#and the humour and interactions between characters is so natural

[phant0m-l0rd]

When the stoic character who never so much as raises his voice properly swears for the first time in the entire series, all while keeping a completely straight face.

[heytherecentaurs]

I love Izzy because she’s always riding the line between completely keyed into what’s going on and being so fucking unhinged she has no clue what’s happening. Her intensity is a brilliant comedic device.

I love Alex because they will say such simple things that are so earnest and they’ll make me laugh so hard. They feel like such a unique presence in the dome.

I love Ify because he’s so committed to portraying his characters, and in his ambition to roleplay harder than anyone he initiated a clever way for his 2 characters to interact. From his devotion he finds humour. Plus he’s got his guns out.

I love Ally because they laugh the hardest at everyone else’s jokes and stay so engaged in what’s going on. They went from never playing D&D before in season one to being in the dome second only to Brennan and it’s bred a natural and charismatic familiarity.

I love Jacob because he brings such genuine great vibes to the table. He has been one of my favourite dropout performers and brings his enthusiasm, talents and conviviality to the dome.

I love Rekha because she brings her unique comedic voice to the table. She has great chemistry with everyone and makes characters you won’t expect who say things you could never predict.

I love Brennan because he made this thing for his wife and friends and brings everyone along. He is patient, creative, deeply prepared and spontaneous, and takes Ls with the comedic spirit of a punching bag and loves it. He tells stories from a place of love and it’s apparent.

[deception-united]

How do you write a character thats meant to have an arc, and also be a character meant to ease the tone of the situation into a much more relaxed tone?

Creating a character with an arc while also serving as a source of lightness and relaxation in the story requires some careful balancing between their comic-relief moments and moments of vulnerability and depth that will make them well-rounded and engaging.

Establish a solid foundation: Ensure your character has a defined personality beyond just being the source of humour. Give them quirks, flaws, and desires that make them relatable and interesting. (See my post on crafting character profiles for more!)

Introduce layers: While your character may provide comic relief, they should also have underlying motivations, fears, and conflicts that drive their actions. This adds depth and complexity to their character so they're not one-dimensional and flat.

Give them a purpose: Determine how your character fits into the larger narrative. What role do they play in the story beyond being funny? Perhaps they serve as a loyal friend, a source of wisdom, or a catalyst for change in other characters.

Create an arc: Just like any other character, your comedic relief character should undergo growth and change throughout the story. This could involve overcoming personal obstacles, confronting their fears, or learning important lessons. Their arc can be subtle or overt, depending on the tone of your story and their role in it.

Balance humour and seriousness: Find moments where your character's humour naturally complements the narrative, but also allow them moments of vulnerability or introspection. This contrast can make their comedic moments stand out even more while adding emotional depth to their character.

Dialogue & actions: Use dialogue and actions to reveal different facets of your character. They can crack jokes to lighten the mood, but also offer insights or observations that contribute to the plot or other characters' development.

Show growth through relationships: Explore how your character's interactions with others evolve over time. Do they form deeper connections with other characters? Do they learn to be more empathetic or supportive? These relational dynamics can highlight their growth throughout the story.

Know when to dial it back: While it's important for your character to provide comic relief, be mindful not to overuse humour at the expense of their development. There should be moments where they are allowed to be serious or vulnerable without resorting to jokes.

Hope this helped!

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[cre8inghavoc]

What are friends for?

PT. 9

Status: ongoing!!

Updates: no set date.

WC: 5462

Pairing: megumi fushiguro x FEM!reader

Genre/Warnings:[18+] Characters are aged up. This story contains toxic boyfriend, cursing, name calling, self-doubt/hate, angst, breaking up, post-breakup, alcohol, drug use, drunk moments, new friends, dating!au, college!au, no curses!au, dark humour, dark jokes. SMAU. Smut.

Recap:

Megumi’s grip on your waist tightens slightly, eliciting yet another moan from you, making him smirk against your lips. “Missed that fucking voice of yours,” he murmurs in a deeper tone, sending a wave of heat coursing through your body once again. His words, dripping with desire, only serve to fuel the flames of passion between you, leaving you both consumed by the intoxicating heat of the moment.

| [18+] CONTENT MINORS DO NOT INTERACT! |

Megumi's hand remains on your waist, as the other is against the wall beside you, offering a sense of grounding as you're pressed against the wall. He breaks the kiss, his gaze capturing your breathless anticipation, and a smirk plays on his lips as he observes your flushed cheeks.

“What are you looking at…” you murmur, feeling a flush of embarrassment as his gaze lingers on you, prompting you to avert your gaze.

"You look so beautiful," he responds, his voice carrying a hint of amusement, which only adds to your embarrassment.

You accidentally glanced down and remembered he wasn't wearing a shirt, which made your face turn even more red as you found yourself staring at his abs. Quickly, you looked away, but he had already noticed. You blurted out, "Put a shirt on," unable to conceal your flustered state.

He teases, "Don't like what you see?"

“What- no! I mean yes…Wait- I mean-” Your response fumbles in a mix of confusion, leaving you feeling even more awkward, a reaction that seems to amuse him.

"Look at me," he softly commands, gently holding your chin and guiding your gaze to meet his.

"Do I make you nervous, angel?" he asks with a touch of cockiness, though his effect on you is undeniable, rendering you momentarily speechless. You part your lips, about to say something, but nothing comes out. His thumb grazes over your bottom lip, intensifying your nervousness.

How cute he thinks to himself, unable to contain a small chuckle.

He leans in, tilting your chin up higher. His lips graze over yours, not fully connecting, but his grin widens at the sight of your increased breathing all because of him. Then, finally, he meets your lips. The kiss starts gently but quickly escalates, fueled by desire and an unspoken connection between you. His touch grows bolder, hands trailing down your body as he effortlessly lifts you, the wall also supporting you. Subconsciously, you wrap your legs around his waist, drawing him closer as the intensity of the kiss deepens, lost in the moment with him.

"Tell me what you want, angel," he prompts, his voice a soft murmur against your lips.

"You... I want you, Gumi," you confess, the nickname slipping out naturally, and the impact it has on him is palpable, a low groan escaping his lips.

Unable to resist any longer, he carries you to his bed, gently laying you down with one hand supporting your head and the other resting firmly on your ass. The passion between you only grows stronger as you continue to explore each other's desires, lost in the heat of the moment.

He leans down towards your neck, and you instinctively tilt your head to the side, granting him better access. Your hands find their way to his undercut, your fingers threading through his locks. As his lips meet your neck, kissing it tenderly, he searches for that sweet spot you adore. With the third kiss, you can't help but let out a soft moan, signaling to him that he's found it. Encouraged, he begins to suck gently on your skin, but then increases the pressure, teasing you with a mix of pain and pleasure, causing your moans to grow louder in response.

And what you were wearing drove him wild — a cute white tennis skirt paired with a black tank top — but it was the sound of your voice when you moaned that truly sent him over the edge. Without realizing it, his hand found its way to rest on your thigh, and he noticed how you subtly opened your legs, silently urging him to continue. He knew exactly what you wanted. As his kisses trailed from your neck down to your collarbone, his hand on your thigh ventured higher and higher. With a gentle graze, his hand brushed over your soaking core, eliciting a gasp from you. He relished in the sound, knowing he was driving you wild. 

"Damn angel... already so wet for me, huh?" he chuckles, his hand tracing over your clothed core.

"Fuckkkk... you drive me insane," he groans softly, his gaze shifting down to your legs.

The way his touch teased your core made you ache with need, your body yearning for more sensation.

"Pl-please..." you whimper out, feeling the desperate desire building within you. 

He chuckles at your response, his smirk igniting a fire within you. "Please what, angel?" he taunts, his voice dripping with anticipation. 

"I need you..." you respond, your voice barely above a whisper, laden with longing. 

"Yeah?" he smirks back at you, his gaze smoldering. 

"Need you so bad... please," you plead, arching your back as you feel his hand gripping the waistband of your skirt, your heart racing with excitement.

He can't resist any longer, the desire for you consuming him completely. The bulge in his pants grows, a physical manifestation of his longing, and it's becoming increasingly difficult for him to hold back. Both of you know you shouldn't be doing this, but the allure of each other is irresistible, a forbidden temptation that feels so wrong yet so undeniably right. However, amidst the rush of passion, your mind races with worry. What if Toge and Itadori return home any minute now and catch you in the act?

"We shouldn't... they'll be back any minute now..." you say to Megumi, your voice tinged with nervousness, yet your body betrays your words, silently pleading for him not to stop.

He continues to lower your skirt, his movements deliberate and unhurried. With gentle precision, he slides it down your ankle, slipping it off your legs and letting it fall to the floor. "Yeah... we shouldn't..." he says, knowing full well that neither of you truly want to stop.

His hand returns to your thighs, applying gentle pressure as he slowly traces his way back up towards the lace of your panties, his eyes never leaving yours. With a deliberate motion, he places his hand over your clothed clit, his fingers starting a slow, circular movement. The sensation rushes through you, igniting every nerve ending as pleasure courses through the fabric, making you moan louder with each delicate touch.

He's utterly captivated by the sight of you in ecstasy—your eyes squinting low, mouth agape over heavy breaths of pleasure, face and chest flushed red, your chest rising and falling with each gasp. Your sheer enjoyment fuels his own, and he revels in every moment of it. Unable to resist any longer, he crashes his lips onto yours for a fleeting moment before swiftly dropping to his knees off the edge of the bed, a determined gleam in his eyes. As you sit up, confusion etched on your face, he takes hold of your legs and pulls you closer to the edge of the bed.

“Megumi what are youUu~AhHHhH" you start to question Megumi's actions, but your words dissolve into a gasp of pleasure as you feel him move your panties aside and his mouth quickly latches onto your swollen clit, sending waves of sensation coursing through your body.

He dives into you eagerly, his mouth sloppy with the way he devours your pussy, his chin and mouth glistening with your arousal. It feels better than you ever imagined, and you can't help but moan as he picks up the pace.

"Gumi, fuck—!" you moan, and he can't help but throb at the nickname you've given him. He adores the way you say it, relishing in the fact that he's the one bringing you such pleasure. With skillful movements, he continues to lap at your clit, knowing you're getting close from the way your breath hitches and your hips begin to grind against his mouth. The sight of you chasing your high only spurs him on, making him even harder.

As you start to moan more desperately, he inserts two fingers into your tight hole, eliciting another wave of pleasure from you. "Fuck, you're so tight, angel," he murmurs, his fingers curling inside you to hit your sweet spot.

“Shittt, right there! Yes!” 

You're on the edge, feeling the familiar sensation building up, when suddenly you hear the front door of the house open. Panic grips you as you realize Itadori and Toge are back, and you try to push Megumi away, thinking he didn't hear.

But he doesn't budge. "Megumi, Itadori and Toge are back," you say, your voice trembling with fear of being caught.

"Don't care," he replies, undeterred, as he continues to fuck his fingers into you, his movements relentless. Your head falls back, overwhelmed by the sensation, as a surge of adrenaline and excitement courses through you. The thought of your other friends being home while you and Megumi share this intimate moment in his bedroom only adds to the thrill of the encounter.

