#I love women wowwww

[mieltelecheycrema]

She’s literally so prettyyyy oh my goddd

[lovekenney]

WOAHH

[sinful-lanterns]

!! THIS POST CONTAINS FUTURE INGAME CONTENT FROM PTN’S CHINA SERVERS !!

Only keep reading if you don’t mind spoilers:

S-Class at the top: Angell

A-Class in the middle: Golan

New Skin: Uni

WOWWWW OKAY. ANGELL LOOKS SUPER HOT 😳😳

I can tell she’s gonna be the super popular woman that everyone simps for. I mean LOOK AT HER. SHE’S PRACTICALLY BLOWING UP PTN TWITTER ALREADY 😍

Golan looks super cute! I love her pastel punk-ish vibe and her petrified expression lmao. I can tell she’s going to be a funny one for this event, I love her eyes!

Also, that skin for Uni??? Uhm, never have I ever wanted to be a mannequin so bad before <33

All in all, I think I’m pulling for both Angell and Golan after the CNY event. That is, if I have any hypercubes left after pulling for Yao and Du Ruo 😭 AISNO is really pushing my luck with these hot women…

[midnight-in-town]

“Why can’t you just be who I want you to be?”

Okay wowwww. Emotionally intense and unsettling scene there. From Marisa spitting on Asriel (happened in the book), to him almost choking her (nope), that was... hot terrifying, even more so considering that this was not at all the vibe we got from the trailer for that scene. 

Considering that the more intense part of this scene was not in the book, I wondered for a while why this scene still made so.much.sense and I think maybe I figured it out. 

I read or listened to James McAvoy speaking about S3 several times and once or twice he mentioned that s3 was hard on Asriel because 1) he realizes he’s not the main character of this story but his daughter is, 2)“the love of his life walks back into his life” and he’s gotta deal with it. And man, oh man, now do I realize with s3 ep3 how badly he deals with all of it. With all of them. This is why I’m so glad that we have James playing Asriel, because he loves these books so much thus he knows how to handle such a fiery man like Asriel, making ep3 so epic ! 

Tbh, while most men desire and lust after Marisa in this series (Boreal, MacPhail) because she acts the part of the beautiful woman while barely hiding her own lust for power (since women in her world hardly have any opportunity to be men’s equal and she wants that, so they don’t know how to handle her which is, for controlling men, tempting), I’m convinced Asriel sees her as his equal and she knows it as well. 

So why would he almost lose his mind like that in ep3? He knows her well, he knows she lies, he knows he can’t trust her even if he wants to and he witnessed in the past that she chose Lyra over him. Well, because, this whole reunion eventually turns out to be about him being completely jealous and mad that she can never choose him over absolutely everything else.

“why can’t you just be who I want you to be?” 

He said it: he sacrificed too much of his life so far to change his ways now. So he’s not just mad about Lyra’s safety being more important than his rebellion against the Authority in this scene. It’s also about the affair and how Marisa never left Edward, it’s about how she describes their affair as “a shame” when for him it can never be a humiliation because they loved each other, how she didn’t leave their world with him because she chose Lyra and, now, how Marisa doesn’t even recognize how much he sacrificed for this rebellion because Lyra’s safety matters more to her. After all, she only decided to help his side because they could protect Lyra.

“why can’t you just be who I want you to be?”

To be fair, Ogunwe had warned him (“if that woman tempted you, I’m not sure you’d resist”) and he at least had the decency not to deny it (can’t remember if he was as explicitly silent in the book): he still carries so much baggage from their affair that he never properly dealt with that it all came running back to him, when Marisa kept talking about Lyra, dismissing the role his rebellion against God plays in all this. 

This whole scene was unexpected by how intense it was, but it makes so much sense that he’d lose it briefly, because what Asriel selfishly wants is for Marisa to support and love him, the man who challenged God, and no one else. Could be partly why, at this point, he rejects Lyra’s importance in all of this.

Anyway, LOTS of kudos to Ruth Wilson and James McAvoy for bringing such an intense reminiscence on screen in less than a minute: the whole episode 3 was a delight to watch, with how they brought to life the broken but incredibly compelling dynamic between Asriel and Marisa. :D 

[psychoticscare]

wowwww i’m gay i love women

[lonesomedotmp3]

LOST RANKING:

kate yes this is a legacy spot she has not done shit lately LOL <3 but we love her. when we get to what kate did I will be screaming crying throwing up!

jack... the most insane complicated guy ever masquerading as normal and regular... yay <3

sayid 🫡 what more is there so say he's so real... when jack and locke were having their intense emotional sceptic/believer argument and he was just like this is stupid as fuck...

shannon. I can't talk about it rn for real I need beth to watch abandoned and then we will be DISCUSSING. but that's my girl ! they could never make me hate you!

eko 🫶 what if there was a man who was very tough but more importantly very lovely and kind...

sun. she's also been very absent this season girl I miss you :(

micheal... paul rudd voice hey look at us... who'd have thought we'd be here not me... he is loyal and he's had the best dynamic shift with jin and sawyer in the world I know we were making little jokes at the beginning but I am genuinely rockin with the horrible man polycule more than anything...

jin same as micheal <3 i love that they still have the handcuffs on each of their wrists like friendship bracelets :)

bernard and rose who I'm grouping together because they r beautiful intertwined straight people soulmates <3

claire. what if there was a beautiful australian girl who didn't do much of anything... heart!

sawyer... LOOK AT US! he has been unconscious or in pain or pathetic for most of this season and I'm eating it up... when he wakes and gets back to everyone else though maybe he'll go back to the bottom <\3

locke. he's fineeeee he's necessary to the narrative and interesting dynamics and character moments he's FINE. but I like other characters more and thinking about it walt being gone has really put a damper on his likeability... idk. he's fine!

wowwww there are so many characters in this fucking show I literally forgot about hurley. he's also fine !

charlie. he's literally pissing me off I know it's not fair he has been thrown down here but I'm really just fucking w everyone else more sorry. also the shit he was saying to claire about motherhood was SO crazy out of line...

ana lucia. LOL. LOL. sorry women. EL OH EL.

