#but her mean and sadistic personality was also what made her so fun. and yet so many people hated that before chapter 2

[terukotime]

this might be a hot take but i get really annoyed at how many people don't like Hu just because she "babies" Nico. at this point i am desensitized to the Teruko hate, but with Hu? like. did you not watch the episode where she starts reaching her breaking point and explains why she acts the way she does? no, the way she treats Nico isn't good, but i don't see nearly as many people disliking David for literally outing Nico. and undermining their feelings when they expressed that they weren't ready to come out.

shit, man, the biggest takeaway from the most recent episode is that, at least in the killing game, there's no such thing as "good people". they have all done bad things and will continue to do bad things. some of the stuff they do, and sometimes the way they just are in general, don't make them horrible, irredeemable people either. no one HAS to like Hu or Teruko, but i sure wish that people would take a step back more often and really look at why they don't like them as much as characters like David and Xander, who have, so far, done more morally reprehensible things than they have. i like David and Xander for the same reasons i like Teruko and Hu: they're deeply complex, flawed, and troubled people who are doing their best to navigate through an impossible situation where all their lives are on the line. they'll make bad decisions. they'll treat others poorly. they'll do things that will make you, as a viewer, uncomfortable. so it makes me wonder: why are so many people made uncomfortable by the actions of the female characters more than the male ones?

i'm not trying to police the way anyone feels about the cast as a whole. i'm just kind of sick of seeing this double standard so often, and i can only hope that the people who don't like Teruko and Hu and any of the other female characters still enjoy them and are at least entertained by them. because i really feel like all the characters bring something special to the series, and it wouldn't be the same without them.

Hello member of the DRDT fandom. Please explain why you hate Hu Jing and Teruko Tawaki but love David Chiem. You are not allowed to use the words "too emotional", any synonym of the word annoying, or call David hot. You have two minutes before the Saw trap goes off.

[techramonic]

This is a pointless ask but it’s unfortunate that Vlad’s isolation lead him down such a path. I mean, he even killed his own teacher. Sometimes I find it hard to believe Vlad was full of hatred. I think he was more depressed, and didn’t see a point in living anymore. Just me ?

Not just you bud. I think similarly as well. Thank you for bringing this up because I've been meaning to talk about it

I've read from an article, sadly I've lost it but I'll try to look for it soon again — the main person Vlad targeted was the college principal. It could also be viewed in the cctv that he tried to find her in her office, but she left a few minutes prior the attack. Numerous news articles have also mentioned how he occasionally expressed his contempt in school being born out of how his classmates would "make fun" of him for being "different and not like the rest". As well as how he did not like how rude the professors were.

With the teachers, I can see where he's coming from because teens will say anything when they hate the educational system. His schoolmates have expressed their cluelessness about it — how would they know, when many teens also say the same stuff about shooting up their school because they hate the place? It's concerning, yet sadly true. The educational system is neglectful, so I can see why the students don't like being there. However, his reaction to it was disproportionate. In his own words, "But it’s BAD to KILL people. I just expressed my subjective opinion and I don’t call for killing." While it is alright to have a subjective and hypothetical opinon, killing should never be an option and he did just that.

With his classmates on the other hand, however it may be true that he felt "bullied", I think that he saw the times they laughed at him as a mockery of his insecurities rather than just seeing it as pointless fun. Teenagers are cruel, but I think what really ticked him off was because he was not "like them" in a sense that they had goals, aspirations, and they saw a future. He didn't have that in himself, nor did he believe in his own capabilities of achieving it.

He didn't make any friends nor did he want to in the first place the whole time he was at college. I believe that he developed a coping mechanism of pushing others away because people had what he didn't and it made him feel bad for himself. He was in an active form of isolation and perhaps his plan was truly a solidification of his willingness to die. I don't think he perpetrated the shooting solely because of revenge but moreso to corner himself into being killed, because then again, what good would happen when he's done with the shooting? He's dead once he picked up his gun and started.

Maybe that was the sense of purpose he could look forward to, destruction. It's disturbing, it's disappointing, it's upsetting. It's human. It's human to want others to finally see just how pained and distributed you are after trying to communicate for years and still be shunned. From what I've been reading and posting, he had been communicating the warning signs all along, though very subtly: he isolated himself by being withdrawn with everyone and would be dismissive once someone he's close to (like his family) would ask, he didn't like the idea of having friends, he talked about violence and revenge so openly, and even had sadistic tendacies when he was a child yet his psychiatrist dismissed it.

Lastly, he even mentioned to one of his friends, Rostik, that everything ends after death. He believes that nothing else happens on the other side. He has this delusional idealized version of death, considering it to be something "beautiful". I think he wanted death so much because he was clinging unto that hope for peace.

I truly believe a person primarily craves death because of their attachment to a hope of permanent relief. An end from all the pain and suffering in this world.

[beheworthy]

For such a vividly colorful film, I thought Thor: Love and Thunder got color symbolism wrong mostly. Especially in the pivotal boat scene between Thor and Jane. Thor's face is mostly lit in purple (transformation) and Jane's face in red (passion) - colors that were opposite at best and completely wrong at worst.

But the one scene where the use of colors - or rather their lack - shines is the entire Shadow Realm sequence. The stark difference stands out because the rest of the film is so filled to the brim with colors and reinforces how scary Gorr is.

We're coming off the high of Thor and Jane rekindling their relationship going into this scene. I knew there was going to be a face off but I didn't expect it to be this one-sided. Valkyrie is the only one who gets to respond, both Thor and Jane are not allowed to say anything at all. He literally has them restrained and silenced. And when he gets the stage to himself, he shows how sadistic and cruel he is.

First, he tries to pry open Thor's hand to call Stormbreaker. When Thor resists, Gorr is actually impressed - 'some God you are'. He responds by firmly closing Thor's fist and proceeding to torture his girlfriend. Thor WILL have to give in now but this time he will not be able to open his fist. Gorr incites pure panic and desperation in Thor, just for fun. And then goes ahead and labels himself and Thor as similar.

Valkyrie rightly calls him out on his hypocrisy by saying that our hero and villain are not the same. Gorr tells her that Thor's ancestors did nothing for her sisters while they died for the throne of Asgard because that's what these people are. They don't care about the people who laid down their lives for Asgard. And it's not false. Odin has historically been known to let his warriors die just to uphold Asgard's repute. Although this is something Thor very strongly takes the opposite stance on.

After making Valkyrie cry, Gorr equates himself to Jane as well in the fact that both their weapons are killing them and how wrong they're done by the Gods. How Thor used her and threw her away. Gave her nothing but hurt. And this isn't false either. He left her for 2 yrs. He hurt her when he was living with her to drive her away from him. And even now, he can't do anything for her c*ncer. His freakin' hammer is actually killing her faster.

So, turns out Gorr is actually right about Thor and his ancestors doing no good to the people who have laid their lives for them (Valkyries) and people who've loved them more than life (Jane). Which is why when Gorr is face to face with both Valkyrie and Jane, they are on equal footing as visual symbolism.

Gorr now proceeds to equate himself with Thor. He mocks him over his helplessness to save the love of his life from her illness. Gorr too was helpless over his daughter's impending death. This IS a point of equality. And yet. Gorr is distinctly framed beneath Thor and has to look up at him. They are not equals here because a) our hero and villain are not the same, obviously. And b) Gorr was certainly disregarded by the Gods he worshipped. But Jane wasn't by Thor. He made her life 'magical', in her own words. He gave her life so much more meaning, furthered her journey, and gave her a world of happiness. He is her happiness.

Gorr actually has to climb some steps to put himself on the same footing as Thor. And now when he says 'I know your pain, love in pain', they're visual equals because Gorr propped himself up. And this time, it's true. Thor's love, not just for his girlfriend he is destined to lose, but for every single person he has lost IS his pain.

So it's understandable why he gives in and calls Stormbreaker for Jane despite Valkyrie's disapproval. Jane is the last family he has left. He cannot lose her again. After having to watch every single loved one die in front of him and for him, he just doesn't have it in him to watch his last hope also be snatched away from him. So he selfishly makes the call, risking the captured children and much bigger things (as well as later failing to keep Stormbreaker and worsening everything).

And by making the call, Thor ultimately proves Gorr right about how selfish the Gods are.

[uravichu]

!! Spoilers for both Demon Slayers manga, Shinobu's character, and Jiaoqiu in the Xianzhou Luofu Quest !!

So like I'm not sure if anyone else has compared these two yet, but I was thinking about the fact that Jiaoqiu is voiced by Mark Whitten, who voices Rengoku in Demon Slayers dub.

They don't necessarily share a lot in common beside fire, from what I can recall. But, there is a demon slayer character Jiaoqiu has a bit more in common with.

Shinobu Kocho.

The most obvious thing they share is them both being healer characters of sorts. But, there are a few more I'd like to focus on that don't involve them just being healer buddies with a slightly sadistic side to them.

First is their personalities. They display themselves in a friendly, almost approachable manner. That makes sense since they're doctors and need patients to be able to tell them problems easily. It's easier to feel more relaxed around a doctor who's friendly, isn't it? But, it's not only that. They both mask their grievances and/or anger underneath this persona of friendliness.

Shinobu was quite a blunt and straightforward wording girl when she was younger, but the death of her sister made her adapt this personality similar to her sister. It's clearly fake, and she makes almost backhanded comments sometimes and teases people. It's easy to ignore since she displays herself so easygoing. Not only that, but we see in the anime moments where she feels anger, but forces herself to maintain a demeanor of calm and happy.

We know that Shinobu is in a constant state of anger. Demons have killed so many dear to her, including her elder sister. It's hidden beneath her usual facade of happiness.

Jiaoqiu himself isn't exactly like this. I think he's more open about poking fun at others, but they're both people who display a personality that hides their more hidden emotions.

What I'm most interested in when it comes to comparing them is how they handle poison.

I haven't read the manga bc I'm broke and also I'd like to see it animated, but I've heard about it from the wiki and manga readers. Shinobu apparently has poison inside her body, and I'm going off assumptions here... but I'm assuming Douma eats her/absorbs her, meaning he gets poisoned due to the lethal amount I'm assuming Shinobu has inside of her.

This is similar to the way Jiaoqiu takes down Hooley. He ingested poison lethal to Hooley, and Hooley had drunk his blood, which weakened him enough for the others to defeat the man.

I find it really interesting that Jiaoqiu and Shinobu share this. They're both favorite characters of mine, and it's so cool to see how similar these two can be in how they handle poison.

Don't take this too seriously since I'm not big on character analysis myself since I have little idea how to convey things properly, but just a cool little connection between my current fixations right now lol :)

[shiroandblack]

[TW: abuse, suicide, incest, matricide, pyrophobia, underage sex, Freudian mother-son relationships, mental illness, SA]

PART II OF MY VAMPIRE FICTION PHASE: DIABOLIK LOVERS

I seperated it because this guy *slaps like Apollo slapped Patroclus* deserves their own post. Also, despite the dark romance/felony of it all the soundtrack absolutely slaps especially 'Gin no Bara'.

So basically priest's daughter gets trapped as a blood bank to 6 vampire brothers who are the sons of the vampire king who is fantastically creepy and yet never around except when he's pretending to be the school doctor, but you just know he's fucking shit up. Damn it, Karlheinz.

So these 6 guys, they all have issues. MASSIVE, MAJOR ISSUES. I mean, if you think Madara from Naruto has issues? These guys absolutely win.

Let's start in order of whoever I can remember most.

1. Shū

Ah yes, Shū the eldest brother. I will say that if I had to choose who I'm stuck in an elevator with out of any of these people, I would probably pick Shū. Shū is basically the eldest child and he is the son of Beatrix, Karlheinz's second wife. Did I mention that vampire king daddy had three wives at the same time? No, well it's gonna be pretty relevant later. So Beatrix was the typical high expectation mom, she constantly told Shū that he was the heir and told him to behave appropriately. Think Alicent and Aegon from House of the Dragon, but Beatrix was much more severe with Shū who for all intents and purposes, was just a kid who wanted to play around with other kids, instead of banging servants. Anyways, due to Trauma™ involving his best friend dying in a fire (started by his younger brother, but we'll get to that) he's pretty apathetic towards everything and everyone. But when he does care, he will indeed pull you out of a burning building despite his immense pyrophobia. I don't know how, but out of all of them I'd say Shū is the most well adjusted individual but then again, the bar is in hell. Also, fun fact, this guy once got a part-time job as a cashier which I find absolutely hilarious.

