#he has done nothing wrong in his life ever

[serailovesbagelsetc]

listen this is a jason todd apologist account.he is my 6’4” built like a double-fridge unimaginably traumatised little cuddle bear honey bunny pookie babygirl and all those words kids use nowadays,and he could kill a man in front of me (he has) and he would still have done nothing wrong,ever,in his life and,I will know it and love him

you can love a character and still admit when they’re wrong. i love jason todd but i can acknowledge his flaws (he has none) & i can hold him accountable for his wrongdoings (he’s never done anything wrong in his life) & call him out for his actions (which are always correct)!

[animeyanderelover]

Black Butler story where Claude, Sebastian, Hannah, and Ash all think reader is their mate/soulmate and fight over them leading to Undertaker finding out about them and becoming obsessed as well. Whether some of them team up and choose to share or not is up to you. Thank you!

Tw: Yandere themes, possessive behavior, obsession, delusional behavior, paranoia, clinginess, manipulation, gaslighting, isolation, abduction, violence, death

Tags: @lovley-valentine7 @leveyani @chxxz

Fighting over the same darling

ᥫ᭡Do you wish to see a whole city burn? For this is a nightmare which can turn frighteningly fast into a reality with not one, not two, not even three but five people who are the farthest thing from human being obsessed with you. Where exactly did it go so terribly wrong for you? Was it when you visited the young Earl of Phantomhive for business and caught the eye of his butler? Was it when you accepted an invitation to a prom in the name of the young Trancy lord accompanied by his butler? Was it when you decided to strike a conversation with the only woman in the household, noticing how she observed from the sidelines rather than being in the center? Or was it when you caught the eye of the butler of her majesty when she made a short appearance in public? Perhaps your fatal mistake starts even before all of those events yet what is undeniable that with each meeting something unraveled and now you are at a point in your life where nothing is like it used to be. A mate bond is a connection immediately forged and felt by the supernatural. A bond which is invisible to your eyes has chained you to four powerful creatures who will go to great lengths to have you.

ᥫ᭡Sebastian is the wolf in gentleman's clothes. Suave, charming and guaranteed to always make your heart flutter. It was he who laid eyes on you first and has been taken with you ever since. Your voice, your scent, your very essence is something that he craves for everyday. Never before has he entertained the thoughts of a mate yet it doesn't take long before he has recognised you as such. If he were aware that he has fair competition he would claim you as his solely because he found you first. Yet he knows that everyone else is far away from traditional honor and fairness hence why such a silly claim would never work. Of course if he were in their position he wouldn't care for that meaningless argument either. He is a demon after all who takes what he desires. For the others he imagines it must be the same. With no allies by his side, Sebastian finds himself working alone. He cannot rely on his master to help him nor could any of the human servants offer more than a short distraction against those he must face. So with a thrilling ensemble of tension and anticipation he enters this fight alone. Centuries of a long and greedy life have taught him lessons that will undoubtedly be useful.

ᥫ᭡Claude is much more direct in his approach. Thoughts of a mate have rarely crossed his mind yet when he finds out that it is you, he is surprised to figure out that he is bonded to a human. Yet there isn't even the briefest hint of disappointment. Just a deep-rooted entitlement that you are his. Whilst still striving to charm and seduce his patience is much shorter than those of many others. He doesn't seek out a long game that many others seem to want to drag on as he wants to claim you as quickly as he can. The actions he takes can therefor be much more aggressive and sometimes even far too impulsive, giving his emotional state of desperation away to his opponents. In Hannah he assumes to have a pawn at the beginning as he has always done the mistake of underestimating her. Yet he soon finds out that the control he believed he has over her is shaky at best as Hannah too has found her mate in you. Working for the same master you would assume that they would work together but Claude doesn't plan to form an alliance as he knows neither one would even entertain the thought of sharing. So he uses her as little as possible by using her weak spot in Alois.

ᥫ᭡If Sebastian is the wolf in a gentleman's skin than Hannah is the wolf hiding behind the sheep's skin. She is quiet and mellow which fools initially everyone and it fools you for the longest time. Differently from the other demons she has found herself wondering about a mate, especially once the death of the little brother of Alois shook her heart more than expected. She is capable of emotions, more than other demons perhaps, but that makes her all the more intense when she finds her mate in you. She doesn't woo and court you as openly as others as she instead seeks to claim your heart through quiet manipulation and a forced dependency on her. Everything that might intimidate or frighten you in those who also chase you, she hides on purpose to create the illusion of a safe space for you when with her. With the demon triplets she has pawns that she can use in her game even though they lack the experience and strength that others posses. Still, she has additional eyes who can watch you and helping hands to set traps and put her plans in motion. You won't find out until it is too late just how scheming and dangerous Hannah is though. At heart she is still a demon.

ᥫ᭡Ash is impatience personified. If Claude has a short temper and little patience compared to others, than Ash has none of it. His infatuation is a direct stab to the heart that aches so much that he is physically in pain. It comes harsh and fast and leaves him trembling. Thoughout his entire life he has considered your kind to be tainted and dirty, in need of a cleansing to rid the souls of all their tainted emotions and sins. Then he lays his eyes on you though. And in a world drenched in lies and sins, you are a singular beacon of hope. The web of impurity is far too big for you to avoid it forever though as eventually you will be caught in it like a helpless butterfly. The presence of three demons in your life is only a confirmation. Demons are creatures who yearn to destroy all that is good. So you have to be protected from those who wish to break you open and devour you. With Pluto doing all his bids and the Queen under his control who has authority over both Alois and Ciel, Ash has arguably the most cards. Yet in his burning paranoia he fails to play them right which is a weakness that everyone else learns to explore quickly. This game is far from being over for him though.

ᥫ᭡Undertaker is the odd one in all of this. For him the concept of mates doesn't apply as it does for everyone else. What you have going for you though is the fact that four strong creatures chase after you. That is an achievement so rare that it is enough for him to seek you out. Not of obsession yet but of curiosity. What could it be that has made you so fascinating for fate to burden you with such a life? Undertaker revels in chaos so he hides you and offers you protection simply because he wishes to observe the reactions of everyone else. Initially it is all for his own entertainment. Until he too falls for you. Not because you are his mate but due to a connection that has been forged through close observations and an interest that has grown into dangerous fondness. He doesn't tell you of that just yet though. He has been granted a special privilege where you hand him most of your trust the further this game of obsession has spun and he plans to use that to his advantage. For him there is a different playground and different rules as Undertaker is a Shinigami. He has knowledge no one else has and has different tricks up his sleeves that not even someone like Sebastian would be able to predict.

ᥫ᭡There will be no such thing as sharing amongst any of them. They are all creatures driven by their own sense of entitlement. The demons view you as their mate to protect and keep, Ash is deluded in his belief that you need to be locked away to preserve your purity and Undertaker doesn't plan to let go of the one person who has made him feel alive again after so many centuries of chasing only fleeting entertainment to fill his heart somewhat. However, there is an unofficial agreement that happens amongst Sebastian, Claude and Hannah. Whilst there is little that connects them they are still kin. All of them are demons. Ash and Undertaker are something else. Ash is an angel who is the sworn enemy of any demon and Undertaker is a shinigami whose attachment they do not view as respectable enough for he didn't imprint like they did. Both play by different rules and it is that difference that leads to a fragile agreement that doesn't bound. If there should ever be a fight where one or both of the unwanted participants is present the demons will go for them rather than fighting amongst themselves. They aren't going to actively help each other but they won't actively attack each other either then.

ᥫ᭡It could have all been something that happened right beneath the noses of the people. A fight that leaves visible traces but no way of identifying the culprits. It is Ash's abduction that shatters everything. Everyone else could have played an intense and destructive long game where betrayal and dirty play would have been as common as breathing. Yet Ash has the most intense need to protect you from the evil and with three demons and one shinigami, all harbingers of death and destruction. He cannot let you wither away under their corruptive forces. That abduction is the trigger that leads to dire consequences for every soul that lives in the city. More violence is used as the intent to eradicate the rivals heightens. Buildings burn. Structures collapse. People die. The greed amongst everyone grows. Even the respective masters of each demon are unable to do anything for this is a matter that transcends even the contracts. A mate is worth more than even the rare souls that Alois and Ciel have to offer so there is at one point no leverage that could be held against Hannah, Claude and Sebastian which chips away the control Ash thought he had by using the Queen to his own advantages.

