#ii think the most fun you can have with a character is by putting them in sitatuons

[spitinsideme]

hi spitsy i saw this and it reminded me of you

YEAH !!!! CHARACTER DEISGN FUCKS SI HARD THATS SO ME ACTYALLY YOURE E8GHR !!!!GO CHARACTER DESIGN WOO !!! I LOVE DRAWING CHARACTERS ABD GIVING THEM OERSIBALITY AND DESIGJING THEUR OITFIT ABD EXPRESSIONS AND HAUR AND UDHGHSHS !!! CHARACTER DEISGN YEAH !!!! SEEING OTHER PEOOLES CHARACTERS FUCKS SI HARD T9O .. ALL OF IT .. IS BEAUTLFUL ..

[haitanology]

a study on the orchid, ran haitani

— a character analysis (yapping session, mostly) on the eldest haitani brother.

part i. the petals, who is ran haitani?

when one thinks of ran, charisma might just be the picture inside their minds. it’s exactly what he represents, and part of the reason as to why he is so loved. on the surface, he’s stylish, charismatic, and cocky.

ran knows how to present himself in such a way, others have no choice but to admire him. he’s confident and very strong, appearing so sure of himself before outsiders. one might think he has no weaknesses, his success explained by the single emotion he parades around everyone else.

you barely get to see him out of his shit-eating grin in the manga, always teasing and mocking. putting others below him, so successful and incredibly popular —one thinks.

but, is that all there really is to him?

part ii. complexity, what makes ran— ran?

ran haitani, behind the façade he puts up to appear so grand, is in fact, a boy much like the rest. confident, sure, but with a heart of his own and a hint of tenderness that is hard to acknowledge for most.

a sleepy, moody, boy who would much rather sleep than attend parties and get-togethers. a boy who loves his sweets, and taking care of himself to look his best. a boy with a dream, that we get to see him chasing by how he carries himself.

ran haitani is smart, having keen instincts, but deep down a kid that wants to have fun. gangs aren’t all to him, violence not the solution to his every problem and his motive, but rather a way to be what he has always wanted to —a celebrity of sorts.

it’s hard to pinpoint ran’s upbringing due to his lack of a proper backstory, but i believe him to be a spoiled kid who has always wanted more. stepping out of the shadows of his family to cast his own, while his brother stands beside him (and not in his shadow like rindou himself thinks, but that’s a different analysis).

he’s vicious and greedy, wanting to be at the top because it’s what he’s seen and admired ever since he was a low-ranking member of a gang. he wanted what those boys had, taking it away from them in the worst way possible —but in the most effective one in the world they are part of. he uses his intelligence for this, and the success is palpable.

but that’s only the half of ran that swirls in violence, written in the tattoo taking a part of his body. the other half, however, is the empty skin where the puzzle piece fits —rindou’s tattoo, the heart of his brother that completes his own.

because above all, ran haitani is caring and kind. the people he lets into his heart are absolute, attaching himself to and understanding them well. he cares for the hidden bonds that izana denied out of anger, but that were there for tenjiku, and he respects them and is mindful of those that can break it because he’s human.

he cares for rindou, and stays by his side no matter what. their strength remains in their brotherhood; it collapses when his younger brother is defeated, because the concern clouds the mind. ran and rindou are one, even remaining together in the future despite the difference in their dreams. (and considering their occupation, it seems ran was the one to step down to help rindou with his dream). although not very present or relevant, ran remains one of the best examples of an older brother throughout the series.

though i feel like, if there’s one moment where ran’s real character (and potential) shines more than any other time, it’s during izana’s death. the only real instance where we get a peek on who ran really is, the personality underneath the cocky viciousness and unfaltering grins. his heart is exposed and vulnerable in front of everyone else, giving full closure to izana’s own dream of creating a family of his own. ran’s heart is just as soft as any other, just tucked in with multiple layers of indifference and ego.

unfortunately, ran suffers from what many other characters in different animes do, the lazy face and arrogant smile syndrome. and, as well, got extra damage from the characterization that inevitably came with all of bonten.

part iii. bonten, why is ran so mischaracterized?

man, why is bonten so mischaracterized would be the better question. could do a whole series from it, too. most characters reduced to a single trait or sentence said throughout the arc.

what has ran been accused of? i’ve seen it all i think: a manwhore, cheater, abuser, alcoholic man who probably wouldn’t even care about anyone at all. and two ideas sprouting from this make me extremely upset. one, this characterization has been carried down to tenjiku/rt/kmg ran, and two, people will argue that this is true to ran’s character and who he really is.

is it? no. with the lack of bonten information, we can’t pretend this is how they behave. none of these men aspired to become criminals in the future, only did it for izana’s sake (in most cases). obviously, as part of a criminal group, it’s safe to assume he’s done some terrible shit. but does that include all listed above? let’s see.

why is it that ran is seen as a manwhore? he’s attractive and charismatic, a celebrity in his own territory, but this is probably only referring to the delinquent world. i doubt ran gets a girl every time there’s a party in his apartment when he doesn’t even appear to like those much. and i find it hard to believe that he’d spend his entire nights in nightclubs with strippers in his bonten days. why is that the normal with bonten fics? it has been said that bonten is involved with prostitution, but bonten is much more than those 8.

now, let’s make up these two cases. one, ran haitani has an established partner heading into bonten. he cares, cares and loves so much he’d make sure nothing would happen to them. wouldn’t even think of getting them involved. yeah, maybe the relationship grows a little gloomier. it is bonten after all, and mikey’s dark impulses are kind of just slithering into everyone’s lives. but i think that, assuming he just instantly becomes a cheater and abuser is just losing the plot. let’s try not to reduce the little personality we got of him even more.

second case scenario, ran haitani doesn’t have a partner. i believe this is the most likely choice, i don’t believe ran to focus so much on potential partners, or being a womanizer enough to charm every woman he meets. he’d much rather stick close to the people he calls family, and not rope in someone innocent to this whole mess. as much as i love ran (i love him a lot i think it shows) i personally believe he’s a person that does well on his own without a partner, not actively looking for one. focusing on his life and his brother’s, and the deep shit they are stuck into with bonten.

no tokyo revengers character is fully good, that’s what makes them so intriguing! and while ran haitani has a lot of questionable traits that make a terrible person to come across as an enemy, he has as much of a heart as any other character. the man has emotions, they just haven’t been explored by the author :(

part iv. respect, dignity & admiration, afterthought

in no way am i the haitani police (i am actually, just undercover) to tell you how to interpret a character. the fun in those who don’t get much information is to make up a background for them ! no correct answer since nothing has been said. however, i simply do not like this whole thing about ran being a horrible person and treating someone like they aren’t even a human being and people pushing it so hard to be canon. bonten has hurt many, and wattpad books too, i know they have some kind of fault.

ran haitani is such a beautiful character to explore, there’s many layers to him even if there’s none to see at first. a bratty, childish man who appears cold and cocky but is actually incredibly smart, and so vulnerable and caring. but that doesn’t do well in the world he moves around in doesn’t it? he’s such a silly little guy, and in my own little twist of things i believe him to be quite the loser.

i’m sure that while, it could be hard to approach him and get close, once he has a partner he’d be so loving and loyal. angst assured bc he probably would try to push them away at some point, but all efforts to be with him would be so worth it. he’d be a little possessive, maybe sometimes a little bit toxic, but with its up and downs it would be a beautiful relationship.

sad to see he has fallen into the fuckboy character stereotype, and bonten doesn’t do any of their members justice either. but despite all of that, i’ll always headcanon ran to be the hopeless romantic type, just keeping it well to himself. but once he loves, he loves. and it makes it so worth writing for him.

at the end of the day, all the different versions one comes across is what keeps the character alive, like them more or less. still, he shouldn’t be just reduced to a so called sex god who also doesn’t even know what an emotion is. or those theories that were so popular back then, shivers.

so yeah, happy birthday to ran <3 what a character am i right.

[understandingbimbos]

Bimbo Types, or Neapolitan Bimbo

(This is something I've previously gone over in my My Little Pony post but wanted to reiterate here.)

Bimbo can most easily be divided into three distinct archetypes. The Clown, The Innocent, and The Debutante. These archetypes are not absolute, they come in many variations and their traits can and will overlap.

The Clown, also known as The Free Spirit or The Wildcard, usually shows up as the comedic relief. They can be loud, showy, excessive, and obnoxious. Their sexuality is very self-assured, self-aware, and playful. The Clown's main concern (if any) is having or spreading fun, "fun" in this context being completely up to their individual style and personality. To give a very stereotypical example, a goth clown may have the most fun watching very violent horror movies or playing with spiders. Another clown could have the most fun (Incidentally) causing a ruckus or being mischievous, it's all about perspective, the possibilities are pretty much endless.

Examples of this archetype include but are not limited to: Jeannie (IDOJ), Pinkie Pie (MLP:FIM), Harley Quinn (BTAS), Synclaire James (Living Single), Jayne Mansfield (films and public persona), Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

The Innocent, also known as The Ingenue, is just as the name suggests. Not only helpless but often unaware and wholly out of her depth. Her inexperience and or meekness makes her prone to being taken advantage of. Despite this, she (usually) remains positive, kind, and happy to help. Unlike The Clown, The Innocent's sexuality is typically portrayed as natural, uncomplicated, and unintended.

Examples of this archetype include but are not limited to: Marilyn Monroe (films and public persona), Weena (The Time Machine), Lorelei Lee (in the novel), Elissa Megan Powers (Empowered)

The Debutante, who could also be called The Alpha Bitch, is probably the most popular in the modern era and who you're most likely to come across in real life or on social media. Her sexuality is mainly a means of control. She puts a lot of time, work, and effort into her appearance because beauty is both her business and capital. While she may, at times, enjoy and indulge in carnal pleasure it's far from her main concern. Being the most or unattainably desirable is how she knows she's better than others, how she's able to acquire and maintain control. The Debutante values social standing above all else, to her it's a matter of life or death, she would die without overwhelmingly positive attention.

Examples of this archetype include but are not limited to: Regina George (Mean Girls), Heather Chandler (Heathers), Courtney Shayne (Jawbreaker), Heather (Total Drama Island), Cleopatra Smith (Clone High), Jeannie II (IDOJ), Emma Frost (X-Men), Panty Anarchy (PSG), Ginger (Gilligan's Island), Holly Golightly (Breakfast at Tiffany's), Kim Kardashian, Rarity (MLP:FIM)

These archetypes are combined, remixed, and subverted so often it's hard to find pure examples (I tried my best, and even then this is just reducing them to their base archetypes and do not accurately describe every single one of these characters), but this is a good thing. It leads to nuance and diversity, and many of the most popular bimbo characters are mixed or subversions. Chrissy Snow (Three's Company) is a Clown and an Innocent. Elle Woods (Legally Blonde) arguably includes elements of all three. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion follows two clownish Innocents who realize they were bullied by debutantes. As far as I know, all bimbos exist somewhere along these lines (or perhaps on an axis) but we shouldn't view this as limiting, when you think about it the combinations are really seemingly endless, and I didn't even cover sub-archetypes! Many Debutantes are mean but they don't have to be. Innocents don't have to be completely pliable, you can do (or be) whatever you like, even moving from one archetype to another.

[twopoppies]

Hi Gina , Do you have a category for reread fics?How can I find them

Meaning fics I’ve read more than once? I don’t think I’ve ever made one—let me see what I can do.

Danger I Can’t Hide by CelticSky (E, 227K) This one’s got all the tension and drama you’d expect of a World War II story—life and death high stakes, friends and lovers unexpectedly torn apart, battles and heroism, plus the added stakes of classism and homophobia—then add a slow burn, high risk, scorching love affair spanning years. If you want a story that’s complex and fantastically researched, plus lovers to root for, read it. It’s long. But I couldn’t put it down. When I did, I immediately picked it right back up and read it twice more.

Hats Off To My Distant Hope by orphan_account (E, 21K) This was such a pleasure to read. The writing feels so effortless as the fic explores the deep emotions of these two characters. They’re stubborn and inarticulate and gentle and passionate and finally, finally open up to each other. I really wish I knew who wrote it because I’d love to read more of their work.

