#“but there’s a difference between canon and fanon” SHUT UP! it is not “fanon” once u have changed his whole personality
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jugheadthelesbian · 6 months ago
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sometimes i read reid x reader and get so confused bc yall make him this like bad boy type mega hottie flirt and at that point, write morgan instead. reid is an autistic nerd(/pos). he has THREE doctorates, bro would not be the type to be all sexy professor in ur class like he would be like “um statistically student teacher relationships fail horribly 9 out of 10 times” the second u try to get with him. like BABE where is the spencer x reader where he’s ranting to reader about something and reader is attracted to that?? like why butcher his character, this genius who is very mentally ill and hilarious and a cutie pie, when his actual personality is so amazing??
anyways now i want to write some spencer reid stuff that would actually work with his canon character so send requests ☺️
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thatswhatsushesaid · 1 year ago
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i wish there was a way to avoid seeing romantic 3zun art/fic in the tags without also filtering out any and all discussion of non-romantic 3zun dynamics. and it's not just because i don't ship it.
like, i am extremely here for the hot mess that is the dissolution of the sworn brotherhood! i have lost hours of sleep turning the incompatibility of nmj and jgy's worldviews over and over in my head like a grim thought-pancake! i am bewitched by the narrative spectre of nmj and lxc's friendship-that-once-was, which casts a long and complex shadow over lxc's inability (or refusal) to recognize the real and present danger that nmj was to jgy's life, up until it was too late for him to meaningfully intervene. and i am of course never going to shut up about the relationship between jgy and lxc, which was something that managed to grow and thrive and bring them both real strength and joy, against all odds. like these two men would not have been friends, and would never have become friends, let alone each other's closest confidantes, had the war not thrown them into each other's paths outside the normal strictures of cultivation world society. i'm still insane about precious that emotional intimacy remains between them, however one chooses to interpret that relationship, because for the two of them, there really is nothing comparable to it in the rest of the book. love that shit.
fanon 3zun as a dysfunctional polycule is a thing that floats many a shipper's boat, which is fine, whatever works for you etc., but it is frustrating trying to sift the fanon out of the search results when there is no canon non-romantic 3zun tag. because canon 3zun isn't a polycule, just like the individual ships that can be derived from it aren't canon either. canon 3zun is unbalanced and volatile and unfair to each different member of the sworn brotherhood for different reasons. canon 3zun is not three different men with three different-but-equal levels of romantic investment in each other. lxc is biased in jgy's favour and chooses his company and perspective over nmj's. yet lxc is nmj's only real friend, and the only person who seems capable of extracting reason or compassion from him, other than nhs. and while nmj was the first person to recognize meng yao's worth and promote him to a position of authority during the sunshot campaign, whatever respect and admiration they once held for each other was irreparably damaged by 1) what happened at nightless city, and 2) the jinlintai steps confrontation.
maybe i can just draw this hold on--
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okay i tried drawing two separate diagrams to help illustrate my thought process here, and i think?? this one gets at the heart of my thoughts better, even if it isn't perfect. here's the key to unlocking the above quagmire of colours and lines and my chicken scratch:
green = nmj; gold = jgy; blue = lxc (simple enough)
type of relationship (solid line = friendship; dotted line = ??? professional?)
gradients = an attempt at visualizing the level of investment each party has in their respective relationships with each other. this one was extremely difficult to render and i'm not 100% happy with what i've settled on, but it's the closest approximation to the idea in my brain.
arrows = indicates my clumsy effort at showing who is "moving towards" whom, strictly in terms of the longer term trajectory of the characters' relationships with each other in the text.
prints this out to stick it on my wall and stare at it for a while. hmmm. hmmmm.
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secret-third-thing · 8 months ago
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(Another) follow-up question(s actually omg I’m so sorry) - what do you personally think the other brothers are like? We have very little to go off of as it is, but there’s no way they’re mindless brutes (at most the ones who died when Lucien was ran off to Spring were probably the most brutish if I had to guess). What do you think their relationships with Eris are like? Lucien once said (I think) as the youngest he had more time to learn and study rather than be in charge of a portion of Autumn like his brothers. Do you think the other brothers also have political ambitions? Or do you think they prefer to be essentially minor lords over pieces of Autumn, away from Beron? How do you think their dynamic with Eris changes when he becomes high lord?
LOL no worries I love these - really makes me think!
I think SJM has done us such a disservice by not giving us more clarity on the Vanserra family, but I am so biased HA. I'm gonna give us some bullet points b/c I'm also walking through my own thoughts here and I did not have nearly enough caffeine today.
I absolutely think Beron is someone who is deeply concerned with control, so the ways he raised his sons would allow him to control them and others.
Part of this control is dictating the lives of his sons/potential heir. I suspect he put them in charge of different parts of Autumn in order for him to have more direct control over them AND the court itself.
If Beron's sons are trying to get in his good graces then they are going to maintain a relatively tight grip over their part of Autumn so that Beron has no reason to find fault with them.
This does invite opportunity for them to sabotage each other.
With Lucien in particular, I don't fully buy that there wasn't anything left for him to rule in Autumn. My best guess is that Beron suspected Lucien wasn't his son and didn't want to give him any kind of power within the court. And in that way Lucien was able to spend more time learning and making friends.
OKAY SO now that we have that established... the relationships between the Brothers. This is where I have to very carefully untangle my fanon from canon.
I suspect they were all pit against one another at a young age. It seems like Eris likely had the wherewithal to understand what was going on at some point and he used that to his advantage when developing relationships with his brothers.
I also think that Eris isn't irresponsible enough to have horrible relationships with his brothers. If he keeps them alive and he becomes High Lord, Eris needs to have some kind of rapport with them unless his plan truly is kill and /or jail the rest of them.
I do think all the brothers are ambitious but perhaps not in the same way. I can't imagine every single one of them wanting to be high lord - my personal opinion is at least one of them is faking it so that Beron doesn't punish them.
Now if we are going in to STT personal headcanons, this is what I think
Eris becomes High Lord and strikes a very uneasy alliance with his brothers. Perhaps it's the support of the other high lords that tempers the remaining brother's ambitions?
Eris and Lucien will have some kind of relationship, but it will take time to repair.
I am not sure Lucien will tolerate the other brothers considering that they were complicit in Jesminda's death.
My favorite interpretation of all the Vanserra bros are from this fic which I will never shut up about for as long as I'm in this fandom.
Full disclosure, this was one of the first acotar fanfics I read and what convinced me to write fic.
HOPE THIS HELPS
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sweetpastillas · 6 months ago
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to hijack a five-centric post & make it more relatively? generalish because i love fanon vs canon discourse (vv good points tho i agree)–
half of the problem is genuinely due to the gigantic breaks in between seasons? i wont argue about production management but can say that because it takes a while to get to where the characters are next, we remain stuck at where they currently are. fandom can only imagine where their arc goes, but ultimately we stick to how their personalities are defined at its current stage
and like, there's also a combination of slotting the characters into archetypes and tropes. everyone or most are guilty of it, especially with s1 (it was in the marketing). so fandom establishes perceptions of these characters, and keep them consistent throughout the show's run.
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at initial watch, five is the stressed out wise one, and in hindsight everyone should have listened to him. we keep this in mind as we watch onwards to other seasons, and we always see him proven right about apocalypses nonetheless. but we forget or we dont realize it enough, that five is characterized as someone who was raised and Hired by the commission to look at the bigger picture, and when that's over with, he can focus on the interpersonal stuff; in comparison to his siblings, who in their pov never lived the older life he did and only Had the interpersonal stuff to consider.
again, we forget or dont realize it enough, so many end up perceiving it as: five has another apocalypse on his plate. of course the hargreeves are too dysfunctional to listen to him. i cant believe they didnt listen to him. i bet they never listen to him. rinse repeat
so, fandom perception. who didnt push takes post-s1 that were basically "luther's a moon obsessed uptight bastard, klaus is our lil sad gay junkie, allison is That bitch, etc."
but the show canon takes that and runs, pushing those images of them and stretching within boundaries. we went from family drama of s1 to family hijinks in s2; therefore we keep the pre established fanon perception in our minds
(for example, allow me to ramble – netflix marketing for tua once put out a post that basically said "this would be luther's playlist" and it was a bunch of songs with moon in the title. and its like, as an og luther defender, fuck off no hed have a bunch of 60s-80s songs with 90s guilty pleasure standalones. the moon was shit for him and as much as it was beautiful it was confusing and isolating and Thats why he was obsessed. shut up abt the moon i beg
and of couse the 'luther's stupid -> luther's a himbo -> luther's just plain dumb' pipeline :( )
but yes. show canon, and fanon perception of it. the further morphing into 'allison is a bitch, now', and, as said, 'five, the local cranky elderly'.
the third element to this are the comics, which might be where the weirder and colder takes of the characters come from. i only have a barebones memory of reading apocalypse suite (the first volume where s1 is based on) and already the differences are stark. its the royal tenenbaums with an edge – the hargreeves' genuinely dont see each other as siblings, so in that verse its written as ok enough for allison/luther and diego/vanya(as far as ik the comics version of viktor still isnt trans) to happen. adding to that, because they see each other as teammates more than sibs, the shit they say to each other and how they say it can sound more snappy and detached than half of diego's angry s1 dialogue 💀. reginald was hateful there, too, a stark contrast to how we see him executed with more depth and complexity in the show
so then, adding in ideas you can get from the comics, fandom further morphs the perception. then comes show canon last in the race to combine, and suddenly we scramble. its either 'hey, thats not how my idealized version of that character in fanfiction works in this adaptation' vs realizing that was never the case at all. five the grump no one listens to vs just five, struggling one more time, with his siblings beside him
oh no you guys. i’m going to spew things i’ve realized while rewatching umbrella academy. I’m realizing were all being too sucked into fanon things after being stuck without canon content for so long. We have convinced ourselves Five acts like a mean mean dude to everyone but rewatching, i’ve realized he’s only stressed and is saying things out of panicked anger, especially in s1 with the apocalypse dooming over them. he acts soft to his siblings multiple times, he’s really not as mean as we write him in fanfiction. he is a little crap though, that’s for sure, and i love him for that <3
also realizing that the siblings don’t hate five. they just literally don’t know him at all. he came back a completely different person after 17 years for the siblings, they don’t know five, he’s a stranger so of course they’re gonna be cold to him. it’s like, “i don’t know you well, but you’re always going to be my brother in the end”.
ALSO. for those who ship some of the siblings, uhm… i’ve seen a lot of you guys try to prove that they don’t see eachother as siblings and more like academy students, but they very much say in just about every episode that they see eachother as siblings. they don’t actually SAY that word by word but they say things like “she’s our sister”, or “our dad”. if they say OUR dad… bro. i’m not even going to continue, you can put it together yourself. But, i do realize why people ship the siblings. I am not defending incest shippers but with umbrella academy i can see why people have resorted to it. only 3 of the characters in the main sibling cast has romantic partners. people like shipping people, people love writing romantic relationships, but with only diego/lila, dave/klaus, and sissy/viktor, (i’m not going to count five/dolores for now) people are desperate with the need to ship the rest of the siblings with someone, and since there are only a few actual canon characters in the show that interact with our main 7, people start shipping them together… yikes. anywho, that’s all for that peice. i blame the show writers as well for shipping luther/allison, they did not have to do that, but i’m hoping it was only to convey the severity of what childhood trauma does to people.
