#in conclusion jealousy is an ugly feeling

[annn-starrr]

they're... an okay character. i guess i can understand them at some certain length?? but when it comes to seducing my man???? that's CROSSING the line.

[yandere-avatar]

Jealous Korra head canons pls? 👀

Now Korra isn't one to jump to conclusions without any evidence [Yes she is]. Which is why she hated this feeling of growing disgust in her chest. She liked Asami, sure, but not when she was so close to you; Whispering in your ear, sharing secrets and laughs.

Korra knew she was great, I mean, she's the bloody Avatar, but Asami is really pretty. What if you decided you didn’t like her anymore and that Asami was better?

She lets her anxiety get to her head and she’ll glare at you and Asami. Asami notices and points it out. You’re confused when you turn around and see your girlfriend giving you the death glare. You tell Asami you’ll be right back and you go over to Korra to ask what’s wrong.

She’s very passive aggressive towards you. “Oh nothing! I’m just fine. Why don’t you go back over there and talk to Ms. Perfect,” She air quotes ‘Ms. Perfect’ which just confuses you, because Asami’s far from perfect and you’re confused why Korra’s acting this way. You try asking what’s wrong but Korra denies it

“Oh, is Asami great? She’s a great edition to the group”

Korra glares wondering why you said that

Korra does not like Asami

In fact, she goes out of her way to make Asami’s life hell, because she feels threatened

Asami is still really nice to Korra, because Korra’s the avatar

”Stay the fuck away from my girlfriend/partner” Korra threatens, “Or I’ll make sure you never walk again”

Asami is taken aback and tries reassuring Korra that she is not trying to get with you

Korra doesn’t believe it, because who WOULDN’T want to be with you? In fact, she’d be MORE offended if Asami didn’t have a small crush on you, because who did she think she was? Better than you?

At the end of the day, Korra’s not good with her jealousy and it’s a very ugly emotion on her

[thepersonperson]

I just want to say that I really love your analysis on Gojo and Sukuna a lot.

Can I ask for analysis of Sukuna and Yuji dynamics? It's okay if you take awhile to answer this.

(Answered as of JJK 262 using TCB Scans.)

Oh boy this one is fun!

I see Sukuna and Yuji as opposite sides of the same coin. They both have the same kind of tools but wind up at completely different conclusions because of their own personal biases.

By the way, thank you for breaking my brain anon. I'm going to consider this yet another part of my attempt to grasp Sukuna's character.

Sukuna's Loneliness Part 3 (Sukuna's hatred of Yuji is jealousy.)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 4

Click images for captions/citations.

Yuji and Sukuna's Shrine

Gege does this really clever thing where kanji used to describe a Cursed Technique (CT) have multiple readings, especially if you look past the initial proposed reading. In a way, this is teaching you how to read the text. The face-value reading, albeit true, hides another reading underneath.

Dismantle comes from the kanji 解 (Kai). This kanji can mean to unravel, to explain, to understand, to solve, to cut. It’s first introduced with chef knives which pushes the reader to interpret the meaning as “to cut”. However, this doesn't mean it's not carrying the other readings at the same time. The cutting is not simply cutting, it's a purposeful unraveling in search of an answer—in other words, dismantling.

Another good translation of 解 (Kai) would be Dissect. Though dismantle gets across a similar feeling, dissect invokes a more intimate and purposeful imagery to the cutting. Both of translations are good in their own ways. It's a matter of preference for which is better.

My point here is that the technique itself indicates the user is trying to understand something closely. The surface reading isn't sufficient for the user, the insides, the guts are what they're after. Both Yuji and Sukuna embody this desire to understand others in completely opposite directions.

Yuji, Human Golden Retriever

Yuji is wholly devoted to understanding others. He unravels the hearts of those around him by being himself. Similar to Sukuna, he also mimics people he admires. Not only in battle, but casually as well, pair bonding with just about anyone who will let him.

The mimicry aspect of Yuji here is very important because it demonstrates he is trying to understand other people on their own terms and not his own. Yuji engages everyone as themselves and accepts them as they are. Him having no braincells is a boon because it means he can absorb others' with ease.

I'm extremely fond of Yuji's pair bonding with Gojo in particular. In great length I've explained how Gojo's inability to deeply connect with others since his breakup with Geto was isolating and dehumanizing. Yuji is the first person since then to match his energy exactly and without question. Usually other characters get irritated with his shenanigans and can't follow him in conversation. Yuji consistently keeps up with him in that regard even if he's confused. In this way, Yuji has done the impossible, he has gotten past some of Gojo's emotional barriers and connected with him.

This type of seemingly impossible connection is not limited to Gojo, my other favorite being Junpei. Up until Yuji meets him, Junpei is effectively groomed by Mahito into hating other people. Mahito teaches him distrust and to see human ugliness first. Junpei starts to believe everyone is rotten and therefore ok to kill. But Yuji meets him by chance and does this:

All that time Mahito spent molding Junpei into someone worse flies right out the window because Yuji wins him over by being genuine. This is the crux of Yuji's character.

Yuji's Unyielding Spirit

Just about everyone is won over by Yuji's persistent unending good boy energy, even the people who try to kill him (Megumi, the Kyoto students, Choso, Hakari, Higurama, etc.). His most interesting converts are Higurama and Hakari in my opinion. This is because Yuji's steadfast devotion to others defies their world views.

After a lifetime's worth of heartbreak as a public defender, Higurama believes that deep down all people are hideous (similar to Junpei). He's ready to kill Yuji until he takes the blame for something he didn't do. It so thoroughly shakes him that he has a meltdown over the chapter and ultimately concludes he was in the wrong.

Yuji doesn't try to make Higurama understand him here. All he does is be himself and it forces Higurama to undergo character growth that ultimately results in him understanding Yuji.

Yuji does the exact same thing to Hakari but in a different way. Hakari believes in the selfish types who are passionate in their own pursuits. He's a lot like Sukuna in that way, he straight up calls Yuji boring for doing things on the behalf of others.

Yuji doesn't care though. He's got a clear goal and he's chasing it. Hakari knocking him down over and over does nothing. Unlike with Higurama, Yuji explains exactly how he sees himself and that if Hakari can't handle it, he'll keep getting back up until he accepts it. And it works. Eventually Hakari can see the "fever" of someone who is nothing like him.

These two converts best illustrate how Yuji is the embodiment of unwavering humanity. He does things for other people and he will keep doing things for other people even it brings him pain or death. If you don't understand that kind of mentality, he'll let you pummel him until you do.

Also notice how he never once tells his converts they are wrong to think the way they do. This acceptance of their differences is very important and will be coming up later.

Yuji's Love

Yuji connects with others through mimicry (and so does Sukuna). This, of course, is an expression of love. But what really sets his love apart from others' is his ability to perceive people and their emotions—he notices things about them no one else would.

I include the bout with Panda in this collage since their entire conversation occurs nonverbally. Yuji infers how Panda is feeling and what his goals are by sparing through a fake duel. All of this shows that despite Yuji's low general intelligence, his emotional intelligence is unparalleled. In a way, this ability of his to read others is him taking after both Kenjaku and Sukuna. But he doesn't use this insight to torment others, he uses it to befriend them.

This understanding of others is not limited to those Yuji is friendly with too. Hated people and things are something he is willing to engage without hostility.

I'm using the anime screencap because Yuji immediately accepting cursed objects, Sukuna's in particular, as something to be cherished instead of scorned really needs to be talked about more. And of course his acceptance of Todo (who is just like Sukuna for reasons we will get into later) is nearly just as important as him understanding Sukuna enough to utilize him against Mahito. These are both people, despised by most of the cast, that Yuji is willing to accept and work with on their own terms.

I often use the lens of analysis in which Umineko gave me: "Without love it cannot be seen." This is referring to how one needs to set aside their negative biases and assumptions to properly see the motives behind an action. It's sort of like giving someone the benefit of the doubt in your attempt to understand them. I think Yuji is the personification of this concept. And that's why Sukuna cannot stand him.

Sukuna, King of Miscommunication

The way in which Sukuna goes about understanding others is the polar opposite of Yuji and deeply perverse. It's like how a shark uses its mouth to explore the world. Instead of using his words, Sukuna uses his cutting to feel others out. And much like a shark, the exploratory bite and attacking bite are extremely different in action despite both resulting in the same level of harm or death when experienced.

Take notice of how happy Sukuna is when cutting his playmates. He doesn't kill them immediately and uses the information from his slashes to gain a better understanding of them. This is how Sukuna interacts with the world.

It's easy to dismiss sharks as evil since their bites do harm to humans no matter the context. But if you try to understand them on shark terms, they're actually pretty adorable. In other words, without love it (shark cuteness) cannot be seen. Please keep this in mind as I attempt to convince you Sukuna is peak gap moe.

Sukuna's Affection

Sukuna is very similar to Gojo in that he displays affection in very bizarre and unpleasant ways. But unlike Gojo who just verbally assaults people, Sukuna straight up assaults them. He's more than happy to give people compliments for their efforts, but it comes at the price of enduring his violence.

As you can see some of these compliments coincide with attempts to teach his opponent how to be a better fighter. And this is where Sukuna's affection shines the most—when he reaches out to his opponent and tries to connect with them and understand them through battle.

However...every single time Sukuna tries to bond with someone this way, they try to kill him. It's kind of hilarious.

He tries to connect with the Finger Bearer, a curse of all things. Rejected.

He tries to connect with Megumi after showing him his heart. Rejected.

He tries to connect with Higurama after cutting his limbs off. Rejected.

He tries to connect with Maki via an unhinged high-praise yapfest. Rejected.

No one here engages Sukuna's dialogue. They ignore his words entirely to focus on killing him. The only time anyone listens to him is if they're Uraume, actively dying, or Kashimo.

As you can see, Sukuna primarily expresses affection through violence. It's always accompanied by a smile and sometimes a backhanded compliment. No one can recognize this as affection because getting bit by a shark hurts regardless of intent. That being said, this affectionate violence differs greatly when compared to the violence inflicted out of aggravation.

