#also I know I said I didn’t want any characters making a reappearance and that tmp should be able to stand on its own

[teamfortresstwo]

Still clinging on to the hope that TMP is going to be non-eye coded. I hope it’s like web or spiral or fuck if it’s corruption or lonely that’s be great!

[themattgirl]

could you please make one where Chris and reader are dating and reader feels sick and Chris just takes care of her and acts all sweet and stuff? 🫠

an: thank you for the request ily 🧡

this turned out so much longer than i intended

this isn’t my first one shot but it’s the first with one of the sturniolo triplets in it. 

obviously their characters have been altered by me a little to fit into the story but i tried to make it as realistic as possible by keeping their personality traits as they are in real life.

also comment or like this post if you want to be added to the taglist

pairing: chris x fem!reader

word count: 4.1k

warnings: fluff, use of ‘babe’ and ‘ma’ as pet names for reader, intentional wrong spelling in text messages to make it more realistic, mentions of nsfw themes, swearing, lots of playful teasing between characters

y/n’s dialogue  

chris’ dialogue

matt’s dialogue

nick’s dialogue

mary lou’s dialogue

“it’s just a cold, nothing serious i promise. i don’t think i can come over today though, i don’t wanna infect any of you. i’m sorry for ruining movie night,” i say to chris on facetime before breaking into a cough. i turn the camera away from me, not wanting him to see me in a disgusting state like this. if i could, i would’ve muted myself so he doesn’t have to listen to it either. plus, i know how worried he gets with any type of sickness or unwell feeling really.

so, of course it wouldn’t be chris if he didn’t immediately furrow his brows.

“babe no, don’t apologize. you didn’t choose to get sick.��

he gets up from where he was sitting on the couch and goes downstairs to his bedroom. he puts the phone down so all i can see now is his ceiling. his voice sounds a little farther away when he speaks again, “it doesn’t really sound like nothing serious, does anything hurt?”

“to be honest, my whole body has been aching since i woke up this morning. it’s not too bad, just a dull ache, i can still move and all that, even if i’d prefer to just lay here and rot away,” i laugh and hold back the cough that wants to escape right after in hopes it would make him worry a little less. vainly.

“your voice sounds stuffy and kinda hoarse, does your throat hurt?”

“i forgot you turn into a doctor every time somebody doesn’t feel great,” i roll my eyes even though he can’t see it with his phone still down and him on the other side of the room from how distant his voice sounds.

“shut up, y/n. you feel worse than ‘not great’. you’re not fooling anyone with that act.”

he reappears on the screen. now i can see what he has been doing in the time i couldn’t see him. he put on a hoodie over the tank top he had been wearing before, the hair he had put up in a little ponytail - if you could even call it that - in the front has been untied and brushed. or maybe he just ran his fingers through his hair a couple of times, that’d be more like it.

“anyways baby, imma call mom real quick. be right back,” he hangs up before i get the chance to respond.

i put the phone down next to me on the bed i’ve been in since i realized this morning how much it hurt to stand up and how i felt like i was gonna throw up every time i moved too hastily.

i took a deep breath - well, as deep as a breath can get when your nose is clogged - and closed my eyes to try and concentrate on something other than the throbbing pain in my head.

i feel so much worse than how i described it to chris and i feel bad for kind of lying to him, i do. but he has been dealing with so much of his own lately - new designs for his brand, fixing the shipping issues with some of the orders from his last drop, coming up with video ideas and prefilming those before him, nick and matt go on tour again, preparing everything for said tour - see, he really doesn’t need me to add to his things-to-worry-about-list, especially if he can’t do anything to fix it and it’ll go away on its own anyway.

i feel my phone’s vibration from somewhere in between the sheets and grab it. it's messages from nick.

hey y/n heard your not feeling so good (:/ smiley) i was really excited to see you again today but don’t you dare feel guilty for it

i know how you guilt trip yourself into thinking everything is your fault

its kind of a good thing bc now i have time to get the matching pjs we wanted

hope you feel better soon tho

matts sick too maybe you got it from him when you helped him decorate his room yesterday

I hey y/n heard your not feeling so good 😕 i was really excited to see you again today but don’t you dare feel guilty for it

word spreads faaast 😂 i’m so sad i gotta wait another week or so to see you again i only like sleepovers cuz of u but dont tell chris 🤫

I i know how you guilt trip yourself into thinking everything is your fault

seriously i hate that yk me so well 😐

I its kind of a good thing bc now i have time to get the matching pjs we wanted

at first i was like 🤨 but then i kept reading i LOVE YOUU SO MUCH OMG just so yk chris was the second option

I hope you feel better soon tho

me too now i’m excited for the pajamaaas 😫

I matts sick too maybe you got it from him when you helped him decorate his room yesterday 🤔

i’m gonna kill him like fr this time

hey where tf is chris??

talking to mom shes teaching him sth honestly don’t ask idk

ok 😂 i think im gonna take a nap talk later?

yess get some rest and lmk if you need anything ❤️

ly❤️❤️

after sending the last message i get a call from matt. i contemplate not picking up for a second but decide against it.

“what?”

“uff, what’s that attitude?”

“i’m sick because of you, shithead.”

“we don’t know that. what if you’re the one who passed it on to me, hm? besides, i was just calling to tell you to drink some water and to ask if you need anything. i was actually being nice but you clearly don’t deserve it,” his voice is just as bad as mine, if not worse which makes me feel a little bad, but matt wouldn’t be one of my best friends if i had to worry about him getting mad every time i’m not nice. that’s actually how we bonded after annoying each other every chance we got. we both have a bit of an attitude problem which caused a lot of irritation and aggravation. now we get along better than any pair of best friends. the teasing stayed in place, but now we both know there’s only endless love behind it. sometimes you just gotta let off a bit of steam and we both just get that.

“fine, i’m sorry. sickness really does turn you soft, huh?” i smirk.

“why’re you saying it like you just confirmed a theory?”

“mary lou told me once and i’ve been waiting ever since to see for myself, guess she was right.”

“you are actually the worst. i’m hanging up now. drink water, bye.”

he hangs up the phone and i laugh to myself. what a big baby.

i open chris’ chat and type in a message telling him i’m going to sleep and that i will call him once i wake up again. i don’t bother waiting for a reply and just put the phone on my nightstand. i turn on my side, close my eyes and after that i don’t notice anything anymore.

i jolt up from bed, breathing heavy, body sweaty and heart racing. my room is dark, lit up only by the moon shining through my window. i look around trying to remember where i am and shake the nightmare from my mind.

i reach for my phone and check the time.

11:43 pm

i turn on the flashlight and right when i notice a black jacket hung over the back of my desk chair i hear footsteps coming closer.

chris pushes the door open and steps in.

“oh shit, did i wake you?”

“no i had a nightmare. what are doing here?”

i sit upright in bed and turn the flashlight off when chris flips the switch to turn on the fairy lights around the edges of my ceiling.

he moves to sit on the bed next to me before he answers, “i had mom teach me how to make her get-well-quick-soup and brought you some. she also told me about the perfect remedy tea, i can make it for you,” he stands up again immediately, “i’ll heat up the soup for you first. shit ma, have you even eaten anything today?” he stands by the door, holding the handle but looking back over his shoulder at me.

“chris,” i honestly don’t know what to say to him. he is so sweet i have to fight the tears that build up on my waterline. i just look at him for a moment, a little smile ghosting on my lips.

i’m well aware of how caring, considerate and compassionate chris is as a person in general, but it still baffles me sometimes how much he goes out of his way to make others feel good. i guess i’m just not used to it, being loved like this, having someone do everything that lies in their hands - and beyond that - just for me. it’s astonishing to say the least. especially when i myself have had issues with showing how deeply i cherish somebody ever since i can remember. it’s probably rooted somewhere in my past and how my affection has been received and responded to, that’s what my therapist says anyway.

i shake myself out of my thoughts and move the blanket away from my body to finally get up. immediately chris is beside me, holding me in place, “what’re you doing, ma? stay here i’ll bring it up,” he talks quietly, trying to get me to take in my previous lying position but i stay put on the ground.

“babe, i have been in this bed almost all day. i need to get up. i’ll just come down with you, we can eat together in the kitchen,” i try to convince him.

he looks at me, an uncertain expression on his face for a few seconds, the gears in his head almost visibly turning while he thinks about it. at last he lets out a sigh and nods, “alright then, hop on my back,” he bends over in a piggy back position in front of me and i can’t help the laugh that escapes me.

“you do know i can walk, right?” i ask still chuckling.

“i know, come ooon, just do it,” he urges me on and wiggles his hips, making me laugh even harder when i climb on his back.

“you’re gonna be so sick tomorrow, chris,” i complain mournfully once he lets me down to sit on the kitchen counter while he gets to heating up the soup he brought.

chris insists he’s not prone to catch a cold or any sickness easily, no matter how contagious or how close to the source he might be, even though he has proven himself wrong multiple times on more occasions than he cares to admit.

“no i won’t. besides, i could use a few days off even if i have to be sick to get that,” he lets out a huff of air trying to make it sound humorous, but both of us - and everyone who knows chris for that matter - knows that he is exhausted and is in desperate need of a break.

i know he doesn’t want me to get serious about that topic right now though so i try to change routes, “oh my god,” he turns around from where he was stirring the soup on the stove and faces me, confused about my shocked exclamation. i point an accusatory finger at him, my jaw hanging low but a smile still creeping it’s way on my face.

“so that’s why you’re here. you came to try and get infected, that’s why you carried me down too even though you know damn well i coulda walked by myself. and i’m here thinking you were actually being the best boyfriend on earth. turns out my man is a piece of shit,” by the end i fail to stay serious and let out a giggle. well, it’s not like he actually believed that i meant what i was saying but still.

he lets go of everything he was holding, turns around to me fully and begins to stalk toward me slowly.

“oh yeah?” i don’t know if it’s just me or if he’s doing it on purpose but all of a sudden his voice sounds deeper, his face more stern and serious.

“is that what you think then? i’m just a piece of shit?” he makes me nervous at first but the second i see the smirk on his lips i know exactly what’s about to follow.

“chris. no.”

he is standing right in front of me, so close he has positioned himself in between my legs, his hands on the counter on either side of me, trapping me. the finger i was pointing at him long since taken back.

“am i a piece of shit when i make you cum with just my tongue?” his face is so close now.

“stop,” i say quieter than i mean to, almost whisper-like.

“or when i fuck you so good you can’t walk right for days, am i a piece of shit then?”

this asshole is doing it on purpose. he knows i would never have sex with him when i’m sick so he’s trying to rile me up the little fucker. have i mentioned that i actually hate him. like for real hate him. the type of hate that leads to an absolutely mindblowing fuck. shit.

“or yesterday when you told matt you needed a break and came downstairs to my room to suck me off and then you just wiped your mouth and went back up like nothing happened. did you do it because i’m a piece of shit?”

my jaw is on the floor.

“or when–”

“OKAY,” i practically scream, “you’re the best and i didn’t mean what i said, just please stop.”

i’m almost whining at this point.

i try to rub my legs together to ease some of the friction unnoticeably but chris is like a hawk, sees everything, notices everything. and then he smiles. just smiles and goes back to the soup.

later that night, after i was forced to eat almost all of the soup and drink two cups of magic tea while chris downed a cheese burger, fries and three of the last four pepsi cans i had in my fridge, we snuggled up on the couch with a heavy blanket that chris had also asked his mom for, thrown over both of our laps and a random movie playing on the tv. 

neither one of us actually felt like watching something but we threw it on as background noise anyway. chris and i have barely seen each other in almost two weeks so all we want right now is to enjoy each other's company. he has been so busy with all that’s coming up for him and his brothers, still is. and i've been studying like crazy because i always feel like i won’t pass if i don’t and when i wasn’t busy with that i’d be at work to earn my living and feel like i’m doing enough. so there wasn't really time for us to actually be together and get to enjoy it. i've missed it.

“you know you’re probably sick because you exhaust yourself all the time,” chris says when he turns to look at me.

“shh,” i shush him with my eyes closed and a smile on my lips, “i got it from matt, no discussion.”

he lets out a little laugh at that, “yes discussion. if you keep going like that, one day it’s gonna have more serious effects on your health than a cold. you don’t even need to do all that. how many times do i have to tell you your life is worth enough even if you don’t work yourself half to death and have a little fun every once in a while,” he rubs my thigh while talking. chris knows better than anyone that i don’t like being put on the spot and lectured about my not-so-healthy habits like that, especially when i know exactly that it’s in fact very unhealthy. but he also insists on having these talks with me because he knows i would shut out everyone else who’d dare to try immediately. he and his brothers are the only three people i have let come so close and they make use of that quite often, might i say. but it’s okay because these people are my best friends and i know i need to be put in check sometimes, i admit. nobody else would dare try but them so i just let them. 

i must say, it has helped me improve my life to an extent. they taught me that it’s okay to cut ties with people who are bad for my mental health and encourage bad habits, and that i don’t owe shit to them even if they want to make me believe that. they kept telling me “quality friends are worth so much more than a big amount of bad ones” until it finally clicked in my brain and i blocked half of my contact list.

“look who’s talkin’. mister i work twice as hard as the person i try to lecture,” i jab my finger in his side and he jerks.

“you know that’s different,” he holds my hands in his to stop me from doing it again.

i like feeling his hands on mine. i know he’s my boyfriend and it might be weird to say it like that. but i haven’t seen him in so long, which means i also haven’t felt him in so long. it’s crazy but it almost feels like in the beginning when we were scared to touch each other and would act like we accidentally brushed our hand on the other but we both knew it was fully on purpose.

chris pulls me out of my thoughts again when he speaks, “at least i have an end in sight and work’s gonna be way more relaxed once i’m done with everything. with you there’s always–”

the ringing of his phone cuts him off and he takes a look at the caller id, his mom. he narrows his eyes at me and gives me a look that says “we’re not done yet” but picks up the phone and holds it up so she can see the both of us on the screen.

“i was going to ask chris about you but since you’re with him please pinch him for me,” is the first thing mary lou says when she looks at us. and i gladly do as she says even though i don't know what he did to deserve it.

“oww, what was that for?” chris asks whining and i just shrug and chuckle.

“you told me you would bring y/n the soup and go back home. you lied to me.”

i turn to him with my mouth hanging open, “christopher owen, how dare you?”

it’s so fun to aggravate chris.

he furrows his brows at me and then looks back at the screen, “she literally begged me,” he straight up lies. “i was trying to tell her i didn’t wanna get sick so i could only drop off the soup and blanket and would have to leave again but then she started crying–”

i hit him for real this time, hard enough to make him suck air through his teeth.

“mary lou, don’t believe a word he says.”

“i know, darling, you wouldn’t do that. chris, that’s twice you’ve lied today.”

“sorry, mom,” he actually looks defeated now, “you know i can’t just leave her all alone when she’s like this. i lied because i didn’t wanna worry you. i won’t get sick though,” at that me and her give each other a knowing look but let him continue, “y/n’s weak and in pain, of course i’ll be by her side as much as i can, you probably knew i was here, that’s why you called me,” chris wiggles his finger at his mom with a cheeky smile while she’s trying to hide her own.

“alright, alright,” she gives in, “that’s how young love is, i guess. anyway, have you eaten the soup yet?”

“almost all of it,” i report proudly, rubbing my stomach.

“only forced,” chris side-eyes me and i roll my eyes at him.

“and the tea?” mary lou just keeps going. well, i definitely know where her son gets the caring from.

i grab the mug that’s been sitting on the table for two hours and could now be considered iced tea and hold it up for her to see, “this is my third,” i take a sip.

“very good. okay, well, i just wanted to check if chris is taking good care of you. it’s important for you to get enough rest, don’t go to sleep too late, alright darling? i have to go now but if you need something just give me a call. i’ll talk to you both in the morning. good night, i love you,” she blows two kisses as we tell her we love her and then she ends the call.

right when chris puts his phone down we hear the doorbell ring.

we both glance at the direction of the front door as if we could see through it and figure out who’s standing on the other side. then we turn and look at each other.

“expecting someone?” chris asks me and i just shake my head no and shrug unknowingly.

“open up!” the voice sounds muffled but it’s unmistakably matt.

chris rolls his eyes and sighs loudly and i just giggle.

he moves the blanket and gets up to go open the door but stops in his tracks suddenly, turns around again, bends down and kisses me.

“won’t be able to do that for a while if he’s here,” he explains before he goes.

matt and nick do complain every time we kiss in front of them, so we agreed on trying not to do it anymore. they act like little kids being forced to see their parents being all lovey-dovey with each other. at least one of them always yells “GET A ROOM!” as if they’re not invading our personal space. big babies, like i said.

“what’s up, bitches?” nick walks in wearing the pajamas we wanted to match, holding up his hands. one holding what i assume is my set of the exact same one and a pillow in his other hand.

i jump up from the couch immediately and squeal as i run toward him to hug him.

“what are you doing here?” i ask once we let go of each other, our smiles still as big as ever.

“since chris is here breathing in germs and this one,” he points his thumb over his shoulder where matt is giving chris a pajama pair, “is already sick i thought we might as well have our movie night here since i’m getting it from one of you either way.”

“i’m so happy,” i squeak, elongating the words.

“aren’t you happy to see me too?” matt acts sad and offended when he moves to stand next to nick.

i roll my eyes but give him a big hug, “i am actually.”

chris scoffs and we all laugh. he moves to stand closer to me and i wrap my arms around him, tilting my head to look at him.

“you guys can go in the kitchen, grab some snacks while me and chris put on our pajamas,” i say to nick and matt, my eyes still locked on my boyfriend.

they do as they’re told once the’ve put down their things and soon enough they’re out of sight.

“you good?” chris asks me quietly, stroking my hair gently

“yeah. i just realized our alone time is over,” i respond in a hushed tone.

he gives me a kiss on the forehead before he talks, “it’s okay, we’ll just go up to your room when they’re asleep. nothing’s keeping me away from you tonight.”

hearing it makes comfort spread in my chest in a way i didn’t know i needed right now.

“i love you so much, chris. thank you for everything,” i try to sound genuine, because i truly am.

he holds my chin between his thumb and forefinger and dips his head until his lips meet mine.

“i love you too, ma.”

taglist:

@strniolosworld @that-general-simp @sturniolosreads @whoreforchr1s

[buckets-and-trees]

Can you do a part 2 to "Tiny Vessels" where Steve regrets leaving Reader and was just confused and went back to her? I hate it when Steve leaves Reader for Peggy.🥺

You know what? Yes. I also hate that he went back. I half didn't even like writing Tiny Vessels, but I still remember feeling so compelled to write it the day that I did - I think I was punishing him and wanting to add even more layers to him having made a big mistake by going back in time, so... yeah.