[theproperweirdo]

Ramblings and analysis [part 1]

Scarlet | The Arcane Shadow

My long time favourite character in AFK Arena since I started playing has been Scarlet ❤️ her backstory is killer and I feel like her design is detailed and enhances her personality even more using these details you really have to look into

To start, her past! Please skip the next two paragraphs if you know her story 👍

Scarlet’s mother (who I’ll call Ms. Laurence for convenience) raised her from a baby to around what I assume was preteen age. Their family carries a maternal “curse” of psychological torment and dark energy. Scarlet’s grandma had previously killed herself during an opera performance, after being driven insane by the voices she heard. Ms. Laurence wanted Scarlet to overcome this curse, and have her become a respectable woman like her own mom. Scarlet? Not so much. And although she loved her very much, Ms. Laurence didn’t get to see Scarlet’s future. She spiralled into insanity as well, and was taken to a mental institution.

Scarlet was taken to the Violet Orphanage afterwards, which could have a very long post on its own. 💀💀 While there, she tried and failed multiple times to escape. She felt like something was off about the strange people and weird tests they did. After having enough of her midnight missions, they started to amp up the tests in intensity and aggression, in either magical or physical ways. During one of these tests she passes out, and in the haze of her consciousness, she receives the last wishes from the spirit of her mother, before coming too. Once she’s awake, she makes her last attempt to escape— by burning the entire orphanage to the ground.

Her past is tragic. She’s stuck with a curse that’s taken both her mom and grandma, then used as a lab rat til she has a mental break. But there’s so much more to analyze! (Wowwww)

Her family’s curse is one described as one of “madness,” that blurs reality and fantasy. In a setting like this, it seems to be some kind of arcane affliction passed from mother to daughter.

However, there’s the obvious subliminal implication of her curse— that it’s a genetic mental illness. Although disorders are not often hereditary, they’re still most commonly seen in an individual when a direct family member has the same one. For Scarlet and her family, this sounds like a long line of women who have schizophrenia. Hearing voices like auditory hallucinations, erratic behaviour, and having extreme delusions, are the most prominent and aggressive symptoms. Scarlet’s grandma took her life after losing the ability to differentiate between real and imaginary. Scarlets mother became overwhelmed by her delusions. Before burning down the orphanage, Scarlet herself begins to hear voices and monsters. Now on her own, she doesn’t want to become what her mother and grandmother did.

She also possibly fights her own hallucinations better because she had to reassure her mother when she was young. She probably never met her grandma though.

As a violent and dangerous curse, it’s effective and seems to stem from some older power. But I think this reflection of mental illness in women is powerful and incredibly well written for a character in a mobile gacha RPG game.

Okay, that’s on her story! Now for an artist’s eye on her design… let’s move top to bottom.

Scarlet’s hair is visually more black with streaks of red highlights. But we know from the description of her mother, along with her 4koma-style comic, that she had a full head of red hair.

The red itself is said to be a sign of the curse in her story. Seeing that the black has come and overtaken it in her recent years, I think it’s meant to represent her own hold on her sanity. Scarlet’s mother still has (I assume) all her hair red when she’s taken away. The black in her hair might be her own control on the chaos magic, and how she’s managed to harness it.

Or, the black came through as an awakening of sorts. It comes in the climax of her grand escape, when she seemingly inherits the destructive power of the curse. If her mother didn’t manage to fully grasp any control over her own magic, maybe she never had the same moment of magic-puberty as scarlet. So maybe this magic changes her both mentally and physically, leaving a few remnants of the red, because even though she’s improving, the curse will never stop its assault on her. Either way, it’s a physical tell of how her magic has changed her.

Her clothes seem to be a personal choice for herself. At six years old, Scarlet rejected any kind of fancy teachings or proper dresses. She was likely just a young girl who had her own preferences and didn’t like the suffocating atmosphere of noble life. But her mother’s most sincere wish for her was to see her grow into a distinguished and elegant lady like her grandmother.

I imagine she had a lot of time to think and reflect on her memories in the Violet Orphanage. Her mother loved her genuinely and dearly, and they were separated in the end because of their shared curse. I imagine she would remember the one thing her mom wanted to see most in her. The dress and corset were probably picked out herself because she wants to fulfill the one thing her mom wanted. :( even though she hates dressing up, she wants to make her mom proud in this way. The makeup and heels are probably for the same reason.

Her armour and signature item are both made of this gold coloured metal, but her shoulder guards got some red by the edges.

The one other character with the same kind of armour is Morrow, the only other in game person who was a victim as the Violet Orphanage (aside from Isabella and Silvina).

They were kept there in different periods of time, but it’s obviously not a coincidence that they’re the only ones who share this design motif.

These are the Signature Item descriptions for both Morrow and Scarlet ⬇️⬇️

Both for controlling dark magic! However, the origin of Scarlet’s item says that it was formed during her destruction of the Violet Orphanage. Also the gold armour is on Morrow’s arms and not his book. Scarlet is the same, she’s got it on her shoulder guard, but not the stabilizer. My theory is that it’s either 1. A material they used in the orphanage to conduct experiments on the kids using dark magic, and they both now use to to chanel their own magic and cast spells. 2. It’s a normal kind of metal, but the red shading comes from use of dark magic. That would explain why both of their armour has it.

Either way, it’s a very cool detail! :) other things I’ve noticed are:

Her attacks have the possibility of hitting allied heros. I interpret it as her magic still being unstable and hard to control. She’s got her sanity and magic under control, but not completely.

There’s no clear distinction between “dark magic” and “hypogean magic” so it’s possible she controls some variation of void realm arcanum, or a hypogean cursed her bloodline and she now channels its energy instead of suffering from it.