2. Reiji

He shares a mother with Shū, Beatrix. Basically while Beatrix was busy trying to get Shū to do whatever the hell an heir is supposed to do, Reiji was pretty much ignored. However, in the game Beatrix catches Reiji studying and was like "good job" genuinely complimenting him, but then Reiji was like "you're bothering me". So I don't know man. The anime made him more sadistic and psycho in terms of personality which I don't think was really needed cause he's plenty psycho already. He seems to be the most well adjusted, but keyword being seems. So because he was ignored by his mom, he pretty much tried to get Shū's attention but like most older siblings, Shū thought hanging out with his younger brother was uncool and so what does Reiji does? This vampire youngling sets a whole ass human village on fire, coincidentally Edgar is in that village. Reiji thought "great, now that Edgar is out of the way Shū will acknowledge me!" but no. Instead Shū just becomes apathetic and a shell of a person. To those of you who've read/watched Twilight, this feels very Aro and Marcus but unlike Aro who is genuinely worried that Marcus might off himself, Reiji just feels bitter and angry that now his elder brother is ignoring him even more. But that's not the cake, oh no, the cake is that Reiji killed his mother. I mean technically he hired a vampire hunter to do it (said vampire hunter being Yui's adoptive dad. You know, the priest who threw her to the wolves. Literally), but as she was killed because Cordelia (one of Karlheinz's wives) was making her so miserable with life Beatrix died with a smile and she was also proud because Reiji killed her because to vampires, part of being considered an adult is committing homicide. And this pisses off Reiji so much, cause he wanted his mom to beg him to spare her life out of some twisted desire of revenge and when that didn't end up happening. Well, Reiji is motherless and bitter now. The anime really did him dirty, because in the anime they made him super duper serious and just very stiff and constantly degrading Yui for just breathing basically. Whereas in the game, he's a lot more chill than he seems and while he casually insults Yui, he casually insults everyone and I have to say his insults are good. Also in the game, he actually smiles so much more but it's a very condescending and bitter smile it's the smile of someone laughing at the world for how screwed up it is. I will say that he does casually poison Yui several times to test out his poisons, but he always gives her the antidote when she starts exhibiting symptoms.

3. Ayato

Ayato is basically Gojo if Gojo had no human conscience. He acts childish because his mother Cordelia was basically the same way Beatrix was to Shū. Cordelia, however, tried to drown him because pookie couldn't like solve a math equation or some shit. The bar is in hell, but Cordelia is by far the most horrible out of the three mothers. Anyways, he's pretty much a man-child with a propensity for being an ass. He sleeps in an iron maiden (with spikes removed) because despite beds being a thing in their mansion, dude just likes it and he does try to shove Yui into an iron maiden (without the spikes removed) but Yui was not having it. I wouldn't want to be stuck in an elevator with this dude cause he would eat me and make me suffer while he's at it.

4. Laito

Unlucky number four and I have to say out of all the brothers, he is my least favourite. The reason? Well it's simple, he commits SA just by breathing. Also, he's the one to nickname Yui 'Bitch-chan'. Listen, I get that he was sexually abused by his mother and Cordelia did her absolute best to instill sex = love even if that sex is non consensual. But honestly? I don't get the point of his character. What was the point of Rejet making a character like him? Because he is just plain sexually abusive. If it was to show how the abused can become the abuser, there are much more nuanced ways to do it than have Laito SA Yui every five seconds or something. Also, if we're talking about "the abused becomes the abuser" all these characters are already stunning examples please save Yui.

5. Kanato

To anyone into HOTD, think Larys Strong but with a teddy bear and his childlike. Kanato seems the easiest to bear with cause of his childlike attitude. That is until his temper completely flips and the next thing you know, he's threatening to murder you and would actually go through it. Kanato had a very fucked up childhood of his mother making him sing her songs while she's out here banging her brother-in-law because Kanato singing apparently gets her into the mood. Kanato likes to collect dead corpses and stuff them like animals which is why there's an entire hall filled with all the sacrificial brides before Yui. He says he can't wait to add Yui to the collection.

6. Subaru

Now Subaru, Subaru is sadistic as all his brothers are and ill-tempered. This man be punching walls and tables and breaking everything. But he doesn't really raise a hand to Yui at all. I'd say other than his shitty temper and blatant sadism, he is moderately bearable. Why? Well he's got self-worth issues you see. His mother was seduced by her older cousin (his father) and when Krysta realised that Karlheinz didn't love her, she went crazy because he basically convinced her to commit incest which is apparently a no no in the vampire world. Krysta thought of Subaru as an abomination and treated him like crap, but she then would oscillate between thinking him an abomination and her a sinner and feeling guilty for hurting him. Subaru looked after his mother instead of the other way around.

Anyways, this is my long overdue rant of fucked up vampire anime.

[sonicjustbecause]

Sonic characters - who I like, who I'm fine with, who I dislike

This is what I wrote yesterday. I want to underline that this is just my opinion and that I have nothing against you. I'm adult for a while right now. Sonic is just a passion that makes me happy, that I enjoy for fun, but is not my life. I say that because knowing what the Sonic fandom may be like, is easy to feel intimidated by different point of view.

Let's start!

Favourites/I love:

SONIC (of course)

I discovered Sonic games in 1991. I was friend with two fraternal twins since kindergarden and we were among the first kids who were able to play videogames (I owned a commodore 64 my uncle gifted me, the twins owned a Sega Master System and a Game Boy). There were not much informations about Sonic's personality, but talking with my friends, we all perceived him being very similar to Shadow. Just openly more gentle.

In 1995 there were Sonic cartoons (Sonic SatAM, AoStH, in collaboration with Italy). Sonic was not like Shadow, but he was 'meh'... I liked him but he wasn't really my favourite. Also the design left me confused (my brother was more into the western design, i was more into the Japanese design).

To be honest I think the western design is cute. I would fix the quills, more classic sonic style instead of the mohawk and the hands, making them with five fingers instead of four. And some little adjustments on the ankles but for the rest is fine.

I loved Sonic in Sonic Adventure 2 and I liked Ryan's voice. I easily tend to imagine his voice if i read some story about him. I like Ryan's, Jason's, Deven's and the italian VA Renato). What I like most about Sonic is his kindness.

TAILS

There was a period were Tails received a lot of hate, maybe just because he is a child. But in early '90s' Tails was loved by player. His ability to fly made the level easier to beat, so everybody played with him. Since he is a fox, I excepted him to be cunning. Of course not toward Sonic (he is his friend after all) but toward Eggman, outsmarting him. I also considered Sonic and Tails being brothers. All of this before knowing him.

When I noticed he had two tails instead of one, I though it was because of an experiment by Eggman. The two tails genetic mutation does exist in nature, although is rare.

KNUCKLES

I saw knucles in early '90s for the first time but he didn't catch my interest. He was Sonic's opponent. I never had occasions to play Sonic's games until we finally got Sonic Adventure 2. Then I noticed Knuckles was about the stereotype of the cool boy... except he was not so bright and he was quite naive.

SHADOW

I loved his balanced design. The first thing I though is that he could be a great character for graffitis. Early Shadow seemed based on emo kids, it was fashion in early '00s'.

He was also quite depressed, almost suicidal at times. After 2006 Shadow became famous as 'the edgelord', almost an unintentional caricature of himself. Before 2006 Shadow seemed slightly friendlier and laid back at times. That bit that was enough to made him seem more alive. As if he sometimes did things just to have fun like Sonic. And it happened his idea of fun match Sonic's. In later years he seems recovering from his edgelord days.

AMY

Amy didn't caugh my attention earlier but right now is one of the characters I like. Though i miss her fangirling about Sonic. Also because they decided to remove that part of her, it was considered a flaw. Yet Amy could see Sonic's flaws and was honest with him about what she though. All the rest of Amy is there. And she had and has a lot of good qualities.

EGGMAN

Eggman is funny, hilarious. But he is wicked, manipulative, sadistic, cruel and I mean actual cruel towards beasts. And toward kids.

All Eggman's doing.

Also Eggman's doing.

Most Sonic's friends (including Sonic) are teenagers. Eggman has shown to be capable to kill fellow humans too. Without problems.

I like, but they can be better:

ROUGE

Rouge is a female Lupin III. I compare her to Lupin and not to Fujiko because, although she is a thief and a spy, although she may be cunning, she is a loyal friend.

The thing I don't like about her is her original design:

I'm not against her design for political correct bullshit reasons. Simply this design seems somewhat unfinished, heavy and awkward and the pink is overhelming. Rouge herself doesn't look much athletic. Also she looks like a character coming from the middle of the '900 and not a modern character.

I like more the prime design, where her figure is more atletic, muscular and balanced like her job (spy, thief) would suggest.

CHAO

The chao design actually is perfect the way it is. I love all the variants seen in SA and SA2. And the chao's minigame (I raise them only with Sonic and Shadow. They're the only who don't hurt them accidentally). However in a story their role should be about the same role of the flickies. Cheese is a prominent character, but it feels forced.

(Ignore Mario)

CREAM and VANILLA

I think they should be supporting characters when needed. They're nice and all, but I can't see them taking on adventures. They worked well when they took care of Sonic but they're better characters for slice of life or lighter adventures.

BIG

This one is quieter and more a loner than Shadow, yet he is very happy, kind and gentle. He has the natural nice personality most real cats have, especially male cats. Like Cream and Vanilla, i think his role would be more the one of a supporter character. The one who listen and who make all characters feel better after a chat. He doesn't work as protagonist and i think his start was rough. Big is a Siberian cat. Those cats have a cobby bodytype and are long haired

An actual Siberian cat

METAL SONIC

Although a robot, he can work. But he is like radioactive material. He should be used carefully.

Meh... forgettable

BLACK DOOM

I think his ugliness alone was more than enough to made him a laughing stook. He is evil manipulative, sadistic, abusive and all, sharing his flaws with Dr.Eggman. But he lacks Eggman's positive traits. Is not even funny. So fans and even comic writers treat him like one of those mignon who are all words and no substance. It might be unconscious.

Woooh, how treatening... villain's empty words.

Just an example of how people see Black Doom... (Drawn by Ama)

STICKS

Sticks may seem cute, funny, but in the end she's not that memorable. She's nothing more than the caricature of a conspiracy theorists, thin foil hat and such. That can work in another media but not in Sonic.

SILVER

I fail to understand this guy. Is he a blend between Sonic and Shadow? His design keeps leaving me unimpressed and it doesn't suggest me a personality in particular. Redundant.

CHAOTIX

Hate at first sight. Redundant.

MOST I WON'T MENTION, TOO MANY TO REMEMBER.

They're redundant, not much interesting.They seem a blander blend of main characters. Is like wanting to fix the main characters or wanting to create an upgraded version of the main character, instead is only taking away the fun.

[helix-enterprises117]

Halo Reloaded: Origin

In the spick-and-span, oh-so-serious halls of the Spartan kiddie boot camp (also known as the Spartan training facility for those lacking a sense of humor), the sound of youthful jeers and muffled giggles was as common as the scent of industrial cleaner.

Amidst this cacophony of pre-teen bravado, one particular mini-Spartan, John-117, was conspicuously silent. Six years old and lacking the extra two years of life experience that apparently made a world of difference in the high-stakes world of child soldiering, John was the unofficial Omega, the bottom of the Spartan puppy pile.

While the other kids were busy flexing their tiny muscles and practicing their best war faces, John's days were a marathon of 'try-harder' exercises and 'don't-cry-in-front-of-the-others' mental gymnastics. The other kiddie commandos, high on their own burgeoning testosterone and combat boots, would often poke fun at his expense.

"Hey, diaper sniper, lost your pacifier?" a particularly obnoxious recruit would quip as John passed by, puffing out his chest like a pigeon in a pecking order contest. "Bet he still counts sheep to sleep," another would add, earning a round of giggles as imaginative as their future military strategies.

John, however, was a fortress of stoic determination (or maybe just really good at zoning out). He bottled up his feelings tighter than the secret recipe for the facility's mystery meatloaf. But when the lights dimmed and the barracks took on the tranquil ambiance of a mausoleum, John would seek refuge in his personal fortress of solitude – beneath his bed. Here, surrounded by dust bunnies and the occasional lost sock, he found the tranquility of a monk in meditation... if monks wore combat boots and dog tags.

On one such night, while John was contemplating the meaning of life, or maybe just what was for breakfast tomorrow, Dr. Halsey found him in his cozy hideout. Her visits were like comet sightings – rare, awe-inspiring, and a bit unsettling. "John," she whispered, like a librarian in a library of secrets. "This isn't a game of hide and seek."

Peeking out from under the bed with the suspicion of a cat in a new home, John's eyes met hers. "I'm... strategizing," he retorted, his voice uncertain. Halsey, holding back a smile, played along. "Oh? And what grand strategy does the under-bed realm hold?"

"To be the best," he said, louder, puffing up a bit as his nervousness slowly fades. "That's the spirit," she encouraged, her eyes twinkling with a mix of mischief and maternal pride...

———

Days later...

"Ring The Bell," a Spartan favorite that was part obstacle course, part sadistic PE teacher's dream. The rules were simple yet brutal: race through a gauntlet of hurdles, leaps, and climbs to ring a bell perched high above. The catch? There was always a catch. The last one to ring the bell faced consequences, usually of the stomach-rumbling variety.

On this fateful day, John, already battling the twin demons of youth and inexperience, found himself trailing behind. His limbs felt like they were made of lead, and the bell seemed to be mocking him from its lofty perch. As he finally reached it, his hand slapping the cold metal a moment too late, a sinking feeling settled in his stomach. Not just from the impending hunger, but from the crushing weight of failure.

As he climbed down, the murmurs of his fellow recruits filled the air, but one voice cut through the rest like a knife. It belonged to Val-015, the self-proclaimed golden boy of the group. Val, with his swagger and over-inflated ego, approached John, a smug grin plastered on his face. "Guess dinner's off the menu for you, Johnny boy," Val taunted, his voice dripping with condescension. "Maybe if you spent more time training and less time daydreaming, you wouldn't be such a slowpoke."

The other recruits snickered, but John's face remained an emotionless mask. He was used to jabs and jeers, but something about Val's words, the pointed cruelty of them, struck a nerve. "You know, Halsey thinks you're special, but I just see a little kid trying to play soldier," Val continued, poking John in the chest. "Why don't you run along and find a nice corner to cry in?"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. John's stoic facade shattered like glass under a sledgehammer. Tears, unbidden and hot, sprang to his eyes. He turned on his heel and bolted, his sobs echoing in the training hall. The other recruits fell silent, watching as John disappeared from view. Even Val's smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty.

