#for really stupid reasons (didn’t like that I was a tomboy - was personally insulted that I was depressed) | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

skylarmoon71 · 4 years ago

Text

Raphael x Reader - Oneshot (TMNT 2014/2016)

"Sup shrimp."

"I'm not a shrimp I'm a grown woman!!" you screamed charging at Raph. He didn't even budge when you ran into him. You on the other hand tumbled to the floor with a grunt. Mikey raised his head when he heard the collision.

"Hey, I think you moved him a little this time (Y/N), good job." he sent you thumbs up, but you just stayed there laying flat on the floor.

You were only fifteen, and since Raph was older, he never failed to remind you of it. Even at your age, you barely look it. You were small, and a bit of a tomboy. It didn't help that you grew up with brothers. Fighting was the way you communicated. That's why you always went at it with Raph. He made it his mission to point out your very boyish qualities. Not that you cared.

"Just wait till puberty hits me, I'll be so gorgeous even the boys at school will have to acknowledge me!" You holler. So maybe your constant fights with Raph weren't solely because you liked roughhousing.

Thing is, you had the biggest crush on him. His attitude, tough personality, and geez those damn muscles. He drove you every type of crazy. That's why you got into it so regular with him. Of course you'd never admit it.

All your teenage mind seemed to process was Feelings+Raph= Punch the shit outta him.

Very mature approach.

"Ya better keep dreaming, you'll be a shrimp no matter how tall ya get." you growled, jumping to your feet as you grabbed his leg.

"Corkscrew!!" you yelled. You tried locking his leg with both of yours to pull him down. It usually worked with your brothers, but you should have known better. Raph just smirked and leaned down, grabbing one of your legs as he lifted you into the air upside down.

"P-Put me down you overgrown tortoise!!" you were struggling and throwing punches at his body, but none of them connected, he was holding you at a distance.

"Maybe if ya nice I'll think bout it." You folded your arms with a glare.

"What, you really think I'm going to beg? Never."

"Is that right?"

"No it's left. Of course it's right! LEO!! Raph is bullying me again!"

Leo sighed, coming around the corner to inspect the damage. "Raph, stop treating her like a rag doll. Put her down."

He huffed, moving to the couch. "Fine." Just like that he opened his palm. You dropped with a soft thud, and Raph snickered under his breath.

"Better?" When you collected yourself, you used the couch to boost you as you jumped unto Raph's back, wrapping your small hands around his neck in an attempted chokehold.

"What do you have to say now big guy! I can take you out in seconds." you pressed into the pressure point on the side of his neck, and he dropped to his knees in surprise.

"Hah, no matter the size, that'll forever be a weak spot." You would know, you used it on your brothers. You were about to deliver another devastating blow. He grabbed your arm before you could do much, pulling you to the ground. When you raised your body to fight back, he just used one hand to push you down by your chest. You blushed at the contact.

"Y-You pervert now you're groping me!!"

He looked unimpressed at your accusation. "Please, ya as flat as a pizza." His statement made your face redder, and you kicked his chest, putting some space between so you could get up.

"STUPID TURTLE!!!"

With that you were running out the lair in a rage. Raph stood slowly, and Leo just shook his head at him.

"You really shouldn't mess with her so much Raph."

"She's the one that came running at me."

"You didn't exactly help the situation."

"Gimme a break." Raph groused. He usually brushed it off when you yelled at him, but this time you looked pretty upset.

Logically, it would have made sense to go after you and apologize, but Raph was never the logical type. So instead he dealt with it the old fashion way.

"I need to punch something." he grumbled, heading for the training area.

Leo just let out another exasperated sigh. He looked over at Mikey, who just lifted his arms shaking his head.

"Don't look at me brah, I'm not getting in the middle of that. " You may have been small, but your temper rivaled Raph's so talking with you while you were pissed wasn't the best thing to do.

~One Week Later~

"Where's (Y/N)." Raph really didn't think you would have stayed away this long. It had only been one week, but it felt like so long since he heard you yelling as you tried to attack him with a new move.

Donnie raised his t-phone from his spot. "She's got exams, I've been sending her information to help in her chemistry class. She said she won't be able to stop by until it's over. Apparently her parents have been getting on her about her grades."

Raph could understand that, what he didn't understand was you messaging Donnie instead of him.

"What's wrong Raphie are you missing your little girlfriend~"

Mikey made a face, mimicking kissy faces and Raph just smacked him.

"Shut up! I ain't missing that shrimp!"

