#i think there's other people that can provide much more entertaining interactions of that sort

[0viraptoraskblog]

I wonder which of the characters would like to have a child? Lawrence is sterile as far as I know. And since Ren has heats, maybe he would like to??? (thanks for your blog, it helps a lot! health and happiness to you)

Thank you! ^^

While I don’t think any of the characters would be big on having kids, there are a few who would be more or less likely in my mind.

Lawrence: I don’t think Law would do good with kids, even if he could have them. You’re correct that he’s sterile. Other people are not his thing, and young people who don’t understand as much (likely to point and stare at him, loud and unpredictable, asks a lot of questions, etc..) are even worse. I think his interactions with peers as a child (being outcast, constant bullying) and his aversion to kids in general would make him stay away. Also, the act of creating a kid. He has to work his way up to that before even considering the outcome.

Ren: As for Ren; he does have heats, and I think his breeding kink really kicks in at that time. It’s a hormonal thing, he can’t exactly help it— but when he’s in heat, that’s all he thinks about. He needs to get you pregnant, to have kits, to further his bloodline. (even if you’re amab, he’s not thinking straight during that week. It’s like a lustful delirium. He’ll try anyway.) And you look so good to him while in heat, how can he resist?

Outside of his heats though, I don’t think he’s ever had this ‘dream’ of having kids. However, I think he might be one of the most likely characters to have children. On better paths, Ren is capable of more ‘normal’ romantic love. Unlike Strade, who seeks out victims mainly for entertainment, Ren does want some kind of relationship. He wants someone to care for, who cares about him too. I think if he was on a nicer path and had someone he truly loved, he might consider starting a family. (I think that if he ever did, he’d be the type to have 3-4 kids instead of just 1 or 2). Once he starts thinking about the idea more, I think the thought of having kits of his own would make him very happy. It would give him something mundane to strive for, rather than blood and torture. He’d pamper his partner extra well too, on behalf of the little ones. He can be very caring in that regard. And yes, I said kits ;)

Outside of a loving relationship, if it was more of the master/pet that we see in BTD2, I don’t think he’d force kids on someone just because he wants them. If he even did. Yeah, that breeding kink is still engraved in his mind, and he may talk about getting you pregnant (if possible) when in a ‘mood’— but I don’t think he’d actually want children in reality. He knows how serious of a decision that is, even when on a dark path.

So Ren depends on a lot of things.

Strade: I don’t think Strade would want to be a dad. Kids canonically don’t interest him, and he clearly has different ideas of ‘love’ than normal people. I think if he did have kids (maybe on accident, with a kept MC? You know he doesn’t use protection) he’d be a somewhat okay dad, not great, but decent. Not as horrible as you’d think. I don’t see him ever wanting kids though. He’s satisfied with himself and what he does. And his pets! What else could he ever need? :)

Another one I think might want kids, though, is actually Mason. He’s a fairly traditional guy. We know he’s capable of true love, even though it’s skewed a little or a lot by his uh.. views on the world, he can still fall in love. I think if he found someone he loves and views as an equal (not as prey) he’d like the idea of having a family. He’d like having someone to provide for, and to come home to after a long day of hunting. I can picture him as a proud dad taking his (older) kid into the woods with him, teaching them how to start fires the right way or built snares. He has a lot of ‘wisdom’ to pass down.

Those are the ones that come to mind. I hope you don’t mind I sort of rambled, I just love these kind of questions ^^

And remember these are just my thoughts/headcanons, nothing serious :)

[adelheidvonschicksal]

KNY Vongola crew x Yor-like Fem Reader platonic! S/O is pretty much the only Varia member who’s not hostile towards Tsuna and his friends, even genuinely being nice and welcoming to them. I think Tsuna as a boss would be a bit relief if there was at least one Varia member who’s cooperative.

Tsuna Sawada

You’re his favorite member of Varia. Though, that isn’t hard to be considering how the other members of your team are—loud, angry, downright scary.

He feels much more comfortable when you’re in the room. Tsuna knows at the end of the day, Xanxus is the one in charge of your faction of the family, and he needs to learn to deal with the violent man but it’s so much easier for him to ask you to do that for him, often leading to Reborn telling him to man up about the situation.

He prefers your methods of teaching others. You’re usually so patient, so he’s even more surprised about how strong you actually are—he doesn’t know why. He guess it’s because of your sweet nature, but then he remembers that you’re a cloud guardian—like Hibari—then it becomes more obvious that he should’ve realized how strong you were beforehand.

Hayato Gokudera

He doesn’t trust you. Go figure. He doesn’t really trust anyone in Varia further than he can throw them after the entire Ring Battle incident.

Even if you came after that incident, it’s still hard to trust you. It isn’t until you help the family in the future that he comes to have some level of respect for you.

Too bad your cooking is only better than his sister’s. You might trigger his PTSD when you offer him something to eat.

Takeshi Yamamoto

You two get along great! He’s one of the members you’re more familiar with since he was training with Captain Squalo for so long.

Takeshi likes you too, and he’s the first to vouch for you when it comes to interacting with the family.

He also tries to teach you how to cook. Luckily, sushi is one of the few things you learn how to make because it doesn’t require a stove much.

He’s definitely called you Mom by accident at least once.

Ryohei Sasagawa

Like Gokudera, he’s a bit wary of you at first but quickly warms up to your sunny nature.

Loves your cooking because it fits all his macros as a boxer. He also likes to spare hand-to-hand with you when given the chance.

He’s willing to help you with a lot of things, and he’s usually very polite to you because you remind him of his younger sister.

Overall, he has faith in your abilities when it comes to being on the battle field with you.

Hibari Kyoya

He didn’t show much interest in you at first. At least until he learns from Dino that you’re the new Cloud Guardian for the Varia. Then, he’s much more interested.

The giant machine they had masquerading as a Cloud Guardian didn’t provide entertainment for him, so he’s curious to how strong you are. To put it mildly, he wants to fight you any and every chance he gets.

He’s impressed at first that you manage to last much longer than the Gola Moska; and the next thing you know, you’re in some sort of rivalry with the other Vongola Cloud Guardian.

You don’t mind though because it’s fun to get your energy out with him, and he kind of reminds you of yourself as a spunky kid. And frankly, Dino thinks you might be just as crazy as his student is under the sweet nature. At least it stops the Bucking Horse from getting attacked instead.

Chrome Dokuro

She feels comfortable around you as another female member of the family. You’re also sweet spoken and protective of her so she feels like your family.

You do sweet things for her, like helping her with her hair, or giving her fighting advice.

However, she can still be a bit shy sometimes due to your affiliation with Varia but she does appreciate you.

Mukuro Rokudo

Unfortunately, he doesn’t carry much opinion of you.

He’s curious to the degree that he’s curious about all things, but he hasn’t marked you as someone of special interest. You’re strong but so are a lot of people.

However, he does appreciate that you’re kind to Chrome, so he has a decent relationship with you when it comes to his vessel.

Lambo

Since he’s still a little kid, it’s easy for him to adore getting your attention and having you take care of him. He feels much safer when you’re carrying him.

However, when you fight, you scare him very easily to the point he’s scampering away from you, and you have to work to get back on his good side and to remind him that you’d never hurt him like you would the enemy.

It takes time for you to learn how to get really small kids to like you, especially after feeding him some not-so-good food on accident. It’s a work in progress.

[walleeli]

Matchup Exchange with @imjustabeanie

I match you with… Sunday

Hear me out! (my reasoning) 

acquaintances to nuisances to lovers? there's a sense of familiarity between the two of you. Briefly you might entertain the idea that your traits are mirrored in each other. But it won't take long for either of you to realize that reflection is less a true mirror and more like the warped sort you find at a carnival.

where you come off as more cold and sarcastic, with the ability to be charismatic at will. Sunday is… sort of the opposite. At least, the performance he puts on is an inversion of your natural behaviors. All his charm taught and polished and practiced. There is definitely a level of resentment and envy there on his end. Observing and interacting with you as you walk through the world in a way he perceives as more honest than most. Whether or not that is actually true… well.

there is definitely a match in energy when it comes to your… decisiveness of action. Neither of you take being slighted lightly and have a tendency to push your response and retaliation to the utmost limit. 

You also share high drives to succeed and similar degrees of devastation with personal failure. It is an aspect you are able to commiserate and bond over. An unspoken pressure able to be lifted in those brief moments of being understood.

that happens a lot between the two of you and is likely the reason you always find yourselves drifting back to each other. Your shared level of ambition, your fears and perceptions of yourselves. In quiet moments, when no one else is around, one or the other of you will let something slip. A window, not opened, but allowing in a crack of light, into your inner world. And the other of you will think "yes. exactly. finally. someone who understands."

that isn't to say it's always smooth sailing with you too. Your dynamic is marked by a not insignificant amount of friction. You challenge each other. You butt heads and your perspectives are rarely in line. Though you share such similarity at your core your lives and backgrounds have shaped you into very different people. It's fascinating to you both.

You call Sunday on his crap, this is a very important job and one very few people have the nerve or intelligence to do. You don't care about the position he holds or the grandness of his deeds, you treat him like you would treat anybody else. Sunday picks up on your disinterest almost immediately, and reads it for the truth it is and not as a play for power yourself. He finds it refreshing. And more than a little compelling. 

You both value knowledge, though perhaps for different reasons. Sunday's life being as it is has necessitated a constant awareness of everything happening around him, to seek out others intentions and motivations, to prepare for any outcome. Yours is more a genuine search for understanding and expansion. It makes you able to see possibilities he himself would not, providing much needed perspective. 

both of you are very layered individuals and there is at least some element of truth to each side of you. The curiosity to sort the other out, to come to a place of complete comprehension-if not understanding-is what keeps your relationship in perpetual motion.

Headcanons - How It Starts

I think you meet a few times before you really get beyond passing intrigue with each other. In part because you are both focused on your own goals and in part because neither of you is particularly interested in seeking the other out. You keep your cards close to your chest, guard up. You first meet long before the events surrounding the charmony festival have been set into motion. There are plenty of reasons someone would find themself on Penacony, and there are plenty of ways one on Penacony might cross paths with Sunday. Your clumsiness in life has you waltzing into the wrong room. Sunday greets you politely, offering to help you find your way after you explain,  and all you can bring yourself to say is that you find the performance he's putting on odd and unnecessary. You aren't some expert mindreader, it's just that he looks so obviously irritated by your presence, and you don't get why he would go out of his way to interrupt whatever he has going on to help you get somewhere you can just look up directions to. You note, at this point, that his eye is twitching, but the smile doesn't drop as he lets out an inorganic laugh before letting you excuse yourself. 

