#it always happens like this. i see a character without THAT much detailed backstory and go: dis for me?

[maniacwatchestheworld]

Things to do with Jack and Maddie without them being abusive

As someone who actually likes Jack and Maddie as characters (I'm a fervent shipper of Maddie/Jack/Vlad), it's a real bummer to see so many people out there deciding that for their DPxDC AUs that Jack and Maddie are abusive, when that really doesn't represent how they are in canon. Now I fully acknowledge that doing this can be a very useful tool for telling certain types of stories, and if you want to make a story about recovering from abuse and finding a new found family, all the more power to you for that! But for any other type of story where them being abusive isn't necessary for the backstory of the story you want to tell... It's just a bummer to do that, y'know? If you don't want to tell a story with Jack and Maddie in it, that's entirely fine! I'm not asking you to. But there are ways to get rid of them without making them abusive or dying. Of the two, I personally would prefer them dying (I just like the story potential of that, especially as far as Vlad is concerned). But there are plenty of easy things to do with them to keep them out of the story that don't require them being abusive or dead! So I'm here to give a list of things that can happen to them (that have precedent within either Danny Phantom itself or the DC universe) that keep them out of the story that don't require much explanation as well as some other ideas for what you can do with them if you have no idea what to do with them otherwise.

Lots of ideas under the cut! (Feel free to take what you want. As always, credit is appreciated, but not necessary. But I would love to see what you do with it!)

If you need them permanently absent so that Danny can get adopted

Fell into the Ghost Zone and cannot be found.

They are gone for whatever reason and Jazz is currently Danny's legal guardian (she's 18 or older and is therefore a legal adult).

While in the Ghost Zone, they accidentally traveled through time/got transported somewhere where they can't get home easily.

They got severely Joker gassed and are in medical care. (This is actually what happened to Duke's parents!)

They got severely Scarecrow gassed and are in medical care.

Went insane for some supervillain-related reason and are now missing/in medical care.

They were kidnapped by a villain for some reason.

They were kidnapped by a villain and are currently in a lotus-eaters simulation and therefore don't even know that they've gone missing.

Abducted by aliens.

They got wrapped up in some supervillain bullshit and now have amnesia and are unable to recognize Danny and Jazz.

They got magicked into something that can't take care of Danny and Jazz.

They were experimented on and are now incapable of taking care of Danny and Jazz.

Some cosmic entity did a whoopsie that effected Jack and Maddie and now they're in a condition/situation where they cannot take care of Danny and Jazz.

Got arrested and are in jail for some reason.

Were arrested and sent to jail for a long time. Have since joined Task Force X/the Suicide Squad for lienency.

Got hit by a stray Zeta-Beam and are now on some alien planet.

They got teleported somehow. We aren't certain about the details.

They fell into a hole to another world.

They no-clipped out of their normal reality.

Stranded with no way home.

They somehow ended up on a different planet. They are just hanging out with Space Cabbie now, who is just having a ROUGH day and can't find Earth for whatever reason.

Inducted into a Lantern Corps and are VERY busy because of it!

Coma.

Effected by a debilitating illness/disease/condition that makes them incapable of taking care of others.

They were forced to go undercover for some reason and therefore vanished. (Letting their kids know is optional)

They were forced to go undercover for some reason and were forced to fake their deaths.

They died, but came back to life. Danny has not been informed of this.

They got possessed by a superhero or supervillain who just wandered off with their bodies.

They got separated following a disaster and haven't been able to find each other again.

They've been retconned to hell and back again to the point where no one is entirely certain where they are, what they're doing, or even if they're alive anymore. Don't worry about it! Only mention them when it's relevant and the rest of the time we aren't going to bother explaining what's going on with them. If they are mentioned, accounts of where they are and what's going on with them are contradictory.

They're around, but will go unseen throughout this story

Any of the situations in the previous section, but it only happened to one of the parents, and the other is just too busy working and taking care of the kids by themselves.

The same as previous, but they also moved to Gotham.

Retcon things so that the events of Danny Phantom actually happened in Gotham City all along. (Maybe Amity Park is like... A suburb in the greater Gotham area.)

They went on vacation/were hired for a job that would take them away from home. They left Danny and Jazz to be taken care of by Vlad. Vlad is an asshole, so they ran away from him.

They went on vacation/were hired for a job that would take them away from home, but now that Jazz is over 18, she's been left in charge.

Put into Witness Protection by the government/the Guys in White.

Danny and friends have graduated from high school and are now legal adults, perhaps in college.

Danny's whole family moved to Gotham City. They're just at home/working during the events of this story.

Jack and Maddie have been hired to do some work with the Justice League and need to be away from home for an extended period of time. They have left a member of the Justice League to take care of Danny and Jazz in the meantime.

Fieldtrip/school trip to Gotham City.

Danny is old and responsible enough that Jack and Maddie trust Danny (and/or Jazz) to travel on their own. His parents are just a call away if he needs help.

Jack and Maddie are separated for whatever reason (one went missing/one is working abroad/they are divorced/one died) and the other moved to Gotham and is taking care of the kids in the meantime, but is busy and so will not appear.

Something happened to Fenton Works and the family needs to temporarily stay somewhere else while the problem with Fenton Works is sorted.

The family was driven out of town and they ran off to Gotham to escape the angry mob. (Or at least to wait until things cool down again.)

Jack or Maddie are able to work remotely and so they've moved to Gotham to do so. The kids came along/are visiting.

Jack and/or Maddie were hired for temporary work in Gotham and decided to bring the kids along.

One family member was taken to Arkham Asylum. They moved to Gotham to be closer.

Jazz went to Gotham for college. Danny is visiting.

Danny is sent to Gotham/Arkham for specialized health reasons.

Jack and Maddie have gotten in contact with a specialist that lives in Gotham and are visiting for work-related reasons.

They are on vacation in Gotham and brought the kids along. Danny and Jazz have been let off the leash to go where they want while Jack and Maddie do touristy stuff.

Visiting family/family friends living in Gotham.

They were passing through but are now unable to leave. (Bonus points if it's a No Man's Land situation.)

They were passing through, but were robbed. Jack and Maddie are dealing with the robbery stuff where Danny is off somewhere else.

They were just passing through, but Maddie and Jack got SEVERELY distracted by something and have run off to who knows where!

They are traveling with Vlad and expected Vlad to take care of and watch the kids!

Danny was abducted to Gotham.

Danny accidently ended up in Gotham somehow.

Danny somehow got transported/teleported to Gotham.

Doing an educational trip/apprenticeship/internship over in Gotham.

Danny ran away impulsively.

Some villain threatened Danny's family and forced him to run away from home.

Danny has revealed his secret to his parents, and while they might worry about Danny being a vigilante, believe in and trust Danny to do the right thing and allow him to do what he feels that he must to protect people.

The same as above, but Vlad also came out and is supervising.

They died.

I cannot understate the sheer JUICY storytelling potential that you can have by killing Jack and Maddie off! We already know how it might effect people and events from what we see in The Ultimate Enemy, but there really is limitless potential in terms of ways to twist, turn, and play with things to have different outcomes! Additionally, Jack and Maddie being genuinely good parents that die protecting Danny and Jazz offers lots of ways for Bruce to relate to Danny and Jazz! (He decided to become Batman so that no one would have to face what he did ever again... And he failed...) And the way that they die can offer some lovely different flavors of angst, coping mechanisms, motovations, and learning to deal with their loss. So here are some ideas for how to kill them off!

The universe exploded again, and when it was put back together, Jack and Maddie ceased to exist in current canon continuity. (This happens more often than you'd think.)

Vlad Wins.

They were killed in an apocalypse-level event.

They were killed in the crossfire of some superhero/supervillain fight.

They were taken by some villain. They were killed before the heroes could arrive.

They were killed in a random act of violence/crime. (Much like Batman's backstory. Do this to gain extra points from Bruce.)

Died in prison/after joining the Suicide Squad.

Gang violence.

Any of the previous but Gotham is just THAT dangerous!

Same as any gassing or supervillain plan, but they died instead of being missing or in medical care.

Got transported to a place where they died very far away from home.

They just died suddenly or because of an accident. It happens sometimes.

Things to note

Believe it or not, but your parents can still be in your life AND you can join the Batfamily AT THE SAME TIME! :D

Examples:

Barbra Gordon is very much in the Batfamily and both of her parents are alive and well. She's a very important part of the family, and in the comics, it is not uncommon to see her calling up her dad and talking to him! They'll even call each other if they need help with something. This does not take away from the fatherly role Bruce often has in her life. (She can have 2 dads and good for her for that!)

When Tim initially became Robin, his parents were alive and well. They would later die because comic writers are just like that, but being an orphan without loving parents in your life is not a prerequisite to being Robin.

Duke's parents are also alive! They are under the effects of Joker toxin, but they are alive, and if they ever find a cure for it, I imagine that they would be more than happy to have Duke back in their lives!

Terry from Batman Beyond is not an orphan and was taken under Bruce's wing to be the next Batman! Terry is even going to inherit a fair amount of Bruce's wealth for deciding to take on the responsibility of being Batman. But while his dad did die, his mom is still alive and well over the course of the series! And he has a little brother too! Terry may still be a teenager, but he is a bit of a breadwinner for his household while also still being an important part of Bruce's family. (He is often someone who helps Bruce take care of himself.)

But if the story you truly want to explore requires being adopted specifically... Well... You don't have to be a kid to be adopted! Jack and Maddie can still raise Danny and Jazz into adults and Bruce is able to adopt them later if he wants, once they have been well and established in his family! Hell, you don't even have to wait! As long as Bruce asks permission from Jack and Maddie, they can be alive AND he can adopt Danny! There is more than one way to be in a family, you know! And sometimes it takes a village! And really, would Jack and Maddie really object to Danny being adopted by billionaire Bruce Wayne, especially if Danny really is enjoying his time being a part of his family and if Bruce has been an absolutely lovely person to them whenever he visits?

So I hope that you're able to take some inspiration from all of this for your own stories! If you need some elaboration on what I mean with some of these, or want to ask who could be responsible for some of these and how, feel free to drop on by and send me an ask! I would be more than happy to go into some more detail about these! Happy writing!

[ghostboneswrites2]

Hello! First of all I love your stories so much💖 and hope you're having an amazing day. I wanted to ask if you could write something with this, feel free to decline if not 😊

I have this idea of Daryl and the reader being a thing before the apocalypse, Merle hated his girl and left her closed in a place with loads of walkers around without D knowing(something similar to what happens to him in Atlanta) but she manages to escape and survive thanks to what D has taught her. The group at the prison helps her after finding her tiredly fighting some walkers close to there. D and M are in the woods and the scene of D's back comes and says that the reader was his saviour for staying with him even after that and that they were planning to escape and get married. They arrive at the prison and she punches M in the face and well says to D everything that happened. M gets to see how D gets around Reader and before leaving the prison says to reader to take care of his bro and "sacrifices" himself going to fight the governor, D and r found him already turned and they both cry, promising to take care of each other.

I love the detail here! Plz forgive me, this turned out way longer than I intended. Nearly 5k words! I hope I did your vision justice! It was getting pretty long so I had to cut and tweak some things but I tried make sure to include all your key details!

Separated

Summary: You and the Dixon brothers are on your way to Atlanta to find that refugee center you heard about on the radio before they stopped broadcasting. When your journey is interrupted and you and Merle get separated from Daryl, Merle impulsively leaves you trapped and stranded in fear Daryl would choose you over him if it came down to it. When you're reunited with your love, you face tragedy together.

Note: There are some time jumps here. They're labeled to hopefully avoid confusion. Also some canon dialogue <3 A lot of your backstory with the Dixons wasn't totally necessary but I was trying to create a ~vibe~

18+ MDNI || Warnings: profanity, TWD typical violence, canonically moral deficient character, death and dying, mentions of alcohol and pills

the way he cowers and shrinks away from Merle's walker makes me cry every time omg

Then:

        Things went south so fast. The three of you were traveling relatively trouble free. The guys could hunt, and Daryl had taught you a thing or two yourself, so food was never an issue. Finding water wasn't as hard as it would be later down the line. All the supplies left in homes and stores hadn't been completely ransacked yet. It was the beginning of the outbreak. With Merle's truck, Daryl's bike, some weapons and supplies, and the general survival skills you were learning from the two of them, fleeing to the city to find that refugee center had been as easy as something like that could get, until the water ran out.

        It should have been an easy pit stop. The town was small. Your grandma would have called it a 'blink of an eye' town, because when you passed towns so small on a trip they'd fly by in the blink of an eye. There was a general store right on the corner, so that was where you decided to start the search. Just some water, maybe first aide and booze. Who knew what you'd find? The truck was parked right outside the store. Daryl wanted a smoke. He said he'd meet you and Merle inside. Then the growls started. Daryl could hear them from a distance, so he knew it was a big herd. 

        None of you had had much trouble with the big groups of them yet. So far, maybe ten or fifteen at a time. You killed the ones that got too close and fled as fast as you could. No unnecessary risks, that was the rule. Merle always said if he died it would be from something cool like a police shootout or a bank robbery. He refused to go out the way those things took people out. Daryl always said he'd shoot himself before he let them get the chance to eat him alive or turn him. He'd never be a walking corpse. You? Daryl always said you were too pretty to die. You just said you were too much of a badass. 

        Daryl popped his head inside. There were only two freaks inside and they were easy enough to take down, so you and Merle were just looting by then. 

        "Incoming. We gotta head out." Daryl announced.

        "Just a second, baby brother. I'm lookin' for the whiskey." Merle said.

        "Ain't got time for that. I can hear 'em comin'." Daryl insisted. You zipped your bag up with everything you had found so far, including the water, and walked toward your broody boyfriend with a half smile.

        "There were exactly three waters left. How's that for good luck?" You said to him.

        "Why'd'ya think I keep ya 'round? You're my good luck charm." He winked before slapping the window to get Merle's attention. "C'mon, man! No unnecessary risks!" 

        You slipped past Daryl and stepped outside, throwing your bag in the bed of the truck. You could hear the moans and groans. You turned your attention in the direction of the noise and you could see the heads peeking up over a hill. Your eyes grew wide as your heart sped up.

        "Uh... Guys? We gotta go!" You called out, not taking your eyes off the herd that was slowly coming into view. You had never seen so many of them.

        "Merle, come on!" Daryl was growing more aggravated and impatient as the seconds ticked by. 

         Daryl jogged back to the truck just as Merle was emerging from the little shop. With no sense of urgency in sight, Merle just looked over the bottle of Jack he had found as he casually strolled over to the driver's side. You scooted into the middle seat and Daryl hopped in the passenger spot and slammed his door shut.

        "Hurry up, man!" Daryl urged his brother. 

        Merle grumbled some smartass remark about being afraid of 'a few dead bodies' as he cranked the engine and hit the gas, speeding away.

Now

        You were so sore. So exhausted. So ready to just give in, but you couldn't. You refused to give in that easy. Someone told you once that you were too pretty to die, and you took that to heart. 

        You kept swinging your machete at them as they closed in on you. You were cornered between a building and a fence. What the hell were you supposed to do now? You had no idea, but you were determined to figure it out. You had gotten yourself out of worse situations.

Then

        "Gon' have to circle back somewhere to get back on the interstate." Daryl informed, looking at the map.

        "I don't need a second driver." Merle waved him off. You rolled your eyes. You were glad to be surviving something so scary with the man you loved, but the third wheel was getting hard to live with. 

        "Whatever, man." Daryl huffed, turning his attention to the window instead of paying his brother any mind.

        You kept your attention on the rearview mirror, relieved to see the herd fading away as the truck rolled forward. Those things really freaked you out, especially when they were all together like that, stumbling and bumping into each other carelessly.

        A mile or so down the road, you heard a loud pop and the engine started to sputter. "Ah, hell." Merle sighed. 

        "What?" Daryl asked, leaning forward to see his brother.

        "Gas is empty." He replied, looking down at the dash.

        "Are you kiddin' me?" Daryl asked incredulously. "Ya didn't think to check before?"

        "I did check, but I thought we'd be back on the interstate by now. Plenty o' cars to siphon a li'l fuel from back there." Merle defended. 

        "Hate to raise the stakes even higher here," you interrupted. "But, that herd is gonna be catching up soon, so we need to figure something out."

        Merle shot you a sideways glance. If it was up to him he would have just left you back home and fled with his brother, but Daryl insisted on picking you up. Now, he couldn't even hop on his bike with his baby brother and sail away to safety because there wouldn't be room for you and Daryl would never agree. He wasn't the greatest brother, but he wouldn't leave Daryl behind either.

        "Wha's that?" Daryl suddenly asked, breaking the tense silence as the three of you considered your pressing circumstances.

        You both turned your attention to what the archer was pointing out. Just beyond the treeline was a small wooden structure. Some kind of shack. 

        "A house?" You wondered.

        "Nah. Shed or somethin'." Daryl figured.

        "Maybe we can hide there and let the freaks pass by. They're pretty stupid, right? Maybe they'll just keep going straight if we don't draw their attention." You suggested.

        "Won't even know we're there." Daryl agreed.

        "Well then let's quit the yappin' and get over there before they see us." Merle drawled as he pushed his door open. Daryl got out and offered you a hand while you stepped out of the truck. Your posh parents never liked him much, but they never saw what a gentlemen he could really be. You had cut ties with them long before the dead started roaming.

Now

        You were beginning to think maybe this was really the end. It really wasn't that many. Seven at the most. But you were just so tired. You lazily swung the blade into a skull and struggled to yank it out. You had climbed on top of a dumpster, so at least they couldn't reach you, but you were still trapped until you could get rid of them. You wondered how stupid it would be to take a quick nap. Surely one of them would reach you eventually. You decided against it.

Then

        Without any spoken agreement, the three of you grabbed any supplies you thought you'd need and jogged over to the dilapidated structure. It was vacant and smelled faintly of mildew and rotting wood.

        "It'll do." Merle sighed.

        "Do? This is a mansion compared to the truck." You remarked, stretching your body. You were stiff from so much sitting. 

        The three of you watched silently through the cracks in the door as the herd stumbled by with their swinging arms and dragging feet. The smell was something you couldn't get used to, and with so many of them, it was strong. You gagged quietly. Daryl rubbed a hand up and down your back when he noticed.

        The three of you really thought you were fine. You outsmarted the dead ones and soon you'd be on your way again. You had never been so wrong about anything before.

        Merle got a little too comfortable given the situation. He went and dug through his duffel for his whiskey. He had been drinking so much you wondered if his piss could get someone drunk. The entire time you'd been on the road with them, the man had managed to find liquor everywhere he went. There wasn't a single day he hadn't been drunk, and if there had been, you were sure he'd have a stash of pills to keep him feeling nice. You guessed you couldn't blame him. Shit was rough nowadays.

        When Merle found the bottle he dropped it and it shattered. After giving Merle a look that could kill, Daryl turned his attention back to the herd. A few of them were veering off. The sound had caught their attention. Only a few heard, but as they started walking toward the shed, more followed. 

        "Shit." You whispered. 

        "This place ain't gon' hold." Daryl added.

        "My Jack." Merle complained.

        "Hell with your booze, man." Daryl scoffed as some of the dead started to claw at the outside. "We gotta go."

        "Go  where, baby brother?" 

        "We could take down the few that are at the door and break for the truck."  You thought.

        "Nah, too many on the road. But we can run off that way." Daryl nodded toward the back of the shed.

        "Okay." You nodded, throwing your bag over your shoulders and readying your machete.

        Merle haphazardly hooked his duffel and cocked his pistol.

        "No guns. Too loud." Daryl reminded him.

        "Relax. It's a last resort." Daryl shrugged, tucking it unto his belt. With a nod to each other, you and Daryl kicked the door open and took down two walkers. Merle was right behind you.

Now

        Tires screeched from ahead. You looked up and saw a car. A woman and a man got out of the vehicle and rushed over, taking down the walkers with ease and precision. Gee, you thought. Bet it's nice to have someone that has your back. 

        The couple walked over to the dumpster and eyed you cautiously, glancing at each other. "You okay?" The man finally asked.

        "Could use an espresso." You quipped.

        "What's your name?" The woman inquired.

        "(Y/N)." 

        "I'm Maggie." She introduced. "This is Glenn."

Then

        Only using your energy on the ones closest, the three of you darted deeper into the woods. They followed, because they saw you and now they wanted you. 

        Only, there were more in the trees than you anticipated. Usually the woods were pretty clear save for a few stragglers here and there. These woods were not. You wondered why, but there was no time to guess. You just kept running.

        Eventually there were just too many. Daryl got pushed further and further away as more and more emerged from behind trees. When you realized you couldn't see him anymore you called for him.

        "Quiet girl! He can take care o' himself. You're drawin' more to us!" Merle hissed. You reluctantly obeyed, because you knew he was right. Daryl probably evaded them somewhere and would meet you both back at the truck.

        When the running began to take its toll and your chest started to burn, you put more of a focus on searching for somewhere to hide. To your advantage, there was an overgrown cabin not too far ahead. erle peered over his shoulder.

        "We're losin' em. Let's get inside an' wait 'em out. Daryl 'll meet us back at the truck when it passes." He strategized well for his inebriated state.

        "Okay." You breathed, just grateful for a chance to stop and rest.

Now

        "Need some help? Maggie asked, offering you a hand as you slid off the edge of the dumpster.

        "Thanks." 

        "You have a group?" Glenn wondered. Maggie gave him an unsure look. You noticed Glenn looked pretty beat up. You wondered what happened.

        "No." You said lowly. You did have people, but you were left behind. 

        "Well.." Glenn trailed off, looking to Maggie as if to silently ask what they should do with you.

        "You can come with us. Can't promise you can stay though." She spoke up.

Then

        The cabin had been vacant for a long time. Some of the old dusty furniture remained so you both sat down and just breathed. You handed him a water bottle and sipped on one for yourself while you waited. It felt like hours had gone by. It had grown dark out. Merle peeked out of the window. There were a bunch of them all around, but they had no idea the two of you were in there. It seemed like they lost their lead and just stopped, staggering around in the same spot. 

         "There's a lot of 'em, but they ain't payin' attention. I say we leave out the back an' sneak back toward the road." Merle suggested. You thought for a second. 