AND LET ME BE CLEAR - I'M NOT VEXED YOU ASKED FOR THIS, NONNIE! I'm actually pretty touched that it resonated enough for you to ask for a follow up.

Title: Don't Forget You Were the One Who Characters/Pairings: Steve Rogers x gn!Reader Word Count: 1.3k

Content/Warnings: angst

Additional Notes: This will clock in as the second of the five offerings for my 300 follower request fest. This ask kicked around in my head, but then this morning it clicked, and I wrote it out in just a few hours, so if there are mistakes, it was the rush of writing. The original was a one-day write, and so I guess it's fitting that this one was, too. And as the original was also heavily influenced by a song, I listened to Wild Way by Tori Amos for some of the inspo on this.

Your breath caught at the sight of him standing next to your door, and you came to an immediate halt.

“Hey,” he said, pushing off from where he’d been leaning against the wall, a forced and uneasy smile on his face.

Good, you thought, he shouldn’t feel comfortable.

As you approached and unlocked the door, he didn’t make any other moves to touch or greet you, and you were glad he had enough sense for that. You were glad for the moment of putting your keys in the lock and turning it open to have your face hidden from him so you could bite your lip in frustration. And fear. You desperately worked to keep your heart from racing, knowing he’d be able to hear your heartbeat if he tried – and you knew he would be hyper focused on every sound, movement, and reaction.

You entered your home and left the door open for him to follow you inside. You dropped your purse and keys on the table next to your entry and kept walking. You heard him slowly close the door behind him.

“So, when did you get back?” You asked, knowing he would be waiting for you to speak before pressing you into any further conversation.

“No small talk,” he murmured. You turned to face him, a frown on your face. “No, of course not. Um, today. Only an hour or two ago.”

You crossed your arms and were quiet for another few moments.

“Why did you come here, Steve?” You finally asked.

“You know why–”

You cut him off with a scoffing noise. “I don’t know why.”

“You know in my letter I said– “

“I didn’t read it,” you interrupted again.

He drew his head back sharply, blinking at you. “You didn’t – didn’t Bucky give you – “

“You left without a word, and thought I would want to read a letter you gave to Bucky to give to me? You didn’t get to do that to me.”

He dropped his gaze and put his hands in his pockets. “Okay, that wasn’t fair.”

“It was cowardly.”

You saw the effect those words had on him. You didn’t care that they cut him to the core. He deserved it after carving your heart out and crushing it without a care.  

“Did you think you could leave, walk around in whatever yesteryear with Peggy Carter for ten months, change your mind, and just come back and think I’d be waiting and ready to welcome you back into my arms?”

“No,” he took a few steps toward you, looking back into your eyes again, “I knew it wouldn’t be that easy, and I didn’t walk around in the past for ten months. I wasn’t there a full two days before I was trying to come back. It took time to hunt down the right people and technology, but it wasn’t even a full two months that I saw there before I got out.”

“Wait, so… you were only there for less than two months but you let ten months pass here for your time to reappear here?”

“I know that scientifically I could come right back, but I also knew I left and I didn’t deserve to come back and act like I hadn’t left.”

“No, Steve!” you dropped your head. “This is what was wrong with us before, only I didn’t know it back then because I was too caught up in all the Captain America aura about you. I couldn’t believe someone like you would be with someone like me,” Steve opened his mouth to say something, but you held your hand up, raised your head back up and kept talking, “but you were even worse. You didn’t think you deserved love or happiness at all. I was stunned by every bit of us getting together, it felt like a stupid modern fairytale in the middle of everything else that was awful. After a while I even started to believe it myself, thought maybe I was good for you even, but not good enough for you to stay in the end, and now you’re telling me you thought you had to do even more time to make up for leaving?”

Steve sighed, and you could feel the waves of ache radiating off him, matching the ache in your own chest.

“You were too good for the failure I thought I was,” he started to explain. “I knew it wasn’t just me who failed in defeating Thanos, but it didn’t make me feel like any less of a failure, and every day I was living a life full of reminders of how much we lost. Until you. I started to build something again after you.”

“Then why did you leave?” the question burst from the part of your heart where everything still felt like scorched earth.

Steve sighed. “In the letter – “

“You get to tell me to my face, Steve Rogers.”

He nodded. “We brought back half the universe, but I still felt like a failure because we lost Tony and Nat. I couldn’t face it. But when I got back there, I couldn’t shake how vile and cheap it was to run away, and the only one I wanted to talk to about it – about fixing the snap, about losing Nat and Tony, about leaving this time for the past, about trying to get back to the future – I only wanted to talk to you.”

He took another step toward you, but you took a half a step back.

“That was a good speech,” you said, “but Steve…”

Your shoulders softened, and he stepped forward again. He tentatively reached out, took your hand, and you looked down at them.

“It can’t be just a good speech,” he said. “I need it to be the best speech of my life.”

You couldn’t hold back the overwhelming battle of emotions anymore, and tears started falling down your cheeks. You heart yearned to let him right back in, and yet it also wanted to banish him forever.

His other hand came up to brush some of your quiet tears away with his thumb.

“I hate you so much right now, Steve,” you cried while not being able to resist leaning into the palm of his hand. “I had to.”

“I deserve it, but I want to deserve you at some point. I didn’t expect to come back and be welcomed into your arms, I expected to come back and earn the right to wrap my arms around you again.”

“God damn you, Steve Rogers. I want to tell you yes, but I can’t promise you anything any time soon.”

“I know,” he said, closing the gap between you and pressing his forehead down to yours.

“No,” you whispered, and put a hand on his chest – not to push him away, but to at least hold him from coming any closer. “You might think you know,” you your voice was firm but quiet, “but I don’t think you do. I’m hearing what you’ve said. It means everything that you said you’ve come back for me, but the man I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with still smashed my heart and left me alone for almost a year.”

Steve didn’t say anything immediately, only continued to stroke his thumb over your cheek, hold your hand, and keep his forehead pressed against yours for a few minutes. Everything still hurt, but it was a balm for the moment.

Finally, he spoke. “Unless you tell me to go, I’m never leaving again. You’re my end game, as long as you need, whatever it takes. I will wait – patiently, but with no pressure and no expectations.”

Then you let the silence fill the space between you.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “And I love you.”

“For now, just kiss me once.”

He did not hesitate, capturing your lips in the kiss he’d been desperate to have for far too long and not knowing when he would get to kiss you again.

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[fairypowerful]

The Ship That Was Endgame Since the Beginning (confirmed)

Narratively, Michaela and Zeke were always meant to find each other and be together.

Narratively, Jared and Mick were not meant to be.

From the very beginning – S01E01.

(Edit: The show’s creator, Jeff Rake, said this was always the ending, “just tightened up along the way.” You got that? Zekaela were planned since long before Matt Long got the role as Zeke – Matt said that his first phone call with Jeff in 2018 after getting the role was himself being told that Zekaela were soulmates! LMAO 😂 I didn’t need this double confirmation in order to know that, because in hindsight, the clues were there from the way everything led to them and when looking at their first two episodes together.)

The offscreen event that led to Mick being in a bad place mentally/emotionally (her BFF Evie’s death) had also led to her hesitation of Jared’s proposal, which led to her getting on Flight 828 because she didn’t wanna have to deal with that and her family pressuring her to accept. (“It’s not just about you. This family needs something to celebrate” / “And I know you love Jared” / “Why are you fighting this when all it’s gonna do is make you happy?”)

It was a domino effect. The plane disappearing led to Jared marrying Mick’s other BFF, Lourdes, four years later, and the plane reappeared a year after that.

Mick became the other woman in that marriage, which she deeply regretted; and she not only destroyed her now-ex BFF’s marriage, but also lost another lifelong friendship on top of being too wrought with guilt over Evie (which she forgives herself for in the final season). Jared didn’t really show any remorse, but Mick now had all of that weighing her down and didn’t want to continue with him. And Jared certainly didn’t make it easy on her.

Really, these two were not right for each other. Not to mention, Jared unnecessarily stirred up trouble and a lot of stress for Mick due to his possessiveness over her, and his immediate jealousy and rather extreme hostility towards Zeke upon first meeting. Very toxic. Just gross. Not right.

~~~

I think it’s important to remember, too, the original series order was 13 episodes – the “find her” Calling was in the tenth episode, Zeke appears in the twelfth episode, and the thirteenth ended with him and Mick in front of the petroglyph of two stick figures holding hands, outside under the stars.

Those episodes would’ve been written in cohesion with the preceding storylines, especially considering the nature of the show and its mythology needing to be mapped out instead of written on the spot – meaning that Zekaela was not shoehorned into the show. Keyword, “cohesion.”

Those episodes and the character would’ve been written long before the actor was even cast into the role. It was always planned.

🤭 It’s also confirmed.

Their soulmatism was sprinkled all over their story, starting in their first two episodes together.

“It’s all connected,” didn’t you know? 😉

The show’s been consistent about that.

Look at the acting choices in Season 1 from before Zeke’s introduction. In multiple scenes, Jared told Mick they were supposed to be together and she’d shake her head ‘no.’ Like her heart knew, but she consciously didn’t yet. When Jared told her she’s his soulmate, Mick said, “No, I’m not.”

Narratively, her heart always belonged elsewhere. After she met Zeke, she always chose him over Jared from that point onward. Everything that happened led her to him, including her conscious choices post-Pilot and pre-Vanishing Point, which basically worked in tandem with the universe. The cheating/ruining BFF’s marriage/losing her BFF was a major deciding factor for her in not getting back with Jared anytime soon … and then she finally meets Zeke whom the universe had also brought forward in time.

~~~

So, I want to put my thoughts to some of the things I’ve read by antis…

“The only thing Zeke and Mick had in common were the Callings”

That’s not true. You had to have watched the show with your eyes closed to come up with that.

A Calling brought them together, sure, but it didn’t make them connect and fall in love, or be happier around one another. A Calling isn’t a love potion or a magic spell.

Zekaela was a pretty peaceful relationship in a sea of turmoil (the government, the X-ers, the hatred and violence against 828ers), whereas Jachaela was an angsty teen drama amidst the external turmoil. 😶

I’m going to quote a character from a different story who chose his wife over someone else he had feelings with, because I think it applies very much with Mick choosing Zeke over and over again every single time. “Passion is … it’s fire. And fire is great, man. But we’re made of water. Water is how we keep living. Water is what we need to survive. My family was my water. I picked water. I’ll pick water every time.” And I’ll add another quote from the same character talking about his wife and what it was like in meeting her, replacing the name with Mick’s because it is very much in alignment with Zekaela’s story. “But when I met [Mick], it was something different altogether. She just … made the world make sense to me. She even made me like myself more. And there was a calmness to her that … nobody else had. It felt like when I was with her, I knew everything would be fine. It was like I was following the North Star.”

Mick being Zeke’s North Star is literally canon, by the way.

(S01E13 and S04E18).

~~~

“The only reason why Zeke and Mick got together was due to the time travel and the Callings”

Yeah, that’s how storytelling works.

Crying about this is like complaining that the only reason the Doctor regenerates is because he’s an alien from Gallifrey and the Doctor Who writers in 1966 came up with a way to replace the leading actor without getting rid of the main character. Or rather, it’s like complaining that the only reason Mary Margaret and David fell in love despite the Dark Curse amnesia is because they were Snow White and Charming in the Enchanted Forest.

Trying to belittle Mick and Zeke’s love by attacking the narrative, that’s pathetic.

“But it’s forced”

No, it’s not. The little things the writers added years later, like Afterlife!Zeke telling Mick about them having moments in their lives where they almost met, is not forced, because the audience (who don’t have blinders on during their story) already knew they were soulmates and it’s literally how storytelling works.

Heaven forbid TV writers foreshadow, expand, and give callbacks to scenes from previous seasons ever again! Heaven forbid we ever get flashbacks in later seasons! Heaven forbid you ever watch another TV show with more than 1 season because “they added this years later, so it’s forced”!

“But Mick and Jared knew each other the longest”

So? That doesn’t matter. Do you actually believe length is an indicator of whether or not someone is the love of your life? Just…wow! Heaven forbid anybody not get back together with an ex simply because they knew them longer. Heaven forbid anybody leave behind a former or current longterm relationship without getting told, “But it’s been years, so you belong with him forever/were meant to be with him.”

Mick wanted Zeke. She chose Zeke. I think that’s a good indicator of whom the love of her life is.

In S01E13, Mick tells him that she wished she could redo her re-entry into 2018 but wasn’t sure what she would’ve done to change the way her situation at home turned out.

In S02E01, Zeke tells Mick he wished he’d met her some other way in some other time. (Edit: With Jeff implicitly saying he always knew how he wanted the story to end, and explicitly confirming that Zekaela was always the plan from the very beginning, along with Matt implicitly saying they were written as soulmates since before he got the role, Zeke’s line is now major foreshadowing).

In S04E19, Mick tells Ben she doesn’t regret taking a later flight because it led her to Zeke.

It’s very telling. Ben’s heart belongs with Grace, and Mick’s heart belongs with Zeke.

“She would’ve married Jared if Flight 828 landed in its proper timeline in the Pilot episode”

There’d be no show to watch if the plane landed in 2013, for one thing.

Those 5 years gave Mick an experience where she learned what and whom she really wanted, without the enormous pressure of immediately accepting a proposal, and she also got the opportunity to meet her real soulmate. It’s okay to not want the same thing you wanted a few years ago. It’s called growth.

~~~

“Mick only stayed married to Zeke, after he survived his Death Date, out of pity and duty (because he survived, and she expected him to die)”

I remember seeing a remark like this, and you must dislike or hate Mick if you think she’s like that. Even as a joke, that’s just cruel.

Mick was so happy and relieved when Zeke survived his Death Date. She loves Zeke, or did you just close your eyes to their whole love story?

She told him she’d continue to choose him even if he had one day left, or ten thousand left. And with or without empath powers, Zeke knew she loved him too.

“But she still had feelings for Jared”

Okay, and? Even if the situation were reverse, she’d also still have feelings for Zeke. It works both ways.

And as Mick told him, she chose him instead of Jared. Sure, she loved Jared, but as Zeke told Mick in S04E02, her huge heart has room enough for anyone who’s lucky to be loved by her. Loving Zeke doesn’t mean she has to stop loving anyone else in her life. Love isn’t limited.

It’s canon that the only way she could choose Jared is if Zeke is dead. He didn’t look happy at all when he saw Zeke survived.

Just because you love someone doesn’t mean they’re the one for you. She chose Zeke.

~~~

“The writers only made Drea pregnant to put her and Jared together”

Do I need to be petty and remind y’all that pregnancy happens when two people regularly have sex, and protection isn’t always a 100% guarantee? 😶

Jared and Drea match really well, that was quite clear when they first got together. Their relationship grew organically. Just take off your blinders. Even Mick could see that Drea is perfect for him.

It helped Mick to see that Jared was compromising his happiness by being with her. She didn’t want children, and she was confronted with the fact that they could never have a full life together, not without compromising her vision for her own life.

By the way, that breakup post-reset was made before she remembered Zeke telling her about one of their almost-meetups where he was a cab driver at the airport on the night Flight 828 was supposed to land. So, it was fully her choice to end things with Jared going forward and starting anew; Zeke didn’t even need to be alive for her to choose that for herself. But she was so happy when she remembered. If you truly like the character, her choice makes complete sense narratively and character-wise.

~~~

“But Jared and Mick have more chemistry”

If arguing and fighting is chemistry, then yeah. Don’t get me wrong, I do think JR and Melissa have chemistry outside of angst and volatile tension, but if you think “more chemistry” is a reason why a fictional couple should be endgame, you have a juvenile view of an adult romance. This ain’t a teen drama. So, congrats, what a way to reveal you don’t care about the story or a cohesive narrative! 👀

Zekaela have a calmer romantic chemistry, and their sweet love story is so much better than Jachaela’s constant tension-filled drama where Jared put on tantrums when she wouldn’t give in to him. Their story up until Season 4 was volatile in a bad way, which only went away when Jared stopped chasing after her and let her live peacefully married to Zeke. I’m glad his character got better, thank goodness!

~

And don’t even get me started with “We won in real-life because JR (Jared) and Melissa (Mick) are together,” because we’re here for the TV show, not real-life. It’s entertainment, so chill out.

~~~

I think that 2013-Jared calling off his proposal to Mick, because it was for the wrong reason (“to help you get past [Evie’s death]”), isn’t forced/lazy writing.

Consider for a minute that, in 2013, he’s not the character you were introduced to in Season 1 (the now-former 2018 timeline). He’s not unhealthily obsessed with her like the Joker is with Batman, or Eobard Thawne is with The Flash. And he never got the trauma from losing someone in a perceived airplane accident. As for his breakup, he got time to think, and ultimately he didn’t want to take advantage of her in a vulnerable state.

And consider for a moment, at the time, 2013-Mick was grieving and didn’t believe she deserved happiness – and it’s been a year since Evie’s death. I don’t imagine there were many smiles and laughter for the past year in their relationship, meaning it was dying. So, Jared not being heartbroken over 2024-Mick’s breakup kinda makes sense.

To him, Mick broke up with him because she wasn’t gonna heal any time soon, and wanted him to move on with someone who can give him what she can’t.

But to her, Mick grew in those 5 years since getting on Flight 828 the first time, and the life she thought she wanted back then isn’t the same anymore (and that’s okay, we’re not the same person we were half a decade ago) and she got to meet the real love of her life whom she can be with now. Zeke.

I don’t believe love is a choice, because you can’t force yourself to love or not to love someone. But I believe happiness is a choice, you can choose to walk towards it or away from it. Mick walked towards happiness by choosing Zeke. It’s really beautiful.

~~~

Credit for most of the Manifest screenshots and tweets go to @gracestone

[mulling-over-milgram]

DEPICTIONS OF ES (and other prisoners) IN MV’s

Revisiting the topic of this post now with a better understanding of the characters and Deep Cover :)

Returning to Tear Drop there’s something I want to talk about that I didn’t cover the first time which is where exactly Es is placed in the scene.

We see from the opening scene there is a table and since both Yuno and the Client are sitting at it we can tell there are atleast two chairs. We can’t see anymore chairs the many time this table reappears in the MV so we can conclude that there are only two chairs at the table.

