#and goddammit he’s trying. he’s trying

[herofics]

Hey I don’t know if you still do my hero academia stuff but I have this idea I can’t get out of my head. Aged up reader goes blind from some accident and looses the ability to use their quirk. Katsuki comforts them coming to terms with not being able to see.

A/N: I haven't updated my wattpad book for Bakugou in over 7 months, which is honestly not even that long, since I have some books I haven't updated in almost two years. I decided to make it my mission for the next couple of months to update all my wattpad books I haven't written for this year. So this request is a good fit, since I wanted to write angst/comfort anyway.

It had been three weeks since you were discharged from the hospital, and this was the third coffee cup you had accidentally swiped off the counter while trying to get yourself something to drink. You heard the cup shatter into pieces as it hit the kitchen floor.

"Goddammit" you groaned, feeling frustrated.

You could hear Bakugou shuffling in the bedroom, so he could probably hear you.

You took a few deep breaths before calling out: "Katsuki, I did it again"

Bakugou emerged from the bedroom, yawning and stretching his arms.

"Did what again?" he asked.

"I dropped another cup, and now I'm stuck here, because I can't even clean it up myself without stepping on the shards or something" you felt like you were going to either cry or hit something, purely out of frustration.

"It's okay babe, I'll take care of it" Bakugou said, placing a hand on your shoulder.

"Thanks" you sighed.

"You can move to your left, there's no shards there. I'll clean this up" Bakugou said.

You could feel him move past you as his hand left your shoulder. You did as he instructed and stepped to your left so he could clean the shards off the floor. With a bit of feeling around, you determined that you were at the end of the counter that was next to the sink. You took another big step to your left, so you were close to the dining table and chairs, and made your way to one of the chairs.

"Kats?" you said, biting the inside of your lower lip to stop yourself from crying.

"Yeah, just a second, I'm almost done" Bakugou said.

You heard him open the cabinet that was under the sink, where the trashcan was, and drop the shards in there.

"Do you really want to spend the rest of your life like this? I'm fucking useless, I can't even clean up a broken cup"

"Babe, it's been just three fucking weeks since you lost your vision. No one, me included, is expecting you to bounce back that fast" Bakugou sighed and took your hands in his.

"But what if I never bounce back? I know I'm not getting my vision back, but what if I won't be able to do anything I did before? What if I'm just gonna weigh you down?" you exclaimed. "Would you really still want me?"

"I know things won't be like they were before, but do you really think I'm so fucking cowardly that I would just leave you because of something like this?" Bakugou growled.

"I'm just so scared, Kats. This is so… difficult" you huffed.

"I know babe" Bakugou said and kissed the backs of your palms. "I know, we'll figure it out, together"

"Together, huh" you could feel a small smile spreading on your lips.

"Yeah, you won't get rid of me that easily, you're stuck with me until one of us kicks the bucket" Bakugou declared.

"I appreciate that, but I hope neither of us kicks the bucket for a long time" you chuckled, feelings his hands in yours.

His hands were scarred and rough, but also so warm and gentle. Those hands knew you so well, they knew every curve and scar on your body. Those hands had wiped your tears so many times and you had held them through tough times. Even if you would some day forget what he looked like, you knew he would always be there to hold your hand when you needed it.

"I adore you (Name), that ain't gonna change, no matter what happens" Bakugou smirked.

He stood up and pulled you into an embrace. Bakugou just wanted to reassure you, there was nothing that could ever pull him apart from you. No matter what, he would always be there for you, as you had always been there for him. Nothing could change that.

[kikyoupdates]

For Tomorrow's Sake ⭑˚💫⭑ ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑢𝑛𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟

various!jjk x f!reader

reverse harem, isekai, jujutsu kaisen x fem!reader, slowburn

You never believed reincarnation was possible, least of all in the fictional world of Jujutsu Kaisen. However, from the moment you meet Gojo Satoru, it’s impossible to deny. Whether it’s a miracle or some kind of curse, you find yourself growing up alongside the strongest jujutsu sorcerer. Unfortunately, you know what the future holds in store. You know exactly what kind of tragedies await. Perhaps that’s why you were brought into this world. If it means saving people from a gruesome fate, you’ll gladly suffer in their place. You’ll do whatever it takes.All for the sake of a better tomorrow.

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A crime has just been committed, and the perpetrator is none other than Zen’in Naoya. 

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with this guy? He’s out of control! Ever since he showed up, things have been a mess. You’re already more than enough of a whirlwind on your own. Satoru struggles to keep up with you on a good day. But now this?

Over his dead body is he going to let you get married to someone so, so… so stupid! You might be a little stupid at times too, but surely, you deserve better than this. You deserve someone cool, smart, and awesome. 

Like him. 

Unfortunately, Satoru’s mind is still that of a child, so he doesn’t quite make the connection that right now, he’s horribly and unspeakably jealous. He can’t seem to understand the real reason why Naoya’s proposal offends him so much. Which is why he reacts the only way he knows how to. 

By throwing a fit. 

“You’re crazy!” Satoru exclaims, and he doesn’t waste a second before pulling you away from Naoya. He makes sure to squeeze you tight, teeth bared as if he’s your personal little guard dog. Which he pretty much is. 

Naoya frowns. “How is it crazy? I was just being honest. I know that I’ll have to get married when I grow up, and I’ve decided that I want it to be with [Name]! I won’t accept anyone else. She’s the best.”

“Shut up! You’re being ridiculous! Kids aren’t supposed to even talk about stuff like that!” 

“There’s no rule that says I can’t. I want [Name] to become my wife someday, so I just thought I should let her know.” 

Naoya shrugs, uttering the words with such nonchalance—a striking contrast to Satoru’s steadily-reddening expression. You have to admit, you’re incredibly amused. Look at these two little cuties fighting over you. As long no one actually throws any fists, then it’s hardly anything to worry about—

“I’m gonna kick your ass, pervert!” 

Nevermind. Satoru just let go of you so that he can grab fistfuls of Naoya’s hair. Naoya cries out in pain, of course, and he instinctively pulls onto Satoru’s hair back. They both then proceed to swing their tiny feet at each other, occasionally kicking each other in the shins, stepping on each other’s toes, and various other forms of brutal warfare. 

Meanwhile, Toji is reclining comfortably against the base of a tree trunk, and he takes a bite of a biscuit (not made by you) as he watches with a passive expression. He really has become a babysitter. Goddammit. He definitely has no intention of intervening, though. The little bastards will tire themselves out eventually. In the meantime, he may as well enjoy the show. 

“Ow, ow, ow!” Naoya whines, desperately trying to keep all his hair from being ripped out. “Satoru, you’re the crazy one! I didn’t even do anything wrong! You’re mean and nobody likes you! I bet [Name] only spends time with you because she feels sorry for you!” 

His words give Satoru pause, and while Naoya massages the roots of his air, whimpering all the while, Satoru slowly turns towards you. He does his best to hide it, but his lip can’t seem to stop trembling. There’s even a crease in his chin. 

