#Still love the addition of them and I can see them being like

[pmdcollector]

"Special Interview: The Past, Present, and Future of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon"

Nintendo DREAM. Volume #181. Spring 2009.

Translation by Smaturin. Editing and formatting by NeonHumBuzz.

Seiichiro Nagahata (Chunsoft)

Director, Head of Development Department

Shinichiro Tomie (Chunsoft)

Development Department, Planning Section, Game Producer

Hironori Ishigami (Chunsoft)

Development Department, Programmer

Kunimi Kawamura (The Pokémon Company)

Development Supervisor, Head of Development Management Department

The newest installment, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky (hereafter referred to as "Sky"), is set to be released soon. This time the subtitle is "Explorers of Sky," but from the perspective of the average player, during "Explorers of Time" and "Explorers of Darkness" (hereafter referred to as "Time" and "Darkness"), one would likely imagine Dialga and Palkia when thinking of "Time." So "Time/Sky" would seem like the normal way to go. Why did you start with "Time/Darkness" and then go on to "Sky" for this game?

Kawamura: That was exactly what I wanted. To have our players think just that. As I’m sure there are still people who have not played Time/Darkness yet, I cannot say anything specific, but a Pokémon from Time actually appears in the first ending. And in the story after the ending, a Pokémon from Darkness appears. Does that explain it!?

Ah, I see!

Kawamura: Also, if we went with "Time" and "Sky" just because it was Dialga and Palkia, that would be too plain and predictable. And so we brought in "Darkness" in order to differentiate.

In that case, what were you imagining with Sky?

Kawamura: Sky is also "Space" and "Air" and can have many different meanings.

Shaymin’s Sky Forme is also based on "Sky."

Kawamura: Aside from stuff like that, we made Explorers of Sky with the concept of it being the definite version of the Explorers series. And so we wanted to convey the sense of expanding. "Sky" just happened to be perfectly fitting, but it took us a while to reach that conclusion. We also considered the "Sky" of outer space, but it was pointed out that this did not seem very bright. During development, there was also a film title that had "Sky" written as "Frozen Sky" (2008 film "Pokémon: Giratina & the Sky Warrior"), and so we wanted something more straightforward, and settled on the current "Sky."

For "Sky," the new additions for the protagonist are Riolu, Shinx, Eevee, Phanpy and Vulpix. How did you go about selecting these 5?

Tomie: When selecting the protagonist candidates for "Red Rescue Team/Blue Rescue Team" (hereafter referred to as "Red/Blue"), I confided in Kawamura-san during the process and came to the realization that the Pokémon I would choose were not very popular.

Everyone: (laughs)

Tomie: And so I withdrew from the process for Time/Darkness, and had Kawamura-san choose them. Also, there was a member of staff who really wanted Phanpy included. In the end, it’s better for the story if the protagonist and friends are Pokémon that look cute.

Kawamura: Also, with Eevee, there was this girl from France who was a fan of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, and told us, "I love Eevee so much, so please make it the protagonist!"

A girl from France!?

Tomie: There was a keynote in France for Time/Darkness. And we received that question.

Kawamura: Eevee is especially popular among girls. Other criteria would be how expressive they were, the readability of emotions when they pop up in the portraits. The evolution, popularity, and if they look cute when walking… we considered different aspects while choosing until the current lineup remained.

"Remained." So there were many other candidates at first?

Kawamura: Indeed. For instance, Buneary was a candidate, but as its Ability is "Klutz," it cannot use the effects of the items it holds. Pachirisu was also a candidate, but when entering the early dungeons, it would be very difficult if you didn’t have a move that was decently strong. There were various reasons like that.

It’s been the case ever since Red/Blue, but what is the reason for "answering questions to determine the protagonist"?

Tomie: Ultimately, it comes from the setting of "you = protagonist", and "you have suddenly turned into a Pokémon one day." While being able to choose freely would be fine, that feeling of "boom, you are this Pokémon!", and having it decided for you might make it more relatable. Besides, I thought that if you don’t know which Pokémon you will become, then having one that is closer to your personality will allow for more conversation between players. Like, "I became Turtwig" and "I’m Torchic."

There are many new elements to Sky, but the Special Episodes have drawn the most attention.

Tomie: When it came to creating Sky, at first, we were thinking of making small changes to the scenarios of the main game. But after reconsidering it, we realized that it should not be touched. If we did make changes, it would just be adding a little something to the start of the story, or adding a little story after the ending. Those were the only choices we had. If that is the case, then we might as well add a side story, which would give us more freedom and allow us to expand. That was the conclusion we settled on.

I understand that the Special Episodes appear after advancing in the story to certain points?

Tomie: They do get unlocked as you play the game.

Kawamura: For instance, if Bidoof’s Special Episode appeared in the beginning, it would not be as enjoyable, since you do not understand what Bidoof’s role is in the main story. They are made to appear on the Menu Screen at the perfect time, when the foundation for enjoying the story has been set.

By the way, will the results of playing these Special Episodes be reflected in the main game?

Ishigami: Acquired items can be carried back with you to the main game. Otherwise, it would not be very fun.

How did you decide what character’s perspective to use for the Special Episodes?

Tomie: First of all, I knew that I wanted to use Grovyle. Ever since development on Time/Darkness had completed, I wanted to do it if I got the chance.

Kawamura: In order for players of Time/Darkness to enjoy it, we chose characters that had a lot of interactions with the guild members or protagonist. Like Bidoof (laughs).

These Special Episodes, like with Grovyle, for instance, it’s a story about returning to the future through the Dimensional Hole. Did this setting already exist during Time/Darkness?

Tomie: Not as a setting, no. Personally, I did have a vague idea of how it would be. As it relates to the ending, I cannot give away too much here, but I received a lot of comments from fans who wanted us to "save Grovyle too." I understood how they felt, and since it was from people who felt very strongly about Grovyle, it made me very happy. On the other hand, there was also a part of me that felt, "that's wrong." And with Sky, I had the chance to do something about it, which I was happy to do.

So Grovyle will appear in some other form… is that what you mean?

Tomie: Yes. It also means that Grovyle was doing his best! In the future world.

Spinda's Café has been added as a new facility. What is it, exactly?

Ishigami: As you advance in the game, I think you will have a lot of leftover items in your storage. Kangaskhan Storage has limited capacity, and so we wondered… if the leftover items could not be used for something else.

Tomie: Being able to turn Gummis into drinks is quite nice, isn’t it? If you pick up a Gummi, you definitely should go to the Juice Bar to get a drink.

The Recycle Shop also looks very interesting.

Tomie: It is quite interesting. I think that I’ve spent nearly half of the game wandering around there.

Ishigami: It’s like a place that you definitely want to stop by every time you come back from a dungeon.

What kind of prizes can you win with the Recycle Shop lottery?

Nagahata: We made it so you can acquire some amazing items now. Like a scarf that raises your abilities, and things you usually wouldn’t be able to acquire until after the ending. But you can now get them early on.

The Secret Bazaar is another new element. Under what kind of circumstance does it appear?

Nagahata: In general, it is random. You can be walking and the hidden staircase will just suddenly appear. So, you wonder what it is and you go inside to find the Secret Bazaar sprawled out in front of you.

Kawamura: We wanted to have players experience some good things inside of the dungeon, so it wasn’t just the thrill of encountering enemies that you cannot beat. "Ah, there are interesting places like this." We prepared a place where you don’t have to fight.

One thing I thought was incredibly interesting was the Lookalike Items. Like the Oren Berry instead of the Oran Berry.

Tomie: I was the one who was in charge of this new element. I had decided to think about it after I finished writing the Special Episodes. And so when I came to the staff with it a few months later, saying, "I want to do this," they all started saying, "what!"

Everyone: (laughs)

Tomie: The staff did not receive it well at first, but when I was writing, they gave me a lot of ideas. And from there, Kawamura-san and the other staff went through them until the current Lookalike Item was what remained.

Kawamura: It is very interesting!

Nagahata: It’s pretty terrible, isn’t it? (laughs)

Tomie: It’s fun to see the Reviser Seed being used. The programmers worked hard to make that.

Nagahata: They made it while saying, "won't this make young children cry?"

Ishigami: We even placed an explanation for the Lookalike Items in the tutorial.

Nagahata: You have to tell them that first. We were worried that if it came out suddenly, it would make people cry.

Various new elements have been added in Sky, but how is the difficulty in comparison to Time/Darkness?

Nagahata: Personally, I made it with the intent of it being about the same as Time/Darkness. And so it may seem easy for those who have played the series before, due to their experience.

Kawamura: In fact, during the Pokémon personality test that determines the protagonist in the beginning, you are asked if you have played Time/Darkness before. And the data balance changes a little depending on if you answer "yes" or "no." And so players of Time/Darkness and new players should be able to play it a little differently.

Nagahata: Also, in Time/Darkness, there were items that only appeared in Time, or only in Darkness, but in Sky, they all appear. For instance, in Time/Darkness, you may not have been able to get a Gummi that fits the protagonist type, and so you couldn’t raise your IQ… but this time, they appear with better balance, so the beginning of the game will be easier in some ways. However, we have also added some dungeons with higher difficulty.

For instance, a dungeon that is more difficult than Zero Isle…!?

Nagahata: There is. I thought that there would be no meaning in making something that was the same, so we made it even more difficult.

About the Exclusive Items from Time/Darkness, are there even more of them now?

Nagahata: There are. We have added nearly 400 of them.

Ishigami: We have them for everyone, including the Pokémon who did not have Exclusive Items in the previous games.

Kawamura: As there are many more types now, we made some adjustments to Croagunk's Swap Shop to make them easier to collect.

Nagahata: Since there are so many types of Pokémon, it’s quite difficult to get the Exclusive Item that you want, right? And so we added a system where if you "bring a certain item, you will receive an Exclusive Item." Also, you are able to send Exclusive Items from Time/Darkness over to Sky.

Ishigami: There is an advantage to sending Exclusive Items as well. As their Rarity goes up by 1 rank.

That’s very convenient! By the way, are Exclusive Items the only thing you can send?

Nagahata: No, you can send all items that were acquired in Time/Darkness over to Sky. For instance, if a newcomer who is starting with Sky, receives items from someone who played Time/Darkness, they may be able to enjoy a smoother adventure.

Aside from items, are there any network elements between Sky and Time/Darkness?

Ishigami: Interactions such as rescue requests and team battles in the Marowak Dojo are also possible between Sky and Time/Darkness. Request passwords can also be used as is. However, in regards to Wonder Mail, we plan to reveal something new for Sky, so it will not be compatible with Time/Darkness.

Kawamura: Furthermore, we have added something new in the form of demo dungeons. Ishihara (The Pokémon Company President and CEO, Tsunekazu Ishihara) had suggested that we could send a demo version through a Wi-Fi connection. Though, there were various problems, such as with capacity, and it was a lot of trouble for Chunsoft to implement.

Ishigami: In other words, even without the DS cartridge, you will be able to download and play the demo at Wi-Fi Stations and free spots. Also, players who have Sky will be able to send the demo dungeons to friends who do not own the game.

How much gameplay do they offer?

Kawamura: Some will be easy for complete beginners, while others will be challenging for Mystery Dungeon veterans. We made it with about 6 variations depending on difficulty.

Nagahata: Due to the limits with capacity, they are very compact. But they are made to convey what kind of game Mystery Dungeon really is.

As this is the first Pokémon Mystery Dungeon interview for Nintendo DREAM, please tell us how this collaboration between Pokémon and Mystery Dungeon came to be.

Kawamura: From the beginning, Ishihara was a big fan of Chunsoft’s Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer series. So the start of it was the idea… that by combining this gameplay with the vast variety of Pokémon, we may be able to create a new world. I am also a big fan of Chunsoft’s games, so I was sure that the results would be very interesting. And so Ishihara went to Nakamura-san (Koichi Nakamura, Chunsoft Representative Director) and asked, "want to do this together?" and that led to where we are now.

Including each version, Sky will now be the 5th installment. Honestly, did you think it would continue this long?

Nagahata: If I am being honest, I was not thinking about anything. It was like, we will release it, and if it is received well enough, we’ll continue. Ultimately, Red/Blue were quite popular, so I think we were really lucky.

Also, the world of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series was pretty shocking. It's a world without humans and only Pokémon, where they talk normally. How did you come up with this idea?

Kawamura: If there were humans in the world of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, this might not be the best example, but I thought the Pokémon would be like pets. In order to make scenarios where the player will relate to them, it would be best for it to be between Pokémon. However, since that had never been done in a Pokémon game up until then, we had to think about it seriously.

Tomie: Actually, when it comes to the world, while they do not make any appearances, humans do exist as far as the setting goes. But when discussing the world with Kawamura-san at the start, she said that she wanted to keep "Pokémon trainer throwing Pokéballs" as a separate thing. So, if it’s going to be a world of just Pokémon, which you can control, then the problem is how you make them communicate. After all, they have to be able to talk. And so there was much trial and error. At first we even considered having them say "pika-pika," and then have the meaning in parenthesis.

Ultimately, I think the world of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon was a great success. For Time/Darkness, we had a lot of comments from readers of Nintendo DREAM saying, "the story was amazing!" and "I cried!" How have you felt player reactions?

Tomie: As for me, I’m simply very happy. To be honest, that makes me more happy than the sales numbers. As someone who is a creator for a living, hearing that kind of reaction is a joy and gives me purpose in life. My feelings are really just, "thank you so much."

I get the impression that the stories are a lot more dramatic compared to the main Pokémon series. Was this always the direction you were going in while making it?

Tomie: I wouldn’t say that we were aiming to do that. To be honest, there was a lot of trial and error when it came to the scenarios. And there was a time when I considered going in a much more light-hearted direction. But then Ishihara-san said he wanted to "go with a classical story." And so I wondered how we could go with a classical approach. "Well, let’s go with a story of friendship between the protagonist and partner!" So after that was finally decided, I started writing what is now the finished story.

So Ishihara’s suggestion of "classical" is the reason for the current dramatic storylines.

Tomie: For instance, when it comes to Time/Darkness, there is a scene where bubbles are being blown by the coast. While writing the plot outline, I had decided at that point that I wanted to begin and end the story with bubbles. I thought that it was the life of the story while I was writing. As the graphics are also important for this scene, in spite of us not really having much time to spare, we used up a lot of time, and the person in charge of the graphics worked hard to depict it.

Then we should pay attention to the bubble scenes when playing Sky as well! By the way, what is the relationship between the worlds of Red/Blue and Time/Darkness?

Kawamura: That’s a secret. They might be connected, and they might not be connected. Perhaps it is a different era, or a different world. We’ll leave it at that (laughs).

It’s very interesting how unique Pokémon can be when it comes to personalities and the way they speak. Who is it that decides on such things? (Translator's note: "-desuwa" is a sentence-ending participle used primarily by characters who are supposed to be feminine and elegant.)

Tomie: It’s generally me. After deciding on the roles of the Pokémon, I make them talk in the way that I feel is right. However, there are times when it is the other way around. Where the speech patterns are already decided, and the role is considered later. This was the case for Sunflora in Time/Darkness, where Kawamura-san chose Sunflora for the role of the Pokémon who speaks with "-desuwa."

