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absolutebl · 6 months ago

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Do you have any recent recommendations for JBL TaiwanBL and KBL? Been rewatching only bls from 2021 2022 and I feel like I'm out of the loop for the more recent ones.

Maybe something from this year or late last year?

Great JBL, TaBL, and KBL from 2023 & first half 2024

asker added:

Genre = mostly anything. But pls avoid homophobic trauma (like Jazz for Two).

Fair. Okay here we go!

2023 Recs!

I picked mostly 9s and 10s for you with a few 8s I felt specifically might suit your taste.

I Cannot Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai

Japan Netflix

This classic friends-to-lovers BL is everything Japan does best. Angsty. Emo. Aching. Driven by real thirst. Yamato is deeply in love with his childhood bestie, Kakeru, and has been for ages, unable to hide his ungainly damaging high school need. He wants Kakeru in every way possible and it oozes off of the screen. Kakeru is silly and a little simple, but not frenetic or overly camp about it. He is earnest, and genuinely wants to keep Yamato in his life which means giving a romance (and gayness) a fair chance. We watch him realize his affection and what form it can take in a truly authentic way. This show was impossibly kind to both of its lead characters and I felt almost honored that I got to watch something so lovely and rare play out on my screen.

Our Dating Sim

Korea Viki

This is a perfect short form KBL, an office set reunion romance featuring geeks that really suits 8 eps with no fluff and no chaff. Just comforting and yummy. I adored every aspect from the casting to the pristinely simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story - a cozy BL. It lives in my rewatch pile and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping with this one, it might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent.

I don't hand out 10/10 often (over 700 BLs watched, stil don't hvae 10 10/10s yet), these both got that from me in 2023. I consider both of them perfect BLs.

My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho

Japan Gaga

This style of live action yaoi really only works from Japan. Basically: boys who fell in love in college end up living together but both are so repressed they actually don't realize they're in love. It's higher heat than we usually get from Japan's HEA stuff, and that part is also very well done, but it leaned into the "why don't they just talk for fuck's sake?" trope which is only exacerbated into undiluted frustration by the fact that they're already fucking. It's great, but watching requires more patience than usual, even for Japan.

Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku

Japan Gaga

A lonely salaryman (+ talented cook) gets accidentally adopted by a college kid and his little brother. I was always gonna love this show if they stuck to the original yaoi (which is very dear to my heart). And they did! Paralleling it almost exactly. It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. Possibly too slow for some but definitely high up there for me as the best of what Japan can do with softness (like Restart After Come Back Home). It’s only flaw (if I dare say such a thing) is that it is not really “romantic.” Lovely & sweet but the romance beats are being used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy, but that's OK with me. This is a very safe show for anyone to watch.

Jun and Jun

Korea Viki

A delightful office romance about an ex-idol who joins cubical life only to find his new boss is his first love. Others boys are sniffing around too. Operative word being "sniffing" as much of this romance involves smell. With a snappy (sometimes even raunchy) script, enjoyable sides, a pretty as peaches cast, and descent chemistry this show made up for in style what it lacked in substance. I like fluff. I loved this. I smiled every moment I was watching. With tons of rewatch potential (especially the last few eps), my only caution is this is for fans of the BL genre only, I don’t think it’ll work for anyone else.

Love Tractor

Korea iQIYI

Most of this country-set BL had me feral for the beautiful broken city boy and his hot young farmer. Hyung romance, puppy/cat pairing, open frankness meets jaded reserve, language play, water hose frolicking, only one bed, just all my favorite tropes. This show was basically a light-weight Restart After Come Back Home and I’m not even slightly mad about that. But (and you knew there was a “but” comg) something about the cringe of the final 2 eps and the impermanence of the ending (both of which highlight the fact that ultimately these 2 are I’ll-suited: too different and too far apart) left me with the feeling that they probably won’t last as a couple. However, in this case, rare for me, I forgive it this finale for my love of the rest.

The New Employee

Korea Viki

So good, SO QUEER, so soft, a near pitch perfect office BL with conflict derived from that setting. Also found family and a lesbian bestie. Sweet & innocent (and out) Seung Hyun scores the office internship of his dreams. On his first day at work he gets into it with his cool reserved (and also v gay) boss. As you do. Frankly? This is what I wanted from this new crop of office set KBLs ALL ALONG. Rainbow rice cakes forever! Directed by queer activist Kim Jho Gwang Soo (Just Friends?) partly set in the same neighbourhood as the To My Star house. Gotta love WATCHA (Semantic Error, Light on Me).

Unintentional Love Story

Korea iQIYI

OMG the plot, forced into a totally understandable betrayal, falling in love despite himself, put into a corner he can't get out of, the AGONY, the eyes EMOTING at us in PAIN A boy who just lost his job due to faked corruption charges accidentally discovers his ex-boss's favorite artist, now a recluse. Evil manager offers him his job back if he can convince the artist to rejoin society. Instead, they fall in love. I found the artist a bit stiff and reserved but Gongchan (maknae of B1A4) is a fucking GIFT - he carried this show (which I do not expect from the idol element). He was lumous with extraordinarily expressive eyes, just drown in the emoting abyss. The external conflict, social tension and pressure is complex and beautifully executed, plus Korea gave us legit side dishes (NOT a love triangle, hally-fucking-luya). I’m not sure on rewatchability, and it didn’t whip me into a verbal frenzy the way some KBLs do, but it still gets a solid 9/10 for those damn eyes alone.

A Breeze of Love

Korea iQIYI

Tsundere insomniac grump reunited with his sunshine jock ex (human sleeping pill) who now hates him. Basketball is also involved. While the simplicity of a reunion plot makes this more cohesive than most KBLs, it is a tad stiff and slow, never managing to lift itself out of "pretty and pretty enjoyable" - I liked it but I don’t think I’m going to remember much about it.

Bon Appetit

Korea iQIYI

Romance between an office worker the man from his past next door who cooks well. It was very sweet and cute tale of food as love in the All the Liquors family of KBL. I’m not wild about it, I did enjoy it, I was happy to have it show up on my dash, but ultimately it will simply become one of the KBL crowd.

Why R U?

(Korean adaptation of Thai original) iQIYI

Korea decided to remake, of all possible Thai BLs, Why RU? And that is exactly what we got: a short form, clean & pretty, slightly confusing, uneven chemistry, all the same tropes KBL that kind of cliff-noted the original but with none of the heat or complex relationship dynamics. I just … what world is this? Because it is BOTH bizarro land, and EXACTLY what I expected. How do I rate it? In the end I have to go back to simple questions: did I like it, would I rewatch it, and would I recommend it? Yes. Probably. And probably not. What the actual hell?

It did, however win my best kiss of 2023 which is why it's on this list.

Stay By My Side

Taiwan Viki

I wanted to pick SOMETHING from Taiwan but my other two options both had lots of trauma in them. So I'm going with this one.

This show was an interesting take on the "ghost boyfriend" trope. About a boy who is tormented by hearing the dead, except when he is around one other boy - desperation+proximity = love. Unfortunately, the story was erratic and waffled about. While the leads turned in solid performances and the sappy domesticity was off the charts, it never really had the strength of the narrative convictions such a strong concept should have supplied. Highly rewatchable and enjoyable for that sappy domesticity but not a whole lot more. Still I always give extra credit for the diabetes-inducing sugar content and rewatch capacity.

And some suggestions from 2024

I'm only suggesting stuff that has finished it's run and isn't currently airing.

Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka

Japan Gaga

The promise of this show, younger cook courts older divorced office worker, should have been my catnip. I mean if someone pitched this to me in an elevator I would have downloaded it by the second storey. Unfortunately, it did not exactly fulfill that promise, not in the way I'd hoped. Did I still enjoy the ride, yes, but I feel just a little let down.

Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu

Japan Gaga

Kindly Ryota goes to uni and ends up rooming with his former childhood bestie, Kazuhito. Kazuhito doesn’t have a girlfriend for, as it turns out, cute roommate reasons. Same director as Old Fashion Cupcake, the framing is gorgeous and it is a stylish piece. As a friends to lovers cohabitation narrative this was a classic 2000s sweet yaoi. I enjoy that kind of tradition out of Japan even if it (and the characters) come off as a little slow as a result. Still, it's nice to get a traditional BL out of Japan that is satisfying, not slapstick, AND did not hurt us.

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wttcsms · 1 year ago

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"i (Nanami Kento) bet on losing dogs" x the losing dog (reader)

no other sadness in the world would do, kento nanami ;

pairing kento nanami x f!reader word count 1.5k synopsis a quiet and intimate examination of modern day suffering content contains implied abusive spouse (for reader), implied unrequited love (nanami has feelings for reader)

There is nothing in this world that Kento Nanami despises more than baseless loyalty.

What a pathetic trait, he would think to himself. How could someone just blindly follow someone, constantly chasing after their shadow, only to be mistreated time and time again? It’s disgusting. Shameless. Weak.

He feels disgusting, shameless, weak.

Powerless, too. That’s a new one. That’s how things usually go when it’s just the two of you; you start evoking all sorts of new emotions, like he’s a video game character and you’re helping him unlock upgrades to his character. It’s a bit disarming, really. Kento much prefers to remain as impassive as possible while in the office because unnecessarily giving up any pieces of himself to this skyscraper shithole feels like he’s letting his stupidly rich clients win.

Kento likes routine, which is why he settles into one quickly and refuses to make adjustments unless absolutely necessary.

And then you became his new desk partner, and his perfect, meticulous cycle is thrown off course.

Being observant does more harm than good. He notices the shiny ring on your finger and draws an invisible, never-to-be-passed boundary. He already has made up his mind on not engaging with any of his coworkers, female or male, married or otherwise, but with you, he makes the mental effort to visualize the line, the flashing red warning signs, the whole nine-yards. This is the first sign that you are going to fuck up his life. Already, you’re embedded in his insides, owning real estate in his subconscious long before he can even realize it.

At first, you don’t talk to him much; you don’t talk to most of the men working here, and Kento can’t fault you for that. Most of them are assholes, and all of them don’t have any morals. If this wasn’t the case, they wouldn’t be working here, after all.

Eventually, you start to withdraw, and Kento becomes the person you’re most comfortable with talking to. What you see is what you get with him. Kento refuses to be one of those people who are a waste of perfectly good oxygen, and he doesn’t speak unless it’s absolutely necessary. You’re in an industry where men purposely like to talk over women, just because they can get away with it. With Kento, you are given free rein of the conversation. It’s kismet, you and him.

He gets used to your constant conversation, never seeming to be put off by the fact that he doesn’t offer up his opinion unless explicitly asked. Kento normally doesn’t like it when people talk to him when he’s trying to get work done, but your voice is pleasant, your topics always interesting (“do you think there are different levels in Hell, or is a one-victim murderer being prodded by pitchforks right next to Hitler?”), and he finds that listening to you speak relaxes him somewhat. He doesn’t go home with a tightness in his shoulders and a persistent, throbbing ache in his head that aspirin can’t seem to fix.

The first time Kento initiates conversation is when he sees you wearing a blazer during the sweltering heat of one of Japan’s most unforgiving summers.

“A bit warm for all that,” he says, trying to adjust his tone and make it sound like a joke. Even if it did sound like a joke, he knows that your reaction would remain the same.

“Oh,” you give a nervous, insincere laugh, reflexively tugging on the sleeves even though your arms are still very much covered. “I get cold easily.”

That’s a lie. Kento knows because he knows you well enough to tell that you are the most genuine person he has ever interacted with. He doesn’t know how you ended up with this job when you’re much better suited for a career that actually helps people. He thinks back to when the office’s air conditioning went haywire and blasted the office with near-freezing temperatures. You had remained in your short-sleeved blouse, saying that you love the cold.

He doesn’t call you out on it, though. He just makes a noise from the back of his throat and turns back to his monitor.

He can only pretend to ignore your erratic behavior for so long. You keep yourself covered to the point where you make a nun seem indecent. You withdraw from him, not initiating conversation unless Kento brings something up (he’s never been good at making small talk, and so more often than not, the conversation fizzles out quickly and awkwardly). And then you come to work with a black eye, and Kento refuses to let you suffer in silence any longer.

You break down and cry, feeling pathetic, feeling lost. You beg him not to say anything to anybody, that this is just a rough patch, that this’ll pass, and everything will be okay. Amidst your sobs, Kento finds himself wondering who you’re trying to convince right now.

He holds you on the comedown.

Now, there’s a new cycle. Things don’t get better for you; it doesn’t take a fucking genius to figure that one out. If a man lays his hands on you once, he’ll do it again. And again. And again.

To take a life is a serious thing, but sometimes, there are worse ways to kill someone without ever murdering them. Your husband is killing you right now, a slow, soul-sucking type of death, and Kento would like to kill him. Some people are more curse than human.

What did your husband do, Kento wonders, to make you fall in love with him? What can your husband do to make you finally wake up and realize that he is entirely undeserving of your love?

Kento Nanami does not belong to any religion, does not attend church, does not even bother questioning the possibilities of a potential afterlife because his current life is already a bust as is. But after every late night he spends comforting and consoling you, holding you while you wet his button-down with your tears, he goes home and prays that you get the strength to fucking leave him. Pack your bags and get the hell out of Tokyo. Even if it means he’ll never see you again, the only person who makes this insufferable existence somewhat bearable.

But the cycle doesn’t seem to ever break. He’s watching you fade away, and he decides that all the faith systems are fucked up for ignoring his pleas.

“You should leave him.” He tells you, handing you a tissue. It’s technically a waste of breath; he tells you this shit all the time, and you never take his advice, but he says it anyway. Foolishly hoping that this time will be the time where you decide to listen to him.

(And besides, he finds that anything he says to you could never be a waste.)

“But I love him.” You give him that same sad, watery smile, and Kento wants to pity you, but you wouldn’t accept it. Outwardly, he treats you the same as he used to, before he knew all that stuff that happens to you behind closed doors, because he knows what it’s like to be treated like you’re incapable of processing anything but kindness. The sweet, sugary kind of kindness, too — none of that blunt, pragmatic stuff. Kismet, he snorts. How fortunate that the kindness you need — re: blunt, pragmatic — is the only type he’s capable of giving to you.

Being treated like you’re surrounded by broken glass and everyone around you is trying desperately to avoid it makes people feel even worse. When Yu died, everyone acted like not being overly nice to Kento would somehow make him snap and go off the deep-end. The fact of the matter is, none of these people have ever been so overly cautious around him, and it actually made the pain of losing Yu somehow more unbearable.

