#due to a massive lack of named characters

[uncharted-constellations]

(I would include the game art but their designs are identical despite not being the same character)

TLOZ Zelda: Breaks the triforce of wisdom to hide the pieces from ganon before being captured, Link is called upon by her nursemaid Impa after saving her, to re-assemble the the triforce of widsom, destroy ganon, and rescue Zelda from his clutches. (Link was about 10 at the time, Zeldas age was unestablished)

TAOL Zelda: Many generations ago she was cursed by her brothers associate into falling into a deep sleep after she refused to give up information about the triforce. Link now 16, is told by impa that he is destined to awaken her due to the mark of the triforce, and is sent on an adventure by her to do so, where he inevitably uses the triforce to wish her awake (again this zeldas age is unestablished, other than technically being several generations older due to magic nap, the other zelda from the first game does not make an appearance)

[fruittt-punchhh]

Pop My Cherry!

all parts

Synopsis: your dad's best friend is none other than Toji Fushiguro, and you can't help but wonder what he could do with his hands.

Characters: Toji Fushiguro x reader.

Content: Minors Do Not Interact! filthy smut ahead😎 afab! re fem! reader, dad's best friend! Toji, suggestiveness, cursing, inexperienced (ish) reader, reader is a virgin but has done things ya know, female masturbation, male masturbation, mutual masturbation, getting caught in the act, reader smokes weed, alcohol usage, pet/ affectionate names, breath play, choking if you squint, reader gives good top, age gap (reader is 24, Toji is in his 30s), Toji calls reader (doll, slut, bitch, etc.), big dick! Toji, cunnilingus (m! receiving), just pure smut.

Word count: 2.8k

Notes: we’re back bitchessss!🤪💖hope you liked the last part hehe. here is pt. 5!! pt. 6 is in the proofreading stage now and I’ve even got a pt. 7 in my brain waiting to be put on paper. as always, forgive any grammar/spelling errors, and lemme know what you think!!! much love, fruit punch🧃

The sight before him was unholy. You sat with your back almost to the wall, sitting back on your feet. Your face was so red from the constant embarrassment, your lips still swollen from how hard Toji was biting and sucking on them. He could see how hard you were breathing, and he was more ready than he had ever been to let you please him. It had been too long since he had gotten a blowjob, let alone a good fuck.

Toji gets off the bed, standing up as he takes a step towards you. You looked as if you were looking straight at the ceiling due to his tall stature. Suddenly, you were in his shadow as he grabs the neck of his shirt and takes it off, discarding it in the floor on top of your bikini. He kicks his sweats off his feet and closes the distance between you two.

Here he was, with his still twitching cock dripping precum in front of you. His length was still glistening from your juices, and you were impressed with the fact that he looked a few inches longer than you originally estimated.

You do as he says and attempt to make it up to him as best you can. You grab him at his base, earning a hiss from the god above you. You stick your tongue out and you start to swirl it around his fat tip.

“Holy shit, y/n, keep going f’me, just a lil’ deeper”

Your tongue was so hot and wet, and seeing you with his dick in your tiny hand almost made him bust. He could tell it would be a struggle to get it to fit, but he needed to feel how tight that throat is. He was scared he wouldn’t even be able to talk you through it at this point. You two had been going at it for at least an hour now. The kisses, grinding, pussy eating and all was fun for sure. But it was torture for Toji. He had to stop himself from cumming so many times now, and he was scared he wouldn’t be able to hold back this time.

You close your lips around the head of his cock, and slowly start to move down his length. It’s barely a third of the way in and he’s already hitting the back of your throat. You choke a little and you feel your eyes water. You were excited to show Toji your lack of a gag reflex. You had always been that way, but it never occurred to you to use that to your advantage until now. The previous guys you were with weren’t even big enough to test it out. You still needed to warm up to his massive size, but you were confident you’d be able to deepthroat him at least a little bit. You keep him there for a moment, swirling your tongue on the underside of his shaft, trying to remember every single vein.

You continue your ministrations on his member, starting to pick up your pace as you hollow your cheeks. You now have both hands on the rest of his length, trying to please where you couldn’t reach yet. You needed to warm up just a little more before you start taking him past your throat.

“You’re so fucking perfect f’me, y/n. You might be a virgin b-but you’ve definitely, fuck, s-sucked cock before, haven’t ya’?”

Was the stern, mean Toji stuttering? And what happened to the nicknames? Did he just not care anymore, or was he too far gone to think of any? You felt like you had him in the palm of your hand. You manage to stifle out an “mmhm” while you slobber all over him. You’ve gotten almost half of him in your mouth, and you feel like you’re ready to take him fully.

You pull off with a pop, licking your lips as you look up at him. God, was he pretty.

You lick a long stripe from his heavy balls to the tip of his cock. He grunts, smiling at you as he bites his lip to stifle any whimpers that dare slip past his lips.

Although your throat was sore, you ask him, “Toji, can I show you something? Just trust me, please.”

Toji had no idea what you were letting on. He was excited nonetheless, but he had no clue what you could show him that you haven’t already. You were making him fall apart and he knew he wouldn’t last long enough to fuck you properly.

“Sure, baby, but I dunno if there’s anything I haven’t seen already, heh,” he chuckles, admiring your beautiful figure beneath him.

Instead of responding, you sit back up until you’re level with his dick. You wrap your hands around Toji’s thick thighs, and place your hands on his ass. You knew he would say something about it, so you had to be quick.

“The fuck you tryna sho-“ he starts as all the air is ripped from his lungs. He has to stabilize himself on the wall before he passes out.

You take a deep breath as you start to suck him again. You slowly but surely force your head down, using Toji as leverage, until your nose is buried in the black hair at the base of his cock. You swallow around him as a reflex, and you hear him whimper.

“Y/n, o-ohmmygod f-fuck”

Toji had no more sly remarks for you. As he looks down at you, your eyes peer up at him. He’s sweating and panting like a dog. You must have been doing a decent job since he looked like he might explode at any moment.

You pull entirely off of him, letting his cock spring up as you look up at him.

“Toji?”

“Y-yeah, doll?”

“Can you fuck my throat? I’ll be good I promise. I won’t gag or anything. I-I wanted to do it before but they were never big enough. Please use me.”

He must have died and gone to heaven (or hell?) because he definitely didn’t mistake what you said. How did you have no gag reflex?? Even if you didn’t, he was huge. But now you’re sitting underneath him begging him to fuck your throat. How could he pass up on an offer of a lifetime? No women in the past could even take half of him, whether it be their pussy or their throat. Now here you were, nonchalantly bragging about your skills as he tries not to paint your face white just from hearing your request.

Before he can respond, you’re back to working on his shaft as you get a head start on the whole face-fucking request.

“Holy s-shit, what a fuckin’ filthy slut you are for me, y/n. Hah, if I would known you wanted me to, mmmngh, u-use you this bad, I woulda done it a l-long fuckin’ time ago.” He manages. He thinks he used the very last of his brain power saying that because he was so much closer to cumming than he had previously estimated.

You moan at his words, the vibrations stimulating his cock in a way he had never had the pleasure of experiencing before. You release your hold on his thighs as you feel him grab a handful of your hair. He places his other hand on the back of your head, and he slowly starts thrusting.

“Good god, woman, where’d ya’ learn to do this?” He thinks out loud as he strokes his length down your throat. He swore everytime he thrusted all the way in, you swallowed around him. You didn’t know if it was instinct or not at this point, but with the groans and whimpers coming from the man above you, you definitely weren’t going to stop.

You felt tears run down your face as Toji absolutely abused your throat. The sight of him using you solely for his pleasure had your cunt dripping. You started moaning around him with each thrust, unable to control how good this was making you feel, too. You reach down to play with your clit, still so sensitive from the orgasms he gave you earlier.

“Yeah, play with that clit while I use you. God, thank you y/n. You’re doing s-so fucking perfect, makin’ me feel so good. M’not gonna last, doll, l-let me go a little harder so I can empty my balls on that pretty face, okay?”

You can’t believe his admission, and you attempt to response with a muffled ‘mmm’. You had hoped you were doing well, and his behavior would make you think so, but you still doubted your abilities. You reach your other hand up to massage his heavy balls as you urge him to reach his climax.

“Oh fuck, k-keep doing that, m’gonna fuckin’ cum y/n,” You were doing wonders on his dick, and you were now pushing your head to his pelvis to bring him to his orgasm.

He was moments away from his release as he spits out, “Take a-a deep breath for me, babe.” With one final thrust, he pushes into your throat so hard, shoving your head into the wall behind you. His hands were long gone off your head, and he brings his left hand down to wrap around your throat. He swore he could feel his cock pulsing through your throat. He takes his right hand, and being the mean bastard he was, he plugs your nose as he shoots his hot, thick load down your throat.

Your eyes were bugging out of your head as Toji effectively cut off your air supply while he came. You were no stranger to a little breath play, but this took you off guard. Your hands shoot up to his thighs as you feel every muscle of his clench and release. You relished in the feeling of him having total control over your body as he came down your throat. He releases you as he slides his length out of your throat. You swallow and gasp, not realizing how long he had cut off your airway for. You had tears running down your cheeks (and thighs) as you look up at him and thank him.

“You’re welcome doll, heh,” he laughs, crouching down to meet your eyes, “You milked my cock so good f’me. Open up, lemme see how good of a girl you are.”

You open your mouth wide, sticking your tongue out. He grabs your face and kisses you immediately, groaning into your mouth at the sight. You feel his big hands reach behind you, kneading your ass as he picks you up. You squeak as you wrap your legs and arms around him, trying not to fall. He picked you up like you didn’t weigh a thing, although his legs were trembling and he’d be damned if he let you figure that out.

He turns around, still kissing you as he lays you down on the bed.

“Gimme a minute, shit. Wanna fuck you right and I’m fucking spent.”

You smile up at him, “S’okay, Toji. I can wait as long as you need. It shouldn’t take to long right, old man?” You say, unable to help the giggle that escaped your lips. Toji grabs his length, running himself up and down your folds, getting ready to impale you on his cock.

“Watch it, brat. Keep getting smart with me and I won’t hold back. I’ll have you cryin’ on this dick, pretty girl.”

You open your mouth to respond to let him know you wouldn’t mind crying for him if it meant he’d finally fuck you, until you both hear a noise coming from outside. He looks at you as if he’d seen a ghost.

Was that the fucking garage door?

You two had been at it long enough that the sun had set long ago, and your dad’s fishing trip had come to an end.

You and Toji both scramble to your feet, running to grab a change of clothes.

“Shit, hurry the fuck up. I’m supposed to be at work already, goddammit.”

You yank open your dresser drawers, looking for a shirt and some shorts. You look back to see Toji throwing his shirt over his head.

“Toji your fucking shirt is backwards and inside out!”

He looks down and rips his shirt back off, turning it around before he put it on again.

“What’d I tell you about that language, pretty girl?”

You throw your clothes on, telling him now isn’t the best time. You run to find your phone, only to see your dad had called you, and him and your brother had texted you an hour ago letting you know they were headed home. You were lucky they stopped for food on the way back or you two would have been in deep shit.

Toji pulls his sweats back up, cursing at the wet patch still on the front of them.

“Look I gotta leave for work, just act like you’re asleep or some shit. Don’t tell him anything, or it’s gonna be real bad for the both of us.”

“Okay, yeah — wait, why would I tell him anything, are you crazy?” You ask and you throw your blanket and pillows back on the bed before you climb into it.

“For you I might be, girl,” he mumbles, barely audible as he reaches for the doorknob.

“Wait, Toji? Thanks, I-I guess.”

He doesn’t even look back at you as he opens the door and mutters a ‘yeah’ before he disappears into the darkness of the hallway. You close your eyes, trying to convince yourself and your body that you were ‘asleep’ instead of out of breath, worried, and incredibly turned on still.

You heard the back door open and who you assumed to be your dad and your brother walking in.

You can hear Toji faintly. ‘Hey man, sorry I gotta run, m’late for work.’

‘I thought you were home a while ago, everything okay?’

‘Yeah, I was uh, taking a nap and time got away from me. I won’t be back ‘til late tonight.’

‘Sure, yeah be safe.’ You can hear them sitting down their fishing supplies somewhere in the kitchen as you hear your name being mentioned.

‘Oh, hey you seen y/n since you been back? I picked her up some food.’

He felt his face turn red as his best friend said your name. ‘Uh, n-no, she might be asleep or something, haven’t heard shit outta her.’

You try not to scream as you turn around in the bed, trying your best to hide your face under the covers. You hear the garage door open and close again, signaling that Toji made it out of the house unscathed. You hear footsteps approaching from the hallway. Just play it cool, you’re fucking asleep dude.

There was a light tap on the door.

“Y/n? Toji said you might be asleep, I gotcha some food on the way back.”

Of course he was opening the door. You try to steady your breathing. He falls for the facade easily enough, and you hear him sit the bag of food on your dresser.

‘Smells funny in here, hm’ he says as he lights one of your many candles. Great. Your dad was gullible but he wasn’t born yesterday. He was a good dad, but sometimes he failed at putting two and two together.

You hear him scrounge through your room, was he looking for something? You try to stay calm as you hear a phone begin to vibrate on the floor. Your phone was currently in your hand, so was that-

“Toji’s phone, huh? What’s this doing in here? Damn, has he left yet?” You hear him say. He picked up a towel on the floor that was covering Toji’s phone and your skimpy black bikini. Nice. Could it be anymore obvious?

Your dad leaves the room and you hear him ask your brother if Toji had left. You let out a breath you had been holding for what felt like hours. After what just went down, maybe sleep was your best bet at staying sane. You grab your headphones and shove them in your ears, turning your music up to drown out your thoughts.

You hear a familiar ‘ping!’ as you get a text from an unknown number. You didn’t recognize the area code either. But there was no mistaking who it came from.

‘Don’t think I’m letting u off the hook, doll. I’ve still gotta see if it’ll fit.’

You read the message with wide eyes, opting to leave him on read. Did he have two phones or something? Think logically here, maybe one of them was his work phone. Or for all his other bitches. You felt like you needed time to process the events of the last few hours before you responded. You clicked the lock button on your phone and closed your eyes once more.

ping!

‘See, I don’t think it will. But I want u to prove me wrong, okay? Want you to be good for me again if you’ll have me.’

Was this his manly way of asking for your consent? It was kind of cute, you admit.

You decide to respond before turning your phone off for the night.

‘We’ll just have to see, won’t we?’

pt. 6

@scorpiosugar hehehe

[acoraxia]

I may have just found your art (is so freaking pretttttyyyyy) and your cotl AU but I now desperately need to know everything about the AU because it looks so. cool.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME INDULGE IN TALKING ABOUT MY LITTLE AU AHEM AHEM

I’m going to ramble now if that’s ok-

WARNING:: long and messy ramblings about AU ideas, headcanons and body horror/gore mentions up ahead

My Lamb’s story is actually pretty simple: they were born as Aluhé (ahl-weh) to a family filled with traveling performers. They traveled throughout the land of the Old Faith, worshipping the gods (especially Shamura) and performed to earn money to maintain themselves. Life was good up until rumors of the prophecy foretold by the Bishops spread towards the little hers; when Aluhé came of age they learned of said prophecy and that that was the reason why their family “settled down” in a (supposedly) hidden village.

Eventually, heretics arrive and they kill the herd safe for Aluhé and they escape, meet a flock of goats and Jahel (goat co-op character) and then run away due to guilt only to be captured by heretics and be introduced to the bishops.

After meeting Narinder and obtaining the crown, Aluhé refused to do anything in his name — refused to start a cult or touch the crown or anything… for months

they met Koi when they were planning to simply kill the Bishops bare handed and instead save her from being sacrificed (haha me too!). They don’t run the cult per say — mostly due to the fact they don’t want to get attached to anyone but they feel a strong sense of… protectiveness when it comes to the flock, going as far as appointing disciples to ensure the cult is safe and beating the life out of heretics that get a little too close for comfort to the cult grounds.

THE CROWN TAKES SUCH A MASSIVE TOLL ON ALUHÉ HOWEVER — apart from the fact that Aluhé is “easily corrupted” being fueled by a blind sense of justice towards the culling of their species over a family’s spat and a selfish fucker’s decisions, the crown latches on to their body and often does so when Aluhé has their guard down. This allows for certain changes to occur — the lack of hunger, exhaustion and ability to “morph” their body being a few of them.