As the sensation intensifies, you can only manage to gasp out, "Fuck, Gumi... what if they hear?"

"Then you'll just have to be a little quieter, angel," he replies with a smirk, his fingers working faster against your sweet spot as he continues to pleasure you. His other hand moves up to your mouth.

"Open," he demands, and just the way he says it sends a shiver down your spine, making you even wetter than before. You comply, parting your lips as he inserts his thumb into your mouth, applying gentle pressure on your tongue to keep you quiet. In response, you instinctively suck on his thumb, eliciting a groan from him in surprise and arousal. He hadn't expected your eager response, imagining all the other things you could do with your mouth.

The vibration from his groan sends an electric wave through you, causing you to involuntarily clutch around his fingers as you edge closer to your release.

“M’ close," you practically whimper.

"I know, angel," he responds, picking up the pace and sucking on your bud, causing you to instinctively close your mouth around his thumb to muffle your cries of pleasure. But Megumi has other plans, as he gently removes his finger from your mouth and takes your free hand, interlocking your fingers together and guiding your hand to the bed beside you.

"I changed my mind, I want to hear you when you cum all over my face," he instructs, his voice sending shivers down your spine.

And with that, you can't hold back any longer. You succumb to the pleasure, your essence coating his mouth and fingers as you come undone. You moan out his name, and he smirks, loving the sight of your blissed-out expression. You’re absolutely perfect for him.

Megumi withdraws his fingers, allowing you a moment to catch your breath. He then brings his slick-coated fingers to his mouth, sucking on them with a low murmur. "I knew you tasted so fucking good," he whispers, his voice still sending a thrill down your spine. You can't help but respond with a lazy smile, basking in the afterglow of your shared passion.

But your moment of bliss is shattered when you hear Itadori call out your name from downstairs, causing panic to surge within you. With a sense of urgency, you scramble to put on your skirt, but you struggle with the fabric. Then, a knock on Megumi's door interrupts you.

"Megumi, have you seen y/n?" Itadori's voice carries concern, and you exchange a panicked glance with Megumi, whispering urgently, "Fuck, Megumi, what do I do?"

Megumi maintains his composure, gesturing towards his washroom and whispering back, "Go to the bathroom and close the door, okay? Don't panic, angel," he reassures you with a gentle kiss on your forehead. You take his advice, rushing to the bathroom and closing the door quietly.

Meanwhile, Megumi opens the door halfway to face Itadori. "What do you want?" he asks, his tone cool and collected.

"Have you seen y/n? She said she was gonna wait for us to get back from the pizza place, but I can't find her, and she's not answering her phone," Itadori explains, his concern evident.

"Nope, haven't seen her," Megumi responds coldly.

"She didn't ask you what you wanted to eat?" Itadori questions, puzzled by the situation.

"No, haven't talked to her," 

"Oh, alright, thanks! If you do want anything to eat, we brought some extra, so you can have some if you want," Itadori offers, a smile on his face.

"Okay, thanks," Megumi accepts politely before closing the door, leaving you hidden in the bathroom, relieved yet still anxious about being discovered.

As you hear the door close, you step out of the bathroom slowly, a mischievous smile playing on your lips. Walking towards Megumi, you wrap your arm around his neck, pulling him into a sweet kiss while giggling softly against his lips. With a playful tug, you pull him onto the bed, slipping underneath him as he falls on top of you. One of his hands instinctively finds your waist as the other is placed on the bed beside you, his lips meeting yours eagerly as he's caught off guard by your sudden actions.

Your laughter fills the room, and Megumi can't help but smile in response, reveling in the sound of your joy. Your smile, your laughter—every sight of you fills him with a profound sense of affection and admiration. He knows he's lucky to have you, and at this moment, he wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

You both share a moment of silent admiration, both lost in the other's gaze. Finally, you break the silence, “I didn't even get to return the favor yet.” Your hand trails down his chest until you reach his pants, where you teasingly graze the bulge within, prompting a soft groan to escape his lips as his eyes follow your every movement. With a mischievous smirk, he seizes both of your hands, pinning them down onto the bed.

"As much as I'd love that, beautiful, I think it's better if you make your way back to your friends before they worry more," he explains, his tone gentle yet firm. You pout at his response, protesting, "But it's not fair!"

The truth is, he's yearning for your touch, craving the sensation of your hands on him. But deep down, he knows that if he gives in to that desire, he won't be able to hold back from plunging his hard cock into your tight, warm pussy. It's an overwhelming temptation, one he struggles to resist because you have no idea of the profound effect you have on him. How incredibly hot you sound when his name escapes your lips or when you stifle a moan by biting down on your lower lip. The way you become flushed and wet from just a heated kiss, or how the mere sight of you makes his dick hard. It's not just your physical allure, though—the way you walk with confidence, the casual way you run your hands through your hair while studying, or the nervous habit of biting your lips. Even the simplest actions, like sipping from a straw, send his mind spiraling with desire.

He simply smiles before placing a soft kiss on your cheek. "Trust me, making you feel good satisfies me," he reassures you. Rising from the bed, he takes your hand to help you up.

He imagines your small hands wrapping around his length, stroking his hard cock while you kneel before him, your eyes pleading with desperation as you look up at him. He can almost feel the sensation of your mouth around his tip, sucking gently before taking him deeper, your head bobbing back and forth in a rhythm that drives him wild–

"How do I play it off though...? Do we act normal now? Should we act normal?! But then they'll ask what happened, how do we explain to them that this happened... Do we keep acting like we don't like each other?" You cut through his thoughts with your rambling, your confusion palpable as you struggle to figure out how to act in front of your friends now.

"You don't want to make them suspicious now, do you?" Maybe for now, let's just continue acting like we still don't like each other in front of them until we figure this out, okay?" he adds, his cocky grin making an appearance once again as he’s brushing a piece of hair behind your ear and tilting your head up to meet his gaze. 

"Yeah, that's okay with me! Should I go back down now?" you inquire.

He nods, and you open the door to his bedroom slowly, trying not to make too much noise. As you prepare to rejoin your friends, you wonder what to tell them.

“What do I say if they ask where I went.”

"That's where you improvise, angel," he winks at you, and you playfully roll your eyes before making your way downstairs to your friends.

"Y/n! Where the hell were you? We looked everywhere for you, and we even asked Megumi if he'd seen you, but apparently you didn't even ask him about the food?" Itadori questions, his confusion evident as he munches on a slice of pizza.

"Yeah, and your phone was either off or you were just ignoring us," Toge adds, also enjoying a slice.

"Sorry, guys. I went to the bathroom before you two got here, and I left my phone down here," you quickly come up with an excuse.

"But why didn't you answer us when we called out your name?" Itadori presses.

"I'm not gonna lie, I didn't even hear you at all," you giggle softly, trying to deflect the question.

"Oh, well alright! We got the food, you want to eat?" Toge offers.

"Yep! I’m hungryyy," you reply eagerly, taking a seat beside them and grabbing a slice. After a few minutes, you hear someone coming down the stairs but don't look.

"Wait, why didn't you ask Megumi what he wanted? We literally waited there an extra 10 minutes for you to call us," Toge asks, his curiosity piqued.

"Oh, uh..." You scramble to come up with an explanation before they catch onto your hesitation. "You know, we aren't really talking right now... You saw how he ignored me earlier when I said hi to him... so I got scared and just couldn't do it." Of course you lie. While you were nervous about asking him, you're not one to back away. The truth is, you did ask him, and it led to him plunging his fingers deep into your pussy while his tongue worked wonders on your clit until you came hard, coating his face with your essence. Just the memory of it makes you get wet again at the mere thought.

"Speak of the devil, Megumi, do you want some?" Itadori asks, and you steal a glance at Megumi. He meets your gaze with his usual expression, and you quickly look away, feeling flustered. Megumi then responds to Itadori, "Sure."

You find yourself sitting in between Itadori and Toge, Megumi seated on the other side of Itadori. As you all sit in the living room, enjoying the food and the show playing on the TV, your thoughts keep drifting back to the earlier encounter with Megumi. It's evident that he's finding it just as difficult to focus on the screen, as you catch him stealing glances at you a few times, his gaze lingering longer than necessary. The intensity of his looks leaves you feeling uneasy, especially with your two friends seated right beside you. You can't shake the nervousness that creeps in, knowing they could glance over at any moment and catch the silent exchange between you and Megumi.

But fuck it’s hard…

It's hard to tear my gaze away when every time I look at him, I'm flooded with happiness and maybe a little wetness in my panties... I mean, how could I not when he's sitting there looking so damn hot in his white tee shirt and black shorts? If Itadori and Toge weren't here right now, I'd probably already be sitting on his lap, kissing his soft lips, my hand trailing down his chest towards the waistband of his pants... Slowly biting his bottom lip as I slip my hand under his waistband and then–

"Y/n!" Itadori's voice cuts through your thoughts, snapping you back to reality. You realize he had called your name twice before, but you were so lost in your fantasies that you didn't even hear him at all. The sudden attention from Megumi and Toge makes your cheeks flush red with embarrassment.

"Huh?" you respond, turning to face Itadori.

"I said, do you want to sleep over tonight since it's Friday and all your friends are gonna be here?" he repeats.

Confused, you turn to Toge for clarification. "Oh, I forgot to mention it to her. Yeah, Yuta, Maki, and I are sleeping here tonight because we're going out to the club. You want to join?"

"Oh... yeah, sure. I have nothing better to do anyway," you reply, turning back to Itadori. Your gaze briefly flickers to Megumi for a split second before returning to Itadori.

Itadori turns to look at Megumi, a hopeful expression on his face. "You want to come too?" he asks, silently urging him to agree.

But Megumi shakes his head. "Nah, it's all good. I'll stay home," he replies, his tone final.

Disappointment washes over you as you had hoped he would agree to come along. Itadori tries to convince him, insisting that it'll be fun, but Megumi remains steadfast in his decision.

"It's not my type of thing, sorry," he explains as he rises from the couch and makes his way back upstairs. "I'll be in my room if you need me," he adds before disappearing into his room, leaving you feeling a bit disheartened by his refusal to join.

As you watch Megumi leave, a pang of disappointment washes over you. Why didn't he want to stay down here with all of you? Or go to the club? But then again, if he did, wouldn't it seem suspicious? After all, he's not one for parties or clubs, preferring solitude or minimal disturbance most of the time. 

Shrugging off the feeling, you decide to maintain the facade of indifference. "What time are we going to the club anyway?" you ask, diverting the conversation.

"11pm," they both reply simultaneously, their voices in perfect unison.

“I don't have anything to wear–”

“Yutas still home, you want me to ask him to bring you something?” Toge asks.

“Yes please! Tell him to bring my black dress, it's all the way on to the left side in my closet.”

“Gotcha, he said he'll be here in 30 so we can leave in an hour once you're ready.” Toge says to you.