He hadn't expected his words to cut so deep, to elicit such a raw, human response from the stoic John-117. As John ran, his vision blurred by tears, he felt a maelstrom of emotions churning inside him – humiliation, anger, sadness. He was a Spartan, trained to be unbreakable, yet here he was, undone by words and his own vulnerability...

———

Later, on that same night...

John sat alone in the open barracks. The distant clatter and chatter from the cafeteria wafted through the hallways, a cruel reminder of what he was missing. The tantalizing aroma of roasted turkey, a rare treat in the Spartan menu, mingled with the sweet, tempting scent of chocolate-fudge ice cream. It was a feast fit for kings, or in this case, mini super-soldiers in training. But for John, there was only the empty silence of his room and the gnawing emptiness in his stomach.

He sat on the edge of his Spartan-issued cot, his head in his hands. The room felt smaller somehow, more confining. The walls seemed to close in on him, echoing his sense of isolation. John was used to solitude, but this was different. This was loneliness, a feeling he couldn't simply shake off with push-ups or training drills.His mind wandered to a place he hadn't allowed it to go in what felt like ages – home. The real home, not this sterile, unforgiving facility. He remembered the warmth of a bed not meant for training a soldier, the softness of a genuine goodnight kiss, the comforting murmur of a bedtime story. He longed for a time when the biggest worry he had was what toy to play with, not whether he'd be strong enough, fast enough, tough enough to survive the next day.

But that home, that life, was a world away now. A distant memory, fading a little more with each passing day in this harsh reality. "This is home now," he reminded himself, but the words felt hollow, a poor substitute for the home he truly yearned for.He didn't like it here. The constant drills, the relentless pressure, the unspoken expectation to be more machine than boy. It was a life chosen for him, not by him. A life that demanded everything and offered little in return, except the promise of becoming something... something more than just John.

As he sat there, wrestling with thoughts too heavy for a child his age, a small part of him acknowledged that this Spartan program was shaping him, molding him into something formidable. But at what cost? At the cost of his childhood? His innocence?

In that large, quiet room, with the sounds of his peers' laughter and chatter as a distant backdrop, John-117 felt a profound sense of loss. A loss of normalcy, of the simple joys of childhood, of a life he would never get to live. This was his reality now, and while he might grow to accept it, even excel in it, a part of him would always long for a home that was more than just a place to sleep between training sessions. A home where he was just John, not a number, not a future soldier, but a boy with dreams and fears like any other.

———

The following morning...

The dawn of that fateful morning at the Spartan training facility brought with it a heaviness that hung in the air, palpable and suffocating. John-117, the boy beneath the soon-to-be legend, navigated the morning with a heart burdened by the previous night's solitude. The Spartan breakfast, bland crackers and lukewarm milk, sat untouched before him, a stark reminder of his isolation.

With a spirit as grey as the hallways of the facility, John trudged towards the obstacle course, a place where physical pain often drowned out emotional turmoil. But today, destiny had etched a different path.As he approached the communal area, a strange sight caught his eye. A cluster of recruits, usually dispersed like disciplined ants, were huddled around the television. The air crackled with a tension that made John's skin crawl. Pushing through the crowd, a sense of dread growing with each step, he strained to see the screen.

The news anchor's voice, usually dispassionate, carried a weight that stopped John in his tracks. "Breaking news: Eridanus-II has been glassed by the Covenant." The words fell like hammer blows, shattering the fragile veneer of normalcy. Eridanus-II, John's home, the place of his childhood dreams and memories, now nothing but a charred memory in the cold expanse of space.

A collective gasp rippled through the recruits, then silence. Slowly, like the tide receding from the shore, they turned to face John. Their eyes, wide and unblinking, bore into him. They whispered among themselves, words lost in the buzz that filled John's head.

"He's from there, isn't he?"

"Can't imagine what he must be feeling..."

In that moment, John felt a loneliness deeper than the void of space. The room seemed to stretch into infinity, the faces around him morphing into distant stars, cold and unreachable. His heart, a stoic soldier's heart, faltered, betraying him with a surge of raw, unfiltered anguish.

Tears blurred his vision, a floodgate opened against his will. He stumbled backward, his Spartan training forgotten, his body no longer a weapon but a shell, hollow and cracked. He sank to the floor, the cold tile against his skin a stark contrast to the heat of his tears.

"I want to go home," he whispered, the words a ghost of a thought, a wish upon a star long extinguished. "Please, I just want to go home."

But there was no home. Not anymore. Eridanus-II, with its blue skies and laughter, its nights filled with stories and dreams, was gone. Consumed by a war that had no room for the innocence of a child's heart.The other recruits, hardened by training but still children themselves, watched John with a dawning realization. The war was no longer an abstract concept, taught in strategy classes and simulated in drills. It was real, and it had just claimed one of their own.

@empresskadia, @makowrites.

[hypermascbishounen]

Interesting that you point out how babied Lenore was in S4, because

yes, she was. She was written like such an immature brat, making stupid jokes and constantly whining that she was so boooored and no one needed her anymore and oh no she's so scawed of mean cawmiwwa 🥺 and it feels disingenuous, no I'm sorry I get that the context is different but the Lenore who cries that Carmilla lied to her is not the Lenore who was able to gaslight Hector into believing that actually he was lucky that he was beaten and imprisoned.

this is yet another way her character got disrespected, if you care about her. Remember, the other council vampires clearly had a poor opinion of Lenore. Carmilla made fun of her for her tendency to take care of animals, Striga implied that she saw her as a hopeless romantic, Morana talked about her like a silly little girl living in her fantasies. And the most charitable explanation as to why Lenore snapped and beat Hector to an inch of his life when he threatened her is precisely that he, too, saw her as a young defenseless girl: to be fair, would he have thought to attack any of the other three? Probably not. And Lenore clearly resents this situation so much, which is why he beat him way past self defense, which is why she had fun dominating him, which is why she was eager to humiliating him in front of her sisters, who both admired her for her genius and were disgusted by her sexual comments (a way to keep the control of the conversation)

I like this idea. Both Hector and Lenore are the "weak link" of their group, looked down on for their apparent "softness", but while Hector apparently didn't know, didn't realize or didn't care (if the writing was good, I could say that it's because he lived a life of abuse so he doesn't realize his own worth), Lenore very much did, and she rebounded too far in the opposite direction. Her kindness can almost be seen as a subtle way to feel powerful, more subtle than simply beating people into submission: sure, taking care of someone is a nice act... but also, they depend on you, and they're more malleable to your wishes.

So yeah, from this perspective, her constant 🥺 face in S4 is infantilizing an abuser. Lenore did nothing wrong. She always wanted to protect Hector, really. He was having fun when she manipulated him into sex, so what's the big deal. They are such good friends who understand each other. Of course Hector would love her and protect her with barely a second thought. Who wouldn't? An evil person? But they're so cute together 🥺

(btw, I'm interested to know who is the other Beatrice you mentioned lol! As for the Sugarman one, she is such a fascinating character who is so, so pitiable for what happened to her, but still not woobiefied for the horrible way she took her misery on her innocent son)

(also sorry for the ask lol, I didn't want to make a long post longer than it already is)

(no worries, feel free to send asks or messages! I always have more to say than I know what yo do with lol)

The other Beatrice is from Umineko, a series of murder mystery visual novels in the wider When They Cry series. She's hard to describe without spoilers tbh, but relevant atm: she can be a real smug sadist while still containing genuine tragedy, and her relationships get to actually mean something. Here she is expressing true opinions about nfcv:

I feel like a Lenore whose loss of humanity was allowed to be explored as a legit Dracula parrelel, could have almost been interesting. Oh well.

The biggest issue imo, is that she can't really exist as a character without Hector, but the story itself feels threatened by Hector being a character compared to her. This means that no matter how much they try to build her up by contrast, she gets dragged down anyways. So now all they have is two ruined characters for the price of one.

Personally, I think maybe the catharsis granted from a character who does bad things, is only as good as the work lets you engage with them on that premise. If you keep dragging it back to how they're basically in the right anyways, it can lose the emotional opportunity for the audience to explore dark feelings. This doesn't mean you can't write them to be sympathetic ever, but it does mean they risk falling into a weakened power fantasy or cheap fanservice, if you effectively just preach to the audience about how cool they are, esp at the expense of other characters.

[masked-and-doomed]

heya do you got any oc's or anything? like funger oc's n stuff? i'm obsessed with oc's

*since this post mentions her relationship with pocketcat, implied csa warning. also she's depressed so suicide warning ig*

Also. this is 2k words. waow.

Not specifically funger OCs, but I do have a self insert character that I've put in the funger universe!

(the hair is supposed to be black btw it looks more brown to go better with the colour pallette)

I welcome you to- uh. Right. *Turns to face her* You don't have a name. It's been what, fuckin' 3 years? You still haven't decided anything? Oh, now it's kinda maybe meaningful for your character to have no name? Poetic shit? Yeah sure. *Turns back to face you* So, no name. For our sakes, I'll call her Unnamed Girl(ie). UG for short.

She was a human that suddenly got snatched from Earth and put into a white void. And she was trapped there. With memories of nothing. Why she has no name. Well she has some vague memories of her previous life, like her being fatherless, she doesn't remember any names, faces. Just some interactions.

We dunno what the hell happened to Earth nor her, really, all we can assume is that there's probably some sadistic ass higher being that's putting her through that shit? Watching her suffer every moment here. But, we never got to know. They don't really matter to us really, they've never showed up. Not important.

In the white void, she also gained. Some sort of Godhood? She got powers of some sort. So that's one upside. Downside with this is that she's immortal. And as you see, a white void. Is well. A white void. Nothin in it. Sure, she's made a room for herself to get comfy but then you start to go insane with the fact that you're isolated and that there's no one to talk to and you have no purpose in life and that it feels like you were an unwanted part of the universe that wasn't meant to ever be existing but yet you still do, and then erm she can't take it anymore and tries to. Off herself. Multiple times, in fact!

Too bad for her, immortality exists. Or perhaps better called, eternal youth. She hasn't aged since she got here. Perpetually 12, what a hell to be in, huh buddy? Fucked up thing to add on, the way her immortality works is that she suffers the wounds, damage, pain, before her body starts to regrow it back. (Usually like a minute but if she pushes it, it can be instantaneous.)

After a few days in the white void she starts conjuring up friends in her head to try and combat the eternal loneliness. Barely works. She's got three guys in her head, that talk to her from time to time. They're pretty flat and 2D in personality, UG really isn't that much of a creative girl.

(Oohh tumblr compression...)

So, with these characters, let's show you how horrible she is at naming, hm? We got the furry one, Kats. Sadistic and mean one. Guy with the hat is Meowzerz. Cheerleader, also tries to advise UG to be kind. Gas masked fellow is Koolmeow. Wild card, she does whatever she finds fun. Mostly burning things up.

Really shitty names for those last two. No wonder she hasn't picked a name for herself if these are the names she gave these mfs.

...

Well, fuck. Friends aren't really friend-ing great unfortunately. What to do?

Oh, lookie that. That's a buncha.. games and anime. Huh. Well, might as well get through them. All this white is awfully boring.

So after some days of hell, she got to see stories she's vaguely familiar with. Must been stories she experienced back in her previous life. Entertainment is entertainment.

With nothing else in the void really, she gets heavily attached to these media. Filling her time with making fanart and obsessing over the characters. Three in particular she got attached to, but only one of them is of importance considering where we're headed to in this timeline.

Ahh the cat. The horrid horrid cat. I mean she's a young child, having a man tell him she loves her even when it's just a character written by someone else to be a creepy piece of shit is. Well a charming and interesting specimen such as him sharing affection? She can't help but reciprocate back.

With all the time in this non-existence, she makes a whole shrine of shit. Plushies, posters, figures. She loves recreating his likeness and having something physical to hold. Well, she is most well versed in digital art. That she does remember about herself. She was an artist. And most of him is drawn in a computer over and over again. She has no other way to show her love other than to put him in silly situations and emulate how he reacts. Yes I do mean fanfiction. She has a lotta files of just art of him she made, you don't wanna know how big it is.

Even besides him, she's pretty enamoured with this world of Funger. She'd much rather go through that hell than this hell. At least you can die there. And things actually happen.

...

Oh? We can finally go out? After all this time?

You really did get to find a way out, Kats?

It's.. Ahah. The multiverse thing does actually exist, doesn't it? This.. this is the dungeon...

...

Ah, so much explaining her backstory and I haven't gotten to her personality! Well she's. Seriously mentally ill for one. Isolation for god knows how long and all that. I can only conclude Depression or some variation of it for now, though there is definitely another mental disorder at play here. Erm. We might never know. I don't think she'll ever go to therapy or a psychiatrist.

Due to her being in that void for so long, and with barely any memories, there's some things that she's real bad at. Of course, she retains her memory of how to walk, how to speak and communicate, and most basic human things.

However, this bitch cannot social interaction. How unfortunate, my friend.

She can be very blunt and clear with her words. Oh she also has this stupid thing where she's either really crass and informal or just talks fancy and with a thesaurus. Fucking weirdo. can't talk normal ever.