It doesn’t help that Aluhé refuses to use the crown to fight unless absolutely necessary (because they hate dying because it means hearing Narinder talk and because they’ll end up angry all over again—) and often wears the crown around their neck.

This causes certain personality changes as well: Aluhé is typically quiet and docile when engaging with the flock if only a bit intimidating. They don’t talk to the followers unless necessary and only exchange actual conversation with their disciples. Since no follower is allowed to go on crusades with Aluhé they’re omitted from the fact their benevolent leader is in fact very, very, very, violent

They’d often consume heretics during their final moments or force feed their remains to the few that tried to get away (and failed) so they’d choke and die — a brutality that spread towards the bishops and their own disciples (Narinder still remembers how vile it was to see a meek little lamb get up and tear Barbatos to shreds, only to then use one of the worms’ teeth to sink it into Leshy’s flesh. Charming, really). This only strengthens when they kill Narinder and are eventually crowned the new god of death… among other things… and their body eventually adapts to the changes but it takes a toll on their mental health (

Their behavior, however, can be traced back to Shamura…

Since the two had a very interesting conversation before Aluhé was sent to be sacrificed:

Smh Aluhé you should be grateful to be blessed with the presence of the War Bishop tssk tsk

When the Bishops are killed and, eventually, brought back to life per the Mystic Seller’s request, Aluhé refuses to heal them or allow for their bodies to heal until they repent or make a pact with them to ensure obedience as they join their flock. Goes about as well as you can imagine

A big little change I made was that I made the Bishops Embodiments of their titles rather than just gods worshipped for it.

So Narinder is the Embodiment of Death, Leshy is the Embodiment of Chaos, etc. despite having somewhat mortal bodies they are still connected to their godhood and this will not change due to the fact that the world still needs gods in order to maintain balance — it also means that Aluhé is not just the god of death but the god of other things; it also means they have.. a union with Narinder, so to speak

The Gods have vessels for the sole purpose of their finding their replacements (because the gods will exist, even if they are not the same person they once were years ago) or to gain more worship and strengthen their power. When the Old Faith started getting greedy (coughs, Narinder) it was harder to find willing vessels or the right type of vessels to take on the task of bringing the Siblings more worship. It took years to find the proper candidates for Leshy or Kallamar (because the fucker was so PICKY /j) and it also caused a bit of horror to the siblings to see Aluhé reject the Red Crown as though it were simple

Aside from the Siblings being somewhat “dormant” and Narinder not being within the cult and Shamura traveling with Jahel… there’s a lot of silly little lore I managed to put into the four of them because I thought it’d be fun to explore the capability of Vessels and Gods and “War/Death Incarnate” as a whole — there’s a lot of story lore I don’t want to spoil but you can have these as a treat:

And thats it for now

[animeyanderelover]

This is my second ask

What would Hyuuga Natsuhiko, Minamoto Teru, Wei Liu, Tatsuya Himuro, Reo Mibuchi, Yuuma Isogai, Nagisa Shiota, Tadaomi Karasuma, Shibusawa Tatsuhiko, and Tachihara Shunzen( the older brother) with a darling that is nice to everyone else but politely declines to interact with them. Ik there are a lot of characters but could you make it a bit suggestive at the end like when the reader is confronted it's past their breaking point so they aren't down for excuses, it's fine if not! Ty!!

I genuinely think that you are the first person who named me so many characters I have never written for before in one request. Not that you'll see me complaining though.

Tw: Yandere themes, possessive behavior, obsession, delusional mindset, stalking, clinginess, manipulation, threats, guilt-tripping,jealousy, violence,abduction, suggestive themes at the end of some of those

Tags: @shumidehiro @leveyani @izanami78

Avoidance

Liu Wei

🟣​Surely there must be a massive misunderstanding somewhere, although Liu struggles to decipher what it is that has caused such a rift between the two of you before he even had the chance to get to know you better. It is most misunfortunate, especially since the tall boy is not oblivious to his rapidly expanding feelings for you. Perhaps he has done something to offend you, unintentionally that is due to his lack of knowledge about Japan, or maybe you are just freaked out because of his height. All those excuses are immediately accepted in his mind yet a glaringly obvious thing never once seems to cross his mind. That maybe, just maybe, it is his highly unsettling behavior that has left a lingering bad impression and his refusal to back down only proves that point further. There is no escape from those dark eyes that always spot you no matter what you do or where you try to hide, his height only giving him a bigger advantage to easily find you. There is no escape from him either as you constantly find him trailing after you with that apathetic look on his face and it is quite frightening that he isn't even attempting to defend his actions, his gaze locked on your when you glance at him in disbelief and fear.

🟣​His feelings are no secret to Liu but whether he recognises them to be anything potentially obsessive is an entire new chapter after all. In that matter the exchange student finds himself in a rather delusional mindset after all. All is still new for him in this country after all and his feelings fall into the same category, as something new he has to learn and to discover. Gullible as always, he follows the few advices he has gotten from his teammates and parents in multiple attempts to get closer to you and to get to know you better. He follows you around, his eyes constantly try to meet yours and he approaches you whenever he can yet his naivete is abused over and over again as you always decline everything politely and come up with a reasonable excuse on the spot, one he accepts. For a while this seems to work but it doesn't take long for the bitterness to fester inside of him. Dark eyes condemn the people you keep around you as the green-eyed monster known as jealousy awakens inside of him. He doesn't understand what it is they do right that he doesn't and never one to hold back, he finds himself approaching those people boldly and bluntly asking them what it is that they do that he doesn't.

🟣​He scares your friends and you know about that yet he clearly doesn't feel a thing. He just wishes you would notice his dedication and earnestness as he tries everything he is told to break the wall between the two of you yet you only pull further and further away from you. The festering feeling only continues growing as he notices how you avoid him, a mixture of continuous heartbreak and flaring frustration spurring his darker instincts on. It may not show on his face as he wears a very neutral expression most of the time but he vents the bitterness out on people around him and your close friends and acquaintances are often on the receiving end of that developing temper of his. It is highly unpleasant as they find themselves as constant victims of his cold glares and harsh words as he expresses his dissatisfaction with the situation at hand. He hates this all, if he has to be very blunt. All he wants is to get to know you better yet you brush him aside every single time and he doesn't even know what it is he has done wrong in the first place. You have to tell him. How is he supposed to know what he is doing wrong? He is in a country that isn't his home and those feelings are new for him too.

🟣​You feel rather anxious when you leave school only to find Liu following you one day, not even bothering to hide it. No matter how much you increase your pace, his large steps easily catch up and from the corner of your eyes you can see how he gets closer and closer to you. A huge hand grabs your shoulders and forces you to stop as his deadpan voice asks you if you could give him a moment. There is a growing unease on your mind, your eyes darting around as you try to come up with an excuse yet he cuts you off bluntly, his gaze heavy on your form as he tells you that he will only need a few minutes. Your heart can only pound against your chest as you inspect him warily. There is nothing that could have prepared you for the unexpected horror seeping through you when his lips suddenly smash against yours, his other hand seizing your nape to push your mouth against his own. Dreadful seconds pass before he finally releases you and admits his feelings to you, seemingly unfazed by the forceful kiss he just submitted you to. His eyes are filled with dark determination as he informs you that he intends to be much more direct with his feelings for you from now on.

Himuro Tatsuya

◾️Himuro has had his eyes on you for a while now, long enough to recognise that there is definitely a real interest he has in you. The handsome boy is quite observant of his own feelings though so he will have it figured out soon that an interest is quite understating what is going on in his heart right now. Tatsuya hides his obsession smoothly though as no one would suspect anything. His self-control doesn't mean that he plans to give you up though as he plans to court you and win you over for himself, whether it is because or in spite of his obsession is a blurry line though. The attitude he is met with when he approaches you is rather disheartening though. Tatsuya has observed you for a longer while now and he has observed you long enough to notice the inconsistency in your behavior around him in comparison to other people. You have always been a very kind and open-hearted person but it is glaringly obvious that you choose to avoid him as you always have a polite excuse in store when he is the one who asks for your time. There is a distance you wish to uphold between him and you and whilst it hurts Himuro, he initially tries to see what it is that may have triggered this.

◾️Maybe it is his popularity that has led you to see the need to not interact with him as you may think of him as insincere and a playboy or simply fear potential jealousy that his fangirls may direct at you. If that should be true, he is more than determined to prove you wrong. Aware that he shouldn't be too pushy in order to not come over as desperate nor annoying though, he goes for a more subtle approach. You are always among the first people he greets when he sees you and there are always things like your favorite snacks or drinks he brings with him occasionally to give them to you, especially if it's a rather hot day will he act like your personal vending machine. As a member of the Student Council he always keeps you informed about current updates and often likes to ask for your opinion on subjects, even taking them into consideration. There is a cunning air to it all though as you find yourself being more involved with him, especially when he starts socialising more with classmates and friends of yours. Himuro knows what he is doing though as he spies on you by befriending your own friends, treating them secretly more as a mean to achieve his goal quicker.

◾️There is a sleeping monster made out of envy and insecurity hiding behind his poker face though, one that grows quite restless the more time passes. Anyone else would have already fallen for him or would have at least shown some signs of attraction yet you are still as fleeting as the day he first met you. What is he doing wrong? Nothing, he includes after a good while of self-reflecting. He has done nothing that could have roused your suspicion or that could have made you feel uncomfortable around him. He has always been only helpful and kind to you. With this possibility out of the way, his mind drifts towards another one that has him instantly on edge. Perhaps he hasn't enough for you. It is this idea that fills him with growing jealousy as a bitterness he has always had against naturally talented people appears. He starts cracking and you see that on the day he catches you with Murasakibara, chatting in a carefree manner. You've never done that with him. The shock on your face is evident when he storms over, his normally stoic expression twisted by hurt and anger that he barely manages to swallow down when he reaches you two and separates you two, his heart poisoned.

◾️It is irrational jealousy that leads you into the unfortunate situation of being indirectly betrayed by your own friends whose assistance he requests and they fall easily for his charm as they help to set you two up, unaware of what is about to occur. There are cracks on the surface as his eyes contrast his usual poker face, the growing anger and jealousy almost palpable. It is the very moment you dare to voice yet another excuse that finally makes the thread snap and all the bitterness and anger erupts, clearly visible on his face. His frustration and resentfulness is audible as he asks you what it is that he would have to do to be finally worthy of your time, eyes ablaze as he stares at you. As soon as you take one step back, he takes one forward until you find yourself pressed against the wall. There are tears in your eyes yet he is far too caught up in his own pain to care too much. You don't even get another chance to beg him to let you go as the moment your lips part, he instantly silences you with an impulsive kiss, hands pushing you harder against the wall as he presses himself against your body in a desperate manner, only pulling away when he tastes salty tears, whether they are yours or his he does not know.

Mibuchi Reo

🌃​Mibuchi Reo is a rather interesting case as he is simultanously rather uptight yet also quite open about his feelings. Affectionate with the nicknames he chooses to call you by and the infatuated glances he gives you, the moment people like Hayama even dare to point it out to him, Mibuchi becomes rather displeased and quickly starts chastising him with an annoyed glare on his face. He isn't one to deny his own feelings of course but he is rather sensitive when other people point it out to him, especially those he knows would only give him a headache. You see, he is a rather possessive man who would like to hoard you for himself without people constantly interfering and pointing the obvious out. This is only further amplified when he comes to realise that you are quite set on the irrational decision to avoid him no matter what. Your smile is almost, but only almost, as sickenly sweet as his own when he approaches you when you are alone as he feels more inclined to be open about his affection. Very open. You leave him alone rather stunned after the first time as you hurry away without making it look like you are running away, his pointed glare adding to your nervousness.

🌃​He does not take it well at all and this is quite obvious to his teammates. He is brooding the entire time, deep in thought as a sigh escapes his lips more than once during training. Hayama and Nebuya use that chance in an attempt to get under his skin by teasing him but they get more than they asked for when normally gentle eyes stare at them creepily as he reminds them with a lopsided grin on his face that he would appreciate it if they wouldn't make fun of his personal problems since he does not appreciate it at all. They keep quiet for the rest of the training whilst he does his best to not dwell on it, at least not during practice with Akashi. He tries his luck again the next day, although much to his dismay he isn't able to catch you alone this time which is why he tones his affection significantly down, although it is still quite obvious to the untrained eye that he is rather besotted with you. Once again he finds himseld being indirectly rejected by you, this time in front of all your friends. It is a blow to his feelings as much as it is to his ego but he forces himself to not show any of his hurt feelings. Not in front of other people. It almost looks convincing if you wouldn't know better.

🌃​There is no Reo for you the next few days as he doesn't seek you out but it doesn't really ease your nerves that much. He makes an effort to act fairly normal the following days, although he really has to strain his eyes to not let his gaze wander to you and to immerse himself in sweet, little daydreams. Oh, if only you'd know how much you torment him with your rejection. You truly do not know what you are creating, do you? He can just sense the unease radiating off of you when he catches you all by yourself again, the gentleness in his eyes once again accompanied by this sweetly obsessive glimmer he only shows when he is alone with you. Your heart is pounding as you do your best to politely decline his request once again. Your skin is prickling when his smile twists into something comparable to what you'd see in a horror movie. The silence is crushing you yet he lets you bathing in it on purpose before he suddenly lifts his index finger, not dropping his grin as he stares at you. For a moment you wish he would just chastise you for rejecting him again, to say anything to ease you. You can only fret in cold sweat when he instead leaves you wordlessly as you try to figure out what his gesture just meant.

🌃​Days pass by without any incident yet it feels more akin to the calm before the dreaded storm which doesn't allow you a moment of peace. You almost feel tempted to approach Mibuchi yourself and it takes a lot of concentration to stop yourself from begging him to stop. Then he appears behind you nearly a week later and you nearly die of the heart attack you receive when his fingers tentatively grace your sides. The question he asks you in that same sweet tone that day is the same one he has already asked you before and never before have you shot him down faster, barely able to keep your tone steady as you ask him pleadingly to stop his behavior around you as you even bow your head. In hindsight you would have prepared that infatuated expression over the blank coldness on his face when you straighten your back again. You quickly bow out of the situation, or at least try to do so. His long arm reaches for you and tugs you with force back though, the unexpected surprise causing you to stumble against his back. Both of his arms tighten tighten around your form, his face suddenly in the crook of your neck as he takes deep whiffs of your scent before you feel his lips against the skin.

Shibusawa Tatsuhiko

💎​Shibusawa has long grown bored of the world and the people inside of it. Nothing surprises nor excites him anymore, his life a dull one where the only thing he can do is collect riches and gifts as a short-lived game to entertain himself with. Your existence finally breaks that gray cycle he has found himself in for years. There is a warm buzz in his heart when he indulges in thoughts of you and a pleasant shudder in his body when he gets close to you, his hands always trying to reach out for you and to touch you to feel that electrical tingle as soon as his skin connects with yours. The excessive habit of his to hoard treasure in various forms extends to you now as well as Shibusawa wishes to hoard and keep you for himself, the most valuable gem he could over possess one that lives and breathes. Obviously he is not blind to the way you always pull away from him when he wants to ask you to spend time with him, the slight discomfort hidden behind your polite exterior glaringly obvious to his trained eye. He could end it all of course as he has all the needed tools at his hands to simply whisk you away within the same hour but he refuses to use them.

💎​There is thrill in his chest after all, his heart feeling like it is beating for the first time vigorously in his chest again after years of having fallen into a sad rhythm of boredom. It would be so easy to simply take you but instead Shibusawa decides to play along with the goal to win your heart over through his own effort. He has always the choice to abduct you after all, he can effort to play around and engage in this cute game of yours. Every information he gains, he tries to figure out by himself instead of letting other people do the work. Everything feels much sweeter when he sees it with his own eyes after all instead of only reading it on a white file. His obsession truly yearns to devour everything and he throws himself at every new discovery like a starved animal and in a way his heart and soul are indeed starved. Starved for anything to fill the emptiness, an emptiness you so effortlessly mend and all that without being aware of it. Your dismissive behavior whenever he asks for your time may be a tiny bit disheartening but he is too much in love with the challenge to end everything already. There is so much to learn, so much to discover about you after all.

