them, as when they're born they're essentially shipped off to be trained for the future battle they'll need to survive to have even a chance at becoming the next heir. He feels miserable and bitter; he hates the world and the people in it. Things feel bleak and he feels like more of an asset to his so-called retired father than the head of a conglomerate. Things get particularly bad when he finds out that the sires of his offspring were determined through a sort of bidding process. Disgusted and offended, he decides to head out into the city to get away from his family and the cold life he lives, even if for just one night.

He wanders around that evening, looking for a place to settle. Fate draws him toward a fairly commonplace but nice enough looking bar when it starts to rain, unforeseen. He enters to see the bar is empty today other than the bartender, who he doesn't immediately recognize. It isn't until said bartender raises his head to look over and cheerfully calls out his name that he realizes it's one of his old classmates. Togami solemnly and professionally wipes the rain from his glasses and goes to take a seat at one of the random tables that aren't immediately next to the bar. "Togami-kun, it's me, Naegi...! Don't you remember me? It's been a while, huh..." Makoto is rambling a bit while he wipes out glasses for later use; Togami listens to him without eye contact or any real show of acknowledgement, like a cat ignoring his owner without the flick of his ears. He doesn't respond to the other man until he is properly settled. "Yes, I remember you—just barely. I had to think for a moment, though. I don't usually waste my time recalling the names or faces of the unimpressive 99%." Togami scalds, but he is only met with a laugh. "You're still like that, Togami-kun...?" Makoto jests, teasingly. Togami sneers a bit. "Like what? And stop calling me that. We aren't children."

[charryflavoredblood]

Hi! Can I plz ask for a Komegi fic? I was thinking maybe the two are having a relaxing time in the bath together. Nothing sexual, it’s just intimate. Maybe Nagito’s went into one of his manic downward spirals so to comfort him Makoto washing Nagito’s hair to help the other man relaxed.

Yes. I love you thank you. I love you. Komaeda is what I live for. I think I lost the plot somewhere along the way but just know, it was in mind and I will rewrite it if you don't like it!!

TW: Existentialism, potential disassociation trigger.

“Makoto-”

Nagito calls out to his boyfriend.  

“Wait okay, do you want peach or the rosemary pomegranate one?”

Naegi grabbed the two bottles of shampoo. (The same ones that Komaeda had bought for him after he found out that the other was using…head and shoulder. And Makoto said that he needed to show himself more respect.)

“Those are yours-” “If I mix them, it won’t cause mustard gas, right? I played potions when I was little, it’ll be fine.” Makoto questioned, talking to no one but himself. He gently kneeled down on his partner’s- no, his bathroom floor.

After Nagito’s most recent breakdown, the pair had decided Makoto should move into Nagito's home. The pair being Makoto and Komaeda’s therapist, of course. Komaeda had insisted that Makoto deserved to be in a far nicer, far bigger and far warmer home.The younger man still lived with his sister and her wife. Anywhere was warmer than that apartment. Plus, Komaeda was loaded. He was basically Togami without legal limits.

Not that he only liked his boyfriend for his money! He adored him for his sense of humor, his kindness, his intelligence and most of all his passion! 

“Hey Makoto?” “Huh?”

Komaeda snapped him out of his train of thought, which was more than welcome. Any real Komaeda was better than the best imaginary Komaeda.

“I was thinking last night. Why is living so hard? Why must we be given false good days only to fall deeper into despair with so many terrible bad days? It truly makes me wonder what the point of it all is. Why must we feel despair…? Why is hope so temporary while despair is forever. They’re considered opposites. Why is one so much more powerful?”

Normally this would’ve caught Makoto off guard…but he was dealing with Nagito and he knew the other better than most things.

“Gee, that’s pretty philosophical, huh?” He responded, pumping the shampoo on his hands.

The brunette hummed in thought as he lathered the shampoo up, moving to his boyfriend’s hair.

“If every day was great, would it still be great or would it be a normal day? If we didn’t overcome hardship, wouldn’t that make us lumps of…something. I don’t know, I failed science. Despair doesn’t extinguish hope…just like hope doesn’t extinguish despair. When someone is at a fair, they could look at a ferris wheel and say “I won’t get on that because there is a 2.5% chance of it crashing.” On the other hand, someone could’ve just gotten into a ferris wheel crash, they could say “I’m alright. I made it. I survived.” You know?” Komaeda thought of a rebuttal before letting it go. 

Makoto rubbed the shampoo into the white hair and continued.

“We can worry about things like that, we can worry about each other getting hurt, or we can enjoy our time together and cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Nagito nodded and leaned in for a kiss, only to be met with fingers against his lips.

“Sorry…I don’t like the taste of shampoo.”

“Never thought you were one of those. I suppose you’re going to make me shower before we-”

“No! I didn’t mean that! I just-”

“I’m messing with you, Makoto.”

“...I still don’t like the taste of shampoo.”

“Who does?” I loved writing this. Ily all, drink water. Don't die. Dying if dehydration when you can help it is cringe. Ily again. K bye.

[bengiyo]

Don't Care for an Old Man's Underwear! Ep 2 Stray Thoughts

Thanks again to @isaksbestpillow for making this watch possible.

Last time, we met Okita Makoto, a middle-aged supervisor of a copier sales company whose toxic masculinity has let him down in his professional and personal relationships. He regularly offends his juniors (especially the women on their team), his kpop stan wife, mangaka daughter, and queer son. An unlikely encounter with a self-assured gay man led to the start of a new friendship, and Okita has promised his son that he will work to update himself so he can connect with his family and peers.

I am a little sad for this man that the opening sequence was a dream. As off-putting as he is, I do think he genuinely cares for his family.

Mm, ruined it immediately by being rude to Moe.

Oh, Okita. You can't walk it back right away like that. You're going to kill the trust of your team. You just said that people have a right to their breaks.

Oof, that was painful. Growth is not easy and not a straight line.

Wow, finally a show captures the constant pressure heteronormativity places on you when you don't fit in with it. That was an excellent sequence when Kakeru hesitated at the door.

Genuinely, this show is doing really well so far. It's putting in a lot of empathetic work on a man whose position allows his bad behaviors to cause issues for other people. I like that the show doesn't demonize him, and shows that his actions come from a believable human place. I also like that they use the wise gay child to ask the big question: Do you want to connect with others, or have you given up on people altogether?

Bro, you really should not have opened her mail. Even if you were concerned you broke it, you should have just called her down. This is not cool.

I actually like this junior's explanation of why he wears a bra. I'm glad it wasn't a gender thing or even an expectedly queer thing. He just wanted to feel like he's supported and that's enough.

Okay, I'm very excited about Okita Makoto going to sell yaoi at a fan event. I hope he brings Igarashi Daichi with him.

This flashback for Moe was also so good. We all make flippant comments about things we don't like or understand all the time. We won't remember it, but the people around us might. In this case, Moe knows her father will never understand her passions and can't share them with him.

Yes, Daichi!!

Everything about this con is excellent so far. Makoto may be getting shock at everyone's outfits, but he picked up immediately at how determined everyone is and appreciates their discipline.

I love Apple.

Daichi doesn't know what a fujoshi actually is? There's something interesting here about a self-actualized gay not even participating in this part of fandom.

Okay, I'm alright with it. He has the right attitude.

"People who love something are strong." He's beginning to believe.

Yes, Daichi, go on your date!

I teared up when Moe got emotional about Makoto selling the books, and love them ending that moment with her scream about him looking inside the work as a way to check on Kakeru.

I'm glad Makoto only observed that moment between Daichi and that guy, and has to confront the practical reality that Daichi is gay, and not just some magical youth that helps him. Daichi has a life.

