#but it's so hard for me to understand on a personal/rational level (carlo is the most comfortable character for me in that regard)

[tankgotstuckinthecircusgate]

Crazy but I saw you said Henry used to be your favorite so do you have some headcanons to share with us?

i'm glad you asked, actually! i've been writing a fic about him for 2 months (someday i'll finish it) so i have some thoughts on his character. but i haven't shared them because well, let's just say that mafia 2 is super valuable to me for honestly revealing not the best human traits (and i'm trying to make these mf even worse) and henry is like. fandom's fav boy so i just didn't really want to get burned at the stake like some kind of a witch

anyway  1) about henry’s family i've seen a lot of hc about him being the youngest + spoiled child. but for some reason it seemed to me from the beginning that he was the middle child and clearly not spoiled. and it's not about an abusive childhood full of deprivation, no. i think inside his family was quite cold (maybe not from the beginning, but if you take henry as the middle child - it had time to become so by the time he was raised). i think henry's mom wasn’t exactly tough, but strict (have you ever talked to mothers who raised multiple sons practically alone? i have and they’re some of the strongest and toughest women i know). and I think she took on the main responsibilities of parenting because her husband just didn't have time for it.

and then there's the whole Sicilian conformity thing (this reminds me of a story of an acquaintance of mine whose mother wouldn’t let him go to the store to buy bread as a child until he put on a suit and tie. he was seven or so btw)

especially since henry's mother had to organize the emigration of the family and the Empire Bay settlement all by herself (i.e. i'm sure there was help from clemente, but the point here is to create a home(!) in a new place in a new country. emigration is often a heartbreaking situation in general, and when you flee to another country to survive, it's hard. you also have to stay strong because you’re responsible for an entire family). i based this whole story of coldness within the family on one (1) documentary about mafia families (it’s called mafia women i think??women of mafia??? i dont remember) and my hair just stood on end at how far from normal relations within the families are. i.e. if his family found out he was a rat, they wouldn't come to his funeral, and if he survived, they would consider him dead. it's wild, but interesting. the fact that even in the families slides mafia traditions  back to henry and how his upbringing affected him.

arrogance - memories of how his family was treated in sicily.

coldness - his parents' prohibition of weakness/emotionality. this is where his outbursts of aggression come from - repressed emotions always lead to a breakdown.

critical of others - rare praise from his parents.

wounded pride - he lives in the shadow of his father and perhaps more successful brothers. a sense of competition, to which he reacts not by wanting to grab his rival by the throat, but by trying to hide and run away from it, just so that these feelings don't torment him. an attempt to change his mind and pretend that he is really cool and successful (instead of actually doing something. fake it till u make it only without making it). he's trying to be lana del rey but really he's just an aggressive wounded dog. maybe a flea-bitten one

mistrust of people is probably a consequence of the fact that mafia families are closed and live in a very detached space (?)

 anyway. it's absolutely 100% henry to me:

+ henry in relation to vito and joe (at least at first? can't say i thought much about their relationship to each other)

+ closure because of the trauma of death. because of the deep understanding that in this business it’s useless to have close ties, friends, love, anything. in the end you will lose everything. and for what?

2) henry and religion i've been wanting to write about this for so long, but i thought (still think) i'd get kicked to death for it

anyway, i'm sure henry's religiosity is totally hypocritical and selfish

hypocrisy - "if they wanna kill themselves so badly i'll gladly help them out. especially for twenty grand". excuse me. suicide is considered one of the worst sins in christianity (at least in orthodox christianity). that phrase couldn’t be uttered by a man who truly believes in god. not to mention what he does for a living.

religiosity is his way of asserting himself, his way of standing above others. the way he (not directly?) chides vito and joe for not going to church. it's actually an attempt to humiliate the other person and show that "i'm better than you".

and!!!! it's funny!!!! he believes in superstition!!!!! as far as i remember it's against christianity. booo poser 🙄

it's funny that he tries to appear to be a religious man and yet he's in the most abusive family in the city

nevertheless i think he donates money to the church but it's all some kind of payoff attempt too! not sincere!!!