💎​A man of his intellect notices even small details easily, although if he is not someone you like keeping close to you. It deeply unnerves you how much he has picked up on after only a while of knowing you as he can even point out the little habits and ticks of you that you show without consciously being aware of it. The excessive knowledge you think he shouldn't have about you is a faraway cry from what he is feeling. It isn't enough. Tatsuhiko knows that there is still so much left that he doesn't know about you and with each passing day the urge to find out what he hasn't seen yet grows stronger and stronger. It is then that your polite decline every time he suggests that you two could spend some time together starts bothering him. You deprive him of something that is worth more to him than all the gold and jewels he has hoarded somewhere, prevent him from filling the gap in his heart that starts aching the moment your presence disappears. Hollow desperation claws at his chest, something Shibusawa is not used to feel at all and he does not need long before arriving at the conclusion that he does not enjoy this all-consuming emptiness he feels. Perhaps the time has finally come.

💎​You have a hard time figuring out how he even found your address when he rings one night on your door and gracefully moves his way around you before you can even think about closing the door. Your body posture is wary and ready to attack until he decides to finally confess all the grief he feels in his heart in disturbing ways as he expresses his morbid desire to strip you of all your secrets because only then will he feel whole again. Unfortunately you want to keep those secrets to yourself and as much fun as this game has been, it is time for him to collect his treasure. You're fully prepared to fight and run away but his reflexes are far too fast as he pulls out a syringe and injects something into your arm. The effects only take seconds to show as you suddenly go down on your knees, your legs losing all of their strength. He drags you to the couch and you can barely gather the strength to weakly flail around before your heaved up. His voice is soothing and calm as he tells you that the effects will disappear after a few hours, his fingers dancing over your body before suddenly starting to remove your shirt gently. A few hours is more than enough time to satiate some of his curiosity after all.

Tachihara Shunzen

🟫​A quiet aura and calm expression do not always have to imply that someone is doing well as sorrow and trauma come in various forms. Shunzen's pain is a parasite, one that silently feasts on his flesh on the inside whilst he pretends to be okay on the outside. War does not have winners and losers after all, it leaves everyone with either death or wounds that will never heal, whether those are physical ones or mental ones. Worst of all is that no one would truly understand the horror that has him at times still breaking out in cold sweat, not unless they saw and felt the same horrifying images he had to go through. No one deserves to go through what he went through either so Shunzen hides away the pain, allowing it to rot his flesh away from the inside. His obsession for you is only another bug eating away at him as he does the same thing he has always done since the war ended. Burrying everything that he shouldn't bother others with away somewhere deep inside. Initially it seems to work like it has always done but soon the feeling festers and cracks slowly start to appear within the wall he has carefully built. He doesn't know whether that is a good or a bad thing.

🟫Years of war have made him cautious and warily of his surroundings, have sharpened his senses and given him the ability to assess information at a quicker pace. You do not want to spend time with him for some reason but he knows that it isn't because you are a bad person. He has seen how kind and patient you are with other people, he knows how nice you are to his younger brother from the stories he always tells him about you. Knowing that though bears the question why you single him out as much as you do. Perhaps it is because you have some information about his past as a soldier, it isn't uncommon for former soldiers to end up being made into outsiders. He won't deny that he has done some terrible things but on a battlefield the kind hearts are always the first ones to die as it is either living or dying in a war and he was able to live, thanks to a little girl. He reasons with himself though as he decides to simply stay content for now by observing you and keeping an eye out for you, always alert for any danger that could happen to you at any time. Old habits are hard to shake off after all, especially when they determined whether he'd live to see another day or not.

🟫Initial humbleness to respect your choice fades away with time though as he can feel the obsession crawling around inside his chest, spreading like a virus as it robs him of his control. There is a silent demand echoing around in his head that gets harder to ignore as time passes. He deserves your kindness just as much as everyone else. No, he especially deserves it after the living hell he had to go through. He served and fought for his own country, for people like you. Doesn't he deserve more respect and kindness than that? The desperation tugging at his heartstrings is hard to ignore as those thoughts grow louder and louder inside of his head, almost deafening him at times. Fissures appear all over his heart and mind, forcing the feelings he has been trying to ignore to resurface and clawing at his crumbling walls in demand to be let out. Images flash before his eyes, his ears are ringing and every breath starts stinging as if he has just inhaled smoke. Words are unable to leave his mouth as he seeks you out, hands slightly shaking as his eyes silently beg for you to help him. He needs someone right now and his heart would never settle for anyone else than you. You pretend like you don't see him though.

🟫That's when the wall shatters and everything that has been rotting away in his heart is finally unleashed. He's drowning with each new wave that overcomes him, left alone to navigate through all of it. It doesn't have to be that way though... It shouldn't have to be. Shunzen has always been someone whose character has been almost too dainty for everything he went through but it is only on that night that you see his true self. All of emotions are worn on his face, his feelings raw and bleeding out of his eyes in form of salty tears. Cold sweat is covering every inch of his body, his eyes inspecting you with a newfound desperation as if you are the oasis in the desert. There is a familiar ringing in his ears again, every flicker of light triggering memories of explosions around him. His steps are surprisingly fast for someone who is trembling as much as he does as he reaches out for you, embracing you tightly as your words don't even reach him amongst all the other noises he hears. Guilt stirs awake inside of you only to be dimmed the moment his lips find yours in a messy kiss, his arms pressing you tightly against his body. That's when he finally finds silence within his mind and heart.

Shiota Nagisa

🐍​Nagisa is already an individual who is secretly fighting with a low self-esteem as neither his grades have ever stood out nor anything else about him. Even his own mother has expressed occasionally that she has wished for a girl but got a boy instead, although over the years his relationship with her majorly improved. It is this low opinion that has been installed into every crevice of his body that prevents him from daring to get any closer to you initially. Your kindness is what has always attracted him to you yet he fears that he might become the exception. There is no valid proof for this thesis of his but the anxiety is a chain that binds nevertheless. The blue-haired boy is always found around you but never with you. Skills he has learned from his precious sensei are used to stalk you and so skillfully that no one even notices. Nagisa blends in effortlessly, hides from your sight even if he might be closer than you would ever be comfortable to find out. He's in trees, bushes or even trailing right behind you as he enjoys your smile and your laughter from a safe distance. It is a needless torture he subjects himself willingly too though as his longing for you only grows the longer he stalks you.

🐍​It takes a lot of courage from is part and fillip from his friends before he finally decides to ask you if you would like to hang out with him. Multiple times he has found himself standing close to you only to shy away in the last moment when your gaze met his. In hindsight it would have been better for his sanity if he would have done the same again. Lots of things would have been better than seeing the look in your eyes when he asks you if you'd like to go on a date with him. The surprise, the pity and then the guilt as you already know your answer. No amount of politeness from your side could soften the blow as a heart far too fragile for someone with his skills is shattered into little pieces. There is a telling stinging in his eyes as he mumbles an apology for having bothered you before he disappears, the pain he is in in that moment indescribable. He shouldn't have expected anything else though. This was bound to happen. What was he even thinking in the first place? He is not everyone after all. Days fly by as he doesn't show himself in front of you anymore. He fears that he would break down again if you were to spot him and give him that same pitying look.

🐍​His stalking tendencies increase though as a result of avoiding you directly. It doesn't save him from the pain but it is preferable to the other option. Insecurities only heighten as he wonders every day and night what other people have that he doesn't only to beat himself down as he knows that others have always stood out more than he did. That hasn't changed even after graduating middle school. Even as he tells himself this over and over again though, the pain still stays. Jealousy has rarely been something that can be simply ignored after all as Nagisa knows what it is his heart wants. Why can't you spend some time with him? What would he have to do? He can change himself for you if you want him to! Caught up in his won desperation, he is too blinded to realise that it is this toxic mindset that only pushes you farther away from him. It is quite the dangerous game both of you are playing, although you are the one who is in the most danger. You see Nagisa cracking and crumbling, wonder if it is only your anxious imagination that sometimes catches glimpses of him as you walk around outside. A tiny part of you feels horrible but your fear is stronger than your guilt.

🐍​That is how you awake one night abruptly, you initially don't know why yourself. Much to your horror when you turn on the bedside lamp, you find Nagisa standing at the end of your bed, staring at you with a foreign gleam in those blue eyes. You want to let out a scream but you are barely able to open your lips before he's suddenly kneeling above you, one of his hands muffling the sound of your scream. Your body goes deadly rigid when you stare directly into those empty eyes, barely recognising Nagisa as it almost looks like he is a different person now. His voice is quiet yet eerily intense as he warns you to keep quiet as he removes his hand from your mouth. You barely dare to breathe when he withdraws himself from your form, your heartbeat playing a frightened melody in your chest. You're too afraid to even look at him as you gaze at your sweaty palms before his voice speaks up again. The more vulnerable and shaking tone he uses sounds much more like the person you know as he asks why you had to always ignore him. You don't get to answer though, darkness flooding your vision as he knocks you out. A pair of warm lips is the last thing you feel before passing out.

Isogai Yuma

🟤​Even when Yuma spent his time being made into an outsider during middle school, his kind and considerate nature never faded away throughout it all as he instead made new friends he still keeps in contact with years later. It is the warmhearted nature in you that attracts him to you as well as he admires you. Always honest and staying true to your feelings, you never miss out to express your own opinion and emotions clearly without losing your head. Yuma is quite content to just watch you for a while, his admiration steadily growing as he sees more and more of your heart you openly carry on your sleeves. Soon he finds himself longing for more than to just simply observe you throughout your day at work. Unlike his former blue-haired classmate though, Isogai goes through no such troubles as a low self-confidence. Instead he approaches you kindly and welcoming, acting on his wish to get to know you better and to spend more time with you. There are no signs that he is pushing anything though as he knows that he shouldn't force any more meaningful relationship on you as your consens is something he values which is why he wants to see how you feel about him.

🟤​Isogai is no fool though and soon it becomes obvious that this is getting nowhere. You never attempt to deepen the relationship between the two of you beyond the one of friendly co-workers who can chat throughout the day. Taking notice of that, Yuma decides to switch positions and to be the one who tries the first step. He asks you out when both of you are alone, realistic yet distracted by his beating heart. You can only give him an apologetic smile as you decline his offer and merely tell him that you feel flattered but do not have the time and interest to think about a serious relationship. Yuma can only do his best attempts to hide his hurt feelings but respects your decision nevertheless. Somehow he expected such a reply from you for some reasons. As much as it hurts him to admit, it is quite obvious that your interest in him has always been rather limited and you only find yourself spending that much time with him because both of you work together in the same job as often as you do. There is a clear line you have drawn though, one that doesn't want him as anything more than the acquaintance at work. A decision that isn't all that welcming in Isogai's eyes.

🟤​He has always been quite beloved with the ladies and he still is but he has never allowed himself to think of him as something better just because he looks good and has the considerate and gentle character to match his appearance. With everything that is going on involving you though, he starts wondering what exactly it is about him specifically that has you acting so uptight. After all you do not have the same problem with other people you work with or call your friends. No, it is only him and it is a terrible feeling to see how everyone is given your kindness yet he is the only one who is somehow left behind. He has been trying to get some answers from you, hasn't given up to ask you every once in a while after hoping that you have had enough time to consider and forget but your answer in its core has never changed, only the excuses you use. Something sparks within him every time you give him a new excuse to avoid him as politely as possible and it slowly alters him. No, rather it adds something that he has never felt or thought before. It is new and frightening but feeds off of his growing frustration and confusion every time another lie leaves your lips.

🟤​Yuma finds himself eventually doing something he has never done before. He actively uses your friends to his advantage to get a chance to have time with you alone as he just wishes to talk to you without running away. They are easily charmed by him and whilst a part of him feels guilty, another part of him has gotten quite relentless. The betrayal in your eyes is hard to miss when he appears whilst your friends drag you somewhere only to leave you as soon as he is there, their giggles fueling your anger as they are oblivious to the situation. Through gritted teeth you excuse yourself as you turn around with every intention to leave only to be left perplexed by his fast movements as he blocks the path before locking the door, throwing the key away. his eyes have lost part of their kind glow as he reminds you that he just wishes to talk to you. There is a tension surrounding you which differs from the normally warm aura that is always where he is. When you slowly back away from him, his hands suddenly grab your arms and panic trails up and down your spine, the air turning even more prickly, clearly out of patience by now. Sit down and calm down. He just wants to talk with you.

Karasuma Tadaoi

⬛​Karasuma has one notable weakness and that is his terrible density. Clearly he hasn't even grasped the full extent of his emotions for you yet even if he is already acting on them. His eyes are always on you the moment he enters his field of vision and he never really lets you out of his sight the moment that happens either. His entire exterior is quite tough and intimidating so under his gaze you always feel rather pressured but are too nervous to speak up. Eventually he always takes notice of your growing fear and withdraws his gaze, his eyebrows furrowed as he wonders what just overcame him to stare so indecently at you for such a long time. There is no denial that he catches himself multiple times more staring at you. As an agent, a highly respected one at that, he has a considerable amount of influence and power and partially he uses that, although he does not see the malicious intentions behind it. He likes to keep tabs on you, although you are neither a threat nor are you in any danger. Karasuma himself has a hard time understanding yet why he is doing all of that. If he had to make an accurate guess though, it would probably be that it helps him to feel more relaxed.

⬛​He isn't as ignorant to never figure it out though. Somewhere along the line is the realisation that he has feelings for you, although he must admit that the extent of those feelings is rather concerning. He keeps a distance from you after he has solved the puzzle finally, doesn't try to get involved with anything that involves you all in an attempt to rid himself of those dark urges. For the first time he is stuck in a situation where he can't do something even if he puts his mind to it though. There is shame and frustration swirling around all within him as his focus is dwindling much to his annoyance. Eventually he has to come to the realisation that nothing good will come out of all of this and that instead the most convenient way seems to do what he has been doing before, only that now he should actually try to make an effort to get to know you better. He is dressed well when he finally approaches you, his mind focused as if this were a mission. If he is hurt or surprised when you decline his offer for a shared cup of coffee together, he doesn't show it. His face doesn't give anything away and somehow that only makes you more anxious as you have no way to read him or his current thoughts and feelings.

⬛​It is quite hard for Karasuma to decipher how exactly he feels after your rejection. He wonders if it was his own fault as he has been told quite often before that he has a rather intimidating appearance and even if he is dense when it comes to love, he is rather skilled to spot the signs of anxiety and stress your body shows when you are aware that his presence is close, even if you try to be polite about it all. Pinning this down as the problem that has to be solved, Karasuma approaches everything still with the efficiency as if it would be an important mission. He determines what you like and what he can do to have you feel more at ease when around him. There is a lot of effort and even you can sense that as he tries to soften his expression when around you and rids his voice of any overly harsh tone when he talks to you. Still, your decision to not get involved deeply with him seems to stay the same and for the first time in his life he finds himself annoyed by someone else's professionalism. He knows that he has no right to force you into anything with him yet there is a growing possessive urge within him, one that only gets fueled every time you avoid him again.

⬛​When you receive an order for him as he wishes to see you in his office, your heartbeat goes almost through the roof as the tension between the two of you has been nothing short of suffocating since a longer while now. Still, orders are orders and so you find yourself sitting in his office after a while. The silence is thick enough that you could cut it with a knife if you had one as he just sits in front of you, dark eyes inspecting you whilst he lets you soak in the heavy tension. Then, out of the blue with unfiltered words, he expresses his interest in you. You nearly choke on the air. Obviously you have had suspicions of your own but you never expected Karasuma of all people to be so direct about it. The not so romantic confession is immediately followed by a request for you to be officially his. At this you find yourself in utter shock as you thought that you had made your opinion already quite clear. Even if he is your superior, you have no intention to keep quiet about this. At least those are the plans until both of his hands smother you suddenly, his gaze darker than you remembered as he corrects himself. This was no request. This was a demand.

Hyuuga Natsuhiko

🔴​Natsuhiko's motives have always been on the more dubious side as he seems to choose his sides based on the shallow reason of what interests him at the moment. This seems to align nicely with his motives for hanging out with you initially. You just happen to have caught his interest and Natsuhiko is rather persistent with his attempts to get to know you. Your declines and rejections are rather familiar to him by now as he has already asked you countless times for your time and dates yet he is always met with the same polite smile as you once again put him down. It is quite hard to determine whether to feel pity for him for being such a perpetual fool or for you as you are the one suffering from such a dense admirer of yours. It all may seem harmless at the surface but feelings have already begun to blossom in Natsuhiko's chest as his interest in you only deepens in spite of your clear demeanor that you hold no interest in him that would go any further than suggesting that both of you are something more than classmates. If it would have been anyone else, they would have probably given up by now. Natsuhiko isn't everyone else though and his obsession only pushes him to go further.

