#and fully supported in pursuing her interests by all of two people in her life

[november-rising]

Further Thoughts: Omelette

This man, to me, sees himself as a means to an end. Now, may that be a tool for others’ to utilize him or Carmy himself trying to live his life, I don’t know. But, I do know that this man doesn’t always know how to accept that he’s worth so very much.

Carmen’s drive is admirable. He knows what he can do, who he can be, and how to get there. I would badger this man to the ends of the Earth to gain all his culinary secrets. And, when I finally found him, he would teach me everything. In less than a heartbeat.

Carmen is a giver. He likes to take care of people. There have been many scenes were he's allowed everyone space to find their way while gently encouraging them. It is beautiful to see. He’s not showy about it. Yet we see it in the words of support, the guidance, or the resources provided to others that have skill but don’t have the foundation just yet.

There’s so many thoughts swirling around about Carmen from his utter courage and strength to his willingness to nurture/mentor a talented chef to him trusting explicitly and implicitly in his team…so many thoughts – Carmen is a good person who takes on all the pressure and is quick to put himself on the back burner. It’s why I wrote “He knows he will. He always does.” I don't think he will fuck up in the end. He's just waiting until he does.

And through all this anxiety, he does find beauty and meaning in cooking. Working in the culinary field may not be fun for him for some time as he said with Ritchie down in the random basement (The OG had a basement all this time and we've seen it but once!). Yet, I think he's finding the joy he once had when he's with Sydney.

Their energy is symbiotic...similarly-minded and enjoyed. I can't think of the exact post but I saw where someone showed gifs of Carmen smiling and laughing when he's with Sydney alone together. There's so much between the two.

Sydney is a catalyst. What she brings and offers speaks to Carmen. I haven't quite figured out how to express my experience (read as joy and probable transference) of Sydney over these past two seasons. She has her traumas and MH issues (potentially the acid reflux/GERD she's been experiencing is a physical symptom/outcome). And there's something about Sydney that I haven't been able to put my finger on. Maybe I'm not ready to see all of her just yet.

Gotta love this damn show!

[panlight]

I.e. Bella not suffering any consequences: what I find even more annoying is that Meyer makes such a big stink about the books being about choice but only BELLA gets any big choices. Every other member of the Cullens was forcefully turned, either entirely against their will (Carlisle, Jasper) or to save their life (Alice, Edward, Emmett, Esme, Rose). Every shifter is forcefully turned due to the vampires; not even Jacob chose it in the end and actively fought against it. Imprinting is forced. Don't get me started on Leah. And even if Nessie wants Jacob in her life, the book heavily implies that she wouldn't have a choice either way. Also, she has to stay with her family because she'll never look old enough, isn't as invulnerable, etc. Literally only Bella has any choice over life-changing decisions (even Edward claims that he never had a choice in loving Bella). Bella chooses Edward (actively endangering herself and others), chooses to be a vampire (supposedly an evil, immoral life endangering others), chooses to give birth to Nessie (possibly an inhuman killing machine while endangering herself and others), and so on. And instead of ANY consequences AT ALL for what appear to be TERRIBLE choices (based on every single book except the back half of BD), she's ALSO the only one who gets pretty much everything she ever wanted while everyone else has to live with whatever crumbs of happiness they can eke out. It's infuriating if you care about anyone AT ALL other than Bella.

Totally agree! It's always been amusing to me that SM says the books are about choice. The apple being offered on the cover presents a choice: do you take it or not? Do you eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Do you take the apple from the old woman who might be a witch or evil queen in disguise? And the original name of the book was "Forks;" obviously for the setting but also for the idea of forks in the road: which path you will choose?

But Bella's the only one with any real choices here. She actually has a lot more agency than a lot of people give her credit for. SHE chose to move to Forks. SHE chose to pursue a relationship with Edward. SHE chose the reckless actions in New Moon. SHE chose to ask Edward to sit out the fight. SHE chose to become a vampire. SHE chose to keep the pregnancy. She certainly suffers hardships, but they almost all come from choices SHE made for herself.

And the negative effects of those choices are temporary or unimportant to her specifically. Her scars from James are healed in the transformation; Emily's face is still scarred. The toll her pregnancy took on her body is erased in the transformation, but Esme is still 'rounded and soft' from her pregnancy, and Alice is 'thin in the extreme' from her malnourishment. Bella doesn't even burn for the full three days, only two! There's even a line where Edward literally says something like, "Renesmee's eyes are exactly your color, so that wasn't lost after all." She gets to keep Jacob literally forever (he has no choice) and she gets to keep Charlie when no one else got to keep their human families in their lives. Irina dies, but Bella doesn't know her so it doesn't matter.

I fully understand the main character is the main character for a reason; because they're special, because their journey is unique, etc. But this is also the reason I tend to find main characters annoying. This is not a Bella problem or an SM problem but a me problem. I feel similarly about Harry Potter and Katniss Everdeen as I do about Bella Swan. I like ensembles; I like when there are lots of narrators, or when there's no obvious 'main' character. And if there is a main character, dollars to donuts they aren't my favorite; I will 100% always sympathize more with the secondary characters and find them more interesting.

Bella gets to choose what she wants for her life and it all works out for her. Good for her! Genuinely! But it's a glaring contrast to the stories of virtually all the supporting characters and, to me at least, less interesting. Forever disappointed Bella being a newborn was such a non-event. I was looking forward to it for three and a half books and she just basically carries on her life like nothing has changed. Meh. The supporting characters not having many choices and making the best of things is personally more interesting to me.

[oddlittlestories]

I love Monk. I’m not really recommending it because, well, it IS about police and it DOES have some fairly ableist content. But I love it.

Monk is an interesting character. He’s introduced as having an “anxiety disorder” that occurred from the traumatic event of his wife being murdered. Over the course of the show, it becomes pretty clear that he was neurodivergent his whole life, but had a serious spike in support needs after his wife’s death. He has one nurse, but he should pretty clearly have two—even if one is a part-time respite nurse. Many of his “boundary violations” obviously come from seeking needed support at inappropriate times. This man should not really be left alone, at least not at the start of the show. He can’t cope. But also getting a new nurse / assistant / I forget the specific word is very very difficult for him.

He’s billed, I believe, as having OCD. But if you just look at his behavior, there are several labels that could fit. Autism would probably be one of them.

A lot of the humor in the show revolves around his disability, which could and may to some feel like the show makes his disability the butt of the joke. With some notable exceptions (fuck you medication episode) I don’t really think this is the case.

Let’s look at the pilot. Sharona, his nurse, goes on a date and leaves him alone on “chicken pot pie night.” She tells him, you’ll be fine! Even my son could cook a chicken pot pie. He cannot cook a chicken pot pie. He is counting out individual peas. To me, this is funny because of how obvious it is that he needs more support.

He literally calls her son for help. This is hilarious because it obviously wasn’t her intention, but her son is actually walking Monk through how to make a chicken pot pie. The literalism - that Benjy really CAN help him cook a chicken pot pie - is funny to me.

I’m also very interested in how the show interacts with both work and the police. Monk is not capable of working full-time, and although he desperately wants to go back at first, eventually he accepts that as a consultant, he can have the flexibility he needs to still find murderers.

The police officers he works with often feel threatened and embarrassed by him, but at the same time need his talents. Jealousy comes up often. And since the main officers are at least duly sympathetic, this gets explored as awful instead of brushed off as campy villainy from antagonists.

I also really like the way gaze is used in the show. Monk comes onto a crime scene and others watch as he makes a bunch of pronouncements, struggles with one anxiety or another, gets support from his nurse, and then explains his pronouncements. I like that it seems like folks are disturbed by his need for support, but that the show frames the support as a positive thing and the anxiety itself as a struggle.

Monk is also a person. He loved his wife. He plays the clarinet. He doesn’t have much time to pursue hobbies or interests outside of managing his disability and doing the work which he loves and seems compelled to do in equal measure. But he IS a person.

Anyways I’m not necessarily saying go out and watch it. It has many flaws and it is ableist at times, and it doesn’t bother to fully unpack how the people in Monk’s life respond to him, nor always to explore his agency and individuality. He is a fussy and fastidious detective, which is a common archetype, but they don’t always go as far beyond that as they should.

Like I said, it’s not House. But I’m gonna probably rewatch all of it now that it’s on Netflix.

[cienie-isengardu]

The Brothers Sun

Warning: rant not spoiler-free

Recently, I watched Netflix’s The Brother Sun and to be honest, I’m still not okay, because my mind is for days processing everything and analyzing over and over again.

I don’t watch much TV series and I decided to give the series a chance mainly for the titular brotherhood between Charles and Bruce and the series did not disappoint me in that regard. I’m absolutely drawn to Charles, not just because of his good look (and he does look very good), but his whole character and development through the story and also, how despite being such badass, he was also the one in need to be saved from the life (trap) set by his own father. But above everything else, how much he is similar to his mother, how both sacrificed so much for the family. 

I swear, I don’t remember the last time when a female character captured me the way Eileen “Mama” Sun did. All female characters were pretty cool and each interesting in their own way, but Eileen definitely stole the show and ultimately, it is her and Charles' relationship that glued me to this series. And I still think about the parallels between those two characters, especially in regard to Eileen’s two lines, from episode 3 (how those who cook for you and clean after you are those you forget about) and from last one (how much she sacrificed for Bruce and no one ever asked what she wants). Because Charles is the one cooking for people he cares about and who was showed doing widely understanded cleaning (getting rid of the dead body, unpacking Alexis’ things and making her flat more home-like, tidying own room before sleep and we were told he always loved do that as a child) but also the one trapped, the one who never had a choice, the one sacrificing everything for the family’s sake - even when he was allowed to pursue his own dreams, the family came first. And I’m so, so much thinking about Eileen and Charles, as he was the one that would fully support her when she finally decided to take something for herself, to take control over triads as the Dragon’s Head. Bruce, understandable, didn’t want her to be involved with gangsters and murderers, especially after everything they've been through, but also, he didn’t want that for his own sake. She was his mom, there was a normal life to choose and I don’t think he truly gasped how much Eileen sacrificed to spare him the cruel life his older brother was forced into. But Charles would step away from the position of head of family - something he may never want but would carry on as a dutiful son - just to make her plan (desire) come true and later step away from the one thing (baking) he desired for himself to support and protect her. And I’m truly touched by their relationship and how it evolved from each doing things their own way into a well-working team, but also, if Charles will learn from his mother how to be so cunning, he is gonna be a much more dangerous figure in the future.