You meet again just before his sister disappears. Obviously that is not knowledge you are privy to, but it is the only reason you are able to connect in conversation at all. He is in a good mood when you cross paths again, behaving with a relative degree of genuineness that you respond with in kind. It is then that you begin to notice where your selves intersect and divide, it makes you curious. Sunday comes to a similar realization. You spend small chunks of time together up until Robin disappears, and he, in his efforts to figure out the truth, disappears too. 

You meet a third time, finally, after the turmoil in Penacony has all come to a close. Maybe you were present for it, maybe your own ambitions saw you leaving before everything came to a head. Either way, when your paths cross again it is somewhere else entirely, with him now a member of the Astral Express. You don't receive him warmly. Partially hurt and extremely irritated at his sudden unannounced departure. It struck you as a betrayal of whatever connection you had forged. Sunday, having had much time to reflect and process, is very straightforward with you about his present state and the state of his affairs. He confesses that he realized in your time apart that he had come to care for you. The candor takes some of the wind out of your sails at least, and a discussion can be had from there. Whether you have reached a point of feeling the same, you take a chance on it. Curious, if nothing else, to see how things play out. 

there is so much left for you to figure out. Both regarding the world, your places in it, and each other. It is a good thing you are both motivated by a challenge.

Headcanons - Assorted 

You have a much easier time figuring out and getting into Sunday's head than he does yours. To his endless annoyance and frustration. The pair of you can go back and forth working for the last word for HOURS. You don't really sweat over this, taking enjoyment in the liveliness of the conversation, the tension of a debate, the competition of it all. Sunday always breaks first. Generally extricating himself to gather his thoughts and wits. It's 50/50 whether he comes back saying you both should put the thing to rest (whatever it may have been) …or bursts back through the door saying "and ANOTHER thing-" (It is clear that despite his protesting and aggravation, he also enjoys the challenge and stimulation of the dialogue.)

Sunday will absolutely meet your desire for a partner who is protective and possessive. He is incapable of caring about anything halfway and you and your attention are certainly no exception to that. He will make efforts to monopolize your time and to keep tabs on you. It is something he won't be totally conscious he's even doing until you inevitably call him on the behavior. He has the decency to be mildly embarrassed but not to change his behavior in any meaningful way. Thankfully you find it more amusing than offensive. Making a game out testing the limits of his control just to make him tick. (I have a clear image in my mind of you mapping out and waving directly into a security camera before ducking into some alley and taking an unwatched path to your destination.) 

Sunday is a gift giver and the type to note all of your interests and likes as he is made aware of them, he keeps a notebook filled with information about your interests and wants so that he can surprise you, and keep up with your current reads and gaming.

You both desire physical affection but are slow to warm to it. There is never any pressure from either side and you find that when you are ready to be more affectionate Sunday has also just gotten comfortable. It is in oddly specific ways like that that you are perfectly matched, perfectly in sync. The juxtaposition of your strong personalities and occasionally warring egos and the more foundational ways in which you are similar is akin to the balance of the earth's poles, regulating the temperature. 

Headcanons - How It's Going 

the push and pull dynamic never disappears, there will always be conflict between you but it is almost always constructive or instructive, and only rarely comes to an actual fight. You take each other seriously and your expectations are high and equal. Your relationship is only able to exist because you both think highly of the other, and believe they offer perspective and more importantly bring joy. 

to be loved is to be known. It has never been more true than it is for you and Sunday.

Playlist - Distorting Mirrors

Social Climb by I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

Brain by BANKS

You Don't Know Me by Tinashe

Nocturne by Sufferer

Take Me to Church by Hozier

[write-like-wright]

sorry if i'm answering your question in the wrong place, i'm still not entirely sure how actually talking to people on tumblr is supposed to work lol

i think a big reason why so many people like ace attorney even when they haven't played it is honestly, probably vibes. the ace attorney characters are all brilliantly designed, in that you can tell their personalities based simply on the way they look. combine this with weirdos who don't care about spoilers, and you get fans who haven't played any of the games. i can see someone becoming a huge blackquill fan from fanart or something, and then extending that to the other characters as well. or they really like the idea of gay lawyers, and like to see content of them being gay (honestly fair). there's also a lot of entertaining youtube videos out there (*cough* objection funk *cough*) that can be enjoyed even without knowledge of the series (even if they should probably play it before watching videos about it), which definitely adds to the whole 'vibes' thing. i've noticed that your blog posts a lot of screenshots of the characters saying silly things, or being sassy, or acting gay, etc. so i could see why even people without much attachment to the ace attorney series as a whole might interact with you specifically, it's just another silly thing to laugh about. you're pretty good at adding the right (wright) amount of context as well, and your tags provide a more personal insight into the screenshots, so if i had to imagine it from the perspective of someone who hasn't played any of the games, following your blog is sort of like a more structured version of listening to a friend in the other room yell at you excitedly about the series (i mean this in the best way). you said "what do people get out of out-of-context screenshots" or something to that effect, but although they're out-of-context of the rest of the trial, the jokes make perfect sense on their own.

sorry if that was a bit long and rambling, but those were all the reasons i could think of.

guys, someone with 500 iq actually explained it!!!!

honestly, thank you so much for sending me such an in-depth reaponse. this is one of those things that i simultaneously get and don't get based on how i personally function as a human and interact with media. to me, this is like being a fan of a movie series without ever having seen it and that's not something i could ever relate to, but i suppose different strokes for different folks.

[traggalicious]

OKAY i’m sick of reblogging the same post (also idk if that actually works well as a format) so here i am jus makin a new post! If any of y’all want more of Ceridwen I think posts with her are tagged as such (#ceridwen), or you can check out the tag #Traggy’s OCs. Should prolly make an intro post or smth but anyway.

(My darling Ceridwen <333)

Post Beginning RealTm Under the Cut:

Ceridwen is from an elven community known for being accepting of drow (and other) refugees, leading to a population with a good amount of mixed blood and an affinity for darker magic. This also led to this settlement being a fairly common target for vengeful drow, for a multitude of reasons. Lost servants, traitors, runaway sacrifices, or even just as a regular-ass target bc ‘aur naur, fuckin Elves and non-Lolth drow’, and all that.

But anywayyy this settlement ends up utilizing skills such as necromancy and all that, due to the fact that if they’re just gonna have people *sent* to them they might as well avail themselves of the resources, it won’t do just to let their bodies sit there. So those drow attackers become soldiers for the community, or labourers!! Those used in the community are stripped of flesh and all that to minimize spread of disease. The Lolth-sworn can have the bio-warfare but us? No thank uuuu.

Anyway this also leads to a sort of militia/standing army vibe w/ the citizens — all are trained in rudimentary medicine and combat before continuing in a specialized path of either. Ofc you can make the choice to specialize in necromancy but Ceri was like hey can i do. Everything. I’m kidding but she graduated the Medic shit (which is why she has the scars—those scars are a mark of a skilled medic, with a steady hand and eye for detail that allows for well-healed and cool-ass scarring) and then focused on necromancy bc MAN.

Reasons for the Necromancy specialization: One: she’s afraid of death. Not the process and shit, but of being dead, of what comes after. She’s terrified of the uncertainty of it, and of the very real philosophical and moral dilemmas that come w/ the existence of soul-based magic and deities that actively partake in regular life. Oh, and Lolth. She’s her own brand of fucked up. And TWO: She’s interested in biology, and anatomy n shit, and plus she wanted to do more than just healing. Don’t get her wrong, healing’s good and useful, but she’s got all this magical power that needs using and in a community where necromancers are kinda like… the necessary job nobody really likes, she’s goin for it. Like YAY, magic, science, don’t have to interact to much with people! Also she is very much interested in the tales the dead have to tell. Especially when those tales involve plans to harm the community.

Anyway that stuff aside, for a good while after graduating, Ceri apprentices under a Necromancer in the community, fucks around, finds out, experiences a couple semi-traumatizing events, and adopts a fucked-up animal? And then! Valinid shows up! Around then he’s still pretty young, fresh from escape. This is like, the tenth place he’s been to and gods does he hope the drow here mean safety and not hurt. He’s been run out of towns, actually attacked, and begrudgingly accepted after fending off attackers. But this place accepts him. Val joins the community as a general handy-man, training with the younger ones and teaching newer techniques, providing insight into current events in the Underdark.

Ceri finds him fascinating, from his looks to his past to just *him* as a person. It’s not like he’s some experiment, of course not. But he’s interesting, and she likes him, and he listens and entertains and matches her energy (which is pretty lowkey, generally). And on a deeper level, he gets her fear of death, of divine retribution, of being wrong and paying dearly for it. They grow together, eventually forming a QPR, bonding over desires to learn and grow outside of their environment of origin—though motivations beyond that vary.

This is where he grows into his Paladin ways, seeing what could’ve been and what could be, where he develops his moral code and establishes himself as a real actual Paladin, protecting the weak and all. And eventually, he goes on his first adventure, and Ceri of course tags along. He wants to protect and save and make amends. Ceridwen wants to expand her magical and medical repertoire, experiencing and observing new things for the sake of Knowing. Love her for that. On this kinda random and barely-planned ATLA style adventure, they meet new people, form a party of nerds, Val gets a boyfriend, Ceri loses an eye, lotsa shit happens.

Eventually, they come across the Shadow-Cursed Lands, but like. Before it’s Shadow-Cursed. This is when it’s in later stages of conflict but it’s not been cursed yet. Val stays because he sees people in need (and there is drow presence in the growing cult of the Absolute), and Ceri stays because Val stays,,, and she totally isn’t crushing on Isobel or Jaheira from afar. Val fights, she studies and heals. They have a casual alliance w/ the Harpers. Then the Curse hits, Val retreats until Absolute shit starts happening Worse, so he goes there. Ceridwen stays near the edge of the Shadow-Cursed Lands, studying it and its inhabitants. She often stays at the Last Light Inn.

Aaaand then. She’s kidnapped and tadpoled. Whoopsies. Val is off on an adventure, having just recently visited. So. Once again! Oops. This is where the story begins, and this long-ass backstory ends. Love y’all, especially those who read thru this whole thing lmao <333

[austencollins]

day 54 kodansha daily review challenge

Today's Manga Is: In So Deep It's Love Already!

EDIT: I wrote the rest assuming I correctly remembered what happened in some of the chapters I read (and now can't reread, because Kodansha only lets you read for free via tickets once), but after I posted... I'm starting to think I confused this with a different series with the same "girl openly fangirls over IRL boy" plot premise. Regardless of whether or not I confused some plot details with a different series though, I stand by my overall positive impression of this series -- but until I can confirm certain details were in this series, I'm crossing out the parts of the review that refer to them.