ᥫ᭡At the end of it all there will only be one creature left standing. The deaths and the destruction that it has taken to get to that point will be immeasurable though. A whole city will have been burned and terrorised all in your name yet most victims won't even know who their killers were nor that a simple human was the catalyst of it all. Whether it all boils down to one big fight between everyone or if there will be violent but sneaky attacks to sort out single rivals beforehand is a question only time can answer. Depending on how terrible the fights escalate it could be possible that by the end of it you are the only survivor left in a city that has been burned and torn down to nothing but ruins. No matter how violent and bloody everyone gets, their most primal principle is that no physical harm shall come your way. Your emotional wellbeing is a different subject of course as your heart will be torn apart over time as every party tries to claim it for themselves, leaving fractured parts at the end of it all. That is nothing that your now final captor can fix and use to their advantage though. Now it is only the two of you after all with all the time in the world.

[cuteandhughesy]

Swirled You Into All My Poems | Nico Hischier

summary: your father, the king, has set you off to marry a nearby kingdoms young prince. sure, he's handsome and kind and would be a wonderful ruler—but there is only one man who holds your heart, one who dresses in armour and watches every move you make. the same man who has betrayed the kings rules and fallen for you just as hard.

[word count] 6.9k

pairing: princess! reader x knight! nico

warnings: MATURE! angst | forbidden romance | kissing | flirting | mature themes and dialogue | mentions of arranged marriage | read at your own discretion

a/n: based loosely off this request. heard yall wanted yearning! this isn’t anything crazy or lengthy, but i’m hoping it scratches that spring time romance itch 🤍

🎵 fresh out the slammer by taylor swift

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Y/N

the sound of your shoes smacking against the ridiculous polished marbled tiles echo throughout the hallway as you run.

run from everything and everyone.

because in this moment you've never felt so lost. so alone. so heartbroken.

you can still see your fathers face from mere minutes ago—the betrayal flashing across his wrinkled, aging expression as you protested his demands. and his words? they vibrate through your ear canal like the worst bass drop ever created; disorienting, goosebump inducing and straight up wrong.

you've always been the daughter who obeys her fathers commands—even when you’re not. on paper, you’re the perfect princess; polite and kind and compliant and just a tad rebellious. but what you're being asked of now is something you can't just...obey. because being married off to the young prince of the neighbouring country is bad enough, but it's even more stomach churning when doing so will strip you of your happiness.

your life.

your love.

you push your legs to keep moving—continue pumping—even though your body wants nothing more than to collapse to the floor in a heap of nothingness. but there's no time for that, not when your father is looking for you. not when he can catch you before you’re able to tell him.

you round the corner to the corridor you know he's waiting—waiting for you. and like suspected, nico is where you left him just before you were whisked off to the meeting with your father. posture straight and face hidden behind his shield. the shield the king insists all his guards wear in the hallways of the castle.

you think it's ridiculous. your father thinks its professional. which, you suppose it is.

your chest heaves while the tears you've been harbouring behind your waterline since bolting out of the grand room your father keeps for business—because apparently, that's all you are now. a pawn to sell in a deal with another kingdom—finally fall.

your breath hitches as you get closer to nico, who takes one look at your distraught face and instantly changes his demeanour. professionalism is thrown out the window as he all but rips his helmet off, revealing his blushed face and messy, soft hair before nico tosses it to the side like it's nothing. and in comparison to you, it is nothing.

your loyal guard meets you halfway, taking you into his arms like he's done many times before. his grip tight and reassuring and so familiar that it makes your chest ache even more so.

nico’s metal armour is cool under your cheek, but not even that can deter you from cuddling into him further. seeking the serum to the heartbreak that’s shattered open your chest. the serum that you know nico possesses.

"what's happened, y/n?" nico whispers into your braided, curled hair—his tone laced with fear and curiosity. he reaches for your face and gently tilts your chin up, allowing him to gaze into your glossed over eyes. not allowing you to hide. even though that’s all you want to do.

in this moment, with you sobbing into his hands like a helpless baby, nico doesn't care that somebody could see you together in such an intimate embrace—a very forbidden embrace—because all that nico truly cares about is protecting you. making sure that you're fulfilled and happy.

and clearly, right now, you're anything but.

the sound of your broken hiccup has nico blinking, eyes darting over your tear stricken face. your swollen lips part as you shake your head—slowly—like you can't even believe what's about to come out of your own mouth. and in all honesty, you truly can't believe it.

as if nico knows that, his hand slides from your chin to your cheek just as his other hand does the same, his thumbs stroking along your warm skin soothingly—silent encouragement that helps you find your voice.

"he's marrying me off," your voice cracks and a tear slides down your hallow neck. "my father," you confirm, "he's marrying me off to the prince from across the way and I..."

your words die on your tongue as fear creeps up your throat and begins to strangle you. the weight of the situation as you tell nico becomes stronger—unbearable. the fear of knowing that no matter what you do, run, hide or anything in between, means absolutely nothing. does absolutely nothing. because your father? he will find you.

you inhale sharply, looking into nico's wide, sad eyes. "I will have no choice."

4 months ago: may

NICO

the king is a burly man. intimidating. dripping with richness and royal aura that has nico's shoulders pulled back tight. interviewing—if you want to even call this interaction and interview—for any job position is stressful enough, but when it's the king who’s determining whether you're worthy enough to guard a sector of his kingdom, well, that speaks for itself.

the king stands from his much too large throne looking seat and rounds to the opposite side of the long, dark oak table, his dark eyes never straying from nico’s ridged posture. slowly, with his hands clasped behind his back, the king circles nico like he's prey. assessing him. judging him, perhaps?

but nico doesn't even blink. he wants this position—needs it to feed himself for fucks sakes—so his confidence doesn't stray. if anything, nico owns and bask’s in the feeling of the kings intense gaze. he revels in it.

ridged, yes, but always composed.

"and you're prepared to follow and watch the princess as if she was your own flesh and blood?" the kings rumbling voice makes nico's heart skip a beat, eyes meeting once more as the predatory stalk halts. "day and night—by her side?"

"and more," nico responds smoothly, accent thick as he continues, "anything she may need I will provide without questions."

the king hums after a long beat, high and short. nico can't decide if the king is pleased with that answer or not. nico swallows roughly as the slow, tantalizing circling continues, steel toe shoes clicking on the emerald, polished flooring that covers the grand open room.

one of the guards behind nico shift, the sound of metal on metal scratching unpleasantly in his ears. but not even that makes nico falter. he's still. patient. ready.

however, when the door all but slams open and closes behind his shoulder, nico can't help but look. a girl, dressed in casual royal wear that is still so elegant and beautiful that it should be illegal, all but rushes into the room. there's a pep in her step as she waltzes straight past him, not even sparing nico a look.

he can only assume that this girl is you. the princess. the braid encapsulating your hair sways over your back as you bound towards your father—lips parted, nico notes. breathless like you’ve been skipping and singing before getting here.

nico raises an amused brow as an easy smile takes over your face, your hands clasped behind your back as you stand before them. "sorry father, i'm late for our meeting,"

the king grumbles and rubs the pad of his finger over his bushy eyebrow, "no, dear, you're early. I said late lunch, not breakfast. I'm in the middle of something."

that when you finally look at nico. he nods politely and rolls his shoulders back instinctively as if to appear stronger and larger. he's not sure why he's done it, but he digresses.

your face flashes with realization, and as if your hands have clammed up, you wipe them down the front of your skirt. your eyes linger on his for a beat longer before turning back to your father, where a mischievous glint quickly fills your face. "ah, apologies. i'll come back later, then—i've been meaning to check out the new swim hole across the village. I suppose i'll go take a dip,"

the king blabbers for a moment. nico doesn't truly catch what he's trying to say, but he can tell the idea of you going off on your own is concerning to him. and based on the fed up look on his face, the king is also used to whatever antics you're about to partake in.

and if nico were to guess, your seemingly wild and stressful behaviour—according to your father that is—is a huge reason why the king is looking for a new royal guard. a royal guard who will be specially assigned to you and your aid.

nico watches as the king grunts in exhaustion and falls back down to his chair, rubbing at his forehead again like he's physically ill. after another dismissive noise, the king looks back at nico. "you start now."

he blinks in surprise before collecting himself and sending the older man a curt nod. nico has to bit the skin of his cheek to keep a joyful smile from pulling at his lips. this job is going to change nico’s life, he's sure of it.

the king shoots a stern look towards you—you, who's still sporting a seemingly innocent smile. innocent enough that nico just knows it's not. and that's when nico knows that he's going to have his hands full with you.