Sukuna's Pickiness

Sukuna shows his displeasure through cutting as well. This usually occurs when people reach out to him without his explicit permission. Though Sukuna is eager to form bonds with others to some degree, he absolutely loathes when expectations are thrust onto him by another party.

That kind of relationship is transactional and not between equals. They don't want Sukuna for himself, they want Sukuna for themselves. Yorozu is the epitome of this and Sukuna treats her accordingly.

Notice how in both of these instances Sukuna's expression is the furthest thing from pleased. Yorozu does recognize his loneliness but disregards how he wants to deal with it. Sukuna cuts her to keep her away from him, not to understand her, and she doesn't get it. (Also note how he refuses to use his Shrine on her in their battle. Which we’ve established as Sukuna’s tool for understanding others. He wants so little to do with her it’s funny.)

Mahito also winds up on the receiving end of "get the fudge away from me" slashes despite initially bonding with Sukuna over Yuji's suffering. They inadvertently disrespect Sukuna's boundaries through unwanted contact, much like Yorozu, leading to this reaction. (To be fair, having your soul touched by a stranger sounds pretty upsetting.) Framing Sukuna's dislike of Mahito as an annoyed hostess vs a touchy patron in joke panels is a great way to illustrate how much he values this particular boundary.

Once again, Sukuna's expressions are very clear in their disgust. These cuts are to be read as hostile. When Sukuna cuts others in this manner, he is not trying to understand them.

Sukuna's Missed Connections

Now that we know how to read Sukuna's intent through how he cuts, we can also read his mood during fights and infer how he feels about other characters.

Jogo

In this post I kind of went over why Jogo wound up being favored by Sukuna. But let's break it down some more.

Jogo started in Sukuna's doghouse. His body language, facial expressions, and treatment of Jogo initially indicates Sukuna categorized Jogo amongst the likes of Mahito and Yorozu (he did touch his face without permission). Then Jogo said he wanted nothing of Sukuna, and everything changed.

Sukuna smiles at him and plays with him in the exact same manner he tried to with the Finger Bearer and Megumi earlier. He tries to coax Jogo into going all out while taking the time to figure out why he doesn't.

And perhaps learning from past mistakes, or Yuji (though he'd probably never admit it), Sukuna engages with Jogo on his terms—fire power. This mirroring is a show of respect and an attempt to learn more about Jogo.

This is the first time we see Sukuna do such a thing. And in return he gains a deeper understanding of Jogo for it while seeing him off into the afterlife.

Another first for Sukuna, he makes a meaningful connection through combat with Jogo who listens to him and accepts him as he is. Sukuna gasses him up while simultaneously putting him down, eventually ending on a genuine compliment, believing Jogo could've become an equal to Gojo Satoru. ...And then that blossoming relationship burns to ash by Sukuna's own hands.

This is where Yuji succeeds and Sukuna fails. Yuji's love builds and Sukuna's love kills.

The main takeaways from Sukuna vs Jogo are:

>Sukuna's facial expressions are a strong indicator of how he feels about someone. (Glaring at Jogo initially when he felt disrespected and then smiling at Jogo when he became interested in him.)

>Sukuna will offer aid to those who don't demand it of him. (Promising to kill all the humans in Shibuya on Jogo's behalf and giving permission for Jogo to boss him around if certain conditions are met.)

>Sukuna holds back during fights with those he wants to understand. (Playing with Jogo and trying to coax him into fighting harder.)

>Sukuna mimics others as a form of respect. (Fire vs fire showdown.)

>Sukuna is interested in the internal logic of his opponents. (Asking why Jogo doesn't use his domain and being intrigued by his attempt to become human.)

Keep all of this in mind as I use these points to revisit Sukuna's biggest missed connection.

Gojo Satoru

Jogo and Gojo as names are interesting in that they're inverses of each other if you go by the hiragana in Japanese. I think this was deliberate. It's not a coincidence that Jogo is someone Sukuna learned he was compatible with through fighting. Nor is it a coincidence Sukuna tried to understand him on his own terms in a way that killed him. This fight winds up being a blueprint for how Sukuna attempts to connect with Gojo Satoru.

The culmination of Sukuna's attempts to understand someone other than himself is Gojo Satoru. A whole 6 months in the making, the effort Sukuna puts towards others doesn't compare. He saw the potential in Megumi and found Mahoraga, blowing up half of Shibuya to tame it. He stole Megumi's body and subjugated his soul to obtain it, using his sister/Yorozu as calibration. And he explicitly states all this was for cutting through Gojo's Infinity.

All this prep work to kill one guy, and his loved ones are tormented for it. Gojo's prized student, Megumi (who Gojo treats like a son) is bathed in curses for days and has his sister murdered by his own CT. Sukuna picked through Megumi's memories as a part of this strategy, which means he has access to these two conversations.

A very selfish dream on Gojo's end, the desire for an equal he saw in Megumi more than any other student. In other words, a little piece of Gojo's internal logic that reveals a path for exploitation. And exploit it Sukuna does, deliberately wearing Megumi's face to mess with other sorcerers.

But that's probably not the whole truth here. Though Kenjaku and Yorozu understand Sukuna to an extent, they don't understand him fully. It's definitely true he used Megumi's face to better subjugate his new vessel and throw off Gojo. And it wouldn't be wrong to assume Sukuna did this out of malice. However...

Without love it cannot be seen gives me a framework to view these actions as something beyond hatred towards Gojo. It allows me to entertain a hypothetical where this a twisted display of affection. But it doesn't give me the evidence for this. So for this dissection, I'm using another important tool from Umineko: "Flipping over the chessboard." This refers to how one should try to see things from a different perspective.

For example, many people interpreted "The one who will teach you about love is..." during their fight being about Gojo trying to teach Sukuna love.

I decided to flip over the chessboard and came to the conclusion: The one who will teach you about love is...Sukuna.

I supported this claim with the conversation where Sukuna teaches love to Kashimo while alluding that Gojo needed teaching. And now I flip over the chessboard again. If Sukuna sees himself as a teacher of love, was Sukuna vs Gojo an attempt at education?

I reread the fight again and found this:

It's very clear that the one being satisfied in this instance is Gojo and by Sukuna. This battle is technically everything Gojo hoped for from Megumi. The potential of the 10 Shadows is maximized, Mahoraga is tamed, and the Infinity Gojo has longed for someone to pierce since Toji is obliterated.

The one satisfying him now is...Sukuna.

The one who will teach you about love is...Sukuna.

The parallel syntax and a definitive answer. I'm more confident that this is how the blank is to be filled. And that's why I don't know how to interpret this fight anymore.

This story repeatedly emphasizes how selfish Sukuna is. It beats you over the head with how self-centered and uncaring his conduct is. So why is it that he has seemingly gone out of his way to satisfy Gojo on his own terms?

There's not enough information. Did Sukuna hold back with Gojo because Megumi was still resisting him, or was it an attempt to mimic Yuji and connect with him? Did he use Megumi's body and face after reading his memories to better torment Gojo or was it give him satisfaction?

So I flip over the chessboard and go back to Jogo.

Gojo didn't ask anything of Sukuna just like Jogo. Neither of them asked to have their strength validated. Sukuna is the one who came after them.

Sukuna expressed his gratitude towards Jogo for wanting nothing of him by helping him with his objective. He killed all humans in the area as he promised and gave Jogo a chance to ask for more. Instead of slaughtering Jogo instantly, Sukuna played around with him while trying to understand him, all smiles, both backhandedly and genuinely complimenting him as he died.

...And it appears that Sukuna has done the same thing for Gojo too.

According to this post 龍鱗 (ryuurin) translates to dragon scales and "describes the basic application of Limitless, a strong defensive barrier like the scales of a dragon." This reference is also Buddhist in nature likening these scales/Gojo to a "dangerous divine power/authority", aka someone more than just a fish.

Now take this hidden meaning and Sukuna's 6 month long obsession with cutting through Infinity. Take how he describes the World Slash as something that reaches its target by making them the center of Sukuna's world. And remember that this solution is a modified Dismantle—the tool which Sukuna uses to connect with and understand others.

Sukuna made Gojo Satoru the center of his world in an attempt to understand him. He cut through Infinity in the exact way Gojo has always wanted to satisfy him. This could be read as flirtation since Sukuna has told Kashimo violence is how he loves. Just as he did with Jogo, Sukuna killed Gojo with his love.

The biggest difference between how Jogo and Gojo are treated is the complete lack of Sukuna in Gojo's afterlife. Jogo let Sukuna in and they bonded in death. Gojo seemingly kept Sukuna out, choosing to be surrounded by those he felt close with as a teenager, and waxed on about how it's hard to be understood. The irony is staggering.

It's possible that Sukuna expected Gojo to let him in during death so he could learn the unspoken secrets of his most favorite plaything. There’s also the possibility Sukuna was privy to Gojo’s afterlife scene and became acutely aware Geto still had Gojo’s heart entirely. (I don't think this the case since Sukuna is bright-eyed and smiling after that sequence.) Either way, Gojo failed to realize Sukuna was trying to reach him and inadvertently rejected him.

I flip over the chessboard again, revisiting Sukuna's lecture on love to Kashimo assuming that Sukuna attempted to teach Gojo love and failed. And now I don't know how to interpret his conversation with Kashimo either.

Is he simply saying love is worthless because all he values is strength? Or is he lamenting that each and every time he has tried to love his heart has been trampled? Could it be both?

Sukuna loves eating and humans are amongst his favorite meals. In that way, he does need someone else to be satisfied. Yet he insists on the contrary all while looking for companionship with anything that moves. Sukuna has gone his entire life not caring for others. But his fights with Jogo and Gojo demonstrate the opposite. Post-Gojo death, his expressions are ones of boredom and he is far more depressed. When his opponents most resemble Gojo, his smile returns.

