#I feel like this would lead into one of those Fushimi and Yata join S4 instead of Homra AUs

[ridiasfangirlings]

S4 and Homra go to the beach and compete in a surfing/volleyball competition. S4 surprisingly wins and while they’re celebrating, Homra is in the back being all salty to the point where they pick up S4 members bridal style and throw them in the water. Long story short, they all have a good time and the couples are being very flirty with each other (mikorei, sarumi, izuseri, bit of Fushimi and Akiyama too)

Somehow I can totally see all the Homra guys just tossing the S4 boys into the sea, like returning fish to their habitat XD Imagine Everybody Lives AU, post-ROK Munakata suggests a joint bonding trip between clans and Totsuka agrees, wouldn’t it be nice for everyone to enjoy the sun and the sea and some friendly competition. The Homra guys are raring to go, all very confident that there’s no way the skinny nerds of the Blue clan could ever beat them at anything. Munakata picks a team for the volleyball competition and another for the surfing competition, imagine Fushimi trying to sneak away until Yata prods him into playing volleyball. Munakata himself prefers to surf, certain he can ‘ride those sick waves,’ as the kids say, while Mikoto is actually willing to go surfing if it means getting to see Munakata wipe out. The Homra guys playing volleyball feel pretty confident until Chitose nearly ends up with a broken face trying to return Awashima’s mighty serve.

Ultimately S4 manages to win both competitions, Doumyouji and Hidaka are surprisingly adept surfers (and Munakata picks it up far too quickly, Doumyouji thinks it’s creepy but also cool maybe), while over at the volleyball game Awashima has led everyone to a stunning victory. Munakata naturally can’t help but praise his men effusively for their skill and ability, while also possibly taking multiple digs at the barbarian louts of Homra, especially their King who surfs as if the board is a stiff mattress — Munakata barely gets the words out of his mouth before he’s just scooped up by Mikoto bridal-style. Munakata’s all huffing like Suoh unhand me while Mikoto just grins, wondering if Munakata has a problem. Munakata states that he did not ask to be manhandled and Mikoto’s like no, I’m pretty sure you were asking for it as he promptly tosses Munakata into the ocean.

That breaks the dam and the rest of the Homra guys figure they should follow their King, Yata is positively giddy as he grabs Fushimi. Fushimi is not happy about Yata grabbing him for once, he was planning to hide under the shade all trip and he is not interested in being tossed into the cold water with all the stinky germy fish. Yata’s like well if that’s the case you shouldn’t be so skinny that I can pick you up with one hand. Yata hopes Fushimi enjoys a soaking, Fushimi is like you wouldn’t dare. Yata grins and throws Fushimi into the water. Akiyama’s already been tossed by Akagi and attempts to help by catching Fushimi, except this leads to them both falling backward into the water with Fushimi pressed against Akiyama’s chest (Yata suddenly wishes he’d thrown Fushimi the other direction). Kusanagi grins at Awashima and she just looks coolly back, he lowers his arms and apologizes for ‘the boys’ being so rowdy. Awashima says she supposes this is a good way for them to blow off steam, all things considered. Kusanagi wonders if she would like to join her clan then, only to find himself hoisted over Awashima’s shoulder and thrown right into the water.

[ridiasfangirlings]

I really love that drama CD where Munakata goes to see the elementary school kids and he accidentally uses his power and calls it "magic." Spinning off a child!Fushimi ask, what if little Fushimi is at school and Munakata happens to visit that day and Fushimi's the one who got to see his power? What would they do? Do you think from this Fushimi would want to join Scepter 4?

I could see Fushimi being entranced with that in a way similar to how he acts when they're chasing the blimp, that 'if we'd gotten on would something have changed' moment. Like imagine AU where Munakata's a bit older than in canon and awakens as King earlier so he's already Blue King by the point Fushimi's in elementary school (maybe AU where Munakata was a super young member of Habari's Scepter 4 similar to the Minato twins and then when Habari dies he awakens shortly afterward as Blue King). Fushimi is of course a sad and lonely child who probably doesn't talk to any of the other kids and basically just spends his time sitting all alone and thinking that school is stupid anyway. He doesn't have any friends and he goes home to an empty house almost every day – and the days he doesn't are the worst, because elementary school Fushimi probably couldn't get anyone to let him spend the night at an internet cafe and so he has no choice but to go home and be tormented by Niki.

