#TRUE love true love like with will just infatuation but the genuine romantic kind. he REALLY likes girls ok’

[mikesbasementbeets]

people will truly go so far out of their way to avoid admitting that mike never loved el romantically like ‘he’s confusing true love with infatuation’ and ‘it’s not real adult love it was puppy love that faded as they got older’ and ‘the contrast with byIer just shows the difference between a childhood crush and genuine mature love’ like just say platonic. the word you’re looking for is platonic.

[bitethedevil]

from what i’ve read up on with cambions, it sounds like such a horrible life. it makes me respect raphael a bit more, honestly. their mothers always die after giving birth to them, so they’re normally abandoned in the material plane. and then they’re rejected by both mortals and devils alike, albeit for different reasons.

the game makes it out like raphael has always been this big bad, but i bet that isn’t true. i’m sure he had to play the game of the hells and play it well to get to where he is when we first meet him

my soft heart wonders what it’d be like if a omeone were to fall for him, as dangerous and foolish as they KNOW it is. has he ever felt genuinely loved and admired? what would this look like?

i understand that he most likely could never feel emotions the way mortals do, even given his other non-devil half. but i wonder how he would react to that.

(i found a comment on a forum that i liked lol, them saying devils may love like cats do. selfishly and possessively)

I think he would be into affectionate gestures, but he sure as the Hells won’t admit it (which as you said, probably also stems from how taboo it is in the Hells and the fact that he does not want to appear weak). I think the cat comparison would be spot on.

He’d be researching something for a client and thrusts a book into your hand. Then he’d lay his head in your lap and guide one of your hands to his hair to massage his scalp and the other to the book and demand you to read out loud for him. He’d claim that: No, it is NOT because he likes it and it’s definitely NOT because he thinks your voice is pleasant to listen to. It’s simply more efficient and he has been working all day, so you might as well make yourself useful because he is TIRED. Now, read.  

Although, like a cat, I think it would all be on his terms. It’s when he feels like.

I also think this man would love receiving compliments and I don’t think he would be able to get enough of it. He’d live for someone who strokes his ego, and if the kind of affection that the other person gives him achieves that, I think he could get addicted to it. I think I’ve mentioned before: he would be so into someone who is just completely obsessed and infatuated with him.

That said, Raphael is a master at ‘playing human’ so if he is trying to manipulate someone into liking him or such, he can definitely play his part of affectionate human when it’s needed.

I also have a really dark headcanon that he has been in love when he was younger, but Mephistopheles but an end to it by getting rid of them (potentially why he sent him Haarlep instead). Just to remind his son that he isn't all that, because non-Archdevils aren't supposed to have sex or have consorts.

(Thank you for the ask and I love that you have already researched it. I am a slut for talking about lore <3)

(I’m also including two other asks in this one because I get a lot of questions about Raphael’s relationship with affection: “Do you think Raphael have/had romantic relationship? What will be his love language?” and “how would Raphael react to an affectionate tav?”)

[tbgkaru-woh]

hi! i was just wondering what it is specifically that you dislike about wangxian? i'm kind of intrigued, because while i get how someone could find them boring, i've never really considered anything about their dynamic (and as you mentioned in response to a previous anon, their confession scene) particularly off putting. no pressure to answer this, and this is in no way hate towards you i'm just genuinely curious <3 (i love your art by the way it's gorgeous)

Thank you for the compliment! ♥ This is gonna get ranty so I will hide it below read more as not everyone has to deal with reading this, so proceed with caution :'D

Wangxian is the weakest WWX dynamic. On god, even if I'm not fond of Yanli, they have very loving relationship where they are protective of each other and gentle with each other in a harsh world. I don't ship WWX/JC but their story and complicated love of someone you grow up with and care for deeply but clash constantly with is more interesting than anything wangxian ever had. Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian clicked together so naturally, they are chaotic and are similiarly not too interested in being up to rules. Jin Zixuan and WWX had a potential of going from enemies to partners in crime, to become family and have each other's backs but JZX was cut short and WWX never really cared afterwards either. WWX with the wens took time to build up but his YLLZ farmer era was one of the best WWX's in the story. Damn, even Lan Xichen who's always amused with WWX's temperament and secretly has a drink with wwx and is altogether looser with the rules while still being lawful matches with him way more than LWJ where there's... nothing. They were smashed together for convenience and we were suppossed to just go with it cause they are the two main characters. LWJ feels like he was just made so WWX has a "hot stoic top" to fuck him and the rest of the characters are actually build with the story and therefore feel more natural

Wangxian don't feel like they are in love, not in the way the fans make them out to be into some romantic picture perfect angsty deserved lovestory. LWJ's personal space is constantly disrespected, he's punished constantly for WWX's mistakes, he constantly needs to be the one to adjust to how WWX is instead of the other way around and after all that, LWJ doesn't really /know/ WWX so his attraction feels very idealized. WWX is the bad boy that goes against the rules and LWJ wishes he could be that (or with that) but it's almost a childish infatuation from their Gusu days that never evolved into something more mature. And WWX? I can't see how he'd like LWJ as anything more than in a physical sense. Even their obnoxious "Back then I wanted to sleep with you" confession scene is purely physical. He doesn't really know LWJ or respects him, LWJ is just a familiar face in a world that is against WWX and he's a hot body that likes him. LWJ is an easy score in a way, he's a safe option. And it'd be SO interesting if they went into that, but instead it's played like the only true love (dont forget, they are meant to be as the ONLY gay pairing in MDZS which I find insane when everyone else has more chemistry and in the end gets shat on so wangxian can fuck in a bush. I mean, LWJ leaves LXC to be depressed and alone after everything LXC stands for and did? Fucking ridiculous.)

It tries to "subvert" tropes but ends up being more stereotypical than anything. WWX was almost meant as this jock-y rebellious hotshot but instead we got a quirky twink, early 2000s shonen protagonist and every yaoi's Uke I've been seeing since like 2008. Are they suppossed to be different because the "stoic white-coded" one is not the bottom? Is the bar this low? If anything, this ornament top is the most usual top, let's be real, LWJ barely has personality or growth or focus, he's there to fuck WWX.

This is a petty reason but MXTX's "wangxian is the only gay couple" everyone else being implied straight as if to highlight just how real their love is that they are gay in time period where it's frowned upon, even though Yi City and 3zun combinations had more chemistry than anyone is. Annoying. And so is the "Don't ship them with anyone else and don't switch their dynamics" that fuels some of the most obnoxious people in the fandom to go after fanwork creators that do/like things differently.

All in all Wangxian is THE face of danmei, they are the most known even outside of danmei circles and they are extremely mediocry written for that. I mean, fuck, you put straight couple in their place and I guarantee no one would like it, it has the depth of a high school hormone-riddled couple who have different classes and "only" get to see each other during breaks and make out during lunch with others at the table, idk it's so fucking annoying to me when I know there were better options, when WWX had so many interesting dynamics that got shat on in favor of bland ass ship and I'm tired of having to like it/tolerate it just because it's gay.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk, this was extremely healing 🤣

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

Izzy Ship Alignment for S2

Spoilers for if you want to avoid s2 Izzy talk. (minor spoilers for the S2 teaser, and the interview Con did last December) PLEASE disagree with my rankings. I would love to know how y'all feel about this.

I saw someone online reference the tiny interview Con had last December about Izzy's direction this season. Where it's referenced that Izzy understands himself emotionally, and is a romantic in a unrequited love.

I thought the obvious, 'Oh, Izzy/Ed, Izzy recovers from that'. BUT someone on TikTok mentioned how funny it would be if it were an unexpected character he ends up with.

SO I made this outcome chart:

The vertical columns: How it would affect the story. In a Chaotic way, a neutral way, or a 'lawful' way where I feel that it benefits the world/story around Izzy.

Horizontal columns: How bat shit I would go. Evil = I will never emotionally recover, THE DRAMA. Neutral I'm having a lovely time, and enjoying the ride. Good= YES! CHARACTER GROWTH!!!!

This is not me ranking ships, but the general vibe they bring to the plot we can see from the trailer. EXPLANATIONS DOWN BELOW.

Lawful Good: Single, but happy: This is where I predict s2 will end off. It's smart. Izzy is out of an emotional relationship where he's under his boss. He's finally free. He can be happy and single, or go into S3 looking for someone.

Neutral Good: ButtHands: It wouldn't change much in the story, but overall I'd think it's fun. Purely for the confusion of it all. They don't like each other...and yet.

Chaotic Good: Blackhands: It would change a lot in the story, and I wouldn't recover. Especially if it's just an unemotional one-off that leaves Izzy devastated. I don't think it would work...but the character growth???? Unmatched.

Lawful Neutral: Ouizzy, I love it, it's really fun, and it wouldn't change all that much in the story. It wouldn't force Izzy to change too much, besides maybe being kinder. Frenchie gets another bodyguard, and the banter would be fun.

Ture Neutral: Jizzy. They are almost the same person but Jim is supported by someone in their lives. I don't personally see it, but I do see that these two would get on together. Mild changes to the story, and I'd be satisfied with it.

Chaotic Neutral: SteddyHands: COULD YOU IMAGINE. A mainstream tv show with a poly couple as leads? And it's messy as fuck? It would take another season to set up, likely introducing Stizzy this season, and ending it off in the middle in S3. But it would have major consequences in the story, and I wouldn't be well after.

Lawful Evil: Rizzy: Izzy is able to be his tired, overworked, and violent self with someone who gets that at some level. It moves the plot forward while also being a badass scary couple.

Neutral Evil: RETROACTIVE CALICOHANDS WOULD HURT. Ngl, finding out Izzy sent someone he kind of cared about would affect Izzy's story, but not the overall plot. I wouldn't recover, Izzy would have a big regret arch, and I'd write fix it's.

Chaotic Evil: Just Stizzy. A freshly 'single' Izzy leaves Ed, and goes to find Stede, but oh no. Stede genuinely wants to get better and be loyal to his crew. Izzy finds himself falling infatuated with his boss' ex. Stede still loves Ed and is going to find Ed. But Izzy just has to chew on his lip as he falls for his Captain AGAIN. Stede needs to figure out that you can love people in different ways. We get a messy love triangle and STEDE is in the center. I WANT THIS. I won't get it. BUT WHAT IF.

