#i just think he is a peculiar animal and he is very funny i would keep in touch w him for sure

[alligaytorswamp]

ok i know he is like.. kinda terrible or whatever 😒 but i wouldn't leave him like that!! yes i would entertain him, in fact i would probably respond in 0.001 sec to his stupid scam links and he would leave ME on read. let me live my dream oh my god

[azrielbrainrot]

I Laugh Like Me Again... She Laughs Like You - Part 5

Pairing: Azriel x Reader

Description: It's time to find your handler and make him answer for what he's done to you.

Warnings: Violence, Torture, Gore (nothing too graphic)

Word Count: 4715

Notes: This took a while to write, I'm sorry about that but life has been kicking my ass. I really hope it makes enough sense because I've found I'm not very good at writing action scenes (but that's also not the main focus). Hope you enjoy!

Part 4 ○ Part 6

The moon was high in the sky, its pale light guiding your way through the forest. The air was strangely quiet, the leaves crunching beneath your feet were the only thing that could be heard between the trees. Even the wind was serene and no animal dared make a sound, as if sensing what was to come. The atmosphere allowed you to keep your composure, any incoming threats would be easier to detect like this. Unfortunately, so would your allies.

It's funny how so much can change in a matter of days. Before, when you were only a relatively low ranking member of the guild, walking through the dark woods as you are doing now would simply be the norm, whether you were on a mission or not, but, after everything you learned, not having Azriel and his shadows near you makes you feel off-kilter, like you can't protect him if he stands too far from you.

If it weren't for the millions of problems that keep piling on, you'd probably sit on this feeling, dissecting it until you realize how peculiar it actually is for you to feel so achingly connected to the shadowsinger who, even if had been your husband during a time of your life you've now forgotten, was essentially a stranger to you now. You've only really known him for about two weeks, not nearly enough time to be feeling like a part of you is missing.

You weren't used to worrying about anyone else at times like these. Even when your missions weren't solo, you didn't actually know your coworkers, much less cared if they survived or not. But now, you can't stop thinking about all the ways this could go wrong, of how Azriel and his family could get hurt because of you. You stayed up thinking about this all night, if this would all be truly worth it just to get your memories back, but had decided that you wanted to know what happened, no matter the cost, and knew that, as much as the Inner Circle was helping you recover your memories, not all their motives were altruistic. They all wanted revenge as much as you did.

All of you had planned this out meticulously, going down to every last detail and considering every possible outcome. Everyone was also extra careful on how to approach using you as bait. You expected it from Azriel - he's been protective of you ever since you stepped foot into his High Lord's home - but seeing the rest of them so worried about you made you want to recover your memories that much more. You want to remember these people, want to know how they all, especially Azriel, came to care for you, so much so that even death didn't stop those feelings.

There had been other plans brought up, ones that didn't involve putting you in such a risky situation, but it was soon decided that the only way to get to Norris would be to show up alone. If he so much as caught a glimpse of anyone else, you know he would simply run and if he truly put his guard up and went into hiding, finding him would be nearly impossible even with Azriel's spies and shadows at his disposal, he hadn't found you after all.

The tree you were looking for comes into view as you get lost in your thoughts, the magic traces left behind on its bark unmistakably familiar. The guild has used this system for as long as you've been a part of it. Every important meeting with your handler had taken place next to any object or area marked with this exact faint magic, enough for the attuned eye to pick up on but not so strong that anyone else might come across them and meddle where they're not welcomed.

You don't have to wait by the marked tree for long before an imposing figure appears beside you. He had probably been watching you for as long as you've winnowed into the edge of the treeline, keeping his eyes on you as you walked to the meeting place. The air shifts, the wind picking up slightly as if sensing the tension threatening to form in your body.

Turning around as casually as possible, you face your former handler, the male you thought had saved your life but you've now learned did quite the opposite. Not that there had been any particularly fond feelings between you and him, but it still hurts to know how easily the male manipulated you and turned your entire life around with no remorse.

He was mostly covered with a black hood, only a bit of his face being visible through the shadow it cast, enough to meet his eyes. You've only seen him without it a few times, you know that dark brown hair lays under the hood and a few scars adorn his face. Truthfully, you're not even sure if this isn't some intricate glamour. Nothing that comes from this male should be trusted.

His form gives nothing away, no nerves or suspicions, but his brown eyes rake over your body, searching for something. Since he thinks you've just crawled out of a cell or worse, he's probably looking for any signs of injury, or that you've betrayed him and the guild. It's best you don't let him find anything that tells him otherwise.

“Norris,” you greet him as you would any other time, nodding once at him with a passive expression.

He crosses his arms and meets your eyes when he hears your voice. His eyes dart over the forest around you as if he knew Azriel would be lurking in the shadows. His self assured expression doesn't help with your nerves. Norris always seems like he's three steps ahead, and more often than not he was actually four.

“I didn't think I'd see you again,” he finally speaks up.

“I thought so too.”

Norris hums in response. You're not sure if he believes you or not, but short and distant answers are the norm for him. Either way, you need to stick to the plan, there's no turning back now. “How did you escape the Night Court?”

“They thought I was someone else, someone they used to know,” you start, trying to convey some of the confusion you'd experienced the first time they told you who you were. He knows you well enough to expect you to have some trouble maintaining the same level of apathy he so easily displays, he'd warned you multiple times to act more like an assassin and not let your emotions get the best of you. “It eventually led to a fight between the High Lord and his Spymaster. They couldn't agree on what to do with me from what I heard. I managed to escape in the chaos.”

You stop for a second, licking your lips. You decided not to completely lie to him so it would be more believable, this version of events could have come true had you not trusted Azriel, had your feelings not been so suffocating and confusing.

“I waited for a while before contacting you, to make sure they didn't come looking for me,” you continue eventually, the fact that he isn't asking more questions makes your heart pick up ever so slightly.

He turns his head to the side, a faint smirk playing at his lips. You resist the urge to clench your sweaty palms, not wanting to let him see through you. “Who did they think you were?”

“The Spymaster's former wife,” you admitted, hoping you sounded as detached as possible.

“And what do you think about it?”

“What?”

“Do you believe them?” You didn't expect him to ask you outright. It would make more sense for him to try to cover it up, stopping any doubts you might have had before they grew.

“Of course not. I've never been married,” the lie tastes wrong on your tongue but you make sure not to let any of it translate into your body language or your voice. Which is why you're so caught off guard by his next words. “I think you're lying to me.”

Norris turns you around and grabs you to him before you have a chance to react, pulling you flush against his chest and pressing a dagger to your neck, power rumbling under his skin, raising the hairs on the back of your neck at its intensity. This isn't that surprising to you since you were more than aware of how much faster and stronger he was, and that tricking him would be extremely hard, but this means you need to move to plan B. And you were really hoping you could avoid a direct conflict like this.

Azriel is the first one to show himself, emerging from the shadows with deadly calm, hazel eyes never straying from Norris as his hand hovers Truth Teller. As much as you try to keep calm and not give anything away, you know Norris can feel you tense up and hear your heartbeat picking up when you see the shadowsinger walking straight into danger.

You feel another presence behind you, Morrigan, followed by Cassian and Amren on each side. The sisters had stayed behind, despite their many protests. In case anything happened, Velaris needed its High Lady and the Valkyries at least. You also know this is a personal matter for the fae present, you had been their friend and been ripped away from their lives by the male currently holding you at knife point, threatening to end your life once again, for good this time.

They all start walking slowly to you, effectively forming a circle around the two of you, getting ready to attack if Norris hurts you or tries to run. He appeared as calm as if he had just been caught on a night stroll, his heartbeat never rising in tempo against your back even under Azriel's chilling stare. He had been expecting your betrayal, and had been ready for them.

You could feel the fury in the air, could see it written in Azriel's eyes as he studied every single one of Norris' movements. You had been worried that he wouldn't be able to keep his composure since he was against this plan from the start, in fear of this exact situation coming true. But he seemed completely focused, not even risking looking at you too long in case he'd get distracted. This made you relax ever so slightly. You'd planned out for this situation and even if you ended up hurt or worse, you know Azriel won't let Norris go unharmed. You would get your revenge one way or another, you just hoped you could spare the male in front of you any more pain.

Rhysand winnows in next to Azriel moments later, darkness clinging to him as he takes a few steps closer to you nonchalantly. Talons scratching your mental walls before checking in on you. All according to plan.

“I would say it's a pleasure to meet you but even I can't spin a lie so effortlessly,” he starts, arrogance dripping in every word. You'd never admit it, much less to him, but Rhysand was every bit the perfect High Lord, especially at times like these. It showed in the way he carried himself down to the seemingly bottomless pit of power at his disposal. No matter how strong Norris is, anyone with even a little of self preservation would think twice on how to handle him.

“I came prepared for your little tricks, High Lord.”

You frown at his words, confusion settling over you before you realize what it meant. Rhysand must have tried getting inside his mind as soon as he appeared. Norris had expected him to, had put up walls to ensure it didn't happen. This would only make things harder.

“Skipping pleasantries, are we?” Rhysand's face gives nothing away, but as he drops said pleasantries, it gives way to some of the anger bubbling under the surface, the next words coming out in a serious tone. “You're not walking out of here, Norris.”

“I wouldn't be so sure,” Norris says as he leans in closer to your ear, voice dropping to a whisper, “Did you think I would come on my own?”

A sinking feeling grows in your stomach as you watch dark figures manifesting all around you, far outnumbering your group. You recognize some of them, know their clothes and masks mean they're assassins from the guild.

A fight breaks out right before your eyes, causing you to struggle desperately for the first time in Norris' arms. He tries to keep you in place by letting the blade touch your skin as a warning, a few drops of blood escaping the small wound. You know he could easily kill you, but you're also aware that if he did the chances of him escaping would drop to zero. That's the only reason you're still breathing, so he can use you as a shield.

Your eyes were following Azriel's shadow covered form as he fought against multiple attackers, the feeling of helplessness rising with each clank of his sword. You can't stand there and wait any longer, so you grab the blade still positioned dangerously close to your throat and wrap your fingers around it tightly so it cuts your hand instead of your neck while swinging your elbow back to try to push off of Norris. Just as you expected, you weren't strong enough and he pulled the knife back from your grasp, intending to stab your stomach to stop you, but you had a new trick up your sleeve.

Azriel's shadows had moved to you as soon as Norris grabbed you, crawling up your legs discreetly in the dark of night, where they stayed waiting for your signal. And, as they tasted your blood in the air, they engulfed Norris, giving you enough room to push back and to elbow him a few more times, also letting off some of your power and finally being able to release yourself from his hold.

The shadows aren't enough to keep him away from you for long, the lack of visibility barely slowing him down as he attacks you before you even have the chance to take a breath. Luckily, your little helpers' singer rushes in, getting between you and deflecting Norris' strike. He hands you a sword so you can fight back with him and pushes back against Norris without wasting a single moment.

The three of you enter a match, barely being able to pay attention to what's happening around you, though you can tell everyone is in the same predicament. Even between you and Azriel, keeping up with Norris proves difficult, he's not only an exceedingly proficient fighter but he's also familiar with your attacks and style, making it easier for him to avoid your attacks and focus more on Azriel's.

The fight goes on for longer than you'd like. Even with your and Azriel's joint efforts, you had barely managed to wound Norris. The bastard was too strong and experienced, he was one of the guild's oldest assassins for a reason.

Suddenly the sickening scent of blood reaches your nostrils, in a concentration you haven't experienced before. It makes you falter in your movements, but luckily it has the same effect on Norris, leaving him open to Azriel's attacks, who seems undisturbed by it. You risk a glance behind you, but all you can see is the rest of the Inner Circle watching the battle, while the ground and their bodies, even the trees around them, are covered in blood. You're not exactly sure what happened, what they did to completely obliterate the assassins to a point not even their bodies were left, but you don't have more time to linger on this as Azriel finally manages to get a few good hits in, leaving Norris stumbling back away from him.

Rhysand is next to you in the blink of an eye, chest rising and falling as he catches his breath. You move to help Azriel, hoping to distract Norris enough for him to be able to infiltrate his mind. It doesn't take much longer before Norris finally drops unconscious at your feet, and you immediately let out a relieved breath. Azriel's shadows move to tie him up so he has no chance of escaping.

Your plan had always been to catch Norris off guard or wear him down enough so that Rhysand would be able to infiltrate his mind, successfully knocking him out so you could take him back to the Night Court for interrogation. And, as much as you'd planned for the possibility of him bringing backup, the assassins had made this harder to achieve. You all had been worn down more than expected, but, as you look around, you see no one seems to be gravely injured.

Cassian smiles and nods at you when he notices you eyeing the blood trickling down his shoulder, it wasn't too deep of a wound and the blood was already stopping from the looks of it. Azriel did tell you Illyrians heal faster than most fae. Speaking of, you feel scarred fingers wrap around your wrist as you give Cassian a tentative smile of your own.

Your focus is stolen by Azriel, your eyes finding his instantly as he holds up your hand carefully, examining the wound and the blood that had been smeared all around you during the fight. He's wearing a conflicted expression, pain visible in his eyes. You've found Azriel shoulders too much guilt, even when what happened wasn't his fault.