I enjoyed this romance manga quite a bit when I read last fall! In So Deep It's Love Already is one of those romcoms which exaggerate normal human quirks and behaviors just enough to justify the inclusion of highly improbable (but highly entertaining) interactions (that then drive the overall plot). The light-hearted approach here is a good choice because the main conflict in this series is that both our heroine Kirino and her blorbo Kamatani are avoidant, passive, insecure, and romantically-demotivated -- i.e. the sort of people who would opt out of being the protagonists of a romance manga if they only knew what genre they were in -- and these traits lead Kirino and Kamatani to self-sabotage in various ways.

Despite turning to obsessive fangirling as a result of low self-esteem after being rejected, Kirino is the least self-sabotaging on the surface. Whereas Kamatani's manner is extremely offputting to pretty much everyone, Kirino is able to maintain friendships and a positive outlook on life on her own. Even her fangirling is a lot more reasonable and restrained than the parasocial stalking the heroine of And Yet, You Are So Sweet engages in; as Kirino primarily fangirls over fictional guys (Kamatani is her first blorbo from IRL, and she immediately asks him for permission to fangirl over him).

Side note: the kind of fannishness Kirino engages in feels extremely alien to me (even just the idea of handshake events gives me the heebie jeebies, so I'm with Troy from Community on the whole "never want to meet my idols" train), but it's really, really, really nice to see a character act fannish in this way without crossing the line into creepy stalker territory. While the aforementioned Maaya from And Yet, You Are So Sweet and the two stalkers from My Idol Sits The Next Desk Over! both fret over the possibility that their fangirling/stalking might be bothersome, scary or disgusting to their targets; the possibility of just asking the target of their devotion to set boundaries is apparently unthinkable for them. But not for Kirino!

On the other hand... it's easy to see Kirino ending up more like the heroine of Having an Idol-Loving Boyfriend Is The Best!, because she's so focused on the immediate, impersonal, short-term pleasures of fangirling that she's forgetting to plan for her own future. (Plus, later in the series, multiple characters including Kamatani point out that Kirino's willful refusal to prioritize herself leaves her vulnerable to exploitation, abuse and rejection (which is exactly the sort of thing she turned to fangirling to avoid experiencing).

Kamatani's self-sabotaging behavior is a lot more extensive and obvious than Kirino's. And despite the whole "jackass with a soft gooey caring center they hide because they have issues" being a very common trope in romances (especially high school romance manga), Kamatani doesn't feel generic. He's refreshingly quick to let his guard down with Kirino and show her special treatment, but his prickliness isn't all superficial. Later chapters emphasize that he's an extremely guarded, self-centered person (and knows it) -- which is why even though he's capable of acknowledging Kirino's special to him, he has to couch it as being because she's the main/only person providing him with the unconditional emotional support and validation he craves.

Both Kirino and the reader are regularly reminded that Kamatani acting fond or possessive of Kirino does not mean he's romantically interested in her, or that he's ready and willing to be in a romantic relationship. Even when he's willing to entertain the thought of being in a sexual relationship with Kirino, and willing to go through the motions of a romantic relationship with her (when it's framed as him rewarding or treating his favorite fangirl), he's still extremely reluctant to fully commit to her. And that too is refreshing, because it means that unlike similar series (such as And Yet, You Are So Sweet), miscommunications and misunderstandings are not the main obstacle to Kamatani and Kirino getting together.

Here's a panel of just Kamatani to make up for the Kirino-centric bias in the panels I did screenshot. His character design is very... generic manga male lead. Kirino's isn't super special either, but I love her short hair so much and she makes great expressions. Generally speaking, I enjoyed the art in this (which is probably why I kept adding panels to this review instead of sticking to my usual 1 or 2); but I don't have much to say about it. It's a standard style, done well -- everything flows nicely and is easy to read. I appreciated that there are fair amount of mid-range shots establishing location, body language, and the reactions of background characters.

Overall, I really enjoyed this series! Kamatani is an interesting take on a somewhat cliche character type, and Kirino is just great! I really enjoy rooting for her. Although I started the series last fall, I took a break from In So Deep It's Love Already because I ran out of free tickets. But it's still on my list of series to revisit and catch up with when I have the time (and free tickets).

(And sorry to The Moon On A Rainy Night, but this is now the best romance manga I've read for this self-imposed challenge so far.)

[crescenthistory]

Hi, sorry for bothering you but I just wanted to ask if you could share your thoughts and headcanons about the Marauders and how they interact with the other groups? I honestly liked how you write about the Valkyries and Slytherin Skittles and you can just ignore this. Have a nice day 🤗

my love!! please do not apologise; you could never bother me by dropping into my inbox, especially when you're being so sweet<33 thank you for your love, i hope you have an even better day actually !! i'm sorry for getting this to you so late, but i hope it provides a good guide of sorts

note: i am going to try to write this without any romantic ships in mind because i'm a multishipper at heart lmao

how the marauders interact with each other & folks in general

in crescenthistory canon, i generally don't tend to go with "oh they were these super popular bullies" narrative, simply because that doesn't spark joy for me and i write to have fun

instead, i kind of view them as being more infamous in their chaos, a group of four boys who were jovially unhinged in each their way in a very noticeable manner

it got them loads of friends and perhaps a few rivals and enemies along the way

james and peter are childhood friends as they both grew up in the "good" pureblood families (aka the chill ones, often labelled blood traitors)

james helps peter get out of his shell and make new friends while peter grounds james and was one of the first people through which he learned how to show consideration and empathy

i believe james, peter and sirius met on the train and really hit it off, making sirius excited about his time at hogwarts

but then when both james and peter got placed in gryffindor ahead of sirius in line, his heart sank in his chest because he had it drilled into him that gryffindor equals bad, don't make friends with gryffindors

he thought he lost his new friends

until the hat was placed on his head and almost immediately called out "GRYFFINDOR", to sirius' initial deep seated horror

... but it did mean he didn't lose his friends. just his family, eventually, but friends do make for good family.

his situation tied sirius all that much tighter to the other marauders, particularly james as he was the first one to jostle sirius onto the gryffindor table and welcome him loudly and proudly

james kept his hand on sirius' back for the rest of the evening, sensing that he needed it

together, they worked it all out over the years

as for remus, i believe he locked himself in the bathroom on the hogwarts express and didn't exit before he made it to the castle

this boy was shaking in his boots, an actual ball of anxiety that was torn apart by utter disbelief at even being allowed into hogwarts and guilt for accepting it

hope (and lyall, though i don't always hc him as coming around) had tried their best at accepting him, but i think they always underlined how dangerous remus was and how careful he had to be

that cemented itself in his head as "don't make any friends ever, you would put them in danger"

he hid away in corners all the way up until the point he walked into his dorm and was immediately crushed in a bear hug by james potter while being eyed curiously and anxiously by a very rattled sirius and rather overwhelmed peter

no matter how hard remus was set on being invisible, james refused not to see him and sirius was instantly captivated by remus (whether it's platonically or romantically is up to you, but their connection is undeniable)

together, their little dorm became family that increasingly found their entertainment in each other and in raising havoc and living their teenage years to the fullest

i think in the beginning, they were known as "potter and those others" until sirius gained his footing and became equally as loud as james

from then on, they were referred to as the "boys from dorm 4" (or whatever their dorm number was)

as remus grew into himself (grew out his hair, learned to carry his height instead of crouching) and peter went from hiding behind james' metaphorical skirts to just standing a little bit towards the back but still grinning as loud as the others – well, then they were the marauders

and the marauders were marauding, let me tell you

no one could either fully hate or fully love them; everyone has had a bad experience as a consequence of the marauders' various doings, but everyone have always been made to laugh until they're in stitches by one of them too

i think most studious students found them rather tedious, but oftentimes their pranks did give them breaks they sorely needed

and while more nervous/shy students might be rather rattled by their presence, i think the marauders had unique abilities to empower and care for others

after all, that's what they did to each other

in crescenthistory universe, the marauders were painfully kind, in each their separate way

james' smile was like the actual sun and he never denied anyone it unless they had been exceptionally terrible – even as he hassled snape for mistreating lily, he was often grinning

he is the type to pick up people if he accidentally tramples them (as he runs from or towards trouble) and flash them an apologetic grin before taking off again

sirius' kindness was often laden with flirtation or some other barrier to his vulnerable self to ensure that any rejection of said kindness wouldn't feel as heartbreaking

he had more to shield himself from than james, but he had just as much to give, and tried his best to do so

to begin with, i think he tried to copy james, but found that the grins he flashed were often not taken in the same way as james'. instead he started with his own, more smug smiles, pats on the back and the likes

sirius is the type to ask questions – "y'alright?", "what's goin' on with you, hm?", "we bothering you?"

and he actually listens

whereas remus is more quiet in his kindness, truly an acts of service and quality time type of man

he will pick up your things if you drop them, even if it makes his knees ache, he will hold the door, he will warn you that it's cold outside or a prank playing out down the corridor if he passes you in the hallway

when james picks you up after barreling you down, remus is the one who will dust off your back

when sirius asks if they're bothering you, remus is already apologising for being bothersome

peter is the type who shows kindness in private after-the-fact

he is much more comfortable being vulnerable and showcasing himself with you when you're alone, when he can help dissect and calm you down

he is so down to talk shit about someone if that's what you need – something that's perhaps a bit bad, but done kindly

the marauders don't have time to be best friends with everyone and know all about them, but they try to see everyone they are around at any given moment

they're menaces in the castle, sure, but also sweethearts

how the marauders are with the valkyries

true besties. i genuinley believe that these friend groups are highly entangled, because i can't really picture them being all that hung up on having one group of "boys" and one of "girls" (in my non-misogyny, non-homophobia, non-transphobia view of the wizarding world)

they're all gryffindors in the same year so they're like this 🤞 though with unique dynamics of course

marlene, coming from another of the "good" pureblood families, grew up with james and peter and was already close friends with them

i personally imagine marlene as too impatient to handle peter's extreme shyness to begin with, as i believe her to have a rather short temper and attention span, especially with men

james and marlene however, are genuinely like siblings to me

i think they would have a Proper Sibling relationship with each other too, including sibling brawls and squabbles, the long hugs/cuddles and family dinners

james didn't have any biological siblings while marlene had five, so they very easily just brought james into the mix and he adored it

which also means he is predisposed to understanding sibling relationships, which helps enormously when he has to navigate the whole sirius/regulus thing

it is james, marlene and peter that provided the original link connecting the marauders and the valkyries as james ran into her dorm that first day to show off his new friends and meet her new friends

