#hikaru: when i grow up

[honorthysalad]

Seems like Yoshiki’s eyes are starting to lose shape whenever he’s stressed out, starting with his left pupil getting more jagged when he’s putting back ‘Hikaru’s head in ch22, and then in ch24, his left iris moves to the side.

[box-of-roses]

⇢ ˗ˏˋ Can You Keep a Secret? ࿐ྂ

Characters: Tamaki, Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi

Warnings: Anesthetic

A/N: I hope you guys enjoy, Ouran was one of the first Animes I watched so I may be a little dusty on the characters -> The request Anesthesia + The Hosts

Tamaki

When you get out of the doctor’s office and into his car he rolls up the divider window and smiles at you

You two have so much fun rambling nonsense to each other

Thinks it’s adorable when you get excited “finding out” that he’s your boyfriend

“You’re so handsome.” You say leaning against him. He made sure you were still buckled before he wrapped his arms around you.

“Thank you my love, you know you’re pretty cute too.” He finds himself so lucky that you’re his.

“Can you keep a secret?” He nods with a smile and an eyebrow lift wondering what it could be. “I love you.” His face grows red at an almost alarming rate. This was the first time you had told him that you love him.

“I love you too, my love.” His voice is a little wavy but he has a dopey smile on his face. “Why don’t you get some rest.” He plays with your hair until you’re fast asleep in his arms

Kyoya

The divider window is already rolled up before you get into the car

Has ice cream already situated in the car because he knows you’ll want it

Blushes at how touchy you are before getting used to it

“Thank you, you’re really pretty.” He smiles as he sets his notepad down. He hands you your cup of ice cream and the smile on your face grows wider.

“I hope you enjoy, maybe it’ll wear off faster.” He knows it won’t but he enjoyed how quick you dug into the ice cream.

“Isn’t your partner jealous that you’re here with me? Giving me ice cream.” You poor soul. You’re so confused.

“I don’t think they’ll mind.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you’re my partner, honestly what did they do to you in there.” He shakes his head and presses a kiss to your forehead.

Kaoru

Little sweetheart brought blankets with him incase you were cold.

As for snacks, you have your own compartment in all of the cars that holds snacks, hygiene products, hair ties, breath freshener, etc.

by the time you come back out of the office he’s holding your hand and leading you to the car

Kaoru leads you to the car and helps you get in before buckling you up and closing the door. He does the same for himself on the other side. He pulls out a carefully folded blanket and places it around your shoulders before taking another one and putting it on your laps.

“Do you have a partner?” He’s a little taken aback by the statement before he chuckles.

“Yes I do, why do you ask?”

“Cause I think you’re really nice and handsome and I kinda just wanna kiss you.” You pout a little and go back to eating your snack.

“Can I tell you a secret?” You nod enthusiastically. “You’re my partner, cutie.” Your face grows red as you smile widely.

“I’m so lucky.” It’s his turn to blush now.

I headcanon that Kaoru calls you cutie because of the little oranges and that’s how you two got together. (I may expand on that more later)

Hikaru

Teases you about it literally ALL the time

Had his camera set up before you got into car

Thinks it’s absolutely hilarious that you didn’t know who he was

Helped you stumble your way to the car. Don’t be fooled though he was laughing the whole way. Your poor anesthesia filled brain didn’t know why he was laughing and just thought it was adorable.

When you get into the car the camera is already set up and he knows he’ll look fondly on today even if he still thinks it’s hilarious. “You’re really nice.” You say looking at him like he hung the stars.

“Why thank you, so find anyone attractive in there.”

“Well, can you keep a secret?” Well, that made him a little concerned. Why did you not immediately say no and that you thought he was attractive?

“Yeah, I’ve been known to keep a secret or two.”

“I find you attractive. I really hope you don’t have a partner.” He starts cackling at that.

“Sorry to disappoint but I do have a partner.” He makes out between laughs. “Can you keep a secret?” You frown a little but nod. “You’re my partner. And I think you’re the cutest when you’re not in your right mind.” That makes you smile.

Haruhi

Is definitely one of the nicer ones of the bunch

Ask her dad if she could borrow the car/ pick you guys up. Not a problem though because her dad literally LOVES you

Might like you more than Haruhi so he agreed instantly

Snacks are piled high in the car and Haruhi rolls her eyes at the display. “They don’t need this much.”

“Nonsense! Only the best for Y/N! I will have it no other way!” He says as he finishes putting the last bag in the car. Haruhi sighs and gets into the car. When they pull up to the doctor’s office Haruhi gets out of the car to help you. When you reach the car you’re in awe of Haruhi’s dad.

“You’re Mom’s really pretty!” They both laugh.

“Thank you dear! But I’m Haruhi’s father remember? I got you some snacks dear, Haruhi why don’t you sit in the back with them.”

“I was going to do that anyway.” The moment Haruhi sat down and buckled both of you in you had grabbed her hand. You held both of them up and compared hand sizes. Haruhi wasn’t used to you being this outgoing so she got flustered.

“What are you doing?”

“Comparing hand sizes and hoping you aren’t dating anyone and I can have you all to myself.” You say with a smile. You interlock your fingers and lean closer. “Now tell me, am I too late or am I so lucky that you’ll go on a date with me?”

“I’m already dating you idiot.” Haruhi smiles and kisses your interlocked hands.

“Well, that’s just the best news I’ve heard all day!”

RULES NAVIGATION

[mysticalstuff]

While you're in the mood, how would the host club folks react when they realize their crush is a country bumpkin? Rich or not, the differences probably throw them for a loop.

Ohshc! characters reaction to country bumpkin! S/O!

Sorry, this took decades 😭

:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ :*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ :*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡

Tamaki Suoh:

Tamaki would be over the moon when he finds out. He’d picture cute country scenes with fields of flowers, cute animals, and picturesque sunsets."A country life? Like in the stories? Oh, how wonderful! Did you ride horses to school? Do you have a family of noble dairy cows?" But when his crush mentions things like waking up at 4 AM to clean animal stalls, he’d freeze for a second. "C-Cleaning… manure? W-Well! That just means you're hardworking! Yes, truly admirable!" He’d still think it’s charming, but the reality would hit him harder than expected.

Kyoya Ootori:

Kyoya wouldn’t react much on the outside. He’d calmly adjust his glasses and nod like it’s no big deal. But inside, he’d already be thinking about the financial side of country living. "Ah, agriculture. An essential industry. The local economy in rural areas often depends on it. I see." If they mentioned something funny, like chasing chickens around the yard, he might smirk slightly. But he’d mostly stay composed, occasionally asking logical questions. "Did your family diversify their livestock to reduce market risks?"

Haruhi Fujioka:

Haruhi would probably shrug. Coming from a modest background herself, she wouldn’t find it strange. "So what? I grew up in a small apartment. You probably had more space than I ever did." She might poke a little fun if they say something particularly country-like, though. "Wait, you named your tractor? That’s… definitely a new one." But she’d respect their life skills, especially if they know how to grow food or fix things.