“Okay fine with me”

You three continued watching the show until Yuta arrived, prompting you to hurry upstairs to change your clothes. Once you were all ready, you left for the club and met up with Nobara and Maki, who were already waiting for you. As you entered, you found them sitting at a booth, surrounded by shot glasses and other drinks.

"Where's Megumi?" Maki shouted over the loud music.

"He didn't want to come," Itadori shouted back.

"Typical Megumi," Nobara rolled her eyes. "Come sit and take shots with us," she urged.

You all settled into the booth, quickly downing shots of whiskey as the bartender kept bringing more. It was as if you were drinking water, the shots disappearing almost as soon as they were poured. 

As the alcohol flooded your system, thoughts of Megumi began to consume your mind with each shot. Memories of the last time you two were here together, him escorting you back to your place, clouded your mind. But what truly weighed on you was the fact that he wasn't here now. Not here with you, not with all your friends and his, enjoying the pulsating music, the colorful beaming lights, and the lively atmosphere of the club. People danced on the floor, indulged in shots, and revealed in the moment.

Yet, despite the fun atmosphere, you couldn't shake the feeling of his absence. Your friends noticed the change in your demeanor, the sadness and distraction etched on your face as you dwelled on his absence a little too much.

"Not drunk enough yet, huh?" Maki nudged you playfully, and you chuckled in response as she passed you a few more shots.

Downing three shots in quick succession, you felt the effects of the alcohol kicking in, numbing your thoughts, including those of Megumi. In fact, you were getting drunk to the point where thinking wasn't really on the agenda anymore.

As your friends got up to hit the dance floor, you joined in, enjoying the music and the company. Dancing with Maki and Nobara was a blast until they got lost in each other's lips, leaving you with Toge, Itadori, and Yuta. Until Yuta and Toge left to get more shots, leaving you alone with Itadori.

Itadori leaned in close to ask how you were feeling. "I feel good! You?" you replied, giggling a bit.

"Good as well," he answered before his gaze flickered to a spot on your neck as he moved your hair aside. "Is that a hic–" he started to question.

Panic surged through you as you realized what he was referring to—the hickey that Megumi had left on your neck. Thinking quickly, you blurted out, "I burned myself when I was curling my hair this morning."

Thankfully, you had actually curled your hair, a stroke of luck that saved you from further scrutiny. Itadori, oblivious as ever, didn't press further, and you breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for his lack of curiosity in this particular moment.

You both laugh and continue to dance, the night passing by in a blur of music and movement. It feels like hours have gone by, with no sign of anyone wanting to call it a night. The others keep shuttling between the bar and the dance floor, their energy seemingly boundless.

However, you decide to pace yourself, opting not to drink anymore for the rest of the night. You're wary of the possibility of embarrassing yourself or accidentally revealing something about you and Megumi if questioned. You know that if you continue drinking, you might lose control over your words and actions, and that's a risk you're not willing to take.

As the night wears on, the crowded club starts to feel suffocating. The pulsing music and throngs of people dancing only add to your discomfort, so you decide to take a break and head to the bathroom. After splashing some water on your face, you step outside, hoping for a moment of respite.

However, in your haste, you accidentally bump into someone in front of you. "Ow, fuck, sorry! I didn't see you," you apologize, looking up to meet their gaze, only to be met with familiar dark blue eyes and a voice that sends shivers through you. 

"It's alright, angel," he replies, that smirk you know so well playing on his lips. 

"Megumi?! What are you doing here?" you ask, confusion evident in your voice, but he simply smirks more and pulls you back into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

"Megs... What are you doing?" you inquire, your confusion evident in your tone as you try to make sense of his sudden behavior.

“Do you have any idea how damn hard it is to keep you out of my mind?” He growls, his voice low and intense as he closes the distance between you, causing you to instinctively take a step back, startled by his sudden actions.

“What's going on?” 

"Fuck Y/n…You have no idea what you do to me," he admits, his voice rough with need, his eyes dark with longing as he leans in closer, pinning you against the wall again as his breath hot against your skin.

“Megumi…” 

"No. Don't call me that..." His voice drips with desire as he speaks in a low, commanding tone. 

"What?" you respond, puzzled by his sudden shift in demeanor. 

"You know exactly what. Say it," he demands.

You pause, uncertain of what he's asking for. 

"Say it," he repeats, his tone growing more forceful as he moves one hand to your waist, exerting pressure, while the other grabs both of your wrists and pins them above your head. Caught off guard by his sudden aggression, you feel a rush of arousal flooding through you.

"Gumi..." you mutter out, feeling yourself get more wet at the possessive tone in his voice.

"That's my fucking girl," he declares, his words sending a thrill through you. Before you can react, he leans in hastily, capturing your lips with a hunger that leaves you breathless. The realization that he's claiming you as his own sends a wave of weakness through you, weakening your knees as you succumb to the intensity of his desire.

Before you realize it, his hand that was on your waist moves away, and he brings it to your mouth. "Open, baby," he urges, his voice urgent, and you comply without hesitation. As you open your mouth, he inserts his ring and middle finger. "Suck it," he commands again, his tone aggressive, but you obey willingly, sucking on them eagerly, coating his fingers with your saliva while meeting his gaze with a mixture of desire and submission.

His demanding demeanor only heightens your arousal, causing you to rub your legs together in an attempt to ease the growing ache between your thighs. As his fingers become coated with your saliva, he withdraws them from your mouth and swiftly moves his hand under your dress. With a sense of urgency, he pushes your panties to the side and plunges his fingers into your tight hole, eliciting a loud moan from you.

Quickly, he crashes his lips onto yours again, muffling your sounds of pleasure as he continues to finger you with fervor, his actions driven by a primal need to satisfy both of your desires.

"F-Fuck, Gumiii," you moan out, breaking the kiss as your head leans into the crook of his neck, your breath hot against his skin.

"You're clutching hard on my fingers, baby," he groans from the sensation. “Fuckkk, I love how wet you get for me, angel.”

Your moans echo through the room, a symphony of pleasure as his fingers expertly stroke your most sensitive spots. The way he curves his fingers hits your g-spot just right, sending shockwaves of ecstasy through your body. Your breath grows heavier, each exhale a testament to the building tension within you.

"Oh God! Gumi, right there, please don't stop," you plead, feeling the waves of pleasure crashing over you with each movement of his hand. He responds with a guttural groan, his desire evident in the way he continues to drive you towards the edge.

"You want to cum all over my fingers, don't you?" he teases, his voice laced with arousal. All you can manage is a breathless affirmation as he picks up the pace, pushing you closer and closer to the brink of release.

"Come on, baby, tell me how much you want it," he teases, his fingers slowing their pace, drawing out your anticipation. 

"Fuck!" you exclaim, frustration evident in your voice as he toys with you. "Gumi, please don't tease! I need it."

He smirks, his gaze dark and hungry. "Need what, baby?" 

"I need it! I need you, please continue!" you beg, the urgency in your voice palpable.

"Yeah?" he teases, his fingers picking up speed once again. "How bad?"

"So bad!" you cry out, your body tensing around his fingers in anticipation of the release you crave.

"Fuck, you're so close, angel," he growls, his own desire matching yours as he continues to drive you towards ecstasy.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" you moan, your voice filled with urgency as you near the edge of climax. The sensation is so intense that you instinctively bite down on Megumi's shoulder, seeking some anchor amidst the overwhelming pleasure.

"M’ gonna cum!" you announce, your breath ragged with need.

"Just let go for me, baby," he urges, his voice husky with desire.

In response, your head flies back, your eyes rolling back in bliss as the intense orgasm washes over you, leaving you trembling in its wake. Megumi continues to move his fingers inside you, prolonging the sensation until you can't take it anymore. He smirks at your euphoric expression, relishing in the power he holds over you.

But before you can fully come down from your high, someone starts knocking on the bathroom door, jolting you back to reality. Your eyes widen in alarm, realizing the precarious situation you're in.

Okay hear me out... I originally wasn't going to make this series include any smuts but as I continued to write the story I just couldn't stop thinking about it... so here we are...

I will be including more smut scenes in the next following parts when I want to... so do what you will with that information.

But I hope you enjoyed :)

TAGLIST <3

@lavender-hvze @xbarrjallenx @atinymonbebestay @1l-ynn @chilichopsticks @dr-fluff-meow @lost-resonance @maya-maya-56 @ichorstainedskin @luciiferslover @madaqueue @vanitywoo

[canmom]

the main reason the ending of Hades is frustrating is because on all technical levels it's a brilliant game. the actual moment to moment gameplay is tight as hell, its art direction is incredible, the way it presents its story is a perfect answer to the problem of 'how can you put narrative in a roguelite'. as a game dev working in a similarly small team, there's so much to inspire there.

if it wasn't so thoroughly well made it wouldn't be as frustrating!

moreover on a line by line level the writing is generally really strong - the game does humour very well through characters like Theseus and Skelly or just the way Zagreus plays off the bosses, and while there's so much in the game that not every line will be a winner, the baseline is solid enough that it makes wandering around and talking to everyone between runs very satisfying. Zagreus has a compelling motivation as a protagonist, and his interactions with his dad are really tight. the Olympian gods are generally much more one-note characters but that doesn't really matter as much (Jen Z's illustrations do a lot of heavy lifting of course).

like, yes, ok, Zagreus through his attempts to escape becomes tied up in the stories of the various people of the underworld, and through his stubborn busybody nature he puts right a bunch of needless problems that were persisting for no reason other than insitutional inertia - I get what they're doing there. so, it's the story of how he reunites his family and convinces his dad to try to be a better person (at least as far as his family is concerned...). you have the narrative reversal of 'trying to escape' becoming 'bringing back mum', it's a character arc of changing what you can and reconciling what you can't. but I don't think it sells how sad that is, and the epilogue arc especially is just such a clunky afterthought.

it's also frustrating because I know Supergiant can do better. Bastion, Transistor, and especially Pyre - perhaps not as avant-garde as something like Pathologic, but all had a comfort with a bittersweet or ambiguous ending, and didn't feel the need to wrap up everything neatly with a bow. Pyre especially had an intriguing, rich story that responded in fascinating ways to how you play it, it's so structurally brilliant.

I hope the sequel mixes things up a bit.

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Hey!! What do you think about the recurring joke in the SOC duology, of Kaz asking a question, everyone giving answers, and usually a quip at the end? Do you think there's significance in it, or is it just a fun way to show the crows' dynamic?

Sorry if this is a stupid question.

Rule one: there are no stupid questions.