Satoru has never once been insecure. He’s the strongest, after all. That’s what everyone always tells him, and he knows that it’s a fact. But… it’s true that you’re his only friend. Up until he met you, he didn’t know what it was even like to have a friend. He didn’t know what the right thing to do was. Does Naoya have a point? Are you only spending time with him because you recognize how lonely he used to be? Do you actually feel sorry for him? 

Aren’t you his friend… because you genuinely want to be? 

“Satoru, it looks like you’re having silly thoughts,” you remark. 

“Th-That’s not true,” he stubbornly protests. 

“Really? I swear you’re thinking something stupid right now. I can just tell. Your face is doing that thing where you look a little constipated because you’re so deep in thought.” 

Satoru’s cheeks turn violently red, and of course, you laugh wholeheartedly at the sight. It’s the kind of laughter that simply can’t be forced. And all those times you would smile around him, so brightly, without holding anything back, surely none of that was forced, either. 

Yeah. It turns out that he is having silly thoughts. How stupid of him. He can’t believe he doubted you, for even a single moment. 

“You’re a moron, Naoya,” Satoru firmly states, crossing his arms and feeling rather smug all of a sudden. “[Name] is my best friend. She likes me way more than she likes you. It’s not even close.” 

Naoya grimaces. “Sure, she can be your best friend. She can have as many friends as she wants. I’m the one she’s going to marry, at the end of the day.” 

“Are you seriously still running your mouth?!” 

“It’s the truth! We’re in love!” 

“She never said she loved you back, you stupid little kid!” 

Cue more fighting. Well, it’s back to more hair pulling, kicking, and some slapping here and there, but in the world of children, this may as well be a full-out brawl. 

You sigh. This is probably the part where you should intervene, as hilarious as it is. You step up, preparing to pull Satoru back and hopefully get him to calm down, but it turns out that someone has already beaten you to the punch. 

In the blink of an eye, Toji separates the bickering boys, then proceeds to stare down at them with a burning glare. 

“Enough,” he mutters. “All this foolish talk of marriage… as if I’d ever let [Name] marry someone from the Zen’in Clan.” 

Naoya’s jaw drops open, and Satoru throws his head back and starts laughing hysterically. 

“Haha! You hear that, Naoya? You don’t even have a chance! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!” 

“But… why?” Naoya simply asks, looking defeated beyond measure. 

“Because the Zen’in Clan is filled with disgusting, miserable scumbags,” Toji scowls. “Do you really think I’d allow [Name] to marry into that kind of family? The kind of family that condemns their own flesh and blood?” 

“I-I won’t be like the rest of them!” Naoya insists. “I’m going to be the best husband [Name] could ever ask for!” 

“It doesn’t matter what your intentions are. The clan won’t let you do as you please. Not only that, but they’ll definitely impose restrictions on [Name] and mistreat her. Didn’t you see the way Naobito laughed in her face? No one will ever respect her. It’s selfish to want to bring her into that kind of environment. You’re only thinking of yourself.” 

Naoya’s head droops. The poor thing. He’s only a kid, and kids say all sorts of crazy things, like wanting to get married in the future, but you can’t help but feel bad for him. He seemed really excited about this. Toji didn’t have to shut him down so hard. It also doesn’t help that Satoru is laughing so hard he’s about to cough up a lung. 

“Satoru, be quiet,” you frown, and he covers his mouth with the palm of his hand to stifle his laughter, at the very least. 

You approach Naoya, prepared to comfort him, but suddenly, his head shoots upright, and there’s a solemn expression on his face. 

“It’s okay,” he says. “When I become clan leader, I’ll change things so that no one disrespects [Name]. I’ll make it so that the Zen’in Clan isn’t so mean. If everyone feels accepted, then that means [Name] will too, right?” 

Toji’s eyes widen. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting such a show of conviction—from a seven-year-old, at that. Then again, it’s easy to claim things. Actually making them happen is a different story altogether. 

“Fine,” Toji half-chuckles. “If you actually manage to change the Zen’in Clan once you’re in charge, then you have my blessing to marry [Name].” 

All of a sudden, Satoru isn’t laughing anymore. 

“Hey, what the hell, old man?!” he exclaims, stomping his little foot into the ground. “Not cool! I thought you were on my side!” 

“Since when was I ever on your side? And relax. He’s not going to be able to pull it off anyway. He’s just too naive to know any better.” 

Satoru mashes his teeth together, still in a grumpy mood, but he supposes Toji is right. Clans like the Gojo Clan and the Zen’in Clan are rigid and set in their ways. Naoya has just taken on an impossible mission. Satoru almost feels sorry for him. Almost. 

Naoya, on the other hand, is back to being happy as a clam, and he wraps his arms around you yet again. 

“I love you, [Name],” he mumbles adoringly, ignoring how Satoru is silently shaking his fist at him. “Don’t worry. I’ll make the Zen’in Clan better. Everything will be great when I’m in charge. Then we can get married, okay?” 

It’s difficult to suppress your smile. He’s unbelievably cute. Far cuter than you ever knew he was capable of. Also, he says he wants to try and change the Zen’in Clan for the better, so who are you to stand in his way? You’re not so sure about the whole marriage thing… but a bit of motivation never hurt anyone. 

“I’ll think about it,” you hum, gently patting his head. “Do your best to work things out with your clan. I still need time to consider your proposal, though. It’s not the kind of decision I can just jump into.” 

“Why are you even considering it at all?!” 

“Satoru, be quiet.” 

Naoya takes a few moments to let your words sink in, then nods. He’s a lot more understanding than you thought he’d be. Kids are impatient, after all. He’s acting surprisingly mature for his age. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that both him and Satoru are gifted, because your mental age far surpasses theirs. 

“I’ll work really hard so that you’ll want to marry me,” Naoya beams. He goes silent for a few moments, and oddly enough, his face is quickly turning red.

You don’t realize why until he leans closer and kisses you on the cheek. 

Needless to say, Satoru explodes. 

“You nasty little prick! I’m seriously going to kill you!”

You suppose it’s back to the hair-pulling, kicking, slapping, and—oh, they’ve even thrown in scratching, this time. It’s funny that Satoru is actually letting Naoya touch him. His Infinity has been off this whole time. It’s probably a pride thing. How adorable. Since they’re both avoiding using cursed energy, they’re starting to get pretty banged up, but whatever. You’ll just heal them in a bit. 

Toji takes another bite of his biscuit, shaking his head in disbelief. “Kids are so stupid. You’re the only kid I can stand.” 

“What if you have your own kid someday?” you ask. 

“I doubt that’ll ever happen.” 

“Maybe it will,” you reply, biting back a grin. “I think you’d be surprised.” 

Toji flashes you a look of mild confusion, but he quickly shrugs and turns back towards Satoru and Naoya—who are now on the ground, wrestling. Definitely not a sight you ever thought you’d be privy to. 

You chuckle softly, because at the rate things are going, the future might be bright after all.

Despite ending up in a fistfight with none other than Gojo Satoru, Naoya returns to his clan estate in a chipper mood. 