Hikaru Hitachiin:

Hikaru would be all over this. The teasing would be constant. "Well, well, if it isn’t our little country bumpkin! Did you wrassle some cows this morning?" He’d imitate an exaggerated accent every chance he got. But the more stories they shared, the more fascinated he’d become. If they described jumping in creeks or running through fields, he’d start imagining how fun it would be. "Okay, that actually sounds kinda cool. Can I visit sometime? I wanna try that!"

Kaoru Hitachiin:

Kaoru would laugh along with Hikaru at first, but he’d quickly grow curious. "Wait, so you had to milk cows before breakfast? That sounds exhausting." He’d be surprised by how much effort went into their daily life. Unlike Hikaru, he’d probably feel a little guilty about how easy his own life has been. "You’re stronger than you look, you know? I could never do all that."

Honey (Mitsukuni Haninozuka):

Honey would gasp excitedly if they talked about animals. "You had baby goats? And bunnies? Ohhh, that’s so cute! Did they snuggle with you?" He’d probably beg to visit their hometown just to see the animals. And if they mention homemade desserts, Honey would be all ears. "Country pies? You have to make me one! Pleeeease?"

Mori (Takashi Morinozuka):

Mori would just nod thoughtfully. He’d respect their strength and hard work without needing to say much. "That’s good. Hard work builds character." If they invited him to visit, he’d quietly accept and probably enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. He wouldn’t mind helping with chores either. “If you ever need help on the farm, let me know."

:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ :*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ :*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡

[completeoveranalysis]

[4]

Magic Knight Rayearth accuracy: 100%

This whole scenario is fascinating to me from Sakura's point of view, especially since she retained her memories. I was initially wondering how she'd be feeling being in Hong Kong in particular, but now that I think about it there was nothing about Tsubasa that implied Syaoran was from Hong Kong, so wouldn't know! She doesn't know the Cardcaptor Sakura side of things! She wouldn't know who she's about to meet!

But even that aside I can only imagine what it was like growing up in Japan with her memories from Tsubasa. Knowing she has a life with Syaoran ahead of her but not knowing when that begins. Getting to live a nice and happy life knowing that all the hard part of fighting for the universe is over. And also like, meeting Hikaru and remembering that she had to fight a robot based off of her in Infinity that one time.

Is her father Fujitaka in this world too? Is that weird for her, remembering him as Syaoran's father? Or is it switched in this world and Syaoran has Fujitaka here too? There's just so much AU to explore and I'm sure we'll only get the tiniest taste of it.

[therand0mwriter]

FRIENDS-Twin Fight

OHSHC x Female!reader

[Unedited]

"You're what?"

"We're pretending to fight in order to get Haruhi to let us go to her house." Hikaru and Kaoru said simultaneously, mischievous grins adorning their faces. (Y/N) and the twins were in her clubs kitchen after the host club ended and they were updating her on their current scheme. "Two questions," (Y/N) started, holding up two fingers. "Firstly: why? Secondly: 'her'?" The twins opened their mouths to respond but quickly shut them, a panicked look growing on their faces, "U-Uh..."

That told her everything she needed to know. (Y/N) chuckled and sent them a comforting smile, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. About Haruhi or your little escapade." Hikaru and Kaoru sighed in relief, but that breath was quickly sucked back in at her next words. "I have to say though, I am a little hurt that you two kept that from me... you usually share everything with me." She pouted. 

The twins immediately shot up to their feet, "I-It wasn't like that! If it was revealed that Haruhi was a girl-!" (Y/N)'s joyous laughing made them halt in their explanation. "You guys! I'm just teasing!" It was Hikaru's and Kaoru's turn to pout. The twins looked to each other out of the corner of their eyes and knew what the other was thinking. They approached the girl, their trademark devilish grins on their faces. Hikaru and Kaoru each placed a hand under (Y/N)'s chin, lifting her head to make eye contact. "Now that's not very nice of you, doll. We're the ones who are supposed to be teasing you. You deserve a punishment."  The twins said in an alluring tone, their grins never leaving. 

(Y/N) blushed at their advance and enticing words at first. Key words: at first. Her eyes quickly narrowed, "Do that, and I'll never cook or bake for you two again." She said with a tone of finality. "Ack!" Hikaru and Kaoru instantly backed off, causing the girl to giggle. "That's what I thought!" It was (Y/N)'s turn to smirk, making the boys blush. She then turned to the counter next to her. "I believe the macaron shells are all cooled off by now..." She had mumbled to herself, starting to assemble the sandwich cookies. 

Hikaru and Kaoru watched (Y/N), thinking. 'I can't believe she has such a hold on us...' "Here, my kohai." (Y/N) said, handing the twins a plate of pink and blue macarons. Hikaru and Kaoru smiled largely, taking the plate, "Thanks, doll!" The twins each took one and were about to take a bite but suddenly paused, "Hey," They started. "These are like the macarons you made us when we first met." (Y/N) smiled, "Yeah! They are!" Hikaru and Kaoru smiled in turn at the fond memory. "Wait a minute," The twins started once again. "This gives us an idea." They mischievously grinned at each other before turning to their senpai. (Y/N) gave them a confused look, "Huh?"

*Time Skip, Next Day*

"Wow." Was all (Y/N) could say as she took in the sight in front of her. "You guys really went for it, huh?" She questioned Hikaru and Kaoru with wide (e/c) eyes that never left their hair. "We sure did!" The twins said together with proud grins. Hikaru and Kaoru had found (Y/N) before classes started to show her their new look for their scheme. Hikaru had dyed his hair a bright pink while Kaoru dyed his hair a bright blue. 

"You know," Hikaru started. "We really have to thank you," Kaoru continued. "Thanks to you, you gave us the idea for our new hair. It'll really help us sell our 'fight'." They ended together, their trademark grins adorning their face. (Y/N) raised an eyebrow in question, "What? How did I give you two the idea for pink and blue hair?" Before the twins could answer, the chime of the bell rang out, signaling the start of class soon. 

"Awe, it's time to go." Hikaru and Kaoru said, disappointment in their tone. (Y/N) chuckled, "I'll check up on you guys at lunch, I want to see your little plan in action." The twins smile at this, "Alright, see you then, senpai!" Right before the three of them went their separate ways, Hikaru and Kaoru called out, "Oh! And senpai?" The girl stopped in her tracks and looked to her kohai, her head tilted in curiosity. "To answer your question, your pink and blue macarons gave us the idea. It just goes to show how much we like them, and how much we like you." Hikaru and Kaoru said, sending a wink to their favorite senpai. (Y/N) blushed at their words and their wink, speechless. The twins chuckled, pleased with the reaction they received from the girl. They turned to leave, waving behind them, "See you at lunch, doll."

After they had turned the corner, (Y/N) shook her head and thought to herself. 'I swear, ever since they realized that I'm friends with Honey, Mori, and Kyoya, they've been more flirty than usual. I wonder what's up with them?' She then shrugged, heading to her first class.

*Time Skip*

Lunch time had arrived and (Y/N) was slightly eager to see the twins in action. Unfortunately, she was 10 minutes late due to helping out a classmate with their work. When she entered the lunchroom she paused. She wasn't sure what to expect with the twins fight, but she wasn't expecting to see Hikaru and Kaoru to be throwing multiple different objects at each other without any shame. 'Huh?! Was that Honey and Mori senpai?!' 