Ending on Makoto seeing Kakeru as he wants to be is an excellent way to end this, because he's forced to see that people find strength in passions outside of his experience and must apply it to the people in his life.

This show is so good. There are quite a few characters, and the way they're weaving them into the narrative of the episode is truly special. In this episode we had Kakeru struggling to leave the house because he can't feel safe being seen as he is, while Moe is fighting to get out of the house because she needs to be seen by her people. Makoto is trying, but he's still not ready to see everyone the way they are. This is so legible. I am rooting for everyone.

[lookingforyn]

Got a odd one tumbling in my head- Sorry if it sounds too silly! Also I dunno how many characters you accept in a single ask, so in case like all of the THH boys is too much-

Can I ask for Kiyotaka, Mondo, and Makoto with a Ultimate Farmer!SO who is bad at flirting? Like they want to impress their friend/crush, and what's the first thing that comes to mind to gift them?

A self-made and aged cheese wheel worth thousands! They gotta match their adoration in weight, and a cheese wheel is pretty heavy!

OMG I LOVE THIS IDEA SOOOO MUCH YESSS!!!!!

Makoto Naegi, Kiyotaka Ishimaru and Mondo Owada X utimate farmer gifting them a cheese wheel

SFW, headcannon format, fluff, gender neutral reader, killing game setting

━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━

Makoto Naegi

•He likes to hear stories about what farm life is like. It’s impressive to him about how much you know about crops and animals, although that type of life is DEFINITELY not for him.

•So he was a bit confused when you brought up helping you out with roping cattle after expressing his opinion on how a guy like him would probably burn the place down by accident

•”I’d love to see how well you do with my cattle. Uhh I mean with my help, I mean you’d probably be awful so you could just watch me do it. OH MY GOD I DIDN’T MEAN TO SAY IT LIKE THAT JUST FORGET WHAT I SAID!!”

•You just wanted to spend time with him but every time you brought up things to do with him at your farm, everything you could conjure up in your head was met with the worse possible outcome due to Makoto’s lack of skill

•Then one idea stuck with you… a giant cheese wheel

•You knocked on his door early in the morning your eyes had sprinkles of joy in them ready for his reaction to be out of this world. Who didn’t like cheese?…unless he was vegan or vegetarian or worse… lactose intolerant

•You were so nervous your hands started to sweat profusely in anticipation of embarrassment by your own making. Makoto opened the door a soft yawn escaping him as he did so

•”Makot! I uh- I-!!” You suddenly lost control of the wheel it quickly rolling into Makoto the weight of it all pushing him onto the ground. “I’M SO SORRY!! LET ME HELP YOU!” You quickly pushed it out of the way, with all the work you have to do from your talent unlike Makoto you’ve built up quite the strength

•”Wow Y/N what happened?!” He said sitting up from the floor. He then saw thw cheese wheel laying on the ground beside him. “Is that… cheese?” He said standing up to examine the piece of dairy. “I wanted to gift you something you’d enjoy but I got so worked up I wasn’t thinking about if you even ate dairy, sorry about running you over with it I di-“ “It’s huge!!” He shouted thw fragrance making his mouth melt

•”You… like my gift?” You said not sure if his remark was a compliment or an insult. “I love it! Hey can you grab some crackers or whatever you have with this we can eat some together for breakfast!” “Together?…” you said to yourself softly “Yea definitely! I’ll be right back I’ll get some drinks too!” You said in excitement. You were right, who didn’t love cheese?

Mondo Owada

•You worked up a good sweat in the kitchen your arms feeling more jacked then ever since being forced into this “school”

•The aroma of delicious and delicate cheese covering the kitchen head to toe like it always does whenever you make your famous family’s cheese wheel

•It made you feel like home, like in this shitty place a part of the farm came along with you

•While reminiscing of the life you could be living at this very moment, you didn’t even notice that the wheel of cheese started to roll out of the kitchen and into the arms of Mondo Owada

•Your lucky he caught it before it knocked him off his feet. “What the fuck! What is this?” He shouted lifting it up to investigate this circle of death

•”That would be mine!” You said rushing over to him. “You made this whole thing in the fuckin kitchen? Do you have another talent you’re not telling us? What’s next a godamn rocket scientist?” You laughed at his dramatic comment. “No it’s just a recipe I was taught through my family, this baby is a cheese wheel it makes us a lot of money.”

•”Well I don’t think cheese should be this heavy.” He threw it over his shoulder walking over to the kitchen but you stopped him by tugging on the sleeve of his jacket. “I got it but thanks!” You took it off of his shoulder and into your hands hurrying back to the kitchen Mondo following close behind

•”Holy shit.” He said to himself “What?” You carefully placed it onto the ground not wanting another accident to occur. “I didn’t know you could lift all that.” You started to clean up your mess not expecting for this compliment to be thrown your way. “Yea well farm life is not easy there’s a lot of physical labour involved.”

•You blushed luckily your body wasn’t facing Mondo for him to see. “When you’re done, you and me in the gym I’m gonna push you pasts your limit.” You turned and smiled excitingly. “I count on it.”

Kiyotaka Ishimaru

•”You’ve never had a big fresh thing of cheese before?!” You asked him making conversation over breakfast before the rest of the class came for the daily morning meeting. “I’ve never had a big fresh thing of cheese before no. But I have had cheese before in the many varieties such as cheddar, parmigiana, gouda, American, Swiss-“

•As he kept listing cheeses all you could think of his lit up face as you walk in with the biggest wheel of cheese he’s ever seen in his life. You waited for him to finish up while eating the rest of your food “Oh and blue cheese!” He said ending his dairy rant.

•That same day you made sure to spice it up extra for him throwing in the best of the best in there (at least what you could find in the kitchen)

•The time came and your nerves were running high but that also included your anticipation. “You’ll love it Taka!” You said as your hands covered his eyes. “Are you ready?” He nodded energetically

•”3.. 2…. 1!” Your heart sank from what you were seeing. The wheel you’ve spent so much time and effort on had fallen apart crumbs of cheese scattered around the table that you left your then in tacked cheese wheel was placed upon. “Taka I’m so so sorry I, we’ll I tried to make you your first cheese wheel to try and I guess I got distracted and-“

•He grabbed a handful of cheese crumbs and stuffed it into his mouth fast and swiftly. “….WOW!!!” He looked to have stars in his eyes as he grabbed another handful. “THIS IS FANTASTIC I LOVE IT!!” You were taken back by his reaction but you were definitely not disappointed. “Really?” You asked “OF COURSE I WOULD NEVER LIE ABOUT SUCH AN AMAZING TALENT THANK YOU Y/N!!!” He said bowing over and over again to you. “I’ll pour some drinks.” He smiled at you more excitedly than a little kid on Christmas. He has such an amazing smile.

[anonymousdanganronpaconfessions]

Alright, it's Danganronpa inflation time.

Of the three mainline Danganronpa games, Trigger Happy Havoc has by far the most inflation content. Chihiro is definitely the character with the most inflation art. I've met at least two people who are so down bad for him it's practically a personality trait. Junko is in second place because she's Junko. Other than that I've seen a good amount of Aoi and Celestia, a little less of Kyoko, Toko/Genocider, and Sayaka, and even some of Makoto. Mukuro in general feels underutilized aside from an artist who I think drew Makoto and Komaru kissing. Sakura are the others are basically ignored. In general the kink community prefers lean women and femboy twinks. No hunks or bears, although lately some communities are getting more into chubby girls.

For Danganronpa V3, Kaede's the main target because she's the main girl. There's some of Maki, Tenko, and Miu, and barely anything of Kirumi, although one of the greats did blueberry inflation art of her. Angie, Himiko, and Tsumugi only have a little bit, as does Shuichi. I think I've only seen inflation content of him in Saimatsu contexts and I've only just gotten into Shuichi inflation.