We see the plushie that represents Es , Milgram prison and the audience seated in a chair. It must be sitting in one of said two chairs since we can tell from the Yuno’s shots in the first scene that the chair we see the plushie in is the same as the two at the table

And because we know it’s placed on one of two chairs we should now be able to narrow down which one. Based on these shots the plushie seems to be placed in the chair of the client. To steal a term from 74n5n school girl Yuno is sitting in her chair like in the first scene then cat girl Yuno stands next to her and points. Since school girl Yuno is in the same place that means that the plushie must be in the clients chair. (Quick side note I released while writing this part that if the plushie is in the clients chair that the client must of left but school girl yuno is still sitting in the chair even though he isn’t there any more…even though he has left her at this point)

She mentality has placed the plushie , placed Es in the chair (in the role?) of her client. I believe this is because she see’s Es and by extension the audience as viewing her for only the mask she puts on and only what they want to see like she mentions , projecting their ideas onto her.

Returning to a point I made the last time. Yuno has the power in this scene. Es is represented as but a plushie and such they can not talk. The plushie shares a resemblance to the plushie from the first scene.

Though I’m still not quite sure what to make of this? The plushie in this scene is given to Yuno by the client symbol perhaps of his feelings? The lyrics of “the wanted(yuno) wanting the wanter(client)” so if the plushie represents how Yuno perceives the clients surface level feelings for his desired version of her then that could explain why the Es plushie resembles it? Since Yuno views their views on her as similar? Uhh idk…If there are an Yuno scholars in the audience feel free to correct me ^^;

————————————————————————————————

Now Backdraft time! >:]

Fuuta and Es clearly seem to mirror each other here. This is clearly meant as a visual representation how similar their actions are. Unlike Yuno who purely portrays Es as less powerful. I feel Fuuta more portrays Es as taking his role. Yuno portrays Es as taking on the role of her client and fuuta portrays Es as taking on his role. His role as the judge and as someone who holds wrong doers responsible for their actions.

Notably Es aside from not being graffiti is portrayed the same as the prisoners. Being full blacked out aside from their clothes.

Speaking of other prisoners! Let’s talk about them the prisoners(and Es) are somewhere between Fuuta , his victim and the rest of the online group and the people who were channeled. They aren’t out right twisted into monsters but they are dehumanised in a sense since they don’t have faces and are graffiti. I find it interesting that the graffiti is graffitied with red. Of course this is the colour of the guilty verdict but also Fuuta’s spray paint and the black paint that is used to hide their identifiable features outside of clothing is the colour of es’s spray paint at the end of the MV.

————————————————————————————————

okay so time for a MV I didn’t cover last time because that post was purely focused on Es and because it’s something I’ve only noticed recently ^^;

we see in Cat the numbers 02/03/04 appear when Kazui’s glass is knocked over. Now I’m not entirely convinced myself these are supposed to correspond to prisoners but I thought I’ve cover it just in case.

Yuno and Fuuta both have connections to kazui. Yuno and kazui are prominent character parallels. Muu is a bit strange though…and the song completely skips over one.

as for the lyrics displayed on screen they generally make sense for the prisoners associated with the numbers

Like yuno’s number has cat for obvious reasons.

Smashing and shattering seems pretty in line with Fuuta and same with bye bye. It also is kinda similar to bang ba bang?

Muu doesn’t so much lie as take on the role of the victim. She isn’t lying about the events just manipulating them but for kazui lying and acting a role are sort of conflated so the lying could be seen as ‘put on a role till it gets better’ ??? As for the rest , Muu is heavily associated with followers (the other bully girls/haruka) and with royalty so it fits.

————————————————————————————————

Next The Purge March

The first thing I want to make note of is that the Amane on the ground here is in a very similar position to Fuuta at the end of Back Draft and the other Amane who’s shadow becomes Es is in a similar position to Es at the end of Back Draft.

other then that theres the continued theme of Es taking on a role in the prisoners mind. This time of amane’s mother/cult/the person who delivers punishment. ————————————————————————————————

Continuing to Deep Cover

Now I personally believe that the scale chess piece represents multiple things. I think you could equally argue for the scale chess piece being Es or Kotoko but for the sake of the post we will continuing under that interpretation this chess piece represents Es. Assuming this is the case this would be first time “Es” has appeared visually in multiple scenes.

the way the prisoners are portrayed is really similar to how both Fuuta‘s and Amane’s Mv’s portrayed them as shadows with out distinguishable features and funnily enough flat and two dimensional (aside from Es at the end of Back Draft of course)

And while we are making comparisons Deep Cover also is similar to Tear Drop in its use if chairs and a table.

but something fairly unique to Kotoko is how she portrays the prisoners pieces as broken. An argument could be made that Fuuta’s portrayal of the other guilty prisoners and himself as vandalised is similar but it feels different. Even Yuno who destroys the room by the end it doesn’t seem there is any evidence of her ripping up plushie Es.

then there is how Kotoko portrays the prisoners as chess pieces. I’m no chess expert but I strongly associate it with scarfing in the name of winning the game and I feel that lines up with Kotoko’s mindset towards the other prisoners and other “evils” of the world. That they should be hurt and stoped and scarified for the greater good but the chess metaphor also could be how she views herself as on the opposing side to the prisoners. You try to kill? Capture? Take out? (I’ve never been clear on exactly what happens to the pieces in chess) the opponents pieces so you my reach the king (the root or source one might say) and get rid of him. Again lines up pretty well with how Kotoko’s views the word , take out the “evil” before it can hurt the weak (her side?). Chess is such loaded symbolism that I can’t dig into every possible connotation or meaning here so I’ll leave it at this for now. ————————————————————————————————

And to end off revisiting the comparison’s from the original post

-all the appearances still focus on judgment in some sense: Yuno judges Es for their judgment and as commentary on the voting system. / Fuuta is also being judged and is judging Es for their judgement. / Amane is being judged and punished and she to in the prior line is judging Es for their judgments / a big part of Deep Cover is Kotoko judging Es for their judgments and the song is almost entirely about judgment of herself , other prisoners and judgment of judgment.

-yuno’s and fuuta’s MVs have a prominent focus on eyes where as Deep Cover and Pruge March are the opposite with there being no eyes. Though Amane’s next line does reference eyes. “I disavow you, eyes corrupted must be crushed”

-Es still can’t and doesn’t speak in any of the forms where they are shown.

-Es is still always shown in the centre of the frame. Except for this shot in Deep Cover.

-there is still a focus on hands in all the shots expect for The Purge March and some shots in Deep Cover.

-The shots colours no longer mainly consist of the characters main colour and a gold esc colour and black. (Though this point was always a bit of a stretch)

-The character singing is not in frame / we see Es through the pov of the prisoner still carries over for the most part apart from again this Deep Cover shot.

-I noted the power dynamics partly earlier in the post. Of course the backdraft/tear drop/the purge march points remain the same as the original post. In Back Draft Es has the power. They are the judge they are the one channeling they are the one with the spray can and who is standing up but in tear drop , Yuno portrayed as with the power Es is portrayed as a powerless plushie who can’t talk or move. Yuno is very much judging Es then the other way round. She reimagined them as a stuffed toy something we generally view as childish. Purge march brings us back to Es having all the power. With them being the one who judges the others and in Deep Cover , Kotoko has all the power! She has not only taken the position of the judge like Yuno did but kotoko has taken on the role and appearance of a warden again is very much judging everyone.

————————————————————————————————

[fandomzwriterk]

Smoke and Mirrors

Pairings: Tomas Vrbada/Smoke x OC

Warnings: slight gore + Amnesiac!OC + religious trauma (?) + characters dying + hinted innuendos later on + Kuai & Bi Han trying to be good brothers + Liu Kang as a dad figure (?) + Tomas just being his sweet lovable self + Bi Han being kind of a dick + Kuai Liang having no clue what it’s like to have a sister + confused “brother” Kuai Liang (?) + Raiden, Kung Lao, Johnny, and Kenshi being simps (mostly Raiden)

PT: 6/?

While Kuai and Bi-Han went on a mission in Las Angeles, Angel and Tomas were stuck back at base with Raiden and the other new recruits. Liu Kang didn’t take Tomas with his brothers, which in of itself was an odd thing. Angel didn’t mind though, as long as she wasn’t alone.

“So how did you come to join the Lin Kuei?” Raiden asked the pale haired girl

Raiden and Kung Lao sat at the steps of main path to the training grounds where everyone else was. Angel was nearby, sitting on a rock thinking with her back to them.

“I’m sure it was a grand story right? Much like the brothers?”

Angel was silent, hearing them but never saying a word.

“I’m sure your family must be proud too… or the family that raised you right? Bi-Han and Kuai Liang’s parents right?”

“They didn’t raise me. I showed up here months ago. That’s all.”

“That’s all? There has to be more right?”

Angel stood up, turning around to face both men as she stood towering over them.

“No. There isn’t. As far as I know, I remember nothing before I came here. All I have are the times I’ve spent here for the last few months, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m happy I have something to be in the Lin Kuei for.”

Raiden and Kung Lao were silent, letting Angel jump down and proceeding to walk away, letting Tomas walk in their direction as Angel went the other.

“Angel?”

She ignored him, walking past him as he watched her attention turn away from Raiden and Kung Lao.

“Did I say something?” Raiden asked

Raiden was concerned, he was a newbie to everyone here and he probably just offended the last person he wanted to wrong.

“What’d you say?” Tomas asked

“I just asked how her time was here as a kid and she told me she’s barely been here for a few months. I didn’t mean to offend.”

“We swear it wasn’t our intent.”

“I know. You’re curious, trust me I know. It just takes time with her.”

“She said she doesn’t remember anything. Is that true? How does she know her name though?”

“Oh that’s the name I gave her. She didn’t have one, so I called her that and then so did everyone else. It just stuck.”

“Oh. You really seem to care about her don’t you?”

“Of course. She’s probably my best friend here, and maybe my only friend.”

However… Raiden and Kung Lao didn’t believe him. But then again, as Liu Kang said, Tomas has a good heart, so maybe it’s just his nature to love and care for everyone the same. Maybe that was also because Tomas kept to himself, really only talking to his brothers and Angel.

“Why did you pick the name Angel?”

Tomas shrugged, he didn’t really have an answer. He just knew of angels from stories his mom told him, and Angel radiated that “energy” about her.

“Anyways. We’re gonna go train but can you tell Angel we’re sorry for us?”

“Sure guys, I will.”

And they all went separate ways. Tomas walking to find Angel while Raiden and Kung Lao went to train on the other side of the base.

“Angel? Where did you go?”

Silence greeted Tomas as he took quiet and careful steps, making sure not to disturb Angel in case she didn’t see him coming.

“Angel?” He whispered

“Tomas?”

His attention went up, noticing Angel sitting on the roof of a small hut that some foot soldiers slept in.

“I’ll be right there.” Tomas answered as he used his smoke magic to disappear, then reappearing next to Angel who was seated at the edge of the hut

“What made you come looking for me?”

Tomas adjusted his sitting, hanging his legs over the rooftop with Angel as well. Angel looked sad, seeming to try and think of something.

“Are you alright Angel?”

She nodded, just sighing as she moved her hands back, deciding to lean back a little to stare at the sky. The covers over her eyes intrigued Tomas each and every day. What could possibly be under those? What color did they look like? White? Red? Tomas wanted to know.

“You ever take it off?”

“This?” Angel asked pointing to her eyes with her pointer finger

“Yeah. How can you even see? Is it just muscle memory?”

“I… I don’t know. It’s as if I can see everything, but it’s like I’ve done this all before.”

“Before?”

“Like this just a memory that my own body remembers, just not me. As if I have no control, I just see and speak.”

Angel looked defeated. What even was she to begin with? How do you start a whole life over with no memory of anything before the moment you open your eyes, like nothing ever happened.

“Maybe, it’s just you. Maybe somehow, before you came here, maybe you were a good fighter. Maybe you were the strongest out there.”

Tomas was optimistic at trying to help Angel to remember anything, even if it didn’t seem significant at first. I hurt him to see Angel sad, after all she’s been good to him and his brothers. Tomas was willing to help someone who cared for him back, so he was going to do anything his friend asked of him.

“I’m sure we’ll figure it out together.”

Angel nodded, still staring out into the horizon, seeming to be thinking of something.

“I’ll see you in the morning Tomas.” She spoke softly before standing up, spreading her wings and taking off towards the other side of the complex

Next morning…

Angel woke up when a loud sound of someone screaming jolted her senses awake. Looking to her left and onto her table side, she reached for a small blade, letting it extend into a spear as she jumped out of bed. One hand in front her and the other behind her, Angel slowly walked to the door. She opened it, slowly looking left towards the wall that was next to Kuai’s room, who was at the end of the hall. She looked right, seeing Raiden about five feet in front of her also walking carefully and slowly. Quickly, she pulled her head back behind the door.

“What in the world are you doing?”

“I came to see if you were awake. I didn’t mean to alarm you.”

Angel made the blade disappear, standing up to full walk out the door.

“It wasn’t you who woke me up. I heard someone screaming.”

“Screaming? Oh you mean Johnny.”

“Johnny?”

“One of the new champions from last night. You know, the one Lord Liu Kang wanted to find.”

“Right. I remember.”

“Well come on! Everyone’s waiting for you.”

He turned and ran down the hall, completely forgetting the fact that Angel had her hair over her face in case the wraps fell from her face. She turned to walk back inside her room, making her way to the long white outfit she wore every day. It was almost like a robe, but the back was longer than the front. Her wraps lay on top of the robe, also noticing her golden robe pieces were a little dirty.

“No problem. I can easily clean this later.”

She put on her robe-like dress, making sure the sleeves were perfectly cut halfway down her shoulders. She didn’t show as much of her body like Smoke and his brothers did, but Angel still felt happy with what she wore. The perfectly shaped hole on the back was small, but just big enough for her to spread her wings comfortably. So with her dress on and her golden bands on her wrists, Angel walked out the door and went to go outside. It wasn’t even five seconds before she walked out that a loud “FUCKING SHIT” could be heard somewhere in the distance.

“Oh no.”

To be continued…

[m1ckeyb3rry]

Pomegranate Ink: XVII

Series Synopsis: Unable to heal but willing to fight, with a fiancé in Kyoto and a last name that looms over everything you do, you accept an offer to study at Tokyo Jujutsu Tech. What you did not know was that your salvation and your ruination alike would soon join you at the school, neatly wrapped in the form of a boy followed by death.

Chapter Synopsis: You have an argument with your father before going to meet Yuta.

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Yuta Okkotsu × Female Reader

Chapter Word Count: 5.4k

Content Warnings: angst, misogyny, naoya zenin, forbidden relationships, canon-typical violence, character death, original characters included

A/N: yuta reappearance yay!! enjoy the crumbs because he’s going to be gone until like shibuya now though

“Are you excited to visit Yuta?” Tullia said. She was sitting cross-legged on your bed, watching you pack, while Maki was frantically finishing the last of the summer homework that Kusakabe expected you all to turn in for the next class.

“Of course I am,” you said, folding a shirt and setting it in the small carry-on bag you were taking with you. You weren’t going for a long time, so you didn’t feel the need to bring an entire suitcase with you, but it was long enough that you’d definitely need a couple changes of clothes. “It’s been forever since I saw him last.”

“I’m jealous of you,” Maki said, her face reddening and cracks forming in the wood of her pencil from how hard she was gripping it. “Since you’ll be in Africa, you won’t have to worry about turning in this essay for Kusakabe!”

“Actually, I already turned it in,” you informed her. “As well as the rest of the work for the time that I’ll be missing. So the jealousy is unwarranted, because I’ve done more than you the past few days.”

“You’re such a nerd,” Maki said.

“Don’t blame me for your lack of planning,” you said. “Anyways, have you guys had the chance to meet the other first years yet?”

“Mm, nope!” Tullia said, apparently speaking for all them when she did so. “The higher ups have kept everyone busy, so it seems like we’re never at the school at the same time as them. Besides Fushiguro, we don’t know any of them.”

“The one boy, Itadori, is Sukuna’s vessel, and the other student is a girl, according to Gojo. That’s all I can tell you,” you said.

“Sukuna’s vessel,” Maki said. “I can’t believe we’re actually classmates with someone like that.”

“He’s a nice boy,” you said. “He didn’t seem to have ill intentions, so I don’t really mind it. Wasn’t it the same with Yuta? And see how he turned out. I think we’re past the point of judging people for whatever entities are attached to them.”

“Oh, I don’t disagree,” Maki said. “It’s just a little fantastical, is all. The King of Curses is our classmate — Tullia, for a frame of reference, it’s like if you went to school and suddenly you found out King George III would also be attending.”

“I know who Sukuna is,” Tullia said, giving her an incredulous look. “Since when are you informed on the American Revolution, though?”

“I did some light reading on it to make you feel more at home,” Maki said.

“Actually, I’m pretty sure Megumi’s the one that told her about that particular fact,” you said. Maki looked up from her essay to glare at you. You threw a sock at her in retaliation. “Don’t think she’s some kind of educated and well read woman. She still hasn’t finished her summer homework, so she’s definitely the opposite.”

“Okay,” Tullia said, sitting on her hands as a clear show of her neutrality in the argument. “Whatever you say.”

“Which one of us?” Maki said.

“Both?” Tullia said.

“Wait, we’re saying opposite things, so you can’t exactly go and say you agree with the two of us, can you? That’s not how it works,” you said.

“Um…Y/N, please be sure to pick up some souvenirs for us from wherever in Africa you’ll be visiting!” Tullia said in a rush. It was an obvious tactic to change the subject, but you and Maki exchanged looks and decided to allow it.

“Do you want food or something else?” you said.

“They probably wouldn’t let you bring food, at least not anything that would be really cool for you to bring back. Even if they did, it wouldn’t taste as good anymore,” Maki said.

“Something else it is. If anything catches my eye, I’ll be sure to get it. Gojo and Yuta will both be there; one of them can foot the bill. With those two having special grade salaries, I’ll really be upset if they make me pay for anything!” you said.

“Yuta would probably insist on paying, even if you were the better off between you two,” Tullia said. “I don’t think he’s the kind of boyfriend that’d let you lift a finger or open your wallet around him.”

“Plus Gojo just about starts crying from joy every time he gets to spend money on you, so you likely don’t have to worry about a thing,” Maki added.

“Exactly. So I'll get you guys something nice for sure!” you said.

“Alright!” Tullia said.

“Make sure to get something for yourself, too,” Maki said with a frown. “You’re always thinking of the rest of us, but it’s okay to think of yourself every now and then.”