His other hand reaches out to touch your neck, where a small cut overlaps with the pronounced scar on your skin. He's been blaming himself for your death for over a century, he must have been terrified of not being able to stop it again, even if it was happening right in front of him.

“I'm alright, Azriel,” you smile up at him, hoping to calm him down, “This will be gone by tomorrow.”

“We need to take you to a healer.” You shake your head, not wanting to stay behind and leave them to deal with Norris by themselves. Gently prying Azriel's hands away from you, you go to tell him as much.

“He's right,” Morrigan interjects, “I can take you to Madja and she'll fix it for you in an instant. I can bring you back right after.”

“It's just my hand.” You don't understand why they're making such a big deal out of it. This wouldn't need a healer, aside from some discomfort it won't hinder you in any way. They all have small wounds of their own that they seem to be ignoring.

“You're hurt.” There's a finality in Azriel's tone that is starting to rub you the wrong way. You understand he's concerned, you've tried to be considerate of his complicated feelings ever since you found out you had been his wife and the tragic way in which he had lost you, but that doesn't mean he can order you around.

“Barely.” You try to keep your voice leveled, pointing at Norris' unconscious form still covered in shadows. “And this is a lot more important. I need to know what he did.”

“I'll tell you everything we find. You don't need to go with us.”

“What?” You can feel the confusion taking over your features. Azriel has been forthcoming with any and every bit of information, you don't understand why he's trying to keep you away now.

“It's best if you don't come to the dungeon. You don't need to see that,” he offers, his face becoming irritatingly blank, the mask you know he uses as the Night Court's Spymaster. This only makes your anger spike even faster.

“See what?,” you challenged, head tilting to the side, “Do you think I never tortured anyone?” Your voice rises with every word, annoyance taking over your body. “I know the female you married was much different from what I am now, and I don't know if she let you order her around like this, but I'm not her.”

“I'm not ordering you-” Azriel's face falls at your words but you're too far gone to even try to interpret what it's written in his eyes, to even listen to what he has to say.

“It sure sounds like you are.”

Rhysand stands between you two before the argument can escalate further. “This is not the time to be fighting. We need to take him to a safe place before he regains conscience. I can only keep him down for so long.” He eyes Azriel for a moment, studying his features as some sort of understanding takes over his own. “Mor will take you to a healer,” he holds up a hand as you open your mouth to argue back, “It will only take a moment and then you can meet us in the dungeon. We won't start without you. I promise.”

By the expression on his face and authority behind his words, you know trying to argue with the High Lord won't take you anywhere right now. He's too used to calling all the shots and you can't change his mind in a matter of minutes, not when there's a much more pressing situation on your hands. You need to choose your battles.

You simply turn to Morrigan, ignoring the hazel eyes staring straight into your soul. “Take me to your healer then. The sooner I get this done the better.” She nods at you, extending her hand as she winnows you both back to Velaris.

The adrenaline of the fight started wearing off as the healer, Madja, worked on your hand, stitching skin back together with expert ease. As much as it had annoyed you to be sent to the infirmary, you could admit the pain had been worse than you expected as your body calmed down. It still wouldn't have been much of a problem to warrant that amount of concern.

Morrigan simply watches as the old fae works on you. She tried to talk to you about Azriel but you pushed her away, not wanting to hear any explanations from her. He's old enough to speak for himself, and you'll probably be eager to hear what he has to say after this whole situation is worked out. Right now, you only want to go back to where they're holding Norris so you can finally understand what he did to you and hopefully learn how to fix it.

Just as Madja is wrapping your hand in a white bandage, keeping the strong smelling ointment she spread in place, the healer speaks up for what feels like the first time tonight. “That boy loves you more than anything. Give him a chance to explain. I'm sure he never meant to hurt you,” she finishes as she pats your hand softly. “All done.”

Her words give you pause. It does make you wonder how obvious your and Azriel's love had been that everyone seems to have no doubt in their minds that he would do anything for you. He seems to be very private in his affairs, especially personal ones. It also makes you curious if you'd known her before, it's more than likely since she's the Inner Circle's healer. You push those thoughts away, knowing you wouldn't ask the old healer about your relationship before anyway. You were so close to getting your memories, you needed to focus on that.

“Thank you.” She gives you one more smile before gathering her things, making you stand up and rush to Morrigan, who has a somewhat nostalgic and understanding smile on her face. She holds onto your shoulder before you even have the chance to say anything, knowing what your next words were going to be.

As soon as you winnow in, you understand why they called this place a dungeon. There really was no other way to describe the dark, stone covered space. The air was thick with humidity and blood, the kind you know has lingered for centuries and will never be completely washed out. You have to blink a few times to let your eyes adjust to the dim lighting, it was truly close to pitch black inside, the perfect environment to torment someone in, especially when you're the shadowsinger.

You never let your eyes meet Azriel's when you walk in, even as he turned to you, only allowing yourself to focus on your former handler, heavy chains on each of his wrists as he stood on his knees in the middle of a cell. He was already awake, it seems they did start without you. Rhysand speaks into your mind, sensing the incoming protest. He woke up sooner than we expected. He's been trained for this.

A sigh almost escapes you. Norris was trained for every possibility, this was going to be a gruesome session. As much as you were arguing with Azriel to stay, the truth is this is not something you ever enjoyed. So many in the guild did this sort of thing for pleasure but you only ever tortured anyone when it was strictly necessary and they had truly done something awful to warrant it. You can only hope it at least gives you the information you've been searching for and the freedom you never even dared to dream about.

“I almost thought you weren't going to show your face again.” It's infuriating how unaffected Norris sounds even though his blood already stains Azriel's favorite dagger.

“Wouldn't miss this show for the world,” you admit. He was one of the few individuals you believed deserved this and much worse, for all he has done to not only you but so many others. You're almost certain your conscience won't bother you for this.

Up until tonight your feelings for him were passive. You never particularly liked him, but you always felt obligated to show him respect as your superior, there were also less than ideal consequences if you let your true feelings show. Still, there had been some small, stupid hope that he didn't really do all those awful things to you. He trained you and taught you a lot, knowledge that you know has helped you in a lot of bad situations, that has kept you alive through them, and will continue to do so in the future.

A sickening smirk overtakes his face at your response. “I always liked you better when you acted like one of us.” Fury and shame travels across your body, but Azriel moves before you get the chance to, slashing his blade across Norris' chest, a sharp noise of pain escaping him. The gesture almost makes you smile, as twisted as that may sound.

“You'd do well to watch your mouth. My Spymaster doesn't take well to disrespect,” Rhysand's voice sounds different, arrogant but nothing short of furious.

“Still hung up on her? Since you stopped searching I thought you found yourself a new shiny toy.” Azriel's fist connects with Norris' jaw as he gets the last words out, a laugh escaping him despite the flow of blood rushing through his teeth for being able to rattle the shadowsinger.

You decide to step in, not wanting to let Azriel speak or act for you when you're more than capable of doing it yourself. And knowing how much he blames himself for your situation, for stopping his search when you were alive all this time. You'd be damned if you let Norris hurt him in any way. He's done more than enough.

“So you admit you were the one who found me.” You walk until you're standing over Norris' beaten body, right next to Azriel, close enough he has to adjust his wings not to touch you.

“Of course, you were one of my finest projects.” You let out an acknowledging hum, temperature dropping around you as your icy power rose to your fingertips. The pain would be a lot worse if you kept his body temperature down, you want his whole body to ache. This was going to be a long night, thankfully hurting Norris was nothing short of enjoyable.

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[idakyrie]

(This is part of an AU and a LOT OF TEXT asdfg) WHAT IF.... That weird deformed shape of Fake Peppino (AKA Bruno) is actually that way because of a brain problem (known as TBI)? That would explain that peculiar way of behaving (Silly? Goofy? Childish? Doesn't think straight? Doesn't know what he's doing? Almost 0 common sense, that almost permanent expression on his face, that strange way of moving... He is doing his best to stay on his feet and not melt completely (even if it shows a bit), he can barely speak coherently, among many things (WE MUST PROTECT HIM).

I'd like to think that the brain is the only organ he has, because the rest is just... Mmh, slime? amalgam? xD, it could be a HUMAN brain that Pizzahead (his creator) got (I like to think he is actually someone insane in a bad way and too different when it comes to his lab, just pretending to smile, hints of psychopath), that brain belonged to another chef, here I clarify about getting 2 adns: Peppino and Bruno (this last I mean the one from the abandoned pizzeria and yes, he is dead, where the hell Pizzahead was going to get that brain from? Actually dead for trusting a humanoid pizza)

So Fake Peppino has 2 adns? Yeah, that makes sense... Although Peppino and him don't look quite the same (Although Pizzahead's goal was that, to be the perfect impersonator), except for the clothes BUT here comes my favorite part, his stable form. 

Actually, his brain problem can be treated, he would still have 2 forms: stable and unstable, this unstable form is the one we all know, it would be present whenever he feels threatened, in danger or any other negative emotion (although he can take any form whenever he wants and be a mix of both forms).

Some history: Bruno is the first "clone" to be created, it went well, everything was perfect and one more minion... UNTIL... Pizzahead has a complicated, abusive, stupid, manipulative and ignorant attitude, basically he never treated him well, it started with scolding and even abuse (And yup! it was Pizzahead himself who caused him great injury) Why? He is a demanding and perfectionist guy, the clone had to come out EQUAL to Peppino (the irony is that he hates him and only does it to fuck up his life, to be able to replace him with some of the SO MANY clones out there) at the time he thought it was a GOOD IDEA to mix both adns and come out the same as the original, I repeat that this guy is an idiot?

Something funny is that after that he made other prototypes of clones (Classified as second generation idk) but these... None came out well, they are aberrations and can be found in a frozen chamber, he doesn't want to relive that moment and kept trying until he finally succeeded, the famous Peppino clones that can be found everywhere in the lab, inferior versions, weaker and more animal behavior than the first "clone".

Here comes another problem, Pizzahead paid more attention and was nicer to those clones, making Bruno jealous and annoyed, he never received a good treatment from him (Still he was loyal) and he had to fix and clean up all the atrocities the clones did, that means ALL the time, he could not defend himself and lived in silence, developing a great hatred towards them, precisely his behavior changes drastically to the most aggressive, just hearing a "croak" makes him angry (MODO BERSEK GOES BRR)

Many years enduring physical and emotional pain until he ends up in what? In an abandoned pizza restaurant? Just him being abandoned being very bad in all aspects? Completely alone for years, the only contact he had with others were those clones that invaded his "new home" (explaining why there are so many peppino corpses in that pizzeria).

(that girl in the image is an oc of mine hshs)

Bruno still has that silly and innocent personality, sensitive but at the same time disturbing if something bothers him. Paternal sense, playful and a big fan of Peppino, sometimes he annoys him by imitating him HAHA. Does he keep that frog behavior? YES! It's not as obvious as the clones because he knows how to control it. 

At the beginning he doesn't like to be touched, after all the problems he went through he doesn't even know if there are good people in this world, so gaining Bruno's trust is a bit complicated but if you talk nice to him (as you would do with your pet XD) the interaction will be effective. 

Does he have traumas? Besides he doesn't want to see Pizzahead and the clones again, or there will be a massacre, it's the first time someone is nice to him, he's afraid of abandonment and losing the little progress he has made... AND NEVER EVER SEE OR HEAR ANYTHING RELATED TO ANY LABORATORY AGAIN, his life was hell there, anything related either scares or angers him.

If you have any questions, you can ask and also, sorry if there are errors in my English, it is not my native language, I hope you can understand ;w;

[kwillow]

(1/3) I adore the new comic with Alex, Ridge and Theo! The insight into how Theo's "healing magic" can be used is fantastic and the art is beautiful (as usual) to boot. A question, also: In the background of the last panel, there's several paintings in the background--what looks like three of Jocosa, but also a regular ermine. I recall that beasts (aka animals as we know them) are present in Amaranthine and associations/taboos with them vary by region. In Northcrest, are ermines seen as

Funny that you say there's three portraits of Jocosa in this comic - she is there, but her painting rests alongside these other members of her storied family. Most people who noticed the paintings thought they were all Jocosa, though! I don't blame anyone for being confused. The Norths are infamous for all looking the same.

(Also, they are probably slightly easier to tell apart here, when their portraits aren't covered by 5 years of dust - Theo really needs to clean that place up.)

Anyway, thank you so so much for your compliments on the comic! I will put the rest of your message and answer your questions under the cut.

Ermine Motifs

The ermine isn't a pet, but simply an ermine. The Norths are unusually obsessed with their "source" animal, and use the image of ermines as representations of their power and prestige. Like you predicted, ermines feature prominently in their decor and fashion. Ermine-shaped badges, ermines on rugs, ermine newel posts (that's a fun word!), and ermine paintings. It's a little obnoxious. They hold a peculiar reverence for the creatures while also being extremely willing to wear their skinned pelts as cloaks. They do not think there is anything weird or grim about that.