"I see you finally learned about the current problem in the host club." A smooth voice said next to (Y/N). She turned to see Kyoya, also taking in the scene of the twins. "U-Uh, yeah. I heard about it but wasn't expecting it to be like this." (Y/N) replied. "(Y/N)-chan!" A new voice called out. Said girl turned this time to see Honey and Mori approaching her and Kyoya. (Y/N) sighed in relief, "I'm glad to see you two are okay." Honey giggled, "Yeah, that was pretty crazy, huh?" 

"So," (Y/N) started. "How long has this been going on?" She gestured to the twins who finally stopped throwing things at each other, storming off in opposite directions. "Since yesterday, Haruhi made a tactless comment about them and that seemed to be the catalyst." Kyoya answered, pushing up his glasses. (Y/N) internally giggled, finding it amusing how Kyoya indirectly blamed Haruhi for the twins tantrum.

"I'm pretty worried about them..." Honey commented, his tone sad. (Y/N) started to feel bad, her friends were worried over nothing but they didn't know that... but she did. With one sentence, she could melt her friends worries away. But she promised Hikaru and Kaoru that she wouldn't say anything. 'I need to stay away from everyone until Hikaru and Kaoru are done with their ruse...'

(Y/N) placed a comforting hand on Honeys shoulder, "I'm sure they'll make up before you know it, Honey-senpai." The older teen smiled, "Yeah, you're probably right, (Y/N)-chan!" She smiled at the blonde boy before turning to the two ravenettes, "Unfortunately, I have to get going now. I'll see you all later though!" She waved goodbye as she left the lunchroom, getting waves back from Kyoya and Honey while Mori nodded. 'Hm... somethings up with her.' Kyoya thought, finding her behavior weird. 'I'll have to text her about it later.'

*Time Skip*

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

What do you know?

(Y/N)💛

Huh? What are you talking about?

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

Hikaru and Kaoru. What do you know?

(Y/N)💛

They're... fighting?

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

(Y/N).

(Y/N)💛

I promised them I wouldn't say anything!😖

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

So you do know something.

(Y/N)💛

Shoot. That wasn't fair!😖

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

Just tell me. I promise I won't say anything.

(Y/N)💛

...

You swear?

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

I swear.

(Y/N)💛

They're pretending to fight in order to get Haruhi to let them go to her house. Though I'm not sure how that will go haha

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

I'm not surprised.

Wait.

I'm rereading your message. Did they tell you about Haruhi?

(Y/N)💛

Yeah...😬

Don't worry, I won't say anything:)

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

I know you won't.

But since that's the case, I'm taking the host club to test out my family's tropical retreat this Friday after school. Would you like to join us?

(Y/N)💛

Wait, really?! I can come??

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

Of course, I would love it if you joined.

(Y/N)💛

Yes! Definitely! I would love that!😁

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

Great, I look forward to it. :)

(Y/N)💛

:o

Kyoya, did you just use an emoji??

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

Yes. I figured I would try it out for you.

(Y/N)💛

Awe🥺Kyoya

You're too cute💖

I appreciate it:)

Kyoya📓✍️🏻

I'm glad.

Kyoya set his phone down and placed his hand over his mouth. He was thankful that he was alone in his classroom. Otherwise, people would see the raging blush dusting his cheeks.

*Time Skip*

"Guess what, senpai?" Hikaru and Kaoru grinned at said girl. "What?" She replied. "We did it! Haruhi said she'll let us come come to her house one day!" The twins said triumphantly. She chuckled, "Congratulations! I knew you two could do it!" Hikaru and Kaoru glowed at their favorite senpai's praise. 

"Wait a minute," She started, staring at the twins hair. "Did you switch hair colors?" The twins paused, but then softly smiled, "Nothing gets past you." They didn't answer her, but they did go in for a hug.  Hikaru was on her left and Kaoru was on her right, wrapping their arms around her shoulders. (Y/N) was slightly surprised at their sudden tenderness, but welcomed it. She returned the hug by placing her hands on their arms and snuggling into her favorite pair of twins.

[aihoshiino]

Okay, now I HAVE to know your opinion on this: what would Ai wish for if Kyubey approached her and asked her to become a magical girl?

I can tell you up front. She would NOT wish for the thing she actually wants because she is allergic to centering her needs and desires even in an entirely mundane context so there's no way she'd ever press a magical 'fix everything' button for her own sake <3

Depending on when Kyubey approached her, I think her wish would change and I've got two in mind I think would be most interesting.

In a pre-twins, post-Hikaru world, Ai wishes for Hikaru to be able to move on from their relationship and be happy without her. This results in him completely forgetting that he and Ai were ever together and that he had any feelings for her, which contributes to Ai's eventual downward spiral into witchdom.

Post-twins, it's the wish she gives Aqua and Ruby in canon - that they grow up into happy, healthy adults. Of course, she didn't include herself in that wish, so...

Either way, I think she's pretty doomed to witchdom, even more than most megucas though she I think she'd last a pretty long time because she is the QUEEN of compartmentalizing. But eventually she'd start spiralling and it's a slippy slope from there...

[animefeminist]

Classmates and finding the humanity in clichés

Content Warning: discussion of grooming and student/teacher relationships, queerphobia

Spoilers for all of Classmates

In every way, Classmates is a straightforward high school love story. High school student Kusakabe Hikaru attends Tofuya Number One High School, an all-boys school mostly populated by low-achieving students, where “if you can write your name, you can get in.” He’s one of the ones that doesn’t care about school; his passion is music, and the rock band he plays guitar in has a minor following. He bleaches and perms his hair, smokes, and drinks. When he notices the more academically-inclined Sajo Rihito mouthing the words in the choral number his class is practicing instead of singing, he assumes it’s because Sajo doesn’t care about music. That impression changes when he stumbles on Sajo practicing alone in a classroom, and he impulsively offers to tutor Sajo. The two grow closer, and their connection turns to romance. 

In the afterword of the first volume of Classmates, Nakamura Asumiko wrote of her first BL series, “I wanted to go with something cliché, almost hackneyed.” It’s true, Classmates does indulge many of the standards of the genre. Kusakabe is a rocker with bleached hair who grows close to his buttoned-up, bespectacled classmate Sajo while practicing for a choral performance. That closeness turns to attraction and the two begin dating, much to the chagrin of Hara-sensei, their music teacher who carries a torch of his own for Rihito. Instead of using these clichés as shortcuts, however, Nakamura uses the reader’s familiarity to build a framework for a humanistic, multifaceted story about queer intimacy, connection, and joy.

Read it at Anime Feminist!

[thelovinghost]

It is sad that I found this account before your main. ANYWAY!

I don't know your rules so funny little thing.

The yandere host club finding out that Y/N wants kids (gn Y/N) like adopting them or having them

Only if you want.

(Yandere if you can but if you don't want to that's fine to!)

Honestly, quite a few of my secondary blogs have more followers and interactions than my main :( I don't know if people know it's me, but I also have like 50+ different blogs Yet again I didn't include Mori, because I don't like him

Reader Gn, but briefly implied FAB

!!CHARACTERS AGED UP!!

