#banana culture boys

[redz0nez9]

Nick Sturniolo pt 24.. The banana. SORRY and NOT PPL TRYNA CANCEL HIM

[cod-dump]

The Shadows had their own culture, Price had accepted that by this point. His boys had theirs so he wasn’t really surprised. Just… they are a bit much.

“What… is that?”

One of the Shadows had walked right into Graves’ office when they were trying to form some vague impression of a plan to present to Laswell. And in that Shadows arms was-

“That’ll be the US of A’s majestic possum. With an ‘O’, might I add. Opossum.”

Price stared at the grey creature that had the darkest eyes he could only compare to Ghost’s. Graves wasn’t fazed, just reached behind him to the fruit bowl that Price kept wondering about and grabbed a banana. The Shadow, without a word, accepted the banana and left with possum in hand.

Price silently looked to Graves who just shrugged, “Boys found the thing when it was a baby and what they do with their paychecks ain’t my concern.”

Price blinks, “Ah… so how many-?”

“How many unusual ‘pets’ do the Shadows have? The weirdest I saw was Bobby. An alligator. But he’s wild. Though he likes to come over for pets.”

Honestly, what was he to say to that?

“You have it worse than me.”

Graves grinned, “Oh, this is an ‘us’ problem now.”

Shit.

[hallowpen]

This series continues to be a love letter to Thai tradition. It makes me sooo happy to get to share these cultural insights with you guys through watching Girl's Love media. We've come so far 😭😭😭

So... This episode didn't really highlight any traditional Thai dishes, but in keeping with last week's edition, I want to at least mention two that stood out:

ช่อม่วง (pronounced 'chor muang') are flower dumplings that were to be considered part of royal Thai cuisine. The dumplings are filled with a sweet and salty pork mixed with roasted peanuts. They are wrapped in a purple dough that gets its coloring from being dyed by butterfly pea flowers steeped in water with lime juice. (Any fellow UWMAers will recognize this dish, as the process of how to make them were included in that series)

สละลอยแก้ว (pronounced 'sala loy kaew') is another version of the dessert we discussed last week. It is made by having Salak fruit 'floating' in iced sugared syrup. Salak is a fruit native to Southeast Asia (specifically Indonesia). The Thai variety have more flesh with a uniquely sweet and slightly sour taste.

ยิงปืนกันกล้วย (pronounced 'ying peun gahn gluay') is a traditional children's game typically played amongst young boys. It is a game where children "shoot" at each other with an imaginary rifle that is made from banana stalks. They swipe one hand quickly along the banana stalk, and the following impact causes the upright parts of the stem ("the ammo") to loudly "snap"... a sound similar to that of a gunshot. The banana rifles are called ปืนของกล้วย (pronounced 'peun gahn gluay') hence the name of the game... and the "horses", which are also made from banana stalks, are called ม้าของกล้วย (pronounced 'ma gahn gluay').

ลอยกระทง - Thailand's Loy Krathong Festival is probably something viewers are already familiar with if they've watched other Thai dramas. It is a Thai tradition that takes place on the night of the full moon during the 12th lunar month. "Krathongs", which can be translated as 'ritual lantern vessels', are made from natural materials including banana leaves and flowers. They are often formed in the shape of a lotus to symbolize rebirth, strength, and resilience. For Anil and Pin it is a gesture to make merit, while simultaneously wishing for each other’s happiness and good fortune. It is representative of their hope for only good blessings to come into their lives while they are apart.

In more modern tradition, there are also certain romantic undertones revolving around the Loy Krathong Festival. It is said that any couple who float a Krathong together, will be bound together for life.

Aside from these cultural aspects, there are a few other instances I want to note.

I loved seeing the juxtaposition of Anil knowing and actively wanting to pursue a romantic relationship with Pin... and Pin only just coming to the realization that, maybe, her fond affection for Anil actually runs a lot deeper. I also want to point out, that Prik's participation in facilitating their romantic relationship is incredibly risky. As a low-ranking servant of the palace, she stands to receive the harshest punishment for 'breaking convention'. Which brings me to this scene:

There are so many social class dynamics happening in just this one scene alone. Pin cannot afford to be rude to a higher ranking official by saying, upfront, she does not wish for him to pursue her. Prik is being used as a shield to protect Pin from Kuea's advances. And Kuea, as a friend of Prince Anon AND who holds title himself, is blissfully unaware that his presence is completely unwelcome... because who, in their right mind, could ever want to turn away a person of his fortune and stature? Aaahhh, it's just such a brilliant scene!!!

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

Which One Piece Characters Are Coming to the Cookout?

tags: headcanons, black!reader, gn!reader

notes. i'm not accepting critiques because i'm not wrong in any of my assessments. we all know these people would be there. i was up late for no reason thinking about this and decided to make it tumblr's problem. keeping it light for my first one piece hc post but i'll be making more

usopp

this nigga's one of us, this is a no question. this is his birthright

you don't see us questioning piccolo and the namekians at the black history month dinner, we don't question shit with usopp

bro belongs here

is most popular with all the younger cousins because of all of his stories

your older cousins are asking sniper king what his wash day routine is because his hair is amazing and we all know it

ace, sabo, luffy

ace and luffy were raised by dadan so these niggas are culturally black. sabo may have been raised by her to a lesser extent than his brothers, but he still was in that house so he gets to come too

the only problem luffy's ass would encounter is that he eat too damn much and he'll steal off someone's plate, so keep an eye on your man and he'll be fine

luffy also knows how to party. it's a challenge when one of the uncles go "you don't know nothin' bout this right here, young buck"

it's the same for ace. he grew up hearing dadan play mary j blige and roberta flack when she cleaned sunday morning so he's getting up the moment he hears someone playing word up

sabo and his top hat would get some eyebrow raises when he shows up but when he shows he knows something about some turkey necks and collard greens, they will be revoking their sneaky ass comments

ace and sabo would be particularly popular with your relatives who want you to hurry up and tie the knot. they help with your wash days, are polite and are very handsome. you will be a hearing a "if it don't work between y'all please give me a call" or two

all three of them will probably keep you at the function longer than you expected for various reasons from 'saying goodbye' and staying an additional 40 minutes to 'okay we gotta stay for cameo, they're playing get down on it!'

sanji

this white boy can cook much to the surprise of your extended family, so hell yeah he gets to come

your family gave you the side eye when you told them sanji would be bringing a dish thinking it was going to be potato salad with raisins and a dash of paprika but bro came with a huge ass bowl of banana pudding and the pudding was made from scratch

he's solidified his place in ensuring he is always invited to a function your family throws

your aunts love that he helps during your wash days, something you bragged about endlessly before you brought him to meet everyone

sadly sanji, like the asl brothers, will continuously fall victim to the "alright we leavin' y'all" but then you end up staying an extra hour because he's too busy yapping it up with all your aunties

you practically have to drag him back to the car

law

you already know your cousins are going to be all over this man based on the energy he exudes alone

"oh he a doctor? so he got money" someone's gonna say it at least once

he mostly sits to himself, more content to watch your family have a good time than interact exceedingly with everyone which may make him come off as standoffish but he really is just happy seeing everyone around him be happy

losing his family at a young age, he's happy to be pulled into yours even if his rbf may make others think otherwise

but all the mysterious aura goes out the window when someone jokes he probably can't play ball and suddenly your family is seeing a different side of him that is childish, competitive and amusing

jinbe/any fishman

automatic invitations by virtue of birthright. it's the same shit with the namekians, they're one of us so they get to come. they are with us on juneteenth

if anything, jinbe IS the uncle going "you don't know nothin' 'bout this right here" the moment the spinners, carl carlton or george duke comes on

[vecnuthy]

Slingin' 🍦⚓️

second entry for @steddiemicrofic pool | wc: 442 | rated: G | cw: a little suggestive at the end

It was the hottest day of the year yet. Mall culture drew the masses, and the masses had flooded Scoops, which was currently manned by only Robin Buckley and Steve Harrington.

The space? Packed.

The line? Through the door.

The sticky ice cream residue smeared across their uniforms caught on their forearms, snagging at their skin as they worked up a sweat in the ice cream shop. They didn't have time to clear tables, clean up spills, or take out the trash, let alone deal with the typical bullshit banter that customers threw at them.

"We're out of peppermint stick."

"How? That's literally your least popular flavor."