You waved her off. “I have enough people thinking about me. I don’t need to add to the count.”

“If you say so,” Maki said.

Just then, there was a knock on your door. You frowned, wondering who had any business coming and knocking on your door. The two people that could be reliably counted upon to visit you were already sitting in the room, and if it was Toge or Panda, they’d have texted before coming. Gojo would just barge in, and even if he did by some miracle decide to knock, it wouldn’t be such a polite sound.

“Um, who is it?” you called out, shoving your suitcase to the side and standing, crossing the room to open the door and then flinching at the man who stood before you.

“Y/N,” he said. You swallowed, bowing your head at him.

“Father,” you said. “It’s a long way from our home to the school. Why have you come without announcing your arrival? Is something the matter?”

“I wanted to meet you and that girl of yours. The empty glass,” he said, gesturing towards the room. “May I come in?”

“Yes,” you said, “You’re in luck. Tullia’s in here already. Maki is as well, but whatever you want to say to us, you can say in front of her, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Who was it — oh! Mr. L/N!” Tullia said, leaping from the bed and waving at your father. You briefly wondered how she knew it was him before remembering what Noritoshi had said about how she was making the L/N and Kamo clans pay for her college tuition, since they were so grateful to her for saving your life.

“Tullia,” he said. There was a slight measure of affection in his voice when he said her name, as if she were his daughter, not you. “It seems the L/Ns owe you a greater debt than we had first realized.”

“What?” she said. “I don’t know if I plan on going to grad school yet, but if I ever do, I’ll definitely contact you…though I don’t really know what you’re thankful for this time.”

“You’ve given that girl the power to heal as well as fight,” he said. “She so stubbornly insisted on fighting, but at least this way, our family’s legacy isn’t entirely lost with her.”

“That’s Y/N’s accomplishment, though,” Tullia said. “You should do something nice for her, for a change.”

Your father turned to look at you. You raised your chin at him, waiting for him to say something cruel, something demeaning — but he only nodded at you in acknowledgement.

“Yes, maybe that’s true,” he said. “Your mother asked about your health, by the way. Y/N. Should I tell her you’re well?”

“I doubt it matters to you whether I am or am not,” you said. Your father swallowed.

“Your mother asked,” he repeated. “You do not have to respond. I’ll tell her you’re the same as always.”

“Tell her Gojo misses her, too,” you dared to say. You knew your friendship with Gojo was one that aggravated the higher ups, and your father was no exception; Gojo was the one man who could protect you from their whims, the one person who you were unequivocally safe around. As long as you were with him, they could not punish you. They could not force you to be the dutiful little daughter that you had been for much of your life.

“Gojo is not someone who has any right to miss her,” your father said shortly.

“He loves her, too,” you said. “Probably more than you do. She cared for him when he was young, I’m told. Why shouldn’t he miss her?”

“Y/N, maybe you shouldn’t…” Tullia said, trailing off weakly. You knew it was different for her. You knew she still held some hope that she might be able to mend the relationship between her and her own parents, but it was not like that for you. You had long ago given up on your father. You had long ago realized what the nature of that relationship was.

The man who all but sold you off to the Kamos. The man who had refused to let you attend school. The man who had refused to heal Yuta. But he was also the man who had protected you from Naoya Zenin’s offers of marriage. He was also the man who had believed in you when you had to fight Todo. It had such a contrary nature, this relationship, but it was only after becoming friends with Maki did you realize that this was not how it was supposed to be.

People who loved one another were not contrary about it. You looked at Maki, sitting at your desk and pretending to write, and that gave you all of the strength that you needed.

“Father,” you said. “Was there a purpose to your visit, beyond just sending my mother’s regards and saying hello to Tullia? If that’s the case, then please hurry up and get on with it, because I am busy. Gojo and I are going on an overseas mission, so I need to finish packing.”

“Yes, that’s right. I heard the news,” he said.

“The news,” you repeated.

“That Sukuna has found a vessel, and that you were involved in saving him. You know the history our family has with that creature, don’t you? Please stay well away from him. It’s likely he resents your namesake for the role she played in his defeat,” he said.

“It’s not like I was planning on befriending Sukuna himself,” you said. “It’s like that, by the way. He does feel something strange about the entire situation; he was adamant that he could not kill me when we met the first time.”

“What?” your father said, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Couldn’t kill you?”

“I’m as confused as you are, so don’t question me further. I don’t know why he’d say something like that,” you said.

“He must need you for something,” your father said. He was a practical man like that, always coming up with solutions and whatnot. “Think of what purpose a being like Sukuna could have for you, and you’ll have your answer.”

“I hardly know!” you said.

“Of course it won’t be that obvious!” he said, his temper flaring before he calmed it again. “It might take some time for you to understand what purpose you have for him, but I can assure you that whatever it is is most likely nefarious, so please don’t be fooled by his so-called kindness.”

“It wouldn’t describe it as kindness,” you said under your breath. “Was that all? Basic advice? I would’ve done all of that anyways, so it’s not like you’ve offered me anything profound by coming here. It could’ve just as easily been a text or email. A phone call, if you really missed the sound of my voice that much.”

“We’ve never discussed it in person, so I came to beg you, one last time, to give up fighting,” he said.

“Why? I can even heal, now that I’ve made that contract with Tullia and figured out how to manipulate it to our advantage. What point would there be in giving up fighting now?” you said.

“Sukuna has been reincarnated. Now that he’s found a vessel, and given what the higher ups plan on using him for, the level of curses that will appear from now on will be far beyond anything you can imagine, beyond anything any of us can imagine,” he said.

“All the more reason for me to fight,” you said. “I don’t know if you understand what it means for me to be a Grade 1 sorcerer — it means I’m strong. It means I’m one of the strongest sorcerers in active duty, only officially outclassed by three people: Gojo, Yuta, and Yuki Tsukumo. If the curses really will get that much stronger, then doesn’t it make sense for me to continue to fight? They need all the fighters they can get —”

“Do you think that you are special?” your father said, cutting you off. “You are not Satoru Gojo. You are not Yuta Okkotsu. You are not Yuki Tsukumo. I will not deny that you are a gifted fighter, leagues above most of your colleagues, but you are not a special grade sorcerer. There can be people to replace you. Noritoshi Kamo, Aoi Todo, Megumi Fushiguro, Toge Inumaki…all of these people will one day stand where you stand.”

“And all of them are men,” you noted. “Isn’t that interesting?”

“This isn’t about that,” he said. “I’m a man, and you don’t see me fighting, do you? Because I understand my strengths — something which you stubbornly refuse to do! Y/N, I didn’t come to belittle you, believe it or not. This is actually praise!”

“Praise!” you repeated with a laugh. There was a rustling of bedsheets as Tullia got up and went to stand by Maki, who by now had returned to her essay. Their attempt at giving you privacy. “What praise comes from you insulting my choice in occupation?”

“Y/N!” your father said. He said your name as if you were his existence’s biggest problem. You wished that he’d say it in a kinder way. “You brought someone back to life. Why can you not understand what that means? You are meant to be a healer! What you did for Yuta Okkotsu has only been done once before in all of history. It’s the kind of thing that myths are written about. You are not a healer but the healer, and yet you reject your fate!”

“I understand what you are saying,” you said.

“You do?” he said.

“Yes,” you said. “If you compare healers to fighters, then I’d be Gojo himself. A figure without precedent. The kind of person that changes the world just by existing. But I don’t want to be that person. I don’t want to change the world just by existing. I want to do something with myself! Healing kills me, father. I die every time I use the Reverse Cursed Technique. It is only through fighting that I may feel alive! I can’t go back to being who I once was. Do you understand that?”

“I do,” he said. “Because it was the same for me. And it was the same for my father before that, and for every other L/N that has possessed Dissection and Composition. All of us want to fight. How do you think it feels, seeing all of the people that come to us and knowing we can never stand by their sides? We are trapped by the constraints of who we are. We are L/Ns, and L/Ns don’t fight. We heal. That is how we contribute to society. That is how we have made a name for ourselves. That is what we are meant to do. Our very bodies are designed for it. Why do you insist on escaping that?”

“Then give me a new name,” you said. “Clearly, I am no L/N.”

He scoffed. “You don’t mean that. You are the example of a L/N. You cannot get away from that.”

“What if I go to Africa?” you said. “Will my name follow me there, too?”

“It will follow you no matter where you go,” he said. “Stop denying it. Give in to who you are meant to be.”

“Father, I can’t be who you want me to be. It’s not who I am. Won’t you accept that?” you said.

He gave you a measured look before nodding and turning away, striding towards the door and then pausing before shutting it behind him.

“I do accept it,” he said. “But I hope you fully realize what it means.”

The door shut before you could fire back a response. You settled for swearing at the wood paneling, stomping over and locking the handle before flopping back on your bed. Your motivation to pack had suddenly vanished entirely.

“Sorry you guys had to hear that,” you said. Maki and Tullia turned to me with fake smiles on their faces.

“Hear what? We didn’t hear anything,” Maki said.

“Yes, that’s right! We were so busy working on that essay,” Tullia said.

“You guys don’t have to lie. It’s fine. That’s how it’s always been. My father and I don’t get along, obviously. He’s always wanted me to be something that I’m not. Before, it was because I had no aptitude that I disappointed him so greatly, that I could not fulfill my destiny as another healer of the L/N clan. Now, it’s because I have so much aptitude that I frustrate him to this extent. It doesn’t matter what I do. It’ll never be what he wants,” you said.

“It’s fine,” Maki said. “I get it. You all know exactly what expectations my family had for me. Obviously I didn’t abide by those, so I understand what it’s like completely. You won’t find any judgment from me.”

Tullia let out a soft breath. “I don’t really know what my parents want from me anymore. I thought I might figure it out one day, but I don’t think I can. I don’t think that anything I can do will make them proud of me. So I get it, too.”

The three of you had all disappointed your families in some way or another. You, who refused to follow the path set out for you. Maki, who wasn’t even capable of following that path. And Tullia, who did not know what the path was in the first place. Things were different for people like you. People who had to fight in order to prove their worth instead of being given respect automatically. It was something that none of your peers would ever understand — because at least they had been given the grace of being born male. You all didn’t even get that much.

“Have a safe flight!” Maki said as she put your bag in the back of Ijichi’s car, alongside Gojo’s. “Tell Yuta we all said hi.”

This was said in a whisper; no one else knew that you and Gojo were going to check in on Yuta. The official reason was that he was going on a mission overseas, and you were accompanying Gojo as a part of your training. Although Kusakabe was your teacher now, you were technically ranked the same as him, so the higher ups had allowed for Gojo to continue to work as your instructor when situations arose that necessitated it.

“I will,” you said. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear it.”

“See you soon, Y/N! Just text me if you need to heal anyone,” Tullia said.

“There’ll be a time difference. What if you’re asleep?” you said.

“If you need me, I’ll wake up,” she said. “Pinky swear.”

You smiled at her, wrapping her in a hug, feeling the way your hearts beat in tandem. Tullia, who had given you half of yourself back; who would you be without her? She had saved your life. She had given you everything so that you could be happy, so that you could continue to fight. And here she was, continuing to sacrifice for your sake.

“Remind me to do something good for you once things settle down,” you said.

“I’ll get a PhD,” she said. “You can pay for that one.”

“Alright,” you said with a laugh. “Alright, Tullia. I’ll do that.”

The flight was not as long as you had imagined. You slept for most of it, Gojo turning off his Infinity so that you could use his shoulder as a pillow. He explained that flying got him too wired to rest, but he was glad that it was not like that for you. You were just glad that his shoulders were broad enough that you could comfortably rest against them until he shook you awake for the landing.

“Yuta doesn’t know you’re coming, by the way,” Gojo informed you.

“Why not?” you said.

“I thought it would be fun to surprise him!” Gojo said. You were about to argue, but then you decided that he was kind of right. You hadn’t mentioned your visit to Yuta, since you assumed Gojo had told him already, but you were suddenly glad you hadn’t, if only because imagining the look on his face when he finally saw you was incredibly satisfying.

“Okay,” you said.

“That’s it? I thought for sure you’d be annoyed,” Gojo said.

“I considered it, but to be honest, you were kind of right this time,” you said.

“Alright!” Gojo said, pumping his fist in the air. “I’ll let you guys have your reunion while I catch up with Miguel, so be sure to report all of the details of how it goes, okay?”

“Maybe not all of them,” you said. “But sure, I’ll tell you what most of it is like.”

“Good enough! Now go have fun,” Gojo said. “Have him take you around the city. You guys deserve some time off.”

“Isn’t it Miguel’s decision if Yuta gets time off?” you said. Gojo waved you off dismissively.

“I’ll convince him, so don’t worry about a thing! Seriously, you deserve to spend some time just relaxing with him. It’s a chance that you won’t get very often in your life, so take advantage of it,” he said.

“You’re right. Thank you, Gojo,” you said.

“Yeah, yeah. Anytime,” he said. “Now go.”

As the two of you rounded the corner, you saw him. He looked different now, but also the same: he was taller, his face narrower and his shoulders wider, a wrapped katana strapped across his back. His hair had grown longer, too, neatly parted now instead of falling in his face haphazardly. But his eyes were the same, though they had not landed upon you yet, still the exact shade of poison blue that you had grown to admire so dearly in the time that you had known him.

Seeing him again was like a great burden being knocked off your shoulders. It was as if you had not been able to fully breathe, and now you were inhaling great lungfuls of air to make up for the lack. To your surprise, something hot scalded your cheeks the longer you stared at him, and you realized you were actually crying.

“Yuta,” you whispered, taking one step and then finding that you were unable to contain yourself. Breaking into a run, you sprinted towards him, wanting for the distance to grow smaller in as quick of a time as possible. “Yuta!”

He turned as if he could not quite believe what he was hearing. You saw his forehead scrunch into an endearing expression as he mouthed something that you were certain was your name. When his eyes landed on you, they lit up, his entire countenance transforming from the gloomy man that scared off passersby to one who was so delighted he was all but glowing from it.

“Y/N!” he shouted, opening his arms. Without hesitation, you threw your bag to the side and flung yourself into them, wrapping your own around his torso and clenching the white fabric of his jacket in your fists.

He held you so tightly that you might’ve shattered if you were a lesser being. In fact, he held you like you had already shattered and he was the only thing that could keep you together, and maybe that really was the truth. For a while, you two stayed like that, clinging to one another in the middle of the airport, and then he finally let go, grabbing your face — however, this was gently done, softly, though the calluses of his fingers were rough against your cheeks and jaw.

“Are you really here?” he said.

“Yes,” you said, still a little in awe at all, too. “I’m really here.”

“Thank goodness. I’ve missed you more than I could bear,” he said.

“I’ve missed you, too,” you said. “So much.”

“You know,” he murmured. “Here in Africa, the higher ups don’t have any power.”

“Is that so?” you said.

“Mhm. They don’t have eyes everywhere, the way they do back home,” he said. “In fact, they don’t have eyes anywhere.”

“Convenient,” you said.

“You think?” he said.

“Yes. I’d rather not delay doing this, after all,” you said. With that, you allowed your hands to tangle in his hair, tugging on it, pulling him to your mouth so that he could fit his own against it. You stayed there for you didn’t know how long, savoring the taste of being reunited, relearning how each other worked, what had changed and what hadn’t in the time that had passed since you had met last.

It was when you pulled apart, each gasping for breath, that you had the sudden, horrible sense that you were being watched. Spinning around and ignoring the sound of surprise Yuta made, you glared at the two men very conspicuously trying to not look at you.

“Gojo!” you shouted, jabbing your finger at him. “Stop doing that! It’s so weird that you always show up at these moments!”

“Don’t blame this on me! I tried to tell Miguel to leave you guys alone, but he insisted we get a move on to his village before anyone got wind of us being associated with him!” Gojo said, holding his hands in the air as if to proclaim innocence.

“Sorry,” Miguel said, clearing his throat, obviously embarrassed. “I did not realize that you and my student were so, ah…close.”

“Well!” you said. “To be honest, that’s probably how a normal teacher-student relationship should be like. Gojo is just a meddling idiot who doesn’t understand that!”

“Your mother was my babysitter,” Gojo said. “I think we crossed the line of ‘normal teacher-student relationship’ several years ago!”

“You guys haven’t changed a bit,” Yuta said, holding your bag in one hand and using his other interlock his fingers with your own. “Miguel, sir, with your permission, can I take the day to show Y/N around the village once we return?”

Miguel distinctly avoided eye contact with both of you when he responded. “Go ahead, kid. I doubt you’ll get much training done while she’s here, anyways, so you might as well make the most of it.”

Gojo gave you a discreet thumbs up while Yuta and Miguel were distracted. You took the opportunity to flip him off before returning your attention to Yuta, leaning against his arm as you walked towards Miguel’s car.

“How have things been back home?” he said.

“Ugh. The same but also different,” you said. He frowned.

“Are the higher ups giving you trouble again?” he said.

“When are they not?” you said rhetorically. “My father came to see me. He thinks I should give up fighting.”

“Still? I thought you made it clear that you didn’t want to do that,” he said.

“Oh, right,” you realized. “You haven’t heard what’s been going on yet.”

You quickly summed up the most important events that had occurred since Yuta had left: this discovery of the contract you and Tullia had formed, Itadori manifesting as Sukuna’s vessel, Sukuna’s cryptic words about how he could not kill you. With every word you spoke, the crease between his brows deepened, until you finished and he was just about fully scowling.

“Of all the times to send me out of the country, it had to be right before all of this happened,” he said. “Why would you ask Itadori to let Sukuna out? What if you had gotten hurt?”

“Like I said, I knew Gojo was on his way, and in the meantime, if it came down to it, I had Megumi there to help me,” you said. This obviously did nothing to alleviate his concerns; if anything, it worsened them, as he gave you a look.

“Megumi is only a first year,” he said. “He’s nowhere near ready to fight Sukuna, even if he only has one finger’s worth of power.”

“You were only a first year, and already doing so much,” you said, poking him in the side as a reminder. He rolled his eyes.

“Yes, but Megumi isn’t me,” he said.

“He definitely isn’t,” you said. “That’s not a question. It’s why I got involved in the first place; without my intervention, there’s no telling what might’ve happened. He wasn’t meant to fight Sukuna; he was there to aid me, if things came to it, until Gojo could arrive. But things didn’t come to it, and I could’ve handled the situation completely easily, even if Sukuna didn’t have that weird aversion to fighting me.”

“I didn’t doubt that,” he said.

“Are you sure?” you said.