"you're not going to that water hole, y/n, and I mean it." the king tilts his chin up menacingly, "it's dangerous and I don't want you meeting up with those kids again. they're up to no good."

"they're not." you counter, rolling your eyes before shooting nico a look, but the way the corner of your top lip slides upwards tells a different story.

but the king is quick to counter your counter, "they are, nico, watch her."

"no, nico, they're not." a small bubble of incredulous laughter shakes your corset, "c'mon father, you're going to make this poor man thing in some sort of deviant."

the king doesn't as much a smirk, returning back to whatever paperwork he'd previously been doing in front of him. "as he should." he grunts roughly—dismissively—in a way that has nico's posture returning to its hyper ridged state. there's something in the kings tone that makes him feel a bit weary, even though nico isn't in any position to feel some sort of...protectiveness, over you.

which, nico supposes feeling protective over you isn't a bad thing. especially not when his new job consists of doing just that. protecting you.

but, what seemingly looked like father daughter banter now feels a lot more intense, even when you're light and breezy voice otherwise continues—"you're being silly." you say to the king, hands once again clasped. "i'll be back for our meeting after lunch."

the king grunts again, and doesn't look up from his desk. "better be—it's about the prince from across the way.”

out of the corner of nico's eye, he watches you stiffen at your fathers words. your breath catches and your eyes glaze over with something he can't decipher. he briefly wonders if you're aware of whatever discussion you'll be having with your father later. or worse, you're only spectating—which can only be anxiety inducing.

you blink. "right." and then you turn in your heels, dress swishing around your bare ankles. it's only then nico notices that your feet are exposed—no shoes—and toes painted a pale purple.

nico has been going from kingdom to kingdom as long as he can member in search of work, and he's seen many princesses in that time. none of them went without shoes, even in their own castles. and even though he's known the king less than an hour, nico can tell he's the type of royalty who would despise such poor behaviour—but you, his daughter, clearly don't care.

against his better judgment, that has a amused smirk pulling at the corner of his lips, eyes slowly trailing after your feathering figure.

"and don't you dare wander off to that watering hole!"

the kings firm tone makes you shoot a glance over your shoulder, but instead of looking at your father, your eyes meet nico's. "come on nico, I wanna show you the watering hole."

and against everything inside nico that's telling him to not entertain your teasing smirk and the comments you've clearly only made to dig at your father some way or another, but he truly can't stop himself from sending you a curt nod, eyes smiling as he follows you.

2 months ago, july

Y/N

you wouldn't say you're trouble, per say. you're just...strong willed? extroverted? adrenaline junkie? any word that could be used to describe a misbehaved child and raging bull in a china shop could also be applied when describing you.

you're young. you like to go out and have fun despite your one and only duty of needing to be the prim and proper daughter of the king, and princess of the kingdom. of course, the rich fortune of the castle is amazing and everything you could ever need, but that doesn't mean being a princess is what you want.

and that’s not to say you’re not a good princess. because you are—you’re just not happy about it.

no joy comes from loneliness you endure within the stone walls of your home—without siblings, friends or even a mother to spend time with. it's just been you and the king for as long as you can remember. the king who wants you to abide by strict rules and regulations to upkeep your last name's shiny reputation.

the only joy you seemed to ever get was when you blatantly ignored your fathers wishes and left the castle. either frolicking around the village and buying yourself some baked goods and flowers, or visiting the swimming hole with a few local shop owners—like frankie from the bakery and lilith from the dress shop.

and then, your father hired nico.

nico hischier is a perfect and loyal guard for the king and the royal family. that much is obvious. from the way he carries himself, to how he watches over you—hell, even his damn posture—are all key factors that your father had been searching for.

searching for and found in nico.

your father has been through many guards. mostly consisting of old men who could barley hold their own weight—never mind your weight. never lasting more than a few months before crumbling under pressure.

but nico has no problem with your antics. well, if he does, he does a great job of hiding the fact. there's never any warning side eyes shot in your direction, or huffing in response to your questions, like previous guards had.

if anything, nico makes you feel normal. and perhaps that's because he's younger, closer in age to you than anybody else who lives in the castle. or perhaps it’s because nico talks to you. and listens to you. he even snickers under his breath when you attempt to make poor joke—only ever under his breath, because he's still a professional guard who's in charge of you, and is relying on this job to live.

being around nico soon became your favourite activity. and breaking the kings rules to keep him on his toes is another. and sure, maybe you purposefully look for trouble so you get to watch nico attempt to smother an amused smirk.

and okay, maybe you like when he pays you extra attention. and yeah, you definitely don't mind his face and his broad shoulders and the way he says princess in a low and drawn out way that he seems to only preserve for you.

and absolutely are you sure you like your guard, and you're also certain that you can get him to break.

—

you slip out of bed easily, bare toes finding the floor beneath you—area rug tickling your feet as you stand. the ground creaks beneath you and you pause, a small huff of a curse leaving your lips.

you wait for somebody to knock on your door—to catch you—but the night remains still. the crickets chirp pleasantly outside your open window, the distant smell of grass and the lake floating through the air in a way that makes you feel giddy.

not even the sweat caked between your breasts can’t wipe the playful grin from your face. quickly, you cross your room and dart towards your wardrobe. the floor groans in protest once more, and once again your wait. straining your ears as you listen to the familiar sound of boots walking down the hall and towards your room.

but again, nothing happens.

you know nico is out there, just like he is every evening. his room is directly across from yours, bedroom door always open so he can listen. although during the night, nico gets to relieve himself of his duties and sleep—just as you do—his job as your guard never has a clock out time.

that's what makes sneaking around so much more fun. because even when it's the middle of the night and you feel like escaping, nico always follows you.

you strip off your nightgown and let it fall to the ground in a heap. night summer air wafts over your sticky, hot skin, and despite it being the height of the season, the air still feels refreshing against your sweaty body.

just as hastily, you slip on your swimwear followed by a different nightgown in replacement of a coverup. it's been so ridiculously hot and stuffy the past few weeks, and between meetings and reading, you haven't been able to visit the lake just 5 minutes from the castles boarder this month.

and with the way your hairline has become damp with perspiration and your body's become so overheated it feels swollen—un-permitting you to fall to sleep—tonight feels like the perfect night to go for a dip.

you pull your braid out the back of your gown before making your way towards the heavy door that separates your room from the hallway. fast, and without regard to the loud, creaking noise, you turn the handle and pull open the door.

nico is there, dressed in a white loose top and some sort of pant, with his large arms crossed over his chest. one of his perfect eyebrows raised in question down at you.

you would jump in surprise, but this is what you were expecting. this is what you wanted.