[I forgot Lucius/Izzy, but to me, it sits right at the True Neutral or Chaotic Neutral. It wouldn't change too much in the overall plot. It shows huge growth for both people. The only reason it would be Chaotic is how Izzy would be perceived by the crew]

[melonteee]

Okay so. Watching your Hancock video reawakened my deep, deep passion about her and now I'm bothering a friend with it, but we came to the topic of HanLu and how we both see Luffy as someone who just isn't interested in relationships, but since I feel like Hancock deserves someone who sees her for her true self, we started discussing who'd suit her. While we did throw out some candidates (Brulee, Katakuri, Fujitora, Robin, Zoro perhaps, but he's similar to Luffy) ultimately, I'd like to ask who do you think is deserving of this beautiful, broken woman?

honestly? I don't think Hancock NEEDS a romantic partner. The only reason she likes Luffy to the extent she does is because...someone is treating her like a human being for the first time ever, and she's not stable enough mentally or really experienced in friendship and genuine feelings to know how to handle that? I think the best route and development for Hancock would be for her to be able to simmer out her feelings, understand her infatuation with Luffy is due to LITERALLY being seen as a person and - through that - begin opening up to more people.

I have no doubt she loves Luffy, but she doesn't love him for the healthiest of reasons? And like, that's kind of the point of her. That she was so deprived of genuine love from ESPECIALLY men that she has no idea how to go about it. I'd personally adore seeing her extreme love eventually become an understanding that this is a platonic, mutual friendship love. That would be the healthiest and happiest path for her! She definitely doesn't need a partner to have happiness like that.

But also Nami is deserving of this broken woman duh

[bloodtwin]

Name: Puck Darlington Nickname(s): The Dark Urge, Dandelion, Dandy, Pucky, Pooch, Pookie Relationship Status: Single (Default) Gender: Born to be a dog, forced to be a “man” Romantic Orientation: Bisexual, Polyamorous Preferred Pet Names: For himself? His name LOL but you could get away with calling him “pup” or “puppy.” He likes those, of course. You can call him other pet names, but he may get shy about it or try (and fail) not to grimace. For his partner, he’s partial to “sweetheart.” He'll call you “babe,” if you’re Babsi. You might get called “dear” once or twice. 

Opinion on True Love: “As far as I’m concerned, all love is true.” That is to say, Puck is the most earnest man alive. He sees love as an action more than a feeling, and he gives it to everyone he meets because it is what he would like to receive himself. If you are willing to put in that same effort for him then he considers your love to be real and true, yes. Romantically or otherwise, really. Opinion on Love at First Sight: Based on his own experiences, he doesn’t believe romantic love at first sight exists because, as mentioned above, love is very much something you do rather than feel. He would say that people can become infatuated with someone at first sight because he certainly has.  How ‘Romantic’ Are They?: In a traditional sense, not very. He won’t court you intentionally. Romance tends to start and end with sex for him, unfortunately. I think he sees a partner as a friend who he happens to be physically intimate with, at least at first. He won’t read you love poems, won’t surprise you with elaborately-planned dates, or even think to give you flowers… unless, of course, you happen to mention that you like a certain kind of flower and he also happens to stumble upon said kind of flower in the middle of a shadow-cursed wasteland. That’s where his romantic side lies, really. In the details.  - He pays attention to you and remembers the little things. He will notice when you’re tired and offer to carry you. He will take care of you when you are sick. He will protect you fiercely and with reckless abandon, and he will never leave your side. But no, he probably won’t buy you chocolates and whisper sweet words of love in your ear. He will get tongue-tied then ask very politely but also very bluntly if he can eat you out or something. 

Ideal Physical Traits: See, this is interesting because “ideal” and “preferred” are not the same. Puck would say his “ideal” partner would be someone physically strong. Someone muscular, tall, and capable of holding him down if necessary. Or killing him. However, he is naturally drawn to and seems to prefer people who are much, much smaller than he is. He likes having a size difference, but he would never admit this.   Ideal Personality Traits: Again, “ideal” vs. “preferred.” Ideally, he would say he’d like for his partner to be empathetic and patient, which is true. He would like that. However, I’ve noticed that he is mostly attracted to the very catty and the very abrasive. Opposites attract, I suppose. He also likes people who are shy or quiet. The thing is, Puck is a very agreeable guy, so he gets along with all kinds of people and he genuinely likes all of them. Unattractive Physical Traits: He doesn’t think any physical traits are unattractive, so jot that down, but I will say that he would prefer to avoid people that are weaker or smaller than he is because that wouldn’t be safe for them. Alas, his tastes and preferences. Unattractive Personality Traits: Self-importance to the point of belittling others. He thinks confidence, even if more on the arrogant side, is attractive but not at the expense of others. He also doesn’t like cowardice. 

Ideal Date: Cemetery sex. :/ I don’t think Puck knows what a “date” is. He’ll just ask if you want to go on a walk with him. Do They Have a Type?: I like to joke that he has a thing for people with white hair, but it’s really just a coincidence that most of his main ships happen to be with people who have white hair. In truth, Puck is very much My Type by Saint Motel. You know, “You’re just my type / Oh, you got a pulse and you are breathing.” That’s his type. And sometimes even when you don’t have a pulse… Average Relationship Length: He would have to admit to being in a relationship to measure such a thing, and as far as he is aware this has never happened so I cannot give a real answer. Preferred Non-Sexual Intimacy: Brushing hair or just running his hands through it. If it’s long enough, he’ll braid it. Feels like home to him. He also likes taking naps or bathing together. He’s a very touchy-feely person, so he’ll be all over you the second you’re alone. Commitment Level: This man is akin to a dog. You lock eyes with him once, and he’s loyal to you forever. He will always show up for you; he will always protect you with everything he has. HOWEVER… a dog does not typically limit itself to only being pet by its owner. You need to train him if you want to be the only one he seeks companionship from, or he will show that same loyalty and devotion to others as well. You need to be clear and direct about what kind of relationship you want from him, or he won’t have any clue why you’re sulking about him getting his belly rubbed by someone else. He may be stupid 🫶 - Yes, he pays attention to detail, and yes, he also does not realize it could potentially hurt your feelings that he’s flirting with someone else unless you explicitly state you’d like to be exclusive. His contradictions are numerous and beautiful to me. Opinion of Public Affection: He would rather curl up and die. He is a very physically affectionate person, so I imagine this would maybe surprise his partner, especially because he’s not shy about things like casual sex. It’s when he’s in a committed relationship, or is interested in being in a committed relationship, that he gets quite shy. This is mostly because he’s protective of his partner.    Past Relationships?: There was probably *gestures vaguely* Something going on with Gortash, but it was very undefined and unspoken. Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t, none of my business. Also none of Puck’s business, frankly. When he was a teenager, he had a crush on this cute goth girl named Shadowheart, but she kept forgetting his name so nothing really happened there. Other than those, he’s had a few brief flings that ended very, very poorly. With bloodshed, of course. Writer’s Note: Fuck uhhhhhhhh let’s see. Puck is a very devoted, loving partner. He has so, so, so much love to give, but he will very rarely express it through words or in front of others. Even though he would never hide his love, he will likely not verbalize or flaunt it because he is afraid of speaking it into existence. Being who he is, he knows it’s dangerous for him to have such a deep, intimate connection with another person and doesn’t want to hurt them simply by adoring them so he will avoid outright stating it as if that will stop whatever it is that drives him to do harm.

tagged by: snagged it from @ferinehuntress a while ago :3 tagging: @accultant , YOU !

[ryuichirou]

first of all, i love your works, i recently followed you for your azuide artwork then i saw the other ones, they're all gorgeous but i have a question about your sultan au. does jamil have any romantic feelings for kalim?

+

Anonymous asked:

Sultan AU Jamil is so good. Like, this might be strange but I think he’s hilarious. You just know his “Kalim you Fool!” Is going to bite him in the butt. The man is probably already sort of in love with Kalim, and he’s just DEEP in denial. the denial is so deep he’d justify to himself sleeping with Kalim because it keeps Kalim’s attention on him and thus gives him access to the power & influence of the Asim.

so tell me, what’s it gonna take for Jamil to actual acknowledge those feelings as being genuine & mutual between him and Kalim? Because Sultan Kalim is just ready to marry Jamil already.

Anonymous asked:

Can you tell me more about your Sultan AU. The last comic with Kalim and Jamil got me intrigued and I love how you draw Jamil’s evil expression

selenacrest asked:

How exactly is the story of JamiKali in Sultan AU? Because after what I saw in the third comic I didn't understand anything

Anonymous asked:

Evil Royal Vizier Jamil! :) Any info of why he is the way he is?

Anonymous asked:

In the Sultan AU it looks like Jamil is sliding down the villain slope. I hope he uses Kalim’s feelings to manipulate him 😈😈😈😈

Anonymous asked:

Kalim will be horrified to learn he was used by Jamil in the sultan au.

------------

Thank you so much for giving this comic and this AU in general so much love! I am super happy we finally posted it and that you liked it and have so many questions about it + the AU itself.  I really really enjoyed drawing this side of Jamil, because he is a scheming snake, and we should appreciate and love him for it lol

When it comes to this AU, there isn’t actually much lore to talk about: it’s pretty much a continuation of their canon story (based on how we see it, of course). So, it’s the canon timeline but ~5 years in the future.

I’ve mentioned it in several replies but I’ll say it again: I have a feeling these two are going to have a difficult relationship for their entire lives, because, even after the events of ch4, all of Jamil’s grudges towards Kalim are still intact. There has been some changes in the way they interact, plus Kalim learned about Jamil’s struggles and true feelings about him, but these changes aren’t really enough to change anything, especially considering how easy it is for people to unintentionally get right back to status quo. And this is exactly what would happen to these two.

So, Kalim is the head of his family now, and Jamil is his official adviser, not some servant. Kalim definitely sees them as equals, and tries his best to be a good ruler/good boss, but still relies on Jamil quite a lot. And for Jamil, he feels like he does everything he’s used to + even more now. So even though he is much more powerful now than he used to be, this feeling of him being squeezed inside of Kalim’s fist is stronger than ever.