[adolfusraptor1985]

Realization

Learned something about myself recently that I think has opened my eyes to an opportunity to heal from issues I've been having over the past few years of my life.

For some background information, I've been writing stories since the fifth grade. Since then, I've generally had the same cast of characters that I write about and imagine. Many years and two scrapped writing projects later, the majority of those characters have disappeared or have faded into the background as side characters.

Now I've started a new book. One that I'm focusing more energy on than all my previous attempts combined. I've spent months just fleshing out my characters and their backgrounds, and now I've been focusing on the main plotline. I don't need to rant about that though, because the book isn't exactly the reason for writing this.

I have four characters, the mains of this new book, and they are characters who have been around since I first wanted to pursue writing years and years ago. They've grown and changed since I first created them, but this past year their backstories and personalities have been fully developed.

I've been imagining, writing, and fantasizing about these characters for years, and just now after beginning this book, have I realized that each one of these main four represent a deep struggle or insecurity that I have. All this time and I've been writing about myself, and these characters are only personifications of the things I hate most about me.

This story that I'm writing is called Rock Dog Rehab. It's a story about a world of anthropomorphic canines and takes place in New York city. To keep it short, these four main characters come together and start a band while also helping one another heal from their issues. As it turns out, each of these "issues" is an exaggerated form of something I myself struggle with, and how these characters solve those issues, might just be the key to getting better myself.

In case you're interested, let me give you a quick rundown on each of those characters.

First off is Midnight. She's a straight A student with incredibly supportive parents, just like myself. Her problem is that she is constantly overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious around her schoolwork. Your typical burnt-out gifted kid, she tries so hard to succeed, but in the end all she wants is to be done with school and just move on with her carrier. Too bad she has no plan for that yet. Midnight's experience perfectly reflects the increasing stress I have regarding school.

Next is Lois. She fell into depression and became an alcoholic after losing her girlfriend. She struggles to find joy in anything and shuts herself out from people. She also keeps all of her emotions tightly locked within her, not ready to face her grief surrounding her girlfriend. Lois represents my inability to grieve and process negative emotions correctly.

Ash is seen by everyone as your typical "big bad wolf". People have all sorts of negative assumptions about them. Unfortunately, Ash being a junkie doesn't help the stereotypes people have about grey wolves. Because of how people see them, Ash reacts harshly and aggressively to people they aren't close with, which only feeds into people's views. Underneath however, they're a caring person. This is just like how people assume I'm "mean" or "antisocial" because I act threatening.

Finally, is Magdalina. It's clear that on the surface, she represents my struggles with self-harm, but there's more to it than that. Underneath, Mag deals with a multitude of mental disorders that leave people treating her very different than others. At school, she's completely outcast. At home, she's treated like a little pup (kid). Mag could care less about getting better. All she wants is to be seen and treated as a normal person, just like I do. Even if getting better should be more important to us...

Once again, I never intended to write my own issues into these characters, but somehow, they became so important to me that I subconsciously did. Now, I feel like as I continue writing this book as if this realization never happened, I will subconsciously write the ways in which I'm going to get better. And who knows, maybe I won't be able to write these characters happy ending until I write my own. But none the less, I feel like this book is going to be a big help in my journey.

[chaosandcrimson]

no way is that EMMELINE ‘MEL’ DEVEREUX.. they’re a 21-year-old SYNTH notoriously known for being FOOLISH  &  SHORTSIGHTED but there are some people who have seen them being AMIABLE  &  INNOVATIVE.  if you ask me, they remind me a lot of the buttery taste of freshly baked puff pastry, meticulously crafting fondant decorations for a showpiece cake, and losing track of time being hyper focused on a task, but that could just be because they’re considered the SWEET BAKER around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..

I'll bet you got pushed around Somebody made you cold But the cycle ends right now 'Cause you can't lead me down that road

OVERVIEW

Name: Emmeline Paisley Devereux

Nickname(s): Mel

DOB: February 11, 2103

Age: 21

FC: Minnie Mills

Height: 5'6"

Pronouns: She/They

Sexuality: Pansexual

Occupation: Pastry Chef at Irresistible Indulgence

Relationship Status: Single (Chem Testing)

[+] amiable, spirited, innovative [–] foolish, shortsighted, saccharine

BIOGRAPHY

Emmeline is the youngest child to a wealthy single mother in the upper district. She has two older siblings, and all three of them are synths; each made using their mother's DNA and the DNA of a different close friend of hers.

Their mother Amelie was already in her forties when she decided to start a family. An heiress with no living relatives, she knew that she wanted to have kids but did not want to settle down with a committed partner. Instead, she opted to raise them by herself with the support of her many and varied friends.

A life-long patron of the arts, Amelie's social circle was a diverse group of people consisting entirely of artists, intellectuals, and eccentrics from all ages and walks of life—painters, sculptors, poets, playwrights, and philosophers, to name a few. The estate that Mel and her siblings grew up in was a hotbed of creativity and lively debates with people constantly coming and going.

Their mother was herself a little out there, being a kooky older lesbian with an impulsive streak who took frequent and often multiple lovers; but no matter what she had going on in her own life, she was always attentive to her children.

She was also very generous, personally supporting many talented people who were struggling financially while attempting to pursue their passion, whatever it was. A lot of them even ended up coming to live at the estate for a while.

One such individual was a pastry chef who lived with them for almost an entire year. During that time, Mel would join them in the kitchen as often as she could to watch them work, and they would tutor her in their craft.

Mel continued to show both an interest and an aptitude for baking as they got older. She didn't fair quite as well in school, often struggling with her grades, but that was okay. Their mother never emphasised academic achievement as the only measurement of talent. To her, having passion was more important.

By the time that Mel finished high school, the pastry chef who once lived with them had become quite successful and even opened their own upscale bakery at Grand Treasure Plaza, where they offered her an apprenticeship. She has been working there for the past 3 years and is now a fully-fledged pastry chef.

They have always been very open and proud of their family's unconventional approach to life, which has occasionally made them a target for ridicule among their peers; especially those that grew up in very conventional homes to parents with very traditional values. They have never really let that bother them.

Sweet and amiable, she always assumes people have good intentions and is prone to not picking up on when others are mean to her. However, it is unclear how much of that is genuine naivety, and how much is her way of fighting back. After all, it is better to kill people with kindness, and bullies are less likely to continue their harassment if they can't get a rise out of you.

MISC

Mel has both dyslexia and dyscalculia. Her mother does not believe in the use of psychosurgery, especially on minors, but promised that if they wanted to fix it when they were an adult, she would pay for it. They haven't felt the need to.

[holyhomo]

i think previous anon meant ‘user’ as in ‘reader’, and are asking about how they interact with the characters + their past :)

Ah I thought so already! Well the MC character is of course meant to be fully insertable, however I will admit that I should’ve made some changes to the MC’s given background as I did cut myself in the fingers there to be honest!

But that’s mainly because there is a ‘canon’ MC and yet I didn’t put some hard facts of theirs into the story at points I should have.

From very early on I’ve been debating whether or not to make the reader an actual character. Or better said, to reveal the canon character that is the protag.

As you probably have noticed, from the very get go I have not once used something like Y/N or ‘insert your skin tone’ or anything like that.

Mainly because it takes me out of the story. So I saw it as a challenge to write around it.

But yeah highly debating whether or not to reveal and start calling the protag by her canon name and reveal more about her background in the story itself besides here.

Please let me know what you think!

That all said, who is the ‘canon’ MC?

Well:

The ‘canon’ MC’s name is Fran (Francine) ‘Parker’.

There is one small problem with Francine due to me not writing things properly in the beginning due to wishing to keep the insert part.

She literally can’t be from any freaking country I imagined as a possibility 😅

Obviously Fran speaks English, so it would make sense that she could be English, however I never made the reader comment on living back in England or any other character.

She’s stated to not speak: French, German or Spanish, so any countries in Europe speaking one of those languages also doesn’t really check out 😅

She is stated to be from Europe, living in a city approximately a 6 hour drive away from Ylva’s apartment in Paris. 😅

I fricked up a lil as you can see.

So then if I were to have to choose for her to have come from a country when I inevitably rewrite things, it would probably be from England. Since everyone reading this story has some level of English skill. (With a shout out to my Spanish reader who uses a translator!)

Okay, with all this out of the way, let’s talk about who Fran is!

Francine (Fran) Parker, is a 24 year old lesbian from ??? who was abandoned by her birth parents at a park and grew up in foster care with not one, but two failed adoptions. She eventually aged out of the system but was able to get affordable housing as long as she had a job from the government.

Which is how Fran started working at the convenience store! She was always a bit of a night owl who didn’t do much besides work and entertain herself afterwards. She had no real social life due to the hours she worked but also didn’t have much of an interest due to having some big issues regarding bonding with people due to her upbringing.

She finished secondary education, but didn’t pursue anything after that, so she could just work and get an income and housing, as she had no one to financially support her otherwise.

She wasn’t thriving, but she was surviving and that was good enough for her. She just took every day as is, not looking at the further into the future than her next pay day.

Sure deep down she wanted to be a mom and have a home with a white fence and a loving doting wife, but she didn’t really see it happening.

Kinda a spoiler incoming as I am addressing this question pretty soon:

The whole reason she’s as calm as she is about the whole kidnapping situation is actually really sad. She fell for Ylva because in her whole life, no one, absolutely no one, but Ylva went through such extremes just to be with her. Her parents abandoned her as a baby at a random park, not one, but two adoptions failed and she went from one to the other foster home.