Although these conversations might seem like a relatively surface level aspect of the novels, I think that their significance is in the very way they teach us about the Crows dynamic and tell us so much about the characters. The duology’s biggest success comes from the intense vibrancy of its characters, and it’s these types of conversations that not only help us understand who they are and how they interact with each other, but also that make us laugh and therefore care about the characters all the more. Take the parallel from soc to ck about Matthias’ character development - in six of crows Kaz asks the group what the easiest way to steal a man’s wallet is, and the replies consist of “gun to the back” from Jesper, “knife to the throat” from Inej, and “poison in his cup” from Nina, before Matthias cuts them off and says “you’re all horrible” then in crooked kingdom Kaz asks where the group think he spent the money Pekka gave them for the sale of the Crow Club and 5th harbour, getting “guns” and “ships” amongst his answers and after a pause Nina says to Matthias “this is the part where you tell us how awful we are” but he simply replies “they all seem like practical choices”. This tells us so much about the characters and how they think!!! In the first instance, we don’t yet know the characters very well, so it’s important that we begin to associate the guns with Jesper and the knives with Inej, as well as understand that Nina works with subtle but violent tactics. We learn from this brief interaction that they’ve reached a point in their lives where murder or threatening murder is the easiest way out in every option, and we’ve also arguably learned that they are eager to please Kaz because they are all instantly searching for the answer that will impress him even though he’s sure to just continue on and explain his own thought anyway. We also have no response from Wylan, if I remember correctly at least, which shows the time it takes for him to mesh with the group and his heightened anxiety at the start of the first book. In the Crooked Kingdom interaction, we have a clear transition in Inej’s character from the association of her and knives to the association of her and her dream, a ship and crew of her own, and I’m pretty sure Wylan does reply in that one so it shows his personal progression and how he’s been able to mesh with the group and because more comfortable in his own skin. Matthias’ character development between the two is more obvious and openly commented on in the conversation, but what’s also interesting is that Kaz is there both times with a genuine answer and explanation. Even though he never seems the last to enjoy a joke or quip, when he’s discussing his plans Kaz almost entirely loses the ability to think beyond the job; everything is entirely black and white and categorised by whether it’s relevant, which means it’s what he’s saying, or inessential, meaning what the others are saying.

And what’s possible even more interesting is that you can see this in almost every one of these interactions Leigh Bardugo loves to include (and we love her for, of course). For example, in one of my favourites of these little formulas Kaz asks the group if they know what Van Eck’s biggest problem is. The responses are “no honour” (Matthias), “rotten parenting skills” (Nina), and “receding hairline” (Jesper). This never fails to make me smile; Matthias’ is so quintessentially himself, everything he values and such good summary of why he would be so willing to support anyone, even these thugs and thieves, against Van Eck, Nina’s showcases her dark humour and protective nature, her hatred for Van Eck is sourced far more in his treatment of Wylan and Inej than anything else, and Jesper’s is funny, witty, a genuine ongoing joke (such as Nina thinking that Wylan may need to invest in a hood tonic when she meets Van Eck) and just emphasises his sharp-wit as well as showing growth beyond the desperate need to impress Kaz that he harboured for so long before he properly got to know Wylan. But Kaz’s reply is simply returning to the job, stating that Van Eck’s problem is that he has “too much to lose” and that he revealed exactly how to destroy him by bragging about Alys and their unborn child.

I hope this made sense, it can be hard to tell whether I’ve actually translated my thoughts into the right words haha. Thanks so much for your question!!

[stupidkyupid]

𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃 : 𝗌𝗆𝖺𝗎 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌 ！

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 : the start of a fresh semester at barden university marks the continuation of a century-old fued or, in other words – the showdown between the treblemakers and the bellas.

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!theboyz x fem!oc

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 : smau, pitch perfect au, romance, humour, drama, fluff, angst, college au

𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 : ongoing

𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫 + 𝐚 / 𝐧 : instead of using y/n i decided to give each oc a name and face claim to make it easier to navigate between each story! the foundation of most of the pairings where they’re both involved in accapella has an enemies to lovers and forbidden love aspect to it due to the rule bellas have to not engage in any sort of romance with the treblemakers, however the amount of this that is prevelant will depend on the characters and how much they actually care about the ‘rules’! also, whilst i’ll give more detailed disclaimers at the beginning of each mini series, i’m just going to establish that there will be sex references throughout this, in true pitch perfect fashion. the whole accapella thing is more of a subplot, it’s a big part of the characters and their personalities but this will also heavily focus on college life as well as romance. i’m aiming for each member to have a 20 part story! i’ll also be aging the members down to college ages!

𝐋𝐄𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐘𝐄𝐎𝐍 － 𝖨’𝖫𝖫 𝖬𝖠𝖪𝖤 𝖸𝖮𝖴 𝖢𝖱𝖸 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!leader!sangyeon x bella!leader!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : grumpy x sunshine

the treblemakers and bellas have earned the reputation as the montagues and capulets of the a cappella world for as long as anyone can recall. it's safe to assume that the leaders of each group would be in constant conflict, or at least that's what gyulmi believes is the most reasonable course of action. however, sangyeon couldn't care less about conforming to these social norms and opts for a diplomatic approach towards his arch-nemesis. but can he maintain his composure when gyulmi responds to his kindness with nothing but anger?

𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐁 𝐁𝐀𝐄 － 𝖫𝖠𝖣𝖨𝖤𝖲 𝖭𝖨𝖦𝖧𝖳 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : tutor!treblemaker!jacob x player!bella!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : opposites attract

all dalny has ever known is romance; however, it has never taken the form of a conventional, long-term, exclusive relationship where the phrase 'i love you' is frequently uttered. in fact, quite the opposite is true. her life revolves around romance, yet she has never experienced love. one might describe dalny as a player, a title she proudly wears, until she started interacting with jacob bae during their tutoring sessions. somewhere along the way, she began to yearn for something more profound than just non-committal kisses from her supposed enemy.

𝐊𝐈𝐌 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐍 － ’𝖳𝖨𝖫 𝖶𝖤 𝖬𝖤𝖤𝖳 𝖠𝖦𝖠𝖨𝖭 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!younghoon x student!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : forbidden love

dasom and younghoon have always been familiar with each other. it isn't surprising, considering dasom had dated his older brother on and off for several long months just a year ago. needless to say, the relationship didn't end well, leading dasom to flee to barden university instead of continuing with the toxic cycle. so, during her fresh new start, the last thing she expected was to encounter younghoon, the younger brother of her haunting ex. however, what surprised her even more was finding comfort within his presence, rather than harboring resentment towards the figure from her past and how she can’t help but attend his performances, unable to stay away, yet troubled by the forbidden nature of their connection.

𝐋𝐄𝐄 𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐍𝐉𝐀𝐄 － 𝖯𝖴𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖭’ 𝖭 𝖯𝖴𝖫𝖫𝖨𝖭’ ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!hyunjae x newbella!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : friends with benefits to lovers

nari and hyunjae have been entangled in their so-called mutually beneficial arrangement for nearly a year now. it's a classic case, really, a 'friends with benefits' situation where the only rule is to avoid catching feelings. nari sees herself as skilled in detaching herself from her emotions, but that facade becomes harder to maintain when her best friend coerces her into joining what she dubs 'the dumb world of a cappella' as a last-minute recruit for the bellas. suddenly, her carefree nights with hyunjae evolve into passionate escapades, and the forbidden nature of their relationship sparks new emotions. what did she expect? she's sleeping with the enemy, and history shows it never ends well.

𝐋𝐄𝐄 𝐉𝐔𝐘𝐄𝐎𝐍 － 𝖫𝖮𝖵𝖤 𝖥𝖮𝖮𝖫𝖨𝖲𝖧 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!juyeon x bella!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : exes to lovers

high school sweethearts – it's nice while it lasts, but that's often the case with most things. you cherish something or someone while you have them, but the moment they slip from your grasp, love can quickly turn to hatred. seulki and juyeon could certainly tell you all about this, provided you can endure hours of angry rants and lovesick glances. in short, seulki hates lee juyeon, and juyeon hates sim seulki. they both vowed never to speak again, but that's practically inviting the impossible when their beloved acappella groups seem to constantly be all up in each others faces, something the two of them seem to excel. it didn't take much for another cliche to emerge, where the lines between love and hate start to blur.

𝐊𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 － 𝖧𝖤𝖫𝖫 𝖨𝖭 𝖧𝖤𝖠𝖵𝖤𝖭 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!kevin x producer!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : brothers best friend

june has always had a keen interest in the world of music, not as the center stage performer, but behind the scenes, making the music that's loved by many. so, when she's offered a position at the campus radio station, she's thrilled to accept. however, there's a catch: Kevin, her older brother Jacob's best friend, also works there. Jacob had specifically cautioned her not to get involved with Kevin due to his familiarity with the clichés. but how can she adhere to her brother's advice when Kevin's presence becomes a constant part of her daily life, making it difficult not to form an attachment to someone she spends hours with every day? now, the second challenge arises: how should she break the news to Jacob about her relationship with his best friend?

𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐈 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐇𝐄𝐄 － 𝖫𝖮𝖵𝖤 𝖥𝖮𝖮𝖫𝖨𝖲𝖧 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!chanhee x bella!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : rivals to lovers

chanhee and seolya have been in constant rivalry for as long as anyone can remember, or in other words, back to the very beginning of their first semester when they both achieved identical scores, earning them the joint first-place position in their class – a title neither of them was willing to accept. from that moment on, they became sworn competitors, turning every aspect of their lives into a contest. if seolya enrolled in an extra class, chanhee would eagerly sign up as well, ensuring he arrived five minutes earlier each day. if chanhee joined an a cappella group, seolya would join an acapella group. the concept towards their supposed hatred is simple really, pure competitiveness, a need to always be first. little do they realize that, in their quest for victory, they'll end up placing each other above all else.

𝐉𝐈 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐌𝐈𝐍 － 𝖲𝖳𝖴𝖯𝖨𝖣 𝖢𝖴𝖯𝖨𝖣 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!changmin x matchmaker!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : best friends to lovers

oreum and changmin have always been inseparable, a bond as old as their earliest memories. it's as if they're joined at the hip; she faithfully attends all his shows, tirelessly crafting new signs, each attempting to be better than the last to show her support, and he's a constant presence, patiently listening to her excited rants about the latest couple she's helped bring together. you see, oreum has a unique talent for matchmaking, but little did she know, her efforts to find a special someone for changmin would unearth her own hidden emotions. as she embarks on the journey to find love for her best friend, her well-intentioned plan takes an unexpected and bittersweet turn when she realizes her own heart is at stake.

𝐉𝐔 𝐇𝐀𝐊𝐍𝐘𝐄𝐎𝐍 － 𝖳𝖠𝖫𝖪 𝖳𝖮 𝖬𝖤 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!haknyeon x bella!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : secret admirer

chowha is a rule follower, she'll do anything to abide to what's expected from her and perform in a way that doesn't leave room for criticism. it's needless to say that she took the vow "i promise to never engage in any romantic relationship with a troublemaker, or else my vocal cords will be torn out by wolves" quite seriously. thanks to her unwavering self-discipline, she didn't respond well to romantic advances made by haknyeon, a treblemaker, especially when they were made publicly. however, chohwa soon found herself delighted by the daily letters received from her secret admirer, eagerly awaiting the moment they would reveal their identity. now, what's a goody two shoes like chohwa supposed to do when she realizes she's been breaking the rules for months and has enjoyed every moment of it?