There are lots of replies that rest on the tip of his tongue.

But does he love you?

Why?

Have some self respect, holy shit.

Your love is killing you from the inside out.

I could love you.

He tosses away your snotty tissues into the trash can, somehow not disgusted by you even though you think he should be. His grocery list now includes painkillers, band-aids, and bruise ointment. He thinks prayers are a waste of time, and before bed, he takes a shot in the dark and hopes some benevolent god is rooting for you like he is. There is nothing in the world that Kento Nanami despises more than baseless loyalty.

“I know.” And he leaves it at that.

#kento nanami x reader #kento nanami x you #nanami x reader #jjk x reader #one shot #drabble #sleepover event

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essycogany · 1 year ago

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Why I Ship Sonic The Hedgehog and Amy Rose?

Hi! I’ve been a Sonic fan since 2022 and wanted to give insight on a beloved pairing from someone who’s only FRESH in this fandom. So I could give a somewhat recent perspective on something others might’ve grown up with.

Disclaimer: This is just my merriment of cartoon madness. Done for fun. It has my everywhere all at once speculations, and opinions. Spat into one big MESS. No problem if you disagree. I wish you all the best in whatever you create with your preferred take on these characters.

I take 0 credit for anything displayed in visuals.

Now, let’s get started!

Reason 1: What Got Me Into Sonamy

I want to recommend people who not only helped me understand the dynamic better, but did so while giving good insight on Amy’s character. Which is one of the most inconsistent in the ENTIRE franchise. Here they are! In no particular order.

Why Amy is a “Strong Female Character” [Sonic The Hedgehog Video Essay]

Channel: Taro Marshmallow on YouTube.

She helped me understand Amy’s character as a whole. I believe it’s important for people to comprehend Amy’s character in order for them to understand or like Sonamy. No one has to, but it sure was eye-opening for me. So, do of it what you will. I advise people to give it a watch for the AMAZING character analysis alone.

Molinaskies: On Tumblr, this person goes into serious analysis on Sonic’s emotional characterization, and Sonamy too. Words can’t describe how much I appreciate this ship the more I read about their dynamic from someone I can tell has fun doing it.

Sherrydoodlez: This person is the reason I became a Sonic and Sonamy fan at the same time. Once I saw her videos, I was HOOKED. She makes cute, fun, and outstanding Sonamy content on her YouTube channel. It’s mostly Boom!Sonamy animations with voice actors on some occasions. She makes other random Sonic animations as well. It’s a feel good channel you can watch to calm yourself as you head into a romantic cafe of servings you never knew you needed. Give her content a watch. It’s a jolly ride.

IDW (Specifically Issue #2 Page 21): I believe this is the statement which changed Sonic’s view about Amy. At the beginning, the blue blur was still on the run when Amy came around. But after fighting robots together and helping the villagers, Sonic admitted having fun. It could mean he grew more comfortable. Or just loves to fight robots regardless of who’s joining him.

Afterwards, Amy realized their negotiation about Sonic coming back to the resistance was a loss. She happily accepted it and accepted Sonic for who he is. Which made the feelings mutual on Sonic’s part in my opinion. He was even bashful while offering her to join him. Showing he didn’t mind having Amy around a bit longer. I know someone else stated this better, but I hope you get the point.

Sonamy is also the one ship that gets the most hints and jokes. From official writers, voice actors, (ESPECIALLY in Japan. Sonic and Amy’s VAs literally sung a love song IN CHARACTER for crying out loud.) X, Boom, Prime, artist, some of the games, and Sega themselves with their marketing.

Fact check me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure in Japan, Amy’s been called Sonic’s “Girlfriend,” plenty of times and some even theorize they're already together in the Japanese version of Sonic Frontiers.

(Which I’m positive is very intentional)

Can’t forget the creator of the characters Naoto Oshima stated on twitter, “Sonic has the eternal heart of a boy, but were he to one day mature, he’d choose Amy.” I believe if any ship in this franchise at least makes the most since, it’s Sonamy. I’m only scratching the surface, but we’d be here forever if I continued.

Reason 2: The Dynamic

I believe Sonamy works romantically and platonically. Sonic and Amy are best friends so their bond is already close in that regard. I think in times of peace they hang out. Which has been shown in IDW in the retail incentive covers of issue 1, 5th Anniversary.

The reason I think Amy’s the best choice for Sonic is because she can always keep up with him. She understands him and reads him like a book.

(Sonic doesn’t express himself very well, so that’d be a huge benefit.)

She brings an array of emotion out of him, and accepts him for who he is.

Amy wouldn’t slow him down because they’re relationship wouldn’t change at all. She’s always just as down for going out and exploring as he is. Being a hot-head, she’s not adverse for a bit of head busting with her hammer. Amy allows Sonic for a chance at a relationship he couldn’t get inattentive or tired in.

They’d go on their usual adventurers and might only tell a few friends about their relationship.

(Or keep it a secret)

After that, they’d travel together or Amy would leave Sonic to whatever he needed to do. In Sonic’s case, he would appreciate Amy’s understanding and return the favor by giving her flowers. Maybe even show minimal affection.

Like in Sonic X when he gives Amy a rose in episode 52. X also had moments where Sonic constantly protects/holds onto her. Not to mention willingly laid on a pile of hey next to Amy. And kept the bracelet she made him in episode 9.

Sonic X isn’t canon, but IDW has moments of Sonic hanging out or fighting alongside Amy too. Point is, the couple would be an updated version of their friendship. A “POWER COUPLE,” to be specific.

Romance doesn’t always mean you have to be lovey-dovey. You can treat your partner like a best friend as well. Sonic and Amy have a unique relationship because they’re subtle about it.

Reason 3: Why?

I believe it’s important to get this out of the way since these are my weird BIGGIES when it comes to shipping. Why Sonic might have a crush on Amy and why Amy loves Sonic?

Sonic’s (Alleged) Reasons: Amy doesn’t want to change him. She can keep up with him. She’s super compassionate and energetic.

(Sonic stated she was “sweet’ before.)

He respects and might even values her ways of thinking. In TMOSTH, he said:

In Prime he admits she’s, “Pretty great.”

And, he said in IDW Issue #58:

These can be seen as platonic compliments, but it’s the “Accepting Sonic for who he is” thing that homes in the mutual romantic feelings head-canon.

I’d even argue ever since Unleashed/Black Night he had a little crush on her, but felt unsure of it. That is, until IDW. He might still have no clue what to do next.

Sonic lines in Frontiers : “Amy, I should’ve made up my mind sooner.” and “Wish we were sharing an umbrella, Amy.” are huge examples of that and his reciprocated feelings.

Fun Fact: Sharing an umbrella as a couple in Japan is considered a romantic expression, and teens often draw an umbrella with their name and the name of their crush, the way one would in a heart. A very old tradition.

Sharing an umbrella has been seen as a romantic thing in a few American movies as well.

Here’s another detail I find hilarious. I LOVE in instances like Amy being, “The Lady Of The Lake” in Black Night. The time she ran away from Sonic in Unleashed, and became split versions of herself in Prime. The blue buffoon acts as if he grew more fond and I’d even suggest “attracted” to her. He either flirts with her or gets disappointed. To me, it’s a check on the, “Bringing a wide range of emotion out of him,” point.

In issue #2 of IDW it’s similar. Sonic asked Amy to join him. Then she admits being away from the resistance for too long. I’d say it’s a weirdly consistent thing. The times Sonic acts ready to “open up,” he and Amy end up having to save the world and go off to do their own thing.

(That panel in The Metal Virus with Sonic reaching to Amy while she’s freaking out, still hurts.)

Is this a sign they may need to take their time? Fortunately, we have additional content with them interacting outside those situations. I guess the hedgies are allowing each other to be their own person before committing to anything.

Like a “when they know, they’ll know,” situation.

Last thing. Sonic hugs Amy in both IDW and Frontiers. Never happened in official canon before, so his feelings must’ve changed into something.

Amy’s Reasons: He’s her inspiration and motive for loving adventures. Sonic gives Amy an excuse to show off her skills. And she admires his personality.

By the way, can we just appreciate how Amy loves Sonic for the right reasons? Not looks, popularity, or fortune. He always and forever will be her number one.

Reason 4: Conclusion

This isn’t everything, but I’m sure new content will give me new reasons to love this pair. I just wanted to take MOST of what’s already established and use it for a basic understanding.

As basic as overwhelmingly extra can be.

I don’t know whether or not Sonamy will be canon and that’s fine. To me, it’s semi cannon already and there’s a bunch of talented people who create Sonamy stories.

In actual media, their relationships grows stronger and stronger. Which I’ll dub, “Untouched reciprocation,” which is common in videos game ships.

I see Amy and Sonic as best friends with crushes on each other and find that very fascinating. The hedgehogs can just be.

Though on twitter in February 2023, someone asked about Sonic and Amy’s relationship. Then Mario Kishimoto (The director of Sonic Frontiers ) answered, “Sonic is single. But what about a lover? What about Amy? I’m also looking forward to seeing what kind of love Sonic will have in the future.”

Doesn’t prove much, but it could mean Sonic Team is interested in developing this relationship more. Whatever that indicates, I’m intrigued.

All in all this is why I love Sonamy. Hope you enjoyed my over analyzed essay

Stay Creative! 💙💖

#i love this ship so much #my first post #sonamy #sonic x amy #sonic and amy #sonic the hedgehog #amy rose #sonic prime #sonic boom #boom sonamy #analisys #sth #essay writing #hope you enjoy #@sherrydoodlez #@taromarshmallow #@Molinaskies #character analysis #ship analysis

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lizardboy66 · 8 months ago

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im deeply bored so here are all of my gay 911 thoughts for your entertainment.

OKAY SO

Idk about 911 being queerbait guys...i dont think it ever was. I think we have entered a new era of fanservice. Usually with queerbait, the creators and people involved in the show are quite vicious to shippers and queer fans generally, and any easter egg or "moment" feels like crumbs to keep us hooked enough.

911 acknowledged the shipping very very early. Like second half of season 2, and there has never ONCE been a joke at the expense of the concept of being gay, or about buck or eddie being queer. It was simply a nod, like "hey, we get it, you want it, thats all good."

Its not 2010 anymore, gay people are accepted and visible in a way that has never been a reality in the past. In fact, gay people, especially gay men, have come to be understood as a fantastic marketing tool.

This is where i get jaded and cynical, but listen the outcome is the same so stick with me here. Gay pairings and relationships = money is not a groundbreaking concept. It's why they did queerbait. But with stuff like supernatural, it seemed like a far greater risk to make the repressed men kiss than to piss of the queer fanbase. But times have changed. But since the age of queerbait, there has been a rise in gay romance content being made, and being made FOR the fangirls, boys and theys. Think Red, White and Royal Blue, or Heartstopper, or Young Royals, or Our Flag Means Death, or Good Omens. Gay isn't a risk anymore, its a marketing category with a level of guaranteed success. And not just in the global north, Boys Love content has been booming in places like Japan, Thailand, Korea for decades, but never more than now. TV companies in these places figured out very quickly that producing fluffy, comforting gay love stories earns them billions, and have not hesitated to seize this opportunity. My point being, gay dudes sell as fuck.

911 got cancelled and had to move networks. The budget is too high and they need to pull viewership and quick. I think their answer is canonise that ship! I couldn't tell you if that was there original intent, but i do believe that it would be far less lucrative to fuck over their viewer base. I could be wrong, this could be a crazy long game to make the fans trust the show, then pull the rug from under them. But i truly think we are past that point with shows like this.

911 is pure fluff! No one ever dies, if someone is hurt they recover quickly and with no complications, conflict is tame and easily resolvable, and everyone is a sickeningly good person. And the show is also about family, found family, unconventional families. I think originally, the unconventionality of the eddie, buck and chris family dynamic was that it is two men who are not together or married raising a child as coparents and friends. Which is a great story, but even better fanfiction fodder.

I think they are going to do it like the fanfiction. It's the easiest way to bridge the epistemic gap between the current cannon and the reality of both buck and eddie being queer and having feelings for each other. they could try and explain it in their own way, but the fans have already done it, and have clearly agreed on some elements of how this love story plays out, so i think that will be the route they go down. Currently my evidence is that Buck is now canonically bisexual. For some reason a lot of the ships people have have one bisexual and one gay, so the trope is being realised. My next piece of evidence is the catholic thing for eddie. This has literally never come up, its a fan invention, and its in the show now. The eddie and marisol plot line is slightly bizzare, but i think the reason for that is that it is eddie making sense of why he struggles so much to commit to the women he dates. Or its just a bad storyline and isnt very coherent. I guess we will see. My next evidence is the whole set up of Tommy. He is so clearly a way to push eddie and buck together in my opinion. From his introduction, he acts as a wedge between the two that neither of them can make sense of. Very love triangle energy. And my last evidence is all of those goddamn interviews. It seems no one can shut up about these fire fighters getting it on with each other. I feel if they weren't doing it, there would be more effort to shut down the clowning gently, as they have done previously.

In conclusion, i too am a clown. My theory has rocky foundations, a rocky middle and an equally rocky conclusion. I am so tired and delulu right now. I'm with you girlies, this is stressful.

#911 #buddie #what am i doing #what is this #why am i here #i started watching the show a week ago i feel i have added nothing to the discussion #screaming into the void af

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itsuki-minamy · 1 year ago

Text

"SIDE GOLD"

CHAPTER 4: IKU AND THE BIRIBIRI GROUP (Part 1)

* List of Chapters

Translation: Naru-kun Raws: Anno

"Homeless". A child who does not have parents or guardians and who has not settled. In Japan during World War II, there were many war orphans who lost family members in war fires and their homes burned down. Among them, most of the children who lost their place to go became homeless drifters. During and after the war, their lives were extremely difficult and many of them became involved in criminal activities.

The "Kagirohi Trade Association" market was bustling as if the commotion from a few days ago had been forgotten. On that isolated vacant lot, the "Yakumo" gambling hall is being rebuilt under the leadership of Tamataro Okuma.

"Bastards, I'll finish it before opening time!"

A loud cry that made even the thick billboards that were up tremble.

Although it is called a rebuild, it is not a complete creation. As long as there is enough space for people to gather, such as a game room, the deal is done. It was a random hasty construction to build a house that was as small as a shack. The new "Yakumo", which no one remembers what generation it is, has already completed the frame and is in the process of installing the roof and walls.

"I understand, big brother Okuma!"