And then suddenly her super hot customer she was lusting after kidnaps her because she wants to be with her that badly.

So Fran just ran with it, because that’s also Fran. She takes every day as is.

She’s also shown to be incredibly maternal due to not only her lack of a maternal figure, but also often being one of the older and more responsible kids in the homes she lived.

She’s responsible in general actually. While she absolutely had months were dinner was cup noodles, she can actually cook quite well and is amazing at budgeting (not that she has to anymore).

She’s also not someone to just back down unless she realizes not doing so might get her or someone else harmed.

Fran’s Netflix obsession has also been mentioned before, but besides joking references I made of absolutely unhinged scenes of multiple different series such as Pretty little liars and Riverdale which she watched with Oline and Leslie and watching Adam Sandler movies with Ylva, she actually just watches whatever. Though a good documentary or feel good show like renovations or cooking, are always appreciated by her.

Here's Fran's pic! Also btw my IRL name isn't actually Fran. I just picked it because someone once mentioned calling me Holy or Homo or something felt awkward. I like Holyhomo though lol.

[latentillusion]

introducing my psycho-pass oc! brought to life by @catyypss 💜 i haven't fully fleshed out the details, but here's what we (i) know about her so far!

⤷ kogami's twin sister ⤷ honestly, i haven't given her a name yet. 😂 ⤷ originally an actress/singer (i actually wanted to explore what celebrities were like in a sybil world, but then season 3 came out and we did get to see that! how cool!) ⤷ BUT she became an inspector once her brother was demoted ⤷ (she really wanted to protect her brother! 😭 and she thought this was the best way to help him since he wouldn't have access to everything anymore.) ⤷ respects her brother a lot and looks up to him (they have a good relationship!) ⤷ also went to high school with kogami & ginoza ⤷ as kids, kogami tried to make her a bookworm but homegirl just... would not. (definitely teased her about it.) ⤷ people assume she's not that booksmart but she ranked above average at school & she has a sharp memory (it helped her a lot as a performer, but if she showed off a little while investigating -- can't blame a girl) ⤷ kogami & ginoza were both concerned when she said she'd become an inspector. kogami was much more quick to accept it (he trusts his sister a lot), whereas ginoza was much more upset ⤷ relatively good at maintaining her hue (learned a lot of stress management as a celebrity) ⤷ among the enforcers, she and yayoi chat a lot about music (though their tastes are very different), and maybe she and masaoka came up with ideas to tease gino ⤷ she's honestly not sure what to make of the sybil system, especially post-season 1; it's a system that judged both her brother and her friend (ginoza) so harshly. she knows they're both good people, so how fair can it all be? ⤷ personality-wise, i think she's level-headed and headstrong (would also be the type to stop bullying, with her words not her fists), she's charming and knows it, and growing up around kogami's teasing, she also loves to have fun and use her wit in her own way ⤷ post season 1 idea? she becomes a reporter or journalist (i just love the yayoi & oc team agenda!) to focus on elevating unheard voices, particularly of people sybil would try to otherwise ignore or disapprove of (very big immigrants rights activist in dejima once japan opened borders) i also think she would be so cool as a spy...

oc and ginoza ⤷ ginoza was interested in her when they were in school (come on, she's super pretty!), but i hc that he didn't feel confident asking her out (and has likely super tsundere about his feelings this whole time) ⤷ he DID support her during school plays/shows ⤷ i think oc was also intrigued by this serious guy from the get-go and soon developed her own crush, but because of her career, maybe she didn't have time for romance either ⤷ they were still good friends all throughout school and into adulthood (ginoza would attend oc's shows/premieres and bring flowers!) ⤷ UNTIL kogami's demotion ⤷ as much as he respects his best friend and as much as he cares about oc, he just doesn't think it's a good idea for her to enter the mwpsb for a reason like this (she doesn't realize what she's getting herself into) ⤷ let's say they're just disgruntled partners for a while (but gino's a softie; he's not going to stay mad forever!) ⤷ BECAUSE I WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP!!1!!! ⤷ given ginoza's personality pre/during s1, i think she would have to be the one to pursue him a little ⤷ but once he's demoted, nothing else matters, the floodgates open, and he tells her his feelings ⤷ i think because the two of them already cared a lot about each other before the timing was right, it would be emotional when they first get together (oc wants ginoza to be happy and want more for himself, ginoza wants to cherish and be good to the person he's held at arms length for so long) -- not sure if they tried dating before and it failed, and then tried again after ginoza becomes an enforcer, or if they try for the first time only after he's an enforcer. either way, the road is very long and filled with pining.

i know i've typed a lot, but i feel like i've left a lot of holes in her story. i mean, she doesn't even have a name yet... how can i name her ship?!?!?

i really want to develop her former life as an actress/idol more! (particularly, a darker story, like a crime happening at her agency or something?) give her some work-related trauma.

i also want to explore her naïveté, with how she decided to become an inspector. obviously, she passed the requirements, but does she have the heart? can she pull the trigger? what's gonna be her "oh shit" moment? (she needs PLENTY!!)

other minor things: ⤷ it was meeting akane that made her realize the way she supported her brother wasn't what was healthiest for him and his mind. she respects her a lot! ⤷ she really loves cute people! so she really wants to be a big sis to characters like mika, kei, arata, etc. (naturally, she thought baby gino was ADORABLE)

some future ideas i want to focus on: ⤷ how does she separate herself from her brother? ⤷ would she and gino even work as a couple? (too late, they gotta since i already commissioned art of them. LOL)

that's all she wrote (for now). if you see this, please help me come up with a name. i want it to be pretty! ;-;

[boy-above]

genshin identity headcanons cause i wanna share:

venti: i suppose the closest thing in gender would be demiboy? with beings like him i consider them to be born without a gender, so calling them cis or trans feels odd because they were never assigned one to begin with. he has all the genders but also none, but is boy adjacent. prefers he/him, but also likes being called feminine things like wife, bride, maiden etc.

xiaoxiao: also born genderless but sees himself as a man, i think his masculinity is important to him (but does not stop him from having pretty eyeliner). demisexual/demiromantic, has only loved one (1) man in his life. venti was his first time, but luckily venti has been alive for 2600+ slutty, slutty years and is very experienced.

scara: trans man, was created in the likeness of a woman but decided he didn't like that actually and chopped his hair off. gay, but has a complicated relationship with love because of *gestures at all of him as a person*. was in love with niwa but never loved again, until he found one (1) maple boy

maple boy: a simple gay man. i tend to see him as cis. he and mouchie are peak 'i'll find you in every lifetime'.

heizou is gay cis man but is very gnc. usually i like kazuha and scara to be exclusive but heikazuscara is also really good. heizou and scara would be competitive and love fighting each other but would do Anything for kazuha. they're in their get along shirt. they're gonna fuck in the get along shirt.

albedo: aro/ace. doesn't care much about gender but prefers masculine terminology, is probably smooth like a ken doll down there. he has a complete disinterest in sex and could probably sit there and watch ppl go at it in a completely detached scientific way. would take notes. interesting research material.

razor, bennett, and fischl: all of them are bi and polyam. razor doesn't know what a gender is and doesn't care what people call him, he doesn't pay attention much. as long as they know he's razor and he's a wolf then they've got it covered as far as razor is concerned. bennett is a trans boy, lucky to be surrounded by sososososo many supportive dads. fischl is a trans girl who of course had her trans awakening when she realized how much she wanted to be pretty and cool like her favorite book character. also they're all autistic i don't make the rules. fischl also has something going on with mona sometimes but it's on and off and not as serious as with the other two. "my name is razor and this my boyfriend bennett and our girlfriend fischl, and this her girlfriend mona" basically.

layla is an ace lesbian who falls in love with every pretty girl who is nice to her, but doesn't have time to pursue a relationship because of how busy she is with school ): her dreams are full of said pretty girls though.

i think i also see barbara as an ace lesbian as well, she is the cutest little blorbo.

ayaka is very obviously bi. i think she and kokomi would be rly cute together. that's my rarepair of the day.

tighnari and cyno are both arospec gay. perhaps demiromantic. love dick, probably wouldn't be chasing it if they didn't have each other though. trans tighnari supremacy. sumeru is the best place to be if you wanna transition.

xingqiu is a catty, mean ass gay. babygirl hes noncomforming to genders you've never even heard of. any pronouns are fine. his boyfriend chongyun is cis and there's not a thought in his head. he doesn't fully understand xingqiu's gender stuff but he's got the right spirit. i don't think i have a preference for whether chongyun would be gay or bi. he and xingqiu have been attached at the hip for their whole lives so he's never had to put much thought into it.

xinyan, yun jin, and xiangling are polyam. xiangling and xinyan are bi while yun jin is a lesbian. yun jin is also a trans lady, and they all love each other very much. yun jin and shenhe would be cute too but i think i prefer aro/ace shenhe.

gorou is a cis gay who has definitely experienced gay panic™️ before. he really thought he liked girls but realized he just rly admires a lot of the women in his life but doesn't actually like them that way (kokomi for example). im fascinated by how a man can be such an exemplary twink while still being so straight. he didn't have to come out because everyone already knew before he did.

itto is a cis man, and he's a pan legend. he doesn't know that word though, he'd just tell you that everyone is hot. definitely doesnt have a thought in his head when it comes to gender but is supportive. shinobu is a trans woman and is bi and aspec. when itto found out she was trans he was like "shinobu is so smart she really Can do everything :0"

jean and diluc are both bi and are exes and i think they could get up to a lot of silly ex shenanigans. they parted on friendly terms obviously.

furina is my precious boygirl, she is bigender and transmasc, and she's bisexual. any pronouns are fine. i feel like she would also have a crush on anyone who's nice to her.