She looks considerably older than Isabella. Makes sense considering the timeline, but makes me a lil sad.

Anyways, that’s the end of this long ass post. Hopefully more to come in the future (if I remember)

Til next time 🫣🫣

[frogoru]

bloom was such an enjoyable readdddd!! it is still in my mind!! the way the author wrote ash's character and ro's perspective on her going from unquestioning adoration to pure fear was SO PHENOMENAL. it's so fun to see how ro percieves ash as this beautiful, perfect, hard-working girl (even the narrator pointing out how she describes ash as a girl instead of a woman because she just has such an air of pure innocence to her that cannot be replicated) all while showing how concerning and eyebrow-raising some of ash's actions towards ro are before she goes all cannibalistic on her. she gets so aggrivated and tense with ro in the book at times, but ro barely describes this as a cause for concern (except for one time which leads to the climax) because she's just so darn infatuated with her!! keyword infatuated!! the idea of ash and the image she cultivates for herself in order to manipulate ro into becoming attached to her being described as utterly perfect in ro's eyes is SOOOO AHHHHHH!!

it's such a good portrayal of how you view relationships through rose-colored glasses during the beginning of them. i love how a point is made about how if ash wasn't this really cute and sweet farm girl who wears pastel dresses with ribbons, sells cupcakes and pretty-smelling soaps, and was instead a man like all the other people ro has dated, ro would immediately see all of the red flags ash has been waving. she's so blinded by ash's "perfect" persona and is so new to the experience of being with a woman (which is always so hyped up despite the fact that women can be predators too) and romanticizes and excuses every wrongdoing she does.

ro's infatuation with ash in general was just SO GOOD, the way ash manipulates ro into falling head over heels for her in such a short span of time was so interesting to read about. it was such a twist on the "sapphic relationships move really fast" cliche LMFAO. horror books don't usually get me feeling genuinely scared, but the relationship growth between ro and ash was so cute that i was semi-distraught at the thought of their relationship taking such a drastic decline in the end because of ash's murderous tendencies. she genuinely loves ro, even if her definition of love is twisted AS HELL. so many subtle things that seem odd but harmless like ash swallowing ro's fallen eyelash or keeping her nails after trimming them all paint a bigger messed up picture about ash's feelings for ro AND I FW THAT TREMENDOUSLY!!!!!!

i literally cannot put my thoughts about this book into words properly just wowwww...

[gh0st-patr0l]

WOWWWW that spot with Willow on her shoulders and Stat throwing her forward. That was LIT I love strong women

[kdramaspace]

MEMBER OF THE MONTH   ↳ Congrats Liv @dramaintherain

💌 NOTES FROM THE ADMINS

Layla: liv, live, LIV!!!! i'm so happy to see you being active here, and to have you being our motm for the another round is very fitting!!! i've missed you daily doses of all those female characters you have always been highlighting... you and the female characters are forever linked in my mind!!! i love how gentle your gifs have became and they're very crisp... and your coloring is nice and natural!! so thank for all of your contributions in the tag and being an active again.. looking forward to the next drama to inspire you and more specifically more awesome female characters to come your way... 💛💛  ↳ favorite works: [ 1, 2, 3 ]

Sam: wowwww liv, it's been so long. and it's so nice to see you back and active in the community again! I can't believe it's already been years since you joined and we featured you. and just like back then, your gifs remain distinctive, I can always back them out in the tag. I love the matte texture you have on your gifs. I also love how you continue to focus on women in dramas, especially some of the less popular shows. I also love your sets that really highlight the little moments/emotions of specific scenes. thank you for being one of our very first members, and keeping our queue filled with content--back then and now. can't wait to see what else you have for us in the future! ↳ favorite works: [ 1, 2, 3 ]

Alexa: Liv!!! It's so great to see you back creating again! I really missed seeing your work in the tag. It really comes full circle because you were our first ever member of the month on the blog and now we're back shouting you out again years later! I think I said this in my first blurb and it still rings true, I love how natural and smooth the coloring on your content is. You do a great job of emphasizing warm coloring (which I love) and you make it look so effortless. I love how you highlight women-led and centric dramas, I'm always find new recs through your content and I love it! Thanks again for being one of our OG net members - this second shoutout is so well deserved!!! ↳ favorite works: [ 1, 2, 3 ]

Lilly: hi livvvv! youre absolutely killing it. the amount of sets you post with such a consistent quality is nothing short of impressive. i love how much you appreciate the ladies too! having creators create content of female actors and female-led stories is so so vital, esp in such a male-focused community. 🙏 p.s. your love for kim hye joon gives me lifeee 💖 ↳ favorite works: [ 1, 2, 3 ]

Sya: Hi Liv! It's been great to see your content constantly in the tag. I love how you colour your gifs, it's so natural and gives off a soft hue that is very pleasing to the eyes! Thank you for giffing the amazing female characters and women centric dramas. Your delightfully deceitful contents makes me happy so thank you for creating tons of it. Looking forward to more amazing content and congratulations for being the motm!! well deserved <33 ↳ favorite works: [ 1, 2, 3 ]

[saellefanwork]

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕋𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖

Reminder: This Demon Slayer fic is rated Mature (adults only) for canon-typical violence and eventual suggestive or explicit sexual content

Return to Chapters List

Chapter 28: Fated Love

Even the ceaseless flow of time Cannot fray the crimson thread Of our everlasting bond

Author Note: Here it is!!! The final chapter of this story. Wow. What an adventure. That's not completely over yet, since this story will still be uploaded later when I'll be creating artworks for it. I don't know yet if I'll put all of them directly inside the chapters or oustide of them. What do you think? Perhaps I'll also post some bonus chapters with cut scenes will see the light of day in the upcoming months if people are interested :D Thank you for your support! Hope you enjoy the final!

This Epilogue contains major KNY ending spoilers.