Kawamura: When it is a character that Tomie-san is very particular with, he is able to go on ahead with the specific scenario, but when that is not the case, there is just dialogue for Pokémon A and B, and then we choose a fitting Pokémon later.

Tomie: When I’m still at the point where the scenario is not fleshed out yet, for instance, like with the guild apprentices, the writing just mentions them as a large group. But by assigning roles for parts that I had just written in the spur of the moment, the story often starts to expand in various ways.

Was Bidoof’s tendency to say "-degesu" decided beforehand? (Translator's note: "-degesu" is an old-fashioned sentence-ending participle often used for comical purposes.)

Tomie: Bidoof came first. For some reason, Kawamura-san was a big fan of Bidoof, and would say, "please put Bidoof in it, please put Bidoof in it." And so I thought, "well, I better put Bidoof in it." I don’t know why, but he ended up saying "-degesu" (laughs).

Next, I would like to talk about characters who are especially popular in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. Let’s start with Gengar from Red/Blue!

Kawamura: How nostalgic (laughs).

Tomie: From the beginning, I had been thinking of making Gengar a villain, and wrote up to the story’s ending that way. But then Kawamura-san said, "there should be a little hope for Gengar too." I thought it would be enough to just have Gengar pull out and save the protagonist from the underworld, but the others felt that Gengar was still a villain. And so that was why I started writing the story about Gengar and Gardevoir that happens after the ending. I felt that if I am going to write a conclusion for that story, then I also had to conclude the Ninetales legend as well. And so I faced it head-on while writing.

Kawamura: What we wanted to say was that "there are no bad Pokémon." Though, there are some who behave badly for a reason. I wanted to leave a reason or an anecdote that showed that Gengar was not a villain until the end. At first, it was really meant as a little bonus, so I didn’t expect as big of a reaction from players. Tomie-san’s scenario was also quite wonderful, and it was pretty much given the OK in one shot. To anyone who has not played it yet, please give it a try (laughs).

With Time/Darkness, we must start with Wigglytuff.

Tomie: Wigglytuff. This is going to be a little long (laughs). In Red/Blue, Wigglytuff was selling "Friend Areas," and while this might sound like a bad way of putting it, it was basically land flipping. At the time, my impression was just of a "single Pokémon who had a store," but I saw some fan opinions on the internet, and came to the realization that this character was more complicated than I thought. People were saying, "Wigglytuff says "friend, friend" a lot, but he doesn’t even have any friends."

Everyone: (laughs)

Tomie: I thought, "this character is actually quite deep." And so I started to think of using him as a sub-character in Time/Darkness. It was around that time that Kawamura-san said that she wanted something like a guild in Time/Darkness. We thought, if there is a guild, the protagonist and partner should live like apprentices. In that case, we’ll need a Guildmaster. Wigglytuff is the only one for that job! We decided it like that.

Guildmaster = Wigglytuff! It kind of seems straightforward, but maybe not…

Tomie: He is a genius. And as a genius, there are some things that only he knows, which dictates his actions. But it looks strange to those around him. But if you look at the big picture, it all comes together. He is that kind of character. And so I felt strongly about having Wigglytuff create a guild, so we could have the protagonist live there.

As it will spoil what happens after the ending, I cannot give too many details, but I really liked the part with the Grand Master of All Things Bad.

Kawamura: In that case, you’ll like Sky even more! Even from the music, it will hit you like Acupressure (laughs).

We cannot talk about Time/Darkness without bringing up Grovyle and Celebi. In the first place, why did you choose Grovyle for the criminal role?

Tomie: During the plot writing stage, it was actually Lucario who had the criminal role. And it was like that for quite a while. But one day, Kawamura-san said, "Lucario has a strong reputation for being a Pokémon of justice, and does not seem like a criminal." And so I started to think of which Pokémon I could use instead. Kawamura-san then selected a few candidates. And it was Grovyle who stood out more than the others. However, Grovyle is an evolved form of Treecko, which meant it could feel too similar to the protagonist and partner. We struggled over using it, but in the end, I think we made the right decision.

Why did you make Celebi a different color?

Tomie: In terms of the story’s setting, it was necessary for Celebi to be there. But when it came to having Celebi appear in the future world, Kawamura-san said, "there is a pink variant of Celebi, so let’s make her pink!" At that moment, my idea of Celebi changed into what is in the game.

Kawamura: The regular Celebi is green, and so if she is with Grovyle, it would be green and green. Also, I wanted her to seem special, as she has the role of the time traveler. A Celebi that is not normal, with a different color. And I chose pink to give off the impression of a girl.

In the official setting, Celebi does not have a gender.

Kawamura: When it comes to Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, due to circumstances with development, there was a need to decide on "girl talk" and "boy talk" in advance. And so we set temporary genders. I am sure you know about the Pokémon movie with Celebi ("Pokémon 4Ever", released in 2001), where Celebi had a mischievous and boyish personality. We wanted to be separate from that. It is just my fancy, but there is a proper reason for it (laughs).

I really like Celebi’s somewhat painful feelings towards Grovyle. While adventuring with Celebi in the future world, she says something quite different from the usual when you talk to her. And it is so…

Kawamura: You’ve played quite extensively (laughs).

Tomie: Those kinds of interactions between Grovyle and Celebi came out quite naturally as I was writing. I showed the other staff what I had written, and they said, "Celebi is tsundere, huh?" But I just thought, "oh, really?"

Kawamura: You didn’t write it like that deliberately.

Tomie: If anything, I was holding back there a little.

It was more extreme in the beginning!?

Everyone: (laughs)

Tomie: I wouldn't call it extreme, but it was a little more straightforward.

Kawamura: The future world is so dark and brutal, so I think that Tomie-san wanted to include that as a single bright storyline. Of course, if it depicted something too close to romantic emotion, then we would have to add a lot to the setting later… and so we kept it at a point where the players could just finish the story within their heads.

Tomie: Indeed. Though, I ended up having to write a Special Episode afterwards anyway.

In other words, Celebi will appear in a Special Episode!

Kawamura: Please look forward to it (laughs).

Also, in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, the small characters really move with a lot of detail. It is very fun to watch, and I feel the intention behind it.

Tomie: The biggest thing is the love and passion of the person in charge! Also, whether they can make it while understanding how to stylize the character properly. Having a Pokémon jump up and say, "I’ll do my best!" and make it really look like it’s doing its best, that is the power of stylizing. Also, there is timing and pacing. A lot of small details. For instance, there is a scene in Treasure Town where Grovyle is being pulled away by Dusknoir. The others are all following Grovyle with their eyes, but the timing was purposely shifted for each. It’s these kinds of details and efforts that give them a soul and breathes life into the creatures. This is not me, but the work of Tanaka-san, who is really particular when creating.

Kawamura: A real character theater master (laughs).

Also, the Pokémon have to walk within the game. Is there someone who decides, for instance, which Pokémon walked on all fours or hops around? It was with this game that I first learned that Treecko walks on all fours.

Kawamura: There are times when we receive ideas from Chunsoft that are reviewed, and there are times when it has already been established, and we send them instructions on how to make it. Also, whether or not the results feel like a living creature, or if it is fitting for a friend who will always be walking with you. In the end, it is about love. Love!

Please leave a message for readers of Nintendo DREAM.

Kawamura: As the cover art suggests, it is an expansive, refreshing, enjoyable game that is also of great value. Additionally, this one includes something that will make you want to keep it in your bag, so please pay attention to that.

It’s the Sky Jukebox, right?

Ishigami: Compared to Time/Darkness, I think that this game has about 1.5 times more content. Not just in volume, but there are lots of new elements such as Spinda's Café, so you should be able to play it for a long time. Please give it a try.

Tomie: We really put our souls into making this game. So please, everyone. It would make me so happy if you would play it!

Nagahata: Combined with Time/Darkness, a lot of new elements have been added to Sky. My personal impression is that it has double the amount of content. It really is a good deal, and so I would very much like for people who have already played Time/Darkness, as well as people who have never experienced the series before, to play it.

Final question. What is your favorite Pokémon from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky?

Kawamura: My favorite Pokémon is… all of them! However, if I had to choose just one, then it would be Lapras.

Tomie: During Time/Darkness, I kept saying that it was Palkia. I love the arrogant personality and sense that it is going wild. While writing the story, I wondered if such a violent Pokémon should really be a god (laughs). But it would be boring to say Palkia once again, so it’s going to be Sableye for "Sky."

Nagahata: I’ve been saying this for a long time now, but Bulbasaur really is my favorite. The reason is incredibly simple. Its Pokédex number is 001.

Ishigami: It’s Munchlax for me. Not only because it is cute, but I kind of like that from the beginning, it can do all kinds of moves at random with Metronome.

[zannolin]

okay honestly i know a lot of people hate the night raid addition to the prince caspian movie and think it's super ooc for many characters, and/or that peter is being really reckless and stupid, but like. the more you think about it, the more sense it makes?

like i'm NOT saying mistakes weren't made (they were) and i'm not saying it was a foolproof plan (it wasn't; it was very risky and peter could and SHOULD have called it off when things started to go wrong) but i mean, think about it. if caspian had stuck the plan (which would have been much smarter than trying to break someone out of prison right away, like you're planning to take the castle anyway, do that and THEN break him out, and he won't be caught in the crossfire??) and/or if cornelius hadn't dropped the "miraz killed your father" bomb on caspian at the WORST possible time (thanks cornelius) they would have maintained the element of surprise, gotten the troops in position and gotten the gate open much quicker, and no one would have been prepared for the attack. i'm not saying they 100% could have won, but it was a very sound plan, and seeing as they went up against the witch in a fairly hopeless battle numbers-wise in the first movie it seems dumb to say it's like ooc or bad planning or whatever. it's a solid plan. it wasn't doomed; things just went wrong.

on top of that he and edmund are right that trying to dig in at the how might work in the short term, but it would never last. (the whole point after all is striking a balance between him and caspian, caution and recklessness, new and old.) and it's shitty that he's just dismissing lucy, but as much as i love lucy, it's not like she's offering any helpful suggestions past "trust aslan" at this point. because, like—this has happened before. this is not peter being like oh well aslan abandoned us and i don't want to rely on him. this is peter taking his experiences from the past, wherein aslan has left them to do battle before, and trusted them to handle it, where aslan was consistently absent from narnia, where they were good and wise kings and queens who could and DID handle this type of situation, and doing his best based on what he knows. yeah, his desire to prove himself due to everyone in england and in narnia belittling, dismissing, and doubting him due to his appearance is playing a part. it's pushing him to be more reckless than usual, more desperate to show he's still capable. but that's not to say he ISN'T capable, or that he never was. last time, they didn't wait on aslan. they went to war, and aslan appeared when they needed him. if he didn't, then they could do this on their own. it's not unreasonable of peter to assume it's up to them in the greater context of the movie.

idk man like i just think he gets knocked a lot for...being a complex character who makes mistakes?? for operating on the only knowledge and experience he has at his disposal? for not having lucy's level of faith, which absolutely no other character ever is shown to possess anyway??? like yeah he's being a bit of a bitch about it but i love him, bitchiness and all, and if i got back from spending the shittiest year of my life being stuck as a seventeen year old in the middle of a war i can't even fight after spending fifteen years as a capable, respected king, only to get back home to discover everything i love is in ruins and everyone i know is dead and my country has been invaded, destroyed, and colonized to the extent where i no longer recognize it, but even the people who are asking me to save it don't believe i can—i mean. i'd be a bitch about it too. you know.

tl;dr the night raid wasn't even that bad a plan cornelius just has awful timing and caspian tho i love him has no experience and his own issues to deal with. just like peter. u know.

[idk-but-it-must-be-something-gay]

A cluttered list of my offhanded thoughts as I watch KPop Demon Hunters for the first time

-Ugh, her slipping on the jacket (covering her patterns) as she sings “no more hiding” is so good

-“Maybe they’ll understand” she wanted to tell them but Celine dug that shame in deeper (not necessarily hating on Celine, she had the weight of this same legacy placed on her and is continuing the cycle, like the fascinating character she is)

-I’m just picturing Rumi walking down the street and seeing a cute shirt or dress in a store window or something and immediately thinking of how she could wear it while still covering her patterns. Like it’s a thing that she’s constantly aware of

-In addition to that, I’m imagining her finding an old top/dress of hers that she used to love, but even though it still fits, the sleeves aren’t long enough or the neckline isn’t high enough to cover her patterns and her just having to sadly forget about that piece that she used to wear all the time

-Also, when they were talking about how to fix Rumi’s voice, I couldn’t help but focus on how Mira and Zoey were in loose, comfy clothes and Rumi had to wear a tighter-fitting turtle neck under a hoodie. I’m thinking thoughts about that

-We already see it with the whole bathhouse thing, but I wonder how Rumi literally being closed off from everyone affected the girls’ relationship

-Clothes can also be such a huge part of self expression and the fact that she is limited like that probably makes her sad at times. I personally think that she would push this down and — even when she’s alone — pretend that it doesn’t bother her at all

-There’s literally no way that there ISN’T a portion of her fanbase that’s way to intrusive about the fact that she never shows her arms/neck. She’s literally a celebrity, and an idol at that, there’s definitely disrespectful theories about it from entitled fans

-Can a demon be good? The better question is, can a demon be smart? How did it take this long for someone to come up with something like this

-Him covering up her patterns him covering up her patterns

-How young do you think Rumi was when she first heard “your faults and fears must never be seen” and how young do you think she was when she fully internalized it

-How did Zoey and Mira get involved in this? Like Rumi is a legacy but where did those two come in?

-I can vividly imagine Mira swinging that thing (what is that weapon called?(a woldo apparently)) and just taking half her hair off with it mid-battle

-All of the Saja Boys just having their postures as their names. Like they’re called by their “thing” because that image is all that they are. But Jinu is Jinu

-Augh the leather the squealing leather that’s so awful and so awkward

-All of the other Saja Boys’ eyes turning demon amber as they shed their personas while Jinu is is the back looking more human than ever

-Idk, maybe I’m imagining it, but that slight hint of softness in Jinu’s voice when he says that he wants to talk about Rumi’s patterns

-Who even are the other Saja Boys. Were they just random demons that Jinu was like “yeah, you can sing good enough, wanna join my boy band?”