It took everything in Robin to just smile flatly. Steve, however, couldn't hold back his exasperation as he threw his head back with an eye roll, pushed through the door to the back, then re-emerged with a challengingly deadpanned, "We're out."

He's pretty sure their ordering a USS Butterscotch was petty revenge. Whatever. It was only the seventh banana split he'd had to assemble in the last hour. His eye didn't twitch or anything.

After that, he and Robin swapped out. Figured it was time, since Steve had been scooping ice cream for so long. No other reason.

"Captain," the next customer greeted with a smirk.

Steve couldn't help but smile.

"What can I get you, sailor?"

"Oh, 'sailor' today," the customer said. Steve shot an amused look of warning. "I see."

Steve took in their appearance — deeply sleeveless band tee, flushed skin, sparkling brown eyes, curly hair in a low bun — as they mulled over options.

"Scoop of chocolate in a cup with a waffle sail, please," they smirked, placing a bill in Steve's open hand.

"You could've just gotten a cone," Steve replied, gathering change.

"Not the same, big boy."

Steve's lips curled up into a smile as he grabbed a spoon, stuck it in the scoop next to the artfully-placed wedge (nice, Robin), and handed the cup to Eddie.

"Aww, no baby spoon?"

"We're out." Steve glanced at his lips.

Eddie's eyes shifted to peer over Steve's shoulder to the well-stocked container.

"I'll eat it too fast."

"Aww," Steve gave a faux sympathetic pout. "Guess you'll have to get another scoop."

Eddie hummed then raised the cup in thanks with, "Birdie."

Robin saluted, and Eddie settled into a seat with a full view of Steve at the counter.

Through the hustle, Steve couldn't help but look over and take in Eddie slowly eating a big spoonful of ice cream. How his lips contoured the lump of chocolate. With full eye contact.

Steve overshot a cup, making strawberry milkshake pool onto his shoes.

[thebreakfastgenie]

you are insane if you think a child reading bigoted works by a bigoted author is better than a child who has a different interest than you would like. go fuck yourself

I'm in the minority of people who actually thought something was off about the Gringotts Goblins when I was eleven, because I'm Like That, and even I think calling the series "bigoted works" is inaccurate. They're the standard level of problematic for a 90s/early 2000s children's series. Singling them out as bigoted obscures what the cultural landscape was like at the time and it's just dishonest!

I read books by the infamously bigoted Roald Dahl as a kid, and honestly I think his bigotry is a lot more evident in some of his works than Rowling's is in Harry Potter (I understand some of her later books for adults are cuckoo bananas). Reading them was still good for me! Certainly better for me than the amount of time I spent playing games on everythinggirl.com. Even better than the time I spent playing actual computer games!

This is not about what interests I would like this is about one parent trying to foster a love of reading and literacy in a child and the other parent giving him screens. If a kid only likes gaming and not books that is bad, I'm sorry! Video games are a morally neutral form of entertainment but it's very important to have a healthy balance, especially for a kid (although a lot of adults spend way too much time gaming; it's basically like the people who used to watch TV all day only slightly more interactive). And tbqh I would be very, very careful about an eleven-year-old boy having access to gamer subculture. He's way more likely to learn bigotry from gamers on YouTube and twitch than he is from Harry Potter.

Would I actively introduce my hypothetical children to Harry Potter? No. But if they wanted to borrow it from the public library I wouldn't stop them. If I knew someone who wanted to read the series with their kids I would advise the against buying new copies to avoid giving Rowling money while she's still alive and doing evil stuff with it, but that's as far as I would go because, like, who cares.

Reading is good. Encouraging children to read is good. Bonding with your kids over your favorite books is good. This should not be controversial. Kids are not better off as iPad kids than reading books you don't like.

[lej222]

'Banana Fish' - The Series That Broke Me

TW: mentions of r@pe, physical and emotional ab@se, p@dophilia, forced pr@stitution, de@th, dr@g usage, child p@rn@graphy and violence! Also, HEAVY spoilers for the ending of the manga and anime. PLEASE BEWARE THE TRIGGER WARNINGS AND SENSITIVE ISSUES DISCUSSED IN THIS POST!

Banana Fish is an action-thriller manga that was serialized in 1985 in a shoujo magazine and was later adapted into a 24-episode anime series in 2018 by Studio Mappa. Even to this day, it is regarded as a classic work that has changed the shoujo landscape and attracted a high number of male readers, making it hard to categorize it into just one genre. With over-the-top action scenes, eccentric fashion and gang wars, Banana Fish remains an 80s classic that was somehow able to move new generations of fans with the anime adaptation changing the setting into modern times. The title of the manga is a reference to J. D. Salinger's short story, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish", and shares its themes of violence and innocence, symbolized by the two different worlds the main characters of the story represent.

Banana Fish is a character-centered work with sensitive issues

Unlike most of its contemporary shoujo manga, the story of Banana Fish takes place in the United States. The main protagonist, Ash, is a 17-year-old boy who has suffered terrible physical, sexual and emotional abuse ever since he was a kid. He is the leader of a young gang in New York and transports goods to the Mafia, something that he does for survival after escaping the clutches of the feared Mafia leader, Golzine. One day a man is murdered in front of his eyes who gives him a phial containing a strange powder while saying the words 'Banana fish'. Ash recalls his brother muttering the same thing after he returned from war. He was a soldier who developed a mental health disorder and Ash uses his illegally earned money to try to improve his condition.

While Ash starts to secretly investigate the strange drug, a photojournalist named Ibe arrives to the city from Japan with his young assistant, 19-year-old Eiji, to write an article about juvenile American gangs. He wants to meet a journalist friend of his, but the local detectives inform him that he's in prison. They advice him and Eiji to visit Ash's gang to take some pictures for their report. Ibe later reveals that he brought Eiji along on his trip to give him a new inspiration after the boy had to give up on his pole-vaulting career due to an injury. Eiji is a pure-hearted and innocent soul who looks younger than his age and is curious about the differences in cultures.

After Ash realizes that the powder itself is a dangerous drug called 'Banana fish' and it was used on his brother, he starts a fight against Golzine who wants to sell it to the government. Eiji and Ibe both accidentally get involved in the confrontation and decide to help Ash in order to uncover the truth.

While the main plot of Banana Fish revolves around Ash's fight with the Mafia, it's the major characters of the story who truly move the plot forward. Their personal stories, thoughts and relationships are all important, even when the series becomes more action-packed. From very early on in the story, we are reminded that Ash is a murderer - even if it wasn't him who chose this lifestlye and he was a victim himself, Ash knows that he has to pay for his crimes. This is precisely why this message gets reinforced in the most emotional moments of the series when Ash has to willfully kill even his own friend to end his pain.

Ash was forced to experience horrible things ever since he was a kid and his choices were taken away from him. At only 17-years old, he doesn't care if he's alive or not and he's heavily traumatized but deep down has a good heart and only wants to be free. It's not until Eiji enters his life that we see the the real Ash behind the persona he built to protect himself. Despite being part of a corrupted world, Ash is drawn to the light and freedom that Eiji represents in his existence; however, Ash has to face the truth that the longer Eiji stays with him the more corrupted he might also become himself. Ash's reluctance to completely sever his ties with Eiji only puts him in danger, but Ash still doesn't want him to hold a gun in hopes of protecting him from his dark world, saying that "one murderer is more than enough."

BL? Close Friendship? Does it even matter?

Many people recommend Banana Fish as a BL classic and leave viewers traumatized who are not familiar with the triggering contents of the series. The protagonist of the story is a victim of child p@rn@graphy, pr@stitution, ab@se and r@pe. Marketing the series as a simple love story without mentioning the heavy subject matter is nothing sort of disrespectful. To avoid confusion, Banana Fish is an action-drama first and foremost. There's a deep connection between two male characters that is the heart of the story, but it doesn't define its genre.

When Eiji first meets Ash he asks if he can hold his gun - it's a simple question without any ulterior motive that illustrates Eiji's naive and innocent worldview. Ash, who lost his inner child after the trauma he had to endure, finds himself agreeing to his request. Ash's bravery and dedication to his friends inspire Eiji to also do his best and that's when he decides to jump over a wall with a metal pipe to call for help, overcoming his painful memories about pole-vaulting. Eiji becomes the image of freedom and warmth for Ash, someone who can make him unguarded and peaceful, just an ordinary teenager. Even though they come from different worlds, Eiji and Ash understand each other deeply and would do anything for the other.