[fratboykate]

That reunion thoughhhhhh ❤️😭😩💔 Kate finding comfort in the one person she’s ever felt 100% safe with (minus the emotional beat down) and Yelena having a mix of nostalgia and all the familiarity between them they do without even noticing 😭 gives us a nice preview of how/why they end up back together later on and Kate once again with the foreshadowing but this time in a good way since “their people” are each other, just the 2.0 versions lol. Kate ending things on her own and thinking Yelena was also single 👀🤔 was she hoping for something or just knew she couldn’t commit to something when her heart wasn’t fully in it? I’m LOVING this slow burn cycle of stubborn Yelena with Kate chasing her to lovers, to enemies (sorta), and is it wrong to assume that Kate is the one pursuing Yelena again and trying to persuade her that she’s changed and things will be better this time around? I also have a confession to make…I didn’t notice any of the names because I know barely anything Marvel and unlike you, I don’t do my homework lol. I did enjoy having another multiverse where Yelena beats down Clint, even if it’s just verbally 😂

Also wanted to say I’m sorry all you writers (and apparently everyone in the industry in the near future) have to deal with greedy af trash people and have to sacrifice your financial security to get what you’re owed (not that it will be equal to what you all deserve, but better than now). I’m glad we get more of your time like the attention seeking children we are but I hope it goes quickly for you

i can tell you with certainty that she didn't break off her engagement knowing a crazy dude would break into her house a week later and yelena would be there lol. no correlation between the two. it was all very serendipitous.

i don't think any "pursuing" will be needed. i think ten years down the line they'll both be too old and lived too much life to be down for any games. that's shit you do in your 20s. yelena is going to be pushing 40. she has NO TIME for it.

and thank you :) it's going to be an interesting summer. that's for sure. i think we're gearing up for a super strike. the DGA (director's guild) and SAG (actor's guild) also have expiring contracts next month and it really feels like they're going to turn down whatever shitty deal we know the studios will give them so it'll TRULY all grind to a halt. if you have no writers, no directors, and no actors there's nothing to do. it feels like the perfect storm has been created and either the studios will buckle or some wild, unprecedented shit is going to start to happen in the next few months. there was a WGA meeting today for all members and reps from ALL OTHER UNIONS - every single fucking one - showed up on stage to support us. dga, sag, iatse, teamsters, laborers...all there. do you know how hard you have to piss off all of hollywood's labor force to make this happen? that was historic. it's basically like all the people who don't like each other in school unite to beat down the Big Bully. if this goes on for as long as i think it will, we're all going to suffer economically (and pretty devastatingly too because as you can tell we're already in dire straits to begin with) but if we don't dig our heels in now there won't be a career to be had when the next contract is up in three years.

[leidensygdom]

Yxala: 13, 20, 59?

Ohhh these are some juicy ones!

13. what are some motifs you associate with them? did you intentionally bring in those motifs, or did it happen over time?

So! When I first made Yxala, I didn't expect her to have a (heavily relevant) romantic plot to her, which does include the way she carries mementos related to Urion and Relent. But she took over these symbols, and made them part of her own- To the point they've become part of her. It includes some of the hair accesories for Uri, crystal branches, X-shaped stuff, and even the wires. I've sometimes depicted her with the puppet strings, not as much because she's being controlled by anyone (she's actually terribly obstinate), but because of her connection with Urion. You can see the branch and gear-shaped-X-thing in this portrait!

20. what attracts them to someone—platonically and/or romantically, anything counts.

Yxala is not the nicest, gentlest person- And she knows. And she somehow does find a certain allure to people who are (unlike her) exactly that: She just finds the way some people can remain positive and helpful even when the world sucks to be a most admirable trait. Both Relent and Urion met that. She's also not exactly the brightest person around, but deeply appreciates intelligence and knowledge. She's somehow ended up dating not one, but two neuroscientists, and even got her proficiency in medicine from hearing them talk. Here's a lil doodle of them partnering on their knowledge on bodies to spook her--

Physically, she does like people who are just smaller than her. Soft people she can pick up and absolutely spoil. I don't think she's got much of a type beyond that (and she's had a huge variety of romantic interests of all shapes, genders and such), but she finds delight in shorter people. When she learned Urion has a bismuth skeleton that ramps their weight to probably the double you'd expect, she made it her objective to be strong enough to carry them enough effortessly-

59. what’s an element of their philosophy that you disagree with?

The more I think about it, the harder I find to disagree with her core values. I think I disagree more with her methods- She's kind of violent, and sometimes violence is not the answer. I fully support her pursue to snap billionaire spines, mind you, but she can get kind of aggressive with people who are far less responsible of certain things. She's got a few quirks and stuff- Like being really abrasive and kind of chaotic, and having really bad coping methods, which I surely don't agree with. But her core? Eat the rich is a good life motto-

The one thing I just don’t share is how terribly allo she is. She’s got a very crass humor and can talk of certain topics in very inappropriate way and I’m constantly trying to bonk her for her horn*y crimes-

[kalena-henden]

Kdramas continue to rule my world as I have completed my 40th kdrama. Though I did make time for a few other shows. This is a wrap up of what I’ve been watching since September.

finished or caught up with: 

Navillera - An elderly man decides to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a ballet dancer with the help a young troubled ballerino. I laughed through the first half and cried through the second half. Beautifully moving story. As former (amateur) ballet dancer, I completely understand the peace and joy that ballet can bring. There have been no other forms of dance or exercise that have fully captured what it gave me. Loved this!

Reply 1997 - My least favorite kdrama so far. I watched this solely for Seo In Guk. He’s actually great in this. I was just not crazy about the story. Everyone was kinda awful. The parts about fangirling and fanfic writing were so accurate though. lol 

Goblin - I am fully onboard the Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook train now. Their bromance on the show and in real life is everything. So many great laugh out loud, fish out of water moments but also some powerful reveals that made me sob. I eventually warmed up to the romances in the second half. It’s a really well crafted story. I already rewatched it.

Coffee Prince - Yes, I needed more Gong Yoo. hehe I was shocked how many shirtless/wet shirt moments there were for the coffee shop boys in the first half. This show is a little edgier than some of the more recent kdramas I’ve seen. I was here for the friends to lovers romance. There were some things I wasn’t crazy about (like how she kept her secret for too long) but I loved the coffee shop team vibes. They were so supportive of each other. 

The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim - This short webseries starring Kim Sae Ron and Nam Da Reum about high schoolers who fight an evil spirit that kills struggling students was so cute. It lagged a bit towards the climax but I still had a fun time. Also, the chill OST ‘Run to You’ by Kwon Jin Ah became one of my most listened to songs of the year.

Start-Up - This is a modern day Cyrano story set in the fast paced tech start-up world. It’s interesting to see the string of puppeteering that characters are caught in. Han Jipyeong (our Cyrano) is made a puppet by Dalmi’s grandmother, who in turn makes Nam Dosan into his puppet to then become the puppeteer of Seo Dalmi. Nam Dosan is also a puppet of his parents. With this long string of deception, Dalmi and Dosan struggle to find their agency in the first half because many of their actions are being covertly manipulated by what others want from them while trying to overcome their childhood trauma. Too often this made their personalities seem paper thin. While Han Jipyeong fails to realize his true desire for a family until it’s too late due to his insecurities and self-reliance born out of his own childhood trauma. The final episodes cut the strings; untethering the characters to pursue their dreams in relationships and business. **SPOILERS** It was clear to me, though apparently not to others, that while Han Jipyeong doesn’t get the girl, he does become part of the family which is what he truly wanted. Though it would have been nice if he had been paired up with the SFL whom he seemed more suited. And a surprisingly happy ending since Cyrano stories are typically tragedies.  Overall, I enjoyed this story.

Squid Game - Visually stunning and well acted. The tension of the games was fantastic but the story often lost its way when they were between them. I liked it but didn’t love it. 

Hometown Cha Cha Cha - Now my 2nd favorite kdrama of all time! A sleepy seaside village explores everyday traumas and how to work through them with humor and heart. So many great characters (especially female ones) but Shin Min Ah and Kim Seon Ho's fantastic performances standout as our lead romance between two broken people trying to find healing. Blown away by their acting. I felt it all. 

Tale of the Nine-Tailed - Lee Dong Wook and his charisma carried this show. While I liked the characters, they mostly fell flat due to the story. The best part was the relationship between the brothers. 

Touch Your Heart - Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na reunite in this adorably cheeky romcom. Sometimes the other characters slow things down, but the main couple are so darn cute. A fun watch.

The Great British Bake-Off - This show brings me so much peace and joy. Happy to see my faves Crystelle and Chigs shine. 

Suspicious Partner - A law student is falsely accused of killing her ex-boyfriend and is defended by her former prosecutor boss leading to much comedy and romance as they work together to search for the real killer. The first half is strong with the fun, romance, and mystery but gets bogged down in the second half with too much will-they-or-won’t-they nonsense and stretching out answers to the murders for too long. I still liked it.

Strong Woman Bong Do Soon - Park Hyung Shik is so darn perfect as his rich chaebol character absolutely adores our leading lady though he tries to act cool about it and constantly fails. Park Bo Young is good as our strong woman but is too often bogged down by not being able to get over her first crush and fear of using her powers. The humor wasn’t quite up my alley. I don’t find meanness funny. If it wasn’t for Park Hyung Shik, I probably would have dropped it.

Happiness - Han Hyo Joo and Park Hyung Shik are the slow burn, mutual pining, marriage of convenience, battle couple of my dreams. I love them! They lead a fantastic ensemble cast that makes you feel everything in this crazy virus quarantine. It’s easy to dwell on all the horrible things shown that people do in trying times but in equal (and quieter) ways you also see all the wonderful things people do to help and care for each other. It’s the beautiful dichotomy of this morality tale.

Secret Royal Inspector Joy - Of course, I needed more Ok Taecyeon in my life. The humor was hit-or-miss for me but the sincerity of the characters and the dramatic arc had me hooked. Excellent squad goals and Lee Joon Hyuk as the Crown Prince had me wishing he was not just a guest star.