“It’s Megumi I was doubting!” he said hotly. “Not you. I was just worried about you. After all, everyone knows about Gojo’s track record of only showing up once all the action’s over.”

“That’s true,” you allowed. “You’ll not believe it, but that’s what happened that night, too…”

Yuta snorted. “No surprise.”

“Anyways, everything worked out fine. I didn’t get hurt, Megumi didn’t have to fight Sukuna, and Itadori proved his worth as a vessel. Overall, it was a success,” you said.

“They’re not going to execute Itadori?” Yuta said.

“They tried. Megumi didn’t want it to happen like that, so he asked Gojo to stop it. I showed my support,” you said.

“Why?” he said. “You of all people would know how dangerous Sukuna is.”

“Of course, but the situation reminded me too much of yours. If the higher ups had executed you that night, I don’t know what I would’ve done,” you said, grasping him tighter at just the thought. What would your life be like if you had lost Yuta that night? If you had never known him in the first place, if he had never been yours to lose at all? Where would you even be now? Still a disappointment, probably, but of a different sort.

He exhaled through his nose. “You’re right.”

“He’s a very kind person. Sukuna’s vessel, I mean; he’s genuinely very sweet. It’s odd to think that such a terrible creature lives inside of him,” you said.

“It seems like you’ve been making a lot of friends,” he noted. “With Megumi and Itadori and all.”

“I guess so, but I still spend most of my time with Maki and Tullia,” you said. “Those two are just my underclassmen, so I have to look out for them as best I can. It’s kind of like how Gojo is with us, except unlike Gojo, I’m not a little creep about it.”

“He is so odd,” Yuta agreed. “No wonder he’s still single.”

“Very true,” you said. “But enough talking about this kind of thing. We have souvenirs to buy!”

“Souvenirs?” he said. You nodded.

“Yes, Maki and Tullia asked for some, so I promised to bring stuff back for them,” you said. “Where are the best shops around here?”

“I’ll take you,” Yuta said fondly. “We have to make the best of this trip, right? I’m not about to let you go shopping by yourself.”

“Uh, I wasn’t planning on going by myself. In an unfortunate turn of events, I seem to have forgotten my purse at home,” you said.

“What a shocking plot twist, indeed,” Yuta said dryly. “It’s okay. I wouldn’t have let you use it, so it’s not that unfortunate.”

“I love you,” you said.

“I know,” he said.

He still refused to say it back. He still couldn’t say it back, still had that thought in his mind that it would kill you or curse you or something if he did, but you didn’t mind. You understood his reasoning, even if you found it a little superstitious, and you understood that it didn’t mean anything in the long run, didn’t mean he cared for you any less.

And when he squeezed your hand in a secret, quiet response, undercutting his seemingly callous words, you understood that, too.

[canonicallyobserving911]

Buck & Eddie: Season 6 Love Interests👀?

I noticed something interesting about Buck’s and Eddie’s “supposed love interests” who were introduced during the latter part of 6b.

Eddie

Based on the comments left by GA viewers on social media and post-mortem articles, before she reappeared in 6x17 “Love is in the Air”, most viewers couldn’t even remember who Marisol was or where she came from.

Those who did remember her, made it clear in their comments that her character seemed like she was in love with her brother.  Even though she was in 6x5 “Home Invasion”, she was only there for one emergency and while they were inside of the ambulance, Eddie seemed weirded out by her fascination with her brother too. He barely interacted with her while the 118 was on the scene and when he returned to her house with Buck and some other unrecognizable firefighters (still don’t know who they were) to help repair her ceiling, they barely spoke more than one sentence to each other and any other conversations he had with her happened off-screen.

It was different when he interacted with Ana because he had several on-screen conversations with her and he was shown conversing with her four times in season 3 before she reemerged in 4x6 “Jinx” as his love interest which means the GA didn’t have a problem remembering her.  He wasn’t instantly attracted to Marisol like he had been with Ana when he went to Chris’ parent/teacher conference with Carla.

Maybe the reason the character of Marisol was chosen to return has something to do with the fact that she’s FORGETABLE.  Unlike Ana, who was reintroduced to stick around for a while, it’s possible Marisol was only there to help Eddie SEE who and what is right in front of him and to realize who he really wants to be in a relationship with.  If that was the point of her being at the hardware store, then it’s possible her reappearance was so Eddie could rethink his stance on asking her out and that could be the reason why Marisol was chosen instead of Vanessa or Felisa.

Vanessa was the most recent woman Eddie had a date with in 6x14 “Performance Anxiety” and even though she let him down easy, the audience would have remembered her instead of Marisol.  Also, Felisa’s emergencies were the only ones included in 6x7 “Cursed” and Eddie actually had an on-screen conversation with her at the end of the episode.  It was about the Tsunami and if they wanted to choose her instead of Marisol, they could have. The point is if the show wanted to use someone the audience would have remembered to be Eddie’s love interest, they very well could have but for some reason they chose to use someone who barely even talked with Eddie on-screen this season and he didn’t have an instant attraction to her like he did with Ana; so maybe there’s a reason for it.

Buck

Buck’s past love life was on full display in 6x17 and it appears Natalia may have been introduced so he could realize who’s right in front of him too.  She exhibited characteristics from at least two of Buck’s previous girlfriends that makes it seem like she was being setup to be the perfect woman for him but something was off about her especially with the way she kept saying “That’s so cool” (WTH?). The first time she said it was in 6x15 while they were having coffee and he explained the way he died from the lightning strike.  Then she said it again when Taylor was on TV right after Taylor mentioned the book she wrote about the 118.

The first comparison can be made with Ali from season 2.  The audience doesn’t know anything about Natalia except she’s a death doula. Every time she had a conversation with Buck, the parts the audience saw and heard were the things he said about himself and that could be the reason why he told Eddie, she SEES me. He’s always seen himself through the eyes of the women he’s dated. Her void characterization can be compared to Ali’s because all the audience knew about Ali in season 2 was her job and the fact that Buck and Eddie saved her during the earthquake.  Buck even called her Abby and she had to correct him. She was only in four episodes and for two of them she wasn’t Buck’s love interest. She reappeared in 2x8 “Buck Actually” to ask him out on a date but she didn’t appear again until 2x18 “This Life We Choose” after Buck’s leg got crushed by the ladder truck and then she broke up with him because he didn’t want to stop being a firefighter. Natalia is similar to Ali because she asked him out for coffee too but she’s also the opposite of Ali since she appeared to be fascinated with Buck’s job and his death in 6x15 “Death and Taxes” while Ali wanted to run away from it in 2x18.

The second comparison is with Taylor.  Natalia’s a lot like Taylor too because she seems to be very career driven and things like death fascinate her while it terrifies most people and it makes them uncomfortable.  Buck told her in 6x15, “It’s fascinating. I never knew someone who could spend their life bringing someone closer to death… legally” and it appears Taylor’s fascination with death may have rubbed off on him since she assumed Jonah was a serial killer and she also said it was “fascinating” in 5x17 “Hero Complex”.  Most people don’t find death or serial killers to be cool or fascinating so there’s that.

Also, some of the words Natalia said and her mannerisms came off as abrupt or harsh and they caused Buck to retreat within himself the same way he used to do with Taylor.  During their conversation about the tip, Buck was genuinely trying to figure it out but she assumed he was flustered after he saw LD.  His math powers were gone and he was really struggling but to compensate he tried to play it off.  While it may not have been intentional (especially since she doesn’t know him) her comment about “They give you three options right down here” caused him to do something he hasn’t done since he broke up with Taylor. He tried to make himself smaller and he looked like he was struggling to come up with the answer.  His reaction to her comment was similar to the one he had in 4x8 “Breaking Point” when Taylor told him he couldn’t stand it when people don’t like him and when she called him “needy”.

Additionally, Taylor told Buck to take care of himself after he broke up with her in 5x18 “Starting Over” and Natalia said the same thing to him in 6x17.  She walked over to the dining room table, picked up her purse, told him to take care of himself then she left his loft and he looked over his shoulder at her almost the same way he looked at Taylor after she told him that.  The point is Natalia’s introduction appears to have been done to help Buck SEE that even though she’s a little like Ali and her opposite in a lot of respects and she’s a lot like Taylor, she’s still not right for him.

Will either of these characters reemerge in 6x18 “Pay it Forward”, it’s possible since their names are on the synopsis but it’s also possible, they may not be since episode synopses have been incorrect a lot this season.  Reminder, the synopsis for 6x1 “Let the Games Begin” stated Chimney and Maddie would go to couples’ therapy but they didn’t and the synopsis for 6x5 stated Hen would talk to her professor even though she did it in 6x4 “Animal Instincts”.  Could it have been a mistake to list them?  No one will know until Monday but the truth is AK who plays LD and MW who plays TK’s names weren’t in the synopsis for 6x17 but they were there so who knows if Marisol and Natalia will return.

[tenebraevesper]

Sonic the Hedgehog Analyzer, Issue #59: Urban Warfare (Part 3)

Finally, it’s here! You guys have no idea how much I had been looking forward to this Issue, and for a good reason, but let’s first admire the art by Nathalie Haines, which was actually drawn like a classical painting. It’s magnificent!

*clasps hands*

Anyways, Urban Warfare (Part 3); what is there to say about it? Holy Hell, what isn’t there to say about it? Honestly, I had been losing my mind the moment I read the summary for it, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. But, before I start, a little recap since it has been a while.

Sonic and the Diamond Cutters (Tangle, Whisper and Lanolin) arrived at Eggperial City to figure out what is going on, and have found out that the city is expanding by itself. As they plan their next move, the Diamond Cutters end up in a different dimension due to one of Eggman’s portals featured in The Test Run Arc, while Sonic calls for reinforcements. Tails, Amy, Blaze and Silver show up and as they progress through the city, they run into Team Dark destroying Badniks left and right.

So, I’m not even one page into the story and I’m already picking up Sonadow energy from this moment. Trust me, I had a field day with this one.

Sonic is genuinely shocked to see Shadow... and only Shadow. I can’t blame him though, considering how their last encounter went.

Yeah, I’m not sure how many of you remember, but Shadow’s last appearance was in The Chao Races and Badnik Bases Arc, where he made some rather questionable decisions, but not as bad as what happened during The Crisis City Arc (aka the Zombot Fiasco), based on how SEGA wanted him to be written in the story. Fortunately, regarding the writing, we had actually gotten some good news in the weeks leading up to Team Dark’s, and especially Shadow’s, reintroduction to the comics.

To keep it short, all that talk about Shadow having a bunch of locks and chains placed on him to keep him in line with their vision... well, they started to break. From what I understood, SEGA gave more workable guidelines for him that allow for more liberties with writing his character - or in other words, Vegeta!Shadow is finally gone!!! As a matter of fact, while reading through the story, the improvement in his character was remarkable. Admittedly, it might not be for everyone, but goddamn, I’m loving it!

Not to mention, this is the first time since The Crisis City Arc that we see Team Dark working together once again. Also, Rouge, why are you calling everyone else kids when you’re only 18? (And yeah, I know SEGA removed the ages for all the characters, but let’s be honest, who pays attention to that?).

Sonic quips how he’s flattered that they’re here to rescue him, but they’re late to the party and... Silver, what the hell are you doing with Blaze?

*laughs* Even Tails and Amy have noticed that Silver is holding Blaze upside down, while he didn’t register any of it. I suppose Silver is too focused on Team Dark’s reappearance to realize what he’s doing.

Shadow just leaps off the scrapped Badniks, replying to Sonic how he has no idea what he’s talking about, nor does he care. Sonic, on the other hand, looks a little disappointed with that answer. I suppose he had been hoping for some banter.

Rouge then quickly brings him up to speed, explaining how she called in “her boys” (I see this as another win for everyone who say Team Dark are friends!) to see what they could do about Eggperial City - aka destroy everything in their path, foil Eggman’s plans and maybe steal some kind of treasure.

Sonic figures that makes sense, but I’m still convinced he’s disappointed they (or rather Shadow) weren’t here to help him out.

Cue Amy shoving Sonic away to talk to Rouge. I saw people saying how she’s just being overprotective of her crush, but I was questioning where Amy’s line of sight is. Amy notes how this is awfully altruistic of Rouge, but as I said above, she’s in because she wants to raid Eggman’s private vaults for a handsome reward.

Tails and Silver are hyped up to work with them to destroy the city though.

Omega notes how the conversation is irrelevant to their mission, and Rouge notes how Team Sonic would just slow Team Dark down and they’d be going off on their own, with Omega also promising to not hit anyone in the crossfire. Honestly, I think this is the nicest thing Omega could tell them.

Meanwhile, Sonic looks so done with everything. We don’t get annoyed Sonic often, so it’s neat to see him like that, and it makes sense, considering how in a (I assume) very short time-span (depending on when Scrapnik Island takes place), he had discovered Eggperial City and was chased by Metal Sonic while keeping Tails, Kit and Belle safe and having his leg injured, fought Surge at least three times, discovered what Starline had done to them, got separated from the Diamond Cutters and is now trying to foil another of Eggman’s plans while being on his territory and having to deal with Badniks.

That, and Rouge said they were slowing Team Dark down.

Never tell Sonic he’s slowing you down. Never.

Oh, and as the cherry on top, Eggman decides to make an announcement. But instead of talking about how he’s gonna blow up the moon, he decides to explain to everyone how the Eggperial City works. It is a self-replicating and self-repairing metropolis. Anything they destroy, dozens more will rise to take its place. Eggman also figures that this would be a nice time to rise the stakes a little, so he calls in for a little surprise.

IT’S THE SHADOW ANDROIDS!!!

To note, we haven’t seen these guys since Whisper’s backstory way back in the Tangle and Whisper Miniseries and before that, we haven’t seen them since Sonic Heroes and Shadow the Hedgehog.

Going by Shadow’s reaction, he’s clearly shocked to see them again, and Eggman’s obviously going to use the Shadow Androids to their fullest potential.

Hell, Eggman has already the popcorn ready, all to happy to watch the carnage unfold. He calls it a stroke of genius in regards of building robots that mimic Shadow’s skills and holding onto them for the right moment (and that’s not even accounting for the mindscrew Shadow had to deal with when he encountered one for the first time).

Metal Sonic, though, is not happy about the Shadow Androids being dispatched. I’m certain that he wants to be the one on the battlefield.

While this is happening, the Diamond Cutters have infiltrated the control room, Lanolin and Whisper sneaking in, while Tangle just strolls inside like she owns the place, much to Lanolin’s chagrin, and points out how no one’s gonna spot them as she places her hand through Metal’s head. Lanolin just sighs, figuring this should make checking the room out easier, while Whisper stares in the screen in pure shock, realizing that the past is about to repeat itself.

She breaks down, and honestly, I really love the backgrounds in this page. We can see the darkness surrounding Whisper as she tells them how everyone’s going to die. However, the moment Tangle reaches for her and comforts her, the darkness slowly fades away, replaced by a ray of light. Tangle hugs Whisper, promising her how things will be fine, and even Lanolin joins in on comforting Whisper. While these three are still learning, they do make a great team.

Speaking of the Shadow Androids, we see Team Sonic fighting them, everyone being clearly in shock to what they are, with Tails being unable to get clear readings about them as they’re too fast. Even Blaze’s fire is not enough to keep them back and they’re strong enough to deal with Amy’s hammer.

Now, I’ll stop here to put a reminder. On the heroes side, no one but Shadow, Rouge, Omega, Whisper and Tangle here knows about the Shadow Androids. Whisper’s encounter with them is obvious, and Tangle saw footage of that, while Shadow, Rouge and Omega ran into them in Sonic Heroes, and Shadow had another (dubiously canonical) encounter with them in Shadow the Hedgehog.

Realizing just how dire the situation is, Sonic calls Silver for help so they can escape. Silver, being the awesome psychic he is, lifts the ground into a ramp and with Blaze frying the Shadow Androids that are after them, Sonic grabs everyone to get away from the robots in pursuit (also, nice Sonamy moment with that little blush).

Team Sonic finds Team Dark after the groups have been briefly separated, with Blaze grabbing Sonic and Amy’s hands and rushing over to help Team Dark. Yeah, there is an error in the panels, as both show Blaze grabbing hands with rings around them, suggesting she was grabbing only Amy’s hand. I suppose the artist forgot to erase the ring to make it clear she was also grabbing Sonic.

Back with Team Dark, Shadow assesses how Eggman’s trying to overwhelm them with sheer numbers and how there’s no strategy to their movements, meaning they can be easily manipulated. He figures that, once they move to a better position, they can take them out.

Cue Blaze throwing Sonic and Amy (another error, both are blue instead of being blue and pink) with Sonic spin-dashing and Amy smashing the Shadow Androids that were about to attack Shadow.

With a nose flick, Sonic is right back to quipping, asking Shadow whether he had some cousins he never told them about, while Shadow responds with “Please. These cheap copies don’t deserve to wear my place.”

Have I told you how much I love these two together? (≧◡≦)

As the battle continues, Shadow explains how the Shadow Androids are cheap copies created by Eggman, and how he’ll pay dearly for this insult. Unfortunately, Omega loses his footing and is being brought down by the Shadow Androids, but he keeps on fighting. Realizing how things are getting dire, Rouge asks Shadow to use his own powers against the Shadow Androids, but he responds how it is impossible without a Chaos Emerald (makes me wonder what happened to the Chaos Emerald Rouge stole in the Sonic Annual).

Tails rushes in, telling Shadow how the crystals are also generating Chaos Energy, with Shadow agreeing, but notes how the energy is distorted.

“Fake Emeralds... I hate to stoop to using such a pale substitute, but... it will do.”

Okay, can I say that this panel is absolutely amazing, and what’s about to happen is jaw-dropping!

I swear, this was my reaction to seeing this page:

Not only is the art absolutely gorgeous, but it finally shows Shadow as a pure badass who has the skills to support his title of The Ultimate Lifeform! Honestly, words cannot describe how much I love this! Bow your heads low, all hail Shadow!

And to add a cherry to the top of this moment of awesomeness:

Absolutely badass! It’s really great to see Shadow let loose from time to time. Hell, even Team Sonic is amazed!

Tails, Amy and Silver are starstruck, Rouge is proud of her boy, Blaze is... stunned, to say the least (I suppose she never saw what Shadow was truly capable of), while Sonic figures he should too give it a try.

And yeah, I saw the Dark Sonic jokes floating around. Are you guys forgetting that Sonic was the first to use a Fake Chaos Emerald for Chaos Control back in Sonic Adventure 2? He knows how to handle them.