"Thanks to the boss and sister, I am used to erecting pillars and thatched roofs!"

"Don't say that, if they listen to you, you'll have to start over."

Rude, hard-working people are inefficient and unpredictable despite their good humor, but their environment is cheerful. The reason why many of them don't feel terrified when witnessing mysterious monsters is because they feel comfortable living from day to day, and more than anything, they trust their boss, who has declared that he will defeat them next time.

From the ceiling to the front of the wall, work voices flew.

"Are the blue clothes still keeping watch in front of Yokocho's gate?"

"Ah, they still go back and forth with Danbira in hand."

According to what they heard from the older sister of the blues, the monster appeared because the powerful boss and the guy in the blue hat collided. So it seems that it will probably be safe if both sides back down after sharing the pain. As explained, the boss, who had turned off due to various incidents, simply withdrew, and the blue hat also turned its back and left. At the moment, it seemed unlikely that the blues would go in or out, or even encounter the monster. It seemed that peace had arrived.

Each person had a different way of perceiving such results.

"Heh, even though the monster has been quiet ever since, they've had difficulties every day."

"You better be careful. I'm sure you feel the same way about blue clothes."

"What? In front of you, you are not afraid, are you?"

"Oh? What is it?"

Not satisfied with the exchange of voices, he rolled up his sleeves and pressed their foreheads against each other.

"Who is scared... Ouch?!"

"Nga?!"

Okuma's fists attacked in quick succession. Blocking the sunlight with their thick bodies, the two of them crouched in the shade with their heads in their hands, and a loud voice fell over them.

"Move your hands instead of your mouth, layabouts."

"Hehe!"

"Sorry!"

Okuma looked at the two people who were scattered, and then looked at all the work.

(It should be back to normal before today's opening.)

After thinking about it, he felt a stab in his throat like a small bone.

(I wonder if it will really go back to normal.)

It's not just about conflicts with monsters and the blue clothes.

Okuma wasn't amused the fact that some kinds of "King" or imposed good manners are getting in the way with straightforward gait of his proud boss.

In the neighborhood where the sound of work can be heard, there is a Suwako canteen. This whimsical restaurant (the only sign is "meshi") has a reputation for being cheap and filling, but the taste is average. It is also known as the place where Unno Yutaka stays when his usual hideout, Yakumo, is destroyed, and is seen from the outside as one of Kagirohi-gumi's strategic bases.

Actually, it was just a place where Suwako let him eat free food and Unno would lie down in a small room in the back. For the former, it was an important space where they could recover the relationship they had when they met. But to the latter, that is unknown thing because he hadn't even hinted at it, let alone talked about it.

Now it's Suwako's turn to feed him free food. In the middle of the small shop, Unno is stuffing his mouth with okara sushi at the counter. As the name suggests, it is a dish that cannot be said to be a dish that only puts ingredients on a piece of okara, but it is a specialty of this restaurant.

The side that is allowed to eat is hated and slaps him in the mouth.

"Only the topping has improved."

* Okara Zushi; a type of sushi that used Okara(soy pulp) instead of rice, with topping a fish marinated in vinegar. It is local food in Chugoku-Shikoku region.

"Shut up and eat, you bastard."

The usual show of cutting rebukes from the feed side.

It was supposed to be usual for Suwako to rest her chin on the counter and look at the stubborn Unno, but since that night, she felt a bit strange.

"Yutaka-chan."

"What?"

With his mouth open, Unno replied.

Suwako lifted her chin and used the courage she had built up over the course of several days to ask.

"Are you ok?"

"......"

Unno munched his okara sushi in silence. Secretly thinking...

(I wonder if it came out on the complexion, it's gross.)

He still hasn't resolved his feelings about meeting another "King".

Of course he wasn't intimidated. It was uncomfortable knowing that the anger and desires that were supposed to be him were embedded in something else. Besides, not being able to sort out his feeling like that was very unpleasant. With holding such a stone weight, he couldn't laugh optimistically, or stop thinking and run.

Ignoring all of that, he might have been able to become stronger.

However, when he ate at that restaurant, he felt a little less competitive.

That's why the answer wasn't clear.

"How is?"

"Yutaka-chan, aside from me, that sort of thing... were you aware that there are some really cool psychics out there?"

Suwako isn't afraid to reach Unno's core when they are alone in this restaurant.

Unno also responded to Suwako, who did so as honestly as possible.

"As for the guy with the blue hat and Ootono-nii-san, I didn't know until I met them. But the other person..."

"Um, the monster with the gapped teeth?"

"No."

After a brief denial, Unno paused to put his feelings into words.

"I've felt many times that somewhere far away... well, deep..., there's a guy reaching into the river and trying to catch the current."

There was something that came to Suwako's mind.

"Even if that's the case, the guy with the blue hat said something like that when we parted ways..."

"......"

Unno didn't even hide his displeasure from her and remained silent.

After dismissing Thomas Colt, just before Kagiro-higumi and the Fourth Legal Affairs Bureau withdrew, the guy in the blue hat (the husband), the Blue King, pretended to make a casual postscript and offered some history.

"This is a test, but are you willing to meet the "Golden King" Daikaku Kokujoji?"

And of course Unno... "No."

He just returned a word over his back as he walked away.

(That's right, I can't stand doing what that bastard says.)

Thinking of that, Unno reached for the okara sushi again and saw that Suwako's face was filled with anxiety. Its meaning was easy to understand. Or rather, the kind he himself had.

There is something big that you don't understand.

It was the feeling of existence beyond the words "Slate" and "King" that Nazumi said.

It was a terrifying power that haunted him, that if he could feel it and touch it, it would be irreversible.

That's why Suwako is afraid from the bottom of her heart of him.

For Unno to meet the "Golden King".

Being carried away by something big and mysterious.

That's why Unno said it clearly.

"I do not go anywhere."

"Yes."

Suwako's face, who answered in a low voice, turned pale and bright.

Unno felt embarrassed by the situation and tossed the pickled okara sushi into his mouth. As he muttered and chewed, he opened a mouth again with hatred.

"You're not good at grabbing at all."

But he will never say that he like the taste. So that Suwako can see his feelings in his smile. Of course, the answer is short.

"Noisy bastard."

++++++++++

Daikaku Kokujoji, the "Golden King" who normally refrains from going out, sometimes makes exceptions.

That was the meeting with the president of the ruling party, who was escorted by him and "Tokijikuin", and this time it was a special trip. The destination is a villa in the suburbs owned by the governor.

In a large site in the mountains, it is commonly called "Oyashiki" witlessly. In part, it was a signal to avoid telling details, including the owner.

In a simple but elegant Japanese-style room facing the courtyard, the two faced each other over celebratory dinner with sake.

Kokujoji was wearing a suit and was sitting up straight like a statue.

The president was dressed in a kimono and sat loosely crosswise. That wasn't because he was arrogant, but because he received a gunshot wound from a thug during his time as a diplomat before the war, and couldn't sit on his knees for long periods of time.

The president said in a calm voice that he didn't seem like a tough face.

"I heard about that, Kokujoji-kun."

"Hah, it seems that he is the "Seventh Person". As a result of discussions with Director Nazumi, we have decided to call him "Colorless" for the time being."

Kokujoji responded with a mild explanation, but that is not the issue the president wanted to bring to the table. For him, "Slate" and "King" were things to talk about next to reality.

"I see."

After slightly nodding, the original topic was brought up.

"By the way, it seems that Nanakamado's work unit was present at that time."

"...That's how it is."

Kokujoji, who guessed, felt ashamed of his immaturity for misreading the focus.

Only the "King" and his empowered ministers could perceive the strangeness of the unexpected "Seventh" as an imminent threat. For ordinary people, it was natural that they had little knowledge or interest.

(At this rate, the way forward will be in jeopardy... study up and take heart.)

In today's reality, in other words, what is important to the president is the "political significance of Nanakamado, an intelligence agency, using force at his own trial.

"I heard, that they even fought a street battle against the "demon" in question."

"Fourth Legal Affairs Bureau arrived just in time and we were able to contain the turmoil within one area of the market. The workforce has also managed to capture almost everyone."

"A person seems to be sent back to them."

"Hah, an American commander. Director Nazumi will probably serve as a check or a warning to Nanakamado, but it will have little effect."

As expected, Kokujoji was surprised by the accuracy of the information he was given, even when he communicated without hesitation. In just a few days, from what source did he get the information? He has been swimming through the turbulent political world for nothing, and has reached the post of president. Kokujoji was impressed by his speech technique, which didn't make the other feel hard.

(This is the "Gold" that he himself have prepared and polished...)

The president is not a servant of "Tokijikuin", nor is he attracted to any talent.

Or rather, Kokujoji had yet to add to his vassals a single politician who had become his sympathizer. This is a measure to ensure that "Tokijikuin" gets involved in the political world from the point of view of a collaborator.

That "Slate", like it or not, creates a side to rule and a side to be ruled. Furthermore, instead of "mentally and physically acknowledging'' social status and biological abilities, it "gives structure to the functions of kings and ministers."

The EX-α individual and the β individual are not the same at all.

There was a huge difference in the functions and overall power of the two.

The problem is not how do they feel that, is the fact as that is.

In a post-war society where distrust and hatred of authority burn, and, moreover, in the ideal democracy that Headquarters tries to establish, this "structure" placed under others provokes resentment or even more indignation. Of course, it would be even more so if someone with high social status, such as a key politician or the head of a conglomerate, couldn't always get the talent he wanted.

The reason why Kokujoji keeps his former subordinates as comrades-in-arms and dedicates himself to behind-the-scenes work is to make them seem like a powerful but closed small professional group. (It is also based on the same reasoning that Nazumi established the "Fourth Legal Affairs Bureau'' as a department with a legal foundation.) Even if they were wrong, they should not have been made to think of themselves as beings privileged above people... as the "transcendent ruling race" that the German Third Reich dreamed of.

Still, ever since "Tokijikuin" rose to prominence despite being behind the scenes, sharp-nosed politicians, ex-servicemen, surviving liberal activist, and even charlatans of the like have contacted Kokujoji to become his vassals. There have been many attempts, even more cases of faster attacks and kidnappings to seize power from the "Slate" or "King".

Humans are creatures that greedily seek power.

Especially now, when society is full of gaps and opportunities.

These realities made Kokujoji well aware of the dangers of hastily introducing the deadly drug "King", which was in the midst of trial and error, now in post-war, here in Japan.

Therefore, while sympathizing with the regime, they did not merge, and while showing their intentions, they did not issue orders... This position was firmly held by the "Golden King" Daikaku Kokujoji and "Tokijikuin". And it was precisely because he continued to stand his ground that he was able to gain the trust of the political world.

At this time, he can even have a secret face-to-face conversation with the president of the ruling party, who is not even his vassal.

"I see."

The president gave a slight nod again and casually filled the cup with sake.

"I agree with you."

Kokujoji did the same and filled his own sake cup.

"What is the trial material?"

"Although it has some privileges and power, it still feels like an intelligence agency running too wild. I tried looking in various directions to see if there was a backup behind it."

After half, the president wiped his cup at once, perhaps to moisten his throat or to make a decision, began to speak in a calm voice to Kokujoji who was waiting for his words.

"They frequently communicate with Atsugi."

"Atsugi?"

Kokujoji felt suspicious.

In the city of Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, there is a large airfield for the occupation forces requisitioned from the former Japanese army. Immediately after the war, many squadrons were deployed, but by the end of 1948, it had become a supply base for the occupation forces in the Kanto region, and no military forces were stationed there.

"That place is under the jurisdiction of none other than the Headquarters, and even if you say Occupation Army, it is just logistical support..."

As he answered, Kokujoji thought of something strange.

In Atsugi, there is a large-scale facility that doesn't look like a supply base.

It was a "radar site" radio detection facility for the detection of sword-shaped "Schwert" Kouki, which the occupation forces hastily set up for fear of a mass uprising by the Japanese people in response to the "Chofu Incident".

In reality, this facility was useless. He ended up showing that all the sword-shaped "Schwert" Kouki that appeared after Red, Blue, Green, and Gray did not show any reaction to the radar. The reason why the facility still stands is due to both the practical aspect that is useful for air traffic control of the Occupation Forces, and the psychological aspect that is a symbol of confrontation with the unknown.

Kokujoji had investigated these items as being related to the "King" of him, but from the conversation with the president, he suddenly began to worry about a certain item. Slowly he spoke.

"If I remember correctly, the electrical probes placed there were under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense, not the Occupation Forces. Engineers sent from the country of origin are also managing maintenance."

"Yes. That is very important."

The president nodded three times like a professor giving a passing grade.

"It appears to have been removed from the Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency "ARPA" in response to a request from Headquarters to send in the latest state-of-the-art equipment. It is the people there who are in charge of maintenance."

After a pause, his calm voice turned heavy and low.

"Officially, most of them were reorganized last year, and they are the intelligence officers of their home country."

Kokujoji was surprised and accidentally put down the cup.

"......! Are they from the CIA?"

In the era of its predecessor, the Strategic Intelligence Agency "OSS" (although it was only three years ago), the Central Intelligence Agency "CIA" began to fight with the Headquarters over the advance of their base of operations in Japan. a destiny whose activity was sealed.

Since then, the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral General, dislikes "rogue spies", and has not tried to interfere with Japan. It was supposed to be, but it was only on the surface.

His undiminished anti-communist sense of mission and desire to expand his power secretly spread the roots of the conspiracy to Atsugi's neighborhood, or even to Nanakamado's throat.

(Nazumi also reported that Nanakamado was "exporting" psychics for anti-communist spy warfare... certainly, the recipient could be no one other than the CIA.)

Kokujoji finally found the reason of unusually bullish attitude of Nanakamado.

"So Nanakamado is trying to survive after our country regains its sovereignty by communicating with the CIA in the United States and cooperating in the re-advancement?"

"Nanakamado's intentions are probably like this."

And then the president spoke calmly about the core of the crisis.

"The nature of this matter is much bigger and deeper. Most worrisome is that the Pentagon is involved in the camouflage operation. There is only one person in the world with power that can make them allies of the CIA."

"......!"

Kokujoji guessed with a shudder, but didn't mention the title.

With the president's understanding, he added the most alarming information he had collected.

"The Department of Defense is sending a light aircraft carrier to and from Yokosuka under the pretext of carrying materials to Atsugi. Half a year has passed. It seems that the overbuilt ships from the previous war are being used as transport ships."

The tone of voice that he did not believe on the surface of the information was the meaning of the information.