Crash Landing on You - Sorry, y’all, but this was a bumpy ride for me. I put it off because I knew how beloved it was. I started it this summer and it was okay. Captain Ri was an immediate fave but it took a very long time to warm up to everyone else. It was really slow and I got bored alot even during parts I liked. And I kept getting spoiled on social media right before the next interesting part. Honestly, the epilogues were some of the best I’ve ever seen and would favorably change my entire perspective on an episode. I dropped it around episode 12 but was determined to finish it before the end of the year which I did after Christmas. It was still slow but I enjoyed it more. And the last 2 episodes were great. I don’t think this will ever be a fave but I understand why it is other peoples. My big takeaway is don’t watch things until you’re ready and if possible watch it with someone who already loves it. Those two things I think would have helped improve my experience.

The Red Sleeve - Lee Junho and Lee Se Young were fantastic in this saeguk! I was on the edge of my seat with all the mystery, court intrigue, slow burn romance, and action. I was a little mad at Deokim withholding showing her love after they got together but otherwise it was a great story.

Just Between Lovers (Rain or Shine) - More Lee Junho! *grin* Also, happy to get more Won Jin Ah, whom I enjoyed in Life. They were perfect as a pair of victims who were rescued from a shopping mall collapse ten years earlier and are still dealing with the fallout in their lives. A sweet and sad healing romance. 

Shopping King Louie - Faves Seo In Guk and Nam Ji Hyun star as a clueless chaebol and a clueless country hick respectively in this fish out of water, blind leading the blind, over the top comedic adventure to learn how to live life and fall in love. This was so crazy and there were some characters who irritated me. But I really liked the character development for everyone and it became a big found family by the end. Cute romance too.

The Expanse - An excellent final season. The right amount of nostalgia, politics, character growth, tense action, and humor.

Hot Stove League - This sports drama kept me on the edge of my seat as the new general manager who has never worked in baseball tries to rebuild a failing franchise into a championship team. A great ensemble piece. Namkoong Min and Park Eun Bin lead this motley crew as they slowly win over everyone to their winning strategy. So many great mini-story arcs within the larger story. Everyone gets time to shine.

Let Me Be Your Knight - Another idol drama starring Lee Junyoung, whom I also liked in the idol drama, Imitation. Due to financial issues, a long lost twin impersonates her sister to become an in-house doctor to a kpop star dealing with sleepwalking. It has enemies-to-lovers, contract co-habitation, mistaken identity, over-the-top humor, past traumas to overcome, secret dating, squad goals, etc. The first couple episodes set-up a pretty wild premise to get to the co-habitation but then the story has a good development arc. I really love the relationships between the band members and with the FL. Also, every bandmate gets their own motivation/storyline and the music is good. I've had the song "Beautiful Breakup" on repeat for a month.

Our Beloved Summer - I really enjoyed this second chance romance which is not usually my cup of tea. It was well done and I loved the characters. One thing that bothered me though is how all of the secondary characters had little to no character development or agency outside of how they related to the main couple. Everything was in service of the main couple’s relationship. This is not necessarily bad, it was just a story choice. For me, I would have liked the side characters to have their own true development arcs too. The OSTs are excellent on this as well. V’s Christmas Tree is definitely on my playlist.

currently watching:

Outer Banks - One episodes left!

Nadiya’s Time to Eat - Happy to see the Bake Off winner again and learning a few food tricks and tips.

Abyss - After two episodes, I put it on hold. I do plan to finish it but I have discovered I’m generally not keen on Park Bo Young’s stuff prior to DAYS. 

Young Lady and Gentleman - My first 52 episode family kdrama (aka primetime soap). The cuteness and romantic tropes have me hooked but the drama drama drama of certain characters does grate on me. I’ve even used the 10 second skip button repeatedly through certain scenes and not missed anything truly relevant. But I’m going to see this romance to the end.

The Silent Sea - Gong Yoo and Bae Doona lead this sleepy space adventure. I have 3 episodes left but if it wasn’t for the leads I probably would have dropped it.

Ted Lasso - Last weekend, I watched the entire first season in one sitting while I smiled and laughed the whole time. Such a fantastic show. Can’t wait to watch S2!

[husbandohunter]

May I request a Childe X Reader fanfic where the reader has been pushing herself too hard lately and so Childe has to forcefully get her to rest? ty

By my side [Childe x Reader]//Genshin Impact

Synopsis: You were an artist and he was an adventurer. Two people from vast backgrounds and Childe just wants to spend some time of his busy life with you. However, things didn't really go his way...at first.

(Childe x F!reader. Its all fluff)

(A/n): Perfect request anon. I too, would like to have a Childe in my life. Been getting 5-6 hours of sleep on average 😃😁. Yeah kind tossed some extra ideas with artist s/o, its a perfect reason for anyone to be busy.

============================

Once recieving the permission to take a week off from his diplomatic duties, the first thing Childe thought of was none other than his lovely significant other.

The harbinger knew quite well what lays ahead of his ventures to Liyue. During his quest for the archon's gnosis, he encountered many interesting events, such as meeting the rumoured traveller hailing from afar and a broke yet courteous man who turned out to be the ultimate ruler of this very country he walks upon then there was the battle against a dead god until he revived it using the sigil of permission. All of them were great additions to his story as Ajax the hero, something he always wanted to pursue since childhood. In which, also gave him something nice to write about when preparing letters for his siblings living back home. But little did the harbinger know that he'll one day bump into the heroine. A little too soon. Through your little art shop, he met you, a sweet and audacious woman with plenty of humour. That was how it all began.

While he strides down the streets between Liyue's exquisite buildings, Childe suddenly stops in his tracks and looks up to the sky. There, was painted a scenery of an evening dusk, sun rays relfected across until red and orange hues cast a river stream that led to the ends of the world. He watched the birds follow that streak like it was a path made for them to fly towards. A new adventure. You would have loved to captured this in your pictures.

And then he wonders, what might you be painting right now?

"Hey babe, I'm home~"

In a sing-song voice he calls out to you by your nick-name. You knew that Childe was an active member of the Fatui and that his time was limited, hence he made sure to write to you as well. Of course long distant relationships only makes the waiting more anticipated. When he does pay a visit, you'd run straight into his open arms, leaping off your feet to engulf him in one enourmous embrace. Then his hands will hold against your waist as he spins your round and around in the air, stealing the laughter out of your lungs before planting you back on the floor. Sometimes Childe would consider that being far away wasn't be such a bad idea as long as he was able to experience this, the harder the battle, the sweeter the victory. However...

"That's great."

He was met by a response similar to the wintry grace of Snezhnaya.

Huh?

All the fantasies he had from earlier shatters in the background as he stands there frozen. You didn't even spare a glance to the entrance, eyes still glued to the large canvas displayed at your front, too busy to even care. Childe clicks his tongue between the awkward silence with an uncertain expression. When there was no signs of initiation on your part, he shuffled his way to where you were and observes from behind.

"Well you're particularly quiet today," he muses to himself, placing a hand over his hip, "I guess that painting of yours must be really important then."

It was obvious that he was trying to nudge you into his favour. Something that you've found endearing was how quickly your boyfriend can be when he's in a needy state. So you quickly twisted over to peck him on the cheek before going back to work.

"That's better," Childe satisfiedly grins, "So who is this project for?"

"It's a commission requested by a wealthy family serving the Qixing. They're really influential in terms of the market and can really give me a competitive edge. I have to get it done in five days."

His tone flactuates as he squints his eyes, "Five days you say," he disliked the news of your schedule taking over his own, Childe only managed to take a week off and after that, he'll be away for quite some time, "Why don't you take a break? From the looks of your progress, it seems to me that you've been working on it for hours. I've got plenty of interesting stories to tell and you know, nothing can compare to sharing a warm meal within your company," he leans down to your ear level, "How does that sound?"

Several seconds went by as he waits for some sort of reaction, "Oh. Right," you blurted out and the harbinger only smiles, "I made some food earlier this morning. You can go help yourself if you're hungry."

Today was not his day.

Childe pulls out the wooden chair and slumps into the seat, a defeated huff escaping his mouth as he stared at the crystal shrimp placed on the table. It was hastily wrapped by plastic, most likely cold for a while, just like the romantic evening he had planned in his head. Normally you'll be sitting on the otherside while listening to the many tales he went through along the way. Although painting was your passion, it was undeniable that you also enjoyed his kind of lifestyle if you ever had the choice. He was rather surprised on how someone ambitious like him would end up with such a simplistic person but quickly accepted it as life was meant to be unpredictable, just the way he likes it. As Childe entertains you with his stories, he'll listen to your giggles amidst eating the homecooked meals that you both prepared together.

"I wonder if she ate already," he mumbled to his lone self. You most likely did but Childe knows you well. Artists are obsessed and they can go as far as to neglecting their own health for the sake of their masterpieces. Hence, he made sure to remind you to eat properly through the letters he wrote to you.

The harbinger takes a quick glance around the kitchen. It was a mess. The cupboards were slightly opened, metal pots were still displayed on the stone stove and the stench coming from the sink....

Childe pushes himsel up to see what was the cause.

Not even the dishes were washed.

Running his fingers through his bangs, he sighs wearily, "Old habits die hard huh?" And above all else, when artists are obsessed they also forget how disorganized they can become. Childe begins to roll up his sleeves before taking off his gloves. At times like this he'll have to pitch in and take care of it for you, "Looks like I'll be here for a while."

Throughout three sunsets and three moonrises, Childe had no option but to observe you from afar, minus the few attempts he made to regain your attention again. How you would go to bed much later than him, waking up before he opens his eyes and the effort he put into making your food only left with too many leftovers. It wasn't that you were unappreciative, instead, your mind had become too focused that your body was considered a second priority. Like anyone else, Childe genuinely thought you possessed great talent and supports you wholeheartedly. He loved it when you painted pictures just for him as if they were scenes coming out of his hero story, reminded by his adventures, capturing every detail. However he also needed to learn how to deal with this stubborn side of yours.

