#just the way others view and treat them and the internal things they learn growing up

[alchemiclee]

other people can ship what they want, but I will only ship aventurine gay and never a straight ship. the dynamic of straight relationships/ships is never balanced (societies fault mostly) and that boy sure needs some balance. if you ignore the het-ifying of gay relationships with the whole pointless top/bottom debate, gay relationships are more equal by nature. aven needs someone in his life who is his equal.

for example, in the story it was pointed out the footprints were side by side when he was walking with ratio. therefore ratio sees him as his equal. and i'm sure aven would feel more at ease with him if he wasn't dealing with everything he was atm. aven is such an unbalanced character fighting against an eternal power struggle of everyone towering above him, trying to beat his luck, and he's trying to get above for once. then ratio appears, treating him as an equal, balancing him. even if you dont see it as a ship/see it as a platonic ship/nonromantic/friends you still have to admit how good their dynamic is.

[disclaimer edit: "by nature" I mean society's and most individual peoples nature. nature not meaning "science" but the built in habit that's existed in society and taught to people for millenia and people treat as "fact" (when it's not tbh) sorry for confusion! dont know how to explain it well! i was half asleep when i made this post idk what i was trying to say exaclty but it upset someome so maybe delete later]

[k8martins]

. ⋆ ๑ wrapped around your finger

summary: reader is a new medical intern for the lvaces and tension runs high every time they interact, finally breaking after a tough game

request: no / yes

warnings: 18+ smut, rpf

a/n: this is my first kate fic so go easy on me lmfao and i got lowkey carried away it’s around 2k words so ummmm ya purr i guess

back in april, you landed a medical internship for the las vegas aces, just in time for the excitement of draft season. not only did your job enable you to interact daily with some of the most talented athletes in basketball, but perfectly coexisted with your interests in pursuing medicine. so far, your standard role was to examine and prepare players before and after games, including team practices. any injuries or concerns were also taken care of by you. however, being shy was an issue you still had to overcome. treating players with their kinesiology tape or bringing them necessities was always attempted to be a quick motion; hurriedly fixing them up and moving on to the next task.

but some players proved to make that difficult for you. coming into work on an average day, you found yourself kneeling at the foot of the newly drafted guard— kate martin. when she had got unexpectedly chosen by the aces, you sat watching from home, marveled by her tall stature and pin straight blonde hair. she was even more alluring in person, especially from the view of applying tape to her ankles and legs every other day.

“you know the drill, just keep your foot upright and i’ll get your ankle,” you murmured, looking up at kate as she was sat in front of you. her big blue eyes met yours, and she smirked without comment. quickly averting your gaze, you pressed your lips together in an attempt to keep composure.

one thing you had learned since she joined the team was that she occasionally enjoyed poking fun at your timid mannerisms.

“loosen up a little, girl,” kate playfully punched your shoulder, “i don’t bite”.

the gesture made you laugh and mumble some unnecessary apology, but you still felt her gaze even after you looked back down. trying to focus on the task at hand was nearly impossible in this position, being on your knees before her. as you pulled more tape, your mind raced of all the things you could do to each other. if one day you could set the professionalism aside and just push her legs apart—

“you’re my favorite medical person, you know that? you always get me right,” kate continued, knowing exactly what she was doing.

you snapped out of your thoughts and felt your face grow hot, looking back up at her. “thank you,” you said, barely getting it out, “a-and you’re all set now by the way.” kate thanked you with a slight chuckle, and was up and ready for practice.

——————————————————————————

it was interactions like these that kept you up at night. all the eye contact, suggestive gestures, and tension was enough to drive you crazy. you endlessly wondered if kate had meant to fuel the tension, or if it was all just in your head. regardless, these moments made you excited to come into work every day, anticipating the next exchange you two would have.

the entire next month of your internship consisted of increasingly tense encounters with kate, with each one wondering when she would just make a move. she had started to admiringly stroke your hair while you were knelt in front of her, knowing how much it would turn you on. every once in a while she would give your hair a light tug to make you look up for no good reason other than to get a good look at you. once you understood she was taking things a smidge further, you had no problem getting a little extra touchy when handling her legs, or simply handing her things like a towel or water bottle. you ran your hands up her legs in an “innocent” manner, both of you knowing damn well you were ready to find a secluded space together.

your favorite moments to see her were before and after big games. the way her pregame excitedness would be contagious, and the way after the game she would still have energy despite being tired. this day, kate was getting ready to play in a game with high expectations for the aces. you gathered all the things she might need, and headed into the locker room, where most of her teammates were already gone. you spotted her standing right in front of her designated space, and walked towards her. kate smiled knowingly when she saw you, and didn’t move out of the way as you bent past her to set down the water and towel in her cubby. your hips grazed each other when suddenly you felt her arms snake around your lower back. you slowly got back upright, and kate kept her arms around you, moving her hands to each side of your waist.

her big hands planted on your waist took your breath away as there was no escaping her now. face to face, kate kept her gaze on you.

“i was wondering when you’d come by,” she taunted.

you swallowed thickly, your mouth hung open but the words would not come out. even after a month, she still intimidated you with her beauty.

“i’m just joking, relax,” kate said, laughing lightly.

“i know. i just had to go find the best materials for you,” you joked back, trying to keep your cool and ignore the growing heat between your legs.

kate smiled back at you, sensing how needy you were becoming. “same time back here after the game?” she questioned, her voice low.

“of course. good luck tonight, kate,” you said back.

——————————————————————————

it was a tough loss for the aces. the final score came close, but ultimately the team returned to the locker room in low spirits. the loss was hard on you too, seeing kate frustrated out on the court, but you still had to do your job. giving everyone postgame materials and accessing injuries, you noticed to have treated everyone except kate. you craned your neck around the locker room, looking for the long blonde ponytail, but she was nowhere to be seen. eventually, the team had left for the night. you were left cleaning up after them, still wondering where your favorite player was.

you had your back turned from the entrance and putting away your supplies when you heard footsteps coming towards the room. your heart immediately began to race and you turned around to see kate standing a few yards in front of you, with an exhausted but eager expression on her face.

her eyes pierced through you, and your mind raced trying to think of something to say, but it was a blur as she quickly walked to you and took your face in her hands, kissing you deeply. your body tensed up at the surprise, but quickly melted down as you remembered how long you had been waiting for this moment.

it was a hungry kiss, with her hands moving down to your waist and pulling you closer. kate completely took control of you and backed you against the wall. in the heat of the moment, you decided it was your turn to tease her.

“where.....the hell.......were you.....” you said breathlessly between kisses. kate instantly pulled away from you and scoffed.

“just talking with the coaches, baby.”

her breathless tone made you weak in the knees and she immediately went back to making out with you. her hands found their way under your shirt and began exploring all over your waist. she passionately bit at your bottom lip as she moved her cold hands up to your tits, which she desperately squeezed at. the cold touch being in just the right place earned a little whimper from your lips. kate giggled against the kiss, finding amusement in getting you so needy so fast.

you felt slightly embarrassed at how easy you were being, and decided to switch it up on kate. maintaining the kiss, you made your way back to her bench, and pushed her down. you knelt down in front of her just as you did when you took care of her, but now your dirty thoughts were becoming a reality. kate did not protest being sat down and instead threw her head back, resting it right below her name plate— “K. Martin”.

your view from the kneel made your head spin tonight, with her face still sweaty and her messy hair slightly sticking to her face. she was still out of breath and tiredly looked down at you as you parted her legs. you kept the eye contact as you gestured for her to lift her hips in order to slide down her shorts. once off, you threw them elsewhere in the room, and positioned yourself further inbetween her legs. you looked up at her one more time and saw her chest rising and falling with every movement, her eyebrows furrowed in desperation.

“here? right now? are you sure, kate?” you questioned, half taunting half being serious. you placed your hand on her inner thigh and began slowly circling her clit. she bucked her hips up at the sudden touch.

“please...please...” kate whispered, and you felt your stomach flip. all of the nights she teased you and seemed so tough were now out the window as she begged you to continue.

looking around the room, there was no sign of life besides you and kate. you turned back to her and urged her to stay quiet before going down on her. your tongue skillfully lapped around her clit and she let out a strangled cry.

“shhhhh kate you’re doing so good,” you whispered against her wetness.

you brought your fingers up to her entrance and began circling around it before slowly inserting two fingers. you kept the sucking at a steady pace but began to finger her quickly. looking up at kate, her eyes were screwed shut and stomach tense. she was biting down hard on her lip, struggling to stay quiet. her constant little moans single-handedly almost made you finish, but you focused on her.

you continued eating her out as if she was going to disappear from under you, and picked up the pace. your left hand remained on her thigh and you felt her grab hold of it. she breathed hard as her other hand landed in your hair, lightly pushing your head and grasping your hair. you smiled thinking back to the times when she would have her hands in your hair while innocently getting taped up; oh how fast things can change.

“i-i’m gonna....” kate cried out, squirming beneath you and clearly reaching her limit.

the fast pace combined with tongue and fingers finally brought her to her release. kate moaned your name breathlessly over and over as she came on your fingers. eventually you stopped and she was able to ride out the high.

as soon as kate caught her breath she got you up off the ground and put you in her spot. she got on her knees and tugged at your pants.