"When we bring in materials, we line up the cars to watch the roads where there are no attackers. For some reason, most of these staff members are Japanese. What do you think of this situation?"

"The convoy... is probably practicing marching along the way, disembarking and deploying to military installations."

Kokujoji first thought of a former soldier and then of a "King".

"Japanese pretending to be guards are believed to be people with 'exported' skills in the past."

"In other words, the CIA is preparing a unit of talented people in our country, separate from Nanakamado."

"The reason they are using the Japanese is that they are doing everything they can for the local powers, and they are sure to get rid of them."

The president was calm, Kokujoji was strict.

"Hm, it's a way of doing things, similar to an intelligence agency."

"Nanakamado's original plan was to secure a piece that would guarantee the superiority of Headquarters, in other words, to secure our "King"... or perhaps make him cooperate."

After a calm exchange without changing the tone of theirs voices...

"However, they, who should have sent out the elite soldiers, were completely defeated by the "King" and were not able to get his cooperation. Even so, there is another goal in daring to use a unit of talented people."

"If it's the second best measures, they won't hit the same enemy twice... then,"

After sharing and researching, checking and analyzing, the two of them naturally came to a solution.

Even with that conviction...

"The next best thing is a sudden armed rebellion..."

The president involuntarily smiled wryly at the eccentricity of the resulting solution.

"It's like a coup before the war."

"It doesn't matter if it's successful or not, the goal itself is to create a riot in Tokyo. It would be nice if it could be used as a basis for criticizing the Occupation Army's current occupational rule, especially its ability to maintain public order."

Kokujoji was able to see through the brutal fashion of the time, where politics was intertwined with conspiracies and tyranny.

The president also calmly pursues the dangers affecting Japan's national fortune.

"The continental United States is participating in this operation to strike a blow at Headquarters which is too arbitrary. The overall goal is to create an excuse to reduce the excessive authority given to Headquarters and push Japan back into an anti-communist bulwark."

The old politician smiled wrinkled when he realized that all the cards were in his hand.

"I see, it's a nice photo."

With a smile on his face, he became furious.

"But I won't forgive them."

"Yes."

Kokujoji is also short and sharp and he agreed.

An air of tension filled the air between the two of them.

Kokujoji was the one who moved the fastest and stood up without panicking.

"Please leave me your phone. I will urgently take countermeasures with the Fourth Legal Affairs Bureau."

"No, I'm the one who will call to."

The president, who took the thought of him one step further as a politician, stopped him. He explains before asking.

"An armed rebellion is different from a popular uprising that can only be stopped by dissipating the accumulated heat. It is an operation based on a political plan. Furthermore, both the initiative and the execution come from the intelligence agencies."

"Eh?"

Kokujoji, who couldn't understand the meaning of his explanation, took the form of an attentive listener.

The president admonished the young man who thinks he is fit about the dynamics of politics.

"In other words, if it turns out that he can't carry out his plan, it's the kind of thing that loses the foundation of the rebellion and puts an end to it."

"Do you have a measure to prevent the outbreak in the first place instead of suppressing it?"

"It's not as difficult as calling it a measure."

His smile, still filled with rage, glowed with murderous political maneuver.

"However, by making a proposal with the above reasoning, we can take away the bases to activate it."

"Proposal... what, where?"

The president, showed his "gold" to Kokujoji.

"Dismantle the intelligence agency, Nanakamado, to the commanding general of the occupation forces."

Saying so, he clapped his hands to call the butler.

In fact, a phone call was not enough. As soon as an appointment for negotiations was made at the Dai-ichi Seimei building in Yurakucho, Tokyo, where the general headquarters are located, the president returned to Tokyo in a safe driving car.

"Until I'm gone, give the quarterback time to reflect. A phone call is a message that says 'I'm going to make a proposal like this'', and it's a grace period to make a decision. I am a gentle man, so I will go home at a slow pace."

That's what it looked like.

Kokujoji did not accompany him, but according to the guards who were sent in his place, the negotiations in the commanding officer's office were completed in a very short time.

Then the next day at noon.

Immediately, Kokujoji received two notices. The first was a document from the Department of Public Health and Human Services containing the Directive of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces (SCAP Index Number, or SCAPIN), as recommended by the Governor.

As written...

"Notice: 1. There is no intelligence agency under the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, Headquarters, which controls the Japanese people by any special means. 2. The Research Institute for Infectious Disease Control (at the Nanakamado City) will be decommissioned and withdrawn as of tomorrow in accordance with the achievement of its intended objectives. 3. Tasks 2 will be handled by the Metropolitan Police Reserve, US Army 1st Cavalry Division and the US Army's 97th Infantry Division."

It made no sense even to those who didn't know the circumstances, and it was extremely harsh for those who did.

In summary...

Nanakamado will be dismantled after its existence is officially denied.

The research institute where has been their base of operations will also be demolished, leaving no trace.

Not only the police but also the Occupation Army will be involved in the implementation.

That's what it meant.

You could see the marshal's anger as much as the president's, if not more.

(Not unreasonable.)

Kokujoji thought.

The United States has just forced Headquarters to change its policy of rebuilding Japan as an ideal democratic nation. It would be strange not to get angry if he knew that a conspiracy aimed at further reducing the authority of Headquarters was afoot at a time when the humiliation had not cooled. (As for the marshal personally, after the crushing defeat in the presidential election half a year ago, he was deeply involved in rebuilding Japan.)

The fact that the negotiations with the governor were brief also shows the extent of his anger.

Driven by ambition, the Nanakamado intelligence agency faced the end of punishment.

Regardless of what they thought, they were just an unofficial branch of the Occupation Forces, with all the authority given by the Headquarters. As long as their authority is revoked before the uprising, the intelligence agencies' ability to carry out their actions... in other words, the ability to force their way through the outside world will be gone, with one exception.

And due to the dissolution of the organization guided by the Japanese side, the troops prepared in Atsugi lost sight of the reason and the opportunity to move. If an armed rebellion is a political plot by an intelligence agency, it will be even more difficult to move lightly in uncertain circumstances. The prepared combat power became useless.

Above all, this order is also a signal to confront the home country that "Japanese Headquarters and the Japanese government have become aware of the plot". The situation has already moved to a phase where both parties are playing bargaining both implicitly and explicitly. Whether the result is a restoration of relations or an escalation of conflict, the turn of active force will not come for the moment.

The political apocalypse is coincidentally decisive.

Nanakamado's future was completely closed.

However, they are left with one more option that will not lead them into the future.

An act that is nothing more than a sterile and perverse struggle.

The option was to use the existing force to explode.

If they thought about it with calculations and reasoning, it was almost impossible to take such an action. There was no longer any prospect of reversing the situation, no matter how they used the forces they had, they could not expect the support of the CIA, and the credibility of the Headquarters had eroded.

Yet even so, for humans... especially for an organization that is entrenched in only one direction, impossible behavior often becomes a last hope. If violence is the only card left, the illusion is stronger.

In case Nanakamado did turn out to be like this, Headquarters prepared a second copy, a document from the Second General Staff Department (intelligence agency representative).

According to the document...

"Notice: 1. Request the Fourth Legal Affairs Bureau to supervise the dismantling and removal work of the Research Institute for Infectious Disease Control (in Nanakamado City). 2. The commands and orders for dealing with people with capacity to induce and maintain anomalous phenomena will be in charge of the director of the same office, and not of the National Public Safety Commission. 3. All responsibility for actions in accordance with the notification falls on this headquarters."

It was an official dispatch request to confront the psychics organization directly from the Occupation Forces Headquarters.

In other words...

"Fourth Legal Affairs Bureau" will be in charge of responding to the outbursts of people with capabilities.

They would not care about the higher ranking organization and would act according to the judgment of the Chief, Somei Nazumi.

Whatever happens, the Occupation Forces Headquarters will take responsibility.

That's what it meant.

This precedent will determine the position of the organization, such as the nature of the duties carried out by the Legislative Office of Legal Affairs, its superiority over other police organizations, and the maintenance of an independent chain of command.

Anyway, everything was ready.

Calling out will be tomorrow.

There was no time for political maneuvering.

Even setting up a counterattack would be dangerous.

The Metropolitan Police Reserve Corps (predecessor of the Metropolitan Riot Police) and the Occupation Army will be in charge of dismantling and removing the facility, and if a person with capabilities moves, the "Fourth Legal Affairs Office" will delete it. Atsugi's forces are politically neutralized and there is no threat of intervention.

"Everything, no omissions."

The president said by phone during the preliminary consultation.

Kokujoji thought so too, and actually responded in agreement.

But...

(Is that really so?)

Somewhere, he had the feeling that something was issuing a strong warning. Assuming it was the "Golden King's" intuition, he didn't know where or what made him feel that way.

If he dared to raise a concern, it would be the matter of "Colorless King", but if it weren't for the huge power clash between the "Kings", it should be nothing more than a threat from a street passerby.

Even if Nanakamado mobilizes all the remaining ability users and challenges in a battle, he doesn't think they'll be able to develop a fierce battle that would make "Blue King" Somei Nazumi manifest "Schwert" above his head.

(Someday, the power of the other "Kings" will have to unite to deal with the "Colorless", and they will have to take it seriously... but, in the morrow, there should be no curtain for that to happen.)

Faced with a fate that has yet to be understood, Kokujoji had no choice but to confirm the current situation.

The president will take measures to control the situation, the marshal will make the difficult decisions, and the "Blue King" will take over the actual work... these measures are being carried out without delay and without fail.

The situation was supposed to proceed as planned.

There is nothing to worry about, it is fair and safe.

Both the era and history march orderly on the basis of reason and rationality.

Until the arrival of the "King" of change, who destroys and disturbs all those inevitabilities.

The last day of December 1948.

A long day for everyone, the first difficult step of regeneration is approaching.

#k #k project #k side gold #kokujoji daikaku #unno yutaka #somei nazumi #todokoro suwako #Tsunogui Iku

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dudadragneel · 1 year ago

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Hello guys! It's me!

And I'm back with another request!

This one was by @seungminsheartxoxo !

I'm sorry if this is shorter than usual but I loved the scenario you asked for! It was different from what I've written so far 😁

I hope you'll enjoy it!

💜

This takes places during the time when Hyunjin hurt his hand because I’ve been dying for a comfort fic during that period of time. Okay so it starts off where Hyunjin’s hand is hurt and he’s in a lot of pain (like literally crying n stuff) so y/n decides to just go to the pharmacy and get him pain medication that was prescribed but it’s obviously really strong. He takes it anyways though and at first it’s tolerable but then him and y/n go to the grocery store or something and it starts making him feel really dizzy. So you finish shopping and you’re supposed to eat at a restaurant but he asks if you can eat in the car instead. Obviously y/n has to feed him because his hand is hurt, when suddenly he asks her to stop because he feels nauseous. And because he can’t cover his mouth to stop himself y/n uses her own hand to catch it before it gets all over the car.

CONSEQUENCES

World tours can prove to be really hard sometimes, even though the boys do have a lot of fun with it, as you can see backstage when you're able to attend the concerts.

It's a really hectic period of time, even more than comeback season, because they have back-to-back concerts, such as 3 days in a row, in different cities and countries, sometimes with very few days to rest in between. Because of that, their health can be jeopardized, with their immune system having a hard time fighting off simple colds and other conditions, as you had experienced with Hyunjin before.

Another thing that can happen is injuries, they can happen at any given time, anywhere, it can happen on stage or off stage during an activity or during rehearsal. And this time it was no different.

You managed to travel with them to a few of their concerts during their MANIAC world tour, and unfortunately, Hyunjin sustained a hand injury before taking the stage for their concert in Oakland.

You knew your boyfriend too well to know that even though the experts told him to limit his movements to not worsen the injury, he still wanted to take the stage. There was nothing you could do but watch him and hope that he would be careful with his hand, and your heart wrenched every time you saw him with a pained expression or wincing because of the movements.

He finished the concert with a smile but deep inside, it was taking everything in him to not scream in pain since the injury happened just a few hours ago.

As he came off stage you could see the color draining from his face, as if his body knew it could collapse now. The members noticed as well and were quick to catch him before he could actually faint.

- Hyunjin-ah!

You ran to his side and grabbed his hand as the boys called the staff over.

Hyunjin felt as if he was sinking into the ground, his vision was getting blurry and the voices calling out for him were getting muffled.

The medical staff took him and you to a nearby hospital where they put him on IV drips for a few hours since he had just performed for 3 hours straight, and pain medication.

When the IV drips were done the doctor came in and gave the prescription with all the medication he would need and one to make him sleep, since his body needed to rest well from the concert.

Getting back to the hotel, the staff helped Hyunjin up to your bedroom and set him on the bed. You gave him the medication and somehow, he was knocked out in minutes.

But not every day was easy, from then on, there were countless sleepless nights because of the pain and the fact that no position was actually comfortable for him to sleep in.

After their Anaheim concert, they had what you can call a little break before their Japan concerts. By that time Hyunjin was already in a cast and still in a lot of pain.

And yet he insisted on taking place during rehearsal and content recording.

Since he was on this little break you thought it would be best for him to stay with you for a little while, so that you could take care of him and also let him have some rest. You knew he loved his members but at the same time, he'd have a little more peace by staying with you.

You decided to pick him up at the company and go for a casual dinner before heading home.

Getting there you messaged him to meet you at the back of the building where you parked.

When he arrived at the car you noticed how he looked a little pale and sweaty, which means he was probably practicing.

- Hey babe.

You greeted him as he entered the car and gave him a little kiss on the cheek.

- Hey.

He said, returning the kiss. He was too quiet for your liking. You knew something was wrong and you knew exactly what it was but you asked anyway.

- hey, honey, is everything okay?

He took a deep breath in before answering you.

- No...it hurts a lot.

He said breaking down in tears and painful sobs as if he had been holding on the entire day.

You hugged him to try to calm him down and provide some comfort.

- Oh honey. I'm sorry. Did you practice today?

- just a little, it started hurting really early so I didn't do much but it is so intense now.

- How does it feel?

- It's throbbing a lot. It feels like it throbs every time my heart beats. I just want it to stop.

He tilted his head back, still crying, trying to compose himself.

- How about we go to the pharmacy to buy the painkillers your doctor prescribed you?

- Okay.

You started the car and made your way to the pharmacy. The drive there was rather quiet, you put on some chill music so as not to bother Hyunjin and noticed how he kept his eyes closed the entire time with a pained expression on his face and he also winced a few times. Your heart wrenched seeing him like this, especially because you knew that there wasn't much you could do but give him painkillers and take care of him once you got home.