🔴​So obsessed is he in fact that your sugar-coated words of rejection do not even bother him much anymore. He desires your attention above anything else, no matter how minimal it may be. Whenever you reject him, you pay attention to him. You give him that deceptive smile that still looks beautiful even though he is aware that it isn't sincere and your gaze is focused on his. Whether you share his mindset or not, in Hyuuga's mind in those moments you belong completely to him as you never pay as much attention to him as in those moments. His heart is always beating inside his chest after such moments as he yearns for your attention again. He regularly confesses to you after that to savor that sweet moment where he is all you focus on yet unfortunately this feeling passes too fast for him to fully indulge in it. This is the main reason why he increases his clingy antics by a lot as he yearns for more attention from you. There is always a rather nonchalant air around him when he follows you around, seemingly indifferent to the fact that you can clearly see him. Even confronting him about his creepy behavior doesn't deter him the least as he instead gets excited that you look at him.

🔴​Do not think that he is oblivious. He might appear lazy at times but he isn't as stupid and sleezy as some may believe him to be. Of course he knows that his behavior would scare some and he clearly notices that it gets under your nerves too. It's just that he doesn't really care about it that much as long as you give him the attention he desires, even if it is negative one. In fact you only encourage him to keep going if you turn around as it confirms to him that he can gain your focus if he annoys you by following you around and always watching you. Despite his grander knowledge of the current situation, Natsuhiko does like daydreaming about you when he has the time, especially when he can watch you and you either ignore him or haven't noticed him yet. Just maybe there is a slice of delusion somewhere within him as he does believe that those daydreams will be reality one day. He just has to make sure that you focus on him more. Much more than you are doing now as your mind is still filled with school and other things. His mind on the other hand is clouded with everything involving you and he would appreciate if you would think about him as much as he thinks about you.

🔴​Ultimately it is simply not enough for him. The scrappy slivers of attention from you are far from what he truly desires and it only gets worse because he sees everyday how willingly you give other people the attention and affection he would like for himself. A reckless decision pays off though when he manages to convince Tsukasa ro assist him so that he can have you for himself without your friends or anyone else around. There are no ulterior motives though as he doesn't even intend to pressure you into a relationship with him. He might do that another time. For now he is just relishing in the fact that there is only you and him, his heart pounding with giddiness even as you ask him what just happened and where everyone else has suddenly gone. His eyes drink it all in though, your slight fear that you hide behind a courageous mask as you confront him and demand this time to know what just happened because clearly Hyuuga is in on something that you aren't. So close. You are so close to him, your eyes glaring at him yet your poor attempts to intimidate him do the complete opposite as his excitement gets the better of him and lips clash against your own in a reckless and messy kiss.

Minamoto Teru

💛​By all accounts, Teru has his hands rather full. He is the president of the Student Council, always ranks first amongst all students in school and then there is also his secret occupation as an exorcist that most students do not know about. There are lots of duties loaded on his young shoulders yet he manages to do them all and still makes time for you. He is not one to deny his feelings because even if he would, he isn't sure if he could with the way they have already spun out of all control. An obsession is the last thing he would have expected to happen to him yet here he is as all of his thoughts and feelings suddenly revolve around you as if you were the sun. Credit is given where credit is due though, he hides it exceptionally well behind his normally calm and kind attitude. Secretly he likes to keep an eye out for you though as he is most familiar with the supernatural lurking around every corner of the school which does give him a strong protective vein that is at times hard to ignore, especially when he senses something that is dangerously close to your classroom. There is more attention he gives you as time passes and the initial shock melts away and he slowly starts embracing his obsession.

💛​It is around the same time that he starts considering that he should start to seriously woo you. Now that the shame and guilt have been replaced by a gradual acceptance of his feelings, the possessive core of his starts acting up ever so slightly. Teru knows that he would never get over it if someone else were to date you and whilst he isn't just yet sure how exactly he would react, he can already tell that it wouldn't be pleasant. Better prevent a problem before it can even happen rather than fixing it. As much as he doesn't want to be conceited about his reputation, he goes into this all with a fair amount of confidence. He works hard and it always shows after all. As polite as you may try to be though, you aren't fooling Teru. He has perceptive eyes that notice the little twitches in your face and the way you fidget with your hands when he is around you. For reasons he is not sure about yet himself, his presence makes you uncomfortable. The signal you give out silently whenever he asks if he can walk you home or if you'd like him to help you with schoolwork due to his exceeding grades is obvious. You do not wish to get to know him any better and would prefer to keep your distance.

💛​He must say that he is rather hurt as he realises this. The worst about it all is that Teru doesn't even know what it is exactly that has caused you to feel this way about him to begin with. There have been moments where he has asked you very subtly if there is something that you don't like about him but he has never gotten the answers he has hoped to receive. If he doesn't know what is wrong, he can't fix it after all. It isn't like him to simply give up of course and he still does his best to figure out what he can do to get you to trust him more but your heart seems as unmovable as a mountain as your opinion seems to have been already decided a long time ago. This does frustrate him eventually as he wonders what he has ever done to you for you to be so unwilling to even give him a chance. Nothing persuades you and gradually his heart gets venomed with dark feelings that start festering alongside with his growing frustration and pain. What is it that he is doing wrong? His young heart gets corrupted eventually as he goes through his first heartbreak with your continuous rejections. A dangerous feeling of anger sparks within him. He is not going to play the part of the hopelessly lovesick fool with you.

💛​For the first time he abuses the authority he has as he uses his position as the president of the student council to lure you to his side, all by yourself. He can already tell that you are not exactly thrilled to be here but that's alright. After today things will be different after all. You don't look overly surprised when Teru confesses his feelings to you, only a tired look on your face as you prepare yourself to let him down again. Only that he stops you by lifting his hand and stating that he knows already that you don't feel the same way he does. Confusion and the tiniest spark of hope fill you that maybe he has finally understood but it is quickly snuffed out when his his normally kind expression loses its warmth. There is a certain emptiness to his gaze that makes you uneasy as he asks you why you push him so vehemently away, blue eyes demanding an answer from you. There is no reply from you though, causing him to let out an ominous sigh as he steps closer, hands seizing your shoulders to stop you from moving away. He admits to you that he is tired of waiting for you and wants to take everything into his own hands before he leans in, his lips brushing over your own before traveling down your neck.

[gothsuguru]

Hello! You can totally ignore if this isn’t up your alley but you could write something about suguru watching reader from afar while they grieve him for leaving? Either it’s super sad or twisted cause he feels happy that you love him enough to grieve him

I also could send in nsfw requests if you want those too

the choiceless grief that drove him underground

contents: f!reader, mentions of guilt, stalking, & mass murder. both characters express grief in different ways. bit of callous/twisted suguru, a nod to his dacryphilia as well. mainly angsty but i guess at the core of it… it’s sweet? w.c: ~ 1.4k

a/n: rem, i owe you my life & then some! :’) thank you SO much for the concept idea! <3 i love delving into the twisted/not-so pretty parts of suguru so i hope you enjoy! :D

the premise of the situation is quite… haunting.

to mourn a friend, (‘a lover’ — his voice gently admonishes from the back of your mind), who isn’t dead.

he still roams around the aether — akin to a ghost. and here you are, grieving a corporeal phantom of your past.

both you and suguru have a penchant for nostalgia, him moreso than you. it’s why he’s here now at the foothills of mount mushiro, camouflaging himself into the shadows of the night, depleting his own cursed energy so there’s not a single trace of him left. he stands there in a vantage point hidden behind massive japanese oak trees, a lonely specter peering wistfully at his dearly beloved.

ex-beloved, rather, he should say.

it was of his own volition anyways.

your lack of cursed energy leaves a bitter taste in his mouth when he remembers why he despises you so. the healed x-shaped scar on his chest burns and he wants to give you a matching one on your heart, as a reminder. you’re worse than a curse, he forces himself to seethe. heavenly restriction, huh? nothing heavenly about you…

a sick part of suguru wants to finally see you shatter — to watch someone as powerful as you break down and wail with such unbridled anguish, to hear your sorrowful screams pierce through the night sky like a gunshot wound to the head. something about imagining the way your tears would stick to your lashes makes his heart beat unbearably fast from within his ribcage. from sadness or intrigue, he doesn’t quite know…

he just selfishly craves to be the cause of it. to have you drown in tears of melancholy & be sundered by it like a tsunami of eerie desolation — to be plagued with devotion and corruption. just like him.

he wants you to get on your hands and knees and prostrate yourself to him — to lower yourself at his feet.

beneath him.

where you should be.

to apologize for being you. to apologize for coming into his life. to apologize for making him fall in love. to apologize for being his greatest curse. his greatest regret.

(regret for loving you or regret for leaving you… he’s not sure, yet. he’ll decide when he’s of more sound mind.)

yet all he gets is… just you… sitting there. expressionless.

suguru huffs quietly, his low-lidded gaze is heavy with fatigue and slight boredom. his soft exhales turn into smoky vapor in front of him, evaporating within seconds. he tediously redirects his amber irises back at you, observing you like a science experiment, scrutinizing your every move… only if you had done something, of course.

he notes that your stony face betrays no emotions, your body is rigid as if in living rigor-mortis. he surmises that the only thing that differentiates you from the zen statues around you is the gentle wisps of your hair across your face courtesy of the cold wind, crisp due to the night air.

before he realizes it, suguru’s fingers involuntarily twitch.

muscle memory.

(the same fingers have brushed against the plush of your cheek, caressed your hair & gently moved the strands away from your face. soft finger-pads outlined your lips gently, the shape of your cupid’s bow committed to memory. suguru figured the name was quite apt… he found himself wholly enraptured & in love.

hit by eros’ arrow the very moment he laid eyes on you — his lighthouse. his demise.)

a slight sniffle breaks suguru out of his reverie. he snaps his head back up at you, pierced brows furrowed and bright ochre eyes wide. he ignores the pang in his chest, his shock overtaking his senses leaving him paralyzed.

are you…?

your reddened eyes flit towards the foliage where suguru hides behind, and you softly rasp out a tired sigh. your lack of words are far more frigid than the midnight air, causing an ice cold shiver to run through suguru’s spine.

forcing the constriction in his throat back down, he exhales shakily, in a state of utter shock.

right.

heightened senses. superhuman physical capabilities. you always knew where suguru was before he ever knew where you were. a relationship of mutual indulgence — you pretend you don’t see him, and he pretends that you don’t know where he is at all times. as if you haven’t memorized his scent, his mannerisms, his soul. as if you couldn’t recognize him through physical vibrations alone.

just pretend you don’t see me now… indulge me one last time… please.

muscle memory.

you look away.

you focus your gaze towards the skyline of bountiful forest green trees, impeccable eyesight zeroing in on a tree with a heart carved around both his and your initials upon the espresso bark. the same tree where you had rested your head on suguru’s lap while he read his favorite books to you. the same tree where you had both shared your first kiss. the same tree where you had found out from a dear friend that suguru had murdered a whole village — some bullshit about him wanting to create a world with no curses. no non-sorcerers. no you.

you once playfully joked to suguru that you loved him more than he loved you. you remember the way his fists clenched at his sides, the furrow in his brow coupled with the immediate narrowing of his eyes, along with the slight snarl in his lip and voice pierced your soul as he resolutely scolded you — no one could ever love as deeply, as passionately, as genuinely as he loves you.

loved, rather, you should say.

what a fuckin’ liar.

…

in a blink of an eye, you disappear.

like a ghost.

you leave suguru alone to his own futile devices. he figures it’s fair, to indulge you one last time too, allowing you the ‘last laugh’, though he knows there’s no victors in this sick game that’s being played. he’s walked away from you before, it’s only fitting you do the same to him now.

his feet drag him to where you were hunched over before, his brain unable to catch up to what his body is doing. something glints in the moonlight, there in your stead, atop the plush green grass.

he crouches down, picking up the small photograph. the faded polaroid feels far heavier in his hand than he would think. a delicious shiver runs down suguru’s spine when he realizes his fingertips are touching where yours have touched. the bitterness that found its way in his mouth in the beginning washes away, leaving only a sickly sweet flavor that surrounds his mouth like pillowy cotton candy.

it’s one he hasn’t seen. you must’ve kept this with you all this time, he muses.

a photo, a candid, of him.

the pink sakura petals offered up a beautiful backdrop after a mission you two took in kyoto. back then, his smile was genuine & unbelievably wide — pearly whites on display, his pierced cherry red lips matched the camellia red blush that painted his cheeks — no doubt from your flirtatious comments about his beauty. his eyes were squinted, a photo you took of him while mid-laugh. he pushed his bangs aside while speaking to you, wanting to give you his full attention. the promise ring on his finger glinted in the sunlight along with the silver hairpin you gifted him moments before you took the photo, its amethyst gem dangling above his bun. a beacon of light.

a sign of devotion, of unending love. a promise.

suguru’s heart feels a bit heavier than he would like it to, yet the soft smile that graces his features is the most genuine form of adoration he’s exhibited since his defection. inundated with grief, you still held on to him.

an anchor of your past. a plague of your present. a welcoming calamity of your future.

“you still love me too, huh?” he softly whispers into the night, a sad smile on his face.

he gazes up at the moon. it looks quite beautiful tonight. he silently hopes you’re staring at it too.

thinking of him the same way he’s thinking of you.

[reuben-7991]

Octavian’s treatment is one of my least favorite things about HoO because it isn’t his character, it’s his lack of one.

We COULD’VE had an excellent character who was a look into what could truly go wrong with blind devotion like Octavian’s, drawing an excellent parallel to Luke’s blind hatred in the original series (Percy even says Octavian reminds him of Luke).

We COULD’VE had a fantastic contrast into a follower’s descent into insanity after making empty promises of power whilst under the influence of a massively elder being, thus leading to said follower’s death.

What makes me especially mad is that Octavian has no backstory. This is a problem with a lot of Roman characters, but Octavian especially. He doesn’t even have a last name. All we know is:

- He’s a legacy of Apollo.

- He used to be sane and probably very charismatic, due to Reyna stating she used to have a crush on him in TTT.

That’s it! One of Rick’s gold stars is that his human characters are just that: human. They have motivations and flaws, deeply personal origins and ideals that affect their actions and their outcomes. None of the villains are just plain villains, evil by birth. They have motives to back up their actions (now weither those motives make sense or not, that’s another story, but they’re still there.) There’s Luke, Medea, Lityerses (who is an entire other can of worms), Circe, Loki, Gunilla, Randolph, hell, even Kronos and Gaea. All of them have reasons for the shitty stuff they did. Octavian is a glaring exception. We know he’s power-hungry, but we don’t know why. We know he’s violent, but we don’t know why. We know he hates the Greeks, but we don’t know why. You may argue ‘oh, he’s a minor character, he doesn’t really get a reasoning’ which is just blatantly untrue on both fronts.

1: Octavian is NOT a minor character in the slightest. He has major roles in the plot throughout the books.

2: Him being a ‘minor’ villain wouldn’t have anything to do with his motivation. Chris from the OG series has stated motivation, and he’s way more minor than Octavian.

Another thing is that Octavian’s insanity is played off almost comically. He’s relatively well put together in SoN, only being super dramatic and reportedly blackmailing Hazel and probably other legionnaires, but by BoO he’s absolutely broken. He’s utterly obsessed with being a hero to the Romans, with being Pontifex Maximus, with killing Gaea and almost proving himself to Apollo (who is utterly disgusted by him), but it’s all either framed as ‘hate this guy more plsplspls’ or brushed away to the side.

I’m torn on his death scene, because it’s a good scene overall but too much of it is humorous in my opinion. Between Will calling Octavian an ‘anemic loser’ (which like. what.) and Leo describing his screams as a little girl’s, it seems almost too light for such a pivotal point in the story. Octavian has truly lost himself to madness, ranting and raving and insisting no, HE has to be the one to kill Gaea, HE has to be a hero.

His death is horrific, yet it’s framed as a silly oopsie.