mary and lily were both rather shy to begin with as muggleborns freshly introduced to the wizarding world, but in each their way and i don't think they were introverted per say

lily doesn't want to say something before knowing she's right, so she spends her time studying and observing before speaking

this means she'll stare at you with intense big green eyes in silence (which is how james/mary/marlene/sirius/whoever falls in love with her from day one lmao)

whereas mary is mostly just So Overwhelmed by everything and bridling with excitement she doesn't know how to communicate, so she just comes off as a bit awkward

but marlene instantly connected with both of them, and that was enough for james and thus the other marauders

when they get their schedules, they compare what classes they have at what times all holed up in the girls' dorm and from then on they are rather intertwined into each other's lives

for the first hogsmeade trip they all go together, they eat most of their meals together, they hang out together in the common room all the time – they're one big happy friend group

as lily and mary grow more into the hogwarts atmosphere and themselves, they start displaying their personalities more comfortably, which only made the marauders like them more

the valkyries frequently roll their eyes at the marauders' antics and mischief – but when they're invited in on it, they rarely say no

only lily ever really say no, but when marylene join in, she always covers for them

some specific friendship dynamics:

sirius + marlene are the same person different fonts and they KNOW it. they bark laughters at each other, they compete, they match their outfits, they learn guitar and bass together, they cry as they hug when they're getting pissed

sirius + mary have very similar silly humour and often banter off of each other, sometimes perhaps in a rather flirtaious manner. i think sirius becomes very comfortable with mary quickly because they think in rather similar ways but she's more reserved than marlene to begin with, so she felt safer to be around when he was still feeling rather raw

sirius + lily's dynamic depends partly on what i ship tbh, but i always see them as faux frenemies (they're actually friends but pretend to have some rivalry going on) that would die for each other

same with james + lily – i think she always finds him a bit tedious and rolls her eyes at him, but grows undeniably fond of him and enjoys his boisterous personality

james + mary is perhaps one of the friendships i have explored the least, maybe because i think they're some of the least close people in the group? he knows her mostly as lily's best friend first and foremost, but winds up having the occasional deep convo with her and goes "damn macdonald, you always have these thoughts up in there?"

remus + lily are KINDRED fucking spirits. they bond so fast, in a rather similar fashion as sirius and james. they just connect, their minds work in the same way and they have the same reservations and fears. i think that because of that, they can often enable each other to not better their ways – but similarly, if one improves, the other is pushed to do the same

remus + mary have an unspoken form of friendship where they just support each other constantly

i'm talking they will randomly back each other up in situations where they think it's funny. mary can be having a completely irrelevant argument with sirius and remus will instantly just be like "i agree with mary"

started one of those never ending card games in first year and keeps playing just the two of them until graduation. everyone has tried to join at some point and are very butthurt that they don't let them.

remus + marlene is often similar to wolfstar dynamics, but more focused on grounding each other. while james and sirius rile marlene up, remus helps bring her down. similarly, while others may comfort remus a bit tentatively, marlene would smack some shit into him like "of course you're worthy of love, you're remus blood lupin, for merlin's sake"

i think they're just what each other need, especially during hard times

i think peter with all of the girls is someone they will curl up into a windowsill with and unpack the most complex and confusing situations they're in and together they will mouse their way out of it

overall, the marauders and valkyries are a friendship coloured by poking fun and stumbling over one's own feet as they navigate coming of age

while there for sure are spats and complicated feelings, periods where they talk more and periods where they talk less, they are always family

how the marauders are with the slytherin skittles

the relationship between the marauders and the slytherin skittles/emeralds is one characterised much more by rivalry and tension – though i'm a firm believer that they are "frenemies" more so than enemies

every one of the emeralds have some reason to have certain hostilities towards the marauders;

regulus has tension with his brother after he was sorted into gryffindor, the rosier twins were raised with a lot of blood racism and isolationism that they need time to shake, barty is predisposed against gryffindors and dorcas is on guard with everyone after her foster-care childhood

but they all also have reasons to not hate or completely disregard them;

again, sirius is regulus' brother who he endlessly looked up to through childhood, the rosier twins much enjoy various marauders individually, barty is actually really similar to them and enjoys their chaos and dorcas falls in love with (one of) the valkyries

exactly what their relationship is depends on what fic i am writing or what lens i am looking at it through

but trust there is ALWAYS significant banter between them – it's just the intensity and subtext of it that varies from fic to fic for me

barty and sirius often go toe-to-toe with bantering and bickering as they are both experts at volleying arguments back and forth and able to match each other's energy – and have the most reason to bicker, that reason usually being regulus

james and evan i think have great conversations but when it's prongsfoot vs rosekiller, i don't think james holds back in any capacity

in a modern au, i think james and evan would be gym bros that are totally aligned in the gym, but occasionally throw hands outside of it for the sake of their (boy)friends

i would say it's 80% goodnatured banter, 20% genuine tension/hostilities

comments made in the passing in hallways, the occasional meal spiced up by one emerald sitting with the marauders or vice versa, stumbling upon each other in the library or hogsmeade, etc.

it is when certain members start falling properly in love that the emeralds start fully merging with the marauders and valkyries

these can be jegulus, dorlene, moonwater, pandalily, bitchkiller, sunkiller, you name it, i love it

either way, they get involved – and whoever is not part of the relationship, WILL make loud and brazen protests

we're talking barty loudly complaining about regulus being defiled by james (much to both jegulus and sirius' chagrin), regulus moaning and groaning about having to spend time with his pesky older brother when dorcas and marlene start shagging, etc.

eventually, the merging of the friend groups would lead to sirius and regulus having a proper settlement of difficulties as well, if it hasn't happened already

i think the marauders and emeralds are able to open each other's eyes in ways they painfully need

the marauders can shower them in the type of comfort and security they need to overcome their family situations and poor wiring, while the emeralds can teach them a good lesson about open-mindedness and nuance

when they join forces, there is grumbling, but eventually any and all complaint is faux and for comedic effect

they thoroughly enjoy each other lmao

[swayaminfotech]

7 Amazing Ways Mobile Apps Are Changing the Business of Entertainment

Today, we live in an era where mobile applications have become a necessity, and they are much more than just a fancy feature on your smartphone. This is further proved by the fact that at this year's Google I/O, Google highlighted about 150,000 app developers who were jointly credited with developing 800,000 mobile apps.

It is difficult to ignore these figures and what they represent in today's world. There is an app for practically anything you can think of, from shopping to health, dining out to ordering in, finding directions to booking a cab, and much more! However, the entertainment and media industries, in particular, are undergoing a massive transformation as a result of the introduction of mobile apps. And it is because of mobile applications and their quick growth that the media and entertainment industry has undergone huge transformations and gained a more focused consumer base.

While there are enterprise apps, business apps, functional apps and a plethora of other applications, there are also gossip and entertainment apps, that seem to be doing rather well! The mobile phone has transformed the world of entertainment. This has changed as a lot of entertainment content is now available to consumers through mobile applications which gives people an entirely new mode to connect and know what is happening, therefore, fresh entertainment content as well as enables them sometimes to create it themselves.

Mobile applications are employed in all industries, but the entertainment business benefits the most from this technology. The entertainment industry is all about interaction, content, and a large audience. It is apparent that the entertainment business is significantly reliant on mobile applications, hence many mobile app development companies are focusing on entertainment app development.

Let us look at some of the factors that demonstrate how mobile applications are revolutionising the entertainment business for the better.

How have mobile applications changed the world of entertainment?

Several approaches are having a transformative impact on the way the entertainment industry operates today. We've identified the seven most common causes of this issue.

1. Creating an Independent Platform

Mobile entertainment apps can provide a standalone platform for movies, music, live streaming, news, sports, or a combination of the above. This has allowed many artists to build large audiences while providing content for consumers.

Previously, and in the absence of such alternative platforms, only professionals with exclusive access to traditional platforms had the ability and freedom to create videos, develop games, or generate any other type of material. Today, the process of application creation is much simplified, which means that the platform is open to any talent without restriction.

2. Monitoring and adapting to the trends

It was difficult to follow significant trends before the advent of social media. However, since the advent of social media, we as a community have witnessed a new trend almost every day! Almost every social media channel has a section dedicated to showcasing current trends.

The entertainment applications can even place the most recent releases or future events that they will be streaming at the top of the trends so that users are aware of what the majority of other users are viewing and enjoying.

3. Dispersal and Data Collection

The distinctive amusement applications open nowadays have advanced into a source of information that is particular and veritable. When done accurately, excitement app improvement permits app clients to exchange any sort of fabric, substance, or other true and accommodating data on the platform.

4. Marketing and Advertising.

Mobile apps can be a very efficient means of brand promotion and marketing. According to a recent report, 90% of mobile users spend time interacting with mobile applications solely due to ease of use.

5. Easy and Unobstructed Content Flow

Entertainment mobile apps have made it possible for all material to transfer easily across worldwide marketplaces. Anyone with legitimate content to contribute can use these applications to reach the specific audience they're looking for.

Entertainment mobile apps allow users to access a wide range of content while on the go, from anywhere in the globe.

6. A separate domain for gaming and music.

Gaming is extremely popular in the realm of entertainment, and gaming apps bring it to the gamers' wallets while also providing multiplayer choices for aficionados from all over the world.

Music has also become more accessible to individuals who are passionate about it, with the transition away from traditional music cassettes, radios, and websites and towards mobile phones that can be carried anywhere and used to play your favourite music on the go.

7. Enhanced user engagement

By definition, entertainment applications are designed to entertain and engage app users. It is most likely due to the enormous amount of features, the variety of information within the apps, and our innate curiosity about other people's experiences.

Some individuals have so many followers on their entertainment apps that they are practically celebrities in their own right, and these fans or followers will follow them through mobile applications from which they can interface. This is the reason why interaction happens to be among the greatest components and advantages of any entertainment app designed for mobile phones.

Conclusion

These applications will continue to dominate the entertainment business. People will undoubtedly continue to enjoy this form of entertainment in the years ahead. As a result, their company's growth must pursue the Mobile Application Development Company Rajkot

Is described as a superb Mobile App Development Company that can assist you in producing fully functional mobile applications for Android, iOS, and Windows. In particular, we focused on solutions for the entertainment business, making entrepreneurs' dreams come true!

You can be the next one! Contact us if you want to develop entertainment apps or any other genre that will drive business transformation in your sector. 

[drewoclock]

Screen Life

Originally published June 25th, 2013

"Can’t you just step away from your screen and do something?  Read a book!  Go outside!  Live your life!"