ALSO THIS HERE SHOOK ME. I actually think Reginald cares for the siblings. i hate to say it, but it’s true. caring for them does not mean being good, though. he was a horrible father, and person, but he genuinely did care for the siblings, in a like, “being the best is the best thing for you, i will make you better, for your sake, even if you don’t know it now, you will see that i am right” kind of way.
also why has NOBODY MENTIONED THIS. in season 2 when diego first reunites with five in the asylum, while he’s walking into the visitors room, he’s staring at five with this heartfelt, soft look, and then says “five…” in the most soft spoken voice ever 😭 your honor i love them
ALSO UGHHH THIS. IM GOING TO FREAK OUT ABOUT CAMERAWORK AND METAPHORS HERE SO BARE WITH ME. we as a fandom complain about the lack of flashbacks five has due to his ptsd. we’ve seen his first flashback since getting back to his family in s1 during the van scene when he gets triggered by those kids playing and starts thinking about his own childhood, i’m guessing. i ate that scene up, and was sad to see that be one of the only deeply vulnerable scenes he has in the season, and during my first watch i thought they’d never bring it back up. but they do!! i may be stupid for not realizing but whatever. in season 2, when five is trying to explain at elliot’s with all his siblings around that another apocalypse is coming, everyone starts talking about each other. as someone who studies film and camerawork, i love this scene. we see the camera focus on five as it slowly zooms in. it doesn’t switch scenes at all as the siblings voices overlap and echo over eachother. this whole scene conveys him getting overwhelmed and he starts to zone out, starting to think of the nuclear war he saw his siblings in. the scenes of the war start quickly switching through, showing many different scenes of it before it switches back to five, who says “guys, you all die. i want to forget it but i can’t” which just UGH its so well done there. if you think about it, he was starting to slip into another flashback. he was triggered by talking about their deaths in the war but was handling it well until the siblings started fighting, where we see the overlapping voices happen. it portrays him losing control and being unable to pull it back together with too much going on for him to focus on grounding himself. we DO however, see that five was able to pull himself out before he fell too deep into the flashback. i love how they show this through them still having the scene showing the war, but then fives voice starts talking over the scene which is still focusing on the war as if he was pushing it back and forcing himself to come back to the present.
thank you for reading if you’ve made it this far, i will continue to freak out another time <3
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abyssal-ali · 2 years ago
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The Best Bat (?)
Partially inspired by this post. Bad dad Bruce, sorry. Jason Todd-centric. Fanon (I cherry pick from Canon and fanon and mash them together as I please). Non-beta'd. Tw: talking about death, (could be seen as suicidal thoughts?)
If anyone wants to know more, or a scene from a certain character's POV, or background events etc, please don't hesitate to send an ask! I'm also open to constructive criticism.💜
~1.7k (sure thought it would be longer with how long it took to type!)
The small gathering of low-level Justice Leaguers crowded the two more magical members anxiously.
"I wish for the best Bat to come," chanted the one leading the teleportation/summoning.
"Wasn't that a little open-ended? And are you *sure* that won't summoning, like, a flying mammal?" Inquired a Leaguer nervously.
The chanter stared at the asker. "My power is luck. We will get the Bat we want," said the chanter confidently.
Several Leaguers seemed uneasy about leaving Bat-picking up to such a fickle thing as *luck*.
In a poof of smoke a tall figure appeared. Choking, the Leaguers brushed away the smoke...and groaned. "Uh, you're not a Bat...and we wanted someone useful..."
The summoned form glared around the room. "Firstly, rude. I am too a Bat," they rasped, gesturing to their chest piece. "Secondly, rude. The 'real' Bats are useful, but of course I'm Villain and only good at decapitating people and shooting my Jericho. 941's. Well lemme tell you something, 'kay? Villains are people too, and *some* of us are a little more competent than others. So why'd you summon me, I mean, a Bat?"
"We have two different species of alien warships heading for us, and we were hoping for maybe...Batman? Red Robin? *Someone* trusted their luck and asked for the 'best Bat,'" one of the Leaguers explained.
The Red Hood laughed long and loud at that, though the laugh came out rather scratchy and unsettling through the voice modulator.
"Hah, that's a good one. So you were hoping for a hacker or maybe a diplomat? This may surprise you, but I'm not always shoot first, ask questions later. I'm a tactician, and since you asked so nicely, I'll help out of the goodness of my heart."
A Leaguer snorted. "You call getting beat by Batman *tactician planning*?"
Hood fixed his stare on them. "Yes. There's a reason you can't reach any of the Bats right now, and it's because I shut down the city two days ago, the last step in my 10-month 'screw with Batman' plan."
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances and were immensely relieved when Wonder Woman walked in.
"Ah, you are...here to...help?" She asked, sizing up his defensive stance and the Leaguers who weren't terrified, if not a little wary.
"Yeah, I got summoned so I figured I may as well help. Never hurts to be in the JL's good graces," drawled Hood.
He turned to the leader of the little group of Leaguers. "So, what are the aliens and what exactly do you know about the situation?"
Wonder Woman watched carefully from her corner as Hood took charge and began commanding everyone around. He was orderly and aware of issues, he seemed to be skilled in delegating and not overwhelming his subordinates, and his diplomatic interactions interested her greatly.
As ambassador from Themiscyra, she had experience dealing with issues like these and so, once the connections between the ships and Watchtower were set up, she sat beside him to help.
Hood turned in surprise as Diana joined him, not expecting her to do anything more than watch and maybe drag him to a cell once the negotiations were over. She smiled and motioned to the setup. He nodded and they began.
●○●○●○●
Once the negotiations were completed Diana pushed her chair away and stood, extending her hand to Hood.
"Would you like a drink?"
"I wouldn't mind a stiff one, but I don't think certain people up here would appreciate seeing my helmetless face."
"...why not?"
"Well, when blood isn't getting pumped everywhere for several hours, your skin tends to get pale and your features don't look the greatest..."
"What?"
"I was recently revived from a sliced jugular just before I was yoinked here, so my circulation isn't quite back to normal yet."
"You were dead," Diana said flatly, and Hood nodded. "And now you're alive?"
He nodded again and shrugged.
"Just happens sometimes. I always come back--Death seems to enjoy flirting with me more than she should."
"You...die...regularly?" Piped up Superman, the eavesdropper.
"Not clockwork regular, but often enough that it's a mere inconvenience."
Clark and Diana exchanged looks.
"Anyways, aren't you going to haul me off to jail or Arkham or something?"
They looked back at him.
"Well, you did save the planet, so I'm sure that earns you a pass this time..." said Diana slowly, unsure of how to proceed.
"Yes, we appreciate you helping out, Hood. But, why?" Clark added.
"Contrary to what Bats would have you believe, I'm not a complete boor with no regard for human life. I simply exterminate the scum that the law lets away. In Gotham, especially, it's a problem, but I do it for the innocents and victims, for *their* lives, so they can live peacefully, or at least with closure. I'm not so uncouth and careless with life that I'd condemn the whole planet to die-- just the guilty. But I had to save the innocents."
Instead of sounding angry or even passionate, like Diana and Clark expected, Hood simply sounded...tired. Defeated, maybe? Of course, that could be after effects of dying and then being summoned and helping an organization that isn't exactly friendly with you.
"...so, what should we tell Batman about today?" Wondered Clark.
"Tell him whatever you want. Bruce will probably just believe I brainwashed you if you say something good. Say you forced me to help in exchange for looking the other way this once, or you tried to bring me to the Hall of Justice after, but I escaped. He won't believe that I helped you of my own free will. He refuses to see that I am capable of good and I'm not a complete monster."
Clark noticed that *this* rant got Hood a little worked up, and at the mention of Batman his heart rate picked up.
He looked meaningfully at Diana, hoping years of working together would help her figure out what he was trying to communicate.
Diana looked thoughtfully at Hood.
"How did you die, most recently, if I may ask?"
"My showdown with Batman. I forced Bruce to pick between me or the Joker. He picked the clown, like he always does, and he bataranged my throat."
Hood lifted his chin and tugged down the neck of his jacket and underarmour to show a thin scar neatly across his neck.
The two superheroes gasped.
"Batman killed?"
"He has no problem with it if they're already dead-- vampires and zombies are both fair game. I'm part both, I guess, so I don't count."
"I think you need a spar," suggested Diana. "Friendly."
Hood led the way to the empty training room, strangely quite familiar with the Watchtower's layout.
Diana and Hood squared off and they began, after agreeing to no weapons or powers. Finally, Hood pinned Diana, using an Amazonian technique with ease.
Clark announced Hood the winner and Hood got up, offering Diana a helping hand.
"Good spar," she commented. "How did you know that move?"
He shrugged dismissively. "I've had many teachers, so I know many groups' styles and moves."
"You trained for a long time before baiting Batman. Why?"
"I needed time to plan, to research, to prepare. I needed to be better than the Bat. And now that I have broken him, my work is done. I'm not sure if I'll wear this again," he looked down at his getup for a minute, "but if I do, I will only be the Red Hood to protect the innocent and avenge the victims, not play with Bruce. I may have taken his old alias, but I will *never* be like him," he muttered the last part, but both heroes still caught it.
"What did Batman do to make you hate him?" Asked Diana compassionately.
Hood laughed shortly, startled. "Hate? No, I don't hate him. I thought I did, but I don't, at least not anymore. The problem is that I loved him. He doesn't deserve any of my attention anymore, so I have relegated him to my 'indifference' list. It's pathetic to waste your life over a man who will never change. Now that I've made my point and accomplished my goal, I'm done with him."
"I'm sorry," Diana said slowly, not quite knowing what she was apologizing for, but Hood seemed to know and understand.
"It's okay. I'm going to my mom's island soon for some R+R. It'll be good to see her and the twerp. Sometimes I think he's a demon brat, but then I remember a lot...I'll raise him okay, though."
Drawn out of her memories of how a curly-haired boy in bright colors would chatter away about anything and everything like Hood seemed to be doing, Diana looked at him in surprise. He was younger than she'd thought. She changed her mental estimate of late 20's/early 30's to early 20's.
Then Hood took his helmet off and kissed her cheek.
"Goodbye, Aunt Di. You were always my favourite."
In shock, Diana let him disappear.
"Jason?" She whispered to the air.
●○●○●○●
Five years later, Robin came onto the Watchtower, insulting everyone and everything quite creatively.
Wonder Woman came to greet the poky child. He deigned to let her hug him and in her ear he whispered, "My brother says to treat you well, for you are a true queen and his aunt. He told me to tell you he is happy and to call him. Here is his number," in Ancient Greek, which Diana was pretty sure even Batman didn't know.
The spiky child slipped a paper into her pocket, then proceeded to detatch himself with colorful insults.
Diana smiled fondly at her nephew's brother and left to make a call.
Over the years she had received packages randomly, with letters, new baking, books (self-annotated), random objects/weapons from around the globe, all signed, "With love from your favorite nephew to his favorite aunt."
The last one had been two months ago and held a patch for a lab coat which said "Dr. J. Todd".
The short note with it said he'd graduated medical school and was helping treat trauma/trafficking victims.
Enclosed was a glossy 3x5" grad photo, which she promptly framed and put by her bed.
Bruce had never been able to figure out why Diana and Clark treated him colder. All of the Leaguers around that day had been sworn to secrecy even though it was likely they knew nothing, but the big two were concerningly different around him. He never figured out why.
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stxleslyds · 3 years ago
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You always seem down on the idea of the Batfam. I mean, it is hard to take seriously when writers make Bruce hostile or downright abusive towards his kids, or when Batfam members never interact. But do you think the concept itself is good, and it's just been the victim of bad writing? Or do you think the Batfam is a bad idea that can never work?
Hi there Anon! Thank you for the ask!
Hmm, this is a difficult question. Maybe I can answer this better if I do it in parts because the concept of “Batfamily” is used in different ways currently. A way to separate them can be, DC’s Batfamily, Fandom’s Batfamily and Fandom’s Batfamily lore being introduced in comics’ canon.
DC’s Batfamily:
My rejection of this version of Batfamily comes from all angles, it is not a good concept within comics lore anymore, it’s badly written and used to hide and move on from truly horrendous actions done by Bruce towards the rest of the family, and DC uses the concept of “Batfamily” that fandom has become so attached to, so they can profit off of it without writing anything of real essence with it.
Why did I say that the Batfamily isn’t a good concept anymore? Well, because the Batfamily that I first came across in comics included, Bruce, Dick, Alfred, Barbara, Tim and Cassandra. It was rather small and their books interconnected and had pretty solid relationships with one another. Dick and Tim got along and spent time together, Barbara mentored Cass so she could become Batgirl and so on and so forth. The family was smaller and more connected. But they still had problems and bad habits then. So, I liked them as a group of people that worked together and the name they received was “Batfamily” as a way for DC to profit from it.
Right now, the Batfamily is huge, I don’t know if you have seen those splash pages with all the members of it for Rebirth and Infinite Frontier, but those promotional pages were crazy big, characters like Harley and Clownhunter are now considered part of the “Batfamily” and all that. Then there is the kind of characters like Cass, Steph and Kate who are all connected to Batman but that haven’t been appearing in books for very long, so putting them on that page really feels like DC is trying to prove that their “Batfamily” actually has women on it, but it’s just for show.
And then there is Dick, Jason, Tim and Damian, the most recognizable faces of the Batfamily aside from Bruce and Alfred (but Alfred is dead now so he doesn’t really count), all of them have had issues with Bruce or are indifferent to the existence of one another. Yes, Tom Taylor has included Tim in Dick’s book but here is the thing, it feels like he put him there just to make fans shut up about the lack of content with both of them acting as they used to do. But its false and lazy, Taylor just brought Tim to the book but we don’t get to see Tim and Dick interact in ways that can explain why they drifted off, it kinda seems like all those years where Dick and Tim were pulled apart never happened to DC and that makes me think “cash grab”. I would have loved to see them interact again if it meant that we would have some solid story for them to develop their relationship once more.