But with Kalim being in love with him? It’s the ultimate power, something that can never be taken from him, as long as this idiot is infatuated. So he’ll definitely use this to his advantage, amused by how easy it is to manipulate Kalim and how easy he is to fool: one gentle gesture, one soft smile, and Kalim is absolutely helpless. And if Jamil takes things further…

Now, does Jamil have romantic feelings toward Kalim? Well, one thing about Jamil is, like one of the Anons mentioned, karma always bites him in the ass. He is kind of a loser frankly lol, whenever he tries to outsmart Kalim, he succeeds, but then something happens and makes his life miserable. So this whole thing is definitely going to backfire too.

Jamil has always had fondness for Kalim, but every warm feeling gets cruelly suppressed. But now that this “door” of the romantic closeness and intimacy with Kalim is open, Jamil can expect his biggest karma-ass-bite yet. What a fun surprise it’s going to be lol

Oh, and don’t worry about Kalim’s feelings. We all know how forgiving he could be lol

[scarlxtleaves]

✧ ━━ Romance Headcanons.

Name: Arsene Lupin

Nickname: Lupin, Thief, Crook, Dashing

Gender: male

Romantic orientation: Heterosexual

Preferred pet names: There aren't many things that he'd prefer because it's all about the names THEY chose for him and that alone means significantly enough for him, but for the sake of this question he wouldn't mind being called things like: mon trésor , mon chéri , mon diable. Along with the common things like 'honey, dearest and even baby.

Relationship status: That's definitely a verse dependent thing answer, but again for the sake of this post I do have Lupin shipped with two muses. (though at one time it used to be four but that was a few years back.)

There's @more-than-a-princess Sonia, I think as mutuals we ship the hell out of 'em but as of right now they're in that 'will they/won't they' limbo because Sonia herself is wondering if Lupin's feelings are genuine when IN HER defense the world has been nothing but a big stage for Lupin but he does really end up falling for her but knows she has A HELL of a responsibility towards the country he loves. Honestly if it were up to him he'd definitely just kidnap her if she allows him to.

And it's @maljefe Loni, who is this tough girl on the outside but Lupin saw a little glimpse the softy she could be and there was also that little drabble of them exploring an extremely haunted mansion and she was soo clingy.

Opinion on true love: Lupin is a romantic, so his opinion on true love is positive. It's something that exists but there's also the reality of knowing that it's not there for EVERYONE either.

Opinion on love at first sight: He believes it's infatuation rather than 'love' itself. Love..even TRUE love takes time and effort and it's not something people can grasp on their first meeting.

How ‘romantic’ are they?: DO NOT TRUST LUPIN! At first anyway, He's a man that wears so many masks, HELL if you meet him on the streets he would not even give you his real name. Flirting is a means of indulgence and a tactic for manipulation BUT that said he DOES end up catching feelings, genuine feelings for a potential lover, it's just his 'exciting' life that keeps him from truly committing to what COULD be. It's probably why he flirts as he believes a harmless fling would not amount to anything.

NOTE: His flirting goes as far as hand holding and deep gazes. You'd break him if you gave him bedroom eyes.

Ideal physical traits: He's not exactly the pickiest. You could be physically fit or even a little on the chubby side and he'd love you regardless. That's how much of a romantic he is.

Ideal personality traits: Kindness, Selflessness, moderate intelligence (but huge plus if you're a genius), outgoing personality, a little of a rebellious soul.

Unattractive physical traits: No preference, you could even be missing a limb.

Unattractive personality traits: Greedy, selfish, murderous, the type to abuse their power to oppress the meek, the type who steal for their selfish desires.

Ideal date: Depends on the time frame. For a more historic-era Lupin the best places for him would be a garden or even a theater because he really does love art. Modern days the movie or a restaurant where he could spend time with his beloved.

Do they have a type?: Adventurous, strong woman with a touch of darkness in them.

Average relationship length: He's a locked-in for life type of person but I'd imagine given his life as a thief and often travels between paris and england I'd say he might probably be in a relationship for a month or two.

Preferred non-sexual intimacy: He'll put his hat on his lover's head and then proceed to kiss them and from there it's a matter of just sitting on a bench to just enjoy the stars in the sky, maybe even dance for a little while.

Opinion of public affection: He's a gentleman, whilst he would kiss his lover on the hand, hold her and even cuddle he still would refrain from passionate kisses in public as he believes that's something for them to enjoy in their moments of privacy. But there are exceptions to this rule of course like being overjoyed or the pain of separation and they can't help but kiss. Things like that.

Past relationships?: I mean canonically speaking I'd say Josephine Balsamo.

tagged: @more-than-a-princess (thanks for tagging yo boy)

tagging: Steal it if you're interested homie. Tag me though cause I'd love to read it.

[otobabe]

Omg girlie (gender neutral) I was not expecting you to include Kondou!!! If you have others you’re thinking ab def tell us!

ugh kondou is just so good!!!! and that's not just my daddy issues talking!!!

More praise thoughts/headcanons~

(from) Harada: He's infatuated with his partners, that much is certain. Especially in the beginning of a relationship (or fwb situation) he's full of compliments that make you feel like you're in the center of a nsfw fairytale, examples like "oh my god you're adorable" and "you really know how to get me going". Later on, if you express interest in exploring~ and more praise, he'd get really into praises that emphasize size differences or age differences. "I love to see your little hole taking my big cock so well", "My older man/woman/partner is so good at teaching me new things", "What a cute little princess/prince/majesty you are, riding daddy's big dick so well " (yes i am assigning sano both milf fucker and daddy kink, this is my barbie dream house)

(to) Souji: in the right moments you'll send shivers down Souji's spine with a "Souji-kun~ you look so cute like this~", praises with a teasing edge, almost on the brink of sounding degrading, can get him blushing and embarrassed from how hard he gets hearing it come from your mouth. He likes to banter and has more attitude and walls up than most can bear, just make sure if your praising him it's playful and not too serious or accidentally hurtful ;)

from) Amagiri the type to kiss you mid-moan then send you reeling with his low voice telling you "Quiet now, I want to hear how wet you are for me/I want to hear you take in my thrusts". Erotic, deep, sensual, that's the game Amagiri plays, but it comes out naturally. Nothing he says will sound like he read it from some '50 ways to get in their pants' how-to book. He's kinky, but classy, urging you on both with his words and his fingers, and it's a pleasant surprise when you catch him teasing you with a hint of a smile like, "don't give in now, I'm just getting started".

to) Motoyama: To be friends with Iba and to have taught Iba many many things over their lives, Motoyama has got to have some special characteristics, one of those is that he loves to be praised. Iba might praise his partner often, but as far as his bestie goes it doesn't happen often but is very genuine when it does, and that's something Motoyama craves in romantic experiences too! I know I said this about Nomura as well, but it's true for both of them: Motoyama looooves to be called a "pretty boy", he doesn't have that haircut for nothing. He's also a reader and though he's not normally reading romance, he does love praises with a little more substance to them, "You're intoxicating", "i love how obedient you are", "you look so silly squirming like that, but don't worry, I know you can endure this<3", all examples of words that will keep him straining in his pants 💖

more praise headcanons below the cut!

from) Ootori: Ahhhh Ootori Keisuke, my sassy "30-something" plot device lol. He's such a tease, you'd be surprised how much filth can come out of his outwardly-polite mouth. This tea drinking, romance novel reading, aristoCAT is all about shmoozy words in bed. Honestly, he's quoting from stuff he's read before and hoping you won't notice. "You look as beautiful as the morning glory's flower, my love~ Your legs are opening up for me quite nicely~", whenever he opens his mouth it makes you question whether or not you should expect better from him, or whether it's exactly the kind of charming corniness you need in your life (it is). He wants to come home to you trying on some new lingerie and praise "what a thoughtful little slut you are<3", he wants to bring you almost to orgasm over and over again and then tease that he "loves how needy you are".

from) Kimigiku: Ugh the most perfect femdom is here!!! She can give you gentle or kinky, it's all about giving YOU what YOU want. While not exclusively a service top, she does love to give a lot of coaxing like "doing so good, princess/prince/majesty" and "i'll take care of you cutie, i promise, just give me one more, I know you can". Now let's say you've touched her nerves a little this week: stayed out a little late with your coworkers, or gave her attitude a couple times... She's more than willing to tie you up and taunt you, telling you "Oh, I'm sure you can get out of those restraints yourself, right? Such a big strong man/woman/lover that I have". She'll degrade you and make it sound like the most enchanting curse you've ever heard; "I love using you", "No one else could ever match up to you, my biggest whore<3", "You don't need to cum, right? It's enough just to please me, right?"

from) Yamazaki: Hakuouki's own sweet little romantic nerd + killer spy <3 Idk if anyone else was surprised that he's canonically supposed to be 30 but I was when I first saw it lol! He's experienced: with sneaking around, one night stands, keeping things quiet, but when he finds someone special he turns into a blushing mess. His duality also pertains to praise, he likes hearing it and giving it, and he also likes giving and receiving degradation, just not normally at the same time ;). If you want him to he'll definitely put on his spy persona in bed for you! That said, he loves to assure you "Don't worry, you're safe with me, you can let it all out, you sound so beautiful", and loves to make little promises in bed when you're pleasing him like "That's my baby, I'll reward you so well for this. I love to see you full of me".

to) Yamazaki: Like I said, I think he's a duality-pleasing man. Praise him in bed and he's working double time to please you. Very enthusiastic when hearing what you like, if you tell him "I love it when you give me head", he'll make sure to spend extra time pleasing you down there~

to) Miki: Beat up his ego a little bit. Unlike Souji, Miki is a brat who can take what he gives. He's down with being called a slut/whore/etc or being referred to as your sex toy. If you top him it's a secret turn on of his to get embarrassed so saying "I know it hurts but you're taking it so well!" is an insta-nut. He's also into hearing you egg him on when he's being a brat and rub it in when he gives in, "You're such a good listener when I give you what you need, huh?" and "Can't you beg sweeter than that? Or is it beneath you even when you're already on your knees for me?"

from) Miki: Aaaaand he gives as good as he gets~ His mouth is filthy, and he's shameless when it comes to fucking you. Brash and abrasive, he'll tell you that "you look so beautiful with my cock in your mouth" with a haughty smirk on his face and he knows his confidence is a turn on in this case. He's not pussyfooting around what he means, with "you can beg better than that, little slut" often proceeding a later groan of "your screams sound so good baby". If you've been flirting or sexting before meeting up, he loves to throw in a "I've been waiting all day to put my cock in you" as soon as he walks through the door.