"where are you off to, princess?"

it's always princess, never y/n.

nico isn't long awake, you note, as sleep still laces his words and his cheeks are still flushed in a combination of shut eye and the heat.

you grin and step into the hallway, chest lightly brushing against his forearms. "I like when you call me that." you practically purr, swaying towards nico just enough that he has to look away from your blinking eyes and up to no good expression.

nico swallows roughly, adam's apple bobbing beneath his growing stubble. "it's your title." his tone is reminding and knowing. as if nico is not only reminding you, but himself as well. you can tell he's biting his tongue rather than saying what he wants to say—tease you or engage in flirty banter. whatever it is, nico isn't doing it, and that only makes you want to keep pushing.

"but not my name," you chirp softly, "you can call me by my name, nico."

there's a brief, tense pause between you, and you can practically see the wheels turning in his head. nico eventually nods, as if he's coming to terms with your request, "if that's what you want." nico's arms fall to his sides, and his short stretches over his pecks deliciously.

you hum lowly, mimicking his previous nod as an answer. but you still aren't looking into his eyes. no, you're too busy ogling his hairy chest through his half see through shirt.

nico's eyes flash at the sound that rumbles through you, watching through lidded eyes as you look him over. eventually, your eyes flicker back to his, and nico feels his chest stop. your gazes lock through the dim light of your quarters like they've done a million times before.

expect this time, it feels different. it feels like nico is allowing himself to look at you the way he's always wanted to—the way he only looks at you when he's sure you're too busy to notice it.

nico's lips part, like he's going to continue, but he stops himself. you don't speak either, too busy waiting for nico to make the next move.

his pinkie twitches, inching in the direction of your smaller hand hanging loosely at your side. it would be so easy then, to interlock your fingers with nicos much thicker ones, pull him into your room and have him. and the way nico is looking down at you now, licking onto his bottom lip like he's salivating, he'd let you.

but that would be too easy. too risky as well.

and it seems that nico thinks the same thing, because in the blink of an eyes he's shuffling back, creating another inch of space between you. his hand darts back to his side so quick that you almost miss it, and nico clears his throat lowly while he shakes his head.

"so." he hums.

you raise an eyebrow, "so?"

"where are you off to?"

right. the lake. you're not shocked how quickly you've already lost track of the task at hand, even with your bathing suit digging into the crease of your thighs. it easy to get distracted when you're peering into nico's chocolate eyes. you couldn't even begin to count on both hands how many times you've lost your head because you've been caught in nico's gaze.

let's just say, there’s been lots of spilled paint and messy quill markings down the pages of your journal.

you step away from nico, your playful grin easily returning to your lips before you begin walking down the grand, carpeted hallway. "why don't you come find out?"

nico sighs gently, eyes locked on the floor as he digests your suggestion. he turns to face your slow, retreating figure. "it wouldn't be wise to sneak out." his tone is no higher than a firm whisper, both of you unwilling to wake any unnecessary witnesses.

you giggle. a true, bubbly sound that has nico’s heart skipping a beat. you spin, nightgown twirling out just enough to reveal your knees and the start of your smooth, dewy thighs.

there's nothing more that nico wants to do in that moment then to drop to his knees and press his lips against your skin. kiss and worship every inch of your skin you bare to him.

then your dress falls back to its proper formation, and nico blinks out of his own lust filled trance.

"not sneaking if you're watching me go."

you're always so quick witted with him that it has nicos head spinning. and then there's the matter of you still grinning, and nico becomes even more dizzy. to substitute his growing feelings of fondness, nico rubs at his sweat slicken forehead, as if he's trying to massage his unprofessional thoughts out.

nico moves before he can decided against, taking three large steps in your direction to catch up to you. his hand encloses around your wrist, halting you. "I won't allow you to leave without company."

you let your gaze linger on his hand—his palm warm and completely covering your skin. nico's fingers splay up your forearm protectively, making your stomach flutter and heart pound. you swallow roughly, "you're right," you pause, eyes flickering up to his again, "that's why you're coming with me."

his jaw tightens with contradiction.

your shoulders deflate, "please, nico, my room is so hot and I just want to cool off in the lake. please, i'd be very grateful."

nico exhales largely through his noise, and you know you have him right where you want him.

"5 minutes."

you squint, "10."

"5."

—

you emerge from under the cool lake water, hair loosely cascading down your back in a wet, flowing stream. you take a breath of air. feeling refreshed, you grin and wipe the excesses water off your face.

you can feel nico's eyes on your from the bank. in fact, you've been able to feel his eyes on your for the past 15 minutes—because of course, you got your way and the 5 minutes nico said he'd give you, has quickly tripled.

"time to get out, princess."

well, there goes that.

nico's hands are resting on his hips, and even through the night, you can see the way his eyes trail over your swimsuit.

you don't move. "but i'm enjoying myself."

he laughs shortly. "that's great, but we need to head back to the castle now before we got get in trouble."

your tongue trails across your bottom lip, tasting the must of lake water. the taste makes you wipe your face again, trying to eliminate any remaining moisture. you shrug one shoulder casually. "I won't let you get in trouble, nico."

"you gunna protect me?" he retorts, tone laced with playfulness, like the idea of you protecting him is just unfathomable.

you hum, letting your fingers skim over the waters surface, watching it ripple for a beat before your gaze flickers back to his. "anything for my favourite guard."

"your favourite guard huh?" nico breathes, "and why's that?"

your smile practically splits your face in half. "because you're letting me swim, obviously."

he snickers and leans down to pick up your discarded nightgown—the exact nightgown you'd thrown off in hurry a good 10 feet from the lake, too excited about swimming to act calm and relaxed to rid of clothing properly.

"well you're not going to like me much longer—let's go." nico jerks his head as a second and silent way of telling you to get out of the water.

but you're not budging. not necessarily because you want to keep swimming, but because you want to be difficult and annoying in hopes that nico will like...drag you out? or something all manly like that.

you're not sure what you want. all you know is that you want him.

"no."

nico quirks an eyebrow, voice laced with disbelief coupled with humor, "no?"

"no, i'm not done." you chirp, backing further into the lake—sinking down into the water until your shoulders are covered—holding nico’s gaze the entire time. "i'm still overheated."

nico lick’s his lip, something like impatience rolling over his shoulders. his eyes dart towards your lips and chin, dipping beneath the surface with every bob of your body underneath. "too bad. out."

"i'm not getting out."

"I'll come in there if necessary."

you've got him.

"seems like it's going to be necessary."

nico purses his lips in a half grin before he drops your nightgown, the flimsy fabric floating to the grass once more. a beat passes and then he's reaching over his shoulder, gripping the material of his sleep shirt and in one smooth motion, pulls it off.

all you can do is watch with baited breath as nico's strong chest is revealed, his skin taunt and sprinkled with an attractive amount of hair that leads down below the waistband of his pants.

he then kicks off his boots, because unlike you, he remembered that shoes existed and were much appreciated when crossing the gravely back streets leading to the lake. nico keeps his bottoms on, unfortunately, and then walks right into the lake.

your heart flutters and you swallow nerves, watching in a mixture of caution and excitement as your guard gets further and further enveloped in the water. gets closer and closer to you.

"this make you happy, y/n?"

his question, so simple yet it makes your breath catch. and clearly nico notices something is off, eyes darting between yours and your seemingly stiff figure. 

"what?"

a moment passes—"you called me y/n." you breath through a lazy smile, shifting your body closer to nico’s under the cool water. although, now that nico is in front of you, it doesn't feel anything less than scorching.

your foot grazes his leg, an accident, but you're not complaining. not when it makes nico stiffens against your toes and his dark eyes trail down to your wet lips.

nico doesn't pull away. he doesn't want to.

you take that a silent invitation to inch forward, completely sliding your leg between his two, much thicker legs. you peer up at nico softly, eyes darting around his face like you can't decide what part of him your prefer to admire.

his chocolate brown eyes which never fail to melt you like you're the desert.

plump lips that you always catch yourself daydreaming about—wishing to lick and nibble them invetween deep, stomach squeezing kisses.

the small littering of freckles across his nose and on his cheekbones that you want to softly connect with the pad of your finger until nico is nipping on your digits playfully.

but, like usual, you find yourself peering back into those soft, warm eyes—like gravity is unwilling for you to do anything else. "you're very handsome," you say to nico, no higher than a whisper of a breath. you didn't even mean to say it, but it came out before you could even make an attempt at stopping yourself. with a hard swallow, you continue, "especially up close."

nico blinks before turning his face away, disconnecting your matching intense filled gazes. a gruff curse leaves him as he rubs roughly at the back of his neck. "don't say that."