What the fuck.

Overall, Octavian is a shining example of missed character potential. We could have gotten the Riordan special and made to empathize more with our villain, like what happened with Luke or Randolph from MCGA, but all we get is a crazy blond kid, character so shallow he could count as a tide pool. It infuriates me to no end how in a sea of good, properly motivated antagonists, Octavian is the outlier.

It’s a real shame.

[utilitycaster]

So far in campaign 3, 5 of the party have died and been resurrected and 2 have died permanently, with only Imogen, Dorian, and (presumably) Braius not dying ever. In campaign 2, again 5 of the party died and got resurrected over the whole thing with Beau, Yasha, and Kingsley surviving, and Molly permanently dying. BUT, in Vox Machina, everyone except Tary died at least once with the twins dying FOUR TIMES EACH and only Vax permanently dying. What do you think changed after the first campaign? Is it that Matt got “better” at scaling encounters, the players got better at staying alive, a group decision to take resurrection more seriously, or is it a total coincidence?

It’s just something I noticed all of a sudden tonight and I’m not sure if I’m just seeing something where there is nothing or if other people have noticed this too and have thoughts on why it is.

Hi anon,

I started to write up a massive and lengthy analysis this morning and realized it was not very good and that I had to leave for work in 20 minutes. Anyway I think it's mostly the players getting better at staying alive, mostly through party comp:

Vox Machina unexpectedly, for "Ashley got cast on a TV show that filmed in NYC" and "Tiberius's player sucks" reasons found themselves abruptly down not only a healer (most of the time) but an arcane caster, leaving Scanlan and Keyleth doing double and triple duty. Vex did a pretty impressive amount of healing for a ranger, actually, but only had touch heals and limited spell slots for them. Add the fact that Keyleth couldn't heal while in Wildshape until pretty much the endgame and Scanlan was absent for an arc, replaced by Tary, who could heal but was not a full caster, and that explains a lot.

Vox Machina also had two characters with relatively low HP/terrible con saves to go with it (the twins) and only one true, full-time tank (Grog). Vex and Percy were often out of healing range but could get hit by an AOE attack. Also, dragons are particularly lethal for AOE reasons and four of those deaths are Raishan, two from when they tried to get Raishan immediately after the Thordak fight.

Of Vox Machina's deaths, two of Vax's, one of Vex's, Keyleth's, and one of Grog's are all out of combat and primarily due to player choice. They got way better at not doing this (well, Vax's are kind of unavoidable, but we only had one in C2 of this nature with Veth and the Power Word Kill trap, and none in C3).

One VM death (two if you count the wedding one-shot) was a direct assassination vs. one in the Nein and none for Bells Hells.

Now consider:

The Mighty Nein and Bells Hells each have at least two tanks; Bells Hells has three. The Nein have two full clerics (*extremely tired voice* Jester actually is a very good healer, Caduceus is just exceptionally support-focused) even without Fjord and Yasha's healing. Bells Hells had one full time cleric, and now they have a full bard and a bard-paladin.

No one dumps CON anymore. If only I could get them to start dumping WIS again and stop dumping INT, but I digress.

People are getting better at checking for traps and not selling their souls to cursed items.

Otohan Thull's build is in fact, I must admit, pretty good and cool, her lack of any personality traits not withstanding, but her lethal nature is specifically because she exclusively faced a super tapped party in a situation where they couldn't get out of there. She is responsible for all 5 deaths that weren't a Bertrand Bell Clear Setup situation; I think if Bells Hells hadn't been trapped and tapped things might have gone differently, whereas Vox Machina often was like "rests are for SUCKERS" and got their asses beat in avoidable manners.

My other caveat is of course not to count your chickens before they're slaughtered, namely, while none of Vox Machina died in the final Vecna fight unless you count Vax, which I don't, Vecna did kill two of them earlier on, though; Vax permanently (the Raven Queen just let him hang out a bit longer). The Somnovem/Lucien hybrid killed two of the Mighty Nein in the final battle. Ludinus or Predathos could fucking level the party. Otohan could have gone much worse in episode 91 without many changes; that was the first time I've ever heard Matt talk like a TPK was potentially imminent. Some of this is also luck, and some of this with Bells Hells is that *Myst voice* the ending has not yet been written.

[multi-fandomsfreak]

Hey!! Can you do movie sonic x mobian fem reader (platonic) who is a fan of him and wants to show herself to the world and fight eggman but she is too scared people will hate her

Movie!Sonic Meeting Mobian!Reader Who Happens To Be A Fan

Hey there! Thanks for the ask!

Sorry for the late post. I’ve had a bunch of requests coming through and with me going to the hospital recently to see if my foot’s good (by the way it’s healing great just need to get used to walking again.) so I didn’t have the time to do it till now. Hope you like reading this because I definitely enjoyed writing this. ~Blaze/Dawn

Pronouns: She/Her

Warning: ⚠️Mentions of low self-esteem/anxiety⚠️

Requested: Yes/No

Characters: Sonic + Mentions Of Tom + Maddie + Tails + Knuckles + Eggman

Proofread: ❌

Credits: Icon by jennieismygirlfriend on Pinterest + Banner by scyprod (Edited By Me) on Pinterest

———————————

- Sonic the hedgehog. A name that constantly rings through your mind constantly. You most likely discovered him around some point from the baseball scene to near the end just like how Tails did. You had heard about his antics on earth and to say you liked him was an understatement. Judging on the info you had discovered from the most recent event with him and eggman you became a massive fan of him. Can anyone blame you? He helped you be inspired in your own way. Even if you had some problems expressing yourself mostly due to fear of what people might think of you. You wanted to prove your worth but you just didn’t know how.

- You really wanted to meet him even dreaming of what he would be like if you were to talk to him. Would he take interest or not? You were contemplating on going to earth just to meet him in real life. Show him how he has helped you in a way without directly meeting you. But you let your insecurities get the better of you. Eventually you decided to risk and travel to earth, you didn’t know what you were going to do when you got there, you didn’t really have any other motive besides meeting your idol. With Eggman gone as far as you were aware of and no one else who wanted to carry out his plan you didn’t really have any reason to go and get yourself into any trouble but still for some reason you felt like you needed to go. It kind of took you a while to get used to being on earth as well trying not to get spotted by pretty much everyone. You never know what they’re reactions could be seeing you and honestly you didn’t want to find out so you created a hide-out like what sonic did in the first movie.

- Now for when Sonic met you for the first time. He managed to come across you and your hide-out on his solo adventure and to say he was surprised was an understatement. There was another mobian like him, he immediately went over to you and started asking you a bunch of questions catching you off guard before immediately recognising him as the idol you love. You were too busy internally fangirling about if this was a dream or not to answer his questions.

+ “Ma’am is everything alright there?” Sonic asked, managing to snap you out of your fangirl trance concerned about the lack of reaction coming from you “oh…yeah I am, you're sonic right like the actual sonic?” You asked in return wanting to confirm it even though you knew it was. Sonic gave you a confused look before slowly answering your question “yeah I am sonic, why do you ask?” You gave him a cheerful smile before bringing him into a hug, surprising him even more but still hugged you in return despite just meeting you. You then told him about how much of a fan you were of him, telling him how much you appreciated him to which he thanked you and joked about he never knew he had fans.

- Pretty much since then he wanted to introduce you to Tom and Maddie because why not, they were also starting to suspect something with him constantly going off to see you. At first you were nervous because based on how he described them you guessed they were humans and your nervousness was getting the best of you but sonic managed to convince you that they really didn’t mean any harm and you trusted him so you decided to go with him to meet the two of them. As soon as you met the two of them they were excited they’d pretty much had gotten used to seeing sonic so seeing you with him although surprised to see someone like sonic they openly welcomed you with open arms, they were just happy that sonic met someone else. Also Sonic may have been teased by Tom about you especially since you were a female but except for that they enjoyed meeting you.

- Sonic will be your number one defender. If anyone even dares to make you upset about something he isn’t going to sit there and let you take it, making you even more self conscious. He doesn’t like seeing his friends upset, it kind of makes him both angry and upset himself seeing you just take insults being thrown at you.

- He pretty much noticed a bit after meeting you that you're very self conscious about yourself. Although you seemed to be somewhat open, when it came to expressing yourself and your strengths he noticed how unwilling you were to do it. He didn’t really understand why at first because he thinks you're really cool. You must have some sort of strength if you were willing to leave your home planet just to visit him. But once he learns about your lack of confidence he honestly feels bad for you. He could tell by the way you talked to him that you do genuinely want to prove yourself to the world; you just let your feet get the best of you. So with the new information he learned about you he’s willing to do anything to help raise your confidence. He feels like he has to, what sort of idol would he be if he didn’t?

- He takes it a step at a time, although he was wanting to make sure that you gain your confidence he knows it will take some time. You two will often have one on one sessions basically letting you express your feelings (imagine that scene when sonic is acting like a therapist but it’s with you and not just him).

- Eventually when Eggman returns from Mushroom planet Sonic definitely wants you to join him alongside Tails. He knows this would be a big step for you but he sees this as an opportunity and wants you to join him. He promises to keep both you and Tails safe as long as you're with him. Although a bit nervous yourself you could see what his point was and you knew he wouldn’t let you get harmed. You wanted to prove yourself and put what you learned from him to use so without thinking you joined him. And to say that it felt oddly good to finally do what you wanted to was an understatement. Still you were nervous but that nervousness was overwritten by adrenaline and relief. Although you went through some things during the trip to get the chaos emerald it was worth it in the end. This is when you decided to permanently join Sonic’s group alongside your new friends Tails and eventually when he decided to join Knuckles.

———————————

[harveyguilleniconodelamoda]

Costume Spotlight: Guillermo's Sweaters in WWDITS Season 1

One of the things that makes WWDITS so visually compelling is the way the characters have the real-world equivalent of cartoon uniforms. But instead of wearing the same thing every day, they wear variations on the same theme every day. This serves not only to establish a strong visual identity for each character, but also provides opportunities for visual shorthand to underscore a particular bit or even a major character or relationship arc with a wardrobe change.

Guillermo has undergone just such a transformation many times over the course of the show's current five seasons, with his clothes becoming better fitted, more coordinated and intentional, and more functional as his arc has developed. But throughout it all, the sweaters have remained a key part of his character uniform.

If there's one piece of incontrovertible proof that vampires have no taste (affectionate), it's the fact that Nadja, Laszlo, and Nandor keep calling Guillermo's sweaters shitty. Never have I so envied a character's wardrobe as when I first saw Harvey appear on my screen in a seemingly endless succession of gorgeous, thick, intricately patterned and textured, cozy sweaters. But as I said in a recent post, that proved to be a massive undertaking, so I've broken it down into somewhat smaller posts by season. Starting, of course, with season 1!

Guillermo wears sixteen different sweaters and cardigans over the course of season 1 alone (and at least five different jackets, not counting the suit jacket he wore to Madelin's funeral in 1x10--I'll do a separate post on the jackets at some point). These tend to fall into a few broad categories.

Fair Isle Knits

Though many of us in places without year-round sweater weather may think of Fair Isle as primarily a winter holiday motif, the term actually refers to a particular method of knitting that allows the knitter to incorporate multiple colors using two strands of yarn or more. Traditional Fair Isle patterns incorporate five colors. This method originated in Fair Isle, Scotland, thus the name. (Source)

Fair Isle sweaters are typically made of high quality cotton or wool, and can create intricate patterns such as the bird motif on this sweater from 1x02 and 1x07.

Guillermo wears Fair Isle pullovers and cardigans the most often throughout the series, especially in the first season. The most distinctive of these is the bird pattern above, but he also wears a multicolor cardigan in 1x01, as well as a more abstract gray-toned Fair Isle sweater, a brown one, and even a red one throughout the season.

These sweaters are not cheap, either, at least not when of the quality he typically wears (many cheaper Fair Isle sweaters only feature the technique on the front or collar of the garment, with the rest of the garment being all one color). A well-made Fair Isle sweater can easily cost in the hundreds, and Guillermo has around half a dozen or so of them in the first season. This lends credence to my personal headcanon that Guillermo, who works for no pay and owes $1200 a month in rent, most likely gets a lot of his clothes by gift or by thrift--that is, they're presents from family members or he gets them heavily discounted at secondhand stores or websites.

Mosaic Knits

Mosaic knitting, like Fair Isle, is a technique for incorporating multiple colors into a single garment. In this technique, however, you only knit with one color per row. It is meant to be easier than other colorwork methods of knitting, and does not have floats (loose strands of leftover yarn on the back of the knitted work) the way Fair Isle does.

Mosaic knitting is great for creating colorful, repeating patterns, and can be done flat or in the round. Mosaic patterns can also be made to be reversible, due to the lack of floats, and the finished product is generally stretchier than the results of other techniques. (Source)

I also just really like the texture of mosaic knits? There's something about the way the threads fit together that scratches my brain pleasantly.

You can see an example of this style of sweater in 1x03 and 1x04, as well as throughout 1x09, when Guillermo is helping to plan the Orgy.

Fun fact: there's a goof in the editing of this episode! Throughout most of it, Guillermo is wearing this thick, crew-neck mosaic sweater. This is interspersed occasionally with images of him wearing a thinner brown Fair Isle v-neck pullover with a polo-style collar. This kind of switch-up is not uncommon, as talking heads meant to be filmed at a different time are often interspersed with in-the-moment action.

But when Guillermo bursts into the room toward the end of the episode and finds Jeremy losing his virginity with Constantine, he is wearing the mosaic sweater. However, when he steps out of the room and pulls the door closed behind him a second later, he is suddenly in the brown v-neck pullover from his talking head snippets.

(Thanks to @karofsky for inflicting this cursed knowledge upon me. <3)

Guillermo also wears this Fair Isle sweater in 1x03, and at the beginning of 1x10.

Guillermo wears one other sweater which, based on the texture and pattern, looks like it could be a mosaic knit:

This is the sweater he wears at the beginning of 1x04, when Laszlo asks his opinion about the witch skin hat and when Nandor is "flying" him around in front of the mirror.

Coogi Sweaters

These are the most elaborate and unique-looking sweaters Guillermo wears in the show.

Coogi is an Australian clothing brand originally founded in 1969 (then called Cuggi), known for its unusual textures, organic patterns, and bright colors. Egyptian designer Hazem Elsheltawi is the original creator of Coogi's unique fabrics, which have been inducted into the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt museum. For more facts and a brief timeline of the brand, check out this blog post by Filthy Rebena Vintage.

The distinctive Coogi style is achieved by combining several different knitting methods, including Fair Isle, Intarsia, ribbed and warp knitting, and stockinette and reverse stockinette knitting to create layers and textures that no one of the aforementioned methods could achieve on its own. The sources I found were conflicted on whether these sweaters are made by hand, or whether making them by hand would even be practical or feasible. For a thorough breakdown of a Coogi sweater and the various techniques involved, see this Reddit thread on r/MachineKnitting.

At first, I thought Guillermo only started wearing Coogi sweaters later on in the series, but upon closer inspection it appears he wears at least four Coogi or Coogi-style sweaters in the first season.

The first of these is in 1x02, an elaborately-patterned sweater in blues and reds that Guillermo wears to accompany Nandor to the City Council meeting (in what I like to call his Politician's Wife scene).

He wears this same sweater in 1x08 when he is assisting Nandor with studying for his citizenship test.

The second is the cardigan Guillermo wears in 1x06, 1x07, 1x08, and 1x10.

The third and fourth are also from 1x10, which is a very Coogi-heavy episode! Guillermo wears two black and white vertical striped sweaters that are very similar at the beginning and end of this episode.

I know I said I was going to leave the character analysis for its own post later on, but I find the choice to use two very similar sweaters in a single episode so interesting, especially given that he wears a total of six different sweaters just in this episode alone! Looking at them side-by-side, it strikes me that though they're both black and white, the one he wears at the beginning of the episode is on balance more white, and the one at the end of the episode has far more black.

At the beginning of the episode, Guillermo is still (as far as he and we know) just a human familiar. By the end, he has this dark secret to contend with. Comparing these two looks, it's like he's literally begun to be embraced by the shadows he lives among, like they're not just something he aspires to but already a part of him that he's slowly discovering.

I feel as though I've also definitely seen that Coogi cardigan in other seasons as well, so I'm excited to see what parallels there are to be drawn when I start to look at when he wears specific sweaters across the seasons!