I’ve been the victim of a diatribe similar to this and I’m sure I’m not alone.  I spend many hours a day in front of a screen.  I live in this time where technology is spreading like butter in a wildfire and one screen can provide you with access to all sorts of things.  And I sometimes feel bad about it.  I feel that stepping away from the screen would be doing the right thing.

But is it really the right thing?  Why are people so inclined to be upset about other people being in front of screens in the first place?  Is it because they think I’m curtailing the amount of experiences I can have in my life?  I can understand why they’d think that.  Sitting in front of one screen in one spot gives the illusion that I’m not doing all that much.  But in reality, there’s so much that I could be doing in front of that screen.  Watching movies, reading the news, doing research, communicating with people, arranging events, journaling, etc.  There’s certainly things to do outside of a screen, but there’s an awful broad amount of fulfilment in front of one.  

Not to mention, a lot of my life is away from the screen.  I exercise regularly and I actually do very much enjoy sports.  There are many activities I enjoy that I can only do with human interaction, including just being around people.  And you know what?  The outdoors can be a pretty neato environment to do things in.

And I do explore these screenless things.  I want my life to be as chromatic as possible.  It just happens that a lot of the ways I make my life dynamic involve being in front of a screen.  Isn’t that kind of like being in front of a book?  I mean, books are awesome.  They’re a good medium for storytelling and great for research.  But don’t they also involve being in one spot staring at one thing?

And yet, I still think more of seeing somebody reading a novel than someone sitting in front of a phone or a laptop.  I think I know why.  Nowadays if you ride a train, which are you more likely to see: Somebody in front of a screen or somebody reading a book?  Definitely the former.  But which is more interesting to watch?  The latter.  It’s the more compelling thing to see because it happens to be more unique.  In fact, maybe it’s our desire to be entertained by humanity that makes us so inclined to be angry at people in front of a screen.  We’re only mad because they aren’t as fun to look at.

What an awkward position to be in.  Technology has condensed things so that we can have it all in one place, yet it has given us all a resentment for the people that utilize it because they become more boring to observe as a result.  But that’s just human nature; we’re more entertained by the more unique.  If for some reason it was the norm for everybody to be playing outside and throwing a picnic, I imagine I’d want to scream at them to “live life” and sit in front of a screen.  Well, not scream it.  I’d probably blog about it.

[norisbeinghuman]

Happiness isn't found on social media

We live in the age of social media. So much of our interactions, information sharing, news acquiring and entertainment happens there. Yet many of us have a somewhat (or very) mixed relationship with them. And rightly so. When you think about it, it is the strangest thing. We go there to see things we (mostly) didn’t choose ourselves, served to us in small bite-sized bits: – an interesting fact! – a sad story :( – an update from a “friend” you haven’t talked to in 12 years – a funny video! – a scary thing you should look out for!!! – Before you get the time to digest one, you move onto the next. Over and over again. Scroll, scroll, scroll. There are so many good things social media have given us, and I love them for that. But today, I am once again choosing to take a break from them, because of all the bad things they do to my brain.

All the world’s woes

Admittedly, I am not very good at knowing myself. It often takes me 24+ hours to figure out how I feel about things. Today, I had a bad day. I have been feeling exhausted, fragile, weepy, upset by the smallest things. Every little disruption to my day would leave me feeling off-balance for way longer than it warranted. Why? Well, that’s the most annoying thing. I had no idea. No idea whatsoever. I knew something was wrong, but didn’t know what. (In such cases I usually assume it’s me that is wrong, which, understandably, doesn’t help much.) It took the better part of the day, but eventually, I figured it out (with ample help from people who love me). As usual, it’s not just one thing, but today, the biggest one was over-saturation of difficult things I have been watching and reading.

Never in the history of humanity did people have the ability to know so much, to such detail, about events happening on the other side of the world. And, sadly, it’s so much more common to hear about the terrible events happening on the other side of the world, rather than the happy ones. I understand that. These things are important. Raising awareness is important. But let’s be honest, what can I do about these events that are so much bigger than me? What can I do about wars and genocides, about discrimination, about corporate greed, about large-scale pollution, about species loss, about babies dying, about suffering, about scientific fraud, about famines, about about about?

Don’t get me wrong, there are always things that can be done, and there are a lot of people doing them, but no one person could take on all of it. So the thing I end up doing about these terrible things most of the time is, simply, feel sad and helpless. And that doesn’t help anyone at all.

When do I get the time to process this?

In a true Nori-fashion, I haven’t been quite aware how much these things were affecting me. When I would get a few minutes of time when nothing was happening, or I felt like I needed a distraction, I would reach for the little box and scroll and scroll and scroll. And at some point I would realise that in the background, I had a thought. Or maybe a feeling. I would be thinking: oh, that was interesting, should learn more about that; but I didn’t remember what that was. Or I would feel a bit sad or upset, sort of in the back of my mind; but I didn’t remember what about. And more often than not, I would think and feel several things at the same times. Sometimes I would even scroll back, trying to identify what it was that stayed with me. There was rarely only one thing.

There is so much good content on social media, with so many people putting in a lot of effort to deliver an important, concise message, or to provide entertainment for a moment. They know they don’t have more than a few seconds of our attention, because we are about to scroll on and never see their post again, so they pack it as full as it gets. Every bite now carries the calories of a three-course dinner. That is the actual design of these platforms. A new topic every second or two.

I don’t know how about you, but I am often left with a mix of impressions, ideas, thoughts and feelings, fighting for my attention, fuzzy in my mind, yet following me around relentlessly.

What is more, most of us go to these platforms in the small bits of time when what we are seeking is a mental break. A little breathing room for the mind. If I am honest with myself, I definitely do not come back from them with a clear head.

Why am I scrolling?

Why am I there though?

I think the answer, as usual, is complex. I genuinely like and appreciate a lot of the content I run into, both from people I chose to follow and from people that the algorithm decided to show me. And that is the main reason I am there. But of course, there is a lot of content that I get served that I do not care for much, or even actively dislike. Stumbling upon a good post feels like winning (a small) lottery. And “good”, in this case, doesn’t just mean something that fits my interests. It means something that resonates with me right now, that I feel in the mood for right now.

It’s definitely a little dopamine hit.

But there, right behind the edge, could lie another gem. Something that might be even more interesting/entertaining/surprising/funny/eye-opening. Maybe, maybe not. The pull of it is magnetic, and sometimes I scroll before I had the time to finish reading the previous “gem”.

How naive of me, though, to not consider that all of these, the hits and the misses both, affect me? That maybe I shouldn’t be exposing my brain to that much unrelated, varied information whenever I get an idle minute? And for what? Finding something interesting or funny or cool or useful and not even giving myself the time to process it properly? For spending my time and energy on things I will hardly remember five minutes later?

Who/what decides what we see?

In the old days of social media, you knew what you would get. Mostly. You followed people because you wanted to see what they were posting, and expected to be shown exactly that. Nowadays, that is usually not the case. Most platforms offer a mix of things you did ask for, along with a bunch of posts you didn’t ask for. Usually ads. Or sponsored content, as they call it nowadays.

Everyone nowadays knows that the end users of social media aren’t their customers. The true customers are the advertisers, we – you and me – the end users – are the product that the platforms are serving them.

But it actually went even further. While advertisers might be the paying customers, that doesn’t mean they are being treated well. Quite the opposite, they are being asked to pay more and more just to have their content delivered to people who have already signed up to see that content. The goal is not to make a good product for the end users, not even for the advertisers, it’s to maximise the profit for the shareholders.

How are they getting away with it? They got us all trapped. Our friends are there, the people we want to hear from are there, our pictures and memories are there, and in the case of the advertisers, their customers are there. And the platforms ride the thin line of serving us as many ads as possible without actually driving us away; and extracting as much money from the advertisers and publishers as possible without them giving up on the platform. Cory Doctorow calls this process “enshittification” (what a wonderful name, isn’t it?) and talks about it, and more, both on his blog pluralistic.net and in his book The Internet Con. Very much recommended.

Nobody likes ads, but that is the main way that social media platforms make money. In order to keep us there, and show us those ads, they need to offer something engaging. The trouble is, engaging doesn’t necessarily mean positive, or true for that matter.

As humans, we are wired to notice things that are wrong, dangerous, or scary. It makes sense from a survival point of view – to pay extra attention to whatever could harm us. But in many cases nowadays the danger is very far away, highly unlikely, exaggerated, or even imaginary. We still get upset and angry about it just the same. And it gets our attention, our reactions, comments and likes and replies. It makes us look, which is what the platforms want, but it doesn’t make us happy.

Social media have been facilitating polarisation in societies all over the world. I am not going to go as far as to say that they did it themselves, because I don’t think they ever thought about that. I think it’s a side effect of algorithms that are trying to maximise time spent on the platform. Nothing draws people more in than feeling like a part of a group and having a them to blame all the problems on.

Social media are echo chambers, where we get to hear what we want to hear, often the things that make our blood boil and enrage us. Because we are on the right side, and they are obviously not. The truth is, there is no they. There are just people.

Being intentional

Now that I (finally) realised that these small, innocent-looking bits of the world are using up a lot of my mental space and affecting how I feel, I decide to be much more intentional about them.

I think it’s time that, when I get a moment of time I feel the need to fill out, I might as well fill it out with something I actively decided to engage with. Something that is made to keep my attention for more than a quick glance. Or maybe, just maybe, spend some time with my own thoughts. An actual moment to clear my mind.

I am not quitting social media. There is too much there that I value for me to quit. But I do not need to engage with them multiple times a day. Not even every day, really. Probably not even every week. Social media are great for finding interesting things, but real learning and understanding requires a bit more time, and a bit more attention. And entertainment deserves that kind of space too! I will try to prioritise longer form writings and videos. There are plenty amazing books, audiobooks, long videos, comprehensive blog posts and podcasts that cover all the topics under the sun.

And I have recently even rediscovered RSS feeds! They still exist! My website has one too, BTW. Just saying. Or you can sign up for the newsletter.

I think it’s time we started to protect our attention and our mental energy, whether it is getting drained by social media or anything else.

Originally published on https://noriparelius.com/post/happiness-not-on-social-media/

[xx-slug-xx]

Yeah, I’ve given a few flips through the books that booktok has recommended, and even a few of the generic “suburban mothers’ book club” centered books. A lot of it is straight up smut and/or has controversial and taboo themes that are main topics in them. They don’t say how bad these things are in real life, because there’s no need. And honestly, I feel like if these sorts of books were fanfics, then antis would say it’s “romanticization”, “normalization”, or any of the other buzzwords they like to use. It’s ass backwards thinking that the fans of these books aren’t harassed, these books aren’t being censored, people aren’t called pedophiles, nobody gets doxxed, and most importantly, nobody is being reported to online tip lines, but fanfic authors and readers are. As if fanfiction is a “lesser form of literature” even though I’ve read fics that are written better than actual publishings.