Sukuna is too much like Gojo here, his 2 birds 1 stone approach to obfuscating his true feelings makes him very hard to read. It really doesn't help that instead of saying "I love you" Sukuna cuts people to pieces with a smile on his face. Forget about the gap moe. Sukuna is the most tsundere of sharks.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni (When the Seagulls Cry) is a visual novel about a person who is fundamentally misunderstood by those around them. They desperately want to be loved without being perceived, believing themself to be unworthy due to trauma and immutable characteristics given to them at birth. Instead of telling anyone these feelings directly, they play games akin to torture. They torment the ones they love over and over in hopes they'll see through their actions and understand them.

The Uncle vs Nephew Problem

What does Sukuna's inability to socialize have to do with Yuji? Well...everything. Remember that similar to Yuji, Sukuna rejected Mahito—the manifestation of the hatred between humans. Symbolically, this suggests Sukuna doesn't hate humans as much as he appears to. And from how he interacts with others, this may be the case.

Sukuna tries to be himself to connect with others and fails miserably. But Yuji? He breathes and makes 10 friends instantly. And even worse, he can fight others to understand them without killing them. Either with words or with fists, Yuji can make the connections using the very tools that isolate Sukuna.

So Sukuna falls back on isolation being strength. It's fine that he's all alone because it's what makes him strong. ...And in complete opposition to that philosophy (which is a huge cope), Yuji grows through his connections with other people.

Isolation vs Cooperation

Yuji is the undisputed king of running duos, in part because he can decenter himself at will to sync up with others. It doesn't matter how well he knows them or how long he's been around them, he will find a a way to be the best support they've ever received.

Sukuna doesn't believe in this kind of cooperation or other people. But he still respects Gojo and Megumi who do, so why does Yuji piss him off? I think it's because Yuji rubs his ability to love and grow from others in Sukuna's face, constantly.

Whether he's trapped in his body or on the receiving end of his friendship beatdowns, Sukuna has been present for each and every bonding moment Yuji has through fighting. Sukuna has an involuntary front row seat to Yuji's defiance of everything he stands for.

He's forced to watch Yuji learn how to Black Flash by cooperating with Todo. And since then, Yuji has learned to proc it with anyone he pairs up with.

Near death and with Nobara? No problem.

Things look hopeless and the shiestiest guy around is barely hanging on to his dead mentor's memento? 2 Black Flashes.

Yuji is even able to sync up with a guy he's never met, whose name he doesn't know to pull off this.

And of course we can't leave out Todo Aoi himself who maximizes Yuji's black flash efficiency.

This shakes Sukuna to the soul because holy fudge, Yuji is starting to become just as strong as him without mercilessly abandoning his humanity.

And that might mean Sukuna was wrong to suffer isolation in the pursuit of strength. That would mean Sukuna endured a lifetime of misunderstanding and loneliness for no greater purpose. In fact, he might be stronger if he had someone else to grow with. Which means he could've had love and strength.

That's a painful reality to confront. It's no wonder most of the black flashes Yuji lands on Sukuna are over his broken heart.

Selfishness vs Selflessness

Earlier I claimed that Sukuna and Todo are the same kind of person. This is because they're both extremely egocentric individuals who categorize people worth their time by boring or interesting. They both hate taking orders from the people they deem boring and go about understanding people through combat. And just about everyone hates them for being this way. The difference between them is Yuji and restraint with their opponents. (Todo doesn't outright kill the boring people, he just beats them half to death. And though he beats up the interesting people too, he allows them to grow for the next time.)

Note how Yuji matches Todo's communication style. He chooses to learn about Todo through combat and their relationship grows along with their strength, all without death. Yuji understands Todo and Todo understands Yuji. This is exactly what Sukuna has been trying to do.

Now Todo sees Yuji as his brother, aka someone with the potential to rise to his level and beyond. He doesn't mind at all that Yuji fights for others and Yuji doesn't mind that Todo fights to stave off boredom. Their relationship shows that someone as selfish and isolated as Todo (aka Sukuna) is capable of coexisting and growing with someone.

Sukuna rejects this on principle, going out of his way to destroy Yuji's bonds and ideals. He mocks his cog mentality and lectures him on this weakness. But like the fraud he is, Sukuna copies Yuji and obtains greater power by becoming obsessed with someone other than himself.

His fight with Gojo and the preparation up to it mirrors everything he hates about Yuji. Sukuna learns all about Gojo Satoru to find a way to kill him. He engages the fight on Gojo's terms and reaches out to satisfy him. And worst of all Sukuna grows through this—he upgrades his CT by making someone else the center of his world.

The fact this happened means Yuji was right about everything, so all Sukuna has left is denial. Yuji is boring, he's a brat, he's weak, he'll never reach his level. Because if he does, well, Sukuna's entire world view falls apart.

We saw this with Higurama and Hakari vs Yuji. Both of them eventually accepted that these differing ideas can exist together. Sukuna can't be like them since he keeps borrowing Yuji's tactics instead of sticking to his own ideas. He's defrauded himself and Yuji has to pay for this.

Rejection vs Acceptance

So that's the rub. Yuji is strong and properly loved through his unwavering good boy energy alone and this breaks Sukuna's brain. It's hard to read this as anything other than jealousy since Sukuna is watching Yuji obtain the things he's been denied using the exact same toolkit. And though Sukuna rejects Yuji for this, Yuji accepts Sukuna for what he is, just as he does everyone else.

All Sukuna has do is accept that Yuji's way of thinking is just as valid as his. But he can't since they're too similar. Yuji's existence forces Sukuna to confront a reality he's not emotionally equipped to handle. Instead of facing these emotional problems head on, he buries them and blames everyone else in a combination of envy and denial.

Deep down Sukuna knows he's in the wrong, otherwise Yuji's punches wouldn't shake his soul.

[godsandvillains-if]

How would the ROs react to seeing a supposed 'Hickey' on MC's neck, and how would they react if they come to know it's not a Hickey but something else like an alien insect bite that looks a lot worse than it is lol? Both crushing and relationship stage answers if it is okay! I hope you have a lovely day author! ❤️

Ohhhh, me loves some jealous scenarios. This is a big one, so enjoy 🤣🤣

Stardom — Crush Stage: Stardom would try not to feel the ugly sensation of jealousy but would fail terribly. The Golden Hero of New York is not supposed to feel jealous, more so for someone who is nothing but a friend to them. And then their feelings for Archon would overlap with the jealousy… I see them being a little bit rude with the MC, and feeling extremely guilty after.

Romance Stage: In a relationship, I think they would first try to find an explanation for the hickey. Maybe they were a little too rough the night before? They do like to mark the MC from time to time, but the deep purple bruise on their neck is a little concerning; they don't remember ever being that rough...

Archon — Crush Stage: I think in the crushing stage, Archon would be more confused about their feelings than anything. Why are they itching to ask the MC about the bloody hickey on their neck? And why does just thinking about it makes them want to pulverize the bastard that placed it there?

Romance Stage: They would probably ask the MC about it outright, since they have no memory of placing the hickey on their neck, and they do remember every love bite they give the MC. But their tone wouldn't be accusatory or anything, more like curious. Besides, they would know if the MC was lying by their heartbeat.

Zodiac — Crush Stage: Zodiac would just pretend that everything was fine and that they didn't notice the massive hickey on their student's neck. They would keep repeating that word over and over in their head—student, they are your student—trying not to feel the coiled snake of jealousy in their stomach.

Romance Stage: Zodiac would probably be performing a complex spell or ritual, and when their eyes landed on the hickey, it would just fizzle out to nothing. Their concentration gone entirely. They would try really hard not to jump to conclusions, so they would first cast a subtle diagnoser spell, and for their immediate relief—not really because a freaking alien bug just bit the MC—it would not be a hickey.

Paladin — Crush Stage: Would stare, like a frozen statue, until the MC risked noticing it. They would feel the cold and familiar feeling of rejection washing over their body as they got as far as possible. There's a reason why they were called a "guard dog" by their past handler: faithfully loyal until the end, but unable to voice any displeasure they might be feeling.

Romance Stage: At this stage, Paladin would've learned a little bit better how to express themselves, maybe not through words exactly, but the MC would be familiar with their body language to know what they were thinking. They would probably just softly touch the place where the hickey was and silently ask what happened. More concerned that it hurt than other possibilities.

Mars — Crush Stage: You never met someone as possessive as them, and the MC would feel the full might of their jealousy. They are not as good as they think they are at hiding their true feelings, at least not when the MC is involved. In the end, it would take a lot for them to keep their hands and powers to themselves.

Romance Stage: If there was anyone else in the room when they saw the hickey, they would surely hightail out of there in a second. Mars wouldn't even think that the bruise was anything other than a bruise. Someone hurt what's theirs. They would question the MC with only one word: "Who?" And they would make the bastard regret ever being born. Even if it's just a mosquito. 😡

Ace — Crush Stage: Ace would be completely distraught, having probably been planning for weeks to ask the MC on a proper, old-fashioned date. And then Zodiac would have to bear the brunt of Ace's tearful laments about how they were so stupid that they would have any chance with the MC, until Zodiac finally lost their patience and, in the most fond tone ever, said, "It was just a bug bite, you idiot. Go ask them out already."

Romance Stage: Would probably go into a spiral of self-deprecating thoughts of not being worth it or something like that. Ace would have to force themselves to think rationally about the situation, they are the most decorated detective in the country for a reason. After analyzing all the facts, they would eventually just ask the MC what bit them. 🤨

Wildcat — Crush Stage: Would bite down on their bottom lip so hard that the MC would have to ask them what's wrong and for them to stop before they ended up hurting themselves. Wildcat in stressful situations just nervous shift to whatever animal can get them away faster from the situation, so they would just into a cat and scarper away. Perhaps to cry on Paladin's lap.

Romance Stage: Would get as close as possible to MC's neck, as obnoxiously as possible, too. Wildcat wouldn't even think about the possibility of the bruise being a hickey, most likely, they shifted in their sleep—something like a damn vampire bat. They are not proud of it, but it definitely happened before. 