"Fine, no need to get violent." Mikey grumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Alright break it up, we got patrol in a few minutes, no fighting." Raph cracked his knuckles. "Great timing." He could use with a little brute force.

~~~

"Damn it this makes no sense!!" You were stressing over your finals, and to make matters worse, you'd just recently gotten your period, so not only was your brain committing suicide, so was your ovaries.

"AHHHH!!!" your oldest brother rushed in at the yell.

"Dude, quit screaming. I thought you were being murdered." you frowned.

"I might as well have been, this shit hurts." He grinned at you.

"My dear little sister, finally becoming a woman. They grow up so fast." He said faking a sob. You just rolled your eyes, throwing a book in his direction.

"Get out of my room before I chug my bloody pad at you." he made a disgusted face.

"I fear for your future boyfriend (Y/N)." you just gave him a look, and in seconds he was rushing out, shutting the door. You dropped your pencil, placing your head on the desk.

"Future boyfriend.."

The first image to pop into your head was Raph, and you blushed, letting out a soft groan of annoyance. What was the use falling for him. He barely even acknowledges you as female. It was so frustrating. Yet, you couldn't stop hoping that he'd somehow just sneak into your room and confess his undying love for you.

It was crazy, impossible. "Dumb hormones." You couldn't believe you'd been in such a rush to go through this, it was hell. What was even worse is your chest had been sore all week. Your mother insisted it was normal, but it didn't feel normal.

"Dumb puberty." you regretted ever wanting to experience it.

~Three Weeks Later~

"Still no word." Donnie shook his head. "She's not in danger, and she texts me, but for some reason she hasn't been down here in awhile."

Leo was never one to act irrational, but now he was getting worried. And Raph was completely stubborn. "Raph, you have to go talk to her. She's obviously still mad about what you said last time. "

"That was weeks ago, and why do I gotta do it! Did ya forget she was the one that came at me."

"You hurt her feelings Raph. You don't tell a girl her chest is flat as a pizza, even if it's true."

"Since when did ya become an expert on women." Leo was about to respond, but a sneaky smile rose on his lips.

"So you do see her as a woman. Hah, I knew you had a thing for her. No wonder you're always messing with her. " Raph couldn't work up a reply so he just growled, turning his back and punching the wall.

"Somehow I feel like they're made for each other. " Leo chuckled. His brother may have been a muscle head, but at least he wasn't blind.

He'd fix the problem eventually. Leo could tell that your absence was starting to get to Raph. It was only a matter of who would make the first move. That might take a while though.

****

It was foolish, you hadn't intended to stay away that long, it's just that so much happened in the span of three weeks. Now you felt way too embarrassed to face Raph due to your most recent development. That didn't stop the guilt though. Because you missed being around the boys. Mikey, Donnie, Leo and especially Raph. You'd just stopped visiting with an explanation. What kind of friend does that? Not a very good one.

"Tomorrow! I go and explain everything." You were tired of hiding out in your room. You didn't want your friendship to suffer because of your stupid hormones.

Clack!

Your head whipped to the window.

"The fudge.."

Under normal circumstances, it was never smart to go towards strange noises. So as you inched out of your bed, you grabbed your baseball bat, moving cautiously to your window.

If some serial killer thought he was getting an easy victim he had another thing coming. You stood at the side, hiding behind the wall as you watched the figure crawl into your room. With a vicious swing, you whacked him right in the face. When you heard a grunt of pain you rushed to your light switch with a grin.

"Take that you stupid serial psycho you really think I was just going to...R-Raph!!"

"What the hell is wrong with ya.." he spoke tightly, he was rubbing his face in irritation. You dropped the bat.

"I-I'm so sorry I thought you were a killer or something. Why didn't you call. You don't just sneak into a girl's room in the middle of the night. "

"I would have called, but ya been avoiding the liar and my messages. Figured I'd come and see why ya acting so weird."

He was right. Suddenly you weren't as sure. Taking a step back, you wrapped your arms around yourself, looking away.

"I-I just..I had exams.."

"Don't gimme that shit, you've been done for a while. Donnie told me."

"Fudge."

You couldn't think of any more excuses that would be half as believable. When Raph saw the way you were guarding yourself and keeping your distance, it sort of hurt him.

He realized then that his words must have done more damage than he thought. He really didn't think you would have taken it to heart. A big part of your friendship was the both of you insulting each other. Maybe this time though, he went a little too far.

"I'm sorry alright." you looked up, and Raph shifted his gaze to the wall.

"I didn't mean it, I was just teasing ya. Truth is I couldn't give a crap if you're small. It's what I like about ya. Ya always give me shit, and yer never afraid to call me out and fight me, even though there's no way ya could win. "

Was he confessing? It sure sounded like it.

"I do see ya as a woman. Ya don't have to worry about puberty or any of that crap. Ya already freaking hot to me." you just stared, cheeks glowing a bright red.

"Y-You think I'm.."

Oh boy, you were going to have a heart attack. No way was this really happening. Raph scratched his head a bit awkwardly.

"Course I do. I guess I just liked having all ya attention. You never flock towards Leo or the others. Ya always chase after me."

Of course you did. You'd been crushing on him for months, maybe since you met him. He was finally looking your way, and he took a step forward.

"I don't care if you're flat as a pizza, ya still cute to me." He placed his hand on your chest to prove his point, except this time there was a plumpness he didn't expect. You flushed, and on instinct you kicked him in the groin. Raph stumbled back, holding the crouch as he fell to the ground.

"W-WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! HOW DARE YOU TRY AND CUP A FEEL!!"

"Wrong with me! Just a few weeks ago ya were as flat as a pancake!" He gaped, still fairly confused, and you just covered your chest bashfully. Something seemed to hit him.

"This is why ya were acting so strange..." no wonder you hadn't stopped by. He could see it clear on your face.

"Did ya ass get bigger too?"

"Y-You jerk why would you even ask that- aah!!" You didn't expect him to get to his feet and take your arm. He pinned both your arms to the bed, pressing you to the mattress. Your chest was pressed into the bed, and you had to look over to see what he was doing.

"R-Raph let me go this instant!!"

He just smirked at you, lifting your shirt slightly to get a look at you from behind.

"I was right, yer ass did get bigger." you jumped when you felt his hand on your butt. You gasped when he groped you, squeezing your cheek softly. "P-Pervert!! This is assault!!" you squirmed, but it was useless, he had you pinned to the bed.

His body leaning over is what kept you from getting away.

"It's not if ya like it." He whispered sultrily. You swallowed, trying not to let him see just how much you were actually enjoying his touches. He lowered his body, and now you could feel his strong plastron pressed to your back. His hands flattened on the bed above your head, and you whined, still trying to wiggle away. Maybe save a little face.

"Well well, I thought ya were cute before, but now yer delicious." he gave your butt another appreciative squeeze and you could only muster out a small mewl. "R-Raph.." Why was he torturing you so much?

"Yes." you glanced at him, and from the desperate look on your face, he already knew what you wanted. He moved back slightly to help you turn unto your back, and now that you were facing each other, you gazed at him. He could see the raw want in your eyes. His little touches might have just nudged you over the edge.

Without so much as a word you pulled him down, sighing when his lips finally met yours. His body covered your own protectively, not leaning his full weight, just enough that you could feel him. And boy did it feel good.