At the end of Rebirth, Damian was pissed off at Bruce and they had a fight and Damian left the manor completely. Bruce beat up Jason, then gave him a hug but still told him that he was banned from Gotham and all that abuse and manipulation was swept under the rug when DC came out with Urban Legends: Cheer, all they did with that story is lie and made-up stories about Jason wanting Bruce to go on a killing spree so Gotham can finally be the home to his beloved family (lies, lies, lies).
On top of all that we have the neglect, abuse and manipulation that Bruce had going on with Dick, ever since Bruce manipulated Dick into joining Spyral his actions haven’t faced any consequences (the family still believes that Dick was the one who lied about dying). And as recently as the end of Rebirth, Dick suffered from a head injury that left him amnesiac and Bruce absolutely didn’t care enough to look after him when he was so vulnerable and alone. DC had the audacity of having Bruce say that he was looking after Dick while Dick went from one villain manipulating and hurting him to another, and if we look at Batman’s run, we can see that he spent some of that time in a weird pit or playing catch the pussy with Selina in a tropical island.
So, taking all those things into account, I honestly believe that the Batfamily is a concept that absolutely does not belong in comics. If it were to be taken seriously then DC should come up with (organic, not forced) stories that make these characters connect once again, but they have to be careful, just because they can connect it doesn’t mean that everyone gets along and they have group chats and eat dinner together of Fridays, that would be a blatant lie and just too out there for their kind of dynamic, so, they should take things slow, start re-building what once was an make it better (if they want to make it work and feel like less of a cash grab).
I heard that there is a book with Cass and Steph being mentored as Batgirls by Barbara coming out in December, that to me is a good thing, what was done in Robin #5 was awful, Jason didn’t have or want to be there, Tim, what the hell was Tim doing there? The only ones that have gotten along with Damian and have had a solid relationship with him were Dick and Steph. Dick had a very nice moment with Damian in that issue, but Steph didn’t, they preferred to have Jason wanting to hug Damian instead (what the actual hell was that?).
Fandom’s Batfamily:
Fandom is a place where people can take any concept from anywhere and transform it into whatever they please. This fandom is just like any other in that matter, but I have noticed that sometimes the Batfamily Fandom tends to blur the lines between what’s fanon and canon. Their lore is so deep and established among people that they sometimes (willingly or not) make new readers or other people believe that how things and perceived in fandom is how things actually are in comics, and that is a huge problem.
Things like “Dick sent Jason to Arkham when the Joker was just a cell away”, “Jason has pit madness and when he gets mad his eyes turn glowy green”, “Dick was a horrendous brother to Jason before Jason died”, “Jason would be good friends with Tim and Cass”, “Jason is the only one that sees the world differently from Bruce and the other robins because he is the only one that comes from a life with no luxury” and so on and on and on…
All of those things are sometimes treated as the absolute truth by fandom and no matter how many times people have debunked and explained that those things aren’t part of comics’ canon because they are simply not true, fandom stills treats those things as the basis of their Batfamily lore.
That lore would be actually fascinating if people didn’t lose sight so easily of the fact that at the end of the day none of that lore can be applied to comics’ canon.
When you enter this fandom things can be extremely confusing and the way some of the characters are characterized are completely different to their canon characterizations, I knew that the Dick fandom was writing about was not real, but I had no idea that Tim being a coffee addict that hasn’t slept in five months and is an absolute genius in everything and anything that he does was completely out of character for him, I just thought that was true to his character in comics too. Something like that happened to me when I took a peek at Jason’s side of fandom, by that time I had read Red Hood/Arsenal, UtRH and New 52 RHatO (yeah in that order, Red Hood/Arsenal wasn’t finished yet though), with the already conflicting characterizations of those books, the first look that I had at fandom’s Jason confused me even more. After considering all those I decided that the Jason that I wanted to see and actually looked appealing to me was UtRH Jason.
Not all people in fandom read comics and that is ABSOLUTELY VALID, I have zero problems with people not liking the comic characterizations of the “Batfamily” characters, but that in itself also creates a rift between fans themselves.
Fandom’s Batfamily lore being introduced in comics’ canon:
This is obviously the intersection of the other two points and this is the biggest problem that I have with the Batfamily concept. The fandom lore has been leaking into comic’s canon for a while now but right now we are kinda drowning in it. Decisions that have been made recently in DC like, Jason giving up his guns, the group chats in Nightwing issues, the family dinners that were hinted at in Cheer #6, and Bruce having had at the ready a Red Hood suit for Jason with a Batman logo in its chest, have been proof enough that DC is planning on skipping any kind of solid writing for these characters to actually get along. We are never going to see these people sit down and talk about their differences and respect each other’s work ethics.
We are never going to get stories of actual essence that prove that these characters understand and care for each other, we are just going to be told that “all is good” and now everyone loves one another and they will build from there.
That is a problem for me.
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And it also takes away duality from Gotham’s vigilantes, I know I say this too much but it’s the truth, putting all these characters under the ruling of Batman makes them all bland. Jason shouldn’t be part of any sort of group that involves Bruce! My god, I don’t want to see them interact anymore! Bruce has been absolute trash to Jason ever since he came back from the dead and I am tired of DC trying to make them be on good terms!
Jason and Bruce not getting along can co-exist with the fact that Jason isn’t a villain to Batman’s legendary hero. Jason is his own character, with his own morals and he doesn’t need a bat symbol on his chest or book logo to be relevant. Same with Dick, Tim and Barbara, let them be characters that can stand on their own because they have already done that!
Barbara as Oracle worked WITH Batman if she wanted, she had her own logo and had passed on the mantle of Batgirl because he had grown out of it.
Dick is Nightwing and has become an even better hero than Batman could even aspire to become, he has contacts with everyone in the DC universe, has led countless teams, he doesn’t NEED a batman logo on his book or to be constantly dragged back to him just to make the Bat more compelling.
Jason, my sweet Jason, he had his own logo! It was gorgeous and then Lobdell had the audacity to stamp a Batman logo in the middle of the book name and in Jason’s chest! Have we gone absolutely mad? Why did they do that? Lobdell’s constant back and forth with Jason and his feelings for Bruce, he respects him and he doesn’t, he kills and he doesn’t… each issue felt like a new take on the character! It was crazy!
And that has happened with everyone in the “family”. I will end this by saying that Bruce/Batman being at the centre of this “Batfamily” dynamic is the most laughable thing in the DC Universe. Batman isn’t family to any of the people that they constantly surround him with, he is a piece of shit.
Anyway Anon, I hope this answer doesn’t ruin your day and that you understand that even though I really don’t like the “Batfamily” concept, you and everyone else are allowed and encouraged to think differently!
Hope you have a marvellous day Anon!
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lovebecomeshim · 3 years ago
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hello! your zutara posting today has finally motivated me to ask this question because I came to atla very late(last year, to be specific) and I Love It Very Much but am 1000% out of the loop as far as why what remains of fandom (at least that I've seen among my friends) is so very strongly zutara. I'm not opposed to it per se I just don't really know what has driven it to apparently be such a popular ship? can you help me understand and maybe convert me a little bit?
Hey!! Your ICON! :D I can try but I’m not sure how coherent I’ll be; however I AM sure someone a lot more competent will be willing to add to this. Either way, I’m glad you asked because my plan was to drag down as many people as possible with me.
*smacks the hood of zutara* this baby can fit so much mutual love and support!
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This got so long, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to put it under a cut on mobile and it already got deleted once so I’m scared to mess with it lol. Moving on.
I’m gonna start this with a disclaimer that im on mobile so formatting is tricky and I’m also really new to atla in that I only completed my first watch through in like 2019??? So some of my info is all just based on what I’ve picked up from Discourse 👀 so anyway the sparknotes version: zutara was wildly popular from the beginning. To the point where the atla crew internally disagreed on which ship should be endgame. (Ex. Bryke [showrunners] asked the writers to rewrite The Southern Raiders to make Zuko seem less ideal for Katara than Aang [which failed, depending on who you ask]; the animation team purposefully created a visual parrallel between Oma and Shu in the Cave of Two Lovers and Zuko and Katara in the catacombs under Ba Sing Se in the Crossroads of Destiny; etc.)
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The ship was popular enough that Bryke actually chose to display zk fanart at a con for the sole purpose of mocking the fans, but that’s neither here nor there. The entire episode Ember Island Players, while a love letter to/parody of the whole show, was an opportunity to address zutara’s viability as a canon pairing (while, again, mocking zutaras for romanticizing that catacombs scene). Point is! It’s always been popular but with it not being endgame, there’s got to be something that’s given it staying power.
And that’s honestly got to do with three things: their dynamic, thematic cohesion, and potential.
(You know what... you know what, it’s four things. The fourth is they’re so aesthetically pleasing together and individually. Like, they’re just good looking people [specifically when they’re grown but they’re also cute kids] and that absolutely doesn’t hurt) (but it’s not the Point, it’s just nice to point out sometimes)
The dynamic is hard to get into without also looking at the canon pairings, but I think I can do that without unnecessary bashing. It’s just that part of the magic of zutara is really highlighted by what they give to each other that their other relationships don’t.
First off, it’s classic enemies to (would be) lovers. The absolute truest form of it. It’s not too different from how CS started out: a rogue antagonist with a job to do—but no personal vendetta against the future love interest—who is deeply and emotionally invested in his personal storyline (revenge/redemption) with little regard for how it effects other people after his entire life and genuine good nature are marred by suffering, and a fierce warrior girl with a strong moral compass and her own personal investment in stopping him (protect her family and save the world doing it). Obviously frustration and animosity grew between them by the nature of them being on opposing sides, but that just lends itself to the sweetness of their later reconciliation.
The thing is that while they’re wildly different on the surface (he’s a hot-headed prince of a fascist regime who is trying to capture the Avatar to please his father; she’s a nurturing daughter of the chief who is trying to protect and train the Avatar in order to topple his father’s throne) they find out that they have so much more in common both in their experiences and their personalities.
(What follows is an excessive use of the word “both” and I’m sorry about that)(I can edit it. I can do that. That IS an option............)
They both have an innate sense of justice that they are determined to see done (zuko, at the war meeting, sticking up for the Earth Kingdom kid when the guards torment his family, choosing not to steal from the pregnant couple despite his circumstances, abiding by his word to leave the SWT should Aang come willingly, etc.; katara, literally.... at any point). They both have pretty one-track minds at accomplishing certain goals once they’ve put their mind to it, regardless of a lack of support in that endeavor (it goes without saying I guess, but zuko’s entire hunt; katara’s determination to get the earth benders to fight back, her determination to absolutely destroy Pakku until he agrees to teach her, etc.). They both lost their mothers at young ages. Their worlds are war-torn and traumatizing to them both, if in different ways, but that ultimately forces them to grow up too quickly to be wholly independent individuals. They both have issues with their fathers (for WILDLY different reasons, but). They both hold extreme prejudices that they need to learn to overcome (which ties into thematic cohesion)(bit like Lizzie and Darcy in that way but magnified by a million). They’re both extremely emotional and empathetic—which can and often does result in loud outbursts. Katara’s a bit better adjusted and can temper her anger for longer than S1 Zuko can, but they both feel that anger deeply and have no compunctions expressing it (Katara is, usually, more justified, particularly in S1. Again, S1 Zuko is severely maladjusted but at the point when they could’ve feasibly become a couple, he’s so much better off with the way he carries himself). They both struggle with feelings of inferiority in their bending abilities when confronted with prodigal benders like Aang and Azula, but have the work ethic required to double down and become two of the most powerful benders in the three remaining nations. This is a little more minor but it is a parrallel that appeals to some shippers that they both have these alter egos in the Painted Lady (notably fire nation coded) and the Blue Spirit (water tribe coded) that are pretty different from who they are day-to-day and are useful in accomplishing a purpose that they as themselves cannot.
(I’m.... I just realized that this could potentially get very long. Should I have made a slide show with bullet points??????)