Thankfully the pharmacy you went to had everything Hyunjin needed so you wouldn't have to drive around searching for all the medication.

You knew they were really strong given the amount of pain he would be feeling for some time, as the doctor said.

- Babe, are you gonna take them now?

- Yeah...it's too painful...

- They are really strong, have you eaten anything? Otherwise, it can make you feel faint and even mess up your stomach. You know how these work.

- I did eat about an hour before you came to pick me up.

- Okay then. Here, take this.

You gave him a water bottle so he could take the pills and went back to the car. Since they were strong medications with quick effects, you waited a bit in the car to see how he would feel. You needed to go to the grocery store but you didn't know if he could handle that and you didn't want to leave him alone at your apartment.

About 25 minutes later you asked how he was feeling and he assured you that the pain was better and that he wasn't feeling bad from the painkillers.

- So, do you think we can go to the grocery store now? I really need to buy some stuff for our breakfast tomorrow.

- Yes.

- After we're finished we'll go have dinner at a nearby restaurant, okay? Just like we agreed early on.

- Not gonna lie, I'm a bit hungry.

The grocery store wasn't that far from where you guys were and the ride there felt a little better with Hyunjin actually interacting a bit with you and enjoying the music.

The road was practically empty and the night was beautiful, you could drive all night long with him and listen to music. But you knew everything Hyunjin wanted now was a good shower and a warm cozy bed.

The grocery store you liked to go to was rather big and had a variety of nice stuff to buy especially snacks.

You got a small cart just in case and started your shopping, Hyunjin glued on you the whole time.

You grabbed a few of his favorite snacks and yours as well, along with some other tasty things to make breakfast for the two of you. And also some Gatorade and some juice.

Everything was going smoothly and you couldn't wait to go get dinner but then, things started to go south.

Hyunjin started to feel the collateral effects of the painkillers, most likely because he hadn't actually eaten enough to handle such strong medications.

As you walked down one of the aisles, he started to feel really dizzy. He could feel the ground sinking beneath his feet and his vision was getting blurry and dark. He grabbed onto your hoodie halting midway.

- Hyunjin? What's wrong?

You said turning to him and grabbing his arms so you could support him as you noticed that his complexion was pale.

- I feel really dizzy...

- it's probably the medication. Can you keep walking?

- I'm afraid that I might pass out...

- Okay, come on.

You helped him sit down and kneeled beside him.

By now a few people at the store were stopping to look at the situation, and you could see that it was making Hyunjin start to feel nervous as his hands were shaking and his breathing was getting labored. The last thing you wanted now was for him to have an anxiety attack.

You grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly bringing his attention over to you and started to draw circles.

- Hey, hey, hey. Don't pay attention to anything other than me, ok? Focus on me. There's only you and me here, okay? Take deep breaths with me.

He followed your breathing pattern to calm himself down and kept looking at you, as you guided him through it.

Thankfully, a nice employee came to see what was happening and told the people to not surround him and give him some space. They also brought some salt and water for Hyunjin to see if it would help with his blood pressure which lowered due to the medication.

- Thank you so much.

- You're welcome.

Hyunjin put some salt under his tongue and after a few minutes, he felt a little better.

- How do you feel?

- A little better...not as dizzy as before...

- Let's go.

You helped him up and he clung to you for support as he still felt lightheaded, even if it wasn't as strong as before.

You helped him walk to the cashier to pay for everything and you noticed he still looked pale and wobbly.

You told him to enter the car first while you put the groceries in the trunk. When you entered the car yourself, he looked half asleep.

- Babe, are you okay?

- Hm? Yeah...it's just the medication... I feel tired, weak...

- Why don't we go home then?

- No. Let's go have dinner, I'm hungry and so are you. It's okay.

- Sure?

- Yes.

You knew deep down he was saying that just to not let you down because you could see in his face that he looked unwell. You'd risk saying that the medication wasn't even working properly.

The restaurant you were going was a bit far away and halfway there the traffic-jammed a little. As you drove Hyunjin started to feel weird again.

He started to feel dizzy, even though he was sitting down, he felt as if there was some sort of pressure in between his eyes that wasn't making it possible for his vision to focus. He felt like his whole body was swaying and his vision was getting black spots.

He brought a hand to his face and pinched the area between his eyes in an attempt to get rid of that weird feeling and you noticed.

- Hyunjin, what's going on?

- it's just...my head feels weird...it feels light. It's like I still feel dizzy...

- Oh honey. That medication is really strong. After we eat something you'll feel better.

He just nodded and closed his eyes to try to rest a little and you placed your hand on his to reassure him he wasn't alone.

After about 30 minutes you arrived at the restaurant and found a nice spot to park the car. Thankfully this was one of the very few places you could go with him and not have to worry about paparazzi and stuff.

As you were getting your stuff to get out of the car, you noticed Hyunjin had gone quiet and was looking distressed.

- Honey? What is it?

You said putting a hand on his shoulder and gently caressing it.

- Can we eat here? I'm afraid of passing out if I stand up now...I feel weird...

- Sure. I'll go get out dinner and I'll be back soon.

You quickly went to the restaurant and ordered your food, you just wanted Hyunjin to eat something soon so that he could feel a little better from the effects of the painkillers.

A few minutes later you came back with the food and thankfully the car had enough space to place the drinks and eat comfortably.

Since he was in a cast, you had to help him eat, so you took turns between feeding him and eating.

The first few bites tasted heavenly for Hyunjin, given the fact that he ate very little and took strong painkillers. But then it started to taste weird.

His stomach started to feel heavy, stuffed as if he had eaten too much and that was obviously not the case. He was now having a hard time swallowing the food, he'd chew until it became tasteless, and yet he couldn't properly swallow.

- Babe, wait.

He said motioning for you to stop as he brought his good hand to his mouth, trying his best to swallow the food.

- What is it?

- I feel nauseous...

You dropped down the chopsticks and tugged his hair behind his ear to look at him. As if on cue, his stomach jumped and sent everything up without much warning and he couldn't cover his mouth in time.

You instinctively placed your hand under his mouth as he lurched forward, chunky vomit spilling out of his mouth and pooling in your hands.

- Oh my god, honey.

Thankfully he had enough time to breathe before another stream came out so you had to act quickly.

- Babe, try to grab a cloth inside the glove compartment.

He grabbed it and placed it underneath your hands so you could get rid of the vomit without soiling his clothes or the car. And then you quickly grabbed the plastic bag in which you brought the food and placed it underneath his mouth and held it for him.

- There. Just let everything out.

He didn't have much choice, he burped another thick wave of chunky vomit, so strong it came out of his nose as well. He gagged again and arched his back painfully as another thick wave ripped through his body.

You couldn't do much but watch and reassure him it was okay since you were holding the bag for him.

And because he had just eaten and not drunk anything, it kept coming out in thick waves, so it was straining him a lot. He coughed and gagged harshly, face getting red from the effort.

- Oh babe. Breathe.

He lifted his head and took deep breaths like you said and blew his nose.

- Are you done?

- I don't know...

- Okay. Let me get this away from your face for a while.

You took the bag away so that he wouldn't keep looking at or smelling it.

You helped him clean his mouth and proceeded to tie his hair since you couldn't do that a few minutes ago.

- How are you feeling?

- Awful...I still feel sick...

He brought a hand to his mouth to cover a burp and tilted his head back, leaning on the seat.

You opened his window to try to help him catch some fresh air and also to get rid of the vomit stench inside the car.

- Is this better?

- Yeah...

He had his eyes closed and took deep breaths and you saw that he kept swallowing, so you rubbed his hand reassuringly.

- Honey, it's okay if you need to be sick again. Don't hold it in, it'll only make you feel worse.

He just nodded, still with his eyes closed and head tilted back. He didn't want to be sick anymore, his hand hurt as if he had just injured himself and he was dying of embarrassment for vomiting in your hand.

But what he wanted was not what his body wanted, the medication was messing up with him and his stomach was in turmoil. Its contents were sloshing around, gurgling noises coming from it.

He squeezed his eyes in an attempt to ignore the growing awful feeling in his stomach, but it was determined to get out.

He felt hot liquid coming up his chest and hitting the back of his throat, he tried swallowing and managed for a brief moment. But then a wet burp brought everything up again, making him lurch forward on his seat.

You acted fast and quickly got the bag under his mouth as another strong wave of pale vomit poured out of his mouth mixing with what was already in the bag.

- Oh honey. My poor baby.

He was in so much pain from all the straining his body was making him go through he instinctively reached for your hands but since they were occupied he held onto your hoodie, he needed to feel your presence.

- I'm sorry I can't hold your hand now, but I'm right here, honey.

His grip tightened as a cough brought up a thin stream of watery vomit. He breathed a few times before another harsh gag brought up nothing but bile. After that, he just kept spitting out thick saliva.

- Babe, I think you're done. Lift your head up.

He did as you told him while you took the bag away one more time, and helped him clean his mouth and nose. He took a few deep breaths before he deemed it safe to open his mouth to talk.

- I don't feel sick anymore but my stomach still feels weird...

- I know babe, it's completely empty now. But you got everything you needed out of your system.

- Sorry for throwing up on your hands... I'm sorry.

- Don't apologize. I don't mind that at all, you know that.

- And you ended up just wasting your money...

- Don't say that! You didn't know it would happen. We'll come back here on another occasion. Let's go home, shall we?

- Yes...please...

- Okay. Let me just dispose of this.

You got out of the car and threw away the plastic bag. Before leaving, you gave him some water, you thankfully brought, so Hyunjin could rinse his mouth.

The ride home didn't have any further incidents, the traffic wasn't jammed so you got home quickly, and Hyunjin was so tired he dozed off the entire ride.

Getting home, you parked the car and saw the state Hyunjin was in. The boy was sweaty, still pale and shaking, you had to get him on a bed as soon as possible.

- Babe, we're here. Can you stand?

- Hm? I don't know...I feel light-headed

- I'll help you, come on.

You helped him out of the car, wrapped your hand around his waist while the other held his good hand over your shoulder. You carefully guided him to the elevator but to him, it seemed like it was miles away and he felt as if he was drunk.

Each step felt like his feet were sinking, he felt wobbly, his vision kept getting blurry and wavy, it felt like he kept coming in and out of consciousness as he walked, and it felt like he would just collapse at any given time.

But thankfully you got him to your apartment safely and as soon as he was in there he just pointed at the bathroom door and you understood what he meant.

Given his weak state you didn't want to have him kneel down and then stand back up so you guided him to the sink, at least there you could support his weight instead of having to find the strength to get him up from the ground.

You held his hair as he bent forward spatting out thick saliva and leaving his mouth open, waiting for the inevitable. After a few unproductive gags, a harsh cough brought up some bile and stomach juice.

You rubbed his back up and down to provide him some comfort that you couldn't do in the car.

- Oh honey. There's nothing left for you to throw up. You'll only hurt your throat if you keep doing this.

- It just feels like it won't stop...my stomach feels heavy like I'm full...

You helped him rinse his mouth by getting some water in your hands and bringing it to his mouth and helped him brush his teeth as well.

- Do you think you can take a shower? You're sweaty and I think it'll help you relax so you could try to sleep.

- I'm not sure...can you stay with me?

- of course. Get in the bathtub, it's safer.

He took off his clothes and got into the bathtub, the water was lukewarm, the perfect temperature. After he took most of his shower, you helped him wash his hair.

You kneeled down behind him and washed his hair, massaging his scalp and shoulders in the process. You could feel him relaxing under your touch and he felt safe with you, so much so he almost fell asleep right there.

After he got out, you helped him get dressed in some cozy clothes and then blow-dried his hair, which felt fluffy afterward.

- How are you feeling now, babe?

- Exhausted...

- And the pain?

- It hurts so much it's practically numb...

- Oh my poor thing. Do you wanna drink a smoothie and take the medication afterward?

- I'm afraid of vomiting again.

- You won't. You'll take nausea medication first. It'll help.

- Okay.

You gave him some dramin and went to the kitchen to make him a light smoothie.

Thankfully his stomach accepted, the dramin worked, and he managed to drink everything and take those godforsaken strong painkillers.

He cuddled with you, laying on your chest, a comfy blanket covering both of you. Within minutes he was fast asleep, while you kept stroking his hair.

You were glad that after so many days of constant pain and no rest from activities or because of the injury, he was finally able to sleep peacefully.

But that didn't mean you didn't want to scold him for taking part in dance practice today.

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the-brainrot-central · 1 year ago

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Thoughts on Diavolo getting preg? :3

Anon you are wonderful omg. I feel like realistically he would probably get an abortion but for sake of fun I HAVE SOME HEADCANONS!!!

No more weed :((( he uses it occasionally for migraines and anxiety but now he’s gonna have to rawdog that shit. His pregnancy can be pretty tough sometimes, he has a few migraine episodes during this time

An absolute emotional MESS, his mood swings are all over the place and Kira has to talk him down from a ledge constantly. Mainly anxiety, anger, sadness and euphoria, just an alternating dial of those four with an occasional (rare) moment of peace

Craves lots of Italian food of course, especially stuff with a ton of carbs like pizzas, pastas, etc (I don’t know much about Italian food tbh). kira has to start learning to cook new dishes he’s never made before to fullfil his cravings, but he enjoys the challenge :) And seeing Diavolo smile when he eats his cooking is always worth it

He feels really guilty and starts ruminating on an existential level about his pregnancy—the fact that he’s hurt and killed so many people, and now thinks that he has the right/capacity to have a baby and love it. He feels lots of regret and guilt. He had some of these kinds of thoughts during Kira’s pregnancy, but they were much easier to ignore at that time—mainly because he wasn’t the one carrying. But now that he’s the pregnant one, it’s like a constant reminder of all these thoughts and what he’s done to people, which makes it hard to cope with.

Diavolo doesn’t like crying, as he finds it embarrassing, so usually doppio comes out to cry for him—he’s much more open about his feelings and okay with being vulnerable, especially in front of Kira.

His anger issues get particularly intense, so he starts going back to the gym again to vent his rage—beats the absolute shit out of the punching bag. He doesn’t want to subject Trish or Kira to his outbursts, he refuses to hurt them like that. Still, he does occasionally snap and yells at them over small things, but he always apologizes.