Thank you for the question!! 🥰

[spoiledblogif]

What’re the ros like when they’re jealous and how would you rank them from the most to least jealous/possessive

R: Would genuinely struggle with being jealous. Like on one hand feeling guilty because they'd see jealousy as an ugly thing, but on the other hand they can't help it. Ironically, this would resolve almost completely once they were actually dating. That knowledge that they're who MC is going to go home with at the end of night, makes everything else irrelevant. So, probably the least jealous of the three.

Z: Would hide their jealousy really well, probably to the point that MC wouldn't even realize they were jealous, but on the inside it's kinda killing them. Z's always going to be torn between the two thoughts of "no one is good enough for MC" and "neither am I". So they're probably middle of the pack when it comes to jealousy? It's more self-destructive for them than anything and something they'd firmly believe was not MC's problem.

Kestrel: Ah Kestrel. So, jealousy would probably be a new thing for K, since they've never felt jealous for/about anyone before as they've never formed an actual attachment. So it'll hit them hard and they'd probably be kind of a pouty brat about it, until they eventually come to the conclusion that they're jealous... but MC's happiness is more important.

[themculibrary]

Jealous!Tony Masterlist

5 Times Tony Stark Gets Jealous. (ao3) - The_Mishamigo G, 10k

Summary: and one time doesn’t..

Tony Stark doesn’t get jealous.. but when the Avengers move back in and the kid starts to spend less time with him... well, its hard not feel that weird feeling.

A Feeling Call Jealousy (ao3) - LadyNight7 loki/tony G, 1k

Summary: Tony Stark is jealous or he doesn't know the feeling because he doesn't know how to identify his own feelings.

Attention (ao3) - Jennifer_Collins natasha/tony N/R, 1k

Summary: Tony is unhappy with the lack of attention he receives from Natasha in comparison to his other teammates.

Bruce Banner's New Lab Coat (ao3) - Zorro_sci bruce/tony G, 1k

Summary: When Tony gets jealous he gets Bruce a new lab coat. A special lab coat.

Dad, Get Off My Boyfriend (ao3) - dinolaur steve/tony G, 5k

Summary: Howard accidentally time travels to the future, Steve is excited, and jealousy is an ugly color on Tony.

feel! (ao3) - SweetXscape pepper/tony, natasha/tony E, 31k

Summary: Tony loved Pepper because she made him feel. Feel! Feel! Feel! The numbness was no more and he became (perhaps unhealthily) attached to Pepper because of it. Pepper became what the alcohol used to be for him, but better. One addiction replaced with another.

Five Times Tony Stark Was Jealous. One Time He Understood Why. (ao3) - orphan_account bruce/tony T, 9k

Summary: Tony really needs to stop jumping to conclusions about Bruce's love life.

He (Will Never) Play Well With Others (ao3) - Vespertine pepper/tony M, 4k

Summary: Pepper Potts was to be respected, admired - from very afar - and is off-limits. If anyone crossed the line with her … ye gods. Tony Stark does not play well with others.

I Fucking Love You, Steve Rogers (ao3) - bistiles_bilinski steve/tony E, 1k

Summary: He wasn't jealous. He wasn't!

jealousy is all the fun you think they had (ao3) - kellifer_fic steve/tony G, 3k

Summary: Is it socially acceptable to be jealous of your boyfriend’s ex-dead best friend?

Loki's Secret (ao3) - AlwaysRoyals loki/tony M, 6k

Summary: Loki is still adjusting to life on Midgard but Tony Stark is more than willing to help the fallen god through the strange world that is Earth. A certain issue with the fashion men on Earth wear displeases the god, and like with everything he does, manages to find a solution to fit his needs and perhaps in the process suit Tony's as well.

No, This One's Mine (ao3) - JurisfictionAgent99 steve/tony G, 4k

Summary: Bucky had only been back for a month and Tony was already losing it. Steve had never said anything about wanting to be with Bucky back in the forties, but the way he looked at him made Tony wonder if he wanted to now. Steve said he loved Tony, said it every day, and Tony knew he wasn't one to lie, so why was he so worried?

Steve and Tony have been dating for a year when Bucky comes back. Tony worries that Steve will choose Bucky over him while Steve wonders how best to pop the question to Tony.

overheard your heartbeat (calling me yours) (ao3) - starklystar steve/tony T, 15k

Summary: Or, Tony overhears a phonecall where Steve proposes, a battle happens, and a paper ring settles some misunderstandings.

Party Revelations (ao3) - akasharpiegirl pepper/tony T, 1k

Summary: In which Tony realizes he may like his newest fling more than he thought.

tell me that you love me (ao3) - idacarvalli steve/tony, bucky/natasha G, 3k

Summary: Tony’s not jealous. He swears he’s not. It’s just that Sheriff Steve Rogers has been hanging around that gal Sharon Carter a little bit more than Tony would have liked. But he’s not jealous. He’s really not.

What are you doing… (ao3) - Raw_Ramen_Noodles E, 2k

Summary: Tony sees Steve flirting with a woman across the ballroom at the charity fundraiser they’re attending and is surprised to find out how much Steve liked the possessiveness he exhibits when he marches across the room.So they have sex. It’s all good

What do you see (when I look at you) (ao3) - General16 T, 8k

Summary: Wherein Tony faces both of his biggest fears: Loosing Steve to someone younger and slowly growing older. The new omega and his asshole alpha do not improve his day at all.

World’s Most Beautiful Woman (fanfiction.net) - FriendLey pepper/tony T, 5k

Summary: People magazine names Pepper Potts the World’s Most Beautiful Woman and the Stark Industries CEO finds herself invited to talk shows and interviews, and having a lot of fun much to Tony’s frustration.

[princess-pray-a]

I love and need you

Multifandom fanfic senario : comfort

choose your character : gojo, geto , toji, silvio, clavis, shoto, chevaliar, Gilbert, vlad, comet, faust, killua ( aged up), mereum, shipouf , hisoka , leorio, mitsuhide, lou, zoro, sanji, law, tengen, bakugo, shigarakhi, aizawa, jotaro, victor, alfons, Roger barrel, kakashi, obanai

Genre: Comfort fic ! reader is insecure, gender neutral( maybe), established relationship, imagination, kisses , hugs, assurance , sfw, mention of anxiety

This may contains a lot of gramatical errors as it is not re read

My chest constricted as I felt my body tingle! Why on earth do people reach to conclusions about me so quick. Does words and rumors hold so much power that the authenticity I show in my conduct and behavior just gets washed away. Is the jealousy and hatred directed towards me so powerful that people get blinded to even consider my honesty. Tears pricked my eyes I felt powerless. I had lost everything, in a blink of an eye my dreams were shattered my heart was broken, my own lack of consistency and enough strength made me lose even the things I had.

Even if u went back in time I would have probably did the same mistake as the burden was too much for me to bear but! This lonely heart of mine craves to be seen for real! To be understood to be loved! Why oh why do I have to be dragged into the drama and hatred when I am gone, lost hiding somewhere under a shell to protect this fragile heart! Taking deep breath I close my eyes. There I feel an embrace that answers all.

It was non other than him who's strong arms held me tightly around my waist his breath warming my neck as he peppered kisses all over. “ no matter what I love you! I am here and I will not let them near you ever again “ he whispers. I turn around to face him and he instantly cradles my face in his palms. “ aww my little cute baby don't worry I am never going to leave you ok? It's a promise “ he kisses my forehead my eye lids my tip of nose and my lips. A wave of goosebumps hit me to stop myself form bailing my eyes out. His arms tug me to the bed and he cuddles me directly into his solid chest.

I am still trembling, I know he does love me a lot but I am scared, scared to be left alone, scared to be used, scared to be hated and sacred to hand over my heart to him, many came saying the same thing “I ain't gonna leave you, you are beautiful, I like you, I lovevyou, but it was only a matter of time, a single rumor, a single perspective away for them to completely go back on their words. Also to the fact I didn't want to be the one doting over an emotion less block either, someone who didn't value me at all who didn't harbour feelings for me and simply bask under the love I poured until i was drained dry while i was constantly made realize how pathetic ugly and worthless i was . Life didn't only throw stones at me it literally plunged me into the sea of decite, lies, back luck, despair and heartbreak. This made me trust no other soul but myself which was burdening. Finally nw that he was here, I.. Know now he will always.. always love me.

Tear that I had been holding soo much now trickle down from my face he kisses those tears away running his fingers through my hair he says “ shhh, it's ok love, I know you are great you always work hard to be better, you have not said bad about others don't even harbor dark emotions for others, though you don't deserve hate, I don't know myself why they do it, but no matter what I am always going to be by your side loving you ,protecting you like your shield, I won't leave and I will not even let you leave, I need you babe, because you are my world !” those words those words were what I needed! I didnt want to be a burden to anyone but I was desperately looking out for a person at least a single person whom I could confine to. I burts into a stream of tears while he wipes them ever so softly. “ I love you I love you so so much so please don't ever leaveme ok? Please I beg you, if you ever leave my heart wont survive !” finally letting those pathetic words leave my mouth I gaze at the expectantly.

He chuckled, “ haha yes yes definitely even if you fight or push me I will pull you soo tight and shower you will so much love that you can't ever leave me “ . I giggled a little “ well I ain't that pretty and all nor I have a good body! I ain't that great in brains depart either! Do you regret?” still not so confident in myself I ask him “what are you talking about! I love you with all my heart and you are so so beautiful in my eyes you are multi talented and that perfect for me no body I have seen is as bright and lovely as you! You are my cute little baby how can I leave you or even regret! You are the best thing in my life, your presence gives me strength and you have always helped me taken care of me loved me no matter what world said me and accepted and understood me you stood up for me so I can't ask for anything more love! I love you and only you !”