Finally, Super Danganronpa 2. I only really see steady content of Chiaki (the main girl, of course,) Ibuki, and Mikan. A couple days back I saw some fire Tsumioda puffkissing inflation. It also stacks with the popularity of the Danganronpa girls in general. There's barely any fwoomp of Mahiru. Also all the inflation art I've seen of Hiyoko is of her underage SDR2 version when the adult version is right there. Maybe it's like that because the art I've seen was in the days when the kink community was a lawless wasteland.

Also, we need more cringefail Gundham. I feel like there's a double standard between him, an attractive man, and other chunnibiyos in Danganronpa like Celestia, Hifumi, and Himiko.

.

[asktheahogesandblondes]

(pd) saw that's sweet at least you know better now Mr. jime it's Good at least your with the one you love in other worlds she's dead! So I guess that ingrained ultimate luck payed off so I feel others will ask so it's best I ask now howed it happen?

((Apologies for taking so long with this one too, If I omit a detail or two assume it's like in canon))

Hajime:Well, I'm glad Natsumi in this universe is alright...I don't know what I would do if she actually died.

Natsumi:Well...it all started when I entered the reserve course and met Hajime, while he initially looked like all the other losers in there to me, although he certainly was much more good looking, I could tell there was something different about him...and I also found out Sato was there, which also led to some troubles down the line.

Hajime:We talked for more times after this and we got a little closer everytime, but we were busy with other things, like talking with Chiaki and...the Kamukura Project. I was beginning to doubt if I should go through it due to Chiaki's words and my talks with Natsumi...until the accident happen.

Natsumi:I got into a fight with Sato, we said some...very hurtful things that lead up to worse things down the line, Hajime tried to console me and...it helped, just not enough, so I went away to sulk...and then Sato got me...I didn't die, but ended up in a coma.

Hajime:I was devastated when I found that out, I wanted to do something, I wanted to help...but the security guard kicked my ass and told me that without talent I wasn't worth shit...and after what happened with Natsumi, I decided to finally go through it, becoming Izuru Kamukura...and basically lost all will to do anything, because when you're so perfect and can predict anything...wants the point? Which led me to be easily manipulated by Junko. Who then killed Chiaki and brainwashed Class 77 into Super High School Level Despair to wreck the world.

Natsumi:I woke up eventually...together with Sato, turns my brother to take revenge put her in a coma too, we woke up, we fought each other before deciding to call it quits for a while and try to find out what happened...then we were approached by Makoto, Despair Bitch and their survivor friends. After explaining everything that happened we were shocked...and angry with Despair bitch too. A few murder attempts later we calmed down and they explained to me that they were coming up with a plan to undo the brainwashing on my brother and his friends, so they sought us out to help them with it since we're friends with quite a few of them too, especially my brother and Mahiru...so reluctantly me and Sato teamed up and we agreed to help, not like we have any other place to go anyways...

Hajime:I was not pleased to find out Junko had been beaten by Makoto and given up on Despair, because not only did she prove to be all talk in her Despair and wasn't as unpredictable as she tried to sell it as, but it also means I was pretty much used by her...for nothing, I wanted to get back at her...but once I found her I realized she wasn't the same as before, not only was she already defeated, but she also found out she did everything for nothing, I couldn't get back at her like that...though that was left to the say when I met Natsumi again, alive and well...

Natsumi:I was fucking pissed at Hajime for everything, why did he help Junko do all that? Why didn't he stop her? Why did he throw his life away to become just an emotionless husk? I know he was desperate for talent...I understand that feeling very well, but it still hurts that he did that...and especially cause he was unrecognizable at that point, he was something else now...and it didn't help that I was so alone then, my mom and dad are dead, my brother and Peko were not themselves at the time, they took the clan with them, so I had nothing at the time...

Hajime:I did feel bad about it, even if I couldn't understand why at the time. But I was told of the plan and decided to help...because I had one idea to get back at the Junko who manipulated me. I helped round out Class 77 to Jabberwock island, and before we got into the Neo World Program, I slipped the Junko AI I got from Shirokuma and Kurokuma...I wanted to see which was truly unpredictable:Hope or Despair? Also to have my revenge against Junko before she changed, though I got a little cocky since I wasn't gonna be my talented self, instead I was me before I ever entered Hope's Peak.

Natsumi:Me and Sato joined too to help the AIs (which was a recreation of Chiaki and a rabbit called Usami) in the system reform my brother, Mahiru, Peko and the others. We didn't know about the mess we involve ourselves into, it started a bit rough at the start because everyone would be nervous to be suddenly be teleported to a tropical island...we actually were having a good time at first, my presence put my brother in a better mood so he was less on edge, me and Sato tried to not fight to not cause problems...although people found it weird that me and her were there even though we didn't have talents and the ones that do know us found it weird that we were acting different now...and I also took my chance to hang around with Hajime.

Hajime:I woke without any memory of what I went through, I ended up meeting Natsumi and the others again for the first time, she tried to hang around me and get to know me better alongside Nagito who introduced everyone to me, I also didn't remember anything of the reserve course, so I thought I actually had one I just didn't remember...oh, the irony. But we were having a good time together...until Monokuma showed up.

Natsumi:Me, Sato, Chiaki and Usami had no idea what was going on, why Monokuma was there, I thought Junko had betrayed us...but I felt there was something telling me that was wrong. But what mattered then was that not only Monokuma was there, but he got control over the system, even defeating Usami and turning her into Monomi, then proceeded to make this calm rehabilitation trip into another fucking killing game, which put everyone on edge and on danger...And then revealed that not only where they were missing one year worth of memories but also that there was three traitors among us.

Hajime:So everything went from bad to worse, everyone was on edge, including myself. Natsumi and Nagito hanged around me and were trying to clam me down, eventually impostor, who was disguised as Byakuya at the time, suggested we have a get together to relax...but it actually was to stay vigilant of everyone since he knew a murder would happen, Fuyuhiko didn't feel like going and Natsumi decided to stay with him to protect him and calm him down, Sato hovered over Mahiru so I was mostly with Nagito...we were having a good time...until that blackout...and the murder of Impostor happened.

Natsumi:So everything was going to shit, luckily me and Sato saw some re-runs of the Killing School Life, so despite admittedly being nerve-wracking we knew what to do, especially cause that Nagito guy knew what to do...which was not a very good thing. Cause at the class trial we found out he set everything up to kick-start the first murder, the bastard had a sick obssesion with "Hope" and Despair, like a sick combination of Makoto and Despair bitch. But he wasn't the one who murdered Impostor, it was Teruteru who took the opportunity to murder and get away with it. We decided to tie Nagito up for the time being since he was way too dangerous to be left alone to do as he wishes.

Hajime:So as you can see I wasn't in the best of moods after finding out Nagito's true nature and the death of Teruteru, Natsumi stayed close to me trying to cheer me up, I guess to repay for all the times I cheered her up before this mess started. The second island became available because Monomi managed to defeat the Monobeast guarding it, in the second island we were given the second motive:A bastardization of Twilight Syndrome, at the start we didn't want to play it but eventually we found out what it was...It's about Natsumi and Sato's feud that led them both to be in coma.