Part of their fixation comes from the fact that unlike some noble families, ermines feature in their heraldry, so the presence of ermine artwork alludes to their noble status, much like how the royal family of England might display lions. Heraldic ermine spots appear on their coat of arms, and ermines are the shield's supporters. But they are also just self-obsessed and have a fondness for that which reminds them of themselves. Even Theo, despite being of a ratlike persuasion, plays into the North fixation on ermines by occasionally wearing ermine fur and jewelry shaped like heraldic ermine spots.

Closely associating yourself with the animal you resemble was more common in historical times, but the degree to which the Norths do it would still be odd. People with more modern mindsets, more removed from ancient mythical symbolism and more concerned with modern problems of technological advancement and not dying in a frozen wasteland, would consider the Norths to be embarrassing themselves with their ermine obsession. Why are they so heavily identifying with a simple beast? Who cares what kind of animal you look like? Shouldn’t you be more proud of being, you know, a person?

Theo's Catalyst Stone

Yes, the North's catalyst stone is passed down through the generations upon the death of its previous owner. (The teardrop-shaped stone the ancestress is wearing in her portrait is the very same one Theo has stuck in his hand.) Given that Theo slammed the stone into his flesh, he will be the last of his line to use this catalyst stone - and given that he hasn't exactly been a hit on the dating circuit, he will likely also be the last North as well.

Ancient Hyden Encounters

While there were more mages back in Hyden's prime days, it was still a small enough population that it wouldn't be unheard of for Hyden and some early Norths to have crossed paths in their day to day.

Chocodile and I agree that Hyden probably knew some of Theo's ancestors, but we haven't worked out the details of those encounters quite yet. Given the North's seemingly inherent predilection for bitterness and snobbery, they probably didn't get on all that well.

[nottragic-stilltoothsome]

Astarion and Tav live post-Absolute in Baldur's Gate, with three cats, two named in true Astarion fashion, like Carnage or Bloodlust, and the third one, Scratch, a curious kitty that sometimes barks, but complies with the "no animals bigger than a peacock" decree (unless someone'd think to cast disspell illusion, but then, who'd be so ungrateful to pester the great defenders of the city like that).

Their home is somewhat peculiar, too.

A beautiful mansion gifted to the adventurers for their heroic deeds stands empty most of the time because of their travels, as if killings immortals and lifting centuries old curses weren't enough adventures for a lifetime.

The mansion seems very much lived-in, but then again, in a strange way. Even (or perhaps especially) on sunny, summer days the windows are closed shut and obscured with heavy curtains, forbiding any stray sunrays from entering.

"Curious", passing citizens might think, only to blame such habits of the residents on the nosy reporters of Baldur's Mouth, who wouldn't hesitate from peeking through windows, just to get a glimpse at the most popular baldurian couple.

If one of said citizens was invited inside, they'd be greeted by a big portrait of the couple (painted by *the* Oskar Fevras!, the guest might have fawned over the exquisite taste of their hosts) hanging right in the center of the hall, opposite to the door. As if instead of a mirror, that a guest'd instictivly look for in such a spot.

The guest would, perhaps, marvel at the unexpected dichotomy of decorations: what was clearly war-thropies, souvenirs from shadowveiled lands and cursed magic tomes, is presented right next to valuable art, gracious furniture and silverwear. Same sort of duality one could discover looking at the residents: battle scars surarounded by rich, silk fabrics and precious stones, golden goblets with fine drinks raised to lips used to commanding armies.

Astarion'd often mention, that everything tastes better from golden goblets and everything feels better in silk.

The goblets were yet another unusual detail: no matter the time of the day (or night, which appeard to be the preffered time the for masters of the mansion to receive guests), master Astarions' was filled to the brim with wine. He must have taken a liking to a particular kind, since it was always the same, crimson red and somewhat thick-looking.

The guest would be welcomed to a spacious living room, that was full of life indeed.

When the inhabitants stay at home interim their adventures, their house bursts with laughter and chatter and sometimes heated debate. From the Blade of the Frontiers to the High Harper, from the great Wizard of Waterdeep to the Cleric of Selune, from the one-horned tiefling to the githyanki with a silversword. The menagerie of powerful personage was never, however, received as guests, but rather as dearly missed family (although Master Astarion would not admit that under any circumstances, despite having made a significant improvement in the art of communicating in ways more genuine than through sarcasm). Their bonds, forged under the threat of the Absolute, were undeniable and lifelong.

Astarion and Tav often travel, not ready to hang their weapons on the wall just yet, but they both enjoy comming back to their own house, to rest and prepare for whatever the next adventure holds.

Astarion, somewhat reluctantly, became accustomed to being a hero, the good guy. He was relieved to discover that in the name of "goodness" he could unleash unthinkable carnage just as well as working with less moral goals in mind. And, in this case, people were certainly more inclined to part with their gold for his sake.

"Funny" he'd say, "I never pictured myself a hero". And after a short, thoughtful pause, he'd add "but it's really not at all suprising I'm amazing at being one".

Not all was always well, ghosts of the past lingering in the shadows of sleepless nights or in the nightmares he dreamt when he did fall asleep. It was a long process, the healing, because it was not only the body that had to heal - but at least at this time, it was demons of the past, not present, that troubled him and they got weaker with every passing day.

Sometimes, he was almost thankful for the destruction of the city, cause rebuilt, it didn't look exactly like the one where he suffered for so long, with Cazador's pretentious castle right in the middle, standing out, not at all subtle, forcing him to remember what he'd rather forget. Sometimes, he was almost thankful for the lack of reflection, for how he couldn't see the scars carved into his back starring back at him, for how he wasn't constantly reminded of everything that happend - and all the awful things that could have happend - anytime he looked at himself. The awarness that they are always there felt burning, burning along with every other memory of torture he had endured, that didn't leave a scar on his body, only on his mind. Some days, the presence of the scars was itching. Nearly painful.

And some days, they didn't matter at all.

They were merely a part of him, of his story, that he has left behide to live a new life.

As it often is, it depends on the day.

With Tav by his side and Cazador gone, even if still bothered by the past, he was truly happy. He was happy, when they slashed through enemy outposts, leaving behide gore. He was happy, when Tav sat in his lap in the morning (despite the fact that there was a perfectly good chair unoccupied right there, as he'd remark, feigning annoyance that he didn't feel and Tav didn't belive in), still in the nightwear, smelling of toothpaste and morning coffee, reading the newest edition of Baldur's Mouth.

He can't walk in the sun, no.

But he was truly free. Truly happy. And whatever the future holds, he knew it was going to stay that way.

[ohnoitstbskyen]

one piece live action thoughts?

It looks very much like a live action adaptation of One Piece. For better, and very much also for worse.

I mean this in the sense that it's adapted to fit a form that helps it make sense 1) in live action and 2) to a general audience which isn't intimately familiar with manga or anime, and which a broadcaster or streaming service would want to reach.

Luffy especially, at least going by the relatively tiny snippet we have seen so far, seems to have had some of his more peculiar edges sanded off to fit more comfortably into the mold of a typical young adult protagonist, which includes the... I guess what people call "marvel speak" now? The little funny quips and asides and ironic saying-the-obvious-thing-out-loud beats, which are more Americanisms than Marvel specific but I digress.

In One Piece, Luffy is most often not the point of view character, especially early on. Luffy is usually observed from outside by other characters - Koby serves this role in the early chapters, and from then on usually we see Luffy through his crew, or through whatever secondary characters they're interacting with in that particular arc.

People have observed this before, but in the manga, we essentially NEVER get any internal monologue from Luffy, he always either SAYS what he's thinking, or he runs on head empty no thoughts just vibes instinct and gut reaction.

And that... probably doesn't really work with a typical young adult protagonist. If adapted faithfully to screen, I think a lot of audiences would read him as just a reckless, inconsiderate and kinda heartless asshole, because a framing and presentation of Luffy that makes sense in a manga or anime just doesn't read the same in live action filmmaking.

Like, One Piece opens with Luffy recklessly sailing off to sea despite having no idea how to sail, getting sucked into a whirlpool and surviving on sheer dumb luck, getting picked up by some pirates in a barrel. Then he meets an abused child named Koby who has been getting the shit kicked out of him daily for months and immediately calls him a clumsy, stupid, cowardly worthless loser to his face and laughs at him.

Like, if you adapted that faithfully, how would that come across to a general audience? Imagine this scene staged in live-action, with human actors having to portray this conversation rather than stylized cartoon people. It simply wouldn't come across the same way, Luffy would come across as an It's Always Sunny character at best. Why would a general audience sympathize with him? Why would they find him compelling or worth investing emotionally in?

And I'm not saying there aren't ways to adapt One Piece faithfully into live action, there absolutely are (much like the manga, I would make everyone ELSE the point-of-view characters looking AT Luffy rather than try and present him as a Likeable Protagonist, for example).

My point is just that in any translation into live action, there are going to be concessions to the medium, there are going to be concessions to film language, concessions to audience expectations, concessions to the market conditions, concessions to the studio funding the filming, and so on. That's just the nature of the endeavour.

When it's done well, you get an adaptation that preserves the spirit of the thing while fitting its medium. Lord of the Rings comes to mind, an adaptation which changed huge amounts from its source material, but preserved the spirit.

When it's done poorly you get... well, Cowboy Bebop on Netflix.

I don't know from the tiny trailer snippet we've seen whether this show will preserve the spirit of One Piece, it very well may not, and end up another victim on the pile of bad anime adaptations. But I don't think the fact that it changed the vibe of the characters or Main Character'd Luffy alone are reasons to dismiss it, at least not yet. Those might have been necessary concessions for the show to work in live action at all. We shall see.

I'm not super optimistic or excited (because, again, I remember Cowboy Bebop), but I'm not despairing of it yet either.

[peculiar-peculiars]

Right On Time| Enoch O’Connor X Fem! Reader Pt. 2

A/N: I know it’s been months y’all, I’m so sorry (writers block is a bitch and a half lol) but just recently, inspiration struck and now, part 2 is finally here and hopefully just as good as part 1 sdfghjkl.  Please enjoy!

(part 1 here)

As the afternoon sun began to raise higher above the peculiar children's home, Enoch stood at the doorway to (Y/n)'s room as she rummaged around underneath her bed.

“Well, the jar’s not under here either, this is the last place that I could think of to search.”

"So, what do we do now? We've looked everywhere around the house and the jar is nowhere to be found. At this point, we're better off cutting our losses and going about our days." Shrugged Enoch as he picked at the chipping paint of the door.

"Yeah, I don't think so! You said you would help me find it, so that is exactly what you will do, no matter how long it takes."

"And what will you do if I don't? Destroy my room and the kitchen again like some kind of tornado?" Enoch smirked as he knelt down next to (Y/n).

"Haha, very funny! If I didn't need your help, I would absolutely be kicking your butt right now..." (Y/n) replied sarcastically as she got up from the floor to sit on her bed and put on her shoes.

"That doesn't answer my question, (L/n)."

"Must you be so annoying all the time?! You're always so impatient!"

"And I'll keep being impatient until we actually end up finding your heart! So where do we look now?!"

"Well, if its not anywhere around the house then that leaves just one place that it could be..."

"And that is?"

"Somewhere just outside the shop in town." (Y/n) sighed as she crossed her arms with a sputter of her lips.

"What? Why would it be there?" Asked Enoch with a confused expression.

"Sometimes, Hugh will take it and sell it to the shopkeepers son for money for candy. I told him not to do it again, but he never listens. I always get it back, of course, but it's frustrating when he does that."

"If that's the case, then should we start walking to town? If we want to get there and back before The Bird resets the loop, We'll have to go now."

"Ugh, I hate it when you're right... Let's go and get this over with, corpse-brain." Groaned (Y/n) as she pushed herself off of her mattress.

"After you, cuckoo's nest!"

As the pair quickly made their way out of the house and down the path to Cairnholm Village, the air was filled with nothing but the sound of small animals chittering and footsteps against gravel. Walking side by side, Enoch and (Y/n) tried to avoid any and all eye contact as they looked at the plants and hills they passed.

Eventually getting sick of the deafening emptiness growing between them, Enoch finally spoke as he rubbed the back of his head.

“So, why exactly is the heart so important to you? It isn’t like you need it anymore since you obviously have your clock in it’s place.”

(Y/n) scoffed as she spun her head to look at him with an slightly annoyed glint in her eyes.

“Why do you want to know so badly?”

“If I’m gonna be forced to help you find it, I might as well know why it means so much for you to still have it in your room.”

(Y/n) looked at the boy with with watchful eyes before sighing and glancing back down to her feet. With a shrug of her shoulders as she watched her shoes stamp against the pathway, she began to speak again.

“Honestly, I’m not entirely sure... I think part of it is that it’s the one thing that reminds me I’m still human. I mean, I’ve got a mechanical heart and have been living in an eternal loop for over half a century, so it’s hard not to feel like some kind of freak on occasion...”

Enoch stopped in place as he turned to look at the girl by his side. Without realizing what he was doing, he placed a hand on her shoulder to spin her towards him.

“Hey, you are not a freak. If anything, you’re the most boring ward at the house, and I mean that as a compliment.”

“That’s a weird way to compliment someone, O’Connor.”