Then one day Munakata ends up coming to the school to spend time with the kids, maybe something similar happened like in the Optician drama CD where one of the classes was held hostage by a Strain and the kids took a liking to Munakata so he promised to come back. It wasn't Fushimi's class that was held hostage but Fushimi happens to be hiding in the bathroom that day to try and skip PE class and he ends up running into Munakata while on his way back. Munakata's entertaining some kids and he accidentally uses his power before assuring the child that he's only doing magic. The kids are all impressed by Munakata's 'magic' and they're all cheering for him when Munakata hears the tiniest 'tch' behind him. He turns to see tiny bored-looking Fushimi, who says that magic isn't real and Munakata probably just used a regular trick.

Munakata is intrigued by this little kid, wondering if he does not believe in magic. Fushimi says that magic is just another lie adults tell and Munakata gets a thoughtful look as he wonders if that's so, creating like a map in the air as Fushimi watches him. Munakata makes these points of light in the glowing map as he says there are also things that one must simply believe in sometimes in order to seek the truth behind lies. Fushimi's eyes widen and he steps forward, touching the blue map and trying to figure out where the trick is. Munakata wonders if Fushimi can see it himself, hand glowing slightly blue and maybe Munakata even lets out a little more King power just to see what Fushimi will do. Fushimi's eyes widen and the glow is reflected there, suddenly fascinated as he follows the points of light Munakata made. He wonders how Munakata's doing that, it isn't magic after all it's something else, something inside Munakata. Munakata tells him 'very good,' impressed by Fushimi's insight. He makes the map disappear and then hands Fushimi a card, saying that when he's older perhaps Fushimi might have an interest in speaking again, at Munakata's Scepter 4.

Munakata leaves and Fushimi keeps the card hidden away, always keeping it close to himself where even Niki can't find it. He isn't entirely sure what just happened or what kind of person Munakata is but somehow Fushimi feels drawn to that power he saw, like he knows that he just brushed against something that might have been able to change his world and with all his might he wants to reach that place, to find that 'truth' Munakata talked about.

[ridiasfangirlings]

All of the best cooks in the K universe have a food battle.

With Fushimi on the judging panel because he's the hardest to please XD So I wonder who would get to be part of the best cook challenge, Kuroh and Kamamoto definitely. Yata probably gets to be in there too, he's not like an amazing cook but he's still pretty good and proud of his skills. Kusanagi I think could join up, he makes food for the bar and feels that he's pretty respectable. On the S4 end definitely Kamo, though the fact that he was an actual chef is admittedly cheating a little. Totsuka and Awashima enter because they feel that their cooking skills are fairly good and everyone fears getting their meals to taste test (for opposing reasons, you don't know what's in Totsuka's food and you do know, unfortunately, what is most definitely in Awashima's). I imagine this stems from some kind of argument over whose cooking tastes the best, like Neko's at the bar with some Homra guys who are praising a meal Kamamoto made and that he's the best cook and Neko pipes up that Kuroh makes the best fish. This leads to a discussion of who cooks better and soon it's like a whole thing, how do we prove who cooks the best dish.

Munakata finds out about this somehow and because he has to make everything a production he decides that they should have a cooking battle. Imagine it's set up like one of those cooking shows, maybe they have to make an entire three course meal with an appetizer, main dish, and dessert. Munakata takes advantage of his position as a government official to like rent out a studio that belongs to a cooking show and he gets the full use of their pantry so that everyone can use whatever ingredients they need. There's a three judge panel, consisting of one judge from each clan – Fushimi is of course the Blue clan's pick and is the required Mean Judge from every cooking show ever, Neko is the judge for Hakumaitou and is just here to eat fish and be happy, and Anna is the judge for Homra, she's the fair judge who carefully tastes all the food and gives construction comments. Fushimi is given strict instructions that he's not allowed to remove points for the existence of vegetables.