Your hands were hooked around his neck as you kissed him hungrily. It may have been your hormones, or the fact that you'd been dying to kiss him for who knows how long. Raph didn't mind one bit. This time when his hand landed on your chest, you moaned, begging for more. Raph let out a throaty chuckle when he managed to pull back, giving you a chance to catch your breath. "Ya better keep yer voice down. Wouldn't want ya family catching us."

Family, wow, you completely forgot about those people.

Raph was just staring at you now, and it made you a bit flustered.

"Q-Quit staring." you mutter.

"Why can't I, I'm admiring my woman."

"Y-Your woman! I never agreed to that!" You're dream come true, not that you would say that aloud.

"Guess that means we can't kiss anymore." He looked like he was about to move away, but you grabbed the strap across his chest.

"W-Wait!! I-I guess being your woman wouldn't be the worst thing in the world." He knew secretly you were overjoyed, even if you were trying your hardest to cover it up.

"Whatever ya say shrimp."

"I'm not a shrimp I'm a grown woman!!"

This would be a very interesting relationship.

94 notes · View notes

gch1995 · 4 years ago

Text

I’m actually watching the 2016 PPG reboot. While in some ways it is actually nice to see the girls hanging out and interacting more like sisters in slice of life scenarios, it is irritating that they aren’t really doing a ton of saving the day.

Remember the occasional flaw in the writing for the OG cartoon of Buttercup getting subject to mean spirited centrics where she and/or her loved ones were subject to character derailment in order for her to be punished, suffer, and/or get double standards? Well, that’s not a problem in the 2016 reboot anymore? She does most of the saving, and gets a most of the attention in the reboot.

Unfortunately, they’ve created a new problem by focusing too much on Buttercup in the reboot, however. Now, Blossom and Bubbles don’t have much relevance.

While the OG PPG classic cartoon was a great show overall, I won’t deny that there were bad episodes and ooc moments here and there, but what have they done to the girls personalities here in the reboot on the whole, though?

Blossom has become a butt-monkey, a Yandere, and a neat freak. She still likes getting good grades, but she’s more bossy and naggy than the intelligent, mature, and resilient leader she was in original.

Bubbles has become “cute, but psycho” trope most of the time in the reboot, whereas in the OG cartoon, “Bubblevicious” was mostly just a one time thing when she went off the rails because she wanted to stop being seen as a “baby.”

Buttercup originally was the “toughest fighter” with a tomboyish personality and a bit of an instigator side, but like, she had restraint and common sense most of the time. Here in the reboot, she destroys an entire state fair and accidentally gives Bubbles a black eye because a villain called her “Princess.” Really? WTF? Also, she just seems to have become much more openly obnoxious and bratty. Like, why would she make fun of Ms. Keane for teaching a grammar lesson? Why would she steal Octi from Bubbles without provocation? She didn’t always respect authority in the original cartoon, and she did like to mess with Bubbles in the OG cartoon. However, she’d never been this petty and disrespectful in the og cartoon.

Don’t get me started on how wrong the writers got the Professor in the 2016 reboot...It’s probably the worst character assassination in the reboot, actually. While he had some OOC moments in the original cartoon of bad parenting in some bad episodes that didn’t make any sense, such as “Moral Decay,” “Daylight Savings,” and “Keen on Keane,” for the most part, Professor Utonium from the OG cartoon was a really great dad to the girls. He was attentive, brave, kind, caring, intelligent, reasonably strict, protective, and selfless more often than not in the og cartoon “Boogie Frights,” “PowerProf,” “Collect Her,” “Knock it Off,” “Beat Your Greens,” “Little Miss Interprets,” the 2002 prequel movie, “Film Flam,” “Get Back Jojo,” “Nano of the North,” “Helter Shelter,” “Supper Villain,” “Just Desserts,” “The PowerPuff Girls Best Rainy Day Adventure,” “Pet Feud,” “The Mane Event,” “Stray Bullet,” “Meet The Beat-Alls,” “Octi-Gone,” “Oops, I did it Again,” and “Members Only” showed just how much he loved those girls, and just how great of a dad he could be. Sometimes he could be an absent-minded, overprotective, and embarrassingly cheesy Dad™️ in episodes like “Uh Oh, Dynamo” and “Powerprof.” However, he really did love Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup more than anything, and would risk anything to protect them. He really loved to hang out with them, and he usually took a genuine interest in what they were doing.

In the 2016 reboot, however, the Professor is more often than not a completely idiotic, insensitive, neglectful, reckless, and selfish manchild. Whenever he has centrics, the girls actually parent him more than he actually parents them. He barely seems to care about them at all. He is such an idiot that he actively endangers them by locking them up all in a room together where they can’t escape when he thinks one of them is about to turn into a monster, rather than isolating them all in separate chambers, which is something that the OG Professor never would have ever done before with any of the girls, not even in his most OOC moments. In the original cartoon, Professor Utonium created the girls because he wanted to raise some kids, and make the world a better place. In the reboot, he actually created a PowerPuff Girl before Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup called Bliss, just because he wanted to win a science fair. Really?

While there were occasional hints that Buttercup was kind of the black sheep of the family in the OG cartoon, mostly thanks to the writers not knowing how to write centrics around a tomboy in a positive light, in my opinion, rather than the characters themselves, Professor Utonium never once told any of the girls he had any favorites between them. In the reboot, he lets it slip that Bliss was “his favorite daughter,” which instantly makes Buttercup feel hurt. Though he tries to reassure that he doesn’t actually have any favorites, the damage is already kind of done. In the reboot, when Blossom is concerned about not ever leveling up in her powers like her sisters, the Professor actually makes it worse by telling her that she might never level up in her powers, and might just become a normal little girl. In the OG cartoon, if the girls ever confided in the Professor, he was never this insensitive and stupid.

Also, why did they take out the backstory of Mojo’s connection to the girls in the reboot? Now, he’s just a boring one-note chimpanzee villain with a big brain, who talks in the third person, and who acts stupid more often than not. It also just makes the Professor look more incompetent than he originally was in the og cartoon.

However, I’m going to get through this whole thing, no matter how stupid and insulting to the original it gets.

#classic ppg #classic ppg>2016 ppg #anti 2016 ppg reboot #2016 PPG #I do sort of like how the girls are a bit closer in the 2016 version but they also got so much wrong!#I’m actually watching the 2016 PPG reboot #WTF did the writers do to these characters?

9 notes · View notes

susiephone · 4 years ago

Text

my big gay folklore narrative

This is my best construction of the folklore narrative, specifically the Teenage Love Triangle. While some of these connections are obvious, some are just me going full Pepe Silvia and interpreting the characters in ways you may disagree with. And, again, this is super-duper gay. (Yes, James is female in my mind. I know a lot of people point out it can be a girl’s name -- which it can, so valid -- but I personally like to imagine she’s one of like 20 Jessicas or Ashleys at their school and goes by her last name. Either way, it works.)

Our story is set in a small town in Pennsylvania in the late 90s/early 2000s, and it concerns four girls: James, Betty, Inez, and August. I will do this story roughly chronological order, but due to the nature of the album there will be some jumping.

seven

When Betty is young, things at home aren’t easy. Her father is abusive and she doesn’t feel safe there, but she does have solace in a childhood friend of hers. Her friend does her best to protect her (“I think you should come live with me, and we can be pirates, and you won’t have to cry, or hide in the closet”), and they love each other very much.