"why?"

you expect an excuse. a rushed response that only succeeds in crushing any hope you have for nico finally admitting that there's something brewing between you. but, much to your suprise, nico's eyes quickly dart back to yours, his tongue sharp and words firm—"because it's hard enough as it is, and I really don't need another reason to want to do unspeakable things to you."

you almost exhale in relief. because, yes this is what you wanted to hear. needed to hear. but instead you find yourself holding your breath, keeping everything in—too scared that if you move, you'll wake up from some perfect dream.

nico's eyes, which were once soft and warm, turn hard and intense, making your heart flutter and stop and everything else that makes you feel like you're having an active attack. the tendons in his jaw twitch as he grinds his molars together, and your gaze falls upon the movement naturally.

but nico doesn't allow your eyes to stray for more than a beat. gently, but with a firm hold, he encloses around your chin and drags your attention back to his face.

your lips part in surprise while nico just raises his eyebrow—barley—in a silent question.

"you want me?" you ask.

"very much."

"then why haven't you done something about it?"

your questions seems to ignite something inside him, because nico is taking his hand back—leaving your skin feeling much too cold for your liking.

he curses again, and lets his eyes flutter closed in what can only be described as a moment of weakness coupled with angst. "it's forbidden."

you swallow, "so?"

nico laughs, but there's nothing humorous about the sound. his eyes open, "you may be a trouble maker behind those walls but I am not."

"good thing we aren't behind those walls then." it's a risky thing to say, you're well aware of that. at this point, you think, the worst thing nico can do is haul your ass out of the water and never speak of this interaction again.

but you want him. desperately. inhumanly.

"please kiss me nico-"

and he does. nico presses his lips to yours before you can even finish your request—because nico is simply sick of waiting.

he's tired of holding himself back.

nico hischier kisses you, the cool water of the lake enveloping you, his fingers tangled in your wet hair as he pulls you in deeper—closer.

and later, after you and nico have returned from kissing and swimming and nico picking a flower to tuck it behind your ear, you can't help but swoon—falling down back to your mattress, hair still wet and petals tickling your ear lobe. lips still tingling from nico's bruising kisses.

you touch your lips softly, a smile softly stretching across your face. and you pray that it's the first kiss of many.

1 month ago, august

Y/N

the birds sing and chirp all around you, switching between lounging on the tree branches and soaring through the air.

the rising sun is barley peeking over the horizon line, just beginning to light up the calm world around you—easing you in to another day. another day of avoiding your father and princess duties and pretending you're not sneaking around with your fathers most trusted guard.

like you hoped for, the kiss you and nico shared at the lake was the first of many. at first, you both try to stay composed and only allow yourselves to be with one another at the darkest time of night—but it soon became clear that the idea was too difficult for the both of you to follow.

you find yourselves locked in knowing glances across the room without a care in the world at who’s around—the gravitational pull between you, too intense to ignore. if its not longing stares, it‘s brushing hands and frantic kisses in secluded doorways while other members of staff have their backs turned.

and at night? when nico has you all by yourself with no one but the crickets chirping outside to be heard? that's when you truly allow yourselves to just be with one another.

sleep rarely comes when the two of you are together. because even after all that touching and gasping and heart stopping waves from climaxing, you and nico can’t help but to just talk. limbs tangled with nothing but the thinnest sheet to cover your sweat coated skin, and voices like breathless whispers until the sun begins to shine.

the feeling of nico's lips on your hairline has you blinking out of your daydream, half asleep state where you'd been hovering—that space between unconscious and resting that always comes after a late night with him. the last hour before he has to leave the bubble of love you've created.

you hum pleasantly when nico presses another kiss to your forehead, and then another one between your eyebrows.

"you should rest y/n," his gravely voice instantly turns your skin hot, glances of the indecent positions he had you in mere hours ago flashing through your head. "it's early enough. you'll be able to sleep for an hour or so."

you curl further into his side, wrapping your bare leg tighter around nico's much stronger, and thicker thigh. your palm slides up his chest, hair tickling your delicate hand as you naturally settle it above his heart.

nico's hand instantly covers yours, his fingers curling around your fingers and keeping you against his chest. not that you were planning on leaving, but his possessiveness over your touch is so pleasant that you can't help but find the gesture endearing.

"but i'll miss you too much while i'm sleeping." you mumble tiredly, an even more exhausted and gentle smile beginning to tug at the corner of your lips.

you tilt your head back to gauge his reaction, your eyes still laced with sleep and haze, and like you suspected, nico snickers softly at your cheesy line.

his eyes lock with yours, easy grin still on his face. "if you weren't such a fibber, i'd tell you that you'll see me in a few hours when you wake." nico accentuates his words with a affectionate pinch to the skin between your thigh and ass.

"that's it," you declare, "i'm never waking up." you giggle before playfully biting the meat of his peck—your own affectionate retribution.

nico snickers again, this time into the top of your head. it tickles, but it's the nice kind of tickle that makes you crave the feeling over and over again. your eyes flutter, and your rub your cheek against nico's cheek like a kitten seeking affection.

you feel his bicep shift under your neck as nico raises his hand—where he then delicately tucks your wild hair behind your ear. you're sure it's a mess, and you know the strands are damp with summer sweat. but nico doesn't care.

just like he doesn't care when you're loud and running about the castle like a mad woman. just like he doesn't care when you're the complete opposite, opting to sit in the library and re-read your favourite pieces of literature. nico doesn't care when you're tired, or sick, or needy, or angry with him because he said something stupid that made you feel such a way.

god, even when you're being cheeky and nibbling his skin like an untrained puppy, nico doesn't care.

he simply just lets you be.

"I think you're the love of my life." you breathe out without thinking anything of it. it's not a scary thing to say, not when it's the whole truth. not when you're certain nico already knows.

"you think?" he asks teasingly, followed by a lingering kiss to your brow bone.

you grin, "I swear it."

and then when nico says it back, you can't help but feel that everything may just be okay. for now.

NICO

"I will have no choice."

the fear that rattles your voice is enough to have nico pulled into a haze of anger and dread. your words, so trembly—yet, tone firm—echo through the castle walls like a screeching chorus.

nico's thumbs still on your face, his spine turning to stone as your words sink in. it's in that moment nico members his first time meeting the king and the beautiful princess of the kingdom. the meeting you had been having that day with your father. he wonders if it was about this—about marrying you off.

"better be—it's about the prince from across the way."

those words echo through his skull like a jackhammer, and deep down in his gut—that nagging feeling that has his stomach turning and bile rising in his throat—lets nico know's that his instincts are right.

the king has been planning this. for god knows how long. and knowing him, the king hasn't told you anything about it. not really. you've been undermined by your father on more than one occasion, and this arranged marriage is no exception.

you gasp in an attempt to catch your breath through your array of emotions before continuing, "and there coming for me—I'm supposed to leave tonight, nico. I'm scared." you whimper.

the chaos starts then. the sound of hurried, rushed voices just down the corridor, combined with boots thumping on the tiled floor. nico eyes dart down the hall—he doesn't see anyone yet, but like he's heard, they're close.

seconds away from catching you and taking you away.

when nico finds your teary gaze again—sees the fear swimming in your expression—his stomach drops. he knows he needs to do something. nico knows he's got to keep you calm, even though the only emotion he's feeling is anything but.

"it'll be okay," his tone is as firm as the grip on your face.

you shake your head, "no. I don't want to go."