"Hey babe, I just finished preparing our dinner. Don't you smell that? Such a rich aroma, you should go eat."

"I'm busy."

Your diet were just small bites, the rest being substituted by coffee. Childe could clearly tell that you weren't getting enough sleep either as there were dark circles forming underneath your eyes and slowly, he was starting to become a little irritated.

Three hours passed midnight but you were still awake in the same place doing the same thing. Childe leans against the doorframe with arms folded, already changed into his sleeping clothes. He clears his throat to break the silence, "Ahem."

Your wrist hangs in mid air by the sound of a strange visitor, it was your boyfriend. Gaze in a daze, you lazily turned your head, "What time is it?"

"Way passed the sleeping hours as you can see," he points with his thumb at the table clock in a half-hearted manner, "You should already be in bed by now and don't think you can coax yourself out of the situation this time," his eyes parted in slits as he added with a smile, "Otherwise I might just have to force you myself."

You shook your head, "Give me one more hour? There's some finishing touches I really want to add so," clasping your hands together, you beamed sweetly, "Pretty please? I'll finish up soon."

"Oh really?" Childe challenges, head tossed back like he was interrogating you instead, "I believe that was also what you told me yesterday. And the day before? Adding up all of those days that would be.....four in total?" He deliberately counts upon his fingers before facing you again, this time his expression was slightly more serious, "As much as I find your determination remarkable, there are moments when you need to consider a sufficient amount of rest and this just isn't going to cut it."

"Four days already?!" You exclaimed, "Jeez, I don't even know if I'm halfway done."

Pressing his lips together, Childe glares in an acutely deadpanned countenance, it was also his time too, "Can't you ask this commissioner to extend your due date to next week? In your case, mora shouldn't be the issue since, well...you're dating me anyways."

It's true. Childe was the main reason why you didn't have to live as a starving artist. He had all your expenses fully covered from the marketing aspect to your residence, you simply chose to work out of pure will.

"I don't want to always rely on you so much," you confessed, "This commissioner could turn my whole career around. If I'm able to gain his favour, maybe I'll get promoted to a court painter for the Qixing! Who knows when there will ever be a chance like this again," pumping your fists, you spoke purposefully, "I'll pull an all nighters if I have to!"

Childe brings his hand to his forehead, you looked as if you were nearly about to collapse and yet still considering the option of an all-nighters? The harbinger should've detained you days prior before.

"Hm? Childe, what's wrong?" He suddenly falls deadly quiet and you watched him walk closer towards you, "What are--"

Hooking an arm behind your knees and the other at your back, your boyfriend lifts you up in one full swoop as he tossed you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Guess we'll have to do things the hard way," he remarks cheerfully.

"W-Wait," you flailed your arms and kicked your legs but to no avail. Childe was an experienced combatant indeed, "Put me down! I have work to do."

Your protests fall upon deaf ears as the harbinger carries you to your room. You were oddly lighter than the last time he carried you, the strength less vigor than before, it was obvious that your body was in need of relaxation. He suddenly thinks there was a possibility that you would maintain this habit while he was absent.

I should probably visit more often.

Using his free leg to nudge the door open, he places you upon the shared bed in a gentle manner. You winced at the impact of the soft sheets, surprised by how much it affect you.

"There we go. All done. Man, you really are a stubborn one, aren't you. Makes me a little worried since I can't spoil you all the time."

He quickly invited himself to the empty space on your bedside and wrapped his arms around your figure, pulling you close and feeling you whole. Childe made sure there was no escape once putting his chin above your hairline so that you could feel his warmth as much as possible.

"This is--" you stuttered. His tactic was enough to make your limbs soften and you could almost hear him smirk into the distance, "This is cheating..."

"You think so?" He comments as if pledging innocence, "I don't know babe. Where I come from those who take the initiative are the ones who end up claiming the prize," pulling back, Childe takes the opportunity to observe your pouty face, "I don't make the rules. It's just how it goes."

You wanted to argue back but he suddenly took the bedsheets and covered both of your bodies with, completely trapping you with his presence. He snuggles into you further as if you were a bear made of linen and you felt the drowsiness taking over your mind. The way he gently pats down the back of your head was enough to instantly lull you into a deep sleep.

"Cheater," you mumbled.

He laughs softly, the rumbles emitting through his chest, "I love you too babe."

Even after you've let go of your resistance, Childe continues his actions until he was sure that you were resting. He had been longing to touch you like this since living a chaotic life only made peaceful moments much sweeter, "You're such a hard-worker you know that? I'm proud of you but you have to know when to call it a day," he whispers, "If not, how can I go on trips while knowing that you're still refusing to eat properly?"

You closed your eyes and said nothing in return. All your senses were too cloudy to come up with a reassuring response. Childe listens to the way your breath evens as you intake his scent during the process. It smelled like the soap you used in the showers, lotus leaves mixed with his own unique musk. You could only focus on him. His comforting embrace. His slightly accelerating heartbeat because you were together with him.

Letting out one final yawn, you succumbed to his spell and allowed your energy to drift away.

The corners of his lips tug upwards, "Sleep well princess."

Childe reaches over to your desk drawer and shuts off the alarm clock before turning over to face you again. He couldn't fall asleep immediately, not when he had to consider taking care of the commissioner who gave you an impossible deadline. But that will be saved for another day, for now, he observes in silent serenity.

If he were to quit his job for a year, what would his life be like?

Peaceful. Something opposite of what he was living right now. Something similar to the life he had back home. As you arrange the many paintings in your little home, he'll offer to help you among the places you couldn't reach. Without a doubt, Childe was far taller in comparison. Taking strolls into the streets and trying the new dishes the merchants came up with. Then in the evenings, you'll both go to dinner dates while listening to the storyteller revealing the rumours of the legendary Tianquan Qixing. Although Childe loved the adventurous life he led, he had to admit that your domesticity and family-bringing atmosphere was a tempting idea.

Maybe one day.

He lightly takes a strand that had fallen over your nose and tucked it smoothly behind your ear. The soft snores coming out of your parted lips caused his gaze to melt. And so he steals them with his own, placing a chaste goodnight kiss.

One day I'll be sure to bring my family here with us.

Closing his eyes, he joins you in your slumber, hoping to see all that he envisioned in his dreams.

[putschki1969]

Recent announcements made me a little bit confused, so I’m trying to organize my chaotic thoughts. As I have been recently listening to Kalafina a lot again, plenty of stuff came to my mind, and what can be better than asking you and fellow fans about their view on the matter?

After the disbandment, the Girls made it clear that they wanted to distance themselves from Kalafina. Out of the three, Hikaru is the best example. She has been particularly adamant about not looking back. While Wakana and Keiko perform a Kalafina song or two from time to time, Hikaru has not done so in a long time.

While I understand and respect the “I want to follow my own path and create my own music” point, this argument ceased to convince me, because Hikaru’s actions seem a little contradictory. After all, what was the purpose of covering popular artists such as YASOBI or ado? Reaching new audience, no doubt about it. Then, the launch of Hikaru’s official TikTok starts off with a cover of Aimer, which again looks like a deliberate (and really smart) move to attract some of the huge Kimetsu no Yaiba fan base.

But why do this, and at same time ignore the fact that there is a huge repertoire of almost one hundred songs, some still popular and recognizable, waiting to given new life. Written exactly for her, with her vocal abilities in mind. Hikaru-centric ones, powerhouses such as good old Mata Kaze, DU, Love come down, identify, would perfectly compliment her solo work. Not to mention there is plenty of others that barely seen any live performance (I’m looking at you, In every nothing!).

Requests made for Helixes Christmas Event, or numerous tweets during the last unofficial anniversary have showed that people would love to hear Kalafina songs again. No surprise here - Wakana has proved they can still be immensely enjoyable (Nakano Sun Plaza’s Musunde Hiraku), even with just a single vocalist. It’s just a matter of right choice, proper arrangement and a good band backup.

Looking at W&K&H solo careers with those 3 years of insight, I’m starting to believe that the decision to discard almost everything Kalafina related was made too hastily. Popularity and commercial success’ wise, it has backfired, as the fan base has scattered, and eventually diminished, with many people losing interest as you have pointed out.

I think they could have fully embraced their Kalafina legacy while pursuing their individual carriers, then incorporate their solo work and smoothly blend both into one musical output. This way they would both fulfill their respective ambitions while still have a good foundation for old supporters to cling to.

Hikaru’s recent activities, and little things like Keiko doing this modelling stuff, or Wakana suddenly becoming more interested in Twitter makes me believe someone finally realized they need to proactively find new means of promotion, or they will lose the battle against unforgiving Moloch of Japanese music industry. That leaves me surprised why they consistently refuse to use this possible advantage.

What do you think?

Oh wow! I had no idea Tumblr allowed such long asks, must be a new feature or maybe I just never noticed XD

Here are my thoughts on the matter 〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

Re: Distancing themselves from Kalafina Something we have to keep in mind is that out of the three of them, only Wakana can perform Kalafina songs without running into too much trouble (most likely due to Space Craft having at least partial rights to Kalafina's body of work). It's obviously no big issue for her to perform these songs regularly and include said performances in official releases. Keiko and Hikaru do not seem to have the same option. For all we know, they might have no choice but to distance themselves. While both have performed a song or two, it was always a more exclusive one-time thing that was clearly never meant to appear in any sort of official release. For the record: strictly speaking, Keiko hasn't really performed more Kalafina than Hikaru - she literally only sang "TTB" - but her performance is certainly more recent.