Walk That Mile by purpledaisy (E, 150K) I’ve read this one multiple times and still love it. Their bickering is so realistic, their resistance to their attraction to each other is perfect, the way the author portrays all of their weird quirks and differences but still makes it believable that they’d fall fo reach other is such fun to read….I love this fic.

my heart is breathing for this moment in time by usedtothebeach (E, 160K) Probably my absolute favorite time travel fic. I’ve read it more times than I’d like to admit, and every time I love it more. One of the things I like most is how organically the author weaves in canon events…every little moment is an easter egg without it being so obvious that it pulls you out of the fic. Anyway, this one is so moving and so absorbing, I hope you like it if you give it a try! There’s an 18K companion piece to it as well, but you’ll see the link at the appropriate time when you’re reading the main fic (and when you read the scene that breaks your heart –– in the best possible way –– come and scream at me. You’ll know which one I mean).

Our Lives, Non Fiction by @indiaalphawhiskey (E, 114K) this is, quite literally, the best fic I’ve read in years. It’s so well written, clever, funny, emotional, and sexy. Its draw you in immediately and you’ll end up falling in love with these characters before you know it. Don’t miss this one.

Never Never Never Stop for Anyone (Sheylinsonverse) by aimmyarrowshigh, spibsy (E, 10-work series, 439K)Yes, here I am again, putting this series on a list. Probably 10 people in this fandom like it as much as I do, but I don’t care. I have read all 440K words more than once, and will likely do it a few more times. Yes, it needs editing, but even so…really well written, super sexy (if you like reading BDSM and can handle Larry + someone else), and such interesting character development. One of my favorite things about this fic is how the authors differentiate between the ways the different characters inhabit their Dom and Sub personalities.

Make Your Words A Weapon by HelloAmHere (E, 36K) I love everything this author writes. This one just really hit me hard for whatever reason. Maybe it’s the way they explore Louis’ anxiety and coping mechanisms and pain and the way he pushes people away and protects himself, but also wants someone to push back just a bit and love him despite all of that. And the way Harry is the perfect foil for all of it, while also feeling like a fully developed character himself. Yeah, it’s probably all of that. Plus soul marks!

Pull Me Under by zarah5 (E, 140K) One of the very first fics I read when I came into this fandom…and I’ve read it multiple times since. Zarah’s fics hold up every time. This one has it all, great pacing, ot5 friendship, banter, super sexy smut, etc etc. Plus, Louis being super jealous of Harry’s best friend.

Into The Blue by zarah5 (E, 117K) honestly, I love all of this author’s fics, but I think this is my favorite of theirs. Louis as a flirty scuba instructor? Newly single Harry who just wants a fling? Boys living on other sides of the world who only have a few weeks together? Heartbreak. Hot af smut. OT5 friendship. Please….give me all that shit.

Faking It by TheCellarDoor (M, 46K)This one is so sweet. I loved Harry's internal monologue... his insecurities and thoughts that he'd made Louis uncomfortable because he liked, him made me cry. Louis is so soft and supportive. It’s just a lovely fic.

Remind Me Again by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry (E, 29K) Every sentence in this fic is so effortlessly beautiful. I love that the miscommunication between them is done in a totally realistic way. The fight and make up like real people do and that makes the angst more painful and the making up more emotional. One of my favorite authors.

And Touch Me Like You Never by runaway_train (E, 36K) I really enjoyed how this author handled Harry’s confusion and growing attraction and eventual sexuality crisis. That, along with the angst and very sexy smut, made it a really good read.

may we all have a vision now and then by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry (M, 4K) This author is one of my favorite writers in this fandom and everything they do is infused with so much delicacy and tenderness. I literally cried through this fic because of how wounded Harry’s character feels. Read it and then treat yourself to their whole AO3 catalogue.

Seeing Blind by zedi (E, 47K) I really liked the way this author gave a twist to both Omega Harry and Alpha Louis’ characteristics. It’s a whole lot of smut and miscommunication and, of course, a happy ending.

Shake Me Down by AGreatPerhaps12 (NR, 209K) this fic will run you through the wringer, but it’s really a great read. I really like the way the author took the boys from enemies to friends to boyfriends, and how we got to see how protective and supportive Louis became towards Harry.

smell the sea, feel the sky by @lightwoodsmagic (E, 16K) This is the perfect summer pining fic. I love that they’re adults and still the same horny, pining fools for each other and it still works. It’s just very sexy, light, and fun.

we can take the long road home by @pinkcords (E, 46K) This was absolutely gorgeous. And it made me cry, damn it. Seriously though, the writing is so beautiful. I loved the characterizations and the way they both showed their vulnerability. I loved the slow pace and the hot smut. I loved this fic.

smile in slow motion by istajmaal (E, 24K) One of my favorite Daddy kink authors, this one is lighthearted and funny while also being super sexy. Plus it’s got great Zouis friendship.

all my love was down on a frozen ground by navigator (E, 16K) This is an old one that I didn’t have bookmarked for some reason. But it’s a favorite and I love everything this author wrote. This is one of those quiet, soft fics with a bit of angst and a lot of internal monologue and gentle conversations. I don’t know, there’s something so touching about it.

Thought The Song Was Sung by 100percentsassy (E, 13K) This is both a famous/not famous and a dating app AU. Plus, older Larry. Plus an author who writes great fic. And this one is just sweet and charming and I really like this one.

the way the storms blow by rbbsbb (E, 22K) What would happen if you walked in on your best friend in the midst of an orgy? Louis finds out and it’s pretty damn hot.

we can take the long way home by eleadore (E, 27K) this one is a canon divergent future fic where Louis is a “carrier” (basically, he would be able to get pregnant) and it’s just SO good. It’s beautifully written (like everything this author does), so well-paced, and I just find the way their developing relationship is written to be so touching and realistic.

The light to guide me home by Star_Henderson / @tommosgun (E, 65K) I don’t know what it is about this fic but I’ve read it so many times and I just really love the instant chemistry, the smut is stupid hot and fuels the character growth, and even with the angst, the whole thing is just lighthearted and sexy.

Speaking of Marvels by navigator, quitter (E, 101K) This was one of the first fics I read in this fandom, but I read it again recently and had forgotten how really wonderful it is. The writing is so lovely and the characters feel so well developed. I especially loved how the authors explored how differently the two of them would respond to their relationship given the different stages of life they were in. It made the romance and the attraction and the angst feel really real.

Constant Debauchery by Blake (E, 19K) Yes, yes, I know. I’ve probably recommended this 10 times. But have you read it yet? Anyway…Edwardian setting, uni ABO (Alpha/Alpha) fic. Gorgeous mood setting, I’ve said before that it reads like an Merchant Ivory film looks…just gorgeous. There’s a similar sense of repression and uncertainty about flouting societal expectations, and a character who appears one way on the surface, but underneath is quite different. I love this one, I’ve read it a number of times.

Lightening Strikes Twice by @dinosaursmate (E, 106K) It’s not often that I read a 100+K fic multiple times, but this one is worth it. It’s one of my favorites from this author, and a favorite all around. It’s an epic love story spanning decades and massive life changes. It’s sexy and well-written, and so touching, and so fulfilling in many ways.

precious little thing by mercutionnotromeo (E, 21K) I’ve read this one so many times…it’s got it all. This time the phone sex operator is Louis, and subby Harry is just beginning to realize his daddy kink.

Good Enough to Eat by objectlesson (E, 7K) This author always does such a good job with depicting young, queer love and the way their characters experience the overwhelm of realizing they’re not straight, realizing the’ve met their Person, pining, and giving in. I love a lot of their fics, but I think this is my favorite of them. Link is to a download.

One day to believe in you by mediaville (E, 8K) another author who always hits it out of the park as far as I’m concerned. This one is super funny and then super sexy. Louis gets cursed and has to tell the truth. No matter what Harry asks him. Read it!

like a bastard on a burning sea by vashtaneradas (NR, 21K) Heartbreaking, perfect writing. So well-written that the fandom hated real-life Harry for a while after this was posted. 😅

These Roads We Stumble Down by onewasturning (E, 18K) I adore this author’s writing and I’ve read this particular one multiple times. It’s just a little melancholy and very sexy and one of those fics that reminds me why I can read about the same two people falling in love 46372 times and never tire of it.

Empty Skies by green_feelings / @greenfeelings (E, 13K) I just started re-reading this the other day and it holds up so well. This author is always a pleasure to read. Their fics just are well plotted and the characters are nicely fleshed out. I loved Perrie as Harry’s bestie, the bitterness and angst is PAINFUL, and the ending feels well earned.

Wild and Unruly by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews (E, 124K) One of the OG classics in this fandom. If you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out. It’s just a great, original story. Plus, cowboy Harry, city boy Louis, bad guys to hate, nail biting drama, hot af sexual chemistry and smut, and a super satisfying ending.

Love Is A Rebellious Bird by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews (E, 135K) Everything about this fic is glorious. I’m always struck by how well the characters are fleshed out, how their behavior lines up with their backstory, how ridiculously hot the chemistry is, and how agonizing the angst is. So yes, no shocker, I cried buckets. Thank god for a happy ending.

Unbelievers by isthatyoularry (E, 137K) High school Au, footie, enemies with benefits, so much sexual tension (and just tension), and really well-developed, complex characters. Most of the conflict in this (and in the companion fic from Harry’s POV) is straight up lack of communication. But, given the age of the characters, it’s forgivable (although sometimes frustrating).

In Dreams by dolce_piccante (M, 24K) This actually might be my favorite of this author’s fics, although I know it’s definitely not the most popular. It’s just soft and romantic and sweet and I’m a sucker for tattoo artist Louis winning over slightly uptight Harry.

Your Name Is Tattooed On My Heart my mcpofife (E, 87K) I reread this one recently and it's truly delightful. The characterizations are so well done. Harry is so endearing (I cried over his heartbreak). And the smut is both hot and really emotional. Love this one.

[sugar-crash]

🍬King Candy (Wreck-It Ralph) x (gn) Reader👑

(Beginning Relationship Pt. II Edition!)

(Just a tad bit different🔑 than it usually is, Have fun :))

- Tries his best to separate him from who he used to be to ward off suspicion of his shady behavior but as we can all see, he’s not exactly the best at it at times. Especially if you knew him when he was Turbo. Johunlz

- His more friendly King Candy look gives him far more leeway than he had as Turbo which he wanted purposely. He uses it to his advantage, especially when it comes to you, literally that one scene from Adventure Time. Shameless about it on top of that. ohcl

- Much like how he was previously, he teases you. But it’s far more lighthearted I guess? Sometimes he just says something absolutely mean as shit and then pats your head patronizingly in the same breath. Hate him. illu

- Being some of the shortest game characters of the bunch, he’s no stranger to being looked down upon, literally, and by then he doesn’t have much of an issue with his s/o being taller than him…

- However, if by some miracle or chance, you’re smaller than him, he thinks you’re so cute, affectionately calling you “snack-sized”, and he’ll say it when he tries to get on your nerves for one reason or another. thkl,

- Lovessss putting others down, when it comes to you, it’s more lighthearted or joking (with that little metaphorical bug in his ear relishing being able to do so), and anyone else??? Not as much. pu

- Lives for the praise you give him, as much as he doesn’t admit it of course, that self-satisfied and smug grin he gets whenever you congratulate him for having majority wins/being chosen the most as an avatar on Sugar Rush says it all. tvyl

- While being the one to establish the paywall and coin prizes (cause he’s an insidious asshole), he kinda hates that he can’t have an actual trophy like he used to— Can’t exactly display them for you to comment on later on considering they are constantly being used and turned into code. But hey, at least they have his insignia on them. aohu

- Calling myself out on this once more, but, the description randomalistic used for him in this YouTube video (which,,, I highly suggest watching if you haven’t already), specifically “a corrupt politician” is frighteningly accurate, he lies, he cheats, he sabotages, a perfect allegory for a corrupt higher power. vul

- And he fucking knows it man, proud of it even, one of his most successful works and he can’t even brag about it, can’t even tell you. wshjl

- We really don’t see what his relationship is between him and the other racers besides Taffyta claiming he wants to keep them safe and uh… The race track scenes. So from what I can ascertain I can fully see him acting like Miss Hannigan from Annie, specifically this one scene (yeah this post is just chocked full of links, bear with me), the mental image of him mockingly saying “she had to go bathroom” with his lisp makes me weak.

- Even in his new and far more prestigious position as King he still longs for more, with his limits and disguises imperfections not helping this inner turmoil, even in a game as big as Sugar Rush boredom takes root and he even his excuses that explain why he stays in Sugar Rush to you have a nearly invisible air of uncertainty to them.