Next note, she has no respect for anyone. That's not to say she doesn't appreciate anyone's company, she definitely likes a good amount of people. Thing is, since she saw this all in a game she played and saw as fiction. Little dolls for her to play with. She never really got to get out of that thinking. Also that with her being some sorta higher being? Yeah, she thinks a little high of herself. Sometimes. Sometimes. (She also think she's the worst thing ever that existed lmao)

Adding on, she also possesses no self respect. No shame. No dignity. No regrets about anything ever. She just lives on. She's a very YOLO it is what it is kinda gal.

UG has a very normal perception of love. She thinks of violence as a sort of love language to her, she just wants to rip her beloveds to shreds. She also has an intense hatred for the cat, despite him being the one she loves most. The hatred plays along with her obsession of the cat. Also. Um. Yandere. yeah. She's obsessive. Isolation and all that. Makes you intensely crave affection and attention. And also being a child. Forever. Yeah she's quite an attention whore. (self label)

Other effects from the isolation also happen to be extreme boredom. She wants to do anything. In her life. And hey, she's got a lot if it to spare.. plany of time. It is mildly boring her that she knows she's most likely gonna win any battle with enemies but still, the experience of fighting is pretty banger. The adrenaline... Thrill seeking. Ahh... She loves fighting.

So um, with those last two paragraphs, she does normal things to both the party that dared step into the dungeon, and the termina contestants. She's normal about them. She is both heavily protective and extremely violent murder maim.

Ah, next thing! She's quite the contradictory thing. Mental disorder again, she can go from one extreme scale to another. Like her love and hatred, protecting her allies to killing them. High self confidence and self praise to self loathing. Sometimes a little bit of a hypocrite. She's weird.

Her morals are. Eh. Eh. Again, she both cares about everyone's lives yet is also apathetic. She doesn't mind murder too much, as she'll dirty her soul a lot through experiencing the funger universe. This. Image.

Everything might as well just be a game to her.

With all o' this. There's multiple timelines of her doing many different things because of how much she can vary and still be in character (well to me, at least). She can do so much. Silly girl.

--

That's all I can think of for now about personality! Little tidbits about her powers before onto the brief timeline. She has some future telling. If the future is far, she can see more possibilities it can go in, not giving an exact determined route of what will happen. If the future is soon, as in, will this guard swing at her right arm or her left arm in 5 seconds? She can check and the future will be certain, that it will be her left arm that will get cut if she doesn't prevent it.

Most of her powers stem from the other media she watched during the isolation period; she rarely uses the Gods' powers in funger purely to fuck around with it and also confuse smart asses. (enki)

--

After finding an escape from the white void, she wakes up in front of the.. dun dun dun... funger dungeons...

She does what any sane person would do and explores with glee.

They aren't really all that scary to a creature like her, only serving her to activate fight mode and get a rush.

She recruits everyone possible with her knowledge of these dungeons, and decides to change some things.

She approaches Pocketcat as she is done with her journey. There are no more battles to fight. No more exploration to be done in this dungeon. She is satisfied. The girl wishes for Pocketcat to eat her, since she hasn't tried that method of killing herself. (Also because she is crushing hard on this man and she knows he loves her too)

He instead gives a different proposal...

...

Remember how she's a sort of 'god' (but not in the funger way) and has OP ass powers? Well there's actually 2 drawbacks to them.

First one, it is quite exhausting. It is also exhausting just living and breathing in fact, but that's the mental disorders. She can go on long without rest but she will be extremely fatigued if she pushes. And my, she pushes a through a lot.

Second, there's one thing that nullifies her powers. Fear. But ah, with a soul like hers, it is quite difficult for her to fear anything. With problems in her way, she either brushes it over, gets enraged, or drowns in sorrow. How on earth could anything scare her?

Ahaha... Well a few actions made by a specific person could scare her...

(he soo gets off being the only one that can get her into such a submissive state, btw)

The one thing keeping her heart from total darkness, now entirely painted black. What a sad soul.

...

So, he didn't kill her. big whump. Fine though, she thinks about the termina festival in 350 years. She wouldn't mind living for that long to see more silly people. Plus, the dungeon took a lot out of her. A lot more magic she used than usual. This period will be... A nice and long break, she thinks positively. One hell she has endured in here, she will prepare to live through and enjoy another. Plus, if it's all adrenaline rushes, how is she meant to savour Termina?

She occupies her time by living with Pocketcat, and.. His usual activities. She joins in on his child murders from time to time. Not as fun as killing monsters that are fully intending to end her life but snuffing another life is still somewhat satisfying, nevertheless. And hey, fun bonding activity, right?

She also does the same as she did in the void, making a bunch of art and stuff. But this time, she actually has someone she can show it to! Speaking of the cat, they do typical lover activities time to time. Dates, and stuff. Doing things together. Fun!

Both of them had their fair share of isolation for a long period of time and needless to say, their 'eternities' are much more lively and worth living through with a like-minded being by their side.

She also.. has a little fun with the contestants before they enter the worst period of their life..

(This part is totally not because of recent events) After spending 350 years with Pocketcat, she picked up some of his mannerisms to her misfortune. Her hand feels like it should be doing something within conversation, so her subconscious makes her jack off a ghost dick. She's gonna have a fun time with talking to people.

...

Now we're at the festival, one meant to end all festivals! And boy it'll end more than just festivals, alright! Hehe.

At the end of this festival, she has one plan.

And that is to finally rest.

She will not be returning from this trip.

...

So, some stuff were left vague because. well. yeah. I don't fully expect to write this into actual fanfiction, but no worries, I'll reveal the gist of what happens at some point. Whether I actually can find it in me to write it out or just make a post about what happens, we shall see.

Extra stuff to mention:

This is basically her. In every universe she visits.

You can check out the '#unnamed OC core' tag to see. More of her vibes.

I also got a playlist.. of her..

(Also, since this is a self insert about half of the traits mentioned are. me. so. yeah. I should try getting diagnosed for something but idk man I can't find shit)

Got any questions! Feel free to ask anything!! >:3 Hell, I'll even answer in character for fun.

[gyubby99]

@disneyanddisneyships THEM

Vox and Mal had been out on a walk, the hell's city streets doing all of their stuff, wether it be sinning, murder or simply wondering what they're gonna have for dinner. They had just gone from Lu Lu world, in which Vox had spent his time making fun of how bad she aimed for the target at this one game where if you hit it, you get a prize. Vox had been extremely exhausted, but Mal still had energy left in her. She never won the game, but atleast she had fun.

They still had a few blocks to go to the hotel, and Vox had suggested he called his driver to take both of them there, but Mal suggested they go for a walk, to serve them a more fun time talking about things only they knew of, inside jokes for only them to hear and laugh at.

A whistle was heard from afar. Near her and Vox

Mal thought it was a man calling for his dog, so she paid it no mind.

"Oh, come on, pretty bug! You can't ignore me!" The man shouted, and Mal perked her head up.

"Me?" she asks, a bit perplexed.

"Yeah, babe!" He chuckles, before walking over to her.

He clearly hadn't noticed Vox, as he seemed to be fixated on his own selfish desire of wooing Mal into the bedroom he probably hasn't cleaned for months.

"Uh, no? You're outta luck, buddy. I'm off limits. Not interested." Mal dismissed the demon before he could even come any closer.

"What? Come on, sexy! You look like you had a rough night! I can take-" the demon was cut off by a hand, a hand that never belonged to her.

Now he noticed.

The demon looked up with a glare, yelling at the mysterious person before he recognized the face and realized he'd made a mistake.

Vox, with an alarming and cold glare, sent strong, violent electric shocks all throughout the demon's body, traveling from his hand to the rest as he yelps and screamed in agony.

Vox, satisfied with it, let go and dropped the demon harshly on the ground. "What the fuck do you think you're doing? She's mine. Got that?"

Mal looked at Vox's glare, and something in his eyes screamed he was determined to obliterate whatever harmed his beloved, or whatever attempted to cause anything he wouldn't like.

And the little firefly could never love any being more.

"Y-Yes, sir.." the demon grunted helplessly on the ground. "I'm-- I'm sorry, sir!"

Now that made Vox even angrier.

"Why are you apologizing to me?" Vox asks, before stomping on the demon's back, making the poor creature grunt in pain, and pressure of the weight of Vox's foot on his pathetic bony back.

"I'm not the one you attempted to take home to suck on your pathetic limp dick, am I?" Vox taunted, harshly stomping on the demon's back. "She said no, and somehow you wouldn't get it in your head, hm? How about I leave you tied up for rats like you to eat? That way you can all hangout."

"No- No! Please!" The demon pleaded.

Vox smugly smirked, crouching down. "Why should I listen to that?"

The demon pleaded useless cries still.

Vox laughs, cruel and sadistic. "Apologize.."

"Sir, I'm so-"

"To her."

The demon looked at Mal with fear in his eyes, and Mal had her hips on her shoulder, taunting the demon also. "You heard him."

"I.. I-I'm sorry! It- it won't happen again!" The demon cried out.

Mal tapped her chin. "Hm.. do you mean that?"

"I-I do! I really do! Please!"

Mal crouched down to the demon, smirking. "Then do me a favor."

"Anything! I'll do anything!"

Mal chuckles, before whispering with a serious glare. "Never do this to anyone else again."

"F..Fine! Fine!! I won't!"

Mal's gaze softened.. but she was not quite pleased yet.

"Good! But just in case.." Mal closed her eyes, before opening them, emitting a bright LED-like glow. Her glare was sharp and her eyes were as bright as if you'd been face-to-face with the sun. The demon yelped in shock as he closed his eyes, but opening them to see only black.

He couldn't see anything..

"Fuck! I-- I can't see! What the fuck did you do?!"

Mal's eyes turned to normal as she closed her eyes and opened them once again. She stood up and looked at Vox.

Vox scoffs at the helpless demon, before kicking him once more as he removed his foot at the top of his back. He took Mal's hand and got away from the demon.

As they walked, Mal turned to glance at Vox. "Someone's protective!"

Vox scoffed. "I'm your boyfriend. That's my job. It was of my own will anyway!"

Mal laughed as she squeezed his hand. "Remind me why I love you again?"

Now, Vox smugly smirked. "Because I'm awesome. I never knew you had to ask about something this obvious!"

Mal laughed, as Vox chuckled with her.

"Yeah, yes you are, Vox."

[syoish-aot]

THE LETTERS SHE WROTE

JeanxOC / post canon / Attack on Titan ongoing / current word count: 50,822

chapter 5 preview:

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

Jean,

My birthday is next week, just in case you forgot. So that means you have to write me a letter. I know you’re busy, and that explains why I haven’t heard from you in almost two weeks but it’s my birthday ! So you HAVE to write. And I’m telling you that so you know it and you can’t say something silly like “oh sorry I forgot”. Don’t be a boy about it. Just tell me happy birthday and then you can get back to your training. 

Look, I’m even keeping this letter short so you have extra time to write back.

I love you,

Edith

PS. Guess what Ada said to me yesterday? You won’t be able to, so I’ll tell you. She told me I put too much honey in my fritters. I’ve never been so insulted in my life. Don’t worry though, I left crumbs under her bed that will attract ants, just to get back at her.

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

Happy birthday.

-Jean

PS. You’re a bit of a sadist, you know that right?

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

Jean,

I can’t believe you wasted money on postage just to send that, but I guess it means you really are busy. 

Did you hear that Jacob Fischer and Matilda Weber got engaged last week? Ada thinks she’s too pretty for him but I think they’re just perfect for each other considering their favourite hobby is the same: tormenting me!!

Jacob’s mother has become a regular, so I have to deal with him all the time since he always comes with her. I swear he does it just so he can annoy me. Speaking of! Yesterday Matilda called me a “mousey little brat with a rat's nest for hair and a flat chest”. So I asked her: “Which am I then? A rat or a mouse?” ((I didn’t care for her comment about my chest size either, but I couldn’t argue that point so I left it be)). When I asked her that she told me I was also a know-it-all and then I said that it sounded like I had a really interesting personality and I would be fun at parties.

She said I needed to get better at comebacks.

But at least she left me alone. 

OH! Also Grim learned a new trick but it’s a surprise for when you see him again.

I love you,

Edith

PS. that’s rude

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

You know she’s had a huge crush on him since we were ten, right? It’s not that surprising that they’d end up together. I think you’re just jealous.

You really do need to get better at comebacks.

I highly doubt you taught your mongrel anything. He can’t learn tricks. He’s a cat.

-Jean

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

Jean,

Why in the world would I be jealous of anyone for being engaged to Jacob!! Gross!!!!! He smells like beef and always has dirt under his nails. I’m in love with you, which is obviously the superior option. 

Anyway, isn’t it crazy that you’re graduating so soon!? I think I might be more excited about this than you are, but I guess that’s a little bit silly to say considering how much work you’ve done over the last three years. I’d like to say that the time passed fast, but it didn’t. It passed so slowly, Jean. Painfully. Slowly. I wanted to claw my eyes out half the time. The waiting is over now though! 

You made #1 right? Then again, maybe you won't know the rankings yet when you get this letter. I bet you did though! They’d be idiots to give the position to anyone else.

I was chatting with Mrs. Geeve yesterday (her daughter was in the top ten a few years back, remember? Pretty much all of eastern Trost had heard her shouting for joy when she got the news!). Anyway, she was telling me that after Marie got her ranking, she’d moved to the interior within the week! I guess that means things are going to flip from going painfully slow, to extremely quickly for you. 

You better stop by in that week. I’ll hunt you down if you don’t!

Besides, I still owe you that pie. 

I can’t wait to see you in a military police uniform. I bet you’ll look handsome like you always do!