Re: Following their own path I believe they are all determined to develop their own personal style. I can understand why it would seem redundant to go back to the stuff you have done for 10+ years when you are in the midst of reinventing yourself. Not to mention that all three of them have expressed how difficult it is for them to perform these songs on their own, not only on a technical level but also on an emotional one. I cannot for the life of me remember when it happened but Hikaru has definitely mentioned that after initially trying to do a few Kalafina solo self-covers (for that very first solo live of hers) she quickly realised that she simply couldn't do it on her own because she felt too lonely. As for Hikaru covering all those super popular songs. Yeah, it is definitely a promo strategy (one that has continuously failed unfortunately T_T) but I wouldn't say it contradicts the whole "following her own path" agenda. I don't believe it compromises her newly developed identity as solo artist to cover those random hits because it is first and foremost meant to attract a new audience. However I do in fact think that relying too much on Kalafina can be quite dangerous because 1) it can quickly turn into pandering, 2) it draws the focus away from the actual solo work and 3) it only encourages people to make even more endless comparisons.

Re: Wakana's cover of Musunde Hiraku at Nakano Sunplaza I was there that day and I mentioned it in my live report but I found it shocking and borderline disrespectful that despite a few attempts on Wakana's part, the audience remained super unresponsive until this song. It's nice to see everyone being passionate about Kalafina but the utter lack of engagement for everything else is just baffling to me. I think these situations are quite difficult for Wakana, she obviously loves those songs and wants to continue singing them, she also wants to make her audience happy. But at what cost? To have your own solo work so obviously written off as "less than" must be a hard pill to swallow. I think it's no coincidence that we are seeing fewer and fewer Kalafina songs in her setlists.

Re: Backfire and refusal to use the advantage Oh yes, absolutely! Not cashing in on their vast Kalafina history has harmed them immensely and caused many fans to jump ship but I honestly do not think that they have had much of a choice in that regard. With the rather messy disbandment and the music rights situation being less than ideal, it is probably the most sensible and viable course of action for the girls to distance themselves (especially for Keiko and Hikaru). It really makes me sad to think about the fact that if a bunch of old manager dudes on both sides hadn't been so fu**ing butt-hurt about whatever the hell it was, we could have had it all. After a well-deserved short hiatus the girls could have pursued solo careers while still occasionally doing work as a group (in one of her interviews Keiko alluded to this actually having been a plan for their future at some point). Alas, it wasn't meant to be...*cries*

Re: Recent SNS activities I am glad their respective managements are finding new ways to promote them. It's obvious that with the new year and the fading pandemic, everyone is determined to push ahead. Let's hope their attempts bear fruit. Also, it seems that Hikaru got a new manager so they are probably responsible for some of the more recent changes. It's thanks to them that we are getting all these cute pics on the H-el-ical// account.

Everyone, feel free to join in on the discussion :-)

[love-takes-work]

When someone toxic needs a friend

I just wanna add a little personal reflection to the discussion of Spinel’s treatment in Steven Universe: The Movie.

A few signposts so you know where I’m starting with this:

A criticism I’ve seen: 

Steven was not particularly warm to Spinel. He did not hug her. He did not offer to be her friend. He spoke carelessly and triggered her toward becoming murderous again. He only cared about what she could do for him.

A perspective I’ve seen: 

LOTS of people with borderline personality disorder or strong feelings about abandonment personally relate to Spinel and are critical of Steven from this perspective.

Rebecca Sugar’s commentary on Spinel:

The thing about Spinel is that she’s a really toxic person. 

She’s so toxic that she’s literally trying to poison people. 

In my interactions with friends who have had a history difficult enough to make it hard for them to trust other people and sometimes even actively want to hurt others, it’s just a very difficult situation to navigate. In the case of Spinel and all of these characters, that’s extremely exaggerated because cartoons have the ability to be extreme exaggerations. I wanted to explore what it’s like when you’re trying to help someone who really doesn’t want to help themselves, who wants to embody the negative feelings that they have about themselves. I think that’s something really real. I hadn’t seen that in a cartoon before. 

Spinel, unlike many other characters, actually has the goal of hurting people, which is new territory for the show. She really wants to hurt Steven, and there’s a reason that she does—because she’s in so much pain. I just wanted to explore all the dimensions of that.

I also think Steven has his way of trying to handle and dissolve conflict. It’s not necessarily a good way for him to handle this situation. It really leaves him in a difficult state, and I think what I wanted to show in the way that they interact is that at a certain point, when you can’t help someone, you have to be able to protect yourself. 

Ultimately, he can’t really convince her to change. It’s something she’ll have to want for herself. But what he can do is protect himself from her, making it impossible for her to hurt him. 

It’s sort of up to you if you would like to love her. If you watch this movie and she, you know, frustrates you, that is totally fair. I want that to be a big part of who she is.

[From the AV Club interview]

So here are a few things I want to shed light on.

It’s very interesting that Rebecca intended Spinel to be read as “a toxic person” because so many fans fell in love with her, said they’d be her friend, hated intensely on Pink Diamond because of what she did to abandon the poor Gem, and sympathized with her directly. But Rebecca was looking at Spinel from Steven’s perspective. And that’s also what I did.

I’ve been Steven. I have VERY much been Steven.

When you meet someone who was done dirty, when you recognize the horror they’ve been through, when you see how much pain they are in and agree they have the right to be angry, it’s natural for empathetic people to offer themselves as comfort.

But when you’re Steven, you also know it isn’t YOUR fault either. Before you have the ability and experience to set boundaries, you can get sucked into other people’s stormy waters and think you’re helping if you drown in solidarity with them. What’s really important to preserving yourself is learning that you can stand on the boat and toss a life preserver. That it doesn’t ACTUALLY HELP to jump in the water and sink with them.

Some folks are angry that Steven didn’t jump right into sacrifice himself on the altar of friendship in the service of an intense, literally murderous stranger who tried to poison him and his planet and lash out at his friends, robbing them of their rich pasts and their relationships because all of it hurt HER so much. It is SO easy to understand WHY SPINEL WAS ANGRY. But nothing she was doing to Steven, his friends, or the Earth was going to fix her problems, and furthermore, she FULLY UNDERSTOOD that it was NOT THE FAULT of any of the people she took her anger out on. It was irrational, yes, and that is part of her dysfunction. But also, in these situations, what helps explain it still does not excuse it.

Some have railed at Steven saying he somehow forgave genocidal tyrants like the Diamonds but couldn’t be friends with a damaged Gem like Spinel who just wanted friendship. The big difference there is that Steven got involved with the Diamonds when both parties believed he was a different person. The Diamonds believed he was the lost Pink Diamond, and Steven has also spent much of his superhero life believing he WAS his mother and was therefore obligated to accept punishment for her crimes or to clean up the messes she made. Now that he knows he is not her and that she did some pretty horrible stuff, he also wants the right to stop feeling responsible for every person Pink hurt in the entire region of space.

Steven gave Spinel basically compassionate treatment. He did not abuse her. He did not insult her. He occasionally coddled her when it seemed important (and though some said he was too businesslike while he pursued his mission, he was literally looking at the world ending within two days if he didn’t solve the problem). And most importantly . . . .

He let her leave the garden.

Spinel stayed in the garden all those millennia because Pink Diamond told her they were playing a game. All that time, she had visions of Pink returning so she could see her smile, hear her laughter. We see a sequence where she tried to follow Pink out of the garden and Pink manipulated her into staying willingly. We watch those feet leaving and one pair of feet staying behind. We see Pink disappear.

When Steven goes to leave the garden, Spinel follows in the same manner. Some have criticized him for letting go of her hands.

But he invited her out of the garden. He didn’t say stay. He said come with me.

As he sang about her deserving someone better, he was sincere. But he did not say the person to make her feel found should be him. He did not want to take on another person with thousands of years of baggage who would require a specific brand of attention and so much tenderness to avoid snapping. He did not allow her to be held by the hand and led out. He recognized that she needed encouragement to leave this place because of what was done to her, but he wanted her to take the steps.

Compassionate people are crushed all the time under the weight of needy people who make it hurt to love. People like Steven can acknowledge that Spinel deserves love and deserves to be happy without accepting that it’s heartless to stop short of personally doing it. Especially when you literally have to take physical, mental, and emotional damage as a general consequence of offering support and counseling. It is sometimes just beyond what you can do.

I made the mistake several times of getting very close to someone who treated me poorly while taking comfort in my presence. I cared that they were hurt and I didn’t know how to say “You deserve love” without stepping in and loving them. In EVERY case I was involved with, the person went from initially grateful to “why don’t you help me more?” shockingly quickly, and two of them deliberately tried to create situations where I would be trapped with them and isolated from others. 

I could get very personal here but I don’t think I need to. Those of us who relate all too well to Steven wanting to help others will have been in this situation. Your heart hurts for people who live with pain that has never touched you, but when they’ve made it clear with one of their first actions that they feel satisfied at the idea of ruining your life, trusting them could mean the end of you. Especially if they demand that you risk life and limb to fix and save them before you’d dare to call it love, and especially if they want to be fixed without feeling responsible for initiating any of it. Some people mistake suffering for working hard toward a goal. Both can hurt but only one is constructive. If I’m expected to spend extensive resources on someone, I need some partnership in the goal, and I can’t accomplish that with someone whose wish for companionship manifests as “I want you to feel as bad as I do, and will take steps to hurt you so I have someone to cry with.”

Steven risked his actual life while he didn’t have powers so he could go talk to Spinel, and he wouldn’t fight her when she wanted to fight. He protected himself while she spent her anger. He STILL put himself in the line of fire far more than a less compassionate person would. He took time and tenderness to listen to her story and sympathize with her, tell her she deserved better, bear witness to what she’d become after being treated like a discarded plaything, and bring her hope with promises of a new future and a way to feel found.

Sadly, Spinel flipped back to being murderous at the first sign that Steven might be about to prioritize someone other than her, reframing his reasonable needs as if he was planning to abandon her, isolate her, discard her. This was a trauma reaction, yes, and she isn’t entirely to blame for being upset because she was worried she was just being used and none of her actions were logically thought through. 

But does someone ever “deserve” the friendship of a specific person who can’t feel warm toward them because of their OWN bad experiences? 

No! 

Steven has a big heart but he has his very own huge storehouse of trauma, and being physically attacked with his family and planet put in danger over the actions of his mother is at the top of the list. Instead of assuming that the person who has trauma the loudest is the most hurt, can’t we just acknowledge that Spinel’s and Steven’s respective traumas make them NOT the best match for friendship?