“You’re back,” one of his older brothers remarks. The judgment on his face is clear as day, but Naoya could care less. He’s made up his mind to marry you. He’ll have to keep it a secret for now, because he doesn’t want to risk losing the right to keep meeting up with you, but his wish will come true someday. He’s sure of it. 

“I’m back,” Naoya happily nods. 

“You seem like you’re in a good mood. I take it you went to see that girl again. What do you like about her so much?” 

“Everything,” Naoya replies, without even missing a beat. His brother frowns, but he continues. “She’s super pretty, and smart, and nice, and it’s never boring being with her. I could be with her every second of every day and I’d never get tired of it. I want to spend the rest of my life with—” 

He stops himself. Phew, that was close. He almost spilled the beans about how he proposed to you. It’s just so hard to contain his excitement. 

“I see,” his brother frowns, very much not understanding. He finds it truly strange, because up until now, Naoya was focused purely on getting stronger and being better than everyone else. Naoya has a huge ego, and it didn’t take long for everyone’s praise to go to his head. He looks down on all his older siblings, for that very reason. Or at least, he used to. 

With each passing day, he seems to be changing. And it’s all thanks to you. 

Naoya spends the rest of the day training. It was part of the agreement, after all. He can’t afford to slack off, otherwise his father will prohibit him from seeing you. Naoya has always been motivated to get stronger, but these days, he feels even more motivated. It’s like there’s a surge of energy constantly flowing through his body. For the first time in his life, he isn’t getting stronger purely for himself. He’s getting stronger for someone else’s sake. Not just so that he can see you, but so that he can protect you. So that he can become the clan leader and keep you safe. 

He finally finds himself understanding why you did what you did, with the Binding Vow. Why you were so quick to forfeit your own safety in order to protect everyone else. 

Doing something for another person feels really, really good.

Later in the evening, he sits outside his room, facing the courtyard as he dangles his legs over the edge of the wooden walkway. The stars are out, shining brightly overhead, and he imagines plucking every single one of them and giving them to you as a present. Obviously, he knows he can’t actually do that, but still. It’s nice to dream. He’ll have to think of a suitable gift for you, once you’re both old enough to get married. 

“Master Naoya, I’ve brought you dinner.” 

One of the attendants cautiously slides the door to his room open. She enters carrying a tray filled with food, and she makes a conscious effort of staring down at her feet, not daring to make eye contact with him. He’s the future clan leader, after all. Everyone knows that he’s a spoiled, insufferable brat, and much like the other men in the Zen’in Clan, he has little to no respect for women. 

But again—that’s what he used to be like. 

“Oh, thanks!” 

The attendant blinks. Ever-so-slowly, she lifts her head and meets Naoya’s gaze. He’s grinning ear-to-ear as he extends his hands out, waiting for her to pass the tray over to him. His expression is so warm and bright. She’s never really waited on him before, but… this is the child that everyone’s always warning her about? 

“Thanks,” Naoya says again. His eyes sparkle as he takes in the selection of food. “Wow, these are all my favorites! I was super hungry, so this is great!” 

He happily accepts the tray of food, and meanwhile, the woman stands there, too shocked to move a muscle. Naoya stares at her, not quite understanding why she looks so taken aback, but eventually, his eyes flicker with realization. 

“Here,” he grins, picking up a few pieces of food and setting them aside onto a small plate. He slides the plate over to the woman. “You can have this! It’s late, so you’re probably pretty hungry too.” 

She still can’t believe what she’s seeing. Since when was Zen’in Naoya considerate of others? Least of all women. She actually can’t help but wonder if his brain has been swapped out with someone else’s. Truly, he’s nothing like what the rumors say. Perhaps everyone was wrong about him, all along. 

Or perhaps… someone has already changed him for the better. 

“Thank you,” the woman mumbles, the faintest smile on her lips. She picks up the plate and nods gratefully, then quietly slides the door shut as she leaves.

Once she’s gone, Naoya resumes looking up at the stars, occasionally taking bites of his dinner. If there’s one thing the Zen’in Clan does better than you, it’s how they cook their food. But that’s okay. He’s sure you’ll get better at cooking eventually (not likely). And even on the off-chance that you don’t, it’s not a big deal. 

He’ll be sure to eat everything you make for him, like the dutiful husband he plans to be. 

Up until he met you, Satoru had never experienced even an inkling of fear. He was born immeasurably strong, and thus, nothing ever posed a threat to him. He figured he would go his entire life without ever being afraid. 

But you changed all of that in the blink of an eye. 

These days, he’s constantly afraid. Not for himself, of course, but for you. Everything you do terrifies him. You’re reckless to a fault, and unfortunately, you don’t yet have the strength to back it up. To make matters even worse, you’re unbelievably stubborn. You insist on doing things without his help, in order to prove yourself. 

Like right now, for instance. 

The cursed spirit is fairly weak. Not quite as weak as a Fly Head, but Satoru is forced to keep his distance from it nevertheless, so as not to scare it off. There are three people present. You, him, and one of the Gojo clan members. Today is your very first attempt at exorcizing a cursed spirit. You’re gripping a short baton in your hand—the cursed tool that you’re the most used to—and you face the cursed spirit head-on, fully intent on destroying it. 

Meanwhile, Satoru swears he’s on the verge of having a goddamn stroke.

“She doesn’t have to do this,” he insists, looking up at the clan member with an imploring expression. “I’ll exorcize it myself. Or you can do it. I don’t want her to get hurt. Please.” 

“This was her request,” the clan member shrugs. “I don’t think she should be fighting either. She should reserve her energy exclusively for healing those who are injured. Reverse cursed technique is already a useful enough ability. I’m not sure why she’s so hellbent on this… but you know as well as I do that she can’t be swayed.” 

Satoru grits his teeth. It’s not even the cursed spirit that he’s scared of. That thing is weak enough that its attacks shouldn’t be fatal. Plus, you can heal yourself if push comes to shove. The thing that scares him above all else, like always, is your Binding Vow. 

What if something goes wrong? Scarce as your cursed energy may be, it only takes one second, one slip-up, and just like that, you’re dead. You need to avoid harming the curse with your own cursed energy. He’s still not even sure what qualifies as ‘harm’. Just how minimal does the damage need to be? God. He’s making himself sick just imagining all the different possibilities. 

Even so, you remain undeterred. Your life could end in a matter of seconds, and yet, you press on. 

Naobito couldn’t be any more mistaken about you. Your determination, your resolve, and your unyielding bravery… in that sense, you’re already a proper jujutsu sorcerer. You’re the very essence of what it takes to be one. 

The cursed spirit lets out an ear-grating shriek, then it attacks. Satoru feels his stomach drop. He wants to call it quits. He knows you’re desperate to prove yourself, but do you really have to do this? You don’t need to fight at all. You can just accompany other jujutsu sorcerers on missions and be there in case they get injured. Everyone should be protecting you, not the other way around. You have far more value than the average sorcerer.

Not only that, but you’re his best friend in the whole world. You’re irreplaceable. 

Please don’t leave me. 