        "Yeah," you nodded. "Okay." 

        Just as you passed it by, Merle suddenly shoved you in a closet and shut it behind you.

        "Merle, what the fuck, man?" You complained, banging at the door. It wouldn't budge.

        "Quiet, now. Don't wanna draw in any unwanted attention." He taunted. You sighed.

        "Merle, c'mon this isn't funny."

        "'Fraid it ain't a joke, Darlin. Truck's outta gas an' my bike only carries two."

        Your heart sank.

        "Daryl isn't just gonna leave without me." You reminded.

        "He won't have a choice when I tell 'im 'bout how them dead ones took ya down." He mockingly lamented. "It was just terrible, ya know? They grabbed her. I couldn't pull'er away in time before they got to chompin'."

        "The hell, dude? Don't do this!" You begged, banging at the door again.

        "Look. Ya got your bag in there, got your weapon, got your wits. You'll figure it out." He reasoned.

        "Not if I'm trapped!" 

        "I'm sure you can kick that slab o' wood down if ya try hard enough." He was getting further away by the sounds of it. "Jus' try not to be too loud. Don't want 'em hearin' ya."

Now

        "I'd be grateful." You admitted. "I haven't had anywhere to rest in a while. I have some medicine here I'd be happy to share in exchange for a good night of rest."

        "Watcha got?" Maggie asked.

        "We actually came out her for medicine." Glenn added.

        "Some antibiotics, some Benadryl, some stuff for pain. Oh, and I found an EpiPen. I'm allergic to bees, so." 

        "Antibiotics is what we need." Maggie said.

        "Yeah, whatever you need. Thanks again."

        They still hit a few stores while you rested in their car. Maggie made sure to grab the keys just in case you tried anything, but you were too tired to try even if you wanted to. When they had found everything they thought they'd need for the prison, they drove you back. Rick and the others were apprehensive, with everything happening with Woodbury and recently losing one of their best fighters. Daryl was also their hunter, their tracker, and generally someone they all relied on.

        You explained to them that you were traveling with some people to Atlanta but they left you behind and you'd been on the move ever since. "I'd be glad to sleep outside if it makes you more comfortable." You said to Rick. "I can leave in the morning. I just really need somewhere to sleep."

        Rick studied you for an uncomfortably long time before he asked, "How many walkers have you killed?"

        "Walkers?" You asked. You'd never heard that term before.

        "The dead." He clarified.

        "Oh... I don't know, really. A lot."

        "How many people have you killed?"

        "None." You said honestly. "But there is one person I might beat to death if I ever see him again."

        "Why?" 

        "He left me stranded, surrounded by the dead."

The Next Morning

        Rick let you sleep in a separate cell block. He let you know you'd be locked in for a the night but that he'd come get you in the morning to talk. You didn't really care. You just wanted rest. 

        When he came and got you that morning you were offered a warm meal, which you gladly accepted. You made sure to give them the majority of your antibiotics as a show of gratitude. 

        Meanwhile, deep in the woods, two rednecks were hashing it out. Name calling, shoving, whatever it took to unleash all the pent up frustrations they had between each other.

        See, in all that time Daryl spent with Rick and their group, he began to find a side of himself that was suppressed with his brother around. The only person to ever make him believe he could be good was taken from him before they made it to the quarry. Merle, on the other hand, only represented everything that Daryl was trying to put behind him. Merle was capable of hurting good people or looking the other way instead of helping someone in danger. If only Daryl knew some of the things Merle had really done.

        "There was a baby!" Daryl defended as Merle laid into him for risking his own ass to save a family on a bridge.

        "Oh, otherwise ya woulda just left 'em to the biters." Merle retorted.

        "Man, I went back for ya. Ya weren't there. I didn't cut off your hand, neither. You did that. Way before they locked you up on that roof. You asked for it."

        "You know what's funny to me? Hmm? You and Sheriff Rick are like this now." Merle said, locking his two fingers together. "I bet you a penny and a fiddle o' gold you never told him that we were plannin' on robbin' that camp blind."

        "It didn't happen!" Daryl snapped. "And we woulda never had to if ya didn't let the truck run out o' gas! And my girlfriend wouldn't be dead!" Daryl's chest was heaving as his eyes stung, threatening to spill fresh tears at the thought of her. Merles eyes flashed something Daryl couldn't quite decipher.

        "It didn't happen 'cause I wasn't there to help you!"

        "When we were kids.. Who left who then, huh?" Daryl frowned.

        "What? Huh, is that why I lost my hand?" Merle rasped.

        "You lost your hand 'cause you're a simple-minded piece o' shit!" 

        "Yeah?!" Merle lost it. He grabbed Daryl by the shirt. "You don't know!"

        When Daryl fell to the ground, his shirt ripped down the back. Merle froze. His chest felt tight as he stared down at the gruesome scene left on Daryl's back from years of abuse at the hands of their father. "I -- I didn't know --"

        "Yeah, ya did." Daryl's voice cracked as he pushed himself to his feet. "That's why ya left. But (Y/N), she never left. She was always there, man. Always. She was the one who saved me. She protected me. Not you, man!" He wiped a tear as he took a breath between heated words. "We were gon' run away, gon' get the hell outta that town and get married, maybe start a family. I don't know, and I never will thanks to you!"

        He did blame his big brother for the loss of his love, but not in the way that he should have. He blamed Merle's clumsiness, carelessness, and negligence. He had no idea that Merle trapped and abandoned you.

Later

        Daryl went back home to the prison. Merle couldn't stand too watch him leave, so he followed. Guilt was starting to eat at him, gnawing away at his insides, mouthfuls at a time. He almost felt nauseous hearing about you and what Daryl had planned with you. He tried to imagine his battered baby brother in a nice little house with a wife and kids. Hell, he even tried to picture it for himself, but the image wasn't clear enough for it to seem possible. All either of them had ever known was violence and loneliness. That was why they needed each other. That was why he had to get rid of you.

        You had just finished a tour of the prison. Rick told you that you could stay for a while, but he didn't know if he trusted you as one of them. He shared a little about a rival community with a crazed leader. You understood. You never expected to stick around, even if they offered. You couldn't see yourself trusting anyone after what Merle did to you.

        You were sitting in the cell you slept in the night before, sharpening your machete and thinking about the things that you couldn't change. You heard distant voices echoing from the other block. It was some sort of confrontation from the sound of it. You snuck over to the cellblock where everyone stayed and peeked around a corner. Glenn and Maggie were blocking most of your view, but they seemed to be the most pissed off. Rick was off to the side trying to mediate.

        "You can't let him stay. Not after what he did to Glenn!" Maggie demanded.

        "He goes, I go."

        You stopped breathing. That voice sent chills up and down your spine. 

        "Okay." Rick held his hand out, attempting to set forward a solution but the room fell silent as you stepped into view. Merle noticed you first. He looked like he had seen a ghost.

        "Well, I'll shit bricks." He murmured in disbelief.

        "(Y/N)?" Daryl breathed, almost inaudibly. Your eyes were welling with tears as you stood just feet away from the man you loved.

        Daryl dropped everything and ran over to you, wrapping his arms around you and lifting you up. You couldn't even hug him back because your arms were trapped under his. All you could do was let out something between a giggle and sob.

        "Daryl." You whispered. Your body felt so perfect against his, just how he remembered. Then, it dawned on him. He set you down and turned to look at Merle, a blend of betrayal and fury flooding his eyes.

        "You said she was dead!" Daryl growled. 

        As everyone around you watched the scene before them unfold, they felt clueless. Daryl had never mentioned you because it hurt too much to bring up. Your feet began moving before you could even think. One second you were standing beside Daryl, then you blinked and you were inches away from Merle, rearing your fist back and striking his jaw with a force you didn't even know you were capable of. Merle stumbled and dropped to the ground holding his face. He moved his jaw around a little before he glared up at you.

        "Okay. I deserved that." He accepted.

        "Yeah, you did." You spat. 

        "Hold on. Someone care to explain what the hell's goin' on here?" Rick spoke out.

        You turned to Daryl, as if it was he who answered the question. You didn't care to share with the class. Daryl needed to know.

        "When we got separated in the woods.." You began, taking a breath. "Merle and I found a cabin. We hid there, waited for shit to blow over, and we were supposed to meet you back at the ruck. Merle figured you'd wait for us there."

        "And I left her." Merle admitted from behind you. You glanced back at him momentarily. You were surprised at his accountability.

        "In a closet." You added spitefully. "The place was surrounded. Took me forever to get out of there and even longer to get back to the truck. By then, you two and the bike were gone."

        Daryl's nostrils flared with rage. His fists were balled up so tight his knuckles turned white against his tan skin. His shoulders rose and fell with each heavy breath he took. He was so pissed, so hurt. The weight of the revelation had weighed him down so heavily that his boots felt like they were nailed to the ground. Otherwise, he would have lunged at his brother and beaten the teeth out of his skull. All that time Daryl spent in pain, mourning the loss of someone who wasn't gone. All because his brother didn't like her.

        "Why." Daryl growled.

        "The bike only fit two, man." 

That Night

        You sighed contently as Daryl traced little circles over your shoulder. Once it was decided to leave Merle in a cell, and everything had been explained to Rick, you and Daryl retired to his own cell to enjoy your reunion in private. He was laying on the bottom bunk, one foot crossed over the other as he stared into space, enjoying the feeling of your head on his chest and your arm and leg draped over him.

        "I missed you." You whispered, breaking a long, comfortable silence.

        "Mm." He hummed. "I mourned ya every day. I shoulda gone back."

        "Don't do that. We're together now. Don't blame yourself." 

        "Shoulda never believed 'im. I knew how jealous he was. Thought he'd get over it." He confessed. You smiled softly and nuzzled up closer, taking in a whiff of his sweaty scent.

        "Me too." You agreed. "But he left me with my bag. He didn't want me to die. I think he was afraid if only two of us fit on the bike you'd leave him behind."

        "Nah. Woulda had your sweet ass ride the handlebars." He teased, twirling a finger through your hair. You giggled, then you paused.

        "Wow. I think that's the first time I've laughed since we got split up." You realized.

        "Sure ya didn't find no boyfriends along the way?" He joked. He always did that when things felt too heavy between the two of you. You rolled your eyes, not that he could see it.

        "You say that like I've had a lot of those. We've been together since we were like, twenty." You laughed.

The Next Day

        Merle and Michonne had disappeared. You learned that the leader of the opposing community -- the Governor, as they called him -- wanted Michonne in exchange for peace, but Rick refused. Merle had likely taken her as a peace offering since he knew what the Governor was capable of.

        You and Daryl left to search for him. He took you to a spot where they had previously convened for negotiation. The two of you did a brief sweep of the area before stumbling across some walkers. You each took one down after another until you were left with only one. You froze when you registered what -- or who -- it was. 

        A sob immediately escaped Daryl as he fell backwards. You blinked back tears as you crouched down behind him and pulled him against you, rocking gently as Daryl wept. Merle's dead body clumsily pushed itself off the ground and onto its feet. You stood first, hoping to put it down before Daryl had to do it himself, but Daryl was quick to push past you. He violently shoved the corpse. It sumbled back, but it walked toward him again. Over and over Daryl shoved what was left of his brother as he cried. Tears were freeling spinning down your cheeks. 

        When Merle's body fell on its back, Daryl crawled on top of it and plunged his knife into its skull over and over and over until he collapsed.

        You wanted to intervene, to console, to be his rock, but something told you to let him get it out. He needed to. So, you waited until Daryl's blind rage simmered down and placed an assuring hand on his shoulder.

        "Wanna bury him?" You whispered.

        Daryl shook his head.

        "Okay." You relented. You glanced around your surroundings and noticed a patch of wildflowers off in the distance. "I'll be right back." You squeezed him gently before jogging over and gathering each and every flower in the patch. When you walked back over to where Daryl was hunched over Merle, he looked up at you with wet, red eyes. When he clocked the flowers, he gave a single nod and stood up beside you. You split the flowers in half and handed Daryl a bundle. The two of you placed them each individually around Merle's corpse.

        You thought back to a conversation you had with Merle the night before, when you couldn't sleep and went out of the cell to get some water.

        "Take care of my baby brother, will ya?" Merle's voice echoed through the quiet block.

        "I always have." 

"We'll take care of each other." Your vice cracked as you spoke. "Promise."

        "Promise." Daryl whispered.

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[a-star-that-burns-brightly]

CH2-12 thoughts (spoilers, I guess. You probably shouldn't be in the tag if you haven't finished the episode though.)

So! DRDT is officially back, and wow what a way to begin the rollercoaster we'll be put through the next few weeks. This episode was amazing, and I wanted to discuss my thoughts on it in a more detailed form. This episode gave us a lot of character moments that I want to at least mention, so let's get into it? Before we do though, I want to say that through these posts, I will be updating two things and showing them at the beginning and end First one being the swear statistics! It became a thing after my previous rewatch that every time a character swears, I count it, and I want to continue doing that for the rest of the series if I can so manage it.

^ current swear statistics as of CH2-11

And the second being...drumroll please!

My own personal DRDT CH2-Part 2 bingo card! If something on this list happens in CH2-Part 2, I'll check it off. Hopefully I can get a bingo or two in here, especially since, spoilers, two of the boxes have already been checked. But with all of that preamble out of the way, let's begin shall we? I’m going to cover the character moments we got in separate categories of the well…characters, rather than in order, for the sake of being concise.

Arturo

First and foremost, “Shut your whore mouth” made me scream at the top of my lungs. God I wish that was voiced. But more importantly, the thing about Arturo being very young for a plastic surgeon actually being addressed was not something I expected, especially so early. But I definitely appreciate the nuggets of Arturo backstory. Funny enough, his situation sounds very similar to Min’s in some regard, especially this line

(x) Arturo: I was only able to get this far in such a short amount of time because I specialized in plastic surgery, and nothing else. I neglected everything that wasn't immediately relevant to my goals.

This absolutely plays a factor into his relationship with his little sister. It more than likely was not just him leaving that made her commit suicide, but perhaps also years of neglect. And if she really felt like she couldn't live a life without Arturo in it, it's safe to say that their parents probably weren't the best either. The more I learn about Arturo and his homelife the more worried I am for him and especially his sister.

Veronika

Veronika didn't get much besides being her usual self, but I gave her a category because I wanted to point out two things One, Veronika calling Arturo cute. That just made me smile

And secondly, this line right here

(x) Veronika: Oh, and don't say something as boring as "I want to kill myself." I have no interest in such mundane reasons.

This is so fucked up and awful and gross and I absolutely love her for it. I just know she's going to get worse, I hope she does.

And also the fact that she apparently finds suicide to be inherently boring is very interesting, given the fact that she more than likely has the self-harm secret.

Whit

I know he didn't have much, if any major role in this episode but...listen I missed him. So much. You have actually zero idea how much I missed him and his goofiness... But also I can't believe that was the explanation for the dent in the computer lab that's been bugging me for months. Well played DT-Dev... (though the fact that Whit got away with breaking a rule solely because MonoTV thought it was funny is a bit fishy...it's almost like he's the MASTERMIND-- /hj)

We also in general got a lot of Charles and Whit moments, which I always like to see I don't think there's anything else to cover when it comes to Wh--

(x) David: Ugh! Goddamn it, Whit, does everything you say have to be made into some shitty dumb joke?! You're actually really fucking annoying! Shut the fuck up!!

...Well, when I said I wanted more Whitvid interactions I guess this can serve as a reward. ...guys dont worry this is how we can still wi--

Levi

...I mean, what else is there to say really?

No but actually I'll talk. This is what we've been theorizing for a year, and I actually had it in my predictions that Levi's secret was going to be the one revealed in this episode. But I did not expect it right at the end, nor did I expect it to be so sudden. And I don't think Levi has any reason to lie either, so I think this is his actual secret. Seeing him lose confidence and apologize for his unhelpfulness kind of stung to me, honestly. Levi has been trying to help the group since the very beginning, and that has only amplified since the start of Chapter 2. So seeing him...basically give up was very upsetting He is definitely going to be in the hot seat next week's episode and I am very excited for it, hopefully we get some insight on his past as well and...maybe a levi and nico interaction? please dt-dev? please? :>

Hu

FishyFried, as always, knocked it out of the fucking park with Hu's voice acting, and her monologue towards David was just as amazing...if not a bit terrifying, as it directly parallels with her hidden quote

I want to pay for what I’ve done. But even then, I still want to live.

I think I've said this before, but I adore David and Hu's dynamic and how both of them tackle the themes of change in their own ways, how both of them project onto the people around them to fulfill their own desires due to being stagnant in their own growth as people, it's so much fun, and I can't wait to see how this continues to develop in the later chapters I am sincerely a ch5victim!david + ch5killer!hu believer at the end of the day.

Teruko

Oh Teruko, quite a bit to discuss with you today.

For starters, her genuinely feeling embarrassed and upset upon realizing what she did wrong, apologizing for it, and (how I interpreted it anyway) beginning to realize that working alone and not accepting help from others is starting to bite her in the ass? That was not what I expected. I really did think that Teruko was going to get worse before she got better, but maybe she's improving a lot quicker than I thought (...let's hope she doesn't backslide again though, especially if the culprit is who I think it is) Also.

If I have to live with this knowledge, so the-fuck do you. And then there's her argument with David, which I already made a post about, but I want to add onto it by saying that the performances from Swords and LuucarIi here are absolutely phenomenal. One of my favorite voice acted scenes in the entire series. I have replayed Teruko's "Hah! Based on what?!" probably around 20 times and I will repeat it 20 times more because the delivery gives me actual chills. This fangan has such an amazing voice cast oh my god it's insane.

David

Oh. You are such a broken, broken man, and you are absolutely going to go down the Simon Laurent route. I actually don't have a lot to add when it comes to David's actual motivations for his actions, I think a lot of us theorized that he was trying to kill everyone and himself. But the main thing I want to talk about is the Xander shit because oh my god this man is Down Fucking Horrendous. I mentioned all the way back in this post that David idolizes Xander just as much as Xander idolizes him. What I didn't expect was for him to still be clinging onto the hope Xander gave him and trying to follow in his footsteps, and being borderline possessive over the damn dead man. Xander may have idolized David, but David is obsessed with Xander and what he represents to him. And he is willing to ruin his reputation, reliability, and dignity in pursuit of what he thinks is right. Not to mention, it puts the Tally5 image in a whole new light.

Though I still think these words apply to the very possible revolution that David, Xander, and Mai enacted towards Hope's Peak, a theory that has become even more credible after this episode, I also think these lines portray David's thought process during his actions in CH2-11 and his motivation for doing the things that he does. David calling Xander "the only good person he's ever known" is very, very telling when you consider what he personally thinks makes someone a bad person (lazy, useless, stupid). And that makes me upset. Xander and David's relationship will never not be absolutely fascinating to me. ...alSO DAVID APPARENTLY HAS MEMORIES FROM HOPE'S PEAK??? APPARENTLY??? Like am I reading that right or do I just have bad media literacy. How...How does he??? WHY does he??? Why did he say he didn't know who Xander was in the prologue???? I am very confused and I'm sure it will all be answered. Extra Thoughts !! - we got 7:30 AM confirmation, woohoo!! And the bonus of Arei swinging when she was first found was such a good detail and I’m surprised none of us noticed it, honestly. With that confirmation, that leaves basically everyone else (minus J, David, Veronika, Hu, and Nico) in the hot-seat. - the multitude of new sprites we got were so amazing, especially David's - Apparently everything that happened in the second half of CH2-11 was in the span of two hours?! Sheesh, the editing crew on the TV show must be working overtime. Hopefully they get a paycheck and its not just MonoTV who gets paid. - If I had any doubt in my brain that Eden was the culprit it has basically dissipated with this episode. I really do not know who else it could be other than her. three of the five main suspects other than her have basically been cleared up, either through alibi (J and Hu) or though plot (Levi) David and Nico are also cleared from suspicion Though there isn't really any plot or evidence reason to necessarily exclude Rose, given her moment in CH2-8 and, let's be honest, this murder being way too physically complicated for someone as lethargic as her to commit, I'm inclined to believe she is not And every other character has something that's clearly being set up to be further explored in Chapter 3 (Charles, Whit, Ace, Arturo, and Veronika) Like... even if you don't think Eden is the culprit, you can't deny that she's the odd one out here. I still think Accomplice!Levi is true, but I also truthfully think the culprit can't be anyone other than Eden - If I were to give one I-guess critique though, not just on this episode but on the trial as a whole, it's that we are four trial episodes in and there has been very, very little focus on the actual murder mystery itself. We have barely even covered 80% of the evidence. This isn't like, a huge problem for me specifically because I very much watch DRDT for the astounding character writing over the murder mysteries, and I definitely think that the lack of focus on the case is worth the amazing character moments we got in this episode. But I can see it really bothering some people, and there's a part of me that can't help but be a bit afraid that the actual solving of the murder case is going to hit the audience with a bunch of information at once and come across as a bit rushed due to the lack of focus it's had so far. I trust that DT-Dev is cooking though, and it'll probably be a lot more cohesive once we have the full trial to look through.

Predictions for CH2-13 - Like I said before, Levi is going to become the main suspect easily thanks to his secret reveal. I know Ace is going to be on his ass especially, because in his mind it would basically confirm the image he has already conjured up of Levi in his mind as a violent brute who is going to snap his neck any second. J is also going to jump to conclusions because that's just what she does, and she was already concerned about the murderer secret to begin with. - Furthermore, I think most of this episode is going to entail Teruko trying to disprove that Levi could've been the culprit. Considering the fact that there, well, isn't much evidence to suggest he didn't, maybe this episode will feature this chapter's Random Guess minigame. - I highly doubt we're getting an AM VS PM scrum debate now, but maybe we'll get one on whether or not Levi is the culprit? Maybe? - On the topic of trial minigames, I hope we get another nonstop debate, it's been like three episodes since we've had one lmao - Nico is either going to defend Levi, or reiterate the speech that J gave them in CH2-9. Either way, I hope this reveal causes them to interact it would be so interesting - We are on a track-record of having at least one person's secret exposed every trial episode. Considering the fact that Xander and Min are dead, and I do not think Teruko's secret will come out until the end of the chapter, that really only leaves Hu and Veronika...which is interesting, as they are both in the clear for being the culprit. Hu has already had multiple moments to shine in this trial, so I think its more likely that Veronika's secret will be the one getting revealed. How that happens, I am unsure. But I think Veronika will be the next person to have her secret revealed.