"I know," nico shushes you gently, eyes not daring to waver away from yours. "but right now there's no choice. one day i'll fix this, I promise." he says, even if he's not sure if he can uphold it. but nico's damn sure he's going to try.

his voice trembles as he continues, "I will love you until I no longer recall my own name...until the sun stops setting and until I know nothing—remember not a single thing—but you."

"but i'll be—"

"only you, y/n." nico interrupts you, thumb sweeping under your eye in an attempt to clean up the pool of salty tears. "and i'll try everything in my power to make this right. i'll never stop trying, you must know that."

you nod again, a sad smile pulling at your wet lips as nico's words wash over you. “you're the love of my life, nico hischier, I swear it."

the distant chatter that had been growing closer and closer as you and nico spoke your hushed and panicked goodbyes, comes to a sudden halt. the erie silence makes your heart stop—because you know. they've caught up to you. your father has caught up to you.

nico looks at the king and slowly drops your face, fingers trailing over you skin longingly. nico doesn't move, mostly because he's not sure if his legs are willing to. so instead he just waits, silently, just as you do the same.

you don't dare turn around. you don't look at your father. but you do continue to cry, eyes downcast as you feel the presence of him grow closer and closer.

the king, ever so heartless and cold with his tone and gaze, eyes nico diligently. "your duties will no longer be needed, hischier. my daughter is now spoken for, and has a new protection system, one that does not include you."

[leihaddock]

Let's imagine Steve and Bucky who were well established in their local queer community. Because they lived in one of the few underground queer cities at the time, and it seems damn near impossible that they *wouldn't* know other queer people

Actually, for that, we probably should talk about Sarah first:

as a nurse she saw it as her duty to help anyone and everyone, no question asked and no matter where they come from, and soon developed a reputation for just that

so she had all sorts of people come to her for help

including queer folks in gender and/or sexuality, what we'd nowadays call drag queens and kings, disabled folks, people of colour, jews and so on

little Stevie grows up around a very diverse group of people

when he was only a couple of years old, he asked Sarah ie why that woman had a beard, and she'd explained to him that there are all kinds of people and there was nothing wrong with being "transsexual" or with men liking other men or women liking other women

and that if he ever found out he was like them, she wouldn't care and love him all the same

and that was one of the lessons that stayed with him, along with always getting back up, always protecting those in need of protection, and later from his own experiences, that he didn't like bullies

the community Sarah builds around herself ends up protecting Steve more than once, no matter how much he hates accepting help

So at some point Steve and Bucky meet and befriend each other and become inseparable. And of course the older they get the more people talk. That they're too close, that that sickly Rogers boy is a fairy (or that he's a waste of oxygen and should be dead, let alone ever reproduce), that there are so many pretty girls for Bucky to choose from. You get the idea

Sarah of course figures out they're dating pretty much immediately. she knows her son, she loves Bucky like her own like she knows the Barnes family does in turn for Steve

To me the Barnes family is supportive but it took them some time because they're the "ideal" middle class family and their oldest son being a fairy wasn't quite ideal but they love Steve and Bucky too much to give a rat's ass about it later on

and with all the people Steve grew up knowing and introduced Bucky to, they have plenty of friends, even if they'd choose each other over the world on any given day

society as a whole wasn't kind to them, would never be kind to them, they knew as much, but they weren't alone

sapphic couples to go on double dates with as a cover (though Bucky goes out of his way to find more women to date as a cover, lest people ask too many questions)

underground bars to meet at, in the "bad" parts of town, to drink and kiss and be a normal couple for once

meet artists of all flavours, punks (our modern definition, relative to the time), go to protests and rallies for women's rights and workers' rights

Bucky meets other jewish queer folks, too, to his delight

they run from cops more than once

lose more than one friend in that time too, who got found out and sent to "conversion therapy" at best, but more than once was found beaten to a pulp in the street

Sarah passes away and Steve is distraught, but he's not alone in mourning, her funeral has so so many of the people she'd helped in her life, and there's some solace in that, despite feeling more alone than ever

Bucky moves in with him and they get those few happy years with a lot of the same they'd done since becoming a couple, before the war comes

not only is Steve upset he can't join the war effort, he's now seeing his friends joining, getting drafted, or denied for the same reasons he is. queer women join en mass and he knows he'd find his people there too, but they just won't let him

then Bucky gets drafted and TFA plays (mostly) as we know it

their friends freak the fuck out when Steve's suddenly gone, then shows up as "Captain America"

some of the chorus girls pick up on Steve being queer, and suddenly the whole group feels a lot more comfortable around him, and he actually ends up enjoying their company a lot

the Howlies don't care, Howard doesn't care, Peggy is a Nazi so her view doesn't matter, no one really does, and they get to be pretty open about their relationship, with everyone covering for them

Bucky falls

the Barnes family gets a letter on what happened to Bucky, from Steve, and suddenly they know that they'll lose both their sons/brothers in that war, because there's no Steve without Bucky and no Bucky without Steve

they've always known it would end like that, but just like Steve, they'd never expected Bucky to be the one to die first

Steve puts the plane down

When he's confirmed alive in the 21st century, not only do the families of the Howlies reach out to him, who'd spread far by then

not only the Barnes family, Bucky's niblings and, hell, grand niblings (who all also insist on calling Steve their uncle, because that's who he is to them, and Steve cries at that)

but also all the children and grandchildren of the community he and Bucky had been part of

that had seen so much loss, he gets told, in the 80s and 90s, and before that, but still stands strong as ever and he's welcomed back with open arms

because those people, too, were his family

he's also told how after his death, some asshole wanted to discredit him for being queer, and all the people he'd ever known jumped to help him

his and Bucky's relationship was their families' best kept secret

that loss still weighs heavy on him, so he doesn't have the energy for pride, but there's something about queer rights having advanced enough that people like him can get married, that fills him with both overwhelming joy and longing

then Bucky is alive, and after everything is said and done, they come out to the world and get married, for real, not the fake wedding their community had thrown for them, or the one the Howlies did

and the rest is history

[milgramfessing]

People are really odd when it comes to Mu in general. People swing between saying she's never done anything wrong ever, excusing her for literally telling the only doctor in the prison that Haruka was fine and implying he was eating,

24/06/22 (Haruka’s Birthday)

Shidou: ……I’m worried about Sakurai-kun. I haven’t seen him around in a while. You’ve been talking with him, right?

Mu: He’s fine. Here, look. I’ve been taking his food to him like this every day. Isn’t that great of me?

Shidou: Yes, very. I’m sorry I’ve been leaving it to you to look after him. Usually, that would be the job of us adults, and yet we’re leaving you with the burden.

Mu: Don’t worry about it. After all, me and Haruka-kun are friends.

Belittle her character by implying she's too stupid to understand the consequences of her behavior or the feelings of others around her. Despite how caring, observant, and socially aware she has shown herself to be over the course of the series.

20/05/28

Mu: It’s weird…… Even though we’re locked up in a place like this…… everyone seems fine. …………nothing’s happened to me so far…… b-but, who knows when they’ll do something horrible to me…… ……hey, are you listening to me? What are you staring at……?

Amane: I’m not staring at anything.

Mu: Liar, you definitely are…… What is it……? That rabbit? Jackalope…… I think that’s what it’s called. ……do you want to pet it?

Amane: ………… Eh, you want to pet it? If you want to, then I’ll be happy to go over and join you.

20/08/01

Mu: Somehow, he feels even fluffier today than usual…… so soft…… Ah, Haruka, do you want to touch too? Jackalope, I mean……

Haruka: Ah, I-I’m fine…… I’m n-not good, with animals…...

Amane: Hm. To think you’d have a problem with something so cute. You’re a really strange person, Haruka-san.

Haruka: …………I guess so.

All of her characterization gets downplayed and ignored as soon as she's done something harmful. In order to lessen her conscious involvement. People rudely go what was she meant to do to help Haruka she took him food she was trying her best to dissuade him.

Honestly, a good first fucking step would be to bring him something he can actually swallow and would settle on his stomach.