“It’s the truth, though. Being boring is a good thing when it comes to peculiars like us. You’re able to live a simpler life than someone like Millard or Claire or even me. To be honest, I envy you at times.”

“Really? You, of all people, envy me?”

“Of course. I would give the world to be more like you. Your simple peculiarity is what makes you special, (L/n), whether you think so or not.”

“Well, thank you. I appreciate that.” (Y/n) smiled softly.

Enoch gently smiled and nodded his head in reply before the distant sound of a bell reached his ears.

Focusing back to what was ahead of them, the two peculiars looked back up to see a black roof pop over the edge of the hill they had been climbing. 

“Hey, look! We’re here!” (Y/n) announced, speeding up her walk as the edge of town had finally been spotted.

As they wandered through the village, people gave the two teens suspicious glances, but decided not to do anything as they passed by, opting to go back to whatever work they had been previously doing. Before too long, they approached an alleyway, where a small crowd parted revealing a teenaged boy showing his friends the jar with (Y/n)’s heart.

"There he is. Follow me!" (Y/n) said as she began to jog over to the red-haired boy.

As the two peculiars approached the shop-keep's son, he turned around to acknowledge their presence with a tilt of his head.

"Excuse us! I think you have something that belongs to us, so could we have it back please?" 

"No way, I worked long and hard to get this heart right here. I'm gonna sell it to a scientist, it's a fine specimen for analysis if I do say so m'self!"

"Ok, first off, I know that my friend Hugh sold it to you a few hours ago and second, it's mine anyway, so could you please just give it back?" (Y/n) requested as she pinched at the bridge of her nose.

"Well, what's in it for me, little missy?” The teenager smirked to his friends as he looked down upon her.

"How about you getting to keep all of your teeth, you little brat?!" Hissed (Y/n) as the ticking of her heart slowly grew faster and louder as she grew angrier.

When Enoch realized that the noise of the cuckoo clock chiming could get the both of them caught by the villagers and in big trouble with Miss Peregrine, he stepped in between the two to try and diffuse the situation.

(Y/n) huffed angrily as Enoch gave her a warning glimpse before pivoting back around to speak to the puzzled red-head.

"Ok, listen up, we don't have a lot of time or a lot of patience for this right now, so if you give us that jar, I’ll give you these in exchange."

Turning around to reach into his pocket to grab something, he pulled out a handful of tiny hearts, possibly taken from mice and small rabbits.

"Why do you have those in your pocket?” The boy asked with a slightly disgusted look on his face.

"C’mon, man, Are you gonna take them or not?!" Enoch urged angrily as he shoved his hand towards the boy.

Warily looking at the hearts in Enoch's hand for a moment, the boy shrugged before handing the jar to (Y/n) and taking the pile of miniscule organs. 

“Shame you have to leave so soon, that heart of yours is quite the beauty!” The teen teased (Y/n) before spinning around with a brash laugh.

As the boy departed with his friends, she scowled at them before sighing in relief as she held the jar up to inspect for any cracks or leaks. When she saw it was unharmed, she carefully placed it into one arm and pulled Enoch into an embrace with the other.

“Oh, thank you so much, Enoch! You have no idea how much this means to me!”

A fire-red blush arose on to Enoch’s face as he felt (Y/n)’s face grow wide with a smile. Hurriedly clearing his throat to dispel his nerves, he pulled away from the hug as he tried to hide his bashful expression.

“Ok, we’ve got it back, now let’s go.” Enoch grumbled, glaring angrily at the shopkeepers son before taking (Y/n)’s hand and pulling her back the way they came. 

As they traveled back down the roads to the children’s home, (Y/n) hummed joyfully as she talked to Enoch.

“I still can’t believe you did that for me! You needed those hearts for your homunculi, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, well, I figured today would be as good a day as any to give them up. That guy needed a heart that matched the size of his brain, so I figured I’d give him a few of them.” Quipped Enoch with a sly smile.

Seeing (Y/n) smile in his presence was rare for him, so when she started giggling softly at his joke, he found that his own heart matched the speed of her clocks ticking hands.

"You know, you're not so scary sometimes, O'Connor. When you come out of your shell, you can actually be kind of funny." Sighed (Y/n) as she kicked at a few pebbles on the ground.

"I can say the same about you yelling at me all the time. You're pretty nice for a cuckoo bird who won’t stop chirping in my face."

"Oh, you wound me, sir! And here I thought we were becoming friends!”

“Whoa, I never said that!” Enoch laughed as he held up his hands in surrender.

“You didn’t have to! I could tell just by looking at you that you want to be my very best friend!” Joked (Y/n) as they climbed an incline in the road.

“Ok, ok, we can be friends! Just be careful, you’re going to fall if you don’t watch where you’re stepping.” 

“Oh, please, I’m as careful as careful can-” (Y/n) began to claim before she yelped out a shrill shriek.

Not having paid attention to where she was going, (Y/n) had slipped on a pile of loose rocks, falling towards a ditch that ran along the side of the treelined path.

"(Y/n)!" Shouted Enoch as she stumble after she lost her footing.

Not wanting to break the jar by dropping it or falling on it, she hastily tried to move her body so that her back hit the grimy pit . Bracing herself for a rough landing, (Y/n) squeezed her eyes shut as she fell through the air. 

Expecting to come in contact with bumpy, jagged stones and wet dirt, (Y/n) was surprised when the only thing she could feel was the soft breeze in the air and something around her waist.

Opening her eyes again, she looked down to see a pair of arms circling around her middle. 

Cautiously bringing her head back up, (Y/n) held in a breath as she realized she was face to face with Enoch, who had caught her just before she had hit the rocky ground.

The two stood unmoving for a moment, looking into each others eyes before the boy decided to break the awkward silence that filled the air.

"Are you okay?..." Enoch questioned carefully.

"Yes, I- I think so... thank you for... catching me." (Y/n) responded as she timidly cast her eyes to the side.

"You're welcome..."

"Uh... you can let me go now..."

"Oh, yeah, sorry...” Enoch muttered, letting go of (Y/n) and smoothing out a wrinkle in his shirt.

With a mumble of appreciation, (Y/n) stood up straight and took a step back before shaking her head.

“Um, I think I’m gonna stay here for a minute. You know, just to make sure the jar didn’t break...”

“Are you sure? I can wait with you.” 

“I’ll be fine, you go on ahead. I might be a little while anyway, just make sure Miss Peregrine doesn’t realize I’m not there .”

“Alright, if you’re sure... See you back at home, then...”

Enoch waved half-heartedly before stuffing his hands in his pockets and continuing to hike his way back towards the house.

As (Y/n) watched him walk further down the path, a warm heat rose to her cheeks as she thought about the events from earlier.

Despite their constant arguments with each other, Enoch still offered to help her look for her heart and gave up some of his own collection to get it back, and not one minute ago, he caught her from falling when he could just as easily have let her hit the ground.

Even with their past fights, they would always try to make up later by giving each other small gifts or leaving dinner at each others door when they were late to eat.

Yes, she might have hated his guts earlier that day, but now? She wasn’t so sure that was the case.

As the quiet ticking of her heart started to pound in her ears, she froze in place as she came to a realization.

Even though they argued sometimes, she still cared about Enoch. 

“Oh...” 

A lot.

“Oh, no.” She whispered to herself.

[flanpucci]

An ASD oriented analysis of the character of Enrico Pucci

Okay guys after letting this draft cook in my notes for months, here it is!!!

I have decided to embark on the journey of listing the reasons why I think Pucci is autistic coded and if he isn’t, he’s written with a pretty good idea of what an autistic person is! Since I'm pinning this, the analysis will be under the cut ↓

I can’t guarantee that my analysis won’t come with a whole lot of general delusion or projecting on my side, so don't hesitate to tell me if you feel some type of way about this. I understand that many of the traits or behaviors i’m gonna talk about are mostly explained by the events happening in canon, but they give him a general super autistic vibe. Disclaimer that I’ve also decided to ignore most acts of murder type violence for this analysis as I think those are more relevant in the context of the story than the character building.

Although not on purpose this analysis is organized almost like diagnosis criteria, so we're going to look into repetitive behavior and interests, communication, aversion to unpredictability and sensory processing etc...! Before we start, I'd like to say once more that I am autistic, my analysis is mine and reflects my opinion only, it's my headcanon and comes with a lot of projecting, so proceed with caution.

Anxiety and counting prime numbers, Repetitive behavior

Counting numbers is a well known technique to stop panic attacks. The reason is that when you panic, your brain’s logical part doesn’t activate. Counting numbers will help you get the logical part of your brain back ‘on’. Simply counting numbers in order or in a simple pattern is too natural, and may not work, so some people will count numbers backwards from 100, count numbers in a non-patterned, random way, or even count prime numbers.

In Pucci’s case he counts primes because they can’t be divided other than by 1 or themselves and are “lonely numbers”. The prime numbers remind him of his own loneliness against adversity, and give him courage. I don’t think a lot of neurotypical people feel personal closeness to something unemotional like a mathematical concept, but I might be wrong. I think what’s interesting to note is that prime numbers are a fixed series of numbers, never changing, offering a great deal of familiarity in repeating them (and also by doing so out loud, in the sound of repeating them). He has also memorized them up to the hundreds, (maybe even thousands iirc?), which shows he has an amazing memory skill, but also that he’s probably counted them a LOT. (Funny anecdote, Oliver Sacks mentions in one of his psychology books a pair of autistic twins that would figure out prime numbers together, and use it as means of communicating and bonding. They were able to produce huge prime numbers without a table!)

It is just something I wanted to point out, but I think it’s funny that a priest wouldn’t recite prayers as a calming mantra, but something very cartesian like mathematics. This furthers the idea that he has a lot of interest and finds a peculiar comfort and understanding of the world in science.

Oh and I think resetting the entire universe for everyone to gain precognition of events COULD be considered as a liking for repetitive things… ! /j

His interests and the random trivia at unexpected times

Pucci seems to be a man of many interests but primarily these are science (especially biology, animals, maths/geometry and physics), Dio’s plan/heaven, christianism, art (paintings). At least that’s what I got from the manga. There aren’t a lot of characters for which you can easily lay out the interests in that manner. The reason for that is that he talks about those all the time! And he always uses metaphors related to what he knows about to explain the world, his intentions, or situations.

• The corridor scene where he meets Jolyne, it’s not like it’s random or out of the blue, but it feels a bit peculiar to bring up this subject in this manner, and Jolyne seems dumbfounded at what he said to her.

• When handcuffed to Jolyne, he starts explaining about the swallows that are prone to accidents to make a parallel between the birds and her own situation.

• References both a politician’s use of subliminal sex and a painting (the “Domine Quo Vadis”) in a dramatic moment where he’s literally ending his brother’s life.

• Seems to be particularly interested in art as shown by the book he was reading when he met Dio (about Fra Filippo Lippi, a painter) and the conversations he has with Dio (once again using art as a metaphor to understand other concepts such as stands, and souls.).

• Of course bringing up the subject of the man eating a mushroom for the first time at the most unstable point of the battle against Jolyne, feels very out of the blue, (but not out of context.)

• When talking to Miraschon, he does a whole bunch of inappropriated stuff lol, doesn’t pay attention to what she says, and starts talking about his own interests/ideas.

This happens again when talking to Donatello Versace, where he's bouncing off questions, not acknowledging the answer right away and coming back to it a little bit later. His train of thought seems to come first, and his communication is not centered around making the other feel like they've been listened to.

Overall he often makes a great point, but sometimes it feels like the context is lacking, like he has had many thoughts before saying the things he says, but we don’t get to hear them, so the conversation topics are a bit unnatural. Plus he generally has a very self-important way to talk and explain things.

Other than that I think his exceptional focus on the same goal and obsessive idea of fate, from childhood and up into late adulthood can be the sign of a truly one track mind, which can be often found in ASD. Could also be noted that a lot of his behavior and actions is copied/referencing Dio, which could be because of Dio’s literal influence (being absorbed by green baby), or an overall tendency to use direct references in speech/behavior.

Self importance and the desire of previsibility

As I just mentioned a little while ago, the Miraschon scene is a scene where he’s info dumping her for at least three pages, on two different subjects, but also not paying attention at what she’s saying. This is not very nice behavior, but it’s very frequent in autistic people too. Being centered on one’s self, and unable to put yourself in another person’s shoes is very characteristic of ASD.

Pucci’s motivation and his ideal of heaven makes a lot of sense from an autistic viewpoint for a number of reasons. The first one being the discomfort caused by the unknown, or at least the fact that he thinks the world would be a better place without unknown events. The desire to know everything in advance and be able to have the time to be prepared for it will resonate with a lot of autistic people, because our brains have so much trouble adjusting to unknown outcomes and situations. I can’t explain it much better, it’s just wiring.

Second reason is Pucci’s overall sense of self importance throughout the part. There are many situations in which he will put himself first, expecting better treatment, straight up explaining that he’s different than other people.

The frog scene is interesting because he tries to weigh logically why his situation is objectively worse than the guard’s, without acknowledging the slightest the guard’s panic when assessing such a stressful situation.