Conclusion Overall, I think this episode was amazing and a great way to kick off the end of the hiatus. I can already tell that these next few weeks are going to be a wild ride for us DRDT fans, but we're all in this together, so I think everything's going to be fine (nothing is going to be fine.)

UPDATED SWEAR STATISTICS: CH2-12

UPDATED BINGO CARD

[m1ckeyb3rry]

Hello! Recently read your latest Rin piece and fell in love with your writing style :)

If you’re up for it, could I request childhood friends with Hiori? Sorry it’s a little vague, but I love the direction you’ve taken other pieces and wanted to leave the details up to you! My only suggestion on a detail would be maybe sprinkling in some light angst about his parents/backstory.

Thank you for considering!

── WHITE BUTTERFLY

Synopsis: You spend the years of your youth with Yo Hiori, in a field that’s almost lonely as the two of you.

Event Masterlist

Pairing: Hiori x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 6.7k

Content Warnings: childhood friends, hiori is vaguely suicidal and also vaguely homicidal, uhh i feel like i know nothing about him as a character so popping that sexy little ooc warning in there jic, open ending, lots of #nature, almost the entire story takes place in a field so idk, hiori is like. madly in love w reader but he’s nonchalant abt it

A/N: thank you so much anon that means a lot!! cherry tree rin and y/n are so silly (<- affectionate) i’m glad you enjoyed that fic 💖 one thing about me i love a good childhood friends to lovers trope especially with angst…hiori is another character i haven’t written a ton for so i hope i interpreted him correctly and that you like what i decided to do with your prompt!! ty for requesting 🫶🏻

Additional: part of my 500 follower event! see the event description and rules to make a request of your own.

The field across from your house was melancholic and desolate, an acre or so of rolling green that bled into trees at the edges. Although by all rights it should’ve been considered a picturesque place, no amount of beauty could take away from the abandoned atmosphere which had long ago settled over the land.

According to your parents, there had been plans for a grand mansion to be built in that location, but before drafts for its construction could be drawn up, the owner had died. The son who had inherited it had no use for the plot, but neither could he be brought to sell the place of his father’s dreams, so the land had sat empty and unused for years upon years. 

People thought the area was cursed, and the general consensus was that it ought to be avoided, but your parents did not believe in things like curses and bad luck and whatnot, so they told you it was fine if you wanted to play there. You were a lonely child, prone to wandering off on your own anyways, and you supposed they must’ve reasoned to themselves that it’d be easier if you were close enough that you could run home should something happen. 

You would sit in the middle of the field, far from any prying eyes, and you’d admire the blooming plants beneath your feet. It was not just grass — there were a million and one varieties of things growing in that wild place, and you would run your fingers along their leaves, doing your best not to frighten the animals and insects which called that field their home.

They grew accustomed to you with time, and instead of shying away, they invited you into their own world. The squirrels and chipmunks would dash out from their trees to scuttle around your feet and splayed hands, while the dormice would peek out of their burrows without fear, nibbling on whatever seeds they had gathered before settling in for the day. The larks would warble to you, and if you were in a particularly cheery mood, you’d whistle back to them, trying to imitate their melodies but always falling a little short.

The third time you went to the field, you found that someone had arrived before you. For a moment, you thought that he must be a ghost, for he stood in such stark contrast to everything you had come to know that there was no other reasonable explanation for it. He was spindly and pale like a skeleton, and his shaggy hair and eyes were the color of winter, such an unnatural shade compared to the viridian he was surrounded by.

You were contemplating running away when he turned around, his eyes widening when he saw you. In his hands was a soccer ball, and resting on the soccer ball was a large white butterfly, its lazily flapping wings shimmering like a whisper in the sunlight.

You were both silent for a moment, a soft breeze rustling through the field and sounding like a song that urged you towards him despite your misgivings. Tentatively, he held the ball out towards you, but the motion startled the butterfly, which abruptly took to the air, fluttering away before either of you could react.

“Who are you?” you said.

“Yo Hiori,” he said. “Who are you?”

“Y/N L/N,” you said. “I live in the house across the street.”

“We’re neighbors, then,” he said. “My house is a few doors down from yours. Do you come here often?”

“Yes,” you said. “Do you?”

He shook his head ruefully. “This is the first time. My parents think I’m practicing soccer right now.”

“You shouldn’t do that here,” you said, frowning at the thought of him kicking up dirt and slamming a ball around carelessly through your sanctuary. “Go somewhere else if you want to play something so reckless.”

“I don’t,” he said. You furrowed your brow. “Don’t want to practice soccer, I mean.”

“I see,” you said. “Well, this is a good place to run to if that’s the case. No one will come looking for you here.”

“Is that the truth?” he said. “Really?”

“Really,” you said. “Everyone thinks it’s cursed, but in truth, I think that that just means it’s blessed.”

“Ah,” Hiori said. “But do you mind?”

“Do I mind what?” you said.

“If I keep coming here,” he said. “When I want to run away.”

“It doesn’t belong to me. I suppose you could say I belong to it, but that’s neither here nor there. No, I can’t stop you, so why would I mind?” you said.

“Are you some sort of woodland fairy?” he said. You laughed aloud.

“I wish. Are you a ghost?” you said. He shook his head.

“Nope,” he said.

“Then I guess our claims to this place are equal,” you said. “Anyways, as long as you don’t disturb it too much, I won’t be angry. I’ll do the same for you, don’t worry.”

“I don’t care what you do to it,” he said. “I just want to go somewhere that’s quiet and I can be left alone.”

This much you could understand, and you thought that perhaps Hiori would grow to be an exception to your loneliness, or an addition to it. Not a cure, because that did not exist, but a person who could relish in his own solitude and share in that inexplicable sensation which was your greatest joy.

You never saw him anywhere but in that field. You weren’t sure if he even existed outside of its context, or if he was like the dormice and the larks, a skittish creature who made his home in those grassy divots and only appeared to greet you before running back off to hide once you were gone.

At first, he was even more reserved than the animals had been. Neither of you spoke, but somehow, it happened that you were always in the same place at the same time, and eventually, little by little, the two of you became dependent on one another’s presence. Your life before meeting Hiori was pale and lifeless in comparison to your life after, and the first time you both spoke as friends instead of strangers, you thought to yourself that you could never go back to the way you had previously been.

No longer did you whistle at birds and play with squirrels; instead, you sat across from Hiori and listened to him explain things like soccer and video games. You were not particularly interested in either of these subjects, but as long as it was Hiori, you didn’t mind hearing about them. It was the cadence of his voice you were concerned with, the rise and fall of his words, the soft inflections of each syllable. 

You had never had a friend before. It was a personal choice rather than a failing; every person who tried to engage with you was met with the same disdain, for you found no appeal in any such clumsy attempts at camaraderie. In your childish mind, friendship ought to be hard-won and delicately kept, and so it remained that of all the people in the world, Hiori was the only one whose honest company you could prefer.

He was a forlorn and low-spirited boy, the winter to your bursting summer, but his coldness was the inviting sort, like a dusting of snow on a cluster of berries or frost on a forgotten bird’s nest. It did not ward you away but drew you in, your breath fogging in the air as you lay beside him and listened to him ramble on and on about whatever topics struck his fancy.

Sometimes he was prone to muteness, and on those occasions you took it upon yourself to intertwine your fingers with his, pulling him along behind you and naming every plant and tree and flower you passed by, greeting the tittering chipmunks and the cooing larks and the peeping rabbits. He would not say anything, but you knew he was listening, for he would smile slightly whenever you pointed at something he found particularly pleasing.

Every day, he would bring the soccer ball with him. He refused to put it down, but neither did he play with it or even acknowledge its existence; you sensed it vexed him, that it was the source or a symptom of the gloomy undercurrent which ran through his life, but he could not let it go, just like he could never truly be happy in any way that lasted.

“Y/N,” he said once, when you and he were lying on your backs in the grass and watching the clouds drift by. “If you could be any other creature, what would you be?”

“I don’t know,” you said, considering the question seriously. “Maybe a songbird. What about you?”

“I’d be one of those,” he said, pointing at a butterfly floating past. It was a common variety, nondescript and plain and white, but somehow made more beautiful by the ubiquity of its kind.

“Why?” you said.

“I’d live a short but carefree life, and then I would die before anyone could demand anything from me,” he said, smiling slightly and closing his eyes. “Plus, if I could be something as small and pretty as a butterfly in our meadow, then I would be able to spend my entire existence resting on your finger.”

Your meadow. You weren’t sure when it had gone from being a place you visited to a place you owned, but yes, the shift had definitely occurred. You and Hiori loved it, and so it was yours by that right alone. You reached out your hand, setting it on his heart and then closing your own eyes in a mirror of his position.

“I wouldn’t prefer that,” you said. Something cool and soft curled over your fingers; you knew without looking that it was Hiori’s own hand, which would always come to rest against yours like a magnet.

“Hm,” he said.

“I’d get used to you being there,” you explained. “And then one day you’d vanish and I’d be alone again.”

“Would you miss me?” he said.

“Very much,” you said. 

“Nobody else would,” he admitted, though he still spoke in an even monotone. “I’d be replaced quickly. Someone just as talented or even better would take my place, and then it’d be like I was never there in the first place.”

“I’d miss you,” you insisted. “I don’t care about talent. You’re someone who’s irreplaceable to me.”

“I see,” he said. “Then I guess, if not a butterfly, I would also want to be a songbird. Like you.”

“We could fly around the world together,” you said. 

“Yes,” he said. “The countries I’ve seen in my video games…we could go to them. If we were birds, we could.”

“Maybe we still can,” you said.

“We can’t,” he said. “My parents would never let me.”

“What about when we’re adults? They can’t tell you what to do then, so we can leave them behind and travel wherever we want,” you said.

“It’s a nice dream,” he said.

“Hold onto it,” you said. “That’s the only way it can ever come true.”

“Okay,” he said. “I will.”

Even as you and Hiori became older and made friends outside of one another, there was a sort of solace which only he could provide you and which in turn only you could provide him, so neither of you ever outgrew that field. The moment you got home from school, you’d drop your bag on the counter and run there as fast as you could, hoping to see him before he had to leave for soccer practice. And every time, without fail, he’d be there, waiting where he always was, his small smile widening when he saw you racing towards him.

The contents of your conversations changed, moving from games and plants to complaining about schoolwork and updating one another about your respective social lives and dramas — he went to a private academy for soccer, while you attended the public school that most kids your age went to — but the familiarity never diminished. If anything, it only increased, as any inhibitions you had had in your youths gradually fell away.

“Hiori! You’ll never believe it,” you said, moving his abandoned soccer ball aside and sitting across from him. He did not look up from the pieces of grass he was braiding together, but he nodded to indicate he was listening. “Remember those two guys I was telling you about?”

“The ones who had a crush on the same girl?” he said.

“Yup, those two,” you said. “They finally got into a fistfight over her! It was crazy.”

“Who won?” he said.

“The principal, because he broke up the brawl and suspended them both,” you said. “Thereby ruining their brief romance-novel-moment entirely.”

“That’s a pity,” he said with a snort. “I can’t imagine what possessed them to do something as stupid as beating each other up on school grounds.”

“Love makes people crazy,” you said dramatically, pressing the back of your hand to your forehead and collapsing backwards into the dirt. “You’ll understand when you feel it yourself, silly Hiori.”

“Huh?” he said.

“I mean, one day, you’ll fall madly in love with someone, and then you’ll be inclined to beat another person up for them,” you said.

“What if I already have?” he said. You shot up with a gasp.

“And you didn’t tell me? Who is it? Who, who? You can’t hide stuff like that!” you said.

“It was only a hypothetical,” he said. “There isn’t anyone. What about you? Are you madly in love with someone?”

“You’ll be the first to know when I am, but at the moment, I don’t find myself able to even tolerate any of the boys I go to school with! They’re all disgusting, immature, and insensitive. Just looking at them is enough to make me gag, so forget about falling in love!” you said.

“That sucks,” he said.

“Maybe I’ll be single forever,” you said. “I’ll live alone, with pets and a porch swing and a backyard just like this field, somewhere faraway where no one can find me.”

“What about me?” he said, taking your wrist and tying the braided grass around it like a bracelet.

“Well, I’ll tell you where I am, of course,” you said. “You’re the only one I would want as a visitor.”

“I’ll come every day,” he said.

“At that point, you might as well just live there with me,” you said, rolling your eyes. “It’d save you the time spent traveling back and forth.”

“Would you like me to?” he said. “I thought the point was for you to be alone.”

“If it’s you, then it wouldn’t be so bad,” you said. “Being with you is even better than being alone.”

The sun hit Hiori at the exact moment that he grinned at you, and in the back of your mind, where things were understood but not known, you recognized that of all the beings in that lovely place, he was far and away the loveliest.

A distant and rumbling thunder portended a storm on the day you learned who Hiori really was. He never went to the field if it was raining — there was no excuse for him to escape his home, and so, though you did not much mind the weather, you tended to keep to your room on those days as well. Today, though, the rain was still only a blot on the horizon, which meant you would have a precious few minutes with him before it began to pour and you had to leave again.

“Hey, Hiori,” you said. In an uncharacteristic move, he wasn’t holding onto the soccer ball; instead, it was on the ground, his foot resting atop it, his head bowed towards it and his hands balled into fists at his sides. He glanced up at you, and you were surprised to see that there was a dead, hollow quality to his eyes, which, though always placid and still, were never this shade of dark and dreary. “Is everything okay?”

“Have you ever wanted to kill someone?” he said.

“No,” you said immediately, taken aback. “Have you?”

“No,” he said. “Yes. I’m not sure. I don’t want to do it, but somehow, I want my parents to die.”

Another crack of thunder. You approached Hiori slowly, like he was a deer that would leap away the instant you were close enough to touch him. But he was not a deer, and he stayed preternaturally immobile, his harsh panting the only signal that he was a person and not a statue.

“Do you mean that?” you said when you were near enough to him that you could’ve embraced him if you wanted. “Is that really how you feel, Hiori?”

“Yes,” he said vehemently. “Yes, I mean it more than anything. Everything would be better if they would just die and leave me alone.”

He drew his leg back and slammed it into the ball. It streaked through the field, leaving a muddy rut in its wake, tearing up the grass and the flowers before crashing into a tree with a groan. You stared at the path of devastation it had wrought, wondering how such an innocent object could create such havoc, how such a simple act could have such irreversible consequences.

“That’s what soccer is,” he said when he had caught his breath and noticed your silence. “A tiring game you play to ruin yourself.”

“I thought you liked playing soccer,” you said. “You always told me how good you were at it.”

“Just because I’m good at it doesn’t mean I like it,” he said. “I hate it almost as much as I hate the people that make me play it.”

“Then why do you keep going?” you said. “Why don’t you quit?”

“Because I have to,” he said. “My parents gave birth to me so that I could play soccer and be the best at it. That’s the only role I know how to conform to, so how can I do anything but accept it?”

You wrapped one arm and then the other around his torso, leaning your temple against the dip of his collarbone, turning your back to the blight he had caused and holding onto him as lightning split the sky.

“Don’t ruin yourself,” you said. “Don’t betray who you are because other people tell you to. If you don’t want to play soccer, then don’t. Quit and leave it behind. Maybe everyone else will mock you, but would it be enough if I didn’t? If I alone swore not to think any less of you, then would you be able to do it?”

“No,” he said. Something dripped onto your head, and you thought it had started raining early until you realized that Hiori’s voice was catching on nothing, his heart beating as fast as a mouse’s. “No, it wouldn’t be enough. I have to play soccer.”

“Why?” you said.

“My parents,” he said. “If I don’t play soccer — no, if I’m not good at soccer, they’ll divorce. They’ll divorce and it’ll be my fault, so I have to keep doing it, because no matter how much I hate them, I can’t be — I can’t be the reason that they — that anything bad happens to them.”

The droplets came in quicker succession, but with a final clap of thunder, the sky opened to let the rain out, blurring the line between his tears and the natural precipitation which would’ve occurred whether or not you were there.

You didn’t know what to say to him, so you opted to say nothing, pressing into him for as long as you could before you both had to go, leaving one another behind as you were always forced to. Now, though, there was a proof of your existence in the shape of that ugly gash that his soccer ball had torn into the field, an alteration which was directly a consequence of your actions. In a season or two, it would be grown over, but for the time being, it cheered you to think that the world could no longer avoid acknowledging you, acknowledging that you and Hiori were real, that you were alive and belonged.

In your second year of high school, a boy in your class came up to you, stopped you in the hallway in front of everyone and thrust a bouquet of supermarket flowers into your hands. He asked you to read the attached card, and you obliged, though you had a feeling you already knew what it said.

As you had predicted, it was an invitation to have lunch with him sometime. His cheeks were red and his smile was wide as he waited for you to say yes, but all you could think of when you looked at him was Hiori. How would he feel about this turn of events? Would he be amused or jealous or unfazed entirely? Would it even matter to him? Why were you thinking of him at a time like this?

No, that last question was one you knew the answer to already. The reason why you were thinking of Hiori was the same reason you still went to that field to see him, even though you were far too old to play with mice and birds and clovers now. It was the same reason that you recoiled from any other boy who tried to talk to you — because they were not him, they could never be him. It was because — it was because —

Much to the consternation of the audience you had unwillingly gathered, you handed the card and flowers back to the boy, shaking your head as politely as you could. There was a demand for an explanation on the tip of his tongue, but you left before he could make it. The explanation was not one you wanted to share, so you covered your ears with your hands to drown out the insults he shouted after you and strode away before he could say anything worse.

Hiori was always the first to arrive and the last to leave, so it was no surprise that he was waiting for you where he always was. Today, though, you did not bother with formalities or welcomes or lighthearted questions. You paid no mind to his antsy demeanor, instead catching his hands between your own and squeezing them.

“Y/N—”

“Hiori—”

You both called out each other’s names at the same time, with the same urgency, though there was a layer of despair when he said Y/N, just as there was pleading infused into the way you murmured Hiori.

“You first,” he said, though he looked over your shoulder, staring towards the road instead of at you. “Quickly.”

“Okay,” you said. “A boy asked me out.”

“Oh,” he said, and when his gaze slid onto you, you noticed that for the first time, there was something flaring to life in the blank depths of his irises, a veritable maelstrom of unreadable emotions twisting together and blending into something entirely other than the stillness you had come to expect from him. “What did you say?”

“I refused,” you said. “I couldn’t date him, not in good conscience. Not when I like — not when there’s someone else.”

“Someone else?” he said. “Y/N, please hurry.”

“What’s the matter?” you said, letting go of his hands so that you could instead hold his face. “Hiori, what’s wrong? Did something happen? Are you in trouble with your soccer team? Is that stupid crow boy causing you problems?”

“What? No, no, Karasu’s not done anything worse than usual. It’s my parents, I think they’re growing suspicious of me, I’m afraid they’ll—”

“It’s you,” you said, cutting him short, his haste rubbing off on you. You weren’t sure whether it was his anxiety or your own or some sort of divine premonition, but you suddenly felt an impending doom, as if you had to speak at that exact instant or give up the chance to ever say it again. “Hiori, you’re the reason I said no. It’s because I like you.”

Hiori, who had carved his way into your heart on the very first day you met, who was fond of butterflies and songbirds, who was bashful like winter and gentle like dusk. How could you help it? Of course you liked him. That boy who had reached into the lonely chasm of your soul and ripped it out, turned it into something lighter and warmer and whole…how could you help falling for him?

“Me?” he said in disbelief. “But—”

“So this is where you go, Yo,” a stern voice said. Hiori inhaled sharply, and then he yanked away from you, shoving you behind him, though it was far too late. You knew who had finally found the two of you, and furthermore, there was no way she hadn’t seen you. “This doesn’t look like practicing soccer. How much time have you been wasting in this dump, with this fool of a girl?”

You peered around Hiori’s back, holding onto the hem of his shirt. Fear constricted your throat when you saw a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to him standing before you, her hands on her hips, a dour expression on her face. Whatever had been sparkling in Hiori at your confession had abruptly disappeared, replaced by an even more severe version of himself.

“It’s not a big deal,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. “We just met recently.”

“Not a big deal? Think about how much better at soccer you would be if you actually spent this time practicing instead of messing around! A few minutes every day is the difference between starting for a team and being a substitute, because a few minutes every day turns to hours every week, which turns into days lost every month! You should be ashamed of yourself,” his mother said, marching over and grabbing him by the collar, wrenching him away from you. “From now on, I’ll be supervising your additional practice time. As for you, young lady…don’t even think of coming near him again. He doesn’t need distractions like you getting in the way of his ultimate goal.”

“His ultimate goal?” you said, your audacity surprising even yourself. Without Hiori’s shadow to hide you, you were entirely naked and exposed, but somehow, you found the strength in you to speak up. “What, of being the world’s best soccer player? Have you ever stopped to consider that maybe he doesn’t want that anymore, if he ever did?”

His mother scowled at you. “You are a poison of the worst sort, if you have him doubting what he’s been aiming for since he was young. Stay away from my son. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

She dragged Hiori away before either of you could manage so much as a goodbye. It was the first time since you had met him that you found yourself alone in that field, which suddenly felt so vast that you finally understood why people thought it to be cursed. It had to be, because why else would it have given you Hiori and then taken him away with such a swiftness that it left you reeling?

For a week, you continued to go to the field, just in case he would magically be there, but it was a foregone conclusion that he would not be. Still, you waited, and though the larks sang their songs and the dormice chittered at you sweetly, nothing could set your spirits right when Hiori remained missing.

On the eighth day you spent without him, you didn’t even bother with the field. Instead, you knocked on every door of every house in your small neighborhood, continuing on until the one who answered was the same woman who had stolen Hiori from you. 

She remembered you, her expression turning sour at your appearance, like you had shoved a lemon into her mouth. Shockingly, though, she did not slam the door in your face. She only cleared her throat before speaking in the most abrasive voice you had ever had the misfortune of hearing.

“What is it?” she said.