𝐊𝐈𝐌 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐖𝐎𝐎 － 𝖬𝖸 𝖲𝖠𝖳𝖨𝖲𝖥𝖠𝖢𝖳𝖨𝖮𝖭 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!sunwoo x student!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : fake dating

it's quite unfortunate, but following nayoung's breakup with a member of the high notes, she ended up being branded as the "campus' designated acapella groupie," as if that even exists. true to her nature, she decided to counter the groundless rumors created by her spiteful ex, with the assistance of her good friend sunwoo. nayoung was quick to convince to convince him into playing the role of her new boyfriend, although it didn’t take him long to get on board with the idea, much to her disappointment, as she had a whole speech prepared for the occasion. now, all that remains is to witness that smug smile on her ex's face fade away as he witnesses her embracing her newfound title, which seems straightforward enough, were it not for unexpected emotions entering the equation

𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐒𝐎𝐇𝐍 － 𝖫𝖨𝖦𝖧𝖳 𝖬𝖤 𝖴𝖯 ！

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : treblemaker!eric x bella!oc

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 : he fell first, she fell harder

the bellas and the treblemakers don't mix. sure, feifei has witnessed her fair share of fellow bellas sneak around with treblemakers to the extent that it's now more of a norm than a forbidden union between the two groups. however, feifei remains indifferent. she joined the bellas to sing, not to be part of a cliché romeo and juliet-like love story. so, when eric initiates his pursuit of her, she'll go to great lengths just to make him shut up. eric's advances are relentless, almost bordering on being stalker-like, yet there's a certain sweetness to them, even if she'd never admit it. feifei is stubborn, but can she truly ignore eric's constant declarations of love, even though their interactions are scarce? what can she say? curiosity killed the cat.

comments and reposts are appreciated + my asks are always open!! i’m soso excited to start this omg

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ! (𝗈𝗋 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗌𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝗃𝗈𝗂𝗇!) | 𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐄𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 !

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 (𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝗋𝖽𝖾𝗋）：𝗁𝗒𝗎𝗇𝗃𝖺𝖾 | 𝗃𝗎𝗒𝖾𝗈𝗇 | 𝗌𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗒𝖾𝗈𝗇 | 𝗃𝖺𝖼𝗈𝖻 | 𝗍𝖻𝖺！

[izzysillyhandsy]

Thoughts about the finale, and my utter confusion about Izzy Hands

What I hated about Izzy's death wasn't him dying. I love a tragic arc, and although Con O'Neill elevated every scene he was in, it would have been ok if they'd handled his death better.

To have him die with only 10mins of the episode left (and this might even be the last ever episode!) was the first terrible decision. Everything that was built up over 2 seasons had to be resolved in a few minutes, we don't see any repercussions for anyone Izzy was important to - Ed, the crew and even Stede.

But the main criticism is the 180° turn the show made for his character arc in the last episode (or more precisely, in Izzy's last scene) and in David Jenkins' latest interviews.

Since season 1, I kept asking myself the same two questions:

What function does Izzy Hands have in the narrative? What is the nature of his relationship with Ed?

And the answers changed drastically from S1 to S2, and got more and more complex and intriguing.

Until the finale.

Izzy Hands as a plot device for the main couple

In S1, Izzy was an antagonist. His function in the narrative was to stand in the way of the Ed/Stede romance, of Ed growing and finding happiness and to move the plot along. He brought a lot of humour to almost every interaction he was in - he was such a fish-out-of-water character, clashing with everyone and constantly losing.

He was barely human - he was a pirate cliché.

But there was also so much going on in the background - his quiet desparation, his obvious love and longing for Ed, and these hints of a fascinating backstory between the two of them. This is what many fans picked up on, and going into S2 we hoped that we'd get more of this (for me personally the most important thing was clarification on Izzy's importance to Ed).

And then S2 came along and boy, were all of our expectations exceeded.

Suddenly, Izzy wasn't a plot device anymore. He was one half of the most intense (and interesting, sorry Stede) couple in the show. It was even confirmed by the showrunner that he was in a love triangle with the main couple!

In the first 2 episodes, we got so much more than we ever expected. At the end of Ep2, Izzy broke the lifeline with Ed, both of them almost dying in the process. He went on a journey of discovering who and what he even was without Ed (and right up to his death he was still deeply unhappy and broken, even though he was on the right path).

Izzy suddely became a fascinating character in his own right, with his arc of healing and self-acceptance and his inability (for now) to keep himself from sliding back into this relationship with his other half. He was blaming himself for everything that had happened. He was still so entangled with this man he built his whole life around. He still had a long way to go and a lot to work through (the same also applies to Ed btw).

But he also became the crew's unicorn, doing Izzy things (still related to Ed, always to Ed) but you could feel him becoming more himself. Slowly, Izzy's real personality started to shine through and we realized - this man is fascinating on his own accord. He's a respected and very capable pirate. He came from nothing and fought his way up. He's a really good teacher. He's creative and sensitive. He also cares about other people than Ed a lot.

Viewers who hated him or were indifferent to him in S1 suddenly became interested - this man's journey was fascinating and, most importantly, it wasn't at all finished. There was so much yet to come, and we wanted to see it.

Does this sound like a plot device to you? If it doesn't, bad news.

At the end of the final episode, Izzy is suddenly back where he was in S1.

He dies in a completely unnecessary way - almost as if how he died didn't matter. And it didn't matter, because in the end, Izzy Hands' journey didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that he died and how it affected the main couple.

On his deathbed, Izzy is saying exactly what Ed needs to hear to move on. He absolves him of any guilt. Ed is ready. Izzy has played his part, he's ready to die.

Notably, nothing is really resolved for poor Izzy. Even if Ed says he doesn't want him to go, it's because Ed is losing his only family. He doesn't tell Izzy he loves him, or that he's important to him as a person, as his oldest friend, as the one who knows him best.

In the end, Izzy's function in the narrative, even after everything that happened in S2, was to be an obstacle to the Ed/Stede romance, to Ed growing and finding happiness. He had to die to free Ed of his Blackbeard persona and because "it's nice that Blackbeard is upset by it" (WTF).

The problem is, for the rest of the season, that wasn't Izzy's role in this show at all and I felt completely blindsided.

More than a spurned, jilted lover

"I guess it's a journey of redemption, but I think it's more a journey of finding out, who is he to Blackbeard?" According to Jenkins, Izzy is "more than a spurned, jilted lover." "What is that relationship about? And I think by the end of the season it kind of becomes a little unexpected of who they are to each other and what they mean to each other." (source)

I also made a poll about that question after Ep3 if anyone's interested.

The answer is, apparently, the two of them were Blackbeard. Or, Izzy was the brains behind the operation. Or, Izzy egged Eddie on to give in to his darker impulses (which, I think, was alluded to quite strongly in the murder/suicide scene).

I mean, yes. That was one of the options on my poll that I was quite sure of, and I think most of us suspected this even in S1.

Izzy was Eddie's only family. Ok, I think family doesn't quite express what was going on between them in S2, but that certainly was one aspect of their relationship.

This is all fine. I can see that being built up to over the two seasons.

But.

"And then there was the realization that [Izzy] is kind of a mentor to Blackbeard and that he is kind of a father figure to Blackbeard. It felt nice to have him die and have Blackbeard be upset by it, because Blackbeard killed his father. But this is a father figure that he’s losing that it’s hard for him; it's sad and he doesn't want him to go." (source)

This is not fine. Not at all.

Izzy is not Blackbeard's mentor. Izzy is obviously in love with Ed (and Ed is fully aware of that). Izzy might have been a mentor-like presence in Ed's life when they were younger, but when we meet them in S1 Izzy is more like an overworked housewife cleaning up behind her disinterested husband. Izzy would do anything for Ed (apart from killing him) and is ready to die at one point because of him. Izzy is desperate, grabbing onto the scraps Ed throws his way.

Where, where does Izzy seem like a mentor to Ed in all of this? A mentor is supposed to be at least at the same level or above but Izzy is clearly not.

And in the death scene, suddenly, that's all there is left of their complex, intense dynamic.

Izzy took young Eddie in and fed his darkness. He was Eddie's only family, binding him to himself out of selfishness in the process.

So that's their unexpected "who they are to each other". Izzy taught Ed everything he knows (which is actually bad for him) and it'd probably been better if they'd never even met.

And don't get me wrong, I don't completely disagree with this take. As a part of their dynamic, this is a fascinating concept - but only if this wasn't the end.

Because there was so much more, so much promise of a complicated, mutually destructive relationship that nevertheless was also full of love. Those two seemed so intertwined (and I'll never forgive Stede for stealing that for himself and Ed). Ed is Izzy's missing half and Izzy is Ed's.

And I still believe that, without Izzy, Ed isn't complete.

And with this rushed conclusion, and all the mess left behind and never even looked at, Ed will never be happy.

Conclusion

I think what hurts the most is, that with Izzy dead and their last conversation being that reductive, all possibilities of an exploration of all these complex and fascinating aspects of their relationship are now closed. I know this show isn't about Ed and Izzy. But Izzy is a big part of what made Ed interesting, and he's a brilliant character in his own right. We could have gotten so much more (even if it's only allusions, we really don't need everything spelled out).

I guess I expected too much from this show - but with good reason. The actors gave it their all. S2 set up such an intricate dynamic (and it was probably overly ambitious with only 4 hours of screentime!). I've never gotten so much of what I wanted from an outsider character in any show.

And then it let us down in the last 10 minutes.

And even if we hadn't gotten a season 3 - the setup was all there for meta, for fanfiction. Why ruin it all with killing off Izzy for all the wrong reasons and making their last conversation all about Ed "outliving his mentor".

To quote Prince Ricky: "Oh, my goodness. You've just grown so tedious."

Still, I love everything they've done in this show except for the ending. I will watch it again, many times, and enjoy the drama, the humour and the complexity. But I will try to forget these interviews and convince myself Izzy's senseless death was just a dream :).

[quantumripple]

Figured it might be neat to give post-mortems of fics I’ve written (in no particular order)

Gonna call this Quantum’s Post-Moretem Mondays even though I’m almost certain I’m never going to post this again on a Monday (work was just suuuuper slow)

So to start off we’ve got Pen Pals: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51609454

Premise: in early 2010 Taylor and Sveta become pen pals (hence the name).

Very much the definition of a rarepair since there’s only one other Taylor/Sveta fic that I’m aware of and it’s not even tagged.

And honestly hot take: the reason it’s a rarepair is that it lowkey just does not work as a ship. Taylor and Sveta are just not compatible, Taylor is far too… her. Sveta deserves better honestly.

What I like about the fic:

The bits of humour always blindside me when I do a reread. This one definitely leans on the sort of online humour you sometimes get with lesbians. Particularly the meme of two girls commiserating you each other that they “wish they could get a gf frfr”

I also just stole some funny bits from worm and adapted them but idk if I should count those bc they were just yoinked from worm.

I’m pretty proud of the background plot that’s happening in the fic. It’s pretty fun to explore those through only the lens of texts between two people. Things diverge a little bit and we end up with Echidna happening early, but the fight goes a lot differently. Ends up being a much longer fight/conflict but upside is case 53 stuff didn’t get leaked. Taylor eventually ended it by tag-teaming with a few heroes, getting the right power combo. S9 shows up after and a while after they’re there Amy takes Victoria. Taylor, thinking the s9 did it went on the warpath, she broke into the prt hq and stole the Bakuda bombs which she used to take out a few members before she found Amy and Victoria, made Amy fix her, then just fully executed her.