Let's make this clear - Eiji and Ash love each other, but the nature of that love is up to interpretation. The creator Yoshida Akimi is known to have given contradictory answers on this matter. While she claims that Banana Fish was inspired by 'Midnight Cowboy' and the deep platonic relationship between its two male characters, she has also referenced famous queer movies with her art and put illustrations in her artbook that lean towards a more romantic interpretation. And then we haven't even talked about the subtext and the ending of the manga. Or the fact that 'Midnight Cowboy' is considered to be an essential part of queer cinema by many people so its interpretation also varies.

While Yoshida has said she wanted to portay a platonic friendship, her art and the relationhip between her characters were clearly influenced by queer media. Up to this day, it's impossible to decide which interpretation is true. And it doesn't matter. Ash and Eiji share a profound connection in the story that is beyond romantic or platonic love. It's the bond of two souls that have found their other halves, two individuals who inspire each other, a love so strong that it transcends our mortal existence because it will never cease existing. I would even go as far as to call it the purest form of love.

We also have to consider the publication date of the series. Banana Fish is a product of its time, and it's evident in how it portrays intimacy between men. There's no positive depiction of sexual relationhsips between men and every homosexual encounter is r@pe or ped@philia. Compared to these negative experiences, Ash and Eiji's non-sexual relationship feels more intimate. This might seem like a contradiction, but it's not surpiring given the stigma homosexuality had at the time of publication. Banana Fish was published in 1985 when the AIDS crisis made people fear homosexual acts and think of them as 'dirty' and stigmatized. No wonder that a platonic connection might have seemed like the purer form of love at the time. The argument that romantic feelings cannot exist without intimacy is also an inherently flawed one, because it implies that people who are physically unable to have a sexual relationship or do not have sexual desires are not capable of loving another human being. Which we know is not true.

We also have to keep in mind that Ash was a victim of sexual assa@lt and repeatedly gets violated in the story. It is never romanticized- it's portrayed as a vile act and the perpetrators receive no redemption arc. Yoshida has stated that Ash probably wouldn't want to have a sexual relationhip based on his past - a statement that made several survivors like Ash voice out their own opinions. They pointed out that while it might feel impossible to some people, past victims might want to be intimate with a trusted partner, even if it's a slow healing process. It's not about what Yoshida said, but the way she rejected any sort of possibility of Ash exploring positive sexual experiences in the future, which again points to an outdated perspective on survivors of SA. We obviously don't know Yoshida's intentions and I'm not trying to analyze her answers, but I would agree with many readers that these questions are better left up to interpretation. Writing about male victims of SA in the 80s and how they also felt violated and broken after experiencing such horrible trauma was a big deal and she deserves the credit for highlighting such a delicate issue, but by today's standards the topic could have been handled in a more sensitive manner.

Whether Yoshida truly intended to portray a close friendship or she simply didn't want her work to be labelled as a bl instead of a crime-thriller and lose readers who would never touch anything bl related with a ten-foot pole - we'll probably never know. And frankly, it's not important. It doesn't change the fact that Banana Fish has inspired countless bl works and Ash and Eiji are regarded as one of the most beloved m/m couples in manga/anime. It doesn't change the fact the manga depicted an incredibly healthy and supporting relationship between two boys who loved each other unconditionally.

Finding hope and purpose amidst despair

Like I've mentioned before, Ash is a heavily traumatized individual who is thrown from one hell to another. His existence seemingly has no purpose and he wouldn't mind dying, but what keeps him going is his desire to make those pay who prey on the weak. His life is a never-ending cycle of violence and trauma and he flinches at the smallest touch or camera shutter. Through sheer coincidence, it's a photographer assistant that fills his life with meaning and purpose. Ash's deepest desire is to be free from exploitation and violence so when he sees Eiji "flying" in the air it makes him feel inspired. He becomes the first person to save him without wishing for anything in return. Eiji has a pure soul and Ash doesn't want it to get corrupted, for him, protecting Eiji's innocent worldview and happiness becomes the most important thing. Even though he knows Eiji would be safer in Japan, he still cannot let him go. Just like the leopard in Hemingway's story that Ash recites, Ash is looking for a purpose in his life, something that can set him free from his pain. The leopard froze on the mountain while it was searching for something that was more valuable than its life. At the top of Ash's Kilimanjaro there's a future with Eiji - going to Japan with him, always staying by his side.

When he's with him, Ash lowers his guard and doesn't sense danger. He's just a 17-year old boy who laughs about funny jokes and enjoys the company of another human being. He's uncomfortable with people approaching from behind but doesn't even flinch when Eiji does it. He stops shaking when he hugs him despite flinching at other people touching him. However we choose to interpret their relationship, Ash and Eiji's souls are intertwined. Eiji gives Ash hope for a better future and the opportunity to dream. The tragic irony of their situation is that the same circumstances that allowed them to meet each other in the first place are also the ones that force them apart.

It's important to mention that the anime adaptation clearly went for the more romantic interpretation. From promotional arts and visual storytelling to the opening and ending sequences, the series put a big emphasis on the relationship between the two boys and how they changed each other's lives. The second ending in particular, titled "Red", very clearly symbolizes a love beyond friendship and it shows the two of them at a field with the sun shining on Eiji while Ash is watching him from afar, mesmerized by the light. The colours of the rye field and the setting sun are blending together, creating a sense of tranquility where time seemingly stops existing. This video gaines even more meaning after the last episode, especially with the lyrics:

"In spite of how the world decides to see my life Would I still have a chance for us to say goodbye? Over and over again If I decide to burn instead of fading out I still would like a chance for us to say goodbye Over and over again

If we can be found, we sure can get lost Through all the madness of falling in love If we're truly lost, I don't want to be found Here dying alone

The stain of RED that colors the pavement Painted with blood of somebody you love Is this the sacrifice for the broken Losing the purest of what's in your heart"

(or in other words, the ending that still gives me emotional damage because of its powerful imagery)

Eiji is also an anchor to Ash's humanity. When we first see Ash, he is in many ways disconnected from his emotions - he wouldn't mind dying but doesn't want to give up his life willingly. He doesn't like killing people without a reason, but he accepts it's a part of his reality. However, Eiji makes him let his guard down. To everyone else, he's a capable gang leader, a highly intelligent individual, an object of worship and fear. In front of Eiji he's just a normal teenager and he doesn't want him to see his "ugly" side. Whenever Eiji is separated from him, Ash becomes disconnected from his emotions once again. But Eiji is also the one who makes him feel like a human being in his last moments.

The most cruel, yet beautiful ending

I will be completely honest - I initially hated the ending. When I first saw it, I thought it was the cruelest thing I've ever witnessed in any anime and I still stand by my opinion. Ash's death was cruel - after a life full of trauma he finally found his happiness, only for it to be taken away from him in the very next second. Ash decided that he would let Eiji go because they are too different for Eiji's safety, until he finds his letter with the plane ticket Eiji left him. Ash becomes unguarded once again and doesn't notice the danger until it's too late. However, Ash chooses to spend his last moments at his favourite place - in the library. He sits in the seat where Eiji did and reads his letter that says Eiji might say goodbye to America but he doesn't want to say goodbye to Ash because his soul will always stay with him. Ash passes away knowing that somebody loved him and cared for him, and he also cared for that person - Ash found meaning in his life through loving another person. This scene was so beautifully done that I was violently sobbing through it. Don't get me wrong - Ash deserved better. He was just 18 years old, a heavily traumatized victim who just wanted to be with the person he loved; however, I'm comforted by the knowledge that he was happy in his last moments. A cruel, yet tragically beautiful way to end his story. A thematically fitting conclusion, even if it seems unfair and left me with a hollow feeling.

While it came as a shock to me as a viewer, Ash's death was carefully foreshadowed in the series. Salinger's short story, which was the inspiration for the title, is a tragic tale of a soldier who has experienced so many horrible events that he cannot regain his place in the world. He talks about banana fish that were originally normal fish at first, but once they swam into a hole full of bananas they ate so much they couldn't get out. This story is a metaphor for the soldier's PTSD about war, he's just like the banana fish in the sense that he cannot go back to what he once was before he became corrupted. Ash, similarly to the soldier, has way too much blood on his hands. While most of it was for self-defense, Ash admits that he cannot break free from his cycle of violence and there are moments when he has no other choice but to kill another human being. Ash already sees no way out of the "banana-hole", but his liberation comes in a spiritual form through meeting Eiji and loving him unconditionally. Knowing that there was someone whose soul would always stay with his was what finally made him free of his ill fate full of violence.