“Hiori — Yo, is he around? I just want to see him one last time. I’ll leave him alone after that if you refuse to budge, but at least let me say goodbye. I won’t ever distract him again if you give me that chance,” you said. 

“If I gave you even the slightest leeway, you’d pounce upon it, won’t you? I’m not so daft. I’m sure that, if I let you in now, you’d never leave. In the end, though, it’s irrelevant. Yo’s gone,” she said.

“Gone?” you said. “What do you mean?”

“He’s participating in a soccer training camp called Blue Lock,” his mother said. “The way they raise their players is what his father and I been trying to impress upon him from the start, so we’re glad he made the choice himself to go. Now, he can focus on his own self-improvement instead of brief dalliances that would never last.”

Hiori was gone. There was a deep ache in you, and those words were its source, yet nonetheless, for him, you could only muster up pride. He had finally done it. He had flown somewhere free of the burdens his parents placed on him; to be sure, it was defined by the soccer he despised, but nonetheless he had made the decision to do it on his own. It belonged to him, and he had spent so long without anything to his name but a deserted green that you laughed as you sobbed, leaving him behind for good.

A long time passed before you saw him again, though you watched all of his matches on TV. He had become someone different and yet still familiar while in the Blue Lock program — he was sharper now, sharper and quicker, his eyes constantly burning in the same way they had on the day he had left you. Most notably, you thought that that childish love for soccer which he had had and then lost had blossomed again, now into a stable, unshakeable passion which no one, not even his parents, could take from him.

You had probably also changed, though of course it was harder to recognize it in yourself than in another person. But you were not so sparing with your offers of friendship anymore, and neither were you harsh to every boy who approached you. With Hiori gone, the only reservations you had were feeble and pointless, so you stopped saying no quite as often.

Nothing ever came of these school-type romances. Inevitably, you’d walk home and your eyes would stray to the spot where you had spent so much of your childhood with Hiori, whereupon you would pull out your phone and send a formulaic apology message. Sorry, but it’s not working. There’s nothing wrong with you, but I don’t think we’re a good match for each other. Thanks for taking me out. I really appreciate it.

The longer it became, the less frequently you thought about him. He turned into a memory, fuzzy around the edges with nostalgia and tinged with gold. He was someone you claimed to know around those with a more vested interest in soccer, but deep inside, you had accepted that your path had diverged from his a long time ago. You and Hiori weren’t meant to sit beside one another for eternity; he had been there when you needed him, but it was time for you to stand on your own, as he was clearly doing all of the way over in Blue Lock.

“I can’t believe you’ve finally graduated high school!” your mother said, sniffing as she took a million photos of you standing awkwardly, your diploma in your hands, your gown hanging loosely on your body and the pins holding up your cap jabbing into your scalp. “We’re so proud of you, dear.”

“Next stop, Tokyo!” your father said, swiping at the tears which rolled shamelessly down his cheeks.

You had been accepted into the University of Tokyo, and at the end of the summer, you would move into your own apartment, leagues away from everything you had known for your entire life. It was exciting, but it was also terrifying, because the thought of being all alone in the bustling metropolis still made you break into a cold sweat.

Now that you had officially graduated, it all seemed so much more real. Going to Tokyo, attending university, getting a job and supporting yourself…these were not dreams of a distant future but immediate and pressing concerns that weighed on you.

Once you became a university student and then an adult proper, you visited home less and less. You hardly had the time, and anyways there wasn’t much to do in that town, so instead your parents would take trips up to visit you when they missed you terribly — which was often. They would update you on the happenings of your neighbors, and you would take them to your favorite restaurants and attractions, like they were foreign tourists coming to the country for the first time. 

“You know, they finally finished construction on that plot across from our house,” your mother said to you on one such visit, taking a sip of bubble tea to punctuate the outrageous statement. There were streaks of gray in her hair now, and far more lines on her face than there had been when you were younger, but she wore the signs of age with grace and dignity, so that they were weapons instead of faults. 

“You never told me someone bought it,” you said. So that was that, then; the last remnants of your tender friendship with a boy you had not spoken to in years was all but destroyed now. It belonged to another person, who would make their own memories on the land, and the thought of two other people standing where you and Hiori once had caused a lump to arise in your throat. It was as much grief for the idyllic days of your childhood as it was for your former best friend. Both were lost to you now, and both you mourned in equal measure, though you knew no amount of crying would ever bring them back.

Perhaps there had been a window of time in which you might’ve been able to reconnect with Hiori, but the idea hadn’t crossed your mind until it was far too late, and you supposed it must’ve been the same for him. Or maybe he had, upon joining Blue Lock and becoming an international celebrity, forgotten about you entirely. It was a possibility, and no matter how much it stung, it was one you did not resent him for.

“Yes, it was a while ago. Apparently, he lived in the area when he was younger, but he left to pursue some athletic career? Anyways, now that he’s rich, he wanted to invest in some property close to home, so as soon as the previous owner died, he swooped in and bought the entire field up. You know, considering how much money he has, the house is downright quaint in its design,” your mother said, shaking her head. She had a penchant for gossip, and you could not count on two hands the amount of days you both had spent giggling with each other about silly, inconsequential matters. This, though, crossed the line — it wasn’t dumb gossip but legitimate news.

“Athletic career? Do you…do you happen to remember what sport?” you said. 

“No idea,” your mother said. “Why?”

“Was it soccer?” you said. She choked on a pearl of boba. Absently, you leaned over and slapped her on the back to help dislodge it. She coughed and dabbed at her face with a napkin before nodding.

“Ah, yes, that sounds familiar!” she said. “I think that might be it.”

“I’m going to take the next few days off and visit you guys,” you said. It was a spur of the moment decision, but you could afford it, and something told you that what you would find would be far more valuable than another day at your boring, if not well-paying, job.

“Really? That’s wonderful! You’ll love how things have changed. The place has really come to life in the past couple of years,” she said.

The train ride home from Tokyo was just over two hours, and it ran through a familiar countryside, which you watched for the entire journey, smiling slightly whenever you rushed by a landmark you recognized. By the end, however, it seemed every sight was a landmark of some sort — not the nationally important ones, but the type that was personally significant. The many little places you had visited when you were young…even now, you recollected them with startling clarity.

Your father was delighted that you had returned home with your mother, and the whole house smelled like his cooking when you walked in through the front door. He must’ve begun preparing as soon as you had mentioned that you were coming back for a bit, and the grumble of your stomach warned you that you would regret it if you did not hold off on your investigation until after dinner.

You sat in the same chair you had once sat in and ate the same food you had once eaten. It was your favorite as a little girl, and your father served it to you personally, his lower lip trembling as he ladled two portions onto your plate instead of one. Hardly even a month had passed since he had seen you last, but he had always been an emotional man, bawling like a child at every reunion and separation alike.

The sun was setting when you excused yourself, placing your dishes in the sink and ducking outside under the pretense of needing a walk to digest your food. Well, it was only half a pretense — your father truly had fed you until you thought your stomach might split open, as was characteristic of his affection. You really did need to walk around so that your insides could settle, but more importantly than that, you wanted to confirm the theory which had been brewing in your mind since your mother had brought it up.

As she had said, there was a brand new house across from yours. It was nothing like the grand mansion that the original owner must’ve intended to sit on the land; it had a winsome yet unassuming charm to it, and it only took up about half of the field, while the rest of it had been left entirely alone, still green and wild like you recalled it to be. You were sure that if you looked close enough, you would find the dormice and the squirrels and the chipmunks and the larks exactly where you had left them as well, but you did not have the time nor the patience for that at present.

When you climbed the porch steps, you noticed that to the left of the door was a cushioned swing, atop which a tortoiseshell cat was dozing. At the sound of your footsteps, she opened one champagne-colored eye, but she did not seem to regard you as worthy of her attention, for she promptly closed it and returned to her rest.

Your fingers hesitated on the doorbell, resting on the button, too scared to press down. You didn’t know what you had to be afraid of, but for some reason, you were nervous, a pit forming in your stomach as you deliberated over what to do. Before you could make up your mind, the cat meowed at someone in greeting, jumping off of the swing with a light thud.

Spinning around, you saw that the owner of the house was standing at the bottom of the steps, the cat rubbing against his legs as he beamed up at you. Any lingering doubts of yours dissipated into nothingness at the instant you once again made eye contact with Yo Hiori; like a reflex, the corners of your mouth curved upwards in a fond greeting.

Like always, in his hands was a soccer ball, though more prominent than the ball itself was the butterfly which lay on it in repose. Its white wings were thin and quivering, but curiously, when Hiori held the ball out to you, it did not fly off, instead remaining stationary, waiting for you to reach out and take it.

[funishment-time]

🔵 Kodaka BlueSky Q&As: Rain Code Characters (All)

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: Please be advised! Translations of all Japanese answers derive from a combination of Google Translate and my manager's three-quarters-remembered Japanese. We've tried our best to work out what he's saying, but there will be mistakes here and there. Do not take this as gospel!

To avoid spreading too much misinfo, where we're completely boggled about an answer, we've decided not to even make an attempt. We'll still list the post, but mark it accordingly.

➡️ AN IMPORTANT NOTE FROM KODAKA BEFORE READING:

First of all, the questions answered here are not official. Everything that is official is what is said within the work. In contrast, this is simply what Kodaka, the creator, thinks, and it is not the correct answer. Use this as a starting point to enjoy the depth of each character, or to say, "That's not right!" and enjoy it with your own interpretation. I think of this as a way of communicating with the characters who live in fiction. This is important, so please spread the word.

💕 FEBRUARY 2024:

Q: I love shinigami chan. Please make games forever!

A: YES

/////

Q: What happened to everyone at Amaterasu Company after the main story?

A: Yomi [Hellsmile] is growing magmatically angry with the opportunity to revolt while imprisoned…!

/////

Q: Why does Vivia wear such stringy underwear? Does he untie it every time he takes a bath or something?

A: I feel like he just goes in like that.

/////

Q: Was Vivia's umbrella tattoo done in Kanai? I was curious because that was the only tattoo related to rain.

A: I think he likes the gloomy rain. I'm sure he doesn't think Kanai Ward is so bad.

/////

Q: The pattern on Director Yakou's uniform is really cool, is there a reason for that?

A: I leave that up to Komatsuzaki-kun, but being a detective is, after all, a job in the underworld, so I think it's better to have that sort of shady side to it.

NOTE: Komatsuzaki is the guy behind Danganronpa and Rain Code's art.

/////

Q: [the question has since been deleted, but I remember it was about the ages of Master Detectives in Rain Code]

A: It varies quite a bit, but let me just say that most are in their 20s to late 30s. By the way, I'm 45. Oh, you didn't hear that.

/////

Q: How much does the director smoke in a day? That ashtray is disgusting.

A: That's probably three packs a day. I smoke half a pack a day. Oh, you didn't hear that.

NOTE: We're pretty sure this is about Chief Yakou.

/////

Q: I would like to hear about your impressions of the masked man, and what you were conscious of when writing. I will continue to support your work☔️

A: He's nonchalant, talks about himself without listening to what the other person has to say, but seems intelligent. That's the impression I get.

NOTE: This is about Rain Code's Makoto.

/////

Q: Kodaka-san!! Thank you for your wonderful works as always ₍ᐢ..ᐢ₎⊹ Amaterasu is exactly my type of organization (especially the head of security...!) Even if it's not a sub-story, I'd like to know if you have any small details that haven't been made public 🙏🏻💞

A: Thank you! Of all the Amaterasu characters, Komatsuzaki-kun was most enthusiastic about the robot researcher.

NOTE: We're pretty sure this is about either the character known as "Akira" or Yakou's wife.

/////

Q: A question about Rain Code: Are there plans to release a book that delves deeper into the backstories of the people who appeared in Chapter 0?

A: If there's a demand, I'd like to see a spin-off novel or something...

/////

Q: Excuse me for asking a question about Yuma, the main character of Raincode! What type of woman does Yuma like?

A: I wonder...! I think he's a pushover. lol

/////

Q: The names of the characters in Rain Code are sprinkled with elements of Japanese mythology, but is there any inspiration or backstory for this? Is there a reason why you named Makoto after the god of fire?

A: It all started with me wanting to incorporate a Japanese flavour.

/////

Q: Rain Code was really fun! I wonder if there will be an "if" story where the five train detectives (all real) arrive in Kanai Ward!? I'm ready to buy all the DLC and whatever else it takes👍

A: I would love to depict stories of their success. It would add more depth to Chapter 0.

/////

Q: Are there any characters who are certain that Halara's gender is this or that?

A: I don't think anyone can ask. Even if they did, Halara would probably think there's no point in answering. They might tell someone they like...

/////

Q: Mr. Kodaka, what is your impression of Director Yakou of Rain Code?

A: He's caring but also lazy, sloppy but cool... I think he's a very human detective.

/////

Q: Is Vivia's name a reference to the movie "Ghosts of the Sierra de Cobre"? Are there any other works that the names of the other characters are also based on?

A: I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't heard of that movie. The characters in Rain Code were named with an emphasis on giving them a stateless feel, and on the sound of the name.

/////

Q: Was there a deciding factor in casting Uchida Yuuma for the role of Seth?

A: I basically leave the casting up to the sound company. They did a very good job.

/////

Q: I'm sure Desuhiko has picked up as many women as there are stars in the sky, but does he actually have much experience in love?

A: Although he is not unpopular, he is most likely rejected quickly.

🍀 MARCH 2024:

Q: I'd like to know the ages of the Resistance members (even a rough estimate is fine if you haven't thought about it)! Since Iruka is planning to receive a birthday present from her parents, is she the youngest member?

A: Judging from his voice, Shachi sounds like he's 52 years old.

/////

Q: Excuse me.Who is most given chocolates on valentine day in raincode ?

A: Maybe, Vivia.

/////

Q: Why did Shinigami-chan give Halara-san the nickname "Hellara"?

A: I wanted Halara to be so stoic it drew Shinigami's attention.

/////

Q: There may not be sushi in Kanai Ward, but I'd like to know what your favorite sushi toppings are, folks at the detective agency.

A: Desuhiko likes sea urchins, Yakou likes mackerel, Vivia doesn't feel like eating, Halara likes maki rolls, and Fubuki tries to save the fish with time reversal.

/////

Q: [The question has since been deleted, but I believe it was about Seth's childhood.]

A: His childhood must have been similar to that of Jataro [Kemuri]...

/////

Q: I would like to hear about Martina's "calculation" of Yomi, which came up in a previous Rain Code interview. Did you have any stories in mind, Mr. Kodaka?

A: She thought she could use Yomi's favor to advance her own career.

/////

Q: I'd like to know the name of the Amaterasu Researcher who appears in Director Yakou's DLC!

A: His wife? It's a secret! I only tell people when I'm drunk, so... nope. (said cutely)

/////

Q: I'm guessing the age order of the train detectives is Zange > Melami > Zilch > Aphex > Pucci, is that correct?

A: There are various theories about the location of Melami [in that order].

🥬 APRIL 2024:

Q: Do special abilities have a genetic component? (e.g., Vivian's family is more likely to see spirits)

A: Sometimes it is and sometimes it is not. It is said that the Clockford family will rarely produce a child like this due to genetics.

/////

Q: Sorry if this has already been mentioned❗️ Harara Nightmare's gender is unknown, but do they ever wear feminine clothes like skirts as fashion?

A: "No. I only wear clothes that are easy to move in."

/////

Q: Halara is often depicted holding a lollipop, but do they have a favorite flavor?

A: Anything as long as it's sweet. It's to get the sugar needed for that person's brain.

/////

Q: I played Raincode to the end ☔️ I love the masked man...! I'd be happy if you could tell me anything about him.

A: "I made the masks myself. I made them suspicious on purpose to scare people away."

NOTE: This is about Rain Code's Makoto again.

/////

Q: A question! I'm curious about what method the Raincode super detectives used to get into Kanai Ward! What other routes could they have taken besides the Amaterasu Express!? I'd be happy if you could tell me who got there and how!

A: I'm saving [this info] so I can make a special edition someday! lol

/////

Q: who would you choose to solve a mystery and why? kirigiri, saihara or halara?

A: It would be great if the three of them performed together!

🌺 MAY 2024:

Q: What do you think about animals other than dogs and cats, Halara?

A: "More precious than humans."

/////

Q: Can Chief Yakou cook?

A: "I can make lazy meals."

☀️ JUNE 2024:

n/a

🎇 JULY 2024:

n/a

[secret-unburnt-guitars]

Hi i don't know much abt styx aside from general prog fandom osmosis but kwh has always intrigued me a little bit. Can you explain it in excruciating detail? (genuinely i'm not being sarcastic)

*cracks knuckles*

on february 22, 1983, styx released their eleventh studio album Kilroy Was Here. it was a concept album/rock opera though dennis deyoung likes to call it more of a "rock theatrical experience" in recent interviews. they even made a minifilm they played before the concert!!!! you can find it and the rest of caught in the act on youtube

it was made partially as a response to the rise of the satanic panic in the early-mid 1980s. people started to believe that rock music was evil and hiding satanic messages. the band was targeted by the public when they were accused in particular by the government of arkansas (i think?) of putting backwards messages (called backmasking) in their song Snowblind (the line "i try so hard to make it so" sounded like "satan moves through our voices" to some people. i own a copy of paradise theatre, that track in particular is damaged.).

and then dennis deyoung had a GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!

imagine a big ol lightbulb flashing over him while the rest of the members of styx watch in mortal dread

so basically the album follows a sort of loose and vague backstory that's somehow still solid enough for people to follow some sort of a plot in their head (which is slightly backed up by Caught In The Act, the designated KWH "concert," which i'll get to in a second). the basic synopsis (paraphrased but still in excruciating detail) is as such:

set in a futuristic chicago(?) rock and roll has been made illegal under code 672 (prohibits the playing and purveying of rock music). Dr. Everett Righteous (played by JY), who was responsible for this, is the leader of the majority for musical morality or the MMM for short. the MMM is one of the strongest organizations in this universe since you know. they literally convinced congress to criminalize an entire genre of music for the entire country. righteous also hosts a television show where he encourages the public to burn guitars and records in a huge bonfire during “nightly rallies”. he also projects himself onto a big triangle over the skyline which i think is fucking hilarious i haven’t been able to get over it

Robert Orin Charles Kilroy (played by Dennis DeYoung, of course he's the title character), was a prolific rock musician at the time of the ban. he was thrown in prison for breaking the law and after being framed of murder. they accused him of bashing an MMM crusader's head in (which he obviously didn't do) after they raided one of his concerts at the paradise theatre. he then goes to rot in prison and is subjected to attempts of brainwashing by the dr. righteous show with the other “rock n’ roll misfits” they’ve arrested. it doesn’t work lol. i don't understand how it would work BECAUSE IT'S NEVER EXPLAINED

the prison kilroy is rotting in is maintained/monitored by japanese import, mass produced robots dubbed the "robotos," hence the title track. ignore how racist they look, it was 1983, this is not my fault

i mildly dislike them but it sucks how they’re essential to the plot ANYWAYS

here comes Jonathan Chance, (played by Tommy Shaw, albeit reluctantly) who is a rebel that is part of a underground resistance (that's only really mentioned once). with his friend, he breaks into some unknown area that is most likely a recording studio and hijacks the live television recording of the dr. righteous show. he proceeds to namedrop himself and then run off

credit to @mccoys-killer-queen for the gifs!!

kilroy sees this happen, which inspires him to attempt to escape the prison. kilroy incapacitates a roboto that visits his prison cell and disguises himself as it so he can escape without being noticed (i do not like the way he does this)

after kilroy escapes, he goes throughout the city and leaves messages for jonathan, leading him back to the paradise theater which is now the Dr. Righteous Museum for Rock Pathology

it's got a bunch of shitty animatronics that include people like jimi hendrix and elvis presley, but at the very back is an animatronic of kilroy repeatedly bashing in someone's head

this is my favorite part of the minifilm which i've basically explained sorry. you see like what you think is another roboto emerge from the shadows, and then it takes off its mask AND IT'S THE ACTUAL KILROY!!!

(this is taken from the live show, the transition is so goddamn dope)

and then dennis deyoung prances around and has his little pick me theater main character moment and sings mr. roboto and dances and stuff it looks so stupid. the live version of mr. roboto is way funnier than the official music video i don't know. i posted it about here before but i love this part in particular

so that's how kilroy and jonathan meet and that's basically the plot of one of styx's most popular songs!! sorry i gave kind of a play by play of the minifilm

now here's the fun part !!!! (unfinished lore/controversy)

unfortunately the reception of this album was less than satisfactory for most people back in '83, since KWH was way far away from the brand that styx had made for themselves in the 70s. they made art rock and prog, but this was just straight up synthpop. some people liked it though. i read somewhere in an article that it "alienated their male audience" and honestly if you're alienated by a little bit of gay pick me theater bs from your favorite band, that's a you problem

caught in the act was the designated "kilroy concert" that styx did sometime in 1983. the concert, however, doesn't give any. depth. to any additional explanations of multiple plot holes present in the story. as much as i love and cherish dennis deyoung he didn't do a very good job at writing this.

caught in the act felt more like a compromise than a show, seeing as the banter after the performance of mr. roboto was very bare? kilroy explains to jonathan that he was framed for murder, and then he goes in depth on the night it happened. "the crowd was totally psyched," he says, and then it goes to JY performing a guitar solo, which leads into the rest of the concert. the entire concert was portrayed as a flashback and gives no real backstory to any of the established characters. and then at the tail end of the concert they get "raided" by the MMM and you watch as an MMM officer murders one of righteous' own followers with kilroy's guitar. they cut back to kilroy and jonathan, they sing haven't we been before, and then kilroy hands jonathan this sick ass glowing guitar, then they perform the world's worst finale. the dance party ending of caught in the act. it sucks. it's horrible. i hate it. also there is no dennis deyoung in the kilroy was here universe lmfao

i'm still grateful for the concert though don't get me wrong!!! amazing concert

if the rest of styx didn't want to rip dennis deyoung apart for making them do this (i recently learned from a manager that DDY made them turn down an opportunity to perform at one of the largest concerts of the 80s, because he was like "but muh kilroy"), i believe songs off the album like High Time and Double Life would have been performed at Caught in the Act. both extremely lore-heavy songs, especially double life. i really wish they played double life. but c'est la vie, i guess.

literally everyone in the band hated dennis' guts so much while they were making this (justified, he was a stubborn asshole during production) but god was it worth it. for me at least. i imagine one of the conversations about production went like

JY: dennis have you considered that maybe this is a bad idea Dennis: i'm gonna make you the villain of the story if you don't shut the FUCK UP

i still think that JY had a little bit of fun though. he was hamming it tf up as dr. righteous i'm sorry you need to watch the mv's which you can find on youtube as well

but unfortunately tommy shaw wasn't having a good time at all, he literally quit on stage and stormed off and styx split for a while bc of this album i mean LOOK AT HIM HE'S SO PISSED OFF

overall this album is both cheese AND corn, worst album i've ever listened to, and yet it's given me a purpose in life. i've written 7,000+ words in one document about this album just to try and fill in the blanks the lore has, it's got so many. it's a running joke on this blog, i really hope you check out the album, because i think it's wonderful and it's endearing regardless of the controversy, it's too late for me. save yourself

[writerthreads]

How to write a gripping fight scene

By Writerthreads on Instagram

Context

Provide the readers with preliminary details about the basics:

When is the fight? Where is the fight? Who are the characters involved in it?