Finally the heavy feeling , wave of anxious thoughts and emotions leave my body as his warmth and kisses lulls me to sleep while he pulls a blanket over our bodies! Forever and always will I bask in the imaginary warmth of my comfort character unless one day it becomes real if i meet the one i could trust, until then I will cherish this warmth even if it's only made up in my head !

The end!..

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[rose-tinted-vision]

Fic: 悬不合时宜里 | hanging out of time

Fandom: Mysterious Lotus Casebook （莲花楼）

Relationship: Li Lianhua | Li Xiangyi/Zhan Yunfei, Li Lianhua | Li Xiangyi & Zhan Yunfei, (implied) Li Lianhua | Li Xiangyi/Fang Duobing

(read it on ao3)

Summary:

The man before him was no longer the Li Xiangyi that Zhan Yunfei once knew, but Li Lianhua who had been born through grief, disillusioned and moulded by the jianghu that he had roamed for a decade. Zhan Yunfei feels himself fall again all the same.

Zhan Yunfei hears people approaching, recognises the cadence of Sect leader He’s quick and confident footsteps, closely followed by Young Master Fang’s heavier ones keeping stride beside her. There is a third person with them, light and surefooted, which puts him on his guard. He does not recognize this person.

“Guardian Zhan! Come down! My mother needs your help.” Young Master Fang calls, cutting through the symphony of cicada cries that accompanied him on his watch.

He pauses, reluctant to meet another stranger, having to feign pleasantries. But duty eventually wins out, and he leaps off the roof to greet the masters of Tianji Manor, only to freeze when he sees the third person trailing languidly after Young Master Fang.

Li Lianhua, the man introduces himself as.

The man before him no longer holds himself as proudly, nor as confidently, as he had ten years ago. Gone was the hungry, ambitious glint in eyes that had drawn everyone to him, now replaced by a world-weariness that clung to him like a shadow.

He was no longer the Li Xiangyi that Zhan Yunfei once knew, but Li Lianhua who had been born through grief, disillusioned and moulded by the jianghu that he had roamed for a decade.

Zhan Yunfei feels himself fall again all the same.

— ° —

Zhan Yunfei’s life could clearly be defined into two parts.

Before he met Li Xiangyi, the renowned prodigy, rising star of the jianghu, he had been a prideful, overconfident kid who trusted only in himself and his blade. A kid who cared only about making a name for himself in his own right.

He had then caught wind of Li Xiangyi, a rising star, a shining beacon of justice alongside his shaoshi jian, and Zhan Yunfei had wanted nothing more than to challenge this so-called genius.

Meeting Li Xiangyi had changed him– not just appearance wise– but because the boy had properly humbled him, taught him that behind every mountain there would always be a higher peak to conquer.

His younger, starry-eyed self had then pestered Li Xiangyi into agreeing to spar with him every other month, something he threw himself into refining his sword form for.

Then one day Li Xiangyi shows up with his wenjing jian, made of Cloud iron that only the He family possessed.

The same family that had met a tragic end a month ago. (He would know, he had passed by the family estate and had seen the aftermath of the bloodbath. He had been too late to help, and it had been haunting his dreams ever since).

Zhan Yunfei, being barely nineteen, had not known better than to storm off, letting his mind jump to conclusions instead of staying to ask Li Xiangyi where he had gotten the blade from.

— ° —

The person in front of him is not Li Xiangyi.

Certainly, most of his habits and gestures were Li Xiangyi, right down to his painfully obvious lies, but he is not Li Xiangyi.

Li Lianhua drinks like a sailor, lies as easily as breathing, and holds himself entirely differently from the righteous young hero he once was. The person he is now carries his ghosts with him, cares less about proprietary and has little to no regard for his pride anymore.

He watches as Li Lianhua immediately latches onto the suspicious details surrounding Wei Qingchou’s death, watches the way Li Lianhua worked alongside Young Master Fang, the way the two of them moved around each other with practiced ease.

(He ignores the way his heart aches, turns away from the jealousy threatening to eat him up, locks those ugly emotions away in a box and refuses to look at them).

Zhan Yunfei is simply happy that his friend is able to live unrestrained as he had longed to all those years ago, unburdened by the expectations of the jianghu, free to wander as he once had.

Nothing more, nothing less.

— ° —

But because he was a fool, still too easily driven by his emotions and entirely unable to stay away from the light that is Li Xiangyi, he continues meeting the other for their monthly spars.

Li Xiangyi has the courtesy to use shaoshi against him, instead of wenjing, a gesture that does not go unnoticed, and only serves to makes his heart beat faster around the other.

They do not talk about what happened the previous time they met.

He hears of things stirring in the jianghu, mutterings of an impending clash between the leaders of the Sigu Sect and the Jingyuan Alliance. It is something that reflects on Li Xiangyi, who looks increasingly ragged and unfocused the next time they meet. But Li Xiangyi does not bring it up, so he asks no questions, content to simply play his role as Li Xiangyi’s sparring partner.

Zhan Yunfei meets Li Xiangyi for the last time a few nights before the destined Battle of the East Sea. He had managed to find out more about the rumours, knows it will be useless to try and dissuade Li Xiangyi from going– the other boy was too consumed by his need for vengeance, too full of anger to listen to logic– even if the situation surrounding Shan Gudao’s death seemed all too strange, and had the Jingyuan Alliance’s fingerprints all over it.

(He hears things, travelling the jianghu as he does. People talked, and they did not care who heard about the stories that they spread).

But who was he, to comment on the inner workings of the jianghu that he had consistently kept himself on the periphery of all these years? He was simply a wandering swordsman, someone who admired the Xiangyi Swordplay, an outsider who did not know Shan Gudao personally.

So he simply throws his all into this spar– it may be the very last one he has with Li Xiangyi, no matter how much he wishes to deny it– though the other seems distracted, unfocused from the rage coursing through him, and Zhan Yunfei eventually gets his first win against Li Xiangyi.

— ° —

Zhan Yunfei waits in the clearing just outside the west gate of Tianji Manor, anticipation bubbling just beneath his skin. This was a chance he never thought he'd get again– and Li Lianhua does not let him down.

He lunges towards Li Lianhua the moment he hears him step into the clearing, sword drawn with no holds barred, demanding a duel from the other.

It is more of a greeting rather than a spar, a reunion– a wordless exchange between two old friends– feeling out the other and where they now stood.

Li Lianhua would not be able to defeat Zhan Yunfei with his martial skills as weakened as it was now, anyway, and they both knew it. Even so, they continue their deadly dance, weaving their moves together the same way they did ten years ago.

“It would be better if you tied your hair up,” Li Lianhua casually remarks, something akin to regret shining in his eyes, “what if you had someone you loved, and they saw you like this?”

Zhan Yunfei smiles bitterly. He is a stubborn person– once he has set his heart on someone, his feelings would remain unwavering– as with his promise, he would remain the same, unchanging throughout the passing of time around him.

“It's a promise I made to an old friend, and I'll keep my word.”

— ° —

He hears of a Young Master who claims to be Li Xiangyi’s disciple, and resolves to hunt him down–Li Xiangyi had never taken a disciple, and if this upstart was planning to desecrate Li Xiangyi’s name for his own fame, Zhan Yunfei would be the one to take his life.

(It would not be the first time he has done so, throughout the years following Li Xiangyi’s death).

He eventually makes his way to Tianji Manor, narrowly surviving an ambush from mountain bandits who had assumed he was affiliated with the He family.

He Xiaofeng had found him clinging onto his last thread of consciousness, and swiftly escorted him to their family's physician to fix him up.

He had not planned to stay.

(But He Xiaofeng was a force of nature, equally as stubborn as he was, and it was not long before he caved to her requests.

It would not be too bad to rest his wings for a year or two, he supposed. To have a constant shelter over his head that he could go back to).

He had not planned to stay, but he managed to meet the Young Master he had come looking for. Young master Fang was a sickly child, obviously in no shape or form to have been Li Xiangyi’s disciple, and yet he insists so. He claims that his shifu is still alive, declares it with such conviction that Zhan Yunfei finds himself momentarily convinced.

(He wishes that he could have the same unshakable belief as Young Master Fang).

The kid has asked him about his hair on multiple occasions, obviously determined to weasel an answer out of him, but Zhan Yunfei is just as committed to keeping the answer to himself.

It was a promise only Li Xiangyi and himself knew about, the only reminder he had of the bright star that flew too close to the sun.

So what if people thought he was crazy? It was something he learnt to live with, something he did not care about, if it meant keeping the memory of Li Xiangyi alive.

— ° —

Li Lianhua eventually deduces that Wei Qingchou is really the Liangyi Fairy who had been entrusted with a piece of the Rama Heavenly Ice, but he is a step too late. Shan Gudao attacks, exposing Li Lianhua's identity, demands for the other Ice shards, and leaves a trail of destruction in his wake.

Through it all, Li Lianhua remains himself. Upright. Kind. Self-sacrificing.

He sees Li Lianhua to the gate.

“Zhan-xiong,” Li Lianhua turns to him, expression sombre and all too knowing– it's a look that he recognises– he has seen its mirror ten years ago, and his throat tightens.

“I'm sorry,” Li Lianhua says, clearing his throat in discomfort, faltering for half a second before his eyes fill with determination, “I know how you feel towards me, but–”

Zhang Yunfei knows. He knows. He had seen the way Li Lianhua lit up around Young Master Fang, the way he relaxed his guard when the other was near, no matter how imperceptibly, knows that it is something he would not be able to draw out of Li Lianhua.

It is a happiness that Li Lianhua deserves, after everything.

(At least it was Young Master Fang, who he could trust to treat Li Lianhua well, who wears his heart on his sleeve, who had similarly remained unflinchingly loyal for ten years).

“You don't have to apologise, as long as Young Master Fang makes you happy.”

“He does,” Li Lianhua flushes at the mention of their young Master, and Zhan Yunfei’s heart clenches.

They have both changed with the passing of time– neither of them still hunger to be the best– Li Lianhua just wants a peaceful life, and Zhan Yunfei has found something to protect.