(Pucci thinks the guard takes decision based on logic and not panic, gets frustrated that the guard isn't calm and rational.)

His inability to see things from outside his viewpoint is ultimately what will lead him to try to push his own ideal onto the whole world, always sure inside himself that he’s doing that out of altruism and for the greater good. Of course I think there is a slight disconnect from his inner emotions about what has led him to this point. But for me, this is the truest sign of being unable to understand that other people might see things any other way than he does, but he’s just sure that people don’t understand that it’s for their own good. In a way, his self-centeredness is mostly intellectual and not of intentions. This is something that is often present in people with ASD, because of a lack of (or misplaced/altered) cognitive empathy. People with ASD can have trouble mentalizing other people’s emotions or point of view. It doesn’t mean that they don’t care, don’t respect it, or can’t show support, but they just can’t really understand that another person has another mental space.

Cognitive empathy is described as such :

Identifying and labeling the emotions, connecting feeling to cause, and reading the thoughts and perspective of others. Ability to read nonverbal communication and social context. Ability to read the mental experiences of others.

Pucci will often justify his lack of mind theory by « you just can’t understand it. » : from his view point, being opposed by other people is not due to divergence of opinion (which would mean to accept that other people understand the situation but are in a different mindset), but due to lack of intellectual comprehension. This is why even though very intelligent, it can seem like he’s confused.

Young Pucci and the scenes with Dio

An important thing to note about young Pucci is his inability to break the rule that priests can’t talk about what has been said in confession. He’s not even a priest at that time and the confession was forced on him. These are perfectly good excuses to break the rule, or at least bend it a little, to confront the Weather and then Weather/Perla situation. Hesitation or inability to break the rules, irreasonable attachment to morals and taking irrational decisions because of those despite having great intelligence is a trait that can be found in a lot of autistic people. However, we see that he’s flexible enough to permit that Dio stays in the church basement until the sun sets. In my opinion, he’s quick to give his trust to such a suspicious person as Dio, even when Dio hints that he might be lying. This could be the sign of a little bit of naivety but it's still pretty much normal at a young age.

In the chapters with Dio, we can extract quite a lot of information on Pucci’s communication because it’s the almost only scenes where he’s not in scheming mode, in a pinch, or fighting. Pucci has a very different reaction to meeting Dio, even at a young age, compared to how Avdol or the hunchmen describe their reaction to Dio for example. He’s not shocked or in awe, but not hostile either, which is unusual. Even when he talks about Dio in narration, he has a detached way of calling him beautiful and mysterious, which shows it’s obviously how he feels even though he stays calm at all times in front of Dio, even in dangerous situations.

Dio makes numerous observations about Pucci’s behavior, expression and communication. He seems relaxed and expressive, very different from the rest of what we see of him.

(Pucci 'making a face.')

Another important thing to note is the unusual way he communicates his love to Dio, using very profound words, with a lot of sincerity, without flinching. This genuine confession of a difficult emotion to confess even sets Dio aback.

(Probably having the most fun he’s had in his life here, and is that a smile!?)

Also, parallel play!! They’re shown having bonded profoundly, at the point of hanging out in bed together, but apart from chatting, they don’t really do things together like for example Hermes and Jolyne throw the ball with F.F., they’re doing stuff next to each other (Pucci watches Dio build his boat, and they read lying next to each other.).

(generally also seems kinda bad at picking up subtext)

Two words on sensory perception

(Pucci wondering about how pretty the green baby is, he really wants to know if it's not ugly fr.)

About sensory perception, it’s actually one of the first things I noted when watching the anime especially, he’s very curious about the green baby, and talks to F.F. about it, but as he says himself, he can’t get the “feeling” from a memory disc, and he wants to know how the green baby feels in a sensory kind of way. (Is it soft? is it beautiful?). Of course the many scenes where he purposely mutilates himself without even flinching could indicate that he has a very low perception of physical pain. Both these traits would indicate a very peculiar kind of sensory relationship to the world.

In this scene with Donatello he does state that he has an acute sense of taste, in response to Donatello describing with great precision ingredients in a dish.

(Having a little solo party and dropping trivia again.)

He also seems to feel the music strongly, even though the scene is meant to be comedic, he’s really into it and seems to have some sensory associations (visual/auditory) (also trivia dumping).

Although not directly a sign, the way he asks Dona to test his food because of allergy may also remind of many autistic people who have food allergies and aversions and get people to test food for them before eating.

Body language and facial expression

Pucci has a very specific kind of body posture, especially in the wrists, they’re always limp or twisted in some kind of way, similar to what autistic people might call “T-rex arms”. Araki is very talented at showing detail about characters in the strictly visual part of his drawings, so I think that’s important to note. In terms of facial expression, apart from with Dio, he seems pretty stoic and stern in most situations where he’s not under a lot of stress, almost never laughs or smiles, even in power high situations where other villains usually at least evil laugh for a couple seconds .

(Cute snapped wrist picture collection.)

End note about Weather Report

I just wanted to add a quick word on Weather. Weather Report without his memory disc is also extremely autistic coded. Walking on tip toes, talking in a very low volume not respecting personal space, when he is introduced, he seems super autistic. The reason is the lack of memory disc and consequences of being hung, but I personally think this adds to the overall neurodivergent feel of the manga. I’m also not sure of how much of his backstory was planned at first, and if or not Araki had planned his behavior because of his backstory or not at the point of his introduction scene :3

And there we have it!! I tried not to be too lengthy so I hope you understand my point. I don't think I've seen him being analyzed/hc as autistic a lot, especially compared to characters like Jotaro, but I think he shares some similarities with Kakyoin who is very ND coded too! I would also like to point out that I don't think Araki purposely created a character that reads as autistic, but that he has a very realistic vision of personalities and identities that can lead to this kind of analysis. Also, fun note, Pucci is often typed as INFJ/INTJ and these are prominent personality types in autistic people :3. Anyways, hope you enjoyed, feel free to share your reactions, I'd be glad to hear your thoughts.

NB:

I felt like adding a few to this post so here it is. I would like to say that I think overall Pucci is the most multifaceted, complex character in the series, he has often been described as such, and that’s what makes him the exceptional last boss of the first Jojo era. Many people have had trouble understanding him and Made in Heaven, as can be seen by the numerous amounts of questions on the internet « what did Pucci want to do? » « what is Made in Heaven? » etc. Araki himself said it was very tiring writing such a nuanced villain. I think many of Pucci’s actions and behavior can be attributed to elements in the story narrative, his almost impossible circumstances, and I don’t want to oversimplify, or kick him into a box that might not have been intended at all by Araki. I would also like to add that ASD is a spectrum and one may or may not relate with every trait exposed here, or may find others that I haven’t listed. And it’s always a bit hard categorizing villains as ND because of their reprehensible actions. However I think he is nuanced enough to be considered good rep anyway. But maybe that’s just me fangirling a little too much. In any case, I hope you enjoyed.

Flan, out!!

[thyandrawrites]

how would you rate each of hawks' civilian outfits? 👀

Asks that test your memory djkdjfs I think I got most of his civilian outfits (excluding any that might've appeared in the spinoffs because I don't follow those)

So... I am a fashion disaster too irl so this will be mostly lighthearted teasing. Don't take me too seriously. Fashion can be very personal, but this is Hawks and my blog is not a bully-Hawks-free zone, so.

Here's my ranking from best to worst fit. I could've done it the other way around but what's the fun in that, right? 😂

7.

The "someone vetoed the actual suit I wanted to wear and we all must thank them for it" look

Alright don't judge me. It's very basic formal wear and all black is an easy choice for a man, but it does flatter him. I also like the red accents of the accessories. Another obvious choice to complement his wings, but. No one said I had good standards. Now if only he rolled up those sleeves. Smh

6.

The "if you don't look too closely you might miss all the trauma and backstabbing and think I'm a normal twenty-something" look

Ok full disclosure: I like bolero jackets. That's all. Fhhdhdhd

Iirc the anime had him wear his hero costume in this scene and that's a shame because this is probably the only time Hawks dressed his age. It's all very sleek and looks put together without much of an effort, and it looks good on him even if the color-coordination is very basic. But the casual look of the watch, headphones and sneakers combo adds a certain fuckboy touch to the fit. Which is so inexplicably funny because it's Hawks. Bxhdhdj but oh well. Whatever works, works

5.

The "I only look good because someone put shiny things on me" look

I was gonna put this more on top before realizing that without the jewelry he looks like he's on his way to the grocery store. That was probably by design since it's a modeling shot. I assume he was asked to dress plainly not to draw attention away from the advertised products, so I'll give him a pass.

But all that shiny metal looks amazing on him. I am a Dabi stan why are you surprised I like shiny things

4.

The "must be fashionable while committing retconned murder" look

I know what you're thinking. It's gaudy. I won't argue against that. But depending on its colors, the paisley jacket could've been a Look. Too bad Bones was a coward and cut it. I guess the year 2021 wasn't ready for Hawks' fashion choices

3.

The "oh no the postman was here and caught me in my pajamas" look

This one isn't even bad. It's just. Plain. Baby pls, you have a ton of money. At least put some color in your wardrobe

2.

The "all the money in my bank account can't buy common sense" look

Now we're actually getting into Hawks' peculiar fashion sense. I know there's a name for those big sneakers but he must like them because that's the second time we see him wear them.

What I find amusing about this is that all of those clothes kinda clash with each other. There's a lot going on with his torso in particular. He's wearing geometric patterns on his shirt, which would be eye-catching on its own, but then he trew on a cross between a travel jacket and... Skater-like streetwear, almost? Idk, I don't know the first thing about fashion but when I first saw this ensemble my eyes didn't know where to look lol

Also, those visors. They're not his usual work ones. He definitely put them on as an accessory. I guess he has a brand. Nerd.

1.

The "my strategy on my days off is to dress so ugly people don't look me in the eyes and thus can't ask me to work" look

Okay, I cheated. Pretty sure this outfit is from one of the movies, but I couldn't not include it. I had to leave you on an outfit that deals some kind of psychic damage, lest you thought my more moderate opinions hinted towards me thinking this man can dress himself

Anyway, this was fun. Thank you for the ask!

[jean-dieu]

For the KC Ask Game!

Raphael: 8, 10, 11, 29

Lazare: 2, 5, 10, 20

Ziel: 10, 12, 14, 19

Nym: 19, 26, 27, 29

Damn spyri, that's a lot of asks hehe. Thank you so much ! (Since there's no universe were I could picture Nym being the KC, I've chosen to answer his questions on other characters :))) RAPHAËL :

8. What do they desire the most?

Answered there!

10. What would be the meal that give them a little ability bonus?

Hmm... Though choice. Raphaël enjoys good food, but he's not very picky. Anything well cooked and tasty enough will please him. However, I'd say the spicy pastry will be one of his favorite as he really likes anything spicy really. And because it's funny: The Demon Slayer Soup, something he refused to eat as a kid because soup=yucky ... Until his mother started calling it "Demon Slayer Soup", then he was sold, and he's still into it as an adult. "Eat your soup to grow big and strong to fight demon" He remembers his mother's words every time he eats one.

11. For martial KCs, favorite weapon? For spellcasters, favorite spell?

Answered there! (short answer: scimitars of course)

29. What would their domains be after a potential ascension?

Answered there! (short answer: Martyrdom, Self Sacrifice, Duty, Devotion)

26. Did they separate from any companions? Why? (Consider killing a companion too for this question)

Wenduag and Camellia. RIP to both but Raphaël doesn't have time for your bullshit.

19. How did they feel during their time in the Abyss?

Out of place. He was miserable. Being Lawful Good in the Abyss was hard enough like that, but Raphaël is a hell-spawn, his tiefling heritage coming from Devils and not Demons. At best, he has ties with a Lawful Evil plan, and being in a Chaotic Evil one was hard for him. His Lawfulness his natural to him, and his Goodness is an ideal he sets from himself, striving to become a better person everyday. Being in the Abyss was a challenge for him as he was trying very hard to not just lash out at every scenes, actions, events he deemed terrible.

LAZARE :

2. How do they feel about Areelu Vorlesh?

Answered there!

5. Do they have a family? If so, what kind? Do they miss them? Do they still have hope to see them again?

Lazare is the son of a noble Chelish man of the Jeggare family and an Andoren half-elf prostitute.

Of course, he wasn't really planned. His mother was even in denial of her pregnancy until his birth. Not being in the right state of mind to raise a child, but still not wanting to abandon him, she and her colleagues decided to raise the child together.

So... Lazare was raised in a brothel by 12 women, all of them being his mother in his eyes. He's very closed to them, and he misses them dearly. Despite his surroundings not being a suitable environment for a child to grow up, he considers his childhood to be a happy one as he was loved and cared for, and he longs to come back to see his peculiar, not-so-little family again.

By the way, he only learns as a young teen which one of his mother was his biological one, and he didn't take it very well at first, feeling like he's been lied to. However, he has long learned to accept the truth, and understand his bio mother's choices, and he's just glad everything turned out well in the end.

10. What would be the meal that give them a little ability bonus?

I really think Lazare has a special feat called "sugar rush" that gives him bonus when he has just eaten sugar. He's really into anything sweet, so I'd say the Blazing Parfait and the Skullberry Pie!