Before you write the scene, it would be helpful to pre-plan the events and know the basic "itinerary" of the fight. This could be how it was initiated, which characters fight each other and how, and the way the fight ends.

Identify the backstory

The key to how to write a fight scene or battle scene is Goal, Motivation and Conflict (GMC). 

Ask yourself:

Why is this fight or battle taking place? (This supplies motivations, what each fighter or army has to gain or lose)

What each party wants (the goals). Goals may differ for the same conflict. One soldier may want to prove themselves worthy of promotion, for example. Another may just want to survive to see family or a lover back home. In a battle scene, what does the unit want, versus the individual?

What are the potential conflicts in the scene? For example, an argument might break out within ranks, or a sadistic leader might find themselves without aid at the peak of battle because their troops secretly despise them. A single, larger conflict could have smaller, breakaway conflicts that add further, lesser tensions to an already dramatic scene.

(From NowNovel)

Use characterisation in action

A fight scene can seem long and boring. To spice things up, you can provide readers with a bit more insight to the character as they fight.

Why does the character make the choices that they make in the fight?

How does each choice reinforce their characterization?

How does each choice impact their internal and/ or external goals?

Is this conflict getting the character closer or further away from their goals? How?

What are the stakes for each character? What do they stand to win? What will they lose?

What type of fighter is the character? What are their physical or mental abilities? (Remember that not every protagonist will be a trained assassin, so they’re prone to make sloppy mistakes during a fight.)

Use the fight scene to reveal necessary information about the characters. Be sure to give the reader a glimpse into the character’s soul and not just into their fighting skills.

(From NYBookEditors)

Use all the senses

To make the scene truly gripping, you have to make it visceral. Hit the readers with all the senses other than just sight. Sounds and textiles are particularly helpful and make the scene much more memorable.

So, next time you want to write one person's sword hitting another, you can describe the clang of the two steel pieces hitting each other, the smell of fresh blood in the air, and how heavy the sword welder's arm feels after parrying for ages.

Know the limits of each weapon and magic (if applicable)

Before you start writing, do some research about the "code of conduct" fighters in your time period had and how the weapons work. If you're very dedicated, you could try some classes in martial arts or fencing to get a rough idea of what the specific fight scene should feel like.

The ending

Let the readers know what the results of the fight are. Did one side clearly win? Were the results unclear (not in the sense of bad writing but of a draw-like scenario), or was it a Pyrrhic victory that incurred so much loss that it wasn't worth it?

One pet peeve of mine is a fight that ends when a Super Boss Weapon is revealed and ends the fight immediately. It's a quick way to finish the scene with no hassle, but in my opinion, it seems lazy and makes me wonder why the Super Boss Weapon wasn't used in the beginning. Unless it's justified, eg. the Super Boss Weapon had to be charged up, I get very mad when it happens. (But this opinion is very personal and you can obviously ignore it!)

Conclusion and disclaimer

Hopefully these tips will help you pen the perfect fight scene! I have minimal experience in fight scenes and all the fighting I do in real life is fencing (badly).

And as always, our tips are just tips and not rules -- you obviously don't need to follow them since they're just a guide to make your writing better! Good luck in writing your fight scene! :)

Sources: NowNovel, NYBookEditors

[that-ari-blogger]

Family (The Coronation)

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power has an earned reputation. It is a story about war, domestic and emotional abuse, healing, and redemption, all tying into one main idea. Trauma.

I genuinely cannot think of a series that handles the concept with as much depth and nuance as this. She-Ra even beats out Arcane here, in my opinion, although that is mostly through sheer force of runtime.

I’ve said before that She-Ra doesn’t go places or get good. It starts there and consolidates its ideas. Case and point, Glimmer.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD: (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

The episode is dedicated to setting up a new status quo for the series and a minour conflict for the setting. In the past, this was the overprotectiveness of Angella, but with her current situation, a new order is in order.

This takes the form of Glimmer not being cut out for queenly duties. She doesn’t have the bureaucratic mind or skillset. And I could mention that this is an example of the inherent flaws of monarchy. How, even without the moral component, not everyone has the interest or patience for rulership and bottling in one family to the role will eventually lead to one ruler with less aptitude for it. I could mention that. I could. But I won’t.

Anyway…

Glimmer doesn’t begin the series without a tragic backstory. The death of her father has had a significant effect on her growing up through Angella. I wouldn’t call Glimmer traumatised by this, but the information isn’t lost on her.

However, the death of a parent is something that will mess a person up, especially when it happens to you as a teenager.

And for the record, I will be referring to Angella as dead for the rest of my coverage of this series, because that’s effectively what she is. Yes, she’s trapped between dimensions and technically still alive, but functionally, she’s dead.

The unfortunate thing about life is that, if things go well, you will have to grieve a parent. But this is usually in your older years. Glimmer was at a formative age when Angella died, and the two didn’t even get a proper goodbye.

For the best example of this, the stone that embodies Angella’s legacy is eternally in view while the characters are in the castle. In every scene there is a convenient window or similar that can be put in shot whenever the director wants. You can’t always see it, but its always there.

Angella's last remnant is put on a pedestal above everything else. Her legacy is raised up and idolised as an impossible target and reminder.

But She Ra doesn’t just ask questions; it proposes an answer. Glimmer feels like she has lost her family, and everyone else would agree with her. Except she hasn’t. Not entirely.

One of my favourite little details in the series is its appropriation of TTRPG aesthetics and themes. I say TTRPG because I am the type of person who preffers the more obscure systems and wanted to be general with this analogy (Seriously, check out Mythras, it’s so much fun), but we all know exactly what is going on here. She-Ra plays with the themes inherent in a game of Dungeons and Dragons.

The episode features a ragtag group of heroes, the mage, the fighter, and the rogue, as they journey beneath a castle to retrieve a MacGuffin and subdue the temple’s guardians. Everyone has a tragic backstory except for the one character whose notable trait is that they don’t. It’s even called a quest.

So, what gives?

TTRPGs are fundamentally cooperative experiences. If you have a main character, you are playing the game wrong, and as such have a habit of forming close knit families amongst their casts of characters. The takeaway from the game should be that nobody can do anything alone.

More specifically, TTRPGs promote a nuanced understanding of support and family. It doesn’t just push you to do great things, it looks after you when things go wrong. A good family will lift you up, whether that is to the heights, or up from rock bottom.

She-Ra uses the imagery and gets the thematic rollover as a result, and it works. The moral of this episode is that Glimmer has people around her to rely on.

Angella wasn’t all that Glimmer had. She had a found family in her friends, and she still has that.

This is backed up by the subplot of the series, that being the buddy cop dynamic developing between Mermista and Perfuma and the manic OCD of Castaspella, while Frosta is… I mean she’s there, I guess.

Mermista and Perfuma are so much fun as a pair, but most of their relationship up to this point has been conflict. Mermista is deliberately obtuse while Perfuma is way too extroverted for Mermista to deal with. They have strengths and skillsets, but they cross each other’s boundaries, and need to find a middle ground. Which they do.

They discover how to work together. It’s a simple plot, but there’s room to grow.

Meanwhile, Castaspella is being narcissistic. Not in a malicious kind of way, but in a “I need things to go well and I’m the only person I trust” kind of way. Her story is about learning to back off and let others make their own decisions.

Now that I spell it out, that tracks really well with her relationship to Micah and Angella. Overbearing and distasteful of their decision making in an accidentally unempathetic way.

But I want to dwell on Castaspella for a moment, because I read her as neurodivergent. Entrapta is the posterchild for this representation and storytelling within the series, but Castaspella to me is another side of that. She has a lot of that coding in this episode, most notably is her complete inability to read a room, which, I know how that feels.

But this is never represented as a core flaw, just a quirk of her character. Castaspella is just neurodivergent, and it plays into the story, but it isn’t framed as something she has to fix in herself. Even in this episode, the thing she overcomes isn’t her hyperfixation, it's her disinclination to trust other people’s decision making. Which isn’t a trait unique to neurodivergent people at all.

It’s almost as if neurodivergent people are people and writing them as such isn’t actually that hard. BBC Sherlock, look at this and learn, you got outclassed by a side character in a He-Man spinoff.

However, there’s a difference between family and closure, and one is not a substitute for the other.

Adora spends the entirety of this episode trying to avoid the subject of Angella, which shines a light on her own coping mechanisms more than anything else, but it also takes away from the need for Glimmer to just talk through her feelings. Sometimes you have to grieve.

The twist is that Glimmer has also been avoiding the issue by avoiding recharging, and it is literally weakening her. This is magical literalism, of giving mechanics to the metaphor. So, what better to fix that by having Glimmer talk to the literalization of her mother's legacy?

The symbolism of Glimmer trying to grab her mother's hand for support and failing, only for that role to be filled by her friends is brilliant. Sometimes things don't have to be complex to be meaningful.

“Glimmer, You are walking in the footsteps of all those who have come before us. Now, my darling, it's your turn. I wish I didn't have to leave you. But I know you will be all right. Because you are Glimmer, and you are so, so strong. I have done my best to prepare you to rule, but you were always ready to lead. I am so proud of you, Glimmer. I love you.”

This isn’t closure, and the tragedy and trauma of Glimmer is that she never will get the chance for that. The hologram is a prerecorded message, but it reminds Glimmer of something important. She was loved.

Because, if this was a prerecorded message, that makes it more powerful. It means Angella got to choose her final words to her daughter, knowing that this message would be played after her own death, and she chose to end the message with love.

Also, side note, this speech deliberately separates rulership from leadership, saying that Glimmer has what it takes for one of the two, but leaving it ambiguous as to the other. This episode does that a lot, hint at Glimmers capability as a queen.

Holy moly is this a good shot. Angella is with Glimmer in spirit, hence the wings. But Glimmer is also physically raised above everyone else, finally equaling that pedestal she has put her mother on. Meanwhile, the shot creates smaller and smaller frames with Adora, then the monster, then the stairs, guiding your eye to the smallest thing in the shot, that being Glimmer. This is just really cool, and I wanted to point it out.

The speech reframes their last interaction from one of conflict to one of affection, and it lets Glimmer get out a response.

“I love you too.”

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Glimmer hasn’t said this yet in the series. She is by no means stoic, but she is awful at showing affection to people, just like the majority of the other main characters. So, this is catharsis for her, and I think that is rather special.

This episode starts the last tragic circle, the one that continues into the last season, but it starts it with the same message that it will end on.

No matter what happens, there will always be love.

Final Thoughts

And we’re back with She-Ra analysis, and I have big plans for this series. I want to reference more archetypical tragedies to show how the series plays into the tropes and subverts them, and I want to avoid Shakespeare, because my final season analysis will feature that pretty heavily. I hope. I haven’t written it yet, but we will see.

I didn’t talk about Catra in this episode, or the new character designs, and that’s because I don’t really think much of Glimmer’s new design. She looks older and more mature as she is forced to grow up and fit a new role, but there isn’t much else there. Catra meanwhile isn’t really in this episode. She climbs to power, and that’s about it. But we will get to her in time.

Next week, we will journey into The Valley Of The Lost to reenforce the idea of community and coexistence, as well as to give more development to Perfuma, which I always welcome. Stick around if that interests you.

Previous - Next

[arvandus]

Touch Chapter 15 - Past and Present

Pairing: Dabi x Fem!AFAB!Reader

**18+ ONLY - MINORS DNI**

OVERALL FIC WARNINGS: Soft!Dabi, Fem!AFAB!Reader with a fictional backstory, fanon version of past events (I started this before the canon stuff dropped), manga  spoilers, canon deviation, drug abuse/withdrawal (with inaccuracies since it’s outside of my experience and relies on research and imagination), violence, heavy angst, past trauma/abuse, anxiety/panic attacks, PTSD, hurt/comfort, pining, slow burn, eventual emotionally charged SMUT,  all characters will be written with complexity (i.e., no  one-dimensional/hateful representations). *please pay attention to specific warning tags within each chapter!*

CHAPTER WARNINGS: Reader has a panic attack (described in detail); explicit violent thoughts; friendly reminder that this fic has a fanon-based backstory for Dabi and a fully-fleshed out backstory for Reader (think OC without a name/face); multiple uses of Y/N (sorry, couldn’t really be avoided this time).

Chapter Songs: All The King’s Horses by Karmina (Reader)/The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails (Dabi)

Part 1   Part 14

Chapter 15: Past and Present

Dabi felt like an idiot. A complete and utter dumbass.  It had happened so fast, so suddenly.  He hadn’t thought about the consequences of what he was doing when he pinned you onto his mattress in an attempt to wipe the smug grin off your face.

But as soon as he was over you, it was as if his mind went blank, the inner voices that criticized and warned falling unexpectedly silent.  All that had mattered in that moment was the look in your eyes, the feel of your skin beneath his palms, and your voice...

The way you’d said his name, as if you wanted him, needed him...

Dabi had always known you were attracted to him; you were never very good at hiding it. He could tell in the way your gaze became bashful as you touched his scars on his face.  He could tell in the way heat rolled off your body whenever you flushed hot in response to his close proximity, his own quirk-sensitive skin fine-tuned to temperature changes in the environment.  And of course how could he forget how flustered you got when he’d opened his door, fresh out of the shower that one night.

Dabi knew; he always knew.  He never really understood it, but that part didn’t matter, because it was fact.  It was why he enjoyed flirting and teasing you so hard early on, just to see you fluster beneath his gaze.

But physical desire was one thing. The way you had pleaded his name was another entirely.  It had nearly unraveled him from the inside out, your soft voice pulling at an invisible loose thread within his chest. It was more than just wanting; there was longing, as if you were begging him for something only he could give you.

So, for the briefest of moments, he let himself hope...

But then your phone rang, and then later you had left before he’d so much as had a chance to speak.  It was obvious you were running away, and it stung him to the point of dumbness, the simple goodnight falling from his lips while his mind screamed for him to stop you.

Maybe he’d assumed too much too quickly.  He’d felt a crashing wave of relief at your explanation for the birth control pills, but now his doubts had returned full force.  After all, it may not have been your only reason.

Maybe you were involved with someone else, and your quick exit the night before was fueled by guilt, guilt at allowing yourself to get caught up in the moment.

Or maybe, the attraction between you two wasn’t enough.  After all, you’d gotten to know him well enough now to see him as the hot mess that he was.  It was no surprise to him that you wouldn’t want to get involved beyond the precarious friendship you’d built.

Either way, your actions spoke volumes, and the defeat settled heavy on his chest.

Sleep was hard to settle into last night as it always was.  Dabi’s mind replayed the events over and over, partially to obsessively decipher the meaning of it all, and partially to avoid drifting off into the nightmares that would undoubtedly plague him.  He had half a mind to go knock on your door demanding answers; he was tired of guessing, he was tired of the uncertainty.  And most of all, he was tired of the distraction, of the way you occupied his thoughts. He just needed to know.

But he never did.  Maybe it was pride that kept him locked up behind his bedroom door, refusing to buckle first.  Or maybe it was cowardice, his refusal to come face to face with the very real possibility that you didn’t want him, not really.

He should be used to rejection; it was written through every page of his life, so this time should feel no different.  But at the same time, it was the rejection that had broken him in the first place. So, if he showed up on your doorstep, vulnerable and exposed and you refused him...

Dabi shoved the thought away. He didn’t want to entertain the possibility.  Besides, last night had been enough of an answer, right?  It told him everything he needed to know.

So, he stayed in his room, his mind replaying the sound of his name on your tongue over and over again, letting it torture him in the hopes that it would follow him into his dreams where you’d be waiting for him.  He let the memory of what had almost happened play out in his mind as he finally allowed himself to indulge, relieving his frustrations with the grip of his hand in the silent solitude of his room.

He had to fulfill his needs twice before sleep finally claimed him, only to wake up later in the night to sweating skin and wordless whispers haunting his ears from dreams he couldn’t remember.

Now, Dabi sat on the train with you in silence, the railcar slowly rocking back and forth as it moved along the tracks.  Your quirk once again coated him like a whisper, his mind eased slightly by your pills, as his nerves hummed quietly beneath the surface of it all.  Neither of you had brought up last night’s events, and while the air between you wasn’t uncomfortable like it used to be, there remained an undercurrent of awareness that neither of you wanted to breach; at least not here in public, under the watchful eyes of strangers.

Dabi was once again wearing his hoodie; it was still damp from the night before, and the feel of it along with its musty odor annoyed him.  But it was the only one he had, his wardrobe limited to what he was able to find in trash bins and homeless shelters, and the occasional donation from Giran when the old man finally took pity on him. 

Dabi increased his body heat just enough to warm the cotton fabric in an attempt to help it evaporate faster in the cool, damp air, but the action only made the humidity inside the hoodie worse, causing his unscarred skin to sweat and his healing wound to itch.

He wiggled his shoulders slightly in an attempt to alleviate it, and you glanced at him.

“You okay?” you asked.

“Itchy,” he replied.

If Dabi had a choice in the matter, he would have worn his usual stitched jacket.  But as soon as you’d told him where you were going – into the heart of Musutafu – he knew such a trademark piece would get him caught in an instant.  So, begrudgingly, he’d donned his disguise from the day before, complete with sunglasses and a mask to cover his scarred skin.

“It just means it’s healing well.”

“It needs to heal faster.”

You gave him a soft smile, and the pounding in his chest skipped.  “At least you only need to have your bandage checked once a day instead of twice like before.”

So you’d said that morning when you had treated him.  Dabi was glad that his healing wound would soon be a thing of the past, and so too would his reliance on your pills.

“How much longer ‘til we get there?” he asked.  His leg bobbed its usual rhythm.

“Two stops away,” you reassured.

“I don’t like how central your source is.  It’s too dangerous.”

“Sometimes it’s better to be right under the heroes’ noses,” you replied.  “Besides, normally it’s not an issue.  Compress and I pass off as perfectly normal citizens.”

Dabi humphed and sank back into his seat with his hands shoved deeper into his hoodie.

Compress.

Dabi still wasn’t convinced you two weren’t involved.  The selfish part of him didn’t want to care; he wanted to take you anyway, make you his; put an end to any possible involvement with a press of his lips against yours.

The selfish fantasy soothed his moodiness.

A few minutes later, the automated female voice rang out through the railcar, interrupting his daydreams.

‘Now approaching Musutafu City Hall and Cultural Center.  Next stop: Hero Commission Headquarters and Hawks Agency.’

“This is our stop,” you announced as you stood.

Dabi followed you silently like a protective shadow as you exited the railcar into the underground space.  His presence behind you made the hairs on the back of your neck and your arms stand on end, a constant awareness of him.  And yet, at the same time, that acute awareness made you feel safe. He was watching over you.

You had forgone your usual medical bag that you had, keeping it locked away in your room with the exception of a few of your pills that you kept in your pocket, just in case.  Instead, you kept the bare minimum on you, your fake ID provided by the League and cash in one pocket, and your burner phone in the other.  It made traveling easier; you didn’t have to worry about losing items or being pick-pocketed, especially with Dabi behind you, protecting your rear.

It was a Saturday, and the streets and sidewalks were busier because of it.  You and Dabi passed through crowds of people unnoticed as billboards, signs, and moving pictures covered the tall buildings that towered above your heads.  It wasn’t long before you were once again entering the familiar building of Yatsumoto’s residence. Only this time, it was a new front desk clerk – a young lady with a warm smile and trusting eyes.  You announced your arrival and a moment later were granted access to the elevator.

“Nice place,” Dabi commented as he eyed the locations of the cameras.  You smiled, appreciative of his perceptiveness.

"He does well for himself," you replied.

You both stepped off the elevator together, and you knocked on the door.  A moment later, Yatsumoto answered, ushering the two of you inside.

“You’re early,” he commented.

“We were in the area,” you lied.

In all honesty, it was Dabi who had pressured you out the door, eager to finally get his hands on his medication.

Dabi watched the man who you seemed to know so well with distrusting eyes.  He was attractive. Unfortunately.  Dabi half-wondered if this was who you were involved with.  He wouldn’t be surprised... he seemed like your type, or at least someone he’d picture you with.  Handsome, well-off. He seemed to like you well enough, based on how he smiled at you and how he addressed you.  It made Dabi’s skin crawl, and he subconsciously stepped forward to position himself slightly ahead of you.

You caught it instantly, the undercurrent of tension, the change in Dabi’s behavior. If you didn’t know any better, you’d call it protective at best, and jealous at worst.

The possibility almost made you laugh out loud in disbelief. For Dabi to be jealous, he had to care about you enough to want to lay claim to you, to consider you his.  And that mental picture did not meld with how you viewed yourself when it came to Dabi.  Sure, you knew he was attracted to you, and you knew the two of you had a connection that was ever-changing.  But you certainly didn’t see any heartfelt confessions of love or promises of commitment coming from scarred lips any time soon.

No, Dabi seemed more the ‘friends with benefits’ type.  And friends with benefits didn’t get jealous. Or, at least they weren’t supposed to.

