#but the very end is an omake

[touchmycoat]

my cat from hell scum villain AU; cat!SJ, owner!YQY, Jackson Galaxy!SY

[bleaksqueak]

I haven't posted any fresh WIPs in a bit... it's sad because I really, really want to! The pages I've been working on have some of my favorite drawings of the characters so far, but every single panel of those feels like something I can't share early. Boo urns. Also, apologies. I know I've been a bit quiet between page postings. The month hasn't been quite as Good as I was going into it hoping lol but I've been cooking up some fun stuff for all of you! And if you sent me asks that I still haven't answered, I *will* get to them, I promise. Some are easier to answer than others when my brain is tired from all that cooking (There's asks about funerals and weddings that I've been both really itching to get to... and wondering how much info I should give, bc these are world building topics that have been fairly built upon behind the scenes already lol. Another fun ask about Magic Staves that I want to answer soon as I've not been using my brain hardcore all day.) But! as always, seems we will keep up the bargain of "Send me just the Right Ask and you may get a sketch answer for it" since I already answered a few others with doodles ♪♫ ♪

[waitineedaname]

I've finally gotten caught up with the anime in my read of the manga, so now I have a question for you all who have read the mp100 manga: should I slow myself down by seeking out the physical volumes of the last arc, or should I keep reading it online?

[bastardlybonkers]

i feel like not enough ppl are factoring in the cultural clash between laios and shuro and the many micro agressions shuro faced while being in their group. literally the name 'shuro' in itself is one

his name is toshiro 😭 lets also not forget that he has his own communication issues, in the opposite way that laios does- thats literally a factor in their argument, that his envy for laios's ability to express himself sincerely manifested as part of his distaste for him.

ig all this to say like, was their fight heart wrenching, especially when reading laios as autistic? absolutely. anybody whos ever been in laios's position knows how much it hurts to realize someone you thought was your friend doesnt actually like having you around, especially when they didnt tell you and you had no way of knowing due to not understanding their cues. but im begging yall to step back and see the nuance of this situation cause im gonna be real a lot of you are kinda just brushing over it acting like everything is toshiros fault and that hes a terrible person when in reality hes an average guy who really, really clashed with laios and it led to a very long misunderstanding due to their supremely opposite methods of communication. even laios and toshiro, after letting everything out in their fight, were able to come to an understanding and start a foundation for an actual friendship built on better communication

ok yknow what Edit: i shouldve made it even more explicit at the end of this post, i hadnt thought i would need to since i started the post with this, but i think a few too many people are missing my point so i just wanna clarify. i shouldnt have said 'really clashed' and left it at that because yeah they did, but it wasnt just their opposite methods of communication, it is also very much that toshiro was experiencing microaggressions via laios. it may have been unintentional on laios's part, but it still happened and wore him down, made it harder for him to communicate on top of both the more subtle social cues that he was raised with and his own communication difficulties. i also want to say that the fandom reaction to toshiro and the complete ignorance of this point is also racist tbh or at the very least ignorant. i understand that the anime did not cover this panel, and neither did the manga, as this was an omake, but im gonna be real with you guys. there are enough context clues within the story to clue you into this. if you didnt pick up on it thats ok, but i think this is a good lesson in picking up subtext in the stories that youre watching and/or reading. kui shouldnt have to explicitly say 'by the way laios was racist to toshiro' for this point to be understood, and at the very least, when the author portrays a character in a sympathetic light (as kui clearly does) it should make you question Why they are doing so and what makes them sympathetic, rather than youre immediate and only reaction to be 'well i hated what this guy did/said so i hate them and they suck'. idk exactly how to finish this, just. idk. question your biases and gut reactions to things you see in media and stories, and think about whether or not theres subtext that youre missing.

[lylahammar]

Randomly thinkin about Chilchuck today, and how he tries sooooo hard to self sabotage

like for example, other half foots on the island think that he's a greedy asshole who only cares about money, and he does nothing to try to disprove that

but then there's this omake at the end of book 9 that shows that people treat half foots fucking TERRIBLY and chilchuck started a union to protect them

and then in the bicorn chapter, he doesn't want Marcille to keep digging into his personal business so he tells her he CHEATED ON HIS WIFE

but he just COMPLETELY fuckin lied about that and made himself sound so much worse than he is bc he's afraid of being vulnerable with people and would rather everyone believes he's a shitty person so he can keep them at a distance

and the thing that's memed so often is that he refuses to help with fighting most of the time because it's not part of his contract

but if you take this lore into account (not gonna add those particular images to this post simply bc I've used them in so many posts already LMAO) along with this tidbit from the world guide:

then it's like. yeah he has to keep his weight low so if he gets killed or severely injured and has to be healed, that could be really dangerous for him. and even if he was healed at that point he'd end up being a burden to the party after that point, he would be too dangerously thin/sickly to be able to help.

Like, Chilchuck has so many things about him that APPEAR to be character flaws, but every single one of them has a very reasonable explanation. He just leans into the mischaracterization bc he's emotionally withholding and can handle people thinking he's an asshole more than he can handle opening up to anyone. he's such a well thought out and interesting character

[yumeka-sxf]

Thoughts on Spy x Family: Family Portrait

I finally got around to reading the SxF light novel, Family Portrait...and I mean "finally" because it's literally been sitting in my shelf since it was first released in English back in December of last year! I was distracted by Code White and the SxF video game which came out around the same time, but even long after that, I was having trouble getting motivated to read it. For some reason, experiencing SxF in novel format instead of in anime/manga just didn't appeal to me, plus the fact that it's not written by Endo himself (these weird preferences of mine are also why I'm not into reading fanfics either). Don't get me wrong, in general I love reading stories in prose form too, but for a series like SxF that already has such an established visual identity, it doesn't feel as "authentic" to me if that makes any sense. But I did want to read it eventually, since it is an official part of SxF media and Endo did the illustrations and does acknowledge the book (he wrote a nice afterword at the end). So I finally sat down and read it in sections over the course of this week! I'll share my brief thoughts on each of the contained stories:

Novel Mission 1

Since this was the first story in the book, it took me a while to get used to experiencing the world of SxF in novel form. There were some things I felt would have been better conveyed in anime/manga, for example, one of the very first gags about Yor misinterpreting Anya's nature class as some sort of hardcore outdoor survival trip. As I was reading that part I was like "I get the joke, but it would have been funnier if I actually saw these images and the characters' expressions with Endo's comedic illustrations." It was also a bit jarring to hear the characters thoughts and feelings from third-person narration, but I got used to it. As for the story itself, it was Damianya focused, something I'm not particularly into, but I don't mind it either. I liked the rare, soft Damian moments, and the thing with the squirrel eating Anya's peanut trail was funny. I also liked the scene at the beginning where Loid and Yor feed Bond together while Anya watches.

Novel Mission 2

Oddly, this was my favorite of the stories! Of all the characters, I think the author nailed Yuri's unhinged thoughts the best - as I was reading, I couldn't help but hear every cringe thought in his voice, which is a good sign of how well the author gets the character! I actually chuckled at a few parts too, both from his insane Yor-obsessed and anti-Loid musings, as well as from his banter with Anya. The police interrogation scene was great and would be even better if it ever gets animated! I also found it interesting that this story has the first instance where we find out what Yuri thinks about Bond (that he's fat and useless - rude!) Also his first time hearing about Franky apparently...makes we wonder if Endo will make him feel the same way if these things ever come up in the manga.

Novel Mission 3

I liked this story a lot too! I think it worked the best in novel format out of all of them, probably because it was more focused on drama and emotions than comedy. It's ironic that the two official SxF stories that feature the deeper side of Franky's character - this one and the omake chapter from volume 13 - are both not even part of the main canon! Alessa would have definitely accepted Franky's job as an informant, but he felt that someone like her should only be surrounded by "beautiful things." The poor man really needs to see that inner beauty matters too, and he has that! I also think he should have swallowed his pride and told Loid the real reason why he wanted the disguise...not that it would have changed the outcome. Poor Franky.

Novel Mission 4

This was a cute Forger-focused story, but like the first one, I felt it had parts that would have been more effective in anime/manga form, for example, "hair monster" Yor and whatever hideous painting Felix ended up making! But despite that, it was still funny and cute. Though I do think the author went a tad overboard with Yor's flustered antics...they just kept going and going, lol. Also, like the movie, we have another scenario of Loid getting flung into the air by Yor but landing gracefully on his feet (though this instance was much tamer since she wasn't drunk and only pushed him instead of hit him). Again, maybe I would have appreciated the humor in this story better if I saw it in anime/manga with Endo's hilarious designs and expressions, but for what it was, it was enjoyable enough.

Short Novel

This extra short story would be perfect as a reintroduction story for a future anime season...maybe one day!