Cultural Insight: In contemporary Japanese culture, young women express their feelings on Valentine's Day by presenting chocolates to boys or men they are close to. These chocolates come in two categories: giri-chocos, typically affordable and store-bought, given to male friends and colleagues, and honmei-chocos, more personalized and expensive chocolates reserved for expressing love. White Day follows one month later, when boys or men reciprocate by gifting white chocolate and additional presents to the women who shared their feelings.

Additionnal Tumblr Note: Wowwww sorry Tumblr readers, I forgot to update it here for Valentine's day (it was on my Patreon/Kofi then on AO3/Quotev though XD) Enjoy a late Valentine's day now and here though ;)

Two centuries later

"Tojuro!" a voice urgently hushed. "Psst. Tojuro, hey, wake up before the sensei catches you!"

Sensing someone shaking him, Rengoku Tojuro swiftly opened his eyes, sitting up with alertness. He pushed his chair away noisily, standing upright and facing an invisible interlocutor.

"Sorry for the distraction, Dad. I'll do one hundred drills and clean the dojo as compensation!" he declared loudly.

A profound silence fell upon the classroom, the high school students and their teacher gazing in astonishment at the young man's unexpected interruption. The boy blinked his large eyes, looking around with a perplexed expression. Realizing the situation, he burst into laughter, scratching the back of his head.

"Ha! My apologies, sensei! I thought I was still in practice."

The teacher; who was known for being bad-tempered bordering to violent, glared at him with contempt. “That excuse again, uh…? I’ll show you what it means to slack off during my lecture, Rengoku!” he shouted angrily, breaking his chalk into his hand and throwing it at his student in a gesture of pure rage.

His wrath intensified when the boy effortlessly caught it mid-air.

"Oops! That's dangerous, sensei. Be careful it doesn't slip from your grasp again in the future."

Disregarding his teacher's crimson fury, the teenager walked to the front desk and returned the chalk pieces with a broad innocent smile. His comrades observed him with mouths agape, some finding amusement or even admiration in his unfearful demeanor, others struck by his obliviousness to the situation, and many nervously awaiting the teacher's response.

In the end, another teacher passing by intervened before things escalated, and Tojuro only faced additional chores and an extra assignment for discipline, coupled with abundant threats that his parents would be notified if he ever nodded off during a lesson again.

"You're truly passionate about kendo, Tojuro... to the point of not sleeping enough and dreaming about it in class," his best friend Kamado Sumihiko remarked as they exited the building. "It's admirable, but you should be more careful in school; your grades might suffer, and the teachers will start giving you a hard time."

"It's kind of you to worry, Sumihiko, but I've got it. Hey, do you remember your promise for today?"

"Yes..." sighed his companion. "I'll be attending the kendo session tonight."

"Great! I've got a set ready for you, just as we planned!"

Sumihiko smiled somewhat reluctantly, pondering how he found himself in this predicament. A week ago, the teenager had lost a bet against his best friend—or so Tojuro claimed. In reality, the young Kamado couldn't recall making any bet in the first place. However, the flame-haired boy had insisted so vehemently, narrating the bet's circumstances with such persuasive conviction, that Sumihiko eventually yielded, mostly to put an end to the matter.

Now, Tojuro was bringing him to his family dojo on the outskirts of Setagaya to introduce him to his favorite martial art. Once both were attired in hakama and keikogi, the senior handed the novice a bamboo shinai. As Sumihiko grasped the training weapon, he experienced a peculiar sense of familiarity, despite never having held a similar object before. They were in the middle of the fundamentals when a female voice interrupted them.

Emerging from the girls' changing room, you spotted Tojuro and a burgundy-haired adolescent of the same age, unfamiliar to you. You approached them with a smile, always delighted when you had some time to talk with the sensei's son. He was a bit younger than you, but unlike some boys his age, he wasn’t immature. In fact, he was friendly and enjoyable to converse with, and even his quirky antics looked cute to you. He was a passionate, good-hearted person, and a skilled kendo partner.

"Rengoku-kun! Did you come early to give your friend a tour of the dojo? Will you introduce us?"

"Ha! Senpai! Hello!! This is my best friend, Kamado Sumihiko; he's here to try kendo for the first time! Sumihiko, this is Nagase Himawari-senpai—she’s two years our senior."

You and Sumihiko exchanged warm greetings, an inexplicable sense of familiarity coursing through you despite it being your first encounter. A similar sensation had washed over you when you first met the Rengokus. The newcomer observed you with curiosity. He found you very pretty, but what intrigued him the most was Tojuro's reaction in your presence— he was losing composure, turning scarlet, and suddenly becoming overexcited. He spoke even louder than usual, and his companion winced in pain as his eardrums vibrated.

"Nagase-senpai is extremely skilled!" Tojuro almost shouted to his friend. "She's a regional champion!"

You responded with a casual gesture.

"Japan is full of talented people, and you're certainly one of them, Rengoku-kun. I'm just happy to practice an activity I'm passionate about with excellent partners like you," you said, winking at him. "Ha! Your father just arrived; the class is going to start."

You strolled away towards the gathering spot of the sensei and the rest of the club members. Tojuro stood frozen in place, looking lovestruck after that wink and unexpected compliment. Sumihiko watched him with growing curiosity, not used to seeing him react like this.

"Tojuro... Do you have a crush on your senpai?" he asked.

"Huh?! Is it that obvious?!" responded the boy with a shocked expression, his cheeks ablaze.

"Yes... and if it's a secret, you should speak more quietly... I see now why you're so dedicated to kendo," his friend added, amused.

"Huh?! No, of course not! I don't have such impure motivations! I've always loved kendo! Although, I must admit, it's even more enjoyable since she joined the club a few months ago..."

"Tojuro, Kamado, get over here!" thundered the sensei's voice.

"Scary…," muttered Sumihiko as he obeyed, while Tojuro seemed as cheerful as ever under his father's strict tutelage.