Either way, there was nothing to be jealous of.  There was nothing between you and Yatsumoto. Not anymore, at least.

As you and Yatsumoto exchanged words, Dabi’s eyes scanned the space. It was neat, organized.  Nothing that would imply a stash of high quality, very expensive drugs on the premises.  Dabi wondered if he had a second, secret location that he pulled from as needed, or other handlers that fulfilled his orders from government facilities.

Yatsumoto stepped away into another room to grab the order, and you waited patiently.  Your eyes locked with Dabi’s, and you looked away quickly.

Dabi stared at you a moment longer before looking away as well.

“You two are close, huh?” he commented.

“We’ve known each other for a long time...” you replied.

Dabi didn’t respond; instead, he let his feet begin to take him where his gaze wandered.

“What are you doing?” you asked suspiciously.

“Nothin’,” Dabi replied.  “Just checking it out.”

“Nosey...” you accused.

“Curious,” Dabi corrected.

“They mean the same thing.”

Dabi smirked at you beneath his mask, but you couldn’t tell.  He made his way slowly to the nearby table that had papers stacked on it, his fingers drumming the surface as they itched to peek at their contents.

Yatsumoto came back, a small bottle in his hand.

“Got it,” he announced, his keen eyes on Dabi.  Dabi stepped away from the table nonchalantly to stand protectively at your side.

“Thank you,” you replied.  You took the bottle from his hand, and Dabi read the contents on the label.

His temperature shot up in anger.

“What the hell is this?” Dabi demanded, snatching the bottle from your hand before you could stop him.

Yatsumoto bristled.  “What are you talking about?  It’s what she ordered.”

“Bullshit, the dosage on this isn’t right.”

“Stop,” you whispered at him harshly.  You reached for the bottle, but Dabi held it out of your reach.

“How much are you charging her for this?”

“Half of what I charge everyone else.” Yatsumoto replied with narrowed eyes.  “And I don’t appreciate the accusation you’re making.”

“Stop!” you repeated, your voice louder, more insistent.

Dabi ignored you, though.  His eyes were set on Yatsumoto, and any moment now you expected the sunglasses to melt off his face.

“I’m not accusing you of shit. I’m telling you outright that you’re ripping us off.”

“Look, I don’t know who you are, but you gotta lotta nerve.”

Panic was drowning you, filling your veins with ice as you watched them bicker back and forth.  The longer it went on, the more certain you were that Dabi was effectively burning the only strong bridge you had that made you even remotely valuable to the League.  Lose Yatsumoto, and you lose... everything.

“Dabi, STOP!!” you finally yelled.

The sound of his name made him freeze and stare at you.  Even with most of his face covered, you could see the shock and incredulity in his expression.

You froze, wide-eyed.

You’d used his name. His Villain name, the one that was plastered on wanted posters and shown on the late-night news.

“Dabi??” Yatsumoto’s voice made you turn and look at him.   His eyes were wide behind his glasses, the color of his cheeks drained. “I need to speak to you.” He glared at Dabi.  “Alone.”

You followed Yatsumoto into his bedroom where he promptly slammed the door. You winced at the sound; your arms crossed over your chest.

“Dabi??  Dabi?? As in Dabi from the League of Villains?? Damn it, Y/N!”  Yatsumoto’s hands were in his dark curls as he paced.  “Is that who you’re involved with??”

You swallowed. “Yes.”

Yatsumoto pointed an accusatory finger at you. “I thought you were smarter than this.  Damn it, you are smarter than this.  What the hell are you doing?”

“Why does this shock you?” you replied angrily.  “You have an entire undercover operation here that you’re raking in MILLIONS of yen on.  Are you telling me that you don’t sell to villains?? Do you really sit here and vet everyone that comes through?”

Yatsumoto’s jaw clenched tight.  “That’s not the point.”

“Like hell it isn’t,” you replied.

“This isn’t like an organized crime syndicate like the M.L.A. or the Yakuza.  They have rules.  At least the M.L.A. would have made sense since I know your stance on quirk suppression.  But this... this is something else entirely.”  Yatsumoto began pacing again. “This is The League of fucking Villains.  They are the most wanted group out there. They allied themselves with All For One, who nearly defeated All Might, for fuck’s sake.  They attacked high school students and abducted a fucking kid.  And you’re okay with all of this??”

“You talk about them like they’re the Boogie Man.  They’re not.”

“They are!” Yatsumoto shot back.

“They’re not!” you insisted.  “I’ve spent time with them, Yatsu.  I’ve gotten to know them.”

Yatsumoto shook his head as he stared at you, his disgust evident on his face.  “I feel like I don’t even know you anymore.”

“Don’t.” your voice wavered.  “Don’t say that. I’m still me, Yatsu.  I still care about people. I still want to help people.  And right now, I’m helping him.” You pointed at the closed door where Dabi stood on the other side.  “Do you know what his quirk does to his body? How much pain he’s in all the time?”

“Did you know that he’s a murderer?” Yatsumoto shot back.  Your jaw clenched to the point of aching.  “Did you know that he burned up a group of street thugs not too long ago? It was all over the news.”

“It was self-defense.”

“It was a slaughter.” Yatsumoto shot back.  “They could only identify them by their dental records.”

A chill went down your spine, but you pushed it away, struggling to ignore it.  You didn’t want to think about it... not right now, not with Dabi...

“You’re such a hypocrite,” you whispered.  “The League aren’t the only ones who have blood on their hands.  Where did the old receptionist go, huh, Yatsumoto?  You said you took care of it... where is he now?”

“That is—”

“What? Different?  Oh, because it matters to you.  It protects you. That’s what this is all about, right?  It’s about covering your ass.  You make it sound like it’s because you care, like you’re morally above them, but in reality, all you care about is yourself and your goddamn drug empire.”

“The empire that you’re a part of, that you depend on.” Yatsumoto corrected. 

He stared at you a moment longer, before finally sitting on the end of his bed.  The fight that had been in him deflated slightly and his shoulders slumped.

“You’re right...” he finally said as he rubbed at the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. “I have to protect myself and my assets.  And The League... the risk is too high with them. They’re too reckless.  The last thing I need is for it to get back to me. Why them, Y/N? Why not someone else, anyone else?”

“I... I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

Yatsumoto’s tone softened.  “That’s a lie and you know it.” He pinned you with a familiar, warm gaze.  “You always had a place here, remember?”

You looked away.  “You know that wouldn’t have worked out.”

“Why not?”

You looked up at him and tilted your head slightly.  “You know why.”

Yatsumoto stared at you for a long moment before looking away, scratching the back of his head. “Yeah... yeah, I guess you’re right. But why the League? Why not the Meta Liberation Army?”

Your mouth opened and closed a couple of times before finally finding your voice.  “The League can give me something the Liberation army can’t.”

Yatsumoto furrowed his brow.  “And what’s that?”

You stared at the closed door, knowing Dabi was listening intently on the other side.

“My brother.”

Shock crossed Yatsumoto’s handsome features.  “Your brother is in Tartarus.”

“I know.”

“No one leaves Tartarus.”

“I know.  But he said he could do it if I helped the League.”

“Who said that?”

You gave Yatsumoto a long stare, allowing him to put the pieces together. There was only one villain strong enough to make such a brazen promise.  Yatsumoto’s grey eyes widened behind his glasses.

“Wait, you mean—”  Yatsumoto’s voice lowered.  “You met him?”

“No, not directly. But he passed the message on to me through one of the League members.” 

“Was this before or after All Might beat his ass at Kamino?”

“After.”

“So, he’s able to communicate with the outside world even though he’s locked inside Tartarus?”  Yatsumoto let out a low whistle and ran his fingers through his hair.  “This is bigger than I thought. You’ve really got yourself in deep.”

Tears brimmed your eyes.  “I have to try, Yatsu.  He’s been in there for so long...”

Yatsumoto put a comforting arm around you, and you leaned into his hold.  “I know. But... it’s Tartarus.  All of hero society would have to collapse before Tartarus would fall.”

Your expression hardened as you stared blankly ahead of you.  “Yeah… I know.”

Deep down, a loathsome, unforgiving part of you wanted that.  It wanted to tear it all apart.  The entire barrel of apples was rotten, so better to dump them out and start over.

Yatsumoto slowly removed his arm from your shoulders and stared at you.  For the first time, he seemed... scared of you, and you realized that maybe…

Maybe you and Dabi weren’t so different after all.

But this desire for violence was one thing you didn’t want to have in common with him.  You put your head in your hands, confused.

“I just... I hope it doesn’t come to that,” you whispered. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I just want my brother back.”

Yatsumoto stared at you long and hard before looking away again.  “I don’t think it’s something you have much control over. Unrest has been building for a while now.  Eventually it’s going to bleed into all of hero society, and when that happens, there’s going to be casualties.”

Your eyes brimmed with tears as you stared at your friend. “I—”

A knock at the door cut your words short, followed by Dabi opening the door without waiting for an invitation.  He leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed as he stared down at you before pinning Yatsumoto with a narrowed gaze.  His glasses were off his face and his face mask pulled down to his chin now that his cover had been blown.  Yatsumoto stiffened at the sight of him.

“You ready, doll?” Dabi asked. “Or are ya gonna chat all day?”

You took a breath and blinked away your tears.  “I’m ready.  I’ll be there in a minute.”

Dabi gave you a long, lazy look before stepping away again, his arms behind his head as he stretched.

Yatsumoto eyed him as Dabi walked out of his line of sight.  “I don’t trust him.”

You chuckled.  “I don’t think he trusts you either.”

Yatsumoto eyed you again, and you could see the hesitation in his posture.  “Are you sure you’re okay with him?”

You smiled as you stared at Dabi’s back.  “I’ve never been safer.”

You stood up to follow Dabi, but Yatsumoto grabbed your wrist.  You turned to look at him.  He stared up at you with concern.  “I mean it, Y/N.  Be careful with him.  Please.  You already know what he’s capable of.”

You hesitated, unsure of how to communicate how certain you were that Dabi would never hurt you.  But you knew whatever you said would be futile, so you opted for cooperation.

“I will,” you reassured.  “I promise.  So does this mean you’ll keep helping me out?”

Yatsumoto sighed and scratched the back of his head again.  “To be honest, I don’t really want to.  But I don’t think I have much choice at this point.  I don’t need the League coming after me because I’ve refused to supply them.”

“They wouldn’t...” but your words faltered, swallowed up by uncertainty.  You thought they wouldn’t, but you couldn’t say for sure, and that realization brought a new kind of discomfort.

Yatsumoto tilted his head at you knowingly.  “Yeah. Exactly.”

“I’m sorry...” you muttered.

Yatsumoto placed a hand on your shoulder.  “Don’t worry about it.”

You walked out from under his palm and made your way over to Dabi.  His posture relaxed slightly once you were next to him again, safely within his reach.

You held out your hand.

Dabi stared at it.

“What?”

“The pills.” You pinned him with a look. “Hand ‘em over.”

He let out an annoyed sigh and took the bottle out of the pocket of his hoodie and put it in your hand.

“You think I wouldn’t notice?” you whispered to him teasingly.

Dabi raised an annoyed eyebrow at you.  “Just like you thought I wouldn’t notice you lowered my dose?” he shot back.

You raised your own eyebrow at him in return.  Without speaking, you opened the bottle and counted the contents onto the table.  The amount matched the prescription and you put the pills back in, satisfied.  It wasn’t just to make sure Dabi didn’t take any; it was to make sure you were getting what you paid for.  You trusted Yatsumoto completely, but you knew Dabi didn’t, so the action was more to ease his own nerves.  You pulled out the cash from your pocket and counted out the bills into Yatsumoto’s open palm.

“Here you go, as we discussed.”

You bid your goodbyes to Yatsumoto as you left, Dabi following behind you in silence with his disguise back in place.

As soon as you were back in the elevator, Dabi let loose the question that burned at his tongue.

“Why did you order a smaller dose?” he demanded.

“Because you’ve been on mine for a couple weeks, so going back to the amount you were taking before would be a very bad idea.”

“Tch.” Dabi frowned and looked away.  “I don’t need you making those kinds of decisions without me, you got that?  That’s not your call to make.”

You stared at him in reproach.  “Actually, it kind of is. I refuse to be responsible for you overdosing.  Again.”

“Yeah? And what if they don’t fucking work?  What then? All this would be just a waste of fucking time.”

“It’ll still work,” you reassured. “You know that, right?  They’re extended release, so they’re meant to last longer than your originals.”

Dabi liked them even less.

“Whatever…” he muttered.  “Nice blowing my cover, by the way.”

You sucked your cheek.  The elevator dinged and the doors opened.

“I know. I’m sorry,” you replied.  “But maybe next time when I’m telling you to stop, you’ll listen.”

Dabi buried his hands deep in his pockets.  “Maybe next time you’ll give me a heads up. I wouldn’t have thought he was taking advantage if you’d told me what you did.”

He had you there.

“You’re right.  I’m sorry.” You finally said.

Dabi glanced at you out of the corner of his eye, but didn’t say anything. Your lips pressed together in frustration, his lack of reciprocal apology for his behavior making the resolution feel incomplete.  But you held your piece for now as you made your way out of the parlor and into the street.

As you stepped out, you noticed a yatai across the street, pictures of yakitori on the side of it.

“Are you hungry?” you asked.

Dabi followed your gaze.  “Yeah.”

“Come on, I’ve got a little money left over.”

Ten minutes later, and the two of you were tucked in an alley away from the bustling crowds as you ate.  Dabi’s mask was pulled down to his chin again as he ate the chicken off the skewer. The sour mood of before was lightened thanks to your meal, and you decided to extend an olive branch.

“How’re you doing?” you asked around a mouth full of food.

Dabi swallowed.  “It’s too bright outside.”

You stared up at the overcast sky, grey clouds low with the promise of more nighttime rain.

“Do you need me to touch you up with my quirk?” you asked.

Dabi shook his head.  “I’m fine, doll. Just a little uncomfortable.”

The nickname he used for you had become one of the many ways you gauged Dabi’s mood, the term of endearment coming up only when he was comfortable and at ease.  Hearing it now gave you a little bit of the comfort you needed, letting you know he had let go of his frustrations from earlier.

You looked out at the passing throngs of people.  There were a wide variety of ages, looks, attire... they milled along, unaware of your watching.

“Dabi...”

“Yeah?”

“Say everything works out the way we want, and we come out on the other side... where do you see yourself?”

Your question was so left field, that Dabi had to do a double take.  “What??”

“Like, what are your plans if we win?”

Dabi fell silent, the truth trapped behind tight lips. He didn’t have the heart to tell you that he didn’t have plans for after.  He’d never planned on living past his confrontation with his father.

“I don’t know,” he said evasively.

“Well, when you think of a happy life, what do you picture?” you looked at him.  “Toga wants to be able to love how she wants.  Twice just wants to be around people he cares about. Shigaraki... well...”

“Let’s not think about what Shigaraki wants,” Dabi replied.

Destruction.  Destruction, and nothing else.  The thought had never bothered Dabi before, because he’d never planned to live long enough to see the totality of it all anyway.  But now...

He watched you as you watched the people passing.

“What do you want?” you continued.  “To live alone at the top of a mountain? To stay with the League?  Find a stable job?” 

You watched as a child ran by you, a balloon in tow, and you smirked.  “A house and kids?”

It was a joke, of course; you were already sure of the answer.

Dabi choked on his last bite of yakitori, coughing and clearing his throat.  “Oh hell no,” he replied adamantly.

You laughed at him.

“No kids, not ever,” he continued.

“That doesn’t surprise me,” you chuckled.

“Fortunately, that’s something I’ll never have to worry about.”

You finally tore your gaze away from the crowds and looked at him as he tossed his skewer into a trashcan and put his mask back into place.

“Fun side effect of my quirk being incompatible with my body is that I’m shootin’ blanks.”

“Wait, seriously??”

 “Sperm don’t do well with heat.  Might’ve been fine if my body was fire resistant, but… y’know…” He smirked. “Little swimmers never stood a chance.”

“Oh…”

“C’mon, little doctor.  Didn’t you learn about the birds and the bees at your fancy school?”

You rolled your eyes.  “Of course we did. I guess I just never thought about it, is all.”

You were both done eating so you began walking down the street towards the train station.

“Does it bother you?” you asked.

Dabi scoffed.  “Of course not. It’s a damn blessing.”

“Yeah, but this is like... you never even had a choice.”

“Even if I did, I would have gotten myself snipped by now anyway.  All it did was save me from a very painful recovery period.”

“Good point... so no white picket fence for you. What would make you happy then?” you asked.

The blue of Dabi’s eye caught yours behind his sunglasses as he glanced at you while you walked. He was quiet for so long that you wondered if he even had an answer.  But finally, he replied, “Justice.”

You waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t.  It didn’t matter; you didn’t need him to.  You already had enough information to fill in the blanks, thanks to the little bit of digging you did through old news articles on your phone yesterday while you were stuck waiting for Dabi to answer your calls.

It had shocked you to your core when you’d confirmed what you had suspected, but by now you’d adjusted to it.  There was a certain poetry to it all, between your history and his all being tied to the same man, and it only served to deepen your empathy for him.

You knew Endeavor was his father, you knew who he really was.  And with that information, while you didn’t have the full details of his story, you had enough to understand why he wanted to bring his father down.

All you had to do at this point was hear it from Dabi’s own lips, to confirm what you already knew.  For now, though, his lips remained sealed, and you didn’t press the issue further.  Instead, you changed the topic.

“So,” you prodded, “How much did you hear earlier with Yatsumoto?”

Dabi gave another side glance at you.  “Some of it.”

You stared at him.

“Okay, most of it.”

You couldn’t help the smug grin that pried your lips apart.  “I thought so.”

Now that it was all out in the open, Dabi had no reservations in asking all the questions that had piled up over the past couple of weeks. 

“So, your brother’s locked up, huh?”

“Yeah...” you replied.

All the pieces were finally falling into place.  Dabi had always wondered how someone like you ended up with the League of Villains.  Now it made perfect sense.

“What did he do?” Dabi asked as his eyes following the sudden mass movement of the people around him. No doubt a popular hero showed up nearby...

He waited for your response, but it never came.  He looked next to him, but you weren’t there.

Panic ran hot through Dabi’s veins until he saw you frozen in your tracks thirty feet behind him. Your eyes were wide with fear, and even from this distance he could see the way your chest heaved as if you were gasping for air.

Dabi followed your gaze, and then he saw it... across the street, three buildings down, stood Endeavor surrounded by a crowd of civilians.  Cameras flashed and phones were held high in the air to get pictures with the new number one ‘hero.’

Dabi’s blood instantly boiled, his heart rate tripling in his chest as his quirk itched at his fingertips.  A giddiness filled him, every nerve ready to spring into action.

He was right there.  Finally.

He felt the pull of all his hatred, his pain, focalize into a single point on his father’s face in the distance.  It was a face that was burned into his memory with every insult he received, with every punch he had to endure, despite the additional years added to the old man’s face since he’d last seen him.  It was almost as if no time had passed at all, the fire of rage burning as bright as it had on the night he’d committed himself to bringing him down.

All he had to do was go to him.

But something nagged and pulled at the back of his mind, forcing his focus away from the man ahead, from his past, his future.

Dabi looked back at you.  Your hand was clutching your chest and you looked ready to faint, your skin sheened with sweat.  Dabi stood rooted, torn between his zealous wrath and you, trapped and vulnerable. He wanted to yell at you, to tell you to hide, to take cover.  But he knew just by looking at you that you wouldn’t be able to do it yourself.

Damn it, why did this have to happen now??  What was wrong with you??

Dabi recalled the scar across your back, remembered how you’d reacted to seeing Endeavor’s face on the television that one night, every nerve in your body tense.  And now, it looked as if you were seeing the devil himself.

It was the nail in the coffin, verifying what Dabi had already suspected.  His father, his dear old dad, the number one hero, had given you that scar. You, a harmless civilian.  The reality didn’t surprise him. It was just another skeleton in his father’s closet.  Instead, it made the anger and hatred in his veins burn hotter still, the vengeance twice as strong as it had been a moment before. The need for retribution stretched beyond just himself; now that retribution included you as well.

He wanted to beat his father’s ass, tear him limb from limb, watch him cry and snivel and beg for mercy as Dabi threw his flames back in his face until the flesh burned away. He wanted you to watch, to see how weak the old man was, to see that he’d never be able to hurt you or anyone else ever again.

Black smoke began to flavor Dabi’s tongue, his hands burning hot within his gloves that began to bubble and peel.  Dabi stepped forward, ready to act, and yet... something in him hesitated.

On the brink of eruption, he forced himself to reason, assessing the situation.

It’s not the right time, not with all of these people here and other heroes close by.

And not with you frozen on the sidewalk, at risk of getting struck by his flames.

You’d already been burned by one Todoroki. He refused to let you be burned by another. That was his father’s legacy etched into your skin, not his.

It would never be his.

He had to get his father alone, without you nearby and when Dabi had more than just his weak, broken body to face him.

His father’s words rattled in his skull, mocking him.

You’re not strong enough.

It took every ounce of strength for Dabi to turn his back on his father and go to you, a growl gurgling low in his chest at the frustration of it all.  The first step was the hardest, turning on his heel, putting his target behind him.  But with each step it became easier, his frustration being forced to the backburner as his steps quickened into a sprint towards you.

“Hey,” Dabi called as soon as he reached you.

You didn’t respond; you couldn’t.  Fear had a tight grip on your throat, your brain so consumed by it that you couldn’t even hear Dabi’s voice.

Dabi grabbed you by your shoulders.  “Hey!”

 Still, you didn’t respond, your eyes glued beyond Dabi, across the street.  It was like you weren’t even here with him, your breaths gasping, your eyes wide like a frightened animal.  He cupped your face in his hands and turned your face towards his.

“Look at me, look at me.”

Dabi’s eyes found yours, but it made no difference.  You began to hyperventilate as your heart pounded with such strength you were sure it’d burst from your rib cage to land at your feet.  You could feel your world spin beneath you.  All of your senses were thrown into hyper awareness, like a scared rabbit catching the scent of a predator you couldn’t see.