Shadow then points out that they’re not done yet and goes for another Chaos Control, only for something to happen...

A giant crystal shoots out of the ground, throwing everyone off, while Rouge asks Shadow what’s happening. Shadow is crackling with Chaos Energy, warning her that it’s too much and...

Holy frigging Hell! Shadow unleashes a blast of Chaos Energy, nuking everything surrounding him. Everyone escapes, and when Rouge tries to get back to Shadow and Omega, she’s stopped by the crystals, which are now shooting out from everywhere.

Eggman quickly attempts to regain control of the situation, figuring Shadow would cause trouble. Tangle wonders what happened, with Whisper answering how it was Chaos Overload (how does she know that?). I suppose Shadow used to much of the surrounding Chaos Energy and it was too much for him to handle since the Fake Chaos Emeralds were spread out all over the city. He may be a Master of Chaos Control, but even this would overwhelm someone like him.

Eggman activates the emergency limiter, rebooting the system, noting how it’ll take more to take out his city.

Team Sonic and Rouge observe the destruction Shadow had caused, with Tails figuring it was some runaway feedback loop. Rouge is worried about Shadow and Omega, but Sonic, Silver and Blaze assure her that not only are the two tough, they also know what they’re up against and they can deal with Eggman. Rouge is cheered up, while Sonic looks forward to Shadow’s expression when he saves him.

Yeah, Sonic will never let Shadow live that down.

Back with Eggman, the power has returned, the system got rebooted... and Eggman lost Sonic and co. Lanolin points out how the power surge nearly crippled the entire city, so if they trigger another bigger one, this should destroy it. But in that moment, all three of them become suddenly visible, with Eggman spotting them.

In two magnificent panels, we get an Eggman obscured by shadows, really creeping me out, as he figures they ran into his spatial-displacement trap. He explains how they almost got out when the power dipped, but he has a way of dealing with them, summoning another model of the portal and telling them how this will scatter their atoms into oblivion.

Whisper takes the shot, and honestly, if she still hadn’t been trapped in that other dimension, she would’ve killed Eggman then and there. The blast went right through his chest. Like, this was probably the fourth time she attempted to kill someone in cold blood (first Mimic, followed by another attempt at Eggman’s life, then Surge and now Eggman again).

What’s even more chilling is how calm Eggman is, well aware what his trap had done. It then surrounds Whisper.

Tangle screams for her as Whisper is trapped inside the device, and then spots another one flying for her, only for Lanolin to ram her out of the way and tell her to tell everyone what happened and what to do before getting captured herself.

Tangle is cornered, but she suddenly phases through the window, falling out of the command tower. The story ends on a literal cliffhanger.

Holy Hell, I absolutely loved this Issue! It was beyond awesome for all the reasons I already talked above, but there is one specific thing I wanted to discuss in the ending of this analysis - Shadow’s portrayal.

Honestly, I had absolutely no complaint with how he was written in this Issue. People might not agree with me, but I think Urban Warfare really redeemed him, as rather than being prideful and arrogant, he was more business-like and focused on the mission, pragmatic and patient in explaining to everyone what is going on, as well as having his moments of banter with Sonic.

As for him being taken out of the battle, alongside Omega, I’m actually fine with it, as it’s the manner with how he was put out of commission.

Seriously, compare this:

To this:

It’s not about pride, it’s about saving everyone with his own power, and that’s what I had been missing from IDW!Shadow for so long.

I really hope we’ll see more of this in the future.

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[pinheadbella]

My Thoughts on TDI Reboot Season 2 (now that I’ve watched the whole thing) (spoilers below)

Short answer: It got progressively worse once merge hit. It started off with some interesting plots and relationships. But then it chose to focus on one of those ships, have the show and the strategies revolve around it, and not end their story until the very last second. When I thought it couldn’t get worse, it did. The writers kept choosing to prioritize characters that had WAY TOO MUCH SCREENTIME ALREADY. And that caused me to root for their downfall not because they were running the game and needed to be defeated cause they’re evil or whatever. But because I was getting sick of seeing/hearing them and didn’t want them to win. The season did end on a good-ish note and I do like the winner. But the ending would’ve been better if the winner had more of an impact on the plot/strategy.

Long answer hooo boy uh

Let’s go from what I have the least thoughts on to what I have the most thoughts on

Chase I’m 100% okay with the placement of. I didn’t want him to stay for long. But I also didn’t want him to be the first boot in case he had any funny left in him. As horrible of a person as he is, I preferred his slapstick and douchbaggery over Scary Girl’s dark humor. Speaking of-

-Scary Girl I wished wasn’t bluffing when she said she would make everyone pay. I thought for sure she was going to come back. ESPECIALLY in the final four challenge. I thought she was gonna reappear as a helper hired by Chris to make things scarier. Or that she would hijack the challenge and make things more deadly than Chris planned. If there is a season three, I hope she gets some kinda revenge.

Millie served her purpose and I liked the story that was told with her. She didn’t commit to practicing/training and she paid for it. She lost the trust of her team and her friends. She was forgiven by Damien, the specific person she wronged, and got out before the story could devolve into something similar to Gwen and Courtney in All Stars. My one wish is that Priya would’ve thought about her bestie more once she was gone.

Nichelle I was surprisingly alright with. Compared to everyone else at least. Good for her for training and being good at stunts now. The “in your face Hollywood” bits did get annoying. I had a hunch she wouldn’t last long. She was all challenge beast no social gamer. And I was kinda right? Her quitting in the team phase meant that she wasn’t whining/being a hypocrite for long. She somehow became my love to hate character of this season. You go girl!

I’m still so confused how Zee got out over Caleb. Like, I can get why Damien would vote Zee. He exposed not just his underwear secret but his Wizard Squire secret. But what about everyone else? Zee’s as non-threatening as Wayne and as sweet as season 1 Priya. Why get the chill nice guy out before CALEB THE BUFF “ALEJANDRO” (in quotes because he was mistaken as being such)

Emma is the most underused character this season. Out of all the team phase boots, hers was the most upsetting. I wanted her to last long without Chase. I wanted her to make new friends. I wanted some kind of acknowledgment of her friendship with Bowie. But what we got was…her trying in a challenge and failing because apparently not knowing how people answer random questions proves she’s not a good person??? She had so much potential and she was booted in such a lame way…

Bowie’s arc I liked a lot even if it was a bit flawed. I knew he wasn’t gonna go too far. And I knew he’d be in hot water from the start since he was the villain that made it the furthest. I think the cheating arc was great development for him. He’s known for being competitive and doing what it takes to win. But then he finds out Raj doesn’t like cheating. And he feels guilty by the end because he made his bf upset. I’m glad Bowie is shown to have a heart while still wanting to play the game. The problem I have is how suddenly the cheating arc ended. And how Bowie of all the cheaters paid the most for it. That early merge screwed him over. And everyone believing Julia about Bowie being the cheating mastermind…little did I know that was a red flag for a finalist’s plot armor.

Ripper and Axel, I wished there was more substance with you two. How they got together was cute and silly. I like how they bond over artsy things and stopped being as mean to people. But holy shit. Why did they have to be the comic relief couple? You can’t do this to me. You can’t just casually hint that Ripper has a bad family life in season 1 and not bring that back up to make Axel fall for him harder. You can’t just take a kickass survival girl and turn her into a sappy, swooning mess. You had good characters and then you turned them into THAT. If we get a season 3 please put them on separate teams and have them develop AS PEOPLE NOT AS GAGS

Damien wins the award for the BIGGEST ROBBERY OF THE SHOW. Literally. Of his idol. And he couldn’t have even gotten out in a more dignified way. He was gone for half the challenge after we only get a speck of a rivalry between him and Julia. And then his idol is stolen OFFSCREEN. And then he’s flown off kicking and screaming. If that was supposed to be funny, it’s not. Every time this dude tries to be a hero, everything blows up in his face. Which sucks. Because that means this season he spent more time being afraid and less time being the cool dork I loved back in season one. Episode 6 was his best episode. He won because he tried and he showed off his love for LARPing. That’s the Damien I was waiting for. If anyone deserves a run back in another season, it’s Damien.

MK is the character this season that I can confidently say improved and ended on a high note. Last season I actually didn’t like her. She got away with badmouthing Nichelle in ep 3 and only got out in ep 6 because of toilet humor. As much as I like snarky characters like Noah, I also like when they get comeuppance for their snark. And MK didn’t get much of that. But in season 2? Oh this girl fucking SHINED WITH HER GLOWUP. She let bygones be bygones with Julia. They teamed up and became the best evil duo ever. The way they quip and scheme and enable each others’ horrible actions I ATE THAT UP. But let’s focus back on just MK. She was the one who took charge in the cheating schemes. And she finally got karma through the funniest beat down ever. A boxing bear that gave her drain bamage. And after that, she got more moments to shine on her own. She tried carrying her team in the baking challenge and failed. She struggled with the giant coin only to hit the ground running with her gamer moves. And her last hurrah was her hijacking a car and hugging her bestie (they’re more than besties your honor). As sad as I was that she didn’t get to the finale, I was happy with what I got. It’s not everyday a character I don’t like becomes one I adore.

Wayne and Raj I’m the most conflicted on. But I think the best way to describe them is with a comparison Bowie made: “like puppies: not the smartest, but adorable!” Negative out of the way first: they were not nearly as strategic as I hoped they’d be. First ep gave me hope when they were talking about their teammates’ stats/highlights from the challenge. And then you cut to their last elim together and they decided who to vote with a FUCKING COINFLIP. Boys. Please. You should know that keeping strong players in weakens your chance at the cup. Benching the MVPs of the opposition is the way to go. Not to mention the only time they won was because Julia had baking skills. I wanted Raj to win so bad. He was the smarter bro who had more of an impact on the cheating plot. But if he had to get booted for being the more threatening bro…somehow 5th is the worst placement. He could’ve lasted to the final four, make it seem like there’ll be a friendship finale, and then Julia ruins it with the immunity idol. He could’ve been 7th to give Wayne more time on his own. And Wayne on his own is…oh my god he’s so dumb. Raj needs to spell things out for him. He took so long to realize that Julia was using him. And he won with his dumb luck. I should be mad that he won when he didn’t do anything substantial for the plot, but…I can’t stay mad at these hockey puppies. They’re sweethearts. They believe in playing fair and friendship and gay love. They were the light at the end of the drama tunnel. And Raj’s elimination made me tear up. Both because I was sad his run was over and because I was happy he ended with the sweetest final words ever. And Wayne using the money to buy a bus for the Snow Owls? Hoot hoot!

And now for the big ones. The ones I had the most problems with. The ones I was the most disappointed in. Julia. Caleb. Priya. Oh my god what did they do to you three? The pieces were all there. You all were great at the start. Julia coming back and being the main villain all the way through? That could be neat. If anyone could do it I can see it being her. Probably gonna blow up in her face though. Wait she’s working with MK? Oh this’ll be fun. Caleb coming back and planning to get far by allying with season one’s winner? That’s gonna blow up in his face for sure isn’t it? Wait, he actually likes her? Aw that’s so sweet. Priya coming back to win because her parents still aren’t satisfied? She has to realize how horrible her parents are and have that be her main story right?? Holy shit they got worse with each episode. Their plot armor was more sturdy than the confessional. How the fuck did the other contestants let them GET SO FAR LIKE HELLO I thought for sure Julia was gonna take the fall and leave MK staggering. Julia lied several times and got away with it. And this was after she willingly told the opposing team that she got out their challenge beast with a fake contract. How did Axel and Damien and Zee trust her about the lie about Bowie masterminding the intern disguise cheating? How did Caleb and Priya just take her advice with love when she’s one of the most heartless contestants on the island? In fact, Julia getting MK out by making MK look worse for making up horrible things about her bestie? Honestly, you could’ve reversed the roles and it would’ve made sense. Julia lied so much that her finally losing to her lies about her closest ally would’ve been insanely bittersweet justice. I wanted to root for Julia. I love villains. I love manipulative villains who have little to no room in their heart for anything other than themselves. I love characters I love to hate. And yet somehow her immunity running last season seems less bullshit than all the lying and backstabbing she did this season. But this butchering is two-fold. I liked her when she was cheating and scheming with MK. I liked when she was doing good in challenges. What I didn’t like was when Caleb and Priya were there to let her get away with the shit she pulled in the second half of merge. Yknow. Caleb: the guy who wanted to redeem himself. And Priya: the girl who literally trained since she was born for this specific show. I swear, I want to like them as a couple. I genuinely think they were sweet and had chemistry at first. When they looked for the idol in ep 6, that opened my eyes. They had similar upbringings with demanding parents. They liked each other for each other. There was hope that they would end well. But AAAAGGH. THEY KEPT FUMBLING. AND ARGUING. AND BEING DOORMATS FOR JULIA TO STEP ON. AND COPING AND SEETHING. I couldn’t stand either of them anymore. They were the heroes and I was rooting for both their downfalls. Why did they have to be the puppets that Julia made dance ALL THE TIME as soon as they were the only couple left? Why did the show have to revolve around Prileb relationship drama? They could’ve swapped Priya and Damien’s placements. Have some Prileb drama and end it once they get better. Have Julia have an actual rival who can see through her. But noooooo. I’m supposed to be shocked or happy or feeling SOMETHING when Julia pulled out the idol and got out Priya and placed 4th. But I felt nothing. I saw it coming from a mile away ever since Damien didn’t get his marshmallow. I was too tired of Priya’s on again off again relationship with Caleb to even feel relief that she didn’t get to the finale again. Even in the finale as a helper, I couldn’t stand her. She wasn’t the spunky cheerleader she was for Millie. She was so pushy and driven by vengeance that she couldn’t even give Caleb any little victories in the race. How am I supposed to be happy that they stayed together in the end if it turned Priya into a worse version of herself?

So, what do I think of this season as a whole? I loved and hated it so much that it evens out to be a mid season. Which is a shame. The team phase gave me hope that this season would be the best. But with the constantly weird and bad directions the plot went, it’s hard for me to be satisfied with what we got as a whole…

…But to end on a good note, I think my dissatisfaction with this season stems from how amazing this reboot cast is. How much potential each of them have for funny jokes and serious character growth. How much I wanted each of them to develop and shine and mesh together. I guess that’s what making fan content is for, huh? If the show can’t give these characters the proper treatment they deserve, then we can draw and write and headcannon all we want. And that’s not to take away from the show. It’s to express how much we love it and want it to thrive.

Well, it was a bumpy road to get here. But I’m here. I love Total Drama. Flaws and all. And I can’t wait for this love to manifest into more art. So whoever you are reading this, thank you for putting up with this novel of a review <3

[salty-protagonist]

Our Ciel Will Die By Drowning.

The title is self explanatory as for what this post is.

We have reached chapter 201, there is still a long way to go. But through all the content we were given something is apparent: our protagonist (short one) will die before the series ends.

Now, I honestly think that it will include Sebastian (duh) and have something to do with the contract. But my gut says that our Ciel’s death will not be fully controlled by the demonic involvements.

Before I begin justifying why I think Ciel will die by drowning, I want to make it clear that I feel as though until we reach the hotel mini-arc, a lot of puzzle pieces will still be missing so any detail involving characters (other than Sebastian) are simply speculations.

Ophelia

In chapter 23, the police come to the Phamtomhive Mansion in order to conclude the crimes committed Indian Butler Arc by Agni. While touring the mansion, one of the police stalk about the drawings on the wall. He goes into detail about the painting titled “Ophelia”

Ophelia a is from Shakespeare’s Hamlet who upon learning that Hamlet didn’t choose to end up with her, goes out to collect wild plants but fall in water and drowns. (It is also written as a note in the English fan translation I found)

Here is the painting:

In the following page, the painter Waterhouse is also mentioned. I wasn’t able to decpiher which painting the police guy was talking about as he didn’t give a name and the image in the manga isn’t enough. Waterhouse has painted Ophelia as well.

Although it would be easier to assume this is just a silly reference, every little detail in this manga series can create avalanches that end up characters who have been presumed to be dead for years reappearing.

The rejection can be Lizzie’s relationship with them and choosing R!Ciel after everything. Or it can be applied to broader sense and be accepted as everyone turning their backs on O!Ciel after the true heir shows up.

Lau’s Omnipotence

Lau is known for always saying something serious then following it up with a random funny remark. It is still very noticeable that he always says less than what he truly knows. The following panels follow each other (right to left). They are in different pages so I had to separate the images.

(In the official translations I have, it uses “to drown” in the second panel directly in my native language)

There is a picture of someone (probably OC) sinking in a body of water (bog, as it is said here). It may appear as just a metaphor but the image and Lau’s general creepiness makes it seem like a variety of this will actually happen.

Anime Opening 1

The anime is very different from the manga with there being additional characters and storylines. Still, many of them still bear similarities to the newly introduced characters in the series. However, for this post I believe the anime is not a good justification for the theory. So I will just stick to the opening of the first season.

There is this very obvious scene of O!Ciel drowning. That, of course, is the first thing that needs attentions. Afterwards, Sebastian does extend his hands in as though he is trying to save him. But there is no scene that shows he does so. This detail only counts towards their contract’s dynamic. But it leads my to believe that this moment will be the “checkmate” for O!Ciel. Sebastian will no longer need to stand behind him anymore kind of thing.

The seconds evidence is the scene that comes just before the one mentioned in the paragraph above. O!Ciel is seen floating in a lake with flower petals falling. Notice how he is positioned to look like a body that’s in a coffin. He is motionless as well. Some religions/myths include water bodies being passageways for afterlife so it may be symbolizing that.

The flower patels are not from a white lily (the flower that symbolizes death and is seen on every grave in the series), but they are plain white petals. Them falling could be to create the same effect as in Madam Red’s funeral, when O!Ciel made red flower petals fall down in the church. I also think that the flowers make the image be perceived as the Ophelia paintings.

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

I wrote this post 5 months ago, and been saving it as a draft but I decided to share it after all since I couldn’t continue writing it for a long time. There may be a part to in the future as this only includes evidence until the cruise tragedy and I think there can be a lot of clues after that too. Anyways, thank you for reading. If anyone else has already thought of these, please tell me and I’ll edit it accordingly.