The training session unfolded smoothly, and the young Kamado proved to be a gifted student, just as his best friend had predicted. He found out that he appreciated the practice and the dojo’s atmosphere. Even though he doubted he could ever match Tojuro's fervor and commitment to the sport, the idea of becoming a club member and engaging in regular exercise began to appeal to him. Additionally, this decision would bring satisfaction to his mother, who frequently emphasized the benefits of martial arts for instilling discipline in him. Though, a part of his motivation was also linked to the potential romantic connection between Tojuro and you. He cheered for his friend and wanted to be there as support.

Several weeks transpired without any significant developments between you and Tojuro. Nevertheless, Sumihiko remained convinced of your particular fondness for the young Rengoku among the dojo members, even though determining whether it was romantic interest proved challenging at this stage. The issue lay with Tojuro: despite his typical lively and confident demeanor, he unexplainably lost his composure in your presence outside of training. For instance, when you suggested going somewhere, he readily agreed but consistently dragged someone else along, usually Sumihiko. Conversely, although it was evident he enjoyed spending time with you, he never initiated any plans himself. It was rather perplexing, and Sumihiko eventually brought it to his friend’s attention.

"I don't want her to feel pressured!" Tojuro explained earnestly. "Considering someone as kind and popular as Nagase-senpai, I can only imagine the constant stream of suitors vying for her attention. I wouldn't want to add my own insistent advances to that list. Besides, being the sensei's son, I worry she might feel obligated to accept my invitation. I'd rather let her take the lead in that matter."

"Our senpai is undoubtedly kind, but I believe she's more than capable of expressing a refusal," retorted Sumihiko. "If you never take the initiative, she might think you're not interested, and you could risk losing her interest altogether."

"What?! Really?!" Tojuro asked in a panicked voice.

""Furthermore, it doesn't explain why you don't go unaccompanied when she proposes going out," pointed out his friend.

"T-that’s because..." the other boy struggled to find an excuse, mouth wide open, blinking. No valid argument came to him. It was clear he was simply nervous about being alone with you.

"Next time, try going alone," Sumihiko suggested with a sigh. "I feel like a third wheel anyway when I’m around. Consider it a challenge, alright?"

"Hmm! I'll do that, then!" replied Tojuro, crossing his arms with determination, though fear was evident in his eyes. "Do you have any other advice, Sumihiko-sensei?!"

"I don't know much either," the concerned party defended with an embarrassed look, scratching the back of his head. "I'm just sharing my thoughts... Oh! It's Valentine's Day soon, right? It might be an opportunity to learn more about her feelings."

Tojuro's cheeks deepened in color at the mere mention of Valentine's Day. The event, which typically held little interest for him, had slipped his mind. The prospect of receiving chocolates from you alone was enough to quicken his heartbeat. He realized he needed to show you his affection before then.

In the following weeks, Sumihiko noticed that his friend took his advice to heart, perhaps a bit too eagerly. Tojuro seized every opportunity to suggest outings, even for trivial activities like visiting the vending machine or taking a short walk together. Fortunately, you appeared pleasantly surprised by your kouhai's spontaneous invitations and almost always accepted them when your schedule permitted. The two of you even exchanged numbers, and Tojuro seemed to be on cloud nine for several days, losing focus in class and receiving more scolding from his father and teachers. Thankfully, Tojuro's academic prowess helped cushion the impact on his grades.

Valentine's Day loomed on the horizon, and the tension among high schoolers grew palpable. Amid Tojuro's coping hyperactivity and Yoshiteru's incessant whining, Sumihiko found himself stressed about the upcoming event, even though collecting chocolates or not didn't matter much to him. Unable to keep up with his friends' antics any longer, he eventually advised them to directly ask the girls they liked if they intended to offer them chocolates.

As previously, Tojuro diligently followed Sumihiko's instructions and planned to broach the subject on your next stroll together through the city center, scheduled just a few days before Valentine's Day.

The date itself was delightful. You watched an action movie, delved into manga café, then spend some time in an arcade. At the end of the afternoon, both of you enjoyed crepes while sitting next to each other in a serene park. Despite the numerous opportunities that these activities had presented, Tojuro hadn’t dared to make a move on you once, fearing to make you uncomfortable. With each passing moment, his concern grew, and he started to fret whether he could even muster the courage to bring up the topic of chocolates with you.

"Earth to Rengoku, do you copy?" you playfully asked. He sent you a confused glance. It seemed like you had been talking to him for a while, and he wasn’t paying attention.

“Huh? Oh, sorry, I was deep in thought,” he scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit foolish.

"I was asking if you wanted to run a dojo like your father, Tojuro-kun?"

"Hmm...!" Tojuro crossed his arms, pondering an answer. This pose invoked a pleasant sense of familiarity in you, as if you had always known him to make this gesture, even though it was impossible: you had met a few months ago, almost a year now. "I think I’d rather become a teacher! I’m pretty fond of history, especially historical warfare. Maybe I could teach that. But I still plan to help my father at the dojo alongside my studies and future work, since I’ll probably inherit it someday.

"Being a teacher would suit you well! You have good grades, and you definitely have the charisma and patience for the job. You’re very likeable too. It will be amusing to hear you being called 'Rengoku-sensei.'"

Tojuro blushed. "Thanks. What about you? What would you like to do after your finals?" he inquired curiously.

"I'd like to become an athlete, but my family insists I should have a 'real' job on the side, just in case. I guess I’ll pursue a degree in accounting. That way, I could assist them with their martial arts equipment business while still chasing my dream."

"That's great! Let's give it our all, then!" Tojuro exclaimed, raising his hand for a high-five.

You grinned, meeting his enthusiasm with an energetic clap hands. Your fingers lingered a moment against his, maybe a tad longer than the typical friendly gesture. Or perhaps he was imagining it, because the contact felt too brief when you finally pulled away and stood up.