Kira, having extra empathy of what he’s going through, is super super thoughtful and doting on him bc he knows how hard it is sometimes, especially for someone like Diavolo whose too shy and stubborn to communicate his needs

While he doesn’t mind dressing femme, he thinks most maternity wear is tacky and ugly, so he mostly just buys plus size men’s and women’s clothes (which are frustratingly difficult to obtain, living in Japan; he’s already bigger and taller than most Japanese brands accommodate for, so being pregnant is even more of a struggle). Sometimes he borrows some of Kiras shirts he wore when he was pregnant (he kept some of them to use as nightshirts lol)

Doppio likes coming out more than Dia, he likes having a baby bump and is very lovey dovey about the baby, meanwhile Diavolo is generally kind of miserable and grouchy when he fronts, and very insecure with his body

⚠️NSFW⚠️ Diavolo is horny as FUCCKKJ and him and Kira get it on pretty often (when Trish isn’t around of course annsndn). He’s extra kinky while pregnant, likes to tie kira up and maybe spank him a bit 🤭🫣

But when his belly gets bigger, he gets really insecure in the bedroom and they don’t have sex for the rest of his pregnancy bc he just feels really unattractive in bed ☹️Refuses to even let Kira see him shirtless at all anymore he’s so insecure. Kira is upset about this (he wants to fuck jajsjdj and he also LOVES Dia’s pregnant body 🥺) but he understands and is willing to hold off until he feels comfortable again.

#kiraboss #yoshikage kira #kira yoshikage #jjba #jojo #mpreg #jojo diavolo #jojo headcanons #mpreg thoughts #Mpreg headcanons #jojos bizarre adventure #jojo's bizarre adventure #diavolo jojo #vinegar doppio

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elisysd · 3 months ago

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11. All I know is we said, "Hello" and your eyes look like coming home

Summary : Kyle Dawson would never be more than a childhood crush to Romy Schumacher and she had made her peace with that fact a long time ago. But when a drunken night leads her waking up next to him, new and old feelings come back to the surface and what started as a mistake quickly becomes an habit. Even if she swore to herself that she would never fall again for the world champion, her heart has other plans. After all, the heart has its reasons, of which reason knows nothing.

Masterlist - Previously - Next

Chapter soundtrack: Everything Has Changed - Taylor Swift ft Ed Sheeran

He was worried. On their way to Japan, Ethan had received a text from his PR officer, asking him to meet the team as soon as he would land. It couldn’t be good. Had they learned about the fake relationship between Ethan and Julia? Or worse, about how Ethan had managed to get her onboard. Kyle knew from the get go that helping his best friend steal information about the Lamborghini’s car blueprints was a bad idea. It was cheating and could put an end to their careers. Definitely. He had not been the only one worried, he had seen Julia’s face. That girl had feelings that were running deeper than friendship for Ethan. And the blond driver was feeling the exact same. Kyle had teased him a little about them and earned the reaction he was hoping for, the one confirming everything he was thinking. He had told his friend to stop by his hotel room when he would be out. Ethan had barely nodded and now, he was waiting for him, hoping the worse had not happened.

Loud knocks echoed in his room and when he opened the door he found his best friend, looking hollow. His eyes were empty and Kyle had never seen him looking so pale. He didn’t ask questions, just let his friend enter the room and collapse on the sofa. Kyle didn’t say a thing, letting Ethan take his time to gather his thoughts and speak. Ethan told him all about Carla, the girl who claimed was pregnant with his baby. He explained how she was indeed pregnant but he wasn’t the father. Harun, his teammate was. How her goal was to use Ethan’s name because it sounded way fancier than Harun’s. The team was firing the Indian driver after the Japanese Grand Prix, but it was still a huge mess PR wise. When Ethan stopped talking Kyle suddenly felt the need to sit down.

“I feel so dirty, Kyle. So used. So stupid. I swear, when I saw that Carla was really pregnant, my world came tumbling down. So many things went through my head. Was I really going to be a dad? Was I made for it? How would it all work out? I should have been so worried about that but the only thing I was truly scared about was to lose Julia. How would she react? Would she still want to be with me? I mean, I need her.”

“Have you talked to her?”

“She knows everything. She wanted me to stay,” he confessed in a raspy voice.

“Why didn’t you?”

“I would have done something stupid.”

“Ethan, this situation is already stupid. You have feelings for her. Man up.”

“I’ll man up when you’ll do the same about Romy.”

“It’s different. I’m not fake dating Romy and I’m not oblivious to what I feel for her,” Kyle said calmly, knowing one word louder than the other one could make his friend snap.

“I’m a mess Kyle, for the first time ever, I don’t want to race this weekend.”

“You will race. And you’ll give your all. You won’t give up, I won’t let you,” Kyle stated, getting closer to his friend, looking him dead in the eyes.

But despite giving him his pep talk, it didn’t stop Ethan from DNF early in the race after a messed up quali, his worst results ever. And for the first time ever, hearing the American anthem didn’t make Kyle feel good. He wanted to get out of there, be with his friends and leave the country. No matter the praises from journalists and even from other team principals, today was a weekend he wanted to forget. Leading the championship with a comfortable advantage didn’t matter. It was bittersweet.

Romy hated zoos, she hated seeing animals in cages, away from their natural habitats. She had always found that cruel. Poor animals, forced to put on a show while people were shoving their cameras in their noses and were not refraining from commenting on every little quirk they could have. She related to them. She often felt like an animal in a cage. But, nonetheless, she was happy to spend her day with her friends. But her happiness turned sour when she noticed the freezing atmosphere between Julia and Ethan. Mostly from Julia’s side. She noticed her glaring at Ethan and she couldn’t help but feel very sorry for the boy who was just trying his best to make her smile. She sent him an apologetic look to which he shrugged, as if to say ‘I’m used to that’. She sped up to join her best friend and tried to understand what was going on.

“We fought. Again. A stupid fight. I’m tired of him sending me mixed signals. I’m tired of him being so hot and cold with me. I’m willing to try, Romy. I’m even willing to stop talking to Martin if he gives me a good reason to. But all I get is him enjoying playing with my feelings.”

“You’re harsh, Julia. He might be an ass from time to time. Okay, most of the time, but in his weird way, he is trying. I get that you’re scared and you’re careful, and maybe you’re right, but I’m sure that there is something worth fighting for. It’s scary to fall but… I’m sure he is equally scared.”

“You sure know something about being scared, do you? Kyle, I mean…”

Romy quickly shot a glance behind her to see him talking to Ethan.

“You know we have history. It’s not that easy.”

“But… Do you still love him? Even after all this time?”

The words got stuck in Romy’s throat. She wanted to say that she would always love him. No matter what. That when he was near she felt like a naive kid again. That when he was near she only wanted to smile and laugh.

“I’m not a cold hearted bitch. Have you seen the guy? He is perfect. And I’m just…me? I didn’t even win a race, I’m not fighting for the title…” she sighed.

“You’re more than enough, Romy. I wish you could see yourself through my eyes. Through our eyes, because then, you would see that you’re gorgeous, you’re funny, you’re caring and loyal, you put up with my shit without complaining, you’re talented, you’re smart, you’re confident. And I'm sure he would say the same.”

Romy didn’t know what else she could add, so she simply smiled and hoped it would convey everything she wanted to say. The tour kept going until they reached the medical center. She posed for a few pictures with red pandas, which would get posted on the zoo’s social media, when she was joined by Ludwig, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

“Kartoffel. I have an idea.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

“Seeing Julia and Ethan pining for each other is painful. And I know you agree with me. So, I was thinking of trapping them in a room until they confess their undying love to each other. And fuck. They need to do that.”

“Good luck with that,” she laughed. “I know Julia, she hates being pressured to do something, but you’re right. They do need to talk.”

Hearing her best friend arguing and yapping after they managed to lock the door right as they entered the room, made her smile as she shared a knowing look with Ludwig.

“Whose idea was that?” Kyle asked her.

“Your teammate. We should sit down, it might take a while.”

“Or maybe we could go and take a walk together, what do you think?”

She wanted to say yes. Talking to Julia and hearing her words reassured her. She was not worthless, she was not something easily disposable. She knew it, of course. But underneath her brave, sometimes cocky appearance and self confidence, Romy was doubting a lot. Her whole life had been a game of pretension. Pretending to not hear what others were saying, pretending to not care about her last name, acting like she was better than everyone else because maybe if she was pretending enough others would believe it and it would end up convincing herself as well. But she wasn’t all of what she was showing to the world. She cared about rumors, she cared about her family’s legacy, she cared about her reputation, she was often acting like a lost child if she wasn’t surrounded by her small but important inner circle. And the only one who could see right through her games every single time was the man looking at her with hope in his eyes and a hand waiting for hers. It was frightening. It was unsettling. It was going against everything she had once believed. But it was all so appealing.

“You know I can’t say no to you,” she ended up replying as Kyle shrugged, pulling her to his side.

They walked in silence around the medical center. A comfortable silence. Appeasing.

“Those two are going to be the death of us, I fear,” he said.

“I swear they are both equally infuriating. Someone needed to knock some sense into their heads.”

“You’re right. I’m glad Ethan found someone who pushed all of his buttons and didn't bow in front of him. He needed that.”

“And Julia needed someone who puts her out of her little comfort zone. They are a match made in heaven. I can’t wait to see the moment when they realize it.”

“I know two other people who are a great match,” he winked at her, making her blush and stutter.

“You won’t let go, right?”

“I’m going at your own pace, I’m patient. I would never force you into this, I want you to come to terms with everything first. Meanwhile, I’m all in for teasing the hell out of you,” he chuckled.

“And how can you be so sure that you and I will end up happening?” she arched an eyebrow, playfully punching his arm.

“Because first of all, I’m confident in my own ability to make you break. And because I have a list of all the reasons why we are perfect for each other. And this list is long enough to make me believe that there is nothing in this universe that will prevent us from ending up together.”

“Oh yeah? And what are they?”

“Well… I would gladly spend the next hours detailing them to you but I don’t want to influence you. I want you to find them on your own.”

“You’re not making it easy for me, right?”

“Never, Romy. I like making things difficult and I believe that what will come out of all of this will be stronger that way. Because it will come from a genuine place, not because things will come to us on a silver plate.”

“You’ve always been a strange man.”

“But that’s what you love about me.”

Romy didn’t have the heart nor did she want to deny it. And truth be told, he was right, she loved him, she just wasn’t fully ready to tell him or to admit it out loud.

Romy hadn’t planned on going back to Monaco. Her original plan was to come back to Switzerland for some family quality time, celebrating her dad’s late birthday as she had not been able to make it before. But, spending the weekend with Kyle was, she had to say it, a perspective much more entertaining. Without anyone knowing she had joined him at the Shangai’s airport late at night after the Grand Prix, alone. Ludwig would take a plane the next day for Rome and Julia was going straight to Milan. It was just her and Kyle, in a private jet, alone and on a very long flight. Needless to say that the journey had been spent filling the flight with sweet and intimate sounds that Romy had a hard time containing.

It was not until they arrived at his place and she saw her suitcases right next to his, that reality hit her. It looked more like a relationship than a situationship. She felt a lump in her throat and her breathing getting shallow until Kyle put a reassuring hand on her shoulders and looked at her deep in the eyes.

“It doesn’t mean anything, Romy. These are just suitcases.”

“These are not just suitcases.”

“Yes, they are.”

He slowly moved away to take them and open them wide on the floor revealing their racing attire as well as a few sets of spare clothes.

“See, your team’s t-shirt. My team’s cap. A very nice jacket, I love when you wear blue, it suits you very well. They are just pieces of fabric.”

She kneeled down next to him, taking a dress in her hand. A fitted light sage colored dress with floral motifs, going mid calf. She looked at the thin straps and wondered when she had got the idea that it would suit the weather in Japan or even in China. She was about to say something when her phone rang and her dad’s name appeared. She stood up and took a deep breath before asking Kyle to not make a sound.

“Hi daddy dearest! How is it going? I’m sorry I can’t make it for the late birthday party…”

“Hey sweetheart. It’s fine, don’t worry. You have your life, I can’t blame you for not prioritizing your old dad anymore.”

“Well, first of all, you’re not old! And you know I love you and I wouldn’t miss any of yours or mom’s parties if it wasn’t for a good reason.”

“You’re too hard on yourself. You had good races in China and Japan. You have a good beginning of the season.”

“Not good enough. I’m still making stupid mistakes and I need to improve and for that I need to work. The season is important for the team. I don’t want to let them down. We need points, we need to show sponsors that we can fight for the championship, that we are a top team,” she explained.

“You don’t carry the team on your own shoulders, Romy.”

“But I’m the experienced driver. I’m the one supposed to guide the team in the right direction and I can’t do that if I’m not perfect. It’s my third year. I’m not a rookie anymore.”

“Exactly, it’s only your third year. No one expects you to be the very best.”

“I expect that from myself, dad!” she erupted.

“You’ve always been too hard on yourself,” Mick tried to calm her down. “No one will be annoyed with you because you’re not winning. The championship is not open, Lamborghini is stronger than the whole grid this year. Fighting for podiums is already amazing.”

“Easy for you to say. I’m surrounded by champions in this family. Grandpa, auntie, you, mom, Seb.. and then there is me. It’s tough…” she briefly closed her eyes, trying to not let her emotions get the better of herself.

“Romy… you know no one will ever criticize you for not winning. We love you. We are proud of you, no matter what. I’m proud every weekend when I see you step into that car and cross the finish line. I don’t care about the position you’re in. You know that.”

“But I care. I care a lot. And many people care too. Germany cares about the positions I’m in. They are writing articles about me after each race and are asking when I will make the national anthem heard across a podium,” she sighed as she sat down on the sofa.

She barely noticed Kyle coming closer to her and taking her hand in his, drawing small circles on her skin.

“Take it easy, Romy. Promise me that you won’t spend your entire break training.”

“That’s the only reason why I didn’t come home. So I can train and improve.”

“Racing is not the only important thing in life. Take care of yourself, twinkle.”

She thanked her dad and hung up. She felt Kyle’s warmth around her shoulder and let herself lean into his embrace as he kissed the top of her head.