20. Which event of the crusade traumatized them?

Answered there!

27. Favorite animal companion?

All of 'em! Lazare has place in his heart for all kind of animal companion… But he can't help but have a bit of a soft spot for the pipefox. It's just so goofy.

ZIEL:

10. What would be the meal that give them a little ability bonus?

I'd say a good Midnight Soup as it would make him feel all cozy, and an Acorn Pie as it would remind him of his father bringing him a lil pastry after his Church's office.

12. What is their alignment, and why? How do they feel about it? Do they change alignment at one point?

Chaotic Neutral. Ziel's very focus on his own survival, and he's just hoping to manage to get through his problems unharmed. He stopped believing in justice, laws, institutions and government when he was a teenager, and he's now often purposefully and almost out of spite causing chaos around him just to piss off guards and all. A "No gods, no kings, fuck you all" and "fuck it we ball" kind of mentality. He starts out very neutral, not very keen on helping people unless it really doesn't ask much. But really, he's just trying to survive in a city that's very hostile to him, and despite having been raised an Abadarite, he grew very bitter, even hating the church of Abadar after what they did to his faithful father.

He will not change alignment, but will go from very neutral to good leaning. I can't portray him as switching to chaotic good as he's still very much interested in the well-being of his closest friends and companions more than in the fate of the world, but he grows softer and more ready to help, leaving his older bitterness behind him and starting to embrace being a nicer person overall.

14. Which companion is their closest friend?

Ziel has always been quite a lonely boy as a whole. Not much friends as a kid, even less as a teenager as he was purposefully acting like a prick to push people away ("They can't hate me for what I am if they hate me for what I do"). It will probably take time for anyone to bring the tiefling out of his spiky shell, but I could see Sosiel managing to. Offering to paint his portrait would just make him laugh at first, thinking the cleric is just messing with him, but when he understands he's just being honest, he'll realize Sosiel just sees him as anyone else, and it's nice for a while. Sosiel would be like a big brother to him... And Seelah would be the big sister. He's essentially a little brother going through a phase, just needing a bit of help to become a better version of himself. He'd go along well with Woljif for OBVIOUS reason, as he would be the one endorsing his terrible ideas. Oh, and despite the lack of formal education past a certain point, Ziel's a very smart and curious lad, and he LOVES pushing Nenio as far as he could, ready to make things explode for the sake of "science".

19. How did they feel during their time in the Abyss?

Not good at all, and it's mostly because they're a pitborn tiefling. Ziel constantly felt like the Abyss were bringing the worst of him, and driving him crazy. Also, Ziel doesn't have much answer regarding his heritage. No one really does, anyway, or they never told him. His birth was a surprise, albeit an unpleasant one, but still a surprise. He doesn't know why he's a tiefling, and why he's ... Quite peculiar even among his own kind. He just settled for the explanation of being some kind of residual product of the corruption of the WorldWound despite feeling like it couldn't be just that. Like Woljif, being in the Abyss brought him the answers he never had and was desperate yet scared to have. Ziel learned his peculiar appearance and lack of information was due to the fact he's merely an experiment of some abyssal scientist who was messing around with demonic blood, mixing them before forcing it into an unborn infant to see what such a weird combination would produce. Ziel will kill them out of rage, and will be very close to lose his mind at such a revelation, feeling like he's nothing more than some messed up experiment, barely a mortal, and not even really his father's child.

Eventually, the only one who will be able to get him out of this state will be his father who will assure him that he really, really doesn't give a shit about it all, and that no revelation could erase the years they spent together and the fact he raised him.

29. What would their domains be after a potential ascension?

Misfits, Self-Determination, Individuality, Standing up for yourself, Perseverance. Ziel's journey is mostly about becoming proud of who he is and stopping to self-sabotage himself. He stops hoping for acceptance among people who will never accept him, and instead embraces who he is. He stops pretending to be someone he's not, both accepting his qualities and his flaws, and he learns to accept his more vulnerable side. After ascension, he'd be a figure people cast aside from society for any reasons could look up to, encouraging them to not look down in the face of adversity and to never settle for less, as well as pursuing their dream, fighting back, demanding to be shown respect, and reclaiming their place in the world

[zonaenthusiast]

do robin x zoro have more significant interactions than nami x zoro in manga and anime?

i'm new to this fandom since i have only seen the live action and i noticed that a lot of people call nami x zoro siblings while shipping robin x zoro, so what's this about?

i'm loving nami x zoro in opla so far and am excited for robin's future appearance but i dread other shippers hating on zoro/nami!

Uh, well, hello and welcome to the fandom!

Disclaimer: this will have my personal and subjective interpretations of some ships but you are free to think what you like, of course! No ship is bad! (unless it's problematic, then it's bad).

I will try to be a little bit vague because I don't want to give you many spoilers, but the thing about Zoro and Robin is that they had a very peculiar relationship when she first joined the crew. Let's just say that Zoro didn't trust her at all and that lasted for a while but, despite that, he was always willing to protect her if necessary like she was any other of his nakamas (and she was). Besides, she made a few efforts to get close to him and even teased him sometimes.

I think people really digged that dynamic of I don't trust you but I guess we have to work together. This is actually funny because it's actually very similar to Zoro's dynamic with Nami at the beginning, it's just that with Robin he was much more obvious because he had legitimate reasons to distrust her.

That lasted for a couple of sagas and they had a handful of moments together that are pretty interesting (one of my favorite parts of the Skypiea arc is a scene of them) but then, after she managed to gain his trust, they didn't have much more moments together (they have one ocasionally but they are rare). The thing about Zoro and Robin is that they are the most introverted of the crew, so they barely talk to each other because they aren't usually the first ones to start a conversation. You will see them together and they will be confortable with each other, but most of the time they don't talk to each other.

I get the appeal of this ship, but I don't really enjoy it because Robin has... peculiar tastes, to say the least, and Zoro doesn't fit in them. I don't know if you know who the other main ship for Robin is but in the last few years I would say they have become more popular than Zoro/Robin, especially after Dressrosa.

About Zoro and Nami... it's a hated ship internationally, yes, and we are constantly in the trenches for liking them as a couple, but the funny thing is that it's a pretty well loved ship in Japan. Internationally, people tend to see them as siblings but it never happened to me (examples of a sibling relationship for me are Nami and Usopp or Zoro and Chopper, but not them). Besides, the headcanon of a huge part of the international fandom is that Zoro is gay (Zoro's main ship is Sanji) and Nami is lesbian (my headcanon is that both of them are bisexuals).

It doesn't help that interactions between Zoro and Nami have also decreased in recent years, to be honest, but we've been on a roll recently and not just because of the live action. In my humble opinion, Zoro and Nami's interactions are more significant that Zoro and Robin's, if only because they've been together from the very beginning.

Some people think that the scenes between Zoro and Nami were weird in the live action but I promise you, and this doesn't have to do anything with them a a ship, just as a duo: if you've really paid attention to the dynamic that Zoro and Nami have maintained since the beginning of the manga (something I've been doing since I was twelve), you know the only thing the live action has done is make it more explicit. Oda is much more subtle when it comes to establishing relationships between characters but the live action doesn't have the time for that, so they've had to make everything much more obvious, more in your face. But the essence of everything is there and I assure you, the essence of Zoro and Nami is there. If someone wants to ship them or not, it's up to them and their own interpretations.

[thegayfromrulid]

Hi! I’ve got a fiction request! It’s for Sword Art Online but more specifically SAO II.

So basically, Kirito joins GGO and has a trans fem awakening because of his avatar and everyone thinking he’s a girl. Probably something along the lines of he starts feeling more comfortable being called a girl in GGO and then disappointed when he’s back to the real world in and being seen as a boy. Maybe there’s some internalized transphobia and/or imposter syndrome along the way but I’m not picky! Sorry it’s not very specific if that causes any trouble.

I apologize so much for the wait!

Firstly, thank you so much for your request! Trans fem/trans girl Kirito holds a very special place in my heart, and this prompt reminded me of an older one shot I wrote for SAO Pride Week 2019. If you haven't seen it, Faceless is similarly about Kirito having a trans girl awakening after logging into GGO, and bits and pieces are semi-autobiographical to my own acceptance of myself as a trans guy.

Of course, even though I already had a one shot for this theme, I couldn't pass up this chance to write it from a different angle, so this post contains a sort of two-for-one! The one shot attached to this post is the new one I wrote for this specific prompt, and the link above will take you to the one from 2019.

One shot below the cut!

AO3 version here!

            The beauty of a virtual world is that one can reimagine themselves however they choose. Upon entering any VR game, you’re met with a friendly screen that walks you through avatar customization. There are so many options, from hairstyle to body shape to skin tones. In some, you can even change your race to be more like an animal or alien. Limitless personal customization is right at your fingertips, and because it isn’t permanent, you can always return to your real self and try something else.

            Taking away that ability to creatively reimagine oneself is frustrating. It was something I’d already experienced once in SAO. When Kayaba forced every player to play with their own face, I’m sure numerous people were filled with the same disgust that I was. Taking away that freedom forced us to lose that joyful feeling of separating our real lives from our virtual ones. I was tempted to say the same of my conversion from ALO to GGO. I didn’t get a say in the matter of my avatar because of the conversion; the avatar was randomly chosen for me by the system. And, at first, I really hated that avatar. It wasn’t the picture of the person I would paint for myself entering this world. But something peculiar changed my thoughts about the avatar as the seconds ticked on.

            “Hey, miss, is that a rare avatar type?”

            My heart pounded in my chest as I realized those words were directed at me. I felt that I should have been angry or bothered by the man’s words. Regardless of the rarity of the avatar, even I should have been upset by being called “miss.” Yet something about that word being uttered so naturally to me felt strangely peaceful. It was as if a noise had been blaring in my ears for years and I had gotten used to it. When that noise was turned off, I suddenly realized that I’d been living with it constantly.

            At first, though, I shook it off as a funny feeling. Surely it didn’t mean anything. I abruptly corrected the man, telling him that I was a guy, and after getting him off of my back for raving about the rare avatar type, I hesitantly patted down my chest to check whether or not the avatar had breasts, double-checked my avatar gender in my menu, and then turned towards the road to look for places to buy gear and weapons.

            Along the way, several men called out to me, practically ogling me and catcalling me. The peaceful feeling from before was gone. If this was something Asuna and Suguha had to deal with constantly, I had to commend them for their bravery to step out into a space filled with gross men. I did my best just to bite my lip and keep moving. I skimmed the crowd for a friendly face, hoping that I could work up the nerve to approach someone and ask some basic questions—preferably someone who wasn’t whistling at me and telling me I had a nice ass from across the street.

            The first person I rested my eyes on had ice-blue hair and was dressed toe to chin in olive drab. A scarf obscured the lower half of their face, but from their body type, I presumed I was approaching a girl player. I stepped over to her and awkwardly spoke up.

            “U-um, excuse me…” I trailed off.

            She looked up at me and pulled her scarf down a bit. Her catlike eyes were also an ice-cold blue color.

            “Oh, it’s not so often I find another girl playing GGO,” she said, offering a friendly smile. “I see you’re in a starter outfit. Did you need help finding something?”             The disgust from the catcalling melted away and gave way to that peaceful feeling again. I wanted to protest and tell her that I was a guy, but something about the way she called me “another girl” kept me from saying anything. It wasn’t that the statement seemed to be camaraderie. It certainly helped my situation that she appeared friendly to other female players, but this golden sense of opportunity wasn’t what made my heart flutter lightly and my chest fill with warmth.

            “Another girl,” I repeated.

            She gave me a funny look and tilted her head. I cleared my throat.

            “Is…is it uncommon for girls to play GGO?” I asked, trying to divert from my awkward mumbling.

            She nodded.

            “Yeah, it’s mostly guys,” she said, sighing. “Not that it’s a problem to play with guys, but I’m sure you’ve already noticed how much ogling you can get. You rolled a pretty attractive avatar, so I’m guessing you’ve already gotten whistled at or something by now.”

            I gave her a solemn nod.

            “Don’t let it get to you,” she said. “If they act like asses, you’ll learn where to point the business end of your gun. So, can I ask what got a girl like you interested in GGO?”

            There it was again. That word “girl.” I wound up hugging myself and thinking about that word while I also tried to think of a suitable excuse for my dive. I did my best to shake it off again, but this time, it lingered in the back of my mind as I continued the conversation.

            “Oh, well, I’ve been playing mostly fantasy VRMMOs,” I said. “I thought I’d see what a more guns and grease kind of game was like.”

            My ridiculous excuse for diving into GGO didn’t help draw my mind off of the way this girl addressed me. She offered to show me around town and help me get starter equipment. Every time she referred to me directly as “a girl” or with feminine language, it felt a bit less weird to hear. By the time we’d purchased everything, and we’d decided to go and register for the BoB together, I’d long forgotten the initial desire to clarify that I wasn’t really a girl, and I had comfortably assumed this role of her fellow girl gamer.