Sadly, her friend moves out of Pennsylvania with her family when they’re young, and because this is pre-internet, they lose track of each other, and years later, Betty’s friend only half-remembers her -- but she still holds a fond place in her heart. (“And even though I can’t recall your face, I still got love for you.”)

cardigan / exile / august / betty

I’m lumping these four together because I think they all happen in the same year or so, constantly overlapping each other.

Flash forward to high school. By now, Betty’s father has left her and her mother, which is for the best, but the whole ordeal was pretty traumatic. (“I knew you, leaving like a father, running like water.”) She’s bisexual but closeted, and James is one of her classmates. James is a rebellious tomboy and it’s basically an open secret among the adults (and most of their classmates) that she’s probably a lesbian, but she’s still closeted. (“I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything.”)

The two girls become close friends, and eventually begin kissing and holding hands in private, but both are too scared to go further, or to come out and say that they really care for each other. Betty tries to broach the topic multiple times, but James brushes her off.

Finally, Betty plucks up the courage to suggest she and James go to the spring dance together, as a couple, and let the chips fall where the may.

James, in true disaster lesbian fashion, freaks the fuck out and says “no,” even claiming it was only a fling to her. Which is total crap, and deep down they both know it, but Betty’s really hurt. The night of the dance, James has a change of heart, realizes she needs to take a stand and show Betty how much she loves her (“Tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy”), so gets all dolled up and she goes to the dance... and sees Betty dancing with a guy. (“I can see you starin', honey, like he's just your understudy. Like you'd get your knuckles bloody for me. Second, third, and hundredth chances, balancin' on breaking branches. Those eyes add insult to injury.” / “I hate the crowds, you know that. Plus, I saw you dance with him.”)

Hurt and angry, James leaves. Betty follows, and they have a massive fight; James accuses Betty of using her, while Betty calls her a coward. (“You never gave me a sign.” “I gave so many signs!”) They call things off and it’s miserable.

While James is walking home from the dance, August, a classmate of theirs who’s out and proud, offers her a ride home. (“High heels on cobblestones” / “I was walking home on broken cobblestones, just thinking of you when she pulled up like a figment of my worst intentions. She said "James, get in, let's drive.”) Soon, this turns into a fling. Being with August is a nice distraction, and helps James fully come to terms with the fact that she’s gay, but she desperately misses Betty. However, when Inez finds out August and James are a thing, she mentions it to Betty, who responds by avoiding James altogether.

Unbeknownst to James, August is really falling for her. August, meanwhile, is aware that she’s a runner-up to who James really wants, but she hopes that eventually James will see her the same way she sees her. (“For me, it was enough to live for the hope of it all. Canceled plans just in case you'd call and say, ‘Meet me behind the mall.’ So much for summer love and saying ‘us,’ ‘cause you weren't mine to lose.”)

But summer ends, and James breaks things off with August, determined to get Betty back. She works up the courage to go to Betty’s party, ask forgiveness, and rekindle their relationship; for real this time. (“Will you have me? Will you love me? Will you kiss me on the porch in front of all your stupid friends? If you kiss me, will it be just like I dreamed it? Will it patch your broken wings? I'm only seventeen, I don't know anything, but I know I miss you. Standing in your cardigan, kissing in my car again. Stopped at a streetlight, you know I missed you.”)

mirrorball

I like to imagine “mirrorball” is told from the perspective of Inez, the school gossip. James claims “you can’t believe a word she says most times,” which I take to mean that she has a bit of rep, and is known to exaggerate. I think Inez is one of those girls who became the girl who’s up in everyone’s business because she wants people to like and pay attention to her, but doesn’t think she’s impressive enough on her own. (“I can change everything about me to fit in.”) And, to an extent, it works. When something happens, people look to her to get the dirt. Whether the story she circulates is true is an entirely different matter. (“I can show you every version of yourself tonight.”)

The result is, well into adulthood, Inez has a reputation for being a “people person,” but deep down, she feels like she’s faking it. (“I’ve never been a natural; all I do is try, try, try.”)

the 1

This song is from August’s perspective years later, when she’s all grown up and looking back at her fling with James. She’s doing good these days, dating people and living her life, but she does think back on what could’ve been. She’s not bitter, but she does wonder how life might’ve turned out if James picked her instead of Betty. (“It would’ve been fun if you would’ve been the one...”)

hoax / peace

These two also take place at roughly the same time, as Betty and James finish high school as a couple and finally truly grow up. (“Our coming-of-age has come and gone. Suddenly this summer, it's clear, I never had the courage of my convictions as long as danger is near.”)

Between the reactions of people around them, both of their insecurities, Betty’s history of people hurting her, and James’ impulsiveness, things aren’t easy. (“I could never give you peace.” / “Stood at the cliffside, screaming, ‘Give me a reason.’”) However, neither are willing to call it quits. (“Don’t want no other shade of blue but you.”)

So, things aren’t all rosy right away. But they resolve to make it work. (“All these people think love’s for show, but I would die for you in secret.”) It takes a long time, but I like to think that eventually, they do.

invisible string

This could be seen as being from either Betty or James’ perspective, years later - once they’ve both fully grown up and their relationship has matured. It talks about how past bad relationships led them to each other. As we’ve seen, both were with people who weren’t right for them - but it all eventually led to them being able to be together. (“Were there clues I didn't see? And isn't it just so pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?”)

the last great american dynasty

This is totally irrelevant to the love triangle, but how fun is it to imagine this song as one of Inez’s many wild stories? As an adult, she’s making bank, and still drawing controversy everywhere--and loving it. (“I had a marvelous time ruining everything.”)

#folklore #teenage love triangle #the teenage love triangle #gaylor #betty #kaylor #taylor swift #abuse cw #suicide mention cw

67 notes · View notes

sally-mun · 4 years ago

Text

I know I mentioned in another recent post that I really want to get back to doing my “shows,” but before I can get started I have a couple of other things to finish first, one of which is working on zines. The one I’m currently working on is a Ranma ½ zine, and it’s been an interesting experience -- both because of working on the zine itself, and because of my own history with this series.

That’s right, it’s time for another rip-roarin’ Sally-mun ramble!

My first encounter with Ranma ½ was on my 15th birthday. A friend of mine, one of the only other anime fans I knew because it was still relatively unknown in the US, got me the second graphic novel, which is as much as had been officially translated at the time. Going into the story with no context was confusing to say the least, but it also intrigued me enough to look up whatever info I could find on the few stray bits of internet that covered the series, and it was enough to get me hooked.

That said, I also had kind of a difficult time being a fan, because I honestly didn’t like Ranma himself. Like, at all. I found it confusing that the author would write the protagonist to be so blatantly and outwardly unlikable, and as a result I found myself just sort of looking past him and trying to follow the lives of the other characters. I was appalled at the sort of things he would say to Akane; his constant jabbing that she’s not cute, she’s stupid, no one will ever like her because she’s a tomboy, his frequent judgements of her body... I gotta say, they really resonated with me. I couldn’t help putting myself in Akane’s shoes, and in a weird way I felt personally hurt by his insults. I really admired Akane’s strength and the fact that she never let his bullying get to her, because I know it probably would’ve destroyed me. And this is just the way he treats her; I was equally uncomfortable with the way Ranma antagonizes and harasses several other characters in the series as well. I loved the series and I enjoyed following it, but there was always this uneasy feeling inside of me anytime Ranma opened his mouth.