Natsumi:Naturally we weren't happy when we found out about this, me and Sato decided to play it without people knowing and yeah...it pissed us off, especially cause Monokuma tried to make it seem like we died there, probably to make us look suspicious and make us seem like the traitors...which we were, but obviously without context it made us look bad...we also ended up...Bonding? I mean it's hard to believe but literally having an entire game about our stupid fights knowing what it caused down the line made us realize we made everything worse by it...also dunking on the game was fun. But anyways, we tried to stop everyone else from playing the game...but my brother sneak out with Peko to play it, which caused him to become distant of me and even more suspicious of Mahiru and Sato. Until he tried to confront her about it which almost turned out ugly cause Mahiru also got involved somehow and things were getting heated...but we remebered what happened everytime emotions go the best of us, me and Sato calmed everything down to the point were able to stop them by explaining that Monokuma lied to them and telling them...part of the truth, enough that they could believe and understand us, so things finally were patched up and no murder or coma happened...again.

Hajime:As that had happened Nagito had been set free and investigated the game alongside us, he managed to uncover the truth about the game but decided to keep it to himself since neither he, me or the others knew all that was going on at the time. During that time I came across some ruins that would become important later, but Monokuma did tell me it belonged to the "World Ender" organization that "Ended the world as we know it" which does make sense when you look it from the angle of SHSL Despair...leaving that aside, we finally we're able to access the third island after Monomi defeated another Monobeast. We looked for more clues while Fuyuhiko decided to finally open up to us and reveal that he and Natsumi knew Peko from before, Natsumi didn't tell me out of respect for them which I don't mind at all. After that I managed to discover information about the tragedy and Nekomaru sacrificed himself to save Akane who choose to fight Monokuma...Then Sato, Nagito, Ibuki and Akane contracted the Despair Disease, a blatant chea-I mean just another way for Monokuma to try and kill us.

Natsumi:The Despair Disease made people act the opposite of how they usually are, in Sato's case it made her despise Mahiru with all her soul and talk to her like she was trash...which was surprising to see not gonna lie, but me, Hajime, Mikan and my brother stayed behind to take care of the sick while the others remained safe, me, Hajime and my brother bonded more although I still kept the full truth away from then...then at one point Hajime had a nightmare about his time in the reserve course and...I tried to cheer him up the same way he tried to all those years ago, not just because it lead to this mess but because I genuinely wanted to...but then Ibuki died. Luckily this time the Nagito guy wanted to help us completely and we managed to discover who it was:Mikan, who contracted the Despair Disease and made her remember her time as a SHSL Despair...she wasn't too happy cause she loved Despair bitch and then found out she...was basically a side bitch. So she found no hope in living or love...which would explain why she was so off once she contracted the disease...still, I feel bad for her.

Hajime:Then after that we found out Nekomaru came back as a robot called Mechamaru, we also gained access to the fourth island after Monomi defeated another Monobeast, we had fun at the roller coaster because we could also gain a prize which was the Future Foundation File of the Killing School Life. Then after some discussion with Monomi we rode a train to the Funhouse...which was a trap to lock us on there and let us starve until we killed someone...if it's looking like Monokuma is just looking for any excuse for us to die at this point, that's completely intentional and you'll find out later, what matters is that we ended up trapped in there starving until we killed someone, we ended up having a very miserable time there...eventually Nekomaru was killed and this time "for good"...and during the investigation Nagito managed to clear the Final Dead Room, uncovering the secrets of the Funhouse, how Nekomaru was killed...and because he played Russian Roulette on Super Hard Mode he ended up winning the biggest prize:The sequel to the Future Foundation file we got earlier, containing everything from our memories, our identities as SHSL Despair, everything we did during and after the school, the truth about Natsumi, Sato and the virtual world we were in...he didn't take the news well, which being honest I don't blame him too much.

Natsumi:The guy approached us later through the secret passage he gained access to for completing the Final Dead Room. He explained what he found out but didn't say squat about most of the info he found about the file, he ripped that info out and just started shitting on Hajime for being a reserve course...and also for being part of the SHSL Despair, because he certainly hated him far more than he hated me and Sato...but despite that I got angry and told him to fuck off, that to me Hajime was amazing even if he didn't have any talent. He decided to leave for now and focus on the case...and yeah, he didn't like the others after learning the truth. But regardless of that he did help us crack the case open and out Gundham as the culprit, who collaborated with Nekomaru to kill one another so we didn't starve to death. After that we finally managed to escape the funhouse and the next morning Fuyuhiko and Mahiru asked what did Nagito mean with calling Hajime a Reserve Course Student. He explained that to them and, predictable, they didn't have a problem with it, they're not that type of people...but I knew Hajime was going to be bothered by and no words of acceptance was going to suddenly make him feel better, not just because I knew what happened...but because I could relate to him.

Hajime:Natsumi made me company during the trip to the new island Monomi uncovered, she said she understood how it feels to not have talent, I didn't really believe that at first because she was a person with plenty of amazing qualities who could have become the SHSL Yakuza if she wanted...but then turned that back on me saying the same applies to me in her eyes...it was one of the few times people believed on me aside from Chiaki and Nagito before our relationship soured, it helped even if that feeling of inferiority didn't go away...and I think my forgotten crush on her started to resurface because of that. But leaving that aside after seeing how weird Nagito started acting after the third class trial we choose to come up with a plan to capture him because he was getting too unpredictable and dangerous...it didn't went well, he concocted a plan to kill everyone but one of the traitors, in a way to stop the SHSL Despair from ever raising again and he did it via relying on his luck...it involved bluffing about blowing up the island while he set up an elaborate murder/suicide to get one the traitors to indirectly kill him and become the blackened, although it was also to engineer a conflict between Hope and Despair like he loves to do so much...eventually...and despite how much we didn't want to...we managed to discover Chiaki was one of the traitors and Nagito's killer, she and Monomi were executed right after...

Natsumi:After that, Nagito left one final message for all of us telling us to go to the ruins from the second island and the code form Netsumi's castle, said some personal things and then told us there was a next part that could only be heard by me and Sato. We decided to respect his final wishes and he told us that he knew everything about this world and us, told us we should tell the others the truth so we could face what's ahead of us...and even though we didn't met eye to eye, we accepted. So we went to the ruins while the simulation was starting to glitch and collapse on us. Everyone that didn't know at this point realized that this was a simulation and we ended up teleported to a recreation of Hope's Peak Academy where the Killing School Life took place, Monokuma showed up to tell us to find every secret on there and...me and Sato finally decided it was time to tell the truth, first I went with Hajime and then Sato went with Fuyuhiko, Mahiru, Hiyoko and Peko, along the way we started to investigate I started revealing Hajime all that's been happening, the truth of this world and what they done...naturally he didn't took it too well, but I told him that regardless of what came ahead...we would take on it together, I wasn't gonna turn away from it and neither would he...but there was still things even I didn't know, like why Monokuma showed up in the fist place, but turns out we found out through a message from Alter Ego and Makoto someone implanted a Virus in the program that turned it into a Killing Game...and it wasn't Despair Bitch, as everyone made absolutely sure she couldn't tamper with it and even she was surprised by this...but that would come to light very soon, cause the final class trial started...

Hajime:Most of us already arrived knowing what was going on, it was still shocking but I guess absorbing the information earlier gave us time to assimilate for the final trial. We realized that the ones that died here might never wake up again, Monokuma gave us the choice to either graduate or stay in the island forever...then Makoto appeared for the first time in front of us trying to convince us to graduate...however given what we knew of them, especially Natsumi and Sato, we realized this one was a fake and eventually Monokuma revealed to be AI Junko, an artificial intelligence created from the same technology as Alter Ego and based on Junko before her change of heart (or well, retirement to be more accurate), the trial kept going and then the real Makoto showed up, alongside Byakuya and Kyoko while the others didn't have time to enter yet and Junko stayed behind for certain reasons. They told us about the emergency shutdown sequence that needed at least 8 people to trigger it. We had more than enough for that, AI Junko told us about her nonsensical plan for Junkoland...not gonna spend much time on it because even the real Junko told me she was probably just making shit up as she went along and that plan was dumb...Then she revealed that I was the one that caused this by uploading the AI while nobody was looking...yeah, not my smartest move looking back. Then she told us if we shut down the sequence we will lose memories of what happened, so we were stuck in what's basically an impossible situation and we were breaking down, she even infected us with Despair to try and break us, it might have worked for a bit...but...