That doesn't mean that the ending is not problematic. Yoshida stated that Ash's death was a karmic consequence of him killing other people. While Ash was a victim himself, I can understand where she's coming from. What I cannot understand is why it was only Ash who had to suffer these consequences - other characters who have killed others didn't die at a young age. It makes Ahs's death even more cruel when he finally decided to tell Eiji his feelings. Also, there seems to be a strange message about how death is salvation for broken people. Yoshida never even entertained the idea that Ash would have been happy in Japan, but he wasn't even given the opportunity to try. While the library scene is one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever watched in anime, it still leaves me with a conflicted feeling. Tragedies indeed happen in real life, but this one especially hurt. I understand the themes of the series,but it didn't make the ending any less painful which is proof of how impactful it was. The anime director likely shared my sentiment because they decided to leave the ending open. Ash is sitting at the library with a smile on his face, but we don't know if he truly passed away. Maybe someone will notice him and call for help. Maybe one day he can go to Japan.

In the manga; however, Ash is clearly dead. Even after 8 years, Eiji still cannot move on and even another character says that Eiji is forever Ash's. He lives in New York, mentions Ash in conversations without saying his name, chases after people who look like him. And even though Eiji can finally bring out his photos, there's an underlying implication that he'll never completely heal. I've mentioned the second ending's significance and I believe it beautifully illustrates how the connection between the main characters is one that transcends their physical existence. It might even seem like as if they've met again in the afterlife because their souls are always together. I'm not saying that Eiji should never be happy in the future. He might never fully move on, but he deserves to have a peaceful life. But I also like the implication of the second ending that one day they will meet again in different forms because the connection between them was so deep that the duration of the time they knew each other in the corporeal world is actually irrelevant.

Banana Fish was a series that broke me and made me cry, and the relationship between Ash and Eiji made me think about what I would want to remember in my last moments. It is a work full of triggering moments and tragedy, but at the end of the day what's important is what you take away from it even if it's not the author's intention. Whether Ash found peace through a close friendship, romantic love or a deep soulmate connection, it doesn't matter. But I'm happy that at least in his final moments he finally found his purpose.

[londonfoginacup]

not the same anon and i’ve already asked this to someone else without an answer. i’ve never been to a show in the usa but it feels to me like there’s a different atmosphere in general over there so this comes from genuine curiosity: why do you feel like you have to bring a rainbow flag to a concert? let’s forget about louis for a second, just think of a random concert. you said you’ve gotten bad looks for bringing one but also you (and others) claim that flags in concerts are meant to feel people safe. do you not feel safe if you don’t bring a flag? do you not enjoy a concert if you don’t bring one/see one? what’s the need to bring flags? i promise this comes from curiosity because in all the years i’ve attended music shows and festivals, i’ve never felt like bringing the flags i own, but again, i’m not from the usa and i’m not well versed into tumblr queer culture.

Hi anon. I will take this as a good faith question, although your phrase “I’ve asked this to someone else without an answer” is something I suggest you do not include when asking things in future, because it implies you’re upset or blaming that other person for not responding. People have many reasons to not respond, some of which are simply time or time of day or spoons! We are all simply trying our best out here.

Now onto your question— I think that what’s missing here is fandom history. You said “forget about Louis for a second”, but actually what we need to do is look back at One Direction’s history.

I’ve written this out and tried to shorten it a number of times now, but the long and the short of it is that while the band was active, especially 2013-2014, the way that One Direction the Brand and Management handled rumors about Louis and Harry was to create a rift between “respectful fans” and “everyone else”. And the “everyone else” was people who thought Louis and Harry were in a relationship, yes, but it was also simply queer fans. Because those circles often overlap, OR because other fans would see that they were queer and put them in the same category.

Rainbow Direction was a movement made by fans in order to feel safe at One Direction shows specifically, because it was one direction shows specifically that people did not feel comfortable at, but desperately WANTED to feel comfortable at, because this band and these boys brought them comfort, spoke words in their songs that connected to their queer experience, etc.

I would not say that it’s USA specific so much that it’s 1D specific. I don’t… believe (I could be wrong) that I’ve brought a flag to a non-1D (or 1D adjacent) show, although I HAVE seen flags at those shows, like Declan McKenna I feel like I saw a flag or two there, for instance.

But honestly anon, when I bring a flag, it is not to make myself feel safe. It’s so that someone else who is queer can see that flag and know that I am a safe person. Likewise, when I see someone else with a flag, I know that I feel safe with them. It’s a way of saying you’re not alone.

Now, it might be helpful to know that I have attended EVERY 1D/Harry/Louis/Niall concert (but one) with @lululawrence . It’s her flags that I wear. She is the best sort of person you could ever hope to attend a concert with, but that’s beside the point. My point is that the one show that I remember the most dirty looks and feeling the most uncomfortable was the one Harry show we attended in… 2021? The end of the 2021. Harry’s fan base grew EXPONENTIALLY over the pandemic. That night, we saw maybe two flags in the pit and none anywhere else. There were more people dressed as bananas than people with flags. Sus and I had the bi and ace flags, and honestly anon, I started to want to hide it. The people around us gave us looks, I heard them talking about us although I tried not to listen. I wasnt afraid for our safety, but I was viscerally aware that the people around us didn’t understand the flags and didn’t want us there.

And I had been there in Nashville at the Ryman, when every flag had been confiscated and the security had been terribly mean and Harry had had to pull out his own and set it on stage at one point when the lights went down. That had been upsetting but we had all been on the same page, the fans and Harry, that the flags were important. Post-2020, that show was different. I felt like a creature on display for people to gawk at.

So when you talk about tumblr queer culture, I don’t actually know how much this extends past 1D/Louis/Harry. But in the beginning of 2023, when Sus and I went to the first concert we had booked (we had… four or five that year), and noticed how few flags there were, the two of us were specifically worried about concerts feeling the way that one in 2021 did. That’s why we did spent the next few months sending flags to every North America Louis show (and don’t get me wrong, I’d have done his other legs if I had the money to get them flags too. But all those flags in the NorthAmerica shows? A few friends whom I ADORE helped but mostly that was almost entirely out of my own personal budget). Because we wanted to make sure that everyone felt the safety of being able to spot a flag in the crowd and know that whoever was holding it was not someone who would reject them for their gender/sexuality.

Sure, another option is that no one brings flags and we all just sit and enjoy the music. That’s really fine. But I think for our fandom in particular it’s a bit of history, of being loudly rejected during the 1D days and then surging our support for one another for the solo tours.

And tbh yeah. Okay. America is scary and people are mean and i know so so SO many people who are ONLY out online or at shows like these. I want them to know im there with them.

So, I don’t know if I answered your question well. @takemehomefromnarnia or @lululawrence or any number of other people could probably answer it better.

[idlenight]

humbly asking you for more info on leo ortiz (if you want to ofc!) because everything i hear about him makes me fall more in love

Humbly (but elaborately) answering!!! I love my son - the fact that i advertised for his death to my GM non-withstanding, ignore that.

Leo Ortiz aka Starbright was my character in a game of Masks: A New Generation that is run by my dear friend @vin-ill. (he doesn't post all that much on here but he's a creative genius and I stand by that as his friend, dm, and player).

For those unfamiliar, Masks is a ttrpg based on the 'Powered by the Apocalypse System' (pbta for short). The main draw is that you play a teenage superhero. You are figuring out who you are, who you want to be, and what others (adults especially) want you to be - and whether you want that too.

the TL;DR about Leo is that he's a hypocrite, he never wanted to be a hero, is deeply self-sacrificing, kind of aloof and a dick but cares so much. And that he loves his brother despite everything.

If you want to long version on Leo's history, then take a peek below.

Leonardo Nathaniel Osborn aka Bryce Brilliant started out as the 'Star' playbook. Playbooks aren't like dnd classes, the idea is that you play an archetype. In this case the concept of the Star was being a Hero Influencer, who has an adoring fanbase.... but also obligations that come with that.

(above is the first page of the star playbook I had customised with my own art of Leo :D)

Before being a hero, Leo was a child-actor. When he came out of a car accident with light based powers, his mother created the hero persona 'Bryce Brilliant'. She was his manager and being a hero was just another role he played. His half-brother Logan (older) had been jealous and spiteful of this, he wanted powers, he wanted to be a hero.