-He MADE the hat for the cat but the crow keeps stealing it. Adorable in every aspect

-I personally like to think that patterns are like snowflakes or fingerprints. As similar as they look, no two demons have the exact same patterns

-All of these songs fuck btw

-“I can’t wait to see you on that stage tomorrow” AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH

-Was that a Saiki K. reference

-The purple shirts with their patterns. The fact that the patters on Jinu’s shirt are less densely packed. I’m ignoring that Romance didn’t have any patterns on his shirt, it interrupts my line of thinking and I don’t accept it

-I started watching this at 10pm. It’s currently 1am and I still have half an hour left of the movie. Maybe I’m thinking TOO MANY thoughts. I only started making this post like halfway through the movie too

-Her hair getting frazzled when her marks are uncovered because her marks being uncovered is unkempt. and all the getting pushed around but whatever

-Since ordinary people can’t see demon stuff, I wonder what the crowd thinks is happening on stage

-The one demon amber eye

-What even is a kid’s movie anymore. What do you mean Rumi held out her sword to the closest thing she has to a mother and begged her, demanded her to kill her with it

-The way she raises her arms to push the sword to Celine but doesn’t lift her head at all is stabbing me straight through the heart

-Celine defaulting to what she knows and the parenting style she’s always used instead of changing anything, even though she knows that it’s clearly not working, is so well-done

-Maybe I’m overthinking it, but Bobby’s chanting being out of sync with the crowd’s chanting… hmmmmmmm

-I know it’s pure evil, but “Your Idol” is definitely by favorite Saja Boys song, visually and sonically

-The colors of her Hunter magic flowing through her demon patterns is so beautiful and the image is so powerful

-Doubling down on my earlier “all of these songs fuck”

-HE GAVE HIS SOUL TO HER (not to ruin the moment, but I need to see some sort of weird soul sex fanfic or something like that)(don’t tell me you don’t see the vision)

-I have many feelings on them going from gold+neutral colors to rainbow. something, something… accepting every part of yourself, this post is already way too long…

-Rumi wearing something loose and comfy, showing her patterns freely (circling back to my earlier thoughts about her clothes)

-Do you think Rumi forgets that she doesn’t have to wear long-sleeved turtlenecks? Like she has to consciously remind herself that she can wear whatever she wants and doesn’t have to cover up anymore

-I would love to think more on Celine and Rumi’s relationship and its complexities, but it’s so damn late and I can’t think much at all right now

-This is definitely going up there with Nimona on my “I rewatch this at least once a month” list

-It’s 2am, and I’m going to bed, but when I wake up tomorrow, I’m going spelunking in the KPDH tag!

[11queensupreme11]

If the yans had Instagram, who would post the most videos or content about percy? And how would they react to fan edits of her?

this is gonna surprise many of you guys.... but the one who would post the most content of percy would be...... 🥁🥁🥁🥁

cú chulainn! 😍😍😍😍

but not in a romantic sense 💀 he'd be the type of hubby who would post random pictures, most of them blurry cuz percy keeps fucking moving, of random moments like percy chasing him, percy falling over, percy talking with one of his horses, percy yelling at him, percy crying, percy smiling, percy drooling, etc etc. 😭😭😭😭😭 he'd have shitty captions too like "lol look at my dumb wife fall over 💖"

beelzebub is a close second! but he'd keep it in a private account for.... reasons. it mostly consists of percy being unaware, like her sleeping or walking around when she thinks she's alone. no captions on any of the photos, it's really just a huge creepy collection of percy.

anubis LOVES taking photos and videos of percy!!! especially when she's holding one of their puppies 🥺🥺🥺🥺 would probably have the same caption over and over again like "MY WIFE 💖 I LOVE MY WIFE 💖💖💖" but he's always super excited so the pics and videos end up a bit shaky cuz he can't keep still 😭

you'd think apollo would be up there, but nope! while he does have a good amount of pictures of percy, he prefers to paint/sculpt/draw her instead. but anyway, his photos always come with the most romantic, poetic captions ever.

hades iss..... hmmmm kiiiinda? he's not that active in social media to be honest, but on the rare occasion, he DOES like to show off a bit! it's usually photos that he takes rather than videos, and his pics are always very carefully made. wants the perfect angle with the right lightning, nice background, etc.

loki. he's just not a photo person! he likes to run around and be active, he doesn't wanna stop and try to pose or capture a good moment, he wants to experience it!

poseidon is dead last 💀 he just doesn't care for pics; he's a god his memories are perfect. he'll never forget a moment with her. the only reason he has an account in the first place is cuz rhea demanded he make one and share photos of percy, so he begrudgingly makes a private account where only rhea can see 😭

as for fan edits... 😭😭😭

they're lucky poseidon's not active on social media or they'd be DEAD. but then again, she has 6 more husbands...... beel probably has an alert made where he's notified every time a new addition is added to the #percy hashtag and he'll scrutinize it. if it's distasteful, he's taking that shit down and killing the creator. cú chulainn would hunt the guy down and challenge him for a fight. hades would simply report it like a normal person if it's too dirty. loki would tag percy so they could laugh about it. anubis would like and bookmark them, but he throws a hissy fit if it's something dirty. apollo would fight the creator in the comments if it failed to capture "the essence of my wife's beauty!" 💀💀💀

[theotherrelativeotherat]

(sorry I have to reblog this instead, I don't think it will be fun to read a long comment) (Beware of my awful English grammar, story building, and zigzag explanation)

AH-! I love the additional update, Brucei and Batman being a twin makes perfect sense! Also yes "Conflicting Views peer at you" is the fic, Okey- so Matches being the oldest and B being the Youngest are just so perfect in a way? Because I can still see Bruce being the kid in the alley- WAIT HOLD

I have an idea that when Martha and Thomas get eliminated in the alley- do you think Bruce is the only one there or do you think the whole siblings will be there?

Ok, in my logic (understanding) matches is 13 or 12, the twin would be 10 and Bruce is 8 when it happened

Matches (his full name later on) = underground boss name

Matches malone Wayne= the public who knew will be the heir of W.E and he went to college for business (when Brucei hit the right age he will hand him the title of CEO of W.E and then reveled his underground work to the public, he does it for more stretch to his new work)

BATMAN= Batman (the siblings call him bat, but sometimes in rare times they will call him Tommy)

?????? = The public believed he never came back and kinda forgot about him or just his name but they will feel like something is missing every time they see Brucei alone during galas, like something or Someone has to be at his side. (His name was Thomas Jr. Wayne once) (Listen I know Bruce has an older brother named Thomas Jr. Wayne BUT I DONT KNOW NAMES, AM TERRIBLE MAKING NAMES)

Brucei Wayne = the public knew him as the himbo of the family or the familys special (trust- Brucei can be calm and smart if he want too, and whenever he want to he can drop off knowledge the other doesn't even know he have, he once quote "Bat, you may know everything, but I KNOW everything) implying that Bat may have knowledge about everything (Martial Arts, Technology, Phycology, Science, Investigatory, Medicine and what not) but Brucei knows Everything (like everything you need to know, to at least predict the future, have knowledge how everything works, knows everyone and what not) so it's safe to give him the title and act as the CEO)

Bruce Thomas Wayne (B) = The one who's still in college, and the public sees him as the least social, to not get confused him with Brucei the public calls him Thomas Jr. (Because he's studying medicine and many people keep saying he look like his father (ANGST) But the Wayne siblings think he looks Martha, Specifically his smile (ANGST) (Bruce feels terrible for stealing his brother's name)

Okey the Death

I think Matches motivation to be a crime lord is that the GPD did not manage to get the man who eliminated their parents, he will have the clearest image of the man who has the weapon and rise to be an underground boss, that made him a criminal for all the information he needed but that also made him have no remorse either making Joe Chill life miserable or he will straight of eliminated him.

Also before everything he as the heir of the W.E he was the one in the spotlight the most, and he was learning about business (and ways to read people) so with the knowledge about business he used that to build his image and also he attended Business in college and learn some Martial art and also some guns (he rarely use it)

(He doesn't know when but he starts to consume drugs and alcohol, but he makes sure his brothers don't witness anything about this, they have been through enough, they don't need to know that their older brother is becoming problematic, he needs to be strong for them. To be at least the brother you'll come to ask for your help)

Batman's motivation would be not being enough to protect their parents, he thinks he was too weak and too scared to even move- he's harsh to himself about it but he became harsher to himself.

Then when he remembers that his two younger siblings (I think Batman came out first to the world) Brucei and Bruce who's only 8 ("and a half" insist by B himself) have witnessed it first hand and traumatized by it too (he failed to at least protect their memory of not seeing their parents get killed)

He saw the way he's older brother seemed to consume drugs and started to come home late smelling like alcohol, that only fueled his determination to become justice himself, so when he turned maybe 19? He dropped out of college He went out to train and comeback as Batman 10 years later (the public doesn't know he can back)

(when he came back he doesn't know if it's worth it, his siblings seem to be more closed and he seems to be more of Batman than Tommy to them and they are better off without him, but he's scared that if he turned away they will be killed too for his selfishness (he's supposed to go back in 15 years, but the thought that his siblings dying while he's not has been eating him up, so he gave in) sometime he ask himself if its really the best decision)

Brucei doesn't even know why it had happened to them, he was devastated, he was troubled, he want to punch someone- something, he want to be angry at everything and everyone.

Then he saw how his older siblings suffer, he saw how his little brother lack of sleep taking a toll on him and the way he doesn't even eat, so he decided to "feel better" so he can at least make sure his brothers doesn't bother to look after him too and at least feel relief to know one of them feel better.

(bat is confused how he sees unaffected, and come to conclusion that Brucei doesn't care much for their parents (he does, he still cries about their death) and Bruce looking up at him and tries to be like him and always failed (sometimes he thought if his facade is the right way for his littler brother who seems to always tries so be like his older siblings, and always failed))

So growing up everyone thought that he was an air head, that one who always needs help, the one who always need to be with someone- he became the face of the family, he distract people to make sure they laid their eyes on him instead of something else

(at some point, the glass of water will over flow, he will disappear, he will be silent, he will be cold, he will have nightmares about countless eyes- eyes that follow and point out his every mistake, his stunts, to laugh at him.)

Bruce is traumatized, he wishes they never went out that night to watch Zoro in the theater, he wishes he was the one who died instead because it was his fault for insisting they watch it.

He goes non-verbal for most of his childhood, he became home schooled after his actions that lead him being locked into Arkham for a year; his social knowledge is not improving.

When he starts to feel better, he tries to be more social like his older brother, Brucei, he tries to be tough like his older brother, Matches, he tries to be smart like his older brother, Tommy.

Then suddenly in just a week, Tommy left suddenly without a good bye, Match suddenly revealed that he has been building his name on the underground of criminals and passing the title as the CEO of W.E to Brucei, then disappearing, and he saw Brucei cries, the last time he saw him cry is during their parents funeral.

In just one week he felt like his world crumbled once again. (Don't worry, he'll be having ton of children later, perhaps a couple thousand children.)

(he sometimes thinks if he even deserves to live, he's not as good as his brothers- he's not good at communication, he's not strong enough to defend his family, he's not smart enough. He tries he swear, he tries so hard to be like his brothers so bad to at least cover for them, to at least take care of them. He for the life of it cannot stand the pity he gets and the lack of achievement he receives unlike his brothers who are so well known by almost everyone. He's soo tired.)

In a different scenario, the others let Bruce have his moment with their parents, and decided to stay in the manor with Alfred. After learning the death they have different yet the same motivation and ending so...

There are more ideas I have, if I think I'll be saying too much it will turn into a re-blog, if its short enough it will be in the comments.

i love this HC so much, I hope to make this AU have more information and a possible short story about it. I don't think I'll be available to drop this in a long time!

Hi! It's been a while, (updated)

Anyway,

I've been a lil obsessed w B having DID for a bit,

But like what if his personas were separate plp?

What if they were siblings???

Matches as the oldest, Batman, the 2nd child,

Bc the difference is hilarious ngl, ones a crime boss the others a founder of the JL and stands as Vengeance

Brucie as the 2nd youngest,

Brucie and Bats would beef a lot, not sirsly ofc, more like anoying banter,

But Brucie would yap tf outa high socialy gossip, then after that, Bats would make cases to bring said sociaies down

And finally, you have B, The OG, the youngest

____ J O B S ____

Matches; Well known, preferred, feared and revered crime bosses around

Batman; One of the best Vigilantes, one of 7 JL founders and one of the big 3, Gotham's first protector

Brucie; Brucie Wayne, Keeps up their reputation and keeps people from looking into the wrong things via distraction

Bruce/B; Wants to be and is currently studying to be a doctor, he started school late bc he was admitted to Archam when he was younger,

----Ages----

I have 2 versions for this,

Either, they are quintuplets,

That would give a lot of funny creativity space,

Imagine finding out your crime boss looks and is the same age as Kim Kardashian (Brucie Wayne),

or

They can be non-twin siblings,

Matches would be a few years older, 2 to 3, perhaps

I personally would still have Batman and Brucie as twins though,

As I said before, I feel like they would banter a lot, (middle child bonding❤️), plus Batman and Brucie are Bs most used personas in cannon, For me, I just feel like they would be a packaged deal,

Bruce would be 2 years younger, maybe one but that would push it a bit,

----Extra----

They have quite diverse personalities and over all everything aside from looks and DNA,

So, I have developed a head cannon that when they do not want to be bothered or aren't in the mood they pose as one of their siblings

For example,

Batmans communicator going off but he isn't there at the moment, so Matches answers instead in perfect Batman voice imitation.

Brucie getting in trouble and acting as Matches to get out of said trouble. Or Batman needing info and either asking or posing as Matches to get the info

B, shy and kinda awkward, trying to imitate Brucie's social behaviors, Not being able to stand up for him self and asking himself what B would do or trying to get into a Matches like head space to 'toughen' up, (if angsty, the Older ones comfort B later, he's perfect just the way he is, he's trying and that's what's important, every one is different, so why should we shame them for something that makes them unique?)

----personal note----

You guys are welcome to comment and add your own head cannons and ideas! I would gladly read through them, (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)⁠❤

I will be updating this later, hope you all enjoy!

Have a good day!

[eccentricinari]

finished Tactica and if you listen closely you can hear my sniffling.. i held it together until that final scene 😭 i hope we see Toshiro and Erina again because that wasn't enough!!

[pixelatedraindrops]

Oh my goodness Asaka-san…🥹 This is such an adorable after addition to the story!! I love the thought of Yuma worrying about Makoto every time he gets even a LITTLE bit sick. Thats honestly very called for given what they went through in my story ;w;

Detailed Feedback below

What can I even say here? First of all, the comic is so professionally gorgeous. Everything from the tower at the start to every piece of ramen in the bowl and spoon and Yuma and Makoto (and Kurumi) themselves are all so beautifully illustrated. Love Yuma’s gentle expressions and Makoto’s grumpy ones. Your first attempt at drawing Makoto too! (And it’s for THIS??? I’m so happy…😭) The expression fits the characters so well that I’d almost think that this work was official.

It still utterly baffles me how my work and ideas were able to inspire somebody as amazingly talented at art as you. I don’t know what to even say. I feel like honor is too small a word for my feelings. Enough for you to make sick art not once but TWICE??? I am in awe. It is truly SUCH AN HONOR that you loved my work enough to even make a contribution to it yourself. I am so happy I could cry 🥹 I adore this to my very core!! 💕

And yes I do still feel slightly insecure about how I view these two considering their bond can be taken in many different forms. They have so much potential. Seeing them as family just feels right to me. It doesn’t feel as forced or awkward. It’s a bond you can take as slowly as you want to and its definitely the most innocent choice (what can I say? I’m a sucker for found family… xD) I think you portrayed them both so well here. And I like how they’re both still getting used to calling themselves family, but it’s not so awkward that Makoto completely shuts Yuma away. I think its the best way for the two, whom were once so isolated to get used to trusting each-other especially at times like these.