[koreyeet]

Loving them so much my brain latched onto the i cant stop

Context to them being together because you know how utterly garbage there relationship is in canon, I’m throwing that away, they get character development and time to think about there actions and not pure hatred to each other and Shadow didn’t kill Infinite’s whole family, they’re alive and well

the only think Shadow did wrong was insult him and damage his face but its been like 2 decades he regrets that alot

Something something like 20 years later and the Phantom Ruby is just found by Shadow and Meg, Infinite reappears when they touch it. He’s kept a secret for the time being because saying that the dude that caused mass destruction that was defeated by the power of friendship is back may cause panic. Also Infinite is now called Zero again, he doesn't want to be Infinite anymore

also they are legally married for legal benefits (also love but its funny to say legal benefits)

Shadow’s “son”

Meg’s Shadow’s adopted/foster son when he found some random child in like a garbage can when he was 3, he is 15 now. The original plan was to keep him until his parents where found but 12 years later that ain’t happening. His attitude is mimicking Shadow’s but not in a cold distant way more of a joking manner, he can be seen as a dick but those who know him  know he’s a cool dude. Howls only friend and at this point he’s basically her cousin/family at this point, they are really close. He’s basically besties with Rouge and sees her as a girlie more then an aunt along with Ruth, they gossip to each other. He’s real close with his dad when it was just him but recently he’s felt like a roommate living with a family.

-will say lol out loud unironically

-seems like an asshole is pretty chill

-the only not biological weapon in the family

-he doesn't consider Zero a dad or Seven a sister, they’re just Shadow’s partner and kid

-he’s not a registered citizen

-real close with Rouge’s fam

-had a rebellious phase where he wore cloths and just kept the pants cause he liked it

His biological child

Seven is my favorite fankid I love her so much. She’s Zero and Shadows biological child like she is there blood, she came from a tube. She’s beloved and is sheltered by both her parents so much. In public she is with Shadow and is said to be another foster, since he already has Meg it’s convincing, and Zero is still considered as Infinite, along with if she’s known to be the daughter of 2 feared individuals he will be so hated and feared for that reason so it’s best not to tell. She is considered an obedient and naïve child, she fallows her parents directions and respects when they say no, she doesn’t question anything, and doesn’t really think about it. The extent of her powers are unknown and those who know about her fear she can cause some real damage, right now the most she can do is phase through things like walls and project holograms, gladly she doesn’t show any signs of these powers being unstable but the knowledge she has more potential is feared, she has been given inhibitor rings to try and limit her abilities but for the most part she doesn’t wear them and only does when she’s around the Master Emerald or a chaos emerald. Her age is unknown but she is considered ageless but is still physically a child, at this point she probably around physically 13 but her actual age is like 4 when she got out of the tube.

Backstory time because she’s special - She was an experiment made by Eggman as one of his last projects to leave a lasting mark of fear, no one knows her purpose or why she was made or even if she’ll turn evil or not. As a joke I’m making the thought process behind it being Orbot and Cubot shipping, suggesting it to Eggman, Eggman saying that’s stupid and turning he idea down, Sage saying they’re a couple/the powers they both possess can create a powerful creature, Eggman thinks that’s a great idea and Sage takes all the credit. When she was discovered by Zero and Shadow, Eggman kinda went “yea take them I’ll be back when they’re older” and never came back, Zero was convinced she was one of his family’s kids that where kidnapped or something and eventually it was pronounced she was his kid and the edge lords where like “ok what now”. So they have a kid now and are in constant fear Eggman will come back and steal her.

-Seven considers Meg a brother but Meg doesn’t consider her his sister

- Her friends are kind of just Ruth and Ringer (Sonic’s kid I’m making his stuff next)

-Sometimes she’s confused if she’s a foster or Shadows real daughter because how much he tell people that

-Technically Silver’s great times whatever the fuck grandma

-the favorite child in all ways

[luckyrave]

Chainsaw Man Chapter 113 Thoughts

What was originally supposed to be a one day break became two days, but it was needed to a degree. This chapter does kick off the beginning of Volume 14 which hasn’t exactly ended quite yet, and that makes things interesting in terms of the narrative. What is there that can be said regarding the way Tatsuki Fujimoto brings the readers into after concluding the last chapter?  

Truth be told,  Asa fixes up her hairstyle to make herself standout on the first date experience, but then quickly decides to keep it at the original look.  Yoru comments about how there wasn’t much substance when it comes to her appearance and it could more flair. They both have  discussions about the perfect way to seduce a guy, One is based off on the basis of appearance while the other thinks otherwise.  What the person truly feels on the inside is the thing that’s most important.     

An immediate transition occurs with Asa and Denji already in the middle of their date at the Aquarium which is something. They are both looking at starfishes which is where Asa info dumps all the facts that she knows about them to Denji, but he isn’t exactly interested. He’s rather bored about the whole information the knowledge Asa has because it felt very textbook based, and because Denji just wants to see penguins. They have clashes about the plan that was set for the day according to Asa which prompts Denji to take off so he could find the penguins on his own without her. Main reason being is that Denji has begun to tackle things for himself. 

 Yoru steps back into the picture to ask Asa why she isn’t pursuing Denji for running off like that, and she likes to belive her stances weren’t wrong. From a certain perspective when it came to the plan that was set in place, but Yoru pointed out that could’ve been because Asa is a total bore. That instantly sets off another argument between the two once more about the situation at hand only for a certain character to reappear into the picture. The same one who assisted Asa and Yoru in saying Yuko after the battle was over on their end.  

This student refers to Denji as someone who doesn’t know from right or wrong, but also knows that Asa isn’t someone who can’t change a person into a weapon. When asked about who this student was and how she knew so much about Asa’s powers everything started to come into place. This student from the devil hunter’s club was none other than Yoru’s older sister, The Famine Devil aka Fami. Yoru attempts to persuade Asa not to trust anything Fami says, but before a chance was even made she was temporally taken away.  The simple reason was to ensure that Asa turns Denji into a weapon otherwise she isn’t leaving the Aquarium.    

Finally,  Denji makes his back to her in order to discuss about the size of the place not exactly being massive. No matter how far he was able to walk, Denji just couldn’t simply get out. That left Asa rather speechless while sweating due to the very thing Fami mentioned.   Denji also complained about a certain someone making an appearance at the aquarium bringing a close to the chapter. 

All in All, this chapter of Chainsaw Man gets  Amazing+ rating. I liked how we didn’t really waste any time for the date between Asa and Denj. Only a quick moment with Asa prepping to see how she’d look until we get to the sight. I love the absolute meta commentary Tatsuki Fujimoto addresses with how the date is taking place in terms of things feeling stale, and implementing that through Denji’s character. This makes for a really engaging read while allowing he readers to feel connected to the situation. The real highlight for this chapter was getting the identity of “the student” being Yoru’s older sister,  The Famine Devil aka Fami. That opened up to so many different possibilities on how this series was gonna go and especially correlating it to where we are lately. I can definitely feel the sensation of being up to date to the latest chapter. It won’t be too long now, and that’s all I gotta say for the time being. The next chapter thoughts for Chainsaw Man will be up soon but until then, I hope you all take care of yourselves out there.                       

[elliepassmore]

Stardust in Their Veins review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: fantasy, multiple POVs, magic, political intrigue, scheming, morally gray characters

Castles in Their Bones review here, slight spoilers for that book will be in this review! Big thanks to Netgalley, Delacorte Press, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I’m super excited that I got an ARC of this, and I’ve been wanting to know what happens since I read the ARC of Castles last year. The sequel definitely lives up to the first one and we get more political intrigue and machinations, more plots, and more of the sisters. If Castles was Sophronia’s book, then this one is Beatriz’s. The book starts off a couple days to a week after the end of the last one, and while Beatriz is upset at all that happened in Cellaria, she hasn’t been beaten. We see this throughout the course of the novel, where again and again Beatriz manages to get back up and scrape together a new plan. She has a better understanding of her mother in this one as well, and she’s not about to make the mistake of underestimating her (or feeling safe) again. At the same time, she is also dealing with a new revelation and with Sophie’s death. Pasqual makes a reappearance as well, and he’s fully on Triz’s side in this one. He definitely grows more confident in doing things that aren’t necessarily moral (though ‘moral’ really depends on who you’re asking). Ironically he also seems much more at ease, though that could have to do with being out of Cellaria. I liked how willing Pas was to help Triz in her endeavors, and it was nice to see that his softness was still there after everything (as was Ambrose). Daphne is still a badass, though it was frustrating to read her POV at times because she is still so in her mother's pocket. She's been thoroughly trained to see things her mother's way, and that reflects in how she'll push aside what multiple people tell her and any evidence that her mother is wrong. That being said, I still love Daphne and she shows a lot of growth in this book. I'm very happy that she gets some closure on things, and I'm very interested to see where her and Bairre's relationship goes considering everything that happens here. I'm also really really looking forward to book 3 since I know that will be Daphne's book and we'll get to spend a lot of time on her journey and seeing how things go with Friv and Bairre and the rebellion. It's kind of hard to get a good handle on Bairre since he's hiding a lot and doesn't get his on POV. He's still working with the rebellion, though Daphne keys in on some of his naivete regarding them, but he also clearly cares about Daphne. He seems to want transparency with Daphne, but even when he gets some of her truths, he's reluctant to provide his own in turn. That being said, I like him and he's very solid as a character. I suspect he'll have some make-or-break decisions in book 3 based on where everyone was and what the situation was like at the close of this one. Leopold shows up in this one! And Violie! We know from the ending of Castles that Sophronia used magic and scheming to get the two of them out of the capital of Temarin prior to her execution, but we didn't get to see if she'd succeeded. I'll be honest, I was so so hoping there was some kind of trick or magic or something that meant Sophie was still alive, but she's definitely, unfortunately dead. Violie gets the third POV in the book, and it was interesting to see her view on things and learn about her own life. Her upbringing mirrors the triplets' in a way, since she was also trained in the same sorts of things by Empress Margaraux, but obviously isn't a princess and didn't have the same mission. Violie feels a lot of guilt over what happened with Sophie, but as the book goes on, she gets some closure and is able to heal from that. Violie will almost definitely be playing a major role in book 3, and I'm very curious to know what happens there. Leopold also has some guilt and some growth in this book. He, too, feels guilty about Sophie, particularly since he was the one who let his mother run Temarin into the ground, which resulted in the riots. He handles everything pretty well all things considered, though he's definitely more sober than in Castles. Leopold even ends up running some schemes of his own, and I liked seeing the side of him that we saw toward the end of the last book. Nigellus, Empress Margaraux's empyrea, gets a larger role in this book as well. He guides Triz a little bit and it seems as if he does care for the girls in some sense. At the same time though, he kind of spirals into his research and the things he's hearing from the other empyrea, and his actions there are less than savory. Aurelia, Bairre's mother and another empyrea, also shows up with a larger role in this book. It's somewhat unclear what her goals are, but since she'll be around Daphne in book 3, I suspect we'll figure more out then. Nigellus' role does reveal a connection between some things that had been mentioned in passing and not really touched upon. There was some very interesting foreshadowing going on here and I'm both curious and nervous to see where it goes in the last book of the trilogy. A lot of things are poised to come together in the final book, and I really feel that things could go fantastically right or catastrophically wrong. Margaraux is a hard one to beat and she seems to have people she's turned and spies everywhere. There's also something going on with the stars and prophecies, which could serve to help or hinder Triz, Daphne, and co. And that's not even touching on the things going on in Cellaria and Temarin. I really enjoyed this book and think it's a fantastic sequel. I look forward to the final book of the trilogy and need 2024 to get here quick!

[deleahtarte]

Because He’s Kenny [ Prologue ]

Pairing: Kenny / Butters - Marjorine

Content: Alt Universe - College, Aged up characters, Implied sexual content, friends to lovers

Summary: When your boyfriend can’t get it right, you can trust your childhood best friend to.

Note: To everyone who follows me on tumblr, thank you!! Please consider this as my service to you. This is a PROLOGUE, therefore not the finished fic! It’s supposed to be porn with plot and what we talked about when I did that poll with Marjorine. I’ll post the finished fic on ao3 officially, but everyone here deserves the first look. You guys mean the world to me and I hope I show that enough

Photo Creds: Alai Ganuza

“Are you feeling it?”

“Um…I’m feeling something.” As in a dull, consistent ache.

Creed sighed in frustration, making Marj’s mood drop, too. He tries moving his finger in a figure eight motion, just like what they read about, but that actually made it worse instead of better. “How about now?”

“No…”

With a loud groan that makes Marj jump, Creed reappears from between her legs with furrowed eyebrows. His whole face is practically scrunched up into an expression that could only be described as fed up. “Marj, darling, I think this is useless.”

She closes her legs, pushes herself up by her elbows. “R-Really?”

“Yes,” Creed rolled his eyes. It’s something he does very often at the slightest inconvenience. “why do you want to do this anyways? It’s not like I’m getting pleasure from it. This is just for you. And weren’t you the one telling me that sex should be good for both parties?”

Yes, she did tell him that—but only after Kenny told her that Creed shouldn’t be using her like a sex doll while giving her nothing in return. And she agreed. She got tired of opening her legs for him whenever he wanted and having to go to the bathroom to finish the job herself. It made her feel…like a toy.

“Well, yes, but—“

“But? There’s a but? So you’re a hypocrite.” Creed snapped. “Listen, I really don’t think I need to learn how to eat you out if I’m the one doing all the work when we actually fuck. You lay there like a dead fish and take it, meanwhile I’m tried the morning after because I always have to do every-single-fucking thing! How is that fair?”

Stunned silent, it takes Marj a moment to process what Creed said. He can be mean, borderline cruel even, but it's not often raised his voice with Marjorine.

Seeing her reaction, Creed sighed once again. He didn’t look any less annoyed. “Marj, I…I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry.”

The damage was done nevertheless. Marj stands up, fixes her skirt, and rushes for her bag. Being around Creed when he’s like this is never a good idea. He’s the type of person to feel the highest when he’s high, and to be at rock bottom when he’s low. There’s never an in between. No happy medium.

“Are you seriously mad?” He asked when she makes her way to the door. “I already said I was sorry.”

“We’ll talk later. Preferably when ya aren’t bein’ unnecessarily mean.” As soon as those words left her mouth, she squares her shoulders in pride. Not being afraid of fights is something Kenny also taught her. And even though she is terrified, she can have those bouts of moments where she pretended otherwise.

The door to Creed’s dorm clicks shut behind her. In a matter of hours, Marjorine is sure her phone will start blowing up with apology texts, all which she’s heard and seen before.

The breeze is especially cold tonight. Creed and her had been trying for hours, but it’s just starting to dawn on her how long it’s actually been since they first began their…lesson.

Well, if it could even be called that. It’s hard to learn something when there’s no teacher present. Marj knew how to make her body work just as much as Creed did, which is not at all.

But she knows someone who does…

Her feet naturally takes her to his home, almost instinctively. She bypasses the closed shops and avoids the streets Kenny tells her is dangerous, all the while making sure to keep watch and listen for man made sounds. She owned a mace that went with her everywhere, a Fox Labs one that she knew like the back of her hand. Marjorine first learned how to use it when she was 12 years old and Kenny got worried that, ‘a cute girl like her’ would be targeted by bad people, especially men. So they practiced and practiced until the art of pulling the spray out and aiming became flawless.

Soon enough, Kenny’s apartment comes into view. It’s not on the safest side of town, and a little far from their college, but it was cheap and right within Kenny’s budget. He split rent with his roommate who interned at the hospital, so most of the time, Kenny had the place to himself. Marjorine hoped this was one of those nights.

The elevator dinged to signal her arrival. She steps out onto the 8th floor, stands in front of room 202, and gently knocks on it. Kenny was a late sleeper and an early riser, (none of which he wanted to be), so she doubted he was in bed right now.

A minute later, the door swings open—Marj’s face drops at who she sees.

“Ugh, seriously. You again?” Bernie Kaplan rolled her to the back of her skull, reminding Marjorine of Creed. “Will you ever stop?”

“Heya, Bernie.” Marjorine flashes her best smile, hoping it would ease the lines of irritation on Bernie’s face. “Is Kenny here?”

“It’s Bernadette to you, Majorine. And of course he is. This is his place.”

Bernadette Kaplan is the president of Chi Omega, in the Fellowship Committee, and known to be the most wanted girl at their college. None of that mattered to Marjorine though, because in the end, she only knew Bernie as one thing—Kenny’s girlfriend.

“Can I talk to him?”

“About what?” She asked with gritted teeth.

“Um, well gee, that’s priv—“

From above, a jacket is thrown over the top of Bernie’s head. She scrambles to get it off and turns around, facing— “Bern, don’t answer the door in just your underwear. That shits dangerous.”

Kenny is standing there, every ounce of him wet from the shower. He has a towel loosely wrapped around his waist and a small one hanging around his neck. Marjorine quickly adverts her eyes even though she’s seen this sight a millions times before, and a lot more.

“How about you stop answering the door in just a towel?” She pushed him slightly back as he laughed. Kenny, ever the gentlemen, helps her put his jacket on. It successfully covers her lacey bra that she greeted Marjorine with.

“What’s up, Buttercup?” Kenny eyed Marjorine’s disheveled dress. “Something wrong?”

“No, why, I just wanted to talk.” Marjorine meets Bernie in the eyes, sees the fire in them, and quickly adds, “If you have the time.”

“Course’ I do,” Kenny replied easily. He pats Bernie on the back. “Bern was just about to leave. Is your driver here?”

Glancing down at her phone, Bernie nods. “Yeah.”

Kenny turns to Marjorine. “Let me walk her to the car and I’ll be right back. Go sit and make yourself comfortable.”

Marjorine enters Kenny’s apartment, brushes against Bernie by accident upon doing so. She looked like she wanted to fray Marjorine alive on an open fire and stomp on her charred remains.

Kenny and Marj’s closeness must bother her, Marjorine deduced, because they’ve been childhood friends since they could walk. Maybe even before then.

When Kenny got accepted into college on a soccer scholarship, Marjorine got accepted into the very same one and they left South Park behind together. They likely would’ve lived together as well, but their college didn’t allow students of the opposite gender to room together. Which was why Marjorine resided in the dorms, while Kenny settled into a small apartment here.

In a blink of an eye, Kenny changed to his pajamas; a plain t-shirt and sweatpants he’s owned since junior year of highschool that barely fits him anymore. From the couch, Marjorine watched as Kenny tied Bernie’s shoes laces. He was real careful about it too, knowing they were Golden goose. As he ushered Bernie out the door with his hand resting in the middle of her hip, he turns back and gives Majorine an acknowledging wink. Marj smiles until the door shuts behind him.

Kenny’s apartment is a simple two bedroom with the bare necessities. A tiny kitchen, a machine and a dryer that didn’t work too good, a slim bathtub that Kenny said could barely fit two. All those things might have just made the apartment simply bad, but the good is just as great. The walls are relatively thick, there’s a balcony with an amazing view, and the air conditioning had no trouble going full blast. All in all, Marj deemed it a cozy little place. That may be simply because Kenny’s scent was everywhere here.