Tamaki Suoh

He has so much love to give

He's wanted a kid the whole time, so he just needed you to come around

He's ecstatic! Practically jumping off the walls

If you have a child together, it would make it harder for you to leave

Even if you were once unhappy with your relationship, you'll fall for him eventually and this just hits the nail

If you're looking into Adoption, he probably already has all the paperwork and the agency

Though, if you want to conceive a child, he's trying any chance he can get [Sex drive goes up 500% Trying to get his dog wet 24/7]

He has a fear that you might end up like his mother, but luckily there's medicine for it now, thanks to his and Kyoya's dad

He's the best dad 100/10. He wants to be there for every moment of his child's life

He'll lose his mind if he misses something

Say he misses his child walking, he'll cry for like a week straight. You better have gotten it on video

Speaking of video, he records everything they do. He wants to save every moment

He gets more emotional when his child goes to school

He wants to hold onto them forever

He wants so many kids

You have to be a voice of reason

If you happened to have another child, he's not going to be mad

Your child can always look at Tamaki for Emotional comfort. If they have a crush though, they'll come to you.

Before you have the child, he imagines what they'll be like

Man has so many daydreams about your happy, average, family life :)

Kyoya Ootori

Genuinely could give or take a child

He's not the biggest fan of kids, but it'll be a mini version of you both. Or a mini version of just you

He doesn't want to be like his father, so of course he'll be more present in his child's life

He gets a better control of his emotions

Has their whole life planned out

He even has different plans if something goes wrong. Has every possible situation possible and has connected it all together

Kind of obsessed

Tamaki visits a lot just to see their kid

It annoys Kyoya to no end

Honestly, your child is probably just like Kyoya, much to your annoyance

That's all you need is another Kyoya

Kaoru Hitachiin

Okay... You want a kid?

He's never really thought about it

But, he's open to it... I mean you used to hate him

He'll spend time with you looking into your options

He's the second best dad, only beat by Tamaki

Your child will probably get Kaoru and Hikaru mixed up, much to Kaoru's disappointment

Called Hikaru dad once and Kaoru was mad at about it all day, while Hikaru teased him about it

Speaking of Hikaru, you're kid loves to annoy and bother his uncle. They'll ask Hikaru a million questions and Hikaru tells you to get your kid

^Kaoru is kind of proud

He'll love his child no matter what happens

He loves taking care of his kid. He has a more 'feminine' roll in the relationship, even if you're a stay at home mom

Hikaru Hitachiin

As he grows up, he gets more mature, though he has his moments

He doesn't know how to be a parent [But who does]

He's the most stressed about it, because he doesn't know what to do

You'll have to calm him down

Maybe this is a good thing?

He'll make sure his kid doesn't mix him up with his brother

But, you might have twins if you can give birth

^ If so, he'll have a deeper connection with them, because he's a twin

Your kid pranks you both a lot

Smashes food in your face, trip you, switch your bodywashes, tricking you

You're the main target for the pranks, because Hikaru is less likely to fall for it. Man invented twin pranks

There's nothing they can do that he hasn't done

He hadn't wanted a child, but he's so glad you both did

He might even want more kids

Mitsukuni 'Honey' Haninozuka

Having a kid with him would probably be an accident

Was NOT planned

Kinda funny if your kid is taller than Honey

I... Uh... Don't know what else to write... I'm sorry

Haruhi Fujioka

If you do have a child together, she'll probably carry the child

Though, she is the most open to adoption

She would love to give a child a home

Either way, she'd love being a mom

Granted, she never really thought about children. It was kind of at the back of her mind

She's more mature than you and takes on most of the responsibility

She doesn't mind, she enjoys it and she wants you to be happy

You're more emotionally connected than her. You sympathize with your kid[s] more

If the kid wants something, they'll ask you, because Haruhi will say no

[pippenpaddlopsicopolisthethird]

Write twins better in three easy steps!

I meet so many people who act so stupid about this to my face, and I basically never see a set of identical twins that are well written in fiction, so here's a couple tips about identical twins. Mostly as a reference for writing them, but also so you can tell people to stop acting like an asshole to any twins you might know IRL.

FACT ONE:

Identical twins are two separate people.

Not one brain in two bodies

Not a hivemind that can read each other's thoughts

They don't speak in unison all the time (but might answer together if you address them as a collective and not an individual)

If they date they don't share the same partner

Can't be counted as one person for the sake of entry admission, airplane seating, employment, school tuition, or voting

Have their own names, even, and would prefer you use them instead of calling them both by the same collective name

I am eternally mad about We-Go from Kim Possible

FACT TWO:

Identical twins don't struggle telling themselves apart from each other. Your difficulty telling them apart is not something they have ever experienced themselves.

They understand the difference between looking at themself in the mirror and looking at their twin.

Yes, even as a young child.

No, they didn't have to learn the difference between a mirror and their sibling.

They never believe their twin to be themself.

They don't struggle to see themself as their own person.

They don't feel like they're looking at their own face all the time.

They don't have constant thoughts about how their sibling looks similar to themself.

The scene from The Parent Trap where one "twin" says 'OMG why do you look just like me??' just isn't realistic

FACT THREE:

Identical twins are, as a rule, not trying to actively deceive you and are sick of people assuming that.

Your difficulty in telling them apart does not mean they are trying intentionally to trick you or make you mess up

They also aren't trying to scare you or murder you and they won't like you if you tell them you're afraid of them

Dating a twin doesnt mean you're going to be parent-trapped (and if you can't tell your partner apart from their sibling, that's not a good look on you)

Some twins just go with the assumptions everyone else is making about them already and play into the stereotype, especially as kids

Literally every fictional pair of identical twins are tricksters already. Come up with something original.

Twins can still be compelling characters without leaning on these tropes

Writing a compelling pair of identical twins doesn't have to be hard if you either write them like other siblings, or understand that the stereotypes that circulate in fiction are some of the biggest issues they struggle against. Here are some good examples of compelling twin plots that I can think of, though not all of these characters are twins or identical:

Mabel's fear at the end of Gravity Falls that growing up meant that her brother would grow apart from her

Stanley Pines struggling to measure up to his parent's favoritism of his brother throughout childhood, but still dedicating his adult life to getting him back when he went missing

Ty Lee running away to join the circus so she could have an identity outside of her parents' curated "matched set" of siblings in AtLA

Vash and Knives in Trigun '99 experiencing the same childhood traumas and interpreting them differently, coming away from them with opposing ideologies in adulthood

Hikaru and Kaoru's trauma over being told they were interchangeable and their desire to find someone who would treat them as individuals in Ouran High School Host Club

[magokoroooo]

i think another tragic aspect of the story was that they were both 17. yoshiki and hikaru were both 17: on the brink of adulthood and almost leaving childhood. that meant hikaru died just a year before he became an adult. he died still a child. still young. and the way both yoshiki and hikaru could’ve continued being a child for at least another year if hikaru hadn’t died. or maybe if hikaru’s corpse had been discovered that night, yoshiki would have been able to move on. and it would have hurt for a couple of years, and he would have cried, but the pain would slowly go numb when he knew that hikaru was fully dead. but because hikaru’s body is still walking and talking around, he doesn’t get to move on. he doesn’t get to grow up, and leave behind hikaru in his childhood, trapped in the prison bars of his own immature feelings and grief. but it’s not only the fact that he has to keep clinging on to his childhood and his immature feelings in order to accept “hikaru”. yoshiki had to grow up a few years too soon. he had to witness everything that happened and everything that went on. he saw hikaru’s corpse on the mountain that day. he knew hikaru died on the mountain that day. he had to accept that the largest part of his childhood, someone that made him feel vulnerable and safe and so unbearably loving was gone forever from his grasp. he is forced to accept this as hikaru walks and talks around him, as he goes to school and studies, as he sleeps and acts like everything is okay. like everything is normal. like he had not lost hikaru forever. his childhood, his summer, his innocence and his best friend, all taken away too early.