Natsumi:I'm not exactly sure how I did it or what happened, but Chiaki pulled me in into a dream sequence with Hajime, I was just as confused as she was but once she started talking I understood:We told Hajime that his past and lack of talent doesn't define him or anyone, that he can create his own future as long as he believes in himself...and I knew that well, not only because I genuinely believed he could do it, but because I finally believed in myself too, if I could finally accept that I could stand side by side with my brother then we both could stand side by side against whatever the world threw at us, so Hajime finally started to believe in myself and...well, I don't know what is with boys, class trials and being so utterly awesome towards the end. But Hajime did the coolest thing I ever seen.

Hajime:I finally managed to reconcile with myself and merge with Izuru, becoming awakened in the process. I managed to rally everyone present to shut this game down and make our own futures. Because everyone can do that, even the real Junko could pull through that pit of despair she thought she would never get out...and if she could do that, then there was no reason to listen to this one, not that I needed that to convince them, because nobody was going to go through this alone. We shut the game down and finally awoke in the real world, after getting used to the real world again, the others left for business they had to take care of...which was good because Junko was there and weren't in the mood to have a confrontation there. Natsumi and Sato stayed with us as we worked in a way to wake up the ones that died from their coma, which I was able to do thanks to my talents...and it felt so good to do so, to finally make something good with them.

Natsumi:After that we helped the others from one mess they got with the Future Foundation and then decided to live in Jabberwock island together...since most of them are still not well liked there and don't want to be in House Arrest like Despair Bitch, we get help from the Future Foundation to live there, me and Sato still go help in mainland and go help there, we even have jobs there...and after we fully settled there, me and Hajime finally confessed our feelings for each other and promised that whatever we faced now, we will do so together and nobody but us will decide our future.

Hajime:So there you have our love story. I did many fuck ups during it and things I regret...but nowadays I just keep looking into the future with the people I love.

Natsumi:Same here, I'm going to stand proud with the people I love and face our future together, talent or no talent...

[symphonic-scream]

Okujima in the Mech au

They met when they both joined the Pilot academy, Makoto age 15, Haru age 14. They initially had high syncing scores, but each scored higher with the people who would be coined as their partners

From day one, Haru was down bad for Makoto. It was on sight, just "oh, oh wow". Makoto however, is as dense as a cement brick. She had no clue she was the class lady killer, and had the gall to be surprised when her own partner Eiko confessed to her

Poor Haru just, accepted that was the way things were gonna be. Watching the girl she loved be with someone else, especially someone so outright with PDA as Eiko. She was there to be a pilot, after all

They were friends though, which is why Haru was racing through the infirmary after the finals to find any sign of Makoto or Eiko

She'd lucked out. Barely a scratch on her, but she knew how few that happened to. No matter how well a student had done, the final exam wiped out as many as it could.

Instead of finding her friend, Haru crashes into Sae Niijima. Standing, right outside the room filled with black bags. "No, please, tell me-"

"Makoto isn't in there." Instant relief. "She's- they rushed her into surgery, i-"

Names scroll on a tablet at the edge of the glass, listing off the names that belonged to the lives now contained in those quiet black bags. Haru doesn't know why she focuses on it, Makoto was in-

Eiko Takao - confirmed deceased

It's a tense few hours as Haru and Sae wait for news about Makoto. As far as either have been told, her situation was dire. Chances of her making it were low, but the medical and research teams went for a Hail Mary. And all they could do was wait

And wait. And wait. There were attempts at idle conversation-

Sae: so. You and your partner got out just fine?

Haru: he has a light concussion, but yes

Sae: I imagine you two will get a great assignment

Haru: oh he's currently signing over for retirement. I'm, partnerless at the moment

Eventually, many long hours later, Tae stumbles out into the waiting area, clearly dead on feet but determined to update her wife, "she made it, we- Makoto's gonna live"

Super big relief. Haru heads out soon after, feeling like her world was no longer being ripped out from under her. It'll get all tilted when she later visits Makoto and sees the wires and machines hooked to her chest, finding out just what lengths had been taken to keep her alive

And so, both had passed their final exam, and in need of a sync partner. With practice scores as high as theirs, it only made sense they were assigned together, herded towards a program that would, in half a decade, become Elite Pilot Team 3

They spend a lot of time together after that. They have to, to keep their sync scores up. When either has nightmares from the exam or a mission, they'll slip into the others dorm

Makoto prefers not to talk about it. She feels less than, remembering the jokes their former classmates used to make about her being a robot or heartless. Everything has felt so filtered, dampened, less, since the incident

Haru is open with most of her concerns. Losing Makoto, dragging Makoto down, losing her life and leaving Makoto partnerless again, all alone. She doesn't mention that she doesn't want to die without telling Makoto the truth, about her feelings,

For the first three years of the program it's just them and Akechi (according to official channels; unofficially they've been having Akechi and Joker work together while erasing their memories of it), who grows tired of their bullshit rather quickly. However, his attempts to end the painful pining he witnesses are thwarted by Cement Brick Makoto

Things really kick up when the second batch of pilots are brought in and the program is fully running. By now Makoto and Haru are a well oiled machine, easily shifting between their very different styles when paired. This is when they introduce the solo mech's for the elite team, separating them in combat from time to time

A year or so in is when the jokes start. Makoto is known for reminding the younger pilots of curfew, making sure they follow their health regimes and don't act out in ways that would get them punished. Whereas Haru always checks in on if they're eating enough, taking care of themselves, such and such

So. They're basically like the team mom's. Makoto mostly shrugs it off, still in her "tin man no heart" rut while Haru is falling further at the idea. They truly do act as a healthy married couple would, if one spouse was unaware of the romantic aspect. It was still a work in progress

Haru, again, who likes to be more open with her problems, has regular "ladies nights" with Ann and Hifumi (Yusuke joins occasionally, or Shiho if she was already spending the night on base) where she just. Gushes.

Ann: you should just tell her, it worked for me

Haru: yeah but her last girlfriend and partner died. I don't wanna reopen that wound

Hifumi: uhm, that kinda sounds like an excuse?

Skip along to the Current Time Place, which is right as the two final pilots join Team 3. This is where the like plot starts? It would be right after the blood transfusion incident that none of them remember, with Futaba and Sumire only having graduated for a few months

Attacks on the city become more frequent, so things get a little more serious around the pilots. Things start slowly changing, mostly for the worse, and about 4 months in is when things change dramatically

A high grade monster attacks. Whole team deployed, Joker and Akechi piloting the duo Arsene, Makoto, Yusuke, Futaba, and Haru in solos to provide support (note; the mech's are a mix of monster and electronic parts. Joker, with monster DNA, can bypass the limits set by the man made mechanical parts. You'll see why this is important soon)

While the Duo backs off to prepare a big attack, close range solos Makoto and Yusuke bombarding it's defenses while long range Haru and Futaba provide cover fire, something new happens. See, this was this monster's debut. So they didn't know what it had in store

It opened its mouth, certain parts began to glow, and a shock wave extended from its form. Not the kind that knocks you back, no. I don't know the word for it since I'm not a big science person but, it killed all electric components in its range

The Duo were unaffected due to Joker, and the outer support solos were out of range. However, the other two? Their mech's powered down around them, leaving them sitting in big tin cans

Oh. And Makoto's Replacement heart stopped.