"Well... I have to go home. Thanks for today; it was fun."

"Thank you very much as well, Nagase-senpai!"

"You don’t have to be so formal with me, especially when we're outside the club. We’re friends now, aren’t we?" you inquired with a sweet smile.

He nodded enthusiastically, delighted to gradually break down the social barriers between you. As you readied yourself to put your bag back on your shoulder, he thought, "She's about to leave. This is my last chance to ask her."

"Nagase-senp-..., Himawari-senpai, are you planning to give me chocolates for Valentine's Day?"

If Sumihiko had been present, he might have facepalmed himself with a weary sigh at such a straightforward query. With an amused smile, you turned to your kouhai, crossing your arms in a teasing pose.

"Maybe… What kind of chocolates would you like, Tojuro-kun?"

Tojuro hadn't anticipated this question. Of course, he yearned honmei choco from you (chocolates for a loved one), but expressing that directly could be awkward if you were planning giri-choco (friendship chocolates). He didn't want to influence your decision.

He grinned and responded, "Whichever your heart desires! I'll gladly accept them, no matter what!"

Now it was your turn to blush intensely at this honest and romantic response. Typically, you were not someone easily thrown off balance.

"I... alright. Um... See you then, Tojuro-kun."

The much-anticipated Valentine's Day finally arrived the following week, and the school was abuzz with excitement. Teachers struggled to maintain order, as students were solely preoccupied by the expectancy of chocolate exchanges and their underlying meanings.

Sumihiko, being well liked by many girls in their school, ended up collecting a lot of giri-chocos. He also stumbled on a honmei choco accompanied by an anonymous love letter in his locker, sparking widespread speculation about the mysterious identity of the secret admirer. Yoshiteru, on the other hand, received only a fistful of giri-chocos, and most were made by his own family, much to his disappointment.

Tojuro, however, was crumbling under a mountain of chocolates. He didn’t refuse any, but when faced with what seemed like honmei gifts, he would take them with a pre-emptive note:

"Thank you very much! I hope these are giri-choco because my heart is already taken!"

In response, the girls hastily claimed they had indeed prepared giri-choco, even if it wasn't the case, eager to avoid an awkward rejection.

At the end of the day, burdened with the numerous sweet offerings tucked into his backpack and clutched in his hands, the young kendoka hurried to the dojo. Since this session was reserved for experienced students, Sumihiko went straight home after school. Already attired in hakama and armor, you greeted the sensei's son with a smile upon his arrival, but your exchange remained brief as training swiftly commenced. After the class concluded, you distributed chocolates to the club members to share, and also presented a box to the sensei, who graciously accepted them, placing them beside the ones his wife had made for him. Tojuro received nothing personal and had minimal interaction with you, as you found yourself engulfed in conversations with seniors eager to discuss upcoming competitions.

Contemplating whether to wait for you, Tojuro ultimately dismissed the idea. After all, you had never confirmed that you would make chocolates for him, and showing that he expected them would be impolite. He finally decided to go back home and bid everyone farewell. Your gaze followed him as he left but you didn't stop him.

Upon reaching his home, Tojuro slumped on his bed. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't disappointed with the day's conclusion, but he refrained from overthinking about the events. The absence of chocolates didn’t necessarily indicate you disliked him; perhaps you had your reasons. Without clear signals from you, though, he knew he would need all his courage to express his feelings directly one day. He held onto the hope that, in case of rejection, you would still be willing to remain his friend.

Somewhat apprehensive, he decided to divert his thoughts by indulging in silly social media videos. After an hour of adorable cat memes, a message that suddenly appeared on his screen made him sit up abruptly.

"Meet me at the usual park."

The text was from you. As if summoned, Tojuro hurriedly put on his jacket and dashed out of the house. Seated on a swing a few streets away, you noticed him sprinting towards you with a surprised look. Only a few minutes had passed since you sent the notification.

"Wow, you're quick! You didn't even take a moment to answer."

Catching his breath from the run, he inhaled deeply and straightened up, wearing a serious expression. "Yeah... I didn't want to keep you waiting, in case it was important... why did you want to see me...?"

His dedication and earnestness brought a smile to your face. You handed him a small red paper bag, adorned with a golden ribbon.

"Here, I wanted to give you this after kendo practice, but there were too many people, and I didn't want to draw unnecessary attention on us."

Beaming with anticipation, Tojuro accepted the package. Upon opening it, he discovered a heart-shaped box of treats, strongly suggesting that it contained honmei-choco. His heart skipped a beat.

"You can open it and taste them," you invited him. "I'm quite pleased with how they turned out."

Nodding excitedly, he lifted the lid and uncovered beautifully crafted homemade chocolates, adorned with small edible flames— the crest of his family and of the kendo club. Taking a bite, his eyes immediately lit up.

"UMAI!" he exclaimed loudly.

Startled, passersby turned their attention to you. You chuckled, muffling the sound within the sleeve of your jacket.

"I'm glad you like them."

"These are the best chocolates I've ever had," Tojuro assured. "Thank you for making them for me! I'll savor them dearly!"

"You received a lot, though. I saw all the packages you were carrying earlier," you remarked mischievously.

"Perhaps, but I was only waiting for yours!" he replied honestly.

Cheeks aflame, your gaze dropped to your toes out of embarrassment.

"If you liked them that much, I could make them for you again next year," you said bashfully.

Tojuro's smile illuminated the scene, competing with the setting sun. He took one of your hands in his and exclaimed, "If you're okay with it, you can make them for me for the rest of our lives, Himawari. I'll never get tired of them!"

Curious onlookers discreetly observed, drawn by the spectacle of this unusual public declaration. Your already warm cheeks turned crimson, but you couldn't help laughing at his enthusiasm. It looked more like a marriage proposal than a suggestion to go out together. Not that you minded too much, though. Taking his other hand, you leaned closer to him and lightly pecked his cheek, amused by his lovestruck expression when you stepped back.