I love you,

Edith

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

TROST, 850

Edith Prewitt slept in that morning. 

Perhaps, if she hadn’t, things would have ended differently. 

Perhaps, if she had awoken to Ada’s banshee-like yelling from downstairs like she normally did, things might have changed.

Perhaps, if she had left that morning to go to the market and went about her business like any other day, she wouldn't be alive at all. 

But the fact of the matter was that she had slept in, she hadn't woken to the sound of Ada’s yelling, and she didn’t visit the morning market. Therefore, unlike hundreds of citizens from the southern district of Trost: Edith Prewitt was still alive. 

She'd gone to bed the night before with a terrible cold. The kind of illness that left her head feeling as though it was padded with cotton and her limbs filled with lead. Her father, Markus, had rushed her off to bed early, urging her to get a good sleep so she could wake up feeling refreshed. 

And she did wake up feeling refreshed, quite refreshed, to the point that she was almost completely back to her usual self. 

It was a Thursday, which meant she was supposed to go to the market first thing; but since she'd slept in, Markus had sent her stepmother, Ada, in her place.

“How are you feeling?” Markus asked as his daughter slipped into her seat at the kitchen table. 

“I’m okay,” Edith said as a warm cup of tea with honey appeared in front of her, courtesy of her father. “Did Ada take my letter?” She asked.

Markus chuckled as he patted his daughter’s head. “She did.”

“Good.” Edith smiled before she took a sip of her tea. She wanted to make sure Jean got the letter she had written the afternoon before. This one in particular was important because it was the first letter that she hadn’t needed to send to the training base. Instead, it had been addressed to the military headquarters right there in Trost.

Jean had ranked 6th in his class, or at least that’s what Edith had heard from the group of gossiping mothers that had been at Prewitt’s Baked Goods, just the day before. With the confirmation that he’d made the top ten (although she still felt he deserved the #1 spot) Edith knew it wouldn’t be long before Jean packed up and headed for the interior, which meant it wouldn’t take long for her to be doing the same.

After all, even if Jean didn’t think it would happen, Edith was certain that eventually she’d end up in the interior with him.

They were meant to be together and that was just a fact.

The thought left Edith’s stomach flipping and her heart fluttering with giddy excitement. She hoped he’d stop by in the next few days, once graduation was done and he’d gotten his things packed. If she hadn’t been so sick, she would have already gone to visit him herself.

“Edith?” Markus asked, popping his head through the door that led from the bakery in front of their house, into their living space behind it.

“Hm?” She looked up from her tea, now snapped out of her thoughts and pulled back into reality.

“Would you mind helping me get some rolls into the oven? I have to start on orders.”

Edith nodded as she slipped out of her seat and entered the bakery. She grabbed an apron off of the hook on the wall and wrapped it around her waist before walking to the sink to wash her hands. Next to the bar of soap sat her father’s watch, an old family heirloom that he never took off unless he was rolling out dough. She smiled as she looked at the watch, not needing to touch it to know exactly how the worn leather felt. The delicate golden decor on the watch’s face. The small crack against the glass that made it a little difficult to see where the minute hand was pointing whenever it was between half past and a quarter too.

He’d always said he would get around to having the glass replaced; but for now, he felt it gave the watch character, although Edith knew the truth was just that they couldn't afford to spend money on something so frivolous.

With her hands now washed, Edith dried them before she grabbed her father’s watch and put it into the left pocket of her apron. She knew for a fact that he would finish baking and then complain about not being able to find it, even though he always left it by the sink. At this point, it was easier if she just kept it for him so she could immediately give it back.

Edith turned around to grab a tray for the rolls and made her way to the front of the bakery.

“Thank you for stopping by.” Her father smiled at the customer, a pretty young lady who smiled back as she took the bag of pastries she’d just purchased.

Edith’s eyes fell to the bracelet on her wrist. A delicate-looking piece of jewelry with a subtle silver chain and bright blue beads. It looked expensive and Edith stopped herself before she could let the jealousy seep in. Still, she couldn’t help but think about how nice it would be to, one day, have pretty things like that too…

The lady exited the shop and Edith turned to her father. “Did Mrs. Muller already stop by to-”

Edith’s sentence was cut off by a rumble so loud that caused a picture hanging on the wall across from her to slip off its hook and crash against the floor. 

The sound of grinding stone. Falling debris. A scream, followed by several more.

And then the loud, panicked, ringing of a bell.

The alarm bell of Trost military headquarters.

“TITANS!!!!” Someone screamed from the street outside. “THEY’VE BREACHED THE WALL! THEY’RE GOING TO GET IN!! THE TITANS ARE GOING TO GET IN!!!!”

Edith’s whole world froze.

It had to be a trick, right? Some messed up practical joke that everyone was in on but her. 

It didn’t feel real. Not the people running through the streets. Not the screaming. Not the way her father grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, attempting to snap her out of her daze. 

It was a Thursday, she was supposed to go to the market.

…it was a Thursday…

[READ THE REST ON AO3]

[beevean]

Fun fact: to explain to a friend why the Lenector plot makes me sick and why the real Hector wouldn't fall for Lenore, I subjected myself to some more clips.

(I guess I do have self harm tendencies :V)

And I haven't found a clip for the dialogue on the balcony, but here it is:

Lenore: Does it hurt? Hector: No. It just reminds me of the last time someone put a collar on me. Lenore: In Braila? Hector: When Carmilla almost killed me. Lenore: Well, she does have a temper. But she would never have meant to kill you. Hector: No. Because she needs me to be her forgemaster slave. Lenore: No, because if she'd meant to kill you, you would quite simply be dead. Hector: Hmph. Lenore: And if she'd meant to torture you, you would have arrived here carrying your guts in both hands with a spike up your arse. Hector: I suppose that's true. I mean, I can see her doing it. In nightmares and such. Lenore: She does have a temper, but she's logical. She never lets it run away with her to the point of, oh, I don't know, condemning the entire human race to death? Just a recent example of what being genuinely insane with murderous rage looks like. Hector: All right. Lenore: You may not have been treated like a boy king on your way here, but you did show up alive. Hector: Might have been nice, though. Lenore: Have you considered that you're only alive because you listened to Carmilla back in Dracula's castle? Hector: I hadn't. She tricked me. Lenore: I don't think she did. I think she made complete sense to you, and you felt guilty, understandably, about how it all played out. Hector: She made me betray Dracula. Lenore: No, she didn't. She showed you the old man was insane, and she saved you from the consequences. Nobody here wants to harm you. We just don't quite trust you yet. Hector: Trust me? Lenore: You did try to hurt me, Hector.

As an abuse apologist, Lenore is perfect. Look at how she keeps justifying Carmilla and the way she beat Hector nearly to death in S2, saying that "she has a temper" (which is a lie, Carmilla did it out of sadistic pleasure, not anger) and that Hector was still lucky that he was left alive. That is correctly terrifying. But also look at what she keeps saying: "dracula bad, we good". Which, incidentally, is the exact same thing Carmilla did in S2, one month prior.

This is not a manipulative woman pretending to love Hector enough so that he'll lower his guard. She's just insulting one guy. And I suppose throwing some flimsy compliments like "I like the sound of your voice" or "you're pretty".

I am trying, I really am, but I simply don't see how the story goes from "Lenore convinces Hector that Dracula was stupid" (something he had already considered with Carmilla, this isn't special) to "yes Hector would totally have sex with this random chick who was kind of flirty with him a few times". I can come up with all sorts of theories that go from "he was lonely and desperate and craved a comforting touch" to "he was tired of jerking off and preferred a warm (?) hole" lol, but that's me doing the writer's job.

I am trying to see this from the perspective of a man who knew nothing but abuse, but the writing isn't subtle enough! This is not how abuse works! Lenore doesn't actually do anything for Hector, and even when she promises him new shoes or gives him a bigger cell, she always remarks that it's in the name of diplomacy - so it's not personal!

Again. For comparison. Dracula was the first person in Hector's life who accepted him and gave him a place where he could live, who accepted his powers and gave significance to his life instead of seeing it as cursed. Rosaly saved his life without asking for anything in return, and gave him a chance to be reborn as a new man free from his sins and dark nature. That is why Hector trusts them completely (or almost, in the former case). I will die on the hill that Dracula was the perfect abusive figure for Hector, because he'd care about him, not this jailer he had known for a few weeks.

Even the prelude to the sex scene is stupid:

Lenore: I'm loyal to my sisters. To just fling open the door and say, "Fly, be free, pretty human boy"? That-- That would be a direct betrayal. [...] Lenore: You only have one advantage in this whole negotiation. I'm not sure it's an advantage. I like you. [...] Lenore: I'm loyal to my sisters… but what we're doing is wrong. We could just leave, Hector. If you want to be with me.

There is naive, and then there's "not noticing that Lenore literally contraddicts herself in the span of a minute". I have no trust in this show's writing, so it's easier to believe this is just yet another plot hole like many in this ill-thought out story.

I would have loved a story where Hector's canonical tendency to devote himself to people who grant him the most basic of decency gets twisted into something heartbreaking, but Lenore isn't a fake Rosaly. She's just Carmilla 2.0 + petplay. Her brand of manipulation doesn't make leverage on Hector's need for love and acceptance, which are supposedly why his show version keeps believing obviously suspicious women.

This is what infuriates me. The writing isn't just bad in the sense that it makes me ill. It's just low quality when you stop to think about it for more than three seconds. And what people get from this "huehuehue look at lenore playing hector like a fiddle, #queen"

still obsessed over N!Hector and the sheer unfairness of how he was treated, stuck between "fans" and critics who both reduce him to a pathetic dog to be saved from his own stupidity, because hurr durr he keeps getting manipulated by pretty women! it's just that one camp fetishizes him and the other mocks him

while I feel alone in my belief that Hector being starved for love and devoting himself to anyone who shows him basic decency is canon! It's canon! I can prove it! He did it with Dracula and most importantly with Rosaly! It's not him being "wimpified" it's the natural result of his trauma that was carried over in the show! Why do y'all think he went on a revenge quest after Rosaly was killed, why do you think he was ready to die afterwards? he LITERALLY planned to give his life for the one person who loved her! because that's what dracula taught him to do!!!

the difference is that the prequels did not turn that compelling weakness into fucking rape fetish fuel i hate everything so much i want to bite something to shreds

[yuikomorii]

I'm saying this on anon because last time I shared my opinion, other people (not you) attacked me. I am a huge fan of this blog, but I've been noticing something I'd like to share.

I agree that he isn't the worst in terms of meanness or abuse, but that still doesn't change the fact he is abusive to Yui. You do say this too, but it also comes off as disingenuous at times? It's briefly mentioned he does bad things (not really ever discussed what horrible things he's done), and then it's followed up by "well, at least he's not as bad as "X" person" or is followed up with a list of his "good" traits.

I understand you just want to promote your favorite DL boy, but the way its done feels very biased to the point where it's not consistent or sometimes hypocritical. For example, I found it a bit concerning with the criticisms of Laito as a child, as he was literally being sexually abused. Is it really fair to label Ayato's abuse as one to be more sympathetic towards, when they both were horrible? I guess that's the impression I was getting.

Once again, it's 100% okay to like Ayato as a character, and I do too, but the way your "facts" about Ayato and how the other characters are worse than him in terms of abuse, support, etc don't really seem all that consistent or fairly presented. You aren't obligated to write about the abusiveness of Ayato, but you do have a very large audience, and I know a few others feel the same but have been scared to comment.

// While I understand your point of view, I'd like to point out that you misunderstood me and almost everything I said in this post.

I literally always mention that Ayato is an abusive character, which must not be excused, and the reason I usually compare him to others is because he's seen as such a horrible person in this fandom while he's more on the nice side; he was even confirmed in a book as the friendliest and most approachable character. Abuse is still abuse, but there are different types of abuse. Ayato is a misunderstood and mischaracterized character who is always portrayed as the worst, despite being the poor excuse of a bad guy. I can't believe some people in HDB found his actions unforgivable while justifying and thirsting over characters who abused Yui in far worse ways.

His form of abuse is basically… pranks. He’s a DO-S but not in the way of harming people, but scaring them. Darts scene? He intended to scare her by piercing her heart with the darts, but instead kissed her. School scene? He drank her blood and pretended leaving Yui there but 5 seconds later he picked her up. Underground scene? He put handcuffs on her then pretended to leave but Yui kept screaming for him so he came out of hiding and let her go. Mysterious package scene? He gave her a mini skirt so as to make fun of her. The only time when he was violent (not counting bad endings since those are the “wrong” ones) was during the blood moon (when all vampires, as predators, get this desire to hunt and are more lustful), when he strangled her in one of the Maniac chapters. Normal HDB Ayato would never let Yui harm herself; he doesn’t get any satisfaction out of that, nor would he ever harm her in his routes (unless you count bites, lol, but he’s a vampire…). Even in Laito’s route, he helped Yui removing the handcuffs Laito had placed on her when she told him she wanted her hands to be cut off. Of course, nobody should ever allow such things in real life; it is bullying and toxic, and this should not be romanticized, but in a game about extremely sadistic monsters, he's definitely on the "not that bad" side. He never forced Yui to do anything scary, nor did he project his insecurities onto her or fill her with his own problems. And I know he called Yui "prey" in MB, which made her cry a lot, yet humans really are prey in their eyes. Still, Yui admits in the last ecstasy chapter that she was selfish for being too obsessed with Ayato's love rather than trying to understand him, and this was one of Yui's best developments because it demonstrated her learning from her mistakes. Ayato was also in the wrong; he should have tried to express his feelings rather than bottle them up, but I'm glad they both got together.