These sweaters gained and grew in popularity in the mid-90s and early 2000s as various hip hop and rap artists began wearing the brand and mentioning it in their lyrics. The first of these was The Notorious B.I.G., who mentioned the brand in not one but three different songs. The brand has also been mentioned in lyrics by Kanye West, Rick Ross, Tyga, ASAP Ferg, Christian hip hop duo Social Club, and MC Suffa of Hilltop Hoods, who owns a collection of Coogi sweaters. The brand is sometimes mistakenly called the Cosby sweater, however Bill Cosby never wore Coogi sweaters as the costume designer on The Cosby Show hated the sweaters and thought they were too tacky for Dr. Huxtable.

Though they faded in popularity in the late 2000s, the sweaters saw a resurgence around 2014. Their popularity has waned somewhat since, but Coogi sweaters still signal 80s and 90s counterculture coolness for many fashion aficionados. Coogi clothes are now billed as luxury goods, which makes sense as a single Coogi sweater bought brand new can cost between $400-$600. There are, however, many pre-loved and vintage Coogi sweaters out there, often available for under $100.

Affordable Options

As I mentioned above, high-quality knit sweaters can be damned expensive! But we can do as Guillermo almost certainly does, and embrace thrift shopping! I don't have specific links this time, as links become irrelevant quickly on thrift and consignment sites. I can, however, provide a few tips on how to get your hands on a nice, pre-owned sweater that will have you saying "my name is Guillermo de la Cruz" like you mean it.

Recommended Sites:

Depop

Etsy

ThredUp

eBay

When using any of the above, be sure to search for "Fair Isle sweater," "Mosaic sweater," "Coogi sweater," or just "Coogi" and narrow down by your sizes before you start to browse. Also always check the label and garment details to make sure you're getting a fair price! There are a lot of imitations of Coogi sweaters especially out there, and you might have better luck with those if your Coogi findings are on the sparse side (though I didn't encounter this issue when searching).

Some good search terms include "Protege sweater" or Canadian brands like "Tundra" and "Consensus." They all make nice sweaters in a Coogi-esque style, but should never be costing you anything near Coogi prices, as even a genuine Coogi sweater typically goes for under $75 on any of the above sites. I'd also recommend looking when sweaters are off season; they're going to be in much higher demand, and thus harder to find for a good price, in the fall and winter.

Focus on vintage sweaters from the 80s and 90s where possible, as those are going to give you the most Guillermo styles. For colors, look for patterns with a gray, brown, deep forest green, or muted/navy blue base. Reds should typically only be accents within the pattern, not the dominant color (unless you want to create your own unique vamp!Guillermo look).

Go forth and get cozy!

Note: The information about knitting in this post is the result of several weeks of research on hobbyist sites and video tutorials, but I am not a knitter. If I have gotten anything wrong or misunderstood anything about these techniques, please send me an ask! I'm always eager to learn more!

[thegreatstoryteller]

The Great Shift: Speed Dating

Ok, so dating in your 30s can be hard. Even harder after the world has suddenly decided all of its inhabitants would suddenly swap bodies! If you thought it was hard to truly get to know someone before, it was nearly impossible now. You’d think that the differences and bodies people were exposed too would lead to more emotionally intelligent people, but no. Instead shallow just comes in all sorts of new flavors these days!

-

“Wassup I’m Aidan!.I’m 24, well now I’m 34 due to the shift. And well you can see I’ve got a lot of good assets to show.”

I rolled  my eyes as this wannabe tough guy was trying to impress me. Sure he had an incredibly built body and intricate tattoos, but it was all surface level!

“Nice to meet you Aidan. You go to all of these speed dating events without a shirt?” I asked gingerly sipping my water.

“Only when I’m talking to a handsome guy like yourself.”

Gag. If I had a dime for every post shift hottie said that. 

“Charming. So Aidan tell me about yourself. I mean before the shift what did you do for a living? What do you do now?” I asked.

He scoffs. “I used to be a computer programmer. You know boring office stuff. Then I swapped into this juggernaut and been living at the gym ever since. Quit my old boring work and been trying to become a trainer at my local gym.”

“So let me get this straight. You were able to sustain yourself on a safe indoor office job and now you’re trying to go into  a new occupation you have no experience in because you want to flaunt your muscles?” I inquired further arching my eyebrow.

“Um... when you put it like that...” Aidan stammered looking called out.

“Next!” I rang the bell on the table signalling the rotation and the next person to join my table. 

Aidan slumped his massive 6′5 frame away looking dejected, but as soon as he started flexing to himself he shrugged and moved on. Maybe another guy would like this wannabe muscle guy. I just hope he was so driven by those muscles he’d have the motivation to maintain them. So many people received huge powerful bodies, but without the knowledge to maintain them they just went to waste.

“Hey there sexy? Fred is the name, dating you is my game.” A beefy looking firefighter said, with a burgeoning gut about to strain his suspenders. 

“Wow. Coming on a bit strong Fred. Please. Start from the beginning.  Your name is Fred. Great. What’s with the fire fighter attire? Are you a fire fighter or was your body a fire fighter before the shift?” I asked wincing at this cringe intro.

He smiles and strokes his beard appreciatively while at the same time flexing his beefy arm. “Well I’m not... yet! This body used to be the best firefighter in the district! Then all of a sudden the shift happen and I go from university student studying engineering to the most buff in shape guy with 6 pack abs I’ve ever seen!”

I look down and notice the obvious lack of abs. “Ok. Makes sense... so now you’re trying to  be a firefighter? Just like your body before you. That’s... noble. I’m really glad to see you give back to the community.”

Fred smiled. “Thanks! I’ve been trying for awhile now, but I can’t get through the physical test! It’s like I’m not as strong as the guy who used this body. Weird. Right now I mostly play video games and stream shirtless in these suspenders. My viewers love seeing me. I’m FireXFighter69 on Twitch and YouTube! Check out my video on-”

“Next!” I say ringing the bell once more. 

“Damn. Didn’t work out... are you gonna finish your food there? You hardly touched it.” Fred pointed at the snacks provided at the table.

“Sure Fred. Good luck on your next date.” I said as Fred left with the plate of food.

Some people could be oblivious of their own faults and try way too hard. Am I asking too much for people to just be honest and not hide behind some sort of facade? I get people can be nervous, but it’s certainly better than trying to get to know a character who isn’t even real.

“Hey there bitch!”

“You’re hot as fuck and I know you need a real man to show you how it’s done.” 

I didn’t know how to respond to such an abrupt entrance. I thought Aidan was cringe, but this guy was a whole new level. Flexing in my face, flipping me off, calling me names? Was he trying to neg me in less than 5 minutes?

“I can see you’re stunned by my natural masculinity. I don’t blame you. I’m an older guy given a second chance in this buff young jock. I found myself out of shape at 50 thrown into this guy mid football game. I’m no stranger to the gym so i just buffed myself up even more than that kid could. Now I’m here and ready to fuck you. So. What do you say? Wanna get out of here and ditch all these idiots?”

“Next! Sooo much next! You don’t get to dominate the conversation like this And you are NOT the type for any reasonable person here. I hope you find some sub willing to put up with your shit.” I retorted with a glare.

I see the guy in front of me blanch embarrassed! “Bastard! You’d be lucky to have me. I oughta!” He raised his hand to slam the table! Or me! But soon security escorted him out.

“I.... wow. That’s the worst one to end on. But I might as well go. There are clearly not any guys for me here.” I was about to get up when this cuter guy came over.

“Hello! I... wow. I saw what happened. Great job for standing up to that guy. He seemed like such a creep. I’m Elijah by the way... were you heading out?”

I was caught off guard. This man was so handsome! He wasn’t posturing like the rest, but I still he was making an honest effort despite his trepedation. His voice faltered a bit, but its deep resonate tones made that sound sweet. He was holding himself in a reserved posture, but even as he nervously clasped his hands I could see biceps  raise and strain his shirt.

“I was... but I think I’d like to get to know you. I’m Omar. I just turned away a few guys who were being absolute jerks. How about you? Elijah was it?” I said a bit blushing.

“Yeah! Well I recently graduated post great shift. I finished my last semester at the local community college in a new body. I’m in my neighbors body. Big guy! Great beard, but I’m still getting used to maintaining it. I’ll admit. I’m working part time at the local library till I find a job more suitable for what I studied in school. I’m 22, but my new biological age is 35. I do some painting in my free time and love exploring new parts of the city now that a lot of it has been rebuilt since the shift.” Elijah explained.

“Oh! Have you checked out the bar across town? It used to be a gay bar called The Tank! Now it’s changed its name to The Sea! Since there’s so many more sexualities represented there!” I offered.

“Haha! Love that. That’s clever! The tank has gotten bigger! I get it! I uh... Maybe you and I could continue our conversation there, over drinks?” Elijah blushed.

“I’d like that. Let’s get out of here!” We both stood up and took each others hands. Gosh his were so warm. Not to mention they felt so strong. He’s got quite the grip! I took a few steps so enamored by him I nearly fell, until he caught me in his arms. My face went right across his chest as I looked up to him before standing back up.

“Thanks for the catch. I uh.. Wow. You’ve got quite the cologne. What’s that scent?” I asked so curiously.

“Oh! Sorry!” Elijah was blushing even more. “I’m not wearing any. That’s just how my body smells. Hope it wasn’t bad.”

My eyes widen again. “It’s fine. Perfect actually. I love it. Lead the way Elijah.”

Elijah giggled. Hearing such a deep voice let out something so whimsical was the cutest thing I’ve seen tonight.

“I feel so lucky walking out of this place with you Omar.” Elijah said.

“Oh come on. I’m sure you would’ve found an awesome guy to spend then night with. You’re quite the charmer.” I retorted.

“I’m not the one looking like Henry Cavil!” Elijah laughed.

We both laughed. It was true. Ever since I looked like a celeb dating has been so hard. People try so hard to impress me, that it was such a breath air to talk to Elijah like a normal person. 

“Well tonight I really do feel like the man of steel because you are making me quite hard.” I smirked at Elijah, now blushing to the max.

“I... I... normally cheesy lines like that don’t work on me, but coming for you I.... gosh let’s get to that bar!”

We ended up walking aware from that speed date very satisfied. Perhaps even the hot people need help finding love after the shift. Who knows. I never said I was perfect, but tonight I sure am excited to see how far Elijah and I go!

[relicsongmel]

The dubious nature of Iris' name (and what it means)

Sister Iris Fey Hawthorne of Hazakura Temple finds herself in a rather peculiar situation for the Ace Attorney franchise in the fact that she is one of very few characters without a canonical last name. Of course, this hasn't stopped fans from assigning her one—for the purposes of tagging and categorization (or simply to distinguish her from Iris Wilson from The Great Ace Attorney series, because "Iris Ace Attorney" is no longer specific enough), every Ace Attorney fan seems to have a different answer as to what they call her, whether it be Iris Hawthorne, Iris Fey, Iris of Hazakura Temple, or simply Sister Iris. This confusion is understandable given the lack of a clear answer in canon as to what her legal last name is as well as her unusual upbringing; what with being raised in Kurain Village as a Fey, taken away by her father as a Hawthorne, and then sent to Hazakura Temple to become a nun. However, before we delve further into Iris herself, there's something a bit unusual (that I don't often see acknowledged within the fandom) that I'd like to bring up—that being, that this name drama not only affects Iris, but her twin sister Dahlia as well.

Simply put, Dahlia Hawthorne being named Dahlia Hawthorne doesn't make much sense when you think about it. Dahlia was born to Morgan Fey, the then-leader of the matriarchal line of spirit mediums of the Kurain Channeling Tradition. As such, it's safe to assume that she and her twin sister were also given this name upon their birth—so why, then, does she have her father's (or possibly her stepmother's—it's unclear) last name when we meet her in-game? Children generally do not have their last names changed when their parent remarries, so what's the deal? This strange situation makes slightly more sense when you remember that much of Trials and Tribulations builds up to the reveal that Dahlia and Iris are Morgan Fey's daughters; as such, Dahlia appearing in Chapter 1 and introducing herself as "Dahlia Fey" would be a MASSIVE spoiler for the events to come.

As for an in-universe explanation, we obviously aren't given one, but we are given a bit of insight from Dahlia (while disguised as Iris) regarding their father's perspective on leaving Kurain Village:

"He hated the place. He said it was a hick dive, and that he had no reason to stay there."

I think it's not an unreasonable stretch to say that their father wanted nothing more to do with the Fey clan after its reputation had been destroyed post-DL-6, and likely went to great efforts to separate himself (and his daughters) from anything that reminded him of it. With this in mind, who's to say he didn't have the twins' name changed? Now, obviously whether this affected Iris herself is still up for debate—it's possible she had already been sent away to Hazakura before this had all happened. But given that Dahlia implies Iris had only been sent away after their father's second marriage, I find it more likely that her name was changed beforehand. That said, it's still just a headcanon based on my personal preferences—I like the idea of Iris having the last name "Hawthorne" because I think the association with the Hawthorne Effect (in which one modifies their behavior in response to being watched) fits her really well, but I don't disagree with those who choose to use other names for her because there are good arguments to be made there as well.

However. However. The intrigue behind Iris' name doesn't even end there. We hear from Sister Bikini very early in Bridge to the Turnabout that it's Hazakura Temple tradition for nuns to choose a "temple" name—meaning that even Iris' given name might not be her real one. I hesitate a bit on this idea considering her name already pairs up nicely with Dahlia’s due to the shared flower theming (and Iris having a lack of respect for acolyte tradition in that regard would give her an interesting resemblance to her mother which I REALLY like), but if it is true it creates another fascinating bit of symbolism—Iris’ first name is a lie. A facade. Which fits in with her lying about her identity to Phoenix for 8 months and her general tendency to put up a front of whoever the person she's talking to wants her to be—whether that be Dahlia's obedient co-conspirator, Bikini's sweet and good-natured daughter figure, or Godot's accomplice and the scapegoat he can use to protect Maya. And neither of the common last names given to her by fandom accurately reflect/show the full picture of who she is either. Fey is what she was born as—but that name comes with a whole host of burdens and generational trauma that she likely does her best to distance herself from considering her tendency to run away from conflict like she did with the fake kidnapping and the aftermath of Doug Swallow's murder (she’s a lot like her aunt in that regard). Hawthorne ties her to the sister she so dearly loves—but also weighs her down due to her sister’s crimes, her role in said crimes, and the family she was sent away from against her will (even if it ended up being better for her) before it tragically fell apart. Neither one truly fits—the Iris name debacle is a perfect representation of the identity crisis of her character and that is nothing short of beautiful to me.

[bobbinbugs]

Entrapment: marriage, sacrifices, and gilded cages in Silksong

This is a massive, fully-sourced essay encompassing all the marriage symbolism we have for Silksong and the full breadth of its connotations. This thing is a beast in five parts: mind that readmore!

Part 1: a presentation of evidence

Rather than diving right into analysis, we need to set the stage with information gathered and analyzed by the talented people of the HK tumblr community, to whom this would not be possible without.

Hornet starts the game captured in a gilded cage, carried off by small, faceless creatures in white. as pointed out by ganymeadesclock, these characters are most likely religious figures, and Lace, while not one of the cultists, is most likely associated with them... somehow.

Furthermore, marriage symbolism. I won't reiterate myself overmuch, so look here, here, and here for various pieces I've managed to collect. No matter how you slice it, Lace is absolutely drowning in marriage symbolism, right down to her name. It does feel quite notable, then, that Hornet and Lace have similar cages, don't they? Lace's quite strongly resembles a decorative birdcage, actually, and Hornet's a fishbowl; (Aside: though the latter is a bit of a stretch.) enclosures too small to support an animal's wellbeing, but perfect for displaying them. Almost like, perhaps, a trophy bride?

Part 2: marriage as a gilded cage

This was going to have a excerpt from my essay on the unicorn tapestries, but it's already long enough as is. This segment and the following cannot analyze Silksong directly due to lack of information, but we can draw throughlines from the classic and epic literature Team Cherry draws inspiration from, and the history surrounding them.