When teaming up with a couple of other kids to save the day, his mother insisted they become a superhero team (aka the other players). Their team name was the Bryce Brilliants. They even had a Shoe brand sponsorship.

(first drawing of the entire squad, from left to right: Sam aka Saber, Leo aka Bryce Brilliant, Carey aka Carry, Sky Lee aka Justice)

In the team Leo first learned how to have proper friends teammates, and see being a hero as more than another role to play. Eventually he met Johanna Ortiz, the women he got his powers from.... What you thought they awakened naturally? No his mother bought these powers, she owns the Brilliant name, she owns the right to these powers. Powers that were grafted onto her son.

This is the moment Leo changed playbooks from the Star to the Protege.

The Protege playbook gives the player an NPC who is their mentor, they have a label they embody, and that they deny. (labels are like stats, but they are constantly shifting and are about how you see yourself vs how others see you). If you wanted to play a Robin type character you would probably pick the Protege. This is when he took on the superhero name Starbright.

(above is a screenshot of the Protege mentor labels, to give you an idea)

Leo moved out of his mother's home mansion, and moved into Johanna's trailer. It was quite the culture shock for the boy who would've unironically have said; "I mean it's one banana michael, what could it cost? ten dollars?".

He didn't get to stay a protege for long, as only a few session after he got uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Posessed.

Long story.

TL;DR: power dampening crystal was ground up and put into the water supply. Mixed with an entity that my GM called a 'Hydra-nt' (hydra creature made of water). So it became somewhat sentient and started serious shit all across the city. I failed a roll so fucking bad my guy got possessed by said goo and booked it into the direction of the Gotham to our Metropolis.

The team finished saving the city before going to the Worst City Imagineable(tm) to stage a Leo themed rescue. I played a character named Dr Lovelace (phd) aka Deckard Lovelace at this time, he was a child genius and earned his PHD when he was like, 12 or smth. He had mechanical limbs. i luv him. He never quite got into a hero persona but i had the name Dr Gizmo ready for him. He was the Brain playbook.

(some out of context memes from said rescue mission i found looking for smth else. David is me btw, hi.)

The team found Leo, he got exorcised with the power of friendship and this gun i found. (yk i dont remember exactly what happened, i think Carry did smth fucky with some uhhh power dust she had recently accidentally snorted which was absolutely not Deckard's fault. don't look at me)

the TL;DR of all that is that Leo was possessed by something that was aligned to one of the Five Powers That Be in this universe. Specifically he was possessed by the embodiment of the Abyss, emptiness. We ruled that going from Nothing to once again Everything that Leo was before changed his powers (and him) fundamentally. From then on Leo was the Nova, playbook. (also I made a tiktok about Leo not actually being dead at the time - wow did that not age well. not because it sucks, i still think its funny, but because he is kinda dead now)

The Nova playbook is build around the concept of having amazing godly powers, but little control. You could do everything and anything, but at what cost? Leo's powers become more cosmic than simply light based as a result. (smth smth becoming the sun itself, instead of the light it sheds)

(also HI obligatory new superhero outfit after life changing events 💛💛💛. The jacket used to belong to Johanna 💛💛💛)

A bunch of stuff happened after they got back. Leo changed his name from 'Leonardo Nathaniel Osborn' to 'Leo Ortiz', to officially move away from his birth-mom and align himself with his adoptive one. He broke into prison a little bit to talk and start the healing process with his brother Logan (oh yeah forgot to mention Logan was briefly a villain and Leo got him send to prison). Met a new teammate (an old player returning with a new character). Somehow kept collecting and aligning himself with the OTHER 5 powers that be, which I wasn't even actively trying for yknow. And yknow, fought a religious organisation for a bit.

One that Deckard is totally not responsible for gaining power, nooooo.... Don't look at me. (he just gave their leader a back of magical power dust in exchange for getting information on Leo during the rescue mission ok. it's fine, literally....)

At the climax of that arc, said leader tried to achieve godhood. And using the Nova's 'Moment of Truth', Leo took all of said power inside himself. Completing the 'powers that be' collection in the process, and shooting up far into space where he's become this kind of... shining star.

The moment of truth is an un-lockable playbook feature, where the player takes brief control of the narrative using the guidance of a written out blurb on the playbook. The above image is the MoT for the Nova playbook.

In his death he has created a new power in the universe - the power of friendship. No im not fucking kidding. The list is now: Potential, Tempest, Abyss, Sublime, Architects, and Leo with the power of friendship (and this gun i found).

Figuring he was too volatile to survive very long, he wrote letters to important people in his life. Letters I actually wrote out and printed, and were handed out during play to Players and NPC alike. They were read aloud and it was all very emotional, tears were shed.

A small excerpt from my favorite letter, written for Leo's brother:

Hi Logan, I love you. We stopped saying that to each other at some point. I can’t recall exactly when, I just knew you stopped saying it back so I did too. You know my friend Fleur? Her mother was pretty fucking bad too, and her older brother took her and ran one day. Sometimes I wish either of us had the courage to do the same when we were kids. I’m glad we kind of got there in the end. I’m sorry we lost so much time. I'm sorry we won’t have any more. (the letter continues here but its too long for this already long post)

Leo holds a very very special place in my heart. And he's like, super fucking dead now, and I wanted that to happen. Biting myself for that, evil bastard who does that to a character ಥ_ಥ.

If you got this far, thank you for reading! I love you 💛💛

[bonefall]

Better Bones AU Masterpost

Last Update: 8/23/23, Version 1.0

"What is the Better Bones AU?"

I'm so glad you asked, convenient question-speaker!

Better Bones (BB) is a full-series rewrite project that seeks to have a more conclusive stance on anti-authoritarianism, revamp the bonds and beliefs of individual characters to make more interesting drama and politics, and overhaul the progression of morality and history throughout the timeline to make the society of the Clans into a living, changing culture.

To do that, we've got 5 goals;

Fix the tangled family tree and give it clearer rules, expanding on kinship between cats while not neglecting friendships

Make the environment accurate to northwestern England, including education on how different biomes are managed and lists of local flora and fauna, to understand how environment has impacted Clan culture.

Build out technology by giving the Clans tool use and food preparation, additional traditions and customs, their own language, and medicinal treatment guides from sniffles up to HRT.

Change the themes of canon by addressing its problematic elements, giving the cats consistent politics and making the narrative conclusively anti-authoritarian.

Be cool as fuck, with wilder deaths, more clanborn villains, bloodier battles, and even MORE complicated innerClan drama

BB is told in notes and outlines, with the "end point" being a full skeleton for the entire series complete with chapter-by-chapter notes, which anyone would be able to write out fully, just as if they were a ghostwriter being handed a draft.

This project is open-source. I encourage you to take any inspiration from this AU that you'd like, or use the Clan culture expansions for your own projects. They don't HAVE to be warriors-related, we have a few folks who like to apply parts of this project to Rainworld! Go bananas.

I only ask that you don't steal any drawn art (as seen in the fanart, character summaries, and culture expansions) to pass it off as your own. Please respect the contributions of these artists.

"Boy howdy! Where do I start?"

WOWZERS another perfectly timed question I'm proud of you

HISTORY LESSON. This is a "brief" summary of the ENTIRE history of BB, breaking down each block of history into Periods, divided into Eras. It sprawls from the founding to the most recently completed arc. NOTE: BB does not cover arcs until they are complete. ASC has not been completed at the time of this post.

Character Summaries Every character gets a redesign and a summary, covering who they are, their role in the story, and their connections to everyone around them. NOTE: You are encouraged to put your own spin on the designs if you'd like! I do not design with genetic accuracy or MAP-friendliness in mind, so you have my blessing to alter them or request a modification for an animation.

Clan Culture Expansions Crafts, Herb Guides, the flora and fauna they encounter on a regular basis, and the Clanmew conlanguage is all in here.

Family Tree Overhauls This is almost done i swear

Fragment Bin This is where I'm going to eventually be putting everything still "WIP" material. I call these "fragments" because the full story isn't planned yet, but I talk about the little 'pieces' that I want to shuffle around. If you're new around here, basically I just sorta babble about a wishlist and then work through it with ask/reply suggestions.

FAQ I'll need this too at some point im sure

[daisychains111]

incorrect chb camper quotes but it's actually just my sister's quotebook from Twitter

Disclaimer: This post is gonna be LONG AF

Percy: "Ahh, die quieter"

Clarisse to Silena: "Do I look majestic?"