Those are the words Satoru silently chants in his head, and all the while, you lunge at the cursed spirit, pulling your baton back as you prepare to get a strike in. It feels like everything’s happening in slow motion. This brief instance seems to be lasting a full eternity. He wants to cover his eyes. Better yet, he wants to whisk you away as far from here as possible. He wants to bring you someplace where he knows you’ll be safe. 

Satoru doesn’t realize that you’ve already resolved yourself to this fate. You’re prepared to suffer to overwhelming extremes if it means that no one else has to. But that doesn’t mean you’re just going to throw your life away. It doesn’t mean you’re going to be foolish and negligent. No.

You’re going to ensure everyone’s future—including your own. 

The next second, your baton connects with the cursed spirit, and it screams out in pain. It slashes at you with its claws, drawing blood from your skin, but the injuries don’t faze you. You take a deep breath and steady yourself, suppressing your cursed energy to the best of your ability. Then, you pull the baton back and strike again. 

It takes a few hits. The cursed spirit keeps attacking you all the while, but you can tell its strength is dwindling, with every blow of your baton. 

Until finally, it disintegrates into nothingness. 

You allow yourself to exhale. There’s so much adrenaline pumping through your veins that you don’t even feel any pain. It’s not until you look down at all the scratches on your body that you realize just how much damage you took. But it hardly matters. You’ll heal all of that up in no time flat. For the first time in your life, you actually exorcized a cursed spirit. Which means you can fight. Alongside everyone else.

Before you realize it, you’re crying. 

“[Name]!” 

Satoru rushes over to you and proceeds to examine you, from head to toe. Clearly, you’re fine. Otherwise, you wouldn’t still be alive right now. You took some damage, but it’s not permanent. You’re still here with him. You’re still right by his side.

He tries his best to hide it, but soon enough, there are tears in his eyes, too. 

“W-Why are you crying?” he asks, gently cradling your cheek. “What’s wrong? Was it scary? If it was scary, you never have to do it again. I already promised I’d protect you for the rest of my life. It’s okay to be scared, [Name]. You really don’t have to do this anymore. Nobody’s making you.” 

“No,” you sniffle, and you quickly shake your head, wiping your eyes with the back of your hand. “I’m okay. I wasn’t scared.” 

“Then why are you crying?” 

“Because I’m… happy. I’m just so happy right now.” 

You proceed to smile through your tears, and Satoru swears it’s the most beautiful, most selfless, most angelic thing he’s ever seen. He’ll never understand why you push yourself this hard. He’ll never understand why you’re so desperate to save everyone—as if you’ve already foreseen their deaths. 

But he supposes the exact reason doesn’t matter. There’s no point in trying to figure out what goes on in your head. As long as you stay with him… nothing else matters. 

“Satoru, you’re crying too,” you remark. 

“I know. I’m crying for the same reason you are.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah. At first I thought it was because I was scared for you, but now I realize that I was wrong.”  He pauses for a moment, only to smile through his tears, just like you did. “I’m happy. I’m really happy that you’re still here with me.”

Even though you cause him so much heartache, so much grief and fear, at the end of the day, it’s worth it. 

No one could ever make him as happy as you do.

More chapters are available on Quotev and Ao3!

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💫 main masterlist ♡ oneshot masterlist

[miss-morland]

dennis in dtamhd is so bpd recovery coded i feel so much about it <333333

[gretchenzellerbarnes]

meljayvik au where mel's mage powers emerge immediately after watching ambessa try and sample viktor's *local cuisine*

[rwyvernarts]

Man and his eldritch god worm friend

-Giratina remains hidden from other people, with its presence only evident in the questionably-alive nature of its host and his slow, unchanging pulse.

-of course, this pact is founded on keeping Ingo alive until he gets home. This is directly in opposition to a universe that actively tries to kill him, so things are bound to derail now and then. Fatal illness or injury? Giratina’ll fix that up within… a few weeks. Bear with it it’s learning the intricacies of the human body.

-Giratina may have a somewhat intangible presence, but it is still a foreign Thing and sometimes Ingo’s body tries to get rid of it, without success.

-but sometimes it all works out and the two operate as one. Although Ingo’s health is slowly declining in the long run, Giratina is able to provide internal support and keep him going no matter what.

[love-and-doom]

What exactly Sauron thought (back in Númenor) when the white tree cried ? Did this also weighted on his decision to joing Galadriel's campaign in the southlands ? Because if you are of the mind that Halbrand!sauron was truly in his repetence journey this may have been interpreted by him as a sign that he was right after all In this case, even his relapse can be said to have been nudged by the Valar and this brings me back to him telling Prince Durin that fixing his father's realm was the way to earn back his father's respect/love

[oookaline]

Nightwing wasn't expecting a big reaction to him breaking into Red Hood's current safehouse. Maybe a fight, the probability of him being thrown out of the window were pretty high. Maybe Hood would just take a look at him sitting in his kitchen counter and just turn around and bail.

He was prepared to deal with any of the seventeen scenarios he came up with in his head, but none of those even got close to encapsulating what actually happened.

He was ready for fists, guns, a slipper being thrown at him. He was not ready for how Hood entered his apartment and just froze when seeing him. A reaction so foreign to them that in turn Nightwing froze as well, both men just starring at each other. He knew something had happened when Hood was still semi out the door and made no move to enter and close or leave and close.

"wing?"

"How long have you been here?"

"A couple of hours maybe? I finished patrol early and-"

"Shit" Hood then bolted inside towards one of the rooms, startling Nightwing into following him inside after running to the door and closing it.

They entered a small seemingly barren room, with nothing but a small unmade single bed, a bedside table and a wall closet. Hood looked around and checked the covers for something, then going to the window and checking them too.

"If it helps, I got in via the living room window."

"Shut up Dickhead." Hood snapped at him- no, that wasn't Hood anymore, it was his little brother now, looking desperate. Jason in his stupor had taken off his face mask and domino, his glaring green eyes made him shut up on the spot. "Tell me right now exactly how long have you been here."

"Two hours and thirty-three minutes before you opened the door."

Jason cursed under his breath again, running a hand through his hair, Nightwing could see how tired and scared Jason was and it confused him a bit, was he housing someone here? Did they escape?

His brother turned his head towards the wall closet door, and his face crumbled. Nightwing almost reached out in a moment of panic but Jason was faster and got to his knees in front of the door, tapping it carefully three times. "Hey amor, you in there? Its me."

A few agonizing second passed and Nightwing's questions only grew. A minute passed and Jason's hand that tapped had turned into a trembling fist, then his whole body relaxed when a small shuffling sound came from inside the closet, and three fast taps were heard in return.

Jason snapped his head back to him and lowly said "wait for me in the kitchen. now." Nightwing didn't think twice before turning around and leaving the small room, not making the effort to try and listen in to an obviously private moment.

By the time Jason sat next to him, Dick had foregone his own domino and was nervously picking on his gloved hand.

He side eyed Jason, a deep frown on his brothers face kept him quiet for a while, and Dick didn't dare try to brake the silence.