Walking to the window, Marjorine made it in time to see Kenny and Bernie walking to the car. It scared her for a bit, because from the back, her and Bernie looked similar. They had the same mellow blonde hair that was often curled.

The two stop short in front of the BMW. From what Kenny told her, Bernie hated to drive, so she insisted on having a personal driver that came at her beck and call. She’s saying something to Kenny, a hand on his chest, and he shakes his head at her. Bernie’s eyes widened in equal measure of shock and anger. She pushes Kenny away slightly, before trying to enter them vehicle, but that’s when Kenny grabs her arm, says something, and kisses her hand the way a prince from a fairytale would. Whatever he said pacified Bernie, because her expression morphs into something so soft that Marjorine could hardly believe it. She didn’t know Bernadette Kaplan was capable of making such a face.

Seemingly from nowhere, Marjorine feels a sharp pain od hurt in her chest. It turns into something dull and aching. It comes from time to time, though Marj has no idea what the cause is.

Kenny and Bernie haven’t been dating long. A month at most. Personally, Marjorine saw it coming from a mile away. Kenny—handsome soccer star bounded for the league. She of the glossy blond hair, regal face, and astounding proportions—Bernadette. Their relationship seemed as sure as the sun would rise. Marj wasn’t sure how serious they were with each other, but sometimes Bernie looked at Kenny as if she really liked him. The him that went past his looks. The Kenny that sings songs at the top of his chest even though he knows he’s got the lyrics wrong. Kenny who occasionally forgets to eat and needed the reminder to do so. Kenny who Marjorine loves and trusted from the bottom of her heart.

With a parting kiss, Bernie enters the BMW. As soon as it speeds off into the distance, Kenny turned and began walking back. Marjorine watched him closely until she jolted when Kenny suddenly looked up and met her eyes. Yikes. It’s almost scary how aware of his surroundings Kenny was.

They gave each other a wave. A minute later, the front door opens and in came Kenny.

“There she is.” Kenny opened his arms wide and Marjorine practically jumped into them. He squeezed her tight, face in her neck, before scooting back and letting his eyes slide down her body. “Is this the dress we rock-paper-scissors on?”

It’s a game they play when they couldn’t decide on something. After going back and forth on this dress, Kenny ultimately won and Marj bought it. “Sure is!”

“Give me a twirl, let me see.” Kenny spins her around as Marj giggled. “Oh yeah, you’re—that’s gorgeous. See? Floral and you is a lethal combo.”

Marjorine adored how the skirt was flowy and long. Kenny liked the small daisy prints of the fabric. When she showed it off to Creed (albeit without him asking), he told her she dressed like Becky. Marjorine didn’t know who that was until he broke it to her that she was his late-grandma.

“Aw, shucks. Thank ya, Ken.” Blushing from Kenny’s compliments will probably be something Marjorine will do for the rest of her life. He gives it out to her like candy, so you’d think she’d be immune to it by now—but no. It still makes her shy every time.

He winks. “Only being truthful.”

Her heart that was aching before soothed over as if Kenny had placed a healing balm on it. Marj couldn’t remember why it ever began hurting. If it even hurt at all.

“So what’s up? I thought you were supposed to be with Creed tonight.” Though Kenny said that with a smile, his words came off as gritty and restrained. Marjorine fumbled with the laces of her skirt.

“I was, but…” It was hard to put it into words. Where does she even began?

Sensing her hesitation, Kenny places a reassuring hand flat on her back, steering her towards the kitchen. “Okay, how about this? I make dinner—you haven’t ate since lunch, right? And then you tell me whatever you want to when you’re ready.”

A smile bloomed on her face. “Okay.”

It’s easy to settle into something that could almost be called routine. Kenny is an amazing cook, Marj—not so much unless she had clear instructions, so therefore it was mostly Kenny whipping something up in the kitchen. She’s sitting on the barstool swaying her feet, admiring how skillful Kenny was with a knife. Every food that’s been touched by Kenny was guaranteed to be good.

“Do ya remember how I told you I did research? On the uh…bed stuff?” Marjorine began slowly, trying to find her flow. Kenny stiffened up for half a second before he nods.

“Yeah, because Creed can’t fuck for shit?”

She opened her mouth to maybe defend her boyfriend, but then closed it due to her lack of a rebuttal. It was an established fact at this point. Neither Creed nor Marjorine knew the first thing about the bedroom.

“We tried mouth stuff today.” Marjorine continued quietly, face as hot as the scorching sun. She knew she shouldn’t be embarrassed—It’s Kenny. She could talk about anything with Kenny and he would never judge her for it. And though she knew that to be true, that still doesn’t stop her from fidgeting with her skirt.

“You sucked him off?”

Marjorine nodded. “Yes, and he came!”

“Good job.” Kenny replied with rather tense shoulders. The angle she was sitting at didn’t allow her to see what expression he was making right now. “He ate you out too, right?”

“Well…”

“Well what?” Kenny turned around, holding a spatula high as he stared at her with furrowed eyebrows. “Marj. Don’t tell me that fuck—guy didn’t show you how grateful he was.”

“He did!” Marjorine chewed her bottom lip. “Or at least he tried to.”

A mere second of quiet consideration passes before Kenny deadpanned, “…He didn’t make you cum.”

“Yes…”

Which wasn’t anything new. But it is because it wasn’t anything new that Marjorine and Creed (her more then him, truthfully), started taking the time to learn bedroom stuff. Creed was able to reach his orgasm just fine, it was Marjorine who needed that extra help. It barely came to her when she was playing with her own body, but with Creed, it never.

She’s never once been able to cum with him.

“Jesus.” Kenny runs a hand across his face, shaking it in disbelief. It must be hard for someone like Kenny to comprehend, because if the rumors were true—Kenny had never known bedroom troubles ever. “So what happened in the end? Did he apologize?”

“No, he got..,” Marj recalled Creed’s sour words, feels her mood plummet. “frustrated. He said he didn’t understand why he had to learn when I’m the one who lays there like a d-dead fish.”

There’s a rise of shame that wells up within her from admitting that, because she knew it was true. Apart from the typical blowjob, she didn’t do much else sexually for Creed.

“Did he call you that?” She could hear Kenny walking to her and stopping just in front of her, but Marjorine did not look up. She simply nodded.

Gentle fingers grab her chin, tilting her head up to meet narrowed baby blue eyes. “That asshole called you a dead fish? Like he has any room to talk, bastard can’t even make you come!”

His grip on her on her chin won’t let her look away, so she simply just murmured what she feared all along, “…Maybe it’s me Kenny.”

“Don’t say that.” Kenny said, and now he just looks sad. Marjorine wanted him to understand where she was coming from, though.

“No, maybe it really is. Maybe I’m the—“ Kenny hands move from her face to squeeze her shoulders in assurance, to ground her, maybe.

“Marjorine, baby, it’s not you.” A part of her melt at that nickname. Something Kenny only ever calls her during their vulnerable moments, like he’s trying to tug at her heart strings. It works every time. “I promise you it’s not you. Creed just doesn’t know what the fuck he’s doing, and that’s on him.”

She pursed her lips and admits, “But…I can rarely even make myself come.”

Every muscle within Kenny’s body stiffens. “…You can’t?”

It takes everything within Marjorine not to run out the door and die in embarrassment. It’s Kenny, she reminded herself, Kenny would never judge you.

“No, my fingers just don’t reach deep enough, I guess. It’s not…” She trails off, eyes landing on Kenny’s fingers; thick, long, adorned with a couple of silver rings they bought together at the pier because they were so cheap. It was Marjorine’s 18th birthday present to him, and she got to pick out the two of the five rings. “like yours.”

Jaw tight, Kenny swallowed before he asks rather hoarsely, “Are you doing this on purpose?”

“Doin’ what?”

“Okay.” Kenny’s head drops to Marjorine’s shoulder. He takes in a few deep breaths, inhales, before muttering, “It’s still not your fault. It will never be. Don’t blame Creed’s problems on yourself, okay?”

Things seem so much more believable when Kenny says it. The doubt that’s been gnawing away at her self esteem stops, if only for this moment, to let Marjorine breathe in his scent. “…Alright.”

Kenny gives her a smile, tucks her hair behind her ear. “Close your eyes.”

Wordlessly, she does it. She feels Kenny’s presence backtrack, followed by a string of noises that sounded a lot like dishes flashing and drawers opening. Whatever he’s been cooking smells amazing.

“Open them on one, two, three!”

In front of her was a platter of fried rice and an omelet. Marjorine’s mouth stretched wide into a smile. “You remembered.”

“Course’ I did.” Kenny nodded.

Back in South Park, the both of them would go to City Wok purely for the reasons that Marjorine adored their fried rice. And while Kenny wasn’t exactly a fan of anything Tuong Lu Kim made, he would still go with her and sit in the restaurant regardless. Just a week ago, she told him she missed his fried rice and the big, fluffy omelet.

Kenny pulls another bar stool to sit in front of her, focused on her first bite. “How is it?”

“Incredible.” Marjorine hummed. It’s not quite like the one from City Wok, but it’s delicious nonetheless.

“I took a basic recipe and tried to tweak it based off of the times I had it.” Kenny explained. Marjorine giggled.

“You mean all the times ya took a bite out of my plate when you thought I was distracted.”

Holding his hands up as if hes been caught red handed, Kenny amended, “I’ll let you know that the majority was you feeding me.”

A laugh bursted from her, she shook her head. That was true.

Kenny gets up from his seat while Marjorine continues to eat. When he comes back and sits down, it’s with a glass of ice cold water. Thank you, she told him. Kenny simply nodded and then dabbed the side of her mouth with a napkin.

She feels the air shift before he even said anything; a certain unmissable tension.

“…Marj, why do you like that guy? I mean, I know he’s decent looking and in Phi Delt, but how far can that go when he acts like he’s five-years old?” He shot her a coy look.

His wording nearly made her wince. Kenny wasn’t the biggest fan of Creed; had never been even before they officially met. “He opens doors for me and checks up on me. When I look nice, he tells me so.”

“That’s the bare minimum.” Kenny scoffed.

Should she tell him the main reason? Yes. It’s Kenny. “He…He likes me.”

“Okay?”

He doesn’t get it. Marjorine will just have to say it upright. “I like him because he likes me.”

Not only was Creed a vastly talented person who was bound for great things, but he is also the only person who showed interest in Marjorine. He treated her like she was special, not someone to be forgotten or lose in the background.

It takes a while for Kenny to process this. When he does, his eyebrows scrunches up with disbelief as he states, “A ton of guys like you.”

Marj set down her spoon, gives Kenny an unamused ook. “What guys are ya talkin’ about?”

“80% of the male population in South Park!” Kenny exclaimed, throwing his hands to make a point. Marjorine shakes her head and continues eating.

“You’re exaggerating.”

“I’m not. Marjorine, if it wasn’t for me, a hundred dudes would’ve come up to you and asked you out daily.”

“What do you have to do with it?”

Something akin to guilt flits through Kenny’s face, so fast Marjorine barely caught it. “They were afraid of me. Thought we were dating.”

“They did?”

Kenny nodded.

That was perhaps the most unbelievable thing Marjorine had heard all night. No, of all time. Sure strangers thought they were together, but they were strangers. South Park was so tight knit everyone knew each others grandma grandma’s—so they should’ve known better then to ever think someone like Kenny would ever go out with Marjorine of all people.

“Whatever gave them that idea?” She splutters.

“Yeah,” Lips pulled into a thin tight, Kenny was still refusing to meet her eyes. “good question.”

There’s a lull in their conversation. Kenny seemingly now has nothing to say. Marjorine squared her shoulders and prepares to defend her boyfriend, because that is what a good girlfriend would do.

“Creed isn’t always the best, yes. He certainly has his off days. But most of the time, he’s very kind to me. Just last Saturday he introduced me to his friends as his ‘precious.”

It was a special day for them, a good day, so long as Marjorine ignored how he left her standing at the corner for two hours. He claimed he didn’t forget about her, but Marjorine swore she almost see him leave.

Kenny made a face like he just ate something sour. “What is he, fifty? The Granny from Ice Age?”

“I thought it was very sweet.” Marjorine huffed.

Kenny drops his face into his hands. Marjorine knows that whenever he does that, it means he’s nearing his limit. He’s either frustrated and doesn’t know what to do, or he’s upset and doesn’t want anyone to see. Sometimes it could be both, most of the time it is. “I think—I know you could do better. He’s not the guy for you, Marjorine. No way in fucking hell.”

Better, Kenny said it so firmly, as if it was really that simple. But what was better then Creed Mossic, who treated her like a dime in a dozen. Who, despite the fact that he was set to inherit his father’s company, still chose Marjorine—a nobody? Someone their own parents couldn’t love?

“You mean you?" She asked in a way it sounded like a joke, with a hint of a chuckle, but she was picking at her fingernails and pulling at dry skin around her cuticles.

"No," Kenny said, stiffened and poker-faced. "I mean better.”

They fall into silence before Marjorine asked, because apparently they are being utterly open about their relationships now, “What about you and Bernie? Why are you dating her?”

A pause. “She’s fun.”

“Fun? How so?”

“She likes to…party?”

“You don’t sound too sure of that.”

“We’re not talking about me right now.” Kenny waved her off. They’ve been together for so long that Marjorine knows that just means he doesn’t want to answer. “I’m just saying you deserve better then some pencil dick fuck who can’t make you cum and treats you average. Because just average isn’t enough for a girl like you. You deserve world class. Like a prince from those fairytales you like.”

Something warm spreads through Marjorine’s body, from the delight of knowing how well Kenny knew her, to seeing the conviction he held on what Marjorine deserves. Kenny probably expected everyone to treat her like he did; with the utmost care and affection, gentleness but not fragility. Sadly, that wasn’t how the world worked.

“Fairytales ain’t real.” She learned that the hard way.

Kenny almost looked sad. “Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean your life should be an Edgar Allen Poe book.”

“It is not!” Marjorine exclaimed, horrified. “He ain’t as bad as it seems! Besides, I can live with the bad s-sex. I could handle bad sex for as long as I live!”

“You shouldn’t have to.” Kenny said firmly, before he makes a face and adds, “And you’re not spending the rest of your life with this dude. So this is only a temporary problem, but still.

“Ya sound so sure.” Marjorine said. Kenny lips tilt up into something that isn’t quite a smile or a complete frown either.

“That’s because I am.”

[notsocheezy]

Brain Curd #12 - Fanfic Friday #2

Brain Curds are lightly edited flash fiction, posted daily and usually written with the intention of being terrible… in an endearing way. Please enjoy these continuing non-canonical adventures in The Good Place.

“Okay,” Michael said, clapping his hands together in front of his chest. “That just about covers everything you should need to know. Any questions?”

Eleanor leaned back on the couch and raised an eyebrow. “Let me get this straight: I spent eternity here - in a house covered with clowns - with some nerd? And I liked it?”

“I am sitting right here.” Chidi, right next to Eleanor on the couch, chimed in. He turned to look at Michael. “If you were able to restore our memories before, why can’t you do it now?”

“Well, first of all, I deleted all the neighborhood backups out of concern for your privacy.” Michael straightened out his jacket. “And I never recorded anything that happened after we won the case. None of you ever needed to be rebooted again.” He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Or so I thought. This is the ultimate reboot. Janet and I still don’t know what’s happening.”

With a soothing bing sound, Janet appeared near the front door of the house. She smiled wide. “Good news, Michael. I’ve located Jason!”

Out from behind her stepped Jason Mendoza, holding a bucket of chicken wings and a tray of jalapeno poppers. “Wings and poppers! This is the best day of my life!”

Chidi raised his hand halfway. “But you’re not -”

Michael placed his hand on Chidi’s shoulder. “Don’t ruin it for him.” He made sober eye contact with Jason. “What do you remember?”

“Let me think… I remember waking up in a room… and this nice lady was there!” He smiled and pointed at Janet. “She gave me wings! And jalapeno poppers!”

“Yes, yes, but before that?”

“Last thing I remember before that was me and Pillboi about to rob a restaurant. It was the perfect crime. It must have gone great because now I live a life of luxury! She gives me anything I want!”

“What would you like right now, Jason?” Janet asked.

“I wanna play Xbox!”

Accompanied by a bing, a TV and an Xbox playing Madden 24 appeared in the corner. Jason excitedly ran up to it, sat on the floor, and began playing.

“Hey!” Eleanor called out. “You didn’t answer my question, dude!”

“It’s like I said, Eleanor,” Michael sighed. “You changed a lot over the course of many seasons.”

“Seasons?”

“I was trying to be poetic. Over a very long time, you grew to appreciate Chidi.” He gestured around the room. “And these clowns. And you became a better person, too.”

“Michael,” Janet said. “I’ve just been informed that Brent has also reappeared.”

“Brent?!?” Michael yelped. “He just left!” Michael brushed his silver hair back and turned back to the couch. “Chidi, Eleanor - Janet and I have some business to attend to. Please make sure Jason doesn’t go anywhere.”

Jason, still assembling his football team, was deeply invested in his craft.

Under his breath, Michael spoke to Janet. “Jason only remembers up until he died the first time. This is a pattern. We need all hands on deck for this. Let’s go get Tahani.”

With a bing sound, both of them disappeared into thin air.

Eleanor got up from the couch and began pacing around. “Are you buying any of this?”

“They told us everything over the course of twenty hours.” Chidi stood up. “You think they made all that up?”

“Oh, yeah, it does seem ridiculous that a self-confessed ‘ex’-demon and a smokin’ hot robot could fabricate a convoluted plot full of memorable characters and love triangles!” Eleanor said facetiously. “What am I thinking, right?”

“Point taken.”

“I say we follow them and see what they’re up to.”

“But we made a promise to watch Jason until they get back!”

“Fine, whatever, we take him with us!”

“No can do, homies.” Jason interjected. “Now that I’m rich, and I have my own personal chef lady, I’m gonna play the perfect game of Madden.”

Eleanor crossed her arms at Chidi. “He’s not going anywhere, dude. Problem solved.”

“While that may technically fulfill my obligation, I don’t think it’s in the spirit of -”

Eleanor pulled Chidi by the collar and the two of them exited via the green door, her mind thinking only of tracking down Michael and Janet. It slammed behind them.

“Man…” Jason said, chugging a two liter of Mountain Dew. “I wish Pillboi was here.”