- Makes a point to make you feel good, loved, cared for all throughout your visits to Sugar Rush, nothing is too good for you, there’s always more.

- I think this kind of behavior stems from this deep seated desire to make sure you don’t leave him, you could have everything you want with his help— Why wouldn’t you stay? Please stay.

- Caged. That’s how he feels secretly, I mean, who wouldn’t? He wasn’t exactly coded to be a monarch, all these responsibilities, not even his coding skills could help him with that…. I mean, would he even be himself without it?

- Achievements, what are they for when it’s the same thing over and over again? Validation? Attention? Power?? You maybe? Things he’s been chasing after for all of his life, well— Not you but he’s realized that he’s become far too attached to you, your softness, your sensitivity.

- Each moment spent together is far more significant to him than what he thought it’d be when he first showed interest in you— Thinking it’d be like every other relationship (mostly platonic ones) he’s been in, fleeting, and ending with you hating him, you had every right to after all.

- Sickness, an insult that had been thrown his way over a dozen times to the point where it usually gets a scoff and furrowed brows, but it feels devastating when you say it after his true nature is unceremoniously revealed by his hubris.

- Abandoned— That familiar pang ripping through his newly mutated form as you struggle for your life alongside the others that stayed behind to help every last one of the Sugar Rush people to get to safety from the unruly swarm of Cy-Bugs eating their home into nothing.

- Red. That’s all he sees as he brutally beats Ralph down into a pulp and cruelly taunts everyone else as he holds the overgrown bad guy in the air, eagerly and sadistically waiting for a little girl to meet a brutal end only to meet his own.

(Almr sarqr dprk’s sll lk sar klqr)

[greenfiend]

i just read your time travel theory and all i keep thinking about is how in back to the future 2 marty and doc travel to the future and biff finds the time machine and works it in his favor so when marty and doc travel back to present time everything is wrong and they have to travel all the way to the beginning. have you had any thoughts on such a twist? (by the way i love all your theories and you blow my mind with every single one)

Short answer: a big huge YES!!!!!!

I actually allude to this idea in this post!

I believe that we have already seen aspects of the show inspired by Back to the Future Part II.

For example: newspapers indicating different timelines. Just one example is the differences between the Will articles… the Henry-Edward Creel articles are another major example of this. -> click here for info on that. Credit to @aemiron-main for these amazing finds.

Another one is the Dustin and Mike walkie-talkie scene- it’s a reference to the first sequel of BttF (since it was the only one of the movies where they used walkie-talkies!).

Now for some stuff I think we WILL see referenced from the movie…

Now, I believe it’s very telling that they put “William” rather than “Billy” on the gravestone and that they played the song “Dear Willy” in the background of this scene. They are obviously alluding to the other William here as well, and possibly to a separate timeline where he died on November 6th, 1983. Not unlike how George Mcfly was murdered in the alternate 1985 in Back to the Future part II.

If true, then I’m even more inclined to believe that Lonnie is the #1 suspect. Lonnie being our Biff… and possible step father to Will…

Look at their similarities… “[He] always did have a way with women.” 🤢

Then, of course, we must have a scene like this one.

The alternate timeline!!! There’s absolutely at least one of these, possibly more. For this scene, I like to envision Dustin being the one to explain this to everyone.

Now for my favourite idea…

Our characters travelling back to a previous moment within the show! Ah… movie magic. I cannot tell you how much I love this concept. Blew my mind as a child. Look at how the events of the first Back to the Future movie were occurring as a second Marty was on a separate mission desperately avoiding detection from his past self. Time travel can be confusing as heck but damn it’s fun.

I will say that I do not think time travel within Stranger Things will occur in the same way as it does in Back to the Future. It’ll be different somehow. I mention a pretty *wild* idea here.

Now. Here are some things I’m nearly confident about:

Will will (or has) travelled to the past. SO much evidence of this, it’s nearly undeniable.

Mike *somehow* is their “ride” back in time. This is heavily implied when Dustin calls up Mike for a “ride” while the DeLorean is shown on the big screen.

Multiple timelines exist, and we will likely see them or at least learn about them.

Vecna, Mike, and Will are the characters most associated with time and time travel.

Ahhh I love time travel and Back to the Future. The Duffers clearly do too! Back to the Future has been referenced since episode one when we first saw Will in that classic red “life preserver”. The references go deeper than most people realize too. I gotta say too, the whole play being set in the 50s, with the parents as teens, is very reminiscent of Back to the Future as well!

I would not be surprised at all if they referenced this classic sequel a fair bit in the final season!

[writerbuddha]

Good morning, @writerbuddha. The other day, I saw some critics saying that there is a tone problem with The Phantom Menace. That it doesn't make sense for a film to be very childish and at another time to have a serious political plot. In my opinion, I don't see any problem. The film's political plot is simple and not at all complicated. There are few political discussions and most of them are in the second half of Act 2, which is usually the low point of the characters' arcs. However, I would like to know your take on this topic.

Hello! :)

Problem is that, in my view, the “criticism” of Episode I, II and III is the textbook example of groupthink. People don’t think about whether the “criticism” is valid, they don’t apply critical reasoning to these claims - it’s not the detailed analysis and assessment of a movie. I’ve met people who simply claimed, “the majority of fandom thinks this/that, so it’s plausible to believe it’s true.” And YouTubers who want likes and views are keeping this circulating, because I saw one of them explicitly stating, “tongue in cheek spite” makes you popular on YouTube quickly, whereas actual, reasoned and balanced analysis and assessment of a movie does not sell that well.

In my opinion, Episode I is not “childish.” I assume, people who say it's "very childish" are complaining about Jar Jar Binks - again. And possible believe that children are dumb and kids’ movies are meant to be infantile fun that occupies them for some time while you can finally get a break from them. For these people, serious lessons on democracy, society and politics cannot co-exist with Jar Jar Binks, and that's because, in my opinion, they refuse to acknowledge that there's a type of children's stories that are offering very complex moral, ethical, philosophical and psychological lessons and anchors that are relevant throughout one's entire life. They're mostly metaphors and allegories, presenting those lessons on a very abstract level, and you can make use of them in concrete situations. They're essentially the same stories and they fulfill the same role and function as the stories you can find in ancient mythology and in religious scriptures, in modern settings.

The political setting is very easy to understand: the governing body of the Galactic Republic, the Senate is planning to tax the trade routes. The a vast organization of businessmen doesn’t want that, and blockades Naboo as a means of pressuring the Senate. Then, it’s revealed that the traders are following the orders of a Sith Lord, who orders them to invade the planet. Queen Amidala asks the Senate to put an end of the occupation, but, as it turns out, the Senate is full of corrupt senators and the traders are able to pay them off, to stall the resolution of the problem, using bureaucracy. 

Another issue is that many people would insist that if a scene is about two or more people just talking to each other, it’s boring, and if you’re required to pay attention to what the characters say in order to understand the plot, then the plot is “difficult to understand.”  

So, I think that valid criticism of Episode I can be presented, but I'm yet to see one...

[maxphilippa]

Nickel's sense of guilt and fear of change. [Character/II S3 Episode 14 Analysis, part 1/?]

Today, the longest episode of Invitational has dropped, and I have many thoughts of it as well. Might do more posts analyzing the events that ocurred as of now in canon, but I would like to talk about the heaviest part in the lore and how most people are not getting it completely (in my opinion), and that being: Nickel's current point of view of Balloon and his relationship with Suitcase and BB.

We all know that Nickel's actions hurted the Grand alliance, but what happened in the episode is that they showed how apparently, Nickel doesn't get exactly that things were completely fucked up.

In the episode, he mainly focuses on the good memories he had with BB and Suitcase, and doesn't even seem to hate Suitcase either, unlike what most people thought (me included to an extent, though I did see him being hurt mostly with their relationship and what happened in s2), but.

Nickel doesn't realize that he actually fucked up with them a lot, and that's the main issue.

Like, sure. He knows that stuff were messy at points but that's all he says. He mainly focuses on the good moments he had with them, maybe that's a product of him growing once he got eliminated and came to terms with himself that "well yeah there was a bit complicated shit but we still had fun together", but deep down he feels a sort of... guilt? Regarding Suitcase.

But even then, Balloon scolds him for trying to erase the times where Nickel made all of them feel bad. Hell! Even then Balloon recognizes that Nickel hurted Baseball deeply! And he says how Suitcase was the only one who had enough courage to stand up for her! Because hey! Nickel did use the same treatment that he used with Suitcase on Baseball! But the difference is that BaseBall kept making excuses for him!

The person who Nickel has been, alongside Baseball, "ignoring" of some sorts, has been Suitcase.

But here's the thing as well: Nickel doesn't know how to make things better again.

Nickel doesn't understand... feelings and complex emotions to put it shortly. He's afraid of change, and the way he just ignores the bad stuff that happened and tries to say that it's the only way that things can work, is... somewhat sad. Nickel doesn't understand a lot of stuff. He probably thinks that, at the end of the day, those were just little conflicts and that there was more good than bad.

But... that would mean he would also be running away from his consciousness over what Suitcase told him.

About how none of what they had was real.

He doesn't realize the damage he has done because hey. As much as you all like to think that Nickel didn't have his reasons to be a dick towards Balloon, he did. He actually did. He even mentions it in this episode, that if Balloon didn't try to manipulate everyone just as S1 started, maybe things would be different.

Nickel SAW and KNOWS Balloon's by his awful actions, and he wanted to protect BaseBall and Suitcase from him, since he thinks that Balloon CAN'T be trust-worthy after everything he did in S1.

That's why he was so aggressive as well towards Balloon. Yes, he cared for BaseBall, but he also cared for Suitcase deeply. The thing is that Suitcase was Balloon's friend, and Nickel can't bring himself to think that someone who he saw being such an awful person, could possibly be targetting someone who he cares about as well. So that's why he tried to push Balloon away for so long. He tried to keep his relationship with Suitcase and BB, he even says it in S2 when Suitcase confesses that she voted for him.

But of course, this is even more complicated. Both Nickel and Balloon fucked up, but Nickel fucked up for a longer time. Balloon was actually changing, and Nickel did only take the protective stance when this was happening. Which like, Nickel was right on that. He had his reasons to NOT trust Balloon. The problem is that he couldn't accept that Balloon was changing, and that he wasn't realizing that his actions were hurting both BB and Suitcase.

What I think that people don't get, or what hurts me the most, is the fact that Nickel is in denial. But it's merely the fact that when he hears Suitcase's voice, he doesn't get angry or mad, or even panics, no.

He's just... shocked.

What are you supposed to tell someone who went through hell, thanks to you, even if you tried to protect her from whom you thought was bad? What are you supposed to tell the friend who you tried to protect and instead hurted them in awful ways?

What are you even supposed to do in that situation?

It's not only that, but the fact that he didn't even think twice when walking towards her, didn't even question if she was truly Suitcase. Like, he immediately went on and tried to explain himself to her-

He completely forgot about everything because he wanted to talk to her and, I do think that he feels guilty for what he did, but he can't put it to words/can't understand it completely after all- but his first instict after seeing Suitcase is to talk to her about it.

He wants to explain himself to her- maybe even apologize, but he doesn't know how.

The thing is that Nickel is smart. With logical stuff, not feelings, according to Adam himself. And that fucks it all up for him.

Nickel can't handle change.

Suitcase can understand change.

Balloon is always changing.

And BaseBall can't keep up with it.

And that shows it here.

Nickel is a complicated character. Guilt is eating him constantly but he lacks emotional intelligence. He can accept that stuff went wrong, but seem doesn't understand what or why they did go wrong.

He regrets what he did to Suitcase most likely judging from his behaviour the mere second he saw her, but he can't tell why exactly. Same thing as Nickel probably realizing that he keeps on messing up the more he clings into that mentality. He tries to move on from the past, but he can't. He even says it. There's no way to make things feel better as of now, so that's why he pretends.

But there is a way.

He just... needs to talk it out with Suitcase and Balloon.

That being said, thank you for reading this.

[redacteddoesstuff]

II S2 Ep 17 Spoilers

I'll be talking about what I got right from my previous theory post and some newer ones too.

Theory 1: The contestants aren't gone forever

This didn't happen. However I do think it will. I am one of the people who think there will be an act 3. Mostly because there are a lot of loose ends and plot points that they brought up (even just in this episode).

I am now more sure then ever that this is how their going to bring the contestants back. Or at least it will be an important part.