“Can I tell you something?” he asked, cautious and felt her nodding. “I would like for you to see yourself through everybody’s eyes. You’re an example for so many people out there Romy. Have you heard Chloe, Ethan’s new teammate talking about you? How much she praises you, how much she admires you. And I know that for so many young girls, you’re a role model. Not only in motorsport. You broke one of the toughest glass ceilings, Romy. And it’s not because of your last name, I can already hear you belittling yourself. It’s because you’re talented, you’re passionate, you’re strong, you’re stubborn, you’re driven and committed to do the best job possible. And you’re caring. I’ve seen the way you encouraged Samuel, giving him pieces of advice, and doing the same with your mechanics and engineers. You’re a team player, you’re loyal and you and I both know how loyalty is something hard to find in our line of work. You’re so much more than what you think and it hurts me to see you always doubting yourself or thinking you’re not enough when in fact, you are more than enough. And I know that soon you’ll be on the highest step of that podium. It’s just a matter of time before you win fair and square. The mistakes you’re making come from there. They come from a place of uncertainty. If only you were trusting yourself the same way so many people do and the same way I do… you would achieve miracles.”

He didn’t need to say more to make her break down. His words meant a lot, more than what he could ever think. Soon, it was a tear that fell down from her cheek, then two, three and a flood of tears soaked his shirt. He held her closer, without a word as she let go. Her breathing was uneven, her throat tight, her eyes puffy but she didn’t care. If she was willing to let herself be vulnerable it wouldn’t be in front of anyone other than Kyle.

“How do you always find the right words?”

“Because these are the ones I would have loved to hear when I was exactly in the same state of mind that you are. I know what you feel. Not everything, I will never be able to know exactly what it is to be you in that world. But I know a hell of a lot about pressure and what it is like to be your worst enemy.”

They spent the next few days training together. Romy met Ledger, Kyle’s physiotherapist, who gladly helped her find little breathing techniques and other work out exercises that she wasn’t used to with Beck, her trainer. In the afternoon, she was racing against Kyle on his simulator and for the first time in a long time, she was having fun racing. It was nice to not feel the pressure and she was glad to learn a few things from Kyle who was more than happy to provide her with any tips he could give.

When it was time for Romy to leave for a quick trip back home and a few meetings to the factory, she realized that she would love to stay more with him. For once, she was dreading going back home.

She was welcomed by the sweet smell of her favorite cakes her mom had made her and by a bear hug from her dad.

“Happy belated birthday,” she smiled, kissing his cheek.

“I’m glad to see you. How are you?”

“Better. I think those few days away from home actually helped me a lot. I understood a few things.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I was worried about you. Worried about your mental health.”

“I promise I’m fine. I know that I put too much pressure on me but these past few days I learned to look back and just see what I’ve been achieving already. And should I dare to say that I’m a little bit proud of myself? Kind of. I mean, I’m the first woman in F1. I’m paving the way for others like Chloe. Maybe, because of me other girls are karting today and are dreaming about a place in a top team. It’s true, I haven’t won yet. But it will come. It’s time to learn how to trust the process and to trust my abilities,” she said in a determined voice.

Her dad opened his mouth a few times, taken aback.

“You don’t know how proud it makes me to hear you talking about yourself that way.”

“And how did you come to this realization?” her mom asked, sitting next to her, taking her hand in hers and squeezing it lightly.

“Well… I fell in love with a guy and you know him. It’s Kyle.”

Author's note: She said it. Finally!!!

Don't hesitate to leave a comment or an ask, as well as reblogging and leaving a like. Besides the fact that I absolutely love to read you, it helps a lot for the story to find its audience. I also have a taglist for this story, so if you want to be added so you never miss a chapter, let me know.

Taglist: @smoooothoperator-admin

#f1 fanfic #f1 fic #f1 story #f1 x oc #mick schumacher #formula 1 fanfic #formula 1 x female driver #formula 1 x oc #formula 1 fandom #formula 1 fic #formula 1 story #f1 x female driver #writing #fiction #mick schumacher fic #f1 fiction

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thesketchyheartist · 9 months ago

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03/26

Kersten- Neo-Nationalism and the "Liberal School of History"; Kobayashi- Sensoron

Today's post would not be an anime but a manga and scholarly article, focusing mostly on the manga.

Fun fact: our professor translated the original for this course because according to Wikipedia, official translations are not a priority. Considering how much early manga (ones that the average international manga reader probably never heard of) got translated about a decade ago, this says something. After reading this, I wonder if "no plans" means there was a plan to avoid translation, whatever that could mean.

The mangaka (is it even manga?) is the self-insert narrator who presents and argues why modern education on Japanese history, specifically from the wars and violence from the past 100 years is both inaccurate and detrimental to Japan's future. While the passion to argue and purpose to the argument is real, I am skeptical on the medium of choice.

Given the time this was written, I know the Internet and colored television should be relatively available. I don't know how scholarly articles were shared in the past, but I imagine books are timeless, and even argumentative essays are more sophisticated than manga. Not to slander manga, but the use of chibi style mixed with black and white photos does not feel like a good contrast to create a mood, rather I feel confused as to what I should consider.

Nevertheless, I can still see a long essay written into a book with the same pictures, and even the same emotional anecdote example to convey a point can still be effective in a book. I imagine the audience, and I believe Kobayashi mentioned it as well, was geared toward younger and a broader audience. Be that as it may, the photos are quite blurry, even for a manga. I know I should research the photos myself and not criticize them without consideration, but I don't think the author knows what he is talking about.

And if a word is mentioned more than three times, it's probably important: the uncomfortable issue of comfort women. Earlier in this course we read about how comfort women were implemented by the Japanese government to pacify the occupied American soldiers post-WWII. However, Kobayashi argues that such a concept does not exist and that women were already selling themselves, so there is no issue outside of their pre-existing presence in history. Of course, to win back the audience he assures the audience that there is sympathy needed given how feminism was not as strong as it is now, but I should say this was the rise, but not the boom, of the #metoo era. Getting back on track, he then goes on to say that by having people argue about the coercion and abuse these women faced, it distracts them from the "issue[s] at hand".

My main issue is really the logic. Say the Westerners want to practice imperialism on the Allies' powers post-WWII treaty; of course, any power dynamic that gives one entity the superior class and another the inferior class regardless of the benefits the inferior class can receive from giving power to the superior class, it still doesn't make it "right' because sooner or later, even a sliver of power imbalance will eventually give rise to the inferior receiving abuse and the superior receiving hate and prejudice.

But his approach to education is faulty. Where have people seen in history a country enforcing its power under the guise of justice and righteousness over another to ensure they will not repeat their sinful mistakes? I expect everyone to name at least a handful because thousands of years of human history have seen this everywhere, every time. And what has the "superior" empire (or its descendants) done? We sweep it under the carpet never to be seen again so as to not "horrify" the descendants' eyes of their cowardly ancestors, but we never see ourselves as "bad" citizens because of them. Ideally, we tell the truth: yes, your ancestors or founders committed an unforgivable sin against these people. You only live the luxuries you have because of that. But, we cannot wallow in guilt or else they will continue to live that way, nor can we ignore it because they will still live that way. We must learn and LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES.

Likewise the inferior class: it may be easier to play the blame game (it is being played, but that's why learners must seek truth from ALL sides UNbiased) without making themselves look like weak damsels that were "tricked by the conniving [insert superior's derogatory name]." Ideally, people learn not to hate each other for hurting or getting hurt (that easily) because the people who committed those sins are not you. We can only focus on who we are now. I don't know what is the best approach, but I'm glad I learned the one of billions of ways not to heal a generation.

It may be confusing what to do now. All my life I was only who I am because I grew up in where I was. Now I'm here in a place I do not know where. I'm expected to just be happy because I have grown from where I was. But where I was was home for as long as I know. This is not home. At least home was a place I could be, even if not myself. Look around you, you are free as you say you are to be. When you realize you are not, you are still free. Now go be free to make that new world the way you want. Ironically, parties are called "wings" but we are not birds, we are flightless mammals who must depend on others and our brains to survive.

Google had like max 20 photos of this manga, and I'm pretty sure one was from a blogger from this course that I refuse to use. Pretty sure kids would be censored from this stuff, but what do I know? I'm just The Sketchy Heartist.

-03/26/24

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hdmiru · 1 year ago

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* ∙ ✰ ◞ ⤫ ( 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌 ) miru's interview with jung hei-ran / 511 words

now, miru's done a few interviews back when she was a student athlete, but they usually lasted a few minutes after a game or, at the most, an hour if she was seated with the school newspaper. thus, this experience was new to her—as was everything that came with iaem's debut—but she wasn't too nervous.

of course, she'd have to construct her words carefully, but she was likeable enough, or so she thinks, that she wouldn't have to fake everything. the part she was most concerned about was the fashion aspect of it all. there was close to nothing she knew about fashion, and she was worried that it'd become evident. however, that could become a sort of catchphrase too, right? fashion worn and created by someone just like you. miru could see it catching on.

she's lost in her thoughts when jung hei-ran walks in, and miru could just feel her aura from the ways her stilettos clack on the ground. after a briefing of how the mock interview will go, the older individual goes straight in with the questions.

Please introduce yourself

"i'm zoe," the name still feels a little awkward coming off her tongue, but she giggles at the mere fact she even has a stage name. "i was born in tokyo, japan. i used to play volleyball quite professionally before an injury stopped me from further pursuing a career. after that, i fell in love with dancing, which is how i ended up in korea and now here as an iaem member."

How do you handle working under pressure?

"i like to think i'm pretty good at it. with my background as an athlete, i'm used to intense situations and working under burdensome circumstances. sometimes i'd have to make quick decisions. however, i believe the right calls can be made even under pressure if an individual is prepared enough, and i'm always prepared."

Describe your brand in five words with simple reasoning.

"five words? hmm." she pauses for a moment before brushing a hand through her hair. "fun, casual, comfortable, for everyone. technically the last two aren't individual words, but it still makes up five, right?"

What makes you stand-out?

"i'm confident in what i do. i don't believe in regretting the decisions and thoughts i've made. if it's done, it's done. there's no point in going over the what if's and situational questions that may occur after the water has already been spilled. it'd be a lie to say that i don't worry as i am human, after all, but i believe i have a strong mentality and that shows up visually as well."

with that, jung hei-ran taps her pen on the table separating the two, and miru knows that's the signal that this is over. the woman doesn't share any more words and instead gives her a head nod before stepping out of the room. once she's gone, she feels like can breathe and lets out a huge breath miru didn't realize she was holding in.

well, at least that was over.

#[ ★ ] : self para.#hd:iaem #hd:events

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myfairstarlight · 1 year ago

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A Wish Across Oceans

AO3 Link.

Rating: G

Pairings: Susato Mikotoba/Haori Murasame (Rei Membami)

Written for Susahao Week 2022. Day 6: Goodbyes/Opposites

Word count: 1.5k

-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ-

Great Britain.

As Susato sets foot in the Great British Empire’s heart again, it is still early in the morning. The sun is not even out yet, the moon shining still brilliantly in the dark sky of Great Britain. Unlike back at home, she could not see the stars under the smoke of the gloomy city. It has been weeks now and yet the thrill of standing at the defence bench as the acting defence is still making her heart race. The thrill of freeing her precious person from the vice of injustice is lingering and there is longing now, knowing she won’t ever feel that again. At least not for a while.

By the time she takes the train and gets to London, the sun should be out, at least. She decides to wait on a bench for the train, looking up at the glass ceiling of the train station, and here she can actually see a clearer night sky, surprisingly.

Her mind is brought back to a similar night when she arrived back in Japan a few months back now, Haori welcoming her back with a warm hug. Later that day, she learned her father had lied about his health to force her to come back home and in a fit of rage, Susato had left the house and headed straight for Haori’s instead, to calm down, lest she lost her temper in front of her father.

They lay down in Haori’s garden, looking up at the twinkling night sky.

“Was London really better than here?” Haori asked softly, hand in the air as she absentmindedly traced the constellations in the sky.

“It was dreadful, actually… but lively and exciting all at once,” Susato replied. “The people… are a mixed bag.”

Haori chuckled. “Natsume-san indeed had less than favourable words to say about British people, it certainly does not make me want to go there any time soon.”

Susato had hummed, mind still reeling and conflicting emotions battling inside her. She was glad to be home but she loathed the fact she left Naruhodo-san behind when he seemed to need her the most. Her thoughts only slowed down when Haori gently reached forward and held her hand as she started pointing at a constellation and explaining the story behind its name, even if Susato already knew them. That is one thing Susato has always loved about her friend, Haori always knew when she needed to rant, or when she needed a distraction and would always provide one so naturally.

On that night, she wished that through all the changes in life, she would always have Haori by her side. That through the craziness of life and the grief of losing loved ones, she would always have her comfort in Haori’s warmth and smile, if fate can spare her this little kindness.

The next day, she went back home and her father apologised, confessing that he had already lost Kazuma-sama — his son, he said with emphasis, because he never allowed himself to use such a term before — to that study tour, he did not want to risk losing his daughter as well. She may have cried a little, even if a part of her still doubted he was telling the whole truth.

The loud sound of the train’s horn brings her back to the present and she jumps on her feet.

“I cannot lie and say I am not saddened you are leaving so quickly,” Haori’s words echo back in her mind as she sits down in her designated seat. “I will keep you in my thoughts and wish you the best. If there is anything that seeing you in court made me realise is that you are meant for this, Susato, saving and changing lives as you have done mine and I will always be here, cheering you on!”

Susato smiles as she lets her head rest against the window with a wistful sigh. There was so much more she wanted to say, on that dock, perhaps a confession, but all she could muster at the time was a hug as words failed her. She simply wishes that her friend understood — no matter what, she will always come back to her.

Hours later, as she carefully steps down the train, she sees lovely little Iris waving wildly at her with a big smile on her lips in the distance, standing out with her bright hair and enthusiasm among the British somber crowd.

“Susie! Over here!” she calls, jumping on her feet and making her intricate braids bounce over her head. Susato chuckles, making her way towards the young girl and catching her in her arms when Iris jumps as soon as she is close enough. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“And so I, Iris,” Susato replies, squeezing the bundle of joy against her, eliciting a string of giggles from the pink-haired girl. “I hope you kept Naruhodo-san out of further trouble!” And Mr Sholmes too, actually… Oh dear, the poor girl must have been busy. “Speaking of which… why are you alone?”

“Oh! Runo has a trial and I didn’t tell him you would be returning today. I thought I could surprise him with you!” A pause. “And uh, he might need your help, I believe, this case is quite peculiar.”

“You helped him investigate?”

Iris nods. “I will tell you everything. Mr Reaper also has an apprentice now so you have a rival for the best assistant, Susie!”

“You did not mention that in your letters,” Susato points out, intrigued.

“Oh, we met him yesterday! A lot happened yesterday.”

Well, it does sound like a promising adventure ahead.

Wish me luck, Haori.

Japan.

By now, Susato should have reached Great Britain, Haori muses as she looks over the vast night sky, laid down in the garden behind her house.