The last time I read or watched this series was probably in my early 20′s. I worked really hard to track down all the DVD seasons (which were exceptionally rare and expensive at the time), and once I completed my set, I felt such a relief and satisfaction that I put the story down and, it turns out, I hadn’t picked it up again since. It’s been a decade or so since I was actively engaging with this series, so when I got accepted to work on this Ranma ½ zine, I’ll admit that there was a part of me that felt a mild degree of panic. Yes, I’m still a fan, but I’m not very deep in the weeds right now; I honestly wasn’t even sure if I could decently write the characters, including and especially Ranma himself. In fact, I realized, I didn’t want to write about Ranma. I didn’t want to write about a character that I probably wouldn’t willingly spend time with in real life.

In the end, however, none of that mattered, because I signed on with this zine and I needed to be an adult and honor that commitment. Since it’s been such a long time since I’ve read or watched this series anyway, I decided to binge on the anime again for the first time in all these years. And this is why I’m writing this long-ass post tonight, because even though I’m only a couple seasons in right now, I have been absolutely shocked to find that my perspective on this story has completely changed. My teenage self can’t even believe I’m saying this, but I seem to have switched sides. I now find Ranma extremely sympathetic, and Akane to be the bully.

Although there is still a part of me that feels for her when Ranma really digs in with his insults, it pales in comparison to how upset I get with Akane over her treatment of Ranma. The fact that she’ll purposefully go as far out of her way as possible to paint Ranma as a jerk is honestly something that’s interfering with my enjoyment of the show. She does have her nice moments here and there, but if any opportunity arises for Akane to scream about Ranma doing something allegedly reprehensible, she’ll take it -- no matter how many people point out the very simple and innocent alternate explanations.

With Akane relentlessly campaigning against him, it honestly comes as no surprise anymore that Ranma snaps at her and antagonizes her. It’s about all he can do to vent his frustrations sometimes, and if she’s going to depict him as a jerk no matter what, he may as well let off some steam in the process. Ranma’s situation is difficult enough just having to deal with his curse, but then to also get forcefully engaged to someone who intentionally sees the worst in him? If anything, I’m now surprised at how much he holds back. He could easily be as nasty to her as she is to him, but he actually takes it kind of easy on her, all things considered. And don’t forget, he rarely gets a break from her; they not only live together, but also go to school together. They’re in each other’s faces all the time. I’m pretty sure I’d have had a few choice things to say to her too if I were in his shoes.

It’s even more frustrating when you consider that she doesn’t even have a good reason TO be treating him this way. This all started because of a mishap that was nobody’s fault. Ranma’s not at fault, Akane’s not at fault, NO ONE is at fault here. Ranma had no reason to believe that anyone (let alone Akane) would walk in on him getting out of the bath, and Akane had no reason to think a boy would be in there. I’m sure she felt embarrassed and violated and wronged, and I DO feel for her in that regard, but that is not his fault. If, IF, IF we’re going to assign fault to anyone, it could honestly only be hers, because one could argue that Akane could’ve at least knocked or announced herself prior to joining Ranma (as a female) in the bath. Furthermore, she doesn’t even acknowledge that this mishap went both ways, as Ranma points out himself that she got a good long look at him, too. He was just as exposed as she was, but she immediately disregards his point and tells him “it’s different when a girl sees a boy,” whatever that means.

Akane is too stubborn to admit to herself that she’s the only one you even could assign blame to, too hypocritical to acknowledge that she wasn’t the only victim, and too immature to just let the damn thing go. It’s a really bad mix that becomes the driving force behind her relationship with him from day one. Akane wants retribution for the crime she’s convinced herself that Ranma committed, so she INSISTS that he’s a no-good pervert because she’s mad that no one was on her side that day. If she couldn’t convince them then, then by god she’s going to convince them eventually, which is why she just will not fucking stop trying to paint Ranma as a perverted jerk. She takes any opportunity she gets to show off his allegedly bad intentions, because to her it’s just another step closer to getting people to see she really was justified on that first day. And Ranma is forced to keep tolerating this, day in and day out, regardless of what he does or doesn’t do.

So what does all this mean?

I think this means that this series is exceptionally well-written, more than anything. At the time that I first discovered this series, I was only marginally younger than Akane herself. I related to her so strongly that I was only capable of seeing the situation from her side, and only able to relate to her emotions and her experiences. As I stated in the beginning, I felt like Ranma’s insults hurt me personally, rather than just empathizing with Akane for him hurting her. This tells me that, for all of her faults, Akane is exceptionally on-point for a girl in her mid-teens. Yes, she’s being immature and petty and unreasonable, but she’s also only 16. That’s how we are at that age, and sometimes it’s easy to forget about that once you grow past it. Teenage years are that shitty point in your life where you feel like you’re so sure that you’ve FINALLY got everything figured out, when in reality you aren’t even capable of understanding the depth of how much you don’t know. Akane holds her grudge against Ranma because she’s so sure she’s right, and she’s determined to find validation for that if it’s the last thing she does, because that’s how most of us viewed the world at 16.

But that’s one of the things that makes my revisit to this series so extraordinary: Akane’s not able to grow and change, but I am. I’ll never be able to view the series the same way I did as a teenager, because I’ve had so many new experiences and so much time to grow since then. I can certainly remember the point of view I had and why, but I’ll never actually have that same view again. I’ve learned so much more about the world, about people and relationships, about morals and ethics... all kinds of things that she can’t, because she’s necessarily frozen in time as a character in a story. Akane doesn’t get to evolve with her readers over the years, and it makes for a fascinating snapshot of where I was mentally and emotionally at that time.

I think the biggest and most critical difference between then and now is my self-esteem. When I first connected with this series, I had basically no love for myself and no confidence that anyone else would ever see anything valuable in me. I was in a place where it was not only very easy for words to hurt me, but for those words to stick with me, sometimes for years after the fact. Ranma, despite simply being a character in a book, was effortlessly able to hurt me on a particularly deep level because that’s how delicate I was at the time of reading it. He hurt me so much that I was completely unable to see his point of view; all I could see was someone being cruel for seemingly no reason, and as such I saw Akane’s treatment of him as completely justified.

20 years later, however, it now reads as a completely different story. I don’t share Akane’s kneejerk reaction to these situations anymore, and I’m more focused on thought process and reasoning. I’m more able to recognize when I’m missing information and need to investigate more, more accountable for when I’ve done something wrong, and more willing to let small things go. Hell, I have a better understanding of what “small things” even are. When I was Akane’s age, none of the incidents happening in the story seemed like small things, but now? Now I just don’t have time for that kind of minutia. It’s... wait for it... childish. Because teenagers are still children, no matter how much we didn’t want to admit it at that time.