“kate don’t you think we should stop... someone probably heard us-“

she didn’t even let you finish your sentence before she inserted her long fingers into you. kate did not hold back as she kept an unrelenting pace and began to kiss you. you moaned and panted into the kiss, struggling to kiss back.

you gave up on trying to kiss back and threw your head back, raspy moans escaping from your puffed lips. her fingers felt so good inside of you, hitting the spot with each thrust. she didn’t even need to do anything except finger you, and you were already close. you tried to moan her name but could only get out the “k” sound.

“just take it,” she demanded, getting frustrated you couldn’t kiss back.

kate began kissing down your neck and leaving very apparent hickeys all over. all you could do was moan as she took care of you, your eyes tearing up from the euphoric feeling. you tugged on her hair as you felt yourself on the edge of release. the way your hips squirmed and tears fell down your face told kate that you were ready and nodded at you to come.

her pace slowed as you relaxed from the climax and she began gently kissing your face. she wiped your tears with her other hand and ran her fingers through your messy hair.

“i got you wrapped around my finger, my favorite intern girl,” kate laughed.

“you’re so corny.”

“you.”

[theambitiouswoman]

Hey!

Can you give tips on being confident?

Taking care of yourself will help you feel better about yourself. Make sure to get enough sleep, eat healthily and exercise regularly.

We all have our unique strengths and talents. Try to figure out and focus on what you're good at, and practice those things regularly.

Become aware of how you talk to yourself. Negative self-talk can undermine your confidence. Try to challenge negative thoughts by replacing them with positive affirmations.

Setting small goals that are achievable can help you build confidence. Break down your tasks into more manageable goals. Celebrate yourself for each accomplishment.

Start standing up for your needs and expressing them (in respectful way).

Learn how to prepare and organize your tasks. The more prepared you are the more confident you will feel.

Learn new things. Knowledge makes you more confident. The more you know about something, the more comfortable you feel discussing it.

Stand tall, maintain eye contact, and offer a firm handshake. Acting confident can help you feel confident.

Picture yourself achieving your goals. You have to see it in your mind before you can see it in real life.

Decide on the person you want to be. Every detail about them. Then start moving how they would move intentionally.

Start accepting compliments. If you don't see yourself getting compliments, start giving them to others.

View failure as a learning opportunity. Everyone fails. The key is to learn from those experiences and move forward. If you don't learn, you don't grow.

The more you think about something, the more you can talk yourself out of it. If you've prepared, trust yourself and take the leap.

Affirmations in front of the mirror daily!

Help others.

Work on your grooming and appearance. The better you look, the better you feel and the better you will get treated.

Occasionally ask for feedback from people you are close to and care about. Don't explain why you are asking, just use it to measure what you can improve on or understand how you are being perceived and deciding if that is the result you want.

Do not compare yourself to other people! Everyone is on their own journey. Comparing yourself to others can sometimes be detrimental. Instead, focus on your progress.

Accept yourself for who you are, including your strengths and weaknesses. Accepting yourself removes the barrier for improvement that so many people create. It also creates a sense of awareness and understanding of where you currently are, and can logically and honestly help you determine what you need to do to get to where you want to go.

Do one thing every day that is outside of your comfort zone. Even if you are terrible. The point is to prove to yourself that you actually did it <3

Remember, how we do anything is how we do everything. Every small change we make, be it external or internal creates a ripple in our life and starts shaping a new reality.

[bengiyo]

Be My Favorite Ep 5 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Kawi went on the class trip that he missed in the past and encountered incredibly frustrating hazing rituals. His affection for Pear was used against him, and he ended up mildly embarrassed when Pear turned him down as gently as she could. Pisaeng, after being chided by Kawi, also directly turned Pear down. Max was glorious and unbothered. Not and the seniors suck. Pear is absolutely someone worth admiring, and I get why people like her. I’m currently impressed by how well this show is enabling everyone to grow by having one person start down a path of becoming more emotionally honest and forthright.

Curious that the show went out of the way to make sure we know that Not gets no bitches.

I like that Pisaeng is tippy-toeing to confessing to Kawi. He told him he made things clear with Pear because he cares how Kawi sees him and he needed to know if he was still going to pursue Pear on his own. He doesn’t want Kawi to know that he and others heard him being rejected.

Oh, it’s cool that Kawi is having a hard time taking advantage of the lottery.

Kawi building an interactive friendship with Pear is also a huge relief.

Big fan of the way the time travel rules have been established, because we have a reason to stick around here.

Kawi, please don’t knock yourself for being a subtitler. They are the most important people for the international audience.

I feel like Pisaeng is properly dealing with his own queerness for the first time, and I really hope he goes back to the gay club later.

Not is really making himself appealing to the girls by being condescending and an asshole.

Big fan of Max. Don’t be moody about your problems if you don’t want to tell me the tea. Also, it’s your issue not your potential suitor.

He went back to the club! This is definitely his first time being in a queer space.

Nooo! Don’t run away from Max!

I feel sad for Kawi that Not and co. took his joy for songwriting.

Oh, yes, Max. READ HIS ASS.

I need to learn the name of Pear’s friend because she just delivered a WORD. Being kind and offering encouragement costs so little! Stop being so mean!

I am in love with Max. He was a bit harsh with Pisaeng, but baby gays need to get over themselves a little bit sometimes.

Look at that. Just a little bit of encouragement and Kawi’s already doing better.

This show just said we have a duty to be kind to each other and ourselves, because the world is just a place. Oh my goodness.

This the third time we’ve seen someone get rejected kindly on this show. In each case, it has seemingly made things better between the pair. I feel like we will be writing about this more later.

This show just said “changes are more important than miracles.” What the absolute fuck? I am kinda losing my mind over a Jittirain show once again.

Gawin is so fucking good at playing a gay man learning to love himself. This is the third time!

I love that someone else saw potential in Kawi after he put himself out there. It wasn’t the chance he wanted, but it’s the one he found. This is actually really nice.

Curious whose perspective they want us to read this final montage from. Both? Neither?

Gawin played freshman Pisaeng differently. That was so well done. He’s talented.

Wow. I think I actually really like this show. It feels like it’s trying to gently deprogram the audience. It’s like it knew a lot of us were bringing a lot of hostile energy to the viewing and said, “Would you mind being just a little bit kinder?” and you know what, maybe I will be. This has been really lovely so far, and I think I need to soften my stance with it. There are some incredible ideas here about the important of community and treated each other with just a little bit more kindness and respect. I also like that the show said plainly that it hurts us all to withhold our feelings from each other, because even if we can’t reciprocate them we can still build something good for everyone out of it. I will be seated for the rest of this ride.

[sokkastyles]

Another thing I've been seeing more and more of that just isn't supported by the actual show is the idea that Zuko needs to "realize" that Azula worked hard to get where she is, and not only is this victim blaming because it ignores how both Ozai and Azula treated Zuko as a scapegoat, it's also simply not true.

Zuko is the one in the text who believes in working hard, while Azula believes in superiority through inherent ability.

I often see people quoting Zuko's line about how everything came easy to Azula and their father said she was born lucky as evidence of Zuko's "jealousy" of Azula's hard work and skill, and how he needs to realize how much pressure she was under, but those people are forgetting what Zuko says right after that.

I don't need luck, though. I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight, and that's made me strong. That's made me who I am.

Zuko rejects the belief Ozai tried to enforce about being born lucky. He of course still struggles with it, because he's a kid and being told repeatedly by adults that you are inherently worthless is a hard thing to combat without internalizing. Zuko struggles with assuming that he can't generate lightning because it blows up in his face, "like everything always does." Throughout his journey, he learns to embrace working hard, learning and growing to overcome those mental blocks.

But to say that Azula, in comparison, has a better understanding of hard work is just wrong. What Zuko says about struggling and fighting actually is similar to what Azula says about Long Feng.

I can see your whole history in your eyes. You were born with nothing, so you've had to struggle, and connive, and claw your way to power. But true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with.

Azula ultimately disdains the idea of having to struggle to achieve things, and says that true power is something you are born with.

This isn't just an Azula vs Zuko thing, this is a major theme of the story and part of what leads to Azula's ultimate downfall. While Zuko works hard and grows not just in ability but his worldview, adapting and becoming a better person in the process, Azula's worldview narrows in her need to prove her own inherent perfection, which causes her to become more myopic and end up alone.

From the beginning of the story, we see Azula trying to get others to bend to her, even trying to argue against the very tides themselves because of her unwillingness to believe in anything less than her own inherent right. This is also similar to the way other Fire Nation characters show a myopic view of the world that leads them towards megalomania, like Zhao attempting to destroy the moon in pursuit of his own greatness. Both he and Azula think they can defy nature because of their own need to prove themselves powerful. Zuko tries this, too, in "The Storm," and learns one of many lessons about humility and working with others. Azula fails to learn these lessons.

So it's not Zuko who needs to learn this by the end of the series, and especially not from Azula.