The fact that they continue to focus on soaps phone kinda proves that to me. Why bring so much attention to something meaningless.

Theory 2 (well not really a theory, more of a question): What about bow and dough?

Bow and dough are indeed created by Mephone. Which also means that Mephone can create soul-like-substitutes. Which is wild.

Theory 3: Mephone didn't know he created the contestants.

I was right with this one! Yippee! Kinda. While he didn't remember creating them, he did assign them personalities and quirks. What Cobs really did here was make Mephone put 2 and 2 together.

What I believe happened was after Mephone escaped he was like "Time to start a reality show! Wait... I need people for that" and his subconscious was like "haha, wait a minute, we already did that" and spawned in the contestants. Seeing as he had an interview with suitcase, a season 2 contestant, we can assume that the rest of season 2 and 3 contestants were all subconsciously spawned in, then held an interview with Mephone.

The picture below is just to highlight that even the season 3 contestants where characterized by Mephone.

Also I haven't seen enough people talk about how genuinely awful and disgusting what Cobs did here. It actually makes me kinda ill.

Theory 3: Mephone is part Prime Shimmer

I was also right with this one! I am on a roll! Mephone being a Shimmer just makes sense narrative wise.

Now, onto the theories/observations I have after this episode.

I don't think Mephone knew he could freeze everyone. Besides the fact that he didn't know he created them an therefore wouldn't think that was something that he was capable of, just look at him.

He has no idea what's happening around him. He's far more focused on the season 3 folder then his surroundings.

I also don't think Mephone created the island. He may have terraformed it but I don't believe he can straight up created an entire island.

And like I said earlier, I really don't think that this is the end.

Reason 1: the loose ends/plot points

It feels weird to me if they brought up important information just for it not to be used. Like Bow's tail story/coming back from the dead, Soap's phone, and the Prime Shimmers. Not to mention all the people who would still be there, like Mepad, Bow, Dough, Bot, Baxter, and the Prime Shimmers (and maybe toilet too? But that is a huge maybe in my books). Or even The Unvitational Committee. What do they feel about everything that's happened. What are they gonna do now everyone's gone.

Reason 2: common act structures.

While this is admittedly one of the weaker points, as they're allowed to do whatever they want, I think it's important to bring up. "Act" is a very specific word choice, and most stories follow a three act structure.

Reason 3: The themes.

II has a really prominent theme through the entire show, you don't have to be what others think of you. It can be seen within most character arcs. This episode is kinda the antithesis to that theme. Even the title "Through No Choice of Your Own" highlights that.

Reason 5: Brian said that there will be 2 special guest voice actors and we haven't gotten that yet.

Reason 6: He also specifically said "multi-part." People don't tend to say multi-part for 2 episodes, optioning to say two-parter instead.

Reason 7: Adam deleted his account shortly after he made(?) it. He also died from Mephone X. However this could just be nothing more then a fun way to leave and I'm looking to far into things. I thought it was important to bring up anyway.

Reason 8: General vibes.

While II has had lots of sad moments before, they usually have some kind of happy/bittersweet/hopeful ending. This is just depressing, with little to no upside.

Look man. I'm gonna be honest. This is mostly me sipping copium. I genuinely can't fathom there being no act 3. Like, that's not even an option. This ending is so genuinely horrible (emotionally) it's unreal. I might make another post just about how awful this all is for Mephone specifically. Like, it's the worst possible outcome from him. Anyways, post is ending here. I had some more ideas but I forgot them.

[autisticrosewilson]

Todd Family Tree pt. 1

I know you guys have been waiting with baited breath for this (Read: no one but me and a handful of select mutuals care), but fret not because it's finally here.

Let's start with the side of Jason's family we know the most about, Willis's. A lot of things I'll have to say about Willis himself will be things I've said before with maybe some new additions, but a lot of the focus will be on his relationships with his family anyway so hopefully it won't get too repetitive.

Someone on my last Todd Family post commented that the Ma Gunn aspect may have been retconned, however I already integrated it into my personal canon so let's just keep going shall we?

Also shout-out to @perseus-jackass who let me ramble to them about all of this and helped me iron out some of the finer details!

The Todd/Gunn Family; Canon:

- Willis reportedly named Jason after his father, Jason Todd Sr.

- Faye Gunn II is the niece of Willis which implies Willis has at least one sibling that is never mentioned, although Faye was either raised by or very close to Ma

- Faye was named after Ma implying that whichever sibling she was raised by was close to Ma

- Assuming Gunn is her maiden name, or perhaps an alias, she didn't keep her husband's last name and Jason Sr. Is never mentioned, which could mean that they split or that he's dead

- Obviously from a meta textual stand point the reason Ma Gunn was never mentioned as Jason's grandmother is because it was a later retcon, but in universe this and Willis's choice to keep his father's last name implies he wasn't fond of his mother/was closer to his father

Sub note: The candidates for Jason's mother included Lady Shiva (I'll get into my thoughts on her in Part 3) and an Israeli woman. Edit: @ammomancer informed me that Jason was Spanish (Basque specifically) in the Bombshells continuity as well!

- Ma was implied to be from Australia, and likely taught there for a time.

- Ma implied that she had sons, and possibly that they're dead. (I have obviously disregarded this, but I'm not against the interpretation that one or both of the girls are trans.)

So my version of Jason is black/Asian/Latino! I think he's Japanese/Indian from his mom and black/Latino from Willis so keep that in mind.

Fleshing Them Out; My Expansion:

I'll start with Ma Gunn, since we see the most of her in the comics and she has the most groundwork laid for her already. Mostly I'd like to make her a little more complex.

She's proven to be a ruthlessly pragmatic character, but I don't see her being someone who does what she does for fun. She's someone who values control, someone who doesn't take perceived slights lightly. I imagine growing up a woman on Gotham's streets with so many relations to organized crime builds grit, spawns bitterness and hate. She seems like the type to value tradition - in the Gotham crime family way- this is how she was raised and the way she raised her own children. There is no changing the world they live in, only surviving it. I think she really wanted to teach her kids, both the ones she birthed and the ones she fosters, how to survive.

That's not to say she really cares though, I don't think she's close enough to anyone to really care, even if maybe in the early days of motherhood she wanted to be. She's a stone cold bitch and she's proud of it, she made her kids strong and look at the reputation it's given her. Ma Gunn's school for wayward boys isn't just for strays anymore, there are some big names dropping their brats off for training these days. Crime lord daycare. Truly, only in Gotham.

Jason Todd Sr. Is a non-character. We know basically nothing but his name and that his marriage failed, and he's probably very dead. Which may or may not be related to said failed marriage.

Do I think Ma hired a hit on her husband? I wouldn't put it past her. I think she'd get rid of anyone if they were dragging her or the family down.

We can assume he was close to Willis, and I like to think that Mr. Todd was the homemaker because I can't really imagine Ma staying home to tend the kids. It's more likely her version of family bonding was a bank heist. Willis may have very well learned to drive from high speed car chases.

I think it would be very funny if Mr. Todd is from some third or fourth rate crime family that's using a mechanic shop as a front but Mr. Todd was actually really interested in it so he got an engineering degree and had little to nothing to do with the actual crime side of things. Maybe his family married him off to make him someone else's problem and while the Gunn's aren't a notable crime family they have a lot of resources and a lot of contacts, not to mention the small army of feral children.

Ma thought she was getting a seasoned criminal to help fund her illicit activities but instead he's a stay at home dad who has turned their home into a board game because he insists on fixing it all himself (if you use the microwave the doorbell might ring and you need a screw driver to use the shower ect.)

A lot of the experiences I associate Jason having with Willis I imagine Willis had with Mr. Todd, doing homework together, working on cars in the garage, Willis definitely learned how to cook from Mr. Todd because I just don't think Ma can do better than hamburger helper and public school lunch.

For the sibling situation, and I have no real evidence canon has completely left the building with this one, but I think he has sisters. Middle child Willis and also boy who grew up with all sisters Willis is real to me for reasons I couldn't say.

Completely made both of them up, but this is my house I can do what I want.

I'll start with the oldest sister, who I've decided to call Celia. I think she's the closest to her mother, the one who took over after her. Probably a serious, studious kind of person, she grew up with more opportunities than Ma did so she probably had more schooling. I can definitely see Celia as someone who worked her ass off to bring home good grades to make her mom proud and always falling short because Ma didn't really value traditional education.

Her and Willis definitely clashed growing up, Willis never liked Ma but Celia idolized her. Where Ma's crude demeanor and distance drove Willis to acts of rebellion it made Celia even more desperate to please.

Although I'm sure Willis would deny it, I think it's still a sore spot to him that Celia's way kind of worked. Once she got old enough to really learn about the business Celia was great at it, Ma started coming around to the benefits of having someone better with the numbers and paperwork.

I think that even after Willis leaves he genuinely tries to keep in touch with everyone, I don't think he ever stops trying to reach out to Celia. I don't think he agrees with who she became even if he saw it coming, regardless of how much he doesn't like their mother (he'd never say he hates her) Celia is still the girl who put bandaids on his scraped knees and let him crawl into her bed when he had nightmares and he can't bring himself to cut contact with her.

Celia is nicer than Ma, more adept at caring for the kids and because of this she earns their trust more which ultimately makes them more loyal to the Gunn's. This is a purposeful tactic because although she does see the kids as her own she doesn't see anything wrong with manipulating them for her gain. They're family, and family always want to help each other.

Jason was not allowed to visit his auntie, and didn't even know his grandmother was still alive.

I don't think she'd have a husband or boyfriend, a romantic relationship would take too much attention away from her business and if there's one thing she learned from her mother it's that a man would only drag her down or try to control her.

Willis is, to the surprise of no one, is who I have the most to say about but I'll try to keep it brief. For all he gets a bad rep I think he's a family man at heart, I'm positive he always planned on kids even if he wasn't sure about settling down with anyone at first.

Mostly because his mom kept trying to arrange marriages which is how he ended up dating Sheila for a time...which obviously didn't work out. One could say he wasn't keen on a repeat performance after that fell apart.

Man whore I fear, Gotham's fourth most bisexual man. Where's that one post about the goon who causes a distraction for his boss by making out with the bank teller and his wife. That's literally him Willis Todd ghost wrote that post. I'll get more into his various relationships in Part 3.

This man was born to tell dad jokes and wear funky ties but he's forced to live a life of violence and crime. Because of poverty and generational trauma.

I think the most tragic part of Willis Todd is that he tried. He loved his wife and he loved Jason and he gave everything he had to providing for them so Jason wouldn't have to grow up like he did but it ended the same anyway. And he'd never be disappointed in Jason, although Jason thinks he would, because home knows his son and he knows Jason wouldn't do it unless he really thought he was helping people.

I know everyone holds the opinion that Catherine was the most serious about Jason's school but I argue it's Willis, Cathy taught Jason to love learning but Willis taught him the importance of it. I think Willis always got good grades but he never went to college because part of ditching his family was ditching their money and most of what he made went towards supporting himself.

I've named the youngest sister Joan, and I think it's important to define her relationships more than her personality for reasons I'll get into in a bit.

For continuity's and sake I'll say she was a pre-teen when Willis moved out at 18-19, which would give her a large gap between both Willis and Celia - who I imagine are maybe two or three years apart - age wise. So while Willis likely tried to take care of her, to influence her away from their mom and sister, I don't think he was super fond of being at home to begin with so I don't think he was around much and I think Mr. Todd died not long after she was born so she didn't really have the gentle hand that Wills did growing up.

This left her with little to rely on but Ma and Celia, it was a real rock and hard place. Ma is honest in her ruthlessness at least, but Celia uses her love as a tool for manipulation. I'm sure she grew up right beside the other kids at Ma's school.

So I think it's no wonder that when she found herself with a baby she had no clue how to take care of, it was very easy for her mom and sister to convince her to give the baby over. Easy for Joan to decide that her daughter was in better hands with Celia as her mother.

And then Joan...vanished. No note, no phone call, no body. Most suspect it was Ma who did it, even though the woman had her kids - former and present - rip the city apart looking for her. No one knows the full story, and no one knows Joan Gunn's whereabouts.

Well, no one except Willis Todd, not that anyone else knows that.

Faye Gunn II has a lot of potential. I think there's a chance for her to parallel Jason. They both grew up on the streets and both have affiliations with organized crime, but where Faye is comfortable perpetuating the cycle of violence expected of the Gunn women Jason spends every night busting his ass to make sure another kid never has to go through what he did.