They are so cut off from what “normal” means that they indirectly complain about what the norm is generally reading. They tell people to touch grass, but they’ve clearly never interacted with the real world if this is how they are acting. The real world doesn’t really give much of a shit about what kinds of smut you read or view. It doesn’t matter to most people because the rest of us are working at our jobs, providing for our families, taking care of kids or pets, and hanging out with friends. Not to mention people usually care more about the state of the world atm, since it’s currently not the greatest it’s ever been. If most people are going to advocate and support something, it’s probably going to pertain to their rights, the economy, the government, etc. Things that DO matter. Fiction only really matters when it comes to freedom of speech. Nobody cares what smut your reading or writing, because you have a right to read it and create it. Sure, it may be weird or off putting to some folks, but they really don’t care beyond the mild discomfort they feel and carry about their day, from what I’ve noticed. But usually, most people also enjoy dark topics and fantasize about the taboo, statistically speaking.

Humans typically, but certainly not always, are fascinated with fucked up things. Back in early civilization, we used torture, gladiators, and many such other methods of fucked up to keep us entertained. Now, because we know that hurting people is not a good thing, we can explore fucked up shit with fiction. Dark topics are all over our media. Books and other literature are only one of the many forms of fiction in which we can explore these topics. And if someone is turned on by it? Who cares, it’s not real. If someone reads or watches something fucked, and carries out that action irl. Then that person has other issues going an and fiction does not deserved to be censored because a hand full of folks out there might conduct those actions in the real world, despite their better judgement.

one thing i don’t think antis are ready to confront is that outside of our type of fandom… people aren’t like them.

booktok is full of open and honest recommendations for monsterfucker books and “dark” romance - books that usually involve abusive or harmful partners, incest/psuedo incest, massive age gaps, and general dynamics that wouldn’t be desirable in real life. and because this is all on tiktok, where the algorithm reigns supreme, sometimes these recs end up outside of booktok. and you know what people do? they usually go “whoa, the books are porn?” or “that’s a little too much for me…” and chuckle a little at some of the very intense themes that booktok has come to love.

it’s easy, respectful, and common for people to see tropes and themes they don’t enjoy, and to NOT attack and harass people about it.

[oaxleaf]

i know my a mag a day stuff has floated away a bit from actual in depth analyses and more into, idk, personal philosophy sessions? and although it's always still rooted in the actual episode, i'd like some feedback on whether i should tone it back a bit? because on one hand, i still want to keep it tma related, but on the other, what i really do love about tma (especially these later parts) are the philosophical and ideological questions presented. and as subplots wrap up and i don't want to reiterate the same thing over and over again, it's getting a bit harder to pure focus on the episode contents, but i'm wondering if i'm straying a bit too far away?

[quetzalpapalotl]

I joke a lot about how Tarantulas has terrible taste in men and rebounded with Overlord because he's good in bed and willing to go along with his kinks yadda yadda. But in a seriousness I think him going with Overlord does make sense.

What do we know of Tarantulas interest in Prowl? Tarantulas likes the way Prowl sees the world, the way he schemes and manipulates because Tarantulas thinks their similar. Tarantulas sees the entire world as his scientific playground, something he can poke and see how it reacts, but he had no specific goals. Prowl gave that drive a focus.

But Overlord really is the same as Tarantulas. He's equally unashamed and driven to enjoy himself in the most unconventional ways (there was truth to the jokes). Just like Prowl, he's detached to the world in a way that reminds Tarantulas of himself, except he doesn't have Prowl's pesky little problem, which is that Prowl doesn't actually enjoy the way he himself is. Overlord has no qualms. So surely, even though Overlord is completely self-serving, he won't betray Tarantulas because he has no reason to if all Tarantulas is doing is providing entertainment. (Please note that despite their partnership, Tarantulas is not foolish enough to think Overlord wouldn't harm Verity just because he asked, so to protect her for Springer's sake, Tarantulas just distracts Overlord).

Not to mention that Overlord is just a great learner and good at everything. He can't replicate Tarantulas' engineering, but he can follow along Tarantulas' explanations and provide commentary. And then, he was actively trying to appeal to Tarantulas because he needs him, so when Overlord says that he's totally down to mess with the war and see what chaos erupts, why would Tarantulas doubt that? Overlord loooves messing with people.

That's another thing, Tarantulas favorite objects of study is the Cybertronian war itself, to which Overlord can complement his perspective. Mmm how to explain it, they're both very detached from other people, but Overlord actually puts himself in the scenario and messes with them. He had a more intimate understanding of how people work than Tarantulas who studies it from a distance. Overlord took control of Garrus-9 by the fact that he's Overlord and unbeatable, but he still designed a structure for his rule to perpetuate his rule on it and the torture of Autobots. That sort of thing would appeal to Tarantulas, I think. Tarantulas set him to play the role of Megan Guiglione to mess with the Cybertronian intervention on Earth and Overlord played the role perfectly.

There is something to be said however, about the fact that Tarantulas is far more willing to bicker with Overlord than Mesothulas ever was with Prowl. I mean we only see so much of their interactions, but the dynamic seemed to be that Prowl would need something and Mesothulas was happy to come up with something in response. With Overlord he actually goes and says "no, this is how we're doing things". Which honestly, probably has to do with how after Prowl's betrayal he wasn't willing to just follow along anymore, not even with Prowl. But yeah, it seems that even then, once he got a taste of connection, he couldn't help but crave it.

[cynettic]

hi, i hope i'm not bothering you, but i can order a Scaramouche × Kitsune reader, the two met before the vision hunt (and before he was a fatui if you want) the reader was always in the same place, sometimes having a conversation , the good old routine, but with the hunting of visions the reader disappeared not wanting to give up his own vision, and years later a reunion, SFW or NSFW is by your will, thank you, I really admire your work

Summary - Scaramouche met you as a child, growing up with the constant assurance that you would be right there, sitting at your spot where he could meet you with every visit. He isn't happy when you suddenly disappear.

Pairing - Kitsune!Reader x Yan!Scaramouche

Warning - Slight Yandere warnings?

Penpal - Ahhh- hope this is what you were looking for. I couldn't find a spot to put much nsfw unless I considered writing more for the series ( I could, just put a request in if thats what you’re looking for ). But I hope you liked it!! You're not bothering me at all and I'm glad you like my work!

A/N - Alright- so considering that with the 2.1 update with Scaramouche coming in, I just wanna state beforehand that I wrote this prior so I dont know if we learn about his backstory or anything!!

Link for Part 2

Stay With Me

Scaramouche was used to the routine he’d found himself going along with every visit to Inazuma. As a child he’d pass through the wild fields that stretched just beside his hometown, adventurous and curious with all the tenacity of a child.

And of course you, a kitsune that sat perched on the ground awaiting the Kitsune Saiguu, was bound to notice him. Unlike the other earth kitsune statues, you hadnt turned to stone during your wait. Instead, staying in the same place did you interact with travellers and the locals, which included Scaramouche.

“Fox person!” The little boy chanted, pulling at the hems of your clothing. Bright blue eyes bore into your own, and you slowly shifted your head to pay attention to the boy who was on the verge of bouncing on you.

Humming in reply to his excitement, the little boy paused, both of his small hands still tightly clasping the fabric of your clothes. Soft matted hair brushed past his face in a messy manner, calling out the boy for his boundless running and rebellious urge to keep his hair messy despite his parents wishes.

“Play with me!”

Staring at the boy only a moment longer, you simply chuckled at his antics. “I’m afraid I cannot move from the spot in which I dwell~ Perhaps I’ll be able to entertain you if you bring cards?”

But the young boy had made up his mind at the statement to which you couldn't move. A pitiful frown enfluged his face as he cast you the nastiest glare a five year old could muster. “Boring!” He shouted into the distance of the fields, dramatically turning on his heels and bouncing up into a sprint away. You watched his small figure fade away into the background, absentmindedly sighing and returning to your mindless thoughts.

As a child, Scaramouche would pass by you fairly often. Frequent when he asked you to play with him, and storming away with the same expression when you denied him. Nothing out of the ordinary, you’d lived for an exceptional amount of time, and even though grumpy children were not your specialty, you’d grown accustomed to their behaviour.

Growing up, Scaramouche got no better. You soon noticed his violent tendencies before they became an issue, the way the children shied away from him when playing Temari. Hiding in front of a tough exterior, he scared them away and laughed, approaching you later with tearful sob.

“Will you play with me?” He asked again, trying to hide the fact that he still wept when the other children pushed him away.

But your answer stayed the same, helping him wipe his tears and coaxing him into your arms. Not the first time you’d made contact with a human, but the first time you held them in such an affectionate manner.

It was clear Scaramouche was beginning to see you as some sort of pillar of reassurance when he began running away from home to simply ask to be held. You always welcomed him with open arms, urging him to head back to his household and sort things out. There was no harm in simply providing love and comfort for a child who received none was there?

“Now now, hurry back home little one. Your parents must be growing awfully worried if you’re out by this time at night.”

“My parents dont care about me!”

Darkness slowly pooled into the fields, an obscure shade covering the two of you from the tree you were under. Biting back form your normal emotionless statements, you pondered for something to soothe and convince the boy. Misunderstandings and hardships were normal from what youd seen with children, and you could only offer your hand on his shoulder, a promise. “Go back, I promise to stay here if anything further happens. But you shold give them another chance dont you think?”

And so he’d sprint back to his hometown, and you wouldnt hear from him again till he ran up right up to you a few days later. Begging you to play a game with him. The normal you supposed, and with a grin that seemed to stretch wider with every day, you told him the same thing you told him every single time.

“You cant move?!” Scaramouche nearly yelled one time, tiny fists curling at his side. “Thats… thats stupid!”

“It is isnt it?” You only smiled in response.

Unsatisfied with your response, he clawed your arm, pulling you with all his might. Strong, you realized with surprise that he was much stronger than most children his age. Easy enough to tug away from, but strong enough to take you off guard.

Snapping your hand back to your side, you narrowed your eyes. You weren't angry… no, you hadnt felt strong feelings like that after the disappearance of the Kitsune Saiguu. “Do not attempt to move me,” was your curt response, said in the most stern voice you’d used with the boy.

He’d looked at you only a few seconds longer before bursting into tears, turning away and running. You didn't feel regretful for defending yourself, only turning once more with a tired sigh to stare at the distance.