But maybe people are woefully ignorant of how starvation works. Maybe a lot of people don't know if you go long enough without food it becomes painful to even swallow or chew food. So bringing a starving man a whole fish and rice isn't the "I want to help" move people are making it out to be. But how was she supposed to know that- May I take you back to the timeline where she actively disuaded a doctor from checking on him?

Because I think the actual doctor would have been able to know and help in this situation while he was still alive.

If other characters can be responsible for how their actions or inaction indirectly hurt someone in and outside of Milgram despite how they couldn't have possibly known that would be the result what makes Mu better than anyone else who didn't know that they would happen, what makes her more deserving of justifications related to her age and alleged lack of knowledge?

The fucking kicker here is they canonically have something that would have saved Haruka's life in Milgram. If only it was just fucking given to him by one of the two parties that knew what he was doing before the point of no return.

20/06/09

Yuno: Thanks for the meal~! ……huh? Kotoko-san, what’ve you got? That’s so unfair, only you getting to drink something that looks so good.

Kotoko: ……it’s a whey protein shake. It doesn’t taste particularly good or anything. I sent a request for it to the guard. The food we get here isn’t bad in terms of nutrient balance, but it’s a bit lacking in protein for me personally.

Yuno: A protein shake, huh. I’ve never tried one before. It looks kinda like a lassi. Can I have a sip?

Kotoko: ……just one sip. Oi, that’s more than a sip. This is supposed to become my muscle.

But how could you be so sure Haruka could have been stopped through this method?

Well, for starters, it's something he'd be able to consume a little more easily (but may not be painless depending on how long it's been), unlike the food Mu was bringing. Two, it's something one could, in theory, force him to drink if it came to that.

Furthermore, protein drinks are literally what are recommended to help someone who has gone a long period without food get back into eating, be it due to illness or by choice. Because after going a long period withoit food it's not ussually recommended to eat foods that are heavy or too complex. It's either this, fluids, or a feeding tube. So, this is just something that factually could have straight up saved his life.

Beyond all that, he flat out admits this could have stopped him through him going out of his way to ask Kotoko (the one who has this) specifically not to interfere with his plan along with him being implied to have told her exactly what his plan was when asking her to not intervene.

23/12/15 (Kotoko’s Birthday)

Haruka: ……please, don’t tell anyone. And also, please, don’t get involved. All I can do, is ask, you……

Kotoko: ––Fufu, fufufufufu.That’s a crazy thing to be thinking. Honestly, it’s weird. But I don’t hate it. If only all the wrongdoers were like you.

Haruka: No…… that’s wrong…… That’s not, why I’m doing, this…… This, isn’t for me…… I have to protect…… so, Kotoko-san…… please……

Kotoko: Eh? Ah, yeah, yeah. Well, I promise I won’t get in your way. Honestly, if I could, I’d love to do it myself, but I’ll step back this time. As for what happens next…… I wonder. It depends on Es.

The Milgram prisoners have a shared kitchen. Everyone had access to this unless Kotoko was just hoarding it in her room, which I doubt. Yet even so, if anyone else was made aware of Haruka's plan earlier then they could have simply requested protein shakes themselves. Haruka did not have to die like this.

This is what makes Futa consistently bringing up the fact Haruka could have been saved so sad.

Futa (Trial 3 Voice Lines)

1 – Kajiyama Futa. Heh… Hahahaha. I see. Looking back, I probably didn’t need to be so scared.

2 – Who cares about forgiving and not forgiving any more. I don’t care about all the annoying voices I kept hearing. There’s something else more important to follow.

3 – I’m different from how I used to be. That person taught me. About faith, about the new world. It’s all down to me…

4 – There was nothing that could be done about the two who went against the commandments, but I feel bad for Haruka. He could’ve been saved like I was.

5 – Just leave everyone to that person. They can save this prison. Just look at me, I’ve already been saved!

It's what makes this timeline so sad,

24/04/19 (Futa’s Birthday)

Futa: ––Hey, are you really ok with this? If you come with me, there’s a chance you can be saved too…… Haruka.

Haruka: Yeah…… I’ve made my mind up. I have, something, that I have to do.

Futa: Ah, is that right…… Haruka, you know, you’re an idiot. There’s no way…… that will save you……

Haruka: Yeah, thank you. I’m glad you came to talk to me, Futa. Um, thank you, for being so kind. Really. But, I’m sorry. This is all I’m able to do……

Because it's the truth if he went with Futa in that moment if, he chose not to follow through when displayed the alternatives- Haruka would still be here. He would have a proper trial three and a song. Yet, instead of actually showing some consideration and understanding towards the people rightfully upset about the fact they won't have that closure with a character, they grew to care so much about...

Haruka and his characterization has been reduced to simple pity fodder for Mu. So people can go well she tried, she didn't fully understand, she's hurting too that was her friend, or the real kicker-

"Well, you should vote her innocent because that's what Haruka wanted. It's what he did that for. Do you want his last actions in the narrative to be in vain? This is why you should forgive her even though she didn't do as much for him as she could have. She just really didn't know."

As though we should just ignore the fact that despite Haruka crying out in All-Knowing All- Agony that he didn't want to be wiped out,

"Don’t wipe me out, don’t wipe me out- I just want to be your good boy."

Despite him saying blatantly he didn't want to die,

Q.17 How old do you want to live to be?

Haruka: I never thought about it. I don’t want to die.

The people who his character meant so much to are just meant to fall in line and show forgiveness to the person who blatantly said

"Why would I?"

When asked if she was trying to stop him since she knew his plan.

Mu Queen B 12:36s

Mu: Ah- But if you don't forgive me, Haruka-kun will die. So, I think it'd be best not to do that.

Es: ...!

[BELL TOLLS]

Es: So, you've heard about that nonsense, too?

Mu: Mhm. Haruka-kun told me. So I could rest easy, according to him. That made me happy... It made me really feel our friendship!

Es: You know about it, and you're not trying to stop him? Haruka, that is?

Mu: Why would I? Haruka-kun says that's what he wants, so there's nothing I can do, right?

Not letting people mourn and recognize what they've lost along with the unjust nature of that loss all to secure one's own personal comfort- To push forward in ways such as that is an inconsiderateness that's simply the definition of unfairness to me.

Especially while other people within the fandom are allowed to mourn the loss of characters they loved due to the events of the series- Blaming whoever they feel fit be it characters within the series or fans of it. All the while many haphazardly attempt to revise in real time what occurred to defend a character who I don't doubt has a significant amount of depth and emotionality but feel a lot of characterization is being ignored in the way people try to bend and stretch her to fit this idea of what an innocent person to them may be.

Though people may simply do this to ignore her character and the rest of the prisoners' ability to purposefully and knowingly commit harm, something rooted deeply in all ten of their characterizations. I'm sick of seeing people act like Mu is being wrongfully held to task over something she had no involvement in. From the start to Haruka, Mu was the only reason he did this, and the only reason he felt it was all he could really do.

23/04/07

Haruka: Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. PleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-san

23/06/22 (Haruka’s Birthday)

Mu: Haruka-kun, I brought your food. Are you still alive? Has any mould started growing?

Haruka: ……ah, thank you very much. Mu-san. Sorry, um…… I……

Mu: You shouldn’t just lock yourself in your room all day. You have to eat your food properly. Hm, well…… I do understand why you’re feeling down. It feels bad. The atmosphere recently.

Haruka: Um, I’m totally fine…… Just a bit, I’m thinking, about how to do it. What to do, what to do, to…… fulfil my promise. For Mu-san’s sake……

"This is all I’m able to do……"

"Haruka Sakurai"- The Third Trial 1:00s

Haruka: .....don't worry, Mu.

Mu: About what......

Haruka: ......you're going to be innocent, I know it.

Mu: ......you really think so?

Haruka: ......yes......

Mu: Haruka......you're ok with this......?

Haruka: Yes...... I'm so happy...... I helped you, I helped someone......

"I changed......I'm...... useful now......"