What I don’t like:

Taylor is extremely out of character. She’s too like… it’s hard to explain but she’s too cutesy, or dorky in a way that doesn’t really fit with how she is in canon. Triple especially anytime they’re discussing feelings. Honestly the only parts of her that feels in character is latter on in the fic when it starts getting into the broader hero plot stuff.

Sveta is also pretty ooc but not quite as bad as Taylor. She’s a hard character to write because while yea she’s got a lot going on at the end of the day she’s just a really nice person and that’s hard to write out unless you want something super fluffy.

And speaking of: the fic is just way too fluffy for my tastes these days. Like I had to skim the final scene where they’re being all sappy and confessional bc it made me feel ill lmao.

What I would do if I were to redo/re-explore:

Honestly this might be one of my few fics where I’d just cop it and say that it kinda doesn’t work conceptually. Taylor and Sveta just aren’t really compatible without changing one or the other.

Honestly if I were returning to it I’d probably drop Sveta (sorry) and actually just focus on the Brockton Bay plot stuff. So it’d be Taylor joining the wards, getting frustrated and then leaving and teaming up w Victoria and the focus is more in them becoming friends. And the other changes with Echidna and the s9 could be fun to explore.

Or alternatively I keep Sveta and lean into the doomed nature of the relationship, have it be a much more deep exploration of their characters and how they could interact. Follow Sveta as she makes an online friend but slowly realise that this friend of hers is weirdly violent as a cape. Have that introduce a lot more friction with Sveta judging Taylors methods more and more and Taylor just getting really defensive etc. and like…. It wouldn’t even need to have a bad ending per se. It would just be them realising that they’re really not compatible and that getting this invested in each other was a bad idea. Or the super good ending where Sveta comes around to Taylor’s way of thinking and they wage bloody war against evil, that could also be p fun. And not entirely impossible especially if Taylor is literally Svetas only friend.

Final thoughts:

This is one of those fics that still gets the odd random comment on ao3 which makes me remember it more often than other fics despite the fact that I don’t really have much to say/think about the fic beyond what I’ve already thrown up. It sits in my mind as a firm “basically ok, has its moments”

Curious to know what others think of it because honestly I barely do. I think I just picked it bc it was one of my shorter fics and sfw so I could read it between waiting for stuff to happen at work.

[deadscell]

How do you interpret jack and The Boss' relationship?

hi anon :) thanks for the ask!

from what little we know about their relationship dynamic, i was always intrigued by them as a pair. i think during the virtuous mission she cherished those moments she had left before she defected, especially when jack interacts with her over the codec. with her commenting on his tuxedo in a disapproving manner, or on his camouflage (perhaps a lack of.) her maternal nature versus his childish personality juxtapose each other in a way that saddens me. in my opinion that was obviously one of the things that attracted her towards him, which is hardly surprising considering jack has the biggest heart and a charming sense of humour. but as the boss pointed out, she was also attracted to him because he was like her. which in relation to calling him a “child” it’s clear that she’s concerned about how his emotions drive him through his mission (she wishes to prepare him for the inevitable but he’s not ready during the virtuous mission.)

something to mention being that she is teaching jack something despite all of her best efforts to deny it, and in turn teaching him something she had to deal with alone in her own mission with the sorrow, there was no one there to guide her or convince her differently. she is his teacher. she had no choice and he had no choice, there was no control. there’s only the control of who dies or survives to tell the tale between them. but not only is she familiar with how he would’ve been feeling, she’s felt it before and she has to prepare for every scenario that may happen between them. she knows he’s highly influenced by his own feelings in contrast to the mission, and she can’t tell him otherwise. with her maternal nature she can again only guide him, especially under the circumstances of her own mission. as she pointed out, she couldn’t teach him to be a soldier because she could only teach him so much, meaning that he has to figure it out himself. essentially she has to be “cruel to be kind” to get her point across that he is brilliant, even if her influence is sometimes physical it’s more than likely, in my opinion that she wishes for him to see her own methods during a battle. as in the final fight, she compliments him if he manages to perform a certain cqc move or strikes her down. making her a true mentor and a loyal partner to him.

jacks’ confidence is doused in self doubt because of how much he looks up to and respects the boss, which i don’t think i can even blame him for. though nevertheless in her own way of nurturing, i think she wishes to prove to him that he is better than he even realises himself, especially since surrounding characters observe his skills highly. the cobras help in proving that there are many things he can do to physically and mentally endure an enemy who have their own mission against him. essentially she knows herself that he is worthy, but he has to prove it to himself in order to drive that mentality. confidence is a hard aspect of oneself to master, as well as believing that you can complete a mission. getting the perspective of the entire game once you know the story is like a cruel guilty pleasure, she’s rooting for him to complete the mission so much she’s willing to make him hate her, she has to be his enemy to convince him to do the impossible. the subtle help she favours to him (like the fake death pill she shot into his leg in the torture room), and asking her own son (the perfect candidate) to help the man whose going to take his mothers life? if that doesn’t show love and devotion, i don’t know what does.

[enter-the-performapals]

@arcvmonth Day 18 D/D/D- Different Dimension Day!

Even though its a little late (because I wanted to color these lol) I wanted to talk about my Mermaid AU- concepted while I drew my big piece for Mermay this year! I was originally going to turn it into a series basing them on the En cards, but I didnt have time (maybe next year?)

This is a high fantasy AU, of course, and each of the stories happen around the same time-which Ill get into later. All of the Bracelet Girls, Dragon Boys and Zarc + Ray are in their 20's here, with romantic interactions between the expected couples (Fruit, Apple, FallenAngel, Predator, Genesis). All of the stories are unrelated but take place around the same time, with the the exception of the Genesis which takes several decades before.

Just slapping the word 'Mermaid' on a character and not basing them on a sea creature has never been an option for my autism brain, so I based the girls off of sea creatures I thought suited them!

Yuzu is based on a Betta fish- the only freshwater mermaid out of the five- mainly because I think theyre gorgeous with their lovely flowing tails, but also because theyre highly territorial, which I will get into later.

Rin-Rin is based off of one of my favorite sea creatures, the Lionfish. Bright and beautiful, but venomous and a ruthless predator. She's also Siren.

Ruri is based on a Parrotfish. Beautiful, iridescent scales and placid nature who live in coral reefs. Also, bird pun becuase I couldnt resist.

Serena is a Human-Mer hybrid whose based off an Angler fish. Scary creatures who use beautiful light not to illuminate their surroundings, but to draw in prey. She requires more oxygen than a normal mermaid, so like a mudfish, she can chill out near the surface of the sea and take in oxygen when she needs to.

Ray is based off of a Sea Angel, which is apparently a sea slug. It's pretty and I dont know much about it, which is the exact same thing I can say about my girl Ray.

Under the cut ill get into my thoughts for each of the AUs! Including a minific which kind of adds a little context to my piece from Mermay!

Ill go over all my ideas for the different storylines - marked by their ship- and at the end is minific! Sorry for any punctuation/spelling mistakes!

Genesisshipping:

Zarc is an apprentice boatsman on his first voyage on a big ship. After smashing into rocky bluffs, the boat he's on capsizes and falls into the ocean. Almost drowning, he is rescued at the brink of death by Ray, who takes him to an uninhabited island to bring him back to life. Over a year or so, the two fall in love and while Zarc does want to escape the island he beleives its futile and doesnt even try. Eventually a ship does come to rescue him, and he promises Ray that he'll make it back to the island one day to be with her.

After hes back on land, people ask him what happened, howd he survive, ect; he eventually lets slip that a mermaid saved him. This makes it around, and eventually wealthy prospectors hear. Entranced by money and power wished to him, he leads hunters to the island to capture Ray.

Thinking that hes back to start a life with her, Ray's shocked when other people come from the boat and try to capture her. Realising Zarc had sold her out, she escapes to the sea, never to be seen again. Realising the error of his ways, Zarc decides to stay on the island after the disgruntled hunters leave in an attempt to attone for his greed and to hopefully see Ray one more time.

Appleshipping:

Hugo had always heard tales about sirens in books and wanted to if they were real or not. After attempt of humours faliures to become part of an actual reputable ship crew, he falls in with some pirates who decide to take him out to the seas. On his maiden voyage, he is so nervous that he cant fall asleep on his first night. Thats when he hears it. A siren's song in the distance.

The rest of the crew asleep, he steals a rowboat to find the source of the singing. He finds it- the most beautiful girl hed ever seen, singing the most beautiful song hed ever heard. He falls head over heels for her at first sight.

While Rin just wanted a meal, she now has to put up with idiot pirate trying to woo her. She is severly displeased about it, and makes it known. Then she realises- this dude is a grade A idiot with the luck of god on his side and now has to live with a human taking up her favorite rock. Ridiculousness insues

FallenAngelShipping:

Ute grew up in a port town that had a great relationship with the fellow merfolk. He and Ruri grew up together, and eventually became a couple. One day, the village was raided by hunters, who both killed and captured the humans and merfolk, burning the town to the ground.

While hed somehow escaped from the raiders, he knows he has to break in to the enemy camp as they transport prisoners and set everyone free.

After weeks of planning and watching them from afar, he finds the perfect moment and storms the encampment, setting everyone free, including his best friend Shun and his lovely Ruri.

While they are displaced, remaining survivors help rebuild the city, and they try to rebuild their lives. Now with round the clock border security :)

Predatorshipping:

Joeri is a wealthy buisness man who found success selling various snake oils in his teens. Feeling bored of scamming people out of their cash, he goes to a beah town in an effort to refresh, regroup his thoughts, and figure out his next buisness move.

While walking a beach in the dead of night, he notices a glow coming from a little cave in the distance. Sneaking a peek, he notices Serena stting, resting, and his mind races. Mermaids are uncommon, but not unheard of but most people havent seen one, so what if he could show her off?

Practically smelling the money from the buisness opportunity, he approaches her. She startles, and draws a weapon on him. That night he tries to talk her down and using all of his sales knowledge and charisma, tries to get her to warm up to him.

While it ends up in faliure, the next night she is in the cave again. And he makes up his mind to convince her to join him, whether that be by convincing her with his words, or bribing her with anything he can get his hands on. He has a goal and wont stop until it's realised.

Fruitshipping:

Feeling wanderlust in his early teens, Yuya decides to dedicate his life to becoming an adventurer to see all the beautiful sights hes read about in his beloved father's old travel diaries. After about a decade of seeing what the continent has to offer, he takes a wrong turn (not the first time) and accidentally stumbles into a serene clearing blanketed in cherry tree blossoms nestled in between foothills. In awe, he explores the adorable little field, picking wild dasies as he goes, and spots a lake fed by mountains. As he investigates, he is jumpscared by a mermaid who warns him to leave immediately or face the consequences.