"Someone..." Jason started, taking in a large breath of air, apprehension turned into exhasperation, "Someone wants to meet you." Their eyes met, "Nightwing."

A faint lightbulb started flickering in Dick's head, he just nodded and softly gestured his head to his mask, a silent question of which Jason nodded so Dick tried to quickly reattach the mask on. After a sigh Jason turned his head towards the hallway and softly said "Min, someone wants to meet you too."

A few seconds passed and a small head poked out of the room they were in before, a black haired girl shily walked out and shuffled foward until she was stood where the hallway began, looking up at Dick expectanly.

A smile made its way through Dick's face, getting out of his seat and couching down to be head level with the kid, far away enough to let her be the one to come to him. "Hey there, nice to meet you," He looks at Jason, somehow surprised to see the fond look painted over his face "this guy told me you were very cool you know."

"...said?" The girl looked up at Jason, a wobbly smile and shining green eyes "Really?" both words were said with a very strong accent.

"Yeah amor. Go on, he was very excited" He hasn't heard his brother be this soft with someone since... Since his day's in the mantle, talking with scared kids on the street. It made something tug and scrach at his heart.

"What's your name?" Dick tried to make himself seem as inviting as possible.

"...Minnie." The girl answered, and took a tentative step forward, "Nightwing?" She took another step forward, then hurried towards Jason, putting her hands up.

Jason scooped her up on his arms, the girl immediately tucking her head on his shoulder and looking at Nightwing with twinkling eyes. Jason chuckled softly and laid his own head on top of hers "She's a little bit shy, but her favourite Gotham hero is Nightwing." He said that last bit with gritted teeth, grinning when the girl gasped at that.

"I like Red Hood!" She complained to him, bunching her cheeks in indignation.

"I said 'hero' Min, I'm not a hero."

"Yes you are!" She started hitting him on the shoulder, "Yes you are, you are you are!" Clearly the girl was getting frustrated, and Jason grimaced at the girl's reaction.

"Okay, okay min, you're gonna hurt yourself, stop that."

"Say it." She put her small hands on Jason's cheek, "Say you're a hero."

Jason just looked at her, and Dick's heart strained painfully at the scene in front of him for various reasons.

"I'm a hero." Jason said softly, a small smile gracing his lips, "Good?"

"Good" Min answered back, then she turned her head to Nightwing "You're a hero too, you and dad."

That made Dick blink at her, then he slowly looked over at Jason who had the worst 'say anything and you're getting the defenestration treatment' look Dick has gotten in a good while, so he just smiled brightly at her "You're right! And your dad is awesome too! I'm glad im good enough to be second to him!"

The resulting smile he got from her was so bright it made his own smile bigger, "Yeah! See if Nightwing says it it means it's true! Nightwing doesn't lie, you said so!"

Dick raised an eyebrow at this and laughed, nodding in agreement as Jason scowled at him.

The girl yawned in Jason's hold, tucking her head back on his shoulder. Jason's arm tightened around her "Sleepy?" She nodded, making him hum and stand up, "To bed we go then."

"Nightwing?" She called out from Jason's arm, "Is he going to go away?" It was a soft question laced with sad doubt.

Jason stopped in his tracks to turn to Dick, who was stood now, "Yes, but you're going to be able to see him some other day. Right Nightwing?"

"Of course," Dick didn't even need to think to answer, "If your dad is okay I can come over sometime too."

"hmm" she only hummed happily in response, and Jason gave him a small approving nod in response before taking the girl back to the room.

For a second time, Jason sat down next to him after a while, Dick again having foregone his mask.

"She's not mine, but I love her." was the first thing he said, something dangerous laced in his voice as if daring Dick to say something against the little girl.

"I wasn't going to question it." He tried reassuring Jason, but he knew it would take more than just empty words, "Where..." Dick grimaced trying to think of the right questions "Can you tell me about her?"

His brother ducked his head, a hand running down his face, "Remember that human trafficking ring we busted last year? The one that was taking immigrant women from the streets? Her mom was one of the fugitives that came to us with the intel." Dick hummed at that, trying to remember the very few women who had come to them desperate trying to get to safety, "Brazilian lady, barely spoke English, I gave all three of them an address to go to when they felt like they were in danger, and after the bust she came to me with a small girl, asking me to look over her for the day." Jason was silent for a bit, then sighed "She was found dead at the end of the day. Gang kill."

"Her name's Minnie, after Minnie Mouse I think?" A small smile graced his lips "She told me that, said it was her mom's favourite character and that she loved her so much she named her that. " Jason then looked at him, pain in his eyes "I know I have to put her in the system Dick, I do, you don't need to tell me that. It's just-" He closed his eyes, "Her mom trusted me with her, and I know how the system is, it's shit and I'm not going to make her go through with that. So she's staying here until I find a family I trust enough."

Dick silently nodded, not saying anything even though Jason wasn't seeing him, but he knew right now nothing relating to that would be good to talk about, so he tried shifting the conversation a bit. "She seems like a very cool kid."

"She is." Jason genuinely smiled at that, "I came home one night with a cut on my face, she was still awake and saw me bleeding and got a hello kitty band-aid and put it over my cut. She said she would officially be my nurse from now on." He shook his hand fondly, "She's also hella smart, I take her to the library once per week and she's already reading on her own. She's only six, but I'm so so proud of her."

Dick smiled at how his brother talked about his kid, "Sounds like she takes after her dad in the reading department, am I to expect Shakespeare by the time she's ten?" He tried for a quip, bumping his arm with his brother's, then froze because he didn't know if they were back at that point in their relationship and oh god he should know better than to just do things out of habit-

But Jason just laughed at that, the stress in his shoulder loosening significantly and Dick realised Jason was stressed because he didn't know how Dick would react to Min. His face crumbled slightly, but recovered before Jason could realise. "She's definitely way smarter than me." Then his face closed again, his eyes steeling on Dick and not letting any emotion show, "I'll only ask you this once Dick, don't tell Bruce." Dick thinned his lips, "I don't want him to come and take her away from me and I'm not above showing him just how far I can go to protect her."

"Jason..." Dick sighed, "I don't... Bruce wouldn't do that."

"Bullshit Dick, and you know." Jason snapped. "He's so straight in his fucked up ways that he'd see a kid in my house and think I kidnapped her or something and take her away." He set his jaw, turning his face away.

Dick was silent for a bit, trying to think of something to placate him, and when he thought of something he smiled and leaned over to try and find Jason's eyes, "You know, Alfie would be really happy to have a granddaughter, you should... invite him over, to meet her." He smiled when Jason met his eyes.

The small smile that he was able to pull out of Jason was worth it, and that was one less thorn in Dick's heart. "Alfie would spoil her so much."

Dick nodded, then stood to start heading out. He grabbed his mask but then stopped, handing over his mask to Jason "Give his to her, as a small present and a promise that I'll be back." Jason took the mask in his hand, thumbing over the rigid material, "Bye Jay, see you some other time."

Jason didn't say anything, nor did he move so Dick just let himself out, stopping a bit before fully closing the door and looking at his brother who was now a pseudo dad to a kid, and how better he looked now.