Anyway, similar. I know there’s more but there’s literally so much to love about zutara that I’ll drive myself a little crazy trying to compile all the ways they’re similar. (Just gonna say that at this exact moment I went back to add more similarities.... so okay then)
Once they’ve reconciled, we see how all of these things only lend themselves to a deeper intimacy together than they share with literally anyone else. There’s a steady partnership that positions them as the mom/dad of the gaang, while also providing the support necessary to allow the other to not have to carry so much responsibility. A lot of zutaras will point out how zuko is actually depicted doing the more domestic chores that are normally relegated to Katara once he joins the gaang, since the others in the group are two 12-year-olds and sokka. The one that sticks out the most is how he makes tea for the group and then serves them, while Katara is able to just relax with her friends around the fire. Fanon expands upon this a lot to Zuko helping with the laundry or the cooking or whatever else needs doing since he, as a once-refugee, is used to doing his own domestic tasks. Before Zuko joined, Katara was the one mothering everyone, sewing for them, cooking for them, etc. She’s always tending to the needs of the group, and that includes emotionally. She does the emotional labor for the gaang 99% of the time, but when she’s the one falling apart, she’s usually doing it alone and without the comfort that she normally provides for others. Until Zuko. And that’s before they’re even friends.
Which is WHY people romanticize the catacombs of Ba Sing Se so much. Katara is verbally attacking Zuko out of her own righteous anger but also her own prejudice when Zuko, surprisingly, chooses to be vulnerable with her. He’s been on a journey that’s opened his eyes a bit, but he’s never actively chosen to expose the rawest parts of his past to anyone. But for some reason he chooses to do that with Katara of all people. While she’s yelling at him. He sees her humanity, and for once can look past his prejudice and empathize with her. And this time, when she breaks down, she gets to be comforted. Katara normally talks about her mother when she’s trying to explain to someone else that she sees and understands they’re pain, as a form of comfort to them. Here, Zuko uses the exact same tactic. He sees her and he understands. And for zuko? He’s not being shut down. He’s allowed to articulate his pain regarding his mother without being ignored and made to internalize it, and he’s allowed to process how he feels about his scar out loud without being told that he deserved it. And then he lets her touch his scar, something we’ve seen him actively avoid before. He’s completely open to her and she’s completely open to him and all it took was one five minute conversation. She was about to use the little bit of Spirit water that she had, that she was saving for something Important, to heal the scar that still daily causes him pain just because they had, somehow, connected.
Plus there’s the whole parallel to the star-crossed lovers forbidden from one another, a war divides their people—
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And then zuko messes up, he regresses, he gets what he wants and he HATES it. And the sense of justice he had as a child has been restored to him against his will and he can’t think of anything he wants to do more than the Right Thing, so he joins team avatar. Before he does that though, we get to see his relationship with Mai, which is where comparison really comes in. And what we see is Zuko, fresh off of his encounter with Katara in the catacombs, trying to be emotionally honest with Mai... and getting shut down and dismissed. Which is just how Mai is and it’s fine, but not for Zuko. Still, he keeps trying, and he keeps getting ignored or scoffed at or yelled at. Which is really a larger symbol for how he doesn’t fit in his old life anymore, but again that’s about thematic cohesion. He tries to articulate his anxieties about returning home, he tries to make romantic gestures, he tries to explain how morally conflicted he’s feeling—and Mai diverts to some kind of physical affection to shut him up and a parting comment that is pretty much always, in essence, “I don’t wanna talk about this.” So they don’t. On the other hand, once zuko and Katara are friends, we see him again emotionally distraught and caught up in his anxieties about facing Iroh, and it’s Katara who comes to him and listens to him and comforts and encourages him.
Similarly, we have Aang clamming up and getting uncomfortable whenever Katara shows any negative emotion, usually resulting in him making excuses or running away. Or, in the case of the Southern Raiders, lecturing her on how she needs to just let go of her anger about her mother’s murder. People have talked this episode to death and usually better than I ever could, so imma... keep it brief. There’s a serious disconnect between Aang and Katara in his ability to empathize with Katara and her needs that has her tamping down her vulnerability and amping up her anger. He tells her that he was able to forgive his people’s genocide and appa’s kidnapping (petnapping? Theft??), which is blatantly not true but also not an entirely equal parrallel to Katara’s situation, and continues making these little remarks throughout the episode. But it’s Zuko that Katara opens up to. It’s with him that she’s able to talk about the most traumatic day of her life, and it’s with him that she’s able to get the closure she needs, cementing their bond as friends and partners. This disagreement between Aang and Katara is then... never resolved. They just never bring it up and hear what the other is saying.
There’s a fic called The Portraits of Ember Island that has a line that so completely sums up the heart of the matter for why people love their dynamic. For context, zuko has woken up early to help Katara with the cooking and they spend the whole time just letting one another talk, and zuko stops to ask why she always just lets him talk. And so she stops to ask why he’s always helping, and it goes as follows:
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There’s just... so much mutual support! Trust! Intimacy!! And it just continues like that from the Southern Raiders on, listening to each other, advising each other, watching each other’s backs! And then! Literally saving each other’s lives!! I will never be over the last Agni kai. Not ever. Zuko may have been willing to jump in front of lightning for anyone, but he actually did it for Katara. And in a show, that’s the thing that really matters. It’s a fulfilled trope usually exclusively applied to romantic pairings, and it ended up applying to Zuko and Katara. And then she ran out into the middle of a fight with tunnel vision just to get to him.
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Also!! Also Zuko pushing Katara out of the way of the falling rocks at the Western Air Temple!! And Katara catching him as he fell from the war balloon that he fought Azula on!! Before they’re even getting along, they’re the ones reaching for each other. They come to this place of equal ground, as partners, who watch each other’s backs, call each other out but still listen attentively and understand, and provide the support that the other has been sorely lacking up until they knew each other (whether that be from lack of effort or lack of understanding from others, or an unwillingness to accept it for themselves).
Then, trailing along under the surface of this, we see the themes of the show totally embodied by Zuko and Katara as individuals and in their relationship to one another. There’s a YouTuber, sneezyreviews, who has a, like, 2-hour explanation on why she not only loves zutara but also believes that their endgame would’ve actually elevated the writing of atla to new levels particularly because of thematic cohesion and resolved character arcs. It’s the zutara dissertation I never knew I needed, and it’s funny and eloquent and effective, so I’m just going to sum up her section on thematic cohesion to the best of my abilities and then link it for whenever you have the time. And I HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you want a full understanding of what makes zutara so great and gives it such longevity.
Guru pathik has a line that goes something like this: separation is an illusion; things that seem different are just two parts of the same whole. Iroh also tells Zuko something similar: balance and strength are achieved when the different nations come together and influence one another and celebrate what makes them each unique. And this lesson is a massive central arc that both Zuko and Katara go through, moving past a black-and-white, good guys-vs-bad guys, us-vs-them mentality and into a greyer, more nuanced view of the world. Zuko sees the fire nation from an entirely new perspective and while he still loves and hopes for his nations future, he surrenders his blind loyalty to them in exchange for an unflinching loyalty to peace and love. Katara too had to come to terms with the fact that cruel people exist in the earth kingdom and water tribes, while some fire nation citizens are just regular, kind people who also need and deserve to have someone speak on their behalf. And this is honed in directly on how they view each other. They grow in their individual journeys to be open to the humanity in the other and then, once they’ve found that, they’re able to grow more in compassion for others in a beautiful feedback loop. And this is all matched in the symbolism repeatedly and intentionally associated with them in canon: sun and moon, fire and water, yin and yang, Oma and Shu who found love despite their warring nations. Their individual arcs are completed in each other and complement the themes of atla beautifully.
The canon pairs... just don’t. Which, again, is fine. But the very things that give atla longevity and popularity are anchored in zutara. Kat@ang doesn’t accomplish this. They’re... nice. Sweet. Especially when you erase a good portion of their interactions in S3. It could’ve been just a sweet love story. (Personally, the dynamic between toph and aang accomplish the same thing that zutara does, with complementary personalities that fulfill the theme of opposites blending in harmony) M@iko, on the other hand, is less sweet but I think wasn’t even supposed to last. Zuko’s relationship with Mai seems to represent his relationship with his old life as a whole. He can’t be emotionally vulnerable, he’s goaded into abusing his privileges, his agency and opinions aren’t respected. They just don’t have common ground with which to discuss anything that matters, so they don’t. As far as themes, the relationship doesn’t fit with atla. It’s zuko returning to and sticking with what is (on the surface) like him, what’s expected. Fire nation with fire nation. Fluid water bender with the flexible air bender. Like with like, separated from what is different and challenging and complementary.
And all of these things combined of course lead to the potential for the ship. I don’t know how familiar you are with the post-atla canon but... well, miss “I will never turn my back on people who need me”, miss “I don’t want to heal! I want to fight!” ends up living quietly in the SWT as a designated healer who turns a blind eye to the water tribe civil war happening right outside her front door. Which can be fine! People change! Some people just wanna stay inside. I just wanna stay inside! But the potential future for zutara is so much more satisfying, with Katara becoming the most unconventional Fire Lady the uppity old cads who are stuck on the old ways have ever seen. Fanon has her serving as a voice for the other nations within a kingdom at the point of its biggest political upheaval, as a confidante to Zuko who can actually help him while he’s trying to figure out how to move forward and make reparations. They have the opportunity, together, to accomplish what they both have set on their hearts to fight for: positive change that lends itself to harmony and balance. And the steambabies! A popular headcanon is that their firstborn daughter, the crown princess, is actually a waterbender, which causes such an uproar among the people who are adamantly clinging to the old ways. It’s just a future full of potential to be forces for good together, full of trust, intimacy, joy. The exact era of peace and love and balance that zuko announces that he intends to ring in with the start of his reign as Fire Lord is, again, magnified by the very personal zutara relationship. And we love to see it.
tl;dr zutara isn’t for everyone. Some people just don’t vibe with it. Some are nostalgic. Some love the canon they grew up with. Some have been disappointed for years. Some just see themselves in other characters and want their happiness instead. Whatever the reason, that’s fine. But for me, I love the way these two, from the moment they give each other a fair chance, are able to lower their walls and prejudices to see the other for the kindred spirits they are. They see each other’s humanity, and their response is to pour out love and support and compassion. I love that they’re a power couple in battle. I love the symbolism and, honestly, soulmatism that colors their every interaction. I love that they embody the whole storyline of atla in their relationship and how it develops, which is notably why their seasonal arcs always culminate in each finale with how they relate to one another. I love that zuko adopting a waterbending move is what actually saves his life and then katara’s. I love the chemistry! And I love the future they could’ve had, instead of the ones they were given.
So, in conclusion: I just think they’re neat and I hope you do too, at least a little bit. Even if it’s just respectfully from a disinterested distance cause you do you. And now here is the video I mentioned. I’m sorry this post got so long and then I gave you an even longer homework assignment, but I can’t recommend it enough. She says it all better than I can.
youtube
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nanamis-aiko · 3 years ago
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Rekindled
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cw. Dabi being not an insane yandere [unfortunately], reader/mc being angry,
wc. 1k
an. sometimes you gotta set your heart ablaze with the flame you thought you snuffed out. part 2 of this because why not? I want him, okay? I want that murderous blue flame son of a deadbeat. This is not even close to canon or fanon. This is me just writing
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Ever since that voicemail, you've never stopped playing it every night. Everyone knew you moved on but I guess that was just a thought.
The distance made everything easy for you but the voice message was like a pandora's box. You'd look at your hand and remember how his callus-covered fingers feel. How you would gently touch his skin. The scent of his clothes would sometimes follow you around and you could have sworn you'd hear his heartbeat whenever you lay your head on your pillow. You couldn't even live a day without lighting a candle or something on fire.
You lied to yourself all this time, drowning yourself with whatever work or hobby you could get your hands on.
And now it's here. A choice. A choice that could end it all and start something. And you're paralyzed. You're numb.
You could text him back but what is there to say? He left you and now he wants you back? Even you knew how unfair this is.
Sometimes a fleeting wish would pass by your mind. "I wish you'd suffer more."
Maybe he did. Maybe he still is.
But you know... you can't just shut off the fact that your heart is being fueled by this blue flame. How its warmth just keeps you going. You dreamed of this, expecting nothing from it.
But he's here. His voice message at least.
What do you wanna do? It's been hours and you haven't moved an inch off your bed since this morning. You wasted a day off and for what? For nothing? You gotta do something at least.
You pushed yourself off the bed even though it was past the time where everyone should be in it. You grabbed a coat and put on your shoes to take a late-night walk.
It's not like the criminals are going to have the balls to make you their victim. Not after all of those that were found burned to a crisp the next day.
You sighed and realized how far your feet took you. Guess you're really deep into this, huh?