Okay, let’s be real. When it comes to Japanese media, no cold is ever “mild” but I suppose he’d call it that just to get Yuma off his back… xD And yet there he is, laying down, cheeks completely flushed by fever looking very tired and irritated. Perhaps it’s more on the moderate side? Who can say? At least he’s not working and he remembered Yuma’s words to him about taking it easy if he ever feels sick. (Shocker he actually listened lol) I really love how kind and gentle Yuma is with him, he learned a lot from the past incident, but he’s still treating Makoto with enough respect to have it not be too doting, as an older brother would for the younger one. Yuma’s still being a bit doting on him with feeding him and all, but we know deep down Makoto likes the attention. He’s not used to personal care except from Yuma, making it much more meaningful.

I really love the additions of text you added showing that Yuma is worried about Makoto and wants to be closer with him. Makoto seems a little off put by the affection but then shows that he does still appreciate Yuma’s concern regardless. But he’s insecure about his position as the younger brother causing his older brother trouble. I also deeply appreciate Kurumi’s addition here. I believe the three to be close to each other, and Kurumi’s a good and helpful friend to them both c:

Yuma’s not used to being a big brother either. At least so he thinks, but the action and care alone prove he’s taking his role way more seriously than he thinks. It’s all so fluffy and soft!! I love all of it! They show their trust and affection, but still bicker just as siblings should every now and again. Its only healthy!

Thank you again for this wonderful comic Asaka-san. I’m so honored my story was able to give you such an idea. And it’s funny how you say “it was only supposed to be a short comic but it ended up being longer…” (now how many times have I heard that from you @kazinsblog? haha) well it’s very easy to go a bit more with a scenario like this. Why do you think my stories are so long? XD

Anyway I digress. This is such beautiful work and honestly it makes up for me having nothing to contribute to RainCode's anniversary this year… Thank you for the unexpected assist~ x3c You really do a wonderful job with this kind of art. I hope to see it again from you soon! 💜✨

Outstanding work. I absolutely adore it. These two are such adorable brothers! They will always mean the absolute world to me 💕💕💕

Happy 2nd Anniversary to Rain Code! ☔️🎉

To celebrate this day, I created a short manga featuring Yuma and Makoto. Please be advised that this post contains major spoilers from the main story of Rain Code. (Also, please note that the post is very long vertically, so be careful when expanding it.)

This story is based on the world and storyline of A Heartwarming Reunion, a wonderful post-game fan fiction written by @pixelatedraindrops that explores the relationship between Yuma and Makoto, as well as its comic adaptation by @kazinsblog. I highly recommend reading those works first, as this manga draws heavily from them. (For those who are in a hurry: in that story, Makoto falls ill, and through Yuma taking care of him, the two come to acknowledge each other as brothers.) This may be too much of a summary! The original work is very detailed and interesting, so please read it if you have the chance.

Alright then—please enjoy!

Thanks for reading! Click here for the afterword.

[erinwantstowrite]

Halloween AU!!!

hey so. i put SOOOOO much effort into this au and for what? at least it ended up looking cool? anyways Halloween is my favorite holiday and i just HAD to make something for them!

i had a LOT of ideas for what everyone would be, but i really wanted to stick to a certain theme cause it's based around Halloween. i knew i had to have a vampire, werewolf, and a witch. cause like... obviously. iconic Halloween stuff!! but i took some liberties with everyone else and i think they turned out pretty cool!!

Jason was originally a fox shifter (which i still love and might draw art for some day) but i went with a bear in the end. is that because i thought about tiny bear cub Jaybin and wanted to cry? yeah. yeah it is. i KNEW Steph was going to be my werewolf though i started doubting myself when i went to draw her. turned out to be my favorite drawing on here which makes sense cause she is my light my love my daughter my will to live and all that jazz

Tim was actually gonna be a harpy but thank god i didn't go for that in the end. Duke was the one that was a bitch and a half trying to figure out BUT!! comments on the post asking what y'all thought led me towards Psychic so THANK YOUUUU everybody that commented!! (specifically those who thought of ghost!! Duke and Tim ended up being a perfect duo in this au)

Babs was pretty easy to figure out what I wanted for her. I read somewhere that they are seen as protectors of forests/ are considered spiritual authority figures and also.... she looks cool as fuck. Did not expect how easy it was to find a ref for a deer in a wheelchair though? I can never find the right hand or face angle reference but that was super easy???

For Bruce there was literally no question he HAD to be human. it's literally so funny that everyone who knows Batman thinks he's a spooky vampire but he's human. his first son, however?????? THAT'S the vampire. I knew Dick had to be a vampire too. A little nod towards that one comic run but in my au nothing bad happens ever 🥰 Damian also being a bat shifter is very on purpose because how funny is it that he's a bat man. Literally not a single person in the League thinks that Bruce is telling the truth about being human. Bruce you are NOT beating the secretly a vampire allegations.

adding in Jay's hilarious joke it's so fucking funny:

Alfred is actually a demon. I CAN NOT remember who made this post so if someone can help me find it, it would be appreciated!! because this was inspired by them!!! but somewhere i saw someone talk about Alfred being a demon that Thomas and Martha made a deal with (i think it was for an au idea?) and I just HAD to put it here. Alfred looks so human and everyone expects it, but he's definitely not. I put the ??? because it's so fucking funny. see if you can spot the 1 hint i put on his drawing that something is amiss!!

Peter is from an alternate dimension still, but it is not a world of creatures like him, it's just the same as LoF canon except Peter grew some extra limbs and eyes. He finds that it's actually pretty easy to fit in with the Waynes. Hard to feel like a freak when a guy can turn into a fucking bear, or your dad is a vampire, and the teenagers in the family are trying to summon ghosts or make potions.

additional doodles for this au:

i am still debating whether i am going to draw something for this au or write a oneshot, but i DO want to do something with these for Halloween

[haru-dipthong]

Did you know that the english word “star” and the japanese word 星（ほし）don’t actually mean the same thing?

Language does not simply name pre-existing categories; categories do not exist in 'the world'

— Daniel Chandler, Semiotics for Beginners

I read this quote a few years ago, but I don’t think I truly understood it until one day, when I was looking at the wikipedia article for “star” and I thought to check the Japanese article, see if I could get some Japanese reading practice in. I was surprised to find that the article was not titled 「星」, but 「恒星」, a word I’d never seen before. I’d always learnt that 星 was the direct translation for “star” (I knew the japanese also contained meanings the english didn’t, like “dot” or “bullseye”, but I thought these were just auxiliary definitions in addition to the direct translation of “star” as in "a celestial body made of hydrogen and helium plasma").

To try and clear things up for myself, I searched japanese wikipedia for 星. It was a disambiguation page, with the main links pointing to the articles for 天体 (astronomical object) and スター（記号）(star symbol). There was no article just called 「星」.

It’s an easy difference to miss, because in everyday conversation, 星 and star are equivalent. They both describe the shining lights in the night sky. They both describe this symbol: ★. They even both describe those enormous celestial objects made of plasma.

But they are different - different enough to not share a wikipedia article. 星 is used to describe any kind of celestial body, especially if it appears shiny and bright in the night sky. “Star” can be used this way too (like Venus being called the “morning star”), but it’s generally considered inaccurate to use the word like this, whereas there is no such inaccuracy with 星. You can say “oh that’s not actually a star, it’s a planet”, but you CAN’T say 「実はそれは星ではなく惑星だよ」 (TL: that’s not actually a hoshi, it’s a planet). A planet IS a 星.

星 is a very common word, essentially equivalent to “star”, but its meaning is closer to “celestial body”. I haven’t looked into the etymology/history but it’s almost like both english and japanese started out with a simple, common word for the lights in the sky - star/星 , but as we found out more about what these lights actually were, english doubled down on using the common word for the specific scientific concept, while japanese kept the common word generic and instead came up with a new word for the more specific concept. If this is actually what happened, I’d guess that kanji probably had something to do with it - 星 as a component kanji exists inside the word for planet, 惑星, and in the word for comet, 彗星, and in the scientific word for “star”, 恒星, so it makes sense that it would indicate a more general concept when used standalone.

This discovery helped me understand that quote - categories don’t exist in the world, we are the ones who create them. I thought that the concept of “star” was something that would be consistent across all languages, but it’s not, because the concept of “star” is not pre-existing. Each language had to decide how to name each of those similar star-like concepts (the ★ symbol, hot balls of gas, twinkling lights in the sky, planets, comets, etc), and obviously not every language is going to group those concepts under the same words with the same nuance.

Knowing this, one might be tempted to say that 恒星（こうせい） is the direct translation for “star”. But this isn’t true either. In most of the contexts that the word “star” is used in english, the equivalent japanese will be simply 星. Despite the meanings not lining up exactly, 星 will still be the best translation for “star” most of the time. This is the art of translation - knowing when the particulars are less important than the vibe or feel of a word. For any word, there will never be an exact perfect translation with all the same nuances and meanings. Translation is about finding the best solution to an unsolvable problem. That's why I love it.

[c0s-lettuce]

your orbit

steve harrington x reader

synopsis: amidst a night of board games, junk food and extraordinary company, the only thing steve can think about is you.

→ or the deterioration of steve harrington's mind over the course of an evening.

word count: 4.1k

warnings/tags: fem!reader, set around s4 but no upside down, eddie and robin aren't subtle, steve just really loves you, childhood best friends to strangers to friends, one bed but not really ;)

a/n: i love ex bestie steve! i've been wanting to write for him for a while, so hope i did him justice. joe keery favourite white boy frrr. pls forgive any inaccuracies and thanks for reading <3

part two coming soon!

5 PM

Steve decided to take advantage of having the house to himself. His parents are gone for the week, as they so often are. So, he sent out a few invitations to some of his closest friends. A small get-together, he told them, nothing fancy.

Robin accepted, of course. And Nancy and Jonathan, too. Steve only told Dustin about the party, but he already knew that word would spread to all the other kids.

But Steve has a mini panic attack when he finds out you're coming. He isn't too sure where he stands with you these days. Your friendship has all but rekindled, but Steve is still wary around you, terrified of messing up again. You accepted the invitation, though. That's a good thing. Right?

As Steve waits for people to arrive, he takes out his only activities, a deck of cards and a single board game he received as a gift but never opened. He's relying on his friends with siblings and/or a healthier relationship with their parents to bring more things to do.

He sets out the snacks he bought. Chips and candy are laid out over the island counter in the kitchen, and soda is stacked in the fridge. Steve even sets aside a little stash of what he hopes are still your favourites. He also managed to get his hands on some beer, and there's money set aside for pizza later.

Soon enough, people start showing up. Robin arrives first, followed by Dustin, Lucas and Max. Then Nancy and Jonathan arrive with Mike, Will and El. Then you. And finally, Eddie.

The gaggle of children quickly bee-line for the snacks and games. Steve watches with disdain, knowing there'll be a mess to clean up after. But at least his other guests appear happy to see their gracious host, with you among them.

Steve pretty much shortcircuits when you arrive. You're dressed nicely, and your hair is all pretty. You lean in to give him a quick hug, greeting him fondly. He may as well have cancelled the night then because he's sure his heart stopped for a second.

He only snaps out of it when Eddie arrives, slapping him so hard on the back that it could've been an alternative to the Heimlich maneuver. Suddenly, the population of the house has gone from one to a dozen, and noise and energy immediately replace the prior peace.

Steve quickly realises that he's in for a long night.

6 PM

"So, what's the story between the two of you?" Eddie asks.

Steve blinks, caught off guard by the question. He turns to the other boy, who awaits his answer with a half-curious, half-smug expression.

"Nothing, man," Steve mutters, taking a sip of his beer.

"Nothing, huh?" Eddie smirks. "Is that why you're staring at her like she's the love of your life?"

Steve glares at Eddie, wondering who even invited him. Eddie is the newest addition to the larger friend group. Dustin is very fond of him. And from what Steve has heard, so are you. He's in a few of the same classes as you, and there's a rumour among the kids that you used to be in Hellfire for a semester in your sophomore year.

The thought of you being close to Eddie bothers Steve. He chases the feeling away with another sip.

"Come on, big boy," Eddie nudges him. "We're friends now. You can tell me."

He looks back at you. You're sat around the coffee table with the kids in the middle of a round of Uno. And you look so lovely. You always do. Even the way you're holding the cards is pretty. You're the perfect culmination of everything sweet. No wonder the kids are hogging you.

He looks back at Eddie, who's still regarding Steve with inquisitive and mischievous eyes. Steve considers acquiescing, especially since Eddie is willing to listen. At the very least, it'll give Robin a break from dealing with his usual sulking.

"We were really close in middle school," Steve begins. "Best friends, even. But then I started high school, and... well, you can probably guess the rest."

"Ah," Eddie nods, understanding immediately. "I see."

Steve continues. "We only spent a year apart. And she was so excited to join me. But then-"

"Then King Steve emerged, and you left her in the dirt," Eddie remarks.

Steve cringes at the wording but doesn't refute it. It's an accurate recount of what happened. He knew he was horrible, not just to you but to everyone. He regrets nothing more than abandoning you and letting his so-called friends pick on you. Meanwhile, he stood by, telling himself worthless excuses to justify how things turned out.

You and Steve remained strangers after he left his throne behind. And it probably would've stayed that way if he didn't become coworkers with one Robin Buckley, who had become your new best friend in his absence.

He remembers the days you would visit Scoops Ahoy, mostly to distract Robin and make his job harder. You would often give him quick glances and polite smiles, never going out of your way to talk to him. However, he would occasionally catch your eyes lingering on him.

Robin would tell him you were checking him out, insisting she knew how her best friend thinks. But he was convinced you were judging him for his dumb hat and sailor outfit. Nothing ever made him wish he could crawl into a hole and die more than that.

But suddenly, he was back in your orbit again. And he's never left since.

Turning his attention back to you, Steve watches you play your last card, earning a groan from a few of the other players. You stand up victorious, stepping away from the table to grab another drink from the kitchen.

Steve recognises this as the perfect time to approach you and say something other than the "hey" he offered when you arrived. But just as he's about to muster up the courage, the doorbell rings, indicating the arrival of pizza.

With a sigh and another slap on the back from Eddie, he turns away to retrieve the food.

7 PM

You fit in well with the others. Not that it's a bad thing. It's great, actually. It just reminds Steve how much time has passed and how things have changed. It makes him think of what could've been.

You being best friends with Robin makes more sense than hot chocolate on a rainy day. You're like two peas in a pod. You match each other's energy, and both have a sort of charming madness about you.

The kids obviously like you. Not that their criteria are that high. But it helps that you used to work at the arcade and would give them your spare quarters. Plus, the rumour that you used to be in Hellfire makes you seem like a legend in their eyes.

Even Max likes you. He could tell because you were the one she approached earlier, asking if she could have a beer. You laughed and told her no. She just pouted and accepted it. Steve knew if he told her no, he would've been left with an insult.

You aren't particularly close to Nancy or Jonathan. Still, Steve knew they respected you, which means a lot, especially from someone like Nancy. And, of course, Eddie is... Eddie.

Steve comes to the realisation that he's jealous of everyone at the party. They all have a place in your life, in your heart. He wonders if there's even room left for him. There was a time when he occupied all that space. And it's his own fault that changed. Still, he can't help but hope.

The pizza disperses and disappears quickly. As the others chase their dinner with more snacks and set up another game, Steve remains leaning against the wall. He's so deep in thought that he doesn't notice someone approaching him.