After a breif moment of shock, he starts to laugh. Yuzu is flabbergasted, as most humans would have fled at that point. He tells her that meeting a mermaid was always on his bucket list and that hes pleased to make her acquaintance, which leaves her even more shocked.

While she is standoffish at first, Yuya sets up camp near the water's edge to really drink in the scenery, subbornly telling an annoyed Yuzu that it was the best vantage point in the clearing.

While he'd oly planned to stay for a couple of days, as he talked to Yuzu- her sharing enchanting stories about the depths of the lake and the merfolk who lived there and in turn, her avidly listening to Yuya's travel stories- he decided to stay through the end of spring... and then summer... until eventually autumn's chill prompts him to eventually- begrudgingly- forces him to start packing up his temporary home.

Over the months the two talked and talked and became best friends. Through the wilting daisy chains they made, to the silly splash fights they shared on hot days, to almost sombre monitoring of deciduous leaves starting to fall as the lake theyd made memories in starts to slowly develop its winter shell, baring the aquatic from the terrestrial.

As they say their goodbyes, Yuya noticing Yuzu shivering slightly as she sits above the water, he promises her to come back in the spring with even more travel stories, handing her one of his earrings in a jesture of his vow. And she is overjoyed.

As they part ways, he catches her tightly gripping the blue crystal of his earring before she slips below the water, and he wishes that winter would just leave and never come back.

Over the winter, Yuya can't stop thinking of his time in the clearing. The curiosity that Yuzu would have for the camp meals he'd cook. The sparkle in her eye as he'd describe one of his adventures. Her concern over even the most miniscule of old wounds hed accrued over the years. Her witty remarks that never failed to get a laugh out of him. That no matter where he went, he'd always wonder what Yuzu would think if she'd been there with him.

As the weather started to turn from hail and snow to bright skies and sunshowers, he practically made a mad dash to the little clearing tucked away on the forgotten road near the foothills, hoping that the ice had melted in the area- if not for the whole pond, at least around the crude dock he'd put together to sit with Yuzu on, so close to where he'd set up camp.

As he approaced the sea of sakura, the blooming daisies, the grass rejuvenated after it winter hibernation, he noticed a figure waiting where she always was early in the mornings before he awoke, brushing her beautiful magenta tinged hair, facing toward the mountains in the distance.

He grinned and picked the prettiest of the wild daisies he could see on the bushes around him.

He was back home and couldn't be happier.

[lotus-tower]

i really liked "unwilling hole" gin-san in the ouroboros essay, do you have any other thoughts about it/what a willing hole would be?

thank you! this is a great question.

"reluctant hole" is a term taken from tshirt's scatological gintama essay, eat shit and die. gintoki's status as a reluctant hole in this original context is quite literal. tshirt talks about how the Central Joke in gintama is the inversion of power in the desiring-pair, and how gintama's dirty jokes get imbued with meaning due to the conflation and elision between sex and shit, both being "dirty things"--with the anal naturally becoming the potent symbol of this. the key point made by tshirt that i take up in my ouroboros essay is "gintama, of course, is about preferring dirty things."

in my ouroboros framework, the Hole looms like an antagonist of sorts. but as i specify in my second essay (the one published in yaoizine vol2), the problem with the "hole-sided" gintama villains isn't that they have a hole in them (everyone has a hole. it comes free), but in their response to it. the problem with gintama's villains isn't that their holes are somehow worse than the heroes', but that their hole lacks "dirt." because the shame of being alive, the pain of their human relationships, and the misery of their failures are too much for them to bear.

what i meant by gintoki as a reluctant hole isn't exactly the same thing that tshirt meant, but in the end it's relatively similar. tshirt used the "sword stuck in ass" arc as an example of the sort of punchline that gintama is obsessed with, the way it draws humour from playing with the pole-hole/sword-scabbard binary. yes, he's quite literally a reluctant hole in that arc, but tshirt is talking about the underlying ideas that gintama uses to structures its jokes and its portrayal of a hero who's meant to be incredibly cool, but very carefully designed to be lame and have the opposite qualities of a traditional protagonist.

this "inversion" in his characteristics isn't unique or anything, it's part of a very common type of power fantasy in shounen, and you can also see it in surface-level imagination exercises on tumblr. but either way, it's projected into the gags that gintoki interacts with, and because gintama is obsessed with toilet humour, that means another "binary" ripe for flipping is the pole/hole. quoting tshirt quoting sougo in that arc: “He really is a fucked up samurai. Instead of using the sword to protect his own body, he’s using himself as a scabbard for his friggin’ sword.”

similarly, in my framework, the (deceptive) binary that looms large is the head/tail--which i've mapped the hole/phallus onto as well. i'm not going to go into detail about what my framework is actually about because i assume you've read all that already. but essentially gintoki is a "reluctant hole" not only because he's struggling to not be hole-sided, but because he's also struggling with not being hole-sided. he struggles to fill his hole with the things it needs to be filled with: he struggles to learn how to live, and then he struggles with living. he's reluctant because he never wanted to be the main character, subject to the kind of indignities, tragedies, and ironies expressed through both gintama's gags and serious writing--always oriented towards him being that kind of "anti-hero", and thus inextricably tying him to dirt.

so i think in the end, there really is no such thing as a "willing hole" without changing the meaning of the words used. because it would be easy to describe an antagonist with no more regrets as a willing hole, but would that antagonist be interesting in a gintama context? or you could use it to describe someone who doesn't struggle with what gintoki struggles with--but then they would just be an inhumanly perfect being without struggle, and that wouldn't be interesting either. so in the end, it's a little bit misleading, because there is no real dichotomy here. there are only reluctant holes in the sense that i used it in my essay--and gintoki is the microcosm of the entire series, so he's The reluctant hole, and in describing him this way i was just really describing what gintama is about.

i think the closest thing to an interesting and valuable "willing hole" in gintama is actually shouyou, owing to his dead anime mentor status. he isn't a flawless being, but he knew he would die to utsuro one day, and he embraced it. but this response has already gone on long enough. i hope it satisfies your curiosity!

[farewell-superiors]

I’m having so many thoughts about @ammstify’s persona 6 idea for it being about nature and being based on Arthurian legend but as more of a spin-off but I’m in the “pacing while brainstorming” phase which means that I have too much energy to sit down and actually write down my ideas so I may as well start a post that’s like… just a bunch of ramblings about ideas. Have so at least it’s WRITTEN DOWN and I won’t forget anything. If I think enough I might even make a fanfic in the style of steal the truth (which you should absolutely read btw it’s genuinely one of the best video game adaptations with how well it integrates persona’s calendar mechanic and social links into its story structure) but that would require a lot of foresight and planning (hence why u want to WRITE SHIT DOWN)

Anyway here goes. Spoilers for something that I just made up but might make into an actual thing in the future I guess lol

The themes are about growth (there's LOTS of plant imagery), moving on, and how it gets better (the sun will always rise, darkest before dawn, etc. (there's a lot of day/night imagery as well)), and it looks at the relationship between humans and the environment.

The setting will probably be Kyoto, or at least some city, but I'm undecided about whether the characters are high school or uni students. Both have their pros and cons and I just have to figure them out. I'm leaning towards Uni?

The actual persona elements take place in the sea of souls, although it's more accurate to say the field of souls, as it's an undending field of grass, flowers, and the odd tree/hill, with every bit of flora representing a life. Select people will travel to the sea of souls in their sleep, but sleeping in the sea of souls won't get you out, so if someone is there without a way out, it looks like they're in a coma. If they happen to die in there (haven't completely figured out shadow mechanics yet, don't know if day/night cycles in the sos would be over a few weeks (to represent the collective unconscious) or over a characters journey (because it's cool imagery)) the body will start growing vines and leaves as their pulse slowly fades.

One way to get out is through the velvet room: In the sea of souls there is a battlefield, with velvet blue warbanners rising amongst the bloodstained foliage, and in the centre is a familiar long nosed man sitting on a particularly comfy looking rock, with a warrior clad in a deep blue leather armour brandishing a spear and shield. As neither protagonist is a wild card (whoops spoiler) Igor doesn't act as the guy who fuses your personas, he's like a guide both through your journey and on your way back to the real world. Maybe belladonna and nameless are also there, who knows.

Persona users have a body part wrapped in foliage, vines, flowers, and the like (the location can be thematic, it’s as if wrapped in chains), and when summoned the foliage chains break and rapidly grow into the summoned persona.

Protag A (who I shall refer to as Sun because that’s their arcana) is a kind young man who was diagnosed with cancer. This diagnosis comes shortly after moving to a new city to start university, so he rightly is in a lot of turmoil and feeling alone. One of the way he copes is by having a fairly dark cynical sense of humour, contrasting with his kind and caring personality. I’m not set on a subject he does, I’m thinking natural sciences, it’s got a wide range of topics and, most importantly, MATHS (this isn’t a joke). His starting persona is Arthur, his second awakening is Arturus Rex, both of the sun arcana, and his ultimate persona is Excalibur, of the world arcana.

Protag B (who I shall refer to as Moon) is a standoffish young woman in the year above sun. An abuse survivor, her father (her only living relative) recently was jailed for what he did, but she still holds a deep contempt for humanity who she thinks has failed her. Initially forced to interact with sun because of a scheme where second years help first years, she stays with him because of a shared goal once they enter the sea of souls. Her story arc is about growing to care for others, learning to see the good in people, and stopping seeking revenge. Her starting persona is Lancelot, who evolves into white knight, both of the moon arcana, and her ultimate persona is Galahad of the world arcana (I’m intentionally hiding some things but oh well lol. The personas are thought out, I’ll tell you that).

I’ve not settled on social links or party members, I’ve got a few ideas, like Sun’s maths professor (who would either be magician or hierophant) and the Lovers arcana, but nothing concrete.

Getting into real endgame spoilers now, the premise is that two gods, Pendragon and Morgan le Fay, are arguing over whether humanity should suffer or not. Pendragon thinks they're a stain on the world and should be wiped out, while Morgan le Fay thinks they should live in eternal bliss. Given that the themes are about moving on and growing, neither is very good, or rather, life is a combination of the two. They're represented by the moon and the sun in the sea of souls, when Pendragon is "winning" it's night, when Morgan is "winning" it's day. towards the end of the story the party beats Pendragon without realising that now Morgan le Fay is able to act unchecked and so the regular course of life grinds to a halt. During the course of the story each protagonist holds one in themself, Moon with her contempt for humanity holds pendragon, and Sun with his wish to live with his friends forever holds Morgan, but once Moon starts to see the good in humanity her mind boots out pendragon (hence why they fight him), and once Sun accepts that a life in stagnation isn't a life living at all, his mind boots out Morgan (hence why they fight her). Basically, I really really really like the ideas of third semester and am doing something similar lol.

At the start Sun and Moon are visited by a Doctor informing him of his cancer diagnosis and a chief prosecutor "congratulating" her about her father's loss in court respectively. Both talk about their fascination with/contempt of humanity, and end with "do you agree?", a cloaked agreement to a contract that makes them their champion, for these are Morgan le Fay and Pendragon in human forms. A side effect of tricking them into agreeing to a contract, however, is letting them into the velvet room, a mistake that would lead to both of the gods' downfall.