You found a place to sit on and just... sat there. The cool breeze just brushing past you. Guess that's one way to get yourself some peace.
Once you got your mind cleared up, you started walking back home but you took a little detour. You stopped where you're sure that no one could see you. You turned and stood there waiting.
"Dabi, I know you're following me."
You heard footsteps and saw a familiar figure. He had his hands in his pockets like always.
Not a word was spoken between you two.
You waited for him to say something but you couldn't even speak yourself. You shook your head and looked to the ground. You wrapped yourself tightly with your coat and opted to walk past him and take the route back to your place. But you bumped into him after he deliberately blocked you.
You don't know why but something in you started making your blood boil. You started trembling. You raised your fist and started hitting him. "You... son of a bitch! You asshole! You mother... fucker!"
Dabi took every hit and made sure not to fall.
"You left me! Without even a word... or anything! You just left me like I'm some... nothing." You tried hitting him harder. "You! You..." Your voice started to falter and your tears fell, blurring your vision in the process. You leaned your head on his chest. "This isn't some dream, is it? Or am I just going to wake up alone like always?"
Dabi caught you before you could fall on your knees. "If this was a dream the world would be burning at our feet right now."
"Why did you leave?" You gripped his jacket tight.
He threw his head back and huffed. "We're too different."
"I guess we really are." You tried to pull away but Dabi's hold on you was strong but he wasn't squeezing you.
"Different isn't so bad, you know?" He pulled you in. Your bodies were touching but he wasn't going to wrap his arms around you. Not that it was unusual. "I was wrong." His shoulders dropped. "Look, I wanna make things right but I just really don't think it's possible if it's not you."
"Aren't you supposed to be hiding from everyone? You're just gonna leave again."
"Not unless you're coming with me."
Your heart skipped a beat. You questioned yourself again whether this encounter is real or not. "What? How?"
"I set everything up. You think I was just gonna leave you alone after everything I said?" He let me go and stepped away. "If you walk away, call the authorities and tell them that your house was broken into. After that, I won't bother you anymore."
Your whole body felt like it was slowly being engulfed with fire. Your chest heated up and your face and ears felt like it was burning.
"But if you say yes, we could leave it all behind."
Chills ran up your spine. "But..." You thought about what you'll leave behind. Did anything matter at all? Will your disappearance even make a difference in other people's lives? You've mostly just stayed alone ever since.
"You won't be alone. The Liberation Front has thousands and thousands of people."
You chuckled. "Dabi, you know I hate people."
"Doesn't matter. You don't have to hide in any rundown shack. You get to do whatever you want. The league changed a lot, you know."
"So you really did cause that disaster in the city."
Dabi didn't say anything.
You took a deep breath. Maybe this is the change you're looking for. You looked at Dabi more intently. You remembered why you loved him in the first place. The whole world could go burn and you wouldn't care as long as... "I'll go with you."
Dabi smiled.
Something burst from your throat. You coughed and gagged and saw black ooze coming out of you. Before you could even think, you were engulfed in it all.
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[🗺][🌸][☣]
© Alfi. Alterations and republications are not allowed. Support the owner.
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palbabor-writes · 4 years ago
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KDJDJSLSKS OK SO- ik it’s widely accepted for Tomura to be kind of an asshole to y/n, but what if 😌 he had the kinda “asshole to the world but never to your girl” thing going on? 😌😌😌😌 I live, I love 🥰
Hey, hi, hey ✨
So, I pretty much exclusively write Tomura with that idea in mind. For me, it’s just a...if I can say this, a canon compliant concept.
Moar under the cutttt + spoilers for post Overhaul arc & MVA arc.
You opened a can of worms nonnie. I’m going to answer the ask, but imma hop on my soap box first ✨
Tomura I would argue, is less of an asshole and more of a sassafras. He is snarky, snarky & I love his attitude.
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I feel like early Tomura is the main font of this “asshole” misconception within the fandom. Horikoshi wrote him very differently in the beginning of BNHA. Pretty much everyone who met him called Tomura a “man child.” And he kinda is. He’s impatient and short tempered, but not once did he react to these slights with what I would classify as asshole behavior. Even when his life is threatened, he’s being a little sassy boi.
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He’s annoyed in these panels. But he’s not like, hey, you fucking dick, get off my nuts before I kill you. If anything, he elaborates on his thoughts and is challenging Stain to pick up the crappy pieces of his own shoddy “theories.” To Tomura, killing heroes is only breeding MORE heroes. He feels Stain’s plan is flawed & he tells him so.
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Tomura is also easily able to slip into different roles. He can fit in with others and make himself part of the crowd. He’s got mountains of self control. When he spies Izuku in the mall he doesn’t come at him with some angry outburst, instead he reverts to snark:
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Look at his voice bubbles! They’re a little wavy, but they’re nothing like his usual bubbles. This man can modulate and control how he sounds. He’s going for something open and friendly, albeit, his general demeanor is creepy, but he still manages to get close to Izuku and catch him off guard.
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This is the worst outburst we see from Tomura. He’s not spewing vitriol or degrading dialogue, if anything, he’s controlling himself. He’s not wanting to kill these guys anymore and he’s scratching out some space for himself. He needs time to process. He’s a little rude, I guess, but who hasn’t told someone to shut up? It’s a normal piece of conversation when you’re annoyed.
But ken, what about asshole behavior that is visible in the manga? I gotchu, don’t worry.
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This guy? Dabi? Yeah, this guy is an example of an asshole. He’s abrasive and confrontational from the GET. Tomura only responses to his aggression, he doesn’t project his frustration until after Dabi has called him fucking GROSS. You talk a lotta shit when you look like THAT king. Like, the morgue called, and they want their burn victim BACK.
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Again, Tomura is snarky, but he only calls Toga a freak after she spouts some nonsense about loving Stain so much she wants to kill him. These people are wild and he is not pleased. His ad in the paper asked for COMPETENT villains, not teens, tweens and anything in between.  
Plus, Mr. 3rd Degree Burns keeps ignoring his questions. I’d be peeved too, y’all.
Dabi is the asshole in the LOV. He goes out of his way to be nasty, especially to Spinner:
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How does Tomura deal with Spinner? He treats him as an equal, even asks his opinion on battle strategy when they are in Deika City.
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Tomura has changed a toooon over the course of this manga. Horikoshi has deepened his growth and created a very well rounded and complex character. He cares about his people and he hates being disrespected. Hell, he hates when his people are taken advantage of.
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This man, if you are on his side, will fight for you.
So, I don’t write him as an asshole. To me, that is fanon and not canon. Now writing him as blunt, snarky and impatient? Sure. Because, to me, he IS all those things and we can see him being all those things.
ANYWAY. If you made it this far, here is the Drabble:
“They haven’t checked in for two days. Should I call them? I told Toga she needed to-“
“Don’t bother. If it exposes our hand, then this whole mission is a waste.”
“But if they-“
“Why do I need to repeat myself? Like I said, if our plan is revealed then Mange’s death, and your fucking arm, were sacrificed for no reason. Don’t call them, Compress.”
You’re perched on the edge of a large box, watching the tense exchange. Tomura has been quiet the last few days, even keeping you at an arms length. He’s upset, and he’s been brittle, jagged in his recent conversations and movements.
Compress tosses you a quick glance and shrugs, his light brown eyes darkening. “All right, I suppose we can go off of the old saying that: no news, is good news. However, I am going to ask Toga to maintain regular check in’s the next time she calls.”
“Fine,” Tomura grunts, following Compress’ line of sight, his eyes lingering over your seated form. “Is that all?”
���Yes, yes,” Compress nods, his gloved hand waving in the air beside his head. “That’s all from me. I’ll check on the van. Giran said it would be available this afternoon.”
Tomura continues his silent observation of you, barely lifting his chin to acknowledge Compress’ statement.
“I’ll be back this afternoon,” Compress continues, letting out a soft chuckle as he turns on his heel, closing the heavy door behind him.
“You think they’re ok?” You ask, your voice soft.
Tomura removes Father from his face, his long white hair falling around his cheeks. “I told them I trusted in their abilities. It’s not sending the right message if I pester them for intel and their whereabouts every few days. Don’t you start up, too.”
You laugh and hop off the crate, your feet padding you over to him. “I’m not, it’s just...it’s so soon after...I mean, Mange’s death was...”
“Yes. Chisaki is an idiot if he thinks one lackey of his is equal to our Mange. This has to work.”
You lift a hand, pressing your fingers across his jaw, cupping his warm skin. Tomura leans into your touch, his vermilion eyes slipping behind his hooded eyelids.
“It will,” you confirm, pulling him down to your lips.
∩(・ω・)∩
Sorry for the lecture. It was a fun ask to answer! 
Bonus!
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remuscore · 4 years ago
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the breaking down for virgil?
One more to go. I promise I don’t hate Virgil I just have a lot to say about him as a character lol
How I feel about this character: I never liked Virgil?? And I don’t know why??? Like he’s real funny in the actual show, love him there think he’s really funny, but I just never really… liked him?? He’s a dick, but in the wrong way because he’s a hypocrite dick. Like everything he hates about the dark sides was how he acted before. He obviously sees that, but isn’t doing anything about that??? And he was real out of pocket with Remus like he was aggressive with Janus, but the worse he ever said was calling him a liar and telling him to shut up. Bitch called Remus worthless and said his role didn’t matter??? Always thinking about that bitch you might’ve distracted me with your purple eyeshadow and terrible skateboarding skills— oh god he became a gaslighting eboy.
All the people I ship romantically with this character: Once again it’s Roman and Logan. Really though, all romantic relationships with Virgil are iffy to me. They’re all queer platonic at best. Not at all saying queer platonic isn’t a real relationship or whatever, but the question isn’t phased with arospec people in mind. Anyways, the relationship he has between these two is DEFINITELY more than just a simple friendship and I cannot see it otherwise. Everything about Roman calling him brave and Logan consistently check to make sure Virgil feels like he has a choice in their discussions proves this shit I love them.
My non-romantic OTP for this character: Okay this one is gonna be strange, but I am so fucking fascinated by Virgil’s and Patton’s friendship. Patton treated Virgil like everyone else, but he did not take in the fact that Virgil wasn’t used to that type of interaction and didn’t like it. Patton made an effort to change that behavior and Virgil made the effort to reassure Patton that they were cool. They are so similar. Just completely different personalities, but same morals and aliments. I’m so interested to see how this friendship continues I want to see how all this turns out.
My unpopular opinion about this character: This is most likely just a me thing, but Virgil really isn’t a very relatable character. Maybe it’s because he has anxiety and I don’t or it’s because he’s emo and I wasn’t or because he has this weird thing with control where he is way to bias to himself or something idk he’s just not relatable to me. People who do relate to him make me nervous because they either relate to the fanon Virgil who is barely even Virgil or the canon one who is a total asshole hypocrite that I feel like would call me toxic for being the wrong type of mentally ill. Either way, the purity culture of this guy ruins him for me and I’ll gladly explain more if anyone asked.
One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon: Why is he such a dick in the second season!!! Why tell me what changed to make him ten times more of an asshole to everyone than he was in the beginning of the series. Is it because Janus being introduced scared him into thinking Thomas will hate him??? Is it because of Thomas’ current battle with self image and morality that’s making him lash out from the constant anxiety??? Is it because the dark sides hurt him somehow and he thinks lashing out will keep them away God what is it I so desperately want to know.
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jiangwanyinscatmom · 4 years ago
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Jiang Cheng is a soft caring Uncle who knows exactly how Jin Ling feels:
A few sect leaders clutched onto their sons, cautioning them, “When the corpses rush inside all together, protect yourself and try to get out. Stay alive no matter what! Do you understand?!”
As Jin Ling heard them, he felt himself cringe, yet somewhere deep down he hoped that his uncle would say something similar. He waited for it, but nothing came from Jiang Cheng, so he couldn’t help but glare at him. He must have glared for too long, and Jiang Cheng finally turned to him.
He seemed a bit less gloomy, but he frowned, “What’s wrong with your face?”
“…” Jin Ling was quite annoyed, “Nothing!”
Jiang Cheng helped his own domain outside of Yunmeng/Lotus Pier and definitely does not torture cultivators:
The owner continued, “On top of that, Lotus Pier is truly a scary place. Why would anyone dare go there again?”
Wei WuXian moved his gaze from Lan WangJi’s calm face with a short pause of surprise, “Lotus Pier is scary? How could Lotus Pier be scary? You’ve been there?”