Side note: He is the Sakamaki who has insulted Yui the least (ik bare minimum). He called her flat (which everyone did) dumb and said her clothes lacked sex appeal, but he never made her feel insecure about her face. However, for some reason, he's always the one in headcanons who says things like "I don't like ugly women!" or stuff like that. One of the reasons I love Ayato is that he is the only one who genuinely used KIREI on her, and not only one time, which is something I will never stop talking about. This is so significant because in the majority of otome games, the love interests call the heroine “kawaii” and “kirei” is actually rarely used since it has a much bigger impact in Japan.

I may appear biased, but the thing is… Ayato is already a biased character by the company, and I'm not just saying that because he's always in the center of everything. He appears to be the favorite character of Rejet's most important employees, including Rejet's CEO (who also wrote some character songs and YB), Yamada-san (one of the route and CD drama writers + Young blood writer), and others. It's fine to express your displeasure with their bias toward him, but at the end of the day, we're just the players, and they're the creators, so there's nothing we can do. Also, Rejet confirmed all of the "horrible" things you mentioned:

1. When Ayato is accused of doing something bad, it isn't as sinister as you might think. It simply means causing mischief, or playing pranks on others, and this was demonstrated even on routes that were not his own. Still mean, but not horrifying.

2. It’s canon that all he did with the sacrificial brides was feed off them. Yes, they were innocent souls, but this official short story (translated by Koiiro on WP) explains the entire situation better. Basically, Yui explained that she has to eat meat even though she feels a bit bad for the animals killed in the process, but Ayato compares it to the sacrificial brides to cheer her up and explains that it's the circle of life. Vampires, after all, require blood to survive:

Ayato— “I don't feel sorry for those who are sacrificed."

Yui—"…eh?"

Ayato— "Because they're eaten by the great me. The weak can live within the strong, right? They should be grateful."

Yui— "Ayato-kun…"

Ayato— Titless looks surprised somehow. I look away from her, thinking that what just I said is an obvious thing.

Yui— "…thank you. You really are kind, Ayato-kun."

Ayato— For some reason, I hear Titless thanking me from behind.

Ayato— "Huh!? What do you mean?"

Yui— "…eh? I mean… at the very least, my blood isn't simply going to waste inside of you. When the thought crossed my mind, I just felt that way somehow…"

Ayato— Titless shyly smiles as she answers.

After hearing Yui's confession, Ayato goes into Tsundere mode, exclaiming, "It was about Takoyaki!" even though Yui knew very well he meant sacrificial brides.

No, @ DL fandom, he did not torture previous sacrificial brides as you might think. I know I'm probably one of the few DL fans who have access to a bunch of information about the franchise, but I'd really appreciate it if people would stop judging a character without knowing the facts.

Now, let's talk about Laito. I'm sorry, but I believe you completely missed the point of what I was trying to say. I never said Ayato's past was more worthy of sympathy than Laito's; I just said that both of them had it rough and that Laito shouldn't envy him for it, because Ayato's life wasn't perfect either.

As a person who got a pure 100% on my psychology exam, NEWSFLASH: Psychological, Neglect, Sexual and Physical abuse are the main types of abuse and they’re EQUALLY bad. Just because Laito was sexually abused doesn't mean Kanato, who was neglected, or Ayato, who was tortured and had many near-death experiences, had it better than him, and thinking that way is extremely insensitive. Worst past ≠ Saddest past. What makes Laito's past sadder than Ayato's is that Laito was severely impacted by it, whereas Ayato not so much. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love Laito, and I'm a Laito stan, but dismissing his brother’s trauma is still wrong. That is equivalent to saying:

Person A: I was beaten up everyday to the point that I almost died over and over.

Person B: But you will never understand the pain of being rap€d.

Abuse is not a competition; everyone reacts differently; some people heal faster than others; and one thing is certain: Ayato's, Laito's, or anyone else's trauma will never be an excuse for abusive behavior.

Oh and actually, everything I mentioned are 100% canon facts??? They aren’t sugarcoated in Ayato’s favor, he really is portrayed by Rejet as a hero. He even came in first place among all Rejet boys, from all of their games, when it came to protecting you/MC in a fight against a powerful enemy.

Ayato and Azusa are both the most helpful Diaboys in the franchise, so claiming that Ayato is less supportive than his brothers is a huge lie. Sure, he's not always supportive, but he's more than the other Sakamakis and unquestionably more heroic. I focus on his positive traits rather than his negative ones because he has more positive traits than negative ones, lol. Ayato has done far more good than bad, so he deserves to be reminded of those rather than his flaws.

I'm sorry you got hate for sharing your opinion; nobody deserves to be hated for something like that, but maybe think outside the box next time? Or perhaps try to better analyze the situation? I don't mean to come across as mean; I have nothing against this ask, and I appreciate that you enjoy my blog; it's just that some fans are extremely defensive of their favorite Diaboy to the point of being very irascible. ^^”

[athyathye]

The 3 definitions of stupid 

Author’s note 📝: This is mainly in 3rd pov. Also here's a fun game, take a shot everytime you read stupid lol

1.2k word count

Warnings ⚠️: kinda cheating¿ implied s3xu@l relations but not really explored, toxic!rindou, like 1 or 2 curse words~

In hindsight, to other Bonten officials you were smart, level-headed and assiduous. But when it came to a certain someone, they all bet you’d go stupid for that person no matter what. 

Your profession was not ideal. Your profession required you to do all sorts of things a normal moral person would abhor. You could no longer associate with the ‘normal’ crowd as a result. Left only to the hands none other than you bloodied ones, and to people with the same amount of blood on theirs.

But even so, no matter how much you’ve seen the light leave people’s eyes you couldn’t help but glance at a soulless pair. No matter how ruthless they were, no matter how much they held hate or how much they’d glared at yours.

Violet, like the color that blinded your vision when you fired a shot. Like your favorite scent that could never fail to calm you. 

You were a puppet with strings. And he was a damn good puppeteer.

But you see, even if you weren’t that stupid, he was. 

The glint in his eyes told you so. The glint that only appeared when a certain equally stupid girl entered the vicinity.

The kind of stupid girl who jumped into rivers for kittens who fell in. 

It was a ridiculous pairing that came straight out of the imagination of a naive little girl no older than 7. Even so, you couldn’t deny it. You envied the light he showed her, the effort he tried to give her. Hers and only hers you could say.

Even if all her actions came with more cons than the good she meant to do. But that’s not to say it was excusable. Good intentions alone aren’t exactly enough you see. 

No good person would boast about the good deeds she does. No good person would go around preaching about morality to a group of criminals.

Better yet, no sane person would even hang around the most wanted criminals. If she deemed herself as good why hasn't she called the police yet?

Not only were you hard-working, you were observant as well. Though a better term would be, you had eyes. You saw things no reader, no sideline character could see.

The way the car that the heroine jumped in front of to save her kind, a lamb going straight to the slaughterhouse, hit a tree with the person inside just barely escaping. Unfortunately for him he couldn’t escape the bullet that went straight for him after, much less expect it.

Or like the man she pleaded to save, all because she believed in second chances. Who ended up killing a group of teenagers because of driving under the influence. 

It seemed as if you were the only person to notice that as well. Everybody else saw her as this righteous, upright and incorruptible female figure that made their days brighter.

You were the complete opposite. Not that you minded, you could care less about what they thought of you. You were way past the line of caring. Not even when those ruthless death-trapping blank eyes narrowed at you. 

Only he could make use of those eyes like that. The power that makes them so lovable and able to convey a deep meaning even when they were used only for the most gruesome sights, a look into what he was thinking. And more often than not, you knew he wasn’t thinking about pretty things when looking at you.

“See? I told y’all a sadistic b*tch like she could handle things without me.” He tried to excuse himself from the glares that he was thrown with after you had reported how your mission went to your boss.  A mission that was meant to be joint with him. But you could guess why he ditched. After all, it was a special day for a special someone. 

As for yourself, you could have said a lot of things. In fact you did have a lot to say. But you stayed silent. Already feeling tired even when you’ve yet to talk, let alone glance at him. 

Why won’t you? you ask. Because who knows what kind of expression he’s making. You could only have one of his looks directed at you after all. Everything else was reserved. Hers and hers alone.

You don’t think you could take it either. Not when you were hopelessly pining. Why? Why was it like that?

Well, not even you could figure it out. After all, there are a lot of  things you can’t explain to anyone, even when you feel it again and again, or when they’ve been explained. Not everybody has the privilege of being able to explain things.

But oh, how he was stupid. Absolutely moronic, foolish and dumbwitted. 

But so were you.

You find yourself thinking that at the deepest depths of the night. On his bed. 

You couldn’t even cry anymore from how much shame you felt. You could only chuckle as you imagined what you looked like at that very moment. How he convinced you to join him as he practically spelled out for you how he was never going to get tied up with the same girl he ditched you for.

“Our lives are a heck of a lot different, you already know that” Hands behind his neck, a cigarette in between his chapped but sultry lips. You couldn’t help but admire the way it moved, the way the shape of your name was displayed on his mouth.

“I wasn’t really gonna’ like, tie the knot with her. Just a one-time thing.”

But you tried to fight back your desires. “And suddenly that falls under my business, how?”

One of his hands trailed over the top of your head, to the apple of your cheek. He caressed it which made you lean on the warmth that was radiating off of it. You tried to gaze into his eyes as he did so but before you could he had already slammed it to the wall behind you. 

Trapping you in between his predatory gaze as he said “Because I’m not stupid enough to pass on a beatiful woman like you who noticed a no-good man like me.”

How irrational you were. How incredibly desire-driven you were. Stupid.  

You couldn’t help but be curious how he knew, your desire was undeniable. However, it was silent. As silent as the pleading of your group to stop the crimes all of you cause.

And now you bear the consequences of a reckless decision. 

Staring at the object in front of you that could potentially change everything you’re doing in life. You couldn’t help the bile that rose to your mouth. 

What was even more nauseating was the scene occurring in front of you now. It was tormenting.

“You’re different.” He brushed her hair back. Wiping away the tears that continuously poured out of her lively eyes.

You couldn’t help the utter laughter that bubbled out of you. “Aww Look at you comforting people with the words you wished someone would say to you.”

Clenching his teeth at the interruption, all the attention was now on you. Stoic and calm, that’s what your posture said. But the madness and disappointment oozing out of you was loud.

“I take it back. You’re not stupid at all. The line was crossed 50 kilometers ago, you’re unable to even think for yourself.” You breathed out. Shaking your head as you left. Possibly everything. 

To other Bonten officials you were smart, level-headed and assiduous. But when it came to a certain someone, they were all correct in believing that you’d go stupid for a person no matter what. 

You were stupid for burying your head underwater.

[wyattwaslesslazy]

@bluravenite because you asked for this ♡♡♡

However I'm gonna have to make a part 2 with the other 4 ghouls, can only upload 10 pictures and shhhhhhh I'm not taking back any that I put down fight me on this I have no brain anymore I wrote so much text

References for all my ghouls

♡Rune♡

Here we have the lovely Rune. My baby boy here is a fire ghoul from era 2, he is the Ex lead guitarist and backup vocalist for Secundo's band of ghouls. He was incredibly overwhelmed and nervous about the life he was summoned for and after maybe a week in he convinced Poe to help him escape this life and hide amongst the siblings of sin. His makeup holds glamor magic and when he wears it he has a more human appearance. He's been living as a human since he escaped and lucky enough, nobody has found out about his little secret. Of course that is until one of the ghouls had caught on to the little act. In one way or another he was found out, but his papa, Secundo didn't truly have the heart to be angry with him,, after all, his ghoul had finally returned to him, even if it took a few years ♡♡ nowadays rune is more comfortable showing his Ghoul side to others, but still enjoys to be glamored here and there! Or at least wear his face paint ♡

♡Odin♡

My trans king, my idiot son number 2, my beloved,,, okay, so with Odin, he was summoned to replace Rune, after all, Ghost cannot play without a lead guitarist! And so, this new ghoul was summoned! Though.. they had gone by a different name and was actually a Ghoulette in the beginning! The ghoulette had started off with a much rougher personality. Bitter, viscous if provoked, and an all around asshole. She had her kind moments but overall just seemed... unhappy. Could it be the curse of the era 2 guitarist spot?? After all it had run off the last one... Nope! After a little talking to with Secundo and a small feelings fest where the ghoulette cried her heart out, secundo made plans to help her change into a more fitting body, alter it however they could. As the years went by, Odin had finally calmed, finding peace in his altered body and his newfound friendship with his pack, also weed. weed helped. He finally was able to enjoy the pack and truly have fun with being an era 2 ghoul for ghost.

♡Poe♡

Poe is the era 2 Water ghoul! He plays for secundo in the band :3 his personality is much more reserved and quiet. He's not shy by all means but he's similar to papa ii in the way that he's a bitter old ghoul. He prefers to keep away from the commotion of others, sticking to the library, his room, or the pond out on the ministry grounds. On quiet nights one might even catch him reading out in a common area for the ghouls. He loves to read poetry, his favorite author being Edgar Allen Poe. If you gain his trust and friendship he can be very sweet and also very teasing. Will absolutely be blunt with you. Overall a good ghoul. His scar will be touched upon under the ghoul Flint's paragraph

♡Veles♡

Veles, simply put, is a bastard. He's the drummer for ghost era 2 and is very much so a sadistic asshole. He definitely resembles a cat in predator mode. His favorite activities include stalking ghouls and siblings alike in order to spook them and get a scare out of them. Not too bad yeah? Wrong. When it comes to the siblings, veles is more likely to actually mentally torture them for weeks on end, stalking them, staying just out of sight and yet allowing glimpses of him from around the corners of the ministry.