The 'contestants' all start preparing meals and I imagine it's a fairly close race, Kuroh is definitely a frontrunner as is Kamamoto. Yata makes a pretty good showing but is helped by the fact that Fushimi's the hardest judge to please and Yata knows better than anyone what he likes and can adjust accordingly. Kamo is like the dark horse, obviously S4 knows that he's a great cook but no one else has realized that there's an actual chef working for S4 and I bet he gets super high marks for his main dish, a perfectly made fish that is definitely Neko's new favorite thing. In the end they probably can't agree on a winner, everyone's food is so good, meanwhile Kuroh, Kamamoto and Kamo are probably trading cooking tips and Yata's just happy that Fushimi had to eat some vegetables.

[ridiasfangirlings]

Imagine, Fushimi's brand new to S4 and all the others are just very aggressively thirsting after him, but he clearly couldn't care less about any of them. He's like this untouchable, viciously hot fantasy for them to all gossip about and muse over but no one expects anything to actually come out of it.

Then Fushimi is involved with his first skirmish against homra and he takes one look at their vanguard and comes ALIVE. A cutting, frankly frightening smile on his face, dead eyes lighting with fire, and an unknown wellspring of intense focus pinned on one tiny redhead.

At first they think it's bad blood - "Wow, Fushimi must REALLY hate that guy, huh?" Then finally someone gets a clue (maybe during a RoK opening-type battle: more lighthearted, genuine smiles, leering at each other and crowding up against walls - or maybe one of the alphabet boys notices how jealously possessive he always is of Yata's attention, the way no one else seems to exist once he's spotted homra's vanguard) and word gets passed around and they're like, "Ohhhhh, it's like THAT!" and then they're like, "Wait, it's like THAT???"

Because Yata, he's ... cute? Maybe? If that's your type? But he's not really anything in particular - not particularly smart, not particularly talented, not particularly kind or powerful or connected or anything. The only thing to be said about him, really, is that he's loud and volatile, and that doesn't seem to be the sort of thing Fushimi would even tolerate.

And when you compare him with Fushimi, they all agree, Fushimi who is a genius with technology, and people smart (can manipulate people easily), and a brilliant combatant, and is sexy-as-all-get-out; when you compare the two, it really is no competition.

And then, imagine Fushimi finding out about all this. Maybe he overhears some gossip, or maybe someone is actually nervy enough to ask him straight out, "So why do you even like him? I mean, you could do SO much better."

Just imagine how EXTREMELY PERSONALLY Fushimi would take a statement like that.

Imagine this even pre-ROK so Fushimi's still trying to act like he hates Yata but then at the same time how dare you say that about Misaki. Like he joins Scepter 4 and of course Fushimi gets noticed by a lot of people right away, he's awfully pretty in a slightly delinquent way (he's also sixteen, rein it in everyone). A few of the rank and file try to like hint that they might be interested and Fushimi lets those hints just roll off of him, he's not interested and he probably didn't even catch the hints anyway, and most of the members who have crushes on him find those dimmed by the fact that while Fushimi may be pretty he's also a total jerk. Even so, there's always a bit of gossip about the gloomy new guy who came from Homra and has a pretty face and a bad attitude, and never shows interest in anything.

And then the first time Fushimi fights Yata post-betrayal he completely changes, maybe he's out with some random members and he's supposed to be staying in the vans but of course he's not going to do that when Misaki's right there. That leads to even more rumors, that Fushimi has some kind of bad blood with Homra's vanguard Yatagarasu, and a few people even joke that they're exes. No one actually believes that at first but soon it becomes likely – the way they banter sometimes, the way they seem to know each other's moves perfectly, the way Fushimi clearly becomes so much more animated the moment Yata shows up. And it's more than just them being exes – Fushimi's got to be still smitten, it's clear, the way he doesn't always dodge Yata's punches even when he could, the smiles he makes when he sees Yata's eyes are on him even if there are multiple S4 and Homra members present. No one really understands what Fushimi is thinking but they all feel pretty sure about it by now, that new member Fushimi Saruhiko has a giant crush on Homra's Yatagarasu and has eyes for nobody but him.