The owner, “I haven’t been there myself, but I know someone who went because his house was being badly haunted. But it was all bad luck. That Sect Leader Jiang was cracking a glowing whip right on the training field. The victim’s flesh and blood flew as high as his screams! A servant secretly informed him that the sect leader caught the wrong person again, that he hadn’t been in a great mood, and that he definitely shouldn’t be irritated in any way. He was so scared that he dropped off the gifts he brought and fled at once. He never dared visit again.”
Wei WuXian had long since heard of how Jiang Cheng had been searching for cultivators of the ghost path who seemed like they seized another’s body, taking all of them into Lotus Pier to be tortured and questioned. The owner’s friend probably just happened to have ran into him when he was letting off steam. It wasn’t hard to imagine how hideous Jiang Cheng would’ve looked, so no wonder a normal person would make a run for it.
Jiang Cheng is definitely not homophobic he's only saying he doesn't like Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji ( Now half of this IS true!):
Hearing him mention ‘under a tree’, Wei WuXian felt his heart skip a beat—could Jiang Cheng have seen the moment where he crashed into Lan WangJi’s arms?
His guess was not wrong. Jiang Cheng did indeed go out to find Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi. He chased after them in the direction that the street vendors pointed at. A voice in his heart seemed to tell him which places Wei WuXian would definitely go. He caught up to them in just a while. Yet, he just so happened to see Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi enveloped in a tight embrace under a tree, unwilling to let go of each other even after so long.
Goosebumps immediately ran down Jiang Cheng’s body.
Although he’d made guesses at the relationship between Mo XuanYu and Lan WangJi before, they were only attacks trying to offend Wei WuXian, not that he really doubted anything. He’d never thought that Wei WuXian would have ambiguous ties with a man, for after all, when they grew up together, Wei WuXian had never expressed any such interest. He’d always loved good-looking girls with a passion. On the other hand, it was even more impossible for Lan WangJi. He was famous for his asceticism, seemingly interested in neither men nor women.
But hugging like that seemed intense no matter what. At least, they didn’t seem like normal friends or brothers. He immediately recalled that Wei WuXian had always stuck to Lan WangJi ever since he came back. Lan WangJi’s attitude towards him was also different from what it was before he was reborn. At once, he was almost certain that the two really were in that kind of relationship. He couldn’t turn around and leave, yet he didn’t want to say a single word to the two, so he continued to hide himself as he followed them. Every single look and movement that passed between them seemed different in his eyes. For a while, the shock, absurdity, and slight disgust that he felt combined to overpower his hatred. It was only after Wei WuXian brought Lan WangJi into the ancestral hall that the long-suppressed hatred was awakened again, devouring his courtesy and rationality.
Wei Wuxian really really is hung up on getting that actual reconciliation with Jiang Cheng since his life isn't whole without Jiang Cheng:
Lan WangJi, “SiZhui.”
Lan SiZhui finally snapped out of it. He gave Chenqing back to Wei WuXian with both hands again, “Senior Wei.”
Wei WuXian took the flute. Remembering that Jiang Cheng was the one who brought it, he turned over there and commented casually, “Thanks.” He waved Chenqing, “I’ll… be keeping this?”
Jiang Cheng glanced at him, “It was yours in the first place.”
After a moment of hesitation, his lips moved slightly, as though he wanted to say something else. However, Wei WuXian had already turned to Lan WangJi. Seeing this, Jiang Cheng remained silent.
Jiang Cheng is also really, really hung up about that need of reconciliation and definitely not also reflecting on what his actions started in hindsight and the mistakes from it:
He spoke, irritated, “Shut up. Jin Ling. Shut up. We’re going back. Each to their own sect.”
Jin Ling paused in surprise. After some hesitation, he shut up obediently. Head hanging, he walked a few steps beside Jiang Cheng before looking up again, “Uncle, you had something to say, didn’t you?”
Jiang Cheng, “What? No.”
Jin Ling, “Just now! I saw it. You wanted to say something to Wei WuXian, and then you didn’t.”
After a moment of silence, Jiang Cheng shook his head, “There’s nothing to say.”
What could he say?
That back then, I wasn’t caught by the Wen Sect because I wanted to go back to Lotus Pier to retrieve my parents’ corpses. That, at the town we passed on our way, when you were buying food, a group of Wen Sect cultivators caught up. That I had discovered them early and left where I sat, hiding at the corner of the street and didn’t get caught, but they were patrolling the streets and would soon run into you outside.
That this was why I ran out and distracted them.
But just like how the past Wei WuXian could not tell him the truth about giving him his golden core, the current Jiang Cheng was not able to say anything either.
TL;DR: Popular fanon is not canon in regards to Jiang Cheng and he is not "secretly" soft on the inside.
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juniaships · 4 years ago
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Actiontoongorlz's Top 8 Canon x OC Ships 💖💖
I've been looking at OTP/Couples memes for a while and decided that it's time for me to make my own! For an extra surprise I'm not putting Ben Tennyson x Jora Holiday on this list because I focus too much on them anyways & I want my other OCs & their loves to have the spotlight for a change. The timing couldn't be more perfect as we're close to Valentine's Day!!! If you don't support canon x oc or find my ships displeasing then move along because this is a Happy Place! 😁😁 Again these are couples that I consider my personal OTPs in regards to canon x oc. That and making more content with my ships in general! Be warned the text is long and contains spoilers for certain shows and such!!
Clarify: these are my own ocs so there's not going to be anyone else's oc/canon. I might have to save that for another post in the future! 💚 But yeah these are characters that I came up with :]
Alright I'm done ranting, let's get started!
1. Sonic x Lani: I never quite gave much thought into this pair as I should so I promise to do something with them in the future! I promise! What I appreciate about SonLani is that there's little drama, like everything is super chill because both parties are chill. It's not a big deal and they don't need grand gestures to show how much they care about each other. Unlike Preboot Archie with its carts full of poorly written romance and strangely OOC moments on Sonic's end, SonLani had a lot of time to grow, while keeping his established personality in check. They actually communicate with each other, and stick by each other thick and thin. Lani loves Sonic for who he is & has no plans on changing him. Likewise Sonic has someone he can rely on when things get tough; not to mention he can really be himself around her without going all "iLl sLOw dOWn fOr U." Plus the ship name I gave them is a huge nod to the games ^_^
2. Jason x Vanessa: A recent pair due to Vanessa being a new creation but I'm honestly in love with them right now. In-universe they are regarded as the prime example of 'Opposites Attract' in Odyssey. They didn't get along very well in Jason's first couple of months in town due to his hardheaded self and her aloof demeanor. But through events such as Blackgaard and Novacom they gradually learn to trust one another. They see each other in a different light, Vanessa realising that Jason is a lot more thoughtful than he lets on, and Jason discovering her hidden fun side and kindness. Vanessa provides challenges and a sense of normalcy Jason can enjoy away from spy business. Meanwhile Jason fulfills her thirst of adventure & simultaneous desire for a peaceful life as well as spirituality. They're a equals, regarding each other as such and not to mention the BANTER! Hard to believe a former nun can keep up with a secret agent both physically and trading barbs XD. There's also the Forbidden Love factor of Vanessa being the duaghter of Regis Blackgaard, Jason defending her because he KNOWS she is nothing like her old man. Their friendship and romance overcome so many obstacles. I can honestly say that if Vanessa was canon she'd be the type of person Jason would like to be with especially over Jillian Marshall *gags*
3. Kaysha Wallace x Leo Hamato: Now here's a ship that I want to get more into 😁😁 Honestly I love the idea of this pairing: the serious leadee x bubbly spirit! Kaysha is very perky yet understands Leo's feelings on shouldering so much responsibility (she being the oldest child in her family). She's very willing to support him because she doesn't want to see him get all weary from burden. Likewise Leo can be himself around her, and teach her to be more responsible. He doesn't doubt her potential and sees her as an equal even during those periods where she was not on par with the other ninja. Kaysha shows Leo it's okay to relax and let other people help him out and not shut everyone out. When Leo expresses his ability to give her a safe life she simply laughs it off; the way she sees it him simply there in her life is enough. The most interesting facet is their dynamic varies between shows, so you'd see different scenarios and reactions as well as similarities and differences in their romance subplot.
4. Artie x Rhodanthe: Another couple I seriously need to give more attention to, they're meant to be is the foil to Shrek and Fiona in several ways. Artie and Rho may come from different social classes but they're both searching for a purpose to prove their haters wrong. Artie lacked confidence while Rho was overconfident believing she didn't need help. Together Artie learns to stand up for not only for his kingdom and loved ones hut also for himself; Rho's pride gets tempered by Artie's kindness and willingness to compromise. Another thing I like is that Artie has someone who loves him for him not because he is attractive and of royal blood. Likewise Rho has someone who respects her in spite of her social standing & shares her beliefs in making life easier for the poor & outcasts. While both lacke the physical prowess of Shrek and Fiona they rely on each other's resourcefulness and strategic thinking to get by. Unlike Shrek and Fiona they don't get married at the end of their focus movie, resolving to figure out where to take their relationship next. They still have their own life goals and don't want to rush into a relationship which sends a pretty good message. However they have their disagreements - in fact they got a huge argument that became a plot point in Shrek Forever After - but through it all they rediscover the things that made them fall in true love with each other. I'm really loving the subplot I have planned where they forget their memories and slowly fall back in love again.
5. Finn x Alma: Surprise! Yes8 I have a Cars OC (that was originally a fanon Disney Princess) who is the niece of Tow Mater in my verse and she enters a relationship with Finn McMissile. The thing I love about this pair is that it allows Alma to use her skills to flourish, treating amd healing injured spies. She's also into travel and adventure so she can pretty much keep up with Finn. Likewise Finn realizes she is more than just a pretty face or a one-off fling but someone with the passion to face challenges head on; Finn seems to love a good challenge! But overall they'd make a nice pairing, Finn showing Alma the world and Alma showing Finn some of the more simpler things in life.
6. Alexander Paine & Qiu Jin: Well well well look at what the cat dragged in? If it isn't our first villain pairing? XD Just kidding only one half is a genuine villain. What makes this couple so unique in that their storyline goes way back to before the events of the show, he being a agent and she a mechanic. They loved each other deeply, even to the point of starting a family, but forced apart due to some troubling events. When they do get back together it's not so much a bittersweet reunion as Paine became a full villain and Qiu Jin had spent years in&out mental institution before being released There's visible pain & regret, Alexander desperately wanting a semblance of what they once had. He seeks power not just for himself for to heal her. But Jin refuses to go along with his schemes wanting nothing more than to move on and see their children. Jin is a huge Mortality Pet for him, but his own selfish desires for power is a major obstacle their love can't overcome. It's the more bittersweet of my pairings but an important one nonetheless.
7. Bruce Wayne x Nicola Holden: Ok the Brooding Guy/Gentle Girl trope is a mixed bag these days but I really like this trope in regards to Brucola. Like with Artie/Rho, Bruce and Nicola come from different social classes but has that same compassion and drive to help others. Nicola is someone Bruce can trust but at the same time she lets him know there are boundaries (aka don't use my weaknesses as a contingency plan). I also feel like Bruce needs a sort of normal love interest, while he has canon normal girlfriends most of them were pretty boring. At least with Nicola she has has a life outside being a love interest her own goals and motivations. She also loves Bruce for him, not because of his money and good looks. It's a generally healthy dynamic built on honesty & empathy. Another reason why I find this pair adorable is that it actually matches with the rest of the Trinity; you know, like how Superman is with a journalist and Wondy is with a soldier/agent. Nicola & Bruce having different ways of pursuing justice while still sharing similar moral codes. It helps that Nicola is actually a hero rather than an antihero/villain/straight villain (Bruce dating a villan would only make him look like a hypocrite). Nicola sees all facets of Bruce's life and makes the choice to stay; provides some much needed light not just in his life but also the rest of the Batfam. In turn Bruce has another connection to the normal world that is willing to be in his life and see him genuinely happy. They're mature adults who ground each other and build each other up.
8. Optimus Prime x Malina Lovelace: Okay is it just me or do I think TFA Optimus Prime needs more love? What's funny is that at first Malina didn't like the thought of being outshined by newcomers in her superhero career. Spending time with Optimus makes her realize that there's more to being a superhero than fame. Optimus doesn't look down on her, and is more than willing to work with her and appreciate her work. She becomes touched by his friendliness and aceepts him and the other Bots. At the same time Malina reminds Optimus that it's okay to make mistakes and move on, and that it's okay to cut toxic people out. I even wrote a noncanon ficlet where Malina calls out Sentinel and Blackarachnia for the way they treat Optimus. OptMalina is a romance built on respect despite the obvious differences. Not to mention they have each other's back, and they learn about each other each time. And just like with KayLeo and BatRose there's different continuities which means unique versions of the Optlina pair. The Bayverse *chortle* and Prime versions are a few I'd love to explore in the future!