-----

Overall, the Family Portrait novel is a nice addition to the Spy x Family universe. Even though I feel the humor in the series is most effective in illustrated form, it's still nice to have more stories in the canon, especially ones that show new sides to the characters, like the Franky and Yuri stories. Like the movie, it's debatable if this novel should be considered true canon or not, but personally, I don't find anything in it that contradicts canon, at least not yet. So yeah, definitely check out the novel if you haven't already! 😁

[demonslayedher]

Low-Key Married AU fluff

Kochou said that I was disliked, so I asked her if she disliked me too. For someone so quick to have a smiling response to everything, she struggled to reply. She was the one who proposed marriage and swayed me, so I had thought that meant she had feelings for me. There would be no other way to read it. However, with as unbothered as she is by my absence, I have to wonder.

It’s been ten days since I had last contact with her. I went home to the Butterfly Mansion, but she had just departed for a mission, so I didn’t stay long so as not to trouble the girls. It may still be a few days before I can return again, but it’s always likely she’ll be busy. She’s incredible in that way, taking on all the care of our injured Corp members in addition to her Pillar missions. It must be in her personality to keep adding to what keeps her busy, like taking me in as though I looked like I needed the care. Although the times we’ve spent together have been nice, I don’t require it. My duties call for me to always be ready for battle, and I’ve always kept my heart steady.

So has she. We are Pillars first, and no amount of affection can sway us—whether an abundance or a lack.

I’m not bothered by lacking something I didn’t deserve in the first place.

Last night again, I was too late to prevent a family from being slaughtered. There were no survivors this time, aside from the eldest child who was still ravenous with a recent transformation. Having to chase him down and keep him from harming anyone else kept me off the trail of the progenitor of demons, who had to have been close by. For centuries, he’s evaded us this way over and over, sacrificing entire families to throw us off his trail. If I were to chide myself over every failure, I would have lost the ability to do anything ages ago. Each time, the anger is something I carry with me, to push myself harder the next time, and the next. Any extent more that I can push myself may be the difference to someone’s survival, no one can afford to lose their life over any of my own lost confidence.

“CAW!! TOMIOKA GIYUUUU! NEWS FOR TOMIOKA GIYUUUU!”

Each time it's a crow I think I recognize, my stomach drops. My mind is already playing the words I dread to hear, as though trying to protect my mind once I someday hear them.

"Kochou Shinobu has died."

Even if I hear them, I'm a Pillar first. That was what we promised each other. I'll always do as I must.

The crow says nothing as it delivers a letter.

YES, YES, I KNOW, THIS FANDOM HAS TURNED ME INTO SHIPPER TRASH. For this pairing, it was more specifically my own joke AU which later bit me in the back and made me start really, really enjoying GiyuShino (which, for the record, I do not consider canon). Was throwing ideas back and forth with @reicchel again the other day and so here we are with ship content!

Part of the reason I love the Low-Key Married AU (in which it's mostly canon as usual, except that Shinobu and Giyuu have been married for over a year or so, and it's not a secret but they make such little deal about it that many people don't even know they're married) is that it's a frame through which to see every interaction and either make it really, really funny, or very, very, sad. Everything was supposed to be funny, but it keeps hurting, hahaha... aaahhhh.

For instance, in a regular romcom situation, it should be funny that Kanzaburo doesn't deliver all of Giyuu's letters. Knowing these two, who might had started this whole "well, we'll be a couple when we have time" thing by actively writing regular letters, this could had simply given the impression that the other person wasn't writing as much, so they both naturally decreased frequency to match. It's a little lonely, but neither one is going to push the other for more attention.

No!! I refuse to let this post end with angst! Time for omake!!!

[shreddedleopard]

I genuinely think William’s real name is actually still William, just with a different surname.

Hear me out.

#1 — irony.

Remember the omake where Bonde asks him and he’s got his ☺️ face ‘that’s a secret, heh heh heh.’

Lol William is the biggest mischievous jokester going. This would be his exact reaction if people were asking like 👀 omg what is it?? And all along he’s like, lol will.i.am guys, chill. No-one cares about your first name, it’s your surname which means anything around here. You’ve all been barking up the wrong tree. Which brings me on to my second point ~

#2 — symbolism.

I cannot scream enough about how bloody genius it would be for William’s name to be, in fact, just William, but with a more common surname like ‘Smith.’ For the purposes of this discussion, let’s call him William Smith. As an orphan, he gets adopted into the family Moriarty, where there is in fact another William: Master William James Moriarty. Immediately, you have two boys of similar ages with the exact same first names, highlighting how, in fact, they should be equal if we’re looking at their basic information and identifiers. But what is it which sets them apart, and is the very message and theme running through the heart of Yuumori? Class inequality. And what dictated your social class at the time, so very unfairly? Your family lineage.

The name of Moriarty is what gives Albert’s little brother his superior, privileged position in life, over William ‘Smith.’ And yet, they are both young boys, both Williams, both should have the same sort of start in life in the equal world our William wishes to create. But they do not; the moment they are given their surnames — the moment those are penned on the paper of their birth records following ‘William’, the chasm that divides these boys is immense and unfair.

#3 — interesting coincidences, hints and clues in the text.

• William loves Shakespeare — that’s part of his identity in the same way being a mathematician is. He quotes Shakespeare all the time, he grew up in a library and has all of the plays memorised. Shakespeare’s first name was also William. Additionally, Shakespeare’s birthday is believed to be April 23rd. William’s birthday is listed as April 1st — April Fool’s Day, and it has been confirmed that this is a fake birthday, so we don’t know his real one currently. (But my guess is it’s still in April).

• The Moriarty’s never call William by his name, pre-fire, but the children at his orphanage do, and they call him Will.

At the Moriarty house, he is on the receiving end of more hate than Louis; they seem to despise him to the nth degree. I wonder if this might be because he shares a name with their precious William, and this irks them. They refuse to call him by his name because that doesn’t belong to him, filth from the streets, it belongs to their beloved son who can do no wrong.

I can see a mother like Lady Moriarty refusing to call another boy by the name she gifted her son, especially when William reminds her that there is something she had in common with his own mother — someone who she would view as completely beneath her: they chose the same name. What a disgrace, to be associated or viewed as having a similar mind to a woman of such low standing!?

We also see William only ever call William Moriarty with the title ‘master’ in front, as though he also feels the need to make the distinction. This could just be because he’s trying to be polite, though. I could honestly dissect the entire first chapter panel by panel and highlight how William being William is such a simple but perfect concept which highlights this noble family’s insecurities, discrimination and narrow mindedness. William Moriarty feels the need to constantly reaffirm his own identity in the presence of our William.

Because … if they share full names now, with the adoption … the lines are blurring. What makes one William Moriarty superior to the other? A worrying thought indeed for this boy. (Answer: there is no difference, they’re both equally deserving of opportunities in life.)

It all makes such perfect sense and explains away the awkwardness of the writer having to avoid use of William’s name simply because ‘it needs to stay hidden to create the mystery.’ This gives the characters themselves reason within the text to avoid using it, which makes everything so much more authentic and real. It makes sense because it does, not because it has to for the plot.

• William promised not to steal anything. Twice, we see him reassuring and then reaffirming that he wouldn’t steal anything, and both times are in the presence of William Moriarty.

If we want to take this statement in light of names, and toy with that lovely device foreshadowing, William having always shared the same first name would in fact mean that statement holds true — he did not steal William’s name; it was always his own to begin with, and Moriarty was a name given to him as part of his adoption, the same as it was given to Louis. He really didn’t steal anything, despite the fact that he was probably made to feel guilty or worthless every day because of the name he shared with William Moriarty.

This also means that William probably never actively deceived any of the townspeople, either; it really was just a case of mistaken identity which he manipulated for his own cause.

The townspeople made the mistake, rather than William outright lying. William is, by trade, more of a master manipulator who turns situations to his advantage with his quick thinking, rather than straight up lying or deceiving people (see: The Merchant of London.)

• Sherlock saw his birth name but never mentions it. And still chooses to call him Liam. Yes, we might’ve had a conversation happen off screen. Yes, Sherlock might choose to do that because that name is sentimental and William has asked not to be called his true name for reasons unknown. But it would fit so beautifully if William really is his name, and Sherlock’s realisation that day when he read the birth records was that oh, so this — William ‘Smith’ — is Liam’s real name. Naturally, he would continue to call him Liam with no discussion needed, because it’s a shortened version of William.

• We have lots of characters who share the name William, but with different variations on the shortened version; another symbol of how people can be equal in some senses but also their identity can be individual to them also. William H Bonney is Billy the Kid, the mathematics genius William and Sherlock stumble upon in Durham is called Bill Hunt.

#4 — practicality and marketing.