But that’s part of the genius of how this series is written. Not only did I instantly fall into the same mental trap as Akane when I WAS her age, but now that I’m not anymore, I look back on it as just kids getting wrapped up in their microcosm of the world. No matter how much I get frustrated at Akane for being horrible to Ranma, I can’t not admit to myself that she’s not an adult yet, so in some way it’s me being the unreasonable one by trying to hold her to adult expectations. She’s still got a lot to learn because she’s still just a kid. I literally used to be just like her at one point in my life. If I was able to mature past that sort of behavior, then I’d like to think that, if Akane were able to age, then she probably would one day too.

#Ranma 1/2 #Akane Tendo #THIS WENT ON FOR A WHILE SORRY #might end up being an article later #we'll see

23 notes · View notes

forkanna · 4 years ago

Link

[AO3] [WATTPAD] [QUOTEV]

WARNING: NSFW. (If you hadn't noticed, haha)

CHAPTER FIVE

"STEP on you?!"

Yukiko nodded, rolling up to bow low, hands elegantly resting on the floor in front of her as her forehead touched just behind them. "It would give me great honour to be walked upon by you, my Prince."

This was insane. Chie knew it was somehow all tied up in the whole ownership fantasy — that their shadows had conspired to make her the owner and Yukiko the property. Something neither of them had ever consciously pursued, considered, anticipated… yet here they were, confronting it outside of the Midnight Channel. In the real world. And that felt even crazier than there being a Midnight Channel in the first place.

"Okay," she whispered, pushing to her knees and swallowing hard as she watched the elegant girl remain in her low bow. As if worshipping her. "Can I try it, a-and if you don't like it, at least we'll know? But you better promise to tell me if you don't like it!"

"Yes, my Prince," Yuki whispered. After a moment, she looked up at the clearly-flustered tomboy. "I-is… this too strange? I don't even understand why… I want you to…"

"Well, it's strange, but not too strange. I mean, if you're going to like it, then hey, I wanna make you happy! I just… am worried about, um, hurting you, I guess. Or making you feel bad."

Yukiko's flawless features easily flowed into a serene smile. "You won't hurt me. I know — I trust that."

"Oh. Well, that's…" Some would-be Dom she was, with her cheeks lighting up like fireworks.

"Do you not want to step on me?" she finally asked. "Y-you don't have to. It was just an idea."

"N-no, it's cool. We can…"

Chie finally stood up, towering over her half-dressed friend. Watching her peer up at her as she laid on her back, perfect little pink lips slightly parted. This was deranged. Just because their shadows had revealed the dark desires in their hearts didn't mean they should be giving in to them. Did it? Weren't they supposed to be becoming better versions of themselves?

"So… like… step on you where? Your head, face? Boob?"

Yukiko giggled softly as her bare shoulders shrugged. "'Boob'. I don't know, either. This is all new to me."

"You say that like I'm some pro."

"Well… you are the one who's seen those videos."

"None of them involved this!" Still, she raised her leg, trying to figure out where to land. In the end, she opted for somewhere fairly neutral: Yukiko's shoulder. "This… is it okay?"

"It's fine," she promised her, cheeks still rosy from all their activities. When Chie still looked uncomfortable, she tilted her head over to kiss her toes. "I mean it. You aren't even hurting me yet."

Her voice was a little hoarse when she managed, "Yet?"

"Well… I expected it to hurt. Even if you aren't whipping me or… or whatever your shadow was doing."

This was difficult for Chie. On the one hand, it was a little hot, but on the other hand the overwhelming majority of her personality didn't like that she was subjugating her best friend. Normally, she would listen to that more, but Yukiko was encouraging her to indulge that quieter, more sinister desire. Might as well test it out just once.

"Really?" Licking her lips in a vain attempt to dispel her nerves, she gradually lifted her foot to press it against Yukiko's lips. "So you… still want me to leave footprints all over your face?"

The little innkeeper flushed a darker shade, breath hitching. She held completely still for a moment before saying in a muffled tone, "Yes, my Prince."

Heat shot straight to her core — even as a slight thrill tingled its way up her leg, since the breath on her foot tickled very slightly. This was really happening, wasn't it? Against all odds, she was putting her best friend in her place. She leaned a little harder against that leg, just to give it the tiniest bit of impression of being stomped on — without running the risk of hurting her for real, of course.

"Then show me. Sh-show me how much you like it when I step on you."

Despite the nerves she was clearly displaying, Yukiko did as she was asked. Her lips pushed up into the toes, eyes closing as she paid homage to the new Master she had just found. Chie squirmed, toes flexing, and tried hard to keep her balance despite this precarious position. This was insane — she really didn't mind kissing her stinky foot?!

"Is that good, my Prince?"

"Y-yes," she hastily stammered, moving to stand above her. So far it was exciting, but she knew she would probably laugh if it kept up because of being ticklish, and might lose her balance. "Now I want you on your hands and knees."

Completely obedient, she flipped over and got into position. Chie could see just how soaking wet she was, since the dark spot on her panties was impossible to miss from that angle. Her own desires began to brew afresh, and she was tempted to drop down and kiss everything she saw… but she tried to push that temptation down. Save it for another time. Possibly only a few minutes into the future.

"Like this?"

Gulp. "Yes. Arch your back a little." Once she had, she reached down to grab a generous handful of that perky ass.

"A-ah!" Yukiko gasped out, back arching even more as her heat spiked. Amazing that they had both already got off but this neophyte domination play was bringing their desire back so effortlessly. Maybe their shadows were onto something.

"Such a bad little girl you are. You want your prince this much but never said anything? Shame on you!" The words still felt foreign on her tongue but she was doing her best. "We're gonna have to work on that."

Whimpering hard enough to be audible, she gasped out, "Y-yes, Prince! I'm sorry!"

"Oh yeah? You're sorry? Not good enough!" Her hand reared back…

And she hesitated. This was different; everything so far had either been loving or merely playful. Was she truly prepared to cause her best friend pain, no matter how brief?

"Chie?" Yukiko whispered.

"Huh?"

"Y-you don't have to keep going. I know this is… different, and we're both really new to any of it. So I'm not going to be upset if you-"

"No, no, I can do it," she whispered back. "Sorry." Then she cleared her throat and said louder, almost theatrically, "You ready for your punishment, you little… butt?!"

Seemingly unable to help it, her sub giggled at that would-be insult. "Oh no, don't do it, my Prince! Please, I'll be good!"

Chie really saw no other way to put an end to her own mortification and Yukiko's amusement but to deliver a swift smack to her inviting cheeks. She got the most delightful squeak for her efforts. How was it this much fun to punish her best friend? Maybe she really was sick. Maybe the darkness had a lot stronger of a hold on her heart than she wanted to admit.

Not that said best friend seemed to mind. At all. Even a little. Her hips squirmed from side to side, almost as if begging for another hit. So she got one. "AH! Chie!"

"Who?"

"O-oh I- AIYEE!" Another spanking had interrupted her apology. "I'm sorry, my Prince! I'm sorry! Mmhhh, please, be gentle!"

"I thought you didn't want me to be… gentle!"

That spanking made Yukiko moan a little louder. Now she was starting to worry about the noise level; what if someone heard? They would definitely be in trouble, even if they didn't disgust whichever of the staff came running to check on them. She decided she had better be a little bit more careful…