Will: "I live in America. Cultures?... casserole"

Nico: "At-home lobotomy"

Baby Nico to Clarisse: "You look like Harry Potter, You just need a scar black hair, different clothes, and to be a boy. "

Annabeth:"I don't know if I have enough sanity for 2 Holy books"

Leo: "I've seen titties before....not really in person, but yk"

Annabeth: "Do you have ears?"

Jason: "I kinda wanna work at Taco Bell"

Piper: "I've never been passive-aggressive in my life"

Will to Apollo: "There's no batteries in my butt Dad I'm not a robot"

Clarisse: "I'm not upset I don't hold grudges"

Ares to Clarisse: "I don't like your clothes it forces me to look at you"

Frank to Leo: "It's not 'drip' it's stupid"

Travis to the whole Hermes Cabin: "I'm the Rizzington bear... like Paddington bear but Rizz" (after his 1st date with Katie)

Nico: "I love Olive Garden, I wish Italians were real"

Rachel: "Come on, you guys stop trying to cockblock the view"

Katie: "If people can smoke weed in the middle of the day, then I can drink chamomile tea"

Rachel: "You don't want to piss me off I'm witewally a werewolf"

Piper about Jason: "All my friends are boys, and one just died... he would have made a great bridesmaid"

Frank: "I was doing a silly but the funny didn’t land"

Jason: "Why am I white"

Rachel: "I am not a whore, I am a celibate queen!"

Drew: "It's not the fashion statement that you think it is"

Nico about the Ares Cabin: "They're gonna call you a slur, but they're gonna be really nice about it"

Piper to Annabeth: "If we both think it, it's not bitchy"

Grover: "I'm just gonna write a paragraph or two about global warming"

Annabeth"I have like a 7th-grade reading level!!! (this is impressive when you're dyslexic)

Jason: "Dude I love yoga"

Will: "They say that Utah is the promise land"

Kayla: *explains what a text-fic is to grandparents (Apollo)*

Clarisse: "Put that on your Twitter!" *points knife at me*

Travis: "Do you eat?"

Katie: "...um yes?"

Travis: "Oh, I mean do you want to eat." (when he asked Katie out the first time)

Hazel: "That's not gonna change my heart. That's just gonna make me cry!"

Alabaster: "I wanna find someone somewhere to impregnate and then steal the baby......Where's your Twitter, that was kinda funny"

Percy about Leo: "I would spoon that man so hard"

Frank: "The closer I get to nature, the closer I get to being a werewolf"

Apollo: "I feel like Jaba the Hut"

Rachel: "It's because you ate girl dinner"

Apollo (same convo^)"I fell asleep, and I woke up, and I ate a girl dinner, and I didn't feel that good"

Percy: Don't mind me just cleaning the ocean" *hand angrily on hip*

Will to the Stolls: "Although my bellybutton was once my mouth I don't want soda in it!!"

Connor: "Look at how majestic I am"

Clarisse: *gasps* *throws uno cards* "This is communism at its finest, and I hate your life." *Is losing* "All I'm doing is humoring you now. There is no reason for me to play anymore." *throws cards* *again*

Nico: *passes out*

Will: "We need to take you to the doctor like right now."

Nico: "No fireworks are more important than my health"

Leo about Percy: "That's a pretty boy right there... if we were in prison, it's over."

Kayla when Will came out to her: "Slay motherfucker"

Annabeth: "I hope to not run over any old ladies...old men are fair game tho."

Percy: "Main characters get bullied, Jesus....yep!"

Leo: "What if I was an astronaut!!!!"

Travis: "Banana, Banana, Meatball"

Clarisse: "I am going to break your toe shut the hell up"

Katie to Connor: "I hope you get bullied in high school."

Clarisse about Leo: "This guy's a fuckin goober"

Clarisse: "What did you do to your sweatshirt? Did you get hungry?"-Grover: *sighs*

Nyssa (Hephaestus kid) to Leo: "Dont hurt me. I'm Batman!.... You better not tweet that"

Kayla to Apollo: "It's called multi-tasking Apollo! "

Apollo: "It's mother to you"

Clarisse: "I could fight God and win"

Percy: "So you wanna fight rn"

Clarisse: "No, I'm good"

Jason; "You look gang"

Leo: "What? I look gay!?!?!"

Jason: "You look straight, but nice"

Leo: "Oh... thanks!"

Apollo to Rachel"Lie, deny, cry, and for good measure be a raging slut."

Silena: "There's all kinds of nature out here"

Katie: "Live, laugh, love, low iron"

Annabeth to Piper: "Keep backing up...Cuz you have a fear of commitment

Lou Ellen to Katie: "Does your knee affect your shoe size... or are your feet just that small??"

Travis: "The amount of testosterone in me, peanuts are allergic to me!"

Leo: "I'm cracked up on feeling sexy"

Connor to the whole Hermes Cabin: "The "10" of us? our parents sp*rm pets"

Apollo about Athena: "OH gods, a single mom"

Apollo about Kayla's dad: "I cheated on myself with a man"

Malcolm about Athena: "She's a mom boogie woogie woogie"

Nico: "I cried at Chick-fil-A the other day"

Nico: "Live, laugh, lobotomy."

Drew about Thalia: "She has no friends and a dead brother."

Katie: "I wrote fanfiction on my i-pod touch"

Lacy to Leo: "Was it a tech? or was it a human?"

Will: "Live, laugh, love, tampons"

Kayla: "Die, cry, hate, condoms"

Aphrodite to Clarisse: "Do you like being a girl? You just always wear pants"

Percy: "Chill I know how to make conversations I have Rizz"

Will: "What! no! cow!"

Frank: "Fvcking knock it off seriously you guys are acting like children!!"

Travis to Lou Ellen: "Yesss pussy-pop you slayed"

Ashlyn (Hermes kid): "Chick-fil-A is mid, Taco bell is where it's at"

Percy during tlt: "You couldn't even buy a gumball with that shit (drachmas)"

Percy (same convo ^): "A quarter? You could buy a gumball with that shit"

Nico: "Your soul and your money!"

Tyson: "You've seen fishes, fishes move fast"

Leo to Frank: "What the fvck is a kilometer"

Leo making fun of Frank: "Mua ha ha ha I'm Canadian"

Percy: "Jesus didn't give up his life he gave up his weekend"

*as seen at 2am in the Apollo Cabin*

Gracie: "You're discriminating against me"

April (the token straight): "It's cuz she's gay"

Will: "We're all gay."

Nico: You don't have any slurs about you."

Leo: "No because I'm perfect"

this was fun to make lol....there will probably be a part 2 but like far in the future. if you made it this far I love you....also if you don't recognize names it's bc I deep-dived Wiki to find canon names for each cabin.

If y'all want one-shots based on these TELL ME I NEED STUFF TO WRITE ABOUT

[dustofwarfare]

Mall Goth Makarov

I just wrote this bit in this chapter of Salt and Vinegar:

Graves kisses him back, hand curling around the back of his neck, feeling the buzz of short hair against his fingers. Makarov had Masha cut his hair again, and his face against Graves’s own is smooth, meaning he probably shaved that morning. Graves likes him with a little bit of stubble, but he can’t deny he likes the shorter cut of his hair. When it’s longer, Makarov looks a bit like a delinquent hanging out in front of the mall, smoking cigarettes and making fun of the kids waiting for their moms to pick them up.