            After logging out and pulling the headset off, that fuzzy, friendly feeling of that talk remained in the forefront of my mind as I drove home. I was trapped in that headspace of being the girl that the player Sinon had trusted today and grown a small bond with today. I was so trapped in it that the first words from my sister’s mouth when she got home felt like daggers tearing through the perfectly painted scenario.

            “Big brother, I’m home!”

            I pressed my hands to the kitchen counter and drew in a deep breath. Why did that sting so much? It was the most natural thing in the world for Suguha to say to me. And, since I beat her home most days, she said those same words almost every day. There should have been nothing different about hearing them today, but those words cut deeper than a knife for some reason. It was as if it were jarring to be a girl in GGO and return to being a boy in the real world.

            But, I AM a boy, I thought to myself.

            “You have an awful look on your face, big brother.”

            Suguha’s repetition of the term only felt worse a second time. Just as I had in GGO while wearing the visage of a girl, I did my best to shake off this weird feeling and move on with my day. The feeling of sharp pain in my chest didn’t subside as time went on, though. It continued to prick my heart anew every time I was referred to in a masculine way, and I sported a rather sour face as I stomped into the hospital the next day to dive again.

            “Is there a problem, Kirigaya?” Nurse Aki asked.

            I shook my head.

            “Just a weird feeling,” I mumbled.

            She just chuckled and attached the electrodes to my chest. I sighed and slipped the Amusphere over my eyes. Now was the time to try and ignore any of my personal feelings and focus on the job at hand. I dove into GGO and headed straight for the lobby, where I found Sinon waiting for me with a gentle smile. Her first words melted away the unpleasant feeling almost instantly.

            “Hey, girl!” she greeted. “Are you sure you’re really ready to join a tournament? You didn’t even go through a tutorial or do some shooting practice yesterday.”

            I gave her a smile and a nod in return.

            “I think I get the gist,” I said. “Besides, I might be pretty handy with this photon sword we found.”

            Sinon laughed.

            “I thought you were here to try something different from a fantasy-style play?” she teased. “Well, the girls’ changing rooms aren’t designated here, so we’ll just each grab an individual space to change into our gear. I’ll see you in a second.”

            We stepped into some pod-like rooms and put on our battle gear. I turned in front of the mirror to get a glimpse of my avatar in the armor I’d purchased. It didn’t look any less like a girl. For some reason, it bothered me less today than it did yesterday. I drew in a breath, trying to put my brain back into work mode, and then stepped out of the dressing room to meet up with Sinon again.

            She showed me into the main lobby where the prepped players were waiting for the tournament to begin, and numerous spectators had gathered to gamble on the outcomes and drink virtual beer to their hearts’ content. Several men turned their heads to us and immediately started to whistle at us and whisper about us. I clenched my hands into fists, a bit irritated by their behavior, but unlike yesterday, I couldn’t drag myself away from the feeling that their acknowledgement of me as a girl felt right. Even as Sinon walked me through the workings of the tournament, introduced me to one of her gamer friends, and waved me off as I entered the tournament space, I was stuck on that sense of correctness.

            It made so little sense that I wound up ripping the Amusphere off rather abruptly when I left the dive. I couldn’t even properly thank Aki for looking after me while I pursued a possibly dangerous criminal. I just walked as fast as I could towards my bike, and then I sped home, trying to make sense of those opposing feelings. Pleasant feelings filled my chest when I was being referred to as a girl in GGO, but yesterday and this morning I’d felt miserable being called a brother and son. Those were feelings I couldn’t accept.

            Pull yourself together, I thought. You aren’t a girl. You know that.

            But trying to tell myself that mentally didn’t erase the stinging feeling that greeted me when I walked through the door. Yet another “Welcome back, big brother!” and I was filled with disgust for myself. This had never bothered me before. I couldn’t understand why I felt like this, nor could I ignore that my brain was entertaining remaining in the more pleasant feeling. If putting on a more feminine look and being called a girl stopped that pain from happening, then wasn’t that the answer? I shook my head and swore into my pillow.

            “I’m a GUY!” I stressed to myself.

            Those words just didn’t convince me, though. By the time I was back in the hospital for my final stretch of the tournament, I must have looked unwell. Nurse Aki pulled me over to sit on the hospital bed and wrapped one arm around me. I stared down at the floor. She tapped a finger on my arm and hummed.

            “Is something bothering you, Kirigaya?” she asked.

            I bit my lip, and then I looked at her.

            “Can you keep it a secret?” I asked.

            She nodded, and then she mimed zipping her lips up, locking them, and tossing away the key. I sighed.

            “The avatar that was given to me for this job is kind of…feminine looking,” I said.

            Aki raised one eyebrow.

            “Oh?” she said. “Does that bother you?”

            I tilted my head.

            “Not as much as I think it should,” I said. “Ever since I dove in the other day, I’ve weirdly felt more comfortable being in that avatar than in my own skin. But, I’m a guy. I shouldn’t daydream about being a girl.”

            Aki chuckled.

            “I think, perhaps, you may have it backwards,” she said. “I don’t know what kind of home you come from, and I know in this world it can be hard to accept yourself when you don’t have an obvious support system at home, but it sounds like you may be experiencing a bit of gender dysphoria. Do you know what that is?”             I shook my head.

            “No,” I admitted.

            She nodded.

            “Gender dysphoria is when you feel uneasy about how your biological sex doesn’t match your gender,” she said, tapping me on the chest. “It sounds like you saw yourself as a girl and realized that you feel uncomfortable with being seen as a boy. And because you’re unfamiliar with this feeling, you’ve decided that it’s wrong to see yourself as a girl.”

            I sighed.

            “But, I’m not a girl,” I said. “I can’t be.”

            Aki leaned forward to catch my eyes better.

            “And why can’t you be a girl?” she asked. “Because you have a penis?”

            I felt my face get hot. She shouldn’t say such words out loud. This was a professional environment.

            “Kirigaya, what’s in your pants doesn’t determine what gender you are,” she said. “It’s what’s in here that determines that.”

            She reached over and tapped my chest again.

            “You’re a girl if that’s what you feel most comfortable with being,” she said. “Understand?”             Giving her a slight smile, I nodded. I couldn’t say that her words had completely removed the doubt in my mind. They had, however, pointed me in the direction I needed to go. This time, when I dove into GGO and heard Sinon call out to me as a fellow girl gamer, I chose to embrace it instead of trying for the whole duration of my mission to dismiss that feeling. And while numerous things occurred within that one play session, the most important for me was that the feeling of rightness remained with me. Even as I tore through the streets to make it to Sinon before Death Gun did, I knew in my heart that Aki was probably right. When I lay on the floor, a bit dazed from nearly being killed, I felt a knot form in my stomach as Sinon stared down at me.

            “I’m sorry you rushed out here looking like that on my account,” she muttered.

            I frowned up at her.

            “What do you mean?” I asked.

            She lazily waved a hand at me.

            “You didn’t even have time to put on a wig or makeup or anything to pass in public,” she said, as if it were the most normal thing ever to assume that I should look like as much of a girl in the real world as I did in GGO. “Unless…am I assuming incorrectly? I thought maybe you were a trans girl.”

            I sat up and grasped her hand. She let out a gasp.

            “I think you’re right,” I said. “I think…I think maybe I am a trans girl.”

            Sinon’s shock was quickly replaced by a joyful laugh. It was a step. There was still a bit of uncertainty in my heart. There was likely a lot to be done in terms of research, what I wanted for myself, and how I wanted to look to the world. But I had the perfect tool at my fingertips for reimagining myself any way that I wanted to.

            And thus began my use of VR to find myself…finally as a girl.

[snowmaniaph]

“I don’t want to pretend. I want to always stay as my natural self.”

“My name is Fukazawa! I look forward to working with you today!” Fukazawa-san greeted us and bowed as he arrived in the studio. The atmosphere in the studio gently softened with his gentleness. He responded to various requests with superb reactions and smiles while standing in front of the camera - greatly livening up the shoot. 

“I really like western clothes, and am always interested in luxury brand items. I especially love items with loud designs. I tend to wear really peculiar clothes, which is why I get told off by the members “How about you try buying normal clothes?” (laughs). Recently, I’m trying to wear casual clothes. Someday, I want to collaborate with a brand and try making clothes.”

He is the oldest member of Snow Man and also the mood-maker. He turned 30 years old last May.

“Yes, I did (turn 30 last May)... but honestly, it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I want to stay young emotionally and physically. I am a little worried because I get tired faster than the other members (laughs). Among the members, I am the designated MC so I think it would be nice if I could bring out the members’ charms through talking. Also, I would like it if I can make the audience feel a little of my adult charms.”

Making use of his outstanding conversational skills, he is now a regular in the infotainment show “Nonstop!” starting this spring.

“ABC-Z’s Fumito Kawai-kun sent me a congratulatory message “You can’t make half-hearted statements as a commentator. Each response is important.”. He kindly taught me that. At first, I was all fired up and enthusiastic like “Okay! I’ll do my best and get background information!”. Luckily, Shitara Osamu-san always kindly follows me up and teases me. And because of that I changed tactics and dared to speak my thoughts as they are without having to prepare beforehand (laughs).”

The person himself is very humble, but the breadth of his outlook on life and enthusiasm is obvious from seeing him in the show. It has been 18 years since he entered his agency, and his time of obscurity as a Johnny’s Jr. was long.

“Oh-, it did turn out like that. I danced as a backup dancer for my senpais before debut and just did my best for 15 years. There were times when I thought “Is it really fine like this?”. It was really hard during that time and I almost gave up, but now that I have debuted I’ve once again realized how valuable those times are. This is something I can say now. It is thanks to everyone that I got to personally witness the group Snow Man becoming well-known to the world.”

He talked about this job being worth doing when his efforts finally bore fruit.

“When our CDs lined up in the storefront or when the stage our members and staff-san collaborated to make is revealed - the moment when I receive something is the best. Of course, the “process”, like the results of our rehearsals piling up is also important. That too is a very fulfilling time. Personally, I want people to say “That person is funny!” (laughs). I don’t want to pretend. I want to always stay my natural self. I always keep that in mind while working. It would make me happy if people thought of me as someone who jokes around and does ridiculous things but is an honest person.”

Finally, when we asked him about featured anime:

“My favorite is “Crayon Shin-chan”. I cry when I watch it. Our anime otaku member Sakuma (Daisuke) says “It seems like you’d like this one, Fukka” and recommends shows to me. I watch everything he recommends. Recently, I’m hooked on “The Rising of the Shield Hero”. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen during the finale!” 

Source: Ginza

[thewingedmuse]

💭💌 )

dina, what would loki think abt me, ++ a long rant abt godzilla. FIRSTLY, godzilla would either step on you by accident ( and wouldnt even say “whoopsies!!! what a silly goofy mistakw teehee” like a CIVILIZED radioactive arsonist would ) or would spray his flaming hot cheeto breath all over you. im sorry but its true. unless youre mothra ( they were dating right ) bro will treat you like an average citizen in a burning city. if you proved yourself worthy enough hed probably just look at you and sorta give u mercy by walking away a bit BUT THATS UNREALISTIC and imo godzilla always looked like he had a lot of fun blowing up places. me too hinestly hashtag arson 4 life hashtag i love being a public menace hashtag skincare OK SORRY IM RUNNING ON 3 CUPS OF COFFEE RN THANK YOU AND BYE

Hello Dina, thank you for joining if only I've known you, and thank you for your exchange. That's very befitting of Godzilla's animal aspect, so it's pretty logical. And you are so funny xD thank you for giving me a good chuckle out of this! Now, onto your reading! 💚

Cards: Judgement (r), Ace of Wands (r)

Loki would love your wicked sense of humour! He would think you're a prankster just like him, and would love to see more of your antics (even participate in them). This energy he feels of you feels like an upside-down room, it is a very peculiar and intriguing energy. He thinks you're someone who thinks outside the box. Your eyes twinkle with mischief? There could be times you would be shy and try to behave like a normal person but those mischievous eyes betray you lol. He'd love to have you as a friend or maybe a partner-in-crime (if you could catch up, he says). He also thinks that you might have a hidden motive but doesn't everyone? He certainly isn't as innocent as a lamb himself, so whatever your aim is he does intend to stay to find out (and enjoy the fun in the process).

To him, you feel disorienting in a fun way like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland. This vibe of yours sets you apart from other people. You could at times be pensive; sentimental he says. He'd frown when you frown in an attempt to mirror you and get you to feel in sync with him, therefore helping you open up to him, if not reach a common understanding.

I hope you enjoyed your reading. Feel free to let me know what you think. Have a nice day.

[thepensiveentries]

Unfair expectations, unforeseen anticipations

Have you seen Finding Nemo? Finding Nemo is an animation movie from 2003, and is definitely one of my many favorite movies. Spoiler alert: What follows in this post are some movie spoilers.

In the movie an overprotective clown fish dad called Marlin loses his wife and hundreds of fish eggs from a shark attack, except one that later on he named Nemo as an ode for his late wife. After losing everything except this one son, he commits his life to protect him from what he thinks are all dangers in life. He starts living his life in fear. Nemo it’s the only one he has left, but after taking care of him with a very overprotective embrace, Nemo grows older and has to experience life for himself without the fears of his father. In the process Marlin loses his son Nemo anyways, but this experience helped Marlin to be tougher and he fights with all his limitations and strength. He swims the whole ocean to find him.