What on Earth was she saying?! This was a terrible thing to be doing to her best friend. Even if she could no longer pretend the desire to treat her this way wasn't there, and the reciprocal desire in Yukiko, it didn't make it right. Maybe using the noise levels as an excuse to stop was for the best.

"Prince?" Her hips squirmed a little as she looked over her shoulder at Chie. "Is… everything all right?"

"O-oh, I'm… yeah. Totally fine. I was just thinking… should… I call my parents? Let them know I'm okay? And you probably want to go take a bath in the hot springs, or…"

Her best friend turned to look at her properly, a frown etched in her fair features. "Hey. Did you think you were really hurting me just now?" She got no response other than flustered squirming, and her smile clearly communicated she thought she was right. "You weren't. I promise you I am just fine."

"But I was… this is really fucked up. Isn't it? I feel like I should be arrested for this kind of thing. You're so gorgeous and perfect, why would I ever wanna even risk hurting you for real?"

"Chie…" It only took a few seconds for her arms to be around the tomboy, nestling her gentle face into the crook of her neck. "We should definitely stop."

"No, c'mon. If you want to do-"

"No," she repeated a little more firmly. "Let's both go make use of the hot spring. Okay? And we can just relax and talk about these things, because… we have all the time in the world. There isn't any rush."

Feeling as stupid as she was grateful, she clung back to her best friend with a heavy sigh. "Okay. And I mean… y-yeah."

"We're both virgins — well, we were until today. Right? I think it's alright for us to have to learn our limits as we go. I'm flying just as blind as you are."

"Guess… that's true…" Finally, she began to relax and leaned into the embrace. "Yuki-chan, how are you so great? Like, seriously."

She was so close that Chie could feel the little chuckle up against her own chest. That made her heart skip over a beat. What a ridiculous crush this already was; they really were made for each other. "I'm not. Just trying my best to be your little bitch."

"WHAT?!"

"W-well," Yukiko amended as she dipped her head in alarm, "I… that's what your shadow called me. And since mine was wearing a collar…"

"Oh. But we don't have to do that! Like, that's crazy! You're not a dog, I don't want you to be a dog, either!"

Her tone was totally reasonable. "Don't you? I mean, somewhere in your heart?"

"I…" Cheeks warming, she slammed her eyes shut. "Yes. But it's more like… I guess I saw you that way because you seemed dependent on me. But that was just my fucked-up way of thinking about it, y'know? Not like, you actually are that way, or that it's what I want. Is… am I making any sense?"

"Well my shadow sure seemed to enjoy being on yours' leash," she said with a small, sly smile. Making Chie gulp again. "But we don't have to do that — right away, or ever."

Letting out a sigh of relief, she held onto Yukiko for support. "Good. No offense, but I'm not ready to…"

"Y-yeah," she confirmed with a giggle. "You're not, I can tell. There's nothing wrong with taking our time, like I said."

"Yeah!" Laughing louder and more boisterously, she scratched the back of her neck. "So um, let's hit the bath, and we can figure ourselves out more later, right?"

Nodding with a patient, excited smile as she retrieved her yukata, she said, "Absolutely, my Prince."

~ o ~

They enjoyed a late lunch before retiring to the baths. Yukiko took a staffer aside as they entered, speaking quietly to her while Chie glanced over curiously. But she decided to leave her to it; probably Amagi Inn business that was none of hers. So she finished undressing and quickly rinsed off, then left her towel by the edge of the spring as she began to edge into the roiling hot water.

"Oooh! AH! Mmm, God it hurts so good…" Closing her eyes, she began to sink down like a melting icicle, totally at peace with the world. The scent of sulfur in the air was a small price to pay for the restorative dip.

It was another few minutes before she heard steps — bare feet moving across the stones from the wooden deck. Chie opened her eyes to see Yukiko had a towel around her body and another folded atop her head, and looked perfectly serene in her surroundings. This was her home, after all.

"Ahhh, the heat must be getting to me," Chie said in a voice convincingly like a random guy. "A vision of a goddess appears!"

Yukiko let out a "pfff" as she dropped her body-towel to one side and slowly began to slide into the water. She barely had to ooh and ahh; she had probably bathed in it several times a week for her entire life. "Oh, Chie… that does feel nice to hear, but you don't have to keep doing that."

"Doing what? Being honest?" As Yukiko laughed, she leaned back to relax again. "You really are super pretty. I'm not just buttering you up; I always thought that. Guess I just didn't realise I thought about it as much as I did. Pretty dumb, huh?"

"Not when I'm in the same boat," she countered smoothly as she pressed in close to Chie's side, wrapping her arms around one of hers. She shivered at the sensation of a nipple sliding over her skin but suppressed any further comment.

"Mmmm, I guess… that's true."

"So. You wanted to talk about how spanking me made you feel?"

Dipping her head, she muttered under her breath, "N-not unless I have to…" But the pointed look from Yukiko made her sigh. "Okay. So… like, it was really hot, but it also made me want to protect you. From me! Isn't that crazy?!"

"Not at all," she whispered as she pressed her lips into Chie's warm cheek, causing the latter to smile and lean into the contact. Yukiko giggled quietly. "I think it's very sweet. But I also know a part of you wants to punish me, and a part of me wants to be punished. So…"

"So what? We just live with it because I'm a big chicken?"

"NO!" They both laughed a little. "Not a chicken. You're my brave hero."

That line made Chie grin much more giddily, even if she felt like her face was on fire. "N-nah. You're just too important to the world not to save."

"The world, psh. I highly doubt anyone would know I was gone, except for my family and friends."

"Are you kidding? You're famous!" At her friend's dubious look, she amended, "Well, you were already Inaba-famous, and now you've been on the news and everybody knows you're smokin' hot. So like, pretty famous now, right?"

"I suppose," she whispered shyly, before clearing her throat. "But you're trying to distract me. Perhaps we should do some research."

"Research? On whether you're smokin' hot?"

With a little smirk, she muttered, "I have a feeling you can do that all on your own. No, I meant into you punishing me."

"OH! Oh, that. Well, u-um…" She would have tugged at her collar if she had one. "I mean, how would you even do that? Looking at porn again? I would feel pretty weird watching it with you. Hell, I'd feel weird watching it by myself again!"

"Other-Chie had a whip, too…"

That silenced her friend for a few seconds. She kicked her feet, watching them bounce lazily in the murky water. Then she whispered, "I don't want that."

"You obviously do."

"No… it's just the kinkiest thing I've ever heard of. I think our shadows kind of… take little pieces of stuff we want, and blow them up as big as they possibly can. To get us to freak out. Like, do you honestly want to be my dog, wearing a damn collar?"

No reply. Chie slowly turned to look down at her blushing friend.

"There are worse fates," she finally whispered.

"Yuki-chan…?"

"It would mean I really do belong to you. It should sound degrading, but it's you. That is what I want, even if a collar and leash is a bit literal."

Gulping, she rubbed up and down Yukiko's back for a moment as she pondered the ramifications. Her friend wanted a collar? Or no — she wouldn't mind a collar, because what she wanted was what it represented. That wasn't quite the same thing but was close enough that she still felt surprised.

"So…" She swallowed hard. "If I did get you a collar… would you react the way your shadow did?" The way Yukiko bit her lip and tried not to grin said it all. "Whoa…"

"Is that so bad? Maybe it's a little extreme…"

"No! No, it's cool, just like… a really big engagement ring, or something! R-right? One that goes around your neck instead! Y-yeah!"

Yukiko kissed the corner of her mouth. "You're adorable when you're flustered." When Chie only turned her head slightly, she repeated the action more firmly against her lips. "My reluctant Prince."