....I wish I could draw because I am a former mall goth kid (like, OG!Mall goth, 80's style, I am an old lady!!!!) and now all I want is Mall Goth Makarov (TM) smoking in the mall food court (you could smoke in malls in the 80s lol) and Graves the preppy kid who is shopping at Banana Republic but secretly has a crush on the bad boy who like, got in trouble for shoplifting from Spencer's Gifts or something.

ah, mall culture, what a joy. Anyway I promise I am working on this chapter!!! Graves has a lot of feelings, okay, it's not my fault *coughs*

[wsknbfanaccnt]

GOM and their favorite Filipino food/snacks, words and culture/tradition please 🙏 (I feel like murasakibara will definitely like Filipino snacks especially beng beng)

been kinda lazy writing oneshots so imma do this first as headcanons

this is gonna be fun~

Favorite Filipino Foods and Traditions

ok for snacks, he likes mild tastes like tofu

so maybe he'd like pastillas, otap, stuff like that

and omfg maybe like bibingka?? i feel like he'd like that

OH AND SUMAN OMFG HE'D GO CRAZY FOR THAT

for cultures, hes absolutely (pun intended) in love with the traditional clothing

you can occasionally find him casually wearing a barong and he FUCKING ROCKS THAT SHIT

omfg someone draw akashi in a barong pls

he'd love learning about Filipino history, always visiting areas like Intramuros, Rizal Park, Fort Santiago

he also adores the hospitality and how family oriented our culture is, and would love to participate

when he eventually learns tagalog he would read fucking El Filibusterismo and Noli me Tangere for fun

watches a lot of PBA

i think he'd like candies like Milkita and Haw Haw

mmm maybe polvoron too

AND BUKO PANDAN

yes he loves buko pandan

Kuroko would be so happy when he does mano to elders

first of all it would make him feel noticed

2nd he just finds it so endearing and tries to do it to as many people as possible bcause respect

AND WHENEVER HE GOES THERE HE CANT HELP BUT JOIN THE RANDOM BASKETBALL GAMES IN THE STREET

yk how there's courts everywhere?

yeah he loves joining

and hes actually kinda tall or average height so he's happy playing with people his height LMFAO

makes him feel very included

ykw they all just watch PBA every now and then

tbh im not completely sure what his taste in food is

but one thing i know for sure is that he's fond of turon and puto

(the food ok this is tagalog)

and i can also see him snacking on dried mangoes lol

ooh im sure he'd also love the superstitions that we filipinos have omg

he ALWAYS says tabi tabi po when entering a forest like a good filo boy

and he'd go along with the lucky numbers and dates too

he wont open umbrellas indoors LMFAO omg

and this always works for him for some reason

i think he would like attending filipino festivals

also wearing a matching barong with akashi

he LOOVES fortune telling

and im sure that uh

idk how to say this in english but nakulam sya at least once

or ok so "he was hexed at least once"

okay so i think he would LOOOVE yema and taho and halo halo

he tried balut once but he threw up LMFAO

and kise loves ensaymada WITH CHEESE OKAY WITH CHEESE thats important

loves tinikling and loves participating in it

he loves watching it and he learned it at one point

i think he'd be the type to go all out for christmas (yes, all 5 months of it) and new years

he has like 3 parols that he puts up every year and HE DEFINITELY LOVES CAROLING

hes a pretty boy so he'd always get like 50 to 100 pesos

AND ITS CANON THAT KISE LOVES KARAOKE

sometimes when he comes across some people doing karaoke he'll just join in and everyone loves him

eventually he learns some classic filo karaoke songs that range from Dancing Queen to Bituing Walang Ningning

THIS MAN LOVESSS THE STREETFOOD

bbq, kwek kwek, balut, fish balls, isaw, banana q, chicharon bulaklak, you name it

omfg he can eat those every day

and he doesnt care abt some of the dishes that might seem "weird" he fucking lvoes it all

OMFG SOMEONE TAKE HIM TO A SAMGYUPSAL

doesnt mind eating at a karinderya

i think he'd be the type to explore the hell out of MOA, riding all the amusement parks and eating snacks near the Manila bay

he also loves watching the Pyro Olympics

ofc, as a basketball lover, always joins in the random games everywhere

and i think he'd really appreciate the fact that like

it doesnt matter where or what materials youre using for your hoop, doesnt matter whos playing or anything at all

if you play bball then you play bball

he gets mistaken for being pinoy lol

now this man just loves all the filipino snacks

Piatos, Pillows, Clover, Roller Coaster

and sweets like Yema, taho (he likes it cold tho), cassava cake, stuff like that

he also likes kalamay, biko, palitaw

OH AND HE LOVES UBE OH MY GOD

ube ice cream, ube crinkles, ube everything

he also loves that its the color of his hair lol

he likes joining aomine when looking for streetfood too

i think he likes banana q and fish balls the most when it comes to street food

HIS FAV PALAMIG IS SAGO GULAMAN

the filipinos are terrified of him at first (everyone there is like 5'5 below lol) but they'll soon realize that hes a gentle giant and will love him tbh.

the kids love him, will drag him around and show him off to people

"tingnan mo, ang tangkad!" (look, so tall!)

"grabe, parang aabot sya ng langit!" (its crazy, its like hes gonna reach the sky!)

[dvrcos]

Ive been bothering everyone I possibly can by dropping asks abt Aaron in their inbox soo it's ur turn now

Any Aaron hcs? Your opinion on skater boy Aaron?

And because I love Kevin too, any Kevin hcs? I feel like people tend to forget that Kevin likes photography too canonically besides exy and history

OMG I JUST SAW THIS THANK YOU FOR ASKING HEHEHEHE

Skater boy Aaron is real and true and canon (to me at least)

He is the poster boy for the early 2000s skater aesthetic

Part of the reason he continues skating in college is because he enjoys the heart attack it gives Kevin

Kevin doesn’t want him getting hurt and jeopardizing the team and his wellbeing

So Aaron makes sure he finds time to skate everyday

Aaron is a lover of pop culture and is just a fucking nerd dude

He loves Lord of the Rings and read Harry Potter as it came out (and also very actively hates JKR in the modern day)

Aaron Minyard is a chronic migraine girly

He’s a med student and athlete who gets very little sleep so his head constantly hurts

And yaknow what he’s a little bitch about it too

He is constantly complaining to Katelyn and using it as an excuse to be an asshole

(I love him so dearly)

I also think he is constantly cold and has terrible blood circulation

His hands and feet are always freezing

Years of drug use and constantly needing to take Advil for his headaches has just shot his cardiovascular system

So he’s constantly cold and doesn’t run a lot because his stamina is shit

He has a raging addiction to caffeine and his vice is RedBulls

His sleep schedule is absolutely wrecked from both Exy and school so he’s rarely ever without a RedBull in hand

I don’t think he cares a lot about his diet but he does try to keep it pretty nutrient packed bc he knows the benefits of it

But he also has a sweet tooth (not as strong as Andrew’s but still strong) and he favors baked goods like cake and banana bread and pastries

His vision is bad and it just keeps getting worse over the years but he doesn’t wear his glasses often

He usually resorts to contacts but has to switch to his glasses late at night or when his head is hurting extra bad

OKAY KEVIN FUCKING DAY

He loves tea

Like has an extensive tea collection and will spend the money to buy teas from around the world

He also has a mug collection (the Foxes start gifting him mugs every holiday when they find out about it)

His favorite mugs are his vintage Trojans mug, a “history is not boring” mug the Foxes gave him when he graduated, and a Hogwarts mug Aaron gave him

(they read the series together :P)

Kevin’s favorite areas of history to study are Ancient Rome and the history of Ireland

He’s fascinated by the Roman Empire and studying Ireland makes him feel more connected to his mother

I think he continues school on the side and eventually gets a doctorate degree and teaches a bit after he retires from Exy

He always tries to sign with teams in or near the cities the other OG Foxes are in because he doesn’t really know how to function without the familiarity of his people

Kevin works a lot on undoing his Raven dietary habits and since he’s surrounded by people who can’t cook he grows a love for frozen food as well as caffeine

I think he takes a few art classes and really enjoys it even though he doesn’t think he’s that great at it

He’s actually not bad at all and makes a lot of really cool pieces

Kevin exclusively wears 5 inch inseam shorts

Anything longer is blasphemous

He has basically zero sense of style and just kind of mimics what the others are wearing

Until Allison forces him to go to the mall with her and they spend hours building him a real wardrobe that is him

Most of his closest still consists of PSU and USC merch though

And truly would this even be me if I didn’t put kevaaron headcanons? No

Kevin is basically a human radiator, especially after practice

And that is a blessing directly from God in Aaron’s eyes

Kevin comes back from night practice and Aaron just clings to him, absorbing all of his heat as they fall asleep

Aaron is a chronic clothes stealer like he just has sticky fingers when it comes to Kevin’s wardrobe

They spend a lot of time together in the library

They’re both in quite intensive and workload heavy majors so they study together a lot

It happened more as an accident tbh like Aaron was heading to the library to study for a midterm

And basically all of PSU’s student body had the same idea so there was no open tables

But low and behold there was Kevin, alone at a table tucked in the back corner, typing away at his laptop

Aaron joins him without asking and it kinda just becomes their thing

Kevin joins Aaron at the library between regular and night practices

They spend most of their weekends there and bring each other caffeinated drinks and snacks

Eventually they’re not even studying half the time, they’re just talking and spending time with each other outside of Exy and the other Foxes curious glances and prying comments

Aaron takes a history class with Kevin but Kevin refuses to take any science class outside of his required credits

He’s not a science person so Aaron doesn’t take it personally

Kevin can never properly wrap his head around how strong Aaron actually is

It just doesn’t compute for him, like how can so much strength be packed into such a small body

But he is most definitely not complaining, especially not when that strength is so clearly but on display or used against him

Kevin is practically drooling anytime he watches Aaron body check a striker twice his size and send them sprawling onto the floor

They become each others partners/marks during practices and it is simultaneously the best and worst thing to ever happen

They’re just excessively flirting while tripping each other and fighting with their racquets

The other Foxes comment on their “weird and disturbing foreplay” every chance they get

[hawaiifiveohana]

H50 Birthday Fic Challenge!!