[whitelilynh]

Honest question. I genuinely believe Neji was falling in love with Hinata. If he lived how do you think he would have told her?

Oh, of course he was 🥰 my little cinammon roll Neji was head over heels for Hinata and he sort of confessed in a way, IMO, when he said it seemed his life wasn't his (after HE gave HIS life to save HINATA'S).

But had he survived (and he will definitely on my AU) that wouldn't be enough, of course.

Honestly, I think is not the type to confess just like that, I think it would take a long time for Neji and Hinata to end up together.

First, Hinata would reflect more on what Neji did and what it meant, and she would found herself feeling something for him although she might not recognise it for what it is at first. Hinata had a crush on Naruto during her childhood, so she needs to grow from it and recognise that kind of irrational infatuation although sweet is not real love. Then, after she comes to terms with that, she would start recognizing that her feelings for Neji are a lot more mature and deeper than that crush of her past.

About Neji, I think he wouldn't want to confess because he wouldn't want to pressure Hinata in any way to retrieve his feelings, and maybe Neji thinks Hinata still have feelings for Naruto because 1) Hinata was ready to give her life for Naruto just as he himself almost died for her. 2) Hinata doesn't openly talks about her feelings so just in the way she didn't admit her crush on Naruto before, she's not going to say she had grown over it for a while. I think Neji would notice though, little by little, by watching her actions and reactions closely as he had always done.

And after some time they'd start noticing the tension and attraction between them, but none would want to admit it and even less to believe their feelings are reciprocated because these two cinnamon rolls think the other is too good for them (they both are the best 🩷).

It would be a matter of time for one of them not to resist and confess, and I like to think it is Hinata under the right circumstances. Neji would be stupified for a second before grabbing her face and kiss her as an answer (Oh, for how long he had dreamt of kissing her! 🥺).

Ofc eventually they will talk about it, but for that moment I think that's enough, to be together and to know they both love each other,like a dream come true 🩷 (I'm a romantic at heart, sorry).

BONUS: By the time they confess and all that, the rest of Konoha 11+ will have noticed they are both in love with each other (for a while actually) and be secretly rooting for them. Some maybe even try to subtly tease them about it.

[dxnse-macabre]

🥀 romance headcanons

tagged: @stilettobite (I CRAVE HEADCANONS ALL THE TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH) tagging: @crimesought @wildskissed @shdwtouch + anyone else that chooses to do this!!

name: astarion ancunin nickname: none really. "star" would be pushing it. gender: male romantic orientation: pansexual preferred pet names: my love, my beloved, my heart (anything that really signifies that he is everything to his partner) relationship status: verse reliant

opinion on true love: it exists. or at least, he wants it to exist. he grew up loving those novels where the prince swoops the princess by her feet; he wants that kind of feeling. he wants pure love, not fueled by lust or infatuation, but that's all he's seen in his life. he wishes and hopes it exists. it has to... right?

opinion on love at first sight: doesn't believe in it. he believes in infatuation and lust at first sight, but never love at first sight. love is too pure, it is slow, and it is not as quick to ignite (or as easily to ignite) as lust and infatuation. astarion has way too much experience in causing others to "fall" for him but he knows that he's just a pretty face that said sweet nothings; all of those lines were rehearsed. so if they were rehearsed, they were in love with the idea of him, as opposed to the real him.

how ‘romantic’ are they?: when he's able to be himself, he's honestly not that romantic. he's more of a drama queen himself and wants to be coddled because of the mask he had to put for others, he feels like he kind of deserves it by now. he won't go out of his way to be romantic, because he'll find the line between being genuine out of his own volition and putting on a mask to make the other person happy pretty obscured. if it comes out, it'll be in small doses before he can casually be soft and romantic.

ideal physical traits: good over-all hygiene (getting bloody and sweaty after a fight isn't the part that disgusts him. it's if that person chooses to not shower for... you know... weeks. he has bad memories) but otherwise he has no preference.

ideal personality traits: enabler (but only during unimportant moments like an occasional party or goblin killing spree. if it's like, you know, a big life-changing decision, he WANTS you to go against him and pull him out of those temptations) someone who loves unconditionally and trusts easily, someone who is protective

unattractive physical traits: extremely high sex drive (i can get into a whole ass conversation about this, but this is basically a turn-off for him. quite unfortunate)

unattractive personality traits: manipulative, self-centeredness, overly seductive

ideal date: something laid back would be very much to his taste. attend a wine tasting event, perhaps even do a little bit of shopping... but what he looks forward to the most would be the beginning and ends of the day. why? he enjoys the most wholesome moments to have with a partner: waking up beside them, and falling asleep with them in his arms.

do they have a type?: big, strong, silent protector with the heart of gold. that is his ideal type

average relationship length: don't ask him this, it's a touchy subject (newsflash: he has never had a proper relationship.)

preferred non-sexual intimacy: cute teeth-rotting public displays of affection such as hugging while walking

opinion of public affection: he doesn't give a shit. if he loves the person, he's all for it. why hold back?

past relationships?: once again, don't ask him this. he doesn't have any.

[rejectclone]

I just realized that I never really talk about the few romantic relationships my OCs have, so here’s just a quick small blurb about each one 👍

Jared x Deangelo: They are in a very unhealthy on-again-off again kind of relationship. They both met and began to date a time before Jared got horribly mutilated in that botched raid, and before Deangelo was caught and arrested for stealing so many priceless pieces of art for his private gallery. Even before they both got their respectively messed up appearances, they already had trust issues with Deangelo being open to flings with others, while Jared wanted a more committed relationship.

Things broke off after Deangelo ‘disappeared’ (Jared is totally oblivious to Deangelo’s arrest, as any information of his arrest was scrubbed by the government, once Deangelo consented to being a test subject) and Jared moved on from the shoddy relationship, but clearly he still had lingering feelings for him. Once Deangelo finally reappeared out of nowhere (with more pale looking skin and more vividly striking blue eyes than what he formerly had…..) Jared initially balked at the idea of getting back together.

They only essentially got back together via hate-sex, usually during after Jared visits Ren’s place in order to get some totally-not-coerced information for the cases he was stuck on, as Deangelo is now always by Ren’s side, as his personal bodyguard. Things are still strained between the two, but Deangelo still needs to keep a bit of a low profile ever since he ‘returned’ + Jared feels like he’s become totally undesirable due to his mauled face and missing arm, so they still stick to each other, mainly out of desperation.

[REDACTED] X Cyrus: Definitely a bit of a odd relationship, as it was essentially hidden away from everyone, and Cyrus could only spend time with [R], whenever he was told by his superiors to stop by and collect more research data from B055. The fact that Cyrus is even aware that [R] is a total fluke, but it really was love at first sight.

[R], due to the fact that he is so heavily closeted from the real world, is very estranged in regard to knowing how to date someone and how to maintain a relationship, so he unfortunately come off as a very clingy and lovesick person. He literally becomes distraught when Cyrus doesn’t stop by in a few days, to the point where his weeping sobs during his sleep can literally be heard dozens of floors down in the station. Cyrus KNOWS that [R] is way too clingy with him, but he unfortunately kinda lets it slide (as he knows that he is essentially the only ‘normal’ person that [R] has a good experience with, and that he is content with Cyrus looking at his true appearance) thus making [R] become more and more infatuated with him, and thus more and more distraught when Cyrus ISN’T by his side. To say that [R] even accidentally scares Cyrus at times, due to his near obsession-like love for him is an understatement.

Thankfully once [R] is accidentally exposed to the entire world, and can finally go into public without the need of his hazmat suit, their relationship isn’t AS overbearing as it used to. [R] can now freely see Cyrus without waiting anxiously on when he’ll stop by, and Cyrus finally established some healthy boundaries between the two. [R], wanting to be the best boyfriend that he can, pretty just agrees to anything Cyrus tells him to do…… thankfully Cyrus is genuinely a good hearted person and doesn’t exploit the poor naive amalgamation at all in their relationship.

Lawrence X His unnamed wife: DIVORCED LMAO

Lydia X Her mysterious girlfriend: Lydia refuses to talk about her personal dating life to literally anyone, even B055, so her relationship and who she’s dating is a total enigma to everyone. All anyone can infer is that her girlfriend is NOT in the same organization that she works in, and that’s about it! Perhaps one day she will spill the beans on her seemly mysterious relationship (it’s actually super healthy and normal, as Lydia just doesn’t like talking about her life to anyone lol)

[todoscript]

you receive a love letter in your shoe locker from an anonymous admirer

characters: bakugou katsuki, kaminari denki, kirishima eijirou, midoriya izuku, shinsou hitoshi, todoroki shouto

genre: fluff. very slight angst.

word count: 3.2k+ total, 400-700 per character

warnings: jealousy, possessiveness, feelings of doubt (mostly all fluff though)

author’s note: i’ve been on spring break so i found some time to write this! i absolutely love writing for these six (not like they’re my faves or anything pshhhhh—)

BAKUGOU KATSUKI

he’s already fuming the moment you open your locker and hold out the pastel pink card, sealed by a shiny heart sticker with your name written in smooth calligraphy.

it doesn’t take much for him to realize some other dunce head is trying to make moves on his girl.

and he absolutely won’t stand for it.

he stomps over to you and snatches the letter right out of your hands as you’re reading it.

your complaints go ignored behind him while he inspects the writing with the most livid expression.

you know that ugly face he makes when it comes to his over-exaggerated anger? the one with his eyes all squinted and the corners sharpened upward?

that’s his face as he continues reading, growing more twisted at every mushy sentence this anonymous admirer had the gall to say to you.

at one point, he can’t stand to read it anymore so he crumbles the letter in his fist before igniting it into crisps.

you scold him for causing such a scene and letting his anger get the best of him, but bakugou is still annoyed about it regardless.

“tch, who the hell does this shithead think they are, trying to make moves on you when we’re already together?! i’m gonna kill them when i find out who it is!” he exclaims, hands instinctively sparking with heat that scares off the other students walking by.

you mentally facepalm at this. still, you go about reassuring him that you won’t be swayed and take his hand to walk to the dorms together.

“katsu, you know it’s going to take more than a love letter to make me leave you, right?”