[valeriele3]

Yandere!ALL⊿tius x Reader

All ALL⊿tius members

Supposed to be yandere HC's abt them in bulleted form but.. that clearly didn't work out

Finn Kinase

Clingy and possessive type:

We can already tell that Finn is clingy and likes affection through his route, so I can see him as the overly clingy yandere type.

I can see his darling just thinking it's his love language, not really minding it at first, but as time goes on. Finn's affections grow stronger.

So strong to the point that it would feel suffocating.

What? Are you talking to someone outside of the ALL⊿tius members?

"Who are they? What's your relationship with them?" You can expect questions like these to arise.

He does try to hold back on his affections and questions, as he doesn't want to make his darling uncomfortable.

Just show enough but not too little or too much (he ends up showing too much most of the time, though. He can't help it. Just being around you makes him lose all sorts of control he has over his body).

Like a human who lost all reason, a beast. Still overly romantic, though. Expect a fresh bouquet of roses and little trinkets he finds every week. Do note, don't let anyone else give you flowers or gift you trinkets; that's his job. No one else can do that.

Hikaru Kirishima

Definitely started at high school.

Or... We can go to the classic road of "childhood friends that grew apart only to meet again in high school."

You may or may not have forgotten him, but what's for sure is that he never forgot you.

You were his first crush, and first crushes are not something you easily forget now, right?

You've always been on the back of his mind, like a fond memory he would sometimes look back on, but wait...is that you?!

He can't believe he met you again. He wanted to reconnect with you, but every time he would approach, some other student would drag him somewhere.

That's the consequence of being popular.

And so, he opted to just admire you from a distance. If only it stuck to admiring... But alas, humans can't control their feelings.

He found himself slowly falling for you. Over time, he's managed to memorize your schedule, who you talk to, which ones are friends or not, the route you take to school, and what time you usually go to and out of school.

He swears he didn't mean to look like he's stalking you! You just happened to be going the same way he is! His house requires him to take a different route from yours.

Just let him watch a bit more, alright? He'll leave you alone soon.

But oh...both of you had to move away right after high school… He often found himself thinking about you during his time at college, and even when he had already started working as ALL⊿tius' manager.

Ah, maybe you guys are truly meant to be... he thought as he saw you standing in the lobby, talking with Shuu.

This time... this time he won't ever let you go.

He's already let you go several times; there's just no stopping fate.

You guys are meant to be. It's written in the stars, and you can't rewrite the stars, can you?

Also definitely the sweet and caring kind of Yandere.

Just make sure you don't treat anyone else the same as you do him lest we get a news report the next day about someone getting food poisoning and almost getting run over multiple times.

But other than the murders and blackmail, Hikaru is a perfect loving partner.

Noah Uzuki

Noah would definitely use his hacking skills to find out every single detail he can about you. He can and will do it. He even does it at the start of the story when Shu asked him to look into our character. For the yandere part, I feel like he started taking an interest in his darling when he was doing a background check on them on behalf of Shu, or we can go wayyy back to before he was an idol when he was still streaming and playing games.

If we were to go with "when he was still streaming," I imagine his darling to be someone that he always played games with. Gaming sessions last for the whole day.

From a small, innocent crush to love until it all eventually twisted into obsession.

Also seems like the type to hack into your cameras to just watch you go on about your day.

Oh, but if his darling is the type to bring their phone to the bathroom, please be rest assured that he will look away. He won't look through your camera during those times. He still respects you despite all the background checks and stuff.

Note: If you also like Azuki, Noah would fall for you even more.

Ren Yuzuriha

I feel like he would be on the more lenient side.

Not the type to be overly violent, clingy, possessive, or anything like that. You wouldn't even know that this man is obsessed because he just comes off as normal.

He doesn't really treat you any differently from normal, but if you squint really hard or look closely, you would be able to see how his actions and words seem softer towards you.

His possessiveness and overprotective nature rarely show, but they shine the most whenever you guys are alone, especially if he got particularly jealous that day.

Be careful of his words; they hide a deep meaning.

The type to do something he normally wouldn't do, like disobeying his father, just for you

Probably not the stalking type either. Rather than learning about you through totally legal ways, he would prefer to get to know you better personally. He'd let you yap about anything and everything and store all of that information inside his head.

Might or might not put a GPS/tracker on you, though. He wants to make sure you're always safe, and knowing where you are puts him at ease.

Rian Akatsuka

Good luck. Once you're in his arms, there's no escape.

You're his home now, and he's your home.

This man doesn't care about anything and anyone else. All he cares about is you; he sees no one but you.

If you're the producer for ALL⊿tius, expect him to come knocking on your door, late at night, asking to sleep together.

It's not your room now; it belongs to both of you now. Same with his room; it's yours and his.

If you were a friend from before he debuted as an idol, a.k.a. when he was still in the streets... I can see him falling in love with your dance and slowly falling for you as a person.

And shortly after the time Yasu and Taku approached him during his route, you encountered him while he was outside late at night.

He was relieved to see that the one calling out to him was just you, then panicked when he thought about what happened when he met up with Taku.

"What if you're also here to ask him for money or something worse?" he thought, but he was surprised when you wholeheartedly congratulated his success and comforted him.

Turns out those two had also approached you at first, asking you to come so that Rian would be more willing to give them money; he was close to you too after all.

As we know, Rian was not in a good mental state during this time. And that made him vulnerable.

Past feelings for you arose and mixed with the present.

From a sweet, innocent love to a twisted, obsessive love, he loves you, and you love him too, right? That must be why you're here.

There's no other explanation for why you could be appearing right here and now, right when he's at his lowest.

Fate must've brought you to him. To help him.

Yeah... He isn't the sweet Rian Akatsuka you know anymore.

This man is different. He is obsessive and possessive; he has practically lost all reason when it comes to you.

He treasures, no, worships, the very ground that you walk on.

I can see him stalking you, doing the classic "steals your trash and puts it in a shrine dedicated to you." This man is absolutely down bad.

Shuu Ikouga

Another one who would not be an obvious yandere

Definitely the type to be normal, acting as usual, but the moment he enters his room... This man is salivating. He's literally so happy to be able to talk to you, to laugh with you, to touch even a single part of your body. (You handed him some files and briefly made skin contact. Literally.)

This man is in full ecstasy. If it were possible, his pupils would literally be in the shape of hearts. He practically melts, celebrating another day spent with you.

And in his room, there's a tiny corner, and in that corner lies a small shrine. It consists of old bubblegums you spat out, a lollipop stick, used tissues, a ballpen, and so many more.