People become attached to characters and their names, and there comes a certain point in a work where it’s very difficult to alter a character’s first name and still retain a fan base’s sense of identity for that character. Calling William say, Robert, from now on, or revealing that as his true name while we continue to see him referred to as William is all sorts of confusing, emotionally. Perhaps it’s just me. But the idea that I’ve been calling William the wrong name all along feels off and sad, whereas the knowledge that he’s at least been able to keep that part of himself consistent, when everything else has had to be an act, is actually really comforting and empowering.

I’d love to write another thought dump on why William being William all along is also, so very emotionally delicious when you explore the implications in the story; it’s heartbreaking and makes him an even more sympathetic character who I just wanna hug, so perhaps I’ll come back to this! Because re-reading those earlier chapters with this in mind really hurts so good.

He stole nothing; he was always the true William, that at least is one thing that always belonged to him — it was only society and us that dictated there was one William worth knowing more — was more interesting and held more narrative power — than the other.

This is still William’s story.

[shigayokagayama]

The Beach Omake And Authorial Intent

initially i was going to save this for a big teru analysis i had cooking however i eventually ended up deciding that it would feel like a really long tangent in its original context and probably deserves a separate post.

when it comes to the whole "teru's parents" thing i generally see two competing ideas on it

a. terus absent parents are the real villains of mob psycho and are the direct cause of everything wrong with his life and any and all teru analysis must center around this fact

b. terus parents being absent in the first place is only revealed in an omake and only exists for plot convenience and is not something that should be focused on at all when writing him

and whenever i see either of these my mind always drifts to the question of authorial intent. i know how people are reading this information, but how are we supposed to? i know death of the author is becoming more of a common thing in fandom spaces (albeit usually misused) but i feel like a better understanding of why this omake exists and how we're supposed to read it might help to better synthesize two takes that seems to be completely at odds with each other.

okay first i want to go over the actual placement of the beach omake in the update schedule of the manga because, unlike most other omakes, i feel like this ones placement in the schedule of page releases is actually super relevant

the vast majority of omakes come at the end of weekly updates. you finish reading the usually 15-20 pages ONE put out and then you get a little bonus comic at the end, usually something funny or a slice of life but but occasionally more serious. multi part omakes are usually spread out over multiple updates, making you wait a couple weeks for a punchline.

beach omake is not that. between chapters 99 (mob gets hit by a car) and 100 (the whole rest of the omake) there was a 6 week hiatus from normal pages and in this hiatus is where we get beach omake. reading it all together immediately cuts away the sort of "slice of life sunday paper comic" tone other multi part omakes have and make you read it as a part of the actual main story, since that's how you're used to reading these weekly updates.

now the actual tone. generally the multi part omakes exist to be long punchlines and the rare emotional ones are a single page for maximum impact. beach omake has a very different structure compared to, say, the haunted doll omake or the pot of happiness.

off the bat from the first two pages there's not really a joke. the tone mostly seems kind of melancholic. mobs expression for the middle section of the second page (maybe purposely) is obscured by the panel breaking off, it's hard to tell his reaction, all our attention is directed at teru. with all of the panels taken up by dialogue (primarily his own), we're being asked to focus on what he's saying:

-teru lives alone

-he lives alone because his parents live overseas

-he hasnt seen them in a while

-he doesnt like having nothing to do

-he doesnt like being alone

all of this information is delivered with an extremely casual expression from him, implying that it's not something that seems ll the out of the ordinary for him. mob, on the other hand...

the hesitation before he says anything and the way his expression is obscured seems to imply something is... off... about this information to him. this isn't a handwaved "oh mob is walking home from school after passing out because he needs to for plot reasons", we're reacting to this information like it's weird.

the next two pages are, mostly, a lot more of what we expect out of a mob psycho omake. the first one works as a standalone joke page, teru is bad at identifying animals which leads to him showing reigen a roach, something reigen is terrified of, instead of a beetle.

the second page starts similarly, we get a dumbass joke about reigen trying to pick up women at the beach (note: i think this is the singular time we get an indication reigen is even into women) but then the next two panels take on a more melancholic tone again. we get a small panel of mob and ritsu playing on the beach and a much, much larger panel of teru sitting on the beach, watching them. the dialogue bubble forces us to pay attention to the fact that he is silent.

the ending of this omake is where we bring it home. generally the last panel centers the punchline of the page, or of the whole omake, but the final panel of this isn't really what was being built to in this case.

we start our second page on teru. his expression is obscured, reigens speech bubble is shoved to the side so we can see that teru's hat is being held in his hands.

when we see his face in full view he looks... confused. he looks like he doesn't know how to react to someone going through all this trouble for him. teru is a character who, up to this moment, we have seen as extremely independent. he always rushes into things alone, he always has to be the hero, he always has to be the one to save the day. hell, this omake is immediately followed by the confession arc. where... you know.

so what are we supposed to get out of this omake?

teru's been doing everything on his own up to this point

but he doesn't have to anymore

[wilted3sunflowers]

This is turquoise. She is the voice inside the zoomens earrings.

While much of the talks have been lost to time with @jigokuhana I'll say this

She was made in part as a foil to Peridot. Juxtaposed of the sharp angles and inhuman feel and lack of empathy. Turquoise is very human looking, her uniform even donning similar notes as the zoomans showing her work with them. She sounds human. She understands after thousands of years of watching, suggesting things for zoomen, pairing zoomen together, watching how many emotions over things that seem so small really mean to them.

I do recall a funny little thing I had spoken about years ago with jigo of Peridot and Turqoise both being into shipping. Turquoise gets to ship her zoomen together and after Peridot gets to watch them she ended up forming her own shipping chart. They would get into argument about who was best suited for who if they didn't agree. One time Peridot grabbed the microphone during the choosening and 'ruined' one of turquoise pairings. Leaving her to yell in anguish behind Peridot in the comedic omake comic I had doodled and then never saved.

[exilepurify]

“Shut Up and Eat” yakiniku omake — original Japanese dialogue analysis and translation

The 3rd installment of the four-part yakiniku omake series in Mob Psycho 100 involves a bit of clever wordplay to make Mob’s slurring make sense, which means that the translation had to play around with the words a little bit to make it work in English. So, what did Mob actually say in Japanese?

I got the raws from the Manga One app in the Japanese iTunes app store.

I would like to preface this by saying that the most popular translated version, where Mob says the infamous “Shut up and eat” line, is the best translated version in my opinion, because Mob actually slurring that is a totally feasible thing. I’ll explain more about that in the translation notes below, but this version I translated isn’t reworked to match the syllables and make the slurring believable, but rather to try and represent the Japanese meaning.

Reigen: モブ。— Mob.

��れもう焼けてるぞ。— It’s about to burn!

Mob: ………

Reigen: モブ… —Mob…

それもう焼けてるぞ。(二回目) — It’s about to burn. (A second time)

なぁ… — Hey…

Mob: このくらい…よく火を通した方が好きなんで。— It’s good like this. I like the heat to spread evenly throughout.

Reigen: 焼き過ぎだ。それだと肉本来の味が消えてしまう。—It’s cooking too much. It’s going to completely lose the original flavor.

Mob: いや、おいしいです。— No, it’s tasty.

Reigen: いや、それはベストのおいしさではない。— No, that’s not the best taste.

焼き過ぎな上にタレも付け過ぎだ。タレの味しかしないだろう。— It’s overcooked and you put too much sauce on top.

Mob: いや、おいしいです。— No, it’s tasty.

Reigen: また！それも焼き過ぎだぞ。— Again! That one’s also cooking too much.

ちょっと焦げてんじゃねーか。— It’s a bit scorched, isn’t it?

あ、ほらそっちの肉もあと4秒くらいで… — Ah, look—that piece of meat, in about four seconds…

「師匠は肉にうるさいなぁ…」と言おうとしたが、口に入れた肉が予想以上に熱くて舌が上手くまわらず… — “Shishou is picky about meat, huh…” is what Mob tried to say, but when he put the meat in his mouth, it was hotter than expected and his tongue couldn’t articulate well.

Mob: チッ… うるせぇな。— Tch… Shut the hell up.

Reigen: ………..

霊幻は静かに肉を焼いた。— Reigen cooked his meat in silence.

——————————

Notes:

- Mob: このくらい…よく火を通した方が好きなんで。— It’s good like this. I like the heat to spread evenly throughout.

「このくらい…」　actually directly translates to “This much…” (in regards to how much he’s cooking the meat over the grill). It employs the Japanese technique of “only say half the sentence and let the rest be unspoken”, but that wouldn’t make a lot of sense in English and kind of sticks out translated strictly like that. So I just finished the sentence.

- Mob: チッ… うるせぇな。— Tch… Shut the hell up.