I think it's also telling that these people never talk about how much pressure Zuko was under to try and prove he wasn't worthless, and I think that's because by the end, Zuko has realized his own worth, but Azula is still desperately trying to cling to the belief in her own superiority. She's the only one who can relieve that pressure she's putting on herself because she can't let go of the idea that she's not better than other people, and it is not on the people she hurt to try and make her feel better about herself, when she still thinks she's superior to them.

Moreover, I find it very hard to believe that post series Azula would even accept any offer of sympathy from Zuko. This is another example of something Zuko learned in the series that Azula did not, as Iroh says. Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. Azula's belief in her own superiority is, of course, a coping mechanism as a result of very low self-esteem, but she needs to figure out how to deal with that in a way that isn't hurting others. What she doesn't need is constant validation from people she victimized and reinforcement of the same toxic beliefs.

[greentrickster]

Hi, if you're still taking asks for Miraculous Hesperia, how are things going with Marinette's parents? What do they think of her new internship/how things are changing in her life? Have they noticed?

Oh absolutely, you're just one of the only ones who's sent an ask here on tumblr - most of the interaction for this AU's been happening on AO3, in an odd turn of events. Anyway, question!

Shady mentioned in the special that she doesn't have a 'kind mother' amongst other things, and I refuse to pin everything on Chloe the way the special tried to (especially when Lila's Right There) so I'm not going to ignore it like I have other aspects of this special or the series as a whole. (takes a moment to admire the vast swathes of ML canon I've effortlessly ignored in making this dang thing)

So. Sabine and Tom. I'm not thrilled to have to write them as anything other than the lovely people they are in canon, but I've made my choices and it must be done. In this universe, they're not outright abusive like Chloe's parents or canon!Gabriel, but they're very strict and emotionally distant. They see Marinette's potential and talent, and they do encourage it (she's still got her sewing machine and resources and a nice room with space to practice and experiment), but less in a 'follow your dreams' way and more in a 'you have the potential to excel, so that's what we expect you to do' manner. This Marinette was told to grow a thicker skin in regards to being bullied at school, and it's made very clear that they're disappointed and expect better of her when her grades slip.

She receives a small salary for working at the bakery (unrelated to being given reasonable access to family funds to work on her design and tailoring skills), but it's also made very clear that, when she's working at the bakery, she's going to be treated as an employee, not their daughter. This gives her more monetary freedom than canon!Marinette enjoys, but also less room to skip a shift without good cause. There's a reason Adrien was able to come by the bakery to catch a glimpse of her with relative ease - she has a spot on the employee timetable, and she's expected to show up and do her work if she wants to receive her salary. While Adrien has more free time in this universe, Marinette's a lot busier.

Now, on a better note, this Sabine and Tom are very impressed when she tells them that she's landed an internship working directly with Gabriel Agreste, and she's given more leeway in regards to having a looser schedule and not having perfect grades. They're both bakers, tradespeople, and they know that - as with baking - fashion and tailory are skills that need to be learned and honed over years of practice and study. They're viewing this (without confirmation but still correctly) less as a traditional internship and more as an apprenticeship, meaning that the time Marinette spends on that instead of her former duties is still considered time well spent. Ironically, Marinette's getting more approval from her parents than she ever has before, but, having seen how Gabriel treats his son and how canon!Sabine talked to her daughter, it also cuts a bit deeper that this is something she's had to earn rather than be freely given. It's something she and Chloe will end up bonding over when they eventually get in a place to be comfortable discussing it with each other.

Speaking of Chloe, another advantage of this universe is that Tom and Sabine don't question it when Marinette starts becoming friends with her. Where their canon selves would be (understandably) concerned and wary of this new relationship, reverse!them see this as Marinette having finally been successful in overcoming an opponent, and also as a good strategic connection, since she's the Mayor's daughter - all the moreso when Chloe becomes the new face of the same company Marinette's interning with. It leaves the girls freer to interact without having to justify themselves.

Unrelated, but in regards to the internship itself, it involves Marinette spending a few hours with Gabriel every couple days. During this time she observes him working, gets instructed in the ins and outs of the fashion industry, and gets given assigned readings and areas of study that will help her refine her skill and knowledge. Gabriel's a surprisingly structured instructor (she hadn't expected him to be with how wishy-washy Hesperia has often come across to her), and can be quite strict, but he's also very warm and free with praise, open to questions and able to offer clear explanations. He personally rose to these heights after originating from a lower-middle class family, so he's in a position to have at least a rough idea of what areas of knowledge and resources she's more likely to have had access to. She also shadows Nathalie half a day twice a month, since Gabriel's less involved in the business side of things these days. While not as warm as Gabriel, Nathalie's good at judging when to let Marinette have free reign and when to pull her in, and offers a lot of insight on the more practical, less creative aspects of the industry that may have changed since Gabriel first started doing this.

And, quite frankly, it's the most genuinely exciting thing Marinette's ever done in her life. While an incredibly challenging task and workload for a fourteen-year-old, it's challenging in all the right places for her specifically! Though, sometime about six months after the events of the Paris Special, while she and Adrien are hanging out during some mutual free time in his room, Marinette does lean on his shoulder and ask, very quietly, "When we're older, even if it's just for a little while... would you marry me? Just so he can be my dad too?"

Adrien would probably drop to one knee and propose then and there if thought he could get away with it but, luckily, he's met Tom and Sabine by this point and gets what's really going on here. So instead he puts an arm around her and offers, "He could be your dad now if you want."

"No he can't, I'm interning for him, I can't just call him 'Dad' or anything when we're working together, it would be-" she falters and looks away, hugging herself, "It would probably make him uncomfortable."

"Okay, but what if we just don't tell him he's your dad now? It could happen... later. Some unknown time in the future when it's convenient for us personally."

It's the first time Marinette really, truly breaks down crying with him (in relief at him being okay with this, to his relief), and when she's finally dried her eyes the pact is formed - Gabriel will never know.

The pact lasts exactly five days before Marinette slips up and calls Gabriel 'dad' to his face. Luckily for her she does it while they're both in costume, so while absolutely mortifying, at least she doesn't need to jump in the Seine over it.

Though it does lead to Chloe pulling her aside during a patrol on the grounds of, "Okay, Shadybug, just to be clear: you better not even dream of going after Hesperia's son and marry into the family just so he can be your official dad or something. I know his son's girlfriend and she's a bitch and I like her a lot, and if you mess with their stupid, sappy happiness I'll Venom you and give your earrings to Nino."

Which, when it comes to reverse!Marinette, is a statement that gets you +5 friendship and +10 respect.

Thanks for the ask!

[phtalogreenpoison]

Constance my beloved

So to start this post off, I have been having brainworms over Constance's internal monologue where she feels like she is annoying as a person. And how she remembers one time when she accidentally saw in Reynie's thoughts that he was annoyed with her when she didn't mean to be, she was devastated. Because as a little sibling myself, yes you want to pester your friends/family, especially if you need/want attention, but you don't want to come across as annoying unless you're TRYING to be. But then how it helped her whole world view and self esteem once she realized over time that Reynie treated her the exact same way. Because he cared about her. Because that's one of his best friends. Because that's his baby sister. Because yes, she's annoying, and he still loves her.

And that's not even getting into how she she is so insecure in the Prisoner's Dilemma about not being officially adopted because she doesn't legally EXIST,,, so in her head, maybe the Benedicts don't want her FOREVER ya know? And how Mr. Benedict eases that fear by doing everything in his power to provide this traumatized lonely child a safe, loving home. I imagine Rhonda being a consistently soothing presence, and Number Two probably also gets through to her in a way maybe the others can't because they share a similar fiery temper. And so by the time that the Riddle of Ages takes place, Constance calls Mr. Benedict "Dad" in a way that maybe Rhonda and Number Two felt too old to do by the time they were adopted, providing both of them this strong sense of found family. Maybe Constance dyes her hair red because it reminds her of Number Two, and she misses the fact that Rhonda moved out because she got married.

Also I definitely her as neurodivergent but specifically autistic. She has a love of words and pattern recognition (so much so that she is literally psychic lol), but this can result in her getting overstimulated and burnt out. She feels like she can be a difficult person, but she is literally constantly dealing with sensory overload because she is bombarded by everyone's thoughts and feelings all the time. And they learn how to accomodate her! Constance's poems are a way she expresses both her loves and her frustrations, and in Riddle of Ages, Sticky and Reynie understand why she's in her room so much of the time (besides obvious psychic reasons). They are also just glad that she is eating, and sweet foods seem to be a safe food for her. I imagine Moocho's apple pie is especially so, and I bet Kate makes sure she has some on had when Constance has had a particularly rough day.

Anyways I probably will rant about her again, but I loved seeing this grumpy, brilliant child so loved and cared for as she was, without having to change those aspects of herself. Yes, she does grow up and learns things about herself, but she is still fundamentally so Constance.