But just as you stayed ageless, Scaramouche grew older. Still, crossing each others pass was inevitable when you sat in the plains, just alongside the path that lead to his hometown.

With a permanent scowl that seemed to stain his face, he still seemed to have mature a tad bit. Maybe hadnt improved in the social department, because he now scared children and adults and alike, but more mature…

“Hm? Whats this?”

Once again, sitting criss cross under the large tree that provided the perfect shade on sunny days, you stared at the boy expectantly. His hands hesitated at your question, but he resumed shuffling. “Cards,” he simply said in response.

A small featherlike feeling flitted across your chest, making you feel lighter and… almost ticklish. A small smile crossed your face, and you recognized the emotion to be one of adoration. For him to have remembered words you’d spoken years ago, it gave you a warmth you’d sorely missed. A warmth akin to watching him and the other children grow up.

“Ew, dont smile like that, its creepy.”

Swatting at his head, he frowned further when you laughed. “You’re more mature,” you pointed out, lazily leaning back. “You need to work on your people skills though, as someone who hasnt moved in years, thats pitiful that I know more than you.”

“Shut it!”

But as he grew up, you hardly got to see much of him. He’d reached your height and then fully disappeared, leaving no goodbye. And much as you hated to admit it, you hardly noticed, not when days passed in a flurry. You were used to being by yourself, entertaining the kids and greeting the people that passed by.

Sometimes, there’d be the reminder of the warmth he’d given you. But it was quickly overshadowed by your duty to remain seated in wait for the Kitsune Saiguu. A dedication kept in its earnest, but beginning to dwindle.

Inazuma was beginning to change.

“The vision decree…” you repeated, staring at the traveller who’d mentioned it to you. “Care to elaborate?”

The new archon threatenening to take away visions from every inhabitant of Inazuma. It was preposterous, so much that you didnt move. Your vision meant the world to you, but so did the Kitsune Saiguu. You werent sure just how you weighed the two till you saw civilians passing by you, ones you recognized, ones that didnt recognize themselves.

It was snowing, cold snowflakes melting into your skin while your hair soaked in the water. Unflinching, you hummed to a little tune, awaiting someone to pass you so that you could attempt to strike a conversation of somesort. The unnatural weather distanced all who entered the field though, and you simply waited. For the Kitsune Saiguu, for someone, or for some form of entertainment, you didnt know. You Slowly closing your eyes, you decided not to care.

“Im gone for five years and you’re still sitting here like a dumbass.”

Eyes snapping open, you find yourself face to face with a complete stranger. Dark purple hair with dark blue eyes, piercing and dangerous in a way you dont recognize at all. Fancy clothing that you cant identify or put a name on.

The boy took a step towards you, crouching down to stare at you directly. His eyes scanned over your figure briefly, and he brushed the snow out of your hair and ears with one flick of his hand. In the next, he was offering a coat to you. “Take it, you’re probably getting cold.”

You leaned forward, ignoring the coat he offered you. Gently, you raised your hand to brush the hair from his eyes, centred on the way his pupils widened. Offering a small moment of surprise and one glimpse into the small childlike blue eyed wonder he was. “Kiddo,” you breathed, pulling your hand back and scanning him once again. “You’ve grown.”

“And you havent.”

Snickering at his comment, you took the coat. You didnt need it, but he looked like he didnt either. He was already wearing clothing that kept him warm, and with careful observation and an untouched coat, you settled on the fact that he’d brought it here. Brought the coat here for you.

“Still havent improved with those social skills of yours have you?”

He scoffed, letting himself fall back till he was sitting fully. “I dont want to hear it from someone who refuses to move an inch for years. Lazy ass.”

You open your mouth to retort, but instead laugh at his comment, shaking your head. “Gained some humour on your journeys have you? Bad words too it seems. Anyways...” He had sat down, which meant that he meant fully well to sit, chat, and catch up. That familiar warmth filled your chest, a contrast between the cold snow. “Welcome back.”

It wasnt often that Scaramouche visited Inazuma, but when he did, he was sure to visit you. The two of you would sit down for hours, talking about the most trivial topics. He never mentioned what he did in his time away, and you never asked.

But things began to go downhill when news of the vision decree finally took action.

“Its no joke anymore! The Raiden Shogun has taken custody of almost a hundred visions!”

In that moment you made your decision, weighing your vision over the Kitsune Saiguu. Awfully selfish you knew, but you’d spent decades sitting there in wait.

And for the first time you sat up from your position on the ground, clumsily stumbling upright but gaining balance. It takes a few steps until you’re back to normal, and you begin your journey in order to escape the Raiden Shogun’s vision hunt decree.

_-_-_-_

You didnt expect to see him again.

Long grass tickled at the skin of your legs, making you adjust your footing to no avail. Sun slowly descending past the mountains to mark the start of an evening and the soon approaching night. A normal day of exploring the mountains and islands of Inazuma, observing the constant changing situation, and running away from the vision decree like a favourite past-time.

With the exception of a firm grip on your wrist.

Dark purple like hair, same hate brimmed eyes and lavish clothing. You recognized Scaramouche the moment he had appeared, looking just as surprised as you were. That being before he snatched your wrist and snarled, “You.”

You wouldve considered it pure luck to find him, an unexpected reunion with someone you actually remembered. But no, his tone had some predatorial edge to it that had you cringing. Hard. “Yes, its me.” You answered back with a frown, trying to loosen his hold. “Nice to see you too, is something the matter?”

He only seemed confused at your words, pulling you closer.

“Something the matter?” He asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Well, to start, you’re not sitting at your damn spot.”

Taken aback for a moment, you wondered if that sole fact was what drove the boy to such lengths. Surely he couldn't be so troubled over the fact that you moved… “The vision hunt decree, I'm sure I mentioned that I was sticking around in wait for the Kitsune Saiguu. I decided to wander around and avoid the conflict until I could settle back.”

“You could’ve waited for me,” he stated almost instantly. “I could have protected you.”

You felt your brows furrow quizzically. “Wait for you? Why in the world would I-”

“Why wouldn't I?” He pushed you closer till he could fully grab both wrists, taking a step closer as if his words would resonate clearer in your head. “You took care of me as a child, it would only be fair for me to repay the favour.” But he only seemed to be looking for excuses. “And besides, you can't just up and leave… I didn't know.”

Before you could interject with the obvious answer that he didn't need to know, you stopped. You’d lived decades, nearly centuries if you’d kept count, and you had learned to read people's expressions even when you’d stayed away from them for so long. He didn't know. It hit you in the most unpleasant way that he wasn't aware that it was none of his concern. To him, you were just another thing he needed to keep track of, something he had control over. His face basically screamed, ‘I depended on you to stay in that place.’

Deep breath in and out. You’d lived long, longer than him, you could deal with a child throwing a tantrum.

“Don't worry,” you gestured to the vision ta your side. “I'm strong enough to protect myself, I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be back when the vision decree ends.”

Unconvinced, he pulled you closer, just until your faces were mere inches away from each other. “No,” he said in a stern voice. “I’d rather you by my side, where I can protect you. I hate to question what you’re capable of, but you’ve been sitting down for as long as I’ve known you for.”

“I’ve lived decades more than you,” a simple reply, hopefully enough to get by him. You snatched your hands back with ease, ears flinching slightly when a cold breeze swept past you. But you stayed firm, not wanting to look vulnerable against the imposing air he had around him.

Still unconvinced. “You’re coming with me.”

“No I’m not.”

You’d known him as a kid, watched him grow up along with all the other small ones in his hometown. And maybe you admit you cared a smudge bit about the warmth he gave you when settling down to play cards, but he was different. He had changed in the worst way and you weren't about to deal with it.

“So you’re not coming with me voluntarily?” He asked softly, taking a small step to which you responded by stepping back. He had his hands up, as if telling you he wouldn't hurt you. But the way he said voluntarily sent shivers up your spine.

“No.” Hand on your vision, you held your own hand up threateningly.

He took his time when tilting his head, taking a deep breath in, and then appearing in front of you in just a short stride. Too quick to react, you hesitated before you could attack him. You didn't want to hurt him, he was still a child in your eyes, and you paid the consequences for that. He slid his hand just along your neck, and a jolt of electricity seemed to thrum inside you just as you collapsed in his arms.

Scaramouche was quick to catch you, hoisting you up into his arms dearly. “I do hope you’ll come to understand,” he said softly, cradling your unconscious form in his arms. Making sure not to crush your tail when carrying your legs, he looked past the mountains, sigh resting on his lips.

Because Scaramouche liked to have control of the things he held dear. Like keeping all your valuables neat and tidy in a closet, he was happy knowing you were safe and stable in that spot you always sat on.

And he couldn't have you moving could he?

[rosehearrt]

do floyd and trey or jamil gogogog

ACCEPTING ━ Give Me a Character;

Floyd Leech.

How I feel about this character

Floyd is hands-down one of my favorite characters. I love so much about him, from how he interacts with the world around him to his personality, which ( mood swings aside ) can go from goofy to terrifying in seconds. He's so much fun, and his child-like way of expressing his enjoyment is precious. The gap-moe between that and his role as a member of what's basically an in-school gang and his appearance of a member of some sort of fish mafia gives me life. He's the best boy!

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Obviously Riddle is my number one. From their manga chapter to in-game moments, the shipping hints are ridiculous. I think they're so hilarious because they go so far beyond opposites attract. But I also think Floyd would be really good for Riddle, because when he feels like it, he's incessant about things, so I think he would be the type of partner who would be really good at teaching Riddle to loosen up and that it's okay to just take a break and have a good time.

I also ship him with Kalim, just because I think their interactions are really cute. That one unfortunately doesn't go too deep for me jgdhrsej but I love every piece of fanart I see, and I love the idea of Kalim's never-ending happy energy being like a jumpstart for Floyd's bad moods ( i.e. really good for getting him out of them ). I think he'd give Floyd as much attention as he wants and would support him and adore him in ways Floyd isn't used to, since he's usually the one getting in people's faces with his attention!

Honorable mention for Idia. I think Floyd and Idia is a hot ship lmaoooo.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Floyd and Jade, obvi. What more can I say? They're great. I haven't liked a pair of twins this much since the Hitachiins, so,,, it's been years.

Floyd and Azul is wonderful too! They seem to have a complicated relationship ( Azul seems to have one with both twins ), where, imo, Azul seems to question their friendship often/think that whatever they have could be easily ended if the twins get tired of him and decide he isn't providing suitable entertainment anymore. It's the prey holding the predators on a leash which is kind of awesome, even more so because the predators are letting it happen. But then, going beyond that, there's something very genuine there since they've all been together since they were kids. It makes me happy.