So, this whole thing is a joke about the many uses of the word 「うるさい」　(urusai). 「うるさい 」　can be used to mean “loud/noisy”, “annoying/bothersome”, “picky/fussy/particular”, and “shut up!” when shouted as an interjection. I’ve been in a class in Tokyo where we were all yelled at for talking by our professor, who kept saying 「うるさいだよ！」. In Mob’s originally-intended sentence—「師匠は肉にうるさいなぁ…」—he was using うるさい to mean “picky/fussy”, since Reigen truly would not relax and leave him alone over that meat. But because the meat burned his mouth, he ended up clicking his tongue and slurring 「うるせぇな。」　He dropped the “Shishou” and “about meat” parts entirely, his hurt tongue not moving fast enough and holding out an “e” vowel throughout the latter half of the word instead of raising up into an “ai” sound. This… makes the word very rude. And since all other parts of the sentence were dropped, it also makes it an interjection— a rude and harsh version of “Shut up!”, which I’ve chosen to represent by making Mob curse. (Turning rude conjugation forms into English cursing is a pretty common practice in Japanese translation, as they have more expressive conjugation forms than us and we have no other real way to express that inherent hostility/brashness.)

In the most popularized English translation of this scene, the translators did something very clever to make Mob’s slurring possible, since we don’t have “rude” verb forms in English. What Mob originally wanted to say was, “Shishou sure likes to talk about meat…”, which gets slurred into “Shut up and eat.” The syllables specifically from “shishou” and “about meat” can be slurred into something phonetically resembling “shut up and eat”. I think this is extremely clever and fantastic translation work.

Anyway. Reigen deserved that.

[traumxrei-archive]

【 chapter 7 - first meetings, proposals, and the end of winter 】

summary tags: the last chapter T^T, a family reunion, cheka forcing leona's hand (real), goodbye cheka, and then the angst, me when i finally explain why yuu has the doubts they have :'))), i promise there is comfort at the end of the rainbow

word count: 4.6k (considering there's no omake, this is hefty)

author's note: the long awaited ending to this series is finally here ^^ it's a little surreal how long it has been since i last updated, but without further ado, enjoy the chapter <33

[ baby it's cold outside series | read it on ao3 ]

There were many problems that you could avoid by ignoring them. And there were many that wouldn’t go away, and instead, incessantly keep staring right at you from across the room. 

Yuu’s current problem was Leona.

They were attempting to very subtly avoid him, but it was hard when he was one of the only three people in the room. And after the events of yesterday… Yuu would say in very generous language that conversing with him had become just a bit difficult. Leona had, in a roundabout way, asked them if they liked him. They couldn’t quite wrap their head around what he would gain from knowing anyway. The satisfaction, maybe?

Yuu blinked. Focus. They zeroed in on the half-packed suitcase, and then at Cheka, who seemed intent on lying down on the pile of clothes that had yet to be packed.

"Yuu-tan," The little lion was crawling into their lap now, messing up the clothes they were folding. "Can I not go?"

"It's okay," They consoled, hand drifting to the cub's hair. "It’s not a bad thing, I thought you missed your family."

"I do, but–!" Cheka grabbed at the shirt in their hands. "Yuu-tan and Ojitan are family too! Can't you come with me?"

Cheka's eagerness might have rubbed off on them just a little. They were sure they would miss him and his infectious laughter. It was easier than going through the exhausting drag of school. But Cheka needed to go back, and they didn't know what to say except, "I..." 

"We have school, you little brat," Leona plucked him up by the scruff. "You could just video call if you miss me."

"You say that like you'll actually be going to class," Yuu couldn't help the teasing words that slipped out of their mouth, all too used to the banter. They froze for a moment, waiting for Leona to ignore them.

Instead, Leona paused, placing Cheka a good distance away from the suitcase, "What classes do you take?"

"Why do you ask?” They folded another shirt. “You aren’t planning on copying from me are you?”

"Hmm," A faint smirk grew on his face. "Now that you mention it, that would be a good idea. Though I’m sure it’ll end up being the other way around." And Yuu resisted the urge to roll their eyes.

Whatever classes that they took, Leona must’ve already taken in his first year. And with Leona’s freakishly excellent memory, they were sure he would have more than a field day lecturing them through their mistakes. 

"Yuu-tan, Yuu-tan," Cheka whispered. They leaned closer to listen as he continued, "Are Yuu-tan and Ojitan done fighting?"

Well, shit.

"What makes you say that?" Yuu said quietly. They wondered which part made it obvious to even a 5 year-old that they had a disagreement.

"It's just..." He hesitated before cupping a hand over his mouth. "Ojitan was staring at you and not talking this whole time."

They blinked, "He was?" 

Yuu knew that he was staring. It was all but obvious that Leona wanted them to know that he was, for whatever reason. But for Cheka to notice, was—

"Was not," Leona said. Very loudly, Yuu might add, clearly announcing he heard everything. "And some people should understand that eavesdropping is not a flattering hobby, especially for an adult."

"Eavesdropping...?" Cheka asked. Leona said nothing more, his ears flicking as he stared at the door. 

The question of who was eavesdropping was answered as the door swung open, revealing a guilty-looking beastperson hunched next to the door. And right behind him were what looked like two guards.

As the beastperson stood, they came to a startling realization. So this was Falena, King of Afterglow Savanna and brother to Leona. And Cheka's beloved father. It had to be, with hair a darker shade of sunrise that mirrored Cheka's own.

He scratched at his hair in a sheepish manner, "It seems your hearing is as sharp as it was when you were a cu— oof—!"

His words were interrupted by Cheka all but barreling right into his midsection. Ouch. That must’ve hurt. They watched with slight horror as the King doubled over, before crouching down to hug his child.

Cheka seemed oblivious to his father’s pain as he squealed, "Papa! You came to get me?"

"How could I turn down the opportunity to see my precious m'toto sooner?" He asked, kissing the little cub all over his face. And their heart ached as they watched Falena dote on his child. He turned belatedly, with another greeting, "It is nice to see you, brother."

Leona seemed to regard the display of affection with contempt, a frown marring his face, "It's nice to see that you came even after I told you not to."

"Ahem!" Falena straightened his posture. "I came because I wanted to see you." Leona didn’t answer him, turning his attention toward the window. They briefly wondered what Leona felt whenever he saw Falena and Cheka together.

"Aww, I wish that Mama came too," Cheka said, cheeks puffed out.

Yuu was glad that the Queen wasn't there. One Savanna royal was enough on most days, but being in a room with four of them at the same time? They were already struggling not to react to the wary gazes of the guards standing behind the King. It was their job to be vigilant against strangers, and they were quite the definition of a stranger; standing awkwardly in the middle of the room without any purpose. Leona moved closer, almost shielding them.

It wasn't long until Falena's gaze fell on them, a surprised look washing over his face, "My apologies for being so rude. Won't you introduce me to your friend, brother?" There was a pause, where Falena was looking at Leona with a hopeful glimmer while Leona looked like he would rather be elsewhere.

The silence was broken as Leona released a drawn-out sigh, "That's—"

"—Yuu-tan!" Cheka cheered, jumping from Falena's arms in favor of clinging onto their legs. "Yuu-tan's been taking care of us both. And they live in this cool haunted house! And they have a talking cat!"

Great. How positively lovely. It was the first impression of them the King of Afterglow Savanna had and it was the fact that they lived in a haunted house with a talking cat.

"They go to NRC as well," Leona said, folding his arms. "And they can't use magic. They're not a threat." The last part felt particularly targeted toward the guards, who finally loosened their grip on their weapons. 

"And, and!" Cheka added taking their hand and Leona's. "Yuu-tan and Ojitan are best friends! Isn't that so cool?" Oh Great Seven. Yuu could do nothing but offer a smile toward the monarch, trying very hard not to catch Leona's prickling gaze.

Cheka then turned to Leona, "I did a good job keeping Yuu-tan a secret, right?"

Yuu couldn't focus enough to listen to Leona's answer, especially not when Falena was regarding them with sparkling eyes.

"Ah, so you must be the mystery person from yesterday!" Falena immediately took their hand in his— though they couldn't follow what he meant. "It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Falena, I'm Leona's older brother."

Yuu shook his hand, "It's nice to meet you, your Majesty." Their tone felt awkward, jilted even, because well, they were talking to a King. With the way the guards were still looking at them, they couldn't be too careful.

"Ah, you can speak with me comfortably, if you'd like," Falena tilted his head slightly. "It really is peculiar! I've met magicless people before but they usually still carry traces of magic. Instead, you smell exactly like Cheka and Leona."

"Oh," They glanced down at Cheka, who was looking at them so innocently. "I've been with them for the past week, so I guess I do."

"And plus," Cheka added. "Yuu-tan is like family!"