Miscellaneous
- Chad Charming x Soraya Nedakh: Essentially snobby rich kid who learns to be self sufficient and see past appearances through a positive influence. Soraya helps Chad to understand that being royalty isn't just pretty clothes and parties but actually using that status to help others. And Chad actually has his views challenged: Soraya doesn't back down easily.
- Jetta x Zane: The concept of JettaZane (or A Touch Of Snow/IceMagic) is that the robot teaches the human what it's like to be human. Jetta started out as an extremely cold person and a loner, but her time with Zane - the literal ninja of ice - gradually melts her heart & she becomes more caring and accepting. So the robot programmed to be human helps the human raised to be a cold machine unlearn her toxic traits and reclaim her humanity. Also Pixane is kinda boring imo, like they're only together because they're both robots. Not very compelling if you ask me.
- Brian Crown x Kelly Arbol: The wellmeaning goofball and the beatnik poet are something I rarely see much of, but that pretty much sums up their ship. Brian may be a bit self centered but he has a heart of gold and through Kelly's influence he becomes more confident in being a worthy successor to his dad. Meanwhile Brian respects Kelly in and out costume and teaches her how to have fun. Not to mention Kelly interacts with someone outside her circle, which is a welcome change from the trope of only dating someone within your circle.
- Janus Lee x Lenora Rose: Another pair from the same show as Paine and Qiu Jin, there's not much to say on them other than it's one of the most tragic couples. Lenora died a long time ago due to circumstances beyond her & Mr. Lee's control and it's her death that was the catalyst to his gradual descent into evil. As the show goes on we see glimpses of their life together and realize that Lenora is more than the Ghost, she was someone with her own dreams and motivations. She and Janus were outcasts who found companionship in each other, and were able to build a life together using their hard-earned resources to help others. Even in the last few months of her life she didn't go down without a fight, wanting her legacy to be one of love and hope. It's her memory that may be the key to redeeming Mr. Lee in the future of A.T.O.M.
- Ben Florian x Paige: Again not much else to say but they're the antithesis of Mal x Ben. One thing that bothers me about Mal & Ben is that they are supposed to be equals when it's pretty darn obvious from the scenes they were not. With PaigeBen it's clear that they ARE equals who respect each other. Ben's agency isn't reduced to just love interest, he has someone he has good communication with and wants to see him succeed. Paige has someone who shares her interests and see her more than just that One American Newbie. They LEARN to work together without love potions involved. Plus we haven't had a commoner Disney Princess in a while so Paige fills in as someone who works her way into high status then uses that status to help others with Ben at her side.
That's enough of my Canon x OC OTPs! I hope to explore them more throughout the year :) I work hard to flesh out my OCs and their romantic storylines as if they're real 💚😌
I do have KayLeo week planned for Feb 14 to Feb 21 so don't be shocked when I start posting rottmnt stuff or art of Kaysha! Anyways these are my personal ships that I enjoy despite the lack of content I made of them, so hopefully I have the creative juices flowing to make more stuff! Final note I'm working on a platonic oc x canon meme to show that love doesn't have to be romantic. A
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tortoisesshells · 4 years ago
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Character ask: give us your best Henry Hopkins apology ;)
ooh, there’s a callout I haven’t got in a while. :D
Why I like them: One repressed Yankee recognizes another. /s
Because while Henry Hopkins comes off as a quiet, kind man, who has zero hang-ups about crying in front of people he barely knows, scrubbing bedpans, and spilling his darkest secrets because they might help someone else do better than him, he’s got a baseline of anger that he doesn’t know what to do with and is genuinely dangerous, because (I presume) he’s spent so much time ignoring it that he has no idea how to act when he can’t, anymore.
Also, he shuts down a Confederate preacher in the middle of that man’s sermon. That was neat.
Why I don’t: You’d think it’d be the anger issues, but no: Staunch abolitionist falls as-over-teakettle in love with a pretty, slowly-reforming Confederate belle at nearly first sight. Emma’s politics change significantly when she has exposure to the rest of the world, thank goodness, but ffs Henry did you leave your principles in Williamstown
Favorite Episode: Toss-up between 1x03/“The Uniform” and 1x05/”The Dead Room”. This blog is a Henry-Hopkins-Is-Great-At-His-Job-And-Terrible-With-His-Own-Emotions-And-Faith concern.
Favorite Season: S2, because as much as I love the aforementioned episodes, S2 gave me: Henry looking like he’s going to faint at the blood transfusion, playing the straight man to Jed and Hale’s fairly manic exploits to treat Corporal DeBrier(sp?), his somewhat-inappropriate joy that Emma trusts him enough to ask him for help telling a dying man he’s going to die, the previously mentioned theological throw-down, and the abbreviated crisis of faith arc, which could have been great. Alas.
Favorite Line: I really want to say any of his very serious lines about morality or his past, but “Making the steward a hero, of sorts. An irony even God might smile at.” (& his look of complete bafflement at what was the higher power was thinking, making Bullen the man to accidentally save President Lincoln) does have a special place in my heart.
Favorite Outfit: Does he own more than the one suit? Even Jed gets a different waistcoat every episode. All poor Henry gets is an apron of varying cleanliness every once in a while.
OTP: Henry/Emma, but also Henry/Therapy in a much more pressing way.
BrOTP: We never got Henry interacting significantly with Mary again after 1x01 because the team-up would be too powerful, too unstoppable. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Thank goodness for fanon!
Canonically, Henry is an excellent foil for Jed’s exuberance and seemingly wild ideas, and I appreciate both that they work well, when they do, and they both seem to benefit from each other’s presence.
Headcanon: In his rather sprawling family, Henry feels a little lost and unspectacular, compared to his University-president father (and uncle the astronomy professor), his siblings who have sparkling careers, families, settled lives. To say nothing of his great-something-uncle Samuel Hopkins who studied with Jonathan “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God” Edwards and was one of the leading lights (ha.) of the New Divinity movement following the First Great Awakening.
Unpopular Opinion: I don’t think I have one?
A Wish: That we’d gotten S3 (and S4, etc.) & his crisis of faith arc wasn’t so rushed or abbreviated.
An oh-god-please-don’t-ever-happen: I suppose (modeling off your answer, @sagiow!) that if we ever get a wrap-up movie (or comic, etc.) I actually wouldn’t mind if he left Mansion House, following his conviction that he’s not doing enough at the Hospital, but I would personally be devastated if that meant he gets killed in battle (or, more likely, dies of dysentery).
Five Words to Best Describe Them: Contradictory, Angry, Principled, Empathetic, A Mess ™
My Nickname For Them: I don’t have anything for him, specifically, but my tag for any Henry/Emma content for a while was “Charming and Photogenic Idiots”?
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hrpayo01 · 4 years ago
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All my previous ships when i was younger had zutara energy. Delena, Klaroline, Sparrabeth... and yea yea, there’s probably a lot of problematic things about them, dont read too hard, i was a younglin and i still adore most of them but even then i dont think i ever shipped zutara when i was young despite my obvious type and my crush on Zuko. I dont think i particularly cared for Kataang or Maiko either but all i know is i just had to watch ATLA once and it made it to my top 3 favorite shows ever.
Rewatching ATLA as an adult with no intentions of shipping surprised me at
a. How much i ended up loving Kataang and
b. How there was almost no romantic interaction between Zuko and Katara. The only exception, the only instance for when i know there was romantic shading between the two was their moment in the cave. It wasnt romantic for either but there was a possibility. I wont deny them of that moment. That was Elena when Damon on that roadtrip when she asked if she could trust him, Caroline and Klaus at the ball by the horse, Elizabeth and Jack at the bonfire. The difference though is neither were pining and also, all that was out the window when Zuko betrayed them and Aang died.
Not only did that shut the possibility with Zuko (not that she was even thinking about it) that also made her realize how much she loved Aang. Other than that, there really was objectively nothing!
A ship doesnt have to be canon to ship it but you need to admit the limits of their interactions. You dont need to color everything, just admit you like them and dive into fanon, but to claim what isnt there?! Hey, I mildly ship Tokka but i know Sokka dont feel that way lol. And even if Elizabeth ended up with Will, at one point that compass that points to what she wanted most pointed to JACK. While her lover was kidnapped! Those are kind of contradictory examples lmao but at least one of the pair was pining canonically, lol.
And he called her peasant! That was enough for me 😂😭
Also, he felt entitled to her forgiveness and got mad at her for not warming up to him. Tf is that? You burned down her village, whooped her brother, held her hostage, kidnapped her best friend and got him killed. Not to mention you hunted them down and sent a mind bomb assassin after them. Yall dont have to be friends, you’re lucky she even let you in the group. None of her friends are forcing her to be nice to you so how dare YOU. And taking the lightning for her? He gave Azula that idea!!! Ugh.
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azuzulira · 4 years ago
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My hero academia concept time: Making Mineta likeable by a general audience.
It's no secret that a lot of people HATE Mineta, which, given how he be, is totally understandable. He's a huge perv. But the thing is, anime can have pervs that are well liked by the audience. A lot of Mineta fans will claim that it's because the characters are attractive, but that's not really true. Take Jiraiya, for instance. He's an old lecherous man who peeps on women in hot springs (sound familiar?), And he is closely associated with Toads. He's not really attractive (in my opinion, though some people may find him attractive. Keep in mind some people also probably find Mineta attractive). However, he is liked by a wide audience. Why? I believe it is because he has a few thing Mineta lacks; namely character depth and relationships with other characters. That is what I aim to fix, without making him much less perverted (to prove Mineta can be likeable even as a perv).
First, character depth. Mineta only really ever shows the perverted side of himself. There are exceptions when he shows his determination, or heroic potential, even if those are related to his perving, and also his entirely-understandable cowardice. So to make him a bit less of a one note character, let's give him an outlet to show both his determination and his cowardice. He is supposedly someone Horikoshi sees a lot of himself in, so let's give Mineta some artistic talent. Let's suppose he is really good at drawing, especially the human figure (female, for subtle reminder he is a perv). But no one knows because he fears people will say his art is bad. We're showing determination, in that he took the time to get good, and of him being afraid of being rejected (which can then, for people who analyze characters, reflects on his interactions with women). We can steal a little more from Horikoshi, and give Mineta an interest in American culture. Not to an All Might degree, but enough to get passing references and recognize some things. This doesn't even have to affect his goal. He could still want to be a hero to get chicks, but ateast now there's more to him than that.
Next is his relationships with other characters, which for most, are neutral or some degree of dislike. The notable exception to this is Kaminari; they've bonded over mutual perviness (Kaminari's one of my faves, but he does have a couple instances of perviness). However, we can deepen this bond by suggesting Kaminari has some degree of interest in American culture, from a literary perspective (which I suggest, since Hemmingway is one of the few things we know Kaminari to know about, and he seems to suggest he has read at least one novel by him). From here, we can also extend a bond between Mineta and both Bakugou and Midoriya (who both likely have their own interest in American culture due to All Might) Have home carry on a normal conversation with them about an all might movie, where he is comparing it to other similar films and Midoriya and Bakugou are looking it from the perspective of it being about All Might. Boom, Mineta's got a connection to two classmates beyond being classmates (American All Might movie night). It would also give home a connection outside of 1A; specifically with Pony Tsunotori. A non-sexual connection to a girl would do good for his character Now we can use his skill as an artist to draw connections between him and other characters. Once people find out, Aoyama might ask Mineta to paint a portrait of him, since that seems very Aoyama. Or, potentially for another non-sexual connection with a girl, he could draw a portrait of hagakure so other people know what she looks like. We could also see him have a non-sexual connection with Midnight, where he is actively known to enjoy her class for it's actual content. Finally, let's use a stated but rarely shown fact to give him connections. He's very smart, even among class 1A, even though he places just ahead if middle of class in terms of grades. Say we see him doing homework with a few of his classmates. Pointing out a mistake they made. The great part about this is that it could reasonably be a significant portion of class. Let's say Kaminari, because already friends, Sato, because size dichotomy, and Sero, since they were final partners. We can also lean into our meta knowledge of Mineta, knowing he is intended as comic relief, to give him connections to the audience, in the form of different gags other than perviness . Like sticking by his head to walls or ceilings. Heck, we can throw in another reminder he is a perv here, by having him complain about being stuck, but instant shut up or go "this isn't so bad" when a girl walks by, since he is now at or above boob level.