[nastyburger]

Hi ! I'm not sure if you're still answering asks for dannyverse, but I just went through the whole tag (which is fueling yet another DP fixation in my brain) and had a couple Q's ! I'll put these in separate asks because it might get long idk ! Number one ! I'm curious as to if/how Dex's opinions on ghosts would differ from the other's as a result of him not actually being part ghost and being generally closer to his parents (and partaking in their research, which is often being about catching/studying ghosts). There's also the fact that Dex's only experience with a halfa (in his universe) is Vlad which is.... not a great first impression probably. I'd like to think that Danny (and probably Danny B, since they both grew up with Maddie and Jack treating ghosts as more non-sentient creatures), although at first he considers his ghostliness a trait that makes him a 'freak' as is implied in the show, would over time form more soldarity with ghosts and realize that they are in fact sentient and deserving of being treated as such. Ghouly and Mourner probably probably wouldn't have that same initial internalized prejudice against ghosts (or not to the same degree at least) considering they don't grow up with the Fenton's, but I imagine they similarly end up at a place of solidarity with ghosts since it's a part of them now. This isn't to say I think Dex is malicious towards ghosts or thinks badly of them or anything, just that there might be some dissonance there in relation to the others ? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this (and on any of the other's mentality around ghosts as what I wrote down are just guesses !)

great question! dex's relationship with ghosts is largely stems from a scientist standpoint (like a zoologist/outdoor biologist kind of way not a cadaver dissection way). Dex's journey with ghosts throughout the show is a lot of him just learning how they work, the intricacies of their biologies, and overcoming the biases or false information from his parent's studies. Especially when he starts to befriend some ghosts like clockwork or sydney.

Jack and Maddie likely do a little bit of dissection on the side but dex's constant involvement since childhood and their stronger relationship with him than other danny versions curbs a bit of this behavior (at least openly). When Dex starts his own independent study of ghosts at a young age, he did the easiest/most appropriate thing he could do which is behavioral observation. this gives him a completely unique perspective on ghosts that his parents don't have, whose studies where completely hypothetical at one point in their careers.

I do believe Jack and Maddie are actually good, (somewhat) ethical scientists in Dex's universe. I feel like they would have to be for him to take such interests as a child and not be scared off of it at some point. Their more questionable stuff is done in private and they teach Dex only the facts first, personal biases with asterisks later. (ex: ghosts are MONSTERS of course we still need to do more research on this to really confirm this)

Every other version of the Fenton's research is more along the lines of "we have to study ghosts to learn how to ERADICATE them" but Dex's parents lean more towards "we have to study ghosts because they're an unknown entity that needs to be explored........and also get rid of the one thats terrorizing the town". So yeah, there's still a bit of disdain there but theyre much more open to learning about how ghosts work, especially after their son becomes ecto-contaminated and they realize completely eliminating it from his system isnt really a plausible option.

SO, to summarize Dex's view on ghosts: he knows and has been exposed to his parents' biases and beliefs, maybe even internalized some of them (but hey what danny hasnt lol), but is ultimately taught to be his own scientist and form his own opinions and beliefs. At the dannyverse point in his story, he already understands the complexities of ghosts, how theyre not monolithic, and how vlad being an asshole is completely dependent on his human half not his ghost one. So when Dex meets the other halfas, there's not really that distance between them. If anything hes excited cause he gets to learn more about halfas and how they work beyond just vlad.

As for Dex's own relationship with ghostliness, thats heavily outweighed by the whole arm disabilities thing. The psychic ecto powers is so minor and not visible other than the green eyes, aside from control its not really something Dex needs to navigate. He probably feels a small kinship to ghosts because of this aspect but it ultimately doesnt bridge to any kind of understanding between them. At his core, Dex is still wholly human.

(Speedrun for everyone else and their relation to ghosthood: Canon Danny believes his ghost half makes him a freak, Danny B's human half was also heavily ostracized so he believed all of him was a freak, Mourner thought of her ghost half as a curse or punishment, Ghouly thinks of it as a superpower that was really cool but questions if he deserved to have it)

[noriaki-kak]

Ooh actually I’m wondering now, are or were PeneLeo ever a thing? 🤔 Or was it more akin to a political marriage? :0

A little bit of both, but they were definitely a thing! The entire dynamic between all the Braithen kids is complicated but can be boiled down to “In a better world, in a better time, y’all would probably be one big happy polycule.” sdfgh

Penelope and Leo have known each other for as long as they can remember. Leo's parents were the rulers of Braithen and Penelope's parents were from a set of noble families in the kingdom second only to the crown. Her noble house had historically close ties to the church and her father was especially devout.

There were already talks of arranging a married between them, and thanks to them actually getting along really well growing up, their parents betrothed them to one another at a pretty young age.

There was real love between them, but the pressure of their marriage being arranged caused strife and tension between them as they got older. Penelope especially, she always loved Leo but the lack of choice caused a lot of unresolved pain.

All the Braithen kids ride the line between platonic and romantic love and those feelings shift and change with time. It's hard to put a definitive label on any of it! Especially considering the environment they grew up in made it hard to even recognize the budding feelings Penelope might've also had for Giselle or Leo might've had for Caspian as well.

Leo was a bit more oblivious, and even though he struggled with feeling controlled, he never fully saw the extent to which Penelope struggled. Penelope's father was deeply authoritarian, religious, obsessed with tradition, and ambitious. He treated her like a tool for his goals and didn't tolerate anything he viewed as disobedience.

His misogyny was rampant. Penelope's mother had always been extremely passive and deferential to him. Her own parents marriage along with her father's constant insistence she learn nothing more than how to be a good wife to the future king made it difficult for Penelope accept her betrothal to Leo, afraid she'd become like her mother.

It was always tough because of course they snuck out, of course they had moments to themselves where she felt free, they loved each other immensely. But at the end of the day they'd have to return to answer to their families, they'd have to go back home, and she feared a future where she was stifled even if Leo protested on her behalf.

Him not noticing her feelings didn't help, but she certainly wasn't a slouch when it came to hiding them. On top of that, Leo was preoccupied with his own internal struggles.

His dad was kind of an inadequate king. He wasn't malicious or awful, but he was a little incompetent. His father (so Leo's grandfather) died when Leo was young and he became almost mythologized as this legendary figure, lauded as an excellent king. Leo's father flounders as ruler trying to follow him up.

He raises Leo with a lot of words about the kind of man he should be without offering much in the way of actionable advice. In his naivety, Leo finds himself always striving to impress a man who isn't even sure what he's doing.

All of this culminates in Penelope rejecting him when he shows up in his demonic form. I've been a bit vague but when he's first cursed it's not quite just "imagine a tiefling" sdfghj and more like "eight feet tall, two large sets of curling horns, half formed leathery wings, imposing silhouette." the only thing that stays the same about him are his eyes.

And when he first transforms it is painful. So he immediately rushes to Penelope deliriously seeking help, and when he crawls through a window of the castle at night, he terrifies her. He's incoherent and desperate and before Penelope recognizes him, she takes a nearby fire poker in hand to defend herself.

It's really frantic, neither having much time to really think things through. Her deeply religious upbringing makes her doubly frightened. She sees his eyes, finally does recognize that it is Leo, and in his desperation to make sure she knows it's him he approaches her too quickly.

She knows it's him, but in her fear, she lashes out with the fire poker. She's not aiming for anywhere in particular but she ends up taking out one of his eyes and when he crumples in pain, she flees the room, sealing his curse.

In his pain and anguish Leo, runs through the castle trying to find his parents. Unfortunately uh, his dad sees him, has a heart attack and dies from the shock. After this Leo runs from the castle entirely, fleeing into the night. Leo's no good very bad day.

There's a lot simmering under the surface before this point but this night is the first event that marks the true end of their carefree days as friends.

[myinterestsvary-writes]

The Beach episode

Tamaki is sexist…

specifically in the way he treats Haruhi that he grows out of, which can be explained by the fact that girls his age - whom he is notoriously popular with - fit the way he idealizes and wants Haruhi to be as

…but I specifically remember watching Haruhi coming out of nowhere and redirecting their antagonism towards her and immediately thought as a little girl, “what are you doing by yourself like this?! Are you crazy?! You’re so small…plus you’re a girl against three men.” for real, THEN feeling further validation from what Tamaki had to say. That helped grow my admiration for Haruhi while reaffirming my stances on gender roles and heroism through seeing both sides, I.e Tamaki’s and the boys’ side of things. You can be a hero no matter your gender but you can also be smart about it no matter your gender (and I also thought Haruhi wasn’t being smart about it *cough* and I still do *cough cough*). You don’t have to care about gender while simultaneously acknowledge that not everyone thinks that way too. I’ve internalized this message so strongly up to this point in my life, it helps me not be selective in my understanding and usage of gender roles to my advantage and allowed introspection.

Haruhi was a boy to those offenders, so they attacked her as a guy (punching her in the manga) by pushing her into the ocean after berating her and not sexually harassing her like they did the girls. There’s not a doubt in my mind however that they wouldn’t have acted the same had they discovered Haruhi’s actual gender.