On his way to find his son, Marlin meets a very peculiar blue tang fish called Dory. Dory has short term memory problems so she keeps forgetting everything Marlin says, but even though Dory has this problem and might not seem wise enough I found that she had a lot of things to say that we could learn from. Dory keeps pushing Marlin to keep going, gives him advice and helps him travel the ocean and helps witch communicating and connecting with other creatures of the sea. At first Marlin though that Dory would be a liability and make things much harder to find Nemo. In the end it turns out that Marlin really needed Dory to find Nemo.

For me, this movie although very entertaining and even funny, has a lot of encouraging and wise messages. Most of them coming from people, or rather fish in this case, that you wouldn’t expect, like Dory. How many times in life do people underestimate others because of what seem for us are their limitations? Against all expectations Dory could remember some important things, she could even ‘speak whale language’ even though Marlin thought it was impossible and silly. She kept pushing Marlin to keep going (“Just keep swimming”, one of my favorite parts). There were times when Dory gave Marlin advice, that also turned to be the right decision to make, but because Marlin didn’t believed in her yet he choose what he thought was the better idea, his.

How many times have you felt under estimated and looked over because people didn’t think you were wise or good enough? How many times have you felt like you don’t belong, because what you say doesn’t really matter? People knowingly or unknowingly pushing you aside because they simply don’t believe in you. Perhaps they think of you as your past mistakes or because they didn’t think you have the wisdom or strength to make it where they want to be or where they want you to be. And in turn, how many times have you yourself underestimated or dismissed somebody because you thought your opinions are better or wiser? I think most of us at some point are guilty of this. This movie reminds me that you never know who you will need to make it further in this world. Your help sometimes comes in unexpected places or from unexpected people. Just because you see a limitation or a different way of looking at life, doesn’t mean it isn’t for you and it definitely doesn’t mean that it’s not good or less than your way.

We all do things and look at things in our own way because of many reasons. Be it cultural, habit, fear, ambition, how we were raised, religion, what we learned and so much more. We do the best we can in the way we think is best for us. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. But in reality, everyone is fighting some kind of battle. Be kind. I think this life would be a lot better if we started to look at situations in life with more empathy and understanding. With a more open mind and less judgments. If we start looking at situations and people with a judgement of what we see in first instance, both you and the person will have another limitation added to the many others that might already be present. I believe this creates more boundaries and more difficulties, we all get further and further away from each other this way and in the end humanity will not be able to connect with others. We all need each other.

If you have family and friends that are supportive, that’s amazing for you. If you have a healthier way to deal with life and to make better decisions, that’s great. But not everyone has this, not everyone can or was able to do it yet. I know of course, that not everyone has the best intentions in this world. I know that they are people who are evil in their core, so we have to be careful. But, I also know that people can change. And good people, who struggle with whatever it is they call their limitations, sometimes don’t need to be changed. Perhaps they need a chance, a fitting environment, encouragement, support, to develop their full potential. Sometimes we want to change people or expect them to do certain things because they simply don’t fit in what we want or what society expect them to be. Maybe that is the problem. Maybe you are trying to be somebody that you aren’t. Maybe you are trying to change people in something that they aren’t. What you expect is not always what is right for you or others. Maybe you are swimming in the wrong direction, perhaps that’s why you haven’t ‘made it’ yet or perhaps that’s why you are still not happy or at peace with yourself yet although you already ‘made it’.

Where is your heart? What gives you energy? Where lies your passion? What makes you hungry to be better and to fight your fears? What makes you want to wake up every morning and continue fighting every day?

The comfort or uncontrolled limitations and fears we are facing, be it because status, love, family and health (or something else), might turn out not to be a limitation after all. Everyone can learn something out of any situation. Just because you failed a hundred times, doesn’t mean you are not worth it. Just because you made it further that others doesn’t make other people invalid and you above them. In the end you choose who to have around you, in the end you pick with whom you want to surround yourself with or have a close relationship with. I just want to ask you, to treat others with more respect and empathy. Even if you think you know what’s better, be mindful of the words you feed others, as this can help make or break them. Be also mindful that good things can come from unexpected people and situations, from hardships, just like in Finding Nemo.

Don’t miss the chance to learn something new and even help others by dismissing them. Dory could flourish and get over her limitations because somebody included her, because she could help somebody. She found renewed energy and a way to deal with her short term memory problems in a better way and even though everyone knew she has that limitation, they and she, didn’t let it define her. She tried something new, and Marlin by included her, starting to be more open to listen to her and showing her that she matters too, not only helped her but helped himself and Nemo.

Isn’t it funny? Sometimes we think we are helping others but by doing it we are helping ourselves.

Let me know what you think about this post and if you liked Finding Nemo in the comments section, if you want. Feel free to share what you liked the most about this movie and what other positive messages you got from it.

Just keep swimming, Asunset Modestflower

Photo credits Clown Fish AI generated by Ray Shrewsberry • from Pixabay

Under the sea picture AI generated by Canva Collage design by @xeniabe on Canva

[italoniponic]

okay, okay

can I plz request a short story w/ silver using 2nd POV (using you instead of y/n) about him getting kabedonned OR flustered by the reader

bonus if the reader is like smooth, but like teenager-smooth... as in the reader and silver thinks they're acting cool but then lilia's out here sipping tea being like "...cringe, but it is love."

LMAO the whole DIASOMNIA gang watching us fluster silver HELP

everyday I think of my wife and cry

i spend an hour in my bed doing nothing but thinking of him yesterday until midnight

😊 fun!

many thanks in advance~

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲'𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭

| Notes: Hi, my fellow Cherry! Christ, this ask… where do I even begin talking about this ask?? I tried to blend some of your suggestions together and it really got into a cringe-worthy but funny situation.  Reader’s smooth antics are kinda inspired by how Maleficent talked to Philip in the og movie (yk the scenes). And I CURSE tumblr and my own mature mind for sensing a tension I never once saw on those scenes. Not on ship lever or anything but, oh God, it’s… cursed tension, simply cursed tension (I also blame Maleficent’s eye movements, they’re so well animated and this is great and cruel at times) And wow, I already made some sort of cheeky reader for a Riddle request but this reader? This one?! The shameless disastrous flirt? The way I managed to combine two languages pick-up lines?? I was dying in ways I never thought was possible, this is a comedy masterpiece! I really hope you like it! (really) Thanks for the request <3 |

Silver x g!n cheeky and flirtatious reader / ft. diasomnia gang as support /scenario / comedy-kun kabedonned fluff-chan~ / 1,4k words / use of “you” pronouns

Cherry’s Harvesting event 🍒 Masterlist

Flustered Beauty

You didn't have to wonder or ask how Silver got into that sudden situation because you were the one to blame for it. Let's recap the scene a little.

Once upon a time, a simple and innocent Silver had invited you to spend the afternoon on Diasomnia. You could study, walk around, or just spend time together in his bedroom, eventually sleeping in anticipation of something peculiar happening to you — with the eccentric students there and your own magnet for trouble, that was more normal than it should really be.

But little did he know that in the middle of an empty hallway on the way to his room, you would pin him against a cold gray stone wall. Your strong gaze was lit by the greenish fire of the lamps held by busts of dragons, as if you were one too.

“Silver, Silver, Silver…,” you chuckled, softly. “You shouldn't let your guard down that easily.”

“Well, you really took me by surprise,” Silver commented. Until that moment, unshaken.

“Surprise? Ah, my dear! I’m surprised that I have always set a trap for a peasant and, wow, I catched a prince.”

It was when you lifted Silver's chin with the tip of your index finger that he felt something strange ring in his heart. If it were anyone else, this audacity and manner of speaking to him would be answered with complete indifference or a silent fury in his crystal clear eyes. But with you? His blood boiled, burning with an emotion never seen before.

Although you acted like that with Silver most of the time, he just never quite got it. He knew you were a very open person, able to say anything that came to mind. And despite the confusions that this sometimes caused, the two of you matched very well together.

“Silver, have I already told you how beautiful your eyes are?,” you asked, squinting your own eyes lightly.

Silver's eyes blinked. He felt so inexplicably lost.

“It's a habit, dear. I don't think I can control it. Is that you're so beautiful, Silver…”

“You already said.”

“I said that only about your eyes.”

You grinned. You could feel your hands getting cold from the wall but you were enjoying that so much and Silver was making no effort to escape your hold, something he — as a future knight — knew well how to disarm. Silver was completely focused on you, not a sign of sleep able to distract him.

Perhaps that's why neither of you seemed to notice the presence of a small student nearby, eating a pack of grape-flavored gum bats with silent speed. Lilia was absolutely entertained by that scene and didn't want to interrupt you in any way.

“Silver, is your father a baker?,” he heard you ask.

Silver was going to say something, but you interrupted him.

“It's because you’re quite a bun.”

“That's old even for me,” Lilia almost choked on his gums as he stifled his laughter.

In fact, the story of how Lilia accidentally created this expression on one of his trips out of the Valley of Thorns seventy years ago is quite complicated and interesting, but it is not our focus today. 

In the meantime, Malleus passed by and Lilia fastly pulled him behind the stone column where he was hiding. Between whispers that went unnoticed by both of you, Lilia made a summary of the situation and urged extreme caution not to spoil the sweet experience of two lovebirds disastrously courting each other. 

“This reminded me that Clover-senpai taught me how to make bread these days,” Silver suddenly commented. The mention of food piqued his appetite. “You want to help me do it?”

“Darling, I’ll do anything you ask me…”

You got closer to Silver and even tried to bite his tie to get it out of his vest, but you gave up midway — it was too difficult and the fabric didn't taste good. This made Silver only reinforce his own conclusion that you must be starving. But you wouldn’t leave him until you saw his face turn into some trace of pink or red.

“I think I left the recipe notebook in my room.”

“Oh, Silver, we've barely started dating and you're already calling me to your room?,” you took your hand away for a moment to touch your face, feigning embarrassment.

“Huh, we were already going there anyway, right?,” the confused boy raised one of his gallant thin silver eyebrows.

“What a hasty boy!”

You patted his torso a few times, as if to censor him, and not even that made Silver get out of his position pressed against the wall. You seemed to be having fun somehow and that sight was enough to make him glad too. 

However, far away, Lilia was stealthily biting into the now empty bag of gums, controlling himself not to scold his own son. He knew he should have taught Silver more about those things! You couldn't be the only one to embarrass yourself in that shameless flirtation in the hallway!

Malleus held a sigh, wishing his mentor would somehow keep calm while he himself was covering the mouth of an agitated Sebek. The younger one had appeared a little after the comments about going to the bedroom and he was disgusted that such a scene was happening before the pure eyes of his Young Master. 

Sure enough, Silver would hear from everyone after you set him free.

“Do you like being with me?”

Speaking of him, he had asked this question out of the blue. You stared at him steadily, your arm returning to the place next to him.

“Why? Of course I do, Silver. If I love you, it's because I like to be close to you,” you answered sincerely.

“I... I'm glad to hear that.…”

And there it was what you wanted all along. 

Silver looked away slightly, eyes that aroused envy in sapphires and diamonds were then set in some corner, far away from you. His face, made of the most refined marble, acquired a beautiful rosy tone on the cheekbones, a symbol of pure and honest shyness. The cherry on top was how his lips that looked like delicate white rose petals were closed in a light, contented smile.

But such an expression held a very strong power that you were not yet ready to receive. As if a sword pierced through your heart, you staggered away from Silver and held on to the other part of the wall. You could feel the redness of your defeated face.

Silver didn’t succumb to embarrassment for any of your insistent compliments or your double meaning jokes, but for a mere confirmation that his company was good. Curse him! But also, bless his heart! You really chose a prince as a boyfriend and now you could only suffer the consequences as much as enjoy the good times.

“Are you okay?,” Silver approached you, worried. “Do you feel ill?”

“Yes… yes, I am ill, Silver... and you’re my cure!,” you threw yourself into his arms, being held firmly no matter how much you were melting right there.

“But I'm not a doctor.”

He said that but suddenly an idea came to mind — a dangerous thing if you asked anyone who had known Silver for more than a year. 

Still with you in his arms and feeling his own heart pounding in the uncertainty of you not liking what he was going to do, Silver pulled you closer and planted a small kiss on your forehead. That was unexpected. Very unexpected. 

You stared at him in surprise, touching your forehead sheepishly as Silver held your gaze. Even when the flush of his cheeks remained there, untouched.

“You asked for a cure and a kiss always solves everything in the end,” Silver answered a question that you didn't even ask, his tone softer than silk.

It broke you in such a way that you didn't even know how to act anymore. Luckily, Silver remembered that you were supposed to make bread and that probably would satisfy your malaise, arising from your apparent — and actually non-existing — hunger. 

So, as he carried you in his arms to his bedroom, Lilia and Malleus danced down the hall together while dragging Sebek in their midst like a poor screaming rag doll.

Against all the odds, Silver managed to flirt back. Or something like that.