He once stalked a sibling for almost an entire week straight, finally following them out to the grounds of the ministry near the pond. He slowly stalked towards them, growling and snarling as his tail lashes behind him. He looked akin to a hungry feral ghoul and slowly padded forward, backing them up near the water's of the pond. He suddenly lunges, startling them into screaming and falling back into the pond. And what did veles do? He laughed. His act was done, he got all the fear and paranoia he could from the sibling, and left. He lost interest in them. He is much like a preying cat who beats and bats their victim until they can no longer move and when they get bored? They leave it and ignore it. This is veles.

However, veles when he likes you? He still stalks, he still scares, he still messes with you. But it's much lighter, playful even. He likes to see you nervous but will pat your head and ruffle your hair afterwards. And when he loves someone? Expect exactly a lovey dovey cat who only wants attention and pets and just?? Did he say you could leave??? Get back here and love on him????

♡Kevin♡

He's my idiot son next question.

No but really, Kevin is a goofball. He likes to create chaos and run around and have fun, but at the same time he's also very caring and tries to give everyone a chance. He likes to cook and though sometimes it goes according to plan!! Other times he sets a pot of non boiling water on fire somehow. Bfjdbdh underneath all of his energy he has some anxiety and often picks at his hands and nails, even chewing on his claws. He's a sweetheart,,, but also an idiot ♡♡ and a klutz but we love him

♡Aidoneus♡

This is Aidoneus!! Their pronouns are He/They and they are a thick king ♡♡♡♡ their body is a galaxy black/blue with white star freckles littering their body and white cracks running across here and there. It's nothing bad, simply how this quintessential ghoul is! Space themed,,, same with their docked tail, its simply how he was created. He has a very bubbly personality that also dips into morbidity??? Like they have a very morbid sense of humour and are very curious! Definitely a ghoul I have yet to flesh out truly, but I do love them still.

Part 2 will come later because jfbdjf I still have to draw Apollo and Zeus and the full body for Clay XD

[dreamkidddream]

I’m the Doll!MC Anon and I just wanna say I’m so glad that you enjoy a soft/delicate!MC and I really didn’t expect it to get so much love!

Since I kinda want to be evil and see the boys be overprotective, can I request hc’s of them seeing Doll!MC getting hurt by some lesser demon that bumps her into the ground and she gets a bruise? 🌚

Omg Doll Anon I wasn’t expecting it to get so much love either (here���s the original Doll!MC HCs if anyone wants to read)!! So I actually had your request saved for when I was done with the prompt special bc it’s so good, so I decided to combine them and I have definitely been waiting to write this 😈😈 Reader is gender neutral!

CW: mention of blood (nothing graphic) and spoilers for Lesson 16 (Lucifer, Mammon, Beel, and Belphie’s part)

The Brothers and Diavolo with Doll!MC who Gets Hurt

Lucifer

Okay whoever is dumb enough to hurt you in front of him deserves this 100%

The air around this man is already more than intimidating, so whoever tries this is a poor, stupid soul

When he saw you fall down the stairs, he felt his stomach turn. He already caught you before you could injure yourself further, but after seeing the blood coming down your face, the damage was already done

Now, Lucifer is the brother who always has control over himself and what he does. But, we also know that how his temper can get, especially when it comes to his family

This demon is dumb enough to push you but not dumb enough to crack a smile in front of him, especially with how tense Lucifer is getting right now

He sat you up and tried to remember some first aid techniques to stop the bleeding. You’re on the verge of losing consciousness, but you’re okay right now. He’ll take you home, but first-

His glare is making the demon freeze in place right now, and the anger radiating off of him is petrifying

How dare- how dare this fool harm you, in front of him no less?! Did they think that he wouldn’t do anything? That Lucifer, the Avatar of Pride, one of the strongest demons to ever grace the Devildom, would just idly stand by and let this happen?

He’s stalking towards them, and he can feel his fangs showing and his diamond appearing on his forehead, growling out how they will pay for this-

But he’s stopped by Lord Diavolo, who was shocked by the scene. You’re unconscious, and Lucifer has this poor student hanging in the air by their uniform, claws ready to slice through them. Needless to say, he understands why his close friend is upset, but for everyone’s safety he should just take you home like planned

You thought Lucifer was a helicopter parent before? You haven’t seen NOTHING yet

He would start inviting you more to his room to sleep in his bed while he works away, and it started happening so much that he didn’t even ask anymore and started expecting you to always be in there

So instead of him being glued by your side, you’re glued to his. It’s obvious that he can’t let you out of his sight without something happening (again), so hope you’re ready to see experience Lucifer’s daily routine from sunrise to sunset and a whole new set of rules. Basically playing follow the leader, but with a lot more handholding and kisses

You had to practically beg to be back into the kitchen, and he only relented when he could be the one to supervise you, and even then he still didn’t want to hold anything sharp or be near anything that could injure you (which is pretty much everything)

The main one to put a stop to his brothers’ schemes, handing out harsher punishments than before each time they try to involve you. This man is not playing any games with anyone

You know he means well, he was already overprotective from the start, and this is just his way of showing that he cares about you. You can tell every time he gives you that soft look in his eyes, and the regret that he shows every time he catches sight of your bruise. He may not like to be vulnerable, but he couldn’t hide his emotions from you too long. You’re like a weakness to him, one that he isn’t against indulging in

And he hasn’t forgotten about that student, oh no. He made sure to have a nice lengthy chat with them when you both returned to RAD. You didn’t question it when he informed you that the student had been rightfully punished and no longer an issue, and you tried to ignore the red dots splattered on his shoes, or that sadistic gleam in his eyes...

Mammon

This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening, this isn’t happening-

The blood is pouring from your head, and your eyes are closing too fast for him, and his heart stops

You look lifeless, like when Belphie killed you, when he was too late to save you-

He’ll never forget that image, it’s drilled deep into his mind, forever a reminder of his failure to protect you. And now he failed again-

This demon is gloating about this, and that’s when he snaps

He was already in his demon form and beating the life out of them when he was restrained. Many people were shocked that he was capable of this, that Mammon the scumbag, Mammon the dummy, Mammon the punching bag was capable enough to be this dangerous, this deadly. He’s the second born after all, and he’s the strongest right under Lucifer himself, and he holds a lot in

He could- he would do a lot more because they deserve it, but just seeing you so still, it snaps him out of it. You’re more important to him than getting his anger out, and you’re the one he needs to be focusing on right now. But rest asssured, this isn’t over

You thought he was attached to you before? He is glued to your side 24/7 and will not be leaving anytime soon. Ever since you woke up he never let go of you, calling you “his human” and just hugging you tight

Also if you have to go down the stairs you guys are FLYING no exceptions! The stairs are the devil in his eyes (how ironic) and he will not be risking anything with you

If you guys aren’t out and about under his careful and watchful eye (and I mean very careful, he’s like your very own bodyguard but with a lot more growling and snapping on strangers than usual), then you’re in his room doing whatever. Watching movies, playing cards and somehow beating him every time (he swears that he isn’t letting you win! Lies), whatever you wanna do. As long as you’re with him, giggling and safe, he’s happy and stress free

You mean so much to Mammon MC, he can’t even tell you if he tries. Under his tsundere traits, he really loves you, like really loves you! He’s just so scared of being rejected and losing you a second time. But now that he knows you’ll always be there for him, he’s going to do the same for you (but he already was even if you didn’t like him) He hates looking at that bruise right now, but it’s set as a reminder to not let something happen to you again

Also, another thing that people forget about Mammon is that he can talk to crows. So it wasn’t much to have them track down the person who caused you pain, and it didn’t take long for him to find them either. He thinks that the aftermath will set a good lesson for everyone else who continues to underestimate him when it comes to you: don’t

Leviathan

See, this is why he never leaves his safe haven AKA his room!

After he saw your head hit the ground hard, he was freaking out. He doesn’t know what to do, he wasn’t prepared for this! He tried shaking you to keep you awake, but your eyes were steady closing

Everything is happening in slow motion. You’re slumped over on the ground while the person who did it is laughing at him

If anything, the person who did it should be the one on the ground, not you, not his Henry. It’s not fair, it’s not fair, it’s not fair!

The demon stopped laughing when their windpipe was getting crushed by the second. They couldn’t even try to loosen the grip, Levi’s tail is rather strong, and so is he. He is the third strongest out of his family and the Grand Admiral of the Navy, yet people tend to forget that

Everyone knows how bad Levi’s tantrums can be, but this isn’t just a tantrum, it’s much worse. Had the brothers not intervene, he would have done much worse than summoning Lotan (which he was on the brink of doing anyway)

When you did wake up, he was so upset. Of course he let this happen, he’s just a worthless otaku who couldn’t even keep his crush safe-

OMG why are you hugging him and patting his head?! Quit it- well wait, this does feel kinda nice...Ugh you’re such a normie! Getting hurt so easily and still trying to put a smile on his face. But it does make him feel better

He rarely left his room before, and you guys are definitely not leaving it now. It’s like having a sleepover, but it never ends. That sounds great, right MC? Endless marathons of TSL and other anime, co-op video games, trying on his cosplay outfits that he made (some even made just for you and he needs to cover that bruise somehow), it’s going to be so fun and you’ll be safe with him! Who wouldn’t want that??

We all know that Levi is very self conscious. He knows that he isn’t confident like Lucifer and Mammon, or attractive like Asmo, or smart like Satan or Belphie, or physically fit like Beel, he knows. But every time you listen to him ramble on about this new anime show that he wants you guys to binge, or when he rants about a stupid move his teammate did in an online match, he feels valued. He feels loved. And while it’s hard for him to express his feelings, it’s no doubt in his mind that you’re important to him, and that he’s beyond happy that someone like you is his best friend

One day he’ll get the courage to say those three words, but he hopes that you already know with everything that he does for you

For example, Levi is an aquatic demon, and he has the ability to communicate with all types of sea creatures. Granted, he knows right from wrong, but in his eyes he’s taking care of the problem. So it wouldn’t be a huge issue if he used them to clean up the remaining mess of said problem, right? I mean, his venom can only do so much, and he doesn’t need anyone questioning him, and Lotan does get hungry...

Satan

He could only see red. Both from his anger surfacing and from the fact that you’re bleeding

He had his claws wrapped around the neck of the one responsible before they could even think about running. This- this filth dared tried to escape after he hurt you? And they thought that Satan would just let them get away with it?

They must forget that he’s the Avatar of Wrath, the one who doesn’t show mercy

He just kept pounding the demon into the ground, over and over and over and over. He didn’t even care about the blood splatter it was leaving on the lockers or on him

He was this close to finishing them off when he heard you call out for him, and it took everything in him to drop them. He squeezed their neck a final time, not even close to being satisfied with the whimper he heard, and growled out a promise of that he will find them and will make sure that they suffer before he threw them down. They better count themselves lucky that they get to crawl away in one piece (for now), because had you not been there-

Oh, he is seething the more he thinks about it

But you bleeding is a distraction from it, even if it is making his stomach turn, it’s helping him know that he needs to help you now

He didn’t have to let his brothers know as they came to see what the commotion was, and Lucifer (even if he didn’t want to believe it himself) was anxious that he was the cause of it. But after he saw the hold he had on you and another demon barely clinging onto life, he knew otherwise

It was decided that you two going home would be the best course of action (which it didn’t matter to Satan, you both weren’t going to stay here whether it was demanded or not), and he calmed down enough to properly treat you

You didn’t leave his room for the rest of the day, and he even gave up his bed for you to lie in so that he can do some research. The human body is a complicated thing, but Satan can learn it like the back of his hand just for you. So just go ahead and rest for now MC- or maybe not, you might have a concussion according to this book and if you do he needs to monitor your condition!

Even after you were healed, he didn’t let you out of his sight and daily checkups were a must. Dr. Satan is in the building!

You eventually moved back into your room (you would have stayed longer but he’s a little nervous with his towering stacks of books and doesn’t want anymore accidents), but he practically moved in with you with how much he comes over, either falling asleep at your desk reading a book or falling asleep in your chair right next to your bed

Very reluctant to have you around stairs, it makes the hairs on his neck stand up. He’ll let you go down the stairs ONLY if you’re holding his hand. If you’re upset with those conditions (spoiler alert you’re not), then you better be ready to learn some teleportation spells (but even then he’s still not leaving your side)

He doesn’t hold his temper back with the others when it comes to you for the time being. If he even senses that Mammon, Asmo, or Levi is coming to you with something that can cause trouble, he’s growling at them to leave you alone, horns slowly coming out and tail whipping furiously

However, he tries not to lash out in front of you. He realizes that he lost control with that demon, and how it could have terrified you had you been fully conscious, but he doesn’t want you to think that he’s just a monster. He wants you to continue to treat him like you do now, and not have the image of bashing someone’s bloody body on the floor repeatedly

Speaking of bashing someone, Satan made well on his promise of coming back. The demon thought that avoiding coming back to school would save them, but Satan is a genius, and has many associates that he can sweet talk to get what he wants. It didn’t take much to figure out where they went, and he made sure to get out all of his pent-up frustrations from that fateful day. He felt better when he came home, but he needed to take a shower before he went to see you...