Which makes a few of the members Fushimi rejected feel irritated, because seriously what does that guy have that they don't. Really it just makes no sense at all that Fushimi would even be smitten with him – the S4 guys aren't super well acquainted with Yata, since the rank and file wouldn't deal with such a high up member of Homra that often, but it's pretty clear that Yata's just a loud idiot, nothing like Fushimi who's a genius. Yata's the kind of moron who belongs in Homra, while Fushimi clearly fits much better in Scepter 4. The gossip train starts and grows and finally even Fushimi hears it one day, when he comes back to the van licking his wounds from his latest fight with Misaki: “Fushimi-san could do so much better than Yata Misaki. What could he even see in a guy like that?'.

Fushimi clicks his tongue in response and everyone immediately stiffens and goes silent, like shit he heard us. I don't think Fushimi would quite go down the list of all the ways Misaki is better than each and every one of them – because that would be like admitting he doesn’t hate Yata at all, and Fushimi isn't ready to do that yet – but I could see him just giving all the members the most withering, acidic look, like they're all lower than a snail and he's never been more disgusted than he is now. Someone tries to ask the question again but Fushimi just rolls his eyes and is like 'How worthless,' looking at them like they're nothing but gum stuck to his shoe. Fushimi just walks away after that and no one has the guts to ask him about Yata Misaki again, and no one even thinks of asking him out anymore.

[ridiasfangirlings]

I've read your recent meta about Munakata, Fushimi, and Mikoto, but I'm still not convinced that Munakata is better King than Mikoto. Munakata is quite manipulative don't you think? Like on Fushimi's case, he's aware about the virus but he didn't tell directly to Fushimi nor he destroyed the phone but he deliberately made Fushimi lured Hisui out so Munakata can 'save' him. He also planned Kusuhara's death so Scepter 4 can develop (I felt so sick while reading that). Mikoto while he's maybe too lazy to remember every HOMRA member, he generously gave his power for people who need it like Eric, Anna, even Yata and Fushimi. He's also protective toward his clansmen.

Also I think that if only Fushimi didn't feel afraid toward Mikoto and he was willing to be more open with Yata, he should stay in Homra. The poor dude never have a family before, right? He came from a cold house, why does he join a cold clan, that even Jungle feels warmer than Scepter4? Like you said, Munakata only chose people who was 'useful' for him, isn't it unhealthy to see people by how much they're worth? I don't think Fushimi with his low self-esteem will be fine in environment like that. Homra's family dynamic can give Fushimi what was missing from him on his childhood. On Homra, everyone is equal and there's no talk about "useful" and "useless" member, for example Totsuka is the weakest, yet he was respected. Kusanagi and Totsuka also care about Fushimi so much, and of course he can be with Yata, the most (maybe only) important person in his life.

I'm sorry for long ask, I just love Sarumi and HOMRA so much so I hate Munakata for separating Sarumi on LSW and he acts like an ass toward Mikoto and HOMRA.

I'm gonna answer this one out of order because I have thoughts and want to answer it while the thoughts are still happening XD So firstly: I'm not sure where you're getting that Munakata 'planned' Kusuhara's death. Munakata clearly had plans for Kusuhara from the start but my impression was never that those plans meant for Kusuhara to die – on the contrary, I think Munakata was pretty clearly planning for Kusuhara to be his Zenjou, more of less, to be the one who uses his swift reflexes to cut off Munakata's head when the time comes. A failsafe, basically, because Munakata leaves nothing to chance. He brought Zenjou into the fold largely for that reason, the only one of Habari's Scepter 4 really offered a prominent position, and when Zenjou went to the Records department instead Munakata simply found himself someone who he felt might have the potential to do the job just as well. That Kusuhara's reflexes would cause him to jump in front of a bullet meant for Munakata – and which wouldn't have killed him, because Munakata's aura would have kicked in, but Kusuhara moved quicker than that consideration – was not part of Munakata's plan (in fact if we're talking responsibility for Kusuhara's death I would put that on Hisui's head. Side Blue the novel hints at it and 7Stories is even clearer in showing Douhan as the sniper who tries to take Munakata down later, that Hisui was testing whether or not he could take Munakata out via a third party). In DOB Munakata mentions that Scepter 4 is more 'complete' for Kusuhara's loss but again, I don't take that as Munakata admitting he plotted this – it's Munakata considering after the fact, making the loss into a positive for the clan and considering that perhaps it was a thing that had to happen to make 'his Scepter 4' complete but that is not at all the same as saying 'he planned Kusuhara's death.' (The rest is under the cut because for some reason Tumblr kept eating my first few paragraphs otherwise.)