But you could see.  You could see the red of his hair, his broad shoulders well above the crowd.  And if you could see him, then he could see you. All he had to do was look in your direction…

There was a crushing weight on your chest, and you knew that any moment now, he would get you, hurt you, kill you.  You were dying, you realized; the life was squeezing out of your lungs with each shallow breath, your vision blurred.

All you could see was red and orange flames, angry blue eyes.  You heard the sound of screaming that sounded like your voice, yet it wasn’t, because you couldn’t produce words, you couldn’t even breathe.

You barely registered the feeling of Dabi’s hand holding yours, of the tug on your arm. It brought forth the ghost of a memory, of a different hand dragging you down winding back streets.

‘Go! RUN!’

It wasn’t Dabi’s voice in your head.  It was your brother’s, loud and frantic.

You don’t remember running. You don’t even remember moving.  One moment you were standing in the middle of the sidewalk staring at the man who’d ruined your life, to leaning against a hard wall behind a dumpster.

You sank down to your heels, your knees drawn up as you covered your ears. Your panicked breaths ripped themselves out of your chest until your lungs ached and your face was streaked with tears.  Your entire body shook, ready to flee as soon as you could get your damn legs to work.

I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe...

The mantra ran through your head in a loop.

He’s coming... I’m going to die...

The faint recognition of warm, rough skin on your hand cut through your fog just enough to allow your other senses to pick up your environment.

“Y/N...” the voice was deep, familiar.  “Y/N, you’re safe now.”

You shook your head. It was a lie. He was coming. He would find you, and then it would all be over...

The hand cupped your cheek, and dark bangs and blue eyes came into your field of view, framed in a black hoodie.  You shied from them at first, the blue so familiar, so dangerous.  But your vision focused when you heard his voice again, familiar and safe. And his eyes... they weren’t filled with fiery fury like you remembered.  They were clear, shallow pools of aqua, black brows drawn together as they searched for you, finding you, trying to save you from the dark waters of your memories.  But the waves of trauma were great, huge swells that dragged you under with each beat of your heart against your rib cage and burning of your lungs.

Dabi stared at you, watching you fall apart in front of him, as an unwelcome sense of helplessness drowned his chest.  Familiarity pulled deep from his mind, old memories rising to the surface.  He’d seen this before...

‘Touya...’

The memory of his mother’s face, her hair fallen forward as she shook and gasped. This very thing had happened so many times, especially towards the end...

‘I’m here, mom.’

He’d learned how to respond, how to help. Memories sharpened, bringing forth experience like an old guidebook that had been lost but whose pages had been memorized.

Dabi moved on instinct. He took your hand and placed it against his chest.  You could feel the warmth, feel the cotton of his shirt where he’d unzipped his hoodie.  “Feel my heartbeat,” he said.

You could feel it, slow and steady.

“Focus on the feeling. Right here.”  He tapped his hand over yours to the rhythm of his heart that pounded strong beneath his sternum.

You forced yourself to focus on it.

“Good. Now count them.”

You couldn’t get your body to move, couldn’t get enough air in your lungs to speak.

“Count,” Dabi repeated.  His heart vibrated beneath your palm.  “One...”

Your mouth shaped the word, but there was no sound. ‘One.’

“Two...”

“Two...” your voice now carried on the smallest breath.

Now, with your voice coming back, you counted together in unison as Dabi helped your body slowly release the fear that had a chokehold over you.

“Three... four.... five....”

Dabi kept his hand over yours, while his other cupped your cheek again, making you look into his eyes.

“Eight... nine... ten.”

Your world came back into focus, and with it came the great cresting wave of emotion.  It rolled through you now, your body shuddering like it was sloughing a second skin, and fresh sobs fell from your throat.

“Dabi...” you whispered. You wrapped your arms around him, burying your face into his chest. He held you tight against him as your sobs became heavy, your body purging the marathon of stress it’d just endured.

Your senses came back full force, everything around you sensitive and raw.  The feel of Dabi’s hand on your back, the heat emanating from him, the musky moist smell of his hoodie mingling with the distinct smell of smoke.  You felt safe, protected, as long as Dabi continued to hold you, his body surrounding you like a barrier against the world.

When you finally calmed down, you realized that you were both on the ground, with Dabi’s legs bent on either side of you as you leaned against him.  You sat up just enough to look at him, tears still stuck to your lashes and wet on your cheeks.  Dabi’s eyes took in every inch of your face.  You were so close now that you could feel his breath on your skin, see the details of his irises.  The band-aid still covered his cheek, the skin beneath it purple where it had bruised from the torn staple.

Dabi’s thumbs wiped away at the tear tracks on your cheeks as he finished his inspection of you.

“You okay?” he asked.

You nodded and straightened up.  “Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.”

A mild, numb sense of shock settled over you as you watched him stand up and dust the dirt from his jeans.  He extended his hand out to help you up, and you took it gratefully.

“How did you... where did you learn to do that?” you finally asked as you brushed off your own clothes and adjusted your jacket.

Dabi put his sunglasses back on and placed his mask over his mouth.  “My mom used to get panic attacks,” he replied.

You stared at Dabi for a long moment.

You nearly jumped out of your skin when a new, unfamiliar voice spoke in your periphery.

“Hey, is everything okay here?”

You spun to come face to chest with a tall man with spiked white hair and grey eyes.  He had a strong jaw that was familiar in its shape, but you couldn’t immediately place it, too dazed still from your panic attack.

“What??” you asked dumbly.

The man looked from Dabi to you, his brow furrowed in concern.

“I wanted to see if you were okay. I saw you across the street, it looked like you were having a panic attack.”

You glanced at Dabi, and immediately noticed how rigid his posture became, how he was practically holding his breath as he stared at the man in front of him who was a head taller than him. You waited to see if Dabi would answer, but he fell strangely silent.

“I’m okay,” you replied, giving the stranger your best smile.  You locked your fingers with Dabi’s and leaned into him; you realized his gloves didn’t feel right, and you glanced down to notice the damage on them for the first time.

Had he used his quirk??

No. If he had, you’d both be caught by heroes by now.  But it had come close...

You cleared your throat, realizing you’d gotten briefly distracted. 

“I just don’t do well with big crowds,” you lied.  “He helped me through it.” 

You patted Dabi’s chest and gave him an affectionate glance, playing the role of the sweet girlfriend.  Anything to try to soften his rough edges and aloof behavior that was making him look more suspicious by the second.

“Oh, okay.  Well, I’m glad you’re okay now. Do you need anything?”

This guy was nice, just another Good Samaritan.  So why did it seem like Dabi wanted to run?

“No, I’m okay, thank you.”

“Are you sure?”

Something in Dabi snapped.  “She said she’s fine.”

The man turned and stared at Dabi, and for the briefest moment, it felt like time stood still as they looked at each other.  There was something in the air, an energy that you couldn’t place. You watched with bated breath, waiting for something to happen. But the moment passed, and the man put his hands up and backed off slightly.

“Hey, no need to get mad.  I was just checking.”

Dabi turned and looked at you, and his hold on your hand tightened.  “You ready to go?”

“Yeah,” you replied.

Dabi brushed by the white-haired man, pulling you with him.  “Thanks for the help,” he said gruffly without so much as a glance.

You had to practically jog to keep up with Dabi as he whisked you away down the sidewalk, the man left standing behind you to watch your retreat.

As soon as the two of you had entered the train station, Dabi slowed to a stop and leaned against a concrete column.

“What was that about?” you asked, looking back over your shoulder.  The man didn’t follow, but you half expected him to.

“Nothing.” Dabi replied.  “Train’s here, let’s go.”

He led you by the hand into the railcar and picked out a couple of seats towards the back where he could have a clear line of sight of anyone who came in or out of the train.  Dabi didn’t relax until the doors had closed and the train began to move.  Then he slumped into his seat and leaned his head back against the wall behind him, his eyes closed behind his sunglasses.  He still held your hand but he hardly noticed, his mind racing.

That was close. Too fucking close.  He’d managed to keep away from his family for literally years, and now, today of all days, he managed to see not one, but two Todorokis.  Dabi didn’t startle easily. But coming face to face with Natsuo was not something he had ever considered a possibility until ten minutes ago.  At first, he feared that he’d recognize him, even with his face nearly entirely covered and his hair dyed.  He was eternally grateful when his brother’s grey eyes showed no signs of recognition.  But then Dabi had to open his stupid mouth…

It almost stung when his own brother hadn’t recognized his voice.  But then again, how often did people keep an eye out for ghosts?

Dabi was yanked from his thoughts when he felt the weight of your head on his shoulder.  He opened his eyes and looked down to see you resting against him as you gazed ahead.  That’s right… you’d gone through an ordeal yourself.  He was sure you were feeling fatigued now in the comedown. 

Dabi stared at the crown of your head and the intrusive thought of planting a kiss on the top of it invaded his mind. He shoved it aside.  Instead, he subtly pulled his mask down just enough for his nose to peek out above. Instantly, the smell of your hair drifted up and he inhaled gently, letting the scent of you calm him as he leaned his head back against the wall.

As the train moved, Dabi felt the slow creep of his nerve pain and drug withdrawal return.  He suppressed the small pangs of pain that ran along his body; he didn’t want you to know, he didn’t want you to worry. You had enough on your mind.  Besides, you were close to home, and you finally had his pills. Eagerness and relief filled his chest, allowing him to breathe easier through the discomfort.  He’d waited for so long, what was a little longer?

The train finally reached your stop, and you sat up begrudgingly.  You expected Dabi to let go of your hand, but he didn’t. Instead, he led you out of the railcar and into the late afternoon. Once you were on the sidewalk, he casually put his arm over your shoulders, his hand hanging lazily over the edge.  You glanced at him, surprised by the gesture, but he didn’t return your gaze, his mind deep in thought as he kept his eyes ahead of him.  You could tell he was thinking about something, because of the way his brows were pulled together.

So, you leaned into his hold, enjoying the closeness and the warmth, even though your mind was screaming internally as your heart floundered in the gray area of whatever this was.  Nothing had been said outright about last night; but each day, each moment, brought more and more dismantling of barriers.

And yet, so much was still left unsaid.

His arm left your shoulders once you approached the back entrance of the old run-down hotel, his hand finding yours again as he took the lead up the stairs.  But as Dabi began to take the steps up, you halted, frozen in your tracks.

The tug on Dabi’s arm made him stop and turn to face you.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

You stared up at the building with a mixture of relief and trepidation.  You couldn’t entirely put into words why you were hesitating going in.  A part of you wanted to.  While the building wasn’t much to look at, it spoke of home, of familiarity. And right now, familiarity was what you needed.

But it also spoke of isolation, of separation from the world around you.  With its run-down façade, old single-pane windows and leaky pipes, it spoke of a place forgotten, a place haunted by ghosts.  And in a way, that’s how you felt; a ghost, existing unseen in hero society, swept under the rug when you no longer fit their perfectly cut box.  You were all ghosts, here; nightmares created by others, hiding away to find solace in each other’s loneliness.

“I... I don’t know...” you whispered.  You looked at the ground with a frown.

Dabi stepped towards you.  “You don’t wanna go in?”

You shook your head silently.  Your answer surprised Dabi; when his mother had her panic attacks, she always sought a safe place after to recuperate. He had assumed that meant you’d want to go back to the hideout.

So, did you not feel safe here? That possibility bothered him.  Maybe that friend of yours had gotten into your head earlier...

Dabi’s jaw clenched.  He hated that guy.

He turned around and came back down the steps towards you.  You let go of his hand and crossed your arms over your chest protectively, and Dabi shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Where do you wanna go?” he asked.

“I dunno...” you confessed with a shrug.  You didn’t have a plan; it was all just feelings.

Dull pain bloomed across Dabi’s neck and he rubbed at it subconsciously. You saw.

“My pills and my quirk are wearing off, aren’t they?” you asked.  “We should get you inside.”

Your steps up the stairs were heavy, filled with resistance.  Dabi watched you as guilt chewed at his bones.

“I thought you didn’t want to go in,” he said.

“I’ll be fine,” you replied. “I’m just... in a weird place right now.”

“How about you just give me a couple of my pills and then we can go somewhere else.”

You smiled at his effort to try to find a solution that worked for both of you, but you shook your head. “I don’t want you going out there on your first dose.  I’m not sure how your body will handle getting back on it again.  Yesterday you lost hours, remember?”

You reached the top of the step, your hand on the doorknob.  You hesitated again, staring at the worn, dented metal.

Dabi sighed.  You were right, of course. Again. You were always right.  The last thing either of you needed was Dabi high off his ass in the middle of the city with you in tow, vulnerable and scared.  Dabi chewed on the inside of his cheek, feeling a ring with his tongue. 

A solution popped into his head, a solution he didn’t like.

“Give me your pills,” he said.

Your hand fell from the doorknob, and you turned to look at him with surprise.  “What?”

“Give me your pills,” he repeated.  “We already know they work okay.”

It wouldn’t fix it completely; Dabi would still feel the pain.  But it’d be muted, dulled. He could manage that for a few hours.

You hesitated with your lip caught between your teeth.  Dabi eyed the action intently.

Dabi joined you on the last step in front of the door.  “C’mon, doll.  Trust me for once.”

Let me take care of you.

Your gaze was pensive as you weighed the pros and cons.  “Okay,” you finally breathed.

Dabi grinned.  “Atta girl. C’mon, I gotta change my clothes first. I hate this fucking hoodie.”

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Chapter 16

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[flower-sunflower-blog]

What I think will actually happen in the Shelter lore

Ok, so…I’m kinda nervous about this xD

I’ve been wanting for a while to share my thoughts and analysis about the lore, and what I think will actually happen. This is always the part I enjoy the most, connecting the dots, interpreting a driving direction and thus giving the whole sense to the events occurring in the story. So...

Beings above

From what we know for now, Shelter is under the control/supervision (?) of some entities, I straight up call them gods xD It's mainly because s!Artea’s straight up used this term and referred to this idea. In general, there is a recurring theme of religion within this universe. 

I also think that the gods are common knowledge for everyone, and we, the audience, are the only ones left out about indepth details about them and their nature. They seem to have great power over everything. For me, they’re in this kind of neutral-bad area, as the control they have over this world is not something we could call…legit. 

They don’t seem to be the kind of superior beings granted with perfect moral standing and act upon a greater good. They’re straight up doing what they want, based on their own rules, and get away with this only because THEY are the superior beings. And how much they’re a big deal to you depends on how much you oppose their rules. 

That's why a lot of characters can actually have a chill life under them, as they either don’t have any reason to oppose them, don’t care, are fine living here as it is implied some came from worst places, and so and so. The “before Shelter” of the characters is something interesting to figure out for me, in order to understand everyone’s position and personnal struggles. 

For now i’d say :

s!Shade and s!Elk are chilling and the gods aren’t a big deal to them, at least not yet.

s!Hoot, s!Sweev, s!Ram, and maybe s!Heiwa, were in such a bad spot before coming in the Shelter, they just love being here despite everything.

s!Hayden and s!Luh have their own personal struggles to deal with for now. Maybe sAmora and s!Veni as well ? There are small moments where they seem to have things going on in their life, but we didn't see much yet.

s!Forest and s!Void, when they talked about it, seemed rather skeptical about the god situation, but just made the best of it without making trouble. 

In between, some of them seem to have a personal struggle related to the gods. The obvious one is s!Artea, I also kinda think there is something up with s!Miel and s!Void and their relationships with god entities that are still unknown. s!Lea seemed to have kind of an involvement with the magic gods altho it’s still mysterious. And finally, s!Mine didn’t get involved with gods yet, but some hints could make us think she’s a goddess. 

Safe or fair ?

The only one for now who seemed to straight up oppose to the gods is s!Cherry, thus showing us that this opposition have consequences. And the said consequences seems to also have collateral damage sometimes. That’s why gods’ opposition seems to be a collective deal : if you get in trouble, there is a chance you’re not the only one who will suffer from it.

Actually, there is also a chance that s!Ana is the one containing them, preventing them to go even harder on people. As if the “gold sacrifice” was a ritual that allowed the good to be less likely to lash out on people. 

In general, everyone is having a rather nice life, this world is still described as “safe” and a place you can enjoy living in. BUT it may not have always been that way, because some conversation give this sort of impression that work have been done in order to make it the way it is now. Again, I think it’s greatly linked to s!Ana.

If this world is peaceful, this world doesn’t seem fair. It can become an issue when, in parallel with this overall god situation, the members have their own backstories and motives. At the end, some people are in a fairer situation than others. Clearly s!Cherry is not happy with her current situation. And some people seem in a tougher spots than others. Altho we need more details, I think it could be the case for : s!Miel, s!Lea, s!Hayden, s!Luh, recently s!Void etc. 

It’s where stand the dilemma of choosing between doing things in order maintain  peace, or doing things in order to make things right. And I IMMEDIATELY thought about s!Pomme involvement in the story. s!Pomme has the goal to keep everyone safe, and surely will make actions in order to keep everyone peaceful, I think she’ll likely side with s!Ana. But s!Pomme has also this side of her who can’t stand unfairness, who doesn't accept abiding to the will of selfish beings and their arbitrary rules, who wants to burn everything. But would she risk to put danger upon her and her friends for this ? 

Losing battle

And we finally get to s!Ana’s case. I really see s!Ana as the driving force of the story. Her goal is to keep everyone safe and peaceful, in order to do so she both have to deal with satisfying the gods and preventing them to come after them, and with the member’s personal struggle when the said struggles can be a threat to the peace. 

s!Ana is a good soul and she cares for the well being of her found family. But I also feel like she worked so hard to keep things the way they are for her efforts to be wasted. She’s currently submitting 100% to the gods, she’s doing actions for everyone's common well being. It’s such a huge burden she have to carry when she’s only one person who doesn’t always know best.While I still have not listened to the playlist, I saw that a lot of the songs allude to her not feeling adequate or strong enough. But she’s also driven by love for her family.

This being said, I think I already see how flawed her character is even if her goal is really fair, and why it seems like it’ll be the main source of challenges in the story : s!Ana is in a situation where she’s imposing this “ideal” of peace to everyone, and wants to keep the status quo. But she's not taking into consideration that the “status quo” is not ideal for everyone. And sometimes her ideal can directly conflict other’s, again s!Cherry who will really find happiness through freedom and not submission. 

She also wants to get rid of conflicts and make sure everyone reach a mutual agreement. But on hand, she’s fighting a losing battle, as she could never end up satisfying everyone, and will always end up feeling like a failure. On the other hand, I also feel like thinking too much about “solving” a conflict is ending up neglecting the reason why there was conflict in the first place, and preventing people from expressing and working out deeper issues and feelings who are the cause of the occuring tensions.  

It seems like there are a lot of communication issues in general, and people don’t get to share their struggles with others, outside of some really close relationships case, like s!Ryan and s!Miel seem to be. Again, I think this is one of the main element that will push the story forward.

I'll quickly mention s!Shade, what I find interesting is that as much as not involved they are for now with the god situation, it seem they're the most strong and loyal ally to s!Ana, along with s!Lumi. He's one of the less likely to be a threat to the peace as they're not really opposing anyone nor going through big struggles that s!Ana would have to deal with, he's mostly doing his things and minding his own business. And he seems to be in agreement with s!Ana's goals and acting to serve her best interests.

Villains

I think we're in the story where there isn't really "antagonistic" character, but rather character that have antagonistic “potential” for some arcs. We have the morally gray characters who only plays by their own rules, I’m thinking about s!Pancks and s!Bipeo, both really interesting to me.

More about s!Bipeo :

More about s!Pancks :

On a quick note, s!Pomme is already upset with s!Pancks actions when he killed the children, I think it may come up later.

Going into antagonistic potential, we have s!Jean and his hot tempered actions, but I don’t see him as a “long term” villain. Just putting here my previous analysis about s!Jean for more details :

There is s!Ryan who is in my opinion the main antagonist of this arc, she’s a slow paced villain as she’s carefully planning everything. I really love her character because her actions are driven in my opinion by inner scars. She feels really deeply human, embracing the “villainess” role in order to not be hurt anymore.

More about s!Jean and s!Ryan as villains here :

I suspect s!Miel, while not having hostile attention, being a potential chaos element bringing mayhem all around. And finally, I think s!Ana has the great potential of being both the hero/main character, both the villain in someone else’s story. 

.

.

So yeah, that’s basically my assumptions, what I think will be the main conflicts between everyone, how the story will be driven, which main themes, etc !

[empydoc]

SOUL EATER AU morgan & seer obscura

check out the masterpost here!

welcome to a redacted soul eater au post! here, i try and discover what it'd be like if you merged the soul eater world and mechanics within the redactedverse. this is the fifteenth post in the series! we've got morgan & seer obscura on the menu today. enjoy!

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morgan — soul type: meister strongest meister ability: soul perception - a technique all meisters have, but skilled meisters can see clearer personality or significant traits within souls. seers have a constant soul perception ability that they can use with ease. compatible with: n/a

as mentioned here, seer obscura have stronger meister abilities, but are incompatible with weapons and meisters, no matter how much one's soul attempts to bond with another's. morgan's never really had issues with this physically, although it's simply another thing that's outcasted him from what it is to be a seer without obscurity.

even though morgan and seer obscura as a person cannot be compatible with one another, they certainly have a unique connection. in some odd way, there's hints that their wavelengths might be able to merge and curate wavelength control attacks if need be- which is something neither of the two have come to be acquainted with yet.

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seer obscura —  soul type: meister strongest meister ability: soul perception - a technique all meisters have, but skilled meisters can see clearer personality or significant traits within souls. seers have a constant soul perception ability that they can use with ease. compatible with: n/a

realistically i could just say everything i said in morgan's section, but i also wanted to touch on the matter that seers can mimic or cover as different empowered types. since this is something that happens in canon, i want to make a way for it in this au (which... won't apply to everything LOL)

when a seer obscura covers as a different empowered type, that doesn't change the fact that they're incompatible with others in terms of weapon-meister abilities, but it will change slightly. when a seer obcura tries to match wavelengths with someone, the rejection of such will be quite passive, with both participants feeling like they've been physically nudged away. however, when a covered seer obscura tries to match wavelengths, the rejection will be much fiercer, mimicking what it's like to try and match wavelengths with someone you're simply not bonded with.

lite backstory: for every post i make for the characters, i'll add some au backstory to really fill in some details you may be curious about!

when morgan met obscura he thought of many things. and, admittedly, the concept of obscura potentially being a weapon he might be compatible with- like a soulmate of sorts- was a possibility. when he asked about their weapon/meister status, they explained that they were always incompatible, and held a meister title loosely around their neck.

morgan wasn't disappointed, however. this gave him the chance to explain (and even learn) about the fact that obscura were simply exempt from the wavelength compatibility pool, and simply couldn't bond with one-another.

even so, as time fondly grows on, the two are discovering new abilities and things about each other. who knows what unique sorts of interactions they'll discover as they get closer?