Oh, your hands made contact with his clothes? He's never using those clothes again. He would treasure it as a family heirloom.

If he could, he would never wash every single part of his body you made contact with. He definitely does that weird long sniff too. It's your scent on HIS skin and clothes.

Watch out, he might ascend at this point.

But alas, he's an idol, and hygiene is extremely important.

Wait, what was that? You like his perfume? What brand is it, you say?

You'll receive a brand new perfume of the exact kind the next day.

He's so, so, sooo happy that you guys would have matching scents now.

[thrandilf]

When you told me assassins were coming for Dad, I ran away and hid in the walls. And when I found out Dad was gone forever, I ran away again. I've been running away from things my whole life. But I can't run away from growing up. When you grow up, you have to face things you're not ready for.

Lyrics: Face My Fears by Hikaru Utada/Skrillex

[cricketandbooks]

☠︎︎♡ Dead Boy Detectives Ship Playlists ♡☠︎︎

For the anniversary of its release, I thought I'd make a little group of playlists in honor of some of the more popular ships in the fandom. I'll leave them under the cut so as to not take too much space on your feed. Hope I did them justice and happy birthday Dead Boy Detectives!

Dead Married Couple (On Acid)

Featuring: Turning Page by Sleeping at Last, In The Cold by Vincent Lima, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths, Orpheus mentioned at least three times, and a love which shines so bright that Death herself probably ships it

No Grave

Featuring: Work Song by Hozier, Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) by Florence and the Machine, Face My Fears by Hikaru Utada, Francis Forever by Mitski, and the kind of love that can overcome dying in each other's arms

Like Real People Do

Featuring: Show Me Love by Hundred Waters, Sleeping With A Friend by Neon Trees, Lost Boy by Ruth B., Grow As We Go by Ben Platt, and the messiness of growing up but never growing old

Behind Those Emerald Eyes

Featuring: Slow Like Honey by Fiona Apple, Revelations by Dragonette and The Knocks, So Handsome Hello by Woodkid, That's What I Want by Lil Nas X, enough sexiness to hopefully rival Edwin's Cat King abs flashbacks, and what happens when two lonely people see each other

I Fought The World For Your Hand

Featuring: Body by SYML, Preybirds by Rabbitology and Sparkbird, Allies or Enemies by The Crane Wives, Mystery Of Love by Sufjan Stevens, and one member being brutally ripped apart (twice!) and the other being tortured in their master's (mother's?) living room, which funny enough is often exactly what first love feels like

And there we go! Again, I really hope I did them all justice. All these relationships are captivating in their own way and are part of what makes the show so special. I've made so so many Dead Boy Detectives Playlists by now, but I still have so many ideas. But for now I hope there's something in here for everyone to enjoy!

[demonslayelover]

Honey Senpai’s Cavity

This is a Mitsukuni x reader. This one shot takes place during the episode where he had his cavity.

Warnings: None

Enjoyyy~~~~

——————————————————————————

Y/n smiles as she walks through the halls of Ouran Highschool, her (long/short) hair seemingly glowing as she walks the halls. She stops in front of a room where a sign above the door read “Music Room 3”.

She smiles knowing that this is the room she had been instructed to go ti by her mom. She opens the door gently and instead of the usual rose petals she was hit with a cry of pain as she steps in.

“Are you okay Honey~senpai?” Haruhi asks as she looks over at Y/n upon her arrival.

“No! I took a bite of cake and my tooth started hurting!” He cries as he holds his cheek in pain.

“Hm it appears Honey~senpai has a cavity.” Tamaki says as he leans down and inspects Honey~senpai’s tooth.

Mori leans down and looks at him as he feels his heart tense up when he remembers he didn’t remind Honey~senpai to brush his teeth.

“Um hi?” Y/n says awkwardly as she walks into the room and tries not to interrupt their conversation.

“Y/niieeee!” Honey~senpai cries as he runs towards her and hugs her tightly.

“Y/nnnn! My tooth hurts!” He cries as he clings to her.

“Yes Honey it’s called a cavity.” Y/n smiles as she hugs him back and pets his head slowly.

“What the what?! Who is that gorgeous girl and why is she coddling with Honey~senpai?!” Hikaru asks shocked as he looks at his twin.

“Maybe their close friends?” Haruhi suggests as she looks at them curiously.

“Ooo or maybe their enemies but only in privacy they can be intimate?!” Tamaki asks but everyone just ignores him and a pretend arrow strikes his left shoulder.

“Maybe their online friends?” Kaoru suggests as he holds his hand up to his chin in a thinking position.

“Ooo! Or maybe they’re best friends who secretly love each other and want to privately confess!” Tamaki says as a dramatic tear rolls down his eye but once again he was ignored which caused another arrow to strike him in his right shoulder.

“Maybe their families are partners?” Haruhi asks as she thinks.

“Maybe their lovers who can’t be together because of their families!” Tamaki shouts and that’s everyone’s last straw so they all yell.

“SHUT UP TAMAKI!” Even Honey~senpai yells but he cries and clutches his tooth as Y/n gently sits him down on the couch and hands him Usa~Chan.

A final arrow comes out and shoots Tamaki in the heart as he cries and heads to his mushroom growing corner.

“Honey you shouldn’t yell with your cavity.” Y/n says as she sits beside him on the couch when she feels a rattle shake her and the couch.

“Hmmm… seems like there is a secret going on in the Host Club.” Renge grins as she pops out of her hole in the ground sitting to her table with her tea cup full of commoners coffee.

“You’re still here?!” Hikaru asks as he looks at her scared.

“Yes you idiot. I’d never leave my dear Haruhi here with you hooligans.” She says rolling her eyes before her eyes meet Y/n’s.

“Oh my god! Honey~senpai has a lover?!” She shouts which finally pisses Kyoya off.

“Yes! I tried to hold my pateinede until they finished but I can’t take it. That is Y/n. She is Honey~senpai’s girlfriend.” Kyoya explains once he reaches his wits end.

The host clubs faces stay the same but after a few seconds their eyes all widen as they look back and forth from Kyoya to Honey and back to Kyoya.

“Really? He’s got a girlfriend?!” Hikaru and Kaoru ask in sync as they look at Honey and Y/n.

“Yes. It’s true. I know that look that they give each other. It’s the look of true love.” Tamaki gasps in shock as he comes to the realization.

“Huh. And how do you feel about this Mori? Did you know?” Haruhi asks the silent boy.

He nods as he smiles gently as if saying he’s happy for them.

“Then I guess it’s settled. We all were wrong.” Hikaru sighs as he looks down defeated.

“Except for Tamaki~San.” Y/n says as she smiles at them

“WHATTTTTT?!” The host clubs members (minus Mori and Kyoya since they both already knew) scream so loud it rattled the school.

“Yes me and Honey’s parents are enemies and we’re in a secret relationship. Though I guess not so secret since you all know. And we were best friends until we confessed privately and only Mori knew. And in private is the only way we can be intimate so that’s why I was coming to look for him. I just told my mom that I was coming to visit Kyoya.” Y/n smiles as she giggles softly at their shocked faces.