Her empty, very lonely house.

She has grown used to the quiet and loneliness by now, but it does not mean it hurts any less to think about it. Even Professor Mikotoba had to leave along with Judge Jigoku roughly a few days after Susato departed so Haori does not even have any familiar faces around the university anymore.

It is a little pathetic, perhaps, the fact that outside of the Mikotobas, she never connected with anyone else, but she never felt like she needed to. Susato, Kazuma-sama, Professor Mikotoba, and Doctor Wilson were all the people she thought she needed — and now two are dead and two are away on the other side of the world where she could never reach them.

She sighs. Even if she tried making new friends, being accused of murder has put a serious warning sign above her head and although she has been acquitted, rumours and mean looks persist.

“Oh Haori, how hopeless you are,” she laments, hands held up high as if she could reach the stars. She curls a fist around the moon and brings it back against her chest.

She wishes she was with them… with her. She wishes she had been brave enough to jump on that boat as well and endeavour into that new territory, be by Susato’s side the way Susato had been by hers during her whole trial. Because… because the idea of losing Susato is unbearable especially if she could not do anything to protect her. Haori could not protect her mentor, she never got to say goodbye to Kazuma-kun and she failed to save Jezail Brett. And she failed to put aside her fears of the unknown so she could go support her friend in person. Such a failure on all accounts.

Ah, but Susato would hate hearing her say such things about herself. Haori could hear her voice chiding “how dare you insult my best friend of the sort!” The thought pulls a smile from her lips, despite the unshed tears now blurring her vision and stopping her from properly admiring the constellations above.

She recalls Susato’s face on that dock, full of hope and determination as she was heading towards her destiny. She is meant for this, she had thought and then said it out loud because it needed to be said. Susato needed to know how much Haori cares, just in case.

And yet, three little words still refused to spill out of her mouth. It was so peculiar, how much easier it was, to express her affection openly while Susato was disguised as Ryutaro. Perhaps it was the reassurance that Susato would not take them to heart and thus could not really reject her, or the fact no one would have judged her for confessing to who appeared to be a boy. Either way, Haori wishes she had been brave enough, all over again.

Above all, I wish she will come home safely.

Haori lets out another long, wistful sigh, then finally gets up.

It is time to go sleep — with Professor Mikotoba away, as his assistant and protégée, she is now responsible for the laboratory and their ongoing research studies, and oh will she need the rest and strength for such a task. Hopefully, the amount of work ahead will keep her distracted from worrying about her best friend overseas.

Best of luck, Susato, please come back to me when you’ve done changing the world.

-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ-

#susahao week 2022 #susahao #susahao fic #susarei #dai gyakuten saiban #the great ace attorney #dgs spoilers #tgaa spoilers #my fics

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jordanprice · 2 years ago

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June 8 - Last Day in Tokyo

I can’t believe it has already been two weeks since I’ve arrived in Japan. Tokyo has been a pretty great time and there have been so many cool things to do. One thing I keep talking with people about is that it doesn’t feel like we’re in Japan, then every once in a while we remember that fact. That’s how comfortable it is. The language barrier is honestly very navigable, and many things have English text as well. The metro is honestly so impressive as well. The trains are always on time and they can get you just about anywhere faster than by car and much cheaper as well. I’ve been thinking that I might want more time here as well, and may end up staying longer in Japan! Between temples, shrines, museums, parks, themed cafes, shopping, arcades, hiking, and more, there has been so much to do here and still so much I haven’t done.

So, the day started out with packing. One thing that was cool is that we were presented the option to ship luggage to Kyoto instead of having to take it on the train. There ended up being enough room in the budget for this, as the exchange rates are very beneficial for USD to yen at the moment. I ended up shipping two bags: my big suitcase and my duffel bag, which was mostly filled with Lauren’s stuff. She didn’t have enough room for everything so I offered it to her to use. Leina was kind enough to show up an hour earlier than planned so that people going to the studio ghibli museum could more easily turn in their bags to be shipped. She is such a W tour guide and everyone on the trip loves her. I’m happy she’s coming to Kyoto with us (because Riki as always abandoned us :( how rude of him).

I unfortunately did not have tickets for the ghibli museum, as they sell out fast and I wasn’t sure about going. However, I did get dragged along with guy Sam to go to a maid cafe. It was him, Bryan, Xander, Julie, and I. I can say with full confidence that it was definitely one of the meals I’ve had on this trip and that it was certainly an experience I had in Japan. It was honestly fairly uncomfortable, and the food wasn’t all that great, but I respect their commitment and the effort that goes into making the vibe of the place. It just wasn’t for me though, but at least I can say I went to one I guess. I do really appreciate the invite from Sam though, he’s a cool guy.

(Also, this photo of Sam actually goes so hard)

Later, Lauren, Bianca, Ana, and I went to the Cinnamaroll cafe. They were headed there from the ghibli museum and I was headed there from the hotel. We managed to get there roughly at the same time, but unfortunately I was late due to google maps lying to me. Once I got to the first station, it showed that the route I was going on no longer was an option, and that it would be an extra 18 mins to get there. I ended up rushing, and was only 10 or so minutes late to the cafe though. The cafe was cutely decorated and everything, but it was quite the let down that one they only had 5 food options, and two that only 2 of those options were actually available (the rest were sold out). I got a chocolate parfait and it was pretty decent. I just feel bad for Lauren because now that’s the second time that something she had been looking forward to and wanting to do didn’t exactly work out. First, Bar Lupin (a bar where famous authors used to hang out) didn’t have seating and turned us down, then Cinnamaroll cafe which had like no food. She apologized for dragging us around to these things, but it’s not like it’s her fault or anything, and I just feel bad that things she wanted to do didn’t work out.

Her and I then went and got food from and food court and it was alright. A couple interesting things happened there though. One is that they MADE ME order four toppings on the pizza I got. Like it said a pizza came with four toppings, and I only wanted two. But when I asked if I could only do two, the guy told me that I had to order four toppings. Also, the “bacon” was just straight up ham, which was a disappointment. The other interesting thing is that when I paid with a 2000¥ note, the cashier looked surprised/confused. One thing that I had heard people mention before on the trip, and that I had looked up, is that apparently 2000¥ notes are rare, having only been printed in the year 2000. Apparently they are mostly only available at currency exchange places. It was kinda funny to me that the cashier then picked up the coin tray in the register and placed the note under it, as there was no slot in the machine for those notes, and it was the only one in there.

(L-Breath lol, why isn’t this a breath mint brand??)

After that, I headed back to the hotel and finished packing (for the most part) to leave in the morning. I’m gonna miss Tokyo, but I look forward to Kyoto!

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more-than-a-princess · 6 months ago

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Something between a snort and a huff was her response to Mikey's assessment of women. On one hand, it was almost a marvel that a man could come to that realization on his own. On the other, girls simply "having it tough" barely scratched the surface of what women endured, some more than others depending on their circumstances. Subjugating themselves to men, well, that likely often came from both of their walks of life: crime, organized and unorganized. It was why the Borghese Family was an oddity in the black market: an organization where women, and only women, held spots of power and authority were pretty much unheard of.

"We women do have it 'pretty tough,'" She assured him, once she was able to wipe the smirk off her face. He was looking to find common ground with her, someone who for all intents and purposes led the Japanese outfit of the Family and had been directly responsible for the death of his friend. It didn't suit either of them for her to take offense or sarcasm in his words.

And besides: he had a sister, and one he cared for at that. Perhaps that helped him look upon women fondly, or at least more so than most men would. Sonia wondered what Mikey would want his sister to do, in the imaginary situation he now placed Sonia herself in. She had a feeling it would be different than her own answer. "If a man attempted to assault me, he would not be alive for very long," She muttered. Even if they were on the way to a ride that thrived on creeps and haunts, it wasn't the sort of conversation one had at an amusement park. Or most places, unless one wanted to present a very clear ultimatum. She didn't take pleasure in such things, not the way her mother did. "That is the rule in my family. Assault towards women is already frowned upon heavily, but against the heir? That is basically declaring war, and that's not a decision most are comfortable making."

One she hoped Mikey could agree with, even if they couldn't agree on an appropriate nickname. Sonia pouted as they passed the giant fictional castle, home to a young woman who wore ballgowns and fell in love and had happily ever afters. Things that she likely wouldn't be allowed to experience, so why give her the Princess nickname anyway? Big dresses and big loves took away from power, from making the decisions no one else could. It also gave someone else the ability to control you, or so her mother had impressed upon her: always be the one who loves less, and never show the full depth of your heart to anyone. Sonia's heart had always been deemed too soft, too gentle, despite the fact it had been that heart and those hands that had saved her mother's life when no one else could.

"Well, I still do not like it, the Princess name," She huffed in response, "Would you prefer it if I called you 'Gang Leader' all the time? Or would you prefer Sano-san, or Mikey-san, instead? I rather prefer calling you the latter, myself." There was common ground they shared, of course, but perhaps the most precious was how little they were seemingly allowed to be themselves, responsibilities and titles aside. She smiled at his assessment of her preferences, and chuckled at his distaste for the fake gravestones. Expressions she couldn't often wear in front of members of The Family.

"They may be bad jokes, but if you smile, then I think they have done their job," Sonia said, before nodding with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm. "And yes! There are many haunted homes where I am from in Europe, many of which are abandoned and therefore can be bought for cheap or simply take over. They make decent safehouses and storage areas, once outfitted with proper security precautions, but I simply like the atmosphere the most. So many ghosts, so many stories!"

She knew there were some haunted locations in Japan, but it wasn't quite the same as Europe: different belief systems and opinions of what happened after one died. Just like there were different opinions on necessary protection, though Sonia shook her head at his assessment. "With a firearm, maybe," She whispered as they entered a large room, the first attraction of the ride. "Or negotiations. I think you have me rather beat where hand-to-hand combat is concerned. Just as well, we all have our strengths."

But the portraits stretched, the lights turned off, recorded screams echoed and when Sonia looked up, an apparent corpse hung from the tallest rafters of the ceiling. She grinned, perhaps far too amused by faux-murder that had taken place. And the dark hallways with dingy furnishings and upholstery. And the fleet of black ride cars, as they were ushered into one for their tour of the Haunted Mansion. "Look, a library of levitating books! And a piano played by spirits!" She exclaimed as their car moved through the various scenes. Guests trapped behind doors, a candelabra that floated in the distance, a broken grandfather clock that turned backwards. Sonia sat up, even more intrigued by the fortune teller whose head was immersed in her crystal ball.

"Sano-san!" She whispered eagerly, "Listen, she is summoning spirits to join us! Is that not wonderful?" Maybe it wasn't truly haunted, but she was happy to play along as the car turned again to look down over a spiderweb-covered ballroom: a ghost blew out the candles on a birthday cake, two more appeared in front of their portraits with pistols to duel, one sat at an organ playing a melancholy tune, and several more pairs, in evening dress, twirled and waltzed around the dance floor, disappearing and reappearing into thin air. "Oh, this is so beautiful," Sonia sighed, a bit dreamily and uncharacteristic of the future leader of an organized crime family. She couldn't afford to dream or wish for much, not when real life asked so much of her already. But a ghost ball...she wanted to attend one, one day.

"My Grandpa taught me. I've lived with him for most of my life in his dojo. He taught me martial arts, along with his students, but I kinda surpassed them really fast..." He couldn't quite explain it himself, whether it was genes, or he was simply a prodigy. He'd started training from a young age, but he quickly outshone everyone else in the class. Soon enough, boys twice his age had cowered away from being his sparring partner in matches.

Being at the top could be lonely, when there was no one around that came close to matching his power. He learned this fact at a young age, and it eventually shaped him into the leader of Toman, one who stood atop and kept a good distance from a lot of his men, yet one who possessed the strength to protect them, always. At least.. he thought he had that force, until he'd lost Baji, and then Satori.

"I see... that's shitty. Never really thought about it before. Girls sure have it tough don't they?" That's not to say that men couldn't be abused in those types of way, but Manjiro had never felt that type of fear that many women felt on the daily. He knew it was much more likely for a woman to get raped or assaulted, and he did worry about his sister a lot. "Something tells me if a guy tried something with you, they wouldn't have a certain body part for very long."

The leader of Toman gazed thoughtfully at the Beauty and the Beast castle floating dauntingly above the pathway. "It bothers you that much? Hmm... guess I could try and think of something else. But until then, it's still gonna be 'princess'." He didn't think she would prefer to be called heiress, but what else could he called a badass, female mafia boss, next in line to take it all?

He laughed softly as he stood from his bow. "You've got good taste then. It can go a lot faster than this slow ass chariot too." It seemed that Sonia would not be distracted, and before he knew it, they had already made it to the back of the queue. "I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to call this funny. They're just bad Dad jokes if you ask me." He hung out over the railing, looking across the graveyard, trying his best to ignore the clowns staring at them.

"You've been to 'real' haunted houses? I can't say I believe in ghosts and stuff like that. But I do think it would be fun to experience at least once. Guess we'll both be experiencing this kind of haunted house for the first time together at least." It made him feel a little better, to know he wasn't the only one trying this kind of ride for the first time. He didn't want her to find him anymore immature than she likely already did.

"I don't need a girl to protect me." He immediately retorted, even though after he said it, he looked a little guilty. "Though.. I'm sure you could, since you do seem really strong and cool." The blonde looked away, suddenly feeling awkward. "I feel like this is something I need to face head on though. They're.. just clowns." It half sounded like he was trying to convince himself, but he continued to move forward in the line. Being scared of anything didn't sit well with him, so it was high time he conquered this phobia of his once and for...

His inner thoughts were cut off abruptly, along with the lights. He stiffened, his mind going on high alert, as he looked around, his senses keen. The portraits were... stretching, but the room was thankfully devoid of clowns. An animatronic skeleton ushered them into a cart of sorts. "Looks like it is the start." He agreed, taking a seat next to her.

They were off, going through various rooms with different scenery. It appeared that the walls were moving in the hallway, and there were many faces staring at them. The cart moved into the kitchen, where there were pots of suspicious looking goop cooking, as well as some type of furry chefs that were cutting up some very suspicious looking meat. So far, it didn't seem like there was anything too scary or crazy.

#phantasmalnightmare #TalentSwap!AU: Ultimate Mafia Boss verse #(Sonia has seen too much of the uglier sides of the world)#(But that doesn't mean she can't watch a ghost birthday party and wish she could attend)#(no amount of organized crime could make her hate gothic romance aesthetics)

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