(Even so, Zhan Yunfei’s heart still remains the same, still longing for the same person.

He would get over it eventually, he tells himself).

— ° —

Extra:

“Why didn't you confess?” He Xiaofeng elbows him, as they watch the Lotus Tower gradually disappear further into the distance.

“He is happy with Young Master Fang.” Zhan Yunfei states, turning a bemused eye onto He Xiaofeng, “besides, did you want me to snatch your nephew’s lover?”

The ensuing reaction causes the nearby pigeons to take flight in shock, “He- he and our Xiaobao?”

[laismoura-art]

Challenging one

Raiden x Sindel

OOOH! DRAGON!! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU JUST ASKED!!

I love this ship! And I have SO MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT IT!!

LET'S GOOO!

Before anything, "Sinden" is a kinda ugly ship name, so instead I'll be calling them

Thundersound:

Cause he's the Thunder God... and she's a Banshee (sorta)

Now, for starters: I saw this one fanart by @sogekii-heii and I was sold!

And every other work I find of them is always so cute and sweet! Fandom is doing God's work with them!💜🩵

As for my personal take on this ship, heh, buckle up :3

For their dynamics, I really like the idea of them going way back, knowing each other since before the fall of Edenia and being best friends!

Sindel being the very energetic and adventurous one, thinking she can do anything, while Raiden is the cautious one!

Young Sindel: Do you think I can fly?

Young Raiden: Well, I suppose--

Sindel: *Jumps off a cliff*

Raiden: BY THE ELDER GODS!!

Much like Li Mei, I also Headcanon Raiden to be Aroace, and I like the idea of him finding out through Sindel.

She starts spending too much time with Jerrod and he gets a bit jealous, and he starts to ponder why is he feeling that way,

Raiden: Could I be in love with her?

Cetrion, fellow aroace: Nope.

In the end he gets to the conclusion that yes, he loves her but he's not in love and his jealousy is just the result of missing hanging out with his best friend!

---

After Sindel is forced to marry Shao Khan Raiden tries to help in any way he can, but by the rules of the Mortal Kombat there isn't much he can do, he visits her in secret and he watches over her daughter.

When Shao threatened to harm Earthrealm, Sindel created the magical barrier to protect it, she almost died, but thankfully Cetrion intervened and Sindel just lost a big parcel of her powers.

Afraid Sindel would be too vulnerable to survive Shao's wrath, Raiden requested Cetrion to hide her in Earthrealm, the Goddess granted his wish and now Sindel lives hidden in a city in China as a tea house owner named Lady Del.

Raiden is a loyal costumer, who always brings her a different tea to add to her store. He spends hours and hours at the tea house, plotting a way of bringing Kitana to safety, in Earthrealm!

---

So in conclusion, I do love Thundersound a whole lot!💜🩵

Hey @mikka-minns may I tempt you with another Queerplatonic?👀

[deleahtarte]

OMGGGG HI IM SO SIKED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THE DAYS AFTER I WISHED FOR YOU LIKE FR GETTING OVERLY HYPED AT THIS HOUR (its like 10:50pm where i am)

but anywhooooo, in general i noticed in your fics stan is a jealous jealous boy and i was wondering when it comes to stan being all protective and jealous and all that jazz over kyle, does it ever annoy kyle?? Or make him feel insecure, like with that insecurity kyle has with being ugly??(because stan basically scares off anyone who shows interest in him in the slightest lol)

drink plenty of warm drinks, AND WATER, and eat(I tend to either forget or overeat on my period it sucks ass), also make sure to sleep well!! PERIODS SUCK. if youre not on it anymore uhhh still make sure to take care of yourself:) I HOPE YOURE DOING AMAZING!!!!

I CANT WAIT TO UPLOAD THE NEXT CHAPTER!! THANK YOU!!

As for your question, I would say it doesn’t annoy Kyle. It amuses him more than anything. If Stan wasn’t jealous, then it’ll probably send Kyle on a spiral of ‘why isn’t he jealous isn’t he worried I’ll be taken away at all?? Does he think other people don’t want me?? Is that his way of saying I’m ugly??” — as you can see, Kyle can be uh…difficult. He likes jumping to conclusions and deeming them as truths unless proven otherwise, which in the end causes of a lot of conflicts. But since Stan is always jealous at the appropriate times, Kyle think it’s funny and he likes the extra attention. I think in reality Stan is a lot more jealous then Kyle is aware of, he just hides it much better (until it becomes too much, and only then does Kyle notice). But Stan overall is very quiet about his jealousy, and he’ll put his mark and ‘claim’ with little things like flirting with Kyle, taking care of him, doing things he knows Kyle only lets Stan get away with. Because of this, Kyle is never insecure, not in general! (Unless we’re talking about the Kyle in my omega-verse fic, he is going through pregnancy so…yes, he’s currently at rock bottom right now)

So I’d say, Kyle thinks he knows when Stan is jealous (like 60% of the time) when really Stan is jealous (75% of the time) — don’t tell Kyle, or do!

AND THANK YOU FOR THE WELL WISHES!! I have slept so well and started reading this book recently that makes me practically itch to right—so id say I’m on the right track!! I hope you are doing amazing as well and thank you for leaving a question and the well wishes!! 😁🥰🤍

[velvetvexations]

So, Mortal Kombat 1.

The biggest problem is that it tries to be both a sequel and a complete reboot. This does not work. A reboot is always going to inherently change fundamental things that can't be explained as merely the result of time travel. There's a lot of this in MK1, where supposedly something is different because Liu Kang made deliberate changes to what happened but that can't possibly be the case and even if it was is completely inexplicable.

One of the biggest issues in this vein is the apparent erasure of Hanzo to make Sub-Zero the Younger Scorpion. Why give Sub-Zero fire powers? How did Liu Kang influence him to take on the Scorpion name and colors? How and why did Liu Kang get him into a relationship with an appropriately aged version of Hanzo's wife, and apparently have Hanzo now be an orphan child raised by the two of them post-game!?

I also feel like Netherealm's read of Bi-Han's character in the original games is completely wrong, but 'll grant you that it did result in the extremely kino shot of Kuai-Liang and Smoke embracing as brothers before Bi-Han is menacingly revealed behind a flurry of snow in the background.

Most glaringly, however, is the Tarkatan situation, similar to how Havoc is now from Seido because apparently Orderrealm and Chaosrealm were too silly as concepts. It's completely fucking nonsensical that the Tarkatans are now not their own species, but people affected with a mutating virus, which coincidentally just happened to affect a now naturally conceived Mileena. And oh, boy, do I hate how Mileena was handeled in MK1.

If you're familiar with my blog you surely know that I have a habit of headcanoning some of my blorbos as being trans women with NPD. Mileena is one of the most fitting. Her huge hang-ups about being an ugly woman who has to hide her ugliness beneath a mask while also believing she deserves everything but especially the love of a sister she routinely tries to murder out of hateful jealousy spurred by the way she was dismissed as unlovable along with her loyalty to the only person to ever show her the familial love she craves is very trans narc coded.

On one hand, perhaps one might view Mileena's arc in MK1 as following those themes through to a good conclusion where she not only learns to accept herself, but is also loved by all the good guys, including the sister she had a psychologically dense relationship with in the previous timeline. What I find, however, is that MK1 completely bungles all of that.

Being Kitana's naturally born sister who's simply disfigured throws out all the reasons she hates herself. How her ugliness is simply something unfair that happened to her rather than a core part of her being she didn't need to feel negative about at all. In the original timeline, she was essentially a mixed-raced child - probably actually a much better lens with which to view her status than as her being trans, but as I'm a white trans woman that's the interpretation with which she endeared herself to me. While a fantasy version of leprosy might be good for similar themes of self-acceptance, to make it a kinna affliction really goes against the nature of her Tarkatan-half fundamental to her origin - a simple quirk of fate.

Throughout it's then treated as something she has to control, like a werewolf might fight to control their aggression, and she just has to be willing to open herself up to allow herself to be loved. This is much too neat and pretty in the name of a "happy ending". Mileena's story was fascinating because on top of the tragedy, she was also genuinely a raging bitch who's go-to reaction was to kill and attempt to forcibly gain the power and love she was convinced rightfully belonged to her. She was messy. The whole situation was messy. Kitana was within her rights to be terrified of and repulsed by her, yet also wrong, because she never realized how badly what Mileena needed was empathy. Kitana and their mother going "aw, poor baby, we still love you always forever" because they've never before had issues with her sands Mileena down into being unrecognizable even beyond the stupid as hell Predator flaps.

As bad as all that is, it's far from the sum of bizarre choices. So many things are radically different but pure cosmetics that are iconic of certain characters like Mileena having a fucked mouth, Kenshi becoming blind, Kuai-Liang's scar, and Havoc's face all happen regardless under different circumstances. Kenshi is the only one Liu Kang comments on but even that alone should have raised huge questions as to how time operates, especially considering how much the universe didn't feel the need to correct.

I also wish Liu Kang thinking he knew what was best for everyone and that it was his job to orchestrate their lives was given more attention. He made Shao Khan a sickly child, Shang Tsung a dirt poor conman, and Quan Chi a slave in order to defang them, and it would have been great if this was used to illustrate he didn't employ his capacity for kindness and empathy when it concerned people he hated most. Instead we're just expected to think it was all totally deserved because we knew who they were in the previous timeline.

Oh, but Rain is a good guy now, I guess, after doing mega-9/11 post-game, so I guess it all worked out. This game flips a lot of previous bad guys into being heroes and it seriously unbalances the two sides.

How it deals with it's protagonists is equally strange, with obviously set-up-to-be-the-protagonist Raiden getting completely meaningless early fights early on and then being forgotten by the plot so hard he may as well have died. Like all NetherRealm fighting games, the plot is severely restricted by their story mode formula of having you play through chapters focusing on specific characters.