As for the idea of who's a 'better' King, there's a difference in my mind between which Kings are objectively better than the others and which are better for a specific person. Both Munakata's and Mikoto's approaches have their own merits. Mikoto offers power to anyone brave enough to take his hand so yes, he does offer power to weak people or people who need it like Eric and Anna. Mikoto values free will, and so if someone has the will to take his hand he will offer it to them, give them the option to risk death if they so choose for power. On the other end, this leads to guys who act outside of Homra and can cause trouble (like the guy in R:B, for example). It also means that Mikoto might have actually killed people who didn't fit the Red power, which is no less a tragedy even if it was a risk they were willing to take.

Munakata by contrast only offers his sword to people that he knows are worthy. As Fushimi puts it in LSW: “Taking precaution to make sure he’s only granting power to those who will succeed. That’s quite Munakata’s course of action.” That said though, Munakata's idea of who is 'worthy' isn't necessarily just a specific obviously useful type, S4 isn't filled with just serious characters like Awashima, Akiyama and Benzai. Munakata saw fit to give power to those who thought they wouldn't belong in such a place, like sushi chef Kamo, or those who thought they might just live a 'normal' life, like Hidaka. Munakata's clan contains the heir of a dojo (Doumyouji) and a former NEET (Gotou), and someone who thought a job was just something to pay for your hobbies (Enomoto). It contains people who may have thought “surely, I'm not someone who would belong in such a place.” But Munakata saw potential and pursued it, and I don't think that's objectively any less 'generous' than Mikoto giving out his Red to anyone brave enough to reach for it, it's just going about Kingship in a different way.

And as for the idea of 'useful' vs 'useless,' keep in mind when I discuss that in regards to Fushimi's position at Scepter 4 in particular I really do mean that as Fushimi's perspective. Now, Munakata does choose people based on how he feels they would fit in his Scepter 4 – their use – but that's not just a simple thing either. Like you mention Totsuka being weak yet still equal to everyone else in Homra, however despite Totsuka's physical weakness he does very much have a use in Homra: he's Mikoto's 'stopper,' he's the mood maker of the clan, he's the one who often deals with troublesome people. That's a use, despite his weakness. Munakata's way of creating a clan is different from Mikoto's but I don't think that makes it worse, or less of a tight knit clan. Munakata does have his manipulative side of course, and may do and say things that could draw out dissatisfaction within the ranks of his own clan, but at the end of the day everyone in Scepter 4 is able to feel that they have been chosen by their King for a reason and that he believes in their abilities, from third in command Fushimi to even members of the rank and file like Yayoi. (And from a simple practical perspective too, Homra's a loose knit gang while Scepter 4 is an actual government agency with duties and expectations placed upon them. Munakata will make a place for those he feels worthy, but he needs people who have abilities because otherwise someone could easily feel like they don't fit in this place or have no worth in the clan, because this workplace is not for them. But because Munakata picks only who he believes will fit in his Scepter 4 no one has to feel that way, because they wouldn't have been chosen if they had no talent.)

Now, as to the matter of Fushimi. Like you mentioned, Fushimi grew up without a family so surely Homra's family atmosphere should be good for him, right? But it isn't. I think it's best expressed this way: trying to run before you can crawl. Basically, at the point Fushimi joins Homra, he is not in the headspace to accept the idea of 'family.' This is where the disconnect between him and Yata happens too, because Yata always wanted a huge family where he belongs. Yata has his biological family, of course, and they love him, but he still feels like an outsider. However precisely because he has a loving family he knows what that feels like, he knows how he felt like when it was just him and his mom he belonged, how he belonged when he was with Fushimi. Homra is an extension of that, the big family where everyone is together and the days are easy and he belongs. But then there's Fushimi, who says it himself in LSW: “Solve everyone’s misunderstanding, you say? Who ever said that I don’t want to be misunderstood? Why do you want me to be understood by everyone when you yourself don’t? … If YOU understand me, I would be content.”