I don’t believe in victim blaming but I do think people need to take accountability somewhat for the choices they make that sometimes lead them to becoming vulnerable and harmed, that way things can be prevented or prevented from happening again. May sound synonymous to victim blaming to you, but I’m just not interested in woobifying anyone. It’s more disrespectful than victim blaming in the right circumstances. As in this one, not the bedroom scene I ain’t touching on because that’s pretty clear as an message for me as well but like…

Although I now believe Tamaki worded what he said poorly, I understood his intentions which I valued more than kind of weird imo interpretations of him saying, “you’re weak because you’re a girl!”. That just further proves my point of thinking this to just be poorly written, than anything, because Tamaki respects women in his own way that most women in his life adores (and if not then he adapts to them as individuals as a respectable person should) and holds no contempt for them in general. The message here in my eyes is that to others you’re more so viewed as weak because you’re a girl on average, because really, it’s kind of true. Gender does still matter, being trans surely does NOT erase that notion. Being GNC though, sure, but there’s still a ways to go in my opinion before there’s complete respect for that logical as shit perspective on things. Being outnumbered and being outmatched more than likely because you’re a girl against a guy, much less three matters because it is reality. Matters a little bit, just a little bit less so when you’re a guy because guys on average are stronger but no matter what the situation will be dangerous to take on alone. To say Haruhi shouldn’t have learned anything from what she did is a bit ridiculous to me, you have friends and family for a reason.

But I also get her point, “in a situation like that, you don’t have time to think.” And she’s right, which is why that kind of situation was inevitable for her to be in for me. It says a lot of good about her character, as we all know.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

This is about moral accountability. If what you mean by free will is, “You could have made different choices with the knowledge and experiences you had at the time.” Then Azula had that. But if what you mean by “free will” is “You could have lived a morally better life with the knowledge and experiences you had at the time” then according to you, Azula didn’t have that, since you say she did not have enough knowledge and experience to make a morally better decision. Is Azula morally...

... accountable for her actions if she didn’t have the “free will” to know any better?

I feel like this is also a bit complicated. I do believe that Azula was old enough to understand, at least to some degree, that what she was doing wasn't morally right. I think that she believed that she was in the right based upon Fire Nation values and her upbringing. I think that she really did think that she was doing right by her people in tracking down Aang and co. But I also think that she understood, on some level that using fear to control her friends and some of her treatment of them wasn't the morally right thing to do. As proof, I point back to the mirror and beach scenes. She has this internal conflict indicating that she knows that there is a degree of wrong/some holes in her beliefs. I think that maybe she knows that she has done something wrong but she doesn't exactly know what that thing is when measured up against what she probably believes is the greater good.

All this to say that I do think that she shouldn't just get a slap on the wrist, because deep down even she knew that some of her decisions weren't the best. So I 100% do believe that she should be held accountable to some extent. In the same way that I believe that (and I speak from experience here) mental illness isn't an excuse to treat others badly, I believe that her upbringing doesn't excuse everything. Azula is still responsible for her own choices and actions at the end of the day. She did hurt people and there should be some consequences.

Where my opinion might differ from the opinions of some people in the fandom is what consequences (or punishment if you'd like to call it that) is warranted.

I see a lot of takes that say that she needs to lose her bending, lose everything, or be imprisoned (be it in an institution or a prison). Heck, I've even seen some people call for physical punishments. I've always believed that 1. these punishments do not fit the crime nor her age (they seem cruel and inhumane especially with the knowledge that they would be applied to a 14 year old) and 2. they just wouldn't do anything even if they did fit the age and punishment.

The whole point of accountability and taking responsibility is a person being able to learn from their actions and grow. Taking her bending, physically hurting her, or imprisoning her won't accomplish ether of those things. At best she would be solidified in her views. At worst it would only make her more hateful and unkind.

To me the punishments above feel less like holding her accountable and more like taking vengeance. And I really can't see the gaang being that malicious. There is a huge difference between justice and vengeance but the line can be perilously thin.

So what do I think that accountability looks like for Azula? I think that a suitable punishment would be something like community service. Will she be happy? No. She's used to being served not doing the serving. Will she be uncomfortable and embarrassed? Probably. But I do feel like that sort of thing is more on par with a fairer punishment.

Community service would be an opportunity for her to learn and grow. If they send her off to the Earth Kingdom (Note: they don't banish her) to help rebuild fallen villages or idk work customer service for like three days (I firmly believe that dealing with customers even for one day is a punishment for anyone) she would have an opportunity to see things from a different point of view.

That's what I think she needs; to be shown what life is like outside of the Fire Nation and the palace. What it's like to be an average citizen/working class person. Sort of like what Zuko got but with more guidance from someone who is willing to be patient with her and explain why she is being punished. Rather than someone who is just there to scold her and make her suffer. She can't learn and grow if she doesn't know why she is being punished and what she is being held accountable for.

TL;DR she should be held accountable just like anyone else. But she needs a fair punishment (that takes her age and circumstances into account) that offers an opportunity for growth not torture. Community service, customer service work, maybe a good lecture or two, etc.

[4aceclover]

How do I feel about the Danganronpa V3 characters

(Boy edition)

Shuichi Saihara

I love him

He's a great (male) protagonist, and unlike the Makoto, and Hajime they actually give us a reason why he doubts his abilities and why he has no confidence

He's a very supportive person and he's the type of person I would want to have around me

I see a lot of myself in him: A person who doesn't want to hurt people but at the same time has to in order to help them

Not to mention the fact that I like how he's so emotional. This game makes it to where even though he's a boy, that doesn't mean that he doesn't have emotions

He got to have sex with pretty much everyone in his class now that's a lucky guy

He's totally bi/pan sexual but ironically enough I believe he's Demi romantic (Demi romantic is where you have romantic feelings for people you have close bonds to)

I like the fact that he became the next protagonist of V3 because it makes a lot of sense if you look at his ark and if you look at the way Kaede was trying to hype him up

It's thanks to him Kibō was able to become the next protagonist of this game

The relationships he's had with everyone has always been positive even with the liars like Kaito and Kokichi he still cares about them. (If it were me I would kill those two a long time ago)

Can be shipped with pretty much everyone

The most balanced character in the game when it comes to belief and doubt

Training trio role: the brain

Kibō (K1-B0)

I love him (Fav) second male protagonist

One of the most complex protagonists yet. A robot who wants to understand human emotion, and it's heavily implied that he truly is human underneath everything he wears for starters

Based off his interactions with Izuru it implies that he's more human-like than even that boy

His robophobia thing I actually find cute because it's kind of similar to people calling out somebody for their transphobia or homophobia nonsense which is awesome in my opinion

His relationships with everyone are awesome but there's three people in particular that I personally love his relationships with as it builds more depth into his character

The first one is Shuichi of course. In the game it's heavily shown that it's thanks to Shuichi's growth as a character that he was able to grow at a similar rate, and help them defeat Tsumugi during the final chapter. Just like how Kaede was a stepping stone for Shuichi, intern Shuichi became a stepping stone for Kibō's growth, but because we only focus on Shuichi a lot we didn't get to see that growth as much as we could have

The second person is Kokichi and his group that consists of Gonta and Miu but we're only going to focus on Kokichi for now. It's mostly thanks to these three but especially the little liar and he's able to learn more about not taking things too personally like a normal human. Just like for regular people, it's hard to brush off others comments about your identity, and so the more those three treat him like he's just a robot, the more he tries to show them that no he is more than that and it's even implied through Kokichi lies that he does indeed think he goes cool (but because he won't open up to people he would never tell him that)

The last person might be a little controversial and as much as I wanted to put the second main character into this, I feel like she doesn't do that much in order to help Kibō grow, instead I'm going to focus on the actual antagonist Tsumugi. It comes down to growth she is definitely the one who forces that growth, from her treating him almost the same as everyone else to her just calling him a straight-up character it shows that she has a negative view on him despite him being "the audience's eyes" (a topic that I'll get into later). But it's through her trying to force him to go back to being a regular robot that he's able to break through and show that he's willing to give up everything for his friends. the most character growth that she forces him to go through (kind of like Bill cipher forces of the character growth within the character of gravity falls) but he openly accepts is the growth of Self-sacrifice. Even though he had a chance to Kill everyone he decided by his own free will to protect them… even if it meant giving up his own life. We see that during the final execution it's only after some Tsumugi dies does he look down to make sure that his friends were safe, he smiles and he willingly goes up to the dome of the school and explodes it with his own body.