Big panic. They have no way of getting to her without leaving Yusuke to die, so the Duo focuses on killing the monster fast enough that they can save the two stranded pilots. The situation is tense enough, but it slowly dawn's on them that whole most replacements these days are more bio than electronic, that didn't apply to the heart

It's a race against the clock. The second the effect fades as the monster is killed, the others are rushing Johanna and her pilot back to base. She's immediately rushed into surgery, both Tae and Wakaba trying anything they can to get things going again, leaving the rest of the pilots to. Wait

Haru is evidently distraught. She couldn't even do anything but wait as her partner slowly died out there, and now all she can do is sit and wait to see if she never got the chance to come clean

Even when she's out of surgery, Makoto's under a medical coma for a week while they adjust the new prototype model they hastily installed. During this time Haru doesn't leave her side, lying against her good side on the tiny cot, staring at the mess of wires and tubing just keeping her partner alive

After the first week, the medical part of the coma ends, though Makoto still doesn't wake up yet. Tae assures Haru that she's just building up strength again, that a Niijima wouldn't go down so easily

It falls on deaf ears

After 16 days, Makoto finally stirs. Her chest feels heavy, like she was hit by a large truck, that familiar but hated Controlled Pulse Machine making her veins feel just a bit stiff. And yet, there's a familiar comfort, warmth on her right side. That tickle of soft curls against her collarbone, the burst of just warmth in her chest as even her soul realizes whos-

Wait, warmth in her chest? That tingly, scrambly feeling in her gut, the way her mind felt at ease so completely, the way her body sang at every point where they lay connected-

Makoto hadn't felt like this since- since she lost her heart,

It's a struggle to pry her eyes open, but it's worth it for the sight of Haru resting against her, the little rush it sends through her mind. And how the light from the window cast that glow on her just right? Oh fuck did Makoto love that

Oh how Makoto loves Haru,

And it hits her like the metaphorical truck from earlier, that she's feeling, and feeling love. And it wasn't even a new feeling! This whole time she'd been so focused on the negative what if that she completely overlooked the truth that was there all along

"Haru," her voice cracks from lack of use, but it's enough to jolt the younger woman awake. Makoto tries for a reassuring smile, but it's hard when she can still feel each cable running into her chest

And Haru, she just breaks into tears, crying into Makoto's shoulder loudly, finally feeling more than just empty since they wheeled the other half of her soul into that Operating room. A weak, but tender hand rubs at her back, and another trail of tears mix with her own

"I'm sorry I worried you,"

"just, shut up and let me hold you, dummy"

Tae rushes in when she was alerted to a change from the Pulse Machine, and is so relieved to see her sister-in-law awake. She has some tests she needs to run, but she also knows those can wait until after she lets the reunited partners do their thing

And Makoto hadn't felt this alive since the academy, recalling when their class got a weekend off to go to the amusement park. Eiko had refused to ride the big mega coaster with her, so Haru stepped in instead. That rush, the adrenaline and joy as they were bashed around, their fingers touching by their restraints, laughing and holy crap Makoto had been ignoring these feelings for far too long

It clicks in her mind. She almost lost her chance. She almost never got to realize it all, or tell Haru-

"Can I tell you something, Haru?"

"are you planning to file for retirement?"

"not just yet, but- it's- well, you see-"

"...Mako?"

"I'm in love with you"

Their eyes meet. Wide staring, the room silent besides the collection of medical machines. It's almost like time is frozen for a second-

"really? Like, actually? For real?"

"I'm sorry it took me so long to realize but- fuck, I think my heart's always beated for you"

Haru crashes their faces together, a poor attempt at a kiss that might leave a bruise- "ah I'm so sorry I should have asked, if was rude if me to- you might not want to-"

"uhm, I would very much like to? If you do too-"

And this one is more of a proper kiss, still fueled by overcharged emotions and nearly a decade of the worst pining imaginable. They was into them, becoming less rushed and more lazy, Haru's hand at Makoto's jaw, and other over that patch of abdomen the infirmary linens failed to cover, Makoto with one buried in Haru's messy hair, the other slowly sliding down the line of her spine

They have shit to talk about, but that's for later. There's ten years of affection they have to catch up on

When Makoto is finally released from medical a month later, her room in the quad unofficially becomes their room in the quad. Haru does talk to counselor Kawakami about what happened those two weeks, and after only three months they get engaged, and married soon after

They wasted enough time after all

And besides other plot occurrences, they're smooth sailing

...until about a year after the big climax bit

Remember how Haru has no Replacements? Not anymore

In the incident that leads to both filing for retirement, M'Lady is nearly torn in half, the sync and crushing of the compartment leading Haru to need her right arm and shoulder amputated, which means. She would be getting a replacement

It's Makoto's turn to sit at her side, and to get her hand crushed when they connect the nerves to Haru's new arm

And of course, the first thing she touches with said new arm is her wife's face

(Makoto gets her hand crushed two more times in the epilogue when they have their kids but shhh that's not important)

But yeah I skipped a lot of little details cause I've been writing this for Too Long lmao

ASK ME ABOUT RHEM PLEASE

[thatanimewriter]

𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑   -   𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 / 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳.

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❝ 𝐢 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢'𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. ❞  ── 𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘬𝘢 𝘹 𝘨𝘯. 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

unfortunate weather prevented nanase haruka from swimming. thankfully, it provided him with something to do instead of sitting in the tub for hours, counting down the days until spring.

──  𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯, 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧, 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵, 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵

𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 + 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭.

rei wasn't gonna lie, he'd be mad if haru didn't start dating the figure skater he saw a couple weeks ago. he'd spoken to nagisa about it, who definitely wasn't subtle about asking if haru at the very least liked you. makoto seemed to know something about it, and since makoto knew haru better than he did, rei decided that he'd look into it.

"what did you want to talk about?" the green-eyed boy asked once they'd reached the rooftop.

"do you know the friend that haru's been talking to outside of school?" rei asked, unsure of how to word the question. makoto's mood seemed to lift at the mention of the 2, so he figured it wasn't a bad attempt at investigating.

"oh, [name]?"

"have you met them?" rei wondered, mildly surprised that he knew your name.

"yeah, they're quite lovely," makoto replied. "have you?"

rei hummed, hesitantly nodding his head even though he knows for a fact he has met you. "i saw them with haru after school. they were walking to get something to eat," he explained. "i guess i was just wondering if haru had feelings for them."

"for who?"

the boys froze at the sound of haru's voice. rei, who'd known haru for much less than makoto, fumbled over his words to come up with a cover up, unsure of how haru would react to them talking about his personal life without him. however, makoto didn't seem all too worried, but rei could tell he was at least a little bit weary.

"we were just talking about you and [name]," he said. at the mention of you, haru's eyes widened slightly before returning to his regular expression.

"it doesn't matter if i do or don't," haru said, averting his gaze to the pool that could be seen from the rooftop.

"but do you?"

"i don't know."

at the unsure response, they decided to drop the subject, not wanting to send haru into a crisis when he got home. little did they know, it was a little bit too late. now that he was thinking about it, haru was starting to get antsy, not liking the uncertainty about himself, and little did he know, that was going to get worse later on that day.

when he passed you on the way home, he knew he'd be in the bath for at least 2 hours. it wasn't hard to tell that he wasn't particularly in the mood to watch you practice, but you weren't bothered by it. he'd been joining you for a while, he didn't need to come to all of them. so instead, you decided to settle with a question.

"hey, haru?"

"yeah?"