"Hehe! That’s a deal, then, Tojuro. I challenge you to accept them for that long!"

The End

Modern Era Secret: In their first White Day together, Tojuro presented Himawari with homemade white chocolates and the memoirs of Kyojuro Rengoku, the brother of his ancestor almost ten generations ago. The chocolates were a bit busted, however Himawari loved the writings of the famous swordsman and co-founder of the Flame dojo. She was surprised to find that his wife shared the same name as hers but didn't dwell on it, attributing it to an amusing coincidence.

Thank you for reading to the end! If you liked this fic, consider liking it, commenting, reblogging it and/or subscribing to my page! It always set the flame in my heart ablaze ❤️‍🔥

[msbigredmachine]

Watched Wrestlemania 39. My highlights:

Night 1

1. Right person won the US title match. Not a fan of Cena and probably never will be. Sorry.

2. All the guys in the men’s showcase match went off! Gosh! They all killed it, every one of them.

3. Seth versus Logan was expectedly good. Yes Logan Paul is an ass but that guy is great in the ring. Period.

4. KSI being frogplashed through a table 🤣🤣🤣

5. Outfit of the weekend. I don’t care what none of y’all say.

6. Didn’t really like the six women tag match. I just feel that Damage Ctrl need to split up now. Nothing is going their way.

7. Father and son arguably with the entrances of the weekend. Dom coming from prison and Rey in a low rider with Snoop bumping to two classic songs! 😭

8. This part had me screaming!

9. Dom splashing a drink in Aalyah’s face made me gasp! Excellent heel work by ex condom.

10. Rey winning made all the sense in the world. Months of disrespect ending in the most emphatic way possible. Dominik will be fine.

11. So glad Rhea won. Charlotte Flair is not interesting unless she has the title. The match was entertaining though. Loved it.

12. Lil Uzi Vert playing out the Usos was random, but I like Just Wanna Rock so it wasn’t an issue for me.

13. The Usos in all white is always 🔥🔥🔥. The main event twins!

14.Loved that Kevin and Sami wore matching outfits too. Sami is sooo over it’s crazy.

15. It was all fun and games till the Usos isolated Sami and started teeing off on him. Like fucking assassins. Then Sami kept kicking out and the Usos kept brutalizing him. That shit was uncomfortable.

16. Please rewatch the part where Jey put Sami in the corner and used him for target practice. The slaps, the forearms, the leaping Helluva kick, the trash talk. Jey is soooo HURT. That made me emotional.

17. The near falls were killing me! It got to a point when I stopped commenting and just kept watching because I was mesmerized. I didn’t want to miss a thing by talking.

18. The ending sequence. Cinema. Sami putting Jey away was the icing on the cake. Kevin’s face after the bell rang. The roar of the crowd. My own tears falling. Heartbroken for Jey. Elated for Sami. Unbelievable.

19. Hands down one of the best Mania main events in its 40 year history. Best tag team title match I’ve ever seen. And it did not surprise me at all, because four of the best in the world executed it to perfection.

Night 2

1. Nothing to say about Brock/Omos. Whatever.

2. Night and day between the men’s showcase match 👍🏾 and the women’s showcase match 👎🏾

3. LOOOOL Drew, Gunther and Sheamus beat the SHIT out of each other. Wowwww. The right man won. Gunther has a great aura and needs to hold that shit for a year.

4. That little girl in the middle of Bianca’s troupe lost her mother THAT DAY and still went out and killed her section. She is so so brave and I’m so happy she was still able to get that opportunity. She looked so happy despite her immense loss. My condolences to her and I hope she had the time of her life.

5. I feel bad for Asuka. L after L after L at Mania. But Bianca is a once in a lifetime athlete. Keep that belt on her for as long as possible.

6. I have ZERO sympathy for Shane McMahon. 7 years away from turning SIXTY and your ass still thinks you're 25. LA Knight was LITERALLY there to do this segment with. There are useful nepo babies and useless nepo babies. You can guess where I think Shane belongs.

7. Snoop essentially flying through the air just to hit one elbow drop 😂😂😂

8. Edge and Finn’s video package was TOP tier! And the fact that Russell Crowe was involved is insane!!!

9. Shout out to Finn for continuing the match with his head split open. Holy cow.

10. Great match from Edge and Finn. Really good.

11. The main event felt like a HUGE deal. Fabulous entrances.

12. Immaculate entrance by Cody Rhodes. I had chills. He looked like the star that he is. His jacket was 🔥🔥🔥 The wings on the back made it look so epic.

13. Tears in my eyes when he hugged his family and then gave his belt to Negative One.

14. This was Roman’s first grand entrance as the Tribal Chief. The pianists went off. Loved how the soft piano ended and the BOOM opening of his theme song followed right after. So intimidating.

15. He didn’t change his pants. Just his boots. Boo, Mr Reigns. That doesn’t count.

16. Shout out to Samantha Irvin and her intros. That girl is GOOD.

17. Solo the shooter, terrorizing Cody at every turn. It eventually paid off. That’s why Roman don’t talk to his brothers anymore, lol. They’re not as reliable as their baby brother.

18. ROLLERCOASTER of a match. The ejection of Solo, the near falls! 😭

19. This match would have been five stars for me if it wasn’t for the ref bump. It’s like the 4th match in a row it was happening and it’s a bit repetitive. Let Roman have a no DQ match for once so he can do what he wants.

20. My jaw dropped when the ref counted to three! I honestly thought Cody was winning. I was sooo shocked. Nothing I thought would happen, happened

21. It will be interesting to see what is going to happen next because I have no clue. Will Cody still chase the titles or will it be someone else? How badly will Roman bully the twins now that they are no longer champions?

22. Lmao at Roman using every social media platform to gloat afterwards. He knew this was the reaction he would get and he was loving it.

Overall: Night 1 was much better than Night 2 IMO. Night 1 is probably the best Mania night I’ve ever watched. Practically every match delivered and I was happy.