"Family, huh?" Falena hummed before ruffling Cheka's hair. "Do you really like them that much?" Cheka nodded a couple of times and Falena let out a laugh.

"Alright, I like you more already," Falena grinned. And like this, they could see why they were brothers. It was that same glimmer in the Falena's eyes that they would see whenever Leona was playing Spelldrive.

"Oi," Their head whipped around, finding that Leona was back on the couch. "Isn't it about time for you to leave?" The irritation in his voice was blindingly obvious, but Falena seemed to take no heed.

"We'll leave in a second— Guards, please take Cheka's belongings for now— You know it's not every day I get to meet your friends, Leona," Falena turned back toward them. "I wanted to say thank you for taking care of my Cheka and for being here with Leona. And I would like to offer you something in return."

Falena's last sentence seemed to echo in their ears.

I would like to offer you something in return.

Yuu's smile stiffened, "I'm sorry?"

A reward. They weren’t even sure if they should accept a reward for what they did, not when they already had a prior arrangement with Leona. And even if they did, what would they ask from a king?

"A present!" Cheka giggled. "Yuu-tan, why don't you come with us to the Savanna?"

Yuu crouched down, "But I've got school to attend, remember?" 

"Noooo," Cheka whined, glancing between them to Leona. "Then can I come to NRC too, Papa? I wanna go to school with Yuu-tan and Ojitan."

"By that time we would've graduated," Leona very helpfully pointed out and Yuu almost wanted to smack him. "Aren't the video calls enough?"

"Then..." Cheka looked frustrated, and Yuu wasn't sure if they should be cheering him up or being relieved that the cub had run out of ideas. "Then!" 

"Then?" Falena asked encouragingly.

Cheka’s eyes finally lit up, a big grin spreading on his face, "Then when I grow up, I'll marry Yuu-tan!"

There was a gasp and Yuu turned to see one of the guards with their mouth wide open. The guard immediately turned their expression stoic when they realized they were caught. But they shared the guard's sentiment. How else would someone react to being proposed to by the Crown Prince of Afterglow Savanna?

"Er, Cheka...?" Falena looked just as shocked. "You're already... Marriage?" It seemed that Falena's brain was still trying to process that Cheka was talking about marriage. He had to be, considering that Cheka was his one and only son and the fact that he probably knew little to nothing about what marriages meant.

"Why not? Marriage is when people love each other right?" Cheka looked at them so hopefully, as if they would say ‘yes’ to marrying him. "And then we can all live together at the palace.”

Yuu plucked up courage to speak, "I can’t marry you. I'm too old for you, little lion." That and plenty of other things that Yuu wanted to say but couldn’t, because how was Cheka supposed to understand the different types of love? Cheka frowned a little at the rejection before he turned to his father.

"Then Papa!" Falena snapped to attention. "Can't you find someone else to marry Yuu-tan?"

Aaand now Cheka was asking Falena to set up an arranged marriage for them. What the fuck were they supposed to do now?

"Wait, Cheka—” 

But Cheka was on a mission, grabbing at Yuu's arm with enthusiasm, "We have lotsa nice and pretty beastpeople relatives at the Savanna, so Yuu-tan can choose who to marry! That way you can live with us at the pala— Woah!"

"Not a chance, brat," Leona's scowl was on full display as he plucked Cheka into the air. "Why would they marry any other beastperson?"

There was a short pause as if everyone was trying to process what exactly Leona meant. Then it collectively dawned on the room. And Yuu couldn't breathe.

"So Ojitan will marry Yuu-tan?" Cheka asked, his eyes sparkling and a mega-watt smile practically beaming from his face.

Leona didn't say anything. Instead he stared over at them as he shoved the cub into Falena's arms. Yuu's head was still spinning. If they were nervous at the prospect of offending Falena before, the feeling had only gotten worse now.

"N-Now, now Cheka," Falena tried as he finally gathered his bearings. "It's up to Yuu-san who they want to marry. And a reward is supposed to be something they want."

"But Ojitan's right!" Cheka argued, staring at them over Falena's shoulder. "Ojitan is the prettiest and the nicest beastman for Yuu-tan to marry!"

"Be a good boy and hush now, Cheka," Falena said before turning toward them. "Don't mind what Cheka was saying. It was very nice to meet you, but malkia wangu expects me back before lunch, so I have to bid you goodbye. It was very nice meeting you," There was something in Falena's eyes— something that said they would definitely meet again. "Oh, and Leona, don't forget to call me next week."

"Yeah, yeah," Leona ran a hand through his hair, sparing them another obvious glance.

"Bye bye Ojitan! Yuu-tan!" Cheka yelled over Falena's shoulder as they left. "Make sure to get married in the Savanna, okay? Imma get you the bestest gift!"

They slumped on the floor as the door clicked shut. Yuu...didn't quite know what to do now. Their weeklong mission of taking care of Cheka was over. And winter break was going to be over soon enough as well. That meant returning to their normal routine of dragging Grim to class and praying that he doesn't fail. That also meant that their arrangement with Leona would come to an end.

But instead of future plans, Yuu was still stuck on that instead. 'That' being the fact that Leona chose not to step in until Cheka suggested an arranged marriage for them. That being the fact that Leona didn’t refute it when Cheka asked if he was offering himself to them.

"What are you doing on the floor?" They looked up to see Leona watching them. Again. He did that far too often nowadays, staring and getting caught and raising an eyebrow in challenge as if they had been the one staring. They really couldn’t understand his behavior.

"Listen, you..." They very carefully placed themself at the edge of the bed; far away from Leona. "You know I didn't get close to Cheka for some reward, right?"

"Guess you owe that reward to me, huh," He snorted as if it amused him to think of them in that light. "Use your favor well, herbivore. There’s a lot you can ask for."

"I'm trying to be serious," Yuu frowned, and they couldn't believe that they were avoiding him just hours ago. They paused before adding, "And I plan on refusing anything that has to do with me marrying anyone."

Leona's expression shifted into contemplation, "You wouldn't want to marry royalty?"

They entertained his question, chuckling, "I thought we established that I'm too old for Cheka. Your brother looked like he was about to keel over at the thought. And I wouldn't want to marry some stranger. Besides—"

"I meant me, stupid herbivore."

Yuu's first reaction was to hurl an insult back. It was automatic. Natural, even. They had been insulted, after all. That was the game that they had always played, trading verbal blow after blow with a fervor that lit their blood on fire.

It was the very song and dance that had curried Leona's favor toward them, enough so that he didn't completely despise them for being one of the reasons he overblotted, and enough that he would begrudgingly allow them to share a room with him, even if it was only a short three days.

And yet all those biting words fell short of being said, wedged in their throat like a bad case of hiccups because—

No, Yuu couldn't quite believe it. Their mind turned Leona's sentence around in their brain, trying in vain to find some other meaning. Some other meaning that wasn't Leona asking them to marry him, and the multitude of other questions that cropped up if they accepted that meaning.

"You're..." Their brow furrowed, grasping at the only possible logical explanation they had. "You're saying that in a hypothetical way, right?" The answer they wanted was his smirk, the teasing tone of his voice as he asked if they 'really wanted to marry him that bad'. That way they could’ve scowled, or even just laughed it off like it was a bad joke. 

What they got instead was his unflinching green eyes taking in their every reaction, "What if I was serious?"

"I'm not a mage," Yuu's heart seemed to crow against their ribs as they struggled for any another excuse. "I don't have any magic or extraordinary talent. Nor do I have strong family backing. I– I can't offer you any power in return. I'm as commoner as a commoner could get, your royal highness."

Cynicism tangled with their tone as they spoke the title. It was easy to say, especially with a week of practice under their belt. They almost laughed at the irony of their master-servant act; at how closely it mirrored their status in the real world. The tension that loomed between them slowly turned sharp, waiting to cut.

"So you've decided that the only possible reason I would marry you is...for monetary gain," Leona's anger didn’t explode. It simmered, the careful deliberation of his words like a twist of a knife. "And in the same breath, you denounce your own abilities."

"Why else would you suggest such a thing?" Yuu asked. No, they accused. It was an accusation, they had to admit. The words sounded so cold, and so...so far away from them as soon as it left their lips.

Leona was on his feet in seconds. It took only two steps for him to be in front of them, and barely another second for him to kneel at the ground in front of them.

Their eyes widened, their instinct to grab at him, "Leona, what—"

"What did I do?" He demanded, his voice strained with anger, confusion, and what they thought was sadness. "What did I do that made you believe that I was incapable of liking you?"

What did Leona do? What did Leona ever say, other than those offhanded comments he made to everyone? Their heartbeat seemed to roar in their ears with every second that ticked by that they didn't have an answer.

"And what did you do?" They didn't realize they had been looking at the ground until Leona's head bowed to catch their gaze. "Why can't you accept it if I did like you? Why can't you just reject me?"