Wait, holy shit- DICK'S AN UNCLE!

[rwby-confess]

Confession #502

[whohasthecards]

What if Hangman has a shitty family, right? Sure, he had a relatively happy childhood, but they weren't happy with his career choices.

A day before an important mission, he visits them. Hangs around with his mom, messes with his siblings, plays with his nephews and nieces, and even talks to his dad a bit.

His dad got pissed though, and asked him why the hell is he crawling back.

Hangman was tense before he simply said that he wanted to spend some time with them. He left a bit after that, his dad scoffing at his son's typical behavior.

Hangman gets shot down on the mission.

When James Seresin opens the door, it's to two Naval officers in dress uniform. A Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and a Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, with grim expressions asking if they can come in, and if Jake's sister is here.

James, his wife, his daughter, and his son, all sit on the sofa, as the two men explain that Lieutenant Jacob "Hangman" Seresin was shot down in active combat, no parachute, no possible chance of rescue, no body, declared missing in action, presumed dead. They are sorry for their loss.

"The kid was a good man, a good friend, if only I had more time," Mitchell would say evenly. "You're lucky to have had Hang-- Jake as a son."

"He talked about you guys, a lot," Bradshaw would say softly.

James couldn't believe it, he just saw his son a few days ago, right?

[steelthroat]

I have the OC, but I have a problem... how do I turn this:

Into this:

How do toy designers come up with this stuff anyway??????

[ohmigoshiloveu]

Okay so like. I still haven't managed to get myself to finish episode 9, so I don't fully know how Theo's glow up finishes, but regardless I fucking love relistening to Emizel's section of episode 1 and like. Fuck man Theo does a lot of growing. Like he's a little bit pathetic at the beginning of the series. He's so, so brave during the alleyway fight, but he sounds shaky and scared and like a sopping wet pathetic baby the entire time. Charlie specifically describes him as not very alert, not a great fighter, and gives him this little moment where it takes him a second to manage to crush a soda can. He botches the check to beat Emizel in Smash Bros so there's a chance he sucks at the related skills (dexterity and computers I think?), but also after he loses Charlie specifically has him sound super frustrated and conclude that he should've 'stayed in his lane'. When Emizel says 'We'll do what we do best,' and Theo immediately responds with 'drink soda?' so fast that the other players notice it. Charlie might've had that as a predetermined character thing. Theo drinks soda. There's not much else to him.

Which creates this interesting dynamic between him and Emizel, because Emizel is so much better at him at all of these skills that the people around them (a FUCKING GANG) value. Emizel's perceptive, and agile, and strong, and a great fucking fighter irl and in videogames AND he always sounds badass. He's the top dog, the apex predator in their social circle. And I think that colors their relationship a lot? Like Theo has to look up to Emizel. I bet that Theo's looked up to Emizel since they first met, maybe Emizel came crashing into his life doing something epic and Theo thought it was the greatest shit ever.

On the flip side, I was getting a few hints of resentment? Hear me out! It's that 'should have just stayed in my lane' line. He's painfully aware how great Emizel is, compared to how much he's (from his perspective!) just a one trick pony. He's here to drink soda and say funny things, that's all most people want from him and he fucks up whenever he tries to do anything else!

And later in the segment Theo snarkily brings up a medicine check that Emizel had just fucked up in like this super backhanded, super passive aggressive way. That could be him wanting to rub Emizel's one singular fuck up in his face (especially because Theo was having a Moment about how he feels like people only see him as the soda guy, so any feelings of inadequacy would've been dialed up to eleven, so if there was any time for him to resent Emizel it'd be then), but it could also be that he was frustrated with Emizel being an ass (Emizel had just guessed that Theo's dream was to be a nurse, which was flat out wrong, and that's literally what set up the backhanded comment. Theo was saying something like 'thank fuck you don't wanna be a nurse cuz you sure fucked up with nursing that guy earlier.' It could also be that Emizel literally almost forgot Theo's name. Theo literally gave him the 'th' sound, it might've just been a bit Charlie was doing or it could've been Theo being AWARE that Emizel almost forgot his name. Or! It could be that in this moment, where Theo was confiding in Emizel about feeling like being the soda guy was all anyone ever saw in him, Emizel said something to the affect of 'well yeah Soda's the fun one.' Emizel doesn't think before he speaks and literally has a 1 in empathy. Just because he loves Theo doesn't mean he's not gonna blunder into being a complete and utter asshole to him. I'd hazard to say Emizel accidentally being an ass to people he cares about is a running theme).

But also all of that might come down to Charlie still getting the character down. Or, because I've theorized before that Theo might not've been supposed to survive the first Gabriel fight, the little hints of bitterness might've been intentional (even if they were completely improvved and Charlie didn't mean to add that to Theo's character) because Charlie was trying to shove as much character into this character before he was gone, but once it became clear that Theo was going to stick around longer he dropped it. As far as I remember, that bitterness is completely gone in all later interactions we see with Theo. OR! It could be that the bitterness drops because they've both got bigger fish to fry from that point onward, what with Theo's Shilo Incident TM, Emizel's vampirism, the Weylin twins. He doesn't have time to be bitter, he's too busy worrying about losing a cornerstone of his identity or helping his best friend adjust to being a fucking vampire now. And then after he learns to live without soda that basically negates his feelings of inadequacy- like, getting over the idea that he's nothing if he's not the soda guy would be required for him to give up on being the soda guy. And then Emizel would drift back into JUST being a guy to aspire to instead of also being a reminder of Theo's short comings, and then drift even further down into being 'guy who is actually going through it and has to overcome his own demons just like I had to overcome mine'. Like, I think we got to watch Theo slowly start to take Emizel off this pedestal in real time (he still definitely thinks Emizel's hot shit tho. Emizel's his boy, after all.)

Regardless, even if Theo did resent Emizel a little in the beginning, it's so fucking clearly overshadowed by how much he fucking loved him. And like, how could he not? Imagine you're Theo, critically low self esteem, and the literal coolest guy you know fucking LOVES you. Like, Emizel keeps consistently going out of his way to pull Theo up to his level and to treat him as an equal (mostly. Sometimes protectiveness bleeds through, like in his hypothetical fang scenario in ep 1 where he predicts there being five Fangs to fight and he says he can take three and Theo can take two (which in itself is still incredibly kind to Theo. Like, boy, you thought Theo was gonna be able to take out two whole guys? Hell no.) But that could also be chalked up to Emizel just being a cocky ass who wants to show off). Like dude, c'mon. Emizel might be a reminder of everything that Theo's not, but he's also probably Theo's biggest cheerleader. He wholeheartedly thought he was being supportive when he said he thought Theo'd make a great nurse! In all seriousness, though, even if it ultimately discourages him, Theo playing that Smash game against Emizel was at least a little bit of proof of him decidedly not 'staying in his lane,' and Emizel seems to inspire that! Later in that segment he challenges Theo to see which of them can break one of the Fangs kneecaps first! I bet Emizel challenged him to stupid competitions a lot, and that got Theo fired up and competitive in return!