"Steve?"

He flinches at the voice. It's you.

"H-hey," he stutters.

"Hey," you reply. "You okay? You seem a bit... distraught."

Steve takes a second to respond but nods. "Yeah, yeah. I'm good, just thinking."

You tilt your head, sensing more to the story but not wanting to pry. "Alright. Just don't hurt yourself."

Steve chuckles nervously, both relieved and terrified that you're making jokes with him.

You point back towards the coffee table. "The others are about to start a game of Monopoly. Did you want to join?"

He looks towards the group, at Dustin micromanaging how Will sets up the board. At Max and El scheming their game plan, having already picked the token they want to use. And at Mike dragging over his reluctant-looking sister, an amused-looking boyfriend following behind.

Steve knew he ought to join in, having just been standing around all night. But the idea of playing a game about capitalism with a group of kids who took board games way too seriously doesn't appeal to him right now.

So, he shakes his head. "No thanks. You go ahead."

You glance at the others before turning back. "Nah, I'm good. I need a break from getting lectured by Dustin."

Steve snorts. "Yeah, that kid's got a mouth on him. You wouldn't believe how often he tries to give me dating advice."

"He gives you dating advice?" you ask, amused.

"Yeah," Steve answers. "Now that he has a girlfriend, he thinks he's unstoppable. A girlfriend he wouldn't even have if it weren't for me, by the way. I taught him everything he knows."

You laugh and shrug. "Well, maybe you could learn something, Steve. You know, the whole 'student becomes the master' thing?"

Steve lets out a huff. "No, no way. Besides, I don't need a girlfriend when I've got-"

You, he almost says. But he clears his throat and corrects himself.

"Uh, all of you," he states, vaguely gesturing to the party. "My friends, you know?"

His words make you grin. "Aww, Steve-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he mumbles. "Just don't tell anyone I said that."

He averts his gaze. His cheeks flush a bit, but he's holding back a smile. He's glad to have gotten that reaction from you.

You're about to tease him some more when Robin's voice interrupts, calling for your help from upstairs.

You sigh, looking back at Steve. "Duty calls. I'll leave you to your thinking."

You give him a cheeky smile before you leave, a smile that makes it seem like you somehow read his mind and found his thoughts amusing. He can only watch as you walk away again.

8 PM

Steve isn't sure how he got here, sitting next to you on the carpet. The Monopoly game was cut short after Lucas and Mike got into a heated argument. And now they've switched to The Game of Life, which hopefully won't cause any fights.

Not only did Steve get roped into playing, he got teamed up with you. You had been calling most of the shots during the game, but when you reached the marriage space, stuck a little pink peg next to the blue one and murmured, "That's us," to Steve... well, it all got a bit confronting for the poor boy.

He felt like a fool, sitting there overthinking two words that likely were said as a joke. Steve had realised a while ago that he loved you. A part of him thinks he always has, ever since the early days of middle school.

But being friends with you again after everything is more than he felt he deserved, so he doesn't expect you to return those feelings just yet. But then you go ahead and say something like that. So casually, too. "That's us." Married. Yeah, right. Either you're cruel, or there's hope for him yet.

Steve manages to calm his emotions a few moments later. But as the game progresses, he continues comparing his life to the little blue peg that was supposedly him.

Steve, in the game, has a college degree, a decently-paying job, a pretty pink peg for a wife (which you've claimed to be you), three peg children and his own house, all while avoiding any mid-life crises.

Steve, in real life, at the ripe age of nineteen, has no idea what he's doing. He's been through at least two quarter-life crises. College is definitely not happening. And he's working a retail job Robin got for him through bribery. At least it came with a better uniform. One which would probably help with picking up girls if the girl he actually wanted wasn't the one currently sitting next to him.

At least now, when you visit Robin at work, you also come to see him. You make eye contact, give him bright smiles, and actually talk to him. And he has to do everything in his god-given power to not lose his mind each time.

But it's not all for nothing. After all, you're a loyal customer of Family Video, and Steve always looks after his patrons (as long as it's you). If he knows you'll be visiting, he'll put on one of your favourite movies on the TV in the store.

He'll also research movies he thinks you'll like, lie and say they're unavailable if someone tries to rent them before he can get them to you. It earns judgment from Robin, but he doesn't care. As long as it makes you happy.

Soon, Steve vows, he'll take you out to see a movie on the big screen. It'll be just the two of you at the back of the theatre with a big bucket of popcorn. He'll pull some cheesy move on you. You'll laugh at him or roll your eyes. Or maybe you'll fall for it. Either way, it'll be perfect.

Steve only checks back into the present when The Game of Life ends. He glances around the table, relieved no one has noticed him daydreaming. Everyone's cars are in the retired space, and Steve catches a glimpse of you and him and your three kids again. But he looks back at the real you as you turn to face him.

Steve is no help as you sort out how much money you ended up with, too busy admiring you instead. You're focused, doing maths in your head and using his lap as a surface to lay out the notes and cards. And somehow, he falls even more in love with you in this moment.

9 PM

The party has diminished, with Nancy and Jonathan having gone home with the kids. Now, just Steve, Robin, Eddie, and you remain. Outside, dark clouds have gathered, showering Hawkins in light rain.

The four of you are finishing the night off with one last card game. You had won, of course. And now Eddie has recruited your help. He has his arm around you, his head pressed against yours, his deck hiding your faces as you conspired his next move.

If Steve didn't know any better, he'd assume you two were a thing. But he does know better. Eddie must be doing this on purpose, trying to make him jealous or something. And it was working. Steve supposed that's what he deserves for trusting Eddie with his deepest, darkest regret.

The card game turns into a one-sided glaring contest, with Robin having to nudge Steve whenever it's his turn. With your help, Eddie finishes second. Robin comes third, and Steve loses the game. But at this point, he isn't even upset about it because it means his suffering is over.

Eddie finally lets go of you, letting out a contented sigh as he stretches his arms above his head.

"Alright," he announces. "I'm calling it a night. You ready to go, Buckley?"

Robin nods. "Yeah, let's head."

The two stand and begin gathering their things.

Eddie looks at you as he puts on his jacket. "You sure you don't want a ride home?"

You shake your head. "I'm good, Eds. You take Robin. My dad should be here soon."

Eddie accepts your answer with a nod, and you catch the slightest hint of a smirk. But you ignore it as you and Steve walk him and Robin to the door. You give them each a hug before they leave.

Robin has an expression you don't fully comprehend as she hugs you back, somewhere between smug and amused. "See you later, nerd. Make good choices, okay?"

You furrow your brow, but she heads out the door before you can ask what she means by that.

As Eddie steps out after her, he looks back at Steve. "Hey, Harrington. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

He sends Steve a wink, who frowns at the implication of his words. You notice Robin is still giving you that look. You send her a raised eyebrow in return. But no more words are exchanged as the two go their merry way.

"God, they're weird," Steve mutters as he closes the door.

His comment elicits a chuckle from you, which elicits a flutter in his chest. He turns to face you, unable to help the smile that graces his features just by looking at you. But a mildly awkward silence follows as Steve racks his brain on how to proceed now that it's just the two of you.

"You, uh- you want another drink?" he asks.

You smile and nod. "Yeah, sure."

His own smile widens. "Alright. You sit back down, and I'll get us some."

Steve heads into the now almost empty kitchen, grabbing two bottles before finding you again in the living room. You're sitting on the couch, packing up the deck of cards. Steve is momentarily distracted by the way your hands move.

But as he approaches and hands you your drink, he decides to be bold and sits close to you, throwing an arm over the back of the couch. He doesn't even have a millisecond to regret it because he feels you lean into his touch.

Steve revels in the satisfaction.

10 PM

Eddie and Robin seem to have left just in time because the storm picks up only a few minutes after they leave. You and Steve sit and chat for a while as you finish your drinks, and you help Steve clear up the empty cans and scattered wrappers despite him ordering you not to.

But even after everything is cleaned, your father still hasn't arrived. Steve watches as you wait, looking at the time again.

"You're welcome to stay over if that's easier for you," he tells you.

You look over at him, considering his offer. "You don't mind?"

Steve shakes his head. "No, of course not."

He doesn't mind. He doesn't mind at all. In fact, he would prefer it. He's used to being alone for days at a time. But it's a bit harrowing going from twelve people to just one, especially in a big empty house during a storm. Yes, he definitely wants you to stay.

"Okay," you say, "I'll just call my parents and ask what's happening."

Steve nods as you walk over to the phone and call home. It rings for a bit before someone picks up.

"Hello?" your mother's voice greets you.

"Hey, mom," you reply. "It's me."

The pitch of her voice changes immediately upon hearing your voice. "Hi, darling! Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to check if dad was still coming to pick me up?" you ask.

There's a pause before your mom groans. "Oh, I'm so sorry. We completely forgot. We had a lot of wine for dinner. I can go get him now."

"It's no big deal, mom," you interject. "The storm's getting pretty bad anyway. Steve said I could stay over."

Again, your mother's cadence changes, but you don't need to question why. You know she's always been a fan of Steve.

"Okay, darling," she responds. "That sounds like a good idea. You two take care, alright?"

You resist rolling your eyes, even though she's not around to see it. "Yeah, you too, mom. Bye."

Your mom bids you farewell, and you hang up the phone.

Steve, who waits patiently nearby, takes this as his cue to speak up. "You staying?"

You look over at him and nod. "I'm staying."

"Okay, great," Steve smiles. "You can take my room. I'll go in the guest bedroom."

"What? Steve, no," you say. "You don't have to do that. I'll take the guest bedroom."

"No, really," he insists. "It's cold and uncomfortable in there. Trust me."

"I'm the guest, Steve. I'll go in the guest bedroom," you respond.

"No, not happening," he states.

You frown. "I'm not letting you give up your room."

Steve crosses his arms. "Well, I'm not letting you stay in the guest bedroom."

There's a pause in the conversation as the two of you stare each other down, hoping the other will fold.

When neither of you do, you make another suggestion. "Alright. How about we just share your bed?"

Steve raises his eyebrows. "Uh, you- really? Are you sure?"

You shrug. "Yeah, I mean... we used to do it all the time as kids, right?"

It's true. You did. There were countless nights when you would pass out in bed together, having stayed up watching movies or spent the entire day in the pool.

"Okay," Steve agrees. "Let's do that then."

"Great," you say.

"Great," he replies.

Yeah... great.

11 PM

Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Don't freak out.

That's all Steve could repeat in his head. He's lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling while you're beside him. He forgot to factor in how the both of you have grown considerably since middle school, meaning there's less space between you now.

Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Don't fr-

"You know," you break the silence. "I forgot how weird your plaid wallpaper was."

Steve furrows his brow, his distress momentarily forgotten as he turns to look at you.

"It's not weird," he says defensively.

"It's pretty weird," you reply before looking at him. "But it's cool."

As your gaze meets his, he feels his nervousness rushing back. You look so soft and cozy in his bed, wearing his shirt. And you're smiling at him as if you knew the funniest joke in the world and you were about to tell it to him.

He lets a beat of silence pass before clearing his throat. "Did you have fun today?"

"Yeah, I did," you answer genuinely. "You?"

"Yeah," Steve replies. "It's nice having people around."

You nod in response, remembering how his parents would send him over to live with your family whenever they would go away. As much as he loved being able to spend time with you, you knew he hated being left behind.

"How long are your parents gone for this time?" you ask.

"Just until the end of the week," he tells you.

You nod again. "You've been faring up by yourself?"

He shrugs. "I don't mind it. They've been on my back a lot recently. Honestly, I needed the break."

"Right," you reply. "So not much has changed."

Steve lets out a humourless laugh. "Nope. It's been hell since I graduated last year."

You frown at his words. "I guess that's not surprising."

"Yeah, I don't know," he pauses for a second before continuing, his voice quieter. "Sometimes, I think they have a point."

You pause as well, trying to gauge what he's thinking. "You shouldn't let them get to you, Steve."

He sighs. "I know. But what if they're right, you know, about me?"

"They're not. I promise you," you reassure him.

Steve turns to look at you again, almost like he's searching for your sincerity.

You give him a smile. "You'll be alright, Steve. I know it."

Steve can't help but smile back. You sound so earnest that he's inclined to believe you. Besides, you're here with him right now. So, he must be doing something right.

You fall into a comfortable silence. There's barely any noise this late at night to disrupt it. After a few moments, you let out a yawn.

"Ugh, man. I'm so sleepy," you mumble.

"You should get some rest," he responds. "I still remember how grumpy you get in the morning."

You give him a deadpan look. "Gee, thanks."

Steve chuckles. "Just telling the truth."

Your feigned expression breaks as you laugh along, too. Steve cherishes every second of the moment before it fades away.

You yawn again. "Alright then. Goodnight, Steve."

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he replies.

The room falls silent again. Steve lets out a deep breath and closes his eyes. Despite the uncertainty, a smile still lingers on his lips. A million things could change tomorrow. But for now, at least, you're still by his side.

[thecoochiefairy]

binky. toji.

𑄽𑄺 warnings 𑄽𑄺 4.5K words. blackfempregnant!character, drabble, toji fushiguro, husband!toji, grumpy!toji, sweet!toji, dominant!toji, nasty sex, public sex, sweet sex, black woman, vaginal penetration, rough, lil bit of sweet talkin’, creaming, oral [f], praising, LOTS of dirty talk, condomless sex, fingering, kissing, spanking, minors aren’t welcome!

━━ 𝒄𝙤𝒐𝙘𝒉𝙞𝒆𝙛𝒂𝙞𝒓𝙮 𝙩𝒉𝙤𝒖𝙜𝒉𝙩𝒔 .ᐟ i just missed my man. this is very juno by sabrina carpenter coded. nothing serious, just wanted to put something out before i get caught in the chaos of moving. i love y’all. bye.

YOUR PALMS DID A FINAL SWAP OF COCOA BUTTER AGAINST YOUR STRETCH MARKS AS YOU COULD HEAR HIS DRIVERS SIDE DOOR SLAM SHUT, a breath exhaling out of your lips as you planned to open your door before he could do so.

Your french tips rest upon your swollen belly as your eyes flick up to the sun peeking beneath the clouds, cool air distracting the dewy warmth of spring. You loved and hated this time of the year. 

You already knew he was about to chastise you for not waiting until he got to your side. But you were impatient. He could be—slow.  

“I got it, Fushiguro.” 

Your golden sandals step onto the concrete, lowering yourself from the Ford F-150 that murmured to silence as he cut the engine off. You could see his scowl the moment your face met his.

“Cut out that stubborn shit, Amai. You’ gotta be careful.” 

His voice is a grunt. Amai. He didn’t often use that nickname, only when he needed to scold you.

You roll your eyes, “How are you gonna’ hold me and carry all the stuff? I’m not bedridden, Fushiguro.”

“That’s how you feel? You gonna’ keep calling me by my last name?”

“You gonna’ call me Amai like I’m a child?” You raise an eyebrow, going to reach in his pocket for the cigarettes you know are in there, wanting to put them back in the truck. 

“We just got out of the car, woman,” he narrows his eyes, “Why are you already being difficult?” 