It's such a confused mess and as much as I loved the reveal about the villain MK1 is so dodgy it makes me see stars. It's hard to even imagine going much further with this timeline until they do an actual reboot-reboot, which is always inevitable but especially necessary when so much has been changed just enough that it more or less has to snapback sooner than later as IP law dictates.

[karume-everything-else]

Whumptober 2023

Day 20: Ugly sobbing/ Bad breakdown [Reader x L (Lawliet)] {Death Note}

This case had you frazzled to no end. You were certain L was right about most things... but you didn't like how close he was getting to Detective Yagami's son. There was no way to prove your hunch, not after the investigation lead to the conclusion of innocence, but you couldn't shake the feeling that there was something... off about him.

Even L had his suspicions before Detective Yagami held Light and Misa at gunpoint. But now it was as if you were the only one still on edge. A 17-year-old that only just graduated high-school and had very little experience in investigations or police work in general was not the most trustworthy sight.

And yet, it made you look jealous.

Maybe you were, on some level. But when both Light and Misa were so easily able to befriend L so quickly... you couldn't deny how it stung. Not to mention how little you'd done since this case started over and over again. You might as well be a potted plant for all the good you right now.

That's how L found you though, wallowing in your doubts and jealousy. You weren't sure how much longer you could hold yourself together...

"[Name]?" He shuffled toward your bed, "You okay? Watari said you haven't left your room much."

"Y-yeah." Your voice was shaky, ready to fall and betray you, "Just tired, haven't been feeling like myself is all."

L perched on the edge of your bed, "You don't say... If you need a break, I'm sure one of the detectives would go with you."

"Of course I can't do much myself." He shifted slightly, one hand finding your back, "With my cover of being a student... it would be a little weird for everyone who 'knows' me to see me with someone like you..."

Turning your head to face away, a blatant attempt to hide the tears forming in your eyes.

'Someone like you... someone like you...'

"So it would be 'normal' if you went with Light or Misa?"

"Probably... Light has positioned himself as my rival at the school." L knew where this was headed, "That factor could complicate things if it weren't for how much time we spend being seen together on campus. With Misa its different... she's already said she's dating Light quite openly..."

You stopped listening, stopped caring about the fake identities and fake friendships and fake people.

"I don't care." You snarled as you sat up, "I just want to be left alone!"

L's brow furrowed as he stared into your eyes, "I know you better than that [Name]. You aren't the kind to hide away, something is wrong and the sooner you tell me the sooner we can--"

"We? There's a we now?" The venom in your voice was as thick as the tears finally falling, "Cause I've heard these past few months is you and Light!"

"Is that what this is about?"

You huffed, turning away as you tucked your knees to your chest. While not a direct answer, L knew you... he knew all your little tells.

"[Name], I'm not replacing you." His hand rested on your arm, "You're quite literally my best friend. I don't know how, I don't know why. Someone like you being around someone like me is one of the few mysteries even I can't solve..."

A slight pause, "And I don't want to... I'd rather just be around you. Make sure you're okay and that you won't leave. Because that's the far more likely scenario... if we're being realistic..."

You sniffled, wiping at your eyes... trying to clean your face.

"[Name], would it help if we went somewhere? Just us and Watari?"

"I dunno..."

You sounded so defeated and pathetic, but L knew you needed something to get your mind out of this rut.

[minheelovelee]

any thoughts on jealous!epex?

always!! thanks for requesting, anon :)

jealous!epex

warnings: jealousy. a little toxic.

wish

oh he hates jealousy. he gets upset when you're jealous. so when he starts seeing green, he feels sooo guilty.

it takes a lot for him to get jealous. he can usually talk himself out of it before it gets too intense.

but when he does get pushed over the edge, he's not happy. honestly, he might give you the silent treatment in public. he doesn't trust himself to talk about it when others could be listening. he would be willing to get in a fight over jealousy.

when you get home, then he'll give you an earful. he's gonna talk it out with you bc he knows how to run a successful relationship. rip the bandage off and talks it out. he needs some time before he talking about it, though. he can be a little hot-headed when it comes to his relationship.

keum

it's pretty easy to make him jealous. especially if he's not secure in the relationship yet.

when he starts to get jealous, he tries to ignore it. he can distract himself for a couple day, but if the problem isn't resolved by then, he goes a little crazy.

he would confront you about whatever was bothering him. it's probably a little thing that bugs him. when you actually start talking about it, he feels so embarrassed.

hearing the word "jealous" fall off your tongue makes him feel so bad. he would apologize for causing a fuss over nothing. make sure you give him some reassurance. he needs it. :(

mu

he's a sad jealous boy. he doesn't feel spiteful or angry. he can get jealous easily, but he usually bites his tongue and waits for it to pass.

deep down, he knows he shouldn't get upset when you spend time with others, but he can't help himself. it's a lot easier to cry into your pillow than to talk about feelings with someone else.

he doesn't want to talk about feelings. it's not that he's against it, he just chooses not to. you'll have to initiate the conversation when you notice a change in his behavior.

understanding kyungmin requires a bachelors degree in kitty-boy psychology. he doesn't want to be a burden. make sure you remind him that he's not.

amin

if jumping to conclusions was an Olympic sport, minwoo would bring home the gold medal every year. he's sooo bad with this.

he only gets jealous if you're with people he doesn't know. when you're with your friends that he's close to, he's fine. he trusts them. when you're with coworkers at a bar, that's another story.

if he sees another man's hand making contact with your body, it's over. he's gonna blow up at you for sure. he'll yank you away without a word.

it's easy to get in a fight with minwoo. he says stupid things. he doesn't listen well when he's angry. it's ugly. the only way to fix his jealousy is to prevent it. tell him about your friends. let know know everything about the outing. explain the situation to him before it even happens.

baekseung

he's basically your girlfriend. he gets mad, and you never know what he's mad about. it's a secret and you need to figure it out on your own. what a fun game!

tries to use telepathy to beg you for attention. when you do give him attention, he won't accept it right away. "go give your attention to that guy you were with" :0

he feels a little bad about being jealous. he isn't really into the whole dependency thing, but he'll end up slipping into it throughout the relationship.

he's a big baby tbh. all you have to do is tell him it was a misunderstanding and he's yours once again. just make sure he knows that he's loved.

ayden

doesn't get jealous. you'd have to do something really stupid to get him to that point. he doesn't get jealous because of what you do. it's because of the actions of another party.

if there's a guy hitting on you, his primal instincts activate. he'll get so mad at that dude. he's not a violent person, so i think he uses words to get his point across.

he might just use hints. he'll insert himself into the situation, wrapping his arm around you, reminding them that you are in a committed relationship.

isn't he so mature? then he'll want to talk about it. of course. he'll let you know what bothered him and how you can prevent jealousy by creating boundaries. <3

yewang

baby gets so mad when he sees you with other men. he can't help himself. he can get jealous easily, so you have to be careful. he's very wary of strangers.

his jealousy manifests in anger. he wouldn't dare to take it out on you though. he usually just listens to loud music and cuts vegetables aggressively.

you'll have to pry a little. he's a hard egg to crack. yeah, he's obviously mad. no, he's not going to tell you. there's guilt hidden behind his anger.

once you get the conversation going, he's totally fine telling you whatever he was thinking about. he makes things harder than they should be. <3 he gets over jealousy quickly. especially if you give him a kiss and some affirming words.

jeff

he usually doesn't get jealous. people can hit on you, but at the end of the day, he knows you only like him. he'll let you play around. he doesn't want to keep you on a leash. unless... ;)

but if you really do something stupid, he would get mad. and i think he would straight up tell you. if you were to push some boundaries to test him, you might regret it.

his words might sound harsh at first. but that's only because he's angry. you might get in a fight honestly. he would take time to cool off and think about the situation.

he probably won't apologize until you do. he feels bad, but he's still hurt. talking about it would be the best thing for him. he doesn't really understand his own emotions. :)

[dansantcaparet]

In 1997, it was obvious to me that Cloud loved Aerith more than Tifa.

Not until I went online all these years later did I discover (shockingly) that the American FFVII fanbase had been purposely misled by egotistical, pompous, self-righteous nerd boys (who now have egg on their face in-light of the Remake).

If you notice, Cloti’s have been working double-time since the Remake came out. Why is that?

Well, it’s because the Remake is confirming what we have always known since the OG: despite technically being a love triangle, SE wanted most gamers to play their first playthrough the Clerith way. Aerith automatically starts off with more love points than Tifa, and the Clerith date is the “normally occurring” date.

Clerith is the “normally occurring” couple.

So why did Cloti’s decide to launch a campaign to delegitimize Clerith? And how did they do it?

When FFVII first came out in 1997, many western gamers didn’t understand Aerith. She was (literally) foreign to them. Japanese animation was still very niche back then.

Though the Japanese adored Aerith’s spunky personality & pink dress (and saw her as the obvious romantic interest for Cloud), many men in the United States thought her hair was “ugly,” and that her personality was “annoying.” Far too “anime” for their taste. They preferred Tifa — the loyal, more American looking childhood friend — the “girl-next-door.” Plus, her big boobs didn’t hurt, either.

Of course, since FFVII inherently revolves around a love triangle, there is an OPTION to play it the Tifa way.

However, as a kid in 1997, I never saw Tifa as a threat. I saw her as the secondary, optional way to play the game. The girl you would pick on your second playthrough.

When you consider...

—Official Yoshitaka Amano artwork depicting Cloud x Aerith

—Beginning love point totals (you have to make counterintuitive choices to catch Tifa up to Aerith’s automatic 1st place position)

—The non-optional bodyguard agreement

—The “normally” occurring CxA Gold Saucer date

—Numerous flirtatious moments & obvious hints

—Tifa’s constant jealousy

—Promised Land scene non-optionally occurring *AFTER* the inherently variable Highwind scene

—Frequent CxA cameos

—Aerith being the first & last image we see in the entire game

…it is clear Tifa never held a candle to Aerith as the heroine, or as the primary love interest for Cloud.

To put it simply — Aerith was created first by SE. Tifa was created second. Aerith is the primary love interest. Tifa is the secondary love interest. Obvious common sense.