“heh, damn right, it’s gonna take a hell of a lot more that’s for fucking sure,” he sneers, a confident smirk on his face as he knows everyone else never had a chance with you to begin with. they can keep sending those letters and he’d make sure to burn them before they could even reach your hand.

on the way back to the dorms, he makes a conscious effort at pda—arm wrapped around your waist while his eyes glare daggers at any extra that even so much as looks at you the wrong way—asserting his claim over you.

meanwhile, having bared witness to that whole scene, your secret admirer is trembling in the corner. they make note to never send you another letter again unless they want their life to flash before their eyes in a fiery explosion.

KAMINARI DENKI

surprisingly enough, kaminari takes the whole situation more positively than most people expected.

in fact, he’s actually prideful about it.

just as he’s about to head over to your locker so you two could walk to class together, sero pokes his shoulder.

“hey, did you see all those written love confessions in y/n’s locker?” sero whispers behind his cupped hand near kaminari’s ear.

the blond scrunches his nose, confused. “no. what love confessions?”

“the letters that were stuffed in your girlfriend’s locker.”

again, kaminari is still puzzled at this. he realizes there’s only one way to understand what sero means.

when he glances in your direction he’s met with you fumbling around with a pile of letters balanced in your arms. his vision zeroes in on the envelopes, deciphering the fancy stationary and pretty embroidery.

oh. they’re love letters.

“other people are trying to make moves on your girl. what are you going to do about it, kaminari?” sero chimes in with an important question and honestly, kaminari can’t exactly make out a solution. or rather, he feels he doesn’t need to.

sure, he should be a little annoyed over the fact that others are disregarding your relationship.

yet could he really blame them for taking such a liking to you?

you’re pretty, smart, nice—the whole damn package.

he’d be more shocked if you didn’t have any secret admirers lurking around.

kaminari decides to leave his friend’s question relatively unanswered and continues his trek to your locker.

“hey, pretty girl! whatcha got there?”

taken off guard by his appearance, you nearly drop all the letters in your arms.

“denki, you scared me!” you exclaim. “these? they’re just some love letters some anonymous person placed in my locker. don’t worry though! i don’t plan on returning their feelings.”

smiling at how quickly you reassure him, he crosses his arms behind his head. “nah i’m not worried, babe. i don’t feel threatened or anything. it only makes sense that my girl is popular after all!”

you’re pleasantly surprised by how rationally he reacts to the scenario. though, knowing his character, he can’t just seem to leave it at that.

“yep, seems like we’re quite the popular couple!” he grabs your hand, wanting to show each other off as you make your way to class.

the bakusquad sees this as another opportunity to egg him on.

“and just how many love letters have you received since the beginning of the school year, kaminari?”

the blond freezes at the question. kaminari bites back words, but begrudgingly answers.

“...zero.”

KIRISHIMA EIJIROU

“heya, babe!” kirishima enthusiastically calls to you, approaching your shoe locker. “ready to go back to the dorms?”

“yeah! in just a second though!” you reply.

as kirishima comes closer, he sees you occupied with some envelopes in your hand.

“what’re all those?” he asks, pointing at the refined stationary curiously.

“ah some letters gifted to me from an anonymous admirer. something about wanting to make their feelings finally known, but i’m not interested in them,” you say, clearing up everything before a misunderstanding could arise.

“oh, that’s cool.”

you quirk a brow at how relatively chill he is at this revelation. you were expecting a bigger reaction at this, but kirishima just simply smiles his genuine, care-free smile.

you don’t think much of it though. shoving the letters in your bag to dispose of later, you walk side-by-side with him to the dormitories.

little do you realize that kirishima actually mistakens this as pure, platonic admiration rather than infatuation.

to him, if they had really wanted to profess their love to you, they’d do it in person where you could see and hear them. not behind fancy penmanship and some pretty paper.

after all, that’s what a true man would do!

but as the days continue to roll by, he’s starting to have second thoughts.

“y/n, i’m telling you, with the amount of letters you keep receiving from them, you gotta find out who this person is!” he overhears mina lecturing you at your desk, going through another pile of notes that were left in your locker from that morning. lately, you’ve been greeted by an astounding number of these things each time you visited your locker.

“mina, there’s definitely no need for me to go out of my way to find this person.”

“aw, but look at all the sweet things they said about you!” mina recites a line from one of many letters. she muses about how the writer sentimentally compares your aura to that of a dandelion wisp in the wind—free and lighthearted yet fleeting and out of reach.

“how romantic!”

you roll your eyes, indifferent, but one side-glance at kirishima from your desk tells you that he’s beginning to interpret the situation differently.

the redhead has to admit that all those things that anonymous admirer said to you were… pretty sweet.

kirishima has always been a man of action—an passionate believer that actions spoke volumes compared to words alone. however, after hearing all of that, he’s wondering how he’s able to compete in that aspect.

he seeks you out during lunch and asks you something beneath a lonely corner of trees.

“y/n, do those kinds of things make you happy..?”

you tilt your head, curious about what he’s exactly referring to. one glimpse back at his demeanor in the classroom earlier with mina gives you an idea.

“do you mean all those letters i keep getting?”

kirishima nods slowly.

“well… i have to admit, it is nice to know that i’m ‘liked’ by other people,” you phrase delicately. “but all those pretty letters and sweet words don’t mean anything to me if they aren’t coming from you. besides, i always thought it’s better to let your actions speak for you, don’t you think?”

hearing your answer, kirishima’s face lights up immediately. before you can properly react, a pair of lips meet your cheek.

you rub the warm skin where his lips touched, flustered for a moment. kirishima grabs your hand, walking you two back to the lunchroom with a newfound surge of conviction in his steps.

MIDORIYA IZUKU

“ooh, look midoriya, seems like someone else has a crush on your girl.”

as midoriya’s tidying up his red shoes and bringing out his slippers for class, his male classmates inform him of the pink envelope held in your hands.

midoriya looks over in your direction. he watches as you peel the letter out of the envelope and begin reading its contents.

he doesn’t miss the slight flustered look on your features, observing how you scan through the writing while tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, glancing over your shoulder as if your secret admirer was peering at you from behind.

“you better hold onto her tightly if you don’t want her stolen from you,” one of the boys warns, more so as a joke, but midoriya doesn’t take their banter lightly.

“knock it off, guys. just because someone else likes her doesn’t mean she’s going to leave me or anything,” he says this with as much confidence as he can muster, but his demeanor betrays him.

when he goes past your desk in the classroom later, he can’t seem to meet your eyes.

“good morning, izuku!” you greet him mirthfully. however, midoriya fails to return the greeting with the same enthusiasm.

“g-good morning, y/n…”

it’s hard for you not to notice that something is up by the way he heads straight to his desk afterward without another word.

throughout class, midoriya finds it a challenge to concentrate on anything but that letter you received that morning. his mind stumbles into the hole of bad possibilities—ones of you leaving him, those sweet words from your anonymous admirer making your heart flutter more than he ever has.

“—zuku… ‘zuku… izuku!”

he gets pulled out from his thoughts by your voice and turns to see the concerned look on your face.

“you okay? you haven’t touched your pork cutlet bowl this entire time.”

he stares down at his food, untouched since he sat down. “oh sorry, i guess something’s just been on my mind today.”

your brows knit together. “it’s about the letter i got today, isn’t it?”

midoriya stares at you, debating whether to deny your statement, but knows it’s pointless to try when it must have been obvious.

you take his silence as confirmation and grasp his hand that lays flat on the table.

“izuku, look at me,” you tell him and watch as his eyes slowly trail to you. “you know i wouldn’t leave you over some silly letter, right? no amount of words they can say to me could ever make me think differently about you.”

at this, a comforted smile spreads on midoriya’s face. he nods and squeezes your hand as a sign he took your words to heart before chowing down on his food, the uncertainty inside him disappearing.

SHINSOU HITOSHI

“another one?” you inquire to yourself in disbelief, opening your shoe locker to discover a rose-colored envelope waiting for you atop your slippers.

“dang, y/n, that’s like the fourth one this week!” uraraka comments, peeking over your shoulder.

“ooh! i wanna see what they wrote for you this time!” mina approaches from behind. you allow her to grab the delicate letter from your fingertips.

she over-exaggeratedly clears her throat, unwrinkling the paper by pinching at the sides. “‘you are the one who brought me sunshine when i only saw rain.’”

“aw! how sweet!” uraraka clasps her hands above her heart, seeming almost moved.

though the girls are all smitten by the love poem, you bite your tongue, hoping to suppress the urge to gag in front of them.

your boyfriend shinsou is on equal wavelength as you, witnessing the scene unfolding so early in the morning. he’s grown tired of replaying this spectacle for the past four days now.

his eyes navigate to the note and envelope in mina’s hand. by the script and the use of the same stationary, shinsou can tell the love letters you’ve been receiving are all from the same person.

“damn dude, you got some serious competition.” overhearing the girls, kaminari jabs at shinsou’s sides teasingly. “so, you gonna do anything about that mysterious guy trying to go after your girl?”

the violet-haired boy shrugs. “why should i? it’s not like i feel threatened.”

kaminari whistles at his confidence.

shinsou says he doesn’t care about it, putting on a level-headed and indifferent facade. but that was honestly far from the truth.

in actuality, he’s a bit pissed.

what kind of person goes around sending anonymous love messages to someone who’s already in a relationship? what the hell do they hope to gain out of doing this?

shinsou more than trusts you won’t be swayed by them, no matter how many times those notes discourteously greet you every morning.

you never bring up the topic of the letters whenever you two are alone, not wanting shinsou to be bothered over it and create a hassle. all in all, he’s grateful for this, and also for the fact that you make a point of never taking any of those letters seriously and dump them into the trash bin whenever the chance arises.

however, he can tell by your body language that the whole situation bothers you and makes you uneasy.

so, during one incredibly early morning, he decides to do some scouting.

he plays off his odd punctuality by saying he left something in the classroom yesterday and wants to get there early to look for it.

lo and behold, he finds a male student hovering around the lockers—suspiciously darting his head back and forth to be on the lookout for any other students.

little does he realize he’s already been caught red-handed.

“hey you.” shinsou abruptly calls out to him and the boy nearly jumps. “what are you doing here?”

the boy panics at his question, fumbling with his answer while hiding something behind his back—what shinsou presumes to be another one of those cheesy letters.