There's a lot of factors involved here, and I can understand caring about a character deeply and wanting to see them do well.

Yet, being Innocent doesn't equate to being better. Just being accepted isn't the end all be all cure for the problems people will face in their lives or within themselves.

Some characters aren't here to receive that acceptance or rejection anymore, and I think a lot of conversations surrounding Mu ignore that fact. As well as how many fans of the series have the right to be upset by it. Regardless of how others may rationalize and dismiss Mu's involvement.

[sheepandpencils]

If not baby girl then why baby girl coded?

[stiffyck]

So sorry to anyone who followed me for literally anything else and then got hit by me putting a murder clown on your dash every day

[blackcatxmagic]

When he heard Alma's compliment, Copper smiled, but then that faded a little as Alma followed up. He'd seen this kind of behavior before, of people fighting against their nature because of societal norms. Luckily he'd been brought up by two very liberal, open-minded men (obviously they were if they had built a family and life together), so Copper didn't take offense at all to what Alma had said. "Hey, men can have pretty names too," he told her, "and women can have handsome names, and everything in between. So thank you, I appreciate it." He smiled again at Alma, hoping this helped her feel better about what she had said. "There's nothing to be sorry about, really," Copper reassured Alma. Wanting to change the subject, he asked, "How'd you get your name? Is there a story there, or did your parents just like it?"

Telling a stranger about his current dynamic with Hypatia and everything that had happened wasn't something Copper had expected to be doing today. However, as they perused the various jewelry, he found that it was actually kind of nice to talk about it with someone who could be objective. Sure, he could talk about it with Corey, but that was his boyfriend who would be inclined to take his side, and he could discuss it with Aris, but that was his and Hypatia's brother, which put him a weird position. But Alma, she didn't have any stake in this, so Copper felt like she could see things more clearly than most of the people in his life. And sure enough, her insight was not only astute, it was valuable. "You know, you make a really good point," he told her. "You're right - I don't feel that I did anything wrong except for maybe the abruptness of it. But the leaving, it was something I had to do. I thought that then, and I still think it now. So...maybe I've been apologizing for the wrong thing." Copper thought about, about how he'd been telling Hypatia he was sorry for leaving, but really he should have been apologizing for how he went about it, not that he had done it at all. "You're really good at advice," Copper said to Alma. "Has anyone ever told you that?"

Alma smiled at Copper's explanation, "I understand." Though, she didn't. It was obvious there was a whole situation she didn't know about, and she really didn't want to press Copper for answers. Then again, she felt like she might be able to help, and if there was any chance of that being the case, she wouldn't want to miss it. After staring blankly at the jewellery they still stood infront of, she decided to just leave it. It wasn't her place. Though she could probably help if she knew more... Alright she will consider it more but she's pretty sure she will just leave it. Maybe.

"Well they are very pretty names!" Alma gleefully said before realising the possible discordant implications of her calling Copper's name pretty. While she secretly thought it was pretty silly, her parents and church had always instilled strict gender norms, so some deep part of her pushed for her to fix her mistake. "Or, you know, handsome names! Handsome name and pretty name. Yeah." While awkward, it saved her from any offense given. Unless Copper had already felt offended, she better fix that too in anycase. "Sorry." Classic, smart, the perfect word to wrap up the situation.

Alma felt stuck between a rock and a hard place thinking about Copper's proposed apology idea. On one hand, she knew in her heart that no amount of jewellery would make her feel better if someone hurt her as much as what Copper makes it out. On the other, it really wasn't her place to dictate what Copper should do, she didn't know anything, Her mind went back to her early teachings in the church, foundational things that she learnt in her youth completely seperate from any religious bias. Apologies mean nothing unless they come with change. She felt like what she had in mind was pertinent enough to say, so turning from the jewellery cabinet to face Copper with a little too much enthusiasm for the situation, she proclaimed, "Well... It sounds like you don't think anything wrong has happened. Or not that but, what happened was necessary to happen?" Her thoughts were betraying her at somepoint between her brain and her lips, she shook her head and retried, "What I mean is that you shouldn't try too hard to make things right. To you, whatever happened needed to happen, even if it was against whatever Hypatia wanted. You understand why she's angry, and you want her to understand your feelings too." She let out an exasperated sigh, feeling like she hasn't quite gotten out what she wanted to say. Pausing for just a moment, she tried again, "Let her be angry at you. You can't fix what happened, and it sounds like it was good for you. If she cared, she would be happy as well. Not that she's bad for being angry. That's understandable. Obviously. Or not obviously but..." She let out another breath, "Apologise, let her be angry, and give her the chance to think about it. She's your sister, family always come back around for each other." She was uncertain with whether or not she was actually done, but by the fact she didn't continue to speak, it would be a pretty good assumption that she was.

[babygirldeansblog]

his face when he realized he was the first seal, that he started all this. On the head of a pin is the worst and absolute cinema at once, I hate how he blames himself for it, but like i don't, i need to hug him 😔

[endofbeginings]

[qpjianghu]

Mysterious Lotus Casebook ~ ep. 1

What a coincidence, Doctor Li. I thought it would take a long time to find you.

[mongo-the-liensis]

Daniel: How do you want your coffee?

Carl, after beating some guy to death but not before the guy pleaded, saying he has a family at home: Black, like my soul.

Daniel:

Daniel: Carl, your soul is a latte.

[violetfairydust]

i just want to say i love derek hale

[mishiami]

good morning tetro community

@jubileedeeznuts-posting dragged me into this because he's a dastardly awful terrible unforgivable wretch and i HATE her

[winterwhisperz-blog]

“Oh vere is gonna eat us in bad ends”

I ‘ M GOING TO EAT HIM !!!!! IMMMM GOING TO EAT HIM !!!!!!!!

[guardianspirits13]

There is not enough appreciation out there for the fantastic balance of both comic relief and the voice of reason found in (Netflix-era) Foggy Nelson.

In my experience, characters who take on the voice of reason tend to also be the straight man (in the comedy definition) and also a party pooper towards the more reckless or rowdy characters in a situation.

Similarly, I'm sure we've all had the experience of beloved characters being reduced to comic relief in adaptations of our favorite media and how frustrating the erasure of meaningful character depth can be (don't get me started on Jesper in the SaB show, Kit I love you but the writers did not do you justice).

I've noticed many authors struggle to reconcile charismatic or silly characters with darker moments- I do wonder if this has anything to do with the so-called irony epidemic on the internet right now where everything has to be a joke. It has always bothered me when characters I care about are either never present during serious scenes or act uncharacteristically immature and remain unable to read the room in heavy moments.

Neither of these are a problem when it comes to Foggy because he's treated as a character and not a trope. He is to his core a genuine person who cares about his friends and wants to do the right thing. The fact that he is so easygoing is actually a boon to his career as a lawyer because it disarms his legal opponents and allows him to catch them off guard. He also is great at diffusing tension and de-escalating high-stress situations.

He's likeable and fun, but it never detracts from his determination or the gravity with which he treats his work. He's more responsible and better at communicating than Matt, and he's less impulsive and more cautious than Karen. He's very emotionally intelligent and reads people arguably better than Matt can- listening to all the heartbeats in the world won't measure up to understanding and appealing to a person's inner nature as Foggy demonstrates his ability to do time and time again. He can hit people where it hurts with only his words.

This is not to mention his thorough integrity and refusal to budge on his morals. He advises Karen again and again to not go outside of the law as much as it may help her investigation. He insists on being the bigger person and still finds it in himself to forgive Matt every time he fucks up while also not hiding his feelings of hurt and betrayal. He learns that Matt is going to kill Fisk and despite all the harm Fisk has caused and how much it may benefit society to see him gone, he still reports it to the police because he knows that Matt taking a life will fundamentally change him in a way he can never recover from.

And I am forever grateful that he was spared the fate of being reduced to a walking database of quips that so many MCU characters seem to meet.

I think this gif sums it up nicely:

10/10 character. No notes.