"what's your number?"

he paused at your request, not only because he wasn't expecting it, but... he didn't actually remember it. he didn't have a reason to until now. it was kind of embarrassing, but he figured instead of giving you the wrong number, he just held out his hand for your phone, to which you happily gave. "there you go," he said, returning it to you, now accustomed to your seemingly permanent ice cold hands as you brushed fingers.

"thanks! i'll send you something now to double check."

he waited for longer than he thought, staring at his phone screen blankly. when a text from an unknown number appeared, he almost laughed when he saw the photo. it was you smiling awkwardly, lips disappearing within the thin line they formed while you were in the cafe from the first time you had dinner. "got it."

"awesome!" you gave him a brief hug before heading back inside the rink. "see you next time!"

so as you can imagine, haru had quite the large pile of thoughts to sift through that night. as he sat in the tub in silence, he stared at the dolphin keychain he bought when he was a child. while trying to remember what was covered in class that day, his attention was drawn back to your eyes that often met his gaze. you, who he had an almost instant connection to, was distracting.

he thought about his short conversation with rei and makoto, and he spiralled further. his mind raced as he was reminded of the hug you gave him earlier that day and he sunk below the water, hoping to clear his mind of you.

which didn't work.

as he rose from the bath, hair stuck to his face and droplets along his lashes, he heaved a sigh at his realisation.

"ugh... romance."

did he want to explain his conflict to makoto and rei? not really. was he going to? maybe. is there a risk that the entire club will know soon after? absolutely. does he fully realise that he holds a sliver of romantic attraction to you? no.

is he going to shoot his shot when he does?

who knows.

[tobiasdrake]

We aren't quite done here yet, despite everything. One last push.

Yakou hiding the photo doesn't necessarily mean that he didn't want it found. It could mean he didn't want it easily found. As in, by anyone but the crack team of pro investigators he works with.

Oh. Oh, shit. At the last possible second we've looped back around to, "Okay, but how does Huesca's vengeful espionage bro relate to all of this?"

The timing was pretty suspect but it got lost in all the shuffle. The extensive knowledge of the lab's inner workings required to make this all happening is similarly suspicious.

I figured Yakou maybe used to work here or Photo Lady worked here or something, but that's all speculation. There may be real answers to be found here.

If the Labyrinth doesn't want us probing deeper then that means there is deeper to probe.

I figured we were setting something up for next chapter but sure, we can do this now! The mysterious Photo Lady, Huesca's co-conspirator, all of it.

The mastermind would be Huesca's old espionage pal. They were selling company secrets together for five years. Then, six months ago, Huesca said he wanted out, infuriating his partner. He had to shut himself in for his own safety.

We don't know many people at the company so the list of suspects is not vast. Yomi seems unlikely on account of his ultra-righteous personality. Doesn't seem like the type of guy to be selling company secrets. But that doesn't necessarily prove he didn't.

Makoto's only been here for three years so he's out.

Robot Researcher is the most suspicious of the bunch, simply because of his visceral hatred of Huesca and gleeful grave-dancing. But it could as easily be someone we've never met. Maybe even Photo Lady, who knows.

He could only get it from a binder in the storage closet. That closet was locked with a key only Yomi could access. In theory. It also looks like an old office so there's a possibility that whoever used to work in there might have had the key. But that's speculation.

So far as we know for sure, Yomi is the only person who can go in and out of that office. If Huesca's co-conspirator mailed that map to Yakou or something, then it can only be Yomi.

...and if Yomi was selling company secrets alongside Huesca, then that explains why Huesca didn't feel safe having Peacekeepers escort him around. Choosing instead for his own deathtrap tunnel, and to have other scientists bring him food and supplies. He even made them check the boxes to ensure nobody was hiding inside, waiting to jump out and kill him.

Weird request. Seems paranoid. But not if there was a real possibility that Yomi might hide Peacekeepers inside while the boxes were being loaded.

Makoto suggested the traps were a deterrent, but I thought that was weird. How would they deter people who don't know they're there? But the Peacekeepers knew about the traps. If Huesca was beefing with Yomi then... a lot of things make sense, actually.

Yeah. This makes an alarming amount of sense.

Yomi is Anonymous. Yomi's been selling company secrets with Huesca for five years. When Huesca cut things off and secluded himself in his lab, he was hiding from Yomi.

This. Does sound like something Yomi would write. Fuck.

Yomi isn't Stopped Clock right. Yomi sent Yakou the floor plan and let him in. This is his checkmate. Use Yakou to kill Huesca and then swoop in for retaliation and eliminate Nocturnal Detective Agency. Game over.

I knew we were going to have to throw down with Yomi eventually but I wasn't expecting it so soon. I guess in a roundabout way, Yakou did what I asked. He went out and got himself killed so we can chain-kill our way to Yomi.

I don't think we'll be able to reap Yomi's soul here, though. The Labyrinth is already collapsing because we got the guy. If Yomi didn't participate in the murder itself then he's off the hook. That's how it worked with Servan.

I know, right!? Fuck this guy. I want to Halara him so bad right now. Drown him in the river where he blew up our first sub.

He's right. He's not the target of our Mystery so he's off the hook. Even if we stabbed him, he's just a projection of Yomi, not the real one. So it wouldn't matter. Only Yakou's soul was drawn into this place.

So it doesn't matter to the case. It only matters to us, because we can take this knowledge back with us to the real world.

The answer to my combo-chain hypothesis from way early on is no, the Labyrinth doesn't work like that.

I mean. That's what I hear every time you speak but I didn't expect you to say it out loud like that.

Okay but how tho. I didn't get the impression that Yakou was acting reluctantly, under duress. This felt personal for him. What was his stake in all of this?

IT SURE IS CONVENIENT THAT WE HAVE THE ONE PERSON WHO CAN KEEP THEIR MEMORIES THIS TIME AROUND, ISN'T IT!?!? @_@

Okay. Well. Once we get back to the real world we can--

Die. Once we get back we can DIE. Fuck, I forgot that this was happening.

[audoodle]

persona 5 party and how gay I think they are (also I get very distracted writing post canon ideas and write a lot about haru)

(also disclaimer I'm going to be describing anime girls as butch and femme I know that NONE of these characters are anywhere close to butch because the men who made this game don't know what that is. I'm talking pure head canons. I promise I'm not trying to convince you haru as she exists is butch)

joker - he's a he/him lesbian and if you don't see it I hope you get better.

ryuji - dude doesn't know what he is. people keep telling him he's bi and has had it explained many times but it doesn't add up in his brain.

morgana - your kitty hatred has blinded you from the fact that there's something gender in this cat. nobody knows not even him. nobody has really bothered to figure out.

ann - I could go one of two ways with ann. on one hand she's got like a real adult job and defined sense of style so I could see that just being how she carries herself for a long time but also she's like 17? I could easily see her having a breakdown and completely restyling herself into something more punk and alt because of how much of her image was built up by people not around her. oh she's a lesbian also but you knew that.

yusuke - the least gay. dude is like harry styles or that soccer mom that looks like a lesbian. he just dresses like that and is like "what??? no I don't like men how silly." maybe he'll like men later once he stops being absolutely weird to people and asking them to strip for him but right now he's the straight one to me. (am I a yusuke hater yes)

makoto - makoto is a lesbian and makoto is more femme than you think actually. like after she gives up on being a cop and decides to do literally anything else she relaxes and connects with a feminity she never got to fully explore. she can't really leave her old style behind fully and is probably ending up a he/she and just presents differently based on the day.

futaba - futaba is our most obvious contender for a trans woman lesbian as well as a character who's already trans before the events of the game but honestly imagining that I think that would mean she has the most awful 4chan brainworms about being trans and combined with her depression it she ends up with a lot of self loathing. it's a bad time and as makoto learns more about how she wants to present she realizes how insane futaba sounds (a fight breaks out when futaba calls makoto a theyfab).