And it felt like the tension had finally shattered. The shrapnel of it cut at the softest parts of their heart. What would it matter if Leona did like them? He would surely leave them alone if they said no. Their nails bit into their palms, the pain a small sting compared to the way their heart ached. It was exactly because they couldn't say no. But what was so wrong with them saying yes?

Leona heaved out another sigh, "At least answer me this time."

This time. Yesterday, they had promised to answer him the next time he asked. And he was asking. Now. The proud Leona Kingscholar, on his knees for them. Waiting on their answer. And Yuu couldn’t help but feel their shoulders shake as they found their answer.

"Do I...deserve you?" Yuu could only afford a whisper as they put a voice to their most pathetic thoughts. "Someone like you shouldn't...you shouldn't settle for less." The worry, the self-doubt, and what they knew was self-sabotage. Everything that tangled into such a big mess that they would rather take scissors to it rather than try to untangle it.

"All my life I spent letting people's expectations ruin my own ambitions," Leona's eyes burned into theirs, a tender understanding in his words. "Deserving something doesn't matter. Take what you want, and fight for it. Fight until you win and if you don't, keep trying. That's the life I want to lead.

"And the person I want is you."

This was Leona trying. There he was, his hands carefully working at his own mess.  Yuu understood it now. The Leona they knew who always wielded his sharp words and unshakable scowl was now trying to take a step closer to them. And what kind of person would they be if they didn't try to struggle on their own?

Yuu found the end of their string. And they tugged. 

"If..." They watched as Leona's ear twitched at the tremble of their voice. "If we end up dating, you can't always pick fights with Grim. And you can’t get in trouble with Crowley anymore."

Leona's head bumped against their knee, "C’mon, give me a real answer." He stared up at them, brown locks tickling their leg. His face didn't betray his emotions, though they could see hope flickering in his eyes.

"I like you, Leona," Yuu's breath hitched as they spoke the words they had only ever thought of. "I like you so much it hurts to think about rejecting you." Their words seemed to reverbrate in their own chest, sounding too loud for the quiet of the room.

Then Leona was right there, hands gentle as he guided them backward; the softness of his bed engulfing them in seconds. It was like he was waiting for it. The possibility that they would’ve said yes. His eyes peered down at theirs, a hand at their cheek.

"Good," The singular word weighed heavily on their chest as the rumble of Leona's laugh accompanied it. "Sevens, you know by now, how much I wanted your answer to be yes." Yuu managed a nod, all but breathless from the sudden closeness. He pressed closer, impossibly, as he grinned with something boyish they had never seen.

"Herbivore." That teasing nickname had never sounded so sweet before. "We're dating now." Leona said it so much like a statement that they almost balked; even if they weren't opposed. They almost wanted to protest but his hand squeezed their own, "You're mine."

They didn't miss the possessive edge his voice took, raising an eyebrow, "That makes you mine too."

"Say it once."

They feigned innocence, thumbing at his hair, "Say what once?"

"You won't take mercy and indulge in me this once?" His ears seemed to droop the slightest bit. It was obvious that he did it on purpose. But by Sevens, Yuu was weak to him. And they knew it would only get worse with time.

But they knew now that Leona was just as weak to them.

They made sure to look him in the eyes as they spoke, "I'm yours, Leo—"

Leona was kissing them. Interrupting them, though they were sure he heard all that he wanted. Great Seven, his mouth. They could hardly think when Leona kissed them like a man starved of touch. His lips slid against theirs as his hands roamed, tracing their jaw and down their spine; both gentle and scalding. And all they could do was burn, their lips joining Leona's in a feverish dance. With each smooth glide of his mouth, they found it hard to stifle the sounds that threatened to spill from their chest, their grip tightening on his hair.

"Yuu," Leona murmured as he barely pulled away. And they could feel the way his lips shaped around the syllable of their name, brushing against their own. It was intoxicating. They never heard their name being said with such longing before.

Yuu almost wanted to kiss him again.

And they did, pulling him closer to press another kiss against his lips. Slower this time. Savoring the touch. And gentler, though they could still feel heat flare when Leona's tongue brushed their lip; which was too often to be unintentional.

They were both panting as they pulled back, and they couldn't tear their gaze away from Leona. Beautiful Leona, hair in disarray and his lips slick with spit, curved into the softest smile they had seen out of him yet. 

"Wow, you really do like me," They breathed out, and they almost cringed at the disbelief in their voice.

Leona rolled his eyes, his expression returning to normal, "It took us making out for you to get it?"

"It took a moment for it to really sink in," They admitted as Leona fell beside them. "You’re out of my league, I think."

"I could say the same to you," Leona didn't seem to react, though his ear swiveled slightly. They were sure he was saying that to spare their feelings.

“So,” Yuu let their fingers slide against the back of Leona’s palm. "What now?"

He grunted, "Now we sleep."

A pause.

"You can't be serious."

"I'm being 100% serious, herbivore," Leona said, his chin pressing against their shoulder. "It's too early in the morning for anything right now."

Wait. Early in the morning…?

"Uhm, Leona?"

"What."

"I…” They mustered the most pitiful expression and tone they had in them. “I forgot to build a fire for the fairies this morning."

Leona opened an eye, "You mean when you were ignoring my existence?"

"You were practically ignoring me too!" Yuu sat up. Or at least tried to. It was hard when there was a seatbelt of muscle basically holding them down. "C'mon, Leona. You don't even have to come with me."

"I do have to come with you," Leona grouched, though he finally allowed them to sit up.

"And why is that?" Yuu asked as they stood up, reaching for their coat.

They spun around to find Leona standing there, jacket half on, "Because it's cold outside."

"You gotta have a better excuse than that," Yuu laughed, finding the frown on Leona's face almost cute. It was clear that Leona didn't want them to leave. They didn't want to leave either, but it wouldn't be funny if they made it through the entire break without missing their task only to get distracted by Leona.

"Fine. I'm supervising you," Leona took another step closer. "For every minute that you spend, I'm gonna extend our nap by five minutes."

Yuu took his hand, slipping it into their own pocket, "Let's just stick with the excuse that it's cold outside."

Leona didn't complain, huddling closer as they walked out. They squeezed his hand tighter as a gust of wind greeted them outside the Hall of Mirrors.

Yes, it was cold outside, but Yuu could hardly feel it. Not when their chest was buzzing with warmth. Not when they were feeling lighter than they had in days. And especially not with Leona by their side, complaining about how it should be a crime for winters to get this cold.

"It's almost the end of winter," Yuu said with a laugh. “Of course it’s cold.” Despite what they said, they huddled closer to Leona.

“At least it’ll be spring soon,” Leona yawned. “It’s perfect napping weather.”

Yuu made a show of tapping their chin, “Maybe I’ll go out on a couple of dates with my new lover.”

“Hmm,” Leona glanced at them sideways, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Maybe you will. After you take a nap with him.” And they supposed that was how it was. They were dating the Leona Kingscholar after all. If they had to take a nap before going out on a date with him, then so be it. Once winter ends, there was no doubt they would have plenty of spring days to look forward to.

and that's (almost) the end !! thank you so much for reading this very largely self-indulgent series of mine, and thank you for not giving up on this ending ^^ the last part of the series is the epilogue, 'winter's aftermath', which will tie off the story for good. until next time, check out my masterlist for more leona-filled brainrot >:D

[ tiny swahili dictionary ]

mtoto means "child"

malkia wangu means "my queen"

see prev chapter for more explanations on each term ++ why i chose swahili

[ previous chapter | series post | epilogue ]

[r0semint]

hey! let’s talk about teru’s relationship with food!

all three of us get the feeling that food is a love language for teru, or at least, we feel like it’s important to consider how food plays a role in his story arc when doing a character study of him.

okay so first off, right from his introduction he is a foil to mob.

[ID: four manga panels featuring teru getting ready for school. from right to left: the first panel shows his hand and a pan frying an egg. the second is his hand holding a remote. the third shows a tv of a meteorologist saying: “today’s weather.” The forth panel is teru pulling on his school blazer, watching the tv. the meteorologist continues: “a lot of sunshine through the country, though the air is a bit unstable. /END ID]

when teru first appears, we as an audience don’t know it yet, but he lives alone and has been living alone without his parents for several years. here he is cooking his own breakfast and getting himself ready in his apartment by himself.

[ID: five manga panels of mob being woken up for school. from right to left: the first panels is a shot of the roof of the kageyama house. the second is mob, asleep on his futon. his mom is talking from off screen. she says: “shige, get up! you’re gonna be late!” the third is mob yawning and stretching his arms about his head. the forth panel is ritsu opening the door to mob’s room. he says “bro. mom said breakfast is ready.” the fifth panel shows ritsu looking at mob. mob is putting on a pair of pants saying: “yeah ritsu. let’s go.” /END ID]

meanwhile mob, is woken up by his mom and is checked on by his brother to make sure he was up in order to get a breakfast that was more than likely made by their parents.

when mob plans on confessing to tsubomi, teru brings up how homemade things tend to make him feel happy when someone confesses to him.