3) random analysis - to me he is a fatalist! hence the lack of ambition. fate is inexorable and cannot be changed. maybe it's the trauma of emigration and upbringing, reinforced by the fact that he never succeeded. the idea of henry being a fatalist is based on his "it's the 13th contract, it’s a jinx" etc. lack of ambition due to fatalism - you blame external circumstances/fate for your own failure. maybe he broke his bones a lot as a kid and stuff, maybe he's got a reputation for failure? i don't know. not because he's bad, but because all sorts of bad things keep happening to him for some inexplicable reason (maybe if he prays especially hard it will go away?)

- the further he goes, the more he moves towards a crisis and a fractured personality. frustration, big losses that he couldn't deal with and that just weren't worth it (betty's death probably had something to do with criminality; i think almost all of his brothers were criminals and some died). and i have a hc about clemente who was going to make henry a capo after luca died. but then chapter 10 happened and everything was ruined. such a crisis could be a reason to work for the feds, or it could be an attempt to make a big score with objectively very little chance of success (............. or to become a don, which is the plot of my fic). either way, all of these actions to me lie in deep despair and entrapment

 - hypocrite hypocrite hypocrite hypocrite 

 - funny how he positions himself as a professional even though in the game he fails every time (character = actions, not words). i don't know, maybe he was once good, maybe it's wounded pride and he never admits to himself that he's not good at "the one thing he's good at" and considering this dialogue:

the situation is again quite tragic. it's like "im no artist i've wasted my life". i can totally understand that feeling and it's very hard. to me he's a man trapped in a world he can't get out of. he's trapped in a cage of a life he didn't choose (i think that may be one of the reasons he started working for the feds).

4) henry and betty i think they had a lot of genuine love for each other (..... unlike falcone and lauretta who are much more complicated) and for some reason i like to think that he and betty met because they lived next door to each other in neighboring apartments (the first scene with them in my head was betty looking out of the window and seeing henry in the next window taking dried clothes off the ropes that run between the houses. idk i like to think that he was helping with the household). and it does somehow seem very natural and right that betty was more proactive and that their relationship started because of her (he probably pushed her away at first btw?)

 if betty was killed by one of the families, henry never had a vendetta (probably clemente didn't allow it? one of the first reasons henry has a growing disgust for alberto)

5) random hcs - he knows francesca. very fucked up story because to francesca, henry is just a low-key polite christian (which evokes simple human sympathy), but he is actually the person who put her brother in jail. a person who commits the most heinous sins on an almost daily basis. henry doesn't know francesca is vito's sister either - if henry had spent more time with vito and joe: henry projects his traumas onto joe and vito: "you're so fucking naive." but then at some point he gets a brotherly instinct toward them - when eddie came to collect some of the profits from the drug deal he greeted henry with a punch in the face 🙂 personal grudge among other things (and since henry has many addresses, eddie went to each one and only the last one was correct. man was on the verge of a mental breakdown) - vinci and henry really are distant relatives - in the short time that henry and eddie have been working together (i want to believe that they’ve been working together), they have grown attached to each other. they’re opposite personalities, but they share a deep sense of loss and loneliness (in that don henry fic, there's a gunfight scene where henry and eddie are on opposite sides of the conflict and neither of them dares to shoot the other. eddie resigns and bows his head first. in this version, he also realized that he secretly wanted carlo to fail (still canon thing to me), he was incredibly tired of him and carlo's potential death seemed like a release) - one of henry's brothers took up boxing upon arriving in empire bay and was very successful at it. i have a random hc about this random brother having a fight with eddie. one of the reasons henry vaguely remembers eddie - i haven't written about luca and clemente here but my main point is that over time he developed an aversion and the family as a whole. this is the reason henry says he doesn't care about clemente family's destruction

6) vibesssss (there was supposed to be more here, but i forgot what i wanted to add while i was writing the main text) - about emigration. very painful and realistic topic for me. these screenshots aren't mine anyway it makes me think about henry and his attitude to emigration (which in my understanding is most often a tragedy for a person, because it is the destruction of the old familiar world and loss of emotional ties):

henry after betty's death. to me (esp the last one):

sorry henry it's you:

- it's also him. to be completely honest:

7) track list"Sinnerman" by Nina Simone: makes me thing about his death & character as a whole. his main song to me "Oh, sinnerman, where you gonna run to? Sinnerman where you gonna run to? Where you gonna run to? *** So I run to the Lord Please hide me, Lord Don't you see me prayin'? Don't you see me down here prayin'? But the Lord said Go to the Devil, the Lord said Go to the Devil He said go to the Devil All on that day So I ran to the Devil He was waitin', I ran to the Devil He was waitin', all on that day *** So I ran to the Lord I said Lord, hide me Please hide me Please help me, all on that day He said, hide? Where were you? When you oughta have been prayin' I said Lord, Lord Hear me prayin', Lord, Lord Hear me prayin', all on that day Sinnerman, you oughta be prayin' Oughta be prayin', sinnerman"

"Cold Cold Cold" by Cage The Elephant "I've been breathing air, but there's no sign of life Doctor, the problem's in my chest My heart feels cold as ice, but it's anybody's guess *** Well, it's cold, cold, cold, cold inside Darker in the day than the dead of night Cold, cold, cold, cold inside Doctor, can you help me 'cause something don't feel right? *** Counselor, give me some advice Tell me how hard will I fall if I live a double life *** And as the darkness falls, it fills up both my eyes My life before me like a flash in the night With my arms open wide"

"Snakes" by Pixies about the disaster he caused "Snakes Are coming to your town In tunnels underground Some travelling overground A plague for our mistakes They'll be right next to you Snakes up against me too There'll be nothing to do When the rattle shakes"

"Christmas Kids" by Roar about him trapped in a cage of a life he didn't choose "The Christmas kids were nothing but a gift And love is a tower where all of us can live *** I'm going to escape, but you won't know how Or where to find me when I'm gone I'll drink myself to death inside this prison cell This prison cell So get me out of here Get me out of here *** You'll change your name or change your mind And leave this fucked up place behind But I'll know, I'll know"

"Little Green Bag" by George Baker Selection (not really about his character. it's about a drug deal)

i apologize for a lot of text (i could write more tbg but a) i'm too lazy for it b) i need more time for this (which i just don't have) ) all this is probably ooc but idk idk. this is the version of his character that has settled in my head (and i honestly!!!!! rewrote him a lot in october-november because at some point i realized that i was actually giving him falcone's traits. just because falcone is 100% my type of character) anyway i hope you'll have a nice day/night/etc and all this mess will be interesting to read💓

[cherry6759]

Bungou Stray Dogs Questionnaire!

Thanks to @nsisbest385 , of course, I'm doing this.

Rules: Complete all the questions you want, expand and explain your answers as much as you want, and have fun!

If you can, tag some people you want to join in on the fun!

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What ability would you have in the BSD universe? (What would it be called? What's its purpose? How does it work?)

Little did Dino know that I already have one ready for this question.

The Puzzle Murderer:

The ability to understand and create "perfect" closed room murders; the ability allows the user to see how to make the most viable closed room and the hardest to crack with the available materials they have. Not only can the ability allow the user to see an almost perfect closed room murder, but also to make it the most extravagant, flamboyant murder ever. The less resources, observational skills and creativity the user has, the easier it is to understand the trick. Every murder it comes up with is solvable, if the person pays attention. It can also be used in writing, as long as the local, persons involved and situation is specified enough.

It has to follow this rules:

1- The "reader"/those who are observing the crime being solved by the detective must have equal opportunity with the detective for solving the mystery. All clues must be plainly stated and described.

2- No willful tricks or deceptions may be placed on the "reader" other than those played legitimately by the criminal on the detective himself.

3- The detective himself, or one of the official investigators, should never turn out to be the culprit.

4- The culprit must be determined by logical deductions—not by accident or coincidence or unmotivated confession.

5- The crime must have a detective in it; and a detective is not a detective unless he detects. His function is to gather clues that will eventually lead to the person who did the dirty work in the first chapter; and if the detective does not reach his conclusions through an analysis of those clues, he "isn't allowed" to solve the case. He is physically stopped by the ability, and can't say the answer to the crime.

6- There has to be a corpse.

7- The problem of the crime must be solved by strictly naturalistic means. Such methods for learning the truth as slate-writing, ouija-boards, mind-reading, spiritualistic se'ances, crystal-gazing, and the like, are taboo.

8- There must be only one detective—that is, "one protagonist of deduction", the one who solves the case.