“u-um, just want to get to class early!” he sputters.

“is there any special reason you’re standing in front of my girlfriend’s locker then? ’cause last i checked, the lockers for general education students were located on the opposite side.” shinsou emphasizes his words with a bite of malice, arms crossed.

“i just lost my way is all–” the student suddenly stops mid-speech, his words and actions forcibly coming to a halt. all thoughts are overturned in the presence of shinsou’s quirk.

“i’m going to make this quick and easy for you to understand. not only are you going to forget about this conversation, but you’re also going to stop handing my girlfriend those love letters.” shinsou bends down to the boy’s height, staring at the abyss in his expression.

“and i’d also appreciate it if you kept your eyes off what’s mine.”

it’s safe to say, your influx of letters had been effectively cut off after that day.

TODOROKI SHOUTO

todoroki is no stranger to finding love letters from avid admirers and fans in his shoe locker before and after classes.

in fact, an unprecedented number of them had begun taking up all the space there after his impressive performance at the sports festival.

when he started dating you, however, he had made a clear declaration that he wouldn’t be accepting anymore of them.

but to be on the opposite end of having to watch you unlatch the door of your locker to have letters and notes practically tumbling out, todoroki wasn’t exactly sure what to make of this feeling that made his stomach twist into knots.

he notices the alarming amount of them and concludes they’re all from various students in different grades and departments.

“y/n, you’re getting pretty popular,” uraraka says, eyeing the stack of envelopes. “must be your dance performance from the culture festival! i remember you did get a lot of cheers in the crowd.”

“guess all those cheers came with a lot of fanboys, huh?” the invisible girl, hagakure, teases.

you jokingly nudge at them to stop with the teasing, but pause when your eyes cross todoroki’s. he’s giving you a look you can’t decipher—one that edges between troubled and apathetic yet you can’t tell which it is.

you send him a nod, silently acknowledging his presence as he waits for you to finish your business so you could head back to the dorms together.

watching you dispose of the various piles of letters has todoroki contemplating about what uraraka and hagakure commented on. about how popular you were getting and how your admirers have been bold enough to profess their reverence for you despite your relationship status.

todoroki’s not entirely sure what to make of this information. he doesn’t linger on it for long though when you finally approach him, your sneakers slipped on and your backpack securely hanging off your shoulders.

“ready to head home?”

a smile finds his lips at your appearance. he softly utters his response.

during the small distance to the dormitories, todoroki reaches for your hand and intertwines your fingers together. as seemingly minor the gesture is at this point of your relationship, it’s a detail you mentally take note of.

usually, when it came to publicly displaying physical forms of affection, you were the one to initiate it. you have to admit, seeing the assertive side of todoroki is like a small breath of fresh air.

as you continue your short journey home, a couple of male students walking by greet you enthusiastically. though you wave back to kindly acknowledge them, you feel the grip on your hand tighten, followed by a slight tug closer to todoroki’s side.

that alone is enough for you to realize something is definitely troubling him.

“sho, is there something wrong?” you ask, steps still walking in tandem with him.

todoroki’s voice doesn’t waver in the slightest as he replies, “no, why would you think that?”

“you’ve been awfully possessive all of a sudden,” you note, “is this because of those letters from earlier?”

“...maybe.”

you quirk a brow, amused. “is that a yes or a no?”

now todoroki is silent. your steps come to a halt. not parting your laced hands from his, you turn to look him in the eye.

“sho?”

“it’s just… when i realize that there are other people looking at you the same way i do, i get… uneasy.” his gaze drops to the ground as he confesses this, hand squeezing yours. the uncomfortable churning in his stomach settles a bit now that the words are out, but he finds it hard to ease the atmosphere.

this is where you picked up from where he left off. your hand goes to his cheek, gently cupping it so you can tilt his head up at you.

“oh shouto, you have to know that you’re the only one for me and i don’t plan on looking at anyone else but you,” you assure him. todoroki stares into your eyes, and in them, he can’t find any hesitance or flutter of doubt.

at this, he lifts your twined hands and grazes your knuckles ever so softly against his lips, wondering whatever troubled him so much to begin with.

[paintingformike]

i really will never get the idea of mileven ever being romantically in love...i mean even while i was watching s1-s2 i thought it was just puppy love/genuine care for each other? this isnt even me trying to discount their relationship im just saying that they liked each other and obviously care deeply for each other but imo they were never in LOVE love like that 🤔

i truly do believe that mike genuinely liked her/was attracted to her but imo it wasnt as deep as romantic love it was more on the hinges of infatuation and i feel like season 3 and 4 just further emphasizes that point. in season 1 they knew each other for like a week before they were separated and didnt see each other for a year in season 2 so i really dont think they had enough time to develop this kind of really deep romantic feelings for each other. mike tried to reach her constantly everyday in season 2 but it doesnt necessarily have to be out of being in love with her, he just genuinely cared about her wellbeing and also the grief of having to watch her “die” right in front of his eyes...then in season 3 we see how their relationship was portrayed in a very shallow way, all they do is make out everyday and ignore their friends and dont have meaningful bonding times like sharing interests, when they break up its played as a joke and mike had to be prompted into apologizing to her/owning up to his mistakes. they’re never shown to have deep conversations or heart-to-hearts alone past season 2 and the closest they got to it was the “blank makes you crazy” or their season 4 argument. they actually barely know anything about each other when you think about it, because mike tries to suppress his “nerd” self when he’s with her (which is ultimately his true self) and mike barely takes the time to know her (only thing i remember is him knowing she loves eggos and her favorite colors but other than that...he never even let her explore some interests outside of making out with him in season 3 LMFAO)

i dont even have to say it but yeah the very clear problem in season 4 of mike struggling to say the L word to el just makes this ring true, the way he said that they usually only got into silly fights but this one felt more adult (a fight they couldnt come back from), i actually feel like this dialogue was the writers’ way of showing how they really were still just kids that liked each other/were infatuated with each other because they jumped into a relationship a little too fast (knowing each other for a week and suddenly kissing, getting separated for a year and immediately after that they start dating) and how this kind of relationship with a weak foundation was doomed to fail. it also shows during their argument in s4 when mike got a callback to “mouthbreathers” and how he thinks these outside forces were the ones ruining their relationship, i actually thought it was very telling of how childish/immature he still was while in that moment i feel like el was slowly starting to realize their relationship couldnt last like that, that she was going to outgrow it and may have to break up with mike soon because his mindset was way behind compared to hers and she was beginning to realize she didnt need him (ahem the van scene). then we get the monologue at the end and mike being referenced to romeo lmfao...like romeo and juliet was a “love at first sight” story just like how mike claimed to have loved el at first sight...but ultimately it ended in failure for romeo and juliet cause it really was just a case of silly infatuation. i put two and two together and realized this is probably why mike’s monologue felt very childish and all over the place and it was intentionally written that way. and now i actually believe that the vines tightening around el wasnt because mike INTENTIONALLY lied to her, it was probably because while she was listening to him she realized it didnt make her as happy/satisfied as it was supposed to be, she felt bad because prior to the monologue she was already starting to outgrow the problem and come to terms with the absence of romantic love in their relationship and didnt need the confession from him anymore (lets be real she was about to break up with him in surfer boy pizza).

this got a little too long but anyways this is where byler comes into place. their relationship is contrasted to mileven’s in that they have years of friendship, trust and communication as their foundation, in s3 and s4 their arguments are so blatantly paralleled, we get mike being unable to take responsibility for his actions that quickly when it comes to el, but with will he immediately feels bad and can’t stand being in bad terms with him for longer than a day. s4 is even more blatant in showing the healthier/more compatible relationship between the two because its will who constantly reassures/comforts mike of all his insecurities and problems, they have constant heart-to-hearts and meaningful conversations all throughout the season and the fact that will is the second love interest in this equation shouldve immediately made people realize where the narrative was going. you can even just compare the s4 mlvn scenes to byler scenes and how in most mlvn scenes they never get to have a quiet/intimate time alone (plus will’s presence is always there) while byler have had MULTIPLE intimate conversations together. they’re trying to show who actually has been the right person for mike this whole time, who has been selflessly loving him in silence and even sacrificed his feelings for the sake of mike’s happiness, and the ultimate narrative pay off for him would be that mike will come to find out that el had nothing to do with the painting that made him feel so valued and loved after such a long time and the feelings that touched his emotions so deeply and got him to say “ily” to his gf were will’s all along. and this is why im 100% convinced of them ending up together, its the inevitable conclusion to their arcs 🤷‍♀️

[myafterlifeisbetterthenyours]

OBSESSIVE STOLAS x Male Imp pt.5

(Hold up!!! Before you read this, at the bottom I've left links to the first 4 parts. Go read them first, so youve got all the back story.)

((This is a long fanfic and will consist of multiple parts.)

True to your word, you sent him the address later that day.

You agreed to meet up in the afternoon, telling him the meeting up time to meet.

Stolas had suggested a dinner date, but you had turned that down for some reason, telling him you had a better idea.

You had actually asked him on a date.

So happy was he, the rest of the day seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, the owl caught in a blissful haze.

Eventually it was dinner time, where the prince found himself eating alone, again.

He hadn't eaten with his family since, well you know.

He chose something simple.

Leftovers.

Grabbing the plate of last night's roast, he popped them into the microwave.

As he waited for his meal to heat, he quickly scrolled through his phone.

He was checking your voxtigram again, enjoying the collection of photos of you.

As he looked through he found the picture of you and Blitzø, the sight sending a pang of regret through his chest.

It was strange to think, just a day ago, he'd been head over heels for the Imp. Totally infatuated with him, and now... now he knew the truth.

Blitzø saw him as a meal ticket,nothing more.

He was just way to get to the living realm. What an idiot he'd been, a few kind words, a bit of sex there and he was totally under Blitzøs spell. He felt like an idiot.

His eyes shifted to you, and such warmth bloomed through his chest.

But you. You were genuine. You didn't want money or power, you wanted to make him happy.

You wanted to actually spend time with him, he wasn't just a meal ticket to you, he was someone worthy of love an attention.

He knew you weren't in love with him, not yet, but you would be, he'd show you just how worthy he was of your love.

His thoughts were interrupted by his dinner finished heating up.

He ate in silence, Stolas spending the whole time staring at the pictures of you.