I also think it would be fun if maybe Faye wasn't entirely human, y'know give her a little bit of meta gene as a treat. Beast Boy isn't using the name Changeling anymore and I've long subscribed to Gotham operating by faerie rules so maybe she can borrow it for a few issues.

I don't have many thoughts on her as is but I'd like to do more with her in the future!

This got really long and I'm certain it will only get longer with the next additions. The next part will focus on the Clemens/Johnson family! Catherine Todd lovers stay tuned for part 2. Remember that all of this is just how I view them based on the cookie crumbs we get about them in canon.

[faulty-writes]

[ Okay I know I promised that I would publish a part II forever ago. But better late than never! So...this is a continuation of this request from lovely Daysans-World (Tumblr isn't letting me tag them, boo) and fair warning, this features a female reader. I hope you enjoy it. Writing Neito is fun. He’s slightly yandere, slightly preppy, and beautifully ignorant. It’s amazing. ]

You groaned, rounding the corner that led to the student housing. Leaning against a nearby tree, you catch your breath before fisting your hand into your hair. ‘What is wrong with me!? I’ve only known the guy for a day! Maybe less…’ honestly it didn’t matter.

In the short span of your time with him, he managed to get you to speak more words to him than you had anyone outside of the General Studies Department. That was strange enough, seriously what kind of power did Neito have over you?

Scratch that, you weren’t sure if you wanted to know. Yet that didn’t change the fact that you never anticipated someone like him being able to do that. Although this could be another example of the type of characteristics that can be found in heroes or maybe just in Neito.

“Y/n?” you paused and turned to see Hitoshi. He was a former general studies student who had tried his hardest to get into the hero course. You were happy for him, and he was still one of the few people that you weren’t afraid to talk to.

“Oh, hi Shinso…” you replied, giving a nervous chuckle as you lowered your hand. “Something wrong?” he asked, although his voice always sounded monotone to you. Did he ever show any emotion? Well, now wasn’t the time to think about that.

“Um, n-no!” you replied, waving your hands like mad. “Uh, I mean well…” you scratched the side of your head before a thought came. “Hey,” you said, “do you know Momona?” Hitoshi’s eyes widened in recognition before he glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck.

“...yeah,” he replied, but you sensed something was off about his answer. It was like he didn’t want to talk about it. You latched onto your lip which was beginning to feel sore. “Um, do you…do you know anything about him?” Hitoshi knitted his eyebrows.

“What do you mean?” he replied, and you were almost afraid to look at him for fear you’d see suspicion in his eyes. “Just, I…” you paused, should you tell him that you agreed to let Neito be a part of your project? Maybe not. “I want to know more about him,” you said. “What?” Hitoshi replied, “Why?” he added.

“No reason just…” you shifted your eyes back and forth, trying to devise an excuse. “I think he’s cool?” you said, shrugging and hoping that Hitoshi wouldn’t be able to sense that you were lying to him. “Hm, cool huh?” he asked, crossing his arms. “Y-yes?” you replied, shrugging. He glanced away, huffing.

“He’s annoying…has no sense of personal space and is overdramatic,” at least those were the first three things that came to his mind. He noticed that your face dropped, and your eyes held a shattered look as if he had smashed some hope you had related to Neito.

He sighed. “He was also the first one that welcomed me as his friend,” your eyes widened. “R-really?” He nodded. “Guess that says something about his character, most are put off by me, but he saw strength in my abilities,” a smile tugged at the corner of your lips.

You should be writing this down, then again, this information wasn’t exactly related to your project so you could let it go for now. “Thank you, Shinso!” you said politely and rushed past him before he could say anything more.

That night, thoughts of Neito clouded your mind as you lay in your bed with your heart pounding. It was a strange feeling, and you wondered what was happening. ‘Am I…happy?’ The thought seemed ridiculous, and you shook your head before turning on your side, focusing your attention on the wall.

“Ah! Mr. Aizawa ruined everything!” Neito screamed as he raised his arms above his head before entangling his hands in his hair. “Am I truly cursed to not have one peaceful moment with my dear Y/n, she’s surely the most tolerable and shyest of the creatures here at Yuuei and I want her to myself!”

He stomped his foot against the ground. “Surely no one else is worthy of caring for her!” A chuckle filled the air and he paused, looking around like mad to find the source of the noise. “Excuse you! It’s rude to eavesdrop on another’s conversation!” he snapped, continuing to look around.

“Or is it that you’re interested in Y/n as well!?” he growled, ready to fight whoever was laughing at him. “Not at all dude, but your shouting is kind of loud. I thought something was up, so I came to check out the scene!” Neito knitted his eyebrows, clearly perplexed.

“Tch and just where are you?” He asked, crossing his arms. “Look at your feet dude,” he blinked and sure enough when he looked down, he saw the face of Mirio phased through the ground and stumbled back. “You!?” he shouted in response.

“Heh, yeah,” Mirio smiled, “wait right here, I’ll be back!” With that, he disappeared once more. “The nerve of him,” Neito grumbled, tapping his foot against the ground. The sound of birds chirping in the distance and the leaves rustling surrounded him.

Beyond the tree line, he could see the sun beginning to set and the sky turning various hues of red, orange, and yellow. He frowned, his mind still lingering with thoughts of you. ‘Oh dear, what will I do to get her close to me?’ There had to be a way to crack that hard shell of yours.

“Heyo!” Neito turned, watching as Mirio approached. He scowled and his body stiffened in response, yes most would respect upperclassmen but not in this case. Not when they tried to steal you away from him. “What do you want?” He asked with a glare.

“Oh uh, heh,” Mirio noticed this but decided to be friendly regardless. “You’re the one I saw in the library earlier, right?” he asked, placing his hands on his hips, and smiling but Neito gave no response. “I’m still really sorry about that,” he said, scratching the side of his head.

“I wasn’t trying to interfere just-” he stepped back when Neito pointed his finger at him. “Just what?! How dare you interrupt my moment with Y/n,” he said with a snarl, this upperclassman was no better than Mr. Aizawa. “What else are you planning to ruin between us? Why are you even here?” he demanded.

“Uh, well you see…” he could have sworn he told him that earlier, but oh well. Maybe he just wasn’t paying attention, after all, he did kind of startle him. “I…I couldn’t help but overhear your dilemma, and I’m here to help!” he declared with a wink and smile.

Neito growled. “Help? Hah, that’s quite humorous but I don’t need any help,” he declared, turning his back on Mirio. “Are you sure?” he replied, knitting his eyebrows. “Y/n seemed pretty shy in the library and well…if there’s anything I can do to help her, let me know!” Maybe it was just hard for him to accept no as an answer.

Especially when it seemed that Neito did need his help. “After all, the best way to get to know someone is by doing nice things for them!” Neito glanced to the side, tapping his chin in thought. What did he know about you? From observing you as long as he did, he could recall a few things.

Onigiri was one of your favorite snacks, you worked hard on your academic studies but also enjoyed reading mystery novels on your own time. When you talked with other general studies students, you displayed a deep sense of care for them.

Of course, it was a mystery to him as to why you cared for others. But he wasn’t so ignorant as to completely disregard what it felt like to care for another. “Are you suggesting that if I were to give Y/n the things she likes, she would open up to me?” he asked, turning to face Mirio.

“Uh, well I think there’s more to it than that! But sure!” he said shrugging. “Hm…” Neito nodded. “Very well, I’m happy I thought of that,” he said walking past Mirio whose eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it as he watched the lowerclassmen walk away.

“Here!” Neito declared, slamming a box onto the table in the library and nearly scaring you half to death. “Huh?” you knitted your eyebrows, noting that what he so rudely slammed down was an ordinary box covered in light blue wrapping paper with colorful bows across the top of it.

“Um, y-you…” Neito smirked. “Yes of course, I, the one and only Phantom Thief have presented you with a gift,” and of course, it was better than any other gift you could receive from any other ordinary everyday boring student.

Your heart began to pound and couldn’t help but smile as you unwrapped the gift. “Oh,” you marveled when you saw several pieces of delicious and differently flavored onigiri inside. In addition, there were a few mouth-watering drinks.

You picked one up, quickly reading the label before looking at the pink-colored liquid that had bits of strawberries floating in it. However, you ended up dropping it when Neito’s hand hit the table. He seemed to ignore the fact that the bottle had rolled off said table and onto the floor.

“Yes, I know. Quite amazing, isn’t it? Now…” he reached over, grasping your chin to lift your head. “What do you say?” he asked. “Huh?” you blinked before realizing what he wanted. “Oh, t-thank you!” Had you forgotten to thank him!?

He smirked at your response. “Oh, you’re quite welcome,” he said, leering at you possessively. “Now then,” he took the seat opposite you and folded his hands on the table. “Hm?” you looked at him before taking an onigiri out of the box.

You then made sure it was closed and placed it on the floor next to your chair. You picked up the drink you had dropped earlier and placed it on the table before adjusting yourself in your seat. Then you unwrapped the onigiri you had chosen and took a bite, waiting for Neito to speak.

“I do hope Mr. Aizawa’s intrusion didn’t disturb you too much, although it was rather rude for you to run away without giving me a goodbye.” His words made you freeze, and you thought about speaking in your defense but knowing Neito, it wouldn’t make a difference.

You grumbled and glanced away before taking another bite of your food, you chewed it slowly and swallowed. “Why…” your question faded into the air making you groan in frustration. After yesterday, you shouldn’t be having a problem talking to him. You took a deep breath, ignoring how Neito leaned closer.

‘Okay, I can do this…his eyes are on me.’ You tried to ignore your rapid heart rate and flushed cheeks. “Why…d-did you…w-want to become a…he-hero?!” You exclaimed, squeezing your eyes shut and cringing as your voice echoed through the library.

“Hm?” Neito blinked, looking at you with surprise before he smiled. “Awe is my dear Y/n finally coming out of her shell?” he teased, noticing the way your cheeks grew a darker shade of red. Oh, how he loved knowing he was the cause of it.

He chuckled before leaning back in his chair, the smile fading from his face. You noticed this and suddenly felt awkward and guilty, had you caused him to get sad!? “Y-you don’t have to…u-uh, I, u-um…” he shook his head.

“No, it’s quite alright. After all, I agreed to be a part of your project, it’s only natural to want to know the past of someone as marvelous as I!” he declared, brushing his hand over his bangs although you couldn’t help but wonder if he was putting up a front.

That frown had to mean something, have you struck a nerve? A painful past? Now that you thought about it, maybe villains weren’t the only ones with a painful past. Did heroes have them too? He took a deep breath and sighed.

“As a child, I was mercilessly teased!” he declared dramatically, pressing one hand against his chest. “Others called my quirk useless,” your eyes widened. “Useless?” you repeated with a frown. How could others have said such a cruel thing to him?

“Of course, I vowed to become a hero to prove them wrong. Their taunts surely couldn’t hold me down,” he said with a smirk. “Mmhm,” you replied. At least he found the courage to overcome the obstacles that tried to stop him from becoming a hero and maybe that’s why he acted the way he did.

It wasn’t to make others feel small, but rather to continue to make himself feel bigger than those bullies. “Of course, there are also the familial expectations,” your thoughts were broken. “Familial…e-expectations?” you repeated, feeling your heart sink in your chest.

“Oh yes, the pressure to maintain good grades and appearances and all that. It’s really quite exhausting living up to certain expectations,” he admitted with a dramatic sigh. You narrowed your eyes and focused on the look of hurt that now danced in his.

As much as you wanted to tell him about your family’s expectations, you instead placed what was left of your onigiri down and hesitantly reached across the table and laid your hand over his. He gasped at the contact, and you immediately pulled away.

“S-sorry!” you exclaimed, the heat in your cheeks rising. “I...I m-mean I wasn’t...I j-just...I uh...” You looked at him, swallowing thickly as he raised his eyebrow. Glancing down, you expected him to say something rude in response, but instead, he reached over, taking your hand.

“Huh?” You raised your head, watching as he slid his palm along yours, aligning your fingers. His hand, you noticed, felt warm and his skin smooth. “Um...” you latched onto your lip, nervously chewing it before finding the courage to ask what he was doing.

“Shh,” he responded and slowly slipped his fingers between yours and smiled as he stared at your now conjoined hands. It wasn’t like any smile he had given before. There was something softer, loving about it. Like he had just witnessed the most beautiful thing in the world and then he muttered the words, “Perfect fit.”