“Huh. For once the boss said something smart.” Kaoru says as the host club members agree.

“Yes thank you- what do you all mean for once?!” Tamaki shouts as he looks at them from his mushroom corner.

“It’s just that- well- nevermind Tamaki.” They sigh and get back to talking about Honey~senpai and his girlfriend.

That was the topic the host club stayed on for the entire day. It was just so shocking to them.

Y/n and Honey cuddled for the remainder of the day and answered questions for the host club. Mainly Y/n since Honeys cavity kept hurting but he smiled happy to be able to be with Y/n.

[putschki1969]

Kalafina 「sprinter」 (Yuki Kajiura LIVE Vol.#2) - Unreleased and Unedited

Update 24/09/07: The original YouTube "video" was made private so I can no longer link to it. Instead, I am including the audio which I downloaded last night from the video. Please note that even though I keep calling the original upload a "video", it is just an audio track with a picture.

Update 24/09/08: The video on YouTube is back up again. I don't notice any obvious changes so I'm not sure why it was put on private in the first place. Check it out HERE.

Update 24/09/09: Check out my UPDATE POST here. New information has been revealed that in my opinion proves that the track on YouTube is fake.

Thanks to @gslin (@gslin on Twitter) for the heads-up! A mysterious account on YouTube (@FJS_Official => which is definitely not "official" but pretends to be judging by their name and handle; The account has since changed their handle to "@FJS_Channel") has uploaded an interesting audio a couple of days ago. It is presumably from Kalafina's front act performance for "Yuki Kajiura LIVE Vol.#2" held at Shibuya O-EAST on July 31, 2008. Wakana, Keiko, Hikaru and Maya (who was still a member back then) sang 4 songs in total:

oblivious

Kizuato

ARIA

sprinter

Official footage exists of their "ARIA" and "Kizuato" performance (included as bonus content on the "Seventh Heaven" album) but up until recently, I think everyone believed that there were no live recordings of "oblivious" or "sprinter" featuring Maya (please correct me if I'm wrong in that regard).

When I initially saw the video on YouTube, I thought that this whole thing was fake. I feel like these days, any tech-savvy person can layer different audio tracks and make it sound like a brand-new live recording with a few tweaks here and there (especially if you factor in the growing popularity of AI). I mean, all you'd have to do is mix the original studio recording with Maya's vocals (or Maya's unofficial karaoke performance of the song) with one of the many existing live recordings of "sprinter" and voilà, you'd have created something like the above audio.

However, after listening to the audio a few times, I'm having a hard time recognising any specifics of the live performance. I'll admit, I'm not 100% familiar with every single "sprinter" performance since it's not exactly among my favourite songs but from what I can tell, Hikaru sounds a lot shakier than in any of the "official" live recordings that are out there. So yeah, this might indeed be "unreleased" and it appears to be as raw/unedited as it gets. I did a quick research but couldn't find anything on this topic so I don't think this has been posted before...

As @gslin has mentioned on Twitter, the sound quality is exceptionally well, too good for a bootleg (possibly recorded in an official manner close to the PA system?)

The video description says that it is a sound source preserved at Sony Music but I have my doubts about that. I wonder how the person who runs the account would just get access to it and be allowed to post it on a random YouTube channel. Sounds a bit fishy to me. If there are actually people out there who can get their hands on unreleased Kalafina audios, there would be more of them floating around (someone give me all those Christmas live sound sources!!!!).

But who knows, anything is possible. Maybe the venue had some of these sound sources stored (no idea if this is a common practice)? Shibuya O-EAST could have gotten rid of them (made them publicly available) after they rebranded the venue in 2021.

[pumpkinmetaphor]

Ouran, Performance, Audience

Okay I said I was going to write this and I can't look at it anymore so posting. Anyway, performance in Ouran is interesting and we’ve all been chatting about it lately. Each character puts on an “act” for the guests, each character puts on another “act” for the people around them. It’s a testament to how well the characters are written that we can unravel these performances throughout the text. I still think there’s several levels of reading the characters and the text as well. 

Ouran is satire- hence why they’re essentially parodying these archetypes. But Ouran is also self-aware, self-referential, and meta. Characters break the fourth wall. They’re, at varying levels, aware of being in a story. We have characters who obviously break the fourth wall (Kyoya looking right into the camera in episode 1, for example. I would say Tamaki’s “homosexual supporting cast” speech, except it’s kind of an anomaly for him) and characters who are resistant to any sort of self-reflection that might lead them to any sort of conclusions like this (Hikaru.) I will at one point go through the entire manga again and count how many times each character narrates– which, to my recollection, is uncommon outside of Haruhi (MC obvs, and framed as talking to her mother) and Kaoru (framed as talking to himself/ the audience/ Hikaru-that-lives-in-his-brain) but I could be misremembering.

This is generally played for comedic effect. Tamaki breaks the fourth wall when it’s funny. Kyoya plays dumb about plot conventions (such as “we have birthdays here?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”) when it’s funny for him to do so. 

Anyway that’s just my setup. I want to discuss the Paris Arc, specifically whatever is going on with Kaoru. 

Read More because this is 2k words.

Kaoru is an interesting character because I think the performance is a little more pronounced. There’s reason to interpret he generally controls the scripts, his host club act is a bigger deviation from his natural personality, and fundamentally, as a person, Kaoru is less solid in his sense of identity. 

Which does kind of beg a question. The version of Kaoru the host club girls get is clearly fake. But the Kaoru most people get is some form of a mask. Kaoru reflects Hikaru– which is what Hikaru needs until Kaoru fears he doesn’t. Kaoru seems to take Haruhi’s assertion that he’s the “less evil one” to heart. I think neither Hikaru or Kaoru know what Haruhi is going to say is the difference between them in Episode/Chapter 5 because they themselves don’t know– aside from this very philosophical “well the one who is you is the one who is not me and the one who is not you is me etc.”

Anyway, we all kind of understand the general baseline– Hikaru is going to grow up, fall in love, and spread his wings– Kaoru is afraid this means Hikaru will leave him behind. This is the plot. 

But I think a lot of this comes down to “the thing they won’t be able to share,” which is presented to us in the form of that cookie. Haruhi notes that Kaoru will just give whatever it is to Hikaru. Hikaru ultimately snaps the cookie in half and forces Kaoru to take half of it anyway. This kind of embodies the fundamental difference between them, in my book. 

(Ch. 45, various spliced together pages) Hikaru: It is literally not on Hikaru’s radar that there might ever be anything that he and Kaoru do not share. He does not conceive this on any level before the Paris Arc. Kaoru will literally always be here, he is a constant that Hikaru cannot conceive losing. Hikaru’s not afraid of Kaoru abandoning him– he may be, afraid something will happen to Kaoru that will take him away, but he’s not afraid of Kaoru choosing to leave. Why would he? Kaoru is the one person who cannot betray him. 

Kaoru: It is a given that Hikaru will one day leave. It is simply the only way. Hikaru will grow up and, for various reasons, Kaoru will not grow with him. And Hikaru will choose to leave– this will not be a betrayal, it’s just how life works when you’re not the main character in your story. Your carriage turns back into a grubby ole pumpkin and you’re left all alone. 