9- The culprit must turn out to be a person who has played a more or less prominent part in the story—that is, a person with whom the "reader" is familiar and in whom he takes an interest.

10- There must be but one culprit, no matter how many murders are committed. The culprit may, of course, have a minor helper or co-plotter; but the entire onus must rest on one pair of shoulders.

11- Secret societies, camorras, mafias, etc., have no place in the crime. A fascinating and truly beautiful murder is irremediably spoiled by any such wholesale culpability.

12- The method of murder, and the means of detecting it, must be rational and scientific. That is to say, pseudo-science and purely imaginative and speculative devices are not to be tolerated in the crime.

13- The truth of the problem must at all times be apparent.

14- It must never turn out to be an accident or a suicide.

15- The motives for all crimes the abilities create should be personal. International plottings and war politics belong in a different category—in secret-service tales, for instance.

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If you could claim someone's ability in BSD, whose ability would you want?

Ayatsuji's ability, Another; Tsujimura's ability, Yesterday's Shadow Tag; Ango's ability, Discourse on Decadence or Poe's ability, Black Cat in the Rue Morgue. One of those, alright? I'm terrible with deciding,,,,

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What group/organization would you join? (ex. Guild, Port Mafia, Armed Detectives' Agency, Rats, etc.)

Armed Detective Agency or Guild, though I would like to be on the Port Mafia and the Special Abilities Department,,,,, mostly because saving people and helping others is one of the things I want to do the most, but the Guild is also interesting and I want to? I'm sorry, I'm terrible with explaining ;w;

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Which BSD character do you identify with the most?

Tsujimura, personality-wise. Insecure, determined girl who gets angry easily and wants to keep everyone alive? That's basically me! And also, Kunikida, Ango and Ayatsuji—not as much as Mizuki, but I do identify with them a lot.

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Who are your top five favourite BSD characters?

1- Tsujimura and Ayatsuji, in the same level

2- Ango and Ranpo, in the same level

3- Twain

4- Kunikida

5- Oguri

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Are there any authors that you'd want to bring into the BSD universe that hasn't arrived yet? Or do you have OCs?

...I have too many OCs. I'll list them.

The Society: Arthur Conan Doyle, Dorothy L. Sayers, S. S. Van Dine, Ryukishi07, Tsugumi Ohba, Leslie Charteris, Frederic Dannay, Manfred Bennington Lee, Gosho Aoyama, Carolyn Wells, E. W. Hornung, Maurice Leblanc and Erle Stanley Gardner.

The Letter: Gonçalves de Magalhães, José de Alencar, Álvares de Azevedo, Aluísio Azevedo, Machado de Assis (now a female), Olavo Bilac, Monteiro Lobato, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Vinicius de Moraes.

Port Mafia: Georges Simenon, Fumiko Enchi, Inabune Tazawa, Seichou Matsumoto, Elizabeth Delafontaine.

Armed Detective Agency: Rachel Delafontaine (based on one of Ranpo's books).

The Order of the Clock Tower: Lewis Carroll, Mary Shelley, Charles Dickens.

No organization: Eleanor Delafontaine, Lawrence Delafontaine, Edward Delafontaine, Charlotte, Edgar (all based on books, not writers).

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Favourite Scene(s)?

Ranpo and Poe talking about their first encounter. That and Ayatsuji exposing the first criminal in Gaiden, when Tsujimura entered the chapel and kicked the guy. That was great.

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Favourite Quotes from the Authors/Characters?

"Mystery fiction is, at its core, a kind of intellectual game. An exciting game of reasoning in the form of a novel. A game between the reader and the great detective, or the reader and the author. Nothing more or less than that."

— Ayatsuji Yukito.

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Who would you want to bring to life to be your best friend? Waifu/Husbando?

Tsujimura. No questions, just Tsujimura.

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How has Bungou Stray Dogs changed you as a person? Did you learn anything from it?

I learned too much with it,,,,, I can't really explain, but I think I grew up a lot with Bungou. It's what made me be more like myself. Damn, Dino, why all the hard questions? Wjdjakdkadkkajd

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So, now me is tagging people.

@midwinter-stars @homeforstraydogs @irinyaclockworker @awkward-arthur-rimbaud

Not tagging Dino because he did it already.