or honestly? I can kind of see trans guy or cis ally lesbian futaba? like I could them being the absolute weird 4chan trans lesbian but I could also see her being the kind of girl who trans girls flock to because she's pretty and is also way too online. and then she's like mid 20s and is dating a trans girl she met off 2chan and being like "I used to say kek but if you call someone a passoid one more time I'm going to fucking destroy you."

haru - I said makoto was more femme than you think and maybe you saw this coming but haru is more butch than you think. similar to ann her entire aesthetic is built by what was expected of her and now that she's free of that she kind of accidentally falls into something more butch. I think an underrated aspect of haru's character is how much she enjoys violence.

like obviously we talk about sadist haru as a haha funny but I find something very compelling about the fact that haru has an intrinsic enjoyment of combat. other female characters like ann and makoto talk about feeling uncomfortable and scared in the metaverse while it seems to be a fantastic stress relief for haru. it's probably the most physical activity she's ever done. her satisfaction doesn't come from taking down a target (because you know. taking down her dad didn't go well and then after that she's in the endgame where it's really really do or die). it comes from the process of being in the metaverse and fighting shadows.

and she learns that working up a sweat, destroying things, and getting her heart racing are all things she learns are good for her mentally. after the events of the game when her outlet for that is gone she tries to find something more sustainable to do with her energy from fencing (a safe form of combat and competition), to weightlifting (so she build up more muscles now that she can't summon a persona), and finding something like axe throwing to do as a way to use an axe of some sort again.

I think her green thumb nature stops her form getting a lumberjack occupation so she doesn't get much excuse to use a full size axe and something more aggressive like boxing or MMA she doesn't actually have it in her to hurt someone else so intentionally like that. so she isn't fully back to where she was mentally when fighting shadows but its a routine that really works for her and allows her to relieve stress and gets her stronger so she can work on her gardening which gets more and more physically demanding as she expands her garden more and more.

I think one time the group meets up for the first time after a few months maybe a year and someone (probably ryuji) is like "damn haru you're like the most built of any of us now! right on man!" and haru is like "huh?" because she still sees herself as the way she had been set up to see herself for her teen years. she spends that night looking at old photos of herself and it finally hits her how much her freedom has changed her for the better. how when she was 17 she couldn't have imagined what she would be like now but now she can't imagine anything else.

I still think she dresses femme pretty often when she's going out to fancy parties for work or meeting up with friends. she hasn't given up anything from exporing this part of herself. she's just become a more well rounded (and far too busy) person.

oh uh where was I?

oh yeah she's bisexual. by the way.

akechi - oh this is a gay boy. he thinks joker is into him but joker thinks akechi is also a lesbian. like when akechi kills joker in the interrogation room he's like "so sad to kill the only gay guy I know my age. if things were different..." and then in third semester joker is like "I heard the recording. I'm a lesbian are you not a lesbian???"

yoshizawa - dog I don't know what her deal is. honestly I think she's straight. she doesn't seem like she thinks about romance enough to have an opinion so she's probably comphet.

sophie - she likes girls but doesn't know why. (I could probably write a lot of thoughts about sophia being an AI and how she sees love but the post fell off the rails once and I haven't played strikers since it came out so)

zenkichi - dude is too sad about being a single dad to realize he's probably bisexual.

[arcplaysgames]

didn’t you keep saying you didn’t even like p4g when playing? how is p5r worse? genuine question. is it the pacing/characters/story?

cw: P5R negativity, fans might wanna skip this

I think you missed my final round-ups on P4G because outside very specific criticisms (Izanami being bad writing, the P4MC being an anchor around the throat of the game, and JESUS FUCK THE MUSIC WAS SO BAD) I was overall pretty positive on P4G. It has ups and downs, but the ups far outweigh the downs. I think if you check this blog with /tagged/p4 you'll find my two big Final Thoughts posts. I honestly think P4G gets a bad wrap. I'd give it a final score of, like, 7 out of 10.

It's just not Persona 3 Portable Girl Route, which I still maintain is the best scenario writing and some of the best character writing of the series, and I think the structure is much more solid. Also the music is the best I've heard yet.

P5R, I am currently doing the Kaneshiro Arc and I have recruited Makoto. My issue with P5R is probably three-fold.

One: I think that the cast is dramatically weaker than P4 and P3. Like, I'm kind of shocked at how weak the cast is. So far I like Morgana the most, but I think it was my friend Bane who pointed out that Morgana tends to be a very divisive character because he's such a strong character compared to everyone else. Me, I need this. I desperately need this because I think Ryuji and Ann feel incredibly weak, and while I am thrilled to have Yusuke, he's.... like mid-tier. For P5 he's godtier but he's mid-tier for P4 or P3.

I was talking to a friend and basically said that this game fails the Homestuck Rule of Writing, honestly. Like, when you are writing really distinct characters, one of the best shortcuts is to just.... make them passionate in uncool ways. Give them weird hobbies your audience probably will not share, but let the level of passion they have make them feel stronger.

Like, Chie is obsessed with kung fu, Akihiko and Shinjiro have a running fight about protein vs vegetables that's really funny, and Kanji just keeps a sewing kit on him and will fix people's hems on the street. Remember when Junpei met a gothic lolita girl by the train station who was making art in her own blood and was like "haha awesome you seem cool! Wanna hang out?"

God, I miss Junpei every day.

So far, honestly? No one in P5R passes the Homestuck Test. I keep complaining I need some weirdos and that's what I mean. I am kind of just "ugh" on this idea of "oh so and so gets better" but like. No one in P3 and P4 needed to "get better" (okay except Yukari but her arc fucking rocked).

Two: The technical quality of the writing of this game is so much worse than P3 and P4 imo. It's something i have a hard time explaining and I'm to a point I have just given up on even cataloging it because it feels like I'm complaining about something small, but it's a small thing that keeps happening over and over and over and over, until it's just this overall severe lack of polish to the entire game. Which, when I am dealing with a game that feels as overproduced and maximalist as P5R, having the actual script be this rough in a way that was easily fixable with another pass is just a rock in my shoe.

Three: I am severely fucking torn on the entire concept of Joker. In a way, Joker feels like a direct answer to my biggest criticism of P4G, that the MC was such a non-character, a complete void with nothing to balance the story on, a problem so severe that by midway through, P4G was about Yosuke instead of P4MC. And that sucks. Having a MC with no impetus, only reaction, just didn't suit the structure of P4G.

Now, we have Joker, who frankly is a great character who addresses those complaints perfectly. He has an easily detectable personality, he has more frequent and more interesting dialogue choices, he has quirks and oddities, and he has a compelling backstory that lends itself to the core themes and mysteries of the game.

Except: the Gay Options have been removed.

I was able to play P4G as a homogay from start to finish, which frankly softened some of my anger about the entire experience. Not to be flippant, but Reverie The Fourth's only traits were "calm dude" and "fuckin GAY".

After how queer P4G was, the complete absence of that in P5R is.... isolating and disappointing. It's something I am pushing through but the game's repeated calls for rebellion and pushing against what people think of you feels trite with how relentlessly cishet it all is.

At the end of the day, at the moment, I consider P5R easily the weakest of the Big Three. Maybe my opinion will change! But at the moment it's really not getting better.

I was talking to a friend and I think that the Perfect Persona Game would be

fully gender neutral protagonist, just don't refer to their gender at all, don't gate anything around gender, just don't

the setting of P5R

the cast of P4 or P3

Frankly if you gave me the same game, Persona 5 Royal, but inserted SEES or the Investigation Team, you would have the fucking greatest modern Persona game.