Besides from that, he does appreciate the peace that you do bring him. You just have this aura around you that’s so calming to him, and he needs to steal you away more he realizes

Also you make better cat-themed desserts than the cafe and he can’t risk Beel eating them all again

Asmodeus

He’s shook, and not in the good way

He just had your hand in his, complaining about how you cuticles look so good and his is lacking and how guys have to go to the nail salon after class, and then your hand is jerked from his, your form at the bottom of the stairs

The blood staining your uniform is alarming, but he can’t worry about that now. He’s trying to keep you talking, but you’re already on the verge of passing out

“MC, you can’t sleep yet! We have plans to go to the nail salon remember? And I need you awake so we can talk about what matching color we’re getting! So what color should we get now, MC? MC? MC!”

He’s trying to keep himself from panicking, but he can’t help it! You’re suppose to be smiling and laughing with you, loving him, but you’re unconscious on the ground, and he’s scared

Quickly dials Lucifer and tells him the whole situation, and he’s surprised to find himself blinking back tears

The demon who did this is long gone by the time Lucifer and Diavolo come, but he remembers the face, and he has something exciting planned when he comes face to face with them

Obviously you have to go home, but Asmo is so distraught that he has to go home with you. But when you wake up, prepare to be tackled to the bed with him crying his eyes out. All you can do is try to comfort him and tell him that okay, giving him little kisses on his cheek

But now that the sadness is out of the way (all this crying and worrying is causing him stress wrinkles), it’s time for a makeover/stress relief!

Fashion shows, makeovers, painting nails, face masks, the whole nine yards. All in the comfort of his dazzling room!

It’ll make you both feel and look better, and honestly you two need that right now. It also gives him the opportunity to cover that unappealing bruise. Your beauty outshines it but it’ll be best to cover it up for your and his sake (mainly his)

Every time Asmo sees your bruise, he gets upset and he’s tired of being reminded of what happened. He knows that he’s only loved for his looks, his vanity, but you see more in him than that

You’re...you’re the first person that loves him for him entirely, not because of his features. And when he tells you that he loves you, he honestly means it. He would have never thought he would fall so deep for someone, let alone a human, but...he’s glad that it’s you. He’s happy that it’s you

Which is why he wants to keep you safe and injury-free. Plus, your skin is too pretty and doll-like to be roughed up!

You guys still go out of course, he just has a better eye on you now. This one incident isn’t going to hold him back for picking out new cute outfits for you!

And don’t think he forgot about that demon who caused all of this in the first place. He actually waited by their locker, and convinced them to come with him. But what should Asmo do with them? He could always have them steal Beel’s food, annoy Lucifer, say something horrible about Ruri-Chan, the possibilities are endless! As long as they don’t cause him to get dirty, of course

Or maybe they should do something so severe that they have no reason than to leave RAD forever, or even leave the Devildom forever, depending on how far he’s willing to take it. He’ll do anything if it means you’re safe and he gets to keep you all to himself

Beelzebub

He thought it was an accident at first, you get so excited about things that you stumble over your own feet sometimes, but he’s always there to catch you or pick you up

You keep saying that you’re okay as he’s holding onto you, and after he sits you up he’s confused because he smells blood. His heart is beating a little quicker, and you’re not talking anymore, and your head is drooping, and that’s when he sees the blood running down the side of your face

He’s starting to panic, and he’s so scared that if he tightens his hold against you he’ll just make things worse, that he’ll just hurt you more. But he needs to go find Lucifer, he needs to get you help, you’re feeling so light in his arms and it reminds him of the Celestial War when he witnessed his sister dying-

He hears someone snickering behind him, and that’s when he loses his temper

You’re a part of his family now, someone that he loves and cares for more than he can describe, and they did this to you? Someone who wouldn’t even squish a bug, someone who made him late night snacks without even asking, always there to give him hugs after his games no matter how sweaty, someone that put his family back together and they did this to you?

Lucifer and Mammon struggled to hold him back after they found the demon flung through the wall, laying under the rubble. Beel just kept growling, fangs bared and wings buzzing. He won’t stop trying to get out of their hold, and he keeps inching closer and closer to the demon, and it’s only a matter of time before he finishes what he started

You were already in the infirmary getting treated, and Beel isn’t calming down anytime soon so you were both escorted home

You woke up to Beel upset and pouting. He’s so worried about you that he couldn’t even eat. Beelzebub could not eat, that’s how you knew this was a something serious

Poor Beel was so terrified of hurting you himself that he failed to protect you from the people that do want to hurt you, or worse

But this won’t happen again, he swears, both to you and himself. Move over Mammon, Beel is officially your new bodyguard!

Wherever you go, Beel is right behind you, literally. He’s like your shadow, just bigger and a lot more...menacing. Also isn’t taking any chances with Mammon’s schemes, just carrying you away before he can even open his mouth about another get rich quick plan

Speaking of carrying, you are not allowed to walk down the stairs anymore. As soon as you step near some you find yourself in his arms like it’s nothing. Both at home and at school, it doesn’t matter to him

Also he’s very cautious to have you around people besides his brothers, and the exchange students (but he’s still hesitant about Solomon, anyone who can cook food like him is automatically getting the side eye)

Also you practically moved in with the twins, and it’s nothing compared to the sleepovers before. Belphie sleeps easier, Beel’s stomach is satisfied (eating your homemade sweets with you is better than everything combined at Hell’s Kitchen, and trust me he knows) he feels all warm inside, and you’re protected. Everyone’s happy!

Beel is a sweet guy, just don’t come in between his family or his food. After that whole incident with the demon, everyone has come to understand that, especially after seeing just how much damage he caused both to the demon and the school in so little time...

Belphegor

If he was sleepy before, he’s completely awake now

You’re holding the side of your head, and he can see the blood seeping through your fingers, groaning in pain. You keep trying to say that you’re okay, but your words are starting to slur and he’s getting nervous, he’s getting scared

It’s reminding him too much of his worst mistake, of what he did to you, when he murdered-

No. He doesn’t need to be thinking about that right now, especially when the person who did this is bragging about it while your body is slumped over. Right there, he knows what exactly needs to be done

Belphie was already in front of them before they even registered it, and didn’t give him any time to form an excuse. His claws were already at their throat, inching deeper and deeper the more they swallowed

“I should just slit your throat now, it’ll be easy and not a lot of work. But you deserve much worse than that. You’ll wish I did by the end of this.”

After a tap to the demon’s forehead, they just collapsed before him, unmoving. He didn’t even look down when he stepped over them (or rather stepped on them) to get to you. You’re passed out, but still breathing. You can’t stay here like this, and he refuses to tell Diavolo or Lucifer. He’ll figure something out, maybe Satan has some books in his room on what to do...

When you woke up, you found yourself wrapped in blankets and Belphie sleeping beside you, arms wrapped tight. You were confused, when did you get home? You remember walking with him down the stairs, but everything was blurry after that. What happen-

“You’re always thinking so hard MC, you’ll never be able to get good rest if you keep that up. But Satan did say to check on you every couple of hours, so I guess it’s fine. And quit touching your head!”

“Oh, sorry Belphie, I didn’t mean to-”

“Tch, how annoying...”

But he’s lying. Even as he’s carefully re-wrapping the bandages, he’s relieved that you’re awake, that your eyes are still full of life, not like the dullness that he saw that fateful night

When Lucifer finds you he is not happy with Belphie, but he doesn’t care and tells him that everything is already under control and that he isn’t needed. Belphie didn’t miss the scowl that he sent his way, but he just smirked in response. You didn’t need Lucifer as Belphie is already taking care of you, as it should be

You know how he always carries around his favorite pillow? Yeah he’s doing that with you basically, minus the carrying. You’re practically attached to his side, wherever he goes you’re either right there with him or in his room, which is mainly just you two lazing around or sleeping (as usual)

Honestly, the only demons who he’s okay with disturbing you two is Beel and maybe Satan. Beel because that’s his twin and it’s his room too, and Satan only if he’s checking on you medically or if he has some new ideas to mess with Lucifer. Everyone else is just trying to bother you and be annoying, and you don’t need that

Of course he blames himself for this! How is he suppose to keep you safe, to make up for his mistake? But then it clicks

It’s not the fact that he’s weak, people think that he’s weak. But he realizes that this is fine, he’ll use that to his advantage.

Diavolo is upset and Lucifer is running out of excuses for him, but Belphie just plays stupid and says he can’t remember how to remove it (even though he does). Let the demon lose some more sleep until they learn their lesson, whether it’s from the constant nightmares or from sleep deprivation trying to stay awake to avoid said nightmares. He’ll remove it when he feels like it, and he doesn’t see that happening anytime soon

Let people think the Avatar of Sloth is weak, that he’s not a threat, and he can show them exactly how wrong they are. Better yet, this demon can be the perfect example, and many more if they become a bother to you (and him)

You’re too nice MC, too delicate. You treat him so good, like he’s not a demon, like he’s not the monster who took your life, and he has to thank you for that somehow. He feels like whatever he does won’t be enough for the kindness you give him, but protecting you from others who used to be like him could be a good start

Also now he can hog all of your head pats and cuddles for himself, and he doesn’t feel bad at all. Everyone else had their time with you when he was locked up, so he’s finally got the opportunity to be selfish

Diavolo

First of all...this demon is dumb enough to harm you in front of him??? The Demon LORD???? The FUTURE KING OF HELL??!

They have more than just a death wish

It all happened so quick, he just crossed paths with you in the hallways and started to ask about your day (and maybe invite you for a small tea date after school) but he didn’t even get the chance to open his mouth

One second he saw your eyes light up and hand extended to excitedly wave, then he saw your fragile form tumbling down the stairs

Barbatos was soon called to his side as Diavolo saw the red coating his palms and you barely staying conscious, trying to say that you’re okay and not to worry

See...he feared that this would be a problem. While Diavolo is a very kind and understanding ruler, there are still some demons out there who think he’s too lenient, too soft. But that’s where people are mistaken. Diavolo is kind, but do not mistake his kindness for weakness

He felt his anger rising, his demeanor starting to crack, but he set aside his emotions. You’re his first priority, and he needs to make sure that you’re okay! He’s still a ruler, and you’re his responsibility (and first love)

However, he made sure that Barbatos took the demon who did this and kept them in the dungeon until he was done treating you. He won’t let this go unpunished, he can’t and he won’t

You’re an important part of the exchange program, and you’re most important to him, and he’s upset with himself that you got hurt. You’re so delicate, and you don’t deserve any of this happening to you, but what can he do? While he trusts the brothers to keep you safe, he wants to keep an eye on you personally, but how?

Then it struck him

You liked to stay in the castle, always smiling and having fun whenever you spent time with him there, so why not relocate you there?? It’ll be like an extended sleepover/retreat with just you two!! You guys can do all of your favorite activities and won’t have to worry about going home because you won’t have to leave!! Why didn’t he think of this sooner?!

The brothers are very upset with this incident, and even more so when he announced this. Diavolo decided that your condition needed to be monitored closely, and since he’s the person directly in charge of the exchange program AND the ruler over the Devildom, there was no room to argue. You weren’t going to stay in the castle forever, just until he deemed it right to return to the HoL

Which would be...some time soon, maybe. He’s not really worried about that now, his number 1 concern is you after all!

You’re getting the royal treatment, literally. This is the chance that he gets to pamper you without interruptions and he is not wasting it!

You kept trying to convince him that you’re fine, but he wasn’t hearing any of it, especially after he sees the nasty bruise that was left. “MC, please! You still need to rest. How about I have Barbatos bring us some tea to help, and we can even have the royal staff bring us some outfits of your choosing if you like? Oo, we can even have our portrait painted!”

“Dia, I promise that I’m fine, you have more things to worry about than me-”

“Nonsense, MC. You’re what’s important to me, now and always. Don’t ever forget that.”

Even finished it with a hand kiss, UGH he really is a Prince Charming

Once you did return to RAD bruise free, Diavolo, being the gentleman that he is, walked with you everywhere in the beginning. Coming into the building, walking to class, lunch, even to the student council meeting, he was by your side. But he couldn’t avoid his duties forever (unfortunately), but he always made up for lost time afterwards

You never realized that when he wasn’t with you, someone else always was. Whether it be Lucifer who miraculously had spare time, or Barbatos who decided to escort you back to the castle to try a new recipe for his Lord, it was always one of them that stayed with you

Also, it never dawned on you why people were starting to be so nice to you. You thought it was because of what happened, not paying attention to how tense they would get, the fear in their eyes. You did notice that the demon who caused your fall never came back to class, and their desk is starting to collect dust...

When you did ask Diavolo about it, he just pat your head and said that what happened was unacceptable and that the demon has been dealt with accordingly.

You don’t need to hear about what really happened to them, he doesn’t want to scare you or taint your innocence! But he doesn’t mind if anyone else hears it, he’ll be more than happy to explain in full detail what happened and what will happen to demons that even think about attempting to harm you or think that he’s “too soft”. They won’t think he’s a soft ruler after that

Diavolo is a very sweet man, one that treats you as if you’re ruling by his side as his partner and one that you never have to be scared of, but even you didn’t miss the deadly glint in his eyes whenever he spoke about that demon...

But enough about that, he wants to try that new recipe that you made just for him!

He enjoys the time that he gets to spend with you, and after this, you’ll be in his company a lot more. He can’t risk having this happen again to his love- I MEAN favorite exchange student right?