Overall he's an amazing example of the growth of an ultimate hope and in my personal opinion really deserves that title

Plus if you think about it there's a lot of theories I can come up with for this kid and a lot of them really hinge on the idea of him not being just a regular robot

For me he seems like a nervous bisexual mess who doesn't even realize it, and just like Shuichi he definitely screams demisexual

He's also pretty emotional but an unintentional Savage as well which is hilarious

Overall an awesome character with a pretty unique Arc (if you actually pay attention to his behavior throughout the game)

Rantaro Amami

I love him (he's a total mystery)

Oh boy where do I even begin with this one he is quite frankly one of the best written characters in the game despite him being so short lived

First off right off the bat he was the protagonist of Danganronpa V2 hands down that's one of the reasons why he's so high up on the list

An important thing about Rantaro (one I also personally love) is the fact that he has a mystery talent but thanks to the game and his love across the universe ending we learn that he actually has two. (and yes I don't care if his first one is a lie it still counts if we consider Maki's first talent still counts then his does too)

The best part about this reveal is the fact that these talents actually go hand in hand with one another the Ultimate survivor talent could have easily been achieved from his Ultimate adventure talent. Think about it this way he could have gotten his Ultimate Adventure talent yes, but because he's constantly surviving dangerous and crazy situations to find his sisters he could have gained his Ultimate Survivor talent because he can't be killed (normally) you have to come up with the creative way to kill the poor boy

Speaking of his sisters I know most people find the fact that he has 12 sisters kind of ridiculous, and that that twist in his free time events kind of makes it go from a tragedy to almost a joke, but if you actually look into the kanji that makes up his name it actually makes more sense. Amami in Italian is a species of rabbit, and rabbits love to have kids. (Personally I just find that funny but it doesn't make his backstory any less sad, in fact it just makes it worse)

Plus this also explains his behavior towards all the other students seeing them more closely as siblings rather than lovers we even see that during a secret event with Kaede

As for his love life it's hard to say he definitely seems Ace (Asexual) but not Aro (Aromantic). Reasons for this is because if you look at his love hotel scene he still would treat Shuichi like a sibling but during his free time events he blushes and it seems like he's developing a crush on Shuichi he cares about him but because of his low self-esteem doesn't feel like he deserves to tell a person he cares about how he feels he already lost his sisters the last thing he needs is to lose someone he deeply loves (again)

To be honest this kid is shrouded in mystery even without the killing game there's a lot of information he knows that if he shares with other people could get them hurt which is already really interesting and during the project development plan he's seen talking to mukuro and you go depending on whose path you go on two very dangerous types of people and I personally love that because it shows his Ultimate adventure talent shining on through

As for the game I wish that they never killed him off so quickly and instead of himiko he was one of the survivors

I mean if you Weeby newz video on the kid she acknowledges that during the development of the game THE CREATOR himself wishes that he never killed him off so quickly because of his voice actor. Which I find absolutely priceless, he was perfectly fine with killing the kid off so early, but the moment he heard who was voice acting him, he wanted to rework the script so he would live longer (and I'm pretty sure if he had it his way, and if the game wasn't already in development so fast he probably would have done it)

From the mysterious information that he knew to the connections to the previous two protagonists there is a lot you could have done with this kid and there's a lot you can still do with him definitely more helpful than Miu in my opinion

Also would have made an awesome manipulative Mastermind (look at that face and tell me it doesn't scream ultimate hypnotist)

Kaito Momota

He Awesome

Here we go the luminary of the Stars himself

So right off the gate I'm going to be honest the fact that he's voice acted by kazuichi soda is honestly ironic but I'll get into that a bit later

A very supportive boy but also incredibly naive and while he probably didn't realize it himself his beliefs are just as dangerous as Kokichi's

He wants to believe in everyone without doubt and while this way of thinking is fine considering how it's implied who he was raised by it's also incredibly dangerous as we saw on the 4th chapter

Chiaki stated it best herself believe without doubt is simply a lie and in some cases it worked well for some of the members of their class but in chapter 4 we saw just how much of a lie it truly was specifically towards his behavior with Gonta vs Kokichi

I personally think that he's an overwhelmingly positive character and I do like the effect he has on Shuichi and Maki, but at the same time I also wish he just listen a little more and paid a bit more attention to things cuz otherwise he could have helped prevent a few things that happened in the game

To be honest his way of thinking is also shown through Tenko which is kind of cool but I don't blame Kokichi for thinking he's an idiot (cuz he kind of is) that doesn't give Gonta to any saying calling him and idiot when he's just as much of an idiot

His motive video is also pretty tragic when you realize that even if Kaito had seen his motive video there would have been no reason for him to kill, because of it if anything that would just plunged him into deeper despair after realizing his grandparents are still waiting for him, or are probably died depending on your perspective

Definitely screams Bi idiot, but is also super oblivious (because in my eyes the reason why he never noticed Maki's feelings towards him was because he was focusing on his feelings towards Shuichi) also seems like the type of person who be fine with the polyamorous relationship

Even though he and kokichi are seen as rivals in reality they're more similar than you think considering he's one of the four people who had the opportunity to end the killing game but never took full advantage of it because of his own stubbornness (the other three being Rantaro, Kokichi, and Kaede but for different reasons)

His jealousy, cowardness and naivety honestly make him a pretty interesting character, because it makes him well rounded. He's not just positive and supportive he also has negative thoughts too, and just like a real person tries to push them down when it comes to lifting another person up (toxic positivity much)

And I'm going to be 100% honest here I don't really see him being sexist (he's not like Tenko)

Overall a very intriguing character, funny and very stupid but also just a delight. Just like Shuichi I wouldn't mind having a person like him in my life the only thing I wish he wouldn't do is constantly bring himself down by bringing others up and then try to run away from his problems

Training trio roll: leader/supporter

Kokichi Oma

Scary in a good way (not like Angie)

Haha another controversial character well let's not beat around the bush

A little gremlin who I personally find hilarious and kind of terrifying (with his sprites)

Love the concept of DICE, just his team of an evil organization, prank group, whatever I don't care I love that group!

His lies can be annoying but he's honestly pretty helpful if you bother to look deeper into his character

There are multiple times where he's telling the students the truth but because of the way he presents himself they think it's a lie

And at the same time he's constantly lying to himself about his emotions and about the killing game like chapter 5 pointed out

He has severe trust issues and his wiki page points out this D.I.C.E TV show which is an organization run by kids, orphans which allow many people (specifically in the Japanese fandom) and myself included to think that Kokichi is indeed an orphan

And if that's the case that would explain his trust issues and the reason why he seems to always be the way he is. If he was raised in a orphanage depending on what kind of orphanage he was raised into then that would explain his lying

He's a compulsive liar: somebody who lies because it's more comfortable for them rather than a set goal in mind, this is usually because people like that, grew up in an environment were lying & deceit were necessary and orphanages are the prime real estate for liars like that

Based on the way Maki explains her orphanage: it seems like a nice place with the only downside of it being connected to a cult that tries to raise child soldiers. The children who are selected have to go through hell, but all the other kids can grow up with normal lives. Kokichi situation seems to be the opposite he grew up in pretty much an abusive orphanage. He even States in (I think it's) chapter 2 that he and Kaito come from "completely different backgrounds" hinting at this fact that he grew up in a place where lying in deceit were totally necessary for him to survive.

Plus there are multiple times throughout the main game and the project development plan where he calls out people for their lies, especially known liars like Celestia and Monica, and those two have an act for lying but people tend to believe them way more

And regardless if you guys agree with me or not one thing I can definitely say with confidence is that he's nothing like Lila. she is the worst when it comes to lying I mean her lies could easily be proven but everyone's hit with the idiot stick (damn it miraculous)

And personally I actually like how he was written. A person who was constantly lying and didn't trust people but was willing to do everything in his power to stop the killing game even though he didn't trust any of them except for one boy his beloved Shumai

But just like kaito his way of thinking is just as dangerous he doubts others without giving any room to believe in them that itself is a lie as well

It's through him and Kaito constantly fighting over whose influence will affect Shuichi more, that makes Shuichi such an amazing balance between belief and doubt as he will forever be the gray area between these two boys way of thinking

Personally I see him being more gay solely because the way he 'flirts' with the girls seems more like teasing. Plus he's always connected to Shuichi in some way: whether it be their color scheme, they're lying and truthful nature the way the group believes in doubts in them and even the fact of their rules of the game one being the protagonist and the other being the rival. This connection kind of goes into the other boys too, with Kaito and his rivalry, his teasing of Kibō, his little sibling like relationship with Rantaro, and his friendship was Gonta definitely leads more towards males than anything

Definitely a cool interesting character who in my eyes was really well rounded when it comes to his characterization very confusing at times really helpful and the way he went out was really heartbreaking

He also has his own little group (the anti-training trio) of him, Gonta, and Miu, but that's topic for another day

It's his manipulation, cold hard tactics, calculating mind, and unique sense in lying that make him such a uniquely terrifying character. He and Miu are on the same level of smart especially considering they're both rivals but the problem with Miu is that she's not on the same level when it comes to being helpful in the Main character (Kaede) growth. Only kokichi could provide character growth for all Three Protagonists.

Gonta Gokuhara

My baby

A unique dynamic with Gonta is the fact that he wants to be a gentleman but doesn't seem to have the patience to understand why people don't like bugs

One of the few characters who actually says their name in third person and it's totally adorable others being (Tenko, Angie & Ibuki)

The definition of a character that you want to protect but could probably break your back

I like his relationship with Kokichi and Shuichi, it shows how opinions can be swayed regardless of the truth or lies

Definitely a very gullible person, can't say much about sexuality but he does care about his friends in a very platonic way

What's funny is the fact that he calls himself a gentleman and yet he throws one of his own classmates at a water tank (keep trying but you're still legs away from being a gentleman buddy

Definitely love the dynamic between him and Ryoma. A big guy who looks intimidating but is really nice, and a small guy you can underestimate but whoops he's terrifying especially with his voice.