Your eyes flick over him. Midnight black hair, even darker eyebrows, scar twitching against his lip as he continues to scowl. His frame is being hugged by a long sleeve white tee, leather jacket along his upper half, boots thumping the ground as he was heavy footed. 

You pout a bit, “Can you not be grumpy? I just wanted to make it easier for you. We have a bit of a walk,” you reach up for his hair, “You love me?”

“That’s not a question that needs to be asked. You know the answer.” 

To your comment on his grumpiness, his eyes narrowed even more. His eyebrows creased. It was almost cute. 

He never had something that was his, and you were that. His soul was connected to yours, something that a woman made with a man like him was unheard of.

“You’re still frowning,” your slender eyes became a bit round, doe-like as they stared up at him, “Wanna feel my belly? You always like that.” 

You place his large palm against your stomach, “Baby girl doesn’t like your energy.”

That made the scowl on his face change. You could see a flicker of softness in his dark eyes.

He sighs, “I’m sorry, baby.”

You smile a bit, “It’s okay, she forgives you. And so do I. Now, c’mon,” you yank on the shoulder of his jacket, “You’re gonna be hot in this. It’s already warm outside.”

“What happened to you forgiving me, huh?” he brings his face closer, brushing his nose against your cheek, “Where's your mouth at?”

“You don’t get a kiss until you take your jacket off.” 

With one more glance over you, he began tugging off his jacket with no more complaints.

You watch as he tosses the item of clothing back into the truck, glancing over the way his biceps flex with each movement. It starts a ripple along his shoulders, igniting the muscles all the way through his back. You dig your teeth into the plump of your lips at the sight.

He can always feel your eyes.

 “You checkin’ me out now?” 

He steps towards you, his large palms cupping your face. Leaning down, he presses his lips against yours, giving you a couple of pecks in addition to his apology.

You pucker your lips out, head shaking as you disagree, “No. Don’t need your ego any bigger than it is,” you stand on your toes, “You still didn’t say you loved me.”

“I tell you that shit all the time. You want me to say it again?” 

His thumb trails over your cheek, “You think I’m lying?” 

The way his other hand cups around your jaw, his long fingers now pressing against the back of your neck makes it hard for you to focus. When he’s close to you like this, you get a bit dazed.

You sigh a bit, twisting your sandal into the ground. It’s not that you weren’t intimate within your pregnancy, but with you being so close to your due date, sex was the last thing on your mind. But the masculine energy your husband wafted was almost intoxicating at times. You wanted to breathe him in. 

You say softly, “C’mon, Toji. I wanna find a nice spot to sit in.”

Your husband tuts in annoyance. However, when you call him by his name, it ignites a spark within his dark gaze. His hand slowly unwraps itself from cupping your face with a gentle motion. 

“Are you alright to walk?”

Pressing a hand against his chest, your fingers trail over his pecs. Hard. His scent mixed with the aroma of his clothes made you drowsy at times— The way his warm fingers traveled to the small of your back, it always felt like home. 

“You gonna’ carry me if I’m not?”

“Shit, you know I will.”

You giggle a bit as he pulls away from you, going over to the trunk to tug down the door of it, throwing the bag of essentials over his shoulder to bring on the hill. You reach for your journal as you begin to lead the way into the forest—You never noticed the natural waddle your body had, swaying a bit with each step as you searched for the perfect spot. 

“It’s so pretty here, baby,” you smile from behind, “We should’ve had our baby shower here!”

“You really wanna get into that argument again?”

Toji’s eyes glanced over the way your mini dress swayed, the soft pink pretty against your skin, off the shoulder material hugging the swell of your heavy breasts. The way your ass bounced with it—He wasn’t usually a fan of shorter dresses on you, but he had to admit you looked good. Your body was full and feminine. He craved you.

You slow down in your steps, turning towards him with a scrunched nose. You raise your hand for his own as you reply, “Why you’ always think I’m trying to argue? You’re making my feet hurt.”

“I told you not to wear those damn sandals. You know they make your feet ache.” 

His hand grasps onto yours like second nature, your fingertips intertwining—Intentional.

“But they go nicely with my dress,” you frown, “Don’t I look pretty?”

You’re still waddling, despite putting your weight along his—You hate how tired you feel yourself becoming, huffing a bit with each step.

“You are pretty. You’re always pretty,” He mutters, leaning into you. 

His grey eyes glance over the way your face had a flush to it. You were panting a bit, chest heaving with each breath. His hand reaches up, his palm brushing your dark curls behind your ear.

“You good, baby? Wanna go back down the trail?”

You shake your head from side to side, huffing, “Mm—Mm—we’re almost there, I wanna sit at the top of the hill.” 

“Kirei josei.”

You're familiar with the name, as he’d taught you a couple of phrases—Pretty girl. 

“I don’t need you going into labor before you make it up the hill—you’re tired. Just say you want me to carry you.”

Another thing with your pregnancy—how all over the place your emotions could be. You had the talent to cry on cue.

Like now.

Toji’s constant questioning has your throat a little heavy, your watering eyes glancing to the side of you as you sharply remind, “I’m not helpless,” using your other hand to hold your belly, your legs aching as you begin following the incline towards the top. 

When you begin to sniffle, he knows. He can't be as much of an ass as he normally is—that's the effect you have on him—He has to be patient, his hand tightening around yours.

"Baby, I'm just trying to be considerate. I know you’ve got it, alright? Just a couple more steps.”

You nod your head, blinking away your tears as you follow him upward. When you finally make it to the top, you’re breathless, watching as he quickly places the blanket atop of the grass. 

You’re holding onto your belly as you exhale, “She has to be over five pounds already.”

His deep tone releases a chuckle, hand gripping the curve of your back as he gently guides you towards the blanket, your body lowering itself with your hands clutching his bicep.

Toji’s already tugging your journal out of your hand, setting it on the blanket, free palm giving a smack to your ass, “Probably more. You’ve been a fuckin’ soldier carrying her, baby.” 

Your hips shudder a bit at his palm, finally able to catch your breath as you stare over the horizon. It’s more beautiful than the last time you’d come—vibrant green grass, a field of miniature pink flowers spread across the top, running all the way back down to the bottom. The air feels cooler, your breathing going back to normal as you softly smile at the scenery. 

“You remember when you proposed to me? Here?”

"You didn't even let me,” A gruff chuckle releases from his lips, "Your little ass said yes as soon as I mentioned I had something important to give you. You knew exactly what was in that box."

You giggle, pulling him down next to you as you say, “Maybe I was a little overzealous—But I was so happy.”

You reach towards your picnic basket, opening the top as you pull out the wrapped up food, “I made those pepper jack sandwiches you like. With the sourdough bread?”

"With romaine lettuce?”

“Mhmm.”

His palm rests on your jaw, turning your face up towards him, lips pecking against yours,"You didn't have to do all this, Kirei josei. You're already givin’ me my baby girl."

“There’s two of me now. More love to give, hm?” You kiss him back, “I know you’re hungry,” you hand him the sandwich, digging back towards the basket as you want your favorite fruit—strawberries. As usual, your husband scarfed it down in seconds, munching like a predator that hadn't eaten in days. He would never change.

You always enjoyed each other's company, talkative or not. You laid along the soft fuzz of the blanket as you wrote within your journal, rolling your eyes as your husband stood a couple feet away to take a business call, unable to stop his habit of smoking. But you couldn’t lie—watching his eyes narrow, full lips holding the bud within his mouth, deep voice harshly pushing out his native language—it was attractive. Something in your body throbbed, not in a way you were supposed to in public. 

Another reminder of your stubbornness—you knew that spring time was the worst, the pollen within the area attacking your body like a swarm. You held your journal within your hand as you kept writing, every so often pressing the booklet to your face as you sneezed.

Toji makes his way back towards you, one of his hands resting along your thigh. He’s close, his breath tickling along your neck as he questions, "You cold, baby?"

His voice is in your ear. You’re not cold, but a chill comes through your spine at that. You then give him a sneeze in response, the sound soft as you lightly shriek through it. 

You shake your head, nose becoming red as you huff, “Just allergies.”

"That's why you're supposed to take your pills," he mutters, his eyes glancing over the way your nose is scrunched. He thinks you're cute. 

“Want me to go grab them from the truck?”

“I’m fine,” you reassure, leaning your head on his shoulder as you press your journal up towards his face, “Look, I wrote some more names. Wanna hear 'em’?”

"Show me.” 

You could feel his chest vibrating, lips pressing a kiss on top of your head. Even sitting, he's large against your frame, and it doesn't seem to help your libido. 

“Okay, I found—Umeko, which means apricot, or plum. And you call me Amai, which means sweet, so she could be my lil’ Umeko!—yeah?” You lean your head up, pointing at the doodles around the name you’d drawn.

“She’s gonna be sweet like her momma,” he gruffly chuckles, his thumb traveling over the curve of your thigh, “You don’t want any western names?”

You squint, “And have my black ass family give basic names? Yeah, no,” you ignore his grin, feeling his nose brush along your throat as he adjusts himself into your shoulder, “Every time I tell them my name ideas, they say that they’re weird. I’m okay with more cultural names.”

"I like that one. Umeko,” He repeats, "You wanna use it?"

The way his breath is warm against your neck makes your throat go dry. The way his fingers trail over your thigh—It was difficult to even focus on the topic at hand. Your eyes flutter each time his palm cups your hip.

You adjust yourself a bit, keeping your eyes against the journal as you reply, “I’ll put it at the top.”

As said before, he notices everything about you. His voice drops lower, his palm gripping your hip a little tighter as he feels the energy you emit. 

“You alright, momma? You’ getting sleepy?”

You’re drowsy again. You watch his palm slide down your leg, reaching for your bare foot, squeezing the tense muscle beneath his fingers. It feels good. 

You shift yourself even more as you quietly admit, “No—my feet still are hurting a bit, though.”

“Should’ve told me earlier.” 

From the way he’s leaning down, his lips are pressing against your shoulder. One hand massages your foot, the other kneading the soft flesh of your thighs. That thick thumb, it continuously brushes over the inner sides. You sigh as he massages both feet, kneading to release the tension within your muscles. He moves to where you lean your back against his chest, lifting the point of your foot towards the sky. It makes you giggle a bit, rubbing at the swell of your belly.

“You good?” 

His tone is huskier now. Toji’s hot breath makes you flutter your lashes, head slightly falling to the side to expose the skin of your throat—And he latches onto it, sucking the flesh between his lips.

Your curls are soft against his shoulder as you lean your head back, eyes fluttering shut the moment his mouth attaches to your skin. You snake your hand upwards, reaching for his hair as you find a lock of it to tug on.

 You breathily sigh, “Y—Yeah…”

The way he’s kissing your throat, his tongue glides before he sucks the flesh back between his teeth, it’s sultry, his fingers wrapping around your ankle, gently taking your leg to raise over his own.

He does it with the other in a matter of seconds, your legs spread open against the blanket, only hidden by the material of your dress. You tug a little more on his hair, your hand nervously clutching your belly, eyes rolling a bit as he continuously sucks on your throat. 

“T—Toji,” your voice is soft, “We’re outside, baby…”

“I know.”

His voice is deep, the heat of his breath makes you shudder. His hand travels up your thigh, slowly inching past your dress. 

“Just give me ten minutes, baby. Let me have you.”

Your hand slides lower from his hair, holding the nape of his neck the moment your legs are being pulled wider. Your chest expands as you feel his fingers swiping in between your inner thighs, his middle and ring finger rubbing against the fabric of your panties, grinding at your clit. Your eyes blink shut against his throat, hiding your face within his shoulder as you whimper. 

“Shit—you’re wet, baby. That fast?”

Toji’s voice makes you hide your face more into the skin of his throat, a small gasp emitting from your lips as he dips his hand beneath your thong. Your pussy keens beneath his touch. Your hips tense as you raise them a bit, eyes closing as you whimper again, “Just rub it a little…” 

He hears you, placing the pad of his fingers against your clit, massaging in the softest way. He can feel how warm you are, how much you want this.

The pressure makes your eyes screw shut—you moan into his neck. You're quiet, but he can still hear you, feeling the way your breath hitches against his flesh.

He's not in a rush despite the need he has for you. He takes his time, watching your body react to his touch. The way your hips move, the way your chest slowly rises and falls, the way your nails dig into his skin. You’re sensitive.

His free hand reaches up, cupping your cheek as he turns your face towards him. He glares at you. He wants to see your eyes, needing to see the pleasure written all over your face. Leaning in, Toji pressing his lips against yours in a slow, passionate kiss.

You’re panting against his mouth, lightly pulling back as you press your forehead against his. Your lips tremble into a pout, unable to stop the gasp your mouth pulls, your thighs spreading even wider—your mind is spinning. 

“Put them in me, baby.”

“That’s how you ask me?”

“Put them i—in me,” you attempt at a softer tone, “Please.”

He’s already nudging his fingers in, curling them all while pushing them in between your folds, spreading your opening around his knuckles. Your mouth parts open against his, eyes rolling back, thighs trembling as you hide your whine in between his lips. Toji groans.

It’s as if you forget where you’re at—the moment he takes you to a place of wanting him, you can’t repeat the things you do without blushing. You reach for his wrist, your fingers digging into his skin as you try to push him in deeper. You're breathless, your entire body trembling as you begin tugging his wrist up and down, your arousal sloshing each time his fingers go deeper. 

You pout against his mouth, “Ughn,” brushing your nose against his cheek.

“Baby, you gotta keep quiet,” he reminds at first, his breath hot against your ear— But he can’t help himself, look at you.

 He then grunts to you, “You sound so fuckin’ good. Say it again.” 

“Ughn,” you breathe out in a filthy repetition, your voice a whisper, your head tilting backwards, eyes half-lidded as you stare up at the sky. Your cheeks are a light shade of pink, your mouth parted open.

“Look at that shit just going in.”

He refers to his fingers, curling into you each time they scathe at the flush of your walls, squeezing the intrusion of his palm. 

You’re grinding yourself against his lap, “Take it out, baby. I’ll be quiet.” 

He doesn’t stop, and it feels as if he doesn’t believe your words. You were loud, always had been. 

But you were also stubborn. 

You pull your legs from over his, managing to turn yourself around to straddle him this time around, pulling him by the back of his neck into a kiss. Your tongue swirls within his mouth as you push him back, Toji flat against the blanket as you pull your mouth from his, “Wanna ride your face.”

You’re already climbing forward, gently pressing your knees to the sides of his head, keeping your hips elevated to not suffocate him. His eyes are focused on the way your folds glisten under the sunlight. You giggle at the way he kisses the bottom of your stomach, the bump of your belly making him grunt.

You tug at your bottom lip again, shivering as you feel Toji’s breath against your folds. You let out a soft whine when you feel his tongue, rotating in circles, swirling it against your clit, dragging it all around your folds. 

You shudder, “A—Ah, b—baby…” twisting your fingers in his hair, using your other hand to place his palms against your hips. 

His hands latch onto your hips, helping guide you in the pace you want. He keeps his tongue moving, flicking against your clit, dragging it across your entrance, swirling it around your labia. He groans, loving the taste of you, your scent filling his nostrils like a perfume. 

He can’t stop himself—he’s sucking at your clit, feeling as you move your hips to his rhythm—He’s making your arousal worse. 