*inspired by Navy and Roos Sunday Challenge

🧁🧁🧁Danny's b-day is August 23rd. Scott's is also August 23rd and Alex's is August 24th. Which means we are having a bake off!🧁🧁🧁

Thats right, we're making cakes for the boy's birthdays!!!🎂🎂🎂 (there will also be two other b-day challenges: bingo and prompt fills). Pick a cake, add some frosting--and maybe a topping or two-- then share the results! and yes, art or vid can also be used to make a cake🍰!

🍰Dark chocolate: A character's secret is revealed.

🍰Strawberry: The sweetness of a childhood friends AU.

🍰Lemon: A tangy mermen/were AU.

🍰Red velvet: Store/shop AU. Coffee shop, bakery, tattoo parlor, etc.

🍰German chocolate: Stranded/locked in together!

🍰Vanilla: There's only one bed.

🍰Coconut: Rare pair.

🍰Carrot: Pining or unrequited love.

🍰Apple: School/University teacher AU.

🍰Old-Fashion Cream: Historical AU.

*frosting and toppings are optional, you do not need to use one.

Frosting:

🧁French Buttercream: Fake dating/undercover marriage

🧁Swiss Meringue: Found Family.

🧁Chocolate Ganache: Misunderstanding.

🧁Cream Cheese: Sexy times.

🧁 Vanilla: Domestic Fluff/daily routines.

🧁 Whipped Cream: Whump/hurt and comfort.

Toppings:

🥄Cherries: Meet-cute.

🥄Sprinkles: Day at the beach/ocean.

🥄Rasberries: Kisses.

🥄Cookie Crumbles: Flashback.

🥄Pineapple: Hawai'an culture.

🥄Toasted Almonds: Angst.

🥄 Cake Crumbles: Lingerie/underwear.

🥄Caramel: Drunk/delirious/not in their right mind.

🥄Bananas and nuts: Crack fic.

[mosviqu]

before the new year begins

happy new year everyone! 🫶🏻✨️ toffee @neo-shitty tagged me in this and since i absolutely love talking about myself and reflecting, i am taking the opportunity to look back on 2024 with this, so thank u for the tag hihi. 🩷

my no-pressure tags go to @sungbeam @from-izzy @gluion @jaehunnyy @sanaxo-o @injangism and @freakywonbin !!

1. share your favorite memory of this year.

as much as i shit on 2024, it surely was one of the best years of my life. I can't really think of one memory that would be my most favorite, but i really enjoyed my trip to budapest in june and also august, my internet best friend sleeping over, karaoke nights in november and december, getting drunk with my situationship, 11/11 manifestation with my friend and over-all many moments spent with friends during this semester :,)

2. what was the highlight of your year?

I think that an over-all highlight might have been me spending more time with my friends and building deeper bonds with the people around me, but once again, i dont think i can pick just one.

3. list the top five books you read this year.

AAAA i love book questions. okay so! first place definitely takes happy all the time by laurie colwin, which i didnt expect to like as much as i did, but its a solid 5* book that i think about often. second place is definitely tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by gabrielle zevin that i read this time last year, it was such an enchanting and amazing read with an unique plot line and great world building. third place takes flowers for algernon by daniel keyes, my psych major heart enjoyed this one deeply. makes you think and reflect and i would recommend this book to anyone. I also very much enjoyed kitchen by banana yoshimoto, which was written in a very simple, yet beautiful way, and the last one im going to mention is never let me go by kazuo ishiguro, which i also didnt expect to like half as much as i did.

4. list the top five movies you watched this year.

I am not much of a movie watcher, if im being honest, i am convinced i literally watched 5 movies in total last year 💀💀 but i did really love fight club! I also finally watched the amazing spiderman movies which i loved, and beautiful boy which wasn't exactly what i expected, but i enjoyed it nonetheless and think about it often. as the fifth one im gonna mention john mulaney: baby j if that counts..? 😭

5. list the top five tv series you binged this year.

I havent watched much tv series either,, but twinkling watermelon was definitely my favorite!! I also enjoyed the eighth sense and the eight show, and i also channeled my inner uk culture lover and watched the inbetweeners finally LMAOO

6. what is the one new thing you discovered this year (could be a place/hobby/song etc)?

does a karaoke bar at uni count? 💀💀 i dont think i really discovered many new things last year, or i cant really recall anything..? but i definitely discovered more of my uni town and maybe more of my sexuality..? 😭 as for artists i discovered the kid laroi, role model and gracie abrams :p

7. top three albums that you played this year?

the secret of us by gracie abrams, eternal sunshine by ariana grande and kansas anymore by role model were definitely my most played this year 🙂‍↕️

8. your spotify wrapped #1 song

I feel like i am the only one whose spotify wrapped was accurate this year HAHA. anyways mine was sadly she moves in her own way by the kooks. 🧍‍♀️

9. your spotify wrapped top artist.

the 1975! matty healy they could never make me hate you.

10. your personal song of the year.

oof.. n e m u s i m e s a b a t by porsche boy and mess. this song was there for me when no one else was HAHA.

11. what is an achievement that you are proud of this year?

started putting myself first and taking more opportunities to go out/hang out with people. this used to be a big problem of mine especially when i was handling anxiety, but i found that getting out of the house helps managing it :))

12. what are your goals for the next year?

biggest goal is definitely graduating and getting into masters! then id love to travel to london with my friend in the summer and finally get that tattoo i've been wanting since 17 hihi. finding love would also be great but i dont think thats something i can impact haha

13. any three book releases you are excited for next year

I dont really follow any anticipated releases, to be honest! I just read what i find already released 😭

14. any three upcoming movies/tv series that you are excited for next year.

WEAK HERO CLASS 2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

15. if you could change one thing about the past year what would it be?

the holiday season 💀💀 it was quite possibly the darkest part of my year/life and i did not enjoy it at all.

16. did you manage to stick to your new year's resolutions this year?

I just found a few that i had written down in my journal last year. I definitely stuck to taking care of myself more, put myself first more, hanging out more with my friends and continuing to write. I didnt however watch more movies, do more art and read 24 books last year 💔

17. do you have any new year's resolutions for the next year?

I do! as i already mentioned, graduating and getting into masters is a big one. then going to london, get a tattoo, write more, continue to socialize even more, be more careless and have more of a yolo lifestyle, find a more positive relationship with myself and build my confidence in a way that doesnt depend on external validation. :))

18. favorite meme of the year?

mama a girl behind you was a big one in my brain to be quite honest. 😭😭 also 9/10 perfect score! OH and the sabrina "have you ever tried this one?"

19. which month was the most fun this year?

june, august, october and november were big ❤️‍🔥

20. what color do you associate the previous year with?

hmmm not gonna lie its very close to brat green in my eyes

21. if you could tell yourself something at the beginning of this year based on what you know right now, what would it be?

do things scared !!! don't worry so much about everything, because things will turn out just fine. also dont talk to the erasmus people in the club it's a trap! (/j. I've enjoyed this little fun romance side quest of mine so far.)

22. favorite viral trend of the year?

I think i kinda fell for the very cutesy very demure trend for a bit?? Also the viral dance to disco by surf curse was the highlight of my days i watched every single one on my fyp haha

23. list any three new things you learned this year (could be recipes, a new skill, etc.)

my signature pasta recipe i cook for me and my roommate every other week. I also feel like i finally learned how to park..? and uhhh the last skill may be how to give a bj idk sjsksdksksk

24. how would you describe your year in a word?

fun!

25. what color do you want to associate the upcoming year with? why?

yellow! it feels like a very positive/celebratory color and i feel like thats what i really need next year <3