Definitely a very cruel chapter 4 but I like how they handle his character

They claim he's dumb but he also has his moments of being incredibly smart

It makes me kind of wonder what would have happened if he survived chapter 4 but his Avatar was the one to have taken the punishment

Ryoma Hoshi

He so cool

Let's jump right into it a tennis pro that's also that height is quite impressive

His backstory is actually way more tragic than you realize a man who tried to teach some Mafia thugs a lesson when it comes to rigged matches and how tennis should be used for gambling like that only to them lose everything his family his lover and then his life so messed up

It actually makes a suicidal actions and the game all the more understandable and puts it to perspective

It makes you kind of wonder what would have happened if he did kill himself in the very first game or was used as a sacrifice

The interesting part about him is the fact that he is practically the exact opposite of Kirumi. A man who's accepted his crime and didn't run away from it, but who also cared about everyone with this whole heart. Vs a woman who wouldn't accept her crime to The bitter end and claimed to do it for the right reason but ultimately ended up suffering a horrible fate

There's a lot of evidence in the game pointing to him being AroAce which I can accept especially about the asexual part but when it comes to being Aromantic, it's just hard for me to see when it comes to relationship with Shuichi

Definitely a very intimidating character has some very creepy sprites but that just adds on to his overall uniqueness

And while his time was short lived he also kind of similar to Fuyuhiko in a sense where he gives the main character advice to not throw away their lives or throw away the love that's right in front of them cuz he already did that and regrets it

A character that definitely has more to explore and deserve more

Korekiyo Shinguji (Kiyo)

Boy needs help

Oh boy where do I even begin with this one

Starters being an anthropologist. That's a rare and very unorthodox talent (it gives anyone the opportunity to just use that as an excuse to stare at people)

Combine that with a sister complex, and his relationship with both Shuichi and Rantaro we got ourselves one creepy ass character if you ask me

First let's start off with a more obvious relationship Shuichi, first there's the fact that at the end of his free time event he asked you to travel the country with him which ties him back to Randall in a unique way if I'm being honest

Even though Shuichi doesn't know he's a killer by that point, the fact that he asked him to become his disciple shows that he definitely has a lot of respect for Shuichi

Could have been all fine and cute if it wasn't for the fact that he then later on said that he could be a good friend for his sister. (Mind you buy this point he had never wanted a male to be his sister's friend to begin with so) the fact that he thinks he's a good friend for his sister scares the crap out of me (considering well anybody who knows kio knows what he does to his sisters potential candidates for friends)

Plus let's not forget his love hotel scene where he tied Shuichi up. Do I even need to go into more detail as to why this boy needs to stay as far away from people as possible

Even though I want to say he's Pan he definitely screams more like he leans towards men in my opinion, plus he seems to be into intelligent people or people who have siblings

I mean we get a lot of evidence for that and his second relationship Rantaro oh God don't even give me started with this

Mind you even though those two didn't get a lot of time to talk to another in the cannon game thanks to the other non-canon version of the game we know for a fact that those two would have made good friends considering the relationships with their sisters

Ranchero being the oldest of his family and kio being the youngest of his they both will do anything they can for their sisters so that's pretty cute

But then you have to remind yourself that Kiyo was a killer of female so that way he can give them as friends to his sister so for that I say Rantaro keep your little sisters as far away from this crazy maniac as possible

Yet despite that I honestly think those two would be the most dangerous together, If either of them decide to go yandere. Considering the fact that they'll do anything for their little siblings, combined with Rantaro calling Shuichi his little brother and Kiyo having a close relationship with Shuichi (saying that he would make a good friend for sister AKA a good friend for him) If these two ever teamed up together Shuichi would be in a lot of trouble as they would totally kidnap and brainwash him to become their next little sibling (since their siblings are technically dead)

But hey I can't conclude this section of Kiyo without talking about his insane sister and explaining why I believe it's her fault he turned out this way

There's a lot of things I don't want to get into when it comes to that girl but I'll just leave it at this considering the fact that his topa acted very clingy possessive and controlling during the third chapter, and he seemed absolutely scared to disobey her combined with the fact that he was just yelling at Shuichi to apologize to him even though he knew that he was right shows just how manipulative and awful she is to him

Plus the fact that he's the younger sibling of the two making the incestuous relationship probably something he didn't understand until it was too late. You can't exactly blame him for being so clingy towards his sister, she's probably manipulated and rape the poor kid, then kept him from their parents. Plus he had nobody else but her to look up to you could see how bad that turned out

There's a lot of things about Kiyo's relationship with his sister that I'm too Disturbed to talk about, so if you want to know more information go to Weebz news channel, her analysis on Kiyo I'll give you some context and a bit more light into what the heck I'm talking about

All I can say is this boy needs emotional therapy

[softlittleheartsandsparkles]

Can you give some clear examples of infantilization? like how does it differ from inner child healing/age regression? I'm curious on the topic cause you keep mentioning it.

I guess I can try to break it down. Firstly, inner child healing (therapy) is a therapy that's either self driven thru books and other media, such as podcasts, meditation etc. (Think of things like Shadow work, self help books, also learning about things like attachment styles and attachment wounds. Examples could be noticing you always label folks as "selfish" or "bratty" and realizing these are really core criticisms you heard growing up, used to brush away requests/boundaries, etc. You might've had growing up. Best way I view it is basically using painful things said to you, and putting them on others because you've learnt those behaviours are "bad" and those are the "labels." ) OR is done in a professional setting, meaning 1:1. (you, therapist. Maybe a case manger. But no "CGS") Examples include: art therapy, EMDR,somatic work, and internal family systems.... to name a few. Age regression is a *personal* private coping method. It can be helpful or maldative, it differs from person to person. But if your someone like me, it's not safe to be in that setting. (I dissociate pretty badly, thus I don't find it a "healthy" coping method. It just something that happens, it's a sign i'm not doing well.) Now for Infantalization: I can only speak to this as a women. (cis) but to me infantalization is treating a grown person like they are a baby or child or toddler for no real "reason". It feels rooted in ableism digusied as a way to make people feel 'safe'. *gestures to baby safe, toddler safe etc when it comes to mentioning my hobbies/special interests* - If people want to use terms I feel like the score rating for video/movies would be better. G, PG, PG13, R/+18. We already have a rating system. Infantalization can infer you think the person is lower of intelligence/IQ. examples being speaking down to someone, simplified languge, using a softer childlike voice by choice, and yes, baby talk. Which is why I say it's infantilziation. It feels no good. Lowers self worth, self esteems it makes me not want to share my hobbies/interests etc. Infantilization is claiming a person is *too* fragile (mentally or physically) to do things. Examples include chores. Or are constantly fussing over the person/not giving the person space so that they can be y'know a person. This also includes not allowing that person to make mistakes, or heavily criticising the person when the do but in a way of "see I told you, you just aren't someone who can do that stuff cause of your *gestures to disabilities*...". As also mentioned labeling interests such as: toys, anime, cute fashions, pastel colors, video games, etc. As things only "kids" "children" "babies" like, there for that person must also be a child is also infantalization. It's getting late so thinking of many examples right now is a little hard. But this is all I can think of. __________________ Also these things aren't inclusive with therapy. (Infanilzation I mean.) A professional isn't going to infantilize someone, or shouldn't at least. (would be a bad therapist imo) Because it destroys trust and the safe place that therapy is attempting to foster. It would/could also push feelings of shame and guilt and make that person shut down not want to show up, etc.

[tempestgnostic]

aight i’ve got what should be a lukewarm, normal take, but probably isn’t, especially because this is the No Nuance Webbed Site.

cw: discussion of suicide, child and animal sexual abuse, capital punishment

i’m not kidding. this is a heavy one. this is your warning.

let’s get this out of the way: there is no ethical way for adults to engage in sexual acts with children, or for humans to engage in sexual acts with nonhuman animals. nothing i say here will contradict these facts. everything i say is in the interest of preventing abuse as much as possible. i’m firmly against the death penalty. i strongly hold the belief that in order to take a life, you ought to have a damn good reason for it—like killing in a legitimate case of self-defense, or in defense of others in a situation where that’s likely the only thing that will stop what’s happening. i don’t believe the state should have the power to execute someone who is utterly defenseless.

see, i highly value life, and i also believe that every single person has the ability to change and find a place in this world. every. single. person. remove their ability to continue enacting violence, exploiting people, etc. and offer them chances to make up for the harm they’ve caused, encourage to become better, and you empower them to do just that, should they choose to take that chance. (some won’t, and i know this.) long-lasting personal change requires three things: sustained internal motivation, external encouragement, and opportunites to grow and learn. without all three, change will be transient and hollow, or perhaps never happen at all.

i understand the anger behind a lot of the things people say about folks who have abused children and animals. i’m not going to roll out my laundry list of relevant trauma to justify having experience-informed positions. i’m also going to say, point-blank, that how we treat people—systemically and interpersonally—should not be based in anger and a desire for vengeance. what we need to do is figure out what circumstances lead to someone committing these acts, and minimize those circumstances as much as possible, in the interest of reducing the chance of harm to potential victims, but also to make sure that those who would commit these acts have a voice in understanding these attractions and the shame surrounding them, as well as how they can address and engage with them in morally-neutral, responsible ways which, critically, must cause harm to no one.