Anyway this has just been a ramble to explain how I think a fanon Mineta could be good while also keeping him largely in line with canon, and also proving that he can be less disliked by simply adding a few things and removing nothing.
What are some things you think could be added to Mineta to make him likeable?
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firebirdsdaughter · 5 years ago
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Random Writing Tidbit-ish… Romance?…
… So.
I wrote about kissing.
That’s new.
Well, it’s rather involved kissing.
Please note, though: This does contain references to romantic interactions (such as kissing and physical contact) of dubious consent—at the very least, there is an extreme power disbalance in the situation.
So… In canon I want them to be friends (not usually big on canon romance, actually), and in my ‘official’ fanon, they’re friends… But… But kissing, guys.
When is this set? Is it an AU? An alternate possible timeline? I don’t know. I’m pretty sure this is massively ooc, but I wanted to post it anyway to prove I could. I guess. Maybe. I’m very tired right now. I have no common sense or judgement.
I’m sorry.
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“It wasn’t my idea to do this now!” Fuwa growled, stomping across the floor of the basement as they waited. The plan was to move Horobi to a more secure location in a continuation of their current, however shaky, alliance against Thouser, but they had to wait until the close was clear and no one else could notice and possibly report to ZAIA. As a result, Hiden was having Izu monitor the headquarters’ security cameras, the two of them had been stuck biding their time in the dark, empty basement—together. For hours. “I’d rather not spend more time with you!”
“I have noticed.” Horobi replied dryly, preferring to stand at the centre of the room and look around rather than useless motion, watching the human pace. He could have sat down in one of the still-upright folding chairs, but he’d had enough of them after weeks of being trapped in one.
Vulcan’s head spun around to glare furiously at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You have been particularly vocal on the subject.”
“That a problem?” Fuwa’s voice came from right beside his shoulder, the human having marched back over to him, eyes blazing angrily.
Horobi sighed, turning to face him, rolling his eyes. “Why must humans be so insufferably loud?”
Then Fuwa’s face was in his, practically spitting, like Vulcan always did when he began boiling over. “You trying to start a fight or something?”
Horobi said nothing, just staring back at him for a moment—then, because Fuwa was so close, radiating anger, and because he’d had enough of being pushed and snapped at all day, he leaned his head sharply forward and shoved his lips roughly against Vulcan’s.
It wasn’t really a kiss. More just slamming their mouths together and holding there. But even that was unexpectedly an almost… Pleasant sensation. Fuwa was warm. He was solid. He was… Real. And so very… Human. He was everything Horobi should detest with every single atom in his being, and yet the closeness was… Comforting. He felt Fuwa freeze, his heartbeat rising and his breath coming short, telltale signs that said he’d never done this before.
Something in Horobi’s mind misfired, and without thinking he found himself pulling closer, trying to cling to the warmth of Fuwa’s body like the room was suddenly cold, his hands actually reaching up to grab hold of the human’s suit jacket for more proximity. Vulcan was still too stunned to react, but he didn’t falter or stumble back when Horobi pressed closer against him, stedfast as a pillar. Horobi’s head tilted, unbidden, like his body wanted to turn this into a real kiss, his lips moving against Fuwa’s. The reaction made even less sense to him—HumaGear had no hearts, no lungs, no blood. He should have no instincts that could move him without his command… But he’d also learned long ago that they were still sensitive to touch—and something about contact with Fuwa made him want more. Abnormally warm, heartbeat like a bass drum, and the sheer fact that Vulcan hadn’t tried to kiss back at all, wasn’t trying to press the unexpected advantage he suddenly had or make use of Horobi’s abrupt loss of guard. The complete opposite of that person…
When Fuwa finally did move, it was to shove Horobi away, like the touch was painful to him, jerking back and staring like a deer caught in headlights. With some distance between them, Horobi’s senses came back online, and he immediately tried to recover some of his own dignity, reassuming his usual cold expression. Vulcan took longer to bounce back, visibly struggling to calm both his heartbeat and breathing.
He looked so startled and lost that Horobi couldn’t resist a smirk. “… I would have assumed you had at least kissed before.”
Fuwa turned red, though it was hard to tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. “W… What are you…?”
“It is particularly obvious by how flustered you are.” Horobi informed him shortly, not bothering to wait for him to finish.
“Of… Of course I’ve…!” Fuwa’s panicked look settled into an only slightly rattled glare as he trailed off. “And what the hell would you know about kissing?!”
“More than you do, apparently.” Horobi tilted his head, analysing Vulcan’s agitation. “Really? No one?” He smirked slightly once more. “Not even Valkyrie?”
Fuwa flushed even more at the mention of Yaiba, turning away to collect himself. By the time he looked back over at Horobi, however, his eyes had narrowed even more, his mouth twisting. “Sh… Shut up!” He snapped sourly. “Where the hell did a HumaGear trying to destroy humanity learn kissing, then?!”
“Amatsu Gai.”
The answer was so immediate and flat that it threw Vulcan off for a moment, and his rage was tempered by bewilderment. “A… Amatsu?” His mouth opened and closed a few times before he found anymore words. “You… You kissed Amatsu?”
Horobi merely stared at him blankly. “I did not say that.”
“But you just…” It was like he could see the gears turning as Fuwa processed his statement. “… Oh.” Vulcan’s expression shifted even more, a look creeping onto his face that was partway between horror and… Pity? “Oh.” He said again, gaze dropping to the floor.
Horobi raised an eyebrow at him. “Satisfied?”
Fuwa was quiet for long enough that Horobi began to turn away, until the man abruptly spoke, far softer than before. “Then… Why kiss me?”
Horobi froze. He had no answer—his initial intention had been to force the human to be quiet, maybe embarrass him—but he had no excuse for his behaviour after that. Especially not the way he’d tried to get closer and deepen the kiss. Was it the overwhelming, petty sense of finally taking something that before had only been taken from him? Or was it because Fuwa was so much Amatsu’s opposite that it felt like… Like contact with him somehow cancelled out what Amatsu had done. At the very least, the drastically different sensation overrode the lingering, phantom memory of Amatsu’s touch, something he could still feel years after the last time the President of ZAIA had even been in the same room as him. HumaGear didn’t experience or need for intimacy the same way humans did… But the way the sensation of Amatsu’s cold fingers curling around his chin, or tracing the lines of his face and down his neck, running through his hair, while the mouth over his would occasionally bite down sharply on his lip as a reminder of who was in control, still clung to him like invisible shackles had taught him that touch not only mattered, but would stay with them for a long time. With Jin the binds had lightened—focusing on his son had given him something else to think about, something infinitely more pleasant. The Ark’s will had been a purpose beyond the chains of the past; both a chance to be something more than… His.
But Jin was gone and the Ark had been no freedom at all, and the feeling of the cold hands clawed back in, wrapping back around his throat. The contact with Vulcan had unexpectedly overridden the memories, the warmth chasing away the ghostly cold. Whenever Jin had touched him, all his senses had locked onto that contact as a welcome distraction, but that was all it was. Jin’s touch was different; it didn’t—couldn’t—seek out the lingering traces of Amatsu’s hands and wipe them away, as Fuwa’s had seemed to, like he was washing away stains.
He hadn’t realised how long he stood frozen until Fuwa’s voice came again, slightly closer. “Oi. Did you hear me?”
Slowly, Horobi turned his head to look at Vulcan, who had taken a few steps around  to stand in front of him again. One of Fuwa’s hands was partially extended, like he’d been thinking about reaching out to the HumaGear—when Horobi looked at him, however, he quickly snapped it back, looking vaguely self conscious. For a moment, Horobi just stared at him. “… I do not know.” It was not a lie. He was genuinely unsure of what his purpose had been. “… You are not Amatsu Gai.”
Fuwa gave him a look like he thought he was going senile. “Well… Obviously.”
“That had… An unexpected effect.”
Vulcan frowned, shifting even nearer, enough that Horobi could detect just a slight hint of his higher body temperature, his hand drifting out again. “… Horobi…”
When Fuwa’s fingertips actually brushed his sleeve, his gaze flicked further up to meet the human’s eyes, which were now brimming with some sort of weird mix of emotions that Horobi was certain he would never be able to properly process—but there amongst them, just like before, were horror and pity. Staring into Fuwa’s eyes, with the man so close that the warmth he radiated like a bonfire was beginning to seep through the the fabric of his coat, Horobi could suddenly feel every single persisting trail of Amatsu’s touch he’d ever endured, wrapped around him like a horrible, frozen cloud—and he just wanted it all off.
It wasn’t even a full step forward to be close enough to kiss Fuwa again—and this time, his mind was clear, and his every motion deliberate as always. Vulcan wasn’t as shocked, either, and though he initially tensed when Horobi’s lips first touched his, he relaxed after a moment, rather than pulling away. For a bit, he just let Horobi kiss him, holding still as the HumaGear’s hands drifted up again, this time to grab handfuls of his blazer, pulling closer—then his head tilted slightly, pushing back just a little, like he was trying to ask a question. Horobi paused, pulling back just barely enough to speak, and used a word he’d only uttered a very few times in his life, “Please.”
Vulcan promptly closed the tiny distance between them. Fuwa kissed as angrily as he did everything, with the same air of spoiling for a fight. His mouth was warm, his lips slightly chapped, and he inexplicably tasted like coffee and chocolate, though Horobi knew that as a HumaGear, he shouldn’t be able to taste anything. It felt like a challenge, an invitation to push back, rather than an expectation of control. His hands settled lightly on Horobi’s arms, leaning closer rather than pulling or grabbing, staying completely away from the HumaGear’s face. His mouth was clumsy against Horobi’s, inexperienced—Horobi suspected that if he had ever kissed before, it hadn’t been since high school at the latest—nothing like the practiced grace Gai had used. His heartbeat and breathing were fast and loud, almost panicked again, bursting with emotion, not light and unaffected.
He’d never really considered how small Fuwa actually was, either—he’d always known the man’s exact height, but had never had reason to compare it to his own. Now he realised Vulcan had to tip his head up and stand slightly on his toes for them kiss. With that knowledge, his hands loosened from Fuwa’s suit, one moving to the back of the human’s head, fingers weaving into Vulcan’s hair—the other arm went around the human’s waist, lifting him easily off the ground. Fuwa gasped sharply, his own arms shooting around Horobi’s shoulders for balance, fingers scrabbling against the HumaGear’s back for purchase—not that Horobi was in any danger of dropping him. Once they’d settled into a more comfortable equilibrium, Fuwa’s hands began exploring, tracing new memories across Horobi’s back and shoulders, even up the back of his neck to the edge of his head wrap, fingertips even slipping under it, brushing against the hair beneath. Horobi let his more complex systems slow down, choosing to lose himself in Fuwa’s warmth, in the strange, combat-like kiss, shutting out the rest of the world, even his own internal clock.
 Eventually, it was unsurprisingly Fuwa who pulled back first, shoulders heaving, voice breathless. “… Some of us need to breathe regularly.” For a moment, they kept just staring at each other—until Vulcan finally swallowed nervously. “So…” He rasped, raising his eyebrows, “… Can you put me down?”
Horobi hesitated for a moment, but finally he reluctantly lowered the human back to the  floor, arms lingering around him for a bit before at last pulling away and stepping back. He turned away slightly as Fuwa smoothed and righted his clothes in awkward silence, trying to put his own mind back in order, and finally realising the situation he’d put himself in. “… We never speak of this again.”
Vulcan took several more deep breaths, raising the back of his hand to his lips. “Damn… You even kiss like you’re trying to kill someone…”
Horobi glared at him. “We. Never. Speak. Of. This. Again.”
Fuwa watched his expression for a moment, then nodded slowly. “… Agreed.” He said, at last. Then his phone buzzed, and he quickly checked it. “… That’s Hiden. Izu says we’re clear to go.”
Satisfied with Vulcan’s agreement of silence, Horobi spun on his heel and marched off toward the stairs without waiting to see if Fuwa was following him.
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I actually spent a lot of time, more time than I usually spend, at least, thinking about the concept of intimacy and how it would relate to HumaGear… Obviously, they have no blood flow, or breath, or heartbeat, etc. But they do seem to be sensitive to physical contact, can differentiate between it being pleasant or unpleasant, whether it hurts or not… It seemed to me that could end up being their version of a reaction to intimacy, contact that they feel comfortable w/, in a way. Would also have a level of having rights to what happens to their bodies, etc.
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