Unfortunately, fueled by their unyielding, irrational hatred of all things Aerith, they successfully sold the myth (for years) that Cloud x Tifa is the official canon couple of FFVII, thereby brainwashing the entire American fandom against Cloud x Aerith.

They reduced & twisted Cloud’s “undying” love for Aerith as “guilt.”

Saying that even though Cloud chooses to live in Aerith’s Church, has his heart broken every time he visits her grave, reconnects with her in Flower Fields (and cameos), and seeks to find her in the Promised Land, it is somehow all due to guilt over the death of a mere friend. Saying that anything romantic shown in the OG is all a result of Zack (ie: attempted delegitimization).

I guess the symbolism of Cloud’s continued love for Aerith, and all the nuances that entails, is too cultured & sophisticated for them to comprehend. Or maybe they are purposely not comprehending the obvious?

Thankfully, the Japanese understand what all of this means. So why don’t western fans?

The only logical conclusion is because of their deep, burning, irrational hatred of Aerith as a character. Always minimizing & downplaying her role as the first & true heroine & love interest to Cloud.

But now, with the Remake perfecting Aerith’s look & personality, and making it crystal clear that these are Cloud’s REAL feelings, and that Aerith wants to move FORWARD from Zack, you are now seeing a significant swing within the fandom towards Cloud x Aerith.

The myth has finally been exposed & debunked.

Due to this, Cloti’s are currently working double-time to try to convince us that their ship is a “slow-burn.”

Sadly, the other side has spent years using Crisis Core & Advent Children to their advantage by manipulating & brainwashing those new to the FFVII fanbase. Pretending as if Disc 1 of the OG never happened. Saying Crisis Core makes Zerith canon, and Advent Children makes Cloti canon. Simple & easy for the masses to understand, right?

So how, exactly, did they convince millions to believe their great myth?

1. Cloud & Aerith only liked each other because of Zack.

Response:

The relationship between Zack & Aerith in CC is officially described as a minor infatuation between two juveniles, much like Cloud’s childhood crush on Tifa.

In the OG, Aerith says her and Zack were NEVER serious, that their relationship is “in the past now,” and that he probably moved on to someone else because he’s a “real lady’s man.”

On the “normally occurring” CxA Gold Saucer date, Aerith confirms that although she initially liked Cloud because of Zack, she has grown to like Cloud for Cloud.

Within the lifestream, Aerith tells Zack that she prefers Cloud’s personality over his, and that she will only call Zack if she gets “really lonely.”

In the Remake, Aerith states she wants to move FORWARD with her life in regards to Zack.

In official sources, Aerith is stated as saying she loves Cloud MORE than Zack.

Cloud is stated to be Aerith’s “koibito” (“lover” in Japanese).

Yes — Cloud adopted some memories & mannerisms from Zack, but he never transformed 100% into Zack.

It is a myth that Cloud & Aerith’s love is null-and-void because of Zack.

CC is a retcon.

Don’t let them use Zack to erase Clerith.

2. Tifa wins by default due to being alive.

Response:

Tifa winning by default due to being alive is why the other side hopes to god Aerith doesn’t live in the Remake.

You may personally prefer Tifa, but in the OG, Cloud himself clearly prefers Aerith over Tifa, and the other side knows it (just look at the Shinra jail cell moment). When Tifa observes Cloud and Aerith falling in love, she flips out in a jealous rage.

Tifa only has a chance once Aerith is out of the picture. If Aerith lives, it is all but over for Tifa.

Even in death, Cloud has an “undying” love for Aerith that will never go away. Tifa knows this to be true and is stated to be jealous of Cloud’s continued feelings for Aerith.

In the AC credits, Tactics cameo, and the Dissidia cameo, it is clear Cloud still wants to meet and be with Aerith in the Promised Land. Denying the common sense symbolism of this is a sign of someone who has a deep-rooted bias against Aerith.

Furthermore, Cloud and Tifa are in an established “family of friends,” share zero romantic moments, have tons of continued jealousy, fighting, and sleep in separate rooms. Plus, Barret returns to living with them in DoC. Tifa is never upgraded to anything beyond “childhood friend.”

Cloud & Tifa only have the possibility of being a thing if Aerith is out of the picture. Aerith is #1. Tifa is #2. The other side better pray to god Aerith doesn’t live in the Remake.

[iphyslitterator]

I'm a newer fan so I may be way off but I have had a sickly gut feeling since I binged the first half of Season 7 that Chris ends the season under Buck's care, not Eddie's. Like there's a reason Buck's life is steady now, and they explicitly said Chris adored his now partner. Idk if Eddie skips town and leaves Chris with Buck to not disrupt Chris' life as much or if Eddie has a huge medical thing and he can't look after Chris or if he seeks inpatient help at a mental facility but that Ryan interview about bombshells is pulling that gut feeling to the surface.

Oooh, I don't it's going to turn out like this because a LOT of dominos would have to fall in the next 3 episodes, but there's interesting stuff to play with!

Eddie skips town: Honestly such a nuclear option I'm not sure the show could come back from it. WOW, the Shannon parallels of it all, but so much of Eddie's story is about Christopher that if he "abandoned" him without even the veneer of Afghanistan (or post-partum depression), I don't know how many fans could forgive him.

Huge medical thing: More likely! Already a lot of Eddie-near-death-experience and Season 4 Redux speculation floating around; he could be either fully incapacitated or needing to rely more on Buck. For me the main thing working against it is that it would be a great Buck plot (and Bucktommy for that matter), but I don't see how to make it connect to the cheating storyline -- if Eddie does end up in the hospital, I think it'll lead to ugly confrontations with Marisol, Kim, Helena, Ramon, Buck, and/or Christopher, and he's got to be conscious for that :)

Inpatient mental health facility: Bonkers option I don't think they'll take, but I WOULD read this fic. You've damaged your psyche so much looking for a wife and mother that you can't even be a full-time father rn. You've addressed some of your shit, but you're repressing and lying about the rest of it so systemically that you need four hours of group therapy a day to even BEGIN to unravel it. The cheating storyline doesn't feel like psych ward material, and I think the season would have to have laid more groundwork by now, but this is soooo compelling.

Re: Christopher & Tommy, that only came up when the show was pushing the Buck jealousy angle, and while I NEED and WANT and am thinking at ALL times about Christopher's perspective on Bucktommy, I think we would have needed a scene about it by now for it to be a plot point lol.

All that said, my policy on sickly gut feelings is to hope for the best and prepare for the worst! No need to jump to conclusions, but as someone who had a very real breakdown over the Magicians S4 finale, my rule of thumb is to ask myself, "Would I be okay if [x thing] happened?" and if the answer is "No," I figure out what it would take to get there. I don't think there's too much to worry about here, but take care of yourself 💕

[nataliescatorccio]

I'm ashamed to admit I didn't even know the book existed until it came out on adverts for the movie release in cinemas! I bought the book right there and then as I am a big hunger games fan, but it took me months to be able to read it as life got in the way and have just finished it last night!!!

I fell completely and utterly in love with Lucy and Snow/Lucy (well up until his true colours at the end of the book showed its ugly head)

Was it just me that felt the book near the end started to finish off things very quickly? Like with Senjaus and his plans to rebel Snow follows him and then it all goes to shit right there and then he kills the mayors daughter and the other rebel killed Billy which to me didn't make much sense cause he was charging at someone the rebel didn't even know over anger at killing someone he cared about but the rebel sided with protecting Snow? Unless I misread it?

I love how you were drew into actually quite liking Snow and his relationships even though he did have a kind of dick side even then, I also love his relationship he had with Senjaus in district 12 until he betrayed him like he did anyway it killed me reading that part :/ I hate how he became the Plinths son pretty much after he was killed also even though he was the reason. I feel after the deaths of the other two he may now of gone on the run and settled down for a while at least or maybe even ran off like Lucy did on his own in hopes he'd get away.

Also I wish we'd found out what actually happened between Billy and Lucy? It seemed like it was more than what was said as it seemed it happened much before the hunger games name call out? Do you think the mayors daughter really made her name come out and be put into the games?

i'm glad you finally got the chance to read it, it really is an amazing book! i was definitely just enraptured with lucy. i think the story does an amazing job at showing possibly 'redeeming' qualities in snow to make you root for him at points, but then entirely twisting it at the end so you're reminded who he really is. it's so cleverly done because going into it, you know snow is no good, so it takes a certain kind of special writing to make you forget that at points. you get so caught up in his relationships with both sejanus and lucy that you forget his only loyalty is to himself. while a horrible twist that he almost took sejanus' place as a son, it so perfectly fits who snow was, so much so that you almost want to kick yourself for not seeing it sooner.

i agree it wrapped up quickly at the end, but honestly, i feel like most books do. and i think it had to because it all amounted in a cascade of events which were interlinked, each triggering the other. so yes, while a lot happens, it does sort of making sense that it suddenly all starts to fall apart and does so quickly. it's been a while for me since i last read the books so i have to admit the details are not fresh in my mind, but i don't remember being confused by this scene. i think it's just reacting out of the sudden stress of the moment and the need to cover tracks and simply survive the situation before anyone either a) ran for help or b) turned on them.

i personally don't think there was anymore in the story between lucy gray and billy that we weren't told? i just saw it as a typical first love story, girl loves boy, boy leads girl on for a bit, boy leaves girl for another. lucy gray was incredibly independent, intelligent and hardy, this seemed a contrast to what billy wanted from a girlfriend which was stated as lucy as some girl to take care of him. and then their whole breakup got messier because yes, i really do think the mayor's daughter set up lucy gray's name to be reaped out of jealousy. to me this is the only outcome that would make sense for the mayor jumping to the immediate conclusion that lucy gray killed mayfair, why else would he be so convinced she would enact revenge on his daughter? however, i would love a novel from lucy gray's perspective that could show us a bit more of her life before the games. she's such a magnetic character and i'd always be happy to hear more from her.