And even when Emizel's not building Theo up, he's still giving Theo special attention, or readily receiving any attention Theo gives him. If nothing else, even at his lowest points that might've made Theo feel cool by association.

On Emizel's part, I think he's like, possibly completely oblivious to any turmoil Theo's going through? Like he thinks Theo's the shit and genuinely sees him as an equal. I'm 99% sure that Theo being his right hand man happened because Theo would've put himself into the role (in episode one before he gets all of his character development he's pretty much always looking to Emizel for what to do, and still more or less does whatever he says up to where I'm at in the series, with refusing to leave the alleyway being the only exception I remember). I think if Theo'd had higher self esteem or been less eager to defer to Emizel, Emizel would've happily gone about his business slotting Theo into more of a partner role. He tells Theo to run from that alleyway because Theo'd taken a fucking devastating hit and Emizel was sure he could handle himself, not because he knows Theo sucks at fighting. He tries to turn Theo into a cool vampire. He convinces Shilo that Theo'll be a valuable asset to raiding the Weylin warehouse and they take Theo with them instead of having him stay behind with the car like Grefgore, despite Theo being the one who actually knows how to drive. He tells Theo about being a vampire even though he keeps it a secret from everyone else, confides in Theo that 'yeah he might absolutely be susceptible to going into a frenzy like Shilo did.'

When you get down to it, Emizel pretty much tells Theo everything he would think is relevant, with two notable exceptions. Maybe three if you count him not telling Theo he has nine lives like a cat but tbh I think he might've just forgot. Or maybe he gets to it later, or maybe he did tell him and I forgot! idk man! But! Those other two things. First off, he like. Pointedly does not tell Theo that he's a prince. Like when they were doing the recap on the way to the Weylin warehouse, there's like. Charlie gives Condi an opening to say it, a little 'is there anything else?' and Emizel just. Doesn't. And the second one is that (at least where I'm at) Emizel never comes clean about bloodbonding Theo. Maybe it just hasn't come up yet, but still. It fits a pattern of Emizel not wanting to admit something that makes him, like, ABOVE Theo somehow. He sees Theo as an equal, and a precious one at that, he doesn't want things to get weird between them because he's literal royalty, and he doesn't want Theo's life to literally revolve around him like it would under a level three blood bond- and doesn't want to admit that he even considered it, even if he did it without really understanding what it was.

And Emizel backing off from ghoulifying Theo after Arthur explains what it actually entails kinda leads into a far more headcanon-y relationship analysis thing so um. Feel free to skip the next paragraph.

So! Like. Why the fuck was Emizel so attached to Theo being Soda. Like he gets over it decently quick, cuz that's his buddy and it's what Theo wants, so like. Whatever. But like, if I'm right about Theo always looking up to Emizel from the moment they met, there might've been some wiggle room between when they first became friends and when Theo became Soda. And like, before Theo became Soda, being Emizel's buddy would probably be the only thing he'd feel he had going for him? Which would've made it even harder for Emizel to get them both on equal footing, and I think that's just... really unappealing to him. Like! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure Emizel loves having people kiss up to him and respect him and blah blah blah, I just think Theo being his boy and Emizel treating him like a partner go hand in hand. Either they weren't best friends yet or Emizel was just. Kind of uncomfortable and eager to push Theo into growing into something more than a hypeman. And then the soda incident occurs, and it gives Theo SOMETHING to define himself by, something people like him and know him for that's got nothing to do with Emizel, and maybe the initial soda incident was bad, but having that sense of identity and falling into what kind've feels like a class clown kinda role might've helped get Theo over his self esteem issues long enough for Emizel to go 'oh you're actually super cool. sweet.' and then blah blah blah they get super close like they are in canon. And then whenever Theo seems like he's backsliding into what he was before the soda incident, Emizel tries to course correct not because he doesn't think Theo's any fun without soda, but because he's made the mental connection that Soda without soda turns into less of a best friend and more of a follower, which as stated before he probably really doesn't want from Theo specifically. but idk. pure conjecture here.

Anyways, above all else, Theo's important to Emizel. I really, really like the idea that Theo was supposed to be like a brother to him (which. Again pointing at my 'Theo was supposed to die in episode 1' theory, can you IMAGINE the angst Emizel could've had about that? Lose one brother and then someone else claiming to be your brother shows up? It would've felt like some hellish, not-worth-it trade. Like a betrayal, like accepting Shilo might mean replacing Theo, and how could he ever?)

And Emizel's important to Theo! But unlike Emizel (who I'm 99% sure is gonna have some kinda moment with Theo but I genuinely cannot see him loving Theo in any other way than the way he does now), Theo has the bonus of having his view of Emizel have a clear trajectory to evolve over the course of the campaign. Like I said, he seems to be getting more confidence in himself and like, not gonna get into the stuff I've had spoiled beyond episode 9 but it seems like Theo's gonna get a lot more comfortable being a proper leader and not just a number two. He's gonna have an easier time seeing Emizel as an equal, and I think that's fucking awesome!

I could be completely off base, but if I never watch another episode then I'll never be proven wrong. So. Ya know.

[akkivee]

my hypster magazine finally came in the mail lmao and man the special feature talking about how the world is coping without mics is very interesting??? like:

crime as a whole is at an all time high

within ikebukuro, the police are doing fck all about it so the bb have volunteered their services to making the civilians feel safe

ichiro’s been a mediator within more casual disputes, expressing his desire to talk things thru if possible, jiro’s got his whole high school as a neighbourhood watch and saburo’s set up a huge surveillance system to keep watch

in yokohama, the sea port has been particularly targeted and the report says the police and yakuza have teamed up to protect the flow of commerce. katengumi has stepped up to protect the territory and rio is keeping watch via satellite images and drones

in shibuya, dice complains of disruptions in gambling dens and the lack of real gambling has dulled his senses lol. he’s trying to compensate by making his own gambling game lol and he hasn’t been able to pay his phone bill due to lack of funds so he hasn’t been able to talk to ramuda or gentaro

curiously, neither of those two were mentioned in the article, save for dice using the section to try to reach out to them

in shinjuku, the day is desolate and the night scene is busier than ever. doppo’s company has been particularly hit by logistics nightmares as they’re haemorrhaging money due to lost medical equipment. (doppo’s boss has been accusing him of stealing funds and doppo claps back asking what exactly has he been managing currently lol)

shinjuku central hospital has been at full capacity with patients due to the inability to fend off armed criminals. fragrance has seen a significant uptick in patrons

in osaka, businesses have taken a sharp turn towards maliciousness, with scams at an all time high. sasara and rosho advise not to go out at night alone, and rosho, as a teacher, further explains that adults have a duty to protect minors, especially as a person who has been affected by scams in the past. neither sasara nor rosho have heard from rei in a long while, stating dh is on hiatus because of it

in nagoya, petty crimes are up because there seems to be a restlessness amongst them without the mics giving the populace the power to stand out. hitoya himself watched a dude climb up nagoya castle literally for the memes. the court of law has been barren as of late so nobody is being tried for crimes but he believes justice will prevail in due time

kuukou and jyushi have taken up patrolling nagoya in order to persuade others into not doing crimes and all three of them still practice rap battling together

[sleepy-bear-tm]

Do you see the vision?