To say that such words caught you off guard would be an understatement. That same sensation from last night came when you looked at your hand cradled in his. A smile then enveloped your features. ‘Maybe this is happiness,’ you confirmed, squeezing his hand gently.

Silence filled the space between the two of you as you enjoyed this happy moment. But then, a thought entered your mind, and it was this thought that shattered the smile on your face to pieces. “Hm? Is something the matter?” he asked, feeling insulted that you were frowning because he was currently holding your hand.

You shook your head. “N-no,” you said, looking at him again. “Nothing’s um…wrong.” A sigh escaped your lips moments later, causing him to knit his eyebrows. He opened his mouth, prepared to ask what was wrong again, but you spoke first.

“My family a-also has certain…e-expectations…and...” You looked away from him, rubbing the side of your neck. Why you were even telling him this, you didn’t know. Neito narrowed his eyes as he watched your cheeks turn a luscious pink.

Although he was quite astounded by this, he was envious that he wasn’t the cause of it…maybe even a little angry. “And what?” He growled, making you knit your eyebrows as you looked at him. For a moment, you wondered if what you had said made him angry.

Maybe he was just angry that the attention had shifted to you. Regardless of the happy moment the two of you shared earlier, you still thought Neito was a bit selfish and obsessed with himself. “Um…” you looked down, partly wondering if you should actually tell him or not.

Then again, you were trying to bond with him in a sense, and he had told you details about his life he surely wouldn’t have shared with anyone else. So, you took a deep breath and let it out. “T-they have expectations about my…f-future love life…” It was like a lightning bolt passed through his chest, causing his heart to crumble.

“W-what!?” He snapped in reply, standing from his seat and ignoring the people who were now staring because of his outburst causing your cheeks to darken into a rich red color. “Uh, M-Monoma…” You said, sinking in your seat.

However, he wasn’t willing to listen to reason and shook his head. “What on Earth do you mean they have expectations, surely they do not intend to marry you off to…to...” He clenched his jaw, trying to think of the correct words. “Some immature individual who could never hope to measure up to the greatness I display!”

He pressed his hands against the table and leaned over, intent on speaking more until he saw the expression on your face. Like a kicked puppy, a frown decorated your lips, and your eyes were dull as if someone had ripped out your very soul.

He blinked. “Y/n?” he questioned, and you latched onto your lip before gathering your things from the table and quickly putting them into your backpack. “Y/n?” he repeated, panic and concern dripping from his voice. “I-I’ll see you later, Monoma…” you said, slipping your backpack over your shoulders.

“Wait!” he half-heartedly called, but you left the library in a hurry. More importantly, you left the gift he had so generously given you and the drink you had placed on the table. “Mm…” he frowned, obviously confused and angry as to why you had reacted the way you did to his words.

Days passed, and Neito found himself increasingly anxious. He hated to admit that he was feeling such a way, and it was hard to keep up his confidence when he hadn’t seen you. Even when he happened to catch a glimpse of you, it was clear you were going out of your way to avoid him.

He pondered if his words were the reason behind your drastic actions and eventually, he was unable to contain his frustration. “Ah!” He shouted into the night. Having been unable to sleep, he decided wandering the grounds of the student housing campus may help him.

But unfortunately, it didn’t. His mind was still fixated on you and more importantly, “How can I get her to fall for me!?” He raised his arms above his head and sighed dramatically before his knees buckled. He fell to the ground with his fists twisted into the grass.

“Heh, so I take it that Y/n didn’t receive your gifts well?” His body instantly snapped up and he looked around, uncertain of where the voice had come from. “Huh?” He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. Surely, he was not going mad.

He sighed, then again, perhaps you had something to do with that. Oh, how could he get you to see him the way that he saw you? He clenched his jaw, feeling his body heat up and anger rush through his veins. He stood on his feet.

“Hmp,” he grumbled before turning around only to stumble straight into someone else. He cried out, and his nose crinkled at the rather cheap smell that invaded his nostrils. He looked up, only to see Mirio smiling down at him.

He cried out in disgust and attempted to shove him away, but due to their stature difference, Mirio remained where he was, and Neito ended up stumbling back because of his actions. “Heh, did I scare you? Sorry about that, totally didn’t mean to!” The upperclassman commented, only to have Neito growl in response.

“So, what happened between you and Y/n? Did my suggestion not work as well as you hoped?” He asked, ignoring Neito’s glare. “I should have known better than to take advice from anyone,” he stated, stomping his foot against the ground. “I will win over Y/n myself! I do not need your help,” he declared, walking away.

Mirio tilted his head, somewhat confused by what he was seeing, but waved him goodbye. “Well, alright! But you know you could just confess your feelings. That is if you want Y/n to know how much you care about her,” Neito stopped and looked at Mirio from over his shoulder.

“Confess…my…feelings?” He repeated, his eyes shifting back and forth. “Yup,” Mirio replied, placing his hands on his hips. “After all, how can you expect someone to fall for you if they don’t even know how you feel in the first place?” He blinked, before tapping his chin a few times.

He thought he had already made his feelings for you clear. Then again, you were rather shy and antisocial. Why of course! That must be why you remained unreceptive to his actions and words. You needed him to be clearer. Yes, yes! That was it.

He simply needed to tell you how he felt about you straight-forward and then, oh yes, you would no doubt fall for him. It was a perfectly devised plan. “Hm, very well. Perhaps confessing my feelings for Y/n would be beneficial,” he replied and tried to ignore the rather absurd smile that Mirio gave him.

“That sounds awesome! Good luck!” He stated, and despite receiving a rather obscene glare from the underclassmen, he was still happy for him. Although confessing your feelings wasn’t easy, from what he had already seen Neito was quite the character and in a way, anyone would be lucky to have someone with such confidence in their life.

In the back of his mind, however, he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if Neito got rejected. Yikes, probably nothing good. But if that did happen, he’d try his best to help. Broken hearts kind of sucked, but they could be healed with plenty of support from friends.

Despite your conflicting feelings, you found yourself sitting in the library, at your usual table, which over the past week had also become Neito’s table. You weren’t sure why you were even here, but you knew that Neito wasn’t exactly the most thoughtful with his words.

More than likely, he didn’t realize just how intense the romantic pressure your family placed on you was. Frankly, it disgusted you that they wanted to marry you off to whoever they thought was best for you. It was a wonder what they’d think of Neito and his unorthodox method of trying to court you.

If you were honest, the possessive nature that he held over you was also a bit unnerving. Then again, it was probably his ego talking, and after everything he had gone through, including people making fun of his quirk and putting him down, it was understandable why he would be prideful.

However, that was no excuse to oversell yourself or try to claim someone else as your own. Yet, it was nice to know that someone wanted you that bad. Someone who aspired to do good through his hero work and had overcome his inner demons.

So maybe you were just sitting here in hopes he’d come to you. Little did you know that was exactly what was going to happen. His heart was pounding in his chest, and a warm hue coursed through his cheeks giving them a pink appearance.

He ran past the doors of the library, startling the few students standing around or browsing through the nearby shelves. He frantically looked around and a sense of relief rushed over him when he spotted you. His lip quivered, a sensation that was entirely new to him.

Yet, he knew that you were the reason behind it, and it was almost scary thinking that someone such as yourself had this kind of power over him. But perhaps that was love. Yes, he would admit that he was a tad bit obsessed with you.

However, his affection stemmed from the fact that you were vastly different from everyone else. He took a deep breath. ‘Pull yourself together, you’re Neito Monoma!’ He reminded himself, curling his hands into fists before he made his way to your table.

“Hm?” You held your breath when you lifted your head and saw him walking toward you, just as you predicted. It was almost as though the two of you were drawn to this space, to one another. You noticed the unusual nervous expression he wore, and it perplexed you. Why was he nervous? If anyone should be nervous, it should be you.

As he stood in front of the table, the pink color that filled his cheeks turned a soft red. He glanced away and rubbed the side of his neck. Oh, how would he confess to you? Surely you wouldn’t accept his feelings if they weren’t presented in the most perfect way possible. Then again…perhaps feelings were askew for a reason.

They were not something one asked for, and in some cases, couldn’t control. He took a deep breath and felt a tingle course through him, it was almost like lightning. It caused his hair to stand on end and only intensified when he locked eyes with you.

He stumbled forward, slamming his hands on the table to ensure he truly had your attention. Your eyes widened in response, and yes, you looked at him with an expression that danced somewhere between confusion and irritation. Why did he do that in the first place?

He smirked and leaned over, despite the damned butterflies in his stomach, he poured out his emotions. “Y-you!” He stated with a pointed finger. “My…pursuit of you has proved to be difficult, and although I desired you because of your unusual personality-” You looked at him strangely.

“Unusual...personality?” you repeated, almost sounding offended. He nodded and while he could go into detail, now wasn’t the time for that. “My plan to court you,” he continued, “by insisting on being the star topic of your presentation has...fallen apart.” He glanced away, feeling more shameful than anything.

He hated failure and yes maybe that stemmed from his family’s expectations. Unlike you, however, he had a choice when it came to his love life, and he chose you. Yes, you, and damn anyone else. You kept looking at him perplexed. This was not what you expected.

He glanced back at you, his cheeks remaining a soft red. “I…I do not know why you acted the way you did when I attempted to claim courtship rights over you despite your familial expectations. Perhaps romance makes you uncomfortable,” he dreaded to think his courting methods made you feel such a way.

But surely that was ridiculous. As he had stated many times, no one was more perfect for you than him. “I’m more than certain you know I will not stop my pursuit,” he hissed, he had to at least make that clear. He placed one hand on his hip, and the other remained pressed against the table.

His head turned to the side, and he closed his eyes. His lips curled up as if he had smelled something foul. “You are truly naive if you believe that I would allow your family to hand you off to anyone who is not me!” He snapped, placing the hand that was against his hip on his chest.

Your heart fluttered, you knew family matters, especially dealing with arranged marriages and love, were complicated. And even if Neito’s affection was somewhat yandere, it was clear that he wouldn’t let your family control you. Your thoughts were shattered when you heard him huff.

“The thought of losing you to…another is just…unethical. Nobody could take better care of you than I, Neito Monoma!” He announced and before you could react, he raced around the table to stand in front of you and took your hand.

Your soft delicate hand that he never wanted to let go. Then he got down on one knee as if he were proposing, and while you wouldn’t put that past him, it was clear there was another reason he was doing it. Once he was situated, he pressed your hand against his chest, and you could feel the rapid flutter of his heart.

You were a little worried that he might need to see Recovery Girl. But even if you suggested that, he would refuse until he said what he needed to say. He narrowed his eyes with determination. “I will not stop my pursuit of you,” he repeated, before taking a deep breath.

“As such, I vow to become the ideal hero for you.” Even if he had said similar things to you over the past week, a wave of surprise and a feeling of newfound hope coursed through your veins and a gentle smile formed on your face.

He felt a tinge of nerves once again consume him when you leaned forward, parting your lips to speak. This was it. Were you going to reject or accept his feelings? Either way, it didn’t matter. He’d wear you down until you were his.

Much to his surprise, you said, “I…accept your feelings.” Although you couldn’t tell him how to feel in the first place. His mouth hung open, making you chuckle. That look of confusion and shock was a rare sight, but he shook his head, soon regaining his composure as he stood back up.

“W-well of course you would,” he said, using that familiar know-it-all tone that you had gotten all too associated with. He then cleared his throat before noticing an exhibition board lying against one of the legs of the table. “What is that?” He questioned, pointing to it.

You turned your head and your stomach twisted. Oh, so he had noticed it. You took a deep breath, rubbing your hands along your thighs before grabbing it. “I…f-finished my project,” you said, opening it to reveal three separate panels.

The words ‘Pro Hero or Student: Traits that Make Both Shine’ were across the top of it. On the first panel, you had an explanation of what you were doing with your project and the traits you had experimented with. The middle panel displayed pictures of famous heroes and the qualities they possessed.

Finally on the last panel was a picture of Phantom Thief, Neito’s hero alias, and underneath was information regarding the versatility of his quirk, the traits he had in common with your selection of pro heroes, and why they were stronger.

Although flattered, he was expecting more of the focus to be on him. Surely, he should have taken up all three panels. But this was a start, at least the General Studies Department would know how amazing he was. He smiled pridefully and looked at you.