After dinner he went for a shower, the hot water cascading down his body, the heat reminding him of the warmth you brought him just a day ago.

His thought slid to his time with you, fantasising about how intimate, how delicate and seductive you'd been.

The complete opposite of Blitzø.

His thighs ground together, his breath picking up as he slid a hand between his thighs.

He imagined you, holding him close, treating him like that delicate work of art, bringing him pleasure he didn't know existed.

Pleasure racked his body, his breathing hitched. And before he knew it, a mind shattering orgasm wracked his body.

After recovering from his little self pleasuring, he cleaned himself up and got out of the shower.

Walking into his room, he fell on his bed, feeling quiet satisfied. Curling up in bed, he fantasied about what the next day could hold for him.

He had a dreamless sleep that night waking up later than he had the morning prior, finding himself again, well rested.

Getting up, he went about his usual morning routine, all the way until he chose his outfit.

You had said something about wine, so did that mean it was more of a fine dining establishment. But you had said a pizza place right? So was it more of a casual, family restaurant.

He spent nearly half an hour thinking it over before he just decided to text you.

Stolas: Is there a dress code for tonight? I'm just picking out my outfit and don't want to come over dressed, I want something that to wow! you.

(Y/N): Hehehe, not really. Pick something casual and probably bring a coat as well, It gets kinda chilly out there at night.

(Y/N): We'll only be staying at the restaurant to eat, then I've got something planned for afterwards elsewhere.

Stolas: Is that so? And what have you got planned, something exciting I hope.

(Y/N): Nu uh, no hints. You'll just have to wait till tonight.

Stolas: Not even a little hint? 🥺🥺🥺

(Y/N): Nope, but I can promise it'll at least be the most romantic thing an Imp has ever done for you.

That kinda stung, bringing many unwanted memories to the forefront of his mind. You quickly texted again,

(Y/N): Fuck, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything like that. I just, doubt an Imp like me could match the typical royal date.

Stolas: it's alright, I understand what you meant.

(Y/N): But I can promise it'll be the most romantic thing someone's done with you on a budget.

Stolas actually laughed at that, falling onto his bed like a teenager. The two of you exchanged a little more info, before he finally picked an outfit.

He chose a fairly simple outfit; A stylish pair of jeans, a simple red and black T-shirt with a rather attractive heart pattern across it and then it was one of his favourite leather jackets with a beautiful fur collar

He left the manor grounds just as the sun began to set, the city night-life around the manor already beginning to pick up.

It was a fairly short drive, most people knowing to stay out of the way of a royal limousines.

Finding the street and location you'd described, he had the limo park in front of a rather unassuming building, not really looking any different from the hundred other boarded up buildings on the block.

Getting out, he stood there for a few minutes before he heard you call out. 'Hey good lookin, looking for a good time?' Turning around, he found you approaching.

You carried a simple wicker basket, wearing a humble, yet fitting attire,

You wore a stylish black T-shirt that seemed to just cling to all the right places, your jeans were faded, but not enough to warrant throwing out. And a pair of simple black shoes.

When you got closer, the demon piped up, 'If you were planning a picnic, the basket kind of gives it away.' He told you playfully.

You released a laugh, shaking your head. 'Nah, all that's already set up. I just don't wanna carry everything from here to there by hand.' You told him simply.

'Ooooh' he cood, 'and what is it your getting here, hmm?' He asked, playfully gesturing to the building.

'Oh you know, this and that, you'll be surprised how much they serve here.' You told him just as playful.

Stolas stood up before looking around, 'Speaking of what they serve here', I can't help but wonder where "here" is, this doesn't exactly look like a restaurant.' He told you, gesturing to the rather dull wall of buildings before you.

You just chuckled, looking up at the prince before telling him, 'Dont judge a book by its cover, dear prince of mine' you told him playfully.

You hadn't realised it, but when you called him yours, it sent a wave of euphoria through the owl that he simply couldn't describe.

His mind was addled, the owl clutched himself as he watched you speak, to caught up in this feeling to catch what you said.

He was snapped from his stupor, when he found you were looking up at him, seemingly expecting a response.

The owl panicked, snapping to attention and blurting out, 'Of course, words to live by,' before he just stood there, smiling like an idiot.

You stared at him for several moments, the awkwardness so palpable you could practically see it in the air.

After another moment, Stolas shook his head, 'S-sorry, uh, what was that last thing?' He asked, trying to salvage the situation.

You chuckled, shaking your head, 'nothin, let's go shall we?' You asked him, stepping forward.

He followed close behind, following you into a nearby alleyway.

He followed in silence, but as your path grew longer he decided to ask where you were going. Only for you to suddenly stop and turn towards a large metal shudder.

Looking up at him, you did a little knock on the shudder, before just standing there.

A few minutes pass by before Stolas whispered, 'what are we waiting for?'

You laughed at that, before telling him, 'He always takes a minute to get here... any second now.'

A few seconds go by, just as Stolas was gonna pipe up again, the shudder suddenly shot up, revealing an middle aged Imp carrying a shotgun.

The Imp stared at him for a few moments before looking down and spotting you, 'Oh (Y/n)! Didnt expect you so early.' He told you, lowering the shotgun, 'who's the string bean?' He asked bluntly.

You just laughed as Stolas became indignant, looking himself up and down before asking himself if he really look like a string bean?

''This is my...' you hesitated for a moment, the owl held his breath, waiting for you to finish the sentence

'... my date' you finished, 'this is my date "Prince" Stolas.' You told him firmly, enough pride in your voice to make Stolas flush.

The Imp looked him up and down, 'A prince huh? Damn (Y/n), really pickin up your game' The older Imp gave you a rather lecherous grin.

You scoffed, stepping forward and asking 'Can we come in or are we just gonna stand around talking all night?'

The elder Imp just huffed before stepping out of the way.

The two of you walked into a somewhat narrow stairwell, the prince having to crouch walk to squeeze in there.

'Sorry 'bout the tight fit there your highness, we usually only get Imps down here, it'll be more roomy downstairs.' The old Imp spoke up as they made there way down the stairs.

Stolas chose not to reply, choosing instead to just take it in stride.

It was another minute of walking down the cramped stairwell when they suddenly entered a much larger chamber, the owl able to stand up.

Once he'd stretched his back, Stolas got a good look around, and found himself transfixed by the splendour of the place.

Honestly the place could probably give most of the restaurants he'd been too a run for there money.

It was a large hall, clearly some old structure with black bricks making up most of the walls.

A number of quaint little lanterns hung from the roof giving the whole chamber a pleasantly dim atmosphere.

A series of tables filled the centre of the chamber, each one decked in a cloth, with its very own candle lit center piece.

The architecture created smaller arches along the walls, many of them gave way to small booths where other Imps were enjoying there meal. While others were filled in by wine wracks, each one filled with a variety of bottles.

'My it's... it's...' before Stolas could finish, you cut in, 'yeah... I know, it's not exactly the rits, but for an Imp run business, it's pretty sophisticated.' You seemed disappointed, likely having interpreting his stunned silence as disappointment.

Stolas quickly cleared that up, telling you 'it's beautiful, I've never seen a place like it.' He told you honestly.

Looking down he found you positively beaming.

Reaching out, you grabbed his hand. You dragged him along like an excited child, taking him to what was obviously the front desk.

Placing the wicker basket on top the counter, you binged the bell.

A moment passed before a shorter and clearly much older Imp walked out. Upon seeing you there face lit up, 'Oh (Y/N), so good to see you.' They said cheerfully, pulling out a medium leather bound book from under the counter, they looked up and said, 'Lets see. Ah! Here you are. One table. A high ceiling and a strong bottle, correct?' They asked pleasantly.

You just nodded, them quickly putting the book away and began leading you away.

He found himself led into another chamber, this one much smaller but still just as pleasant.

In this one, a quaint little chandelier, giving the room a pleasant warm glow.

The older Imp quickly left, promising to bring menu's upon his return.

You led him in 'Beautiful place, isn't it?' You asked, seeming a hundred miles away.

'It is' He agreed, never taking his eyes off of you.

It took a few moments, but eventually you locked eyes, a smile growing across your lips.

After a moment, you seemed to snap back to reality, quickly walking over and pulling out one of the chairs, 'Your highness' you told him, an almost seductive tone to your voice.

'Such a gentleman' he spoke playfully, taking his seat.

Pushing him in, you walked around and took your seat.

Sitting down, you leaned forward, the two of you sitting in silence for a moment, neither of you sure what to say.

Eventually you spoke up, 'Can... can I ask you something?' You asked hesitantly.

Stolas, seeing the mood shift, leaned forward, responding with 'of course you can... what is it?'

You took a moment, placing your mouth behind your balled fist, 'I just... I just want to know... What is this?' You asked somberly.

That took him off guard, 'I, uh... I thought this was a date,' he tried to lighten the mood.

You did smile at that, but it was short lived, the sombre look returning.

'No... I mean like, you and me. What is this?' You asked him.

Stolas found himself at a loss.

What were you?

This was a date, wasn't it? So that would make you a potential couple? But he was already married... so, what the hell did that make you?

He sat there for longer than he'd like without an answer, before he felt he just had to say something. 'I don't... I don't know.' He told you honestly.

'I mean, this is a date? And I uh...' He didn't know were to go.

Out of options, he decided to do something that hadn't gone the best for him lately, but with you he felt it would be his best course to take.

He was gonna go with his gut.

'I want there to be something.' He told you, 'You make me feel like... like I deserve to be loved. Like I can be loved... Something I haven't felt in quiet a while.'

'I haven't felt like I really deserve anything in... Hell.... Decades?' He was tearing up now, his voice thick with emotion, 'I don't know if I deserve love, (Y/N).'

'I only ever seem to end up hurting the people I care about.' Tears formed in his eyes, the owl gripped his head, 'Lately I feel like a curse. Like I can only bring pain and misery to those around me... and after what I've done, I can't help but feel I deserve it.'

He looked up at you, a little smile across his face, 'But you... you make me feel like... like someone cares about me... Like someone cares about what I want. And you don't want anything from me... your not just using me as a means to an end... You care about me.' He was shaking now, a gentle tear sliding down his cheek.

He sat there for a moment, on the brink of tears, just as he felt you grab his hand.

Looking down he found you gently grasping his hand. You slowly inspected it, gently running your fingers along the long slender digits.