[amethystina]

Hi <3 I just wanted to reach out and wish you all the strength and comfort in the world as you navigate this difficult time. Your writing brings so much joy to readers like me, and I hope you’re surrounded by support and love.

If you don’t mind, could you share a bit more about Yohan's thoughts in "Thou Shalt Not Covet"? I’m intrigued by your take on him as someone with darker thoughts and sides, and I’d love to understand your perspective. (you previously mentioned that he had not-so-nice thoughts, which intrigues me greatly! and i wanted to ask if u could talk a little more about them)

Thank you for all the effort you put into your stories, they’re truly inspiring!

Thank you so much 💜 Admittedly, things are still pretty rough. I keep feeling stressed and disoriented and that just adds to the overall exhaustion I'm already struggling with. But I'll get through it eventually. I always do :)

As for Yo Han and his thoughts during Thou Shalt Not Covet?

WELL.

He's a right bastard, that's what he is x'D I mean, aside from the more obvious things he does to Ga On? Like taking his phone away — which is Ga On's only way of getting a taxi AND calling someone for help should the situation escalate — more or less blocking the door to keep Ga On from leaving, and interrupting whenever Ga On tries to speak?

As if that's not enough, Yo Han also does a lot of subtle manipulations to make sure that he maintains the upper hand and that Ga On is easier to nudge in the direction Yo Han wants him. Because while Yo Han starts out confused, unsure of what's going on, he soon realises that a) Ga On is now aware of the attraction between them, b) Ga On is very insecure about said attraction, c) Ga On is unhappy with Yo Han's commitment to their attraction, and d) Ga On is outright jealous.

And that's something Yo Han can work with.

Because this is Yo Han from around episode 10 of the drama and he's not a kind or considerate man at that point in time. So while he does give both himself and Ga On what they want in the end, make no mistake — the way he goes about it is problematic.

Aside from the aforementioned physical ways Yo Han is directing the situation, he also bluntly says: "Yes, I did have sex with him." And that right there? That's him trying to throw Ga On off balance. He wants to keep Ga On in a heightened emotional state so that he's easier to manipulate. And sure, while they both want the thing Yo Han is aiming for with his manipulations, that's still a red flag. Because Yo Han doesn't have to take that route. He could be much more understanding and gentle.

But he chooses not to be.

And the main reason for that is that Yo Han still has limits to how far he's willing to go — and how much of his own pride he's willing to forsake in order to keep Ga On with him. He chose to follow Ga On back to his room, sure — which I agree is pretty monumental — but he's not giving an inch until he's sure he's actually going to be gaining something from it. He keeps asking Ga On questions, figuring the situation out, then basically launches an attack to discombobulate and convince Ga On to give a relationship a try. During the majority of that conversation, Yo Han is intentionally making Ga On more desperate because he knows that'll make Ga On more likely to succumb.

And the fact that Yo Han wants Ga On to succumb isn't just because he cares about him and wants to smooch him — far from it. Because this is Yo Han and, naturally, he's already thought through every scenario and reached the conclusion that, hey, being in a relationship with Ga On will probably be beneficial for his revenge plot because it'll tie Ga On to him more firmly. It'll make Ga On less likely to leave and Ga On is very useful to Yo Han.

(not to mention that Yo Han wants to own every tiny fraction of Ga On's body, heart, and soul)

Starting a relationship with Ga On is a good strategic move, in other words.

It's a tactical decision more so than it's an emotional one.

And, in a similar vein, Yo Han would have chosen not to pursue Ga On if he'd reached the conclusion that it would risk his plans. Because, at this point in the drama, in Yo Han's mind, Ga On — and Yo Han's own desires — are below his revenge on his list of priorities. If their relationship jeopardised his plans, he'd end it. Without hesitation.

So while it may seem pretty romantic that Yo Han follows Ga On to his room and asks him those questions that prove just how many exceptions Yo Han has made for him, you gotta remember that nothing Yo Han does is accidental. He knows just what to say to make Ga On more dependent on him and, when you look at everything he said? Yo Han never once mentioned his own emotions. It was all Ga On reading between the lines and giving Yo Han the benefit of the doubt. He even dodges Ga On's attempt to trap him with the "What do you want it to be?" question by turning it on Ga On, asking if he hasn't figured it out yet.

Not once does Yo Han give an actual verbal answer — he just asks questions and allows Ga On to fill in the blanks.

Because Yo Han knows that he's made Ga On desperate enough that Ga On will fill those empty spaces with what appeals to him the most. By not offering any words himself, Ga On will add the ones he wants to hear instead — and they'll be sweeter, more emotional, more romantic — without Yo Han having to do a thing or surrendering any more of his pride by actually admitting to caring about Ga On.

Ga On does it all by himself.

That doesn't make the emotions any less true — Yo Han does care about Ga On a great deal — but he's not willing to say it at this point in their relationship. He's not willing to leave himself vulnerable or at Ga On's mercy. Because, deep down, Yo Han isn't ready for that kind of commitment, nor does he feel that level of trust towards Ga On.

So, instead, Yo Han makes sure to remain in charge during that whole conversation and uses every trick in the book to manipulate Ga On to his liking.

And sure, that may sound harsh, but that's who Yo Han is. If you look at the drama, that's how he behaves. He is this much of an asshole. He would use Ga On's emotions against him and exploit every weakness he can spot, just to get what he wants.

He's just lucky that, this time, Ga On wants the same thing.

That's not to say that Yo Han comes out of this unscathed, by the way. He thinks he has, being all aloof and untouchable, not realising that he's put himself in quite the pickle once they actually start growing even closer, both physically and emotionally. Which they'll do much quicker than in canon.

Because suddenly Yo Han will be getting fond little kisses whenever Ga On is near. And soft, warm smiles whenever Yo Han does something that makes Ga On happy. And he'll find out what sounds Ga On makes when he's so overwhelmed by pleasure that he can't even form words anymore. And he'll be struck dumb by how angelic Ga On looks in the mornings, sleeping peacefully next to Yo Han.

In short: Yo Han is doomed.

He'd soften a lot quicker than in the drama and his priorities might start shifting without him noticing. Because we all know he's helpless against Ga On's doe eyes and, sooner or later, he'll become that sappy, lovesick old man we all know and love.

So sure, Yo Han is abusive and toxic during this fic — which I don't think should be forgotten or excused — but he's also given Ga On the opening to manipulate him back. And while Ga On won't do it knowingly, Yo Han still won't stand a chance.

And I don't know about you, but I love that for him.

Yo Han won't know what hit him until it's already too late and then his only option is to accept his fate and love and cherish Ga On for the rest of their lives.

A+ scheming there, Mr. Abyss.

That didn't backfire on you at all.

[sol-consort]

ik I'm supposed to hate director Tann but he is so

[gnp-sara]

If you know, you know