[koshiaoi]

Ima make a post for this ig! But I changed a lot of small details in my au of isat called in Galaxies And Eons, or GE if you don't want to type the entire thing out. So the characters might be different than you know them! Specifically, the main cast!

Siffrin is more of a chill, overprotective brother type now and likes to be called the "big brother" of the group. Basically, just take cannon sif, make them way happier before the loops, and they are able to handle stress a bit more. He also opens up a little more than his cannon self! (This one I won't explain as this is actually a really big backstory change! Is still he/they)

Odile is more anxious than her cannon counterpart but also likes to try to teach different methods of craft to Boniface. Though she didn't understand potion craft that well she did try her best, Siffrin also helped immensely as well! She can't see herself as the mother of the group, it weirds her out when she's called that, she more prefers to be called the teacher or researcher, but she also adores the nicknames they've gave her. She is more self doubting because of being constantly bullied and harassed when she was in her homeland.

Isabeau is mostly the same, but because of sif being more talkative (and his crush on him), he actually shows a bit more of his smart side when it comes to craft and strategy. But he is nowhere near open enough to fully admit his backstory yet without the romantic backdrop of the familyquest situation. Also ik how people always make either sif or isa Trans in their au's, so I wanna keep tradition and I'm making Isa trans! He loves that he can be his new self! (Ftm, btw)

Mirabelle is largely the same, well before... incident, she was a lot less anxious because Siffrin always made her talk to him about her feelings! Even if he never did for her, which she still HATES that he never opens up! But because of him, she catches herself before any terrible thoughts plague her mind.

And Boniface...

Oh boy! Where do I start?

I have changed their pronouns in this au to try and show that they are the little brother of the group, as a contrast to siffrin who he sees as a big brother! (mostly for the little brother and overprotective sister nille dynamic, cuz i love that, anyway) not just that but they now can make potions! Just not crafted waters! Isa, sif, and odile, always told them not to because he couldn't control his craft as well as them, and they didn't want him to be hurt! Not just that, but they hang out with sif way more! Meaning something very bad is going to happen because of their slightly impulsive behavior! Which yes, they are happier in this au! Which makes sif teach them origami, but the true reason they hang out with sif more is because they still see sif getting his eye hurt as their fault, and isa made a comment once about how he talks to and hangs out with someone when he feels he did something wrong...

there is a lot more for bonnie, but this is as much as I can write down without straight-up spoilers for my au!

[phantomrose96]

is csm good?

yeah

I read it about a year ago, and pretty quickly, so I've forgotten a lot of the specific details. I also wouldn't put it in my list of all-time faves. But it does something very different and refreshing for a shounen series which really sticks with me.

Let's see if I can figure out how to phrase this - but it allows itself to be a tragedy in a way most typical shounen don't. Having characters with tragic backstories is a common staple in shounen. Having bad things happen is common. But most of these series have a veneer wrapped around it--someone's tragic backstory is just the motivating fodder so they can go out and kick ass and save the world (and maybe get the girl.) Things like Naruto, BNHA, Demon Slayer, HxH have that vibe for me. It's not bad. But it's expected.

CSM does something different, especially with the handling of sexuality. From the first episode it kinda looks like CSM is planning to follow the typical path--main character Denji is an orphan with a tragic backstory, fights devils to survive, gets chainsaw powers so now he can epically kill devils and--what's this--there's a girl he's interested in! Maybe he'll get Makima in the end!

Then the rest of part 1 (I haven't read part 2 yet so I can't comment on it) plays out as a tragedy for Denji. He's the victim of systems manipulating him--as a street rat who's never really been socialized, and just wants food, shelter, love, (and yeah, sexual attention)--and he doesn't have the autonomy or maturity or awareness to stop it.

There's so much less "now that the backstory is out of the way, let's kick ass and have fun" and way more "oh, the tragedy matters. the powerlessness matters. the human fallibility matters." It's not a mega-dark torture-fest but it's grounded, in the way I like.

I've stayed out of The Discourse:tm: because everything is better that way, but I at least know there's some gripes from people angry that "The main character's motivation is he wants to touch boobs? Gag. Creepy anime shit." without paying close enough attention to realize the execution is wildly different from most anime fanservice.

And I'm saying this as someone who hates anime fanservice. I just kinda hold my nose whenever anime has *wink wink, nudge nudge, isn't this saucy and exciting, audience? ;)* kind of fanservice. I'm a long-time Hater of Mineta, and everything that goes with it.

But CSM's portrayal is... not fanservice. If you look up clips from the show, the female characters' designs are all extremely grounded. Denji's sexual motivation is for Denji. It's clear that this is a shallow and immature pursuit, and it's fascinating to watch how Denji's expectations don't meet reality. How he ends up feeling lost and confused when his pursuits turn hollow or hurt him, and then he gets strung along by manipulative institutions promising there's something better at the end of this all, if he just does these things for them. He's a victim of grooming, and that feels so rare for the shounen genre where the main character is almost always celebrated for achieving any kind of sexual goal.

[cadybear420]

Cadybear's Reviews- Murder at Homecoming

Welcome to the thirty-seventh official Cadybear's Reviews! Today I'll be talking about Murder at Homecoming, which I have ranked on the "Platinum Tier" at 9 stars out of a possible 10. My last and only playthrough of this was during September-December 2022.

This is definitely one of the better, if not the best release, of 2022, and it’s easily among my personal faves. 

A MC who is proactive and gets shit done, multiple LIs, highly compelling story. How can I not love that? All three of the LIs are amazing characters– and Tyler especially is just precious. I think he’s the first love interest I have ever adored nearly as much as I’ve adored Aiden. I miss when we had male LIs that are just so babygirl. 

The incorporation of mature topics and queer themes was especially excellent. MTFL, take notes! Because THIS is how you write a teen story that talks about queer sexuality and mature behaviors. Besides maybe BiBound I mean BloodBound, this is probably the first book in Choices where each LI has some degree of confirmed sexuality outside of their LI option status for the MC. 

One thing that’s especially notable is how Tyler will talk about how he used to think he was straight if you romance him as a male or enby MC. I normally don’t mind much when LIs in GOC stories are made with the “playersexual” style of writing, but these sort of little changes are a good show of effort and give Tyler more character.

But of course, it’s not without a handful of problems. 

Like COP (1), the story is incredibly linear and none of the clues or choices really affect your story. Sure, they give you a bit of extra background, but that’s about it. 

The only choices that really have any impact are the stuff related to the queer discussions, Tyler’s romance route, and how the options for how your MC can talk about their queer experience can change based on your MC’s gender and romance choices. Which is still highly praiseworthy, don’t get me wrong, but I’d have loved to see some variation in the other elements of the book too.

And as much as I did enjoy this MC and do consider them one of the more refreshing ones, they were also a bit too rigid and pre-set for me at times. I get that some MCs will need to have pre-set details about them, and to some degree that does apply to this MC, but it was a bit much at times. Like, there was especially no need to give them a default first AND last name. I do like the aspect of MC preferring to go by their middle name, but we still could have been allowed to change their first and last names too, to be honest. 

I found it really hard to feel for the loss of Perdita for this reason; the traumatic event backstory didn’t feel as well established, compared to that of ILITW and ACOR MCs. Though to be fair, I do remember there being a handful of premium scenes to see a memory with Perdita, and I do remember skipping all but two of them. 

But even then, I never felt she had quite as much importance as the writers clearly wanted her to have? Outside of being a motivator for MC to solve Gabbie’s case and allowing MC to connect with Donovan better. Maybe my opinion on this might change after I give it a replay, though. 

That being said, I’m actually fine with the story not telling us what really happened to Perdita, as much as I’d have loved a continuation for this book. MC not knowing what happened to Perdita is what motivated them to solve Gabbie’s case, and in that regard, the two cases kind of juxtapose one another. Whereas MC is able to get closure for Gabbie’s case, they don’t do that for Perdita’s case.

That makes the ending a little more nuanced in my opinion. Sometimes, we don’t always get closure for these kinds of things. While I’m still mixed on how well the story integrated Perdita, this message was handled decently and didn’t feel like it was in bad spirit. 

So if there were a continuation for this story, I wouldn’t mind it being centered around MC finding Perdita, motivated to work on that case more actively after their success with Gabbie’s case. But rather than having them solve the case, it can mostly center around them struggling between whether they should keep up that search, or leave it as a cold case and move on. 

Overall, definitely a higher-tier and very respectable story that definitely deserves a replay. 

[greenerteacups]

Hi! I made this account just so I could interact with you like this and tell you that your writing got me back out of a reading slump! Should you ever choose to author and publish a book please let me know, I will be the first to pick it up at the nearest bookstore available. I'm very excited to see where you take us in the fifth installment of your rewrite for this series! And quick question, which Hogwarts house do you align yourself with? ∼ Cheers and much love from an anonymous Hufflepuff

You're so incredibly sweet, thank you for warming my heart on a very cold day. Hearing someone say 'I would pay for your work' is kind of the highest compliment a fanfic author can receive. In the meantime, it's my honor to give you something that you can enjoy for free!

I waffle on the House question, since my view on Sorting is very contextual and volitional. Like, Sorting happens when you're eleven, right after you're boated up to the castle in this big stinking display of magical grandeur that's probably shit-slapping levels of scary, and then you get stood up in front of every peer you have and asked to decide what you want your place in that universe to be. That makes for some panicky, spur-of-the-moment decision-making! No wonder a lot of pureblood kids default to the House their parents picked! No wonder Harry ends up Gryffindor basically by default after blurting "not Slytherin" (which is the Hat's first suggestion — remember that the first two things Harry wants to do when he finds out he's a wizard are (1) jinx Dudley (avenge himself) and (2) buy a pure golden cauldron (status symbol). Canon!FirstYear!Harry is like, probably a Slytherin by temperament, being a neglected eleven-year-old child who's almost violently desperate for safety and approval and love, but that's okay, because being in Gryffindor turns him into one. Ron Weasley, in particular, turns him into one, but that's too much for me to get into right now.) Obviously, this all informs a lot of how I write character and socialization in Lionheart. House isn't destiny, it's culture! I could go on.

So like, if you sorted me right now? Gryffindor. Because I think bravery is the most important value in my life, it's what reminds me to be kind and patient and thoughtful, because it takes bravery to do those things in a world that is, frankly, much easier to navigate if you shut yourself off to others' feelings and ideas. But it's also a much worse world. That doesn't mean I'm not ambitious or curious or loyal, it just means that bravery is the value I consciously try to practice. But if you Sorted me at eleven, I'd probably get Slytherin, because I was — without doing The Backstory of it all — not the most jazzed-to-be-alive child, and I really, badly, desperately wanted to GTFO of my hometown and like — I dunno, succeed so hard it retroactively justified every time I was ever lonely? Somehow?? Details of that plan were always a bit unclear. But general "I am going to get a good grade in Life, something that is reasonable to want and possible to achieve" type vibes. Horrendous. Point being, I'd have likely asked for the House I identified with at eleven — Slytherin — because I considered "ambition" the most important virtue of my (again: eleven-year-old) life so far. (This is assuming that I don't run into a Hermione- or Ron-type character who warns me away from all the pureblood/classist nastiness; if that happened, I'd probably end up in Ravenclaw.)

I have no idea whether the Hat would have agreed with me. In canon, we never see it actually veto a choice, only grant requests. Which makes me wonder — if someone asked for a House that they were really, profoundly ill-suited for (as I think some of the canonical Slytherins might have done), what would it do?

[yukidragon]

I heard Jack has a family, I only know his parents' name (Rise & Shine) But i dont know his sister's name since I'm only new of this fandom, I dont know much their personality, how they looked like or his parents' backstories too or even what jack and his sister looked like or personality since they were kids. (since i heard Jambeebot taken down SDJ drawings in their twitter acc :'( )

But What if Jack's family met reader/alice or Jack introduced his parents to reader/alice?

What do you think Jack's family interactions towards alice/reader or what do they think towards to alice/reader

I would love to hear your thoughts or headcanons, also i love your SDJ Fanfics too <3

Thank you so much for saying so. It makes me happy to know that you love my stories. 💖

Welcome to the fandom! Happy to have you join us. 🎉

Jack’s extended family are part of the SunnyTime Town AU, also known as the STT AU. This isn’t to be confused with the universe for Something’s Wrong with Sunny Day Jack, where Jack is just a character Joseph/[Redacted] played. In STT AU, Jack is a real person who happens to be a clown, living in SunnyTown, as opposed to CoudyTown. It's primarily a comedy AU based off a world filled with clowny characters. Here’s a couple of images Sauce/Jambeebot did for it, including ones that explain more details about it.

Oh, before I go into the images, I will emphasize that Jambeebot/Sauce’s art is not mine, and I really hope you support them on their official Sunny Day Jack twitter, Patreon, and/or kickstarter! They work super hard to create this content for all of us to enjoy, so I wanted to emphasize the credit to them since I’m showing their publicly released artwork.

Also, while I’m on the topic, please don’t repost the private patreon-exclusive art. I’ve seen some people reposting art from the patreon in the tags, and even if it’s cropped, that’s not okay. Doing that is not supporting Sauce/Jambeebot; that’s costing them money that could be spent helping them be financially secure and allow them to make the game without worrying about their livelihood.

Oh, and I almost forgot the obligatory tags for @channydraws and @earthgirlaesthetic. If you want to get tagged when I make the next headcanon post, just let me know!

Thanks for listening, now onto Sauce’s beautiful art and lovely STT AU.

And since you were interested in seeing Jack and his big sis Daisy Chain Jane as kids, as well as getting a look at what little we’ve seen of Rise and Shine’s backstories, I shall deliver.

I’m still working on Alice’s clownsona as it were for the STT AU. I do have her name sorted out though - Aurorabori Alice.

Yes, I feel quite proud of that pun.

Alice (and MC in general) would be the newcomer to SunnyTown who Jack feels an immediate attraction to. Jack is well liked by everybody, and is always friendly, but he’s especially drawn to Alice, wanting to befriend her and spend as much time with her as possible.

Also, despite this AU being very lighthearted and comedy based... yanderes still exist here too, and Jack inherited quite a lot of traits from his dad...

The intensity of these feelings for Alice(/MC) are new and... more than a little unnerving, even to Jack. He’s never felt this way before about anyone. He aches for her in a way that is so strong, he is rather frightened of himself, and too ashamed to tell anybody that he feels this way. He didn’t realize that something was missing from his life until he met Alice, and now that he knows just how warm sunshine can be, the thought of living without her feels dark and cold, even though he’s surrounded by friends and family who love him.

Despite these new frightening desires, Jack won’t force anything on Alice. How could he do that to someone he loves so deeply? It would snuff out her light and ruin her. No, all he can do is keep these feelings hidden and love her with all his heart. Hopefully, if he does everything right, she’ll eventually love him too. There’s no one else in the world who could love her more than he does. It’s impossible, not with feelings as strong as this...

As for Alice... she just thinks Jack is very friendly. Anytime she suspects that he might be flirting with her or that his feelings might be anything but platonic, her best friend Honey Bunny is quick to remind her that Jack is just a very friendly person, which is why everyone loves him, and he probably isn’t interested in getting a partner since he’s never had one before at his age.

Though Honey doesn’t realize Jack simply never felt anything for anyone the way Alice did.

Yes, this is the same Honey Bunny puppet that’s from Alice’s concept sheet. Like Buddy can change from a belt to a person, Honey can change from a puppet into a person.

There’s a theory that when Buddy changes into a human, Jack turns into a belt, though there are also pictures of the two of them human together (including a very spicy one). Still, if Honey and Buddy’s situations with their respective pals are similar, then it means Alice would have a puppet form she can transform into. I’d probably have to design it when I finally draw her STT AU self.

Honey has good intentions about steering Alice away from Jack’s affections. Alice moved to SunnyTown to get a fresh start after she had a rough time with a former suitor who may or may not be Ian’s clownsona. (Naturally, things won’t wind up as toxic for the breakup as they did in the SDJ universe.) Honey wants to protect her best friend from heartache, but might be a bit overprotective at times.

On the other side of the coin, you have Buddy serving to encourage Jack and give him, at times kind of off the wall advice, but he means well too. Naturally, this causes Buddy and Honey to come into conflict a lot, as Buddy is trying to be Jack’s wingman, and Honey is trying to be Jack’s cockblocker.

One solid image I have is of when Alice and Jack start getting closer despite Honey’s interference, Buddy (in human form) drags off Honey by her ears or tail (also in human form) to give them alone time.

Yes, Honey still has rabbit ears and a tail in her human form. How can I resist? Plus it’s not like Buddy doesn’t have unusual anatomy too...

Oh, speaking of that part of him, in this version of the STT AU with Alice, Honey and Buddy wind up going from antagonists to, ahem, quite a bit more. They fight, and it turns into spice. Jack and Alice are going to walk in on them and get quite a shock to see them making out.

Naturally, in a general MC version of the STT AU, there wouldn’t be a Honey Bunny, so it’d be up to the respective person writing their take on the AU to decide how the relationship with Jack goes and what obstacles there are.

Jack is very likely to introduce his family to Alice right away. Jane seems like the type of nosy big sister who would insist on meeting the girl who Jack can’t stop talking about. Mama Shine and Papa Rise would obviously be curious as well.

Rise would also suspect that Jack might be taking after him in a certain way and discreetly give his son tips on how to keep from scaring away his sunshine. After all, Rise would never allow anyone to take Shine away from him, and why would he force his son to suffer without that addicting sunlight in his life?

Shine is a sweet mama type, very energetic, loud, and talkative. She would be the first to greet Alice after Jack introduces the family, likely with a big friendly hug, and would gush about how her son always speaks so highly of Alice, much to Jack’s embarrassment when she starts giving examples.

Alice, in return, would be happy to meet her new friend’s family and very happy that they like her. She wouldn’t be nervous about meeting them since she wouldn’t realize that she’s meeting her future in-laws. She would see where Jack gets his friendly and kind personality from when meeting them.

Honey might insist on coming along to the instruction if possible. She’ll be seeing right through Jack’s intentions and want to make sure things stay strictly platonic, though she will be friendly and wind up liking the family more than she thought she would.

How the family would feel about a general MC really depends on the different MCs and their personalities. From the aspect of how they feel about someone Jack is obviously in love with, they’re happy for him that he found someone who makes him feel that way. As long as they’re a good person for someone as sweet as Jack, they’ll welcome them with open arms.

Opinions on Alice specifically are as follows...

Shine thinks Alice is a very sweet girl, and is very considerate of Jack, which is ideal in a partner for her son. Alice is not terribly talkative, but that’s not a problem at all. After all, her loving husband is nonverbal. What’s important is that Alice is kind to Jack and even at this early friendship stage, she can see the hints of budding romantic feelings towards Jack forming from Alice’s end too.

Rise has a general friendly reaction to Alice initially, then is quietly surprised and pleased to learn that she knows sign language and can hold an actual nonverbal conversation with him. That certainly wins her a few points in his book. The more he learns about her, the more he can see what Jack sees in her and he approves.

Yes, Alice knows ASL in the SDJ universe too. (As well as the other AUs with her.)

Jane is a bit more of a wild card when it comes to Alice. She both likes Alice right away, but also sees an opportunity to playfully tease such an easily flustered person, as well as her little brother. She’s friendly and ultimately ships Alice and Jack, but is going to give them both a hard time with it and mercilessly tease Jack at every opportunity.

Opinions from the family about Honey Bunny are generally positive as well, as it’s easy to recognize she’s just looking out for a friend. Shine would probably try to give her advice to take it easy sometimes though. Jane would find it hilarious that Jack is getting cockblocked and use it as teasing fuel. Rise would see Honey as a potential problem, but is keeping hands off from interfering, as it’s a minor issue and Jack needs to learn how to deal with people who would keep his sunshine away.

Buddy is nebulous in that he’s a close enough friend to Jack that he’s practically family, so I’ll give his opinions as well. He likes Alice right away. She’s friendly, nice, and she greets him along with Jack even when he’s a belt at the time, which a lot of people forget to do. He is totally on board with helping Jack win her over.

As for Honey Bunny... as far as Buddy is concerned, she’s obnoxious, annoying, but cute, and fun to tease. The latter feelings develop into a more, ahem, friendly type of teasing down the road.

In the STT AU, Alice would probably be the new arts and crafts teacher at Jack’s schoolhouse, which gives them plenty of time to interact, and plenty of time for Jack to give her lovestruck looks from afar as he watches her teach the kids and play with them.

Also, in a nod to the lore I went with for Sunshine in Hell, Alice would sometimes give puppet show presentations at the library with the help of her friend Honey Bunny. Cloudy-Belle Sue just might wind up being her cousin in fact, given Alice’s hair is kind of cloud-like and fluffy, which is similar to Sue’s hairstyle. In this situation, it would be Sue introducing Alice and Jack to help her cousin get used to the town and make friends.

Naturally, Sue and the rest of the SunnyTime Crew are going to help Jack get together with Alice. They’re his friends after all, and Alice is a sweet girl, though Sue will caution Jack to take it slow since she’s had her heart broken before.

For a general MC, the crew would no doubt ship Jack with his sunshine regardless since he’s so happy with them. Whether they’re related to any of the other crew members is up to the individual MC’s backstory, of course.

Oh, wow, this really ran away from me, didn’t it? That’s about all I have for now of the STT AU. If you want to hear about the AphroDesia crossover AU’s versions of the family and their opinions of/interactions with Alice, let me know, since things are a liiittle bit different in the mafia AU.

Thanks again for sending the ask. I hope you found my thoughts entertaining and that these images from Jambeebot helped you learn a bit more about the SunnyTime Town AU!