“Well, perhaps your next assigned project can truly focus on me,” he said, already making assumptions. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes and closed the exhibition board before placing it back against the leg of the table. “I…e-even after what you said I…I wanted to w-work on the project…” you admitted.

“I thought it was t-the right thing to d-do because…” you paused and Neito leaned closer, eager to hear what you had to say about him. You took a deep breath, feeling heat course through your cheeks. The weight of his stare was certainly heavy but welcomed.

You turned your gaze back on him. “You’ve been through so much a-and despite your attitude,” which while unpleasant sometimes also was welcomed, “y-you’re an amazing person,” you stated before glancing away. You could feel your cheeks growing hotter by the second and your confidence skyrocketing.

“And…if what you say i-is true, that you’d never l-let my family marry me to anyone else then…” you swallowed unsure of how you’d phrase this. “I want you in my life,” yup. There it was. The conclusion of your project-themed journey with Neito. Sure…he was egotistical, pushy, and at times had no common decency when it came to manners.

But he was still determined, always looking to do the right thing, and willing to do whatever it took to protect those he cared about. Even through the negativity and doubt that people had regarding his abilities as a hero, he sought to prove them wrong.

Of course, you suspected that he also sought to prove to himself that he had what it took to become a hero. To rise above naysayers was a quality to be admired; maybe sometime soon, he could teach you how to be a social butterfly or at least speak to other students outside of your department.

Then again, maybe it was better not to think about social interaction now. His face was beaming and the expression that danced in his eyes reflected that loving and caring side that he often kept concealed. “Oh Y/n!” he exclaimed, making you yelp in surprise when he embraced you and proceeded to nuzzle his head against yours.

He loved the floral and fruity scent that permeated from your hair and invaded his nostrils. It gave him a sense of peace before he pulled away. “What a glorious moment this is!” He said, taking hold of your hands. “Come!” He stated, and without warning yanked you out of your chair.

“What!?” You exclaimed as he pulled you against him once more and smirked. A soft chuckle escaped him before he leaned closer. “You are rather adorable when taken by surprise, perhaps I’ll do this more often,” he said, wrapping an arm around your waist.

“For now, I believe a celebration is in order,” you knitted your eyebrows. A celebration? For what? Your newfound friendship? Your acceptance of his feelings? It was so hard to determine what was going through his mind. But you allowed him to lead you out of the library regardless.

While he rambled on about getting some type of latte, something dawned on you. Your life was going to change drastically now that Neito was part of it. Then again, you had a feeling the more traits you learned about him, the closer the two of you would become. 

[lilac-cat-draws]

Been taking my time, adding some stuff in this AU, mostly starting off with writing some dialogue along with some sketches that I think would fit the characters in the Genshin universe

I’m not going to write all of the voice overs, so I'll be mostly focusing on the ones I think would be more interesting to write about, also it was very difficult for me to get this to sound in character so this is my attempt

Dazai’s “Voice-Over”

Hello

Greetings I’m Osamu Dazai, it’s a pleasure to meet you. If you need any help, come to the Armed Detective Agency and we’ll deal with the issue. But looking at you, you seem to be handling things fine on your own, but if you’re considering feel free to contact us.

~

About Kujou Sara

Ah, you mean the tengu lady in the Tenryou Commission? Why yes I’ve met her, she would work along side us on more difficult cases and we don’t really see eye to eye most of the time which is unfortunate.

~

About Shikanoin Heizou

Never thought that the Tenryou Commission would have their own skilled detective, he’s sharp like a certain someone I know and his method of investigation is quite unique. A detective who stops a crime before it even starts, hmm interesting.

~

About Nakajima Atsushi

Atsushi has been my most fateful subordinate ever since I took him in. The boy has a lot of potential under all of his insecurities, also he’s been the most reliable when it comes to doing the paperwork I don’t want to do.

~

About Ryuunosuke Akutagawa

Oh him? I don’t have anything special to say about him in particular but I had something in mind. What is it? Well I’m not telling.

~

About Nakahara Chuuya

Ugh, that slug? He can be irritating sometimes, not to mention his fashion sense I mean really? *sigh* Besides that, he has his moments where he’s a lot more bearable and it is fun to mess with him whenever I get the chance.

~

About the Vision

I didn’t think the gods would acknowledge me of all people to deserve a vision, well I personally don’t mind this, but I doubt I’d really put this thing to much further use, other than what I used to use it for.

~

Birthday

Hey, since today is your special day, thought I’d take you around they city and grab something to eat, and as for the bill you don’t have to worry about that, my work partner can pay the expenses for us later.

~

More About Osamu Dazai: I

Have you ever been to our detective agency by any chance? It can be quite the treat if you get the chance to know us and as someone with first hand experience I’ll gladly give you a tour of the office and the various cases we deal with on a regular basis, hey I could even recruit you in, you seem to have the skills to join. No need? well it’s fine but if you change your mind, the offer is still on the table.

~

More About Osamu Dazai: II

There is this one coworker I know who is really fun to tease, he sticks to his ideals so much he can be a bit gullible. i would sometimes give him what he thinks could be vital information only for me to them tell him it wasn’t true. Believe me, it really livens up the workplace.

~

More About Osamu Dazai: III

Whenever the agency gets reached out with a certain case, it would be something along the lines of what the usual police couldn’t handle and on some instances we would collaborate with them for the more serious situations and It also means there would be more paperwork for the Agency to deal with *sigh*, and it’s no fun having to do nothing but that so I just don’t bother.

~

More About Osamu Dazai: IV

Why did I join the Armed Detective Agency? Well you’re pretty nosy aren’t you. It’s nothing special, but let’s just say that I joined because I’ve made a promise to someone long ago. I’d rather not have someone poking into my past like that so this is all the information you’ll get out of me.

~

More About Osamu Dazai: V

I always wonder what’s the value of living, what purpose do we need to serve in order to continue that. You seem to know what you want and by the time you get it, what now? As for me, well I’m just going through the motions and see what happens next and maybe I’ll find the reason I’m searching for

This is the best I could do, might edit this since I wrote this late at night

[kakuzatos]

kobeni’s devil

!! spoilers for chainsaw man !!

so, episode 9 came out and i watched it with vigor. as expected, kobeni slayed this episode and didn’t disappoint me with her moves. damn, she was quick. you really can’t have a pure hatred for kobeni, it will always have love in the mix. 

and while i was thinking about her, i got curious about her devil again. really, what is this big secret... why was she the only one who got out alive after 100 chapters while other characters like aki and power were ultimately killed off? she surely has relevance in the plot and there is a reason why her devil is concealed as a secret. a devil like that would be thought of as a dangerous one because kobeni can’t even say its name. 

naturally, i go to a full-on zoning out session thinking of the many possibilities of kobeni’s devil. 

i. well, first, i thought of the possibility of her being a devil that has a human-like appearance like makima, yoru and fami. that is a good theory, but her having a family and a brother denounces it a bit. i’m not saying that devils don’t have families and aren’t capable of being raised by one (makima was raised by the government, that’s why she’s like the way she is, if that ever counts as a family). i’m not particularly fond with this one, though, since kobeni is pretty much the most human person in the whole cast. i mean, look at her. 

scared shitless. if she was a devil, she would’ve been happy. devils thrive on fear, they don’t live with it. that would be pretty fun, though. 

ii. moving on. she could have a contract with the death devil. it’s probably the most overstated theory and for good reason. first of all, i’ve read this comment in a reddit post about a totally unrelated, regardless interesting, observation on chapter 113.

the comment reads: 

Getting back to my tangent about the Four Horsemen: the Four Horsemen are unique because, unlike normal devils, who only use fear, the Horsemen are each able to use one of the four emotions unique to humans, listed by the Doll Devil in ch 63:

Conquest uses Worship (aka reverence). So long as humans revere her, they hold her in a "higher place", allowing her to control them. Put from her POV, that means that, so long as the human is "lower" than her, she can control them.

Conquest bends the "rules" around devil contracts in two ways. The first way is obvious - she can force "lesser" humans to submit to her contracts. The second way is by being able to claim ownership over other devils. This means that, unlike a normal devil, Conquest can use other devils like as though they were part of her own body. This gave her the ability to use Angel's powers as though they were her own. This also means she could offer the bodies of other devils in her contracts, as we saw with Aki and the Gun Devil.

War uses Guilt. The greater the guilt she feels, the stronger the weapon she creates. The irony here is that War is so selfish and so absent of the understanding of right and wrong that she's unable to feel much guilt over anything she does. She blames Pochita for her current weakness, but really, she's inherently pretty weak compared to the other Horsemen, just because of this anti-synergy with her own power.

War bends the "rules" by forming completely lopsided "contracts". Like Makima, Yoru removes the human's consent from the equation - if she claims ownership, so long as it's something she can touch, she can weaponize it. But the person turned into a weapon gains nothing from it, the only benefactor is Yoru. Completely one-sided "contracts".

Famine uses Adoration/Respect. We'll see what this means exactly later, but I think I kind of touched on it in my other comment. War and Famine are a yin and yang duo - Yoru is "night", while the heart of Justice "shines with light". And while Yoru is completely selfish and devoid of the understanding of good and evil, Famine seems stuck doing things for others (in other words, is "selfless"), all while being very concerned with the understanding of good and evil. Yoru's power is based on guilt, aka, being able to sense the evil in yourself. So hence, I suspect Famine's "Respect"-based powers are based on being able to sense the good in other people.

Famine bends the "rules" by also forming completely lopsided contracts. The difference is, while Yoru only takes... as Yuko pointed out, Justice only gives. My guess is that, if Famine senses that a human is "good", she can form zero-cost contracts.

Death uses Pity. Pity is the feeling you get when you watch other living things suffer. The idea that Death gets stronger from feelings of pity sends shivers down my spine...

This is especially the case if it's true that every Horseman is trying to cancel out the source of their own power. Conquest's dream is to form equal, nonhierarchical, relationships, which flies in the face of a being whose power is based on hierarchy. So if Death wants to be rid of the "source of its power", too, then wouldn't it have to get rid of all suffering?

notice something about death. death is also powered by pity. kobeni is pretty damn pitiful in almost all her screentime, manga or anime, except her fabulous show in episode 9. but she did experience a lot of torment and she is generally seen as pitiful. maybe, just maybe, that pity she gets from other people is what feeds the death devil. and having to survive all what happened in the past arcs, i wouldn’t be surprised if she ever was involved with such a mortifying devil like the death devil. she dodged death in multiple occasions, it’s like death sided with her. another thing, in hell or chapter 63-64, the darkness devil didn’t even try to kill her. maybe it’s scared?

it’s also such a fun concept to think about. this traumatized girl who is about to shit herself has a contract with the death devil. fucking metal. the thought alone deserves its own book. 

iii. kobeni has a contract with the luck devil! a lot of people agree with this one! i don’t know if it’s good luck or bad luck, though. she seems to somehow have both, so i’m not sure. many people do lean into the idea of a “chance devil”, but i’m pretty certain, if that was the case, it would be the “bad luck” or “misfortune” devil. if there was a luck devil, why would anyone fear good luck? it would’ve been extremely weak because, in retrospect, no one would fear good luck. 

so, bad luck. in this article, it stated that kobeni somehow feeds the bad luck devil with her own bad luck and fear, explaining why she doesn’t sacrifice her body parts. 

although this is good, personally i don’t favor it too much. fujimoto is known for his chaotic direction of his manga and always being spontaneous that you can’t predict it, but it’s done so, in a way, that it’s orchestrated. hints are left, foreshadowing is present; it’s chaotic but makes sure to make sense to us too. a good story should make sense while maintaining its unpredictability. so, a death devil is already hinted. a bad luck devil is not. (yet) 

well, this theory will just have to wait for a while. maybe, there will be a time when a bad luck devil will appear or get mentioned. 

iv. in this post, kobeni is theorized to be contracted with a devil connected to survival. for one, if that devil were to be connected to survival, it could either mean: a fear of death or a fear of getting hurt. 

a fear of death relates to the death devil. 

a fear of getting hurt relates to a pain devil of some sorts. a pain devil would be cool because it will be powerful. almost all humans are scared of being hurt and will make a bit more sense in the storyline, considering that her line of work is potentially getting hurt and seeing others getting hurt because of her. pretty neat theory! 

v. same post in iv, there’s a comment where she might be have a contract with the knife devil. although, there is no evidence to back this up, her main weapon of choice is a knife. in a way, it makes sense.  

v. car devil. no questions. in fact, according to u/LeynaSepKim, it was even foreshadowed in chapter 5, in their post.

all are only speculation! feel free to correct me or add some other theories. the only thing we can do to form more theories and solidify existing ones is to wait. we have yet to see her full potential. she is shown to be athletic in the anime and the manga, but not her power in its entirety. 