"Shut up already," she grumbled, even if she was smiling. They embraced tightly for a moment, relaxing and letting the heat from the springs penetrate their bones. "Mmm… I'm still really shocked over here. My best friend is my… can I say… is the word 'girlfriend' right?"

"Oh. I guess I haven't thought about that part yet." Eyes wide, she looked up at her curiously. "Is that what you want to call me?"

"I, uh, I think so? I don't know…" Yukiko didn't push. Eventually, Chie whispered, "Yeah."

All smiles, she whispered, "And you can still just be my Prince. I think I like that better than 'girlfriend' for you… and you sure aren't my boyfriend."

"Thank you," she sighed in obvious relief. "I hear plenty of kids saying I'm too much like a boy, so like, I'm glad you're not trying to put me in that box, too."

"Does it bother you that much? Everyone calling you a boy."

Chie sighed, nuzzling the top of Yukiko's head — careful not to dislodge her towel. "At first, it was kinda cool, almost. Like they were saying I was strong because I know martial arts, and am no pushover. But then it was like… I don't want to actually be a boy, I want to be a strong girl. Y'know? So what they say gets to me sometimes. My shadow saw that, kept bringing up how I'm not very girly and I'm jealous of how cute and feminine you are."

"Hmph," Yukiko sighed through her nostrils, staring out across the gently bubbling water. "Then that was very rude of your shadow. Of course, she seemed to be rude most of the time…"

"Mm, you ain't lying." Her hands began to rub up and down her arms, pulling her even closer. "You feel really good."

"Do I?" When Chie nodded, she smiled and melted into the embrace. "I've been waiting for a long time for someone to say that to me."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Just because I didn't expect it to be you didn't mean my shadow wasn't right, as well: I wanted a Prince to dote on me. To make me feel special."

The tomboy thought about that for a moment, leaning back against the rocks with her junior innkeeper in her arms. They really could have collided together like this at any time. How backwards was their society that such a love was discouraged, or looked down upon? Perhaps it wasn't met with so much hatred as it was in the west but it was still unfortunate. There were probably tons of couples that were equally unlucky — maybe even at their school.

"Then I'm gonna say it to you every day for the rest of your life."

Giggling, Yukiko lightly swatted her forearm. "Stop."

"Why? Why stop? I mean it."

"Stop because… it sounds… too good to be true. But I'll get used to this eventually, my Prince."

Then she surprised her by rolling over and straddling her lap, sliding her arms around Chie's shoulders. She only had time to blink before she was being kissed soundly by a delicate angel. Her mind went blank, her heart thudding hard in her chest as she wrapped her arms tightly around her and held her as close as was humanly possible, eyes closing to let the moment surround her rather than slip past like so many others.

A little at a time, she began to notice their hips were moving — a natural reaction. She broke the kiss to pant quietly, "I guess… if I had a dick, this would be leading to… something else."

"Y-yes, I… I suppose… that's true." She snickered. "And you just said you didn't want to be a boy."

"Well, I don't! But like, it would make at least one thing easier…"

"Important things don't always come easily, Prince. Now… do you want something more from me?"

"Oh… well…" Her hands slid down and began to knead Yukiko's ass cheeks. Their owner gasped, posture going rigid. "I could think of a few things."

"Nh! Chie, that's indecent!"

Dipping her head, she whispered, "Sorry! I was just trying to play with you, I don't… know what I'm doing."

"No, no, I'm sorry. It was… an instinct." Drawing back slightly, she tucked a wet strand behind her ear, then caught her towel as it began to slip off into the water. She seemed to decide its perch was precarious since they would be moving a lot more, and instead tossed it onto the nearby rocks. "I have been taught to never be immodest, you know. That's why my shadow… well, she was so…"

"Slutty?"

"Not my choice of words," she hedged, cheeks warming. "But yes. I suppose I've always wanted to be less inhibited." Her smile was tentative, but almost a little proud of itself. "I think I'm making great strides today. Don't you?"

God that smile was adorable. "Y-yeah, of course. You're so hot… and being so hot. Like, are you sure we're not about to get caught? I don't wanna randomly get you in trouble, or… like… force you to let everybody know how we are now."

"Oh? And… how are we?" Her eyebrow arched bemusedly.

"Y'know! Like…" After a moment, she pouted and glared. "You're trying to give me shit, but you're not any more used to the idea than I am, you jerk!"

Giggling, she nuzzled their noses together. "Okay, okay. Yuri. But you're right… I couldn't say it in front of anyone else. Oh — don't worry about intruders, I asked the staff to ensure we would have privacy."

"You did?! Really? Wow…" As Yukiko hugged her tighter, she shook her head. "You think of everything. Man, I wish I was smart like you."

"Chie-chan… I keep telling you, don't I? You are not stupid; you just don't apply yourself in your schoolwork. But if you did, you would be getting grades just as good as mine. Not saying you have to," she headed off the protests. "But you might want to consider studying with me more often. We'll spend more time together, and your grades will be better, and… then whatever your dream is, you can achieve it with the right education."

"Wow, okay, Mom," she goaded, poking her in the ribs. Instantly she squealed and tried to squirm away. "What? That's funny? You think it's funny, huh?!"

Yukiko squealed out "STOOOPAHAHAHAHA!" as she flailed around in the water. Which only made Chie want to poke her even more.

"You can't handle a little of this? Huh?"

"NOOOOHOHOHAHAHAHA!" she cackled, thrashing around and frothing the water with her limbs. Chie couldn't help continuing to punish her little ribs, laughing herself now. "CHIE!"

"Yeeeeeeeeaahh?"

Completely breathless now, she swatted her arm. "Cut that OUAAAHAHA! I can't- I can't breathe!"

Relenting, Chie simply embraced her, feeling that warmth sink into her bones — and not just from the water. This was a level of closeness, of complete emotional openness, that she had always wanted from Yukiko. She simply didn't have the language to ask for it. Maybe Yukiko didn't, either, since she had been raised to never inconvenience anyone and pushing the boundaries of their friendship definitely seemed to fit that category. Luckily, their shadows had conspired to push them together.

"I feel super lucky."

"Hm?" asked a still-breathless Yukiko.

"Uh… to have you, and like… be together. That stuff."

"Aww, such a poet."

Dipping her head, she muttered, "You don't have to be mean. But like, seriously, I know it's probably messed up to be grateful to our shadows, cuz like, they pretty much tried to kill us. Or would have, if we rejected them, but like… maybe that's…"

"Maybe it's what?"

"Maybe that part's not so weird. Like… it hurts to shut out part of yourself."

Yukiko nodded thoughtfully as she caressed up and down her lover's ribcage. "I would tend to agree. They did seem so grateful when we relented and stopped trying to argue against their being part of us."

"Right? And like, now I can feel them. Well, mine, anyway."

"The fighting spirit? Yes… it's like…" Pressing a hand to the center of Chie's chest, and causing the heart lying underneath to skip over a beat, she whispered, "I can feel Konohana Sakuya inside of me, but she cannot be given form anymore. That doesn't mean she's gone, though."

"Yeah. Do you think it's because we're in the real world, and not in the TV?"

"Very likely. We might see them again if we return to that other world."

"Mm." Simply breathing for a moment, she then whispered, "I don't think I want to go back. It's dangerous there, and… I already rescued my world. Got her right here."

Yukiko snickered softly. "What a line." Still, instead of goading her further, she left a light kiss on her lips. "But I feel the same, so perhaps I shouldn't tease."

"Yeah, cut that shit out. Just let me love you." She smirked a little before pushing her lips into Yukiko's again, humming with mingling interest… and relief. They felt the same. Maybe this whole situation wasn't so disastrous after all.

To Be Continued…

#We'll Face Ourselves #persona 4 fanfiction #forkanna writes #p4 fanfic #jess the writer #nsfw-text

2 notes · View notes