MVP of the weekend - Dominik Mysterio. He was flawless. Heeled it up to the nines. His match with his father was near perfect. Bright future for that young man

Line of the weekend - “This is what Dominik gave up for those bozos, Dominik deserved what he got tonight at Mania”- Michael Cole spitting 🔥 the entire show.

What did you agree or disagree with?

[mercurialmagpie]

my first non-dnd oc in years, wowwww

aiming for 1800s gothic mexico vibes for her town. ekaitza is the daughter of a local priest and she’s cursed to be able to manipulate flesh (wooo body horror!!!) I’ve decided that in her town the women like to paint suns on their cheeks as blush. the cat eyes are just an art style thing but I’m debating making it a permanent part of her character, like a sign of her curse. she thinks a little too much about peeling off peoples skin to see what’s underneath.

when she’s not busy being a girlfailure she helps out at the local hospital treating people with really gnarly injuries (because she can just kinda, yknow, will the flesh to stitch itself together again). she has a crush on the young doctor there because he has very pretty teeth and she wants to put them in a jar and stare at them (and also he’s hot)

anyways she’s weird but she’s mostly harmless and I love her

[matchawhippedcreamlatte]

~ Current Favourites ~

Post pictures of five things you're currently loving 💗

Always a book! Read this late last year but loved the compilation of photos of women on lawns and dreaming up different scenarios of reasons behind these photographs 💓📸

my flatmate since forever... my teddy bear 🐻. first met through a friend and we havd been through so much since I was 15 years old 🖤👼

My beloved Haring mask which I got for 1 dollar!!!! So silky, the colour is immaculate and anything Haring I just go crazy for 🌈

Mugs. One of my forever favourites, a holiday gift from one of my students who according to her parents talks about me all the time 🥺 makes cups of tea all the more sweeter 🍵

always gifts but right now hand cream!!!! this one is almost done but wowwww can't go wrong with l'occitane 🤞

tagging @housefaerie @candlesoul @breadgrl @mhtyr @diospyros @sadspicychilli (only if you are keen to do it~)

[sunnisurrealism]

https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/58185/1/young-people-choosing-voluntary-celibacy-gen-z-attitudes-sex-relationships

Shit Timmy it’s you! 😭🥺

I feel like I’m the grandma of gen z and luckily I only slept with boyfriends from 15-21 and am only going thru my disillusionment phase now, and feel hella more relaxed that at least my lyfe mate is confirmed 🥺😭 ily it is such a blessing and relief, I know you feel the same way and we are very very lucky. But yeah I can’t personally imagine being a young young gen z feeling hella disillusioned and confused, and this article shows it’s not even a gendered thing (I wonder if there’s more male Incels or volcels). Somehow we need to bring back romance. My intuitive feeling is that girls growing up with social media are putting hella too much of their self worth on their appearance, which may consciously or unconsciously be with the goal to have sex. And then when they get it it’s not even good cuz guys don’t know what they’re doing or they don’t care for some reason. Not all of them, but it’s not like the culture teaches it. It’s probably mostly girls becoming volcels overall, this is an existential problem, what’s to do? ??? Women will always be choosers, due to risk of pregnancy. Now they’re just opting out of the whole thing? Shiet, something ain’t right.

Also I still participate in beauty culture obviously but overall I do think it needs to calm down hella, and that young girls should find more worth in their personal inner thing regardless of looks or getting the cute boy or whatever the fuck. It has helped me tbh, but I also care less now that my mate is locked in which is a privilege.

I also feel like it’s very important to question how porn has shaped the minds of young men, and women tbh. Would it logically follow that it has made them “less romantic”? Perhaps the mystery of sex and courting is gone cuz you can just see it on the screen whenever you want. I noticed I have for some reason internalized shame for not being like women in porn videos because I feel like I would be a disappointment for not being so extreme. I bet lots of girls and women secretly feel this way, tbh. Also I will say it now, it’s really weird to me how guys love this idea of girls “losing themselves” serving men, but why don’t we see men “losing themselves” serving women as often? Like in the culture broadly? Why? Like why? Think about it.

You can also easily find anyone to fuck from the dating apps, if you’re lucky, which has hella dehumanized the romance thing which was my problem. The apps are really fucking up the collective psyche. What do YOU think needs to happen to heal? I feel like you know all my opinions by now 🤣🤣🤣🤣😤🤣

I think these are the things you’ll hella have to reflect upon Timmy, as the protector of women. Protecting women is actually more about men than women. You will have to share your wisdom and find sneaky ways to influence beyond “telling the way.” This is the shit Bob does. You should do it in the book based on how you treat me. I know everyone one day will be like “wowwww” because it seems quite naval gazy, but we can just tell everyone writing the book based on my ideas and yours was our way to keep the long distance interesting over the many years, I mean fair enough. And even tho I highly doubt you are whatever the fuck “problematic” irl the visions of what went down these past few months make for wonderful storytelling.I know you understand from the nicole Kidman post. Irl, we learn by going through it. When we read or watch story, we learn by going thru it, but it is much more accelerated and less personally difficult. This is the point of it all. Bless up and thank you pour ecrire 🙏🏻 I also am eternally grateful for the sacrifices you have made for me and I endlessly want to honour that🙏🏻hella hella bless up Timmy I respect and love you so much my king :)

These are some of my fave YouTubers, please watch when you have time. I’ve only watched the second so far tbh. Bless up 🙏🏻

https://youtu.be/ybwzwYLlCW8?si=atgEG5IOGFrQPaRG

https://youtu.be/uuRK5naSfDQ?si=os6nswZiM9p86fnt

[ceresia-selestarr]

Oh it sure would be a shame if there were any emotionally vulnerable women to dm me. I sure would hate it if I had the chance to care for someone and love them, and tell them everything will be all right. Oh wowwww that sureeee would be a shame!