Marriage has traditionally been a transfer of property throughout much of our world, not an act of love between two consenting parties. While a married woman would have the freedom to manage her husband's property in his absence, when he was around, she belonged to him; in marrying, she transfers from her father's ownership to her husband's. Marriage has been a total sacrifice of freedom for a woman in exchange for her "safety," which, considering how difficult it is to leave domestic abuse (Aside: Even more so in the times where woman could not own property or money, and divorce was not legal), is a perfect example of gilded cage.

This is a summary, and I recommend checking out these pieces on marriage abolition and medieval marriage culture for further context. Primarily, I'm trying to convey a certain degree of dread to emphasize why Hornet may be running herself ragged in Pharloom: her freedom may be deeply at stake.

Aside: There's also a throughline of queerness and the imprisonment of heterosexual marriage, and how it may relate to Lace attempting to free her and why Lacenet could be both canon and fascinating, but I won't delve into it here.

Part 3: A foray into ancient greece: marriage as a sacrifice

If you're a Greek mythology nerd like me, you may have noticed an odd connecting thread between Persephone, Psyche, and Antigone. All three are connected by their status as young virgin brides, but also by perversion of marriage rites in their stories. Persephone is abducted to the underworld (the land of the dead) and bound forever to a man via eating pomegranate seeds: a symbolic "seeding" (read: impregnation) if you will. Psyche, when taken away to be married, has instead funeral rites conducted for her, and she spends her honeymoon afraid of the invisible monster she married. And last, Antigone, the death-bride marching towards her funeral-wedding, thigh to thigh with her brother in the grave.

Present along the same thread is imagery of distraught mothers and sisters: Persephone's mother grieves and wails and sets a blight on the earth searching for her daughter; Psyche's sisters weep to leave her on the rock; Ismene tries to share the blame of Antigone's crime, punishable by death, so she would not be without her sister, or vice-versa.

A few feminist interpretations have been offered, but the most common is that to a Grecian mother, her daughter has been taken away from her home, never to be seen again. A marriage, to a sister or mother, is a sacrifice: A young girl is taken away from the comfort of her household into a scary, unfamiliar world, where she must learn quickly about herself and her body without the guidance of people - particularly women - she knows and loves.

Don't forget, either, that rape did not initially refer strictly to sexual assault, but the act of kidnapping a girl as a marriage rite. (Aside: The bride's consent does not matter; only her father's. Why do you think the term evolved to mean sexual violence?)

Sound familiar?

And the perversion of the marriage rite doesn't end there. Churches, a notable location in Pharloom, don't just marry people; they are also where funerals are conducted. And, if you listen to the Silksong trailer, you will hear the Dies Irae - the Funeral Mass - note for note.

But the perversion of the rite does not end there. Even more disturbing is the presence of consumption as a theme. As I said here:

Oh I am THINKING about Silksong tonight... How Lace says “Poor little morsel” and “delicious,” implying not only Pharloom would consume her, Lace is on the side of what’s doing the consuming. How spiders frequently feed on their own kind, especially in massive community web systems... whatever’s up with Pharloom, it’s going to eat Hornet alive.

A sacrifice, in its most traditional sense, is to give a deity sustenance, at an expense, in exchange for the prosperity of the many.

Part 4: Lace as Κανηφόρος and her religious duties: wild speculation!

Let's revisit Lace as a religious figure - and a potentially important often. If Hornet is the sacrifice, what does that make Lace?

From wikipedia:

The Kanephoros ... was an honorific office given to unmarried young women in ancient Greece, which involved the privilege of leading the procession to sacrifice at festivals ... The role was given to a virgin selected from amongst the aristocratic or Eupatrid families of Athens whose purity and youth was thought essential to ensure a successful sacrifice. Her task was to carry a basket or kanoun (κανοῦν), which contained the offering of barley or first fruits, the sacrificial knife and fillets to decorate the bull in procession through the city up to the altar on the acropolis. ... A girl who acted as kanephoros would have advertised the central place of her family in Athenian society, and her own availability for a dynastic marriage.

Wait, up through the city? That sounds...

Hornet, princess-protector of Hallownest, finds herself alone in a vast, unfamiliar world. She must battle foes, seek out allies, and solve mysteries as she ascends on a deadly pilgrimage to the kingdom’s peak.

...Awfully familiar.

And, interestingly, whatever ritual centering around Hornet we're spiraling towards, Hornet seems to be willfully - if unknowingly - marching towards it, and Lace seems intent on stopping it in its tracks.

I suspect she will not only be the rival won over role, but the betrayer. Lace is not to be wedded, but Hornet. Lace's role is to sacrifice Hornet at the proper time and place, and her goal before then is to stop Hornet from doing so, by any means necessary.

The final battle will almost certainly involve Lace, and in the worst ending, she will most likely be the one to deal the final blow and complete the rite. We're in pure speculative territory, but we already have the visual symbolism that Lace is just as trapped as Hornet. What is a betrayal if not duty, or a desire to save her own skin, winning over compassion?

Part 5: Disclaimers, Clarifications, and Conclusions

This is not to say I think this will be a recreation of Grecian ritual. Far from it: I don't even claim that marriage and misogyny will be a theme in anything other than visual symbolism, and I strongly doubt hornet's skill and status will ever be disputed due to her womanhood. Simply not Team Cherry's style! Until Silksong comes out, this is mere extrapolation.

But through Team Cherry's strong visual storytelling, I feel confident drawing allusions. The crushing prison of gilded cages, the marriage imagery, the subtle perversion of rite in the trailer, all spells out one thing:

Hornet is to be married or sacrificed.

But then again, what's the difference?

A special thank you to the minds of @ganymedesclock, my mutual @rukafais, and @ruthlesslistener, whose analysis was crucial to piecing this massive theory/analysis together. And for my mutuals who might be interested: @voidsiblings, @halloween-cats, @imminent-danger-came, @croissantk, @electricabsolution, and @toapenguin

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Wibta if I told my friend, upfront, I do not want his toxic partners in my campaign party without specifying why?

Everyone in this is 22+

So I (22NB) have been working on a campaign for at least 3 years now. I used dnd as a base and built off it to make my own world, races, mechanics, massive maps, religions, languages etc. This will be a massive campaign with highlights on religion and dealing with gods as a mortal etc and I've put so many hours into it it isn't even funny. I mean shit, I picked music for different areas depending on if it's day or night.

I made a discord server to house most of the basic info my players would need from table rules to the races and beyond. I mainly had the idea that the party would consist of my dmnpc guide (he doesn't fight or break the game, his only action during fighting is the help action and guide the party. Im not an asshole dm who makes my guide the protagonist. If its important, death doesn't really exist in my campaign due to demi-god race stuff, the party just gets sent back to its last save point with my grumpy man guide saying I told you so.), my partner's character (24f)(she dosent get preferential treatment. We've been together for 8 yrs) and my best bud's character (22tm. Been friends for 8 yrs). I never said I specifically only wanted my partner and friend to be party members but it was implied due to the fact I never invited my friends partners to the discord. I just don't really have many friends and this is the first time I've ever dm-ed period, let alone dming my own homebrew. We're all pretty novice newbie players and I think it'll be fun for us to stumble through the game together in a much less complicated form of DND without seasoned players "um actually-"ing us the whole time.

My partner is excited to try and my friend is ecstatic and about 2 years into development (last November) he asked if I could let his partners join the campaign. There're a few issues with this beyond me not really knowing them and not wanting to run a large party (it's hard for seasoned dms to run a 4+ party, let alone I, a fresh infant of a dm). My friend has 3 partners of his (he has 4 total) he wants to introduce to my campaign, this includes (fake names): Mel(24nb), Sandy (mid 20s f) and Rue (23 tw). I have issues with each individual present and it all stems from me sitting in on a different campaign for a single session. See, my friend has his own campaign (much smaller, follows one story in one town on an island instead of my entire continent) and he tried to run it by those three partners (and 2 friends. Names and genders unnecessary, they were our age) while I quietly sat in the session (it was over a discord call, were all in differnet states except for me and my partner) and watched it run just to see how my friend dmed and how the groups chemistry was. They had a 3 hour session.

It was the most socially awkward, intense and passive aggressive 3 hours of my life. Mel barely paid attention and as a result, had to have things explained to them when they weren't listening. They would then would talk over the person explaining things, pick apart their language and get irritated to the point of telling them (mostly rue) to shut up. Mel was quite litterally looking for a fight constantly. Sandy was relatively quiet but also not paying attention and talking over other players actions. She also would come up with random "icks " and one minute was telling everyone to keep all sexual jokes and comments to themselves because it made her uncomfortable then the next said her character was literally blowing a guy in the back of tavern.(btw this is not a fetish campaign or anything, it was out of left field for everyone and my friend shut it down because of that) Rue was the "uhm actually" type who pointed out inaccuracies, broken rules and lack of realism (it's a pirate fantasy magic campaign. There isn't much to focus on realism). Rue was clearly the most seasoned player but the nicest all things considered. She was mostly just condescending and treated my friend like he was stupid for not having every single detail mapped out. The party also had 2 of his friends but they were just as quiet as me and also either not paying attention or listening to the shit show. The session litterally ended with Sandy and Mel having the tiniest argument, mel pulling a crying running away anime protagonist "I'm sorry for being just a fucking terrible person! Ill leave so you all can have fun!!" Then hanging up all dramatically. Safe to say, their party was literally every red flag I was warned about by dm guide content.

My friend then came to me and said they broke up with Sandy that night but were still friends and I was still in shock from the sheer toxicity. Did I mention I had only met Sandy and the two other friends that night? And had only spoken over the phone to Mel once in a group call and met rue in person 2 times? Safe to say, I do not want litterally any of his partners in my party for various reasons and I feel as if just one of them at my table would make my patience end on sight. I consider myself to be very flexible and want to do my very best to be a fair but strong dm who doesn't get their story absolutely trampled by players intentionally trying to ruin my story and watch me scramble (mel and sandy openly did that). These players would disrespect my table rules for fun. Even my friend said they never respect him and his story as a DM and he won't run a game with them again and he thinks they'll respect my rule? As a baby dm? Nah fam.

He wants to bring rue and Mel into my campaign and I haven't answered him yet. I've mostly dodged the question with "I'm not sure how big of a party I feel comfortable dming for, I'll know later down the line." And he's asked again, still curious. I don't wanna judge my friends relationships because he and Mel have been together for 5 years and rue has been with him for 2 (they were together previously before rue came out and rue tried to control and physically abuse him. Thats another reason I don't want her in my campaign. Fuck abusers) but the toxicity they would bring would probably poison me. If I bring these things up, idk how my friend would react and he can be a bit... Extreme when he gets defensive. Cutting people off permanently at a moments notice then coming back crying or confused. He has BPD which explains it but I don't obviously wanna say " your partners are low-key toxic and abit abusive and I don't want them at my table or in my life for the most part and although I love you bro(/platonic) I do not want living blowfish at my table that you might not even speak to tomorrow.".

Obviously I wouldn't word it like that but mainly I just plan on saying "Ive never dmed before and I'm nervous about the functionality of my campaign so I want to keep my party nice, small and intimate and only between you, me and my partner for now. Maybe we can incorporate them later." Without mentioning all the... Other stuff and side stepping if he's like "but what if just mel/rue?". Me, my partner and him have been friends awhile so it's not like he'll feel like he's third wheeling or anything and I get he wants his partners to take in his interest, I just do not want them at my table and I wanna know if I'm a dick if I dont specify why and avoid the question. I dont wanna rock the boat and hurt my friends feelings but I'm not gonna ruin the first full run of my pet project so a passive aggressive asshole and a know it all almost abuser can participate. He deserves to know why his partners can't join and I'm not technically lieing, even if they were cool, I don't know if I'd want them there. But they definitely aren't cool and that just seals the coffin for me.

(obviously I'm wording this in a comedic way but everything here actually happened and I mostly just wanna focus on supporting my friend despite his choices. I do not have to like his partners to tolerate them but it's my table and my years of work, if i dont want them there, they dont get to be there. I'm just wondering if I'm a dick for kinda lieing kinda not if I don't give the actual reasons for why I don't want them at my table and never plan on allowing them there. I would happily accommodate 1 or 2 more people at my table in this case if they were close to me like my sister or older brother but I dont know his partners well at all and even though they are passive to me, I dont feel safe around people like that. Wibta?)

What are these acronyms?

[homestuckreplay]

When Will Homestuck Include A Page We Can Eat

(page 1015-1021)

New music is out! Homestuck Volumes 2&3 are now available on the Collection, just in time for the holidays, with most of the tracks from recent [S] pages. Some of them are extended – the final version of Upward Movement (Dave Owns) (p.665) comes in at over 4 minutes – but mostly it’s just a cool way to collect the tracks and listen as background music.

There’s a great sense of scale in this future section. WV, PM and AR(?) are all shown from a distance, like the weird bugs they are. And framed against the massive frog statue and bunker stamped with the Sburb logo, it feels like they are a part of something bigger, another unknowable plan from Skaia. All their ‘names’ present them as purposeless runaways, but Sburb could ‘know’ they would run away the same way it ‘knows’ that John’s session will apparently have four players. (or will it?) WV and PM are both extremely driven with strong ideals, there’s a lot more to them than just wandering, the question is whether it’s free will or Skaia’s design.

I’m also loving the fluid, lineless art of the future pages, especially the way it’s used for skies and landscapes. I can't remember if I've talked about the art before but I need to again because the yellow sky in these specific pages has captivated me body and soul. I want to eat that sky like it’s buttered toast and sink my feet into the soft dunes and crunchy rocks, but right from page 248 we’ve seen WV on these textured plains below these swirling skies – and there’s definitely glimpses of it in the kids’ storyline, too. Page 558, where Dad’s safe is taken to ‘Vaulthalla’, is the best one.

Right now I can’t decide whether I want to see more of this with the kids, or keep the two styles separate. Even though I prefer the art to the sprite style, which really draws attention to the boundaries between objects and to the difference between ‘interactable’ and ‘background’ game elements, I also like the two time periods having such separate identities. The future feels more mysterious and otherworldly due to the different art and the lack of pesterlogs or dialog between the characters. It’s also a natural extension of John’s house, the place where he’s trapped, being in all black and white while the inaccessible outside world is in color. Here’s a world that is hundreds of years and meteors distant from the architectural prisons the kids are in, and yes, it’s a wasteland, but in this absolute absence of human society it is radically beautiful.

There is a furious terror in my heart at anyone turning a gun on WV or PM. DO NOT. They have important mail to deliver!!!! If anything happens to them I will quit Homestuck and delete this blog but for now, very tentatively, the Aimless Renegade’s design kicks ass. WV and PM’s wrappings look like soft cloth, but AR is a walking threat so has a roll of caution tape. I’m guessing that conditions are harsh in the future and they all need wrappings to avoid the weather, and either lost or never had any harlequin gear (or it was too distinctive).

WV came from Rose’s house and PM came from John’s, so it’s a fair guess that AR either already arrived from Dave’s, or was always here at Jade’s. Or, they could be a guardian of the frog statue, here as defense because they know the others are showing up. Their name fits the existing pattern so I probably wouldn’t think that ordinarily, but I have to be suspicious of anyone with a gun that big. Especially since, best I can tell, this isn't one of the guns we've seen in Jade's house.

> AR: Put the weapon down. Make peace with foreign ambassadors.

[typ1calaizetsu-lover]

zohakuten x gn!reader

❗️ PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING FIRST

❗️ pairings: zohakuten x gn!reader

❗️ warnings (?): sleeping problems, cussing, brief angst between two random unnamed (unless you pick the name) characters, breakup, and maybe fluff.

❗ cuss words will be crossed out.

❗️ characters (briefly/fully mentioned or appeared): zohakuten, sekido, aizetsu, urogi, karaku, muichiro, mitsuri, obanai

❗️ context: y/n (your name) becomes zohakuten's play date.

❗️ extra information: y/n will be 13 years old while zohakuten will be 12. they go to the same middle school and are technically neighbors, but they don't exactly interact.

hantengu will be briefly mentioned, sekido is 19, karaku is 18, aizetsu will be 17, and urogi will be 16.

please excuse my way of writing, if there is grammar errors or i have worded it offensively, tell me IMMEDIATELY.

the characters speaking will be color coded.

y/n will be using they/them/their pronouns so there won't be any problems.

(i am SO SORRY IF U SEE THE C-WORD!)