[ID: manga panel of teru being offered a gift from a girl. it reads: “I tend to be on the receiving end of confessions, but…when someone gives me a handkerchief, or a letter, or homemade cookies or something, it makes me kinda happy, so…I was just thinking, there’s that kind of thing too.” /END ID]

also we see teru tend to overindulge when someone (reigen) is offering to buy food for him

[ID: panel from yakiniku omake. teru is ordering food. he says: I’ll have have 4 orders of top ribs, 2 orders of sakura yukhoe, 2 orders of choice salty beef tongue, the extra special zabuton-cut beef, the offal sampler, 3 orders of rice, a tomato salad, and the naengmyeon…and a green tea.” /END ID]

[ID: cropped screencap of official art. teru has finished two ice cream parfaits. the empty glasses sit in front of a third one, which he is using telekinesis to float the toppings near his face. /END ID]

this often played for laughs, but stick with us here…

in the fanbook teru is asked if he cooks for himself and he says yes, and mentions that he’s confident in his pasta making skills.

[ID: cropped screencap from the fanbook that reads: “Q1: do you make your own food? What are you good at cooking?” Teru answers: “I cook lots of different kinds of things! but what I’m confident in is my pasta.” /END ID]

at first this may seem like a very 14 year old answer…I mean, pasta is fairly easy to make. But knowing teru and how he tends to become and expert at the skills he learns, odds are pasta started off as something simple to throw together on a school night. Pasta is easy and convenient and kid friendly, but it is very easy to experiment with and eventually become a speciality.

and one thing we know about teru is that he has too many specialities to list.

this kid has been needing to make his own food 100% on his own since the start of middle school. we can infer he’s getting money from his parents, and we aren’t exactly sure how much or how he spends it regarding food, but the only time we seem him eating alone, he is making a meal for himself outside of something premade or takeout. he said it himself, he makes lots of different kinds of things! he knows how to cook!

but with all things teru something simple and silly comes with tragedy. while it’s nice fore a kid his age to know how to cook, he NEEDS to know because he doesn’t live with his parents. if he didn’t know how to cook he would be relying on others, and that’s just not what teru does. He is fully capable and learns for himself out of necessity. teru is responsible for all of his own meals.

so what happens when he is no longer responsible? it could be an issue with humbleness. it could also be just normal 14 year old boy hunger, but when reigen takes him out to eat there’s no limits. but here’s the thing…when’s the last time teru has had a home-cooked meal that was made for him by someone else? not from a restaurant, but someone making something for him?

this is why we have the omurice scene in backdraft. there’s a comfort in the domesticity of having food prepared for him in a familial setting that he has not realized he has been missing from his life.

we’ve focused on the fear of him getting cut off from his parents and how money scarcity turns into food scarcity. he’s always been in survival mood, it’s just that money was the breaking point for him.

going back to mob. he and his family are normally seen sitting at the dinner table together. a normal domestic setting.

[ID: screencap of the kageyama family eating omurice together]

something teru doesn’t have. he eats alone at a table in his apartment…one with multiple chairs around it.

[ID: screencap of teru in his apartment. In the background, he is getting ready, looking in a full length mirror. next to him is a tv showing the weather. in the foreground is a table with an empty plate, mug and saucer, and a basket with a single roll. two chairs are seen at the table. /END ID]

teru has not invited anyone into his apartment until mob got attacked by koyama.

who are those chairs for teru?

of course, in backdraft we have the restaurant scene that mirrors this. empty chairs for absent parents.

BUT ITS NOT ALL SAD

back to food being a love language and specialty to teru…imagine once he’s no longer in survival mode due to trauma. food as a comfort, not only receiving, but making it for others as well. tying into him wanting to be a teacher, sharing his skills with others…the fact it feels good creating and sharing something. no longer taking care of himself out of necessity, but learning what his skills and hobbies are and genuinely sharing them because they make him feel accomplished and happy! it just ties everything together with this dude.

in short, cooking is more than likely another speciality teru has developed due to needing to live on his own. since mp100 has themes that involve human connection and relationships with others, we feel food is something that brings people together and our boy teru here should experience that firsthand.

that is why it plays a big role in what we have so far in backdraft!

[kurisus]

Noragami: Final Chapter thoughts

For the last time :') I've been making these for roughly half the manga's runtime, both in chapter count and years. Which is wild to think, but anyway, spoilers under the cut. One final time.

I really spent the first half of this chapter with bated breath alternating between being relieved that Hiyori is okay and grew up to be a doctor and everything, and stressed about where Yato was and where her memories were. Then Yato showed up, and I think I burst into tears out of hysterics. They really got me, I thought he was gone.

That aside, it was an excellent chapter. I was right when I said that this would just be an epilogue and the true suffering was over, but god. god. I'm relieved they gave me that open ending and the chapter was mostly good old-fashioned Noragami silliness. With the expected gut punches.

It's probably a good thing that Yuka never got to reunite with her brother, but at least knows that he's resting in peace. That he was given a proper burial by someone who, at the time, barely knew him but wanted to make things right anyway. Great now I'm crying again.

Hiyori's pocket with the little capyper keychain she bought forever ago. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

Yato's CPR being so intense it cracked Hiyori's ribs. god he was so desperate to save her. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

HER TOUCHING HER LIPS WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Fujisaki getting nostalgic seeing tall grass (as we know from the omake is called kaya) was weirdly touching. Though Father has faded, Kaya is the one that is still remembered. We never got to learn his real name, and while I am still curious about it, I can see the purpose--by not knowing his name, we the readers don't give him a lifeline.

That's not the only fourth wall lean in the final chapter. There was also Yato being able to save himself by becoming a meme, much like how the fandom and Adachitoka have memed on him for years as well.

Back to the chapter, it looks like Father's consciousness had always been lurking alongside Fujisaki's, maybe making him do things from time to time, which is really weird and creepy. Maybe he was dormant until the Yomi arc, but either way he's been doing this to a dozen other guys over the centuries. I'm glad the cycle was broken.

It's hilarious that Fujisaki tries to ask Hiyori out and she's just like haha not interested coo phone be upon ye.

I'm so glad the cherry blossom party has become an annual tradition with even more gods invited to the party. I'm also so glad that Yato refuses to release Kazuma and Bishamon apparently makes it a point to bully him about this whenever she sees him. But also, Kazuma doesn't seem to want to be released. He's just like yeah whatever man I'm glad you saved us. Cheers.

Side note, Kazuma's new glasses look a lot like the ones he was wearing in that 100 years ago flashback of him and Bishamon, around chapter 68 or 69 I think?

So we also get to see the aftermath of what happened to Yukine--he still transforms into a wolf every now and then, because much like how Nora transforms into a snakelike creature whenever she loses control of her emotions, his form is a wolf, and unlike Nora he's always been very emotional. So the nightmares come out and Yato's left with a giant wolf thrashing around in their shared living space lol, but at least his dad is there to hug him :')

WAIT STOP PAUSE EVERYTHING IT LOOKS LIKE THEY SHARE A BED NOW. I JUST COLLAPSED INTO A BALL.

AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH

The panel of Yato hugging him made me lose it again. THEY'RE SOOOOOOOO.

So we never did get to find out what happened to Yukine's father--but as I pointed out in the reread I did during December, I don't think it matters. Yukine wasn't going to exact revenge on him anyway because he's not the kind of person to do so.

The page of Nora reading Hiyori's diary also made me so sad. Hiyori's right--she probably did have parents who loved her, but she never got to meet them. One thing I noticed throughout this manga is shinki habitually chasing something relating to their pasts. Yukine craves a good relationship with a father figure, Kazuma is obsessed with Bishamon because he missed out on marrying a girl he loved, Daikoku acts like a dad to every child he meets because he died before having his own kids, and like Yukine, Hiiro craves the parental love she never had. And as Hiyori pointed out, being given a name by Father was like being given life.

Since we didn't get to see what became of her name situation, but Yukine still bears the Hagusa name, she must still have Mizuchi. If her master is gone, can she still draw borderlines? Does she hang around with Yato and Yukine still? Adachitoka didn't say Kofuku DIDN'T name her, so...

The way Hiyori remembered Yato because of his scent had me SOBBING, yall. She didn't forget, but she did solve her problem and it was solved by people, just like they've been saying throughout the manga. But now, they can be together again. Yato was away from her for some years, and maybe he'll leave for several more (it's been a repeated thing in the manga that he'll insist he has to stay away for her own good), but the point is that even if it's been years and years, she'll always remember him. It's open-ended, but that just means it can be my preferred ending of Hiyori not forgetting but choosing to distance herself. She'll meet up with Yato and Yukine every once in a while living her own, separate, fulfilling life. They've been watching over her all these years anyway.