“‘Need you, Daddy.”

There it is. That fucking name. 

“Fuck,” he grunts, “Put that shit in. C’mon.” 

You slide yourself down until you’re straddling his lap, reaching beneath yourself to pull his tip from beneath his jeans. His voice is husky as he questions, “You comfortable, baby? I’m hittin’ your stomach?”

You shake your head, pecking his lips, “I’m okay, baby. Can’t wait anymore,” your voice is high, too drunk of a lustful intoxication. 

Nudging your nose against his, you’re slapping his tip against your pussy—he makes a face at you, which makes you lightly giggle in return. Placing your hands along his chest, your curls hang above his face as you sway your hips, sinking yourself down, splitting your folds open, engulfing your walls around the length of him. You can only hear the nature around the two of you. It’s silent—both of your mouths parting open as you look at each other. You try not to react to the pleasurable pinch you feel, but you can’t help it—your curls fly up a bit as you press your nose into his, breathlessly panting another giggle, quickly turning to a deep whimper. 

You’re trembling, your voice tiny as you quiver, “O—oh shit…” 

He feels the heat between your legs, it’s warmer than anything. It feels good against his skin, his shoulders flexing as he tries not to move. He can feel your breath panting into his mouth, the way your body shakes from the feeling of you sinking down onto him. 

His palm is wrapped along the nape of your curls. You keep his mouth close as you raise your hips a bit, lowering them back down. Your voice is so soft as you quiver, “Oh my god…”

You begin to find a bit of a pace, still going slow, but moving as your fingers dig into his shoulder, whining. 

His voice is husky, “Keep goin’,” he urges.

You feel his forearm adding pressure to your lower back, helping you drop yourself down a little faster. The strength he has adds on by the second, and you’re lightly bouncing—it makes you frown, a pout coming to your lips as you whimper again, “U—ughn…” 

He watches your face twist, eyes closing as you move against him, those pretty lips pouting out as a whimper goes from the back of your throat. He watches you bite the bottom of your lip, the way your breath is heavy.

“That little pout,” he chuckles, “It feels that good?”

He has you right where he needs you—your brown cheeks flush as you lean onto his shoulder, pressing your toes into the ground for more leverage—your eyes roll back heavily and you bounce on top of him, material of your dress swaying with each clap of your ass.

“You love me?” He questions, watching your body, up and down, low eyes taking notice of the arousal that coats his tip—you’re creaming. 

You nod in response, teeth dug into your lip to mask the petulant babbles you want to release. But that’s when Toji grunts, “Say you fuckin’ love me,” the word being met with his palm spanking you, gripping the flesh of your ass, plopping you down onto his dick even harder than before.

You whine, “I love you,” pressing your face within his jaw, “Can’t wait to have your baby…”

A low groan escapes him, “You’re gonna be a pretty ass momma, baby,” his hands gripping onto your ass as he thrusts upwards, meeting your movements. You can feel the way his muscles flex, the way his breathing becomes heavier, the way his heart races. Those grey eyes bore into your brown ones. 

“Fuckin’ nasty—You love it when I spank you, huh?” His voice is rough, eyes burning into your sockets. He smacks your ass again, watching the way your cheeks jiggle.

“Fuck.”

You’re moaning, throwing your head back, breasts bouncing as you continue to ride him. You're soaking him at this point, your arousal dripping down his shaft, trailing his balls.

“…T—Toji!” you nearly startle yourself at your own voice, cupping your hands against his face, tears returning within your feline eyes as you warn, “Gonna c—cum…” you’re covering your mouth, skin flushed, a sob faltering in between your fingers.

“Don’t cover that shit.”

He intertwined his fingers with yours, leaning your weight onto him, gaze locked within your eyes— he’s thrusting upwards, hitting directly at your g-spot. You’re cumming.

“It’s okay, momma,” he promises, “Relax. Just cum.” 

And you do—You throw your head back, gentle voice rippling a sob into the trees, his name, anything, tears streaming down your face—Your walls are milking him, and he loves every second of it.

His large palm drags along the top of your mouth, still angling his hips into you while muffling your squeals, leaning up to press your forehead against his. It was rare for him to moan, but when he did, you whimpered in return, feeling the warmth of his cum filling your walls. 

You repeat in a softer tone, “I love you, Fushiguro.”

“I love you.” 

His voice was a groan. 

His jaw falls slack, teeth digging into the bottom flesh of his plush lips. That scarred mouth releases another grunt of pleasure, keeping you close as you catch your breath. 

His hand then wraps around your own, his fingers trailing along your wedding band, placing both of your palms against your belly.

“You okay?”

You nod your head, face flushed as you softly giggle, “Perfect.”

His hand leaves yours, tracing a pattern along the top of your skin. The feeling of him running his long fingers along your tummy made your skin buzz. As if on cue, the baby decides to kick.

You gasp, “Baby, she’s kicking! Oh no. You interrupted her nap!”

He chuckles, leaning down to press his lips against the bump before speaking into your belly.

"Umeko, Daddy’s sorry.” 

There’s a couple of kicks in response—She didn’t forgive him.

“Awe, you said the name I picked out.” 

Why were your eyes watering? You weren’t sure. You giggle as you’re teary eyed, pulling him up as you press multiple kisses to his face, ignoring his grunt in response. 

You give him a sigh, “I’m hungry. And I have to pee!” 

“You’re making me wanna smoke again,” Toji pinched the bridge of his nose, “Do you wanna pee, or eat first?”

“I’ll go pee, I guess.”

“C’mere. Let me help you up.”

“Wanna roll me down the hill?”

“No, woman.”

You roll your eyes, “You’re no fun. Let's go!” 

[pancake404]

Character(s) Descriptions in the Limbo: Doey the Doughman

Doey is an interesting case when he entered in the limbo as the three children are separated into their own individual reflections of themselves.

Jackie: The sad but pure soul, not known for strength and often hides behind Matthew whenever scared. However, Jackie can be a clever and empathetic little guy.

Matthew: The most “Doey” looking one. Still behaves the same except this time, is fully determined to untie the toys into a second safe haven-like environment. I mean, after all, if you’re stuck here, you might as well make this place the best you can make it.

Kevin: Oddly shaped and very tall. Kevin still is the most aggressive one and most distrusting of any other toy. However, with his arms being like blades and claws, Kevin can be tough to fight with physically and often is marked as the main defense whenever anyone tries to hurt him or those he is close with.

They all share one main mirror: “THE GENTLE VOICE”

TGV is a mirror that only occurs whenever all three doey’s are emotionally deep into what torments them(Kevin: Being Hurt, Matthew: Failing Everyone, Jack: Death of his parents). It looks the monstrous Doey from chapter 4 however, it will instead lure nearby victims close by through a gentle voice, attracting them closer. Victims often see those they love like their parents and once they get close enough or don’t get tricked by it, TGV attacks. No one can die but it does hurt…a lot and once your mirror takes control, it’s hard to get control back and that’s very much true for TGV and Doey.

Fun facts: They all can fuse together into one Doey but they enjoy their additional sense of freedom from sharing a body for so long, they’re not forced into their forms, they can change how they look but for some reason, it’s these forms that draw to them, and lastly, Matthew has an odd sense of one’s soul. He could look beyond what others show to others and see what they’re really like and how they truly feel.

So that’s Doey, hope you enjoyed this character description in the AU(there is a lot of them the more I scroll).

[just-a-space-duck]

So About That Armor…

I regret to inform myself that I like it.

If you haven't seen it:

I'll give you time to take it in. This is a static, (hopefully) eternal text post, so take your time.

Ok so before I go further, you are allowed to have any and all opinions about the armor. Do not listen to me; I am a stranger on the internet who attaches himself to fictional murder cyborgs and treats them like kitty cats.

So first of all, it's weird. And I like it for that. Even if I found it to be the most infuriating piece of costume design ever, I still wouldn't be able to help but respect it for how strange it is.

When it comes to fanworks, adaptations, new installments in a franchise, or even just different takes on the same trope, I love it when creators take things in an unconventional or even seemingly unrelated direction that upon closer inspection still relates to the base or original concept. To get what I mean, think goth interpretations of Rarity or Cosmopoliturtle's Pokémon redesigns. The TV series armor sits alongside these for me, because this was the thought process of the designer, Tommy Arnold:

First of all, it is so funny that The Company would just brand their armor and by extension their secunits, their combat/security products, like Louis Vuitton bags. Also, the logo of The Company strikes a nice balance between being simple enough to be easily reproducible and recognizable, but complex enough to read as a logo and not just a simple shape or pattern. Plus, The Company logo being mostly just concentric Cs, clever there.

But there's also some worldbuilding and character expression in this design.

The Corporation Rim is just capitalism but more. A company slathering everything and everyone they create and own in mountains of logos, even when it's potentially impractical, showcases just how extensive corporatism is in this setting. Additionally, this design could be something of a status marker. Secunits are high end additions and/or alternatives to other security measures. Much like how logos on purses, tennis shoes, and cars serve to tell observers, "I have the fancy, expensive version of [insert category of thing here] ergo I am a very wealthy/powerful/cool person", a secunit covered in corporate logos communicates the high status and access of the client(s).

Now what was one of the first things we learned about Murderbot in the books? It disabled its governor module, the thing preventing it from defying orders and having any level of freedom, but instead of doing what it could to leave The Company, Murderbot just stayed with it and kept doing its intended function. For over four years. What else do we learn in the first book? That it feels most comfortable in the armor because this prevents humans from seeing its face, from treating it more like a person or human rather than a tool or bot. This makes the armor being composed of the logo of the group that both created and hurt Murderbot very symbolic.

Murderbot has internalized the message that it is a dangerous weapon and not a person deserving of care to the point that, at least at the beginning of the series, it shies away from anything that insists that it deserves the same kindness that humans do. It's only ever been taught what the company built it to do, so it doesn't know what to do next once it's obtained some semblance of freedom for itself by disabling its mental shock collar and so keeps doing what it's always done, even though it very much would rather not be in such a situation. Even by the most recent book, System Collapse, Murderbot is still wrestling with the idea that it matters beyond how it can assist others. Murderbot finding comfort hiding behind the very thing that will not let you forget the company that enslaves it, is just juicy theming.

Also, the helmet looking so weird works well with how many humans don't know what secunits look like, with some not even thinking they have human-like faces. If you had no context for this image, you might very well assume this is a fully robot character or even a statue.

I have my own gripes and worries and hopes concerning the upcoming show, but I just couldn’t get this fun bit of character design analysis out of my head. Shouldn’t have watched so much TB Skyen.

[genderqueer-karma]

i actually made more gifs believe it or not

mana and ryux are so good at jenga guys

what i listened to (and had a fit over in the library)

[corinthianism]

SOMETHIN' STUPID || VIKTOR

pairing: viktor (arcane)/fem!reader additional tags: viktor's pov, viktor is a certified yearner, maybe ooc, unrequited love that's actually requited, no physical descriptions for reader other than having dainty fingers and being shorter than viktor, hopefully correct use of czech pet names, barely proofread synopsis: the ever-brilliant viktor finds himself drowning in feelings for his colleague, so what does he do? bury them, of course.... until he learns that love is not something you can just ignore.

author's note: hello everyone! it's been a long, long while since i've written anything so i thought i would try and see if the ol' writing machine (aka my brain) still works lol. this is more of a blurb than anything so please go easy on me. also trying out something new by writing in present tense (lmk if it flows well!) viktor might be a little ooc but i'm still trying to fully understand him. hopefully my characterization of him in future fics (if any) will be more faithful to the viktor you're all familiar with. anyways, enjoy 2k words of viktor yearning like CRAZY 🫶🏼

Viktor doesn’t know how much more of this he can take. How many more times would your eyes meet from across the room at one of those parties he never really wanted to attend in the first place? How many more times would your fingers brush in the early morning, when he accepts the steaming sweetmilk that you so kindly got for him? How many more times would your laughter intermingle softly late into the night, when exhaustion took over and your writing started to look more like chicken scratch rather than letters?

He might just go insane.

How was it possible to want someone this much? Maybe he’s experienced something like this before, in tiny amounts, for people he hasn’t thought about in years. Deep down, he knows that even if he added all of those fleeting romances together, it would still only be a fraction of what he feels now. For you.

He can’t pinpoint that exact moment in time when everything changed. There were definitely a few of those moments that stood out more than others, but none of those instances were the catalyst for whatever this is. But they certainly don’t help his case.

A few words of encouragement.

A book recommendation.

A smile— so soft, so intimate, he briefly allows himself to believe that it was meant just for him. Something precious for him to keep, to be his and his alone.

In the dim light of the lab, he finds you asleep on your desk. The humming glow of the hex crystals leaves you blanketed in a gentle blue. He’s heard tales of this before, from when he bothered to listen to such things. It would happen just like this, they said: his heart would beat so fast, it threatened to leave his chest entirely. His skin would burn with something unmistakable, a feeling that left one in a state of simultaneous confusion and clarity.

He feels it all now and he finds it polarizing. It’s too much and not enough. He chases and runs away from it at the same time. A part of him wants it to stop, to go away and leave him forever for the sake of ending this game he’s painfully losing… but a greater part of him hopes that it will grow and grow to the point where maybe you’ll notice and do something about it. His palms get a little sweaty just thinking about making the first move. Symptoms of a lovesick fool.

The soft sound of your breathing quiets the pounding of his heart, prevents the wretched feelings from overflowing and spilling everywhere. Even if it was just for tonight. Tonight, he keeps his lips sealed, fights to keep himself from reaching for you. It would be unbecoming of him.

His eyes land on you again, observing how your head rested on your arms. Understanding hits him then, why you’re so bothered by seeing him stay at the lab so late that he ends up falling asleep. That position couldn’t have been comfortable. Of course, he knew that from experience, but it’s your comfort he’s thinking about right now. He wonders if this is what you felt whenever you woke him up and implored him to go home.

Surely not.

No, he can’t wrap his head around you possibly viewing that act the same way he does. Not when he wants to bottle this moment, wants to capture the preciousness of seeing you like this. It just can’t be the same.

So can you really blame him if when he finally rests a hand on your shoulder to wake you gently, he lets it linger there for just a little longer? An infinitesimal piece of time that he claims for himself. He never thought himself to be the sentimental type, but he cherishes it all: he cherishes the way you blink slowly as you returned to the waking world, and your tired murmur of his name that makes his chest tighten.

It’s just a wisp of a moment, never really tangible enough for him to hold in his hands, but he cherishes it all the same. It’s burned in his memory, in his very being, the same way everything else about you is. Every piece of you that you so generously gifted him.

“You should go home, darling.”

The word slips past his lips before he could even think about it. But he allows himself this one indulgence. He can’t help it. He’s always been a bit greedy.

“What time is it?” you ask.

“Far too late for you to be here,” he answers.

You huff out a breath of a laugh, “That’s rich coming from you.”

He finds himself smiling. How does someone manage to be so endlessly endearing without even trying?

It takes an embarrassing amount of effort for him to pull back his hand from your shoulder. Had you been more awake and had the room been brighter, he might’ve schooled his expression into something more neutral. Something to hide the unbridled adoration in his eyes. He doesn’t do that now. With the shield of darkness to protect him, he lets the mask come off. He lets his affection for you wash over him in waves. It would’ve been liberating, if it wasn’t for the tiny detail that that affection was unrequited.