Ah shit I haven't even tackled how dungeons and stuff work. I know at least the last one is gonna be called Avalon.

I think I'm just gonna go ahead and post this for now, I might edit it later so uhhh stay tuned I guess

[rosetintedgunman]

Oh! You Must be New.

Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. Everyone is new at some point. Even me! But it can be a bit of a problem when you find a blog that's been around in some capacity since 2018. There's a lot of gaps to fill in, and hopefully this post will help be a starting point.

While this is a Wilford rp and ask blog, no matter how busy or quiet it may be, it has been around for a long time. M.otherloving came out about a month or two after the blog was set up, and the accuracy of what I was writing meant this blog was on the right track - I was the only person in my circle at the time who didn't need to either make major headcanon changes or opt to abandon canon and go divergent. With every appearance, there's been no major tweaks that have been required to adjust the portrayal. To toot my own horn, it's been fairly spot on.

Between that and natural character development, this can mean that the blog could be a little... 'inaccurate' to expectations, and can cause a lot of confusion for those who aren't 'in the know'. So! Consider this a 101 on the character without needing to trawl through the gauntlet of a two-part bio (the second part isn't even finished yet....)

In brief, I kindly ask that you leave expectations of a reckless madman who fully personifies the "LOL XD RANDUM" and has no clue about anything going on at the door, please. If you want to compare him to a canon appearance, look more toward M.otherloving or Space.

For a lot more info to help get you started, read on.

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While this Wilf (also known as 'Rose' when interacting with variants) is still eccentric and kooky, he is more grounded in nature. Chances to interact with others and maintain a somewhat normal sense of time flowing in the correct manner have started to help him feel more connected. Not only that, he's starting to get glimpses of his original life as William, and a later life of Wilson Jackson Bartholomew (or just 'Jack'). The latter I haven't gone into much detail yet in general, so don't worry about that. If you see him getting glimpses of these memories, he doesn't go into hysterics. That's important.

He is six foot three, and heavy built. The evidence of his past life as a soldier is there in his broad shoulders, a barrel chest and strong arms, as well as how he can hold himself. However, he's got a proper tubby belly, and this softness almost counteracts the threat of the almost unnatural strength that lies within. His moustache is either pure pink or black with pink tips depending on the day. He's got a curly mop of black hair that has a slight red-pink tint when the light shines on it just right. The only genuine traces of pink in his hair can be found in his fringe, which curls over his right eye. There's usually faint stubble across his jawline, and he flat-out refuses to wear glasses (he'll say it's because he doesn't want anyone missing out on his 'cute chocolate eyes'. Don't believe him. He just doesn't like them and won't humour the idea of contacts). Despite this, he's still athletic, and can move surprisingly fast if you aren't prepared.

He's still a reporter, though these days he's taken a bit of a back seat. His work in the studio is helping the Jims and others who are making their presence known on camera. When he does interview, that reckless, gun-wielding side comes out in full force... But it's more akin to an act than anything truthful to who he is.

Instead, his priority is the Moonlight Roller. It's the reclaimed disco setting of M.otherloving that was redecorated and given a whole new lease of life. I go into a LOT more detail here, but in brief: it is a roller rink, amusement arcade, diner, and bar that is located both in a real location and in between the worlds and stories. If a character needs a break, they'll find a door to the Roller.

Personality-wise, Wilf is still eccentric, but it's closer to a 'weird uncle' mixed with a cartoon character. He's normally upbeat and childish, though he does have his more serious moments. He'll still take time to voice whatever odd thought crosses his mind on the dash, or go directly to another blog if he wants an answer or opinion on something. And to my surprise, he's even tried to be the stereotypical 'bartender who listens to others' woes'. I never thought that would happen! How did that happen?? He used to be notorious for putting his foot in his mouth!

As for his abilities? He's got the abilities to lift things in and out of pocket dimensions. He always has a weapon on his person, even if there's little reason for it these days. He can blink out of existence or disappear if eyes are off him, and use doors as a way to teleport/take shortcuts. This can sometimes land him in different timelines or eras, not that he minds. He's got impeccable aim, and he usually only misses if he chooses to. That's not mentioning his ability to use any weapon after a brief examination with startlingly good skill.

By the way. You can kill him, but he won't stay dead. He'll come back to pester you about it in a few days.

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This blog also has William, but I don't need to talk about any potential differences. What you saw in WKM is what you get, essentially. His height was rather unusual for his time, and he absolutely used this to his advantage to add to the intimidation factor. He was a loyal friend, but also not the nicest person to be friends with. And if he didn't know you? Good luck!

Sometimes, you may see someone called Liam. This is a 'what-if' timeline where Celine never arrived, resulting in William's death and him taking the role of 'the villain'. Despite the 'what-if', this was actually the intended plan, where William would die, and everyone else would leave, alive and safe. This goes into more detail about that. In brief, his main distinguishing factor is his paralysed left arm as a result of the fatal injury he received during the gun confrontation with the Detective.

[essayofthoughts]

2, 8, and 10 for the asks!

Thank you kindly dear!

2. Anything that you'd like to write but feel like you're unable to?

I struggle with straightforward fluff but I also don't really care about straightforward fluff - it's not something I go out of my way to write. However I also struggle with crack and humour and the thing is, that is kind of definitely intended as a part of my No Briarwoods (Yet) AU.

8. How slow is a slow burn?

I'm hesitant to say "you can't do a slowburn in a oneshot" because I'm pretty sure I've dipped my toes into slow-burn oneshots before (My two canon-compliant post-CACW, pre-AIW Wanda/Vision fics), but like... a oneshot can be 20k long if you're not a coward, so that doesn't really help. And also... you can make the time passing feel longer than it is in a oneshot, so the romance feels slower burn than the actual wordcount suggests.

I think ultimately it hinges more on the perception of time passing in the story, rather than actual specific fic length or wordcount. It's about the warmth and affection slowly growing between the characters, the steady build. You can't just shunt them up an intimacy level and call that slowburn - the point of slowburn is that... it's so gradual the transition between "platonic but close" and "pining in love" is unnoticeable, right? It's why I personally find fics which signpost romance "oh my belly feels funny i wonder what that means" that's butterflies, it's the most overused trope imaginable, the author is tipping their hand here - to be so uncompelling and unbelievable. In real life, friendship and romance both come from similar bases - they are someone you know and who you have overlapping interests with, who has traits you respect. A lot of the time, what you love about someone are the same things you liked about them to begin with, or underlie aspects of their character that drew you in.

So the trick with slowburn is less about how fast or slow it is, I think, less about wordcount or fic length, and more about how smooth the development of the romance is, and how the fic manages to measure the feeling of time within it.

I mean. When Harry Met Sally is no longer than most films, but it very effectively shows the length of time between interactions to make the slow build of the central romance work. To let the audience fill in what things have shifted between the mains in the interim. It makes for what can feel like a slowburn, while being... a film! Not a series or a season or several seasons, just a film who's narrative occurs over years.

That's the trick. Making the passage of time feel slow enough, and making the relationship progress naturally and you can do a very short slowburn with enough skill.

10. Top three favourite fic tropes.

Hurt/Comfort, Trauma Healing Arcs, and Missing Scenes.

I like the things that reveal underlying aspects of the characters!

[mx-piggy]

Almost forgot it was new Futurama day until I came across a post about it. Thank you, random Tumblr user. Spoilers ahead!!

I hadn't really expected much from Related to Items You've Viewed, and it was probably one of the episodes I had the least excitement for. But, I really was pleasantly surprised! It's not in my top 10 Futurama episodes of all time, but it's pretty strong on the whole compared to the other episodes of this revival. I can definitely see people not liking it by virtue of the fact it's basically 'the Amazon episode' (not to be confused with the Amazonian Women episode, Amazon Women in the Mood) and plenty of fans will go into it not wanting to like it, but I personally came out of it thinking it was pretty decent! With the last topical episode (the crypto episode), I saw some people on here dislike it just because it was 'about crypto' and they were like 'crypto episode bad', because they equate topicality with being bad, even if the way the episode did it was pretty unique and clever. And, it's valid not to like something. But, some people on here have such unnuanced opinions it's kinda laughable.

Like I said, I think everything about it- story, humour, sci-fi concept, characters- are all very strong, compared to, say, Children of a Lesser Bog, that was very strong character-wise but had some story issues at the beginning, or the Impossible Stream, which had some really funny jokes but had a sci-fi premise I found kind of boring.

Admittedly, I'm only vaguely familiar with Amazon and the poor treatment of its workers, but I think this was a decent commentary on it; if you're more informed about this kind of thing, feel free to correct me. Even if Amazon and the invasive nature of our devices is kind of an overdone thing and seems kind of late to be seen as fresh in a 2023 Futurama episode, I still think it simultaneously worked as a story within the Futurama universe as well, if that makes sense? Like, even if it is meant to be a commentary on Amazon, I think you could watch it without having much knowledge about Amazon and it still works as a Futurama story, too? No idea if I've articulated that in a way that makes sense (I tried!) I think that the sci-fi premise of the warehouse being able to expand on its own was pretty neat and worked with the commentary they were making.

Outside of the Amazon stuff, the story was pretty standard but it was still enjoyable, at least for me as a Freela fan. It's great to see the writers committing to Fry and Leela's relationship, and I think it was natural for them to do a story about Bender being jealous of them (I'm also a Freeler fan, if you couldn't tell). I think it was fun for them to go and rescue Bender from the Momazon warehouse, and I like that, throughout the episode, the characters really do care about one another. Fry being so concerned about Bender was really sweet.

I think these really nice character relationships elevates this revival over a lot of the episodes in the Comedy Central revival, which, at times, felt pretty mean-spirited. I really like how this revival is very sincere in the character relationships it protrays.

My only major issue with the episode is the fact that I don't think Mom had as big of a presence as she did in the original run, and she felt under-utilised. I wished we'd gotten an interaction between her and the Professor- I love their dynamic and it felt odd that they didn't really interact. I'm hoping that we get to see more of her because she's one of my favourite recurring characters, and I'd love to see them build on the reveal in Bender's Game that the Professor is Igner's father.

But, that's a very minor issue! The episode was really funny, had some really good character dynamics, and I really liked the sci-fi premise! Also, I adore the Moon setting as a fan of the Series Has Landed, so it was neat to see that again, as well as the Luna Park mascot. Also, shout-out to the Moon conservative and his three robot daughters.

There are so many good jokes in this episode I won't list my favourites this time.

Overall, I think this might be my second favourite episode of this season, with first place going to Children of a Lesser Bog (which I adore despite those expositional issues that I've complained about every week since lmao). That said, I'm really prepared to enjoy episode six, because Johnny 2 Cellos said on his podcast with Toonirific Tariq (Cartoons that Curse; go check it out if you haven't already) it was his favourite episode of the revival out of the first six episodes (he had early access to them all) and I trust that man's Futurama opinions. After my disappointment with Parasites Regained, it feels really good to be so positive about this episode!