#edited on may

[mari-lair]

I like the choice to have Akane grab Aoi’s neck in chapter 69, I feel like people don’t get the point, or simply turn a blind eye to the context of why Akane did that.

It oddly parallels Mitsukou in chapter 35.

Why did Kou grab Mitsuba's face instead of his shoulder or anywhere more normal? Because Mitsuba turned his back on him, and Kou can’t handle Mitsuba dissapearing again. He is forcing Mitsuba to face him, he screams when he said “Remember it!!” because being remembered is very important to Kou.

Kou needs to make sure Mitsuba is listening to him, he can't accept being forgotten.

Kou is going through a lot after failing Sousuke’s ghost, so this desperation, this need to be heard, is only natural when he finds the supernatural Mitsuba.

Now let’s focus on Akane and Aoi, and remember that just like hell of mirrors, chapter 69 does not exist in a void: There is context.

Akane’s is a very bold and proud person, when he feels like what he wants to say is important and needs to be heard, he has always made sure the person he is talking to is looking at him in the eye. He does not care if he has to be rough to get their attention, or if he comes across as violent.

It’s a part of his character since his intro arc, all the way back to chap 25, with the clock keepers.

And Aoi is no exception.

On their day-to-day, Ao always smiles at his confessions so he believes she is happy and feel loved by this attention. As long as Aoi is enjoying her life, he is happy.

It is very important to him that Aoi feel loved, and that she understands how much he loves her, so after she attacks him with her centipede, he isn’t gentle with her, he makes sure she is immobilized and looking at him in the eye when he confesses again. He makes sure she is paying attention.

He doesn't like to be aggressive with Aoi, his eyes are even hidden when he slam her on the ground, but it is very important to him that she understands he loves her. He wants her to pay attention to what he have to say, he want her to see he is being honest.

What anger Akane isn’t being stabbed, is the way he begs for Aoi to listen to him, yet Aoi dismisses his words. Aoi does not believe him.

So he couldn’t communicate his feelings and is too injured to drag her all the way to the surface. He will pass out any moment now from the pain. What can he do? Not much, so he chose to drag her with him down No.6 pit, something he recognises is selfish, and that he apologizes for.

Is definitively a failure in his rescue mission, but something he considers better than leting her die alone. (which i go more in dept on Here)

Akane didn’t give up after all these failures though, his original goal to bring Aoi back wasn’t shaken: He want her by his side, but he want her alive and well, not in this hole they fell into.

He has been apologetic during this whole arc.

It’s been failure after failure ever since he let No.6 kidnap her.  

So he assumes her disbelief is because she deserves more, that he isn't expressing his love enough. Because to him Aoi is the most lovely person in the world and the idea Aoi doesn’t love herself  and feel like she doesn’t deserve praise simply doesn’t compute.

So he doesn't reflect on why Aoi doesn't believe in his love, he just tries harder. He makes the exact same mistake, putting her on a pedestal, screaming about how amazing she is.

So obviously, Aoi still doesn’t belive him. 

She is so disconected from his seemingly endless love for ‘someone as bad as her’ that she gets tired of his gushing, telling him upfront why she can’t take a single word he says seriously.

And that’s it. That’s what ‘flipped his switch’, and made him drop the ‘loverboy’ attitude. The powerful combo of her explanation as to why she feels like she should remove herself from the world and the sight of Aoi walking away: the understanding Akane have no time.

Kou was scared Mitsuba would disappear if he let go. Akane knew Aoi would disappear if he let her go. She even said ‘goodbye’.

So when he finally understood what the problem was and what had to be communicated. He did not hesitate, he already failed enough this entire day, he will make sure she listens.

He went for the face like Kou because he is also desperate, he forced her to face him because he can’t handle her running away. Akane needs Aoi to look at him in the eye and listen to him.

Saying ‘i love you’ won’t be heard no matter how true, so he told her something she would believe in.

He tells her he hates her.

Gone is Aoi’s apathy, she imediately abandon all attempts to run, shocked into silent instead of dismissive. When Aoi listen to what he have to say, his hold grows laughably loose, more like caressing her chin than forcing her in place cause he got what he wanted, he have has her full attention, Aoi is glaring straight at him, not trying to run.

( @bpzau-art​  did a good post on how violence is despicted in the manga so if you’re not convinced Akane never tried to injure her, you can check it: Here)

Aoi didn’t cry when she was thrown into the water, because she wasn't hurt, just surprised, still vaguely detached, thinking about running away. She only snapped out of it and cried when Akane said he hated her, and that hurt far more than being manhandled. The fear of being hated is one she had since young and is hard to block out after all.

This is curel but it was Akane’s best attempt to force Aoi, a girl insecure and arrogant enough to want to run away from her life over the idea she might be betrayed, to stay quiet and listen to him. That's why he roasted her, and only after he knew for sure she was paying full attention, taking his words seriously, did he confess again.

That's why when he confesses again, she gets flustered, because this time she is listening, she believes when he says “I love you”.

Just compared it to how blank she was before, when she didn’t believe a single word he said.

That’s it. That’s all Akane wanted: To be believed.

This isn’t revenge on Aoi for a stab wound he doesn’t care about, or a power trip. It was an act to get her attention.

He admits at such.

He said “I wasn’t planning on telling you this” before his roast on Aoi because he know it would hurt Aoi, and it makes him feel like shit to curse her to the point of tears. His smile only stops being pained and fake when it becomes clear his message got across and Aoi understood what he wanted to tell: That he hates her habit to distance herself, but not her. That he can see her ugly side just fine but still love her.

This is a happy Akane:

This isn’t:

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

License to Kitty.

[autumnillustration]

"Perhaps a lesser-known gift of Kenobi's was his ability to listen."

(AU where post-banishment Ahsoka gets zapped back to TPM, strapped with a fundamental distrust of the Jedi, an apocalyptic vision of the future, and a mandate to help Anakin Skywalker. So, in all this, it's nice to have a confidant.)

edit: link to the fic

[userarmand]

Actors Roundtable | Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter

[vanmarkus]

9-1-1 otherwise known as THE GAY FIREFIGHTER SHOW

[hel-unleashed]

And now, for my next trick I'll make your girlfriend disappear!

Arctober 11 - Magic

[pcktknife]

she could stand to be a bit more sharky

[dammjamboy]

I LOVE AU'S!!! i might have gotten a little carried away though ;;;

alt versions under the cut! including a version with the translated ciphers ^^

[maiooo-0]

(How's a 14 year old almost taller than you)

[sabertoothwalrus]

does anyone wanna hear my chilshi thoughts

[little-eye-guy]

"this is too raw of a line to come from—" shut up. beauty and meaning is everywhere

[toasterheater]

scug eaten by water

[chalkrub]

dinosaur in a lab coat - would you trust her with operating the centrifuge

[mischievouslittlecreature]

Do you love me? You imbecile.

[hinamie]

thank u canon plant nerd megumi for my life

bonus:

[mari-lair]

this is so silly but it's been in my head for WEEKS, so I had to make a shitpost about it