Fushimi's a kid who was always rejected, even by his own family. He clings to Yata as the only one to ever care for him but at the same time, look at how Fushimi vocalizes his understanding of their relationship. “Looking at me with eyes shining and saying 'amazing.'” Fushimi is quantifying Yata's affection, that Yata cares for him because Fushimi is amazing, because Fushimi is wounded enough that he can't trust in Yata's sincere affection. So when they join Homra this is a blow to Fushimi, who has hung so much self esteem on Yata's 'amazing,' because now Mikoto is amazing and Fushimi is just Fushimi, and why should that be enough to get Yata to stay? Just being 'Fushimi' has never been enough for anyone to remain by his side.

Homra would have happily accepted Fushimi into their family and given him what he lacked, but Fushimi isn't in a mental state to accept it because Fushimi is the one who quantifies emotions for his own safety. The neglected and unloved kid still can't believe that family won't reject him, that he can actually have a family, and so Homra's atmosphere suffocates him even beyond Mikoto's presence. Fushimi doesn't want to be equal to everyone else because if he has nothing to offer, why would anyone want him around? Just being himself has never been enough before, why should it be enough now? Especially when he sees how Yata fits in and how much he doesn't, where he's afraid of Mikoto and can't wholeheartedly call this person his King, where he doesn't really talk to anyone and often irritates people when he does. When Kusanagi tells Fushimi he wants Fushimi to stay in Homra and be his successor Fushimi doesn't see this as a compliment, he sees this as 'you wouldn't have to say this to Yata because there would be no question about his loyalty, so clearly you question mine.'

Then enter Munakata, and Scepter 4. Where Homra wanted Fushimi to run, Munakata's letting him learn to crawl first. On the one hand yes, Munakata wanted Fushimi for his own reasons, because he believed Fushimi's talents were being wasted in Homra and that he would do well in Scepter 4. But Munakata also saw in Fushimi that there was so much potential not being realized, someone who was in a way like himself. Case Files: “still, the way the two of them felt out of place and alienated by those around them due to how outstandingly capable they were was very similar.” Munakata sees in Fushimi someone who is dissatisfied with the world and offers him a chance to change that world to his liking instead, rather than miserably clinging to a place where he feels he doesn't belong. In Scepter 4 Fushimi has a job and a use and sure, it may not be on paper as warm and inviting as 'family' but it's also what Fushimi needs – he doesn't have to deal with worries and doubts about his place, or feel like he doesn't belong.

Fushimi can focus on his work and let himself really reach his potential, he can be challenged and use his mind, and at the same time if he ends up interacting with the other members and softening towards them, and making friends, more the better. In Homra they may be a family but it's easy for Fushimi to remain on the fringes, wandering off by himself at amusement parks, but in Scepter 4 he has to interact with others in order to do his job. And we do see some of that softening in canon – the little 'thanks' to Hidaka in DOB 1, the way he talks with Akiyama, his interactions with Awashima and Munakata are all clearly 'easier' than he was with pretty much anyone outside of Yata and maybe Kusanagi in Homra. Yata himself says it in ROK: “The Blue King was your King all along.” For Fushimi, Scepter 4 and Munakata were what he needed in order to develop beyond that lonely kid still clinging to the idea that he doesn't belong anywhere (and yes it separated him from Yata but at the end of the day that was more Fushimi's issues talking than anything, because Awashima and Kusanagi pretty much show that yes, someone from Homra and someone from S4 can be friends. It was Fushimi himself who chose to break things, not because Munakata made him but because at the time Fushimi believed that his precious thing was going to break anyway and as I said before Fushimi can't bring himself to believe in Yata's sincere affection).