My unpopular opinion about this character

I don't really have one ( I don't think ). Maybe that he isn't stupid? I know that's a fact given the canon material, but certain parts of the fandom like to portray him that way which isn't something I enjoy.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I really want to be able to have a look deeper into the family life and childhood of the twins. I want to see why they are the way they are, because out of all of the other non-housewardens, they seem to be seriously inherently screwed up somewhere. And that's even taking Rook into account, because while I can see Rook portraying certain obsessive traits and maybe a hint of sadism at time, most of that seems teasing, and he seems to have a large heart behind all of it, whereas Floyd and Jade seem completely self-serving and are liable to wage psychological warfare on others ( Jade ) or get just plain violent ( Floyd ). I also want to see more about their relationship with each other! I know they love each other and care a lot, we've seen that part is genuine. But I want an even closer look. How similar are they? Does this ' love ' they have for each other extend past self-interest? In other words, would they sacrifice for each other or put the other above their own selfishness? I'm not sure, but I'd like to see.

[superhero--imagines]

Etsy Store Here l Ko-Fi l Commission Info

Part 2 Here!/ Part 3 Here! / Playlist Here!

* Sorry guys but this mans been living in my head rent free

* So the first time you see Satoru it’s with those black specs he likes to wear and you get a glance at those GORGEOUS eyes

* He meets your eyes for a second before looking away, it’s the briefest of interactions

* But your heart is racing and you can feel the familiar heat of attraction starting to lap at your face

* ‘He looks just like a prince’ you think

* You find out pretty fast the ‘prince’ similarities stop at appearance

* “Ah it’s not my fault you’re so weak~” You hear him say with the princely smile as he teases Utahime

* It looks like he’s held something so high she can’t reach it

* “Try your best, if you drink plenty of milk I’m sure you’ll be tall enough one day~” he says before laughing with that same princely face

* “You shouldn’t pick on those that are weaker than you” Geto intervenes, somehow making the entire situation worse

* You watch as Gojo laughs

* You’re starting to think he might be the real curse you need to exorcise

* You continue watching him as Utahime tries to kick him in the crotch

* “You silly girl, did you forget there’s an infinity between us?” Cue Gojo’s “A-hahahahaha” laugh

* Yeah, he’s definitely a demon

* You keep your distance, Gojo’s beautiful and all, but you’re not dumb, you’ve heard about the Satoru clan.

* “Hey Geto-Kun, who do you think would win in a fight me or a lion?”

* Besides that guy is way too reckless, you’d rather not get all mixed up in that if you can help it

* You watch as Satoru takes his shirt off, his well defined chest glistening

* Still, you’re grateful for the show

* Little do you know the famous Gojo Satoru has taken note of you as well

* Naturally given his ability he notices everyone, but he especially takes note of you

* It’s not because you stand out, quite the opposite

* You blend into the background easily, supporting others when needed

* But not to the degree where you unable to defend yourself, or you’re sacrificing your own life for someone else

* He grins

* Looks like he found something interesting

* You’re at the vending machine eyes racking over the drink selection

* But there’s another thirst quenching sight right next to you, their hand resting on the vending machine, that princely smile aimed right at you-

* “So what do you say?” Satoru asks, and you start to wonder if that princely smile seems just a bit wolfish “Do you want to be my lover?”

* You’re kind of annoyed

* What an impetuous question, you can count on one hand how many times you’ve spoken to each other, and you only need both hands to count the words said in each of those encounters

* “No”

* You turn your attention back to your drink choices, it’s pleasant weather so you don’t want anything hot.

* Anything carbonated is out of the-

* Gojo moves closer, peering into your face with that grin

* Ugh does he have to stand so close

* “Why ‘no’? I know you think I’m attractive”

* “I also think you’re a womanizer with a god complex”

* And really why shouldn’t he be?

* He’s probably the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen in your life, not to add the sheer power he contains in that body of his

* But just as he has the right to be a womanizer with a god complex, you have the right not to take part in that narrative

* He backs away, leaning back against the wall

* So he’s not going to deny it

* Well, at least he’s somewhat self aware

* Those clear blue eyes catch yours again, and you have to fight against every human instinct from showing any human reaction

* You turn back to the vending machine making your selection when a smile lilts onto his mouth

* “Friends then”

* “Just colleagues” you reply, grabbing your drink

* But as you walk by you push a canned beverage into his chest.

* It’s a can of green tea

* It’s his favorite drink

* He looks to you seeing a bottle glinting in your hand

* So you didn’t sacrifice your own thirst, but you also didn’t ignore his needs

* He feels that same wolffish grin curl onto his mouth

* “What an entertaining person”

* After that if you’re anywhere within a 50 feet radius of him he’ll go out of his way to get your attention

* “Oh wow, looking especially radiant this morning (Y/N/N)” he’ll say with a playful seductive wink

* When you don’t respond he tries annoying you instead

* “Ah you can’t reach that? Here let me-” and then he’ll proceed to hold it even further out of your reach

* He’s expecting you to jump up and down, or at least give some sort of response but you just walk away

* Well that wasn’t what he expected

* He feels that grin spread across his face again

* Very interesting

* His attraction to you is pretty shallow

* He’s interested you because you’re entertaining

* And you’re entertaining because you aren’t interested

* Which only makes him that much more interested in you

* Its a paradox

* You watch him flounder around, annoying Utahime for a giggle

* Well it doesn’t matter anyway, you know how he is, he’ll get bored soon enough and lose all interest in you

* He’s not the strongest {f*ckboy} for nothing

* You see him turn to meet your gaze, offering a boyish smile and a wink

* You make sure not to give any reaction, turning to listen to something Shoko is telling you

* You hope he can’t sense the twinge of heat you feel on your face

* You’d be lying if you said you didn’t find the attention a little flattering

* I think for the most part you’re right, Satoru is mostly playing around-

* At least at first.

* You’re just something new and fun no one knows about, and wildly entertaining since you never respond the way he thinks you will

* You’re kind, but not at the expense of yourself, and he likes that

* Besides you’ve got this quite sort of consideration for others-

* It’s not flashy, it’s so subtle most people hardly notice

* It’s in the way you bring an extra snack for Utahime when she’s running herself ragged training

* “They were having a two for one special”

* Or the way you’ll get your teacher a plushie you saw at a shop at the station because you know he needs more

* “I just thought it was cute, but I haven’t got any room for another one”

* You’re quiet, someone who hears things and she’s things, but never says anything about them

* A wallflower

* But you’re not weak

* There’s something about those two things put together in the same person that entertains him to no end. Like a paradox or a puzzle he can’t seem to solve no matter how hard he tries

* Satoru’s had at least a hundred lovers, and a great many of them had provided him with their own brand of kindness and consideration

* But he’s never felt something as warm as when he see’s a lunch box in his dorm after he hobbles back from a mission that lasted a little longer than expected

* He peers at the note attached, it’s not even signed but he knows it’s from you

* “I know you think you’re god or whatever, but even gods have to eat”

* He doesn’t know why, but he’s overcome with the urge to cry

* He gulps hard- it’s not like this a lunch you made by hand or anything, it’s just something from the convenience store

* And it’s not like this note is particularly affectionate or special either, he’s gotten entire love letters from his previous lovers

* So he’s not sure why he saves your note, placing it behind a picture frame where only he’ll know it is , or why he thinks that convenience store lunchbox is the most delicious thing he’s ever had

* Even though he knows he cares about you, and that he’s grown quite fond of you -

* I don’t think it clicks for him

* And part of that is because well, he’s Gojo Satoru

* He collects lovers like some people collect photographs or memories

* They serve their purpose, and he lets himself be entertained by pretending all the feelings are real, and then he moves on to the next one

* It’s just what he’s used to

* And this whole paradox you two have going on could go on for a few years until something finally shifts

* He went a little too far with one his half-flirting-half-tormenting pranks

* And for the first time you give him a reaction, it’s only for a second, but annoyance and anger mar you face

* And then just like that, it’s gone and you turn and walk off in the other direction

* Sh*t.

* He went too far didn’t he?

* It should be fine right? You’re not too mad at him right? You’ll get over it-

* Right?

* But for the next few days you don’t speak to him, and you don’t make eye contact

* It bothers him more than it should

* Normally he would be annoyed that his toy would have the gall to blatantly ignore him like this-

* But this is different than that.

* He’s-

* He’s feeling regret

* He shouldn’t have acted that way to you, maybe if he had just done something differently, or said something differently-

* It’s not like the way things were between you two was ideal or anything,

* But at least then you would at least speak to him

* ... and every once in while he would get to see you smile

* It’s never at him, it’s mostly when you’re with Shoko or Utahime

* Occasionally when you’re with Nanami or Geto, who you’ve been talking to more recently

* He’s pretty sure you three are talking about him, just one day away from forming a “down with Gojo Satoru” club

* Still that smile when you laugh-

* The way you look so carefree and young and so full of life is worth all the slander in the world to him

* He needs to see that smile, to know something that wholesome and kind exists somewhere in this cruel world

* Satoru’s thinking about how to go about apologizing to you

* He’s caught between buying you a Lamborghini or buying you a special grade tool when he ends up running into you

* “Ah, could you help me with something?”

* He would quite literally give you the clothes on his back right now if you asked

* You stand up on a a chair holding a glass of water

* “Apparently this is supposed to help with concentration or something” You say pressing the glass full of water to the ceiling

* “Can you hold this broom?” You ask and Satoru nods, holding the broom handle steady as you make sure it’s pushed against the glass holding it steady

* You nod approvingly down at him

* The rest happens pretty fast, you’re off the chair, carrying it away

* “The broom is actually a special grade tool, so cursed energy won’t work on it”

* You grin

* “Have fun figuring how to get out of that Baka Prince!” You say with a laugh

* And Satoru is dumbfounded

* But not because you just pranked him into a holding up a glass of water with a broom

* But because as you were rushing away, you showed him your teasing grin

* It’s the first time you smiled at him

* And as he looks up at the glass of water, a smile slowly spreads across his face

* It’s not the wolffish smile he usually has when he’s around you, or the princely smile he uses when he’s trying to get something

* It’s a genuine smile

* Ah, so that’s it

* He’s fallen in love with you

* If you’re not the one entertaining him, then he’s just not interested

* Ah geez

* He was so focused on trying to get you to fall in love with him that he really didn’t see this coming

* Well he’ll have to start being serious about pursuing you now-

* Though for you to pull off something like this on him tells him you’re his ideal match without a doubt

* A wallflower with a mischievous streak, he likes that.

* He scratches his head with his free hand

* “I wonder how I’m supposed to get out of this?” He muses looking up at the glass full of water