[almostfoxglove]

hi angel!!

I’ve previously been here to express my love for i’ll carry you and the very tangible emotions it evokes within me every time!! it’s very easily become one of my all time favorite javi stories because of how raw and angsty the yearning is and it’s just chefs kiss!!

wanted to ask you your process for writing this story cause it’s so beautifully done?

also wondering how you were doing with the next chapter and if we can get a little sneak peek? (no pressure at all btw pls i’m just over here being curious)

ANON askfjsdha HI ANGEL!! this is so so sweet of you :,) I am blushing and terribly flattered, thank you so much <33 and tysm for asking about the ~process~ I LOVE TALKIN SHOP

I'll Carry You started as a one shot for my angst writing challenge back in the summer - I kept one moodboard for myself knowing I wanted to take part and try my hand at writing javier for the first time, and as you know it became I'LL CARRY IT :,)

I'm gonna put my yapping under the cut (and the chat about the finale) because I have a feeling I'm gonna go off (sorry in advance for rambling)

** ! SPOILERS FOR I'LL CARRY YOU BELOW THE CUT ! **

for the challenge I had to incorporate the quote in the moodboard in some way, which was what started everything - I had that moment of javier lying with his head in her lap on her porch swing in mind and was trying to figure out how to get there, especially with angst

javi didn't feel like the kind of person (at least in this angsty context) to exhibit this kind of vulnerable / intimate pda very often, so I figured he ought to be drunk and that the person he's with is someone he's very comfortable with (so I translated that to = childhood best friend, someone he's known most of his life)

a professor I had in uni was really big on giving us restrictions in writing assignments and I always found them so helpful - things like: write a story without using any "to be" verbs, or without any dialogue, or where one character is trapped in another room, or a story told in reverse chronology, etc. giving yourself limitations can be so freeing in a way, funny enough?? it's what we do when we make up writing challenges, after all!!

so when I was having trouble figuring out where to take / end the one shot, I thought it could be fun to give myself the structural restriction - tell the story over just one night broken up hour by hour, and as soon as I broke out the draft like that it went *click* :,)

of course you already know it became a series!! I didn't want the next part to have no structural restrictions, but it also didn't make sense to also make that part take place over just one night again, so I took this quote from I'll Carry It:

Javier’s dark brow dips in the middle and you might as well be twenty-eight again. Twenty-one. Eighteen. Eleven. All the ages you’ve been with him in all the years you’ve known him.

and decided I'd break up part II by those ages to explore their friendship over the years, which is how You Carry It was born!! it ends of course when Javi does finally return post s3 :,) which... you know... ouch. ha :,) ha :,)

RE: part 3!

part three is TRUCKING ALONG! but actually the thing I'm focusing on rn is a one shot told from javi's POV that follows the structure of part II. I talked a little about it here in this ask if you want some more details!! but I want to get that one shot out before the big finale, ya know?

so this one shot is meant to be read after going down, with the context of the moment in sixth grade where reader breaks javi out of his locker - here's a (wip) peek:

once this one shot is out the finale is up next - but I've got a bit written already! I think it's going to be... massive lmfao. so I suspect it will end up living solely on ao3 because it'll be too big for tumblr. I talked a little about this part's formatting restriction here - but it'll be broken up month by month for a year and follow immediately where we left off in part II (in october, then ending the following september)

I've got october, november, and december fully drafted - and some of may (it'll be the biggest section I think) :,) but it's gonna be a beast!!

I put a little sneak peak at part III under the cut of this wip wednesday if you haven't seen that yet, in case you want a peek of that too! but the javi pov one shot will come out next <3

okay THIS IS SO EMBARRASSINGLY LONG I AM SO SORRY ANON

if you made it to the end of this you are a fucking trooper and I adore you. thank you sm for asking :,) I hope this is sorta insightful? idk? or that it gets you jazzed for more ANGST bc lord we've got that comin :,) ilysm okay? this is my favorite series to work on so just thank you so much for caring about it enough to send this IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY <3

[twosentencereviews]

Meta-review of Folie a Deux

I'm one of the few people who didn't like Joker (2019). Most people seemed to love it. I believe this was due to some directorial sleight-of-hand that made people think they were watching a better movie than they were. See my original two-sentence review and an exhaustive teardown.

I also predicted, when the trailer dropped in April, that it would also be bad. I speculated on some plot beats based on the trailer, analyzed the role of Harley Quinn in preceding media, and concluded Todd Phillips doesn't know what he's doing with the second character any more than the first.

Now Folie a Deux is out...and everyone seems to hate it, even (especially?) people who liked the original. But what I find odd is the complaints people have with FaD are, essentially, the same problems I had with the original. The second film isn't different--it's the same, but more so (plus some pointless musical numbers).

I'm not going to watch a movie I know is bad, that everyone else agrees is bad. But I will review why I think the spell is broken in the second film, based on spoilers and reviews from other content creators.

We need to start by being explicit about something. Todd Phillips does not like the Joker. This was never a secret; it was explicitly in the marketing buzz for the first film. Todd Phillips was openly frustrated that he was asked by Warner Bros to make a film about the Joker that he didn't want to make, and so he made it his own, and just slapped a paper-thin Batman facade over it.

A better filmmaker might have done something clever or subversive with that. Like Paul Verhoeven taking the fascist Starship Troopers Heinlein novel and making it a self-parody of a film. Or Stanley Kubrick taking the cosmic horror of King's The Shining and making it a survival horror film about being trapped in the woods with an axe-murderer. Adaptations can add to their sources.

But Todd Phillips isn't so clever. Instead, he has Arthur Fleck spend the whole first movie trying to distance himself from the Joker persona that other people put on him. In the same way that Todd Phillips doesn't want to be the Joker director, Arthur Fleck doesn't want to be the Joker. The first film wants to be a tragedy; it wants to be a story about someone being forced into a role they didn't want and do not accept, and we're supposed to feel pity and empathy.

And it doesn't work. Because Todd Phillips is wrong, both about himself, and about his self-insert character. Arthur Fleck's suffering is at times self-inflicted (taking a gun into a children's hospital, later, murdering people) and at times systemic injustice (trash collector's strike, losing his social worker), but Arthur spends the movie insisting that he, personally, as an individual, has been unfairly wronged and deserves an apology. He doesn't want to be treated as a symbol for larger issues, but he also doesn't want to own up to the fact that yeah, he's a murderer. If we look backward through the camera lens, Todd Phillips is complaining that "woke culture" is preventing him from making another The Hangover...but my dude, you also made Project X and The Hangover Part II and III, own up to the fact that you made some bad films.

But then people liked the first Joker film anyway. Why? Well, it's vague enough that, if you squint and wish hard enough, you can pretend that at the end of the movie Arthur has "leveled up" from a sadsack loser into the actual comic book Joker, a manic, remorseless, mass murdering psycho...who is also an iconic, fun character that people love. Or, alternatively, if you are understandably suffering from superhero fatigue, you can squint the other way and pretend that there is no Batman mythos, no Gotham in the film at all. It's a neat trick, appealing to Batman fans and Batman haters by letting them each see the film they want, although I don't think this was on purpose.

People liked the film, and wanted more. They reacted to Joker as a symbol, putting their own frustrations and desires onto him, because he's a literal supervillain and that's just how these things work. Todd Phillips made a successful superhero film as an act of protest against being "forced" to make a superhero film, and for his sins, was told to "make another one".

And so in the second film, Todd Phillips has become even less subtle. If Arthur is a stand-in for Phillips himself, Gaga's "Lee" is a stand-in for his audience. She does not love Phoenix's Arthur, she loves the Joker persona. She doesn't see his fall from grace as a tragedy, but as a triumph. Arthur is forced to choose between the adoration of someone who loves him for what he's desperately trying not to be, or being honest that "actually this sucks and I don't want to do this any more". And, ultimately, he chooses the latter, just as Phillips is hammering home the message that he hates the very film he's making.

And, just as a failsafe, to be absolutely certain that no one could possibly get it wrong a second time, the movie ends with what is implied to be the actual Joker killing Arthur. Phillips is taking no chances here--he's saying that "The first movie was not about the Joker, I did not want to make a sequel, and I flatly refuse to make a third one". He has scuttled the ship, burned the bridges, and given everyone in the entire world (studio execs, first film fans, and comic book fans alike) a huge middle finger.

And people are pissed. Rightfully so. Telling your audience "you are wrong for liking my art" is just about the most disrespectful thing an artist can do. There is no way to confirmation-bias misinterpret the second film; people are now seeing what's actually been there the whole time. Todd Phillips never made, and has not now made, a film about the relatable struggles average people face in society. He made a film about himself, and his relationship to the art he was making. And people hate it because he's being a self-entitled asshole, whining about his own successes and failures. In the process, he's abusing a beloved franchise, destroying something beautiful out of sheer callous contempt.

In this, Todd Phillips and I agree; he should not make any more superhero movies.

[virginmiri99]

Looking for new content? Here's a list of CCs I like while I procrastinate cleaning my room

I will go from most popular to least and maybe you'll find something you are interested in. Kinda long so I added read more.

DougDoug - needs no introduction as he is very popular, I recently started watching his videos because a student vouched for him and while I can see why kids will like his challenge videos, I also find his content very entertaining. Especially while you eat dinner. Big fan of his zelda content. Parkzer is an interesting side character.

Squeex - PLEASE. If you want to get into Squeex start with his beating every mario kart game video. It's a good introduction and you can go from there. Please.

Linkus7 - My favorite Zelda runner as of late, I consider him a part of a triangle consisting of PointCrow, Smallant, and him. Though, he is lesser known within the greater sphere of twitch. His randomizers are the most fun in my opinion. I try to save his recent vods when I can, as he doesnt save them anymore.

Sambucha - STOP he makes like lowkey mindless kids content videos but I'm like obsessed with him for some reason. One of my students forced me to watch his "beating the easiest world records" video and I was immediately enthralled. He makes content thats easy to listen to while you draw. But I'm sure you can do other things with it on in the background.

Sturniolo Triplets - Content that is popular with teen girls, but I'm still obsessed for some reason. I just love people who have a good relationship just hang out together. Podcast vibes. Nick is the funniest. CONS: Chris is a queerbaiter at heart, though he is in a youtube group with his brothers. Hmm. Cant be doing that here.

Stephanie Soo - Mukbang true crime girl. I loved her video in high school and I would always put on her videos while I was in painting II - III or drawing. Too bad I cant watch her anymore because too much true crime makes me too paranoid. If you like true crime shes an easy watch, keeps thing friendly and accessible. I love her and her husbands relationship.

Trin Lovell - Reviews movies and by far my favorite movie watcher on youtube. Her editing is really funny and quippy. She got popular from watching best and worse riverdale and glee episodes (shes a big glee fan). my favorite videos from her are where hands touch and skinamarink. I have gained many new phrases from her.

StephenPlays - Smaller youtuber whos been in the game for like fifteen years. He is very chill and does letsplays with his friends and wife. I recommend his twilight princess and mario kart play throughs (featuring his wife Mal).

Any Austin - one of my fav youtubers ever and I've been a fan of him for 11 years now. He basically shaped my humor as a kid and I recommend his eggbusters series to get started. He had a letsplay channel called Two People Playing Games with his friend Aysha that sadly disbanded as they became too busy in their lives to keep up with it. Austin has done a lot of content over the years and recently is getting big for is "calculating the unemployment level of ___" keep this on the DL but if you ever want any privated videos I know a guy.

The Fisher - MAGNET FISHING

People you may have heard of, but made never checked out! My vouch:

Drew Gooden - Obviously. Funniest commentary youtuber. If you haven't watched him what are you doing?

Jenny Nicholson - I got into beef with her in 2019 (i think) when everyone was making fun of her for being a Reylo and she blocked me. I still like her commentary videos. Especially for background noise. My acc she blocked me on was suspended.

Johnny's Communication Center -

Sinjin Drowning - theyre snakes and lowkey the azealia banks of I guess roblox content bc thats all they do anymore but I'll be damned if I'm not CACKLING at them. They have a trail of destroyed friendships as long as the empire state building behind them.