'You know...' you began, unease in your voice. 'I had no idea what I was doing, that first time.'

'I wanted to cheer you up, make you smile.' You let out a little chuckle, 'And as cliché as it might sound, I could tell you just wanted someone to love you, to make you feel something.' you smiled up at him.

'I knew you needed some kind of affection and I... I couldn't just let you sit there, drowning in despair. So I did it, I gave you the love you needed' You told him, your voice getting a little unbalanced.

You looked up at him, your throat tightening and voice becoming shaky, 'And if after that first time together... I after what we did... you had said you wanted to just pretend like nothing happened. I would have accepted it. I could have accepted that.' You told him firmly.

'Theres so much misery around me, so many suffering for no real reason. So if I could make you happy, even for just a moment. I'd be happy.' A smile spreading across your face.

'I don't know what's gonna happen next.' You told him. 'And I don't know what's gonna happen next.'

Your voice grew firmer, as did your resolve. 'But I wanna get closer to you and you wanna get closer to me. So how's about we just... see where this goes?' You asked him.

Stolas was a little shocked, 'You... you'd really do that, just give it a shot, to be with me?' He asked incredulously.

You just nodded your head, a little smile across your face, 'I... I wanna be with you Stolas, if that's alright with you?' You asked almost playfully.

Stolas couldn't help but laugh, vigorously nodding his head, 'Yes, Yes, a thousand times Yes.' He told you getting to his feet.

His emense height allowing him to lean over the table, locking you into a passionate kiss.

The Owl couldn't help it, he pressed into the kiss, so much so he was scared he might hurt your lips.

But he just couldn't help it, he was feeling such passion right now, all he could think to do was get as close to you as possible.

Hey Hey. Doing some old stories now. I've got so many requests I think I'll just relax a little, do them at my own pace.

This is the 5th part of my series Here's the link to my other chapters

OBSESSIVE STOLAS X Male Imp Pt.1

OBSESSIVE STOLAS x Male Imp Pt.2

OBSESSIVE STOLAS X Male Imp Pt.3

OBSESSIVE STOLAS x Male Imp pt.4

so check that out. I'm gonna be doing some more of my own original works lately, but feel free to leave a request, just don't expect me to get to it any time soon. Any way, hope you enjoyed the story. Bye Bye.

[ben-wisehart]

1/? Thank you so much for your detailed and fast meta-response! You’re truly amazing and gave me more answers than I expected. The thing I’m getting at is, MXTX presumably writes her ships the way that they’re supposed to be the one and only for each other. She even makes them stay virgins till they can be with their partners. And while I absolutely do believe in making soulmates I also believe that there are people who are much more compatible than others.

Following on from this. More Bingqiu ramblings under the cut

2/? Hualian and Wangxian are very compatible personality-wise and their whole relationship isn’t based only on acts of kindness. Or take Mo Ran. CWN reminds him of a past kindness and his mother so he chooses him as his Shizun. That choice is Mo Ran’s. One part why he likes him is that he’s reminded of a kind home but the other is that he genuinely likes and appreciates his personality. You won’t get this with other people or Shizuns he migh have otherwise chosen.

3/? The same goes for Wangxian and Hualian—they see their partner and appreciate what they see. You say that LWJ might fall in love with another troublemaker but that’s some personal characteristics he might find attractive personally but in comparison LBH seems just like a blind man desperately reaching for any kindness from a father figure. That’s what I don’t like about this ship. And it hurts me because I actually like it so much. Yeah, maybe I am a hopeless romantic but look

4/? Wangxian got infatuated with eo because of their personal qualities, remained by eo’s side because of their choices and stayed together because of their compatibility and appreciation for eo. Same goes for Ranwan. With Bingqiu if you think about it, LBH only saw hero worship, which turned into desperate yearning for love from said father figure but you could literally replace SQQ with whomever else no matter what personality or how (in)compatible & I guess that’s why I find this frustrating.

5/? I genuinely think that you couldn’t just replace one partner from other aforementioned ships and they’d just another partner the same way. From SQQ’s part the choice to stay by LBH’s side is because he genuinely sees who LBH is but LBH doesn’t see him, not because of identity reveal but because he just needs someone-anyone to cling onto and I find that sad, mainly for SQQ. It’s something like a puppy

7/? 7/? You take it home and give it shelter and it loves you unconditionally and would love anyone else who’d do the same for it. And I think that in any relationship the most important part is that: "I see you and I appreciate you," which Bingqiu one-sidedly lacks.

8/END Sorry about my terribly long rant and thank you for letting me air my grievances in your askbox. Idk if you’re on twitter as well but ever since my friend introduced me to your meta and fics I come and check out if you’ve posted something new from time to time as I don’t have an account here. So thanks for being awesome!

9/REAL END I forgot to say thank you for your reddit meta links, I'll look forward to checking them out 😊!

Lmao anon you’re killing me, I read these asks at like half past midnight when I was unable to sleep from a caffeine high, spent the next half hour thinking about it and then finally took out my laptop again to start writing a reply at 1am

Okay, so. I don’t know that there’s gonna be some...singular thing I can point out that will make you suddenly like Bingqiu as much as the other ships you’ve mentioned? We all have our preferences and that’s fine. But I also don’t think that’s what you’re asking me to do anyway, so I’m just gonna reply with my thoughts.

I think I understand where you’re coming from a bit better now, and I do understand how MXTX writes relationships in the “one true love” sense. To be honest, I think she probably wouldn’t agree with me saying that her other MLs could just as easily have fallen in love with other people, but ultimately, I disagree with the notion that there is one person out there who is the “right” person for us to be with. I don’t want to rehash any point I’ve already made, so I’ll leave it at that. I don’t think you’re wrong, however, in saying that of course some people can be more suited for us than others.

I think the reason Bingqiu suffers more from this perception you’ve mentioned, that SQQ could be interchangeable with another person without really changing Binghe’s dynamic on his end, is probably due to a couple of factors. Firstly, even though all three MXTX pairings meet when at least one of them is a child, Binghe is unique in that he was both a child and was practically raised by SQQ during his formative years. (The whole parental dynamic and age gap is something for another essay I don’t feel like writing, so I’ll just leave it at that.) Binghe is kind of fucked up due to his trauma and has pretty much built his entire identity around loving Shen Qingqiu. Everything he does in this novel, he does because of him in one way or another. We can argue about the fact that it’s unhealthy but it is what it is.

Secondly, Scum Villain is a shorter novel. It’s also MXTX’s first novel, and it’s largely a parody of danmei, transmigration and stallion novels. MDZS, TGCF and 2HA have a lot of conflict in them that isn’t directly related to the main couple, whereas in Scum Villain, almost all the conflict is specifically about SQQ and LBH in some way. It has fewer chapters and the characters have less room to breathe and develop, I think. Thirdly, but also following on from this, SQQ and LBH have an outside force meddling with their relationship at every turn. SQQ isn’t perfect by any means, but I maintain that he is at his core a good person who just wants a comfortable life for himself and Binghe. However, due to factors outside his control, he’s literally being held at a proverbial gunpoint to act a certain way. Even with the OOC lock disabled, he can’t be his truest, authentic self when his survival is contingent on pleasing the System. Of course he works around it when he can, but like, when he reunites with Binghe after the Abyss, he’s literally presented with a multiple choice question on how he should answer Binghe’s question about regrets! He holds onto Binghe’s jade token for years not because he’s a sociopath that likes withholding a precious possession, but because he knows it might literally save his life if he saves it for the right moment. He’s at the mercy of the System and could get killed or tortured at any moment.

So all of this is to say that Luo Binghe doesn’t really seem to have much of a personality outside of loving Shen Qingqiu, and Shen Qingqiu has an incredibly hard time letting his personality shine through the limitations that are placed on him. Stuff for them to work out post-canon, etc. etc. etc.

But even so…it’s not like they have no personality. To use my own example that you mentioned in your ask, why is Wei Wuxian being a troublemaker a personality trait that his husband can be attracted to, but Shen Qingqiu being kind isn’t? I kind of glossed over the fact that you called kindness interchangeable in my first reply, but I strongly disagree with that sentiment. There are a million ways to be kind. Luo Binghe loves Shen Qingqiu in a way that was unfortunately influenced by his trauma and the way the System interfered in their lives, but the things he loves about him are his own. Two people can be kind, but it’s not a universal human trait. Shen Qingqiu is kind, and he’s also intelligent and bashful and a bit ridiculous. And Luo Binghe knows all of this. He is twenty-five at the end of the novel; he’s got some pretty messed up ideas about ideal relationships, but I still think we need to give him more credit than assuming he’s not capable of recognising that SQQ is a complex person with multiple personality traits. It might have started out as hero worship, but he gets to see plenty of SQQ’s true self throughout the novel even in spite of all the limitations imposed by the System. If Shen Jiu had shared all these traits, Luo Binghe might have loved him instead, but you could say that about any character in any relationship at all. If a different reader had transmigrated in SY’s place, I’m not convinced that they would have made the same choices Shen Yuan did. There are plenty of readers that would have been perfectly kind to Binghe but wouldn’t have thought to give him a new cultivation manual so he could improve his cultivation techniques in time for the Endless Abyss. There are plenty of readers that would have been perfectly kind to Binghe, but knowing he would be fine wouldn’t have thrown themselves in front of poison for him or taken a hit for him in the dream world. SQQ readily admits that doing things like this was unnecessary, but SQQ is the sort of person that when you give him a split second to make a decision, he’ll put Binghe’s safety first. Always. Even knowing that Binghe was never in any real danger. These are not the actions of a person who is only motivated by their own survival, no matter what SQQ tries to tell the audience. That’s kindness, and it’s a rare quality that shouldn’t be discounted on the basis that if someone else had done it the same way, it would have had the same effect on Binghe’s affections. You could say that about any personality trait under the sun. Maybe Binghe would have loved someone else just as badly if they’d done all this for him, but we’ll never know, because they didn’t, and Shen Qingqiu is the one Binghe loves. He has no interest in changing that. The puppy doesn’t care about all the other possibilities, and neither does the one who took it in. Their relationship is no less special for it.

Okay I’ve already fucked up my sleep schedule for the entire weekend so I’m gonna call it here. I am on twitter though! My handle is bobby_speeds. Thanks again for your questions!!