After the cookie scene, Kaoru tells Hani that he has feelings for Haruhi. This is, in my opinion, when Kaoru takes the reins of the narrative. Of the carriage, so to speak. The carriage in the anime exists on the condition that no one acknowledges that they’re in a love story and “breaks” the found family. Kaoru saying he’s in love with Haruhi steers the narrative on the course to the inevitable. 

Which is great!

Except is Kaoru in love with Haruhi? 

My hypothesis: it literally doesn’t matter. Kaoru’s feelings for Haruhi do not drive the narrative. Kaoru talking about it does. He could be lying. He could be mistaken. He could be genuinely in love with her. It could be an idle crush. It doesn’t matter. It’s the performance of this love for the appropriate audience (aka: Hani, Hikaru etc.) that matters.

I think the base reading of this arc is that the cookie is Haruhi. Haruhi is the one thing they can’t share, right? They can’t like, keep eating biscuits out of her mouth and licking her face if Hikaru wants her to be his girlfriend and Kaoru wants her too. While I don’t think it’s incorrect to read this as a concern Kaoru has, I don’t think it gets to the heart of the issue. 

So, performance!

Kaoru puts on his little act for Hikaru throughout the Paris Arc. Generally tormenting him, ostracising him. In a way giving him a taste of what Kaoru goes through in a zillion Hika/Haru fanfictions or Kaoru’s own nightmares. This culminates in the date, where Kaoru basically brings Haruhi on the date he asked her on first (before giving it to Hikaru) and hitting every single mark that Hikaru missed. Not that anyone is enjoying themselves regardless to be honest. 

And of course, at the end, he kisses her and Hikaru sees and runs off upset. 

Except we, the audience, know Kaoru kisses Haruhi on the cheek. It’s a clear enough stage kiss from the art. Just close enough for us to understand that, from Hikaru’s perspective, Kaoru kissed her on the mouth. We’re bystanders, watching this plot unfold. Hikaru is Kaoru’s intended audience– that’s who he’s performing for. 

So what’s the difference then between this scene.

And this scene?

Well, first: what else can be the one thing Hikaru and Kaoru can’t share? If you go one level further, I think you come to the conclusion that Hikaru is the one thing they can’t share. After all, Hikaru cannot keep giving half of himself, half of his time, energy, love, self etc. to Kaoru all the time, and grow up. They suffer a classic case of enmeshment. Kaoru determines that Hikaru needs to be shoved out of the nest– and that the only way to do that is to stab him in the back. 

I don’t think Kaoru is trying to make Hikaru hate him. I do think what he’s trying to do is make Hikaru realise that he’s a person? Who is capable of betraying him, just like any other person. As long as Hikaru believes that Kaoru is “the only person he can trust,” he’s never going to grow up. By knocking himself off that pedestal in Hikaru’s eyes, Hikaru is forced to see him differently and Kaoru is prepared to accept however Hikaru might feel about him in the aftermath (though assuming he’ll drastically distance himself). 

(Side note. I think Hikaru and Kaoru internalise their maid-related-trauma slightly differently. While Kaoru’s fear is abandonment, Hikaru’s fear is betrayal. They just manifest similarly because there’s a lot of crossover. This is sooo long already, I’m not getting into it unless someone asks lmao.)

Loop back to the image again then. What’s the difference here? Well, it’s still a stage kiss! They both are. But, with one fundamental difference. 

Image one, Hikaru is Kaoru’s audience. He is performing to trick Hikaru (and possibly anyone else, like Hani and Mori, watching). But reality is clear to us, the reader.

Image two, you are Kaoru’s audience. He is performing to trick you. (but reality is clear to Hikaru, the participant)

Like, that’s pretty in your face huh? Faces obscured in a way that you don’t infer it as a cheek kiss as easily as you do with Kaoru and Haruhi. It’s also on the left page of the physical edition, meaning you have to skip to the next page to see the aftermath:

Kaoru’s not just tricking the audience. He’s queerbaiting the audience. Typical.

Firstly, I do think one can be led to the conclusion that if the one thing they can’t share is Hikaru, not Haruhi, that means Kaoru is not in love with Haruhi but is in love with Hikaru. In fact, I think that’s kind of the point with these panels. It’s framed as a bait-switch, which only works if the audience misinterprets the kiss. My ultimate conclusion therefore is that there is no textual romantic incest occuring. It is enmeshment at a bare minimum though. But that's another topic, another day, for somebody else.

Secondly, I think this is because the audience is, regardless, on the wrong track. Or at least not the full track. We have access to the narrative when other characters don’t, but we’re still reading the story Kaoru is telling. We’re still the audience to his performance of the story. It’s easier for Kaoru to tell a story that’s all about his brother– he’s been doing it his whole life. He’s not the main character, after all. So he’s telling us a story where the one thing they cannot share is Hikaru, telling all the other characters a story where the one thing they can’t share is Haruhi. 

So the one thing they can’t share is something more nebulous. It’s the identity. 

Which feels like a contradiction in a way, because the identity is Hikaru, isn't it?

They can’t be one double act, split down the middle. They can’t be one seed sprouting two leaves. They can’t be two halves of one cookie, or two halves of one soul. And the problem is, Kaoru views everything as something Hikaru has split down the middle and shared with him– and now he has to give it all back. 

I don’t really think Hikaru views “their room” as being “his room, that I share with Kaoru.” But I think Kaoru does. I think Kaoru views everything as something Hikaru has shared with him, right down to his own personality, his own face. Hikaru cannot leave, cannot grow up, unless Kaoru stops pretending to be him and gives him the half of his identity back to make one whole, true Hikaru. 

Only problem is, Kaoru has to cut that tricky spare leaf off. After all, when he gives Hikaru back the identity, Kaoru won’t have one. Kaoru is defined as being “the one who is not Hikaru.” My brother is Hikaru. The one who is not my brother is me. And how do you define that? When your brother is no longer there, who are you? 

That’s why it’s important that Hikaru dyes his hair. Because I don’t think him dyeing his hair matters if the issue is Haruhi (Haruhi can tell them apart anyway). I don’t think it matters if the issue is Hikaru (this would not, in isolation, fix Kaoru's thought process). 

It is however enough for Hikaru to be able to illustrate to Kaoru that their identity is inherently interwoven, not necessarily shared. It doesn’t matter if Kaoru is the same as Hikaru or not– because Kaoru is who he is. That may have been affected by the fact that they’re twins, but his identity is not negated by it. Kaoru's identity is not inherently a performance just because it reflects Hikaru, and he doesn't lose it when he ceases to reflect Hikaru.

(breathes)

CAVEAT AS ALWAYS: I am reading the English translation. While it is the official Viz Media translation, something is always changed in translation, localisation, and interpretation. With the assumption that everyone here is reading the manga in English (sweeping assumption, sorry) this is therefore a reading of the text inherently coloured by the site of circulation (English translation, volume compiled) and the site of audiencing: aka the fact that I am an English-speaking, European, media studies/animation academic, speaking on an largely American blogging platform to the like, twelve Kaoru stans that follow me. It also means your interpretation may be very different to mine! Anyway If you read this far, congrats! You deserve a cookie– whatever that might or might not signify.