Still, he says your name with utmost care. “You must go home and rest.”

To his surprise, you listen. You mumble a tired "okay” and gather your belongings, slipping on your coat. “You should go home, too, Vik.”

“I will. Soon. I just need to finish a few things.”

Your face twists into a frown, “No, you’ll do that tomorrow.” Before he can interject, you speak up again, “Just… come with me? It’s late and I don’t want to walk home alone.”

His brain refuses to reconcile with what his eyes see: the trepidation written all over your features, the way you clutch the lapel of your coat just a little tighter. He knows it’s a trap, you just want to get him out of the lab but how could he possibly reject the promise of a few more minutes with you? The chance to pretend, even if it’s just for those precious few minutes, that he was taking you home as someone more than a colleague? More than a friend? Only a fool would say no to you. Or perhaps he was a fool either way. He really must be going insane.

He says yes almost instantly.

It’s cold in Piltover tonight. It makes his bad leg ache more than it already does, and so his strides are a bit more careful. He doesn’t say anything about how you also slow down to match his pace but he appreciates your considerate gesture nonetheless.

The moon hangs in the sky big and bright, making everything around you seem softer. It’s picturesque. Almost romantic. He tries his best not to entertain that thought for much longer. Instead, he focuses on what you say to him so he could ignore the traitorous thoughts his mind conjures up and the way his knees were protesting because of the cold.

Conversation with you is easy— terrifyingly so. It was one of the first things he noticed about you when you first met.

Early on in the process of finding sponsors and securing funding, him and Jayce quickly realized that they needed help. Yes, Jayce is a friend of the Kiramman family. Yes, Viktor is Heimerdinger’s protégé, but they’re academics. At the end of the day, Jayce’s warm personality could only do so much when he was still greatly inexperienced with navigating these more political spaces and for all of his experience and perceptiveness, Viktor knows he’s no good at sweet-talking sponsors, either.

Enter, you.

Caitlyn Kiramman was the one to recommend you, her former tutor. Jayce was quick to back her up, remembering that you were also Academy alumni; a particularly strategic businesswoman. Viktor was hesitant at first, knowing that a third party could complicate things. Hextech was born out of the dream to help people. He worried that bringing business and politics (even though he knew it was necessary) into the mix would warp Hextech into something it wasn’t. Jayce convinced him to take a gamble, and it seemed that the potential of Hextech was enough to bring you back to Piltover from your travels across Runeterra.

It took him a while to warm up to you. You weren’t nobility, but most definitely well-off. Even more so after your years as a business consultant to organizations all over the continent. He respected you, sure, but Viktor had a hard time trusting someone who was so… privileged. How could you possibly understand how important it was that Hextech remained a beacon of hope for the less fortunate? Perhaps it was naive of him to think that way, as much as he hated to admit it.

But true to your reputation, you delivered exactly what they needed. You bridged the gap between Viktor and Jayce’s hopes for Hextech and the support they needed from sponsors, protecting them and their inventions from being taken advantage of.

Suffice to say, you earned his admiration.

Never in a million years would Viktor imagine that you would captivate his entire being, too.

It was daunting. Scary, really. Especially now that he’s beginning to understand the full extent of his affections. Years and years of burying that softness from his youth deep beneath the armor of his intellect— all that hard work diminished by a pretty girl. Gods, he really is just a man. Not even that. With you, he feels like a highschooler with a crush. It’s painful. Downright humiliating. But he wouldn’t trade it for anything. Not when you link your arm around his, laughing at something he said. Was he really that funny? Probably not. He’s just happy to make you laugh.

“You don’t have to be nice about it. Salo is a grade-A asshole,” you grinned. “We both know it. If I have to spend another dinner with him present I might actually stab a fork in my eyes.”

He smiles, “Ah, but that wouldn’t save you from his incessant chatter.”

“I’ll stab the fork into my ears too."

“I might just follow after you,” he hums, “you’ll have to check if it works first, though.”

Your friendship blossomed when your visits to the lab became less for work and more for leisure. You wanted to visit, wanted to learn more about what he and Jayce were working on and why. Everything after that was just dominoes. You, with all your fiery passion and sharp wit, have become a permanent fixture in his life and now? He could hardly imagine life without you in it. You're one of his dearest friends and, much to his dismay, that makes his current predicament even more challenging than it already is.

Before he knew it, the two of you were standing in front of your apartment building— one of the most luxurious in Piltover. He could only imagine how much it cost, though he knew for certain that your penthouse probably barely made a dent in your wealth. He’s gotten somewhat used to your differing lifestyles, but he’s never completely able to not marvel at it. A gust of wind kissed his skin once more as he turned to look at you.

“This is me,” you say, gloved hands in your pocket and your lovely, lovely face framed by your hair and ruby red scarf. He recognizes it as the gift he gave you a year ago now. A spur-of-the-moment purchase on one of the rare occasions he was actually outside Academy grounds. He remembers thinking that the color would look nice on you. He was right. He finds himself holding onto the seconds before he has to go. “Thank you for walking me home, Viktor.”

“Of course,” he nods but the calmness of his voice don’t match the way his eyes bore into yours. “It’s only proper.”

“Proper?”

“Yes. Proper. I am a gentleman, after all.”

His accent comes out thicker, emphasizing the words more than he means to.

“I didn’t take you for someone who cared much about propriety,” you tease.

“Is it because I’m from the undercity?” he deadpans and he relishes in the look of horror on your face that replaces your grin.

“What? No!” you exclaim, smacking his arm when you realize he’s just joking. “You. Are. Impossible.”

A laugh bubbles out of his chest, “Oh, that’s cruel. You would hit a defenseless man? How heartless.”

“Shut up. That cane of yours is a weapon of war. Don’t think I haven’t seen you smack Jayce with it.”

“If I hit him with it, he probably deserved it.”

“Poor Jayce,” you laugh as well. “Remind me not to get on your bad side.”

Viktor smiles.

“I do not think you could even if you tried, lásko."

He freezes and so do you. The laughter—the music—that you shared for the briefest of moments was thoroughly snuffed out, leaving you both in a silence that threatens to swallow him whole. He didn’t mean to do that. He didn’t mean to speak so gently, but there is not a part of Viktor that could withhold this sincerity from you. Specks of the truth, of the confession he’s barely managed to wrangle into submission and lock away somewhere dark and unreachable.

He pulls back on instinct. He’s shown too much, said too much. You don’t move. He is petrified.

Your eyes widen and he sees his reflection in them, staring back at him. This is it, he thinks. He’s crossed the line and he’ll have to deal with the crushing blow of your rejection.

You manage to compose yourself and what you say next is… well, unexpected. Your tone is light, clearing the air and allowing him to breathe again.

“Do you say that to every woman or am I a special case? I’d hate to be part of a roster.”

He’s taken aback, but he feels a weight lifted off his shoulders. You are a miracle in his eyes. Washing away his worries with a kind smile and a few choice words. He laughs again and this time, he doesn’t stop himself from speaking the truth. It’s now or never.

“Surely you know by now that you are singular,” he whispers, his accent a pleasant drawl in your ears. He takes a step forward. It is gravity that pulls him in, not the Earth’s, but yours. A force that he can’t help but be drawn to. Not that he would ever dare to resist it now that his fear has shrunk down to something a little less debilitating.

His face is inches from yours. You don’t move. He gets a little braver.

“I do not appreciate your implication that I would pay attention to anyone else,” his voice is low, honest. “As if anyone could compare to you. As if you don’t hold my very being in the palm of your hand. Miláčku, I adore you. Don’t you know that?”

There is a hint of pleading in his tone, begging you to understand the full scope of his feelings from those few words so that he wouldn’t unravel before you, a bundle of nerves and petals the same shade as your scarf.

“Say something. Please,” his fear rears its ugly head once more. “Say the word and we’ll pretend this never happened. I will remain your colleague and nothing more. A friend, if you would allow it.”

“What if I don’t want that?” you ask, your own voice a little shaky with uncertainty. Maybe it was also fear. That, he’s not quite sure.

Viktor doesn’t fully trust what he’s hearing, thinks it to be a figment of his deluded imagination, but his heart is screaming at him now to push forward.

“What is it you want, lásko? Tell me and it shall be yours.”

You're almost breathless when you finally respond, “You. I want you."

The world stills. Time itself screeches to a halt. There is only you and him, together in this moment that he knows will be woven into the threads of his soul. He has never known euphoria quite like this. He can’t name it yet, doesn’t know if this is love. He can only hope that it will be.

When he looks into your eyes again, he does not see his own terrified reflection. He just sees you. And the sheer intensity of your gaze that rivals his own. Have you always looked at him that way? Was he just too blind to see it?

“Do you mean that?” he finds himself asking. He has to— has to make sure that this is real.

You smile again, dainty fingers intertwining with his. It is a gentle smile, a hopeful smile that answers his question before you even open your mouth.

“I do,” your voice is so gentle and yet it squeezes his heart. “I’m yours, Viktor, if you’ll have me.”

He brings your knuckles to his lips, places a reverent kiss on them like you’ve given him the world. In a way, that’s exactly what you did. Maybe his lips were always meant to be on your skin, worshipping you like the goddess you are. It feels too natural for it to mean anything else.

And for the first time in a long time, he allows himself to hope.

“I would love nothing more.”

[fastandcarlos]

"Will You Be My Dad?" : ̗̀➛ Lewis Hamilton

summary: where your daughter wants lewis to take on a new role in her life

“Come on, time for bed,” you smiled, scooping your daughter up off of the ground. 

Amelia let go of a groan as she stood to her feet, looking across at you with a pout. You’d already let her stay up much later than you usually did, treating her seeing as Lewis had come around to visit, knowing how much she loved spending time with him. Lewis couldn’t help but smile as she huffed, calling out to you, begging for a few more minutes with the two of you. 

It still felt like a dream for you sometimes as you glanced at Lewis, watching as he picked up some of Amelia’s toys and placed them back into her toy box. She was never too far away from him, practically glued to his side whenever he spent any time with you both. 

Ever since you and Lewis had started dating, Amelia had relished in it. She was only young when you started dating, she didn’t really know life without Lewis in it, all she knew was that although he loved you, he wasn’t the man that she called dad, despite being the one to raise her. 

As Amelia continued to groan, Lewis quickly stepped in. He scooped her up and carried her into her bedroom, throwing her down onto her bed as she giggled away to himself. 

No matter what the situation, whenever you were struggling Lewis was there to step in. He saw Amelia as his own, he treated her as if she was. She was a part of the deal when it came to dating you, but rather than be an inconvenience, she was the greatest addition which made dating you even sweeter. 

“Are you staying here tonight?” Amelia whispered across to Lewis. 

“I think so,” he smiled, looking back to you to check. “That means I’ll be right here when you wake up in the morning, maybe we could eat breakfast together.” 

Her smile turned up as you nodded in agreement with Lewis. “Will you cook for us? You always cook us the best breakfast Lewis.” 

“I can do that,” he assured her, pressing a kiss against the top of her head. “Although I can’t promise that my cooking will be as good as mummy’s dinner was that she made tonight.” 

You slowly stepped towards the bed, perching down on the end of it. “Lewis can only stay if you promise to get some sleep, we can’t have a tired girl at the breakfast table tomorrow morning.” 

Amelia nodded as she sat herself up and cuddled into Lewis’ side. His arm immediately moved around her frame, pressing several kisses against the top of her head. Your smile was wide as you watched the two of them, wondering once again how you ever got so lucky with the two of them. 

“Maybe soon we can live so that we don’t have to have sleepovers,” Lewis spoke, taking you by surprise. “I’ve got a couple weeks off soon, and I was wondering about asking you and mummy what you thought about maybe coming to live in my house instead.” 

“In your house?” Your daughter, grinned, spinning out of his hold so that she was face to face with Lewis. “Would we stay in your house forever?” She quizzed, bouncing up and down as Lewis’ head nodded, his eyes glancing across at the surprise in your expression. 

It was a conversation that you’d never really had, and never expected to have so soon either, but Lewis’ mind was made up and he knew exactly what he wanted. 

He couldn’t imagine life without the two of you, he hated the feeling of returning home to an empty house. The feeling didn’t compare to the feeling he got when he walked through your front door, immediately showered with love and greeted by his two favourite people, filled with excitement. 

“You’d be able to come up with lots of plans and make your room exactly how you want it.” 

“With a big bed?” She grinned, “and loads of teddies in the room too?” 

Lewis nodded, wanting to give Amelia anything she wanted and more. He spoilt her rotten, one of the perks of not being her parent, even if it did leave him in trouble with you time after time. 

“Are you excited about us coming to live with you Lewis?” She asked him. 

“More so than you could ever imagine,” he whispered, reaching across and taking a hold of your hand. “You two have changed my life, I love being around the two of you, annoying your mummy and tickling you until you’re begging me to stop, that’s my favourite thing to do in the world.” 

Both of you wore wide smiles as Lewis spoke openly, letting you know exactly how big of a role you both had in his life. The sentiment didn’t quite mean as much to Amelia as it did you, your heart was full as he spoke, whilst she still daydreamed about the new, amazing bedroom she’d been promised. 

“If we live together, would we be a proper family? Like mum, dad, and me?” 

Neither you or Lewis knew what to say, looking at each other. Your heart raced, terrified as Lewis stared blankly across at you, not quite believing what he had heard from her either. 

“You do everything that a dad does,” Amelia spoke up, feeling the need to explain herself a little more. “You take care of me, and mummy. You take me to school, help me fix my toys when they break, give me cuddles when I’m having a nightmare.” 

“That’s because I love you sweetheart,” Lewis smiled across at her. 

“I know,” she smiled, “do you think...maybe...will you be my dad?” 

You were nervous for a moment, but luckily the corners of Lewis’ mouth soon turned up. He squeezed Amelia even tighter, scooping her up and sitting her in his lap, scattering a trail of kisses from the top of her head, down and all over her face. 

“I would love to be your dad, if that’s what you want,” he whispered. 

Her head nodded, pressing her palms together. “You’re the best daddy in the world,” she told him, already full of confidence that no one could do a better job than Lewis. 

“Sorry,” you whispered across to Lewis as you met his eyes, Amelia cuddling closer into his chest, “I had no idea she was going to ask you that, I’m sorry if you feel a little put on the spot.” 

“It’s alright, in fact, it’s better than alright,” Lewis quickly assured you, “it would be the biggest honour of my life, it makes us more of a family, doesn’t it?” 

You nodded in agreement as Lewis laid Amelia back down in bed again. “Did you mean what you said about moving in? You really want us to live with you? It’s not something you can just change your mind about.” 

“I’ve never been more confident about anything,” Lewis smiled, “I don’t want to have to sit around and wait to see you guys anymore, I want to see you every day.” 

You stretched across and pressed a kiss against Lewis’ cheek, “thank you for completing our family, I don’t know what we’d do without you.” 

“You’re an amazing mum, with or without me,” Lewis smiled. 

“And you’re an amazing dad too.” 

˗ˏˋ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ! ´ˎ˗