The ending of the movie, with Spinel going off with the Diamonds, might seem a little disturbing with all the codepencency floating around there, but if you want to talk about compassion, I think this is a good place for Spinel to start. 

She just wanted to make Pink Diamond laugh and enjoy her life. She longed to do that for so long and then it all ended when she found out she would NEVER GET TO DO IT. I think bonding with the other Diamonds and having a familiar, safe place to experience the kind of love she’s used to will be a good FOUNDATION for building herself into a person beyond that. For now, she needs comfort. I hope they treat her well.

[ladykissingfish]

The Akatsuki as Parents

Obito

Was a bit reluctant when he found out he was going to be a daddy ... at first. Not because he didn’t want kids ((he really did)), but because he severely doubted his own ability to be a father. But the second he holds the baby in his arms, he’s hooked. He will be so eagerly helpful and hands-on that during the child’s infancy, the other parent will rarely have to lift a finger. Diapers need changing? Obito’s on it. Baby needs to be fed at 2am? Obito’s already out of bed and warming formula on the stove. Rash? Fever? A cough? Obito is consulting every doctor within a 20 mile radius on what to do. Note that Obito is a hard-core traditionalist and, if he isn’t married to the child’s other parent before he gets them pregnant, he’ll be persistent about doing so before the kid is born. Sobs the first time his child calls him “papa”. As the child grows older, Obito will be a tireless teacher and mentor, and you better believe that the kid will know every facet of what was once the Uchiha clan. Sharingan training is a bit nerve-wracking for Dad, because while he wants his child to grow strong, he knows the power of the eye is a deadly one, and doesn’t like to see his son/daughter get hurt. Is the type to be a bit more strict with his sons than with daughters, in fact being a complete pushover for anything his little girl(s) wants. Very, VERY likely to insist a girl be named Nohara. Also the type to sneak and let his kid eat lots of sweets (like Obito himself does) before meals, much to the other parent’s chagrin. Also involves the other Akatsuki members as uncles/aunt in the kid’s life, especially Itachi and Sasuke as he wants the kid to be exposed to members of the family more often.

Hidan

The literal first words out of his mouth are “pregnant? Why the hell didn’t you make me wear a condom?!” Takes a long time to warm up to the idea of parenthood, but once he does, he’s surprisingly better at it than anyone would anticipate. He tends to be very fast-paced in his body movements and not really used to being careful, so if he’s holding his infant it’s best to make him sit still in a chair first. Once the kid(s) is older, it’s better, because Hidan’s energy levels will match (and overshadow) even the liveliest of children. It will be a big point of contention between Hidan and his co-parent on whether or not to introduce their kid to Jashinism, and Hidan will eventually promise to wait until the child is an adult to start talking about “all that shit”; although Hidan’s idea of adulthood seems to be when the kid is old enough to use a kunai. Puts a startling amount of emphasis on his kid getting a good education, and will be sure to send him or her to the best village school that he possibly can. The reason behind this is because Hidan himself had a poor education growing up, and is in fact barely able to read or do basic math; and he says over and over that his kid “isn’t gonna be some dumbass like his/her father”.

Kakuzu

Nearly faints when told he’s going to be a father. Will immediately get out a calculator and start figuring out expenses like diapers, food, toys, education ... is so preoccupied that he ends up neglecting the person who carries his child, causing them to go off on their own expecting to be a single parent. Oddly, it’s Hidan who sets the old guy straight. He stays on his case and talks to him until the nonagenarian sees the error of his ways, and goes after the person having his baby. Kakuzu will be gentle with a baby, and show a surprising affinity for making up and singing lullabies. As the kid gets older, Kakuzu will be a bit more strict. “Food is expensive; you better eat every bite on your plate.” “A hole in your pants? No give them to me and I’ll mend them; buying new clothes is unnecessary.” His child will grow up knowing how to stretch a buck and budget money better than any other kid their age. Kakuzu isn’t really one for showing much warmth or affection, but there will be a few rare moments in his kid’s life where his father hugs him and tells him how proud he is of him. Kakuzu knows that the life of a shinobi is hard and therefore encourages his kid to pursue other career paths, such as opening up his/her own business.

Konan and Nagato

These two are so closely intertwined that they could only be parental mates to each other. When a baby comes into the picture, Nagato will still maintain his position as leader of the Akatsuki as Pein, but will insist that Konan quit. It’s for a practical purpose rather than a sentimental one; they both lost their collective parents to war, and Nagato always thought that if he had a child, he’d ensure that at least one parent would be around to always take care of him or her. Konan, however, will still keep in touch with all of the Akatsuki members, who will become very enthusiastic uncles to her child. She’s always been a good cook but with a child she’ll level up to professional chef caliber, creating dishes that are fun and healthy. Her child(ren) will be taught all of their mother’s paper jutsus, and Nagato will work to devise a way for the brightest one to get his rinnegan once he passes. The kids will primarily spend time with Nagato through Pein, and only be taken to meet their father when Konan feels they’re ready. Because Konan and Nagato had a childhood devoid of parental love, they’re often at a loss for how to be affectionate or sentimental, instead putting a lot of emphasis on “toughening” their kids up, so that they’re prepared to face the cruelties of the world. But the kids will know that mom and dad love them; it’s obvious in everything they say and do.

Deidara

Will be the fun, loving, yet highly irresponsible father. As soon as his kid is born he anxiously awaits to see if he or she inherits his explosion-release kekkei genkai; and if the kid DOES, he’s ecstatic. “Art is an explosion” won’t just be a saying in his household; it’ll be a way of life. The child will grow up given complete freedom to express his or her artistic tendencies, with Deidara highly praising any and every impact they make on the outside world. Yet despite being for artistic creativity, he’ll be (surprisingly) strongly against the child joining any kind of organization that’s like the Akatsuki; he regrets his own decision to join as he feels it out a horrible damper on his artistic expression and independence. Likes to tell his young children stories every night, which are actually just heavily edited and sanitized versions of his Akatsuki missions. Like Obito, will be a bit more of a pushover for a daughter than a son, and will love spending hours brushing and styling the beautiful long hair that the girl inherits from him. He’ll let any member of the Akatsuki around his kids except for Hidan (because he doesn’t want his foul language around the child).

Zetsu

There are people in this world who know for certain that their lives wouldn’t be fulfilled by having children, and Zetsu is one of these individuals. While wanting no offspring of his own, he IS rather a good “uncle” to the children of his fellow Akatsuki members ((although the majority of these kids are too terrified of his physical appearance to want to go anywhere near him until they’re at least teenagers)).

Sasori

A child would be hard-pressed to elicit any kind of emotional reaction from Sasori, as the man cleared himself of most feeling when he underwent his puppet transformation. However, one thing that he could never rid himself of, was his ability to love. Even if he has difficulty showing it, he loves his child and would do literally anything to help or protect them. When the child is a baby, Sasori will spend hours crafting tiny puppet-dolls for the kid to play with. As he grew up with a skilled medic grandmother, he possesses a wide knowledge of herbs and healing, which he will painstakingly pass on to his children. Not one to baby his children by any means, as he lives by the philosophy that the world is tough meaning you have to be tougher; however will offer advice, support, and encouragement on any issues that may be troubling his son/daughter. Early on he expresses a desire for his child to learn to be a master puppeteer like himself; however will be understanding if they choose to pursue a different path. Is very smart and naturally mistrustful of strangers, so will likely choose to educate his kids at home rather than send them to a village school. The type to seem more like a trusted mentor or an interesting uncle than an actual father; also the type to relate to his teen or adult children better than young kids.

Itachi

Itachi never feels like he deserves any of the good things in life, because of what he’s done, and therefore doesn’t know how to handle blessings that are given to him. A baby is the ultimate example of this. Itachi will feel as though any child of his would be better off not knowing him or being “exposed” to the cursed Uchiha bloodline, so at first he’ll make it a point to barely be around his baby ((even though this kills him inside)). Surprisingly, of all people, it’s Deidara who will talk him out of this mindset, telling him how important it is for a child to be around their father “even if he is a damned red-eyed weirdo”. Once Itachi allows himself to fully commit to parenthood, that’s it — he’ll be the best damned father in the universe. He’ll be warm and affectionate, especially liking to pick his kid up (no matter how old they are or how embarrassed it makes them) and squeeze them. He’s not much of a disciplinarian, believing that kids need to be able to make mistakes in order to grow from them. The only time he’ll ever get angry is when the child does something that could have resulted in a serious injury. Itachi’s intelligence has always been off the charts, and he utilizes this to help his kid be a spectacular student. In fact, as the kid gets older, they’ll start bringing his/her friends around the house in order to receive Itachi’s tutoring. Itachi’s brother Sasuke will adore his nephew/niece and come home more often simply to be with them. Also Kisame will come around practically every day, and the kid will grow up learning an impressive arsenal of water jutsus to compliment the traditional Uchiha fire jutsus.

Kisame

The tall, somewhat awkward father that scares all of his kid’s friends with his intimidating physical appearance ... until he opens his mouth and they hear a god-awful dad joke come out. Any child of Kisame’s is going to be part shark, and therefore have some affinity for being in/breathing under the water. Kisame’s favorite pastime will be taking his baby (and yes, I do mean baby, as he tends to start his kid on this when they’re young) out for long swims in the ocean. Kisame has always been self-conscious of his looks, so from the time the child is born he will spend a good deal of time teaching him or her to have self-confidence and love for him/herself. Like many of the others in the Akatsuki, Kisame never received much of a formal education, and therefore puts a lot of emphasis on his child going to a “normal” school and giving it their all when it comes to their studies. When the child proves him or herself physically capable, Kisame will start training with them on how to wield/control samehada, as well as fight with a variety of swords. It goes without saying that Itachi will be in Kisame’s kid’s life from the day they’re born, and be their favorite “uncle”.