And so, that brings us to the close. It's as happy an ending as we could have possibly gotten, and above all else, I'm relieved. I've been saying for...years, probably, that I want an open ending, but I really thought it was off the table with recent events.

Final hangups are the same as they were in my final reread (tagged under #Noragami reread on my blog), so I won't repeat them, but the bottom line is that I got everything I wanted out of this ending--except maybe a trio hug? But that interior illustration of the four of them, all smiling and happy, Yato's arm around his sister, made up for that. I kind of wish there was a Yatori kiss for real, but the panel of her touching her lips also assuaged that.

Anyway, I'm not sure what other manga would/will make me unhinged enough to type up monthly thoughts posts for years, but I'll be tuned in to whatever new Adachitoka has coming up. Whether it's a full series, a short series, or just a oneshot, I'll be reading every word. I'm also looking forward to getting the final volume once it releases here, and praying for an artbook announcement.

Thank you for reading! I have some posts to make, some projects to plan, and I'll be diving into the tag once more for old times' sake. This won't be the last of me!

[ranpoedgw]

the sugar-coating of ranpoe

as we're all familiar with, ranpoe is a pretty popular ship in the bsd fandom and is often said to be a very healthy/fluffy ship. however, fanon ranpoe is honestly an incredibly sugar-coated version of how they really are in canon. ranpoe is not the fluffy innocent ship people think they are, and are in fact almost as bad as many other ships in bsd. let me explain.

first, i want to talk about the babyfication of ranpoe *in canon*. yes i know authors can't mischaracterise their own characters, but that doesn't mean they can't choose to portray them through a warped view. in ranpoe's case, it's also the authors themselves who choose to portray ranpoe as a comic relief duo. like, the way poe commits (attempted) murder is so unserious? and ranpo (as usual) just... doesn't seem to care that poe tried to kill him? and encourages him to try again?

compared to skk for example, who when they try to kill each other it's actually portrayed with some kind of intense hatred and/or murderous intent.

of course i'll never know what the authors were thinking, but they probably chose to portray ranpoe as such with the intention of ranpoe being a fluffy crack ship. which is fine, because they're the authors obviously and they can do what they want, and this also gives ranpoe their own unique dynamic. however, the issue with this is that it causes people to be completely blinded towards what's actually happening between ranpoe, and only see them through the rose-tinted glasses which the authors have handed to us. hence, i'm going to objectively recount everything that happened with ranpoe.

around six years ago, ranpo beat poe in a battle of wits.

poe went into this reclusive state where he refused to interact with other people, and is implied to have been suicidal/depressed.

eventually, poe decides to plot his revenge by writing a novel in order to kill ranpo and obtain the praise and glory that ranpo has.

six years pass.

poe meets ranpo again, and tries to kill him. he fails.

they end up establishing a mutual relationship where poe writes novels, and ranpo gives him feedback. poe no longer seems to want revenge.

fast forward to chapter 80, by this time ranpo has asked poe for help regarding a lot of things, all agency-related.

one, ranpo said he wanted a showdown to trick poe into writing a novel for him, which he then used against chuuya.

he asked poe to write a novel in about ~30 mins to corner mushitaro.

in the volume 20 omake, ranpo also asked poe to write a novel to house 3 people by the next day.

ranpo asked poe to help him rescue the agency members in chapter 80. poe helped to snipe the lock on kunikida's cell, and prepare a vehicle to save yosano.

in the recent chapters, it was also mentioned that ranpo had poe write a novel to trap fukuchi.

based on this brief (??) summary, you can probably see a bunch of things which are not very right. first of all, poe experienced severe withdrawal after losing his match with ranpo, and for six years his only goal was to defeat him. secondly, poe is doing a LOT of things for ranpo, which aren't really reciprocated. there might also be other things, but i will just focus on these two.

1. poe is heavily reliant on ranpo.

as you can see, poe is a pretty fragile person. he lost one match to ranpo and basically gave up on life. he became overly reliant on ranpo's existence to affirm his own, and even now he dreads the possibility of ranpo dying and leaving him without a rival. and while poe who has almost no friends is entirely dependent on ranpo, ranpo always has the agency to support him, so he isn't all that emotionally dependent on poe. he still needs poe for his novels and such, but it's not often that he shows/says that poe is really important to him as a person. however, ranpo does clearly appreciate poe's intellect and abilities and praised him before. ranpo never praises people, so this is a pretty big occurrence.

in this sense, poe really needs ranpo but ranpo doesn't realllly need poe (or at least he doesn't show it).

2. poe does a lot for ranpo but not the other way round. i think this kind of speaks for itself tbh. poe helps ranpo with a whole lot of things, and ranpo doesn't give him much in return. obviously there is something wrong with this, but because poe is so eager to impress/help ranpo, he seems to have no issues with this.

as you may (unfortunately) know, because of the above reasons some people say that ranpoe's relationship is "toxic" or "abusive", but i believe this is inaccurate. based on a few dictionaries, the word "toxic" carries the meaning of unpleasant, extremely harsh, malicious or harmful. however, ranpo asking poe for help with a lot of things isn't done with the intention to harm or assert control over poe. he just really needs poe's help and poe is willing as well as capable. also, he probably isn't aware that he's overworking poe because he's not sensitive to other people's emotional needs or wants. and poe doesn't do all this because ranpo is threatening him, he's just very (overly) eager to do it.

despite everything, ranpoe isn't completely horrible. they're not the best, but they certainly aren't the worst. none of them seem to visibly hold grudges or have issues with the other, and are generally happy with their current arrangement. they share each other's interests and provide the other with the intellectual stimulus that they need.

also, the authors' "sugar-coating" of their relationship isn't completely off. due to the nature of their personalities, it still makes sense that they can get along. after all, ranpo was once held at gunpoint when he was 14 and didn't give a flip so i doubt he'd really care about poe attempting to murder him. and on poe's side, i think he's always been fragile and a little pathetic so this is pretty normal for him.

and even though their relationship is kinda unbalanced, they do hold each other in equally high regard (including ranpo, although he doesn't show it. he doesn't really show anything) this is also why i think ranpoe isn't an idol-fan relationship. parasocial relationships are one-sided relationships, where one person extends emotional energy, interest and time, and the other party, the persona, is completely unaware of the other’s existence. poe definitely extends a lot of energy in helping ranpo, i don't deny. but the baseline for a parasocial relationship is that one person is almost unaware of the other. before guild arc this was true, but right now ranpo is very much aware of poe's existence, and admires poe just as much as poe does him. hence, i don't think ranpoe is a parasocial relationship.

overall, ranpoe is still heavily sugar-coated by the fandom and authors who don't really acknowledge the issues within their relationship. however the rose-tinted glasses don't completely warp everything, and their dynamic, both canon and fanon, isn't totally off from how it should be, based on my knowledge of their personalities. they're just a silly little couple doing their silly gay things. everything is fine (half lying)

thanks for reading 🔥🔥

[yumeka-sxf]

We finally get to see another side of Yuri this episode, outside of his Yor obsession (mostly). While I can't say this is one of my favorite chapters to be adapted, I definitely appreciate how it not only gives some needed character development to Yuri, but it creates good world-building for the series. As usual, Endo slips in social commentary without making it too preachy. And as usual, he shows how so much of what goes on in this world, as well as the characters' decisions and motives, are not black and white, good vs bad, but many shades of gray.

Nice to see Yor in that pretty burgundy color and Loid in a different sweater than his usual one!

I liked how they made the Bondman episode look like an old 70s anime - very nice touch!

Hopefully you stuck around after the end credits to see the anime versions of three omake chapters! They're all very cute, but one thing that must be addressed is...

Apparently someone on the anime team decided that too much skin is inappropriate for this very family friendly series 🤣Also interesting that they decided to animate all the omake chapters with that pastel look. Not sure why.

Since they're starting to adapt more of the omake chapters into the anime, and I know some of them break the 4th wall, I wonder if they'll ever animate those or just stick to the canon ones.

I like the two chapters that will be in next week's episode! Very excited for those 😁

In addition to the new episode, we also got a bunch of original illustrations that will be bonuses for when you buy the season 2 JP blu-rays!

Family photo with Bond (from the TOHO store)

My favorite - Twiyor date! ❤️ (from Rakuten)

Anya & Damian (from Animate)

And lastly, Loid & Anya (from Amazon JP)

Heh, these are the kinds of things that make people buy multiple copies of the same discs! Might have to search for the Bond photo and Twiyor ones on Mercari 😅