shame, guilt, social isolation, having no one to discuss these kinds of attractions with: these are the very kind of factors that can lead someone towards causing real harm, when there is no safe outlet to address a) what their internal experience is like, b) why there is no ethical way to act on these attractions with actual minors and animals, and c) what they can do as an alternative. shame and silence lead to more victims—this is a proven fact.

a brief note about so-called “pro-contact” communities: these are often a landing pad for people who have been pushed out of other social spaces, to the point where the only people who will welcome and encourage them are those who not only share their attractions, but also believe that there are, in fact, ethical ways to engage sexually with children as an adult, or nonhuman animals in general. (let me repeat: there is no ethical way to do these things. none. children cannot consent to sex with adults. animals cannot consent to sex with humans.) they have justifications aplenty for these views, and are fully prepared to foist them upon newcomers to those spaces. radicalization is easier than you think, and we should be supporting any measures that can prevent this from happening. it doesn’t matter what you think of any of these people personally—what matters is deradicalizing people and creating spaces where having these attractions but not acting upon them with actual children/animals is considered morally neutral. those who have caused harm should be able to use these spaces to recognize the harm they’ve done, work through the shame, and ultimately come out of it with the full intention of not doing so again. ideally, some of these people will go forth to help their community in some way: for example, by organizing and/or moderating spaces like these, and helping to deradicalize others.

now, as for why i brought up my feelings on the invaluable nature of life: there are people with these attractions, both those who have acted upon them in harmful ways, and those who haven’t, who have committed suicide. often, this is due to immense shame from within and without, forced social isolation after their attraction is discovered by others, so on and so forth. and, as someone who values life, i will never celebrate this. as someone who believes change is possible, they have permanently lost the ability to do so. whether or not they would change depends on the factors above, but i believe the opportunity should be present and encouraged.

i’m a firm believer in restorative justice, which i will admit is an incredibly difficult stance to truly defend. when i think about the abuse i’ve been through, and what many of my closest friends have been through, my immediate thought is to start making a list and plan a road trip that would almost certainly end with me getting arrested. “i want that fucker dead” isn’t an uncommon phrase for me. but then i step back, and i remember that in the world i’m trying to build (in whatever small ways i can) we reduce the number of victims tenfold by addressing what causes people to commit these acts of abuse in the first place. that’s because i absolutely stand with victims, both human and nonhuman, and i also stand firm in the belief that preventing people from committing abuse in the first place, or preventing further abuse, is not just a necessary act in practical terms, but a moral act for the good of all.

if you’ve read this far, or even just skimmed this short essay that got out of hand, i hope that i’ve given you something to think about. if, however, you’d rather completely misinterpret my position as “defending” child and animal abuse, i encourage you to save your breath and go back to your regularly scheduled tumblr dashboard, instead of twisting my words in the comments.

[trenchgardens-ooc-ooc-ooc-ooc]

So i have a hard time viewing humans as seperate from animals or even programs, myself included. Theres never been any divine spark of humanity that sets us apart that ive ever been able to see, and all that. we're just advanced in program terms, and heavily adapted in evolutionary terms. Once I heard that line of thought that 'if you could rewind time and play back the universe from the start, no matter how many times you played it, everything would be the same,' it was over for any concept of inherent guilt or evil for me, no matter how slow its death.

Detheo Ordeor does not have empathy. That's not to say he holds any ill will towards others of his species, he just doesn't feel it. He isn't stupid either. The trope of psychopath and sociopath to a slightly lesser extent is a caricature so intense that it feels wrong almost to the point of revulsion to seriously apply it to someone, thats why the medical field doesn't use it officially anymore. The social zietgeist latched on to this concept of a person who they heard 'does not feel empathy' and interpolated as someone who is inherently wrong, mean, base, evil. It gives an impregnable moral highground, to Other someone. No matter how bad you are, there is someone worse. Once you have the concept of a Bad Person and a Good Person, well... Its a way to protect the mind from the pain that comes with becoming better. The growing pains. It is a stunting method, and it enables-- encourages-- great cruelty.

Detheo Ordeor is a conservationist. He treats every minute animal in his care with exactly that, care. He grew up in a world that would at the drop of a hat let him do any kind of evil thing as long as it was hidden just out of sight through a guise of beneficence. That guise however was enough to steer him in the right direction. He took it to heart, he had yet learned the concept of false pretenses, so he took their word at face value. the idea that any living thing should be preserved, that loss of information was a vast error, that the small are beautiful, and that every species deserves dignity, all took root in him before he had the time to realize the truth of the ulterior motive, and when he learned of that truth, he was disgusted.

Detheo struggles with obsession. In his younger years he had romantic crushes who we would recognize as 'favorite persons.' By the time he was working for the empire's internal security division, his tendency towards obsessions was long since a beast he learned to divert, redirect, control, and harness.

Detheo has amazing self control. Formed like a callous. Chafing, Chafing, Chafing. Learned through trial and error and error and error.

By the time he was an adult he was in near total control.

And then he saw a small grub.

Perpep is psychic. She is a strong psychic, and suddenly the jabbing of his self against his calloused hands jabbed at a soft spot. A tender spot of so so thin skin it had never touched before.

Without the automation of instinct, Detheo learned the world like a learning neural network. He was not guided by preprogrammed functions, he guided himself. Because of this he understood so much more than his peers. He had to, he didnt have the luxury of that social instinct. He moves with grace but he is not graceful. He moves with grace because he is in his element. Detheo is clumsy, inarticulate, rehearsed. This line was not in the script. He was not supposed to feel this- intrusive outflowing of feeling. Like walking into a room and experiencing smell for the first time. And your first ever smell is perfume or decay or an onion, cut, held under the nose.

This uniquely limeblood sect of psionics functions as empathy bypassing body language bypassing mirror neurons bypassing empathy. What Detheo didn't have. An onion is a powerful smell, but you have smelled strong smells before, you know how to deal with them. You know how to avoid sensation, you know how to hold your breath. Swimming in ice cold water is easier when you know how to swim.

[ultimatecutenesspeaks]

Meeting Bunny - UC and UB's Point of View

When UC first met Bunny, they liked them instantly.

They didn't know anyone from the 79th class, so that was already really cool. They found most of the students from that class to be intimidating. But when Bunny approached them, that melted away immediately. They were also the only person outside their class to not only take notice of UB's bullying, but to make an effort to protect UC from it.

When they went to the hospital to visit UB, they started to get along even more. Given UC's involvement with demons, it was interesting knowing someone who also had an affinity for the supernatural. During their time together, UC began to admire them.

But things went wrong fast, and soon, their new friend got taken away by ghosts. UC was protected thanks to their personal demon, but the situation was horrifying nonetheless. Despite their anxiety, they, along with UB, stayed in the hospital to explore with Bunny.

As time went on, UC's admiration for Bunny grew into a fondness, and they started to see them as a big sibling. To them, Bunny was smart, strong, anything you could want in a big sibling. UC knew they were safe as long as Bunny was around.

And even though they tend to act like a child, UC knows when to be serious and mature. They are just as protective of Bunny as they are of them, and they aren't above taking serious harm for them. Thankfully, this hasn't been necessary so far.

Even though they refrained from talking about their internal struggles at first, wanting to remain positive and optimistic, Bunny is one of the few people they trust enough to be vulnerable with, and is one of the few people who has seen them at their worst. They couldn't be more grateful to Bunny for staying with them instead of running away.

When Bunny requested to summon their Demon Familiar, UC was excited to share their knowledge with them. Even though it was likely that they would get put in danger, UC and Mr. Bunny taught them everything they needed to know to stay safe.

In the end, Bunny is one of UC's favorite people of all time. UC doesn't feel lonely anymore, and their mental health has also improved through their time together. Bunny is the "bravest, bestest big sibling" they could ask for.

----------------------------------------------------------

When UB first met Bunny, they thought they were annoying.

But then, they thought everyone was annoying.

They weren't a fan of having their rival and their new friend in their hospital room, and they definitely had a few complaints.

But they knew it was time to be mature when the spirits of Heavenly Hospital appeared, and despite their objections, they stayed to explore the hospital per Bunny's request.

They found themselves impressed by Bunny's talent, even though they wouldn't admit it. At the end of the adventure, UB decided that Bunny was a friend. But they were careful not to get too close.

For a fair amount of their time at Hope's Peak, UB sort of third-wheeled UC and Bunny, due to the two of them having a closer bond. Thanks to UB's quiet nature, they tend to go unnoticed. But they don't mind.

They and Bunny also tend to have more disagreements then UC and Bunny, and unlike UC, UB is usually the first one to question Bunny's decisions. But it always ends with the two of them understanding each other and growing even closer.

After learning how poorly they were treated by their parents, Bunny used their supernatural abilities to get rid of them. Although it was unexpected, UB knew for sure that they were safe with Bunny. And after learning about their past, Bunny saw that there was more to UB than the way they presented themself.

And during their journey to Hell, their bond only grew even more. Even though UB started to feel left out, their teamwork was anything but lacking.

In the end, UB can safely say that Bunny is the best sibling figure they've had since their brother. With them around, the pain from the loss of their brother is much more bearable. And being with them allowed the relationship between UC and UB to improve as well.