[r/b/n] (random boy name) is zohakuten's friend who was dating y/n's best friend, [r/g/n] (random girl name]

y/n's eyes fluttered open.

the bakery of their family's was put into view; they saw how bright the place was, how the scent in the air reflected cinnamon and flour, and even sometimes chocolate.

their heart softly beated as they flattened the dough with the roller pin, their forehead wrinkled and their eyes slightly wide to possibly decrease their desire to sleep.

y/n always stayed up late to read their favorite books or to write, and would sleep once they were satisfied with everything. but that has always been a problem, because they'd tend to lose focus and doze off at the wrong time.

their father, obanai kanroji, was always scolding them of this.

obanai is a strict, but a caring father. he was the one who mostly talked to y/n and would listen to their problems, if they had any.

he believed the lack of sleep was due to not going out much unless at school, and he didn't want anything bad to happen to his child.

so he went to talk to his wife, y/n's mother, mitsuri kanroji, about the problem.

"n/n has been suffering of sleeping late, and they can't get anything done right before drifting off to sleep!"

mitsuri is a kind mother, she would do anything, at least one, to make sure her family isn't crumbling.

so the night before, mitsuri had spoken to y/n.

"oh my sweet, i know you love reading and doing the things you adore most at night, but you are lacking sleep, and it's unhealthy, dear. so tomorrow, we will arrange you a playdate, if that's okay with you?"

y/n was amused by this, and hadn't minded at all, though they were also against the idea of having a playdate, but it was too late to protest.

they used to have a playdate; it was a 14 year old by the name of muichiro tokito.

he also went to their school.

soon enough, mitsuri came out from the front desk of the bakery and tapped her child on their shoulder, "y/n, dear? your father will take care of your chores, i'll be taking you to your playdate!"

great.

y/n hummed in response, and then set the roller pin to the side and went upstairs to change.

they just wore a white crop top and brown shorts and moon jelly crocs.

they also brought a bag with them, just in case.

mitsuri and y/n walked down the street from their bakery and stopped at a pretty cool house.

just before their mom knocked on the door, y/n saw a glimpse of the backyard, and was flabbergasted to see a boy, who looked to be 12 years.

he had brown-ish skin, short black hair that spiked upward around his head and narrow gold eyes, he was also wearing a white oversized shirt and black shorts that reached to his knees.

he looked vaguely familiar…

he saw y/n too, and seemed to be as shocked as them.

y/n looked away from his eye and watched their mother speak to an old man whose hair was balding and seemed to have a massive bump on his forehead.

mitsuri waved at y/n and walked back to their bakery, with them just awkwardly entering the home of their playdate.

the old man had gone, but he had given them permission to wander around just before he left.

but as after y/n removed their crocs, four guys appeared from the living room and waved, except for the red one.

one was blue-eyed, one was yellow-eyed, and one was green-eyed.

and behind them was the boy from the backyard.

their playdate.

he was staring at them with his still narrow eyes.

"eyyyyy~ zo, you have a kid older than you as your playdate!"

the green one said, patting y/n on the back and forcing them into the living room.

"it's been sooo loooonnngggg since you even interacted with little shits like them, huh, zo~?"

the yellow one cackled, giving y/n a dabbing hand gesture, to which they returned.

"err.. guys, shouldn't we… you know, introduce ourselves..? it'd be embarrassing.. to not know.. their name… v- very pitiful, indeed.."

the blue one softly spoke, looking sorrowful. the red one rolled his eyes and stepped forward.

"i am sekido, this is aizetsu," he gestured to the blue one, his voice growling. "i'm karaku~" the green one added after.

"and i'm urogi!" the yellow one cheerfully said.

the 12 year old didn't say anything.

after a while, sekido finally said, "introduce yourself, you cunt!"

"i'm zohakuten." he muttered, crossing his arms and looked pissed at sekido.

y/n's eyes became wider at the boy's voice. (and also the fact sekido called him a "c u n t")

it was deep, even for someone one year younger than her! and raspy too.

no wonder he looked familiar; they went to the same school and are in the same grade.

".. i'm y/n."

y/n said with a blank face, looking into zohakuten's glare.

zohakuten stared back.

it was a really tense moment.

they both knew each other, not that they communicated much, but they used to hang out because of y/n's friend's bf being zohakuten's friend.

zohakuten gave them a look of 'don't tell them' which could've meant that don't tell the older ones that they knew each other.

y/n didn't understand why, but they didn't bother telling anyway and gave him a reassuring look.

"soooo, what'cha gonna doo?" karaku tapped his hands onto the couch's surface.

"er.. i'll talk to y/n at the backyard for a bit." zohakuten said.

y/n blinked at surprise. even sekido, aizetsu, karaku, and urogi was stunned at this.

y/n hummed and got off the couch to follow zohakuten into the backyard.

zohakuten opened the clear door for y/n, and as they stepped out, they could hear zohakuten's voice to the other four, "don't you dare try to find out what we're talking about, you fucking weasels!"

y/n approached a chair and settled down, placing their bag on the small table.

it was a neatly decorated patio that was welcoming the yard. they had a swimming pool, (woah, a swimming pool?! are they rich?!), and a trampoline.

still slightly amazed, y/n turned to look at zohakuten and realized his face was just inches away from theirs, and he jumped back at surprise of their sudden turn.

embarrassed at this, he sat down on the chair opposite of them.

y/n, confused, didn't find the fact he was looking at them intensely embarrassing at all, but did not say anything further of it.

".. soo?" y/n raised a curious brow at them, trying to engage conversation after all that happened.

"so." zohakuten repeated, raising a haughty eyebrow at y/n.

"… how has, uhh, [r/b/n] been doing?" they asked, curious. [r/g/n] broke up with [r/b/n] just about a two months ago, and he had been looking empty for the past school days.

sometimes, y/n would pass him in the school hallways and they'd see dark eyebags beneath his eyes, and a slightly red tint in his nose. they wondered if he had been nonstop crying for one month.

"he's.. beyond than okay." zohakuten said reluctantly, "he's getting desperate and devastated every time he sees [r/g/n]. i'm starting to wonder why [r/g/n] just suddenly broke up. they were doing really well.." y/n sighed.

"it confused me too, but [r/g/n] told me she couldn't bear to see [r/b/n] hurt if there were anything to downfall their relationship, so she decided to break up. it was really a hard choice for her, and still misses him, 'but sometimes sacrifices have to be made', she said." y/n scratched their neck.

"it's kind of poetic, don't you think?" they asked the boy, looking at him.

"hm. well, yeah, i guess." he mumbled, "still, it was a bad choice." he said to himself, and recovered immediately when you asked, "what?" "nothing."

"do you- uh, wanna play volleyball? or badminton?" zohakuten suddenly asked, as if he wanted to change the topic.

to which y/n took granted.

"of course!" they smiled, standing up.

"alright, volleyball first, yeah?" zohakuten said, standing up from his chair too and grabbed the volleyball from the pool. y/n nodded and ran to the right side of the volleyball net.

for the past three or four hours of spending time with zohakuten, you guys have been playing volleyball or badminton, scaring the birds that dared to come to the backyard grass or the fence, tricking sekido into wearing his slippers (which had glue on them) while he got out of the shower (though they debated for a while because sekido believed you don't need to wear your slippers while you walk out the shower, but you had to say some things to convince him, and when he did put it on, you made a run for it), helping aizetsu with his grocery things and the food, and watching the nba finals between the heat and nuggets with urogi and karaku. (yes i know it passed buuuttttt i just had to.)

(zohakuten's pov)

y/n <3 was talking to their mom on the phone (just checking on you dw) in the kitchen, while i was just sitting with the other four when suddenly, karaku elbowed me.

"hey little guy~ you're so obvious, y'know~?" he said, grinning from ear-to-ear.

i gave him a confused face and asked, "what do you mean?" karaku laughed.

"well, of course you don't want them to know, so you'd play dumb, i see~ i mean, would they return your feelings at all? that'd be so worrying, ain't it~?"

"what are you talking about?" i furrowed my eyebrows at him, like, what is up with this guy?!

"you full know what i'm talking about, zo!~"

he really pisses me off.

"no, i don't! tell me, now!" i said in a loud, demanding voice. "it is SO obvious what he's talking about, zohakuten." sekido growled, glaring at me, "you have feelings for that kid." he bobbed his head at y/n <3

what?!

"no i don't." i quickly mutter, scowling.

"yeah, you do!" urogi cackled, "it makes sense! why else would you look at them like that?" "like what, exactly?"

i butt in, crossing my hands as karaku took out his phone and showed me a picture.

it was me, from earlier to when i was talking to y/n <3 at the backyard, to when we were talking about [r/b/n] and [r/g/n].

i immediately knew what they were talking about when urogi said about the way i looked at them.

i was smiling at them and looking hopeful!

idiot! idiot! idiot!

i gritted my teeth slightly, "that's photoshopped." i said, still in doubt.

"nah it isn't, and you should know i don't have the photoshop app thingy in my phone." karaku snickered, showing off his teeth to its fullest extent.

"whatever, the point is, i don't have feelings for them! they're just-"

"a friend?" uttered aizetsu, who had been quiet.

i looked at him, surprised that he finished my sentence before i could.

"you can't deny that you've been smiling at them lately.. and mind you, they just came today, and whether you do have those feelings or not, it is still obvious that you've taken a liking to them… friendly or crush." aizetsu continued on.

i sighed.

he was right, i couldn't deny it.

but i wanted to.

looking over to y/n <3, i watched them end their call with their mom and stuffed their phone into their bag and walk to the living room, to which i relaxed a bit and pretended nothing much had happened.

do i really have feelings for them?

[y/n time]

"alright, thanks mom, see you." y/n said and ended the call, putting the phone into their bag and turned to enter the living room.

they noticed that the four older ones were looking oddly suspicious at zohakuten, who had relaxed just as they came in.

it looked so suspicious!

y/n smiled and sat down on the empty spot (that zohakuten kept tapping) beside the little guy.

"what were y'all talking about?" they asked, and not even a second, zohakuten answered, "nothing much."

y/n hummed, fidgeting with their fingers, "my mom's gonna pick me up at nine o' clock, we still have ten minutes to spend time together-" "don't worry about it."

they turned their head to peer at zohakuten. what was up with him? what really happened when they were talking?

karaku looked like he was about to laugh.

y/n eyed the little guy up and down. he looked distracted, maybe annoyed.

for the past five minutes, it was just silence, except for some cars passing the house outside.

y/n looked a bit distraught, did they anger zohakuten earlier? was he uncomfortable because they said something weird? they wanted to know so badly!

"hey, zo.. what's-" "can i have your number, n/n?"

shocked, y/n froze of this.

their number?

are they asking them out???

are they more than friends?????

what does this mean??!

what was going on?!

or maybe he just wants to talk to them on the phone more?

stammering slightly, y/n said 'sure' in the fakest cheerful, positive voice ever!

as they shared numbers, sekido just facepalmed his forehead, aizetsu looked like he was on the brink of crying (or bawling, whichever), karaku and urogi looked more like they wanted to push the two together so they could smash faces.

little troublemakers.

there was a knock on the door, and y/n sprang up onto their feet, glad that they could change the awkward atmosphere.

as zohakuten walked with them to the door (with the rest following behind them, still having the same faces as described on the last 3 parts), y/n slid their crocs on and the door opened by sekido, who started talking to mitsuri.

"thank you so much for letting my daughter have this playdate!"

mitsuri thanked, bowing, to which sekido did in return, though looked as though he was ghastly while doing it, as if he was forced to.

"it's not a problem ma'am.. tomorrow again, yes?"

"yes! thank you so much! see you tomorrow! come on, sweetheart." mitsuri urged y/n to walk, and they did, while waving bye at zohakuten, sekido, urogi, aizetsu, and karaku, who was also waving back.

on the way to their half bakery, half house, their mom had asked how was the playdate.

y/n smiled, humming quietly.

"it was fun… i'll be glad to come back tomorrow.."

meanwhile...

"i hope they do come back."

zohakuten muttered on his bed, then drifted off to sleep, awaiting for tomorrow.

(Fun fact: in zohakuten's pov, y/n's name has a <3 beside it! It's because he's developing a crush on you slowly!) Part two will come! Might make this into a series~ lol I made this like at 1 am in the morning dont laugh at me 😭

[remukko]

Pokémon Monochrome Micro Theory - "Mortality Theory"

So! With the @pkmn-monochrome blog reaching it's ASSUMED climax today, everyone's REALLY looking forward to how the story will end, or what CODY's fate will end up being. CHARIZARD has told CODY that she could skewer them, and asks the question on if the world would even allow CODY to die. Now, I've got my own thoughts, and I want to share them here as a sort of micro-theory.

This isn't something I do usually, so excuse me being a bit rambly or scrappy with the way it's formatted!!!

(I will be naming "Hacker" and "Trainer" Cody as "Cody" and "CODY" respectively. Just so you know which little critter i'm talking about!)

Here I want to predict an answer to one thing: Will, or CAN CODY even die? (I promise this is interesting!)

I will say immediately that I don't think it's even possible for CODY to die, at least not by being murdered or harmed. Why?

Well, Cody made the Pokémon Monochrome rom-hack which us, the players, get ahold of. The hack is altered and warped to the will of Cody during the development on the hack, to reflect their own thoughts, preferences and views. Thus the logic which the world follows should line up with Cody's own will.

The most obvious example of this is quite obvious: The three ghosts & CODY themselves are reflections of Cody's thoughts and mind, as implied and directly stated by several characters such as CHARIZARD. 

Where am I getting with this? I think that Cody was against the idea of the permanence of death, and thus CODY will not be able to fully die until the cartridge rots, or their own code is altered or removed.

Now that might sound absolutely crazy, but hear me out! I will try to back up my idea.

Exhibit A: The GHOSTS

Three of the most important characters in the storyline of Pokèmon Monochrome are the ghosts of PIKACHU, BLASTOISE and CHARIZARD. This shows that they returned to life after their passing or removal in the game. I see this as them being anomalies - things that aren't meant to be but are, simply because of Cody's own mindset regarding the topic of death. Even after the GHOSTS arguably die again, such as CHARIZARD, they are shown to return the moment the flute is played at their grave. No matter what, they can always come back, and continue to torment CODY.

So if the GHOSTs are able to come back from dying twice... Why can't CODY?

Exhibit B: CODY

Now, CODY themselves! I think this one particularly striking, as CODY is practically stuck in a form of purgatory after Cody died - refusing to die at all costs. Note that the tower is a literal purgatory meant for the player character after they get a GAME OVER. Due to Cody's will, they were kept alive inside of the game in some way upon their passing, forming who we now know as CODY.

Aside from that, they also suffer from some injuries: Lacking wrists, with the inside of their cuffs being filled with a glitchy static... Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall it being said that it was a form of in-game censorship to cover up the flesh and bone? I swear the author of Pokémon Monochrome stated it somewhere... and if memory serves me right, it's a massive detail! As it shows CODY doesn't show physical pain on major injuries, or at least it would go away rather quickly...

Exhibit C: Spark's Comments

Throughout the duration of the blog, Sparklingdemon (the author of Pokémon Monochrome) has shared some canon details about Cody and the world of Pokémon Monochrome, and a recent post regarding Cody has intrigued me, and is a big cornerstone in this whole theory.

Sparks stated that as Cody was developing the hack, they wanted to subvert the trope of a typical poképasta. For example, they stated that Cody wamted no Missingno, no dead Raticate, no self-aware protagonist, and... most importanty to the theory: No blood and gore.

If Cody's will is brought upon the world of Pokémon Monochrome, this means that CODY's body can recieve no further harm than it already did. Beit torn, bitten, shredded... they will always remain in tact.

Now, how does this all connect?

I firmly believe that, even if CODY were to theoretically "die" at CHARIZARD's hand. it wouldn't be long before they return due to Cody's thoughts against the very idea of death.

Because the world was molded strictly to Cody's will, their reincarnation (for the lack of a better term) will remain alive inside a purgatory of their own creation.

It doesn't matter how many times they die, it doesn't matter how many times they're mauled, CODY will remain stuck until the destruction or decay of their cartridge. Or you know, if the players started a New Game.

Or at least, that's what I reckon. Hey, at least they'll only have to endure it for less than 15-20 years instead of an eternity...!

All in all, I can't wait to see what happens today, I could ramble about connections and theories related to this series all day!! But I'll spare you the details. I sure hope we won't have to put this theory to the test.