(Also I couldn't figure out where to put this in, but regarding Munakata not telling Fushimi about Hisui's illusions, that to me shows once again that Munakata does actually understand Fushimi pretty well, because if he told Fushimi then Fushimi loses. Look at that moment versus Mikoto saving Sarumi during the jungle surprise party: Fushimi is miserable walking home, because 'I failed.' His plan didn't work, he had to be saved by someone else, and then he gets to see Misaki crowing over how cool the person who saved him is. By contrast, if Munakata simply told Fushimi 'Hisui Nagare is controlling your PDA and making you see illusions' and then destroyed the PDA, Fushimi would not see that as a good deed. Fushimi would see that as him being too stupid to figure this out on his own and needing to be saved by someone 'above' him, another one of his failures. By only giving him a hint Munakata allows Fushimi to make the connection on his own, play the game against Aya and win. While Munakata steps in to confront Hisui, because there's no way Fushimi can go toe to toe with a King and anyway Munakata called dibs first, Fushimi is the one who ultimately claimed the victory. He figured out the trick, he played against Aya, he won the game stacked against him. Munakata may be testing Fushimi in his own way too, sure, but he's doing it in a way that he knows will actually be better for Fushimi's self esteem. While, say, Mikoto finding out and destroying the PDA right away may seem like the more 'correct' move, saving his clansman from pain, all that would make Fushimi think is that he wasn't good enough to figure it out on his own and he had to be saved again like a useless person. Munakata though understands how Fushimi thinks and realizes that for Fushimi, not being told is better because it allows him to win on his own terms with his own intelligence rather than having to rely on someone else.)

[ridiasfangirlings]

i feel like the only person that ships this but: what if totsuka and yata were dating when he literally died in yata's arms? like say he was in love with fushimi and those feelings never went away, but after he joined S4 yata started to fall for totsuka and decided to confess because he thought his feelings for fushimi were obviously one-sided (weather they actually were or not).

You’re not the only one anon, I know I’ve gotten a couple TotsuYataasks in the past. Actually I think the first one I got my reactionwas pretty much that they would be a cute couple right up until thepoint where Totsuka dies and then everything turns into a downwardspiral of angst and sadness. Going with your scenario, say Yata wasin love with Fushimi for a long time but never said anything, notwanting to ruin his friendship with Fushimi (and probably worryingthat Fushimi might mock him for it or something, like what if thisupsets Saruhiko so much he never wants to hang out with me again).When they join Homra I could see him being a bit attracted toTotsuka, like at least he thinks Totsuka’s a fun person who Yataenjoys spending time with, but he doesn’t really think of the crushas romantic because he’s still in love with Fushimi and besides hefigures Totsuka’s probably beyond him – even though Totsuka’s amore approachable person than Fushimi in some respects he’s alsostill one of the top three of Homra and so close to Mikoto, Yatawould probably figure he had no chance even if he realized that hedid have a crush. Yata doesn’t even really think of it seriouslyuntil Fushimi leaves to join Scepter 4, afterward Totsuka is tryingto cheer him up a bit and they end up spending a lot of time togetherand becoming closer. At some point Yata probably realizes he’s got acrush again but he’s still stinging under Fushimi’s betrayal and thewhole mess of what happened when the first person he loved left himand so he doesn’t say anything.

So then when Totsuka dies Yata’s hurt even worse because now here’sanother person he loved and lost and this one is even worsebecause at least Saruhiko is still alive. I’m imagining Yata cradlingTotsuka and confessing that he had a crush and imagining Kusanagi’sreaction here is interesting, I wonder how he would react to hearingthat Yata’s had a thing for Totsuka all this time. I can see himstepping back a little to give them a moment but at the same timelosing Totsuka isn’t easy for him either and he wants to stayclose. Totsuka meanwhile still just smiles and acts like Yata toldhim this interesting secret, apologizing a bit and assuring Yata thateverything will be all right even as Yata’s devastated. Actually Icould see Totsuka trying to nudge Yata in Fushimi’s direction hereeven as he accepts Yata’s confession, knowing that at least this waymaybe he can lead Yata to someone who is still alive (and assumingthat maybe Fushimi does have feelings for Yata and Totsukaalways knew it even if both Yata and even Fushimi himself didn’t). Ithink Yata would be even more devastated by Totsuka’s death than heis in canon, and I think maybe a little more adamant in wanting tohelp Mikoto take down Colorless even though he knows that he can’treally do anything in the face of a King. And in MK his depressionmight even be worse too, that one of the people he’s mourning wasmore than just a friend and he’s lamenting the what could have been,the question of whether he and Totsuka could have stayed together.Post-ROK this could affect his relationship with Fushimi too ifFushimi really was in love with Yata, since I think his crush wouldremain but Yata has all these conflicting feelings because he’d letgo of his love for Fushimi and loved Totsuka instead and he doesn’tknow if he can go back to being that starry-eyed kid with a crushever again,